RED RIVER GORGE

When Nathan and I first met, one thing we had in common was our love for the outdoors.  Hiking is something we have always enjoyed doing together, with Reggie too, of course!  So we were super excited to find out that Kentucky has so many awesome places to hit the trails!  Our very first Kentucky-hiking excursion was to Red River Gorge, you can watch the full experience HERE !! The Red River Gorge is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest, and has nearly 70 miles of hiking tails that wind through the forest.  

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Let me start off by saying, the drive alone is totally worth the trip to the Gorge!  Talk about scenic!  With picturesque winding roads, and cascading mountaintops, it is a truly beautiful drive! I can only imagine how awesome it will be in the fall, when all the leaves start changing colors!  Our first stop was the Gladie Visitor Center.  Call us dorks, but whenever Nathan and I visit a new hiking spot, we ALWAYS go to the visitor center.  We like to get maps so we can plan out our stops for the day, plus the staff is usually super helpful in pointing you towards the best trails according to the length, ruggedness, or difficulty you are looking for!  

So with our maps in hand, and the trails marked out for the afternoon, we set off for our first hike.

TRAIL #1:  SKY BRIDGE LOOP

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This was a super easy hike (ok lets be honest, it was more of a leisurely stroll) but the view was AMAZING!  Just like the name suggests, there is a natural bridge made of stone that overlooks the entire gorge! The overlook from on top of the bridge was gorgeous, but we both thought seeing the natural sandstone bridge from below was even more incredible!  

TRAIL #2:  ANGEL WINDOWS

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This was a fairly moderate hike. Nathan and I kept trying to guess what the “windows” were actually going to look like.  Turns out, neither of us were right, they were actually natural cutouts in the rock cliffs that appear to be “windows”..... but it was still fun to try and guess! After the windows, the trail keeps going to a cool little waterfall!

TRAIL #3: CHIMNEY TOP

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Another easy walk, but this one was recommended for the incredible overlook view….and man, it did NOT disappoint!  The overlook gives you a 360 degree panoramic view of the gorge.  You can view the Red River below, and we could even see people rock climbing on Half Moon Rock to the left.  Definitely one the must-see stops!

Those were the 3 main trails we hiked for the afternoon.  I forgot to mention that we did have Reggie, our cocker spaniel with us, and all 3 of these trails were not a problem for him (in case you like to take your dog everywhere you go, like we do) We stopped at one other trail that was kind of off the beaten path, but Nathan spooked me out about bears (we had no bear spray, plus Reggie was with us) so I made us turn back around!  We can’t wait to go back to Red River Gorge for more hiking and mark some of the other trails off our list.

Whats your favorite hiking spot?? We love to travel so share some ideas with us in the comments below! Thanks again for reading, and stay tuned for our next hiking adventure and don’t forget to watch the FULL VLOG on first Red River Gorge hiking experience HERE !!

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MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT CONNEAUT LAKE

The lake is one of our favorite places to be.  There is something about the quiet mornings, with the water so flat and calm. Spending all day in the sun with the breeze flowing through your hair.  And those warm nights filled with watching perfect, uninterrupted sunsets. These are just a few of the reasons, Nathan and I dream about living on a lake one day.  So of course, when my parents asked us to come to the lake for Memorial Day Weekend, we jumped at the chance!!  What better way to kick off summer, then being at our happy place! Watch the FULL VLOG on our weekend HERE !!

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Our first morning, we all woke up early to do some water sports.  In years past, we have done water skiing, or wake-boarding, but lately, the go-to sport is wake-surfing.  If you’re not familiar, wake-surfing is where you trail behind a boat on a short surfboard that's about five feet long and literally surf through the boat's wake without being attached to the boat.  Think of surfing, except without the ocean!  Anyway, my dad and sister love to go!  I’ve tried a couple times, but I think a bad wake-boarding fall of the past has scared me from trying new water sports lol.  However, Nathan being the adventurous one, decided he would try it! He had only gone once before, about a year ago, but was never able to let go of the rope and actually surf.  So, of course, he was bound and determined to step his game up this go-around.  And wouldn’t you know it, he got up and surfed without the rope on his first try!! Watch it all HERE !!

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On our second day, my sister, Nathan and I decided to take the jet-ski over to get breakfast! There is this cute little cafe on the other side of the lake that makes fresh donuts every day. It was the perfect morning for a jet-ski ride, sunny with a cool breeze, plus why get in the car if you don’t have to?!  We rode across the lake to cafe, and Lauren and I volunteered to run in and pick up the goods, while Nathan went for a little solo ride.  We went in only to discover…..they were OUT OF DONUTS.  Insert sad face here.  So, we settled for a muffin and a couple of iced coffees instead, which we enjoyed on the dock as we watched the pontoons and boats pass by.  We spent the rest of the day out on the boat, with our family friends, tubing and swimming! It was the perfect summer day! 

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We had a great holiday weekend, and we were sad to leave.  It was so nice being at the lake for a couple of days, and we loved spending time with family and friends!  We are already planning our next trip back home!

What’s your happy place?? We would love to hear about it below! And don’t forget to check out the vlog of our entire weekend at the lake HERE !!

BREAKFAST DATE AT DOODLES CAFE

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Since Nathan and I work completely opposite shifts at the hospital (I work day-shift, he works night-shift) we have to get creative in the ways we spend time together.  If we aren’t mindful about setting aside time for just him and I, we can go days without seeing one another!  Which we all know isn’t healthy for any kind of relationship.  One of our favorite ways of spending intentional time with one another is making “dates” out of otherwise ordinary outings.  We will have ice cream dates, park dates, movie dates, etc.  But one of our absolute favorites are BREAKFAST DATES!  We have always loved sharing a morning cup of coffee together, so it was only natural that this idea came to mind.  So, this morning I woke up bright and early to meet Nathan for an 8 AM date at Doodles Cafe in the NoLi district of downtown Lexington.  

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Located at 262 N. Limestone, Doodles is a locally owned and locally sourced restaurant serving creole-inspired breakfast and lunch items.  A former gas-station, Doodles has been repurposed into a hip spot with local flare.  As you walk in, the menu is hanging on the wall, in a larger poster format.  We hurriedly picked out our breakfast of choice (I had gotten there about 15 minutes before Nathan so I perused the menu online beforehand) as we stood in line to place our order and pay with the cashier. Nathan went with the Dirty Shrimp & Grits, I choose the Corned Beef Hash with an over-easy egg on top.  Of course, we also had to get a basket of the biscuits and local honey as well!  (Homemade biscuits are just one of the perks of living and eating in the south!!).  After placing our order, we were handed a numbered card, lucky #88, and our coffee cups, and went to go find a table on their outdoor patio.  It was a cool, breezy morning, so the patio was perfect!  We sipped on our coffee and chatted about Nathan’s work night while their “Doo Wop” soundtrack played in the background. 

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The food was served SUPER fast, which was awesome because we were both starving!  The portions were large, served in brightly colored dishes that played along with the unique atmosphere.  Here is our thoughts on the food:

Nathan

NATHAN’S REVIEW:  Doodles was good! The atmosphere was alive and buzzing with people placing orders for their favorite breakfast meal. I went with the "Dirty Shrimp & Grits" and to be honest it left me desiring a little more flavor. I make Shrimp & Grits quite often for Sam at home; and I usually order it when I see it on a menu when we go out, so I'm no newbie to the Shrimp & Grits game. To me, and this is just my opinion, the grits tasted a little watered down and lacked quite a bit of flavor. I'd most definitely go back to Doodles and try a different menu item though. The biscuits, on the other hand, were some of the best biscuits that I've ever had and paired with their honey or jam made for a perfect sweet treat after the main course. 


Sam

SAM’S REVIEW: mine was ok.  I could tell that the corned beef was fresh, and not from a can like most places.  You could actually see and taste the diced carrots, onion, celery, etc which I appreciated the vegetables seemed fresh!  I thought the dish lacked flavor overall, but nothing that a little salt and pepper couldn’t fix.  The eggs were done just as I had ordered them, over-easy.  The biscuits were warm and with the local honey on top, absolutely delicious!  I wouldn’t say it was the best corned beef hash I have ever had, again this is just my personal opinion, but it was good!  

We both agreed Doodles was ok.  I want to go back and try some of their lunch items, because a couple of their sandwiches look amazing ( I’m looking at YOU Kentucky Po-Boy)!  The atmosphere was cool, we loved the outdoor patio and the music, but the food (at least our dishes) left us wanting a little more flavor.

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