It’s hard to believe it’s been a full year since my last Summer Instagram roundup but I have to say, the season has been very good to me. Here’s a quick recap of my summer and my favorite memories captured in Instagram photos.

I started June off with a trip to Portland where I indulged my sweet tooth in gourmet doughnuts, artisanal ice-cream and fruity cocktails. I basically learned that Portland is the coolest city out there, or at least one of them. I especially enjoyed our brewery tour, biking through some of the city’s revamped neighborhoods and sampling fresh food at Portland’s main farmer’s market.

Next up was Jamaica for a week of fun in the sun. I also had a chance to volunteer at a local school in Negril, which was quite easily the highlight of my trip. Voluntourism is an area of travel that I’m learning more about so it was great to experience some of this while in Jamaica. I also had a jam session with the residents of a Rastafarian village. Can’t say I’ve done that before!

Then I was off to Portugal for an impromptu trip with my husband. He was speaking at the Lisbon Challenge, a really cool event that helps start-ups make it to the big leagues. I was lucky enough to tag along and while I wasn’t in the US to celebrate July 4th, that hardly mattered because I was smitten with everything about Lisbon – from the gritty street art to the glamorous buildings.

My last trip of the summer was a weekend getaway to Coronado Island near San Diego. I had been to Coronado once before and I was excited to visit again, this time with Diego. Our good friends were getting married on the island so that was the perfect excuse to head west. It was here that I took some photos from my jewelry guide to the beach, as part of one of my recent partnerships.

For most of the summer, however, I was right here in New York City. Surprisingly, the weather was pretty good and not too hot. That is rarely the case so I did not take this for granted. After such a long and cold winter, I was happy to enjoy the sunshine. I did some of my favorite summer activities like seeing new museum exhibits, strolling through Central Park, brunching outside and window shopping in Nolita.

One of my main reasons for staying local most of the summer is because I’ve been taking Spanish classes again. I was very determined to make the most of my lessons and I can already tell that my skills are improving. Of course, I have a long way to go but I’m glad that I followed through with my commitment. Oh, and my school’s library and outdoor courtyard became my unofficial office.

Blue Star Donuts in Portland