Monthly Musings: January 2018

Happy 2018 gang! January typically means fresh starts and new beginnings and this year it also brought a new addition to our family. My sister delivered my newest nephew shortly after the New Year and needless to say I am smitten. This handsome little dude was just shy of 10 pounds and stole my heart immediately. Aside from being adorable he makes the cutest little squeaks when he sleeps and it is the absolute best thing ever.

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I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions but this year I’m taking the opportunity to get back to my normal after my surgery last year. That means a return to the gym at 5am during the week (with my 10 hour work days the gym just ain’t happenin’ after). In the past I’ve been a gung-ho runner, with a marathon, several half marathons and a whole bunch of 5ks to my name; as well as dabbling in powerlifting at one point. I still run and I still lift weights but nowadays it’s all about balance. 

January also marked my return to traveling with a quick but much needed weekend trip to Washington DC. Steve and I explore the Wharf district, a new area along the Potomac River. Our home for the weekend was the Intercontinental DC Wharf, Washington’s newest luxury hotel. I’m a huge fan of Intercontiental and loved the elegantly modern decor of this property. This newer area of DC is about a 20 minute walk to the National Mall but you can reach most places in DC easily via metro or Uber.

With my surgery and the holidays it had been way too long since Steve and I had a date night and lucky for me Del Mar, an upscale Spanish restaurant from acclaimed DC chef Fabio Trabocchi, was right next to my hotel.  Now, I love croquettes, but wrap them in Iberico ham and top the whole thing with shaved black truffle? Heaven. Then they brought out the most perfect pan of paella I have ever seen. This was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, and a visit here is totally worth the splurge.

The main reason I came to DC this weekend was to attend the Washington DC Travel & Adventure Show. I’ve been a few times before and while I think the offerings were better in previous years I finally got to check off a big item on my travel blogger bucket list-meeting Samantha Brown. She’s arguably one of the most popular travel personalities and she was just as sweet as can be in person. On a girls’ trip to DC last summer with some of my favorite blogging pals I discovered some of DC’s contemporary art museums and the Hirshorn Museum became a favorite. Installations and exhibits here change often so there is something new every time I visit.

What I’m most excited about is my upcoming travels in February. I’m stoked to be heading out to St. George, Utah for some winter hiking in Zion National Park. I first fell in love with this gorgeous corner of southern Utah when I lived in Las Vegas during  a summer internship and spent several weekends exploring the stunning red sandstone landscape. The great thing is you can join me and an awesome group of adventurers for #Instameet St. George on February 16-18. Hope to see you out there!

Photo Credit-Visit St. George

Things I’m loving

New year, new running shoes. Brooks Launch are lightweight and offer plenty of cushioning.

This Nike half zip top helps keep me warm for those early morning workouts.

Check out Samantha Brown’s latest show,  Samantha Brown’s Places to Love, on PBS.

Chances are you got an Instant Pot for Christmas, check out this Instant Pot Cookbook for tips,tricks and tasty recipes.