After a long day of traveling, there is nothing better than a good night’s rest. Joseph & I slept in, appreciating the feeling of sleeping in a comfortable bed. Starting tomorrow & for much of the trip, we will be camping, & there will be very little separating us from the ground beneath.
We left our Airbnb around noon, stomachs grumbling. Our only plan for the day was to visit Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a quaint town right on the edge of Grand Teton National Park. The 45-minute drive to the town led us winding around the sides of mountains with incredible views of the valleys below.
Jackson Hole is an adorable town filled with old western charm. The buildings all have a log cabin feel, & many of the shops carry hiking gear, comfy socks & authentic leather cowboy boots. The park in the center of town square has large archways at each of the corners made from what look to be moose antlers (whether they are real or not, neither Joseph nor I could determine). And despite the busy streets, there is a horse-drawn carriage riding through all day, offering rides for a small fee.
The first objective when arriving at Jackson Hole was coffee & food. We settled on Cowboy Coffee Co. for the amazing reviews, & because it would satisfy both of our cravings in one trip. Joseph ordered a hot americano & a chicken sandwich. I ordered a basil pesto & mozzarella panini & a cold almond milk latte.
Jackson Hole, WY
The coffee was amazing. Smooth with just a enough bitterness to give you the kick we needed, it was the perfect pick-me-up for our lazy day. And the sandwiches were quite literally the best I have ever had. The perfect crunch of the bread sunk into the gooey mozzarella cheese & a burst of flavor from fresh tomato & roasted red bell pepper, followed by a mellow earthiness from the basil pesto to round out the bite.
After our brunch, Joseph & I decided to explore. We perused the shops to buy souvenirs for loved ones & items we still needed for our trip. I had intentionally planned this lazy day into our itinerary for two reasons – one, we would need the rest after a long day of travel (something I had learned after many trips where I had neglected to plan such a lazy day), & two, we needed time to buy groceries & gear for our many days of camping. We bought freeze-dried meals (something I have never tried & am still nervous about at this moment) & a JetBoil stove to cook them. I also bought some new hiking socks, remembering my one pair from our previous trip was looking rather worn.
After dipping into too many shops that our wallets had no business being inside of, we finally decided it was time for dinner. We always try to taste some local flavors on our trips, so we settled on eating at Liberty Burger to try what was voted one of the best bison burgers in the area. Neither Joseph nor I had every tried bison meat before, & I was actually shocked by how much I liked it. Most of the time, I eat pescatarian or plant-based, but I try to step outside of my comfort zone when we travel. For my conscious palate, Liberty Burger did please me with their promise of cooking only sustainable burgers. Joseph ordered the South of the Burger bison burger & skinny fries. I ordered a Crunch Salad served with a bison burger patty, & I was pleasantly surprised by how satisfied I was from the meal. The greens were fresh, topped with juicy green apples, tart cranberries, sweet nuts, & crunchy homemade croutons. The bison meat was subtly sweet, a difference I noticed immediately from beef, & it actually paired beautifully with the fresh greens & tangy balsamic vinaigrette.
A storm was rolling in after dinner, but we couldn’t resist staying in town a bit longer to treat ourselves to some nationally famous ice cream. Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream is a renowned ice cream shop, known for its local Wild Huckleberry flavor. Joseph ordered a large waffle cone with a scoop each of Belgian Chocolate & Vanilla. I ordered a bowl with a scoop each of Wild Huckleberry & Chocolate Cabernet.
I cannot remember the last time I ate so much ice cream. Halfway through the first extra-large, ice cream-parlor sized scoop, I realized my stomach was in trouble after just eating such a large meal. But it was simply too good to sacrifice a single bite. We licked the edges of our treats like kids & savored the thick & creamy delicacy that melted on our tongue. The Wild Huckleberry ice cream was divine – sweet & tart, the flavor was reminiscent of a tangy mixed berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream scooped on top. The Chocolate Cabernet flavor was the perfect compliment – the rich, luscious chocolate paired beautifully with a subtle cabernet flavor that was reminiscent of cherries but somehow still captured the dry taste of red wine.
After our ice cream, we made a quick stop by the grocery store to pick up some food for breakfast, lunch & snacks, & then we headed back to our Airbnb. We tried to go to bed early, knowing we had a full day ahead of us, but still, we found ourselves lying awake, both from having such a relaxed day & from excitement for the activities we planned for tomorrow. Today had been a true vacation, but tomorrow, the real adventure would begin.
Every year since we began dating, I have gifted Joseph an experience for his birthday. I try to always give him a tangible gift as well, but I feel gifting him something that he loves or has always wanted to do, & especially something we can do together, is good for our relationship & more unique than the average birthday gift that fits inside a cardboard box.
The first birthday was only two days after we started dating. I fretted over what to get him. What do you get someone you have only been dating for two days? We weren’t even “official” yet. I didn’t want him to think I ignored his birthday, but I also didn’t want to get something over-the-top & scare him away. I settled for a $10 Dunkin‘ gift card because our first date was at a Dunkin’. He loved it, & we spent our next date getting coffee once again & driving around in his car. It happened to be that date that I fell in love with him, so I’m still pretty proud of that birthday gift, despite its small size.
For Joseph’s next birthday, we were in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I gifted him a five senses gift, which included something fun for each of his senses: A candle for scent, a sweet treat for taste, a soft blanket for touch, a book for sight, & a playlist for hear. The playlist included a song for every month we had been dating, & we spent the evening driving around in his car once again, listening to the music.
The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic had lessened its hold on our lives, & we were finally able to go out again. This time, I gifted him concert tickets to his favorite band, The Avett Brothers. We spent a night in Philadelphia & made a little trip out of the event. After that, I didn’t know how I would top my last gift. Seeing The Avett Brothers had been a bucket list item for Joseph, which meant the next gift would have to be quite good to even measure up to the last.
When we had planned our trip to Delaware last year, I had noticed that there was a zip lining place close to where we were visiting. Neither of us had ever been zip lining & both wanted to go, so I excitedly researched the spot. Disappointed, I realized that the place had already been booked up for the dates we were visiting. I made a mental note to remember this place, & should we have a chance to return to Delaware, I would make reservations for us.
As Joseph’s birthday neared, I remembered this & found the website of the zip lining place once again. The dates were available, but the thought occurred to me that if this was going to be the best birthday gift yet, it would have to be more than your average zip lining course. I researched some of the best places to zip line in the United States, & I found one in North Carolina that looked promising. As we are also trying to visit all 50 states together, I decided to make it a weekend getaway, including hiking, visiting a main street, & eating a local restaurant (the other requirements we must cross off in order to officially say we “visited” a state).
On Friday, April 29, Joseph’s birthday, we got in the car together & drove the eight hours to North Carolina. At the time of planning, I hadn’t really considered just how long eight hours in the car really is. In the past, Joseph & I divided up the states together in lists that said how long of trips to each one would have to be to make it worth it: a day trip, weekend trip, week-long road trips, & states we have to fly to. North Carolina was on our Day Trip list, so I had thought it would be a quick trip. I realized now that we may have been a little ambitious when making that list. I was beginning to worry that spending just one full day in North Carolina would not be enough time, & that my birthday gift would be a flop.
Despite the length of the car ride, Joseph & I had a good time driving down. We listened to music & the podcast Stuff You Should Know. We talked about our plans for the weekend, the shows we have been bingeing together, & events in the coming months. Around five hours into the drive, we stopped at Mt. Airy, North Carolina for a bite to eat & to walk the main street.
Mt. Airy is one of my favorite main streets that we have been to. The buildings were all different colors, & different artwork, including murals, statues made of brick, & painted instruments, lined the streets. Mt. Airy is where The Andy Griffith Show was filmed, & although we arrived too late to visit the museum, we still got our fill of memorabilia & souvenirs on display. My favorite was the old squad car parked on the street that had a photo of The Andy Griffith Show characters in the windshield.
We stopped for dinner at Mi Casa on Main, a Mexican & Californian cuisine restaurant on the main street. The ambience was an interesting mix of Mexican & American, with candy skull painted skeleton figurines & early 2000s music playing on the radio. We started with chips & homemade salsa to share. Then, for dinner, I ordered the taco salad with shrimp & Joseph ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Primo Tacos. To say the food was delicious would be an understatement. The portions were huge & we had more than enough food. Everything had the perfect level of spice, building a slow burn in the back of our throats as we ate. The taco salad was piled so high with ingredients, I could barely mix in the dressing. Topped with black beans, grilled corn, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, crispy tortilla chips, & a creamy salsa dressing, every bite was bursting with a fresh blend of flavors. Joseph’s tacos did not disappoint either. The BBQ was the perfect, North Carolina BBQ you would hope to get in a Mt. Airy restaurant, nestled into a tortilla with a creamy coleslaw, friend onion strings, & sweet & hot candied jalapeños. I don’t think I could dream up a more iconic yet inventive blend of American & Mexican flavors.
When Joseph went to the restroom, I secretly told the waitress that it was his birthday, & near the end of our meal, she brought out freshly fried churros covered in cinnamon sugar & drizzled with a raspberry sauce that soaked into the hot dough. It was the perfect blend of sweet & sour, & we ate it with gusto.
After dinner, we returned to the car to drive the remaining three hours to our Airbnb. I had reserved us a spot in the Bearwallow Highlands mountain range. It was a windy drive up in the dark, but we made it safely to our cabin-style Airbnb. Exhausted from the long day, we dropped our things, toasted to Joseph’s birthday with a glass of wine, & climbed into bed.
The next day, we got an early start, wanting to beat the heat & get in as much hiking as we could before our zip lining reservations at 2:00. We got in the car & headed to Chimney Rock State Park. As we drove up the windy, mountain road, I could just make out the American flag perched at the top of Chimney Rock. It was so much higher than I thought it would be! Chimney rock, I learned, has an elevation of over 2,000 feet! The hike from the Four Seasons Trail, however, was only 1,000 feet of elevation, which was still a rather strenuous hike. For the first half mile, we had a slow incline, but the last half mile consisted solely of stairs that seemed like they would never stop going up. Legs burning & panting, we climbed slowly up the face of the rock.
It was a glorious moment when we finally stepped out onto level ground & found we were over 2,000 feet up in the air, looking down at the lush, tree-filled valley & the windy, blue water of Lake Lure. The wind whipped the American flag above our heads, & it was at this moment that I took a step back & realized just how beautiful our country is. I never knew that North Carolina had mountain ranges like this. Whenever I thought about the state, the image of sandy beaches came to mind. But this state, like so many others we have visited, is nuanced in all of the best ways, & it has some truly stunning views, if you’re willing to do a little hiking to get there.
We still had some time to spare, so we decided to pull our tired legs up another 200 feet to Exclamation Point. Once we got there, we still had another 25 minutes left to hike out, so we hiked & ran just over a mile to the top of Hickory Nut Falls, a waterfall that drops an impressive 404 feet! The rushing water & cool breeze greeted us, & we spent a few minutes enjoying the serenity before jogging back to Exclamation Point & beginning our descent back to the parking lot.
We had just enough time when we finished our hike to grab a quick bite to eat before our zip lining trip. We left Chimney Rock & found that the park is situated directly next to a main street that we had somehow overlooked on our way in. Chimney Rock Village is a quaint street filled with local shops & restaurants. We decided to visit Broad River Inn, which features a restaurant that serves rustic pizzas, artisan sandwiches, & more!
To start, we ordered the Chef’s Bruschetta to share. As someone who comes from an Italian family, I have had my share of bruschetta, so when I say that this was the best version of the dish that I have ever had, I don’t take that phrase lightly. The tomatoes were chopped finely & mixed with fresh red onion & feta, piled high on thick, artisan bread that had been slathered in olive oil & toasted, topped with a large basil leaf & drizzled with a tangy but sweet balsamic glaze. I nearly ordered another plate to have it all to myself.
Our lunch was just as impressive. I ordered the Salad of the Day, which was a bed of greens topped with sliced pear, candied walnuts, blue cheese, & a balsamic vinaigrette. Every bite was a new medley of delicious flavors. Joseph ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, which was laden with North Carolina BBQ sauce, topped with a tangy, homemade coleslaw, & served alongside homemade potato chips. Satisfied from our meal, we walked down to the street to get coffees from Coffee on the Rocks & then headed to Canopy Ridge Farm for zip lining.
At this point, I was starting to get nervous. My lunch, which had settled so nicely in my stomach before, was now bubbling angrily with anticipation. I have a fear of heights, & the idea of hanging precariously so high in the sky was beginning to terrify me. When we arrived at the adventure park, we were walked through the safety measures & put in our harnesses. Together, we rode in a jeep up a tall hill to the first platform.
I shifted uneasily as we received our instructions, & I watched the others go before me. As each member of our group took off, I felt the anxiety build. When it was finally my turn, I stepped up shakily.
One of the guides connected my harness to the zip line. He could tell I was nervous, & joked about how it had been revealed that I had been the one to book us this trip.
“It was for his birthday,” I laughed. “I didn’t really think about the fact that I would have to do it, too.” I looked out at the zip line, & was surprised to not see much of a drop. With a deep breath, I took a step off of the platform, leaned back into my harness, & flew off into the treetops.
The ground quickly disappeared beneath me, dropping 100 feet down. I screamed with excitement. I loved the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair as I raced down the line. I felt like I was flying, & it was exhilarating.
All too soon, the ride ended, & I waited eagerly for my next turn. The tour consisted of six zip lines in total, some of which we had to hike to. Our guides were funny & entertaining, & throughout the course, they give us different challenges to complete. Twisting & turning down the lines, falling back into trust falls off of the platforms, & learning to flip upside down as we soared were just a few of the tricks we learned. The tour ended far too quickly. By the end, I was already talking about when & where I would want to go zip lining next.
We finished earlier than expected, so once we were out of our harnesses, Joseph & I shared some Dippin’ Dots from the store & then made an impromptu drive to Asheville. The streets were busy & packed with people. It was a beautiful night, perfect for walking the city streets & getting a bite to eat at a rooftop bar. Joseph & I got onto a waitlist for a restaurant & then perused the shops while we waited. We popped into one traveling trunk show where a henna artist was doing tattoos, & we each got a bear paw on our left arms (a tattoo we have been wanting to get for a while).
When our table was ready, we headed back up the street to Strada Italiano. We sat at the bar in the sister restaurant, Social Lounge, which was decorated to look like a speakeasy. Despite the busyness of the restaurant, our bartender was attentive & entertaining. To start, we ordered the Arancini & a drink each: The Botanical Bliss for me (a blend of Ketel One grapefruit & rose vodka, peach syrup made in house, fresh lemon, & prosecco) & the Plums & Roses Old Fashioned for Joseph (plum-infused Four Roses bourbon blended with homemade basil stem syrup & Peychaud’s & Angostura bitters). The drinks were perfectly mixed & went down far too easy. The Arancini was served in a sherry tomato cream sauce with pecorino romano & a balsamic reduction. The balls themselves were fried to perfection – when we cut inside, steam rose from the delicious blend of creamy mozzarella cheese & soft risotto.
For dinner, Joseph ordered a Meat Toppings Pizza with spicy & sweet sausage, & I have to say, as much as I don’t enjoy meat pizzas (I like vegetables better), it was one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted. The crust was crunchy on the outside & soft in the center, the sauce was balanced to not be too acidic (as so many tomato sauces can be), & the meat & cheese blended beautifully in every bite. I ordered the Salmon del Giardino, a grilled salmon served on top of a bed of arugula, topped with bruschetta & preserved lemon & scallions, & served with a delicious, creamy risotto del giorno. For the first time ever, Joseph took a bite of my food & said he liked what I had ordered more than he liked his own dish. The salmon was cooked so perfectly it tasted buttery. The risotto was soft & dense, & the tomatoes & arugula gave a refreshing pop in every bite. I was full halfway through, but the dish was too good not to finish.
We went for a relaxed walk through the streets lit up by streetlights before finally returning to our car & driving back to our Airbnb. At this point, we had been active for almost 12 full hours, & we were exhausted.
The following morning, we woke up early, eager to get in a little activity before our long drive home. We packed up our belongings & headed to the Bearwallow Mountain Trail, which was only a few minutes away from our Airbnb. The trail led us through the forest & up the mountainside to a field where cows grazed. It was there that we saw the most amazing view from our trip. Impossible to capture on camera, it was one of those breathtaking views you have to drink in, knowing you’ll never get to see it again. A haze hung low & had settled just above the miles & miles of forested mountains that rolled into the distance. The wind whipped at our clothes, chilling us to the bone as we stared out at the picturesque view. It was the perfect way to end our brief but packed trip to North Carolina.
Standing there with Joseph, I smiled to myself. At this moment, I knew I had succeeded in giving him the best birthday gift yet. The fact that I had succeeded in not just topping the prior year’s gift, but that I had shown him just how loved he is, made me the happiest I had been all weekend.
I just don’t know how I am going to top this gift next year.
When my mom & I were invited weeks ago to a weekend getaway at Assateague Island National Seashore, it sounded like the perfect excuse for a girls weekend. Last Friday, we packed our bags, met up in Annapolis for lunch, & then drove the remaining few hours together to our quaint Airbnb just 30 minutes away from the beach.
My mom & I have always been close. I know that is something I am blessed with. There are so many mothers & daughters I know who do not get along, but my mom is someone I have always been able to come to in good times & in bad, who I enjoy sharing a bottle of wine with & watching our favorite Netflix shows. Since starting my career, getting married, & officially moving two hours north, we don’t get to spend much time alone together anymore. This weekend was the perfect opportunity to reconnect & just relax together.
When we first arrived, my mom was eager to see the beach. Neither of us had ever been to Assateague before, & we both wanted to see the wild horses. So, we changed our clothes, put on our flip flops (despite the fact that Assateague is still rather chilly in April), went to Starbucks for a much-needed caffeine boost, & then headed to the shore. We dipped our feet in the cool & soft sand & gazed out at the ocean from a distance. The wind was so strong & the waves were crashing so loud that we could barely hold a conversation over the din. Despite this, the beach was serene.
It is surprising to me that Assateague is only a short drive away from Ocean City, which is always busy, overly-commercialized, & full of material beach flair. Assateague, however, looks almost untouched. The beach is not combed, & there are no shops or restaurants for miles. Even with it being the “off season,” the beach was less busy than I had imagined it to be.
My mom enjoying the beach at the Assateague Island National Seashore
We didn’t see any horses, so once we had our fill of watching the waves, we headed to the Full Moon Saloon for dinner. We split a half rack of ribs as an appetizer & then a perfectly grilled & succulent tuna with freshly steamed green beans for dinner. For dessert, we ordered a slice of bumbleberry pie, simply because I was so enamored by the name. For those who do not know, bumbleberry pie is a pie served cold that has at least three different kinds of berries – this one had blueberries, blackberries & raspberries. Served in a flaky, buttery crust, this pie was so dense with berries it seemed impossible that it held itself together. It was refreshingly sweet, making it the perfect end to a delicious, comforting meal.
All the while, my mom & I chatted. Despite talking regularly on the phone & visiting almost once a month, it seemed we had so much to catch up on! There was never a break in the conversation. From family to jobs to hobbies to plans for the future, there was so much to share & discuss.
After dinner, we headed back to our Airbnb, where we opened a bag of popcorn & watched WandaVision. I had seen it months ago, but my mom had never watched it. I knew with her love of old TV shows like I Love Lucy it would be a big hit. We watched two episodes, at which time neither of us could keep our eyes open any longer, & we retired to bed.
The reason we had been initially invited on this weekend getaway was to attend a pollinator event run by the Maryland Conservation Corps at Assateague. A childhood friend of mine had helped create the event, & her mom had invited us all to attend. Saturday morning, my mom & I got ready & headed back to the state park to check out all the excitement.
Multiple tents had been set up with displays that included activities & information for different sustainability efforts. At the first tent, we watched two small owls (one of which startled my mom, who believed the owls were stuffed animals), a horseshoe crab & a box turtle. At the next tent, we were able to get seeds to plant our summer gardens, & at the next, we had the opportunity to paint bluebird houses. Aimee, my childhood friend, was helping at a table where participants were planting new flowers & grasses in a field. We caught up briefly, talking to Aimee more about the event & what she has been up to recently. Then, we met up with Aimee’s mom, Tammy; her cousin, Caroline; & a family friend, Cheryl, who had come on the trip as well. They invited us to come back to their Airbnb in Ocean City that afternoon for charcuterie & wine, which we excitedly accepted.
We tried first to go to the national park with Tammy’s borrowed park pass, but we couldn’t get in. Disappointed, we turned around to return her pass. As we drove, we caught site of one lazy pony on the side of the road, & we both ogled at it, eager to see more. However, this was the only pony we saw on our way in & out of the park.
For lunch, we headed to downtown Berlin, a small town filled with shops & local restaurants. Here, farther from the water, the day was warm & sunny, & we were able to shed our many layers & walk around in sunglasses. We perused the shops, chatting casually. We stopped for lunch at Blacksmith, a gastropub that serves delicious farm-to-table meals, & then we got coffees at a cleverly named shop, On What Grounds?
After a few hours of perusing, we headed back to our Airbnb to change for dinner & then went to spend time with our friends. We sat on their balcony, eating charcuterie & sipping Moscato, catching up on everyone’s lives. When it was time to go to dinner, we carpooled in two cars to OC Wasabi, a Japanese restaurant that serves delicious sushi. Aimee & her roommate, Jess, as well as another childhood friend, Gabby, joined us for dinner.
What was most surprising to me was that the majority of people sitting around the table I had not seen in years or I had never met. However, we fell in place like old friends do & spent the entire night talking about our lives since we had last seen each other. Aimee & Jess intern for the National Parks Service & live just a few minutes away from the Assateague Island National Seashore. Jess is working on a novel, & the two of them recently went to Comic-Con together dressed as characters from Star Wars. Caroline is going to school, & she is currently working at Starbucks with what sounds to be a great group of friends & her boyfriend. Tammy & her husband are in retirement, & she shared with us about what she & her husband have been up to as well as their two sons. Cheryl works with preschoolers & is soon leaving for a vacation for her eldest son’s college graduation in Montana & then to go on a Disney Cruise to Alaska. Gabby is about to graduate & then go on to medical school to work with the deaf community.
I did not want the evening to end. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone & hear the stories from their lives. We said our goodbyes in the chilly parking lot & then headed to our own Airbnbs. My mom & I were both exhausted from the activity-filled day, but we still couldn’t help staying up late in the living room, still bursting with things to talk about. It wasn’t until nearly midnight that we both collapsed in our beds, exhausted.
The following morning, mom & I headed to the Assteague Island National Seashore in search of horses. This time, we decided to pay the $25 visitor fee & go hiking. As soon as we arrived, we saw two horses playing together, & as we approached, we noticed three more standing not too far away. Tourists had gathered to watch, & we, too, joined the crowd, smiles stretched across our faces. The horses were elegant, with long mains of hair & shiny coats. Despite being wild, they looked well groomed. We had been warned by signs to stay at least 40 feet away from the horses, so we kept our distance, watching in awe.
We traversed the Dune Trail next, which, despite being less than a mile, was challenging because of the shifty, sandy terrain. With every step, our feet dug into the sand, slowing our gait. Today was much warmer than the days prior, & the sun beat down on our skin. By the end, I was desperate to change out of my planned attire for another chilly day at the beach & into shorts & a tank.
Wild horses enjoying the sunshine at the Assateague Island National Seashore
We didn’t see any horses on the first trail, so we headed next to the Marsh Trail, which led us onto a pier over shallow water & wet grass. Here, we saw four more horses, one of which was just a foal! She was so tired, she spent the entire time lying next to her mother in the grass, & her mother grazed lazily beside her.
It was the perfect way to end the trip. We had finally seen the horses we had come to see, but more importantly, we had finally had the chance to spend a weekend away together, & it was everything we had hoped for. Unlike the wild horses that live in herds, we, as humans, often split up chasing our own dreams & passions. But every once in a while, it’s nice to come together once again, reliving old memories, sharing new stories, & making new memories to be cherished.
Trip map created with Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android
There is something truly special about music. It touches the human soul in a way that words alone never will (a fact I must come to terms with every day given my chosen profession). Music has the power to make us feel any range of emotions, to connect across borders that seem to divide us, & to create movement in moments of life that seem stagnant & still.
For over a decade, my favorite band has been Imagine Dragons. Their lyrics are enchanting poetry, & the breadth of their musical talent has always made me want to turn up my headphones to the loudest setting & listen for hours. Even more than that, though, the authenticity & vulnerability of their music is something I both appreciate & respect. Their music helped me through some of my most difficult years. I grew up with their songs on my Favorites playlist. I started my day with them, & I fell asleep at night listening to their melodies. Their music inspired me to keep moving, to follow my dreams, & to never give up. Most importantly, their words taught & reassured me that, no matter what I was going through in life, I was not alone.
For my birthday, my husband, Joseph, gifted me the bucket list item I had been wanting to cross off for years: Concert tickets to Imagine Dragons. Because the two of us can never resist making a travel opportunity out of any trip, no matter how small, we booked an Airbnb & packed our bags for a weekend in Pittsburgh.
The drive in was a bit treacherous with moments of snow so thick we couldn’t see the cars in front of us. Driving along slowly, we finally broke free of the storm & arrived in sunny but chilly Pittsburgh. We crossed over the bright yellow bridge into the city, looking out over the harbor.
“You know, Pittsburgh is known for their bridges,” I remarked, looking out at the many bridges we could see just from our current point of view.
“Is that true, or are you just saying that because you see bridges,” Joseph asked, to which I laughed.
“It’s true,” I insisted. As it turns out, this is true, but not nearly to the extent that I had been thinking. Pittsburgh has 446 bridges, more than any other city in the entire world! It is actually known as the “City of Bridges,” & these structures connect all different parts of the city that used to be isolated from each other by valleys, creeks & rivers.
Our first stop was our Airbnb. We had booked a private room in a red mansion with high ceilings & chandeliers. In our room, old radiators, an antique sink with two faucets (one for hot water, & the other for cold), a wooden writing desk, & collectible toys & games added to the old-fashioned ambience.
We drove to Point State Park to see the fountain, which, unfortunately, was not currently in use. It was easy to see why – the river that surrounded it was covered in large chunks of ice. The wind off the water was bitterly strong – it stung our faces & cut through our many layers, chilling us to the bone.
We left the park to walk up the nearby streets in search of a spot for dinner. I had wanted to try a famous Pittsburgh pierogi, but all of the shops that sold them were closed or too far away to walk. Instead, we chose Revel, a refined American restaurant that serves hand-crafted cocktails & an array of breakfast, lunch & dinner options. The restaurant was full, but luckily there was one table left for the two of us. For drinks, we ordered the Barrel-Aged Manhattan (for Joseph), a drink that’s normally bitter but here went down smooth & warm, & the Blackberry-Sage Margarita (for me), a sweet drink with a well-balanced sour & earthy punch that went down far too easily. To give a nod to Pennsylvania, we decided to start with the Bavarian Pretzel, which was served warm, sprinkled with flaky rosemary sea salt & served with a ramekin filled with creamy drunken bechamel sauce. For dinner, we shared the Mixed Grill, a dish that allows you to choose your protein & sides to make a unique plate. We chose succulently cooked steak, buttery shrimp, roasted brussels sprouts that were drowned in a balsamic sauce, all served on top of savory, tri-colored fingerling potatoes.
Our seating & restaurant choice led us to a fortuitous encounter with another couple who were also on their way to the concert. We spent our dinner at two separate tables of two that really should have been pushed together to make one table of four – we chatted through appetizers, dinner & drinks, getting to know one another & swapping stories. Lindsey & Joseph connected over their professions in the mental health field. Lindsey & I connected over our love for Imagine Dragons, & Jason & Joseph connected over the fact that they are both such kind partners to gift their significant others tickets to their favorite band.
Near the end of the meal, Jason kindly offered their parking pass to us, saying it was just going to go to waste. He & Lindsey had booked a hotel close to the concert & planned on walking instead. Per his insistence, we accepted graciously. The plan before this was to walk all the way back to our car after the concert, which I was growing more & more anxious about by the second. The walk was going to be 20 minutes on the darkened streets in Pittsburgh in high winds & freezing weather. I was more than willing to trade sitting in concert traffic for 20 minutes in a heated car.
We departed to go to the concert, which was hosted at the PPG Paints Arena. The crowd was enormous! I had not been around this many people since the start of COVID! We bought merchandise to serve as a souvenir, & then found our seats just before the lights began to dim.
The Imagine Dragons Mercury World Tour concert in Pittsburgh
The concert did not just meet my expectations – it greatly exceeded them. Everything was perfect. All of the elements of the concert, including videos, lights, stage movement, & more, worked seamlessly together to tell a story. And it was a story we could all connect with – the pain, struggle, & grief that we experience in life, & yet the beauty that can be found as well. I can’t remember any two hours ever passing faster – I was entranced for the entirety of it, moving with the music, screaming the lyrics with the crowd, & wiping tears that had sprang to my eyes from the beauty of it all.
At the end of the concert, there was no encore. As we were reaching the end, I was wondering if there would be. It seemed they had played every song in their discography, & each one was performed at the level that an encore would be. What Imagine Dragons did was even more perfect. The concert began with the first song of their latest album, Mercury – Act 1, but they left it unfinished & moved on to the next song in their program. At the end of the concert, they picked it up where they left off & ended on the most powerful note of the entire night. It was a story that came full circle, with an ending so beautiful, there was no need for anything more.
It was all we could talk about on the ride home. It was all I could talk about while laying in bed that night. It was all I could dream about all night long. The concert had been cathartic. It had touched my soul in the way only music can. It was as if the songs brought up all of the deepest hurts I had experienced thus far in my life & all the memories I had experienced with this music as my only comfort, but then they wiped the tears from my face & whispered to me that I’m not alone, & it’s all going to be okay.
The following morning, my bliss was brought by an abrupt halt with a blinding pain that brought very different tears to my eyes. In an attempt to avoid the hot radiator in our room, I stubbed my pinky toe on the antique bed post. Eyes squeezed shut, thinking of nothing but pain, I hopped around the room on one foot, holding my other injured foot in my hands.
“Are you okay,” Joseph asked, staring at me with wide eyes. I glanced down at my foot to see the toe had already swelled & turned bright red.
We had a few plans still left in our Pittsburgh itinerary, & I am never one to quit, so I stuffed my injured foot in my hiking boot & insisted I was fine. Limping along behind Joseph, we went to visit the Monongahela Incline, a passenger railway built in 1870 that travels straight up the side of Mount Washington. At the top, we were able to get a fantastic view of the Pittsburgh skyline, complete with a couple bridges stretching across the river.
We stopped for coffee at Grand Brew & then went to Grandview Bakery & Sweet Shop for a small breakfast. I ordered the lemon bar, which was four times the size of the normal dessert. The tender crust was perfectly baked, & the curd was both gooey & tangy – precisely what a lemon bar should be. It was finished with a dusting of powdered sugar like freshly fallen snow. Joseph ordered his first ever eclair, & he was happy to report that it did not disappoint. The pastry cream was creamy & not too sweet, while the dough was so flaky it practically melted on the tongue. The chocolate topping was just enough to taste & add nuance to the dessert, but not so much that it overwhelmed the flavor. And once again, the portion size was enough to fill an entire family, but of course, we couldn’t let the sweet confections go to waste.
After breakfast, we returned to our car to drive to our final destination – Ohiopyle State Park, known for its spectacular waterfall views just an hour outside of the city. Despite my aching injured toe, we hiked the entirety of the three-mile Meadow Run Trail, which features two different waterfalls & natural waterslides. Most likely from the recent snowfall, the water was rushing over the rocks, crashing so loud that it was difficult to hear any conversation. But the result, instead of being chaos, was serenity. Long vines & branches dipped into the water, & where the current had touched the leaves, ice grew, weighing the trees down even farther. Where water normally cascaded off high perches, ice instead reached down towards the river below, sparkling in the sunlight. And all along the bank, stones made smooth by the rushing water were piled up amongst one another, revealing that, if we stand firm & strong, the pressures of life do not break us, but instead, smooth our rough edges & leave us even more peaceful than before.
There is so much pain in life. There are so many moments where the world around us seems like chaos, like water rushing past with a current so strong if we dared step in, we would be swept away. Life is plagued with grief & disappointments, & often, it can leave us feeling hopeless & alone.
But so many of these painful aspects of life actually contribute to its beauty. So often, we are focused on the chaos, when at any moment, we could turn & notice the peace that is just a few steps away in another direction. There are so many moments that make us want to scream, but an equal amount that make us sing. The finite nature of life is what makes the temporary moments of beauty so special. And grief itself is love for things that are no longer here with us on earth.
The most important thing to remember when traversing this life is that we are not alone. In the body of people at that concert, as we all sang as one, the lyrics touching all of our hearts, it was clear that we are all hurting, beautiful, complex, & magnificent beings. We are catastrophes & yet masterpieces. We are products of the system, & yet each us is unique in so many ways.
“I’m an apostrophe. I’m just a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see.” If you are struggling, I hope this will be the message you need. I am an apostrophe – so much of who I am seems insignificant in this world, & yet, here you are reading my work. And I want you to know that there is so much more to this life. There is so much beauty & struggle & joy & pain to experience, & you are not alone in any of those things. Your life matters, your presence brings value to the lives of those around you, & your story is not over yet.
Arizona is known for its hot, desert climate; its red canyons; & its tall, saguaro cacti. When I think of Arizona, I think of old western movies – men in tall hats riding horseback through the desert. So, it was fitting that we ended our Arizona journey riding on the backs of horses ourselves, looking out at the sunset.
Most of our day was relaxed & lazy. We went to visit my great uncle & aunt, & we spent a few hours in their living room reminiscing about days long past. As the afternoon began to draw to a close, we drove to Estrella Mountain Regional Park, where Corral West Adventures was tucked away.
Corral West Adventures is a nonprofit organization that rescues horses. They offer horse rides through the Sonoran Desert, & we chose to do their famous sunset ride.
Our instructor was informative & friendly, & soon we were clip clopping over the rocks into the desert. It reminded me of those old western movies, where the cowboys ride off into the sunset. The setting sun bathed the desert in orange light. On every side, mountains grew up around us, & above our heads, the sky was painted in purple & pink stripes. From our slow, relaxed ride, we were able to observe sights of the desert we may have missed before: The saguaro filled with holes from owls who had made their homes inside, & a prickly tree whose leaves smelled like soap when you rubbed them between your fingers.
Joseph & me horseback riding in Estrella Mountain Regional Park with Corral West Adventures
As the light faded & we returned our horses to their home, we said a final goodbye to Arizona. We would not be leaving for a few more days, but this time would be dedicated entirely to family whom we so rarely get to see.
I took one last look at the desert landscape, & despite my love for forested mountains & cooler weather, I felt a small twinge of sadness to be leaving so soon. The desert has an unexpected beauty of its own. In this place that seems inhospitable to all, life somehow still flourishes. At first glance, the landscape is brown with just a little muddy orange & red to accent, but when you take a closer look, you see colors you never imagined – bright blues, greens, pinks and oranges paint the trees, flowers & desert fruits. There is such beauty & mystery to this place, & so much more to explore.
As the sun set, I bid the desert farewell, with a quiet promise that we would return again soon, hungry for more adventures.
In 2003, USA Today named Sedona “the most beautiful place on earth,” & after visiting, I have to say it is definitely one of the most striking landscapes I have ever seen. The color of the mint green & teal trees pop against the brick red & burnt orange rock Sedona is known for. Spiky agave plants in the color of cyan dot the landscape of loose, faded orange sand, & all around the town, the tall mountains that stretch up towards the sky have been painted red halfway up, as if God took a step back from his art project halfway through said, “It is finished.”
We left early for Sedona. The world was still dark as we drove through the desert landscape. We watched with tired eyes as the sun rose up behind the purple mountains into the pink & orange striped sky.
Our first stop in Sedona was the trailhead of Devil’s Bridge. I stand corrected about the weather in Arizona in December. It does, in fact, get cold. When we began our hike, the weather was in the 40s, & we were all a little chilly in our hiking clothes as we began the trek towards the bridge.
For over a mile, the hike was mostly flat in soft dirt. We chatted as we walked & admired the scenery – the red canyons & bright green & blue of the trees. I have never seen plants of such a beautiful color, & the red of the rock really made them stand out. When we got to the last half mile, the trail turned to stairs formed from the rock, & then just large rocks that we had to climb to the top.
Devil’s Bridge is a natural sandstone arch in the Coconino National Forest. It was formed from years of wind & weather erosion that only left the top of the structure. From the top, it’s a 54 foot drop, which, despite the bridge being five feet across, still feels daunting when you look over the side.
One by one, we stepped out onto the bridge to get our picture taken by those back on the trail. Standing on the bridge, looking over the desert, was both exhilarating & terrifying. The desert was strikingly beautiful – I could have stayed on that bridge gazing at it for hours. But only one person was allowed on the bridge at once & there was a line of people waiting to get their picture taken in the same iconic spot where the bridge thins ever so slightly & looks even more terrifying.
We headed back to the car to return to town, where we stopped at Berry Divine for a post-hike treat. Berry Divine serves delicious açai bowls topped with multiple combinations of fruit, granola, nuts, coconut oil, chocolate, & more! I have never had a smoothie bowl like it. The açai was the consistency of thick ice cream, & it was both tart & sweet, a delightful contrast on the tongue. I ordered the Red Rock Bowl, which was topped with tart raspberries, goji berry & raspberry puree balanced with sweet banana & crunchy granola. The result was satisfying & surprisingly filling.
At this point, our group split up. We dropped Jake & Jess off to go on a Pink Jeep tour in the desert, & then we picked up Starbucks & went to the trailhead once again, where Mom & Dad dropped us off & then went back to Sedona to walk the town. Coffee in hand, Joseph & I went back on the trails.
We took the Brins Mesa Loop which took us into the mountains & Coconino National Forest. I was stunned to see so much life growing in a desert! All around us, trees grew thick, at some points blocking the red rock from view. We traveled up, covering over 1,000 feet of elevation, all the while stopping to turn on the spot & gaze in wonder at our surroundings.
At the top of our hike, Joseph led us on an impromptu detour. We left the trail to climb up to the top of an outlook point. From our perch, we could see the buildings of Sedona against the backdrop of indigo mountains, the tops of which were hidden by thick, gray clouds. We sat for a moment, looking down over the valley below, before finally scrambling back down the rock face & continuing down the trail.
Climbing up to Soldier’s Pass was no easy feat. The elevation spiked quickly, & we were both out of breath as we climbed up to the cave. To enter, fallen rocks had formed a natural set of stairs. The cave itself was lit by multiple openings that gave gorgeous views of the mountains & trees. We sat in one of the holes to rest & take in the arresting view. Sedona truly is magnificent.
We were running late to meet up with our companions, so we ran the next half mile to the Seven Sacred Pools. Each pool almost perfectly circular, & they stepped down a slope, each holding still water that reflected the sky above. In the desert landscape, they, like the trees, looked out of place, & I was left wondering how such perfect little pools, all lined in a row, had been made in the rock.
We ran the last mile back to the car, & arrived at the trailhead just minutes after our family had arrived to pick us up. Once there, we all agreed to go to Old town Cottonwood for dinner. It’s a small town in the heart of wine country, filled with locally owned shops & charm.
We chose Colt 804 Grill for dinner, & we were not disappointed. The barbecued & smoked meat are cooked to succulent perfection, & each of the homemade sauces offered are unique & mouth-watering. I ordered a cobb salad with smoked bacon & beef brisket, & despite the enormous portion, it was so good I nearly finished the entire bowl.
It was getting dark & cold, but we decided to walk the streets for just a few minutes to take in the sights. Christmas lights lit our way down the busy, small town road. Most of the shops were closed, but we did dip into Verde Valley Olive Oil Traders, attracted less by the little bottles of oils & more by the friendly looking dog inside. After getting our fill of pets & cuddles, we did end up buying a delicious package of peppermint bark fudge for dessert.
The drive home was quiet. We were all tired from our long day. But it was a good tired – one I feel after many of my adventures with Joseph after our full days of hiking & traveling. It was so exciting to be able to experience that with my family as well, & I am looking forward to many more adventures with this awesome group of people. I loved that we started the day together, a few of us stepping a little out of our comfort zones for the hike but enjoying the time with one another. And then I even enjoyed splitting up for the afternoon, each doing the activities that we most love, & then we met up once again to enjoy a meal & share about our days. All during dinner, we were passing around phones, sharing photos as we described in rich detail all of the amazing things we had experienced.
Me at the impromptu outlook point Joseph took us to off the trail
If you have the chance to visit Sedona, I highly recommend it. There is definitely something for everyone there. Whether you want to go out on the trails, window shop in town, or on an adventure in a bubblegum pink jeep, everyone in your group is bound to have fun.
And just once, while you are there, take a step back & just soak in the view. Notice the vibrance of the colors, the sound of the wind in the leaves of trees in what should be a barren landscape, & the smell of sweet desert flowers & fruit. I would go so far to say that visiting Sedona is a spiritual experience. It’s a reminder of just how beautiful life is, & how even in the most challenging & dismaying circumstances, there is always a way to, not just survive, but to flourish & grow into something beautiful.
When you are traveling with a group, it is inevitable you will run into different opinions about what to do. And when you only have one vehicle, things can get even more complicated.
On the first morning with no plans for our trip, everyone had different ideas of what to do. My brother, Jake, & his fiancé, Jess, wanted to go horseback riding or rock climbing. Joseph & I wanted to go hiking. And my mother, the practical one, wanted to go grocery shopping.
Because my mother’s activity of choice was the most essential, she won the use of our sole vehicle. The rest of us waited at the Airbnb, talking about what to do next. We looked up horseback riding & decided a sunset ride a few days from then would be best, so that left a decision between hiking & rock climbing. Jake & Jess decided to drive with us to our hiking spot of choice, where there were plenty of small mountains to climb.
We left after 10am, far later than I had wanted. The sun was high in the sky by this point & beat down on our heads as we set off on the trail. Within minutes, I could feel my skin starting to burn & regretted not bringing sunscreen.
Joseph on the Verrado Petroglyphs trail
Despite the late hour, the trail was a lot of fun. My dad accompanied Joseph & I on our hike, & we passed the two hours chatting & pointing at sightings of wildlife as we trekked up the trail. We spotted a family of deer stepping lightly around the cacti that littered the ground, & my dad pointed to an empty spot of trail at one point that, a moment before, a road runner had scuttled across.
We climbed up a few rocks of our own to see the view, which, while brown & tawny, was spectacular. Now a few miles into our hike, we were completely surrounded by mountains & tall saguaros that showed us just how magnificent you can grow to be when you are willing to adapt to your environment.
We had chosen the Verrado Petroglyphs trail to see the ancient cave drawings carved into the rock. Unfortunately, all we caught was a small glimpse of this ancient art form. The one large boulder that contained the drawings had been blocked off with a chain link fence topped with barbed wire loop. We peered in to look at what appeared to be ancient stick figures & squiggles, & I was met with a moment of glee at thinking that people so many thousands of years ago drew pictures much like the ones we draw today.
Jake & Jess met up with us in the parking lot, & after getting coffee, we drove back to our Airbnb where Mom was waiting for us. We decided to spend the night in & got some snack food & drinks from the grocery store. Joseph turned on some music, & he, Jake, Jess, & Dad jumped into the pool while Mom & I sat out & just enjoyed the ambience.
When we grew hungry for dinner, we decided to continue our quest to find the best tacos in the area. Yesterday, we visited Baja Tacos for dinner, & the delicious food inspired us to try other local Mexican restaurants & decide which was the best. This time, we tried Oscar’s Taco Shop. The food was incredible, full of bold flavors that both contrasted & complimented one another. Salty cheese, creamy sour cream, earthy avocado, & spicy sauces made each dish a plate of perfection. I ordered the taco salad with shrimp in a fried tortilla bowl, which, while it was not quite the warm & comforting tacos I had tried the day before, it was still utterly satisfying. The tortilla was fried until crispy but it still tore softly & melted on the tongue, & the salad was fresh but still filling.
Compared to Baja Tacos, Oscar’s Taco Shop had more variety & included vegetables in their dishes, which is a huge win for me, but Baja Tacos’ homemade sauces & small business charm that could somehow be tasted in its food still made it a tough competitor. All in all, I think we will have to try another Mexican restaurant before we make our final pick.
We ended the evening resting our full tummies while playing a new card game, Uno Flip, which my mom had bought that day while running errands. Laughing around the table, I was struck by just how happy I was in how the day had turned out. We all have our different interests that pull us in differing directions, both in our daily lives & on vacation. But I love it when we all have the chance to come together & spend time with one another. There is nothing sweeter than that time spent around the table, laughing, talking & enjoying each other’s company.
When we return home, we will once again separate to our different lives, but I have hope that we will continue to seek special moments like these, where we can set any differences aside & enjoy the time spent with one another.
What do you pack for a trip to Arizona in December? According to the internet, everything. Tank tops & sweaters, bathing suits & gloves – bring a few suitcases & pack generously because you never know what to expect.
It was a late night before the plane trip. Because of a fun, Christmas event at work, I was up late packing. Before I knew it, 1am had arrived, & it was time for me to get ready.
We had a few small disputes among the family on what time to leave for the airport. To err on the side of caution & make sure no one felt anxious about missing the flight, we arrived at the airport an overly responsible two-and-a-half hours early.
We zoomed through baggage claim & security, & then used our extra time to enjoy a relaxed breakfast & coffee before our flight. The world was still dark when we ascended into the sky, perfect for an early morning nap.
We arrived into sunny Arizona by late morning. We were not allowed to check-in to our Airbnb until later in the day, so we went straight to visiting family instead. We met up with my uncle, his girlfriend, & three of his children in their hotel room, & then we all went to my great aunt & uncle’s home for dinner, where we met up with a couple of my mom’s cousins & family friends. We were all gathered together from all over the country for my great uncle’s 87th birthday.
It was fun to spend our first evening just relaxing with family. We spent the time enjoying drinks & good food, chatting & laughing. With thousands of miles dividing us, we hardly ever get to spend time or catch up with these family members, & it is always a joy to hear the stories from the past couple years & reminisce together.
The night grew late far faster than expected, & being awake for over 22 hours on three hours of sleep was taking its toll. We left, yawning & bleary-eyed, & drove through the streets lit bright with Christmas lights to our Airbnb. There is something quite interesting about hearing Christmas music & seeing Christmas decorations in such a hot, dry climate. Whoever said Arizona gets freezing cold in the early morning & late night must have been an Arizona native, because anyone who comes from a climate that actually grows reasonably cold would respectfully disagree. It gets chilly, but shorts & a hoodie still suffice. And to be dressed in summer clothes while experiencing the merriment of Christmas seems a little bizarre. I know many people go somewhere warm for the holidays, but I am a traditional Christmas movie girl & I want the snow, sweaters & pine trees, not sun tan lotion, bathing suits, & palm trees.
We slept in late the following morning to make up for the exhaustion the day previously. Joseph & I started the day with a run in our neighborhood, & then we met up with my uncle, his girlfriend, & our cousins for a trip to the Phoenix Zoo. We walked through the paved streets, peering in at the exhibits & chatting comfortably. The exhibits were nice & appeared comfortable for the animals, but the true attraction was spending time with family.
The sky was still light when the zoo closed, so we decided to go on a little adventure & go to the Hole in the Rock. It’s an easy hike – just over a quarter mile – that leads to a scenic point created by an unusually large hole in the tall rock.
I suppose it was a little too boring for those in our group with overly adventurous spirits. My dad, brother & Joseph decided to take the hike to the next level & climb up the front of the rock structure, which was no easy feat considering the grade of the ascent & my brother’s casual dress shoes. The rest of us walked around the rock structure & walked up the steps in the stone that lead to the wide hole. The setting sun reflected off of the red rock, creating a warm glow that emanated from the hole as we hiked up. Once inside the hole, the rock formed a small cave-like opening with an excellent overhead view of the zoo & dark blue mountains in the distance.
The adventurous ones in our group had climbed higher above the hole, & I, not wanting to miss out on the view, precariously climbed higher. Ankles teetering sideways, body leaning uncomfortably against the rocky structure, I climbed, slipping & sliding, up the side of the rock. My fellow travelers encouraged me, & soon I was settled up at the top, shaky & determinedly staying seated to be sure I would not fall, but feeling accomplished. From here, we could watch the sun disappear behind the faraway peaks & the sky grow a darker indigo.
We began the trek down as the light began to slowly fade. The majority of our group continued back down the way we had come, but the boys, once again, began down the face of the rock, & this time, my brother’s fiancé went with them. Not wanting to be the weakest link of the group, I decided to follow.
Rule number one of hiking: If you don’t think you can hike up the trail, you surely can’t hike back down. You would think that the trek up would be harder, but in truth, it’s the downhill that causes the majority of injuries. It’s much easier to slip & fall down the face of the rocks, & then gravity does its job of pulling you down until you hit something hard enough to stop you, which means it’s also hard enough to hurt you.
A quarter of the way down, I had realized my mistake. I was not wearing my hiking boots, I had zero rock climbing experience, & even more than that, I am afraid of heights. I like my feet on solid ground. Hiking is one of my favorite past times, & I have no problem hiking to high places, as long as my feet are firmly planted on the trail. But as soon as they inch a little too close to the drop, I start to shake.
This time was no different. Paralyzed with fear, adrenaline rushing through me, limbs shaking from the exertion of holding up my own body, I was stuck between swallowing my fear & being a quick learner, or falling down the face of the rock.
Luckily, I had help with me. Joseph, my dad & my brother assisted me step-by-step, helping me see the places to stick my feet & hands & reassuring me that, despite my doubts, my arms were strong enough to hold me when my feet were sliding. Tears springing my eyes, face turning red from exertion & embarrassment as I felt the eyes of everyone in the group on me, I shakily made it to the bottom & collapsed in sobs when I did, both of relief & humiliation.
“I’m so proud of you,” Joseph told me. “You’re so brave.” I did not feel proud, nor did I feel brave. I felt flush with shame & weak from my cowardice.
The members of the group hugged me, & we all went to the car together. Each told me how proud they were of me for climbing down, a feat that a number of others had done without a problem. I gave a shaky smile to each, but all I felt was self-consciousness at best, mortification at worst.
Just before climbing into our van, my dad stopped me & gave me a hug.
“I’m proud of you,” he told me.
“I’m so embarrassed,” I said quietly. “Everyone else did it without a problem.”
“You’ve never done it before, & you faced your fear,” my dad said. “Almost no one faces their fears. You were afraid, but you did it anyway, & that makes you brave.”
We left the rock face & drove back to our Airbnb. The original plan was to hit the grocery store, but it was evident no one really felt like shopping & cooking. A few minutes away from the store, we spotted a roadside taco truck with a permanent concrete sign claiming its location & bearing its name: Baja Tacos. A quick check in with the other occupants of the car revealed this was everyone’s preferred choice, & we quickly spun around & drove to the stand.
Going to an unknown taco truck is always a risk, but in this case, it was a risk worth taking. The food was inexpensive, but in no means cheap. We watched the chef work tirelessly inside the truck as we put in our orders, & a few minutes later, they were handed to us fresh & hot with a plethora of homemade sauces on the side. I ordered the fish tacos with chipotle sauce, which were served with cabbage, pico de gallo & guacamole on a fried corn tortilla.
To say the food was delicious would be an understatement. The flavors melded together to create a symphony on my tongue. It was creamy & crunchy, spicy & tangy, every bite nuanced & just as exciting as the last. And the spice was perfect – the burn built up in the back of my throat & stung my lips as I ate.
We ended the evening with a movie & then headed to bed, our skin sun-kissed goodnight by the desert.
I fell asleep thinking about the day’s events & how it ended. When I was packing for Arizona, I certainly didn’t expect this to be one of the first adventures I experienced. I was thinking of family time & mimosas, not scrambling down the side of a rockface with an expectant audience.
I remembered what my dad had said about bravery, my husband telling me he was proud of me, for doing something that everyone else had done with ease. But then I remembered, not everyone had done it. A few of us, perhaps you would call us brave or maybe even call us stupid, ventured down the rock face. And the achievement was not even the moment we made it down the rock, but that moment we each took a deep breath at the top & decided we were going to attempt it.
We all have different fears in life. Some of them we seem to be born with, & others we are conditioned to from life experiences. Some we call logical fears, & others can’t be explained but terrify us all the same. We react sometimes with tremors & shakes, while other times we become paralyzed & rooted to the spot. What is important in either situation is whether our next step is forward or back. Sometimes we go forth kicking & screaming, while other times, we go forward quietly, tears in our eyes & shaking head to toe. But whether we succeed or fail, we tried, & that’s what matters.
Climb your mountain, or in this case, stumble down into the valley. And if you are lucky enough to have a few loving voices by your side, listen to their words of comfort as you traverse around those dark & scary places where fear resides. It’s always much less scary in the dark when you have someone else by your side.
I love our meticulously planned travels, when we know where we are going & where we will be sleeping every night, but there is nothing more exciting than the spontaneity of a road trip.
For months, Joseph & I were planning to go up to New York for a few days for a wedding. However, it was not until a few days ago that we decided to leave a day early & make an impromptu trip to Delaware.
The day before we left, I did a little research to find a few places where we would want to stop. We packed our bags late Monday night, & then on Tuesday, with bathing suits on underneath our clothes, we headed out in our van to Rehoboth Beach.
We were lucky to have gone on one of the last warm days of the season. The ocean was cool but not unbearably so. We played in the waves with youthful exuberance, remembering the carefree days of our childhoods spent jumping through the waves. When the sun disappeared behind the clouds & goosebumps arose on our arms, we retired from our game & laid on the beach, toes dug into the warm sand, to dry off.
In our hurry to leave our home, we had not eaten much, so we decided to walk along the boardwalk to find some food. Our first stop was Thrasher‘s, a renowned french fry stand. We ordered a small container of fries to share. Immediately upon receiving our food, cawing seagulls began to swoop down over our heads, getting far too close for my comfort. We walked quickly, shielding our fries from their talons, until we were out of their reach. Then we walked while we munched, searching for our next stop among the many shops & restaurants.
Most of the businesses were closed for the season, but we finally settled on Blackwall at the Beach because it served crab cakes, which we both had a hankering for. We ordered the Trident Broiler to share, which came with a fillet of salmon, a large lump meat crab cake, & two small shrimps, served with a zesty roasted corn salsa & a roasted red pepper slice topped with melted Parmesan cheese. The plate had both our mouths watering as soon as it was set before us, & we finished it within minutes. All of the seafood was cooked to perfection, & each part of the dish paired beautifully with the subtly spicy aioli & refreshing basil pesto that were served alongside.
Our stomachs were full, but we thought we would be remiss to leave the boardwalk we both remembered from our childhood without a reminiscent scoop of ice cream. We perused the shops a little longer, dipped into a bookstore to find a few new interesting titles, & then finally settling on Kilwins for our special icy treat.
The locally owned confectionary did not disappoint. I ordered a scoop of the lemon sorbetto, which was thick & creamy, with just the perfect amount of sweet & sour. Joseph ordered a blended scoop of bitter yet sweet cappuccino chip & Kilwins tracks, which was reminiscent of the chocolate-studded favorite, Moose Tracks. We sat on a bench in the fading sunlight to savor our treats before finally heading back to the van.
We bought the van used from my mom months ago with the idea that it would make a great travel vehicle. It’s not yet as decked out in travel comforts as we would like, but it’s still a large enough space for the two of us to fit comfortably to sleep. Joseph found a local beach that allowed overnight parking, & we drove thirty minutes to the serene spot. In the darkness, we walked up to the sand, gazing up in awe of the stars above our head & watching lightning crackling in distance. In the darkness, we couldn’t see the waves, but the sound of the water crashing on the shore was deafening yet pleasant, like listening to a favorite song turned up all the way on headphones.
The only discomfort were the biting flies that would not cease feasting on any exposed skin they could find. When we couldn’t take the nuisances any longer, we returned to the van, moved all of our bags to the front, & laid out our sleeping bag & pillows in the back of the van.
The distant storm had created a humidity in the air that left water dripping down the windows. Our skin sweaty & hot, we debated whether or not to open the windows & invite the flies to join us. Joseph found a way to secure our beach towels overtop open windows, which may have let in a bit of cool air, but mostly the towels just clogged up the gap & left us just as hot as ever. Uncomfortable but exhausted, we both fell into an uneasy sleep.
The night continued to be one of the longest of my life. First & foremost, even with a sleeping bag, the floor of a van does not make a comfortable mattress. Tossing & turning, I felt like I awoke every 20 minutes to reposition my body in an attempt to find a comfortable spot. Meanwhile, the air, which had been unbearably hot to start, chilled as the night went on. By the middle of the night, we had both covered ourselves with blankets & winter jackets to try to stay warm.
When my alarm finally sounded, I awoke feeling tired but resigned to the knowledge that there was no way I was going to get any more rest anyway. We packed up the van & began the bleary-eyed drive to Lums Pond State Park.
The trail was just shy of seven miles around a peaceful, blue lake. The hike had little elevation, so despite the distance, it was not challenging. We spent the time chatting with ease. Most of the hike was the same view of the lake obscured partly by the trees we were trekking through. However, we did finally reach the swamp that the Swamp Forest Trail earned its name from.
When I heard the hike featured a swamp, I was not expecting much, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. The view was stunning. The green water actually looked clean & inviting. Ripples ran along the surface without a sound, blurring the mirrored images of the trees angled overtop its surface. We stood for a moment, soaking in the view before finally turning to walk the few miles back to the van.
For lunch, we decided to go to Market Street in Wilmington, a bustling street with a main-city feel despite being located in the middle of a city. Part of the street had been closed to allow vendors & food trucks to sell their goods. Despite there being a number of restaurants we had heard about, we decided the best taste of local food would be from these brightly colored trucks, so we perused the selection before finally settling on our favorites. Joseph ordered a surf & turf sandwich, a sub roll stuffed with smoked chicken & shrimp smothered in chipotle sauce & sprinkled with bacon, with a side of creamy bacon mac & cheese from a green food truck down the line. Meanwhile, I visited Zaikka, an Indian food truck, & ordered a pita wrap slathered with creamy hummus & topped with lightly fried falafel, lettuce & peppers. We ate at a picnic table, listening to the music blaring from a nearby tent that obliterated any chance for conversation.
The hour was getting late & we still had a long drive to New York, so we decided to find a coffee shop for a little caffeine kick before bidding Delaware farewell. We stopped at Brew HaHa!, a famous Delaware coffee shop serving up some of the best coffee in the state. I never order my coffee with sweetener of any kind, but despite this, the cold latte with almond milk was smooth & light. Brew HaHa! definitely goes on my list of one of the best coffee shops I have been to.
Our time in Delaware was short, but no less special than all of our travels. In fact, I think the short amount of time, & the amount activities we stuffed into it, made it even more exciting. The lack of sleep, scenic views, & unending search for delicious food & coffee are what road trips are made of. It’s a little taste of adventure in what otherwise would have been a day like any other.
However, I am a strong believer that adventures can be found even in the seemingly mundane moments of life. We are all the writers of our own stories, & we can choose the directions they go, what details we choose to focus on, what plot points & characters we choose to pursue. Any day can become an unexpected adventure if you’re willing to think of it that way, & perhaps venture a little outside of your comfort zone. Perhaps it means doing something spontaneous, like a road trip, or just something uncomfortable, like sleeping on the floor of a van. Or maybe it’s just taking note to & giving a little extra appreciation to the moments you don’t normally pay attention to, like the bittersweet taste of coffee. The morning caffeine run or the new restaurant chosen for after-work drinks can be relished for the little joys they are. Life, & all the moments within it, whether they be full of exciting new adventures or comfortable routines, is meant to be fully noticed, experienced & savored.
According to Oxford Dictionary, “love” is “a feeling or disposition of deep affection or fondness for someone.” A quick Google search of “What is love?” will pull up a song by Haddaway, along with a number of articles & personal opinions from people across the globe. It seems that everyone is searching for love in this life. To love & to be loved is an intrinsic need we all have.
Months ago, I celebrated My Love’sbirthday by gifting him tickets to The Avett Brothers’concert in Philadelphia. I booked us an Airbnb for the night & suggested we make a short trip of it. We have a goal to visit all 50 states, & Pennsylvania has already been checked off of our list. However, we neglected to go to Philly during our first trip, so it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to explore The City of Brotherly Love.
Since gifting the tickets, Joseph & I have gotten married & traveled up the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle, but a little overnight trip planned months ago still thrilled us. We packed our bags & headed out Tuesday afternoon to our small, private room near Drexel University.
We were already hungry when we arrived in the city, & we had a few hours until the concert, so I suggested we try the iconic Philly cheesesteak. Since there seems to be a restaurant or food cart on every corner selling the sandwich, we did a little online searching for the best place to go before finally settling on Cleavers. We didn’t want to do deal with the city traffic, so we left our car at the Airbnb & walked the busy Philly streets to our destination.
Cleavers is a specialty cheesesteak shop where you can get beef, chicken or vegetarian sandwiches. It was established in 2016 by a family that has owned & operated a cheesesteak manufacturing company known for its worldwide quality & service for over 35 years. The restaurant uses USDA domestic ribeye, fresh baked bread, & artisanal ingredients in all of its food.
The sandwiches were huge, stuffed full of delicious ingredients seasoned & cooked to perfection. Joseph ordered the BBQ Cheesesteak, which was packed with ribeye steak smothered in a sweet & savory barbecue sauce & sprinkled with thick-cut bacon, with melted American cheese & thick, freshly fried onion rings on top. I ordered the Porta Fresca, a vegetarian option made with succulently prepared portobello mushrooms mixed with roasted red peppers & sauteéd spinach & topped with thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. Mouths watering, we devoured our sandwiches until our stomachs couldn’t hold another bite.
We took an Uber to The Mann Center, an outdoor concert venue with a beautiful view of the Philadelphia skyline. At every Avett Brothers concert, the band commissions a local artist to design a limited edition poster for the performance. For this particular concert, only 200 were created for concert attendees, & thanks to our early arrival time, we were one of the lucky ones. For the next hour, we strolled around the grounds, enjoying the warm, late-September air. As the sky began to darken, we finally found our seats & settled in for a musically magnificent evening.
To say the Avett Brothers are good artists is an understatement. Their music is art in its truest form. The lyrics are poetry. The instruments are played so expertly & yet lovingly that they go beyond just touching your ears & go straight to your soul. And the harmony in the voices reaches into your heart & draws tears in your eyes. All while listening, time ceases to exist – you are simply so entranced by the songs & music that you feel at one with it, & all you want is for it to continue to go on.
Watching the band live was a truly cathartic experience. Every song they play is heartfelt & meaningful. The lyrics are written with care, the melodies matched perfectly to the message that is to be portrayed, & the harmony pulls everything together, using human voices to bring the emotion & connection to every listener. Sitting in the audience, I felt I connected to every emotional piece on the deepest level of my being, & it pulled to the surface every past & present hurt I had not dealt with. But by the end of the evening, these wounds had been treated like the most productive therapy session. With the ending encore song “No Hard Feelings,” we all stood & sang as one, Joseph & I in each other’s arms, singing both for ourselves & everyone in the room.
With love in our hearts — for ourselves, each other & our fellow beings — we left the venue with smiles on our faces. Despite the late hour & how tired we felt, we couldn’t help but chat animatedly about the performance for the next thirty minutes while we waited for our Uber to arrive. As soon as we arrived back at the room, we crashed into bed, ready for a long night’s sleep.
Our first stop the next morning was Wissahickon ValleyPark, where we hiked a moderately difficult trail littered with large rocks & adorned with green trees just beginning to fade to the fall colors of red & yellow. The trail led us to a rushing waterfall & covered bridge, where we stopped briefly to listen to the water before heading back to our vehicle. The hike took longer than expected, & we were both hungry for lunch by the end.
We wanted to try a Philly pretzel, so we headed to the Reading Terminal Market, a bustling indoor marketplace filled with locally owned shops. We went first to Miller’s Twist, a pretzel & ice cream shop. I ordered a classic Philly pretzel, while Joseph ordered a pretzel dog, chicken feta sausage, & cinnamon sticks. The golden brown pretzel was served warm, sprinkled with large cubes of salt that melted into the soft bread when I took a bite. I understand now why everyone raves about Philly pretzels – I had to stop myself from returning after my last bite to order more. Joseph’s chicken feta sausage was wrapped in the same delicious, aureate creation, & the meat was moist & full of flavor. As for the pretzel dog, I’ll just say that it made me want to eat hot dogs again. The cinnamon sticks were soft & just the right level of sweet, with a dash of cinnamon that made me dream of the cooler, cozy months to come.
Next, we ordered coffees from Old City Coffee, & then, since I was still hungry after eating my one pretzel, we went to Kamal’s Middle Eastern Specialities, a family-owned restaurant of 30 years serving lovingly prepared dishes made with fresh ingredients. I ordered the falafel, which is made from chickpeas & fava beans that were soaked overnight & fried fresh every morning. It came with a small salad, creamy hummus, & a lovely & light green tabbouleh.
Our stomachs now satisfied, we walked to LOVE Park, where the LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana stands tall in the middle of the courtyard. It’s a well-known landmark of the City of Brotherly Love that was created in 1976. Joseph & I took our required tourist photo with the artwork, & then decided it was time to head home.
What is love? All throughout this trip, I felt like I encountered it everywhere I went. From the beginning, when Joseph’s & my mutual love for music inspired me to express my love for him by gifting tickets to the band he loves most; to all of the local food we tasted, lovingly prepared in family-owned restaurants; to the concert, lovingly performed by a band started by two brothers who seem to understand the human heart on a deeper level than most, which I enjoyed while sneaking glances to my right of my love & feeling my heart swell to see him smiling so wide; to gazing up at a sculpture with the word itself painted in bright red.
What is love? Can it be a fleeting feeling like the butterflies at the beginning of a relationship? Can it be the underlying force of an argument between two people who know each other better than anyone else? Can it be an act of service for another human? Or perhaps it’s a shared look of two longtime companions, who in that moment can express their thoughts without any words or actions at all? Does it only exist when it is perfect & unconditional, or is true love imperfect & raw, the most basic & yet complicated human emotion?
Love is not something that can be easily defined by Oxford dictionary, & yet, as the internet has proven, it’s something we are all trying desperately to define & understand.
To me, love exists in all areas of life. It is in the simple touch that lingers on Joseph’s shoulder when I pass from behind, to let him know, even in the busyness of my day when I’m rushing from one place to the next, that I’m thinking of him. It’s in the words of comfort & support that are shared between friends. Love is in the beauty of nature that surrounds us, lovingly created by the only true source of unconditional love we will ever know. And our imperfect, human love is in the desperate yells of a fight, when the two people involved know each other so well that their tongues can be used as both tools for reconciliation & irreparable wounds.
Love is messily splattered in all different colors across the canvas of our lives, & yet its these splashes of various moments, feelings & thoughts that make our experiences on this planet beautiful. It is the absence of love that causes us the most pain, & it is the experience of love that brings us the most intense joy.
Perhaps what makes love most beautiful is that it cannot be simply defined. It’s more exquisite than a butterfly, unable to be pinned down & examined. Love cannot be put into words, but its an experience we all share. And I am finding in my life, the more we live for love, the more love we experience in even the most unexpected places.
