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!



Portland, OR

Some of my best friends from high school got married in Portland, OR this past weekend. Our high school bunch is spread out all over the US (and Canada) now, so it's been a long time since I'd seen a lot of them. Everyone was flying in from out of town for the wedding, so it was fun to explore a brand new city!

Some of us got in Thursday night, so early Friday we drove out to the Oregon wine country near Dayton, OR. Jake (aka our own personal sommelier), booked some awesome tastings for us. Thanks for letting me tag along!

Our first stop, which would end up being my favorite, was Domaine Serene. We had the "Estate Tasting" complete with wine and cheese pairings. The grounds were so beautiful in the early morning. The fog in the hills made everything feel very surreal. We also were there at harvest, so there was definitely a flurry of activity that day!

We also stopped at nearby Domaine Drouhin and White Rose Winery. If you know me, you know I always enjoy a good wine tasting, but all of these were especially great. I wouldn't have minded spending some more time in this area! We grabbed a quick lunch at Red Hills Market on our way back into town.

Later that day, everyone went out to see Multnomah and LaTourell falls in the Columbia River Gorge. These falls were absolutely gorgeous. It was nice to hike around and catch up with old friends.

That night, we went out to explore the Pearl District. We started at Rogue Ale House with a beer and dinner and moved onto Teardrop Lounge. We had some great cocktails here and an even better punch bowl. Good times were had by all.

The wedding the next day was also in the Pearl District. Everyone had a great time catching up at the wedding - congrats to two of my very oldest friends. Your love for each other is really inspiring and I'm honored to have been there to celebrate with you both. ALSO, it's about damn time you guys tied the knot! :) 

Their "wedding cake" was dozens of Voodoo Doughnuts - a Portland classic. I tried bites of many kinds - bacon maple, Oreo-covered, and cinnamon & sugar, but my favorite was the fruit loop covered one. YUM!

The last morning, Emily, Jake and I went for brunch at Clyde Common which was delicious! We ended our time in Portland at the International Rose Test Gardens.

It was a short trip, but so great. I enjoyed Portland and definitely plan to make it back there (and bring Jason) to explore some more. Since there is no way I will go to my ACTUAL high school reunion next year, this was a perfect substitute.

Next up: I will be taking a quick girl's trip to...wherever we can go basically. We definitely have a few places in mind, but nothing is definite. It really will be a "get to the airport and pick somewhere" type of trip!