We drove home to the lovely sounds of Enya, per my request, which I believe to be the perfect ending for a perfect weekend.

Beards, beers, and valentines.

I have got to be honest, I am one of the luckiest girls in the world. I spent Valentine’s Day, my first “real one” may I add, eating pizza, drinking beer, cheering on the sub par Bruins, and road tripping to Portland, Maine with my boyfriend.

Dominic asked if I wanted to go to the Bruins game on Valentine’s Day, and I reacted with such excitement. We met up for pizza and a beer prior to the butchering the Rangers played on the B’s. It had been more than ten years since I had attended a game, so being there with him caused me not to care about the Boston loss.

My part of the Valentine’s bargain was our first mini vacation. I made a reservation at a local hotel in Maine, and offered Dominic a tour of the Shipyard Brewing Company. I mean, it was free, but he does not need to know that. But then again, he already does.

We squeezed in a few games of bowling before driving two hours up to Maine. We checked into the hotel and took a nap, longer than expected, and woke up just in time to grab a quick bite to eat. Portland seems to close down after eight o’clock at night. Traffic lights were already blinking red and yellow as we searched for a restaurant named Silly’s. And my goodness, what a cute restaurant it was.

Old photos in frames were strewn across the walls, and menus and entertainment in the form of playing cards were housed in lunch pails on the tables. The food was absolutely amazing. My salad was so fresh, and Dominic’s dinner tasted like a supersized eggroll. I sipped on a pale ale as he sucked down a chocolate shake mixed with Guinness. Interesting to say the least.

We ordered a chocolate peanut butter pretzel shake to go, as well as an order of fried pickles. Too bad we ended up snacking on them both before even getting up from the table. We both agreed that if we ever visit Portland again, we will make sure to make a pit stop at Silly’s.

We decided to have one more drink at the Thirsty Pig, a newly renovated bar with local beers on tap and live musicians playing at the front. We drank our ciders and ales faster than we had hoped, but all we could think about was the king size bed and dream land. After eating the remainder of our fried pickles, we passed out in a food induced coma.

Dominic and I woke fairly early this morning. Again, we agreed that there is nothing better than waking up next to each other, not to mention showering together. Only two more weeks until we are both living in our respective apartments and we can share moments like those daily.

We grabbed breakfast at Sonny’s. Bloody Mary’s were savored, and we shared our meals, placing both plates side by side in the middle of the table, making it easy for us to reach either dish. We sat there for a few minutes in disgust. We devoured our meals like two famished pigs at a newly filled trough.

We scurried out to finally make our last stop on our itinerary, the Shipyard Brewing Company. We played around in the gift shop while we waited for the next tour to begin. The brewery is so small, so the tour was short, sweet, and to the point. After a ten minute video introduction, and a five minute lecture barely heard over the sound of clanking bottles along the assembly line, we found ourselves at the bar sampling some of the greatest beers.

I left a little light headed, while the only thing Dom could think about was more food.

I honestly do not know how he does it.

I know. I know.

It has been quite some time since I have had anything to say. Well, it at least seems that way to you. Because to be honest, I have so much to share. It is just so much that I have found it hard to make time to write it all down. I find that a spare moment here or there is used to catch up on sleep; more important than catching up on my shows.

The past few months have been a real high. I finally abandoned my previous job, and was hired at a new company, allowing for more creativity. I met a wonderful man who knows exactly how to treat a woman, in ways I have never ever been treated before. Lastly, I have made the decision to move on out of my parents’ house, one last time, and move on to bigger and better things closer to the city.

Time has been flying by at the speed of light, and it has been so surreal. But in the exact same moments, it has all been so real. Too real. My feet are on the ground, yet my head is in the clouds. And I absolutely love it.

I hope to make more time to share these moments.

Everybody’s doing it…

Isn’t it always a pain in the bum to figure out that one gift for that one person who just seems to have absolutely everything he or she could possibly ever want? Well, I don’t see them with an o’doodle, do you?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas?

The first snowflakes of the autumn season fell last night, accompanied by slick orange and yellow leaves. We have not even had the chance to jump in large piles of fire-like foliage and now, here we are, expecting already a big snowstorm this weekend. 

So much for All Hallow’s Eve?

Twist the bones and bend the back.

A few weekends ago, a few friends and I chose a lovely autumn afternoon to experience the spooks of Salem, Massachusetts. My friends have made it a witchy ritual of their own to visit the seaside site, and I finally had the chance to join them.

We started the day by filling up on some fabulous food at Rockafellas. But let us be honest in saying that I believe we all enjoyed the drinks a tiny bit more. We conversed over hot apple cider spiked with rum and butterscotch liqueur, pumpkin martinis, and an infamous Helltini, which sent one of my friends to the firey depths below.

With flushed faces and a bit of a buzz, we slowly walked the streets of Salem, taking in all attractions it had to offer. By mid-day, our spirits were high all while our bank accounts were low. Shopping, coffee breaks, and even a few haunted houses took up a large chunk of our daylight schedule.

The most interesting part of my day, personally, was my first experience with a psychic. Two psychics, actually. I know, I know. Not everyone believes in such practices. However, I found my time spent with these spirited women quite interesting.

The first woman read my cards. While I shuffled the deck, I focused on family, friends, and my career. I left with a mostly positive outlook about my near future as I headed to meet with yet another woman. I posed in front of a camera as I placed my hand on sensors connected to a computer. A quick flash released, and soon enough, she peeled back a polaroid to reveal rings of violet and magenta surrounding my presence.

“A visionary,” she said. An uplifting spirit with ideas always stirring. Dynamic, inspirational, and charismatic. Emotional, compassionate, fulfilled. I will keep that photo forever.

We continued our day with a stroll through the well-known Salem cemetery; outcasts buried a midst commoners, just as we were outcasts walking a midst spirits of the dead. Time was taken to read tombstones with patience, all in knowing we would soon learn more about those buried beneath us.

Our comfortable fall day had turned into a cold autumn night that nipped at our noses. Capturing the historic spirit of Salem’s past, we joined in on a walking tour. While traveling through the bustling yet silent streets of Salem, we heard stories of witchcraft hysteria, infamous murders, haunting spirits, all mixed in with trivia about our favorite Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. It was a perfect ending to an eventful day.

Despite the chill in the air, as well as the chill up our spines, we all stayed warm with the spirits of the season. 

jacqui o’doodles, where have you been?

I have big ideas floating amidst my creative brain. It involves making a lot out of something, not just something out of nothing.

I have finally gotten around to making a few minor updates to my portfolio blog. Now, if I could just find the time to get cracking on designing and implementing my website…

The district sleeps alone tonight.

My trip to Washington, D.C. this weekend was exciting and above all exhausting. Four days of nonstop walking, metro riding, site seeing and tourist action was just not enough time to fit in all a city with such culture has to offer.

I had my camera strapped to my back throughout the entire trip. Three hundred plus photos later, it has been impossible for me to narrow down my favorites. All I know is I must find time to go back and make another visit so I can take three hundred plus more.

The calm before the storm.

I had quite an eventful few days this past weekend. Friday evening marked the birthday celebration of one of my great friends. The night time weather was absolutely perfect as we boarded a boat to cruise the Boston Harbor. The waters were a bit rocky, a forewarning that Hurricane Irene was slowly headed up the coast, but we were able to sway with the tides as we rocked back and forth in sync with the help of a few cocktails.

I took quite a risk by taking my camera on the cruise boat, but captured some great photos of friends. However, my favorites were those of the Boston cityscape, looking as bright and blurry as our own personal visions that evening.

The last thing on our minds was the fact we would soon be experiencing inches of rain spitting from the skies at the same rate as the high mile hurricane winds. Power outages are still in effect across the state of Massachusetts, and roads and landscapes are still strewn with debris.

I am hoping to capture some of the damage before the big clean-up ensues.