Exploring Capital Cities: Paris, Dublin, and London

It was the middle of springtime. The sun was glowing strong, the birds were singing, and with a new season comes fresh adventure. So it was time to hop on a plane and travel to France, Ireland, and England. There’s a forever growing bucket list to feed, and I was in need of putting an extra spring in my step.

Along with my travel-bug-bitten cousin, Brittany, we mapped out a European escapade that would have us spending almost three days in France, a little over three days in Ireland, and three days in England. Now that I’m back in the States, it’s time to break it down. Read More

Monkeys and Ziplines and Yoga, Oh Pura Vida!

After returning from a getaway to the Caribbean, I was hit with a wave of post-vacation blues. Fortunately, I knew this would happen and lined up a trip to Costa Rica for New Year’s. But because the typical 9-to-5 doesn’t allow much freedom in terms of time off, and because money can also be an issue when […]

via Monkeys and Ziplines and Yoga, Oh Pura Vida! — Sprangled

Getting Away on the Getaway: An Inside Scoop from a First-Time Cruiser

Before I set foot on the Norwegian Getaway, I had never been on a cruise ship. After spontaneously planning a trip with one of my favorite people in the universe, my sister-from-another-mister, Stefania, I could barely contain my excitement. We planned and paid for our cruise back in June, and had five months to go, as […]

via Getting Away on the Getaway: An Inside Scoop from a First-Time Cruiser — Sprangled

Nine Inspirational Quotes on Accepting Change

Fighting through some uncomfortable change that’s got you feeling down? Below are nine motivational quotes packed with words of wisdom for the tough times life throws at you. All photos were excitedly snapped by yours truly. If you like ’em, feel free to save and share! If you’ve created your own inspirational pieces of positivity that you’d like to showcase, send an email to hey@sprangled.com, and they’ll be featured on Sprangled, my adventure-based website.

Always be the best version of yourself. And remember, don’t be afraid of change. You may be losing something good, but you may gain something better. Without change, you’d never grow. Read More

10 Ways to Stay Creative

Creativity_Fun_Intelligence

Take on new experiences: Leaving your safe haven and launching yourself into new territory will certainly get the wheels in your head spinning. Seeing new sights and experiencing mind-opening adventures will bring about fresh thoughts and different ideas.

Embrace your quirkiness: You’re the only you who will ever walk this planet. Be true to your spirit — speak your mind and express your personality, because there’s nothing else like it. The odds of you existing were slim, but here you are. Read More

Rocking Around Nashville

As expected, this place has rhythm — the good kind that keeps you up at night. Decked out in legendary honky-tonks and history, Nashville was a blast. With live music and homey cookin’, this little city has heart.

My group and I made sure to check out plenty of restaurants and bars for some barbecue, original tunes, local beer, party bikes (I call them beer trolleys) karaoke, bull-riding, and line-dancing to get the full experience of Tennessee’s capital. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge was a great spot for wings, drinks, and music, and the same goes for the Wild Beaver Saloon, which has a mechanical bull that will hate you. And if you’re into multitasking and would like to tour the city while getting your drink on, Nashville Pedal Tavern is the way to go (it’s a “beer trolley”). Read More

Myrtle Beach Highlights

Myrtle Morning

How beautiful are you, Myrtle Beach? This pretty picture was snapped over Labor Day weekend when my boyfriend Tim and I took a mini road trip to South Carolina. Waking up across from the hazy sun floating atop the Atlantic was a wondrous way to greet the day.

But we couldn’t sit there and be mesmerized by the warm waves riding up the soft sand on our first day. We had a flyboarding class to attend, as you may recall from a previous post. Read More

Stand up for Yourself: A Review on Using a Standing Desk at Work

Although I’ve moved down to the great American south from my beloved but pricey, way-too-congested home state of New York, I’ve been fortunate enough to stay with the company I work for from home. Back in my company’s New York office, my work station was set-up like this:

Office_Cubicle

The typical office worker’s world.

It was your typical office cubical environment: two monitors, a phone, calendars and schedules tacked to the walls, and a chair to be sat in for about eight hours every work day. I’m closing in on working for this company for three years, and though I’m content with my job, sitting in that chair 40 hours a week was not comfortable.

I’m big on staying active both physically and mentally, but I had to suck it up once entering my first “real” full-time job if I wanted to earn those dollar bills and just make it by the seat of my pants each month, in my basement apartment. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my back (mainly the lower side), shoulders, hips, and neck would hurt and feel tense just about every day, and sometimes my feet and legs would go numb from sitting so long. And I’m not the only one: a few of my co-workers have reported the same. Desperate for some physical comfort, a few of us even bought back supporters that latched onto the backs of our chairs to help us sit correctly. They barely helped. Read More

Splash into the Future: Strap on a Jetpack and Soar Above the Water

Last week at this time my boyfriend Tim and I were headed to Jetpack Adventures in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to blast off above the water and take on the sky. We’ve watched flyboarding videos on the Internet, but now we were about to be the ones strapped to a jetpack and swooshed above the glistening lake. It was an exciting and jittery feeling, but it was an experience waiting to be lived.

We were scheduled to go one at a time: I’d fly at 11:00 and Tim would go at 11:30. We arrived a half hour before my flight, as suggested, and watched a man hover through the air, connected to a large hose dragging a jet ski. His family cheered him on and snapped photos, and before I knew it, it was time to sign my life away and strap on the pack. Read More