Is it weird to fly down to St. George, Los Angeles, or Las Vegas just for In-N-Out ? I guess the answer to this question really depends on who I ask the question to. If someone were to ask me such a question I would grab my purse and ask when the flight left? But it’s no secret to anyone I am addicted to animal fries and a cheeseburger protein style. However, because we have the ability to travel whenever wherever- I ask my husband what he wants to do for his birthday this weekend and he states he would like In-N-Out and doesn’t care if we do anything else.

I do have to note an exciting rumor that I recently was made aware of that In-N-Out will be soon joining us in the Salt Lake valley. A bitter sweet feeling really. In-N-Out is more than just a fast food place to me, as it will be seen here. It’s nostalgic from growing up in California and working there to pay for my college. It’s something that I don’t get that often that when I do- I appreciate it more. But oh well- I love In-N-Out that much that I just don’t care. Welcome to Utah!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with family in Greenville, North Carolina. I spent the best part of Halloween sitting on an airplane watching episodes of the office and eating candy I had scored from my office. Even though we didn’t end up arriving to my sister in law’s apt until well after midnight, I still got to enjoy parts of the Halloween experience vicariously through thousands of scantily dressed college students (my sis in law works at ECU). It was fun- we stayed up until all hours of the night and then woke up early to attend my cute niece’s soccer game.

Although it is called North Carolina it is still very much apart of the south. Accents are rich and plentiful, although while I am out there, I am often told I am the one with the accent. Every time I venture east I am always surprised by the trees- mainly the quantity of. When we landed in Raleigh I thought we were landing in the forest. It was a beautiful time to visit though because the trees were turning colors and losing leaves.

I wish I could give you recommendations on what to do and where to eat, but this trip really was about spending quality time with family. Something that is more meaningful to me, when you don’t get to see those you love that often. Someday we will go out there and go to the beaches, see the lighthouses and the plantations. This was a quick trip and I was just as happy blowing raspberries on my 2 year old niece’s tummy and playing school with my five your old niece then venturing out and exploring the town. We did go to a place about twenty miles outside of Greenville called Deadwood, a little family fun place that had a train, a small roller coaster, a mini golf area, and other fun things. It was really cute- and for the most part the kids enjoyed it (they were a little young for mini golf) as well as the adults.

Not only the name of an amazing Subway sandwich but also oddly enough, the theme to my business trip to New Mexico last week.

I’ll be honest, I had only been there once before, and really it was to the airport (one that offers free wifi). So I didn’t know what to expect. It’s an interesting place, reminds me a lot like Salt Lake City. I was sad I didn’t have more time there because I really wanted to go to the National Hispanic Cultural Center, and I was one week late to see the hot air balloon festival. Oh well, maybe next time, I did get my share of New Mexican food though.

Things I learned on this trip:

1. Green Chilies are delicious and a New Mexico Staple
2. If you ask for a side of green chilies and a side of red chilies it’s called Christmas
3. Don’t leave a rotten banana peel in your car door- you never know who will be the next person taking shotgun
4. New Mexico Police Department has some friendly officers
5. It does snow in Albuquerque and they do have ski resorts
6. The media is unpredictable but can be responsive
7. Don’t plan on taking scissors and duct tape in your carry-on
8. You cannot buy biscoff cookies at the grocery store
9. No matter how much you plan and are prepared- something will go wrong
10. It’s ok to stress but don’t stress over the things you cannot control

Places to check out: El Pinto- it’s an old mission that has been turned into a delicious restaurant. Every single presidential candidate has their picture from their visit to the restaurant on the wall, along with numerous other famous people. El Pinto is well known for their salsa and green chili sauce. Ask for a seat on the patio, this restaurant is all about atmosphere.

Last weekend I had the pleasure to spend a few days in my husband’s home state of Minnesota. I had only been there once before and it was during the winter, so much time was spent indoors. This time I was really looking forward to the opportunity to explore the twin cities and spend quality time with friends.

The name of my blog post is more than 10,000 lakes which is in reference to the fact that Minnesota has over 10,000 lakes (There are 11,842 lakes in Minnesota 10 acres or larger in size). This became apparent as we were flying into Minneapolis- there really were lakes everywhere! Minneapolis is probably one of my top 10 favorite US cities. It has an artsy feel with tons of sculptures and galleries everywhere. The downtown area has a ton to do and see, for those of all ages. It even includes some really pretty walking paths. Our first stop was the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden; apparently the cherry on the spoon sculpture is famous. The park is filled with other unique and interesting pieces. It was fun -definitely worth it to check out.
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Ok so not really. More like chilling at the Hampton Inn. But I did want to give a shout out to this hotel chain because while I it’s not a hotel I stay in normally for personal travel- it seems to be the hotel chain of choice for business traveling. Right now I am in Albuquerque, New Mexico on business for a client and I realized that I forgot my make-up remover, I go into the bathroom and bam they have thought of everything that I forgot including mouth wash and a makeup remover cloth. Hallelujah! Finally they start to get it! It’s the little things that matter when traveling so thank you Hampton Inn!

I was reading through travel news and I came across this slide show and article of 15 places every kid should see. I absolutely loved it! Even though most of these places I still have not seen and according to the government I am no longer a kid (although I still feel like one), it got me thinking about some of my favorite vacations when I was younger.

First off, you can look through the slide show (which is actually really cute) or I will just recap some of the places for you. 10 of the 15 places every kid should see are the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, Colonial Williamsburg, Lincoln Memorial, Niagra Falls, Gettysburg, Alamo, Pearl Harbor, Monitcello, and Disneyworld.

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Scott, Mike, Me

A new movement is upon us, except it’s not new. It’s usually recognized as the term social media. The only “new” thing about it is the vehicle within the socializing is happening. It’s happening with your computer but instead of you interacting only with your computer- you are now being connected to millions of others. BlogWorld was a testimony to the fact that the Internet is changing who we are and what we listen to.

Sitting in the opening keynote session early Saturday morning with Starbucks in hand, it suddenly dawned on me that I am sitting in a room with some of the most influential people in the country.  The thought gave me chills. The Internet and means within we get information has evolved and will continue to evolve. For decades we got information solely by news media. Now we get information from the source, no more middleman reporters. Although, I do believe that reporters and news media will always have a place in society, more and more people are turning to bloggers who have been given major influence.

Anyways, back to BlogWorld. It was a little bit of a whirlwind and I learned more in two days than I did in four years of college. Enlightening would be an understatement. One of the highlights of my trip was meeting Mike Shinoda. Long time fan of Linkin Park and it was inspiring to hear him speak at day two of BlogWorld- opening keynote. He was much more down to earth than I expected and found it interesting how he explained using new media in his branding efforts.

I have to say to anyone who is just starting out in new media and blogging that this is a great place to explore, learn, and build relationships. Yes people, social media is meant to meet people and make new friendships, business partners, and learn from others. BlogWorld 2009 will you be there?

*** Thanks to The Summit Group for sending Scott and me to BlogWorld!***

ice cream at Cal State Fullerton

This past weekend I went and visited one of my best friends from high school (well she is still one of my bestest friends). It was supposed to be a quick day trip on Saturday but I ended up spending the night. Which thinking back I am really glad I did. 

Sitting on the plane in the morning, the flight was half empty and there was only one other person sitting in first class, so it was a great time to think and catch up on some episodes of flight of the concords.  Arriving at the Orange County Airport at 9:30 am I was greeted by my cute friend Jill. After excited hugs and hi’s we sped off talking a mile a minute trying to catch up. A quick Starbuck’s run and we found ourselves walking around Cal State Fullerton’s campus. Jill is an art major there and she showed me where she goes to school and where her classes are. I love walking around different college campuses. They all have a different atmosphere and I find them all to be unique.

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In order to celebrate the fact that Blog World is only 16 days away (I can’t wait), I decided to give some tips to travelers, who might be traveling to Las Vegas, for Blog World or otherwise. Las Vegas, Nevada is a place that I would feel comfortable saying I am pretty knowledgeable about. My family lives in Las Vegas so I visit there more than anywhere else. I also lived there for a semester while in college.

It used to be Las Vegas was about 25 cent shrimp cocktails and going there with a pocket full of quarters in hopes that you would double or even triple your investment. Those days are long gone and now are the days of luxury, high rollers, lush, and anything else sinful by nature. However, this is not always true either. Las Vegas has done a rather good job at marketing themselves as a family city. Casinos offer roller coasters, movie theaters, food courts, and arcades to keep the kids at bay so the parents can gamble. Las Vegas is truly a city where anyone can find something to do and be happy.

Even the penny pinchers (i.e. me) can find solace. There is even a load of free stuff offered on and off the strip in Las Vegas. Some of my favorites are:

On the Strip:
The Bellagio Atrium: I love the atrium and it changes for each season and holiday, so it is something you can visit every time you go and it will always be different. It’s a family favorite.

MGM Grand Lions Habitat: In the middle of the casino there is a special habitat made and maintained just for lions! Usually during the day there are about two adult lions. They also have a lion expert there to talk to you about the lions, their likes and dislikes, and some educational facts. It’s really actually cool. And in the morning you can go and they have baby cubs you can get your picture taken with (not free).

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I wasn’t sure what to name this post, so the name derived from the fact that Knoxville has a lot of trees and the two words sounded good together.

I visited Knoxville this past weekend to visit my cute sister in law and brother in law and their adorable new baby. Spending time with family was a great break from every day life and took our minds off of the impending surgery.

I like to call Knoxville the city of orange, because if you have ever been to Knoxville during a game day you know the whole city turns a bright orange. Knoxville is the third largest city in Tennessee and was home to the World’s Fair back in 1982. Which is the reason for the city’s most well known landmark, the SunSphere. The SunSphere is 266 meters tall and the windows are dusted in real 24-karat gold. That’s a little impressive right?

The University of Tennessee is located near downtown. Dating back to 1796, this university is built on tradition and pride. Last year we had the pleasure of attending a Volunteers football game which changed the way I view college football. We were definitely converted and are now huge Volunteer fans. Neyland Stadium holds over 102,000 fans and is more often than not sold out on game days. The stadium becomes a sea of orange and exudes energy and excitement. It’s quite a sight to be seen and I urge you to someday experience it for yourself.

It’s a city that has much to offer. Scenic views, beautiful lakes, friendly people, quaint downtown and close proximity to many other southern destinations including Gatlinburg, the Smokey Mountains, Biltmore Estate, Atlanta, Nashville and many others. Although I have been to Knoxville three or four times now, I always find new things to see and explore. Maybe it’s because we always have such great tour guides.