August is Amusing

Well - this month passed in an absolute blur. The final month of Summer has come and gone, Autumn is on the horizon and there are only four months left of 2019. What in the world?

Anticipations

Virginia Scottish Games - There's nothing like learning from your ancestors, right? My family (at least - my Dad's side) hail from Scotland and I love going to the Scottish games to see and experience all things Scottish. My friend Danielle and I are going and plan to spend most of the day trying Scottish food (but not the haggis - never again with the haggis), listening to Scottish music and just immersing ourselves in all things Scottish!

Game of Thrones in Concert - The live concert experience is back in Northern Virginia in September and this time the concert has been formatted for amphitheaters! Since my parents finally watched all eight seasons of Game of Thrones (and were just as underwhelmed by the finale as I was...) - they decided they'd enjoy the concert. The music is certainly one of the best aspects of the show - so I can't wait to see how all the beautiful music from the final season is woven into the show this time!

Books I Read

Game of Thrones by George RR Martin - You're reading that right, I'm reading this yet again. I think this is my third time reading it through all the way. I'm reading my illustrated copy and the pictures that go along with it are stunning....I've included some below!

 

In A Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware - It's a new book y'all! My friend Meridith passed this along to me and I devoured it in just a couple days. The synopsis: Follow the story of unreliable, amnesiac narrator Nora Shaw as she attempts to recall the events of a bachelorette weekend in which a man was murdered that both she & the bride-to-be loved. This book was easy to get into, fast-paced and interesting... I really loved reading it!

Books on the Shelf

I read in an article once that you return to the things you love because they're familiar and make you happy. Like re-reading a book you've read (more than once) because you know you enjoy it. It's familiar and comforting and I guess that's what I'm doing with Game of Thrones - because there are plenty of other books on my shelf, ha-ha!

Can't Be Missed Movies

I didn't see a single movie this month. Honestly - there wasn't much out that I was interested in seeing and I spent a lot of this month outside doing things. Which is amazing to me because it's August and usually it's like the fiery pits of hell outside but this month hasn't been so bad - hence the outdoor activities as opposed to indoor activities.

Must See TV

Four Weddings & A Funeral - I preface this proclamation of my love for this show with the confession that I haven't seen the movie Four Weddings & A Funeral but I absolutely love this show! It is heartwarming, funny, romantic and it's set in London - which is; in my humble opinion, absolute perfection! The first eight episodes are on Hulu with the final four coming out in September and I will be so sad when it ends!

And if you've been watching - which character are you? I took a quiz and I'm Gemma. Can't say I disagree with that one too much, ha-ha!

Derry Girls - This show is the most random Netflix find and is really just a gem. It follows five Irish Catholic teens in Derry, Ireland during the 1990's. It's hilarious and sometimes crass but also manages to be touching at the same time. There are only two seasons with six episodes each and they all come in at between 22-24 minutes - so it's a quick watch. And it's just so very amusing!

One of the five Catholic teens is a British boy - who is forced to attend an All-Girl's Catholic school while living with his cousin, who also attends the school. Hilarity ensues....

Tasty Treats - August was filled with plenty of delicious things: I started the month off with fabulous coffee at the office (of all places) with the new, high-tech espresso machine that the office purchased while I was on my "Staycation". The coffee is strong and rich and delicious. My Mom and I had dinner at Nana's Irish Pub and I devoured Vegetable Beef Soup, a Chicken Pot Pie and Bannoffee Pie - I have never had anything at Nana's Irish Pub that wasn't to die for.

I'm not usually a cobbler person but I shared some divine peach cobbler with my Mom at the Peach Festival at Marker Miller Orchard and we also split a slice of cannoli cake from Carrabba's - it was delectable. I ended the month with a lip-smacking Watermelon Lemonade cocktail from Roma's and we made a stop in at Chuy's in Woodbridge where I tried the highly recommended Pablo's Enchilada's - just typing that makes me drool.

Tunes & Talks

I am loathe to admit that I downloaded a song from Taylor Swift's newest CD this month - but it really is such a bop and I couldn't help it. Otherwise I'm still listening to Game of Thrones music and such... I also stumbled onto a podcast called Close the Door & Come Here that's focused on the Jaime & Brienne chapters of Game of Thrones. So... there you have it.

I cannot believe that tomorrow is the first of September - absolutely mind-boggling. Time marches on.