February 2014 has been quite the month - it's included my first trip to the tropics in well over a decade, immediately followed by a short trip to the equally beautiful Washington Coast, and has been filled to the brim with lots of thinking about the future. With all that future thinking in mind - I've made a number of changes around the site. Here's a few of the new little sights to see around this place;

First, I've adjusted the tagline of this site to reflect the content I'm going to pursue sharing in the future. I'm focusing down on the mission statement of this site; doing my best to incite wanderlust while providing practical tips.

Second, in the fifth spot down the navigation bar, I've created individual Travel Guide pages for each destination. You'll find sights to see, hikes to take, places to say, and suggested itineraries here along with the associated link to a Gluten Free Travel Map. One of my favorites (big surprise) is the New Zealand page;

Third, I've removed the recipes link from the navigation bar since it's not something I'll be sharing on a regular basis here. Instead I've created a separate Recipe Archive page for which a link can be found in my sidebar or right here;

And with that, let's get on to my favorite reads for the month!

Ten Good Reads (& Watches)

1. Daytrip: Shed in Healdsburg | Hither and Tither

I love Healdsburg, perhaps because I grew up stopping there on road trips - but it's been years since I've been back. Time for a visit I think.

2. Everyday Adventure // Joshua Tree National Park | Annabelle Mintz // Move Beautifully

Even though I lived in Southern California for almost four years and in the state for 25 years, I've never been to any of the beautiful National and State Parks in the southern half of the state. Joshua Tree is high on my list for the next time I make it down south.

3. When Someone Calls Me A 'Picky Eater' | When I Went Gluten Free

This month I was planning to apply for a travel contest, until I read part of the terms - "picky eaters need not apply." So I mentioned the need for a relevant GIF to @GFreeBlondie, who produced this awesomeness later that day.

4. Djemaa El Fna - The Heart of Marrakech, Morocco | Travelshus

I love everything about this post - it's so informative and I love the video of the square with the call to prayer.

5. The Day-to-Day: Living in New Zealand's South Island | Paper Planes

The more I think about the future of my travels, the more I'm getting into the idea of house sitting. In my opinion, taking care of a few alpacas would be an extra bonus!

6. Hiking the Hoher Kranzberg, Mittenwald, Bavaria | Monkeys and Mountains

A panoramic theater on top of a summit set up just to enjoy the views? This might finally convince me to visit Germany.

7. Palenque - Welcome to the Jungle | Desk to Glory

As my husband slowly convinces me to buy into the roof top tent idea, Ashley and Richard continue to share amazing stories from their drive through Mexico.

8. Uber Trip Video! | We Are Adventure.

A long watch as far as web videos go, but the stunning photography and time lapses of snowy southwestern landscapes makes it all worth your time.

9. Episode 21 - Lake Waikaremoana | Living A Kiwi Life

Can there be such a thing as hiking porn? Because I think I just found some.

10. Episode 7 - Alaska/Yukon | Expedition Overland

One my my favorite episodes of this web series yet - the team travels to the Arctic Circle along breathtaking roads and through hoards of mosquitos.