Erin's Travel Blog

          The dark blue walls are lined halfway up with espresso-colored batten boards. The painted portion is littered with old fishing memorabilia: vintage fishing rods, antique bait cans, and small recreations of sea creatures. The orange booth I am sitting in is worn down to the seams from years of people sliding in and out throughout the hot summer days. In front of me, my hands stick to the varnish of the wood table that has become tacky after repeated cleaning each day. From my spot, I have a perfect view of the metal kitchen doors and bar entrance swinging open and shut throughout the busy evening shuffle. Light casts down on the sticky table through a large wood-paned window to my right. Outside, tables and chairs line the sidewalk and patio surrounding the restaurant. Whether or not this is truly allowed goes undiscussed, as they do whatever they can to accommodate the booming summer crowd. Both inside and outside, there is not an open chair in s...

            I am a self-declared produce aficionado. However, most people in my life will agree with that title. No matter where we are or what the intended plan for the day was, I will find a way to drag that person to a produce market. Whether it be a new location or a place that I have visited dozens of times, I will enjoy myself thoroughly during my entire stay. If I were given a one-item limit on each visit to the market, each time, I would come home with a bag of peaches. During the summer, there is truly nothing better. Fresh and sweet, the orange exterior color continues all the way through. Filled with abundant juice that comes running out like a rushing river after the first bite. Growing rapidly during the summer months, they are easy to come across and bring home to enjoy at any time. Whether I eat them as is or incorporate them into one of many recipes in my repertoire, they are one of the most iconic summer delicacies in my mind. However,...

        In a community on the water, there is always something going on. Whether a person lives in the area or not, on the weekend, they will always make their way to the water's edge to see the events of the day. Since the area is relatively small, during the summer months, there are a few activities that are almost guaranteed to be found.  In the early morning hours, when the sun has barely risen and the day's heat has yet to set in, many elder members of the community gather for a communal stroll to the end of the dock. Convening in the gravel parking lot, they make the trek to the end of the Pier slowly. As they walk, they absorb each detail of their surroundings. From the birds laying on the pebble and sand-lined waters edge to the state of the leaves on the trees, nothing goes unnoticed.  Throughout the entirety of their stroll, they remain in a straight line. From above, they would look like a broom sweeping dust away from an uneven wood flo...

             When someone spends an immense amount of time in the same place, one aspect always stands out in their mind. The smaller location that defines the place as a whole. Each individual quality stands out, an element that its culture is built upon. In my hometown, this is the Piermont Pier.  Geographically, the Piermont Pier is unlike anything I have ever seen. While this shouldn't say much, as I have never traveled the world, I am taken aback by its beauty each time I visit. Here, it is uncommon to find yourself in a place entirely surrounded by water. Reminiscent of the beach, the sights and sounds of the area transport you elsewhere. If you close your eyes for just a second, you are taken away from everything. Enveloped on either side by the Hudson River, from the end of the Pier, water stretches as far as the eye can see. To the right, the New York City skyline is just barely visible, encumbered by hazy clouds or the setting side...

        During the summer, it is not uncommon for me to find myself at a farmer's market. In my mind, they are the epitome of summer. Standing in the bright sun, making selections from the peak of the year's fruit and vegetables is guaranteed to make for a perfect day.  In addition to the physical experience, the unparalleled service one encounters at these establishments deserves recognition. The family-owned farmers market I frequent ensures that each person who steps into their tent leaves with everything they were in search of, plus more. Over time, they learn the names of all locals and treat them as if they are their own family. After my first several visits, there was a particular employee who I grew accustomed to seeing on my trips. The grandson of the market's founder, the ten-year-old boy spent his summer helping his parents and relatives run the daily operations of the market. Barely tall enough to see over the stands of stacked fruit, he arr...

          Welcome to my travel blog! My name is Erin Cunningham, and I am a rising junior at Loyola. I am from Rockland County, New York, which is about thirty minutes north of New York City. My hometown is the area where I will be spending this summer. Typically, when I think of a travel blog, I assume it will cover a person's travels and the people and places they encounter along the way. However, my blog will serve a different function since I will be documenting from the area where I have lived my entire life. When you spend so much time in one place, over time, you grow to overlook the things that genuinely make it beautiful. While there are things that I often appreciate, there is a multitude of aspects that go unnoticed in my daily life.  However, before discussing my background in the area, it is important to discuss my placement there. I have lived in the same house here my entire life and attended school with the same people from my first...