“Peace fell upon her spirit. Strong comfort and assurance bathed her whole being. Life was so solid and splendid, and so good.”

— Thomas Wolfe, You Can't Go Home Again

The N.C. Appalachian Mountains are magical. We all know this. But they have this uncanny ability to calm you down, make you contemplate your life, and make you feel at home. We headed up to Burnsville, specifically along Cattail Creek, in the middle of October. The roads we traversed were clothed in freshly yellow + red foliage, as we trekked across I-40 + small state highways, climbing in elevation. Something told me that this short weekend escape with family would be well worth it. Relaxing + fulfilling; full of fresh air + adventure.

That something was right.

We pulled into our home for the weekend, a sign, "Shalom" greeted us. The car door opened + the sound of rushing water instantly filled our ears. Tucked away behind a mountaintop, nestled into the rocks of Cattail Creek, a cool breeze welcomed us as our childlike wonders took over. Dad quickly grabbed his fishing pole + disappeared. Wyatt, his guitar, + his Jack-Kerouac-soul climbed some rocks to pick some melodies. Mom quickly explored the kitchen and started her apple pie she'd been talking about for a week. I explored with my camera + clumsy self across rocks and mini-rapids as Jerry followed behind keeping me safe.

We all knew in that moment, this was going to be a peaceful escape.

We took a short hike up the mountain which was across the creek from where we stayed. Wyatt, our resident mountain man, led us up through the rocks + trees until we decided it was getting to dark to be out there.

Wyatt + Jerry went back up that mountain the next morning and Dad went fly fishing. I wish I went with them, but my clumsy self got the cotton end of a q-tip stuck in my ear. Their adventure was better than mine.

We decided to have a short drive around the area because what else are you supposed to do on a golden Saturday as you search for lunch? Stopping in Little Switzerland for sandwiches, Dad then had to ride the "Diamondback." This 12-mile stretch of road included 200 (yes, 200!) curves. While he didn't ride it in his little red Italian Mistress (his Alfa Romeo), he did get to ride it, which was my Dad Tax to what I put him (and everyone else) through next.

APPLE PICKING. Such a fall tradition that we've never done. I've had an apple shoot planned in the back of my mind for a while (stay tuned for that post) and since we were in apple country, carpe diem, right? Mom + I wanted to go, and were happy to go without these complaining manly men, yet they insisted they go. It was obvious they enjoyed it. They got to play with big sticks + carry heavy bags of apples, so their masculinity definitely wasn't damaged.

What nobody expected was to let me lead our apple-picking hike. They put me in charge. So I did what I wanted and picked the longest trail to walk. It didn't look so long on their map, I swear. But once they started doubting me, we took a detour...a beautiful one at that, and 2+ miles later, we made it back to the parking lot. Needless to say, don't leave me in charge unless you want to wander around for hours and rack up some serious steps on your fitbit.

Thank goodness we had some form of sustenance. York apples, FTW!

So our trail got rather treacherous. Log bridges, slippery rocks, steep hills. But hey, we made a memory, right?

No mountain excursion is complete without a ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway. And of course, Mom gets her selfie game on like no other.

Our last evening at Cattail Creek was cold, but that didn't matter. A star shoot was going to happen.

Our last morning at Cattail Creek was lazy. We didn't want to leave. We lingered at the creek watching the vibrant leaves fall into the water.

We explored a dilapidated antique + furniture repair shop.

And we hopped around on the rocks one last time, and of course, took a family photo for Mom. Dad rigged some sweet trick system that helped my crappy tripod not drop my camera into the rocks + creek. I hit the shutter button, leaped around + somehow made it on top of the rocks just in time. But I hope Mom is ok that all of these came out goofy.

Cattail Creek, you were good to our souls. It's nice to have an escape to bring you back down to Earth, just like the leaves.

“And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be”

— "Let It Be"-The Beatles

In the midst of these blogs, our family lost someone very dear to our hearts + lives. My GREAT Uncle Dana passed away Monday. Great is such an understatement...GRAND, maybe, but that still is not sufficient. He was a remarkable man who was always the life of the party and loved with more than anyone could imagine. His charm, endearing spirit, and endless love for life will live on with us. He taught Wyatt + I how to drive a tractor, take care of baby birds, feed foxes, and how to camp. He also taught us how to drink + make unbelievable toasts (always stand ON TOP of the table). He let us romp around his house, drool over his underwater photos, + he taught us that life is too short to live by the rules. You're our light shining on us crazy fools down here. We will miss you so much, as our hearts beat for you like Big Ben, which still beats for you, too! Many neck kisses + prayers for Aunt Lin, the Vied family, + friends who lost an iconic soul today.

Outside of visiting my dear family, here are three things I adore about London:

vibrant marketplaces,
food,
+ art.

These three things easily make London a must-see international city on my list. There are far a few things that make me happier than exploring with my camera, a good cup of coffee, food markets, and seeing art in real life.

One of our market outings was to Old Spitalfields Market in Spitalfields, London. We stopped by Nude Coffee Roasters for our morning coffee and some toast. I got toasted banana bread topped with greek yogurt + honey-lime drizzle, which is by far the fanciest + tastiest toast in all the world. That fueled us enough to go explore the antique market day at Spitalfields. This space was full of glorious light leaking in from skylights + corridors. The menagerie of goods was far and wide, from antique trombones + trains to maps + antlers, you could find pretty much everything outside of large furniture here.

Borough Market, mother of all food markets, had one thing that stood out: "food glorious food." From its vendors for sandwiches, thai pancakes, indian food, and paella, to its bakers' goods + farmers' market produce, there is literally a treat at every historical corner from all over the globe with a local twist. Be sure to leave some room in your stomach and prepare yourself for many delicacies. We managed to stuff ourselves with a gooey grilled cheeses, green juice, honey tastings, baklava, + fresh chocolate bon bons.

With tummies full of "food glorious food," one is ready to tackle the Tate Modern. Home of some astounding modern art, including Roy Lichtenstien's Whaam!, Andy Warhol's Marilyn Diptic, a plethora of Picasso's, Dalí's, Mondrian's, + Kadinsky's, among many other modern masterpieces. There is something so gratifying finally seeing art in real life, over seeing it on a screen. Even if art isn't your thing, the Tate Modern is definitely worth a walk through because of its iconic collections and the buzz + energy that fills the gallery spaces.

Also, it seems that something is always going on outside the museum. I just happened to walk into giant bubbles from the resident bubble man. Kids eating bubbles, head-butting bubbles, popping bubbles, + relishing in a public bubble bath...nothing beats bubbles, y'all.

Another free gallery that you should check out if you have any interest in photography, is The Photographers' Gallery. Hidden behind the Boots near Oxford Circus, this petite gallery is worth the hour or so of your time that it takes to explore it's exhibits. We got to see Shirley Baker's "Women, Children and Loitering Men," which documented poverty during the urban declines of Manchester + Salford between the 1961-1981. Social documentary photography at its finest. We then went upstairs to see "We Want More: Image Making and Music in the 21st Century" which explored how image making has defined the music industry from both professional and fan-based standpoints. Brilliant little gallery that is another must for London. Their print sales gallery is currently a Sebastião Salgado exhibit that I'm sure worth your money, especially if you loved The Salt of the Earth as much as I did.

Shoreditch is a hip neighborhood in East London, comparable to Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Sweet art, cool colors, awesome people, and wifi EVERYWHERE. Also, @Boxpark, an eating, shopping, and entertainment experience contained inside recycled shipping containers. How millennial?! It's a pretty sweet little corner of Shoreditch, and worth it at least for Sutton & Sons fish and chips.

Following fish and chips, one must get an iconic Mr. Whippy with a Cadbury Flake so you can fully be a gawking tourist as you stare at Big Ben, walk across Westminster Bridge to the London Eye, and try not to get hit by a black cab. Take a minute and listen to Peter Hewlett rock the bagpipes on the bridge, but try not to get accosted by gypsies trying to force you to gamble as you make your way back to the Southbank.

We fell in love with the spirit surrounding the Southbank. From the adorable kids who got to experience their first polaroid phenomenon with Tess on the Eye, to the Friday evening food market, university graduations, and murals surrounding you, sometimes, you just have to take a second, breathe, and be thankful that you have the chance to experience + contribute to the surrounding energy.

Oh London, you're so bittersweet.