MAINEly catch

We spent the past weekend in Maine for another great wedding. I had never been to Maine (when I can remember anyway) and I feel in L-O-V-E. I know, I say that alot. It is true this time. I know, I say that alot as well.

While I was living on a boat one summer I had ventured up the Intercoastal Waterway to the Northeast but never had a legit trip to Maine. A great friend of mine is from the state and why I was making the trip to celebrate her and her fiances wedding weekend.

It made me crave Dawsons Creek reruns - good thing I have been reliving my Pacey/Joey obsession on Netflix lately.

We stayed in Camden - it was rated one of the best places to retire. Of course, I loved it. How perfect is this town? I will live on a boat again someday and travel the waters of the world.

Maybe I should add learning how to sail to my bucket list.

Every lunch and dinner was lobster tails, lobster soup, lobster rolls, and all variations there of.

We had dinner with the wedding crew at Young's. You grab your own lobsters out of the tanks. Or get this young gentleman to help like I did..

Can you blame me? Look at those claws!

The resturant takes care of the lobsters, clams, crabs, or shrimp but it is BYOB so remember to bring your own wine, salads, or any other snackies you prefer. They also do not provide cups so we had to run back to the hotel for are disposable ones!

But with views like this how could you not fall deeply in love?

Having an amazing weekend in Maine the wedding was the best part - M + J were married on a hilltop venue overlooking the bay and the ocean below.

A perfect weekend for love and adventures in new places.

Mountain Standard Time

I am newly in from London and back on the plane, headed straight for my HOME - Missoula Montana. I am a summertime girl - I am in my element and happy and giddy everyday. However, it is also everday in the summer that I miss my home on Champagne Alley.

It is when the snow begins to melt, the fish begin to bite, and my father takes to his place behind the drums, that I miss the Big Sky Country with every fiber of my body. It is the feeling of being homesick intensified with the pull of Montana.

A feeling you only know when you have grown up under the Mission Mountains, spent your days on Polson Lake, floating the Bitterroot, hiking every weekend through sprawling meadows until the road meets the sky.

I have been across the globe and love many places, but no where can make me feel like Montana does and can break my heart the way Montana does when I am not there. It was a blessing to grow up in such a beautiful place and I wish I had appreciated it more when I lived there, but it makes me love my trips there that much more. I love the South and the Southern hospitality and way of life but my heart lies on Flathead, in Glacier, with the mountains of the West.

My parents spend most of their summer in Montana, playing shows, enjoying the slow pace of life, and when I arrive we load up the RV and hit the road.  I will always rather be in my RV..

We spent our days jet skiing, floating the lake, having cocktails, and swimming, and seeing great old friends.

 We spent every Happy Hour in the shallow end of the lake - grilling out and playing volleyball.

I woke every morning and kayaked the river. A solo early morning kayak is one of the most peaceful moments you can have, one that holds the answers to any of your questions. To understand the importance in life when the animals come to the banks to drink and you drift by watching the day begin.

My kayak - that I wish I could fit in my carry on to Atlanta

Riding horses, playing in the lake and rivers, roaming the woods, watching Mission Mountain Wood Band shows - it is then that I felt my soul BREATHE again.

Thank God for Montana

Because this is my country, this is my HOME, SWEET, HOME.

LO12

I am going to start with DEVASTING news - I just arrived back from London Olympics and I lost EVERY picture from the trip. I am not yet up to talking about it and I wish I had more pictures to share, please forgive this boring post!

I love being in Europe. It has been too long since my last trip and I wasn't ready to go. I used to tell people I hated London, that it was a place with no culture, no vivacious energy, it was just a normal, dull big city and I didn't like it. I could not have been more wrong. I was young and silly, do not judge me.

Now, I think the only way to describe it is vivacious. It was romantic and diverse and cultured and smart. I love London and I could have stayed forever and the cheeky gentlemen running the hostel almost convinced me otherwise.

We flew into Belgium and took the train to London since flights are booked and so expensive because of the Olympic Games. But we made it!

Enjoying our departure champagne:)

We stayed on the West End of London at the Pheonix Hostel. I will always recommend staying in hostels because it will enhance your holiday - unless of course you want your alone time or have issues sleeping in rooms with perfect strangers. For me its the people that make traveling such a pleasure. It is the little things - the words, the idiosyncrasies, the smiles, the wardrobes, the conversations. It's putting yourself so far out of your comfort zone and pulling yourself out. Its making new friends - best friends - every night. Which is of course, is exactly what we did.

We arrived in London and the city was full of amazing energy. Matty had not been to London so we did the usual touristy activities - out to see the sights and ride the tube, and to catch some events for the Olympic Games! The weather was PERFECT and the city was packed.  

We found some amazing friends at the hostel and went out everynight. I was hoping to meet Dahl but he had gone on holiday in Spain.

I wished I had pictres to share but we spent alot of time in the Olympic Village. We could not get into any events but we saw some road events along the Mall and could watch in the parks on screens that were set up. We picnic'ed and watched and listened to bands.

We walked the bridges, saw the Palace, shopped, went on a Jack the Ripper walking tour (Matty's pick) and just had an amazing time. London, stole my heart. London was my first taste of travel when I was young. It was my gateway to Europe and began my unquenchable wanderlust.

I secretly hoped and dreaded that this trip would be an ending to my traveling. I was woried that in this trip I would feel as it had all come full circle and would bring a close to this era. That I would feel content with the experiences I have had and move on to new venues in my life. I never hope to end my traveling but I feel like I need to focus on the next steps of my life and cease my relentless planning.

London was not full circle, not even close. It made me want more - like it always does - and I am ready for it ALL.

Olympic Games - CHECK. CHECK. CHECK.

It is the most wonderful time of the year

My Birthday! Or rather, BirthWEEK. I am a firm believer that the beauty of a birthday should never be confined to one evening but spill over into a week (or longer) and be filled with smiles and cakes and friends and vacations.

Celebrations have been non-stop and I truly am a blessed little girl. I have had dinner parties and dinner dates, lunches, and cakes, presents, and cards, smiles, and surprises. And I LOVE surprises:) Excuse the ridiculous amount of photos but it is my birthday and I can do what I want:)

We had dinner the weekend prior to my birthday at Five Seasons Brewery. It was a beautiful night and I was surprised by some amazing friends - new and old that came out to celebrate. I recommend 5 Seasons Brew - it has been our new starting spot as of late.

My perfect, Forever 25, birthday cake. (How did I get this old?!)
Plus, Cookie cake. So naughty and definitely my weakness.

Later in the week, my parents and brother came down for lunch at Victory sandwich - and quenched our thirst on Jack and Coke slushies. This is a great little sandwich spot in Atlanta and I will have to do a proper post on them soon.

My gorgeous Mum enjoying her Jack and Coke slushie.

Thursday night JB and I had dinner at TOP FLR, a mixology bar in Midtown, and sampled way too many of the drinks but it was delicious. He was better at choosing the best ones but we made sure to steal sips from one another.

Just when I thought it was all over, when I had jumped into bed so late everynight filled to capacity with love and great food, (and of course, too many sweets). The weekend began and RIVERFEST 2012 was here!

Riverfest is our annual camping trip filled with kayaking, white water rafting, fishing, drinking, game playing, and hiking. We drove over to TN on Friday night and got there too late to do any kayaking, but set up our tents for the weekend adventure.

The drive to TN on a prefect GA night.

The next morning we woke up early  to check out the river (and find cell service) and wait for the water from the dam to be released.

Packing up our supplies and kayaks and canoes...

We spent the day on the river - swimming and playing. It will always be the best way to spend a day.

On my actual day we went white water rafting down the Upper Occee. It is only open for two weeks out of the year with Class IV rapids and where the Olympics were held. Needless to say, I was intimidated...and ABSOLUTELY EXCITED!!

Unfortunately, we hit the biggest run - Godzilla, Godzilla. There is a really funny story about how it was named but, well, this happened.

We were lucky to have helmets and helpful citizens on the side of the bank. A man threw me a rope and I was pulled out of the current but amazingly, I left without a scratch. A birthday miracle?! Everyone else in my boat however, came out looking like this....

Brusied and battered, we still had a great time. The rest of the afternoon we fished, cooked out, kayaked again, and relaxed in the river playing games and getting sun. It was an amazing weekend and week and I am so thankful for everyone that made it so special.

Our ratty crew after a few days in the woods.

And after all this cake talk, I had to share some of the naughtiness with you!

Tailgates and Tan Lines

I know I stole the title but it is all this summer has consisted of.

We have spent every moment cheering on the Braves from 755

In our Friday night seats

Happy with the wins!

and dealing with the losses...

Playing in North Georgia

Crusing the lake and celebrating Wet Wednesdays at Sunset Cove

And crossing off our Summer Bucket List

And also this past weekend, enjoying the Jimmy Buffett concert. It is always a BIG event in Atlanta when the Parrotheads descend on the city.

And it gives us a reason to play!

My bl-on-on-on-dessss and I had a big tailgate and danced the day and night away to Buffett and pretending we were in a tropical paradise.

I really must have a thing for tall blondes!

I love you, Summertime. 

Welcoming in a debacherous summertime.

We have spent the last few weeks at the lake and cheering on the Braves but Memorial Day officially rings in the season and if there is something to celebrate, celebrate we shall.

It was just the boys and I this evening but we were in our usual spot in the Green Lot for tailgating and burgers before another Friday night Braves Game and the start to a busy Memorial Day Weekend.

 We were in our usual spot at 755 Club. I may not be the biggest Braves fan - but I am a big fan of Braves games! If you are going to a game, I recommend getting up to 755, its up in right field and serves drinks and food. It won't matter if we win or lose if you head up there - you will have a great time either way.

 S+S+J cheering on the Braves from 755!

And as always the night ended like this...

With late night snacking in the kitchen.

At least we were healthy...I think!

Somehow we convinced eachother to go to Buckhead Saloon after the game last night and woke up on Saturday for an early morning on the lake. I scooped up the girls and we headed out to Sunset Cove for cocktails and volleyball, water slides, and bands and a great kickoff to Summer 2012. It is going to be an amazing summer!

We spent the next two days on the lake and skiied and cruised and enjoyed the sunshine.

On Memorial Day we headed back to Atlanta for pool time and volleyball and French darts and inflatable sliding.

 Oh, and fried chicken of course! This is the South after all..