Live from New York, it's the Rayna Review!
June 2024
Hi friends, we’re live from the Amtrak from New York to Vermont. 🚈 Big R took on the Big A these past few days and I am happy to report that I now have a new city to love. The options to explore were endless! That being said, I am very much looking forward to returning to Denver and being able to hear myself think again. In this newsletter we’ll be going through some life highlights, sharing some of my favorite summer mountain escapes, and in the tea section I’m laying it all bare.
The Updates
Another month has come and gone, with temperatures and pool visitors rising. Tyler and I are currently in a battle with the rowdy pool attendees that decide 11pm is a perfect time to bring their group and a speaker down to the hot tub on a Tuesday night. We knew the risks of living in an apartment by the pool, but we never thought that it would be this loud, and at this point we’re calling security every other night. I’ve written, I’ve pleaded, I’ve begged with our apartment management to do something, but their responses have left us wanting. Which has led us to be on the HUNT for a new spot. So stay tuned, Big R might be moving to another part of Denver very soon.
In the spirit of getting out of the house and away from the noise, June was full of a lot of new experiences. One of the best events being the Denver Polo Classic Opener. Now if you’re thinking what I'm thinking, I agree - what business do I have going to a Polo Game? I don’t even like horses! But that random event turned out to be one of the best Sundays of the month. We tailgated and met the ponies and even some miniature ones! They only open their matches to visitors a few Sundays of the year; here’s a list of the upcoming ones - it's worth the drive out to Highlands Ranch.
If you’re looking to wine and dine, like I am, this summer, here are a few of my top recent visits. I went to Glo Noodles for my yearly visit and once again, the food was so good that it had me questioning why I only visit them once a year. I crossed off a coffee shop that had been on my list for the better part of two years - Gypsy House Cafe. A kitschy, hippie cafe located on South Broadway- I got a blueberry matcha and it did not disappoint. However, if you have a sensitive sniffer, know that they are blasting that incense. Finally, if you follow me on social media, you know I cannot shut up about my new favorite brunch spot - Stowaway. It reminds me so much of the cute brunch places I frequented in Portugal. Stowaway is now one of my top Denver recommended spots - when you go, get the Colorful Colorado! 🧇🤤
Highlights in Photos:
Videos People are Loving
Colorado Mountain Town Escapes
It’s about to get hot out there 🥵, so here are a few of my favorite mountain events to escape the Denver heat. A majority of these are in August, but most of them require some pre-planning so I wanted to share them early!
Block Party Eagle - August 11th-13th 🤠
Basically a three-day music festival held in the quaint town of Eagle, CO. Expect local vendors, good vibes, and happy go-lucky attendees
Aspen Music Festival - June 26th-August 18th 🎹
A music festival that goes all summer long. The eight-week summer festival includes hundreds of classical music events performed by orchestras and opera singers every weekend
Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival - August 3rd-4th 🍺
Colorado’s longest running craft beer festival. It’s celebrated with a weekend of string bands and craft beer pours and just a thigh-smacking good time
Telluride Mushroom Festival - August 14th-18th 🍄
The ICONIC mushroom festival is a Colorado joy. Tickets are hard to secure but once you’re there, it will feel like you’ve entered another world, pun intended
Breckenridge Wine Classic - August 22nd-24th 🍷
A weekend wine festival that happens in both Vail and Breakenridge (take your pick). Perfect for those who love to sip amongst amazing views
Influencer Tea
Is it tea if it's about yourself? Here’s some self poured, self served tea if you will.
I put on a tough front, and for the most part I would say that I am a strong human, but these past few weeks have challenged this resolve. I am so grateful for the growth I’ve been able to experience these last few months on my socials. Growing your following on socials is like seeing the fruits of your labors. However, ask any creator and they will tell you that growth doesn’t always last. And that you sometimes might find yourself plateauing. Now, plateauing isn’t inherently bad, in fact it allows you to build stronger relationships with your current following, but when you’re used to the growth and it suddenly feels like it's gone - phew, no one prepares you for the mass amounts of self-doubt that follow.
To put it in perspective, for about five months, I was growing between 50-70 followers a day. Which averaged about one thousand new followers every two weeks - THAT'S A LOT! Now I’m averaging around 20-30 followers a day (if that), which is still great but feels so bad in comparison. It got to the point where I would hesitate to post because I was convinced that nothing I posted would be good enough to reach new followers.
Blah, I hate writing that, I hate feeling that. I was down bad for the greater part of the month. Caring about the number of followers feels so trivial sometimes, but I look at it as a performance review. When I worked in corporate America, getting a less than perfect performance review left me with a similar feeling.
Then one Tuesday, something snapped. I think the words “who the fuck cares” came out of my mouth one morning when I was obsessing about my followers, and my brain decided there were more important things to focus on. Sometimes you just have to sit in your feelings and let yourself truly feel them so you can get yourself out of them. Happy to report that I’m on the other side of my deep, deep self doubt, and I’m hoping I can stay here.
Definitely need some mountain escapes this summer!