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  • Search Results for: alfred

    • Accepting Alfred

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 15, 2018

      Today is my 29th birthday. I’ll wait, you can go grab me some chocolate.

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      Actually, keep the chocolate for yourself, I won’t be partaking in any of that this year. For the last 29 years I’ve associated my birthday with treats, just like 98% of the American population. We turn another year older and we must celebrate with cake, and cookies, and coffee, OH MY. Truth be told, I’d love to celebrate with those goodies, but I won’t.

      Life with an autoimmune disease means everything you ever knew about food must change. Unless of course you want to take the easy way out and stuff yourself with drugs to suppress your immune system, but I’d rather not do that. I’d be lying if I said it was easy avoiding these treats, but I’m getting to the point where the flare ups they cause are no longer worth it.

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      It’s been two years since I was officially diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I admit it’s taken me that entire time to finally accept that this is my life now. I’ve spent this entire time trying to “fix” the problem, to do whatever I could to heal my body in order to go back to how things used to be before my cup runneth over, but that’s not how this works.

      The way things used to be is part of how I got myself into this mess.

      If I’ve learned anything from this need for control over my body it’s that trying to fix something you have very little control over is exhausting. Day in and day out the denial and desire to escape this disease that follows me everywhere I go has had me running a race that I will never win. Rather than try to escape this card I’ve been dealt, I’ve decided to take a different approach.

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      The other night I was lying in bed meditating, when a thought entered my mind I decided to focus on rather than trying to quiet. I thought about my autoimmune disease, and the idea of giving it a name. Like a friend. I wouldn’t try to run away from a friend, and I wouldn’t try to hurt my friend, and this shift in my mindset brought life to Alfred, my autoimmune disease.

      Alfred will be with me for life, though when the stars are aligned he will go on vacations. Hopefully those vacation are long ones (remission) and I won’t see him for long chunks of my life, but when he does show up (like the last couple years) I will be kind to him, honoring his existence as a part of me instead of trying to pretend he’s not there.

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      Honoring Alfred means shifting my life completely, because growth comes from change, and change is almost always uncomfortable. Honoring Alfred means saying no to running, and going for a light walk instead. Honoring Alfred means minimizing my stress as much as possible, saying no when I want to say no, and removing people from my life that bring me down.

      Honoring Alfred means saying no to the cake, and opting for the avocado instead. 

      I’m an emotional eater, and this was something that became very clear to me the last couple years. I never noticed it as a problem until my stress levels blew through the roof, and until I was told “you can’t” eat things if you want to feel better. It’s a painful pill to swallow when your life takes a turn out of your control, but it’s even more painful to have the flareups that accompany an autoimmune disease.

      Living with an immune system that thinks its own tissues are foreign causes a whole heap of symptoms that can make or break your quality of life.

      Food has a direct correlation to the quality of life for me. I am aware of what I should and should not eat in order to feel my best, and in order to keep my mind on board I’ve switched my verbiage from “I can’t eat that” to “I don’t eat that.” Sometimes even my “safe foods” cause a flare up, and in those times I do my best not to spiral. Everyday is a new day, and I’m getting better at handling the harder days.

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      There will be days I eat foods that do not support my body, but I’m hoping with this acceptance the need for those days become less and less. I also hope that when these days do happen, I give myself more grace and find my way back on the bus rather than continue to spiral because I “failed.” There is no failure, there is no black and white, there is only balance, and life, and forgiveness.

      Giving in is not the same as giving up, I will never give up, but I’ve decided to give in. I give in to the lifestyle change that is necessary for me to thrive, I give in to turning down the cake today on my birthday in order to avoid the uncomfortable flareups, I give in to living a life with Alfred by my side, because in all reality his presence is helping me to live my best life. As long as I accept what he is trying to offer.

      Diseases often occur in our lives to wake us up to a life we’re meant to live. All too often our society tries to quiet the messages our bodies are trying to tell us by taking drugs, but most ailments can be moderated with lifestyle changes. There are surely some ailments where drugs are the only option, I’m not discrediting that in the least, but most of them give us a choice on how we want to continue to live.

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      Acceptance didn’t come easy, I went through the stages of grief for over two years. There are few things that hold a flame to a steaming cup of coffee and a slice of chocolate cake, or even a long run, both of which my body no longer tolerates, but I find peace in honoring what my body is asking for. By honoring Alfred I’m given a sense of control again, because while I cannot control the fact that he lives with me, I can control whether or not I embrace his presence.

      Viewing Alfred from a place of warmth and love brings a positive energy to my life. There are days when I’m not perfect, there are days I cave and eat the cake, there are days I want to crawl into a hole and never come out, but those days are getting fewer and I’m learning how to cope and how to bring joy to my life through things other than food. This warmth also helps me to be kind when I make choices that don’t honor Alfred, and remind me that growth is all about the journey.

      Joy is a slow hike in the mountains (like the ones I took these photos on), joy is giving time to others, joy is the smile on a family members face, joy is the wind on my face, or the rain on my arm, joy is the vibration on my chest from the purr of my cat.

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      Life throws us curve balls when we least expect it. It’s normal to stomp our feet in defiance at first, but eventually we all have to get over ourselves if we want to live our lives to their full potential. I’ve decided the temper tantrum I’ve been throwing has gone on long enough, and I’ve accepted this new life of mine. I’ve made life much more difficult than it needed to be the last couple years, but it’s all apart of the process.

      All this is to say it could always be worse, life is about what we make of it. I’m one year shy of being 30, and you can bet your britches I’m ready to kiss my 20’s goodbye. It’s true that our 20’s are years of discovery, and I’m ready to get the hell out of them. My final year of my 20’s will be spent polishing up the final touches before I head into a new decade.

      I no longer want to people please, and I no longer want to be shy about my dietary restrictions when around other people, I no longer want to feel the need to be strong when my fatigue is overwhelming. I’m proud of who I am, I’m proud of my body and all it can handle, and I’m proud of my life with Alfred. Giving in is freeing, and I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders and a cloud lifted from my mind. Acceptance is choosing to thrive instead of just exist.

      Q: Have you experienced any difficult lifestyle changes?

      brittany

       

      | 54 Comments Tagged Alfred, Autoimmune Disease, Birthday, Hiking
    • A Decade in the Making

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 22, 2021

      When I first started writing on this small space of the internet, my posts were sporadic and random. I would write about a great run I had, or an epic vegan meal I created, all sandwiched between cat stories and my disdain for higher education. I was young, spunky, and had a carefree zest for life.

      I then fell in love with hiking, and started to learn more about the science of coffee. I became voracious in my studies of blends, pairings, regions, and finding the right balance of flavors for those who “don’t drink black coffee.” I find those who don’t enjoy the taste of coffee typically haven’t been introduced to the right blend for them, like a fine wine.

      I really miss preparing/photographing/and consuming coffee tastings…

      Eventually my carefree posts turned more introspective while I navigated life after being diagnosed with a chronic illness. Everything as I knew it began to change, and my posts followed suit. Instead of stepping away from this space when I no longer ate a vegan diet, no longer ran consistently, and had to avoid drinking coffee (aka everything I blogged about), I dove deeper into myself to pull out the nitty gritty thoughts most people don’t want to acknowledge.

      I have spent the last ten years learning about myself, and sharing my journey with whoever chooses to read.

      I have met a handful of lifelong friends through this space, something I would have never imagined possible. I have seen new parts of my home country visiting these friends, I communicate with them more than people I met throughout my childhood, and I continue to meet new people as I continue to write. This has quite literally become a small community for me, and I genuinely adore each and every comment or email I get from those who read what I have to say.

      I am a simple gal, and I don’t need much out of life. One of the quickest ways for me to feel seen, heard, and understood is for someone to read my words, or listen to my thoughts with a genuine interest. My love languages are words of affirmation, and quality time. For sometime to take the time to read what I have to say, and then engage with me brings such a deep sense of joy and purpose to my day.

      To have a space where I can share my heart in such a raw, and vulnerable way is something I never knew I would need.

      I wasn’t prepared for how therapeutic it would be to write here. I started this blog because I wanted to get free stuff. I wanted to review fun new foods and products, and that’s exactly what I did. Free stuff came my way, until eventually I had companies reaching out to me instead of the other way around. These days I am much less active here, I pop on when I want to word vomit somewhere other than my personal journal, with the hopes of connecting with someone else near or far away.

      There is comfort in community.

      I was 22 when I started this blog, and the amount of life I have lived the last decade feels oddly like a faint dream. I fell in love, had my heart broken, ran six half marathons, switched paths countless times, graduated college, moved to Europe, obsessed over healing my body, worked through an eating disorder, lost my way, and conquered many literal, physical, and mental mountains.

      I have fallen, gotten back up, and fallen again. Over, and over, and over…I thank each and every one of you who has come to this space to follow along on this wild journey of life.

      I didn’t anticipate I would be here ten years later, and I don’t know how long I will continue writing on this space. For now I enjoy it, so for now I write. I’ll leave you all with this gift – a link to my very first blog post from April 2011. A young, awkward, excited human unaware of what the next ten years would hold for her.

      I still make that face, I just have a lot less hair now.

      | 51 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Life
    • Strasbourg, France

      Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on April 1, 2020

      At the end of February, one of my pals and I took a weekend trip to Strasbourg, France. I have visited France three times since living in Germany, and I have to admit before moving to Europe, France was never a country high on my list of places to visit. While Paris wasn’t really my cup of tea (big cities usually aren’t), I was blown away by the French countryside, and the small town of Strasbourg was just what I hoped it would be and more.

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      My friend and I both have February birthdays (hers is the day after mine!) and we hadn’t traveled together since last April, so we requested to have one of our weekends fall on the same two days. We rented a car, and I drove us the 3.5 hrs west. Strasbourg is right on the border of Germany, so the houses have a heavy German influence.

      I adore the German/Saxon style architecture, and perhaps this is why I loved this little town so much.

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      We drove to Strasbourg after work on our Friday, and arrived just in time to get a good nights rest. We found an Air B & B within 30 minutes walking distance, and right next to the tram. This was a nice balance of options, and we ended up walking into town, and decided to take the tram back in the evening. We woke early the following morning and headed towards the city for a day of exploration.

      We started our day at a local boulangerie for coffee and breakfast, and as we sat inside eating we heard nothing but French as the locals hurried in for their baguettes and espresso. Of all the countries I have visited, France was the one I felt most nervous asking if they speak English. I’ve heard that the French don’t like American’s, but as I said before I have been three times now and never once did I feel like a bother.

      Even in Paris! Crushing stereotypes when traveling is one of my favorite things to do. 

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      After savoring the local hustle and bustle of the boulangerie, we set off to wander the town by foot. We wandered inside the Strasbourg Cathedral, and then headed towards La Petite France, an adorable part of town on the canal. The morning weather was cool with an overcast, but by the early afternoon the clouds broke and the sun came out in full force.

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      Cathedral before the sun.

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      Cathedral after the sun.

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      La Petite France

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      La Petite France felt like a village straight out of Beauty and the Beast, and I expected a portly baker to come around the corner offering baguettes to passerby’s.

      After gawking at the adorable German style houses again, we wandered towards Parc de l’Orangerie. This is Strasbourg’s oldest park, with 24 hectares full of paths for jogging, walking, or bird watching. Yes bird watching. I thought I walked into an Alfred Hitchcock movie when I saw nest, after nest, after nest of stork homes.

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      This was literally one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen, and as we kept walking through the park we eventually stumbled upon a small farm/zoo. This was even more bizarre. Part of the small farm is dedicated to the stork rehabilitation. The stork, threatened by extinction, was successfully reintroduced to the region’s natural environment.

      The rest of the zoo held random animals from all over the world. I couldn’t understand the signs, as they were all in French, but I believe these animals were endangered and the zoo was meant to be beneficial to the species. This is what I told myself at least, I don’t like the idea of a zoo unless there is no other option for the animals.

      After this bizarre experience, we headed back towards the city center for a cup of coffee and a moment of rest. 

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      We sat outside a cafe in front of the cathedral listening to street performers and watching the tourists and locals pass by. I find myself finally slowing down more when I travel, and this has helped me to appreciate the places I visit. People watching and sitting amongst the locals is one of my favorite things to do in a new to me city.

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      After coffee and people watching my pal and I split off for a few hours of solo exploration. I love traveling with people who also enjoy spending time alone, it makes for the perfect balance of social time and alone time. I spent my time weaving in and out of streets I hadn’t seen, and ended my time climbing to the top of the cathedral.

      The tower climb is 330 steps high, and has views all the way to the Black Forest in Germany.

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      Despite the fact that I ate a small pizza and a pastry for breakfast (aka gluten and dairy city) I was on a roll of indulging in all the foods I’m allergic to and just kept the party train going for dinner. Strasbourg is in a region of France called Alsace, and this region is famous for something called Flammkuchen.

      Flammkuchen is a thinly rolled dough in an oval or rectangular shape similar to a flatbread, and is topped with fromage blanc or crème fraîche, thin-sliced onions and lardons. The toppings can vary slightly, but I kept mine mostly traditional with the addition of sauerkraut because…health.

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      Although I ate the entire thing, this isn’t something I would order again. The crème fraîche had an odd bite and the combo of flavors wasn’t something I preferred. I’m glad I tried it though, and we went to a local college hangout for dinner with a happy hour on Flammkuchen (and beer) so I only paid 5 euros for this.

      After dinner we made our way back to the Air B & B, walking along the canal towards the tram. We spent about 8-9 hours slowly wandering around Strasbourg which was the perfect amount of time. These close by towns make for a perfect weekend getaway.

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      Q: What’s a stereotype about another culture you crushed after experiencing the culture firsthand?

      brittany

      | 10 Comments Tagged Bakery, Brittanys Life Abroad, Europe, France, Strasbourg, Travel Abroad
    • My First German Summit

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 29, 2019

      I’ve been posting about my travels outside of Germany lately, but haven’t said much about my time spent IN Germany. It’s so easy for me to loose track of the beauty around me because anytime I have three days off (sometimes even just two) I’m looking at other countries I can travel to. It’s funny how Germany feels like “home” and just like when I’m back in Washington, I want to get away from my home and into the world.

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      Contrary to popular belief, I DO work here. I work close to full time averaging around 35 hours a week, but I make it a priority to get out and away as much as I can. Something as simple as a walk (or soon a bike ride!) into town is a helpful reprieve and reminds me I am in another country. The hotel I work at is American, and after a few days of not leaving the American military bases I am in dire need of an escape. Hearing people speak German, or exploring the alps is all I need to recharge.

      I’ve managed to get into the surrounding mountains a few times, and as the snow continues to melt I look forward to my summer of hiking in my “hometown” of Garmisch. My first taste of the alps was a short 30ish minute hike to what we call “the swing.” I have been to the swing twice, and the second time I happened to meet a German guy admiring the view. He casually mentioned he built the swing, and has only ever met American’s at the hidden spot.

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      After I visited the swing I explored more of the area nearby. I’m literally surrounded by mountains, but have mostly stuck to a mountain called the Kramer. I plan to summit the Kramer soon, but my first semi climb on the Kramer was to one of the many hütte’s in the alps. One thing I love about the German mountains is that they have hütte’s all over them, which are restaurant cafe’s where people stop for a bite, a beer, or a baked good.

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      I made my way up to Sankt Martinshütte on one of my days off for a view of the city and a cup of tea. It was a moderate climb and felt good to dust off my heart muscle after a sedentary winter. Both the swing and Sankt Martinshütte are accessible by foot from the hotel I live in/work at, and there are so many other trails nearby that will be great for a day off or for an after work decompression.

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      My third mountain adventure, and first official summit since living in Germany was on the Wank. The Wank is a bit further (will be easy to get to when I buy a bike), so I drove with some friends the first time I explored it, and took a bus the second time. The first time I went I didn’t summit, I just went up part way to Tannenhütte for a post work adventure. My friends had a drink, and I soaked up the views.

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      After figuring out how to get to the Wank I felt comfortable going alone the second time so I could summit. I was a bit premature with this decision, because there was still quite a bit of snow at the top. I wore trail running shoes with minimal traction and was a bit scared coming back down, but I was too stubborn to turn back without hitting the top. I was the first of my coworkers (that I know of) to summit the Wank for the season, and three weeks later others started to make the Wank their first summit of the season too.

      Shameless brag. 

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      I met two German women at the top that thought I was crazy for not having the right shoes or any trekking poles. The Wank is 5840ft with about 3500ft of elevation gain. I was surprised I hit the summit as easily as I did. It was a push, but I felt stronger than I expected. It was probably the waffles and coffee I splurged on for breakfast. Thanks to Alfred, I felt the push after my hike (and thanks to my breakfast choice) and was out of commission for a day or so, but these things are just a part of life with an autoimmune disease.

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      At the top of the Wank there is a hütte called the Wankhaus. It was closed when I went because I went before it was open for the season, so I’ll have to return sometime for a tea. I tried to hike the Wank again a few weeks later, but my body was not having it. I only made it 1/3 of the way up and had to turn back. I had a small pity party and then had to get over it. The hardest part about living with Sjogrens is listening to my body when it tells me “no.”

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      View from my bedroom, where I spend a good amount of time resting.

      Any movement is better than no movement, and I love how the German culture in Bavaria is very active. I love seeing the locals out walking the trails. Old, young, dogs, pointy ear squirrels – you name it. Regardless of age, people are out walking the flat and manageable trails and sometimes I need those reminders that it’s ok to not always climb UP a mountain, but walking around one is just as beneficial.

      Admittedly it can be hard not to compare my abilities now to my abilities before I was diagnosed with Sjogrens. Mentally I still want to run all the miles, and climb all the mountains, but physically I just don’t always have it in me. I feel lazy when I struggle, but my fatigue can be so bad it’s hard to put one foot in front of the other. When I push too hard my joints hurt, my back aches, my organs feel funny, my lungs struggle to get air in them, my skin breaks out in itchy rashes, and then I take days to recover.

      Alas, I will not quit I just have to moderate. Without the climbs, there are no amazing views. 

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      View of Munich from St. Peters Church after climbing 300 steps.

      All this to say life is Germany is moving along. I’d be lying if I said it were easy, and most days I struggle with my health, but I’m doing the best I can for now. Bavaria is beautiful, and I’d be remiss not to make the most of my time here. One day at a time!

      Q: Do you listen to your body when it tells you it needs to rest?

      | 17 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Hike, Hiking, Solo Hike, Travel Abroad
    • Prague, Czech Republic

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 12, 2019

      I’ve been living in Germany for nearly three months now, and I have yet to take a trip where I had to actually request time off (those will come.) The beauty of proximity is that when I have three days off in a row thanks to the luck of the draw, I can go most anywhere within the surrounding countries for a last minute trip. This was the case for a visit to Prague at the beginning of last month, I had three days off and it just so happened my roommate and some friends were going to Prague.

      I booked my bus ticket a few nights before, snagged a spot in the hostel they were staying, and prepped myself for my first overnight bus ride. The best way to maximize travel time for trips like this is to take a night bus. We all worked our last shift before our extended weekends, and took a bus that evening. The bus left around 8pm, and arrived in Prague around 6am the next morning.

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      Arriving at 6am allowed for two full days in the city, which was a great amount of time to explore the highlights. We dropped off our bags at our hostel (we stayed at the Czech Inn) and ventured towards the city center. Our first stop was somewhat unexpected, but we walked passed a shop selling a treat that Prague is famous for (although these treats are not only in Prague.) I try my damndest to avoid all things gluten, grain, sugar, carb heavy and dairy, but I wanted to partake.

      I definitely payed for it later, but when in Prague! #effyouAlfred

      The treat is called a trdelník, which is basically a sugared ball of dough that is cooked by rolling it over a flame, and then can be stuffed with a myriad of things. I chose ice cream, because I’m a sucker for pain. It was an amazing 5 minutes of my life consuming this treat with a shot of espresso. These trdelník treats were everywhere, some stuffed with savory things like mac and cheese and roasted duck.

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      After a successful sugar rush, we walked around a farmers market of sorts on our way to the Astronomical Clock. This clock is the oldest working astronomical clock in Europe, and has been working for over 600 years. This was by far the coolest clock I’ve ever seen. So much detail went into the making of this medieval piece of history. Next to the clock is a beautiful cathedral called Church of Our Lady before Tyn. The church was built in the 14th century, and has two noticeably pointy towers.

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      After watching the clock go off, we headed towards the Charles Bridge. The bridge is just around the river bend from the Old Town Square where the clock is located. Prague is a very walker friendly city, and I felt like a local after the first day. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen the construction of the bridge, what an interesting choice. The bridge began construction in 1357, and was finished in the 15th century.

      On the bridge there are many religious and historical statues and plaques, some of which have significance if you touch them. Apparently the hand rubbed plaques bring good luck, and will ensure your return to Prague. I touched multiple plaques just because…when in Prague. The views from the bridge are beautiful, and there were performers along the way that warmed my soul. I love me a good street performance.

      The photos below are from the bridge on two different days, one with overcast and one with sun.

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      Across the bridge leads to the Prague Castle, as well as our next destination. A trip to Prague would not be complete without a visit to the John Lennon Wall, a rainbow attraction of love and peace. After his murder on 8 December 1980, John Lennon became a pacifist hero for many young Czechs. 40 years after his death his memory continues to shine at this unique wall. I added my own contribution to the wall (which is apparently what people do) and wrote “love all beings” in an outline of a dog.

      My legacy of animal love will forever be in Prague. Unless someone paints over it. 

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      The Fab Four.

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      After getting our fix of love, we headed towards the castle. It turned out the castle was closed to the public this day, for a reason we never discovered. Thankfully we came back the next morning and were able to tour around the grounds. The castle itself, though HUGE, was underwhelming. What stole the show was surely St. Vitus Cathedral. Have I mentioned I LOVE the cathedrals in Europe!? The walk to the castle was lovely, and we stopped for a cuppa Joe, and a petta the puppa.

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      We ended our first day in Prague with a Thai foot massage…aka tiny fish eating away at all the dead skin on our calves and feet. I’ll spare you the photos, but rest assured this was a bizarre and amazing experience. I don’t think I’ll ever need to do it again, but…when in Prague! Day two consisted of visiting the castle, wandering more around the city, and capping off our trip with a Vivaldi concert.

      I am loving my tradition of finding a classical concert to attend each new country I visit.

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      This quick trip to Prague was a great way to see the city. Our bus back to Germany left around 11am the third morning, and we made it back home about 10 hours later. The bus rides aren’t quick, but they’re cheap. Usually the bus ride isn’t terrible, because there is so much to see along the way to or from. My only regret is not getting a second trdelník (I was in my head too much on this trip, something I’m always trying to learn from.)

      I withdrew around 1000 Czech Koruna, which was around 40 euro. Spending 100 koruna at a time was misleading, I often had to check my currency converter to see how much I was really spending. As with all my travels, I don’t seek out souvenirs unless they speak to me, and when wandering the farmers market area on day one I found my must have souvenir. The cost was 50 koruna, which was a little over $2. I’m really into art work from different countries, so this steam punk looking cat with the old town view in the background was everything I could have wanted out of a souvenir.

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      And just like that, I’d marked my eighth European country off my list.

      Q: What’s a must for you when you visit a new country?

      brittany

      | 18 Comments Tagged Charles Bridge, Czech Republic, Europe, Prague, Travel, Travel Abroad
    • Streets of LA

      Posted at 8:15 AM by Brittany, on November 5, 2015

      I can’t help but think back to this time last year when I was engulfed in Chemistry. Fall is my favorite season, yet 3/4 of my free time was dedicated to that class. Last fall flew by without so much as a hello, so this year I made it a point to enjoy each and every changing leaf.

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      Not LA.

      This fall is flying by just as fast, but in a much more enjoyable way. I had a great trip to Ohio in September, just came back from California on Sunday (visiting this girl,) and am off to Arizona in just a month and a half.

      This is how I prefer spending my fall months.

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      November means Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I must admit I do enjoy the extra joy that comes from this month of celebration. I’m thankful for my adventures with Gigi last week, starting with exploring the streets of LA.

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      I was able to explore the land by foot each day, which as most of you know is my favorite way to explore. This allows me to see things I’d typically miss.

      Like a gaggle of black cats painted on a wall.

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      I had a handful of great runs, two of which ended at my “new favorite” California coffee shop – Alfred {Coffee + Kitchen}. When their slogan is “But first, coffee” you’re in good hands.

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      As a drip coffee lover I was happy to discover Alfred Coffee uses their own blend, with the help of Stumptown. I also appreciated the price on this cup of coffee, although I did find over $2 in monies during my few days of running.

      Their brew is called Alfred, sometimes simple is better.

      Their brew is called Alfred, sometimes simple is better.

      This is real life, from ONE run.

      This is real life, from ONE run.

      The $$ I found payed for at least one cup of coffee. That’s a win in my book.

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      LA is a fast paced city, which I could never see myself living in, but it allowed me to slow down and appreciate my time away from “real life.”

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      Sorry mom and dad, this was too good not to share.

      They also have a solid grasp on living in the moment, at least according to the streets.

      Q: Have you been to LA?

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      | 62 Comments Tagged California, Coffee, Explore, LA, Run
    • BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalistic nomad striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long bike rides, deep connections, exploration, and lots of cucumbers.
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