when a small town becomes a really, really big city

I visited Austin, Texas, for the first time ever this past weekend. It doesn't usually rain there, but it poured for the majority of my stay. My husband accompanied me on the first half of the trip - the second half and my initial reason for going was for a conference focused on the donor database I use each and every day for work. Austin is very cool and happens to be growing at a very fast pace. I am glad I was able to see it now, as I think there will be major differences even within the next six months. We spent our time eating our way through the city (the food is delicious, but very heavy), viewing art, having a mini spa day, and seeing some of the historic structures Austin is well-known for. We covered all of the major food bases and ate a Mexican-style brunch, a farm-to-table dinner, and a barbecue brunch. I ate more meat in the last few days than I've eaten in the last two months. Notable dishes include buffalo ceviche (not sure what got into me, but I literally ate raw buffalo meat with charred radish, onion, chilies, key lime, cilantro, and sweet potato chips), brisket, and sausage (andouille, turducken, and boar). Most of the art was modern art, which really tickled my fancy. I wish we were able to catch some live music, but instead we were only able to fit in a pop-music dance party at one of the bars on Rainey Street. I was thrilled with it; I'm not sure my husband felt the same way. Would I rush back there in a heartbeat, no, probably not, but I would visit again and next time I would stop at one of the hat stores we passed and pick out something to adorn my noggin.

small towns, scenic routes, smiles, and tennessee

I can't remember how I stumbled upon the Shelter + Roost website, but I am glad I did. I'm also not sure I will ever find myself looking to vacation in Tennessee, but at the very least, these vacation properties are worth a browsing session for decoration inspiration and set-up ideas. Who needs a hotel when you can stay in one of these absolutely beautiful homes? A few of them have a few more decorations than I personally think they need, but overall they are all gorgeous and look so peaceful. I also love that they use a plus sign in their name.  If you ever find yourself in Tennessee, stay in one of these homes and let me know how it was. Click here to visit their website.

plenty of sunshine heading my way...

Disney World was a very big part of my childhood and I clearly remember the sheer excitement that rushed over me the night before we left Massachusetts to travel south to Florida. There used to be a commercial on television that captured parents breaking the news to their children that they were in fact "going to Disney World", and the kid's reactions were spot on with what I felt. (A lot of shrieking and yelling and smiling and laughing and happy tears.) I would actually sleep better the night before Christmas vs. the night before leaving for Disney - that's how excited I got. Those were the good old days - when I would lose sleep over happiness and cheer, instead of stress and anxiety. Maybe I should plan a trip to Disney World...

I mention this, because I have something similar happen to me before a trip/vacation in my adult years, though it normally comes with a few moans and groans as a result of needing to research, figure out a schedule, make plans, and pack - I HATE packing. Although not quite as innocent, I am still thrilled it happens at all and continue to be grateful to get the opportunity to visit beautiful places in this country and beyond. Well it happened last night, because I am lucky enough to be going to Maine this weekend (as I mentioned yesterday). Gone are the days when Mickey and Minnie Mouse got me all riled up and instead, enter the time when eating a Maine lobster roll and visiting the official L.L. Bean store keeps me up at night. People say some things never change and while I agree, I think it is okay if sometimes they bend and flex. Here's to taking a photo (or two) with the gigantic L.L. Bean boot! 

back to back travel plans with opposite weather

The miles and elevations of Lincoln Gap Road. The
Warren approach is left. The Lincoln approach is right.

We returned home last Monday from Florida and left again last Wednesday for Vermont. In other words, we went from seventy degrees to "feels like" negative double digits. I can't complain though because Vermont only felt that cold for a few short instances on our entire trip. In addition, having five full days with friends we get to see once a year (sometimes less) is nothing to whine about. Eleven of us shared a home we rented in Warren, Vermont. The home was more of a gigantic cabin than a house and was designed by the famous architect David Sellers. Not only does David design homes, he also designed Lincoln Lodge at Sugarbush and the Mad River Rocket - a sled he created. 

Our five days in winter paradise consisted of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and sledding. A small group of us even drove north up to Burlington, so we could enjoy a Penny Cluse breakfast and a quick grocery run at City Market. The same group even made time for a hot buttered rum in front of the fireplace at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. The best part of the entire weekend (for me) was the sledding. I read about a guide service that drives you to Lincoln Gap Road - a road that is closed all snow season because of how much snow it receives. The grade is very steep (6%), making it impossible to keep clear and safe all winter, so the town shuts it down around the 2.7 mile marker (approaching from the Warren side, not Lincoln). We parked our car where the plowing ended and embarked on the mile plus hike straight to the top, gaining about one thousand feet in elevation. Then, we hopped on our sleds and sped down. We joked about going thirty to fifty miles per hour, and although I don't truly believe we were going that fast, there were times when we were flying. It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. If you are in the area, make the trip and just keep walking up. Although it is steep, it is only a mile and you will get there sooner or later. The guide service charged fifty five dollars to provide a ride and a sled, but we did it all for free and had the time of our lives - a few of us brought our own sleds and conveniently enough, the homeowner had a few Mad River Rockets ready for our use at the cabin.

a mini vacation/obligation and a lot of family

Saturday's sunset.

My husband and I were able to escape the cold for two days and put our toes in the sand. One of his great uncle's turned eighty last week and the family arranged a surprise brunch party in his honor - in Florida. While it was a bit of whirlwind with a very quick turnaround, I am grateful we were able to trade in these single digit temperatures for two seventy degree days. My skin saw the sun and I got to put my flip flops on - what a treat! We stayed in Redington Beach the first night and St. Petersburg the second. Although we aren't super fans of Florida, we really enjoy watching the sunset over the gulf. There were fifty family members in attendance and he was shocked and touched. Job well done, family. I think we really made his day. Although I wish I was a bit tanner, I can't really complain. This little adventure also reiterated the importance of planning a vacation in the February/March months to a warmer climate. It was great seeing family and gives me hope that winter will end one of these days...

I want a round room at the end of the day

Obviously not my photo, but
how cool are these things?

There is so much going on in the world. I have so much to write about, just not enough time in the day to do it. Thankfully, I got to work early today and although these next posts may be short, they will be packed with curiosities, hilarity, and may even shock you. This post is going to be about Free Spirit Spheres in British Columbia (aka the greatest place on earth in my book). I'm not sure I would enjoy spending the night in one, but I could name at least ten people I know that would. They sound a little scary to me because of the suspension, but seeing out into the forest from "a nutshell that's decorated like a palace" sounds totally awesome! It also makes me think of the nutshell quote from Austin Powers, which always makes me giggle. "That's you in a nutshell!"/"No, this is me in a nutshell. Help! I'm in a nutshell! How did I get into this nutshell? Look at the size of this bloody great big nutshell. What sort of shell has a nut like this? This is crazy!" It gets me every time, but...back to the sphere. They are handcrafted and I am sure staying in one for any number of nights would make for quite the memorable adventure! Click here to read more and make your reservation.

the finale of our pizza and pasta filled vacation

We have three more days to go and I am fitting it all in this post because there are other things going on in the world, aside from our vacation. I loved it and will appreciate capturing the memories, but this cannot go on forever.

A building in Rome from our
walk on Christmas morning.

I woke up in Italy on Christmas morning. It was the first time in my thirty-four years of life I did not wake up at my parent's home on the twenty-fifth of December. Talk about change! We spent the morning site-seeing outdoor attractions because we didn't think the streets would be crowded, but the city was bustling. Apparently it is popular to walk around Rome on holidays - even the gelato stores were open (thank goodness). After we checked off the last site on our list, we went back to the family's apartment, exchanged gifts, and had a big dinner. It was lovely. Bed was early that evening because we had to be up and at 'em the following morning for a guided tour of a lost city called Herculaneum. 

A colorful mosaic
in Herculaneum.

Herculaneum is similar to the more well-known town of Pompeii. However, instead of being covered in ash after the eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Herculaneum was covered in actual lava (and mud). The combination of lava and mud did wonders in preserving the details of this small resort town located directly south of Naples. It was a much wealthier town than Pompeii and the brightly colored marble and mosaics that adorned the buildings can be viewed today. It was crazy! It has taken one hundred years to dig the city out from the lava it was encased in and you can view original rooftops, building beams, beds, doors, and even jugs that once held wine and olive oil. My husband's sister had gone to Pompeii and although impressive, she was told Herculaneum was far more interesting - she was given great advice. Once our tour was finished, we drove an hour south to the beginning of Italy's Amalfi Coast for lunch and it was one of the biggest treats on the trip for me. I tried over and over to figure out how to spend time there without feeling overwhelmed and rushed - and it just didn't fit into our itineraries. Our tour guide insisted we go and experience true coastal Italy and I could not have been more grateful. If When we return to Italy we will most definitely be returning to the Amalfi Coast. It was breathtaking - huge mountains are nestled directly next to the Mediterranean Sea and sea towns are built right into the hillsides. It is pure beauty and such a gift to see with your own eyes. It was a four-hour drive back to Rome, so we planned for one last late dinner out, stopped by a fountain of turtles on our walk home, and fell asleep for our last time in a different country. 

The view from Sorrento.

We were able to sleep in a little the following morning, which was not hard in Italy - every hotel we stayed in was pitch black in the morning. I applaud whoever started that movement because I can appreciate waking up in pure darkness. I can also appreciate the free slippers all the hotels gave out. There weren't always robes, but there were always slippers. All of the hotels also had bidets and towel warmers, but I just couldn't get into those as much as the darkness and the slippers. The travel gods were with us going home, as we did not have any flight delays and made it to the ferry with minutes to spare. It was a great trip and I couldn't be more grateful for having the opportunity to experience another country as beautiful as Italy. The end.    

holy, holy, holy lord, god of power and might

While I am not religious, I appreciate the community a church provides, as well as the respite and relief it offers when thinking about death. I feel lucky enough to have grown up going to a church that actually mirrored some of the churches we visited - no not my childhood Episcopalian church, my grandparent's Irish Catholic church we went to every Christmas Eve. It was assumed that my husband and I would not want to go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve in Rome (which promptly began at 9:30 p.m. - go figure), but it was something we were both very interested in experiencing. Although we were unable to go inside, we stood outside St. Peter's Basilica in St. Peter's Square. Hello holy! In all honesty it was one of my favorite parts of our trip. We watched the pope and all his little helpers on television screens set-up around the square. The square was a sight in itself, though I imagine the interior of St. Peter's isn't anything to be looked over, but we were outside and not inside. There were statues of saints lining the top of the basilica, as well as all the buildings around it. It was eerily gorgeous and hauntingly breathtaking. We didn't stay for the entire service - much too long - but we were able to experience mass by the pope and really enjoyed it (even though we couldn't understand a word he was saying, yes it was in Italian). It was a beautiful and very meaningful ending to our Christmas Eve.       

and I know it's gonna be a lovely day, lovely day

My photo. The real thing.

Getting to return to Florence was a gift. Although my husband had trouble finding reverse the following morning in the rental car, we were able to drive away from our Italian homestead for the night because I got out of the car and pushed us out of our parking spot. (Strong Polish woman, thank you very much.) We dropped the car off at the rental place and walked towards the center of town - truly all set with any form of transportation, aside from our legs. We found a beautiful hotel, checked in, and began our unexpected adventure. We took the recommendation of a friend and had lunch at a very Italian restaurant - very, very minimal English. It was a little bit of a struggle at first, but we made due. The entire restaurant smelled of truffles - there were literally truffles everywhere in Florence - it was amazing. We were able to put down a few courses, so we knew by this time our stomachs were growing larger - thank goodness. 

The Uffizi art museum was on my husband's wishlist of places to see, so we walked towards it, hoping to get our bearings for the next morning. Most attractions in Italy sell tickets and if you have a ticket you can skip by all of the people waiting in line - highly recommended. We didn't buy Uffizi tickets in advance because it wasn't part of our tour that took place the day before and we didn't know we would be back, so we planned to wake up early the next morning and be first in line. To our surprise and delight, there was no line, so we walked right in and toured the museum two hours before it closed - very pleasant surprise and the museum wasn't crowded at all. My favorite paintings were Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Rosso Fiorentino's Musical Cherub. Dinner that evening was in yet another restaurant that smelled only of truffles and we feasted on a raw artichoke salad with olive oil and lemon and a Tuscan steak - one of the best meals we had, if not THE best. We found a little rock bar after dinner and I was able to drink a beloved White Russian - the only place on the entire trip that offered them. (Italian's pretty much drink wine, beer, grappa, limoncello, and straight liquor.) Our day could not have been anymore lovely. We rose the following day and were thrilled to be taking a high-speed train back to Rome to celebrate Christmas Eve with the family. 

happy trails to you...until we meet again

This was the building across the
way from our room, but all the
buildings looked as charming.

While our time in Chianti was brief, I have to give a shout out to the place we stayed - hill and all. It was so unbelievably beautiful, just as the pictures, reviews, and descriptions said. While it would have been a very different experience if we rented an automatic, it was still very special to us. We would love to go back when the weather is warmer with a group of family or friends. I also want to mention breakfast - it gets put together by the owner and delivered to your door in a wicker basket. Our's was filled with fresh croissants, rolls, yogurt, meats & cheeses, milk, cappuccino, and juice. Dreamy. Click here to visit their website and note if you want to see the rooms you have to click on hospitality - a menu appears below in brown that allows you to see the rooms and views.

getting to spend more time in our favorite place

Ponte Vechhio.
Breathtaking.

Okay, I'm back. Things at work have been going a mile a minute since the new year and that is when I normally do all of my writing. (Computer time at home is for online shopping and Pinterest, of course.) So back to vacation...the day after my birthday we went to Florence (which is Firenze in Italian - that little fun fact confused a lot of people in our party). Florence was breathtaking and my favorite place we visited. I liked it collectively as a whole; the colors were calming, it was very clean, and Italian was spoken over English. We met up with a tour guide when we arrived, which was quite nice. She showed us main attractions and more off-the-beaten-path attractions we would have otherwise passed by. It was very difficult leaving Florence for my husband and I. Although we had an amazing tour, we felt like we wanted to spend days upon days walking around, but once lunch (which was covered in truffles!!) was finished we had plans to break off from the family and experience the Italian countryside on a vineyard and olive farm in Chianti - a thought so peaceful and calming, until we started driving there in our rental car...our manual rental car (aka not automatic).

We opted not to rent a GPS with our car because my husband had a foreign plan on his phone and that combined with taking screen shots of needed routes and watching the blue dot in Google Maps seemed like enough. What I didn't realize was that because we were offline, the blue dot was not as accurate as it normally is when one is connected to a 4G or LTE network. This became quite an issue when approaching a fork and having to make a split decision on where to go without any warning. Needless to say, I made a lot of wrong split decisions and interstates in Italy have minimal exits. After finally getting on the right path and realizing directions with words were much easier to follow than a delayed blue dot, we got closer and closer to our destination. At one part of the drive my husband and driver of the vehicle briefly mentioned his concern for driving a car of that type up hills. I thought nothing of it 1. because I have faith in him and 2. I can't drive a standard for anything and could only offer positive words and cheering on. To make a very long and very stressful story short, we had a lot of trouble getting up the massive three mile hill that led us to our accommodation. When we finally made it (which I honestly did not think was ever going to happen), we realized we could not leave because if we went back down the hill we would have to come back up the hill. So, we drank three bottles of wine for dinner, slept like babies, and decided to end our Chianti adventure the following morning and return to Florence. Moral of the story: rent automatics.

an anniversary of sorts, surrounded by stone

My photo of the
Colosseum.

I was lucky enough to spend my birthday in Italy, traipsing around sites like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the most beautiful church I have and probably will ever see (Basilica di Santa Marian sopra Minerva), and Bernini's Elephant and Obelisk sculpture. The hotel even left a Buon Compleanno balloon on my pillow. I am not a super celebratory birthday person, but it was sweet. My husband also gave me a bracelet from one of my favorite jewelers who happens to be Italian and presented it as "a gift from your favorite Italian jeweler, who happens to be based out of Brooklyn". Click here to visit Jessica DeCarlo's jewelry website. I am now the proud owner of two twisted horn: rams head cuffs - one in sterling silver and one in brass - thank you sweet husband of mine!

This was also our first full day taking in the sights and sounds of Rome, which are incredible. Every time you turn a corner you are faced with something that is hundreds, if not thousands, of years old, massive, stone, and breath-taking. Everywhere you turn is a photo. Most things I wouldn't want to see again, as one time was enough, but if you ever have the chance to visit I highly recommend. It was really, really impressive. I was grateful to have found an itinerary for Rome where you could see all the sites in three days or less - it was plenty. 

a day full of surprises, but not the ones we thought

This was actually taken in
Florence,but I wanted to use it
for this post to honor family
meet-up day.

After we devoured the best pizza ever, we headed back to Rome via train and met up with the family. As I mentioned before, my husband and I were supposed to be a surprise, but we weren't; I guess we were the ones that were surprised. We moved into our Rome hotel and the family moved into their Rome apartment, which was located on the northern tip of Piazza Navona. That piazza is home to two magnificent fountains, the Fountain of Neptune and the Fountain of the Four Rivers. I didn't get any good shots of the fountains, which is why I am using a photo of the family instead. This was the day when our surroundings began to get really crazy. Naples was a city and we had a beautiful view, but it all seemed real. Rome (at least parts of it) were so massive and so mind-blowing they looked fake. I began feeling like I was on the set of a feature film and kept having to remind myself that what I was looking at was in fact reality, and not only was it reality - it was hundreds and hundreds of years old. I know I was feeling this way because again, this was my first time visiting Europe. Things began to get more real as the days passed... 

and then there was pizza...real neapolitan pizza

That's her, in all her glory.

A big reason The only reason we went to Naples was because it's where pizza was invented and my husband and I really freaking like pizza. I grew up with some pretty delicious pizza in western Massachusetts and we would frequent American Flatbread (wood-fired pizza) weekly when we lived in Burlington, Vermont. The real prize however, was when we moved to New Jersey and bought a home two miles down the road from Ciao Bella in Highlands - aka the best pizza on earth. Unfortunately, it closed and has not reopened, which makes it hard to write this without shedding a tear or two. However, we must wipe our tears aside and bask in the fact that we are both probably ten pounds lighter than we would be if it were still in existence. (RIP Ciao Babies - we miss you and think about you each and every day.) 

We took our "where to find the best pizza advice" in Naples from the master of food and travel - Anthony Bourdain. He suggested a pizzeria a few blocks from the train station, which worked out well for lunch and what would be our last experience in that crazy city. Although we had a number of sacred epiphanies and holy connections in the religious establishments we visited throughout our Italian adventure, we must not discredit the divine miracle of the "verace pizza napoletana" or original neapolitan pizza at Pizzeria Pellone. Amen! It was heavenly. My usual complaint with pizza is the crust or lack there of, but this was just perfect. It is customary to eat an entire pizza yourself, and enjoy it with a fork and knife. As I mentioned in the last post, I wish my stomach had expanded by this leg of the trip because I had some major trouble fitting it all in. I was sure there would be other people in the restaurant that were in the same boat, but everyone ordered their own AND finished it all. Our waiter came over and shook his head at me, but I could not fit it - I was stuffed with some of the best pizza I have and will ever eat. The sauce, the cheese, the basil, the crust - everything was award-winning and utter perfection. We felt a little ridiculous taking photos of it, but as more and more people filled up the seats and were delivered their pizzas, we realized it was pretty common. We even saw a group of men snapping away who all had to be at least seventy. An actual agency exists, complete with rules one must follow, in order to call your pizza "true neapolitan". Whatever the agency is doing is working. More pizza should be made like that, it should just be more acceptable to share it with a friend. 

our very first day in Europe and we chose Naples

The terrace and the view.

I am missing our trip more than words can say right now, mostly because of two reasons 1. my husband is away at work and I miss him and 2. it was (pretty much) sixty degrees for the entire span and at the present moment it is twenty five and snowing. The first photo I chose to share was from Naples. We decided to land in Rome and make the hour-long commute south by high-speed train to see some of Italy's coast. We were thrilled we did when it came to our accommodations and our view (and food, says the fat kid). The hotel we stayed in was a renovated monastery and our room was one of two with a terrace. It was remarkable...if only our drive to the said hotel could have been as remarkable. 

We took a taxi from the train station and the driver drove about one hundred miles per hour down four foot wide streets that were crowded not only with pedestrians, but also motorbikes carrying one to three people driving the opposite way we were. I was grateful we did not decide to rent a car and show ourselves around Naples. We were apparently charged six euros more than we should have been charged - I just can't believe someone took us for tourists with our blonde manes and gigantic suitcases - but we made it safe and sound and again, entered into one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stepped foot in. We took a walk and ventured a few blocks from the hotel for wine, and found another little place for dinner. We were fed something we still aren't sure about (we think it was a fried oyster) out of the hand of the chef and ate one of my favorite meals from the entire trip - homemade pasta and shredded pork covered in a sauce that tasted like French onion soup. It was delicious. We only had a starter and a pasta course, and were laughed at because we couldn't eat more. I wish I shoved something else in because the following day we ate a true Napoli pizza and I wish so much my stomach had been expanded by that point. (Pizza post to come tomorrow.) Naples was a whirlwind and well worth the efforts of a little extra travel time. Click here to see our hotel, Hotel San Francesco Al Monte.

a happy wish and confession of my whereabouts

My favorite photo from our trip.
I want those stairs very badly.

Happy New Year! I am back on a normal schedule and ready to write...and boy, do I have a lot to say! My holiday break was pretty amazing; I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas on vacation with my husband's family in Italy, celebrated Christmas with my husband at our home the night before we left, spent New Year's Eve with friends in Massachusetts, and celebrated Christmas with my family the Friday after New Year's. The trip to Italy was "supposed" to be a surprise for my husband's half sister who spent the semester studying abroad in Rome. Although I am ninety-nine percent sure she doesn't read this blog, I didn't want to take any chances, so the only thing I posted that had anything to do with Italian culture were the stars made from pasta in the photo from December seventeenth - the day before we left. It was SO hard not to post about our preparation or excitement...little did we know our cover had already been blown on multiple occasions over the course of the last four months - thanks fam! I will post more about specific details of our trip, but I couldn't wait a second longer to get the word Italy out into my blog world. I also wanted to start the year off on the right foot by writing on the first Monday of the year, as the day is quickly coming to a close and almost ended without a post. I have to run, but stay tuned for more details about our trip. It was my first time visiting Europe and I have a lot to share! 

a gift from the workplace for the upcoming holidays

I just got told the best news ever; I get the day after Thanksgiving off, the day after Christmas off, and the day after New Year's Day off - for free! No vacation days necessary. This is glorious. I went from working at an organization that observed twelve holidays to seven. These three additional free days are doing a great job of closing the gap - it hurts a lot less. I have a feeling this will not happen every year, as all of the major holidays fall on Thursdays this year, but I am not going to worry about future years and am going to bask in the wonderfulness of 2014. I cannot believe this. I am so thrilled. I shrieked at my desk, which was very professional of me, I know. I love my job and am happy with my choice to work here, but this makes it even sweeter. My husband is presently on a plane and is going to flip when he hears this. It was sad thinking about leaving for work the day after we host our first Thanksgiving dinner - now I don't have to! So many possibilities. So many plans and ideas running through my mind. What will I do with three whole extra days off?! 

if you like pina coladas, in the dunes of the cape...

I had the most wonderful long weekend on the Cape with my sister. We had productive days, but still had fun - I love those types of weekends - they're the best. I took Friday off from work to maximize my time because it is a solid five hour drive. I am all for leaving late on Sundays when it is any season except for summer, which also influenced my decision. Because it is summer, I knew I would be leaving promptly at eight o'clock on Sunday morning, so a day off on Friday was in order. 

We quickly caught up after I arrived Thursday night (which never takes long because we are talking, texting, emailing, etc. all day every day because we love each other so much). We were up and at 'em on Friday before seven thirty and stopped to grab breakfast and lunch. There is a nearby farm market that has the most delicious delights. We got to the beach and went for a run. Then, we changed into our bikinis and spent the next four hours on the beach. The water was clear and warm. The sun was shining. It was perfect! We left and headed home to shower and change. Our plans for the night included stopping at Cape Cod Beer for a tasting and a clambake. I was thoroughly impressed with the beer at the brewery; the porter tasted just like maple syrup - score! The clambake was interesting to say the least; a lot of Vineyard Vines-clad children and adults, a beautiful view of the ocean and boats, delicious food, and a commodore who liked setting off a mini cannon. We left and met up with a few friends once we had our fill of our own personal dance party and dj. I am not sure what the other clambake attendees thought of us and our moves, but we sure had fun dancing to Stevie Nicks and Paul Simon. Our night did not end extravagantly late and we woke up on Saturday around the same time. 

We followed our morning procedure from Friday, but instead of a run I got to see my sister's new place - which is adorbs - very excited for her to be living in such a cool area! After the beach we decided to have an early dinner. We were finished with appetizers and ice cream cones pre-seven o'clock. We set-up a little viewing area and watched the movie Bridesmaids for the hundredth time together. It really was fun and I can't wait to visit again soon. I hadn't been to the cape in ages (like fifteen years or more) and I am happy to say a lot is still the same. It made me happy and comfortable and eager to do more exploring! I just wish time wouldn't pass by so quickly when we are together. Time flies, I guess...

having a horrible time in newport, like really bad

Second Beach, one of the
 worst beaches on earth.

I had a truly glorious weekend. Although I did not arrive at my destination until after ten o'clock on Friday evening, it still felt full. I had one of the greatest beach days ever on Saturday with my mom, dad, and sister. The beach in Newport (as in Rhode Island) was packed, but we managed to have a great time - aside from the moment my sister and I got pooped on by a seagull. It felt like someone splashed me with water. Nope, not the case. It was poo poo and it was all over me, my towel, and my beach bag.  Everyone says it is good luck, but it sure didn't smell like good luck. Anyways, even though I was there for an entire week last year compared to the thirty six hours of this year, I was able to do the majority of my favorite things, which includes; fancy cocktails at Fluke, Second Beach, Sweet Berry Farm, eat lobster and ice cream, shop on Thames Street and at the Newport TJ Maxx (one of the best TJs on earth), hang out with my parents and sister, and look at cool boats. I even went on a four mile run while I was there. I didn't feel overly rushed either - everything just fell into place. The things I did miss were my husband being with us, visiting Providence, eating at the Boathouse in Tiverton, and visiting Sakonnet Vineyards - he was working and there just wasn't enough time to visit the other places. I love Newport so much and appreciate being able to make time to visit each year. Some years I am there for longer than others, but as long as I get to go for a little while, I am content. I think people need to stop talking about how great it is though. It was very crowded, so tell your friends that Newport sucks and that they should find somewhere else to go on a summer vacation. (haha)

keep your eye on the prize, hold on

What a week. It appears the weekend weather for the east coast (aka the right coast) is going to be quite perfect. I hope you find time to get outside; whether it be a hike, a swim, a bike ride, or my sister's favorite - a frickin cannon ball. I also hope your weekend is full of these (see above). Mine is going to be and I am thrilled. I can taste the lemon and butter now... too bad I will be eating a warm sandwich for tonight's dinner, while driving. Eye on the prize, I guess. Lobster tomorrow! Travel safe and sweet dreams.