life

memories from connecticut.

September 5, 2012

Visiting places that remind me of my childhood is my favorite. It’s almost like going back in time, to experience the sights and sounds that you remember like it was yesterday. We used to go to Island Beach in Greenwich every summer when I was small. It’s the most unlikely place, a tiny little piece of land on Long Island Sound, but it holds some of the happiest times of my youth.

I have the fondest memories of that beach. We used to take the ferry over to the island, have a picnic and spend time in the sand, soaking our feet in the ocean and playing in the water until it was time to catch the boat home.

I still visit Greenwich every summer, though it’s very rare that we take the ferry over to the old little island anymore. We’re busy with this and we’re busy with that, and trips are often short, and Island Beach often gets overlooked most visits. But this summer, we did take the ferry on that short, breezy ride to Island Beach and I was full of nostalgia the whole entire time.

Meet my Grammy. She’s 86 and I love her to the moon…

She’s a special one, that Grammy Jean. With a sharp wit and a soul full of goodness. I’m thankful every day that she’s mine.

This day was especially special too, because we took baby Hope along for the experience. Hope is my cousin Haley’s daughter and my grandmother’s first great grandchild. It went full circle on this trip to Island Beach and I’m glad I have the pictures for the keeping…

If there’s one thing better than summer, it’s summer with a little nostalgia mixed in.

I love a good memory, don’t you?

9 Comments · Filed Under: life, nostalia, summer, travel ·

instagram summer.

September 2, 2012

SIGH. what. a. month.

What a summer.

I was here and there and everywhere and and reading my books in between.

There’s this thing about summer that makes me so at peace. I’m not sure if it’s the long days, or the heat of the sunshine, but something about it gives me this carefree feeling that I just can’t quit. And who would want to, honestly? Not me. Not ever.

I think the winning fact about the goodness of summer is that every day is a weekend day from mid June to the end of August. Two and a half months of weekend is everything to write home about.

I have enjoyed this summer, and especially this last month more than words can say. We ate lobsters tonight, the very last of the season for us, and while he was eating, Zan just closed his eyes and said aloud, “remember this. remember this.”

In the breeze of the fall, and the cold of the winter, and even into the beauty of spring, I will remember this. I will remember this summer for always.

Because how could I forget it?

7 Comments · Filed Under: instagram, life, summer ·

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 ·

97 summer snapshots.

July 27, 2012

A snapshots post. I haven’t done one of these in awhile (which is painfully evident from the near 100 photos I have uploaded here today).

This post is mostly for me, more than anything.

Sometimes I think I might want to turn this lil blog into a book someday. A book that I can hold and turn the pages of. To remember these days of having so much to do and so much to tell that often it is hard to imagine life more full than this. I don’t really believe that, because deep down inside I know that it will only get fuller and richer with time, and this makes me thankful and wide-eyed.

So here I am storing my favorite snapshots of the summer.

To keep and remember.

On this little old corner of the internet that is mine.

I’ve been busy this week, spending time with family and visiting friends. I will eventually share it all but life seems busy lately and summer is fleeting, so for now I think I’ll just do my best to soak it all in and experience it fully. We’re heading up to the farmhouse again this weekend and then I’m seeing Ingrid Michaelson with my sister on Sunday night, something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time now. There’s still so much to do this summer, and still so much that I’m looking forward to, but I can also see the end in sight which is why I’m starting to put the brakes on a little— attempting to slow it down and hold on a little tighter.

Wishing you a happy weekend, friends. One that inches on slowly letting you hold on and savor every last bit.

18 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, instagram, life, summer ·