In My Hometown

I live in the gorgeous state of Utah and the spectacular town called Park City. Maybe you've heard of it, you know... the one with three world class ski resorts, awesome dry powder, and a killer school district. Yeah thats it! Another big plus, PC isn’t just a fun town in the winter. In the summer we have so many activities to do. Mountainbiking is huge! so is rowing, sailing, and boating on our precious lake, the Jordanelle. Many runners and hikers are active during the summer time. Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital isn’t too far either. Maybe a twenty minute drive up through the canyon. Easy access.  Out of all the places iv'e traveled there is nothing like the sweet smell of the fresh air in my hometown. I love Park City with all my heart. Its so humbling and refreshing. And the best part about it, is the community and the nature loving people who live in PC. 

Picture I took @ The Canyons 

Lets start withe the background of Park City. It started of as a small mining town with nothing but miners, a few bars and shops on main street, and mines. Once the mining industry failed, skiing started to magically grow. It got bigger and more popular every minute. All the skiers wanted to shred our awesome pow! Things just grew from there, but not too big. I't was still a pretty small town filled with healthy active families residing in the mountain town. Then the 2002 winter olympics took place in Park City. People started to move here frequently ever since then. 

It’s different then Vail and Aspen Colorado. We aren’t as big and commercial as they are. Its pretty “on the low” compared to there ski resorts. Which is all the better! We also, aren’t surrounded by national forests. All the land that surrounds us is owned by private developers. Which brings us to our big problem…

Park City's population is growing rapidly, everyone wants to live here, and call this place their own. Developers are wanting to develop so much of our land and make Park City a big suburb. But that not what we need. The community likes the open hills where the deer and elk roam about. Neighborhoods filled with thousands of houses are being put in many sports around town. And with those new neighborhoods, more families and tourists will be moving in and trafficking up all the local roads. Depressing right. What ever happened to the small humble town called Park City Utah. We definitely haven't lost all hope, PC is still as beautiful as ever. But we are facing a big problem right now. 

Me and Sophia on the mountain! 

I just thought you all should know my roots. If you haven't ever been to Park City, defiantly come! It's a trip worth while. 

Washington- The Emerald State

Washington is such a beautiful and diverse state, I couldn't narrow down to just one town to focus and write on. So I'll just write about all the places I have visited and what really wowed me!

With all the rain that Washington gets, the greener every living plant becomes, hence the "Emerald State." But the greenery isn't all that excites, the majestic coast and captivating skyline of Seattle is really something to see.

Personally I love the rain and big lush forests, so my time spent in Washington is always spent well.

Exploring Washington: First off, If you go a little bit outside of Seattle you can find yourself in a little cute town named Woodenville. Pretty neighborhoods and douglas fir trees fill up the area. Over the past ten years, woodenville has become famous for its winery.  If you travel a little bit more northeastern you'll pass through the Olympic National Park and come upon a town called Forks. Forks, doesn't that sound familiar? Well only if you have seen the famous vampire drama series Twilight. Forks is the town that the books and filming of the movies took place. The petite cabin like houses and numerous cafes are very comforting and relaxing. The coast isn't too far from Forks, you can maybe catch a wave or two at La Push (a nearby beach). If you travel down the coast, you may see the beautiful, tree filled coastlines and swells that occur, maybe even spot some grey whales that annually pass through the Pacific Northwest.

Olympic Forrest Has Quite a View
Source: http://seniorswalkingacrossamerica.blogspot.com/2011/01/day-10-fday-10-forks-washington-la-push.html

If your looking for more of a commercial but fun activity, take a trip the the world famous Pikes Place Market in Seattle. At the market you can find almost anything from fresh produce to clothing and bracelets! When I go to the market, I normally pick up some fruit and yummy fresh seafood. The seafood display is insane; who knew there could be so much fish? And, the fisherman catch it from the nearby saltwater bays. Fishing is very popular if you ask any local.

The city life of Seattle is one of my favorite parts of Washington. Starbucks coffee shops fill the area, every typical white girls dream. Starbucks originated in the vast city. Shopping is big; downtown you can find huge H&M, Nike, and Nordstrom stores. Nordstrom also grew from Seattle. At night the city skyline is a captivating site, you couldn't miss it.

Whataview!
Source:http://www.vagabondish.com/36-hours-seattle-washington/

There are a couple tacky characteristics to Seattle. For instance, maybe you've heard of "the gum wall" and "the troll under the bride."

This state has so much to offer, if your a city person, or even a wilderness explorer type of person. If you're looking for a quick trip within the country, Washington would completely please your needs! If you travel there you might even see the world famous rapper Mackelmore residing in his home town of Seattle. Anyways, venture off to Washington... an adventure awaits.

Rome, Italy- The Late Night City?

"Flight from Salt Lake City to Leonardo da Vinci airport of Rome boards in 10 minutes." Thats when it sunk in. 

The flight wasn't that glamourous. Long and pretty boring. When we landed at night, IT WAS SO...just kidding, I was asleep, I wouldn't have known. Normally the landing of a flight into Italy would be just lovely, I wish I had been awake. Anyways, all I can say is hectic. Hectic our taxi drive to our hotel was. The driver was speedy and roads were a mess during the busy night. The hotel brought croissants to our room for breakfast that morning. So delicious. The food in America doesn't even compare to food Europeans eat daily. One night, my mom booked a fancy dinner at a restaurant in the local part of the city. The reservation was for 6:30. We walked in eagerly to eat with "real life" italians. We sat down and took a look around us and all american tourist surrounded us. "What!" My mom quietly said. I could tell she was a bit disappointed. We enjoyed our scrumptious dinner, spaghetti and hearty meatballs. As we asked for the bill around 8:30, all of the locals poured in rapidly. I guess a night out in Italy for the natives, happens late. In theory, Europeans eat much later then americans. 

The Streets
"The Streets of Rome ... Click to See Full Size!" TripAdvisor® TripWow. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

If you ever decide to travel to Rome Italy, spare yourself a trip to the famous Roman Colosseum. When your eyes fixated on it, you would believe your living in 753 BC. It was modern yet so historical and preserved. Almost sacred. I imagined the mighty gladiators battling for their lives in the grand arena. 

Another great thing is, gelato. Stands are located everywhere. If you don't like heat, than a flavorful gelato can keep you cool!

The Colosseum at Night
"Colosseum." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Oct. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

That trip I took to Europe wasn't spent leisurely. I had to take in so much information while touring around. The days we got to just simply rome the street of Rome (get it?), I cherished. But on the bright side, History class comes easy to me now. Rome...just splendid.

The City That Never Sleeps - NY

New York City is where careers start and dreams come true. So many little hidden crevasses within the magical, hopeful city. Don't you love exploring new and unknown boutiques and designers; restaurants and coffee shops? I know I do!

Even though New York City, the dream place is so cliché, it is very mysterious. Have you ever felt how mysterious and interesting a person is? I feel it when I strut down the streets of 5th ave, or sag down the streets of Harlem. The Big Apple is truly mysterious. You can explore and take in so much from different burrows. Manhattan is vastly different from the Bronx, and thats what I absolutely love! Opposite corners of different towns have  contrasting characters and give me completely different vibes which makes me feel like I can be anyone. Any thing is possible within the little big city. 

From Central Park to the Empire State Building, I admire it all. I could be a business women living and lavishing in the Upper East Side. Or a hopeful, creative, and spiritual artist feeling free while simply just existing in Brooklyn. I can portray different roles in life by simply taking a taxi anywhere throughout the melting pot.

 I appreciate the idea of fending for yourself. Being quick and high paced is a quality every New Yorker shares. Always being in the "know" of the new iPhone for example. It's impressive. 

To live in basically capital of the world is terrifyingly wonderful! They say the city never sleeps, which concludes this perfectly. The magical mayhem of NYC is purely astonishing and you will discover parts of you, didn't even know lived within. So add a visit to the Empire City on you're bucket list, and complete it with pride! And if you go, don't forget to keep in mind, that your standing and breathing the fresh recycled NYC air; save a spot in your mind and heart for the love that will fill your golden "city girl" heart.