Hanna G
#BYGRACETHROUGHFAITH
OMNI Bedford Springs Resort
Posted on July 14, 2021
My fiance and I celebrated our 5th anniversary (1 year anniversary since he proposed) at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort over July 6-8. It was the absolute perfect time to unwind, relax, and take in all the historic beauty that the resort had to offer. I loved all the country’s history being celebrated, especially the week after 4th of July. Our stay allowed us to take a break from the details and take a breath from wedding planning and just enjoy our itinerary at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort! (will be sharing the entire itinerary for our stay as many of you asked!)
By the 19th century, Bedford Springs was really popular and by mid-century the resort became quite appealing to politicians and actually served as “The Summer White House” for President James Buchanan in 1857. The politicians and their families loved the outdoorsy setting along with for the benefits the natural springs provided. In total, 12 U.S. Presidents have visited Omni Bedford Springs. George W. Bush being the most recent.
Upon check-in we were greeted by this striking 39-star United States flag from 1865! WHOA, so in 1865 there were only 36 official states–but the creator of this flag had high hopes that 3 additional states would soon join thus: the extra 3 stars unaligned. This particular flag at Omni Bedford Springs is actually the only known 39-star flag in existence, and its preservation behind glass and proper lighting reflects the great care and consideration that the Omni Bedford takes of this piece of history!
As requested, I will share our 3-day itinerary at omni
Tuesday:
- 12:00pm Arrival and Resort Check-In
- 12:30pm We met with the Director of Marketing for an awesome private tour of the property and to hear a bit of the resort’s rich history! We loved this.
- 1:30pm-4:30p Relax at the Outdoor Pool with Poolside Beverages (pro-tip order something frozen–for us, we loved a few Froses in the heat!
- 5:00pm We got to check out the famous Indoor Pool! This was built in 1907 and the largest indoor pool in the world at the time, considered a full Olympic-size pool. Music was played live off the balconies of this beautifully designed area. It is truly a sight to behold, but also the history of it all is quite charming! This water is from the mineral springs. It is said to be healing.
- 7:00pm Dinner for two @ the Frontier Tavern (this is a First Come, First Served style that offers delicious dining options from breakfast, lunch and dinner menus! I had a Filet Mignon Frite, accompanied with broccoli, tomatoes, and french fries while Tony enjoyed a special Truffle Mushroom Pasta. Appetizer pro tip: Charcuterie Board!!)
- After Dinner The staff had so kindly dropped off a S’mores Kit to our room earlier that day for us to use outside of the Tavern at the fire pit. Such a cute idea. We loved it, and s’mores are highly underrated.
Wednesday:
- 7:30/8am Start Your Day with a delicious and nutritious breakfast available through In-Room Dining ( convenient option if you’d like to enjoy sipping coffee on your rocking chair on the balcony! Amazing) at the Frontier Tavern or at the resort’s newest outlet Evitt House Coffee. We ate outside this morning and would highly recommend the Avocado Pesto Toast, Yogurt Parfait, along with a few cups of coffee 🙂
- 8-9am Explore the Trails along the Allegheny Mountains (We received a map in our room of all the mineral springs on hiking trails to explore! It is so peaceful and restorative)
- 10:00am Checked into the pool for our Cabana Rental we would enjoy later that afternoon 🙂
- 10:30am Tennis Court Reservations, we were able to pick up our equipment at Tally Ho Sport Shop. If you have tennis racquets and balls- pack them, otherwise you can rent these things for rental fees.
- 11:45am Check-In to Springs Eternal Spa for Appointment and Bedford Bath Experience. You simply cannot visit Bedford Springs without experiencing their heavenly world-class spring bath experience, it is healing. During renovations, they found that the front desk actually sits above one of the springs! All of the water in the baths come from this. Can’t say enough great things regarding our spa experience! There is a whole special routine in the Springs Eternal Spa baths before you’re ready for your spa appointment! There is amazing coconut and lemon waters served in the beautiful lounge area overlooking the gardens along with dried fruit and Cucumber Melon green tea. It was the perfect setting to be total Zen in our robes!
- 12:45pm Deep Tissue Massage Appointments for us! We were able to fill out our spa waivers prior to our arrival for the massage and Springs Eternal Spa. This will allow you to just relax when you get there.
- 2:30pm Relax at the Outdoor Pool in our special Cabana. The cabanas come as full-day rentals, you have a shaded comfortable set of loungers, a mini-fridge equipped with water bottles, chips, fruit, and menus available to order lunch poolside! It unfortunately rained not too long upon our arrival but we still loved spending some time at the pool and were totally relaxed from our spa treatments!
- 4:00pm We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring some of the trails on property, and right behind the resort, enjoyed the Chef’s Garden which was home of plenty of poblano, habanero, banana, and jalapeno peppers; rhubarb, sweet corn, and many more vegetables! There was a silver-lining to the thunder storms closing the pool though! Upon returning to the room, we found that the resort had left us a special charcuterie board in our room full of amazingly delicious seasoned cheeses, honey and fruit– and it perfectly paired with our rocking chairs on the covered balcony and a bottle of rose wine! (One of my favorite brands: Hampton Water) It was such a fun and relaxing late afternoon to catch up on some work before dinner!
- 7:00pm Dinner Reservations at the glamorous, The Crystal Room (This is a swanky, reservation-only restaurant off the lobby that has an array of fine dining! I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass, and my fiance enjoyed his filet! This was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious and our friend Dave, whom we met the day prior, made certain that our reservation was at an intimate table in the back of the restaurant inside a beautiful pink room with crystal chandeliers and historic black and white photos of folks at Bedford Springs. It was such a treat! Following dinner, we made a pit stop at Evitt for some Lavender Honey gelato to enjoy on the rocking chairs right outside of the lobby.
Talk about a picture-perfect day. Every moment was fabulous and we just felt so grateful to take it all in!
Thursday
- 7:30am Start our day with a delicious and nutritious breakfast at the Frontier Tavern. I had the best oatmeal of my life! Tony loved his eggs and toast. Their bread they make there is second to none. We took our coffees to go as we headed towards the Pro Shop to check-in for our Tee Time!
- 8:50am Check-In to the Pro Shop for Tee Time at 9:00am on the Old Course, our rental clubs were all ready for us in our cart and we were able to enjoy 9-holes before any rain. Fun Fact: Old Course at Omni Bedford Springs Resort is one of the country’s first golf courses!
Dating back to 1895, their restored historic and high-caliber course overlooks the picturesque Allegheny Mountains and Cumberland Valley. It spans the work of three golf architecture masters– Spencer Oldham, A.W. Tillinghast and Donald Ross.
Bedford Springs Old Course has undergone a total renovation, overseen by architect Ron Forse, restoring it to its original course layout. Immaculate conditions was our review! A round of golf on these historicaly significant tees is a must-play for golf enthusiasts of all levels while visiting the lovely Omni Bedford Springs Resort.
Tee times as well as spa appointments book up SUPER quickly, we even heard that folks schedule these events before even securing a room just to ensure they will be able to have their spa appointments during their stay far in advance.
I almost forgot to touch upon our accommodations! So clean, comfortable, spacious, and charming! I believe we stayed in Swiss Cottage Suite! From the lobby, we took the elevator up 1 floor, and made our way through 2 buildings on our way to our suite. It was stunning, came equipped with walking sticks/canes, robes, a mini fridge, comfortable king-size bed, full-length mirror, plenty of seating and drawers, space, and an armour for the tv and all electronics. It was naturally lit from all the big beautiful windows, and the balcony was accessible through the door. The room was clean, and cleaned and picked up daily. We always returned to a special treat for us whether it was a sparkling Pellegrino bottle, charcuterie board, or s’mores kit! We loved that detail and personal touch from the staff!
The thought behind each bathroom is to give the guest a little piece of the Spring Eternal Spa so it has the total feel of the tile, dim-able chandeliers, and marble! It’s absolutely gorgeously elegant! The bath products are NEST! Need I say more? LUXE. There was even a little powder mirror and desk/chair for me to sit on to apply make up for dinner! Little white shutters open and close out to the balcony. It provided such a warm and luxurious feel, also accessed by a double-doored opening.
We just had the best experience at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, and would 10/10 encourage and recommend any friend of ours to go and see for themselves! Feel free to check out my Instagram highlighting our trip with video at @Hmgriff11 and for more photos and videos of our stay.
*This was a sponsored partnership with Omni Bedford Springs Resort.
About
Posted on May 15, 2019
I’m Hanna! I’m a business owner and professionally published model. As a former division I athlete, I continued a career into sports as I worked in Media Relations, Video Production and Game Operations for two NBA Teams: Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers, and then as a Social Media and Account Manager for a sports branding company involved with artwork and branding for NCAA, NFL, and NBA, and now own my own design business. I met my cuban bf while on a shoot down in Miami at a gym he owned (so funny!) We both have a heart for travel, service, fitness, food, people, faith, new cultures, laughter, wine (more me than him), The Office, and so forth! My other love is my rescue, Simba, a pitbull mix who just happens to be the most loving pup! Most of the time I’m most likely exploring new cities, somewhere outdoors #doingthings, cooking up fun, healthy recipes, and creating media and fitness videos to help inspire others to get up, get out, and simply move! A few of our favorite recent trips consisted of spontaneous birthday weekend trip to Paris, a week roaming around Rome, the crystal blue, dreamy waters of Bimini and recently, Exuma, and a few salsa dances in Havana! I also wrote a fun guide for my time in Nashville.
I’m just here in attempt to spread light from the content I create. Through my blog, my vision was to offer my help with cities I’ve traveled to, lifestyle items and ideas that I have worked with so that I can share my input and personal understanding of them. The platform I’ve created has given me the chance to hopefully only speak life.
I partner with brands that I feel share a similar outlook on life as I do, value integrity, and are overall just clean and healthy.
My worldview came into focus when my focus shifted to Him, Jesus. God changes our point of view when we understand just how blurry our vision really is without Him. “My hope is that my vision would move further away from my own thoughts, opinions and interpretations- and closer to the way God sees things.” I love these words from Elisabeth Hasselback in a book I recently read because it’s always a prayer of surrender that by the power of the Holy Spirit, “I line up my point of view behind the lens of the gospel in order to see myself, others, and all that is happening as God wants me to see it.”
Romans 12:2 | Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.
TULA Probiotic Skincare
Posted on November 2, 2018
Perfect Complexion? As if.
If you’ve been blessed with perfect skin, please know how fortunate you are and appreciate it! I’ve struggled with uneven skin tone for as long as I can remember!
I’ve been working with Tula Probiotic Skincare for about 2 years now. I’ve seen such a transformation in my once hyper pigmented and acne prone skin! I can finally say that I am content with my complexion at age 29! Ha, I think I’ve met the right people to cost-efficiently take care of my skin and keep it hydrated and healthy!
In my twenties, I had to constantly switch my dermatologist to find one that could get to the bottom of my breakouts, but also having a topical gel that wouldn’t be so harsh on my skin! I took a huge hit when I was exposed to the sun one week in Florida. Because my skin was extra sensitive due to my harsh dermatologist prescribed facial cleansers and topical gels, I had a severe sunburn that would forever affect the way my skin reacted to direct sunlight!
I won’t lie, it’s been quite a burden. Especially because I spend a lot of time working and visiting Miami, FL. I have to always have a high SPF on my face, covered with a hat. In addition, I deal with the aftermath of sunspots after only a few minutes in the sun without my face covered. IT SUCKS. Then I am so self-conscious about the uneven skintone that I spent $$$ trying to find products to cover it up. All of these efforts are so draining!
I’ve been up in the Midwest this fall for about two months straight and I think staying out of the sun has truly been SO helpful for the recovery of my hyper pigmentation. I also attribute my skincare regimen, which took me FOREVER to finally find the products that HELP my skin and not just break it out, or have any results.
TULA has been spectacular. I now have a gentle probiotic cleanser that is so easy on the skin, it doesn’t redden it, it doesn’t make it extra sensitive. It’s perfect, it keeps it balanced and smooth. It fights break outs too which is UH-MAZING. They even gave me a 20% discount to my friends! It is HANNA20. Feel free to use this anytime at checkout!
My top 3 Tula products:
PURIFYING GENTLE CLEANSER
ACNE CLEARING + TONE CORRECTING GEL
CLEAR COMPLEXION KIT ( COMES WITH MY FAVORITE AQUA-INFUSION OIL-FREE GEL CREAM)
BRIGHT & BALANCED KIT (saves you 40%) + HANNA20 discount for 20% off
Any questions? Let me know! Again the discount is HANNA20, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. 100% of people who tried it said they’d recommend it to someone else! 100% of customers saw noticeable differences in 2 weeks.
Tried & True Skincare Products
Posted on August 3, 2018
Is it so hard to be comfortable in our own skin? YES! From acne, to uneven skintone, to hyper pigmentation, oil, dryness, etc. we all have things we’d love to change about our face! I always say, if only I had even skin tone, I would never want to wear foundation or make up! I love letting my skin breathe. Since high school I had break outs that I was self-conscious about. I’ve done a lot of product-searching from dermatologists’ offices to over the counter high-end stuff! It’s a frustrating process when it comes to trying to get our skin in better condition! It takes time, and research to find out what products are helping and what are hurting our skin! We all are different, and what works for some, may not work for ourselves!
My journey is still going though, and I’m in my late twenties! (Whoa, weird to say!) Even though I don’t have as many break outs (unless I don’t clean my make up brushes/pillow cases, or just use something that doesn’t agree with my skin) I have had a major sun problem the last 4 years! It’s hyper pigmentation. These are dark spots that randomly form on my face from sun exposure. I have to constantly wear a super strong sunscreen (zinc oxide is preferable) and cover my face with a hat for needed protection!
I get discouraged when I see these dark spots repeatedly return because I work hard (& spend some $) on products that reverse this! It’s hormonal, so I continue what I am doing if I want to avoid this to continue happening– 5-10 minutes of sun exposure.
But tried and true, the products I’m going to name are ones that I have faithfully stayed using for over the past year and have seen truly awesome results.
Tula Skincare: Every bottle pictured above, I use (to which I have a discount for anyone who wants to order- HANNA20 will save you 20% on your order) daily!!
If you are unsure of which products you may want to try, just get the starter kit! It’s perfect. I can tell you I use every one of those items that come in it. I definitely recommend the gentle cleanser and the hydrating cream! I use a cool eye renewal stick that is cold during the application so it wakes me up!
Sunday Riley (Good Genes, CEO Rapid Brightening Serum, Luna Sleeping Night Oil)
Which skin type is it good for? Normal Oily Combination Dry Sensitive A go-to day and night regimen combining the power of vitamin C and retinol to brighten and visibly transform your complexion. Solutions for:- Fine lines and wrinkles- Dark spots- Uneven skin toneIf you want to know more… C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum is infused with 15 percent ultra-stable, advanced vitamin C to brighten the appearance of the skin rapidly for immediate radiance while fighting the look of dark spots and discolorations at the source. Skin looks firmer and plumper as the appearance of youthful bounce and an even tone are restored. The gold standard form of vitamin C, THD ascorbate is both highly stable and oil-soluble, helping it to rapidly absorb into the skin for enhanced tone, clarity, and visible brightening. This hydrating antioxidant formula instantly polishes, protects, and illuminates the skin, while phytosterols help to reduce the look of redness and skin sensitivity.
Click link for the always spectacular (pictured above)
Sunday Riley CEO Rapid Flash Brightening
CLICK this link Sunday Riley MultiVitamins to try a smaller size of both Luna Sleeping Oil with The CEO Rapid Flash Brightening Serum! (Must-Have)
(MY OTHER FAVE) Sunday Riley Power Couple Duo is the total transformation kit and also a smaller and affordable size of the Luna Sleeping oil and the Good Genes. (Must-Have)
A transformational power product duo that combines lactic acid and trans-retinol ester to exfoliate and brighten the skin. In use together, this power product duo uncovers more radiant, moisturized skin while promoting evenness of skin tone. Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment exfoliates and moisturizes the skin while smoothing the appearance of fine lines. Luna Sleeping Night Oil contains a powerful, yet gentle trans-retinol ester and moisturizing botanical oils to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines, and sun damage while preventing flakiness and irritation. I absolutely love theses transformative products. Wear them at night – or wear LUNA at night and Good Genes during the day– you’ll see results of Good Genes in 3 minutes- no joke. 🙂
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare (Exfoliating Chemical Peel pads, Collagen mist, Retinol serum for under eye, Vitamin C Serum)
Linking a few of my daily eye and face favorites from Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare below:
Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel
C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Eye Cream
These little peels are UH-MAZING, and I’ve seen such improvements over the course of using – in as little time as 5 minutes after completing this 2 step process- my face feels polished and smooth, and minimized wrinkle/creases!!
I hope this helped!! These brands have been so good to me. If you have any products that you use and recommend for similar conditions, I’d love to hear!
But First, Coffee
Posted on August 3, 2018
*Orders 4 gallons of coffee.*
Ever feel like even that crazy amount won’t suffice? We all have those days! I struggle some days with too much coffee or too little. I have my favorite spots depending upon which city I am in, where I order my speciality drinks.
My morning coffee routine is something I always look forward to! One thing I absolutely cannot go without, is my FAVORITE Collagen Coffee Creamer
I love it because it’s sustainable energy! I use to be on that bullet proof-coffee kick, where I would add MCT oil and ghee to my coffee each morning. It is full of healthy fats so it kept me alert and sustained longer. Then I found Vital Proteins Creamer!! health & wellnessThis creamer is made from a company I trust: Vital Proteins!
Vital Proteins Coconut Collagen Creamer features healthy ingredients served alongside 10 grams of collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine. Rich in healthy fats from organic coconut milk, our Whole30-approved Coconut Creamer is completely free of dairy, soy, carrageenan, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and added sugars.
- Healthy Fat: Our Coconut Collagen Creamer boasts 9 grams of healthy fat from organic coconut milk powder, an excellent source of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) and lauric acid
- Beneficial Collagen: Collagen’s amino acid spectrum provides the building blocks for hair, skin, nails, bones, joints, and other connective tissues
- Bioavailable: Easily digested and absorbed by the body
- 100% Dairy-Free: Because it is made with organic coconut milk powder, our creamer is completely free of dairy
Let’s talk about collagen. Whether it’s in the vitamin aisle of the grocery store, on the menu of your fave café, or swarming your Instagram feed, this supplement is taking the world by storm. Regardless of where you’re finding it, collagen is easily one of the biggest trends in wellness right now. So why is that the case?
The 411 on Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It’s found in our tendons, bones, muscles, skin, blood vessels, and digestive system, and is basically the glue that holds the body together. Furthermore, collagen sends out important signals to our cells telling them when to fight off inflammation or repair cellular damage. Essentially, it keeps you looking youthful, holds everything together, and fights for your long term health.
Here’s the thing: As collagen production tends to slow down with aging, especially if one consumes too much sugar, smokes, or spends too much time in the sun. But supplementing your diet with collagen is a great and easy way to counteract unhealthy habits and better your overall health.
Improved Sleep
Glycine, an immunonutrient that supports healthy inflammation and promotes deeper sleep, is the number one acid in collagen. Studies have illustrated glycine affects our neurotransmitters to quell chaotic thoughts and promote better sleep. Animal studies went so far as to illustrate glycine’s power in increasing the release of serotonin in the prefrontal cortex.
That being said, collagen doesn’t make you sleepy and you don’t need to take it at the end of the day to harvest those sleep-boosting benefits. Adding collagen to your morning or afternoon routine will still allow you the opportunity to snag some more of those well-deserved Zs. One of our personal favorites? Collagen creamer. Vital Proteins makes an organic and Whole30-approved (!!!) collagen-based creamer that tastes great when added to your tea, coffee, or smoothies. (@vitalproteins)
My favorite coffee orders on the go, would have to be iced almond milk/coconut milk/macadamia milk lattes with just a little bit of white mocha or hazelnut! Not too sweet, but creamy- and so good. I also love Iced Maca Lattes… these include almond milk, espresso, maple syrup, cinnamon, and maca. Maca helps to balance out your mood and your hormones! I try to add it to my smoothies or oatmeal when I remember!
Let me know your favorite coffee orders and how you make yours in the morning!
Hanna G 