My Week In A Nutshell

Whew! Tomorrow is Friday? It doesn’t seem remotely possible. After one awesome week back on the blogging train I fell hopefully silent this week. Here are a few excuses…

  • Work was crazy and my mind was blank every night. I had no intelligent words left to share
  • The basement facelift, like all home projects, isn’t as cut and dry as I thought. We have to move furniture around to prepare for the drywall and texture work (which Mike will be doing to save money) and that has thrown our upstairs and downstairs into a non-organized tizzy
  • Our winter weekends are spent mainly in Breckenridge and I cannot motivate to open my computer up there. It’s such an escape from me and I love that. Plus the condo has cable and we become instantly mesmerized but any TV with more than four channels

I did manage to snap some Instagram pictures this week…

The gym was nearly non-existent for me so I tried to stay healthy by kicking the day off with some seriously green smoothies. Spinach, kale…the works. Kona also brought perspective this week. He and I played by ourselves in the FREEZING cold dog park during Saturday’s Bronco game. On Monday, like every Monday, he was “depressed” that the weekend was over and looked like he may cry as I walked out the door. I love that pup.

Tomorrow I am off for a mother/daughter weekend in Arizona at the incredible Miraval Spa & Resort. My computer is staying home but my DSLR camera and books, actual books, will be in tow. I am so excited to spend one-on-one time with my mom and enjoy some major relaxation, pampering and working out along the way. Maybe I’ll even try that cardio drumming class I’ve been eyeing on the schedule.

Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Home

Home. A great place to be. Following a whirlwind summer of travel for weddings, family visits and a bit of work, I am finally H.O.M.E. from now until Thanksgiving. For those of you still reading Lex & Learn, thanks for putting up with the inconsistent posts the last few weeks. Lack of planning and utter exhaustion at the start of each week has really killed my creativity and desire to log back onto a computer after dinner each night.

Don’t get me wrong, every trip has been amazing and I feel very lucky that I can take advantage of this time in our lives to pick up and go. Aside from getting Kona to Mike’s parents or the kennel, we have no worries or major responsibilities. This fact isn’t lost on me and I am grateful.

But I also feel like I blinked and summer was over. We started out strong with two fourteener hikes and then I never put on my hiking shoes again. I only went camping once (plus a failed attempt at backpacking) and never made it to Sunday’s concerts in the park in City Park. We didn’t ride bikes or have a boozy brunch day with friends on a Sunday. I never attended our local farmers market and did not get to take a drive to see the fall colors in the mountains. I flew over the colors a few times though, and the trees looks spectacular.

The next month however is a wonderful month to be home. Ski season is still a few weeks away, which means we can buckle down on house to-do’s AND enjoy Denver a little bit. I am hoping to pick one Denver destination, such as a museum, and carve out time on a Saturday to venture out in our great city. I also want to recruit Mike’s sister Kelly to help me with a fall and/or Christmas craft since this will be the first year I have a house to decorate! I love the holidays.

So here’s to blogging more, slowing down, enjoying Denver and continuing to turn our house into a home. It is good to get away, but it sure feels divine to be back.

Off to Washington D.C.

Mike and I are off to Virginia and Washington D.C. for a short vacation to visit his family and spend some time being total tourists. I am so excited!

In 8th grade I went to D.C. on a school trip but I barely remember it and know I’ll appreciate the museums and monuments even more now. Let’s face it, a lot of the trip in 8th grade was spent obsessing over our latest crushes, wondering if they noticed us at all.

Source: google.it via Lauren on Pinterest

 

If you have any “must see” recommendations please send them my way!

Where in the World is Lex, again?

On Thursday I packed my bags and headed to San Jose, Calif., for a two day work trip to support our client the USA Swimming Foundation and the annual Make a Splash Tour. What does this mean? In my world it means hours of media calls and emails to ensure the critical message of water safety gets told through print, TV and online stories while I am here. It’s not always easy or glamorous, but when you see smiles like these from local kids…it’s all worth it.

San Jose Make a Splash Tour Stop, by USA Swimming Foundation and Phillips 66

Instead of flying back to Denver today I opted for a flight to Los Angeles to visit family and celebrate our niece Olivia’s first birthday on Sunday! I am looking forward to fresh seafood at dinner and a homemade brunch in the morning before it’s time to board yet another plane.

Next week I am home for the entire week! A small miracle. I am beyond excited to get back into my fitness, eating and relaxation routine. I miss my Colorado friends and family!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend…

Jackson Hole Quick Pics

I can’t wait to download and share the pictures we took in Teton National Park with our good camera. But for now, some Instagram pictures will have to do. We had an incredible weekend celebrating Abby & Walt and I cherished the time with my dear friends Jenn and Maria. We’re not sure when we’ll get to see one another again…likely not until  sometime in 2013. Also, cut me some slack on blogging this week. I am home for only two more days until I leave on a work trip to San Jose through the weekend. I told you September is insane for us!

On the Road Again…

                                                                  Source: images.google.com via Cindy on Pinterest

 

Literally. Late-this afternoon we’ll be en route to Jackson Hole, Wyo., for a long weekend to celebrate the wedding of our friends Abby and Walt. It will also be a chance for me to spend lots of time with my two best friends Jenn and Maria, who are flying to Jackson from San Francisco and NYC.

This will be our first time to Jackson and we can’t wait. I’m hoping to fit in some hiking, maybe a river rafting adventure and plenty of relaxing. Daytime cocktails…yep, I’d like to have a few of those too.

I am also really looking forward to the drive time. Mike and I have both been so busy so it will be nice to have hours (and hours) to chat and catch up.

Wyoming or bust! I hope you all have an incredible Labor Day weekend, wherever it may take you.

 

Is Napa Heaven?

I think it might be, heaven that is. Rolling hills, vineyards for as far as the eye can see, unbelievable wine, and mouthwatering food. Napa is an adult Disneyland.

For my dear friend Katie’s bachelorette party I was also fortunate to “do Napa” in a way most will never experience. A limo whisked us from her parent’s home in Livermore to three wineries, all of which hosted us for very private tastings thanks to Katie and her father being in the industry.

For example, at Domaine Chandon we sat in a private area of the stunning outdoor patio where we sampled 12+ champagnes and wines. Each pour was better than the next and the truffle popcorn…well, I would have packed a separate carry-on with bags of it if that was an option. From Chandon we all left with a bottle of Pinot Meunier, a light red that pairs well with vegetables, hard cheeses and olives. The Blanc de Noirs was my favorite champagne so I’m glad to know what to buy the next time I need a good bottle from the liquor store.

Next we headed to Trinchero Family Vineyards for an exclusive lunch on a patio that is not open to the public. The food was spectacular and the views divine. I could have stayed there for the rest of the day. It was a truly unique and special experience. I also regret not purchasing their Sauvignon Blanc. It was light, crisp and extremely refreshing. I’ll have to go back!

We ended our Napa adventures at Louis Martini. The basement cellar evoked a feeling of The Godfather and the Petite Syrah was one of my favorite pours from the entire day. I will try to wait for our first fall night to open this bottle, as the blueberry and chocolate notes (yes, I learned a few things!) will taste delicious on a cooler night.

On the limo home from Napa we listened to Call Me Maybe about five times and enjoyed a Rose from Louis Martini. We had to keep the party going through dinner.

Yes, dinner. Somehow we found room to eat again and our experience at Underdog Wine Bar in Livermore was perfect. We spread out across two huge outdoor couches on the patio and took in the fabulous views of the valley mountains and vineyards. The weather was cooling off so I took advantage of the flight options to try a few more Petite Syrah pours. The Concannon Vineyard, Nina’s Cuvee varietal was wonderful. I was getting nervous about how to get multiple bottles home so I did not purchase it but I’ll be stalking it in wine stores until I find a bottle in Colorado. It’s rich and smooth — very memorable.


On Sunday, before our flights, we enjoyed brunch at Wente Vineyards where Katie will be married. The fact that I get to go back to wine country in just a few weeks blows my mind. Maybe we’ll have time for a meal at Underdog so I can buy the Concannon Petite Syrah…

I’m now forever spoiled on how to “do Napa.” But that’s okay, I like to aim high. And more importantly I had two days to reconnect with best friends who have been there for me since high school. Our friendships have seen and weathered so much. I am eternally grateful to have these girls in my life.

Have you been to Napa and if yes, what wineries do you love?

Where in the World is Lex?

This weekend kicks off back-to-back weekend travels through October with one break in mid-September. So, where in the world am I this weekend?

Just a little place called Napa…celebrating the last single days of the amazing Katie (Kater) Ratto.Will I come back a wine club member? Will I justify shipping a case of wine home by the third winery? Will I refuse to leave the magical vineyards on Sunday? All will be answered next week.

Cheers!

Source: herblog.com via Denyse on Pinterest

First 30 Days of 30: Day Twenty One

Today’s theme plays into the major travel bug that bit me this year. Below is a map that represents the States I Have Visited.

Growing up my family always found a way to take a trip, big or small. I appreciate that commitment more than ever now, as I have a clear understanding of the cost of travel (by air or road) and how precious vacation time is at work.

I have also gotten to travel quite a bit for work over the years which has been a lot of fun. My favorite business trip (aside all trips to NYC) was to Boston. I had never been and even though it was a whirlwind trip in and out, my boss found two hours for us to go on a Duck Tour. I remember it being a great break from an exhausting day and a wonderful way to see the city’s landmarks in one go around. I went back to Boston several times after that but have barely scratched the surface on what Massachusetts has to offer. The Cape is calling my name!

Ideally I’d love to get to all 50 states in my lifetime, but my top priorities currently are:

  • Louisiana…for jazz in New Orleans
  • New Hampshire…I hear Portsmouth is incredible
  • South Carolina…Charleston looks like a little slice of heaven
  • Oregon…to take in true Pacific Northwest coasts
  • Maine…to eat copious amounts of lobster

Louisiana is truly #1 because my cousin and his wife live there currently and I know they’d show us an incredible time. We had big plans to visit them this year but vacation time and budget did not allow for that trip. Hopefully 2013 has a Big Easy visit in the cards!

Instagram Weekend Recap

This past weekend we were in Montecito, Calif., which is essentially Santa Barbara, for the wedding of one of my oldest friends.We stayed at the Montecito Inn and enjoyed many cocktails at the Four Seasons Biltmore. The Biltmore is one of my favorite places and one day, I hope we can treat ourselves to a night or two…one of the cottages would be spectacular.

Mike and I had a wonderful time and took advantage of our time to just relax and unplug a bit. No surprise that I failed to charge our good camera so the weekend’s simple moments were captured via Instagram. If you ever find yourself in the area, brunch at Jeannines is a must. Just scroll down to catch a glimpse of the lobster omelette we devoured below.

Champagne on Friday Night

 

Lobster omelette for Saturday Brunch

 

A stroll on Butterfly Beach

 

Party bus shuttles to the wedding

 

Mike + me

 

A magical outdoor setting at Butterfly Estate

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