24 hours of relaxation

Shannon's black cherry espresso next to Gillian's lavender london fog

 G: After a whirlwind fall, I really wanted to gift Shannon some R&R for Christmas. Back in August, I nabbed a winter deal on a nearby historic hotel called Porches, located in North Adams, right near our favorite art museum MASS MoCA, our favorite The Bear and Bee Bookstore, and so many other sweet places we love. Initially, I had planned to propose this weekend, but Shannon's plan sped things up (see this post about our engagement), so instead, I wanted to make it the most relaxing 24 hours ever!

S: We decided to use this trip as an opportunity to celebrate our engagement together. We had an amazing December and start to January sharing the news with the people we love, but this was the first time we really got to take a beat, slow down, and enjoy some special moments together in honor of this big next step in our relationship. 

G: I love North Adams because it is just far enough to feel like a getaway from our life in the southern part of Berkshire County. Nobody really knows us there, none of our dance students are around, and the whole community feels very queer, which is a plus.

the agenda

S: Gillian prepared the most incredible agenda for us. Something I never take for granted is the amount of care and thought it takes to think through and prepare activities for someone else, so the fact that Gillian had a whole day of sweetness ready for me felt like the best gift I could ever ask for. Below is the printout they gifted me on Christmas in advance of the trip.

the activities

G: In true Shannon-and-Gillian fashion, we didn't even sleep in! I think we were up and about by 7:30am, but we managed to wait until Starving Artist opened at 9 to get breakfast. From there, we headed to North Adams and had time to spare on our agenda, which gave us a chance to pack some extra activities in (i.e. shopping!).

S: We had so much fun exploring the small businesses in North Adams. We made a mandatory stop at The Bear and Bee and found some new books to add to our collection. Then, we window shopped at some antique stores, nabbed a super cute button-down at a small secondhand clothing boutique called the Savvy Hive. We capped the shopping trip with a stop at the Plant Connector, an exceptional plant store that was started by two folks who used to work at Jacob's Pillow, the organization that brought both Gillian and I to Massachusetts. We knew we wanted to come back the next morning to make some purchases before heading home, so we eyed some cute planters and succulents to make a plan for what we might want.

S: Finally, we rounded out the afternoon with a yummy lunch and stroll through Mass MoCA. We'd been recently (once the day we got ENGAGED and once with my family over the holidays) so we weren't there to see anything new, just there to spend some time meandering around the beautiful exhibits, swapping memories and smiles along the way.

the hot tub

the heated outdoor pool at Porches (hot tub behind and not pictured)

G: Ok ok ok, the real purpose behind this whole shindig was to share the magical experience of an outdoor hot tub in the winter with Shannon. I'd been in a few while growing up in Colorado, and it is heavenly. We spent most of Sunday evening and Monday morning basking in the hot water.

S: I can't emphasize how magical and relaxing this was. It was such a huge treat and really made the whole getaway feel so luxurious and fun. It was lovely to chat with some of the other guests and just relax. There was also a great sauna that we could use in addition to the hot tub. 10/10, highly recommend - and thank you to Gillian for making it possible. 

the food

crepes at Starving Artist

G: Of course, we had to start at Shannon's favorite restaurant, Starving Artist Cafe & Creperie. I absolutely love their seasonal specials and had a crepe with brie, pears, candied walnuts, and a caramel drizzle. It was heavenly. I took this photo of Shannon there (see below), which might be my favorite photo of her ever. She looks so beautiful!

Shannon at Starving Artist

S: (In the picture you can see me glowing with LOVE for my sweet Gillian. A love language I resonate with is "Acts of Service" - maybe because I grew up watching my parents run "missions," or really just favors, for one another on a daily basis while never making it seem like a burden, or maybe because I truly cherish the simple motions of daily life - so the fact that Gillian planned this whole getaway for the two of us was absolutely magical. Okay, gushing over... for now.)

G: One of my life hacks is to eat at art museums! The food is always suspiciously good and generally underpriced. Lickety Split at MASS MoCA is no exception. Their food is always amazing - I usually get their quiche of the day with a cup of soup (that day, it was a tomato feta quiche with a butternut squash and ginger soup).

S: They also have great coffee specials and tea lattes. Even on days we don't want a full lunch there, we nab a caffeinated beverage, and they are always delicious.

G: Originally, I had wanted to try Casita for dinner, a new restaurant near MASS MoCA. I weirdly couldn't get a reservation, so I figured we would just hop over from the museum to the restaurant. Wrong! It was closed, along with nearly every other restaurant in North Adams (Sunday nights in the winter I guess). After a cold and desperate search for food, we ended up at Freight Yard Pub. Shannon and I split a bunch of appetizers and had some very strong drinks. This was probably the one hiccup in the trip, but I was really determined to not let it upset me (and it didn't). I feel very lucky to have a partner who is so easygoing, especially when I am feeling hungry!

S: Gillian and I both know that attending to your bio needs (water! food! fresh air!) can be a huge game changer in terms of mood, so I am glad we were both able to problem solve with the shared desire of just having a yummy, filling dinner. I also feel so lucky to have a partner who is okay with changing things up as needed!

superlatives

most relaxing

S: The hot tub! Also, picking out plants at the Plant Connector.

G: I think the combination of cold day + hot tub + hotel bed and sheets really made it dreamy for me.

most surprising

S: We saw the owner of The Bear and Bee while we were out and about shopping, and she recognized us! 

G: We had a magical hot tub conversation with another queer couple - it just felt like a sacred moment. 

best of

S: Making 24 hours feel like such a getaway, even though we weren't very far from home!

G: I love a day where I have a loose agenda with room for improvisation - and this trip was the epitome of that. It was truly a perfect 24 hours.

xo

the roommates