July 1- 4th

Independence-Day weekend is a time of the year which I anticipate during all other seasons! For me, the weekend festivities begin July 1st, my birthday. This year, as we entered the month of July, I officially exited my "teenage years." Thank God, I am finally 20!

My birthday celebration on Thursday, July 1st, was probably not too exciting by most people's standards, but nonetheless enjoyable. My parents and I rung in my 20th year with a batch of purple-frosted cupcakes and chocolate-chip cookie dough ice-cream (my favorite ice-cream flavor - shamefully, I rarely eat any other kind!) I had fun opening gifts from family and friends. Among the gifts I was given was my very own DVD copy of "The Young Victoria," Sonya Kashuk make-up brushes and a graphic t-shirt from my sister Meredith that reads, "I LOVE British Boys" (truly, that t-shirt could not be more fitting - no pun intended).

On Saturday, July 3rd, we continued my birthday celebration by eating breakfast at a quirky restaurant in Providence called the "Liberty Elm Diner." I ordered a plateful of their famed Johnny cakes, which are essentially pancakes made from cornmeal and water and covered of course, in thick maple syrup. My Johnny cakes were topped with a miniature umbrella - similar to the parasol we poked into my birthday cupcake (pictured above). At the diner, we were accompanied by Philip and Anh Sawyer, relatives from my mother's side. Philip and Anh took us to their loft apartment after the meal for a tour of their home/fashion studio. Philip is a clothing designer and he and his wife are directors of a ministry for artists in the Providence area.

Later Saturday evening I joined my two closest Middleboro friends, Laura and Danielle for our annual trip to Marion, Ma to see their fireworks display. We got there a couple hours early and hung out on the beach until the fireworks began. You can see a picture of the three of us above with our oh-so fabulous glasses!

By Sunday, July 4th - the nation's official birthday, my parents and I hadn't much energy to do any more celebrating. My Dad and I drove to Duxbury beach in the early evening to take a relaxing stroll along the water. We ended the evening by toasting marshmallows over a fire in the backyard and by watching the annual Boston POPs!
concert on TV.

Below are two links: one for the "Liberty Elm Diner," and one for Philip Sawyer's clothing design website!

http://libertyelmdiner.com/
http://philipsawyer.com/index.html