friends

soaking up summer.

August 8, 2012

HI FRIENDS!

It’s been a week since I’ve been here!

A week of watching the Olympics, and remembering my amazing weekend in New York (more on that to come later), enjoying all things Boston before the summer is over, and devouring books like I haven’t done in years.

Things are pretty good around here, and VERY busy.

I kind of got overwhelmed last night with all the pictures I’ve taken and want to share, and all the things I’ve been wanting to post about but haven’t had the time. It’s safe to say this summer has been crazier than ever, but I also think it’s been my best yet.

Here are a few things I’ve been up to lately…

I visited New York City.

I hadn’t been in a few months, and was down in CT visiting with my parents and the rest of my family, so I decided to take the train into the city one day to do a little walking around and to have dinner with Molly and Colleen. It was so nice to get together with them and when we do get together I always wish we lived in the same city so we could do this all the time. LOVE these girls. They are my favorite.

We went back for another weekend at the Farmhouse.

Usually I only go once a summer (sometimes not even), but this year was meant for a double dose. We didn’t hike a mountain this time, and it rained quite a bit, but it was relaxing all the same. There was still porch sitting and still plenty of time for reading, and there was delicious food and company the whole weekend through.

I saw Ingrid Michaelson!

This one was on my bucket list:

~~25. See Ingrid Michaelson in concert.~~

DONE and DONE. I went with my sister and we dressed up all concert chic and had an awesome time. I only bought the tickets a few days before, but was able to score two front row seats which causes me to believe that it was all just meant to be (silent cheer!). Anyways, the concert was wonderful, Ingrid rocks, and being that close through the whole thing was an experience I’ll never forget.

I went with friends to see Shakespeare in the Park (and drank fine wine and ate cupcakes, too).

This goes on in the Common in Boston every summer, but in my 7 (!) years of living here I had not yet been until last week. I met up with some friends from my book club and we sat on the lawn with juice box wine, pizza, and cupcakes. We chatted and had a great time spending the evening outside. And in truth, we didn’t watch the play at all. Well, maybe a tiny bit of it, but mostly we just sat back and hung out together. And I loved it.

(And even though, I didn’t focus on the Shakespeare I couldn’t help but think how amazing it is that this happens for FREE every night for 3 weeks in the summer. To give people the chance to come out and see a performance that they might not have the opportunity to see otherwise? Pretty cool. Now, if only they could get some ballet to happen. That’s something I could reeeeally get behind.)

I visited the Boston Athenaeum.

Just yesterday! And that one was on my summer bucket list, too.

~~19. Visit the following list of Boston museums:~~

~~Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum~~

Orchard House (Little Women!)

~~Boston Athenaeum~~

Harvard Museum of Natural History

My friend Rachael (blogger, book-lover, and serious appreciator of Boston), has a membership there, so we decided to get together so she could show me around. We had a great morning strolling through Beacon Hill with our iced coffee, talking about this and that, and eventually making it up to the Athenaeum. It’s absolutely gorgeous inside, and something that I didn’t even know was there until recently. For those of you that don’t know the Athenaeum is a private library and museum (you can walk through the museum part for free) that is truly a hidden gem in Boston. There are beautiful rooms to sit and read, thousands of books at your fingertips, and lovely outdoor terraces where you can relax and catch a glimpse of Boston from above.

Thanks for a great morning, Rachael and Lux! Another win for Boston!

And so, that’s a little bit of what I’ve been up to these last couple of weeks. I still have pictures to share of my week in CT (and some from NYC) and my weekend home in Syracuse. I’ve just spent my last week enjoying this summer in Boston and from here I am heading to Nantucket for a few days before finally spending my last week of summer in the Cape! SIGH. It’s coming to an end, but boy has it been a ride. I have loved getting to spend time with family this summer, and have also felt incredibly lucky to be able to see so many friends as well. Soaking it up, people. Soaking it all up.

I hope you are soaking it up, too!

Until next time, friends! XO!

11 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, boston, food, friends, life, music ·

our backyard summer BBQ.

July 23, 2012

~~13. Have a BBQ. Send invitations.~~

WE DID IT. We had a backyard BBQ and it was a complete success. High fives!

This is something I’ve been wanting to do since I discovered the potential of our backyard. I didn’t think too much of what we had back there in the fall, but once the spring time rolled around and the Pinterest fanatic in me started discovering the beauty of the outdoor oasis, I knew I had to make something of ours.

I sent out invites about a week and a half before we wanted to have the party, pretty sure that not a lot of people would be able to make it. I mean, it is summer after all. People have weddings to go to, things to do, people to see. I know how it is. But 35 people came + a baby! I could hardly believe it when the yeses started rolling in. WHAT?! Who knew we had this many friends! I was excited, but also started getting a little nervous, too. What if our yard couldn’t hold that many people? What if the neighbors got annoyed? Plus, I’d never really thrown a party like this before. WHAT if I didn’t have the magic touch?

Well, the party was better than awesome and, really, the night could not have been more perfect. Zan’s brother set up the iPhone to play “The Shins” radio on Pandora, which felt just right for this kind of party. The weather was amazing (it was cool and pleasant, with the most beautiful sunset), there was just the right amount of food, plenty of drinks (and then some), and having everyone there and having fun was just fantastic.

It was just the best time and I loved every single minute of it.

Here are some of the pictures from the night:

It was a good, good time, I could not be more sure of it.

Let’s do it again?! We’ve got plenty of leftover beer and the oasis is staying up throughout the rest of the summer. Feel free to come on over if you’re around! We’d be happy to hang out some more and cook up some food. We’re pros at this now, after all.

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to celebrate summer! One for the memory books— so thanks for being a part of it!

23 Comments · Filed Under: celebrations, friends, life, summer ·

on helping out a favorite blogger.

July 13, 2012

I started following Elizabeth’s blog sometime last spring, over a year ago now. I clicked over to her blog from another blog, read one of her posts, and have never looked back since.

Hers is the blog I used to read first thing in the morning as soon as I got to school, and nowadays when she posts in the afternoon, I will sit in my car huddled over my phone just to read what she has to say.

I was pulled in that very first day by her story and by her writing.

Since then, I’ve been a loyal follower of E Tells Tales. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you. Zan knows it. Meg knows it. My real life friends know it. And my blog friends know it. Whenever there is blog talk happening, and someone goes and asks about my favorite blogs, Elizabeth’s is always the first I mention. She is an incredible writer, has a fascinating life story, and is the mom to one CUTIE PIE KID.

Since reading her blog, we’ve become friends, too. Not the kind that meet for coffee, but the kind that tweet to each other and have skype dates every now and again. She’s funny, she’s real, and she’s kind. And since reading her blog, she’s introduced me to other blog friends. Some directly, and some indirectly. A few even, who are closer in distance, that I have had coffee with. Elizabeth has created a community through her writing that I have yet to find anywhere else on the internet. And it’s a special thing.

Anyways, why am I telling you this?

Because this week and last she had a story on her blog that really touched me. It touched a lot of people, actually. And so I thought I’d take the time to share it here so that maybe it will touch you, too.

Elizabeth’s husband, Mike was the owner of a family-run store. A small-town grocer that put his life and soul into providing food and supplies for the people in his community. There was a story about that store on Elizabeth’s blog last week that I hope you will read.

Part 1

Part 2

The End.

There is sadness in those posts, and worry, but it’s important that you read them.

There is Good News, too, very good and hopeful news, so you’ll definitely want to read that.

Elizabeth is a teacher, so she is one of my own.

If you want to help you can adopt her classroom. She teaches high school English and needs help with supplies for her students and with purchasing books for growing her classroom library. As a teacher myself, and as a reading specialist, there is nothing more important than providing literature for students, this I believe with all my heart. It is the backbone of learning and it’s something that I feel incredibly strongly about.

You can help adopt Elizabeth’s classroom HERE.

You can help out her family specifically by visiting HERE.

And lastly, you can make a strong effort to buy local and support small businesses in your community. You can help other family’s like Elizabeth’s by buying from local stores in your town and supporting local shops and markets, otherwise all the little stores will soon be gone.

I hope you’ll give some of your time to reading Elizabeth’s story today. It was important to me that I share it and maybe you’ll want to share it after reading it, too.

Have a lovely weekend, friends. ♥

18 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, friends ·

on enjoying the moment.

June 21, 2012

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Last night was the summer solstice. The longest day of the year.

This, in a way, makes me feel sad. Yes, it means that’s summer has officially started, but also, it means that summer will eventually run it’s course, too. It’s just inevitable and there’s no stopping it, but I can’t help but want to freeze time right now. Make the long days last forever and to have light and warmth all the time.

I should really move to SoCal. Except I love it here too much to leave.

Last night Zan and I went to dinner with friends. We sat outside and it was HOT but we were enjoying the longest day of the year the best way I can think to enjoy it. We drank beer and water (hydration!) and ate reeeeally delicious food. And the thing that I loved most about last night, besides the company, was that I didn’t look at my phone once. I was just there, sitting outside, enjoying a perfect night with friends.

I heard this guy talking at the pool yesterday about living inside your camera. He said you’re either fully present and experiencing the moment or you’re living in your camera lense. It really hit home for me and it’s something that’s been pulling at me for a long time. I always knew it, the importance of enjoying the moment, but sometimes you need to be reminded of things, just to make sure you’re paying attention. I love taking pictures, and love documenting my days, but there is a point where I need to put it all alway and just live.

That’s another goal I have for myself this summer.

Yes, take out the camera and snap the little things. Because you love it.

But also, put the camera away.

Just be. Just enjoy.

Just be present and live.

5 Comments · Filed Under: friends, life ·