More Love. Less Hate.

Happy Friday friends, I've missed you.

I'm hoping to get back on a regular blogging schedule as soon as life quiets down a bit. I started the new job on Monday and was in training for the first half of the week. Since then I've been getting settled into my new office. I love it so far. Everyone is so nice and I have some awesome team members full of jokes. I've already worked some 12 hour days this week but you know what, I love it. I'm so happy for this breath of fresh air and to feel valued again. This new journey excites me beyond words.

  

That's a quick update on life lately but the point of this post has nothing to do with me. There's so much hurt and pain happening right here in Orlando it can't be ignored. Orlando has been my home for 14 years so it holds a special place in my heart. Over the years I've built a large network of friends, business acquaintances, and mentors in all walks of life. Some of my favorite people are in the LGBT community, who were the target of this terrorist attack. That breaks my heart. I know this is a nationwide tragedy but it's so close to home for us here in Central Florida. Friends of friends were victims. Friends of friends were there and got away luckily but now struggle with PTSD. As I've said before, there are just no words....

 What is so incredibly heartwarming in the midst of this tragedy is to see the outpouring of support from our local community and even nationwide. So many people showed up to donate blood this week that people had to be turned away.  We've had countless vigils in different parts of Orlando with thousands of people showing up to pay respect and show their support. Doctors, mental health professionals, and victim services are offering free treatment for the victims and their families.

I know we're resilient people but how does one bounce back from this? 

I think the abundance of community support will help us try to live happily again in the place we once called "The City Beautiful". It's my home and I'll protect and serve my community with all the means I have. I will not let terrorists dull the spirit of our city and all that Orlando has to offer. It's a happy place for residents and visitors from around the world.

Our spark may be dimmed but we will learn to shine again, never forgetting the victims of this senseless attack.

Summer Grilling Recipes

Grilling season is here and I love trying new recipes. I've made several variations of kabobs which are always good cooked on the grill but I was looking for some other options to experiment with this year and here's a few I stumbled on while browsing Pinterest.

Grilled Balsamic Vegetables

Bacon Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Kabobs

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Rum Grilled Shrimp

Grilled Parmesan Asparagus



Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork

Grilled Corn Fritters

Grilled Salmon Skewers

Grilled Romaine Salad

Grilled Maple Dijon Pork Chops

Grilled Jalapeno Corn Bread

Here are some grilled recipes I've created in the past and shared here on the blog:

Coffee-rubbed Steak  /  Grilled Mexican Street Corn  /  Cajun Grilled Shrimp  /  Hawaiian Honey Chicken Skewer  /  Jalapeno & Swiss Stuffed Grilled Chicken

Beach Weekend Getaway

 

 Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. I start my new job today so I'm excited to get back into a work routine although I did thoroughly enjoy the downtime and lack of schedule. The bestie and I planned a trip out to Cocoa Beach for the weekend to relax and recharge before life gets busy again. We headed out there on Thursday afternoon and checked into a beachfront hotel. Unfortunately the weather wasn't in our favor on the first day so we couldn't enjoy the beach but we did have fun hanging out at Coconuts for some frozen drinks and a casual seafood dinner.

 Friday morning started off a little gloomy but the sun eventually came out so we were able to lounge on the beach and by the resort pool for most of the day. It was so good to finally work on getting a tan of course with lots of SPF.

In the evening we went out for the best seafood dinner we've ever had. C and I shared a lobster and snow crab dish which was amazing. We had no idea they would bring an entire whole lobster so you can imagine what a feast that was.

 Our hotel had a pretty cool beach bar and restaurant so we spent a lot of time there eating, drinking and listening to live music. We also met tons of fun people and had such a blast chatting with visitors from around the country. My ribs hurt from how much laughing we did over the weekend.

I introduced C to Snapchat so we played around with different filters which is always hilarious. More laughing ensued. Feel free to add me: emilyalisonb

On Saturday morning we woke up bright and early so we found a local cafe to grab some breakfast before checking out of the hotel. We decided to stick around the resort for a few hours to get some final hours of sun and relaxation before making the hike back home.
 

Saturday night consisted of relaxing at home and lounging after all the sun and traveling. My Snapchat of Lola explains it all!

On Sunday morning I woke up to the horrific news that a nightclub close to home had the deadliest mass shooting overnight in the US. I've been to that club on a couple occasions for bachelorette parties and know several friends in the LGBT community so it was extremely scary and sad news to absorb.

image credit

After watching the news for several hours and checking in with different friends, K and I made some brunch at home and then got to work around the house putting up photos and decorating our walls, while keeping an eye on the news and any updates as more victims were identified throughout the day. Lots of family and friends were calling to make sure we were okay so it was a little hectic.

We had a quiet Sunday night at home to cap off the weekend and prepare for new adventures ahead, sadly with heavy hearts for my city and the victims of the terrorist attack.

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekending linkup.

Girls Beach Getaway

Being on unpaid vacation really makes you forget what day it is but I'm realizing now this change really happened at the right time because I was able to get a lot done at the new house and be around when different workers needed to be in and out installing last minute things. Other than that I've been really enjoying the lack of a schedule and break from office life to recharge my batteries.

Before starting my new job on Monday, the bestie and I decided to take a quick trip to the beach for a couple nights. We found a dog-friendly hotel and our girls vacay started yesterday with Lola in tote.

The beach is our happy place and the perfect place to clear your mind. I've become certain all of these changes are turning out to be a blessing in disguise allowing me to grow personally and professionally.

So we celebrate one last hurrah with some sun rain yesterday, sea, and sand before starting my new adventure next week which I'm pretty excited about.

Cheers to the weekend!

Exploring Denver

This past Memorial Day weekend, K and I took a quick weekend trip to Denver which I briefly recapped last week here. We arrived late on Friday night so we just had time to grab dinner at Yard House which was conveniently located in our hotel. We stayed at the Sheraton Downtown Denver which is in a great location to explore downtown by foot. I definitely recommend staying there if you're looking for a great location, price, hotel amenities, and comfort of the rooms.

On Saturday morning, we walked to Elway's for some breakfast before starting our adventures. Several people recommended Elway's Steakhouse for a nice dinner but we didn't manage to make it there in the evenings on this trip.

We wondered through the Denver Day of Rock festival and purchased some local art before heading to the Great Divide Brewery to sample some craft beers.

We stopped in the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store to buy some chocolates and candy since the shop smelt amazing from the street.

After exploring the city and visiting several breweries, shops, and the LoDo area we settled at Earl's Kitchen for an early dinner. They have great food and a modern environment in the heart of downtown.

 In the evening we stopped at Union Lodge No 1 speakeasy for some 19th-century-inspired cocktails and really enjoyed the prohibition-era environment.

On Sunday morning we headed to Ophelia's Electric Soapbox from some brunch and I have to say this was one of my favorite brunch experiences. The live music, eclectic menu, bottomless mimosas, and overall environment left me feeling extremely happy we chose this spot to get the day started.

After fueling up K and I headed to Coors Field to catch a Rockies vs. Giants game which was a great time and our seats were only 5 rows up from the field so we can take in all the action. It was definitely one of the better stadiums I've visited with lots of entertainment and team spirit.

The ViewHouse was one of my favorite sports bars and restaurants in the city because it overlooks Coors Field and has a huge outdoor area for tailgating along with great food and drinks.

Some other cool places we checked out on Sunday was Lodo's rooftop bar (which is very close to Coors Field) and Jagged Mountain Brewery to sample some beers.

On Monday it was time to check out of our hotel and head out for a quick lunch at Henry's Tavern. We walked past Henry's several times on the weekend and the restaurant was packed full of people with long waiting lines so it appeared to be a popular spot to eat, drink and watch sports in downtown Denver. On Monday it was quiet so we were able to get right in and enjoy some lunch. The beer cheese soup that K and I shared was amazing.

Overall Denver was an amazing city to explore but I wish we had more than two full days to explore beyond just the downtown area and make it over to Red Rocks Amphitheater.

Past Wanderlust Wednesday travel recaps:

Chicago / Barbados / San Francisco / Las Vegas / New York / Trinidad & Tobago /  St. Augustine, FL / Negril, Jamaica / Alaska / New Orleans / Punta Cana / Sonoma / Miami