Elan Schmitt Articles

Vineyard Visits

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Vineyard Visits

Ballooning

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
By Élan Schmitt

Ballooning

Skydiving

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Skydiving

Falling from the sky at a velocity of 123 miles per hour, wind thrashing through your hair and almost seeping through your body, would give anyone at least a little bit of a thrill. Quite an amazing understatement. The rushing thrill of chemicals that electrify [...]

Opera

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Opera

Before the curtain rises on the opera, the make-up artist turns this actor into a character.

Almost everyone dreams of living in the world of triumphant melodies and beautiful song. Ahh, if only we could sing our troubles away. The exuberant sounds seeped through the performance [...]

Glass Class

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
By Élan Schmitt

Glass Class

Glassterpiece in progress.

Glass is an amazing discovery, and people are still venturing into new and creative ways of sculpting its use. Brush Fire is a pottery-by-you, contemporary paint-it-yourself studio that offers a fused glass class once a month. I was curiously [...]

Acupuncture

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Acupuncture

Acupuncture needles are so small they’re almost microscopic, but the relief and relaxation they can give are beyond measure.

Most people are terrified of needles, right? We dread having to go to the doctor to get our flu shot or having blood drawn. We associate needles [...]

Haircut

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Haircut

Before…

My friend Annie and I arrived on Saturday morning in the hotel lobby, unsure and unfamiliar with the scene. Women and girls of all ages stood around, congregated in a semi-circle. The 3-hair stylist team – Terrance, Daryl and Cathy – were in the center. [...]

Fly a Plane

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Fly a Plane

Élan is the ultimate fly girl.

The small two-passenger plane was propped outside her nestled garage hideaway. She stretched her wings, ready to soar. I walked towards Steve Searl, the pilot and owner of the plane. I had talked with him a few minutes [...]

Travel Tips for the Hometown Traveler

“Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Travel Tips for the Hometown Traveler

Visit your local visitors’ center or Chamber of Commerce
Go to the local hostel or hotel and experience your town with people that have come to enjoy your town
Keep an open mind
Talk with friends and locals as to why they like your [...]

Palming

The “Your Town” Travel Guide
How to travel without leaving your town
Palming