Surfing in Lima

While many people just use Lima as a connection city to Cusco, it has its own gems that are worth spending a couple of days exploring. One of my favorites was surf school. Lima sits atop cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The coast has rolling waves that aren't too big, aren't too small, and are perfect for beginning surfers. Without reservations, we went one afternoon with a dream to surf. Within...

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viva south america

14,053 miles by plane, train, bus, boat, taxi, and foot32 pound pack 28 days8 cities, towns, or villages  4 friends 2 countries endless adventuresToday, I leave for 3 weeks in Peru and 1 week in Brazil. To say I'm thrilled is an understatement. It will be the first time my boyfriend, Jimmy, and I will backpack across a continent together. On the itinerary:ParaglidingSand boardingDune buggyingSurfingHikingCanyoningRaftingSnorkeling Diving This...

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three perfect days in chicago -- summer edition

My sweet sister, Cheryl, visited me in Chicago last weekend. For her third annual trip, we were able to focus more on the local Chicago experience. Chicago winters last so long that the city comes alive when there's sunshine! Chicago boasts amazing architecture, a foodie culture, and activities on the lakefront. Not to mention the neighborhoods... Chicago is famous for its unique and diverse...

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rebranding

what to say when you feel old and boring... Can I go back to college? That's how my blog, Tex and the City, felt. I created the blog when I was 23 to chronicle my adventures gallivanting across Manhattan with my best cowgirls. Sex and the City = Tex and the City. See what I did there? You can reminiscence with me here. {Better than the real DCC...at least to New Yorkers} Tex and the...

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Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Personal anguish turned to triumph through a physical feat. Cheryl Strayed lost her mother to cancer and spiraled downward until the only place to go was up. Her up was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail {think west coast Appalachian Trail}. Through the seclusion of the wilderness, the people she met, and the extreme physical excursion of backpacking, she was healed. This story hit a personal cord with...

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James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl has a way with storytelling, and this book is no different. His magical creativity, rhymes, and wit captivated my students. James goes on one hell of an adventure with some new friends. His young wisdom and positive outlook on life is something we can all learn from. Read aloud to my second graders. Recommended. "We are now about to visit the most marvelous places and see...

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What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman

If you believe in "doing the thing you're supposed to do in the place you're supposed to do it," if you believe in acting slutty while abroad, and if you believe in travelling in your twenties {or thirties}, then this is the book for you! Sitcom writer, Kristin Newman, gushes about her single girl adventures. Funny at times, sad at times, entertaining all the time. Borrowed from my travel obsessed...

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Yes Please by Amy Poehler

After hearing rave reviews, I jumped on the bandwagon. She reads the book herself in the audible version with high energy. I had high hopes and was disappointed. Poehler's memoir dove into the murky waters of being directionless. Yes, it followed her career and relationships, but it jumped around and didn't seem to have a deeper message. At parts, her voice carried a tone of entitlement, which left...

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