Multidimensional Milwaukee

After a few weeks off, I'm back and (hopefully!) better than ever! Fortunately for me, being sick waited until just after my amazing trip to Milwaukee the last weekend of September. I'd been to Milwaukee before, but only briefly to attend a Brewer's Game and Summerfest. As such, I didn't really have the opportunity to explore Milwaukee until this past trip, and gosh was I surprised! I had no idea how multidimensional Milwaukee was, and all of the terrific things to do. Let's take a quick look!

Prior to visiting Milwaukee, I was fortunate to come in contact with the Visit Milwaukee tourism board. On top of giving me tons of great ideas for different things to do, they actually helped me to plan a personalized trip and weekend in Milwaukee based off my interests!  Activities for the weekend ranged from brewery tours and wine and painting classes to visiting the Harley Davidson Museum and the Milwaukee Public Market! Without further ado, let's start from the beginning...

First stop after checking into our hotel for the weekend (full reviews coming later!) was Lakefront Brewery. Now, I'd been to brewery tours before so I thought I knew what I was getting in to. However, I definitely hadn't been anywhere like Lakefront before!

Our tour was directed by one of the owners of Lakefront himself, Russ Klisch. He was able to give us a tour of the brewing facilities and really incorporate a lot of his personal experiences in a way that just made you smile and laugh with joy. A few of my favorite quotes? "This year, Lakefront will make about 56,000 barrels of beer. That is about the same amount that Miller will spill in production." "You should use six senses to drink beer. Sound, sight, smell, touch, taste, and common sense. And hey, if you only use five of the six that ain't bad either." "At least 11 couples have met while on the Lakefront Brewery Tour, so Lakefront is really a romantic place. We don't keep track of the divorce rate though..."

After Lakefront, we hopped in an Uber downtown to visit Splash Studios for a wine and painting class. Nick and I showed up early, which was terrific because we were able to talk with several of the employees- and Nick was able to get a little help with his painting!

our completed works of art!

One of the things I quickly learned was that Splash is different from any other wine and painting class. First, there is a strict no-tipping policy: all of the employees truly care about the customer experience, so once you've registered for the class you are good to go! Second, Splash is a place where both women and men can enjoy the time. Beyond the painting, they serve food, wine, beer, cocktails- and even old-school Mario Kart!

With the real purpose of this Milwaukee visit being a friend's wedding, after Splash it was time to get some sleep before a busy day and wedding time Saturday! Saturday morning we woke up and started our day off with a quick stroll to Collectivo Coffee and an espresso. It was much needed to give us fuel for the rest of the day...

...and literally, fuel was needed! Nick and I found ourselves exploring the Harley-Davidson Museum. Now, I'm not a biker (nor is Nick), but the Harley-Davidson Museum was interesting nonetheless. We spent some time wandering around and seeing how bikes have evolved over the years. Personally, it was most interesting for me to learn about how bikes looked and were used during the WWII years.

After the Harley-Davidson Museum, we had some time to explore the Milwaukee Public Market. Farmer's Markets and Public Markets have always been one of my favorite places to visit while traveling, as I feel you really get an idea of the local culture. We were fortunate to be visiting on a Saturday, when the Milwaukee Public Market actually spills over onto the sidewalk!

It was definitely a bustling place, and we were able to really unwind and spend some time checking out local stores and boutiques. I picked up some cheese, wine, and fresh fruit, and everything was amazing once I returned home and had it! We also stopped at a local bar within the public market and had some delicious Thai food for lunch. All in all, the Milwaukee Public Market definitely exceeded my expectations and I'd say it is a must for anyone visiting Milwaukee!

After the market, it was time for us to get ready and head to the wedding! The wedding was at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, an absolutely stunning venue for any reception. We greatly enjoyed our evening connecting with old friends and dancing the night away!

Unfortunately, come Sunday morning Nick and I had to dash back to Des Moines for work obligations. We had tons of great activities planned, between lunch at Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro, The Milwaukee Art Museum, and a "Sweets and Treats" food tour. While I was quite disappointed not to be able to participate in each of these activities, all of my friends in Milwaukee have stated that each of these are fabulous things to do! In a way, I suppose it is OK I wasn't able to fit everything in in one short weekend...because now it means a return trip to Milwaukee is absolutely a must!

10 Essential Things To Include In Your Media Kit

Last week, I published about why every blogger should have a media kit. However, the creation of a media kit is certainly not the easiest thing in the world. As a blogger, your media kit needs to explain the value that you contribute to a business, and why you are worthy of their time, effort, or money. Creating a media kit can seem like an overwhelming and daunting task, which is why today I am going to break down all of the essential items to include, and how they help to establish you as a professional to the marketer or company you are pitching! Of course, this is created with a blogger in mind- but it can be applicable to any business!

Don't worry, you are off to a great start. You have decided to make a media kit. What should you include in the media kit? I've broken it down nice and easy, with the ten most essential items to include in any media kit!

1. Your business name & your name. This should be the first and foremost aspect of your media kit. Who are you, and what is your blog? What do you focus on and write about? This is different for every blogger, and this will also be known as your niche. Even within the travel blogging industry, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different niches. What differentiates you?

2. Your URL. You are a blogger- what is your site name? I know tons of bloggers who have a slightly different site name than their URL. Make sure to include your URL so that companies can easily access your site and check out your work!

3. Your value-added proposition. What specifically can you offer the company you are pitching? Companies want to know that whatever investment they make in you will be returned. Explain to the company you are pitching what value you will add to their business in order to hook them in. While you are explaining how they will benefit by working with you, make sure to explain...

4. Various ways in which you are willing to work with companies. Lay it all out for the company you are pitching- what are you willing to do for them? Whether it is a sponsored post, an advertisement on your sidebar, or social media exposure- companies want to know exactly what you will be offering them.

5. Previous companies or partnerships you have had. Companies want to see that you have a proven record of success. Who have you worked with before? If you are just starting out, this might be a terrific time to begin working with companies- even if you are working for free- if only to have the names of a few companies. Wow them, and then ask for a recommendation. These recommendations can take your media kit one step further. If you have a proven history of impressing companies that you work with, other companies will be more willing to work with you.

6. Relevant site statistics and social media information. Even if you are just starting out, include your relevant statistics! Perhaps you've only been blogging a few months, but you have a huge (and established!) social media following. Include this- it helps companies to know exactly how large of an audience they will be reaching simply by working with you.

7. The date of your media kit. Marketers want to know how recent - or ancient - your media kit is. Have you updated it within the last several months, or are you reflecting old (and likely inaccurate) information? Personally, I update my media kit every single month and include the month and year of my media kit at the bottom of each page. This communicates to the marketer that I am reflecting accurate information. On top of that, it tells the marketer how hard I will work for them- they want to know that you are continuously working to improve and update information!

8. Pictures! Of course, this depends on what you offer companies. The longer I have been blogging and taking it seriously, I have spent more and more time working on taking excellent pictures. Between my newly found skills and a great camera, one of the things that I can offer to companies is beautiful, realistic pictures of the product they are offering. As a travel and lifestyle blogger, it is essential that my media kit includes pictures. I'll be honest, I do feature more recognizable destinations in my media kit- Paris & the Eiffel Tower, Berlin & Brandenburg Gate, Big Buddha in Thailand.

9. Frequently asked questions. The longer you have a media kit, the more you will learn what companies are inquiring about. If you frequently are asked the same question by different companies, perhaps it is time to include this tidbit of information in your media kit.

10. Contact information. This is one of, if not the, most important aspect of your media kit. How can the company you are pitching get in contact with you? Your contact information should be highlighted, and ideally have several different methods of contact. I list my e-mail in addition to my twitter and Instagram handles. Because these are my main accounts, they are the methods I am most comfortable communicating with companies through. Make it as easy as possible for companies to contact you and begin working with you!

Overall, the creation of a media kit is much easier said than done. Personally, one of the things that I struggled with when creating my kit was writing about myself and acknowledging all of my accomplishments. For this part, I reached out to family and friends to receive help. It can be hard to brag about yourself- but essentially, that is exactly what a media kit is for! Who are you, what have you accomplished, and why should every company want to work with you?

One important thing to remember when creating and sending out your media kit is that just sending it out doesn't mean your job is done. Research the company you are pitching, and make sure your media kit is relevant to them. When pitching the company, custom tailor your pitch to that company and exactly why you can benefit them. Once the initial pitch is done, absolutely do not forget to follow up! Following up a few days or a week after you send out your initial pitch is absolutely essential.

For other bloggers, do you have a media kit? How have you seen it benefit you, and are there any elements of the media kit that I have missed? If you liked this post, please pin it!

Weekly Wanderlust: At Home in Des Moines, Iowa!

Welcome to week three of Wednesday Wanderlust! This week, we are back in the U.S., and I figured there was no better city to spotlight than my current home of Des Moines, Iowa! On top of many various reasons to feature Des Moines, just last week I had the opportunity to speak briefly with the mayor of Des Moines himself. On my way home from Coeur D'Alene, I just so happened to be seated next to him on the flight, and knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity to ask him a quick question about tourism in Des Moines! In any case, more on that shortly... let's get on to this weeks city spotlight!

Beautiful night at the Iowa State Fair in August!

Location: Des Moines- DSM for short- is located in the heart of Iowa, which is also (almost!) the heart of the United States. It is close to several major cities including Chicago; Minneapolis (my home!); Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Lincoln, Nebraska.

enjoying a day at the Iowa State Fair!

Population: Des Moines is a growing city, with a current population of just over 200,000 people. It is known as one of the top insurance hubs in the U.S., as well as a great financial hub. Some of the top companies located here include Wells Fargo, Athene, and Principal Financial Group. If you are looking for a position in the financial or insurance world, Des Moines is a great destination for you to begin a career!

Where to stay: Both downtown DSM and West Des Moines are going to be great options for staying. Downtown will of course feature the convenient location to tons of restaurants and attractions including the ball park and Wells Fargo Arena (hockey!). Out in West Des Moines, you will have a little quieter of an area, but still a great location with proximity to the freeways, tons of boutique shopping, and any restaurant you could ever dream of.

Iowa has absolutely beautiful sunsets!

When to visit: Des Moines is definitely a city that you want to visit during the summer or fall months. If I had to pick a specific month, I would for sure say either August or September! During the month of August, it will be hot out (90+ during the day!), but there are tons of activities. From the Iowa State Fair to the beginning of tailgate season and tons of various festivals, August is a terrific month to visit Des Moines. Otherwise, September, even extending into October, is another great time to visit- again, with tons of festivals and fairs there is certainly something for everyone. Just last weekend, Des Moines hosted the World Food & Music Festival. This coming weekend, DSM will be having an Oktoberfest of their own! As such, I truly feel that the best months to visit Des Moines is August or September.

Great day trips: Des Moines is really in a great spot if you are looking to escape from the big city for the day. Located just 3.5 hours from Minneapolis and 5 hours from Chicago, you can certainly escape from the city for a day or two and discover this new place. If you are located in Des Moines, my personal favorite place to check out is the High Trestle Trail Bridge in Madrid, Iowa! The High Trestle Trail Bridge is located about 25 minutes from Iowa, and there are some great walking and biking paths along the Des Moines River. Plus, the bridge is such a cool architectural piece it will make for great photographs! Another great spot (that I haven't yet visited) is the Amana Colonies. The Amana Colonies are seven Amish villages that have maintained a self-sustaining lifestyle for over 80 years. Now, it is a great way to take a step back in time and relax on a day off!

Advice from the Mayor: OK, time to get to the good stuff! As I mentioned above, I had the opportunity to ask the mayor of Des Moines a few quick questions. One of the things I asked about is tourism in Des Moines, and why he thinks people should visit the city. He was quick to point out that Des Moines has become well known for their great culinary talent as well as the arts and theater. With several culinary schools in town, each and every restaurant has stepped up their game and the local restaurants feature tons of great cuisine. DSM is also known for Broadway musicals, many of which will open in DSM prior to heading to larger cities like Chicago or Minneapolis. Check these out for a fraction of the big-city cost!

enjoying a glass of wine at Des Moines' own Jasper Winery!

What to do: There are lots of great things to do in Des Moines. Firstly, Des Moines is a growing city that has all of the amenities of a big city, without a lot of the problems. For example, traffic is nonexistent (in my opinion, being used to a big city!) Des Moines is a small city with a big city feel. There is almost every major sport here, and you can go see the games for a fraction of the cost. From the Iowa Cubs to the Iowa Wild, every season will be covered! In addition to sports, there are great places such as Jasper's Winery, the Farmer's Market, all sorts of other events as mentioned above.

Being 100% honest, I never saw myself living in Iowa. If you had asked me, I would have said I didn't want to live in Iowa. But, times change and life moves on, so here I am! I have been working to do my best to explore Iowa and see everything there is to see- because life is what you make of it! For my readers, have you ever visited Des Moines and found great things to do? Have you ever moved somewhere that isn't ideal and found a way to make the best of it?

Squirrel Monkeys & More At Monkeyland!

Carlos, the alpha male squirrel monkey at Monkeyland Punta Cana

Everybody, and I mean everybody, loves squirrel monkeys. Even prior to ever having met a squirrel monkey, I knew that they were supposed to be one of the most friendly creatures in the planet, on top of being adorable! When I found out that I would have the opportunity to not only meet and interact with these adorable critters, but also to become immersed in the culture of the Dominican Republic, I knew I had to take advantage of it! As such, while visiting Punta Cana this past spring I took a half-day trip with Runners Adventures.

This day trip started out at Monkeyland. Exactly as it sounds, Monkeyland is the home of the squirrel monkeys! In addition to being home of the monkeys, Monkeyland also features a botanical garden, where you are able to learn about plants and flowers that are native to the Dominican Republic. The entire property is spread out over 5 acres, and is located right in the heart of the forest.

I'll be honest, I was a little uneasy about this trip after my previous experience with elephants in Thailand. I did tons of research on Monkeyland prior to visiting, and my visit not only met my expectations for the safety and care of the animals but far surpassed them! I was so happy to interact with the staff and learn how much they cared for and really loved animals. Gwen and Mike, a Canadian couple who are the primary caretakers of the monkeys, have a combined experience of over 35 years spent caring for animals, with 12 of that being spent at the Toronto Zoo. Throughout the entire experience, it was so easy to see how much they truly cared for and loved the animals!

Once the entire tour group has arrived and viewed the botanical garden, you are instructed to remove any loose jewelry (the monkeys will love it and snatch it!) prior to entering the garden. Each person is given a 'snack bowl' full of nuts and fruits for the monkeys. After some brief instructions, it is time to enter!

I think this one speaks for itself!

Upon entering the enclosure, any children in the group are able to sit down in the prime location of the tour: right on a bench near several low-hanging branches. Slowly, the squirrel monkeys came out of hiding and began grabbing little bites of food from each of the children. This was a great way to get the children involved and super excited about the trip, and also to slowly bring the monkeys out of hiding and get them running around with everyone.

After some time with the children, we meandered along a path that had several great stopping points where various squirrel monkeys could come out and interact with us. They were all so friendly, and it was clear that they loved the attention and interaction with humans! While strolling through Monkeyland, Gwen did a terrific job of telling us stories about the monkeys and really educating each person in our tour group on the life of the monkeys.

I kept watching the monkeys, not looking at the camera...oops! 

One of the great things we learned is that contrary to popular belief, squirrel monkeys actually have a longer lifespan living in semi-captivity (like at Monkeyland) than if they are living in the wild. This is because there are no predators that attack the young, old, or sick monkeys. At Monkeyland, the semi-captive environment is more than enough for the current squirrel monkey population- the 5-acre property could easily accommodate at least 2-3 times the current population of the squirrel monkeys.

"Hey, what you looking at?!" is what I pictured this guy saying!

One of the very interesting stories we heard was the interaction between Carlos, the current alpha male of the pack, and a younger, 3-year old male monkey who was just coming to maturity. As the alpha male, Carlos sensed that this other male squirrel monkey (I forget his name!) may one day be competition. As such, Carlos actually began bullying this other guy and almost beat him to death. Fortunately, Gwen and Mike realized what was going on and stepped in, bringing this other guy to a separate enclosure and saving his life. They currently have plans to create a full-sized secondary enclosure and allow this guy to create his own pack!

Carlos striking a pose- such a show off!

"Ooh, wait, get my good side!"

Snack time!

In any case, the monkeys were so adorable, friendly, and each of them had such unique personalities. The alpha male, Carlos, was definitely a show-off! You can see several pictures of him here strutting his stuff and showing off for us (and the female monkeys!) When we visited at the end of April, it was nearing the end of mating season, so Carlos was in full show-off mood. It was very interesting to learn that specifically for mating season, the male monkeys will bulk up- you can see how much larger and muscular Carlos looks versus any of the other monkeys!

Maria's house

After our trip to Monkeyland, it was on to visit a traditional Dominican farm. The farm featured Maria and her family. While visiting Maria, you will have the opportunity to see a coffee and cocoa plantation, as well as tasting each of these products and some fresh Dominican fruit. At the end of this tour, you will have the opportunity to see Maria's house and how a typical Dominican family lives. This was a great experience to be immersed in the culture and get off the beaten, touristy path a little bit!

Working with the cocoa beans!

Overall, this excursion is an ideal excursion for families. The squirrel monkeys are a hit not only for the children, but also for any animal-loving adult! Visiting the farm and Maria's house is tailored more towards adults, but each of our guides did a great job of trying to include the children and keeping them interested.

A couple pieces of advice for this tour. First, definitely consider combining Monkeyland with Ziplining! The drive can be a long, bumpy one, and the two activities are located close to each other. In addition, make sure that you eat breakfast prior to this trip. It can get to be a long one, especially if you are hungry! I didn't have much of an opportunity to eat breakfast prior to Monkeyland but had fortunately brought with a snack, and it certainly saved the day! If you are visiting Punta Cana, either as adults or with a family, this is absolutely one of the best things to do!

**disclosure: I received a complimentary tour in order to facilitate this review. As always, this did not affect my review in any way and all opinions are my own and 100% honest!**

Anniversary Surprise Trip to Coeur D'Alene!

I absolutely fell in love with this beautiful place!

As those of you who follow me on Instagram and Twitter know, I just returned home from a surprise trip to Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Now, to many, Idaho certainly does not sound like a tourist destination. Or like it would be pretty - let alone gorgeous! Let me assure you though, Coeur D'Alene was absolutely stunning and stole my heart. Today, I want to give you a quick wrap up of how this trip came to be, and all of the wonderful things I was able to do while in Coeur D'Alene!

Strolling the boardwalk with the love of my life!

A few months ago, Nick found out that he would most likely be traveling for work to Coeur D'Alene September 14-16. He's been on the road almost every week for the last eight weeks- in between trips to Minnesota and Wisconsin, he has headed to Boston, Washington D.C., and Sacramento. However, this trip was different. First, because I had always heard Coeur D'Alene was beautiful, and second, because we were celebrating our second wedding anniversary on September 14! Naturally, I asked if I could tag along on the trip. Not realizing how beautiful Coeur D'Alene was, Nick kind of brushed the idea aside (or so I thought!) for the next couple of months. All of a sudden, as I was trying to make anniversary plans for us here in Des Moines, I found out that he had arranged for me to take the time off work and purchased a ticket for me to join him! (talk about an amazing husband...!)

A quick pit stop in Post Falls, Idaho!

Nonetheless, fast forward until we land in Spokane, Washington. Coeur D'Alene is about 30 minutes outside of Spokane, so as soon as we had landed and collected our bags off we went! About 15 minutes into our drive and all of a sudden we crossed this stunning bridge, with a backdrop of a deep ravine and waterfall in the background. Despite wanting to get to the hotel and checked in, Nick pulled off to the side of the road and we had a quick pit-stop in Post Falls!

Slightly blurry...but gosh, was Post Falls ever beautiful!

We only strolled around Post Falls for 20 or 30 minutes, but the entire park area we visited was beautiful. Unfortunately, the beautiful waterfall we saw from the road with the steep ravine was a bit different of a view close up. However, with the beautiful bridge, clear water reflecting everything, and a gorgeous park area- you couldn't ask for a much better pit stop!

After getting back on the road, we finally made it to our destination at the Coeur D'Alene Resort, right on lake Coeur D'Alene. Once we had checked in, I decided to head out and explore the town solo! With a population of just over 40,000, Coeur D'Alene is definitely a small town that has embraced tourism. As such, strolling the streets it was amazing to see all of the locally owned shops and boutiques that still had an upscale feel. I didn't recognize a single store or restaurant, which was terrific because it really meant that Coeur D'Alene had maintained the small town feel.

Walking along the boardwalk in Coeur D'Alene!

Other than exploring the town, I spent a ton of time walking the world's longest floating boardwalk and hiking Tubbs Hill. All of the views along the waterfront were spectacular. My only regret is that the sun did not come out to play for too long during my trip, so I was never able to catch a sunrise or sunset! Both of these are supposed to be just stunning in Coeur D'Alene.

One of the things that surprised me the most with visiting Coeur D'Alene was our date night at Tony's On The Lake. Tony's was established by the D'Alessandro family, who emigrated to the U.S. from Italy in 1909. If there is one thing I love, it is fabulous Italian food. Well, Tony's not only had some of the best Italian food I have ever had, but the service was far superior to almost any restaurant I've visited in the world. Definitely not what I was expecting in Idaho, but oh my gosh! Beyond wanting to return to Coeur D'Alene for the stunning views, I will certainly be returning so that I can have the pleasure of dining at Tony's again.

so many beautiful murals in town!

The other thing that I really enjoyed about Coeur D'Alene (really, what didn't I enjoy?) was the amazing kindness of each individual I came across. Now, in Minnesota we like to call ourselves Minnesota Nice- but the Coeur D'Alene people have certainly adopted that mentality! Each person that I interacted with, whether a staff member at the restaurants or hotel, somebody in a shop, or random people I encountered while hiking- was so warm and friendly. There is definitely something about small towns that will make you fall in love!

taking in the gorgeous views!

This trip was absolutely so amazing. If you had asked me a year- or even six months ago- if I thought I'd be celebrating my second anniversary in Idaho, I would have probably laughed at you. Looking back at how things have changed, it is a truly great reminder that sometimes life's unexpected turns bring us some of the greatest things. I can't wait to continue to share more beautiful pictures and memories from Coeur D'Alene with you!