#90 - Try a New Snow Sport

Heading up the hill

Why try one new snow sport when you can try two in one day on a Friday in the mountains in Colorado?

This year, we held the Inaugural Post-NIRSA Retreat after the NIRSA Annual Conference in Denver, CO. Nicole Green, Dave Siegle, and I drove out to the Breckenridge/Frisco area for some time in the mountains.

I was quite nervous as I'd been suffering through the effects of the Denver elevation all week. After a week of feeling light headed and nonstop coughing/dry throat, somehow, I felt better 4000 feet further up, which makes no sense. Though, perhaps it was just that I'd been drinking so much water and so little alcohol the last few days that I finally balanced out my dehydration from the dry air.

You can't not smile while tubing.

Whatever it was, I definitely felt well enough to go tubing at the Frisco Adventure Park. We made our reservation online and spent a sunny hour riding the conveyer belt up the hill and tubing back down. It was one of those simple activities where you just can't help but smile the entire time. I don't know that I'd quite call it a "sport," fulfilling the point of this list item, but then, we definitely tried another sport immediately after, so sure, I tried two new winter sports.

Worth the exertion just for the views.

Once we'd finished up tubing, Nicole suggested we check out the cost of cross country skiing, also in the park. It was maybe a little more money than we wanted to spend, and I was a bit nervous as I've never been cross country skiing but know it's quite strenuous. Turns out, it's a lovely activity and is so low impact that while it was a great workout, the only thing that seemed to slow me down was running out of breath due to the elevation every now and then. (To be fair, I was moving pretty slow.) I also could not get the hang of skating on those skinny skis, which was a bit frustrating, but I was still moving. (Slowly.) 

I'm certainly glad I gave it a try, but honestly, the experience was worth it just for the views. It was incredible to feel so isolated in a snowy wonderland with the mountains all around. 

Breckenridge and Frisco are beautiful towns and I would love to go back and do some downhill skiing or boarding. Who's in for next year?

#37 - Go to a Gala

Me & Laura

On TV shows, it seems like people who live in big cities are always going to galas. I've lived in 3 big cities over the past 14 years, and I'd never been to a gala. I'd been to a few very fancy holiday parties but never anything where I could be a fancy person who just buys a ticket. Luckily, I am now back in Chicago and am very luckily looped up with a really amazing group of women who not only go to galas but help plan them!

Laura, Jen, & Melissa

This year I attended my first gala, Tickled Pink. This group of professionals hosts an annual fundraiser for efforts focused on prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer. And they do it right.

Megan & Melissa stunnin'

The ticket comes with unlimited drinks and food from some of the trendiest restaurants around Chicago. Some of my favorites were the mini lobster roll, the corned beef sandwich, and the mushroom taco.

Melissa & me cheesin'

The highlight, however, was the band. The Chicago Players were so much fun. I've never seen such range and quality from a cover band. From Mumford and Sons to the Fugees, they killed it. Beautiful voices and a great vibe. And then came DJ Betty! She was very unassuming when she took the stage, but damn, DJ Betty kept that party going strong. If I ever needed music for an event in Chicago, I'd book one of those acts in a heart beat.

And the real highlight was obviously a really fun night dancing the night away with friends. I can't wait to go again next year.

Gotta post game at Friar Tuck's. Duh.