My Downtown

I think that I am convinced that every city has a little charm. This past weekend I explored downtown Chambersburg, PA with my co-workers! While Chambersburg might not be "my city," but it is within my on-call boundaries and I loved being able to explore it for a few hours on Saturday. 

We started the day off at Brussels Cafe. Brussels Cafe is an adorable creperie located near the North Square Market! They offer a bunch of delicious crepes/waffles as well as coffee & macaroons! Another charming aspect of this cafe is the fact that they greet and call their customers by name. I was so pleasantly surprised that the owner called out my order by saying "Alexandria." -- Definitely not used to answering to that! They also will put your orders under names that you request, so it took me by surprise when I head "John Snow" being called out for a strawberry nutella crepe! 

The aesthetic in the cafe was hands down my favorite! Down to the hard-wood floors or the chalkboard on the wall that asks you the question "What Makes You Happy?" This space was chic! You could eat inside and outside (and if you chose to eat outside- you were surrounded by gorgeous brick walls with disney murals painted on them). I definitely plan to go back to Brussels Cafe -- hopefully when I'm not doing Whole30 because that John Snow's crepe was calling my name!

After my co-workers and I finished up with breakfast, we explored the North Square Farmer's Market! There were several booths that offered fresh produce. I loved the flower shop and the zinnias were begging me to buy them! Sadly - during RA Training (check out my insta stories for updates) I am never really in my apartment to enjoy them! 

I also tried kombucha for the first time! It has been on my bucket list FOR MONTHS! There was an adorable little booth at the farmers market and I knew it was time! They ran out of their lavender lemongrass brew, so I tried their featured drink that was apple based! Thank you Undone  for providing a delicious drink with completely organic ingredients [Insert Salsa Dancing Emoji]! Also, I totally love their concept of "rawsome!"

I will be job searching in less then 9 months and I will definitely be on the look for institutions with cute downtowns that I can explore! I love supporting local business' and would much rather go grocery shopping at the farmers market over the grocery store any day of the week! 

Where's your favorite downtown scene?

Millstone and Annapolis: Caitlin's Bachelorette

Hi Friends! To start I just want to say how grateful I am to all of you who have reached out to me when I re-joined the blogosphere. Your welcome back greetings warmed my heart so much! Today I am sharing how my dear friend, Caitlin's bachelorette party went. It was hands down one of the best adventure days I've had this Summer.

We started the morning off with some Yoga, Cider Tasting, and Brunch at Millstone American Farmhouse Cidery! We really couldn't have gotten any more millennial than what we did in that two hour visit to Monkton, MD. When we first arrived I was awestruck by the beauty of the cidery -- also totally just learned that word! When we entered the yoga studio the environment was so peaceful that I knew I was going to enjoy this experience.

On a side note, I'm not the most experienced with yoga. And when I say I'm not... my favorite part of yoga is the last ten minutes when you get to "breathe and reflect" and I get to "close my eyes and take a nap." Anyways the space that was created can only be described as somewhere that truly embodied zen. The yoga studio was three floors up and you were really one with nature. There were no windows in the space, which really allowed you to hear and connect with the outside world.

I imagine that room can get quite hot during the summer months -- but boy did we luck out! Yoga was so comfortable and I enjoyed breaking in my new yoga mat. I think one of my new semester resolutions is to practice more mindfulness and strengthen my hips... because they are WEAK!  

After the yoga class ended (and my baby nap was over) we rejoined in the main cider tasting room and tried five different ciders. My favorite was the Rhuberry, which you can find here! I was extremely pleased to hear about their commitment to a sustainable craft and how they used no preservatives! I would definitely recommend going for a tasting if you are in the MD area!

After cider tasting came the brunch, which really tied the entire excursion so perfectly together. Between the brie cheese with raspberry jam to the bacon with the brown sugar glaze this meal was divine. I literally tried everything on the table (except the pate- sorry not a fan)! Still dreaming about this brunch!

Thank you Millstone for a wonderful start to celebrating Caitlin's bachelorette! I definitely hope to visit again soon! After we finished up at Millstone, we all headed to Annapolis to get ready for the evening's festivities. Once we were all dressed, we made our way into downtown Annapolis to accidently stumble upon a gorgeous festival! There were so many vendors with so many things to browse and look at!

Our luck kept going with the weather for that evening! It was a perfectly cool evening on the water and we spent a lot of time just walking around the docks of Annapolis. For dinner we went to McGarvey's! On their menu they served Half & Half (Maryland Crab and Cream of Crab Soup) and  I fell in love with the combination. I'm a little disappointed that it took me 24 years of my life to pair the two, but I'm happy to know that there is still so much I can learn about MD culture. Another highlight from dinner was that a gentlemen paid for our drinks (now before you start freaking out mom, he did not talk to us at all).

After dinner, we all walked off our seafood filled bellies by the waterfront and took cute photos! Caitlin did not wear her sash, but so many people recognized that we were a bridal party and we were getting asked right and left about the details!

We ended the night with ice-cream from Storm Bros! I ordered a scoop of the caramel truffle and it was so delicious. There is just something so wonderful about homemade ice-cream! We got so lucky that all of our plans worked out for Caitlin's bachelorette day! Still can't believe she is getting married in less then a month, but I am so excited to stand by her side as she promises forever to someone!

Cheers Cait! Also... is it just me or do all bridesmaids become your best friends! Love this group!

Seven Thing I Learned In Europe

It has been over a year since I embarked on one of the best adventures I have been on to date! I have loved looking back at my TimeHops to see what I was doing at this time last year. It has been really nice to reflect on the trip and to feel nostalgic on all of those memories I made while in Europe. I can still recall how sad I was on the last night in Salzburg. There was a beautiful sunset and I kept looking up at the city skyline and the beautiful fortress and I just couldn't believe my time in the city was up. So, I have compiled seven things I learned when I was in Europe! Hopefully, if you get a chance to go to Europe one day, you'll learn the same things to.

(1) Travel smart and pack light

When I was preparing for my Europe adventure I read online that you should pack the essentials, but you don't really need to pack a lot of {not signature} pieces of your wardrobe. I really didn't understand that piece of advice. To me, I felt like everything I owned was a "signature" piece of my wardrobe... something I wore very regularly. But, when I was in Europe (during the Summer) I found that I didn't wear or use some things (like black heals) and then there were things I desperately wish I brought (sweaters and scarves). Obviously, depending on the region you go to, the climate can be quite different... but, if I could pack my suitcase again I would pack more books/wordsearches (all of those train rides), more dresses (black and solid colors), more scarfs to dress up the dresses, a few cute sweaters/wind breakers, and the cutest walking shoes that ever existed (still searching for those).  Which leads me to...

 (2) Enjoy walking everywhere & Public Transportation

My friends and I walked everywhere... one day Noelle and I decided that we would walk literally everywhere! We didn't use the bus pass we had or anything. We just did some old fashioned exploring and it was probably one of the best days of the entire trip. Enjoy all of the opportunities to walk around the old cities. Now, obviously you must be observant of your surroundings and only walk in safe areas (with friends & preferably in daylight). But, enjoy the opportunity to feel cobblestones under your shoes. Also, most cities in Europe have a fairly straightforward and easy to use Public Transportation... use it! It is a great resource and Europeans take pride in their transportation. Make sure your respectful and don't put you feet up on another seat (I know it will be appealing) but, it is considered rude and trust me one of the train employees will yell at you... and if you keep doing it you will get kicked off the train. Oh, and speaking of getting kicked off the train-- don't try to skip paying for the transportation. In most cases it is only a few euros at the most and that is a lot better than paying a 60 euro ticket! 

 (3) Take pictures of everything

Weird, but definitely something I learned. When I first got there I was very selective of what I took pictures of. I'm not really sure why? It's not like I didn't have unlimited space and or a laptop I could just upload all of the pictures on to. So, please take pictures of everything! Including cute little plates that were hand-painted for duchesses and dukes! (You can never have too many plate pics, right?)

 (4) Go to Beer & Wine Tastings

They really aren't too expensive! I went to a wine tasting in Italy and I think it was 5 euros for 2 hours and plenty of glasses of wine! Not to mention, you learn so much about wine in the process and about the harvest season. I also went to the Stiegl Brewery and took a tour/tasting there and I really enjoyed that as well. I learned a lot about the European culture on both of those occasions and would totally recommend it. 

 (5) Take touristy pictures

 And lots of them!! Who cares if you're pegged as tourist... enjoy it and get those pictures!!

 (6) Eat as much gelato as you can

Trust me, the gelati brand they sell in the States is great and delicious. But, I miss my rafealeo and fresh gelato on every street corner! If I had one regret about being in Europe it was not eating as much gelato as I possibly could. Trust me if you follow (2) you'll work it off no problem and your sweet tooth will always be satisfied. 

(7) And try new things

No explanation necessary for this one!

Baby Adventure

Last week, Josh and I went on a post-graduate celebratory adventure! Back in March we were talking about what we wanted to do with the two weeks I had before moving to Shippensburg, PA. We talked about maybe going to Williamsburg, VA or another city with a combination of fun, learning, and good food (oh and maybe some baseball)! Josh mentioned maybe going to Philadelphia and that night he saw that the Pirates would be in Philly the week we wanted to go away! So, we took it as a sign and started searching for a hotel and planning our itinerary. 

 We only made lists of things we wanted to do... like eat cheesesteaks, go to a Phillies game, see the LOVE statue, The Liberty Bell, and maybe do a tour of some kind. We wanted to leave the few days we were going to be there relatively unscheduled... but, still productive! We probably won't come back to Philly for awhile, so it was important we make the most of our time there while we had it!

 Our first stop (after successfully getting into the city) was the LOVE Statue! We picked up some brochures, got cheesesteaks, paid $26 for 3 hours of parking and had a ball! We got to the LOVE statue at the perfect time and the lines weren't long at all! We then drove around the city and learned where everything was.

After we got acquainted we checked in to the hotel... or the inn! We stayed at the Alexander Inn on 12th Street and it was lovely! We then found some cheap street parking and walked a few blocks to the Liberty Bell.

Of course we had to take an obligatory selfie with the Liberty Bell! The last time I was in Philadelphia for some site seeing, I was with my grandpa. I even bought this little mini- Liberty Bell and have it on my shelf! It has been almost eight years since I bought that little bell. Unfortunately, while we were in Philly we never made it into Independence Hall... the walk up tickets were always gone when we got there :( but, we made the best of it! 

After our first day was coming to a close, we drove to Citizens Bank Park to watch the Phillies take on the Pirates. This was the first time Josh and I were at the Phillies' stadium, so we got in really early to do some exploring. We had dinner inside the stadium (hot dogs-- our personal faves) and crab fries (a Phillies stadium delicacy). We even bought some ice cream! This was probably the most we have ever bought in a stadium (thank goodness for the power tickets that Josh bought)... however, I wouldn't have changed anything! The Pirates won and Cutch got a homerun. Josh taught me how to keep the book (F-9, L-8) and it was the perfect night. Josh thinks I'm a little good luck charm now that his Pirates did so well!

On Wednesday, Josh and I went to the zoo! This was probably one of the best zoos I have ever been too. For starters, the Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo, which is pretty cool. The animals were also really lively... usually when I go to a zoo the animals are asleep. But, not this time. We saw so many cute animals like otters and monkeys! I really liked that a lot of the animals that live there were rescued or are endangered. It was a great zoo experience all around!

That sign doesn't lie! So HOT!

I mean seriously! I got to go to the zoo with this cutie... I loved exploring Philadelphia with this guy. We had so much fun we even forgot to eat lunch! Before I knew it we were boarding a site seeing bus for a tour around the city (which, was totally awesome) and I realized we hadn't eaten anything all day! The walk back from Independence Hall was chilly and exhausting-- probably because of the wind and the lack of food. And even though we were tired, we got all dressed up and went out on the town. 

 We had a beautiful date night out! We went to this little cafe, which serves Chimay- a trappist beer. I tried that beer at a beer tasting and when I saw the sign I knew we had to go! After I had my Chimay and Josh had some soup... we went to an Italian restaurant for dinner. The rest of the night we spent snuggling up watching tv and relaxing our food babies!

The adventure flew by and it makes me so sad knowing it was over! The trip went way to quickly and I learned so many great things about this handsome guy and about the city of Philadelphia.

Making the Best of Failed Travel Plans

For Spring Break, my good friend Alex and I went to the Dominican Republic for some much needed fun in the sun! We had an absolute blast in DR and made some great friends... but, it was an adventure getting there. 

The day we left we had a 6:00AM flight... which, means we left my house at 2:00AM because of the snowy weather. We were definitely getting on that plane. However, the first officer didn't have the same thoughts as we did. We waited at the gate as 6:00AM passed and around 6:30AM we started to worry about whether we were actually going to leave the airport. It wouldn't have been a big deal, except we had a connecting flight out of Newark that was scheduled to leave at 8:30AM. Finally, when a new first officer arrived we were able to leave. But, since the flight was delayed we missed our connecting flight. We literally were sprinting through the airport only to find out that we missed our connecting flight by 3 minutes. 

Anyways, after missing our only chance to fly to the Dominican we began the process to find out what to do next. We stood in a customer service line for about 45 minutes and made plans to leave the following morning. United Airlines put us in a Ramada for the night and gave us $25 for lunch, dinner, and breakfast. Let me just say eating on that much in an airport and a hotel is not an easy feat.

However, through the process we learned a lot of important things. Some include:

remaining positive... this is probably one of the most important lessons we learned. Both Alex and I like our plans to go the way we plan them so we had to be flexible and go with the flow. Not to mention they basically extended our vacation by a night. We were still going to get the same amount of days in the Dominican and we got to have an adventure in Newark. 

be patient... I am a full believer that everything happens for a reason. So, even if you're travel plans to get mixed up know that it was for the right reason and be optimistic. 

go to the bar... I feel weird even writing that out, but making the best of a cruddy situation is the only option. Alex and I went down to the bar for happy hour and we ate appetizers for dinner. We were in bed by 8:00PM (I know we are wild) and we had the best night! 

be thankful... we kept reminding ourselves that although we were not in warmer weather or near a beach (haha we were in Newark without winter coats) we still had so much to be thankful. 

And in time the warm weather came! It felt amazing leaving that airport and arriving in DR. We also were bumped up to Economy Class on the way there and first class on the way back, which was really the icing on the cake! I feel so incredibly blessed for our little Spring Break trip and so happy that I had an awesome travel buddy! 

This "Dominican" Vacation: Planning Spring Break

TBT to when I went to the Dominican Republic with my family almost 8 years ago!

A few weeks back, my friend Alex and I were discussing what we wanted to do for Spring Break and after a lot of research (Alex is a champ) we found a deal via Living Social to spend our Spring Break in Dominican Republic. After a lot of consulting with friends and family we excitedly booked our Dominican Vacation and we couldn't be more excited. 

How to Plan Spring Break Trips:

Find people you like and who you would want to travel with! Nothing can ruin a trip more than (a) going with someone who annoys you and (b) someone who is not a good traveler. What are some characteristics of the "good traveler"-- organized, flexible, someone who can read a map/instructions, not too high strung... (did I miss any?)

Pick a place, choose your dates, and look for deals! There are a ton of online deals ranging from GroupOn, Living Social, Apple Vacations, Caribbean Vacations, etc! Doing research on your ideal location, deciding how much you want to spend, and how long you can go is a great way to start. For us, we knew we wanted somewhere warm (remember, if you're going out of the US you'll need a passport). We also knew what are available dates were and our price range $600-850. 

Book early! I kid you not, the day we booked our flights was also the day our flight price got raised by $40! Also, apparently Tuesdays are cheap days to book flights? That is what I have heard but, I haven't had any experience with that. So, yeah book early before those flight prices start to go up. Also, make sure you check all different airlines and availability. Flying out on a Monday instead of a Sunday can drastically change the price of your flight. 

Print everything! Maybe I learned this from my mom or maybe I'm just a compulsive planner, but have copies of everything. I printed out all of my confirmation emails and I have made copies of important documents like passports and credit cards. Make sure you keep your copies separate from the originals that way if you do lose the original, you also won't lose the copy!

Check the weather! Before you go on your trip make sure you know what to "expect" with the weather. Obviously, the weather changes all the time but planning for any type of weather will save you money and will make your vacation so much nicer. 

Plan to pack! I know that may sound ridiculous to plan to pack, but making a plan in order to pack is really helpful. Find out what stuff you have and what stuff you need. You don't want to be running around the night before trying to get everything. Remember to pack medications too! 

A Great Way to Start Off the New Year

I don't know about you, but my 2015 started with a bang of excitement and new places. Like seriously every part of so far has been amazing. On New Year's Eve, Josh and I went out with my parents to their friend's house. After ringing in the New Year we held our annual New Year's Day party and watched bowl games.

Earlier last week I got the idea that we should go to the Ravens vs. Steelers game in Pittsburgh! I have never been to Pittsburgh and it is Josh's favorite city, so after the Steelers won against the Bengals we started to make arrangements to go to the game.

So, Friday night we left for the city! I'm so thankful that Josh has family up there so we got to stay at their houses. Anyways, we got to the city around 5pm and Josh, his brother, and I explored the city. It was really nice having him show me landmarks and his favorite spots. The city itself is absolutely beautiful. Like seriously the bridges and the buildings were remarkable. We're hoping to go up during the summer time to see the pretty fountains.

We got in the stadium really early so we could get the free terrible towels! For dinner we got Primanti Bros cheesesteaks. If you're ever in the city I would definitely recommend going to there for lunch or dinner. It was probably one of the best sandwiches I have ever had.

So, we were probably the luckiest fans ever. All week they were forecasting rain for the game. We packed our ponchos (I went incognito so that way I didn't get harassed for being a ravens fan) and we were ready for the storm. But, it never rained and it actually started to warm up as the night went on. I couldn't have asked for better weather and I'm seriously so blessed that we stayed dry and warm the entire game.

I absolutely love this poor quality picture with my favorite guy!

Unfortunately for Josh and fortunately for me, the Ravens won! I couldn't really celebrate while at the stadium because I was surrounded by a bunch of Steelers fans. Josh was a good sport and the other fans were really nice. We had a blast road tripping up to Pittsburgh. We listened to good music and sang our favorite songs.