Wild and Wonderful

Throwback Thursday…

After the extraordinary trip I took with my lovely parents (read all about it here), we got semi-stranded in Reykjavik for a bit. There were a ton of employees quitting (going on strike?) at the Tel Aviv airport, and thus the Travi were forced to spend two nights in Iceland before flying back to the US.   I, on the other hand, only had to spent one night in Iceland with my parents, and then realized that our travel “woes” were the perfect excuse to get re-routed and fly directly into NYC where I had plans to see Turbulence!  No, not turbulence as in I want to feel like my life is in danger while the plane tries not to disassemble in mid-air, but Turbulence as in the off-Broadway show Molly was performing in! I had been planning on taking a megabus from Pittsburgh but this was a way better option.

I made it to NYC (such a great place) and Molly and her friends — the now newlyweds — Steph and Michael (shoutout!) took us for amazing Italian food that I still dream about — it was unbelievably delicious.  And we got to sleep in Long Island at their gorgeous home ❤

The next day, Molly and I met up with Monica and decided to get some cookie dough in the form of ice cream. Let me be clear– not cookie dough ice cream, but just scoops of cookie dough. It wasn’t as good as it sounds, we ended up dashing some of it away.  But that night I saw my first (of two) Turbulence performances and Molly and co. did a spectacular job!

The next day we walked around the city with Kat and decided to go to the park (You know what Kat always says, “One is fun, see the fun.”  but Sammi says, “One at a time.”).  We spend the day relaxing and found the impossible burger to eat. As we walked around, we stopped in Central Park under a tunnel that’s known for its echoing capabilities, and Molly and Kat harmonized to gorgeous songs from their previous show. It was like a private concert featuring two angels.

While in New York, I was also able to catch up with the one and only Laura Cat and I had the pleasure of meeting Katie (I want to say her last name so badly but I won’t!), who I fell in love with almost instantaneously. It happened one afternoon…we all went to the Whole Foods in Central Park, and we were overwhelmed at how large and bustling the store was.  We took deep breaths and spent time to making fun food-based decisions and trying out free samples. There was a certain drink that had different flavors, and of course, the people handing out the samples only give you like a single drop of liquid in the cup. So we each picked up a cup with different flavors. We decided to each take a quick sip of a flavor and pass the cups around so we would  all get a taste of each. My girl Molly (always) and now Katie were both so quick and willing to share with me, a complete stranger at that point, that I knew we were destined. 

As we spent the day being playful and having the best time (I even got to go see her apartment) we decided, you know who should know about our fun times? Siri. Siri should know that we’re having a blast, and we were positive that she would care to know that things were going well so Katie told her often.

Introducing….Katie!!!!!! ALL the heart eyes.

That night, after the second of Molly’s shows that I got the pleasure of seeing, I got on an overnight bus to Pittsburgh.

Best time of year in one of America’s best cities.

I got in that next morning and dashed in to take a shower at my lovely apartment. Oh, how I would’ve just loved to stay put and take a nap, spend some time lounging around, sleep in my own bed…you know, the basics of coming home. But I am a trooper, and memories don’t happen in those moments.  And when Ben wanted to go on a weekend getaway to West Virginia, I of course said yes. So after I showered, I picked up Ben, and we headed to the Wild and Wonderful state.

The West Virginia Wild.

The West Virginia Wonderful.

Once we made it to West Virginia, we went to the visitor’s center to get some information about the state and all it has to offer. The woman working at the center was very…shall I say, open about giving us info. She told us a little bit about the sights, about how the residents of West Virginia are inbred and have a low IQ, which is why it’s difficult to teach them proper English, and last but never least, about how the state is just oversaturated with drug use. In fact, there was a heroin dealer outside the door just then. Definitely wild.

After receiving all of that info, Ben and I decided to go on a few hikes, pick some apples (as many as we could), and stay as far away from people as possible. There were beautiful spots and, despite coming off of a whirlwind, international trip, I’m glad we went. The trees were changing, it was a beautiful weekend and a stunning time of year! We stayed in a cabin.  

America, the beautiful.

However, I will say that when we got back to Pennsylvania, not even Pittsburgh, it felt like we were coming back to civilization, a developed, booming metropolis which is hilarious because that’s not how I would have described Pennsylvania before this trip.

Picking some red, delicious apples. But not Red Delicious apples.

When we got back to Pittsburgh, I was more than happy to resume my life hanging out in my apartment and with friends, enjoying the city that I absolutely adore, which included soaking in all the beautiful scenery that comes with a Pittsburgh fall.

I mean, honestly!

View from outside the dream flat.

Playing tennis (we love tennis!) near the dream flat.

The fall also included more of the Pittsburgh Speaker Series and more friends. You can imagine how ecstatic I was when Katie, Helen’s “new friend, good friend” told me about how her old friends, good friends Alex and Emily who had just moved to Pittsburgh. So of course, that meant that I got to meet them! ❤

And Arcade Comedy Theater had their new theatre’s opening party! It was very memorable.

Nerds.

We’re fans.

Also during late fall, I helped Andrew and Brian celebrate their one-year anniversary (*insert one years worth of heart-eye emojis here*). During their anniversary dranks, where I ordered a light beer, but it came in a light glass instead, I decided to overshare about how much I love getting the last bits of toothpaste out of the tube. Like I will cut open the tube and scrape the rest of the toothpaste out.

Funny enough, even though it was their anniversary (and Brian birthday!), I was the one that recieved gifts. A few days later several people from that evening bought me brand new tubes of toothpaste and new methods of extracting every. last. drop.  Thanks you guys!!!

I encourage everyone to get friends who give toothpaste as gifts; they’re good listeners, practical and funny. And lastly, I encourage you to always, always let Siri know when you’re having a good time.

Siri, I’m having so much fun.
‘mi