Sights and Bites #4

Looking for a fun weekend away, maybe with your family, gal pals, or significant other?  The city of Providence, Rhode Island is a great place to explore for a few days. The city offers shopping, culture, sports, and history.

When I visit Providence, I really enjoy staying right off of I-95 near the state capitol building.  If I'm going budget friendly, I tend to choose the Courtyard Marriott, but for more of a splurge, I love the Biltmore.  This historical icon of Providence has been in business for almost 100 years and after an interior remodel in '06, it is ready to take on another 100 years of visitors.  The Biltmore name glowing on the Providence skyline is one of the first things that comes to mind for me (and many others) when thinking of this city.

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Once you have settled on a place to stay, go explore the unique and varied shops on Thayer Street. You'll find cafes, specialty gift shops, hipster clothing stores, and other spots that fill up the blocks of this college-y part of town (college-y is a word right?).

Next up is finding a solid lunch to energize you all afternoon long and I recommend Geoff's. This tiny, chaotic sandwich shop is down the hill from Brown University and R.I. School of Design, placing it away from the heavy traffic of Thayer Street, but certainly not keeping away its customers.  This busy, no-frills shop is lined with chalkboards that list all of their different sandwich creations from top to bottom.  Geoff's exudes a little bit of "what are you looking at " attitude yet still boasts nice customer service. 

There are probably 50 different types of sandwiches available and they all are named anything but your typical "Ham and Cheese" or "Reuben on Rye."  The employees seem to love shouting out the funky name of your sandwich upon it's completion, getting particular joy from naughty names like the "frigid bitch" or the "sloppy ho".

If you want something more substantial, check out the Federal Hill area.  Atwells Ave is lined with tons of different sit down restaurants and some neat architecture.  There are also a few good bakeries that always catch my eye as I walk down the street with their big window displays of cakes and pastries.  Parking here can be a bit hard to find, but most restaurants offer valet parking to lessen to hassle for you. 

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During the summer and early fall months, I highly recommend ending your day with something called Waterfire.  The river that winds through the downtown area is dotted with giant, cauldron-like firebowls.  These get filled with split logs of wood and are lit at sundown.  People line the sidewalks, bridges, and grassy areas to relax and take in the beauty of the fire that seemingly floats on the river, the smell of wood as it crackles and pops, and the sound of the music played in the background. 

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I love to bring a blanket, set it down on a grassy hill and get settled in for a relaxing evening.  To go with the blanket, I always pack some cheese, crackers, grapes, and wine to make the night a little more special.  High romance for for a zero dollar admission fee!

If Waterfire sounds a little too lovey-dovey for you, how about checking out the Paw Sox?  The Boston Red Sox's Minor League team plays in Pawtucket, RI, which is just a short drive away from Providence.  The tickets are reasonably priced and you can choose to sit either on the grass past the outfield or in the stadium seating.  Grab your baseball cap, some cracker jacks, and get ready for an American classic.

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If none of the above strikes your fancy, you can always just stick with good ol' shopping mall time.  The Providence Place Mall has great stores and restaurants, but beware, you do have to pay to park here in their garage.

There you have it - just of the few things that can keep you busy for a weekend away in Providence, Rhode Island.  Where do you love to go for a short getaway?

Until next time, travel on...
Maggie

Happy Turkey Day!

I hope everyone out there in bloggy-land is able to take time today to enjoy loving family, delicious food, and good drink.

If you are traveling, take it slow and get there safely!

What do forts, notebooks, and shooting stars have in common?

Well, it is almost here - Thanksgiving.  Food, family, and football.  People are already stating to get their grocery lists, dining room tables, and stretchy pants ready. Bring. It. On.

Let's not forget what the day is really about - we are supposed to take time to give thanks for the great things in our lives on this holiday.  If I wait until Thanksgiving to think this through, I will be halfway into a tryptophan-induced coma before I am able to make my list.  So, tonight, as I find a few moments of quiet and calm to myself on the couch, I'm doing just that - making my list of what I will be giving thanks for this upcoming Turkey Day.

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I'm thankful for the fact that my life lead me to find Mr. C.  I don't remember the exact moment that I realized that he was going to my best friend for the rest of my forever, but I've been convinced of that fact for quite a few years now.

I'm thankful for the wet-nosed, bed-hogging, crazy-shedding dog named Murphy who joined our family.  From the moment that he licked my suede shoes at the shelter we adopted him from, I knew he was ours.  He is a good sport that puts up with me showing him human love by hugging him and petting him and snuggling him and I adore him when he shows me puppy love by giving licks to the face and dropping his favorite toys at my feet.

I'm thankful for a career that has a clear purpose which in turn gives me purpose.  Like most jobs out there, I experience tough days, stressful days, frustrating days, and long days in my job, but for every one of those days, there are those rewarding moments that make all of the tough stuff worth it.

I'm thankful for my healthy body.  Health is definitely something that is tough to appreciate until it is gone.  It takes effort to remember how special it is that I have muscles and joints that move like they should, a heart that pumps like it should, and senses that let me see, hear, taste, and feel like I should.

I'm thankful for chocolate.  Thai food.  Funfetti cake.  Blanket forts.  Pretty notebooks.  The color blue.  Lucky numbers.  etsy.  Pink nail polish.  New running sneakers.  Fuzzy socks.  Yankee candles.  Shooting stars.  Bargains.  Sea glass.  Traditions.  Organization.  Country music.

What is going on your list of things to be thankful for this year?

Who needs stickers?

Both Murphy and I had doctor appointments yesterday, so as a reward for putting on our brave faces, instead of getting "We were stars at the doctor today" stickers, we decided to take a drive into the historical town of Lexington, MA.

The sun was out and the air was crisp, so I decided to put down the windows in the car.  As Murphy gets older, he is getting more and more comfortable with putting his sniffing snout out the window and taking in all of the smells that are flying by him.  Also, as he gets older and older, I'm getting somewhat better at not being such a clingy parent and can now actually allow him to reach the end of his nose out the window.

 

 

Our first stop was to pick up a special treat for me and Mr. C to enjoy for dessert later in the day.  When he and I were in Napa Valley this past summer, we found a great bakery that is known for their macarons (stay tuned for a future post all about Napa!).  Macarons, with one "o" are delicate pastries made with almond flour, not to be confused with macaroons that are made with flakes of coconut. 

Needless to say, we really enjoyed these special treats in Napa, but with the exception of small bakeries that are nestled in large cities, it can be pretty hard to find these tasty, crispy, melty macarons.  About 6 months ago, I found Macron Sweeterie, located on Mass Ave in Lexington. 

This small boutique cafe features macrons, gelato, and coffee.  Before you even taste these little treasures, you eyes are dazzled by the colorful hues of both the cookies and their fillings.  I thought the fig and honey lavender macarons looked the most beautiful in the case, but my taste buds were drawn to the Nutella, salted caramel, almond, and dark chocolate macarons.

Next up on our list of fun places to visit was Wilson Farm.  I love stopping here, especially in the fall months.  Here, you can purchase every kind of fresh fruit, veggie, cheese and bread that you can want in addition to flowers, plants, and pumpkins.  The best reason to visit Wilson's Farm though?  On the weekends, they make fresh apple cider donuts outside and you can smell the deliciousness all the way from the parking lot. 

For just 50 cents, you can watch dough be dropped into hot, sizzling oil which puffs up the batter into a perfect ring.  Soon, it travels on a conveyor belt that slowly inches the golden dough closer and closer and closer to the brink of being tossed into a giant bowl of cinnamon sugar.  Before you know it, that freshly-made apple cider donut is picked up in a small sheet of parchment paper and is in your hot little hands (no, seriously, the donuts are still really, really hot!).  Talk about heaven.

So, the macrons are already gone and the donuts will be following suit really soon.  Do you have special treats that you have found at shops around town?

Until next time, travel on...
Maggie

A Windy, Rainy, Stormy Day of Forts, Cards, and Flashlights

Today, as I sit on my couch safe and sound since work is closed due to the impending weather from Hurricane Sandy, I was thinking back to my younger days.  Growing up in Central New York, we had our fair share of big storms in the winters in the manner of blizzards or ice storms.  In summers, hot days that were cooled off by cold fronts lead to storms with huge thunder claps and giant bolts of jagged lightening.

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I've always loved storms - I love gathering flashlights and candles to light the way when the power goes out.  I grab all the pillows and blankets around to make a cozy fort to camp out in.  I find all the playing cards around so games of crazy eights and rummy will make the time fly by.

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So, today, while I get my flashlights, blankets, and playing cards ready, I will keep in mind that we are lucky to probably just get some big wind gusts and heavy rain.  I know that others will not be as fortunate today as this storm passes through.  Hopefully you will be one of the those who get to just wait out the weather.  If so, what are your favorite stormy day traditions?

Until next time, travel on...
Maggie

A Fall Favorite - Apple Picking

Recently, Mr. C and I spent a Saturday afternoon up in New Hampshire and it was a perfect day for apple picking.  We chose to go to Brookdale Farms, which is actually a spot we have gone apple picking at every year since we were in college together. 

Even though we don't necessarily need apples at home, it is a fun tradition to keep up together.  I love driving down the dusty and bumpy road to the orchard.  My favorite part is coming around the final bend in the road and seeing a sharp, pointed steeple from a local church piercing the blue sky filled with puffy clouds.

Every year, I have to hunt down Empire apples.  I love how crunchy and tart they are - most people rely on apples like these for baking, but they are some of my favorite to eat (and I always try at least one while out picking, but who doesn't?).

Does anyone else ever feel bad for all of the forgotten apples that are spread around the ground beneath the trees?  I know, I know...apples don't have feelings...but still?!

We picked such a nice day to go, I didn't even need warm boots or a jacket!  Fall is my favorite season for sure, but there is no need to rush the cold weather, now is there?  I broke out the flip flops and made my way through the stringy hay in the orchard.

It was a succesful trip of picking a few good apples, sampling one here or there, and of course, grabbing a pumpkin to bring home to adorn our front porch.

Until next time, travel on...
Maggie

A Weekend Away, Eh?

While traveling for work isn't always as glamorous as it may first appear, there are in fact a few benefits!  I recently was working in Buffalo, New York and Toronto, Canada.  This meant that the Niagara area was practically begging to be visited!  Since I have been away from home quite a bit this past month, Mr. C decided that he would come spend the weekend with me.  I already had the hotel, the rental car, and my expenses paid for thanks for work, so we only had to worry about getting him to me!  He flew into Buffalo on a Friday night and stayed through Sunday afternoon.  It was great to get a special weekend away together amidst the many weeks of me being away from home and my new husband.

Now, most people from this part of the country have visited or at least heard of Niagara Falls, but what about Niagara-on-the-Lake?  This little gem that is less well-known should be added to the list of must-see spots for anyone who loves charming lake towns, tasty restaurants, and small wineries. 

Niagara-on-the-Lake is situated right at the edge of Lake Ontario - one of the Great Lakes.  This region makes for great grape growing conditions.  Many wineries in the Finger Lakes and Niagara region are known for their sweeter wines, but upon exploring, there are some great dry Rieslings and full-bodied Malbecs out there as well.  I usually am not a fan of white wine, let alone dry whites, but Mr. C and I tried a Riesling at Maleta Winery and the crispness of the wine was what really struck you, rather than a sharp dryness. 

In terms of sweet wines though, I would be remiss if I did not mention the amazingness which is icewine.  Icewine is created when grapes are left on the vines until the temperatures drop below freezing.  This wrinkles and crinkles up the grapes, extracts out the water, and leaves just pure, un-diluted grape juice behind.  These grapes are then harvested and made into sweet, nectar-like heaven!  Icewine from the Niagara and Finger Lakes region is commonly made from a grape varietal known as "vidal" but if you get the chance, I think the harder-to-find Cab Franc variety is a winner in its own right.

We came home with a bottle of icewine from a small, family winery called Between the Lines.  Streets in this area are called concessions and lines rather than the typical street, road, drive, etc.  This winery is situated between two of the lines, earning its play-on-words name. 

The operation is led by two brothers from Germany and one of their wives is the "face" of the winery.  She was a lot of fun to talk to while sampling.  I hate when you feel awkward sipping away at your wine and you have the person behind the counter just staring at you.  She knew her stuff when it came to wine, but she was still relaxed and welcoming as well.

No visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake would be complete with out a meal.  The heritage district is where you can find the "Main Street"-esque action of cafes, boutiques, wine shops.  The sidewalks are bustling with tourists and locals and the center of the road is anchored by a large clock tower.

Mr. C and I found a small Irish pub for lunch and enjoyed good drinks and food.  The best part of our meal came at the end when we ordered traditional Irish custard.  I had never heard of this and was honestly a little skeptical from the waitress's description of it being more runny than a frosting, but thicker than a pudding.  We didn't know what to expect, but the dish was beautiful to look at as it was swirled with sweet toppings.  After we hesitated for maybe a millisecond about not messing up the pretty design on the custard, we dove in and found that it was lighter than we expected, fresh, creamy, and just the right amount of sweet.

Overall, it was a great weekend spent together enjoying our neighbors to the North in Canada!

Until next time, travel on, eh???
Maggie

Thank You's Are In Order

Today, I'm feeling particularly excited about a few things in life that seemed share-worthy.  So here we go!

First off, I was lucky enough to be selected as a giveaway winner on one of my favorite blogs to read, yourwishcake.com, written by the wonderful Kerri.  Her writing is so honest and often times leaves me saying, "Ohmygosh, that happens to you too?" after reading her posts.  Outside of being a great blog writer, she also has an etsy shop where she shares all of her crafty goodness.  I am so excited to be receiving a set of beautiful gift tags from her recent giveaway that will spice up the next few gifts that I deliver.  Thanks Kerri!

 

Second up - this little blog of mine hit a big milestone today by getting over 500 views in just the few weeks that it has been in existence.  I started this with the intention of keeping my creative energy flowing after finishing up some DIY wedding projects and to take more time to enjoy the travel I get to do for fun and for work.  It turns out that there are at least a few of you out there who have been following me on this new bloggy adventure and I thank you!  Hurray for the readers - you guys are the best!

Last, but not least, our wedding video was released to us by the amazing team that goes by MKD Films based near Boston, MA.  We couldn't be happier with the experience we had working with them before our big day and during the wedding itself (not to mention the actual final product is nothing like I could have imagined).  Shout out to Mike, Kate, Tony, and Ben for this masterpiece which already has almost 200 views!  Check it out here!

Until next time, travel on...
Maggie

Keep Calm and Wish on a Star

This weekend, Mr. C and I will be joining about 15 other friends from our Alma mater for a summer reunion.  We will all be traveling up to Dover-Foxcroft, Maine for a weekend of pontoon-boat cruising, sun soaking (if the weather holds out), lobster eating, and of course enjoying the company of some of our closest friends (no matter what the weather does).

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One thing that I am especially excited about is the fact that the Perseid Meteor showers are scheduled to be at their best on the night of August 12th.  Normally, we are too close to bright city lights to really experience how spectacular shooting stars are in the night sky, but our home for the weekend should make for a great viewing spot!

I've always been one to make wishes - when I blow out birthday candles, when I brush a lost eyelash away, when I find a lucky penny, when I see double times on a clock (11:11, 4:44), and of course, when I see falling stars.  So, this past week, I have spent sometime thinking about what I will wish for if I am lucky enough to see some of these falling stars up in Maine.

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Now, I know most people say "you can't share your wish with others or else it won't come true!" but I think that was just made up by people who were too nervous to share their dreams for fear of being told they were thinking too big or too far out of the box.  Personally, I think I agree more with the mindset that if we don't wish, dream, or think about what we want in life - how can we achieve our dreams or get anything to change?  Anyway, here is what passed through my mind as I prepared for hundreds of free wishes to fall from the sky tomorrow night.

I wish for....

....less worrying.  I luckily don't many concerns of much consequence in my life, but I do want to be able to let go of things that I can't control.  I love the quote, "Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles, but it does ruin today's happiness."  It is tough for me, but I'm working on just relaxing and enjoying the moment rather than dwelling on the "what ifs."
....the ability to remember as many little details from our wedding day as possible.  All of my planning paid off and I was able to just enjoy the day and take in all of the joy and love that surrounded myself and Mr. C back in June.  I hope that our stories, pictures and video will help keep the memories of family, friends, and fun in my mind forever.

....good decision making.  When the day comes for me to reflect back on my life, I want to be proud with how I moved through my years.  This doesn't mean that I want every moment to be perfect (oh, how I dislike that word), but it means that I want to know that I stood up for what I believed in, treated others with care and respect, especially when it was hard to, and that I took the time to slow down and enjoy the little moments in life that are often some of the most special times.

....more dessert.  I didn't say all of these were going to be "deep" or thoughtful, now did I?  Who doesn't want another Hershey bar here or there?  Bring it on!

The next time you see a four-leaf clover, a dandelion that has turned to white puff, or the number seven, remember to take a few seconds and make a wish.  You never know what you can accomplish if you don't dream first!

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Until next time, travel on...

Maggie

She Dreams On...

In life, it seems that just about everyone creates their own bucket list.  Some go with a formal written list in a notebook, some discover possible options through The 101 Things in 1001 Days website, while others just catalog their ideas in the privacy of their own minds.  

In 2010, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was reminded how many amazing things there are to do and the number of incredible places to see in life, but how little time we have to fit it all in!  I felt compelled to make a list of my own.  Some view these bucket lists of things to do before we die as depressing, but at the time, creating a list of future adventures and hopeful accomplishments was my motivation to keep up the fight and to stay positive that better days would be ahead. 

So, what was on this list?  For me, it was certainly going to include something about travel, something about family, and hey, you can't use money when you're dead, so something about shopping!  First up, make ourselves a "real" family by adopting a dog into our lives.  One year later, my life was in a dramatically different place, I was feeling healthy, Mr. C and I were engaged, and we felt ready to take on the challenge of a puppy.  Just like that, we adopted Murphy, a rescue from Puerto Rico.  We welcomed this little 13 pound creature into our home (and faster than I could have ever expected - into our hearts).  People ask if we feel burdened by having to take care of a dog, but my answer is always absolutely not.  All of the puppy kisses, tail wags, and snuggle time outweighs the early-morning snowy walks, grooming, and yes even the poop-scoopin! There is nothing like looking into the eyes of a dog and having him peer right back at you - it is as if I can feel his understanding that we saved him from a shelter and his appreciation for giving him a second shot at life in a forever home.

My next item on my list was a trip to Paris.  I'm still not sure why this location stood out to me as the next (and hopefully not last) place I wanted to visit as I have already been lucky to travel to Paris twice before and I speak Spanish, not French.  Anyway, it felt right, so it was added.  The reality of life set back in and I decided to put off this trip for awhile since I had already taken off a lot of time from work for doctor appointments and surgery recovery.  Lately, I've been thinking of pulling this trip back towards the top of the list again.  It was something that I wanted to make happen and it was something motivated me to push through the exhausting days of chemo, the pain of surgery, and the unknown of radiation.

The one thing that I haven't followed through on must have been thought of at the height of taking my pain meds.  Even though I have a perfectly nice car that I love, I decided that I wanted a Lincoln MKZ.  I'm not quite sure where the money was going to come from for this little wish list item and I still to this day haven't even sat in, let alone driven, one of these cars!  I have decided that I'm going to keep it on the list because even though I know I'm not going to buy this for myself, it is still a fun thing to picture cruising around in.  Even if just thinking about the possibility of splurge on such a crazy purchase brings me a little smile, it can't be all bad.

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Of course, there have been many other special family moments, travel adventures, and (more reasonable) purchases since my diagnosis, but these three stick out of the ones that I kept at the top of my mind to cheer myself on during what was a tough time.

So, tell me, what is on your list?

Until next time, travel on!
Maggie