I love to travel, meet new people and experience new cultures. I am married and live in Massachusetts with my husband, Will; roommate/friend Ryan; dog, Loomis; and guniea pig, Mildred. My dream is to someday buy a few acres of land in the middle of nowhere to provide a place for my friends and family to live and support one another without working ourselves to the bone with no time to enjoy. I love meeting and getting to know all people. The last time I went on a trip I said, "when I get home I am going to live and enjoy my surroundings in the same way I do when I am a tourist" and I intend to hold to that. It is easy to forget how beautiful my own back yard can be and I think showing people around my region is a great way to experience it with new eyes.

I operate my own business with my sister, called "The Gypsy Cart" where we sell bohemian antique and vintage furniture and home decor items. I also currently run a business called Paint Nite in Worcester, MA and Albuquerque, NM. We teach painting parties to people who have never painted before at bars and restaurants. I love all things outdoors, animals, food, books, music and gatherings incorporating all of the above.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am feeling like I need to see the whole world, and very soon! I have not made travel as much of a priority as I have intended to in my lifetime. I have road tripped some of the United States and visited a few states, but not much else. I recently started my business in Albuquerque, NM with the hopes to one day live there part time. In the meantime, the back and forth travel has be difficult and somewhat isolating staying in hotels. It is also really expensive so I have had to cut former trips short in order to save money, limiting my experience of the area and the people. I would like to get to know people in the NM area (and eventually around the country and globe) and also have a more comfortable home base when I travel there. I have never couch surfed before so I am hoping that this experience will open doors to traveling to other parts of the country and the world. I work from home and in front of a computer most days while in Massachusetts and have found that in working for myself, the thing I miss most is getting to know people and REAL human interaction, technology excluded. I thrive on hearing other people's experiences and learning from each unique lifestyle. I hope couch surfing will help me to better connect to people in a new environment, plus introduce me to people and places I may not discover on my own from a hotel.

Interests

I love painting and art of all mediums, especially shadowbox-multimedia, and painting, gardening, hiking, camping, eating delicious food and learning about and trying new beer and wine. I believe herbal tea cures all ailments, but I can't live without my black coffee in the morning. I enjoy visiting museums, going out to eat, antiquing, decoratiing, yoga (very new to it, but am loving it) bellydancing, reading and many other random misadventures.

• animals
• dogs
• arts
• books
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• yoga
• running
• partying
• gardening
• technology
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• rock climbing
• business

Music, Movies, and Books

Always looking for new things to read, listen to and watch!

Music: ALL THE THINGS! I go through phases. over the past few years I really enjoy bands like: First Aid Kit, Bjork, My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers, St. Vincent, Andy Hull/Manchester Orchestra, Noah and the Whale, Andrew Bird and a million more... But I also really Love a great 80's/90's dance party including, but not limited to Phil Collins, Toto, Prince Whitney and MJ, and of course the classic essentials: everything from Cat Stevens, Tom Petty, Simon and Garfunkle, Clapton all the way to Louis Prima and Billie Holiday. I really do like it all, except maybe Nickelback, Kid Rock, Limp Biscuit, ICP, and the like ;)

I love the books: Lolita, White Oleander, Practical Magic, Mrs. Dalloway, Half the Sky, The Red Tent, Arcadia, Catcher in the Rye, Brave New World, Girl Interrupted, The Subterraneans, and most historical fiction. I am always looking for new must-read books! My favorite childhood books (which still grace my collection and are forever re-read) are The Boxcar Children, The Redwall Series, My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Chronicles of Narnia.

My favorite movies are: The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Amelie, Moonrise Kingdom, Rushmore, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Harold and Maude, Alice in Wonderland, Mary and Max, Two Girls and a Sailor, Shirley Temple, most documentaries- especially survival stories and off-the-grid scenarios.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have started a business 2500 miles away, and fallen madly in love all this past year. Watched my friends become amazing, fully-formed adults and fallen in love with myself and my life in general. I really hope this list grows!

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd love to learn another language, how to surf, how to better ride a bike (I am really no good on 2 wheels, but can manage), to play an instrument, to brew beer or make wine, raise bees and any kind of animal really, permaculture farming, botany, printmaking, rock climbing, crocheting....

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can teach art, sewing, decorating, fabric dying, cooking, organization, gardening... I can enjoy hours of conversation... I'm sure there must be more but those are my favorite things. I can bring fun, a beer and a belly laugh. I am very generous with friends and love to cook, especially for other people!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States