Moving from the plains and cornfi elds of the Midwest
to the expansive greenery of the Northwest, we knew we
wanted to have mental health days in nature, opportunities
to ground ourselves and get a glimpse of the bigger picture.
After checking out the Multnomah Falls on TripAdvisor (free),
we set out for our fi rst hike. Hikers, to my surprise, came in
all shapes and sizes, all ages and ethnicities. I was amazed to
see older people miles up the trail and pleased to meet a few
younger people that became our fi ve-minute friends. We were
silenced by the roar at the base of a waterfall and climbed a
mountain to share a sweet kiss in a hidden cave. We captured
beautiful memories, even in poorly lit spaces, with the help of
the professional-quality selfi e light on my LuMee phone case
($14.99). These can later be turned into video collages with
Apple’s native Photos (free) app.After our fi rst hike, we
drove back to the city in a
downpour. Unable to read
street signs through the
rain, I used the restaurant
app Zomato (free) to fi nd
dinner along our route in
Portland. Danny was safely
navigating the traffi c on I-84,
and I was exploring the food
scene with Zomato’s helpful
suggestions. I chose a food
category, a price range,
checked out some pics and
menu items to shorten the
wait time, then plugged Pok
Pok Noi’s address into
Google Maps (free). A
friend had recommended
this option before, so I
knew it was the place to go
and I’m so glad we chose it. Toasted coconut infused water, a
juicy and delectable small chicken, a fl avorful, crunchy salad,Date
Life
y iPhone 8 has become an integral part
of my day-to-day experience. Some
weeks ago, with my Castbox (free)
podcasts downloaded and my favorite,
longest playlists cued up on Spotify
(free), I embarked on a journey that
would change my life as I knew it: moving. Moving to a new
place is exciting, terrifying, isolating, and invigorating. For
my fi ancé Danny and me, it included a three-day, cross-coun-
try drive through the rolling plains of Nebraska, the jagged
mountains of Utah, the snow caps of Wyoming, and the
tree-topped hills of Oregon to the beautiful city of Vancouver,
Washington.
Since I drove our car and Danny drove the rental truck,
my devices were all I had to connect us; using the speaker-
phone feature on my Apple Watch was like having a New Age
walkie-talkie! Awestruck by the majesty of the massive ever-
greens, I laughed heartily when he called me from the truck
and asked, “Is this still Earth?” In a place we’d never been
before, we immediately knew we were home.
Since arriving, I’ve used my iPhone to navigate every aspect
of this new land. With the help of a few key apps, I’ve been
able to experience nature, dine like a queen, earn rewards for
enjoying a movie, score once-in-a-lifetime tickets to a live RZA
performance, and even fi nd freelance work.
Apps for Connecting
with My Fiancé, Friends
& Family
by Melanie Newell
M