We shall start with why I am going:
This is Mandy. She and I met during our first week in Gainesville as freshman. We lived on the same dorm hall. We haven't lived in the same town in 4 years now, but we are just as close as ever. We know all about each others faults, fears, and general hates. We also have quite a few shared passions, pumpkin flavored anything being the most unusual. She is one of those friends that I absolutely cannot imagine living without.
The picture above was taken the night before I moved to DC from Gainesville. It was also taken just days after she met the man she is going to be marrying in just 6 days!!
It is an incredible honor that she asked me to be a part of her wedding, so just 14 months after this picture was taken, our roles will be reversed!!
Other than all the standard wedding festivities that will fill the weekend, there are quite a few other things on my list for my trip to Gainesville. In fact, it has been 18 months since I last visited [the longest stretch of time in my remembered life...], so the list is quite long!!
I plan to spend quite a bit of time at Salty Dog, my go-to bar in college. A very good portion of money earned by me and my parents was spent here [as well as money given to me by the lottery players of the state of Florida. Thanks for the scholarship!!]. Cheap beer will be mine!!
No trip to Gainesville is complete without a visit to Burrito Bros. Its just a standard taco/burrito place, in theory. But its also a long time family favorite. My mouth is already watering.
Yes, two Bar-B-Que places. Both delicious in every way. Meat prices here are beyond insulting, as a result most of my protein has come from eggs. BBQ is a must.
While there I will also get to spend time with two other people quite dear to me, my hubby Josh and my BFF Amanda:
I kind of impressed that the three of us have so many pictures together, and that I was able to find them [with a huge assist from Facebook].
I will also get to see:
My parents [and maybe my sister]
My "second" parents [my parent's best friends who I love with all my heart]
And the family I nannied for while I was in undergrad.
Finally I will get to go to my single most favorite place on earth: the Swamp!!
PS: For those of you unlucky enough to not already know, the title of this post comes from the Florida Alma Mater:
Florida, our Alma Mater,
thy glorious name we praise.
All thy loyal sons and daughters,
a joyous song shall raise.
Where palm and pine are blowing,
where southern seas are flowing,
Shine forth thy noble gothic walls,
thy lovely vine clad halls.
Neath the orange and blue victorious,
our love shall never fail.
There's no other name so glorious,
all hail, Florida, hail!
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