Lawrence, KS

My cousin got married this past weekend, so we took a short flight up to Kansas City to celebrate in Lawrence, Kansas - where they first met.

It's been the first travel Jason and I have done together since Vancouver WAY back in May. It was a little interesting getting there as Jason and I got separated and had to take 2 separate flights. I got in early, but Jason arrived right in time for the rehearsal dinner.

We all got a chance to catch up and eat some yummy Italian food at Maceli's. As always, seeing my family was a blast, so much fun was had.

The next morning, we walked around the University of Kansas's campus. It was really beautiful as all the leaves were changing colors and the weather was just perfect.

 

We walked along Massachusetts Street and grabbed a quick lunch at Wheatfields. They had delicious looking desserts, but we stuck with the sandwiches. We had a fun afternoon just exploring this little college town.

We got to watch the Aggies BTHO Mississippi State and then went straight to the wedding. Their venue was the Cider Gallery, a renovated cider vinegar warehouse - turned art gallery. I loved the original hardwood flooring, wood beams and stone and brick walls. It was the perfect setting for their wedding.

 

Congrats to Jenna and Doyle - the wedding was perfect! Seriously though, what a great couple.

Also, I have to say that Jason is the luckiest guy around. Dallas HQ was having a giveaway of Rapid Rewards points and guess who won? Those points will definitely not be wasted by us!

Next up: We have a trip planned that will let us celebrate Thanksgiving in a different country with some good friends! Wish us luck as standby around the holidays is usually nuts.

Take Me Back: Chicago, IL

Back when Jason first started at Southwest (June 2011), we took a trip up to Chicago to see my cousin get married. I've been thinking back to this trip lately as we are headed to see her sister get married in less than 2 weeks.

We had a day to explore before the wedding festivities started. We started by walking around Millennium Park. We watched a bit of a concert at the Pavilion and took pictures at "The Bean". You can really spend a lot of time just walking around here!

 We walked along the lake to the Buckingham fountain. After this, we took a stroll around the city and ended up at Gino's East - one of the main contenders for best deep dish pizza. I was honestly more a fan of Giordano's Pizza, but don't really like Chicago-style at all...WAY too much cheese. 

 

 

 

Grabbing a drink at the Signature Lounge in the Hancock Building is a must as it affords some great views! We didn't get a chance on this trip, but I had been before and I loved it. The drinks ARE pricey, but I do think that it is definitely worth the price of admission.

 

 

If you have time, a nighttime "booze cruise" is also a great way to see the beautiful skyline.

 

 

 

The wedding was great and spending time with my family is always nice. We had to get up REALLY early the day after the wedding to catch a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico - the embarking point for our Southern Caribbean Cruise. I'll be detailing the cruise ship and ports between our other current travel posts!



Brooklyn, NY

I was so glad that my cousin asked me to join in with her bachelorette party fun in Brooklyn this weekend. I've never really spent any time outside of Manhattan, so I was excited to check out her new digs. I arrived late Friday and caught the end of the Cardinals' baseball game.

This might have been the most fun and unique bachelorette weekend I've ever attended. Saturday started with NY bagels (and a concert by their upstairs neighbor, haha) and was followed by a trapeze class at Streb! We each got about 5 chances to swing - with the big finale of being caught in the air by an instructor! Below are some shots of the bachelorette in action.

This class was amazing and honestly, much harder than it looks! We all left pretty bruised, but feeling super accomplished! The only really "scary" moment was when you are being held onto by the instructor before you jump off.

Click below to see the video of my back flip and catch and release:

 

 

***Update - I totally failed to mention just how awesome Streb was. I honestly can't say enough nice things. Our instructors were amazing and made me feel safe and secure trying something completely out of my comfort zone. I felt encouraged the entire time and would LOVE to go back next time I'm in the area. I may even try to find some local place in Dallas!

 

After our class, we had a well-deserved lunch and drinks at Rosamunde Sausage Grill in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Later we watched the Cards win (we ARE all St. Louis born and bred!).

 

That night we went out for dinner and drinks at Sidecar. The food and drinks here were amazing and we had fun sampling the entire cocktail menu. We continued the fun at various bars in Jenna's neighborhood of Park Slope.

 

This guy just HAD to take a picture from above...? One of probably 10 he took.

 

 

Sunday morning, we watched Pitch Perfect (only the best movie ever) and then we had to head to LGA.

While the weekend was short, I always jump at the chance to hang out with my family. It was also great to get to know some of Jenna's friends. I can't wait to see everyone at the wedding in a month! It's just 2 days after our 4 year anniversary, so it will just be a weekend of celebrating love.

Next up: The wedding related to this bachelorette. We'll be heading to Lawrence, KS (home of the University of Kansas) in a month to celebrate!

Simi Valley, CA

Travel has been slowing down for Jason and I, so I was really looking forward to this little getaway with my dad. I flew down to Houston and we both caught a quick nonstop to LAX(he was even able to use a guess pass).

The wedding was actually in the Simi Valley/Thousand Oaks area which is north of LA so we thankfully spent no time in Los Angeles. Confession time - LA is probably my least favorite city in the US. There are so many other places around LA that I love - (Malibu, Santa Barbara, Pasadena) but I really don't connect with LA itself.

Most of my family was able to be there, so it was a great reunion! Mostly our weekend was spent catching up with everyone and attending wedding festivities.  My dad and I did have some time to make a trip out to Malibu to hike down to the water and explore the beach.

The wedding was held in a beautiful walnut grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch. The weather in Southern California is unbelievable and I really enjoyed the 70 degree temps. This was a nice escape from the 100s in Dallas.

Thanks to Josh and Kela for letting us celebrate with you both!

Next up: I will be attending another wedding in Portland, OR. Can't wait!