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Oh hey there, Instagram 👋🏼 It’s been seven

Oh hey there, Instagram 👋🏼 It’s been seven weeks since my last travel post and...I haven’t missed you one little bit!⁣
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If you’ve been following along with me for a while, you know I’ve taken a few breaks from Instagram in the past. This most recent break confirmed that managing this account no longer brings me even the smallest amount of joy...so, I’m taking that as a sign to step back and focus my time and energy on the things that do. ⁣
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I will always be a traveler, I will always be a writer, and I will continue to share my stories and itineraries on #TheWanderingBlonde website. Thank you to those of you who have been following along with my adventures there for more than five years now 🙏🏼 I might still check in here from time to time, but I feel lighter letting this page go for now. ⁣
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So, here’s a photo dump of my last New Zealand photos that I wanted to share / me not looking back. Love y’all 🤘🏻❤️

It’s no secret that wine tasting is one of my fa

It’s no secret that wine tasting is one of my favorite hobbies 🍾 During our three years living in California, Derek and I visited Napa, Sonoma and other wine regions on more occasions than I can count. We’ve tasted wine in New Zealand, Croatia and Spain. On the blog, I have at least ten posts under the “wine travel” label. ⁣
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And yet despite having tasted literally hundreds of wines over the years, I don’t think either of us had ever purchased wine from a Black winemaker until this month. ⁣
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That’s shameful to write, but the truth is that I never even considered that the wine industry might have a problem with racism. I was blind to the lack of representation, and to the discrimination Black wine professionals faced. After taking the time to educate ourselves, this truth now seems obvious—and we are committed to doing better. ⁣
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Beyond that, we now know what we’ve been missing! Brown Estate—Napa’s first Black-owned estate winery—makes some PHENOMENAL labels. Last weekend we tried their Chaos Theory, and yesterday we started early with the Duppy Conqueror—practically made for a hot summer afternoon.⁣
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Brown has definitely earned a spot on the regular rotation of wines in our household—not just because we want to be proactive about supporting Black brands and businesses, but because Chaos Theory is one of the most memorable wines we’ve tasted this year…and y’all, we’ve tasted a lot of wines this year!⁣
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Question: What other industries are lacking diversity or Black representation? ⁣What Black brands, artists, products and services have you discovered recently?

I hope you see the absolute beauty, power, heartbr

I hope you see the absolute beauty, power, heartbreak and humanity in these photos. I hope they awaken something in you and inspire you to do better 🖤⁣
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In spite of the hate, prejudice and fear that no doubt exists in the world, what I see happening right now is a collective awakening of white people to the suffering we have (intentionally or not) inflicted on our Black brothers and sisters. ⁣
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I have seen real change happening, from monuments being torn down and names of buildings being changed to new laws being passed. ⁣I see communities coming together, honest conversations taking place, and individuals changing their behaviors for the better. ⁣
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In my own circles of family and friends, I have had some raw conversations. We have reflected on the ways we can each do better, such as reading books about racism, consuming more Black-centered media, purchasing from Black brands, donating money, and being more proactive (rather than reactive) in the fight against racism.⁣
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It’s not enough, and I’m heartbroken and furious that the killing of innocent Black men, women and children has served as the catalyst for this collective awakening to the reality of systemic racism. But I am hopeful that this is the start of a never-ending movement that results in real, permanent, life-saving, justice-serving, equality-bringing changes.⁣⁣
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To all my white friends and family, it is never too late to join the movement. There is no shame in saying you have made mistakes and would like to do better; there is only shame in continuing to turn your backs on our Black brothers and sisters who are suffering. ⁣⁣
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And if you have never said the phrase “Black lives matter” without feeling the need to modify or add to that phrase, I challenge you to start there. Say it right now, out loud: Black. Lives. Matter. Repeat it until you believe it and feel it in the depths of your soul. Then keep doing the work ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽

Dear white family, friends, acquaintances, and str

Dear white family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers: as long as we’re falling short of perfection, we can do better.

Underhill Valley is a candle lover’s dream 🕯✨ Last photo I’ll be sharing of this magical little hideaway tucked beneath a hill in the New Zealand countryside 💚🌿 If you want to see more, check out my full review by clicking the link in my bio!

What is it like to stay in a hobbit hole in New Ze

What is it like to stay in a hobbit hole in New Zealand? In a word: peaceful 💚⁣
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It’s so rare that we create an opportunity for ourselves to completely disconnect and be present: no distracting ourselves with TV, social media, news apps, or texts from other people.⁣
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But we were able to do exactly that at Underhill Valley. We spent a large part of our afternoon sitting on the deck overlooking the pond, alternating between silence and conversation. We also listened to The Hobbit audiobook and watched the ducks swim in the pond.⁣
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Later, we migrated inside to prepare a charcuterie plate and open up a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir. While we snacked and sipped, we passed the time by playing a few rounds of chess. One game turned into two, and two turned into three, and three turned into four…⁣
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In other words, we embraced the hobbit lifestyle to its fullest! Do you think you’d like to unplug and live like a hobbit for a night or two?

Home sweet hobbit hole 🏡 I wanted to share a fe

Home sweet hobbit hole 🏡 I wanted to share a few more photos from our memorable stay at Underhill Valley in Hamilton, NZ. This hand-built “cave house” is located just 45 minutes from Hobbiton Movie Set—super convenient if you’re planning the ultimate hobbit-y getaway!⁣
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From the moment we arrived, I was spellbound. My senses were overwhelmed with the magic of this unique little hideaway, and I didn’t know where to look first.⁣
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The luxurious round bed piled with fur blankets and pillows, à la Game of Thrones? The kitchen that appeared to have been pulled straight out of the Middle Ages? The clawfoot bathtub outside?⁣
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Or perhaps the grounds? The setting is pastoral and idyllic…to be expected, considering that Underhill Valley is situated on a working farm. The centerpiece of the property is a peaceful pond, framed by lush green foliage, lilies floating in the water, and a charming wooden bridge 🍃⁣
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Would you want to sleep in this unique hobbit house? Link in bio for my FULL review and more photos of our stay at Underhill Valley ♥️

In a hole in the ground there lived...TWO hobbits

In a hole in the ground there lived...TWO hobbits 😉♥️⁣
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Every time I look at this photo, I’m transported back to our stay at Underhill Valley. This handcrafted “cave house” (AKA hobbit hole) was built into the hillside of a working farm in the heart of New Zealand’s Waikato District. ⁣
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Arriving to Underhill Valley is like stepping into the pages of a fairytale: from the elaborate stonework to the handcrafted iron fittings, and from the heavy timber doors to the dozens of flickering candles, it felt as if we had arrived to the Shire itself ✨⁣
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With no electricity and no wifi, it’s a true off-the-grid experience. We spent our day here reading, talking, eating, drinking, and daydreaming 📚🍷🧀⁣
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That night, we lit all of the candles in the little cave house one by one, starting with the wax-coated candelabra on the table. We pulled the heavy timber doors shut, curled up on the round bed, and laid there surrounded by a sea of candles 🕯⁣
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It was cozy, enchanting, and romantic…what more could you want in a hobbit hideaway?! 🏡

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