Semi-Charmed Summer 2013 Book Challenge

Photo via Ongering on Flickr

The Semi-Charmed Book Challenge is back for summer 2013! The challenge will follow the same rules as the winter 2013 challenge, and it will run from July 1 to September 30. See below for the full list of rules and categories, and thanks to all my readers who submitted category ideas!

Travel Tuesday Contributor: Angie Eats Peace

Okay, I lied. I only have four guest posts for you while I'm gone, but say hello to Angie from Angie Eats Peace! She is my fourth and final guest blogger during my European extravaganza, and I'm so glad she agreed to share her travels with us! Today she is sharing stories and pictures from China. If all is going according to schedule with me, I am chilling in Granada, Spain, right now! I probably won't be able to get any posts scheduled for the next two weeks, but I'll be returning to the blog at the end of the month when I make it back stateside. :) Read Angie's guest post after the jump....

Travel Tuesday Contributor: A Country Girl's World

Welcome back! My third guest blogger during my European extravaganza is Jenn. She describes herself as a lover of both books and travel, so her experiences definitely belong on Semi-Charmed Kind of Life! Keep reading to learn about her trip to Central America and see some pretty awesome pictures. (By the way, I should be flying from Rome to Seville today if everything is going as planned!)

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Hey Ladies! I am Jenn and I blog over at A Country Girl’s World. I am a 24-year-old student, I studied Anthropology at JMU, and I am now studying Criminal Justice/Crime Science Technology. I live in the middle of nowhere in Maryland and I love to read and travel. Today I am going to be talking about travel. :)

In 2009, I got the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with JMU as part of the Alternative Spring Break program. If any of you readers are still in college, and your college offers this program, DO IT! It was an incredible experience.

This is our group in Harrisonburg before leaving for Dulles

Travel Tuesday Contributor: Just Another Smith

It's time for another Travel Tuesday guest post! Today Andi is sharing some quick packing tips for a weekend away. If all is going as planned with my trip, I'm on a plane to Athens, Greece, right now. :) Wish me luck!

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Hi there!  I'm Andi and I blog over at Just Another Smith.  Most of my posts are about my everyday style, with some random stories thrown into the mix and maybe a book review now and then.  I'm pretty jealous of Megan's adventures in Europe.  I love to travel, and would go on vacation every week if my budget allowed it.  My most recent trip was a quick weekend to Arizona with two of my best friends.  Here are some tips on what to pack for a four-day weekend adventure:

Travel Tuesday Contributor: Ech & Will

A huge thank you to Ech for being my first guest blogger while I am traveling this summer! She actually lives in Italy, so read on for some insider tips to a great local spot! And be sure to check back every Tuesday for more guest posts about fabulous trips around the world.

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Hi, I'm Ech from Ech & Will. I'm a proud Air Force wife living in Italy with my husband, Will. Our blog is all about our adventures in traveling, marriage, the military, and everything in between. Right now my husband is deployed, so lately I've been blogging a lot about just me. I love making connections with new people so stop by when you get a chance and say hi!

Now that the weather is getting better and better, it’s time to start planning lake and beach trips with our friends. One of our favorite spots is Lake Barcis (pronounced like March with a “B” and “is” like the beginning of Istanbul). We literally drive through the Italian Alps to get to Barcis. The tunnels are so long they have huge industrial fans throughout to keep air flowing. There’s pretty much everything there: hiking, camping, boating, boardwalks to stroll, a playground, big grassy areas to spread out over, picnic tables … everything.

The water is glacier-fed (a.k.a. really, really cold), so there are not a lot of swimmers. But it’s great for a quick, refreshing dip on scorching days. Every once in a while, the town will host speedboat races and concerts. I think last year they held a crash course for people who wanted to try out canoeing.

Usually the vibe is relaxing. Everyone is just lounging around, soaking in the sun. As with most of Europe, the women sometimes go topless. It’s rare, but we’ve seen a few brave women baring it all. Usually the Americans are tossing a football or Frisbee around while the Italians like to circle up and play “Keep It in the Air” with a soft volleyball or mini soccer ball.

Every time we visit, the lake looks different. The first time, it was a greenish color.

Last May it was bright, almost-glowing blue.

And in the fall it was a murky white color from the recent rain.

I like to wander into town for a gelato (see below), so so perfect for hot days … or cold days. If we don’t plan ahead and bring a cooler, there are a few restaurants and shops to grab food or drinks. It’s a really small town, so there’s not a ton of things to do, but it has the essentials. Parking can get a little tricky on the busy weekends, but we’ve never had a problem finding a spot. If you’re in the Aviano area, I highly recommend spending the day up at the lake.

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Thanks again for sharing your photos and experiences, Ech! Follow her on Twitter at @EchandWill.

The Return of Travel Tuesday!

Yes, that's right! Now that my traveling consultant days are coming to an end, I'm bringing back Travel Tuesdays! The next six installments will be guest posts, as I will be semi-backpacking in Europe for the next six weeks. After that, I will return to a weekly link-up with travel-related topics, and I can't wait to hear all your travel tips and stories when I get back in June. :)

For now, here's a little sneak peek of my trip so far:

Check back for the first guest post from Ech & Will next Tuesday at 10 a.m. EST! And remember to follow me on Twitter and Instagram if you want live updates of my journey!

Guest bloggers needed!

This blog has been pretty quiet this month, and I have a feeling it will remain quiet throughout the summer. (Remember that six-week European backpacking trip I mentioned earlier? Well, it's starting next month, and I don't think I'm packing my laptop. Gasp.) So, I'm looking for guest bloggers! Of course I would love posts that match my blog content (primarily travel and books, but also post-grad life or collegiate life if you are still a student!). Please email me at semicharmedkol[at]gmail[dot]com with your blog information and post idea(s), and I will get back to you as soon as possible!

Note: Guest post submissions are now closed. Thanks to everyone who emailed me!

Too good to multitask.

While traveling this year, I've developed the habit of watching television on my iPad while blogging/working on my laptop, or vice versa. I can rarely ever watch my favorite shows on television, but luckily most channels have free apps that allow me to watch shows the morning after they air. Sometimes, I stream a mindless show on my Netflix account while working (think How I Met Your Mother or Glee), but there are three shows I can't multitask while watching because they are just too darn good.

1. Scandal

I was expecting a trashy scandal, but instead I got intelligence and wit! Score!

In case you missed it ...

Happy Wednesday! I have two very quick things for you today:

1) If you missed it yesterday, I blogged about my spring wishlist over at Live Beautifully. Jen had a great idea for a series of guest posts, and I was more than happy to participate!

A little sneak peek of what you can see over at Jen's blog.

2) I'm almost done with Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and I don't think I've ever highlighted so many passages on my Kindle before. I created a little graphic out of one of my favorite quotes thus far:

Photo of Piran, Slovenia, via Conde Nast Traveler; design by Megan

What have you been up to this week?

Spring into Chevron

When I first started linking up with {av} for Friday's Fancies last January, I had no style. I have since developed minimal style, and I'm proud to say I could put together a very similar outfit to the one below from my current wardrobe, except for the skirt. I am definitely on the hunt for some flirty skirts for this spring!

Spring into Chevron by mcszr3

The best part? Each of these items (except the watch) costs less than $50!

How did you celebrate the first day of spring? Personally, I snowshoed up a small mountain in Vermont with some Alpha Delta Pi sisters from UVM. It was beautiful and I wouldn't have had it any other way!

P.S. — Check back on Tuesday for my spring wish list with Jen from Live Beautifully!