Bean Town!

Whoa...time for an update. I have taken a leave of absence from the City of Brotherly Love and have relocated to Boston, MA (or as the locals say Baaahston) to freelance for a small marketing company, HaloEffect. Boston is not a foreign city to me, as I have been visiting this city since I was a little girl and it will always have a place in my heart.

Although I am not quite settled in yet, I have been taking advantage of all that New England has to offer. A great part of being in the North East is the states are in close proximity to one another. So far my weekends have been spent camping in Maine, hiking in Vermont, sailing in the Boston Harbor, apple picking in Massachusetts, and concert-going in Rhode Island.

In other news, I have been published in CMYK Magazine, Creative Quarterly and the Big Book of Packaging!

Going Back to Philly

I recently returned to Philadelphia after a wonderful trip out west with my dear friend Stephanie. Our last stops in Vancouver and Seattle was the cherry on top of our All American Sundae. We spent our last days browsing through one-of-a-kind boutiques and vintage shops. Both places offered great food, art and music that brought to life the diverse and eclectic culture of a city. All this and the great outdoors–lush greenery, fresh ocean air and views of snowy mountain tops–make the Pacific northwest such a great place to be. The trip was indeed awe-inspiring and I promise to return.

As of now I'm burning the midnight oil in Philly in search of a most fitting job. Check back soon!

Coast to Coast

We reached our final destination, but the trip's not over. We found the sun again as we drove into Bellingham, WA. Exhausted, we fell into a blissful sleep knowing that the open road was now closed. We awoke to a gorgeous day, supposedly a rare treat, in the rainy Pacific northwest. I helped Steph get settled in and got to know her new roommates. Later, we gleefully sat on the deck at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro and sampled local brews, along with yam alechiladas and Margherita pizza. Good music filled our ears and warm feelings filled our hearts.

During my time spent in Bellingham I came across Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress, an eco-friendly print shop, graphic design studio, and bookbindery. Seeing the studio makes me want to learn letterpress printing!

As for driving the hard part is over! Next stop Vancouver and Seattle!

Forever West

Last night we arrived in Cody, WY, the Rodeo Capitol of the World. A small frontier town with a Wild West spirit. It made us fall in love with the West as if we were there during the time of Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley. We had dinner at Grannie's, a local spot recommended by the woman at the front desk, followed by a stroll around town.

This morning we woke up early and headed for Yellowstone, the world's first National Park and our last destination before Bellingham, WA. Go Roosevelt for declaring the world's first National Park and monument (Devil's Tower)! We snapped photos of Old Faithful and the Mammoth Hot Springs along with more bison, elk, and a slow moving turkey. As we watched Old Faithful erupt so did the love for the West in our hearts. Despite the rain we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We can imagine the fathers of our nation riding horseback through the gulches and canyons wanting the land for themselves.

Now we chase the sun to where it rests below the horizon. See you soon Washington!

Bad girls in the Bad Lands

Darkness covered the surroundings like a secret as we pulled into Rapid City, SD early in the morning. The first rays of light were licking our backs as we fell, exhausted into our beds for a quick snooze. No time to waste, we were up and excited for the area attractions. Mount Rushmore! The presidential faces looked over all of the land, "representing the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the nation." We found the SC flag amongst the 49 others and took tons of photos. An unfinished Crazy Horse monument promised a reason for a future trip and tons of great Native American information. Onward! Like pioneers, we went in search of fertile lands and wildlife. We found what we had hoped for in Custer State Park by seeing turkeys, prairie dogs, bison, burros, and antelope. Steph and I both enjoyed the scenic drive very much. Two cheesy sweatshirts later we whetted our palates with local Fire House brews and ranch style meat pie.

This morning found us extremely well rested and ready for more of South Dakota's beauty. The Bad Lands. The name does not do justice to the awesome sight these rolling gullies and mounds of ancient sea floor provide. Colors in the stone and surrounding grassland make for a gorgeous drive. I think we both enjoyed our time here more than we had expected. We ended our time in SD by going to Wall Drug in Wall and eating a buffalo burger while enjoying the kitschy decor and Wild West artwork.

Wyoming and just a few more hundred miles beckon.

Oooh, that's faaar!

Minneapolis was fantastic. The art scene was even cooler than I had hoped for and the city itself was an architectural soup of cool. We browsed through the offerings of the Minneapolis Center for Book Arts (aka Open Book) and Aesthetic Apparatus. The areas of town were diverse and hip, such as Uptown with its Latin flare for restaurants and language, downtown with its big buildings and view of the river, and our area next to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts that treated us to 17 blocks of ethnic foods. The bus system was great and the multitude of bikes and bike lanes showed us the eco-friendly side of the Twin Cities. A secret gem, we said goodbye to Minneapolis and rolled onward through the night to South Dakota. National monuments and stories of the peoples before Europeans await.

Chi-Town, USA

Chicago! Pulling into the Boystown area of Chicago, we knew we were in for a treat. Good food, friends, and fun were on the menu for our two night stay. We experienced a great street fair, fun restaurants, a chill beer garden, and downtown Chicago. Steph and I put our feet in Lake Michigan at the yacht club and let the windy city treat us with its breeze. Millenium park's art works, such as the Bean and installments from China, boldly embraced us on our walk. The architecture and city layout evoked feelings of mobsters and the famous Frank Lloyd Wright. Very art deco.

After 2 great days, we depart the "windy city" and head north only to stop in Madison, WI. We are pleasantly surprised to find a happening city with an eclectic array of ethnic fare offered here (home to the U of Wisconsin). After a very satisfying lunch we are on our way to Minneapolis. Cheers America, we are half way there!