kcmo x thou mayest coffee roasters

Kansas City has to be one of my favorite places on the planet. If I had to do a definitive ranking of my favorite cities worldwide, KC would be a strong number 3 (second only to Edinburgh and NYC). Needless to say, I was ecstatic to get to do a little exploring of an up-and-coming Kansas City haunt recently.

My aunt has a knack for discovering little hole-in-the-wall boutiques and coffee shops, and she recently introduced me to Thou Mayest. It's ranked as one of the top 5 coffee shops in KC, and for good reason: it's absolutely perfect. The coffee is superb, the ambiance is eclectic and mountaineer-esque (I just coined that term. You're welcome.), and they somehow pulled off creating a relaxing atmosphere while blasting Nicki Minaj at the same time. It was impressive. Here are a few pictures from the evening. 

Thou Mayest, thanks for a fantastic evening. And KC, I love you.

iowa

time with dear friends

+

explorations of abandoned farms and homes

+

dinner party preparations

+

enjoyment of one another's company

(weeks like this are good for the soul, every once in a while.)

ozarks x buffalo river

This New Year's weekend, my family ventured out to Cotter, Arkansas with some friends. The weather was crisp and cold, the time was sweet and restful. My family has spent the New Year in many different places, but this was definitely one of my favorites. I can't think of a better way to start off the year than spending time out in nature with beloved kin and friends. 

Not to mention, I've found that Arkansas is vastly underrated. We happened upon many a quaint, small town and found the nature scene to be breathtaking. We're already planning to return for future backpacking trips.

Here are some shots from the trip, mostly consisting of driving and hiking (a.k.a - the perfect combo).

 (The picture of me near the river was taken by my dad.)

bits of virginia

This week, my family is in Virginia for a conference. We've gotten to do some exploring before the conference actually starts, and it's been a blast. Our last couple days have consisted of a crisp morning in Shenandoah National Park; hours roaming the rainy, leaf-littered streets of Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown; and countless hours in the car, driving across the country. 

I've been snapshotting moments with my camera and iPhone along the way, but honestly, there's a lot that I didn't capture. My dad recently reminded me of a quote from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty that has always resonated with me, but I sometimes find difficult to remember: "Sometimes I don't [take a picture]. If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don't like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it." I absolutely love taking photos and capturing beautiful moments, but I'm learning to walk the line between snapping a picture to remember a moment and getting caught up in documenting life too much to live it. I still haven't quite found the perfect balance yet, but I suppose that's alright. We're all still learning, right? 

Anyways, here's some bits of our explorations in VA. Enjoy!

 

roaring river, mo

today:

climbing,

hiking,

breathing in

crisp air;

ringing in

autumn 

by

exploring in

nature.