SEVEN DAY WEEKENDER WINS ITS FIRST AWARD!
An amazing way to start off 2017 is by winning my very first blog award! Thanks to an amazing nomination by Morgan and Amanda of Two Blue Passports I have received a Liebster Award, which is given by bloggers to bloggers. It's a way for us to not only connect with each other but give each other a little "Hey, girl (or boy), hey!", in recognition of hard work, creativity and an outstanding contribution to the blogging community. In a way it's like a little digital medal.
My nomination and subsequent award came from the fabulous duo of Two Blue Passports - Morgan and Amanda. It means so much to me to be recognized by two ladies I admire and follow on a daily basis.
As part of the award process I was asked to answer a list of questions posed by Morgan and Amanda. In addition I get to give you a little background on them, help you get to know me a little better and highlight people I would love to nominate as well.
Find out more below!
MY NOMINATORS
Morgan and Amanda from Two Blue Passports are two ladies from opposite sides of the US who both have a passion for creative travel, food and music. They love to dive right into the culture of wherever they are currently traveling and try to bring unique experiences to their readers while also giving practical advice. Whether they are traveling stateside, or chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland, I have been been following their adventures almost since the beginning. I love seeing their photos and travel hacks!
QUESTIONS FROM TBP
1. What inspired you to start blogging?
I'm someone who always likes to be doing things. After moving to NY I was never without a shortage of things to do and experience. Because of this my friends and coworkers kept saying "Lindsey, you are always doing cool, random stuff. You should start a blog!" That coupled with my mother consistently asking me to send her photos of all my adventures prompted me to take the plunge. I love that people see me as a resource when it comes to traveling and SDW was born!
CLICK THE IMAGE TO PLAY!
2. What trip is on your bucket list for 2017?
Africa! It has been in my top 5 for YEARS and after seeing tons of photos over the past year on Instagram I was inspired. I'm currently planning it out and could not be MORE excited!
My experience with a zebra at Malibu Wine Safaris - hopefully it goes a little better than this in Africa ;)
3. Share a fun fact with us that we wouldn't know from reading your blog.
I was born in Brazil (unfortunately I don't speak Portuguese), and adopted at 1 month old
4. What is one item you never leave home without?
My phone (because of the camera, not because of the connectivity). ;)
5. If you could live in one city other than where you live now, where would you choose and why?
Montreal! I've been to a lot of cool places but there was something about Montreal that made me fall in love. It was the same feeling I got about NYC before I decided to move from Los Angeles. Montreal is a multi-cultural, bilingual city that has an awesome food and nightlife scene. The people are amazingly nice, and the architecture is gorgeous (it's like the Europe of North America). One of the best traits of the city is there is a sense of outdoorsiness within the culture - it reminds me of my roots on the West Coast.
My first solo trip - to Montreal (December 2016)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (December 2016)
6. What was the best meal you've ever had while traveling?
The seafood in Greece was UNREAL! Everything I ate on that trip was amazing. One of my favorite meals was when I was sitting on the waterfront in Ammoudi Bay in Santorini, sipping on a cold glass of Greek wine while eating fresh fish, tomato fritters and a freshly caught octopus (my first time trying it)!
Eating octopus for the first time in Santorini (September 2016)
7. Best beach you've ever been to?
Although I tend to head to landlocked countries I love the beaches in Southern California. But as nice as those beaches are there is nothing like the beaches in Greece! There's an overwhelming sense of relaxation, a calmness to the sea and the ability to fully take in the beauty of nature and the Greek lifestyle.
Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece (September 2016)
Thousand Steps Beach, Laguna Beach, California (February 2016)
8. Have you ever had a nightmare situation while traveling? What did you learn from it?
Thankfully (knock on wood) I haven't had to deal with any nightmare situations. So far my traveling has been pretty smooth sailing. I did get stuck in Canada for an extra 25 hours due to a canceled flight (where I also had to pay out-of-pocket for my hotel). In reality I didn't mind not going back to work the next day, and being able to relax in a hotel for my final night after staying in a hostel was so relaxing. Silver lining!
9. What tip would you give to a new blogger just starting to shape their stories?
I would say Instagram is your best friend! It's the easiest place to start out when you are thinking about curating content - and it's fun to create a feed of inspiring images. When you make the jump from curating images to stories on a site don't feel pressured to pump out multiple pieces a week. I think people can tell when you are just writing to write and you aren't covering topics that you are truly passionate about. If you stick to writing about what you would want to read people will come to you. Quality over quantity!
10. Where do you find travel inspiration?
Social media and travel shows are automatically what I go to. I have a deep love of House Hunters International, Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown. Not only do they give you an inside look into places you may not have seen on social media, they are very entertaining. I also follow a TON of bloggers and friends who travel on Instagram. I also love seeing all their adventures on YouTube as you get a more intimate look into their travels.
MY NOMINEES
HANNAH + ALYSSA FROM THE ODYSEA
Hannah & Alyssa are two cool Aussie chicks whose free spirits and messy hair have morphed them into "slow wanders". They really take the time to fall in love with each place they visit and bring their love of photography, marine conservation and travel to every post they upload. I can't get enough of their GORGEOUS feed, which consistently gives me travel FOMO and a new location to add to my bucket list!
OLIVIA FROM LIV ON A SHOESTRING
Olivia's sense of adventure really jumps right out of her Instagram feed. From watching the sunset in the Sahara, to trekking over 3000 meters on Poon Hill in Nepal to see the sunrise over the Annapurnas, to soaring over Vilnius, Lithuania in a hot air balloon, Liv's adventures know no bounds! I am consistently impressed and inspired by her adventures and am always itching to see what she is up to next!
LAURA FROM THE REPUBLIC OF ROSE
Laura is a travel and style blogger based in LA. Right down to her blog name it is evident Laura is passionate about not only sharing her adventures but looking fabulous while doing so! I love that in everything she does she tries to inspire other women to not only travel but to truly see the beauty in the world.
GRETA FROM GRETA'S TRAVELS
Greta is a recent graduate who jets off on adventures in between her 9-to-5. Her passion for traveling and exploring new places is completely evident in the vlogs she films all over the world. She believes that if you make traveling your priority you can go on any adventure your heart desires. I love all of Greta's videos as the fun she has on each of her trips really comes to life! Plus when she reincarnates she'll come back as a mermaid ;)
QUESTIONS FOR MY NOMINEES
- WHAT PLACE WOULD YOU NOT GO BACK TO, AND WHY?
- IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE LOCATION GO TO BACK TO, AND LIVE THERE FOREVER, WHERE WOULD THAT BE?
- WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 DESTINATIONS YOU WOULD SUGGEST FOR A GIRLS GETAWAY?
- WHAT LOCATION IS CURRENTLY AT THE TOP OF YOUR BUCKET LIST?
- WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO NEXT?
- WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MODE OF TRAVEL, AND WHY?
- WHAT IS THE MOST ADVENTUROUS THING YOU'VE DONE?
- WHAT'S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU'VE EATEN WHILE TRAVELING? IF YOU ONLY EAT NORMAL FOOD WHAT'S THE MOST DELICIOUS THING YOU'VE EATEN?
- IF YOU COULD TIME TRAVEL TO ANY DESTINATION WHERE/WHEN WOULD YOU GO?
- WINDOW OR AISLE SEAT?
- FINALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT, WHICH HEMSWORTH BROTHER: CHRIS OR LIAM?
11 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME
- I've been to 3 continents (including the one I live in) - adding my 4th to the list this year
- I love to dip french fries in soft serve frozen yogurt
- I've read every single Nicholas Sparks book
- I had a piranha as a pet - after he (I assume it was a he) ate my other two piranhas I named him 'Jaws'
- I grew up on the West Coast, and have lived in every state on the West Coast
- I went to college in Southern California - 15 minutes east of Disneyland
- I was on a bowling league in grade school, and joined a league my 1st year in NY
- I've never skied or snowboarded - but I'm fabulous in an inner tube
- I took piano lessons for 11 years growing up - I may not be as good as I was but I can still twinkle the ivories
- I have a huge phobia of sharks - but am thinking about approaching that fear head on through a Great White Shark boat tour in South Africa
- I know how to (and love to) drive a manual/stick shift car
LIEBSTER AWARD RULES
- Thank (and link back to) the blogger who nominated you in your post
- Provide the rules of the award
- Write a post using the Liebster Award's logo, and answer the questions from your nominator
- Nominate a handful of fellow bloggers and notify them of their nomination
- Ask your nominees 11 questions to keep the love going
- Give 11 random facts about yourself (totally optional, but fun!)
A BIG thank you again to Morgan and Amanda for this amazing award, and congratulations to all my nominees! Can't wait to read your responses.
