Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 5

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Having seen Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Adams Morgan & Georgetown neighborhoods, and a couple of the Smithsonian museums within four days of our week-long visit to Washington D.C., it was time for my husband and I to check out some of the monuments at National Mall. Riding our Capital Bikeshare bicycles over to the National Mall in late morning, the chill long gone, vibrant emerald colors beckoned me for a photo at the Constitution Gardens Pond…

Although there weren’t any reflections in the Reflection Pool looking towards the Lincoln Memorial, the brilliant azure water was spectacular!

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 4

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Washington D.C. has a diverse population and my husband and I were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to join the throng of spectators gathering to watch a Hispanic parade. We bicycled to the Smithsonian Institute of Natural History to begin our tours of some of the wonderful and free of charge (kinda…taxpayers pay for it) Museums. As we walked along National Mall, we passed people gathered in groups, putting makeup on and making last minute adjustments to costumes, preparing for the parade along Constitution Avenue. The mood was festive and the costumes colorful!

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 3 continued

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Washington D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood is colorful, vibrant, funky, and fun! We started our day bicycling from our Airbnb in the Bloomington neighborhood on the East side of D.C. to the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown on the West side and finished in Adams Morgan, having drinks with a former 2 Star Admiral Navy Seal! After docking our bicycles at the Capital Bikeshare station on 18th Street, we walked down the street in search of an outdoor bar for some afternoon refreshments and met Chuck and his dog, Bravo. Having been in the military myself for four years, it was fascinating to listen to Chuck’s amazing lifetime experiences as a former high-ranking officer.

With puffy white clouds, blue sky, and mid-70’s temps, we relaxed for a couple of hours, talking with Chuck and people watching.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 3

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Exploring the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown was a refreshing start to our third day in Washington, D.C. Filled with shops, bars, restaurants, and interesting architecture, there’s much to see and do. Georgetown was originally part of Maryland until 1871 when the U.S. Congress created a new government for the District of Columbia.

My husband and I stopped at a Capital Bikeshare station around the corner from our Airbnb to pick up a bicycle for the 3 mile ride. It’s a great way to wheel around Washington D.C. above ground and budget friendly. You can purchase use of a bicycle for 24 hours – $7.00; 3 days – $15.00, or a month – $25.00. I purchased the month membership because I knew we would use the service for more than 3 days. I ordered a key for both of us to make it as simple as possible. Once you’re at one of the 300 stations, you insert your plastic key in the slot of the bicycle you want and then just pull the bike out. If your trip is 30 minutes or less, there’s no extra charge. If it’s between 31-60 minutes, there’s an additional $1.50 tacked on; and between 61-90 minutes – $4.50. You can download their app to your Smart Phone and check to see where a nearby station is to drop your bike that has a dock and/or if bicycles are available.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 2 continued

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Travel Spirit

George Washington’s former plantation, Mount Vernon, offers a variety of interesting and historical sites for all ages! After touring the Mansion and gardens, my husband and I stopped at one of the outbuildings on the grounds where a woman portrays Martha Washington and stays in character, answering questions from the crowd. She was very entertaining and knowledgeable!

At one point in time, there were 316 slaves living at Mount Vernon. They were freed after George Washington’s death, which he directed in his Last Will and Testament.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 2

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Bike and Roll has a fun and educational bicycling adventure that begins in Alexandria, Virginia, where you pick up a bike and cycle 9 miles along a scenic path beside the Potomac River, to the historic and beautiful Mount Vernon, George Washington’s former plantation.

Before touring the Mansion and grounds, we had lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn.

I recommend the Shrimp and Grits and the Root Beer is pretty darn good!

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Unwind and uncork a bottle at these 3 Local Wineries

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Meranda-Nixon Winery

If you’re lucky, like I was, when you arrive at the Meranda-Nixon Winery, you’ll be greeted by one of the proprietors’ friendly dogs. You may even see one of their beautiful horses as you gaze at the lush vineyards.

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Nightlife at Put-in-Bay

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Feeling like Cinderella with less than an hour or two left, our day at Put-in-Bay was going to end at 9:30pm (our Jet Express ferry return time) so we knew we had to squeeze out every bit of fun we could in the time remaining. Walking down the street, the sound of a musician belting out a foot tapping tune from an outdoor lakeside venue, led us to take a rest and listen for a while.

The colorful umbrellas and people up ahead were incentive enough for me!

While my friends relaxed, I did my thing…take photographs.

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Finding Art at Put-in-Bay

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Travel Spirit

My quest to find art everywhere I go with my camera, was fulfilled at Put-in-Bay! This tiki torch lighting a restaurant walkway provided a cool contrast to the dusky sky.

This beautiful girl with an edgy look allowed me to take her photograph. I gave her one of my cards and sent the photos to her. She thanked me for making her feel special!

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There’s more to Put-in-Bay than Partying

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Exploring South Bass Island on our golf cart, my girlfriends and I discovered the other side of Put-in-Bay. The side that makes you want to pull up a comfy lounge chair and let the world go by. We admired the lakeside homes with the glittering water shining through their windows…

Sailboats gliding quietly through the blue waters…

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The Wild Side of Put-in-Bay

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Travel Spirit

If you’re looking for fun in the sun, dancing, a few adult beverages, and people in skimpy bathing suits, Put-in-Bay is the place to visit! Although my friends and I didn’t bring our bathing suits for our day on the Island, we didn’t let that prevent us from making a stop at one of the swimming pools Put-in-Bay is famous for. We bring the party with us no matter where we’re at! My friend Shari moving to the beat…

Although the pool bar looked inviting, the non-humid 80 degree weather was perfect for lounging around with our clothing on.

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Golf Cart Fun at Put-in-Bay

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Travel Spirit

A trip to Put-in-Bay, also known as the “Key West of the North”, isn’t complete unless you rent a golf cart. After disembarking from the Jet Express ferry ($33 pp round-trip) from Port Clinton, our first stop was to pick up our ride. We didn’t reserve a cart ahead of time, but they had plenty. Splitting the $80 day rental fee between four of us, made it quite affordable.

Seated on the back…taking photographs while we were racing along was fun…

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Girls’ Weekend Port Clinton and Put-in-Bay

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Travel Spirit

My annual tradition of spending a long weekend somewhere with girlfriends has come around full circle this past weekend, when myself and three friends drove from Cincinnati to Port Clinton, Ohio, and eventually ferried over to Put-in-Bay, where we began the tradition 22 years ago! I don’t remember much about that weekend so many years ago, other than visiting the Marblehead Lighthouse, driving a golf cart around, and listening to a band on a beer splashed floor in a dark bar in the middle of the day. This time was different. We still had fun, in fact, we had more fun this time! Initially we were going to stay on the South Bass Island where the village of Put-in-Bay is located, but with only a couple of months notice for planning the trip (creating a lack of options) and wanting to get some sleep, since many of the hotels are located near loud bars, I booked a condo through Vacation Rental by Owner (VRBO) in Port Clinton, located within walking distance (15 mins.) to the Jet Express for the 25 min. trip over. After settling in and having a delicious lunch prepared by one of the “girls” at the condo, we made a drink and headed down to the pool and hot tub for some relaxation. We couldn’t have asked for better weather…80 degrees and sunny afternoons!

We freshened up and headed out to the Mon Ami Winery, located a short 10-15 min. drive from our condo.

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Western & Southern Open Fashion Show

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Travel Spirit

The Western and Southern Open Fashion Show, sponsored by Cincy Chic, was a fun event to photograph for Cincinnati Refined! I continue to have “firsts” as I work assignments for Cincinnati Refined as I’ve never photographed a fashion show before. A couple of the models were definitely uncomfortable and insecure and it showed, but I think it’s important to push ourselves to do things that we’re not comfortable with, so we grow and develop our skills and potential to their fullest!

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10 Tips to Cut Your Travel Costs

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Travel Spirit

If you love to travel like I do, here are some tips to stretch your travel dollar…

1. Lodging

Lodging is by far the largest expense when traveling. Couchsurfing is a terrific alternative to the standard hotel room if you’re a bit adventurous. After making an online profile through Couchsurfing.org, you can search their database based on location and other filters, such as age and male/female, for a place to crash for a few nights. It’s totally free and the friendships you make could become lifelong! You may also host people at your place, if you have a couch, an extra bed, or even an air mattress on the floor. In the past two years, I’ve Couchsurfed in Cape Town, South Africa, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Philadelphia, and New York City.

Patio of Cape Town, S. Africa Couchsurfing home

2. Solo Travel

If you’re traveling solo through a travel company, choose a company that doesn’t charge a single supplement fee, such as G Adventures. They’ll pair you up with a roommate and who knows, you may even become Facebook friends with them!

One of my roommates in Thailand through G Adventures