a trip to concord // there is always light behind the clouds…

May 28, 2013

rainy-sat

So! Memorial Day Weekend happened and it was grand.

{I hope yours was great, too.}

As you know my parents were in town and every day was better than the one before. I can’t wait to show you bits and pieces. It was perfection. First I’m going to share some pics from our Saturday in Concord, Mass. We mainly went to visit Orchard House {Louisa May Alcott’s home, and the setting of Little Women}, but we ended up spending some time in the town also. One word: ADORABLE. Seriously. Every single time I take a trip to anywhere in Massachusetts I am always like, I want to live here! This is precious! That house! And that one! This place is amazingggg.

Not even kidding, Massachusetts, you the BEST.

It was a rainy day, but we made it work.

“Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.” -LMA

//

Here are the highlights…
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My mom was crazy over this cheese shop. Said it reminded her of one back in her hometown of Greenwich. Also, because CHEESE. I mean, who doesn’t go crazy over a cheese shop. Any cheese shop, really. This one was particularly wonderful, though.

Speaking of cheese, what’s your favorite kind?

Mine’s goat cheese. Oh yes.

Also cheddar and gruyere and fontina and JARLSBERG. OMG. I love it all.

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This market was DELICIOUS. We ate lunch there per Bridget’s recommendation and just YES. My mom and I split this CRAZY GOOD New England Clam Corn Chowder creation. Loved it. They also have the kind of french fries that I dream of at night. Not too thin, not too thick, extra crispy. Perfect for dipping in ketchup and thanking the heavens that you were born. And the corn bread they serve? I could have eaten that stuff all dang day.

So basically, if you’re ever in Concord, try this spot. I think you’ll love it.

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After lunch we walked around the town popping in and out of gift shops, clothing boutiques, and book stores, dodging the rain and the puddles and the cold. I also discovered this lovely home goods store called Jack and Toba with beautiful vintage + contemporary pieces, a really fun owner that made me smile, and an interior that was seriously every pinterest lovers dream.

Then we drove to our main destination: Orchard House!

I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to make the voyage here, and how excited I was when I finally got to experience it in person. Little Women is for me, as I’m sure it is for you, one of the best pieces of my childhood. I feel like those March sisters could be MY sisters, that their hopes and dreams could just as well be my hopes and dreams, and that inside that little brown house lives the history and the imagination of one of the greatest stories of all time.

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It was so nice to be able to peak around {no cameras!}, to learn about the true life of Louisa May Alcott {the tour is perfect}, and how the real Alcott girls had similarities and differences to the characters from Little Women we all know and love.

We got to see the piano that Lizzie {Beth} loved to play on, hear of her untimely death at the age of twenty-two {she really did have scarlet fever that weakened her heart}, we saw the eldest sister’s Anna’s wedding gown {which she wore on a spring afternoon in May}, and also! Lousia’s desk where she sat and wrote her stories is right there in her old room and it is really just the most amazing thing to see.

Sigh.

I loved it all.

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And now, if you don’t mind me, I’m off to watch the movie! Because after writing this post I just can’t help myself.

Also, because it is one of my absolute forever favorites. For always.

//

“Oh, my girls, however long you may live,
I never can wish you a greater happiness than this!”
-Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

17 Comments · Filed Under: boston, boston photography, life, movies, nostalia ·

may the odds be ever in your favor…

March 27, 2012

{Print from Entropy Trading Co. via Etsy}

The Hunger Games, Movie Edition:

I looooooooved it.

(The book, of course, is in a class all by itself, so we won’t compare too much, only a little.)

Before I go into the details I would just like to say this: Katniss Everdeen ROCKS and I don’t think they could have found a more perfect person for the role. Throughout the whole entire movie I couldn’t help but think over and over in my head, Dang that girl is skilled!

So here I will go into my personal opinions about the movie itself. If you haven’t read the book/seen the film, and plan on it, stop reading now. Otherwise, let’s begin:

District 12:

I thought the beginning of the movie was absolutely perfect. District 12 was exactly as I imagined it. Exactly. I love the chemistry with Gale and Katniss and ultimately have always in my heart felt they were right for each other. Aaaanyways. I could go on all day discussing Gale, but for the sake of this (hopefully not too long) post, let’s move on.

The reaping was also perfectly aligned with the images I had in my head. I wish they had gone into more detail with the mockingjay, but I will forgive. It was all so tragic and powerful and that silent salute gave me all sorts of shivers.

“It means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love.”

The Tributes:

I enjoyed most everything about this part of the movie. The train ride was well done, and the Opening Ceremony and the days in the training center were entertaining and well filmed. LOVED the “girl on fire”. SO cool. I do wish they had gone into some more detail here on Peeta and the back story between him and Katniss– it seemed like they could have gone deeper in my humble opinion, but again, I will forgive. I also thought they did a good job with the back story on the mining accident. I liked how they encorporated it into the movie just enough to satisfy.

And then of course, The 74th Hunger Games:

Brilliantly done. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Either that, or I was curled up in a ball simultaneously covering my ears and squinting my eyes. I do this sometimes during action movies. It just happens.

The fights at the Cornucopia were CRAY-ZY.

The fireballs were wild.

The tracker jackers scene was perfect.

Loved little Rue and her lovely spirit and the mockingjay song. Saddest tear. Loved that part a lot.

I never really loved the cave scene in the book (remember: Team Gale, here) and I felt the same way about the cave scene in the movie. It was OKAY.

I thought the last fight at the Cornucopia was terrific, even though the creepy wolves should have definitely been mutations of the dead tributes (as was done in the book). I think it would have added just a little “umph” which I would have appreciated.

And the very end of the games with the night lock berries? LOVED.

Overall it was a HIGHLY decent adaptation of the book. Of course we all know the books are always better, no argument there, but I truly enjoyed myself during the movie and would recommend it to anyone who loved the Trilogy or just wants to see a very interesting, action packed story, about a bunch of teenagers who against their will are forced to fight to the death.

Would you be brave enough to change the game?

I sure as heck wouldn’t be.

But regardless, who wants to take up archery now?

I DO. I DO.

+

Postscript: This post is officially brought to you by my 16 year-old self. You’re welcome!

14 Comments · Filed Under: famous people, movies ·

11 people I would invite to dinner: {fantasy favorites}

March 15, 2012

The final {and most awesome} round.

I made it eleven because there was no way I could narrow it down to five (I couldn’t even stick to ten!).

I had so much fun putting these together– I hope you enjoyed them too! I think this last dinner party would be the most interesting one by far. I mean, imagine! Having all of these people in one room! Sigh. If only it could be true. Here’s to dreaming.

And here. we. go…

{The Guest List}

1.

Severus Snape

“After all this time?”

“Always.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

2.

Becky, A Little Princess

The little servant girl who stole all our hearts.

“Sara… why don’t you tell your stories anymore? “

“They’re just make-believe. They don’t mean anything.”

“Oh, but they’ve always meant something to me. There were days I thought I would die, until I heard you talk about the magic.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

3.

MacGyver

The original Jack Bauer.

Me and my dad used to always watch this show together.

What a guy.

– – – – – – – – – – –

4.

Anne of Green Gables

UM. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with Anne Shirley??

“There’s such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I’m such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn’t be half so interesting.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

5.

Carrie Bradshaw

Because, honestly, she’s like the coolest girl EVER.

“Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

6.

Veda Sultanfuss

There she was just a walkin’ down the street singing Do Wa Diddy Diddy Dum Diddy Do.

“Get outta here! And don’t come back for five to seven days!”

– – – – – – – – – – –

7.

Sophia Petrillo

“Ma, can you eat quietly?”

“These are Fritos, what do you want me to do, swallow them whole?”

– – – – – – – – – – –

8.

Lady Violet Grantham

HILARIOUS.

And I think she and Sophia would be SUPER hilarious together.

“What is a week-END?”

9.

Cristina Yang

I love just about every sentence that comes out of this girl’s mouth.

She’s my favorite character on Grey’s Anatomy, hands down.

– – – – – – – – – – –

10.

Matilda

Precious. And smarter than a 5th grader for sure.

“You seemed so far away,” Miss Honey whispered, awestruck.

“Oh, I was. I was flying past the stars on silver wings,” Matilda said. “It was wonderful.” 

– – – – – – – – – – –

and last, but certainly not least:

11.

Napoleon Dynamite

“I caught you a delicious bass.”

But ONLY if he brings his dance moves to the party.

Canned heat, baby.

++

View: {living edition}

View: {dead edition}

11 Comments · Filed Under: books, children, famous people, movies ·

1st vlog evaa:

December 12, 2011

Here it is. My very first video blog.

I’ve been debating it for awhile. And finally decided to just go for it.

The beginning is MAJORLY awkward, but it gets better (I think).

Hope you like it!

Show notes:

Here’s my top favorites all written out, with extra commentary for good measure.

Top 5 Actresses

Claire Daines– besides everything I said, I just remembered one of my ultimate movies with her. Little Women! DREAM! How good was she in that movie?! My heart aches for her every time I watch and once again the tears are flowing like water. Claire Daines is the BEST.

Hillary Swank– P.S I Love You, Million Dollar Baby, The Next Karate Kid! Awesome actress. And I’m so excited for New Years Eve to come out. SO excited.

Julia Roberts– she’s just so darn good at making me love her. Pretty Woman and My Best Friend’s Wedding are among my most favorite. But I’ll be hard pressed to find a movie I don’t like that she’s been in.

Rachel McAdams– yeah, all I have to say is The Notebook and my head and heart go all dizzy on me.

Dakota Fanning– I Am Sam… broke my heart and I have never been the same. Cutest little thing ever and now she is so beautiful. I look forward to seeing in her in more films in the future cause dang, that girl can act.

Top 6 Actors

Matt Damon– The Departed?! TOO good for words.

Tom Hanks– this guy is just the best. Sleepless in Seatle, You’ve Got Mail, Forest Gump, the list goes on and on…

Denzel Washington– it WAS Man on Fire that I was remembering. I went and looked it up. Now THAT was a darn good movie. SO good!

Leonardo DiCaprio– #1. Foreva and EVA.

Eric Dane– Steamy hot McSteamy. MMMmmm!

Robert Pattinson– yeah, so he just really did it for me in Water for Elephants. He did and I’m good with that.

Top 2 (3) TV peeps

Ellen Degeneres– Fave. Hil-ar-ious. It’s on my bucket list to visit her show one day. And dance down front in front of everyone and get shown on one of the outtakes clips. How awesome would that be? So awesome.

Ann Curry– my little j.crew-loving newscaster friend. Love this lady.

Brian Williams– Heyyyooo. This one goes out to you, LJ.

Top 6 TV Shows

Grey’s Anatomy– Addicted. Best show ever. That is all.

Party of Five– the memories! LOVE!

LOST– a couple of years later, and I still haven’t figured it out. That show was good, though. Real good.

Felicity– you can see my post about my love for this show here.

24– Jack Bauer. Need I say more?

Dawson’s Creek– Pacey + Joey = True Love.

Top 5 Musicians

Dave Matthews– yes, it’s true about all those concerts. Used to be quite the fanatic. But he’s just SO good, right?

Joshua Radin– this one gets my heart pit-pattering. Those words. That voice.

Ingrid Michaelson– she’s just cool. And she’s got the words to touch my heart, too.

James Taylor– just comforting. Like an old friend.

Crystal Gayle– here’s the link to the song I was talking about: Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue. This was my most favorite song EVER when I was 10 years old. For reals.

Top 5 Movies

A Little Princess– hope you all enjoyed that little singing segment I busted out. Girl just couldn’t help herself.

This is the version I am referring to. And Liesel Matthews plays Sara Crew. SO good.

“I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags. Even if they aren’t pretty, or smart, or young. They’re still princesses. All of us.”

My Girl– “Don’t pee on the hydrant!”

It’s a Wonderful Life– “Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.”

Father of the Bride– THAT house. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to live in that house. And Frank Egglehoffer? That guys kills me. “Armani don’t also make “polyaster.” HA!

Harry Potter– love the books, love the movies. Love everything, everything about it all.

(And if I could just add a number 6 here, it would be Little Women. Because that movie is too good not to add. And I’m pinching myself for not adding it originally. The March sisters ROCK.)

 

Welp, there ya have it. A 16-minute look at little ol’ me.

Happy Monday, all!

 

(**Want more vlogging goodness? Here’s my dear blog friend Claire’s vlog which I mentioned and watched so many months ago. It makes me miss her! Aaaaand if that’s not enough, one of my newer friends in this internet world, Jodi, did her very first vlog just a few short weeks ago. I love being able to know how bloggers sound in real life. You read their words every day and see into their thoughts, but sometimes it’s just nice to put a voice with those words. Glad to be jumping on the bandwagon!)

13 Comments · Filed Under: famous people, movies, music, vlogging ·
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