Tag: Bloggers

• Adventure Seekers

  Posted at 7:27 AM by Brittany, on June 30, 2014

  Starting tomorrow I am finally headed back to school. I’ve kept my education plans hush for a while because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but  cats out of the bag-it’s time to get my learn on. With that said, I’ve been soaking up as much adventure as I can.

  In all reality I am only taking one summer class right now, and it’s only two days a week. My schedule will hardly be affected, but any excuse for adventure is a good one in my book! This weekend I had a blast.

  

  I met up with Alex for an exceptional donut and lake walk date. We chatted and walked for a couple hours and it was as if we were old time friends. I just adore her optimistic spirit, what a gem!

  

  We walked roughly 6 miles, and then after I dropped her off I headed back to the lake to get in a run and some more walking.

  

  I ran just around 4 miles, and walked another 2 bringing my total of the morning to about 12 miles. I was ready to destroy a donut.

  

  I could totally get used to running around a gorgeous lake followed by donuts and coffee everyday…ppsh who needs school? Kidding…kind of. I did need some real food though, so I spent my life savings on 1.2 pounds of food from Whole Foods salad bar.

  

  If you’ve never had roasted garlic the size of a small child, you’re missing out.

  The very next day I went for a hike at the mountain near my house. I’ve hiked this trail too many times to count on one hand, so I decided it was time to explore some more. I ended up stepping foot on all four trails of the mountain, adding an additional 1.5 hrs to my hike.

  

  I honestly didn’t have much of an idea where I was, but I knew eventually I would be spit out onto a familiar trail. My friend was along for the ride, and I was sure she wanted to kill me.

  

  The multiple trails took as around the mountain instead of straight up. After finally finding the top, we enjoyed a 20 minute eat/rest.

  

  5 hours and at least 10-11+ miles later we made it down in one piece.

  Today I am headed to Seattle for another bigger mountain hike, stay tuned for a post on that. I also post my hiking adventures to my Instagram if you wanna follow me there..ya know..if ya wanna.

  Q: What is your idea of a fabulous adventure? Good food,  good company, and a GOOD outdoor workout. All wrapped into one day.

  

  | 65 Comments Tagged Adventure, Bloggers, Hike, Seattle

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 6:21 AM by Brittany, on June 27, 2014

  1.  I’m back with a vengeance in regards to my rice cake addictions. The ideas are non stop, I need to open a rice cake shop. Latest and greatest: PB and honey rice cake with…jalapenos! SO good.

  

  2. I won a free half marathon that is scheduled for July 13th. I haven’t been running…at all…like..at all at all. I’m scared…

  3. Text messages like this complete me…

  

  I like to make treats for my hikes, and it’s nice to know they are good.

  4. I’ve officially been sucked into Orange Is the New Black…damn.

  5. Seattle is my favorite.

  

  6. I love my blog layout, but hate how it makes my pictures look. The only way to get a clear detail is to click on them..ain’t no body got time for that! Not sure what I wanna do because my pictures ARE my blog.

  7. My cat goes bananas for watermelon.

  

  8. I go bananas for Chipotle. After my near death experience while hiking last week (OK SO I am exaggerating a bit) I ate a burrito the size of a small horse…all of it…and I didn’t stop to breathe.

  9. My cat food costs me $40 for two small 6lb bags. My cats = My kids.

  

  10. Today I’m off to Seattle for a meetup full of coffee, donuts, and Green Lake adventures with Alex!! SO JAZZED! Happy weekend!

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 43 Comments Tagged Adventure, Bloggers, Chipotle, Hiking, Mighty-O, Running, Seattle, Vegan

• Roaring Good Times

  Posted at 6:10 AM by Brittany, on April 7, 2014

  If you’ve been following my posts lately, you’ll know I was on the east coast for some fun adventures. Although I love the idea of a completely spontaneous trip, this one was planned for months and had a purpose. I flew to DC to stay with Megan, and she and I drove north to Michigan to attend Lily’s wedding. Us bloggers are crazy folk I tell ya.

  

  Somewhere in Pennsylvania…

  Megan and I had met before, so I knew being with her for a week straight would be fine. Neither of us had physically met Lily, but somehow I knew that would be fine too. There is an unspoken bond between bloggers that makes it totally normal to do what we did.

  

  I don’t usually do well on long car rides…I drink a lot of water, which means I pee a lot. I get antsy easily, which means I need to punch dance a lot. I don’t like sitting too long because my butt goes numb, and frankly being in a confined space for 8 hours is rough.

  Much to my surprise, the long ride with Megan was not only tolerable, but dare I say fun?

  

  View from the hotel room.

  

  Canadaland!

  

  That view…

  Lily did an amazing job with this wedding, she handmade her invites, seating cards, gifts, and more. Not to mention the cathedral was gorgeous. Detroit was just littered with cathedrals. I think one of my favorite parts, was how vegan friendly she made this.

  

  Personalized/hand stamped gift. Swoon.

  

  Lily, this meal was amazing. I think marriage was on your mind while making the seating cards, because MRS.Brittany sure looks good on me!

  Oh – and she was absolutely stunning. SO unbelievably gorgeous I can’t even describe it.

  

  

  This is as Gatsby as I get…haa.

  

  My hot date.

  The theme was 1920’s and everything was perfect. I drank, I ate, I danced, and I had a roaring good time. I’ve been dying to use the photo booths at weddings, and I finally did.

  

  Congratulations to Lily and her new hubby Cory, they are wonderful together and I just adore them both to pieces. Thank you for everything Lily, your wedding was perfect.

  

  The lost face of one too many wedding induced beverages. (Britta-wemissedyou)

  

  I’m partial to this photo, I think it captures our true personalities. I also see a pirate.

  These are the friends that will last a lifetime.

  Q: What’s something crazy you’ve done recently?

  

  | 45 Comments Tagged Adventure, Bloggers, Detroit, Vegan, Wedding

• Exploring DC

  Posted at 4:07 AM by Brittany, on April 3, 2014

  I had never been to DC before, so being a typical tourist I was more than happy to tromp around in the snow to be able to see the sights of a new town. I was swooning so hard over the buildings and have more than enough photos to show for it, but first – pancakes. Megan and I found a recipe that I happily slaved for hours ten minutes to create.

  

  

  These were too legit to quit. SO bomb. Gluten/dairy/& egg free. Perfect exploration fuel.

  

  

  I don’t know many other people that would gladly walk in the snow just to explore, and for that I adore Megan to pieces. She also happens to be a fantastic action photographer…

  

  

  

  I really had my heart set on riding one of these bikes, I wish my town had the bike share option. Instead, I need to just BUY A BIKE already! We of course found the White House, and the Washington Monument. Obama invited us to brunch, but I was set on Woodlands.

  

  

  Found a few free museums to wander into.

  

  

  

  

  Meet Paul, my new boyfriend.

  

  I hate snow more than anyone, but this gray snowy day sure made for some fun photos. I didn’t dare carry my dSLR though, so the iPhone had to suffice. Such a charming city.

  Q: Have you ever been to DC?

  

  | 39 Comments Tagged Adventure, Bloggers, DC, Exploring, Pancakes, Random, Snow, Vegan

• Jumbled Mind

  Posted at 9:52 AM by Brittany, on April 1, 2014

  Oh hey there, remember me? I contemplated blogging while away on my east coast adventures, and as you can see I decided not to blog…at all. The mini break was amazing, but the only downside is that I have ALL THIS STUFF I want to share. I don’t even know where to begin, and my mind is a jumbled mess. I’ll just start at the beginning and the end.

  Upon arrival in DC I was in need of a feast. Let’s be real though…when am I NOT in need of a feast? Megan and I met up with Sarah at this immensely eclectic diner called Paper Moon. I was so overstimulated with things to look at I felt like I had ADD..in a good way.

  

  Menu

  

  

  I wanted to take a green leg home with me for my wall, but figured airport security would take me into questioning. The inside was just as bizarre, and the food was fantastic.

  Traveling sure is tough.

  

  

  Oh hey there hummus, thanks for coming to the party in my mouth.

  We chatted running, life, and had a wonderful time. I love bloggers!

  

  Such flattering lighting.

  Later in the week Megan and I visited a coffee shop that had a similar vibe. I had my coffee with a cat, no big deal. I adore local coffee shops! The coffee was delicious too…I love coffee.

  

  The final hurrah before my trek back home was another feast, but this time I earned it. I set out to run 4-5 miles, and ended up running 8 miles. I blame/thank Megan for that.

  

  

  This path was gorgeous, and I can see why it’s so popular. The torrential down pour that caused snot to drip from my face, and gave me the look of a lost rat made me feel at home. DC blessed me with some gorgeous weather. The best part was that long miles = food.

  

  This place was PACKED. I’m talking a 40 minute wait. I was getting so hangry I just about ate the books right off the wall. It was worth the wait though, and my burger/brownie was to.die.for. I also had the pleasure of meeting Nikki, and she was simply wonderful!

  

  Scratch made vegan burger and oh look, more sweet taters.

  

  

  Topped with soy ice cream.

  

  A perfect vegan meal, with two lovely ladies. I couldn’t have asked for a better last day in the DC area. I have two other blogger meet ups, including a wedding that will be hard to top, a mountain adventure, and exploring new cities still to share. I’m already planning my next trip! I’m also ready to sign up for another half marathon after that 8 miler!

  Q: WHAT HAVE I MISSED IN YOUR LIVES!?!

  

  | 44 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Chocolate, DC, Food, Run, Running, Vegan

• Exploring the Area

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 5, 2014

  New Years day I had the joy of partaking in my third blogger meet up. I was able to sit and chat with Holly for over two hours!! She is just as gorgeous and lively as her blog portrays, and she is also very patient. I got lost on my way to Starbucks and drove to the wrong one.

  

  Holly knew how to make an impression because not only was our conversation wonderful, she also brought me a treat. Anyone that brings me treats gets an instant spot in my circle. Make it a vegan, GF treat and you get top spot. This apple spice like cake has sweet potatoes and two different gluten free flours. It was delicious and tasted like fall!

  

  No patience, had to bite it before the photo.

  If anyone is interested in transitioning to a plant based lifestyle Holly has a new e-book out with tips and tricks and even some recipes! Check it out here.

  

  After we grabbed coffee and parted ways, I decided to explore the area. I went to Whole Foods, World Market, and best of all..I found an amazing restaurant called True Food Kitchen. Upon walking in the doors it was as if the wind blew my hair back and I heard voices whispering, “Brittany, you’re finally here.” The drool was forming before I even sat down. If I lived here, I would apply to work at this place immediately.

  

  Juicing like a boss

  Fruit everywhere, veggies everywhere, earthy tones, grassy plants, bearded waiters..I sat at the bar to place a “to go” order and watched juice be made, fruits being chopped, and people buzzing loudly. While I waited for my order I was given an orange.

  

  It looked like this, except PACKED with people.

  

  

  Arrow points to what I ordered. With a GF pita bun.

  Sadly my kale salad was served with Parmesan cheese, and even when I tried to pick around the cheese the dressing tasted like a Caesar and I ended up not eating it. The sandwich more than made up for the lack of kale though, even for a whopping $12.

  

  

  

  This tempeh was AMAZING.

  I had a blast blindly roaming the area and discovering new to me places. Today I fly back to Washington, and Tuesday I go back to slangin lattes at Starbucks. I had a wonderful vacation, and I am now bracing myself for the colder temps.

  Q: Do you like to explore areas you are unfamiliar with? Most of the time yes, unless I am on foot and my magic wand is broken..I need that for protection.

  

  | 44 Comments Tagged Adventure, Arizona, Bloggers, Exploring, Random, Vegan

• The Beauty of Words

  Posted at 10:26 AM by Brittany, on November 30, 2013

  I have this condition..a tendency really..to work as much as physically (and legally) possible. I’ve been spending long days and long weeks at work lately, which has caused a bit of an absence from me in blog land. I haven’t had much down time to read blogs lately, because my free time goes to the gym, or to crafting, or to spending time with friends.

  I’m not complaining, or even apologizing for my lack of appearances lately, but I do feel the need to make a note of it. I love to work, it keeps me busy and makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something in my days. Last week I managed to work over 40 hours, along with three openings shifts in a row (and to think I used to open every day at TJ’s wow) which has led me to appreciate the two days I have off today and tomorrow. My first day off in 9 days, I’ll take it. Tomorrow I run my 4th half marathon, and I am so excited.

  

  This is a leaf..made to look like a turkey…with running shoes. What I really do with my free time.

  I worked thanksgiving morning, which I really didn’t mind. I was off by 10:20 and had my run complete by 12. I was able to get wild in the kitchen for hours leading up to the feast. I’ll spare the photos of the traditional foods, but I did make some new delicious sides that included butternut squash with carrots and walnuts glazed with a coconut oil/brown sugar mix, and rosemary sprinkled Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.. Of course I also made this pie, and it was just as good as I remembered. It was gone in two days.

  

  While at work, plenty of people passed through to get their morning fix of caffeine. Locals partaking in turkey day races inflicted a twinge of jealousy in me, which I quickly shoved aside after reminding myself of my upcoming half. One customer that really stood out, was a regular customer. He comes in during the dark hours of the morning, orders a double short americano with an 8 grain roll (my favorite thing ever) and sits at a table to write.

  I was finally able to experience some of his writing, as he brought the workers of Starbucks a letter of thanks for all that we do. He and his wife have been coming in for years now, and they have further inspired me to remember the importance of a local coffee shop. Below are his words, which were written so beautifully I just had to share!

  “Dear local Starbucks,

  It has been a while since we wrote to tell you how much we appreciate what you do. During that time we hope our gratitude has not been completely hidden, but now we have a granddaughter, and seeing our coffee shop habit imprinted on a third generation brings new clarity to what we are so thankful for.

  What is a local coffee shop to someone whose age is still counted in months? It is a place to not be shushed while mum is sleeping in. It is a warm bite for breakfast, warm smells on a cold day, Van Morrison and a big picture window on the rising dawn. It is a place of endless greetings, pausing here while others begin their workday routines. There is a sense of resilience and optimism as each smiling hello is fit between one bite and the next. And for us regulars, perhaps more than for those just passing through. There is a crew, ever busy and bright, balancing efficiency with just a touch of luxury: a simple meal prepared by someone else to afford a moment of welcome and wonder.

  Good things happen here, and it’s all your fault. Thanks for proving each day when you come to work that for us to claim we have a local Starbucks is not an oxymoron, and for making our coffee shop habit something we are happy to be handing down.”

  

  I hope to be back next week with posts about crafting, running, half marathon-ing, blogger meetups, and of course more posts about coffee shop shenanigans.

  Q: What are your thoughts about your local coffee shop?

  

  | 42 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Coffee, Half Marathon, Running, Starbucks, Thanksgiving

• Sharing is Caring

  Posted at 7:43 AM by Brittany, on October 7, 2013

  When I try to explain my blog friendships to my real life friends I feel a bit awkward. It’s hard to explain and I can tell some of my “real life” friends think I am crazy, and that it’s weird to develop such close bonds with people that I have never physically met. The funny thing about it is that I feel closer with some of my blog friends than I do with my real life friends..go figure. One blog friend I did happen to meet was Megan, and I adore her.

  

  Oh look…goodies in the mail from Megan!

  Ohh but there is more.

  

  I absolutely LOVE maple leaves. They are the epitome of fall, and sometimes I even think about getting a maple leaf tattoo. Such a gorgeous leaf. MAPLE LEAF COOKIES HERE I COME! I couldn’t get over how cute the little owls were.

  

  Plus a pumpkin delicious candle for my romantic solo dinners.

  I love sharing goodies with my real life friends, but I SO wish I could share them with my blog babes!! I’m sure I could mail some of the baked goods I create, but I never know if they will hold up during transport. I made a delicious treat that is worthy of sharing with all my blog friends, if only we could have a huge blogger party in my living room! A combination of three delicious elements all in one created this delicious masterpiece. I saw a photo of this on Pinterest, and I just HAD to recreate it myself.

  Chocolate Dipped Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites

  

  For the cookie dough:

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

  Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl. I added the dry ingredients together first, and then the wet, but you can add it all in any order. You may need to add a bit more milk also.

  

  Once the dough is complete spoon small scoops onto your pretzels and then smoosh another pretzel on top. Then dip into melted chocolate and place onto wax paper. Place finished sandwiches into the fridge for 20 minutes.

  A few notes:

  • The chocolate chips in the dough got in the way at times when trying to sandwich two pretzels together. You don’t need the chips because you are dipping these into chocolate. Next time I will leave the chocolate chips out.
  • The pretzels will get soggy from the moisture in the cookie dough, so these are best eaten within a few hours of being made. Good treat for a (blogger) party. If making for a small group, half the cookie dough recipe (or use your own dough recipe) because my cookie dough made over 20 pretzel bites.
  • These were do delicious I died and was reborn 7 times while eating them. SO GOOD.

  Chocolate, cookie dough, AND pretzels..that’s what I call a triple threat. The salt from the pretzels added the perfect balance to all the sweet! Go make these, they are easy!

  Q: Are you a fan of the salt/sweet combo? YES YES YES!

  

  | 73 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Chocolate, Recipe

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:38 AM by Brittany, on September 27, 2013

  1. BOOM fall has hit, and the temperatures are dropping. This means GLOVES on my runs! My mom is such a fabulous photographer, she has a sharp eye for blurry photos. I’m also clearly dressed to impress, this will be the outfit I meet my soul mate in. HA!

  

  2. I downloaded Spotify and I haven’t turned it off since. OH MY GOSH. So much love.

  3. Starbucks released its new coffee. I am obsessed. It is SO good. It’s creamy and smooth, with a nice tangy bite. I just love cofffffeeeeee.

  

  4. I am afraid of Netflix. My friend added me to her family account, and I was so overwhelmed by all the shows I ended up just watching 2 hours of Portlandia.

  5. I LOVE MY BLOG FRIENDS! Holy cow. I am falling in love with fall all over again thanks to my beloved Lily. After telling her I had some tricky emotions attached to the season, she sure knew how to make sure I got just as excited this year as I have in the past

  

  GOSH my friends are SWELL!

  6. I am officially no longer the “newbie” at work. Whoop whoop! Although I only really felt new for the first month, I caught on pretty quick and ended up fitting right in.

  7. I never buy myself things..like…ever. I hate spending money (unless it’s on food or running gear) and I decided I deserved some new things. I bought a new jacket, a new shirt, new earrings, and A NEW BAG THAT I AM SO OBSESSED WITH!

  

  This appears as if the bag on the left is a tiny version of the bag on the right, but this is in fact the same bag and two pictures pasted together haha. Also, this is FAUX LEATHER! YAHOO!

  8. I thought about shutting down my blog a couple months ago. I’m glad I didn’t.

  9. I have to soak my feet in the bathtub when it gets cold because I easily loose blood flow. Sometimes I have company when I do this.

  

  I can’t stop laughing at the picture on the right.

  10. There is a customer that comes into my work a lot, and he is beautiful. Thank you God for creating such a masterpiece for me to drool at while I pull espresso shots.

  Q: CONFESS TO ME! 

  

  | 68 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Coffee, Confessions, Fall, Running

• Bloggers

  Posted at 8:43 AM by Brittany, on July 12, 2013

  Can I just say how much I love blog friends? There are a few people I have become very close with in the last year, just from blogging and reading each others blogs. Text messages, phone calls, vacation plans, and even unexpected gifts have taken place!

  

  The best gifts are the ones that are personal. If you know me, you know I love to bake (specifically cupcakes) and I LOVE CATS! HELLO cutest cupcake liners I have ever seen! This amazing gift came from one of my FAVORITE bloggers Lily. I love this girl so much I am planning to attend her wedding next year with another favorite blogger, Megan! It takes a blogger to understand the bonds we form from all over the world, and it’s a bond I wouldn’t trade for anything. Not even cupcakes! THANK you again Lily, this made my day!

  Megan and I met in real life two months ago when she was visiting Seattle, and we became instant BFF’s. I am so excited to road trip it to Michigan with her next March!! Any other bloggers in the DC/Virginia area should HOLLLERRR for a giant blogger party meet up!

  

  My best friend sent me this picture on NYE, it made my day life.

  Happy Friday everyone!!

  Q: Who’s coming over for kitty cupcakes!?

  

  | 56 Comments Tagged Blog, Bloggers, Cats, Cupcake, Running

• 

• 

• Search for:
• BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalistic nomad striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long hikes, deep connections, exploration, and lots of potatoes.

• If this blog does not meet your standards, please lower your standards.

• Contact: blissfulbritt@yahoo.com

• ¿Quieres Más?

  Like my witty attitude and delightful charm? Enter your
  e-mail below for the party to come straight to your inbox!

  Email Address:

  Follow the adventure

  Join 4,725 other subscribers
• 

•