travel
Let's Go, Buffalo!
2/22/17
I'm currently suffering through post-vacation depression, as well as "finished book" depression (The Girl on the Train). I finally made my way out to upstate New York to visit my older sister, niece, and brother-in-law and had the best time! I don't know if it's ever not going to be weird seeing my sisters with their own kids. For the longest time, I was always the "baby" of the family begging my older sisters and cousins to play with me haha My niece is the type that always wants to play: puzzles, barbies, trains, Play-Doh--you name it, she'll play it. I can probably tell you all there is to know about "Elena of Avalor," "My Little Pony" and all things "Frozen" at this point. Speaking of "Frozen," I got to see my first hockey game! I even got to see a hockey fight between players haha all teeth in tow ;)
I can be a pretty nostalgic person, so I loved winding down with my niece and telling her bedtime stories from one of my own favorite storybooks when I was younger. It was kind of funny reading it back because I used to be so attached to this book when I didn't know how to read, so I'd make up the stories if no one could read it to me. As I was reading, I found myself thinking "Oh, so that's how the story went." Haha.
Also, I was sort of hoping for the "full Buffalo experience" but it was one of the warmest weekends when I went, so I didn't need to layer or bulk on jackets as much as I had thought. I guess I didn't have much to miss because I came back to super warm, but windy Vegas weather!
Until next time, Buffalo!
New York Pt. I
8/20/15
If there's anything I've always been sure of--it was New York.
It's the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, right? And as good 'ol Frank Sinatra said, "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere."
So I made it there.
I'll back things up a bit because I was excited, yet terrified at the same time to go to New York.
Why?
Because I had spent years dreaming, longing, and falling in love with a place I had never been to, and I've heard stories about things like that, where you build things up so much that you don't realize it's just the idea and not the real thing. And they almost always end disappointingly.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case for me at all. The thing about New York is that it's insanely amazing. Yes, it's the place everyone sings about. Yes, it's where everyone dreams of going. Yeah, you might walk onto a movie set. And yes, it's the place where Chuck and Blair said those three words with eight letters. But even better, "Friends" took place here.
It's really so much more than that. It's filled with opportunity, history, scenery, AND THE ORIGINAL SHAKE SHACK (this is important).
But more so, the history. Ol' New York was once New Amsterdam. Why'd they change it? I can't say, people just liked it better that way ;)
After an hour flight from LAS to LAX, I was on a red-eye to JFK, and I'd wake up to the sun rising over New York City :) Then I met up with my sister, bro-in-law, and niece, and we checked into our hotel and spent our day in the city.
Had to start with an #OOTD :)
Top of the Rock
We walked down 5th Avenue and that was pretty surreal for me. I'd binged on Sex And the City all summer--I think every monument and thing was like a celebrity to me ("Carrie walked down here!" "Charlotte went on runs in Central Park!" "'Your girl is lovely, Hubbell'")
Okay, these next few were very important photo-ops because I practically grew up on the Turner Classic Movie channel, so Audrey Hepburn was a household name. I made it a high priority to make it to Tiffany's and channel my inner Holly Golightly.
It was already lunchtime when I took this and I only had a doughnut to eat in front of the store. Of course, my sister or bro-in-law weren't familiar with that movie scene, so I had my own twist on it. Either way, I still got my "Breakfast at Tiffany's" inspired photo :)
I have to say, I wanted to make sure I enjoyed my trip and took in all of the city and didn't spend most of it trying to take pictures. So we strolled through Central Park on a horse-driven carriage and walked through the city.
And then, all of our phones died.
So we trekked through Times Square, made our way through the streets, resorted to dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, stepped into the crowded craziness of a sports store, and tried to get back to the hotel before it got too dark sans smartphones--all with a 3-year-old in tow.
LV to SD
7/22/13
This weekend, the fam and I packed up a day worth of clothes and traveled on down to San Diegooooooo! Or, as my dad likes to call it sun-JAY-go.
Anyhooooters, I'd like to call this trip one BIG family reunion. Our first order of business was my dad's side of the family's annual reunion. Yes, I said annual. So instead of like a typical family reunion where you say, "Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you in 5(+) years!" we say, "Oh heyyy...it's been a year..."
Nonetheless, it was cool to see them all again. I'm really bad with taking the time to stop and take a picture, so the only picture I took during that reunion was this pic of my nephew lookin all miserable and shizzz
It was a bit chilly, so we were all kinda freezing our little used-to-triple-digit-weather booties off.
The next part on our list was to meet up with our family-friends from way back when we used to live in Cali. Very exciting because my dad hasn't seen them for 10+ years, so I couldn't wait for them to reunite! Plus, the patriarch of the family is my Godfather! (Well picked, he is the sweetest man on the planet!) What was also cool was that their family was having a little family reunion of their own and their dad's brother & family was in town too. So we all got together and made one big happy family at dinner. The first night we had dinner at this place called Phil's BBQ. And let me tell you...that was THE longest line I've ever stood in. It might even beat the time my friends and I waited in the cold outside of Best Buy on Black Friday. So, if you've ever been to Phils, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Approx. wait time: 2 hrs.
Yes, for real 2 hours!
The line was so long that Noah grew mustache!
You can even go on their website and watch a live cam of the line outside. It's crazy. We also saw a lot of people in costume in the lines, so that was entertaining! (Thanks Comic-Con!)
But I didn't even notice that much 'cause I was too busy catching up and happy to see everyone that I didn't mind!
The best ribs I've ever had.
Not a big fan of onion rings at all, but these were sooooooo good. Game changers right here.
The next day we met up again for lunch before we hit the road again. This time, California burritos were involved. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. They are THAT good. Lolita's are by far, my favorite place to get them. We didn't get them at Lolita's that day, but I still devoured it too quickly to snap a pic.
I've got a busy week and a few weeks ahead of me, so this might have been my last vacay before school starts up again :( !
Reality Break
6/26/13
Lately, I've been quite the wanderlust-er. I've been going through pins on Pinterest and looking through my family's personal photo albums and I've realized two things.
One, I have only been to a total of four states in this country.
And two, my 3-year-old nephew has spent Spring Break in Cancun before I have.
Okay, so there's this moment in your life when you un-occupy yourself of busy things and ask yourself, "What am I doing with my life..."
I spend so much time (doing) ____ and taking care of ___, when really, I want to be ______.
Here's a variety of my answers:
nothing/nothing/traveling
eating/my appetite/doing anything really
watching tv/my DVR/on Netflix watching "Melissa & Joey"
But, reallly...
I spend so much time dreaming about all of these things that I want, while trying to care of my reality, when really, I want to be in Australia petting a kangaroo.
London, Paris, Germany, and a Belgium waffle has never sounded so appealing to me than it does right now.
The 'ol Schmegigg and I are besties, so it would be perfect if our moms were besties too right? Well they were. And you know what they, as besties, did? They dun traveled to Europe togetha!
So, Schmegigg and I plan to travel to Europe together and take a picture just like this (or better).
But for now, I guess living vicariously through pins on Pinterest will have to do.
Quickie Recommendation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKM4FdApxQA
One, I have only been to a total of four states in this country.
And two, my 3-year-old nephew has spent Spring Break in Cancun before I have.
Okay, so there's this moment in your life when you un-occupy yourself of busy things and ask yourself, "What am I doing with my life..."
I spend so much time (doing) ____ and taking care of ___, when really, I want to be ______.
Here's a variety of my answers:
nothing/nothing/traveling
eating/my appetite/doing anything really
watching tv/my DVR/on Netflix watching "Melissa & Joey"
But, reallly...
I spend so much time dreaming about all of these things that I want, while trying to care of my reality, when really, I want to be in Australia petting a kangaroo.
London, Paris, Germany, and a Belgium waffle has never sounded so appealing to me than it does right now.
The 'ol Schmegigg and I are besties, so it would be perfect if our moms were besties too right? Well they were. And you know what they, as besties, did? They dun traveled to Europe togetha!
So, Schmegigg and I plan to travel to Europe together and take a picture just like this (or better).
But for now, I guess living vicariously through pins on Pinterest will have to do.
Quickie Recommendation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKM4FdApxQA
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