City Faces in Different Places
By Julie Perine on October 04, 2020 from City Faces
Meet today's Bridgeport City Face, Krista Arnold!
How long have you lived in Bridgeport? If not a lifelong resident, tell me what brought you here.
I’ve lived in Bridgeport for 15 years. I was born in Parkersburg, WV, then lived in California, but when our son was born we wanted to be closer to home and Bridgeport was where we landed for my husband’s job.
Are you married, have kids? Tell me about your family.
Yes. My husband Zack and I will celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary on October 9th. We have three children – Christian (14), Caroline (10) and Juliana (8).
What about pets?
We have two Great Danes and I am slightly obsessed with them. Olive is a three-year-old merle, and Ivy is a two-year-old Harlequin.
Where do you work and what do you do there?
I’ve been a stay at home Mom since my youngest was born. Before that I worked as a Proposal Manager for a government contractor for ten years.
What are your hobbies/favorite past times?
I’ve been a member of the GFWC Bridgeport Juniors for the past eight years. It’s a great group of women – we do lots of great things for the community and have a ton of fun! This month we have our Trick or Trot 5K. You can find out more about the unique format of it here: https://www.facebook.com/trickortrotsplitthepot
I love spending time with my friends. I have made the best friends in Bridgeport and I am so thankful for them. I can always count on them anything - from an impromptu girls’ night to a fun travel adventure.
Favorite Bridgeport spot?
Probably my house. I love just being at home with my family and playing games or sitting on my deck reading a book.
What do you like about Bridgeport … why is this a good place to live?
I was skeptical about moving to Bridgeport. When my husband received a job offer here the only thing I knew about it was that I passed by it when I drove back and forth from WVU to Parkersburg. Bridgeport has exceeded my every expectation! It’s everything the quintessential small town should be – a sense of community and friendly people with the perks of shopping and great restaurants.
One – or more – of your favorite memories of something that took place in Bridgeport ...
Probably when my friends threw me a surprise baby shower when I was pregnant with my youngest. I’m normally not one to surprise easily and they pulled off a huge one! I was floored and incredibly touched. Just another testament to the wonderful people in this community.
What is your favorite WV spot outside of Bridgeport?
I love the Greenbrier. It is a beautiful resort and a neat piece of history and when you’re there you feel like you’re in another world.
How about your favorite place outside of WV?
This is a hard question because I love to travel. I love Disney World, Hilton Head, any Caribbean island and I never get tired of Las Vegas – I’ve been at least 10 times.
What are some of your favorite things?
I love summertime, dancing, big dogs and Mexican Coke (you can find it in a glass bottle that says “Refresco” on the side).
Food/restaurant?
I like most food and there are so many great restaurants around the area it’s hard to pick just one. I do really miss Provence Market and am looking forward to trying Hart Kitchen this month!
Favorite color?
Pink
Music genre/artist?
Much to my husband’s dismay, I listen mostly to mainstream pop music. I’ve seen Britney Spears, Taylor Swift and Maroon Five in concert. I was supposed to see Nelly in June, but Covid put a temporary hold on that. I also saw NSYNC in concert three times.
What is your best childhood memory?
Probably hanging out in my neighborhood. I grew up in a neighborhood that was a one mile loop and there were tons of kids my age. We would play outside all day and not go home until our parents called us in in the evening. I also went to my Nannie’s (great-grandmother’s) house every day after school. That time I got to spend with her is something I will always treasure.
Interesting fact about you and/or something you would like to add…
I studied abroad in Italy when I was in college. I had never flown in my life and got on a plane by myself and flew to Germany.
Another interesting fact is that my husband and I were set up by our Moms who worked together and were best friends. Before I even met Zack, our moms would say that we would get married someday – and they were right! I joke that it’s sort of a modern day arranged marriage. Now we all vacation and spend holidays and random weekends together which is so special and one of the things that brings me the greatest joy in life.
Also, I’ve recently been helping to represent Bridgeport with Healthy Harrison’s Health Games. One local community is going to win $100,000 to make their community healthier. I think our plan is really strong and I really hope we get the chance to implement it. You can help us by clicking here to vote for Bridgeport – it takes less than 20 seconds!
