Travel

Travel: Denver Recap – Part 3

| The Bee Life

The true reason for our long weekend trip to Denver was to celebrate B’s cousin’s wedding! The bride, Lauren is from the Denver area, and they recently moved there within the last 2-years, so most of B’s family had to travel in for the nuptials.

Wedding festivities kicked off with a welcome reception hosted at Tivoli Brewing Co. the outdoor patio space was the perfect spot for a warm night with gorgeous views of the city. This was the first time we got to see a lot of B’s family since arriving Thursday morning.  So it was good to see everyone and start celebrating Lauren and Jensen. The food and beverages were flowing and we easily helped shut the night down, being literally the last two to leave. *smiles*

Saturday, July 9 – the big day was finally here! We were taken to the ceremony location by commercial buses from the main hotel.  The setting for the ceremony was a beautiful, Grecian Parthenon found surrounded by trees in a park in the center of the urban setting, in Cheesman Park. It was a toasty afternoon and the sun was shining bright by the time the ceremony was supposed to start. The setting was beautiful and the decor elements were simple yet made a statement. Their officiant was a close family friend, which made the ceremony personal and unique to Lauren and Jensen’s relationship.  They also shared their own vows, with a blubbering groom. You could see how happy they both were.

The reception was at a venue called Mile High Station. It was an old warehouse/depot like place that was refurbished with a modern industrial feel. The introduction of the parents, bridal party, and newlyweds was a unique one – allowing the guests to get a birds-eye view of everything from the happy hour space above the main reception area. Dinner was family style BBQ, mac n’ cheese, beans, salad, and portabella mushrooms. Desserts were mini cheesecakes, a salted caramel brownie and an original strawberry flavor and a doughnut wall I resisted! Pretty soon the dancing commenced! B was showing off his dance moves, apparently his family hasn’t seen him dance much! Luckily he danced the night away with me!!

Lauren was a beautiful bride, there was so much love not only between Lauren and Jensen but all of their friends and family that supported and were involved in their special day. This was our last wedding of 2016 and it sure was a good one, it was a reminder that our planning is going to start kicking up soon, and it’ll be B and I on our big day before we know it! (crazy!!)

 

Travel: Denver Recap – Part 2

| The Bee Life

Since our trip was relatively short for traveling so far, we didn’t do nearly as much outdoorsy activities as I would’ve liked.  After all, I’m used to week long trips out west, including hikes, horseback riding, kayaking, and sightseeing. So I was beyond happy to get a quick trip to Red Rocks in, to see some of the world’s natural beauty, get a little sweat on and take some pretty pictures.  My cousins were able to take us up there, which was such a help since they had been there before and could navigate the layered landscape and show us the Amphitheater and the distant city views.  It also brought back some of my favorite memories with them exploring JH.  Red Rocks was one of the places almost everyone told us you had to visit, it definitely was a phenomenon.

IMG_4199IMG_4204IMG_4202IMG_4221DSCN2540DSCN2535IMG_4223I can’t imagine going to a concert at Red Rock’s – although I hear that is an absolute must also.  I would also like to go back and do either yoga or boot camp on the steps of the Amphitheater.   The day we went they were having a huge fitness event with obstacle courses and more sessions of exercise classes on the steps, so were were only able to get so high up, which was a bit of a bummer since our time was cut short. Regardless, it was definitely a highlight of the trip and I loved getting outdoors, exploring and seeing new sites. And a special Happy 75th Anniversary to Red Rocks!!

TRAVEL TIP: If you’re planning a trip to Red Rocks, be sure to do some research or go with a local, there are lots of different sections of parking and entrances it’s easy to get caught up!

Travel: Denver Recap – Part 1

| The Bee Life

This past week, B and I traveled out west to Denver, Colorado!  It was our first time out there (well being anywhere besides passing through DEN) so we were really excited to go explore a new place and get out of town for a long weekend. We were able to explore and see a lot of Denver, at least I think for the short time we were there, but still felt like there was so much more we could’ve experienced and saw.  Since we did cover off on a lot, a recap on the important stuff… food and beer.

Historians Ale House – Broadway St.: We visited Historians our first night in Denver, and met up with my cousins there – otherwise would have never found this spot.  They had a rooftop patio that we were able to enjoy, it was a beautiful night.  We snacked on chips, salsa and queso – the waiter said the queso was to die for.  And then since it was dollar taco night, decided to have a mixing of fish, beef and chicken tacos! They were almost bite size, so it was good that we all ordered a bunch. It was a fun spot, and great atmosphere but definitely in line for a bar atmosphere and menu offering. FullSizeRender (4)

The French Press – Lakewood, CO: Although we were only able to have breakfast here once, this small little cafe across from our hotel was the perfect spot for breakfast, a great cup of coffee and a fun homey atmosphere.  There were so many good sounding items on the menu that it was hard to choose.  We had high hopes and intentions on returning the next day for a different menu item, but unfortunately had poor planning and time management to enjoy it again!  They also had lunch and happy hour specials for people to take advantage of beyond the morning breakfast offerings. For our breakfast; I opted for the French toast, which came with eggs and bacon and I added some fresh strawberries on top, it was served with graham cracker syrup, yum!  B went with “Sterling’s Sweet Biscuits” – toasted chipotle butter biscuits, topped with chorizo gravy, cheese and eggs with a side of potatoes. YUM!! FullSizeRender (1)FullSizeRender (3)IMG_4125IMG_4128

Bruz Brewery – Denver: We visited the recently opened (we were there for their grand opening), Bruz Brewery since it’s close to my aunt and uncles place. Rested in a new development this spot is prime real estate for this up and coming area. Not to mention; dog friendly both inside and out!  They had about 12-beers on tap. Since we only visited for a quick drink I went for the Summerfield Saison and B had the Dawg Daze IPA. I can’t wait to see how that brewery grows and expands, especially in their spot. The best part about visiting Bruz is that we were able to do so with my aunt and uncle and two cousins, while trying out a new spot (that we would’ve never known about).  IMG_4143IMG_4144

Tivoli Brewing Co. – Downtown Denver: We were introduced to Tivoli Brewing Co., for the welcome reception Friday night before the wedding (the reason we traveled to Denver).  We were welcomed by a lavish spread of beers and bite-size treats; everything was to die for. Our spread included the; High Five Chicken Potstickers, Parmobello Mushrooms, What the Buck Bavarian Pretzels, Sweet Hot Brussel Love, and mini 2 Pigs in a Sleeping Bag. Seriously everything was SO good, we were snacking and sipping all night. The beer selection was impressive (and overwhelming – at least to me!), I stuck to their Tivoli Helles, it was a golden hued lager. Their atmosphere was fun and underground-esq.  They also had amazing city views from their large outdoor patio space – also a prime spot for baseball fireworks viewing.  IMG_4154IMG_4157IMG_4159DSCN2520We enjoyed Tivoli so much (and it was super close to the hotel everyone else was staying at) that we killed some time for a light lunch pre-wedding on Saturday and enjoyed some more beers. I opted for something new and tried the Seasoned Skirt Steak and Chargrilled Chicken Vindaloo tacos – they were both topped with gucamole, fresh cilantro, red onion and queso fresco.  B went ahead and ordered the fullsize; 2 Pigs in a Sleeping Bag and a side of fries. IMG_4238IMG_4236

We would’ve ate more and explored a few other spots if we’d had more time between wedding festivities and trying to be tourists and see some sights. But we had a good mix and spreading of foods.  Next time we’re in Denver we will definitely spend more time downtown on “brewery row” – at least that is what I am calling it, a few people had described it as such and sounded like a must!

Any favorites spots or recommendations for our next trip out to DEN?

3-Saturday’s

| The Bee Life

This past weekend B and I went crazy and took Thursday and Friday off to enjoy a long weekend, as I am sure I’ve mentioned before our weekend getaways have been the extent of any vacation we’ve had this year.  So it was amazing waking up Thursday morning and not having to go into work and to realize it was the start of 3-consecutive Saturday’s!! I even did a happy dance when I got out of bed!

Thursday morning was perfect. We just relaxed, caught-up on laundry, blogging and even a few work emails.  We have been hooked on American Horror Story, so we binge watched a few episodes too.  Then we packed up and headed to the cabin in the woods… we were there by 3! Our main goal was to visit Southern Tier Brewery (again), made famous by Pumking (the reason we went). Ohh it’s so delicious especially when you can enjoy it straight from the draft where it was created.  B and I enjoyed some Pumking and a few other tastings along with their yummy pretzel sticks and loaded chips.

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We even got to say good-bye to Maya, my aunt’s black lab who passed away suddenly last month, they left her remains at the cabin and the pond where she loved to play, her happy place.  It was nice to have a moment with her.

The next day we headed another 2-hours east to my parents for the rest of our long weekend.  Birthday celebrations and even a wedding were thrown into the mix!  It was a nice somewhat relaxing and low-key weekend. We got back early-ish on Sunday and enjoyed some company with B’s brother and also hosted our neighbors for some pizza and beer and chats!  It was a nice long, much needed break!

How did you relax this weekend?

Weekend in the Woods

| The Bee Life

This past weekend B and I got out of town for a quick weekend getaway to the Cabin in the Woods.  I grew up in the country, but even this place is a little bit in the middle of nowhere for me.  I couldn’t even tell you where the closest gas station or grocery store would be, nor do you pass one on the way.


It’s always nice to get away to this little retreat, it’s so quiet and peaceful – but also extremely buggy. Plus it’s super close to one of our favorite breweries – Southern Tier, so of course we headed up there for the afternoon too.  Tasty beers, great food and an awesome atmosphere – we stay for hours.  We’ve made a yearly tradition out of it, but will definitely be going back before Summer’s end.

When we are back at the cabin we usually relax, and play board games (like Sorry!) and walk around the property with Moz.  She was super fascinated with the frogs while we walked around the pond, every time they jumped in and made a splash she would get scared and then become super curious! It was so cute. We also visited a homemade ice cream shop in the nearby ‘town’ – massive portions, huge selection and so cheap!

It was a fun – quick weekend away. I love creating memories, and traditions with B, even if they’re simple.

12 hours in the city

| The Bee Life

15.5 hours on a bus.
12 hours in the city.
19.1 miles walked.
33,768 steps.
Countless memories.

Yes. you read that correctly we did it again.

B got us tickets to New York City for my birthday back in March, and this past weekend was finally our trip! We took the megabus overnight from Rochester to the city, arriving mostly on-time at 7:30AM. First stop: Starbucks for some coffee, food and freshening up.

From there my detailed itinerary led the way for our adventures for the day. Next stop was Washington Square Park, the iconic spot from many movies but especially one of my favorites, When Harry Met Sally. To get there we were able to travel through Chelsea and Greenwich – and then finally to the arch.  It was massive! And the park was beautiful with a large fountain, it was so quiet and peaceful.

Next we ventured through SOHO – which was fabulous early in the morning, before everyone was awake.  We got to see a film crew filming TMNT – 2, but did not see anyone famous.  Is anyone famous even in that movie? We finally made our way to the 9/11 Memorial Fountains. It was breathtaking, I got a bit choked up reading some of the names and being at the memorial, it was beautiful and they are completely massive. The new building, One World Trade Center is quite the site to see as well, standing tall over the two memorials.  This was one of B’s favorite parts of the trip too.

We then walked the Hudson River Greenway down to Battery Park. Where we were able to get on the Statue Cruises ferry to visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island. This is the first time that B and I got to see the Statue of Liberty, and wow, seeing her close up is incredible, there is nothing like it. We had way to much fun taking selfie’s with her, and watching the million of tourists with their selfie sticks taking pictures with her too… so many selfie sticks.  Not to mention, the views of the city were remarkable, talk about a skyline.

We jumped back on the ferry to pop over to Ellis Island, where we did not stay too long.  It was a beautiful place, and the museum was massive – B and I don’t like crowds and the amount of people running around that place just sent us in a head spin. We got back on the Ferry and headed back to the mainland. Next stop: Wall Street and the famous bull.  Both were packed/surrounded by tourists – you literally couldn’t even get a clean photo with the bull because people where just swarming it, I wasn’t even interested after seeing that… We ventured over to the Seaport area and found a little Italian place to eat called Il Brigante Restaurant. The salad and pizza we shared were amazing.

Then my feet were killing me. So we just briefly checked out the Brooklyn Bridge – it was PACKED with people. It would’ve been so obnoxious to try and walk the whole thing, definitely an early morning activity for our next trip. We made our way back to SOHO and I found a Crocs store (not my first choice, but a last resort).  They surprisingly have super cute shoes! I got a cute pair for a steal of $20 and my feet where like brand new.  By this point in the day the rain had started to fall a little more steadily.  We Starbucks hopped and made our way over to where the megabus would be picking us up… only after getting completely soaked in the rain.

Our bus was 45-minutes late, causing us to get even more soaked standing outside waiting for it, we were a little miserable.  The 8-hour bus ride back was just as freezing sitting in wet clothes with air blowing on you. It was nice to get into my parents car around 3:30AM with warm sweatshirts, a blanket and Miss. Mozi!

Washington Square Park
9/11 Memorial Fountains: North Pool
South Pool
One World Trade Center
View from Battery Park Pier
Ellis Island
View from Ellis Island
Il Brigante Restaurant
Il Brigante Restaurant
Il Brigante Restaurant
Brooklyn Bridge Madness
Momofuku- Milkbar

Despite the cold miserable ending, B and I had a great trip… another adventure for us to look back on and remember.  I love going on adventures with B, exploring new places and seeing beautiful places.

We both agreed next time we visit NYC, we will be flying and staying in a hotel – no more megabus. Although we’ve loved the trips we have had, they’re definitely a whirlwind.

Daydream Friday

| The Bee Life

I woke up the other morning wanting to travel. I had a dream that I was in Paris going to see the Eiffel Tower, and now my imagination and hopes to travel are endless, I’m itching to go somewhere.

“Paris is always a good idea” – Audrey Hepburn

So of course, whenever I get on one of my “we need to travel” fits, I jump on Expedia and see how much a week long sabbatical would be.  I then proceed to text B and tell him “It’s only $3,500 to go to XXX place for a week!” to which he is probably thinking… “here we go again…” It’s a thing and every time it’s a new place.

My Top-5 Dream Vacation Spots*

Greece
Dublin, Ireland
Paris, France
Italy
Germany

*Subject to change at any moment. 

So on this beautiful Friday, I continue to daydream and plan out a million different vacations costing thousands and thousands of dollars that I don’t have… yet. I do know that I will see the world, slowly but surely and I can’t wait to do all of that with B.

Until then a girl can dream… Literally.

#emnbtoJH

| The Bee Life

Hello!

I was on a bit of a hiatus, I was vacationing all last week in fabulous Jackson Hole, Wyoming… I know not your typical vacation spot, but it’s mine!  As I was traveling out to JH, I realized it had been 5-years since I had last been, compared to going every summer during high school.  It felt like such a long time since I had been there, even though not much had changed. The Grand Tetons were still gorgeous as ever.

I was beyond thrilled to share this special place, that has been near and dear to my heart for almost a decade with B.  He is used to beach vacations, so this trip was completely different for him.  You can’t truly appreciate the experience or the beauty until you have been there, the pictures don’t give the mountainous scape justice. Here is a quick recap of our week!

Trip Highlights:

Horse back riding, hiking up Mt. Rendezvous, our happy hour night, and the various wildlife spotting: multiple moose, elk and buffalo.

Yellowstone National Park
Moose
The Grand Tetons
Horse back riding
Selfie!
In town
Happy Hour on the Deck
Mt. Rendevzous Hike
“Top of the World”
We did it!
Morning Coffee View
Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
Jenny Lake Lodge

The memories that I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had going to JH every summer are ones that I will never forget, and that is why I will always keep going back and also why I wanted to share it with Bentley.  It was a great trip, and I am glad B and I got a chance to take this vacation along with my parents!  It is the first of many trips for us, and I love exploring the world and all the different places. Time to start planning our next adventure!

11 hours in the City

| The Bee Life

First: To get you into the empire state of mind… queue Jay-Z and Alicia Keys…

One of my NYE resolutions was to travel more…

This past weekend, B and I went on a whirlwind trip to New York City.  For my birthday, Bentley got tickets to a Yankee’s game in NYC. So we could see Derek Jeter play one last time at Yankee’s Stadium before he retires… I have been waiting since March for this!!

So we decided to take the Megabus from Rochester, NY (that way we got to see my parents too!) over night on Friday. We were suppose to leave at 11:50pm, but didn’t end up leaving until 12:50pm, Megabus was late!  We arrived in NYC around 7:40am on Saturday.  Our bus back to Rochester would be leaving at 6:40pm that same night!  That gave us 11 hours to explore the city.

This was Bentley’s first time visiting NYC, and only my second.  I was last there when I was 13 for another Yankee’s game at the old stadium.  Our goal of the day: explore and see as many landmarks as possible!

First stop off the bus was Starbucks for some coffee and breakfast!

Next stop was the Empire State Building.  After doing some research prior, we knew roughly how much it would cost and that we wanted to go up to the 86th floor and the 102nd floor and that there was an express option to avoid lines. Well we got talked into doing this “Sky Ride” flight simulator through NYC (#tourists), thinking we would have express access to the 86th floor and102nd floor.  Well that didn’t end up happening (86th floor only) and the Sky Ride was horrible. BUT… when we got to the 86th floor and saw the panoramic views of the city, it was absolutely incredible.

From the Empire State Building we walked to prime spots including: Time Square, Broadway, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, NBC Studios, Madison Avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Park Ave., Trump Tower, Tiffany’s, Central Park, and of course Yankee’s Stadium.

We found a nice cafe in Central Park that we could sit and enjoy lunch, before heading up to the Yankee game. We caught a cab and got to Yankee’s Stadium.  It was so surreal and amazing to be there, not to mention Jeter played great (disclaimer: born and raised in NY, Yankee fan since birth).  I also got a Derek Jeter foam finger, and collectors baseball… of course.

Before heading back to the bus, we found a classic New York styled pizza restaurant (John’s at Timesquare) and chowed down on some pizza!

Overall, the trip was so much fun, just walking around the city, exploring, and site seeing with B.

We arrived back into Rochester around 2am, arriving back to my parents around 2:30am… and hit the sack.  It was long, but so worth it.  I mapped our walk around NYC and we probably walked about 10 miles, only catching 2-taxi rides – my feet and legs were killing me on the bus ride back!

We got to spend time with my parents the rest of Sunday before heading back up to Cleveland. It was a perfect little weekend.

xo -eb

Now to end… classic Frank (and some pictures!)