Category Archives: out and about

April 11, 2013 · 8:00 am

Shade of the magnolia

Magnolia in bloom


Well, it finally happened.

Summer is here!

Just . . . kidding? I mean, it was 90 degrees in Maryland yesterday — and snowing three weeks ago. So, basically, I don’t know what’s going on anymore. It’s been in the 80s all week, and I guess tomorrow it’s due to “cool down” into the 70s.

I know I shouldn’t complain — and I’m not, really. I mean, I’ll take the magnolias in bloom over sleet-covered roads any day. I’m just so thankful spring is here.

We went out to Georgetown on Saturday, wandering with our photography club, and I thought about how good it feels to just be . . . out. Walking around. Since losing weight, I just feel lighter — lighter in body, lighter in spirit. I didn’t worry about how far we were walking and whether we could weave our way back, because I knew I could do it. That my body could handle it. That it was a challenge I could accept.

So we walked down to this tree on M Street, near a tiny museum, and our large group of friends and photographers stood in its shade. We spotted it from down the street — the only thing really in bloom back then, a whole five days ago — and waited until the crowds began to break. Tourists and locals flocked to the magnolia, determined to capture their family beneath its weighty branches, and it took a bit for a clear shot — but I got it.

And it felt like a fresh beginning. Spring means beginning again.


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March 26, 2013 · 4:00 am

Invisible blossoms

Cherry blossoms not open


Oh my gosh, you guys — aren’t the cherry blossoms just beautiful?

And . . . invisible?

Before we got another few inches of snow (!) in the D.C. area on Monday, the cherry blossoms were a wee bit dormant. Despite my “final farewell” comment last week, winter has lingered into spring. I was downtown on a run-through for our upcoming Capital Photo History Tour on the monuments (yay!) — and though I wish we could have seen the blossoms on that adventure, I’ll admit to feeling partially relieved they were still asleep.

We’d planned to have our engagement photo session downtown for months. I imagined Spencer and I walking between the ancient trees, lightly walking through fallen petals, and pictured the Tidal Basin spreading out before us. I knew we were taking a gamble by scheduling our shoot so far in advance, but the blossoms had already peaked this time last year — and I figured that even if they weren’t at their height, they’d be doing something.

Nope.

Days before our scheduled sunrise shoot, our photographers emailed to see about a Plan B. We relocated to a local park for the “golden hour,” moving between several spots on the grounds — beach, trees, barns — for our 90-minute adventure. I felt like I blinked and the time slid right by — and in the end? The park shoot is probably more visually-interesting than the blooms would have been.

And if we’d had to go downtown by 7 a.m. for our cherry blossom shoot . . . only to discover no cherry blossoms? Well, I would have been mighty cranky.

Not that it would have ever gotten to that point. I check the blossom cam, like, every two minutes.

So the engagement session we did have was phenomenal — and even though it was chilly, Spence had his arm around me often enough that I didn’t notice! And I was running on adrenaline. We ducked in and out of our cars (with heat!) as we moved around the park, taking shots in different locations, and the ladies at Birds of a Feather Photography are just fab.

Our “sneak peek” shot is up on their blog now — and ladies, check out that $6 dress! I know it’s uncouth to brag about costs, but really. I’ll be riding high off that bargain for the rest of the year.

If only I could have snagged a $6 wedding dress . . .


Blossoms


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March 7, 2013 · 4:00 am

A very bookish baby shower

A very bookish baby shower


In early February, friends and family gathered to welcome my cousin Karen’s little one — due later this month! Though I meant to write about this a little earlier than right now, it’s fun reliving that afternoon . . . and all the awesome touches that went into making it special.

Book wreathFrom the food to the decorations to the games, these lovely ladies — Karen’s cadre of awesome friends — put on a day to remember. Walking up to the front door put you face-to-face with a book-inspired wreath (that I kind of wanted to steal. Did I say that?). I’m not talented enough to even begin thinking about how the ladies whipped this wreath up, but seriously: it was impressive.

I mentioned the prep work for the big day and how guests were asked to bring their favorite childhood reads to build the baby’s library, which I thought was an awesome idea. Upon arrival, we were given book plates to sign so each story would bear an imprint of the giver. I love that my little cousin will someday flip through If You Give A Mouse a Cookie and see my chicken scratch!


Book plates


Making our way into the dining room, each of the dishes had been inspired by a children’s story — like The Onion’s Great Escape. As I’d started Weight Watchers about two weeks before, I had to run out of there as fast as my jiggly legs would carry me. Still? I could totally appreciate the creativity from afar, and I only snuck in once: to get a snivel of strawberry pretzel salad, a personal favorite (and Karen’s, too!).


Pigs in a blanket

Onions Great Escape


As we all admired the stories artfully placed around the living room, it was obvious that Baby’s library was going to be pretty impressive — though most of us were more concerned with a certain dessert in the kitchen. Our grandmother commissioned a book cake for the occasion, topped with Mother Goose reading a story, and I almost died from the cute.


Book cake


And though I heard it was delicious, I didn’t eat any cake.

I did have two of Maw Maw’s famous homemade peanut butter cups . . . but I’m only human.

We had so much fun celebrating Karen and Ben, who are one of the best and sweetest couples I know. I’m so excited to welcome a new member to our growing family, and I wish their trio so much love and happiness.

And lots — and lots — of good reads!


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February 12, 2013 · 8:00 am

Tahoe dreaming

Lake Tahoe I


I need a vacation.

Given that I’m planning a wedding and honeymoon, I know my vacation-energy should be channeled to that . . . but maybe that’s why I need a vacation. Way before November.

I got in a minor car accident a month ago. The other driver and I are both fine, thank goodness, and I know that’s the important thing — but it rattled me. Big time. It was the first crash I’d been in that was really a crash, and I didn’t want to get behind the wheel again for days. I had to, of course; living in the suburbs, I can’t exactly walk to work. Not if I want to get there sometime this month.

So I’ve been going to my “happy place.” Almost four weeks later, my car is still not completely back to normal — despite a handful of trips to the body shop. Thinking about it makes me groan in frustration, so I’m trying not to. It will get fixed. These are just the adult things adults deal with — insurance; follow-up; messes — and I have to just keep pushin’ on. I have my car back, even if it’s not 100 percent, and I realize that’s lucky, too.

Still. Happy place.

Since getting back from California last June, Lake Tahoe has become one of my mental escapes. Though Spencer and I were both sick from the altitude during our 24-hour stay, even we couldn’t miss how gorgeous it was. Like many of the places we saw on our tour, I wish we’d had more time to explore the area — but that’s just a reason to go back!

And I would like to go back.

Like, tomorrow.

Or maybe Saturday.


Lake Tahoe II

Boats


We also stayed in one of the coolest hotels ever and had our own suite — with a dining room table and couch! Which would have been especially awesome if Spence and I weren’t up half the night with sour stomachs, coughing and sweating to death. I was actually pretty worried he’d come down with a legit illness — and wasn’t sure how we were going to take care of him on a bumpy bus as we made our way across Northern California, some 3,000 miles from home.

That’s the part of vacation you don’t see in those adorable trip wrap-up posts, eh?


Mountains


He felt much better in the morning, thankfully — and so did I. Whatever had befallen us in Lake Tahoe eased as we got back to flatter land. And by the time we made it to Yosemite National Park, I actually felt fine . . . despite the fact that we were still way up higher than the swamplands I’m used to in Maryland.

Guess we were just super excited to see some waterfalls.

Ooh, waterfalls . . .


Yosemite Falls


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November 8, 2012 · 8:00 am

Napa Valley comes to life in ‘The Good Woman’

A fellow blogger and fellow Meg created a feature I’m thrilled to run with: Literary Locale, which focuses on the settings of the books we’re currently reading. Visit A Bookish Affair to join in the fun.


Paging through Jane Porter’s The Good Woman, set in Napa Valley, it’s impossible not to feel the warm California sun on your face.

Main character Meg (good name!) works at a winery with an irresistible pair of brothers, offering tastings to tourists and marketing the vineyard’s signature wines. Having visited Napa and Sonoma last summer, I had such an immediate and visceral reaction to this story. It was really good — juicy and evocative and emotional and intense — but I’ll get to all that in a full review Monday.

For now? Let’s talk Napa. As I was reading The Good Woman, Nicholson Ranch was completely in my head. It was one of the early stops on our vacation — and couldn’t have been more picturesque and stunning. Hard to imagine what could have bee more “Napa”-esque than Nicholson, honestly, and I loved our visit here — from the tour of the wine cellars to the fabulous lunch to the walk among the vines.

Though I’m not the biggest wine drinker you’ll ever meet, I just love the atmosphere of a vineyard. It’s intoxicating. And for an East Coast girl used to the bustle and chaos of a metropolitan area, the free and easy vibe of vintners hanging out in the warm, dry heat is very alluring. More than once on that trip, I pictured packing up my books and boots due west. It’s just hard to feel unhappy in a place like that. And, you know, the copious amounts of wine don’t hurt.

Something the fictional Meg and I have in common!



So what’s up with Napa? Well, Napa County was one of California’s original counties — created along with California’s statehood in 1850. Though the first commercial vineyard was established in 1858, Napa has only been heavily promoting its bustling wine industry since the 1960s. Hard to believe an area so synonymous with vineyards has only been around half a century, but hey — they’re obviously doin’ something right.

The area’s wine prowess can be attributed to its unique combination of geography, Mediterranean climate and geology of Northern California, according to Wikipedia — all of which combine to grow quality wine grapes. Today, Napa is home to more than 450 wineries that grow many varieties of grapes, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel and more.

By the end of our stay in Napa, it felt like we’d sampled them all — especially as we coasted along on the Wine Train, where I had the most delicious cheese platter of all time. I was actually wine-d out by the time we left for Sacramento, and that’s really saying something.

Not a bad one in the lot.



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October 26, 2012 · 4:00 am

A day at the olde Renaissance faire


I was a Ren Fest hold-out.

I’m not quite sure where my beef with the annual Maryland Renaissance Festival stemmed from. I thought it was geeky? Or strange? Or like a grown-up version of trick-or-treating, wandering from booth to booth with cider and asking for treats?

I don’t know. I was misled. And I’ve since seen the error of my ways — and am officially converted.

This year marked my first trip to the yearly celebration of all things medieval. We’d talked about going last year, but it never worked out. My sister and her boyfriend are big fans and frequently discussed the awesomeness of Ren Fest’s good eats, and I’m nothing if not hungry. So with that in mind, we made plans to meet up with my cousin Karen and her husband, Ben, who showed us the ins and outs of such an experience. When our buddies Mike and Bethany got there, too, our crew of eight was ready to tackle anything.

Including archery. And rock climbing.

Well, they attempted rock climbing. I’m not that crazy.



Our day at Ren Fest was marked by lots of good eats, hard apple cider and lots — I mean lots — of people-watching. Many attendees come dressed in their finery: flowing gowns; kilts; suits of armor; fairy wings. It was like stepping into a magical land. Or a “Harry Potter”-esque village. Because the festival happens every year, the structures are permanent. Before we got there, I was picturing circus-like tents and the atmosphere of a county fair.

Not so much.

Ren Fest is no joke. Jousting, shops, dining, archery, a maze — there was more than enough to kill an afternoon. I really enjoyed the joust and my “fryed” ice cream (it’s old-timey, see), and it didn’t hurt that it was an absolutely gorgeous fall day spent with family and friends. It was huge, too, and easy to get turned around. Even with the maps and texting, it wasn’t hard to get separated. And wind up in the middle of a walking “show.”



Though I’m not sure I’m ready to dress up myself, I see the appeal of being someone else for a day — and walking around with others who totally appreciate the merits of chainmail. Going from 2012 to 1514 wasn’t as big a leap as I expected . . . especially after watching “The Tudors” religiously for years.

Man, I miss that show.



So after years of dodging the Ren Fest, I finally made it — and I’m not sure why I was such a fool. I mean, how can you be unhappy while eating a crab, cheese and Old Bay-covered pretzel? (This is Maryland, after all.) And with plenty of photo opportunities, I was a happy little Renaissance-era camper.

I’m not sure you’ll squeeze me into a Queen Guinevere gown anytime soon, but the good eats and fall leaves will keep me coming back for more.



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October 23, 2012 · 4:00 am

Humbled by nature


It seems strange that I should feel optimistic in fall, when all around things are changing and falling and landing softly on the ground.

But I do.

We went on a little field trip to a local park over the weekend — and I’ll be showing you the photographic mementos of that trip tomorrow! But for today? I was standing beneath these too-tall trees, craning my neck as far back as it would go. And it was not enough.

Just like the redwoods, it’s impossible to take in the enormity of nature until you’re standing beneath it. Quiet. Humbled. That’s been the theme of my 2012: Humbled By Nature. (Catchy — sounds like a band or something.) I’ve been waxing poetic about the great outdoors since we went to California in May, and I haven’t stopped thinking about Yosemite.

I’m finally learning, at 27, that my happiness directly correlates to the amount of sunshine on my skin. Fresh air in my lungs. New sights, smells and scenery to enjoy. Whether my camera is glued to my palm. And to my surprise, I like being outside. Even when I’m wearing inappropriate footwear.

Though I’m really getting better about that. I’m in sneakers most of the time — a fact that would horrify my once-fashionable and often barefoot self. But it’s not easy to scale hills, walk beaches and sunflower fields, skid on ice or scramble over rocky shoreline in flats or sandals.



Guess I really am growing up.


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