THE BEST OF 2019, TEAM B EDITION (AND 2020 GOALS)

As has become tradition, In 2017 and 2018 we shared some of our favorite travel, culinary, professional and personal adventures – as well as our goals for the future. See how 2019 stacked up in comparison, and what we hope to take on in 2020!

JORDAN, PRINCIPAL & CO-FOUNDER

Biggest adventure(s) this year: I was able to knock out my goal of three new countries and a new continent. This year I hit Africa for the first time, with a visit to Morocco, and knocked Portugal and Costa Rica off the list as well. I also made return trips to Spain and Italy, and finally had the chance to learn what a three-Michelin starred meal was all about (spoiler alert: I was not disappointed). Finally, I purchased BPR from my co-founder, BrieAnn, who decided to focus on her new adventure as mom to Lachlan. Luckily we’re still able to collaborate, as she’s moved from partner to client, in her role with The Ramble hotel, which she owns with her husband.

Goals for 2020: I’ve got big goals to hit a new continent: South America is top on the list, and I’m setting my sights on Argentina. I’d love to hit South Africa as well, and make a return trip to Mexico City. I’m also eyeing some mini weekend trips closer to home: Charleston, Nova Scotia and Chicago are some I’m most excited for.

APRIL, ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Biggest adventure(s) this year: This past year has been one of exciting changes and growth for me. Joining the B Public Relations crew in January has given me the opportunity to get to know the talented and kind publicists and social media mavens on the team. It’s truly remarkable to be a part of a team of lady bosses who are dedicated to lifting each other up and supporting one another each and every day. I’ve also had countless adventures getting to know our BPR clients – horseback riding at C Lazy U Ranch during their centennial anniversary, bravely navigating the streets of New York City on a Citibike during a media mission, and flying high in a hot air balloon during the annual Snowmass Balloon Festival are just a few top memories that come to mind. I also joined the Colorado Tourism Leadership Journey class of 2019-2020 and have really enjoyed getting to know such a diverse group of leaders in the state’s tourism industry. Personally, my adventures were focused closer to home, but the one that truly took my breath away was tackling Telluride’s Via Ferrata and taking that first step during the “main event.”

Goals for 2020: Next year is all about more travel for me – the biggest challenge is narrowing down the list! At the top, however, is heading to Alaska. I plan to finally tackle the hike in the Maroon-Bells Snowmass Wilderness between Crested Butte and Aspen and get back into running. Finally, I’m working on becoming a better cook (there’s nowhere to go but up for me) at home.

MERIDETH, DIRECTOR, SOCIAL & DIGITAL MEDIA

Biggest adventures: Between work and my personal life, this year has been a whirlwind! Changes within BPR kept me on my toes and as the digital team continues to grow, my position continues to evolve. I returned from maternity leave in January with a three-month-old and two-year-old at home, and spent the better part of Q1 and Q2 learning how to balance it all (I think I mostly have the hang of it!). My hubby and I escaped for a weekend in Santa Fe in March and then took our first vacation as a family of four to the Outer Banks of NC in May. We had a big 40^th birthday celebration in September (not mine!) followed by trips to FL, MA, KY, Winter Park and Breckenridge. Nora still has a ways to go before she catches up to her big sister’s 40 flights, but I feel like we made a decent dent in her frequent flyer miles this year!

Goals for 2020: Despite a hectic year personally and professionally, I managed to check one of my 2019 goals off my list: completing my Level I Sommelier Certification! While I’m tempted to go for Level II, it’ll have to wait until my kiddos are a little more self-sufficient to allow the time to make this happen. For 2020, I still have my eye on a website coding class, and I’d also like to try my hand at being an adjunct professor for a Denver or Boulder-based college this year or next. Personally, I’m hoping to finally get back in the saddle on a regular basis, and take my older daughter with me. The apple must not fall far, as she’s crazy in love with my favorite creatures and asks to ride often.

CATIE, SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Biggest adventure(s) this year: As far as passport stamps go, 2019 was a successful—and really fun!—year. I visited several new cities, including Amsterdam, London and Mexico City, where I attempted to maneuver a pedal boat through Amsterdam’s canals (equipped with a bottle of bubbly and an entire wheel of cheese); hopped around London’s markets and cocktail bars; learned how to make mole, tamales and tortillas in Mexico City; and even attended a Formula 1 Grand Prix race. I’ll end the year in Nicaragua learning how to surf—wish me luck!

Goals for 2020: I would like to get involved in more volunteer programs, and I’m especially interested in mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado.

CHELSEA, SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Biggest adventure(s) this year: We did a lot of adventuring this year: Santa Fe, NM; Bigfork, MT; San Diego, CA; Jelm, WY; Austin, TX; and countless Colorado mountain getaways. But the biggest adventure of 2019 (and maybe of my life) was our trip to Argentina! We spent 10 (short) days exploring the region of Patagonia, fly fishing in San Carlos de Bariloche and hiking to the base of Fitz Roy in El Chaltén before spending a few days in Buenos Aires. From tango in the streets to eating every empanada we came across, my husband and I had an amazing time dusting off the high school Spanish and exploring one of the more remote and BEAUTIFUL regions in the world.

Goals for 2019: More mountain getaways. I can’t stay off the river! We probably won’t make a big international trip happen this year, but I’m already planning Hokkaido 2021. Skiing deep powder, soaking in hot springs and sushi après has us pumped to get on another plane!

SARAH, SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Biggest adventure(s) this year: I stayed close to home in 2019, spending most of my time with my sister who moved home to Colorado after 10 years in Portland – bringing my nephew, Ben, with her (obviously), meaning a lot of time spent bonding with him and watching him grow into a full-fledged toddler. I spent a small chunk of the winter in the mountains re-learning to ski (and kind of killing it), and I did actually open Mary Berry’s “Baking Bible” as I hoped (only one time, sure – and for a Christmas cookie exchange – but was quickly reminded why it was a goal of mine last year). I traveled only a few times: Once to Los Angeles for the Create & Cultivate Self-Care Summit, once to San Francisco to reunite with some very dear friends, and I spent Thanksgiving in (very snowy) Minnesota. Albeit a relatively calm year in my world, I’ll leave it feeling content.

Goals for 2020: I really do want to bake more (though I might just be riding a high from how well my recent cookies turned out), ski more and (hopefully!) plan the vacation I’ve been talking about for the last three years.

CARSON, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Biggest adventure: This year was comprised of not one (or two) big trips, rather several mini trips – hey, aren’t micro-trips all the rage? From soaring in a hot air balloon at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Snowmass, to cruising down the Orange County Coast in a helicopter – this year did not disappoint. I spent several weekends in California – visited family in LA, biked throughout Santa Monica and Venice, ate plenty of In-N-Out, tasted Sonoma Valley wines (I achieved my Level 1 Sommelier certificate this year!), saw blue whales by boat and more! This year was also the year I returned back East to my family’s beach house and spent a week relaxing on the sand with my mom. Nostalgia at its finest.

Goals for 2020: More travel! In 2020, I’m making my way across the pond. Europe, I’m coming for you. With a long lineage of German relatives (some still living there!), there’s nothing more I want to experience than Ocktoberfest. Also, I plan on learning to ski. I’ve been in Colorado for 2.5 years – it’s time!

JULIA, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Biggest adventure(s) this year: After over a year of discussing and planning, my boyfriend and I finally got a puppy! Our miniature golden doodle, Juniper (shout out to Catie for naming her), is about three and a half months old and we already can’t imagine our lives without her. She is a total rascal, but she’s completely stolen our hearts. Some other highlights of the year include seeing Hamilton on Broadway in New York, soaking up the sun in Maui on a couple’s trip with my sister and our boyfriends, eating and drinking absolutely everything at my second time at Aspen Food & Wine, and spending the weekend with my family in Santa Fe for our third time at Wine & Chile.

Goals for 2019: For 2020, I’d love to complete my Level 1 Sommelier certification! I’ll be travelling to Barcelona with my family in 2020 for my dad’s birthday, and would love to put my certification to good use while drinking my way around the city. I also have tons of cities stateside I would love to visit including Charleston, Nashville and Austin!

LINDSAY, ACCOUNT COORDINATOR

Biggest adventure(s) this year: This year, my biggest adventure was packing up three years of my life and moving from Los Angeles, California to my home state of Colorado. Leaving LA was more difficult than I anticipated, as living there had always been a dream of mine. Moving halfway across the country (and away from the beach) was a huge lifestyle adjustment for me, especially after being away for 10 years. Colorado welcomed me with open arms and after a full year of embracing change, it finally feels like home again. I am thrilled to be building new relationships, including with my nephew, rekindling old ones and consider myself lucky to have fallen into the group of women I get to call my colleagues. Without B, it would have taken much longer than a year to eat and drink my way through most of Denver’s best restaurants and bars, and my social life would certainly be lagging. Returning to Colorado to close out this decade definitely feels like the right move – they say timing is everything – and I am confident that the adventure 2020 brings will only be bigger and better!

Goals for 2020: My goals for 2020 revolve mostly around playing catching up with the other ladies of B. Traveling to Europe for the first time – crazy, I know – is my number one goal for 2020. Italy, Greece and Amsterdam are at the top of my list! Bring on all of the Aperol Spritz sunsets, picturesque architecture and beautiful beings. I’ve been told that after waiting this long, I may never come back…time will tell! I also look forward to joining the Level I Sommelier certification club at B by earning mine this year. I’ve always been more of a beer gal, so I am eager to learn what feels like a foreign language! Professionally, I anticipate becoming more of a familiar face among media and attending industry events, starting with my first press trip to Snowmass to kick off the year!

SAM, MANAGER, INFLUENCER RELATIONS & DIGITAL MEDIA

Biggest adventure(s) this year: This past year, I capitalized on the “micro-trip” trend and took lots of long weekend trips to visit friends and family in California, Miami, Boston and Cape May, New Jersey. I celebrated my 30th birthday in Oregon and absolutely fell in love with its scenic coastline and wine country. Last (but certainly not least!), my fiancé and I traveled to Ireland, where we’re planning to get married in 2020. We enjoyed drinking lots of Guinness, listening to trad music, driving on the wrong side of the road and getting a nice glimpse of Irish bureaucracy to obtain our marriage license.

Goals for 2020: Aside from finalizing our wedding plans this year, I’m looking forward to doing more creative writing and also regaining the Italian I learned from a semester abroad with conversation classes.

NICOLLE, MANAGER, INFLUENCERS & PARTNERSHIPS

Biggest Adventure(s): One of 2019’s biggest adventures was coming to work with this group of badass women at BPR. My husband and I bought and remodeled a house that appeared to be cursed but we celebrated finally making it livable by taking a trip with my family to Italy to eat and drink our way through Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome. From there, my husband and I visited Croatia which is now one of my top 3 places ever. We loved trying our first orange wine in Split and we agreed that Dubrovnik was one of the most stunningly beautiful places we have ever seen (It was also fun to plot our global takeover from the building that acted as the Red Keep on Game of Thrones). A few trips to my favorite city, NYC, and a surprise run-in with Lin Manuel Miranda rounded out one of the best years yet.

Goals for 2020: After having too much wine and bidding on a silent auction trip to Mexico that we won, I’ll finally get to see the Riviera Maya this year. I also have my sights set on adventuring through Canada. We have several smaller trips already planned for NYC, Boston/Maine and Nashville – as well as a trip with my family to take my niece and nephew to Disney World for the first time. On the yummier side, I finally want to visit Alinea in Chicago and be able to cross another World’s Best Restaurant off of my foodie bucket list.

Professionally, I would love to finally take some photography classes to learn how to use the camera I got for Christmas last year (yikes!) and join the other B ladies in becoming a Certified Level I Sommelier. I look forward to continuing to grow our strategic partnerships, influencer relationships and brand activation opportunities on behalf of our clients. Oh, and in the never gonna happen but it’s good to have goals category, I would love to be able to watch an episode of anything with Leslie Jones (@lesdogggg) because her live TV recaps give me life.

SAVANNAH, MANAGER, SOCIAL & DIGITAL MEDIA

Adventures: 2019 started off with one of the best life changes I’ve made so far – joining Team B! During my first year here, I’ve learned the ropes of a whole new industry, earned my Fine Spirits Sommelier certificate and also got to take several fantastic work trips out to my client’s luxury Wyoming digs, Brush Creek Ranch. Outside of work, my husband and I chose to stay in-country this year (gotta save up to buy a house!) and took a couple weekend trips around the states, most notably to gorgeous Santa Fe where my husband and I indulged in the town’s traditional Japanese spa, local distilleries and of course the Gruet tasting room. When we weren’t out being weekenders, this traveling homebody baked my way through the American Cake cook book, undertook the creation of a naughty cross-stitch gallery wall and snuggled with the cutest puppies ever.

Goals for 2020: I turn 30 just after the first of the year, and I’ve charged my husband with planning a memorable trip to mark the occasion! I hope that kicks off a year of travel – specifically getting back to Europe (anyone else missing Scotland?). I want to continue tasting my way through the tequila of the world, start in on the American Cookie cookbook, and set my sights on upping my spirits certification to Level II, all while kicking butt at work and finding the house of my dreams!

MORGAN, MANAGER, SOCIAL MEDIA & INFLUENCERS

Biggest adventure(s) this year: 2019 will be a hard year to beat on the adventure front. My sister and I fulfilled a lifelong dream of traveling Europe together, spending 16 days roaming through Italy and Greece with a brief stopover in France. Think Italian wine, way too many plates of pasta, Santorini sunsets and absolutely all the vegan gelato. We finished the trip in Heraklion, Greece for a close friend’s wedding and let me tell you, there is no wedding like a Greek wedding.

Goals for 2020: In 2020, I’d love to go abroad again; my heart is set on Switzerland, however Germany and Ireland are close behind. Outside of traveling, I hope 2020 will be the year I perfect my apple pie recipe (everyone needs a dish they are hands down known for, I’m determined to become the apple pie aficionado), and I think it’s finally time I work on becoming a Level I Sommelier. Traveling, pie and wine? Let’s do it, 2020.

LEIGH, COORDINATOR, SOCIAL & DIGITAL MEDIA

Biggest adventure(s) this year: 2019 was filled to the brim with adventure! I not only moved across the country from Tacoma to my new home with BPR in Denver, I also had the opportunity to make the drive twice – the first time driving with my dad and the essentials on the southern route along the Columbia River Gorge, and the second time hitting the northern route with my husband (and the rest of our belongings) through Coeur D’Alene, Missoula and Yellowstone. The time in between has been filled photographing mountainous exploration across Colorado and northern New Mexico and city escapades (and wine tasting!) on the West Coast.

Goals for 2020: Beyond getting a few more stamps in my passport and hitting the slopes as much as possible this coming year, I’m so excited to put my Level 1 Wine Sommelier certification to good use on upcoming trips to Temecula, Paso Robles and my hometown of Albuquerque. And, as always, I’ll be busy honing my photography skills in the mountains, restaurants, hotels, city streets and wherever else my passport takes me and my camera along the way!

BRIEANN, CO-FOUNDER

Biggest adventure(s) this year: By far, the biggest change (and adventure) in my life this past year was selling my half of my ownership in BPR (to my partner, Jordan) and refocusing my time towards helping manage PR for the projects my husband and I own – including The Ramble Hotel – and raising our baby boy, Lachlan. After nine years of co-owning BPR, growing our team and working with a long list of amazing clients, this departure was a big switch in priorities for me, but one that has marked the beginning of a grand new adventure!  I’ll always be BPR’s biggest fan, and remain great friends with the team and clients.

Outside of the crazy, wild adventure that is raising a toddler, other highlights from 2019 included taking Lachlan on a trip to Mexico – his first international trip – to celebrate my 35^th and his six month birthday, as well as heading to London for a week with my husband for our first overseas trip without our little man. We went to long dinners, meandered through museums, enjoyed cocktails and slept in EVERY DAY. It was glorious!

Goals for 2020: This new decade is sure to include some great trips, but mostly, my goal for 2020 is to approach each day being mindful and present in the moment. Little ones have a great way of making you understand just how fleeting time is, and I aim to make the most of every moment, whether I’m with Lachlan, working or exploring a new city.

HARLEY, INTERN

Biggest adventure(s) this year: This year has really been all about self-discovery for me. I searched for a new job after being at the same one for over 6 years and came to find 2 really great internships in the process. I stepped out of my comfort zone, signed up for networking events, attended media lectures and made new friends along the way. This summer I made my home a little bigger with a not so little French bulldog named Dozer. All while, finishing my degree in marketing at Metro State.  This year was filled with great adventures and I can’t wait to see what 2020 holds for me.

Goals for 2020: I am excited to do some traveling in 2020 with my long-term boyfriend to the east coast and abroad. My biggest goal for this coming year is to find a career in digital marketing that I love and to become more confident in sign language.

SADIE, INTERN

Biggest adventures this year: 2019 has easily been my most memorable year yet. I was fortunate enough to spend my spring semester studying in Prague, Czech Republic, which was also my first time in Europe. I managed to squeeze tons of travels in during my long weekends overseas, visiting 11 countries and 19 cities in total! Those months were filled with plenty of fun adventures, new languages, phenomenal food and pure bliss. Upon returning to Colorado, I began interning at BPR in June, which has given me a greater insight into PR and has strengthened my passion for food and travel even further.

Goals for 2020: I have a feeling 2020 will be quite a big year as well! My biggest goals include moving to Denver and finding a full-time job in PR. While I work toward achieving those goals, I plan on taking time to soak up my last semester at CU and explore more of Colorado with friends. I’d also love to book a trip overseas after graduation – I’ve been dreaming of a trip to Thailand and Vietnam!

JENNA, INTERN

Biggest adventure(s) this year: 2019 has exceeded all my expectations! I kicked off the year by hopping on a plane to Sydney, Australia where I studied abroad for five months. In Australia, I got to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge, learned how to surf along their eastern coast and even got to feed kangaroos in Tasmania. Outside of those adventures, I traveled to some dream destinations of mine. I traveled to Vietnam and volunteered with a local orphanage, went skydiving in Wanaka, New Zealand and ate Michelin star ramen in Singapore. My time abroad was surreal, every day was a new adventure and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. Once I got back to reality, I was overjoyed to join B PR as their Social Media intern this fall and am super grateful to be continuing my internship into the spring semester! Through my internship at B, I been fortunate enough to gain hands on experience in the PR world from a team of lady bosses.

Goals for 2020: THE goal of 2020 is to find a full-time PR position in Denver. Ever since moving to Colorado in 2016 to start college at CU Boulder, I knew there was no way I would want to leave after my four years was up. That said, with a lot of hard work (and finger crossing, of course) I hope to make that dream a reality and pursue a career in PR in the mile high city after I graduate in May. And to satisfy my inner travel junkie, I would love to either travel to Greece, Switzerland or Positano by the end of 2020. Those three spots have been at the top of my travel bucket list for a while now and 2020 is the time to do some crossing off!