I am blessed to be able to travel A LOT and to have seen a lot of places. I remember the first time I went to Europe was when I studied abroad in college and that opened my eyes to new cultures and I of course fell in love with travel, culture and wanting to explore as much of the world as I could.
So when the travel bug ignited I explored and embraced all of the off the beaten track adventures along with the tourist destinations. From this exploration I formed my, what to do when and where and what to avoid mentality about exploring new places.
When I would return and friends and family were planning a trip they would ask for recommendations. I wanted to share my starred map with them, but that feature wasnβt available yet, until now
The list goes on and on. With the ever evolving health and wellness trends on the rise and the light being shined on the reality of our food supply an increasing number of people are turning to alternative lifestyles focused around health.
LA LA Land. As a former So-Cal-ian I was always popping up to LA for the weekend and exploring, then my cousin/BFF (@cheeseboardandchill) moved there and I was there even more. Oh yeah and my brother/BFF (@edduff) lives there too, but he is constantly traveling. I feel like I have gotten through a lot of the highlights Los Angeles has to offer, but there is always more!
It's winter and it's time to break out your scarves. Function over fashion in the winter months HOWEVER I recently found a way to have the best of both worlds.
I am a product of an all girl, private, catholic school. I was always surrounded by girls but I never actually had like my own little girl gang until I reached my mid 20's. I have had plenty of great friends both male and female throughout the years, but I always felt a bit more like one of the guys.
Road Trippin! It can be fun, it can be boring, it can be breathtaking, it can be LOOOONNGG. I have made my way back and forth across the country and experienced all of the above. Yet I still jump into the car at any opportunity for some cross country adventures. The first time I drove across country from California to PA and took a slow southern route visiting friends and family along the way. It gave me a taste for the west coast and shortly after I ended up moving there! Meaning I had to get in the car again this time from PA to CA and we took the most direct route straight across the county... not so fun that time around.
Growing up I always knew I would end up in California at some point. It was just destined to happen and I loved every second of it. But never did I think I would be living in Denver, Colorado AND absolutely loving it! I literally had never been to the city of Denver before I was about to move there. I had been fortunate enough to visit the rocky mountains for a memorable snowboarding trip with my family for my sweet 16, but that was my only experience in the high altitude.
AKA hillbilly hot tub. Yes I went for it. I was sitting in my backyard, sweating in the sweltering Denver DRY summer heat taking a little scroll through instagram and a sponsored post for the Hey Wanderer blog popped up on my feed. They had a video "how to" of setting up a stock tank pool. What was this and why had I not heard of it?
There are many easy drives from Denver to surrounding parks and small towns that can provide beauty and wonder. This is a quick list of some fabulous stops along the way from Denver to Aspen.
Create and Cultivate and amazing movement that has grown into a nationwide cult following of WOMEN empowering WOMEN. Such a motivating and inspiring conference to join if you have the opportunity. If you can't join their conferences check out createandcultivate.com or follow their newsletter for informative articles and video recaps from their conferences.
Anytime in Napa is nothing short of magic. Itβs gorgeously romantic and absolutely perfect for a couple's retreat. It can also be fun for a girlβs weekend getaway becauseβ¦ what group of gal pals doesnβt like to get together and drink wine?!
Festival season is UPON US. The best part about festivals is the great music all in one happy place with good vibes and fun fashion. You have to be strategic when planning and packing for festivals especially if youβre car camping. It can be tricky to look your best while living out of a tent with no running waterβ¦.but we have got you covered and will include a complete packing guide and some festival hacks in an upcoming post.
While we are still figuring out the perfect balance between floating flawlessly through the airport with the perfect amount of items and overpacking to the point of sitting on your bag, shuffling stuff at the airport to make it fit and juggling all of your overstuffed suitcases we will get the answer some day. In the meantime here are some health and packing tips and tricks that I swear by during my many travels.
A quick weekend ski getaway to the fabulous town of Aspen, CO. Driving from Denver to Aspen through the mountains is a world of beauty within itself. Once you arrive in Aspen it feels as if you have been transported into a holiday snow globe.
Wandering down to Ensenada Mexico was pure magic. The food, the wine, the views, the atmosphere, the vibes. It was an experience that is yet to be matched. Below find photos telling the story of my travels there with the most wonderful people all in one day.
Get ready to wanderlust to Wolcott, CO. Nature is magnificent, I would love to go camping in the mountains, but sometimes you need to ease yourself into the full on wilderness (if you're anything like me) and Glamping is a great way to do that! (Especially if you decide to travel last minute and don't have all your camping supplies ready)
The Ankgor temples are a must see. If you are planning to be traveling around Southeast Asia scheduling a stop in Siem Reap Cambodia is a must. Not only is the country and itβs people beautiful, but is also home to one of the most breath takingly beautiful historical sites in the world. Most widely recognized known as being the set of Tomb Raider, staring Angelina Jolie, Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia.
If you're anything like me when you travel you love to explore the best foods that the destination has to offer. I love to search for the best representation of the cuisine wherever I'm traveling. Not the fanciest or trendiest, but the good stuff, what's off the beaten path and what the locals love. I will share my go to methods for how I come upon my food and drink finds in another post.
"If youβre going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair."
Thanks for the advice Mama Cass! Flower crowns never get old if youβre in San Fran! You can still feel the hippie vibes rooted deep in the Haight/Ashbury area.
San Francisco is eerily beautiful. The way the fog hugs the coastline around the bay has an almost haunting effect on city's landscape. If you are lucky enough to be there at the right time and see the sun shine cut through the fog, then you are in for some real magic. With breath taking views of the emerald waters sparkling under the iconic Golden Gate bridge, how could a girl ever want to leave.
