Sierra Buttes, California 2013

I was blessed to grow up in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Sierra Buttes is the first mountain I summited when I was about 6 years old! I used to live so near this peak that it was a hike we constantly did on the weekends. Moving to Texas was quite a change for me when I was younger.

In 2013, I was able to take Aaron (my then boyfriend) on a trip to my old hometown of Portola. Aaron and I took a day trip to the buttes and hiked the whole trail in our Chacos! I was fine, but he got a few blisters. The lakes basin area in Plumas County, California is my favorite place on earth. It's beauty only rivals Scotland, but it is conveniently so much closer. 

The actual hike is a windy trail off the Pacific Crest Trail and the peak is only accessible by metal stairs drilled into the rock face. It's really not for those afraid of heights, but at the top it's a beautiful view of the lakes basin area. Worth a visit if you're ever near Tahoe or Reno!

Best Travel Rain Jacket: Patagonia Torrentshell

A few years ago I was on a little trip with my mother in Seattle. Of course, the best place to buy a rain jacket and umbrella is in the Emerald City. My mom and I went to the Patagonia store downtown and I happened to find a magenta Torrentshell Jacket on their summer sale rack! I absolutely could not resist.

Torrentshell with Gortex

Torrentshell

It is simply the only travel rain jacket I have and it was essential for my Scotland trip last year. Since I only had a backpack as my luggage, the Torrentshell was an obvious choice. It ket me dry and looked fantastic the whole time. I'll never travel without it.

Florence, May 2009

During our study abroad trip with Angelo State University in 2009, we decided to take a short train trip to Florence. We left early Saturday morning and spent all day Saturday and Sunday in Florence - absolutely the gem of Tuscany. We didn't have a lot of time to explore, but we really got a feel for the beautiful piazzas, sculptures, frescos, and cuisine.

We spent about 4 hours in the Uffizi where Botticelli's The Birth of Venus and the Four Seasons stand. I did not expect Venus to be as captivating as she was. Botticelli's art is in one of the first rooms you walk in to in the Uffizi and The Birth of Venus is huge. She stands 5'8'' x 9'2''. She is mesmerizing. Right next to her is Primavera, which is also huge. Primavera stands 6'8'' x 10'4''. Make sure to give yourself enough time to just be in the presence of those magnificent pieces.

We never made it into see the original Michael, but there are two other exact replicas throughout the city which are easy to find. I feel like we got a very good taste of Florence, though we were there for about 36 hours! Tuscany is where my Pierangeli family is from, so it was a joy to get some views of my roots.