Curacao

With a new year, comes the opportunity to go places you've never gone and do things you've never done. Don't enter into the new year without mapping out your travel schedule and making plans for your vacation days. At least get started with Quarter 1! So here's what I have for the year:

Confirmed Travel

Zambia

I'm hitting the ground running in 2016 and will be spending 2 months in Zambia. While there, I'll be mostly working but plan to explore as much of the capital, Lusaka, as I can. I'll also be taking at least one weekend trip to Victoria Falls. Approximately twice the height of Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls is bordered by both Zambia and Zimbabwe.

I'll be heading to Curacao for a long weekend, thanks to a free trip I won at an event from Diamond PR! I loved Curacao when I went in December 2014, so I look forward to my return. And you can't beat a free trip!

Finger Lakes, New York

In April, I am headed to Finger Lakes, New York to take a tour of the Corning Museum of Glass and various wineries. Finger Lakes is New York's largest wine producing region. It should be a wine lover's heaven!

Mediterranean Cruise: Spain, France & Italy

I'll be taking a cruise around the Mediterranean with my family and some friends later in the year. We'll be cruising on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Harmony of the Seas, to Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Marseilles, Florence/Pisa, Rome and Naples. I've never been to Spain but have been to France and Italy. Needless to say, my appetite anxiously awaits all of the amazing meals I'll have.

Travel Wish List

Napa Valley

In May (my birthday month), I have my sights set on Napa Valley and possibly a road trip down the coast to L.A. and/or San Diego. I've heard great things about all three places and one of my long-term goals is to do more domestic travel.

Colombia

The rest of the year is up for grabs, but with fare glitches and cheap flights, I see Colombia in my future. I hear Cartagena has beautiful beaches and as you know, the beach is my happy place.

London

Simply put, London was amazing. I loved it way more than I thought I would, and it deserves more than just 3 days of my time. If I go back, it'll definitely be for a week or more.

Thailand

I put Thailand on my wish list last year. I didn't make it but hopefully it'll come to fruition this year. Doesn't this beach look amazing?

So where are you headed in 2016? Be sure to set your intentions and follow through with your plans. Don't let your vacation days go to waste!

WHAT IS CURAÇAO LIQUEUR?

Curaçao liqueur is made from the dried peel of the laraha citrus fruit grown in Curaçao. A non-native plant, the laraha developed from the sweet Valencia orange transplanted by Spanish explorers.

HOW IS CURAÇAO LIQUEUR MADE?

The liqueur the laraha peel is dried and after soaking in a still with alcohol and water for approximately 4 days. The peel is removed and other spices are added, giving it an orange-like flavor.

TYPES OF CURAÇAO LIQUEUR

The liqueur is produced in 5 different colors: the original clear liqueur, Blue and Green (the two most well-known varieties), and Red and Orange. There are also the special tastes: Coffee, Chocolate and Rum Raisin.

When I visited the Chobolobo Liqueur Factory during my visit to Curaçao, I tasted each flavor…all were delicious. But my favorite combination was mixing the Coffee and Chocolate flavors. It would be the perfect drink on the rocks while basking in the Curaçao sun.

HOW TO DRINK CURAÇAO LIQUEUR

One of my favorite drinks of all time is a Kamikaze. It was one of the first drinks I learned to order when I started drinking (at the age of 21, of course).

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz vodka
1 oz Curaçao liqueur
.5 oz lime juice

DIRECTIONS:

Shake all ingredients together in a mixer with ice. Strain into glass and serve.

You’ll love it. Trust me!

Interesting things to note about the liqueur:

1) It’s 100% kosher.

2) The official Curaçao liqueur has to say “The Genuine” on the bottle. All others are imitations.

Cheers!
Ashlee

Photo Credit: Ashlee Tuck

Where Am I Headed in 2016?