Grounds for Sculpture

On a weekend getaway, on the last of Summer Friday's of 2015, I got the opportunity to discover The Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey. With the highly manicured lawns and larger than life sculptures ranging from realistic to abstract, one could get lost for hours in this place. Thankfully if was a gorgeous day outside, and we did just that! :)

Lovers

More lovers :)

Interactive Musical Palyground

Loved this lady! 

Making friends

More Friends! This guy's never seen an i-phone! Can you believe it?!

I had to look!....just had to :)

Paper Twists

Lifesize Van Gough room

These guys were having a grand 'ol time! I decided to crash their party! ;) 

OUI OUI

Looking for a weekend getaway from NYC, try Frenchtown, New Jersey. A great day trip, which is easily navigated with small shops and great antiquing. Walk up and down the main strip for hidden gems. These were my top places:

To Eat:

The Lovin Oven: Amazing Food. Farm to Table

To Shop:

Olive with a Twist: Homemade Oils and Vinegar (they have a bacon oil!)

Two Buttons: Imports from Bali, Antiques: I could have spent the whole day in here..it's a stimlulation overload with Antiques.

Left Bank: Cute interior and gift shop

Heard it through the grapevine....

Cue the California Grapes..... (replace with New Jersey)

I'm a big supporter of wine, and in a non-discriminatory kind of way. Red, White, Dessert, chilled, mulled, you get the picture! But I've never actually been to a vineyard to see where these little grapes are born. This June, I was finally able to check that off my list at Beneduce Vineyards . A relatively new vineyard in New Jersey which you can come for a tasting, a tractor tour, or bring your friends, food, watch live music, and drink the wine they produce on site. They also have food trucks too, if you're not in the mood to BYOF :) Again, everyone who worked there was so hospitable it was like you're in your own backyard....if only mine looked like that! 

My Favs: Shotgun Red, Tuxedo, and the Dry Riesling 

Next door to the vineyard is an airport, where afterwards we took a hot air ballon ride! What a perfect day! :)

UP...UP...AND AWAY!!!

It was my birthday weekend, and I had no idea the surprise I was in for, with a day of distractions in Frenchtown and Vineyards, I had no clue of the final destination. I'm putting the clues together as we're walking around the airport, but when I turned the corner to see the air balloon truck, my emotions hit, and I was so elated. The team at ALEXANDRIA BALLOON FLIGHTS  were so amazing! We arrived early, and got to know the pilots and ground crew, and within minutes, we were all family:) 

We hitched out to get the balloon set up, holding the ropes while the huge fan filled the balloon (that was a workout in itself!) Janine and I popped into the balloon for a quick pic....very reminiscent of grade school days with the parachute! Once it was fired-up we jumped in the basket with our pilot, and off we went. I have to say, I was slightly nervous with thinking only only a basket would be under me..."what am I, Toto?! Where's Dorothy?!" But it was smooth sailing, and so relaxing, floating into the horizon. 

We set off around 6ish, and had the most amazing view of the sun hitting the water and trees. The hidden treasures, farms, lakes, swamps you could never appreciate except from an aerial view were amazing. In our counter-balloon, there was a couple getting engaged 1500ft in the air! The guy had a small plane flying a banner around the balloon for the proposal.....and she said yes! :) 

The wind that day took us by surprise, leading us into Pennsylvania, but our Kevin said it one of the best views with going over the river. Landing was a tricky one since most of the ground around us was forest, but we finally found a location (in someone's backyard) right as the sun was setting. The ground crew (which in the balloon felt very Twister the movie) chasing us in the truck, while calling our pilot for directions from above. We packed the balloon up and headed back to the airport with great conversation from such an amazing team.