Boston Bucket List

So Boston has always been a place that I wanted to visit and now that I have a local client, I plan on getting to know the city a little better. So I put together my Boston Bucket List. As I explore the list, I will write new posts and perhaps add a few other items to the list.

1. Visit Harvard (Cambridge, Mass)

2. Stand in the first feet of baseball – the original site of the World Series. Located on the campus of NorthEastern University in downtown Boston, the original site is commemorated by a statue of Cy Young. It is a pretty special experience to stand on the sacred ground of Baseball’s beginnings. I have been in love with this sport for as long as I can remember. It is apart of our nation’s history and is in the fabric of our country, so to have the opportunity to see where it all began is a moment I will not soon forget.

3. Watch a game at Fenway Park

4. Visit MIT (a tour of the innovation lab would be pretty fantastic)

5. Walk inside the world’s largest glass globe – The Mapparium in the Mary Eddy Baker Library

6. Attend a concert (Some of the best musicians are in Boston, from the New England Conservatory to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops). I want to grab a concert and experience this impressive music culture.

7. Walk the Freedom Trail (although I have taken a detour going back to the airport and had the cabby give me his tour of the Freedom Trail, with my love of history I want to check this one out with some time and enjoy walking in the steps of our nation’s patriots.)

I am sure there are many more places that should make the list. Do you have a Boston favorite that I need to add?

Peaceful LA: The Getty

LA never seems to sleep. So many people, businesses, restaurants, tourists, bars, celebrities, it can be a place that doesn’t feel real. Often when I travel to LA for business, I try to take advantage of waking up early from the time change and work as much as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I take advantage of some of these amazing restaurants, but I rarely take a moment to just enjoy some of the beauty that LA has to offer. So on my last trip out there, we took advantage of one of the best views in LA and decided to do a working day from the cafe at The Getty Center.

Business Traveler Gold: For the cost of parking, you get a view, dose of culture and super fast wifi via The Getty Center.

The Getty experience is breathtaking. From the tram ride up see magnificent views of downtown LA, the ocean and mountain ranges, it is a moment that will help you fall in love with this city. As an artist, the campus architecture and art collections are second to none. I spent my morning and afternoon sitting in the cafe working on my pitch deck with wall to ceiling windows. In the late afternoon, I watched the sunset on Los Angeles and spent some time in reflection in front of Van Gogh’s Irises. Not only did I get alot of work done, I had a chance to reflect and recharge.

Some traveler tips for this trip.
1. Catch breakfast in Santa Monica: Urth Cafe – order the Sunrise Pizza .
2. For a great burger: Don’t miss Umami Burger order the truffle fries!
3. Always have some fun with co-workers and capture it on film.
4. Bring something back. I bought a wonderful children’s book from the Getty for Mag’s and wrote an inscription to let her know that on every trip I think of her.
5. For free wi-fi with a view: The Getty

let’s talk about travel

States to Watch

I have been looking for a way to talk about our travel and to dream towards new trips. When I found this map at a paper store in LA on a recent work trip and knew that it would be perfect to document our travels. I explored ways to mount it and mark where we had been. Doug went on the search for me until he found the right size of sheet metal that I could use as a frame and I am using magnets to showcase each location. I am so excited to talk through each story with Maggie. I never want to forget those long conversations on our road trips. Or the sunsets in Hawaii that brought me to tears. Or the joy I felt as Maggie discovered the Atlantic ocean for the first time. We have 29 states down… 21 here we go!

States to Watch

let’s fly away

10,000 feet of bliss. upupandaways.com Take flight and leave it all behind. upupandaways.com Given to fly. upupandaways.com My dad is a pilot and I grew up with a love of flying. It is a unique experience to climb into the clouds and realize the world is still happening below. It is a moment where I can escape, feel a sense of wonder at something that is hard to believe. On every flight, I find that my breathe is taken away and I feel a profound sense of faith. Seeing these views reveals to me with clarity that there is a God and He is big and He makes beautiful things. Perhaps one of my favorite moments flying was when I was in high school. My dad and I rented a Cesna and we flew over Ohio and watched the sun set. At first I was scared at the small door that stood between me and the sky, but I trusted my dad and I loved that he helped me to find my sense of adventure. I think one of the reasons he loved to fly so much is that he could see the face of God first hand. Some day, I hope to fly again together, just the two of us. Who knows, maybe I can even be the one with the pilot’s license… another dream to add to the list.

greenville – a getaway staycation

About two weeks ago we went to Greenville, SC on a bit of a getaway “staycation” kind of a trip. Doug’s parents offered us the use of their home in Greenville for the week and we were excited to explore this city. I was blown away. Really. Who knew this incredible approachable, foodie-filled city was just here? Well I think we just about visited 2 new restaurants a day, discovered about 5 parks, explored the beer culture and enjoyed this beautiful city with a river running through it. I was in awe. I don’t think I have experienced a downtown as vibrant as this one outside of Chicago or New York. It was packed with families, side walk cafes, street musicians and offered the southern hospitality available only in the deep south. Maggie was in heaven and we took our time to relax, read (I even got through the entire Harvard Business Review this month!) and build memories. Throughout a vacation, I often tuck away memories and think “I need to remember this moment”. I had quite a few of them, but perhaps my favorite moments on this trip were seeing Maggie discover her love for the outdoors. An unforgettable date night to celebrate my Masters (more on that to come) and hanging out with my BFF, Barbie, for a girls night out. There are alot of “Remember this moment” pictures but I thought I would share one that really puts the reason behind vacations into perspective. It is about connecting with family and building the moments that make up the fabric of your story together.