I've given up on any attempt to quell my wanderlust. I had all these concerns that I wouldn't be able to get out of town once I went back to school but it turns out I can still sort of swing it. Emphasis on the sort of. Essentially, my life consists of very little sleep during the week, a 24 hour sabbatical on the weekends, followed by an oh dear God why did I just do that to myself on Sunday night. It’s a really healthy pattern of behavior (I kid, I kid).

I guess the logical response to all of this would be to, you know, cut back a little. Maybe I could spend every other weekend out of the five boroughs as opposed to my current pattern of every single one. Or I could even just journey out a bit closer to home, say within a 50 mile radius or places easily accessed by public transportation. But where would the fun be with those kinds of restrictions? I already have two flights scheduled before the end of this semester and another one that I am trying to finagle so my current lifestyle won’t be changing any time soon. Besides which, without these weekly escapades I never would have found out about this great (get it? I know, I am easily amused) little park just outside of DC.

My recent discovery of Great Falls Park should not be all that surprising; I have never lived in DC nor do I possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the National Parks system. Nevertheless, I considered it a great (never gets old…) find as it covers all of my current needs: people I love live near by (bonus points for happily joining/proposing shenanigans), giant slabs of rock to climb up/down/over, and trails that let you imagine you are alone in the woods every once in a while.

As this particular adventure took place on a beautiful Saturday, it was pretty crowded by the visitor center but don’t let that discourage you. Stop on by and say hello to the wonderful park rangers. They will be more than happy to help you find the perfect paths to check out and they’ll even recommend ideal locales for post-hike libations. The path along the Potomac River is fairly straightforward and the crowds thin out as you move farther away from the parking lot. I wish that I had known that in addition to the views/nature/wildlife amenities, the park also boasts some great (I’m done – I promise) climbing spots. All down the River Trail, people were setting up their harnesses and getting their ropes in order. While I didn’t get to climb with all the bells and whistles, there were plenty of places to scramble and explore. Since there are only 15 miles of trail, I recommend taking your time to mosey and explore the cliffs and crevices along the way.

The days were a bit longer and warmer when I was there but by now it should be prime time for leaf viewing, scarf bundling, and post-hike hot toddy sipping. All in all, a visit to Great Falls Park was the perfect way to spend an autumnal afternoon - go and see it for yourself!

notes:

i try to avoid backtracking on trails as much as possible. in order to make the hike a loop, you’ll have to cut through the woods. do not attempt this unless you have a strong sense of direction or are adept at using your phone’s gps. for convenience, you can find a trail map here but still check in with the rangers. they’re the best.

for some standard pub food and a selection of tasty beverages, check out the old brogue irish pub in great falls. after filling up on one too many fried pickles, make your way to around the corner to great falls creamery.

there’s wildlife to be had in these parts of the woods including snakes. i came inches away from crushing one with my foot. we were equally traumatized by the experience. watch your step – you have been warned.

This past weekend I got to sneak away from NYC for a bit and mosey on down south to Nashville. One my job’s perks is that a few times a year they pay me to travel. Sure, it's for a conference, which usually means I am at an obligatory conference center destination, but I have yet to be disappointed. That may also have something to do with me usually tacking on a vacation to these trips. I mean if I am already going to be some place new, why not? I was unable to add on any extra days/excursions this time around but I tried to explore a bit.

The conference and therefore my hotel was near Music City Center which in the so-called SoBro neighborhood of downtown Nashville. It is aptly named. The area is so bro as in pastel shorts and popped collared polos galore. Please note that I say this with absolutely no hate. Strictly fact. There is also an abundance of bachelor and bachelorette parties. I have never seen so many in such close proximity to each other and I have spent considerable time on the North Fork, which is also known for this phenomenon (beware of the prevalence of party buses when you pull into a vineyard – you’ve been warned). Again, I say this with no judgment – mostly just with oldness. Large groups of people generally translates into loud groups of people which translates into me being generally confused throughout the evening. We’ll make no comments on whether that is truly due to the loudness of crowds.

My second night was spent just across the river in East Nashville. For all intents and purposes it is the suburbs and it is lovely. Again. I am old. I was with friends and we shared a bunch of plates at Holland House and then made our way to Red Door Saloon. Another warning – you will smell like you smoked a pack of cigarettes upon leaving this place. I didn’t notice all the smoking while I was there. Like I was aware of it but didn’t think it was to the extent that I smelled the next day. Stale smoke never smells good people. I don’t know that I would necessarily recommend this bar. It’s fine. I just think that East Nashville probably has more to offer than what we were able to drag our tired selves to. Please feel free to tell me where I should have gone.

Before heading to the airport Sunday afternoon, my friend and I spent some time walking about the capitol. The weather was beautiful and it was nice to see a bit more than you know bars. Nashville is a quirky place. It apparently has had quite the growth spurt in recent years and it shows. Plenty of old relics juxtaposed to shiny new skyscrapers.

I sadly didn’t get to check out much music while I was in Nashville. Ideally, I would go back with a car for better exploration. I was limited to my own two feet or a cab. Also, being in Nashville makes me really want to go to Memphis. I think this means I need to plan a road trip. We’ll just throw the Smokies and Dollywood into the mix while we’re at it.

How did you all weekend? Anyone else have a work-sponsored escape?

notes:

- i stayed at the hermitage hotel and it was lovely. firstly, so many free cookies. i have priorities people. secondly, the staff are just the friendliest.

- don’t eat at bb kings. or perhaps i should say don’t eat at bb kings and expect to eat within 2-3 hours of when you order. (this post is turning into a series of warnings… awkward).

- do eat at acme feed and seed. the music was great and so was the food. it is oh so very loud and right on broadway but very much worth it.

- i mentioned that i didn’t get to truly explore the music scene but if i had the chance i would have like to check out bluebird cafe’s in the round or perhaps mercy lounge. and let’s be real i probably would have liked to see the grand ole opry because when in nashville, right?