Jekyll Island, GA

November 4, 2009 at 7:50 pm (Camping, Family, Family Time, Graham, Pop Up Camper, Road Trips, Surae, Vacations, Weddings)

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Michael’s cousin Tish recently got married in St. Simon’s Island which gave us a wonderful opportunity to visit Jekyll Island.  Jekyll is a barrier island off the coast of Georgia and is only about 7 miles long and 1 1/2 miles wide.  There are biking trails all around the island, so we spent a lot of time biking which was great.  You can bike along the ocean, marsh, and in the historic district.  We got there Thursday afternoon after about a 6 hour drive from Greenville.  The campground is fairly packed in and nothing too great, but nice enough for being able to stay right across from the beach.  There are live oaks throughout the campground and the bathrooms were some of the cleanest I have ever seen at a campground, so that’s always a bonus!

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We spent Friday on the beach and biking around town.  The biking really was fantastic.  It would be great if every town had so many biking trails that get you everywhere you need to go without ever having to get in a car.  The beaches were really beautiful too.  We went to some sections that were covered in some of the biggest pieces of driftwood that I had ever seen. The kids loved climbing on them.

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At night, we went to eat at Crabdaddy’s Seafood Grill with Michael’s parents.  It was absolutely delicious!

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On Saturday, we biked again back into the historic district.  The historic district houses the Jekyll Island Club Hotel which was built in 1886.  It seriously feels like one has entered lifestyles of the rich and famous when you step foot in this area with old men and women dressed in white playing croquet on the manicured lawn.  Ridiculous!  It’s a gorgeous area though and you do get the sense that you have stepped back in time.

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The historic district also houses the new Sea Turtle Center where they were having a Halloween Party.  It was lots of fun and we got to see all of the sea turtles that were being rehabilitated.

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Saturday night, we went to the wedding in St. Simon’s Island.  The ceremony was held overlooking the ocean and it was really breathtaking- beautiful weather, gorgeous bride, so fun!  Graham and Surae had a blast at their first real wedding.  It was a great night.

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We headed back home on Sunday with everyone exhausted from a busy few days.  We definitely plan on returning and experiencing even more of the region next time.

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LEAF Fall Festival

October 31, 2009 at 12:24 pm (Camping, Family Time, Graham, Music, Out and About, Pop Up Camper, Road Trips, Surae, Vacations)

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The Lewis family has been having a really, really busy month of October.   We’ve been squeezing in quite a bit of fall camping which has been so fun.  In mid October, we made our annual pilgrimage to the LEAF Festival in Black Mt, NC.  Boy, were we happy to have that pop-up!  It was a cold, cold weekend, but luckily fairly rain free.  We arrived on Thursday and were actually able to get electricity in the camping lot, so we had lights and heat all weekend.  The Weiser’s camped right next to us in their pop-up, so we had a great set up with both of our pop-ups and Halloween lights and decorations strung about the site.

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Musical highlights of the weekend were the Secret B Sides in the barn.  They are out of Asheville and super funky.  They played Friday night and the barn tuned into a huge dance party.  It was so fun.  The Cowboy Junkies played Saturday night and that was incredible.  I spent many a night in college listening to the Cowboy Junkies, so this was a serious treat for me.  The lead singer’s voice was perfectly heart wrenching.  Great show!  And then on Sunday, Arrested Development played again.  They played at the last Fall LEAF and it was certainly my favorite at that fest and they did not disappoint.  Their energy is amazing and that was another huge dance party.  So fun!

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Graham also sold at the Kid’s Village for the first time this year since he is now 5.  Michael came up with the idea for him to make record bowls which was a great idea since they are easy to make and we were able to get the records for free.  He sold them for $5 a piece to start and then marked them down to $3 on Sunday.  They were a big LEAF hit and he ended up making about $150!  He doesn’t really even have any concept of how much money he made, but he was able to buy several ice creams at the fest for he and Surae.

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The kids both had a great time as always.  They both marched in the kid’s parade on Saturday which is always a blast.

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LEAF has become part of our family tradition and one that everyone looks forward to and I am sure we will be back in the Spring!

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Camping Trip To Edisto State Park

September 19, 2009 at 5:08 pm (Camping, Family Time, Graham, Pop Up Camper, Road Trips, Surae, Vacations)

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Over Labor Day weekend, the family took a trip to Edisto State Park.  My dad and Michael’s brother’s family joined us, so we had a big group which was so fun!  This was our first time camping at Edisto, but it will not be our last.  We booked kind of late and ended up in the Live Oak area instead of the beach camping area.  I was worried about bugs, but they really weren’t bad at all.  The Live Oak area is really gorgeous and the shading helps so much with the midday heat.  The campsite bordered the marsh area and Graham loved getting in there looking for crabs and covering himself in pluff mud.  The camping area is also connected with all of the biking trails, so that was convenient.  The biking trails are wonderful and easy for kids to ride on.  The peace that overcomes you riding past live oaks and over marsh boardwalks is something to experience.  Even though I had a long week at work and was very stressed when I left town, riding my bike through those trails really helped to alleviate all of my worries!

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When we arrived into town, we had lunch at McConkey’s Jungle Shack and it was delicious!!  Michael and I split a fish tacos and homemade fries and it was more than enough food.

http://www.goedisto.com/restaurants/mcconkeysjungleshack.html

Once at camp, Michael immediately set out fixing up the camp and hanging up our ever growing collection of party lights.  It is a sight to see at night!

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The next day, everyone else arrived and we all hit the beach.  The kids love the beach and they had a great time swimming and building sand castles.  That night, we all feasted on seafood from Flower’s Market in Edisto.   We had lobster tails, scallops, and red snapper.  Yum!

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On Saturday, we all decided to check out Botany Bay, a newly opened nature preserve in Edisto.

“The centuries-old farm is a vista of hardwoods and pine stands, crop fields, salt marshes, hummock islands and a maritime forest beach with its own “boneyard” — a ghost forest of dead trees in the frothy surf. The spread includes a three-mile motor tour trail past 19th-century brick and tabby structures, 20 more miles of trails for hiking, biking, birding and horseback riding, fishing ponds and a “throw” launch into Osceola Creek for paddle-powered boats.” http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/jul/18/almost_magical47916/

It is an amazing beach.  I don’t think I have ever seen so many shells in one spot and I love the trees coming out of the water.  So beautiful!

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As always, Edisto was an amazing time.  The kids all had a great time together which was awesome!  I really do love the SC Coast and feel so lucky to be able to drive to such an incredible place  in just a few hours.  Can’t wait to go back.  Luckily, I have one more trip to Edisto and then a trip to the GA coast before winter.

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Great Smoky Mountains Camping Trip

July 1, 2009 at 12:50 pm (Camping, Family Time, Graham, Road Trips, Surae, Vacations)

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The end of my vacation break was near, so for a last little getaway the kids and I took a camping trip with my dad.  I hadn’t tried out his new camper yet and was excited to see it in action.  We headed up to Jellystone Campground about 20 minutes outside of Gatlinburg.  Jellystone is a chain of kid friendly, Yogi Bear lovin campgrounds.

http://www.greatsmokeyjellystone.com/

The people who run this place were awesome- a retired cop from LA making a very big life change.  The kids loved the campground.  There was a pool, gameroom, access to a hiking trail, and nightly entertainment.   Each night they play movies in a little theatre and also have a stage for karaoke and bands.  There are also nightly hay rides around the campground where the camp staff enthusiastically leads the kids in Yogi Bear themed sing alongs.  It may all sound cheesy and it is, but the kids loved it, and we had fun too.  Both Graham and Surae really enjoyed the pool.  They didn’t want to get out.

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We also took several little trips into Gatlinburg- to eat, walk around, take the sky lift, and  to check out the Ripley’s Aquarium.  We had been to the aquarium before, once in Gatlinburg and once at the beach and it is always impressive.  Of course, anywhere I can get my fill of leafy sea dragons is a huge bonus in my book.  Those little creatures are amazing!  All in all, it was a great trip.  Thanks dad for the camping trip!!

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Huntington Beach Camping Trip

June 15, 2009 at 7:00 pm (Camping, Family Time, Graham, Surae, Vacations)

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A few weeks ago, the family went to Huntington Beach for our summer camping trip.  Huntington is really wonderful and we had such a great time hanging with the alligators, herons, and egrets.  The place is truly beautiful.  Graham loved swimming this year and really enjoyed getting in the waves.  Surae took some time to warm up to the water as she has to do with everything.  But, by the last day, she was loving it!  We mostly hung around the beach a lot and rode bikes around the campground.  One day, we went to Freestyle Music Park (was the old Hard Rock Music Park).  That was awesome.  The place was empty and we got on every ride with no wait at all which I love.  Another day, we went to Brookgreen Gardens which was my first trip there.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was incredible.  We went on the Low Country Trail to the zoo section and heard about all of the history of the old rice plantations.  The trail itself is gorgeous, but the story of the slaves is so tragic.  The zoo section was really interesting too.  We were able to take a tour there and see all of the animals getting fed.  Who can resist little otters eating hard boiled eggs?  We looked at all of the sculptures last and I was really blown away.  A totally fantastic place.  It was a great beach trip and looks like our last one in tents for a while as we just bought our first pop-up camper.  Boys need their toys!  Looking forward to Huntington in a pop-up next year.  Have to admit that air conditioning for a mid-day nap seems mighty appealing!

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Michael is 40!!

May 17, 2009 at 11:35 pm (Music, Recommendations, Road Trips, Vacations)

On May 2nd, Michael turned the big 4-0!  We celebrated by first opening presents and having cake with the kids.

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Then, we headed out to Cafe Paulista with Andy and Iris for a delicious Brazilian feast.  That place is fabulous!  http://www.cafepaulistagrille.com/

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After that, we asked Michael is he wanted to have a drink at Barley’s where a birthday crew was waiting to surprise him upstairs.  He was truly shocked which was great.  We got him all dressed up for his 40th in Depends, rainbow suspenders, huge glasses, and a blinking 40 year old pin.  It was hysterical.

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For his big celebration, we had planned a getaway to one of our favorite cities, New Orleans.  Michael had not been back since Hurricane Katrina and was ready to see the city again.  We left on Wednesday after work after getting the kids all settled in with my dad (Thanks dad!!!).  We drove to Montgomery and spent the night there and then headed out early the next morning.  We rolled into New Orleans around 2ish after stopping for some gumbo and po boys on the way in Gulport, MS.  We stayed at the Hotel Villa Convento on Ursuline.  This is a family run hotel that I had heard great things about and I was not disappointed at all.  We had booked the cheapest room available which was supposed to be on the bottom floor with no view.  We received a free upgrade though when we arrived and were given a room on the 3rd floor with a great balcony overlooking the street.  The staff at the hotel were so helpful and sweet.  We only paid $80 a night which is nearly impossible to find in the French Quarter.  The only scary part was the elevator.  It was very old and kind of scary, but only added to the charm of the hotel really.  The location was excellent and an easy spot to walk to everything quickly.

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Now, on to food!!  I had done a lot of research prior to the trip and had all of our meals planned out.

The meal rundown was:

Thursday- Dinner at Acme Oyster House

Friday- Breakfast at Croissant D’Or, Lunch at Commander’s Palace, Dinner at Acme again (we were kind of obsessed with the Chargrilled Oysters)

Saturday-Breakfast at Cafe Du Monde, Lunch at Bayonas, Dinner at Adolfos

Sunday- Breakfast at Elizabeth’s, Lunch at Johnny’s Po Boys, Dinner at Muriels

Every meal was really fantastic.  Highlights were the above mentioned chargrilled oysters.  I just found found a recipe for them that we are going to have to try.  Those oysters were heavenly.  We sat at the bar both nights and talked to the oyster shuckers which was very cool.  http://www.grouprecipes.com/sr/36688/chargrilled-oysters-acme-oyster-house-style/recipe/

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Other highlights were the ham and cheese crossaints at Crossiant D’Or (totally light, fluffy, and delicious)

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The turtle soup and bread pudding at Commander’s Palace

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The duck and peanut butter puffed pastries at Bayonas

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Fried Boudin Balls with Mustard Sauce at Elizabeths, and Ocean sauce at Adolfos.  The ambience at Adolfos on Frenchmen was very cool- small place upstairs with not many tables and a bohemian vibe.  The food was inexpensive and wonderful.

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All of our New Orleans meals were seriously delicious overall.  I don’t think people make bad food in New Orleans!!

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We also were able to see some fantastic music while we were there of course.  How could you not see great music in New Orleans??  On Thursday, we headed over to the Maple Leaf to see Johnny Vidacovich on drums.  That is a very cool place and was a fun night.  The rest of the time, we caught music in the quarter, in the streets and in the clubs.  There were lots of great street musicians out and it was great to see them back out after the storm.  Someone has actually written a book about the street performers and I bought a copy from a magician that Michael got dragged into a show with.  http://www.sidewalksaints.com/

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The Maison Bourbon and Fritzels had great music and we spent some time at both.

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It was great to see New Orleans making all of that wonderful music and delicious food again.  Things have changed of course, but the essence of the city still seems to be there.  I can’t wait to go back again.  This was definitely a great birthday for Michael.  Happy 40th!!

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Pritchards Island Trip

April 29, 2009 at 1:06 am (Family Time, Graham, Road Trips, Vacations)

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The Lewis family once again were given the awesome privilege of being invited back to Pritchards Island off the coast of Beaufort.  This is such a unique experience.  Pritchards is truly magical from the driftwood covered beaches to the star filled skies, it is really amazing.  Michael and I took Graham again this year.  Surae is still a little young to run around in the marsh, but hopefully she will be able to come with us next time.  We drove down on Friday and stopped for lunch in Beaufort at Nippys.  This is a local seafood stand and their fish tacos are seriously scrumptious.  I recommend anyone in Beaufort to stop by- http://www.beaufortonian.com/2009/04/nippys-local-gem/

After filling our bellys, we headed to the dock to meet up with Brad, Kate, Captain Al, Don, and Riley Wayne for our boat ride to the island.  Graham helped Captain Al to navigate the way and the boats were off.   It’s a beautiful ride out there and your cares really do seem to evaporate as you leave the land.

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The whole weekend proceeded to be total relaxation.  On Friday, I sat on the dock a good bit and read a book I had been trying to finish for weeks, On Beauty, while the men sat on the boat and shot the shit.

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We went for a marsh walk later and saw a big king snake that Graham was very excited about.

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Cocktail hour was held on the dock and is always a highlight as well.  We sat there and enjoyed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.  For dinner, we ate a wonderful steak dinner and then we sat around the fire and to sing and play music.  Heaven!!

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The next morning we set out for the beach.  On Pritchards, you can find the most intact shells and intricate pieces of driftwood.  We all had a great time exploring the beach while Kate’s dog, Bart, had a blast just running around.  This was a serious treat for a city dog.  The rest of the group went back to pick up more people to join the group, and Michael, Graham, and I lounged on the beach for most of the morning and early afternoon.

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After we got back from the beach, we greeted all of the people that had arrived including 3 other boys.  Graham was very hesitant to meet the boys at first, but eventually warmed up and had a blast with everyone.  The rest of Saturday was spent talking, relaxing, eating, and singing songs.

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Sunday morning, a hearty breakfast was made to send everyone on their way.  It was sad to go, but I am so thankful that I was able to experience such a magical place.  I hope to be allowed into the paradise of Pritchards again soon.

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Graham’s Camping Trip with Pop Pop

April 7, 2009 at 1:22 am (Camping, Family Time, Graham, Vacations)

Graham had Spring Break last week and I didn’t :( so he, Pop Pop, and Roni went on a camping trip.  My dad just got this new camper and it is really great, so they took it for a test run.  Graham had a blast roasting marshmallows, collecting fire wood, watching tv, hiking, and lounging around with his Pop Pop.  He is one lucky boy!!
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Reno AHEAD Conference

August 1, 2008 at 12:45 am (Vacations, Work)

From July 15-19, I attended the Association on Higher Education and Disability Conference in Reno, Nevada.  This was the biggest conference I have ever attended and the most days I have ever spent away from home at a conference.  It was held at the Grand Sierra Casino in Reno, so I spent the whole time in a casino which was kind of crazy.  Reno is a gambling city for sure.    The hotel was really nice overall although insanely dark inside.  It had a great pool area though with these big white beds to lie on, so I took advantage of that as much as possible and got some reading in.  The conference itself was pretty good and I was able to get some useful information to take back to work.  I also met some really cool people working in disability services.  On my last night there, a group of us took the bus into downtown Reno and had a night out on the town.  It was a blast!  I’m not sure I’ll ever be back to Reno, but I had a great time visiting!

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Floyd Wine Festival – Wine Down the Trail

July 28, 2008 at 6:33 pm (Road Trips, Vacations)

A few weekends ago, Michael and I finally took the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary by heading on over to Floyd, VA for a wine festival.  I found a wonderful inn for us to stay at in downtown Floyd called the Cottage on Main.  There are two cottages for rent behind the main house.  We stayed in the front one and it was fabulous.  There is a separate front sitting area with a connecting kitchen area and then a beautiful bathroom and warm and cozy bedroom.  The entire place is decorated in artwork much of which was created by the innkeeper herself.  Even the floors are hand painted.  It is truly a unique and wonderful place.

After we got settled in to our Inn and chatted with the inn keepers a bit, we headed into Floyd.  We had lunch at Cafe del Sol and it was fabulous.  Great funky atmosphere and beautiful fairy artwork surrounding us.  Then, we wandered around town a bit taking in the town.  Friday night outside of the Floyd Country Store is quite a bustling scene.  There were a ton of street musicians playing and music inside the country store as well which they have every Friday night. 

Later on, we went to the Sun Music Hall to see The Hackensaw Boys.  I had never heard of them before, but apparently a lot of people had because the place was packed out with enthusiastic people ready to dance.  For a town of 500, I was shocked at how full the venue was.  The Hackensaw Boys are from VA and play bluegrass and old time music kicked up quite a few notches.  They had the entire crowd moving all night and even came out into the audience to play at the end.  It was a super fun show.  After the show, our inn keepers were up having a drink in the back gazebo, so we joined them for a bit.  It is truly a welcoming place to stay!

The next day, we headed to Mabry Mill right on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Mabry Mill is a restored gristmill/sawmill/woodworking shop and blacksmith shop.  After that, it was time for the reason for our trip to Floyd, the Wine Down the Trail Festival.

The festival is held on the same grounds as FloydFest which we had attended 2 years ago.  It is a great festival site right off the parkway with a super stage.  We were able to sample wines from all over Virginia and North Carolina and found quite a few things we enjoyed.  You are able to buy the wine and then sit in front of the stage and enjoy the wine and the music.  It is a great set up.  We had a blast.

After the festival, we went to Oddfellas for dinner.  There was an African musician playing there while we ate.  He was super mellow and provided the perfect backdrop for our meal.  We had been to Oddfellas our first time in Floyd and it was just as tasty as we remembered.

Overall, our trip was a peaceful getaway.  If you ever get a chance to visit Floyd, you should.  It is such a unique and welcoming place!

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