Things I love: Wimbledon

I love the Wimbledon.

My father and I have watched it, and the sport of tennis, together for the past few years. I played on my high school team sophomore year and have played it recreationally since then.

Now, let's be honest. I cannot play that well. But, I think that it's so fun! (However many times I would end matches with me throwing the racket across the court and calling it quits) Either way, I like to watch the Wimbledon when it comes around.

Fashion inspiration? Yes.

(All pictures attributed to Ralph Lauren)

And the Queen always shows up! How pretty is her bouquet?

I must now return to my family. My grandmother is currently in the kitchen preparing dinner - baby-back ribs! How exciting!
Can you guess what it was last night? That's right. Shrimp and grits! MMMmmMMMM

Until then,
Cara

Florida!

Good morning every one!

Excited to say that for the next week I will be in FLORIDA visiting family at this wonderful location...


Yes, my week will include great home-cooked meals, kayaking, swimming and hopefully a tan.

However, I'm not sure how my internet connection will be down there, so I must say that this will be my last post until next Thursday! Don't worry though, I will come back full force.

Until then,
Cara

Good Company

Things I miss about high school: church camp. This might sound odd. For many, church camp is a place that their parents encouraged them to go and awkward teenagers gathered. For me, it was a place where I grew the most as a person- socially and spiritually. As another plus, I gained leadership skills that have served me well already.

Needless to say- I loved it! I found my best friends there, and even after long periods of time apart, it still feels like coming home and slipping into a huge bear hug when I see them again.

A couple of years ago, when I was a senior in high school, our youth coordinator for the diocese, (Episcopalian term for general district or collection of churches in a certain area) decided to move to Texas and go to divinity school. She was such an inspiration and a guiding light to us all and we were very sad to see her go.

But this past weekend, we were able to celebrate Kathy's ordination in Raleigh, and I could not have been happier to attend this event!


An ordination is when you are certified by the church to obtain a higher leadership role with-in the church. Deacons, priests and bishops are ordained.

It was so great to see everyone! Kathy is in green above. Also pictured is Melissa, an adult leader in the youth programs, and then Don and Molly (two dear friends) with me in the blue.

And yes- Don is wearing a completely seer sucker suit. It was amazing.

Molly had driven from four hours away the night before (arriving at my house at 4 in the morning-yikes!) to come to the service. I am sad I didn't get to see her long, because there is always so much to catch up on. But it was still good to see her even for a short amount of time.

A couple of years ago in Texas

Molly and I go all the way back to the 7th grade when we became friends at summer camp!
Don became a friend shortly after. I cannot relate to you the countless valuable friends that were not present this weekend, but it was good to see even just a few.

After the service, we all went to a local pub Tir Na Nog, just down the street. Side note: I love downtown Raleigh. I am seriously considering moving there when I am older and want to settle down.


It was there that I got a ham and brie sandwich with green apples on it! Mmmm. Tasty.

But the best part about the meal was the conversation, which lasted for 2 1/2 hours! I can't remember when I had such a long lunch!

Ahh, how I miss those camp days. And I am missing something in my life that I was so passionate about as I was going to Camp Summit.

A few flash backs!

8th grade- what a year


Cabin dodge ball tournament- against the boys. :P don't think we got very far- but we looked prepared!

Tent we built our last night at the Summit. Seniors on their last night traditionally stay up all night and watch the sunrise the next day.

Working at HUGS camp- a camp for kids with disabilities. This is Austin who loves Chip and Dale, collecting acorns and swimming!

The "trifecta"- two of my besties!

Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!
Oh, and happy OFFICIAL summer! Whoo!

Until then,
Cara

Hillsborough Hotspots: Maple View

Taking my friends to the Maple View Ice Cream store is like a ritual that one must go through to truly experience the most fabulous ice cream of all mankind. At least, that is the way that I like to think about it.

Going to Maple View is also a way for my friends to get to know me better. I worked there for two years during high school and have gone there with family and friends for ages now it seems.

What is Maple View? Maple View is officially a dairy farm that is located in the rural gap between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill. Across from the farm there is a dairy store. This is where people can come to get ice cream that uses cream from the cows that they see right across the road. Isn't that cool?!



They also sell milk (in glass bottles!), local cheese, eggs, strawberries, chocolate treats, meat and soap!



There are also always really fun flavors. My favorites, you ask?

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Mango Sorbet
Orange Dream
Mint Chocolate Chip

But there are also fun ones like Peanut Butter and Jelly (don't wince, it really does taste good!), Moosetracks, Honey Toasted Almond, Banana and so much more!!!

So...
Step 1: You get your ice cream
Step 2: Go outside and choose to sit either on the porch with over 40 rocking chairs, or go out to the field where there are several picnic tables to sit upon.
Step 3: Look at one of the best views in Orange County

See how many cars are there? It's popular!

Step 4: Perhaps toss around a frisbee.

I have been there twice in the past two weeks. Perhaps three. I don't keep count. One with my good friend Whitney Davis! Who was baffled by how far out into the "country" this place was (oh, how I love you!) and then once again with "the gang" as we call it.

I love Maple View because it is so quintessentially so much of what I love about this area. It's gorgeous, simple and everything just moves a little bit slower. It's enough just to go and enjoy good ice cream and look out at a view. It reminds me of warm summer nights, star gazing and carefree afternoons.

Do y'all have anything like this near you? Or someplace that sells local goods?

Until then,
Cara

Me Time

So, over the past week or so I have had a lot of me time. This has been so necessary and we probably carry on for the next few days.
Me time is what the summer usually ends up turning into for me, because let's be honest, it's the only time where there are not 28,000 people around me to play with!
However, my days of lying in bed, watching documentaries and eating fig newtons should probably come to an end. I will, however, continue to read, go to my internship and hopefully start to work on scrapbook things.

The Indian wedding last weekend was incredible! There were horses, parasols, beautiful saris, lots of dancing and chanting, lots of flower petals and hot pink, so much food and just an incredible scene in general.

There was also a photo booth! Of course the other intern, Nicole, and I went crazy taking pictures....
some of my favorite from the night...



Fun right?! After you finished taking the pictures one copy would be yours to keep and then guests would leave another copy for the guest book! Love this idea and will fully expect one at my wedding.

Perhaps the problem with working for a wedding magazine this summer: extreme high expectations for my own wedding!

Another thing, I know I have mentioned to some of you- my friend Amanda and I are starting a health/fitness magazine on campus next semester! Excitement! It is going to be called The Well-Being (get it?!). So we have been making a business plan for that and working to get accreditation from the school. We are also starting to look for people to be on staff. (Megan? Would you like to have like a column every issue about food?!)

Anyways. This has gotten me thinking that because I am starting a health magazine on campus- I should probably start to become more healthy myself. I believe that to be good at anything you need to be passionate about it. So I should probably walk the walk before I talk the talk in this new magazine.

So, decision. Because my life schedule is slightly awkward for working out, with my internship every morning, this means I will just be waking up earlier! I'm going to start doing pilates every morning again (which always gets me in good shape, I might add!)



I will look just like this woman every morning with matching lilac yoga mat and sports bra in front of a serene white curtain.

On a more real note, I should also probably stop eating all of those Thin Mint cookies and pop tarts.

Will update you on how this healthy venture goes!

Until then,
Cara

Bow ties

So, my brother's band concert was tonight. And *drum roll please* I tied my first bow tie!
It was so exciting! I am so excited to be able to tie all the boys bow ties next year!
It was so much easier than I thought it was going to be.



Anyways. So that got me thinking that I love bow ties! I might like them better on certain men than long neck ties.

I found these bow ties that I love!

I am a sucker for nautical. This is from Vineyard Vines.

Another Vineyard Vines and perfect for game day!

Rams!

Secret reason why I want a boyfriend- to buy him bow ties.

Until then!
Cara

Things I love About NC: The Beach

I have decided that every week I am going to do a post on things I love about NC and about the summer!

This, I suppose, is both of those things.

Holden Beach dunes

I love North Carolina beaches. I think there is nothing like them. Every summer I go to the beach at least three times and every time it's so peaceful/grounding/fun! Usually said beach trips involve three or four friends, a Frisbee, some good tanning and catching up and a great time.

Our beaches are so family friendly and relaxing. There is no competing for sand space, no cars on the beach and there are still a lot of beaches in NC where there are no ugly, huge hotels lining the shore.

My favorite beach experience was in high school when I went with my youth group. We stayed at my friend's beach house seen below (or at least the stairs of it).


The beach house was just a block from the ocean. We played games on the beach (at night and during the day), we rode bikes and watched the sunset, we relaxed, tanned, swam in the warm ocean, went out to the shore at night and watched the stars, we watched many episodes of Freaks and Geeks, went to go see the second Pirates of the Caribbean, made mud pie, played poker with skittles and laid out on a hammock we found on the beach (see photo at top). There were also banana pancakes, putt putt, ice cream and lots of fun. AKA best trip EVER!

Those are the best beach trips- those in which you can go for a full week!

I also went to the beach for Senior Beach Week where we stayed at another friend's beach house. This was the view from the back porch.


That trip involved a bit more consumption of illegal liquids than the first. But there was also fishing, crabbing, grilling hotdogs and hamburgers, group singing and guitar playing out on the pier at night, my first trip to a club, some really good pizza and tanning that ensued.


And then there are the day trips where we just ride down to Wrightsville beach.

This trip was truly a spur of the moment trip. We were all hanging out the night before and then at around 11 o'clock someone ( I think it was me) suggested that we should go to the beach- the next day! That is what I love about the summer- most of the time (except for this summer when I have an internship everyday) you can just pick up and spontaneously do something fun!

So that is why I love North Carolina beaches. It's truly like you are just living a Jack Johnson song.

Wrightsville Beach pier

Well, off to watch Giada on the tele!
Until then,
Cara

The Lake and other things

Sorry I have not blogged for a few days- I was sucked into the Lost world. Really. My phone is broken, I have not been on Skype or fb chat or ashamedly many other places than on my bed watching Lost for the past two or three days.


Last night when the final was on I was still catching up on the last few episodes so I literally would check fb with a hand over the screen, seeing if I had any notifications and then exiting out (I didn't want to accidentally see any spoilers)

So I just finished watching the last episode. And yes I cried. That had to be one of the best stories (let alone shows) that I have ever heard/seen. You get so emotionally attached to the characters. What an ending. It wasn't even disappointing. It's just sorta like you knew that was what needed to happen.


Anyways- I don't even know if any of you watch Lost- so I will talk about something you can understand!

Partying!

Went to my friend's lake house (if you thought the last party was in the country- this one was an hour long drive out into the country... literally you are on like 6 different long, country roads for an hour getting out to this place). There the whole gang from Cedar Ridge got together and had a pretty good time, I would say!

Lake Mayo!

It's always really great going back home and seeing all of my friends from home. Not everyone was there- but that's okay, there will be more lake gatherings in the future.

Key aspects of a lake house party

1. Log cabin

This should give you an idea of where we were.

2. porch sitting
3. camp fire (over which hotdogs were cooked)
4. bunk beds
5. morning trip to Bojangles (20 minutes away. Yes- it took us 20 minutes to get back to somewhere that was even close to somewhere)
6. boat outing (duh- why go to a lake if you don't use the boat)
7. fishing on said boat

Look! It's me fishing!

8. Usually there are jet ski's and tubing involved but it was cold this weekend
9. There is also usually tanning but see activities 5 and 8 for why we were not willing to put on bathing suits.
10. A damn-good time


Side note: Once again the girl-guy ratio is significantly improved once I go home- 10 guys to 4 girls.

Anyways, so that was Friday and Saturday! Don't know quiet what I will be up to this week- but whatever it is I hope it is fun!

Until then,
Cara

Swing and poetry

Good morning sunshines!
I've decided it's going to be a good day- I've finally got some energy back in me (even though I woke up at 6:30 this morning, I went to bed last night at like 9:30).

Yesterday I was able to check off one of the things on my summer to-do list! I went to the new Hillsborough public library (okay, it just moved across town- but it's a new building!). So I have "discovered" something new in this town.

It wasn't the best library I have ever been to, it was smaller than most. But, the man at the counter was friendly (even though he went to Duke). What I kept on thinking the whole time is what is a guy who went to Duke doing working at a library as a receptionist? Who knows. Either way, I got a new library card! Exciting! Oh, and I suppose that I got books too!


I'm really excited about all of these books! I read some of Dickinson's poetry last night and this morning and I loved it! Kristen's post yesterday made me realize how much I miss good writing in my life! And although most of the poems have been about our mortality, they are still ,strangely, beautiful.

I also started to read The Beautiful and the Damned, which is on my summer reading list! F. Scott Fitzgerald is amazing.
His words just flow off the page and into my brain. He is so good at creating these awesome images. His writing has come to define the Roaring 20s or what is referred to as the Jazz Age. This extravagant, champagne flowing, luxurious, high society, garden party, trumpet playing, furs and flapper time period.


I love, love, love it. Maybe it is the romantic in me, and even though the point of Fitzgerald's work is to point out the fallacy of this dream period (he was the one telling the world "I told you so" in 1928), I still think it's fun to go along for the ride.

Cool fact: Every year at Governor's island just outside of New York City, in June they have this really big Jazz Age party on the lawn, hosted by Swing Dance Long Island. It is sooo cool. Found out about it when The Sartorialist started to take pictures there because all of the fashion there is incredible.

All these pictures were taken by Scott Schuman and his incredible self and can be seen further here.





Doesn't that look like so much fun??! I am determined to go one day.

Until then,
Cara