Emperia Los Angelas

On November 4th we celebrated my 28th birthday! I had a wonderful day and was spoiled rotten! I must say if I have to pick a favorite gift (other then the love of my family and friends) I would pick my new Emperia Hand Bag . My lovely girlfriend Jessie did a wonderful job picking out the perfect new purse for me!

Emperia is a unique company that creates these BEAUTIFUL faux leather bags! Their bags are "vegan leather", and I am now honestly obsessed! Before my birthday I had never herd of this company, and now I can not get enough! Jessie you have created a monster! Their animal friendly bags come in many styles and colours!

The bag I was given was the "Lindsey Bucket Bag" in Cognac. The lining of the bag is absolutely stunning, probably one of my favorite parts to the bags design.

I am not sure where Jessie bought the bag, she will not tell me, BUT I do know that Nordstrom carries Emperia Hand Bags. We dont have a Nordstrom in the Toronto area yet (coming 2017) but you can still do a bit of online shopping!

I think I have made you read enough here is my beautiful bag!

Emperia Los Angeles

Nordstrom

APPLE SAUCE!

Did anyone guess what I was making??

Simple sweet apple sauce!

All I did was FILL my dutch oven with peeled and cored apples, chopped up into pieces added one cup of water and put the lid on.

At a medium head for about 30 minutes.

Then take the lid off and stir every 3-5 minutes just to avoid any burning on the bottom of the pan.

Let it cook until its the thickness you like and well thats it!

If you like sweet apple sauce you can add honey or a sugar of some sort but to me this method makes the apple sauce sweet enough :)

Try it yourself and let me know the results in the comments below.

Or you can email me at longtriphomelifeontheroad@gmail.com.

Dont forget to follow me on instagram @seekristenlove

Until next time :)

Kristen Xo

Dealing with my apples

A preview for tomorrow's blog. Can you guess what I am making?? Let me know in the comments bellow!

14 Money Saving Tips For Travel

Are you heading out on an adventure? Check out my savings tips on how to make your bank account happy before your departure date!

1. Create a savings account and DO NOT touch it, make it with a separate bank and leave the card at home if you have to!

2. Make your own coffee/tea. Buying coffee and tea every day can add up to $20.00+ a week so invest in a good travel mug and brew your own good stuff :) ( when I am saving for travel, I have a little pot inside my kitchen and every time I don't have to buy coffee I put 2-3 dollars in my little pot. You would be spending it anyway on coffee so might as well reward yourself for good behavior by adding to your travel fund!

3. At the end of the work week, empty out all your spare change into your kitchen pot. You would be surprised how much this can add up too! Last time I had enough to almost cover my flight.

4. Do not eat fast food! If you are going to go out and eat, don't waste your money on mcdicks. Put it towards a nicer meal with a friend or family that way you wont regret or feel guilty about spending the money. Plus that stuff is horrible for you!

5. Don't deprive yourself. If you deprive yourself of everything you really enjoy you will end up resenting the act of saving money in the first place and end up giving in and using your savings for a new television or computer. I suggest giving yourself an allowance for entertainment so you don't go crazy. Mine is normally 20-30 a week. So if I wanna see a movie or go to a restaurant or pub with friends I can and its within my budget.

6. DO NOT go grocery shopping when you are hungry. It seems like an obvious rule but it really an cut your bill in half.

7. Set an automatic amount of money that no matter what will go into your savings every time you get paid. For me I put $100.00 into my savings every time I get paid. If I can afford more at the end of the month after bills and things I will add it but that automatic transfer every month or 2 weeks will add up fast :)

8. Unless you need it, don't buy it. For example this winter I have so many sweatshirts that I couldn't justify buying a new one if I tried. But I do need a winter coat that is warmer then the one I bought cheaply last fall. It is something I really shouldn't go without this year especially if we are going to have a -30 everyday winter like last year.

9. Have nights in, especially in the winter months, its really nice to have nights in. Cook dinner and invite your friends over, grab some beer or wine and have a good evening in the safety and warmth and cheapness of your own home. Believe me going out for a pint is much more expensive then enjoying a few at home and not always as fun!

10. Bring snacks with you from home for the commute to work, that way you are less tempted to buy something at the train station. Keep a mix of dried fruit, nuts and chocolate chips in your bag, you would be surprised at how satisfying and filling this can be.

11. When buying a backpack or luggage for your travels do your research, trust customer reviews on products. You don't want to waste $200.00 on a back pack that is going to fall apart on you the second week of your adventure. You will end up having to spend more on a new pack and you will probably be annoyed. And remember more expensive doesn't always mean quality. READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS

12. If you know for certain that you will be in a city on a certain date for a specific amount of time, the earlier you book your accommodation the better. Hostels normally have a cheaper rate if you book online then if you just show up. ** on a side note with hostels, they are another thing you want to read the reviews of....people are normally pretty honest when they talk about how they did or didn't enjoy their stay!**

13. Walk if you can. I try and walk when ever I can, its good for my health and its also good for my wallet. Gas, taxis and public transport can be expensive and the cost of them really adds up if you take them every day! I try and walk most of the time especially when the weather is warm. Plus you might see something new on your stroll.

14. Read up on your home state or province. This helps me because I often get the itch to travel before my departure date, so I find a new spot in Ontario that I can visit, it tides me over and doesn't cost me much!

Before I go on an adventure, these are the main savings tips that I stick by! Give them a shot and let me know what you think! Is there anything else that you do to help you save money for a trip? Let me know in the comments below or send me an email to longtriphomelifeontheroad@gmail.com!

Until Next Time Folks

Kristen
Xo

An adventure to the Apple Farm

This past weekend my girlfriend, our friend Nick and I went on a nice day trip to an Apple Farm. We arrived there in perfect timing, not realizing it was the last "pick your own apples" day of the season.

 We went to Orchalaw Family Farm in Brampton Ontario. The farm was bought by Lloyd Laidlaw in 1854 and has been in the Laidlaw family ever since. It is now currently run by Larry and Heather Laidlaw.

Like I said before we were pretty late in the season for picking so our choices of apples were well....slim pickins! 3 types of apples to choose from, Mutsu, Red Delicious and Golden Russets.


We took a bumpy, muddy and enjoyable tractor ride out to the orchard and around through all the different sections of apples. For us the choice was simple we got off at the Mutsu and Red Delicious section.

The first thing we did when we got off the tractor was of course hurry to the trees, grab an apple, rub it on our jeans and take a nice big bite! SO GOOD! The apples are the perfect sweetness and the juice just pours out dribbling down my chin and hand.

We ran through row after row of beautiful apple trees filling our bag way past the brim. We climbed orchard ladders with almost 100% success. Only one almost fall to speak of, and for the record it wasnt me!

When our bag was full and we were done frolicking in the trees and maybe throwing a few ground apples at eachother, we started the nice walk back to the farm. The weather was perfect the air was crisp and the view was nothing short of incredible.

I cant tell you to go apple picking (in Ontario) now because I am pretty sure the season at most Orchards is finished, but make sure you get out there next year!!! Mark your calenders and enjoy a nice afternoon at the farm.

For more information on the Farm visit their website

Orchalaw Family Farm

or email us at

longtriphomelifeontheroad@gmail.com

Dont forget to follow us on Instagram Page @seekristenlove

Until next time folks :)

Kristen
xo 

For those who want a bit more, here are a few more pictures from our day

400 Companies That do NOT use GMO's in Their Products

Are any of these companies on your current shopping list?? If so good on ya! If not, here's a chance for you to learn about these awesome companies! I not sure if all brands are easy to find in every country but thanks to the Internet I am sure you can order from the most products online :)

Until Next Time

Kristen xo

email me :)

Hello Everybody!!!!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have created an email address so we can communicate outside of the comments!

longtriphomelifeontheroad@gmail.com

This is a place to send me your ideas, comments, concerns and opinions!

I am really excited to start hearing from you guys and make this more of an interactive space!

So hop to it! Send me an email! Comment on a previous post! Tell me if you tried any recipes! Let me know what YOU want me to write about!

Talk to you soon!

xo Kristen 

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Well its official, that time of year is 100% here. Soups,stews, braised and warm dishes. Food wise this is hands down my favourite time of the year!

So lets start out with something delish and simple :)

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 butternut squash
• 1 yellow onion sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• 2-3 L of stock
• salt
• pepper
• 1 bay leaf 
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• 4 tbsp browned butter
• 1/2 c heavy cream

1. First you want to roast your squash in the oven. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, brush it with oil (I use coconut oil), salt and pepper and put it face down on a lined baking sheet. I used 2 squashes (4 halves) and roasted my squash at 350 degrees for about an hour. After about an hour take your squash out of the oven and let it cool down enough so you can handle it.

2. While your squash is cooling throw your sliced yellow onion into your soup pot with 4 tbsp of butter on a medium heat. As your onions cook down your butter will slowly brown. Cook until your onions are translucent and the butter is a nice nutty colour. Turn off the heat and throw in your minced garlic and let it simmer in the onion and butter as it cools down.

3. Scoop out the meat of the squash and add it to the pot with the onions. Add your 2-3 L of stock and one bay leaf. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and let your soup simmer on a medium heat for about an hour. (I came back to the soup every 5-7 minutes to give it a good stir)

4. After about an hour I added a pinch of ground cinnamon and ginger, tasted for seasoning then let it cool for about 30 minutes.

5. Last and final step, remove your bay leaf and puree your soup with an immersion blender (or what ever you have), add your 1/2 cup of heavy cream stir in completely.

Now heat up if you need to and enjoy!

Don't forget to let me know in the comments bellow your favourite soup recipes.

Follow us on Instagram @seekristenlove

home sweet home

Photo Taken At the Credit River in Missisagua On.

by Jordan Sanderson

Good afternoon all! I hope your day is going splendid. :).

For all who don't know I am currently not on the road. I am living in a quaint little apartment with the love of my life in a city just outside of Toronto, Canada. Most of my family lives around the corner and some of my life long friends are a quick train ride away.

As much as I love travel, I also love home. Something I am searching for is being able to find a balance of the both! Home and Travel. Something I long for is to be able to wake up and work from where ever I am in the world. But for now I am here in Ontario and I will be posting my day to day life and adventures.

Some things I love to do when I am living in one space for an extended period of time are, Cook (you can almost always find me in my kitchen so get ready for some new and exciting recipes A La Kristen), go on weekend adventures, take pictures, read books, go to new restaurants, trying new hobbies (and hopefully finding one that I will like enough to stick) and writing, writing about my fun and adventures, and of course future travel plans! 

For now that is what  I will be posting about on a almost daily basis. but for now I must go tend to my house guest Saphira....a beauty siberian Husky! My day is already awesome!

 How do you keep yourself motivated? What are your tricks for staying on track? Let me know in the comments bellow!

Until next time fellow food loving travelers Have a fantastic day!

Kristen

first set of cheap travel tips

Hey everyone! its been a while since I posted so I thought I would post a first in a series of "cheap travel tips".

Here is my first installation. These are some ideas I found that worked for me while I was back packing in Europe and Turkey. I hope that you will find some useful aswell!


1. pack light
2. bring a lock
3. use public transit when ever you can
4. research your hostels
5. stay with friends if you can
6. www.couchsurfer.com
8. pack food for long rides
9. eat where the locals eat
10.buy food at local markets its ofter cheaper than supermarkets
11.compare your airfare/be flexible
12use the incognito tab when looking up flights (some websites track your visits and the price will automatically go up the next time you look)
13. use the free days when visiting museums and other wonderful exhibits.
14. spend more time in each country and travel slowly
15. fly at unpopular times early morning/redeye flights
16. fly mid week
17.stay more then one night at a hostel,some twill have a 3 night get the 4th free deal
18. if you know you will be somewhere for a month or more, try renting an apartment so you can cook your own food.
19. try www.woofing.com
20. try housesitting for people
21. take night busses/trains so you can sleep while you travel
22. walk as much as you can :)
23. rent a bike
24. eat our for breakfast/lunch not for dinner 
25. try and find a hostel/hotel with breakfast included (and try and make some lunch/snacks from your breakfast food)