Tag Archives for travel

Apple Hill




















We went to Apple Hill this weekend for the third year in a row, which I guess solidifies it as our fall tradition. We like to pick out our pumpkins to carve, as well as some of the famous apples (can’t go to Apple Hill without getting apples, right?) I also picked up some squash to bake sometime in the next few weeks, and we splurged and got some apple donuts, which are delicious! On the way home, we stopped by FiftyFifty, a brewery in Truckee, and picked up a growler of their Imperial Stout. I guess we were feeling like our Skyrim characters. We also went to dinner at the Sasquatch Tavern in Verdi, and got the Sasquatch Coffee, which was similar to Irish coffee. It was a fun and very autumn-themed day!

And now it’s my birthday, so here’s to being 24!

The road through rural Nevada

I won a writing award from the Nevada Press Association (that’s me on the left side!), so Andrew and I hopped in my Fiat and drove down to Las Vegas for the weekend. I’ve been to Vegas a few times before but I’ve never made the drive–I drove once with a friend and her parents when I was a teenager, but I got the flu so I don’t remember the drive at all. There is very little to see on the drive except for a whole lot of desert. I love the desert and find it very beautiful and interesting (given the name of my blog). Rural Nevada is fascinating. If you’ve ever played Fallout: New Vegas, you know what it looks like. I’m not saying that to speak badly of the little towns along the way, but there are so many run down buildings and just plain odd things to see. At times it really does feel like the apocalypse swept through. It’s pretty surreal.

picasion gif maker

Currently reading: Flight from Berlin

After finishing Anna Karenina–which I loved immensely, by the way (can’t wait for the movie)–I was definitely craving more historical fiction. I especially wanted WWII historical fiction–something juicy and compelling, but with some accurate historical context. I was at Barnes & Noble when this book called Flight from Berlin by David John caught my eye.

The synopsis:

August 1936: The eyes of the world are on Berlin, where Adolf Hitler is using the Olympic Games to showcase his powerful new regime. Cynical British journalist Richard Denham knows that the carefully staged spectacle masks the Nazis’ ruthless brutality, and he’s determined to report the truth.

Sparks fly when the seasoned newspaperman meets the beautiful and rebellious American socialite Eleanor Emerson. A superb athlete whose brash behavior got her expelled from the U.S. Olympic swim team, Eleanor is now covering the games as a celebrity columnist for newspapers in the States. While Berlin welcomes the world, the Nazi capital becomes a terrifying place for Richard and Eleanor. Their chance encounter at a reception thrown by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels leads them into the center of a treacherous game involving the Gestapo and the British Secret Intelligence Service. At stake: a mysterious dossier that threatens to destroy the leadership of the Third Reich.

Drawn together by danger and passion, surrounded by enemies, Richard and Eleanor must pull off a daring plan to survive. But one wrong move could be their last.

This book was released in July, so it’s only been on shelves for a little over a month. This is the author’s debut novel, and I always love reading new work by new writers.

The review on the back of the book says, “Lovers of historical thrillers, World War II stories, athletic history and espionage novels will be mesmerized by this offering.” I think that is what sealed the deal for me.

And holy cow, this is a really good book. The two main characters are complex but relatable, and the book is written in a very approachable, clean, and matter-of-fact style. The story is rooted deeply in history of that time, and historical figures make frequent cameos. I enjoy the relationship between the protagonists, but I am also very interested in the world John has established, particularly how the Nazi party fought to gain control of Europe and the lengths it took to silence people who spoke against it.

I’ll admit that I’ve had a really hard time getting into books this year. I’ve always been a voracious, insatiable reader–it’s what has driven my passions and career choices. But I just wasn’t connecting with anything I was reading. Anna Karenina was a great read, but it was a slower reading experience than I’m used to because of the length and writing style of the book.

I will probably finish this book tonight because I could barely put it down, and I’m pretty sad about finishing it. But it just feels good to be in the middle of a thought-provoking but engaging book. Now I’m just trying to decide what to read next. I keep seeing a book called Istanbul Passage pop up as a related read, so I might check that out next.

5 driving roads on my bucket list

Can I just say how much I love my Fiat? It’s the best thing I’ve ever owned, ever. I have so much fun driving it, even if it’s just to run errands. Yesterday we drove up to Tahoe to drop my brother off, and even though it was the worst weekend to drive up to Tahoe because of the holiday, I had an awesome time driving it around the twists and turns of the road–especially around Emerald Bay. I couldn’t find a good map to show off how twisty it is, but these pictures show how tight the corners are and how there are essentially no railings.

Driving a blue Fiat around Lake Tahoe is now my favorite hobby. I would live in Tahoe in a heartbeat, but my boyfriend is happier here in Reno. Maybe some day…

But it got me thinking about where else I’d love to drive my Fiat. The car’s Sport mode makes it great for lots of corners, but it’s also fun to amp up the speed and just fly along the highway. I like roads that require me to be an active driver, but also allow me to soak in the scenery.

The Dolomites – Swiss Alps

 

This photo by David Pasztor is breathtaking! I went to Italy as a teen but would love to return and explore the many amazing routes throughout the Dolomites.

Reno to Vegas – Nevada

In a couple weekends, we’re driving down to Vegas. I’ve made this ride before but never as the driver, and of course, never with a super awesome car. I’m so excited to just drive along the state. It’s a pretty flat and deserted drive but I find it very relaxing and it’s a great opportunity to see a lot of the state, including some of the smaller towns and ghost towns.

Highway 1 Big Sur – California

Driving along the ocean sounds dreamy. This is by far one of the most beautiful places in California.

Denali Highway – Alaska

I’ve never been to Alaska but it’s high on my list of places to visit. Any open, mountainous road sounds appealing to me! This is a gravely road so I would consider taking an off-road car instead.

Pikes Peak Highway – Colorado

This looks like an interesting route, especially with the snow and the unique pattern of the road. This looks like it would also be a good route for an off-road car.

Although this is a Mini ad (and it features my favorite singer Michelle Branch), this video sums up how I feel all the time! I love the ending where she is driving around Milan because that looks so pretty–and it reminds me a lot of the drive in Tahoe.

Revisiting my travels | Paris

I’ve had Paris on the brain lately since I’ve been thinking about re-practicing my French reading and writing skills–considering I have a minor in it, oddly enough. French was my favorite subject in high school, so it was natural to incorporate it into my college education, but I ended up having a pretty miserable time studying French in college so it’s not something I think about very often. But for some reason, my interest in French has re-surged lately, and the desire to travel definitely came back in full force after going to Washington D.C. in June. Andrew and I are planning a trip to Germany next year, which I’m really excited about. And I just bought an Italian car with satellite radio so I’ve been listening to BBC World and the French music stations, so, you know, I’ve been thinking Euro lately.

Our first trip together–about two months after we started dating!–was to France and Holland. A pretty big trip for a new couple, but we had a great time. We went in 2009 so it was a while ago! Doesn’t feel that long ago, though… c’est la vie!

My favorite picture of the trip:

Okay, we’re pretty cute. ;)

P.S.

I am way behind on the poetry challenge so I will catch up tomorrow!

Summer 2012 recap

The fall semester starts tomorrow, so my summer is officially at an end. This semester marks the last year of my Master’s program, which is exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time. It’s been a great summer, though, so I feel pretty good about it coming to a close. Since I started my job a year ago, this is the first year I’ve worked full-time over the summer, but it was nice to know that it’s possible to work 40 hour weeks and still have plenty of time to go out and enjoy life. :)

This summer:

We went to San Francisco to visit my family:

More San Francisco photos here and here.

We had an Epic Fantasy Weekend:

We went to the Renaissance Faire:

More Renaissance Faire photos here.

We moved into our new place and I got my office set up (mostly):

More home office posts on the Battleroom page.

We went to Washington D.C.:

More D.C. pictures here, here and here.

We went hiking up in Truckee:

We went exploring in Virginia City:

We celebrated Andrew’s 24th birthday:

We perused downtown Reno (several times):

Andrew won first place in the car show:

I got a sweet new ride:

And we also saw a lot of great movies and television shows, and played some awesome new games, and spent a lot of time just hanging out. It was a nice few months, but now it’s time to hit the books!

Virginia City

Virginia City, Nevada is an amazing place. I went up there quickly this Thursday to cover a story for work (VC is about 40 mins away from Reno), and I couldn’t help but stop and take a few pictures. It was cloudy, which made the whole town feel a little eerie. This place is full of great, old architecture and some gorgeous views of Nevada’s hills.

(^That is my dream car… an orange Karmann Ghia. Sigh…)

Favorite Washington D.C. photos

I’m not a very patriotic person, at least in a typical sense, since I’m a dirty communist or whatever, but after going to Washington D.C., some things about the United States have a different meaning for me now.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip. Happy 4th of July!

The flight over

American History Museum – Thomas Edison Exhibit

Air and Space Museum

Washington Monument

Driving through Maryland

Arlington Cemetary

Mount Vernon

US Capitol

FDR’s monument (my favorite)

MLK Jr. monument

WWII monument

D.C.

Hiking the Coldstream Valley Trail

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I were itching to get outdoors, so we decided to hike the Coldstream Valley Trail in Truckee, Calif. Truckee is great–it has a Tahoe-like vibe but without the large crowds that swarm Tahoe’s trails during the summer. We thought it would be a good time to try out a hiking and trails app, too, so we downloaded My Tracks (available for Android and iPhone) to help us track our progress.

Coldstream Valley is a few miles away from the heart of Truckee, but it’s easy to find right off the freeway. The trail starts with a road that passes a campground, and eventually leads to the stream. Depending on how far you go, you’ll eventually hit a few large ponds along the stream. We hiked about two and a half miles in, and about a mile was uphill. It’s a great trail, well maintained and mostly shaded by trees.

My Tracks really came in handy while we were out trekking. It served as a map, and also kept track of our progress. When we got home, we were able to upload our path to Google Earth, and it played a video of exactly where we went! I’ll try to figure out a way to upload the video because it’s pretty cool (any idea on how to export a Google Earth file as a video?). Here are some of our stats.

This trail was a great find–it wasn’t busy at all, either, on the Sunday before Fourth of July, which is usually when people plan to go camping. We also stopped at the Fifty Fifty Brewery on the way back home for some locally brewed beer.

I’d say it was a successful adventure!

Every day carry wishlist

I’m in the process of streamlining my EDC gear, but I’m trying to save a bit of money so I can invest in the stuff I actually want–some of which is a bit pricey. So, for fun, I put together my ideal EDC that I can work toward acquiring. I’m going for a rugged, industrial look, with strong metals and sturdy materials. I want to stick to mostly neutral colors but I might incorporate something high contrast just for fun.

Here’s what I’ve been working with lately. It’s not terrible, but it’s pretty, well, feminine. As you’ll see in my wishlist pics, I definitely prefer more muted, rustic patterns, but my current EDC is a result of having a lot of things on hand already. And I do have a soft spot for hot pink.

From top:

1. Spyderco Tenacious. A pretty sexy (and inexpensive) Spyderco, I think. I love the matte black. I wish it were spring assist, but that’s okay.

2. Leatherman multitool. My boyfriend passed this along to me. It was his grandfather’s so it’s very old, but it’s in great shape. I love the case it comes with, too. This is definitely going in my ideal EDC kit, so it’s one less thing I have to buy.

3. Columbia Blue Carabiner Keychain. This carabiner works well enough–for $5–but the pain it starting to chip, which is kind of annoying.

4. Zippo. Got this at Walmart for like $10, since I’ve wanted a Zippo for a long time. But I plan to switch it out for a different colored one.

5. Sunglasses. I think I got these in Paris three years ago? They are kind of crappy, but they were only a few Euros. They are also too dark so I don’t like wearing them while driving. Which kind of defeats the point of having sunglasses, I think…

6. Wallet. This is probably from Claires, but I’ve had it for a long time so I don’t remember. I’m using it because I like that it is sturdy, and the colors go better with my gear than the PacSafe wallet I was using. It’s honestly not a bad wallet at all, but I’d like to have something with better material.

7. Eos chapstick. I am addicted to these little chapstick balls. They smell good and they look really cool. I’m in love. I could have done an entire post just on these, but that may have been silly.

8. HTC Evo phone and case. The case is from Best Buy and I think it’s just a generic brand. I had been using the Ottercase which I liked a lot but it was a little bulky. Plus, I liked the pop of color this case provided to my EDC. But it’s starting to chip as well, so I might start looking around for another one.

Not pictured: Small faux leather bag from TJ Maxx, reporter’s notebook, bobby pins, lockpicks.

Out of my current EDC, I plan to keep the Leatherman, chapstick and most likely phone case. All of my other stuff I’ll definitely use around the house or while traveling, but it won’t be what I have on me at all times.

So, here’s what I’m looking at getting:

1. Alex Polarized Aviators by Fossil. I just ordered a pair kind of like this a few days ago but they were out of stock so I’m getting these ones instead. I’ve wanted a pair of aviators for a while since everyone in the post-apocalyptic movies I like seem to enjoy them, and you know, I have to be one of the cool kids. ;)

2. Albatross by Boker. Ideally, I want an actual Anso Mojo (so. awesome. drool.), but Anso knives are rare and freakin’ expensive, so I like this cheaper model by Boker (and designed by Anso). I love the style and size, and I get a little giddy about titanium. This is very high on my wishlist.

3. Carabiner Accessory by Leatherman. This is only $5 ($2 shipping)! I just ordered it. I’m thinking about blasting it with a faux titanium finish to make it match the knife and pry bar I want. What do you think? In any case, I really like this one! I like that it’s square, rather than round–it looks more finished. And I like that there is a separate hole for keyrings. I use my keys a lot so this is a necessity. Plus, I love Leatherman. Score! I guess I can check this off the list, technically…

4. Orange Matte Classic by Zippo. I guess I don’t really need a new Zippo, but they are pretty inexpensive and I thought it would be nice to have a bit of color. I can’t decided between this one or the green one.

5. Ti-Pri Titanium Pry bar by George Knives. This is a little pricey so I might keep hunting, but it’s by far the best size and design I’ve seen. I really want a decent sized pry bar since I have room in my bag for one, and I’d like it to function as a bug out tool, so as much as I like the mini-ones, this is more what I’m looking for. I’ll keep my eyes out for one a bit cheaper. I might just splurge, though, once I get the rest of my EDC gear and if I can’t find anything else. Have I mentioned I like titanium yet?

6. Fairfax ID Bifold FPW by Fossil. I really like that this wallet is a bifold and money clip. I like the combination of materials, too. I think it fits the aesthetic of the rest of my picks. Fossil makes some awesome stuff. This is part of their men’s line, but their women’s wallets are very nice too.

7. Solid Titanium Pen + Stylus by chadwick parker & joe huang. This is freakin’ genius. It’s no wonder they made so much money on their Kickstarter project. As a journalist and a techie, it’s important for me to have good writing gear and a good stylus. Refillable pens are awesomely sustainable. These are sleek and simple and I’m pretty much in love. I should contribute to their Kickstarter to grab me a few…

8. Trail Messenger by Fossil. I could easily buy all of the bags on Fossil’s site. They are all very stylish but still practical. I love this particular bag, but it’s definitely more than I would normally ever spend on a bag. This will probably be the last purchase I make out of all of this EDC stuff, so I hope it stays on their site for a while. I love the size and the pockets–I need a bag that fits my DSLR, my notebooks, the rest of my EDC and sometimes extra things like my tablet or books. This would serve me well for both work and grad school, and it’s not quite as bulky as the tactical bag I was using.

Some other things I’m on the lookout for: sunglasses case, a new reporter’s notebook with refillable paper, and perhaps a bottle opener or something fun like that.

What’s in your bag? (Or pockets, for you truly minimalistic fellows!)