Meet Melissa D’Angelo | Entrepreneur & Traveler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa D’Angelo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The “business” that we are addressing here is actually two-fold. The first part of it is the blogging and story-telling. Melissa and I were, and are, of the exploring mindset. We have always liked to seek out adventure, discovering the known and, sometimes, the unknown. And telling those stories became a way to share our experiences, especially with an older generation since we are more experienced than most due to our ages…so we cater to a different audience than most when it comes to social media. The second part of it is a product for which we recently acquired a patent – a pair of running shorts that are specifically made to prevent skins burn while wearing a utility belt that may rise up while moving. As we have both been long distance runners, we have experienced a lot and the idea was developed when Alan was running the New York City Marathon. So in pulling it all together, we have worked hard to create a brand that is recognizable, helpful, and fun.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I worked in the legal field on & off for 20 years in total taking time off to be a stay at home mom until my children were both in school. I felt there was no longer advancement opportunities in that field so I completely changed gears and jumped into pricing and contracting in the pharma world which is where I still am today. It was challenging at first, the processes, the lingo, but I was able to advance quickly mostly due to my experience with deadlines and attention to detail.

I’ve always loved to travel-day trips, road trips, domestic and overseas. I instilled this love in my children who also love to travel. When I met Alan we shared the passion for traveling, the outdoors and lovers of food. When he proposed creating a blog and brand based on our loves, it seemed to make so much sense since our friends and family loved hearing about our adventures. Even more so when some of them would go to places based on our posts and pictures.

The Karmel Knocking Around brand has afforded us a way to share our experiences and opinions (good, bad, and challenging) with the world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We’ve visited Colorado a few times and have only lived here for a couple of months. So although my experience as a Colorado tour guide is limited, here are some of the things I’ve enjoyed and have taken my family to.

No trip to Colorado is complete without a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. On the way to Estes Park, stop at the Colorado Cherry Company in Pinewood Springs for a snack and a cup of coffee. Then head to The Stanley Hotel for brunch and The Shining Tour. Walk around the town and visit the many shops and walk along the riverwalk. Then head into the park and drive around and stop along any of the roadways for pictures and to search for wildlife. Depending on the company you have with you, take a short hike.

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is another one of our favorite places. And although we haven’t been there yet, I would take my visitors to Pike Peak since it’s so close.

In Denver, I’d take them to a game at Coors Stadium (even though the Rockies aren’t a great team) and take a tour of the field as well. Another fun thing in Denver is a tour of Hammond’s Candy Factory.

For a down day we’d go into Boulder and do a short hike or 2 then walk along Pearl Street Mall for food and drinks. Or stop into The Sink to eat, which has become one of our favorite places.

We’d take a ride to Golden and tour the Coors Brewery, walk along the Old West town for food then venture to the Golden Gate Canyon State Park for a hike and some breathtaking views.

Since we’re living in Longmont, I’d take my visitor up and down Main Street to the many shops and restaurants. Some of our favorites are Jefes, The Roost, Landline Doughnuts, and Tangerine. On Saturdays we’d go to the Boulder County Farmers Market or catch one of the many festivals and music shows around town which occur almost every day of the week.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Alan, my partner in crime, the best travel companion

Website: https://karmelknockingaround.com/

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