Please help me out!

I entered a travel writing competition, and have made it to the semi-finals. To move on the the next round, my entry needs to be one of the top ten, according to number of votes received. To vote, create an account (quick and easy if you just sync with Facebook) and then click "add to wishlist". You can only vote once and need to do it by September 13th.

My entry can be found here.

The prize is $10,000 and a two-week writer-in-residence contract in NYC.

Thanks for voting!

Fly-by Summer

When did it become August? Actually, when, and how did it become August 13th already? Isn't it still May, or at the very least, June? No, it's really August. Summer is nearly over (now that in Chicago, it's only just begun as we've finally seems temps climb above 80). So what have we been doing this summer? Well, a whole lot actually.

There have been parties with friends, weddings, great meals, visits from family, and this weekend - Dan's 31st birthday.

In early July, Dan's step-sister Carmie got married. It was the culmination of a year of planning by her mom, Sue, and everything came off perfectly. Carmie looked absolutely stunning, the venue was lovely, the food was good, the dance party was hopping, and a great time was had by all. Dan's dad, who fronts the 60's cover band Van Hammel, even performed a few songs!

Last weekend, Carmie was in town for work and we were able to hang out and hear a little about her amazing honeymoon to Cabo. The week before that, Dan's cousin, Elizabeth, came in with her boyfriend and we all went out to dinner and for drinks, and of course, talked travel (they recently returned from Belize).

We found a new apartment that we'll move into at the end of the month. Just as nice as our current apartment, it's a bit smaller (one bedroom with a smaller kitchen and one great room as opposed to our current one which has two bedrooms, a huge kitchen and dining room, a living room and den) and nearly half the price.

And me, well I've been busy. Busy working, busy writing, busy making plans. We've got several trips coming in the next few months: a press trip for me to Lake Geneva next weekend, Costa Rica over Labor Day, Denver in September, Kentucky and Washington DC in October, and if I have any say in it, we'll squeeze in one or two more overnights before heading off to South Africa for Christmas.

As busy as the summer was, it looks the fall may be even more so.

A Day at the Races

With 3 blissfully work-free days looming ahead of us and no 4th of July travel plans (sad), Dan and I decided it was time to head out of Chicago to the Arlington Park Race Track. While we could have enjoyed a leisurely two hour ride on the Metra, instead we invited along one of our more mobile friends who offered to drive.

The first race was at 4pm, but we arrived around 3, assuming that would be enough time to get oriented, get a drink, place our bets, check out the horses in the paddock area and find a seat.

As it turned out, we barely made it to the rail in time to watch the horses leap from the starting gate. Despite the fact that we weren't about to strike it rich off our wagers (we'd bet $2 each), the race was still really exciting. We watched in awe as the horses pounded down the stretch, their taut muscles rippling under shiny coats. I, of course, had placed my bet on the longshot, who came in second to last. Dan's horse, the favorite, was the lucky winner.


Over the course of about 4 hours we watched several more races, spent several more dollars, and enjoyed several more drinks. Of course the one time I decided to sit out a bet, the horse I planned to bet on won (I would have won $22). Our biggest win was $18, but it was more about the excitement of the race than any anticipation of winning big that made the day so fun.

While there we did learn a few things though, so if you are planning a trip to Arlington, here are some things to consider.
- Arrive a few hours early, especially if you want to score a good seat or a table.
- Bring a cooler with some snacks and drinks. Everything there was overpriced and mediocre.
- Bring a blanket or some patio chairs.
- Place all your bets at once. You won't have to fight the crowds to bet after each race and can instead check out the horses up close in the paddock area. This will also stop any "let it ride" impulses you may have it you get on a winning streak.
- Buy your tickets online and save a few dollars each.

Working for the Weekend

I've been neglecting the blog, I know. But it's only because I've been so busy with paid writing gigs, so it's actually a very good thing. I've been blogging like crazy for Cheap Europe, continuing to submit a few articles per week to Europe up Close, writing several times a month for BootsnAll, and trying to find time to pitch to new outlets as well. I recently wrote a piece for Galavanting and have had two pieces published on Matador Nights and two on Matador Trips. On top of that, I've been working my day job and trying to increase my workouts and shed the last 10 pounds of my Chicago "winter weight".

We've also taken a bit of a travel hiatus in the last few weeks, an unfortunate trend that will continue over the next few months (with the exception of a quick jaunt to Detroit next week for a wedding). We're moving into a new apartment in a month or so and saving up up the big South African adventure in December so funds are limited.

So our weekdays are pretty boring, but we're trying to spice up our weekends with a little (cheap) local flavor. We've been shopping for fresh produce, artisanal bread, and locally produced cheese at the Green City Market. We showed our support at the annual Gay Pride Parade last weekend. We're planning a trip to Arlington Park Race Track and hope to hit up the party-atmosphere of North Avenue Beach soon. Luckily, Chicago is packed with fun and exciting things to do on a tight budget so, as long as we can find the time, we'll have plenty of opportunities to play tourist in our own town.

Family Fun in Florida

Dan and I spent last weekend in sunny Florida with my sister, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, mom and step-father.

We stayed at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, where my sister was hosting a fundraising weekend for her work. As I was battling a nasty toothache and popping vicodin, it wasn't the best weekend for a visit, but we still had a great time.

We rode bikes, cruised around the club in our golf cart, hung out by the pool, drank delicious pina coladas, and got in lots of face time with the family.

Each night we attended the event's dinner dance, enjoying great food and fruity drinks, competing in trivia and raffles, and dancing with the kids.

The event ended Sunday morning. My mom and Lou headed back to their home in Tampa while Jenn, Dave, Dan, the kids, and I drove back to Jenn's house near Fort Lauderdale. We relaxed on the couch and hit the hay early, as we had to be up at 4am for our return flight. It was a very short trip, but it was wonderful to spend some time with the family and relax.

Photo Friday: Red Rocks

In an effort to burn off a few of the beer calories we consumed in Denver, Chrissy and I decided to hike through Red Rocks Park. The park is home to an amphitheatre where bands perform, but it's also used by locals as a place to hike, bike and jog.
According to the website, the full hike through the park takes about two hours. We lost the path and ended up on the road a few times, so we only did a small portion over about 45 minutes. It had rained a lot that weekend and parts of the path were muddy - my suede flats weren't the best footwear choice, but we still enjoyed the scenery.

We wandered the paths, made sure to stay off the rocks (!),marveled at the unique rock formations - including this one that looked like a turtle face to me - and just enjoyed the monumental beauty of the park.

This is the First - er, 730th - Day of My Life*

Two years ago today, Dan and I got married. We're officially past the point where people tell us "the first two years are the hardest", to which we'd reply, "really, then the years after must be REALLY easy, because this wasn't 'hard' at all!"

I still remember the day I met Dan. He came strolling into the office of the radio station I was interning at and I just instantly thought "wow, this guy is cool". He made me laugh and I wanted nothing more than for him to find me funny too. We hit it off and got to know each other over countless hours spent idling at promotional events. We each bought our fist cell phone at an event and began a flirty text relationship (thank you Verizon Wireless!) which we credit with bringing us together. We eventually started hanging out as friends outside of work, until this fateful night in September (2002)-

when Dan ambushed me as I was coming out of the bathroom, pushed me up against a wall, and slurred "hey, I like you" before planting a slightly sloppy kiss on my lips. With smooth moves like that, how could I resist? I was smitten too.

Christmas Eve - he'd told me he loved me. I told him he could take it back in the morning if he wanted to. He didn't.

By May we'd moved in together in Detroit and the following December (2004) we decided to move to Seattle. That was a year of emotional ups and downs where we discovered how to build a life together on our own. We broke up, quickly got back together, and Dan began to talk about marriage. But I wasn't ready.

Then one day, after an afternoon spent lying in bed with a cold, thumbing through bridal magazines I'd covertly purchased over the past month, I realized I was ready. By the time Dan came home from work, I had a plan. He walked in to find me surrounded by magazines, in my pajamas, with greasy hair and clammy skin. "You can ask me now", I said.

A few months went by. I waited, and waited, and waited. One day, I decided to get snoopy. I checked his drawers and his backpack, searched the closets and the cupboards, and came up empty-handed. Maybe he wasn't going to ask.

That night, we went out for happy-hour margaritas and I confessed my snoopage. Dan was outraged when I told him I'd looked in his bag and continued to harp on me for it as we walked home and entered the apartment. "I can't believe you did that", he said, picking up the bag. "You actually looked for a ring in my bag" (as he pulls out a small velvet box) "and DIDN'T find it!" I cried, Dan got down on one knee, and then rest is a happy blur.

A little over a year later we were married in Detroit, surrounded by friends and family. Despite plenty of little hiccups, it was a wonderful day. And while it was romantic and beautiful, I think we managed to keep it completely "us".


In the last two years - in which we've made new friends, faced new challenges, welcomed a new nephew/godson, and seen six new counties on two continents (over 10 total tips) - we managed to stay true to our vows of loving and caring for one another and making each other laugh, every single day.

In the mythology of us, somewhere along the way we decided we would be together for 70 years - no more, no less. (Since we were 27 and 28 when we were married, we're clearly assuming we'll be living a looong time.)

Two years in, I can't wait to see what the next 68 will bring.

* - "This is the First Day of My Life" was our first dance song. Though technically, since we've been together two years now, I suppose the number is a little higher than one.