Three Reasons Why I'm Making Time a Friendship Bracelet

I'm a big fan of making sweeping declarations and setting crazy goals. I'm obsessed with bucket lists and my always changing: 'Things to Accomplish' list. For one month of the year a good portion of the population agrees with me and makes me feel a little less insane. Come February, though, everyone has gone back to normal life, resolutions forgotten, and I'm over here frantically adding more things to my list before I run out of time.

Time. It's always been something that the less I have left, the more I want. More time for reading. More time for traveling. And especially, more time with my friends and family.

After losing my Mom in 2011 time did a really funny thing. It started moving twice as fast. I wasn't 25 anymore. I was 50. I suddenly realized that there was so much to do, so many places I hadn't visited, books I hadn't read, movies that have gone unwatched, and things I hadn't told my loved ones yet. I started to see time as my enemy rather than my friend. I constantly thought, "Do I have too much on my plate or am I just not eating fast enough?"

This year I've decided to wave the white flag. Not to surrender, but to call off the war that I've created in my head and start a new friendship with time. (I would have chosen a different color flag, but I don't know what color a friendship flag is. Or would be? Is their a friendship flag? What is the color of friendship? Does that make anyone else think of that Color of Friendship Disney TV movie about the white girl from South Africa who goes to live with a black American family? God I loved Disney TV.).

To kick off this new friendship I've put together three ways I'd like to partner with time in 2016:

1. For my mind: read more classics
2. For my health: run a race a month 
3. For my soul: explore Chicago

For my mind: read more classics

Last year Bryan got me the most wonderful collection of classics for my birthday, but I haven't read one of them yet.  I spent a lot of 2015 acquiring lots of books to fill my shelves and this year I'd like to spend more time reading and less time buying. I know Bryan will be pleased to know he won't have to carry 15 pounds of books every time we go to a bookstore. In the perfect world, I would read all 26 books, but my new friend time is advising me to not set a reading pace. Thousands of pages shouldn't be crammed into a year, but enjoyed each day.

For my health: run a race a month

Unfortunately, time has not been as nice about running like it was with reading. Running in the cold and the heat is not my favorite thing to do, but making health a priority seems to be one way to help extend time so I think it's a fair trade off. I ran 12 races in 2014 and I felt so good after completing the year. It was hard, but I loved the feeling of accomplishment and hearing that I was inspiring others to start running too.

For my soul: explore Chicago

Like having all these amazing classics at my fingertips and not reading them, I have a wonderful city less than 10 miles away that I haven't fully explored yet. Traveling to different places, trying local food, and seeing how other people live is something I would do full time if I could. While I still want to see everything I can, I also want to take advantage of what's a quick train ride away. Bryan also got me this awesome pack of 50 different Chicago city walks last year that I want to use in 2016. I'm excited to start exploring all the cool things this city has to offer.

So that's how I'm going to be spending my time this year. Hopefully my friends and family will join me along the way - either reading the same books I'm reading, running with me (or cheering for me on the sidelines - because let's be honest, I'll need all the support I can get), or coming along to have a Chicago adventure! 

Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair | Things To Do in San Francisco: Part Two

Not that I needed another reason to want to move to California, but summer in Illinois has ended and once again forgotten to take the humidity with it. I'm sitting here sweating in September dreaming back to a few weeks ago when I was in San Francisco. This was my second time and Bryan's third time to San Francisco this year. While our first trip focused more on more touristy stuff, our latest adventure was about two things: food and babies. Well, baby. My best friend from my Barnes and Noble/College days had a beautiful baby boy and we had to meet him in person.

Oh, one thing that's probably important to note here. A couple weeks before our trip out to San Francisco I made the decision to no longer be a vegetarian. I was a vegetarian for nine years. Which basically adds up to a million conversations where anyone and everyone asks, "Why did you become a vegetarian?" "Do you miss eating meat?" "Where do you get your protein?" "Bacon?" Never has a people cared so much about protein intake than when a vegetarian is in the room. Looking back I wish I would have asked, "But where do you get your fruit and vegetables? Are you sure you're getting enough?" I know, I know, I know, but Allison, seriously, why are you not a vegetarian anymore? *Slams head into wall* Here it is, world - I just didn't feel like it anymore. Okay, let's move on because oooo look a baby!

1. Eat some liquid nitrogen ice cream
I'm pretty sure that 84 percent of my travel tips involve eating. Of those tips, 73 percent involve dessert. And of those dessert-related tips, 92 percent involve ice cream. I could be wrong with those percentages. The amount of sugar I've consumed this year has been slowly killing my brain cells. That's what brain freeze is, right? I tried one of Smitten Ice Cream's seasonal flavors (sweet corn with berries) and it was delicious!

2. Take a stroll down Clarion Alley
The graffiti is as colorful as the characters you'll find sitting along the alley. Yes, some of these characters may be sleeping in the alley or peeing in the alley, but there's a lot of art to distract you.

Our personal mantra

I don't know what's more distracting - the fact that my hair is turning into Storm's from X-Men or Bryan's beard.  

Second take. Nailed it.

3. Try a frozen hot chocolate and a brownie flight with judgment on the side.
Dandelion Chocolate was one of my favorite places from this last trip. The space was beautiful and the chocolate was amazing. On an unrelated note, I recently went to the dentist and have three cavities.

Outside they had the coolest grates around the trees. 

4. Have some A LOT prime rib
One of the best things about not being a vegetarian is coming to a place like the House of Prime Rib. The room we sat in was dimly lit with a large cart full of prime rib moving from table to table. It was so dimly lit that the table behind us had dropped something underneath their table and tried multiple times to find it throughout their meal with no luck. My guess was a child was left behind.

I maybe ate 1/4 of that

5. Spend the day in Napa
On Saturday our group rented a car and drove the hour and a half to Napa. It was probably around 20 degrees warmer in Napa since it's more inland, which can be easy to forget. I'm not sure how people do Napa ALL day after three wineries I was exhausted and extremely jealous that Jack got to sleep and be pushed around in a stroller all day. We started the day at Domaine Carneros Winey, then went to Silver Oak Cellars, had lunch at Gott's Roadside, and finished our visit at Orin Swift Wine Cellars.

Things to Do In Asheville

Since the beginning of the year I have traveled to seven states in five months. Three of the seven are states I've never been to before - New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Carolina. My goal is to visit all 50 states before I'm 50. I've defined visiting as at least spending one night, not just driving through or having a connecting flight. So far Bryan and I have been to 20 states together and I've been to an additional 11. 

Earlier this month we crossed North Carolina off the list with a visit to Asheville, NC. I've heard so many wonderful things about this area so when I found out that I had to travel to Charlotte for work, a mini-trip to Asheville was a must. And double bonus - my 29th birthday and Independent Bookstore Day both fell right in the middle of it all! Special thanks to my friend Beth (here's what a real blog looks like) who armed me with a TON of suggestions of places to go! 

1. Take advantage of Airbnb or any of the inns/B&B's in the Montford Historical District

After making the beautiful two hour drive from Charlotte to Asheville we arrived at the Airbnb we rented which was located in the Montford Historical District. It reminded me of a house that would have been in Stars Hollow. It was a little bit of a hike to downtown Asheville, but completely beautiful.

At night the porch had a pretty string of lights that outlined everything.

2. Enjoy the tapas at Cúrate

Our first of many meals was at Cúrate downtown. We tried a variety of different things, but the most interesting thing we had was dessert. Fried eggplant drizzled in wild mountain honey with rosemary ice cream. Differently delicious. I don't think I have any pictures of the food because it was too dark. And also because I eat faster than I take pictures.

I think this was at 9:30pm - the place was packed!

3. Biscuits for President!

If April was the month of the burrito, May is definitely the month of the biscuit. I had quite a few of these delicious baked goods while in North Carolina. If biscuits were running in 2016 I would totally vote for them. Unless they were running against burritos, but really if that was the case what does it even matter? The world would be a more delicious place. It would literally be the only win-win in political history. I mean, I'm guessing...I slept through a lot of history class.

West End Bakery & Cafe - Veggie sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there are free biscuits at the Tupelo Honey Cafe.

4. Indulge your sweet tooth.

If it's not obvious, I gained 700 pounds on this trip. To be fair, we did a ton of walking. To be honest, it was mainly walking to get more dessert.

Double D's Coffee & Desserts - a double decker bus that serves coffee and desserts (in case you couldn't figure that out)

I'm pretty sure everyone who works in Asheville is in their early 20's. Or homeless. Or both.

Not embarrassed to admit that this is the only reason we took out cash for this trip.

I only made three references to the Knight Bus from Harry Potter, I swear.

It was a million degrees on the bus, so we enjoyed our coffee drinks in the little garden next to the bus.

Time it took to finish the drink: 10 minutes. Time it took me to stop talking with a lisp because my tongue was frozen: about an hour.

In my head I know this place is called French Broad Chocolate Lounge, but I keep referring to this place as French Bread Chocolate.

See what I mean? Everyone is so young here. I've become very observant in my old age.

Bryan was amazed at the salted caramel liquid truffle.

5. Sit at the bar at Wicked Weed Brewery

I swear this is the last food related item on the list. Wicked Weed was the number one place people recommended to us when we said we were visiting Asheville. Bryan enjoyed his beer and I enjoyed the atmosphere and their wasabi and ginger popcorn.

6. Marry someone strong so they can carry all your books. Not that you're not strong enough to hold your own books, but then you'll have two arms to pick out more books instead of one. 

Let me just start off number six by saying that Bryan had already gotten me an amazing birthday present before we left for Asheville. He knew I was obsessed with the Penguin Drop Caps Series and decided to, you know, buy them all for me No big deal.

Best. Husband. Ever.

So you would think after all 26 books I wouldn't need to buy more books, but that's where you're very wrong. I'm sure Bryan thought that this amazing gesture would mean that he wouldn't have to lug my books around Asheville because I wouldn't be getting any books in Asheville.

Disillusioned.

Battery Park Book Exchange at Grove Park Arcade - how could you not go into a bookstore with a giant moose head?

It was a maze of books!

Malaprop's Bookstore 

Such a fun way to spend Independent Book Store Day. And I got a free tote bag!

7. Don't puke in the rental car.

There's a definitely a theme with the trips we've taken in 2015. Eat a lot, drink a lot, buy a lot of books (that Bryan will carry), and then go on a long drive and see some nature. The only difference with this trip is the road we took, Blue Ridge Parkway, is extremely windy and I get motion sick very easily. However, I will say the views at each overlook are beautiful.