Holiday Recap

I am sitting at the airport getting ready to head back to DC. 2014 was a great year for me! I moved to DC (again), went to Bonnaroo, traveled the world & met some amazing people. I am excited to see what 2015 holds. I am always up for a new adventure ;)!

Coming home is always special since I live across the country. I love seeing all my friends & family, it really does mean a lot to me. My heart is full with so much love for so many amazing people in my life. Thank you for a great trip!

Here are some photos, enjoy!

^ I couldn’t get enough of the mountains & we celebrated Kristi + Peyton. I am so happy to see this girl in love. I can't wait to celebrate the big day in June!

^ My parents & I went to Park City to get lunch at Highwest Distillery. It was super snowy & cold. But it's always dreamy going to this little ski town. It's also one of my favorite traditions with my family (we missed you Amy & Will!) The cheese fondue & the High West Lemonade are my favorite!

^ I got to go to Zach's family Christmas party. I saw Amber & a few more of my favorite people. Zach & I usually take a "family Christmas" photo of us but didn't get around to it this year. So this one will do ;)!

^ I got brunch with some girlfriends at one of my favorite places, Finn's! I am obsessed with the fried chicken & lemonade. It's delicious + the place is so cute.

^ Celebrated the New Year with some friends over fondue & games. Cheers to 2015 I look forward to what's in store! 

I hope you all had a great holiday! What are you looking forward to this year?

Xo,

Emily

Walks With Dad

I am in Salt Lake City for the holidays until Thursday. I love coming home & seeing friends + family. Living away makes me appreciate this beautiful place so much more. One of my favorite things to do while I am home is go on walks with my Dad. My parents live in in Foothill near the Boneville Shoreline (which is also one of my favorite walks.) But since it snowed on Christmas we decided to walk through This is the Place Park.

Living in a busy city is nice but sometimes my heart aches for the mountains. I love to look at them & remember how big + beautiful this world is. I know it sounds cheesy! But I feel at peace while walking with my Dad. It's also a special time we share, we get to catch up! Since I hardly get to see my family every moment to me is special.

^ Walking down the snow lined street with my Dad leading the way!

^ Walking through This is the Place Park. It's stunning!

^ Walking up to the monuments. It's hard to believe this is in my parents backyard. It's always nice to escape the city & come to the mountains. 

I will always love these special walks with my Dad! Do you have any favorite things you like to do at home?

Xo,

Emily

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I am in in Salt Lake City with my family. I think the best Christmas gift of them all is being able to come home & spend time with them. Living across the country makes me appreciate our time together so much more. Family is a huge part of my life. There is no other place I would rather be than right here with my fam. Here are a few photos from my time so far!

^ Christmas Eve is a big deal in our family! We have had a big family dinner at my Grandmas house  (now my parents house) since I can remember. this year we did it a little differently & made our family goulash. How cozy is this scene? 

^ When I arrived in SLC there was no snow in the valley, which is unusual for this time of the year. This morning I luckily woke up to this pretty site (my parents backyard.)  It was a white Christmas indeed!

^  It was a quiet Christmas. Amy & Will are in Arizona with his family, so it was just me & my rents. We opened a few presents, ate brunch & relaxed with the fire burning. I can't wait to dive into this book!

I hope you all are having a lovely holiday wherever you may be. 

Xo,

Emily

Home Sweet Home

I finally found an apartment in the DC area not too far from where I'll be working. When I say not far I mean an 8 minute walk (yes please!) This was a HUGE relief since I was nervous I wouldn't be able to find a place before I started my new position. I was lucky enough to find one pretty quickly which allowed me to head to Salt Lake City for a quick trip.

I always love going home since I don't get to often. Living across the country makes going home pretty tough! People are always curious about where I am from when I say I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Salt Lake City is such a beautiful place & I am happy I get to call it home. It's a great spot to have a family, grow up & have a nice cost of living. Those are just a few of the many benefits! Now let me show you what it has to offer (although many of my pictures don't do it justice.)

When I arrived in SLC I met up with my friend Kristi at Nailed to get a manicure. I was feeling kinda drained from my airplane ride but the mani was a perfect pick me up! There were a ton of great colors to choose from. It's always a tough decision! This time I got a seafoam green since St. Patrick's Day was right around the corner.

^^ It was sweet of Kristi to treat me to a mani as a congratulatory gift! 


After Getting our nails done we headed to the Dodo to meet up with our two friends Katie & Morgan. One of my favorite things about Salt Lake is the many local restaurants!  The Dodo is one of them, they have a good selection of sandwiches, salads, entrees + delicious desserts. They have something for everyone! I ordered one of my favorites, the Smoked Turkey Sandwich.
After dinner I went back to my parents house to hang out. The weather was seriously amazing I couldn't get over it!

^^ This felt like summer to me! In Boston it has been FREEZING & I think everyone on the east coast is over this polar vortex. Can we get some spring too? 

The next day I woke up & headed to my favorite neighborhood coffee shop, Cafe Expresso! It's always so fun going to the drive through. I have been going here since I was in high school & maybe even before (haha!) They know my whole family & always remember what I like. A grande iced latte coming right up!

My Mom & I then headed to the Red Iguana to meet my Dad for lunch. This is my favorite mexican place! They have the best mexican food in Salt Lake, I think! If you're ever in town give it a try & tell me how you liked it!

^^ This was one of the warmest days! We were able to sit on the patio which was perfect. We could hardly see, but who cares? This weather stole my heart. 

^^Margarita on the rocks to get this lunch started! Can't forget the chips + salsa...

^^ The Red Iguana is well known for their mole dishes, which are delicious! But I this time I decided to go with the chicken fajitas.

^^ I mean you can't deny this deliciousness! After our lunch my Dad had to get back to work :(.  My Mom & I sat on the patio a bit longer to enjoy the weather. I always love getting to spend time with my parents & I soak it up every chance I get. 

I was stuffed but I still wanted my FAVORITE treat (can't leave without having it!)

^^We stopped at Cafe Rio for their Tres Leches cake (the best ever!) I seriously crave this all the time it's heavenly. I need to find a recipe to make my own! 

After indulging I wanted to walk around & get some pictures of the mountains. They surround the entire valley...

^^ I miss these mountains so much! How gorgeous are they? Needless to say I love being home.

Xo,

Emily