More and more I’m interested in good long-form writing. And by long form, I mean more than a two-paragraph news blurb. The market for this kind of writing has been decimated in the past decade—to write an article of any length is complete anathema to the digital reader. But part of me wants these stories now. They are interesting. They explore topics I hadn’t known I wanted to learn more about. They tell me more …
Bar Harbor, Maine
Andrew and I first vacationed in Maine in 2013 and fell in love with this beautiful island. We’ve been back every year since and feel like Mt. Desert Island is our home away from home now. We even got married there. Here are a few of our recommendations for things to do (and for more ideas, check out Our Acadia). Where to Stay The Asticou Inn Andrew and I love the Asticou Inn—we got married …
Salzburg, Austria
Our last stop on our 2015 Europe trip was Salzburg, Austria. We had a bit of trouble leaving Venice as we could not find an operational station to buy tickets for the public ferry. After multiple attempts, we decided to try buying one on the boat and were successful. Our 5-hour drive to Salzburg took us through 27 tunnels. Our first stop in Salzburg was the Mirabell Gardens, which are filled with fantastic sculptures, from …
Venice, Italy
I’ve actually been to Venice three times now, but my favorite trip was my latest, with Andrew on our 2015 trip that started in Munich. We drove from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Venice, which took about five hours—on the longer end of what I’d recommend for a mid-trip drive, but totally worth it. As there are no cars allowed in Venice, we parked ours in one of the large garages at Piazzale Roma and took the public ferry …
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Our next stop after Munich was Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a town I still am not confident I am accurately pronouncing. I chose it because I wanted to stay somewhere in the Alps that would have that classic Bavarian character. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a popular ski town close to the highest peak in Germany, the Zugspitze, and we loved our stay there. I would definitely go back. We set out from Munich in our rental car and finally figured …
Family Pumpkin Picking, Wightman’s Farm, NJ
My husband has been taking an annual October trip to Wightman’s Farm in New Jersey since he was a kid. He and his brother have continued the family tradition, so we rent a car each year and head out to New Jersey for pumpkin picking, a hay ride, and a try at the pumpkin slingshot. Our nieces, who are now 8 and 4, are the ostensible reason for this trip, but I think it’s as …
Munich, Germany
In 2015, Andrew and I took a 10-day trip to Europe, with stops in Munich, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Venice and Salzburg. We arrived in Munich on Andrew’s 30th birthday. On the flight over, we experienced the marked differences between American airlines and European ones as our short flight from New York to DC only offered us a “water service” while our Lufthansa flight to Munich served free wine all night. Our arrival in Germany began with a …
On Getting Laid Off
This May, I was laid off from my job of five years. It came as a complete shock and was especially difficult because I loved that job. I had been there for five years and would have continued to work there for the foreseeable future. I had been promoted to a manager position a year before and felt I was thriving in my new role. I loved my team, I loved my work and I …
Why I’m Starting This Blog and What’s Happening to Ultimate Bridesmaid
Hi, there. For those of you who have been following along on Ultimate Bridesmaid, you may be wondering what this new blog is and what’s happening to my old one. Well, here’s the answer. Is Ultimate Bridesmaid going away? Short answer: No. Longer answer: Maybe. The thing is, I started Ultimate Bridesmaid a little over five years ago, at a time in my life when attending weddings, bachelorette parties, and bridal showers was a new …
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Lake Placid, Adirondacks, NY
Last weekend, Andrew and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary with a trip to Lake Placid in the Adirondacks, New York. We decided on Lake Placid because though we’ve both lived in New York City for the past 10 years, we’ve yet to make it up to the Adirondacks. We’ve visited both the Catskills and the Poconos, but hadn’t gotten this gorgeous mountain region in yet. Lake Placid is about a 5 to 6 hour …
Caitlin Kenney Smith 