Summer '17

Holy cow... summer is officially over. It always amazes me how the season flies by and before I know it I've got a backpack on and am walking back into high school. Now that I have entered junior year, I am able to reflect on the past three months and I am so grateful for my adventures and the people I have met along the way. This summer I decided to film two seconds of video daily and edit it together as a sort of video diary. What started as a pet project I began on a whim ended up turning into something much more emotional and meaningful for me: documenting all of those moments that made this summer so wonderful. I cherished every single coffee date with my friends, every inside joke, every hike, and watching this video makes me all the more grateful. It made me realize where all of that time I thought just disappeared went. What was often lost in past years to Netflix or staying home was found this summer in taking risks and getting outside of my comfort zone. If you want to see the video I made, I will have it below. Thank you so much to everyone who made this past season unforgettable.

XOXO,

Sadie

Sadie Jane Travels: Week Two in Colorado

Hello loves! As my summer comes to an end, my trip out west does too. It's so wild to think about how quickly it has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was frantically packing all of my clothes and jumping into our car at 3 am, half asleep and wholly excited for the adventure ahead. Now, as I am back home in the NC mountains, I am so thankful for the opportunity I had. We spent the second week of our travels camping in Rocky Mountain National Park with little to no phone service the entire time. I must say, prying myself from my phone was difficult but it was so worth it. You don't realize how much you rely on technology until you don't have it anymore! 

Without social media and outside influences on my life, I was able to admire and immerse myself in the beauty of the area. Our first night, we camped at Aspenglen, a more remote campground with few people around us. Possibly the highlight of the trip was stargazing this night, as there was little to no light pollution and I saw my first shooting star! I am a huge space nerd, so having such clarity in the night sky was an amazing experience for me. Another highlight of the trip was a hike we took up to Emerald Lake. We woke up at the crack of dawn and seeing the mountains shadowed in the dawn's faint blue light was incredibly beautiful. Not only did we get to see the Rockies in this quiet and early light, the hike was insanely stunning. I have travelled across the US many times and this was by far one of the most stunning hikes I have ever walked. I fell in love with the alpine forests during our stay here and trekking through one was such a lovely experience. The lakes were incredible as well! We passed four lakes on our way up to Emerald Lake and since we were up so early, we were mostly alone for our hike up! 

My phone died halfway into the hike and I was forced to stop taking pictures and just take in the beauty of the mountains. I am so blessed to have gotten to experience this trip and I can't wait to return. I am so glad to be home though! After two weeks of constantly moving hotels and campsites, and a week of no showers and no cell service, home is a welcomed break from my adventures. 

Please enjoy these few snapshots from my second week out west! I also made a short little video about my trip. You can find it at the bottom of this post!

I hope you enjoyed!

XOXO,

Sadie

Sadie Jane Travels: Week One in Colorado

It’s hard to believe that my first week in this beautiful state has already past! While we have spent quite a lot of time driving around, we’ve got to visit some incredible places and see some beautiful landscapes. With the help of quite a bit of caffeine we were able to drive out to Colorado Springs in a miraculous time of 2 days! The highlight of our time spent in  this area was the incredibly gorgeous drive up to Pikes Peak. Although it costs money to drive the scenic highway, the stunning views and wildlife make it worthwhile. We even saw the famous bigfoot crossing sign! I was thrilled when we passed it and had to sneak a picture. The landscapes were breathtaking as well! At the top of the peak we were at an elevation of 14,115 feet and could see well above the clouds. Not only was the top of the mountain beautiful though, the entire ride up was stunning. We were able to snag some pictures with some stunning alpine flowers and even found some cool red rocks! All in all, it was the perfect way to kick off our trip! 

After this, we moved on to the cutest little town called Salida! This area reminds me so much of Asheville, NC in terms of its artsy and creative vibes. I adored exploring the downtown areas and doing a bit of shopping! Of course, I had to get a latte while we were there! We stopped by the local Brown Dog Coffee Company for some treats before heading back out. We also got to try some amazing food during our stay in Salida. I have always been on the search for the perfect pho and I found it at a tiny restaurant called Little Cambodia! It was so delicious and I miss it already. They don’t make pho that good in NC! We also had some tasty pizza at Amica’s. I got my usual order of a margarita pizza (it’s a pizza with mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, and basil) and it was delightful. Along with all of theses good eats, we got to visit the Great Sand Dunes, one of the top places on my wanderlust list! It was surreal to trek out onto the dunes. We hit them in the evening and we were out there by ourselves. It was such a beautiful moment and I am glad I got to experience it.

Our next stop was Boulder, CO! Let me tell you, this little town is a dream come true. It's chocked full of cute boutiques and shops (including some of favorites like LUSH and UO!). I definitely did some damage to my bank account during our day here! We had some amazing espresso here as well at a coffee and book store called Trident. I miss it already! I made some purchases at a few local boutiques and we enjoyed the killer food scene at a restaurant called Next Door. I had a phenomenal salad! This town is nestled right at the base of the Flat Irons as well, so we got to experience the beauty of this mountain range while we were there. 

All in all, week one of our trip was unexplainably perfect. I can't wait to see what week two has in store!

XOXO,

Sadie

Pack with Me: Two Weeks in Colorado

When I found out I would be exploring Colorado for two weeks I was ecstatic. When I found out I would have to pack all of my belongings in my carryon, however, that thrill faded into anxiety (How in the world would I be able to fit my 5 pairs of shoes, numerous outfits, makeup, and entire life in a tiny track bag?). Fear not, though, with some macgyvering and prioritizing, I was able to pack for two weeks in Colorado in only my carryon. If you are anything like me, this is no small feat. So, my lovely readers, I plan to share with you my essentials for this excursion if case you’re ever forced to pack light!

for exploring mother nature:

I will be spending quite a bit of time in Rocky Mountain National Park, so naturally I will be needing clothing suited for the outdoors. Light tees and running shorts are a must-have, along with a pair of running shoes and sandals for frolicking in the woods! Having a headband is also helpful for keeping flyaways out of your face! 

pictured above: yellow shirt, orange shirt, running shorts, chacos, headband (similar)

for trekking through the city:

We also will be venturing into Denver for a few days so I packed some dressier clothes for snapping some insta shots. I have been loving the color yellow for the summer seasons so naturally I packed a high neck top to pair with my favorite denim skirt. I also brought along a breezy striped blouse for the hotter days and some fun floral shorts! These are all pieces you can dress up or down, making them perfect for packing light.

pictured above: floral shorts, yellow shirt, striped shirt, denim skirt

for the trip itself:

In my backpack I always bring a few things to keep me busy on the drive over. I also pack a few traveling essentials, one of which being my travel journal! I adore documenting my memories and I am so excited to do that with this trip. Along with this, I have my polaroid for taking snapshots of my travels and some books to keep me busy. Every road trip needs a good playlist, too! You can find mine here if you want to jam out to some traveling tunes.

mentioned above: journal, polaroid, book, playlist 

Thanks for reading!

XOXO,

Sadie