Category Archives: Travel

Travel Adventures and some BIG NEWS!

Sorry it’s been so long! I’ve been busy traveling with Tom, and then once we came home it’s been insane. The start of the new school year is next week, which means it’s been all hands on deck to get ready!

So, let’s start by getting some big news out of the way right at the top… while on vacation, I got engaged! Super exciting, and super surprising (even though we’ve been together for almost 8 years!). We were in Pittsburgh out to brunch with some friends when Tom said he wanted to stop by Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. We posed for a photo while his friend took our photo and next thing I knew he was down on one knee popping the question! I said yes (after first asking if he was joking 😬), and we spent the rest of the week celebrating as we traveled around New England.

New England, by the way, was absolutely stunning. It was definitely of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken. First we went to Mystic, Conn., where we stayed at a shack of a hotel but managed to have dinner in one of the nicest spots on the river. We then took a walk down main street and snagged some homemade ice cream. It was a gorgeous little town and I’d love to spend a long weekend there someday.

After spending a night in Mystic, we drove up the coastline, briefly stopping in Newport, Rhode Island; Hampton, New Hampshire; Boston, Mass., and finally stopping in Portland, Maine. I think that day was my favorite of them all. I loved seeing all of the little towns, and the coast had some of the prettiest sites you’ll ever see.

Throughout the entire trip, the weather was stunning, and once we were in Portland, we spent a day exploring the small coastal city and Cape Elizabeth, which is just a 20 minute drive from downtown. I LOVED Maine, and want to go back to spend some more time exploring and traveling north.

After a mild bout of food poisoning in Maine (I love clams and mussels, but they don’t seem to love me), we were off to Vermont! While driving to Burlington, we passed through White Mountain National Park and the views were STUNNING. I was fighting hard not to puke, so unfortunately I don’t have any photos from the park, but it was another spot I added to my “must-return-to” list.

We made it to Burlington late that night, grabbed dinner at a nearby Uno’s (which was the only place open), and crashed. The next day we woke up and wondered around the small town and Lake Champlain coastline. It was artsy and hipster-y, which I loved. We grabbed lunch outside at a tiny spot in town (where Tom got a burger with foie gras… how fancy) and then snagged some gelato as we headed out of the city.

After eating our way through New England, we wanted to do something outdoorsy our last day of vacation and were planning to stop in northern New York. But as we were driving, we realized that we wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and kayak the next day, so we muscled through the long drive and came home. The next day we went to the Schuylkill and made a day of it, though it wasn’t without its obstacles (mainly lots of flips over rocks, getting stuck on the damn, and paddling by river people who live by the water). Still, we had fun together.

Now that we’ve been home, we’ve spent practically every night at venue visits. Recently thought we found the dream location at a small farm in New Providence! I’m planning on slowing down the wedding planning slightly now that we have a venue, but I’m sure I’ll keep you all posted on it here!

It may have been a busy two months, but I can’t wait for what lies ahead.

#NSPRA2019 in Washington, D.C.

Bethesda Row.

Late last year, I had heard that the National School Public Relation Association (NSPRA) conference was scheduled for Washington, D.C. this summer. Since the conference is one of the best professional development opportunities in my field, and D.C. is just a short train ride away, I was able to get permission to attend. It also didn’t hurt that I went to college in Washington, D.C., so I knew the area well and was able to select a less-expensive option and metro to and from the conference every day. (We’re all about saving money where we can in public education!)

I booked it several months ago, and all of a sudden on Sunday the time was here! So, I headed to the MARC train (the best way to get in and out of the city for less than $20), and was welcomed with that swampy heat I remember from my college years. I spent Sunday checking into the conference, networking with others, chowing down on some CAVA, and re-familiarizing myself with my old stomping grounds.

On Monday, the conference began and it was AWESOME. We heard from a variety of speakers on a whole range of topics, including social media, strategic marketing, customer service, utilizing students as interns and more. One of my favorite speakers was Michele Norris, former NPR host and creator of The Race Card Project. Michele shared some of the stories that came out of the project and the importance of confronting your own biases. It was incredibly impactful.

Aside from the conference, being in D.C. again for the first time in 6 (!) years since I graduated was so nice. It felt so good to again hop on and off the metro, stroll around Bethesda and get an Elm City pizza with fried eggplant from Pete’s Pizza. I even hit up the American University Book Store to grab a new t-shirt, since mine was getting old and tattered.

Overall it was a WONDERFUL experience. In my former role, I had the opportunity to travel a ton for work, and it was always my favorite part of the job. It was nice getting a small taste of that this week in D.C.