A toast is in order for my dear friends Jason and Kristen Klauk who officially became Thru Hikers
on Friday, September 17th!! Six months and 14states later they have successfully walked the complete 2,175 miles of the Appalachian Trail and even lived to write about it. Only approx. 26% of hikers who start the trail each year make it to Katahdin!
Check out their Katahdin summit post here - it gave me chills!
Now they are on holiday in Maine soaking in more of our amazingly beautiful countryside and spending time with their families whom they've missed so much.
Congratulations to you both and I'm glad you have finished safe and sound. Now that they are done with their little vacation we can party together at the Gator games!
9.20.2010
9.16.2010
orange you glad you're not a vol
{image via pixdaus}We're headed to the North Carolina mountains this weekend and then heading west on Saturday to the land of the Vols. This will be my first ever away game {out of the state of Florida} and I'm so excited!! Not only will we be cheering hard for the Gators but we will also get to see Heather and Paul and all their fun-loving Tennessee family! So yes, that means will be congregating with that awful shade of orange. I will be in my mostly blue and white ensemble with a splash of the good orange.
Looking forward to heading to the hill country. If only we were taking that sweet alligator buggy!
Looking forward to heading to the hill country. If only we were taking that sweet alligator buggy!
9.13.2010
the steeple chase
Friday night David and I were off to The Steeple Chase in our Derby casual attire! Our church had a silent auction as a fundraiser for the new St. Peter's building fund. The auction was held on the grounds where the new church will be built. Plans have been approved for the new church building and they've already begun the site work.
The new location is on North Thomasville Road and their is an old estate home on the property that was included in the sale. The house is so fabulous and I'm so sad that they will not be able to keep it. Meanwhile, it's been a great venue for the youth, fellowship of all kinds. All I really want is to transplant that large white house and renovate it for myself - simple task I know!
We had over 350 parishioners and friends attend Friday night and a rough estimate of the profit from the event was $37,000 to go towards the building fund. There was a live band, tasty food, and even a live auction for a few of the larger, snazzier items.
The theme was fun and of course I helped with some ideas and decor but in the end I wasn't able to get off work to really do the leg work/set-up. I was able to snap a few pictures before the crowd arrived...
large entry tent at entrance...
boxwood horse shoe shaped wreath
the bugle blew {literally} at 7:00pm to sound the start of the auction
the home was purchased with several of the beautiful architectural and decorative items still intact
the former dining room filled with goodies...there were 3 other large rooms filled with auction items as well as 2 table out back
if only the entry chandelier had been for auction - it had my name written all over it!
The new location is on North Thomasville Road and their is an old estate home on the property that was included in the sale. The house is so fabulous and I'm so sad that they will not be able to keep it. Meanwhile, it's been a great venue for the youth, fellowship of all kinds. All I really want is to transplant that large white house and renovate it for myself - simple task I know!
We had over 350 parishioners and friends attend Friday night and a rough estimate of the profit from the event was $37,000 to go towards the building fund. There was a live band, tasty food, and even a live auction for a few of the larger, snazzier items.
The theme was fun and of course I helped with some ideas and decor but in the end I wasn't able to get off work to really do the leg work/set-up. I was able to snap a few pictures before the crowd arrived...
large entry tent at entrance...
boxwood horse shoe shaped wreath
the bugle blew {literally} at 7:00pm to sound the start of the auction
the home was purchased with several of the beautiful architectural and decorative items still intact
the former dining room filled with goodies...there were 3 other large rooms filled with auction items as well as 2 table out back
if only the entry chandelier had been for auction - it had my name written all over it!9.09.2010
thursday love
{image via mary ruffle}Thursday evenings are usually spent on a leisurely dinner and an outing of sorts just because.
9.07.2010
social life hiatus
It's been a quiet few weeks and I've been loving it. Oh, believe me it's still been busy but there just hasn't been the regular "penned in" social events to attend. Things are picking up with the start of football season, Junior League meeting season {including the Jingle Jubilee event which is only 2.5 months away! Also, featured in a fabulous insert in the latest issue of Tallahassee Magazine - check it out! You can see me in a Santa hat!}, and the always fun and busy fall holiday season.
I spent a leisurely Labor Day weekend avoiding all kinds of labor. On Friday night we took some friends to Jonah's up in Thomasville. They were having a "First Fridays" of sorts downtown so we were able to walk around and visit some of my favorite shops as well. We took a day trip to Gainesville on Saturday for the first Gator game and enjoyed the rest of the weekend visiting with friends and relaxing.
On Monday, we took Sally Kate to the Tallahassee Museum of Natural History, known to the locals as the Junior Museum. This was my second time going. We went on a field trip in my college freshman biology lab class to the museum - not much has changed. We saw all the animals we wanted to but they were all sound asleep. I guess they were trying to convey to all the loud onlookers that it was obviously nap time and we, too, should be out of the 100 degree heat and resting our eyes. Sally Kate made it half-way thru before she took her snooze. While she was awake she was interested in all the creatures we showed her!
Hope everyone had a fun Labor Day weekend and here's to the official holiday end of summer and the start of fall! And if you haven't heard Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice is back on the shelves!
go gators!
I made a delicious blueberry-peach sangria for a small dinner party saturday night...a final hooray for summer fruit!
junior museum
the edenfields
sweet sk
bald eagle: proud to be an american
last day to wear summer lilly :)
me and david at the junior museum prom!
I love this landscape - palmetto and cypress knees
I spent a leisurely Labor Day weekend avoiding all kinds of labor. On Friday night we took some friends to Jonah's up in Thomasville. They were having a "First Fridays" of sorts downtown so we were able to walk around and visit some of my favorite shops as well. We took a day trip to Gainesville on Saturday for the first Gator game and enjoyed the rest of the weekend visiting with friends and relaxing.
On Monday, we took Sally Kate to the Tallahassee Museum of Natural History, known to the locals as the Junior Museum. This was my second time going. We went on a field trip in my college freshman biology lab class to the museum - not much has changed. We saw all the animals we wanted to but they were all sound asleep. I guess they were trying to convey to all the loud onlookers that it was obviously nap time and we, too, should be out of the 100 degree heat and resting our eyes. Sally Kate made it half-way thru before she took her snooze. While she was awake she was interested in all the creatures we showed her!
Hope everyone had a fun Labor Day weekend and here's to the official holiday end of summer and the start of fall! And if you haven't heard Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice is back on the shelves!
go gators!
I made a delicious blueberry-peach sangria for a small dinner party saturday night...a final hooray for summer fruit!
junior museum
the edenfields
sweet sk
bald eagle: proud to be an american
last day to wear summer lilly :)me and david at the junior museum prom!
I love this landscape - palmetto and cypress knees8.23.2010
cuba IX: havana day two/departure
We were lucky to have the Coaster and Fr. Carlos {our personal tour guide} on day two. We spent the majority of our day in Old Havana which was by far my favorite area of the city. We went to a fabulous market that sold hand-made goods and art. It was fun to bargain!
Our flight on Wednesday had us at the Havana airport very early so we woke up, packed, and drove straight there to say our good-byes. We left Justine in Cuba for the remainder of the month to assist Fr. Carlos. Please keep her in your prayers as she is still there for a few more days.
It's almost been two weeks since we've returned, and I'm ready to go back!
their beautiful former capitol building...there are only agencies that work it this building now
it was a strikingly beautiful building but still with parts in shambles
one of the famous cigar factories
this was a small art gallery inside the opera. this was probably the most beautifully renovated area I saw...I absolutely love those bi-fold doors!
stylish taxis
we had a delicious lunch in another neighborhood in western havana...as we drove to this restaurant we passed all the gorgeous embassies...all but the U.S.
david enjoyed watching the cooks use this massive grill! they poured mojo all over the meat and it was divine {mojo on the side, not the meat}! this was by far my favorite restaurant meal in cuba.
the whole group in front of the second largest jesus statue in the western hemisphere {2nd to brazil}. jesus watches over the bay of havana. I wish it had been a prettier day and that there wasn't construction going on.
overlooking havana bay...view of old havana
at the havana airport waiting for our departure...everyone was anxious to get home!
all flights in and out of havana only go to miami.
this was a treat...david, alli, and I met up with their dad and my parents in orlando for dinner on wednesday night. it was so good to see them! we had a very yummy meal at p.f. changs and shared with them our stories and pictures. we dropped alli off in gainesville to start school and we arrived back in tallahassee around 2:00am.
THE END.
Our flight on Wednesday had us at the Havana airport very early so we woke up, packed, and drove straight there to say our good-byes. We left Justine in Cuba for the remainder of the month to assist Fr. Carlos. Please keep her in your prayers as she is still there for a few more days.
It's almost been two weeks since we've returned, and I'm ready to go back!
their beautiful former capitol building...there are only agencies that work it this building now
it was a strikingly beautiful building but still with parts in shambles
one of the famous cigar factories
this was a small art gallery inside the opera. this was probably the most beautifully renovated area I saw...I absolutely love those bi-fold doors!
stylish taxis
we had a delicious lunch in another neighborhood in western havana...as we drove to this restaurant we passed all the gorgeous embassies...all but the U.S.david enjoyed watching the cooks use this massive grill! they poured mojo all over the meat and it was divine {mojo on the side, not the meat}! this was by far my favorite restaurant meal in cuba.
the whole group in front of the second largest jesus statue in the western hemisphere {2nd to brazil}. jesus watches over the bay of havana. I wish it had been a prettier day and that there wasn't construction going on.
overlooking havana bay...view of old havana
at the havana airport waiting for our departure...everyone was anxious to get home!all flights in and out of havana only go to miami.
this was a treat...david, alli, and I met up with their dad and my parents in orlando for dinner on wednesday night. it was so good to see them! we had a very yummy meal at p.f. changs and shared with them our stories and pictures. we dropped alli off in gainesville to start school and we arrived back in tallahassee around 2:00am. THE END.
cuba VIII: havana day one
I have such mixed emotions about Havana. Going into this trip I was convinced I would like Havana better than Cuatro Esquina but I was very wrong. This big city was like any big city - pollution, traffic, etc. - but far worse than I could have ever imagined aesthetically. It was just sad, very oppressed, and odd. The best description I heard from another chaperone was "it looks like a Hollywood movie set that was bombed!" And I believe she was right on. It was hard to enjoy this bustling town knowing what the local people endure and most of their current living situations/lifestyles.
However, I did enjoy trying to visualize what Havana might have looked like in the early 1950s at the height of their cultural history with some of the most fascinating architecture there is. But then again is made me sad to think what is used to look like and compare it to what it looks like today. Most of the people there know not much difference from what they are used to now which is also depressing to imagine. Luckily, Havana is a very safe place to walk around day or night even though some parts look worse than the most impoverished and dangerous neighborhoods of our country's metropolises.
But...despite my mixed opinion on Havana the team {me included!} had a wonderful time! The last two full days - Monday and Tuesday - were basically free days for us in which we got to plan what we wanted to see and do. We were completely submerged into the culture and on our own. The city is so rich in history and architecture, as previously mentioned, and I adored that aspect. I think I picked out 50 different houses that I would be happy to renovate and move into.
The weather for both of our days in Havana were very overcast and rainy. On Monday we deemed our day the "tour of hotels" to escape the drizzling rain and relax in air conditioning! Again, I wish I had my nice Canon to capture all the potential beauty of this city...
gorgeous national hotel of cuba...the hotels in cuba are actually quite nice and ritzy but still not up to american standards in design, etc. there are many, many european and canadian tourists who frequent havana.
grand entrance hall of hotel #1 on our tour de hotels...same layout/similar design as the breakers in palm beach
one of the hotel's many restaurants
the guys in front of a cigar rolling desk...all cuban cigars are still hand rolled
lunch in the hotel cafe
a refreshing chef salad with chicken
hotel #2: havana libre
this hotel was neat because it was in the middle of a lobby renovation...the partition construction walls were lined with floor plans and renderings of the new space...I found this fascinating of course!
delicious coffee ice cream...we only went here once but talked about it for the remainder of our stay!
the girls along the famous malecon
morro castle (fortress) at the entrance of havana bay as seen from the malecon
hotel #3: riveria
we frequented this hotel a lot. mostly for water and a shot of cuban cafe!
this hotel was straight out of the 50s...totally mid-century mod and never touched or updated.
interesting fact: all the green you see on the exterior are 1x1" mosaic tiles...talk about detail!
entrance lobby to the riveria
wacky lobby interior
{...but it provided us with a air conditioned resting place that afternoon!}
music academy
here's a tour of my dream homes...
{also called the tour of the lack of structural care, etc. of homes with gorgeous architectural features}
this one is right on the malecon overlooking the water
I would take breakfast on this upper level veranda
a nice corner lot
dreaming of outdoor parties...
we could rebuild the cupola and be set for life!
we had a lovely dinner at this very nice french restaurant a few blocks from the cathedral
this was my favorite drink in cuba...orange soda!! their sodas have natural cane sugar in them which make them a different, yet better kind of sweet. by the end of the trip I could finally pronounce naranja.
dinner of chicken smothered in gouda cheese and sweet potato chips. and yes, that's a decorative swirl of ketchup in the corner...gross.
However, I did enjoy trying to visualize what Havana might have looked like in the early 1950s at the height of their cultural history with some of the most fascinating architecture there is. But then again is made me sad to think what is used to look like and compare it to what it looks like today. Most of the people there know not much difference from what they are used to now which is also depressing to imagine. Luckily, Havana is a very safe place to walk around day or night even though some parts look worse than the most impoverished and dangerous neighborhoods of our country's metropolises.
But...despite my mixed opinion on Havana the team {me included!} had a wonderful time! The last two full days - Monday and Tuesday - were basically free days for us in which we got to plan what we wanted to see and do. We were completely submerged into the culture and on our own. The city is so rich in history and architecture, as previously mentioned, and I adored that aspect. I think I picked out 50 different houses that I would be happy to renovate and move into.
The weather for both of our days in Havana were very overcast and rainy. On Monday we deemed our day the "tour of hotels" to escape the drizzling rain and relax in air conditioning! Again, I wish I had my nice Canon to capture all the potential beauty of this city...
gorgeous national hotel of cuba...the hotels in cuba are actually quite nice and ritzy but still not up to american standards in design, etc. there are many, many european and canadian tourists who frequent havana.
grand entrance hall of hotel #1 on our tour de hotels...same layout/similar design as the breakers in palm beach
one of the hotel's many restaurants
the guys in front of a cigar rolling desk...all cuban cigars are still hand rolled
lunch in the hotel cafe
a refreshing chef salad with chicken
hotel #2: havana librethis hotel was neat because it was in the middle of a lobby renovation...the partition construction walls were lined with floor plans and renderings of the new space...I found this fascinating of course!
delicious coffee ice cream...we only went here once but talked about it for the remainder of our stay!
the girls along the famous malecon
morro castle (fortress) at the entrance of havana bay as seen from the malecon
hotel #3: riveriawe frequented this hotel a lot. mostly for water and a shot of cuban cafe!
this hotel was straight out of the 50s...totally mid-century mod and never touched or updated.
interesting fact: all the green you see on the exterior are 1x1" mosaic tiles...talk about detail!
entrance lobby to the riveria
wacky lobby interior{...but it provided us with a air conditioned resting place that afternoon!}
music academy
here's a tour of my dream homes...{also called the tour of the lack of structural care, etc. of homes with gorgeous architectural features}
this one is right on the malecon overlooking the water
I would take breakfast on this upper level veranda
a nice corner lot
dreaming of outdoor parties...
we could rebuild the cupola and be set for life!
we had a lovely dinner at this very nice french restaurant a few blocks from the cathedral
this was my favorite drink in cuba...orange soda!! their sodas have natural cane sugar in them which make them a different, yet better kind of sweet. by the end of the trip I could finally pronounce naranja.
dinner of chicken smothered in gouda cheese and sweet potato chips. and yes, that's a decorative swirl of ketchup in the corner...gross.
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