smoke signals

i've been a little off the grid this week. things have quickly picked up now that i'm full-time in my department and i've been balancing my evenings with hot yoga at an amazing studio in kits, and a spin class i found downtown. even better, matt & lizzie were in town this week! it's nice to have a family dinner after work, and it's super fun to be able to show them around the city! (also my waist line is rapidly expanding from all of our amazing meals).

pizza for 10 for 3, cheers to vancouver!, lemon meringue
 parfait, & rabbit lasagna...to name a few

until i get a canadian phone plan, it's tough to stay in contact if i am out and about after work. since my only method of communication is through text and facetime over wi-fi, it's been too late to get in touch with the midwest and the east coast by the time i get home from adventuring all day long!

so...i thought i would drop a line to let everyone know that:

my work permit was approved this week!! wahoo!!

in this family we cheers with donuts. lemon poppyseed donuts to be exact.

this means that my summer travel plans are a little accelerated, and i'll be back to vancouver sooner than originally expected, for a start date of july 22! 

june 15 - july 6: vancouver
july 6 - 13: chicago
july 13 - 17: NYC
july 17 - 21: STL
july 21 - ∞: vancouver!

xo,
caroline

om is where the heart is.

i took an amazing power yoga class this week in kits. before we began, our instructor asked us to focus our practice on gratitude, and to reflect on the path we'd chosen to arrive at that exact moment. as i meditated for a second (ok, yes, i'm back to my yogi roots), i was reminded of how incredibly grateful i am for the support of family and friends. i am so lucky to have an amazing opportunity to learn and grow in vancouver, and it's so exciting to think about the adventures ahead!

this weekend was so awesome that i thought i would double dip with a second post. i mentioned previously that i hiked grouse mountain on saturday morning, and have so many other great pictures i just had to share.

this is what excitement/fear looks like

the hike itself is amazing, trekking straight up the face of the mountain. it gets pretty crowded on the weekends, and it's super fun to run past people on the way up (not as much fun when they catch up to you while you're trying to catch your breath on the side of the trail, but still). it's steep and rocky which requires some focus, so it's completely breathtaking when you remember to look up and notice what's going on around you.

uphill both ways #dontlookdown

first glimpse out over the trees

there are some amazing views at the top of the mountain, and a stomach dropping-ly steep skyride to get you back home. i'm excited to have family visiting this week so i have a chance to go back!

blending in with the trees at the top of the grind

bye bye grouse - see ya next week!

after the grind we grabbed brunch at cafe medina. it's so fun to explore new restaurants in the city, and this one was definitely a keeper. 

post-hike waffle appetizer, of course

on sunday, we rented bikes and rode the seawall! i've been anxious to check out stanley park since i was here interviewing, and this was a great way to see it.  i can't wait to get a bike when i'm settled in permanently.

view of north van over the bridge from stanley park

xo,

caroline

sweet yeezus.

my parents always said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but C'MON kimye...north?!? west!?! gimme a break. while i appreciate the attempt to upstage my latest and greatest adventure, could these two try to be a little bit subtle...like, ever?

phewf. now that i've got that off my chest, this could not have been a better week in vancouver. i arrived saturday afternoon and checked in to my hotel downtown, which is just a short walk over false creek to kitsilano ('kits' if you're in with the cool kids), where my office is located.

gorgeous walk to work over the burrard street bridge

last weekend i did a ton of wandering in the city, hitting up gastown for brunch (where i spent my first canadian dollars!), grocery shopping in yaletown (note: carrying groceries home is harder than it looks); and of course, practicing my walk to work so i wouldn't get lost. #nerd

perfect first brunch @catch122 in gastown with thads

i spent the whole week in training with about 10ish other newbies, which was absolutely great. it's incredible the amount of contagious energy that comes out of a group of such inspiring people. we were busy all week learning about the company and the brand, and even got to hit up some yoga classes in the community! since we were out of training before 5 every day, we also had time to explore awesome restaurants and bars, which always helps a city feel like home.

gettin' down(ward dog) at semperviva yoga in kitsilano

after drinks with my fellow onboarders on friday, i woke up early and drove 20 minutes to grouse mountain with my friend (yes! i have a friend!) sarah, where we hiked the grind, a killer 2.9km trail up the face of the mountain. (for those of you that are wondering, we rocked it in 63 minutes.)

yoging at the top of grouse mountain after hiking the grind

come visit soon!

xo,
caroline

wild goes west

as the great wiley burp said in one of my favorite movies, an american tail: fievel goes west:

just remember, fievel - one man's sunset is another man's dawn. i don't know what's out there beyond those hills. but if you ride yonder...head up, eyes steady, heart open...i think one day you'll find that you're the hero you've been looking for.

until next time, USA!

i'll be living it up in chicago this summer while waiting for my work visa to be approved. while a stunning view of the lake will be my home base, i've got tons of great travel plans ahead! in lieu of smoke signals, here's where you can find me eating, sweating, and exploring this summer:

june 16 - july 5: vancouver, bc
july 14 - 21: michigan
july 29 - 31: LA
aug 5 - 7: NYC
aug 10 - 12: miami

xo,
caroline

country grammar

there was no way i could leave for canada without paying a visit to the city i called home for 23 (and a half) years. nelly and i were unable to coordinate our schedules this visit, which left me plenty of time to hang out with the fam.

between gymnastics practice, jogs in the park, pedicures for 6 year olds and witnessing a swing set turn in to a rocket ship, it's a wonder i was able to make time for my fave restaurants! luckily for me, a jewish grandmother will never hesitate to ask "are you hungry? you should eat," which ensures i was never anything less than in a food coma the whole trip.

first thing's first: t-ravs at blueberry hill

like seriously, this face

this in-home spa requires you to dry your own pedicure

jogging strollers are the new arm weights (@annieclaggs)

it's not so fun to say goodbye to the people that made me who i am (sorry world, it's their fault not mine); but i'm looking forward to seeing everyone together in one place in july! and since my new home is a little more alluring than ohio, i know it's only a matter of time until flights are booked to come visit me (right guys??).

xo,

caroline

hello life, goodbye columbus

last weekend in NYC ended up muddier than anticipated (thanks to a delightful tropical storm), but i can think of no better way to say goodbye to the states than a trip to the city with four of my very best friends. after a weekend of soul cycling, overeating, and shopping, i returned to columbus to pack for my tour de USA (that's french for 'farewell US tour').

while my heart (wild as it may be) aches at the thought of leaving the friends that have become family in this city; the promise of adventure ahead has me brimming with excitement.

sweaty #soulcycle selfie with my boo

proof that we actually made it to #govballnyc

braving the mud pit for some silent disco action

like we'd come to the city and not eat at delicatessen?

so from here, i guess it's onward and upward. hello life, goodbye columbus!!

xo,
caroline

#funemployed

i've been so lucky to have a self-proclaimed 'summer vacation' over the last few weeks before i head to vancouver to start a new adventure. while packing and moving (especially across borders!) can be a little daunting, i've been able to carve out some substantial time to do the things i love. although my dear friend annie insists that i can not claim to be #funemployed during this brief summer vacation before i head to vancouver for onboarding, i beg to differ.

i made a personal goal to sweat every day between may 24 & june 17 (my last day at my previous job, and my first day at my new one); which i've filled with boxing, power yoga, and runs along the scioto river. it feels amazing to get back to my athlete roots. i'm off to NYC this weekend for the governor's ball, and cannot wait to get in some soul cycle classes (and yes, dancing to kanye counts too!)

i'm so fortunate to have made amazing friends in columbus, and my summer vacay has been the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with everyone before i go. i have also used this to my advantage by integrating my page-long bucket list of restaurants in to my time spent with friends (thanks guys!).

and since family (hi mom!) is my #1 priority, i've decided to create this little blog so that everyone can keep track of me. as inspired by my blondest aunt, i'll record my adventures here with photos and the corniest of quips. my goal is to post here every sunday, so you'll have something silly to accompany your monday morning coffee.

enjoying a #funemployed afternoon by the scioto river

so, without further adieu, a photo tribute to the last four years in (and out of) columbus:

ran the warrior dash with jonathan!

spent lazy sunday afternoons on the couch

celebrated a very #teamdenim xmas

became addicted to soul cycle (& this city)!

vacationed in st. barth's with my besties

spent an afternoon at rockmill brewery with my faves

paid tribute to my first apartment, affectionately known as #thekissingbooth

follow my adventures here as i wander the continent equipped with nothing but a pair of flip flops, denim cut-offs, and a backpack. i guarantee it'll be a wild ride :-)

xo,
caroline