I Love You, Fall...

Hello fall... I'm so happy that you're here!

Prippys love fall because it means tons of tweed, tailgates, apple picking, pumpkin carving, hats and scarfs, fires, and the leaves changing.

Fall has always been my favorite season, and after such a hot summer, I'm happy that the cooler breezes are blowing. Oh, and that Pumpkin Spice Lattes are here.



I'm also excited to check out the full moon tonight. Have a feeling I'll be humming this classic tune...

What's your favorite thing about fall?

I Love You, Maine

Maine is one of my favorite places on earth. Prippys simply love Maine!

Since it feels like summer is coming early today, I started thinking of my favorite places to spend those long warm nights. Maine immediately came to mind!

Here are some of my favorite things about Maine:


Conte's... one of the most unique and legendary restaurants in the country. Located on the water in Rockland, it's a must and pure Maine.


Wild blueberries... the beautiful wild blueberries cover the hills, making the landscape even more gorgeous. Plus, they make for delicious blueberry crisp, blueberry ice cream, and blueberry beer!


Lobster... a lobster roll from Red's Eats is a good way to start! One of my favorite Maine memories involved driving along the coast to a lobster pound a bit south of Camden. We crossed tiny bridges along rocky coast to get the tastiest lobster you could imagine.


Summer nights with sweaters... Maine nights with sweaters and shorts. Sleeping with the windows open and needing a summer blanket is heaven.


So maybe a trip up the coast is in order this year!

What are some of your favorite summer spots? I definitely have more, but I've had Maine on the brain today!

I Love You, New Orleans... Music

Our New Orleans trip involved few planned agendas, and lots of bouncing from place to place based on recommendations from bartenders, bar patrons, oyster shuckers, cabbies, and friends. Thankfully, this led us to the Spellcaster Lodge (yep, that's it above) to see King Khan, Those Darlins, and Quintron and Miss Pussycat.


We went down the rabbit hole, and found ourselves in a basement bar that makes you feel like you've been swallowed by a Mardi Gras float. Check it out for yourself.


The first band we heard was the fabulously amazing Those Darlins. I've long loved rocky/country/bluegrassy/punky music (think Kings of Leon's first album), and hearing Those Darlins immediately put a smile on my face. They're adorable, while throwing out a ferocious charging energy! They'll be in DC early next year - definitely will let you know when and where!


Next up was King Khan and the BBQ Show. Folks around town LOVE these guys, and I totally get why... they're a great live show. Definitely worth checking out...


Finally, there was Quintron and Miss Pussycat. Wow. Seriously, tough to describe this act other than saying pull up some YouTube clips. Miss Pussy is a puppeteer, so I immediately loved her! Quintron (inventor of the Drum Buddy) has a fantastic stage presence, drawing you into the crazy experience.

I Love You, New Orleans... Cocktails

While our good time wasn't simply fueled by exotic booze drinks, it definitely was a part of the experience! We had Monsoons at Port of Call (note to self, not the cocktail to have as your last of the evening!). It tastes like Red Drink... I'm sure you know what I mean!


That's Paul at Tujagues pouring me some English Milk Punch... YUM! The drink takes him three days to make, involves cheese clothe, and has so many ingredients in it that he even forgot some without the recipe in front of him. Paul is a true cocktail enthusiast, while still being a great bartender who doesn't smirk if someone orders a Bud Light.


Milk Punch... Meet Sazerac! Paul has been written up for making the best of this New Orleans cocktail. My aversion to Rye Whiskey led me to only take a taste, but my boyfriend enjoyed it! Paul was proud to share the accolades he's received from Esquire and famous bar reviews. Totally deserved!


If these drinks aren't to your liking, pick a Between the Sheets, Bee's Knees, International, or White Tiger... to name a few. Yeah... I didn't know what they were either, but Paul was happy to help! Plus, there's always Abita!

I Love You, New Orleans

I'm back! What a wonderful, magical trip filled with unexpected adventures and truly amazing discoveries! Every thing was fabulous... but the 2 things that I can't stop thinking about are some of the new friends we made (the Saturn Bar family) and the ridiculously amazing bands we discovered!

I can't wait to share it with you over the next few days... especially since I consider myself a music geek and was blown away by what I experienced with the "Swamp Tech" bands. Just a taste... the above picture is Quintron at the incredible Spellcaster Lodge. If someone hasn't written a novel about this place (or at least a short story!), they should! Like I said... so much more to come!