How Being in a Sorority Helped My Professional Life

1. Don’t form cliques: Just because you made your three best work friends, doesn’t mean everyone else at the company has nothing to offer. Reach out to everyone you meet, even if they don’t become your best friend they can teach you something new. It was constantly reminded to us at our chapter that we should spend time engaging with members we didn’t know well.
2. Learn how to carry a conversation: there have been many networking events where I am so happy that I have the skills to carry on a conversation. Especially when the person I am chatting with is shy, boring, or uninterested. I think I speak for all sorority members in saying “I could talk to a wall if I had to.” This skill helps me avoid some potentially awkward situations at work or professional events when the other person isn’t contributing to the conversation.  
3. Sell yourself: This skill is almost forced upon you as you race through 30 repetitive interviews in one week during recruitment. You’re hungry, tired, and hot but you have to push through and sell yourself anyway. The following year you are on the flip side, selling your chapter (or company) as you try to recruit new members (employees). This process is very similar to career fairs and I see the opposite side now as I recruit graduates for my company.
4. Hold yourself accountable: One of the most admirable traits a person can have is the ability to admit they made a mistake. If you make a mistake, be honest and ask for help. If you try to brush it under the rug the problem will grow in severity. The best thing you can do is be open about it and try to repair the damage.
5. Do more than just “show up”: It is said time and time again, that you get out of a sorority (or a job) what you put into it. If you just show up to chapter and a few events, you may not have the best experience possible. If you join committees, volunteer, and apply for leadership positions you will not only develop yourself but will enhance your experience and make an impact on those around you. The same applies to your career. Sign up to take on tasks outside your job description, volunteer at events with colleagues, engage with people when you are talking to them. It will improve your work experience and career development.
6. And most importantly… don’t dance on tables: This applies both literally and figuratively. There are many work events where alcohol will be available and it’s important to limit your consumption so that you don’t do/say anything you might regret. You have to work with these people and you want them to respect you. Have a little fun, but please, don’t dance on tables.

Torrey Pines- San Diego

During my first weekend in San Diego, after spending four days in a car, I was anxious to get out and explore. After doing some research on nearby trail options I decided on Torrey Pines. 

A few notes on Torrey Pines
- Parking is $12 (cash or credit) and was full by about 10AM when I arrived. 
-There is street parking along the beach that is less money- not sure exactly how much
- there are multiple lots and if you know which trail you want to do you can drive up and park in a lot closer to the trail 
- it can get very busy
- family friendly!

I was grateful for the amount of people there because I was hiking by myself, which is normally not smart or safe, but when you are surrounded by hundreds of people it is not as dangerous. 

I parked at the bottom lot and began the walk up the paved road. This is a decently steep incline and your views become more beautiful as you advance. 

I did not have a trail map or a plan, but this seemed to be fine because your likeliehood of getting lost is VERY small. It is basically  a paved road that cars travel on with trails branching off from it along the way up. 

The first trail I reached was the Guy Fleming Trail this was a 6/10 of a mile loop with incredible views of the ocean. They hike is definitely easy as it is mostly flat, but the views are incredibly rewarding. 

 The next trail I came to was Parry Grove Trail which is 7/10 of a mile and has a great little overlook spot. 

 
I paused for a few moments to take in the beautiful view, then headed back to the main road to discover another spot. The next area I stopped in was called High Point Overlook, which is exactly as it sounds. A beautiful overlook of the area. You can see the beach, mountains, and tons of trees from this spot. Unfortunately the pictures don't capture how beautiful the view is.

 

 After this stop I wandered up the hill for a bit more looking for Razor Point Trail but did not come across it before I was ready to turn around. At this point I was wishing I had a trail map! All together I spent about two hours there including some time I spent walking along the beach and tons of stops to take photos. Next time I will definitely bring a hat & sunscreen because most of the trails are in direct sunlight. 

After the hike I had worked up an appetite and decided to try a restaurant called Veggie Grill. All of their menu items were vegan, so naturally I spent about ten minutes just trying to decide! Everything sounded incredible. Eventually I chose a side of mac and cheeze and a kale salad with tempeh bacon. The food was absolutely incredible and I am dying to go back! I think the only thing I would change is that the mac and cheese have some spice to it, it was a bit bland. But besides that I was VERY happy with my lunch!

 

Being vegan in San Diego is super easy! Almost anywhere you go you can find a vegan option. I plan to explore a few more and add more updates :)

Cross - Country Road Trip

Last week I embarked on what has been my greatest adventure thus far. I drove across the southern United States from Orlando, FL to San Diego, CA. Luckily my sister jumped at the opportunity to join me on this adventure. It’s hard to put into words the feeling of packing up all your belongings in a small sedan and hitting the road. I suppose the first word I would use to describe those feelings would be nervous. Nervous about my car, it was so heavy with my items that I wasn’t sure if it even would move. The nervousness slowly faded and turned into excitement. This journey was one to enjoy, not simply a means of getting from A to B. The roads leading us from the east coast to the west coast were beautiful and scenic. 

Our first stop was New Orleans, LA which we had both traveled to before on hurricane relief projects. Sidebar: When you have volunteered in NOLA you appreciate it on a deeper level than the Bourbon street patrons. You gain an understanding of the city's soul and feel its heartbeat. This brings a greater appreciation to the local culture and vibe.

While in Lousiana we stayed at an AirBnb in Arabi which is just outside of New Orleans. I cannot stress enough the quality of AirBnb. You are able to rent someones home and typically get to meet them and ask for suggestions and advice on the city. It provides a completely unique experience that proves to be more welcoming then other lodging options. Because we were staying in a small town, we took a cab to new Orleans for dinner at a restaurant called thirteen where I found a vegan BBQ tofu sandwich and the NOLA Rebirth Beer. Next we went to Bar Tonique for craft cocktails and had the Moscow Mule and a Caipirinha (grapefruit bitter drink). Both drinks were amazing and the Moscow Mule was the best we had ever had. In the morning we went to a jazz brunch at The Court of Two Sisters which was a buffet style brunch in a beautiful courtyard.

AirBnB Arabi, Louisiana

Bar Tonique

New Orleans Re Birth Ale

Jazz Brunch

Jazz Brunch

Day two brought us to Austin, TX where we stayed with a friend we knew from Orlando. We explored downtown Austin traveling to Rainey Street which is an area of older houses transformed into bars. 

The next morning we had a completely vegetarian brunch at Bouldin Creek Café. The food was amazing and even my meat eating friends were in awe at the flavor packed meals. They also had ample vegan cookies/brownies- I did not try any of these but they looked incredible. 

Rainey Street

Austin Sign

Bouldin Creek Cafe

We got back on the road later than originally planned, but it caused no real issues. Our next destination was La Mesa, NM. Where we stayed at another AirBnB which was even MORE charming. In the morning we sat outside drinking coffee and enjoying the scenery. We had a quick lunch at a Mediterranean restaurant called Sheba Grill where the food was delicious and our server was very nice, he even gave us a few waters for the road! Next we made an important stop at a liquor store called Celebrate Liquor Co which was right off I10 (address 2500 S Valley Dr Las Cruces, NM 88005) in order to buy some beers from New Mexico. They can't export their beers so this was my only chance to try a few. I bought three six packs of assorted stouts and then we headed out.

AirBnB New Mexico

AirBnB New Mexico

New Mexico

After leaving New Mexico our plan was to stop in Phoenix and head to San Diego the following day. However, at about 5 hours in we decided we were antsy to get to San Diego so we filled up the gas tank again and continued on for the remainder of the 12 hour drive. The last day was tough because we were exhausted and hungry for a real meal but it was an amazing feeling to wake up in San Diego. I felt accomplished, exhausted, and adventurous.

Overall cross country road-trip lessons learned

1.     Bring lots of snacks/water and gas up whenever possible in the Midwest. There are very long stretches of endless road, no cell service, no exits.

2.     Try to do the majority of the driving in daylight. There were no street lights and on windy unfamiliar roads this was an added stress.

3.     Have an idea of what you want to do and see in each city so you don’t waste time doing research upon arrival. With that said, if you get a recommendation from a local or see something that looks amazing, feel free to change up the plans.

4.     Audiobooks/podcast are a great way to pass the time and calm you down if you feel anxious while traveling (we listened to serial)

5.     Reach out to friends/family that you may be able to stay with along the way

6.     Do a full car tune- up before you leave. I remember thinking on the long stretches of endless highway how grateful I was that I put new tires on my car and did my 100,000 mile service before starting the trip. 

Finally Made it to San Diego!

Denver Breweries

Sunday in Denver started out with breakfast and mimosas at Watercourse foods- the food was so amazing on Friday that we had to have it again on Sunday :) The mimosas were 2 for 1 and were very generously sized!

We headed straight to Tommyknocker Brewing and the drive from Denver to the brewery was incredibly scenic. As usual I could not stop from tearing up at the beauty of nature. Call me crazy but I am stunned every time I see such a beautiful view. The pictures barely sum up how amazing the sights are in Colorado

We planned to visit a few different breweries so at Tommyknocker we got the sampler platter instead of getting full size beers. My favorite was their cocoa porter ale which is seasonal and only available november-march.

 
After leaving Tommyknocker we headed to the Golden Gate Canyon State Park to hike the Blue Grouse Trail. The trail was only about 1.5 miles and was a very easy trail. We weren't sure how we would react to the altitude so this was the perfect start, I definitely could have done a longer trail though!

 

Next on the list was Avery Brewing which happened to be having a release party for their Tweak Beer which is a stout with coffee added and aged in bourbon barrells and is a whopping 17.01% alcohol. We had to try one but we split it and sipped it slowly, it was VERY intense but delicious. 

After leaving Avery Brewing we headed to Oskar Blues and accidentally ended up at the Oskar Blues restaurant not the actual brewery. We stayed for a beer but didn't hangout for long because we were at the wrong place! We skipped ahead to our next brewery on the list which was Left Hand Brewing. This was our favorite of the day because for anyone that's a fan of dark beers, they have a LOT of options. We got along great with the bartender and he gave us a ton of samples so we tried every beer they had on tap. The most interesting one was an IPA they had with jalapenos in it. 

After a full day of driving and sampling beers we headed back to the hotel to relax and eat leftovers. We were too tuckered out to go out Sunday night. After spending a day driving through the mountains, I wish I had done that every day while in Colorado. Its truly the best part about the entire state :)

Washington Park- Denver

Saturday in Denver started with morning snowfall! Very exciting for two Floridians exploring Colorado. Naturally the first thing I wanted after waking up was a hot cup of coffee. I think the most important part about traveling is avoiding chain coffee places/restaurants. A quick search will bring you to a cozy local coffee shop. My choice for Saturday morning was the Purple Door Coffee. They employ previously homeless/troubled teens that are trying to get their lives back on track. This was a win-win for me, I was able to get a delicious latte and contribute to a great organization. I made my latte vegan by replacing regular milk with soy milk (They also have almond milk available)

Latte with Soy Milk

After grabbing coffee we headed over to Voodoo Donuts which has been featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives. This is a 24 hour donut shop that sells vegan donuts and regular donuts in endless different flavors. Below are my two vegan donut choices; one is vanilla icing with oreos and the other is a cinnamon sugar flavor. They were deliciously sweet :)

Voodoo Donuts

I wanted to see a few city parks so we went to Washington Park (or "Wash Park" as the locals call it) for a morning walk. The park was pretty barren except for a lot of birds and some crazy locals running around the park in shorts and a t-shirt in SEVEN degree weather... I imagine this park in the summer/early fall is absolutely beautiful. I enjoyed the snow covered grounds but it was incredibly cold so we did not last long. 

Washington Park

Washington Park

After walking around outside it was time to warm up so we headed to The Denver Tea Room and Coffee Saloon for some hot tea. We cozied up next to a window drinking rooibos tea and enjoying watching the snow fall. Its always nice to have a relaxing moment during a busy vacation.

After having tea we met up with a friend at Snooze which is a very popular breakfast spot, I was able to select three different sides (vegan chorizo, vegan sausage, and hash browns) for a vegan brunch. The food was flavorful but vegan options were definitely limited as with most breakfast restaurants.

Next we spent a few hours walking around the mall at Cherry Creek Shopping District. Then headed back to our Airbnb to relax for a bit. We found a place for dinner called Hops & Pie which specializes in pizza and beer. We put our names on the list as soon as we got there but the wait for a table was around 2 hours. If you plan to eat here I suggest snagging a few seats at the bar and just ordering food from there. We had the vegan mac & cheese and it was incredibly savory, creamy, and toasty because of the bread crumbs on top. It was amazing paired with the Denver pale ale I was drinking. The only complaint I have about this restaurant is that their options of dark beer are VERY limited, but this should be assumed with the name HOPS and pie. They like hops! We spent a few hours socializing and drinking beer, then headed home to get some rest before Sunday.

More later on Denver :)
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Denver Treats

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Denver, Colorado for the very first time. I am not sure why, but I have always felt very drawn towards Colorado, despite never visiting before. I have always desired to explore the snowy mountains, endless trails, and delicious food. Finally this past weekend I had the opportunity to do just that. 

The weekend started when my work conference ended on Friday at noon and I picked up my boyfriend from the airport. We went directly to Watercourse Foods for lunch thanks to the raving reviews I had heard from friends. The restaurant is 100% vegan and has tons of creative dishes that made my mouth water just looking at the menu. I decided on The Atlas Burger with a side of the Mac 'n Cheese. The Mac 'n Cheese was incredible; by far the creamiest and most flavorful vegan Mac 'n Cheese that I have ever tasted. Of course I had to finish the meal with something sweet, I chose the Resee's Cake and my boyfriend had the Samoa style "Scout" cookie. The cookie was coconuty, crunchy, and nutty while the cake was dense, moist and very rich. 

The Atlas Burger

Scout Cookie

Resee's Cake

After Watercourse we checked into our AirBnb rental. This was our first time renting through AirBnb and we had a great experience! The apartment we stayed in was very clean and charming and check-in was incredibly easy. I liked the idea of staying in an apartment and eating the local food instead of staying in a hotel where more chain-like restaurants would be located. If you are interested in giving it a try- let me know and I can send you a coupon for $25 off your first rental!

After an hour of relaxing we tried to catch the 5pm tour at Great Divide Brewery in downtown Denver. We caught some traffic along the way and unfortunately missed the tour by a few minutes, but we were still able to sample some great beers. I had the Denver Pale Ale, typically I would go for their Yeti beer but I felt it was time to try something new. The pale ale represented exactly what a pale ale should with the right amount of hop. A note of warning though, the tap room standing area is limited and the brewery was very crowded. However I enjoy seeing breweries in this state because it gives me hope that this craft beer movement is not just a phase but will be sticking around. 

If the crowd at Great Divide starts to overwhelm you, check out The Lobby right next-door. They have a great beer selection and plenty of tvs for watching sports. They also have different specials for days of the week. We ended up eating dinner there and I had a portobello cap burger. The food was pretty good, but definitely not as flavorful and unique as Watercourse.

Our first day there was only a half day but we were still able to try out some great restaurants and beers!

Happy People

I have been thinking a lot lately about what truly happy people have in their lives. In my observations and thoughts I noticed it was easier to first determine what it is they don't have. 

Happy people don't have perfectly clean houses, full wallets, or personal chefs. 
Happy people don't have perfect relationships, flawless routines, or days without worry. 

People that are genuinely happy have passion, curiosity, dreams, and hectic lives. They live from one dream to the next changing their mind constantly. They have so many hopes and passions that they aren't even sure which to pursue first. 

They are confused, dramatic, and at times difficult to understand. They love so passionately that it may cause fights and disagreements. They wake up every day with new questions and problems to solve. They appreciate the world around them and connect with everyone they meet. 

They are also they people who have found the one passion that makes them tick, and continue to be curious and excited about pursuing it every day. 

So much focus is placed on paychecks and "making it" in life. But when we try to discover what it is that the contagiously happy people have, it isn't always high paying jobs and an easy lifestyle. We should aspire to be passionate and curious about the world. We should aspire to BE not to obtain. Happiness is rooted in your soul and will only grow if you nurture it. If you expect it to come from outside influence (money, promotions, relationships) you will be greatly disappointed. 

Find your inner happiness, feed it, inspire it, and you will suddenly connect better with those around you. The change always begins from within.