A Little Neglected

Today is my birthday.  And I expected this year for the day to be a little neglected due to 1) last year's 80's prom extravaganza; 2) Jason being in Charlotte for business; 3) planning a wedding; and 4) it being the last hurrah of my twenties.  However, it has turned out to be the complete opposite!

It seems that I'll actually be celebrating this gem of 29 for an entire week.  It started out on Sunday and Monday as I baked two guilty-pleasure cakes from the box (funfetti and lemon) for our association's tradition of bring-your-own-birthday-treats.

Then yesterday I was surprised by my office being wildly (as wild as three birthday banners and ceiling curly-q's can be!) decorated with party-store flair and a delivery of the most gorgeous flowers from my most amazing fiance.

Today my coworkers and I plan to enjoy the beautiful weather (another great present) and have lunch somewhere outside.  And then it's off to pack for... Secret Trip 2011!!  This brings me full circle to the title of the blog - "A Little Neglected."  For while my birthday was not at all, this poor little blog has been.  I still owe it a post about my latest business trip to Boston and I plan to have a helluva post about the aforementioned Secret Trip.

The Secret Trip is not only how I will continue to celebrate the close of my decade for the remainder of the week, it is also what the besties have cooked up to substitute as the dreaded bachelorette party - a weekend that has been described as relaxing, breezy and charming, and I have no idea where I am headed!  I've been told to pack a bathing suit, sunglasses, a huge straw hat, anything navy blue and flips flops.  And the flight is an hour in length.  Any guesses?  Girls, am I on the right track here?

Where ever it is, it will be perfect.  And my birthday has been perfect thanks to EVERYONE.  Now I owe it to this little blog to get it back to perfect - fear not bloggie, the next few months are full of fun travel, I promise!

Snacks on a Plane!

Imagine my surprise when I received a most amazing treat during my flight from Reagan National to Boston this week...

This little article describes my experience to the tee!  Well done, US Airways, well done.  I don't care how you have to get me free snacks, just get them.  And Air Advertainment, you are a genius.  Bravo.

Check out next week's post following my trip brief trip to Beantown...  happy weekend!

Bethany Bound

While sadly I won't be heading to OBX this summer, it turns out I am managing to sneak in a weekend at the beach afterall!  Jason's friend's family has invited us to their house in Bethany Beach, DE for the July 4th holiday.

Until this week, I knew nothing about Delaware except that it was featured in an epic scene from the 1992 pop-film Wayne's World (a fave of mine and many besties growing up).  But, after a little research, I've found that Delaware, or at least the town of Bethany Beach, is pretty darn cute!

Known as The Quiet Resorts (along with South Bethany), it's situated on the Atlantic Ocean just south of Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach, and north of Fenwick Island and Ocean City, MD.  According to the cenus, the town's population is only around 1,000 - however, during the summer months, it's home to more than 15,000 visitors.

A few facts about the area...  Despite it's small size, it does still have a boardwalk (albeit short) and a "bandstand" for entertainment.  The town's landmark is named "Chief Little Owl," a 24-foot totem pole located at the downtown entrance.  Some beneficial state laws include no sales tax and a ban on smoking in most of the beach regions.  Foodies should look out for Maryland blue crabs, the bbq at Bethany Blues, local craft beers by Evolution, and, of course, Five Guys (one in Dewey and one in Lewes)!

About a 3.5 hour drive from NoVa, Bethany sounds like the perfect beach-weekend getaway!

OBX obsessed

As mentioned, travel this summer is a little slow for me.  But for Jason, he's already been on 3 trips in the past month!  Typically, the areas he travels to are not ones I am dying to see, but he recently returned from a FG opening in Kill Devil Hills, NC.  How jealous was I?!  He got to "work" for a week in my most favorite beaches on the East Coast - the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a 200-mile string of barrier islands.

When I was younger and to this day, Northern Virginians still have a serious obsession with OBX.  And Jason considers himself to be a connoisseur on the area.  So, we sat down for a little interview about his top must-see-and-do's...

L:  What's your favorite beach in the Outer Banks?

J:  Carova - Just north of Corolla, you take four-wheel drives up on the beach (there are no paved roads connecting) and can see the Banker horses.  With no commercialism, it's a very peaceful place!

L:  Why is OBX a surfer's dream?

J:  There are so many places that are good for waves!  For instance, Rodanthe has great breaks and s-turns, plus very secluded beaches (not to mention there was a movie made about it).  And on Hatteras, there is an awesome break at the Cape Lookout lighthouse.  I could go on forever...

L:  Where do you love to eat?

J:  Can't miss Mama Kwans - get the fish tacos, blackened!  And JK's - I always get their ribs.  They also have amazing bacon-wrapped scallops!

L:  Where do you shop?

J:  I have a huge spot in my heart for Corolla Surf Shop.  Opened circa 1996, they have a great selection of boards and give the best lessons (J should know, since he taught for them).  You also have to hit up the Stop N Shop.  They have everything you need in one stop - grab a pair of flip-flops, some surf wax, a case of beer and a koozie, a beach chair, a Boar's Head sandwich, and you're set!

So, there you have it, a quick visitor's guide to what NoVa considers our real beaches (sorry Virginia Beach!).


This post is dedicated to Jason's dad, Bob Zimecki, who, on Father's Day, is surfing somewhere for sure...

Mayday! Mayday!

Well, the month of May has completely come and gone, and this poor blog has been neglected.  My travel (and sanity) were limited to Phoenix, AZ for my association's largest conference of the year.  Unfortunately, I don't have much commentary on the city, as my sightseeing included only meeting rooms, trade show exhibits and hospitality suites.  And after it finishes, rather than explore the locale, I tend to go into homernation...

The Arizona Biltmore, host to my association - saw more of
Camelback Ballroom rather than Camelback Mountain (pictured?)

But now, June is here and in full effect!  I am looking forward to a summer filled with trips to the pool and the farmers' market.  Not a lot of big journeys until later on in the season, which makes it all the more exciting to look forward to!