Things I'm Loving Friday LVI

I'm really glad I picked the last week of (my) summer to start writing again. I'm not sure what has gotten into me, but maybe I'll pop in a time or two over these next couple of months when inspiration hits me. Or when I have a free moment and something I want to share. But let's just focus on the fact that I'm getting a post out today. Another roundup of some Things I'm Loving lately, so without further ado, enjoy!

I Skeptically Tried Practicing Gratitude

If you have been around for awhile, then you know how much of a sucker I am for articles like this. If you start losing yourself on Instagram, you'll see a lot of posts with captions that include the word "grateful". And I totally understand that that word can elicit eye rolls from many. But I totally believe in the gratitude thing. There's a lot of negativity around us. And it's really easy to find things to complain about. But by consciously focusing on just five specific things to be grateful for each day, that's a game changer in my opinion. When I'm having "one of those days", I have to remind myself that every day may not be great, but that there's something great in every day. A little gratitude can go a long, long way, and I'm hoping to pick the habit back up at the start of the new school year.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

And with my 11th book of the summer, I present to you this monster written by Stephen King. This book had been on my list forever, but I was a little intimidated by the sheer length of it. I was an English major in college, and I am an English teacher, but I avoided reading a book because I thought it was too long. So, okay. Anyway, I borrowed this book from a friend and let it sit on my bedside table for a week or so before grabbing it as I was heading out the door for the airport on my way to Chicago. And guys, if you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and READ IT! I'm incredibly fascinated by the Kennedy family, and this book ultimately deals with trying to travel back in time to try and stop the JFK assassination. But more than that it deals with the idea of love and the butterfly effect and history and dancing and sappiness and do-overs and what ifs and some truly extraordinary characters. Once I really got into it I absolutely could not put it down, and though it is only my second Stephen King book, I see there being more in my future. 

Off-the-Shoulder/Cold Shoulder Tops

Sometimes I'm super on board with the big summer trend. Other times I'm not. This summer I'm 100% on board and then some. I absolutely love the off the shoulder trend that is taking over the Instagram world. Living in Houston (and honestly anywhere), summer months call for as little clothing as possible. But is still appropriate. Tank tops are always a go-to, but I'll be the first to admit that my arms are not my favorite part of my body. I'll rock shorts in the middle of December, but this off-the-shoulder and/or cold shoulder trend allows me to stay cool while not having to feel self-conscious about my upper body. It's a win-win! My favorite OTS top is this one -- only $35 from Nordstrom and it comes in so many fun summer colors! And I recently purchased a couple of OTS dresses from Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale and I can't wait for them to come in.

Dairy-Free Cupcakes
This really only helps my Chicago readers (do I even have any of you guys?), but this cupcake tasted so good that I think it's worth posting about. While on the Signature Dishes tour through Bobby's Bike Hike (which, if you are ever in Chicago, I highly recommend you do this tour -- we had a blast), we stopped for deep dish pizza, cupcakes, Chicago dogs, and beer. I was thrilled when we walked into this cute little bakery – Swirlz – and saw that there were multiple dairy-free options. For those who have a gluten intolerance, there are also gluten-free options available! I opted for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and even after telling myself I would only eat half, I ate every last crumb. And I think that's more important than the fact that the cupcake tasted delicious is the fact that I allowed myself to eat it. The entire thing. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I let myself eat an actual dessert that wasn't a cop-out like one scoop of sorbet or a bowl of fruit or something. And you would think I would understand this by age 25, but as it turns out, I didn't gain five pounds, it didn't affect how I performed during my half marathon, and while it's not something I am going to indulge in every single day, it was a sweet reminder that I can allow myself a treat every now and again.

Bitmoji
I know I'm incredibly behind the times here. But to be fair, I knew about Bitmoji as it was becoming popular, I just never acted on it. And the reason I finally created my Lizzie McGuire voice is because I saw other educators using Bitmoji in various Google forms, and I wanted to do the same. I'm definitely thinking of having my students create theirs so it can be used throughout the school year, but for now I'm enjoying communicating with my friends solely through Bitmoji expressions. 

Maze Dog Bowl

This one was an absolute game changer for Mack. And I actually learned about while on one of my dog-sitting assignments this summer. One of the dogs I stayed with was a Doberman, and they tend to scarf down their food in about four seconds flat. That's typically not very good for a pup's digestion, so his owner showed me her way of slowing the giant down - a Maze Bowl. My beagle is also one to just scarf down his food, cleaning his bowl in less than 30 seconds, but this particular bowl causes him to to take minutes to eat his mere half a cup of food (he's also on a slight diet, so I'm pretty sure he's always hungry). He has to actually work for his food, so I like to think that he's enjoying it a little bit more this way. These bowls come in different sizes depending on the size of your dog, and it is probably the best $9 I've spent in a while.

Have a great Friday, everyone! Make sure and do something fun and summery this weekend -- fingers crossed for sunshine here in Houston so I can get some last-minute work on my summer tan. Priorities!

Seattle Recap

Hoppy Easter, every bunny! I bet you’ve never heard that one before, huh? I hope you have enjoyed a wonderful day with family and friends, celebrating our risen King. I attended a church service last night, so because my pastor said so, I stayed in bed a few minutes longer this morning and didn’t feel one bit guilty.

Anyway, it’s been almost a month since I arrived home from my first trip to the Pacific Northwest, and I’m just now sitting down to write this recap. While I would have loved to take you through a day-by-day of my time there, that’s probably not what you want to read, and that’s something I’ve kind of gotten away from with this blog. Hence, the ‘recap’ in the title. But long live my Barcelona play-by-plays. Anyway, I’ll take you through some of the highlights (and lowlights…) as I relive my time in this beautiful part of the country.

First up, Seattle.

I managed to score a direct flight from Houston to Seattle on the first Monday of spring break. My uncle so generously offered to take me to the airport, and my only complaint is the fact that I had both a window seat and a 40 oz. water bottle on a five-hour flight. I tried not to bother my seatmates too much, but they tell you to stay hydrated while flying, right?

I got to Seattle around 6:30 PST, and it took me a little while to get from the airport to where I was staying in Northern Seattle, but it allowed me a fantastic sneak peak of the city in which I would be staying for a few days. I think my Lyft driver was secretly laughing at me as I made comments about the beauty of my surroundings every few minutes. It’s truly such a beautiful part of the country, though, and so unlike Texas in so many ways. Mountains and greenery and fresh mountain air all greeted me as I walked around exploring the quaint little neighborhood in which I was staying.

Which brings me to my next point. I was staying a little bit north of Downtown Seattle, but I cannot say enough good things about public transportation in Seattle. As someone who is so intrigued by and such a proponent of public transportation, you would think I would use it in my own city. But, because public transportation typically takes longer than driving from Point A to Point B, I usually reserve figuring out the bus or subway system for when I’m on vacation. When I don’t feel like I have to be somewhere at any certain time. I didn’t love the bus system in Portland, but we’ll get there. Anyway, it was a quick 20ish-minute bus ride to Downtown, and I used that time to whip out my Kindle and get through one of my three-and-a-half books of the trip.

Downtown Seattle is where I spent much of my time, and one of the first stops on my list was Pike Place Market. Pike Place Market is all that you have heard it is and more. It is a four floor farmer’s market, and it is absolutely unreal. It’s one of those places in which you can spend hours, and that’s just what I did one day during one of Seattle’s infamous torrential downpours. There’s produce and seafood and restaurants galore. There’s booths filled with handmade crafts, shops specializing in books, comics, art, and so much more. There’s flowers and fish-flipping, ice cream and chocolate, and fantastic views across Puget Sound. It’s crowded much of the time, but you would be missing out bigtime if you passed this place by.

One of my favorite things about Seattle was the walkability. I love Houston, but walking is not a big part of our city life. And though I was huffing and puffing one more than one occasion after tackling some of those Seattle hills, at least I got myself a fantastic butt workout. From Pike Place, I was able to easily visit the famous Gum Wall – no, I did not contribute – caught a glimpse of the Seattle Great Wheel, and spent some time just walking along the waterfront. It rained much of my first two days in the city, and while that was kind of a bummer, I feel as though I got the authentic Pacific Northwest experience. And I listened to my uncle who advised me against bringing an umbrella. Only tourists do that. So, it rained on my parade a bit, but I enjoyed having many of the cobblestone streets to myself for the afternoon.

Other downtown hotspots? Well, of course you have heard of the Space Needle. What is Seattle without it, after all? But I was told that the Space Needle is a bit on the overpriced side, and it’s another one of those touristy things to do. I’m certainly not opposed to being called a tourist, because that’s 100% what I was, but a little birdie told me that the view from the Smith Tower beats out the view from the Space Needle seven days out of the week. So, I made my way over to Pioneer Square and started the self-led tour. Right away I knew I had made the right choice. It had a very 1920’s feel to it, which happens to be my favorite decade, and the elevator up to the Observatory flooded back all the memories of my time spent riding the SRD elevator on move-in day. And while I can’t speak for the views from the Space Needle, the views from Smith Tower were unreal. It was one of those rare sunshine-filled days, and I could see for miles. I was trying so hard to catch a glimpse of Mt. Rainier – and the men at the bar inside couldn’t help but chuckle – but the clouds just wouldn’t lift. Other than that, I highly recommend checking out the Smith Tower Observatory. Stay for a while and have a drink or two – there are some truly fascinating people who live in Seattle.

From Smith Tower, I just had to swing by the Seattle Public Library. Hands down one of the coolest buildings I have ever been inside, and it was some of the very best people-watching I have ever done.  Each floor offered something different – I saw endless colors, interesting art, unique architecture, and of course, books on books on books. An afternoon well-spent for this bookworm English teacher.

And I didn’t just stay in Seattle. I took a ferry ride – sidenote: travel by ferry is the coolest – over to Bainbridge Island one morning, and spent a couple of hours walking around and exploring the quaint little island. On the way back, I braved the cold for some incredible views of the skyline approaching downtown Seattle. My fingers were frozen, but my photographer heart was happy.

One dreary afternoon took me to the beautiful University of Washington campus. For whatever reason, I absolutely love walking through college campuses, and this one did not disappoint. I can’t even imagine going to school on a campus as beautiful as that one. I was a little too early to see the cherry blossoms lining campus, but the architecture, greenery, and views blew me away. The star of the show was the Suzzallo Library Reading Room, which was something straight out of Hogwarts. I feel pretty confident that I would have spent far more time in the library if something that looks like this had been available to me.

And though it was a bit of a trek, I couldn’t help but make the trip out to Tacoma to see for my own eyes the high school and stadium used in one of my all-time favorite movies – 10 Things I Hate About You. I had zero shame in asking a student to take a picture of me in front of the absolutely stunning high school, and though I didn’t walk inside, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to attend and/or teach at Stadium High School. And Heath Ledger, you are forever in my teenage heart.

Finally, I can’t end this post without touching on what I came to the PNW to do: run. Seattle always tops the list of fittest cities, and I certainly understand why. Obviously the walkability factor has a lot to do with that, but there is a plethora of parks, and there was no shortage of people running, biking, or simply taking an exercise class. And I felt right at home, as one of my favorite things about traveling to a new city is exploring the city while on the run. I find some of the most hidden gems while running, and though it may take me a little bit longer to find my way back home, I consider it time well-spent. Tuesday’s wet sock-filled run took me to Carkeek Park – a quiet park filled with hiking trails, side streams and creeks, and even a beachfront. The hills were plentiful, but they offered me the time to stop and take in the beauty of my surroundings. And it was a hop, skip, and a jump away from where I was staying. 

Thursday took me to the highly recommended Green Lake Park, and you guys, I am green with envy toward those who get to start their days there each morning. This three-mile loop afforded me some of the most magical views, and on that first mile I probably stopped every 50 feet to take yet another picture. It was the happiest, most joy-filled run I had taken in a while, and it left me feeling great about Sunday’s half marathon. Stay tuned for more on that.

I absolutely fell in love with the Emerald City, and I was so bummed to bid it farewell on a perfect sunshine-y day. But because this post is already long enough, I’ll save Portland for a post of its own. Have a great rest of your Easter Sunday – He is Risen, indeed!

Solo Travel: My Thoughts

Hello from Houston! I am back from a most marvelous vacation. A much-needed escape from reality. A trip to a part of the country I had never before experienced. And it was absolutely beautiful. Cold and rainy much of the time, but absolutely jaw-dropping. And it reminded me, as every trip I take reminds me, that there is so much beauty in this world if we only take the time to get out there to explore and appreciate it. I am always so grateful for the opportunity to travel, and I will never regret money the money I spend to see other parts of the country and world. Even if it means I’m never shopping at Anthropologie again. But there is nothing I love more than sitting down on my couch and scrolling through photos from a past trip, remembering how I felt in that moment, reflecting on everything that I learned (though I still don’t know what was in that lotion that I was allergic to … ), and appreciating the fact that I put myself outside of my comfort zone.

And nothing puts me more outside my comfort zone than traveling solo. Actually, my trip to Argentina this past summer was my first TRUE solo travel experience. I had traveled with friends, I had vacationed with family, but this was my first time having to plan out everything on my own. And then execute it. And I shocked quite a few people with the announcement that I would be traveling to South America 100% by myself. I have friends who still don’t really understand why I did that. And in the days leading up to my departure, I wasn’t really so sure myself. But once I got over there, and I experienced the freedom that comes with traveling solo, I vowed that I would do it again. So, I did. I stayed in the country this time around, but it was an adventure nonetheless. And for those of you who remain skeptical about the benefits of traveling solo, I’ve put together a list of reasons why I think everyone should do it – at least once.

1. You’re forced to spend time with yourself

It sounds silly, but how often do you spend time with just yourself? As a high school teacher, I don’t have a ton of moments to myself. I’m either teaching English or coaching volleyball, and when I’m not, I’m talking to a student or colleague before school. I’m helping a student with test corrections on a recent exam. I’m talking to an assistant principal about a student. And I love everything about my job. But traveling solo forces me to learn how to be alone with my own thoughts. It forces me to make my own decisions. It forces me to reflect on the day and my relationships and what is truly important to me. The things I sometimes miss when I’m constantly surrounded by others.

2. You meet and converse with new people

When you travel by yourself, you don’t have the ease of turning to your friend or family member and tuning out or ignoring everyone around you. But when you’re by yourself, you don’t have that option. Sure, you can talk to yourself, and have people think you’re crazy, or you can keep to yourself, which I definitely do much of the time, but you can also engage in conversation with those around you. People are so interesting if you just take the time to listen and talk to them. And as someone who loves hearing other people’s stories, this is such a gift of traveling solo. I fifth wheeled (literally, on a biking wine tour) with two of the most fascinating couples when I was in Mendoza. They weren’t much older than I am, but they have been ALL over the world and have experienced so much. It left me hungry for more! And on the bus back to my place in Seattle, I had the most lively bus driver, and I overheard a conversation he was having with a fellow passenger about college basketball teams and March Madness. When that passenger got off the bus, I chatted with him about my beloved Longhorns, and he had much to say about Mack Brown, Charlie Strong, and the recent hiring of Tom Herman. I got off the bus with an unexpected smile on my face due to an unexpected conversation with a stranger.

3. You realize that there are still kind people in the world

Going along with the meeting and conversing with new people, you realize that there are still kind people in the world. When I travel, my faith in humanity is restored. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely some goonies out there, but more often than not, you realize how wonderful other people truly are. When I was in Argentina, people were more than willing to point me in the direction I wanted to go. Most recently, I was cutting it extremely close to make my flight back home to Houston from Portland. The airport shuttle was running late, and a man, who happened to be standing in the lobby when all of this was going down, so graciously offered to take me to the airport so as to not miss my flight. He expected nothing in return, rather he offered the parting words that he had experienced the ordeal of missing a flight, and was glad to be able to help to make sure that I did not have to go through that.

4. You feel a sense of freedom and independence

One of the best things about traveling solo is being on your own schedule. I can wake up when I want, I can eat what I want, when I want (dessert before dinner? Sure thing!), and I can spend as much or as little time as I want at each of my destinations. One of my biggest regrets (annoyances?) is that I didn’t get to spend as much time as I would have liked roaming Shakespeare & Company while in Paris, but my cousin wanted to move onto a museum. But being on my own allows me to spend hours in a bookstore, and enough time in a museum to appreciate the artwork, but not so much that my eyes glaze over. I prefer to walk everywhere, as that’s often when you discover the most hidden gems, but not everyone is down to walk a mile or two in the cold rain. And while I typically like to pack my days full of activity, I can also slow it down if I want to, and not worry about messing up anybody else’s schedule. I can march to the beat of my own drum – the true sense of being an “independent woman”.

5. You learn how to handle bumps in the road

It wouldn’t be a vacation if you didn’t hit some sort of mishap. And I’ve managed to have a couple of them with each trip that I take. And while I can call my dad and moan to him about my problems, ultimately, he’s in Houston, and I’m wherever I am, so it’s up to me to get it figured out. If I’m lost, I better figure out how to read a map and get myself going in the right direction. If I’m having an allergic reaction, I better get myself to the closet medic. And the best part is – you do adapt, and you do figure it out. You may have to ask for a little help along the way, but you get done what you need to get done. I’m so used to calling my parents whenever something doesn’t go my way, but traveling solo forces me to make the decisions that I’m more than capable of making.

6. You step outside your comfort zone and experience new things

I’m an introvert to my core. And I’m also Type A to my core. Which means I love having a routine. I live and breathe by my schedule. I wake up at the same time each day, eat very similar meals at pretty much the same time each day – it’s what’s comfortable for me. But as much as I love having a routine, it’s also so necessary to get out of that routine every once in a while and experience something new. Growth happens outside your comfort zone – trying new food, trying new methods of transportation (side note: I absolutely LOVE figuring out public transportation systems when in a new city or country!), walking with no direction, and being okay with things not going according to your plan. My days spent traveling are never anything like my days in Houston, and I’m pretty okay with that.

7. You read a lot of books

You’re traveling alone, but you still have to eat. And for whatever reason, the very thought of eating alone terrifies some people. And while I love a shared meal, I love dining solo, with just a book to keep me company. It’s crazy to me how, when I’m eating at home, I tend to reach for my phone to keep me company. But when I’m traveling, I always reach for a book over my phone. Maybe it’s because I feel as though I’ve taken a step away from my typically fast-paced lifestyle, and I can put the phone away for more than 45 minutes. That whatever book I’m engrossed in is more important than what was posted on Instagram. While I’m definitely posting pictures of my trip as I go, I also feel less pressured to keep up with the social media scene, and instead escape into the world of the characters in my book.

8. You learn what’s important to you

I learned that I am the type of girl who spends all of 20 minutes getting ready in the morning. I throw on athletic clothes, brush my teeth, and pull my curly mane back into a braid. I don’t have to have every hair in place before I leave, nor do I spend any time putting on make-up. I get up early, and I’m quickly out the door ready to begin a jam-packed day. I learned that I’m the type of person who values outdoor adventures over spending hours in a museum. There is definitely a time and a place for museum exploration, but I cap off at about an hour. I learned that I’m a planner. Okay, I already knew that, but I like to start my day with some sort of plan. I may add and subtract from there, but I like to have a sense of direction to my day. Otherwise, I often feel as though I’m wandering around aimlessly. I do some of my best wandering when on vacation, but I like to have a purpose to my wanders.

And most of all, you learn. Traveling – be it solo, with family, or with friends, is such a learning experience that I hope I never take for granted. I will never feel guilty about the money I spend to travel because what I learn while traveling is not at all possible to learn from a book. In fact, as my uncle was driving me home from the airport last night, we were talking about that very thing. I may continue to get shocked responses when I tell people that I explored a new place alone, but I will continue to be thankful for each experience. Even a weekend alone in a city just hours away from where you live is a solo travel experience, and I promise it’s one you’ll look back on and remember forever.