A Mini-Vacation with Adam to NY and MA

It's really strange to me now that aside from "how are you doing?" the most common question I get asked now is "how are things going with Adam?"  So to answer this burning question everyone seems to have--things are going great with Adam.  We're pretty much best friends and we have fun no matter what we're doing.  We had an especially fun time a few weeks ago, when we took a trip to New York (state).  This was our first time being in the car together for such a long amount of time, and that can make or break things, haha.  But I'm happy to say that besides drastic differences in music taste and how quickly we get ready (I'm not naming names, but one if us is much more efficient and low-maintenance than the other...and it's me), we got along very well.  

We walked around the town of Watkins Glen and had a super yummy lunch at this cool pub called the Crooked Rooster.  Loved their sign.  Our waitress was efficient and friendly, the food was freaking delicious, and the place just had a nice ambiance.

   

Next we took a beautiful 1.5 mile hike at the gorge in Watkins Glen, where there is a series of 19 waterfalls!  (And you KNOW I am all about waterfalls.) 

 

I'd love to do the hike again in the fall, preferably with no other people and while listening to the LOTR soundtrack, because this place is crazy magical.

This was my favorite section, where you walk behind the cascades.  It was a hot day, but it was shady and cool along most of the trail.

 

If you go, be mindful that there are no bathrooms along the way, but there are at the beginning and the end of the trail.  Also, you can hike up and take a bus back down to the parking area, or take the bus up and hike down.  (Or hike both ways, if you're up to it, it's only 3 miles...)  The park is free, but you have to pay for parking and the bus is $5 pp, cash only.

Then that night we went to Palmyra, where we had a delicious dinner at Chill & Grill and met some really lovely people.  The weather was perfect that night for watching the Hill Cumorah Pageant, which is performed outdoors, right on the side of the Hill.  It's a cast of over 700, and I couldn't believe how well organized it was.  Between the colorful costumes, the stage design, the music, and the awesome special effects, it was way more than I was expecting.

The next day we drove another 6 hours, this time to Mansfield, Mass, to see the Evanescence/Lindsey Stirling Synthesis Concert and IT.WAS.AWESOME.

Lindsey is an incredibly talented performer and really puts on a good show.  Just look at this backbend--while playing violin.  Insane...

Evanescence I hadn't really listened to since High School, but I was amazed how I still knew all the words to a couple songs, and it was definitely nostalgic.  

My favorite, though, was a cover she sang of "Nothing's Gonna Change My World," by the Beatles.  Everyone in the audience was holding up their cell lights and swaying them in the air, and singing along, it was a really emotional moment for me, actually.  I just felt so connected to everyone and happy to be living in the moment.  The lead singer, Amy Lee, echoed this thought by affirming to all of us in the crowd, "Right now, in this moment, you are exactly where you're meant to be."

Photo credits for this trip go to Adam Korza (my bf), who though I tease for looking like a tourist wherever we go, takes a pretty sweet picture with his big, fancy camera.  Our next big trip is at the end of August, when we are going...(drumroll please)... WHITE WATER RAFTING IN MAINE!!! Can't wait :)