Nov 14, 2016

Time Hop

Time Hop can be a good and a bad thing in my life. Some memories I don't particularly want to relive, but sometimes like this week I get a reminder that 2 years ago I was in Guatemala at this time and that 3 years ago at this time I was in Nicaragua.

Those trips harbor very different emotions for me. 

Guatemala I was running away from life and trying to do something bigger than myself. I certainly accomplished both of those things. A lot of tears and self doubt occurred during that trip. But I made it though tougher and more self aware. I learned a lot during that trip. About people, situations, myself, and about a beautiful country.













Nicaragua I was surfing and making some of the best friends a girl could ask for. It was a strange trip in itself, but I also learned a lot during that trip. I learned that meeting someone for 5 days doesn't mean you can't become life long friends with them. I also learned some bigger things about my life.
















Without both of those trips, I would not be where or who I am today. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to experience them both. 

Those two trips are part of the reason I am always looking for the next adventure. Searching for the next big thing. It's a slight personality flaw of mine. Always chasing some sort of Peter Pan dreamlike life, but it's who I am and I embrace it. 

It also leads to a hell of a story. And who doesn't enjoy a good story?

Nov 4, 2016

Hey Chicago!

What you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!



And win they did. They got down early in the series, made a comeback, tied up the series, played strong in Cleveland and brought home the trophy and the glory.

108 years. 108. That is a crazy amount of time to wait.

But they did it. And I watched every single game.

2 in Memphis, 3 in Chicago, and the final 2 in Memphis.

The 3 in Chicago was a spur of the moment decision. Sunday we were doing our long run and I joked that we should go to Chicago. Over brunch we had three plane tickets purchased and were headed to Chicago.


That entire weekend was a blur. A blur of laughs, beers, pizza, heartbreak, high-fives, and wandering.





It was the greatest spur of the moment decision ever. Zero regrets. Especially since the Cubs pulled it out in the 10th inning of the 7th game.


108 years. They waited long enough. A century and almost a decade.

Harry Caray is definitely smiling down with his green apples.


Oct 13, 2016

Costa Rica 3.0

To get rid of some serious heartbreak symptoms I decided to book a trip to Costa Rica. I went to Costa Rica back in 2013 for the first time. It was my first big adventure by myself, my first surfing trip, and the first time I felt the happiest I had felt in a long time.

Going to Costa Rica forced me to face many of my fears back in 2013. 2016 proved no different. The trip this year helped me to let go of some ghosts, build new relationships with new people as well as myself, and of course it brought me back to my happy place. Surfing, saltwater, sand, and sun. Not much else can help cure my soul quite like those four things. 

Stepping off the plane in Liberia, Costa Rica I felt an immediate relief and a surge of excitement. This was where I needed to be. This was the place that was going to help me refocus, recenter, and find myself again. 

Pulling into Tamarindo, I got a text message from my mom to leave my ghost behind and figure out what I needed. I knew in that moment, that I had found it. Peace, solitude, and a new beginning. 

I won't go super in depth to this trip because it means a lot to me and I want to keep a little bit of that soul searching happiness to myself and close to my heart, but I will give you the highlights.


First night sunsets. I could look at that everyday and never get sick of it.


Witch's Rock has iguanas all over the place. You won't see one and then all of a sudden a monster one will be walking right next to you. Breakfast with a side of wildlife. Always exciting. Birds, iguanas, squirrels, baby skunks, crocodiles, horses, and dogs. You just never know who will be hanging out with you while watching for surf and grabbing some food.


Watching the surf roll in. There is always the decision of after surfing in the morning if you want to take an afternoon session and risk being tired for the morning session. I generally lean toward eating, grabbing a beer, and then watching the surf.


My favorite tree at Witch's Rock. There is always a spectacular sunset that can be seen through that tree. I have so many pictures of that tree.


Seashell hunting. Always seashell hunting. And avidly watching for those crocodiles.  Tamarindo sits right in a delta. The river mouth is high this time of year and you have to watch out for crocodiles with the tide goes out.


Playa Grande. The first day we surfed there we went by boat and we got left...We were a serious Gilligan's Island situation. We joked about how we were going to make a movie about how 5 surfers drowned because they were too stubborn to paddle to shore. To be fair, in our defense trying to paddle back out would have been a nightmare. You would be in the correct position for one set and then the next would come and you couldn't paddle out fast enough and you would get slammed by a set of waves.


Post surf selfies. Naturally. That's what I looked like for the majority of the week. And to be honest that is still what I look like. I haven't brushed my hair since before I left and I don't particularly care too any time soon.


When you go to Playa Avellana you go to Lola's and you see Lola herself. This may be Lola number 5 or so, but she is a giant pig, who if you are lucky enough to be surfing at the right time you will see her out on the beach and swimming in the water. If she isn't out, just head into Lola's, order an Imperial, a pizza, and go say hi to her.


The best option is to take car down to Avellana and stay for the day. Lola's closes at 5 but you can catch come killer sunsets.







My group of surfers. Such a fun group of people from all different walks of life. You learn so much from meeting people who have one common interest. Surfing. Alright two interest. Surfing and drinking. Probably three common interests. Surfing, drinking, and talking about your dreams.


Watching the surf. And my new friends. I may have sliced open my finger and was on injury reserve. That was fine because I had surfed some really fun waves that morning and my arms were pretty spent.


Always the hardest goodbye. Time to start planning the next one. The friends I made this trip mean the world to me and pushed me to see the person I want to be. I am eternally grateful to all of them. But really.  Mucho gusto. Arriba. Hasta luego. 

#stuntman

Oct 11, 2016

Start Spreading the News...

I'm leaving today. Going to be a part of it. New York! New York!

Rather, I left bright and early a few Friday mornings ago and hopped on a plane to get the Big Apple for a 30th birthday weekend with my mom.

Using mom's coffee as a prop. 

Peace out Memphis. 
IT WAS AMAZING. A whirlwind of 4ish days, but amazing nonetheless.

We stayed at The Algonquin and it was the perfect little hotel right down the street from Times Square, close to Central Park, and around the corner from 5th Avenue. There was a cute bar attached to the hotel (and yes we frequented often) called The Blue Bar. Eat the lobster rolls, the grilled cheese with tomato soup, and drink the Coney Island Brewery beers - specifically the mermaid pilsner.

The weekend was spent bouncing around the city. Quite literally. I think we simultaneously saw everything while seeing nothing.

oh hai new york. 


strolling around central park with mom.

protected Elm trees in Central Park. 

Riding the carousal in Central Park because of course. 

When you find a man with your last name who owns a salon in NYC you go and do the polite thing and meet him and get your dirtbag hair trimmed. 

Post hair cut selfie. 

I miss that beer. It's my soul mate. 


Hanging outside the New York Public Library


Walking the High Line with all of our closest friends....

Barnwood and a live edge slab countertop. They speak to me. 

Hey New Jersey. 


Bay's boat. Hi Kristen. Take me on your boat ;)


true story


Amazing Italian lunch. 

9/11 Memorial


Battery Park Globe




Casually on top of a building



People Watching




Wicked! So. So. So. Good. I may have cried afterwards. All the feels. 


Not only is the ice cream fantastic, the posters are hilarious. 


"What's around you?" "I'm looking at Ray's pizza. You know where that is?" "Is it Famous Ray's?" "No, it's just original." "Famous ORIGINAL Ray's?" "It's just original, Jerry!"

Until next time. 
While we were there we had the scary misfortune of eating dinner a few blocks North on the same street where the first bomb went off. We saw all the police and firetrucks when we came out of the restaurant. Once we got back to our hotel we received the messages on our phone about the second bomb being found. That was the only damper on our trip. Super scary, but the police presence the next day could not have made us feel safer. Ever grateful for our safety and the safety of our loved ones.