A year has gone by already? In the words of Frank Barone, holy crap! That's right, the boy and I have been officially together for over a year now. It may not sound like a long time, but you don't find something so magical without a strong foundation of respect and friendship. It's a sweet story, in retrospect, and maybe one day I'll share. Maybe : ) Good things happen when you least suspect them.
To celebrate, we decided to take a mini-vacation. We're hoarding PTO for summer adventures! Our destination of choice: Eastern Shore, Maryland. Neither of us knew much about this area, and we still don't, but a co-worker retired there and fell in love with it. Plus, it is only a 2 hour drive from home. After work on Friday, we made our escape!
The drive was fairly smooth other than one tiny detail: the Bay Bridge. I had never heard of this bridge and we hit it when it was pitch black. The damn thing wouldn't end. I hate planes, they're a necessary evil for travel, and this was a similar uneasy feeling. You can't be brave unless you're scared of something. Out of my way bridge! (yah Mike totally drove on the way back haha!)
The hotel he selected was... ah-may-zinggggg!!! Technically speaking, it was a Hyatt resort. As we turned onto the long driveway, our jaws dropped. It was monstrous and gorgeous, with wide vistas of the water. There's a movie theater and Walmart off the main road, just outside the resort. He made sure the room had a beautiful view and we had a blast exploring the compound and shooting pool. It was the most peaceful sleep I've had in years.
The only con was the lack of restaurants outside the resort.
The only con was the lack of restaurants outside the resort.
Problem solved: I packed a little indoor dinner picnic. Nothing super fancy. I grabbed some sandwiches from Society Fair in Old Town Alexandria, a box of Oreos (his fav), and a side of veggies. I customized a label and slapped it on a standard Turkey Hill bottle of ice tea. For dessert, he suggested we make one of my favorite cakes in the whole wild world: German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan frosting. I made the cake; he made the frosting. Sweet Jesus help us all... I am a FIEND for this combination. The recipe was on the side of the chocolate box. Oh so good and adorable in a heart shaped pan. *drool*
The following day, we scoped out the local town of Easton for lunch. We were hell bent on waffles and waffles... we did NOT find. Again, the restaurant selection was very limited, and we settled on a french-american spot named Brasserie Brightwall. He ordered the Brasserie burger with fries,($12.50) I ordered a croque monsieur ($9.75). They were both okay- the fries were his favorite part of the meal and I was sad because there was no jam served with my sandwich. The decor was a little eclectic and lacked flow but overall, the natural lighting paired with wooden tables and clean glass bottles made it charming.
We ended our visit with a cup of cafe at the Red Hen. They were playing a mix of indie music; the side room was obviously used for live music performances, always a plus. Seating was rustic and comfy. We sat down and commenced the anniversary collaboration project. Each year, we're going to do a small piece to celebrate. His raw talent has left me in awe since the day we met back in 2007. I remember the first time seeing one of his drawings and thinking, "this... THIS came out of THAT man's head?!" Never ceases to amaze and inspire.
Eastern Shore, we will be back! Thank you for existing and blessing me with a fantastic year Navi Bun Bun, plenty more to follow!
