A bump in the road woke me up from my nap in the car. As I slowly come back around, I realized from the different terrain that we were no longer in Moab. Now, we were driving through the desert in a landscape that looked simply jurassic. I had flown to Salt Lake City a few days earlier to embark on the Mighty 5 Tour with Southwest Adventure Tours. Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands are the five iconic national parks that make for a perfect week-long trip through the state of Utah.

Our 10-person group actually did the trip backwards, beginning in Canyonlands and Arches National Park before driving through Capitol Reef and traversing south until we hit Bryce National Park and Zion National Park before heading back to Salt Lake City. I hadn’t travelled like this before. Typically I travel with a small group of friends or, sometimes with only my camera. In recent years, Alex and I have also taken a liking to guided private tours for just the two of us and our crazy demands to see sunsets and sunrises. But a small group tour for 6 days, including hours spent in the car together as we drive across Utah - it was a first.


In addition to myself, the group consisted of 3 Canadians, two best friends, a couple of international exchange students, and a pair of endearing grandparents who were checking Utah off of their bucket list. This line reads like the introduction to a Hollywood comedy, but for 1 week, this group of people became my travel family. Somehow, this unlikely all over survived the trip with only minor bruises and beautiful memories.

When you meet a fellow traveler, it’s an unspoken social custom to share your stories of the road. Over lunches and dinners, I learned about the Canadians’ hiking trip to Guatemala a few years before, grandma and grandpa had vacationed in Egypt and Israel, and the exchange students had taken a summer in college to backpack in Southeast Asia. These conversations were always followed by questions about possible future trips, and exchanging ideas for how we could use our next vacation days to our advantage. Between chats, I instinctively reach for my passport and pat the pocket to check that it’s there. Over long drives between parks, we learned about the each other’s families, childhoods, and love for adventure. Not before long, I was looking through photos of family members on smartphones.

An incomplete group photo.

I have to admit, as much as I am a champion of solo travel, the desert can be a lonely place and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend 5 days doing the Mighty 5 alone. And I definitely would not have had any energy left to hike on top of driving 2-4 hours each day. Although the popular trails were quite busy at this time of the year, the ever changing weather sometimes deterred most tourists. I was glad to have a few companions with me on the longer hikes in the winding canyons. Together, we braved the hurried showers one minute and shielded our eyes from the sun the next. On the second day, half of us got lost off trail and took a 1 mile detour. As one of the girls would later retell this story to others in the car, on one of the last hikes in Zion, we had to use chains to pull ourselves up Angel’s Landing when the wind really picked up. In the sudden wind, I almost got blown away, but thankfully my fellow travelers held me down.

Follow Southwest Adventure Tours online to see more snaps from my trip:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthwestAdventureToursLLC
Instagram: @swatours
Twitter: @swatours

Disclaimer: I was invited to join the tour as a guest of Southwest Adventures, but all opinions written, friendships made, and knees scraped are my own. 

One of my favorite trips in North America was when Alex and I drive through Nevada, Utah, and Arizona - visiting four amazing canyons in just four days. We were chasing sunlight endlessly, driving down miles of empty highways that screamed freedom.

This week I’m returning to Utah for a week to discover the secrets of the wonderful Utah Might 5. I cannot wait for the week-long hike under the beaming sun and through the canyon lands. I hope to spend the desert nights counting the stars. I can’t wait!

The trip to Utah will be the longest trip I've taken this year. Other than a few days in Harrison Hot Springs and a staycation in New York City, Alex and I have been staying put since our 2 month long trip through China, Hong Kong, and Japan last summer. I always like the idea of being back home again after a long trip, I get to put my suitcase away, buy fresh flowers for my apartment, and revisit my favorite watering holes in the neighborhood. But I can always count on the itch to go exploring returns after a few months. The only catch is, with time, my ideal way to travel changes. For at least this very moment, all I want is an adventure out in the wild - me, the elements of nature, and my camera. I don't care much for backpacking through the cultural epicenter of Europe, or a week on a beach in an all-inclusive resort. I want to run up to the top of a volcano in Bali, bike through the Canadian Rockies, and hike through the parks of Utah.

Here are my photos from the last time I was in beautiful Utah.

Today's post is one I initially put off but after the questions kept coming after its continued guest appearance on my Instagram account, I wanted to introduce you to my favorite wearable tech: the Jawbone UP. I have had it for over a year and it is, by far, my most asked about accessory. I did a lot of research when deciding between the Jawbone Up, the Nike Fuel (before its sunset), and the Fitbit, before landing on the Jawbone. No, they did not sponsor this post. But hey, if somebody there wants to give me a shout, I'm all ears.

My most relied upon functionality of the Jawbone UP is its sleep tracker. I don’t sleep particularly well and although I strive for somewhere between 7.5-8.5 hours per night, I often have a very hard time falling asleep once I’m in bed. The sleep tracker helps me visualize my sleep cycle throughout the night and lets me know if I need to adjust my sleep habits. I always pay attention to the time I spend in deep sleep versus light sleep, how long it takes me to fall asleep, and if I had woken up throughout the night.

As for the step-counter, I initially set a goal of 14,000 steps per day and found that I never have trouble meeting it. So overtime, I began to pay less attention to this functionality of the device. I run 4-5 times a week and log about 20 miles, so I didn’t need the device to change my workout routine. But I did like having the step-counting functionality initially since I had ever worn a step-counter before, and didn’t have a good sense of how many steps I took on the average day. It turns out, on most days, I take close to 1000 steps before even leaving the house in the mornings. Who knew?


One of the reasons I chose Jawbone over over devices was its integration with other apps. I love my apps, and the Jawbone integration with Foursquare and Withings serve me particularly well. I’d be reminded to log my meal with every Foursquare checkin, and my Withings bluetooth scale would feed my weight data to the Jawbone so I could map any weight trends with both my sleep and step trends.

Last year, I spent about 2.5 months on the road. Anyone can tell you that keeping your routine is the hardest when you’re traveling. When I’m traveling, I usually abandon all workout routines and any attempt to get a full night’s sleep just goes out the window. Thankfully, Jawbone keeps track of my physical health when I need it the most.

Perhaps because we have a separate heartrate monitor for working out, I never got around to upgrading to the newer Jawbone UP models but they, and the Fitbit HR, are the latest models on the market. Not to mention the Apple Watch launch to heat up the wearable space. As for a potential upgrade, I currently have a wait-and-see approach about my next wearable purchase. In the mean time, I will continue to bask in the regular compliments (and questions) I get about my Jawbone UP 24.

When I first moved to New York, the only neighborhoods I knew somewhat well were Chelsea and the Upper West Side. So when I landed in an apartment steps away from central Harlem, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, or that I would love it here.

To the detriment of New Yorkers’s who don’t ever venture north of Central Park, they are missing out on the emergence of some new generation restaurants and watering holes in Harlem. In my effort to turn my friends into Harlem visitors one brunch at a time, I wanted to share some of my go-to spots in the neighborhood.



Coffee
Harlem has no shortage of third-wave coffeeshops that’s all the rage these days, serving single drip coffees, flat-whites, and whatever else the kids are drinking these days.

Lenox Coffee: Lenox tops the list and Alex swears that this place makes the best flat white in the area. I love it for its cozy and rustic atmosphere. The space is tight but it's great for people watching and catching up over a cup of Joe.

Kuro Kuma: Possibly my favorite coffee place in town. These guys have a tiny storefront but they make up for the lack of space with a perfect espresso.

Amaretto Espresso: I recently discovered these guys and they won me over with their brightly lit space. It's never too crowded and a great place to catch up with friends. It does get very loud since something about the structure of the space make voices really carry.

Cafe Frederick Harlem Parlor: A staple of mine for days when I need to get some work done.  On a typical weekend, you'll probably find me in various spots at the parlor, whether using their bar as my standup desk, lounging on the benches, or cozying up with a book in the reading chair.


Brunch
Known for their Gospel brunch, comfort food, and fusion of Caribbean/French/Asian flavors, I’m pretty sure Harlem is where brunch was made.

Melba's: My introduction to Harlem brunch was at Melba's and their fried chicken was a brand new brunch experience for me at the time. Now, I don't know why you would order anything else at brunch.

Sylvia’s: This is the one place that many New Yorkers who've never been up to Harlem know about. It is the go-to spot for some authentic feel-good Gospel brunch.

BLVD Bistro: Mac & Cheese. Because you're never too old to have Mac & Cheese for breakfast.

Amy Ruth’s: The definition of comfort food. That is all.

Harlem Tavern: Visit Harlem Tavern on the weekends and enjoy brunch with a live band. I try not to sit too close to the musicians though as it does get quite loud stage center. Come here in the summer when they open up their outdoor patio and bask in the sun. Side note: it's also a great sports bar for catching the game.


Dinner
Let your palette guide you for dinner. Harlem’s finest restaurants will leave you full and satisfied. And the best part? Whether it’s a cocktail or a well-aged bottle, you will find your drink of choice waiting for you.

Red Rooster: The gem of Harlem. I'm used to seeing tourists get off by the bus load just to have a meal at Red Rooster. Make reservations ahead of time, and try just about everything on the menu. You won't be disappointed.

The Cecil: The latest craze in town is this African/America/Asian fusion. What does that even mean? You'll have to find out for yourself. And if you're heading there for dinner, don't forget to check out their bar for some amazing cocktails.

Vinateria: With a name like that, it's no surprise that Vinateria has a notable wine selection. Come for their wine selection but stay for their seasonal menu of tapas.

Barawine: Speaking of wine, Barawine has an extensive wine selection and a delightful menu. The decor is clean and modern, and the restaurant is a great setting for intimate conversations.

Lido: Don't think Harlem is all American, Lido offers Italian cuisine with a Mediterranean twist. Go all out on the pasta but make sure you save room for dessert.