London baby!!!!

And my 59th country comes off the ticker board!

It’s seems like an easy jump from the US and really no reason that I hadn’t touched down here yet, but I always figured it would happen eventually. And nowadays it is the cheapest entry hub into Europe, so let’s go!

With 8 hours to explore & change airports, I’m an adventure girl on a mission. Over 32k steps were expended in this glorious city marveling over the history & grandeur around every corner. Despite unexpected & sporadic closures of “the tube” on my day, I wasn’t deterred in the least nor was I bothered by the light rain that settled in mid afternoon. On the contrary, it calmed & soothed my tired soul…. the best, natural therapy ever!

I was infatuated with seeing Big Ben for the first time peering off to the right of the infamous London Eye. The House of Parliament & Westminster Abbey were larger than life with fascinating architectural carvings on every spire, while I wasn’t prepared for the ornate beauty adorning the gates outside Buckingham Palace. Every street just oozed of stories bellowing out of every little coffee shop & pub, varied street performers and bustling weekend markets. And the fish & chips that I had been dreaming about for years was on point! Definitely sensory overload, but very freeing in the same breath.

The plentiful green spaces were packed with local runners & eager tourists alike, all co-existing in the organized chaos of life. What a glorious day to just be present & sink into the local British culture. I’ll definitely be back England!

A mid-August annual road trip is always a sweet blessing to officially end summer. And for the first time in 5 years and since the COVID chaos, we are headed back to the Fl Keys.

Let’s gooooo….

The only rule is that there are no rules:

• You want ice cream every day – go for it 🍦
• Need some H2O therapy – take off into the big blue 🌊
• Don’t want to be around people – grill out from our Oceanside haven 🚐
• Escape the sauna that is named August – float with a buddy 🛟
• Need a foot massage – plunge your toes into a natural fish pond 🐠
• Not tired – read under a sea of stars ✨
• Need inspiration – never miss a sunset 🌅
• Explore hidden treasures – dive into a ship wreck 🤿

This crew is such a blessing in this crazy life and I wouldn’t want to go through all the waves without them riding along with me.

What do you have to lose? How many times have you thought about just going for it and backed out at the last minute?

Well I actually don’t have that issue.

Never.

I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum actually, as I’m always game for a last minute road trip and ready on a whim for a crazy adventure. While I am a meticulous planner with numerous notes of bucket list locations and hikes just waiting to be completed, I thrive on the thrill of touching down in a new town and jumping out into the unknown.

This learned habit wasn’t always ingrained, as I have had to harness this need for extreme adventure after years of being so introverted and uncomfortable in my own skin. Now I see this as one of my biggest strengths and superpowers.

What’s the point of having big dreams but no intent to go after them? Be bold. Be brave. Fight for what you want and what you deserve. I hate when people comment “oh you are always so lucky”…. Really?! While I’ll take any four leaf clover when I see one, if you put in the work, I truly believe good things are bound to happen.

While I’m very critical of myself and always nitpicking every detail, I also live life with no regrets. What an empowering way to wake up every day!

Open every door that comes in your path and you will naturally have a wealth of experiences that will propel you forward into a beautiful and meaningful life. Make it count!

Everyone naturally has a different answer…. but have you really ever thought about it?

Occasionally on a long hike, I let my thoughts wander and this is a common topic I ponder. Over the years it fluctuates slightly; however, I am usually fairly consistent and in tune with my deepest desires.

LOCATION: A 3-5 mile hike is a must, preferably ending in a blow your mind cliff side overlook or cascading waterfall. Then I would take off on my jetski full throttle into a deep orange sunset!

HOBBIES: I am notorious for having a very healthy amount activities that I am passionate about. From racquetball, mountain biking, sunset seeking, National Parks, climbing via ferratas, baking, roadtrips, cruising, Duke basketball junkie, massages, movies, volunteering, writing adventure blogs, reading crime novels and (believe it or not) a guitar hero junkie!

FOOD: in no particular order, I would indulge in a Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate, 2 Bojangles biscuits (egg & cheese + Boberry) and an Island Green from Tropical Smoothie. For dinner, it has to be Pizza Hit stuffed crust cheese pizza. Dessert would be either Publix chocolate quarry frozen yogurt with Reese’s magic shell or Oreo pudding. OMG!

PEOPLE: any day getting to play with my 5 beautiful nieces & nephews brings an immediate joy to my soul. I’m fortunate to have my parents close by too. And my close group of best friends is such a comfort in this crazy world & I wouldn’t want to do this life without their undying support.

However you choose to spend your time, I hope you carve out for whatever is important to you and just go for it. YOLO!

Any excuse to jet off to the Sin City? Yes please!

While airline prices skyrocket for the craziness of Super Bowl, I sneak in on a $100 RT flight Wed-Sun just prior for a girls weekend. We crash at our mentor’s beautiful pad just 10 mins from the infamous strip and have a built in local tour guide.

These ladies have a contagious energy that feeds my relentless pursuit of more. And we are off…..

We dive right in to the widespread festivities at the exclusive NFL House to smooze with a wide range of industry professionals and soak in ideas from all the sponsor activations. It was so exciting to meet up with other powerful women in our cohort in their element, making things happen!

Then we jet off to a local favorite show of the Bronx Wanderers and even woke early the next day to squeeze in an inspiring adventure to one of my favorite day trips just 45 mins away at Valley of Fire State Park (which never disappoints).

We switch gears to join the grand opening of a new pizza joint adjacent to the Wynn and then crash the Minnesota Vikings VIP shindig.

Squeezing every last ounce of the next day, we troll the strip checking out all the sponsor activations, stop in each specialty merchandise pop-up location, take lots of selfies at each hotel’s unique backdrop, skip the ridiculous lines at the NFL Fan Fest and the list goes on and on.

We even skipped out to Red Rock Canyon to climb some more cliffsides (brutal windchills) and drive the scenic loop just a mere 20 mins from the strip. Then the endcap….. I snagged a last minute ticket to the awe-inspiring new Sphere venue to a see the one and only U2. What an amazing experience!

No regrets. Ever.

When I was craving a last minute adventure getaway for the extended Memorial Day holiday weekend, it was an unexpected delight to find this hidden gem. For weeks my feed was filled with beautiful hikes and natural arches in a virtually unknown area in eastern Kentucky.

So when a $50 RT flight popped up to Lexington, I took the plunge and started researching local must do hikes. And then my best friend Tessa decided to tag along for a girls weekend too.

We found the perfect tiny, log home to base out of at the local campground and dug in for exploration. Within close proximity were endless arches and natural bridges to our hearts’ delight, as we found numerous short trails to enjoy.

Even the local hippie pizza joint was tasty; otherwise we hit up the grocery story to enjoy some quiet nights hanging out at our own quiet pond view. Of course we found a summer ice cream social and frequented this joint a couple more times to get our sweet fix.

My highlight was the high energy via ferrata climbing excursion, while Tessa loved the unique endcap kayaking in the underground mine.

Don’t miss this underrated spot as we barely scratched the surface of all the trails available nearby and the scenic drives were just as impressive. And an added bonus…. we didn’t have to fend off the big crowds usually attracted to the national parks.

Talk about a hiker’s paradise! This state park has eluded me for years and we finally made the extra effort to visit.

With 19 waterfalls cascading through rock formations like in a fairytale, it was a perfect dose of serenity. We combined the Gorge, Indian and Finger Lakes trails to trek for 5 miles in the cool, shaded confines of this gorgeous slot canyon.

Around every winding staircase were endless fractures of rock carved into the cliffsides like pancakes and naturally formed plunge pools created a zen ambiance. It was truly awe inspiring to just be present. And they had cute names of the iconic areas posted along the route including Lover’s Lane, Rainbow Falls, Devil’s Staircase, etc.

After a quick stop for ice cream upon conquering the 180 step uphill climb, we meandered back through the gorge taking numerous selfies and people watching (even though not much hiker etiquette was followed with all the summer tourists).

Last stop at the bookstore and this excursion was definitely worth the roadtrip. Watkins Glen is a must do in central NY!

Everyone says that once you visit Glacier National Park in remote, northwestern Montana it will instantly become your favorite. Let’s put that theory to the test….

Being that this is my 53rd out of 63 US national parks, my expectations are sky high. Also, I had to wait almost 4 years to get back here after I begrudgingly had to cut this icon from my whirlwind US tour post Covid (just couldn’t justify the extra five hour one-way x 2 detour).

Starting in Apgar near the west entrance, I made the investment for a new annual park pass & beelined to my first hikes. After a long drive, it was a blessing to get my legs back under me on the easy Trail of Cedars boardwalk, amongst all the towering trees in a lush forest. This led to the Avalanche Lake 4.5 mile trek, which started with a breathtaking canyon carved out by the rushing waters below. After a steady incline through a forest, we finally dumped out at the clear, hidden lake surrounded by a towering peak that was intermittently covered by a very dense fog.

I made a pit stop at the historic McDonald’s Lodge, saw the historic red open air buses & walked the creek area, which is the largest of the park’s 250 lakes.

After searching for a few small souvenirs, I easily found my nearby hostel for just the night, which was on a working ranch. Then a quick shower, heating up a sandwich & I quickly fell asleep after an exhausting day of travel & exploration.

Day 2 I jumped out of bed at 6am to finally drive the infamous Going to the Sun Road & that’s another blog post coming soon!

Did you do it? If you know me……

Once in a lifetime opportunity in the most remote place in the entire world, HELL YES!

The build up was more excruciating than the actual plunge into the abyss at the elusive Deception Island. After a near perfect Drake Passage crossing, we equally enjoyed 4 days of 2 excursions each to explore the iceberg lined narrow passageways of northwestern Antarctica. The weather was so cooperative that we were treated to extra time onshore and navigated areas rarely seen in the short tourist season. We had fully expected and mentally prepared to dive in on day 3, but our extended jaunts in the zodiacs pushed our jump back another day.

So after summiting the eerily black and red tinted volcano just as the thick cloud cover gave way, we bounded down to our vessel gently floating in the protected bay far below. We were called down by cabin to the mud room, where we were greeted with blaring 80s music and a shot of whiskey! Half of the 129 passengers summoned up the courage to strip down into just bathing suits and brave the brutal waters. Once in a lifetime right?! 100%. And we were told the water temps here were at least 10 degrees warmer than the open waters from yesterday, so I took any little bit of reprieve as a win.

Stepping up to the steel tight outer door with a glimpse of terror in my eyes, I was strapped to a thick tether before promptly being summoned down the 5 steps to the side platform. Without time to second guess, the 2 crew counted 3, 2, 1…….

I screamed bloody murder and braced for impact. My toes hit the water first and sheer panic settled in. I fought to resurface quickly and escape from this madness. After slipping twice on the icy steps, I was pulled out into a warm bathrobe in less than 10 seconds and back within the safe confines of the ship. My internal temperature regulated quickly and, just like that, another bucket list adventure had been conquered. And I have to admit, it wasn’t THAT bad!!!

The day finally came where my brother’s family was being deployed over to Germany for 2 years and it hadn’t hit me yet that I couldn’t just jump on a $50 1.5 hour flight on a whim to partake in some much needed snuggles.

With their 3 very distinctive personalities taking shape, I can’t imagine how much they will be changed by this experience and as they grow into the next stages of their young lives. I can see they are excited yet nervous, and I pray that this experience is amazing.

I can’t wait to be one of their first visitors and take them on mini European day trips to see far off castles and walk through historic ruins.

So today I am sad….

Carter is my little buddy and we have a special, unspoken bond. He gives the best snuggles and my rough housing nemesis.

Emma is the wild child who is naturally good at everything she attempts. She is fiercely headstrong and has boundless energy.

Olivia was the Gerber model baby and my original partner in crime. She is my bestie and growing up way too fast.

So to delay more tears, I’m already tracking flights and starting the ticker down for eight months until the end of busy season. Or just maybe…. I can find a string of five days in the fall to squeeze in a surprise international getaway!