One Year in the Classic City

This week I'm celebrating one whole year in the Classic City!

Since the first time I drove through the Athens city limits I knew it was a place I needed to be.  I was visiting Atlanta for the weekend and decided to drive east to the University of Georgia.  I remember walking through North Campus and down Sanford Drive to the stadium in complete awe.  The campus was beautiful with its early fall colors and majestic buildings!  The rich character and small-town feel of Downtown Athens immediately had me hooked.  The atmosphere on a September Friday before gameday is something that screams pride and excitement.  I knew right then and there that Athens, Georgia is a special place.

About 8 months later it was official that I'd be a Georgia Bulldog and 3 months after that I was moving into my apartment in Athens.  Less than a year after visiting Athens for the first time, I was calling it home.  And today I'm still so grateful and feel blessed that I get to live here.  That I get to be a Georgia Bulldog!  I have completely fallen in love with this town.  The pride engulfed in those who love the Dawgs.  The atmosphere on Saturdays throughout the fall.  The glow of the Christmas lights through downtown during the winter.  The diversity and originality of the many restaurants that make up the food scene downtown.  Athens, Georgia is a treasure.

Since the moment I stepped foot in Athens almost 2 years ago I longed to be a part of the culture that surrounded The Classic City.  I'm grateful for the path I took to arrive in Athens.  This year has been hard and challenging.  I am away from my family and close friends that I miss on a daily basis.  I also had to get through an immense loss mostly on my own.  There's still immeasurable heartache and struggle after the dust settles.  But this year has also been so fun and rewarding.  I've grown and learned  an incredible amount this year- about myself, about life, and about what I want for my future.  And I can honestly say that Athens has become home.  I have a love for this place that makes me smile from ear to ear.  Thanks for a great year, Athens, I love you!

Things I Miss About The North

Since I've lived in the south people will ask me what I miss about the north besides my family and friends.  For a while this question really stumped me.  I really couldn't think of much.  Turns out when I had the chance to think about it, I do miss a few things about the north, most of which revolves around food, which is kind of embarrassing.  But here it is, the things I miss about the north:I miss having a plethora of pizzerias to choose from.  Domino's, Papa John's or whatever other pizza chains there are don't count.  Pizzerias are unique and on a whole different level than chain pizza.  And pretty much everything I just said about pizza applies to bagels too.  Biscuits and croissants are not an accurate substitute for bagels.  How are breakfast sandwiches not a thing in the south?

Italian restaurants (also part of those pizzerias and Olive Garden doesn't count), Italian bakeries, Italian deli markets.  My mom knows how much I love Italian cookies and how much I miss them that she sent me a box of my favorites for my birthday last year! Wawa is the place you go for a plethora of snacks, drinks, and built-to-order sandwiches.  It's typically a place we'd go before a road trip or when we're headed to the beach or really, anytime!  It's easy and delicious.  I love a great sandwich & now they even have chipotle mayo! YUM!  There is nothing (that I've encountered) like WaWa in the south.

Diners are a the type of restaurant where you can get whatever you want and they're typically open all hours of the night.  You're drunk and want breakfast at 2 am, diner.  You want lunch at 9 am, diner.  You want breakfast for dinner, diner.  Diners are relaxed, casual and typically have similar atmospheres and of course a counter to sit at!  They're typically not a chain, but locally owned.

And this may be crazy, but I missed snow!  Just a little bit, though.  I know that if I had as much snow as they did up north this past winter and last I'd be sooo sick of it.  There was a snow storm the weekend I moved last year and I haven't seen that magical white stuff since.  But more importantly, I miss skiing.  This was the second season that I haven't skiied and it's really weird for me.  I'm realizing I'm going to have to plan trips in order to ski again, instead of impromptu trips to the mountains on the weekends.

Even when living in PA I could get to the beach in an hour or less.  Some beaches were further, but day trips to the beach were very frequent.  This is the furthest inland I've ever lived and no beach access isn't good for the water-loving soul.  I need the sound of the ocean and sand between my toes during the summer months.  I'm going through a bit of withdraw, especially since I only got to spend two days at the Jersey Shore this summer, which is unheard of!

Do you have favorite things about the north?

60 Hours at Home

This weekend I went home to celebrate my 25th birthday and Easter!  I had a total of 60 hours to do it all.  And that's exactly what I tried to do!

I landed just before 10am on Friday and immediately headed to get my haircut.  I get haircuts pretty regularly, about every 4-6 months, and still prefer going to my "regular" girl at home.  During the 15 months since I left home I got one haircut by a recommended hairdresser and cried.  He just didn't understand what I like or my hair at all.  My girl gets me.  I generally get the same cut every time.  She knows the way I like my layers and that I trust her to take off what she needs without me feeling like she cut my ponytail in half.  She knows I like angles around my face but that it must be able to go back in a ponytail.  She has also taught me how to style my hair and does a perfect job for me, that I don't feel like I have to re-do it once I leave.  The haircut was a big priority on this trip since I could feel it getting heavier and flatter by the day-- it was getting impossible to work with.

After my haircut on Friday I headed to New Jersey to meet up with my cousins and sister before our night out in NYC.  We had snacks and cocktails then went for manicures, came back to get ready and drove to the city.

We met up with my friends from college for dinner at The Stanton Social on the Lower East Side!  I had never been to The Stanton Social before- it was recommended to me from a friend, and let me tell you it was A-MAZING!!!!  Since we had a large group we had a pre-set menu of 7 different appetizers and 2 desserts.  They were just phenomenal and we left with extremely full stomachs.  The cocktails were delicious too!  We even had birthday cake shots that were ice cream and Maker's Mark with sprinkles covered rims- it seriously couldn't have been better!

After dinner we headed back to our hotel in TriBeCa where our guy friends were waiting for us!  We had a few more drinks there before heading to the Whiskey Tavern.  I seriously had the best time with them.  I love how we don't see each other for a while, but pick up as if I just saw them yesterday.  They're forever friends and I'm so grateful for it!  

Saturday morning we left NYC and headed straight for my cousins' lacrosse game!  I love getting to watch my younger cousins play sports and had to fit their game in when I had the chance.

After the game, my cousin Kate and I grabbed lunch at WaWa before heading back to my house for the rest of the weekend.  WaWa has the best sandwiches and couldn't pass it up while I was home.  I had to get my fix, especially since there's nothing like it in the south!

I spent Saturday afternoon with my girlfriends from home at a local winery.  It's a simple place, but so fun.  The best part is you get to taste as much as you want and pour your own for only $6!  We then headed into town for appetizers and more cocktails.

Saturday night I spent with my family at home.

Easter Sunday we went to church, had the family over, and did a massive Easter egg hunt before I had to leave to head back to Georgia.

It was the perfect, jam-packed weekend!  I am so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends to come home to.  My heart is full.  Also, I need to get better at picture taking… sigh!