Revolving Around Food

Something that I have noticed about my life, not only do I take a lot of photos of food (Yes, I am that person on IG), but I think most of my life is revolved around the making of, conversations during, or giddy consumption of food.

One of the biggest character traits that I inherited from my mother is the joy of entertaining. I love having friends over and creating a table spread that allows for flowing conversation and wine of course.

The discovery of new dishes and creating new memories are so strongly associated with all of the senses, my favorite being taste of course. Brad and I picked up a whole fish, and neither of us had ever cooked one before, so we were determined to make it work, and boy we did! It was fantastic!

Amelia took me out for a late birthday celebration at a lovely Mexican restaurant! I think out of all of the international foods, I could eat Mexican every day and not get sick of it, something about the spices and the lightness of it all, never gets old.

I had the opportunity to go with Brad to Mississippi to visit some friends, and I had the pleasure of trying my first deer meat sausage! It was made from this sweet man, who made the sausage himself from start (deer) to finish (my belly) and smoked it in his shack. This humble man of few words, was such a pleasure to meet and I won't forget this experience for a long time!

My parents live down at the lake and my Step-Dad got a beehive for Christmas, and he was showing Brad all about the hive and talking about how much longer it will be before we have honey!

I have been toying around with what to do with all of the bee's wax that we will have, what to do? Candles? Lip Balm? Who knows, but I am so excited to taste the honey, that is for sure!

Enjoy this long and beautiful weekend!

My Birthday, Disney Style

I had the pleasure of going to Disney on my 26th Birthday! Ok, so me being a big kid at heart, I absolutely loved getting to be surrounded by happiness and wonder on my birthday.

The beauty alone of the park was breathtaking.

All of the colorful flowers blew me away!

However, something more special than even the flowers and beauty of the park and the over abundance of Happy Birthdays due to the button I wore that said my name and that it was my birthday was just the pure joy of spending the day wondering around the most magical place on earth with this amazing man who put it all together!

Also pictured is the lovely spice board, which is the gift that he made for me under my instructions that he had to make me a birthday gift and not purchase one!

I enjoyed spending my birthday at Disney and I am excited to see what year 26 of my life brings, something tells me it is going to be awesome!

Moving from Rome

Today, I am leaving the town that has been my home for the past seven years.

I am leaving the first house that I purchased and so many more memories.

Time to move on to a new adventure!

On a New Adventure

Life isn't about keeping the status quo. It isn't about feeling comfortable enough to get by from day to day. It is about waking up every morning feeling refreshed. Looking forward to the hours you are about to spend on something that will ultimately provide for your life through the form of money.

via (edited by me)

Last week, in one day I quit my job selling athletic insurance and put my house on the market. This was clearly not the safe, warm and fuzzy decision. It was hard, it was scary and still is scary. This decision was based off of the fact that I don't love insurance, I don't feel called to do it every day. I am however in the position where I can make those kind of decisions, I am not married and only have my dog Belle as a dependent.

I got offered a job in Atlanta by my friend Tessa where I will be representing a new line of photography for her as well as being an overall business manager. This is something that I will love.

The decision that I made to completely turn my life upside down was not the safe decision, it was the hard one. It will be the one that is the most rewarded though.

I am excited about my new adventure.

Beyond Thankful

Driving 23 miles across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to get to this spot, worth it.

Spending time with my cousin Patty, and her dog Bear who loves to lick everything!

Having a blast with our boyfriends putting on our grandmother's hats!

And of course, eating so much food that you sleep for hours.

(I am sure my mom will thank me over and over for sharing this picture of her with you.)

Honestly, it might have been the very best Thanksgiving to date. 

I love spending time with family, eating amazing food, and just chatting up a storm!

Back to Real Life

After traveling to the eastern shore of Virginia and spending time stuffing my face with family, tomorrow it is time to go back to real life. Tomorrow meetings will happen, productivity will commence and homemade Christmas gifts will begin to be made.

Until tomorrow where more gorgeous pictures of the shore can be shared,

 say a prayer for a productive tomorrow.

Treat: Anticipation of Thanksgiving

1/// Busting out a heavy coat.
2/// Pulling on some cute boots.
3/// Eating my favorite pie, sweet potato of course.
4/// Heading to visit family on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

By far, my favorite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving! 

It is the only time of year that I get to see some of my family, 

so I get more and more excited as the time gets closer and closer!

Cali Trip: Day 4

Three different wineries were discovered today, 

including one the sold the most delicious sparkling wines.

Fabulous cheese plates, dinner plates, and window shopping

 completed another glorious day in California.

Cali Trip: Day 3

Don't you just want to sit down here and stay forever? I do. 

I just wanted to watch the waves crash over and over, and get caught in a beautiful trance.

My mom and I found the Pacific waters quite enjoyable around a quant town called Pacifica.

(I wonder how they came up with that one. Ha.)

Then we became a tourist for the day, traveling to a fat kids paradise, 

the more reddish tinted then you would have imaged golden gate bridge,

 and fancy architectured shops where my mom and I 

promptly bought each other fabulous Christmas gifts, 

that will never quite make it to Christmas.

All in all day three was fabulous, sans some traffic around San Fran. 

Today, more wineries will be toured and more vino consumed.

Cali Trip: Day 2

The castle, the great hall where private wine tastings are held 

and in the cellar where the barrels of wine are placed.

We got to experience the wine making process all the way down to tasting the wine from the barrel.

The gorgeous merlot grapes in Napa Valley! We throughly enjoyed our tour of Castello di Amorosa yesterday and these are just some of the many pictures from our day!

Cali Trip: Day 1

My mom and I decided to take a trip to California to see my cousin James who lives there, and to sneak in some trips to Napa Valley, tour San Francisco and eat fabulous food! I thought it would be fun to document my journey each day in picture form. So here we go:

Southwest was the airline of choice for the flight to Cali. Dead Fish was the first restaurant. My cousin James and his pups, Sergeant and Angel. Guess which puppy has what name! Haha I enjoyed day one!

Day Two, here we come!

Belle and Books

This face, I love it and I miss her so much when I am traveling!

I have been road tripping it for work at the start of this week and now I am three states away for a family reunion! I am going to be giving out my grandmothers FINISHED recipe book tomorrow! To read more about that journey read part one here and part two here. I can't wait to see my families faces when they see the book! I heart family time!

I'm on a Train!

Via

Well, I am not quite on a train yet, but I will be going on one next month!

My cousin James lives out in California, near San Francisco/Napa Valley and my mom and I are taking the journey out to see him in October.

So one of the things I simply must do is take a winery tour and one of ways that my other cousin Patty suggested we do that is to take a train tour of several vineyards! Therefore we will make it happen!

Not sure what else do to in the area, so suggestions are welcomed!

Local: Swift & Finch

Stroll inside. Eye your perfect unoccupied comfy chair. 

Breathe in smell of fresh roasted coffee. Take in the colors and beauty of the room.

Walk past the bags of green unroasted beans and roaster in the middle of the shop. 

Then glance at the chalkboard menu to find your perfect beverage of choice.

Watch as they pour the perfect shots of espresso.

And enjoy your steamy hot or icy cold beverage of your dreams;

 from the shop owned by these sweet ladies.

Doing the local coffee shop right. Swift & Finch.

Photos by Andrew Lowry