I left NOLA on Saturday and drove up to Birmingham, AL to grab lunch with a "little sister" of mine. Paige is actually a foot taller than me, so she's not so little, but I adopted her as a younger sister a few years back. She's currently a Sophomore in college, studying nursing and I couldn't be more proud. I'm so glad she was able to break away from all the college fun and demands of studying to show me around campus and grab lunch at a cute place downtown.
After fueling up (on food and gas) I hit the road towards Nashville to her parent's horse farm. It'd been over a year since I'd been "home" the the farm and I was very excited for my visit with Mama & Papa T, as well as the grandparents Nons & Poppa. No visit would be complete without feeding a few peppermints to the horses or giving lots of love to the growing number of dogs! The T's always know the best places to eat in town and we enjoyed a yummy dinner at the Franklin Chop House.
Sunday I drove to Louisville to visit my sister and her roomie, Jess. I got there just in time for the Sunday evening service at Sojourn and it was so great to be there for their baptismal service where a woman was able to leave behind her life of prostitution through the church's ministry Scarlet Hope. It was especially neat to be there with my sister who has met this woman through her volunteer efforts with this ministry. Afterwards we grabbed some blizzards at DQ and headed home to watch the Emmy's (yes, that's right, I watched an award show named Emmy with my sister Emmy).
Monday I called my friend Janee on a whim as I was driving through Cincy and it just so happened that she was off work, and shopping at a mall that I was about to drive by! I pulled over and we grabbed lunch and caught up on our life post Duke and pre-her 2nd baby. It's always great to spend time with her as she's so down to earth and funny!
I finally made it to my parents house around dinner time. I was SO done with my road trip by this point. It was a cold, rainy, miserable day and my bottom was so sore from sitting for over 60 hours in one spot. Mom did not disappoint and a delicious, hot dinner was waiting for me. And so began almost 2 weeks of non-stop consumption of delicious food and laying on the couch watching some quality (thick sarcasm) TV shows like Millionaire Matchmaker, Keeping up the Kardashians, Project Runway, and all the new Fall debut shows.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Roadtrip Update #2
On Monday I made the almost 12 hour drive from Albuquerque to Dallas. The drive went much better than I'd anticipated as I popped in a book on tape that kept me occupied for at least half the day! I enjoyed watching the scenery change and as I drove through Amarillo I was a total dork and cued the Ipod to Jason Aldean's "Amarillo Sky". After driving through the plains of Texas it's easy to understand why it's called big sky country. It felt "at home" the minute I crossed the border as I was back in the South, land of conservative political views, and where there are equal radio stations playing Country and Christian music. After a stop at Sonic for a cherry limeade...and a blizzard from Dairy Queen (2 staples of the south) I finally made it to the Dirty D around 9pm.
My first night in town I stayed with Holly, and old roomie from my Raleigh days. Shortly before I had moved out of our house she had brought home a little rescue dog, Addie. This little beagle fell in LOVE with me. Poor thing, she used to sit outside my bedroom door and howl her love to me. She even learned how to moan at me without setting off her bark collar. Holly and I have a running joke that I'm Addie's favorite person, and it's an understatement to say that she was excited to see me. Poor thing, she couldn't stop howling or jumping all over me. When it came time for bed she got up several times to check that I was still there. Holly had just recently moved to Dallas and I was so excited to see her new home. She did such a great job decorating and mixing fabric prints, and I'm sad that I didn't take any pictures. The next day Holly, who works for CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), showed me around the SMU campus and then went a few blocks over for a lunch date. Holly is one of my favorite roomies and I'm so thankful for the investments she's made in my life.
I spent Tuesday night with my friend Casey who I used to work with at Duke. She moved to Dallas as a travel nurse, met a great Texas boy, got a sweet staff job, and is now engaged and busy planning her wedding. We had some great girl time just chatting about our Duke days and where life has taken us. I had heard a lot about Perry, her fiance, from my friend Jess while in San Fran and was quite anxious to meet him. He lived up to all the kind things Jess said about him and was such a great match for Casey. I really love when my friends marry good men. I also love when they indulge us women in eating at Maggiano's (one of Casey and I's favorite restaurants).
On Wednesday I ran a few errands then drove over to Fort Worth to stay with my friends Candace & Josh. While Dallas was big and showy, Forth Worth was more country and homey. C&J are friends from my days in the Providence singles class back in Raleigh. They moved out of the class because they got married...and I...moved! I was so excited to see them and we had a wonderful time together. They took me to the most authentic Texas BBQ place ever, Coopers. Candace had warned me, but it wasn't until I saw it happen that I too was slightly taken aback. As soon as you walk in you're assaulted by the amazing smells coming from the pit, and then you have to overcome the hard job of choosing which meat (pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, sausage, etc.). Once you've picked your meat they slice it and throw it on a red lunch tray and pass it off to you to go get it weighed! It's just so wrong! Why not throw it on a paper plate? Or butcher paper? We headed to find a spot at one of the long picnic tables and started to assemble our sandwiches. Each table is equipped with "fixings", bread, and rolls of paper towels. In spite of the messiness, it was hands down some of the best BBQ I've ever had! We spent our evening on a driving tour and chatting about life.
The next day Candace and I met Josh for lunch at McKinley's, they have excellent food and desserts---especially their lemon-blueberry cheesecake! Afterwards Candace and I swung by this antique store that seemed to have gone on and on and on for forever! It was so fun to look around. You just never know what you're gonna find...like a piece of pottery with a swastika on it, EEEK!
Thursday evening I headed 3 hours southeast to Austin to visit Sarah, a former college roomie turned travel nurse as well. We had some excellent Mexican food at Chuy's then headed downtown to 6th street (where all the hub bub is) for Amy's ice cream. It had a pretty funky decor, was run by some very eclectic people, and had some very interesting flavors. We went back to her apartment to just chill as she'd worked all day and I had another full day of driving ahead of me the next day.
Friday I drove to NOLA!!! (New Orleans, Louisiana) When on my first assignment at Stanford I made friends with 2 girls Julie (who I stayed with in San Diego) and Lisette who took a travel job back home. I was really excited to see the French Quarter with a local. Lisette took me to Parkway Po'boys to get the most authentic shrimp po'boy...it was heaven! She then gave me a great driving tour of all the various districts and history, and she even braved crazy Bourbon Street for me! We were still so full from dinner that there was no room for beignets which means I'll just have to go back again! I loved the architecture of the double porches, painted brick, iron work, and the fleur de lis accents. It was also really neat to hear how she and her family were affected by Katrina since she lived near the section of the levy that broke, and for her to explain how life went on and things were rebuilt. Can't wait to go again!
My first night in town I stayed with Holly, and old roomie from my Raleigh days. Shortly before I had moved out of our house she had brought home a little rescue dog, Addie. This little beagle fell in LOVE with me. Poor thing, she used to sit outside my bedroom door and howl her love to me. She even learned how to moan at me without setting off her bark collar. Holly and I have a running joke that I'm Addie's favorite person, and it's an understatement to say that she was excited to see me. Poor thing, she couldn't stop howling or jumping all over me. When it came time for bed she got up several times to check that I was still there. Holly had just recently moved to Dallas and I was so excited to see her new home. She did such a great job decorating and mixing fabric prints, and I'm sad that I didn't take any pictures. The next day Holly, who works for CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), showed me around the SMU campus and then went a few blocks over for a lunch date. Holly is one of my favorite roomies and I'm so thankful for the investments she's made in my life.
I spent Tuesday night with my friend Casey who I used to work with at Duke. She moved to Dallas as a travel nurse, met a great Texas boy, got a sweet staff job, and is now engaged and busy planning her wedding. We had some great girl time just chatting about our Duke days and where life has taken us. I had heard a lot about Perry, her fiance, from my friend Jess while in San Fran and was quite anxious to meet him. He lived up to all the kind things Jess said about him and was such a great match for Casey. I really love when my friends marry good men. I also love when they indulge us women in eating at Maggiano's (one of Casey and I's favorite restaurants).
On Wednesday I ran a few errands then drove over to Fort Worth to stay with my friends Candace & Josh. While Dallas was big and showy, Forth Worth was more country and homey. C&J are friends from my days in the Providence singles class back in Raleigh. They moved out of the class because they got married...and I...moved! I was so excited to see them and we had a wonderful time together. They took me to the most authentic Texas BBQ place ever, Coopers. Candace had warned me, but it wasn't until I saw it happen that I too was slightly taken aback. As soon as you walk in you're assaulted by the amazing smells coming from the pit, and then you have to overcome the hard job of choosing which meat (pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, sausage, etc.). Once you've picked your meat they slice it and throw it on a red lunch tray and pass it off to you to go get it weighed! It's just so wrong! Why not throw it on a paper plate? Or butcher paper? We headed to find a spot at one of the long picnic tables and started to assemble our sandwiches. Each table is equipped with "fixings", bread, and rolls of paper towels. In spite of the messiness, it was hands down some of the best BBQ I've ever had! We spent our evening on a driving tour and chatting about life.
The next day Candace and I met Josh for lunch at McKinley's, they have excellent food and desserts---especially their lemon-blueberry cheesecake! Afterwards Candace and I swung by this antique store that seemed to have gone on and on and on for forever! It was so fun to look around. You just never know what you're gonna find...like a piece of pottery with a swastika on it, EEEK!
Thursday evening I headed 3 hours southeast to Austin to visit Sarah, a former college roomie turned travel nurse as well. We had some excellent Mexican food at Chuy's then headed downtown to 6th street (where all the hub bub is) for Amy's ice cream. It had a pretty funky decor, was run by some very eclectic people, and had some very interesting flavors. We went back to her apartment to just chill as she'd worked all day and I had another full day of driving ahead of me the next day.
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| Forest fires outside of Austin, it smelled like a really great campfire. |
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| I drove over 20 miles on these swamp bridges. |
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| Part of the Bourbon street craziness. |
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| the Carousel Club, I wanna go! |
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| me and Lisette, my NOLA music junkie |
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Roadtrip Update
Saturday
I made what I'm hoping is my most boring leg of the trip from San Diego to Phoenix, AZ. The destination was not boring, but the desolate drive was! Shortly after leaving SD I came across what looked like giant gravel, see below:
Then I encountered border control where they made me open my trunk and prove that I wasn't hiding any Mexican immigrants. They also confiscated my fresh fruit but wouldn't let me throw my trash away :( Somewhere between the California/Arizona border and Phoenix I literally drove through the desert, see below:
Then finally when nearing Phoenix I saw some of these fun guys!
I was really excited for Phoenix because my sister had visited there earlier in the summer and loved it (sadly I didn't have time to go to the fun places she got to visit) but also because I would be staying with my friend Laurel. We went to nursing school together and haven't seen each other since! She's originally from AZ, moved home after college, started working at a children's hospital, met her husband, and now has an adorable little boy! She was so gracious to take me downtown to Postino's for their amazing bruschetta board and cucumber-melon lemonade. I know, you're wondering what a bruschetta board is at the same time thinking that cucumber-melon makes you think of all those Bath & Body Works lotions you got back in the 90's! Seriously, check out their link and click on menu to be inspired...it was so yummy! As always, it's fun to catch up with an old girlfriend and reminisce about college life, update each other on friends, and just enjoy where we are in life now. While I will miss her, I will not miss the heat! Living in Norcal has made me such a weather wimp!
Sunday
After a yummy homemade breakfast by Laurel, I got out the door right on time for my long drive to Albuquerque, NM. I was really amazed at the scenery in AZ. It was a lot more diverse than I'd thought it would be. Once I reached Flagstaff, about 1/3 into my journey that day I was surprised to see how green and forested it was:
Shortly after passing Flagstaff the land became drier and blander and once I reached NM it was just HOT!!! I passed a lot of desert and when I did see signs of life, it was either advertising for Native American tourist traps or Casinos, and some pretty red mountains:
I was strongly starting to doubt my GPS when it said I was 20 mins from my destination because I still had yet to see anything resembling a town...but sure enough, a few minutes later I rounded a corner and there was Albe (I got lazy on the typing). I was excited to catch up with "Aunt" Terri whom I'd met over a year ago at a friend's wedding. She was equally excited to have some girl time. We stayed up way too late just chatting about life, and I can't get enough of her stories. She's lived such a FULL life! She also has a love for her Savior and deceased husband that are such an encouragement. Just like the last time we ate at Sadies (local Mexican) for dinner and then the Flying Star for breakfast. Thankfully this time I did not have any tire issues and was able to hit the road on time for my almost 12 hour drive to Dallas!
I made what I'm hoping is my most boring leg of the trip from San Diego to Phoenix, AZ. The destination was not boring, but the desolate drive was! Shortly after leaving SD I came across what looked like giant gravel, see below:
Then I encountered border control where they made me open my trunk and prove that I wasn't hiding any Mexican immigrants. They also confiscated my fresh fruit but wouldn't let me throw my trash away :( Somewhere between the California/Arizona border and Phoenix I literally drove through the desert, see below:
Then finally when nearing Phoenix I saw some of these fun guys!
I was really excited for Phoenix because my sister had visited there earlier in the summer and loved it (sadly I didn't have time to go to the fun places she got to visit) but also because I would be staying with my friend Laurel. We went to nursing school together and haven't seen each other since! She's originally from AZ, moved home after college, started working at a children's hospital, met her husband, and now has an adorable little boy! She was so gracious to take me downtown to Postino's for their amazing bruschetta board and cucumber-melon lemonade. I know, you're wondering what a bruschetta board is at the same time thinking that cucumber-melon makes you think of all those Bath & Body Works lotions you got back in the 90's! Seriously, check out their link and click on menu to be inspired...it was so yummy! As always, it's fun to catch up with an old girlfriend and reminisce about college life, update each other on friends, and just enjoy where we are in life now. While I will miss her, I will not miss the heat! Living in Norcal has made me such a weather wimp!
Sunday
After a yummy homemade breakfast by Laurel, I got out the door right on time for my long drive to Albuquerque, NM. I was really amazed at the scenery in AZ. It was a lot more diverse than I'd thought it would be. Once I reached Flagstaff, about 1/3 into my journey that day I was surprised to see how green and forested it was:
Shortly after passing Flagstaff the land became drier and blander and once I reached NM it was just HOT!!! I passed a lot of desert and when I did see signs of life, it was either advertising for Native American tourist traps or Casinos, and some pretty red mountains:
I was strongly starting to doubt my GPS when it said I was 20 mins from my destination because I still had yet to see anything resembling a town...but sure enough, a few minutes later I rounded a corner and there was Albe (I got lazy on the typing). I was excited to catch up with "Aunt" Terri whom I'd met over a year ago at a friend's wedding. She was equally excited to have some girl time. We stayed up way too late just chatting about life, and I can't get enough of her stories. She's lived such a FULL life! She also has a love for her Savior and deceased husband that are such an encouragement. Just like the last time we ate at Sadies (local Mexican) for dinner and then the Flying Star for breakfast. Thankfully this time I did not have any tire issues and was able to hit the road on time for my almost 12 hour drive to Dallas!
And the Road Trip Begins!
After Labor Day I had to fly back to California to get my car and begin the drive back East (over 3,700 miles!). My dear friend Anne picked me up from the airport and we had dinner with her family at a Mongolian BBQ and then she and I went to see Sense and Sensibility at a local playhouse. It was such a wonderful evening. I was also able to catch up with the girls at the Villa before packing up the car and hitting the road! September always seems to be a month of transition, and especially so at the Villa. Kari, one of the first friends I made at Grace is about to be married and will move to Houston, new girls have moved into the house, and my friend Jana is going to Tanzania where she will use her law degree working to help widows maintain ownership of their land, check out her website Inherit Your Rights and consider buying a chicken or sewing machine to help out.
Thursday
After fueling up (on gas and coffee) I hit the road and took the 5 down to LA where I met up with my friend Brandi. She was previously working at the Painted Turtle Camp where I had volunteered last fall, and we hung out several times during my LA days, and she even came to visit in July! It was so fun to see her new apartment and it is truly the perfect LA-single girl pad. She was so gracious to let me stay with her after just having settled into both a new home and job. I'm so proud of her and excited as she begins her career teaching at a private school in Beverly Hills! You should hear her stories just about the celebs she sees in the carpool lane! We spent a fun evening together dining Vegan at Native Foods (it was so delicious, I swear it tasted just like meat!) and then catching a late movie together.
Friday
I attempted to avoid the inevitable LA traffic and drove south down to San Diego just in time for lunch to meet my nursing recruiter. I've been talking to Christina for over a year and while we know so much about each other and she is in charge of important details about my life (job, housing, money, etc.) I had no clue what she looked like! I'm so glad she was able to grab lunch and as we dined on fish tacos it was confirmed that she was exactly who I thought she was over the phone, and we're not just business partners but friends. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to get into travel nursing. She was so patient with me when I started the process, and so personal too. I love that it feels like talking to a friend each time I call, which to me is very comforting since there are so many unknowns in the travel world!
After lunch I met my friend Julie, whom I'd met on assignment in Palo Alto, in La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) for pedicures. She found this great place called Dan's Nails and it has a beautiful view overlooking the palm trees and ocean. After grabbing a snack we walked down to the ocean so I could see the seals. I'd come here over a year ago with a friend on my birthday and there were NO seals :( Fortunately they were out this time enjoying some sunbathing. We headed back to her house to freshen up, then rode the trolley down to Little Italy. We ate at Zia's and it was SO good...and so was the bottle of Chardonnay that we shared! I realize that I have become THAT girl, the one who now has to look at the wine menu even when I don't want to drink just to see if I've been to one of their wineries to relive my Napa days! After a great night out on the town we headed back to her place to just veg infront of the tv. I know this will sound so immature but I haven't had cable in over a year and the idea of watching mind numbing shows like those on E! and Bravo just sounded heavenly. The next morning we grabbed some Starbucks, made plans for our next visit together (hopefully in NYC!) and then I hit the road.
Thursday
After fueling up (on gas and coffee) I hit the road and took the 5 down to LA where I met up with my friend Brandi. She was previously working at the Painted Turtle Camp where I had volunteered last fall, and we hung out several times during my LA days, and she even came to visit in July! It was so fun to see her new apartment and it is truly the perfect LA-single girl pad. She was so gracious to let me stay with her after just having settled into both a new home and job. I'm so proud of her and excited as she begins her career teaching at a private school in Beverly Hills! You should hear her stories just about the celebs she sees in the carpool lane! We spent a fun evening together dining Vegan at Native Foods (it was so delicious, I swear it tasted just like meat!) and then catching a late movie together.
Friday
I attempted to avoid the inevitable LA traffic and drove south down to San Diego just in time for lunch to meet my nursing recruiter. I've been talking to Christina for over a year and while we know so much about each other and she is in charge of important details about my life (job, housing, money, etc.) I had no clue what she looked like! I'm so glad she was able to grab lunch and as we dined on fish tacos it was confirmed that she was exactly who I thought she was over the phone, and we're not just business partners but friends. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to get into travel nursing. She was so patient with me when I started the process, and so personal too. I love that it feels like talking to a friend each time I call, which to me is very comforting since there are so many unknowns in the travel world!
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| My recruiter took me back to her office and showed me what she looks like when we're talking on the phone! |
After lunch I met my friend Julie, whom I'd met on assignment in Palo Alto, in La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) for pedicures. She found this great place called Dan's Nails and it has a beautiful view overlooking the palm trees and ocean. After grabbing a snack we walked down to the ocean so I could see the seals. I'd come here over a year ago with a friend on my birthday and there were NO seals :( Fortunately they were out this time enjoying some sunbathing. We headed back to her house to freshen up, then rode the trolley down to Little Italy. We ate at Zia's and it was SO good...and so was the bottle of Chardonnay that we shared! I realize that I have become THAT girl, the one who now has to look at the wine menu even when I don't want to drink just to see if I've been to one of their wineries to relive my Napa days! After a great night out on the town we headed back to her place to just veg infront of the tv. I know this will sound so immature but I haven't had cable in over a year and the idea of watching mind numbing shows like those on E! and Bravo just sounded heavenly. The next morning we grabbed some Starbucks, made plans for our next visit together (hopefully in NYC!) and then I hit the road.
Stay tuned!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Labor Day
For the holiday wkd I flew to Louisville so Em (my sister) and I could drive to WV and surprise our Grandpa for his 80th birthday. It was a great wkd on so many levels!
Em picked me up at the airport and let me use her car the next day while she was at work so I could run some errands and meet up with friends. Lindsey (one of my Em's friends from church) introduced me to Sweet CeCe's froyo...so good! Em and I then met up with our dear friend Jenelle for dinner at Havana Rumba...amazing food! It was so great to spend time with some of my favorite people. I went home with Jenelle, while Em volunteered with Scarlett Hope , and got to spend time with her hubby and "babies" (2 pomeranians and 1 cat). We had a great evening together enhanced by a bottle of Malbec and her husband's guitar playing.
Friday Em and I grabbed some Chic-Fil-A and headed to WV for our grandpa's 80th bday celebration. Roadtrips with my sister are always fun...even when we learn that our smartphones are not actually smart in WV and we ended up in the middle of nowhere while looking for a Starbucks! Eventually we found coffee and made it to our Aunt's house where we were just in time to surprise our grandparents.
Most of us had arrived by Sat morning so we headed down to the Marina to enjoy a day of boating, picnicking, and jet skis. It was a great day, despite the 2 thunderstorms we got caught in! An old college friend of mine was able to join us and he's quite a pro on the jet ski! Let's just say he's quite proficient at throwing me off and the next few days were quite painful. However, it was a ton of fun and so good to spend time with him and he was the best person to help make the most of our bad weather situation. The wkd was also really great because I got to see a lot of family, some of whom I hadn't seen for several years. Some of the highlights were meeting my cousin's fiances, spending time with healthy children, cuddling with a baby, deer spotting with my grandpa, and cliff jumping.
Unfortunately the rain ruined some of our plans, it even affected the WV v. Marshall football game on Sunday. We still made the most of our time together and I'm so thankful I could go back East! Em and I drove back to KY on Monday...and we made a pit stop in Huntington to go shopping at Gabe's! It was such a great visit!
Tuesday morning Em dropped me off at the airport and it was so exciting knowing that this was one of my last long coast to coast flights! On my second flight from DFW to SFO I sat next to this really nice guy who was a part of the National Guard and this was his first trip home after a year in Kuwait. It was one of the best plane rides I've ever had and I'm so glad I was able to talk to him during our flight. Unfortunately we got separated while deplaning and I couldn't find him at baggage claim and was never able to say goodbye. I'll forever be thankful for his honesty and his service to our country.
So, what did you do for Labor Day?
Em picked me up at the airport and let me use her car the next day while she was at work so I could run some errands and meet up with friends. Lindsey (one of my Em's friends from church) introduced me to Sweet CeCe's froyo...so good! Em and I then met up with our dear friend Jenelle for dinner at Havana Rumba...amazing food! It was so great to spend time with some of my favorite people. I went home with Jenelle, while Em volunteered with Scarlett Hope , and got to spend time with her hubby and "babies" (2 pomeranians and 1 cat). We had a great evening together enhanced by a bottle of Malbec and her husband's guitar playing.
Friday Em and I grabbed some Chic-Fil-A and headed to WV for our grandpa's 80th bday celebration. Roadtrips with my sister are always fun...even when we learn that our smartphones are not actually smart in WV and we ended up in the middle of nowhere while looking for a Starbucks! Eventually we found coffee and made it to our Aunt's house where we were just in time to surprise our grandparents.
Most of us had arrived by Sat morning so we headed down to the Marina to enjoy a day of boating, picnicking, and jet skis. It was a great day, despite the 2 thunderstorms we got caught in! An old college friend of mine was able to join us and he's quite a pro on the jet ski! Let's just say he's quite proficient at throwing me off and the next few days were quite painful. However, it was a ton of fun and so good to spend time with him and he was the best person to help make the most of our bad weather situation. The wkd was also really great because I got to see a lot of family, some of whom I hadn't seen for several years. Some of the highlights were meeting my cousin's fiances, spending time with healthy children, cuddling with a baby, deer spotting with my grandpa, and cliff jumping.
Unfortunately the rain ruined some of our plans, it even affected the WV v. Marshall football game on Sunday. We still made the most of our time together and I'm so thankful I could go back East! Em and I drove back to KY on Monday...and we made a pit stop in Huntington to go shopping at Gabe's! It was such a great visit!
Tuesday morning Em dropped me off at the airport and it was so exciting knowing that this was one of my last long coast to coast flights! On my second flight from DFW to SFO I sat next to this really nice guy who was a part of the National Guard and this was his first trip home after a year in Kuwait. It was one of the best plane rides I've ever had and I'm so glad I was able to talk to him during our flight. Unfortunately we got separated while deplaning and I couldn't find him at baggage claim and was never able to say goodbye. I'll forever be thankful for his honesty and his service to our country.
So, what did you do for Labor Day?
No Longer a California Girl
Where did the past 6 months go?!? I can't believe my time at Stanford is already over. On one hand, it wasn't long enough and on another hand it was time to go. Living in Palo Alto and working @ Lucile Packard/Stanford has been a great experience.
After going through a rough patch in LA I am now a much better person mentally, emotionally, and spiritually thanks to the friendships I've shared through Grace Pres, other travel nurse friends, and of course my Duke girls! I also feel that this is probably the most authentic Lindsey Kraft that has ever existed. My whole life I've been the "people pleaser", the "pastor's daughter", the "good little Christian girl", etc. I'm not saying any of those roles are bad, but it did take my moving 3,000 miles to the opposite coast to be free of these stereotypes and peer pressure of who I should be. I've become an opinionated, confident and ambitious woman, while still being a friendly, caring, little church girl...who drinks wine (shock, gasp!).
On Saturday my friend Anne hosted a goodbye brunch for me at Tootsies, a cute outdoor cafe (she knows I love eating outdoors). It was really sweet to have people give up their normal Saturday routines (running, cycling, etc. ) in my honor. Things were kind of last minute securing the NY job so this gave me a chance to fill in some friends I'd yet to share the good news with. They even gave me a congratulations card filled with lots of sweet messages. I love cards, and I carry the important ones with me to all my destinations. On top of the brunch, and the card, Anne also gave me a cute Stanford T-shirt and the gift of not having to pick it out was greatly appreciated! I've been to their bookstore to buy for friends and the options of girls T's is overwhelming! Sadly, Anne had to go to work so I went home to do a littleprocrastination of packing packing.
Later that evening a small group of us went to SF to watch the Audrey Hepburn classic "Roman Holiday" which was being shown outdoors at Union Square (one of my favorite areas of SF, that could be r/t to the great shopping!) In spite of the cold we had a great time and I'm so glad I finally got to see this movie!
Sunday gave me a good opportunity to say goodbye to a few more friends and to also spend some quality time with the LaPorte sisters (Anne and Danielle) as we ventured into SF to watch a flash mob tribute to Michael Jackson at Dolores Park. A coworker of mine was shooting a documentary on flash mobs and gave me the schedule for where they would be. I will say that knowing a whole bunch of ppl are going to suddenly start dancing in unison does take away from how fun it would be to instead stumble upon and be surprised, but it was still great to watch! I hope YOU get to one day be ambling along a park and have 50+ ppl randomly start dancing infront of you! Next we grabbed some food in the Castro where the people watching rarely lets you down. Danielle and I took Caltrain back to PA, and I met up with my friend James for my last taste of Fraiche froyo.
Monday was a sweaty mess as I had to load up the car, then unload stuff at a friends house so it wouldn't be visible in my parked car while I'm back East, take out a ton of trash/clean, and marvel out how much stuff I've accumulated in these past 6 months! Big THANKS to Jenn B. for driving down to help out and pick up me and my ridiculous amounts of suitcases! Since she was so kind to me, I returned the favor and helped her start the packing up of her place. Have I mentioned yet just how excited I am to be in NY with this girl?!?
Tuesday we met up with our friend Jess in the Castro for some yummy food, a carafe of mimosa, and good conversation. You're probably tired of hearing how much I love these girls (Jenn & Jess, a.k.a. Duke girls) but I just can't say it enough! These 2 girls...women...friends are amazing and my time in NorCal wouldn't have been as wonderful without them! Before splitting ways we meandered to Union Square and visited Kate Spade (I'm super excited to visit their flagship in NY!) It's such an ultra girly store with frills and sparkly things...and some big price tags. I find their jewelry to be fairly affordable, but even more so their sale items online! Turns out you can host your own reunion, work meeting, shower, etc. AT the store! And they have bubbly for these occassions and will give a discount. Jenn and I are already planning our reunion in NY!!!
Wednesday morning Jenn came home and braved the morning traffic to take me to the airport. It was a sad farewell, but I know I'll see her again soon on the East Coast!
After going through a rough patch in LA I am now a much better person mentally, emotionally, and spiritually thanks to the friendships I've shared through Grace Pres, other travel nurse friends, and of course my Duke girls! I also feel that this is probably the most authentic Lindsey Kraft that has ever existed. My whole life I've been the "people pleaser", the "pastor's daughter", the "good little Christian girl", etc. I'm not saying any of those roles are bad, but it did take my moving 3,000 miles to the opposite coast to be free of these stereotypes and peer pressure of who I should be. I've become an opinionated, confident and ambitious woman, while still being a friendly, caring, little church girl...who drinks wine (shock, gasp!).
On Saturday my friend Anne hosted a goodbye brunch for me at Tootsies, a cute outdoor cafe (she knows I love eating outdoors). It was really sweet to have people give up their normal Saturday routines (running, cycling, etc. ) in my honor. Things were kind of last minute securing the NY job so this gave me a chance to fill in some friends I'd yet to share the good news with. They even gave me a congratulations card filled with lots of sweet messages. I love cards, and I carry the important ones with me to all my destinations. On top of the brunch, and the card, Anne also gave me a cute Stanford T-shirt and the gift of not having to pick it out was greatly appreciated! I've been to their bookstore to buy for friends and the options of girls T's is overwhelming! Sadly, Anne had to go to work so I went home to do a little
Monday was a sweaty mess as I had to load up the car, then unload stuff at a friends house so it wouldn't be visible in my parked car while I'm back East, take out a ton of trash/clean, and marvel out how much stuff I've accumulated in these past 6 months! Big THANKS to Jenn B. for driving down to help out and pick up me and my ridiculous amounts of suitcases! Since she was so kind to me, I returned the favor and helped her start the packing up of her place. Have I mentioned yet just how excited I am to be in NY with this girl?!?
Tuesday we met up with our friend Jess in the Castro for some yummy food, a carafe of mimosa, and good conversation. You're probably tired of hearing how much I love these girls (Jenn & Jess, a.k.a. Duke girls) but I just can't say it enough! These 2 girls...women...friends are amazing and my time in NorCal wouldn't have been as wonderful without them! Before splitting ways we meandered to Union Square and visited Kate Spade (I'm super excited to visit their flagship in NY!) It's such an ultra girly store with frills and sparkly things...and some big price tags. I find their jewelry to be fairly affordable, but even more so their sale items online! Turns out you can host your own reunion, work meeting, shower, etc. AT the store! And they have bubbly for these occassions and will give a discount. Jenn and I are already planning our reunion in NY!!!
Wednesday morning Jenn came home and braved the morning traffic to take me to the airport. It was a sad farewell, but I know I'll see her again soon on the East Coast!
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| Last Pub night at the Dutch Goose |
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