Annapolis

During fourth of July weekend, I was able to spend time on Kent Island and Downtown Annapolis. 

Seriously one of the best places for homemade food I've ever eaten.

Crab cake eggs Benedict.

Waffles with apple cinnamon topping and whipped cream.

Yes, we ate there more than once because it was so good. They are known for their crab cakes. And whoa are these things good. They really aren't cakes, more like straight lump crab meat. 

One of their "challenges." This was not our shake. It was our neighbors.

The dorms.

Marble floors and cathedral ceilings.

Oysters Rockefeller and clams casino.

Also downtown Annapolis, Annapolis Ice Cream Company. Some of the best ice cream I've ever had. They make it homemade every day with real ingredients, no artificial flavoring. 

The state capital building of Maryland in the distance.

If you ever get the chance to see Annapolis and the Naval Academy, I would highly suggest it. Great food and plenty to see.

Washington DC

During the fourth of July weekend this year I strolled around Washington D.C. and Georgetown.

I love Georgetown because of the quaint and beautiful streets. They also have really good shopping and novelty boutiques.

Brunch. Some of the best french toast I've ever eaten due to the sautéed strawberries in butter and balsamic. 

An absolute Italian dream market. Dean & Deluca. 

Washington Harbor.

Lincoln Memorial.

Washington Monument.

WWII Memorial.

The U.S. Capital.

Great way to spend the fourth weekend and surprisingly, it wasn't that crowded. However, I'm sure the actual day of was with the fireworks display they were setting up.

AMY

When flying across the world, you've got a lot of time on your hands. Luckily Delta Airlines had a wide selection of movies to watch. One I chose was AMY. I was never a huge fan of Amy Winehouse, mainly because I thought she was kind of scary, but I suppose I simply didn't take the time to listen to any of her music besides her hit, "Rehab." AMY details the stardom and downfall of Ms. Winehouse and the reality of someone with addiction. Its a true testament that fame, money, and doing what you love for a living can still fall victim to this terrible condition of substance abuse. At one point in the documentary, it appeared everything was falling into place. She was clean and Back to Black had much success with five Grammy awards in 2008. However, I was alarmed when a good friend of hers explained while back stage on that perceived magical night, Amy said it would have been so much better if she had drugs and was high during that moment. I think winning five Grammys would be the ultimate high, how could she possibly be thinking about drugs? But that's the harsh reality of how she viewed life.

And while her main weakness was substance abuse, Amy had many underlying demons too. At a young age she dealt with abandonment by her father, bulimia, and anxiety. In my opinion, Amy's story illustrates how real mental illness is. I'm not a doctor, but I would assume the dominos started falling down a long time before her substance abuse started since her mental state hadn't been dealt with or acknowledged as a problem. Sometimes people with the darkest history create the most moving and beautiful things because they have felt and experienced more than most. Its a very special gift to be able to write exactly how you feel and for others to interpret it with the same feelings in mind. Amy Winehouse's jazz and soul filled songs were catchy with edgy vocals. And her talent was unique, unlike any sound we've heard in modern time. The legacy of Amy Winehouse will live on even though her career was so short. Check out Frank or Back to Black to be taken back to an earlier point in time. Photo Credit