Firelight Camps Travel Diary

Candle by Shop Evil Queen, Adventure Awaits. 

When I attended an event at the W Hotel in Midtown this summer, I was introduced to the world of 'glamping'. That is, glamorous camping. Or rather, my kind of camping. ;) I knew I had to experience this before the weather got too cold. That's why I brought my husband and our pooch, MaQ, to Firelight Camps right before the start to New York Fashion Week, for a lil' R&R before our chaotic schedules ensued. 

Located in Upstate New York, schools such as Cornell University and Ithaca College are nearby, yet the campgrounds transport you to the middle of nowhere. With 18 safari tents made up with high thread count linens, they are warmly lit with battery-powered lanterns and covered with mesh screenings to help keep the bugs out. The furniture is impeccable. With hardwood floors and either a king-size bed or two full-sized beds, each tent also comes with its own deck and writing desk (My DREAM). Out on the balcony there's two rocking chairs that over look a lush and leafy oasis. Imagine how the foliage will transition - oh the views! Did I mention the tents come with wi-fi? #alwaysworking But come nighttime, you can see the stars and hear the crickets while you fall asleep. Super cozy.

The main tent lobby has daily complimentary continental breakfast, complimentary happy hour tasting of Finger Lakes craft beverages (the rosé is 👌), a cozy mini-lounge where there are campfires daily both in the morning and evening (hello smores), a Bocce ball court and other onsite games like cool boardgames such as Sorry! and more. There's even yoga! You have immediate access to the Buttermilk Falls hiking trails but we instead wanted to see one of the tallest waterfalls on the east coast, the Taughannock Falls! What was really wild was the drought. It looked as if someone shut the water off! There was no waterfall, but it was totally fun running with MaQ where there should be water running through. 

Ten minutes away from Firelight Camps is the downtown scene with bars, restaurants, bookstores and cute antique shops. You can even catch a film at the Ithaca Commons. The food's delicious! One night we even tried Mexican at Viva Taqueria, and were pleasantly surprised by the freshness and quality of their food. And pet-friendly. Great service too! I also had the immense pleasure of eating Jimmy John's for lunch as well, after not having their subs since college which was awhile ago. They are so unbelievably good! There are tons of wineries and cideries to visit close by, and let's not forget to mention the spa that's literally a few steps away from the campgrounds! To see a full list of things to do, click here. 

We had the best glamping experience one could ever imagine. I'm a city girl but also love the country life and love to go hiking with the boys during our downtime. I don't get to enjoy nature very often so when I do, I like to soak up every minute of it! Whenever I escape the city I'm always left rejuvenated, uplifted and inspired. Ready to go at it, all over again! To read more on Firelight Camps, go to www.firelightcamps.com

Special thanks to Emma for making this trip possible! Xo.

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Our most recent travel experience, glamping at Firelight Camps in Ithaca, NY! Special thanks to Emma for making this trip possible. We never camped this luxuriously before! www.firelightcamps.com 

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

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Best Snow Day Ever!

WEARING: UNIQLO DOWN COAT WOMEN IN BROWN,
 LULULEMON RUN WITH ME NECK WARMER & FROSTY RUN GLOVES,
 FOREVER 21 POM BEANIE HAT, WOMEN'S SOREL CARIBOU WINTER BOOTS.

MaQ & I enjoying Blizzard Jonas. New York City, January 23, 2016. © Gilles Decamps

Hey there! Just another manic Monday! This weekend, New York City almost broke the record for the biggest blizzard here to date. We made it to the second most largest snowstorm, piling up with over two feet of snow. (26.8 inches of it to be exact!) We had a blast, to say at the very least, especially my boy, MaQ, who LOVES the cold and even more so, the pow pow!

Start of Winter Storm Jonas, New York City, 14th Street, January 2016.

I think a lot of New Yorkers like myself kind of scoffed at the idea of a big bad snowstorm because in recent years, the meteorologists have been far from being accurate. What can you do, you can't predict Mother Nature! We even got more snow than D.C. had initially planned on getting! But the city is back up and running today, except in some boroughs like Queens who basically got the short end of the stick when it came to snow maintenance on the residential streets. So how did we enjoy the weekend?

"Let's play all day, every day, always and forever." -MaQ's mantra

By playing like children, of course! :) MaQ had way too much fun frolicking in the snow. I love watching him roam around in the deep snow banks because he prances around like Bambi. He just can't get enough of it! We played for hours on Saturday morning before it really started to come down hard. We went to the Stuyvesant dog run where we relished in a snowball fight and ran around with other doggy pals full of light-hearted laughter and youthful grins. ♥

Want to see some real-live action of my fur baby? Check out the slow-motion video of MaQ running through the snow! I love how he always checks on me, even when I'm videotaping him! Show off. ;) To see more videos of MaQ and I in our daily adventures, please subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Who's ready for a snowball fight?!

On Sunday, we went out first thing in the morning for round 2. We trudged through deep snow taking in the aftermath of Jonas before stopping to run and romp around in blankets and blankets of the unpaved snowfall. As an original Michigander, I'm quite used to the massive amounts of the white stuff but there's something so magical and peaceful about the city after a huge blizzard. This was my fourth or fifth big snowstorm since being in New York.

The happiest boy!

But being from the Midwest, I'm pretty prepared when it comes to the winter season. Especially when it comes to attire. MaQ may have a double-layered coat, but as for myself, I need a few extra layers to keep me warm! ;)

How I feel about going back indoors.

I always wear my trusty Uniqlo down coat to stay extra bundled. It's got a wonderful zipped hood that you can detach should you not want to wear it. When it comes to keeping my hands and neck warm, I never leave the house without my Lululemon gloves and scarf. And I adore pom beanie hats! They are too cute. And the best winter boots during this season in NYC? Sorel boots all the way. With all the mushy and slushy puddles at every crosswalk, you got to have some serious waterproof footwear!

The best of friends.

What are some of your everyday winter wear? Like to layer up or keep it simple? What are some of your favorite brands for this season? I really love and have always loved the heat-tech from Uniqlo. It keeps you very warm without weighing you down and is the perfect addition with other forms of layering.

You want to go back inside?! Quick! Hide!

We hope you and your pooch had a marvelous weekend! What are some of your favorite activities to do with your best furry friend in this kind of weather? Whatever it may be, we hope you stay cozy and safe out there. Have a great week.

The most beautiful, magnificent creature I have ever known. I love you dearly. x. ♥

Love & xx's,

Sunday Hiking Adventure

To close the long holiday weekend, I took the liberty to stop everything I was doing and to escape the city, even if only for the day. Life has it's unexpected twists and turns in every chapter of a person's story, and since we haven't been able to get away for a while, we just wanted, and more importantly, really needed the break.

Yesterday we went to Harriman State Park, the second largest state park in New York. With over 200 miles of hiking trails, it is a haven for hikers and paradise for dogs! We've been up to Bear Mountain last year and wanted to mix the trail up with a new path, taking the Blue Disc Trail. 

The trail climbs two mountains (!), Almost Perpendicular and Pound Mountain, and passes two major rock formations, Elbow Rush and Claudius Smith Rock. It's crazy, the trail dates back to the 1920s! It wasn't the hardest hike I've ever done but it was steep and all together we trekked around 7 miles! We played with MaQ's Hawaiian Flyer Frisbee, and of course, he chased around one of his Chuck It balls, his ultimate favorite toy. All the exercise was a great way to burn off all the turkey from this weekend. :)

Take a look at our photos from our hiking adventure below! I love when my hubby and I go somewhere because the photo results always speak for themselves, but the making of memories are what are instilled within us forever. And for every day I'm alive, I'm am utterly grateful. And, any time spent with those two hooligans is always a plus! At least to me it is! ;) ♥

How 'bout it, New Yorkers? What are some of your most memorable scenic trails in New York? There's so many to choose from, I know! What are some of your ways of staying fit with all the Holiday food ready to entice you? 

Love & xxs,

maQ + suz