Two Thumbs Up

When an awesome opportunity falls into your lap you have to just go with it. You don't ask any questions. You just accept the gift the universe hands you. 

One of the destinations on my list for the year was Philadelphia, surprisingly I had never been. My cousin Erin's best friend lives in Philly and when she asked me if I wanted to go with her for a few days I jumped on the chance. There was absolutely no thinking about it since I knew I wanted to hit up the area and I love hanging out with them. Jamie was kind enough to offer us a place to stay and an extra ticket to the NKOTB, TLC and Nelly concert. (Thanks girl!) 

I picked up Erin on Thursday evening then we grabbed Jamie's Aunt Barb (who I was meeting for the first time) and headed south. We hit the road at the perfect time. There was no traffic, the weather was good. It took us about 4 hours or so to get to Jamie's place but it went by quick since there was good conversation. Her apartment is super cute. We relaxed out on the back porch drinking a couple glasses of wine while shooting the breeze. Now picture this trip: four fun, loving, single, down to earth, low maintenance, INCREDIBLE women - basically unicorns. ;)

Friday morning we slept in, lounged around with some coffee and more chatting then Ubered into the city. We didn't have any set schedule or destination so we let Jamie take the lead. Our first stop was Reading Terminal Market, an indoor  farmers market full of good eats and vendors for shopping. We shared some yummy lunch there then headed to Love Park. 

Next up was drinks at Tir Na Nog, a really cool Irish bar & grill, that someone actually recommended to me so I was glad Jamie brought us. From there we headed to South Street. We stopped in Grace's Tavern, which I was stoked to see they had Two Roads - Road Jam on tap, not because I wanted to have it as I was drinking local but because Two Roads is an awesome brewery local to me! From there we headed down South St in search of a bar Jamie likes only to realize we had already walked past it and never saw it - love it, all part of the journey and we got to see more of the city! We turned and headed back. We stopped in at Ten Stone, the bar Jamie wanted to bring us to. They had great music playing at a volume that allows you to hear the people you're talking to, good beer on tap and more yummy food. This is where we shared steak & cheese egg rolls because who doesn't have steak and cheese while in Philly!? We also split a tuna steak wraps. Everything was delicious. The waitress offered us free samples of this ginger beer and vodka drink too, nice and refreshing! We may now have very similar cups of our own... Maybe. 

After dinner we took another Uber to the show. Now one of my goals this year is to be more comfortable in a social setting. Essentially I want to be more outgoing. So I offer to sit in the front this drive so that I can chat to our driver. Of course when he arrives he doesn't speak much English so that backfired. But he was nice. We even offered him the extra ticket Jamie had for the concert but he wasn't interested. Pretty sure he actually couldn't wait to drop us off since we made him blast TLC - No Creeps on the way as we sang along. We were late so we missed Nelly and TLC. New Kids were disappointing yet we still managed to have a great time. One thing I truly believe is that you can make a fun time out of most situations, it's all what you make of it! Good company helps too! 

(Random dude we found at the concert) 

After the show we couldn't get Uber to load properly so we hopped in a cab. We all agreed this cabbie was probably the greatest cab driver any of us had ever had. He was really cool, he even shared his gum with us. From there we headed back to South St to meet up with one of Jamie's friends from school who was out with his son and his friend for his sons birthday - good people! We hit up a few places with them and just had an all around great time. We convinced the guys to go back to Love Park so we could swim in the fountain. 

(One of my favorites from the weekend, crappy quality but I love that someone captured us laughing!) 

From there we Ubered back home. I'm in the back seat again. This driver was our favorite out of the three we had from Uber that day, she was awesome! What a great concept, Uber is my new favorite thing. I don't know why but it feels like a more personable experience than a cab ride. 

Saturday morning we slept in again. Jamie and Aunt Barb headed back to Connecticut together in Jamie's car. Erin and I headed back in my car. 

(Hahaha get it?)

But first we had a mission. My friend asked me to grab him a 12 pack of assorted beer from the area for us to sample when I got back. Apparently in PA you can't just buy beer like you can in CT. You either have to buy a case from the beer store or buy "to go" from a bar. Erin and I have no clue where to go so we drove around pretty aimlessly. We ended up Googling and found a drive thru place and decided we'd split a case. Now I've heard of this before but I automatically assumed it was a drive up window like at McDs... I had no idea you literally drive through the freaking place! That was fun! 

From there the GPS said we had 3 hours ahead of us. Neither of us has any idea what happened to the two and a half extra hours it took us to get home! We only made a couple pit stops and hit a little traffic at the GW - I'm assuming because they would randomly shut down a lane at the toll full of traffic. Everyone would cut into the lane next to it then that lane would shut down while the other reopened. What the heck!? Pure chaos but we finally got home. 

Philadelphia was gorgeous. For a big city it was clean, you were able to move through the sidewalks easily, the people were friendly. The properties are maintained in the heart of the city as well as the outskirts. The architecture was beautiful. There is so much history in the city and we barely touched any of it, I will definitely be going back. I honestly like Philadelphia more than New York!

This trip although short was just what my soul needed. A weekend FULL of laughter, great company, good conversation. There were no worries, drama or schedule to stick to. It was relaxing yet a ton fun at the same time. This was one of the best weekends I have ever had. Thank you Erin, Jamie and Aunt Barb, I love you ladies! 

The lesson I took away from this weekend is that you just need to jump into the fountain of life not worrying about what anyone around you thinks of you. If they don't like it it's their problem, not yours! It's your life to live - love the life you've been given and just be happy. 

Oh and... where's Barb?  :D

Move a Muscle, Change a Thought

I picked today as a date for one of my adventures weeks ago. I picked it because it's Mothers Day. I lost my mom three years ago to Cholangiocarcinoma, cancer of the bile ducts. I also do not have any human children of my own. Needless to say it's not the happiest of holidays. 

I wasn't sure where I was going to go. I didn't have any extra money this week so I knew it had to be somewhere I could get to on the 3/4 tank of gas I had. I also knew I wanted my Kona to join me, since it is Mothers Day and she is my fur baby. One of the places on my list is Walkway Over the Hudson, which came recommended by a friend. After talking to her yesterday I decided this was going to be our destination. So I packed some healthy snacks, grabbed my camera and my pup and we headed to Poughkeepsie, NY. 

The weather was perfect. Sunny and warm. With all four windows down and the music up we headed to route 34 West. I don't take it often, I forgot how beautiful the drive could be along Lake Zoar. The drive starts from 34W to 84W to the Taconic State Parkway N then route 55W. There was no traffic which was great. I rocked out to Culture Club, Time. Great road trip music. :) I also heard Walking in Memphis which reminds me of my mom. I don't know if she ever liked the song but I remember when my cousin Nicole came home right after my mom passed I met her at the cemetery. When we left I stopped at McDonalds. I remember sitting in the parking lot listening to the song and how it reminded me of her because of Elvis. (My mom didn't really love Elvis. She liked him but not to the point we joked she did. Whole other story that involves Nicole too lol) anyway my phone rings and it's Nicole. She was also listening to the song. It reminded her of my mom too because of Elvis and the fact we used to live on Union Avenue at one point. Hearing it was my sign that my mom was with me. Also my friend who recommended the walkway texted to tell me she saw a cardinal this morning and she thought of my mom.

It took us about an hour and forty-five minutes to reach the walkway. Kona gets nervous in the car so she was already tired when we got there. I was pretty tired myself so we took our time and truly enjoyed our surroundings. The shining sun, the fresh air, the cool breeze. It was perfect. There was a little boy, maybe about 8 years old who asked to pet Kona. He gave her the last little bit of his water. He was so sweet! We walked from one side to the other. I watched the longest freight train pass through alongside the Hudson on the Highland side. There's something about old, rusty, graffiti filled train cars. I love the character. We turned around and headed back. Again taking our time, living in the moment. We stopped every so often to enjoy the view. I stopped to take a selfie with Kona when a teenage girl and her brother (Assumption based.) were coming by on scooters. She offered to take a picture for us. You could tell she is a kind soul. The interactions between her and the boy who was close in age to her, made me think that she looks out for him which made me smile. Kona was awesome today. She didn't pull, she didn't stop every five feet. When I stopped to look at the view she did the same. Wind blowing her ears back. She was happy. I was happy. 

We got back to the car and enjoyed some water and snacks. I wanted to stick around for sunset but it was still about an hour or so away. Kona and I were pooped and it was HOT! Plus I didn't want to get home too late so we decided to head home instead. The drive home was just as good as the drive there. Sun shining, music playing and no traffic. 

All in all it was an awesome day. I got some natural vitamin d, I got to breath some fresh air, I got to see a view I've never seen before and I got to spend it with Ko. I did it all without spending any money, other than the gas and food I already had. And I kept my cell phone in my pocket except to take a few pictures. I lived in the moment, something I'm trying to do more of. My mind goes constantly so it was nice to have some peace. It was nice not to dwell. I turned what could have been a depressing day into just the opposite. 

Kona and I wish you all a Happy Mothers Day! 

Then she whispered I love you

I didn't have to go far to learn probably the most valuable lesson this journey will give me. A few posts back I mentioned how I didn't love myself. I retract that statement. I need work, but honestly who doesn't? Isn't that what life's really about? Learning new things about yourself and growing as a person. 

I think I always have loved myself, I just never realized it. An old friend would constantly ask if I was going on a date anytime I didn't have plans with them. I always found this odd but never could place my finger on why until now. I don't need to be with anyone other than myself to be happy. I truly am 100% comfortable being in my own company. Of course I get lonely once in a while, that's natural. But I don't need to search for someone else to be happy. I think that's a lesson many people need to learn for themselves. 

So as I sit wrapped in a blanket, feet in the sand, salt water in the air, listening to waves crash on the beach, looking up at the stars I feel completely at peace.... All by myself. 

I Should've Ordered Pancakes...

I've been couped up in the house for far too long between this brutal winter and not feeling well. I'm still not feeling well but the sun was shining and the temps were up so I forced myself out of the house. With the windows open and the music up, I hit the road around 11:30am. It was 37 degrees, warm and sunny day! I headed North from I95 to I91 then East on I84 from there I jumped on CT-74. The playlist on the way to my destination consisted of Ziggy Marley, Michael Franti, Ray Lamontagne and Van Morrison. The air smelled of a wood fire burning. I was starting to get hungry about an hour into the trip so I was happy to see a diner as soon as I got to CT-74. The Track Nine Diner, located right next to the train tracks was packed, a good sign. I pulled into the lot and headed in. As I walked in I immediately felt awkward. You could tell it was a local hot spot and here was this stranger walking in, all alone for lunch... Well breakfast. I ordered an egg, home fries, toast and a side of bacon with an OJ. All eyes were on me, the girl who hates being center of attention. I eventually got over the awkwardness and enjoyed my meal. The food was good as was the service, I'm glad I stopped! 

I left with a full belly and a good feeling. Aside from the brief moment of panic when I thought I locked the keys in the car as it was running. I was grabbing something from the trunk to put in the passenger side, I swear I hit the unlock button before I closed my drivers side door but the passenger side was locked! I automatically think I hit lock instead... An hour away from the spare key. That part wasn't too much fun. There was a huge wave of relieve when the drivers side opened. 

Fifteen minutes later I was at my destination, Rivers Edge Sugar House, located at 326 Mansfield Rd (Route 89) in Ashford, Connecticut. As I pull up I notice a sign saying they are boiling today, which I'm glad I'll get to see the process and fully enjoy the experience. 

I've come to the conclusion that the best places are kept at the end of a long, winding, narrow driveway. As soon as I parked and stepped out of the car there was the faint scent of maple syrup. You walk into the storefront where they sell their syrup and honey, go through the doorway and into another small room with a doorway into yet another room. You can see the steam and smell the syrup right away. I walked into the room and the aroma was heavenly! Sweet, but not sickening. I love maple candy. Which is what I immediately thought of. The steam filled the area where the machine was, rising up to the roof which was open to let the steam out. As soon as I came into the room the woman handed me a sample of the syrup. Nice and warm.  So delicious and sweet! 

The owners Amy & Bill were such nice people! Amy told me some details about the machine and the process. I learned that they rent trees from land about five miles away. They have around 2,000 taps. The fee to rent the trees is a certain percentage in cash or final product, she said mostly people take the product... I don't blame them! The sap is actually clear in color and the consistency of water. Not at all what I expected. I don't remember all of the details but the syrup goes into the machine where it is boiled by a fire underneath to evaporate the water. Once Bill opens the door to throw more wood on the fire the syrup stops bubbling and becomes still. As he closes the door it starts to bubble and foam again. He puts a few drops of a clear liquid in to stop it from foaming over which would not only make a mess but also cost them syrup. The syrup has to reach 7 degrees above the boiling point of water, as soon as the temperature hits that seven degrees they can start pouring the syrup. After this process it goes through filtration. 

I learned that the season typically starts around Presidents' Day and ends around March 24th. I also learned that the process is highly dependent on the weather. It needs to be below freezing temps at night and above during the day.  This years winter was so cold that they were unable to start until March. Amy was saying they lost time at the beginning of the season but she doesn't think they will make it up at the end. 

I asked if their product was sold elsewhere. They sell from the sugar house, online, to a local restaurant, UCONN and Yale. They were in a Whole Foods until they had a slow year a couple years back where they couldn't keep up with the demand. They hope to get back in there again this year. Amy said they get really busy around the holidays since people like to give their product for gifts. 

They have to snow shoe out where the trees are to dig out the lines and collect the sap after the snow storms. The lines stay out all year round however the taps come out at the end of the season so that the trees can heal. Then the fire wood needs to be chopped during the off season. There is an area out back right next to the open doorway by the machine where the wood is kept so that it can easily be put into the fire. I have no clue the size but it was full when the season started just a few weeks ago and there isn't much left. At one point they would go through five times that in a season until Bill started using reverse osmosis which speeds up the process and saves firewood. 

I asked about the honey they produce as well. Bill thinks this will be a harder year. He mentioned he went into the winter feeding them a lot but that it wasn't fattening them up. He said he has to get down there to check out the hives after the syrup season. I also asked out of curiosity, if he sees the difference in the declining number of bees which is a huge issue and sadly he has. We can't live without honey bees, literally can't live. Scary thought. 

Bill told me it all started with a lasagna pan in the garage... Now twenty-two years later he has grown to having machinery where he can use reverse osmosis with two thousand taps in the trees. Incredibly inspiring story! 

The drive home was still sunny, the temperature hit 47 degrees, the windows were open wider and three of my favorite songs came on: The Mamas and The Papas - California Dreaming, The Zombies - Time of the Season and The Band- The Weight. Perfect road tripping scenario!

If you're looking for something different to do I highly recommend you check out a sugar house next season. If you can make it to Rivers Edge Sugar House even better. Such a comfortable, warm and friendly atmosphere! 

Much peace & love

   - Marie 

Are We Home Yet!?

Right after I mentioned my grand idea (see first post Soul Searching ) to my sister she sent me the link for an attraction she saw on the local news. It is called Ice Castles and this one was located in Stratton, Vermont. An approximate three hour drive. PERFECT! I knew I had to add this to my list. I also knew that I wanted my sister and her kids to join me. After a couple of postponements we settle on Saturday February 28th. We end up bringing my nephew, RJ's best friend which is good because it'll keep him from getting bored. So we have a 22 month old, a 12 year old and an 11 year old crammed into my backseat. 

About two hours before we plan to leave I have to make a stop. I pull up to the gate in my driveway so I can open it up to leave, I hop out of the car and that's when I second guess this trip... As I'm rolling around on the ground, moaning after slipping on ice. I fell down pretty hard on one knee and both of my hands. In my own driveway. Before we leave. On the ice. To go to ICE Castles! I eventually get up, brush myself off and call my sister laughing hysterically. I come back from my errand, I go upstairs and shower to get ready to leave. Here it is 10 am, our original departure time and I have completely lost one of my shoes. Yup, just one. Cannot find it anywhere. I finally find my shoe, in my closet mind you. We are ready to start this adventure. The fighting begins as we load the car. RJ has a tendency to not listen or follow directions at times which can be annoying. I yell at him, then I feel bad and we hug it out. The baby starts crying. Someone is surely testing my patience already and we haven't even left the house yet. We are finally on our way... or so we thought. 

I realize I have no idea where my wallet ended up as I'm entering the highway the next city over. I brought it down to the car in my camera bag which was in the trunk but I planned on keeping the wallet up in front with me for when we stopped for lunch. Did I leave it in the bag? Put it on top of the car and drive off? Drop it on the floor of the car? I get off the very next exit so that I can check my trunk. As I get off the exit my sister reminds me that we forgot to stop at the bank. We turn around and head towards home, where the bank is. My nephews friend mentions he is feeling car sick, not long after my sister mentions she is. We haven't even gone anywhere yet. We head to the local drugstore after finding my wallet in the trunk and stopping at the bank to get them something for motion sickness. We are finally on our way, around 10:50 am. 

Now here's a little back information. My sister and I are annoyingly silly together, except when we are swearing at and hating each other. My father has been known to say on numerous occasions "I can't stand when the two of you are together". Needless to say we have had some great road trips in the past, so we both are pumped for this day trip north into the mountains. We pack snacks and pick out a fun Pandora station. Everything is awesome!

Cue the kids!

"Are we there yet!?" "When are we stopping for lunch!?" "Move over!" "Put your elbows down!" "Olivia stop crying!" "Where are the goldfish!?" "When are we stopping for lunch!?" "How long until we get to Vermont!?" "Is there a Disney store near there!?" "Can we stop at the mall!" "I ate all of the goldfish, can I have Doritos!?" "I'm going to fart" "I'm cold" "I'm hot" "I hate this sweatshirt!" "How long until we are there!?" "I have to go to the bathroom!" "I don't have enough room!" "Why didn't we take the truck!?" "Ma, I told you we shouldn't have gone, this is boring!" Every sign that listed which fast food places were off of each exit we would get the "When are we stopping for lunch!?" "I want McDonalds" "I want Friendly's" "I want Subway" "ohh On The Border!" Every single time. Nine minutes passed between the "how long until we get there!?" question was asked again... By the same kid, in a serious tone. This is all we hear coming from the back seat of the car and we haven't even left Connecticut yet! Oh and the GPS. "Take the left four lanes and continue on 91N". Really!? There only were four lanes! 

After a lot of yelling on the adults part, we convince the boys to calm down, stop annoying each other and that they have to wait until 12:30 for us to stop for lunch. Welcome to Massachusetts!!  Then, on the dot: "It's 12:30, are we stopping for lunch? You said 12:30" 

Wasn't this supposed to be fun? Get me out of this car!!!

We finally feed the monsters and get back on the road. The 11 year old and baby fall asleep. All is calm. Welcome to Vermont!! 

The views are breathtaking! Since taking up photography I've been able to appreciate nature more. Being the driver stinks in that aspect. Multiple times I'd say "ohh that would make a great picture! Hurry up. Take it!" To which my sister would respond "I don't see it" and then the moment is gone, it just passes you by.  People can look at the same thing but actually see two completely different things, so the chances of the pictures matching my vision weren't good to start with (no offense Sissy!). Of course pictures never do Mother Nature justice anyway. 

(Cell phone picture I took through the windshield) 

Knowing that cell services cuts out and I'd lose gps we printed directions to get there as back up. My sister and I discover we have two different addresses in two different towns for our destination. Sure enough we lose service. This trip is a disaster so far. After a few wrong turns and u-turns we find it. We are here!! Sun Bowl Lodge, Stratton Mountain Resort, VT. I've never been skiing, the lodge wasn't what I expected. But it is packed!! 

(Stratton Mountain, VT)

We approach the Ice Castles, it is all man made using ice and water. At night they put on lights in the ice sculptures which is really cool. Although the slopes are busy, Ice Castles is not. There's a small slide made out of ice, a tiny igloo to crawl through and tunnels. 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

We spend about an hour or so exploring the place then we head in to the lodge to warm up with some hot chocolate. ... "I'm hungry". Here we go again! A friend of mine went up about a month before us and mentioned a pizza place which we planned to go for dinner. About a 15 minute drive away. Now we are New Haven, CT based - home of the best pizza anywhere, no debate. We don't eat pizza out of state and actually enjoy it. Tony's Pizzeria in Winhall, VT proves us wrong as it is very good pizza! We order a cheese, a Grandmas (fresh marinara, basil, garlic and oil with cheese) and a few slices of a white fresh spinach and broccoli for RJs friend. 

(Cell phone picture of a slice of Grandmas, so good!)

We finish our tasty pizza and head back to the lodge since it's after 6pm and the lights should be lit. Lights are on, music is playing and it is packed. We explore again but it's so cold, 9 degrees according to my dashboard, so we don't stay very long. 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Cell phone picture - Sun Bowl Lodge, Stratton Mountain, VT) 

My sister decides it would be best to separate the big kids with the car seat to give them more room, it helps. Why didn't she do this to begin with!? The kids fall asleep and my sister and I eat our snacks, listen to fun music and chat on the ride home. 

Despite the craziness and yelling, at the end of the day I had a great time and am glad we went because I love these people! 

It was in the lodge before heading to dinner when my nephew said "I'm hungry" and I told him he needed to learn patience that I realized the lesson this trip was giving me. I don't know how many times I had yelled at my nephew that he needed to learn patience this day. I yelled at kids because they were cranky. If I was hungry and squished in a backseat I'd be cranky too. Maybe I'm the one who actually needs to learn patience here.