To say this was a much needed trip is an understatement. Of course I don't have to tell you that this year has been particularly rough. Everyone around the world has felt the affect of Covid-19 in one way or another. Some worse than others. Though we have made the best of these times by learning new skills, working out more, spending more time together and enjoying our engaged life, it hasn't been without hardship. Chris and I had big plans for this year, but we've had to make some adjustments to the new norms.
The catalyst for the trip was a 4th of July party at my Uncle Chucks ranch in Missouri. The trip had been planned since February when my Aunt Deanna and Aunt Terri told the family that the annual 4th of July party at Uncle Chuck's was coming back! There hadn't been one for as long as I've been alive, but when my mom and aunties were young it was an annual tradition. He used to throw quite the party!
Sometime in June my Aunt Deanna, a strong-headed Texan woman, said "We're doing this! The party is on!"Chris and I struggled with the decision of whether or not to go up until two days before the trip. There were going to be between 40-50 people in attendance from all over the Southern states. Some were pro-mask wearing and others were not. Up until this point, Chris and I had kept our social bubble very small. We had only seen 5 people TOTAL in the four months leading up to this party. The tipping point in deciding to go was the fact that I would be the only person able to go from my immediate family. In speaking to my mom and dad, who have been stuck in Canada since the start of quarantine, they were heartbroken they wouldn't get to see the rest of our family and that none of us would be there. I didn't want to let my mom down, so we decided to go.
Branson, MO
Last year for Easter, we had a big family reunion in Branson. We spent a long weekend there with family and family friends. We rented beautiful cabins, celebrated my cousin's 1st birthday, went to Easter Mass, canoed, golfed and toured the beautiful grounds of Big Cedar Lodge. We loved it so much we decided to stop here on our way to West Plains, MO to play golf.
My Uncle and my cousin's boyfriend met us at the Branson Hills Golf Club to play 18 along our route. It was such a fun day! The course was stunning. On one of the greens however, I hit a ball to the left of the green into tall grass on the other side of a tall rock wall. Not thinking anything of it, I hopped into the grass and walked around looking for my lost ball. All of a sudden, Chris yelled "Stop! Snake!" This who know me know I am absolutely petrified of snakes. I panicked and ran towards the rock wall to climb up to the green. My Uncle who had walked over to see what kind of snake saw me and yelled "Stop! Stay away from the rocks!" This had be in an even greater state of panic. I didn't know which way to turn. I didn't know where the snake was so I stood there breathing heavily on the verge of tears. My Uncle, Chris and my cousins boyfriend directed me where to go from above and I made it out unscathed. I later learned that the snake had been a copperhead snake, very poisonous.
Despite that incident, we had an awesome day. I lost more balls than I'd like to admit, and had a horrible game, but I had so much fun. After the round we packed up and headed towards West Plains.
West Plains, MO
When we got to West Plains, the heart of the Ozarks, we checked into our hotel and started unloading our mountain of luggage. One by one, we started running into family members. We were all staying at the Hampton Inn for the weekend and we pretty much had the whole hotel to ourselves. At the onset we had on our masks, but as the group grew, good or bad, we took our masks off. I can't explain how good it felt to see and hug family members we hadn't seen in a year, some even longer. The initial fear of getting too close to people melted away. In my mind, I rationalized that it would be far worse to not hug my family members and tell them I love them if it were the last chance I got to see them. Dark, I know. These weird times have really made you question social norms in ways you've never had to before.
West Plains is a beautiful part of the country, if you haven't been. There's not much to do there in terms of sightseeing, but it has beautiful scenery, camping, hiking, fishing, several natural springs, canoeing and float trips. It's exactly what we needed. After being trapped in our highrise apartment for months on end, it felt AMAZING to be out in nature, surrounded by family.
The Fourth of July Party was held on my uncle Chucks farm. The farm has been in the family since 1958. My Uncle Chuck, Aunt D and Aunt Terri did an incredible job planning this party! We had a party tent with prizes, desserts, and fireworks, a huge spread of catfish, mac n' cheese, coleslaw and of course, Southern sweet tea, and all sorts of games and activities around the property. We shot bow and arrow, went fishing, had a three legged race, an egg toss, played bags, a tug of war, hole hoop competitions and a sac race. There were tales of the good ole' days, stories of the older generations getting into mischief, and new stories being spun. There people as young as 3 and as old as time, haha. We had an absolute blast. The night ended with a phenomenal firework show and dancing sparklers. This day was, without a doubt, the highlight of everyone's year.
Nashville, TN
The next day we packed up and said our goodbyes. We had already started planning the next reunion at Uncle Chucks and everyone has RSVP'd YES!
Our next destination was New York to visit my very pregnant girlfriends and my baby sister. We decided to take the long way there so we could see more of the beautiful countryside along the way. We decided to visit Nashville. Two years prior we had planned to spend a long weekend, but our flight got postponed so many times and eventually cancelled that we never wound up going. Though this visit wouldn't be the same as it would pre-covid days, we still wanted to go.
We stayed at the super moody and edgy Hotel Bobby. This chic hotel was in the heart of downtown close to all the sceney hot spots. For dinner that night we went to The Row. Definitely don't miss this place if you're in town! We listened to incredible performances from up and coming country singers, had some fried green tomatoes and fried chicken and clinked our pints of local beer to our amazing road trip.
Cincinnati, OH
Coming from Nashville, we had a long route to Ellicottville, but didn't have a route picked out. We thought we'd try to make it to Cincinnati and if we were able to, we'd keep driving to Columbus. When we were coming up to Cincinnati it was still light out and we wanted to keep driving, but we were starving. We had found a couple of amazing restaurants to try, but we weren't able to get last minute reservations due to their limited seating capacities. So instead, we ordered fine dining take-out from Sotto and took it to go! The downtown area of Cincinnati is clean, modern and beautiful. We'll definitely be back to see more.
Columbus, OH
We pulled into Columbus late, around 10 pm. It had been a long day of driving, but it had gone by quickly. We checked into the beautiful boutique Hotel LeVeque and went straight to bed. We had all these grand plans to find a speak easy and have a cocktail at the end of the long day, but we were just too tired. The next day we discovered the cutest town in America, German Village.
We found this adorable little diner called the German Village Coffee Shop and decided we'd have a relaxing breakfast and enjoy the little village. Our day of driving wouldn't be as long as some of the others. We walked in and waited patiently to speak with the hostess as she chatted with one of her regulars. When she was done, she spotted Alphie and insisted on giving him this huge piece of country ham to become his bestie. Alphie gobbled it up and looked at her with his sad puppy dog eyes for more. We ordered some coffees and breakfast sandwiches and took a seat while streams of locals came in to pick up their regular orders and the hostess jumped between incoming calls and catching up with her regular patrons. We sat and admired the adorable old time diner with its shiny red leather stools and hand carved benches and huge grill, soaking in the history of the town and the close knit community vibes. Lost in or admiration for this little restaurant, we heard the hostess call from the back kitchen "Y'all ain't from round here are ya." We chuckled and replied, "No, we're passing through from Chicago." She laughed and said "I figured as much because you guys came in here ignoring all the rules. You came in with your dog. We don't allow dogs. You sat down. We're closed for dining in. And you took your masks off." She laughed and said "I love you guys!" We sat here and chatted with her and a few locals throughout our breakfast then said our good-byes. The hospitality of this his town was amazing. We cannot wait to return.
Ellicottville, NY
Driving through the back country roads of Ellicottville to my family's ski chalet made me so happy. It felt so good to be home. I had been feeling pretty homesick the last few months. Alphie was excited to be back too. He must've sensed my excitement or recognized the smell because he perked up and stuck his head out of the window for the last 20 minutes of the drive.
My younger sister, Erica, was at the house when we arrived. After suffocating her with bear hugs we went to our favorite stomping grounds for dinner and a toast to our return, Ellicottville Brewing Company, or E.B.C.
The next morning Erica had to go to work, so Chris and I made an early morning tee time at Holiday Valley's golf course. They have a beautiful 18 hole course on the foothills of the ski resort. It's a challenging course. I was so proud of myself! I played so much better than I had in Branson and I didn't lose a single ball. On the way to the course we stopped at one of my favorite restaurants in town, Dina's, for their coffee and oats to go. Dina's is better known for their amazing dinner service, but I'm a sucker for great coffee and a healthy breakfast. I always stop here in the mornings on my way to an early tee time or for a day on the slopes.
Later that day, Chris had to catch up on some work, so I grabbed Alphie to take him on a hike. In Chicago Alph lies around and sleeps 85% of the day. He's 9 years old. I stopped taking him on our 6 mile lakefront runs because he was slowing down. I think I underestimated him. He ran up the mountain so fast leaving me in his dust! Typically I like to hike the mountain bike trails at Holiday Valley or go see the giant boulders in Little Rock Valley, but today I wanted some sun and some great views. We hiked up the Cindy's Run ski slope. It was a pretty steep climb and took about an hour and a half to climb up and down.
For dinner, Erica made us a reservation at this awesome new restaurant in town called West Rose. THIS PLACE!!! I absolutely fell in love with this place. The aesthetic, the food, the cocktails. Everything was amazing. We sat outside on the patio and ate and drank and laughed for hours. We tried to cap the night off at another new swanky place in town called the Banq. This new speakeasy is rumored to have incredible cocktails and I can't wait to check it out the next time we visit. They transformed an old bank into a very hip lounge. We peeked in to check out the decor and it looks absolutely amazing.
Erica, also my beautiful Maid of Honor, is helping me plan something special for this Fall. Subscribe to my page so you don't miss out on the fun!
Buffalo, NY
Ellicottville is about an hour and a half South of Buffalo, NY. This is where I went to High School and College. I grew up in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, but I crossed the boarder everyday to go to school. Two of my beautiful besties from college are pregnant and due this Fall. They're both having BOYS! I cannot wait to meet these little cuties.
While in town we went to visit with these pregnant beauties. My girlfriend Alicia and her husband Marshall bought a house 3 years ago and I had still not seen it. They bought this huge beautiful old farmhouse in the country, about 20 minutes from downtown Buffalo. Her husband is an Architect, so after moving in they completely remodeled it. Their house is stunning. They toured us around their house and property and walked us through all of their renovations. On their property, they have 2 huge barns, one is a three car garage that her husband has turned into the ultimate man-cave/tool shed. The other is this 100-year old barn that they are currently restoring. They also have this huge garden that was bursting with vegetables. It's so weird to see my friends so grown up and adulting. I'm so happy for them.
After visiting with Alicia in the country, I went and met my other very pregnant girlfriend, Michelle, and her husband Ben for dinner at the Dapper Goose in Black Rock. We ordered just about everything on the menu. The food here is out of this world. I come here with her every time I'm in town. If you're in Buffalo, this place is a must. Over dinner we caught up on all things baby and her upcoming baby shower. There's so much I don't know about getting pregnant and being pregnant. Chris and I want to start a family soon after were married so I was taking notes.
A couple days later I came back to Buffalo for Michelle's baby shower. A shower it was indeed! It thundered and poured the whole day. For Covid, they planned this adorable drive-by baby shower. It was decorated so cute! Family and friends drove by the shower in the quiet cul de sac and waived and blew kisses from a safe distance. Ben, her knight in shining armor, ran to the cars with mini bottles of champagne and a gift basket of snacks and brought back their presents in the rain. A small group of friends and family gathered around to take pictures and watch her open presents for their little bundle of joy. I was enamored. Its so exciting to see my beautiful friends turning into mothers. I look forward to the years ahead when we can raise our kids together. They'll have a head start so they'll be able to give us pointers.
Binghampton, NY
After a fun week in Ellicottville and Buffalo visiting my sister and friends, we drove three hours South to Binghampton to visit with Chris' family and friends for a week. Chris' parents are divorced so we split our time between both of their homes.
Chris' mom and I get on like two peas in a pod. She loves shoes, skincare, healthy eating, coffee and wine, traveling and spa days. We spent a lot of time together while Chris caught up on work. While on our trip he was winding things down with his company in preparation to start a new job and this had him very busy. We didn't mind though because it gave us a chance to get properly catch up. We took a day trip to the Finger Lakes for hiking and a mini wine tour, we went to get mani-pedis, and even did a little shopping too! This is the first time I'd gone in a store since quarantine! We got caught up on wedding planning, chatted through her retirement plans and she toured me through her huge 600 sqft garden.
Chris' dad is very much a guys' guy. He loves sports cars, motor bikes, tractors, power tools, and beer. One afternoon we went to check out this cool new happening spot called the Beer Tree, a huge new brewery in town. We sat in their huge outdoor patio sipping summer brews and enjoying the summer sun. Afterwards, to cool down, his dad took me for a ride in his porch convertible through the windy back country roads. The need for speed didn't stop there. When we got back to his house he pulled out his Yamaha bike and gave Chris and me a lesson on how to ride it. When it was my turn, I was able to get on and to ride around on it, but stopping was not in the cards. I got the bike to stop, but I couldn't reach the ground. So, when my weight fell to one side, the bike fell over and I went with it. I didn't get hurt fortunately. The bike was just a tad too big for me. I'd love to get a vespa like the ones we rode around on in Florence.
The Finger Lakes
Binghamton is very close to the Finger Lakes in New York. The Finger Lakes are home to cute cottages, great hiking trails, waterfalls, wineries, huge lakes for fishing, boating and sailing. We tried renting a cottage for a week here, but we weren't able to find one. While Chris golfed with his buddies one day, his mom and I drove to the Finger Lakes for a girls day. We hiked to see Ithica Falls and Buttermilk Falls near Cornell University. They were amazing! At Buttermilk Falls we climbed up the Gorge Trail and then went down the Rim Trail which followed along the waterfall edge. It reminded me of the Sooke Potholes in British Colombia. We had such a fun day. We brought Alphie too and he had the time of his life! He'd run ahead on the trail and scope it out, jump in for a swim then run around like his feet were on fire in excitement. It was awesome. We went on the perfect day too. It was a Monday, so we had the trails to ourself. Halfway down the trail we stopped to take our shoes off and step into the cool pools. We set everything down to cool off and listen to the nothingness in the woods. We hung out here for a while enjoying the relaxing waters taking in our beautiful surroundings until we heard more hikers coming up behind us on the trail. At the end of the trail when it was time to tie Alphie back up and walk to the car, I realized I had left his leash back at the swimming hole. We had to stop at a pet store on the drive back to Binghampton so we could stop for a late lunch on our way home.
We'd worked hard that day hiking so we decided it'd be a great idea to stop along the wine trail for some wine, cheese and crackers. She took me to one of her favorite spots, Six Mile Creek Vineyards. We had an amazing rose and sat sipping it on their patio overlooking the vineyards. It had been such a fun day. I love Upstate New York.
Our trip was wonderful. It was so great to see friends and family and to visit our home towns. We decided to drive straight through back to Chicago on our way back home because we wanted a day to relax and unpack before Chris started his new job. The drive was 10 hours, but it went by quickly. We divided up the driving so it wasn't terrible. We left around noon and got home around 10:30pm, so we made good time. For as much fun as we had on our trip, we were excited to get back home to see our friends, sleep in our own bed, and to get back into our normal routines.
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