Huntsville wedding and a mini vacay

Last weekend, I had my first official out of town wedding, in Huntsville, AL.  The bride had discovered me in a search, identified with the style of my designs, and asked if I would be willing to travel.  And y'all KNOW the answer to that question.

I had been to Huntsville once before with the kids, to visit the space museum, but we didn't explore any of the town.  I didn't know what else Huntsville had to offer, but I decided to find out.  The kids were with Jamie for the weekend, so I booked a private AirBnB room, rented a small SUV, filled it to the brim with bouquets and centerpieces, and south I went.  

Huntsville is only about an hour and a half from Nashville, so it's not like I really TRAVELED per se, but still - I crossed a state line and that counts.  

I drove directly to the hotel where my bride was staying, dropped off her personal flowers, then drove to Earlyworks Children's Museum in historic downtown Huntsville.  They have a banquet hall within the building that easily accommodates weddings and events.  I spent the afternoon setting up centerpieces and building table garlands and two large altar pieces.  I was so busy, I didn't stop for many photos, but here are a few:

her ceremony site - she wanted a vintage/antique feel with a touch of art deco

 centerpieces

corsages

This is the only one I have from the photographer so far.  I can't wait to see the rest!  Picture day is always my favorite.

I wrapped things up about half an hour before the ceremony began, wished the bride my best, and headed to my home away from home.

I had never booked an AirBnB room before - I've always booked the entire place - so I wasn't sure I would like sharing the space with the hosts, but when I arrived and met Mike and Nicole, I knew I would feel at home.  They shared a glass of wine with me and we sat and talked for about an hour about their two cats, Michael's many cycling championships, and their recent trip to Italy.  They gave me some recommendations for dinner, and I walked down the block to the historic Old Town district.

It's a beautiful downtown area, exceptionally clean and safe, and instead of finding food, I continued walking, simply because I was interested in seeing everything.  I noticed a couple clusters of people on the block corners, and was curious that it might be a tour, so I came in closer.  I learned that it was a ghost tour, and since I had no good reason not to, I paid my ten bucks and joined the group.  I expected a ghost tour to be creepy and thought I might regret it, but actually it was very informative, and a good way to get a history lesson.  About 45 minutes in to the tour, I cut out and went back on the hunt for something to eat.  Nicole had recommended a place called Below the Radar for the best burger, and I was NOT disappointed.  It was probably the best burger I've had in a long time.  It could be the sauteed onions and mushrooms that I requested they smother it with - probably didn't hurt.  I sat alone at the bar, devoured my burger and fries, and watched the Auburn game in complete and total "I'm traveling alone and can do whatever I want" bliss.  I walked back to my room with a full belly, talked some more with my hosts, and took a quick nap before heading back to the venue to clean up.

When I arrived, they were still dancing, so I decided to explore a bit to kill time.  Just a couple blocks away was a beautiful city park, and people were still walking about, so I did the same.

It was a lovely walk - there were fish in the pond, ducks and geese about, and while I was catching up with Nathan back home, there was a small fireworks display on the grounds of the nearby art museum.  When I finally returned to my room, it was around midnight and I slept like a baby.

I checked out of my room around 9 am and drove through more of the historic neighborhood, gawking at mansions, before landing at Honest Coffee for breakfast.

 This is where I will live if I move to Huntsville.  I told the owners I have dibs. They're totally cool with it.  :)

 This is second place.  The photo doesn't do it justice.  I had driven by it the night before, and it was so beautifully lit, my jaw literally dropped and I had to stop the car.


I sat outside the coffee shop and heard someone nearby say the word "Nashville."  Turns out they're building a home in East Nashville, moving there from San Diego.  I talked with the wife for at least an hour before we had to part ways.  It was a sweet little surprise, as was the fact that the coffeeshop comped my breakfast because they lost the ticket.  Free breakfast!

 I explored a bit more downtown, waiting for the botanical garden to open.

 I'm a sucker for a good, old cemetery with its old creaky trees and discolored stones.  I spent about half an hour driving through this sizable cemetery.  I think the introvert in me likes visiting a place where no one will talk to me.  At least, I hope they don't.

When I had mentioned wanting to visit the Huntsville Botanical Museum, Michael had gifted me with a free ticket.  So:  free breakfast AND free garden.  You see why Huntsville and I get along.

There was a chance of rain, but it wasn't enough to keep me from the gardens.  They.  Were.  Beautiful.

 I lingered as long as I wanted to in each garden, thankful that I was alone for the experience and not rushed by someone who couldn't appreciate it like I did.

 The Japanese water garden was my favorite.  The yellow water lilies were blooming, the purple gomphrena were in full bloom all around the pond, and the fountains made it utterly peaceful.  Not a single person disturbed me the whole time I was here.

I was able to tour all of the grounds and avoid the rain - making it into the butterfly house before the downpour.  I didn't have to wait it out very long - and really, what's ten minutes inside a butterfly house?

I made it to my car before the rain started again, and began my trip home.  The rain was short lived, so I stopped at a Publix just outside of Huntsville to grab a bite to eat on the road, and noticed a trail head nearby.  So being the person that I am, and realizing that I didn't just have to get right home, I took the diversion, walked a short half mile loop beside the small lake, and ran back to the car when the rain started up...again.

I was happy to get home, and made myself a promise to travel alone more often.  Way more often.  It was  an exciting weekend of exploring without schedule or purpose, or anyone else's agenda.  And looking back, there was only one moment where I admit I was concerned for my safety:

but as long as I bring my running shoes, I think I'll be alright.

red rocks and denver

 I am so blessed to have this friend.  Elizabeth and I have been friends since Nathan was a baby (so, for like 150 years) and I ALWAYS enjoy being around her.  She's my creative, hippie friend that I can talk to about homeopathics and flower essences and Jesus and being gluten/dairy free.  She and her husband Micah had an extra ticked to a show at Red Rocks and asked me if I would like to come on a spontaneous trip to Denver.

OKAY.

Micah's business has a second warehouse location in Denver, and he keeps an apartment there.  So not only did I have a free concert pass and a free place to stay, they also used their airline points for my ticket.

I LOVE MY LIFE.

The first day, we took a long walk around the neighborhood (it's a new neighborhood, built on the land that was the old airport).  Later that afternoon, we took the train into Denver and puttered around Union Station and all the shops, eventually landing at a rooftop bar.  It was a gorgeous sunny day and we had nowhere else to be.  So we ate our fill of chips and three varieties of guacamole, and soaked in the sunshine.

 Speaking of food.  Near Micah's apartment is a small cafe and juice bar called Etai's, and it is a good thing such a place does not exist within walking distance from my own apartment.  I would be FAT.  This was breakfast on day three before heading home:  rice bowl with two runny eggs, steamed kale, caramelized onions, topped with crumbled Feta and diced avocado, with a side of green chili sauce.

SO GOOD.

Back to day two:

Red Rocks.

 We loaded up their small RV (which I came to love, as it was my "home" for the weekend) with picnic food and chairs, made the drive to Red Rocks, and set up camp for the day.

We came early enough to get some good hiking in.  Well....those of us who claimed to be hikers.  Elizabeth and their friend Ben cut out early, and Micah and I each took a section of trail and carried on.

 You can see that Ben does not taking hiking seriously.

haha

 There are so many beautiful vistas that I can't decide which photo is my favorite.  None of them actually do it justice.  It's entirely different to be under the open sky, breathing mile-high air on a warm, sunny Colorado day.

I mean...I look happy, don't I?  I am.  I'm pretty happy here.

 (Mom.....the deer!  There was another one just behind it.)

After the hike, which was about three miles, I called it good and went back for the picnic fare.  Soon after, it was time to hike up into the amphitheater.

We saw Phil Lesh (guitar player for The Grateful Dead) and one of my favorite bluegrass bands, Leftover Salmon.  (pictured)  It was an incredible show.  I was blown away by the musicianship of these guys.

After breakfast the following morning, we cleaned out the RV, packed up, and called it a wrap.  It was a great spontaneous trip, and I am so thankful for my generous friends!  I think I'm the luckiest girl ever.  We go to another Red Rocks show in July to see another favorite band of mine.  I'll have to tackle a different trail.

key largo and fort lauderdale

I am very fortunate to have a bestie that likes to make travel plans.

A couple months ago, Jeff asked me how I felt about taking a trip to southern Florida.  He wanted to get away before making a job transition in a few weeks.

Ummmmm......I feel good about that.

He began the process of making reservations and scheduling flights, and at 6 am last Saturday, we were on our way to Fort Lauderdale.

Jeff found the perfect hotel for us at Sunny Isle Beach.  Newport Hotel is on Collins Ave right on the beach.  He said it had great reviews, even though it was one of the older hotels, i.e. "more affordable."  And we thought it was just great.

I mean, if this is the view from my balcony every morning, I'm not sure I care when the hotel was built.  You know?


I should back up a bit here and say a little of our day BEFORE we got to the hotel.  We didn't actually check in until much later that night.  After arriving in F.L., we spent the rest of the morning driving south to Key Largo, where Jeff had made 3:00 reservations at Sundiver Snorkeling Tours.


On our way, we made a late breakfast stop in Hialeah, at a small local Cuban cafe called Alamo. 

 We had scrambled eggs with chorizo sausage, and the BEST coffee I've had since my trip to Guatemala.  We made texts and phone calls to several of our friends that used to live in Hialeah to let them know we were in their old stomping grounds.  If we had waited one more day, we could have waved hello to President Trump as he visited.

Driving down Hwy 1 to the keys takes patience and a release of all your itinerary, and it's not as exciting of a drive as I expected.  In my mind, I pictured palm trees and narrow sandy beaches on either side of the road.  And maybe that's the case if you drive all the way down to Key West, but our drive was mostly deciduous trees and swampy shrubs and not a great view of the water.  We averaged about 35mph, which I heard was typical, because Hwy 1 is the only road to the Keys.  But still.....we were on vacation, the sun was shining, and our bellies were full of Cuban food, so we weren't complaining.

I don't have any photos of snorkeling, because I didn't want to risk getting my phone wet on the boat.  But I will never forget the experience.

After slathering in sunscreen, boarding the boat, and receiving our safety instructions, we drove about 8 miles off shore to the coral reefs.  The captain pointed us in the direction of the reefs, gave us a few more instructions, and off we went, snorkel-faced and hopeful.

Now, I have never:
1.  Worn a snorkel mask.  Or a wet suit.
2.  Or flippers.
3.  Been in or near a coral reef.

So for the first few minutes, I struggled against the waves (stronger than I expected), struggled with my breathing (trusting that my snorkel was high enough above the water), and struggled a bit with the flippers.  One of the guides told me to rest my arms at my sides, use my legs more, and to keep my face down, and after that, I was good to go.  At first, there was only the sandy ocean floor beneath my face.  Then all of a sudden, I saw the coral.  Then a whole landscape of coral.  Then one fish.  Then another fish.  A blue tang.  A skinny, needle-nosed fish.  And a school of silver fish.  And a green, and a black, and a yellow one, then green, orange and red corals!   I kept swimming and swimming, eyes wide open,  just being amazed that I was in their habitat, getting a glimpse of their everyday life in the sea.

At one point, I heard Jeff calling my name, but I looked up to find him, and all I could see was a sea of snorkel masks dotting the waves - everyone looked the same!  I hollered back a couple of times and then decided to go on my way, trusting that he knew I was fine.  I continued on, sometimes close to other people, sometimes not, occasionally checking my location in reference to the boat.  Just when I thought I had seen all the fish in an area, a brand new one would pop up and I would marvel over it.

There are two moments during this experience that I will treasure in my heart forever.  The first one is the sensation of hovering over a school of medium sized, silver fish, peacefully swaying back and forth with them in rhythm to the ebb and flow of the ocean.  Somehow, it felt as if time had stopped, and it is one of the most holy and serene moments I have ever experienced.

The second moment brought tears to my eyes (I held them back so they wouldn't fill my goggles!) and I am so thankful to have seen it.  Off to my left, I saw another snorkeler motion his friend over.  I swam closer and found that they had spotted a sea turtle swimming peacefully just two feet underneath the surface.  I don't know what it is about the sea turtle that moved my spirit like it did.  Maybe it's their fragility - that they have to fight so hard just to make it to sea.  Maybe it's their dependency on our care and protection.  I just feel there's something so ancient and wise about a sea turtle - to me they're the "owls" of the ocean, and I said an audible thank you to God (as best as I could through my snorkel) for the chance to see one in the wild.

Back on the boat, Jeff said I had stayed out about an hour.  It felt like half that time to me.  After calling out to me and not being able to find me, he had felt that maybe I was meant to enjoy this experience on my own, and looking back, I agree 100%.

For dinner that night, we took the locals' advice and went to Bayside Grill and Sunset Bar , where we listened to a live band and waited for sunset.  Sunset time is posted on a board, and when the time comes, some make their way to the pier, some to the shore line, but overall, there's a collective hush as the sun sets over the Florida Bay.  What a way to end our first day.

The sunrises aren't too shabby either.  Back at the hotel the following morning, I was treated to quite a display.

I walked down to the edge of the pier where the fisherman had already begun, and spent a long time looking out over the Atlantic, pondering just what courage sailors of old must have had (and still must have) to set sail where there is no visual end to the journey.  I called Mom from the pier, got the news that they were experiencing winter weather in Kansas, and wished with all my might that I could teleport her to the beach.

 The next two days were filled with walks along the beach, eating seafood, watching the pelicans fish, collecting vitamin D, a deep tissue massage (Jeff's treat!), and collecting my greatest array of seashells yet.

 (snowman created with rocks - I had to send that photo home to Ben, my gem lover)

The last night of our trip, we walked to Aji Carbon for something different to eat.  We like experiencing ethnic foods and are always looking for things we haven't tried, and Peruvian was on the list for both of us.  The restaurant was classy, with attentive service, and the food was SO GOOD.  My dish was calamari, shrimp, mussels and shallots with a side of rice, in a cream sauce that my lactaid pills didn't touch in the least.  It was worth the pain.  I even had the leftovers for breakfast.

The morning of our trip back home, we drove up to Lauderdale by the Sea and walked around Hugh Taylor Birch State Park for a bit before having lunch at the park restaurant.  It was a great ending to the trip, and we both agreed it had been the perfect mix of R&R and exploration.

Until next time, sweet Florida.

sisters weekend in charlotte

 It all started with Tia.  She had airline credit that was about to expire.  She called and asked, "Is there any chance you can travel somewhere with me by the end of May?"

Umm....I can't even say no to that kind of question.  Like, ever.

Well, before you know it, we had pulled the city of Charlotte out of a hat, called Heather and Tabby, and soon enough, we had a sisters weekend on the books.

We've never done anything like this.  Most of our lives, our kids have been to young for us to get away without them.  But oh, the freedom of teens and adult children.

 We landed in Charlotte on a Friday and stayed until Monday morning.  It was the most wonderful time.  We didn't have much of an agenda, just sleep in, eat, drink, walk and shop - which it turns out, are the very things downtown Charlotte does best.

 This outdoor alleyway was one of my personal faves.  Shops, restaurants, and bakeries lined each side, and it was the perfect day for us to enjoy all of that.

We found lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant and all had the pho.  It was a first for me and it was deee-lish.  Lots of cilantro in there, which I love with almost everything.

 Another stop we made on our trip was a great little market/food court area by the train stop.  (Mom, this is where I got your candle.)  It had several artisan shops in there and good foodie places.  For lunch, I had a .....get this....grilled PB, blackberry jam, and goat cheese sandwich.  So good.  And a fantastic latte for dessert.  It looked that beautiful down to the very last drop.

 One of our evenings, we decided to opt out of restaurant eating,  and made a run to a nearby Trader Joe's and had a poolside picnic by the hotel pool.  We had all agreed by then that it wasn't as much about hitting all the spots as it was just being together with no distractions.

A few other shots from Charlotte:

(we turned up the music and took turns dancing in the sunroof.  we don't get out much.)

This trip was a wonderfully unexpected "stop and smell the flowers" moment.  It was good to connect with the sisters - we are usually pulled in so many different directions that we lose touch.  I would recommend Charlotte to anyone who wanted to enjoy a weekend away with good food and beautiful spaces!