WRITER. EDITOR. MAKER OF MESSES.
Normally, I'm pretty anti-social media, but my most recent project for AllModern's Instagram and Facebook accounts was really fun!
It all started with a throwaway comment that we should create some cheeky Valentine's Day "cards," and transformed into, well, this.
I present to you: "Flirty Texts from Your Furniture."
Click through to see them in action — they're animated!
Happy belated Valentine's Day.
It's been too long, I know. This summer flew by in a flurry of apartment hunting, packing, moving, and traveling, but I made a special effort to plan one very important trip: a visit to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
For all you non-Michigan natives out there, the Pictured Rocks are located in the Upper Peninsula of my fair home state, a region known for its pasties, smoked fish, taxidermy, and Canadian-esque accents. Also? It's crazy beautiful.
My first visit happened back in 2009, and it remains one of my favorite places in the world (I already want to go back again next year for a longer stay). This year, I managed to convince my two brothers to join me. Here are some tips and things to do and see if you go (which, no question, you should):
Break up the trip.
People in New England are used to being able to drive half a day or less and be in another state, but that ain't how it works in Michigan. Unless you're wildly wealthy (let's be friends) and can afford to fly into one of the small airports in northern Michigan, you'll probably be driving from one of the larger, more southern hubs, like Detroit. My brother, Kevin, lives in Petoskey, Michigan, so we drove up to his place one day (roughly 4.5 hours), hung out around town, and then continued on to Munising (where the Pictured Rocks are) the next morning (another 2.5 hours).
Northern Michigan, whether you're on the Upper or Lower Peninsula, is gorgeous, so it's worth spending time in some of the cities along the way. Though we didn't stop there, Mackinaw City is a popular spot, along with Mackinac Island, which is entirely car-free and accessible only by ferry (that's where all the famous fudge comes from). Traverse City is known for its cherries. And Petoskey and Harbor Springs are cute beach towns that are also close to the major Michigan ski resorts, Boyne and Nub's Nob.
If you're near Harbor Springs, I highly recommend checking out Pond Hill Farm, which has a winery, brewery, and cafe, and is a working farm (there were piglets!). We did a tasting in the winery (the Cottage White and 2013 Chardonnay were my favorites, though the cherry wine was pretty interesting, too) and enjoyed the beautiful view of the grounds. They also have farm-to-table dinners and barn dances, which I really, really wished I could go to. Basically, this would be my regular hangout spot if I was a local.
For dinner, we tried Barrel Back, which was right on the water of nearby Walloon Lake. The food was good, the view was great, and there was randomly a bouncy castle set up right outside. Pretty much the perfect combination.
Book a campsite ahead of time.
I had grand visions of camping in one of the few sites within the park itself, which was foolish on my part since you can't reserve them ahead of time and my brothers are especially slow at getting going in the morning. Unsurprisingly, by the time we got to town, all those sites were full (there are only three major sites) — and all the surrounding ones outside the park, too. We wasted a lot of time driving around, trying to find an open spot (that far north, there's practically no cell service, so we couldn't call ahead or look up places on the fly).
In the future, I'd book a spot at one of the closest campsites and either be satisfied with that, or try my luck at one of the park sites first thing the next morning. Even then, though, I don't know the likelihood of securing a place, so reserving elsewhere is your best bet. We grabbed the last spot on the grounds at Jack Pine Lodge, which was actually fairly charming in its cheesiness. When I have the choice, though, I prefer sites where there's some brush and trees between you and your neighbor, and no RVs.
Backcountry camping is possible without a permit, but we heard differing rules about building fires in the backcountry (was it allowed? or not?), and we'd been talking about hot dogs and s'mores for days at this point, so that was a dealbreaker. If I ever got a bigger group to go for a longer stay, I'd definitely look into renting a house, too, but I personally enjoy camping and get a kick out of putting all my gear to good use.
Get on the water.
The first time I was here, I went with two friends and we brought kayaks with us. (Thinking back, the fact that we drove eight hours, on the freeway, with two kayaks tied to the top of my mom's car with nothing but some straps and bumpers is pretty insane.) I highly recommend doing the same if you can, because I loved the freedom of exploring the rocks at my own pace and being able to go into the caves and jump into the water when I felt like it.
Since we didn't have enough kayaks to go around this trip, we chose to book a guided kayak tour along the rocks with a company that seems to be having an identity crisis and is either Paddling Michigan or Uncle Ducky Outdoors. Either way, it was fun and a great way to see the rocks.
There are also pontoon boats available to rent, so if I went back with a larger group, I'd definitely rent one for a day and explore that way, too. Do it all!
Go hiking.
I think my brother Matt would disagree with this one, but half the fun of this place is walking around and exploring. We got in a pretty major loop on our last day, and while I don't think any of us were really prepared for how long it was, it gave us some amazing views along the way.
Above is the route we took, and I would definitely do it again. Next time, however, I'd pack a lunch and towel and take a break at the beach near Chapel Rock to relax in the sand and go for a swim. From there, the hike along the water is the best part; make sure to stop at Grand Portal Point and enjoy the cliffs and clear view they allow. From Mosquito Campground back to the parking lot is just walking through the woods, but the time along the water makes it all worth it.
Hit the beach.
We didn't have time for a dedicated beach day, but on longer trips, there's nothing I love more than laying in the sun, napping, and occasionally dipping your toes into Lake Superior (it's freezing!). The sand here is unlike anything I've experienced else where in the U.S. It's soft, but not powdery. Thick, but not rocky or heavy. The closest thing I could compare it to? Brown sugar.
The beach near Miner's Castle is perfect, and if you're brave enough to go in the water, you can easily swim to some of the caves and climb onto the rocks (and then jump back in!).
Embrace the quirk.
The Mystery Spot. Moose heads. Puns. Motorcycle gangs. Road-tripping retirees. The Upper Peninsula has it all (except, perhaps, Wi-Fi and cell service). While you're here, embrace the fact that your best food options are pasties and smoked fish, and take in all the weird, cheap, and low-brow treasures that Northern Michigan has to offer.
Pictured Rocks, I love you.
Oh, hi there. Been a while, I know, but I promise it's because I've been busy doing actual things and not because I've been re-watching every episode of Parks & Recreation (that part has only been just recently).
This summer coincided with some big changes, some terrifying revelations, and some venturing outside of my comfort zone (spoiler: I now own a maxi dress). In my attempt to cope with it all, I made it my mission to do as much as possible with my weekends so I could enjoy my summer to the fullest.
It may not have reached Summer of George-level epicness (Adrienne: it is very important to me that you learn this reference), but I think I did pretty good.
HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION
By Lisa Lombardi, age 28
1. Went to the Beach (a lot, actually). It seems like everyone in Boston and the New England area in general has their own opinion regarding which beach is the best — and there are plenty to choose from. North Shore, South Shore, Revere Beach. (Just kidding. No one thinks Revere Beach is the best.) Personally, I always head north to Manchester-by-the-Sea and camp out at Singing Beach. You can get there by car or via the Commuter Rail, it's a beautiful beach, and the town is pretty cute — perfect for walking around when you're done baking in the sun. Parking can be tough; your best bet is to shell out the $25 to park at the train station and walk to the beach. (Go with a group of friends to split the cost.) A daily beach pass is $5, but if you think you'll go multiple times during the summer, spring for a season pass. No, it's not free, but it's worth it. And coming from a cheapskate like me, that means something.
2. Saw an Outdoor Concert. Outside the Box is an annual six-day free festival that takes place on the Boston Common, and before this year, I'd never heard of it. Surprisingly, no one I talked to had heard of it, either — but everyone probably should, because it's a pretty sweet deal. In addition to showcasing local performers and putting on family-friendly shows with magicians and dancers, it draws some major acts. This year's big names included Kasey Musgraves, the Gin Blossoms (I KNOW), and, most importantly, Guster. Guster is a Boston-favorite because they started at Tufts, but they're a Lisa-favorite because they were essentially the soundtrack for drives to and from high school with my brother, Kevin. I've loved them ever since and they are AMAZING live. One word: bongos.
3. Got Dressed Up. In addition to seeing one of my good friends get married at the historic Whittemore-Robbins House in Arlington, I scored an impromptu invite to a July 4th wedding that took place at the Boston Tea Party Museum. The best part? I actually had some decent dresses already that were ready to wear. My fellow ladies will understand what a score this is. (Oh, also there was an amazing, patriotic drag queen performance. NBD.)
4. Spent Time with the Fam. Summer is the time when the whole clan on my mom's side gets together for a week in New Jersey at my grandparents' house. It typically involves up to six of us — myself, my brothers, and my cousins — camping out in one room on foam sleeping mats, and we spend the week eating, watching way too much pointless TV, and going to the Jersey Shore. Frank Bruni recently wrote a piece in the NY Times that sounded a lot like our annual trip and pretty perfectly summed up its worth.
5. Kayaked on the Charles. Despite its reputation for being pretty filthy and disgusting, I kind of love the Charles River. I've even swam in it. But up until recently, I'd never taken advantage of the rental services offered by Charles River Canoe & Kayak (they have SUPs now, too). The rate for a single kayak is $15 an hour, and you can explore a LOT of the river in that time. Afterward, maybe head to the Cambridge Brewing Company for a late brunch and rehydrate properly with delicious, delicious beer.
6. Had a little too much fun. Public Service Announcement: Deep Eddy's Lemon Vodka is dangerous. Also, trying a fish bowl for the first time in my life was probably enough to last me until my mid-life crisis. If anyone knows of good places to dance in Boston where the floor won't still be empty at 10 p.m., let me know, because I'm officially too old to get started any later than that. Remember, the best way to recover the day after is with plenty of water and the Parks & Recreation episode "The Fight."
7. Explored Massachusetts. My lack of car means that I don't really get out of the city much, and when I do, it's because I'm leaving the state. Thanks to Leela, I spent a weekend in the Berkshires region, which essentially boils down to the Massachusetts equivalent of a Michigander's Up North: it's where a bunch of people have vacation homes and a lot of the area is in the middle of nowhere with tons of forests and lakes around. It was beautiful; we ate some great food, explored local attractions, and I scored some choice finds at the local yard sales. Word on the street is that I need to go back in the fall for some quality leaf peeping, though I remain skeptical that New England autumns are really prettier than ours in the Midwest.
8. Returned to my roots. I typically head back to Michigan maaaaaybe twice a year, sometimes for Thanksgiving and always at Christmas — which is sad, because the best time to be in Michigan is definitely the summer. So, this year I made it a priority to get there, and it worked out that I got to see the whole family while I was there. The trip included a jaunt up north to see where my brother Kevin now lives and, because my dad flew us there in his tiny Cessna four-seater, four hours of me desperately trying to focus on my book and squeaking every time we hit some turbulence. Family time!
9. FINALLY went to Brimfield. For the less decor-obsessed than I, allow me to explain: the Brimfield Flea is a massive market of antiques that takes place three times a year in Brimfield, Massachusetts. It's like, the holy grail of flea markets — bloggers, professional interior designers, and editors from shelter mags all flock to it every year, and I've wanted to go since before I even lived in the state. And last Saturday, I DID. It was unbelievably overwhelming and more massive than I ever could have imagined, but it was also really, really fun. No major finds to share with you, because it's really not my scene for shopping (too many options, no time to really think over a decision, prices higher than I'm used to for impulse-buying), but it was so cool just to wander and see all the different things, including: one giant, furry rabbit costume (head only); way too many baby doll/robot hybrids; a full-size covered wagon. Yay, Brimfield!
