nostalia

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

May 28, 2013

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…
photo-3

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ·

when your family comes to boston…

May 23, 2013

I am feeling all the warm and fuzzy feelings that one feels when they are going to see their family soon. Because I am ! Because they are coming HERE tomorrow!

!!!!!!

We mostly always keep our plans loose when my mom and dad come into town, which is a nice and stress-free way to roll, but I’ve also got a few ideas up my sleeve for our weekend in and around Boston…

I was thinking definitely a trip to Somerville Theatre to see The Great Gatsby. {If anyone knows my love for Leo, it’s my mom and dad. They were shelling out the big bucks to me when I went to see Titanic upward of 7 times when I was thirteen years old. I wish I could say I was kidding, BUT I’M SERIOUS.}

I was also thinking Orchard House. Because, well, Little Women! FAVORITE! And also, I have never ever been. I think my mom will love it.

And! We have been planning a trip up to Rockport for our “better late than never” mother’s day brunch at one of our favorite restaurants on Bearskin Neck, My Place By the Sea. I especially can’t wait to get up there since loving on Melanie’s post earlier this week! YAY!

Any other must-dos? Anything you love to do when your family is in town that can’t be missed?

Tell me your favorite things! I love hearing ideas from you guys.

Happy almost Friday! Happy almost 3-day weekend!

25 Comments · Filed Under: boston, family, life, nostalia ·

denver {day three}: sweet action on broadway.

May 8, 2013

What troopers you all are! Thank you for reading all these long winded, song embedded, photography crazed posts. I am loving your comments and your excitement! And I feel it, too! Colorado sure is wonderful, isn’t it?

On the third day, we filled our day entirely with food and shopping, which is my idea of living the dream. Before I go on I’d like to say a few thoughts about my experience in Denver thus far:

1} WINDOW SCREENS. There aren’t any!

At least my friend Beth didn’t have any to speak of. I noticed this right away and was told that the altitude is so high that there aren’t a lot of bugs to worry about. WHAT? Pack your bags, everyone and LET’S MOVE TO DENVER. But seriously. I still cannot get over the no screens thing. Just amazing.

2} DRY AIR. What beautiful hair and skin you have!

This could be a good and a bad thing. My hands were incredibly dry while I was there, but my hair held up quite nicely each day thanks to the dry air and this dry shampoo. Also, water. I drank so much the first day that I had to go to the bathroom a lot A LOT. But, hydration! Can’t complain there! And lastly, a few bevys go a long way. And a lot of bevys go even further {hence the dancing}. I think we can all agree that too much fun + dancing is never a bad thing.

Also remember: hiking was hard! Physical activity not recommended for the feeble.

3} TIME CHANGE. hello, 6AM!

Now this experience would not necessarily effect everybody, but coming from East Coast time I definitely felt it effect me. Staying up late is never a problem for me, but early mornings can be rough. Not for a weekend in Colorado, though. I was up at the crack of dawn and felt like a million bucks. Sweet mountain living!

Anyways! Here are some of the day’s details…

denver day 3

We started out with a walk in Washington Park with Beth’s little nugget of a puppy. Frida! You crazy thing, you. Then we headed out for brunch at Cafe Bar which was all kind of YUM. Each and every place we had a meal was straight up blogger perfection. I’m telling you! I loved it.

We ate brunch with Beth’s sister Lauren and got to hear all about her latest project and life in the tech world. Seeing your friends’ little siblings all grown up is strange {because it makes you feel OLD!}, but especially awesome, too. I love the work Lauren is doing and know that girl is really, truly going places. She is rocking it.

Then after eggs and strawberry buttermilk pancakes the shopping {and ice cream eating} commenced…

denver day 3-2

DID YOU TELL CINDY I THOUGHT SHE WAS BEING A BITCH THE OTHER DAY AT THE POTLUCK?

{Amazing.}

Good times at Goodwill.

{WAAAY TOO GOOD.}

I mean, but really? Those interiors! Does it get any better?

Every shop was obviously my favorite shop, but I was especially smitten with Fancy Tiger {both clothing and crafts. but ESPECIALLY crafts}. How cool is that deer head covered in yarn? We spent all afternoon there browsing and eating ice cream before a venture to the great REI filled with enough outdoor gear to keep you equipt in the Colorado mountains for the rest of your LIFE.

We ended the day with another lovely dinner with friends where I tucked my phone + camera away for the night and just decided to BE.

Another glorious day on the trip log.

p.s. It probably goes without saying,
but all embedded songs are memories
from the trip/high school…
nostalgia at it’s best!

p.p.s. in case you missed it!
{day one: live at red rocks}
{day two: rocky mountain high}

13 Comments · Filed Under: friends, life, music, nostalia, travel ·

denver {day one} // live at red rocks.

May 6, 2013

You guys! Let’s just talk for a few days about the beauty and goodness that is Denver, Colorado. I took over 500 pictures on my trip and have whittled them down to just near 100 for the ‘ol blog. I’d like to say I’m kidding or at least that I’m sorry, but yeah, I’m not. Girlfriend can’t help herself. Pictures aplenty, pictures galore.

So anyways, If you’d like to stick around for the ride, I’d love to have you. It’s good stuff through and through, I promise. And hey! Maybe afterwards you’ll feel like you took a vacation, too. Ready? Here we go…

{PRESS PLAY!}

I left Boston INSANELY early on Friday morning, but when you’re heading across the country to see your best friends {who you haven’t seen in a year!}, well, nothing is too early for that.

After one layover and one total sobfest while finishing this {SO GOOD!}, I was ready to take on Denver. The thing I remember best about landing at the airport and driving into the city was this: They sky was the bluest of blue {and stayed that way the entire length of our trip}, I could see the mountains!, and the sky was bigger than I’ve ever seen.

There is something perfect about reuniting with high school friends. The second you are together again, I swear it’s like you were never apart. We just kept busting out with “WE DID THIS! We’re here!! WE REALLY DID THIS!” on the entire ride to Denver from the airport. I felt this kind of happy inside that I haven’t felt in awhile, and maybe even ever. The sweet excitement of being someplace brand new with the sweet comfort of being with people who’ve known you practically forever— people who’ve known you before you were even actually you— at least before you were the you you are today, if that makes sense. They’ve watched you become YOU. And, anyways, for what it’s worth it’s some kind of wonderful.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from day one…

The highlight of the day: LIVE AT RED ROCKS.

Fun fact: When I was in high school I was wildly obsessed with the Dave Matthews Band. I went to tons and tons of concerts {SPAC! Toronto! Atlanta!} and was basically head over heals for the music in the way that only a 16 year old can be. To put it mildly, I lived and breathed DMB. The winter of my senior year I wrote a letter to Dave Matthews, signed by me and all my friends, and! just for fun, not for serious, I added my phone number at the end with a smiley face. I sent it to his house in Charlottesville, Virgina and thought that was that. All in good fun, right? Send a letter to the lead singer of your favorite band and life goes on.

Well.

A week later, my phone rang one night and it was Dave Matthews himself. DAVE MATTHEWS! In the flesh, calling for ME!

Said he wanted to thank me and my friends for the letter, that he’d just gotten home from a photo shoot for Rolling Stone, that my words were the nicest and just what he needed to hear after a long, tiring weekend away.

I talked to him for, I don’t even know, 5 minutes? Mind racing, heart beating the enTIRE time.

And then I jumped and squealed like a 16 year old for weeks upon weeks upon weeks. {and still sometimes even now.}

TRUE LIFE AMAZING.

My original claim to fame, also known as the best day ever of my teenage life.

{And so, now you’ll see why it was so appropriate that we come to Red Rocks. My favorite of all the CDs!}

The amphitheatre is the coolest and the view UNBELIEVABLE. I hear the acoustics are the best, although I can’t say I’ve heard them myself {we didn’t see a concert, just toured the rocks!}–but I will say that I’m adding “See a concert at Red Rocks” to my bucket list, for sure.

If I can make it a DMB concert, EVEN BETTER.

Exhausted, but exhilarated I could not stop smiling the entire length of the day. After Red Rocks we headed back into the city {and Beth’s neighborhood} to end day one with dinner at Steuben’s. It was, in a word, {DO YOU SEE THOSE GRAVY CHEESE FRIES?} delicious.

The perfect end to a perfect beginning.

Love at first sight, Denver! So much good!