Vietnam Memorial Wall

It is very humbling to walk up to a memorial larger than you expect it to be, with more names than you expect it to be... all of those names being young men who died in a war that most didn't even sign up to serve in, just to protect our American way of life. It is very humbling to see the memorial not only in itself but the small trinkets that family left behind place near the names of their loved ones on a wall in memorium.

I was honored to be able to see this piece of history containing almost 58, 000 names on it. It was an honor to the area where I live that this traveling version of the Vietnam Memorial also known as the "Wall that Heals" would come to NE Ohio. Thousands visited the wall while it was here and I am glad I was one of them.

You can learn more about the wall and where it will be next by visiting their site at http://www.travelingwall.us/

Summer Nights, Patriotism, and Country Music

While all of the above certainly go together, you don't expect to find it at a Mexican Restaurant..... but that is exactly what I did!

Chris Higbee, a local to NE Ohio, put on an absolutely amazing show the other night in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant. He even climbed on the roof with his fiddle doing an awesome rendition of Charlie Daniels "Devil Went Down to Georgia."

The whole show ended with a salute to American's brave who protect our freedom everyday, playing "Angry American" and the National Anthem.

It was a salute that could bring tears to your eyes!

Rainy Night

Normally on any given Friday night I can be found out to dinner somewhere around town with the girls. Nothing better than a vent session, a glass of wine, and a few friends who work in the same industry who can relate. This particular Friday night though the whole area flooded... like drastically flooded!

So what's a gal to do? Not able to make it across town to my usual plans, I called my BFF to play pool for the night at a local dive bar. Anyone who knows me well, knows I love a rainy night and a little storm even with flooding wasn't going to keep me home!

Jeans by Levi's in Classic Straight Cut, T- shirt from Maurice's, flannel from American Eagle, Shoes by Sperry, and of course Grandma's pearls (yes even with a flannel on a rainy night).

A Dog Park Beach!

In every effort to socialize Dante more, I have been trying all of the local dog parks. One dog park in Trumbull County has an actual beach the dogs can walk on and go in the water. I'm not so sure Dante is a grand swimmer yet but he did enjoy walking in the sand along the beach.

More information on this local dog park can be found at Mosquito Lake Dog Park's Facebook page.

 

Top by H&M (no longer available), Shorts by JCrew Factory in British Khaki, Hat by Vineyard Vines.

Purse B-I-N-G-O

What happens when a room full of women get together to play Bingo and the prizes are designer handbags?????   They raise a ton of $$$$$$$$$$ for Down's Syndrome!!!!!!!!!!!! We weren't winner of a new Kate Spade bag but it was still a great evening!

A Small Change....

Have you ever just walked around your home and loved how you did it but wish there was just something different... but you can't quite place your finger on it?

I did that this weekend....

That's when you need to just try one small change... nothing drastic... just to see if it makes everything else seem new again too...

Walking through I focused on this one very slim small wall headed out of my kitchen....

It seems like a minor wall in reality but these same items have been hanging here for what feels like forever...
 
This is seemed could be my small change.... but what to do? I love old vintage photos and this worked out well for me in my bathroom, so I hit Pintrest and searched for old Italian photos that would relate the the newly popular farmhouse kitchen theme and found found quite a few.... next I headed to the Dollar Store to buy some black frames ( I am partial lately to black frames).... the end result was a wonderful outcome of a small change for a big impact!

Buona Festa!!!!!!!!!!!

In continuation of the week long Italian Patron Saint celebration occurring annually in the small ethnic town of Lowellville, OH, the town continues with a nightly festival followed by our unique "Baby Doll Dance." The Baby Doll dance is yet another custom that cannot be explained unless you see it and not truly understood unless you lived it....

During this week the "place to be" is this festival... there is no where else to be.... family, food, friends, culture and fun!

The men enjoy their morro tournaments and bocce every night.... others can be found in the gambling tents....

This Baby Doll tee can still be ordered by contacting the society through their Facebook page at Ladies Mt. Carmel Society. Message for pricing and sizes.

Each night the festival is ended with the magical Baby Doll dance.... again if you haven't seen it and don't know... it just can't be truly explained. The music cues up and there is a childlike excitement in the air.... The doll dances and the fireworks shoot into the air and every Calabrian in the crowd is shaking their fist at rough year that has just ended!! Buona Festa..... until next year!