My 2019 Year in Review: The Adventuring Millennial

2019 is coming to a close already?!

It feels like I was just sitting down to write my 2018 Reflection post! 2019 has been a whirlwind year and I’m excited to take the time to think about all the highs and lows I experienced this year.

This year was filled with travel, friends, food, & growth (both personally & professionally). I know this post is a bit different than my usual travel guides so it means a lot that you are here to check out my ramblings about this year. Thank you for sticking around and I hope this inspires you to also spend some time reflecting on your year.

Alright if you are ready to do this, I now present my 2019 Year in Review!

January

I kicked off 2019 in Asheville, North Carolina with my closest friends. I love traveling + being with my people on NYE. It just really helps set my year on the right track. We spent the holiday visiting a few breweries in Asheville and then counted down to midnight with champagne while watching New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and reliving our own experience with Times Square New Year’s Eve back in 2014.

After New Year’s Eve, I traveled back to NYC and spent some time using my new Christmas gifts! I made a few recipes from The World on a Plate cookbook (such a fun gift for a foodie traveler) and also tried out my new camera around the city. I’m still getting the hang of it, but I love having an option that isn’t just my iPhone!

This month also started a trend of checking out coworking spaces around the city. I continued having regular workdays with local freelance friends. We meet up a few times this month to work and this was so helpful to get me out of the routine of mostly working at home by myself.

At the end of the month, I attended the New York Times Travel Show with a press pass. I’m not going to lie, this felt like a huge professional and personal accomplishment. I went as a writer for The Only Social and had a chance to meet a few other writers who were in town for the conference.

Whew, it was a busy month. I almost forgot to mention that I ran my first half marathon of the year on January 20. This year, I decided to participate in the 9+1 New York Road Runner program in order to qualify for the 2020 New York City Marathon. Basically, this means I had to run 9 races and volunteer at 1 during 2019. So, in January I actually completed my volunteering requirement and crossed off one race!

I spend the end of the month packing and prepping for my first big trip of the year. On the last day of the month, Austin and I boarded a flight and headed to Australia!

February

I spent the first two weeks of February in Australia! This was my first time in Australia and it was an exciting trip filled with wildlife (I saw wild kangaroos, kola, penguins, and a sea turtle) and delicious coffee. While in Australia, I split my time between Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns. I even met up with a friend from NYC who relocated to Melbourne!

On the way back from Australia, we had a full day layover in Los Angeles. Somehow, the jetlag hadn’t set in yet so we packed our day with LA highlights. I had an iced latte from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf + delicious doughnuts from California Donuts. We also hiked Runyon Canyon for the first time! When I got back to NYC, I experienced the worst jet lag of my life. I never truly knew what this felt like but let’s just say I was crying in Trader Joes after snoozing my alarm for 6 hours.

The rest of February I explored more of snowy New York City. On February 25, I hit my 1-year in NYC anniversary! In some ways, it feels like I’ve been in this city forever. But honestly, in most ways, I still felt pretty new at this point.

March

In March I saw my first Broadway show of the year, Be More Chill. I waited outside in the crisp still wintery weather to get my hands on cheap rush tickets. (Completely worth it and Michael in the Bathroom is a highlight of my 2019 playlist!)

March also kicked off my wedding-filled year! Early in the month, I traveled to Boca Raton, Florida to be part of my cousin’s beautiful wedding. It was a lovely time filled with all of my extended family (we hadn’t all been together since my oldest cousin got married 10 years ago!)

After the wedding, I stayed in Florida for a bit. Yes, I might have been trying to avoid the cold weather that was waiting for me back in NYC. I took a day trip to Miami (where I tried The Salty Donut for the first time!) and spent a few days in Orlando. I also visite the Kennedy Space Center for the first time which was fascinating! This is a great addition to a Disney trip if you are looking for something different to check out.

From Florida, I traveled to my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee to help host a wedding shower for one of my best friends! Honestly, this is such a great part of freelancing and I’m so thankful to be on this career path. I was able to travel for these wedding events while still maintaining my work.

The weekend after the shower, we hosted the same friend’s Bachelorette Party in Charleston, South Carolina. We danced, laughed, ate incredible food, ordered coffee from UberEats (because why not) and had the best time. Charleston is a great girl’s getaway!

April

2019 Reflection: My Year in Review- The Adventuring Millennial

The start of my year was packed with travel, so it was nice to have a bit of a calmer April. Once I got back to NYC early in the month it finally started to feel like spring! I spent a lot of the month enjoying the colorful flowers all around the city. I also went to the first weekend of Smorgasburg & visited the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum for the first time.

There was another race in April, which happened to fall on Austin’s birthday. The race was in Central Park (which is super convenient for us) and afterward, we treated ourselves to brunch at Jacob’s Pickles. That evening we actually also had a wedding to attend in Jersey City. It was a beautiful night!

My birthday is only a week after Austin’s so celebrations kept going! I was completely surprised when my parents gifted us tickets to Hamilton for my birthday. I wish they could have been in the city to see it with me, but it was an unforgettable experience and I’m so thankful to have seen it!

On my birthday, I also decided to visit the Vessel. If you don’t know, this is the new Instagrammable structure in Hudson Yards. Yes, I climbed to the top, but I am terrified of heights so I had a pretty significant panic attack during the climb. I probably won’t be going on it again, but at least I can say I’ve done it once!

I must have had some birthday magic this year because on the Sunday of my birthday weekend, we won the Book of Mormon lottery! So I got to sit front row and laughed til I cried!

May

In May I crossed off a few more races, including the Newport Fiesta 5k and Brooklyn Half Marathon. It started to feel like 9+1 was actually going to happen!

I traveled back to Knoxville to celebrate my friend’s wedding. It was an incredibly beautiful wedding in the Smoky Mountains!

I ended May exploring more of New York. I took my first day trip on the Metro-North train and immediately wondered why I’d never done this before! For my day trip, I spent the day in Beacon, which is a cute getaway from the city. It has a nice art museum, a great hike, and some delicious restaurants (really what more do you need in a day trip?).

In the city, I cheered on the Mets at a few games, went to the MET museum to see the new CAMP exhibit and also visited the Intrepid Museum for the first time.

I realized I haven’t mentioned my work too much, but that’s because things were going pretty well! I’ve managed to get into a workflow, had reliable clients that I enjoy working with, and continued to work on my blog. I don’t always feel happy about my career path, but right now, things are going well!

June

Hello, summer in the city! Not everyone loves it, I know. But I don’t mind the heat too much (ok, yes we also got an AC unit finally).

I spent most of June exploring more around NYC. I toured the Brooklyn Brewery and tried the super yummy Mr. Dips ice cream for the first time! The Time Out Market opened and I got my first taste of this fun new spot in Dumbo!

This month included a few of my favorite NYC summer traditions: yoga in Bryant Park, day trips to Governor’s Island, and picnics in Central Park! I also ran the Queens 10k to knock out another 9+1 requirement!

Work was going well. I still faced the regular freelance struggles, but I started having regular workdays with local freelance friends which helped!

The highlight of my month was my trip to Bermuda. Austin and I flew to the island for a long-weekend getaway to celebrate our 4-year wedding anniversary. I’m not really a beach person, but Bermuda offered so much more than I expected. I spent a lot of time on the gorgeous beaches, but also visited a few historic sites, went hiking, and ate some delicious food (oh and I discovered how great rum swizzles are).

July

In July I discovered the rooftop bar on top of the MET museum and kicked off July 4th weekend with a poptail. On the morning of the 4th, I took a Megabus to Boston to meet up with some friends. We listened to the reading of the Declaration of Independence from the Old State House, watched the parade, and ended the night with trivia at a local distillery!

My friend actually came to visit me in NYC just a few weeks later. While she was here we experienced the brutal heatwave but cooled off by going to see Mean Girls on Broadway.

Near the end of July, my cousin and aunt came for a short visit. We went to the Poster House museum, saw an Off-Broadway production of Rock of Ages, and went to a Mostly Motzart performance.

Besides, enjoy my time with friends and family, I spent the month enjoying some fun summer activities! I cheered on the US during the World Cup, checked out the Bastille Day Festival on the Upper East Side, and indulged during Restaurant Week at a delicious Indian restaurant called Baar Baar.

August

August brought on more summer fun! I took another train day trip, but this time on the Long Island Railroad. Austin and I traveled to Oyster Bay to tour Sagamore Hill (Teddy Roosevelt’s house). This was one of the best historic homes I’ve ever visited and such an easy day trip from the city.

I spent most of the month in the city. I continued to have workdays with my freelance friends and I even started a new job as a trip designer (it’s remote & honestly perfect for me)! Not gonna lie, I was anxious when I first started. But that’s not new for me. I trained for the job in July, so this month was really the start of trip designing on my own. The first few trips I planned this month were challenging but by the end of the month, I started to get the hang of it!

I visited Red Rooster Harlem for the first time and had an amazing meal. I got to try the famous Marcus’ cornbread appetizer which I am going to need in my life again very soon. Austin and I also saw Shawn Mendes in concert at the Barclay Center which was wild and dream-fulfilling!

At the end of the month, my parents and brother came for a visit. They spent a few days with us in NYC. We went to the US Open and saw Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. Just before Labor Day, we rented a car and took a road trip to Rhode Island. Along the way, we stopped in Connecticut to visit Yale’s Campus.

September

My Rhode Island trip stretched into the beginning of September. My family rented a beach house near Newport, so we spent Labor Day weekend relaxing and touring a few of the Newport mansions. During the weekend we also visited Providence, where I tried PVDonuts for the first (but not last) time!

When we came back to New York, my parents stayed in town for a few more days. While they were here we saw Tootsie and Beetlejuice on Broadway which were both so fun!

Soon after they left, Austin and I headed out for our trip to Mexico and Costa Rica! We started by flying to Mexico City and spent four days exploring this magical place. Honestly, I enjoyed my time in Mexico City way more than I was expecting. The food is amazing, the people were so welcoming, and I didn’t have enough time to do everything I wanted to!

After Mexico, we flew to Costa Rica for another four days. We mostly spent our time in La Fortuna, hiking and relaxing in hot springs. But, we also visited the Starbucks Coffee Farm and spent a day exploring San Jose.

After this fantastic trip, my month ended back in the city. I crossed off another 9+1 requirement during the Bronx 10 Miler. During this process, I wanted to do a race in each of the 5 boroughs!

I also took a fun fall day trip to the Angry Orchard Cidery in Walden, New York. I’ve been wanting to visit an orchard in New York so this seemed like a perfect one to check out. You can’t pick the apples but you can try cider while looking at apple trees so…close enough, right?!

October

I started October with another Metro-North day trip. This time, I went to Sleepy Hollow to see some spooky sights. I toured Washington Irving’s home and visited The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze. I loved seeing all the pumpkins and I see this becoming a yearly tradition!

Back in New York City, I tried to see as many Halloween decorations as I could find. There are so many brownstones decked out with spider web, pumpkins, and skeletons! One of my great friends from college happened to be in NYC with her family, so I got to enjoy a nice coffee date with her which was so nice!

I also completed my 9+1 requirements! On October 13, I crossed the finish line of the Staten Island Half Marathon. See ya in 2020, NYC Marathon!

After I crossed the finish line, I hobbled my way to the Staten Island Ferry and then trekked back to my apartment. I showered, changed, and got on a train to Connecticut. My two best friends picked me up from the New Haven station and we began our girls’ road trip! We had a blast. We traveled to Portland, Maine and then to Acadia National Park. After, we made our way up into Canada for a night and then traveled back down to Salem, Massachuttes (a great place to visit in October by the way!). We came back through Connecticut to pick up Austin, and then drove to Knoxville, Tennessee so I could attend my last wedding of the year. It was a sweet wedding for one of my high school friends and was a nice reunion with a bunch of us girls!

I flew back to New York from Knoxville and later that week I took another road trip with some great NYC friends! We also went to Maine and it was so fun to go back! We saw the fall foliage in Acadia, laughed a ton, and made some yummy S’mores.

November

Judge me if you want, but I start celebrating Christmas on November 1. So this month was packed with as many festive things as I could find! I lined up with the crowds and watched as the Rockefeller Center tree arrived on November 9. I walked along 5th Ave to look at window displays & went to the unveiling of Macy’s windows at the end of the month.

Besides Christmas activities, I also cheered on the New York City Marathon runners as they traveled through Central Park. I also attended the opening of the new MilkBar Flagship store in Flatiron. I joined the MilkBar Cake Brigade and was so excited to get to attend this Friends & Family event (thanks again MilkBar!)

Somehow, Austin worked his magic and won The Cursed Child lottery! So we got to see the Harry Potter play on Broadway. When I initially read the play a few years ago, I wasn’t blown away. But seeing it in person was more than I could have hoped for. The on-stage magic is hard to explain but it really transported me back to my childhood & I cried & loved every second!

Just before Thanksgiving, my aunt came for a weekend visit. While she was here we visited the recently re-opened MOMA & went to a performance of the Rocketts.

Austin and I stayed in NYC for Thanksgiving for a nice long weekend! We watched the balloons being inflated for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. On Thanksgiving morning, we watched as the parade traveled down Central Park West for about an hour before going back to our apartment to finish watching it on TV while playing games & making our Thanksgiving meal.

On the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, we took a day trip to Philadelphia to check out their Christmas festivities. There were so many things to do! We watched three light shows and got fun Christmas-themed tropical drinks at a Tiki bar.

December

Sure, I saw Christmas decorations in November, but the celebrations really kicked up this month. I spent every weekend (and plenty of weeknights too) seeing as many festive things as I could!

I attended the tree lightings in Central Park and Washington Square Park. Oh, and I rode the Vintage Subway train, saw decorations all over the city, and went to the Hall of Science to see the Gingerbread Lane Display.

I took a slight break from Christmas activities to tour the King County Distillery in Brooklyn. Also, I took a cake making class at the MilkBar Flagship which was fun & delicious!

Speaking of treats, PVDonuts (the one I visited in Rhode Island) had a one-day pop-up in the city! So I lined up for an hour and got to try some yummy brioche donuts.

I also had a few more workdays with my freelance friends. It’s been great to keep working with them and to be around others who are on a similar career path.

I also made sure to stop by Times Square to grab a picture with the “20” statue and to write my wish for the New Year on a piece of confetti. This will rain down on the one million people in Times Square at midnight on December 31.

Once I finish writing this I will be packing for my trip to Florida! I’m spending Christmas with my family in Orlando and then driving to Knoxville to ring in the New Year with my close friends!

2019 Check-In

I know I was extremely lucky to have had such an incredible year. 2019 feels like it was the best year of my life. I spent the entire year living in my dream city. I got to celebrate multiple special weddings with people I love. And, I visited two new countries and three new states.

But I also struggled and stressed and cried a lot this year. As happy as I am to have a flexible schedule, being a freelancer isn’t always easy for me. Finding & keeping reliable clients, setting realistic work goals, creating a reasonable schedule, and feeling isolated in my “home office” (AKA Starbucks and then my desk in my apartment) is tough. But I experienced a lot of professional and personal growth this year that I am extremely proud of!

Looking Ahead to 2020

As I wrap up my 2019 Year in Review post, I am looking ahead to a new year (and decade!) The things I am specifically excited for are:

my trip to Paris & Nice
my trip to Japan
continuing to grow my freelance career & find more clients that align with my interests
making my blog better than ever
continuing to embrace whatever adventures come my way

It truly means a lot that you stuck with me this year & especially through this long post about my year. I feel so lucky to be part of this travel community, but it is so easy for me to compare my path to others. But, when I take the time to sit and reflect I remember it’s not a numbers game or a competition. It’s about doing the next right thing for me. And there isn’t one perfect path. Everyone’s story is different and unique. I am refocusing on this mindset as I enter 2020!

I will be sharing new food & travel posts in the New Year so stay tuned for that! But it really means a lot that you took the time to read my 2019 Year in Review post. I hope it also inspired you to sit and think about your year. I’d love to hear your 2019 Year in Review thoughts too! Feel free to share some highs and lows from your year or your goals for 2020 in the comments below!