Here’s a few photos of Ashley’s time in Shanghai . So. much. fun! More to come soon (I promise this time!)
Jingan Temple: 
Orange soda and xiaolongbaos!
Bund friends:
Boys!
Author: Ann
Good Time Friends
Lost of pictures coming soon from having my two besties in Shanghai:)
Book Club: Fates & Furies
I basically received a recommendation to read Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff from any where I went — NPR, Time, The New York Times, even President Obama! And it did not disappoint.
The book provides a unique view of a relationship and explores how there are many sides to each story. The beginning is from a male’s point of view and the second half switches to a female’s point of view. I loved the book and would recommend to all!
Pumpkin Patch Trip
We surprised my boss with a trip to Rock Creek Farms, aka the local pumpkin patch, right before Halloween. While the giant inflatable slide, photo cutouts and tractor were pretty cool, the giant corn maze captured my heart. It was my first experience in a corn maze and I can’t believe I’ve been missing out! We choose the 2.8 mile trek since we didn’t have a ton of time but still managed to walk around 8,000 steps finding the clues to solve the puzzle. We finished off the trip with a picnic.
Next year, I’m dragging Skip through the 6.8 mile version!
Friday Photo
Ashley: Fall is in full swing in Denver. The trees have changed, the weather dips at night and it is squash season! I harvested the acorn and butternut squash from my garden, split them open, tossed with olive oil and roasted for a delicious weeknight dinner. Also pictured is the last of my summer squash which also tasted yummy roasted.
Ann: A nice home cooked meal from my boo: chicken Parmesan – nom!
Explorations: Salt Lake City
A few weekends ago, I took a short trip to Salt Lake City. Tracy and I wanted to visit our friend Sam and see firsthand why she is always raving about SLC.
It didn’t disappoint!
We mainly caught up over cocktails, but also checked out Park City (and the Olympic Center, see me realistically carrying that torch), enjoyed an amazing tapas dinner, hiked the “living room” trail above SLC and explored Mormon Square.
I’ll be back (hopefully during ski season)!
Brunch Run!
Ann inspired me with her photos from the Shanghai Color Run. I decided to run the bRUNch 10K. While I certainly didn’t train hard enough for the more than 6 mile run, it was a blast anyway.
After we crossed the finish line, we were treated to Bloody Marys, mimosas, breakfast food and other goodies. I’m already looking forward to next year’s run!
Friday Photo
Ashley: I enjoyed the music of Bastille at a Colorado landmark, Red Rocks. Sometimes I forget how much fun it is to enjoy live music!
Ann: sticking on the theme of live music I’ll contribute my recent Xinjiang dining experience. Xinjiang is the western most province in China and is more like the Middle East than Mainland China. At dinner this evening their was live Xinjiang dance and even the owner of the restaurant taking requests on his accordion – a good way to warm up prior to karaoke (KTV in China).
Cool Community Events: Mentor Walks
A great organization I enjoy being a part of in Shanghais is International Professional Women’s Society (IPWS). One of my favorite events they put on is mentor walks. The idea is that you meet in the a.m. with a big group of women who then pair off with a mentee. There are about two to three mentees to one mentor. Then you take a walk or have a sit in the park while discussing items that are relevant to your career and life. This lets you get deep insights from professionals in the city and create personal connections. Check it out here!
Explorations: Quick San Fran Trip
I traveled to San Francisco at the end of September for work. I stayed in the Presidio area, and enjoyed walking around the hip neighborhood. My quick list of favorites were the chicken hash from Ella’s, the bagel display at Noah’s New York Bagels and watching the fog roll in from a walking path in Presidio Park.
Two Cities, One Plate 