Blogging + Taxes

February 26, 2015

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It’s that time of year: taxes. I did my taxes last week and while going through, something I think that isn’t so talked about in this wonderful blogging community is how the income side of blogging needs to be recorded and worked into your personal income. So as I went through this year and did my taxes, I asked my accountant a few questions about blogging income and how it needs to be tracked to accurately measure how much you’re making and what the cut offs are for what you need to show on your income statements for your taxes. So if you’re making a little bit of money blogging and wondering the same things I was about how to record it, here’s how!

Keep Track of All Expenses

One thing I didn’t do when I first started blogging was to keep track of all the expenses for this website, which though often misleading, there are a lot of expenses! Blogs are expensive to run and upkeep if you’re in it to make money; from website design to advertising to any other services you subscribe to, blogging can be an expensive hobby. That’s why you want to make sure to track every expense so you can write it off. After all, if you’re running your blog like a business, tracking expenses is incredibly important. This includes everything from any sponsorship spots you bought (advertising) to website design costs and everything in between. If you spend money on your blog, keep a spreadsheet of all those costs.

Keep Track of All Income

As is the same as keeping track of your expenses, you should also keep track of all of your income. If you sell ads with Passionfruit (or any other way), or you offer paid sponsored posts, all the income you make from your blog should be tracked. Keep a spreadsheet of when the income is coming in, what kind of income it is and how much you made.

If you make over $400 in a tax year, you should report it.

When I pulled together all my blogging information from 2014 last week to do my taxes, I ended up with just about $150 in profit for the year after all my expenses. My accountant told me that if the income doesn’t go over the $400 mark, you generally don’t have to report it since it’s such a tiny percentage of your overall income. Though if you get over that $400 mark, you need to report it as income on your taxes.

If you start consistently making a good amount over $1000, you should set up a business registration.

Once your blog starts doing consistently well financially over the years and grows to make more money, you should consider setting up a sole-proprietor business and registering it. It’s pretty cheap (in Oregon, it’s only $50 to register) and you don’t have to do much else than that. But if you’re making over $1000 per year blogging, it would be a good idea to set up a business, particularly if you keep growing year after year.

Looking for more posts on Blogging?

See our archives here for Blogging posts.

A Complete Pre-Trip Checklist

February 24, 2015

When we get ready for a trip, especially a trip internationally, I often find myself looking for a complete pre-trip checklist to make sure I don’t forget anything. So here is how I prepare for a trip and what I do at different intervals of time before a big trip – my very own complete pre-trip checklist for you to use as well!

2 Weeks Before

+Figure out what you’ll be packing. I know a lot of people will look at this and say they can do it the night before you leave, but in my experience, a million other things in life will come up right before you leave, so save yourself the headache and the loss of sleep and do this 2 weeks in advance. I go through and grab everything I’m thinking about taking out of my closet, then I go through it and weed it down into however many outfits I need that will fit in my carry on suitcase. I also take photos and write down each different outfit for specific days to make sure I know I have everything I need.

+Save all confirmations. Another thing that will save you so much hassle later, save every confirmation email you have from your bookings. This includes flights, accommodations, experiences, train tickets, etc. Keep a file with all that information that you’ll take on the trip. I also go through and reconfirm everything looks good just to make sure I didn’t forget anything.

1 Week Before

+Get money. I always get some cash in the local currency to where we’re traveling before we leave Portland. If you get it at your local bank, you not only get a better exchange rate most of the time over doing it in airports and you don’t have to pay the fees some of those travel exchange places charge. Plus, it’s one less thing to do when you arrive so you can hit the ground running.

+Alert credit cards. You mostly don’t need to call credit cards anymore that you’ll be traveling internationally but I do confirm if I need to alert them on the websites for the cards that I’ll be taking with me on the trip to let them know I’ll be traveling through the countries on my itinerary. This way, you can be sure that no transaction will get declined due to them not knowing if it’s fraudulent or not.

+Add data plans. Nick and I like to have International data on our phones when we travel for safety reasons and to stay in touch with emails and such. So confirm with your phone provider a week prior to your trip or add it online to make sure it’s all set up.

+Buy toiletry items and check if you need any refills. I like to check a week prior to a trip to confirm what I need to buy in terms of toiletries and small shampoos and such. I also go through and check all my makeup and any other things we travel with to confirm if I need to buy refills or not. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten somewhere and realized my makeup was almost empty, only to have to hunt around in a foreign country for something similar. Do this instead before hand.

5 Days Before

+Look at calendar items while you’ll be on your trip. I always like to make sure that if things are happening while we’re away, we take care of them before we leave. Things like family members birthdays or work deadlines, I make sure and buy cards or finish up projects prior to leaving, that way it’s all done while we’re away. This also applies to making sure things like your DVR is set to record things you want to watch while you’re gone or moving any conflicting appointments until after you get back.

+Pack your suitcases. While I like to plan out my outfits about 2 weeks prior to a trip, I don’t usually actually pack it in my bag until about 5 days before. This way it still gives me plenty of time to get everything in there, but also not enough time that the clothes wrinkle or get too smashed. This is also a second round to confirm you got everything.

3 Days Before

+Pay any bills that will be due while you’re away. Bills are one of those things that just happen all month long these days, so make sure any that need to be paid while you’re away, get done before you leave.

+Let someone know where you’ll be. Whether it’s a family member or a neighbor, let people know where you’ll be and a rough itinerary of your trip. This way if something happens, they have an idea of where you are. I also like to let our neighbor know we’ll be out of the country so they can keep an eye on our apartment and let us know if anything were to happen.

2 Days Before

+Get your passports out. I like to get our passports out of our safe a couple days prior to a trip. That way you can make sure they are all good to go and set them out so that you for sure don’t forget them.

+Confirm seat assignments and flight times. 2 days before is a great time to confirm all your seat assignments (before everyone gets on 24 hours previous to check in) and make sure none of your flight times have changed. It’s a great last look at all your bookings to confirm everything.

1 Day Before

+Confirm airport pickups/shuttles. I always like to know how we’re getting from the airport or train station to the hotel ahead of time. A day before is perfect to confirm those arrangements and make sure you know what’s happening once you arrive.

+Pack adapters. Pull out any adapters you might need and pack them.

+Sync devices. This is the one thing I always forget to do ahead of time and then I’m doing it last minute. Sync all your phones, iPads, computers, whatever the day before you leave so it’s done and you have time to confirm that everything transferred over correctly.

Day of the Trip

+Pack chargers. The one thing we need the night before to charge our devices, seem to always need to be packed last. But don’t forget them… that makes for an issue while traveling!

+Unplug cords at home. I like to go around and unplug lamps and random outlets at home when we’re gone just to be safe.

+Set “out of the office” reply. I still answer email regularly while traveling, but I like to let people know I’m technically on vacation so they don’t expect an immediate or lengthy reply. Set your out of the office reply to go live the day you leave.

Travel Tips : The Best Travel Websites

February 23, 2015

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A huge part of travel is the lead up to a trip, the research, the bookings, the spending hours trying to figure out how you’re going to get from point A to point B without spending an insane fortune. We’ve all been there, sitting behind the computer screen trying to figure out the easiest way to search and book and everything in between and I’m always curious which sites other people use to book travel and what they like about them… so here in no particular order, are some of my go-to sites!

Orbitz

I start my research at Orbitz for a few different reasons. A) I like how their website works, how it shows fares and it’s easy to filter results. It also doesn’t have a million pop ups included in your search like many other travel website. B) A couple years ago when we went to Rome and had a literal Hell of a time getting there due to canceled flights, strikes, you name it, Orbitz ended up giving us back a significant portion of what we had paid for airfare through them even though it wasn’t their fault at all and had everything to do with Air Canada, who I will never fly again after that experience. But my point is, Orbitz took care of us, even when they didn’t have to and I appreciate that and have stayed loyal.

Now I might not necessarily always book through Orbitz, but I do when the prices are right and I definitely always use them for my flight research to figure out what the options are to fly to my destination.

Tablet Hotels

I’m an interior designer in my daily life, so when I travel, one of my favorite parts of a trip are to stay in unique, boutique hotels around the world. One of the bad things about searching for a hotel on sites like Orbitz is that they have everything in the list from Hilton to Marriott to whatever. I’m all about finding that individual property with great design… enter Tablet Hotels. To be honest, I’ve only booked with them a few times because in my opinion Hotels.com (see below) has a better rewards program but I do most of my hotel research with Tablet. Tablet only shows boutique hotels, those cool spots that you love staying at!

Splendia

Splendia is another boutique hotel website that filters out all the chains, but it also offers a bit more varied options than Tablet. If I don’t find something I like on Tablet, I head to Splendia and go through their list.

Hotels.com

As far as booking hotels, Hotels.com is my go-to. Their rewards program is great and has earned us lots of free nights around the world, the website is easy to use, their customer service is fantastic and the large majority of the hotels featured on the site have free cancelation up to 24 hours before your stay. That in itself is so helpful and we’ve used that free cancelation option many a time when things have changed.

AirBnB

If you haven’t heard of AirBnB yet, I’m not sure where you’ve been hiding but it seems to be all over the internet these days, especially in blogging circles. AirBnB lets you rent apartments all over the world for incredible prices most of the time. It does take some filtering to find that perfect place but when there are places like this gorgeous Ile St. Louis spot we stayed in Paris last Fall… have at it!

Rail Europe

When we travel through Europe, we try to do as much transit on trains as possible as it’s so much easier than flying. So when I’m putting together how we’re going to get from place to place in Europe, I head to Rail Europe which encompasses almost all the major European train networks in one website. Granted sometimes their prices are a bit higher, so if that’s the case, I’ll do my research here and head over to the actual train network’s website to book. But having everything in one language and encompassing many different networks on one site always makes train bookings easier.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor has been around for a while now and yet it’s still such an incredible source of information. I never book a hotel without checking TripAdvisor first. The key to using this site to your fullest advantage is taking everything written there with a grain of salt. Anybody can get on there and complain about the smallest thing, so realize what’s important to you and just ignore the comments that don’t relate to your own booking. For example, a complaint I see a lot on there is that a hotel is noisy. I skip right past that comment because that to me doesn’t really matter if I can hear noise outside or in the hallways… that’s not a big deal to me as I tend to sleep right through it. But comments about cleanliness or bad staff… those send me looking for a new hotel.

Trainline

Trainline is Europe’s leading train and coach app. They work with 207 rail and coach companies so that customers can travel to thousands of destinations in and across 45 countries in Europe. Their aim is to bring together all rail, coach and other travel services into one simple experience so people can get the best prices and smart, real time travel info on the go.

I Don’t Believe in Bucket Lists

February 19, 2015

I know this might sound strange, but I don’t subscribe to the bucket list idea.

The idea of creating this list of things to do before you die has been around for a while now and especially in the blogging world, it’s really taken root. I began thinking about this a few weeks ago and actually wrote this post en route to Hawaii last month but it’s taken me a while to get it right before posting. After I saw a similar article, I was even more encouraged to post my take on the bucket list idea because I have a lot of thoughts on the matter. So after multiple drafts, here’s why I don’t believe in Bucket Lists…

Sometimes it seems the travel blogging world is just full of counting how many countries you’ve been to and how many points you’ve checked off your list and I have a hard time with that for many different reasons. I’ve traveled a lot, I’ve lived overseas and when it comes down to it, I really couldn’t give you a number of countries I’ve set foot in mainly because I’ve never sat down to figure it out. I couldn’t tell you which places have been bucket list items because I’ve never had a bucket list, just a curiosity and a passion to see the world we call home and live each day I have to the fullest. I’ve never subscribed to the idea that there are a definite number of things I have to do and see before I die or that if I never see the Great Wall of China, my life wouldn’t have been complete. I subscribe to the idea that while yes, there are definitely an abstract number of places that are on my mind that I’d love to see and experience in years to come, but I feel like sometimes the idea of just checking things off a list does an injustice to the idea of travel and exploration in general.

I’m not saying this to go against anyone who loves checking things off a list or lives by the idea of a bucket list, but for me personally, I believe that experiences while traveling that come up randomly, places that inspire you that you never thought would, living in the moment while exploring an unknown place or a place not on your list…those things you can’t necessarily plan for and often just happen while traveling. Those are the things in my experience that are so much more important and so much more worthwhile than having a box to check.

Some of my favorite things I’ve experienced while traveling haven’t been those bucket list items that everyone has like the Taj Mahal or seeing the Eiffel Tower. Those monuments aren’t necessarily the best things to see in the world and are often not as incredible as the lesser known spots that you might skip in order to make it to your bucket list items. For some, places like the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower would be made a priority specifically for a bucket list item to check off, but for me, a place like Udaipur (a lesser known city in India) or the lesser known parts of Paris have been much more substantial and life changing experiences and could potentially be left off a travel itinerary in search of those places everyone knows about.

And so here in lies the rub. Bucket lists in general can serve a purpose to help us get to places in the world, they can push us forward and help us establish goals but there is so much more to the world that just checking boxes off a list of places everyone wants to see or counting the countries you’ve visited. It’s often the unknowns, the places like Udaipur or the back alleys of Paris that are more worthwhile for your life journey, that will show you more beauty and inspiration than many of the boxes on a bucket list. Checking boxes and counting countries is fine if it works for you, but also remember to treat each box as more than just a square on paper. Each place on that list is also a vibrant culture and memorable moments, they are people and places and experiences and sometimes in an effort to get as many checked boxes and see as much as possible in our lives, we forget to look around and take in all the things that are unknown and possibly more important.

Travel Tips : Booking Award Travel

February 18, 2015

Earlier this week, I booked one way tickets for Nick and I to fly from Portland to LA, then LA on to Sydney, Australia for our trip in November for 42,000 Alaska miles and $40 to fly on Qantas. Granted it’s only in Economy class, but still, that is such an incredible deal I couldn’t quite believe it until it was all done and booked. As I was booking it, I thought to myself, I should definitely write a blog post about this topic, booking award travel, since it does usually come with some headaches and it’s helpful to know some of the ins and outs of how to do it effectively. There are lots of other website that have way more information and tips on this like The Points Guy, one of my favorites, but here are a few tips and tricks that I’ve come across when booking award travel, which I’m doing more and more of as of late.

Websites don’t always show how many award tickets are available – so call the airlines.

Websites of the various airlines are supposed to show how many award seats are left or available, but they don’t always actually come through on this. It’s important if you’re traveling with someone else or multiple people, to call and verify how many actual award seats there are. This happened to me booking our Australia flights, as I was booking for Nick and I in premium economy and got to the very end when it finally said there was actually only 1 premium economy seat. So I ended up calling Alaska and having them book us together in economy instead where there was availability.

Using credit cards not tied to Airlines can often be more worthwhile.

One of the things that drives me crazy about booking award travel on certain airlines is that they have hardly any availability and prices can often still be expensive even when using miles. One of my favorite ways to get around this obstacle is using credit card points that aren’t tied to a specific airline, like my Chase points that I earn on my Sapphire Preferred card (which by the way, if anyone is interested in signing up for this card, I have a special targeted email that can get you more points if you email me) and my Business Ink Plus card, both of which I would highly recommend. My points from various cards can be combined and used toward travel on any airline or travel expense anywhere and often the points needed are less than going through specific airlines for specific routes. You can also do the cash + miles option with Chase points, which can be incredibly lucrative and save you lots of money in the long run.

A little side note on using my Chase points as well, you get the mileage from those flight segments in your airline account since it’s booked through a third party, which is fantastic since usually booking through airlines themselves, you won’t accrue that mileage and help you get to elite status.

Book short flights using miles that are hard to use on long hauls.

I’ve talked before about how much I love my BA visa card, but the problem with BA is that there is hardly any availability usually when booking award travel through them and on top of that, their fuel and surcharges are way higher than most other airlines. You might end up paying a bunch of points + $1000’s in fees sometimes depending on where you’re flying, but the trick is, using those BA points on smaller, shorter flights can be a great use. I used a bunch of BA points for our upcoming trip through London, Spain and Portugal for flights in between cities, some even in business class for a steal. Knowing when and where to use your miles is a really important thing to get the most out of them, so do your research.

8 Steps to Take Right Now In Order to Travel

February 17, 2015

One of the most common things I hear from people is that even though they might want to, they can’t travel as much as I do for whatever reason. I always hear all the reasons why they can’t, but the truth is, I hardly ever hear the ways people are making a lifestyle with lots of travel work if they want to. We tend to look at traveling in the States like it’s something we’d like to do, but not something that is very attainable. But here’s the thing, it totally is if you do it right. Whether it’s international travel or domestic, adding more travel to your life is all about making it work and examining your priorities. If you want to travel more, here’s what you can do right now to work toward it!

PS… I also want to add that a lifestyle with lots of travel definitely doesn’t come easy and it takes a lot of hard work, but it’s oh so worth it!

1. Determine Your Priorities. The single most important part of being able to add more travel to your life are your priorities. Many people don’t want to give up other things in their lives to be able to travel and that’s totally fine, but if you really want to travel, it’s important to note that will have to sacrifice other things. Determining what your priorities are, how they affect your daily lives and what you’re actually willing to sacrifice is a great first step.

2. Start a Savings Account. Travel costs money, there just really is no way around that. You can definitely learn ways to cut costs while traveling but you can help yourself out first by starting a savings account. I have multiple savings accounts going all the time, named for specific trips or specific upcoming events and I add to them as I can. This can really help focus your saving and make you want to put more money away.

3. Set up Automatic Transfers. It’s also helpful to set up auto transfers from your paychecks, even if it’s a small amount, it can really help you to save for your travels. Another great option is that most large banks now have systems you can sign up for that rounds your purchases up to the nearest dollar and adds whatever that amount is into your savings account. I personally use the Way2Save program with Wells Fargo that adds a dollar to every purchase made with your debit card and transfers it into your savings account and I’m always amazed at how much it adds up to.

4. Set Up Loyalty Accounts. Loyalty accounts with hotels and airlines are a great way to help save on cost when traveling. Take a few minutes and set up loyalty accounts on your most frequented travel brands so you don’t miss out on points and such while you travel.

5. Apply for Travel Credit Cards. While I always caution using credit cards for obvious reasons, if you can control your spending, travel credit cards can be an incredible help in letting you travel more. Sign up bonus, mileage bonuses and added perks like free checked bags and such, travel credit cards have a lot to offer!

6. Cut out Miscellaneous Costs. Look around at your daily life and see where you can cut cost. Do you often order multiple drinks at a restaurant? Do you spend money on a gym membership that you don’t use? Do you have a closet full of clothes you don’t wear anymore? How many Starbucks coffees do you have per week? All of these questions and more that apply to your daily life can often show you where you can cut back on cost and put that toward travel. What people don’t often realize with Nick and I is that we don’t drink very often, we sell anything we don’t use and we don’t spend a lot on our daily costs at home. That money is then set aside for travel.

7. Plan Ahead. It’s amazing how much more travel you can do both with days off and financially if you plan ahead. We plan our year out at the beginning of the year, so we can do lots of research and find good deals as well as plan for our time off of work. Look ahead and you’ll be able to travel a lot more!

8. Find a Second Income. Finding a second income source is super helpful when it comes to adding more travel to your life. Nick and I both work multiple jobs (at companies and on our own as well) to cover our travel expenses and putting your skills to use can also be a great fulfilling experience.

You Know You’re a Third Culture Kid When…

February 16, 2015

I haven’t written anything for a while on my childhood in the Middle East, though for numerous reasons as of late it’s been on my mind a lot. Sometimes I wonder how my life would have been different had I not been born in Saudi Arabia and every time that I think about it, I can’t help but be so thankful for that experience and for my parents choosing that life. It has completely shaped who I am, created in me a passion for this planet, a belief in equal rights and in respecting each and every person for who they are and where they come from. But it has also brought some interesting and often awkward moments throughout my life. Sometimes I can’t help but laugh at reactions from people and situations my childhood abroad have put me in, but nonetheless, it’s part of who I am and something I’m proud of.

Not familiar with what the term Third culture kid means? I wrote about it here.

You know you’re a Third Culture Kid when…

+People ask you where you’re from and you question if you should give the real answer or make something up.

+You give the real answer to the question about where you’re from and it takes 10+ minutes to explain, followed by a round of questions that take even longer.

+Your birthplace is an interesting topic of conversation.

+You grow up knowing you probably won’t be able to drive by your childhood home as an adult or go back for holidays.

+You spent years not fitting into your “home” country.

+You feel as if the world is your home, not one particular place.

+Living with people of different religions, different ethnicities, and different beliefs isn’t a bad thing, it’s wonderful.

+You crave the food of your birth country on a regular basis…. like schwarmas and will go any length to get them.

+Your memories of childhood revolve around travels to exotic countries, near and far.

+People you meet later in life will never fully understand the way you grew up.

+You are met with a round of questions going through Immigration booths around the world asking why you were born in _____________.

+That melancholy feeling you can’t quite shake about missing that home you had as a child never quite goes away.

+The world becomes your passion and your instincts are to help make it better.

Interested in reading more about my childhood in Saudi Arabia?

See all of my posts on the country!

The Best Valentine’s Day Escapes

February 13, 2015

With tomorrow being Valentine’s Day and romance on our minds, what better way to spend time with that person you love than escaping the everyday and heading out of town to celebrate? Though we’ll be at home this year, I love splurging on special Valentine’s Day plans and with so many amazing, romantic places to choose from in the world, here’s my top spots for that romantic escape with your love. And while it may be too late to book these spots for this year’s celebration, keep them in mind to surprise you partner next year!

The entire country of Ireland and its neighbor to the North, Northern Ireland are magical at all times of the year with gorgeous countrysides and fantastic cities. Consider spending time with someone special at a little inn in the Irish countryside.

Romantic tip: Book a room at the adorable Bushmills Inn in Northern Ireland, rent a car and spend your days driving around the Northern Irish countryside OR make Dublin your destination and spend your days wandering the city streets taking in the quintessential Irish charm.

Staying closer to home in the US, there is perhaps not many more romantic places in the US than the Napa Valley, with great wine, fantastic restaurants and hotels, spending a weekend in this area is pure romance.

Romantic Tip: Base yourself in Sacramento, rent a car and roam wine country for days on end taking in the gorgeous scenery.

No where does romance like Paris and for any romantic escape, the French capitol is a wonderful choice. Spend your days wandering arm in arm with your partner, taking in all the French wine and pastries you can!

Romantic Tip: Stay at Le Notre Dame Hotel on the banks of the Seine with views of Notre Dame and head up to the top of the Tour Montparnasse at sunset to take in gorgeous 360 degree views of Paris.

For an Asian escape, Udaipur, India is one of the romantic and picturesque places I’ve ever been. Set on a lake with mountains surrounding, this gorgeous Indian location will take your breath away.

Romantic Tip: Stay at the Oberoi Udaivilas and spend your days eating the most delicious Indian food and watching sunsets over Lake Pichola.

Where else is more romantic than celebrating love in the city that is famous for the home of Romeo and Juliet? Verona is a quaint little Italian city with lots of charm and some incredible food. Grab your love and wander around Verona for a while, complete with stops for lasagna and gelato (and maybe not necessarily in that order!)

Romantic Tip: Verona is a quick 1.5 hour train ride from Milan, so you can easily do it as a day trip. Arrive mid-morning, grab a fantastic Italian espresso and then stop for lunch later on to enjoy some of Northern Italy’s delicacies, followed by Gelato and you can be back in Milan by dinner to have a romantic meal as the Duomo in Milan lights up at night.

One of the most romantic things in my opinion is just spending time with that person you love watching the sun rise or set. There is something about the way the world seems to stop and put on a show of color and beauty always makes me want my love by my side. And where else in the world is better for that than the islands of Hawaii?

Romantic Tip: Splurge on a hotel with views of the beach, you’ll see some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Bandon : Shore Acres State Park

February 11, 2015

As beautiful as the Oregon Coast is in clear, blue-sky weather, there is also something so rugged and stunning about seeing the cliffsides of the Oregon Coast on a stormy grey morning. On Sunday a week ago, before we headed back to Portland, we stopped at Shore Acres State Park which is about 40 minutes North of Bandon on windy, back roads through forests, before you finally arrive and find yourself literally on the edge of a cliff with the roaring ocean below. Shore Acres is a great spot to stop when in the Bandon area and while the area was pretty stormy the day we were there, we’ve heard the waves we saw were nothing compared to other times when the ocean rises up 70-100 feet against the cliffside at this spot.

Standing above the ocean though, looking out at the stunning coastline in front of me made me so thankful for beauty like this in the world and for the beauty that my own home State has to offer. I’m not much of a beach person but give me a stunning cliffy coastline and a roaring ocean, with rain falling around me and that is what I find truly breathtaking.

One tip if you head to Shore Acres – there is no cell reception for most of the way there and most of the way back to the 101, so load your maps and directions on your phone for both directions before you go!

Photos by Nick Nieto Photography

Bandon : Sunset at Wizard’s Hat Rock

February 10, 2015

When we started looking into our trip to Bandon on the Southern Oregon Coast, Nick was immediately drawn to one stretch of beach in town which housed some really incredibly shaped large rocks on the beach. This stretch of beach happens to be where the well known “Face Rock” is located which looks like the silhouette of a human face, but of more interest to us, was the nearby Wizard’s Hat Rock. A large cylinder-shaped rock directly on the beach literally looks just like a wizard’s hat straight out of Harry Potter.

We spent the twilight hours wandering the beach as we made our way to Wizard’s Hat. After a gorgeous afternoon, as the sun fell, so did the temperatures, so we bundled up for an evening on the beach while the sun was starting to set. I was really glad to have Moon Cats Grey Button gloves for the evening (which have special material on the thumb and forefinger so you can still use your phone, as evidenced by my amount of Instagrams that evening!) and as the temperatures dropped and the twilight hours turned into a lovely sunset, we watched colors streak across the sky behind Wizards Hat Rock. There is nothing quite like winter sunsets on the Oregon Coast and they are one of my favorite things to experience this time of year; a color streaked sky behind one of the most stunning places I’ve seen.

Photos by Nick Nieto Photography

I absolutely loved my Moon Cats gloves which the company so generously gifted me and I know I’ll wear them often, so if you want to check out some of the other items the company offers like scarves and hats for your own upcoming trips, the company is offering my readers 30% off with code TRUECOLORS30OFF. So head on over to their website and take a look!

Blogging + Taxes