Girls Weekend in C-Bus!

As I mentioned before, my college gal pals and I had been planning a girls weekend in Columbus for months, and this weekend the long awaited girls time came (and went with the bat of an eyelash!)

Marissa graciously hosted us at her sweet apartment (and pool!) It was great to catch up with my college roomies and indulge in some tasty margaritas poolside! Gorgeous day, perfect weather, and irreplaceable company! No TVs, no bars, no late nights. I bought an In Style magazine that I didn't even read (gasp) because I was so caught up in just good, relaxing, wholesome, female fun. Now that's a good time!

 

 

 

As cliche as it may sound, life has changed so much since our college years...

The dorm days at JCU!

 

Marissa's 21st birthday

Yet the instant we get back together, it's as if everything picked up right where we left off. Granted, would we be talking about the horrifying/beautiful act of childbirth, where we want to settle down and buy a home, or the best places to get deals on curtains and home goods. say 4 years ago? Mmmmmmm... my guess is probs not. But that's the thing I love about my friends, we've been through such different phases in life together but still share that common bond.

Needless to say, it was a fantastic girls weekend and just what the doctor ordered! I can't wait for the memories yet to come and where life will lead this group of lovely ladies!! :)

What's your favorite post-college girls' trip? Are you still close with your college roomies?

4th of July Recap

Is it seriously double digit days in July already?! How did we get here so quickly!! Ahhh if only we could push the slow button on summer!

Over the 4th of July holiday weekend, I was out of town visiting nearby C-Bus. So here is a quick recap of the highlights:

 

An epic explosive show

at the largest fireworks display in Ohio--Red, White & Boom!

JAM + JMK

 

Glow-worthy

 

 

Hiking + tree climbing + intentional dip in the water

Stroll along Creekside

Stop looking at me swan!!

Awesome community gardens!

It was a fun trip and I was able to relax, explore and catch up with the JMK fam. One step at a time, we'll see where the road leads...

Isn't that an O.A.R. song? On the road outside Columbus? Anywayyyy....Yep, I'll be heading back down there this weekend. This time for a girls weekend with 2 of my besties from college. We've been planning it since March, and looking forward to some much-needed girl time and shenanigans :) Now I have to go run and pack!

 

Can't wait for Club with these lovely ladies!!! Where is that summer slow down button again??

Sister Celebration: A Birthday Recap in CLE!

This weekend we celebrated my sister's birthday AND her new home she shares with her lovely bf! Lots to celebrate and lots of fun!!!

Best man grilling apron, ever!

On Saturday, I headed over to her new digs to check it out and it was awesome! She's officially a surbanite complete with a nice yard and cul-de-sac..who woulda thunk? Her life has shifted significantly since her last few birthdays--but all for the good, she's happy, she loves her life, and all I care about is seeing her thrive :)

Cheers to your new home, and wishing you lots of love and good juju!!!

After checking out the new place, we headed back to the Heights to have a final celebration. It's crazy, when she and I first moved into that apartment I was 21! How quickly 5 years fly by!

2nd day at the apt.
celebrating my 21st birthday on Coventry

So many good times, so much growing up, so many adventures, and so many evenings sitting on that lovely porch drinking vino, painting our nails and watching people walk by. Sure going to miss that place--but all good things must come to an end and I'm so excited for the next chapter in her life too :)

 

 

So, we took a gamble as we returned to the apt. with the stormy weather and speed-walked down to Little Italy for some delicioso food at Mia Bella. We were able to sneak in some divine apps before having to hurry inside as the heavens opened up and the summer storms rolled in. It was an adventure!

Birthday girl in post summer rainshower glow

Yum! We shared the eggplant parmesean which was cut thin and LITERALLY out of this world  & some sauteed calamari (as opposed to the standard deep fried).  I got a super simple (yet tasty) pizza complete with fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, olives. That's what I really like about Mia Bella, it's fresh, simple and not too over the top. Real authentic Italian food! Mangia mangia!

 

On Sunday, Gina had a big cookout at her new digs and it was a great family & friends fun day, complete with bat masks, awkward family photos, and cornhole! Winning comination!




Wouldn't trade this fam for the world!

Gimme that!



Reviewing the financial investment of boxes of corn

Post a bitter battle of cornhole..

It was a wonderful weekend welcoming my sis into her new home and a new year to celebrate fun adventures ahead. Feeling blessed and wishing you all the best, sis.. LOVE YOU! xoxo!


Weekend Recap: Reunions, Brunching, Flea Market, and Rum in CLE!

On Friday, I met up with two of my ol gal pals, Catie and Marie for some good times. I was in for quite the healthy/delicious meal at Catie's house when she made an outrageously good vegan pizza. I'm so lucky to have an awesome friend who also is a dietian and fabulous chef! Triple threat :)

Vegan pizza made with cornmeal,
buffalo tempe, peppers, onions, black olives, sauce
 and deliciousness!

And then I met Marie out for a drink in Ohio City and received too many unsolicited pick-up lines.... Ayayayi! So it was an interesting start to the weekend sans any photos. (Probably the best for everyone's sake). When I'm with Marie...shenanigans always ensue along with lots of laughs :)

Saturday, I met up with more gal pals for brunch and a day full of adventures around CLE! We started off by brunching at Stone Town, which opened up this past fall in the bottom of 668. Good southern style eggs and fried green tomatoes! Yum!

Post-brunch, we headed over to CLE's old Slovenian neighborhood in St. Clair-Superior to check out the new Clevleand Flea.

 

"So what is The Cleveland Flea? Part urban treasure hunt, part culinary adventure, part maker center. An organized maze of experiences, The Cleveland Flea celebrates the thrill of the hunt and discovery of new to you treasures." source.

JAM packed space with flea market finders

Gina and Kayla showing off their treasures!

From hand-crafted jewelry, presents for your pets, soap, clothes, glassware, vintage finds, and upcycled goods...this place has tons of treasures! It was fun for me to visit an emerging neighborhood that's being revitalized by shining up the good ol stuff, creating new arts and crafts, and showcasing CLE's ethnic history too!


And speaking of making history, Portside Distillery is making some (rum) waves on the East Bank of the Flats. The girls and I continued our adventure by going on a wild goose chase to find the new rum distillery. Although they have no marked signs on the outside of the building, it was a welcoming fun place that kinda made me feel like I needed to do the secret knock at the door to get into the underground bootlegger :)  The area around the distillery will certainly transform once its neighbors in the new Ernst & Young building move in. More booming business!

We found 'em!

 

The place brews up some hoptastic IPA and some fancy rum too! Personally, I am more of an IPA gal myself, but after learning more about the process of distilling alcohol and getting a fresh taste of it too, I certainly have a new appreciation for rum!



Dan, one of the owners + silver rum + me cheesing

Dan, who is one of the three owners, gave us an incredible tour and explanation of how the process works to distill alcohol. He has a background in physics and chemistry but an affinity for good booze, so he does this as his hobby! How cool! And he was dropping some serious knowledge bombs on us, accompanied with a deep love for CLE, and goofy humor.



Dan explaining the chemical process--
and the copperpot that was made in neighboring Tremont!

Gina + Portside Silver Rum

 The Portside Distillery is slated to open a restaurant and bar on site too, which will be another exciting addition to CLE, and one of a kind venue. To stay updated be sure to like them on Facebook.

On Sunday, we hit one of my favorite brunch places, Touch Supper Club, for a reunion with friends and familia from JCU. Marie now lives in DC and we'll be going down to visit her in 2 weeks to celebrate Steph's bachelorette party. And well Kay, he's the one that everybody loves :)

Marie, me, Kay & Steph getting our brunch on!

 

 

The Touch Breakfast Bowl. Never fails me!

 Always great to catch up with friends over some the best brunch :) The rest of my plans for Sunday post-brunch didn't end up panning out how I intended, but it certainly was an action packed weekend of reunions, brunching, flea market discoveries, and wild goose chases for rum that maybe it's best if I sit back and digest the weekend!

Have you been to the CLE Flea? What's your best flea market find? Have you ever gone on a brewery or distillery tour? What's your favorite local CLE drink?

 

Hope you have a good week, kids! Keep JAMmin!

Blue Plastic Bag: My Spring Poem to CLE!

As I've mentioned in previous posts--I have a passion for creative writing and poetry, part of the reason why I started writing this blog anyway! I minored in creative writing during my college years and was recently going through my portfolio when I came across this spring poem I wrote about CLE almost six years ago to date... my how the seasons fly by!

Blue Plastic Bag

It was a windy March afternoon
when I spotted the blue plastic bag
flying above the Carnegie bridge
into the slate gray Cleveland sky. 

It whipped around the
steel beams,
and rose
and sank,
breathing in the air.

How did it get so high
up there?

Did somebody let it go
out their car window?

Did it leap from the garbage can
after somebody no longer used it
to carry their fresh bread from the Market?

Maybe, it blew in from Canada
after someone left it at the cold beach,
opting for a picnic indoors instead.

Or maybe it let out someone's crumpled bills
and shredded documents
for someone to find
and piece together.

Perhaps it was freed from underneath a stone
when some pedestrian hurried past.

Maybe, the leaves finally brushed off
when the wind came by
to scoop it up
and take it for a ride.

-JAM, March 2007

The infamous (white) plastic bag scene 

from "American Beauty"

Valley Memories!

I had a long and challenging day today that was instantly brightened up by meeting up with my BFF, Catie. Catie was my very first friend I made in high school! Crazy right? We sat next to each other in homeroom and instantly hit it off. A few days into the "high school experience" we willingly ventured out to the St. Ed's awesome dance mixer (awesome as in super socially awkward 14-year olds interacting with the opposite sex all while "Saving room for the Holy Spirit" and pretending to know how to dance to hip hop, myself included, awesome) Luckily, Catie stuck by me, through the goofy phases and all!

Circa freshman year of high school picture day, this picture brings back cold sweats..



The back story to this gem of a freshman photo--it was the first few weeks of school and my kind sister let me borrow her outrageously cool high-heel big sister sandals to get decked out for my first official high school pic. Right after homeroom, my borrowed cool shoes suddenly came totally UNCOOL when the strap broke and I had a completely unusable shoe on my hands (or feet, whatever). Catie came to my rescue and gave me the rubberband for her hair to crow-hunch that shit on my way to my next class. She narrowly helped me avoid a major fashion disaster and meltdown, and from that point on I knew she was a lifer.

Me and Catie in our "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" School Spirit t-shirts circa 2002

Despite the unexpected life changes we are faced with, it seriously is wonderfully refreshing to meet up with your friend who knows you from way back when and just simply... gets you.

So, Catie and I hit up one of our favorite after school hangout spots in the valley tonight. Hogsback aka Stinchcomb. So many good memories there! It instantly took me back to the days where we thought we were so mature and had "serious" problems. Oh to be young again! I'm sure we will be old ladies laughing and looking back on today and say the same thing, oh to be young again!

Always young at heart!
Image source via Pinterest

Image source via Pinterest

If you are looking for a great workout--I definitely recommend climbing the "Hogsback" at Stinchbomb because as the name suggests--it will make you sweat like a hog...or something like that. The view from the top is gorgeous!!! Keeping things in perspective after a long day, it always helps when you have great friends to keep you rooted!!

So let me know about your next valley workout. Take advantage of our beautiful metroparks in Cleveland as the cool weather sets in. The "Emerald Necklage," as it's often referred to, turns stunning shades of red and orange in the fall, so check it out. Let the memory making continue!