I'm excited to share with you my adventures as I galavant around both near and far, exploring everyday adventures through my camera lens.
All in Travel
I’ve been hitting the trails recently and my most recent trek was along the St. Croix River, about 40 mins outside of the Twin Cities.
I had a wonderful solo-adventure day full of woods, prairie, wetlands, and river trails that were all too good not to share. Read more about it below!
I’ve learned to be pretty flexible during the pandemic, working around last minute cancelations, location closures and crowd avoidance. With all of that said, it is still pretty disheartening when you set your intentions to go somewhere as responsibly as possible only to have to change course because of over-crowding.
If anything good has come out of the COVID pandemic it’s how much people are exploring close to home and utilizing all of the green spaces that we normally take for granted.
I’m always on the lookout for new parks to visit within a stone’s throw of home - which in my case is south Minneapolis, and it’s become even more important during this very on-going pandemic.
My husband and I recently discovered the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington, and it’s quickly becoming one of our favorite spots to visit!
When I first decided to start my travel & lifestyle blog, I knew that the biggest hurdle I would have is getting quality photos of myself that aren’t just selfies.
I would find myself getting so jealous of top influencers who have a team of people to help them and a partner who doubles as their personal photographer, a.k.a their “insta-husband” until I realized I am fully capable of getting amazing photos by myself.
Over the 4th of July weekend, my husband and I usually go camping every year. This year, we wanted to feel a sense of normalcy in the midst of the pandemic and thought camping would a great way to do some socially distant traveling
When I first started this account and my blog, I had major doubts about it. Why would anyone give a fuck about who I am, what I think or what I’m doing? What am I even contributing in this space that’s over-saturated with other white, (privileged) female travelers and wanna-be influencers?
Last week my husband surprised me with the most amazing early birthday present - an Old Town kayak! He has had his own Old Town fishing kayak for over a year and knew that I was interested in joining. I’m not much of an angler myself, however, I’m happy as a clam just paddling around aimlessly and taking photos.
We’ve been weathering the storm of the Coronavirus in the US for several months now, and throughout all of the uncertainty one of the things that have kept me going is taking a break and getting outside. In Minnesota, where I live, we have been extremely fortunate to have full access to the outdoors, even during the stay at home order.
Now more than ever, I feel it’s so important to take advantage of the outdoor spaces we have right in our backyard (while we still can!) So I’ve compiled a list of my favorite places in the Twin Cities you can explore all while practicing #socialdistancing long after the Corona Virus scare is over.
There can be a lot of pressure put on Valentine’s Day and finding the perfect gift that goes beyond the typical pink + red everything, chocolate-covered whatever and bouquet of over-priced roses that will immediately drop in price the second Feb. 14th is over.
Instead, I’ve pulled together a list of things that I personally own (or would love to receive, hint hint) that would be perfect for the adventure seeker in your life!
Over the weekend, my friends and I attended the Winter Kite Festival and Art Shanty Projects on Lake Harriet.
I’ve attended the Art Shanty project a few times over the past couple of years, but this was my first time to see the kite festival. It was amazing to see so many people out enjoying public art on a cold winter day.
Winters in Minnesota can be long, but that doesn’t mean we need to stay cooped up. In fact, I’ve come to love braving the outdoors in winter. The snow helps dampen the sound, the crowds are nearly non-existant and if you go far enough north, it can feel like you stepped right through the cupboard into Narnia.
If you’ve never been to Des Moines, or like a lot of people outside of the Midwest, have never even heard of Des Moines, stay tuned! I have some great things below to share with you that might make you want to stop and check out the “flyover state.”
If you ever find yourself driving through South Dakota, spending some time in the Black Hills National Forest is a must!
Custer State Park is just one of many inside the forest, and I recently spent a lovely weekend enjoying some quality time checking out all that it has to offer.
We recently spent a lovely mid-October weekend up in Grand Marais, MN learning how to make pine needle baskets at the North House Folk School, and I’m excited to share all of that knowledge with you!
Going back to the Badlands National Park as an adult with an entirely new appreciation for all types of adventures was everything!
Most people stop just long enough to snap a photo before getting back into their car and continue heading west. But I’m here to tell you that the Badlands are badass and you should absolutely explore them deeper!
I have a few solutions for bringing camera gear with me, depending on the situation. If I’m just going out for the day around town, I pop on the smallest lens I have and throw my camera inside my purse. Or I might not even try to hide the fact I have a camera and just wear it using my cross-body strap.
However, If I have more time on my hands, like say, a road trip, for example, I will bring everything I have! It’s so nice to house all of my gear in one spot. It makes it easier to stay organized, find what I need and get out and shoot!
I have met several Minnesota natives who have never even been to Duluth, let alone see all of what the North Shore has to offer! So look no further friends. I’ve put together a list of what to pack, where we stayed and my favorite must-see things to do on your trip up north to take the guess work out of your travel planning!
I count myself very lucky to have been able to visit China, not once, but twice in the past few years. After having just returned home after spending a few weeks bouncing around China on a work trip, and I’ve prepared a list of 15 very important things you’ll want to do before you go!
