The bitter Chicago cold and wind from the lakefront can be intimidating. Growing up in the Chicago area, I know how brutal those winds can be. Chicago winters can be so cold that many people completely avoid visiting this beautiful city during the winter months. While I do enjoy Chicago’s wonderful summers, today I’m giving you 5 reasons to brave the Chicago winter weather instead of running...
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United States
There is something special about sitting outside in the midst of a beautiful natural landscape and listening to the quiet hum of the critters off in the distance. One of my favorite parts of living in Colorado is being so close to countless national parks and natural landscapes of all kinds. My first time visiting Mud Lake I was able to capture the peacefulness of the moment...
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I was all pumped up to get away for the weekend with a stay at the cozy Winter Park Mountain Lodge and take advantage of the mounds of snow that came down during the week leading up to opening day at Winter Park. Brandon and I bought our ski passes a few months ago and decided we would try out snowboarding as neither of us had...
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In order to take advantage of opening weekend at Winter Park, Brandon and I had the pleasure of staying at the Winter Park Mountain Lodge where we enjoyed the snowy weather and hit the slopes for a fun-filled snowboarding skiing trip! Come back next week to see why my attempt at snowboarding didn’t go over so well. Getting There My most important advice when coming to Winter Park is try...
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From fresh harvested herbs from the Rocky Mountains to the steaming mug of tea you hold while curled up on the couch, Celestial Seasonings has come a long way since 1969. The first production facility was established in a barn in Boulder in 1970, and now they have a full fledged production facility that offers tours and serves more than 1.6 billion cups of tea...
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Let me just reiterate – there is an entire festival dedicated to elk. Leave it to Estes Park, Colorado! October is known as “Elktober” in this town. Fall is the prime mating season for elk, and they can be seen all around the town of Estes Park as they come down from the mountains. Elk fest celebrates the courtship season (known as “rut”). When bulls (males) compete for the...
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The powerful Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau, has been engrained in New Orleans history since the early 1800s, and she facilitated the rise of the still thriving voodoo culture of New Orleans. The practice of voodoo has African roots and is believed to have originated during the slave trade, when the slaves participated in spiritual practices to ease their oppression. Marie Laveau became a symbol of...
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Walking around Nederland, we were recommended to check out Mud Lake, one of the many hiking trails in the area. There was a small dirt road leading to the trail that we actually drove right past the first time, so this was not a trail that is easy to stumble upon. This is a relaxing hike, as the trails are easy and very short (only about 2...
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There is a small town about a 17 miles southwest of Boulder located up in the mountains with colorful buildings and plenty of nearby hiking trails. Just about the entire half hour drive is on winding mountain roads, which makes for a nice, scenic route. Upon arriving in Nederland, I instantly fell in love. 8,228 feet in elevation tucked into the Rocky Mountains, it gave me a warm and...
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