Snowy Roads.

I have a reoccurring dream that I’m standing at a starting line of a race and my legs won’t move.  And, another one where I’m driving a car and the brakes won’t work.  These dreams can only leave me to surmise that I’m typically somewhere between not being able to move and unable to stop. 

I’ve written a lot about traveling as a way of life.  Traveling through emotions.  Traveling to new destinations.  Traveling through experiences.  Seeing the good, understanding the negative, and keeping perspective toward the mundane.  But, when patience is tested, when the road is less exciting, and it’s an icy up-hill, it’s easier said than done.  Actually, it’s hard to even say it.  It’s easier to just maintain silence. 

It’s been a journey full of snowy roads lately.  And, they are pretty.  In retrospect, of course.  When we’re on them, they are scary.  The slipping, the sliding and the wheels turning with no apparent forward motion.  And, we’ve all been there.  Even those of us who have lived in sunnier climates, we too have had those slippery days.  Those scary moments.

But, oh, the retrospection.  It’s through this we realize that our seemingly futile attempts to gain traction actually work.  The spinning tires are a good thing, despite the frustration.  And, somewhere between unable to move or stop, you find a route you didn’t know you would take.  It too is pretty.  In retrospect.

Cheers to snowy roads {and analogies!}.

Wandering Home.

I wanted to finish sharing the details of our journey from Florida to Iowa.  I really did.  But, it seems the fast-forward button got stuck on the remote that controls my life.  Maybe I was eating too much Jerry Cherry Laffy Taffy and that's what did it.  In short, I don't know where the time goes.  But, ever one to keep my word... here's a quick recap of our trip that was, gasp, over a month ago now!

We hit Smoky Mountain National Park, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bloomington, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois before we finally found our way home. We laughed a lot.  Fit in time with family and friends, and even managed to work a little.  

I had to include this photo because it just may be some serious home decor inspiration.  I love the mix of natural wood, metal and the pop of turquoise.  I think I was supposed to be learning how Bourbon is made at this point in the trip but was distracted by the feel of the room!

I don't mean to gloss over the trip.  It was amazing.  It was the cherry on top of our sundae that has been the last two years.  And, I love maraschino cherries!  But, somehow when I sat down to write the last of these short stories, this is all I had left...

Marion, Iowa.

I used to try my best to not use the term “home” when I referred to Iowa.  I believe in creating your home wherever you go.  I think it’s important to feel at home in new experiences, in your skin, in unknown places, with different people and, overall, in your life.  But, then I climbed into my own bed on Bellboy Drive with the windows open and a cool breeze coming in and I started questioning everything I believed.  Because, well, this feels like home.

CHEERS!

Short Stories From Traveling Home Pt. 1

Savannah, Georgia.
Sometimes when I eat really good meals I plan my last bite out in advance.  I know exactly the flavors I want to linger in my mouth.  Like, when I’m eating seafood ravioli I know the garlic bread isn’t the winning last bite; it’s the noodle, a bit of ravioli stuffing and a bunch of sauce, washed down with a swig of wine.

Anyway, Savannah wasn’t like the all-knowing last bite.  I couldn’t figure out which part of Savannah I wanted to experience last.  Each time I turned the corner to see old buildings, beautiful homes, huge trees, frozen drink bars, breweries or, wait for it, FORSYTH Park, I wanted to let each of those experiences linger longer.  I wanted to freeze-frame the stories my husband told me of his younger self wandering this town many years ago while stationed at Ft. Stewart.  I wanted to knock on the doors of beautiful homes and ask if they wanted a houseguest for ever a while.  And, I wanted more peach sangria, and more people watching while eating pizza.  But, that’s the problem with road trips; they’re short.  You have to come and conquer in a hurry, and hope that the memories are solidified in your brain until next time.

Charleston, South Carolina.

Unfortunately, we were early for the whole Blake Lively / Ryan Reynolds nuptials.  But, I understand why they chose to get married in this location.  It is romantic.  Romantic like it feels right to walk into a beautiful restaurant, and splurge on the whole experience.  And, hold hands while exploring.  A morning run even feels romantic in this town.  I think it’s the scenery, but it might be the buildings, or brick roads, or fountains.  Or, it might have been the sight of my husband’s face when he spotted his utopia – a coffee shop / bakery / carrier of craft beers – at the end of said run.

{The bar pictured here is Closed For Business - Worth a stop if you're around!}

Asheville, North Carolina.

Something about Asheville made me laugh.   It started upon arrival and it really didn’t stop.  Maybe it was because the town reminded me of Portland and I couldn’t contain my excitement.  Maybe it was the amazing meal (the best of the entire journey!).  Maybe it was because, after a few too many beers, Andy and I thought we were hilarious in all sorts of weird ways.  Or, maybe it was because Asheville is confused about whether women need to wear shirts.  And, I was caught off guard.  And, I need to grow up!

CHEERS!



Leaving Melbourne

This has been a hard post for me to write.   I’ve started, erased what I started, put a title up, erased it, and restarted, no less than six times.  This is the end, but it’s also the beginning, in the whole when one door closes, another opens, way of thinking.  This is the end of our two-year “traveling adventure," and it’s the beginning of a road trip that we’re excited about {posts from Savannah, Charleston, The Smokey Mountains, Bloomington, and Chicago coming soon!}.  It’s the end of one chapter but the beginning of a whole new one.

 

The more I think about wrapping this chapter of our story up, the more I think about previous chapters.  When we left Iowa, it was a stressful time.  At one point, while I gave myself fully to a job, a fiancé who was grinding through law-school, and a family enduring what many families have endured the last few years – the gruesome effects of unemployment – my body revolted and developed a rash that covered much of my torso.  All-the-while, I planned a wedding and hoped the rash would be on its way in time!

So, when we pulled away from Iowa, I shed no tears.  Far from home, I found a place to become a more balanced version of myself – sans rash!  Andy and I found a stride as a couple in Oregon.  We learned how to exist without any preconceived notions of who we should be, and somehow found our way to a new us that felt more genuine.  I did shed tears as we left Oregon.  My trembling Bambi-like legs were unsure if they could support me without the comfort of an unknown place full of inspiration.

Saying goodbye to the beach!

We arrived in Florida and immediately felt less connected to the area.  But, we hit the ground running.  Literally.  With the Florida sun shining down, we put those legs to the test and began to train for a marathon.  These training runs saw our hearts and determination stretch further than I had ever seen them be stretched.  But, more than that, these runs saw the same version of Andy and myself that we had come to rely on in Oregon.  Soon we grew an attachment to our new state and our legs became even stronger – more like Bambi as a full-grown stag!

And, the sun sets on this chapter!

What I tend to like most about each of our chapters, is that they are unremarkable.  Our story is like so many others.  Our road has speedbumps, and twists and turns, just as everyone's does.  But, we have been lucky to experience this trip together.  We made a decision early on to allow this experience to be an adventure.  The thing about adventure is that it grows in your heart, and the more you feed it, the more it wants to be fed.  So, I know we'll keep feeding, keep growing, and keep watching doors open!

CHEERS!

Key West

I have to say that I was hesitant when we decided to head down to Key West.  I had only heard great things about the area but, for some reason, it wasn't at the top of my "have to see" list.  Fortunately, the area exceeded all of my expectations!

Since it was just Andy and I, we sought out more low-key areas to enjoy cocktails, the night life, and dinner while still taking in all that Duval Street has to offer.  Here are a few of our recommendations...

• Sunset Pier:  We had some awesome nachos and pina coladas as we watched the sunset on our first night.  This was a great way to start our weekend and we'd highly recommend this stop!
• Sippin:  We found this little coffee shop one morning, and I have since had a reoccuring dream about the key-lime croissant that I had with my coffee - AMAZING!

A Key West Sunset

Remember the croissant will haunt you... in a good way.

• El Siboney:  This place is off the beaten path but well worth the walk.  If you like Cuban food, I'd recommend their Ropa Vieja.
• The Porch:  We were excited to find this low-key bar right on Duval with a great selection of craft-brews.
• The Gardens Hotel:  We wandered into this hotel because we saw "wine bar" on their sign.  In the back, you can put money on a card in order to taste the many wines they have on tap while walking through their gardens.  The wine was great, the atmosphere was great, I can't imagine how great it would be to stay at the hotel!
• Sloppy Joe's:  Ok, this one is more renowned but we loved the pina coladas here, and even found that they had a good selection of beer on tap at the small bar in the back.
• Fort Zachary Taylor State Park:  Thanks to Andy's research, we knew that beaches in Key West were somewhat hard to find.  So, we headed to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park to spend a relaxing afternoon reading on the beach! 

The obligatory Southernmost Point photo!

A few Key West snapshots.

CHEERS!

Clarity in Travel

One day, a few years ago, Andy mentioned to me the idea of a job that would move us to a different city each year for three years.   Typical to many of my emotion-first reactions, I shut-down the idea before he could explain further.  There was no way that I would give up my career while we wandered around the country exploring his – especially when there were perfectly good jobs to be had in Iowa.

But, if my husband is nothing else he is persistent.  And, as the economy took a tumble, the idea of leaving the familiar behind became intriguing.  We kept talking, as we often do when it comes to big decisions, and, in the end, I came around.

Today, what I had originally feared has become the best two years of our lives.  And, what was once familiar seems somehow intimidating.  With all these emotions in tow, we headed out for one last trip before the big move back.  And, true-to-form, we didn't touch the radio dial on the drive from Melbourne to Key West.  Instead, we talked through much different emotions and decisions than we had just a few short years ago. 

We stopped in Key Largo, to break up the drive, and found our way to Bahia Honda State Park.  We lucked-in to two spots on a boat that was heading out to do some snorkeling.  After a quick 45-minute boat ride, we found ourselves in the middle of the ocean with strangers, snorkeling equipment, and much to explore.  I jumped in, and felt the butterflies of anxiety before I blew up my life-vest, got my mask and snorkel situated and grabbed my husband's hand.

The last few years I have read a lot about why people travel. For most people it's to escape. It's a time to leave the computer and cell-phone behind, and live in the moment. Then there are those who find that the unknown provides clarity. I remember the day we left Iowa like it was yesterday; just as I remember the day we left Oregon. What I remember is inching closer to a place of clarity. A place that says that we can travel – seek out that escape – everyday not just while we're on vacation!

As the hour and a half of snorkel exploration evaporated in what seemed like minutes, I realized that there was nothing to be intimidated by. Not in this ocean and not in what lies ahead. There will be different bumps in our road, and there may be less "new" places to drive to and explore, but there will be no less adventure. Because, if we can continue to dive into life the way we dove into the ocean, continue to hold each other’s hand as we see and do what's new, continue to kick when the other is tired and laugh along the way, than we can continue to live in this place of clarity!

{More from Key West later this week!}

A Few of Our Favorite Travel Tips

We are planning a quick weekend getaway.  We are excited for this trip and plan to soak up the last of our "us" time before we head out on a much longer trip {back to Iowa} in a few short weeks.  As I was packing this morning, I realized that we've learned a thing or two about traveling the past two years.  So, I thought I'd share a few tips on how we get up and go without killing our wallet!

1.   We always pack snacks!

I love to eat and especially love enjoying local food when we’re traveling but, let’s be honest, our bank account {and waistlines} can’t handle eating every meal out while on the road.  So, we typically arm ourselves with snacks to get us through the day to cut down on the meals that we end up eating out.  We have found almonds, PB&J, pita chips and hummus, water, and Starbucks Double Shots do the trick just fine.  In addition, we will sometimes pack beer and wine in case we want to enjoy a cocktail at the hotel before heading out in the evening!  Finally, we love to share meals when we do eat out.  Again, this saves us money but also leaves room in our bellies to enjoy local brews or a glass {ok, multiple glasses!} of wine.

2.   Free breakfast!

Of course, when you’re flying somewhere, rather than driving, it can be hard to lug along a giant bag of snacks.  This is when I typically try to find a hotel with a continental breakfast.  You can get through a morning of exploring by grabbing a yogurt and a few bananas as you fly out the door.  One caveat that I will add, however, is that we love coffee.  We will often grab our free breakfast to-go, and seek out a local coffee shop to enjoy their brews.  And, we collect Starbucks mugs from across the country so if we can’t find a local joint, we’ll always stop in a Starbucks! 

3.   Be Brand Loyal!

Is this a travel-tip list or my marketing philosophies?  Well, both, I guess!  I love reward programs and am a member of many.  When we fly, we typically fly Delta.  So, I’m pretty brand-loyal there and that translates into my hotel stays.  If we are a member of a reward program at a hotel that we don’t stay at often, I ensure my points go toward my Delta miles.  However, we have a few favorite hotel chains, and for those we stick with accruing their points that offer free stays down the road.  I also seek out their promotions that can offer 4x (or more) the points at different times during the year!

4.   I LOVE Groupon Getaway and Living Social Escapes!

When we start planning a trip I typically head to Groupon and Living Social to see what kind of deals they have in the given area.  We have had great luck so far.  Hotels often offer good deals on stays and include vouchers for food and drinks while you’re there.  I love this because it gives us a chance to head to the bar, grab a drink, and ask the bartender for local recommendations! 

Last year, when we went to Vancouver, we had a pretty specific budget and no specific plans so I hopped on Groupon and bought a deal for our hotel and multiple attractions in the area.  The Groupons lead us to cool local restaurants and different parts of the city that we may not have otherwise sought out.  In looking back, this was one of our all-time favorite trips!

5.   Social Media Rocks!

Again, what’s with the marketing director appearing in this post?  I love to ask for recommendations!  I don’t go many places without shooting a Tweet asking for must-see areas!  When we were planning our trip to Napa, I reached out to our favorite wineries in the Willamette Valley on Twitter for recommendations.  I then researched the recommended wineries on Facebook to learn even more, and all that research proved fruitful!  We also never underestimate our friends and family who will point us in the right direction based on their experiences in a given area!  

How’s that for a morning mind-dump?  Balancing our budget, and need for adventure, can be tricky so we are always looking for more tips on how to accomplish this task.  What do you recommend?

CHEERS!

Who Says You Can’t Go Home?

It was a few weeks ago when I made the drive from Waterloo to Cedar Rapids to work for a day.  On the drive I heard one of those songs that stays in your head and really starts to bug you.  You know it.  It’s by Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles.  But, this time, I turned the song up, and started singing along.  All the sudden it seemed it was written for me.

Because, after this particular work-day, I would pick Andy up from the airport and drive us down to Davenport for a good friend’s wedding (the first of two wedding-weekends in a row!).  And, I had already started receiving text messages from friends who were sharing in my excitement for the weekends ahead.  The words never rang more true.

“…There’s only one place they call me one of their own.”

 

So, we checked in at the hotel in downtown Davenport, and headed right over to have a beer at the first of many “old stomping grounds.”  Front Street Brewery had an ice-cold Cherry Ale on tap for me!  It’s funny how it tasted even sweeter than remembered as I kicked-off my vacation home.

We celebrated the new Bowers into the morning hours two nights in a row, and woke up early to suck in as much of our home state as we could.  We hit the Davenport farmers market, a little café for breakfast, our favorite coffee shop, grocery store, and hotelVetro!  All of this in just the first weekend! 

And, then we spent the week with family.  Kissing baby heads, helping siblings, and drinking wine with good friends.  All the while we were making phone calls, and getting ready to officially start building our road back home. 

“...I went as far as I could, I tried to find a new face, There isn't one of these lines that I would erase…”

At the end of the week, we went ahead, and signed our first mortgage papers.  And, it felt right.  We are ready to put down some roots.  To move to Marion, Iowa in September.  To come home.

“…It doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter where you go, if it's a million miles away or just a mile up the road, take it in, take it with you when you go…”

Yeah, I took a pic of Andy signing the papers.  Be jealous of Andy's embarrassing wife!

And, we were lucky enough to celebrate our next step as a married couple with great friends as they begin their personal journey. 

"...Who says you can't go home!?"

Congrats, Betsy & Caleb!

We've got some first-timers!

Except for a quick work trip for Mr. Wendling last week, we have been sticking pretty close to home lately.  But, we are traveling through a whole slew of cool life-happenings.  The biggest one being that we are inching closer and closer to home-ownership.  Because of this paper-pushing process, we can't help but look ahead at all our life has in store for us in the next few months.  New walls.  New furniture.  Another new address - one that is ours!

It's in these moments that I try to take a deep breath.  I try remember to stay in this moment and not move too quickly to those future ones.  I try hard to savor the moment where I look on as my husband leans on that pricey degree to purchase us a home.  I make a conscious effort to absorb the moment when I answer his call to hear the amount I need to send in for an appraisal only to realize we don't know where to send it because, after all, we are first time home-owners! 

I raise a glass to us every-so-often so we remember to celebrate along the way because I can feel life as we know it evolving.  I feel this new responsibility building and I know that quickly we'll see in this new place only the changes we want to make.  And right now, well, it's a pretty cool moment.  One that I'm going to do all I can to savor.

Savoring??

CHEERS!

A Little Celebration and a Little Reflection

This is what 34 looks like.  Yup, toothpick and all!

You see, 34 is reflective.  You have a little life behind you, a whole lot more ahead and a brand new bottle of bourbon from your brother.



Two years ago, yesterday, we asked our friends and family to join us in the blistering Iowa heat to be witness to the choice we were making.  Since that day, we have seen more blistering {Florida} days and made many more choices.  But, each morning we make the same choice we did that very day; to continue to work toward a "good enough marriage."

I think we are doing right by those promises.  We still believe that our marriage is just that; ours.  There are great days, good days and days that we'd like to rush right through so we can start over again tomorrow.  But, we know that we define these days.

After two very short years, it feels like we are far from this day and somehow, at the same time, it is still very close in our rear-view mirror.

One of my favorite parts of two years of marriage came not too long ago.  We mentioned to a good friend that our anniversary was right around the corner and she asked us in a somewhat sarcastic tone;

"The best two years of your life?"

We looked at each other and realized that it has been. 

It's cheesy and cliche but it's true.

So, a happy cotton anniversary to us.

His new "cotton" track suit.  Except, it's polyester.  Ooops!

The In Between

We're hanging out in between lately.  In between big trips, moves and celebrations.  We're coming off our wine high, cleaning up our current house and preparing for upcoming celebrations of marriage and another year in the life of Andy Wendling. 

The in between also means wandering around Lowe's pretending to be home owners.  It means sitting on the beach with many magazine tear-outs, dreaming of our soon-to-be new house.

It means grilling out at our current house with a favorite bottle of wine and discussing our next steps.

And, in between big trips, we travel to local places that we've never tried.  This week it was Matt's Casbah.  I suggest the calamari!

Please ignore the glass of wine on-deck.  Gotta order before happy hour ends :)

What does your in-between look like?

Adventures in Napa

We wrapped up our San Francisco and Napa adventures with a few more stops through the Napa Valley.  We headed North to visit Von Strasser Winery.  Here, we were lucky enough to take a quick tour through their wine caves.  Hidden in the back was a large dining table surrounded by wine.  I couldn't help but day-dream about exquisite dinner parties in this cave including a mandatory rule that guests leave with a little more wobble in their step.  I'm sure these dinners exist and I'd love to be a fly on the wall at one of them.  {Actually, one time I heard a comedy routine making fun of that saying.  Because, really, when you say you'd like to be a fly on the wall at something, you're really saying that you'd like to be someone that those people trust enough to be at said event.  So, yeah, I'd like to be someone that the people at Von Strasser trust enough to come to their dinner parties.  Ohhhh, I digress...}

From there we made a quick stop at V. Sattui to grab some bread, cheese, and meat giving us the endurance to finish the day.  We made the decision to forgo tasting at this stop so we could fit in a recommendation from Tom at Whitehall Lane, and we were glad we did.  Our stop at Miner Winery was worth it.  As self-proclaimed pinot-lovers we were excited to see a few pinots on their flight. 

This is another of those small(er) wineries that is worth visiting.  Every wine we tasted was better than the one before and we walked away with a number of bottles to enjoy in the comfort of our home.

The final stop of the day was Artesa Winery.  And, what do you know, they were ready for us!

The architecture and views alone were worth the stop here and the wine was an added bonus.  We spent time with Austin who has visited every winery in Sonoma County - whoa!  The combination of Austin's knowledge, the views, and fantastic wine left us ready to return.

CHEERS, everyone!

Be Your Own Wine Expert at Whitehall Lane Winery.

I’ve loved wine for as long as I have been able to sip it – and maybe even before!  So, when I got the chance to head out to San Francisco for a conference with Wyndham’s Women on Their Way, I knew that a trip to Napa was in my very near future.  I explored the region quickly last year but it was my intent to further penetrate the wine-saturated area on this trip.  And, that’s just what we did.
I had an aggressive itinerary and prepped my cohorts on the beautiful drive from the Parc55 Hotel to the Napa Valley.  Step 1?  Cross the Golden Gate Bridge…

Our first stop of the day was to Whitehall Lane Winery.  This small(er) family-owned winery actually sits in St. Helena and owns approximately 110 acres of vineyards which produce around 50,000 cases of wine each year.  Now, I have to say, this was the best experience I have ever had tasting wine.  Each person we encountered was excited to welcome us early on this Friday morning and welcome they did with a delicious initial pour of their Sauvignon Blanc.  I’m not much of a white wine girl but this could easily become my new summer wine! 

From there we were given the opportunity to sit down and discuss their wines with Vice President, Tom Leonardini II, over a pour of three single vineyard cabernets {2008 Reserve, 2008 Leonardini Vineyard, 2008 Millennium MM Vineyard} and specially selected meats and cheeses {including prosciutto from IOWA}.  Tom was so great and down to earth when discussing wine with us and we all agreed that, at the end of the day, wine is meant to be enjoyed with food and friends.  The best advice he gave us was to be our own wine experts.  If we like a wine and it meets the objective of bringing together family, friends and great food then guess what, it’s good! 

I cannot recommend this stop more.  So, if you’re ever in the neighborhood - actually, make a special trip - stop by Whitehall Lane Winery and I would suggest picking up a few bottles of the 2008 Leonardini Vineyard Cabernet – I wish I had grabbed a few more!

Tomorrow, I’ll wrap up the trip through the Napa Valley with thoughts and pictures from Von Strasser , V. Sattui, Miner and Artesa Wineries.

Traveling Through Life.

The past few weeks have kind of been a blur.  A really awesome blur – one with rainbows and sunshine and amazing opportunities scattered within.  But, in reality, it was a blur of conferences in Vegas with accountants, conferences in San Francisco for Wyndham and an extended weekend to celebrate an early anniversary that is right around the corner.

I woke up in San Francisco, a city that I had not explored much of, at the fantastic Parc55 Hotel, grabbed some strong coffee on a stroll through town with Andy and then hiked through a park with friends in tow.  And only after we had worked up a sufficient appetite did we stop for some great food and beer at one of those cool places that seems to appear out of nowhere – The Monk’s Kettle.

Somewhere between the beer, hike and exploring, I was asked about the idea of writing about our wanderlust.  The question was whether you have to always be traveling in order to write about travel.  I answered in a way that I think I’ve always known.  We don’t always have to be boarding a plane to be writing about our travel because we are all traveling through our own lives.  Our journeys will look different and sometimes they may include the first outing with a new baby and other times they will be a literal cross-country excursion.  At times we'll walk right across the street and into a country concert while at other times the travel will be for work.  But, no matter where or when, we're all creating an account of our lives through the direction of our choosing. 

So, throw your travels into a bowl, mix them up and see what your blur looks like.  Right now I’m excited to share the colorful travels we have experienced lately from Florida to Vegas to San Francisco and back again. 

And stay tuned for some thoughts on the Napa Valley coming later this week.  As a preview...