We're back, baby!

Crawfish at Cathead Distillery - Yum!

As more and more Americans get vaccinated, more and more of our country (and economy) is re-opening. I'm beginning to see advertisements for public events (particularly those held outdoors) pop back up in my social media feeds. And I am here. For. IT!

The Old Capitol Inn downtown has a rooftop bar, and they've begun having live music (nothing huge, really, just 1-3 musicians at a pop) on the weekends again. The gorgeous weather we've been blessed with happened to coincide with one of those live music nights, and a group of us went out on an impromptu GNO to celebrate some recent professional accomplishments. The drinks were delicious, the music was good, and the company was enchanting.

A rooftop bar, a gorgeous night,
a delicious drink, and good friends!

Once crawfish season arrived, our local Cathead Distillery (who turned on a dime and began cranking out hand sanitizer - in addition to liquor - in the early days of the pandemic; I will be forever grateful to them) decided to launch a new line of hard seltzers during an outdoor crawfish boil. I couldn't resist! Off Shawn and I went to try some new drinks, eat some crawfish, and enjoy the fine air. (FYI - The seltzers are light and fruity - perfect for summer!) I ran into an old friend and his wife there, and they let me hold their new baby. Y'all. I had not held a baby in AGES. He was so cute. So snuggly. So chubby and sweet! Amazing.

The District at Eastover started advertising an outdoor 50s Night, which was a fundraiser for Ballet Magnificat and featured food, live music, bingo (!), and swing dance lessons. I found a 50s frock on Amazon, bought six bingo cards (because you KNOW I wasn't going home empty-handed), and sweet-talked Anita into going. What fun! A lot of folks dressed up, I won at bingo (thankyouverymuch), they had cool photo ops, and the weather was divine! 

50s Night with sweet Anita!

I hadn't been to the Mississippi TradeMart in over a year (I skipped Mistletoe Marketplace in favor of a river paddle in the fall.), and it has been completely rebuilt. I got the chance to see the new digs at Vintage Market Days, which Caron and I went to together. Caron and I had lunch at the Jackson Yacht Club (Their salmon Casesar salad is DELICIOUS, and we may have also had caramel pie.) before heading over, and the merchandise was a shabby chic DREAM! I found cute jewelry and homemade snacks, and we even got fruits and veggies from a farmer's market stall out there.

A dear work colleague got married. Married! I went to a wedding! We put on our "garden party smart" attire and went to the rooftop of The Faulkner, where two of the cutest men I've ever seen got married and danced in the sunshine with their family and friends. (And when I tell you we took the wardrobe guidance seriously, please trust me. Hubs had a bowtie. A hat. Suspenders. All of it. He is going to be the CUTEST little old man on the planet, when that time comes.)

My son had his first in-person band concert in a year and a half, too! Though attendance was limited (each student could only invite two guests), it was so good to be back at the school to support him in person. And he's learned so much since we saw him play last!

Smart garden party attire? Check and check.

He performed on the cymbals, the sleigh bells, and the snare drum. He's planning on participating in high school band, and it was so impressive to see how much he's learned.

My friend Laura and I met up at Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland for their Art, Wine & Wheels festival, which features outdoor booths of artwork from all over the country. I love going to museums and looking at art in general with Laura, because she knows so much about it (and she loves it so). I found a painting that reminded me of the trip I took in January to see my sister Grace, and I couldn't resist it. After a few hours of art shopping, we had drinks and dinner at Caet. (Their beef carpaccio is a revelation.) 

So many treasures at Art, Wine & Wheels!

Last weekend, Jill and I hopped in the car and drove to Hattiesburg for the Farm to Fork Ride or Run, which benefits Extra Table. (Extra Table is a consortium of restauranteurs working to end hunger in Mississippi. And they host fantastic fundraising events.) As soon as I saw this event advertised, I knew I'd go. We drove down after work on Friday, and checked into the Hotel Indigo. (I'd never stayed here before, but it was great. Really nice rooms/decor, and the hotel is completely walkable to a ton of nearby restaurants. Really well located.) 

We popped over to the Mahogany Bar for dinner (Moscow mules and shrimp and grits - yummmm). The next morning, we were up and at 'em to walk the 5K, which ran along the Longleaf Trace trail network. Perfect weather, shade, breezes, greeting other runners/walkers on the trail. When the race was over, there was a huge outdoor area full of live music, booths offering free food and drink, even a mechanical bull! (I didn't last long, but I did ride it!) 

See you guys out there!

All of this to say - I'm starting to feel like the great rubber band of the universe is snapping back to normal. More than 40 percent of all Mississippians have received at least one dose of the vaccine (with more lining up all the time), the weather is a blessing, and I have so much hope in my heart! Things are looking up, folks! I'll see you out there! 

P.S. Stay hydrated. Heh.