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A Geek Guide To Vancouver, BC: Part 1

Published on August 28, 2016December 25, 2016 by Emilee1 Comment

If there’s one thing I like to do, it’s find out geeky things about a city. Remember that time I uncovered a Sherlock Holmes society in San Francisco, or when I visited every major spot in Paris that was from “Midnight in Paris”? Or what about the Star Wars x-wing in Denver? Game of Thrones castle in N. Ireland? Or the site in Ireland of the huge Braveheart battle? Yeah, yeah, I love geeky things. So, it makes sense for me to join the two things together while I’m on the road.

This weekend we’re spending some time celebrating our anniversary in Vancouver, and it’s been such a fun trip. Of course, any time I come to a new city I have to find out EVERYTHING GEEKY about it, so here is a compilation of my findings from day 1 in British Columbia.

Famous Geek Icons from Vancouver:

Alexander Ludwig: It wasn’t until today that I realized that this hunk was from both the Hunger Games AND one of my favorite shows, Vikings. I really had hopes that I could correct the grammar on Vikings based off of the actors being Scandinavian, but nope. This boy’s from good ‘ole British Columbia. Luckily, he’s still fun to watch being a Viking bad ass on the show, and it’s nice to know we both hail from the west.

Michael J. Fox: Blast from the past, and Back to the Future, it’s true that this Hollywood icon isn’t as active in the geek world right now, for obvious reasons, but he’s a geek idol, nonetheless. Back to the Future was a series that molded and shaped my childhood and I’m happy to find out he grew up not too far from me.
Ryan Reynolds: Obviously most famous, at the moment, for his portrayal of the Marvel bad-boy Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds has been a favorite from Just Friends to The Proposal. In case you (and half the geek world) are trying to still forget – he was also DC’s Green Lantern, and appeared in the Wolverine, as well.

Hayden Christensen: Personally, I prefer to think of him as the actor who brought Jumper to life, but we do have to credit him for some of the weirdest Star Wars movies, as well. To be fair, it wasn’t entirely his fault that they’re the embarrassment of the geek community – the script writers weren’t doing to hot, either.

Shawn Ashmore: I may or may not have had a crush on him when I saw the first Xmen movie (I was like 12) but how could you not!? Him and Rogue were the perfect couple and then she went running after Logan – what was she thinking!? Anyway. He only kind of counts because he was raised in Alberta. But he was born in Vancouver, so they still claim him as their own.
Colbie Smulders: To be honest, I still don’t even know her Avengers character name, but she’s awesome and one of the few female characters in the movies who doesn’t have powers. She can also be found on Agents of Shield, a show that, for the life of me, I can’t find time to watch, mainly because I’ve heard some good and a lot of not so good about it.

Somewhere to grab some geeky books:

I love used bookstores. In fact, I love pretty much any place I can get a good deal on a good read, and this morning that was the first place I plopped off to. I was really excited to score on a book by Diana Gabaldon, who writes the Outlander series. I learned about the books via the STARZ show, but I’ve started to read the books and I adore them, as well. The book I found was an accompaniment to the series, called “The Outlandish Companion” which goes into details about the series and why Diana chose certain aspects to put in/leave out. It also has commentary and helpful additions, such as genealogies, to help out along the reading of the first four books. Overall, I’m really happy with the find. Especially since it was only about $15 (with the conversion rate). Somehow I always end up finding the heaviest books while I’m traveling and this one weighs in at about 600 pages to keep the trend going.

My stop today was at Book Warehouse, which is located at 632 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1G1

Geek places to eat:

Storm Crow Ale House: This is an updated/more contemporary version of the Storm Crow Tavern, which is amazing in its own right. We kind of accidentally stumbled upon this one, not actually realizing there were two in Vancouver, and really loved the atmosphere and the people who were hanging out in there. I actually was really happy to be hanging out mid-day because a lot of people were just hanging out there, playing games and having good food. I would definitely recommend. Click HERE for the website.

Storm Crow Tavern: This Tavern is also a real treat, and is decked out with memorabilia, geek art, books and a giant octo-monster head. And they also have tons of games to choose from playing. The best part is that the food is also amazing. I had a cod sandwich and some raspberry rhubarb crumble for dessert. It was sublime. Definitely stop by this spot if you’re a sci-fi and fantasy fan. Click HERE for the website.

Scottish Highland Games 2016

Published on August 21, 2016October 22, 2016 by EmileeLeave a comment

Wow, what a crazy summer it’s been! For the first summer in a while, I’ve been out traveling around, having so many adventures, that I’ve had no time to write/sit here and get my thoughts out. This upcoming week is the last week I’ll be working at the Summer day-camp I’ve been working for, though, so things should start being a little less crazy. In addition, cool and crisp fall days are almost here and I CANNOT wait. Not only is fall the host of my birthday, and every good holiday (with the exception of New Years Eve), it’s my very favorite for reading and writing and enjoying life the way that it’s supposed to be…under four wool blankets and with a hot cup of tea.

That being said, I should probably start posting about what I’ve been up to this summer, huh? I definitely have been traveling, but I’ve had no time to put pen to paper…or, I guess, fingers to keyboard. I’m excited to bring you guys in on all the fun, though! First off, waaaaaay back in July we got the amazing opportunity to celebrate one of the favorite parts of my family (where we, no doubt, get our strong headedness and our tempers) by going to the Scottish Highland Games. I was so thankful for the info that the event was happening up in Skagit Valley, so a huge ‘thank you’ to my Outlander Fanatics of Washington Facebook group. Yes, you read that right. Have I mentioned how much I love the show Outlander? If you haven’t seen it, yet, you better get on that.

The event as a whole is one of my favorite things I’ve done all year. And the best part is that it’s supposed to be one of the smaller Highland Games in Washington, so next year we’ve agreed to go to the one in Enumclaw, so we can see the whole sha-bang. Eventually, I’m hoping to go to an actual one in Scotland, but baby steps, right? Anyway, we spent the day lounging in the sun, watching men throw trees, and Border Collies herd sheep. All the while being lulled by the sounds of the bagpipe competition being held in the far side of the field. Sounds like heaven, right? It was. I can’t decide what my favorite part was, yet. The food was amazing, the dancing was fun and (of course!) the athletic events were insane. Men competing in kilts. It’s just all types of perfect.

Here are my favorite pics from the day!

Memoirs of A French Au Pair: 1 Year Back In The U.S.

Published on June 14, 2016November 8, 2016 by Emilee8 Comments

This time last year I was packing my suitcases and planning on getting the hell out of France. I was so over it. I was over my job. Over my living situation and over the idea that I had made the right decision moving there in the first place. In short, I was over it (and everything that ‘it’ encompassed).

If I sound like an angsty teen here, I apologize. And then I unapologize. Because life is hard sometimes, and we have a right to look up to the heavens and shout, “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING BRINGING ME HERE!?” There was a lot of that when I lived in France. And that’s okay. Because I don’t believe that God wants subservient robots and I strongly believe that he likes us having real dialog with him. Even when things are hard. Especially when things are hard.

When I moved to France I thought it was going to solve all of my problems. I was sick of seeing people get engaged/married or posting baby pics on Facebook and I decided to DO something with my life. So I quit my job, bought a plane ticket and went (way harder than that, but you get the point). Then the first bad thing happened… and then another. And another and another and another and finally I started to wonder if I had made the right decision? Had I done something with my life, or had I ruined the perfectly good life I had already had?

Risk.

I’m not usually a very risky person. In fact, I would go as far as to say I adore being comfortable and secure. I don’t gamble. I don’t really like taking chances. I’ve ordered the exact same flavor of bubble tea at the exact same place for six years. It’s who I am. I like knowing what I’m getting into. So when I felt the extreme push in my life to move to France, I felt so certain that it was a divine intervention. Let’s be real, it pretty much had to be.

Fast forward nine months and my little idealistic dream boat had been battered and thrown into the shoals. It wasn’t painted and glowing with idealistic promises, anymore. That shit (sorry, mom) was borderline Titanic-post-iceberg status. All I wanted to do was to run away. So I did. And I’m okay with that decision, but I what I did next was wrong.

I tried to ignore and repress and never ever ever think about France.

In fact, I can honestly say I’ve been almost entirely removed from my experience up until the last couple of weeks. It’s very rare that I’ll talk about my experiences there. In fact, I basically don’t talk about that year, at all. At first I told myself that it was because I was too busy or that I had too much on my plate. But the reality was that I didn’t want to have to think about the fact that I had failed at something (or, at least, my definition of failure). France was not magical, fun, beautiful, a fairytale or anything like Audrey Hepburn described it. That’s a tourists dream. Not this expat’s reality.

And at the end of it all I’m still not sure that I have an answer for, “What I learned.” I know that I’ve become a much different person, because I can see it in the reflection of the people who were closest to me, before I moved. Since those changes were gradual they’re much harder for me to personally distinguish.

But I have changed. And I can feel it.

This year back in the U.S. has been one of the most hectic and crazy that I’ve ever had. At times I’ve felt like I was drowning in an ocean, too overwhelming to overcome. Other times I’ve felt so overwhelmingly loved and supported. Overall, this has been a year of drastic highs and earth-shattering lows.

I can’t even believe that one year has already passed. On the one hand it feels like no time at all, and on the other I feel like five years has passed in the course of one. Such is life.

It’s taken almost the entirety of the year for me to finally start having some pieces fall into place. A lot is still up in the air, but things will hopefully click, soon. Over the past year I’ve been bouncing between more jobs than I can count, I’ve moved four times, and I’ve been dutifully pay off the debt (Paris is hella expensive) that I incurred while living abroad (halfway done!) in addition to my student loans (also halfway there). If there’s one thing I learned in France, it’s that I NEVER want to have to think about student loans again, and the sooner they’re gone the better. I hate how “normal” it is for people my age to have tens of thousands of dollars in debt before they really even start their adult lives. It’s basically nonexistent in so many European countries, and I cannot wait to be done with them for good.

The highlights of this year? I’ve gone to three conventions, which was something I had placed on my bucket list while I was living in France. I’ve taken one trip out of the country (Scotland, Ireland, England) and three smaller trips (soon to be four) within the U.S. I’ve seen Riverdance (twice!) and Lord of the Dance, I started a Star Wars painting that will someday be awesome, and I started the process of writing/putting together a comic book with one of my friends. All in all this year has been so incredibly hard, but I’m so thankful for the friends who have held my hand, wrapped me in wool blankets with cups of tea and given me comic books to help me through.

Moving back from France was a really hard decision. It was a hit to my pride (because I honestly didn’t think I would ever come back) and it was a life lesson in how much I actually do need others to make it through this crazy circus called life. Today I was looking at pictures from just two years ago and it’s insane to think about how different things are, now. I was a completely different person. From my ideals, to the way that I approach life, I can honestly say that basically nothing is the same. Maybe this transformation will prove beneficial in the upcoming year. Maybe it won’t. But the point of this long-winded tale is: Fail you might, but try you must.

So here’s to one year of making shit work (sorry for the swearing, mom). The past few years have been just about anything other than what I thought they would be. And that’s OKAY. I give you all permission to be confused, and angry, and elated and to feel torn in a hundred different directions. Life doesn’t have to be exactly what we plan, we just have to be ready to keep moving forward, not matter what is thrown our way.

Review: Macleod’s Scottish Pub

Published on June 13, 2016September 28, 2016 by EmileeLeave a comment

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Let me tell you about a story about a girl who missed Scotland and never thought she’d find anything close in comparison to the food she had eaten there. Fish and chips were her favorite food in all of the world, but she never thought she would find anything close to the glory of the British Isles (and Ireland – duh). Then she stumbled upon this place: Macleod’s Scottish Pub.

Can I just tell you: This place has the best fish and chips that I’ve ever had in the United States, and the only thing that comes even close is 4,000 miles away. I don’t know what the recipe is, and to be honest I don’t really care. If you have any self respect for fish and chips (and a bunch of o 6c3acf2b75b472277fb7715662d54404 ther yummy British inspired dishes) make your way to this bar.

The music, the vibe. We didn’t even know how to handle how great a time we had. The service was great, the food was amazing and I’m so happy to have found a nearby spot to help with those “homesick” days (aka every day that I just feel like I need buy a plane ticket to Europe). The best part? The price. My plate, steaming with chips (for you Americans, that means fries) and a giant burger filled with in-house tarter sauce and a hearty size piece of fried and battered line-caught cod. All this accompanied by a tall glass of the best Lemonade ever. Total cost? $15. Come. On.

Ordered: Fish Burger and Chips, Lemonade

Where: 5200 BALLARD AVE NW / SEATTLE / WA 98107

Went: Friday June 10th, 2016

Wifi: Psh. You won’t even look/care.

Reservation Needed: No

Website: http://macleodsballard.com/

Notes: There is a Foosball table upstairs. If you’re not feeling up to a bar vibe, you can also experience a more diner-like experience next door.

I went back, again, and tried the Shepards Pie. Another beautiful dish that honestly was the best version I’ve ever had. A must try!

How To Staycation In Seattle

Published on May 31, 2016September 14, 2016 by EmileeLeave a comment

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It’s a pretty universal fact that Memorial Day Weekend is synonymous with taking camping trips and vacations in celebration. But this year we decided to stay put while everyone else travelled, which I know is shocking. But our weekend actually turned out to be such a great success, that I thought I would share our “staycation” details so that others looking to enjoy the beauty that is Seattle can, as well.

We started off our weekend with the greatest vacation of all: sleep. I think a lot of people underestimate how relaxing sleeping in really can be. So, rather than partying all night long on Friday we watched a quick episode of Vikings, and went to bed early. The best.

Breakfast/Brunch

If you’re ever looking for the perfect brunch, stop by Morsel on 15th in Ballard. Not only is this spot one of our new favorites, but all of the recipes are made on site, and you can taste the difference. I ate the “Fast Break” (without the cheddar) and it was so good, I literally couldn’t stop eating it. What makes it more than “just” a breakfast sandwich is the homemade tomato jam, which (to be honest) I was skeptical of. Shame on me. It was perfection.

Daytime Activities

Seattle is actually a great city to spend Memorial Day weekend in, because we host one hell of a party, known as “Folklife.” Not only is this a great place for food, fun and music but it also has a distinct hippy vibe that comes from our ‘cultural heritage.’ Oh, and lots of weed. LOTS. The best part is that it’s hosted right under the Space Needle and runs the entire weekend, which means FREE fun whenever it fits into your schedule.

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Our second activity for the evening was to seek out something that still had cultural significance, and was completely new for both of us. We found this at the 2016 Madaraka celebration at the Experience Music Project (EMP) downtown. We were pretty happy that this event was taking place and that it was right next to where Folklife was. After enjoying some Folklife funk, we headed over to the EMP. For those of you who don’t know, Madaraka is an Kenyan holiday that’s generally celebrated in June, but we were lucky for enough to be at this celebration, which was benefiting One Vibe Africa (which I would encourage all of you to check out!). We absolutely loved the musicians who represented all different parts of Africa and the African/African American communities in Seattle.

One of our favorite acts was Nik West, who is a brilliant funk goddess and was absolutely brilliant. She’s, perhaps, best known for her work with Prince, and she rocked the stage with a tower of purple hair, braided in mohawk. Check out her videos on YouTube for a taste of her amazing sound. I was so in love that after her first performance all I could say was, “That was perfection.”

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Morning

Sunday started out with a work meeting that I had to go to, but afterward we headed over to our local farmers market for some lunch. Then it was off to the movies! We walked over to our local movie theater for a matinee showing complete with popcorn and juice (because we’re old, yo – soda is so 5 years ago). We chose XMen: Apocalypse for our movie, because every weekend deserves a little bit of geek in it. The movie, we decided, gets a solid 6.5 stars. It was fun to go to, but overall nothing too exciting. I was pretty sad with the lack of character development for Storm, who is basically the reason I went to the movie. Such a loss.

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Dinner Time

After a little British Invasion via “The Great British Bake Off” our next stop was for a little taste of Italy, with a new restaurant called Pasta Bella. We’d never been to this restaurant before, but we were looking for something new and pasta sounded like perfection. The restaurant was amazing. Our starter was out of this world. And was an olive, tomato, onion, garlic dip with toasted butter bread. Amazing. I also had some yummy spaghetti and overall the restaurant will definitely be re-visited. And even better was that we snagged a Yelp $20 voucher!

Movie Night

To top off the night, it was my night to choose a movie and chose to watch Begin Again, which stars Keira Knightly and Mark Ruffalo and was a really fun watch. The story follows a the musical lives of a producer, guitarist, musician, Adam Levine and James Corbin (obv. under different names). It was a really fun movie, and I would definitely recommend watching it, if you guys have the opportunity.

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Relax. We slept in, I got a little bit of work done and that we topped it off with a BBQ with friends. Oh! And I finally finished reading my first Descender volume, which is an amazing comic you should all read. I’m such a firm believer in taking a day of rest, so I was just fine chillin’ out for this day. And there you have it. The end of a perfect weekend. Cheers!

Denver, CO: Day 2

Published on May 20, 2016September 14, 2016 by Emilee2 Comments

Well, it has been a bit of whirlwind since my second day in Denver, and I lost track of posting, but day 2 was filled with beautiful art and hipster coffee shops, so it is definitely something I still need to share. Denver wasn’t my cup of tea, as a whole, but I did love the art museum. Not only was it huge, but it also had one of the most extensive Native American exhibits I’ve ever seen.

Another happy little surprise was that I got in for free! I’ve been to most of the museums that it covers in Seattle, but if you haven’t checked it out, yet and you bank with Bank of America – look up your city for “Museum On Us.” Basically, the first weekend of every month you get in to museums (general admission, no special exhibits) for free. All you have to do is show your debit/credit card. Which is wicked awesome because I love museums like nobody’s business. On this round, it saved me +$20 dollars…which I then spent on books. But the point is, getting into museums is always a bonus.

Anyhoo, I thought I would share some of my favorite pics from wandering around the Denver Art Museum and Denver itself. One thing that I will say, is that being at some crazy elevation kept me from taking long days of exploring because I could not breathe. It was the worst. But, I did manage to visit a few spots before feeling like I was going to collapse from my faux smokers lung.

These were all made out of tree bark. Which makes me feel like I do absolutely nothing with the basic resources I have accessible to me.

One of my favorite paintings, which I bought a postcard for. I never thought of Denver as the “Wild West” but I guess it is. And that makes sense. Shame on me.

I wish you could see how big these cows really were. Something about cows, but there were statues of them all over the city. (*I know, I know, the city’s history or whatever)

Beaded purses that probably took a lifetime to make. It’s crazy to think that artifacts like this lasted hundreds of years. Talk about making something that will last a lifetime.

I love Native American designs so much. Maybe it’s my own heritage coming out, but I’ve always been so attracted to the beauty of intricate and geometric patterns.

Yeah yeah. A real chief’s feather headdress. As in not from an culturally appropriating ad. That’s right Free People/Urban Outfitters: I’m talking to you.

This pic does a good, but still not completely extensive job of showing how huge this space was. There was so much to see!

Be still my heart. I’ll take one of each.

This picture looks super cool and high-up like I’m one of those awesome photographers who climbs things in the name of their art form. Lies. It was taken out of a museum window. But looooook – mountains!

Somebody painted this by hand. Appreciate that for a moment.

So there were a couple of Samurai exhibits. The other one was an additional $20 to go see, so I chose to look at the main exhibit armor instead of the fancy shmancy ones. I don’t regret this decision. It was still pretty cool.

This picture has no significance except that I love beautiful rooms. And just outside there were two Monet paintings that made my heart soar.

5 Ways To Eat Healthy When Traveling

Published on April 26, 2016September 14, 2016 by Emilee3 Comments

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Dublin is the starting point for a lot of my travel stories. And when it comes to learning how to eat right, as a traveler, it’s no different. Before last year I had stumbled around the globe, trying to guess how to check off my food pyramid while traveling. But it wasn’t until I was staying at a hostel in Dublin, that I found out the secret of doing so. One of the things that I’ve always loved about staying at hostels is the exchange of ideas and stories. And amidst the buzz of knowledge I met some pretty awesome people, last spring.

Last year I spent a full two weeks in Dublin, and I learned a lot about cooking in a hostel setting from some of the pro-hostel guests (those who live in the hostel) – starting when a friend came out of the kitchen with a full on salmon dinner and vegetables. Australians.

But it wasn’t until this morning, while I was reading a Facebook post from one of my friends that I realized what a global (pun. ha. ha) a problem this is. Eating healthy while traveling in HARD! So, I thought I would share some ideas and tips that have personally helped me to travel a whole lot healthier.

1.Research Beforehand: Here’s the deal. If you’re staying in a hostel, or couchsurfing – check out what cooking resources you’ll have accessible to you. Some of the best memories I have from Couchsurfing have been around making meals with my host. Don’t shy away from asking to cook a meal (even if it’s simple)! Hostels should tell you online whether they’re equipped with a full, partial, or no kitchen. Plan accordingly. The key is to not be surprised when showing up. If you know what you’ll have accessible, you can make the most of those resources. If you’re staying in a hotel, don’t think you’re off the hook, either. Usually hotels will have refrigerators that allow you to preserve your grocery finds, and you can still plan out healthy non perishable foods to have on hand.

2.Go To Grocery Stores: This was some of the first advice I received when I set off on my first backpacking adventure. Not only is it important for eating healthy, but it will also save you a LOT of cash, in the end. Eating out is expensive, and while it’s definitely fun sometimes you should also be aware that the local grocery probably has some great healthy options that will save you money and keep you on the path to healthy travel. *Pro Tip: Leave your non-perishable food in “shared food” spaces, rather than throwing it out when you leave. Help out the next hostel traveller!

My General Shopping List:
Fresh fruit/veggies
Meat bought on a daily basis
Soup
Salad in bulk
Oatmeal
Bread bought daily (rather than buying a whole loaf, which I know I would eat, I buy rolls etc.)
Eggs
Pasta/Pasta Sauce
Some kind of preserved meat like salami
Nuts (Almonds, most of the time)
Granola Bars
Butter (not to go crazy, but because I like a little with my breakfast)

3.Cook For Yourself: Look up some recipes, and find some favorites that will work well without a ton of ingredients. A lot of hostels will have basics (oil, salt, pepper, sugar) but I wouldn’t count on anything else. Something great is recipes that include throwing all ingredients in a wrap of foil and putting it in the over. Easy clean up, easy eating and usually they don’t require a whole lot of seasoning (but are oh, so yummy!). Try some of these tasty options, next time you travel.

4. Invest In Some Tupperware And Ziplock bags: Here’s the deal. From the time you step on the plane, you’re going to have people pushing terrible food options in your face (think airplane food – don’t do it). The key is to have a better, yummier and healthier option, instead. I usually take 3-4 ziplocked snacks on the plane with me including cut up veggies, pretzels, dried fruit (or natural fruit leather), turkey jerky, almonds and a bottle of water (fill it up after security). I also always take a water bottle and some bags of healthy snacks with me while I’m walking around or on tours. The biggest temptations happen when you’re FAMISHED and not thinking straight.

5. Change Your Mindset: Here’s the thing. You’re never going to be able to do something you constantly tell yourself you’re no good at doing. So change it up! Realize that you’re entitled to eat right, and that just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you’re entitled to “break the rules.” Healthy living isn’t a punishment, it’s a privilege. And eating healthy while you’re traveling is a reward you’re entitled to.

Next Stop: Denver, CO

Published on March 26, 2016August 21, 2016 by Emilee1 Comment

Okay, confession. I bought another plane ticket.

It wasn’t planned. But something I promised myself I would do, once I got back into the U.S., was to explore the places in the United States that I wanted to see (even if it’s just on a weekend). So, I’ve decided to go spend five days in Denver, Colorado this May. Travel is something that’s so important to me. I don’t know that I’m really ever fully happy unless I’m planning a trip, or on one. I’ve wanted to visit Denver for quite some time, so when I saw $100 round trip tickets I decided it was time to take the leap. Honestly, the months of April/May is going to be some pretty awesome.

I’d be lying if I said that transitioning back to “normal” life in the U.S. has been easy. I don’t think I could have anticipated how much I’d changed during my time in France. Coming back, it was so difficult to just be my “normal” self, again. I think it’s only been recently that I’ve started to realize that going back to my old normal shouldn’t (and can’t) be the goal, here. I was a very different person before I moved to France. I had different priorities, I approached life differently and I my overall personality was different. But some shit (sorry, mom) went down, in France, that changed me a lot.

Some of it might have been for the better, and some not so much. But, regardless, I AM different and I think it’s taken me almost a year to realize that. Luckily over the past nine months I’ve built a pretty awesome life that I’m pretty happily settling into. Is it perfect? No. But it is something that makes me happy to wake up, and it’s completely different than anything I would have ever thought I would have. But that’s okay. It lets me do awesome things like buying plane tickets spur of the moment.

Back to Denver: I have never been to Denver and I’m not sure whether I’m going to Airbnb it, or if I’m going to Couchsurf, but I’m so excited! I definitely need suggestions of what to do/where to go from all of you who have been there/live there! I’m looking for restaurant suggestions, museums, parks, geek things, and any other little spots!

Here’s what I have so far:

Denver Art Museum (FREE on May 7th, since it’s the first Saturday 🙂 ) Gilterri exhibit , Samurai: Armor collection
Museum of Air and Space
Museum of Nature and Science: Chocolate the exhibition , Live show Destination Solar System
State Capitol Building
University of Denver
Molly Brown House Museum
The Denver Potters Association Spring Show @ Sixth Avenue United Church
Elie Caulkins Opera House, The Scarlet Letter, May 7th
Saint John’s Cathedral
The Black American West Museum & Cultural Center
Banjo Billy’s Bus Tours (Groupon!)
Walking Tours

Cheers to another adventure!

Stratford-upon-Avon, England: The Birthplace of English Literature

Published on March 11, 2016June 14, 2016 by EmileeLeave a comment

If you’ve ever wanted to time travel, Stratford-upon-Avon may be the right spot for you. While the little town is filled with modern conveniences, much of the century old history is still preserved within the town where Shakespeare was born, lived and died. From the buildings, to the food, to the Shakespearean quotes and statues, Stratford-upon-Avon is truly one of a kind.

I got a bit excited about seeing Shakespeare’s house.

I’d be lying if I said this city existed prior to me buying a plane ticket there. But I have a lovely friend who is studying Shakespeare there, and visiting friends who are living abroad, while traveling, is an absolute must. I have a strict rule that every time I travel I have to go somewhere new, and even though I had been to Ireland, Scotland and England before this trip, I tried to visit places that were new in each one.

Our trip over to Stratford was right after our time in Dublin, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t crying my way through the airport on my way there. But, such is life. Leaving Ireland is never easy.

12799089_10207903158310249_3572587434026728494_n — Photo Credit: Victoriana Dan while we were on the train to somewhere.

The plane ride over was the tiniest plane I’ve ever been on, but luckily I got my row to myself. We initially touched down in Birmingham, England which (I’m so sorry to anyone from Birmingham who might be reading this) honestly has the most bizarre British accent I’ve ever heard. Once we commuted a bit, we hopped on the train and were off! I honestly love taking trains across the English country side. It’s just miles and miles of green hills and sheep. If you ever just want to relax for 9 hours, take a train from Scotland to London.

When we arrived at Stratford we met up with our friend, Heidi and spent the evening getting a bit of a tour, watching a movie and ordering Indian food. ~~We were~~ I was pretty tired, so there may or may not have been some unplanned naps on the couch, as well.

I wish I had a photo of our food, but the meal AND the tea was lovely.

The next morning we started out things right with a trip to Benson’s for a true English breakfast and then a stroll around the town for me and Victoriana, after Heidi went to work. During this time we actually (consciously) got to see the town. I’m not gonna lie, one of my favorite parts was the Beatrix Potter themed shop, Timeless Tales where I bought a Peter Rabbit book and a silver spoon for my mom (who collects them, not just for funzies).

We also ventured over to Church of the Holy Trinity, which is where Shakespeare is buried. The overall beauty of the churches in Europe get me every time. Even in the smallest towns, the loveliest structures stand. I don’t think I ever would have guessed how storybook like a town could be, but I guess that’s the nature Stratford. We walked along the river and saw swans everywhere we looked (and they are scary – don’t get any magical ideas). The brick houses had ivy climbing the walls and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stood off looming gloriously in the background. It was magic, and I couldn’t help but imagine it in spring when all of the trees have their leaves and the weather is warmer. I think it would be the perfect spot for a writer’s retreat, and I definitely have it on my list of places I would love to go back to, to stay for a while.

10 Things To Remember When Packing

Published on March 9, 2016May 21, 2016 by EmileeLeave a comment

Hello all! I’m sorry to have been a little off with my posts, lately, but I’ve been working like a madwoman (the student loan gods require it) and so I haven’t had any time to post. The good news is that I’m going to have TWO posts this week, one today and then one probably going up on Friday!

For now, hop over to The Exploress and check out my piece about 10 little items that often get forgotten when packing for a long trip. It really is the little things that matter – don’t forget these beauties when setting out on your next adventure!

Cheers!