Long week

I have been gone for a week and leave again on Weds but what else is new at this point? At least it was "vacation"

I can't stop listening to this song. I don't even particularly care for the Band of Horses version but love this one.

Cee-lo "No one's gonna love you" from Starr Whitesides on Vimeo.

St. Augustine

When I moved here I knew it was a place I enjoyed being but I missed a few things about Orlando (friends). The more I get to know this place the more I appreciate it.

I was watching a video about the Portland music scene and one of the band's said "If you like a place don't move there, create your own scene in your town" and I think that is the beauty of Saint Augustine. I feel like more and more people post undergrad are moving here and making it a place they want to be.

I am so inspired by all of the young business owners and new businesses that have opened in the last 6 months. There is a lot going on just since we have moved here that is making it even more appealing to stay. I would love to open a market where you can get seasonal baked goods, prepared foods, and quick bites to stay or go with a good beer/wine selection in the Antique uptown area I live in now. I think we are lacking a place for quick casual meals for locals and tourists alike in these two blocks. I know if I ever wanted to quit my job I could still see myself living here and trying it out for myself. So far from what I can tell everyone seems to be developing a good following and seeing their hard work pay off. If you come to St. Augustine there are some new happenings worth checking out including a used record store, the Floridian restaurant, Anchor boutique, The Conservatoire event planning and Ring of Fire the bar where you can get good cheap beer in a mason jar (all with under 35 business owners)

I have also met some rad people to be friends with and enjoy the vibe here.

I was supposed to be taking pictures with my phone, which I have been doing but I have not been putting them on here on a regular basis. I will try to make a conscious effort.

Cat and Taylor have a pretty sweet view

Savannah

North Carolina

This band is Disco Biscuits and I am sure 95% of the people in this auditorium were on drugs. They had crazy lasers and they only played one song for the entire 15 minutes I watched them play. Moogfest in Asheville was great for being able to drop in on bands you might never have seen otherwise.

"Yeah I used to skate"

Juniper Run

I have been MIA on here for a bit and will try to get caught up on recent trips I have taken as I get the time.

I got a new job and needed to transition and I went on vacation to Asheville, North Carolina in between my old job and my new job. So needless to say October went super quick. Here are my pictures from kayaking on Juniper Run in the Ocala National Forest.

Picture at the water surface

If you look in the background of this picture Jordan was on top the world here having pulled her kayak over a log, but then her top flew off and she fell into the water.

The first two miles of Juniper are really shallow and super clear it almost feels like you are in a swimming pool.

Underwater shot of the bottom

This is a picture from under the water looking up to me.

I would definitely recommend doing this run and think it was worth the pain of having to drop one car off at the end and shuttle back and forth.

We went in early October and even though it was beautiful out there was not much crowd for a Saturday afternoon.

I can't believe this weather! 85 one day 35 the next! I am hoping to get to enjoy some Florida fall after this cold snap passes.

Hard Drive

I am super lazy about editing pictures and posting them somewhere. I take a bunch of pictures ad import them to my hard drive and then get overwhelmed looking at them. I try to decide between 5 or 6 shots that look almost identical and get exhausted trying to make a decision of which one to keep. So I have a bunch of old stuff on my computer that has never seen the light of day.

This makes me sound like a legit photo hobbyist, which I am not but at least I should share the photos with my friends.

Here are some pictures I feel like putting somewhere finally:

Yeah I will shoot you

Jealous

I got these three photos printed in The Drift a local indie paper:

Magnolia Street (the best street in St. Augustine)

Chicago (in February is miserable but you get this place all to yourself)

Dance party with good light in West Virginia

Pittsburgh

Micanopy

Big Sur on Pacific Coast Highway

Weird face

Sick Day

I decided to call in sick yesterday because it was just too nice outside to work. I needed a mental health day for sure and rarely get sick so it felt deserved.

Since I called in due to the weather I thought it would be a shame to waste it inside and wanted to take the whole day to be outside. I went to the St. Augustine Beach Farmer's Market and then decided I wanted to explore a state park in the area. I chose to go to Washington Oaks since it is a coastal hardwood hammock that used to be a private residence before it was donated to the state.

Every time I go to a state park that used to be a private residence I think how insane it must have been to live without any one around in such an amazing natural setting. I don't think I would ever donate Blue Springs to the state. I would selfishly swim alone with the manatees every winter and relish in the relief from the heat every summer.

Blue Springs every year on my birthday

Could you imagine this being your backyard at Washington Oaks?

nice spot for a picnic

I wish I had the courage to ask strangers for their portrait. I can talk to a stranger no problem but when it comes to taking their picture I start feeling like a creep. There were people picnicking and an old man throwing a cast net that would have been interesting to photograph.

One of the leading Right Whale experts stays with my boyfriend's Aunt and Uncle in Summer Haven every year to track the whales' migration. Last year there were 5 new females with calves spotted off the Florida coast (which is unheard of apparently) It will be interesting to hear if they show up again this year.

Beautiful oak hammock everywhere

I should have sat here for hours but I didn't unfortunately

Pretty nice sick day. But of course I woke up this morning feeling like crap! Good thing my office is in my house wearing my pajamas!