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!

Albuquerque, NM {International Balloon Fiesta}

We've had so many Aggie football games lately that I was getting antsy for actual travel. I called up my friend, Robin and off we went! We had a few places in mind, but ABQ was our first choice since we both had the International Balloon Fiesta on our Bucket List. The Fiesta happens 2 weekends each year in October - we ended up going on the first day!

I've been to the fiesta before, but years and years ago, so I was really looking forward to it! Robin and I caught a flight from Dallas Friday night and grabbed a quick dinner and went to bed early knowing we'd have a very early morning to see the Mass Ascension. We were out the door the next morning by 4:30 and at the gates by 5:45.

We grabbed a typical "fair-style" breakfast of burritos, cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate - SO satisfying (and warm)! The morning "glow" was awesome to see. We were standing right next to the balloons as they were being inflated and eventually took flight.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the views became more and more spectacular. Over 500 balloons took off that morning and it was amazing to be right in the middle of everything. I think the best (and most unique) part of this event is that they let spectators walk amongst the balloons.

We decided to only stay for the morning session of the balloon fiesta so that Robin could explore Albuquerque, but there are nightly glows as well. We headed to Old Town to explore and looked into the many shops, saw a flamenco show in town square and grabbed lunch at Quesadilla Grille.

 

The only bad thing about going on this weekend is that there are SO many people in town. We attempted to take a ride up to the top of Sandia Peak, but the line was over an hour and 1/2 long. Waiting in that line is not what we really wanted to do when we only had less than 2 days to explore, so we passed on this.

We had a yummy dinner of green chile stew at a little diner, Frontier, next to the UNM campus. UNM was actually playing the New Mexico State Aggies, so we felt right at home amongst the maroon and white.

The next morning, we had a chance to workout and then head to The Grove Café and Market. There was a 30 minute line to order food at the place, but with good reason. It was really spectacular! Robin got French-style pancakes with fruit and I got poached eggs with asparagus, parmesan, and prosciutto. The most unique part of my meal was the toast with raspberry red chile jam - YUM!

There are a few things I would mention if you're thinking of going in the future:

One: Buy your tickets to the park/ride and fiesta in advance. Even online the night before will save you about 10 bucks!

Two: If you're not at the park and ride by 6:15, you may miss the burn and mass ascension, but truthfully, you'll want to get there closer to 5 am.

Three: Desert mornings and nights get chilly. Dress in layers.

Four: Check the weather before you go - the wind may delay (or cancel) that day's events.

Five: Eat the burritos (with green chile, of course) and drink the hot chocolate to warm up.

I think Albuquerque is a really underrated city in general, but ESPECIALLY during fiesta. I would definitely add this to your bucket list. Also, thanks to Robin for being a great travel buddy!

Next up: I'm heading to Brooklyn next weekend for a bachelorette party. Can't wait!

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!