Dana's Cheer Squad

When your friend secures a spot in the Big Sur International Marathon - you rally the On The Run Club and show your support!

We just touched down from a red-eye flight, returning from an unforgettable journey. It was my first time in the Monterey Bar area, and I promise you it won’t be my last. Our accommodation, a cozy AirBNB nestled high in the mountains, served as a basecamp for all eight of us as we ventured into the scenic surroundings, savoring each moment with a glass of wine in hand.

On the last day, Dana conquered her first full marathon, with an impressive elevation gain of 2,100+ with a big smile on her face, we were so excited to cheer her on and watch her cross the finish line!

Here is a curated list of places we visited which deserve some credit:

Accommodation: AirBNB
Shark Fin Cove: Scenic walk
Restaurants: La Bicyclette, SeaCliff Inn, Little Tampico, Vesuvio
Vineyards: Bottle Jack, Loma

4th of July with The Lyon's Fam

Hey there, folks! Guess who’s back?

This year’s Fourth of July in Lavallette was an absolute blast. The weather Gods decided to spice things up, but that didn’t stop us. The weekend included tackling big waves, Lyon’s wine, the game “Nouns,” sake bombs and an unbeatable firework show (every night).

Spending time with the Lyons Fam is my favorite summertime escapade. Let the good times roll.

Montana -> Wyoming -> Utah

In August, My cousin and I flew into Montana and started our road trip. We landed, grabbed our rental car, and went to Stacy’s Cowboy Bar for lunch before heading to Yellowstone National Park. We stayed at Canyon Lodge and although pricey, it was a super convenient and comfortable stay. Here is the link if you’re planning to visit: https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodgings/cabin/canyon-lodge-cabins/

We explored the following in Yellowstone: The Grand Canyon at Yellowstone (from Artist Point & Inspiration Point), Grand Prismatic, Morning Glory Pool and Mammoth Hot Springs.

The next day we drove to Jackson, Wyoming. After many attempts, I was finally able to photograph the T.A. Moulton Barn. Waking up at sunrise was totally worth it, and the conditions were close to perfect. While in Jackson, we stayed at the Cloudveil in town. Link here: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/jacak-the-cloudveil-autograph-collection/

Next on our list was Flaming Gorge which is located on the border of Wyoming and Utah. We stayed in a perfect little cabin, and hiked a few miles along the Red Canyon Overlook. Link here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/640057?source_impression_id=p3_1635364961_AhntmlG%2B%2B1VbpN3Z&guests=1&adults=1

We spent the rest of the trip in Moab, Utah where we explored Canyonlands and Arches National Park. The AirBNB we stayed at was: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13732484?source_impression_id=p3_1635365277_mXgGOcSmapCxwJNj&guests=1&adults=1

My favorite part of the whole trip was off-roading. We used a company called Xtreme 4X4 and I could not recommend them more, check them out here: https://www.xtreme4x4tours.com

If you’re just here the photos, here they are!! :)

P.S. Elk are like silly reindeer.

Biological Family

I think I can speak for most when I say 2020 was a hard year. Lots of adjustments, loss, hurt, frustration. Although 2020 was tough for me at times, it wasn’t all bad. After discovering my full brother Nico in 2019, we decided that it was time to figure out who our Birth Father was.

Buckle up.

For the privacy of everyone involved, I have changed some of the names in my story.

In October of 2019, I started messaging relatives on Ancestry (2nd & 3rd cousins). I simply explained that I was adopted, and was looking for more information about my biological family.

Two people in particular were kind enough to help me. I gave Becki all the info I had, and we went to work. We exchanged contact info, and for about a week straight we were building family trees and researching obituaries. We stayed up very late most nights emailing back and forth. Karla was the other family member who dropped some hints. She thought she knew who my biological father was, but didn't want to start any trouble. Totally understandable.

After endless nights, Becki and I narrowed it down to a few people. One man in particular made the most sense. I told Karla that I figured it out, and she replied, “How’d you know?!” Confirming that he was the guy. (In my next life I will be a private investigator.)

After speaking with Nico, we decided to draft a letter to our biological Father, Karl and sent it via certified mail. We stated that we thought we were “closely” related to him, and added our contact info at the bottom.

Then, we waited.

I was quite surprised when I received an email from Karl shortly after the letter was delivered, it started with “WOW.” A few days later, Karl, Nico and I jumped on a three way phone call. Karl was never notified about our births. We all live within two hours of each other.

The phone call started with, “When the first child was born..” I think my jaw actually dropped to the floor. Turns out there was another child born before me, in 1992. All we know is that he’s a boy. Eventually I hope to meet him one day, but for now, I am content with getting to know my new extended family.

Nico and I met Karl separately. For me personally, this was how I wanted to do it. We met at an Italian restaurant, and my Mom came with me. (The Mother who raised me) My Mom has obviously been in my life since the beginning, and I wanted to share this moment with her. The dinner went great, and had a lot of questions answered. We found out that Karl and I would be in Park City, Utah at the same exact time. We ended up meeting up and skiing together. Turns out, Karl is also a pilot, and has his own plane.

Karl’s parents are both still alive and well, my biological Grandfather is a talented painter. I get my height from my biological Grandmother, she’s 6’1”. Karl also has a sister, who has a daughter, Dani. Dani was the only grandchild before Nico and I came along.

This took a while to digest, and almost a year later, it’s still hard to believe this is real life. My parents who raised me will forever be Mom and Dad. I am very fortunate - I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood. They have been great and very supportive through this entire process. Nico, Karl and the rest of my new extended family have been a great addition, and I can’t wait to see where life takes us.

I am sure there will be more to come..

How We Met - Sibling Edition

When I was a tiny baby, my parents adopted me from the West Coast. I grew up in rural New Jersey, where I played soccer, took horseback riding lessons and played manhunt in the neighborhood on hot summer nights. I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood.

Growing up, it was no secret that I was adopted. Although I coincidently looked like my parents, they made sure to introduce the word “adoption” into my vocabulary at a very young age.

Four years after I was born, my birth parents had a second child. Like myself, he was also adopted. Nico was born and raised in the state of New York where he grew up playing sports, excelling in soccer and martial arts. He too, had a great childhood.

In 2017, Nico received an Ancestry DNA test on Christmas morning. Naturally, he sent in a spit sample, and waited patiently for the results. He didn’t do much when he received his results because he didn’t match with anyone significant at the time. He was happy to find out his exact heritage, as he didn’t have any information prior.

In February of 2019, I decided that it was time to to learn more about my heritage. Without mentioning this to anyone, I innocently purchased the kit. I received the kit, followed the directions, and sent it back.

About six weeks passed, and I received a text message alert, “Your AncestryDNA results are in!” I was eager to finally see if I really was Irish. Little did I know, my life was about to dramatically change, (for the better!)

Under “Immediate Family” I had one match. I stared at my screen in disbelief, “how is this possible?” I saw a small question mark icon, I clicked on it. It brought up a “possible relationship chart”.

Nico and I share 2,520 CM’s, meaning we are full siblings. We share enough CM’s and DNA strands, that would could be fraternal twins if we were the same age.

So, what did I do next? Message him of course.

Nico responded in less than 12 hours. Both of us were under the impression that we were the only child born from the same parents, so you can imagine the confusion and shock. We spoke every day for a month, asking each other questions, comparing our toe thumbs and pale skin.

We decided it was time to finally meet.

The next week, Nico and I planned a brunch with our moms. The brunch went on for so long, we actually got kicked out of the restaurant (in the most polite way). Note: Nico and I did not plan to match.

I couldn’t be more thankful to have a brother in my life. I am so excited for this new relationship. More to come, cheers! And guess what… We’re Irish!

Below you can find side by side photos of us growing up.

Montana

A spot opened up, and my friend Alex invited me to Montana. Without knowing the plan, I booked my flight and a few days later I was boarding a flight to Great Falls. I landed late, and of course, was greeted with a Bud Light and McDonalds.

Alex, Chris, Peter and I were greeted by the group when we arrived to the house - everyone was super friendly and we clicked right away.

We woke up the next morning at sunrise, and drank coffee on the back porch while we witnessed the sun spread her gold in every direction. We rode horses, fired off guns and finished the night off with a cliffside dinner in the middle of the woods. Nothing short of a great day.

The next morning we made our way to Glacier National Park. We hiked Avalanche Lake, drove up Going To The Sun Road, and ate lunch at Lake McDonald.

Needless to say, it was very sad to leave this beautiful state.

A big thank you to Alex, Buck, the staff on the ranch, and the group for making this a trip I will not forget.

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Utah

In February I asked Amanda if she wanted to go to Utah. She responded right away, “let’s send it.”

We flew into Las Vegas, rented a car and headed to Valley of Fire (snagging Starbucks along the way of course). We stayed here until sunset, and then headed to our Treehouse AirBNB in East Zion. Our stay here was more than I could ever expect, check it out here

The next morning we made oatmeal, and headed to Zion National Park to hike Angel’s Landing. Highly recommend this hike if you are planning to visit Zion, it’s not for the faint of heart, though!

Friday we made our way to Bryce Canyon and hiked Navajo Trail Loop and the Queen’s Garden Trail. Pretty easy hike with an outstanding view, especially at sunset.

After hiking Bryce, we drove 4 hours North to Salt Lake City where we crashed for the night. The next morning we grabbed coffee and headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats. I was able to meet up with an old friend from High School, and made some new friends along the way.

Saturday night we made our way to Park City, and spent the rest of our trip snowboarding/skiing and drinking at Pig Pen Saloon. It was our first time skiing on the West Coast, and I know I’ll be back as soon as I possibly can.

I couldn't have asked for a better trip - I can’t wait to travel again once this Pandemic is over. Stay safe and let’s go somewhere (very soon).

*Photos of me taken by Amanda Bantham

Ringing in the New Year

Every year for the past five years we have celebrated the New Year in Vermont, thanks to Jake and Sam’s Family! All went well until my phone broke and Danielle got her Chrysler 300 rental stuck in the snow.

Have no fear, Danielle made her flight out of Boston and my phone was replaced. 2020 we’re ready for you!

Girls Trip to Vermont

Last weekend I booked a last minute Airbnb, packed the Jeep and headed to Vermont with Crysta, Julia and my cousin Alyssa.

The photos of the Airbnb will speak for themselves, I couldn’t have pictured a more perfect weekend stay in this A-Frame cabin. It gently snowed the entire weekend, making it feel as though we were in a Hallmark movie. (No, I did not find my prince charming if that’s what you’re thinking, haha!)

We woke up each morning taking full advantage of the coffee bar, and ate eggs and donuts from the local country store, sitting by the fire made by yours truly.

The house was close to Mount Snow, so we hit the slops on Sunday - conditions were close to perfect.

If you want to stay here, check out the cabin here

Thank you Jason and Wife for opening up your piece of heaven to us!

The Adirondack Mountains

This past weekend I was invited to go camping with my friends Gary and Taylor. Since I’ve never been car camping before, I didn’t really know what to expect. I packed warm blankets, instant food, my hiking boots, and headed North.

Friday night was very cold, about 30 degrees F. I slept on my Deep Sleep in my Jeep (so comfortable by the way) in a hat, scarf, sweatshirt, sweatpants and 4 layers of blankets - it was brutal. Saturday morning we woke up, ate breakfast and headed on our hike up Mount Jo. It was a difficult hike for me, but the views delivered.

A special thanks to Gary and Taylor for introducing me to the awesome people I met on this trip. Not only do we share the love of photography, but they were super welcoming and kind.

I am thankful for this life I live. Can’t wait for our next trip <3

first photo taken by Jess Olm

Pine Barrens, NJ

This weekend we hit up the Pine Barrens, 1.1 million acres of off-roading adventure in South Jersey. I’ll let the pictures do the talking :)

The Hamptons

Every Summer we go to The Hamptons, thanks to the Kaadi Family. We all arrived Friday night, and spent the weekend chasing the sun and fruity drinks. The photos below are just a fraction of our weekend. Luckily for you, the photos do NOT show: Sam sleep walking (naked), attending an underage club (by accident), one of us peeing our pants, or a projectile vomit Uber incident. You’re welcome, ha!

New Rochelle, New York

Since Nico and I met, we’ve been trying to make up for the 22 years we’ve lost.

Yesterday, I drove to his little beach town in New York. After meeting a few more members of the family, Nico helped me with my jeep, and then we headed to the beach just a few blocks away. We packed a cooler of Lime White Claws, my camera and took the kayaks out on the water.

After a few hours on the Long Island Sound, we headed to a lake in Wayne, New Jersey, where I met MORE cousins. We played flip cup, beer pong, and enjoyed a bonfire while the sun set. Looking forward to many more nights like these.

‘Twas a perfect day.

How We Met - Sibling Edition

When I was a tiny baby, my parents adopted me from the West Coast. I grew up in rural New Jersey, where I played soccer, took horseback riding lessons and played manhunt in the neighborhood on hot summer nights. I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood.

Growing up, it was no secret that I was adopted. Although I coincidently looked like my parents, they made sure to introduce the word “adoption” into my vocabulary at a very young age.

Four years after I was born, my birth parents had a second child. Like myself, he was also adopted. Nico was born and raised in the state of New York where he grew up playing sports, excelling in soccer and martial arts. He too, had a great childhood.

In 2017, Nico received an Ancestry DNA test on Christmas morning. Naturally, he sent in a spit sample, and waiting patiently for the results. He didn’t do much when he received his results because he didn’t match with anyone significant at the time. He was happy to find out his exact heritage, as he didn’t have any information prior.

In February of 2019, I decided that it was time to to learn more about my heritage. Without mentioning this to anyone, I innocently purchased the kit. I received the kit, followed the directions, and sent it back.

About six weeks passed, and I received a text message alert, “Your AncestryDNA results are in!” I was eager to finally see if I really was Irish. Little did I know, my life was about to dramatically change, (for the better!)

Under “Immediate Family” I had one match. I stared at my screen in disbelief, “how is this possible?” I saw a small question mark icon, I clicked on it. It brought up a “possible relationship chart”.

Nico and I share 2,520 CM’s, meaning we are full siblings. We share enough CM’s and DNA strands, that would could be fraternal twins if we were the same age.

So, what did I do next? Message him of course.

Nico responded in less than 12 hours. Both of us were under the impression that we were the only child born from the same parents, so you can imagine the confusion and shock. We spoke every day for a month, asking each other questions, comparing our toe thumbs and pale skin.

We decided it was time to finally meet.

The next week, Nico and I planned a brunch with our moms. The brunch went on for so long, we actually got kicked out of the restaurant (in the most polite way). Note: Nico and I did not plan to match.

I couldn’t be more thankful to have a brother in my life. I am so excited for this new relationship. More to come, cheers! And guess what… We’re Irish!

Below you can find side by side photos of us growing up.

Victoria & Kevin

This past Saturday I was asked to photograph a proposal in Hoboken. I was excited because I hadn't photographed something like this in a while, and was different from my usual day to day work.

I arrived 30 minutes early to make sure I coordinated with the videographer, and then we both sat on a bench like tourists until we saw Kevin and Victoria.

Once Kevin proposed, both of their families came out, and surprised Victoria.

You both made my heart melt, congratulations you two!

Stowe, Vermont

Last weekend I was invited (AKA crashed the party) to an Airbnb in Northern Vermont. The aesthetic, vibes, and energy was everything I could have asked for. We skied all day, had the most delicious dinner at a place called “Flannel” and spent the night in the spa.

Stowe Mountain is officially my favorite mountain on the East Coast - 10/10 would recommend.

*Photos below are taken by Amanda, Dan & myself :)

Jenna's Quarter Life Crisis

Last weekend, Shane and I drove up to Vermont for my birthday weekend. We went snowboarding at Okemo all day Friday, and then met up with the rest of the crew at the Airbnb. My college friends traveled from all over the East Coast just to celebrate my birthday, and I couldn’t have been more thankful and happy to see them all.

The Airbnb exceeded our expectations. The home itself was straight out of a hallmark movie. Fireplaces in every room, extremely comfortable beds (with heating capabilities) and a kitchen to die for. Many people asked for info on the Airbnb, so here is the link! https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21626150

My favorite part of the whole weekend was tubing at Magic Mountain. I was not expecting to fly down the mountain that fast and aggressive as we did, see below for hilarious photos. 10/10 would recommend.

Iceland

2018 has been all about checking destinations off my bucket list. A few months back, we decided to “send it” and buy tickets to Iceland. Courtney and I began planning the whole trip, from the car rental to the Airbnb’s. We took a red eye from Newark, and landed in Reykjavik at 5am, and let me tell ya …. IT WAS FREEZING.

We spent the first night in Reykjavik, exploring the downtown area. The next morning we went horseback riding, which was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. The boys even liked it! My ponies name in english mean “little guy” but boy was he fierce. (We booked with Viking Horses, they made our experience so special. Check them out here: https://vikinghorses.is )

After riding, we made our way to a tiny town east of the city, called Fludír. We followed the winding dirt roads, over bridges and dodging pot holes. We made it to our beautiful cabin with a hot tub, over looking the snow covered mountains. It was picture perfect to say the least.

My favorite day of the trip was Sunday. We went to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, DC-3 US Navy Plane Crash Site, and The Black Beach in Vik. We arrived in Vik just as the sun began to set, and it was the most beautiful (but deadly) sight I have ever seen in my entire life.

Little did we know about the dangers present at this beach. The waves are violent, and push far further up the beach than we expected. A giant waves came crashing up, almost pulling the boys back into the freezing rip tides. Thankfully, we all got off the beach safetly, but the boys had to ride 3 hours back in the car in just their boxers. Everything was soaked.

I did some research when we arrived back.

These are called sneaker-waves, and they can appear when least expected, even on incredibly still days. There are no significant landmasses in between Antarctica and the shores of Reynisfjara, meaning waves have thousands of kilometers to build. A number of fatal accident have occurred here. So please be careful when visiting.

On our last day we went to see the Kerid Crater, where a volcano once was. And of course, our last stop before the airport was the Blue Lagoon. Although very touristy, you MUST do this. There are three different tickets you can purchase. (make sure you book in advance!!) We did the comfort package, which was perfect for us. It included one free drink, a face mask, and a towel for after your swim. (You can book your tickets here: https://www.bluelagoon.com)

This was the most amazing trip, and I want to thank everyone who gave me advice and travels tips!! Life is short, make it sweet. <3

Connecticut

We spent most of this weekend listening to country music, hiking, drinking beer and fishing (ok .. and a little bit of Netflix and Call of Duty). I have felt pretty distant from photography lately, so I made it a point to carry my camera around the whole weekend. I am so glad I did; Sunday we were in the middle of the lake, when our motor died. Shane and Michael had to paddle us all the way in to shore! Photo below. *insert laughing emoji here*

4th of July in The Hamptons

For the past three years, we've gone to The Hamptons for the 4th of July - thanks to the Kaadi Family! There were 10 of us at the house, which added to the fun. We ate good food (minus Courtney's lobster), went to the beach, and watched the most amazing sunsets. 

Saturday we rented a catamaran (this is where most of the picture taking happened). We sailed around Sag Harbor, swimming, floating in a duck and drinking while laying out on the hammock section of the boat. I am so lucky to have friends like these guys, love you all! Take a peak at the photos below ;)

Crew love <3