Well, Hello There

“It’s made out of real goat hair,” said Izzy Jaecks. “And this year I added 121 bells.” Huddled around a circular table within the cozy confines of the Riverwest Public House, Jaecks’ colleagues listened attentively. “It totals about 40 pounds, but it’s attached to my body so it’s not a big deal,” said Jaecks. Dark matted-fur, twisted wooden horns and glowing red eyes, the group had been perfecting their costumes for months. The group was preparing for Krampusnacht, the one night of the year that St. Nick’s ghoulish partner has his fun. Good boys and girls will wake up to toys and treats in their stockings while those on the naughty list are met with dread. “Krampus puts a switch in your boot if you’re bad,” said Cast Member Kael Starr. “He either whips you with a switch or throws you in a sack to take you to the underworld where he keeps you in a cage until quite frankly, he’s ready to eat you.”  The story of Krampus isn’t exactly the feel-good tale of Christmas cheer we’re...

B.O. Let's face it, we all have it. On my quest to go cruelty-free I've tried natural deodorants aplenty. Some made my skin get rashy, some made my pits feel like a raging river of sweat and others, well, they just didn't get the job done(if ya know what I mean). So, after failure upon failure, I was beginning to have my doubts about natural deodorants. I thought maybe my pits were just too powerful for my own good. However, that nagging feeling persisted as I reached the end of my stick of Old Spice Amber, I still wanted to go natural. Enter Aromaco. Aromaco is a solid natural deodorant sold by Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. Hesitant to give into the hype, I asked a sales associate for a sample of this bad boy near the beginning of summer. They paired it with one of their powder deodorants, the Greeench, and promised me my wild pits would remain under control even on the most dreadful of summer days. As a novice Lushie at the time and as someone who felt failed by nat...

Somebody call Lush-a-holics anonymous because ya girl is an addict. Walking into a Lush store is like walking into a gloriously scented Candyland for beauty lovers. Colorful products line the walls as sales associates happily greet you. The workers are quick to strike up a conversation about your cool hat, new tattoo, or your luscious locks and before you know it you feel as if they're your long lost BFF. Deciding what to touch, smell and sample first can be overwhelming because you find yourself literally wanting to see it all. Luckily, the sales associates are there to help, offering product demos and plenty of advice to help you discover which products you want to take home (and if you're nice they'll throw in plenty of samples to sweeten the deal). Almost immediately after entering the store for the first time I had a feeling I'd be hooked. Luckily, Lush is a store I can feel good about supporting because all of their products are made with eth...

The Sound of Music didn't lie, the hills are alive in Salzburg, Austria. Famous for beautiful scenery, high-end shopping and of course, a little someone named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Salzburg is a destination worthy of anyone's European bucket list. While we only spent two nights in this medieval mountain town, we enjoyed our time dodging rain clouds and exploring the city. Here were some of our favorite experiences. Getreidegasse  Shopping and souvenirs, check. Adorable, totally instagramable streets, check. A big a$$ castle perched atop a massive hill, check. Getreidegasse is a Salzburg hotspot for tourists and locals alike. Get lost exploring the winding cobblestone roads, grab a bite to eat at an outdoor plaza or check out some local history. Composition fans rejoice, Getreidegasse happens to be the birthplace of one of the world's favorite composers, Mozart. Being Mozart's hometown is not a claim to fame that Salzburg takes lightly. If you take a look a...

The Kehlsteinhaus, aka the Eagle's Nest, sits over 6,000 ft high in the Berchtesgaden Alps. Originally built as a birthday present for Adolf Hitler, this chalet structure is a survivor of the Third Reich with spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding land. Today the Kehlsteinhaus acts as a restaurant/picture perfect viewing point where visitors can explore the same rooms that were once occupied by Germany's most infamous historical figures. Enjoy lunch, grab a beer or simply take in the breathtaking scenery. Drinkers beware, the Eagle's Nest has no shortage of steep drops and isn't exactly a place you'd want to be tipsy.  While the view upon the top of this alpine wonder is simply serene, getting there isn't exactly relaxing. The peak of the mountain can only be reached by one road, Kehlsteinstrasse, on a specially designed bus. Kehlsteinstrasse is one of the highest mountain roads in the entire country with a max gradient of 24 percent and an ...

After spending a ballin' week in Berlin we were ready for part two of our adventure, a six-hour drive on the Autobahn to Regensburg. What was on the agenda? First, a fabulous evening at the historic Altstadthotel in the town square followed by more driving in the morning to reach our final destination, Bavaria. This leg of the trip was rather historical filled with medieval cities and majestic castles. Regensburg Boasting the title of "Germany's best-preserved medieval city", Regensburg is a sight to be seen. Endless shops, local restaurants and great places to grab a drink line the city's many winding, cobblestone streets. During our short stint at Regensburg, it was evident that the ancient city is a hot tourist attraction for visitors and locals alike. When in Regensburg be sure to visit the Steinerne Brueke (Stone Bridge), which is a stone bridge that carried tourists and traders across the Danube river since the 1100s. https://bit.ly/2liBRG5 ...

When people think of Germany Munich's what comes to mind. Lederhosen, steins overflowing with beer, and lebkuchen for days, this Bavarian hotspot checks-off all the German stereotype boxes. Munich is a great place to explore even if you aren't in town for the two-week beer-slingin' party that is Oktoberfest. The city offers unique sights, upscale shopping, and a beer garden that can't be beat. Here are the attractions you won't want to miss if you find yourself in Bavaria's capital city. Mike's Bike Tour What better way to familiarize yourself with the city than getting around like a local, by bike. Mike's Bike Tour guides you through the city stopping at many notable locations along the way such as the Feldherrnhalle, Hofgarten, and the New Town Hall. The tour combines history, adventure and loads of dad-jokes for guaranteed entertainment.  Perhaps the most notable part of the tour is the lunch break at the Englischer Garten, home to the second...

After spending two glorious weeks in Germany and Austria my return to reality has been abrupt. As I sit at my desk reminiscing about our fantastic adventures and the memories we made my feelings are bittersweet. Yes, it's nice to be home, but what I wouldn't give to be sipping on a crisp beer along the river Spree. Luckily, where there are adventures there's plenty of good material for a new blog post or two. If you find yourself on the hunt for fun in Berlin, you're in luck. Below is a list of my favorite experiences from our Berlin adventure.  Original Berlin Walks: After recovering from a bad case of jet lag we were ready to explore Berlin by foot. During our first full day in the city, we saw an ad for Original Berlin Walks and decided to join in on the fun. Original Berlin Walks offers a variety of themed tours such as Discover Berlin, Hitler's Germany and even a Berlin Food Crawl. For newbies to Berlin, I recommend the Discover Berlin tour which is what w...