GET OUT

2020 YEAR IN REVIEW!

2020cover.jpg

January 2020

LOCATIONS

  • Dallas, Texas

  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  • St. Louis, Missouri

  • New York, NY

HIGHLIGHTS

Milwaukee Food Guide

HIGHLIGHTS

  • I got to visit my best friend and her husband in Milwaukee - we hadn’t seen each other in something crazy like 4 years and we had such an amazing time just catching up. I got to see my cousin too!

  • In St. Louis, I finally got to give ax-throwing a whirl - and found these.

  • Also in St. Louis, I got to go to an Alanis Morissette concert! And it was basically a Jagged Little Pill album sing-a-long. Definitely a highlight!

WHAT I ATE

  • Milwaukee had SUCH GREAT FOOD, cocktails and beer. Big fan! Recommendations include: Odd Duck, Lakefront Brewery, Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern, Cafe Centraal and Milwaukee Public Market).

WORKOUT NOTES

  • 39 miles! Including runs to and from the Dallas F45 studio, a tour around Wisconsin, a snowy run in Central Park and a headlamp run in Central Park!

  • A very thoughtful Christmas present from my supervisor meant that I could go to F45 throughout my time in Dallas, Texas for work!

February 2020

LOCATIONS

  • New York, NY

  • And a quick weekend trip to Connecticut

HIGHLIGHTS

The highlights of February 2020, before COVID-19 sent the year in a very different direction, are all documented in this post!

I wouldn’t have changed one single thing about how I unknowingly spent my last month before life changed for everyone.

WORKOUT NOTES

  • 52 miles including trail runs and a long run with Callie, Abby and Annelise before watching the Olympic Trials!

20203.jpg

March 2020

LOCATIONS

  • Long Island

HIGHLIGHTS

  • March offered a few early weeks of normalcy including one more Islanders hockey game, a Dermot Kennedy concert and a solo trip to the new (and beautiful) Fotografiska.

  • But looking back, the true highlights of those last two weeks were the more normal, every day things - like a brunch at one of our favorite spots, Divya’s Kitchen. It would be the last time we ordered a bunch of dishes and all ate from the same plates for a loooong time. A final fiesta at Maya for Mexican and margaritas and a farewell walk through Central Parks’ cherry blossoms.

  • Then I made the journey to Long Island, where I would remain until July. Living with my parents and feeling the constant fear that COVID brought into everyone’s life, but especially my mom’s, working on the front lines. At night she came in the house through the back door, went straight downstairs to wash her clothes and then straight into the shower.

  • Being on Long Island had it’s silver linings as well - I will never forget this time with my family. Walks to my grandparents house - where I would arrive to a glass of wine and piece of dark chocolate out on their deck. Workouts in my basement, on my deck, at the park. Really great cooking from my dad. So much mint chocolate chip ice cream. Beach walks. Having my best friend a few blocks away!

WHAT I ATE:

  • Corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day and the leftover corned beef hash casserole with eggs and Irish soda bread later in the week

  • Giant salads assembled by my mom with so many fixins! Feta, olives, walnuts, raisins, avocado, beets, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, etc.

  • Shrimp tacos

WORKOUT NOTES

  • Another silver lining of this time at home was that I quickly fell into a running grove - the best I’ve had in years.. I was able to consistently run 15 mile weeks, I felt fast and strong and was actually foam rolling regularly. But most importantly, I had the mental outlet that running provides in a time when I needed an outlet!

  • I found a park not too far from my house where I could even go trail running!

April 2020

LOCATIONS

  • Long Island

HIGHLIGHTS

  • By April, it was clear that this was life now - and I am nothing if not a creature of habit. I very quickly settled into new routines which included sudoku puzzles, salads, tanning, a LOT of working out and reading.

  • More visits to Nanny and Poppy’s deck, more delicious food, more alcohol than I would typically consume and lots of going through old photo albums from our basement!

  • Walks around our blooming neighborhood and putting my fear into action by fundraising for my mom’s department at the hospital.

  • Making the very misguided decision of resigning a 2-year lease on a Manhattan apartment.

  • While I was home my dad gave me folders full of family history that he’d had the foresight to get from my great great aunt before she passed away.  I’m so grateful that I finally had the time to sit down and dive into it – and that I still have my grandparents around to be able to ask them questions when they come up!

    It turns out my great great uncle has a fascinating story - he was a prisoner of war during WWII in the Philippines. I’ve always loved WWII history – it’s why I planned a trip around Eastern Europe and why I’ve read almost every book I can find on the topic. But the focus was always on the European theater, Germany and the concentration camps there. I had no idea the severity of the Japanese POW camps in the Philippines and it was both difficult and interesting to learn more. I would spend hours reading documents and first-hand accounts and one thing would lead to me researching something else and then before I knew it I was watching YouTube videos that were 10 minutes long looking at storefronts in Brooklyn from the 1940s. I loved it. And I need to dive back in.

    Eventually, I would love to write the story of my great great uncle and great great aunts’ lives – but in the meantime, I really want to put together a timeline to share with my family members!

  • Ordering harmonicas - my mom LOVED my dad and I’s attempts at learning to play…

WHAT i ATE

  • So many English Muffins

  • Dad made a family classic - brown rice and chicken casserole - as well as stuffed peppers and shrimp scampi with pasta and artichokes.

  • My aunt picked up and dropped off Se-Port sandwiches for us

  • We began our love affair with takeout from Orto (we all loved the Pork Milanese sandwich, but you really can’t go wrong!)

  • We Facetimed with Kayla and my dad taught us how to make crab cakes

  • Mom made her world famous banana pancakes

  • After most dinners, I implemented a strict “sobremesa” rule – which is the Spanish phrase for the time after dinner that you spend at the table talking even though everyone is done eating. It’s my favorite! And now it’s a staple in our house – no jumping up to clear the dishes and start cleaning right away.

    Obviously sobremesa is even better with a glass of red wine or a cocktail – which we had our fair share of! Mitch made his famous margaritas, he made gin and grapefruit concoctions, and even some St. Germain/Champagne drinks.

WORKOUT NOTES

  • 65 miles! I hit 4 weeks of 15+ mile weeks!

  • Running aside, I was also really into a few specific things this month: Bertha’s weekly yoga classes, AARMY EMOMs and 400 Abs, Jon Chaimberg and MadFit videos (you can read about my favorite quarantine fitness resources here!)

  • Giving myself a pat on the back because from April - July I foam rolled for 20 minutes almost every day.

May 2020

LOCATIONS

  • Long Island

HIGHLIGHTS

  • I turned 30 in May of 2020! A quarantine birthday that honestly felt really really special as I spent time on Zoom calls and phone calls with friends throughout the day, family came to visit me on the front lawn, and deliveries and presents showed up on my doorstep non-stop. I was provided with all of my favorite things- a turkey sandwich, doughnuts, tequila, IPAs and most heartwarmingly were my friends from across the country joining me for our attempt at a Zoom run!

  • I started drawing really bad cards and sending them all to my friends.

  • We cut my dad’s hair on the deck! It was hysterical.

  • We played the closed eye giraffe game which I highly recommend!

  • I got it in my head that we should have a fancy day with lobster rolls and champagne - so we did! (Lobster rolls courtesy of Spiros!) Fireworks courtesy of our neighbors…

  • I got to see my friend and go kayaking! We saved a baby sea turtle and then ate Tiger Lily on the yacht club deck.

  • We took a drive “out east” and got a bottle of wine from a vineyard, lunch at Love Lane Kitchen and found a spot by a pond and enjoyed a picnic.

WORKOUT NOTES

  • I completed 30 pull-ups on my 30th birthday!

  • I completed my first Murph workout!

  • A full month of 15+ mile weeks for a total mileage of around 75!

  • We even got my dad walking and once or twice a week we would do a 1.25 mile walk around the neighborhood

WHAT I ATE

  • Mom made french toast one morning

  • My aunt made me an entire loaf of banana bread and gave it to me while it was still hot!

  • Dad made burgers, Swedish meatballs, Oysters Rockefeller, curry chicken

  • I ate a lot of lunches that were just plates full of dips and dippers (guac and chips, peanut butter and apples, hummus and carrots)

  • Tiger Lily Cafe (the Lily Veggie Burger is my go-to!)

June 2020

locations

  • Long Island

HIGLIGHTS

  • A day spent with my aunt and cousin paddle boarding and kayaking and then a BBQ on their deck

  • Our first outdoor dining experience at the yacht club - to have fresh French friends served to us was EXHILIRATING.

  • We celebrated my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary on their deck - my aunt and I decorated and my other aunt picked up everyone’s food orders and we each sat at tables spread across the backyard. It was so nice to have everyone together even if we couldn’t hug!

  • A long kayaking trip with mom (we never did find Crystal Brook Hollow…)

  • A visit from Annelise and Brian! A family friend had been away throughout COVID and offered that if I had any friends from NYC that needed to escape, they could use their house. It was so so wonderful to have Annelise and Brian in town! We were able to get in a good beach day, go to the yacht club for their first rum bucket, and then they visited my house to deliver my parents and I our first ever Chili’s margarita! And me and Annelise got to go for a run together! My first run with another human being in so long.

  • Another Father’s Day with my dad since I wasn’t away for work :)

  • Completed a quarantine-must-do: a puzzle!

  • My mom and I finally caught a good sunset down at our beach

  • Lana returned to Long Island! We kayaked and hung out at her pool and got to talk about all the fucked up things going on in our world.

WHAT I ATE

  • More Tiger Lily veggie burgers

  • My dad made pinwheel sausage with grilled peppers and onions, the GRILLED VEGETABLE PLATTER (a summer staple), and lamb chops

WORKOUT NOTES

  • I felt like I was in the best shape of my life, ever in June of 2020. I felt strong, rested, pain free, fast…I was really make sure to get rest days, yoga, foam rolling and a mix of strength and cardio. I wasn’t doing too much crazy HIIT with lots of jumping and high impact and I was feeling GOOD and confident!

  • I got to open water swim at my beach with my wetsuit (which my roommate shipped to me from NYC!)

  • Actually running on Global Running Day!

  • Very into Shadowboxing classes and Mr. & Mrs. Muscle videos (slowly working my way through them and determined to one day finish them all!)

July 2020

locations

  • Long Island

  • New York City

  • Toronto

highlights

  • FOURTH OF JULY! My favorite holiday - though it felt a little less exciting this year due to a whole host of social justice issues. The real reason I love it is because its a holiday that means day drinking, the beach, and usually the end of a long season of work events. While we couldn’t top last year’s rental house with 20 of our closest friends, Annelise and Brian did come back to stay at our family friends’ house again and we got to have an A+ summer weekend! There was the Riverhead Cider House, Rubino’s pizza (never forget the white meatball pie), a LONG perfect beach day, boozy ice pops, BBQing in the backyard (shout out to Allison for mastering the charcoal grill) and so many neighborhood fireworks.

  • A day out on my family boat! I hadn’t been on it in years.

  • We reallllly got into Schitt’s Creek

  • The time finally came for me to leave my parents house on Long Island, go back to NYC for an absolutely insane week of work, and ultimately head to a once-in-a-lifetime work experience living and working in a bubble for 50 days.

  • Adjusting to life in the bubble was interesting - we wore masks 24/7 except when we were eating, but we were able to go to hotel restaurants and be served dinner indoors with friends and coworkers. I couldn’t leave the premises to go for a run, but there was a massive gym with anything I could ever need.

what i ate

  • More pinwheel sausage

  • My aunt made a ridiculously good peanut butter chocolate cake

  • On a really crazy work day, Allison delivered Ben & Jerry’s, Sour Patch Kids, Pop Corners and a FOUR LOKO to my stoop. I obviously made my parents try some of the 4 Loko and they were (understandably) appalled that I had ever drank one.

  • A farewell Long Island egg sandwich, obviously

  • In NYC for a few days, I had to have Sweetgreen and my favorite turkey sandwich from Champignon Cafe.

  • One day, my apartment buzzer was going off and I decided that for whatever reason I didn’t want to let the person in because my roommates and I weren’t expecting anyone. Eventually, I happened to look at my phone and Abby & Annelise had texted me “GEE LAUREN IS THERE SOMEONE AT YOUR DOOR?!” Turns out they have sent me two pints of Van Leeuwen ice cream before I left for the bubble :)

workout notes

  • Another run with Annelise, complete with photo op at the Rocketship park rocket and “The” Lane.

  • More swims in the sound that made me so happy! Who knew I would ever come to love open water swimming.

  • I said goodbye to my trail running spot and traded it in for a quarter mile stretch of street in Toronto that was part of the bubble that I would run up and down countless times over the next 50 days!

  • Before bubble land I had a quick stop over in NYC and was able to get out on my bike and to an outdoor F45 class which was really nice.

  • Surprise! The hotels in the bubble had pools where I could swim laps! I was THRILLED

August 2020

LOCATIONS

  • Toronto, Ontario

highlights

  • Being busy with work again and feeling like I had a purpose in my day

  • Knowing I didn’t have COVID because we were being tested every single morning

  • Having my friends around 24/7 after months of not being able to see anyone

  • Watching live sports again!

what i ate

  • What didn’t we eat? Jody hooked us up with the best food Toronto’s delivery services had to offer (Impact Kitchen, Imperfect Fresh Eats). We also loved the French fries at our hotel a LOT.

  • Bubble tea

  • Lots of champagne

workout notes

aug1.jpg
  • Having access to a giant fitness center with every piece of equipment I could ever want all to myself was exhilarating. I wrote a ton of workouts for my friend Brittany and I and was able to run outside (the runs were very repetitive laps but it was still better than a treadmill!). I was overwhelmed with options - I could swim and even play tennis, use a spin bike, etc. What shocked me most is I still chose to workout in my hotel room some mornings - quarantine really changed me!

September 2020

locations

  • Toronto, Ontario

  • New York City

  • Long Island

highlights

  • The Islanders won their series against Philadelphia and moved on to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1993! Getting home and being able to watch on the couch with my parents.

  • Broke out of the bubble by way of private jet which was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing

  • The aquarium! Rebecca and I had way too much fun at the aquarium talking to all of the sea life.

  • I felt like we could breathe in September - I went back and forth to NYC/Long Island on the railroad a few times when it was pretty empty and felt safe doing so. The weather was still great for all the outdoor activities. September was a nice month.

what i ate

  • I think we were all starting to hit Uber Eats fatigue and tired of having to make a decision for 3 meals a day. I started sticking to some favorites or eating at the hotel restaurant but mainly we just let Jody decide and then hopped on her order ;)

  • It was really exciting to get back to my apartment and just be able to make a turkey sandwich for dinner

  • My parents and sister and I went to a new Indian restaurant in our town that was PHENOMENAL we were all blown away

  • Ordered the world famous “My Cookie Dealer” cookies

workout notes

sept4.jpg
  • As part of my job in Toronto I got to organize a kayaking and paddle boarding trip and that was definitely a welcomed changed of pace considering the weather in Toronto was so beautiful while we were there

  • Reunited with Annelise in New York and we went for my first and only long ride of the year - biking to Piermont and back with a stop for delicious pastries and coffees - the best part was there was no tumbles or flats (I feel as if this is a rare occurrence).

  • Back to creative workouts using the benches at the beach and open water swims in the sound!

  • A hiking trip with Allison - complete with a visit to Peekskill Brewery

October 2020

locations

  • Catskills

  • Montauk

  • White Mountains

  • Long Island

  • Cape Cod

HIGHLIGHTS

  • This month was, other than February, probably the best! I’m not going to justify the things I did, people I saw, places I went - I felt comfortable, safe and responsible and that’s all that really matters!

  • First I went to the Catskills for Kayla’s Bachelorette weekend - it was so so amazing getting to see her after so long! We cooked (tacos, roasted chicken, cheese plates, pizza!) and drank (lots and lots of tequila) and made fires (and definitely didn’t break any chairs) at the house (where we definitely didn’t wear shoes indoors) and only left to enjoy the deck of a vineyard and to apple pick (or, have a photo shoot with some apples).

  • Next was Montauk where I got to be with my parents and sister all together for the first time in forrrrrever. We had lots of great meals, lots of outdoor drinks, and most importantly got to test my dad’s new portable heater out!

  • A trip to the White Mountains with Allison - where we hiked and explored for 5 amazing days! The foliage was absolutely stunning - I wasn’t expecting to be so obsessed with it. And I am now a big big fan of New Hampshire. You can read more about our trip here.

  • Outdoor happy hour with my grandparents!

  • A day of wine tasting on Long Island

  • KAYLA’S WEDDING!!!!

WHAT I ATE (AND DRANK)

  • Lots of good meals out this month!

  • Montauk: South Edison and Navy Beach

  • New Hampshire: White Mountain Cider Co. and trying the Downeast Cider Donut cider!

  • Kayla’s Wedding: The craft cocktails, her mom’s couscous salad, the after-party apps, the reception soup and mac and cheese!

  • More turkey sandwiches in nature

WORKOUT NOTES

  • A great long run in Montauk

  • A bike ride to and from the lighthouse that was pretty brutal in one direction because of the wind!

  • Our hike up Mt. Chocorua was so legit! Loved it.

  • Got to work out at the fitness center at our condo in the White Mountains - was so excited to see equipment.

  • Had some fun doing a Kelly Brabants workout on her Instagram - recommend if you’re looking for something difference and dancey!

November 2020

locations

  • New York City

  • Arizona

  • California

highlights

  • Big German beers with Lana and Allison

  • A walk in Central Park followed by happy hour wine at Kaia with my friend Sam

  • BIDEN BECOMING PRESIDENT! I cannot make up this story - Allison, Annelise and I were sitting in Central Park after a run, and talking about how we really hoped we found out that Biden won in an epic way. And minutes later, we got the notification on our phones. We started blasting music and clapping and playing the ham horn on our phones and slowly the excitement spread through the park. We spent the rest of the day walking all the way through Central Park down to midtown, screaming and cheering all along the way until we got close to Trump Tower and a small crowd that had gathered there. 5th Avenue turned into a parade - any car driving down was suddenly a participant whether they knew it or not, and we cheered as they honked and waved. The excitement and relief was so awesome - we were actually happy to see American flags again! We stayed until they shut down 5th Ave to cars and ruined our parade and Allison and I walked back up to the Upper East Side. We saw a little old man with his veteran jacket on, banging on a little pan with a wooden spoon and we melted. It was such an amazing day and made me fall in love with New York City all over again.

  • I decided I couldn’t bear to see my vacation time just expire at the end of the year without having done a damn thing with it - and I decided I felt comfortable flying on Delta as long as once I arrived at my destination, I wasn’t putting people or myself at further risk. Callie agreed to drive and met me and for the next two weeks we would be our own two-person bubble - setting ground rules like no indoor dining, no crowded outdoor events, no museums, and a main goal of just being outside as much as possible For awhile I went back and forth on what the itinerary would look like but eventually it was settled - two week road trip through Arizona! You can read ALL ABOUT IT (Phoenix, Tucson, Grand Canyon, Page, and Flagstaff with Scottsdale still to come!)

  • I spent my first Thanksgiving away from home which (sorry Mom and Dad) wasn’t as sad as I thought it would be. I did get a little sad seeing the pictures from my families beautifully set-up outdoor Thanksgiving - but I also really enjoyed running along the California coast, drinking beer with friends and having a cute dog to play with at Erin & Cam’s in San Diego (blog post on SoCal to come!)

what i ate

  • I made myself some really good Moroccan meatballs in the Instant Pot!

  • Post-run bagels in Central Park!

workout notes

  • A really really good run around Central Park with Allison and Annelise (that nearly didn’t happen because Annelise thought I meant we were doing a loop on our bikes…) and that I also didn’t tell Annelise I wanted to run…fast :) She obliged me and we even won some Brooks sneakers out of it as part of the RUNchute November Project team!

December 2020

locations

  • New York City

  • Long Island

highlights

  • When I got back from my trip to Arizona and California, I basically quarantined in my apartment for 2 weeks and it was actually an amazing two weeks - I was ready for some alone time, some relaxing, reading, cooking my own food, etc. Runs in the park, workouts on my floor - I was very content.

  • A really beautiful sunset in Central Park

  • My mom got her COVID vaccine! When she told me she was going, I had just finished a run and I started crying which I wasn’t expecting - but I was so relieved!

  • The first big snow! We got around 10 inches on Long Island and I got to wear my Great Great Aunt Nettie’s Antarctica boots to shovel the driveway.

  • Convincing my parents not to be Scrooge’s and decorating the tree - and then one night decided we needed a pickle on the tree and hooked a little bread and butter pickle chip that stayed on our tree for weeks (it was very shriveled by the time we took the tree down)

  • The last time I felt so excited about reading and books was when I was a kid - bringing books with me to the dinner table until my parents forced me to put it away. That feeling returned in December and it’s making me so happy - I am perfectly content to sit and read for 2-3 hour stretches and I’ve had to start setting alarms so that I don’t stay up until 2 am reading.

  • Christmas was different this year - but we still managed to have a really great day. We could only visit my grandparents on their deck for about 45 minutes (it was cold!) but at least we got to see them and exchange gifts. I declared it Hatmas and made my parents and sister wear fun hats, we played Scattergories, drank wine, and ate a delicious meal - my dad’s shrimp scampi with pasta and peas. And there was a really beautiful sunset!

what i ate

  • Kayla and I Zoom-baked Tahini, Dark Chocolate, Honey And Pistachio Rugelach and it was hands down the most legit thing I’ve ever made! It was also so fun doing it together!

  • Leftover stuffing and eggs

  • A very good beer my mom had been saving for me to try - Platform Beer Co. Haze Jude!

  • Lamb osso buco with white beans, potatoes, carrots, celery - YUM

  • Really really delicious cod

  • Turkey sandwiches with LEFTOVER CRANBERRY SAUCE

  • Lamb stroganoff

  • Crab cakes and TEQUILA COSMOS on Christmas Eve

workout notes

  • A particularly warm Sunday long run along the West Side in SHORTS & A T SHIRT

  • Every Monday my friends and I did a deck of cards workout together and it was so nice to see everyone at the start of the week!

  • My shins are acting up, so there wasn’t much running in December, but I did do a long run through the snow one day which was actually quite pleasant though I was drenched by the end!

Books I Read

(Top 10 in Bold!)

The Nickel Boys
Year One
Of Blood and Bone
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Normal People
1984
Going Dutch
Americanah
The Black and The Blue
The Man in the High Castle
The Tenant
Strange Fits of Passion
POW 83
142 Ostriches
Queenie
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
An American Marriage
The Hate U Give
A Little Life
Little Fires Everywhere
The Dutch House
How to Hide an Empire
The Heart’s Invisible Furies

The Vanishing Half
Where the Crawdads Sing
The Great Alone
The Splendid and the Vile
The Death of Vivek Oji

I started and didn’t finish:
Killers of the Flower Moon
White Fragility
Countdown 1945

TV Shows I Watched

Almost every night my parents and I turned on the TV as I opened their eyes to the wonderful world of Chromecast and Netflix. Every night I filled a ramekin with mint chocolate chip ice cream (after sampling Talenti, Haagen Daaz, Breyers and Turkey Hill – Turkey Hill Choco Mint Chip is the clear winner).

First, we cycled through the documentaries. We tried to get on the Tiger King train, but it didn’t stick. I watched Don’t Fuck With Cats for the third time and it was thumbs up all around. Aaron Hernandez (Yay), Disappearance of Madeleine McCann (Nay), 13th (Yay), Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (Yay).

Next was settling on a series we could all agree on which took a few attempts. Dad wasn’t feeling my re-watching of the Gossip Girl series and neither of my parents were hooked after an episode of Wentworth (one of my all-time favorites). Mom and I tried with no success to get my dad to love Game of Thrones as much as we do. I thought we were doomed to watch CNN 2 hours every night when Ozark saved us! We loved the entire series – Ruthie especially. When the last season comes out, I might have to go home for a long weekend of binge watching so we can see it together!

After Ozark there was a string of comedy specials, a few episodes of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj and lots of belly laughter over Billy on the Street.

And finally, when I was transitioning into my angry at the world and social injustice phase and work getting stressful phase and getting sad about leaving phase – there was Schitt’s Creek. There like a hug at the end of every day. I knew what to expect, I knew I would laugh, and as I near the end of the final season I’m so so sad that I won’t have David and Alexis and Johnny and Rose (and Ray! I love Ray) to look forward to every night.

Other things I watched:

Rocketman (twice, because I loved it!)
The Prom
Once
The Happiest Season (So bad)
Dash & Lily
Handmaids Tale
QUEENS GAMBIT (Loved it!)
Normal People
Dunkirk (SO GOOD)

Quarantine Trends

Puzzles

Did one at home, one in California with Erin (RBG!), and working on another one with my mom now (of Stockholm!)

Banana Bread

I didn’t make it, but I happily consumed the loaf my aunt made me.

Sourdough Starter

Did not participate

Tiger King

My parents and I tried and failed to get into this.

Zoom Happy Hours

Duh

Sudokus and Crossword Puzzles

I finally learned how to do sudokus and was OBSESSED at the beginning of quarantine.

Color Street Nail Polish Strips

This was just my quarantine trend - but they’re easy and they last awhile and I have no interest in going to get my nails done right now.

Concerts

Dermot Kennedy (X2!)
Alanis Morissette

I think that’s it…crazy and a far cry from 2018’s 11 concerts!

Theater

Little Shop of Horrors
Jagged Little Pill

 This is definitely the #1 thing on my list of things I miss being able to do in NYC and as soon as possible, I will be buying ticketS to showS. Some days I just listen to showtunes all day and get really sad.

Breweries

Tied for last year with 15 new breweries!

Strong Rope Brewery (NY)
Housatonic River Brewing (NY)
Peekskill Brewing (NY)
La Quinta Brewing (Palm Springs, CA)
Landers Brewing Company (Landers, CA)
JuneShine (San Diego, CA)
Epigg Brewing (San Diego, CA)
Ocean Beach Brewery (San Diego, CA)
Historic Brewing (Williams, AZ)
Lumberyard Brewing Company (Flagstaff, AZ)
Dark Sky Brewing (Flagstaff, AZ)
Beaver Street Brewery (Flagstaff, AZ)
Crooked Tooth Brewing (Tucson, AZ)
Fate Brewing (Scottsdale, AZ)
Goldwater Brewing Co (Scottsdale, AZ)

Doughnuts

It might be time to change this recap category - I think my new search is for the best turkey sandwiches! I really didn’t eat many doughnuts in 2020!

Previous Yearly Recaps

2019

2018

If you read all of this - WOW CONGRATS :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
























































































































































































SECRET IDAHO - A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN POTATOES

Since my first big trip to Barcelona in April of 2017 I’ve tried to plan a longer vacation every April/May. In 2018 I went on my huge Eurotrip, visiting 6 counties in 17 days (Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Hungary). And in 2020 I’ll be setting off on an epic 17-day trip around South Africa.

But in 2019 I chose a destination that many people were very confused by. I took off a week of work so I could explore a place a little closer to home – the state of Idaho.

Most people think of Idaho and think “potatoes.” And not much else. But when I thought of Idaho I saw alpine lakes, gorgeous hikes, greenery and waterfalls. And I had a suspicion that people were seriously underestimating this state that I tell everyone is “the next Denver.”

Turns out, I was right. Idaho was amazing, and “secret Idaho” is a real thing – the people that live there know how awesome it is – and they don’t want it to be discovered. That didn’t stop them from being incredibly friendly (and slightly surprised) when we told them we were just there for a road trip.

If I were to go back and re-plan this trip, I may have gone at a different time of year. The week we were traveling was during their “mud season” – the in-between time when skiing and snow-shoeing are done for the season but it’s still too muddy for a lot of mountain biking and hiking and still too cold for kayaking, rafting, swimming, waterskiing and all other forms of water activities.

Luckily, we had a somewhat loose itinerary and were able to use the expertise of locals to find mountain biking and hiking options in each of the towns we visited.

Here was our Idaho road trip – I hope I can convince you to add this Midwest state to your bucket list!

  1. STANLEY

I landed on Saturday night in Boise and stayed at a hotel close to the airport – it was a little sketchy, but it was cheap. On Sunday morning, Sabrina landed and picked up the rental car and came to get me.

First stop was for smoothies and juices at Boise Juice Company followed by a stop at Ross to get towels, which we had forgotten.

Then we were ready to start our adventures. We drove along the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route which had stunning views. I was glad Sabrina had offered to drive – the roads were curvy and a few distracted seconds would have sent us over the edge of a cliff.

After about an hour and 45 minutes of driving, we made a stop at the Kirkham Hot Springs. We were definitely not the only people there – and while it was pretty crowded, we enjoyed hiking down to the hot springs and lounging around for a while.

I was shocked at just how hot the water was!

We finished the drive to Stanley and checked into the Triangle C Cabins. There was no one around, and after a quick walk around town, we realized that we were in for a very quiet first few days.

So we picked up groceries and sat down at one of the few bars that were open and toasted to vacation with a beer, some bar food and the Islanders game!

That night we walked from our cabin with some beers and watched the sunset up near Stanley Pioneer Park. It was absolutely gorgeous and so peaceful.

Then, it was time for the Game of Thrones finale!! We watched in our cabin with a snack-dinner and beer and it was a perfect chill night.

The next morning, we woke up and after multiple attempts at getting into the main hotel building and various e-mails, we realized the “gym” we had been looking at was the owners’ personal gym equipment – oops. So we wrote up our own workout and did it in the cabin! It was a good one – we called it “Bad Bear” and we still talk about it to this day!

Next up was a hike to Redfish Lake – the road was still closed because of snow, so we had to park pretty far away. It was more of a walk than a hike, but it was really pretty as the snow swirled around us. We were the only people there, and it was really quiet and serene.

Even though Stanley ended up being a lot sleepier and snowier than I thought (we weren’t able to hike or mountain bike and Sabrina had to pack an extra jacket for me), it was the perfect way to start our trip on a laid back and relaxed note (something that I sometimes need help with!) Stanley was incredibly picturesque, and I was just happy to be out in the fresh air with mountains and sky and not much else.

We drove out of Stanley and headed through the Sawtooths on scenic Highway 75 making our way to Sun Valley.

2. SUN VALLEY - KETCHUM

I never realized what a fancy-ass place Sun Valley, Idaho was. The cars you see driving down the streets, the bikes you see on people’s bike racks, the stores you see while walking through town – the people who live here and spend their winters skiing here are loaded.

In fact, 17 leaders of Fortune 500 companies live in Sun Valley part of the year along with 136 current CEO’s and Presidents of US businesses (according to Visit Sun Valley).

And there are a ton of celebrities who use Sun Valley as their place to disappear. They can fly largely under the radar here – the paparazzi don’t tend to follow them to Idaho and the locals aren’t phased. It’s sometimes referred to as “The New North Hollywood” because so many celebrities own homes and spend time in Idaho including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, Ashton Kutcher, Justin Timberlake and more.

Sun Valley is nestled in the Sawtooth National Forest and receives 250 days of sun a year! Sun Valley is known for their ski and snowboard mountains like Bald Mountain, Proctor and Dollar Mountain. There are smaller towns in the surrounding area including Hailey and Ketchum. We stayed in the cutest tree-house Airbnb in Ketchum.

STAY

There were two beds in our cozy treehouse and a zip-line to the backyard bathroom along with a trampoline! The Airbnb was in our hosts backyard and he was incredibly friendly and helped us come up with our game plan while we were in town – he had a ton of intel on the mountain biking trails that might be mud-free, hiking trails that weren’t still covered in snow, and hot springs that might still be open. He offered to set us up with bikes and gave us a day pass to the local YMCA. He used to own a local store and let us look around at the leftover merchandise that they were selling at huge discounts. One of my favorite mornings of the trips was when we ate oatmeal out of mugs on our treehouse balcony.

Hike

When we arrived in Hailey ready to hike – we were greeting with some sudden snow and decided to stall by walking around town and ducking into some shops.

Eventually, the snow stopped and we made our way up Carbonate Mountain Trail– approximately 1,351 feet in elevation. I was absolutely DYING – for some reason I couldn’t catch my breath. Unfortunately, this feeling continued the  rest of the trip and by the time we were in Boise I actually went to a walk-in clinic to make sure nothing was seriously wrong before I flew home. Whether we were hiking or working out or biking – I was super out of breath! Ultimately, I guess it was just a mix of elevation, maybe a little bit of a cold, and maybe being a little bit run down.

Speaking of run down – when we got to the top of the 3.7 mile loop trail – I convinced Sabrina we would take the trip down as a trail run which was super fun! Minus the fact that running in hiking boots doesn’t feel great. I really need to invest in a pair of trail sneakers!

Carbonate was a quick but challenging hike with great views of the town below!

sweat

YMCA

The Sun Valley YMCA in Ketchum was massive and we used our guest passes to take a soak in the hot tub on the snowy afternoon.

Yoga Class

We took a great yoga class in Ketchum at Gather Yoga Studio and it turns out the instructor used to leave near me in New York City! Everyone in Idaho was so friendly and we loved chatting with her after class.

EAT

Post-Hike Lunch in Hailey

JERSEY GIRL

Such a cute little cafe for a half turkey sandwich (duh) with a cup of tomato soup. And it even came with complimentary cookies! The best part was the warm mug of tea on a snowy day.

A+ Dinners in ketchum

TOWN SQUARE TAVERN

This was such a great Mediterranean meal in Ketchum on our first night - any restaurant with a plate of carrots covered in tahini yogurt is good in my book!

Plus a trio of deliciousness - hummus, labneh and roasted eggplant.

THE COVEY

This was my favorite meal of the trip- we sat at the bar and everything we ordered was absolutely unreal. We ordered ourselves a bottle of champagne and split things from their seasonal and rotating menu.

My favorite was the pasta special - homemade pasta with pieces of goat in it. We also had the pheasant which was super flavorful and the sunchoke soup.

bomb brunch

THE KNEADERY

This reminded me a lot of the brunch Callie, Abby and I devoured in Banff - classic, cozy breakfast dishes in a kitschy cabin setting. Complete with a John Deere parked outside, a giant bear guarding the door and a canoe hanging from the ceiling.

We split the Veggie Benedict sans Hollandaise sauce and obviously ordered table pancakes.

JAVA ON FOURTH

This spot was hopping when we walked in one morning. Super cute and conveniently within walking distance of our Airbnb! They’re known for their “Bowl of Soul” - a mocha drink with homemade whipped cream.

DRINK

sawtooth brewery and tap room

This was our first stop upon arriving in Sun Valley. There were plenty of IPAs to choose from, so I was a happy camper!

Lefty’s

Local watering hole in Ketchum where regulars have their own mugs at the bar!

The cellar pub

Another casual local bar we went to late one night.

SAWTOOTH PUBLIC HOUSE

An offshoot of the brewery, the Sawtooth Public House was within walking distance of our Ketchum Airbnb and we happened to be in town for Trivia Night! It was a ton of fun, and we ended up winning! Later that week, in Boise, a group came up to us at the bar and said, “Are you the girls who beat us at trivia in Ketchum?” Small world! I’ll never forget that the last question I got was the character Puck from Midsummer Night’s Dream!

This was also the first place we tried a milkshake IPA - IPA’s brewed with lactose that have gotten pretty big recently. Then we continued to drink more champagne :)

3. Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

Located between the small towns of Arco and Carey, Idaho - the Craters of the Moon National Monument is at an average elevation of 5,900 feet about sea level - so it’s no wonder that I felt a little out of breath.

It was like stepping into another world - and we got sun, snow and rain during our visit. It was nice that you could drive around or walk around, and we spent a few hours exploring the different areas of the park.

It wasn’t the coolest thing I’d ever seen, but I’m still glad we stopped! It was definitely cool to walk around the lava fields and take pictures of the other-worldly scenery.

4. Twin Falls

Our next destination was to Twin Falls, Idaho which I would say was my least favorite of the towns we stayed in.

It just wasn’t as naturey as our other stops - a few too many strip malls for my liking. That being said, we still had a few noteworthy stops during this portion of the trip!

Shoshone falls

The main reason for our time in Twin Falls was to check out Shoshone Falls, which were pretty massive - they’re actually 45 feet higher than Niagara Falls!

perrine bridge

Something else that Twin Falls is known for is BASE jumpers who come to jump off of the Perrine Bridge --486 feet above the Snake River.

Yellow brick cafE

If you find yourself in Twin Falls, Yellow Brick Cafe was a good spot for a casual, healthy and quick dinner.

twin beans coffee company

Perhaps the highlight of Twin Falls, for me, was my latte from Twin Beans Coffee Company. I could have drank 7 of their Honey Cinnamon lattes!

box canyon hike

Just a short drive from Twin Falls was one of the coolest hikes we did - Box Canyon Springs Trail.

What first looks like a dusty, flat no-man’s land is actually a 4.3 mile trail that leads you down into a canyon with a gorgeous blue lake!

It’s more of a walk than a hike, but really beautiful once you enter the canyon. I really enjoyed it - minus seeing a snake cross right in front of Sabrina’s feet!

5. Bruneau Sand Dunes

About an hour and a half drive from Twin Falls are the Bruneau Sand Dunes - a state park that’s home to the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America. Fun facts! One of the dunes is 470 feet tall!

It reminded me of my days of swimming ashore from my boat to climb the sand dunes at Pirates Cove!

6. Boise

The grand finale of our Idaho road trip was the state’s capitol - Boise!

We decided to base our Boise itinerary around a different beverage each day - this just kind of came to us on the first night and it worked out so well. Highly recommend!

day one - wine, tapas and art

boise art museum

We started out with some culture by stopping by the Boise Art Museum. The real motivation behind this stop was the fact that there happened to be a DOUGHNUT exhibit going on.

It was actually SO cool - Jae Yong Kim’s exhibit was called Donut Ever Forget Me and was made up of hand-sculpted and painted donuts. Each one is totally unique and they stretched out on an entire wall. It was the perfect backdrop for a good old fashioned photo shoot.

freak art gallery

I’ve seen much more exciting graffiti and street art in other destinations (Austin, London, Berlin) but you might as well walk by it while you’re in Boise!

basque block

Did you know that Boise is home to one of the largest Basque populations in the United States?

We stopped into one of the small wine bars and I felt instantly transported back to a pintxos bar in Barcelona - it was so authentic!

txikiteo wine bar

According to their website, the word txikiteo (chee-kee-tay-o) is a Basque words that refers to “a pub crawl or stroll with friends to partake in coffee, tapas, and wine.” Perfect for our night!

We stopped in and had delicious wine and a gorgeous cheese plate - and it turns out the couple sitting next to us were the same couple that took our picture in front of the donuts earlier that day!

the stil

How do you end your wine themed night in Boise? Oh, I don’t know - how about a wine and ice cream flight? Sounds too perfect, right? Well it’s a thing.

They have dairy-free flavors, booze infused flavors, custom flavors and beer and wine pairings and flights. It’s a dream come true in this place - and I had been following them on Instagram for over a year in anticipation.

It did not disappoint and was the perfect way to end the day before heading back to our Airbnb.

bikes and brews

mountain biking

I’m smiling to mask my intense cardio-vascular and muscular distress coupled with severe fear!

The day finally arrived toward the end of our trip - my first attempt at mountain biking! I was absolutely petrified, but if I was ever going to try it, I knew I was in good hands going with Sabrina.

It couldn’t have been easier to walk from our Airbnb to rent a bike at a local shop and ride straight from the shop for 10 minutes to the Military Reserve a whole 1.6 miles from Downtown Boise.

The Military Reserve seems like it was a good place for a beginner - but I also have nothing to compare it too. I’m so glad we went, but it was hands down one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. Going uphill felt impossible and then going downhill felt absolutely terrifying. And the bikes couldn’t be more different than a road bike. Most notably, clutching the brakes, though a natural reaction while racing down a mountain (okay, foothills) with tree roots and rocks, is not advisable. Instead, you’re supposed to “feather” the brakes.

Super grateful I got the chance to do this, but not sure there will be a next time!

MEAT PIES AT KIWI SHAKE AND BAKE

It was simple enough following our mountain biking adventures to swap out our rentals for cruisers for the second half of the day. They were really nice, comfortable bikes that were perfect for riding from brewery to brewery which was our plan for the rest of the day.

First stop was for some substance to line the stomach - and since Sabrina is marrying a Kiwi, Kiwi Shake and Bake was a must visit for meat pies and cold brew to bring us (OK, me) back to life.

BREWERY CRAWL #1 - CLAIRVOYANT BREWING COMPANY

This place had classic brewery vibes and super friendly staff that almost derailed us from our brewery-hopping plans. We made ourselves so comfortable, that we didn’t want to leave! The bartender even promised he would put on the hockey game later in the day if we stuck around, and we met the most adorable old-lady-traveling-duo that we joked would be us in 40 years.

Highly recommend stopping by Clairvoyant - even non-beer drinkers will enjoy the vibes and be able to order a wine, cider or even a Capri-Sun! They also have some live music and food trucks on select days/nights.

BREWERY CRAWL STOP #2 - CLOUD 9 BREWERY

The vibes at Cloud 9 were definitely more strip-mall than brewery, but it was a gorrrrgeous day outside and we plopped ourselves on the patio smack dab in the sun while we enjoyed our beers from this nanopub.

What stands out about Cloud 9 is they are the only certified organic brewery in Idaho and they brew very small batches of each of their beers. They had interesting choice like Honey Basil and Blood Orange.

BOISE GREENBELT INTERLUDE

We took a break from boozin’ to pedal along the Boise Greenbelt for a little while. It’s a 25-mile bike path. Yes, 25 miles! Imagine how easy long training rides would be!

It weaves along the river and if I’m ever back, my goal is to bike all 25 miles!

We may have been a liiiitle tipsy while biking to the next brewery, which resulted in a lot of cycle-selfies. Please take special note of the one souvenir I really wanted: a potato pin for my denim jacket.

BREWERY CRAWL STOP #3 - PAYETTE BREWING COMPANY

The last stop on our bikes ‘n beers tour of Boise was Payette Brewing Company and it was definitely the largest and most popular of our destinations.

It was a great place to end our tour and located right off of the Greenbelt. Plus, who doesn’t love fun beer names like Fuzzy Memories and Kitten Mittens?

We only scratched the surface of the Boise (and Idaho) beer scene - if you’re looking to bike to even more breweries while you’re in town, check out these recommendations from the Seattle Times.

DINNER AT JUNIPER ON 8TH

For dinner, we veered off course a little and switched from beer to bubbles - we may have made the questionable decision to order a bottle of champagne.

As usual, we split a buncha things on the menu - including the Kale & Eggs, Baked Brie and Pork Belly & Gorgonzola Fries. *Chef’s kiss* (just a quick question - when did this become a saying? I think I love it. Should I hate it?)

TEQUILA DAY!

The last day, we decided, would be dedicated to the nectar of the God’s - TEQUILA.

But on tequila day, you need to start slow and get yourself ready.

F45

Step one was getting in a good sweat at the local F45. Followed by a trip to the walk in clinic to make sure I didn’t have anything wrong with me to prevent me from flying the next day - I was still feeling very out of breath but everything seemed OK (per my incredibly hot doctor) so I chalked it up to a combination of the elevation and just a run of the mill cold.

FARMER’S MARKET

The next stop was the farmer’s market - where we strolled around and had some samples. I picked up some really good granola and then we were on our way.

LUNCH IN HYDE PARK

Our Airbnb host had told us that Hyde Park was a cute neighborhood to walk around in, so we decided to head there for lunch. After walking up and down the street we settled on The Hyde House because of the patio. the sun was shining and it was an absolutely beautiful day out.

I couldn’t even think of ordering hot food - so I went with the shaved Brussels sprouts salad.

I was full afterwards, but the ice cream at Goody’s Soda Fountain comes HIGHLY recommended.

DOUGHNUTS

Did you think I wasn’t going to go to a doughnut shop? After lunch we headed back downtown to walk around and shop in the beautiful weather.

Then it was time to dive into the doughnuts from Guru Donuts. They’re best known for their “Hipsterberry” donut - a donut with a glaze made from blueberries, blackberries and lavender. There were a ton on the menu that I wanted to try but since I wasn’t with the biggest donut fan (I will keep working on converting you Sabrina!) I settled on…4 :) Well, I ordered two, and then they offered me two for free. Couldn’t say no to that proposition!

I got the Hipsterberry, an OG glazed and I’m pretty sure another one was margarita-esque (it was tequila day, after all).

Ain’t they pretty?

KENTUCKY DERBY

It happened to be the day of the Kentucky Derby, so eventually we found ourselves getting ready to watch the race go off at the incredibly festive Whiskey Bar.

People were dressed up, there were drink specials, there were raffles, and there were really really good cocktails.

Plus, it turned out to be a very controversial and exciting Derby Day when they disqualified the winner!

Did I mention that while we walked around, we found this mini horse?! Derby Day made.

TACOS & TEQUILA

It was finally time to get our tequila on in pre-celebration of Cinco de Mayo and my 29th birthday. In a day already full of some of my favorite things (F45, doughnuts, miniature horses…) I knew that tequila could only make it better, right?

Right.

We sat down at the bar of Matador and would ya look at that? It was happy hours and tacos and margaritas were on special. Jackpot!

Then, to our surprise, we find out we are sitting next to one of the owners (Matador also has locations in Colorado, Oregon and Washington!) He proceeds to buy us a lot of very expensive, very delicious tequila.

We then run into people who had played us in trivia in Ketchum. We then make more friends and at this point the night is remembered in strange half-memories like:

“YES I WANT TO BUY JIMMY JOHNS NOW SO I CAN EAT IT LATER!”

“Hi, I run an Office-themed trivia tour and bar crawl, but I don’t actually watch The Office.”

“No drinks on the dance floor?”

“I have a hot tub!”

“Here, you can wear one of my bathing suits.”

“I REALLY HATE THE ME OF 3 HOURS AGO THAT THOUGHT AN UNWICH WAS A GOOD IDEA. I WANT BREAD.”

And then, it was morning and it was time to drive to the airport.

We ended the trip with such a fun, crazy night then really could only have happened in Boise.

It was such a great trip - it was equal parts relaxing, exciting, wild ‘n crazy, nature-y, yummy and funny.

I’d travel anywhere with ya Sabrina, and I’m so glad I was right about Idaho - it’s wonderful and incredibly underrated!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: