A Weekend in the Windy City | Chicago, Illinois

Just before Christmas I had the chance to spend a girls' weekend in Chicago with my mom and sister. I never got around to posting about it on here, but it was a trip worth telling about! 

Erin had an interview with a company downtown, so our real reason for going was picking her up. My mom and I used it as an excuse to road trip and have a fun weekend. After grabbing her from the airport, we dropped my grandma off at her brother's house as she had joined our little adventure, as well. Julie, his wife from Italy, decided we could not leave without a proper meal and whipped up a home-cooked dinner for us. There was no stopping her, and I really could not complain! She's a great cook, and insisted wine and coffee be included, too. She is so sweet and cracks me up every time I get a chance to talk to her. She has a fascinating story as she came to the US through Ellis Island to marry my uncle after they met in Pisa during WWII. 

Once we finally made it into the city, we stayed at the beautiful Warwick Allerton in the loop. A long day of travel had made us all ready for these cozy beds. 

  

The next morning, we had a Sunday Funday starting with brunch at the delightful Beatrix restaurant & coffee bar. It was a lucky gem that we stumbled upon, spotting it from in line at Corner Bakery (a breakfast & coffee chain in the city). We spied the sign and strolled across the street to investigate, and were pleasantly surprised! My green breakfast enchiladas were an unusual pick for me, but nothing I regretted. Erin went with a pulled pork & egg breakfast sandwich and mom steel cut oats. None of the choices were bad ones, and they were all finished off with fresh squeezed glasses of juice. 

We had avoided coffee as next up on our agenda was a coffee & hot cocoa tour with Second City. It was so much fun! The tour guide took us around to three different spots for drinks & treats -- L'Appetito, West Town Bakery, and Glazed & Infused. 

L'Appetito is just under the Hancock Building and was the first authentic Italian bakery in the city. I was in heaven! We had a caffe latte and crunchy Italian cookies. 

The West Town Bakery we went to was actually the satellite location for the full bakery located in West Town, but this one was cool because in the back was a secret speak-easy entrance for a neighborhood bar. Their specialty was Cinnamon Toast Crunch cake balls that were to die for. They were heavy and moist and sweet and crunchy and perfect. We came out of there with a to-go box to bring home as my uncle loves cake balls. 

Last up was Glazed & Infused -- a fun donut shop that is open from morning until whenever they run out. Attached to it was an enoteca that we ended up returning to for a delicious dinner that evening!

We did just about everything there is to do at Christmastime in Chicago! We wandered through the Kristkindl Market, shopped on Michigan Avenue (and peeked in the Marshall Field's windows), explored Millenium Park, and admired the Lincoln Park Zoo lights. We went into Eataly for a while, which was a wonderful and bittersweet flashback to living and loving Rome. 

I even had a chance to meet up with my friend who lives in Oak Park for dinner! She's actually studying abroad in Milan right now and I'm jealous of every minute she has there. The weekend went by too fast, as most good things seem to do, and we had to head back to the mitten. 

After another morning of coffee from Beatrix and a bit more shopping, we grabbed Grandma from Uncle Art's and said goodbye before departing. Our journey home was a safe one, despite being stopped at a stand still for 2 hours due to a car accident on a bridge in Indiana. Thank goodness no one was hurt, but it made for a loooooong car ride. It didn't deter my love for Chi-Town though and I will most definitely return to the city again!

When the Mountains Call | Keystone, Colorado

There's that cheesy line that goes, "the mountains are calling and I must go" that always seems to get written on cool, adventurous pictures, and now I know why. Since I was a little girl and learned to ski, I've dreamed of making it out to the Rocky Mountains to go down a run that actually lasted longer than the chairlift ride. To look out and see blue mountain tops and not the tops of cars driving in for the day. To run out of breath in the freezing cold air -- partly from the lack of oxygen, partly from the amount of effort expended to cut through all the fresh powder. And this January, after a 

+ hour bus ride, I finally made it. Aside from the miserable altitude sickness, it was all I'd dreamed of. 

The Spartan Ski Club makes a trip out to Colorado each winter break and this year I joined them in Keystone for the week. With some new friends and some old, I piled onto one of seven buses making the trek and crammed into a room in the Dakota Lodge (which was actually a really nice condo). We spent the week shredding (as I since learned to snowboard), relaxing, and partying -- a perfect end to my holiday break.

ran into some ski team friends living out there

On our agenda was Keystone, Breckenridge, and Vail. Keystone was gorgeous, though a bit icy towards the end of the week. I wish I had been able to do more at Breck as that has the highest elevation in the area, but the altitude sickness was hitting me hard that day. (At least some others had it, too, and totally understood how it felt.) Vail, however, was truly, as its motto states, "like no place on Earth". It had just snowed leaving a dusting of fresh powder and it spanned the front and back of the mountain, in addition to a second peak. I was so sad for some of the others in our group who didn't hop on the bus with us as it was by far the best day of the week. We went to the back bowls where the trails were undefined, the slopes steep, and the powder perfect. Even when hitting a few accidental moguls, though I fell on my butt but I found my way. And in the end, it made me a better boarder and I don't regret a minute of it. 

Keystone, Colorado

I was absolutely exhausted but so happily content when I crawled back onto Bus #5 at the end of the week. Between crushing the huge hills and taking the even bigger wipe outs, there were so many little in between moments that made it a week to remember. Talking on the balcony at 2am, searching for chair #1 on the lift, trying treats from Inxpot (the cutest little coffee shop), and sifting through souvenirs at the store filled our time and my heart. 

mac and cheese for our first family dinner

And yes, the mountains will call again and I will indeed go.

P.S. This is the infamous bum run. It's tradition for the last run of the week. We did the longest run at Keystone (3.5 miles) half naked complete with lots of "go green, go white" chants and plenty of other shenanigans. 

a 3.5 mile "bum run"

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 :)