Where to go?

I'm finding that one of the more exciting things about wedding planning is deciding where to go on your honeymoon.  Now that Will has his passport, there is a whole world out there we can explore.  Here are our current top picks:

Iceland

Photo from bestourism.com.

 Not only are two of my favorite bands from Iceland- Sigor Ros and Amiina- the landscape is breathtaking and there are tons of natural springs you can relax in.

Sigor Ros' film Rembihnutur.

Sweden

Photo from Olika Gronsaker.

I deeply desire to stay at the eco-hotel Urnatur (you can check out my earlier post about this beautiful place here).  Sweden also boasts many other unique hotels, such as the Ice Hotel and the Treehotel (a mirrored cube tree house).  Not to mention the lifestyle... below is a video on the midsummer tradition, which still thrives in Sweden to this day.

                                    

Australia

Photo from Rainbow Tourism. 

The Great Barrier Reef.  Swimming with sharks.  The outback.  Sydney Theatre Company.  Australia is the ultimate adventure.  Need I say more?

Photo from Perception.

England

Photo from Earth Times.

 What I would give to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform on their home turf.  And London. And the Queen!  I've read so much about England, going there may be like going home.

 

Photo from ebookers.com.

St. Kitts

  

 

Photo from Nick Ryan.

Our lovely friends Tori and Leah have a family home here, and have generously offered us the use of it for our honeymoon.  I have seen their vacation photos, and St. Kitts seems to be the perfect place to go for a mix of relaxation and fun.  Wouldn't it be thrilling to zip-line through the jungle?

 

Photo from The Planet D.

 Where did you go on your honey moon, or where would you go?  We are considering doing a honeymoon registry instead of a traditional one.  Have you ever done or considered a honeymoon registry?

We're Engaged!

While we were in the Bahamas, Will proposed to me while we were parasailing over the ocean:)  It was the most amazing moment! I was so happy, I was smiling and giggling and forgot (briefly) to say yes!  As soon as I realized it I said aloud what I was repeating over and over in my head.

 Us in our Bahamaian hats: that's the view from our hotel room!

The Bahamas were amazing; I could feel my shoulders instantly drop the moment we stepped off the plane.  And while my family wasn't there- we were there for an Interstate Battery convention for Will's job- a lot of Will's family works for Interstate and they were there to share in our joy.

I'm so thrilled that this amazing man asked me to marry him:)

 The resort (Atlantis) had a few shark tanks.

The area around the resort.

  Outside the resort's casino.

California Dreamin'

It's been a while since I've been to California, and I was only there for a short time.  It was during a two month cross-country trip with National Theatre for Arts and Education shortly after graduating college.  The West holds me in complete fascination, and recently I've been itching to get back out there.

With tour mates at Sequoia National Park, 2005.

There's something magical and wild about being in the vastness of the west as opposed to the cramped east (large cities being the exception).  It makes me want to build a log cabin and turn off my iPhone.  For good.  Then the thought of missing civilization, as well as family and friends, creeps in and the thought returns to a dream.

I remember visiting Sequoia National Park.  As you can tell from the picture, it looked like Middle Earth:)  I listened to a lot of Loreena McKennitt during that drive; her expansive, medieval sounding music fit the mood perfectly.  We saw the redwoods, and both brown and black bears during our day trip in the park.  

San Diego was one of the cleanest cities I've ever been in.  It had a lovely waterfront park, Seaport Village, in which we played Frisbee.  There is also a fantastic bookstore called Upstart Crow!

 And then there was San Fransisco...

I was very much in a hippie phase at the time, and spending my birthday weekend on Haight-Ashbury Street suited me just fine.  I bought a little wood carved traveling chess set at one of the shops, and we lounged in a park close by before going to an all-beer bar that had hundreds of brews on tap.  I tried looking up this haven online, but unfortunately it was many years ago, and my birthday ;) so I was unable to find a link for it.  If anyone else knows which bar this is, feel free to mention it in a comment!

 

 

Besides it being so crowded, there were some parts of Los Angeles that were enjoyable.  I was surprised to find out how compact certain landmarks were, such as Grauman's Chinese Theater and Rodeo Drive.  Santa Monica Pier was beautiful, and we had dinner one night at a family style Italian restaurant in Venice Beach that was superb.  We sat on the patio at large banquet tables, surrounded by candles and large bottles of Chianti.  At one point, servers handed out the words to That's Amore and the band played the song while everyone in the restaurant sang.  It was truly unforgettable.

Will and I have been talking about a California visit this fall, and I hope we can manage it!  Is there a place that is in your mind to visit right now?

1. Taken by my pal Adam.  2. Destination 360  3. nps.gov  4. News and Prayer  5. IgoUgo  6. Found SF  7. Thundermoon  8. World Gallery  9. Asymptotia 

Wouldn't You Like To Go To...

...Fairbanks, Alaska?

As winter truly sets in, I've been thinking more and more about ice and polar bears, and escaping to see the Northern Lights.  Now is the perfect time to catch them in Alaska, as they are at their strongest between December and March.  

The red aurora is said to be the most rare, caused by high altitude oxygen mixed in with the colliding gas particles.

The Chena Hot Springs Resort, about an hour outside of Fairbanks, looks like a fantastic place to stay.  I love the idea of the hot springs in the morning before setting about your day.  You can even elect to get an Aurora Borealis wake up call, since they are best seen past midnight.

I love that this map shows the way to the North Pole!

Scientists are predicting 2013 to be the height of Aurora activity in this particular lights cycle.  Wouldn't it be amazing to see? 

Throwback Post #2

This past year, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the weddings of these two amazing friends:

and

Tori is my best girlfriend from high school.  She married Leah in a charming and intimate ceremony in Gloucester, MA on New Years Eve of last year.  We all even stayed in the hotel the wedding was held at, the scenic Ocean View Inn and Resort.

My gal pal Meggie married Jon this past October.  Meggie and I met through by boyfriend and her husband, who have been friends since high school.  It was a lovely outdoor ceremony with a whimsical woodland theme.

Here's to your future lives together, in the upcoming year and beyond:)

Throwback Post #1

Since there are only T minus 5 days until the New Year, I thought I'd write about some amazing times we've had this past year.  Throwback Post #1 goes to: Hocking Hills!  We spent Halloween weekend In an amazing cabin with these people:
 

It also happened to be my golden birthday on the 29th.

(Will and I went as Wendy and Stan from South Park!)

There were some cool old abandoned sheds on the property...

 

Will and I also went to Hocking Hills for our anniversary:)  It was our first date two years ago, and we celebrated by staying in this fantastic retreat called Silver Wolf Cabin, complete with hot tub and Majestic Wolf decor!

It was a perfect few days...

I can't wait to go back next year.