Mel

{travel much?} a long… LONG weekend in Washington, D.C.

If sleeping for 10 hours on the last night of vacation is any clue, this vacation was SO EXHAUSTING. But exhausting = fun, right? If you can believe it, this was my FIRST trip to Washington, D.C. Naturally, there was a lot to see and do. In only four days. Our vacation was planned around a two-night reunion concert (Friday and Saturday) at The Birchmere (friends of the boyfriend), which didn’t...

Mel

{vacation} Charleston, South Carolina for relaxation… and TURKEY.

If there is something I have learned in the last few years about vacationing, it’s that a) I very rarely wear heels (save for travels with a specific event planned in advance, like a wedding), and with that I can never pack enough flats; b) I will not workout/exercise; and c) I will always overpack… for ALL THE WRONG TEMPERATURES. Meanwhile, I planned for a week of 60s and got a beautiful,...

Mel

Road Trip! Pittsburgh –> Terre Haute, Indiana

My senses and skin tell me that I'm now in the midst of allergy season. Case in point: another phantom rash and much of that stuffed head/sneezy/itchy eye syndrome. Me thinks I touched one too many gross, dirty things this weekend. Some of which are listed below.

Mel

We’re on a break.

On a weekender to Chicago for our (yes, me & AB) annual Whiskey Fest trip. And definitely some pizza. Maybe some shoes. Cheers!

Mel

{pursuit} of relaxation

And FOUND. We truly lucked out with wonderful vacation weather on this trip to Sarasota (we need not remind our fellow travelers of our Rock Boat* experience and Tampa trip from 2010 – omg, those waves still give me nightmares). Six beautiful days of upper-70s temps. And a diet that can only be described in terms of beer and cheese. Seriously, I think my scale just gasped at me. The softest sand of...

Mel

On Vacation!

I’m in Florida. I would rub it in, but as you know Pittsburgh is already experiencing the first bite of Spring. Cleveland: any snow in the forecast? *wink* You may or may not see these shoes (or the person wearing them) in this Sunday’s paper. Just saying. I am in love with these heels (but not so much with the ripped hems on my jeans) and will wear these every bit as dressed up as I will...

Mel

I came, I saw, I got my picture taken with the Stanley Cup.

Have you been following my Toronto adventures? #1: Road Trip! #2: Toronto, the Roller Derby Experience #3: That time I met Ryan Reynolds in Toronto And the best way I know to wrap this up… in list form. The good: The Hockey Hall of Fame was by far my favorite adventure (besides eating my face off… figuratively, OF COURSE). Also, St. Lawrence Market is a cheese lover’s (read: ME) paradise,...

Mel

Road Trip! Toronto vacation, Part One

There are snow birds. And there are people like me: who travel NORTH in December for vacation. Also? Driving through Buffalo during winter? Pain in my ass. For serious, it snows here every. single. day. That there were no trucks on the highways before the white stuff accumulated is ridiculous. It’s OK, I got Florida on my side this February. While more “working remotely” than another...

Mel

Packing Up. Leaving Town. Again.

I mean, part of that header is inherently incorrect, as I probably should have UNpacked from my Thanksgiving trip first. Perhaps I would have felt more like I was home for more than two days. Packing for this trip? I have total apathy. Not to mention, I’m sick today. So, the process has essentially entailed grabbing all of my favorite things off their hangers and folding or rolling them into my...

Mel

I’m going back to Cleveland, Cleveland, Cleveland.

(forever?) Huh. I don’t think so. No, not FOREVER, silly — to visit. Which still sounds weird, all things considered. I wonder if they’ve rented our old apartment. *thought process montage* /scene. Our October trip meshes well with Cleveland Beer Week (oh, the irony!)… or at least it’s uber-fantastic and drunken closing event, BREWzilla. And many thanks to Cleveland Foodie,...

Mel

City Exploration: Boston!

Yes, I crossed off a Kick the Bucket list item with this vacation. Proudly… after 15 years. And no, we did NOT do the Duck Tour. I can do that shit in Pittsburgh. I really want to upload pictures, but you know, the whole sideways iPhone glitch annoys me to no end. I’ll won’t let that pesky problem delay the publishing of this post any longer. The first two nights, we stayed at the...

Mel

Vacation Notice

For my clients (and people stalking me): I will be on vacation from Thursday, July 22 through Monday, July 26. During this time I will have access to emails via iPhone for any important matters, but will not be “on the clock” for projects during this time. Please understand that I will not have access to my server or its documents and relative work files while I am away. Any projects currently...

Mel

What I wear to look hot. AKA: when it’s 90 degrees

Check out this uber-cute black dress from China. I apparently only have luck finding the missing pieces of my wardrobe from online shops abroad. I mean, seriously, do you know how hard it was to find an ALL BLACK and ALL COTTON tank dress that didn’t cost three months of unemployment? Plus, I am a SUCKER for dresses with pockets. This is total love on a hanger right here. Paired with a long, cotton...

Mel

Austin and Promises

Keeping with my City Breaks USA campaign for this year, I will be crossing another domestic city off my vacation list in November: Austin. (YAY!) While it’s no SXSW (one year soon though, I PROMISE you, self!), we have friends to visit with a place to stay downtown, so budgeting and planning for this was way easy. Flights don’t look to be too bad either. Also, hello: work from anywhere!...

Mel

We’re going to Boston! (but not until July)

A foreign city on the east coast of the United States is on my Bucket List. Why? Because I’ve only been obsessing about a Boston city break since my sophomore year in high school, and I have yet to visit. Like every aspiring journalist that I knew in the 90s, I had high hopes of attending Emerson College (a full scholarship would have been nice too). I, instead, started at Lakeland which nearly...

Mel

I bet my weekend was more awesome!

What did you do this weekend? I bet you didn’t break any Guiness World Records with 1,800 people in Pittsburgh! Paddle at the Point {Gigapan pic} Another Gigapan pic. I actually found myself in this one. Off on the right side, just above a small open spot of water. As of event date, 1,800 kayaks and canoes were confirmed at registration. We needed 1,100 (I think) to break the world record for the...

Mel

Help me, help me!

Ladies (or Gentleman… it’s OK, you can admit to the following): You know the old quip that men can never ask for directions, hence the reason for the woman being lost in the first place and ensuing frustrations and arguments commence? Yeah, that. Yesterday, I was fucking worthless. I got lost in downtown Pittsburgh. I can find my way out of deserted gas station fill-up exits in the panhandle...

Mel

On the road again. Without a coat or galoshes.

I’m working remotely this week, again from (the uber-rainy and gloomy) Pittsburgh. Have I mentioned the awesomeness of being able to work from wherever I please? I won’t get in a lot of city exploration this week with the anticipated weather forecast and my current workload. But I’ll be able to try a couple new restaurants and AB will be taking Wednesday off with me to hang. That said,...

Mel

Vacation Dreaming Post #4,642

Does anyone sign up for those airline special newsletters each week? I keep finding flights to Montreal on my list. Have I asked already if anyone has been? Man, sometimes I get into these travel posts, and wonder if I’m being wholly redundant. Perhaps I should search myself before blogging. Anyways, we’re attempting to figure our plans for the remainder of this year, then next year’s...

Mel

City Exploration: The Chicago Experience

This is a recap of our Chicago long weekend a couple weeks ago. Every time I visit Chicago, I have a list of places where I want to eat, and most of them, I never get to. I have had Hot Doug’s on my WANT list for far too long. Added as well was Kuma’s Corner (a burger place). With plans already set for Whiskey Fest on Friday night and dinner plans for Saturday night with friends, there was not...