Posted on April 25, 2014 in Travel
Two weeks ago, I took a quick trip to Texas to visit one of my best friends. It was the first time that I had ever been to either San Antonio or Austin … so I really had no idea what to expect.
Well surprise! I loved them both. San Antonio reminded me a lot of Tucson, except greener, prettier and more hipster (all qualities that I love). My favorite part: the gorgeous river walk that weaved through the city — it obviously made for the best outfit photo backdrops (#alwaysablogger). I also fell in love with a coffee shop in Southtown and came back every day for their cold brew. Love me some hipster coffee!
On Saturday, we took a day trip to the state capital … actually, is it sad that I had totally forgotten that Austin was the capital of Texas? Oops. Shoutout to all my past social studies/geographic teachers!
First on the agenda: EAT BBQ. Mouthwatering food sold out of a trailer? I’m there. Except, little did I know how seriously Austin takes its meat. We leisurely strolled up to the first barbecue joint around 1:00 PM only to find it completely sold out of food. The place was completely desolate. We ended finding a nearby trailer where the only meat they had left was hot sausages. So sad we missed out on ribs and brisket, but it was still delicious. Good grief, Texas. Don’t you know that 11:00 AM is too early for a giant pile of meat?!
Post-cholesterol spike, we headed down South Congress where the neighborhood was bursting with character. We passed by this house, where you can write down the one thing you want to do before you die. I want to travel the world … someone else wants to get asked to prom. To each their own!
Flea markets, thrift shops and the iconic (or surprisingly underwhelming?) coffee shop scene — we could’ve probably spent the entire day wandering through the neighborhood.
But alas, our inner foodies led us to another trailer called Gourdough’s — creator of THE BEST donuts I ever ate. We got the Dirty Berry (hot fudge with grilled strawberries) and the Flying Pig (bacon with maple syrup frosting). Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let the food coma commence.
All in all, I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend in Texas with my best friend / new favorite blog photog (see her work here, here, here and here). Thanks for an amazing time Em! I’m sure I’ll be back again!
For more travel photos, check out my Instagram and the hashtag #skirttheglobe!
Posted on April 11, 2014 in Travel
Last weekend, James and I hopped on the Bolt Bus for a weekend getaway to Washington, DC. The last time we visited was just over a year ago, but we had barely missed the cherry blossoms. Thankfully this year did not disappoint!
Minus a misty Friday night, the weather was insanely gorgeous. We scored a killer deal in a 4.5 star hotel a few blocks from the White House. The mission: eat, shop and wander our way through our second favorite city on the east coast.
Having done almost everything touristy in previous visits, this trip was about exploring the surrounding neighborhoods and checking a few local haunts off the to do list … and popping by the White House to tell Fitz that he can be a real a-hole sometimes (#teamjake!).
And of course, we took advantage of the gorgeous scenery to snap a few outfit photos. James caught me in the middle of a selfie (final shot here). What can I say? No shame in my game.
We also tried the Capital Bikeshare for the first time. Mind you, I hadn’t ridden a bike in over a decade … unless you count the stationary kind in spin class. The whole experience was slightly stressful. James made sure I didn’t get hit by cars and I was just focused out not falling over whenever we came to a stop. But bike safety aside, it was a great way to cover a lot of ground. We hit every corner of the city and even took a nighttime spin through the National Mall to see the monuments at night (one of my all-time favorite things to do).
A few notable foodie highlights include: bacon bourbon sips/all-pork-everything at The Pig in Logan Circle, brunch at FireFly in Dpont Circle, red velvet shakes at Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill, and a ridiculous heap of ice cream from Thomas Sweet in Georgetown. Oh and jumbo slices — the only kind of pizza that I might actually prefer over NYC. 
DC will always be one of my favorites and I can’t wait to go back to keep exploring. Until next time!
For more travel photos, check out my Instagram and the hashtag #skirttheglobe!
Posted on August 27, 2013 in Life, NYC
I can hardly believe that tomorrow marks my first year anniversary of moving to New York City! It seems like yesterday that I packed up my life (and about 10 pounds of jewelry) into two giant suitcases and temporarily settled into a sublet apartment that I found off Craigslist. I moved here with no job and only two people that I could really call friends. Some called it brave — in retrospect, I call it crazy!
Flash forward a year. The boyfriend and the pup have joined me in the city and we’ve nestled into a cozy one bedroom apartment on the east side. I’ve met some amazing people that I’m lucky enough to call friends, including my NYC BFF.
I’ve been able to travel up and down the east coast, but what I love the most is exploring the different neighborhoods right here in the city because wandering down each block is like its own adventure.
And then there’s the food. There’s just so much of it. Food festivals every weekend and cuisines of every culture — it’s out of control. The boyfriend and I have become dessert connoisseurs of sorts and have made it our mission to try every ice cream, cupcake and pastry on this island — and yes, that includes the original cronut!
I’m not going to pretend that every day in this city is easy. There are days when I miss my family and friends, when I wish I had a car to get around, and when I long for the slower paced lifestyle of the west coast. But this journey is about more than adding a few splashy pages to a scrapbook, it’s about overcoming old fears and saying yes to new opportunities. It’s about being part of a city that sometimes sleeps, but never slows down and never gets old.
I’m so thankful for the wonderful, generous, and patient people who have supported me through this crazy ride. Hold on, because there are many more adventures to come!