Little Towns

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Sometimes, when the hustle-bustle starts to get to me I think - maybe I should just leave it all behind and settle myself down on a porch somewhere in small town America, rocking with dogs and babies at my feet. I grew up in the city but my grandparents lived on a large farm in the countryside so I always felt half city mouse, half country mouse. There's nothing quite like the molasses-slow pace and the deep quiet of the country. So, for your lemonade-sipping, chair rocking, porch sitting pleasure - a list of three of my favorite small towns.

1. Davidson, NC: Charm, embodied. Yes, I'm biased - this is my college town. But take a walk along main street, stopping into the Soda Shop and enjoying the shaded deck of Summit coffee shop, and you'll know exactly what I mean.

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Just steps away from town, you'll find Davidson College - such a beautiful embodiment of the classic, red brick + marble architecture of the grand south. 

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If you're looking for a weekend trip in the Southeast, Davidson is an excellent destination. That fabulous Davidson Inn is a home away from home for my family - just don't miss afternoon tea and cookies! Davidson sits on the edge of Lake Norman and the warm water is the perfect place for swimming (almost all year round) and water sports. There's lots of little towns nearby for exploring, and Charlotte's but a half hour away if you need some urbanity - but mainly I'd suggest lazy days of walks in the woods and picnics on the lake. 

2. Mackinaw Island, MI: Almost overly sweet, this island destination at the tip-top of Michigan state is the perfect place to slooow down.

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There are no cars allowed so bikes and horse drawn carriages are the only transportation. Rent a tandem with your hunny and head around to the north side of the island which is all protected national park land. 

Natural Bridge on Mackinaw Island - here

B&Bs dot the island and their lush gardens and perky paint jobs differentiate one from the next. We had a lovely time staying at the Metivier Inn --though next time I want to stay at the the Inn at Stonecliff- it's further out of town with a great view of the lake. Pick up some fudge in town - you'll pass by at least 30 shops. I recommend the chocolate butterfinger flavor!

3. Goshen, IN

This one of my new favorite places. We stopped by Goshen last weekend and I didn't want to leave! Located in ho-hum rural Indiana, Goshen is a little spec of charm and culture among the farmland. The main street is adorable with so many fun shops: Ten Thousand Villages, Better World Books, and tons of sweet vintage and antique shops. My favorite? Found - an eclectic collection of art and artifacts from around the world. 

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The owners are professors at Goshen College and travel the world, bringing back artifacts to share with their small town customers. Um, hello dream job? There are tons of little restaurants and delis - we loved our sandwiches and locally-packaged iced tea at Mattern's Butcher Shop. This town is definitely worth a half-day trip when you're in the neighborhood of South Bend or southern Michigan!

This is by no means an exhaustive list, so tell me - what are your favorite small towns? Or are you a strictly city-gal or guy?

On a Boat...

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I spent the weekend - you guessed it - on a boat. 

Poseidon, look at me.

Yeah, the weekend was somewhere between the classy images above and The Lonely Island boys -- maybe with a bit of this thrown in:

via Pinterest

Yes, there were shenanigans involved. But mostly just a really great weekend full of gorgeous Michigan weather, good friends and some delicious homemade cocktails (thanks, Katie!) 

Now that I'm a bonafide sailor, I think I need me some of these goodies for the next boat ride:

Polka Dot Bikini, JCrew

I love a bikini with coverage on top and bottom. This one looks tummy- and bust-friendly.

Rainbow Sandals

 I can't quite get on the boat shoe trend, but I am crushing on these Rainbow flip flops. The prepsters wore these in college while I was rocking Old Navy flips. I'm ready to upgrade. These have arch support and actual leather so your feet won't kill you for dancing all day on deck.

Target shorts

I actually already have these highlighter green (they're brighter in person) shorts and I am in love. The fit is really great - the leg is longer and the waistband is not too low - and they're a cool alternative to jorts. I'm going back for another color - either white or red...

Jose Maran Sunscreen

Hallelujah! Miracle of miracles - I escaped the weekend without even a  hint of a sunburn. Most of my compatriots were not so lucky, but I was really aggressive about reapplying. It helped that I had nice sunscreen to use - this Josie Maran is really nice for the face - not too oily. I also picked up some of the natural sunscreen at Target for the body and I really liked it. Definitely felt like less of a walking oil slick than normal. 

So there you go. Everything you need to be... on a boat.
Thanks to all our friends (and boat owners) for making this a fabulous break1

How was your weekend, folks?

Open Road

From here via Pinterest

I pretty much go on a road trip every other weekend, when I drive up north to visit my boyfriend. But this weekend, we're adding an extra two hours to that commute. And instead of being testy about the extra mileage, I'm actually really excited! We're visiting friends up in Michigan and something about crossing that border always feels like taking a vacation.

Maybe it's the years of summer and winter break trips to cottages on lakes throughout the state
(goal in life: always have a friend with a cottage in Michigan). 

Or the friendly vibe of Michiganders.

Or the Ray's Fresh Lake Perch sandwich I eat whenever we drive through Grand Haven.

Whatever the reason, open road: here I come.


And if you find yourself on a road towards the Great Lakes, here are few of my favorite MI stops:

- The Common Grill, Chelsea: Worth driving out of your way for, this gourmet eatery is the highlight of cute, small town Chelsea. I insist you try the Warm Chocolate Fallen Cake. You. Will. Die.

Pictured Rocks (Sorry the quality sucks, we had a '90s moment with a disposable camera...)

-Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, UP: The Boy and I braved the eerie quiet (wait, do you hear banjos??) of the UP and backpacked along the shores of Lake Superior this summer. With water so blue you'll swear you're in the Caribbean, and wind-carved, sandstone cliffs to climb, this is a magical place to get away.

- The Metivier Inn: Ok, say you want something a little more genteel for your getaway. May I then suggest the Metivier, a sweet B&B on quaint Mackinaw Island. And though I liked the cutesy decor, the charming staff, and the beautiful car-less locale, the real reason I love the Metivier is because they fed me free fudge every afternoon for "tea." Score.

Have a good weekend, eh?