All of these things happened on the night pictured above.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Some things I love
All of these things happened on the night pictured above.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Serpentarium
omg. The Serpentarium. These are not fake animals.
Dad, Tim, and I went this Saturday. I had read a fabulous essay about the place, but had never ventured down. What a mistake! We went an hour before feeding time (which happens every Saturday), so we stuck around to see several snakes get fed. I kid you not, we witnessed a python eat a rabbit, and two snakes (including the yellow dude up above) get in a fight when the yellow one tried to steal a rat from another snake. The feeder literally got into the cage, grabbed their heads, and pulled them apart (they both had their mouth on the rat). WILD. But I'll spare you the graphic pictures.
Also, we saw two snakes yawn and one rattler seriously rattle its tail. And the owner of the place? Practically the worlds leading expert on bushmasters. Incredible.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Eating
This post is only going to be interesting to me, just to warn you. I'm getting super nostalgic about leaving Wilmington, so I want to publicly document some of my favorite things about my favorite town.
There are three things I especially love doing in Wilmington. The top of the list is going to the beach. The bottom of the list is walking downtown/sitting by the river. Eating is in the middle.
So for today's post, my top 5 favorite restaurants:
1) The Little Dipper: a local fondue place with a lot of character and $8 ladies nights.
2) The Basics: a southern food establishment downtown that has the best brunch ever.
3) Sweet and Savory: I'll forgive them for naming my favorite sandwich "Babe the Pig." (Although I tell them every time the name bothers me. Who wants to eat that cute little pig?) Also, it's close to the beach.
4) Our Crepes and More: a crepe place. All of the workers are French, so I'm sure you couldn't find a better crepe, even across the pond.
5) Flaming Amys: a burrito place. It has the most character of any burrito place I've ever been to. Sorry, Flying Burrito.
There are three things I especially love doing in Wilmington. The top of the list is going to the beach. The bottom of the list is walking downtown/sitting by the river. Eating is in the middle.
So for today's post, my top 5 favorite restaurants:
1) The Little Dipper: a local fondue place with a lot of character and $8 ladies nights.
2) The Basics: a southern food establishment downtown that has the best brunch ever.
3) Sweet and Savory: I'll forgive them for naming my favorite sandwich "Babe the Pig." (Although I tell them every time the name bothers me. Who wants to eat that cute little pig?) Also, it's close to the beach.
4) Our Crepes and More: a crepe place. All of the workers are French, so I'm sure you couldn't find a better crepe, even across the pond.
5) Flaming Amys: a burrito place. It has the most character of any burrito place I've ever been to. Sorry, Flying Burrito.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Airlie Concerts
This past Friday, Tim and I went to a concert at Airlie Gardens (the "Quintessential Southern garden in Wilmington") with our church group known as "The Situation," "The Contemporaries," or "The Aging 20/30s Group Which Now Has 40's In It."
The garden hosts concerts twice a month in the summer. These concerts compete with two other free concerts that also happen on Friday night. One is downtown, where you can buy expensive beer and listen to awesome cover and tribute bands while the sun sets on the Cape Fear River. The other concert is near the movie theater, with blowup castles for kids to bounce around on, and a few other planned activities.
You have to pay to get into Airlie. It's a private garden, after all. And the music is mostly forgettable. But there is something so wonderfully North Carolinian about the experience. If someone wanted to see the Old South's existence in modern days, these concerts would be the place to spot it.
You had to ride a trolley to get there. People brought tables and tablecloths for their picnics. They brought expensive wines and cheese and fruits to picnic on. People drank their wine out of glass goblets. Women wore dresses, and children ran around in sun hats. Everyone made the rounds, socializing with the neighbors they spotted around the tree, or they networked in the one area reserved for First Citizen Bank's customers. The whole field was full of people, and you could smell the gentle salt breeze from the cove beside the gardens. If you were to walk around the gardens, you might see an alligator or ibis or some other fantastic coastal or southern animal.
Our group was no so sophisticated. Some of us wore dresses, but we sliced our cheese on the cooler lid and passed it around with a bag of pretzels. We bought frozen ice that turned our teeth red. After it was over, some of us went to eat at a Mexican restaurant.
And really, I prefer the downtown concerts. But I've lived in the South my whole life and never felt quite the environment I did at Airlie. For a few seconds, it made me nostalgic for old Savannah (a time I've never experience). It's funny how moving away from a place can do that to you.
The garden hosts concerts twice a month in the summer. These concerts compete with two other free concerts that also happen on Friday night. One is downtown, where you can buy expensive beer and listen to awesome cover and tribute bands while the sun sets on the Cape Fear River. The other concert is near the movie theater, with blowup castles for kids to bounce around on, and a few other planned activities.
You have to pay to get into Airlie. It's a private garden, after all. And the music is mostly forgettable. But there is something so wonderfully North Carolinian about the experience. If someone wanted to see the Old South's existence in modern days, these concerts would be the place to spot it.
You had to ride a trolley to get there. People brought tables and tablecloths for their picnics. They brought expensive wines and cheese and fruits to picnic on. People drank their wine out of glass goblets. Women wore dresses, and children ran around in sun hats. Everyone made the rounds, socializing with the neighbors they spotted around the tree, or they networked in the one area reserved for First Citizen Bank's customers. The whole field was full of people, and you could smell the gentle salt breeze from the cove beside the gardens. If you were to walk around the gardens, you might see an alligator or ibis or some other fantastic coastal or southern animal.
Our group was no so sophisticated. Some of us wore dresses, but we sliced our cheese on the cooler lid and passed it around with a bag of pretzels. We bought frozen ice that turned our teeth red. After it was over, some of us went to eat at a Mexican restaurant.
And really, I prefer the downtown concerts. But I've lived in the South my whole life and never felt quite the environment I did at Airlie. For a few seconds, it made me nostalgic for old Savannah (a time I've never experience). It's funny how moving away from a place can do that to you.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Father's Day!
to a truly wonderful dad! (A picture from back in the day.)
And to my father-in-law! (also truly wonderful!)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
We move in 1 month!
The only thing I am excited about is packing up my books, because that means I get to reorganize them.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
A Misinterpretation
Legion. The name of the soccer field. And...
Soccer Season
As you might have picked up, Tim has become a fan of soccer since we've lived in Wilmington. It's growing on me. For one, I really don't like baseball. I used to like going to baseball games because it was fun to sit outside and be entertained, but even that has been pushing it lately. Cue soccer, which has a similar season to baseball, yet actually has action at all times and doesn't go on thirty innings if no one has scored.
For two, I like the idea of soccer. Rowdy fans across the world! Men wearing scarves for their team! Extreme national pride! Trading to other countries and breaking down borders! People SINGING the whole game. They (usually) don't do that in America, but imagine how much fun that would be if you got to sing the whole game!
For three, Wilmington has the lowest level professional team. Cary, which is about 30 minutes from Chapel Hill, has the next level up professional team. And soccer games are the same price as going to the movies, but you get to talk and people watch during them.
Here is a picture of every mascot the Wilmington Hammerheads could get their hands on, dancing to 50 cent for the birthday of the main mascot, Sledge. And America's Best Dance Crew: Bert, Ernie, The Easter Bunny, Another Random Shark, Little Ceasar, Sports Clip Guy, and who knows who that other dude is.
For two, I like the idea of soccer. Rowdy fans across the world! Men wearing scarves for their team! Extreme national pride! Trading to other countries and breaking down borders! People SINGING the whole game. They (usually) don't do that in America, but imagine how much fun that would be if you got to sing the whole game!
For three, Wilmington has the lowest level professional team. Cary, which is about 30 minutes from Chapel Hill, has the next level up professional team. And soccer games are the same price as going to the movies, but you get to talk and people watch during them.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Ricks = Best Bakery Ever
Look! It's my thesis looking like a real book. But it's a CAKE! And unlike most decorative cakes, this cake tasted dang good. There will never ever ever ever ever ever be a bakery that holds a place in my heart like Rick's. And I even worked in a bakery!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
A big congratulations
First order of business is to send out a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Kari and Nick who are engaged. Kari's ring is absolutely stunningly gorgeous, and Nick is the best drummer on Rock Band that I've ever seen, and is also a wonderful guy. Yay! Excitement!
Also, I have the most supportive family ever. Consider this like a museum exhibit of people I lean on. They all came to Fayetteville, AR to eat dinner with me, all because I spent three years trying to be a better writer. And I love them.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Jesse Baker
One of the bummer parts of living so far away from Arkansas is that you don't get to meet a BFF's child until he is 4.5 months old. And just think of how much he'll change until the next time I see him!
Jesse is much more adapt at taking a wrap around picture, as demonstrated here. He is the only person looking in the correct place. Allison and I are focusing on the image that the front of my camera shows.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Current Mood
Remember how Xanga used to have "current mood" and "listening to" or "currently watching," etc.? Well, right now I am watching Jurassic Park. I remember my dad reading this book out loud me. I remember getting to watch the movie in theaters even though I wasn't 13. I remember going as a very realistic dinosaur that Halloween. I could keep listing all of the positive memories I have of this movie, because they are numerous.
But instead I'll tell you about the adventurous job interview I had today. Thankfully, I decided to leave early for Chapel Hill, because there were a few setbacks. First I typed in the address on TomTom only to discover the street wasn't recognized by the GPS (thank goodness I checked before I got on the road). So I went in and wrote down the directions, then made it to the first gas station outside of town to discover I had left my purse at the apartment when returning for directions (thank goodness I stopped at the first gas station instead of one an hour down the road). So then I had to drive the 15 minutes back to Apt. E, then stopped at a different gas station further down the road, only to stop in a stall with no toilet paper. But I made it!
In the meantime, partly trying to find a job, but mostly the music from Jurassic Park makes me really want to do something big in life. Either that, or live in Universal Studios and ride the JP ride everyday. LA or Orlando, I don't even care.
ADDITION: Jurassic Park derives about .1% of the conflict from romantic tension. That's amazing and wonderful. It's nice to have a movie where the two lead characters are in a happy relationship the whole movie.
SECOND ADDITION: My dad just emailed me this fun YouTube video about mistakes in the movie. Because as much as I love the movie, I also love finding mistakes in movies. Who doesn't?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1D-_BjYv_k&feature=player_embedded#at=53
But instead I'll tell you about the adventurous job interview I had today. Thankfully, I decided to leave early for Chapel Hill, because there were a few setbacks. First I typed in the address on TomTom only to discover the street wasn't recognized by the GPS (thank goodness I checked before I got on the road). So I went in and wrote down the directions, then made it to the first gas station outside of town to discover I had left my purse at the apartment when returning for directions (thank goodness I stopped at the first gas station instead of one an hour down the road). So then I had to drive the 15 minutes back to Apt. E, then stopped at a different gas station further down the road, only to stop in a stall with no toilet paper. But I made it!
In the meantime, partly trying to find a job, but mostly the music from Jurassic Park makes me really want to do something big in life. Either that, or live in Universal Studios and ride the JP ride everyday. LA or Orlando, I don't even care.
ADDITION: Jurassic Park derives about .1% of the conflict from romantic tension. That's amazing and wonderful. It's nice to have a movie where the two lead characters are in a happy relationship the whole movie.
SECOND ADDITION: My dad just emailed me this fun YouTube video about mistakes in the movie. Because as much as I love the movie, I also love finding mistakes in movies. Who doesn't?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1D-_BjYv_k&feature=player_embedded#at=53
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