Jenny Strozinsky

Since I’m just starting this blog I didn’t have the chance to document one of my favorite trips EVER, EVER, EVER. I grew up on the east coast and never did much traveling towards the western side of the country. My grandparents own a lake house in north Georgia and the rest of my family is from Wisconsin, so as kids our summers were mostly split between these two places. My parents, being teachers, have the summers off, obviously, so we were really lucky to be able to spend months at a time on vacations and on trips. My parents, being teachers, were also broke so we traveled places that were (mostly) free. Fine. With. Me. I’ll have an entire post dedicated to my love of the lake house. When I got older I started venturing out to more “exotic” places. I skied in Colorado for the first time in eighth grade, and traveled to Europe when I was 16, but still never really had the opportunity to head alllllll the way over to the west coast.

Tyler’s brother and his girlfriend live in Edmonds, Washington, about 45 minutes from Seattle. I knew we had to take advantage of this awesome place to visit (thanks Britt and Nicole!) Tyler and I started planning our trip to the PNW in the Fall of 2015, and flew out of Jacksonville on Christmas day. I love airports. Granted, I’ve never had a really bad experience in an airport where I’ve been stuck in one for days like some of my friends and family have- knock on wood, but in my experience I just love airports. I don’t know if its the excitement about the trip, or the people from all over the world, or just the abundance of Starbucks and magazine stands, whatever it is I just get so excited about flying because I love airports. I could hardly sit down that morning. We took the cheapest flight we could find so we flew out EARLY. 5 a.m. early. Poor Tyler. I was buzzing around, probably hitting his knee over and over, “We’re going on a trip!! It’s our first big trip together!! Aren’t you so excited!!?? Why aren’t you bouncing?? Let’s get more coffee!!!” I’m five. It’s fine. Anyways, we flew out of Jacksonville had a short layover in Atlanta, and arrived in Seattle in the late afternoon their time. Now I’ve never dealt with a drastic time change except in Europe so let me just tell you, three hours is a huge difference, also it was freezing!! We got our bags and picked up our rental car (#adults) and drove on the most beautiful expressway to get to Britt and Nicole’s apartment. “Babe do you see IT???? IT LOOKS STRAIGHT OUT OF TWILIGHT!!! I’m going to cry it’s so beautiful!! Let’s move here!!!” That was me while Tyler tried to navigate through a new interstate we’ve never driven on. I was just excited okay?? We got to their apartment and was greeted by sweet Owen, their pup. Britt and Nicole’s apartment is straight out of a freaking HGTV show. It is so cozy, and beautiful. Nicole had it all decorated for Christmas and it was so festive and sweet. They made us feel right at home.

During the week we were in Seattle we ate a lot of really awesome food. I’m telling you I did not have one bad meal the whole time we were there. I didn’t even have one meal that I was like “Eh that was okay.” All of the food was phenomenal, 5 stars phenomenal. I would move to Seattle for the food alone. A few of my favorites were the Commons for brunch in Woodinville, Cutters for lunch downtown Seattle (try their open-face crab sandwich,) and Heart coffee in Portland. I also love how dog friendly the pacific north west is. You can literally bring your dog everywhere! I loved taking Owen to the dog park close to B&N’s apartment. It was right on this awesome rocky beach- that again looked right out of the Twilight movies, not kidding. We also went to a few really cool breweries, and even got to meet up with my cousin Emily, and her boyfriend (now fiance!) at an awesome little spot downtown Seattle where I had the best mussels and local beer. We also did a night in Portland, which I absolutely loved. I want to do another trip of just Portland, hopefully in the summer so we can hike! Since we didn’t pay for a hotel in Seattle, we splurged on a really beautiful hotel for one night downtown Portland. If you are ever visiting that area and want to spend a little extra money I highly suggest the Hotel Lucia downtown Portland. We had the best time.

Normally at the end of a trip you’re ready to be back home in your own bed. Not this time. I could’ve stayed in Seattle forever, and I know Tyler felt the same way. The entire city is just full of greenery, everything is so lush and fresh. The food is spectacular, and the entire vibe of the area is unlike any other place I’ve ever been too. It’s such a special place. I can’t wait to go back one day. Maybe even move there, who knows!

Hi everyone. My name is Jenny Strozinsky, I am a 22 year old college student living on a small island right above Jacksonville, Florida. Below I’m going to write just a little bit about my story, but I promise this blog won’t be “all” about me.

I was born smack in the middle of the 1990’s, and on December 14, 1995 a bald, screaming, cone-headed baby made her appearance into this world. Cone-headed baby Jenny woke up everyday to the sound of waves crashing from the window in her bedroom, or so I assume since I don’t really remember what I heard as a baby. From what I’ve heard I was a freaking amazing, angel, perfect baby, other than the fact that I was so high maintenance that I screamed whenever someone wasn’t holding me. I blame my parents. I’m sure my dad picked me up every time I cried. Should’ve let me cry it out Jim! A little under two years later my mom popped out my little sister, Amy. I was pissed. I liked this little alien baby that was brought home, hated my parents. How could you do this to me? I’ve been the center of attention for two, glorious years and you’re just going to rip that away from me? You couldn’t of just bought me a puppy?

Seriously though, my sister and I had the coolest setup as kids. A huge two-story treehouse our dad built, a giant deck, a huge yard, and not to mention we were about 13.5 steps from the beach. Heaven. When we were young, my mom taught school during the day and my dad bartended at night. At the time this was the coolest thing ever. We never had to go to daycare, dad was there to play ALL. DAMN. DAY. and when he went to work mom was there to feed us! What a great deal! Looking back now, I bet this was super hard for them. My dad worked “bar hours,” I’m 21, young, and fun (ha. haha. ha. my bedtime is 10:30,) and wouldn’t even dream of working in a bar. From what my mom tells me now, sometimes my dad wouldn’t get off until two in the morning, then she was up at five, home at three, and had to be a mom as soon as she turned the key to the front door. Vomit. They’re the coolest parents in the world though, truly I don’t know what I would do without them.

When I was going into the second grade, my parents moved us to St. Mary’s, in Camden County Georgia. Camden is about 45 minutes north of Fernandina, on the border of Florida and Georgia. Yee. Haw. My mom taught at an elementary school, and my dad taught at the high school (Go Wildcats!) We lasted three years, just enough time for my mom to pout enough to the point where my dad agreed to move back to the island. During the time we lived in Camden I got a puppy, had some of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and made friends that I still love and cherish 10-years later. I started middle school at Fernandina Beach Middle School and had the best three years of my life! HA. OKAY. Lots of Sperry Topsider boat shoes, Abercrombie and Fitch graphic tees, and making High School Musical remakes in my living room with my friends. Shudder. High school was a blur of dance classes, a short cheerleading career, friends, and working. When senior year rolled around I was doing anything I could to get out of going to school. I skipped a lot, ate a lot of T-Ray’s biscuits, and showed up at home “after school” with a hell of a sunburn most days. “Mom I just sat outside during lunch and somehow got a full on lobster glow, I promise!” She never bought it. I hear the high school has become a lot more strict on their attendance policy since I graduated and it’s probably due to Kristin D’Aquino (my high school best friend, and one of my best friends today,) and me. I graduated, and went on to attend Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Statesboro: cotton fields, soy bean fields, one Walmart. I finished up my freshman year with a solid 2.75 GPA and a new best friend, Erin Grace Kelly, to show for it. Summer ’15 I met my Tyler, and was transferred to the University of North Florida, and moved home by the Fall of 2016. “OMG Jenny you moved home for a boy?” Never heard that before, I swear.

So, here we are. About to start my last semester as a Communications major with a concentration in Public Relations at UNF with high hopes, goals, and dreams. No idea what I want to do, where I want to do it, or when I want to do it, but I’m excited to figure it out. I see the ocean everyday, work a job I love, eat far too much fried chicken, have an undying love for all things Harry Potter and I have the most wonderful, supportive, and loving people in my life.. 2018, lets do this.

Jenny Strozinsky

Seattle, WA.

“This is real, this is me.” – Camp Rock