Noctonal Lake Weekend

A couple weeks ago I invited my a Capella group to the lake house for a weekend of swimming, sunning, singing and relaxing.

Just a couple pictures of the good company, food and fun we had at Lake Monticello:

Caira

As part of the Cutest Baby Gauntlet that we regularly hold at the lake, Devin and Trish's daughter Caira came down for a visit a few weekends ago.

Eventide Restaurant

Almost a month ago, a friend and I had the opportunity to try Eventide Restaurant, a place I've wanted to dine ever since a rooftop happy hour there last year.

In addition to the dramatic design (think 30-foot ceilings, raw brick walls and black acrylic chandeliers), the food is incredibly fresh and delicious. 



I started with a tomato salad made of heirloom tomatoes, Fromage Blanc, pickled red onion and basil.




Although the tomato salad was incredibly fresh and tasty, the house-made ravioli stole the show. Filled with fresh cheese, the raviolis were arranged over a yummy ratatouille.

Twin Peaks

My most recent trip was to a magical kingdom, and no I'm not talking about Disney World. Instead, I found myself 500 miles south, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, worshiping at the altar of the most delicate flower south of the Mason Dixon line:

That's right, Ms. Dolly Rebecca Parton, patron saint of the Dollywood amusement park. And although we were landlocked, in one of the most white-washed, conservative confederate parts of the country, we found a little rainbow to brighten our way:

There were roller coasters, water rides, handicrafts (hand-dipped candles and fine log furniture) and southern cooking, but one of the main attractions in my opinion was the bird show.

I've seen bald eagles glide past our 17th floor windows in Rosslyn, but never before was I face to face with the magnificent bird.

U S A!  U S A! U S A! Besides the one bird that makes daily stage appearances, Dollywood cares for dozens of non-releasable bald eagles, presenting them in a dramatic mountainous aviary.

Dollywood

Megan and Tom's Engagement

I took these pictures months and months ago, but now seems like as good a time as any to share them with you.

Back in March (?) I took Amtrak to Connecticut for a birthday weekend with PSF and an engagement photoshoot with Megan and Tom. We spent a whole afternoon in blisteringly cold winds. Despite the intense cold, I think we captured some good shots: