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Travel

Messy Milestones


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He Is Risen

This Easter comes at an interesting time for me this year.

I’ve just returned from a much-anticipated family vacation to Arizona and the Grand Canyon and truth be told, I’m still a wee bit jet lagged. But that’s not why this year is interesting.

For much of the past week, I have had a front row seat to some of the most awe-inspiring and beautiful God-breathed sights that this world possesses. North Carolina is plenty beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but it almost seems like child’s play when compared to the grandeur of the Grand Canyon.

Earlier this week, I posted a picture that I took of the sunset at the Grand Canyon on Instagram. The picture truly doesn’t do it justice, the sight of the moon rising over the canyon as the rocks were painted with a beautiful shade of red. I tried to capture as much of what I experienced as I could, but I truly had to learn to just simply live in that moment and use my eyes to truly see what was in front of me.

The thing that I was continually reminded of on this whole trip was how insignificant our time really is on this Earth. Not insignificant in terms of what we choose to do, but insignificant when compared to the vastness and enormity of God. I mean, think about it. The God who chose to create these rocks in Sedona with the most stunning shade of red is the same God who created me. Who created you.

Sedona, AZ

The God who can create some of the most magnificent sights on Earth is the same God who decided that the world also needed me in it. Who am I when compared to the splendors that God has formed? Who am I to walk on this blessed ground that God created when I am nothing more than a flawed, imperfect, and sinful human?

Who am I? Who are we?

We are God’s chosen sons and daughters. We are the ones who Jesus gave His life for, the ones whose debts He paid with His blood. We are the sons and daughters of a God who loves His children so deeply and so fiercely that He would give his own Son for us, despite our sinful ways.

To celebrate this Easter morning, in the wake of being so deeply humbled by our God is a unique and special place to be, friends.

“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” – Matthew 28:6

A Saturday in Mebane

There’s just something special about small towns. There is so much life and character in them that makes them unique and makes you wonder about their stories – their history – as you wander their streets.

Last weekend, my family and I came together to celebrate two of my Aunt’s birthdays and decided to explore a little town called Mebane after our lunch at Cracker Barrel. Mebane is a familiar town to us, just a stone’s throw away from Burlington – where my late grandmother lived for many years and where my mom and her siblings spent a lot of their childhood. We’ve been through the area so many times, but never actually took the time to get out and walk around through their downtown area. One of my uncle’s even paid for stones to be laid in their veteran’s park for my four uncles who served in the military, but we still had just not been until last week.

A Saturday in Mebane

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Beards and Beanies // An Asheville Weekend

This past weekend I spent a day and a half in Asheville and it was no where near enough. I arrived on Friday around three in the afternoon and headed home Saturday night around 9:30 and the entire drive home, I daydreamed of a day when maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t have to leave.

My heart and my soul belong to the mountains, I’ve written of that before. I live for the crisp Fall days, the beautiful rolling hills, and the fresh snowfall in the Winter. The mountains may call my name, but Asheville in many ways calls me home.

The first time I ever visited Asheville was in the summer of 2012, and I knew this place was special. In Boone, where I went to college, it was very rural and very much a small town. Having grown up adjacent to Charlotte, city life was a far cry from what Boone was and I never really saw myself staying there to live. When I visited Asheville, I remember my jaw literally dropping when I realized that the city was both populated enough to be considered a city and it had the sprawling mountain views.Continue Reading

24 Hours in Savannah

SavannahHeader

Last weekend, my sister and I traveled down to Savannah, Georgia for a quick sister’s weekend. My mom and her four sisters have had their own sister’s weekend at the beach for the past ten years or so and so my sister and I finally decided to have our own. (Not that we don’t have our own sister weekend every time I visit her in Raleigh). It was a tough decision between Savannah or Charleston but we both had been to Charleston and neither of us had been to Savannah. We drove down on Saturday morning and returned Sunday afternoon and here’s a little taste of what we did!

Lunch at The Wyld

Lunch at The Wyld

On our drive down, just before entering the Savannah area, we began think about where we might want to go for lunch. A blogger that my sister follows was going to be in town as well and she had some people offering suggestions on her Instagram. One girl commented that The Wyld was a great spot that was tucked away and frequented by locals so we chose to head there first. The Wyld is situated right on the marsh and has all-outdoor seating (we were hesitant at first…it was HOT…but the canopy did wonders). Many of the customers came up to the restaurant on kayak and boats! I ordered a caesar salad with a side of roasted potatoes and green beans and let me tell you, I’m still raving about those potatoes. So, so good with huge chunks of bacon mixed in.Continue Reading

Low Country Living // A Grateful Heart

Happy Labor Day, my friends!

As I type this, I am preparing to make the drive back to Charlotte after a wonderful weekend spent in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina. One of the things I love about the Holy City, and there are many, is that it really feels like you are a world away from everything when you come here. There is an easy, relaxing, and oh so welcoming vibe that this city just radiates.

And perhaps it’s the city’s rich history, but I always feel so much more in tune to my Southern roots when I am here.

My friend from college and I toured Fort Sumter, got caught in a downpour on King Street, watched fireworks right on the Folly Beach Pier, basked in the beauty of Middleton Place, and indulged in more seafood than I’ve had in quite some time.

And, although we didn’t seek it out specifically or walk right up to it, the moment that I spotted Mother Emmanuel AME Church as I crossed through the intersection of Meeting St. and Calhoun, will stay with me forever. In the days following the terrible tragedy in that place, my heart ached for this kind and faithful city. Mother Emmanuel is a place rich in history and although it is now marked with a solemn sadness, the forgiveness and faith that Charleston’s people showed the world touched everyone.

Here are some shots from our weekend!

What are you grateful for this week? Share your post in Ember Grey’s Grateful Heart linkup!

Texas Getaway Recap // A Grateful Heart

I’ve always had a heart that yearns to travel and see as much of the world as possible. I may not always have the funds for it, but the desire is always there. This year, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have been able to take two trips to places that I had never been before. I traveled to Michigan in June and just over a week ago, I traveled to Texas.

Though I spent most of my time in Austin, I was also able to spend a few hours in San Antonio as well. Both cities are very unique but I definitely want to go back and explore San Antonio some more. Between the missions and the Riverwalk, I definitely only scratched the surface of things to see there.

I arrived in Austin around 11am on a Wednesday and immediately set out for downtown once I had obtained my rental car. I knew I wanted to see some of the UT-Austin campus and pick up a shirt or something with the Longhorns emblem on it (I’m weird, I know) and grab some lunch. Well, I had recalled a couple days earlier that there was an In & Out Burger in Texas and the Austin location wasn’t far from downtown and the University. In & Out and I didn’t have to travel to California to get it? Perfection. Central Texas was in the midst of a heat wave (heat indexes in the 102-105 range) so I didn’t do much walking around, but I grabbed an Iced Coffee from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (another California favorite!) and perused the University Co-op and the cute little courtyard that was out back. Awesome “Greetings from Austin” mural and giant Texas Longhorn? Check.

Later that day, I ventured out to Gourdough’s Public House for dinner, which I was actually a little nervous for! Dining out alone always seemed kind of sad and lonely, but let’s face it, I wasn’t going to be able to experience Austin’s great food scene unless I ventured out there. Gourdough’s is known for their donuts…and they use them in everything! As in, even their chicken and dumplings are made with donuts. The dumplings are donut holes and are served with a garlic and herb donut. My appetizer was garlic parmesan donut holes as well! Sounds odd, but trust me this place was delicious!

The next morning, I woke up early (to try and beat some of the heat) and drove down to San Antonio. I got to the downtown area just as the Alamo was opening and it was so nice to be able to explore the grounds with a relatively small crowd. I just wish we were allowed to take pictures of the interior; so cool! After the Alamo, I ducked down to the Riverwalk for a few moments before driving down to Mission Concepcion.

Mission Concepcion is just one of several missions on the San Antonio “mission trail” and it was absolutely gorgeous. It’s been renovated on the inside and is actually still a functioning Catholic church every week!

The church is almost haunting from the outside and as you walk around, the rich history is nearly palpable. I couldn’t help but kneel by a pew and spend a few moments in prayer and gratitude, not just because I was raised in a Catholic church but because in that moment, I just felt so thankful for the opportunity to travel and to see beautiful sights like this.

What are you grateful for this week? Link up with Ember Grey‘s Grateful Heart linkup and share the love!

Weekend in Los Angeles

I absolutely love to travel and I was super fortunate to spend last weekend in one of my favorite cities, Los Angeles. The main purpose for the trip was to cover the press junket for The Giver (out August 15th!), but I managed to squeeze in some sightseeing and family time.

My trip was Friday-Monday and on Friday evening, I had the opportunity to screen the film at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. I admit, I was a little hesitant about this film at first, but I really enjoyed it! I’ll have a full review coming on Shelf to Screen next week so stay tuned for that.

Saturday was spent at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills where I interviewed Brenton Thwaites, Cameron Monaghan, Odeya Rush, and the woman herself…acclaimed author Lois Lowry. She is such a fascinating woman.

Brenton Thwaites

Lois Lowry

Odeya Rush

Cameron Monaghan

After wrapping up at the Four Seasons, I headed a few miles down the road to In n Out Burger because I mean, come on…how could I not?! After my delicious lunch, I headed to the Getty for a little culture and some sightseeing. I’ve always been told that the Getty Center is a must-see but I never really had an open chunk of time to visit before. The art that is on display is gorgeous and the architecture of the Getty is amazing. I wish that the sky had been clearer but wishing for a Los Angeles day without smog is like wishing for the sky not to be blue. It’s just not going to happen. Later that evening, I met up with my friend Angie for dinner.

On Sunday I drove out to the Inland Empire (the Ontario/San Bernardino/Riverside region), which is where my Dad grew up. I had the day completely free and I had contacted my cousins and my great-aunt to let them know I would be in the area for the day. It was the first time that I had been in the area since my Aunt and Uncle passed away so I wasn’t completely sure how it would affect me.

I stopped by my great-aunt’s house first where I had quite the welcome! My Auntie Bola was there, along with two of her brothers (and my late grandpa’s brothers), my Uncle Ben and Uncle Arnold, as well as my second-cousin Laurie. My other second-cousin Annie would arrive later with her family. My Auntie Bola is such a special woman and just recently went through a battle with breast cancer. She’s pretty fiesty, that one. And hilarious. I think I get some of my sense of humor from her.

After leaving my Auntie Bola’s house, I stopped by Vallarta’s Bakery in Rialto to pick up some Mexican pastries. California is different from North Carolina in MANY ways but one thing that California has that NC does not, is a variety of good and authentic Mexican bakeries/restaurants. Mexican restaurants here in the South get a little Americanized. From there, I drove out to Riverside National Cemetery to visit my Grandpa and my Uncle Louie. I’ve written about what my family has endured over the last year here, so I won’t get into that much but it was definitely an emotional visit. My Grandpa and my Uncle are buried just two rows apart from each other. From there, I headed over to have lunch with my cousins Krissy and Diane and their children.

When I made it back to Los Angeles, I met up with my dear friend Erin for dinner. She is one of my biggest inspirations and I adore her so much.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip and come Monday, I really found myself reluctant to get on the plane to head home. No one knows what the future holds for them but if my career aspirations work out the way I hope, Los Angeles may just be my new home one day, so this trip was a nice little peek at what life like that might be like.

My Kind of Paradise

People of the world, if you have not visited Asheville, North Carolina…you are seriously missing out. It’s truly a “hidden” gem nestled in the North Carolina mountains. I’ve been a lifelong lover of the mountains. After all, I did choose to attend a university located in the mountains. But having grown up so close to Charlotte, I’m accustomed to the hustle and bustle that one would typically find in a larger city. I don’t live in Charlotte technically, but close enough that I just tell people I’m from the “Charlotte area” since odds are, they’ve never heard of my little town just a couple miles away.

Asheville is a perfect mix of these two worlds that I love. It’s a mountain town, with picturesque views of the Blue Ridge Mountains no matter where you’re looking. But it also has a thriving downtown city life with a crazy assortment of unique restaurants, bars, and shops to explore. The historic Biltmore Estate is located just outside of the area and the Blue Ridge Parkway is nearby for countless scenic overlooks and hiking opportunities.

So, now that you know why I love Asheville, I’ll share with you how I spent my weekend in, you guessed it…Asheville.

I bet that totally caught you by surprise, huh.

Over the weekend, I headed up to Asheville for the weekend with two of my closest friends from college. We’re all teachers and we all live/work very spread out from each other so it was nice to come together to hang out in such a fun city. A few highlights:

Friday night: Roamed the streets of downtown Asheville for a bit and came across an AMAZING street musician that was utilizing an electric violin and a looper pedal (View my short Instragram video HERE). Also took in the sights and sounds of Pritchard Park on a Friday evening, which consists of a huge crowd of Asheville’s finest (hippies) at the weekly Friday night drum circle. Walked down to Mellow Mushroom where I ate my weight in a Buffalo Chicken Pizza. Nom.

Saturday: Drove to the Cherokee Indian Reservation to explore for a bit. Only about 50 minutes to an hour away from Asheville. (P.S there’s a theme park just outside of Cherokee called Santa’s Land and yes, it’s just as ridiculous as it sounds). Visited Harrah’s Cherokee Casino where I tried and failed at gambling. I did turn $5 into $16 but I decided to quit while I was ahead. Came back to the hotel and ended up napping for almost an hour. Went to dinner at The Southern Kitchen and Bar which was good, but honestly nothing to write home about. After dinner, we walked down to Off the Wagon Dueling Pianos Bar, which was so much fun!

Sunday: You cannot go to Asheville and NOT pay a visit to Tupelo Honey Cafe. I’ve always hear how amazing it is, so we went and MAN OH MAN was it amazing. I got the fried chicken and biscuits and it was absolutely delicious!

Fun fact: There’s a Charlotte location so you better believe I’ll be frequenting that location very soon. After brunch, we headed to the parkway to try and channel Katniss Everdeen. That kind of failed but we got to see some gorgeous views and drive through TUNNELS.

TUNNELS

Low Country Shenanigans- YALLFest 2013

It’s been a trip in the works since May when Veronica Roth was announced as the keynote speaker but finally the time arrived for me to head down to Charleston, SC for YALLFest 2013. YALLFest in a Young Adult Book Festival created by bestselling authors Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, and Melissa de la Cruz. This year’s festival included 50 fantastic authors with New York Times Bestselling Authors Veronica Roth and Rae Carson as the keynote speakers. I attended with my friends Sarah and Jenna who I have known for over three years but had yet to meet in person until now.

L TO R: Myself, Sarah, and Jenna

The day began early at 6:45am as we stood in line to receive our wristbands for Veronica Roth’s signing line. They were only giving out 500 and we needed to get lower wristband numbers so we wouldn’t miss out on Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs’ Coffee Talk session. We love them. Luckily, we were issued wristbands below #50 so we were able to head straight up to the signing line after the keynote speech was over.

Meeting Veronica Roth was actually very cool for me. Although I’m still a little perturbed with Allegiant‘s ending, I really am a big fan of her series. Having created my fansite Divergent Nation (now merged with Divergent Lexicon as of Oct ’12) in June 2011, I’ve been a part of the Divergent fandom almost since its inception and yet I had never met Veronica Roth! She told me loved my site (and my shirt!) and said she was bummed that she was not able to make it to the Divergent set in May when I, along with many other fansite reps, descended on Chicago. Success!

Getting my book signing by Veronica Roth!

Following Veronica’s signing, we headed around the corner to Coffee Talk with Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi. Both are New York Times Bestselling Authors and happened to married to each other. If you follow them on Twitter, you know they are hysterical. Let me just tell you that they are SO entertaining in person!
Watching these two talk and hearing their crazy stories makes me seriously want them to get their own reality show. Immediately after the panel, we followed them down the road again for Tahereh’s signing. Her line was huge but I finally got to introduce myself to her since I also run a Shatter Me fanpage which she happens to follow on Twitter. They are both super sweet to talk to! (Fun Fact: When Jenna was going through security at Charleston International to go home, she went through with Tahereh and Ransom!)

Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs

From there we had lunch and were planning to go to Ransom’s signing but he contracted food poisoning 🙁 We called it a day on YALLFest and we back to the hotel to rest before doing more sightseeing.

I honestly can gush enough about this trip! YALLFest was fantastic and Charleston has to be the prettiest and classiest city around. We’ll definitely be going back next year!

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