This past weekend we celebrated Mother's Day. I'm thankful for my mother and the relationship that we have. But, I know for many, it can be a tough day. I have many friends who are mothers and have invited me into their families. They have each shown me something different in what motherhood is and what it means to love. As Annie F. Downs and Psalm 68:6 reminds us, “God sets the lonely in families.” My friends have exhibited that immensely by letting me be a part of their families. And it’s something I hold dear and hope to never take for granted. And I have many other friends who hope to one day be mothers, whether single and longing or married and longing. With them, I pray the peace and hope of our Savior fills the space that feels empty. The journey is long, a marathon they say. And they say it takes a village to raise kids, I say it also takes a village to just live life. I hope we are all surrounded by friends and families who pull us in close. And what is one thing that draws us all closer together? Food! It makes us gather around a table, breaks down barriers, is different in every culture, and we all need it! So, this weekend, we celebrated Mother's Day by going on a food tour in downtown Mobile. This tour was so much fun and has something for everyone! There were families, young couples, old couples, and even kids on our tour. My mom loved the food aspect and getting to visit the restaurants. My dad loved the history side, getting to know more about Mobile. I loved it all, let's be real. We visited many restaurants that I hadn't been to yet, I got to spend the afternoon in my city that I love (with my parents - double win), and I got to taste amazing food along the way. A definite win and a great experience. We visited seven spots in the downtown area, each with a different menu and style, on our three hour tour. About 15 to 20 minutes were spent at each location and we were definitely full as it came to an end. Good thing we were walking in between! Chris, our tour guide, also told us that we ate three of the "100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die"! So while I would love to cross the other 97 off, I'm excited to go back and visit these spots again. Keep reading to see where we went and what we had!
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One of my favorite things is to be a tourist in my own town. It's why I started the series #SnapshotsOfMobile that I hope to revitalize this year! Yesterday, I learned about a walking tour around downtown Mobile that highlighted some Mardi Gras spots. It's been a long debate as to where Mardi Gras actually began -- Mobile or New Orleans. I lived in New Orleans before I ever lived in Mobile, so I have a big place in my heart for both. They share so many similarities in architecture, food, music. I've done Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Mobile and one year, hope to experience it in both cities in the same year. So, where do I stand on the debate of the first beginnings? I say it began in Mobile, but New Orleans made it famous. But, that doesn't mean that Mobile doesn't know how to throw a party, because it does. And the party starts this Friday! Here are some photos from our tour yesterday. Cooper even came with us and he was quite the trooper and made lots of new friends! Follow Along
Every other Friday, I'm going to be sharing snapshots that I have taken in and around Mobile. Not only do I want to share with you guys this place, but it will help me to get out and explore. I love the idea of "snapshots", because sometimes they are quick and can be hurried, but always capture a memory. My photos may not always be perfect or frame-worthy, but I hope you enjoy them. I hope you enjoy seeing little glimpses of Mobile and I hope this encourages you to get out, explore your town, and take advantage of all your place may offer. This is #SnapshotsOfMobile. Enjoy! Some of my most favorite happy places are museums. I'm quite the nerd and love to learn. Another favorite happy place is any spot that is near the water or gives me a great view of the city. All three of those things are combined in a new museum here in Mobile. It's the GulfQuest National Maritime Museum and it is dedicated to all things marine related, particularly dealing with the Gulf Coast. The museum is located downtown, next to my favorite park, Cooper Riverside. It's shape even resembles a ship and when you enter in, you get to explore multiple decks of a replica container ship full of interactive displays. And on the top level? You can go outside for amazing views of the Mobile River and downtown Mobile. I can't wait to share more about this museum, it is truly incredible! For now, enjoy this snapshot of the lobby inside GulfQuest. Where are your happy places? Do you enjoy going to museums? Take a snapshot of your happy place and tag it with #PASnapshots! I would love to see it! Follow Me :)
Every other Friday, I'm going to be sharing snapshots that I have taken in and around Mobile. Not only do I want to share with you guys this place, but it will help me to get out and explore. I love the idea of "snapshots", because sometimes they are quick and can be hurried, but always capture a memory. My photos may not always be perfect or frame-worthy, but I hope you enjoy them. I hope you enjoy seeing little glimpses of Mobile and I hope this encourages you to get out, explore your town, and take advantage of all your place may offer. This is #SnapshotsOfMobile. Enjoy! Downtown Mobile has a couple of hidden gems on its walls. You'll just be casually walking down the street, you turn a corner, and then wham! You are face to face with a giant mural. I happen to love them. This one especially because it is a tribute to music and has such vibrant, fun colors. Plus, it looks like a party! And there is a reason for a party today! This time last year, I shared my first #SnapshotsOfMobile post. I love capturing the little moments or the little things that we may always pass by. I also believe in being a tourist in your own hometown, especially when it has a lot to offer. Yes, I live in a city now, among the hustle and bustle, but I've also lived in a small town with four stoplights. I only wish that I had started this series then, because maybe I would have learned to appreciate it more while I was there. There is always something beautiful around us waiting to be captured. Take a snapshot and don't miss it. Want to help celebrate one year of the #SnapshotsOfMobile series? Take a snapshot of your own and tag it with #PASnapshots on Instagram and I'll share some of my favorites in the next Snapshots post! Follow Me :)
Every other Friday, I'm going to be sharing snapshots that I have taken in and around Mobile. Not only do I want to share with you guys this place, but it will help me to get out and explore. I love the idea of "snapshots", because sometimes they are quick and can be hurried, but always capture a memory. My photos may not always be perfect or frame-worthy, but I hope you enjoy them. I hope you enjoy seeing little glimpses of Mobile and I hope this encourages you to get out, explore your town, and take advantage of all your place may offer. This is #SnapshotsOfMobile. Enjoy! I didn't intentionally mean to not share a snapshots post for four months, but the summertime happened and not a lot of blogging happened then. Which means that the snapshots series hit pause as well. But, we are back now! And what better way to reintroduce the #SnapshotsOfMobile series than with a photo of the Mobile skyline itself. If you stick around here long enough, you will soon learn that city skylines are one of my favorite thing. I love to take photos of them, I love to look at photos of them, and I love to just stare at them. In case the blog header wasn't a big clue or anything. I used to drive across Mobile Bay everyday to work, but now I'm driving the opposite direction. However I still drive through downtown every morning and lately with the time slowly changing, I'm once again blinded by the morning sun bouncing off the buildings. While I was stopped at a stoplight one morning, I rolled down my window and snapped this photo. The sun may have been blinding my eyes on the right, but when I looked to the left, all I saw was the glow and reflection of yellow, lighting up the sky. Not a bad way to begin your morning. What is your morning drive to work like? Do you leave before the sun even rises or do you get to enjoy some beautiful, fall mornings on the way? Snap a photo of your morning drive and tag with #PASnapshots, I'd love to see it! Follow Me :) Polished Arrow on Facebook
Every other Friday, I'm going to be sharing snapshots that I have taken in and around Mobile. Not only do I want to share with you guys this place, but it will help me to get out and explore. I love the idea of "snapshots", because sometimes they are quick and can be hurried, but always capture a memory. My photos may not always be perfect or frame-worthy, but I hope you enjoy them. I hope you enjoy seeing little glimpses of Mobile and I hope this encourages you to get out, explore your town, and take advantage of all your place may offer. This is #SnapshotsOfMobile. Enjoy!
Mobile has a rich history, with it being The Port City and in the South. One of the most iconic things on Mobile Bay would be the USS Alabama Battleship. The Alabama served in World War ll in the Atlantic and Pacific. The ship was retired in 1962 and brought to Mobile Bay in 1964 where it was later opened as a museum. The USS Alabama is a National Historic Landmark and one of my favorite places in Mobile. This year, for the fourth of July, I spent the day on the ship. Three tours take you all the way up, all the way down, and from bow to stern. My legs also told me that it is an incredible workout. It's also a spectacular place to watch fireworks. If you are ever in the Mobile area, I would definitely take the time to tour this great piece of history.
Here is the list of National Historic Landmarks.
Are any near you? Have you ever visited one of these sites?
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Just because it is the beginning of August doesn't mean that we can't have a 4th of July recap does it? Because, I never got to share with you all what I did that weekend. A weekend that is one of my most favorites every year. So, here's a flashback to almost a month ago and that wonderfully fun weekend!
One of my good friends from college came down from South Carolina to spend the weekend with me. She hadn't spent any time in Mobile, so we wanted to be sure to do as much as we could. Friday we took advantage of our close proximity to the beach and headed down to soak up some sun before it got too crowded for the weekend. Seafood was eaten, relaxation was enjoyed, and no one got sunburned! That night we headed to another beach for a showing of the movie Jaws. That is the only way to watch that movie! Saturday was the main event and jam-packed, even though we spent the majority of our day at one place. There is nothing more patriotic than spending the day on a United States Battleship, so that is what we did. We spend about three and half hours exploring the USS Alabama Battleship in Mobile Bay. We went up as far as you could go, down to the engine room, bow to stern, and everywhere in between. After a short rest, we visited the USS Drum Submarine, which thankfully, wasn't as intense. Then we headed back the apartment from some movie time, rest time, and the baking of an apple pie. That night we headed back the Battleship for the main event, my favorite part of the weekend, the fireworks show! Sunday we worshiped with our church, took some more time to rest, and then headed out to watch the US Women's Soccer team dominate in the World Cup.
I'm telling you, the fourth of July is probably my favorite holiday.
It perfectly summarizes what summer is. How did you celebrate the 4th?
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Happy Friday, everyone! Every other Friday, I share snapshots that I have taken in and around Mobile. Not only do I want to share with you guys this place, but it will help me to get out and explore. I love the idea of "snapshots", because sometimes they are quick and can be hurried, but always capture a memory. My photos may not always be perfect or frame-worthy, but I hope you enjoy them. I hope you enjoy seeing little glimpses of Mobile and I hope this encourages you to get out, explore your town, and take advantage of all your place may offer.
Since it's the holiday weekend and we are all out celebrating America and all things red, white, and blue, there is no new snapshot today. Instead, enjoy this time with family and friends! Maybe get out and be a tourist in your town and celebrate by going somewhere new. That's what I'm doing this weekend and I can't wait! If you do have some downtime today or this weekend and are missing all the snapshots of Mobile, you can always check out the gallery of photos featured so far! And you can always follow me on Instagram (my favorite place) to see them first! Happy 4th of July, everyone! It's my favorite holiday, so let's go celebrate it in style! Be safe, have fun, and see you next week!
What are your 4th of July plans?
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There's nothing better than being a tourist in your own city. And that is something that I'm looking forward to doing more of this summer. One Thursday, my roommate and I were both off from work, so we decided to play tourist. Mobile is full of museums and I'm also a big fan of museums, so we decided to take advantage and tour both the history and art museums! The History Museum of Mobile is always free admission and the Mobile Museum of Art has free admission and extended hours on Thursdays. There was no better day to go exploring!
I really enjoyed the history museum! It's a beautiful building downtown, full of artifacts and exhibits filling up almost every room of the two story Old City Hall. I could have spent much more time there, so I'm looking forward to going back. Next time I hope to have my Dad with me, as he's a big history fan himself. I enjoyed walking around and reading about the history of Mobile. Some things I knew, others I didn't. Seeing as I still consider myself pretty new to the area, it was a great experience and gave me a deeper appreciation of this city. Enjoy some of these scenes from our quick trip there!
If you were playing a tourist in your own town, where would you go and what would you do?
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Hank Aaron was an exceptional baseball player. He held the MLB record for career home runs for 33 years and still holds many records to this day! He is also the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times. He broke Babe Ruth's record for the number of home runs while playing for the Braves in Atlanta. Hank Aaron was also born in Mobile, Alabama and the stadium where the Mobile BayBears play is named in his honor. They say baseball is America's pastime and as much as I love football, I have to agree.
My roommate and I were heading home from the beach one day when she won tickets to go watch the BayBears. So, we continued our day of fun and headed to Hank Aaron Stadium for a little bit of BayBears fun, adding to the list of reasons of why we love Mobile and providing the opportunity for this snapshot!
Every other Friday, I'm going to be sharing snapshots that I have taken in and around Mobile. Not only do I want to share with you guys this place, but it will help me to get out and explore. I love the idea of "snapshots", because sometimes they are quick and can be hurried, but always capture a memory. My photos may not always be perfect or frame-worthy, but I hope you enjoy them. I hope you enjoy seeing little glimpses of Mobile and I hope this encourages you to get out, explore your town, and take advantage of all your place may offer. This is #SnapshotsOfMobile. Enjoy!
Are there any places in your town or city named after someone famous?
Are there any celebrities or notable people from your city or state?
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