Tag Archives: travel

Heroes & Heart Attacks

Nashville

I had ideas about what I might share here on the blog this week. As a matter of fact, I have a backlog of so many posts that I’ve not pushed live out into the world yet. There’s no shortage of words saved safely on my computer right now. 

Then, the week blows right past us and it’s Thursday and I’ve not set anything in motion for the week. Not to mention, it’s been one of those weeks that truly blows your mind. 

It all started with a spontaneous trip to Nashville this past weekend. This alone was exciting enough. I thought I might write about our fun, impromptu trip and post our seflies and food pics. Because most of our trips revolve around cool restaurants, to be honest. 

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Work Retreat in Durham, NC

The Durham

I just got home from a quick work retreat visiting Ashlee in Durham, NC and I’m returning with all the ideas and plans! Ashlee moved to North Carolina last summer after getting married and we’ve been working with me on the ground in LA and her doing every single thing she can remotely from there. We planned this few days to get together face to face for a bit of a “state of the union” and brainstorming session. It was much needed and I feel like we made all the plans! 

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Red Rock Canyon – Nevada

Red Rock Canyon Mojave Desert

The day before Keller Williams Family Reunion (our annual conference) began in Las Vegas, Ashlee and I went to hike around Red Rock Canyon. The canyon is roughly 20-25 minutes from the Las Vegas strip and we conned an Uber into taking us there. Note: You do NOT have cell service once you arrive at the canyon so schedule your return with a driver BEFORE you get there. I was so thankful for having done a bit of research or it’s quite possible that we would have been stranded. Continue reading

Where to Stay & Eat in Jackson, MS

Airbnb Jackson, MSYesterday I turned 31. Last year I was soooo excited to be turning 30 and I even threw a big party to celebrate. This year I’m feeling a little more low key and choosing to soak up some R&R where I can. I asked Matthew for a shopping trip for my birthday because that ole closet of mine is needing a refresh these days. This past weekend, we went to Jackson, MS to hit up some of my favorite stores and check out the outlet mall. Here’s a fun recap of the weekend.

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Flights & Fights

Fights and Flights at pamelapetrus.comI remember our first flight together. We were barely married and I was tagging along for a work trip to Vegas. We knew so little about one another then and definitely didn’t know what to expect as we traveled across multiple states together for the first time. As soon as we sunk into our seats, Matthew pulled out a book and earbuds, and I was struck with disappointment. I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t bring anything to do on the flight. Somehow, I had concocted this romantic notion that we’d spend the entire flight talking about our new life together, or dreams, or what we’d do on our trip. This wouldn’t be the first time that I romanticized a scenario that didn’t play out quite as I envisioned. (By the way, this post has nothing to do with a fight really. I just liked the alliteration.)

Now, four years later, we’ve traveled many places together. We’ve gone by plane, train, and automobile. We’ve taken long trips. Short trips. Exciting adventures and basic routes. Now, four years later, I know what to expect when we travel together. I turned the planning and route management reigns over to him. That’s marriage, you know. Giving and taking. Relinquishing control along the way. Sharing roles. Sometimes this happens naturally as you settle into new roles together. Sometimes it doesn’t happen without a fight or an immense amount of effort. Nonetheless, I know more of what to expect these days, both in travel and in life.

Today, as I sit next to my husband on a noisy flight, I go back and forth between reading, writing, and listening to music. I have several options for entertainment. I watch as his head bobs, up and down and side to side, as he doses with his headphones firmly intact. Even when he wakes, I know we won’t say more than 5 words until the plane lands. Watching his head bob is both the most adorable thing and also the most comforting. I know what to expect today. Much more so than I did on that first flight. I don’t take his earphones or reading as a sign of disregard of me. Instead, it’s just how he flies. And that’s that. I’ll delve into another chapter or another song and I’ll let my mind wander here and there.

So many of these little lessons and moments of enlightenment have come throughout the last four years, not just regarding flights and travels. I wonder, how many more shall present themselves over a lifetime. I can hardly imagine. I realize both what an accomplishment it is to be where we are today, and I simultaneously learn how more of those routines are developed. You learn so much. You learn the others person’s strengths and weaknesses. Their quirks. The things that make your mind wander with excitement, as well as the things that make you feel like you could snap their necks with your bare hands. What a concept! To share a life together and to survive doing so.

Right now, at four years, I feel like both newlyweds and veterans. We are much better at this than we were in the beginning, and that deserves some credit. Like physical awards and such. And yet, there’s still so much to learn. So many more years to learn and grow and experience things together. I’m reminded of times of seeing couples who had been married for years upon years, and to see the ease of their routines at play is amazing. It’s something to be honored and revered. And hopefully someday we’ll be a well-oiled machine like those couples. For now, we’ll truck along being our 2012 Honda selves – a few rattles and yet still miles and miles left on those tires.

Denali National Park – Alaska

Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.comI realized that months have passed and I still haven’t finished sharing details about our Alaska trip. Since we’re enjoying some time in the Rocky Mountains this week, I thought it would be a good time to talk more about the lovely Alaskan vacation.

Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOn our first full day there, we visited Denali National Park. I had very high expectations for the park because I was told that this is where you see the majority of the wildlife. If I’m being honest, I sort of expected it to be like a safari park of sorts…we ride around in a bus and feed wildlife from little cups. Obviously, I had the wrong idea. Apparently, the week we were there was the week all of the animals took a sabbatical. Or a vacation to Canada. We did see a few miscellaneous animals in the distance. Not. One. Bear. Though. Unfortunately, it was also a very foggy day and there was some residual smoke from recent forest fires, so we missed a lot of the mountain views too, including the majestic Mount McKinley (which I think was renamed to Denali shortly after we left). If you noticed the etching on the window in the photo above, you can tell where Mount McKinley was supposed to be. All we could see was fog. Turns out that it had only been seen 3-4 times so far this summer. I wish I would have known those odds before I rode a bus for 8 hours!

Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOur trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Denali-5Even though we didn’t see as much of the mountains or wildlife as we’d hoped, we did get a ton of good photos and enjoyed the cool features of the visitor center. My favorites there were the American flag flying high against the mountain view, that awesome handmade quilt, and the book in which someone sketches the view of Denali every single day. So awesome! My favorite part of the park was Polychrome Pass. I loved the variety of colors and textures there. As with all of of the Alaskan scenery, I feel like it was impossible to catch its true beauty in a photo.

Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Our trip to Denali. Read more at pamelapetrus.comThe trip to the park and back and the long bus ride there proved to be very exhausting. We drove 4 hours there, rode 8 hours on the bus, and then drove 4 more hours back to our campsite. Not kidding. We were exhausted by the time we turned in for the night. We were already quite tired from making the journey to Alaska the day before. Nonetheless, the visit to the park was a great way to kick off our trip! And I’m happy to report that I didn’t get motion sickness on the bus – hooray!

On the Road to Kansas

Last week I shared a glimpse into our Kansas City trip, and I left out some valuable experiences. It’s pretty common that I enjoy the trip to somewhere just as much as I enjoy being there. The road to Nashville is where I found that lovely general store and many other of our fondest memories. This trip to Kansas City was no exception.

We left from Thanksgiving in Texas to make the trip north. I’d never been through Oklahoma or Kansas, so I was looking forward to taking in the scenery. I also had a goal of actually stopping and experiencing something in Oklahoma so that I could mark it on our map. Mission accomplished! I’m actually quite impressed that we get to mark off three new states after just one short weekend trip.

We made the trip via the Indian Nation Turnpike and I loved the scenery! I felt like this route gave us a true vision of the Oklahoma landscape, and I loved seeing the hills/mountains and the trees boasting the beautiful fall colors. As I gazed out into the horizon, I could easily imagine the Native Americans roaming about and buffalo traipsing the landscape. I felt like I was getting a tiny glimpse into American history. On the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOn the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOn the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comAs we drove down the turnpike we came upon a sign that said “next exit 25 miles.” We quickly swerved for the exit that we were about to pass for a bathroom break. The Daisy Store in Daisy, Oklahoma was the one and only option at this exit, and it was just as you’d imagine any small town store to be. Locals were gathered around tables as they waited for the chicken tenders to finish frying, just behind the check out counter. There was one bathroom which resembled a tiny little closet in the back that Matthew and I had to share. There was only one water option in the cooler, which was quite different from the array of choices we usually see when we stop. They also had four padlocks on the door to lock the place up. The thing that stood out most to me was the gas wall heater that hung on the wall just outside the bathroom. This heater, and maybe others like it, appeared to be the only source of heat for the quaint little store. While I found it rather cozy, I also couldn’t help but imagine the liability at hand and chuckle because you’d never see something of the sort at a large truck stop these days. You’d think this ten minute experience from our trip wouldn’t make it to the blog, yet I look back on the Daisy Store with a smile.On the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.com On the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comFurther up the road, we began looking for a spot for lunch. We try to only eat local restaurants when we travel, so I began searching for options a bit early. This stretch though, was rather rural so I was having trouble finding a winner that wasn’t too far from our path. I did get a kick out of some of the reviews though. “A budget steak dinner” and “the last restaurant with a smoking section” just weren’t things that appealed to me. Finally, we came up on a diner and darted in for a quick bite. There were so many things about Angel’s Diner that I just loved. First, my Daddy’s favorite song by Don Williams was playing as we entered. This song always makes me smile with contentment and I knew right away that we’d come to the right place. The surroundings were decorated in 50s fashion just as you’d expect. The difference here, however, is that the place was immaculately clean and the entire staff was extremely friendly. Our server in particular, was outgoing and welcoming and enabled us to really enjoy our experience there. Matthew had the steak finger special and I had a burger. (They gave me extra pickles, so they’re a winner in my book.) The food was really tasty and although we didn’t have any pie, there was quite a selection of options made there at the restaurant. I loved the vibe of this place, the funny names on the menu, and the old country music that was playing. It really felt like a blast from the past, and it’s certainly a place I’d go back to.On the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.com On the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOn the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comI haven’t mentioned yet that it’s been raining the entire trip so far and it’s also freezing cold. Therefore, all of these little pit stops require me to bundle up and try my best to stay dry as we come and go. Most of the time I wasn’t too successful in that feat, and I think heated car seats are the reason I didn’t end up with pneumonia. I think the dreariness of the day is important to mention, though, because we could have easily given up and driven through drive throughs to avoid the nasty weather. However, we’d have missed out on several awesome experiences that way. I think pointing out how gross the weather was is important because it’s a lesson to seize opportunities when you have them and to make the most of every situation, even freezing, rainy days in Oklahoma.

As we continued our trip, we made it to Iola, Kansas, a growing town that Matthew had actually written a report on once. This is where we first began seeing ice in the trees and on the ground, a site that we’d see for the rest of our time there. We stopped for gas and I got a cup of butterfinger coffee, which will go down in history as the first time I’ve ever gotten gas station coffee that I enjoyed. We also saw a sign for the “world’s largest town square” so we made a quick detour to see that. Whether it’s actually the world’s largest or not, I don’t know. However, I loved getting to drive around it and wouldn’t mind stopping to explore it more later.On the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOn the Road to Kansas. Read more at pamelapetrus.comAfter Iola, we finished the trek to Kansas City and you can read more about that in last week’s post. The trek home wasn’t quite as packed with experiences as the ride up, and that could be because it was STILL raining and we were rather exhausted. We did stop at one gas station that had the largest selection of liquor/alcohol that I’ve ever seen under one roof. (Mind blowing.) We also attempted lunch at a place that seemed to be promising by its online profile. When we arrived, however, we were sorely disappointed and kept going. Their logo was a buzzard if that give you some perspective. Instead, we continued on and made a small detour to have Instant Karma Gourmet Hot Dogs. This place was much more “our style” and had a ton of interesting hotdogs to choose from. I loved that each table had a different set of fun S&P shakers on them. We ate and rested for a bit and then headed back out to finish our rainy drive home.

As usual, I look back on the trek to and from our destination as having some of the best experiences of the trip. It’s often these side excursions as we travel that I enjoy the most. I think that mindset can be applied to life in general, too. It’s often more about the journey than the destination, and in my opinion we can miss out of some of the most rewarding experiences by focusing too heavily on the destination.

“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It’s a direction, not a destination.” – Carl Rogers

Kansas City

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOver Thanksgiving weekend, Matthew and I did a bit of traveling. First we headed out to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with his mom and family. Then, on Friday morning, we made the drive up to Kansas City. Many of our friends here don’t realize that Matthew actually graduated from high school at Blue Valley North in Kansas. This was his 10 year reunion so since Matthew hasn’t been back and I’ve never been, we decided to make the trip up together to explore.

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.comTrip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com To be honest, I really knew very little about Kansas or Kansas City before the trip. Matthew always has fond things to say of the city, yet I just imagined it as all farmland and plains. And tornadoes, of course. Before heading north, I didn’t even know that half of the city was in Kansas and the other half in Missouri. Silly me! There’s even a road, Stateline Road, where one side of the street is Kansas and the other Missouri. How fun…and confusing at the same time. I must say, despite my initial thoughts, Kansas City seems like a lovely town. We were only there for a short time so we didn’t get to explore near as much as we’d like. Guess we’ll have to go back!

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Sculptures at the art museum. Read more at pamelapetrus.comOne of my favorite experiences from the trip was a visit to the Nelson-Atkins museum. Matthew and I both love a good art museum, especially one with a good contemporary art section. I was blown away by just the size of this place! We spent a few hours there, exploring each section, without even quite finishing it before heading out for some lunch. One of my favorite parts of the museum was the 4 Seasons (check via pic) exhibit out front. I loved the mixed media used to create the sculptures and found the project fascinating. If you’re in the area, I’d highly recommend a visit. (You might even want to get there before the Thomas Hart Benton exhibit wraps up.)

Food from Joe's. Read more about our time in Kansas City at pamelapetrus.com.Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com After the museum we headed over to the famous Joe’s Kansas City (formerly Oklahoma Joe’s). We waited in line for well over an hour, a line that wrapped around the entire inside of the restaurant and even extended outside in the freezing, drizzly weather. Nonetheless, we waited. My theory is, if so many people are willing to stand and wait, the food must be good! Besides, we could smell the goodness as soon as we pulled into the parking lot. I can say with 100% certainty that it did not disappoint and was well worth the wait. Honestly, this was probably the best bbq that I’ve ever had. Ever. I enjoyed the famous Z Man and Matthew had the special, which was the burnt ends. Those, by the way, are only offered a few days a week and take a full 24 hours to prepare.

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.comWhile waiting in line at Joe’s we met some new friends from Texas! Because the line was so lengthy, we had plenty of time to chat and make introductions. We ended up joining them at their table because seating was limited and it was a lot of fun making some new friends! I never meet a stranger, you know. Matthew and I also felt a bit like his Pappaw and Grandmother that we traveled to Alaska with. They’re always coming back from their travels with stories of meeting someone new and usually they stay in touch with them from then on out. Before long, I imagine that we’ll have acquaintances scattered about the country!

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.comAnother highlight from our trip was a visit to the Country Club Plaza. Basically, the Plaza is a large, outdoor mall that spans for blocks and blocks. It reminded me of an old downtown area, yet the stores are mostly new and modern. It was cold and rainy (again) so Matthew and I darted back and forth from store to store, trying to stay warm and dry. We were quite exhausted from our time at the museum earlier, so I really appreciated the husband being willing to stay on his feet a bit longer to shop with me. Since it’s the holiday time, the Plaza was all lit up with Christmas lights and the ambiance was just lovely. Had we not been quite so tired, I think we could have spent hours there. Maybe next time.

Other than Joe’s, which was easily our favorite restaurant, we also really liked McCoy’s downtown. The atmosphere there was relaxing and easy going and Matthew and I slipped right in for some late night bites. They’re pretty famous for their mac n cheese so we tried that, and my favorite was the skillet dip. (I’m pretty much a fan of anything you dip a tortilla chip into.) The drinks there were tasty, and I’d love to go back for another peach tea cocktail. If you’re roaming around downtown, I’d suggest popping in for a bit.

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.com Another favorite experience of the trip was our many rides with Uber. Seriously, Uber. I love you. I’d used the service a few times back in Mobile and this was our first time to really take advantage of it. Even though we had a car with us, it was soooo much more convenient to request a car and have it pick us up and drop us off right at the door. No hassle of parking. No walking across gigantic parking lots in the freezing cold and no reading maps. Instead, we’d request a car from the app on my phone. Someone would show up within mere minutes and take us to the next destination. You can track the location of the car from the app which was sort of fun. All drivers are background checked, and it’s much quicker/cleaner/less expensive than a cab. My favorite part is that you get a text with your drivers rating and you get the opportunity to rate them after the ride too. I’ll admit…I’m a new Uber fan. All the way.

Trip to Kansas City. Read more at pamelapetrus.comEven though this was a quick (and very rainy) trip, Matthew and I still enjoyed ourselves. At first I thought we might freeze to death because there was ice still left everywhere from a bit of freezing rain the day before. Somehow we stayed relatively dry and warm though. I think we’re definitely going to plan a trip back soon, because there’s still so much of Kansas City to be seen. Do you have any fun suggestions on what to do on the next trip? We’d love to hear your suggestions!

Wooten Weekend – Balloon Festival & Angola Rodeo

The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com.Matthew and I recently went to The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race and the Angola Rodeo with our friends, the Wootens. Matthew and I both love their daughters Ava and Ila dearly and we enjoyed hanging out and spending time with them over the weekend. I took a ton of photos, of course, so I thought I’d share a bit about our fun weekend.The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com.We traveled to Natchez early Saturday morning and planned to enjoy the festival while waiting on the balloons to fly. We checked out the craft vendors, ate carnival food, flew kites, and listened to live music. We rode rides with the kids. (When I say “we,” I mean Matthew and the others. This girl does not ride rides…motion sickness and migraine city for me. Matthew actually waited in line for over an hour to ride the Ferris wheel with Ava…so sweet!)

Unfortunately, the balloons didn’t get to fly even once because it was too windy. Not even once! Of course, it was for the safety of the operators. However, it was a bummer to not get to see the balloons at all. Maybe next year!The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race with the Wootens. Read more at pamelapetrus.com.After wrapping up at the balloon fest and having dinner at The Camp, we drove down to St. Francisville to stay for the night. If you’re not familiar with Louisiana, St. Francisvillle is home to a multitude of very old plantation homes, many of which have been converted into bed & breakfasts. Just imagine tree-lined driveways, glorious, old homes, and acres of beautiful scenery. Matthew and I stayed at Greenwood Plantation  and although we didn’t get to stay in the plantation home, we did get a quick tour before heading to the rodeo. I loved seeing the large rooms full of old furniture and an abundance of character. The trees out front were simply lovely and I could have spent hours walking about. If you’d like to take a step back in time, I highly recommend a visit to the St. Francisvillle area!Greenwood Plantation in St. Francisville. Read more at pamelapetrus.com.Greenwood Plantation in St. Francisville. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. Greenwood Plantation in St. Francisville. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. Greenwood Plantation in St. Francisville. Read more at pamelapetrus.com. Greenwood Plantation in St. Francisville. Read more at pamelapetrus.com.On Sunday, we attended the famous Angola Rodeo, and I was nothing short of blown away. That rodeo is quite an operation! I had mixed feelings about the concept of a prison rodeo. However, the fact that this large institution completely supports itself, grows its own food and livestock, and even helps provides sustenance to other prisons, is simply amazing. I left the rodeo completely intrigued and spent most of the ride home looking up facts about the Angola system. I could literally write a book report on it at this point!

All in all, it was a very fun weekend. Matthew and I enjoyed spending time with our dear friends and came home rather exhausted. Since we didn’t get to see the balloons, I’m thinking we’ll have to plan to return next year! Maybe you can join us!