The purpose of this trip, besides meeting up with friends from Washington, DC was to see Amy Schumer’s live show. However… about 30 hours before show time, we received an email that the show was… postponed ! I think the official statement said Amy was “under the weather”, but we had our post-election speculations. Honestly, my thought was she had to rewrite her whole show which was probably based on an HRC win. Who knows, but we still had a great (slightly less than) 48 hours in Baltimore, and will return when Amy actually takes the stage!
48 Hours in Minneapolis
I went to college in Washington, DC. Which, for better or worse, attracts students from all over the country, and world. It was a great experience as an 18-year old sheltered Long Island girl, to roll up on campus and make friends with people who were very different from myself. But the downside of attending college far from home, and in such a transient city like DC, is that after college most graduates eventually move away.
My true group of friends stemmed from my time playing collegiate rugby. These are the group of girls I started playing with some 20+ years ago. As we moved on through our college years, new students joined the team, and hence our group of friends. Immediately after graduating, we started taking trips to get together, usually in one girl’s hometown. On New Year’s 2002, we started an annual trip, with the first host city being Las Vegas. Subsequent NYE trips included Tampa, New York City, Hawaii, San Diego and Chicago.
During our twenties, there was at least one wedding a year, prompting large get-togethers with our expanding clan. We came to add in significant others, spouses and eventually kids, so we now have quite a contingent. In fact we have 15 kids between us!
Our alma mater women’s rugby team hosts alumnae events each year. As a group we traveled back to campus for the 10 year anniversary of the team’s founding, and in 2016, its 20th. Basically we find any excuse, or none to get together! And the fun usually involves some mix of activity, sightseeing, eating, drinking and dancing.
With weddings behind us, we have now entered the next phase of get-togethers- 40th birthdays. We celebrated our first one last September, in the birthday girl’s hometown of Minneapolis.
48 Hours in Minneapolis
Stuff I Love: October 2016
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Driving The Road to Hana with Kids
Driving the Road to Hana is definitely worth it, although it takes some thought and planning. I am so excited to share my Road to Hana tips with you!
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Driving The Road To Hana with Kids
AmeriHealth NJ Atlantic City Half Marathon
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Photo credit: akunamatata via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-ND
AmeriHealth Atlantic City Half Marathon
Awesome Things to do in Las Vegas For Couples
Trips like these are so special and something we make a priority with our time and budget. It’s not easy to get away. It takes a lot of planning to leave the kids with great aunts and grandparents. The kids get off their normal routine, they eat too much sugar and probably watch too much TV in our absence. But to us, so worth it to reconnect, enjoy some grown-up conversation, and partake in adult-friendly activities.
We try to do a local night away in the winter –NYC, Atlantic City, Borgata or the North Fork of Long Island have been favorite overnight destinations. In the warmer months we try to do a longer (3-4 night) trip — and always to Las Vegas.
We love Vegas and honestly, what could be a more appropriate destination for a kid-free weekend? Vegas would be great with the kids, but there is also so many fun things to do in Las Vegas for couples. Keep reading for my best choices!
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Fun Fall Activities for Families
Contrary to popular opinion, fall is definitely NOT my favorite season. I love the heat, the beach, the pool, shorts, flip-flops, and tanning – all things summer related! I can deal with spring, especially late spring, when it’s almost summer. I legit hate the winter. I hate the cold, dealing with coats, the snow, ice, and when it gets dark early – I really am one of those people that runs on Vitamin D and the winter just bums me out.
So I think it a bit crazy how people go gaga over fall (which doesn’t officially start until September 21 despite what Starbucks says). And if I have my way, shorts and flip flop weather will linger into October as well.
But even I will admit there are a few things about fall I look forward to doing each year with my family. Activities that are tucked between sweaty beach weather, and the bundled up/indoor fun of the winter. Some of the specific places I am about to mention are in my area (Long Island, New York), but the ideas can translate to any town! So here is my list of four fun fall activities for families, that even I, a summer girl, can love.
Tips for booking a Beach House Vacation
Tips for booking a Beach House Vacation (and other Vacation Home Rentals)
Railroad Crossing Halloween Costume
Is every pre-school aged kid obsessed with trains? Okay my son is seven and he still loves a Long Island Rail Road train ride. This is also still his favorite book; he reads it at least once a week! But back in his pre-school days trains were literally the only thing he played with, talked about and had any interest in. His favorite outdoor activity was walking to the pedestrian bridge on 67th street in Queens, where the LIRR trains race underneath. He could stand there for hours watching the trains go by. So it was no surprise that for Halloween that year, he asked to be a “ding-ding crossing.” Which is a railroad crossing to you and me. A railroad crossing Halloween costume?
Seriously where does he think up this stuff?