Archives for September 2017

Saying Goodbye To Summertime

September 24, 2017 By Caroline Peterson

Happy Fall y’all! Real talk: I hate that phrase and I have no idea why.

Last week, we welcomed in the fall season, as we waved goodbye to good ol’ summertime. When I lived in Michigan, this time of year gave me winter anxiety. As much as I loved fall, I knew what was to come next: 8 months of grey, cold, slush, sleet and sometimes pretty snow. Funny enough, I was actually in Michigan last week as a Florida refugee fleeing Hurricane Irma.

Since the last few weeks have been a blur of packing, prepping, evacuating, waiting, packing again, unprepping and unpacking, I barely noticed summer was over. Here are some Highs and Lows of the Summer of 2017.

Highs

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

I mean, have I talked about this trip enough here and here? It was easily the highlight of my summer. Looking back, I think a lot of it had to do with the hubster and I just exploring on our own schedule, in sync, step by step, bike ride upon bike ride, together.

Marco Island, Florida

We dipped over to the other side of the state early on in the summer to just get away. Our in-laws have a magnificent place on the beach (that thankfully wasn’t damaged in Irma) and they let us crash in every once and a while. It’s a sleepy little island, but we found ourselves busy with things to do. I’ll write about it soon!

#DayofDinners and Women’s March

In June, I participated in #DayofDinners where people from all walks of life and political affiliations sat around a table, had dinner and discussed the state of the world…respectfully. I met some wonderful people who left me feeling better about the world. On top of that, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the activism and work that the Women’s March of Broward County does. It’s an honor to stand by these ladies and yes, gentlemen. I have learned so much in the 8 months since I’ve joined including, and probably most importantly, to listen; to simply listen to someone’s story.

Lows

Hurricane Irma

Suffice to say, Hurricane Irma did a number on my mental health and I was lucky enough to evacuate. Lucky enough that there was minimal damage to our home. Lucky enough to get through the worst part: not knowing. Currently, there are still trees down everywhere (including one that barely missed our windows) and I can’t go to work without seeing at least one stop light not working. It will be months, but we’ll get Florida back to her good ol’ pretty self. I’m a member of RNGRÂ and we volunteered to clear some trees and debris from Hugh Birch State Park this past weekend. I need to remind myself how much I enjoy being outside, physically working, especially to help others.

Saying goodbye to friends and coworkers

Our close friends packed up and headed up north to Jacksonville to begin a new chapter in internal medicine residency. Additionally, a couple of my favorite coworkers resigned and started new, exciting positions. In all those cases, moving on to new things is a good thing for them, but selfishly it’s hard to say goodbye. The older I get, the more I know dynamics change as the tides change, so the goodbyes get tougher.

What’s next on the docket? Oh I’ve got some things up my sleeves that I’m working on. Right now, I’m focusing on keeping my head down, busting ass, taking names and looking at London for my reward this fall.

5 Things You Learn While Evacuating A Hurricane

September 17, 2017 By Caroline Peterson

1. Adrenaline is no f*cking joke.

In the 3ish hours I had to pack up what I could into 2 pieces of luggage, storm prep my place and decide which things needed saving by throwing them in my insulated bathroom – I made decisions like a champ. There wasn’t any second guessing; there wasn’t time to think really. By the time I got to the airport at 4pm, I realized I hadn’t eaten since 7am. Normally, that would induce pure, unadulterated hangry pangs. With the adrenaline running through my veins, I didn’t even notice. I must say, though, that glass of Sauvignon Blanc in the Delta Sky Lounge was utter bliss.

Live shot of our empty place, I moved furniture away from windows.

2. Organization in everyday life is key.

There’s a place for everything in our home. Ask the hubster, if I can’t find something quickly, I get annoyed. In a time of emergency, I knew exactly where to go to grab our important files:

Marriage license
Passports
Birth certificates
Property lease

So, make fun of me all you want, non-organized people, but I saved myself some precious time and, more importantly, my sanity when furiously grabbing important docs as I evacuated.

3. Getting out is relief and total sadness.

As those plane wheels kissed the last bit of Fort Lauderdale’s runway, and I looked down below at the serene setting of my coastal community, I felt sick. It’s hard to explain, really. I was finally on my way to safety as a (then) Cat 5 hurricane barreled towards my state. I didn’t know when I’d see my home again, and if I did, what sort of fractured state it would be in once I got back. More importantly, I knew so many people were trying to get out as I sat in my seat to safety in row 16. It’s a gut-wrenching feeling. It’s something I never, ever want to feel again. Guilt and utter sadness, wrapped in a blanket of relief.

4. You inherintely know what’s important in life.

In the fast and furious pace of tossing things into luggage or well-insulated bathrooms, my mind and body inherently knew what needed saving, and what didn’t. Most “things” are people and memories anyway, and those aren’t easily wrapped up safely and put in your bathroom. (Unless that’s your jam, and in that case, please stay far away from me.) If you listen to your intuition, it will gently guide you towards items of sentimental value or those that logistically need safe keeping. And yes, I grabbed my childhood blanket and stuffed animal (affectionately named, Bum) and tossed them into my carry-on. You know, in case my checked luggage got lost.

Judgement-free zone, friends!

5. You know who thinks you’re important in their life.

At one point during evacuating, I actually had to respond to many concerned texts by saying, “Please understand, I’ll text when I can.” Calls, direct messages, texts, emails and even a sweet mention from a friend’s kid concerned that I wouldn’t get out – they all meant the world to me during such chaos and quickly reminded me of who thought about me and who didn’t. Two friends traveling separately in Greece and the Czech Republic reached out asking me what was going on, wasting what I thought, were precious international texting fees. ;)

Some touching moments include: my 3-year-old niece sending me a video asking me if I was at the airport (airport = safety), my mother-in-law taking me for a pedicure when I felt less-than-human the day before Hurricane Irma hit and a long-time friend giving me a stuffed bear when I met her for dinner. Isn’t that how all bear hugs are given?!

Right now, from what we know, some water got into our place, but not much. We have older windows, that rattle anytime the wind picks up, so I’m sure as 100 mph winds blew through, they brought some rain in as well. We didn’t have power for 60+ hours, so all the hurricane goods I bought (that needed someone there to pull out of the fridge and into a cooler if we lost power), are goners. I’m literally on a flight back down to Fort Lauderdale now, with my sleeping ER doc hubster next to me. This guy worked until 7am, and is flying down to help me clean up. All-star.

I still fared so much better than so many other people. The Keys were decimated, and so many Caribbean islands may never, ever be the same again. I liken it to third-world conditions; where the need for food, clean water and vaccinations are high and the supplies are frighteningly low.

Thank you for all the concerned messages, I will be fine. Please keep others who were not so fortunate at the top of your mind if and when you donate to organizations. As a reminder, local organizations are best. They very often provide direct relief.

You can find local organizations to donate to here and here.

Florida Jokes Are Funny. Just Not Right Now.

September 9, 2017 By Caroline Peterson

When I moved to Florida over 5 years ago, I took my fair share of jabs about the state. Truth be told, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with moving to Florida, but, crikey, the things you do for the love of your life and his admission into med school. As much as we loved Michigan (where we’re originally from), we both knew we didn’t want to live there forever. But, Florida? I mean, c’mon!

Cut to 5 years later and not only did I wave goodbye to my husband when he finished med school and started his ER residency back in Michigan, but I fell in love with my little southeast corner of the state shaped like unexcited male naughty bits.

For me, South Florida became the epicenter of culture, arts, languages, travel, tourism and a politically vital environment. I’ve met so many wonderfully dynamic people here. Not to mention the year-round sunshine, beaches and palm trees that greet me daily.

Unfortunately, Florida is now the epicenter of Hurricane Irma.

I flew back to Florida from visiting my husband in Michigan for the Labor Day weekend. This was on Tuesday, September 5th. When I got back I ran some hurricane errands, and topped off my tank. By Wednesday, there were hour-long lines in the same station I went to just 12 hours before. Not to mention nearly half of the stations I passed on the way to work were out of gas. My husband texted me to tell me there was cheap flight on JetBlue I could snag, but I didn’t think I’d need to leave. I mean, really? We’ve been through these before.

But something was different with Irma. It’s hard to put your finger on. But even residents who had been through Hurricane Andrew were more worried than usual. It was an eerie feeling.

Quickly flights were beginning to sell out and increase dramatically in price. I called Delta, got an overpriced ticket for that night since the rest were sold out for the rest of the week (at that point).

On Wednesday, September 6, in a matter of 3 hours I needed to pack up what I could into 2 suitcases and prep my condo for a Cat 5 hurricane. I thankfully had a dear friend come over and help me tape windows (an exercise in futility, really), move furniture to the center of my condo, and throw items that I deemed “worth saving” into the bathroom and bathtub. I took pictures, a video and sighed as I locked my door for what may be the very last time.

By the time I got to the airport, I knew I would start questioning everything I did. What I chose to bring, what I chose to leave, what I thought would survive…

It’s a gut-wrenching feeling.

Now I’m watching it all happen from 1400 miles away in Michigan and I can’t even begin to describe the stomach churning helplessness I feel.

Helplessness for friends, loved ones, co-workers, family members and the men and women who have to work through this Cat 5 chaos.

Yesterday was one of the most surreal of my life. In a matter of hours, I had to pack up what I could and accept as I locked my home’s door that I may never see it again. Let me be clear – I’m lucky to get out. I could afford a plane ticket. I could actually get a plane ticket! I didn’t have enough gas to get out of Florida and when I left, there was a massive gas shortage. (Still is.) it was utter relief and complete sadness as I took off and looked below at my coastal home city. #hurricaneirma

A post shared by Carolineâ€¢ Not Your Average Gal (@notaveragegal) on Sep 7, 2017 at 12:26pm PDT

I always tease my co-workers that I much prefer tornadoes I grew up with in Michigan to hurricanes and they think I’m insane. The funny thing is, if you haven’t been through either one, you think the other is worse. I’ve only been through “minor” hurricanes and I can tell you this beast, this bitch, Irma, is something else. She will span the entire state of Florida. It’s unprecedented.

Save your theories and opinions for another day, while people literally are evacuating or hunkering down for their lives right now. Keep your Florida jokes to yourself for the next 72 hours please. (And for the love of God, ask yourself if Florida is such a silly state, why so many people retire and vacation there? Hmmmm?)

These are my people. This is my state. This will be a life changing event for so many.

If you pray, send good vibes or shake your tail feather – do whatever you need to do right now to keep the people and state of Florida in your heart. I know I will be.

My 7 Favorite Wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake

September 3, 2017 By Caroline Peterson

Who knew the Niagara region of Canada was so well-known for their wine? Certainly not me. That said, now that I know, I’ve been spoiled for life. I’m pretty sure even a trip to Napa Valley here in the states wouldn’t match up to the wonderful time we had in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

If you have a long weekend to explore, you can find my itinerary on a previous post here. Put your relaxation pants on because Niagara-on-the-Lake is full of charming houses, gorgeous wineries and green space for days.

We used this map a lot while there, but please note it is most definitely not to scale. But, it gives you a good reference of how many wineries are in the region.

Below are a few of my favorite Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries. As I mentioned previously, there are 88 total wineries, so it’s pretty much impossible to hit all of them on one trip. But if you do, I want to hear about it. In fact, I’ll give you a gold star and feature you here on this blog, you alcoholic, you.

Small Talk Vineyards

We stopped at Small Talk Vineyards on our way into Niagara-on-the-Lake because the hubster knows my affinity for hard cider. Small Talk is a colorful setup with lots of fun quotes adorning their walls and bright porch. Each wine or cider has a good pun regarding “small talk” that made this copywriter’s heart happy. They are particularly known for their cider and it did not disappoint.

Try: Shiny Apple Cider and Shiny Pinot Cider

Tip: If you’re coming to Niagara-on-the-Lake from the west, this is a great place to hit up on your way in.

StratusÂ

This was the first winery we hit on our personal bike tour and it ended up being my favorite. We had a wonderful tasting guru named Dave who pointed us in the right direction for wines. Stratus Winery is an organic winery that takes pride in that fact — and rightfully so. It’s a tough feat to grow organically when surrounding vineyards that don’t. I personally fell in love with the Gamay red wine. It was just the right amount of medium-body and the perfect amount of peppery undertones for me. Did that just sound like a snotty sommelier? Good.

Try: The 2014 Stratus Gamay

Tip: On certain days you can do wine tastings out on the deck in the back.

Caroline Cellars

It’s my namesake people, so of course it would make the list. Caroline Cellars is basically a huge, rustic barn with a large restaurant, The Farmhouse Cafe. We made our way into the tasting area, after passing some swag that, duh, I bought. I really appreciated the particular font chosen and the kerning used. You can take a girl on vacation away from marketing, but you can’t take marketing out of the girl. The tastings at Caroline Cellars are actually free, which was a welcome surprise. Caroline Cellars is known more for their reds than their whites and we really like their Farmer’s Red and Cabernet Franc. It was a bit crowded about 10 minutes after we arrived because a busload of people came too. But that’s not unusual for any winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake really with busloads coming and going on their scheduled tours.

Try: The 2013 Cabernet Franc and their seasonal Farmer’s Red.

Tip: Grab some Caroline swag. Everyone could use more Caroline in their life.

Inniskillin

Just a beautiful bike ride down the Niagara Parkway, on the outskirts of town, you’ll find Inniskillin. We arrived about an hour before they were closing, grabbed a quick glass and sat underneath one of the few tables that still had an umbrella open. It seemed that arriving even an hour before closing meant they kinda sorta wanted to let you know that they were really closing at 6pm, since employees walked around and closed table umbrellas even as we were still sitting at a table. I know the hubster rolled his eyes at me, but I am my father’s child and that really annoyed me and put a bad taste in my mouth about Inniskillin. All that aside, the employees on the inside were helpful and friendly. They are well-known for their ice wine, so we decided to do a tasting and while they were good — it just wasn’t my jam. So, so sweet!

Try: Belly up to their ice-wine tasting bar.

Tip: Don’t arrive an hour before they close.

Two Sisters

With probably the prettiest entrance of all the wineries we explored, Two Sisters exemplified the stereotypical winery appearance. Because of this, it’s one of the most popular properties. They are well-known for their sprawling porch out back, where you can eat at their popular restaurant, Kitchen76. We came between lunch and dinner and shared a flatbread margherita pizza that was delicious. If that was just their small menu, I can imagine the full shebang is quite exceptional.

Try: 2014 Sauvignon Blanc. (We bought 2 bottles.)

Tip: Even if there is a wait, it’s totally worth it to have a glass of wine and a meal outside on their porch.

Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery

This one is the hubster’s favorite winery and I can’t blame him. It was gorgeous, but still warm enough that you left with a homey-feeling. We hit up Ravine on our way back from Niagara Falls. It’s a touch too far (for us) by bike from the center of town, where we were staying at the Olde Angel Inn. They have hearth fire pizza on their patio in the back, with killer views of the vineyards.

Tip: Go there for lunch and sit on their patio out back — share a wood oven pizza too.

Reif Estate Winery

On our bike ride back into town from Inniskillin, we popped into Reif at the recommendation of Dave from Stratus Winery. Reif has a beautiful porch in the front and a really pretty interior wine tasting section. Our wine tasting guru was helpful and friendly, without being overly pushy.

Try: 2015 Sauvignon Blanc and 2016 Gamay Cabernet

Tip: If you’re riding on your bike, you can leave your purchases here and swing by to grab them on your way out of town.

Overall, like I mentioned before, you really can’t make a bad choice for any of the wineries in the area. There’s so many to choose from that you’re sure to find one that tickles your wine fancy.

Have you ever been to Niagara-on-the-Lake? Which were your favorite wineries?