I'm Back

March felt like it would never end.

Since my last Substack post, I have hit a wall of what I really want Unraveling Mind to be. If you know me, you know my mind is almost always racing at a million miles a minute. Most of the time, it's controlled chaos up there—99% to be exact—but that 1%? That’s where things get interesting. I want my Substack to be a fun, engaging read—something you can enjoy with a cup of coffee, nodding along because you relate, or laughing as you think, 'Yeah… definitely not doing that.'

So what have I been up to since my last post? I’m glad you asked, let’s dive in.

NEWPORT GETAWAY

Surprisingly, I’ve never been to Newport before. Most of my summers are spent on the East End of Long Island, so Newport was a completely new experience for me. For our one-year anniversary, John planned the whole trip. We walked the famous Cliff Walk by the water, toured The Breakers, and spent some time exploring the local shops.

Naturally, I had to maintain my streak on Beli and added the places we dined at. Dining at Clarke Cooke House is a must. I’m usually picky about seafood, but it was absolutely delicious. Would highly recommend getting The Snowball in Hell for dessert if you’ve saved up some room. Other highlights included The Nitro Bar and Kaffeology.

AGUA CON GAS POR FAVOR

Man, oh man, do I love Spain. Not only is my family from there, but there’s something about sitting at a café and ordering a coffee that truly resonates with me. My youngest brother, Tyler, is studying abroad in Barcelona, so we split our time between the city and Mallorca. I need to make a separate post for my entire trip and what to do.

Every time I visit Europe, I’m reminded of how much we stress ourselves out for no reason here in America. People there spend hours—yes, hours—just sitting with friends, truly enjoying each other's company. Meanwhile, in the States, we’re always in a rush. Our minds are constantly wired to move at a rapid pace, but that’s not a sustainable way to live.

We spent time at the must-see sites, such as Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and Park Güell. What truly took my breath away was the Palau de la Música Catalana. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. The ceiling of the main concert hall is massive. The stained glass skylight creates a vibrant and colorful atmosphere inside the concert hall.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to pause and read through this quick update on what I’ve been up to. Oh, and I didn’t mention that I ran a half marathon this past Sunday—that was pretty cool. I’ve got another one in two weeks. Looks like my running girl era didn’t end after college.

Talk soon,

Briana