Ankle-baring weather in February? I’ll take it. Actually I’ll take a free pass straight into April but that’s another (less likely) story.
SHOP THE STORY
This is always the time of year where I’m so sick of winter-wear but the weather isn’t nearly compatible for spring clothing. So I’m shopping my own closet. All of these pieces I’ve had and loved for at least a few seasons. These cropped gingham trousers were one of my favorite pairs from last Spring so I couldn’t wait to dust them off again. Along with a lighter leather jacket and my favorite slingback heels from last Fall and this green satchel that I’ve had for a couple of years and keep coming back to. Eventually I’ll get excited about the prospect of new clothes but in the meantime I’ll be re-mixing some of my old favorites and saving my pennies for Spring.
Our trip to Wyoming actually began late last year when we chatted with the state’s board of tourism about the chance to come out West and experience Winter in Wyoming. They asked if we’d be willing to go off the beaten trail (aka head outside of Jackson Hole and Yellowstone where most tourists congregate). Willing?!? We jumped at the chance and this February touched down in Sheridan, WY to get a real taste of the independent, adventurous spirit that makes this cowboy country such an amazing place to visit. We were blessed with over a foot of fresh snow in the 4 days that we were there, and seeing that part of the country in the depths of Winter is something that Adam and I will truly never forget. Add to that the incredible people and all the things to see and do, and I can wholeheartedly say that Wyoming – and Sheridan specifically – should be added to your bucket list, stat.
Below – our very first travel vlog (something we’ve been wanting to add to the site for a long time so I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed filming and editing it!) plus our full itinerary and photo highlights along the way. If you’re wondering – what does one wear when visiting the Wild West, I’ve shared that here, here and here. And for more on our incredible stay at the Historic Sheridan Inn be sure to check out this post.
And finally, a huge thank you to the city of Sheridan and the state of Wyoming. We can’t thank you enough for this incredible opportunity and for sharing your corner of the country with two wide-eyed, city kids. This won’t be the last you see of us!
GETTING THERE:
From New York, we flew to Denver and then took a 30 passenger flight via Denver Air Connection directly into Sheridan. Not only was this simple, but they give out king-sized candy bars on this airline. I repeat, king-sized candy bars. It’s the little things, no?
DAY ONE:
Breakfast at Cowboy Cafe – a cute local spot serving up hearty breakfast. You won’t leave hungry.
Archery Lessons at Rocky Mountain Discount Sports – SO much fun! Shout-out to Elaine who helped me feel like I wasn’t a complete amateur at this. Even though I 100% was.
Shopping on Main Street – we hit up Best Out West and I could have stayed there all day. So many vintage and antique treasures. I picked up whiskey bottles from the 1890s, a vintage camera and a book about Butch Cassidy. We also popped into Little Willow Traders.
Lunch at Java Moon – Delicious soups, salads and sandwiches (plus served chai tea, always a win in my book)
Kings Saddlery – A famous saddle and rope-maker, they also have a huge museum attached to their shop that has tons of amazing history and artifacts from the wild west (especially loved the Native American art and clothing and the old stage-coaches). Even better, they took us into their shop and showed us how they make rope! A strangely fascinating process.
Drinks at Mint Bar – A cowboy watering hole since 1907 and a mainstay of the downtown Sheridan landscape. It felt like a mix between an old time saloon and your favorite neighborhood bar. In short, I loved it here.
Dinner at Open Range – This restaurant is connected to the Historic Sheridan Inn where we stayed and served up one of the best dinners of our trip. Great beer pairings and a super cozy feel. Although… I’d avoid the Rocky Mountain Oysters (aka fried bull’s testicles) – although Adam was brave enough.
Music and dancing at Sheridan Inn – They had a great band playing on Friday night and it felt like the whole town came out, really fun and also family friendly.
A few more drinks at Luminous Brewhouse – Another favorite spot, just a great local hang out, good beer and amazing live music.
DAY TWO:
Breakfast at Shabby Shack – The cutest little place on the edge of downtown. Loved the food and the atmosphere.
Tour of Big Horn Design and Shop at Surf Wyoming – this was one of many examples of local places that were really growing and expanding but in a way that felt true to the community. Surf Wyoming was one of those cool spots that you can totally see in Venice or Austin or Brooklyn. We picked up their ‘Wyoming as Folk’ t-shirts.
Brewery Tour at Black Tooth Brewery – this place is so awesome. Similar to Big Horn Design in that they’ve had such incredible growth over the past few years and you can see why. The beer was so damn good and we loved getting a behind the scenes tour of the entire beer-making process.
Lunch at Olivia’s Kitchen – another cute eatery that served up great Mexican food. I wish I could have tried a margarita but we were just on the heels of the brewery tour and we still had a full day ahead 🙂
The Paint Post – I’d never done one of those popular paint classes but it was so much fun and even more so hilarious because Adam and I didn’t show each other our work until the very end. Highly recommend for couples or a group of girlfriends!
Dinner at Frackletons – Loved it here, was a great mix between being a little more upscale but still completely inviting and not at all stuffy. And the food. Delicious. Would have eaten here twice if we could have.
Drinks and Dancing at Luminous Brewhouse – This particular night they were hosting a Winter Dance Party complete with 50’s themed band, swing-dancing and costumes. We threw together thrift store outfits, met up with new friends and twirled away.
DAY THREE:
Breakfast at the Silver Spur Cafe – A total cowboy’s breakfast dream. I think I ate more bacon on this trip than I have in the past year – and am not mad about it.
Fat-biking and Snow-shoeing in the Bighorn Mountains – We had a trusty guide John Kirlin – the Director of Antelope Butte Foundation, a non-profit organization that’s set to reopen the Antelope Butte ski slope and lodge in the Bighorn Mountains that’s set to open next Winter – who took us up the mountain and let us loose in the snow, patiently teaching us fat-biking and snow-shoeing along the way. It was amazing to be the only ones out there for the most part and get to try new activities. Also, John let us pull over the car probably 5 times to take pictures and for that alone he deserves an award.
Lunch at Bear Lodge – a neighboring lodge that has all the rustic appeal you’d hope for from a snow-covered spot tucked high up in the mountains. Great for grabbing a drink or a warm bite to eat after a day in the cold.
Wine Tasting and Light Bites at The Gallery on Main – such a cool spot just outside of Sheridan on the way back down the mountain. A multi-use space they’ve got an open kitchen serving up delicious home-cooked food, great wine out of Jackson Hole wineries and an amazing gallery of local artists. Plus, just about the nicest owner with the sweetest 90 year old Dad you’ll ever meet. (Hi Gina! Hi Eddie!) We felt like family by the time we’d left.
DAY FOUR:
Breakfast at P.O. News and Cafe – Another spot that has been on the main street of Sheridan for the past 100+ years. I loved all of the antiques they had on the display and that it felt like it’s never lost a bit of it’s charm along the way.
Buffalo Reserve at Kendrick Park – The Kendrick Mansion (a local historical house you can tour) was unfortunately closed at the time, but we were still hoping to see Bison or Elk so we took a drive by the reserve park. In a very generous act, the Parks and Recs guys let us jump into their trucks and drove us right inside the park and with windows down, let us sit no more than a few feet away from a family of Bison and a pair of Elk. Truly one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.
Mint Bar, a watering hole for cowboys since 1907, is one of the landmark’s of downtown Sheridan, Wyoming. Stepping underneath the big, bucking neon sign and into the inviting, rustic interiors felt a little bit like stepping back in time. Into one of the saloons of the wild west, where beer and whiskey were plentiful and everyone knew your name. Needless to say, it was one of my favorite places that we visited while in town. And this outfit – with similar nods to cowboy culture was fittingly one of my favorites that I wore while we were on our trip.
SHOP THE STORY
It was (unsurprisingly based on the snow you see here) pretty cold while we were in town – so I did my best to strategically layer. For instance, under this maxi dress I was wearing my heat tech leggings, over the knee boots and then the thickest sweater I own over top and this seriously warm faux shearling coat. While I’m definitely ready for warmer weather – there is a certain amount of fun to be had in layering and playing with a mix of textures. Another fun thing? The huge stack of pancakes I had at P.O. News and Cafe down the street after we took these photos. A great local spot that has also been standing for over 100 years and hasn’t lost a lick of it’s charm. Can’t wait to share our full travel video and itinerary with you guys this week!
When I thought about how I wanted to share our trip to Wyoming with you all – I knew that the Sheridan Inn would need it’s own post. Our home base for our time in Sheridan, this was one of the very first places I was set on when we first started researching for our trip. I’ve become really picky about our hotel choices over the years (painstakingly so Adam would tell you) because to me, it’s kind of the cornerstone of any travel. It sets the tone for the trip and offers comfort after long days of exploring. And my biggest requirement – that it reflects the destination and really feels like you’re immersed in a place.
The Historic Sheridan Inn checked all of those boxes. Conveniently located right at the end of downtown, each night the Inn welcomed us back inside with a roaring fire, cloud like bed and dreamy clawfoot tub. Aside from all of that, the place was steeped in history – not just for the town of Sheridan but the Wild West and world over. It was home base for Buffalo Bill who would practice his rodeo shows on the grand front porch. Annie Oakley, Teddy Roosevelt and even Queen Elizabeth on her visit to town all stayed there.
Each room is completely unique and named after one of it’s infamous guests. We had the pleasure of staying in the Buffalo Bill suite which felt as grand as the man himself (I think I lost count of how many soaks I had in that huge tub). Local shop Little Willow Traders, which we later visited downtown, did all of the interior decorating and every detail felt so thoughtfully put in place – from the handmade chairs in the lobby to the Pendleton blankets on the end of each bed to the checkerboard tables on the 3rd floor suite where guests can relax and play games. And yes, Adam beat me. And yes, I still think he cheated.
Aside from all of that, the staff was the absolute sweetest, they have a full ballroom where they had live music and dancing on Friday night and a connected restaurant called Open Range that served up a seriously hearty dinner complete with local craft beer pairings. In short, if we hadn’t had such a jam-packed itinerary we may very well have never left the Inn.
I’m going to be sharing our entire itinerary coming up next (style posts so far from Sheridan here and here), but let this serve as a sneak peek of the epic cowboy adventure I’m about to take you all on. Until then.. I’ll be here.. dreaming of how to get myself one of those tubs.
**A special thank you to Wyoming, Sheridan and the Sheridan Inn for hosting us. As always all opinions are completely my own.
I was determined to share more personal stories on the blog this year and you all agreed that relationship tidbits were something you’d like to see. So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day (hello lovers!) I wanted to share Adam and I’s Relationship 10 Commandments. I first heard of this idea on a podcast I listen to faithfully (Happier with Gretchen Rubin) and loved it so much. I had never written these out before, but when it came time to think of what the 10 ‘pillars’ of our relationship were – these came very easily. I don’t like to think about them as rules, more like lanes on a road. We’re racing along best when we’re keeping it steady between these 10 guidelines.
I can’t stress enough that Adam and I in no way think we have a perfect relationship. And what works for us, could be all wrong for others. Also, several of these were completely stolen from other couples that we admire or bits of wisdom we’ve heard throughout life and applied to our own relationship. But regardless, it’s a fun exercise I thought I’d share. And if you try it too (you could make one of your relationship, your family or just yourself) I want to hear what makes your list! Without further ado…
OUR RELATIONSHIP 10 COMMANDMENTS:
ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM – from the very beginning, we decided it was us against the world. We’re a team of two, trying to figure out a way to win in this crazy game of life. If I do something great I want to look back and see Adam cheering, and if he falters I want to be on the sidelines yelling ‘you got this!’.
LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF GROWTH – No relationship is perfect. Ours certainly isn’t. But if we’re always trying to make it better and trying to grow together, that means more to me than some idyllic version of #couplegoals.
TALK TO ME – honestly, communication (as it pertains to a relationship) isn’t either of our strong suits. But we both agree that communication is really crucial to a solid relationship. So it’s something we work on and remind ourselves of all the time.
SIGNATURE MOVE – A sense of routine and pattern of habits has always been super important to me. Adam has always winked at me from across crowded rooms and keeps his hand on my hip-bone until I fall asleep at night. I always link my arm through his elbow when we walk on the street. It’s a constant physical reminder that the other person is there.
ACCEPT THE WHITE FLAG – if we’re in one of those silly, bickering moments and the other person tries to break the mood (with a joke, a hug.. a white flag if you will), let them. Unless it’s some sort of major fight that you really need to work through, accept the attempt at apology and move on. Life’s too short to spend it pouting.
FRESH EYES – A lifetime is well, a long time. And I think all too often people settle in to thinking they know every single story the other person has ever told or thought the other person has ever had. I try to actively learn new things about Adam, share new things with him and generally look at him with fresh eyes.
SUNRISE/SUNSET – We try to start the day together and end it together. That means if I have to stay up late to do work, Adam stays up too. While we’re at it, we kiss good morning just like we kiss goodnight. The world can take you in a million different directions throughout the day – but at least we know we begin and end it together.
PAY IT FORWARD – The whole ‘I did the dishes so you should do the laundry’ life sounds exhausting to me. Just carry your weight. I like to think we’re both good about not keeping score. My Dad always told me ‘relationships are give and take’ and I think some years you’ve got to give more and some years you’ll need to take more. If you’re with someone that’s willing to do the same, it all comes out in the wash.
OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS – You know the saying. People can definitely evolve over time, but I think at our core we are who we are so it’s best to come to terms with that. I’m damn stubborn and Adam is slow to adopt new ideas. I suspect that when we’re 80 we’ll still be that way so best to find a way to love those aspects of each other now.
TAKE YOUR MEDICINE – I read once that couples can get common colds (your little passing everyday fights that cure quickly) or cancer (the incurable, killer kind of differences). But that most couples have, well, diabetes. A disagreement or issue that you will carry for a lifetime but that – if kept in check and treated regularly – is not really a big deal and you can still go on to live a fully happy life. Maybe you have differing political views or one of you has a tendency to be a workaholic or struggles with anxiety. Not deal breakers, but you need to recognize the diabetes, communicate (hello #3) and be sure that you’re treating the issue. We have our flare ups but we typically can see them coming and take our medicine so to speak.
