Happy Second Blogiversary to Me!

Two years and twenty-three days ago I published my very first blog post. So I thought I’d do a little belated celebrating! In addition to creating a very attractive “happy second blogiversary to me” dance, I’m commemorating this milestone with a list of ten highlights from the past year, in no particular order.

Here goes!

1. Launching My Spotlight Traveler Series

In the past twelve months I’ve published nineteen blog posts (twenty, if you count this one)! And just over a year ago today, I published my very first Spotlight-Traveler interview, with the interviewee being digital-nomad, Andrew Schultz, aka “Beat the Grind.”

In the meantime, I’ve published three other interviews featuring:

• Writer, women’s advocate, and world-traveler, Lola Méndez, of missfilatelista.com
• The polarizing and mostly non-basic blogger, Kiona, of How Not to Travel Like a Basic Bitch (hey, even she admits to some basic-ness now and then!)
• Inspirational gardener, cook, Francophile, and award-winning author, Georgeanne Brennan, who’s focus on sustainable living in the French style had me ready to pack my bags and move to southern France!

And a fourth interview is on the way very soon. (Stay tuned!)

2. Purring about My Most-Read Post of the Year

Looking at the last 365 days of blogging, my most-read post is — drumroll, please! — Prrrrrty Cats Around the World! That one was followed closely in popularity by my second-most read post of the past year: Seven German Words to Tickle Your Fancy.

What can I say? Cats are beloved creatures, but apparently the German Language is also a beloved creature!

3. Ten Countries Visited

All-in-all, in the past 365 days I’ve traveled to ten countries! Namely: Austria, Bulgaria (more on this one in a minute), France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzlerand, the United Kingdom, and various destinations in my home-country, the United States. Oh, and I walked over the border into Nogales, Mexico, with my mom this summer. Almost forgot about that one. (If you count that it makes eleven.)

I couldn’t pick just one pic to represent my year’s travels, so here are a few:

I did enter an additional country not mentioned above, but I’m not counting it, because my feet didn’t touch the ground. HOWEVER, we did a super-quick drive through Liechtenstein on tour earlier this year. It was my first time inside the tiny land of Liechtenstein, and we drove through the capital city of Vaduz. I’m hoping that the next time I’m there I’ll be able to get outside and walk around a bit!

4. Three Concerts, Three Incredibly Cool Venues!

This summer I spontaneously decided to go to a concert or two. Or three. So here’s a brief rundown with pics and a short video clip. Or two. Or four.

Piazza San Marco

Firstly, in July I got to see Zucchero in concert! Maybe you’ve never heard of him. Admittedly, until earlier this year, I’d never heard of him either! But he is HUGE in Italy. I recently learned that Andrea Boccelli got his big break in the early 90s when he was given the opportunity to tour with Zucchero, who was already a very well established musician at that time.

And it just so happens that I was in Venice when Zucchero was slated to perform IN ST MARK’S SQUARE! Being able to see a show in that venue — under an open sky in one of the most beautiful squares in Europe — was unforgettable. See for yourself in this short clip.

London’s Hyde Park

Secondly, on the 9th of September, I got to see Lenny Kravitz perform in London! He was the first act in a line-up for the annual “Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park” festival.

Basically, I went to the festival because I wanted to see Lenny Kravitz. I’d had the chance to meet him way back when I worked on cruise ships, and so I was like “Lenny, my old mate!” It’s kind of a one-way friendship. But I did also get to see Lenny open for U2 in Seattle a number of years ago, and that was fun too. This time I thought it would be really neat to go to a show in Hyde Park. And it was!

Check out the venue, London’s Hyde Park, in the clip below! (OK, there’s probably more of me than the venue. Sorry!)

Ancient Roman Theatre of Plovdiv

The third of the fabulous-concerts-in-fabulous-venues I attended this year was in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. And it was the very first time I’ve ever been to a concert in an ancient Roman theater! Below you can take a peak at the epic entryway to the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis — aka the Roman Theatre of Plovdiv. (Those Romans sure got around.)

I wasn’t sure what to expect about the show I attended on September 11th, but it ended up being a highlight of my visit to Plovdiv. There was a narrator/MC who did a stand-up act at the beginning and in between acts throughout the performance — all in Bulgarian. So apart from the words “Trump” and “amerikanski,” which were part of some joke, I couldn’t understand any of the narrated part of the performance.

But there were many wonderful musical acts throughout, including performers of Italian opera music, Greek dancing, a Gipsy Kings remake, an Argentinian Tango, and even a Celine Dion number. From what I could gather, the theme was “music from around the world,” even amerikanski music. For the finale there were a number of Bulgarian folk dances, with the dancers donning regional traditional garb. It was beautiful, with lots of intricate footwork to quick beats — almost like a River-Dance-goes-to-the-Balkans.

5. Las Vegas Half Marathon with My Sis

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Right? Therefore I cannot share with you all of the details of my trip to Las Vegas last November. But I can tell you that my sister and I had a fabulous time! And that no hangover in the world could stop us from running the Las Vegas Half Marathon together!

Can’t wait to travel with my Sis again this November-December! Where do you think we’re heading this time? Watch this space!

6. When your Fave GF Patisserie in Paris Starts Selling Pain au Chocolat

I don’t know if this was my favorite experience of the whole damn year, but it sure felt like it while I was shoving that chocolatey concoction down my gob. The moment I discovered that Helmut Newcake now bakes Gluten-Free Pain au Chocolat is forever seared into my brain!

Picture it: I was at the Patisserie, ready to grab a slice of their glorious GF quiche — as I strive to do every time I’m in Paris — when suddenly something leapt at me from the corner of the display counter! Could this be? Were my corneas deceiving me? Yep, those beautiful pains au chocolat were real! And they were flaky and warm and buttery and now when I’m nestled all snug in my bed, it’s pain-choco visions that dance in my head!

Enough about the chocolate croissant, I hear you thinking. How about we talk Hamilton instead?

7. Hamilton Obsessed 

Hamilton? She’s not talking about Hamilton again, is she?

Okay, I’ll make this brief! A major highlight for me this past year was when smash-Broadway-musical Hamilton came to Seattle in March, and — because I am a volunteer usher for the Seattle Theater Group — I got to see the show. Five times! It was amazing in a very emotional way. Tears were shed at every performance.

I won’t bore you with more details about this now, but if you, too, are Hamilton obsessed, you can read more here!

8. Daredevil Antics

Twice in the past year I submitted myself to things one might label as thrill-seeking, adrenaline-junkie type experiences. Or, what the risk-averse might even call “imprudent.” One was driving in Bulgaria. (More on that in a future post.) The second was doing the “Thrill Walk” in Birg, Switzerland, way up in the Berner Oberland region of the Swiss Alps.

9. Visiting a New Country: Bulgaria

I am always SUPER excited when I get to go somewhere new. And that certainly was the case earlier this month when I spent five days getting an intro to Bulgaria. I visited three cities during my five-day stay: Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, and the capital city, Sofia. I’ve already started writing about my experiences, including drives on the “highway to the danger zone,” so stay tuned for upcoming posts!

10. Plus, Other New Places

In the past 365 days I may have visited only one new country, but I have managed to squeeze in many new cities and sites. Some I’ve already talked about, including a ride through bucolic, bountiful Burgundy — from Beaune to the charming village of Pommard.

Other new-for-me adventures from the past year have included my explorations of the Wild Wild Southwest: from Slab City’s East Jesus to Seven Magic Mountains, from Salvation Mountain to Palm Springs; plus that time I took a truckload of selfies at Joshua Tree National Park. Fun times were had by me! 

But best of all, I got to visit my mom and dad again this summer. It’s not a “new” destination, but spending time with family is something I cherish more and more as we all continue to get older.

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It’s been a busy year, yet the year’s not over yet! I’m looking forward to sharing more stories and embarking on new adventures. Thank you for joining me for this recap! And how about you? What highlights have the past year brought your way? Is there a picture you share with strangers in the grocery-store checkout line? Please tell me your thoughts, questions, or other stories in the comments section!