změna...

zmena transformations...

2011-04-30T12:04:00.001-07:00

(...i know, this statement is redundant)

I am in a bit of a transition with this blog and I've been checking out tumblr too. I think what I'll end up doing is playing on tumblr and referring to this blog for any longer posts (you all know how I can get a bit long-winded). I've considered leaving this blog behind, as I started it upon leaving for my big crazy life adventure...but quickly realized my big crazy life adventure continues with each new day. So, here I am...attempting to make updates to this space in order to make it more apt to me in my current state of adventure. That said, I've updated the header image for now and will be applying more updates as time passes. I'm actually very, very excited to unveil this header image, as it hails from the beautiful Ashley Barlow of Ashley Barlow Art.

The story of how I met Ashley is - in and of itself - one of those special stories of the power of our networks. While I was in Prague I was blessed with the opportunity to work with amateur artists - young and old alike. My great friend Lo mentioned on several occasions a woman named Ashley who did mixed media artwork back in Minneapolis and that I should meet her. So when I moved back to Minneapolis last summer, I finally met Ashley and instantly liked her and was drawn to her style and her art. I am a big fan of mixed media artwork, particularly as a result of the incredible textures created. So when I started thinking about documenting the less-than-conventional story of how Tom and I met, I knew where to go. I created a creative brief of sorts and let Ashley interpret it how she saw best. I rounded up all of the love letters Tom and I had written throughout our journey, as well as the engagement love letters and our vows, per Ashley's request. The end product was just perfect. When I saw it tears came to my eyes...this is the depiction of lovers who connected by chance and strengthened their connection from thousands of miles away through love letters and adventures galore. So without further ado, I'll unveil our very first piece of commissioned artwork as a couple. The artwork is done on four pieces of pine and can be hung as one piece, but also was designed such that each of the four pieces could live alone just as well.

our story

The first piece depicts the distance between us as I pursued my dream living and working overseas in Prague, and incorporates actual pieces of love letters we wrote back and forth to each other before and during my experience. She also incorporates vintage magazine clippings -Tom is on the bottom left of the piece writing to me and I am on the bottom-middle right of the piece reading this love letters.

This piece portrays our chance meeting at a mutual friends birthday party...Tom is on the top left in a blue suit looking at me, on the top right with the red dress. What is special about this one is that amidst all of the party chaos, Tom and I are the only ones truly looking at each other. Of course we know this isn't actually what happened, but I adore this depiction and the thought Ashley put into this piece.

This piece portrays the first few weeks of our 'relationship' as we got to know each other through messages written back and forth, sharing our dreams and passions for important life pleasures including - but certainly not limited to - red bull (light blue can for me, dark blue for him), coloured socks, pico ballas and more). The detail on this piece is outstanding, as Ashley actually wrote some of these things on the 'Note' I am holding in my hand. Lovely! The basketball hoop depicts our first date, when we actually formally met each other for the first time, playing basketball at Tom's gym and then eating tator tots at Bulldog NE.

The final of the four pieces is probably my favourite and the most special for its bright, bold hues, reflection of our wedding (superhero) theme, our wedding invite, some more love letters, including the wonderwoman love letter Tom sent me while in Prague (my favourite one, which may look vaguely familiar to you as it was formerly featured on a special blog post a while back), some of the 'love letters' Tom used to engage to me (bottom right) and our vows, which are located under the vintage magazine clipping Tom and Megan characters to the right of the piece. Wow. So incredibly special.

All of this said, a gigantic THANK YOU to Ashley Barlow...and of course to my dear friend Lo for introducing us, which has also lead to another friendship with a beautiful artist named Erin Kate who owns the most beautiful little boutique called the ekate designs & the Orchard Art House in Excelsior (which I found out about from Ashley, as her artwork is sold here). Erin's little shop is a gorgeous shop is the result of a gorgeous vision for local art, in which she doesn't charge a commission for items sold. I love this. You can also find her on etsy.

Thank the Lord for great connections and for beautiful artwork! Such a blessing!

Love,

P.S. Enjoy the new look and keep an eye out for updates in the future. In the meantime, check me out on tumblr.

someone like you...

2011-03-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

...this song has been in my head since the moment I listened to it this morning. Simply gorgeous. No words can explain. Really. Phenomenal voice, Adele. Even better lyrics.

Thankful for what I have and all of the special people my life has brought me thus far...someone like you.

Love,

traveling...

2011-03-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

I found this entry on my friend Cat's tumblr and something about it resonated with me. It struck me to the core, and made me stop and think a little bit. Maybe because I've been there before. I understand it. In any case, I felt compelled to post it. I'd also encourage you to check out Cat's site as she travels around China and documents her journey through her lens. Her photography is moving.

Love,

oh happy (women's) day!

2011-03-08T18:39:00.000-08:00

Let's hear it for the ladies! Just a quick note to wish you all (yes, women AND men...because where would men be without us?! :)) a very happy International Women's Day! I have been so blessed in my life to know some very incredible women - a couple of them - without a doubt - include my mother and my mother-in-law. So today I took some time to reflect on these blessings and so many more in my life. Will you?

WE can do it!

Love,

Megan

when in prague...

2011-03-07T08:42:00.001-08:00

(spending time with the lennon wall | praha, cz | 2009)

...do as the locals do. Go ahead, embrace your leather fanny pack, mullet and stone-wash jeans, love nature, drink massive amounts of pivo and slivovice. Just kidding. Really. Please, do anything you can to dispel these rumours and look beyond the mullets (because that's really not a rumour, trust me...nor is the loving nature and pivo and slivovice intake, but that's a good thing).

Since I lived in Prague, people have asked me time and again, 'So-and-so is going to Prague and they're wondering what to see/do' or 'We're thinking about going to Prague...tell me more about it.' Let's just say Prague is not a difficult sell. Its unparalleled beauty, mysticism and European charm have propelled Prague to one of today's top travel hot-spots. Seeing as though I receive this question so frequently, I thought it best to assemble a mini Prague travel guide...with recommendations from yours truly on the best places to snooze, grub and take a gander.*

Snooze: First of all, stay at Mosaic House (if not Mosaic House, then Czech Inn, Miss Sophie's or Sir Toby's). They are all independent hostel/hotel fusion properties - located centrally, and super-nice and high quality for a really affordable price. Don't think traditional hostel...they are above and beyond, offering a mix of private rooms and shared rooms - think cool, communal social vibe and privacy - the best of both worlds (especially Mosaic House, Miss Sophie's and Czech Inn). I can gab and gab about these places, but I will let them speak for themselves...only after you read this post. :)

Gander: Go on the Free tour (free, but don't forget to tip) - New Europe Tours ...all of our properties recommend it, as it gives a ton of good info about Prague's rich history. Also, the castle, Lennon Wall, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Vysehrad, Terezin (concentration camp - day trip), Jewish quarter, beer gardens (Reigrovy Sady and Letna are the best...Vysehrad is good too). You can find more information for things to do/see on the Mosaic House website.

Grub: La Bodeguita del Medio - right my staromestka namesti metro stop and close to the Charles Bridge, river (and the Rudolfinum). Very good...and awesome fishbowl mojitos that 5+ people can share. Best Mojito in Prague! Their sister restaurant, La Casa Argentina is also very good.

All of the restaurants in the Kampa Group are some of the best and most super-swank restaurants in Prague. Check it out. Also, the Ambiente Group is INCREDIBLE...great great brazilian steakhouse (Ambiente Brasiliero) in old town. One Brazilian gal I talked to said it was the best steak she's had. And she's from Brazil. Go figure!

The Louvre, near the National Theatre and not too far from either Mosaic House or Miss Sophie's, is a great and historical cafe.

I have heard great things about this new restaurant, Artisan.

For a Czech experience, head up to Strahov Monastery (Klášterní pivovar Strahov) by the castle...the monks brew beer and it is incredible. Trad'l Czech food too. I definitely recommend this place. Or, you could try Pivovarský Dům, near Karlovo namesti and a hop, skip and a jump away from Miss Sophie's. Beer is good, but service is crap...which you'll find at most places, since customer service is not such a focus in Prague. Don't worry, you get used to it. :)

Also, U Fleků is an famous restaurant, dating back to the 1400's - it's pretty touristy, but it's worth it for the ambiance...there are people from all over the world there (Germans, Austrians, French, South Americans, Americans, etc) and they play trad'l music, brew their own beer and slivovice (very strong liqueur)...but beware, they bring beer and shots to your table and if you don't want it you have to tell them...sometimes unassuming tourists end up with a hefty bill once they start drinking if they are not mindful of the fact that they are actually being charged for these.

Modry Zub - my fav thai restaurant in Prague. So yummy.

There is an Indian/Lebanese/Pakistani restaurant near the river right by the Manes gallery with a green facade called Karavanseraj (also known as Kulb cestovatelů - thanks Talitha!). It is so yummy...and was a fav hangout for dinner dates with great friends Talitha and Lauren. Amazing, flavourful dishes and a great spot for shisha-smoking.

For amazing tea and shisha (seriously AMAZING), head to Dobra Cajovna. There is one near Narodni Trida. And another (though shisha-less) in Wenceslas Square.

My absolute FAVOURITE bar is Groove Bar (and Bar Nota - more Czech than Groove Bar if you're looking for an interesting local hangout with some kooky live music). My friends Jakub and Martin own it and it is family-run and great, lounge-y ambience with good music (esp while Jakub is tending bar) If you go, tell them I sent you.

Belushi's Bar and Restaurant @ Mosaic House...this is one of the properties I work for...new design hotel/hostel - super hip and trendy...has live music most nights, young crowd. Check it out. It's my baby and I loved working for them. You can find more info on live music on Facebook @Mosaic House. Restaurant is burgers and etc...but the best burger in Prague. Super-cool design and architecture. The building was also retrofitted to work as a green property...greywater recycling, solar panels, the whole sha-bang. Stop by and see my friends who work at reception and in the restaurant! Tell them I sent you! Ask for David, Daniel, Kristyna or Twig! :)

Glug (Glug, Glug): Kava (coffee). Mmm. So many great coffee hang-outs in Prague. I basically lived in them on nights and weekends. My coffee watering holes of choice include Cafe Ebel (my fav!), Mama Coffee Cafe, Globe Bookstore (although shady service and a lot of ignorant American college students hanging out - my friend Lo can attest to that!). There are many more, but these are my absolute fav. Give them a try.

As far as shops go, there aren't a ton of great places...it's either designer shops that are super-expensive, or some cool boutiques, but they're still more spendy than places here. In any case, you can check them out on Prague Stay's website.

Have so much fun and don't forget to drink the pivo (beer)!

Enjoy my city! Send some love for me, I truly, truly miss and love it. Look at what I've done now...I've convinced myself to go back.

Stay tuned for a future post about a place I hold very near and dear to my heart - Cesky Krumlov. It's my second home and it's a special place full of love (it's where Tom proposed to me), good food and even better shisha.

Ahoj (informal word for both hello and goodbye in Czech...pronounced 'ahoy!') and Na zdravi ('cheers' in Czech, pronounced nazdravee),

Megan

*If I have missed anything on this list you'd like to add, let me know!

can art change the world?

2011-03-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

The other day I came across this TED talk. And, needless to say...I fell in love. Not with the Frenchman (or his ridiculously cute French accent), but with the notion. Of art changing the world. Not only did it speak truth and inspiration to my weary, wandering soul, but it also reminded me of the simple fact that any one person (or combination of individuals with a strong passion for a common interest) has the ability to make an impact on this world. Positively.

While you're at it, help out J.R. and his friends by checking out the Inside Out Project and getting involved.

How will you change the world?

Make your mark,

Megan

the future of 'zmena'?

2011-02-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

(custom meg + tom illustration by nan lawson)

Ahhh, yes - the good ol' blog. What to do, what to do. We shared some precious moments...told tales of faraway places...spent time reminiscing about wandering through foreign lands without a compass (or a working mobile)...and so on. It was fun and scary and lovely and perfect for me. But now I am experiencing a new journey with my new hubby (red bulls in hand), and with new journeys come new stories, challenges, smiles, travels, trials and precious moments.

That said, I have a feeling it is either 1) time for a zmena blog revamp or 2) time for zmena to sunset and a new blog to emerge. So, as I work this out, please be patient and keep an eye out for what's next. If you have thoughts or ideas, please feel free to share away. I'm all ears. As always.

Smiles and sunshine on this snowy winter night,

my happy place...

2011-02-21T20:20:00.001-08:00

(cesky krumlov, czech republic)

A good friend of mine recently challenged me to start dreaming again. For some reason I had stopped. Now, I can go on and on about why this may be the case, but instead I want to take some time to challenge you to dream.

Whether that dream is big, little or silly by most people's standards...it's yours, and that makes it special and perfect. Who knows? In the process of dreaming...you may just find your happy place. And hopefully this place will inspire you to dream more and more and more and more...and then some. I found mine. Now it's your turn.

Dream little...or big...or even silly,

Megan

TED is great. No, it's awesome.

2011-01-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

I think this one speaks for itself. It's the small things in life that make it so awesome. Good to put things in perspective.

In this TED talk, Neil Pasricha - creator of the 1000 Awesome Things blog - savours life's simple pleasures, from free refills to clean sheets. There are so many reasons to be happy in life. Take advantage of it. Smile. Enjoy it.

The 3 A's of Awesome

Attitude - Having a great attitude you can swirl and twirl and gloom and doom forever or you can grieve and then face the future with newly-sober eyes.

Awareness - Having a sense of awareness is just about embracing your inner 3-year-old. Remember that you saw everything you've seen for the first time once too. See again with those eyes.

Authenticity - It's about being you...and being cool with that. When you're authentic, you end up following your heart, and you put yourself in places and situations and in conversations that you love, and that you enjoy...you meet people that you like talking to, you go place you've dreamt about and you end up following your heart and feeling very fulfilled.

My favourite? Authenticity. It's the reason why I've made the decisions I have in my life. It's the reason I've met a plethora of beautiful souls across the globe, and have had some life-changing conversations and interactions. It's the way I wish to live my life. And lead. And love. And, even though it resides within me, I feel like I've lost it of late. Lost perspective. Well, folks, it's time harness the power of authenticity once again. And, while we're at it, attitude and awareness too.

Here's to living a life that is truly awesome,

zmena: 2010 in word cloud

2010-12-30T14:28:00.000-08:00

I think this one speaks for itself...amazing reflection of the goings-on in 2010. What a year. More thoughts to come in the next few days about the last year and the crazy/amazing-change endured.

Wishing you all a very happy 2011, friends. Thanks for hanging with me this year and visiting the blog, following me from one country to another and one exciting change to the next. Looking forward to what adventures 2011 will bring.

Love,

Me

transitions aplenty

2010-11-21T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yes, well, 'transition' seems to be the word of the year for me. In June I left Prague and moved back to Minneapolis to prepare for the wedding, while continuing to work as a freelance strategist for Bohemian Hostels. My gig was extended and I was hired to manage multiple projects for the group, including the official grand opening party for our investors and partners (which went very, very well). I apartment-hunted and job-searched in the midst of it all (while Tom wrote his 160-page research proposal and kicked booty in his oral exam)...and then moved into our new place one week before the wedding. We were blessed with the most beautiful weather on our big day (9 October) and we had SO much fun surrounded by all of our closest family and friends. Then, we took a quick honeymoon break to Galena, Illinois, where we had a wonderful time tasting wine at our friends' vineyard (Galena Cellars) and staying at our amazing Aunt and Uncle's cosy cabin. Not long after that I jumped on a plane and travelled back to Prague for the opening festivities, where I was (void of the new hubby) for two weeks as I wrapped up some work for them. In the meantime, I accepted a position with OLSONdenali. I returned to cold, wet (snowy and rainy) Minneapolis 1.5 weeks ago and tomorrow I will embark on a new journey, when I start my new gig. Phew.

I haven't had much time to reflect on any of these massive life changes, but I am grateful for each and every one of them. We have already been tested in so many ways, and I know there is a reason for this. As my mother so wisely stated during her speech at our wedding, if we can make it through 1.5 years of long distance, we can make it through anything. So, transition seems to be the word that defines our relationship thus far. I can honestly say I am looking forward to a bit of rest and relaxation and thankful the winter is upon us and will hopefully provide some much-needed nesting for us newlyweds. However, as I embark on this very large career transition in my life I am feeling a little anxiety...anxiety because change is never easy, but it is most often a good thing. I am excited for so many reasons. I am ready to learn, be challenged and experience a new work environment. Along with this excitement comes a little bit of sadness, though, as I say a more solid 'goodbye' to Prague, the group there and my experience...something I had been seeking out for such a large part of my life. It's done. But it's okay. Because I'll have more challenges, more excitement and more adventure with each new opportunity that comes my way. When I hung my pack up today (see picture) I surprised myself by shedding a few tears.

Thank you to all of you who followed my journey...though there are so many stories I have yet to tell on this blog, in a book, or in person. I'd love to share them with you someday. A very MASSIVE thank you to my amazing hubby, whose patience and support made it possible...along with my incredibly generous and loving parents. And, of course, all of my peeps in Prague and friends in Minneapolis too. What an experience. As you all know very well, I can go on and on and on about it, so I will stop myself now. But stay tuned for more stories and adventures...whether old or new. Who knows...perhaps a book will even make its way to shelves someday. Only time will tell.

Usmevy a slunce,

MEgan

What is home?

2010-10-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

This will just be a quick post, as I am running out of battery life, and about to fly out of JFK to Prague. As I head back to Prague, another "home" of mine, I reflect on what "home" exactly means to me. For so long I haven't had a stationary home...Wisconsin has been my home, Prague has been my home and Minnesota has been my home. But, for the first time in a long time, I have found my "home" - and this song, which was appropriately played as the first song our wedding party danced to - explains it pretty well:

Man-oh-man, you're my best friend...there aint nothin' please me more than you..home...let me go home...home is wherever I'm with you. Ahhhh, love it! Now that I'm a married chick, I've found my "home" in/with Tom...and it is pretty awesome. I love it and am so excited about our future together!

Stay tuned for pictures from the SuperWedding...they're coming very, very soon. In the meantime, head out to our website to see the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner snaps.

Love to you all and safe travels (with my blanky in tow),

MEgan

p.s. by the way, Tom is now obsessed with this song and plays it every chance he gets. ha.

Breaking the blog silence...WHOA!

2010-10-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

(a sneak preview from the superwedding, by the fab cat norman)

I am sure you have all wondered, 'Will Megan ever blog again?' Well, I am here to tell you that, yes, I will indeed blog again (like it or not! :)). Life has been a chaotic-ally beautiful mess as of late between wedding planning, work (as a consultant for the Bohemian Hostels group), moving to a new place, finding a challenge to tackle in the future, etc. but now I am getting more of a chance to breathe. And, as I look back on the last few months, I realize more and more that the silence was quite necessary and purposeful.

On Thursday I will be heading back to Prague to manage the grand grand grand :) opening party for Mosaic House, continue to build out marketing materials for all properties and finish up that fancy-shmancy new Sir Toby's website! WOO-HOO! It's hard to believe that I've been back in the States for 4 months and equally hard to believe how much has been accomplished in those 4 months. I am starting to believe that my fiance...oops, I mean 'hubby' (still getting used to that) and I really are superheroes.

In the coming weeks I will detail my travel experiences as I return to a land I call 'home' (one of many) and reconnect with my team as well as some very special friends who I call my 'second family.' Then, I promise (you heard it here, folks) to take you through my planning process for the wedding and tell you all of the juicy details that I never would have dreamed of exposing prior to the wedding! SO many special surprises on the big day! We had a blast and are super-excited for this new leg of our journey together.

Oh happy day,

MEgan (suszynski!)

1st month insights?! okay...

2010-07-15T14:28:00.001-07:00

can't believe i've been back in the good ol' US of A for one month already! wow. time flies!

1st month insights?! okay...
1) i really missed burgers while in europe.
2) no working out in america = bad idea.
3) minnesota is really sunny.
4) everyone speaks english. yeah, duh, right?!
5) grocery stores = WAY too many options.
6) people have so much..."stuff".
7) along w/ #6 - i don't really care about "stuff".
8) i miss prague + the people gobs...and modry zub.
9) it's different here...not in a good or bad way...it just is.
10) i'm blessed in so many ways and thankful for so many reasons.

love,

me

ahhhhh....the lakes...

2010-07-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

enjoying one of my most favourite parts of minneapolis - lake of the isles

this one's for lo and shannon, back in prague...the lakes send their love.

love,
me
(and the lakes)

Day 7 of the 'změna' series - Barbara!

2010-07-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

I adored this cafe.

Barbara and I enjoying trdlo...one of my fav. czech goodies!

Beautiful Barbara at Mirek's bar - Antre!

I love this town.

The window from our beautiful little writer's room at Krumlov House.

What a fab stay in my second home!

Day 7 of the 'změna' series is dedicated to a beautiful friend with a super-sweet soul, Barbara Bindasova! Last night I returned to Minneapolis to a beautiful mess of a package from Prague! The first I've received since I've been back.

It arrived tattered and torn (literally)...but with all of its splendid belongings i...ntact! Pico ballas, Nivea deodorant for Tom, Aloe Vera drink, and a gorgeous long letter from Barbara! SUCH a great surprise!

I had a chance to sneak in one last trip to Krumlov (my second home) at the end of May before the Mosaic House madness really ensued, and was blessed to have Barbara join me. We had a fabulous time in my favourite lil' fairytale town.

Thank you SO much, Barbara!

Love, Me

Day 6 'změna' series dedication...my sweet Lucie!

2010-06-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

Day 6 of the 'změna' series is dedicated to my very dear friend, Lucie Vanaskova, whom I admire more than words can describe. This chick is incredible and I am a better person because of her!

Lucie and I became close friends pretty quickly, and I had the honour of travelling with her to her cottage near Strakonice in Southern Bohemia a few times, where she made me the yummiest strawberry dumplings and her grandpa filled me up with Slivovice! Pure bliss! We also had the chance to travel to Berlin, Cesky Krumlov and Valencia....which were all memorable adventures.

Lucie is an amazing friend for so many reasons. I love you and miss you so much, Luc!

Love,

Day 5 'změna' series dedication...PROST!

2010-06-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Day 5 of the 'změna' series is has come and gone (it was yesterday...oops...well, I was busy launching the new @Czech Inn Hostel website - www.czech-inn.com)!

As I was looking through my European travel images today, I came upon the shots from this year's Hahnenkamm men's world cup downhill race (Kitzbuhel, Austria). One word: PROST! Hands-down one of the most memorable excursions I have taken thus far in my (short) travel life.

If I could describe the race in one sentence I'd say: Oktoberfest on a ski hill. It was an absolute spectacle and I can't wait to go back. Didier Cuche came out on top both races, Shevy provided some great lodging at the Alpenrider, the Londoner lived up to expectations...it was all good.

I even had the chance to join in on a group of Swiss bell ringers' show...check it out. Pure brilliance...my ski heaven.

Livin' in ski bliss,

day 4 'změna' series dedication...rockin' the (mosaic) house!

2010-06-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of the 'změna' series is here! Hmm...what to do, what to do...yep, it's a hard choice when you love so much about a place. Alas - I've made my choice.

As many of you may well know, during my time in Prague I worked on a little project called Mosaic House (which I am technically still working on)...I had the chance to see the project through its opening and I absolutely fell in love with everything about it - the design, the dynamic offering it provides, the bar and restaurant (with stage!)...and most of all - the people. I feel blessed to have worked with the group of people I was able to work with day in and day out and I miss them immensely.

I recommend this place to anyone travelling to Prague - it is an absolutely gorgeous space full of character and good vibes.

The other day I jumped on the Mosaic House/Belushi's webcam and had the pleasure of seeing Twig and Eddy Passey for a brief moment...yep, a bit stalker-esque, but it made me feel reconnected and I oh-so-appreciated it. Thanks boys!

@Eddy - just in case you're wondering, I have those Bad Gastein race results in my portable office, so there's no forgetting what went down in Austria this year! Rematch in the future?! You better get training...;)

Love,

day 3 'změna' series dedication...what a gem!

2010-06-27T22:44:00.001-07:00

Day 3 of the 'změna' series has arrived...well, actually it arrived yesterday but it was a Saturday - so give me a break.

So, yesterday's fb post dedication to Europe goes to this random guy pictured below. When on a recent trip to Poděbrady with Christina Mei Hicks and Lauren Backenstose, I came across him and my iPhone could not be contained. What a gem, huh?! Socks with sandals and blue patterns galore!

This one is for all of the amazing sights I came upon while in public places in Europe (most notably public transportation...oh, how I miss it!). Na zdravi!

a dynamic duo in my life

2010-06-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

Are you ready, friends?! Day 2 of the 'změna' series has arrived.

Today's shout-out goes to a dynamic duo: Lauren Backenstose andTalitha Brauer. Not only did I receive the longest and most amazing, love-filled Prague email update yesterday from Lauren, but these gals skyped me today and it filled my day with pos. vibes!

They arrived in Prague just after I did (early in 2009) and we became instantly close...dinners at our favourite restaurants (sans peanuts, of course!), Latin parties, dancing at Bar Nota and Groove Bar, dress shopping, hen parties, long walks and meaningful talks and more...these girls mean the world to me.

Love you ladies...thanks for being!

Love,

introducing: the new daily 'změna' fb post

2010-06-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

Here goes, friends! First pic of the 'změna' ('change' in Czech) series. Today's inaugural shout-out was a hard one to choose...but he is very deserving: my bro, Zach Harrod. I am blessed to have lived in the same city as him, 4,000 miles from home, and I miss him like crazy.

The day before I left I dropped off Jesus to him. For those of you who are not familiar with Jesus, I received him in Poland fromThomas Suszynski's amazing uncle Jurek, and he (Jesus, not Jurek) travelled with me throughout my Polish countryside train adventures.

There is not a more deserving person of today's post. I love and miss you, brother! Na Zdravi!

Love,

MEgan

bienvenidos a valencia...

2010-05-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

This was my office in Valencia. Unreal, huh?!

A couple of months ago I was playing the Valencia vs. Lisbon game. Valencia won. I was initially a little bit worried...a bit of buyer's remorse flowing through my veins post-ticket purchase. But, I can honestly say Valencia, Spain has been cemented as one of my absolute favourite holidays thus far. There is something about the Mediterranean beach culture that makes it just reek of good vibes. It suits me. For so many reasons. I don't know...maybe it's because I was embarking on unknown territory, never having taken a true beach holiday where I just chilled out like this. Maybe it was the people I travelled with, met and interacted with. I recently came across this quote, 'chemistry happens when people interact' and felt like it really summarized this trip and the people I met. Wow. The things people have experienced...the challenges people have tackled. Seriously impressive.

The latest travels brought many questions to my mind about what career adventures I may tackle next...and further down the road, and also reminded me how both scared and excited I am to be moving on to something new (and of course, how super-psyched I am to be getting married to the most amazing man I could ever dream of marrying!). Change. Zmena.

I'll make sure to jump on here in the next couple of days with more stories and images, but for now, I just wanted to wet your palette a little bit. For those of you looking for a change of pace...head to Valenthia (oops, Valencia ;)). Buyer's remorse no more.

Muchos Besos,

Me

i got hen'd in praha

2010-05-16T02:47:00.000-07:00

the weekend in review:
thursday: try to sleep more than the avg 5 hours in order to prep for weekend
friday: hen party. wear ridiculous(ly amazing) props imported from states, including a corona beer hat. dance with table of gay men (who informed me that getting married was a bad idea...until they saw the picture of my custom-designed dress. typical.). dance a lot. sleep very little.
saturday: my birthday. eat an incredible brekkie, work, try to nap (to no avail). get ready for round 2: birthday outing with lo and tal. eat indian food. dance even more than the previous night. laugh loads. sleep very little. again.
sunday: my bro's 30th birthday. try to sleep (to no avail). suffer from stomach ache from indian food the previous day. pack for valencia. meet bro for lunch. leave for 7-day valencia holiday. bliss.

net result: very little sleep. loads of laughs and dancing. and, of course, one very blessed gal!

love, me

I can't sleep...

2010-05-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

...so I am telling my mind to 'give peace a chance' per this John Lennon wall inspiration wall I received the other day while on my Mala Strana walk.

Lately so many things have been on my mind...namely the changes associated with leaving one place I love and heading back to another place I love. During these transitions, it is always very difficult for me, as I tend to dive in and become fully engrained in my surroundings. Sure, it's great that I am adaptable and have a passion for exploration and new cultures, but it also makes leaving just a tad bit (okay, not just a 'tad') emotionally-taxing for me. Hence, the reason I am awake now, and have been since 5am.

I honestly believe I have the most scattered thoughts of most people I know. At any given moment I am thinking about hundreds of different topics and therefore my sense of direction is sometimes off (we all know I am absolutely terrible with directions) and my to-do lists become insanely-and-utterly-stupidly lengthy. This is what keeps me up at night.

Sad to go...happy to be going. It's an internal dilemma consuming my thoughts right now. At this particular moment I am thinking about:

_how amazing it will be to be with my fiance in a few short weeks,

_adequately marketing Mosaic House, the new property we're opening (went by for a site visit yesterday and was BLOWN AWAY by its essence-of-cool surroundings)

_continuing to market the existing three properties effectively, transitioning work to my awesome colleagues and the amazing new 'me' (Shannon, who is also from Minnesota with an agency background!),

_trying to enjoy the remainder of my time here with some holidays (Valencia this weekend...hopefully I won't have to work while away),

_planning my 'super' wedding and working with my Czech designer to create 8 dresses, 8 boleros, 1 veil, 1 handbag and 1 tie,

_readying my mind to head back home away from all of my ultra-amazing friends in Prague, packing (not quite sure how I am going to do this)

_departure from the nomadic lifestyle I've been living,

_trying to enjoy myself and take in the city and the European way of life for just a tad bit longer, _preparing myself for a shift in environment and mindset and culture,

_readying myself for the job search, flat-hunt and settling in to a new pace of life,

_and more.

Change. It's what this blog is all about, right?! I guess I wouldn't be here right now, at this second, if it weren't for the joys and woes and beauty associated with it. So, I'll say a big 'Na Zdravi' to 'Zmena'.

On top of all of this, I turn 27 this weekend. What happened to time?! I swear it was just yesterday that I was seven-years-old, running around our country home without a shirt or a care in the world, singing (awful voice back then too) and dancing (oh yes!), unaware of what life would be like when I was 27. I know, I know...27 is young (it's the new 17, right?! ;) I was told the other night - again - that I blend right in with my 19/20-year-old travelling peers. Yes!), but time flies. And, I'm having fun.

I'm happy. I'm blessed. I'm in love. Now all I need is for my mind to...give peace a chance.

Love,

'mom magic'

2010-05-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, so yes - I am stealing my brother's blog post today, but I just couldn't resist...because it is just THAT good. I couldn't have said it better (I never would have imagined I'd say this;)), bro.

Many of you know that it has been very difficult for me to keep in contact with my family (and specifically my mother) while I've been in Prague and this has not been easy for me. An ocean, and thousands of miles, have set us apart...yet I still seem to feel my mother's love. Tonight I was able to talk for my mom and I was reminded (as if I needed a reminder) of just how special she is. Her love and generosity was flowing across the ocean and thousands of miles and just so beautifully enveloped me, as one of her big hugs would. How did she do that?! It's mom magic...something that only mothers could do. Thank you for your magic, mom.

Thank you, mother, for being a constant source of love, support, encouragement and strength for me. I am blessed to call you my mother and...finally (after so many years)...my friend. I love you.

p.s. Oh, and thank you, brother, for writing such beautiful words and allowing me to recycle your eloquently stated post. You are incredible.

Love,

_____________________________________

HAPPY MOM’S DAY!

Posted By zharrod on May 9th, 2010

Happy MOM’s day to every Mom out there, but especially to my Rock Star, Diva of a mom, Kate Harrod! Below is one of my fav pics of my mom!

So here is my Mom’s Day post for you Kate Harrod!

I pray you have a great day and know that your kids one-third of the world away from you miss you and adore you so much!

Thanks for everything you have done for you us and will do for us!

As I was thinking about you this morning, I thought of many things about you that have insprired me (or us) in our lives, so I thought I shared them with you and the two readers of zACHhARROD.com! Mom, thank you for inspiring us to…
…put our whole hearts into anything we did!
…love.
…not be afraid of emotions. It’s okay to cry.
…be in touch with our roots, your roots.
…travel. My mom would take us kids with her to her midwifery conferences all over North America. I think this is where her kids’ travel bug came from. (So mom, I guess , in some ways, it’s kind of on you that we live overseas! Thank you for taking us with you!)
…work hard.
…never quit.
…be good citizens, even if we voted differently than you voted!
…never settle for mediocrity.
…dream.
…strive to excellence in all do!
…make the most of what we have.
…love learning.
…be more than the status-quo.
…and much, much more….

I love you so much Mom! Thank you for everything you are and more over thank you for being my friend! Happy Mom’s Day!

'the nature'

2010-05-08T02:05:00.000-07:00

I'm heading into 'the nature' with my beautiful Czech friend, Lucie, for the weekend. Her family's cottage is on the German/Czech border and it is absolutely serene and gorgeous down there. I am blessed to have Lucie in my life and I am blessed to be here! One month from today I will be heading back to the States after nearly 1.5 years of living and working in Prague. A bit surreal. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity, and for all of the stunning people I've met and experiences I've had. I am excited to spend this time with Lucie, one of my very best gals here, this weekend in 'the nature' (very Czech of me:))...reflecting on the past, enjoying the present and looking forward to new beginnings in the future.

Love,

a little follow-up...

2010-05-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

...I want to make sure I took a few minutes to follow-up on the (very passionate) blog post I wrote the other day.

The other night I was challenged by my (sweet) fiance about what I had written. He posed a question to me something along the lines of, 'So, are you saying that everyone should take a gap year? There is a reason that the traditional path is is around and there's a reason why most people take it...it must work if it is the conventional path.' Interesting. And so we entered into a (sort of) heated dialogue about this notion...a dialogue that prompted me to write this little follow-up on my blog post.

Although somewhat frustrated upon hearing this, I am glad Tom challenged me, as now I am able to elaborate a bit more on my feelings and why I have taken this stance. Just as I don't believe the path of convention is right for everyone, of course I don't believe that gap year or study abroad travels are right for everyone. A one-size-fits-all approach to teaching our young people is not the way to go. I don't feel the need to back the current way things are done throughout the States because it is already being done this way and I don't believe significant change or a shift in behaviour would occur if I approached it this way.

As I said, I learned heaps of amazing lessons from the corporate world and was given great opportunities...but they weren't necessarily the right opportunities for me. Regardless, they steered me into the direction I am going today (bitter taste or no bitter taste) and that is what matters. My hope is to reach young people with this message before they experience it themselves, and waste years of their life or end up unhappy down a path that wasn't meant for them in the first place. That's it (or not 'it' as it is a large undertaking, I suppose).

The more I talk to people about this idea, the more stories I hear about how necessary something like this is, and how travel and experiences have shaped their lives. From starting a medical practice in the bush of Africa to two southern Italians travelling around South America in a small, beat-up car (www.movingslowly.com), I've heard stories that have moved me and brought tears to my eyes. It's incredible what kind of things people do, if given the exposure to new opportunities. And that's really what it is all about...exposure. If we at least give children exposure to many different life paths, it's up to them whether or not they choose to follow the path of convention or take the path less travelled.

Who knows?! Before you know it, the path of convention may end up changing and the path less travelled may become more travelled, and eyes of our young people - students and young professionals alike - may very well become more open to new experiences too. Let's just hope.

Here's to change, or 'zmena' (how appropriate),

shippin' away + coming out of the expat closet.

2010-04-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hey all of you faithful blog readers!

It's been too long, I know...and I've been using recycled words too. Yep, I'm guilty of lack of originality. But now I will give you some more recycled words (my way of being 'green' today;))Okay, and I'll throw some original stuff in the mix as well. For a long time now I've been considering what challenge I'd like to tackle next. Do I want to get back into the agency world? Do I want to work on the client side? Do I want to look into event management? These are the questions I ask myself these days...constantly searching... exploring...dreaming...wondering where my path will take me. I'm excited for new opportunities and new beginnings.

One of my dreams (outside of opening a cafe/gallery) is to reach the younger generation of the United States with a message. It's a message that I have always understood myself, deep down inside, but it took living abroad and heaps o' genuine interactions with travellers for it to surface.

In my gig here, I've learned so so so many invaluable lessons, but I can say - without a doubt - that the biggest lesson I've learned is the importance of travel and taking the time to experience foreign cultures. To be thrown outside of our comfort zone - I mean REALLY outside our comfort zones - is exhilarating. It's a feeling that cannot be understood until it is actually experienced.

Of course I can attempt to convey to you how life-changing it has been to live in a different country with a different language and different mindset, to travel to unknown destinations, get lost on trains around Europe, interact with people from all over the world (dance with the locals on an island off of the Emerald Isle...or gypsies at the Gypsy Bar in a small Czech town...or to trad'l Polish music at a wedding in a small Polish village...yes, I like to dance;)), hear hundreds of inspirational stories that have shaped my experience, and so much more - but it really won't be the same as actually experiencing it.

I wish I would have heard a stronger message like this when I was younger. I wish I would have heard a different message than the conventional message engrained into our minds as children in school and university by our parents (thankfully my parents are rockstars and have been supportive in this realm), professors and advisors: go to school, get good grades, make sure to be involved in as much as you can so you can get into a good college, take out a college loan because you haven't saved enough and can't afford school, get good grades so you can get a good job, get a job that pays well so you can pay off your school loans, get married, buy a house, work your way up the corporate ladder so you can get a raise (so you can pay off your mortgage)...and of course, work as many hours as you can and take as little vacation as possible because if you take vacation you're lazy, blah blah blah. Oh! And you better not take a year off after high school or college because then you're really going to be behind. All of your peers will have a head-start and you would be crazy not to take the path of convention right now. In fact, nearly everyone around you would criticize you because they don't understand (but it's not their fault, after all, because this is the path society has taught us). Oh, I've been there. I know this all too well. Something needs to change. I want to take part in creating that change.

But I resisted the path of convention...and because I did I've become a more well-rounded gal. Sure, some could argue that I'm a gal who doesn't know what I want to be when I grow up. Well, that's true. What's wrong with that?! I, however, look at it in a glass-half-full kind o' way. There are so many paths I could take. What fun is it to take the beaten path?! This is the message our young people need to hear. And I'd like to be the one to share that message. If you'd like to participate, or if you have thoughts/ideas/suggestions, let me know.

So now here's a little background on the rest of this post. I am reading a book called Linchpin by THE marketing man, Seth Godin. This is a must-read for everyone - whether you work in a business role or otherwise. A few weeks back I received this blog post email from Seth...and it prompted me to connect the dots and reach out. Or, in Seth's lingo, to 'ship'. Read away.

*Road Trip!

Digital interactions are highly leveraged and widespread, but there's nothing like face to face time to hammer home an idea. To that end I'm noodling with the idea of doing a series of day-long talks and seminars around the US this year (probably every three weeks). I often am hired to do private talks for groups, but it occurs to me that it might be more efficient and open to organize my own public talks as well.

Rather than just dreaming up the entire plan, I thought I'd ask for your feedback, connections, and suggestions, as well as see if anyone wants to help out. No promises, none at all, but if you have something to add to this, let me know. As always, thanks.*

So, I decided to reach out to the MAN and send this note to Seth Godin:

Alright...I am waxing on...are you ready?! I have an idea.

And to be honest, I've had the idea since before I received your 'road trip' email with this blog post. It was at this point, though, that the light bulb went off. But I haven't been able to ship. I haven't taken the time to sit down and write you with these thoughts. Maybe because I'm skeptical and reluctant to think you'd read this...let alone respond. More likely because I am currently living and working overseas and consumed by tasks from marketing a group of hostel/hotel fusion properties (http://www.bohemianhostels.com/) - including opening a new green design hostel/hotel (http://www.mosaichouse.com/) - to trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up (and travelling Europe and planning a wedding - and of course reading Linchpin - in my 'spare' time).

So, now I am shipping. Finally. I can't promise it will be good but here goes...

Half the time, people think I (and my ideas) am (are) crazy. I have always taken the path less travelled...gone a bit against the grain. I prefer it this way. In fact, life has been more fruitful because of it. You could say I am a bit of a dreamer...a believer in possibility and opportunity...and the power of human connection. When all of my high school peers were considering schools close to home and a path of convention, I decided I wanted to ski for a small liberal arts school in the middle of Minnesota. At first I didn't get in. I appealed the decision and became the second student in the college's history to appeal and get accepted. During my time at Olaf, I lived in Sweden the summer after my first year, and studied abroad in England my junior year (travelling to Scotland, The Netherlands, Ireland, France, and more).

The summer between my junior and senior year I participated in an internship program that would change the way I perceived business. It was an entrepreneurial internship. I didn't have a defined role but was meant to create a position for myself within the company. I did. It was challenging and frustrating and uncomfortable (and sometimes I cried), but it was amazing.

My senior year of college when everyone was looking for careers, and interviewing with behemoth corporate machines like Target, Best Buy and General Mills, I was planning an adventure overseas full of exploration and reflection and increased cultural awareness. I almost surprised myself by not diving into a career. For nearly three months I travelled around Europe, to England, Norway, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic (where my brother has lived on and off for 5 years). I met people from around the world and saw things that many people only dream of seeing and experiencing. And when I returned to Minneapolis, it took me four months to find the right fit for me, but I did and landed a great gig at a marketing agency where I was given opportunity after opportunity, but didn't receive the one opportunity I really wanted: a global experience where I could have the chance to draw global offices more closely together, build relationships, break barriers, share ideas and live in a foreign country.

I pitched a development program to numerous individuals in upper-level management, including the CEO. I had numerous people rallying for me, people whom I had believed were on 'my side'...but after 3 1/2 years with no change, broken promises, and working my way up a ladder I didn't really want to climb (I didn't care about making more money; the one thing I wanted was the experience), I realized it was time for me to leave the organization (I'd like to take a moment to note that although I wasn't entirely happy with the role, I learned so incredibly much from my supervisors and peers, and was exposed to great opportunities...just not necessarily the right ones for me.).

I learned more than most of my peers early on in my career...about the positives and negatives of business and working in the realm of a corporate environment. I'll be honest, though, I learned more so about the negatives than the positives, and these are the things that drove me to leave the organization. Low morale. Colleagues trying their hardest to work against each other rather than as a team. Unhappy middle-aged coworkers who liked to talk…a lot about nothing. Resistance to new, fresh ideas (and most of all, change). Broken promises. Lack of authenticity. I guess it was a sort of early mid-life crisis. Either way, I realized it wasn't the right gig for me. I wanted something more...something more than the petty office gossip and the money. I wanted a meaningful experience that would shape me and at the same time enable me to somehow shape the lives of others. 'Operation: leave corporate America' was in full-force. The beauty of it was, all of my (amazing) colleagues supported my vision and new I had to leave in order to grow.

Inspired by travel memoirs like 'Eat, Pray, Love.' and 'Three Cups of Tea' I dreamt about working in an ashram, with orphanages in a third world country, teaching English (quickly nixed this idea...too cliche for me, no offense friends...just not my style), and I seriously considered the idea of adventure tourism in India, South America, Australia, South Africa or New Zealand. That's when the power of social/human connection really made itself known to me. My close friend had a friend who owned a small adventure wellness tourism company called Bodhin (yoga, hike, bike, scuba, surf) in Nicaragua, and she put us in touch. After months of great conversation, it didn't work out...but it was such a blessing because it really allowed me to believe that there were so many more opportunities out there to explore.

It always seems that when one door closes, another opens...and it is completely meant to be. Just around the time I decided not to go to Nicaragua, an opportunity in Prague presented itself. I never once had imagined myself living in the same city as my brother, but I believed I should explore the opportunity. And I did...two weeks later when my then-boyfriend (now fiance) travelled to Europe (Italy, Poland, Czech Republic) and I interviewed for the position of 'Experience Manager' for a group of hybrid hostel/hotels in Prague. Wow. Cool. It was so right...and so oddly humorous to me that a small organization didn't look at the work visa acquisition process or paperwork as a barrier to bringing me over, despite the size of the organization and the limited budget (this was the main barrier for my former organization). Everything fell into place and three months later I found myself living in Prague and working in the hostel industry. And what an industry this is.

I am touched by the numerous interactions made on a daily basis at our properties. I had once thought I'd leave the marketing world because it was unethical, but I have learned through this gig that it isn't really a question of ethics if you believe in the brand, and if you are doing something to make a difference. So, even though I wasn't working at an orphanage or saving lives, I have been able to have an influence on the travel experiences of hundreds of guests...to connect people and share stories and experience and build relationship. Because, after all, that's what marketing is all about...building relationships. I've met people from around the world, learned about different cultures, listened to hundreds of amazing travel tales, travelled to Spain, Germany, Austria, Ireland, England, Poland, Hungary, Switzerland, and more. On these excursions, I've met people and opened myself up to new challenges that I never could have done within a cubicle. And so we've come full circle.

You're probably wondering why I am sharing my story. Well, I am too. Here I am, in a coffee shop in Prague...trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I've been away from corporate America for the last 1.5 years and this time working for a small, entrepreneurial, family business has shaped me in ways previously unimaginable. And now I don't know what I want to do. I can't stomach the thought of going to work for a corporation, dressing up in a suit and putting on a fake smile and working 80 hours a week in a role that doesn't really resonate with me. But, I have ideas.

I know, firsthand, that corporate America is flawed. Deeply. I know all too well the unhappiness that exists. You can't even imagine how many times people told me they wished they had done something different, or engaged in a global work experience...but that it was 'too late' for them. Sad. Sad that Americans are bogged down by debt, unhappiness (in their job, or marriage...or life in general), and more. So as I was reading Linchpin, your words struck me to the core, and stirred up inside me a passion to create change and do something more.

Something I've become very familiar with in my time spent here in the hostel industry is the notion of the 'gap year'...taking time off post-high school or post-college rather than diving into a path of convention. It is pretty incredible what this does for young people. Australians, in particular, are taught from a very young age the importance of saving their money, and the notion of the 'gap year'. As a result, they defy convention (or 'convention' as Americans see it) and travel the world, finding themselves in unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable situations...experiences that shape them and enable them to determine what they want to be when they grow up.

In the States, on the other hand, we're taught to take out hefty school loans, go to university, get a job (and if we don't get one right away, we're going to be behind all of our peers - GASP!), get married, get a mortgage, have babies, and on and on. If one strays at all from this path of convention, then their actions are ridiculed and their behaviour is seen as reckless and infused with a lack of responsibility (I've heard it all, believe me). As a result, young professionals find themselves in their mid-late 20's (and early 30's) unhappy with the fact that all they've experienced is a seat behind a computer, a steady flow of raises (their bosses know how to bait the hook and give them just enough to stay, continuing to do work that oftentimes isn't meaningful and certainly doesn't define them), 80hr work weeks, no vacation (they haven't even used the two weeks they've been given...I could go on and on about this one...how crazy Americans are to not take the vacation and how crazy their employers are to only give them two weeks=sad), no experiences, and through it all the lack of opportunities to share their true gifts. This needs to change.

I have an idea. But, I haven't been sure how to tackle it. That's when I received your 'road trip' blog post and it evoked a feeling that has remained with me since. So, I am shipping. A book like 'Linchpin' is full of against-the-grain notions that corporate America...and Americans (and beyond) in general need to hear. I've recommended it to the masses. The one problem I see is that it doesn't speak to the younger generation...the generation that has the ability to make these changes right now, before they travel down the path of convention and get into the corporate rut.

I want to reach younger people with a similar message, framed differently. I want to bring to them the notion of gap year and the importance of exploration...continuity of their vivid imagination, dreaming and sharing their gifts. I want to speak to them through the voices of travellers I've met from around the world...young people who have had dreams to start hostels in foreign countries, who have travelled form southern Italy to south Africa helping people along the way. Visionaries who have built hostel 'empires', reaching thousands of travellers each year and crafting a unique and meaningful cultural experience...who have dreams to open a hostel in Ghana and employ locals in an effort to improve economic conditions. People who make a difference. I want to reach them through these stories...to travel around the States to universities and high schools and speak about these ideas, in hopes that it would cause change in young people and create a movement. A movement that the nation needs desperately.

I've been following your blogs since I embarked on my corporate America adventures, and have continued to do so, and they've always been a source of inspiration for me. I'd love to engage in a dialogue with you about this idea and I'd love any suggestions/help/ideas you could give me as I do so.

Waddayathink?! This would be one heck of a road trip, wouldn't it?!

Wax off.

(please email me if you're interested in creating a dialogue. oh, and thank you for 'Linchpin'...for saying things in a way that really resonate with the masses.)

Smiles,

Megan

Megan S. Harrod

Chief Word-Spreader

Mosaic House . Miss Sophie’s . Czech Inn . Sir Toby’s

Francouzska 76 Praha 101 00 Czech Republic

megan@bohemianhostels.com

mosaic house - opening 2010 become a fan of 'mosaic house' on fb

*Hey all...thanks for making it down here. Whoa. Gold stars for you! We'll see what comes of this. If you have any ideas, or would like to be involved, let a gal know.*

Love,

Oh, and P.S. I am having a love affair with the ellipsis - it is my favourite puncuation mark. I just love it...as you can tell. ;)

When a stranger reads your blog (from Seth Godin's blog)

2010-04-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

I had a surreal experience the other day. I was sitting in a coffee shop and watched someone (at the recommendation of a friend who didn't realize I was within earshot) open up my blog and start reading it. Right there, out of the corner of my eye, someone was experiencing me (well, digital me) for the first time.

Here it was, my first impression writ large. No fair running over and saying, "no, skip those two, those two aren't so good, go back a month or two and read the generous, thoughtful ones I wrote..."

It's like DNA. One cell carries the coding for all of them.

That meal you served at lunch yesterday might be the first impression, or that comment you left on someone's page or that customer service interaction with the new guy at your big client's office...

There's a riot of information racing by, and to survive, we snatch little bits and then magnify them into what we embrace as the full picture. Nuance? No time for nuance.

Every interaction might be the whole thing.

-Seth Godin

berlin: runde drei (?)

2010-04-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Piggybacking on my post yesterday about fashion, funk and freshness in Prague at Code Mode last weekend, I thought I'd write a little about Berlin, my fav city.

Ventured to Berlin with one of my dear friends and colleagues, Chicks, a few weeks back and still haven't had a chance to report back to you all. If you've never been to Berlin, I highly, highly HIGHLY recommend it. In fact, it is very likely that Berlin is one of my most commonly recommended cities-to-gander-at (second to Cesky Krumlov, of course). When I was in Munich back in September for Oktoberfest, I remember one Bavarian we met saying something to me like, "We don't consider Berlin to be the capital of Germany...it's not authentic like Bavaria. Berlin is a melting pot of cultures." Melting pot indeed. And this gal likes to stir the pot (hopefully there are some yummy noodles from a berlin noodle bar in that pot:))!

Berlin has been a sort of escape for me, an escape to subtle reminders of Minneapolis: bright colours, people, personalities, foods, shops, markets, flavours and more. Welcome to a place where originality is pivotal to the vibe of the city. Not only is it accepted...it's the norm (hmm, how could originality be considered the 'norm'?!).

A special place where hipsters run wild, frolicking (okay, you got me there...hipsters don't really 'frolick' so much, do they?!) from shop to shop looking for their next pair of skinny jeans, plaid shirts and hipster shades (ahem, hee). Local designers' creations spill out of storefront windows. A place where you worry more about dodging cyclists than cars. And of course, a place where you can go to bars called 'white trash' and DJs dress up in drag.

Ahh, yes...sweet, sweet Berlin in all of its odd glory and bold eccentricity. I love it.

And, I HIGHLY recommend it.

In Berlin this gal trusts,

artsy musings and not-so-melodical meanderings

2010-04-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I hit up Code Mode Free Fashion Weekend at Karlin Hall. Located in a massive, unfinished warehouse - the event was the perfect mix of vintage and urban/mod a fashion-lovin' gal could ask for. Complete with a funk-fresh-fashion show, DJ, essence-of-cool-tattoo artist and more, Code Mode was a boutique-vintage-shopping-diva's dream (yours truly included).

For more than just a moment, I felt as if I were in Berlin. Totally unreal atmosphere. Prague needs more of this. My dream for Prague is that it would have more of this...not just twice a year during Design Supermarket and Code Mode, but cool flea markets galore and much more influence from the young and fresh designers. I am quite confident this will happen.

It also reminded me of one thing I'm really going to miss...interacting with expat and Czech artists here in Prague (particularly the young Czech artists). With the introduction of a more structured gallery at Czech Inn, I've been blessed with the opportunity to interact with the local artist community - both Czechs and expats alike. What an exuberant and creative group of individuals I've been able to interact with in my time here!

As I reflect on the last 15 months of my life, I think about the beautiful artists I've met...not just the painters, illustrators, musicians, photographers, comedians...but really, the numerous individuals I've met who are really living their own unique artistic abilities out every day (including conversationalists, mothers, yoga instructors, language teachers, dancers, friends, missionaries, etc). Seth Godin focuses heavily on this theme of artistry/gifts in his latest book, Linchpin, which I strongly recommend to everyone I know (seriously). I will dedicate a more detailed post to Seth Godin in the near future, as he and his new book certainly deserve it. But, for now - what I am trying to get at is that everyone has a gift and I've had the chance to come into contact with so many gifted individuals in my experience here who have made a huge impact on me and my life in ways previously unimaginable. I tell myself every day that I am truly blessed. Beyond belief.

From my perspective (very likely skewed), the uniquely different and beautiful thing about the artist (what we traditionally know as 'artist' - aka painter, photographer, designer, musician, etc) crew here in Prague is the sheer number of 'em. There is an artist influx in Prague! I swear, at times I feel like the only one who can't create something gorgeous with my hands or voice. Everyone is an artist (of course in reality, everyone IS an artist, as Seth Godin has taught me...but for the sake of this blog post, you know what I mean). And, because of this, the artist community has a sense of excitement and humility I had not previously encountered in artist communities. The musicians I've worked with are excited to fill a room with their sweet sounds. The painters and illustrators and candlestick-makers (just sounded right here, k? ;)) and photographers are thankful and overjoyed for space to showcase their creations. And they all seem to have an edge of authentic ingenuity (Did I just make that up? Ah well, I'm going to go with it, because I think it sounds cool.) and enthusiasm behind their gifts I hadn't encountered in the States. It is a truly special place for this reason.

And that, my friends, is one of the many, many reasons I have been blessed in this experience in Prague. Oh how I will miss it. Let me count thy reasons.

Wishing you all of the authentic ingenuity possible...today and beyond,

Megan

we know your type.

2010-04-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

vintage one day. mod the next. you've redecorated your living room almost as many times as you have pairs of shoes. you're style is hip, yet classic, funky yet timeless...and that's just on tuesday. you crave variety. you loathe monotony. you are a piece of work-in-progress.

yeah, we know your type.

(totally random, i know...but couldn't resist. saw this on stationary in patina and instantly identified. also, if i may add, love at first sight.)

love,

walking barefoot was rad!

2010-04-09T15:51:00.001-07:00

yesterday we celebrated 'one day without shoes' at Czech Inn and had a blast. It was such a great event and felt so good to spread the word about TOMS and their vision.

More pictures can be found on the @Czech Inn Hostel facebook fan page (click on facebook badge in the right nav. on this blog), taken by the beautiful and talented Cat Norman! Kudos to my amazingly crafty friend and colleague, Chicks, for organizing the event!

our bare feet

I know I've been horrible at keeping up with blog posts lately, and owe you some from Switzerland, Berlin and Maiken's visit. I will try to get to an update this weekend. Until then, random thoughts will have to suffice.

Smiles and thanks for walking barefoot yesterday!

HELP US WIN!

2010-03-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

NEWS ALERT from Prague...we're short on votes and we need your help!!

The situation...460 votes, need around 900+ total in two days. WHOA.

The voting period ends Wednesday. If you haven't yet, now's the time to help Tom and I out with a vote, as we try to make it into the top 50 finalists. VOTE NOW!

If you all vote, we have a chance. I know what you're thinking...'I am not going to vote, because loads of other people will.' WRONG. You should all approach it with a mindset that no one else will vote, and vote with as many email addresses as you can. :) TIP: You CAN indeed use multiple email addresses, but you have to vote from computers (/IP addresses/browsers).

'What's in it for me?!' How about a free weekend stay in Prague?

I know this whole time you've most likely been thinking, 'alright, yeah - so this is cool and everything, but what's in it for me?!' Well, now I have your answer.

We've decided to sweeten the deal a little bit, giving you the chance to win a free weekend stay in a private ensuite room at our three existing properties, if you vote.

Here's how it works...

_Simply visit each of their fan pages: Sir Toby's Hostel, Miss Sophie's, Prague and Czech Inn Hostel

_Look for the promotional post, click on the url to vote (or vote by clicking url at top of this email)

_Reply to post with 'i voted'

_Tell all of your friends about it by forwarding this email, or posting it on your facebook page.

For more info about each property: www.sirtobys.com / www.miss-sophies.com / www.czech-inn.com

Thanks for your time, guys! And, thank you for your support!

Love from Prague,

Megan (and Tom too!)

i like this...

2010-03-27T05:19:00.001-07:00

why should you vote?

2010-03-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

VOTE NOW: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/38320

1) register, 2) verify email, 3) your vote counts! no spam - i swear!)

Were pretty confident we have no chance at landing in the top 50 finalists for this contest, but we're having fun a freakin' blast with it anyway.

Just to give you a little snapshot of what we're up against: the top couple has 18,000+ votes and a heart-wrenching story. Numerous couples have battled terminal illness, losses in the family, distance as a result of the war in Iraq, horrible discrimination because of same-sex relationships and more. Wow. Rough, for certain. They definitely deserve it more than us.

And Tom and me? Well, we're just a healthy-happy-heterosexual-gummi-food-lovin' couple who has - truth be told - endured some struggles due to distance, but has also been blessed both with wonderful experiences and good health, but also with some of the most lovely family and friends around.

So, let's just say it's highly unlikely we'll reach the top 50. And, as competitive as we both are, we'll be okay with that. It's been fun in the meantime!

Thanks to you all for supporting us throughout this long-distance love affair. We are blessed beyond belief, and so, so, SO thankful for what God has given us...each other (and you).

Gryon/Villar from Thomas Suszynski on Vimeo.

Love and Wishes for plenty o' gummi food in your lives,

Meg and Tom

what i write...

2010-03-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

...says something about me. And about what I value.

My rockstar friend Steph took the time to put this visualization together for me, highlighting the most commonly used words in the last 6 months of my blog. How fitting that 'love' would be number 1, huh?! I think this is so cool, and I'm thankful Steph put it together, as it is a beautiful reflection of my experience here in Prague and the things that matter most...love, people, Tom, experience, facebook (ha! jk.), time, travel, friends, and more. Thank you all for being such an amazing support system and blessing.

(click on image below for larger view)

I feel loved. And blessed.

love is in the air!

2010-03-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Tom is en route as I type this!

Me = overly excited (what's new?!)! :)

Our Travel Plan:

10 - Prague

night of 10-15 - Gryon, Switzerland

15-17 - Prague

Yay!

Love,

MHTV special...meg(ski) and bro(ski): ski ještěd, cze!

2010-03-07T04:40:00.000-08:00

As I was walking home last night through the dimly-lit cobblestone streets of Prague, it began to snow. Not just any snow...it was bit, fluffy, beautiful flakes of joy...swirling around my head and up and down and left and right with no seeming convention whatsoever. It was free and floating and eccentric and gorgeous. It made me smile.

It's March in Prague, and whereas I am used to Minnes(n)o(w)ta winters with heaps of March snow, Prague is certainly not. In fact, Prague isn't used to snow much at all these days. Before I left for the States at Christmas it started to snow. And, it wasn't just a fluke thing...because it continues to snow today. The snow brings to the surface moments of magic into my life...up in my office on the third floor of Czech Inn I feel like I'm in a snow globe...last night as I walked through the dark and eerily quiet streets in my neighborhood, I found myself sticking my tongue out, playing a game to see how many of the oversized, fluffy flakes I could capture in my mouth...today the snow began to fall again - with wild abandon - and I started singing (loudly - pretty sure the locals thought I was crazy), 'if all the snowflakes were milkshakes and cupcakes...oh what a snow that would be...standing outside with my mouth open wide...' (like Cass and I used to sing at ski races). Magical and delicious. I love the snow.

So it would only be appropriate that I spend the weekend - after it snowed on Friday - bussin' it to the north of the Czech Republic to conquer the Czech (big) hills. And what's more...my bro was able to strap on the ol' skis and boots with me. I've quite sufficiently fed my love and passion for snow in my time here by heading to Germany last winter for the world cup, Switzerland to board (Laax and Flumserberg), Austria for a work/ski outing, Austria for the world cup (kitzbuhel!), CZE (Liberec with bro), and now to Switzerland (Gryon - hittin' up the Frenchy side with my fiance!)...I am so truly blessed to work in the business of hospitality where contacts in faraway lands are easily established. I have met some of the most amazing people. Wow.

I am still holding out for one more large snowfall...JUST ONE...please GOD?! Come on...just one more. That's all I am asking for. :) Funny to see all of my southern friends hatin' on the snow, when I just continue to love, love, love! Okay, okay...hang with me for a sec. If it snows once more - more than 3 inches - I will make a vow to ski Petrin hill in the center of Prague and get it on video for all of you to see. I promise.

Okay, now...LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!

Check out the Winter Wonderland below...

the snow globe effect in my office

with the goods in karlovo namesti - totally (not) normal

breakfast of champions (in honour of tom) with crazy guy in background (ha!)

smilin' in the sunshine!

beautiful tracks (not ours...it just looked pretty)

meg(ski) and bro(ski)!

alpenrider: no friends on powder days! hardcore...ha. :)

the sibs smilin' atop ski jested, liberec, cze

skiing: cze-style. ha.

snow surprise

Oh yeah...you're probably wondering how the skiing in the Czech Republic is? Well, let's just says it's no Alps...but it isn't Buck Hill either. It's respectable, and probably would have been better had we arrived earlier (bus got in at 11 and we spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out where to go and how to maneuver the ski area...not super self-explanatory, as you can imagine). Snow was rock-hard ice, a lot like the midwest.

But...surroundings were epic. Tons o' tree coverage...very cool and beautiful, although they could have had a few more good runs had the trees been cleared (don't hate me, environmentalists...I like me a good tree-hug every now and then too. but come on..that's skiing land! :)). Zach and I were talking about it, though, it's interesting why there are so many trees. You see, the trees are fairly young (post-Communism)...as many of the natural resources had been cleared out and land built upon during Communist reign, with little or no regard. As a result, there are regulations to how the land can be used now. Good if you like trees...bad if you like skiing. But what if you like tree skiing?! Well, not so fast, mister. Tree skiing'd be sketch here. We czeched (ha! never gets old!) it out and it was sketchy indeed.

meg(ski) and bro(ski)'s excellent adventure! from megan harrod on Vimeo.

But really, at one point I said to Zach, 'It looks like Narnia!' Shortly thereafter he informed me that this was probably because Narnia was filmed here. Oh. That could be why. Duh. :)

MHTV: meg(ski) and bro(ski) from megan harrod on Vimeo.

What a gorgeous gift...these little white flakes. So simple, but give me such joy. It's the little things in life.

Let's just hope there are a lot of little things...Petrin, here I come. :)

Ski fast,

the (super)ultimate wedding...

2010-03-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

...yep, we've decided to join in on the fun and submit an entry in Crate and Barrel/Daily Candy's Ultimate Wedding Challenge.

LEMME VOTE!! Okay...go here and click on pretty pink 'vote for this entry' button on right of picture: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/38320

'What the heck is this challenge, and what does it mean to me?!' Well, it's really cool because not only do you get to vote for two really cool people to win a really cool contest, but we all get the chance to sit back and marvel at the power of social media! In just three days, we've collectively tallied 258 votes. My goal is 100 votes a day. So, today we still have yet to grab 42 votes. As a wise man once said, 'Yes, we can.' ;)

So, go ahead and vote...if you have multiple email addresses, vote with every one of 'em. And, spread the word. Invite friends to the event we created on facebook. Post it to your profiles. Change your statuses. Tweet it. MySpace it. Email it. Pop it in an envelope and old-school-snail-mail it. Whatever. (okay, maybe not the snail-mail one, as we only have until 31 March). So, act now! Hurry!

In the mean time, enjoy reading my version of our entry...which was the resounding loser when we chose which one to submit, mine or his. Zach (my bro) chose Tom's in the taste-test. But...you tell me...which one is really better?! Leave a comment below to let me know. hee.

Title: She had him at H.O.R.S.E.

Our love story.

This fairytale began with a chance meeting on a dance floor (through a mutual friend) and turned into a beautiful written love affair, Megan and Tom sharing their biggest dreams and their love for brightly-coloured socks, haribo gummi food and global exploration (and his love for the pancreas) through their unique gift for prose. Finally, after three weeks of writing, he challenged her to a game of H.O.R.S.E.. She beat him. It was love at first H.O.R.S.E. 11 months later, she received the opportunity to work in Prague and they buckled down for long-distance-love. Thousands of miles apart and hundreds of love letters later, he proposed to her in the fairytale town of Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic.

Three important details about our Ultimate Wedding.

An outdoor wedding, on a flower farm near home. Oozing with personal style…shabby/chic with a euro-ecclectic, romantic and unique flair. Family and friends from around the world. Polish flavour. Global love. Superhero-themed. Juicy Lucys served on a silver platter. Red bull/vodka fountain. TOMS shoes...and lots of 'em. As much dancing as possible…and then more. Bonfire with s’mores. A hired ice-cream truck. Wishing on Chinese lanterns and releasing them into the air.

Our everyday dream day.

Relentless exploration as a couple…of the world, new recipes and the gummi candy aisle. Thinking beyond ourselves, and helping others. Mutual laughter. Broadening our worldview through words on pages or steps on cobblestone in European cities. Early morning trips to the gym on weekends and long naps in the afternoon. Bringing back the family dinner. Meaningful conversation. Back rubs after a long day at work. Enjoyment of the gifts God has given us. Like, for instance, Sebastian Joe’s oreo ice cream. And, of course, many, many games of H.O.R.S.E.

Happy voting! Happy Sharing (as I always say...sharing is caring!:))!

LYRIUMROLMWAYE

2010-03-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

WHAT ON EARTH DOES THAT MEAN?!

Find out more: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/38320

More to come...

mhtv: my wonderwoman

2010-03-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, yeah - I know...you guys all know how much I love superheroes. And, wonderwoman specifically. So I thought that today, in honour of a true wonderwoman in my life, I'd bring wonderwoman to work with me and put together a montage to wish this wonderful woman - my mother - a VERY WONDER(WOMAN)FUL BIRTHDAY!

Happy birthday to a woman who I admire for many reasons. Mom, I (or 'we' I should say) wish you safe travels, lots of gifts:) and love from family, hugs and positive vibes, all the way from Praha, CZE!

Even though we're thousands of miles away, you were with me (and all of the people in my life today) throughout the day - from morning, to noon, to evening. Enjoy!

MHTV: Wonderwoman! from megan harrod on Vimeo.

Happy birthday, mom! I love you and wish you a fabulous birthday!

Love from one wonderwoman to another!

mosaichouse.com makes hotel blog news!

2010-02-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

How Mosaic House Re-designed Their Website & Added 800 Facebook Fans Before Opening
by JOSIAH MACKENZIE on FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Megan Harrod is the director of marketing for Mosaic House. I’ve been watching them develop a new website for their soon-to-be-opened property for a while now. When they added Facebook Connect to the homepage, I knew we had to talk…

Josiah: What were some of your goals when redeveloping the website?

Megan: We wanted to focus on the things that makes Mosaic House, Mosaic House. For us, the biggest thing is the atmosphere created by all the communal areas in the building. For the website, we really wanted to show this element. We’re still building out the full website – it’s in progress right now.

Design is also important to us. We wanted that to come through in the imagery.

You mentioned one of the key selling points of your brand is the social aspect. How do you communicate this through design?

The biggest thing for us is the addition of the Facebook Connect feature. What I was talking to the designer in the planning stage, we decided to add this because it’s all about engagement. We haven’t even opened yet, but have nearly 800 fans on Facebook.

The Mosaic House is all about bringing people together. So adding Facebook Connect to the website enables us to bring people together online. We have further integration planned as we rollout the full version of the site. So when people land on the home page, they see a whole mosaic of faces…and then we can direct people to our Facebook page where we encourage further interaction.

I love how you’re integrating Facebook into the website – I don’t see a lot of hotels doing that. Very few hotels are able to reach 800 fans so quickly. Can you talk a little bit about how you promote your Facebook page? How did you get so many people signing up?

I read an article the other day by Seth Godin about faux followers. It was talking about the loyalty of your social media fans: are they really friends? Is it just about getting as many fans as you can?

With us, it’s cool, because we have staff that are really engaged in the project. It’s very much a family environment. So there are people back home (a lot of us are expats) that are following this project and have been for while – because there’s a lot more history in the project than a lot of people know.

So we just told our friends that we’re all involved in this project. They’re all young tech-savvy people: people that would love to stay with us when they visit Prague. We posted pictures and information as the building was developing, and information about the launch party and special promotions. And our friends told their friends, which passed it along to their friends.

We didn’t expect to get so many fans so quickly, but it’s because our team is so engaged in the project. That’s growing our fan base naturally. Everyone’s really excited about the opening…they’re not faux followers.

Our designer said “You need to integrate [Facebook Connect], because you have 800 fans and you’re not even open yet!” And these people are actually interacting with the page.

I think that’s a really cool story about the organic approach you took. I’d like to briefly touch on the Facebook page itself. Do you have a system to manage things?

A lot of people have a strategy, but we haven’t defined a specific strategy — like “we’re going out Monday, Wednesday and Thursday to update it.” It’s just myself and a few others that are closely involved in the project. So it’s just like we would update our own Facebook statuses. It’s organic. It’s not anything that’s very scheduled… and I don’t think it needs to be. I think it feels more genuine this way.

So what types of content do you like to share on Facebook?

Yeah, we want people to get jazzed about the location, so that’s a big thing. What actually just shot a video of around the area. Also images around the space, so people can see what it will look like, and what a sample room looks like. Any events going on in Prague, so people can see these cool places like art galleries in the neighborhood.

So people start getting excited about the things that they could see in Prague when they come here. Any relevant information we find, we post. We posted some stuff about Tom’s Shoes, which is an organization which was started by a traveler, and is a great cause. So we’ve discussed some options for promotions in the future as a way to give back.

So that’s what we’ve done. We will be posting more promotional information in terms of generating a stronger following in the future, but that is more of the strategic approach that we’re talking about.

Do you have plans for further Facebook Connect integration on your website?

The design of the homepage will change when we have the full site launched. But it will still be a feature on the home page. We will direct a lot of people from our website to the fan page, so they can leave reviews and what they liked about staying there.

So we’ll use it a little differently once we fully open. But Facebook connect will still be an element of the homepage, very much front and center.

It’s a cool thing because people feel special when they see their picture on the home page. They feel like they’re being recognized and a part of the project.

Great! I’ll be very interested in watching this website as you roll it out.

*(pretty cool, huh, friends? excited about mosaic house? jazzed about social media? love to travel? wish you were a superhero? uh...err...whatever you fancy, become a fan of mosaic house on facebook to follow the progress of the renovation, learn more about the swanky future opening party, facebook stalk future fellow travellers and more...happy fanning!)

love, me*

waddaya think, friends?!

2010-02-24T06:56:00.000-08:00

Tell me what you think.

Love,

me

UPDATE 9.3 - Fez has the most votes so far...really, guys? Do you think?! Hmmm...I am swaying towards Valencia. What to do...what to do...

back that love up...

2010-02-22T16:13:00.000-08:00

...a good follow-up post to the (still unfinished) v-day post...lovely words, gifted to me by my dear friend Lo (by Henry J.M. Nouwen):

Love Deeply

Do not hesitate to love and to love deeply. You might be afraid of the pain that deep love can cause. When those you love deeply reject you, leave you, or die, your heart will be broken. But that should not hold you back from loving deeply. The pain that comes from deep love makes your love ever more fruitful. It is like a plough that breaks the ground to allow the seed to take root and grow into a strong plant. Every time you experience the pain of rejection, absence, or death, you are faced with a choice. You can become bitter and decide not to love again, or you can stand straight in your pain and let the soil on which you stand become richer and more able to give life to new seeds.

The more you have loved and have allowed yourself to suffer because of your love, the more you will be able to let your heart grow wider and deeper. When your love is truly giving and receiving, those whom you love will not leave your heart even when they depart from you. They will become part of yourself and thus gradually build a community within you.

Those you have deeply loved become part of you. The longer you live, there will always be more people to be loved by you and to become part of your inner community. The wider your inner community becomes, the more easily you will recognize your own brothers and sisters in the strangers around you. Those who are alive within you will recognize those who are alive around you. The wider the community of your heart, the wider the community around you. Thus the pain of rejection, absence, and death can become fruitful. Yes, as you love deeply the ground of your heart will be broken more and more, but you will rejoice in the abundance of the fruit it will bear.

Lovin' deeply,

won't you be my v-a-l-e-n-t-i-M-e?!

2010-02-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

BLOG POST DISCLAIMER: this blog post is unfinished, but I wanted to get it up before the clock struck 12:00 and v-day was done. So, if you are reading this, I apologize for the random-ness of this post and assure you it will be fixed within the day or so. :) So, thank you...come again. Happy vday, my loves!

Okay, okay already! You asked for it, so here I go...sharing the love from my wonderful Cesky Krumlov(e) Valentine's Day weekend adventure! I think this was my sixth time in Krumlov, and it certainly didn't disappoint. It just gets better and better!

It all began by sharing the TOMS love and bringing some red canvas TOMS down to Krumlov with me as a belated birthday and Valentine's Day gift for the wonderful Carolyn, owner of Krumlov House. She loved 'em and I was so excited. She even mentioned she was going to look into calling her children's school and looking into whether or not the kids could get TOMS to wear as their in-school slippers. How cool is that?! Kids...doing it for the kids. Cool. Weekend off to a good start - mission: introduce TOMS to Krumlov - check!

Although I ventured down to southern Bohemia by myself, I felt more love around me than ever...spending time with friends at Krumlov House, Antre, and more! And, the best part was, I did all of the activities Tom and I tackle when we're there together, and I really felt his presence there. It was pretty dang sweet. I had high hopes for getting some good writing in, but alas...I did not. :) It's okay the time for writing will come when I am ready to sit down and write.

Anyway, here is a visual tour (of sorts) of the weekend...I also took some vids, but am having trouble uploading those. So, more to come.

mission: dance with the locals in the 'music bar', featuring the beautiful and talented 'C'! check!

mission: watch bollywood dancers at small czech republic town bar, antre. check!

(so random)

mission: smoke shisha by myself at dobra cajovna. check!

(try to buy another teacup to replace broken one for Tom - no check. unsucessful.)

mission: drink desert dunes tea and write love letters to home. check!

mission: attempt to get reservation at krcma v satlavske (frequented by locals). check!

(actual outcome unsuccessful. worth a try.)

mission: capture moment where tourists are looking for bears in winter. check!

(uh...um...they are hibernating, people. come on.)

mission: take picture making kissing face next to really czech flower sign. czech!

oops, i mean, 'check!'. :)

mission: find a stand-in Tom to be valentime for the weekend. check!

(love at first sight! actually...he appears to be looking down my shirt?! ha.)

mission: stop by trdelnik stand and make pout-face after realizing it wasn't open. check!

mission: realize love is in the air when stumbling upon writing in the snow. check!

mission: write in the krumlov house guest book for the 6th time. check!

mission: take picture of self, pretending Tom is there (to photoshop him in later). check!

mission: make sad face and think of Tom by our normal picture-taking point. check!

mission: catch an accidental (but beautiful and apt) view of TOMS while thinking of Tom. check!

mission: introduce TOMS to krumlov house. check!

mission: kiss creepy cat bag with valentine's day present from sweet lo. check!

More to come!

(krum)Love,

mosaichouse.com has come to life!!

2010-02-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

Just a quick note to inform you all that the new and improved 'coming soon' version of mosaichouse.com has launched and we're super-excited for all of the crazy/fun months ahead! What an amazing opportunity I've been given, to work on this project! SO blessed and ecstatic. Take a look and stay tuned for the uber-functional (just wanted to sneak in the word 'uber' there), full-scale site to launch soon!

(click here or the image below to link directly to the super-cool site)

While you're at it, 'fan us' on facebook and then see if you can find yourself at the bottom of our website, 'where's waldo'-style! Then, leave a comment either here or on our facebook with your initial thoughts.

So, waddayathink...is it time to book a trip to Prague yet?!

Happy surfing...and then happy travels,

Megan

leden (january): alpsn' + austrialia + irish jiggin'

2010-02-02T04:40:00.000-08:00

smiling on the hill at bad gastein, austria

learning an irish jig in dublin at the avalon house

shreddin' the piste at bad gastein, austria

Phew. January's theme should be, 'just another manic month!' With adventures in America, Austria (x2) and a brief stint in Ireland, January was a crazy amalgamation of biz- and play-related travels...featuring a long-anticipated trip to Kitzbuhel, Austria for the Hahnenkamm SG and DH. See picture below to get an idea of the atmosphere at the finish line.

60,000 fans strong. Whoa!

Stay tuned for more...

Happy Travels,

Megan

I am going to write a book...

2010-01-30T09:10:00.000-08:00

...that's right, you heard it first here (okay, let's be honest...this isn't the first time you've heard it;))...I will write a book someday! And why?! Take a peek at Godin's wisdom below...

Why write a book?

If you've never written a non-fiction book, there are a lot of reasons why you might want to. It organizes your thoughts. It's a big project worthy of your attention.

Noted.

But once you've written a book, it's not clear that it's a useful thing to publishone. After all, it takes a year. It involves a lot of people. You need to print a lot of copies, ship them everywhere, create a lot of hoopla and hope that people actually a) hear about it, b) decide it's worth the effort to track it down and c) read it and spread it.

Wouldn't it be easier to just blog it? Or to post a PDF online and watch it spread?

Some of my books have been short... one was under a hundred pages long. It could certainly have a been a series of blog posts. And the posts might even have reached more people than the book ultimately did. If my blog posts were counted on the same metrics as bestselling books, every single one would be a New York Times bestseller. Yours too, most likely. Books don't sell that many copies.

The goal isn't always to spread an idea. Sometimes the goal is to make change happen. A book is a physical souvenir, a concrete instantiation of your ideas in a physical object, something that gives your ideas substance and allows them to travel.

Out of context, a 140 character tweet cannot change someone's life. A blog post might (I can think of a few that changed the way I think about business and even life). A movie can, but most big movies are inane entertainments designed to make a lot of money, not change people. But books?

The reason I wrote Linchpin: If you want to change people, you must create enough leverage to encourage the change to happen.

Books change lives every day. A book takes more than a few minutes to read. A book envelopes us, it is relentless in its voice and in its linearity. You start at the beginning and you either ride with the author to the end or you bail. And unlike just about any form of electronic media, you get to read the book at your own pace, absorbing it as you go.

I published a book today. My biggest and most important and most personal and most challenging book. A book that scared me.

It took me ten years to write this book. I'm hoping it changes a few people.

Thanks.

[Amazon, BN, independents, volunteer reviewers. Kindle too. I'll be posting details of a fascinating media tour in a few hours if you want to see what the book is actually about.]

And now the question for you is, if I write a book...will you buy it? And this is where it gets really telling...if I write a book, will you buy it for your friend? I guess we'll have to see. Only time will tell;).

Love, Me

happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...

2010-01-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

Mikaela showing off her ballet skills!

...happy birthday to my lovely sister, mikaela...happy birthday to you! Here I am singing to you, while balancing your 'make art, not war' remarque TOMS (best company ever!) on my poe TOMS. Even though I haven't gotten you a gift yet, I am sending over the gift of love and positive vibes while balancing some shoes...that's good enough, right?! It's the thought that counts ;).

I can't believe my sweet, beautiful, talented sister is turning 15-years-old! NO WAY! Seriously, I can't believe this little girl (see pic above) is growing up so fast! Stop, stop STOP! ;)

Love you, Mikaela, and I wish you the best birthday a gal could possibly have!

Your big sis,

Megan

my life is measured by travels...me amo barTHelona!

2010-01-27T13:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my amazing big bro for pulling me out of another blog silence with this ZHTV below about our trip to to the amazing and gorgeous Barcelona...where it's all about experimentation with the senses.

I am obviously not as far along with my new friend ('mac daddy'...that's its name:)) as he is, so it's nice for me to be able to borrow his creations and exploit them for my blog:). This vid chronicles our adventures in Barcelona. Pay special attention to the 8:30 minute mark, as the crazy/cool street performers played one of my fav tunes...'everything is gonna be alright...everything is gonna be alright...'

We meandered around the Barcelona alleys and were enveloped by the sweet sounds of another street band (see the 10:28 minute mark) with the most ethereal-sounding percussion instruments I've ever encountered. Mmm...the sounds of Barcelona bliss. A feeling that can not quite be summed up in words.

Enjoy! More to come...I promise, the Christmas '09 card is on its way. ha ha.

zhtv #28 a taste of barcelona from Zach Harrod on Vimeo.

I love how Zach frames this ZHTV up...it isn't just about our trip to Barcelona, but it's more about showing all of you the amazing sights and experiences the world has to offer beyond the borders of your own country.

Travel is truly something my brother and I are both extremely passionate about and it's a passion I vow to bring back to the States with me and pass on to as many people as I can possible touch. Interaction with different cultures, customs, languages, etc...there is truly nothing else like it. So get out there and experience something different. You may find out that life beyond your borders isn't as it once seemed.

Also, on another note - I've noticed my blog is being read in more and more countries, thanks to my trusty clustr map (check out bottom right of my page)...I can see you! Thanks for following me, guys!

Spreading the travel love,

P.S. Check out my brother's 2009 in review post with some more thoughts about our bro/sis Barcelona adventure!

awakening from the blog silence...

2010-01-12T13:54:00.001-08:00

...finally!

Whew! First of all, I would like to apologize for my silence the last month - it is utterly CRAZY to think about all that has happened in the last month, but even so...there is no excuse for my lack of bloggin'. So, please forgive me...please, please, please!

Second of all, you may have noticed that the blog has a bit of a new look. So allow me to introduce you to the NKOTB (new kids on the block, baby!...yeah, isn't it sad that you just knew what i was talking about when you read that acronym?! back in the day. *sigh* oh, jordan! ha. i digress.)...

1) I've added a new piece of functionality...take a look. Just over to the right. Scroll down and you'll find it under the somewhat creepy 'I'm watching you' heading. That's it...ClustrMaps. I can track visitor locations by country so as you so graciously stalk me, I can stalk you back. FUN, huh?! Yeah, super-cool.

In fact, it was my friend ClustrMaps that encouraged me to write an update post now, because she told me that nearly 170 people have visited my site in the last month and that was embarrassing because, well, I haven't written anything new! But, what she also informed me about is that there are people all over the world reading this blog. It looks like I have fans in (or perhaps people were unfortunate to stumble upon me in) the States (duh!), Czech Republic (again, duh!), Canada, Poland, UK, Australia, Germany, Brazil, India (what?!) Luxembourg (again, what?!), the Netherlands, Serbia (whoa!), Australia, Turkey (wow, awesome), Portugal, Spain and Austria. How cool is that?! Thanks to all of you for visiting 'zmena' and being so cool and other-worldly ;).

But, I am wondering where my peeps from France, Switzerland, Ireland, Kazakhstan (Borat?!), Africa, Nicaragua, etc. etc. are! Come on, guys - represent! You can click on the map and check it out too. Pretty dang cool, huh?!

2) Also gave the blog a new look and feel, but want to do something even more visually appealing. And, now that I have a mac (woot woot - best christmas present EVER!), I think I'll be able to whip something up - if nothing else, at least a new main image with embedded copy rather than the template's forced and ugly typeface. Hang with me.

That's it for now. I have loads of updates for you guys and I am VERY behind, but will work on the ol' holiday letter in the next week or so and hopefully get something out there for the world to see!

Along with that, I'll tell you about my MAD-CRAZY travel month of January...I just returned from 2.5 weeks of holiday in the States between Minnesota and Wisconsin on the 8th, celebrated my one-year anniversary in Prague on Saturday, and then hit the road for an offsite company retreat in Austria with our St. Christopher's partners from London. Phew. You thought it ended there, but it doesn't. Next week my travel pal, Lexy, comes to Prague and then we'll hit the tracks for the Kitzbuhel world cup. WOW. AMAZING...and we're both super-pumped. We'll return on Saturday night and she'll head to the States while I jump on a plane to Dublin, Ireland for the Hostelworld conference. Are you tired and maybe a little bit jealous from reading that?! I am definitely already tired, but super-excited for this month of work/fun travel.

Follow me here and I'll share the crazy travel stories with you all and try to get daily updates from the world cup next week! YAY!

Love,

všechno nejlepší k narozeninám (pro tomek!)

2009-12-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

studly tom . rock mtn. nat'l park . colorado

graffiked tomus . kowalski's . mpls, mn

This is a (belated) birthday shout-out to my honey and partner-in-crime, Dr. Tom! I was super-bummed to miss the big day (December 11th) this year, but I did make an effort to organize a little surprise shin-dig (wasn't as successful as I'd hoped...but it was my fault for getting the word out too late. ah well...B+ for effort!). Anyway, since it was Tom's big day I thought I'd get a little post out here on the interweb and profess my love for him!

Tom, thank you for being my best friend and for always being so crazy and amazing and fun. Thank you for your whacked-out, high level of energy. Thank you for your love and unreal zest for life. Thank you for being the best travel buddy I could have ever dreamed up (we travel perfectly...check out the video of us having a crazy time at the Gypsy Bar in Krumlov below...so funny). Thank you for your patience and support.

And most of all...thank you for being.

I love you so much and am blessed to have you in my life!

Gypsy craziness from Thomas Suszynski on Vimeo.

meg and tom . wandering around mala strana . praha, cze

Love and live to love you!

mhtv # unknown: bringing it back! off to laax and zurich...

2009-12-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Happy day...posting this from last week...have returned safely from Switzerland in one piece after numerous mountain adventures. More to come soon!

sunshine peaks . flumserberg . switzerland

polka-dot galore . snowboarding . flumserberg, switzerland

dang! look at those peaks . zurich . switzerland

mhtv # unknown: bringing it back! off to laax and zurich... from megan harrod on Vimeo.

Love,

celebrity sightings galore!

2009-12-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

Well, guys - remember my post the other day about St. Mikulas Day? The big day is tomorrow, so I was bummed I wasn't going to get the opportunity to see these guys in action. However, I took a lil' trip to the post office today and to my surprise I had a celebrity sighting...St. Mikulas and his sidekicks (angel and devil).

I can honestly say the children were genuinely terrified of this devil...as was I. I was just standing there in awe of the spectacle...definitely didn't expect it. In the States kids cry at the sight of Santa...imagine what they do when they see a scary devil with a pitch fork, deep black face and red hair. Well, I don't have to imagine - because I saw (or heard) it. Ha! Whoa! I mean, the child was screaming in terror...the look on his face was utter fear. I know it is a tradition, but an interesting and telling tradition nonetheless. I guess very much like our crazy Halloween traditions.

Tonight on my way to the bus station (destination: Switzerland), I'm going to go through Old Town. With my luck, I'll get stopped by the devil and he'll put me in a sack and carry me away to Hell (seriously, that's the legend!).

Happy St. Mikulas Day!

Me

a love letter...

2009-12-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Tom,

From the first night I saw you across the dance floor, I wanted to tell you 'I love your sweet 1980's-style-polyethylene-beach-volleyball-style hat and sleek silver prada dancin' shoes'. I know we haven't talked much (or at all) these last 2 hours, but I know you are...
****THE ONE!****

Ha! Awesome! This vid (below) is super!

...Okay, so I'm lacking the energy to do this today (or, technically, yesterday, considering it is 1:26am here), but I'm doing it because I promised I would (and also because I am trying to delay packing as long as I can:), because I like the thrill and chaos of last-minute packing. ha!)! I came across this vid today on gmail's homepage and it made me smile.

It made me smile for a couple of reasons: 1) google is so creative and 2) it reminded me of the awesome love letters my loving fiance writes to me.

I don't know how many of you know this, but Tom and I started writing love letters before we technically met...only then, we didn't realize they were 'love' letters...but we've always had a passion for words and the meaning they convey. Mailed letters require time, thought, energy, and - most of all - love. Even if you may not necessarily love the person, there is still a lotta love jammed into that envelope. So, if we're in love there must be a lot, A LOT of love jammed into that lil' envelope! And, it's true - because I can feel it pouring out upon opening them!

And, that's what makes Tom so unique and perfect for me...he takes the time to write a letter, pour his love into it, and send it over to me. Over and over again. I think that's so cool, and I am so thankful to have such a supportive, loving fiance. I'm truly always counting my blessings...and Tom is on the top of my list.

Thank you, Tom, for the person you are and for the daily support (and love letters) you give to me!

I love, love, love you!

Dreaming of you,

Megan

it's about that time...

2009-12-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

...ski season is here, and Lo and I are ringing it in with a lil' weekend trip to Zurich and - more importantly - Laax, Switzerland. I thought about buying these boards (see picture below from a sports store near Czech Inn...sick!), but decided I'd opt for the wider variety this weekend. That's right, dad...I'm going snowboarding. Hold on...don't freak out. I'm still a skier-gal at heart.

ha...sport bazar near czech inn

This is just a precursor to many ski (/boarding) trips to come, including a trip to Kitzbuhel and then (potentially) Schladming for the night slalom in January. Part of me is bummed that I'm missing out on the famous Birds of Prey (Beaver Creek!) world cup annual trip this weekend, but I know I'll be there again in years to come.

So, in honour of the race I thought it was only fitting to spend time on the white stuff from afar. I'll be sending positive-ski-fast-vibes to the boys and watching the races from Switzerland!

For those of you in cyberland who don't know much about the legendary Birds of Prey downhill...and especially for those of you out there who don't know much about skiing in general, I've added these two vids for your benefit. Anyone who says ski racing isn't a sport...yeah, well I'd like to challenge you to ski Birds of Prey. These dudes are going upwards of 85 mph. That's as fast as a car...going fast. SO cramazing (crazy/amazing;))!

So, enjoy:

1) Daron Rahlves dissects Birds of Prey and 2) Steve Nyman's Birds of Prey Summer Tour

Happy skiing (and boarding ;)),

p.s. I'm doing pretty well with the one post a day thing...what do you think? Anyone out there? Hello?

Bueller?...

a blog post a day keeps the doctor away...

2009-12-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

So, here's my effort to try to get a daily blog post up this week...we'll see how I fair.

I haven't told you yet, but my wonderful bro and I went on our first lil' weekend sojourn a couple of weekends ago to Barcelona, Spain - both his and my first time to Spain! It was super!

Most notable was our tapas + sangria + red wine dinner at Cerveceria Catalana...recommended by a dear friend of mine - and it was amazing!! If you're in Barcelona, you should go there - service was outstanding (Indira, Teng, Beydyetc - we made new friends!).

Hmm...what else?!

OH YES! That's right...I almost forgot Antoni Gaudi's architectural marvels (ha, yeah right - how could I forget?!). They were whacky and cool and mysterious and beautiful at the same time. Unbelievable, really. The guy was a brilliant man - La Segrada Familia is a crazy/beautiful massive masterpiece. WOW. And, of course, we enjoyed - so much - the beach...the sound of the water and the yummy beach good vibes were so welcomed and felt so foreign.

Here are some snaps from the sojourn. Enjoy!

sunset alley

gaudi galore a la sagrada familia

fast forward :)

rock on...in the spanish sunshine

reflection in a barcelona storefront

tapas a la cerveceria catalana

rad (red) barcelona bathroom

footsteps on spanish soil

Thanks for stopping by!

This weekend I head to Zurich and Laax, Switzerland for some boarding with Lauren looking forward to the inevitable ensuing adventures!

Let it snow,

Vesele Vánoce (Merry Christmas!) - Vánoce v Praze (Christmas in Prague!)

2009-11-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

Just a quick note to give you a little taste of what the vibe is like here in Prague over the holidays with the introduction of the Vánoční trhy v Praze (Christmas Markets in Prague)! I wish everyone could experience this real life winter wonderland...the yummy smells of svarak (hot wine), cinnamon and sugar trdelnik (a pastry...and my fav czech treat - mmm!), klobasa (sausage - yum!), grog, medovina (warm honey liqour) and more.

As I was exploring the Christmas markets yesterday, what struck me as most intriguing is that even though a large percentage of Czechs profess atheism (upwards of 89%), as a people they very much embrace Christmas traditions...singing Christmas carols, decorating Old Town with a manger scene, etc.

On 5 December it will be Mikulas (St. Nicholas Day) in Prague. I'll be spending the weekend in Zurich and Laax, Switzerland boarding the glacier (yeah, that's right!! check it out!), so I'll miss out on the festivities, but it's been fun and slightly to see the little ones running around with devil horns. Why do they do this? Well, On this day you may meet in the streets of Prague face to face the St. Nicholas with the Devil and the Angel.

As soon as it gets dark out, St. Nicholas with his helpers walks in the streets of Prague handing out small presents to children. He is omniscient...he even knows whether this or that child was good during the past year! If the child has been good, he/she will receive a present (usually in the form of sweets).

If the child was behaving well, he or she will receive a present from him, usually some candies, nuts or fruits. However, if he or she was not behaving well all year, the Devil will put the child into his sack and take him or her to Hell! That is why all Czech children are unusually good on this day. Isn't this crazy?! Anyway, I find all of this very intriguing...and helps you to understand why my bro does what he does here (as a Christian missionary).

Old Town Square Christmas market by day

Old Town Square Christmas merket by night

Vesele Vánoce!

extra, extra, read all about it...

2009-11-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

...after many months and way too many web-related discussions, the new and improved miss-sophies.com launched last night and we are all very excited!

Check it out and let me know what you think. I'd like to give kudos to Ramos Creative back in the States (Sean and Andrew!), my wonderful friend and employee, Christina (PM on the project), and Mark Stewart for capturing the beauty of Miss Sophie's with your camera + many more!

This week in general was a great one for me. I feel like we're making progress in many realms and our team is really gellin'. I love that.

We also submitted a press release about our new partnership with La Strada, a human (sex and labor) trafficking-prevention organization here in the Czech Republic (with branches across Eastern Europe), focusing on the Halloween party we threw at Czech Inn (with silent auction - 100% proceeds going to La Strada). It was soooo much fun, and a great success for us on many fronts. More to come on that soon.

Thank you, as always, for your support...and for swinging by zmena!

Love,

me

Brand the Experience. Experience the Brand.

2009-11-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

Last week I read an Imagehaus (agency back home) newsletter that made me think of our brands and the brand experience we provide at our properties. Here goes...

Brands with that “stand-apart appeal” don’t just happen. They’re built, one experience at a time. And every touchpoint you have with your customer is an opportunity to make an impression and create an experience.

We help our clients’ customers gain that belief and trust with solid answers to these 4 key questions:

Differentiation What is the advantage of your brand over the competition?

Relevance How do you add value to the customer's experience?

Credibility What is the single thought that defines your brand?

Compliance How do you ensure brand consistency in look and feel, personality, voice and tone?

Often, people come to us and think they need a logo, a tagline, or the “look and feel” of a website.
A brand is so much more than just components. Simply stated, a brand is the perception of your company based on the expectation of value.

There's some food for thought...thanks to Imagehaus! At our properties, we make an effort to offer our guests with an unmatched customer experience, and I think we do a pretty good job...or so our guests have said. Of course, there is room for improvement, but suggestions and ideas are always welcome! So, come and stay and let us know what you think:).

Here's to loving the brand and appreciating the customer experience...

Me

good for the sole...

2009-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

...TOMS shoes!

This is a company I have become pretty passionate about as of late. With a core focus on philanthropic entrepreneurialism, owner Blake Mycoskie started the Shoes for Tomorrow project back in 2006 after a visit to Argentina, where he was befriended many children who didn't have shoes to protect their feet. A good number of these children were contracting diseases from different bacterias in the soil through the wounds in their feet. Blake's vision for the company consisted of a one-to-one giving model...for every pair of shoes purchased, one was given to a child in need around the world. Simple, but brilliant. I see this as a creative effort in tackling a big problem and I think that philanthropic entrepreneurialism is the hardest and most inspiring kind of entrepreneurialism.

I've always both appreciated and made an effort to practice social responsibility in my professional life, looking up to former CEO Marilyn Carlson Nelson (supporting ECPAT and various sustainable tourism initiatives) as a businesswoman with more than just the bottom line on her mind. When I ventured to Prague to tackle this new and exciting opportunity with hybrid hostel/hotels Sir Toby's (sirtobys.com), Miss Sophie's (miss-sophies.com), Czech Inn (czech-inn.com) and Mosaic House (mosaichouse.com - opening in 2010), I packed up this appreciation and carried it with me.

Now I get the chance to put this appreciation into practice, with a social responsbility initiative my team is introducing to all of our properties. Not only will we be supporting a human trafficking prevention organization in the Czech Republic, La Strada (human trafficking for both sex and labour reasons is a very real and sad problem across central and eastern europe), but we're also becoming an official TOMS shoes retailer at all of our properties. Made by a traveler, these shoes are perfect for travelers...and we're hoping they can also take pride in literally walking in the shoes of impoverished children around the world, making a difference, embracing the TOMS vision, and sharing it with fellow travelers.

You see, Blake's vision fits our vision perfectly, because in the end it is all about sharing and experiencing. Our vision is to give travelers a unique place to play, stay and share...a space that would enhance their travel experience.

I recently came across this quote by Spanish poet Antonio Machado, "Wanderer, there is no path, the path is made by walking". We're all wanderers in life. I wander the alleys in Prague and cities all across Europe. As I've wandered, my TOMS have helped me create a path...a literal (walking) path as well as a path for sharing.

Follow me and my TOMS as we travel around Europe!

TOMS in Trafalger Square, London, England

TOMS in Cesky Krumlov(e), Czech Republic

TOMS at Parc Guell, Barcelona, Spain

...stay tuned for next week when we travel to Zurich, Switzerland and Laax for glacier boarding!

We hope our guests and friends will take a bit of the TOMS story and share it with wanderers from around the world. As I often say, sharing is caring.

Take a peak at the video below, for more information.

and another...

If you leave this blog post with at least a bit more of a perspective on social responsbility in the corporate realm, I'd be smiley as ever. As they say in the video, "...anybody who is starting a small company...everybody who has an idea...incorporate giving in what you do."

Happy sharing and (even happier) caring,

Me

what i do in prague...

2009-11-07T07:08:00.001-08:00

Yes, it may seem like all I do is take silly iPhone tram snaps of Prague fashion (or lack thereof), facebook about all the PDA I see around the city, go to cool coffee shops, blog about my recent travel adventures to Oktoberfest, Berlin, London, Dresden, etc. and plan trips for the future (to Krakow, my home-away-from-home (Krumlov(e) House in Cesky Krumlov), Barcelona with my bro, skiing in the Alps (Kitzbuhel + Schladming world cup and maybe Gryon, Switzerland too, emerald isle, and more)...but to be honest, this is just a small chunk of my time here.

So, you may wonder what I spend most of my time doing, then?! Well, working...to be honest. The thing with my career here (Experience Manager for four accommodation properties), is that being in the hospitality industry...it never sleeps. Plus, my work life intersects with my personal life here and all of my relationships end up being pretty incestuous since friends overlap with work overlapping with church...you get the picture. It has proven to be a challenge for me in many ways, and I have grown in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

The way our organization works is that we have three existing properties - all located in Prague:

Sir Toby's (sirtobys.com) - trad'l backpacker hostel decorated with czech antiques featuring dorm rooms and private rooms, cosy communal spaces, guest kitchen, brick cellar pub, chapel, garden terrace for bbqs in the warm weather, warm and welcoming atmosphere and good vibes galore. I love Sir Toby's for the eclectic spaces and people!

(these are smokin'-hot-off-the-press-pictures...photography by my dear friend and freelancer, Mark Stewart - Black Gecko Photography)

Sir Toby's furry little mascot - Hugo

Hey! That girl looks familiar!

Sir Toby's reception with Talitha at bottom left.

Sir Toby's Cellar Pub - my favorite couch!

Bueno - private rooms at Toby's

Kudos to Mark for capturing the beauty and warmth of the

Sir Toby's nooks and crannies! Truly awesome!

Miss Sophie's (miss-sophies.com - new website to launch soon) - boutique accommodation featuring chic, modern, minimalist decor, cool brick music lounge, gigantic rain-head showers, brushed steel beds, lacquered cement, ultra-comfy beds and so much more. Was recently featured in local boutique, Timoure et Group's catalogue, for their fall '09 line of clothing.
Timoure found us through the article about Sophie's in Czech design magazine, Dolce Vita. They make the space look so fab: http://www.timoure.cz/teg/index.html. Take a peek! Also, here's your sneek peek at our new website...it is under construction...will be launching next week: http://new.miss-sophies.com/!

(photography by my dear friend and freelancer, Mark Stewart - Black Gecko Photography)

Big red couch in the Miss Sophie's Music Lounge

Music Lounge from a different perspective

Miss Sophie's apartments are stylishly-appointed and super-spacious.

Czech Inn (czech-inn.com) - I hold Czech Inn dear to my heart, not only because it is where I spend almost all of my time (my office is located on the third floor), but it is also where I manage events - open mic night, gallery openings, musician gigs, holiday parties and more!! This is where my passion truly lies, so for me this has been a great experience. However, since the events are an extension of my day job, I find myself spending a great deal of time at the Inn. Czech Inn's design is much like Miss Sophie's - upscale ikea, is what I like to call it. Sleek, chic and minimalist - again, offering everything from dorm rooms to private rooms to apartments.

Czech Inn's newly-renovated 4th floor - SO fab...

...and don't forget the rough-luxe-designed bathrooms!

One of the many gallery openings at the Czech Inn Kavarna

(I'm in the yellow)

These properties are redefining the term 'hostel' and my goal is to educate the masses. Our properties have been featured in Elle, the New York Times, Glamour, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Let's Go, Routard, Lonely Planet, and other various design pubs as well as guide books. People are amazed when they come through our doors, not expecting the quality we provide.

When expats come by for events, they often have the preconcieved notion that they are coming to a hostel with dorm beds, and when I tell them what we offer they don't believe it. But, what it is really fun for me is when I give these individuals a tour of our spacious, wow-designed dorm rooms, twin rooms, newly renovated double ensuites (my personal favorite - room 406!), and apartments with wide-open spaces and high ceilings. They leave truly impressed.

For the most part, the hotel industry lacks in providing a communal experience conducive to meeting new people and sharing experiences...our properties fill this gap. Our offering is a unique combo of communal spaces for sharing + high quality (designer) accommodation at affordable rates. It's an awesome concept...and one that will continue to thrive in the recession and onward.

My focus (ha...'focus' is a funny word to use in this case) is on spreading the word and creating buzz about our properties...which plays out in the form of partnership marketing, interactive marketing, relationship management, event planning, copywriting, strategy and planning, operational marketing (managing a sales team who focuses on reservations and answering guest inquiries via email and phone), training, customer experience, press relationship management, social responsibility initiatives and more. Yeah. 'Focus'. Ha. As always, I feel like I am okay at a million things and not particularly amazing at any one of them...a generalist in life.

But, really...the main focus during my time here is not solely on the above, but to build as much positive buzz about our newest (and my personal fav already...shhh, don't tell!;)) property, Mosaic House - currently under construction and opening in early 2010.

Mosaic House, the most central of all of our properties (located near Karlovo Namesti in a historically-maintained 1920's style building) is special because it will be a cultural melting pot under one roof - the space will fit nearly 300 people and will feature 4-star quality designer private rooms, designed with green in mind. What this means is that Mosaic House will have numerous green components that'll make it truly green...not just faux green like the other guys.

Featuring the Czech Republic's first grey water recycling unit, energy-efficient elevators, LED lighting, solar panels, green insulation (keeping the warmth in during the winter and the cool air in during the summer, the smartest electricy in-room (sensored electricity that shuts off when no one is in the room), recycled paper products, use of city recycling, and various other green elements (potentially including an airport shuttle powered on french fry oil coming from our restaurant, Belushi's). What's more, we'll have a games room, fully-licensed bar and restaurant with the biggest TV screens in Prague (and the best burger!) featuring a theatre bar and lounge with a full stage for nightly events, zen garden and more. Our vision is to bring together people from all walks of life under one roof, where they can share their experiences and experience Prague in a unique and meaningful way...to make their stay in Prague a memorable stay not just because they slept in a nice room, but because they met a fellow traveler who shared the same love and innate passion for travel and sharing stories.

It will truly rock the house. And, I am so excited to be involved from the early stages through launch next year. I encourage you to take a peek and follow the progress on facebook. If you have any suggestions for taglines (calling all creative friends out there! - style guide is underway as I type this), memorable/quirky marketing ideas, ideas for opening party (we want to make a big splash! so, any PR contacts you have in green/design/hospitality industry would be much appreciated! also, if any of you event planners have any cool ideas for opening party, let me know), and more - email me. I'm open to any suggestions.

A visual tour through the sample room at Mosaic House...

Sample room - beautiful!

Owner Mathias Schwender shows off the view
from the penthouse - that's the Prague Castle to

the top left! I call the penthouse!

Fancy-shmancy sink

Bathroom - of course it's nice - Mathias

is mad about nicely designed bathrooms! :)

Light inset provides a cool ambiance.

Close-up of bed and the oh-so-soft pillows!

I adore the design...the mixture of things you

wouldn't normally put together is so appealing...

check out the tree branch free-hand painting on

the wall and light inset above! WOW.

The comfy, cosy bed!

The room - check out the beautiful wood floors!

Hang your digs on a sweet tree-branch-turned-hanging-rack!

First thing you see when walking into main entrance,

up the stairs - theatre bar and lounge!

SO jazzed about this for events!

Facade of building - under construction!

Become a fan of Mosaic House on facebook
Check out (Mosaic House) on flickr

Thanks for hanging with me. I miss you all very much.

Thank you for your support and love
(especially to my wonderful fiance!).
It means more than you know. Really.

Love, smiles, bear hugs and good vibes from Praha,

Me

when the snow flies...

2009-10-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

...ahhh, one of my favorite times of the year (ski season!) is upon us! I absolutely live for and love this time of year...for so many reasons. Most of all, I love the energy and enthusiasm around the sport of ski racing.

The fans...the crisp mountain air...the love of the sport...it is all so incredible. I feel so incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to be over in Europe for a plethora of reasons...but one of those reasons is that I am able to experience these events that are so very near and dear to my heart, and that have been such a massively big part of my life.

This weekend's race in Soelden, Austria marked the '09-'10 season opener...a season I am super-enthused about, because I'll be heading to a few races over here. This is an open invite to all of my buds to come and join me...yes, that's right...this one is directed at you, Love, Greenleaf, Lex, Henn, Kevin, etc.

Here are a few pics of past world cup fun (Beaver Creek '07 and '08 and Garmisch '09) to get you in the mood. :)

megs and lex snow galore vail '07

megs rippin' the pow vail '07

henn and megs psst psst psst beaver creek village '07

henn, greenleaf, megs on a horse? beaver creek '08

henn and megs shred love vail '08

the masses garmisch sg cancelled garmisch '09

rad ferrari guy garmisch finish area garmisch '09

The thing I love about skiers is...well, that they probably have the best sense of humour I've ever seen. They are crazy and fun and I love being around them.
Best Michael Jackson tribute EVER!

But this is why I really love world cup ski racing (the speed, a beautifully carved turn, the energy and excitement, and so much more...):

So, there you have it. World cup '09-'10 is here , winter is upon us. And I am super-excited for what is to come. Let me know if you'd like to join me! You'll have a free place to stay in Praha and we'll have fab travel adventures beyond Praha!

Love,

an update from afar...

2009-10-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

'Cau' from Prague!

I wanted to send you guys a quick update, since I haven't been in touch with you all as of late.The last few months have been full of adventures, including visiting Tom's family in Poland for a taste of a real Polish wedding...I didn't know what to expect, but it turned out to be the most fun I've had at a wedding (maybe...ever)!! I was the only native English speaker there, which proved to make things interesting - but it wasn't a problem after a vodka shot or two (vodka was the staple drink for the night). 15 hours later, I was partied out and ready for bed. That's right, the reception lasted for a whopping 15 HOURS! We danced to trad'l music, played trad'l polish games and enjoyed drinks and 5 full meals (not to be mistaken with '5-course meal') throughout the night. I walked away with a bottle of vodka, given to me by the bride as my party favor. Amazing. What a cultural experience!

I took a few weekend trips to my Czech friend, Lucie's (you'll meet her at my wedding), grandma's cottage as well as to a small Czech town named Olomouc by myself. I love to hop on a train and get away for the weekend. Plus, it pays to be in the hospitality biz, because I am blessed to get cheap or free beds nearly every city I check out. I've traveled to Berlin twice in the last few months and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite cities for the energy and vibe it has. Everyone rides bicycles and everyone loves to shop. I didn't shop, of course (because I have no money) - apart from pair of cheap hipster shades to keep the sun at bay - but it was fun to peruse. I was keen to learn more about east and west Berlin, as I did not know too much about it before I went to Berlin and I ended up learning so much more than I ever thought I would. It is such a culturally and historically-rich city.

September was a wonderful whirlwind, with visits from Tom for 1.5 weeks and then my former boss for 2 weeks. Visitors are tiring, but it was so wonderful to have them! They made my September fly by...and you know what they say...time flies when you're having fun! Trying to balance spending time with work and travel proved to be a challenge. While Tom was here, we traveled to Cesky Krumlov (where he proposed to me) and had a lovely (free) stay, courtesy of our our friends, the owners and managers. Tom got really sick (we think he came down with the swine, but not sure) at the end of his stay and that was a bummer. But we had a much-needed, fabulous visit full of laughter, excitement for future life challenges and adventures...and gummi food, of course.

Then, Stacy (former supervisor and friend) came to visit and stayed with me in my flat for two weeks. We traveled to Berlin and then Munich (Oktoberfest) for weekend trips. It was a blast to visit Berlin again, and Oktoberfest was an experience of a lifetime...something everyone should do once, definitely. The Bavarian culture is so rich and authentic. I loved Munich (this is my second time there, as I got a short glimpse back in February en route to Vienna for my visa) and really enjoyed the atmosphere of Oktoberfest. I loved to see that the locals got so into it. And, the energy in the 9000+ person beer hall warranted the 10 euros it was to buy a (litre!) of beer. Wow. I also dug into my heritage and bought a dirndl from a second-hand store...see post below.

Yesterday I took a short day trip to Dresden, Germany to drop off some flyers for work - it was nice to get away for the day. It has been both saddening and amazing to travel Germany so much and learn more about WWII, as I have always been particularly interested in the Holocaust for a long time. It is crazy to see how much of Germany was destroyed by the allies during the war...and to think about how many Germans lost their lives as well.

Zach and I have planned our first long weekend trip together...it was a pretty easy decision when we found tickets to Barcelona for less than 50 dollars round trip, and we get our stay for 50% off! Nice! So, we'll be heading to Spain for my first time, at the end of November. From there, trips to Krakow (dress shopping + skiing), the States (Minneapolis, Lake Geneva and Chicago), the Alps (Austrian + Swiss), Ireland, Croatia, Egypt (possibly)...and more...are on the list.

As for work, it has been extremely busy as of late. To be honest, I don't know how I find the time to do so much traveling (thank goodness for weekends, and for 4 weeks of holiday), as we are busy gearing up for the opening of our fourth property (my main focus here - see photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosaichouse) early next year and I have really been diving into strategy and planning for the new brand, while also continuing to execute the marketing plan I created for the existing three properties as well as building relationships and managing events for the hostels. It has been quite the experience to say the least. It is very challenging at times, but I am learning so much that will set me apart when I head back to the States. But, it is going well.

Do me a favor, before we get any further, and fan mosaic house (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mosaic-House/134322854315) ...we've done the work for you so you don't have to puzzle over where to stay in Prague from 2010 on (although we do have three other really cool properties...darnit!). So you can write in your planner...'Place to stay in Prague. Check'. :)

I will be traveling to London in a couple of weeks to meet with our new biz partners for Mosaic House, so that will be interesting. I am trying to maintain sanity, as I am working with very passionate people from all over the world. This is both a positive and a negative - good, for the differing perspectives, not-as-good because when there is so much passion sometimes it is hard to come to an agreement and get things done.

I'd love to elaborate more on a few of these trips in the future, if time allows (including a work-specific blog post). Please always check back for more random blog posts.

Love and miss you all!

Happy travels,

Me

a picture says a thousand words...

2009-10-07T12:14:00.001-07:00

...but all this picture needs is one: Oktoberfest.

Amazing.

More to come...stay tuned!

Love,

godin wisdom of the day

2009-09-21T03:34:00.000-07:00

The problem with positive thinking

All the evidence I've seen shows that positive thinking and confidence improves performance. In anything.

Give someone an easy math problem, watch them get it right and then they'll do better on the ensuing standardized test than someone who just failed a difficult practice test.

No, positive thinking doesn't allow you to do anything, but it's been shown over and over again that it improves performance over negative thinking.

Key question then: why do smart people engage in negative thinking? Are they actually stupid?

The reason, I think, is that negative thinking feels good. In its own way, we believe that negative thinking works. Negative thinking feels realistic, or soothes our pain, or eases our embarrassment. Negative thinking protects us and lowers expectations.

In many ways, negative thinking is a lot more fun than positive thinking. So we do it.

If positive thinking was easy, we'd do it all the time. Compounding this difficulty is our belief that the easy thing (negative thinking) is actually appropriate, it actually works for us. The data is irrelevant. We're the exception, so we say.

Positive thinking is hard. Worth it, though.

*Ahh, thanks Seth...for the infinite wisdom. Always. It's great. And, we can learn a lot from it.

Positivity may be more difficult, but it's good for the soul. *

Smiles,

me

i love this lady...

2009-08-27T13:29:00.001-07:00

...and my wish of all wishes is that she would come and sing 'You and I' at my wedding...gosh, that would be amazing.

Her new album is out and it is so rockstar. Utterly-uber-cool. I've already listened to this song/watched the video about 47 times and I just bought the record two days ago.

"maybe...in the future...you're going to come back, you're going to come back,around, maybe in the future, you're going to come back, you're going to come back. oh, the only way to really know is to really let it go...". The thing I love about Ingrid is she sings about very real situations, and this is one I know so many girls/women can identify with...even in my circle of friends I know the words ring true to many and hit home hard. It's about love lost...feeling a void...dreaming...uncertainty...we all know what it's like (to a certain extent). Been there, done that.

I'm so glad I found love and am marrying such a cool dude, and I don't have to worry about ever letting go, because he's all mine! Dang, that's neat.

And, well, the creative delivery of the vid is just a-freaking-mazing, funky, cool...WOW. LOVE to love it, Ingrid. You rock, girl.

Enjoy as much as I am...over, and over and over...

Love,

me

RA D IOHEA_D 23_8_09_PRAHA_CZ

2009-08-23T04:29:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right...the day has come. Radiohead is in Prague and I scored tickets. Can you believe tickets were still available a couple of weeks ago? Unheard of. Anyway, I am so freaking excited I can hardly stand it! Mr. Tom arrives next Monday, the 30 of August and I am just ecstatic. It's a skoda ("pity" in czech...just like the car make!;)) that Tom won't be able to see Radiohead with me today, but I've resolved to record as much of it as I can.

Although I knew of Radiohead's music prior to the Tom chapter in my life, I didn't really get into it until Tom properly introduced me. Since that magical day (the first date, when he was blaring it in his saab trying to impress me with the acoustics in his car...ha!). We adore all of their stuff, but a couple of songs, in particular, are close to my heart for a big reason.

"All I need", one of their newer songs, is beautiful and the video - which I just came across today - is thought-provoking as well. That's the reason I love their stuff so much. Not only is the sound utterly unique, but the words of their songs are thought-provoking. I was introduced to this song the night Tom proposed to me in the quaint and charming town of Cesky Krumlov, so of course this one will always be dear to my heart. Go ahead, take a peek...

My absolute fav Radiohead song has a piano instrumental I could listen to, nonstop, for days. It was, in fact, the RH song Tom and I listened to together on that historic, chilly January night after a game of H.O.R.S.E. (I won, of course;))and tator tots at The Bulldog in NE. The way that Thom Yorke's fingers move across the keyboard is graceful and almost overshadow the angst-ridden lyrics of the song. This is why I have, in fact, chosen this song to be an integral part of my wedding. Those of you who will be there will witness this first-hand, as I hope I will move down the aisle just as gracefully to T(h)om(as) Suszynski's fingers simultaneously moving across the keyboard. Of course, we'll nix the words and only feature the instrumental, as the words wouldn't make for the most joyous start to a marriage, would they?! ;).

Anyway, I can't believe I am letting you all in on this wedding ceremony secret. Maybe it's because now you can all help me hold my Tom accountable for refreshing his piano skills and showing them off for you all;)!

So, without further ado...

I'll drink a pivo to you all today as I listen to the sweet, sweet sounds of RH!

Me

221 day anniversary...(what i've soaked up)

2009-08-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

...yes, you heard correctly...I have been here for exactly 221 days (just over 7 months to the layman;)).

*Megan's blog tangent: I actually meant to write a 6-month anniversary post, but time has not been on my side as of late, but awesome visits from some very special people...including Beata and Duane - Tom's cousin and her new husband - and two of my very best friends, Andrew and Jeremy. I also started this on 3 August, didn't publish it until the 17th August, and then tried to update it on the 19th and didn't autosave, so all of my changes were lost:(. Here is the shorter, less thoughtful version...*

In honour of this very special anniversary, I feel compelled to give you all a visual tour documenting the lessons I've soaked up in the last 221 days. Enjoy, and feel free to giggle a little bit...it's good for the soul.

Lessons Learned at 221 days

In Germany, the Hoff is a legend. No joke.

Henry loves to travel with me. Polish weddings are crazy/fun (picture to come).

Sometimes people greet with one kiss. Sometimes 2. Sometimes even 3.

And sometimes it gets very awkward.

(and I don't have a picture for this one...that def. would have been awkward!)

CZE-Poland train travel is best experienced with a phone,

directions, and english/polish dictionary.

The "swine flu" can be fun.

Crystal shops make me cringe.

(don't have a picture for this one because the lighting made me want to throw up)

I loathe rat tails.

Riding the mass transit system black (no ticket) is exhilerating. Fearfully exhilerating.

Czechs like dogs (eurodogs and real dogs). Even ugly ones.
(eurodogs - there is nothing quite like 'em)
Ice cream makes a good breakfast on weekends.

Wedding planning from afar is at times as much fun as attaching

a bunch of dead mice to myself and jumping into a snake pit

(but trying on dresses is so fun!).

Berlin has sweet graffitti and even sweeter vibes.

Proper hipsters make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
I am in love with Krumlov(e) House

(and Krumlov in general)!

*pictures courtesy of the lovely Steph Dalager*

Detox in the Czech Republic is a near-impossible feat. Czechs make me happy (the person and the people in general;)).
Knitting can be fun. Traveling is best done with jesus as your travel buddy
and a timbuktu over your shoulder.Poznan is a city in Poland.

View Larger MapI genuinely love Twilight...no, I mean like REALLY love it. (Okay, okay, it's more of an obsession, really.)
The style here is...well...um...just different.

World Cup races in Europe are fun...

but probably even better when not cancelled.

But really, I've learned...

The grass IS greener on the other side...it's just a different shade of green
(and there may be some dog poop in it;)).

You have to be yourself. ALWAYS. No matter what.

Self reflection is uber-important.

No matter how much I think I've already explored,

there is so much more exploring to do.

Leading is a neverending challenge.

Sacrifice is (sometimes) a bitch...

but in the end it is oh-so-worth-it.

Wandering is good...because eventually you find where you belong.

Relationship-building takes time...

...but when you establish the strongest and most meaningful of relationships,
they'll never leave you.
(and they're best celebrated over a shot of slivovice and tall glass of pivo)Sometimes you stumble upon wisdom (in word form) in the unlikeliest of places. The hostel industry is absolutely amazing -
and brings together the most special, eclectic mix of travelers.

Communication is so, so, so, so important.

(Even more important in a foreign country.)

Sometimes you have to do things you don't like before you can do the things you really love.

I have so much more learning to do...I never want to quit (learning). Life is so much more interesting this way. Thank you to those of you back home who have been so supportive of my goals and dreams - not many people understand them (or me, for that matter), it's those of you who really take time to look past what is just 'normal' to really accept and understand me. So, thank you for this.

And thank you to all of my new friends here who have been so amazing and welcoming - I really am blessed to have the strong community I have in this new place. You guys (and gals) are wonderful.

I love to love all of you.

Thank you for teaching me something...each and every one of you (I'm blessed to have so many teachers!).

Love,

gnome sweet gnome...

2009-08-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

...what I really meant was "home sweet home" of course, but "gnome sweet gnome" sounded silly and made me giggle, so I went with it. :)

As most of you know, I went on my first big holiday to...(wait for it)...the States (hee), back in June. It was a wonderful(ly busy) trip, as I landed on U.S. soil in Chi-town, traveled up to the motherland (Wisconsin) for two days before heading over to Minneapolis for one day, only to leave early the following morning for Colorado for Beata (Tom's cousin) and Duane's wedding for 4 days...then back to Minneapolis for a few days and back to Wisconsin for a few more days, before leaving from Milwaukee to come back to Prague, only to jump on a train a day later to head to Berlin for the Kings of Leon concert. Phew. To say the trip(s) was a 'whirlwind' is an understatement. It was freaking tiring, but oh-so-wonderful at the same time.

So, allow me to give you a little run-down of the trip. It all started with me arriving at the airport in O'Hare, excited to see Tom, Mom and my sis waiting for me with Hannah Montana balloons (I mean, I did it for my bro...so is it wrong of me to expect it for myself?! ;)) and a big 'welcome gnome...oops, I mean 'home')' sign...but there was nada in sight. You know that feeling of excitement you get just after you leave Customs, but before you walk through those big doors that separate you from hundreds of crying, happy, balloon-toting family and friends...I love that feeling. And then, no one was waiting for me. So, I waited for about 20 minutes, and then decided to call the fam to see if they had remembered I was coming into town (hee;)). It turns out they were right behind me, so we all hugged and we were on our happy, merry way. Oh happy day it was!
From there, I spent a couple of days hanging with the fam and enjoying the pool. Then, we roadtripped it up to Minni for a day before we went on to Boulder/Estes Park for the wedding weekend. With immediate stops to The Tea Garden for the regular (strawberry/guava/passion fruit)smoothie with tapioca pearls (mmm, I am salivating right now) and then to Kowalski's, of course, for some aussie licorice, organic fruit leathers and other treats. mmm. Finally, it was on to CO for the wedding. The wedding was rockstar (food was amazing, everything was beautiful), and it was wonderful to hang with Tom's fam for an entire weekend.

We were staying in a beautiful (more like absolutely gorgeous) cabin in Estes Park and Tom and I were able to go on morning walks, enjoying the crisp mountain air. I was reminded just how much I adore Colorado and how much I'd enjoy living there in the future. Boulder is one of the most active cities on the face of this earth...kayaking, biking, running, the list goes on. We even stumbled upon a kayak competition one day and marveled at the athletes. So cool.

The uber-cool door to our home-away-from-home

Thanks again, Elizabeth and Wieslaw for such an awesome time!

Mom and dad - you would have just loved this place!

Random kayak competition somwhere between Estes Park and Boulder...

Never fails...has to be a blue steel in there somewhere

Dr. Tom looks confused...

The next few chronicle our adventures through Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park...

YES! SNOW!

Classic girlfriend/boyfriend hands-in-the-back-pocket shot. 'nough said.

We could defo live here - we totally have 'Boulderite' potential!

The whole fam+

After the wedding weekend it was back to Minneapolis for 5 days of reconnecting with friends and former colleagues, gym time, wedding dress shopping, wedding venue shopping, dinner parties, have I said gym time?! ;). It was just perfect. I was reminded, yet again, just how blessed I am to have such amazing friends. Kate and Hennessy dealt with me while dress shopping a couple of days and Brian and Greta also joined us. It was just magical. I tried on the most beautiful dresses, but also was invited in on the little wedding industry secret...everything is crazy-expensive. And, I started to realize just how difficult planning from afar would be, when the whole wedding date discussion was initiated. Yikes! But, Tom and I had a great time mindstorming about all things wedding-related over french toast at The Bad Waitress...we are such an amazing duo and I am totally confident we are going to make the perfect team in the future.

After a fabulous week "home", we began the journey back to Wisconsin to hang with the fam for a few more days. We had such a fun time with Mikaela, as always, and we also were able to spend some good, quality time with my awesome friend Brittany (whom I've referenced before and is now living in Fiji!). My mom, sister, Brittany and I even had the chance to hit up a dress shop in Milwaukee (of all places!;)) and found some gorgeous dresses. And, of course we had some more great pool time...Tom and Mikaela get along so well and it just brings the biggest smile to my face to see it.

WARNING...the picture below is G+ rated! ;)

I had the most perfect time with Tom and my family and it couldn't have come at a better time...it was just the right time for so many reasons and I am so thankful for it.

Thank you mom, dad, Mikaela, Tom (and family) and all of my lovely friends for such a special vacay!

Love,

me

oh, just one more small request...

2009-07-30T15:37:00.001-07:00

...i ran out of perfume and can't justify spending my czech-slightly-above-average salary on a new bottle. So, if there is anyone out there who wants to ship me over some DKNY Red Delicious or DKNY Be Delicious yummy-smelling-goodness, that would be more than amazing.

love you all!

be delicious,

me

what i love from the states...

2009-07-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

mmm...here was my pile o' goodies when I returned back from the states (of course it is all gone now:))! I know I owe you a blog post about home, travels to Berlin, my 6 month anniversary in Prague (nearly 7 months now - can you believe it?!) and my most recent adventure to a Polish wedding (one word: wow!), but for now I have a wanted to get a very vital blog post taken care of.

First of all, I am wondering if anyone is even reading this?! I know, I know...I've lost you due to my blog negligence, haven't I?! Ah well. I'll get you back. Maybe I will butter you up with some czech treats (can anyone say slivovice?! ;))...

So I always get the "what do you miss most from America/what can I send you from America question". Since I get this question so often, I thought I'd throw out a broad-reaching answer so we can all be a lot more efficient...and I think this spread (see pic above) pretty much says it all. If you are looking to send me a package...no more mac-n-cheese! The word got out and I have a cupboard full (thanks Laura, Stacy, Dad, etc...but I am turning into a yellow/orange noodle - no more mac!;))...so my awesome dad also sent me some good spices for cookin' (which I haven't done enough of).

I miss organic fruit leathers (see bottom left of shot for the variety), Vosges Red Fire Bars (bottom right of pic), anything from Patina - especially cool birthday/get well/thank you/etc. cards (blank ones for me to send from here, as the cards here look like they were derived from my late grandmother's card collection - nothing against it...of course...but flowers and teddy bears and the like, you know?! I'm more of the vintage 1950's crude-card or offensive + delightful card gal), shitbegone (from the green store on hennepin in uptown..because you can never have enough) and one thing I'd really love is some yummy candles. Greta sent a Voluspa candle for my bday (Vervaine Olive Leaf) and it smells gorgeous, but it is almost gone. I would die for a Voluspa santiago black huckleberry (I think that is what it is called) variety right now.

mmm.

The list goes on. I love a lil' piece of home sent my way...even (especially!) if it is a sweet card with a sweet message!

So, there you have it.

Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am to get your post! ;) hee.

Happy sending,

a lil' prayer'll go a long way...like from praha to utah!

2009-07-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hey guys...I'll keep this one short, but that is not to say it is not important. In fact, this one is very important. A week ago today a friend in my ski world sustained major head trauma after falling 30 feet off of an escalator (read about it on skiracing.com).

Here is an example of one (of the many, many) reasons I absolutely adore and value all things social networking-related...his family started a kick-ass blog that they update daily with information about Cody's recovery. It is beyond impressive to see the outpouring of love, prayers, anecdotes and encouragement from (literally) hundreds of people - if not thousands - around the world, who are able to hang right there with the fam as Cody gradually recovers.

Cody was in Park City when the accident happened, training for the 2010 winter olympics in Vancouver. For a guy who has reached 80mph on the most challenging verticals around the world, this is certainly a tragic and unlikely accident. Reminds me more and more that life is so very fragile. So give thanks every step of the way.

Cody is a force to be reckoned with...I'm praying massively huge prayers for him from Prague (couldn't get any bigger!)...and asking that you do as well.

Thank you...each and every one of you...for being in my life. I am blessed. We all are.

(Up and at 'em, Cody!)

Love, me