A Weekend in Fishtown, Philadelphia

May 17, 2016February 27, 2018 by Sarah | 1 Comment

Fishtown is a small neighborhood northeast of center city. When I first moved into Fishtown in 2008, it was considered an up-and-coming neighborhood. During my visit this past weekend, I would say Fishtown has arrived. Walking down the main drag, I spotted dozens of new shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants. I could not believe the hoards of young people walking around enjoying the sunshine in what was once a semi-desolate, working class neighborhood. There were only a handful of bars and pizza shops, one good cafe, and a single thrift store. I loved the neighborhood because it was removed from the hustle and bustle of center city, sheltered from the crime stats of Kensington, and small enough that I ran into friends on a weekly basis. It felt like my little neighborhood and while I sensed a bit of pushback from the families that lived in Fishtown their whole lives, I still felt welcome and secure.

Fast forward eight years and the whole landscape of Fishtown has shifted. It’s clear that short-term yearly rentals are more common in the community. You can see new housing popping up everywhere to accommodate students and hoards of younger crowds that are flocking to Fishtown to settle. With the crowds comes the coffee shops, restaurants, yoga studios, community spaces and art galleries. No longer are there abandoned lots waiting to be bought, instead there is a taco stand or a vegan ice cream shop filling the once vacant space. Spending 24-48 hours in Fishtown would have been in enough in 2008, but now you’d need a week to really see and taste all it has to offer. Instead of overwhelming you with every bit of goodness, I’ll let you in on my favorite gems, and you can explore the rest as you see fit.

Creative Corner : Artist Benjamin Gazsi

April 27, 2016April 27, 2016 by Katie | 2 Comments

We’re republishing one of our favorite artist interviews today – originally posted on April 22, 2014.

Ben Gazsi is an artist who may be best known for his eco-sculptures, but before we delve into his work, let’s get one thing out of the way. Yes, his given name really is Benjamin Gazsi; it’s a Hungarian name, not a political statement related to incidents in the Libyan city. And get this, he’s not the only Ben Ghazi (different spelling intentional) to be asked such questions. So, on with the art then?

I discovered Ben’s work while preparing for our camping trip to Cooper’s Rock State Forrest. I knew that his bear sculpture was still standing and was excited to see it and take a few pictures while we were there. As luck would have it, Ben was in the forest working on his next installation for Cooper’s Rock: a turtle that is being unveiled today, Earth Day 2014! Of course I couldn’t pass up the chance to photograph his process and ask a few questions.

Jamaica – Seasoned View: Vol. 23

March 1, 2016February 7, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

Each month we share our Seasoned View. Snapshots of nature and daily life taken by the Seasoned sisters. Find our archive of past months’ views here.

IT’S MARCH! WTF. If you remember, that’s exactly how I started the February Seasoned View. I can’t help but feel like this year is slipping through my fingers. I think I’m bopping around so much that I haven’t had a chance to sit still and organize my thoughts, but hey, who needs a moment of calm? This week I’m hosting Blacka, who I refer to as my Jamaican dad, but he’s more like a best friend.

Blacka lives next door to the villa where I studied abroad in Jamaica in 2009. I loved talking with him and his family so much that I decided to go back to Jamaica alone in 2010 and stay with them for two months. Those were some of the most relaxing months of my life. I would wake up early because of the heat at which point I’d go lay near the beach, catch a breeze, and take another nap. After nap time, I’d hit the street (as they say in Jamaica) take tons of photos, eat jerk fish, drink Red Stripe and stroll on back home. I learned how to make rice and peas, I made an “office” on the porch of an unused villa, and I learned how to wash my clothes by hand. I met up with farmers and locals that I had met the year before and generally treated every day as a mini photo adventure. I shot soccer tournaments, elementary school fashion shows, and dozens of different professions. I waded out into five feet of water in the ocean (with my camera held over my head) in order to hop aboard a tiny fishing boat, slipped on my ass all the way down a muddy mountain to teacher ginger farmers about pesticides, and slept in half finished houses with acquaintances just to get a better feel for the life of a Jamaican. I even worked on a book concept, but like most of my projects, it was never actually completed. Over the course of two summers, I fell in love with Caribbean culture and island life. I made countless friends, a handful of which I still keep in touch with. I cannot believe that I’m hosting Blacka in my home. I always hoped the day would come, but I never knew it could be a reality. It just goes to show you the potential of talking to strangers. I thought it could be fun to share some Jam Rock photos here today in honor of the one trip that made me realize I could feel completely at home anywhere on earth. What a magical moment that was.

You know the deal, you can download one or all of these photos to use as your desktop background or even as phone and tablet wallpapers. Simply click on the download link below each photo and save the image. Enjoy!

Negril Sunset Reich Falls Pondside Road Yallahs Backyard Mountaintop Restoration Bruce’s Butterfly Garden

Excuse the quality of these shots – they were taken over five years ago, they’re unedited and honestly, they make me cringe, but they’re telling of my time so I’ll share them 🙂Paper makers in eastern Jamaica. Ginger farmers learning about pesticides – most thought that bad spirits were the reason for the decline of their crops. It was actually due to an invasive worm. Veggie patty and bun – my favorite fast food in Jamaica. A primary school fashion show and talent contest was one of the highlights of my trip. I had the opportunity to visit a Blue Mountain coffee factory. The drive up was terrifying, but totally worth the private tour. This is little Lily, she is the daughter of the cook for the study abroad program. I was able to stay at their home that they’re building brick by brick, which is how homes are built in most third world countries.Jamaica’s beer of choice. My best friend actually worked in the offices of the Red Stripe factory so I was able to go on a tour, watch their company soccer team play and even try Red Stripe Bold, an awesome spin off brew that isn’t exported.

Summer on Saxis Island, Virginia

September 3, 2015March 24, 2016 by Sarah | 4 Comments

In the past we’ve highlighted Saxis Island through photo stories about the watermen and our bike ride to the beach. Yesterday we introduced you to our favorite spider and last week we mentioned a few of our favorite outdoor shower products.

We already love Saxis for so many reasons, but like most things in life, when you experience them again through a child’s eye you appreciate them that much more. We wanted to highlight some of the shenanigans going on in and around Saxis this summer with a few photos. Hopefully you also have a favorite summer stomping ground where you can act like a kid again. If not, let these photos be inspiration to get out there, mess around, and maybe find a spot that you’ll return to each summer.

Playing in the surf never gets old. If you have little ones like Alex, we recommend having one adult for every child because you never know when they might sprint right into the waves (Katie here : with these crazy boys I’m starting to think that we need two adults for every kid!). Alex is one brave boy. He’s constantly shocking us with the challenges he takes on like diving head first into holes in the sand. Yep, he treats sand dunes and big holes like a slide at the playground and going feet first would be too safe and tame for that tyke. If you’re the cautious type or you just need a break, you could seek out the nearest bay to play in. Chances are the water is calm and shallow and you may even find some bayside critters swimming in the water.

Of course, it’s not all about the kids. Our family has always enjoyed a good game, often it’s a card or board game at night, but we’re also a big fan of lawn/beach games. This year our mom discovered Kubb, and our pop made a set for the beach. Everyone in our group had a great time playing, and recommend this for anyone who loves horseshoes, corn hole, or any similar toss game.

While we love a good beach day, we also love our water toys. Each year it seems our family is adding something to the fleet. This year we acquired two stand up paddle boards. Stand Up Paddle boards are a fantastic way to hop right onto the water without much set up and hassle. SUPs can be carried by one person where as kayaks are much easier to transport with two people. SUPs are also a nice way to give young kids a little taste of the bay without taking them too far out in case they’re a bit apprehensive about water.

As much as we love SUPs, kayaks and classic boogie boards, nothing beats a motorboat. We keep it pretty simple in our family with a small fishing boat, but it feels luxurious to us since we grew up paddling a canoe. A motorboat allows you the freedom to bring along all the fishing and crabbing you could want and don’t you dare forget that cooler full of drinks!

While we’re running down docks, pulling up crabs and diving into sand holes, we’re learning about the world around us. Every moment is a chance to see and experience something new on the island. We get equally excited about feeding horseshoe crabs at the Assateague Visitors Center as we do about looking at dead dragonflies through a bug magnifying box. Last year Alex’s first word was “burd”, which he said while watching the seagulls fly by the house. This year we started to teach him the names of different birds as we saw them, from egrets in the trees to osprey watching over their nests. We’re hoping these summers on Saxis instill the same love and appreciation for nature in little Alex and Luc that we have now as adults.

Mt. Judah Hike

August 6, 2015August 14, 2018 by Katie | 2 Comments

We like a good hike, and every once in a while we have the chance to hike slow, take pictures, and share the adventure with you. This is our first hike in California, but you can check out some of our previous Colorado hikes here.

Trail Location:

We found this particular hike in a book of trails that was in the house, but you can easily find information about it here and here. The trail is in the Northern Sierras, near Truckee, CA, and it’s just 4 miles from the Soda Springs exit on Route 80. It’s proximity to the highway makes it an easy and worthwhile stop if you’re on a road trip. There is ample parking in the lot next to the Sugar Bowl Academy (we visited in summer, I’m not sure if the parking situation changes when school is in session). From there, you have to take a short walk down the side road to get to the trailhead. You could also drive down that road and park at the trailhead, but I’m not sure how crowded that area gets on the weekend.

Trail Overview :

The total distance for this hike is about 4.5 miles. You begin on the Pacific Coast Trail, hiking towards the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, and on one of the runs is where you’ll bump into the Mount Judah Trail. You could take a left there and head up the trail, but we continued on the PCT and took the second intersection with the Mount Judah trail (there are only two points of intersection). Whichever way you connect to Mount Judah, you’ll end up hiking the one initial PCT section both in and out to the parking area.

This hike is marked as moderate in the trail guides, and I would agree. The most difficult portion is the initial (and final) ascent (decent) on the PCT. The terrain is rocky, the trail relatively narrow, and the incline steep, but after those switchbacks, the rest of the trail is much less rocky with a more gradual climb. The trail covers a total elevation gain of about 1000 ft.

Side note : someone in our group was concerned about going on this hike with a bum knee, then Calder’s sister reminded them that they would be hiking with a septuagenarian, a pregnant lady, and a lady with a baby… if our rag-tag bunch could handle this hike, then most readers probably can too!

Continue reading …

State College, Pennsylvania

July 29, 2015August 7, 2017 by Sarah | Leave a comment

We love traveling. Check out some other travel spotlights or watch our four favorite travel documentaries on Netflix.

It’s Wednesday! It’s time to procrastinate and daydream about traveling and visiting spaces you’ve never seen before. I must admit, I wasn’t always in love with State College, Pennsylvania. Growing up, I thought of it as a drinkers’ paradise where sports fans would flock on the weekends to watch Penn State football. I was absolutely right about those things, but State College is so much more than that. It’s Happy Valley, an adorable little city nestled between mountains in the middle of beautiful central Pennsylvania. As an adult, I was reintroduced to State College when Katie and her husband bought a home there. They both worked at Penn State University and I had just returned from Thailand when they convinced me (it wasn’t too hard) to move away from Philadelphia and move in with them. I spent the next eight months working as a delivery driver, walking their dog. readjusting to life in America and learning my way around town.

After a couple weeks, I knew the streets better than Katie, but she introduced me to a lot of the goodness on this State College city guide list. State College is a completely different space depending on what time of year you are visiting. During the summer, it is usually calm because many of the students are gone. The city actually halves in population! It goes without saying that summer is my absolute favorite time to visit. In the Fall, during football season, downtown is crazy crowded with students and fans that flock from across the state and nation to watch Penn State football. If you’re a female delivery driver that means stacks of cash and lots of traffic. In the dead of winter, State College is cloudy, icy and cold. I try to avoid winter in State College at all costs, but really, I try to avoid winter everywhere at all costs.

Cannon Beach & Haystack Rock – Oregon

June 9, 2015March 27, 2016 by Sarah | 2 Comments

In honor of World Oceans Day (which was celebrated yesterday, but let’s pretend it’s a 365 days a year affair), I wanted to highlight a quaint little coastal town in Oregon known as Cannon Beach. I had the opportunity to visit Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock in 2013 during a cross-country road trip. Even though I only spent a few hours milling about in the shallow tide pools, Cannon Beach was one of my favorite pit stops of the seven week trip. From the town overlooking Cannon Beach, everything appears to be a shade of gray, but once your feet hit the sand you start noticing little pops of colorful sea life all around.

Colorado Hike: Flatirons 1 & 2

October 20, 2014April 4, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

About a month ago, Katie, Jeff (our brother) and I hiked the Flatirons 1 & 2 trail. I’ve been meaning to write this post for some time since it was one of the most scenic hikes in Boulder, CO, so here goes:

The hike starts at the Chautauqua Park trailhead. Parking in the lot can be pretty tricky, especially on the weekends, but you can find additional parking on Baseline Road. That being said, the trail is extremely crowded. You won’t have the views to yourself, but hey, at least there is no chance of getting lost. After you find a parking spot, continue to the Chautauqua Park trailhead where the trail takes you through a lovely green meadow. (Note that if you’re hiking right after a rainstorm, it will be pretty muddy since the trail is basically a path for runoff water. ) The Chautauqua trail connects with the Flatirons 1&2 trail and the signage is very clear as is the flow of people flocking to the Flatirons 😉

Over the course of this relatively short hike (about 2.5 miles), you will climb 1,400 feet in elevation. Flatiron 1 is approximately 7,100 ft high, which makes for stunning views. As you hike up the trail, there are plenty of outcroppings that are perfect for taking a break and enjoying the vistas. The Flatiron trail is mainly switchbacks through thick forests of ponderosa pine that cut around enormous boulders. Along the way, there are also several rock climbing access points. Speaking of climbing, there is a very short section of the trail (about 15 feet) where you have to climb up a boulder. There are footholds and handholds worn into the rock making it easy for adults, but I wouldn’t recommend taking children on this hike. I would also turn back immediately if it starts to rain because the rocks will become slippery making a large portion of this trail fairly dangerous.

Once you finally wind up, up and up, the views are spectacular. There are clear views of the city of Boulder as well as amazing views of Flatiron 3, which is sure to have rock climbers scrambling up it. The top of the trail is a perfect spot to stop and have a snack or a picnic, but remember to hike all your waste out with you, even banana peels! The top of the trail is like an adult jungle gym. You’ll see folks in all different nooks and crannies. It goes without saying that you should be careful when you’re climbing from boulder to boulder, don’t knock into any rocks that may fall and injure someone at a lower elevation. After you’ve climbed your heart out and took a bajillion pictures, it’s time to make your way down the ridge. Be mindful of other hikers who are still making their way up and if they look like they need encouraging remind them that they’re almost there!

Geology Rocks! I say that far too often, but I just can’t resist. Here’s a quick rundown of some geological properties of the flatirons. I’m going to give some definitions in case you slept through your geology lab class.

A flat iron is a steeply sloping triangular landform created by the differential erosion of a steeply dipping, erosion resistant layer of rock overlying softer strata. Differential erosion is erosion that occurs at varying rates, caused by the differences in the hardness and resistance of surface materials so softer and weaker rocks erode rapidly, while harder rocks remain to form ridges, mountains, or ding, ding, ding, flat irons! Strata is simply sedimentary rock. Sedimentary rocks are those formed by the deposition of material either on the earth’s surface or in water. And wouldn’t you know it, the Flatirons of Boulder coined this term, flatiron, in general geology.

Now you may be wondering how the Flatirons first got their name, which then coined the geography term. Well, there are two theories: the rock faces close resemblance to old fashioned clothing irons or their resemblance to the Flatiron building in NYC, which was completed in 1902. (It’s a pretty sweet building, but personally, I think it’s more likely they were named after the clothes iron, an object which many more folks were familiar with during the early 1900s)

The flatirons are made up of conglomerate sandstone of the Fountain Formation. Conglomerate sandstone basically means there are little clasts (bits of rock particles) mixed into the sandstone (rock comprised mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains). I don’t want to wind way down into a geological rabbit hole (for your benefit), but the Fountain Formation is a Pennsylvanian (the subsystem, not the state) bedrock unit found in Colorado and Utah that consists mostly of conglomerate sandstone or arkose.

The flatirons are estimated to be 290-296 million years old and they were tilted to their current orientation (the steep dip I referenced earlier) about 35-80 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny. The Laramide orogeny was a period of mountain building in western North America, which created the Rocky Mountains along with many other formations. I won’t go into right now, but it’s definitely interesting; if you like geology and want to learn more, read this.

Some people prefer to sprint up the rock faces, no joke!

What to expect:

Lots of hikers on the weekend.
Dogs both on and off leash.
Plenty of wildflowers, various vegetation and trees and beautiful views.
Two hours (or more) of hiking.
A couple tough climbs over boulders, but mainly a moderately steep and well-maintained trail.

Before of after your hike, be sure to stop by the historic ranger cottage near the parking lot – you can’t miss it. It has a wealth of information, free maps and dozens of stuffed birds and mammals. I really enjoyed the station because I gained a better sense of what animals were sharing the forest with me. It’s especially cool to see the animals you have very little chance of seeing in the wild like mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats. If you want a little snack, continue past the ranger station for about a block and you’ll see a little refreshment cottage with homemade hard ice cream and just about everything else.

After the hike and the ice cream, you should probably treat yourself to an afternoon snooze! Happy hiking!

Colorado Hike : Ajax Mountain

August 18, 2014April 4, 2018 by Katie | Leave a comment

A few weeks ago we took a leisurely afternoon hike on the Nature Trail that starts at the top of Ajax, or Aspen, Mountain. This was an out and back hike that was super easy with barely any elevation gain because you do all of your climbing as you ride the gondola to the top of the mountain!

If you want to head straight for the hike, veer left as you get off the gondola and you’ll have no trouble finding the trail. If you’re heading up with kiddos, veer to the right and there are plenty of fun activities to let them burn off the energy before/after riding the gondola. Our little guy was just interested in the huge sand pit and trucks, but there are also spaces to dig for gold, go rock climbing, go trampoline jumping, and room for some good old running.

As well as delivering beautiful mountain views, the trail dips into the pine forest, giving you a reprieve from the bright alpine sun.

This was our third hike and I was excited to see yet more wildflowers in bloom. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a guide with me and had trouble identifying some new-to-me species from the photos. If you have any clues as to the names of the unidentified flowers below, I would really appreciate it!

We hiked out to the point where there was a perfectly clear view of the Aspen Highlands ski resort. At this point, you can also see the very top of one of the two Maroon Bells peaks. We spent some time sitting here, letting Little A out of the pack to tool around and throw some rocks, while C and I talked to other hikers. It seemed to be a common stopping/turning point for many people.

Extra Details:

During the summer months, the gondola’s open daily from 10:00am-4:00pm. A single ticket costs $19.00, but if you’re staying for a few days, or planning to take the bus up to Maroon Bells, they have a great package for $29.00.
Of course, you’re welcome to skip the gondola and turn this into a more rigorous, multi-hour hike by starting your walk from the bottom of the mountain. This is something that you can do any time of day in the summer, but only before the gondola opens during ski season.
This is probably obvious, but take sunscreen and a hat! You’ll be more comfortable because the sun is bright and there are plenty of areas without tree cover.

Colorado Hike : Chautauqua Park

July 21, 2014April 4, 2018 by Katie | 4 Comments

We love to get out for hikes as often as possible and thought it would be fun to document these little adventures, like our recent trip to Maroon Bells.

Last weekend we decided to stay close to home, wanting to explore more of what Boulder has to offer, so for our weekend hike, we headed to Chautauqua Park (pronounced with a soft “shhh” for the CH – I’m still getting the hang of it!). Chautauqua was one of the older open space areas purchased by the city over 100 years ago when it began preserving wild lands. The park is home to the Colorado Chautauqua Association, which provides cultural and educational programs throughout the year. Among its many buildings and features, the Association has a dining hall, general store, and cottages that you can rent! On this particular day we skipped all of the buildings and headed straight for the hills, but we’re hoping to stop into the dining hall for brunch after our next hike.

**Before moving to Boulder, I was unfamiliar with Chautauqua, the adult education movement. Were you?

Arriving at the park, we knew it was a popular weekend destination, but were overwhelmed by just how many people were there. These pictures don’t do the crowds justice. At all times there were people in front of us, behind us, scaling the rock face to our right and left. There were babies laughing (and crying), there were more college-age girls chatting away than I wish to remember. Ugh, it was crowded. But, the scenery totally made up for it, and I can’t wait to get back out there on a weekday. A friend also tipped me off that if we start at Four Pines on King St., then we won’t hit the crowds. Keep that secret.

Before heading out, we asked for some trail recommendations and received a number of excited responses suggesting Royal Arch Trail, but it was still closed for raptor nesting. So, with all of the well-marked trails in the park, we decided to wing it. We headed up Chautauqua Trail, made a left on Blue-Baird Trail, and then came back down on Bluebell Trail. In total, the hike took about an hour.

As you hike up the hill you leave the grasslands behind, entering the pine forests and areas of exposed bedrock and boulders of the Flatirons.

There are two climbers in the photo on the right above! They are near the top of the single pine tree that’s growing out of the rock face. Eventually, you reach a few open areas overlooking the city.

Just like last week’s hike, there were plenty of flowers blooming here with a promise of more to come.

On our way back down the hill (mountain?) we left the pine trees behind and welcomed the grasses again. As you can see from these photos, the skies were overcast for our whole hike, but I think that worked to our advantage, keeping us cooler and less worried about sunburns as we walked.

Extra Details:

Knowing that the area is popular on weekends, we were worried about parking but easily found on-street parking a few blocks from the entrance.
I had a hard time finding a good trail map online until I looked to Google. Google’s map of the park is great, with all trails well marked!
A hiking-with-kids tip: We knew we were heading out during Little A’s nap time, so rather than take the hiking carrier that doesn’t offer him anywhere to rest his head, we put him in the Ergo on Calder’s back. It was an easy carry for this short hike, and within a minute Alex was content and sleeping with his head supported between Calder’s back and the Ergo’s hood.

A nature-inspired lifestyle blog.

Category Archives: north america

A Weekend in Fishtown, Philadelphia

Creative Corner : Artist Benjamin Gazsi

We’re republishing one of our favorite artist interviews today – originally posted on April 22, 2014.

Jamaica – Seasoned View: Vol. 23

Each month we share our Seasoned View. Snapshots of nature and daily life taken by the Seasoned sisters. Find our archive of past months’ views here.

You know the deal, you can download one or all of these photos to use as your desktop background or even as phone and tablet wallpapers. Simply click on the download link below each photo and save the image. Enjoy!

Summer on Saxis Island, Virginia

In the past we’ve highlighted Saxis Island through photo stories about the watermen and our bike ride to the beach. Yesterday we introduced you to our favorite spider and last week we mentioned a few of our favorite outdoor shower products.

Mt. Judah Hike

We like a good hike, and every once in a while we have the chance to hike slow, take pictures, and share the adventure with you. This is our first hike in California, but you can check out some of our previous Colorado hikes here.

Trail Location:

Trail Overview :

Continue reading …

State College, Pennsylvania

We love traveling. Check out some other travel spotlights or watch our four favorite travel documentaries on Netflix.

Cannon Beach & Haystack Rock – Oregon

Colorado Hike: Flatirons 1 & 2

What to expect:

Colorado Hike : Ajax Mountain

Extra Details:

Colorado Hike : Chautauqua Park

We love to get out for hikes as often as possible and thought it would be fun to document these little adventures, like our recent trip to Maroon Bells.

**Before moving to Boulder, I was unfamiliar with Chautauqua, the adult education movement. Were you?

Extra Details: