Great Wolf Lodge – Williamsburg, VA

January 26, 2017

Last winter our family packed up the car and hit the road for a mini winter vacation to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA. You can read all about it Here. The trip was not a total disaster as us adults had maybe subconsciously suspected, but instead a success! So much so, that we decided to make our joint family vacation an annual tradition, but mixing up the location a bit. An indoor water park in the middle of winter gave the kids some adventure out of the norm to look forward to and gave us adults an easy go-to trip idea that secretly makes us feel like kids again too.

It has been yet again a mild winter, despite my dear sister-in-law Amie’s wishes. She cringes as the temperature climbs and the sun comes out in January. A true winter bird, I think she even admitted traveling in this weather and lugging the kids in and out of our cars in warm temperatures versus blistering snow was actually quite nice.

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Deep Creek Lake, MD – Hidden Gems

August 23, 2016

My husband surprised me with a weekend away to celebrate the end of my 20’s and hello to my 30’s. A week ago I declared that August was my “Birthday Month,” and while he rolled his eyes and chuckled at my high-maintenanceness (is that a word?), he literally could not have made my leap into a new decade anymore special. Shout out – Thank you, Nathan!

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Links. Likes. Loves.

July 10, 2015

Photo taken in Savage Forest, Maryland

This week I curled up on the couch and fell asleep before 9:00 pm, and let me tell you it was glorious. Just glorious I say! Once Baby Lo was tucked in bed for the night I said “Goodnight dishes, see ya tomorrow basket full of a laundry, and, ha ha ha, yeah, I will pay you over the phone, bills,” and I curled myself up in a ball under a blanket and drifted into a beautiful sleep. I think my mind and body needed it and guess what? I did not miss a thing. Everything I said goodnight to waited for me in the morning. Here are this week’s top Links. Likes. Loves.

The Cognitive Benefits of Doodling – I think this article was made for me, since multiple times a week I hand co-worker’s drafts back with my edits and have to apologize for my drawings that accompany them.
50 Most Beautiful Places in Maryland – Even as a proud MD girl I did not know all these fine gems existed within our state. My travel bucket list just got longer.
The ROI of Social Media – I have been trying to explain this for years, but then Gary Vaynerchuk goes and says it all beautifully like this and I am all over here like, “Yeah, what he said!”
Princess Charlotte Christening: Official Photos Release – I have always had a found interest in the Royal Family. It started with Princess Diana. I even had a paper doll set, as a child, that I will always wonder if it was or would be worth money. Too bad no one knows where it is!
Knickers – They do exist – Because, I need a good laugh and these did the trick. No offense, but do people buy these? Do they wear these?
19-Year-Old Makes $100K on Etsy for School – When there is a will there is a way and when there is $100K in your bank account we all be like, “Holla!” You go girl!
Madwell Panama Hat – I want, no I need this hat!
Which Color of Nail Polish Best Matches This Shoe? Noooo!!!! Not again, please, not again. Left though!
15 Whimsical Photos That Bring Kids’ Imaginations To Life – The Mermaid!
This Shirt – Because Anthropolgie is having a Summer Tag Sale with an extra 20% off!

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Oh, Hey Pittsburgh, Hey…

April 3, 2014

So, if you have been a friendly visitor to my Blog since I started the first of the year, you may have read my Weekend Warriors – Deep Creek Lake post. There you would have uncovered a little fact about me and that is that I love spontaneous weekend trips. While I won’t shy away from a vacation opportunity when it presents itself, sometimes I get the most giddy over just a weekend or even a night somewhere new.

Earlier in the year Nathan and I got our hands on some Pittsburgh Penguins tickets… literally!

So, we set out to make a day and night of our time in Pittsburgh. Lately, work has been getting the best of me with some crazy hours and for Nathan, who has a landscape business, this long winter of plowing and the impending Spring rush had us both longing for just a quick getaway. Sometimes it is all you need to clear your mind and get back on track.

We headed straight for the CONSOL Energy Center in hopes of parking the car and getting in some pre-game action. I would highly recommend the Blue Line Grille, which is where we ended up. It is directly across the street from CONSOL.

TIP: The Blue Line Grille was packed! But, we learned they offer Bar only service on the 4th Floor. Instead of waiting in the crowds in the restaurant, head up to the 4th Floor. The views are great and service is quick!

After a quick drink, we raced across the street to our main event. The CONSOL is beautiful!! Clean, sleek and impressive.

TIP: Be careful if you carry a clutch and it has a zipper. This goes for just walking around in life, in general. What does that mean you ask? Well all I can say is that I seriously said a nice prayer of thanks when I realized I lost my car key in the CONSOL and thankful found it! Talk about complete panic and buzz kill. I transferred my phone, ID, lip gloss, some cash and car key lock to my clutch so we didn’t have to worry about my key set. I walked across the street from the bar and up about three sets of escalators, around half the arena, stopped in a bathroom and then met my husband at a concession stand for goodies. I mean I love food! It was only when I giddy from excitement for a night away and the thrill of my first Penguins game did I notice my clutch was unzipped. No big deal right? ID, check, Lip Gloss, check (whew for that one), cell phone, check, Car Key, Car Key, CAR KEY. All belongings were intake except for my car key. You know the key to get in the car after the game, drive to hotel, check in with luggage and continue with trip? I panicked. My husband chuckled. I wish I had his carefree attitude. I distinctly remembered going into the bathroom and hearing something hit the ground. So, I raced back to bathroom, through crowds of people and sure enough. There was my key starter laying in the bathroom stall. Pure relief! So, note to self: Make sure you ALWAYS zip up your clutch.

Once the game was over we headed to the Parking Lot to get our car and head to the Fairmont Pittsburgh where we were staying. Oh, and Penguins won in overtime! Great first game.

TIP: If you choose to stay at the Fairmont, just Valet your car at the hotel before the game. It is a few blocks, but we could have easily walked to the hotel quicker than the traffic we sat in after the game. There are some other hotels very close to CONSOL, but we enjoy the Fairmont, which leads me to accommodations.

Photo credit: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com

We LOVE the Fairmont Pittsburgh! The staff is gracious and helpful, the accommodations are sleek and beautiful and the location is very convenient. Working in the Hospitality Industry, I am pretty picky regarding accommodations and the Fairmont is top-notch! Some of my favorite room features are the in-room Keurig and the very comfortable beds. I adore their spa product line, Le Labo Rose 31, which includes Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel, a Body Bar and a cute hair cap. I think the packaging sells me more than anything!

The Pittsburgh Penguins game brought us to the city, but I was equally excited to venture out to explore the food scene. I have been eyeing up Pittsburgh’s MEAT AND POTATOES, located on Penn Avenue, for some time now.

TIP: Make reservations early! Don’t wing it like us. Or, if you do, cross your fingers that it works out in favor as it did for us.

We waited until we checked-in to decide on dinner and make plans, which resulted in a, “We can seat you at 10:00 pm, or you can come in and enjoy first come, first serve at the bar.” We had the hostess write our name down for 10:00 pm and took our chances. No luck! The place was packed and there were other hovering vultures like ourselves, eyeing up the prey, or fellow bar diners. Which diner would leave first?

We decided to keep our reservation and explore Penn Avenue and the surrounding area for some cocktails and appetizers. Luckily, we snagged two bar seats at Six Penn Kitchen and ordered a round of drinks and some delicious appetizers! I would highly recommend their Smoked Chicken Wings appetizer. They are coasted in a Gogujan hot sauce, garnished with sesame carrots and served with white miso aioli. Delicious!

Before we knew it, 10:00 pm had rolled around and I think by this point I was skipping to the restaurant. MEAT AND POTATOES did not disappoint. I repeat… did not disappoint. In fact, after we filled our bellies my husband said to me, “I think that is the best meal I have ever eaten!” I agreed! The Waitress suggested their Tartare appetizer. Dry aged strip with smoked eggs, chili, seaweed aioli and peanuts. The raw beef scared us yet intrigued us so we did what anyone would do… we ordered.

Amazing! Oh, my entree… well that was delicious too. I ordered the Wagyu Flat Iron which is served over Anson Mills nori grits. I have never been a grits girl but this flavor combination was wonderful and the beef was cooked to perfection.

TIP: This one is simple… Just go to MEAT AND POTATOES. You will not be disappointed.

Overall, I could talk Pittsburgh up even more. It is a great city. My overall suggestion, tackle the city in small bites. Plan multiple trips and make plans to experience different portions. There really is an endless list of possibilities. Check out VisitPittsburgh.com to learn more about the city and plan your itinerary. If you love Pittsburgh like we do, then share your favorite locations for lodging, dining, nightlife and sightseeing below.

And, because I love food and travel… I had to share!

Weekend Warriors – Deep Creek Lake

February 11, 2014

When it comes to jumping on a plane and seeing the world… I am no traveler. It is kind of sad, but anyone who knows me well, knows I am not the biggest fan of flying. I mean, my poor husband actually almost obliged to me cancelling our Honeymoon a day before our flight, which was already delayed a week from the scheduled departure (that is another story for another day) to opt for a good ol’ fashion roadtrip. I like cars. Let’s just keep it at that.

Therefore, when you decide to live life seeing the world through the comforts of your car… many may see it as limiting your possibilities. Now I don’t argue, I agree; however, I have learned that there is so much to see and explore in the United States and even more specifically throughout the Eastern United States, that my thoughts of limited possibilities, well they aren’t so limited.

Nathan and I have become quite the Weekend Warriors in our neck of the woods. We use to be better at it but stresses and responsibilities from work tend to get in the way sometimes. While friends and family chat about their upcoming travels to far away tropical islands… we tend to get slightly jealous. I mean I am a sucker for the ocean, sand and a Margarita in my hand and then my mind switches to airports and security and rushing to get to my flight and I am quickly back to my own reality. However, we have found over the years that traveling is what you make of it. Some of our BEST trips have been spur of the moment weekend getaways to Baltimore, MD to catch an Orioles Game followed by a mini food and beverage tour of Fells Point or a random weekend away to a quaint Chesapeake Bay town filled with sightseeing, great seafood and Bloody Marys.

I plan on sharing some of our favorite roadtrip spots in upcoming posts but for now I focus on one that is in our backyard… Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. For the past six years, my in-laws have chose to forgo individual birthday gifts for their children and their spouses and instead rent a Lake House for a long weekend. It is even complete with a birthday cake for us all to share. It was a great idea that originated a few years ago and has now grown into a welcomed tradition.

This year we dug a little deeper into the mountain for a cabin that was off the main roads and as a great surprise to us had a priceless view of the Lake.

View from our cabin in Deep Creek Lake

The first year we came we had just one little one, my niece, Ava, but now our little one is already five and our nieces and nephews have grown by four more!

My niece, Ava.

Brinnley Boo

The Twins and Baby Graysen.

The weekend included some skiers taking to the Mountain at Wisp Resort, a pizza take-out competition between Ledo’s and Brenda’s (my vote went to Ledo’s), some Winter Olympics action… oh, wait you thought I meant on TV? No, this weekend including our very own Luge construction on the mountainside, an Italian Dinner complete with homemade Spaghetti meat sauce and meatballs and some general downtime.

Luge Action

As I mentioned, I am blessed that Deep Creek Lake is just 40-minutes away from where I live, so we travel to the area quite a bit. In fact, we even were married there! Over the years our ski weekends have evolved. From multiple days skiing at Wisp to bar hopping along the Lake and from hiking nearby Swallow Falls State Park to local shopping at our favorite boutiques. The beauty of Deep Creek Lake is really that the area has so much to offer the traveler, and as our family expands, it is comforting to know that we can still come to same place for our travel.

If you are planning on making a trip to Deep Creek Lake during the winter here are my “Must Do” suggestions…

Rent a Home, Condo or Townhome. There are many Vacation Realities in Deep Creek Lake; however, we tend to go with Railey’s year after year. They have a great house selection and are super friendly!
Make some time to experience Wisp Resort. They really have some great winter amenities, especially if you are looking for a weekend with some adventure. From Skiing and Boarding to Snow Tubing, from Ice Skating to Snowmobiling and much more.
Food, Food & More Food. I love dining out! Especially at non-chain restaurants that are locally owned. You just get a great feeling and in my opinion, the food is usually much better. So, here are my winter Deep Creek dining suggestions – 1) Mountain State Brewing Co. – Hands down favorite! They brew their own beer and make the best flatbread pizzas. Try the Amber Ale – it is the best! 2) Black Bear Tavern – Don’t be fooled by the local bar feel. They make a Portobello Mushroom stuffed by Crab that is absolutely out of this world! 3) Canoe On The Run – Breakfast or Lunch that is healthy and quality driven – well this is the place. They do have a menu but what I really love is the chalkboard on the wall that lists out their daily specials, which change.
Nature at its’ finest. Winter at Deep Creek Lake is beautiful. From the frozen lake to the snow covered woodlands, it is truly a relaxing place. Get outdoors at Swallow Falls State Park (below is a picture from Ski Weekend 2013) or visit the hiking trails and Discovery Center at Deep Creek State Park.
Swallow Falls
Shop Local. If you have time to get out and spend some money I highly recommend visiting School House Earth, which features everything from dips, oils and sauces to home decor and paintings. Plus, take the kids, because they have a petting zoo complete with Llamas! I also enjoy FireFly Farms located in nearby Accident, Maryland, but I also love cheese, and if you do too – trust me stop! Finally, if time permits, head into downtown Oakland, Maryland. They have boutiques and many antique shops that just make browsing or hopefully buying fun.

Share your favorite Deep Creek Lake gems by commenting below, and happy traveling.