First Trimester Road Trips - DC & Nashville

It's official.  I'm pregnant!  We're ecstatic!  Of course, constantly having the baby on my mind doesn't bode well for travel blog writing or traveling in general.  Nonetheless, we've braved some road trips, lived to tell about them, and even have a couple more planned for this summer!

If you've ever been with child, or traveled with a woman who was, you know it can sometimes be tricky depending on morning sickness and her oversion to odors.  We road-tripped to Washington, DC to visit family for the Easter holiday when I was only 8 weeks in.  I was just getting used to the idea of this living, peanut-sized person swimming around in my belly, let alone constant nausea and waxing fatigue.  "What's happening to my body!?" "Can people tell?" "Should I tell people yet? or wait it out a little longer?"  My usual I-can't-wait-to-get-there giddiness was replaced with "will I have time for a nap?" 

Some Tips for travel during your first trimester:

1. Bring plenty of bland snacks -- saltines, pretzels, granola bars, etc.  We've been told that you're better off with something in your belly, and it turns out it's true. 
2. Lots of water!  -- which results in a pit stop about every hour or so.  It's good for you though, so drink it.
3. Pack your prenatal vitamins -- You don't want to forget those, especially since we all tend to veer off course (as far as diet and nutrition is concerned) while traveling.
4. A fluffy pillow and room to stretch your legs. -- Try to share the driving with a pal so you can stretch out in the back seat.  Keeping your feet elevated will also help decrease ankle swelling and back soreness.
5. Get out and stretch your legs, walk around and get the blood flowing every chance you get.

Once you arrive, eat mini meals like you do at home, rest when you can, plan on hitting the sack early and rising frequently to use the restroom.  Bring super comfy shoes and loose-fitting clothes for walking around, and drink plenty of water during the day too!  If you're comfortable telling your news to those you're traveling with, they might be more understanding when you need to stop and rest more often than usual.  I chose to tell the family members we were with and chatting about it made it even more fun!

Next, we headed to Nashville, TN for the Rock 'n Roll Marathon and Half Marathon.  We went with a large group of friends, mostly from OU so it was difficult to hide my non-alcoholic ways in the bars.  I ended up spilling the secret to the group to make things a little easier. 

Lucky for me, after running a half marathon, the rest of the group was just as tired as I was, often leading to early bedtimes and afternoon naps. I fit right in! 

Nashville was pretty cool, but I can't help but think it's a million times better when you're able to party sans nausea and fatigue.  Maybe we'll go back someday. 

Just remember, you're still yourself while traveling pregnant, you just need to be patient, give yourself plenty of extra time for pit stops, frequent meals and naptime.  The advice people keep giving me is "get out and do stuff while you can before the baby comes."  So, that's what I intend to do!

Trips on deck :: a relaxing trip to East Hampton, NY to play on the beach; and a long weekend on a houseboat on Lake Cumberland, KY.  Stay tuned for second trimester trips!

The Vacation Argument: An Oxymoron?

You never know where your vacation will lead.

It’s like complaining about a free lunch or having too much fun. Who does it and what’s the point? The other day a friend of mine mentioned the fact that she and her man keep arguing every time they discuss their vacation options for this summer. Which part of Mexico should we go to? How long should we stay? What should we do there? Let’s do something else instead, etc.

One of them has too many vacation days to use up this year. Sucks to be you, right? Must be nice! The other one can’t seem to convince him that she can only afford one big trip this year. Here lies the issue. If they plan on vacationing together, they must make a choice. The quarrel ensues.



My advice? Just pick one. All options are lovely. There’s no sense in making your vacation (or vacation plans) stressful. The point of a vacation is to escape your everyday stresses in the first place. I know, it sounds much simpler than it is.

Decide on your ultimate “goal” for the trip. Whether it be adventure, to see a particular show, concert or attend an event, pure relaxation, good food, sightseeing or just plain old togetherness, you can surely narrow down your options by agreeing on a common goal.

Family vacations always sound like a good idea, until the planning actually starts. He wants to be active on vacation, but she wants to relax. They want to be pampered and eat at fancy restaurants every night, but they want to cook their own food and lounge in comfy clothes and bathing suits all week. Is it really worth the fight?

It never fails. Every year my extended family tends to have big ideas about a vacation we can take together, and then after a few months of debate and juggling everyone’s calendar conflicts, we never actually go. Someday I hope to remedy this vicious cycle of vacation arguing so we can simply enjoy each other’s company in beautiful place we can all afford at a time that works for everyone. But I digress …

Make yourself available. Compromise is key. Chances are you’ll have a great time no matter which vacation you choose. Check your calendar and offer plenty of options for weeks you’d be available to skip town. Plan ahead for requesting vacation days from work and add to your vacation fund whenever possible.

Take a risk. Never been out of the country and afraid to make the trip? Don’t be. Sure, getting a passport can be a frustrating (albeit expensive) task. Just do it. Get one, so you’re able to cross the border at a whim the next time your best friend wins a free trip to Mexico or your husband wants to take you to Niagara Falls for the weekend. I’m not talking about risking your life in North Korea or something … just easy international travel that millions of Americans do everyday (The Caribbean, Greek Isles, Western Europe, Australia, even Beijing or Tokyo). Book it and then fill in the details.

Just say “yes”. Say “no” less, and say “yes” more. Don’t be a stick in the mud, and be sure to keep an open mind. This is possibly the most important rule. OK, maybe even I wouldn’t jump at the chance to bungee jump off a bridge or go ice fishing for a week. No, no, I mean say “yes” to trying sushi at a great seafood restaurant at resort. Say “yes” to snorkeling in Mexico and don’t be afraid to be called up on stage to sing karaoke at a live show. Vacations are an opportunity for you to let loose and try new things in front of close family and friends (and 100s of people you’ll never see again). What better way to make a memory?

Everyone needs a vacation now and then. Speaking of which, I’d like one right now!

Concert or bust!

How far would you travel for a concert?  What if I told you it's a rock-n-roll concert next to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico and the weekend consisted of beach soccer tourneys at the resort, swim-up bars, fireworks, sunshine and lots of American fans?

I know what I'd say ... "Count me in!"  I don't know the band, but that doesn't even matter, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers have a fun sound and prove to please crowds every year at Circus Mexicus.  According to a friend who's been there multiple times, we'll fly into Tucson, rent a car and 4-hour road trip it to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico (AKA Rocky Point), on the Pacific side of Mexico.

Nice way to spend a long weekend, don'tcha think?

Babies in the District

It was a snowy and icy weeked in our nation's capital, but we were on a mission to meet our new neice once and for all. After a lovely drive through slush and pavement mist-flakes (the kind that seems to smear even more when you clean your windshield) and some groan-worthy encounters with Maryland slow-pokes who ride their brakes, we made it to Columbia Heights, a neighborhood in downtown Washington, D.C. 

Even after a foul weather roadtrip, there's nothing sweeter than cuddling up with a newborn.  That little bundle can paint a smile on your face quicker than you can say "gah gah, goo goo".  Instant love, I say.  Instant!

With a couple babies and 2 new mommies in our midst, we knew we weren't going to spend the weekend clubbing or taking shots left and right, and that was completely fine with me.  Instead, we decided to tackle the district in the 2nd best way we know how ... We'd eat our way through it.

Friday night was a blur of gastropubs, Food Network, and Travel Channel suggestions and neighborhood favorites, which blended into more of the same on Saturday. 

I went out with the guys on Friday night and the girls on Saturday night, and one thing I learned for all you single travelers out there is that if you're in the market for a significant other, go where they are. Seems obvious, I know, but the wine bars were crawling with women, and the beer pubs were overloaded with all male groups. Want a boyfriend? Skip the wine, and go get a beer! What a girlfriend? Dress up, grab a wingman and head to the wine bars.

Some notable stops on the way:

1) El Pollo Rico, Arlington, Virginia (see a clip from Anthony Bourdain's episode here):  We walked away from this place thinking, "Yep.  They did it right."  Known as the "best Peruvian chicken joint around", this cafeteria-style restaurant serves only one thing - charcoal-broiled chicken (either by the whole, or by the 1/2 chicken).  It was an inexpensive and delicious way to kickoff the food shuffle.  Highly recommended!


2) The Red Derby, Washington, D.C.:  Who doesn't love their beer in cans?  Red Derby is a hole in the wall local bar (we love those!), featuring a superior beer menu with a wide variety of microbrews and rare-finds, served up in cans with a complementary plastic cup.  That's how you know it's good!  It's a long narrow place, but perfect for a cozy game of trivial pursuit, scrabble or a modge-podge of other board games provided by the bar.  Good stuff, check it out!

3) Vinoteca, Washington, D.C.:  Perfect place for a girls night out!  Vinoteca has a great wine list, great bar service and a candlelight atmostphere perfect for deep conversation, catching up with girlfriends, or grabbing an after dinner drink on date night.  My bro- and sis-in-law had their engagement party at this location, so she was eager to share the love with us.  Crowded on a Saturday night, but a great meet-place overall!

4) Eat Bar, Arlington, Virginia:  This was such a chic stop!  Attached to Tallula Restaurant, this Gastropub had some fan favorite apps.  At Eat Bar, we loved the lamb sliders, mussels and risotto fritters.  Complete with a fab wine list, we were pleasantly surprised by the chilled out vibe, candlelit bar area and meat-themed T-shirts for sale. Would go back! 


5) Meridian Pint, Washington D.C.:  Eco-friendly and tres modern!  The guys loved the draft and cask beer selection at this place.  The service was a little lacking and the food was glorified bar food (we tried the nachos, wings and special dipping sauce, which we didn't care for), but the beer had a good range from 1st Amendment and Bell's to Dogfish and Great Lakes.  Good place for an after dinner drink!

DC never fails to impress.  And it doesn't hurt that we got to catch up with old friends, Alberto and Jen, along the way.  Thanks to Elisa, Mike and Zoe for a fabulous weekend, as always!

Finally, Nashville, TN is on the List

A runner I have never claimed myself to be. Swimmer? Sure. Dancer? Oh yeah. A Country Music fan? Yup! But a runner? I wish. Nevertheless, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to cross off a travel wishlist city of mine -- Nashville, Tennessee -- for this gigantic annual sports event.

The Country Music Marathon & 1/2 is coming up this spring and several of my friends are geeked up to run (or at least attempt to run most) of it. I'll be there with my camera and a sign, cheering for them along the sidelines.

Whenever a long-weekend trip comes up, the question is always whether to fly or drive. Should we use the airline miles we've worked so hard to obtain, or save them for a longer, pricier trip? I typically choose the latter, since I'm usually not the driver anyway. And in this case, after researching our flight options, it would in fact, be cheaper and more efficient to drive to the great country capital. We'll carpool with a friend and bunk up for the weekend, exploring every curve of the city and hidden restaurant and pub gem we can find.

Following my own past advice, I'll take the next few weeks to delve into some Nashville tourism sites and tip guides to compile a list of maybes to accomplish while we're in town. That's the fun part! The open-ended realm of possibilities your maybe list presents is the most exciting part of a trip, save the simple idea of skipping work for a couple days. That's also glorious. Everyone needs a breather now and then to remind them that there's a life outside of your cubical. Cubical smubical. Vacation is truly on the horizon now.

Now I've got some research to do.

Coastal Ohio :: Cedar Point

Sounds exotic doesn't it?  The truth is, it's fabulous.  Plain and simple, Cedar Point is the best amusement park on the planet.  That's right, I said it. 

You pull into the parking lot, step out of the car and can already hear the screams of excitement, smell the wafting aroma of carnival foods and feel the warmth and moisture of coastal Lake Erie.  Now it officially feels like summer.

Ever since I can remember, my family and I would make the hour-long car trip to Sandusky every summer at least once.  It was a day we anxiously anticipated -- planning the perfect outfits, packing roadtrip games, stuffing our fanny-packs and breaking in our shoes in preparation of the miles we'd walk around the park.

As a kid, Cedar Point is an experience filled with "firsts" -- your first big kid ride; your first real roller coaster; your first box of authentic salt water taffy; your first live show, and the list goes on.  Before I was tall enough to ride the big rides, I distinctly remember riding the Jr. Gemini 12 times in a row -- the last time, with my hands up like a big kid.  From there, I never looked back. I'd be tall enough for the big coasters by the next summer. 

Cedar Point is a park filled with history.  I just wish I could have seen it at its earliest!

In the 1870s, you could pay local businessman, Louis Zistel, a measly 25 cents for a ride on his boat to the Sandusky peninsula, where he owned and operated a beer garden, bathhouse on the beach and dance floor.  According to old newspapers, Cedar Point "sailing and bathing parties" were all the rage back in the day.   The first coaster was built in 1892, towering at an amazing 25 feet high and reaching speeds up to 10 mph -- What a thrill!  To them, it was one of the first of its kind.  A true rarity.  From there, the park was transformed little by little into the park we know and love today.  It now boasts an incredible 17 roller coasters, and tons of other thrill rides!

We just made the trip to Cedar Point with 2 other couples and had a blast!  As adults, the park is where you'll experience a few more of life's "firsts" -- your first beer in a saloon; your first backache from a wooden coaster; your first case of whip lash -- not quite as glamourous, but still milestones nonetheless. 

You can't call yourself a thrill seeker or roller coaster lover without making the trip to Cedar Point at some time in your life.  Go now before you're too old to ride the coasters ... lest be doomed to the role of "mom or dad" who holds everyone's fanny packs, waiting for the youngsters by the ride photo stand.

If you do decide to test your thrillseeker-ness at Cedar Point, be sure that you can stay past sunset.  Some of the best views from the top of the coasters are at night.  The twinkling lights and laser show make for some awesome landscapes.  I promise you'll love it.

My personal Top 5 coasters:

1)  Millenium Force -- The line is usually long at any time of day, but I promise that the ride is worth it.  It's over 2 minutes of hills, curves, twists and speed. 

2)  Magnum -- Another steel coaster, this one is a classic.  In its day, it was the tallest/fastest coaster in the world.  Now, it's the one you can ride over and over taking silly pictures in the tunnels, since the wait is usually pretty short.

3)  Raptor -- You've gotta ride this one at night.  Your feet dangle, so take off your shoes and air out your feet!  Lots of twists, turns and upside-downs on this one.  Great!

4)  Gemini -- I'm a Gemini, so I might be biased, but this one is fun because it's differnet.  It's wooden, and runs side-by-side with another car, so you race!  The multiple quick hills will surprise you!

5)  Mean Streak -- If you asked me 5 years ago, I'd tell you I hate this ride.  It's bumpy, I'm not gonna lie, and with over 2-minutes of belly drops, it will make you wish you didn't just eat those cheese fries.  I can't stop smiling on this coaster for some reason.  Others hate it and I understand why.

There's always a new ride to try out each year, and the newest, the Maverick, does not disappoint.

Other great rides you should try:

1)  SkyHawk -- This is basically a gigantic swingset for 40 people.  It's a fan favorite, especially for kids.  Lots of belly-dropping good laughs.  Short lines. 

2)  Power Tower -- Both Up and Down are great, but Down is my personal favorite. 

Happy Coastering!

Packing for a Roadtrip to the Beach!

Can't wait to kick back & soak up the sun!

Only a few more days until we hit the Pennsylvania Turnpike (aka my nemisis) for sunshiney East Hampton, NY.  It'll be a week of family fun on the beach!  In case you're revving up for a roadtrip yourself, here are some tips from a seasoned roadtripper:

Have Cash on Hand:

Pulling up to a tollbooth when you have no cash (or easypass card) feels like the worst thing ever.  Plan ahead to have small bills on hand.  Bring a couple 20s, a few 10s, some 5s, 1s and a roll of quarters.  Quarters may come in handy for street parking later on, depending on your destination.

Road Snacks:

You're going to the beach, so who really wants to stop for body-bloating fast food on the way?  Not me.  Instead, pack healthy, car-friendly road snacks.  Some of our favorites are granola bars (with fiber so they fill you up), string cheese, apples, bananas, lean beef jerky, combos and something sweet like mentos or starburst.  Don't forget gum, energy drinks (coffee!) and lots and lots of water.  Make sure to bring some napkins in case of spills and a bottle of travel purell (antibacterial hand liquid) to use before eating. 

We've found that bringing your own callapsible cooler on wheels is a great way to tote these snacks, and then again to use on the beach!  Bring a re-freezable ice pack to keep your drinks chilled.

Music / Books on Tape
No one likes to drive in silence for 10+ hours, so be sure to plan accordingly.  If you and your driving partner/possy like the same music, you're in good shape.  Bring your iPods with auxilary hookup and shuffle through your mixes, or grab your old CDs for some great throwback favorites.  If you have enough time, create a mix made special with this trip in mind.  Every good roadtrip deserves a themesong!  If music gets old, take a break and pop in a book on tape or comedy CD.  Be careful though, just because you're into the plotline, doesn't mean the rest of your group is anxiously awaiting the next 8 discs. 

A good comedy CD makes an hour on the road fly by, but the reverse is true for terrible comedy.  If you forget to pack any of these things, don't worry!  As long as you have a good positive attitude for the road ahead, just turn on a local radio station.  You'd be surprised at some of the gems you might find.  When was the last time you heard Lisa Loeb's "Stay"?  Yeah ... me neither, until roadtripping on Maui.  It must have come on 4 times in one day!  ... an extremely unexpected theme song of the trip. 

Beach Things

I've already mentioned the collapsible cooler, which I highly recommend double-dutying for the beach, but other than that, some other beach necessities include:  beach sheet/blanket, umbrella, sunglasses, small iPod speakers with water/sandproof casing, towels, beach chair, drink coozie, playing cards, sunscreen, snacks, cornhole boards and bags, a frizbee, a ball of some sort, and a big beach bag to bring it all in.  If you're riding a bike to the beach, remember your helmet, and be sure your beach bag is some sort of backpack. 

One of the awesome things about taking a roadtrip to the beach is the fact that you can personalize your beach fun.  If your family has a game you love to play in grass, chances are you can play it on sand too.  Our favorites are cornhole and bocci ball.  You'd be surprised how much a little bit of sand can change the game completely!  Since you don't need to worry about checking bags or packing limitations, you can bring whatever you want.  A major beachday plus!

The most important thing to remember when roadtripping is to keep an open mind and have a positive attitude.  Driving in the car for an extended period of time is not comfortable, but you can make it great with some creativity and positivity (creatisivity?!).  If you get lost, make a memory in an unexpected place, then turn around.  It's all about how you look at it.  You're not lost if you love who you're with!

Pineapple in the Capitol

There were pineapples everywhere we went in DC and I'm not even mad about it!!!

Against all of my former grumblings and self-promises, I did it again.  I drove on the Pennsylvania turnpike.  This time it was dark, my contacts were fuzzy, one headlight was out (probably) and I was sleepy.  A whopping $15 worth of toll booth fees later, we made it to DC, and standing at the door at 1am to greet us was our lovely sister-in-law, Elisa.   

Friday morning, our hosts had to work (like normal people), but Adam and I were free to roam the District.  He decided to take a morning run to the White House (about a 1.5-mile jaunt up 16th street from Adams Morgan) and back, while I readied myself for a day of fun in the sun.  It was the perfect weather for site-seeing on foot -- about 50 degrees with sunny, clear skies. 

Armed with my leather bomber jacket and aviators, we headed out.  Our first stop was the Masonic House of the Temple described in Dan Brown's novel, The Lost Symbol.  It was on our way, so it wasn't much of a stop actually -- more of a point to it, snap a photo and keep on movin' kinda stop.

There's just something about being able to walk to the White House that just makes the United States government feel real to me.  Do you know what I mean??  I mean, you see things on TV, you read the paper, you try to stay updated with political happenings, but it's tough to do remotely.  Actually being there in the hub where it all takes place -- seeing the security officers, feeling awestruck in sight of American architecture and knowing that you are physically surrounded by International embassies, U.S. treasures in museums and the people who write and sign bills into law -- is one of the more overwhelming and humbling notions I've experienced.

It's just a house right?  Well ... not quite.  This thing is gigantic (photos just don't do it justice).  There's security everywhere and you can't get too close.  This is me reaching my hand through the bars:

There we were standing in front of Obama's house.  "OK, now what?" I asked.  Time for lunch!  We made our way down Pennsylvania Ave. and took a left at 19th.  We saw Stella Artois umbrellas in the distance and decided that's exactly where we wanted to be at 2pm on at Friday.  Elephant & Castle was calling out to us!  At this point in the day, we were starving and my Chuck Taylors weren't quite as comfortable as I thought they were.  My pub onion soup and ceasar salad were good and Adam's fish sandwich was great.  The sweet potato fries were the best thing we tried here by far -- besides the beers of course ;) 

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History was next on the list (It's free to get in!  Who knew?!).  We met E there after work, and got to see Julia Child's kitchen, the ruby slippers, Kermit, Fonzie's jacket, C3PO, part of the First Lady's exhibit (which was under construction), and lots of other fun stuff.

That night we headed to some bars ... finally ending up at Cashion's Eat Place for some "after dark" menu items - bison burger, ribeye sandwich and some hand cut fries.  The atmosphere was fun, the bartender, Krishna, was a self-proclaimed genius (knowing everything there was to know about pinneapples ... yet completely incorrect) and very entertaining, but the food was just mediocre for me.  I'd give it a 8 out of 10 for creativity.  

After a few more nightcaps, we cuddled up on our air mattress for a cozy night's sleep.  We woke up and ate what?  You guessed it, pineapples(!) and eggs.  Mike is apparently "good with a pineapple".  I'm still not quite sure I know what that means, but we sure did say it a lot.  ha.

We headed to the Capitol building -- Mike works there for a Senator and it turns out that he used to give tours when he first moved to DC.  Sooo we got a private tour of some of the "non-public" parts of the Capitol.  Pretty amazing.  The Capitol Rotunda was my favorite point of interest, mostly because it's just so damn awesome.  Just thinking about the artist, Brumidi, who hand-painted every detail and devoted the last years of his career on such an historical piece (my fave is the Apotheosis of George Washington) was freakin awesome.  Here are some pics that, once again, don't do it justice.  You have to see it for yourself!:

Hallway in the Senate Chambers -- also painted by Brumidi:

We walked through the Old Supreme Court Chamber, which was also really cool to see:

Other than the Captiol Dome itself, my second favorite part of the tour was walking down the inaugural steps.  Yep ... the actual steps the President walks down to give the inaugural speech, overlooking a crowd of thousands who are gathered in the mall:

This is a shot I took looking back up at the Capitol.  It's unbelievable when you're standing in front of it.  The detail, the precise meaning of every carving, column and opening.  This is priceless American history people! So cool.

Our next stop was Capitol City Brewing Co. where we had some lovely appetizers (soft pretzels with Jalapeno dip were great!), and some local brews.  We decided to hurry straight to the newly refurbished W Hotel for some drinks on the rooftop at POV.  It was twilight at this point, so the skyline views were breathtakingly picturesque (sorry no pics! ... camera doesn't take great photos at night through glass). 

All in all, it was a fabulous weekend in DC.  Kiiiiinda makes me want to move there, right Waskes!? 

Roadtrip to the Capitol

Last night my friend and I went on a magically ridiculous journey into the land of the 80s, complete with Greek gods, jorts (hilariously short cut-off jean shorts) and a roller disco.  Yep, we saw Xanadu!  Surprisingly, it was more entertaining than I was expecting.  Lots of "hazzahhhh!s"

Tonite we're roadtripping to DC (about an 8-hr drive), to see our wonderful sister- and brother-in-law's new place.  I'm told that there is some wine-tasting in our future, so looking forward to that is enough to help me get through the drive.

DC's always awesome ... just being there makes you feel like you're a part of something bigger than yourself.  I'm especially looking forward to this trip because we have no specific plans lined up ... except plans to do whatever we want to do when we want to do it!  Those are my favorite trips.  On a vacation with a friend's family a few years ago, I was told, "OK, Stacie, this is how our vacations work.  You eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty, and run when someone's chasing you." 

I never quite understood the last part (I think it was meant to be a joke ... hopefully), but the other 2 have been my mottos on most vacations ever since.  Why force yourself to follow a strict schedule if you don't really want to?  It's your vacation right!?   Right. 

I'm just going into the weekend with an open mind and a open schedule ... woot!

Winter AlcohOlympics : U-S-A! U-S-A!

Well folks ... as it turns out, the Winter Olympic games in Vancouver aren't the only sporting event taking place this weekend.  No Sirree, looks like the husband and I will be roadtripping to shiney Columbus, Ohio for a night of brutal AlcohOlympic battle!  Our powerful team of four has claimed good old USA as our country of origin, and although our tolerance is much lower these days, our game experience and courage will prove superior than that of our feeble opponents.

OK, I don't know about all that ... but it will surely be an awesome night of game-playing, costume-wearing and visiting with friends we haven't seen in quite some time!  Also, Columbus probably misses us.  It's been a few months since we've been there, so we're due for a visit. 

When you're watching curling, ice dancing and skiing this weekend on ABC, you can rest assured that I'll be singing along to "I'm a Real American" and chanting "U-S-A!" in between beer chugs and ping pong ball tosses. 

Either that, or hungover from doing all of the those things ...

East Hampton Roadtrip

While I'm thinking about it, I'd like to share a little story with you.  To this day, I believe that part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike must be cursed ... at least when I drive it.  It all started a couple years ago when we took a trip to Connecticut on a snowy December weekend to visit our friend, Dan.  He'd lived in CT for about a year at that point and we had yet to see his new place.  On the drive, I don't think the roads could have been any worse.  Seriously.  The tires barely ever gripped the road at all.  Instead, it was a constant game of slip and slide -- the ice version.  I was scared for my life for 5 hours straight!  Talk about a relief when pulling into a driveway.  We definitely need some beers after that adventure.  We'd escaped the wrath of the PA toll road unscathed that time.  But I swear, it still had it in for us ...

This time it was summer.  September 2008 was an especially long summer for me and my then-fiance, Adam.  He was working at HealthSouth in Las Vegas for a physical therapy clinical all summer and we had already been long distance for nearly 2 years.  Any time together was welcomed and highly anticipated, so you can only imagine how excited we were when our family friends invited us to use their beach house in East Hampton, NY for a week! 

Now, if you've ever been to East Hampton, you know that summer weekends are full of life, celebrity sitings, good shopping, bike-riding and beach fun.  At this point in the summer (after the novelty of heat had warn off), it promised to be less crowded and more relaxing than anything.

We were off on our roadtrip from Cleveland, OH to East Hampton by route through New York City via the Long Island Expressway.  But in order to get that far, you have to survive the dreaded Pennsylvania Turnpike -- not an easy feat.

It was midday as sun shone through the puffy white clouds, temperatures hovering right around a perfect 77 degrees as we zoomed our way through PA.  All was going well until we curved around one fateful bend near the DuBois exit, only about 2 hours from where we started.  Before I knew it, my newish black Mazda 3 was skidding across the highway on a thick iron rod scrap piece of some sort.  By the time my brakes screeched to a halt, I could feel that my car was in agony.  With metal scraping on the pavement and sparks in my rearview, I noticed there were several cars, pickup trucks and a semi pulled over on the shoulder.  Apparently, the scrap piece had fallen off the semi and a few other cars hit it as well.  Not a good way to start our roadtrip to paradise.

We ended up in DuBois, and thank goodness for the GPS.  It pointed us in the right direction to town, where we happened to find dozens of autobody shops.  It's almost as if this town only existed to help us that day, which turned out to be a blessing.  We decided that we needed a few expert opinions before we drove any further, so we stopped into a few shops.  Per the mechanics, we knew my poor car would be out of commission for at least a week for repairs.  It needed a completely new bottom!  The gas tank was dented a gallon and a half's worth, the crossbeams between the tires were bent an inch and a half (causing my tires to invert), and all of the heating shields were destroyed.  At this point I'm crying.  Not only because my car is broken and the mechanics are saying we're lucky to be alive, but also because I thought our much-anticipated East Hampton trip would have to be postponed.

After nearly 3 hours stressing over insurance coverage, weighing our options, and ultimately getting the go ahead to keep driving from 3 separate mechanics, we were back enroute toward East Hampton, with a little apprehension, of course.

Thankfully, we made it to the beach house safely and ended up having the time of our lives!

East Hampton has a way of making me relax.  Just being there transports me into a different time.  It's shabby chic beach style is so refreshing that it always inspires me to do something great.  Write a beach readworthy novel, travel to Europe, learn a new language, or take up painting ... it never fails.  I'm inspired, awed, humbled, and refreshed.

The beachscapes are utterly breathtaking, the skies are serene, the history is jam-packed and the food/shopping and bike paths are unbeatable!  You've never seen hedges around houses until you see the hedges around these mansions.  They are literally as tall as a house.  It's definitely a sight worth seeing someday.

If you ever do happen to travel to East Hampton, be sure to shop at the Citarella, stop in for a drink or appetizer at Rowdy Hall (our favorite local rugby bar), and take a bike ride to our favorite beach, Egypt Beach down Old Beach Lane.  There are some beautiful landscapes and mansions to be seen along the way, and exploring by bike is always a must-do.

We hope to travel to the Hamptons again this summer if we can find a few days to spare.  Except this time, I won't be the one driving.  The Pennsylvania Turnpike will always be my nemesis (insert fist shake here).  :)