This was a big year for me — both personally and professionally. Revisit the stops and relive the journey of 2016…
Solo Trip to Sydney, Australia
I kicked off 2016 with a solo trip to Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Having been to Australia twice before, I knew it was safe. Sufjan Stevens was playing Sydney and I had never seen one of my favorite artists perform live. It was time!
Flying Over Whitsunday Islands & the Great Barrier Reef
I had seen the Great Barrier Reef a couple times before, but never from the air. My inspiration point was a single Instagram photo of Whitsundays Inlet. Even though I got claustrophobic in the plane, it was totally worth it to seen the alien architecture of the Reef from above!
Releasing My First Documentary Film on Guam
This was a huge year for me. Primarily, because I directed and produced my first culture documentary on Guam!
If you haven’t seen it, watch now or go behind the scenes…
First Time in Los Angeles
My first destination when I left Guam was Los Angeles. Can you believe I had never been there? I met up with a friend to hit up speakeasies, shop, and take in the sights.
Girl’s Weekend in SoCal
In addition to Los Angeles, a local friend showed me her ‘hood in sunny SoCal. I loved every minute of it.
Hiking Otherworldly Arizona
Having explored remote parts of the world like Borneo and Iceland, it’s a bit weird to say I had never seen the Grand Canyon, which was only two states away from my home in Texas. That’s why, when I left Guam, I was on a mission to see the Great Southwest. It didn’t disappoint!
Broods Concert & Live Streaming in Chicago, Illinois
My work for Facet Travel by Tastemade takes me all over. In fact, I set the itinerary, then I live stream wherever I am on the planet. Because I was spending the summer in Michigan, I knew I wanted to hit up Chicago again and explore some new sights.
In addition, Broods were playing Chicago and I got to shoot the show from the pit.
Producing Three Travel Films in Dominican Republic
Months in the making, I knew my travel filmmaking would bring me to the Dominican Republic for client work. I had a blast creating three short films for Barcelo Hotels, which you can watch above.
Spending the Summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Having been to Ann Arbor several times to visit family, I always liked this artsy college town. I spent a whopping four months (in and out) and got to know the city better than ever.
Read my 21 things to eat, see and do in Ann Arbor, Michigan…
Roadtrip to Niagara Falls, Canada
A mere 4-5 hour drive from Ann Arbor, and we arrived in Niagara Falls for the second time. Having spent a whirlwind few days of our honeymoon in the place, I had mixed feelings about going back. However, with a new DJI Phantom 4 in tow, I knew I had to shoot the falls in a new way.
See what happened when I put my drone in the air…
Hitting the Road in My New Airstream Trailer
After seven months of planning and an entire of blood, sweat, and tears, we finally finished remodeled our ’85 Airstream Excella. In October 2016, we hit the road for a year of the Great American Roadtrip. Yes, we live full-time in it and we love it.
See more pictures of my Airstream trailer…
Visiting my Birthplace of Cincinnati, Ohio
I love Cincinnati and I always will. Sometimes I wonder if I’m partial because it’s my birthplace, but my last trip confirmed what I always suspected — that Cincy is a highly underrated destination.
See my live stream over Roebling Bridge!
First time in Asheville, North Carolina
Having watched every single episode of Downtown Abbey (and most of the other Masterpiece shows), I kind of new I’d love Biltmore Mansion. What I didn’t expect was to enjoy driving the Blue Ridge Parkway quite so much. We hit the parkways just when the fall colors were peaking. So gorgeous!
See all the photos of Asheville…
Being a Tourist in Washington, D.C.
I grew up near D.C., but only lived there for a year. I remember touring a few museums but I longed to go back. The Hubs and I hit the ground running and toured the Smithsonian museums until we couldn’t walk anymore. I loved them all, but it was a huge treat to see the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture. I’ll have a full post on that soon!
I also did a live stream from the awesome National Air & Space Museum. Check it out above!
Discovering Charming Charleston, South Carolina
Our original plan was to head westward towards the great national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite, but with freezing temps approaching we decided to sample the southeast instead. I’m so glad we did. I loved the antebellum charm and thoroughly hip Charleston, South Carolina! Full post coming soon…
Watch my livestream from a horse-drawn carriage!
Falling in Love with Savannah, Georgia
Not only did I stay on a farm, but I got to see my first supermoon in Savannah. I fell in love with Charleston, but I actually fell harder for Savannah, Georgia. It’s a grittier city, more lived in, but with a huge amount of European charm. Full post coming soon!
Watch my livestream from downtown Savannah and a tour of the farm (with a surprise at the end)…
Back Home to Dallas, Texas
I spent December in my former hometown of Dallas, Texas, revisiting all the food and places I love as well as catching up with friends and family. Watch the video above to see inside my Airstream!
More coverage of Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., Charleston, Savannah, and Dallas coming in 2017! Thanks for reading.
