Tag: Vacation

• Road Trippin

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 30, 2016

  I often tell people I’m a terrible road trip partner. I shift around a lot, I drink a lot of water, and I get restless easily equating to multiple stops along the way. Or maybe I’m a great road trip partner because I like making stops and seeing things I otherwise wouldn’t see.

  

  Last Wednesday I flew to Detroit for a road trip adventure with my pirate friend Lily. Our destination was New York for a wedding, but we left a few days early for some explorations. Originally the plan was to visit Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, but I dropped the ball as if it were a rhino corpse when I noticed my passport expired.

  The day before my trip. 

  

  Two tangled haired gypsies barefoot on the beach

  I choose my friends well these days and although it was a huge bummer, Lily had such grace about the situation and we quickly changed gears. Come to find out I could have gotten into Canada with my birth certificate, but I don’t want to talk about it.

  Insert hands over eyes face here.

  Instead we would stay a night in Erie, PA and explore Presque Isle State Park, with a pit stop in Cleveland for lunch with Meghan. What a lovely last minute surprise that was. Seeing Meghan was well worth the $250 spent on a Canadian hotel I never slept in.

  

  Cleveland has amazing vegan options.

  The state park is surrounded by Lake Erie giving miles and miles of beach to walk. We first tried walking through the woods because I naturally gravitate towards the trees, but the flies were so bad I began to question when the last time I had showered was.

  

  I’m not much of a beach person, but I did enjoy getting sand between my toes.

  

  

  

  It’s been a while since I rose early without work being the driving force for my alarm. The beauty of vacation is that you can stop to smell the roses, or rise early to catch the sunrise. Click here to watch my first time lapse of the sunrise.

  

  

  Post sunrise morning walk.

  While it was a big fat bummer we couldn’t go through Canada land, our plan B turned out to be a wonderful first stop on our adventures north. Pennsylvania was also the only place I found a co-op with vegan options galore. Needles to say I stocked up on treats and meals.

  

  Somehow I saved this chocolate chip cookie for the plane ride home. Three days later.

  Things don’t always go as planned, and sometimes we have brain farts loud enough to shake the sea. Some things end up out of our control, but our emotions and reactions are two things that remain ours to choose.

  

  Take it from me, choose a relaxed mind, an adventurous spirit, and a slippery shoulder to let unexpected detours slip right off into the past.

  Q: How do you deal with abrupt changes in plans?

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged Beach, Cleveland, Explore, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vacation, Vegan

• Rekindling the Run

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 28, 2016

  This isn’t the first post I’ve written where I blab on and on about how I got burned out with running, took a break, had some kind of light at the end of the tunnel epiphany and found my way back to it a couple months later. Nope, not the first, and I’m comfortable knowing it won’t be the last.

  

  

  This ebb and flow is normal for me and it typically starts the same way, but the differences between each time is how I end up finding my way back.

  

  It is just me, or does the map of my route look like a person crawling on the ground? Like me crawling back into running more.

  I just got back from a trip to the Midwest/east coast to attend a wedding and explore with my dear friend Lily, and I had two very enjoyable runs. Running in a new area always helps rekindle the flame as it’s one of my favorite ways to explore.

  

  I’m in a place of contentment with any distance and any time, which makes each run more enjoyable. My first run through Orion, Michigan was a simple 3 miler for a mere 30 minutes, but it was just what I needed.

  

  The second run was a 5 miler through Highland Park in Rochester, a beautiful plot of land in upstate New York. I stopped a handful of times to take photos, which is something I never used to deem acceptable while on a run.

  How silly of me.

  

  

  I used to feel like stopping for a breath, for a photo, or even a sip of water meant I wasn’t strong enough to run all the way through. This mindset never quite matched with my “run for fun” mentality because I’m not competitive, I’m in the middle of the pack, and I enjoy my mediocre pace, but stopping – heaven forbid.

  In reality these microbreaks encourage me to go further and motivate me to run more often.

  

  The park was hilly, but I focused on my surroundings and enjoyed each step. The path led to a lookout over the city with visual stimulation everywhere including this reservoir.

  

  It should come as no surprise that the green trees, blue skies, and fresh air motivate me to move more. I also blame sitting in a car for hours while on a road trip, which also happened last week (more on that later.)

  I get restless. And I snack. A lot.

  

  Balance is my favorite word for a reason, and when activities are rotated and spinning like a wheel it ensures minimal burnout, and maximal excitement.

  Q: How do you prevent activity/workout burnout?

  

  | 78 Comments Tagged Adventure, Detroit, Running, Vacation

• As We Go on

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 31, 2016

  I’ve been out of high school for nearly ten years. Looking back I would say I was neutral about my high school experience, but back then leaving those walls gave me similar feelings to having my chest stomped on by a 2 ton black bear.

  Hearing the song “graduation” by Vitamin C made me cry like a big ol’ baby when I was 18. Ohh to be young. I’m not even sure why I was sad, perhaps because the idea of “being a grown up” was frightening, but as I’ve learned in my 27 years on this earth we never really grow up. We just evolve and hopefully become better people.

  

  My beautiful younger sister Renae just graduated from high school, and I was fortunate enough to fly down to Arizona and attend the party. As with any trip to Arizona there are a handful of highlights I’d like to share.
  

  I left the lush green trees of Washington and attempted to trail run at 12pm during Arizona spring time. Not nearly as bad as Arizona summer time, but I made it a whopping 3.5 miles in the 90 degree weather before calling for back up.

  

  

  DAAADD save me, I’m covered in tiny spiky balls.

  The remainder of my runs were done before 8 am. I didn’t dare repeat this rookie mistake and melt to the side of a cactus. In fact every type of physical activity was done before 8 am. This included a handful of 7 am runs, a 5:45 am kayak adventure, and a 6:30 am hike.

  

  I made a friend in the mountains, I called him Frank.

  

  No. not him. He looked more like a Bill. 

  

  FRANK THE TANK!

  

  For our kayak adventure we used inflatable kayaks and practiced in the pool first. Heaven forbid we sink like the Titanic if one had a hole in it.

  

  

  

  I searched high and lo (aka Googled) for places that served nitrogen infused cold brew iced coffee, and I found one place close to where we hiked. Got some goodness at Songbird Coffee and Tea house in Phoenix.

  

  

  I fulfilled my dream of wearing a hair net once again by volunteering at Feed My Starving Children, an Arizona tradition.
  

  

  

  Visited a vegan restaurant per my dads suggestion. Those words he uttered were like glitter covered unicorns, I think I’ll keep him. We ate at Green Vegetarian Restaurant in Phoenix and gave a universal verdict of: OHMYGAHYESYESYES.

  

  

  Chili fries, fried brussels sprouts, and “buffalo wings”

  Best part of this meal: the owners also own a dessert shop called Nami just a hop, skip, OR, a jump away. Literally 10 ft from each other.

  

  I ordered a vanilla soft serve “tsoynami” with pretzels, chocolate, marshmallow fluff, and coco cereal. I then proceeded to understand the meaning of life. So.Good.

  

  Just in case anyone was curious where I get my dashing good looks from… 

  

  

  Time with family is always a great recharge for me. I came home full of love, and with eighteen mosquito bites – a good prep for summers in the mountains.

  Q: What were your final days of high school like?

  

  | 67 Comments Tagged Arizona, Coffee, Hike, Ice Cream, Run, Vacation, Vegan

• Cinnamon Zen

  Posted at 7:15 AM by Brittany, on April 19, 2016

  Anytime I venture to Portland I leave early in the morning and skip breakfast. I like to save myself for a “welcome to Portland” feast, and this time I went hard.

  

  I’ve been craving cinnamon rolls for weeks, and the $6 giant vegan cinnamon roll from Blossoming Lotus did NOT disappoint. I’d like to say I ate this entire thing on my own, but I split it with my mom and my sister.

  That cashew cream cheese…

  

  I saved room for half of a breakfast burrito stuffed full of kale, potatoes, coconut “bacon”, tomatoes, and a tofu scramble. Plus a few bites of my moms vegan “eggs benedict.” Both were fantastic, but put me into quite the coma.

  

  

  I decided this trip was going to be stress free, and that included food related stress. I’ve had all these sensitivities that I’ve been ignoring for quite some time, tossing the word moderation to the wind, and this was my final hurrah for a while.

  Post feast it was time for a relaxing adventure.

  

  

  The weather in the PNW this week has been gorgeous.

  Hot, but gorgeous. 

  

  

  The garden was lovely, and had me daydreaming of picnics, yoga, and things I need to adjust in my life.

  

  

  I have an all or nothing personality, and if I’m not careful it can get the best of me. When I first started seeing doctors for a hormonal imbalance, it led me down a negative path.

  I felt very restricted in my diet which eventually triggered the “eat all the gluten/sugar/things you don’t need” button in my mind. It’s been a slow process trying to break this cycle, but I take it day by day.

  

  

  The garden was packed full of people, and there were flower bushes and trees everywhere. I’m not typically a flower kinda gal, I’d much rather walk through evergreen trees and snow capped mountains, but it was nice to slow down and appreciate another type of beauty.

  

  

  With a belly full of cinnamon and a mind full of zen I was ready to start manifesting a new path to walk on, a path back towards a balanced lifestyle.

  

  If you’re in the Portland area and want a place to look at flowers and make friends with the local geese population this rhododendron garden is your spot. I promise you’ll find some inner zen, and if you’re lucky a goose will hiss at you.

  

  I got too close and this goose tongue out hissed at me like a cat. I screamed and laughed at the same time.

  

  Perfect afternoon adventure.

  Q: Have you ever been hissed at by a goose? 

  

  | 82 Comments Tagged Garden, Portland, Vacation, Zen

• Reflections over Resolutions

  Posted at 9:25 AM by Brittany, on December 31, 2015

  I fully understand the importance of having a full time job, saving for the future, using my resources to my advantage, and “adulting” in a responsible way. I take great pride in watching my IRA and 401K grow each and everyday.

  

  With that said, I also understand the importance of living life to the fullest, whatever that may mean for you. I write these posts once every so many months, and find they are predominently written when I am away from the high paced, somewhat high stress environment that comes with a job like mine.

  

  Don’t get me wrong, I am 100% aware that what I think I become, and what I feel I project. My stress is 100% self made and it’s my choice whether or not I have a smooth day or a tough day. I can manifest my own destiny day in and day out.

  How powerful is that?

  

  These posts flare up when I have time to reflect, to think, to just be. Vacation is a fantastic opportunity to not only reset your body, but reset your mind.

  I often leave my vacations with a better mindset on how I want to live my life, in and out of a 9-5 job scene.

  

  Granted I don’t work a 9-5 job, I have chump change for a daily routine, and some days are a cake walk, but you get the idea.

  

  The feelings I get after a great run are the feelings I want in life. A sense of accomplishment from something only I have control over. I am the one to determine the effort put into each and everything I do, and at the end of the day I am the only one with control over how I view what I’ve done to succeed in life.

  Success comes in many shapes and sizes.

  

  I take comfort knowing that I am setting myself up for a future I want, but I have also made an attempt to fully accept living each day for what it is. The stress of society is not something I want to be too caught up in, and as I reflect on my year, my life, and my being, I am discovering more of what I want in my life and what I view as success.

  I finally believe that when you quiet your mind of negative thoughts, allow your creativity to flow, and accept the present moment, life works the way it’s meant to.

  

  As my last post of 2015, I leave with a compilation of reflections. My only goal for 2016 is to further explore the power of my own thoughts, and how to start listening to them better. I want to take more risks, climb more mountains, eat more food, drink more coffee, and help more people. In sum I want to be fully and 100% alive.

  What good is a life spent in an environment where you don’t actually feel alive? It’s a waste of precious chromosomes if you ask me, and I’m not one to waste.

  

  Arizona, what is this bright thing?

  No questions, just spewing brain sludge today. Cheers to a happy, healthy, and successful 2016 – whatever that means to you!

  

  | 80 Comments Tagged Arizona, New Year, Reflection, Running, Vacation

• All Hallows’ Disney

  Posted at 10:00 AM by Brittany, on November 13, 2015

  Halloween has come and gone, but it seems fitting to share my Halloween adventures on Friday the 13th. I’d cue the spooky music, but my Halloween wasn’t spooky at all.

  

  For as long as I can remember Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays. I’m not one for dressing up, and parties aren’t my thing, but Halloween has always solidified the change of summer to fall and fall is my favorite season.

  

  

  It’s also no secret around here that I’m a big Disneyland fan, and ever since I ran my first half marathon through the park a few Septembers ago I knew I had to get back during October. It just so happened that Disney recently had a birthday too.

  Happy big 6-0 Disney. ❤

  

  

  I’ve seen the park decked out in pumpkins, but the one ride I had never experienced was the tricked out Haunted Mansion. Each year the ride shuts down during September to prepare for a Nightmare Before Christmas theme.

  This year I decided to go ON Halloween to get the full experience.

  

  

  

  The mansion was total sensory overload. I loved it.

  

  

  The sun was hot (bizarre sensation at the end of October, my PNW brain couldn’t quite compute), but the only long line was the first ride we went on.

  

  The only mountains I conquered while in California.

  

  This post is nothing more than an excuse to share my photos, my excitement, and the joy that comes with the magic of Disney. Even the bathroom signs are fun.

  

  

  

  You risk long lines when going on a holiday, but this year I was able to check another adventure off my bucket list, which made it all worth it.

  

  Next adventure: Mickeys Halloween Party, costume and all!

  

  Q: Have you been to Disneyland around the holidays?

  

  | 48 Comments Tagged California, Disneyland, Explore, Halloween, Vacation

• LA Eats

  Posted at 9:10 AM by Brittany, on November 10, 2015

  To be honest my latest trip to LA wasn’t very food oriented.

  I know…and no I’m not sick.

  

  I made it a point to try a few “firsts” starting with a trip to Spitz for their unbelievable falafel. I’d walk to LA just to eat that ball of fried chickpea goodness again. Plus I got to stuff my face while meeting new people. This girl is a gem.

  As for the treats (aka life as I know it,) the only planned pit stop was a visit to a bakery, and ohhh boy did I visit. Erin Mckenna’s Bakery was formerly known as Babycakes, which I had a negative experience with many moons ago. I’m not one to hold grudges, so I gave them a second chance.

  This was a good move on my part.

  

  I got chocolate all over my face with those treats, I had zero shame.

  Another local discovery was a post run acai bowl, $11 worth of fruity goodness. I’m glad the bowl was good, because my interaction with the cashier was less than stellar.

  “Does your granola have nuts?”

  “We have gluten free oats.”

  “OK, but does it have nuts?”

  “It’s gluten free.”

  “NUTS ARE NOT GLUTEN SHOW ME THE GRANOLA!”

  I digress…

  

  I spent more time making food than I did exploring new to me places, and I was OK with that. After a trip to a California pumpkin patch (which is nothing more than a plot of land with hot sun beating on your face and pumpkins placed atop hay, sorry CA, WA has you beat here) a new recipe was created with a white pumpkin.

  

  

  I also found my future tiny home, which was cool.

  

  

  White pumpkin pie, recipe to come on Gigi’s blog next Tuesday.

  

  Cooking food and making videos.

  In all reality I didn’t eat out a lot because I spent all my money on one banana at Disneyland. It’s OK Disney, I forgive you for your overpriced produce.

  

  Most expensive banana known to man.

  I then spent 1/3 of that on a banana twice the size the very next day.

  

  Gotta love amusement park prices. Hanger makes you do crazy things.

  Q: Would you pay $2 for a small banana? I’m not proud of this.

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged California, Explore, Food, LA, Vacation, Vegan

• Prayers From Maria

  Posted at 9:05 AM by Brittany, on October 14, 2015

  This is my final post about my trip to Ohio, and it happens to be the first thing I did. Have you ever seen millions of sunflowers next to each other in one spot?

  

  

  These gorgeous yellow seed bearing stalks were strategically planted right off the highway in an attempt to bring awareness to the world of children’s glioma cancer.

  

  
  Maria McNamara was seven years old when she lost her battle with this cancer, but her story lives on within these flowers. The Prayers From Maria foundation has awarded close to half a million dollars in grants towards finding a cure.

  Talk about finding optimism in a tragic situation.

  

  

  I’ve never been a big flower lover, but the story behind this field of flowers was something I had to be apart of. I’ll never look at sunflowers the same.

  

  

  These flowers not only brought to life the stories of children battling this cancer, but life was buzzing in and around the flowers too.

  

  

  I find it fascinating to watch the life cycles of bugs and plants. Without them we wouldn’t have all this beauty. Does anyone else think it’s cool how people and bugs work together? Just me? I watched a lot of science shows growing up…

  This beautiful display of love and awareness allowed me to reflect on what is really important in my life. Sometimes the things I find to be problematic really aren’t that bad, and sometimes good things come from tragic situations.

  

  After reading about Maria’s story I learned that she showed strength and dignity while battling through her last days, offering prayers for other children battling this cancer. She was always putting others first despite her own struggles.

  There’s a valuable lesson right there.

  Life is what you make of it, so make it count.

  No questions, but do something today to make an impact on someone else.

  

  | 38 Comments Tagged Explore, Ohio, Prayers from Maria, Sunflower, Vacation

• Outdoor Ohio

  Posted at 9:20 AM by Brittany, on October 7, 2015

  It’s no secret I love being surrounded by trees. One of my favorite things about hiking is standing tall atop a mountain and admiring the world below me.

  A trip to The Holden Arboretum offered a hike like view, but with 1/20 the effort.

  

  

  120 ft into the sky, the emergent tower offered fantastic views of the trees.

  

  

  Up. up, up.

  

  Purdy little lady!

  

  I could have stared at those trees for hours.

  

  

  Even the bogs were pretty. So long as you don’t slather a Petri dish with its innards.

  

  

  I was able to explore the downtown Cleveland scene a few days after this country adventure, and the contrast between country and city life continues to fascinate me.

  

  

  I will always adore the beauty of unique buildings, and even admire the hustle and bustle of city life, but my heart will forever belong to the quite nature of the trees where time seems to stand still. It’s a much simpler life if you ask me.

  

  

  Royalty.

  I always enjoy seeing both the city and the country while visiting new places. I find it gives a solid balance of perspective, and it always confirms my love of nature.

  I’d like to experience the city life for a short time, but I don’t see myself living somewhere large for longer than a year. I much prefer the slow and quite life of the suburbs. Something tells me my running pants and socks with sandals wouldn’t fit in with the business suits and BMW’s of the city. 😉

  Q: Do you prefer country or city life?

  

  | 53 Comments Tagged Cleveland, Explore, Hike, Nature, Ohio, Vacation

• Amish Country, Ohio

  Posted at 9:10 AM by Brittany, on September 28, 2015

  You know you’re in good company when you visit someone that puts ” visit Amish country” on the to do list. Before last week I had no experience with the Amish way of life, other than the extremely scripted “reality” TV show “Breaking Amish,” which I admittedly have been sucked into watching more than once.

  

  PC Meghan, a true horse and buggy.

  It seemed to me the Amish lived a very simple life, similar to the idea of living off the grid which I love. While this is true for most Amish that abstain from things like electricity and cars, I also discovered things I didn’t know.

  Meghan and I found ourselves smack in the heart of tourist Amish country, where despite the beards, dresses, and fancy hats, the Amish people were no different when it came to making money. Whatever it takes to make that dollar, even if it’s not completely ethical (in my eyes.)

  

  My excitement quickly turned to fear when I saw a 3000 lb horse with sad eyes kicking ferociously to get out of his 10×10 pen, and when I saw an obese pig (I pray it was just preggo) having stomach convulsions. I suddenly felt like I was in a horror movie and my stomach sank to my toes. We spent ZERO pennies at this spot.

  

  We quickly moved on to check out the bakeries, because the words “homemade” and “fresh baked” spoke to my sugar loving soul louder than a morning rooster. I also got excited to check out the famous cheese factory, and I don’t even eat cheese.

  Not only were they “not making cheese today,” the cheeses has added microbial fillers and colors. Um, what? Worse than this were the “homemade” baked goods.”

  Cue the Psycho music.

  

  Well shoot, apparently my homemade goods have been missing some key ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils, polysorbate 60 (wtf?!), and artificial flavors.

  It wasn’t all scary though, the autumnal displays had my heart singing like a summer canary. Pumpkins, mums, and wagon wheels OH MY!

  

  

  

  I also found my soulmate at one of the antique shops, but he refused to come home with me after I told him I would NOT be filling his belly with Amish made cookies.

  

  All this needs is the word “my” after the word “steal.”

  After spending one too many hours trying to find a ray of hope, my hanger became unmanageable. With no explanation other than the magical white squirrels waving their tails again, I found a place to eat that was FRESH and delicious.

  Like a water mirage in the middle of the desert.

  

  

  Cute decor too!

  

  I hoovered a burrito quicker than a Dyson vacuum

  

  The ONLY item in all of Amish land, with no crazy oils or unpronounceable ingredients.

  Moral of my story is this: things aren’t always what they seem. I pray this is the case with the animals I saw at stop number one. ¡Ay, qué horror!

  I’d like to add that I am in no way “judging” the uncomplicated way of life for the Amish, and if it weren’t for the stories and sights of the living conditions for the animals I would be all about that life. I’m simply sharing my experience. 🙂

  Q: Have you ever been to Amish country? Tell me I’m not the only one that has shamelessly watched “Breaking Amish.”

  

  | 43 Comments Tagged Amish, Explore, Ohio, Vacation, Vegan

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