Welcome to the final newsletter of the year – My 2025 year in review! Just some highlights – we would be here all day!

Is it just me, or did 2025 fly by in a blink? As I look back, I’m filled with gratitude—for family milestones, unforgettable travels, meaningful work, and all of you who continue to follow along. Here’s a quick rundown!

Family Joys

Our family grew this year with the arrival of our grandson, Clark—making the twins officially cousins! Watching your grown child become a parent is one of life’s great gifts, and we’re savoring every moment. Nick, Kylie, and Clark are doing great!

We also celebrated several beautiful weddings, each one a sweet reminder of young love at its very best. And somehow, Craig and I reached 41 years of marriage. Four decades of partnership, adventure, and laughter—how lucky am I?

A Dodgers Season for the Books

Go Dodgers! Another World Series win—and an experience we’ll never forget.

This year, we found ourselves at the longest World Series game in history.

October 2025
18 innings
6 hours 39 minutes
Dodgers 6, Blue Jays 5

We went with my 85-year-old mom and our son Nick, and it was epic from start to finish. What made it even more surreal? We were ALSO at the previous “longest World Series game ever” back in 2018:

October 2018
18 innings
7 hours 20 minutes
Dodgers 3, Red Sox 2

Twice in one lifetime? The odds are wild—we really should have gone straight to Vegas.

Travel Adventures

This year’s travels were nothing short of extraordinary. We kicked off 2025 with New Year’s in London and Paris, then embarked on a spectacular culinary tour of Morocco. Riding camels in the Sahara with our best friends felt like living inside a dream. One email invitation—“Who wants to ride camels in the Sahara with us?”—turned into an unforgettable adventure.

In July, we spent several weeks in Italy preparing for our upcoming Travel Connections Tours in Tuscany. From meeting with vintners to tasting extraordinary meals at family-run restaurants, we’re carefully crafting the most authentic, delicious, and memorable tours you could imagine. You can learn more about the tours HERE.

If you want the behind-the-scenes stories, I recorded several podcast episodes filled with fun details from all of these trips—don’t miss them! You can find the podcast on several platforms:  YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and iHeartRadio

Thirteen Years of Adventures of Empty Nesters

When I started Adventures of Empty Nesters 13 years ago, my goal was simple: encourage fellow empty nesters to get out, explore, and rediscover what lights them up. With the kids grown and our calendars our own again, this chapter of life can be incredibly vibrant.

I plan to continue this work for decades to come—especially inspired by my mom, who keeps up with every adventure we dream up. Watching her cheer on her beloved Dodgers at the World Series was a highlight of her life (and mine) and a reminder to keep saying yes to what brings us joy.

Final Journey of the Year

We’ll close out 2025 back in South America, revisiting Chile. From the wine country to the remote beauty of Chiloé Island, we’re excited to explore more deeply and record a brand-new podcast episode to open Season 5 of Travel Connections Podcast in February 2026. I can’t wait to share it with you.

As always, thank you for reading, for traveling alongside me here, on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and on the Travel Connections podcast. Your support and enthusiasm mean everything.

Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday season—and a spectacular start to 2026.

With gratitude,
Suzanne

The post 2025 Year in Review: The Best of Travel and Family Adventures appeared first on Adventures of Empty Nesters.

A Seattle Bomb Cyclone?

Before I get to the outrageous title, I want to say, for the record, that I am a very prompt person. I am always on time but cannot publish a newsletter by the first of the month to save my life. It seems that we are always traveling the first week of the month. So, I apologize once again. We are currently in Toronto and heading home.

Oh boy, November was a rough one. I’m glad it went by so fast. It is not my nature to report on negative things; however, this one is a doozy and rather interesting. We had just arrived home from an extraordinary tour of Patagonia, and then the Seattle Bomb Cyclone hit. What?

The Seattle Bomb Cyclone and Blackout

Have you ever heard of a bomb cyclone? It’s a severe weather phenomenon no one has ever heard of, and we had one in the PNW. A bomb cyclone is “a large, intense midlatitude storm with low pressure at its center, weather fronts, and an array of associated weather, from blizzards to severe thunderstorms to heavy precipitation.” It blew trees down everywhere on the east side of Seattle and made a massive mess of the roads with 500,000+ people without power.

What did this mean for us? We were without power for five days. No electricity, which meant no Wifi, of course, freezing temps, and then on top of that, we had no cell service. At the onset, I considered it an adventure, but after two days, it wasn’t fun anymore. We initially used camping lanterns; thank you, son-in-law (SIL). I hand-lit the gas range burners and whipped up delightful meals, trying to use up what we had in the refrigerator. Eventually, the food spoiled, I was constantly cold, and we had to drive 30 minutes away to catch a cell signal!

My workaholic husband was losing his mind.

And rightly so.

Craig had so many people counting on him and no way to reach them. We eventually figured out that downtown Seattle had POWER – Cue the Angel music. So we packed up our overnight bags, Rocco the dog and his accoutrement, and headed to the Hyatt Regency Seattle.

We knew Hyatt would allow dogs to stay, so we moved into our temporary shelter. However, we did not leave Rocco alone in the hotel room for fear of him barking, so we had to bring food to our room (fun for one meal, not nine). It was madness. Craig was on the phone, Rocco wanted attention, and I was trying to write. To be clear and defend my sweet Rocco, he is not really a barker, but you know there are strangers with voices outside the door, and he needed to protect us.

Almost three days later, we packed up and went home. Our daughter and SIL had their power restored much sooner and no longer needed their emergency generator. Our thoughtful SIL spent a lot of time hooking it up for us at our home, and just as they were ready to turn it on, the power came on two days early, unexpectedly. The total outage was to be at least seven days, but we ended up with five, almost six days. Still a loooong time.

This experience taught me so much. I really appreciate and cherish hot water, heat, and the ability to make fresh food. I also found this experience to be so disorienting and distracting, and hard to concentrate on anything. I have always sympathized with people who suffer through natural disasters, but you don’t know what you don’t know; I am grateful. We met many displaced people at the Hyatt who suffered bigger tragedies from the Seattle Bomb Cyclone than we did.

Thanks for listening.

The Good Stuff in November:

We attended a gorgeous wedding in Southern California – So fun to see old friends and celebrate such a beautiful couple. We enjoyed a walk in the harbor, too.

We saved a turkey and made handmade pasta for Thanksgiving.

It was just the six of us – Daughter, SIL, and the twins, so we had a little pasta-making session—so different and fun.

December is a BIG travel Month!

• Toronto
• Southern California
• London and Paris

I return in early January… So, guess what? The newsletter will be late, AGAIN.

Travel Connections Podcast

In case you missed the last episode of Season #3 of Travel Connections:

A Lovely Conversation with Elizabeth Poett – The Ranch Table

Season #4 Begins Friday, February 7th – Patagonia!

Take good care, and enjoy the holidays.

Sending my best to you,

Suzanne

The post November Adventures and A Seattle Bomb Cyclone appeared first on Adventures of Empty Nesters.

September Travel News & More!

In my last newsletter update, I wrote that August was a whirlwind of activity, and to be perfectly honest, September was no slower! Our September travel news found us in the pumpkin fields of Seattle, the mountains of the Rockies, and in the gardens of California. A wonderful month!

Garden Talk

The enormous pile of the last of the summer tomatoes caused me to feverishly roast and puree so we could enjoy every bite from the garden. This year’s crop was by far the best, and the yellow pearl tomatoes were my favorite!

Author Talk

My daughter Alex and I attended a delightful author talk featuring Zoë François, who I absolutely LOVE. Her new cookbook, Zoe Bakes Cookies, is fantastic. We lined up at The Booklarder in Seattle about 20 minutes before the event began. The way we were lined up, we ended up sitting directly in front of Zoë and talking and interacting with her. She was so lovely! What a treat!

September Travel Talk

We headed to Grand Lake, Colorado, which is about two hours outside of Denver, for a family wedding for dear friends! We have known Steve and Kath, the bride’s parents since we were teenagers! We were so happy to be in this incredible setting to celebrate Jen’s getting married. The hotel was located directly across the street from Rocky Mountain National Park! So beautiful there!

I also made a quick trip to Pasadena, CA, to see my mom and stepdad and enjoy The Huntington Library with my mom. Have you been? It was a perfect 80-degree day, the roses were blooming, and I loved spending such quality time with her.

Twin Talk

Over several September weekends, there was serious pizza making, soccer practice, and a visit to the pumpkin patch! Our annual Pumpkin Patch adventure is truly one of my favorite days of the year!! In the Northwest, you have the opportunity to visit many real farms with pumpkins attached to the vines! In suburban Southern California, where we raised our kids, farms are not plentiful. I love the start of the Fall season; the twins are four years old now, making it even more fun!

In case you missed it!

On the Travel Connections Podcast:

Our Road Trip to Banff, Lake Louise and Calgary

A California Road Trip Through the Central Coast

Our Next Epic Adventure

This Friday, we are headed on tour to South America (continent #6!) with our friends from Collette. You may recall we traveled with them to Africa last year. On this tour, our first stop is Buenos Aires, Argentina. We will then head to Patagonia, Cape Horn, and then travel by ship through the fjords and glaciers and see the penguins! I am over the moon!

If you like, you can follow along on social media – @suzannestavert on Instagram and @AdventuresofEmptyNesters on Facebook. WiFi will sometimes be a challenge, so you will see a lot of postings when we return in November.

Do you enjoy the Fall Season as much as I do?

“I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” Lucy Maud Montgomery – Anne of Green Gables.

Until next month – (Which will likely be a week late as well…)

Travel Safe!

Suzanne

The post A Swift September – Travel News & Fall Activities appeared first on Adventures of Empty Nesters.

August Adventures!

Out of the gate, we started the month of August on a full run. The summer flew by this year! August was especially wonderful as our twin grandchildren celebrated their fourth birthday. Their Mom baked a three-tier “Funfetti” and chocolate cake topped with a ring of sprinkles (Josie’s favorite). They were joined by Buzz, Woody, The Dinosaur – Rex, Jessie, and Bullseye from Toy Story. (I had to look up those names!)

The summer weather in the PNW in August is perfect: clear skies, sunny mornings, cool breezes. We have taken Rocco on many long walks along the lake; the sunsets are glorious, and my tiny vegetable garden is out of control!

Auction of Washington Wines

We were invited to the Winemaker Picnic & Barrel Auction put on by The Auction of Washington Wines. This soiree is an outdoor summer affair on the spectacular grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle. The A of WW raises money for Seattle Children’s Hospital and Washington State University Viticulture and Enology. We were there as media guests to share the outstanding work of this unique charitable organization.

The food and drink are provided by local restaurants from Seattle and surrounding cities, and it was fabulous. We talked with chefs and ate numerous delicious bites, including divine king salmon and spicy pork tacos! The dessert table offered handmade macaroons and creamy hand-churned ice cream sundaes. Mark your calendar for next year; this is a fabulous event for a great cause.

The Foo Fighters

In mid-August, we were thrilled to attend the Foo Fighters concert at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. They were AMAZING!  I am a massive fan of Dave Grohl, the charismatic lead singer, and The Foos will be celebrating a 30-year career next year. The stadium was packed with fans singing their lungs out, and the opening act was our long-time favorite, The Pretenders. Chrissie Hynde, the lead singer, still sounds as good as she did in the 80’s. Watching a 72-year-old woman rock that hard is inspiring! Craig and I saw The Pretenders for the first time in a small venue in Santa Monica, CA, in 1980!

Family at Disneyland

We finished the month with an 8-day family adventure to Disneyland, California Adventure, and finished with some adult rest and relaxation in Encinitas, CA. This trip was the four-year-olds’ first visit to the Disney Parks, and it was a grand success!

We raised our kids in Orange County, and visiting Disneyland was just a 30-minute drive. Back when our kids were young, we bought annual passes for a fraction compared to what it costs to go to the Parks today. We had a blast and took a million photos.

The grandchildren and their parents then went to stay with their great-grandparents, and we all met up for a family brunch to catch up!

Adult R & R – Late Summer

While the kids swam and played with “the Greats” we headed south to recuperate from the crowds of Disney, 7.5-mile days in 88-degree weather. I am not complaining, but Disney is definitely for the youngsters in the hot summer! I have gotten used to the cooler temps in the Northwest!

We stayed at a favorite hotel on the beach in Encinitas, the Alila Marea, and we loved it there. With gorgeous beach views, the hotel design is unique, sleek, and super cool. However, a highlight for us was a revisit to dine at Jeune et Jolie, a phenomenal Single Michelin-star restaurant in Carlsbad, CA. The atmosphere is beach elegance, the food is beautiful and incredibly delicious. Jeune et Jolie is a notable restaurant that I highly recommend for every food lover.

If you missed it!

We were interviewed on Good Morning America! You can watch each of the two segments on the Home page of my website. It was certainly a career high for me!

Publishing on Friday, September 6th, on the Travel Connections Podcast – 

Best of: Highlights of our Puglia Itinerary

How’s your summer going?

Suzanne

The post Late Summer Update – An Exhilarating August appeared first on Adventures of Empty Nesters.

It’s the middle of summer and it is going by too fast! Do you feel that too?

Here’s to a mid-summer check-in. How’s your summer going? Is it going by far too fast? The weather in the Pacific Northwest has been spectacular! We traveled to Southern California, and although it is always beautiful, it was HOT! We are attempting to squeeze in every adventure we can this summer. How about you?

This newsy letter is my way of filling in the gaps for sharing our latest adventures. On the Travel Connections Podcast, we drill deeper into specific subjects and meet amazing guests. In some episodes, I share more details of our recent travel experiences, and sometimes, we are introduced to brand-new travel inspirations. In next week’s episode, I talked with Susie Chau, a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist, and we had an incredible conversation! This episode is published on Friday, August 9th.

Our sweet little garden

Our very compact container garden is overflowing with goodness! I cannot really comprehend what is making it grow so well this year, but I am a happy gardener. I did sprinkle some bone meal- could that have done this?

VEGO makes the container gardens we planted, which have been such a hit. They are customizable, and I love that I don’t have to bend over to weed and trim. I also think they are fun and design-forward!

Every day, when I am not traveling, I go out to see the garden’s growth and when I return from a trip, it feels like Christmas! Everything is bursting with life. Last night, I made a delicious salad with four kinds of lettuce, homegrown baby yellow tomatoes, salty kalamata olives, creamy feta, and a light red wine vinaigrette. Summer in a bowl!

In our garden:

• Nasturtiums – to decorate cocktails and salads!
• Italian parsley
• Rosemary
• Basil
• Plum tomatoes
• Four kinds of lettuce
• Marigolds for attracting bugs (away from the veggies)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Zucchini
• More tomatoes!

Santa Ynez Weekend

After our return from Italy, we headed to Santa Barbara County, where we enjoyed a long wine weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley with our son Nick and daughter-in-law Kylie. We decided to rent a cute little Airbnb ranch house so we could hang out together more easily—BIG WIN!

We sipped, tasted, and ate at some fantastic restaurants that Kylie had curated for us. Everything was delicious, and the landscape was stunning—I highly recommend it.

Stay tuned for an upcoming episode on Travel Connections with all the itinerary details!

The Ranch Table

We also dined at a Gathering of The Ranch Table, a community dining experience created by Elizabeth Poett on her ranch, Rancho San Julian. We enjoyed every morsel—she is a spectacular hostess, and the setting was incredible. Elizabeth Poett also has a television show on the Magnolia Network called The Ranch Table, and I am a big fan of hers. She does it all! Elizabeth will also be a guest on an upcoming episode of Travel Connections! More details to come!

A Weekend on Camano Island, WA

My final mid-summer update is about our exceptional R&R weekend on Camano Island. We rented an adorable little beach cottage on the island’s East side, right on the shore. On one of the days, we welcomed the twins and their parents for a day of “rock throwing” (their favorite activity), grilled burgers, and popsicles (also a favorite). With bright sun and azure skies, we held hands and enjoyed this family time that I will never forget.

In case you missed it!

Our latest episode on Travel Connections;

Our Epic Cruise to Alaska – A Mother-Daughter Adventure

Hope your summer is going well! Where are you going next? Do you have a summer garden? If so, what are you growing?

Suzanne

The post Mid-Summer Update: Garden Abundance, A Wine Weekend & More! appeared first on Adventures of Empty Nesters.

Summer is almost here!!

Summer is fast approaching, and I am looking forward to it. My birthday is June 16th, which always coincides with the Opening of Summer for me! It is the time of year for Dads and Grads and lots of family celebrations. This month is always so festive!

We will be celebrating as well! Our son Nick will visit us in the Northwest to celebrate his Dad and Mom—my birthday falls on Father’s Day this year. His wife Kylie will stay in Southern California this trip, caring for a dear friend’s baby while the parents attend a wedding. I remember worrying about babysitting, ha, but no more! Now, I am the one to offer my services!

My recent local adventures

Craig and I drove to Skagit Valley on a warm, clear, sunny day. We visited my favorite local farms and food shops and had lunch in the picturesque town of La Conner. This destination is only 55 miles north of my house and an hour north of Seattle. My husband is so supportive, and he does like these adventures, but not half as much as I do. After almost 40 years of marriage, he gets me.

I love it there. I can get my “farm fix,” plus there is no better place to buy your fresh organic produce, specialty cheese, and wildflowers than from someone local!

Dinner at Cafe Juanita

We began my birthday celebrations early by dining with our daughter Alex and son-in-law Brent at the incomparable Cafe Juanita in Kirkland. Without counting special house-made bread courses, there were at least six courses or bites to swoon over!

The service is exquisite, and the ambiance is comfortable yet chic in a mid-century modern setting—I loved it all! This is our third visit, and we have thoroughly enjoyed it each and every time! Cafe Juanita offers a curated dining experience with four prix-fixe tasting menus in four iterations: omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan. There is also a supplemental menu where you can add specialty dishes as well.  The kitchen is quite generous and flexible, and each diner can swap one dish for another on any of the menus!

We splurged on special wine pairings! (It is my birthday, after all.) Craig enjoyed the classic wine pairings, and I enjoyed the Reserve! The cuisine celebrates the foods of Northern Italy, and the wines come from small Italian wineries. They were some of the best I have tasted. Seriously!

Summer Plans on the Podcast

Last week, I announced our summer travel plans on the podcast and offered three helpful suggestions for improving your summer travel. In our next episode, I will interview my daughter Alex, and we will share all of the details of our Alaskan Cruise on the Celebrity Edge.

Summer Travel is around the corner!

Craig and I are heading to Italy, beginning with Rome, where we will be enjoying my favorite country for a couple of weeks. You can follow along on my Instagram here if you wish. There won’t be a newsletter until July 12th, when we return!

Ciao for now!

Suzanne

The post Feels Like Summer! Local Fun & A Foodie’s Dream appeared first on Adventures of Empty Nesters.