The world is my campus....

New Blog

2011-04-25T22:11:00.001-04:00

My new blog has launched. Check it out.... http://sothisiswhatnormalpeopledo.tumblr.com/

The end of an era

2011-04-06T18:32:00.000-04:00

All good things must come to an end. I know I’ve said this before but this time it’s really happening. My World Tour 2010 (with a little spillover into 2011) adventures are almost over. It’s a bitter pill to swallow but I knew my lady of leisure days couldn’t last forever. I feel so blessed to have been able to take the last year off and pursue my passion – traveling the world. I feel so rejuvenated and ready to take on life’s next adventure.

I will be moving to the Bay Area later this month and will start working on May 2^nd!!! Man, I’ve got a lot of things to accomplish in the meantime….find a place to live, buy a car, and figure out how to move my stuff across the country. I will also be working on a new blog and will post a link to it soon.

Lastly, I wanted to thank everyone, whether in person or virtually, who has come on this amazing journey with me. It has been one crazy adventure after another. Thanks for being apart of it. Oh, and don’t worry, my traveling adventures aren’t over for good…I just need to figure out a way to cram the most into four weeks of vacation. Something tells me I’ll be able to make it work!

Love,

Sara

We walk the line - Copenhagen, Denmark

2011-04-06T17:19:00.000-04:00

We walked to most of the sites around Copenhagen but there were a few times when we got a little tired and opted for the metro. Now, there was a little bit of confusion as to how the metro tickets worked. The metro fares were determined by the number of zones you traveled within but there didn’t seem to be a ticket when traveling within the same zone. There weren’t any information booths in any of the stations so we just came up with our own theory for the metro…..when traveling within the same zone you don’t have to buy a ticket. Sounds reasonable, right? We were confident in our theory until we were on the train and saw a woman checking tickets. Dan noticed the woman checking tickets and pointed her out to me. Realizing that we were going to be the next people she checked, I popped right up and started walking down the train. I approached Maria and Kevin and whispered, “They’re here guys”. Maria immediately said to Kevin, “We gotta go” and he followed her without a word. We were all panicking a little bit because the trains were super short (only about three cars long) but thank goodness we felt the train slowing down and we knew we were approaching a stop. As soon as the train came to a stop we ran out the door. Needless to say, from there on out, we purchased tickets no matter how many zones we were traveling within. Our theory wasn’t worth being hit with a $150 fine.

We hit up the major sites within Copenhagen except for Tivoli. Unfortunately, Tivoli was closed for the winter and we missed the opening day by 2 weeks. It’s still a very sore subject for us, so we try not to talk about it.

Thank goodness there were plenty of other things for us to do. We hit up the Kastellet (old fortress), the royal palace, Danish Museum of Art and Design, The Little Mermaid statue, scenic harbor streets, and the Copenhagen Concert Hall.

Yes, there are churches in Denmark - Copenhagen, Denmark

2011-04-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

It’s kind of ironic that we spent a lot of time in Copenhagen popping in and out of churches. As most of you know, Danes aren’t really known for being a very religious people…. although, it appears at some point in their history they were. We found it interesting that in every church there was some type of model ship hanging from the ceiling. Kind of strange but we’ll take it.

Below is a church that was located close to where we were staying. I loved walking by it everyday and especially loved hearing the bells toll on the hour. One day we actually went inside to check it out. I may or may not have stolen a couple of postcards. I didn’t notice a donation box by them but then at every other church there was a donation box by their postcards. Oops, I promise it was a mistake!

We took a train to the northwestern part of Copenhagen to check out Grundtvigs Church. Dan had studied this church in one of his architecture classes so we thought it would be worth the trek out there. It definitely didn’t disappoint. The church was built as a national monument for the priest, hymn writer, and social reformer Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig. About 6 million yellow bricks were used to build the church. A lovely choir was practicing when we arrived. Hearing the music just added to our experience.

A visit to Copenhagen wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Church of Our Lady and seeing the famous Christus statue sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen. This statue represents the resurrected Christ displaying the wounds in his body. Many copies of this statue are found in various Mormon temple visitor centers around the world. The interior is also filled with sculptures of the 12 apostles, which were also designed by Thorvaldsen.

The last church we visited was Frederick’s church. We stumbled upon it as we were walking to the palace. For some reason we didn’t take a picture of the outside….but trust me, it has the largest church dome in Scandinavia (well, at least that is what Wikipedia claims).

Happiest country in the world - Copenhagen, Denmark

2011-04-06T10:37:00.001-04:00

Some say that Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. I think I can buy into that claim. Who wouldn’t be happy riding your bike everywhere, eating snappy red hot dogs topped with crispy onions and pickles, and gazing at modern architecture everywhere you turn? I know I was a happier person just being there. The trip was full of fun adventures and many laughing attacks. Oh Denmark, we were meant to be friends.

Our first day was spent trying to recover from our redeye from New York to Denmark. We wandered around the heart of the city and took a little rest while Dan shopped up a storm. When we met up with Dan he exclaimed, “I have finally found my people”. Indeed he did. He’s an industrial design hipster and he blends in quite nicely with the Danes.

Our favorite moment of the day was when Maria and I were walking to the apartment we were staying at for the weekend. Here we were, two girls walking down the street with carry-on suitcases. We arrived at the street where the apartment was located but was a little confused as to which direction we should turn (the address was a little screwy). Right as we were deciding which way to turn, a man rode up on his bicycle asking us if we needed help. We politely told him we had figured it out and proceeded on our way. Well, we were wrong. We immediately turned around and started walking the right direction and as we were approaching the door guess who was there to greet us…the man on the bike (also known as Rasmus). Don’t worry, Rasmus was the one we were supposed to meet up with to get the keys to our apartment. We felt really stupid….but I can’t figure out why he didn’t just introduce himself to us on the street. Our appearance clearly screamed we were the tourists from America staying at his apartment.

Hey, what do they eat in AZ? - Scottsdale, AZ

2011-03-17T15:41:00.000-04:00

I almost forgot to post pictures from our favorite food places in Arizona. Shame on me! Jenn discovered a great breakfast place that has been featured on the Food Network and Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. We loved this place so much that we went two days in a row. You must check out this place if you are ever in the area. Yum, yum, yum!

http://www.eatatovereasy.com/

Brioche French toast with powdered sugar:

Chocolate waffle with powdered sugar:

The Wolfpack – 2 eggs* any style, bacon & choice of cheese

Between two layers of Hashbrowns:

Cheddar-Jalapeno biscuits & sausage gravy:

Selena – breakfast burrito including eggs* hash browns inside, any 3 items from

the omelet list & choice of pico de Gallo or ranchero sauce and a side of fruit:

Sometimes you just need an afternoon snack. We decided to splurge one afternoon and ate Sprinkles cupcakes (quite possibly the best cupcakes I've ever eaten) and frozen yogurt from Yogurtland. Do yourself a favor and find a location nearest you!!!

http://www.sprinkles.com

http://www.yogurt-land.com

Love is in the air - Scottsdale, Arizona

2011-03-15T01:03:00.000-04:00

Martha Stewart, eat your heart out! Sami and Luke's wedding was amazing! I was dying over EVERY single detail. The ceremony was located on the 10th fairway at Troon Country Club. We had a slight problem finding the 10th fairway (since someone at the country club told us to turn the wrong direction). Imagine a car full of girls panicking and screaming because they couldn't find the location of the wedding ceremony. It wasn't a pretty sight. Luckily, we found the spot and it couldn't have been more perfect. The ceremony was beautiful and very intimate. Sami looked gorgeous and her dress was stunning. We loved watching Luke as Sami walked down the aisle. He absolutely adores her and you could see it in his eyes.

After the ceremony we heading back up to the club house. A beautiful outdoor dinner was set up on one of the greens. The weather was perfect for an evening of eating and dancing under the stars. The outdoor setting was so romantic and the decorations were out of this world. The tables were full of beautiful flowers and candles. My favorite part was the cake table. Not only did the cakes looking amazing, they were delicious! The DJ was awesome and we had the most epic dance party ever. Seriously, brides around the world need to take some cues from Sami. I've already told Sami that I'm hiring her for my wedding. She has the best taste and style!

Congrats Sami and Luke! I wish you only the best as you start marriage together. I have no doubt you will be happy!

Putting the "rad" in Prado - Madrid, Spain

2011-03-01T09:51:00.000-05:00

We had another breakfast of champions this morning....we ate some yummy sweet pastries at a crowded bakery in the heart of Puerta del Sol. Wendy and I had been eyeing it every time we had walked by the last of couple of days. We were sucked in by the aroma and beautiful store windows. As far as Wendy and I are concerned, this place didn't disappoint.

After breakfast we headed to the oldest market in Madrid. We were thoroughly disappointed in the merchandise being sold there. If you want to buy clothes or items from India, this is the place to go. If not, stay away. The best thing we came away with were these little noise makers you put in your mouth. They make the most annoying sound in the world but Kevin and I were so intrigued we had to buy some. It wouldn't be a trip if I didn't buy some toy to play with. Oh, and on our way to this market we passed the stamp collectors market. Basically, the Plaza de Mayor was full of cute little old men selling stamps to each other. Adorable!

We spent the early afternoon at the Palacio Real. We had a quirky little tour guide that we fell in love with. She was super concerned with people taking pictures inside the Palace (definitely a no no). Every room we walked into she would scold someone for having their camera out. In one room she asked the security guard what this person was holding. It turned out the person was holding an iPad. She hadn't seen one before and was concerned the device had a camera. The security guard told our guide something to the effect that it was an iPad and that all Chinese people had one and it didn't have a camera so it was ok. Phew! Glad we got that cleared up.

The last stop of the day was the Prado Museum. We picked up a map highlighting the most famous works of art on display and immediately set to work. I think we were able to see everything we wanted to see in about an hour or so. We saw famous pieces by El Greco, Goya, Bosch, and Velazquez. Everything was incredible!

All in all we had a great trip to Madrid. The weather was perfect, the company was amazing, and the sights were incredible!

Real Madrid - Madrid, Spain

2011-02-28T17:49:00.000-05:00

As soon as Kevin joined us on Saturday morning, we headed out for a traditional Spanish breakfast.....Churros con chocolate. Yep, we ate fried Churros with thick hot chocolate for breakfast. Personally, I think this is too rich for breakfast and should be eaten for dessert....but to each their own!

We spent the early afternoon touring the Real Madrid stadium. We quickly learned that Spaniards are very proud of their country and particularly fond of their soccer team. After we saw the Real Madrid trophy room we couldn't really argue with their claim that Real Madrid was the best soccer team of the 20th century. It was pretty clear that they dominated the world. We toured the stadium, trophy room, guest locker room, area where the players on the sideline sit, and the press conference room (we encouraged Kevin to take some good action shots since the rest of the tourists were taking the most boring pictures ever). Next time we'll have to plan our visit around a home game. It would be amazing to see that place in action.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent at the Parque del Retiro (Madrid's equivalent to Central Park). We wandered the grounds, people watched, and were mesmerized as we watched a man fly a red kite a couple miles into the sky.

We ended the day touring the Reina Sofia, a famous modern art museum in Madrid. We were a little frustrated they didn't have a map highlighting the famous pieces of art but we made our way through the museum and admired works by Picasso, Dali, and Miro. The highlight of the museum was seeing Picasso's Guernica.

Viva España - Madrid, Spain

2011-02-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

It wasn't too hard to convince a few of my friends to join me on a long weekend to Madrid. Fellow travelers on this trip include: Wendy Campnell from Chicago, Melanie Shashindranath from Kansas City, and Kevin Poole from New York. We were all dying to escape the dreary winter weather in our respective cities for the amazing 60 degree weather in Madrid. Our bodies were in shock....they were finally able to naturally produce vitamin d for the first time in months. Who knew sunshine could feel so good!

Wendy and I arrived first. We spent the afternoon wandering around the city center streets and basked in the sun in Puerto del Sol and Plaza de Mayor. We ate lunch at an outside cafe inside the Plaza de Mayor. The food was splendid and I couldn't stop raving about it since I have never been impressed with the food in Spain. In full disclosure, we were eating sandwiches and salads...so it wasn't traditional Spanish food. Well, later that night we went back to the Plaza de Mayor and we were telling Melanie about this yummy place we had found earlier and I went to point out the place from a different angle and I caught the name of the restaurant.....Le Pain Quotidien. Yep, that's right. It's a chain restaurant that we have in NYC. Looking back on the trip, I still might claim this as the best meal of the trip. I love Spain but I don't love the food!

Once Melanie arrived we headed out on an adventure to the Madrid Temple. We spent the evening there and then headed back into the heart of city to eat a late dinner near the Plaza de Mayor. We shared tomatoes with fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and Spanish tortilla (essentially an omelet with potatoes). After dinner we headed back to the apartment and crashed. The apartment we rented for the weekend was about a block from Puerto del Sol. Perfect location for a weekend trip. It was a cute little place but we had to climb six flights of stairs (104 steps to be exact). We definitely got plenty of exercise this trip!

PS - Big thanks to Melanie and Kevin for being the trip photographers!

Too good to be true? Not this time!

2011-02-28T16:23:00.000-05:00

Many of you, including myself, thought my international traveling days were over until I got a job.....but surprise, we were all wrong! Thanks to some amazing airfare deals on Delta, I'll be taking a couple of international trips to Europe over the next couple of months. Believe it or not, I purchased round trip tickets to Madrid for $198 and Copenhagen for $150, including taxes and fees. This is a world traveler's dream come true!!!

Love those Founding Fathers - Poconos

2011-02-22T21:44:00.000-05:00

Who could ask for anything better than Presidents Day Weekend in the Poconos? Well, I guess going some place warm could top it...but since that wasn't an option...the Poconos was the perfect location for a weekend away from NYC. We rented a cute little cabin deep in the heart of the Poconos. The whole weekend was spent laughing, relaxing, listening to amazing music, watching movies, playing games until the wee hours of the morning, cooking delicious food, and enjoying nature. The morning that we left we woke up to a foot of snow. Oh how we wanted to stay and and play in the snow....but unfortunately, it was time to head back to the city.

Cruisin down the Westside Highway - NYC

2011-02-22T20:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes NYC throws you a bone and you remember why you love living here. This winter has been extremely cold, depressing, and long! Thankfully, we were blessed with a couple days of 60 degree weather last week. On Friday my friend Joanne, her dog Kaylie, and I took a bike ride down the Westside Highway. This was my first time riding a bike in NYC and it was so exhilarating! I felt like a little kid again. I love sunshine, bikes, and NYC!

U-Haulin' in the Big Apple - NYC

2011-02-05T19:49:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you have to get a little creative when moving things in the city. Today was no exception. Jenna and Chuck needed to move a couch today so they called in the troops (me, Alisa, and Maria) to help them out. Jenna had rented a U-Haul for a few hours to make the move happen. Unfortunately, there was only room for two people up in the front of the cab. So, obviously, after we loaded the couch into the back of the truck, Alisa, Maria, and I hopped into the back and sat on the couch as we drove from 20th St. and 7th Ave to 52nd St and 8th Ave. We weren't quite expecting it to be pitch black when Chuck shut and locked the door.....but don't worry, Maria's trusty flashlight app on her iPhone (she must have been a girl scout) got us through the ride. Our ride was filled with a lot of laughing, screaming, slipping, sliding, and singing. Oh, and thanks to the strobe light app, we had a little dance party to "Dynamite" too. Just another Saturday in the city.

PS - If you are in need of a couch, you might be able to pick one up off the street in Hell's Kitchen.

Snowed In - NYC

2011-01-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

So, I've been in NYC for the last few weeks.....and if any of you out there follow the news, you would know we have been slammed with some intense snow storms....including the storm on Wednesday. It was fun watching the snow accumulate but the aftermath was miserable. I spent the whole day yesterday slipping and sliding on icy sidewalks, braving slushy ice puddles in my trusty rain boots, and getting sprayed by disgusting slush as cabs sped by.

Here are a few pics from my old Cornelia Street apartment (big shout out Alisa who is letting me stay here while she is in warm California):

Christmas has come and gone - Rexburg, ID

2011-01-03T17:47:00.001-05:00

Christmas at the Sparhawk house was off the hook this year! The entire family was home - including the newest member of our family - Rachael! We had an amazing time together and there were no major holiday meltdowns.....although, we did come close to one on Christmas Eve morning. Everyone woke up in a bad mood but by 11am everyone was happy again. Phew!

Here is a quick recap....

Christmas Eve:
-Prepped and cooked everything for the next couple days
-Delivered Christmas presents to neighbors and friends
-Ate dinner with the family and a few neighbors (turkey, dressing, rolls, cranberry ice, mashed potatoes, assortment of pies - yes, we basically recreated Thanksgiving dinner)
-Had our famous Christmas program and sang lots of Christmas songs
-Opened up pajamas (My mom tried to get nix this tradition this year but we all threw a fit and got our way. Another tradition saved!)
-Drove around the Burg and looked at all of the Christmas lights
-Stayed up until the wee hours of the morning trying to conquer Super Mario on the Wii

Christmas Day:
-Woke up at 7am to open presents (Adam tried with all of his heart to get us to wake up at 5am but of course that was never going to happen. I lobby every year to wake up at 10am. One of these days I'm going to win!)
-Ate a delicious breakfast (baked eggs (best eggs ever), sausage, blueberry muffins, orange juice, hot chocolate)
-Played games, watched movies, put together puzzles
-Ate Christmas dinner (crab cocktails, ham, funeral potatoes, peas, rolls, and Helen's Good Stuff)
-Had another Christmas program
-Played games till we couldn't play anymore

My favorite part of the holiday was when the whole family gathered around to play Super Mario on the Wii. We have never had video games in our house so imagine the craziness as a room full of 25+ year olds tried to master Super Mario in two days. There was a lot of screaming and laughing coming from our family room at all hours of the day. It was kind of amazing!

Boys will be boys - Rexburg, ID

2010-12-22T20:55:00.000-05:00

On our way to pick up Liesel from the Salt Lake Express bus drop off, Andrew thought it would be funny to hop in the trunk of the car so he could scare Liesel when she put her luggage in the back. We loved the idea! So, as soon as we saw the bus pulling off the freeway, Andrew hopped into the trunk. We greeted Liesel as she got off the bus and quickly ushered her to the back of the car. We popped the trunk and BAM Andrew jumped out and scared her to death.

Home for the holidays - Rexburg, ID

2010-12-22T20:53:00.001-05:00

That's right folks, I'm back in the Burg for a few weeks. Since my mom was offended by my last Idaho post (she said my pictures made it seem "hokie" and that I should show pics of the "big city" and explain that some people here have some "class") I'm going to try to showcase all of the "classy" things about Idaho.

First, Idaho is busting with culture! I spent my first three nights in Idaho attending Christmas concerts: BYU-I Christmas in the Snow, Idaho Falls Symphony, and BYU-I's performance of the Messiah. All of the concerts were very enjoyable but if I had to pick a favorite, the Messiah would win hands down. I must admit I was a tad disappointed they decided to perform a shortened version of the Messiah. I mean, I appreciate the fact that they are aware that most people have a hard time sitting there for three hours, but I was upset by some of the songs they chose to cut. How can you cut out "All we like sheep"? I don't get it?

Second, Idaho has some architectural wonders! I attended the dedication of the new BYU-Idaho Center. This is a beautiful new auditorium that can hold up to 15,000 people. The building is basically a smaller version of the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake. Once you are inside you would swear it was the same building. The dedication service was lovely. It was great being back on campus. I loved seeing how much it has changed over the last nine years. Oh, and I even ran into a couple professors who still remembered me! But in all honesty, how could you forget me?

http://www.byui.edu/byuidahocenter/facts_photos.htm

Third, Idaho is a winter wonderland! There is no doubt that we will be having a white Christmas in Idaho this year. The trees are so pretty after a fresh snow fall. One morning, the sky was so clear that it seemed like you could see forever. Those are the days that make living in Idaho a dream. We have had several snow storms and the roads are currently covered in ice. In Rexburg, we don't believe in plowing the snow and ice completely off the roads. Apparently, the city doesn't like to lower the blades all the way to the ground because it dulls the blades. Obviously, the city values the cost of blades over people's lives. Those damn republicans!

PS - I must issue an Idaho health warning. A nasty cold virus is spreading like wildfire in Rexburg...and don't worry, I got it! It literally wiped me out for a good five days and now it's been over a week and I still have it!

PPS -Fourth, Idaho is home to BSU.....what does Utah have to say about that?!?! Way to go BSU, even though you were ripped off by the BSC. You are a classy team!

Lights are much brighter there - Salt Lake City, UT

2010-12-11T20:13:00.000-05:00

Temple Square never disappoints! I went with Andrew, Liz, Nancy, Nicole, and Sally to look at the lights on Temple Square. The lights were spectacular and I loved the "Around the World" nativities section. For the record, my favorite nativity had a little Kiwi bird in it. It reminded me of my trip to New Zealand in May where I saw a Kiwi in real life! Love Temple Square, love my brother, and love the Franz's. What a fun night!

Till we meet again - New York, NY

2010-12-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

Saying goodbye to New York is never an easy task. I mean, my goodbye is still only temporary, but it hurts just as much every time! I had the most amazing time these last couple of weeks. My days were full of wandering the city and evenings were spent laughing and hanging out with amazing friends. Below are a few highlights of my last few days:

Cozy Christmas Dinner - We had a fun little Christmas dinner with a few friends on Sunday. Thanks to our Stew Leonard's run, we had plenty of yummy things to eat. We ate BBQ bacon wrapped water chestnuts, warm spinach dip, homemade bread bowls with chicken pot pie or creamy tomato soup, spinach salad with feta, craisins, red onion, and caramelized pecans, peppermint icecream, brownies, and red velvet cake.

Christmas Service Auction - My friend Carly organized an amazing church activity were we had a service auction to raise money for Sub for Santa. Guess what I came away with....a living will. Exciting, I know. My mother is actually thrilled that I purchased a living will. She has been bugging me for years to get one!

Miranda - my new favorite british comedy series I have been watching on YouTube. Alisa introduced all of my friends to this amazing sitcom. Someone inevitably quotes it during every conversation and then we all die of laughter. We talk about it so much that sometimes we have to ban it from conversations!

Finally, I want to give a big shout out to Jenna, Chloe, and Jenn for letting me stay with them. Our sleepovers were so much fun! I'll see you all in January!!!

Life changing experiences - New York, NY

2010-12-05T02:11:00.000-05:00

Today I was reminded of one of my most favorite life changing experiences - Stew Leonard's. When you live in NYC you really come to appreciate grocery stores and Stew Leonard's is the ULTIMATE grocery store. It is packed full of amazing produce, homemade deliciousness, and animatronics! I owe so much of my happiness to Amber Blakesly, my friend who first introduced me to Stew Leonard's.

Today I ventured out to the Yonkers location with my friends Alisa, Jenna, Kevin, and Maria. I love taking newbies to this place because it's so magical. It was a packed house today and there were some rude and pushy people out and about.... but all in all I think Kevin and Maria embraced Stew's for all that it was worth. Oh, and the best thing about this location is that there is a Costco right next door. So, of course we went shopping there too!

Jenna discovered the lying down game this week http://weburbanist.com/2010/11/10/parkour-for-lazies-the-bizarre-british-lying-down-game/ and became totally obsessed. So we took a few pics of Alisa and Jenna lying down in random places. Enjoy!

Feels like Christmas - New York, NY

2010-12-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

I officially have the Christmas spirit! It's kind of hard not to when wandering around the streets of NYC this time of year. Today I strolled past the windows at Saks. They were pretty but not very holiday-ish. So, needing a little more excitement, I headed over to Rockefeller Center to see the famous Christmas tree. Yep, seeing this tree sealed the deal. Usually I hate being surrounded by so many tourists but for some reason today they all just faded into the background. It was wonderful!

Next up was a walk through Central Park with a steamy pumpkin spice steamer from Starbucks. It was pretty cold outside but that didn't stop me from enjoying the beautiful scenery around me. I watched the ice skaters for a bit and couldn't help but fall in love with the city again. The skyline behind the rink was breath taking (even if I could see someone putting out fake snow around the rink). New York is trying very hard to keep me in this city!!!

PS - it looks like they have a rabies problem in Central Park

The Daily Show & Friends - NY, NY

2010-11-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

Wasting time on Facebook has finally paid off for me. As soon as I arrived at Jenna's apartment I decided to check in with Facebook to see what had happened in the few hours I had been traveling back to the city. (That's what you do when you have too much time on your hands.) On my home page, I noticed a link to sign up for "day of" tickets to the Daily Show. So....I clicked on it.... and BOOM, I had tickets for the taping that afternoon. It couldn't have been more perfect timing. I'm staying with the famous Jenna Kim Jones (who works at the Daily Show) and she lives three blocks away from the studio. It was a really great show. Jon Stewart was hilarious as usual and Judah Friedlander, from 30 Rock, was the guest. He was on the show promoting his new book. After the show, Jenna gave me a back stage tour of the entire studio and I met some of the producers/staff/crew. Jon Stewart even walked by us a couple times. So crazy!! Television is such a fascinating world and I'm glad I was able to have a sneak peak.

Here are a couple pics of Miss Jenna Kim Jones making television happen.

Peace out Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, PA

2010-11-28T23:05:00.000-05:00

Today was our final day of fun with the whole gang. We got up bright and early and went to church. After church we took a driving tour of Carnegie Mellon's campus. Of course, since I'm a blogger now, I made Adam get out of the car so we could take a picture of him in front of the Tepper School of Business. He was a good sport since it was freezing outside! Then we came back to their place and recreated Thanksgiving dinner for Scott. It was almost as delicious as the real meal. We even made fresh mashed potatoes, rolls, and green bean casserole. Yum!!!

Shortly after lunch, Erin, Scott, and Lucy packed up their rental car and headed back to NYC. We had a great time with them and we can't wait until the next time we can hang out. The rest of our afternoon was spent watching the Steeler's game (can you believe this was Adam's idea), cleaning, and taking naps. Later that evening we drove out to the Hartwood Celebration of Lights. It's basically a 3.2 mile drive through a park completely decorated with holiday lights. The lights were really fun to look at. It was a nice way to get us in the Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, my camera battery died so I wasn't able to document the outing.

PS - I've included a picture of me in one of my classiest Pittsburgh outfits - PJs with white ankle socks and high heeled shoes. What has Pittsburgh done to me? Yesterday, I was wearing almost every color imaginable: grey boots, dark blue jeans, orange turtle neck, pink gloves, purple sweatshirt, dark green coat, and a turquoise bag. Yep, I wore that to the movies. I apologize for not capturing that outfit for you!

Frozen to the bone - Pittsburgh, PA

2010-11-28T16:18:00.000-05:00

Saturday was another freezing day in Pittsburgh. We started the day off right by going to Pamela's for brunch (see Pittsburgh post in Sept). Our food was delicious. The crepe-like pancakes just can't be beat! Then we drove over to the Mount Washington for an amazing view of the city. Later that afternoon, Adam, Erin, Scott, and I went and saw Harry Potter 7 on IMAX. The movie was awesome and definitely creepy. I loved it. Liesel was a saint (and maybe a scaredy cat) so she volunteered to stay home with Lucy. They met up with us after the movie and we all had dinner at Red Robin. It has been at least six years since I have eaten at this restaurant and guess what.....I still love the Bonsai burger. Some things never change!

Losing is the Pitts - Pittsburgh, PA

2010-11-26T23:51:00.000-05:00

Today we went to a Pitt vs West Virginia football game at Heinz Stadium (where the Steelers play). It was FREEZING cold outside (30s with a good amount of wind) and only survived three quarters before we couldn't take it anymore. Unfortunately, Pitt lost to rivals West Virginia (10-35). The crowd was as classy as ever. Whenever WV scored, the WV fans would chant "eat shit Pitt". Sorry for the foul language, but we thought it was hilarious. On a better note, the stadium is in an awesome location. You can watch the game and have a stunning view of the city all at the same time. I'd love to come back for a much warmer, fall game sometime.

Scott, Erin's husband, flew in from NYC and met us at the game. He had to work on Thanksgiving but was able to fly out for the weekend. We split up in two cars to head back to Adam and Liesel's apartment. We ended up taking two different routes. One car made it home in about a half hour and the other car made it home in two hours. Guess which car I was in? Yes, I was in the two hour car with Adam. It was awful!!! The funny thing was that Adam told Liesel to take the GPS system in Scott's car just in case they got lost on the way back. Maybe we should have kept the GPS in our car!

We spent the evening watching Modern Family (yes, we are addicted) and eating Vincent's Pizza (yes, you might remember this from the first trip to Pittsburgh). Another great day in the Burgh!

Turkey Day - Pittsburgh, PA

2010-11-25T22:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful day here in Pittsburgh. The weather was quite frightful outside today so we spent the whole day inside. In preparation for an entire day of eating, we completed a Jillian Michaels "Boost Metabolism" workout as soon as we woke up. The rest of the morning was spent getting the meal ready. Taking the brined turkey out of the bucket and putting it into the oven was pretty disgusting. Poor Lucy was in the kitchen when I was doing this and she started screaming and crying. I won't be surprised if she has a turkey phobia when she is older. And for the record, I don't understand the brined turkey hype. It was a lot of work and none of us thought the turkey tasted any better.

The dinner was amazing (see menu below). It was definitely a team effort and it turned out so delicious! After dinner we watched Ratatouille and Elf. In the evening, the missionaries came over and shared a nice Thanksgiving message with us. Then, to top the night off, we ate turkey sandwiches and had a Modern Family marathon. It was the perfect day!

Thanksgiving Menu:

Appetizers:

Cheese, crackers, apples, grapes, nuts

Stuffed mushrooms

Artichoke dip

Main course and sides:

Brined turkey

Green bean casserole

Mashed potatoes

Gravy

West Virginia sweet potato pie

Stuffing

Rolls with butter and strawberry jam

Cranberry ice (yes, ice)

Dessert:

Lemon meringue

Pumpkin

Lemon truffle

What’s up? Turkey Butt. – Pittsburgh, PA

2010-11-24T23:24:00.000-05:00

Yes, that’s right. There just might be a turkey in a bucket brining in the fridge right now (with it’s butt facing the top). We’ve never brined a turkey before so it has been quite the experience. Hopefully it will be the best turkey we have ever eaten!

We spent the morning shopping for our Thanksgiving meal. We went to the classiest place of all – Super Walmart. I mean, where else can you get really cheap groceries (yes, food for five people for five days only cost $132) and you get to see some of the most amazing people there.

After our exhausting morning, we came home and took naps. Feeling like we needed to get up and move a little, Erin, Liesel, and I did a session of Turbo Jam in the living room. Never have I ever felt so uncoordinated in my life. Seriously, I had no idea what was going on. I’m going to give it another try….but I think I should just stick with the treadmill.

Tonight we went to Eat’n Park for dinner. It’s a cute little chain diner that’s a step up from Denny’s. The food was actually pretty good and once again the customer service was awesome. Liesel and I made a late night run to the Giant Eagle to pick up a couple of things we forgot to buy earlier. Don’t worry I went in my pajamas. I only wear my finest for the people of Pittsburgh. We spent the evening baking pies and watching TV. The simple life is the best!

Take 2 - Pittsburgh, PA

2010-11-24T01:38:00.001-05:00

I've been dreaming about my return trip to Pittsburgh for awhile now. Who wouldn't want to spend Thanksgiving with Adam and Liesel?!?! They are the best hosts on the face of the earth (no offense to anyone I've stayed with these last few months). Plus, Thanksgiving dinner is basically guaranteed to be OFF THE HOOK! Warning, if you are currently on a diet, you should probably not read my blog posts for the next week or so. I've seen the menu for the next five days and I promise, it will blow your mind! I actually had to step in and cut things from the menu.

Erin, Lucy, and I were all on the same flight from JFK to Pittsburgh. I am happy to report that none of us had to have a body scan or pat down! I also have to give Erin props for flying with a baby. You have to bring so much extra crap with you when you have kids. It's insane. Also, baby Lucy had to take off her shoes when going through security. What has this world come to?

After a bumpy flight, we finally arrived in Pittsburgh. Adam and Liesel picked us up from the airport decked out in their Steeler's garb. What has this city done to them? I guess I should be happy they are trying to embrace their city "culture". We headed straight to their apartment and arrived to a living room plastered with Hello Kitty decorations (left from Liesel's birthday celebration last week....yes, Liesel is a grown adult). Lucy loved it! We ate Aunt Faye's taco dip, sloppy joes, salad, and chocolate cake for dinner. What a way to start off the holidays.

Home Sweet Home - New York City, NY

2010-11-23T01:05:00.000-05:00

NYC is trying desperately to get me to come back permanently! Seriously, I have had a blast these last couple of weeks in the city. The weather has been AMAZING and catching up with friends has been a DREAM COME TRUE! I’ve been staying at Alisa Baker’s apartment while she is in Chicago (just happens to be my old apt in the West Village). The city feels like home again!

I’ve spent the days sleeping in, going to the gym, eating at delicious restaurants with friends, and wandering around my favorite neighborhoods. I’m sorry I didn’t take more pictures but below is a list at all of the yummy places I ate at. Yes, I ate out almost every single meal. When you are in the city for such a short amount of time, you have to hit up all of the local favorites. All of the restaurants have the Sara Sparhawk stamp of approval. Foodies, eat your heart out!

Thursday, Nov 11^th – dinner at Five Guys with John (yes, we are still friends after traveling the world together)

Friday, Nov 12^th – lunch with Bree and Jenn at Wichcraft and dinner with Chloe, Jenn, and Jenna at PF Changs in the dirty jerz

Saturday, Nov 13^th – brunch at Cookshop with Chloe, Jenn, and Jenna

Tuesday, Nov 16^th – mid-day treat at the Doughnut Plant with Bree and dinner at Alta with Milca, Maida, and Sonia

Wednesday, Nov 17^th – breakfast at Clinton Street Bakery with Dave and late lunch at Good Enough to Eat with Natalie

Thursday, Nov 18^th – lunch at Dean’s Pizza with Liesel (birthday girl), Erin, Julie, and Kimber and dinner at the Burger Joint with Carly

Friday, Nov 19^th – dinner at Friend of the Farmer with Christine

Saturday, Nov 20^th – brunch at Essex Market with Chloe, Jenn, Jenna, and Noelle and dinner with the Union Square 3^rd and Manhattan 8^th Wards

Sunday, Nov 21^st – homemade dinner with Jenn and Jenna and dessert night at Chloe's place

Monday, Nov 22^nd – dinner at Five Guys with Jenn, Jenna, Kevin, Libby, Maria, and the Croppers

Da Bulls – Chicago, IL

2010-11-14T02:08:00.001-05:00

Remember the time when the whole world was obsessed with the Chicago Bulls? I do! I was a huge Bulls fan back in the 90s. So, it was a dream come true when we found $10 tickets for the Bulls vs Nuggets game. I took on the United Center with Wendy, Patrick (friend of Wendy’s), Lizzy, Spencer (Pint) and Katie Franz. We had a great time watching the game and guess what, the Bulls won!!!! It was a close game. Yay for Chicago, yay for da Bulls, and yay for amazing friends!

Girls weekend in Chi-town – Chicago, IL

2010-11-14T02:02:00.001-05:00

Seven of my amazing girl friends (Wendy, Lizzy, Melanie, Maria, Jenn, Liesel, and Alisa) traveled to Chicago to celebrate my 30th birthday with me. Why Chicago? Well, it’s a central meeting place for my friends across the country. Friends traveled from San Francisco, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and New York to come and party with me. My dear friend Wendy Campnell offered to let us all crash at her home in the city. She was a great host and so brave to take us all on.

The weekend was of course filled with candy, caramel apples, delicious food, pop music, youtube videos, and lots of laughs. We started things off right by eating pumpkin cake at 11pm on Friday night. Yum, so good. The next morning we got up and went to brunch at Yolk. The place was hip and cute but the best part, well besides the food being delicious, was how cheap it was. Seriously, we fed eight people to the brim for less than $10 per person. Unreal!

That afternoon we drove to Oak Park and toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio. I’ve taken this tour before and loved it so much that I wanted to come back again. The house is amazing and you just learn so many interesting facts about architecture, design, and Mr. Wright’s personal life. Before the tour we also walked around the neighborhood and saw some of the other houses he designed. It couldn’t have been a more beautiful fall day. Chicago weather was definitely on its best behavior (minus the day Lizzy and I arrived).

That evening we shopped till we dropped at the Nordstrom’s semi-annual sale and then headed back to Wendy’s place for the night. We ordered in famous Chicago style pizza and watched 13 going on 30. We felt it was the only appropriate thing to do when having a girls weekend in Chicago.

The next day we went to church and then explored a little more of downtown Chicago. We went to the lake and then to The Bean to take pictures. After that we went to the Signature Lounge in the Hancock Building to take in the views of the city (oh, and of course to eat dessert).

It was definitely a memorable weekend for all of us. I’m grateful for such amazing friends in my life. I’m truly blessed with wonderful friends and family all around the world. Some may say that I am the luckiest girl in the world. I would agree!

Below were our favorite songs and youtube videos from the weekend. I think most of you will appreciate the videos. Do yourself a favor and check them out:

Playlist:

Dynamite – Taio Cruz

DJ Got Us Fallin in Love – Usher

Only Girl – Rihanna

Low – Flo Rida

Raise Your Glass – Pink

Youtube must-sees:

Marcel the shell with shoes on - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF9-sEbqDvU

Antoine Dodson remix - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrxjmyRAJ1U

Kittens inspired by kittens - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU

Ice cream cone cereal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JOu1NjI4u0

Thirty, flirty, and thriving – San Francisco, CA

2010-11-13T18:57:00.001-05:00

Yep, I turned the big 3-0 when I was in San Francisco. Most people dread turning 30 but for some reason I wasn’t torn up about it at all. Maybe I didn’t mind because I would be starting out my 30s doing what I do best….traveling the world and having fun. Now, check back with me when I’m turning 31 to see if I still have the same outlook on life!

The day started off with a dance party in the living room….thanks to Lizzy and Taio Cruz (Dynamite). Perfect way to wake up! Lizzy, Dan, Ruel, and I woke up super early to go to breakfast at Mama’s. Yum, yum, yum. If you know me, you know I LOVE breakfast food! After breakfast Lizzy and I went and got manicures (another thing I love).

In the afternoon I met up with two of my favorite friends, Mark Pahnke and Marina (Mo) Olsen, to go to Alcatraz. I know it’s a weird thing to want to do on your birthday, but I’ve been dying to go and it couldn’t have been a more perfect day. The weather was absolutely gorgeous – 80s on Nov 3rd -- not too shabby. The tour was very interesting and was definitely worth the trek out there. In fact, I would go again in a heartbeat. The views of SF were incredible. I’ve never seen the sky so clear when visiting SF. The weather was truly a special birthday treat.

That night Dan, Lizzy, Mark, Ruel, and I went to eat at One Market. Dan’s friend is a sous chef there so it came highly recommended. The food was divine and everyone left completely full. If you are in town you should definitely check this restaurant out. Afterwards we went to Coit Tower, one of my favorite places in the city, for a great view of the city. I love seeing the city all lit up at night. Breathtaking!

We ended the perfect birthday with some amazing pumpkin cake (thanks Lizzy for making it) and then we watched an episode of Modern Family. Life simply doesn’t get better than this. Here’s to another amazing 30 years!!!

Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) – San Francicso, CA

2010-11-13T18:26:00.001-05:00

If you are ever in San Francisco for Day of the Dead, then you must go to the celebration in the Mission. It was crazy! We took it upon ourselves to make homemade skeleton masks to wear to the gathering. We purchased some plaster bandages and a styrofoam head from a store in Haight Ashbury and before we knew it we were neck deep into to the best art project ever. Huge shoutout to the head artist, Ruel, who coached Lizzy and I as we attempted to use any artistic skills we might have on these masks. The masks turned out absolutely amazing and were a hit at the celebration. We were stopped several times as we were marching down the street so people could take our pictures. It was awesome!

All Hallows Eve – San Francisco, CA

2010-11-13T18:14:00.001-05:00

Dan, Ruel, Brant, and The Help (me and Lizzy) hosted an epic Halloween dinner for 20 people in their fantastic Victorian style apartment. It was exhausting getting ready for the party but in the end all of our hard work paid off. The theme of the party was 1906 and most people dressed up accordingly. The menu was amazing. Everyone pulled through with his or her food assignments, and I must say, we did an excellent job with the pot roast and root vegetables. Just so you know, braising is definitely the way to go.

Left my heart in San Francisco - San Francisco, CA

2010-11-13T18:05:00.001-05:00

We had an amazing time hanging out with great friends in San Francisco. We stayed with my cousin, Danny Snyder and his two roommates Ruel and Brant. They have the most amazing apartment in the city and were gracious hosts. We loved spending time with them and hopefully they enjoyed us too. We had so much fun (and were suffering from a bit of jetlag) that we didn't go to bed before 2am every night! We spent 6 action packed days there. We had a rough time saying goodbye….but hopefully we will all be reunited in a couple of months!!!

Breaking up is hard to do - Hong Kong, China

2010-11-10T18:01:00.001-05:00

Our last day in Hong Kong was really great. We wanted to try Crystal Jade (a restaurant Lizzy's friend recommended) for lunch so we headed over to the IFC mall. I was crossing my fingers for an amazing Chinese meal (because I had been highly disappointed in the food thus far) and boy did we hit the jackpot! This place was so amazing. By far the best Chinese food I have ever had in my life. In fact, it was so amazing that we went back for dinner before we headed to the airport. Oh, and yes, the hostess did remember us from earlier in the morning. Embarrassing? Yes, but oh well, it was worth it. We just might be addicted to the pork soup dumplings. Best dumplings ever!!!

After lunch we headed over to the Bank of China Tower for a nice view of the city. Then we headed to the ladies market to do some shopping. There were a few good finds, but most of the stuff was junk. After shopping we went to the Tsim Sha Tsui harbor to watch the nightly light show. Then we had dinner at Crystal Jade and then it was magically time to go get our stuff from the hotel and head to the airport. We were quite sad to leave!

We LOVED Hong Kong and would highly recommend visiting. It's an international city that it very easy to get around and is packed with things to do. So, do yourself a favor, come visit this amazing city

Luck be a lady tonight - Macau, China

2010-11-02T02:50:00.001-04:00

We headed to the Las Vegas of Asia for a day of fun. Macau was once under Portuguese rule but was recently turned back to the Chinese government. It was actually quite fascinating learning about Hong Kong and Macau's history. You should brush up on it too.

We visited the Church of St Dominic, Largo Do Senado, Leal Senado, Ruins of the Church of St Paul and the Old Protestant Cemetery. The cemetery was definitely a highlight and probably one of the most memorable cemeteries I have ever been to. There were many touching and moving messages engraved on each headstone. Take a moment to read some of the headstones below. Beware, you might shed a tear or two.

After seeing the traditional sights, we set out for lunch at Pizza Hut. After more than two weeks of eating Asian food we had to eat something a bit more American. It was sub par but at least it wasn't rice or noodles. After lunch we headed out to tour the casinos. No two casinos are alike. Our favorite casino was the Wynn. Definitely one of the classier joints in town. Lizzy tried her hand at the slot machines and luck was definitely on her side. She put in $20 HK (about $2.50 USD) and won $160 (about $20 USD). She didn't want to risk it all so she pulled out when she was ahead. Haha. Me, seeing her success, thought I would give the slots a whirl. I put in $20 HK (about $2.50 USD) and won absolutely nothing! Lesson learned - don't gamble. After my traumatic loss we watched a couple of shows in the lobby of the Wynn. One of the shows had a big tree come out of the ground and a giant chandelier drop from the ceiling. There was also a lot of fog and light changes to keep the suspense alive. Gotta love Macau!

Dim sum time - Hong Kong, China

2010-11-01T17:19:00.001-04:00

Today we went to the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple. It was fun to compare it to the other temples we had seen on our trip. Afterwards, we had dim sum at Luk Yu Tea House. It was delicious. Highlights were definitely the roasted pork buns and dumplings. After stuffing our faces, we took a ride on the Central Escalator, the world's longest covered outdoor elevated escalators. We just kept going and going and going. Finally we made it to the top. I wasn't feeling well so I went back to the hotel for a couple of hours and Lizzy spent the day wandering and shopping.

We met up that evening and had some not so good Thai food. It was actually quite gross. We just wanted to chill that evening so we headed to the giant grocery store in the mall attached to out hotel and bought lots of yummy snacks. We bought yummy cookies, fruit, and Movenpick strawberry ice cream. Our next stop was to a store equivalent to Best Buy to buy a movie to watch. We ended up buying No Reservations and Dan in Real Life. We watched both of them as we enjoyed our night time view of Hong Kong from our hotel room. What a great night!!

Just another day in the HK - Hong Kong, China

2010-10-29T18:01:00.001-04:00

We headed out to Lantau Island to see the Tian Tan Buddha. We knew there was a cable car ride in store but we didn't realize it was going to be 25 minutes long. We just kept connecting from one mountain to the next. We opted for the normal cable car but you could have paid more for a completely see-through car. Can you imagine riding in a cable car a billion feet above ground and being able to see-through the floor. I think it would have been fun for five minutes but not twenty five!

The Buddha was pretty cool. We trekked up the steps for a great view of the grounds. Afterwards, we took a bus to Tai O, a small town in the area. We walked through the sleepy fishing village streets for awhile and then decided to head back to the city. That evening we took it easy and went and saw Wall Street at the cinema. Not a great movie but we sure enjoyed the caramel corn.

Hong Kong is the bomb - Hong Kong, China

2010-10-28T00:54:00.001-04:00

That's right folks, we have made it to our final destination of the trip. We immediately fell in love with Hong Kong. The drive into the city at night was stunning. It also doesn't hurt that we are staying at the fabulous W Hotel in Kowloon (thanks to Lizzy's Starwood points from her good old consulting days). After enduring the rock hard Asian beds throughout our trip, these beds are heavenly and the sheets are amazing!!!!

Since Matt only had one day with us in Hong Kong, we tried to hit the major sites our first day. We jumped on the Star Ferry and headed over to Hong Kong Island. Our first adventure was taking the Peak Tram - which resulted is breathtaking views of the city. Hong Kong is magnificent if you can catch it on a smog free day. We had some bright blue skies in the morning but by the time we had gotten to the top of the Peak the smog had rolled on in. So sad!

We walked through the wet market and saw lots of fish, fruits, and veggies. Yum - if you can handle the smell. Then we wandered through the Sheung Wan neighborhood and saw lots of dried fish skins and other dried "things" and we saw a lot of Chinese medicine shops. Our feet were tired at this point, so we caught a double decker tram and headed for the Hong Kong Park. We walked around for a bit and hopped on the subway to see the LDS Hong Kong Temple. It was closed since it was Sunday, but we admired it beauty from the outside.

We grabbed a bite to eat and then headed back to the hotel for an evening of swimming in the rooftop pool. We watched the light show that happens every night at 8pm on 30 of the buildings around the harbor. There were lots and lots of bright colors. Sadly, the time came for us to part ways with Matt. We had a great time with him but unfortunately it was time for him to enter back into reality again. Boo!

Land of rice patties - Mai Chau

2010-10-26T21:53:00.001-04:00

We really wanted to see the famous rice patty terraces so we planned another tour with Ethnic Travels. This time it was just the three of us, our guide Thien, and our driver. We left Ha Long Bay and drove three or four hours to our next pit stop. The scenery on our drive was incredible. It was so green and jungle like. At one point it was like we were back at Ha Long Bay but on dry ground. It was incredible.

We stopped to eat dinner with a local Vietnamese family before heading to our hotel for the night. When we arrived they immediately whisked us away on a moonlit boat ride through their small village. At one point we were floating through a cave with bats flying all around us. Thank goodness Matt had his trusty flashlight handy so he could guide us home! We had a yummy authentic Vietnamese dinner. After dinner we sat with the family and attempted to have a conversation in broken English. We also met their pet gecko who can predict the weather. As far as we can tell he isn't a fake. He got the weather right the next day. Who needs weather.com.

After dinner we went to our hotel. Lizzy wasn't feeling well so she went straight to bed. Matt and I went to the hotel lobby to check our email on our ipads. Before we knew it we were teaching the teenage Vietnamese kids how to use them. They were oohing and aahing every second. It was so fun watching them play on it. I finally decided to call it a night when I saw the Germans roll in. Seriously, can you believe we keep running into them?

The next morning we drove about three hours to Mai Chau - home of the rice patties. We arrived at another Vietnamese family house and hopped right onto some bicycles. We spent an hour and a half riding through the rice patty fields. It was incredible. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined I would be riding a bike through the rice fields if Vietnam. It was magical! We rode through some villages and everyone we passed yelled "hello" to us. The children were adorable and would yell "hello" several times and would wave vigorously. You couldn't help but smile and laugh and yell "hello" back.

After our bike ride we ate another authentic lunch with another family. We climbed up the stilted house and ate our meal sitting on their bamboo floor. The family was super friendly and we loved seeing how they lived. It was interesting seeing how different the Vietnamese houses are in different villages. After lunch we jumped back into the car for a four hour ride ride back to the Hanoi airport.

We had an amazing time in Vietnam and can't wait to come back again. We are particularly dying to explore northern Vietnam. We had a sneak peak at some pictures and it looks incredible. Everyone needs to come and visit Vietnam. It's incredible!

Pangea - Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

2010-10-24T23:35:00.001-04:00

Our trip to Ha Long Bay was amazing. We immediately fell in love with our cute little tour guide, Thao, who accompanied us on the drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. She had the highest voice, biggest smile, and sweetest personality ever known to mankind. She even sang us a few traditional Vietnamese songs along the way.

When we arrived at the port we switched tour guides (Thien replaced Thao) and we picked up a loud and funny French woman, a charming young Brit, and a lovely Danish couple. We had so much fun with them. Somewhere along the way the French woman decided she was going to award points to each country when they said something funny, sang an amazing song, or jumped in the water. It made for a good time!

Our ride through Ha Long Bay was so beautiful. We were mesmerized as we traveled through the 3000ish limestone cliff islands. We stopped and got onto a smaller row boat and explored a small fishing village. The children were playing in boats instead of backyards and the teenagers were rowing boats with their feet! It was so fun to observe. Afterwards, we got back on the boat and headed to the place we were going to dock for the night. Once we docked, out in the middle of the bay, we jumped in the water for a quick swim. Matt was even brave enough to jump off the top of the boat. That is where the USA picked up their first point from the French woman!

At dinner we decided to join the two dinner tables together to unite the countries -- we called it Pangea. Our boat was tied up to another boat full of Germans. We attempted to make friends with them but they wanted none of that....so we just left them to their boring selfs. We had a fun time talking to everyone on our boat. Everyone had such an interesting story to tell. It was Thien's birthday so each country sang her a special birthday song. The discussion got funnier and funnier as the night went on and as they downed four bottles of wine and a bottle of whiskey. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time! I think they even had a fun time with three sober Mormons.

The next morning we ate breakfast and cruised back to the port. We stopped at a restaurant for our last meal with our fun little group. We said our goodbyes and each headed off to different Vietnam adventures! We hope we cross paths again in the future.

Giant game of human frogger - Hanoi, Vietnam

2010-10-24T21:06:00.000-04:00

Let's just say that you should come to Hanoi if you have ever wanted to play a real life game of frogger. Crossing the streets with hundreds of scooters and cars whizzing around you is definitely an experience. I was tense walking up and down the streets of Hanoi but thankfully we were careful and made it out alive! I don't know how the people living in Hanoi can stand the constant "beep, beep" noise all day long.

We didn't think the city sights were mind blowing. We went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, Temple of Literature, and Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. We topped the afternoon off by eating a delicious late lunch at KOTO. Next we spent several hours walking around the buzzing streets of the Old Quarter. We attempted to find the amazing markets we have heard so much about from our friends who have been here before but we searched high and low and came up completely empty handed.

The craziness started to wear on all of us so we spent the evening (maybe three hours) at a local spa. Let's just say that all of our individual treatments combined didn't cost as much as one treatment in NYC. This is the place to come and pamper your self without breaking the bank!

Hanoi is definitely worth exploring for a day but you shouldn't stay much longer. The rural sights are definitely the highlights of Vietnam!

Crowning glory of the ancient ruins - Siem Reap

2010-10-24T10:56:00.000-04:00

Next we toured Angkor Thom. It was extremely hot at this point in the day (only 11am) but we sucked it up and explored the whole temple complex. Phon told us the history behind this city as we explored the ruins. Our favorite part was exploring Bayon - a structure decorated with 216 enormous smiling faces.

Our final temple to explore was the famous Angkor Wat. Our guide took us around the grounds and explained the many carved murals. We climbed to the top of some of the buildings. The views of the grounds were incredible. It's mind blowing to think about how this place was built. The designs are so intricate and massive. It's also amazing how well these ruins have been preserved. If you have a chance to visit you must come! It's well worth the long plane ride across the world!

PS - the monkeys are so cute! You can feed them bananas. You just hold out your hand and they will take it from you!

Tomb Raider - Siem Reap

2010-10-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

We woke up at 4:30am to head over to Angkor Wat to see the sunrise. It was still dark outside when we arrived so the setting was very mystical and mysterious. Matt had his trusty flashlight with him so we were able to navigate the stony steps without killing ourselves. We patiently waited inside the temple walls for the sun to rise. Boy, was it worth the wait. The scene was absolutely stunning! I don't think any of us will forget that morning. It was magical!

After we saw the sunrise we headed back to the hotel to eat some breakfast before our day long ancient temple exploring. We picked up our tour guide, Phon, and headed to Ta Phrom, the temple Angelina Jolie helped make famous when she filmed Tomb Raider. This temple was AMAZING. There were funky trees growing all over the buildings. Some of the roots were so gnarly and absolutely gigantic. It felt like we were on a movie set. Things like that can't possibly be real!

Land of ruins - Siem Reap, Cambodia

2010-10-20T12:53:00.000-04:00

Cambodia was full of amazing adventures. We hired our cab driver, John (his Cambodian name is too complicated so he goes by John), who picked us up from the airport to drive us around for the two days we were in Siem Reap. He has lived there all his life so he was full of all kinds of information.

The first thing we did was hire a boat to take us around the floating villages. There are about 170 floating villages that house the local fisherman and their families. It was interesting to see how these people live but it was also heart breaking at the same time. Some of these people literally have nothing to their name. So, when little children hop on your boat to sell you things as you are sailing downstream (we call them kiddie pirates) or children with snakes around their shoulders want you to take their picture for money (for the record, I hate snakes and would run away when ever someone would approach us) we could hardly turn a blind eye.

Next on the list was the Cambodian Cultural Center. Unfortunately, this place wasn't worth attending. It's a very sad version of the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. We had lunch at some little outdoor shack close to Angkor Wat. Scott Hadley had already warned me to not eat while I was in Cambodia because there wasn't much there worth eating. Well, let's just say that he was right! After lunch we briefly stopped by the Killing Fields. This place houses a stupa full of human skulls from innocent people who were brutally murdered by Pol Pot, an evil Camodian ruler. Approximately two million Cambodians were murdered between 1975 and 1979. The Cambodian people have had to live through some pretty horrific events. It's quite sickening.

Next we all went and got an hour long Cambodian massage. I seriously need to move to SE Asia just for the massages. After that we headed over to buy our tickets for Angkor Wat. If you buy your tickets at 5pm you can enter that day to watch the sunset and then you can come back the next day to explore all of the temples.

We were all giddy as we approached Angkor Wat. Thank goodness it lived up to all of the hype! When we arrived we stood there in complete awe of what was standing before us. The architecture and carvings were seriously out of this world. There will be more to come on this in my next post. The pictures posted below will give you a taste of what is about to come.

We ended the night by going to a dinner and dancing show at a nearby hotel. The food was decent and the traditional folk dancing was quite fun to watch. I was a little worried this was going to turn out like Turkish Nights (see blog entry from Turkey) but nope, I was pleasantly surprised. So, at the end of the day we agreed out first day was a huge success!

PS - it is the end of monsoon season here and it had rained in Siem Reap for three full days before we arrived. Some of the main streets were still flooded when we arrived. Do you think that would stop the people from driving their motorcycles, cars, or even bicycles? Nope. They ride through the streets like it's an ordinary day.

PPS - I won't have Internet for the next few days.....so you will have to wait to see the rest of Cambodia. Sorry, but a girl has to sleep sometime!

Big Buddha, Big Buddha, Big Buddha - Phuket, Thailand

2010-10-19T10:21:00.000-04:00

So, one of our favorite people we met in Thailand was our taxi driver, Pong (and he might have told us it is easy to remember his name because all we needed to think of was ping pong). He picked us up from the ferry terminal and drove us to our hotel in Karon. He used to be a Thai Boxer but retired after too many head injuries (and he has plenty of scars to prove it). We hired him to take us around the next morning for a couple of hours.

We went to the top of the hill to see "Big Buddha". It's supposedly the largest Buddha in Thailand. After that we headed down the hill to ride an elephant. Sara and I have ridden elephants before but this definitely surpassed our ride in India. Matt and Sara shared an elephant and I got my own (btw her name was Sara too--must have been fate). They are very cool animals. Their skin is tough and they have a little hair on their heads. We started out on a metal seat but halfway through the ride they let us sit on the elephant and ride for a little. They rock a lot when they walk so I held onto the metal seat for dear life. I did manage to take a few "hands free pictures". After our ride we jumped into the car and headed to the airport to fly to Cambodia. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in beautiful Thailand. You better believe we will be returning in the future!

More pics from Phi Phi

2010-10-16T00:10:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately my camera died so I wasn't able to post pics of the final product. Just know it looked beautiful and tasted delicious.

Paradise knocking on heaven's door - Phi Phi, Thailand

2010-10-16T00:06:00.000-04:00

It took a 1.5 hour flight from Bangkok to Phuket and a 2 hour ferry ride to reach the island of Phi Phi. On the ferry I was beginning to doubt that Phi Phi was going to be worth the hassle of getting out there BUT then the limestone cliff islands came into view and all doubt was erased. No words can describe how incredibly beautiful it is and my pictures don't even do it justice. We stayed at the Holiday Inn resort on Laem Tong beach (trust me, it's not like the Holiday Inns in the US. It's amazing). In order to reach the resort we had to get off the ferry in the middle of the water and then take a long tail boat ride right up to the shore. There are no roads on Phi Phi so long tail boats are the only way to go.

We loved the resort. We chilled by the pool, explored the property, played in the warm ocean water and walked along the private beach. One day we hired a long tail boat to take us around the Phi Phi Islands. We stopped in Pileh Bay, and Loh Samah Bay to snorkel. The views were amazing! The boat ride was an adventure to say the least. We were in a small boat and we tackled some pretty big waves as we traveled between islands. Memories of my Fiji boat ride came flooding back and I became super nervous and maybe screamed a bit when huge waves came our way. Sara and Matt just laughed at me and thought I was overreacting. I swear I wasn't! It was definitely scary at times. Thank goodness we had an amazing driver who kept us safe and sound.

One evening we took a Thai cooking class. It was really fun. Our instructor was great and the food was delicious. We were pretty impressed by our cooking skills! It was fun learning about the spices used in Thai cooking. We made the following dishes:
- Yam Nuea Yang (BBQ beef salad with chili and celery)
- Thod Mun Pla (deep fried curried fish cakes)
- Tom Yum Goong (sour and spicy prawn soup)
- Gaeng Khiew Wahn Gai (chicken green curry)
- Broccoli Phad Moo (stir fried pork and broccoli)
- Crong Craeng Naam Kathi (sticky rice dumplings)

Phi Phi treated us right and I think we all plan on coming back someday! Hopefully sooner than later.

We are Siamese if you please - Bangkok, Thailand

2010-10-15T23:51:00.000-04:00

We spent the morning visiting a few more temples. We went to Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Both temples were stunning. Wat Arun looked similar to the temples we visited in India. We climbed to the top of the old, porcelain decorated temple for an amazing view of Bangkok. Wat Pho is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok. It is home to the famous reclining Buddha. It was truly a sight to behold.

We then headed to Chinatown for a quick visit. We weren't impressed so we headed back to our hotel where we decided to have a "spa day". The Saras spent some time in the hotel's rooftop infinity pool. Matt had two hours worth of massages and Sara had an hour long Thai massage.

After relaxing we headed out to dinner. We tried a place our guide book recommended and were sadly disappointed. Matt decided he was tired so he caught a cab back to the hotel (later we discovered he went out and got another hour long massage). The Saras headed out to the night market, which turned out to be another street food market. We were full from dinner but of course made room for some mango sticky rice. It was divine. We headed back to the hotel so we could catch a little sleep before having to wake up early the next morning for our flight to Phuket. We loved Bangkok and would come back to visit in a heartbeat!

More pictures from Bangkok day one

2010-10-15T05:02:00.000-04:00

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster - Bangkok, Thailand

2010-10-15T04:55:00.000-04:00

Getting to Thailand was quite the experience. I drove from Rexburg to Salt Lake City, then Sara Collins and I flew from Salt Lake to Oakland, Matt Hom picked us up and we drove from Oakland to San Francisco, flew from San Francisco to Hong Kong, and flew Hong Kong to Bangkok. Oh, and don't worry, I had to sit in the middle seat on the 14 hour flight to Hong Kong. Needless to say, We were ready for a good nights sleep when we arrived at our hotel at 1am. Thank goodness our experience in Thailand has been amazing and well worth the hassle of getting here.

Our first item of business was to go to lunch with a fellow American friend, Mary Jones Ungrangsee and her daughter Anna. Mary has been living in Thailand with her husband and three cute girls for over five years. We ate some amazing food and got the inside scoop on Thailand. It was a great way to kick off the trip.

After lunch we hailed a taxi and headed over to Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace. We were in the taxi for almost 45 minutes and it only cost us $4. I think I'm going to retire here! As we were walking in the entrance people stopped us and said that the place was closed from 2-4 for a religious ceremony. They suggested we go and see the Lucky Buddha and Thai Center in the meantime. They even arranged for a Tuk Tuk to take us around to these places for only $1. Hmm, does something sound wrong with this picture? Yes, it was a scam. The Lucky Buddha was real but the Thai Center was a shop where they wanted you to buy over priced Thai goods. Don't worry, we didn't but anything. We walked in and saw what it was all about and immediately left. Thank goodness we were only out an hour or so of sight seeing and $1!

We finally made it inside Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace. The temple and palace were GORGEOUS! The grounds were so well kept and peaceful. Sometimes I felt like I was on a movie set. We hired an amazing tour guide who took us through the temple and palace, on a long tail boat ride down the river, on a food tasting tour, and a walk through the flower market. She was adorable and so funny. We definitely suggest hiring a guide your first day there. You avoid being scammed and you learn a lot about the history, food, and culture. Plus, it's so cheap that you won't even think twice!

Our long tail boat ride was amazing. We went up the river and turned off on one side canal. We observed kids swimming and taking baths in the river, watched people hanging their laundry, and watched the fisherman try to catch something for dinner. Along the way we purchased some snacks from a man on a boat. Our guide bought a loaf of bread for us to feed the fishes with. A little ways down the canal we stopped and our guide gave us each a piece of bread and then said, "put your had in the water and feed the fish". We were not prepared for what happened next. Hundreds of huge catfish came swimming and jumping to the bread. It was incredible and of course a little gross. You can bet there was a lot of shrieking and laughing coming from our boat.

After the boat ride we headed to the food market. There we sampled many traditional Thai dishes from street carts. We had yummy fresh pineapple, corn fritters, some kind of caramelized nut mixture, and dragon fruit. Eventually we found a little food stand where we ordered pad Thai. It was so fun watching the little old lady make our yummy food. It was the best pad Thai I have ever had (minus the rat that ran across Matt's feet). After we stuffed our faces we wandered through the flower market. We saw beautiful orchids, marigolds, roses, etc. If I ever live in Thailand I will be having fresh flowers all through my house. Most bunches of flowers cost about $1.

By the time we got back to our hotel it was pouring rain. Our street was flooded and it was flowing like a river. We ran inside and put our rain boots on so we could go out and explore the neighborhood. We ended the night with massages. Both of the Saras had an hour long foot massage and Matt had an hour long Thai massage. Each massage cost less than $10. Thailand is truly a dream!

Another Sparhawk gets hitched - Rexburg, ID

2010-10-12T21:36:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's true. Another Sparhawk finally got married. Slowly but surely we might get everyone married off! I flew home a few days before Andrew and Rachael's wedding to help with all of the preparations. One night my mom gathered me, my dad, and my sister together for a meeting and handed us a five page itinerary with details for the next day and a half. (Yes, my mother might be the most organized person in the world.). We were all exhausted by the day of the wedding but everything went of without a hitch. The wedding was held inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Rexburg Idaho Temple. The temple ceremony was very special and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Afterwards we headed down to the BYU-Idaho Special Events room for a delicious dinner (spinach salad, rolls, chicken cordon bleu, baked potato, fresh green beans, apple cake with caramel sauce, and Florence's chocolates). After the dinner we cleared out the room and set it up for their wedding reception later that night. It was an amazing day! Congrats Andrew and Rachael! Good luck with married life!

Aruba, Jamaica, ohh I wanna take ya - Aruba

2010-10-07T00:10:00.001-04:00

I spent 12 hours in NYC...just enough time to go to a Guggenheim happy hour, make a 9pm run to the post office (Yes, the post office stays open until 10pm), and sleep a tad. I barely made it out of NYC before the crazy rain storm shut down the airports.

There are a few reasons I love flying Jetblue, but this experience might take the cake. We had just landed and were waiting to exit the plane when I heard the classic Beach Boys song "Aruba, Jamaica, ohh I wanna take ya". I started laughing and maybe just maybe started singing along. At first I thought it was just a passenger playing it on their iPod but no, Jetblue was playing it over the loud speaker. Who doesn't want to fly an airline that has a special playlist for their destinations? Thanks Jetblue for making my day!

Sara Collins (Lizzy) had arrived a day earlier so I met up with her at the hotel. We were staying at the Westin resort (courtesy of Lizzy's Starwood points). It was a great resort with amazing beach front property and a divine pool. It was a perfect place to spend four days lounging on the beach and soaking up some sun (with sunscreen of course). Jenn Wheeler met up with us a day later. The rain in NYC delayed her flight several hours so she when she arrived she was in desperate need of some major R&R. Nothing that Aruba couldn't fix!

For the next few days we slept in every morning, went to the gym, lounged on the beach or by the pool, and attempted to find yummy food to eat. The resort had a lot of fun activities to keep you busy. Everyday we were determined to play Bingo but somehow we always forgot about it until we heard a voice in the distance yelling "E6". At that point we had no energy to get up from our beach chairs. One day we happened to be swimming in the pool when they announced a watermelon eating contest. What, a watermelon eating contest? How could we not participate? The two Sara's stepped up to the challenge and put forth a mighty effort. Neither of us won but we definitely gave the winner a run for his money.

One day we rented a car and explored the island. We ran into a heavy rain storm as we started our journey to the California Lighthouse. Don't worry, we weren't going to let a storm get in our way of taking a picture. We got out of the car in the downpour and were soaking wet in a matter of seconds. It didn't matter because we got our picture and we were happy. After that we drove to a cute church in the middle of nowhere. It was fun driving through the tiny towns scattered around the island. We went off-roading in our compact Chevy to see the natural bridge (or what was left of it). Lizzy did an amazing job handling the rough terrain. After that we drove through the national park that makes up 25 percent of Aruba. It was gorgeous! Our last stop of the day was to eat dinner at B55, a restaurant the New York Times recommended. We all had the catch of the day - fresh grilled wahoo. The food was delicious but the bugs flying around us were annoying. Our view was interesting too. In one direction you looked at lush, green landscape and the other direction you were looking at a drive-in movie theater and an oil refinery in the distance. All in all we had a great day exploring Aruba.

Our last few hours in Aruba were rudely interrupted by heavy rain storms. There were even some rumors at the airport that there had been a tornado. Rain wasn't going to stop us from enjoying ourselves. Instead of laying out on the beach we had breakfast at our favorite restaurant, Salt & Pepper (another NY Times recommendation). We had a great time in Aruba but it sounded like we left at the right time. The forecast for the next week is rain, rain, rain!

PS - if you own a metal detector, you might want to vacation here. Each day we witnessed a different tourist, yes they were tourists and not hotel staff, scour the beach and even in the water to find hidden treasure. To each their own!

Beantown - Boston, MA

2010-10-06T23:48:00.000-04:00

I flew up to Boston for a quick visit with Jaclyn, Cameron, and Oliver Jones. The weather wasn't amazing but we still had a great time hanging out at their apartment. Little Ollie was as adorable as ever and Jac and Cam were great hosts. One morning we took a drive out to Walden Pond. The water levels were so high that the main trails were flooded. So instead of going for a walk around the pond we just hung out at the main entrance and watched Ollie try to catch chipmunks. In the evenings we ate yummy food, talked about our world traveling dreams, and tried to think of future jobs for me. How am I going to return to reality? Well, it was a great couple of days. Thanks for letting me stop by and visit!

Sorry, my photos are on my laptop and I left it in NYC. I'll post some later.

Most devoted fans of all time - Pittsburgh, PA

2010-10-01T22:03:00.001-04:00

So, it doesn't take long to figure out that Pittsburgh is full of devoted Steeler's fans. No matter if you are at the airport, grocery store, restaurant, or church, you can almost guarantee you will see someone sporting some type of Steeler paraphernalia. It really makes for great people watching. I'm going to try to find an amazing outfit to wear when I visit again over Thanksgiving! Hopefully it will be bedazzled.

Sunday was great. I went to church with Adam and Liesel and was able to meet a lot of their friends. Don't worry, they didn't have a pianist for primary, so I stepped up and filled in. (Are we seeing a trend here? Maybe I should just travel the world and become the substitute church pianist wherever I go!) Also, this is the first church I have gone to where they have had a "thank you for not smoking" sign in the bathroom. Love it!

After church we went back to the apartment and made yummy Cobb salads. Our after dinner entertainment was blowing plastic bubbles. I LOVE plastic bubbles. Brings me back to my childhood! Later that evening we when to a birthday party for one of their friend's little boy. It was fun but we were exhausted after being there a couple of hours. Kids are exhausting!

PS - Monday morning was crazy and Adam didn't make it to his first class on time (due to rain, forgetting keys, traffic, etc). Since this particular professor won't let you come in late, Adam and I headed to Pamela's for round 2. Mmmm, delicious!

Fallingwater – Mill Run, PA

2010-09-28T13:06:00.000-04:00

We started the day off on the right foot by eating brunch at Pamela’s. If you know me at all, you know how much I LOVE brunch! Well, let’s just say this place didn’t disappoint. Pamela’s makes these amazing crepe-like pancakes that are delicious. We ordered the banana walnut pancakes, bacon and cheese omelet, and home fries. We left very happy and extremely full. You must eat here if you are ever in P-Town. Trust me, you won’t regret it. It’s super cheap and super tasty!

After brunch we headed out into the middle of nowhere Western Pennsylvania to visit one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous masterpieces, Fallingwater. The drive up there was spectacular. The leaves were changing and there was that special Fall crispness in the air. Fall is my favorite time of year so it made the trip to Fallingwater even more special.

Adam is obsessed with Frank Lloyd Wright so this was a very special day for him. It was the first time he has been able to witness one of Mr. Wright’s architectural wonders in person. It was so fun watching him take it all in. He was giddy like a little boy on Christmas morning.

We had reservations for the last tour of the day. We arrived a little early so we could explore the grounds before our tour started. Fallingwater is tucked away in the woods so you follow well-groomed paths down a hill and along a stream to get there. The location couldn’t be more perfect. We had a funny little tour guide who told us background information about the Kaufmann family (the family who had the house built) and explained Mr. Wright’s vision for Fallingwater. Mr. Wright was an absolute genius! You can’t visit this house without feeling one with nature. Well done, Mr. Wright, well done!

On our way home we stopped by the brand new Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. Adam and Liesel really wanted to try out their all-you-can-eat buffet. The food was ok but the desserts were just plain awful. I’m not exaggerating either. They couldn’t even get the basic dessert items like chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream right. Work on the basics first and then try to tackle the complicated treats.

Thanks for another success day in and around Pittsburgh!

Pittsburgh, surprisingly ok – Pittsburgh, PA

2010-09-27T22:59:00.000-04:00

Adam and Liesel rolled out the red carpet for my visit to Pittsburgh. When I walked into the guest room there were towels, US and People magazines, and a mint on my bed. Hotel Sparhawk is the best!

Liesel had to work on Friday so Adam and I did a little exploring on our own. Our first stop was to a little donut shop called Peace, Love, and Little Donuts. The donuts were pretty tasty but Adam was even more impressed with the milk. I know, weird, right? Then we had lunch at Pirmanti’s, a restaurant famous for their sandwiches stuffed with french fries and coleslaw. Adam and I were not impressed and will not be returning.

After lunch we headed over to the Mattress Factory, a modern art museum located in an old mattress factory. Definitely one of the coolest modern art museums I have ever been to. One of the exhibits starts out with you holding, no gripping, onto a railing and walking through a darkened hallway and up a ramp. At the top of the ramp you walk into an even darker room and sit in a chair. There you sit in complete darkness (so dark that you can feel it) and wait for about 15 minutes for the magic to happen. It was kind of creepy but super cool. I know some of you will be visiting this museum so I won’t ruin it for you. This is a MUST SEE if you are in the area. They also had a cool exhibit with lots of polka dots and mirrors. Our last stop was to a room on the 4^th floor that you had to be escorted too. We were a little worried about what we were going to see after the other wacky exhibits. It turns out there is a big hole in the floor and there is a chute that goes through the 3^rd floor and has an opening/window at the bottom. It was pretty cool.

Next we headed over to the Duquesne Incline (a cable car ride that offers an amazing view of the city). When we got to the top a couple asked us if we would take their picture. Of course we said yes and before we knew it the guy was getting down on one knee and proposing to this girl. At first we thought he was joking around but as soon as he whipped out the ring and she started to cry we knew it was for real. Kind of awkward but kind of funny.

Our last adventure before we picked up Liesel was driving up Canton Avenue. Canton Avenue is tied with Prentiss Street in San Francisco as the steepest public street in the US. Canton has a grade of 37%. Unfortunately, the pictures don’t do the street justice. We felt like we were lying down as we were driving up it. Oh, and don’t worry, we drove up it a couple of times.

We picked up Liesel and headed straight to Vincent’s Pizza Park for dinner. Adam and Liesel didn’t warn me about how insanely filling this pizza was going to be. I think I should have fasted all day long in order to be able to eat one slice without filling sick. I’ve never seen a pizza place pile on the toppings like this before. Also, Vinnie passed away a few months ago, so RIP Uncle Vinnie. After dinner we headed to the movies and then ate some Coldstone ice cream. I think Coldstone has started making their ice cream with corn syrup because it was DISGUSTING! All I wanted was to taste the yummy ice cream I remembered eating in college. So sad!

Well, that was day one. Are you exhausted yet? I am!

The Yankees Win! - New York City

2010-09-25T23:15:00.002-04:00

What a night! I spent the evening with Scott and Erin Hadley and Kimber Crandall watching the Yankees kills the Rays. Scott hooked us up with some amazing seats and yummy food. The weather couldn't have been more spectacular and the Yankees even pulled out big win. It's nights like these that make living in NYC seem like a dream.

PS - special thanks to Kimber for letting me copy the pic from her blog

Crazy about key lime pie – Florida Keys

2010-09-21T15:42:00.000-04:00

Below are our reviews of the key lime places the New York Times suggested when visiting the Florida Keys:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/travel/escapes/31lime.html

Cheeca Lodge

Rating: A

Comments: filling was the perfect consistency but could have had a tad for lime, delicious buttery graham cracker crust but was little too thick, unsweetened cream was perfect, and the ripe strawberries and raspberry sauce topped everything off very nicely.

Porky’s Bayside Restaurant

Rating: B-

Comments: filling wasn’t “eggy” enough and needed more lime, unsure if they used real whipped cream (Note, they also offer a fried version but we opted for the “healthier” option)

Pepe’s Café and Steak House

Rating: A-

Comments: fluffy filling, tartness of filling was perfect, whip cream tasted great but was a little thin, crumbly graham cracker crust was tasty

*We ate dinner here and the food was excellent. The blackened fish sandwich and corn on the cob were amazing!

Blond Giraffe

Rating: C-

Comments: Gross, chalky, bland

Blond Giraffe (frozen key lime pie on a stick covered in chocolate)

Rating: C-

Comments: Gross

Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe

Rating: C-

Comments: weird flavor, not a good graham cracker crust

Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe (frozen key lime pie on a stick covered in chocolate)

Rating: B+

Comments: good quality chocolate, filling was the perfect tartness

Season’s 54

Rating: B

Comments: unique presentation, good texture, needs a tad more lime, needs to be served colder

Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go…. – Florida Keys

2010-09-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

I hadn’t had my fill of Florida yet, so I headed down to the Florida Keys with Sara Collins (aka Lizzy) and Jenn Wheeler for an amazing weekend in the sun. We rented a mustang convertible and lets just say it’s a MUST when visiting the Keys!!! Lizzy and I arrived a day earlier than Jenn, so we headed to Miami to check it out. We spent most of the day in Miami Beach. We ate some sub-par Cuban food for lunch, went shopping, checked out the beach, went to a movie, and had sub-par pizza for dinner. After picking up Jenn at the airport, we headed straight down to Key Largo, our home base for the next two nights.

The next morning we woke up with a mission. Jenn had found a New York Times article talking about all of the amazing key lime pie places in the Florida Keys and so we took it upon ourselves to eat at as many places as our stomachs would allow us to. http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/travel/escapes/31lime.html. The findings will come in a separate post.

We also took a tour of Ernest Hemmingway’s home and saw the famous six-toed cats that live there. The cats have names like Howard Hughes and Elizabeth Taylor. So crazy! Then we went to the beach. The water was delightful and so warm. After the beach we headed over to the southern most point of the US. It’s located about 90 miles from Cuba. We were told we had to check out Mallory Square in the evening because it is packed with crazy people. Unfortunately, there was a biker convention in Key West that took all of the crazies in Mallory Square and spread them out all over the city. Side note, one of our friends calls Key West “Key Weird”. After visiting, we definitely agree.

The next day we spent the morning kayaking through the mangrove trees in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. We really wanted to snorkel but we didn’t have 2.5 hours to spare. We promise to go next time!

We had an amazing trip and would highly suggest visiting the Florida Keys. Just remember to rent a convertible and eat lots of key lime pie!!!

The sunshine state - Sun City, Florida

2010-09-20T17:40:00.000-04:00

I took a trip down to Florida to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Sparhawk. They live in a very lovely retirement community packed full of swimming pools and golf courses. I decided that as soon as I meet the age requirements to join the community I’m moving there. I could get used to going to the pool two times a day and driving a golf cart to the grocery store and post office!

My grandparents were great hosts. They made me some yummy meals and showed me some of their travel videos of Thailand (to prep me for my trip there next month) and told me all about the world cruise they went on about 10 years ago (I must have their travel genes). I slept in every day and then we went to the pool every morning and most afternoons. One evening they invited over some of their friends to have key lime pie (I’m kind of addicted) and I showed them pictures of my travels from earlier in the year. We had a great visit and I was sad to leave them. Don’t worry G&G, I’ll be back to visit soon! Thanks for a great, relaxing vacation.

The place where stressed out New Yorkers go to unwind - Rhode Island

2010-09-20T17:19:00.000-04:00

Many of you know about my obsession with Rhode Island. I believe it’s the most underrated state in the US. I simply can’t get enough and would love to live there some day. Since I haven’t struck it rich yet, I’ll have to live with my annual Rhode Island vacation to Boulder Cottages. A couple friends and I organized a trip with 33 of our “closest” friends to spend a weekend at Boulder Cottages (http://www.bouldercottagesri.com/Home.html) in Charlestown, RI.

The weekend was jammed packed with delicious food, tons of candy, trips to Walmart, trips to the beach, apple picking, campfires, Morp (dance party), kayaking, relaxing, and laughing. It was a fun filled weekend that just flew by too fast. On our way back into the city several cars stopped by Mystic, Connecticut. Just our luck, there was a food festival going on. Being the foodies that we all are, we couldn’t resist sampling a few of the local specialties.

The ride back into the city was uneventful. All we could talk about was how much fun we had and how we couldn’t wait to return. Watch out Boulder Cottages, we’ll be back in 2011!

PS – Thanks to Eddie, the caretaker and my Uncle’s brother-in-law, for taking care of us and making our trip so enjoyable.

Best sporting event of all time – US Open in NYC

2010-09-17T01:02:00.000-04:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m obsessed with the US Open. I spent two nights there. The first night I went with Alisa Baker, Carly Mattson, Ellie Marble, Jenn Wheeler, Maria Merrill. We had a great girls night out and enjoyed watching Federer win his match. The second night was spent with Kaitlin, Susuda, and John (yes, we are still friends after traveling together for almost 80 days). We cheered Nadal on to a victory! The match ended around 10:45 pm but we wanted to watch an exhibition match with Martina Hingis, Anna Kournjkova, Pat Cash, and Mats Wilander…..so we stayed until 12:30am. The Open just sucks you in and you never want to leave!

PS - we are true fans because it was FREEZING cold and we stuck it out!

Twelve hours of fun - Salt Lake City

2010-09-17T00:44:00.000-04:00

I spent the day visiting friends I haven’t seen in awhile. First, I met up with Sara Collins (you might remember her as Lizzy from previous posts) for lunch. She had just quit her job the day before so I had to hear the scoop. I welcomed her with open arms to the unemployment club. She also purchased the Jetblue unlimited pass, so you will be seeing her pop up again on my blog as we travel around together.

Next, I visited Amber Blakesly, a dear friend who used to live in NYC. We caught up on life as we looked out on her amazing view of Utah Lake. My mouth watered as she told me that she had bought a meat grinder so she could replicate the Shake Shack burger in SLC. I can’t wait to visit again in October and hopefully the weather will be nice enough for a BBQ!

My last stop was to visit Thomas Jones and Joe Dixon (more friends who used to live in NYC). Joe hosted a little BBQ on the roof of his apartment building. We ate burgers and reminisced or maybe I should say commiserated about the glory days working in NYC. Below is a picture we took with an old poster of a New Yorker magazine cover that pretty much depicts some New Yorker’s views regarding the geography of the United States. If anyone ever comes across one of these posters (that doesn't cost $500), I would die to have one. Buy it on the spot and let me know!

And here we have Idaho – Rexburg

2010-09-16T17:13:00.000-04:00

Props to any of you who recognize the title of my post (Idaho state song). My longest stop so far on the world tour was to my homeland, Rexburg, Idaho. I spent two weeks here visiting my family and friends. You might be wondering what I did to fill my time, well let’s just say it was action packed:

· Ate delicious home cooked meals

· Played Rook with my parents and sisters (Katie and I lost due to a tragic “sluffing” mistake)

· Went to the Madison vs Rigby high school football game (ran into a dedicated blog reader, Tiffany Alleman)

· Saw every $2 movie possible

· Met my future sis-in-law, Rachael Davidson (big fan of her)

· Helped with wedding stuff

· Participated in a book club with the Franz girls (we read "The Glass Castle")

· Planned my future Jetblue trips and fall trip to southeast asia

· Spent a day in Jackson Hole and Jenny’s Lake

· Spent the weekend at the Franz cabin on Henry’s Lake (Ann's 30th bday weekend)

· Enjoyed the East Idaho State Fair on Labor Day

Who can resist attending the biggest football game of the year! Madison pulled out a win against our rivals the Rigby Trojans. Thanks to Michael, who is living with the Franz's and plays for Madison, and Andrew, who is teaching Seminary at Madison, we had a reason to attend the game.

Book Club: Sara, Sally Franz, and Nicole Franz

My parents, my sister Katie, and I went on a day trip to Wyoming. Our first stop was Sidewinders Tavern, a delicious restaurant in Jackson Hole. I had an amazing BBQ brisket sandwich and sweet potato fries. I will definitely be returning to this place. Then we headed up to Jenny's Lake. We saw two moose on our way. We made it just in time for a magnificent rain storm. The thunder and lightning was incredible. The clouds completely covered the mountains (thank goodness they cleared so I could take a photo of the Grand Tetons). My dad and I thought the coast was clear so we ventured out on a little hike around Jenny's Lake. Our luck ran out as we approached the parking lot. In a matter of seconds another storm attacked us and we were soaked. On our way back we stopped at the most delicious ice cream shop in Jackson Hole. The ice cream was made out of all natural ingredients and let me tell you, the ice cream was INCREDIBLE!! Definitely worth the drive to Jackson for that little bit of heaven!

I spent a couple of days at the Franz family cabin at Henry's Lake. It was Ann's 30th birthday weekend and we sure partied hard! We had a great time cooking hot dogs and s'mores over the campfire, riding four wheelers, popping wheelies on dirt bikes, water skiing, getting some target practice in, playing games, lounging in the hammocks, and tanning on the dock. Life is great when you are in the good old outdoors!

There is nothing I love more than going to the East Idaho State Fair. Words cannot describe the classy things you see there. I went with my parents and sister and let's just say it didn't disappoint. We sampled all of the classic fair food: elephant/tiger ears, funnel cakes, corn on the cob, corn dogs, homemade bread, and fudge. I rode some amazing rides, got a free back massage, and toured the various 4-H and other exhibits. I took a few pics of my favorite exhibits. I love Idaho!!!

All you can jet pass – Jetblue

2010-09-16T16:02:00.000-04:00

I was devastated last year when I couldn’t take advantage of the “All you can jet pass” Jetblue offered last year. So….needless to say I was ecstatic when they announced they would be running their promotion Sept 7 – Oct 6. I purchased it within an hour of hearing about it! I’m ready for an action packed month of traveling to NYC, Tampa, Florida Keys, Pittsburgh, Boston, Aruba, and Salt Lake City! I think I might need to go to rehab to treat my traveling addiction.

Sunshine - Los Angeles

2010-09-16T15:46:00.000-04:00

After spending a few weeks in Northern California, I decided to head south to visit some of my favorite people in the universe: Lyn, Jason, and Carter Johnson. Lyn was a gem to let me stay with them since she was in the middle of her busy season at work. Jason and Carter were great hosts when Lyn was at work. We played super Mario (I’ve lost any skill I had acquired when I was younger), ate delicious meals, went to the beach, and had girl time while getting manicures at the mall. Lyn’s brother and a great BYU accounting friend, Joe Hillstead and family, met up with us to go to the beach. We had a great time catching up and reminiscing about the good old BYU days. The accounting program bonds people for life!

PS – Sorry for the lack of photos. I was too relaxed to take any.

Camp Okizu - Northern California

2010-08-26T16:21:00.000-04:00

I spent two weeks volunteering at Camp Okizu, a camp for children with cancer and their siblings. I’ve been volunteering at this camp for seven years and I hope to come for many more. The kids are amazing and inspiring, the admin staff and counselors are incredible, and the location is gorgeous. This year I was privileged to work with the girls in Sugarloaf (girls ranging from 6-12). The camp has so many activities to participate in: fishing, boating, archery, art and crafts, ropes course, making ice cream, etc. There were so many amazing moments. Here are just a few of the highlights:

Sugarloaf Spa Night - The girls loved the oatmeal masks, cucumbers on the eyes, and hand massages. It’s never too early to teach a girl how to pamper herself!
Campfire sing-a-longs and s’mores
Paying my friend Chelsie $10 to eat part of a live worm
Watching the amazing meteor showers that happened for three nights
Being “dunked” by kids at the carnival
Cabin chat

If you are interested in donating money/supplies or volunteering as a camp counselor or a nurse, please check out http://www.okizu.org/ or talk to me. Camp Okizu will change your life!

Here are a few pictures of the counselors and grounds. Unfortunately, we can’t post pics of the children online…..but trust me, they were there and they were adorable!

Land of sourdough and chocolates – San Francisco, CA

2010-08-26T12:04:00.000-04:00

I have a weird fascination with bridges so of course our first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge. It was windy, foggy, and cold so we only made it about half way. After that we ventured into the city and did all of the classic tourist activities: drove down Lombard street, walked through Fisherman’s Wharf, rode a trolley car, got a free chocolate at Ghiradelli Square, ate some sourdough bread, and went to Coit Tower. Later that night we met up with my cousin, Dan Snyder, for some yummy Thai food. What a way to end a great day.