TRIPPIN ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH LEMON MERINGUE PIES

As I've mentioned quite frequently within the past week,  I did not go on my vacation that I had been waiting for for two years. Yes, it sucked. Yes, I was very bummed about it. But you know what? I'm all about making some delicious lemon meringue pie out of lemons.

With the money from the fully refunded ticket plus some money I saved to spend in Japan, I am funding 4 different weekend trips (with some left over to donate)!! The trips shall be fabulous. They shall be mesmerizing. They shall be AN ADVENTURE!

So within the next two months, I'll be going on four weekend trips:

1) Palm Springs
I've driven by Palm Springs more than...I've gone to Disneyland. More than the number of cups of coffee I've consumed in my life. More than I've gone to bed before 10pm. But! I only remember staying there once when I was just a wee little girl with my family. And I think we were just driving through. I'm not even completely sure if it was Palm Springs. Maybe it was Phoenix?
It just goes to show that it was due time that I made a visit. And visit in style. I'm going with my girlfriend, the illustrious travel bunny, and we're gonna spa it up at one of the top spa resorts according to Conde Nast (thanks for hooking it up, Trev!), maybe do some romantic (what's wrong with that) horseback riding, hike at Joshua Tree (a place that's been on my bucket list forever) and most importantly, relaaaaaaaaaaaax. I. can't. wait.

2) Phoenix

For Easter! Spending time with my parents and brother under the hot Arizona sun. I can't wait for family time.

3) New Orleans
Oh dear. Oh my. This trip is going to be super special. Like Coachella special. Okay, that's a bad metaphor. It's gonna be hands down MAGIC. Becaaawse, folks, I'm going there for the Jazz Festival! In case you've been living in under a small sterile rock, Imma drop some common knowledge - New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz. Where Jazz was beautifully conceived. I don't know too many contemporary Jazz artists, but I do love my fair share of Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Miles Davis and good ol Coltrane. I am pretty excited to see that I'll get to see Lauryn Hill, John Legend & The Roots and Amos Lee!! Amos Lee's stuff was a pretty recent discovery for me and I've been an avid listener/enjoyer. I definitely have to brush up on my contemporary Jazz though - I didn't even know a third of the artists on the stage schedule!

And don't get me started on the food...

4) San Francisco
I love San Francisco, but I wasn't planning on going again unless work sent me. I was there 5 times last year and kind of had my fill of all things San Francisco. BUT! The right travel buddies makes all the difference. I'll be going there for my first running thing (would you call it a marathon? wikipedia calls it a footrace), Bay to Breakers, with a very fun gang. I know it's gonna be a weekend filled with laughs and a lot of food. And running!

Time to get packing and budgeting. :)