Singing Beach – Blondie Birdie

“Now it’s all covered with flowers…”

June 15, 2018June 21, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Evening, everyone! Here’s hoping you’re all having a wonderful Friday night- or getting ready to, anyway!

My night is actually going to be fairly quiet and reserved tonight- consisting of watching a movie with friends, eating some pizza and sipping some hard cider since I have to be up for early morning plans first thing tomorrow. And honestly? I just really need a night in so I can wear sweatpants and veg out a bit.

This past week has been crazy at work, and when I wasn’t in my office- I was at networking events, keeping track of E3 coverage (hello, ‘Resident Evil 2’ remake I’ve been waiting for since I was in my teens!) and trying to soak up some Vitamin D whenever I got the chance- including taking an afternoon off for an impromptu beach trip in Manchester-By-The-Sea.

Last weekend, before I got swirled up in Manic Monday and all the tasks/errands/to-do’s that came with it and the subsequent days that followed- I actually ventured out to the wild, wild Western part of Massachusetts to lovely, quaint and picturesque Shelburne Falls to see the famous Bridge of Flowers that frequently make appearances on my friends’ Instagram feeds.

I’d never been, but neither the bridge itself or the scenic drive to and from there along some of the state’s winding back roads- dotted with farmhouses and fields- was well worth it. The footbridge (formerly a trolley bridge) stretches over the Deerfield River and is the home to hundreds of different types of flowers. It’s a very peaceful, pretty walk to take- and naturally I snapped some photos!

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the pics!

If you’re ever venturing out by Western Massachusetts this Summer- the bridge is definitely worth a quick stop! It’s open ’til October!

In other beautiful destinations I visited this past week- I took a half day at work yesterday afternoon to stop by Singing Beach in-between errands to meet up with my best friend, Sean, for lunch/coffee and to watch as the boats rolled by the marina. Even though the sun disappeared on us (more than once)– it was still a lovely way to spend an afternoon. The view was definitely better than the one I’m used to in my office, anyway!

Every time I travel to Manchester By The Sea, I try to visit at least one new shop or restaurant since the community has so many hidden and adorable seaside finds to discover. Yesterday’s dinner saw us watching game show re-runs from the 1970s while we ate burgers and fries at Superfine Food, and then grab a couple of ‘Aloha’ lattes (coconut and white chocolate) at Allie’s Beach Street Cafe.

Everything was so delicious- and the staff at both locations were very friendly! I highly recommend them!

But now, with friends on the way for movie night with food in tow- I’m off to be lazy, eat all the carbs- and get ready for the weekend!

Good night, everyone! Have a great weekend!

– Ashley –

Mid-Week Hooky

May 4, 2018May 10, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone!

Okay, so technically this past Wednesday wasn’t an actual day of hooky- since my job knew I wasn’t coming in just for the sake of having a day off while the temperatures hit the mid-80s (!!!)– but there was something kind of thrilling about being out and enjoying such a beautiful day when I knew my co-workers were back at the office. The day was made even more fun, of course- since I didn’t make any specific plans and was just sort of rolling with the punches as they came.

There were plenty of options. Would I catch the Red Sox game at Fenway in the early afternoon? Tempting- but my seats would have had me roasting under the sun well before the fourth inning. Would I go day-drinking and enjoy one too many margaritas near the park? Also a possibility- except that finding parking on a weekday around lunchtime is a nightmare- and leaving the car while I went from place to place until the evening when I would be back to normal and ready to drive home would have likely landed me with expired meters and plenty of tickets tucked onto my windshield. Or, would I head to Cambridge to see Ronan Farrow discuss his new book? This choice nearly won- and I would have loved to have gone if I hadn’t gotten sidetracked.

Instead, my best friend (who ended up playing a bit of hooky as well) and I packed some snacks, a couple of towels, and some SPF 50 and headed to Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea to get our 2018 “Beach Bums” season underway while the coast wasn’t crowded.

I couldn’t find my swimsuit from last year and had to improvise with one from 2014/2015- but I’ve been meaning to buy a new one anyway, and a lot of the cuts/colors/embellishments I’ve been seeing on this year’s hottest and trendiest swimwear has me excited to try something completely new! I’ll share whatever I eventually go with- but I’m hoping to find something bright, colorful, flattering- and comfortable!

But I digress- the water was still a bit too cold to dive into- so I kept things dry and laid back on the sand. I sat under an umbrella and read while my friend worked on an assignment they’re completing for degree work. Afterwards, when it started to get dark out and the late-night beach goers began rolling in for their planned bonfires- we headed back to Melrose where we stopped at Wood + Fire for some salad and to split a pasta dish (their wood fired Gnocchi is delicious, by the way!) before it came time to call it a night and get ready to head back to work the next morning.

Overall, a “Just Because” day off was just what I needed. It was laid-back, stress-free, spent with the comfort of a good friend in beautiful scenery- and included a fantastic meal. I highly recommended taking a day off every now and then to decompress, unwind, and then prepare yourself to get back to work and start fresh. It’s invigorating!

Speaking of, I’ve got to get to work so I can begin re-organizing my schedule for next week. I like to stay a couple of steps ahead of things!

Enjoy your Friday and your weekend, everyone! See you all on Monday- where I’ll have a BBQ/Cookout-inspired recipe to share!

– Ashley –

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls…”

August 7, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Ew, it’s Monday again- and I’m bracing myself for a seriously packed workload at my office this morning. I’m hoping by this afternoon I’ll have finished most of my To-Do list and can breathe a little easier- but right now I know I’m going to be completely absorbed in my case files and my coffee for the next few hours.

I’m pretty tired this morning- and not just because of last night’s episode of “Game of Thrones”- but because I did a LOT of driving, hiking and swimming this past weekend- and my muscles aren’t letting it slide. I’m a sleepy, semi-sore mess and I can’t wait to get home after a post-work burger run with one of my co-workers so I can crawl into bed and get some sleep!

On Saturday, I ventured up North to the White Mountains- towards Mount Washington- when I was caught in a torrential downpour and one of the worst thunderstorms I think I’ve ever seen. Whether it was the altitude or the change in air pressure, I’m not sure- but the lightning was terrifyingly intense and the winds were strong enough to force me off of the road for a while until it was safe to drive again. I ended up parked near Cascade Mountain while I waited for the conditions to clear- which ended up being sort of a pleasant surprise since there is a gorgeous waterfall right there off of the roadway. When the storm passed, I ran out to snap a few photos of it before the downpour started again.

The rain didn’t let up- and it nearly followed me all the way home Saturday evening when I gave up on having enough visibility to safely hike any trails or cross any rivers. The conditions were just too dangerous at the time- and I’m hoping I can try again in a couple of weeks- weather permitting!

Yesterday was much more laid-back and the weather was infinitely nicer. With clear, sunny skies- I headed up to Singing Beach for a few hours to soak up the sun with friends. There was a street festival just outside the beach, too- where the local shops and vendors around Manchester-By-The-Sea gathered to sell food, jewelry, home decor, books, etc. Although parking was a nightmare- it was fun to have a look around before we headed out to grab dinner and a couple of margaritas in downtown Melrose and I started back towards my place to prepare for work this morning!

And now I’m here, sun-kissed and ready to snooze- but prepared to tackle the day as best as I can.

Here’s hoping you all make it through your Monday!

My friend was feeling cheeky yesterday at the beach and snapped this one of me.

– Ashley –

June 2017: In a Nutshell

June 30, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m getting ready to put in one last productive day at the office before I break for a long, extended Fourth of July weekend- but given that it’s the last day of June- I thought I’d continue my tradition of wrapping up the month with a nice little summary in one of my other blogging traditions I’ve carried over from ‘Legally Redhead’- my “In a Nutshell” posts.

As I type this, my best friend of 21 years- Sean- is on a plane headed towards Spain where he’s going to be living for a while to study abroad. It’s an exciting and incredible journey he’s embarking on, although it’s a bit of a downer to end the month with his departure since I know I’m not going to see him for a while and I already miss him. I can’t wait to hear all about his trip when he comes back in a couple of months.

This past weekend- Sean’s last here in Massachusetts before he left for his trip- a group of our friends threw an all-day (and nearly all-night) farewell party at Singing Beach in his honor. We swam in the ocean, ate amazing food, played games, and when the sun eventually set- we made s’mores over a bonfire, stargazed, and danced to music along the surf. It was pure magic! Maybe one of the best nights ever. Truly.

A lot of June was spent at the beach, really. It seemed that every free weekend or afternoon I had- I was heading to the coast to savor the salty air and sunshine as much as possible. When I wasn’t doing that- I was all business (okay, and maybe some fun) at work as well as getting Blondie Birdie off the ground. I’m loving writing here, by the way! I celebrated Pride with my friends, saw and LOVED “Wonder Woman” during a Girls-Only Sunday brunch get-together, and dove right back into some of my favorite shows that returned for the Summer like “Preacher” and “Fear The Walking Dead”.

While July 4th is going to be a busy weekend for sure, the weekend after that is proving to be even more action-packed since I’ll be returning to the West Coast for a couple of days! That’s right, San Diego- I’m stopping by to say hello (and grab some In-N-Out while I’m there!)

I’ve also got some more recipes, cosmetic reviews, a Summer-inspired playlist and a whole lot more to share in July- so I’m pretty excited!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if you’re in the States and celebrating the Fourth- be careful with those fireworks!

– Ashley –