It’s officially summer in the northern hemisphere. Days of beach frolicking, no alarm clocks, park picnics, and RV tours are met with nights spent following the trail of fireflies, roasting that perfect marshmallow, and watching nature’s evening show as the sun meets the horizon.

These are the cherished days of summer where traditional schooling is flung by the wayside and finding fun reigns supreme.

So you’re getting ready for a long trip – exciting!! But are you worried about all the details you need to take care of, before you head out? This is often my biggest headache, and one that takes up too much brain space while I should be excited about my trip.

To help with that, I’ve compiled a detailed list of things to do to prepare for your long trip – so that you can quickly finish the work and save your mental energy for dreaming about all the great coffee shops you’ll find on your trip.

Salivating over the various bakery finds – from oversized carrot-cake muffins heavy with icing and thick slices of flourless chocolate cake, I came across an intriguing find: vegan chocolate mouse. Packaged in a nondescript plastic cup with a gold "VEGAN" label, I thought at best it would satisfy my sweet tooth and at worst it would taste a bit like chocolate-imbued gritty pudding.

In Search of the Perfect Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Summer begins Thursday, June 21. Coincidentally, that’s also “Día Mundial de la Tapa,” or “World Tapas Day.” In 2016, Spain officially declared the third Thursday of June as the special day to honor its uniquely universal dining concept. 

Since then, about 20 countries, including Great Britain, Hungary, and the Philippines have joined in the celebration. In the United States, New York, Miami, and Portland have also celebrated the annual observance.

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Perched atop a steep cliff, nestled in between the town of Sigmaringen and the Danube River, Schloss Sigmaringen (Sigmaringen Castle) is a fairy tale come to life.

The brightly-colored roofs lead the eye past the surrounding mountains to the sky, in the town of Sigmaringen, located in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany.