People, places, things, and ideas I love in Anchorage, AK
Like many, I’m slightly obsessed with the Danish concept of hygge — “coziness,” particularly when relaxing with good friends or loved ones — maybe because it’s something I always search for but never had a single, perfect word to describe. The museum atrium has been transformed into a hygge-filled space, complete with “fireplace,” countless wood rounds, and faux sheepskins on the seating meant to encourage close conversation. Love it!
The annual “Best Cities in America for Millennials” ranking was released last week and Anchorage came in at 117 of 217 cities ranked .
The biggest party of the year is in downtown Anchorage on New Years Eve. Approximately 7,000 – 10,000 people gather around Town Square on December 31st to ring in the New Year and enjoy the festivities (kicking off at 5:00 PM).
Continue reading “NYE Downtown – Can’t Miss Moments (This Alaska Life)”
“We need a way to connect as a community during the dark months” – Amanda, co-organizer of the Charlie Brown Christmas Party.
Continue reading “Love Note: 6th Annual Charlie Brown Christmas Party”
Black Friday. Cyber Monday. The horribly coined term “Thanks-getting.” Even Santa Claus. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think the holidays were all about THINGS. Buying things, giving things, getting things: Americans expect to receive an average of 12.9 gifts. This is, of course, a boon to the retail industry; Americans will each spend approximately $700 on holiday related items this year, totaling more than $465 billion (it’s also a boon to the debt industry, as the holidays lead to credit card overspending by an average of 16 percent).
Continue reading “Give Experiences, not Things (UNLEASH Magazine)”
Touring France on a bike with her sweetheart.
A summer living in a van and exploring western American.
Providing transportation to scientists in Antarctica for six months.
These are just a few of the adventures friends taking career breaks or sabbaticals are in the midst of or recently completed. Other friends taking extended time off work cited the opportunity to focus on health and wellness, giving themselves time to reconnect with family, or simply enjoy summertime in Alaska as the reasons they’re taking a break. Whatever the motivation, it seems like an increasing number of people are carving out time from work to focus on a different areas of their lives.
Continue reading “Career Breaks and Sabbaticals (ULEASH Magazine)”
Did you know that coloring books for adults are trendy right now? I read an article about it a while ago, thought to myself, “Well doesn’t that just sound fun?” and promptly forgot about it until a few weeks ago when phenomenal local artist, Annie Brace, started posting teasers of her Alaska edition, Life in Color Book, on Facebook.
I loved reading the Salmon Love Haikus in the windows of Spenard Roadhouse and Snow City Cafe this summer. Who doesn’t want to read a little poetry – be it funny, sad, thoughtful, or poignant – while they await a tasty meal? And what better subject than everyone’s favorite: SALMON.
One of my favorite new publications is The Boardroom’s UNLEASH magazine, and not just because they asked me to write for them; I love the variety and depth of articles included each month. It’s a unique voice about inspiration, culture, and opinions in our community, and I hope that you check it out!
Here’s the article I wrote about talent-matching, co-working, and freelancing in Anchorage for this month’s publication. Continue reading “Talent-matching, Co-working, and Freelancing in Anchorage (UNLEASH Magazine)”
Interested in sharing why you live in Anchorage, and what would make you leave? Hop online and take the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation’s Live.Work.Play. survey to help shape the future of Anchorage; you’d better hurry though; it closes Monday, August 31!
Here’s why I choose Anchorage for living, working, and playing:
I grew up here and my roots are deep. When I left for college I didn’t expect to move back, but after graduation and a couple of years on the east coast, I felt the pull to return. Not only is my family here, I love the larger community – it’s easy to make a difference and there are so many incredible, creative, passionate, FUN people to meet. As a city, there’s plenty of room for growth and although sometimes I wish we were farther along, most of the time I’m happy and excited to be part of determining our future. We’re in the enviable position of learning from other cities around the world and applying that knowledge to Anchorage in a way that works just for us…our future is incredibly bright.