The boy started a more regular schedule/hours at his new job but til the end of July, the only days off we have that coincide together is every other Tuesday. Today was one of them. I asked him what he wanted to do today and usually he wants to just stay home and play video games. But today he decided to take me out to Lavender by the Bay and spend the afternoon out on the North shore. I'm actually supposed to head out there this weekend with the Bitches of Cosplay. He was supposed to come too but since his new schedule he got last week no longer aligns with the stars, he chose to go with me today instead. Which means I get to go twice to this beautiful place! I went twice last year too and I learned that every time you come here, it's never the same. The blooms are always changing and it happens very fast once it starts. Hopefully this Sunday it will be even more in full bloom! Only a few English blooms were available today but it smelled heavenly as we entered the fields. And the sea of purple is just beautiful.
I was here last year for a shoot but I actually hate those pictures because I looked so heavy in them. God what was I thinking at the time. I was bulging out in my dress that day and my face was so puffy at the time. I'm so glad I finally lost the weight. I look so much better this time around. And I feel so much better too. It's so cliche but I really do feel like a different person than I was last year.
After Lavender, we stopped by Harbes farm on the way back for a quick snack. I swear, these farms are highway robbery when it comes to food especially since there are few places to dine with everything so far away and here and there, but damn the panini I had today was bomb. I'm still thinking about it right now about how good it was, even though it was $10. I don't want to pay $10 but I would get it again if I'm back out that way again, LOL. The boy worked there last summer for a few events and got the apple cider donuts for free and I guess he's hooked because he had me buy a dozen of those highway robbery suckers. Their strawberry soft serve is good though. It's a nice delicious blend of real strawberry taste (not that artificial shit) and creamy soft serve. It's light and not too sugary and overpowering. Too bad it melted too quick for me to take a pic for the gram. But it was delicious. Last year I tried their peach soft serve and loved that too. I'm curious about the corn if they have that later this year. I also had the strawberry lemonade and that was really good too. Annoyed it costs so much, but damn the food was actually really good. 10/10 would do again.
Patty's Berries and Bunches is right across from Harbes too but we skipped it for this visit. I got my peonies there a few weeks ago and her flowers are sold for a pretty awesome price compared to my local florists. I wanted to try her ice cream flavors but they were closed last time. Hopefully I can stop by and try them this summer. Maybe this Sunday!
There are a lot of farms, farm stands, and wineries out north. They sell a lot of different home made goods too as well as fresh produce. They're slightly more expensive than the local supermarket but they're grown locally and really good. You can taste the difference as well as visibly see the difference. The color is more vibrant and everything just tastes so fresh. It's a nice area to stop for lunch too. There are different fruit pies to choose from to bring home, as well as locally homemade jams, jellies and honey. I'm growing impartial to this because of how delicious the food was in Paris when I was eating something not so chemically injected. I might grab a jar of jam on my way back next time to have with my toast in the morning when I indulge in carbs every so often. I miss having fresh Parisian croissants for breakfast too.
I'm glad I was able to go today with the boy. It's a really beautiful sensory experience. If you ever get the chance to visit, definitely go. It's a trek out to the very tip of North end but it's actually a nice ride as long as you go on a weekday with less traffic. Riding through the farms on the way there is really peaceful and a beautiful ride just soaking in the beauty of Long Island. I hated this as a kid because I was impatient in the car and just didn't appreciate anything. I would come out this way every so often because my friend lived out here and I was forever begging my parents to let me sleep over her house. And because she was Vietnamese too, she was one of the few families my parents trusted so I was allowed to stay over but not as often as I liked because they did live so damn far away so obviously my parents did not appreciate the trek up there to retrieve their damn daughter back, lol. I should've appreciated playing in these fields a lot more growing up though. I had so much beauty at my feet and I was a brat. Always remember to stop and smell the flowers. Especially now that you're older. Appreciate and enjoy everything. Take the time. It only takes a moment.
Til next time,
- RxBarbie