♪♫ Another Day in Paradise - Phil Collins
This month has been the most amazing month of the past year... and perhaps the past few years. I went on my annual road trip to New Brunswick to visit my best friend for two weeks, but this time, we went on a five day trip to Salem, Massachusetts in the United States. Although Salem was the main destination, we also stopped in Bangor and Augusta, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, we went to Boston for half a day, went to Fall River, Massachusetts to visit the Lizzie Borden House, and we also went to Providence, Rhode Island for half a day. We did a lot in a short period of time and I had so much fun! I did most of the tourist-y things in Salem; went to the Witch House, the Salem Witch Museum, the Halloween Museum, the Witch Board Museum, the International Monster Museum, we ate at a haunted restaurant, we went on a ghost walking tour at night, plus we walked around to explore and went into tons of cute shops! Its such a fun place with spooky vibes. Even though we went in the summer, it still felt like Halloween! We didn't get to do everything though, so we definitely want to go back!
In Rhode Island and New Hampshire we mostly just looked in some shops, drove around a bit and went to restaurants for dinner. We didn't get to do much, but it was cool to see what both places are like. Although I must say driving in Providence was stressful because they have cameras everywhere to enforce then speed limit. Where I live, everyone speeds a bit. It was hard to constantly try not to exceed 30 miles per hour. Speaking of driving, I drove in Boston! I'm proud of myself. It really wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I explored the city and got to drive in underground tunnels for the first time. I also drove through the Harvard campus and saw the hotel that the Tipton is based on while I was there (from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). We walked through the mall, then went to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. We don't have it in Canada and neither of us has tried it before, so we were super excited! It didn't disappoint. I got stuffed mushrooms, which were delicious, then the cheesecake... oh my goodness... it was divine. I couldn't even eat it all in one sitting. I took it back to the Airbnb to finish. I wish I could have done more in Boston, but my friend only lives a five hour drive away and we are already discussing maybe doing another little trip there for our birthdays (our birthdays are only eleven days apart).
Another weird thing I feel compelled to mention is how many wild rabbits I saw in Massachusetts. It was so strange. In Salem, we saw a rabbit on the doorstep of the Airbnb when we walked up, then it hopped away. It felt like some sort of supernatural experience, haha. Then we saw a bunch in the middle of downtown Boston! I've seen rabbits where I live, but only near the woods. Never in the middle of the city. It was so weird!
Aside from all of that, we also ate some amazing meals. We went to Olive Garden again, which is my favorite US restaurant. I think I've eaten there five or six times now. We also went to Longhorn Steakhouse for the first time and the steak was amazing! It reminded me of a steakhouse that used to be where I live. It was a popular spot for decades and very nostalgic, but sadly they closed. Anyways, we also ate at a place called The Ugly Mug Diner in Salem, which I highly recommend. We had to wait for a seat because it was so busy! I got steak and eggs, and wow... perfection. The other meal that was memorable was from the haunted restaurant we went to, called Rockafellas. I got a hummus platter with veggie and pita bread, and my best friend got mini pulled pork sliders. We shared our meals with each other and it was amazing. I regret not taking a picture of it.
here are my photos from the trip
The highlight of the trip, for me, was the Lizzie Borden house. The tour was thorough and definitely worth the money. The house has super creepy vibes and while in the attic I started to feel faint (but I hadn't told anyone or shown signs of it), and the tour guide told us that folks often get faint in the attic and they believe its related to a spirit. Freaked me out a little! Also, they took us to the basement where years prior they had someone spray luminol on the floor boards just under where the father was murdered, and there were still small specs of blood! Next door to the house is an old home that used to belong to relatives of the Borden family, which is now a Lizzie Borden themed coffee shop. We went in and got some delicious iced coffee, haha. Before I forget the coolest part of this experience: we ended up in the newspaper! Someone had vandalized a traffic sign across from the Lizzie Borden house the night prior to make it look like Lizzie Borden with an axe, and as we walked past it, a man took our picture. He then approached us and said he worked for the newspaper and that we would be in it! I checked a couple days later and he was telling the truth! Sadly I only have a screenshot of their web version of the article. Its not a flattering photo of me, so I'm not gonna post it on here, but its cool I ended up in the newspaper anyways!
Here is what I got for souvenirs. First of all, I got a postcard from each place I went to. I collect postcards from trips because they're cheap and don't take up much space. I saved some brochures and tickets from places we went. The Halloween Museum didn't have a ticket or brochure, but I saved the 3D glasses they gave me. I also saved the bag from the cheesecake factory... don't laugh at me! Haha! For larger items, I got a vintage pumpkin pail and a vintage Halloween treat bag from an antique shop/thrift store called Jerry's Department Store. I highly recommend if you love vintage Halloween! I got a Salem shirt, a Salem key chain, and a pencil (impulse purchase because it was only 30 cents). Finally, in Providence, I ended up buying a magnet because the artwork was really cool. Overall, I didn't overspend and didn't buy too much stuff. Most of these items are going into my travel memories box (aside from the vintage Halloween items, shirt, keychain, and pencil). I also turned my vacation pictures into poloraids and they'll be going in the box as well. Just waiting for the photo centre to finish printing them.
On the way back, we stopped in Bangor, Maine, and I went to Target since its my favorite store in the US. I bought a Tree Hut body scrub, a pumpkin candle, and a thin yellow comforter to put on my bed during summer (I searched everywhere in my city but couldn't find a thin yellow one).
When we got back to New Brunswick, the fun didn't end! Unfortunately there was an issue with the power at her house. She just moved in and they connected it to the wrong house. Since we returned on a Friday, we had to wait until Monday for them to fix it. We ended up going across the border to Calais, Maine to stay in a hotel for two nights. During that time, it just so happened to be the International Festival. Its an annual event to celebrate the friendship between the border town of St. Stephen, New Brunswick and Calais, Maine. It involved a parade, an outdoor market, a beer garden, and fireworks! We only participated in browsing the outdoor market and going to the fireworks, but it was fun! I also went to Walmart in Calais for even more items; two more Tree Hut scrubs, Bodycology Hawaiian Beach body wash, Body Fantasies Cotton Candy spray, celestial flared leggings, an orange sweater, and a couple treats. After the power situation was resolved, we did a lot more fun stuff; went to a vintage car show, went swimming (I learned what a dock spider is & they're terrifyingly big!), had a campfire & made s'mores, went for ice cream, went thrifting/antiquing, and my favorite part: saw the Northern Lights! It was more faint to the naked eye than what the camera picked up, but it was still super cool! I hope to see them much more vibrant someday.
I didn't want my trip to end, but sadly it had to. Since I returned, I have been mostly working, cleaning/organizing my room, and getting ready for school. However... I did go to a concert for the first time in several years; Platinum Blonde & Billy Idol! I went with my dad and we had an awesome time! He was more excited for Platinum Blonde since he went to see them when he was younger and it was nostalgic. I was more excited for Billy Idol. He really puts on a good show. I was so happy that he played Eyes Without a Face and Hot in the City, since those are my favorite songs of his.
Oh, I nearly forgot... my thrifting finds! I already covered the first two items, so I'll move onto the third one; a '90s colbalt celestial candle holder ($2.99). I have wanted one for a long time, so I was thrilled to find this in Providence, Rhode Island! I hope to come across the sun and star versions someday to complete the set. The fourth item is a set of three Merry Mushroom cansiters ($50 total)! I was blown away that I found these for so cheap and that they were in excellent condition. They are hard to find, and typically one canister is sold for $50. This set would be $150-$200 online. I have wanted a set of three for so long. I have two of the Canadian version canisters, but this is the American version and I think its much cuter. The fifth item is a cute mid century modern set of plastic canisters for flour and coffee ($3). It was so cheap, in decent condition, and I thought they were cute, so they came home with me! Final item is a '90s celestial shower curtain ($6.99). I thrifted the matching window curtains a while back, so now my future home will have a celestial themed bathroom! Now I'll be on the hunt for '90s celestial bathroom items (trash can, soap dispenser, soap dish, etc).
This month has been the most amazing month of the past year... and perhaps the past few years. I went on my annual road trip to New Brunswick to visit my best friend for two weeks, but this time, we went on a five day trip to Salem, Massachusetts in the United States. Although Salem was the main destination, we also stopped in Bangor and Augusta, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, we went to Boston for half a day, went to Fall River, Massachusetts to visit the Lizzie Borden House, and we also went to Providence, Rhode Island for half a day. We did a lot in a short period of time and I had so much fun! I did most of the tourist-y things in Salem; went to the Witch House, the Salem Witch Museum, the Halloween Museum, the Witch Board Museum, the International Monster Museum, we ate at a haunted restaurant, we went on a ghost walking tour at night, plus we walked around to explore and went into tons of cute shops! Its such a fun place with spooky vibes. Even though we went in the summer, it still felt like Halloween! We didn't get to do everything though, so we definitely want to go back!
In Rhode Island and New Hampshire we mostly just looked in some shops, drove around a bit and went to restaurants for dinner. We didn't get to do much, but it was cool to see what both places are like. Although I must say driving in Providence was stressful because they have cameras everywhere to enforce then speed limit. Where I live, everyone speeds a bit. It was hard to constantly try not to exceed 30 miles per hour. Speaking of driving, I drove in Boston! I'm proud of myself. It really wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I explored the city and got to drive in underground tunnels for the first time. I also drove through the Harvard campus and saw the hotel that the Tipton is based on while I was there (from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). We walked through the mall, then went to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. We don't have it in Canada and neither of us has tried it before, so we were super excited! It didn't disappoint. I got stuffed mushrooms, which were delicious, then the cheesecake... oh my goodness... it was divine. I couldn't even eat it all in one sitting. I took it back to the Airbnb to finish. I wish I could have done more in Boston, but my friend only lives a five hour drive away and we are already discussing maybe doing another little trip there for our birthdays (our birthdays are only eleven days apart).
Another weird thing I feel compelled to mention is how many wild rabbits I saw in Massachusetts. It was so strange. In Salem, we saw a rabbit on the doorstep of the Airbnb when we walked up, then it hopped away. It felt like some sort of supernatural experience, haha. Then we saw a bunch in the middle of downtown Boston! I've seen rabbits where I live, but only near the woods. Never in the middle of the city. It was so weird!
Aside from all of that, we also ate some amazing meals. We went to Olive Garden again, which is my favorite US restaurant. I think I've eaten there five or six times now. We also went to Longhorn Steakhouse for the first time and the steak was amazing! It reminded me of a steakhouse that used to be where I live. It was a popular spot for decades and very nostalgic, but sadly they closed. Anyways, we also ate at a place called The Ugly Mug Diner in Salem, which I highly recommend. We had to wait for a seat because it was so busy! I got steak and eggs, and wow... perfection. The other meal that was memorable was from the haunted restaurant we went to, called Rockafellas. I got a hummus platter with veggie and pita bread, and my best friend got mini pulled pork sliders. We shared our meals with each other and it was amazing. I regret not taking a picture of it.
The highlight of the trip, for me, was the Lizzie Borden house. The tour was thorough and definitely worth the money. The house has super creepy vibes and while in the attic I started to feel faint (but I hadn't told anyone or shown signs of it), and the tour guide told us that folks often get faint in the attic and they believe its related to a spirit. Freaked me out a little! Also, they took us to the basement where years prior they had someone spray luminol on the floor boards just under where the father was murdered, and there were still small specs of blood! Next door to the house is an old home that used to belong to relatives of the Borden family, which is now a Lizzie Borden themed coffee shop. We went in and got some delicious iced coffee, haha. Before I forget the coolest part of this experience: we ended up in the newspaper! Someone had vandalized a traffic sign across from the Lizzie Borden house the night prior to make it look like Lizzie Borden with an axe, and as we walked past it, a man took our picture. He then approached us and said he worked for the newspaper and that we would be in it! I checked a couple days later and he was telling the truth! Sadly I only have a screenshot of their web version of the article. Its not a flattering photo of me, so I'm not gonna post it on here, but its cool I ended up in the newspaper anyways!
Here is what I got for souvenirs. First of all, I got a postcard from each place I went to. I collect postcards from trips because they're cheap and don't take up much space. I saved some brochures and tickets from places we went. The Halloween Museum didn't have a ticket or brochure, but I saved the 3D glasses they gave me. I also saved the bag from the cheesecake factory... don't laugh at me! Haha! For larger items, I got a vintage pumpkin pail and a vintage Halloween treat bag from an antique shop/thrift store called Jerry's Department Store. I highly recommend if you love vintage Halloween! I got a Salem shirt, a Salem key chain, and a pencil (impulse purchase because it was only 30 cents). Finally, in Providence, I ended up buying a magnet because the artwork was really cool. Overall, I didn't overspend and didn't buy too much stuff. Most of these items are going into my travel memories box (aside from the vintage Halloween items, shirt, keychain, and pencil). I also turned my vacation pictures into poloraids and they'll be going in the box as well. Just waiting for the photo centre to finish printing them.
On the way back, we stopped in Bangor, Maine, and I went to Target since its my favorite store in the US. I bought a Tree Hut body scrub, a pumpkin candle, and a thin yellow comforter to put on my bed during summer (I searched everywhere in my city but couldn't find a thin yellow one).
When we got back to New Brunswick, the fun didn't end! Unfortunately there was an issue with the power at her house. She just moved in and they connected it to the wrong house. Since we returned on a Friday, we had to wait until Monday for them to fix it. We ended up going across the border to Calais, Maine to stay in a hotel for two nights. During that time, it just so happened to be the International Festival. Its an annual event to celebrate the friendship between the border town of St. Stephen, New Brunswick and Calais, Maine. It involved a parade, an outdoor market, a beer garden, and fireworks! We only participated in browsing the outdoor market and going to the fireworks, but it was fun! I also went to Walmart in Calais for even more items; two more Tree Hut scrubs, Bodycology Hawaiian Beach body wash, Body Fantasies Cotton Candy spray, celestial flared leggings, an orange sweater, and a couple treats. After the power situation was resolved, we did a lot more fun stuff; went to a vintage car show, went swimming (I learned what a dock spider is & they're terrifyingly big!), had a campfire & made s'mores, went for ice cream, went thrifting/antiquing, and my favorite part: saw the Northern Lights! It was more faint to the naked eye than what the camera picked up, but it was still super cool! I hope to see them much more vibrant someday.
I didn't want my trip to end, but sadly it had to. Since I returned, I have been mostly working, cleaning/organizing my room, and getting ready for school. However... I did go to a concert for the first time in several years; Platinum Blonde & Billy Idol! I went with my dad and we had an awesome time! He was more excited for Platinum Blonde since he went to see them when he was younger and it was nostalgic. I was more excited for Billy Idol. He really puts on a good show. I was so happy that he played Eyes Without a Face and Hot in the City, since those are my favorite songs of his.
Oh, I nearly forgot... my thrifting finds! I already covered the first two items, so I'll move onto the third one; a '90s colbalt celestial candle holder ($2.99). I have wanted one for a long time, so I was thrilled to find this in Providence, Rhode Island! I hope to come across the sun and star versions someday to complete the set. The fourth item is a set of three Merry Mushroom cansiters ($50 total)! I was blown away that I found these for so cheap and that they were in excellent condition. They are hard to find, and typically one canister is sold for $50. This set would be $150-$200 online. I have wanted a set of three for so long. I have two of the Canadian version canisters, but this is the American version and I think its much cuter. The fifth item is a cute mid century modern set of plastic canisters for flour and coffee ($3). It was so cheap, in decent condition, and I thought they were cute, so they came home with me! Final item is a '90s celestial shower curtain ($6.99). I thrifted the matching window curtains a while back, so now my future home will have a celestial themed bathroom! Now I'll be on the hunt for '90s celestial bathroom items (trash can, soap dispenser, soap dish, etc).
This may be the longest blog I've ever written, haha. I guess I'll wrap it up now. I have to get back to cleaning anyways. I'll leave you with a fall-themed edit of the picture of me in front of the Witch House in Salem. I hope everyone is enjoying the end of summer!
