Every once in a while, especially in the early morning hours when I have the opportunity to just sit in the quiet and watch the sun begin to rise like I am right now as I write this, I like to take time to reflect on all I have be grateful for – especially this past Summer. It’s been such a beautiful season for me so far, spent on so many various adventures both near and far with friends, family, and my thoughtful, loving boyfriend in the midst of gorgeous weather and perpetual sunshine.
While I can recall quite a few Summers of my past being filled with non-stop rain, canceled plans, or even just feeling like they were moving way too fast at a pace I couldn’t keep up with before it was suddenly time to pack away my shorts and sundresses and get ready for the Fall – this Summer has been slow, steady, and has left me feeling present, in the moment, and alive – like the endless Summers from my childhood I looked back on so fondly.
Those feelings of gratitude and savoring each moment were particularly noticeable during my recent annual ‘Girls Trip’ I took with some of my friends to Cape Cod for an extended weekend away. As is our new tradition, we each carpooled in a couple of different vehicles to meet at our cottage (one of my friend’s in-laws’ Summer house, which they generously allow us to use whenever we ask!) in Dennis on Thursday afternoon to regroup, put our stuff in our designated bedrooms, and then hit the town.
Our first afternoon/night was spent cuddling our trip mascot, my friends’ bulldog – Lexi – and heading into Hyannis for some shopping, dinner and drinks. I had written about Anejo earlier this week and what a beautiful backdrop it provided for our meal, but we’d also made stops at Wicked Willy’s Sports & Tiki Bar for some live music, dancing and cocktails before heading back home after the sun had set for a nightcap and some star-gazing on the back porch of our cottage.
On Friday morning, after grabbing an impressive brunch at Love Farms just down the street from where we were staying, it was off to Yarmouth Port to set out on one of our first planned adventures together – some deep sea fishing we’d had lined up for nearly a year now! I’d never been deep sea fishing, but was told to be prepared to get a little seasick in choppy waters. However, the ocean was the calmest I’ve ever seen it in recent years, and any bumps or waves were mild and very sporadic at best.
And maybe the calmness of the ocean meant the fish were seeking some thrills elsewhere, because we didn’t catch a single thing! While our friend Alyssa had caught a striper almost immediately after setting off, it was underweight and had to be tossed back after we captured an obligatory photo of her holding it up proudly.
We did see some jellyfish and a little pod of dolphins that swam alongside our boat, too – which was pure magic – but the bulk of our day was spent cruising along the shore, listening to music, and laughing as we shared stories and got to know our captain before it was time to head back to land.
On our way back, we encountered a lobster fisherman who knew our crew and who had been out gathering a couple of his traps. When he’d heard we didn’t catch anything – he generously gave us a couple of HUGE lobsters that he had caught so we wouldn’t go home empty handed. It was so sweet and we were so grateful!
Before heading back to the cottage to rinse off the sunscreen and salt water of the day, we stopped at a local fresh seafood shop to grab some additional lobsters, steamers, and vegetables – because we had decided to have a backyard seafood bake when we got home – and it was amazing!
On Saturday, our last full day in the area before we had to start preparing to head home, we had planned in advance to spend the day in Provincetown together. We’d opted to drive down instead of catching the ferry after making our morning cups of coffee and enjoying a homemade breakfast together in our cute little kitchen.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been to P.Town, but I vividly remember it raining a whole lot the last time I was there. This most recent trip, however, was nothing but sunshine and a mostly cloud-free sky as we strolled Commercial Street, doing plenty of shopping (annual hoodie acquired!) checking out some local artists/galleries and marveling at the beautiful, historic homes and storefronts.
And as far as keeping ourselves fueled during quick stops – we grabbed oysters at Helltown Kitchen, waterfront margaritas at Aqua Bar, and some pretty impressive sushi for dinner at JD’s.
Alyssa and I also made it a point to get matching henna shark tattoos before we left while the rest of the girls stopped by the Old Colony Tap (right next to the famous Lobster Pot!) for a quick beer.
Mine is still going strong, however – which makes me wonder if I’m going to have an actual ‘Jaws’-esque tattoo for the rest of my life. We’ll just have to wait and see!
On Sunday, after sleeping in, it was sadly time to begin packing and tidying up the cottage to begin heading home since some of the girls had to go to work Monday morning (I took the day off for this very reason!)
We’ve already started planning our itinerary for next year. It’s marked on our calendars and we have an outline of what we’re going to do next time – so I’m already excited! Well before that, though, we’re obviously going to have more hangouts and get-togethers, including some stuff that has been planned for the Fall, so the party rages on as far as I’m concerned!
All in all, this was another incredible trip together – spent in a place we all love and hold dear – and even though we didn’t catch any fish, even though I got the smallest of sunburns despite meticulously applying SPF like my life depended on it, and even though I had cuts on my hands and fingers from trying to crack those insanely huge lobsters (thank you for helping me, Tracey!) – I wouldn’t change a second of it. I had the best time with some of my best friends and I’m so, so grateful.
Next week, I’m sharing some more recent travel adventures, letting my boyfriend take the photography reins on a new ‘OOTD’ post, and whipping up another Summertime recipe while we’ve still got a few weeks of the Summer left!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 