vacationland.

Mama Olson came to town a few weeks ago, and I have to say she came just in time. I was in desperate need of a little vacation from work and also a taste of home. We traveled up the coast of Maine, ate lots (and lots) of lobster, visited a few light houses in true Maine style, and then explored around Bean Town. We even had time to bake an apple pie and spruce up my apartment (My mother can't help herself when it comes to interior designing...and I was not about to stop her).

 Portland, ME

Rockland Breakwater Light 

Vacationland...true that. 

Two Lights State Park

Newburyport, MA

In summary...I love New England. Even more so in the fall. 

  

summer turns to fall.

In the last few weeks I have managed to partake in the following:

1. One and only summer vacation spent at a family friends lake home. Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire - you are my perfect definition of an east coast summer.

2. Sunday morning stroll around the Leather District, Dewey Square, and Fort Point. 

mural by Os Gemeos

May be difficult to see but this man was walking to work...in his colonial gear - three point hat, tights and all. 

Boston is beginning to get on the food truck train, but they will never measure up to PDX. 

Discovered the Christian Science Plaza/Reflecting Pool. AMAZING. 

3. I packed. again. I moved. again. I unpacked. again. 

I bought champagne in celebration of new home/new roommate and of course we have not opened it yet. I suppose we are just taking Hester Browne's words of wisdom to heart. "Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you've got a bottle of champagne in the fridge."

The view I wake up to in the morning. My bedroom at my last apartment looked directly into my neighbors kitchen...needless to say my blinds were closed a lot of the time. Never have I appreciated a porch and some trees as much as I do right now. 

More pictures of the apartment soon-ish.

timeline.

I am apologizing in advance for extreme amount of photography I am throwing your way, but it is a much simpler way of describing the chaotic-ness of this past month. I am glad to say that as of right now I am much more sane, relaxed and excited about my new adventure. And so it begins...

A few weeks before I made my move I had the pleasure of spending a few days with some of my favorite people. My California trip can be summed up by the following...

Coffee. Food. Food. Coffee. 

Sweet love. 

Check out more photos of my new favorite married couple at Color Me Rad.

Friends!

Sun. 

Food again. 

Then I returned to Portland and the reality of moving across the country hit me like a brick wall. I tried to keep it together by soaking up as much of Portland as I possibly could.

Wandering around the Pearl. 

Pottery painting with the mom and sis. 

Delicious food. 

Then I was off. The people at PDX probably thought I had lost it. Little to no sleep the night before and an emotional goodbye leads to KO tearing up through security, and continuing throughout a five hour flight. Get it together. 

 One of the best parts of my move was knowing that I had a friend to greet me. Sara. You are a lifesaver. My first night in Boston I was greeted with a few too many G + T's...but just the right amount of fun. 

I am glad to say my things all arrived in one piece...just barely though. 

(anyone want to send me a new Portland mug?)

My first piece of mail!

Of course I couldn't wait too long to find a piece of home. 

My baby arrived all in one piece. 

 After way too many trips to Target and IKEA within a seven day period, I saved this weekend as a time to explore. I hopped on the T (AKA the Subway) and made my way to the Back Bay area of Boston. (I am a lover of all things Brownstone so this area is most definitely a fav). Block after block of Brownstones, old historic churches, yummy restaurants...and wait Starbucks? Yes it is true. Dunkin' Donuts is a bit of a "disease" over on the East Coast. I apologize for all you lovers of the "cheap and quick" coffee...I am not one of them. I wish I could get a little Stumptown, but tracking down a Starbucks will do. 

Trinity Church

Boston Public Library/Subway stop.

Boston Common - Best park ever. 

Looking forward to sharing even more of my new adventure as it continues!