Tunesday.

You have to listen to this song! Probably one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. My roommate was listening to a playlist and this came on. I instantly fell in love. I suggest lighting a candle and sitting in a dimly lit room with your Christmas lights glowing in the background- at least that's how I'm enjoying it right now and it is so blissful. So in love, I hope you enjoy!



Happy Tuesday!
Alex

Finding Purpose

I just had my last lecture in my 'Finding Purpose' class and wrote my final reflection on it. I really liked the class, he always had inspirational quotes and read poems and we got to meditate in class. Definitely not your average class but I definitely enjoyed it.

Here is a little blurb from one of my realizations and lessons from the class that I really enjoyed.

I think the very first, and one of the most important, concepts that comes to mind with this course is the idea of finding purpose. I signed up for this class believing I was going to figure out what I wanted to ‘be when I grew up.’ As a senior graduating in May, I figured I better decide on a career path because I was still unsure of where I wanted my life to lead. Over the course of the semester I have come to the realization that it isn’t about deciding what you want to be, it’s about figuring out who you wanted to be. It not finding exactly what kind of career you want to have or what company to work for or where to live, it’s about the values that I hold and letting life be an adventure. It’s really a beautiful journey we all get to trek through, and making plans but having life lead you to others is a lot of what I’ve realized throughout this course. The somewhat ironic thing is, is that as I learned this, and was panicking less about what I was going to do with the rest of my life, I applied, interviewed, and as of last week, accepted an offer to work for one of my dream companies. I am less worried about being stuck in a certain field or role my entire life, because I know that even if I planned on doing it, life would make sure otherwise.

Off to finish my gigantic research paper (15 pages!?!!) and then some more finals work! The semester is almost over, enjoy it while it lasts!

Have a great weekend!
Alex

Thankful Weekend

It's Thanksgiving weekend and I figured I'd share exactly what it is I am oh-so grateful for this holiday. I love that Thanksgiving makes everyone a little more aware of everything they have to be grateful for- what a wonderful thing!

I am most thankful for the wonderful people I have surrounding me. The most loving family that has been supportive of every new venture I go after, my shoulder to cry on, and the people that make me laugh the hardest. I know I can be my complete and whole self and they'll still be there for me, even if they do heckle and poke fun at me... it's good to be humbled, right? I'm grateful for my handful of friends that have been there for me through so many ups and downs. It's been mostly ups and I'm thankful for that, but for the few low points and tearful conversations, my friends have been there. I'm thankful for jobs that enable me to live a great life, pay my rent, and have food at my disposal to cook and eat at all times - what a luxury so many of us don't think about! I love that my jobs have led me to amazing friendships, I seriously do not know what I would do without them. Some people call them coworkers, but I get to call them my best friends. I am so so so grateful for my education and experience that has  gotten me an opportunity to work for my dream company. And the universe for aligning and offering me a position I truly see myself being happy with in the long run. I am so privileged and live such an amazing life that I am thankful for not just this weekend, but every single day.

Thank you to the people who read this, the people who I call friends, and the lucky ones I get to call family. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a fabulous holiday weekend.
xo,
Alex

Ecstatic!

So, about my last post... I may have lied. I received the phone call from Amazon about my 'feedback' on Friday afternoon. I wasn't really looking forward to it, who wasn't really looking forward to hearing what I did wrong and how I didn't get one of my dream jobs. Anyways, that wasn't the case. After talking to the recruiter, I found out I did receive the job offer! I could not be happier and it has been such a whirlwind of emotion. It makes it that much sweeter (minus the 24 hours of heartbreak between Thursday and Friday) that I thought I didn't get it, then actually receiving an offer.

I can't believe it and I couldn't be happier. I'm so thankful for my family and friends that were there for me when I got it, but just as importantly when I thought I didn't get it. They put up with lots of tears, and then lots of yelling and laughing and smiling when I told them I actually got it. I would be embarrassed for assuming if I wasn't so freaking happy that I got it.

I know there are a lot of great things ahead, so much room for growth, and so many amazing opportunities. I'm creating my future, my dream job, and my perfect life each and every day and I'm so excited for the adventure.

HAPPY HAPPY TUESDAY!
Alex

Resilience.

I wish I had good news to share. I really thought I would to. It's hard when you envision yourself getting the news, calling all of your family, posting it online. I've seen my future after graduation, moving somewhere, working in a fulfillment center, growing with this huge company I've obsessed over and researched for hours. Well, I unfortunately didn't get the job I flew out for a couple weeks ago. I'm really disappointed, but I know it'll all work out. I have been telling myself if this ended up being the case than I obviously wasn't right for the company. It wasn't meant to be. There are tons of other jobs out there and my perfect job is awaiting me.. this just wasn't it.

I'm really trying to feel that way, and I really do believe it, but I just need some time to get over it first. My heart hurts after so much time and energy has been invested into this process, and talking about it to others, and getting my hopes up- really, really up. It'll be alright. I'm still breathing. My family is safe. And life is gonna go on. I just need a pint of salted caramel gelato and a couple hours watching a chick flick.

L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N

Have a good weekend, keep on keepin' on.
Alex

Baby, just say yes.

Okay, so maybe sometimes I think I'm too much of a 'yes' girl. I've heard I need to say no to more things, stop over-loading myself, let others figure it out. All of these may be (partially) true, but I think you can experience so much more when you say yes once in a while!

Take a minute and read this article, you might just learn something new!

My favorite from the article:

"18. The idea that things are going to work out. There will always be things that make you anxious, and some decisions will, in fact, be life-changing. But realize that even if you do try to plan everything perfectly, you will inevitably face challenges you couldn’t have predicted. Have enough faith in yourself and the people in your life to believe that, no matter what happens, you’ll figure out how to deal with it and go from there"

Take care and say yes... only if you want to!
Alex

Catching up.

I know, I know. I've been slacking horribly in the blog-o-sphere. It was all a whirlwind from Homecoming to today. It probably will continue to be as this week leads to Thanksgiving week, and then to Finals time. Oh joy!

Here are some updates from my life the past couple weeks (other than iPhone decisions!)

1. Homecoming was fabulous, in a 2 hours of sleep, stressful, chaotic, wonderful kind of way!

 

 Some of my favorites from the longest ASU Homecoming tradition, Lantern Walk, and the Parade!

2. Halloweekend; I got to go out with my favorite girls, dressed up as sea creatures one night, and Katy Perry with my family and some other friends the second night. Who doesn't love dressing up and seeing of hundreds of other 20-somethings dressed as everything from Unicorns to Freddy Krueger. Too much fun, especially meeting cute boys with mustaches. Until you don't talk to them ever again, but hey- still fun!

Sea Creatures and my family of musical artists (Katy Scary, Freddy Mercury, Kitty Purry, and Katy Perry!)

3. Took a weekend to spoil myself last weekend. I got a pedicure which I've totally been loving. I just look down at my toes and feel so happy with my french-tipped toes. Totally worth it before they go into boots for winter! I went and got coffee at Gold Bar, went on a bike-ride to nowhere with my friend from work. It was nice to ride around the lake in Tempe, not going to work, or rushing to class, or trying to get home in a hurry.The weather has finally been nice here in AZ, and I'm trying to soak it in as much as I can!

 Pedicured toes and coffee! 

4. I traveled to Indianapolis for an interview this week. One of my dream companies flew me out for a final interview. Super stressful, but such an amazing experience! You never think something like that would happen to you, but I've finally come to realize that all my work, all my jobs, all the studying, is all worth it! Whether it's with this company, or somewhere else, I am getting such great experience and doing great things and I'm loving it! I'm supposed to find out in the next week or two about an offer from the company and will be sure to share the details! Send good vibes my way! xo

 What I wore on my interview, it was casual- everyone was wearing jeans! Definitely threw me off, but was way cool to wear what I'm more comfortable in!

Hope this got you caught up, thanks for checking in! Have a lovely weekend!
Alex

Pick one!

So I think I've decided... I'm going for it. I'm going to buy the iPhone 5! My phone is so cracked and I'm afraid I'll get shards of glass in my face every time I talk on the phone! So the hard decision now is what kind of case to get! Eeee!

Check out society6.com for the most awesome cases ever and give me suggestions of which ones you like! I like the tribal patterned ones, the skull ones, the B&W photography ones, and some of the quote ones. I want to hear what you like, and help me choose from the hundreds available!

There is also this choice from Amazon, which is $10 instead of the $35... hmmm.... I can't choose. So I need your help!

What do you think? Where did you get the case for your phone? Is it worth it to spend almost $40 on a case for a phone?

Have a lovely day!
Alex

iDecisions.

So, very sad story- I dropped my iPhone on the asphalt last week and ended up with a sweet crack in the corner and across my screen. My case apparently had done enough protecting from all of the previous times I've dropped it and finally gave in. Since then it has only gotten worse because gravity just keeps sending it smashing to the ground.

Image via Gearlive.com

Anyways, I don't know if I should use my update and get an iPhone 5, or save the $100 and get the iPhone 4s. My phone is currently a 4, but I figure if I'm going to use my update, I better upgrade at least a little. So it's $200 for the iPhone 5 and $100 for the 4- not that big of a difference in the long run, but an extra $100 sounds like a lot at the moment.

What do you think? Do you have the iPhone 5, or know someone who has gotten it? Is it worth it?

Decisions, decisions!
Have a great day!
Alex

Tunesday.

I love listening to new Pandora stations, or Grooveshark radios, or Spotify playlists- they always show me new artists, a lot that I end up really enjoying.

One artist I recently found and started listening to is Ry Cummings. Check him out, all of his songs are so good! Here's one of my favorites:



Have a great Tuesday!
Alex

Tunesday.

There's something magical about this song, and about Ed Sheeran. I'm in love with his music at the moment. Give it a listen!




If you like him, listen to his most popular song The A Team, and one of my other favorites Drunk.
What are your favorite songs at the moment?

Have a great week!
Alex

Dig in.

I made this delicious stack of pancakes last night for dinner. It was just one of those nights where I was like, I'm gonna have breakfast for dinner... just 'cause I can. I put a Fall spin on it and added some cinnamon and nutmeg along with the Sweet Potato to make it a little more festive.
Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Spice Pancakes
   Makes one large serving
1 cup Bisquick or other pancake mix
2/3 cup water
1 Sweet Potato
Equal pinches of nutmeg & cinnamon
   (I know.. real accurate measurements!)

Mix together pancake mix, water and spices. Cook potato and cut into cubes. Add into mix with other ingredients, I put mine into my Ninja processor to make the mixing a little easier! Viola, you have a delicious pancake mix, pour them in the pan and indulge!

Hope your week was amazing!
Alex

Trip to Tucson!

So last Friday was my first day off from all of my jobs in 30 days. A little excessive, hopefully it won't be that long again. Anyways, though sleep and lounging sounded tempting, I knew I wanted to get out and do something special for the day. I texted my good friend Michelle and told my sister to get ready for us. We left Thursday night after I worked and got out of class. We got in around 10:30 and didn't waste any time. We got ready and went downtown where we hung out at Club Congress. I was so excited I finally got to go, I've heard so much about Congress- and definitely a cool place to hang out.

The next day, Friday, was everything I could have hoped for in a day off. We got coffee at Sparkroot, an awesome awesome awesome coffee shop where we sat on the second floor with the natural light flooding in, taking in the Tucson streets. After coffee we got breakfast burritos at the infamous Taco Shop and stuffed ourselves with salsa and veggie burros!

 We walked around and enjoyed the perfect weather, went Goodwill shopping where I found an awesome leopard blazer. I can't wait for it to cool down so I can finally wear it!! We tried out the famous Eegees slushies, I wasn't too impressed, but hey- I can now at least say I've tried it! We went out for sushi and then got drinks on the patio to soak in the sunset. Then we rode with the top down to Kon Tiki an awesome little tiki bar with fun drinks and free tacos during happy hour- sweet! We went home to get ready and went out for a looonng night of fun.We woke up for a quick stop at the Farmer's Market then waffles and coffee at Rincon Market and hit the road Saturday morning to get me back to work.





I am so glad I got to visit my sister down in Tucson, and got to do so many awesome things! My whole day off revolved around eating and drinking, and I don't think I'd have it any other way!







Do you have any fun trips planned? What do you do on your days off?
Happy First Day of FALL!! Hooray!

Alex

Tunesday,

If you haven't heard this song, you need to . If you have, you should revisit it. Such a classic, it's been in my head all day!



And we'll never miss a party, 'cause we keep them going constantly. And we'll never have to listen to anyone, about anything 'cause its all been done and its all been said. We're the coolest kids and we take what we can get.

Took a trip to Tucson, I hope to post about it soon! The Career Fair and a Finance quiz is keeping me busy! Hope all is well in the blog-o-sphere with you all!
Alex

Tunesday.

Heard this song. Perfect song for cooler weather and the summer is slipping away. 

"Photobooth"

I remember when the days were long,

And the nights when the living room was on the lawn.

Constant quarreling, the childish fits, and our clothes in a pile on the ottoman.

All the slander and double-speak 

Were only foolish attempts to show you did not mean

Anything but the blatant proof was your lips touching mine in the photobooth.

And as the summer's ending, 

The cool air will put your hard heart away.

You were so condescending..

And this is all that's left:

Scraping paper to document.

I've packed a change of clothes and it's time to move on.

Cup your mouth to compress the sound,

Skinny dipping with the kids from a nearby town.

And everything that I said was true,

As the flashes blinded us in the photobooth.

Well, I lost track, and then those words were said.

You took the wheel and you steered us into my bed.

Soon we woke and I walked you home,

And it was pretty clear that it was hardly love.

And as the summer's ending, 

The cool air will rush your hard heart away.

You were so condescending.

And this is all that's left:

Scraping paper to document.

I've packed a change of clothes and it's time to move on.

And as the summer's ending,

The cool air will rush your hard heart away.

You were so condescending,

As the alcohol drained the days.

And as the summer's ending,

The cool air will rush your hard heart away.

You were so condescending.

And this is all that's left:

The empty bottles, spent cigarettes.

So pack a change of clothes, 'cause it's time to move on.

Get your fix.

So I’ve decided I’m going on a mission. I want to try as many coffee shops in the Tempe area as possible. Fridays are my relaxed days where I only work one job and don’t have class, so I think I will make it my coffee hunting day. The bonus is, I’ll get my coffee, try it out, see the atmosphere, while at the same time bringing my homework and getting stuff done! Hooray! Sounds like a great idea, right? So I’m going to make a list, and start going as many Fridays, or non-Fridays, as I can.

First stop, Essence Bakery. Coffee and their infamous macaroons!

So here I am, at Essence bakery, getting an iced coffee and finishing my Finance homework. Can I just throw it out there that I love saying that I have finance homework, sounds like I’m so cool and business-like, right?! Anyways, I got some homework done and I’m about to delve into choosing one of their famous macaroons here. I don’t work for another few hours, and will be off in time to get dinner with the family. Sounds like a great day to me!

I need to find some that are open early, because my new thing is getting an early start- to work out, do homework, go to work- and there is so much more time in the day that way! Let’s see how this goes, one shop down… lots more to go! Wish me luck and sticking with it. And it just came to me, the perfect title, because every important thing in life needs a title, The Friday Fix. Like coffee fix, and I love alliteration, bonus!  

Summer Reflection.

I feel like every Summer that passes I grow and change as a person. I guess it happens every year, but I seem to realize it more when the Summer ends and I go back to school. It's like that saying "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." One of my favorites! But so true, the ways you have changed are so much more prevalent when returning to a place that has for the most part stayed the same. Anyways, I was getting reflective, partly due to my 'Finding Purpose' that has us meditate each class and write in a journal everyday (awesome, I know!), and partly due to the end of Summer.

Awesome picture on my road trip, thanks Instagram!

I was looking over my Summer checklist, and I actually accomplished nearly the whole thing! But even without measuring the checks off my list, I had such a great summer. I was so bummed out going into Summer, not having an internship set-up, or living in another state, I thought it was going to be terribly boring and unproductive and I'd just be a lazy bum the whole summer. Well, that is partly true, but not entirely. I didn't have an impressive internship, but I had a job, well two, where I got to work with some of my best friends. I didn't get to live out of state, but I got to travel to 12 states on a cross-country road trip. I didn't work out everyday, but I did work on an organic farm in Spain. I mean looking back, some of these things are more impressive than what I had pictured a successful Summer as.

Though a 9-5 internship with an impressive company would not have been a bad thing, having a relaxing Summer working outside with my best friends, going out and exploring new bars being 21, not getting enough sleep but getting entirely too much sun, and not only traveling across the US, but into Europe for the second Summer in a row made up for one of the best Summers ever. It may have not been resume-worthy, but it was definitely a memorable one as one of my last legitimate Summer vacations ever.

Here's to Summer 2012, not having anything to add to my resume but having way too much fun to mind to terribly.

Roadtrip USA

So I know this is a little belated, but I told you I'd post pictures from my amazing road trip across the country! I just thought it'd be a few days after, not a few weeks, but hey- sometimes life gets in the way! Anyways, I truly had an amazing time driving cross country.

I started out flying to LA to spend the weekend with my road trip buddy, Heather who had been living in LA interning with a film festival. I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan.. or maybe just my carry-on and swimsuit- I couldn't resist those lyrics though! We went straight from the airport to Marina del Rey, at one of the other locations of my work- boat rentals! The manager at MDR actually trained me in Tempe when we just opened up.. almost 2 years ago, crazy!! She was super amazing and let my friend and I out on a jet ski, Oh my goodness, I can't even explain how much fun we had! I already love jet skiing, but haven't been in so long, but it is so different on the ocean. Hitting wave after wave, getting sprayed in the face with salt water, and looking out on the beach and Santa Monica pier. It was so so soooo cool!

After that we went to The Promenade in Santa Monica to a restaurant/bar to watch the Opening Ceremonies. Unfortunately is was loud, and okay maybe I was more into the chips and salsa and catching up with Heather than the odd choreography of the opening ceremonies. After walking around in the cool California air and checking out some street artists and musicians, we went back to her place and got ready. We went out to this bar called the Cha Cha Lounge, and it was everything I'd ever dreamed a bar being. Totally not a typical LA bar, or maybe if is, how would I know?! But the odds were definitely in our favor, since we were like 2 or the 5 girls in the whole bar and the rest were plaid-wearing, skinny-jean-rocking bearded men. Right up my alley. We had an awesome time talking to people and playing fooseball and taking pictures in the photo booth.

The next day we got to go to Universal Studios because Heather's roommate works there and gets free guest passes- awesome! So we spent most of the day there, and then went out for a quick dinner at Pink's famous hot dogs! After that we found an Irish pub (we were reunited in Dublin last summer, so it was fun to be back in that atmosphere with her again) and had quite an interesting time. With crazy Russian guys trying to talk to us, then those same guys getting thrown out of the bar, and then me falling in love with the tough bartender making me a special drink Heather and I got to name.

Anyways, that was an awful lot- and that was just one city in one state out of 12 we passed through on our trip! We continued back to Phoenix, got to sleep in my own bed and stocked up on snacks from my house before heading out to Colorado.

Our first day was 16 hours long, the longest of the trip. It sounds horrible but I guess with good company and awesome sites it isn't bad at all. We took a pit stop in Santa Fe, NM for some photo ops and window shopping. Not long after that we made it to Denver for a stop at the Cherry Cricket, our first (of many) Food Network featured restaurant. I absolutely loved how clean and nice downtown Denver seemed! I wish I could have stayed longer, but we had to get to Longmont, CO before it got too late. After a night catching up with old friends that I worked at Lonehollow summer camp in TX with, we were up a few hours later to get an early breakfast in Boulder. We got to Pearl Street, the most amazing little street in downtown Boulder and I instantly fell in love. I never thought I'd live outside of Arizona, but I would definitely love living in Colorado! We got breakfast at Foolish Craig's Diner, as seen on the Food Network and had the most delicious crepes ever!

From Boulder we drove through Wyoming and into South Dakota for our stop at Mt. Rushmore. It was sooo cool to see this landmark in person. It was so big, and astonishing that someone actually carved it from hand. We has a picnic on some benches looking out over the faces on the mountain and after a photoshoot with Rushmore we were off to gain more more miles across the country. We made it to the middle of South Dakota to a tiny motel with a freezer for your pheasants and a delicious homemade breakfast- what more could you ask for?! Taking off bright an early we made another pit stop in Sioux Falls, SD to get the car checked out and look at the Falls. The car ended up being fine, hallelujah, and the falls were really cute with a nice park area surrounding it.

From Sioux Falls we ventured to Minnesota and made it into Minneapolis just in time for rush hour. Not to worry, though, we had Mall of America to keep us busy! This mall was huge, and there was so much there there was no way I could have even gotten close to seeing it all. But I did see the roller coaster inside the mall, the four towering stories of stores, a movie theater, an aquarium and lots and lots of clothes! We couldn't stay long because there was lots of Minneapolis to see and not a lot of money to spend at a mall that  dangerously large! Heather's awesome friend took us out for a fun night in Minneapolis from the downtown scene to an awesome college bar called the Kitty Kat Klub with live music and awesome eclectic decor. We took a stroll over the Mississippi river and saw a little bit of the UofM campus.



We woke up the next morning and, of course, headed to breakfast! We went to Al's Breakfast which was one of the coolest restaurants we stopped at the whole trip. With something like 10 bar stools, and a line that stretches out the door all standing behind the people eating, it's definitely an experience. After having a guy offer me some of his pancake so I could taste it before I ordered it to be sure I wanted it, I got a sweet corn pancake and a Wally Blue (blueberry and walnut) pancake and was delighted to find these were some of the best pancakes I've ever eaten. Food Network, you didn't lead us astray yet again!



Driving though Minnesota, into Wisconsin, we had to of course make a pit stop for some WI cheese! We stopped in Madison at The Old Fashioned, a really neat eatery from The Best Thing I Ever Ate- rightfully so! After having the best cheese curds in the world, and some Wisconsin beer, we were off to Chi-town!

We made it into Chicago around 5:30, and met up with Heather's friend we were staying with. After getting a ride into the city we got there just as the sun was setting. Lollapolooza was going on the very next day, and we were so upset that we missed it by less than 24 hours! I was still so excited I got to see 'the bean' structure in Millenium Park downtown. I took far too many pictures in front of it with the reflections of all the awesome lit up buildings, but it was definitely the hilight of my trip into Chicago. We got a picture with Sear's Tower, had Chicago deep-dish pizza Guy Fieri himself suggested, and got a drink before taking the train back out to the 'burbs of Chicago.



The next morning we got up for the last leg of the trip! We passed through Indiana for all of what seemed like 10 minutes and then we were in Michigan. We stopped in Ann Arbor, checked out Michigan's campus, had a picnic in the courtyard, and did a little thrift store shopping. We got ice cream at a local creamery that was to die for, before heading back on the road to not just another state, but another country!

My first time in Canada! We got
past the very hasty border patrol and lost cell service and were map-less for the next few hours. This led to a little adventure of almost running out of gas looking for a gas station in the middle of Ontario country-side, but added a little excitement (and anxiety) to the trip. After that little delay we finally made it to Niagara Falls! It was a little later than expected, but I still got to see the epic Falls all lit up at night and the Canadian strip that looks more like Vegas than a National Park. We left Canada in to New York to arrive in Buffalo with Heather's grandma that night.


We woke up and cruised back to the Falls to spend more time checking them out. They are truly amazing, I can see how they're a wonder of the world... SO much water! You can hear it roaring from far away and feel the mist as you get closer. I was lucky enough to have Heather's amazing parents pay for us to go on the Maid of the Mist, the boat ride into the Falls. After being up close and personal on the boat, we went climbing up the stairs underneath the Falls for a torrential downpour of waterfalls right on top of us. It was so exhilarating, and refreshing and just a blast realizing the ponchos we were wearing weren't doing much good because this water was completely gushing over us. We dried off quickly on the viewing platform and got some great pictures.

Niagara Falls really was one of my favorite things from the whole trip, just being nearly submerged by the Falls was such a cool feeling and Heather and I had a blast. After drying off, we went back into Buffalo to eat at Anchor Bar, the originator of the Buffalo wing! So cool, right?! I'm normally not a huge wing girl, but these were extraordinary, and now I'll never be able to eat wings again because they just won't compare. After the feast of Buffalo wings, we finally set out on our last few ours of driving.

Our last stop was in Glen Elyn, NY for Heather's family reunion. In New York there was sitting on the dock watching the sunset, staring at stars in the gleaming country night sky, wine tasting along the Seneca wine trail, tubing in the lake, card games and lots of food and family. The weather in upstate New York was amazing, and it actually cooled off it night, I even got to throw my flannel on- I was excited! Heather's family was more than welcoming and I couldn't have asked for a better family reunion to crash.

 It was so sad to see the road trip come to an end. Heather and I had so much fun singing along and cruising around, not to mention seeing some of the best sites the country has to offer. I am so grateful I got to go on a trip like this, and arriving in the Finger Lakes of NY was a great way to cap off the trip.

12 States, 2 Countries, 6 days.

Today is the day! I am headed out to LA to enjoy the weekend on the beach before I head cross-country for an epic road trip adventure! I am soooo excited!

My friend Heather has been living out in LA for the Summer bought a car out there, and now needs to drive it back to upstate NY where she's from. I was lucky enough to get the invite to come along for the ride. The plan is to go from LA, back to Phoenix, to Boulder to Mt. Rushmore/South Dakota, to Minneapolis, to Chicago, through Ann Arbor, up to Canada, to Niagara Falls, to Buffalo then ending up in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate NY. Yeah- quite the venture! It's nice because between myself and Heather, we have planned our trip according to places we have to stay. Shacking up with friends, family and old co-workers. We're staying with a friend I worked in Texas with at a summer camp in Boulder is sure he'll show us a good time. We are making a pit stop in SD and getting a cheap motel so we don't have to make the 18 hour drive straight through to Minnesota. Heather has friends in Minneapolis and Chicago we're staying with. Umm, Mall of America in MN and Lollapalooza weekend in Chicago- I'm sure it won't be hard to have fun in either of those places! (I am probably most excited about Chi-town... I've always wanted to visit- and yes I just called it Chi-town like I'm Jay-Z.)

Image via Weheartit.com

From there we're passing through Ann Arbor where I will hopefully get lunch with my roommate and check out Ann Arbor for an hour or so, I've heard it's just amazing there! We'll drive straight up through Canada, eh? Get another stamp on the passport (I think? Do they do that when you drive through? We'll see!). Going to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, at night, which is supposed to be the best side and time to see it. So pumped! There's supposed to be a really cool night life in Canada, by Niagara Falls, so her cousins who live right there are gonna take us out before we spend the night at one of Heather's many relatives in Buffalo, NY.
We will wake up in the morning Saturday and head to the Finger Lakes for Heather's family reunion, where I am going to be a reunion-crasher and adopt myself into their family for some wine-tasting, the "Death March" hike, and some swimming and tubing in the lake. Sounds like the definition of a perfect summer weekend, right?! (Okay, except for maybe the "Death March" but she says it's not that bad!)

Well I'm off to LA in a few hours for some jet skiing, Universal Studios, vintage shopping and beach bonfires! I will try and keep you updated on my travels as I am passing through, but follow my Twitter or Instagram for updates if I don't get the chance to periodically update here!

Enjoy the last few weeks of Summer, loves!
Here's to making the most of my final weeks of Summer!
xoxo
Alex

Summer Read.

So I planned on reading a lot this summer, and getting a bunch of good books... but that didn't quite happen. So sad. I did, however, read a hilarious book I think you all need to read!

Image via Weheartit.com

Bossypants is Tina Fey's first book about her life and career, and is absolutely hilarious. It gives a really cool insight to her life, seeing her as a real person and not just a celebrity. You also get to hear about behind the scenes moments at SNL and 30 Rock and about the people who work on the shows with her. I loved her take on life, and the silly things that stress us out and the importance of a career vs. family.

You'll have to check it out and let me know if you love it as much as I did! What was your summer read, or reads if you were more ambitious than I was in the reading department?!

Alex

I Knead More Foccacia

Looking for a new recipe and something to cook the other day, I went on my grandma's Pintrest to see what I could cook for her. I found this recipe, and decided to give it a shot. I've only made bread/dough a few times before- and I'm always up for a cooking challenge!

It is a pretty time consuming recipe, but oh-so-rewarding to say you made the dough and foccacia from scratch! This is a great appetizer, or meal- I nearly ate the whole thing myself for lunch once I finished it!

Here's what you need for this awesome Carmelized Onion, Olive and Rosemary Foccacia:
(Recipe from In Pursuit of More, via Pintrest)

The Dough:

• (2 tsp) active dry yeast
• (2 cups) warm water
• (3 tsp) sugar
• (3) tsp salt
• (4) cups flour all-purpose
• (4 tbsp) olive oil

The Toppings:

• (1) medium yellow onion or(1/2) a large sweet onion, sliced lengthwise thinly
• (1 tsp) salt
• (1 tsp) sugar
• (1 cup) of large black olives (I used Kalamata)
• (2-3) sprigs fresh rosemary - (Luckily my grandma has a bush in her front yard-score!)
• plenty of olive oil (1/4-1/2 cup)

 Add some sugar to add a little extra Mmmm!

After making the dough, you have to let it rise for an hour or so. During this time, have a glass of iced tea, turn on some good music, and dance around the kitchen for a little bit- then continue onto the toppings. (*dancing optional to the success of this recipe) I then carmelized the onions with a little olive oil, which actually takes like 25-30 minutes. I didn't realize this, so give yourself time between getting your groove on and waiting for the dough to rise. Then cut the olives and the rosemary so you have them ready to sprinkle atop your delicious homemade bread! 

Let the dough rise, covered, in a warm place, until it looks like this!

After the dough has risen, punch out the air, cut it in half and save the other half for another treat later! You can roll out the dough in any shape you please, they did a traditional rectangle, I made a circular shape... whatever you please! Then add the onions, olives and rosemary on top and liberally shake some olive oil on top- this adds the moisture so don't be shy with it! 

Bake at 400 for around 20-25 minutes until its nice and golden! Next, cut and enjoy with the ones you love- or enjoy with yourself, all at one time, or save for lunch the next day! You're sure to impress everyone when you say you made it from scratch, so bring part to work and wait for the oooo's and ahhhh's come your way! I dipped it in some balsamic vinegar and it made it that much better, because I am slightly obsessed with balsamic!

If you are new to bread making and working with dough and yeast, please check out the original post here and the directions are super detailed and really helpful! 

Hope you try it and impress yourself, you Iron Chef, you!

Alex

Do Something Phoenix

I love going to new places, and finding quirky places, good restaurants and hidden thrift store gems. So my good friend from LA was here last weekend and I had so much fun really exploring Phoenix more and going places. I get so caught up in my daily routine, work-home-work-meetings, I never go anywhere new I feel like! I drive so much, to the other side of town and back, for work when I'm not living in Tempe in the summer so I hate driving when I don't have to. But this special occasion with my friend, originally one of my besties from Penn State, but is spending the summer in LA so she took a trip out here!

We drove around, went out in Tempe and explored her favorites of AZ- Goodwill, Mill Ave, Einstein's, and more. One of my favorites, which I hope you try (or have already tried) is MacAlpines!

I may have blogged about it before, but you have to go check it out! It's always a special treat when I go here because I don't go very often. They have 99 flavors- for sodas, egg cremes, phosphates, italian sodas, floats, shakes, malts and more! I love getting the phosphates or egg cremes, because the refills are FREE (woo!) and you can get a new flavor each refill. Bad news is I usually get full after like one and a half, but it's fun to always get a new flavor! I have tried Tiger's Blood, Passionfruit, Pistachio, and White Chocolate Macadamia! My friend got a Red Velvet Shake, and it was amazing!!! 

I have so many more flavors I want to try there, like Cinnamon, Dill Pickle (yeah, so cool!) and Wedding Cake! I have yet to try there food, but I have heard it is delicious! There is also a cool vintage shop inside too, so you can look around at all the awesome finds in there too! Next time you're in Phoenix, check this place out- 7th St and North of McDowell!

What is your favorite place to take friends that come into town?


Alex

July Fireworks

So I told you I'd share pictures of my Fourth of July, which was really actually the 3rd of July because I had to work on the 4th! I went to the Miranda Lambert & Darius Rucker Independence Day Music Festival at Salt River Fields. I met up with three other girls from work and we grilled and ate and drank at my friends gorgeous house (more like a mansion, it was sooo huge!). From there our responsible, under 21, friend drove us to the show. We had so much fun running around, taking pictures and talking to people. I'm glad we had grass seats because I don't think we could have sat still in regular seats! I managed to take over 100 pictures in less than a few hours, and they all just make me laugh. So here are some snapshots of some of the pictures I took and the fun that was had!

Driving there!

Loving our lawn seats!

These girls adopted us and were suddenly our best friends!

Love her! 

I kissed Tim McGraw! (Shh.. it was his look-a-like with Kenny Chesney!)

The more the merrier!

Amurica loves country!

The nicest guy took some awesome pictures for us with the fireworks!

 I had an amazing time with these girls, and Miranda was sooo good!  Sang along all night, and secretly hoped Blake Shelton would come out and sing with her... but it didn't happen! Glad I got to celebrate the country's freedom being young, wild & free.. cheesy, but oh well! :]

Hope your July's are going great, cannot believe it is more than half way over- how terrible! I am secretly excited to get back in the swing of things with school and my other jobs, though too!

Alex

PS: Here's the view I had on the actual holiday- working in Tempe Beach Park has it's perks.

The best view in the city, on the dock in the lake!

The lovely ladies I get to work with! Ah, I don't know what I'd do without them.. I'm so lucky!