Today we had the chance to try some of the new drinks at Abbott Farms NY - and we have to say, they are delicious! 🍋💜 Lavender Lemon Gin Spritz - made with a homemade lavender syrup and gin from Madison County Distillery, this cocktail was easily my favorite. 🫐🥃 Blueberry Mint Whiskey Smash - made with Waldron whiskey from Lock 1 Distilling Company, this was a close call for my favorite. In my husband’s words, “This is dangerous. This is delicious!” 🍋 🌱 Lavender Lemon Mojito - the menu has blueberry mojitos, but I asked for lavender instead. Since it’s made with a coconut liqueur and not regular rum (due to the farm licensing), the coconut flavor was a little overpowering for me. But Josh was a big fan! Abbott’s also has local craft beer from Buried Acorn Brewing Company, Willow Rock Brewing Company, Good Nature Farm Brewery, and Underground Beer Lab; wine from Heron Hill Winery, and hard cider made in-house. We paired our drinks with some incredible Greek food from Theo_petros Food Truck. Their tzatziki sauce is made fresh daily and it’s obvious. It was perfectly dilly and delicious. If you’re looking for a casual place to grab some drinks (and hang out with some goats), head over to Abbott’s. You can get some delicious pastries while you’re here too.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Head to the dirt track races! Fulton Speedway and Brewerton Speedway host races nearly every week. Going to the races is easily one of the most budget-friendly activities to do in the area, and it’s fun for the whole family. PS did you know some local spots like The Wild Animal Park, Ashley Lynn Winery, and 13th Hour Rising all sponsor cars in the races?? Oswego County, NY https://wanderlust-onabudget.com/dirt-track-races-in-fulton-and-brewerton/

I’m at 14 - what about you?

It has been a joy watching the new mural coming to life in downtown Syracuse. It’s no secret that I absolutely love murals, but this one holds a special place in my heart. Not only is the mural dedicated to famous and historic Syracuse basketball players, my husband and I have gotten to meet and spend time with the artist @never1959 while he’s been in Syracuse. It’s been such a joy watching Jonas create a masterpiece with only spray paint - and then introducing him to some Syracuse staples like salt potatoes, chicken riggies, Dinosaur BBQ, Pastabilities Armory Square, Salt City Market, Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge, Three Lives, and Meier's Creek At Inner Harbor. We’ve still got a few more places to check out in the few days he has left while he finishes the mural. While there is still some work to do, the official “unveiling” is tomorrow night. And before you ask why certain players (Boeheim, Carmelo, Pearl…) aren’t part of the mural, here are the historic players who were chosen and why: BREANNA STEWART: a Syracuse native (and fellow CNS alum), Breanna has continued to crush records and break barriers. An Olympic-winning WNBA athlete, she has stood up for LGBTQ rights and was part of the #MeToo movement. EARL LLOYD JR: a member of the 1955 Syracuse Nationals championship team, Earl was also the very first Black player in the NBA. DOLPH SCHAYES: also a member of the 1955 team, Adolph Schayes was a hero in the Jewish community, having persevered despite anti-Semitic struggles. MANNY BRELAND: a historic member of the Syracuse community on many levels, Manny was the first Black person to receive a basketball scholarship to Syracuse University, but after college he stopped basketball. Instead he became the first Black science teacher in Syracuse, and later the first Black principal. ➡️ Swipe for more photos of the mural’s progress.

Located in the Ithaca Farmers Market along Cayuga Lake, Taste of the Finger Lakes was a high class affair full of delicious bites and sips. Both well-known spots and new eateries highlighted their best dishes, including Serendipity Catering & Bar, Silo Food Truck, Puttin' On The Mitts, Gola Osteria, Adelina's, Asempe Kitchen African Food, Liquid State Brewing Company, Four Fights Distilling, Ithaca Coffee Company, Babe’s Burger, Just A Taste, Myer Farm Distillers, Cayuga Lake Creamery, and so many more! Visit Ithaca https://wanderlust-onabudget.com/taste-of-the-finger-lakes/

Already missing my bestie Estie and our amazing adventure in Baltimore. Going to visit once or twice a year just isn’t enough! On my latest trip, I found a new favorite spot - The Corner Pantry. Led by a British chef and his Baltimore-native wife, the menu has lots of Brit dishes. Everything is fresh, flavorful, and beautiful! Plus, it felt like the appropriate place to eat since England was celebrating the Platinum Jubilee. We loved the ube lattes that were on special, and I had the coronation chicken salad. Ohmygoodness it was incredible. The sandwich had curried chicken, raisins, almonds, cilantro, and farm greens on whole wheat bread with a side of homemade chips. It. Was. Incredible.

We had a BLAST last weekend at the Cocktail Scavenger Hunt hosted by Eat Local New York and Limp Lizard! The five of us started at Kasai where we met the rep for Deep Eddy Vodka and tried their watermelon peach Arnold Palmer. From there, we went over to The Hops Spot and enjoyed their purple berry slushie before heading to Clinton St. Pub to have raspberry sweet tea. Next stop? Salt City Bar for their pineapple basil mule. There is no contest for me - they had THE BEST cocktail! From there we headed to Three Lives for another sweet tea drink, then across the street to Funk 'n Waffles Syracuse. We told the bartender to get creative and make us something unique - best decision ever. Our vanilla White Russian was phenomenal! I will be ordering that again soon. Next up was Board & Bar Charcuterie with their Orange creamsicle cocktail - another popular choice for the crawlers. It was delish! We ended the day at Saltine Warrior Sports Pub to enjoy the buffet from Limp Lizard Bar & Grill. Overall, we had a blast! Deep Eddy supplied lots of great swag and we loved how creative some of the bars were with their vodka. Plus, figuring out the clues to get to the next stop was so much fun. Until next time!

June is for strawberries! So take your kids or your best friend out to the farm to get the freshest fruit possible. Here's where to go strawberry picking in Central New York, and the down-low on all the local strawberry festivals. U-pick Farms: Abbott Farms NY Behling Orchards Candella's Farm & Greenhouses Emmi Farms Grisamore Farms Indian Creek Farm Navarino Orchard Reeves Farms LLC Yawney Farms June 11 - Strawberry Festival @ NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center & Auburn NY Visitor Center June 12 - Strawberry Festival @ Curtis Manor June 18 - Strawberry Festival @ Abbott Farms Visit Syracuse Oswego County, NY https://wanderlust-onabudget.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-strawberry-picking-in-central-new-york/

Another day, another mural. This beauty struck my eye when I was with some friends in Williamsville last month. Designed by @chrisp_af to honor the pollinators in Pocket Park, the mural was the first public art addition to Williamsville in 2020. . . #williamsville #williamsvilleny #pocketpark #buffalo #buffalony #visitbuffaloniagara #buffalonewyork #upstateny #upstate #upstatenewyork #westernny #mural #muralart #murals #muralpainting #muralsofinstagram #buffaloart #newyorkstate #streetart #streetartphotography #streetarteverywhere #butterflies #bees #beesofinstagram #pollinator #pollinators #newyorkblogger

If you're visiting Baltimore and planning to see an Orioles game, check out these things to do at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, one of baseball's most historic stadiums. Read my latest article to learn about the most famous Baltimore Orioles in history, Baltimore's ties to the national anthem, the history of The Bird mascot, where to get the best food and drinks (I'm looking at you, Boog's BBQ and UNION Craft Brewing), and so much more. Visit Baltimore, Maryland https://wanderlust-onabudget.com/12-things-to-do-at-camden-yards-during-a-baltimore-orioles-game/