Best of #theroolife Sept 22-28th

Written by Dr. Felicia Wong.  Dr. Felicia Wong is a physician, outdoor enthusiast, and wellness blogger based in Southern California. Between her and her husband (also a physician)'s busy work schedules, raising two young sons, and running her popular Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog on adventure tips, she exemplifies what it means to live intentionally and joyfully with her family. The Wong family can be found hiking, biking, enjoying a day at the beach, or skiing in the nearby mountains on any given weekend. However, one of their favorite activities is camping. In this blog post, Dr. Felicia Wong shares ideas to help you celebrate National Camp At Home Day!   Our family loves to camp - at home, close to home, in state and national parks, or off grid.  We started glamping as a family 6 years ago, and have gradually worked our way from glamping to car camping, to boondocking and backpacking!   One of my favorite things to do, aside from planning our own camping trips, is to encourage more people to give camping a try.  National Camp at Home Day - March 27 - is a great time for new campers to do a practice run, and for seasoned campers to test out and inventory gear in preparation for the spring/ summer camping season!  To help you get ready for this fun weekend, we have come up with some ways to enhance your camp at home experience:   Turn off your electronics and set them aside. Consider turning off your wifi.  Unplug. If weather and space permits, consider camping outdoors on your patio or in your yard.  If you have one, get cozy around an outdoor firepit with some camp blankets!  If camping inside, you can create a nice camp ambience by moving some houseplants around your tent. If you have a fireplace, set up your Swiftlet hammock stand and hammock nearby.   Play “camp games” . Our kids love card games like War and Go Fish! When it gets dark out, turn off the lights and use your camp lanterns, flashlights, headlamps. Treat yourself to classic camp treats like s’mores and hot chocolate with mini marshmallows No campfire at home… No worries! Here are 3 methods to make S’mores at home!  S’mores on the Stovetop: If you have a gas stovetop, you can roast marshmallows just as you would over a campfire.  Put a marshmallow on a skewer and set the stovetop burner on low heat. Use care while slowly turning the marshmallow over the heat to your desired doneness. We recommend this method for adults, as it involves an open flame. S’mores in the Oven:  Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.  Break the graham crackers into halves, and place half of them on a baking sheet. Top each graham cracker with chocolate, and then a marshmallow. Bake until the marshmallows are puffed and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Top with the remaining graham cracker halves and press to flatten. If you prefer your marshmallows extra toasty, you can also use the broiler following the same steps, but will need to watch them very closely, because they can burn quickly. Serve immediately while the S’mores are still warm! S’mores in the microwave: Place chocolate and marshmallows on up to four graham cracker halves and put on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 15 to 20 seconds, or until the marshmallows puff. Top with the remaining graham cracker halves. Learn more about how to participate in this year's National Camp at Home Day here. Happy camping!

Every National Camp at Home Day celebration needs tasty refreshments. We think this one's a crowd pleaser for sure. Learn more about how you can make the most of your camp at home celebration here.  Ingredients: Vodka 2-3 Grapefruits Sparkling Water Sugar Kosher or Sea Salt Fresh Rosemary Preparation: Juice your grapefruits until you get 1/4 cup of juice. Pour juice into a sauce pan and add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Turn burner on low heat and let simmer until all the sugar is dissolved. Prep your favorite rocks glass by rimming it with salt and filling it with ice. Add 2 ounces of vodka to your cup. Add the grapefruit and sugar mixture to your cup. Top it off with sparkling water. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and rosemary sprig. National Camp at Home Day is all about one thing: outdoor relaxation. What that means to you could be completely different for someone else. Whether you feel inspired to go on an afternoon jog, set up your tent in the back yard, or just spend an hour reading in your hammock, we hope you'll make the most of it. And if you need one more way to maximize your relaxation vibes, the official cocktail of National Camp at Home Day is here to deliver.  Are you celebrating National Camp at Home Day in the Austin area? Drop by our gear shop for a hassle-free, ready-to-drink canned cocktail from All Hands that's sure to put you in the right mindset when the 27th rolls around. Sure, you can spend the extra time to make it yourself, but with a canned cocktail this good, why would you? Cheers, y'all!

Dr. Felicia Wong is a physician, outdoor enthusiast, and wellness blogger based in Southern California. Between her and her husband (also a physician)'s busy work schedules, raising two young sons, and running her popular Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog on adventure tips, she exemplifies what it means to live intentionally and joyfully with her family. The Wong family can be found hiking, biking, enjoying a day at the beach or skiing in the nearby mountains on any given weekend. However, one of their favorite activities is camping. In this blog post, Dr. Felicia Wong shares her experience gradually introducing the wonders of camp to her family.     It can be done, and it can be enjoyable. This is the most popular post request I’ve gotten from our friends and the Instagram community. Disclaimer – I’m writing this post for those who have never camped before, who may not consider themselves “outdoorsy”, and/ or who might be feeling a bit intimated about staying anywhere other than a hotel (aka “camping phobia”). I recognize that there are many individuals and families who are camping experts, and whom I’d love to learn a thing or two from, but for this post – I’m sharing how my family went from hotel to glamping to camping enthusiasts.  If we can do it, you can too! Growing up in New England, raised by immigrant Chinese parents , my exposure to camping was fairly limited. My parents did bring my brother and me tent camping a couple of times when we were little. But that promptly stopped after we were caught, unprepared, in torrential downpour which leaked into our tent and soaked us and our belongings. My interest in camping was piqued again years later when I went on overnight backpacking camping trips in West Virginia the summer after high school during National Youth Science Camp. During college, I intended to join the wilderness club. But then 1) The Blair Witch Project (for those of you who were born after 2000, this was a horror camping movie) came out; and 2) a dancing injury left me with chronic back pain for several years. These derailed my plan to get out and camp for a few years. Then medical school and residency happened, which meant not a lot of time for much else other than studying. Finally, in 2015, I decided it was time to give camping another go, and I dragged my entire family (husband, toddler, infant, and parents) with me. When our youngest son was 3 months old, we booked a glamping cabin at El Capitan Canyon . It was a perfect intro back into the “wilderness”.  We purchased their BBQ Canyon Tri-Tip Kit, cooked it over an open flame, and then enjoyed S’mores and hot chocolate around the campfire. We not only survived this wilderness experience, we had a great time. The next summer 2016, we decided to try again. This time, we stayed in the most adorable and fun vintage trailers in a camp community set up by hosts Andy and Liz of The Holidays in San Clemente.  The four of us stayed in the trailer, and my parents pitched a small tent next to our trailer. Our friends and their boys (new to camping) joined us on this trip as well. I think the pictures speak for themselves. We had a blast. We’ve returned to The Holidays every summer since. In 2017, my husband and I were trying to figure out what to do for our anniversary (which happens to be in August), and we decided it would be nice to share a new experience as a family. We chose the Crystal Cove Moro Campground as our inaugural tent campsite. We researched and bought recommended camp gear, and drove 20 minutes from our home to this bluff side campground with an ocean view. We braced ourself, thinking we’re close to home and it’s just one night. When morning came, we didn’t want to leave. Success! This is another campsite we’ve continued to return to each summer. Since then, we’ve done a few more camping trips throughout Southern California including at William Heise County Park in Julian, and on a private farm in Oak Glen via hipcamp. This past summer, we glamped at Under Canvas Zion.  It’s safe to say, we’ve become camping/glamping enthusiasts and ambassadors. We love it, and have convinced several other friends and families to join us. We hope this post inspires you to give it a try as well! Summary of tips: If you’ve never camped before and/or do not own any camping gear, try easing into the camping experience with glamping.  There are many great options available these days throughout the US and internationally. A good place to search is Glamping Hub. It’s important to prepare and invest in the gear that you need to be comfortable. For some, this means a tarp and sleeping bag. For others, it means an air mattress. There is no right or wrong way to camp. Do what works for you! Campsites with views (i.e. those near beaches, or in national or state parks) tend to be high demand. Research the booking window, and make sure you are ready to book when those dates open (for many places, it is 6 months to 1 year out). A great resource we love for private and unique campsites is hipcamp.  For $10 off your first booking on hipcamp, you can use the code “EVERYDAYADVENTUREFAM“, or follow this link. There is a range of primitive camping to glamping options available on hipcamp. If possible, it might be good idea try booking your first camping trip close to home and/ or close to some amenities and civilization. This will reduce your “what if I forgot this, what will I eat, or what if the baby can’t sleep in the tent?” anxiety. We’ve never actually gone home to get anything while camping, but it is reassuring to know that we could, especially when travelling with young kids. When camping with 4 other families this past summer, we brought and cooked most of our camp meals, but it was nice to be able to order pizza for one of the meals. I repeat and stress. There is no right or wrong way to camp. What’s important, is that you try it. If you’re comfortable and prepared, you’ll enjoy it more. Here are some links to help with your planning. Happy Camping! Reserve California: https://www.reservecalifornia.com San Diego County Parks: http://reservations.sdparks.org El Capitan Canyon – Santa Barbara glamping: http://www.elcapitancanyon.com Under Canvas (Zion, Grand Canyon, Moab etc) : http://www.undercanvas.com The Holidays:  www.theholidaysca.com, book on Reserve California Hipcamp:  www.hipcamp.com ($10 off code “EVERYDAYADVENTUREFAM) Glampinghub: http://www.glampinghub.com Airbnb: http://www.airbnb.com ($40 off code with this link) has glamping options such as yurts and canvas tents.   I've you've never been camping with kids, National Camp At Home Day is perfect excuse to build a campsite in the backyard and learn what you like and where you can improve before heading into the wilderness. Check out Dr. Felicia Wong's glamping gear guide to get started on your next adventure. For more family camping, traveling tips and inspiration, follow her Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog. 

Dr. Felicia Wong is a physician, outdoor enthusiast, and wellness blogger based in Southern California. Between her and her husband (also a physician)'s busy work schedules, raising two young sons, and running her popular Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog on adventure tips, she exemplifies what it means to live intentionally and joyfully with her family. The Wong family can be found hiking, biking, enjoying a day at the beach or skiing in the nearby mountains on any given weekend. However, one of their favorite activities is camping. In this blog post, Felicia shares her tips and recommended gear to help others who are interested in camping get started. This guide is for individuals, couples, or families who are interested in trying car camping. The following recommendations are not for backcountry camping, and are comfort-oriented for a “DIY glamping” type of experience. I fully recognize that many of the following items are not necessary, but my experience has been that comfortable campers are happy campers, and I’m proud to take credit for converting several friends who had never camped before, or who were skeptical about it, into willing, maybe even enthusiastic, campers. I’m sharing this list of tried and true items that we have purchased and used on our own camping trips, and that we like enough to have recommended to our friends and family. I have provided links to products throughout this list. Most of our items were purchased from REI or Amazon, though some are from small shops such as Power Practical (luminoodle), Miir (insulated camp cups), Rumpl (sleeping bag like throws and blankets), Kammok (hammock and stand). DIY Tent Glamping Basics Tent: We have the REI Kingdom 6. The general rule of thumb for comfortable family camping is to choose a tent at least +2 greater than the number of people you intend to sleep on the tent. We’re a family of 4, so bought the 6 person version. Some of our friends who like to spread out more or have older kids bought the 8 person version, and have plenty of room in their tent to fit 2 queen air mattresses, and have space in the front for storage and indoor card / board games (handy, in case of less desirable weather) . We also bought the tent footprint to keep the bottom clean and dry. A waterproof tarp will work for this purpose as well. Sleep System: We use air mattresses, and sleep comfortably while camping. We have the REI Queen Sleep system, and it is such a comfortable air mattress, we’ve even used it at home when guests come over! As the boys have gotten bigger, we’ve added a second one (twin) to our tent setup. Eventually, we’ll probably need two queen size mattresses.  Cozy Blankets and Throws: The comforter that came with the REI sleep system is warm enough for summer camping in Southern California. For additional warmth and lounging by campfire, we like our Pendleton wool camp blankets and Rumpls (we have original puffy, but also have a couple down blankets which pack down so small!) For a budget option, Costco sometimes carries down throws. Sleeping Bag: After a very chilly camping experience (37F), we found an additional sleeping bag necessary for camping down to 20 degrees F. I found this double wide Omnicore sleeping bag rated for 10, and it has kept us warm for these situations. We still also use my 20 year old north face sleeping bag -which shows that gear does last forever if you take care of it!  Pillows: We’ve tried a few, and these Thermarest compressible pillows are the most comfortable. Lighting: We’ve found some great deals on camping lanterns from Costco. We bring flashlights for the kids. Instead of single use glow sticks, I’ve found some LED glow necklaces that make it easier to spot kids (and adults) after the sun sets. I like the Black Diamond Moji lanterns which are small but mighty, and can be hung on a carabiner to the top of your tent to provide a good amount of light at night. Recently, I’ve tried the Aimtom Power mini camping lantern and am very impressed with how much light it puts out! Camp Cooking Camp Stove: We like this Coleman triton stove and its carrying case. Cooking Table/Storage: GCI Outdoor slim-fold Camp Kitchen Portable folding cook station Camp Kettle Coffee Supplies: We use a Stainless Steel french press, or a collapsible drip coffee maker. Our friends have had success with a percolator. Recently, we’ve also enjoyed Kuju Coffee since serve drip coffee. Cast Iron Pan with Lodge cast iron pan silicon handle Oven Mitts: Don't forget to protect your hands when handling hot kettles or roasting sticks. Enamelware Dining Set: We have this Every day set from Stansport, and for Glamping, we have this beautiful dipped set from Barnyard Electric. It is $$$ and was a birthday gift, but we use them year-round and quite frequently for our backyard dinners and with the kids (enamel ware = childproof and unbreakable!) I’ve seen s started carrying a very affordable and classy looking enamelware mug and plate. Camp Cooking Utensil Set: This set has everything you really need. Camp Collapsible Dish Bin Scrub Brush: for doing dishes Camp Soap: campsuds Egg Storage: It really works and keeps our eggs from crushing! Cooler: We tried a bunch of coolers before getting Yeti Hopper flip and it really is amazing – keeps food cold all day in the summer heat with proper ice packs in place and doesn’t sweat. We were skeptical, but it really has outperformed all our other coolers, and it’s a perfect size for road trips and picnics. We also have the tundra haul which has kept food cold for 4 days, and is better for longer camping / road trips. Pop up trash can NOTE: On some camping trips (i.e. when water is limited), we have found it easier to use biodegradable disposable plates, rather bring all our enamel ware and do dishes. These not only look great, but they are really effective kindling as well! Bathing Bath caddy or hanging organizer Biodegradable soap: from REI Microfiber towels: These are great and less bulky. I think they might be seasonal but you can find them at Ikea for a great low price. Nalgene travel leakproof bottles: for toiletries Seating/ Hanging Out Don’t forget your camp chairs: we have an assortment of REI camp chair, Coleman kids chairs, Coleman adult chairs. We love these small packable ones from trekology and have been bringing them on road trips and even for tailgating parking lot picnics during the pandemic. Hammocks are great for seating or lounging! We haven’t tried sleeping in one yet, but we’ve heard some people do hammock camping! If you’re in Southern California like us, we don’t have many trees so we have found this Swiftlet portable stand super useful with our double room hammock. Extras, that enhance the experience Camp Organization: We have this Ozark trail folding end table with cup holder. Camp Table: It’s really nice to have a table to set things on when sitting by the campfire. For example, you’re s’mores or hot chocolate. We get a lot of use out of our large Trekology table Luminoodle: I love these colored rope lights – they add a splash of color to your tent. Makes it easy to pick out your tent when it is dark out and you are walking back from the bathroom. Tablecloth: Adds ambience and provides a trusty clean surface. Tablecloth Weights: Coleman watermelon table weights.  Glowsticks: for the kids, for a more sustainable option – we’ve moved to these reusable LED necklaces and have a different color per family member. Telescoping Smore’s Sticks: We like these ones. Mystic Fire: Turns campfire into a rainbow. Everyone loves this! Gas Campfire: We have the Camco big red campfire, and it comes in handy in Southern California where there are often wood fire bans. Kids Play Tent: I found one on sale for a little over $10. This is nice to have because it provides shade for kids in summer, and a place to play. Meanwhile, they don’t track a ton of dirt into your actual tent. Doormat: I got a cheap one from Target. Keeps the dirt from tracking into the tent if you’re camping by the beach or some other dirt campsite. We did not find this necessary when camping on grass. Bring From Home: Scooters or bikes for kids. I hope you find this list helpful. Again, this is just a guide and what has worked for us. None of this is “necessary” for having fun. As I prefaced, for some – a simple tarp will suffice. We did not buy all of this gear at once, but have accumulated items over the years. We generally wait until things are on sale – Labor day, Black Friday and Memorial Day tend to be sale times for outdoor gear. Finally, for those who are wondering, we organize our camp gear into several large bins, which we then store in our garage – always ready for our next trip. Happy Camping!   If roughing it in the backcountry doesn't get you excited, give glamping a try on National Camp At Home Day. For more family camping, traveling tips and inspiration, follow Dr. Felicia Wong's Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog.