Road Trip: From Virginia to Jupiter and Back

This year has been quite a journey. Although we continue to be in the midst of a pandemic, the occurrence of events and gatherings certainly picked up. Ultimately, I’m thankful for the assignments we have been contracted for that allow us to continue moving forward. The first half of 2020 was at a standstill for us with all of the postponements/cancellations. We are rapidly approaching the end of 2021 and are relieved to have gotten through the majority of our wedding season without contracting any illnesses. Josh and I are both COVID-free and, hopefully, we won’t have the displeasure of catching it.

With all of that said, we road tripped to Florida last month for a cinematography client’s celebration. It was our first time driving our electric car for over 10 consecutive hours to a destination. Prior to this trip, our lengthiest journey was from Charlottesville, VA to Charleston, SC.

Round trip, it took us about 30 hours of traveling. You might ask, “How does that work in an electric car?”

Before acquiring the Tesla Model 3 in 2018, being able to successfully make it to our destinations was an ongoing discussion. (At the time, we had two Priuses.) Overall, Tesla Superchargers are fairly accessible and recharging the battery is much more cost-effective than a petroleum refuel. As the majority of our “local” (east coast) assignments take us along Interstate-95, recharging our vehicle is a breeze. Unless we’re incredibly low on charge or need to fill up closer to 100%, it takes about 20-35 minutes at a Supercharger. This can occasionally change based on the number of individuals charging at one station. However, there have only been a handful of instances where we’ve charged for more than 35 minutes. With new chargers constantly being installed for use, it will become less of an issue over time. I also don’t mind one bit — a lower environmental footprint is worth it.

12 Supercharging stops (round trip).
1,900 mi (3,058 km) of driving — approximately.
$133.45 in total costs to charge at Tesla Superchargers.

Thanks to Google Reviews, we came across an eclectic local food spot in Hobe Sound called Harry and the Natives. Josh and I stopped here twice — for lunch before our initial scout day and for breakfast before the start of our main event day coverage. Note: Lunch was good (western-style “American” food), but breakfast was more of a highlight.

They also had a Tesla Destination Charger in their parking lot. We love spots that have these, as we can collect a bit of complimentary charge while we eat.

I’m still learning how to pose myself for photos in a way that I feel comfortable. Ironically, I’ve spent my life telling others how to position themselves and have trouble doing so myself. Lack of confidence is certainly a factor here, but one of my personal goals is to get over this negative mentality and pursue more self-love. I read somewhere that, if you lack self-confidence, it feels uncomfortable to see or share photos of yourself because you don’t want to burden the mental space of others (ie. over-posting or coming off as self-absorbed). I’ve always enjoyed seeing personal photos (especially OOTD and travel shares) from my friends and colleagues.

J. Crew Factory Scalloped Cami Top in “Marine Salt” | H&M Floral Midi Skirt and Headband | Looks Like Summer Ivara Rattan Bag | Alexandre Birman Kittie 50 Boot in Cognac via Poshmark | Wild Bloom Studio Handmade Clay Earrings

Note: Last year, I made a commitment against purchasing fast fashion items from stores. These pieces from J. Crew and H&M are from several years back. In an effort to promote sustainability, I’m an advocate for taking good care of one’s clothes and wearing pieces for as long as possible. Alternatively, many items can be purchased secondhand (or, as I prefer to say, “pre-loved”).

After a day of scouting, cinematic environmental footage, and OOTD photos, Josh and I found a Cuban spot for dinner (Copacabana Cuban Cuisine). We couldn’t resist some Ropa Vieja and it was every bit as delicious as we had hoped.

Years ago, we filmed an event in Jacksonville and decided to add on a few leisure days to visit Cape Canaveral. (One of these days, I’ll have to share a throwback post with some images.) During our visit, we were craving both sushi and Thai cuisine. We came across Pacific Rim in Merritt Island and decided to try it out. The food and experience were so memorable that, at the time, I wrote a glowing Google Review and we returned for a second visit.

Fortunate for us, it was only 10 minutes off of our route coming home. We stopped in with high hopes of a delicious meal and it did not disappoint. They even had a lunch bento box featuring all of the items I was craving. How incredibly convenient!

Our return journey from Jupiter, FL to Charlottesville, VA was less rushed — so we stopped approximately halfway through our drive to spend the evening in the city of Florence, SC. We booked a room at the Hotel Florence, which was sufficient for our needs (convenient, quiet, and comfortable). The following morning, we enjoyed brunch at Victors and took a quick stroll through downtown.

Oh, look! Is that yours truly strolling out of a random alley? Surely, that door isn’t locked and the photo is 100% naturally occurring...

Few Moda Daphne Dress in Sunny Floral | Looks Like Summer Ivara Rattan Bag | Chloé Woody Espadrilles | DIOR Bow Earrings via Poshmark

Overall, we had a good time and everything worked out in our favor. Work travel can, at times, be stressful (mainly with all of the cinematography gear we bring) — but we try to make the best of things and enjoy ourselves when we can!

Images captured on the Leica Q2 and iPhone 13 Pro. A special thanks to the best partner and travel buddy ever, Josh Gooden.