StringGrrl sees the World

 StringGrrl and Eric have initiated a new "tradition" or at least a new habit/ritual for enjoying morning coffees more; Coffee at sunrise on the boat.  Coffee on the Beach in Port Sheldon, MI Pigeon Lake, Port Sheldon, MI (just short of the beach and coffee) There is a nice little island for coffee brewing on the Thornapple river between Alaska and Caledonia Loading up the Moka Pot while adrift on Lake Wingra, Madison, WI Not just coffee, but breaky too (Fried Eggs and Toast with Gochujang on Pigeon Lake) Lake Monona, Madison, WI Launching at Lake Wingra Lake Monona, Madison, WI Lake Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, MI Lake Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, MI Cut Creek, Near South Higgins Lake, MI Clarion River, Allegheny National Forrest, PA Camping on the Clarion River Rouge River, Melvindale, MI

Craft Brewing is booming to the point where most major cities have multiple microbreweries, brew-pubs, craft beer specialty bars, and larger nationwide distributed hometown beers. Michigan claims a major part of that revolution as Michigan's own Bells and Founders have built global followings (it is not uncommon to find Bells or Founders in bars in Europe, Asia, and Latin America (I have not personally been to Africa, Australia, or Antarctica to verify ubiquity, but it has to be close).  This July StringGrrl and Eric did their damnedest to hit as many Michigan Breweries as we could. From Traverse City down to Saugatuck we hit the following: Filling Station, Traverse City, MI Rare Bird, Traverse City, MI Right Brain, Traverse City, MI Odd Side Ales, Grand Haven, MI Horrocks Tavern, Grand Rapids, MI Big Lake Brewing, Holland, MI In Traverse City, a Brewery tour by canoe, kayak, or SUP (stand-up paddleboard) is pretty easy to try difficult in execution if only because on the day we tr...

Tower initially the base of windmill that processed sugar cane, then an office until just last year Mixing tank to mix unaged rum distillation with maceration mix (vanilla & dried fruit) You can read more about their process at  https://rondelbarrilito.passionspirits.com/ron-del-barrilito.html  These barrels have been aging since 1970's. One of the barrels, not pictured here, was from 1950's and is not to be opened until Puerto Rico is an independent nation, which might mean it might never be opened, or at least until the US collapses or allows the shift (which seems less likely than pigs flying). Aaron ordered up the 2-5 star taster The prep for mixology Misty (Aaron's wife who wisely did not partake in the over abundance of booze) is a certified mixologist now. StringGrrl cribbed it for her.

Laguna del Condado After the long break from international travel, we finally did take a trip that separated us from the CONUS (Contiguous or Continental, United States) when we travelled to Puerto Rico to attend a cousins wedding with Eric's Mom (StringGrrls Oma).  OmaKam on Condado Beach Vanderbilt Condado has a lovely "practically private" beach The Atlantic Ocean, Swallower of newer Ray Ban prescription sunglasses (dick)

StringGrrl's travel companion Eric is getting old.  I find myself "leaning into" my mid-life crisis and regressing to relive my mid-twenties. As the "kids" are launching into their adult life post university, I took StringGrrl to Blissfest , which was quite literally my first "adulting" trip.  Photo credit: Nicholas James Thomasma via localspins.com I haven't returned to Blissfest since 1995 when on the way downstate to move-out from MTU and down to the Grosse Pointes to live, work, fall in love, raise a family, fail at remaining part of another's future happiness, lose love & entire parts of myself in the process , and eventually come full circle and find myself back at Blissfest on the threshold of individual adulting life. The Woods, where many campers have established communities that span decades, is decorated with surprising detail for a weekend festival. Main Stage at night Night falls over one of the many camps around Bl...