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Travel Tips: A Guide to the San Diego Area with Kids // www.LisaSamuel.com

We recently spent a week in the San Diego area with family, rolling in the sand, splashing in the waves and exploring as much of the Southern California food scene as we could squeeze in. I hadn't spent much time in that part of California, and it's lovely. It's a perfect place for a family vacation, because there's something to appeal to every age.

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If you've asked me recently about what I'm reading and listening to, I've likely told you about the Second Life Podcast. I'm obsessed with hearing the stories of women who have reinvented themselves, finding new passion later in life and achieving great success by following their heart and gut. My enthusiasm for these stories probably has a lot to do with the stage of life I'm in, but it’s made me look back on all the jobs I’ve tried--what I'm good at and what I'm not, what I enjoy and what I dread. Where I'm talented, where I need help (whether I like to ask for it or not). The sheer number and variety of things I’ve done makes me laugh. To indulge my own nostalgia and in an exercise towards my second life, I thought I’d share my winding road. Maybe you'll also find some inspiration here.

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We've just started thinking about our next trip to Israel, probably next June. I think this will be my sixth trip, and I never get tired of it. Part of that is spending time with our family there, but it's also that I feel like every visit develops my relationship with the land and its history, and my experience with my faith. You can read about some of my past trips here, here, here and here.

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In my childhood years, I remember summers as long, hot and humid lazy days where boredom inspired creativity—building forts and creating clubhouses with friends, playing make-believe in the fields and jumping off hay bales, or laying in the grass to write a poem, draw a picture, read a book or just look up at the sky. I loved all that unstructured time to dream and be a kid. 

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This is the second post on what to pack in your suitcase to entertain your toddler while traveling. The first was for two year olds, and this one gives updated ideas for three year olds.

Travel Tips: Activities to Pack for Three Year Olds // www.LisaSamuel.com
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Tomato and Stone Fruit Salad | www.LisaSamuel.com

If you want to read a little more about my history with food, my food philosophy and why I don’t believe in fad diets, begin here.

The topic of food is mercurial. There’s hedonism—the pure pleasure of food. And community—the warmth of gathering loved ones and strangers alike in communion. And feeling—because food evokes memories and judgements and beliefs. And medicine—because food can heal. It’s an intricate dance, our relationship with food, and I hope to cover all the bases in the next few months. But we’ll start with a few daily habits. 

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Theo's First Birthday Celebration // www.LisaSamuel.com

The sweet little boy in this photo just turned THREE. As milestones usually make me do, I started reminiscing, going back and reading through his first year posts to remind myself of the fleeting nature of each phase. As I did, I noticed that I had never posted all the photos from his first birthday party. So, here we are, two years later, and I'm finally sharing the photos from this sweet celebration.

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Lisa Samuel // www.lisasamuel.com // Coconut Curry

I didn't grow up eating ethnic food. Exotic meals included taco nights, with crispy taco shells filled with seasoned ground beef and shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese, or a Bisquick-crust pizza, again with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce and shredded cheese. My Mom was--and is--a great home cook, but when I was growing up we ate platters of fried pork chops with mushroom gravy, chicken and rice casseroles and well-done beef roasts with potatoes and carrots. It was the 80s after all.

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Three Weeks In Israel // www.LisaSamuel.com

We arrived in Tel Aviv mid-morning, bleary-eyed and a little wobbly from lack of sleep, since Theo was the only one of the eight of us to sleep on the flight from Toronto. We were also hungry and some of us in need of a coffee. But I had forgotten that we were arriving on Shabbat, and our favorite café was closed. Elie called his cousin, Nomi, who lives in Tel Aviv and asked her for a recommendation for a meal that would give a good first impression. We soon found ourselves seated in an outside courtyard near the entrance to the shuk, soaking up the warmth of the Mediterranean air as our table was soon covered with the small, delicious plates of small bites characteristic of an Israeli breakfast. 

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2019 Intentions // www.LisaSamuel.com

If you’ve been reading here for a while, you’ll already be familiar with my yearly reflections and the setting of intentions for the year ahead. In one form or another, it’s a thoughtful, meditative process I’ve repeated each year for the better part of thirty-five years, since I received my first red leather-bound diary at the age of eight. 

Never has this process been as meaningful as it is now. Since Elie and I have been together, we’ve adopted this practice as a family, sharing our reflections and intentions so we can hold each other accountable, lift each other up, and support each other in our individual and family goals. Taking intentions from our hearts and minds and penning them to paper gives them weight and energy. It makes them real. 

If you’re curious about the process I use, I explained that in last year’s post. I hope it’s helpful to you. It’s been a powerful tool in my life.   

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