42 Hours in Boise

This past weekend Dh and I took a quick 80 minute flight up to Boise to see my cousin play college football against BSU. In addition to visiting another new state, we had the pleasure of meeting some of the nicest people EVER. I swear, Idaho, no idea how you do it but your people are so warm and kind.

Boise is a lovely city with a vibrant Basque scene as well as multiple breweries (hurrah for craft beer!). And you can't forget about Idaho potatoes.. just delicious. We had a great time walking the city - because Boise is fairly flat it's easy to walk around to and from attractions (no need for taxis, either!). We had a great time at the Boise State tailgate, made some friends and went to a space bar, and I tried a bison burger for the first time (and I liked it).

Until next time Boise.... thank you!

Sour beer at Bittercreek

Stuffed beignets at the farmers market

Inside the Capital building

Boise State Helmet on a golf cart..

Boise Depot

Albertson's Stadium, aka Smurf Turf at BSU

All the way from UL!

Bison burger + Laura fries at Boise Fry Co

Awesome street art

Crossing the Snake River

If you go...

Eat/Drink:
Boise Fry Company - pick your potato and fry type, and then prepare to mix sauces and salts to a come up with your own french fry creation. Also, try the bison burger. Yum.
Boise Taphouse - huge beer selection and tv's galore for football Sunday.
The Basque Market - an awesome basque tapas bar with crazy good croquettes and meatballs. Definitely don't forget the chocolate pudding for dessert.
Bittercreek Ale House - fantastic late night happy hour, and the poutine is out of this world.

To do:
Space bar - get your retro game on with pinball, 80's arcade games, and super nintendo while sipping local beer at this awesome spot.
Idaho Capital Building - a gorgeous capital building open on weekends with lots of history about Idaho and it's counties. Plus, the dome inside is absolutely gorgeous.
Albertson's stadium at Boise State - Smurf turf. Enough said.
Basque Block - Basque culture in Boise condensed into a block of it's own.
Boise Depot - What remains of Boise's train depot, along with a beautiful garden and ponds overlooking the city.
Capital City Public Market - An outdoor market with one requirement - everything has to be made in Idaho (try the BuckSnort root beer and look for some huckleberry goats milk soap!)

Stay:
Hotel 43 - lovely boutique hotel within the heart of downtown, and a complimentary airport shuttle with 1PM checkout.

Vermont & NYC in the snow

The past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to travel up to Vermont and to NYC. I think I get a little spoiled living in California with our mild weather so I'm pretty sure this was the coldest I've ever been in my life. But hey, the snow is gorgeous!

Vermont is just so charming. The state itself is gorgeous and with the snow falling it just added more to it. We stayed in Stowe at the Stowe Mountain Lodge (which I highly recommend). They have two mountains for skiing and snowboarding, and you are able to take a lift right from the lodge up (...not that I actually skied, but I did ride a gondola!).

View from the hotel 

Super excited to have found a Jackelope

Stowe Church

Snow!

River running under the gondola 

7 degrees and freezing cold in Burlington

Church St in Burlington

We ate, danced, played laser tag, read, indulged in the spa, and just watched the snow fall. Vermont is amazing and I'd really like to go back in the summer because Stowe has an alpine slide. I also got to see some of Burlington and the city is so quaint! I got a plaid shirt from the Vermont Flannel Company, some maple syrup, and greatly enjoyed the fact that many signs appear in English and French.

Monday we flew back to NYC and I got to enjoy the snow fall all day Tuesday and into the night on Wednesday. It was just simply breathtaking, although it is really hard to walk in. And I had an excuse to wear my uggs. Central Park with a fresh blanket of power was something I've always wanted to see and it did not disappoint.

Around 9PM Tuesday night - tons of snow! 

Central Park

Snow piled up on benches

And today is the last day that I will be at my current company and Monday starts a new job and new opportunities. I'm excited, a little scared, nervous, but really thrilled.

If you go..

Vermont:
Stowe Mountain Lodge - Gorgeous lodgings with the ability to ski on and off the mountain
The Vermont Flannel Company - Flannel and plaid all handmade in Vermont
Syrup - Awesome local Vermont goodies
Leunig's - Delicious French food in a cozy bistro environment
Vermont Ale House - Live music with lots of local beers on tap

A Southern Thanksgiving

North and South Carolina are both gorgeous places and over Thanksgiving break I was able to see both states for the first time. We started in Asheville to visit my SIL and then drove to Kiawah Island to join the rest of the family there. Along the way we ate a lot of biscuits, bacon, and drank local beer.

We stayed at the Aloft in Asheville which was a great location downtown and within walking distance to restaurants and breweries. The hotel staff is very friendly, and they have an awesome outdoor area and the bar staff are friendly too.

Kiawah Island is unlike any other beach that I'd been to before. We spent time riding bikes on the beach, curled up reading books near the fire, and trying to avoid alligator warning signs (no joke!) There were so many starfish and seashells and the sand there is so different. And it was interesting to see the sun go down from another direction. Regardless, I had a blast and came home needing a biscuit recipe as well as a porch with a rocking chair.

Rocking chairs in Asheville airport

Chicken & Biscuits sandwich at Biscuit Head

Grits, bacon, and peas at Tupelo Honey Cafe

Icicles on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Mountains

Gazebo on Kiawah Island

Staircase at The Sanctuary

Starfish on Kiawah beach

Sunset from the sand dunes

Boardwalk leading to the beach

Magnolia Cemetery - Charleston

View from the Ryder Cup bar

Angel Oak

Eat/Drink - Asheville:
Asheville Brewing Co
Tupelo Honey Cafe - biscuits. grits. bacon. go.
Biscuit Head - by far one of the most amazing meals on the whole trip.
Barleys Taproom & Pizza  - awesome live music and pizza
Double D's Coffee & Desserts - a double decker bus with awesome people watching views.
Old Europe Pastries - one of the best shortbread cookies I've ever had
Pack's Tavern - great place to watch Sunday football
Storm Rhum Bar - rum drinks abound
LAB - amazing pork belly and goat cheese brussel sprouts

Eat/drink/stay Kiawah Island:
Ryder Cup Bar - amazing place to watch a sunset.
The Sanctuary Hotel - amazing luxury hotel right on the beach.
Angel Oak - 300-400 year old Oak tree - just stunning (and free!)

New York

New York you are fantastic. I've prolly left your fantastic city with a few more pounds to my hips but that's okay.  I had such a fun time with all of my coworkers and being able to stay and visit with my in laws, but its always good to come home and sleep in my own bed and be with the furkids.

Here's some snapshots from our trip:

Near Columbus Circle, a few blocks away from the inlaws 

Yankee Stadium

Cheese fries at the ballgame.

Baked by Melissa peanut butter chocolate cupcakes. YUM!

My friend I made walking to work on 28th..

Globe outside 59th St Station

View from office 1 

Empire State Building 

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Office number 2's pool room 

A flagel. It was good! 

Central park 

Manolo store

C Wonder goodies

Whew. I swear each night we had something going on after work and the jet lag messed with me for a few days. But I had a great time and hope to go back soon. Next month is Mexico... so I might need some beach clothes!

Goodbye 2012

2012… where do I even begin with you. For a year that seemed feared by so many (ahem, end of the world naysayers I’m speaking to you) the year was definitely amazing.

From the beginning of the year and starting a new position at work that’s no longer just a job but turning into a career and dealing with the massive growth of my company that is keeping me on my toes I’m grateful to have been given this experience for yet a second year in a row.

 

I witnessed the weddings of friends and family members and travelled all across the 50 states to do so (Honolulu, Denver, and Philly you treated us so well for those short weekend trips). I visited favorite cities that I hadn't seen in years as well as destinations that I hadn’t been to before, and stepped foot on Italian soil less than 3 km from where my grandfather was born.

 

In April and September I lost two amazing family members who I carry in my heart every day. My nonno, my dad’s father passed away at the age of 89 after battling a degenerative lung disease just 5 days after the last time I saw him for dinner and he helped me pick out a pair of new red shoes. Whenever I wear them I think of him and the last time I saw him. I remember his thick laugh and his gentle way of speaking along with how he always called me Loretta. My grandmother passed in September unexpectedly, and she has been the only person that I was given a chance to say goodbye to. It was without a doubt the hardest thing that I have ever done to profess your heart to someone who you know will not pull through. I take from her my devotion to my husband and my family, the happy memories of sharing meals around their tables and have to come to accept that now she is with my grandpa that she will be allright. I stood and spoke at both of their wakes, the only grandchild from either side to do so and I still hope that what I said was enough for both of them.

In August I married my best friend on a sunny day in san Francisco surrounded by 200 guests. The day was fantastic and reigns supreme as the best day of my life.  While it went by in a happy blur I won’t ever forget how incredibly happy I was that day, how my parents and sister were just so estatic on that day, and how lucky I am to have an amazing set of inlaws who value family, food, and laughter just the same as mine does. I cherish the wedding photos from that day and still can’t believe that I managed to plan the entire thing.

I'd like to say that my fashion sense has evolved – and will continue to do so through 2013. I think part of it is coming to terms with the fact that I know I will never be a size 2, and as a result certain things just don’t look good on me (peplum, you are one of them). But that also means that I’m learning to dress me for me. I want to start investing in better pieces for the long term – no more fad pieces that are only worn for a season.  My diehard addiction to j crew isn’t waining any time soon, though.  And starting in January I will have a 300 a month fashion budget.

We celebrated highs, cried with the lows, danced like crazy at weddings and snapped photobooth photos whenever present, leaving happy mementos of a memory forever trapped on a piece of film will always remind me of 2012.

So, to those of you that read here thank you so much for being on this ride with me through 2012 and im excited and eager to see what 2013 has in store. I want to hone in more on blogging and up the ante with the photos. I want to continue to develop my style while still watching my budget. Eat better, travel more (hello London and Paris!) and continue to develop my career.

Bring it on 2013. Bring it on.