© 2014 sarahfortune.

HELLO
Mom to Iris. Wife to Todd. Our little family lives at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We love it here and I love sharing little bits of our life.

© 2014 sarahfortune.
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Category : Northwest Arkansas

Life, Northwest Arkansas

NEW YEAR, NEW SIDE HUSTLE!

I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined Flyer Homes as their newest real estate agent. While I’m beyond grateful for my day job (I’ve been there for 12 years and am still going strong!), I’ve always had the need to fill my free time in an entrepreneurial and creative way. In my 20s it was selling vintage clothes on eBay. In my 30s it was living the influencer life on the ‘gram. But as I inched towards 40, my next goal became clear – I wanted to be a licensed real estate agent. I’ve always had a passion (okay, obsession is more like it) for looking at houses and of course Todd is co-owner of Flyer Homes, so it just made sense. After completing my courses and passing my exams, my dream has come to fruition. So here I am, just getting started, but welcoming you to reach out if you’re ever interested in buying or selling here in NW Arkansas. ❤️🏠

Northwest Arkansas

COVID SCHOOL PLANS

Recently Iris and I explored her new “school” campus. It’s a little different than what I imagined third grade to look like, but we feel incredibly fortunate that she gets to spend the school year here. With cases rising in our area and still so many unknowns, we weren’t quite sure what the school year would bring this fall. But a few trusted families and one awesome teacher later, we formed a makeshift co-op that will hopefully give our small group of children some magical moments back in their life. Our hope is that this will allow the kids to do their public school curriculum with some added enrichment, all in a limited exposure environment.

Their cottage is nestled up at the top of a mountain, where they can use the outdoors as an extension of their classroom. The teacher and parents are all chipping in, donating everything from the tables to the toilet paper, essentially creating our very own little schoolhouse. Iris is so excited and it has given me the first bit of hope I’ve had in awhile. But again, I recognize how incredibly privileged we are to be able to afford this option and have the resources to help make it happen. I’m reminding myself to talk openly about that with Iris as we navigate this unusual time, sharing with her ways to help others wherever we can. For us, this isn’t the perfect solution, but it’s pretty damn close for what we are working with and I am so grateful. Now, let’s all wear a mask and get this show on the road, shall we?

Northwest Arkansas, Sponsored, Travel

Fall At Crystal Bridges

This post is sponsored by Crystal Bridges, but all opinions are my own.

Want to turn your autumn up a notch? Plan a visit to Crystal Bridges Museum of Modern Art this fall. The outside of the museum has always been just as magical as the inside and now, with the Infinity Mirrored Room by Yayoi Kusama and the North Forest Lights, the Crystal Bridges experience has somehow become even more spectacular. Even if you don’t live nearby, I promise you this is more than just a museum and well worth the trip. Just since its opening in 2011, more than 4 million people from 50 states and six out of the seven continents have visited.

Todd and I were lucky enough to experience the North Forest Lights during opening night last Saturday. Even though I knew a little bit about it going in, my expectations were quickly exceeded as we ventured into the woods by way of a scenic path. Arriving just after sunset, we were first greeted by a charming little “village” that included plenty of spots to sit and relax, food options, communal campfire, a cute little gift shop, and a bar… Yes, a BAR in the forest! After grabbing a cup of spiked hot cocoa, we settled down at a small table and nibbled on deliciously gooey grilled cheese and a cozy cup of soup. With the seating nestled in the middle of the five installations, we kept warm with our drinks while surrounded by the twinkle of lights.

We were told not to miss the Whispering Tree (even if there was a line), so that was the first installation we experienced. Visitors are invited to privately engage with the tree group-by-group and, even so, the line moved surprisingly fast. What sounded a little cheesy at first actually ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the night. You walk up to the tree and are instructed to sing into the vintage microphone standing in front of you. I let Todd take the initiative on this one while I stood there and watched the tree twinkle to his voice. The way the tree lit up felt like you were the star in an animated movie. No one can hear you sing or speak to the tree except for the people you’re with, so you don’t have to worry about feeling silly. Instead, you can focus on watching the tree turn into the color of your voice which is assigned by the tree (Todd is totally magenta, by the way).

After grabbing another cup of hot cocoa (because, duh) we walked around to each of the other installations. I was really glad that we were told to stop and stay at each one for at least five to ten minutes so that you get the full experience. There’s music that goes along with each installation which makes it feel like each spot in the woods is giving you its own performance. Along with the Whispering Tree, there’s the the Crystal Grove, The Hearth, Forest Orchestra, and my personal favorite – The Bridge. The Bridge was constructed solely for this exhibit and stretches across an old creek. You can stand and watch from the bridge, where fog rolls past. Lasers and lights give the illusion of water and there’s only one word for it – mesmerizing.

My iPhone photos don’t even come close to doing either experience justice, but ever since our visit I’ve been telling everyone I run into about how the North Forest Lights and Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room are both a must-see. We’re already planning another visit so that we can bring Iris, who I know will be absolutely enchanted. Even if it’s cold outside, it’s worth the journey and besides, the spiked hot cocoa will keep you warm.

Northwest Arkansas, Travel

TRAVEL LOVE: Flamingo Springs Trailer Resort

Let me tell you about this magical land called Flamingo Springs… It’s a place that has made all of my retro travel dreams come true. And located off the back roads of Prairie Grove, Arkansas this 1950s inspired trailer resort is a one of a kind – all just about a half hour from my house in Fayetteville.

Vintage (anything and everything) has a special place in my heart. As some of you may know, in the mid-2000s I sold vintage clothes on eBay while I was in college (just one of many interesting career choices). It was so successful I was able to quit my coffee shop gig to focus solely on shopping at thrift stores (and, sometimes, focusing on my classes). At one point Todd even quit his job at an ad agency because the sales were so incredible and the more help I had, the more I could sell. I used living in Arkansas to my advantage and scoured barely picked over estate sales and flea markets for hidden treasure, but I knew that this old-school goldmine wouldn’t last forever. After graduation, I got a “real” job (the one I have now, in fact) and closed up shop. But what does this have to do with my recent visit to Flamingo Springs? I guess that it was nostalgic for me, but not in the obvious sense. After all, I wasn’t around in the 1950s when these trailers were new. I just loved being in that vintage world again, surrounded by the amazingly kitchy details, if only for one night.

The owners, Zack and Laura, have truly made this a unique place to visits. And ten years ago I never would have imagined such a thing would be nestled in the hills I once drove through, searching for vintage goods. I was so amazed by their attention to detail and, while almost everything is indeed authentically old, we still had the modern comforts of home (new mattress in our trailer, Keurig coffee pot in the game room, huge community refrigerator, etc.). We are so lucky to have a spot like this in Northwest Arkansas.

Todd was out of town when we visited, so it was just Iris and I who shared one of the six themed trailers. It’s worth noting that we went on a family-friendly night, which they have from time to time, but usually it’s a grown-ups only venue. We had a few pals come out to stay as well, so thankfully we had the chance to peek into each one. I chose the Friends theme, “The One With the Trailer,” but Iris’ clear favorite was the Lisa Frank inspired “Pink Fuzzy Unicorn.” I’m glad that we paid our first visit before the summer was over because the pool was where we spent most of our time. However, I really would like to go back this fall or even in the winter, to roast marshmallows around the fire pit and spend even more time in the game room. It rained on us just a little during our stay, but the game room was the perfect spot to hang out. With an old timey jukebox, pool table, ping pong, retro board games, old movies on VHS, and a community kitchen, we were never bored.

You might have heard me say that, due to a lot of travel, I’m a self-admitted hotel snob – and this is far from a fancy schmancy resort. But I certainly appreciate the charm of places like Flamingo Springs and went with the mentality that it’s like camping, but only a million times cuter and more comfortable. You bring your own food and drinks, and with no wi-fi and poor cell service, you’ll find yourself focusing on where you are and who you’re with. And that alone is worth the trip.

I can’t wait to book another trip, but next time I’m going to make one change – stay longer than just one night.

Northwest Arkansas

I’m Speaking at Megaphone!

Guess what you’re doing next weekend?! Coming to see me (and tons of other awesome folks) speak at Megaphone Influencer Conference! I was honored to be asked to talk about blogging and workin’ it as a social influencer. It’s pretty cool that we have a a conference like this in Fayetteville, so take advantage if you’re in the area and come say ‘hi!’

My presentation is around 11 am on Saturday at the Fayetteville Town Center downtown, but visit the Megaphone website to learn more about the speakers and schedule. See ya soon!