Bermuda

November 2019 Highlights: The Highs + Lows

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November was probably the month I spent the most time at home all year, and yet I got less writing work done than ever. But that’s for good reason—which you’ll have to read below to find out! I’m so ready to get back to writing, back to blogging and back to catching up on all the work that has piled up at a monstrous rate over the past couple months.

Last month, I only spent four nights in a hotel, two nights in an Airstream and three nights at my cousin’s house. I’m not going to lie, it was nice having so much time at home, especially after the jam-packed month that October was. Other than a couple day and overnight work trips to Franklin this month, we’re home until after Christmas when we have a two-one-punch of back-to-back weddings in Florida and Chattanooga.

Girls' Trip to Bermuda

Highs

We rented out the Victorian! I have never in my life been so happy to complete a project. After 7.5 years of working on the Vic, we turned over the keys to its new tenants last week. They’re a great local business who are as excited to inhabit it as we are to have renters for the next three years. Full post coming soon on the before-and-after transformation of our 1899 Queen Anne. Shoutout to our awesome realtor (and friend) Elizabeth Banks of Harton Realty for helping us move this process right along.

Renovating a Victorian House

We celebrated my mom’s 70th birthday in Bermuda. Bermuda was beautiful, and I’m so glad we went in with zero agenda as we had some crazy tropical storms the first couple days and laid low at the resort. The last two days, however, were perfect. I’d love to go back to Bermuda for longer with SVV and really dive in. It was a quick, cheap flight for us from Tennessee (with a 40-minute stopover in Atlanta) and an impossibly lovely destination, ideal for a girls’ trip. I won’t be blogging this one, so if you want recs, leave a comment and I’ll share what we loved with you personally.

Girls Trip to Bermuda
Girls Trip to Bermuda
Girls Trip to Bermuda

Girls Trip to Bermuda

Girls Trip to Bermuda
Girls Trip to Bermuda

Girls Trip to Bermuda

Girls Trip to Bermuda
Girls Trip to Bermuda
Girls Trip to Bermuda

We headed to the Smokies for Grains & Grits. I adore Townsend, Tennessee anytime of year, but it’s particularly magical in the fall—and doubly so when you’re there for Tennessee’s premier whiskey festival. We stayed in one of Little Arrow Resort’s two Airstream trailers, went to our second Grains & Grits, and had late-night hangs with so many of our favorite distillers and tourism industry friends.

Little Arrow Resort in Townsend, Tennessee
Little Arrow Resort in Townsend, Tennessee

Little Arrow Resort in Townsend, Tennessee

Little Arrow Resort in Townsend, Tennessee
Little Arrow Resort in Townsend, Tennessee

We spent three days in Memphis over the holidays. I love getting quality time with my cousin, her husband and their kids—we always have the most fun together. And SVV and I even managed to sneak away for a morning to find some new Memphis murals with our friends Alex and Leah, too!

Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins

Memphis cousins

Memphis cousins
Memphis cousins

Friends, friends and more friends. We threw an bourbon-and-BBQ-themed engagement party for one of my childhood best friends, Tracy, for whom I’ll be matron of honor in her February wedding. We also surprised another of my besties, Katy, with a birthday party full of confetti, wine and marshmallow tosses. The best months are the ones filled with best friends.

Tracy engagement party
Tracy engagement party
Tracy engagement party
Tracy engagement party
Tracy engagement party

Katy's birthday party

I turned in a couple BIG print assignments. It’s funny how my priorities as a journalist have changed; I used to chase the glamorous titles like Garden & Gun (to which I now say yawn), but you know what? Those don’t pay the best, and the editors are notoriously snooty. Instead, this past month I landed a couple big writing gigs with some major pubs (one with more than 30 million readers), and it felt good getting back in that mode and working with editors who value my skill and longevity in this industry.

Speaking of writing, SVV and I are new contributors to This Old House! How perfect a writing gig is that for a pair of home-renovating journalists? We’re just in the trial stage now, but I’ll post updates in the future on how that’s going.

Home Renovation: Fixing up an old 1800's Queen Anne Victorian home.

This lil ol’ blog was featured in Delta’s Sky magazine. Imagine my surprise while flying Delta back to Bermuda and seeing Camels & Chocolate featured in an article about Nashville murals! I love that, out of our passion, we’ve become go-to mural experts for other journalists. I actually just gave an interview yesterday for a publication writing about the importance of public art and can’t wait to see what that journo writes.

Delta Sky magazine
Delta Sky magazine

I was interviewed by NBC News. My friend Dana McMahan is one of the most prolific writers I know, and when she asked for stories about moving for love, I couldn’t have hopped on that train quicker. After all, it’s been nearly 12 years since I quit my job in New York City and moved to San Francisco for SVV. I’d say that worked out!

The View from Yerba Buena Island

I met Misadventures with Andi! In case you don’t already follow her, Andi Fisher is an amazing human, blogger and cheerleader of others’ successes. We’ve been blog friends for approximately a thousand years and finally met in person over lunch in Murfreesboro last month. I’ve met hundreds of bloggers and blog readers alike over the past decade, and it’s always such a nice treat when they’re every bit as effusive, kind and fun in person as you were expecting them to be.

Misadventures with Andi

Lows

The sinus infection that won’t go away. I never get sick—like never. So when I started getting stopped up and had a scratchy throat a few weeks ago, I assumed I caught SVV’s man cold and, in true female fashion, would be better the next day. Turns out I have an epic sinus infection instead, and the migraines, pressure and nasal congestion have been lingering for two weeks now. I was pretty miserable over Thanksgiving weekend and hated missing quality time with my cousins, but at least I’m getting a lot of rest and (finally? I hope…) on my way to recovery.

How was your November? Did you go anywhere for Thanksgiving?

COMMENTS
  • December 2, 2019

    You cannot imagine my delight as I read through one of my favorite monthly updates to find my own name mentioned. I am thrilled we met but sad it was so brief, although I feel like I’ve known you forever! Thanks friend!

    • December 3, 2019

      I’m sure we’ll have plenty of opportunities in the near future for longer meet-ups 😉 Thanks SO much for coming down to meet me!

  • December 5, 2019
    Keith

    Your journey is really amazing and inspiring. Keep up the good work and continue producing quality stuff on the blog. Love the pictures!

  • December 5, 2019
    Karina

    I would love to know more about your time in Bermuda—I’m looking at a tropical getaway for early 2020 and need some ideas!

  • December 8, 2019

    Loved this peek into your November. Hope you’re feeling better sooner rather than later, though. Sinus infections can be miserable, for sure. xo

  • December 12, 2019
    Velvet Karatzas

    True story. I bumped onto this site accidentally and was drawn by the liveliness of the images. So I stuck around a little more, because I got curious. And I love it because it feels real, nothing pretentious. So, if I close my eyes there is one image that comes back in mind and that’s the one with a mom and her two girls in awe (if I’m not mistaken that’s your cousin). Anyway, the point is that it seems to me that you had a great November and so I wish you a greater December!

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