Handstanding in Memphis

September 2017 Highlights: The Highs + Lows

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The fall is always our busiest time of the year on the work front, but fall seemed to start in early August this year and we’ve just been on the go ever since. Yet, I only stayed in hotels nine days this past month, so why does it feel like I haven’t been at my own house in forever?

Clouds above Sweden

I can’t believe I’m saying this but I look forward to the holidays when things slow down a tink, and in the meantime, I’m having a blast seeing and doing it all, such as…

Highs

Becoming honorary duck master. Hold up—what?!? That’s right: This week, I was staying at the Peabody Memphis and was surprised during the daily duck march when Duck Master Anthony announced to the crowd that I was going to assist him for the day. Let me just tell you, you haven’t lived until you’ve been an HDM. It was so much fun, I was smiling from ear to ear the rest of the week.

Peabody Duckmaster in Memphis, Tennessee

Kicking off our Whiskey Trail project. Why was I in Memphis in the first place? Welllll, SVV and I are working with the Tennessee Distillers Guild to drive—and cover—the entire 26-stop whiskey trail over the coming month. We’ll be posting in real time on my social media then recapping on the blog after the fact.

Tennessee Whiskey Trail

Going to my fourth Music City Food & Wine. Nashville’s own food festival celebrated its fourth year, and I couldn’t be obsessed over this weekend more. Good food, great weather, time with friends—what’s not to love?

Music City Food & Wine in Nashville, Tennessee
Music City Food & Wine in Nashville, Tennessee
Music City Food & Wine in Nashville, Tennessee

Returning to Sweden! Man, was that just earlier this month? Seems forever ago! This trip was indescribably magical, and I really look forward to sharing everything we saw, did and ate while in Scandinavia.

Road Trip in Sweden

Seeing a Jack White-produced show in the cave. Third Man Records and Tennessee Tourism put on a pretty killer Americana show in Cumberland Caverns with Jack as emcee, and it was an epic way to see my last ever show in this particular limestone cavern.

Attending Pilgrimage Festival. It’s been my life’s goal to see Justin Timberlake live on stage. To see him in a field in Tennessee with some of my best friends and a Chris Stapleton cameo was even better.

Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin, Tennessee
Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin, Tennessee

Writing a couple Savannah pieces for Marriott Traveler. For those of you who read my full weekend itinerary and still need other recommendations of what to do, you might want to check out the romantic’s guide to Savannah or my Savannah dining article.

Also writing another piece about Nashville for Hertz’s blog. Headed to Music City and wanting to remain somewhat healthy? This article is for you.

Doing goat yoga. I’d wanted to do this for oh so long, and it was all it was cracked up to be.

Goat Yoga in Nashville, Tennessee
Goat Yoga in Nashville, Tennessee

Goat Yoga in Nashville, Tennessee

Goat Yoga in Nashville, Tennessee
Goat Yoga in Nashville, Tennessee

Lows

Fatigue. Couple hay fever with my allergy shots not (yet) working and the fact that I’ve been on the road more often than not, and I’ve been one exhausted mess this month. I’m usually a burn-the-midnight-oil kind of girl, and I’ve been going to bed as early as 9:30! The upside is I’ve been waking up at 6, so there’s that at least.

A general lack of time. I love traveling (duh), but the lack of time at home has made it hard to stick to a workout routine. I’m running a half marathon in just two months and haven’t even had time to start training yet! Oh well, I’ll sleep when I’m dead (but what about working out…?).

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October has us exploring more of the TN Whiskey Trail, visiting Gatlinburg for the Governor’s Conference and heading to Georgia for a quick project and time with friends.

What was your September highlight?

COMMENTS
  • October 1, 2017
    Kyla

    September was sucky here in the Keys. Hurricane Irma was not kind. There haven’t been many highlights to this experience. The only 1 I can think of is the way that the Keys residents have come together to get our islands back up and running. Key West itself has started welcoming tourists back today. The islands above us in the Lower Keys are destroyed but there are so many groups/people working together to help out those islands. Seeing the progress and collaboration is a highlight.

    • October 2, 2017

      Gah, Kyla, I’m so sorry for everything you and all the Keys residents have been through. I’m grateful for all the sharing you’ve done on social media, though, so the rest of us truly know what’s going on down there. And I’m thankful for your big heart traveling to and from Big Pine Key to help rebuild!

  • October 1, 2017

    I always enjoy reading what you’re up to Kristin!

    I’m sorry to hear that the month was pretty exhausting, but I am looking forward to reading your posts on Sweden, and I like the baby goat hanging around, ‘Reminds me of my cat babies!

    September was pretty low-keyed ‘cos it’s back to school and meetings n’ things in Germany. However, October is packed! I’ll be off to the UK in a few weeks to visit family, and then travelling around the English countryside in Cheshire, Staffordshire, Manchester, Blackpool, Derbyshire and Yorkshire!

    Neither my son nor my husband has been to an English-speaking country for Halloween, so that should be fun! We usually have to round up our American friends in Berlin who know how it’s done, as the Germans just don’t get it! And don’t get me started on Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Day). Outside of England, it’s a complete disaster!

    • October 3, 2017

      You Brits sure know how to celebrate a holiday! I did love Bonfire Night when I lived in Scotland.

  • October 1, 2017

    September sees us living in Hoi An Vietnam. A great experience for sure, such a beautiful town and so cheap. We’re renting a little house and loving it ( and the great wi-fi). The Vietnamese are so lovely too, highly recommended. I can’t run right now, we’re in the final month before my husband’s Ironman, so he takes priority, I have to stay with the kids, but the weight drops off me on healthy Asian food so I’ll be back to it soon. Love the goats! And the ducks…

    • October 2, 2017

      Ahhh, that sounds perfect! I love Vietnamese food, especially how healthy I feel when eating it =)

      (Good luck to your husband!)

  • October 1, 2017

    I had no idea that goat yoga was a thing, and now I desperately need to try it myself. As I’m currently living in Japan, though, it would probably be impossible to find a class. (Though I did find an article about how goat yoga was a “craze” in the US on a Japanese news site just now. Maybe it’ll spread over here…)

    • October 2, 2017

      It’s crazy, isn’t it? I first heard of it earlier this year, and now it seems every city across America has it! My yoga instructors were even in a coffee table book about goat yoga already! It definitely seems like a think Japan would get behind 😉

  • October 2, 2017
    Ris

    You + that pose in the first picture = total badass. I love it!

    • October 2, 2017

      Ahh, thank you! It’s been a long 2.5-year handstand journey, but I’m finally seeing some progress 😉

  • October 2, 2017
    Amanda

    I’m glad to know you’ll be at GovCon, looking forward to seeing you!

  • October 2, 2017

    September was actually quite mellow for me. I have kick-started a fitness routine of yoga, pilates and running to work on my health and that’s about it! No amazing trips, nothing 🙂

    • October 3, 2017

      Good for you! I’ve just started back training for another half marathon, so we can be accountability buddies 😉

  • October 3, 2017

    Sounds like a great month! Goat yoga looks so stupid but so great, haha! Adding “honorary duck master” to my life goals…

    • October 3, 2017

      I mean, they should actually call it “pay to come hang out with goats for an hour” as that’s more accurate, but I think they’re trying to get people to justify the $25 by throwing a little cardio activity in the mix 😉 Regardless, it was FUN.

  • October 5, 2017

    Just discovered your blog. Looks so beautiful! Also what a great month you’ve had 🙂 Cheers!

    • October 7, 2017

      Thank you, Dave! Nice of you to stop by.

  • October 5, 2017

    I’M SORRY, COULDN’T FOCUS AFTER DUCKS.

    Ducks, ducks, ducks!! So freakin’ jealous of the DUCKSSSSSS!!!

    (Also, I’ve never had allergies in the fall until this year and I hate it.)

    • October 7, 2017

      I KNOW, RIGHT?

      I so wish Scott had filmed but honestly we had NO idea it was coming, so we both were armed with our cameras ready to take stills as they waddled by!

  • October 7, 2017

    The goat yoga pics are the best thing ever. Especially the semi-Lion King pose one (Simba the Goat? Lololol). I have to confess though that I first clicked on this article after falling in love with that impressive handstand cover shot in front of the black and white striped wall. Wherever did you find a wall like that? That photo is epic! <3

    • October 7, 2017

      Thank you so much, Jillian! The wall was just a random wall we stumbled upon while on assignment in Memphis last week. I love its simplicity but also the geometric nature…as a former math major, I’m a huge fan of shapes and patterns 😉

      And yes, we were totally going for the Simba the Goat look!

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