I'm excited for this upcoming year's surprises and developments. Last year I learned about the discipline it takes to write a blog while managing all of life's other necessities and I'm happy I started; it's hard to know what something will be like until you try it. My resolutions for 2014 are not anything I can't tackle: to continue to nurture my creative side with some juicy projects (more on this to come), to try my hand at calligraphy, and to smile more (oh yes, while sporting adult braces).
I see far too many photos of calligraphy like this one via Instagram to not want to try it.
Last week I replaced RaeChild's cover photo with one I snapped on the beach while visiting friends in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Narragansett is tucked into the New England coastline, open to the sea with the tail of the Hamptons and Block Island to it's West and Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and The Cape to it's East. Seems like quite the coastline company if you ask me.
Rolling ocean waves might not be the seasonal standard but neither are Starbuck's bubblegum pink coozies (for their La Boulange launch, not Breast Cancer awareness). And besides, it's my blog I can do what I want. It's my blog I can say what I want.
I digress. I was spoiled by great friends and great views and finally great lobster. But mostly, I swooned at the sight of this adorable moated sand castle made by two sisters, simply finished with feathers in the rooks.
If you're in the area and looking for a quality Lobster Roll, I can stand behind
Aunt Carrie's at 1240 Ocean Rd Narragansett, RI 02882
Here's a sweet video of a house that sits in the middle of the Narragansett Bay, kept up by work weekend contributions of many friends... this guy's got it all figured out.
There are things that are original and then there are things that are unique. The boat I boarded last week, aptly named "Dragonfly's Bouquet", qualifies as both.
Attending a bachelorette party planned entirely over email, some details were neither shared or questioned. For example, the boat. Only briefly described as "painted like a dragon." When the 12 of us gals tumbled out of the party van that drove us to the dock, you can imagine our pure astonishment (see below) as we came around the bend and caught a glimpse of how "painted like a dragon" can be interpreted; and furthermore what our evening adventure would be aboard.
{first glimpse}
{details, details}
{yes. inside + out}
{"everyone has dreams, a few have strategies"}
Dragonfly's Bouquet was beyond anything I could have imagined. The voyage underscored for me, among other valuable lessons, that wood floats. Made entirely of 2x4's and plywood, every inch was hand painted by Captain Geoff himself - who was dressed like a wizard.
{the bow}
Upon disembarking, I asked one of the boat hands what his title was. He didn't seem to understand. I asked him if he "would be like, a first mate, or something? For this voyage?" "No, my name's Matt." I asked him how often they have to replace the plywood. "Oh, the deck?" he corrected. "Yeah, I guess that would be the deck," I replied. "It's marine grade plywood - it lasts a long time."
I reassured the other girls that all was well, in fact, it was marine grade plywood we were aboard. But we lost the rudder on a sandbar 20 minutes into the ride. We tried to get some jet skis to tow us back, but Captain Geoff and deckhand Matt had a good thing going and slammed that baby into port.
{one huge art project}
{clear skies made for a wonderful sunset}
Naturally, we all assumed the bride's sister, Arianna, was crazy 1) for knowing a guy with a boat like this and 2) for bringing us aboard a floating piñata. But this boat was more than just a boat painted like a dragon. It was also painted like a buddha, a medusa, a king, a lion, and full of inspirational life quotes. It was unlike any other bachelorette party I've been to and we had fun. What's more, Arianna is not at all crazy! She's just in love with being a videographer and more specifically, documenting the people that reside in Far Rockaway, Queens (which was devastated by Hurricane Sandy last fall). This is also how she happens to know someone with such an original and unique boat...
I was proud to catch Arianna's name in the credits of the Toyota film(see minute 6:00) that's been making it's way around the internet. For every "view" Toyota will donate a meal to Food Bank For NYC. I'm happy that all of the money that is inevitably spent attending a bachelorette was, this time, spent in an area that could really use it to start rebuilding.
