Big 10 Championship | Indianapolis, Indiana

In honor of the Cotton Bowl game approaching on New Years Eve, this post seems well timed. For me, 2016 will of course be rung in drinking bubbly champagne and laughing with good friends, but also cheering on my Spartans to a victory over Bama (fingers crossed). As much as I wish I could be in Arlington, Texas cheering them on, I'm quite content to spend the evening in East Lansing where green and white runs in our veins.  

But Michigan State had to do work to get to this point in the playoffs, and I was one lucky girl to be in Lucas Oil Stadium watching it happen. December 5 held a crazy road trip adventure, a boring, yet miraculous fourth quarter, and a Big 10 title, which is nothing to complain about! 

I drove Greta (the name I bestowed on the awful green "Baker Bus") to EL, picked up these fools, and we headed to Indianapolis for the day.  

Pumped up and ready for some football, we made our way to the stadium. 

Carson, Gigi, Brittany, and I had bought our tickets online immediately after we knew we were the Big 10 West champions and going to play. Nato and Tyler tried but the website always gets messed up. MSU "accidentally" opened the sales early, and when they tried to click buy just minutes after we did, they were sold out. Ridiculous! People were pretty mad. It ended up working out in their favor, though, since we had to wait two hours in the will call line as they assigned all the students a seat in the stadium. It was a hot mess, but we made the best of it by sending Gigi and Carson for drinks so we could simply tailgate in line :) 

We finally made our way over to the conference center (and where there was finally a bathroom) for the pep rally! Izzo even drove down right after the basketball game ended that afternoon to give a speech. What a man. 

All that, and we still had time to go to the bar! We spent a while in "Dicks Last Resort" where, as the name may hint, their gimmick is that they're rude to customers. It was entertaining, especially as we fought for our waitress to cheer for MSU, giving her face stickers and all. Nato and Tyler also started a "stand up" cheer in the restaurant, of which they were very proud of themselves. 

Wandering through the streets was crazy -- packed with fans, music and dancing, drinks flowing, and cheers coming from everywhere. 

And finally we got into the stadium! It was a somewhat boring first three quarters, but ended up being a stressful, emotional, eventually exciting last few minutes! An MSU victory of 16-13 ranked us #3 and put us in the playoffs. December 31 is the big day against Alabama (#2). My fingers and toes are all crossed that we end up in the National Championship. It is played in Glendale, Arizona -- right near Phoenix where I can stay with my sister! And even more exciting, I was chosen out of a lottery for a free student ticket! I am one lucky girl, and hopefully my Spartans have lots of luck tomorrow. Go green!

Oh, and we look so awake here, right?! That was definitely not the case when we arrived back in EL at 6am. Thanks Carson for powering through that drive, and G for keeping us going in the right direction. I have some pretty cool friends.

The Grand Canyon State | Arizona

This post is a bit belated, but describes a wonderful trip nonetheless!

Two springs ago (which seems like foreeeeever) when I moved all the way to Italy for four months, my amazing sister decided to move to Tempe, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix. As excited as I was for her to start a new job, explore a new city, and hike almost everywhere, I was heartbroken that she'd be moving away from me here in East Lansing. Last fall with her in Haslett (about 10 minutes away from my dorm), we had weekly dinner dates and many impromptu adventures. It was the absolute best. I never had thought that my sister, six years my senior, would still be around when I went to college. I was one lucky girl. (Though I'd be luckier if Laura was here, too, since our trio was usually one short!)

So naturally, her new residence gave me a glorious excuse to go visit The Grand Canyon State! In all honesty, I had no idea The Grand Canyon was in Arizona until we planned the trip... I flew to Phoenix to stay with Erin, and my mom and dad met us after their week in Las Vegas. Retirement is treating them pretty well, I must say! It was such a lovely week of spring break - no class, family close by. great food & drinks, lots of sunshine, fresh air, daily hikes, and plenty to explore. Phoenix is such a cool area. I'd never really lumped it into the "big city" category, but it definitely has that vibe. It's look is very modern while also southwestern. Very unique.

A long day of class, bus ride, and airplane ride later, I was sitting in Frieda (her Jeep Liberty) with my sister! For our first night, we tried to be classy and drink wine in the hot tub. It didn't last long - we got kicked out because it was after hours, we brought her roommate's dog, and we had a glass bottle. Oops.

The next morning started early (or somewhat early as it was vacation) with Starbucks and some grocery shopping because we were headed to the desolate town of Tusayan, just outside of The Grand Canyon. It consists of a few cheap souvenir shops, basic hotels, and some touristy restaurants, but a place to crash was all we needed as we explored the geologic wonder.

We hiked part of the South Kaibob trail, which was actually super treacherous from the snow that had covered it weeks before. The sunny parts were fine, but we found ourselves clutching the walls on the shady declines. At first we laughed at the idea of "crampons" for your shoes, but we soon realized whey they'd be ideal. Thankfully we all made it (though dad had a minor mishap involving a slip, a rock, and a bloody thumb) to "Ooh Ahh Point", a gorgeous lookout down into the canyon. It was so worth all the nerve-wracking moments, and definitely left us with a triumphant memory. Wine (along with dinner) was much deserved that night!

[the treacherous, snow covered zig-zagged path we conquered]

The other highlights included a Pink Jeep Tour detailing some history, watching the sunset and getting up for sunrise (which was even better), and getting up close and personal with the elk wandering about the trails. I got a little too trusting with my photo op. Just after this picture was taken, the elk proceeded to hop over the rock wall and walk straight to me. My heart has rarely beat so fast, but we got the picture...

Hermit's Rest was the starting/ending point of a hiking trail at the very end of the park. It was a lot more rustic than the built up areas in the center and probably my favorite little stop along the rim!

On our way back to Phoenix after a wonderful weekend, we stopped in Sedona, another one of Arizona's natural wonders. As we drove the winding highway to get into the tiny town, we stopped at this adorable state park -  you can literally camp on the river bank! It was a beautiful day to wander on a whim.

When we finally got into Sedona, known for the red rocks, we hiked around a bit. They're also known for having "vortexes" of good energy, so a little bit of yoga was essential. People actually make the trek there just for that purpose!

Our days in Phoenix flew by... The first was spent lazing by the pool and exploring Old Town Scottsdale's touristy western shops. We grabbed lunch at cute fifties diner and Erin met us for margaritas & tacos at the Salty Seniorita. After a bit of a mix up involving the parking garage Erin couldn't exactly remember that she'd parked in, we made it home!

Wednesday we spent hiking McDowell Mountain in the HOT sun, exploring the petroglyphs (after yet another detour through Phoenix - oops!), and a birthday dinner for Erin grilled out on her patio. It was a perfect night until we got a "noise complaint" - Strange since even the security guard seemed confused when he walked up to our candlelit table and small family gathering...

[this type of cactus is spelled "saguaro"]

Making it to the zoo was a highlight of the trip! I'm forever a child at heart and absolutely love them, especially the monkeys. It didn't hurt that Phoenix is known for their ape exhibit and walk through monkey habitat :)

We picked up Charlie, a camp friend, for dinner & drinks up in Goodyear that night and caught up with what he's been up to. Strange that he lives so close here in Michigan and we have to make it all the way to Arizona to see him! Erin took the day off on Friday so we could go to the Cubs Spring Training game in Mesa, right next to Tempe. Refreshing beer & food trucks made it a perfect atmosphere. Afterwards we were able to meet up with the Shulls, our neighbors, for drinks! Catherine, my best friend since forever, and I go to school so far apart so it was super lucky timing to be in Arizona together. It seemed crazy that Charlie, the Shulls, and us were all in the same place the same week, and definitely lots of fun!

[food truck heaven]

Saturday was my last full day of break, but it seemed like the week flew by. We went to the most glorious place for brunch called Snooze: An AM Eatery. They had free coffee & baggo while we waited for a table, and my eggs benedict were sooooo worth all the time spent in line! I had two kinds - Bella Bella with arugula & balsamic drizzle and a sweet potato cake with leeks topped with Hollandaise. They were divine.

Our last adventure was to Taliesen West, the winter home of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was really interesting because Alden B. Dow, a famous architect in Midland, MI, my hometown, studied under him. The property and pictures of Wright's work were eerily similar to so many of the buildings I grew up around.

[Wright refused to move anything when he had windows installed at his wife's request so they had to carve a hole in the glass for the pot to fit on the edge. Weird dude.]

And that was the end! Erin and my mom and dad dropped me off at the airport late that night for a long trip home. I think it's safe to say that I needed more than one day to recover my sleep before classes started again, but c'e la vita :)

Music City USA | Nashville, Tennessee

Since my sister, Laura, turned 30 at the end of August, we naturally had to come up with a big celebration! Aside from the surprise party of family, friends, and pizza, a trip was in order. We went to Vegas for my 21st, so it was only fair :)

She decided on Nashville, and our other sister, Erin, her friend Nikki, and I had no complaints. Erin flew in from Phoenix while the rest of us girls road tripped in Stella (Laura's white Jeep Liberty) from Midland, MI. It was an easy drive and Nikki was a champ at being our captain. Laura didn't even get car sick, so I consider it a success. Though we arrived in the rain, we were greeted by a real cute boy and our Airbnb rental in the West End was so cozy. Our hosts were great and we loved our first Airbnb stay. Moving in to the second floor apartment was a bit of a struggle, but we made it! Nikki even survived the Uber ride to dinner, though she remained skeptical of the concept all weekend. Her plan was to sit behind the driver and interrogate him to ensure our safety while leaving me in the passenger seat. I'm not sure how a taxi driver seems any less likely to take in his or her next murder victim, but we lived through both.

Instead of a long, chronological recap of the crazy fun weekend, which would be challenging to put together anyway, here are what we called our "group activities" from the trip. (Is it obvious that we work with kids...?)

• The Music City Rollin' Jamboree: This. Was. Hilarious. I stumbled upon it on Groupon and it ended up being a favorite of all of ours. It was a bus tour led by comedians, singers, and song-writers. We were a little confused and brought a cooler full of drinks that was larger than allowed, but luckily it wasn't a full tour so we just got a lot of crap from the tour guides (but could still enjoy the BYOB 21+ part of the ride). Laura, aka Dirty 30, was put in the hot seat and karaoked for us. The only bad part was that it was sort of hard to see out the windows, but they were so entertaining with their antics and anecdotes I hardly even looked outside. 

• Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum: Luke Bryan's Dirt Road Diary was on display and that's all I needed to see to make me happy. The rest of it was super cool, too, as it explored the history and transformation of country music over the years. A Nashville essential. 

• Centennial Park & The Pantheon: Just a few minute walk from our Airbnb was an gorgeous park with a replica of the Pantheon. It was such a gorgeous little piece of nature and art in one.

• Belle Meade Plantation: We needed a little taste of history so we headed to the edge of the city. We got a tour of the mansion and then explored the grounds after our complimentary wine tasting! The blackberry one was amaaaaazing. 

• Nashville Flea Market: On Sunday before we dropped Erin off at the airport and headed back to the mitten in Stella, we made a pit stop at the flea market. It was craziness and packed with stands full of antique, junk, crafts, etc. I cashed in and found a great tin mug and an old whitewashed window frame. It'll soon hang on my wall as a picture frame and yet another relic of my travels. I love surrounding my room with trinkets from around the world. 

Walking around downtown Nashville, I finally understood some Big & Rich lyrics. The main drag with the famous bars, live music, and fun nightlife is called Broadway, so it finally makes sense that he is "riding up and down Broadway on my old stud Leroy, singing save a horse, ride a cowboy". We had SO much fun walking up and down and in and out of the bars on Broadway. Just to name a few, there was:

• Tootsies Orchid Lounge: I . Loved. Tootsies. It was three floors (which was the norm) and had a gorgeous rooftop overlooking the city. We met Scott, who was with a bachelor party and became our friend for the weekend, danced, drank, and met some fun new people. It's backdoor is also close to a music hall, so lots of stars used to sneak over there, too!
• Tin Roof: This wasn't our favorite and it was really crowded, but there were signs and Christmas lights all over the inside which made it feel really cozy and unique. They even had a Detroit Tigers pennant!
• Tequila Cowboy: Apparently the lady working in the bathroom had a whistle to keep order, but I only heard from Erin and Laura. I'm a little disappointed I didn't go in, but I enjoyed the big dance floor! Strangely enough for the title, they played a lot of electronic music. I secretly love dancing to it, but it's not exactly typical for Nashville.
• Honky Tonk Central: This was Laura's absolute favorite, and definitely one of mine. So many funny things happened here, including a "code 4" (aka bar fight).

• Broadway Brewhouse: This is more of a restaurant (and we did have some pretty yummy food there), but we went for a drink called a "Bushwacker". It's described as an alcoholic frosty and raved about, but we weren't too impressed. It was reallllly strong, and it definitely tasted that way! Also, an alcoholic frosty on a full stomach doesn't always bode well for a night of dancing, but we recovered and made the best of it anyway. 
• George Jones Rooftop Bar:  We took the elevator up there at Ken (our Uber driver)'s recommendation. It wasn't very busy or lively up there, but it definitely had an amazing view over the city. I imagine it to be a romantic spot on a summer night.

And those who know me know that eating is always an important activity, especially when I'm traveling, so here's the scoop on all the delicious places we found:

• Taco Mamacita: Nikki, Laura, and I decided that this was probably our favorite place we ate (sorry that you weren't here yet, Erin). We took our first Uber ride of the weekend over there since it was in a neighborhood we never would have discovered! Everything was good - the peach salsa appetizer + homemade chips, margaritas + sangria, Mexican street corn (deep fried goodness on the cob drizzled with a creamy chipotle sauce), and all the tacos you can imagine! It was a perfect southern welcome for our first night in Music City. 
• Wild Horse Saloon: This was SO much fun. Laura found a glass boot with the Wild Horse logo engraved on it in the Airbnb kitchen so it became our mission to find. Once we did, we went for a "light lunch". Instead we ended up having fried pickles, pork nachos, cole slaw, and wings. It was a great decision, though. We also all got our own souvenir boots with our drinks, of course! I had a tasty moonshine Arnold Palmer. I think all Arnold Palmers should be made that way :) There was a huge stage and dance floor, too, and our adorable waiter with a Eastern European accent told us to come back at night. We did the next day for a line dancing lesson, and it ended up being one of our favorite "evening activities"! 

• Whiskey Kitchen: This was in "The Gulch" area which is known to be the more hipster neighborhood. The whole menu looked delish and I loved my veggie wrap. It would be a really cool place at night! They had a fun craft cocktail menu, too, but we didn't try any when we were there for lunch.

• Frothy Monkey: Located in a trendy little area, this was a bustling spot for coffee & brunch. I came hope happily with a new coffee mug and a belly full of avocado + egg on toast with homemade salsa - some of my favorite things.
• Soulshine Pizza Factory: Sooooo yummy! We got 2 pizzas and split each in half so we could try 4 different topping creations. They were all amazing and of course there was live music on the rooftop patio. I could get used to that.  

With such a fun vibe, casual atmosphere, safe feeling, and great memories Nashville is definitely now one of my favorite cities. Cheers to 30 years, Laura! Thanks for the excuse to party in Music City.