travel

#BlogtemberChallenge Day 18: Travel

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Tell a tale of traveling, a city or country you’ve been to or a favorite vacation.

My very first international stop was Dublin in 2010.

My very first international stop was Dublin in 2010.

I don’t even know where to start with this prompt. I love to travel. It practically defines me. My first memories are from a trip to Virginia with my mom when I was 2. I grew up on family road trips across the United States visiting old homes, family and friends. I spent college skipping off to Los Angeles whenever I could, and took what I consider my first “real” (read: self-funded) trip to Cleveland in 2011 to visit family. I get antsy if I go too long without getting on a plane or in a car for hours on end. And there’s no way I could pick just one experience to talk about.

I wasn't impressed with Rome, but I adored Florence.

I wasn’t impressed with Rome, but I adored Florence.

My first international trip was to Europe in 2010. I went to Dublin, Rome and London on a study-abroad trip. I drank too much (I wasn’t legal in the U.S. yet!) and put very little effort into the schoolwork aspect of the trip. I had a mental breakdown in Ireland and spent almost half a day in tears. I experienced culture shock in Rome. My laptop was stolen out of my flat in London. It was still one of the best experiences of my life.

I lived in Phoenix for six years and visited Disneyland five times - the only year I missed, I went to Disney World.

I lived in Phoenix for six years and visited Disneyland five times – the only year I missed, I went to Disney World.

This spring, I went on an epic road trip through Western Europe: Amsterdam, Paris, Lucerne, Nice, Barcelona. I drank too much (no excuse this time, but at least there wasn’t schoolwork), made dozens of friends and contracted bronchitis. Still amazing. Over Labor Day, seven of us who met on that trip gathered in Toronto to have a mini-reunion.

With my travel-loving buddies in Toronto

With my travel-loving buddies in Toronto

I think that’s my favorite thing about travel, if I had to pick just one – when I travel, I meet other people who love to travel, and then we travel together. That’s true with anything in life, I think – when you do what you love, you meet others who love the same. I marvel at this little life I’ve created, a life that I love but also love to escape from. I love to mix my travels up – travel for fun, travel for people, travel alone, travel with others. Toronto was a new city in a new country with relatively new friends. This weekend I’m off to a city I know like the back of my hand, Dallas, to visit my favorite travel-loving people – those who raised me.

A lifelong dream came true when I saw the Eiffel Tower.

A lifelong dream came true when I saw the Eiffel Tower.

The list of places I hope to visit in the future is truly infinite. I want to see and do everything. It may not be possible, but I’m going to do my best – I think I’ve got a pretty good start!

What is your favorite place in the world? Where do I absolutely NEED to go next?!
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#BlogtemberChallenge Day 11: Inspiration

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How do you stay inspired? Who inspires you the most?

I love this prompt and at the same time I don’t even know where to start! I am constantly inspired by the world around me, to the point that putting it into words is going to be a challenge – but then, that’s the point, yes?

I stay inspired by…

Maybe it's my journalism roots, but how can you come to Rockefeller Plaza and not leave inspired?

Maybe it’s my journalism roots, but how can you come to Rockefeller Plaza and not leave inspired?

Exploring the city I live in. I live in NYC, my very favorite city in the world, and it is constantly blowing my mind. I have my favorite spots to sit and read and ponder – along the Hudson in the West Village, Rockefeller Plaza, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade – but I also love to visit and explore new-to-me neighborhoods and sites. There is always something new to see or do here – how could one not be constantly inspired here?

Traipsing around the world. As much as I love NYC, sometimes a change of scenery is necessary to shake things up and remind me just how much I love my home. Whether it’s exploring a new city as I did in Toronto last weekend or re-visiting an old home as I’ll do in Dallas next week, it can be so refreshing to be in new surroundings, if only for a couple days.

This city girl isn't often inspired by small towns, but Lucerne, Switzerland, is simply magical.

This city girl isn’t often inspired by small towns, but Lucerne, Switzerland, is simply magical.

Listening to music. I have Spotify playlists for basically every mood – songs that make me happy, songs that remind me of Texas, songs about following dreams. I constantly have music playing when I’m at work, when I’m writing, when I’m cooking – OK, all the time.

Learning as much as I can. I read books, and I’m in a book club so I’m not always confined to my favorite genres (historical fiction and memoirs). I’m a magazine fiend – I subscribe to Afar and my roommate gets Bon Appetit, plus I usually pick up one or two others throughout the month. I have something ridiculous like 200 blogs in my feedly. I just love to learn about the world around me.

Surrounding myself with people I admire and respect. My friends are awesome, y’all. They own their own businesses, they are pursuing degrees in subjects I can’t define, let alone study, they do crazy things like quit their jobs and move across the country to chase their dreams (sound familiar?) But the best thing about these people is that they are kind and supportive and they love and respect me as much as I do them. So that’s who I’m inspired by – the people in my life who aren’t afraid to take a chance. You all know who you are. (Hint: If you’re reading this, you inspire me.)

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What inspires you?

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NYC summer bucket list: Complete!

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Several months ago, I was sitting in a froyo shop with the ladies of my summer church community group. We went around and each listed three things we wanted to accomplish over the coming months – What were the quintessentially summer things that we couldn’t imagine our season without?

I rattled off the first three things that came to mind, giving no thought to how realistic they were or whether I would do all (or any!) of them. But I’m pleased to report that as of last weekend, I’ve checked everything off! And just in time for fall no less.

Here’s a glimpse of my first summer in the Big Apple:

Rockaway Beach, July 2014

Rockaway Beach, July 2014

1. Go to the beach

Over the past six years living in Phoenix, I became something of a beach bum. My default vacation spot was Los Angeles, and by the time I left the Southwest I was spending two to three weekends a year in Malibu and Santa Monica. So when I decided to move to New York, I was excited at the prospect of beaches close enough for day trips!

One day in July, when I had a random Monday off from work, I loaded up my tote bag, hopped on the A train and made my way to the Rockaways. It’s no Malibu, but with sand and sun only an hour away – who am I to complain? I had an incredibly relaxing day reading in the sand, and the best part was grabbing fish tacos at Rockaway Taco.

Yankee Stadium, July 2014

Yankee Stadium, July 2014

2. Go to a Major League Baseball game

Baseball is in my blood. My grandparents are huge fans, my parents are huge fans, and the obsession was passed right along to my generation as well. I’m a fan of the Rangers, the Indians and the Diamondbacks, but I’ll gladly go to any game – whether it’s at the end of the regular season or during spring training. With two teams right here in NYC, I knew I had no excuse!

I actually made it to two MLB games this summer – I saw my Rangers play (and beat!) the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and then I saw the Yankees again in Toronto last weekend against the Blue Jays. The Yankees lost both of those games, and as a girl raised with a Boston allegiance (I’ve never been, but my grandfather is from there!), that’s pretty much an ideal outcome. Paired with great friends, perfect weather and a beer – that’s my ideal summer day.

Scenes from the drive to Toronto, August 2014

Scenes from the drive to Toronto, August 2014

3. Take a road trip

This is the item I wasn’t sure I’d be able to check off, having sold my car when I moved to the city in March. But lo and behold, after returning from Europe in May, friends from that trip immediately started planning a reunion in Toronto. And a group from NYC was driving up and it was over a weekend I had off from work! So last Saturday I jumped in a car with my friends Taylor and AJ and drove 10 hours each way for a chance to spend a day and a half with wonderful friends in a new city. It was totally worth it. To me there’s nothing better than eating junk food, blasting the music and cruising through the countryside.

 

Knowing that I accomplished these things has made me less reluctant to see summer end and more excited to welcome fall! This will be my first true fall since I was about 11 – so you tell me, what are the things I can’t just need to do?