Winter in Sydney getting you down? Spend the summer in the States!

***BIG TIME PHOTOS as lots has happened in not much time.

So at the start of the last post, I had just arrived in the US.  Let me catch you up on what has been happening over in the States this summer.

Obviously the biggest thing is Brock and Amber got married!!!  #Bramer  It was lovely.  The weather was lovely and sunny.  Everyone looked amazing.  Lots of photos below...

Brock and Amber at the rehearsal dinner

Me on the way out to the wedding

 

The house where the ceremony was

Brock and Jonny on the balcony before the ceremony

Mom and Dad coming to sit down

Brock and Amber

 The Moms water Brock and Amber's new olive tree

All the family men

All the family women

Our table

 Jonny's speech - he was MCing

 Dad's speech

 Their first dance - When A Man Loves A Woman, Percy Sledge

In the lead up to the wedding and even afterwards, we all managed to squeeze in a few extra activities.  I spent the day in Napa Valley.  I continued jogging around Oakland.  We had lots of lovely meals out.  Spent several days in San Francisco.  I even got to see Black Watch at the American Conservatory Theatre.  Here are a few of the photos about town.

 Napa Valley's V. Sattui

 Another winery that has a sister winery in Tassie!

The Art-o-Matic at the performance of Black Watch

 Oakland's architecture

 The SF Ferry Building

Brock and Jonny

 Alameda Beach where the post-wedding BBQ was

The Rotunda @ Neiman Marcus San Francisco

 Jonny and Chris at the 21st Amendment Brewery in SF

So post-wedding, I jumped on my favourite form of US transport, the Amtrak, and headed up to Seattle to see Kelly and Rob.  The train ride was fantastic.  I have now ridden all the way from Vancouver to Los Angeles on that train line.  Awesome.  Photos of the ride below.

Portlandia

Getting closer to Seattle

I spent about a week in Seattle.  We ate and drank a fair bit, went on the brand new Ferris Wheel on the waterfront, and did a fair amount of shopping.  I went to the top of the Smith Tower which was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi.  I sat in the famous Marriage Chair which, according to legend, once you sit in it, you will be married before 1 year is up.  Hmmmm.  I am skeptical.  Kelly and Rob have an amazing house in Seattle.  It was great to catch up.   I am sure I will be able to host them in my own house sometime.

The Smith Tower

Me at the Chewing Gum Wall

Oh how Seattle does know how to really make coffee

Seattle is actually bringing back the 70s style cop cars.  Classic!

Me and a giant cocktail

Kelly and her giant cocktail

So after a week or so in Seattle, I flew off to Ohio to see Mom and Dad's new house and all of the Ohio contingent.  I managed to fit a ton of stuff in.  Ohio isn't that exciting, but it is pretty good in summer.  Here is a summary:

• Hosted a Tea Party for all the females in our Grubb family in Ohio
• Lots of shopping
• Helped Mom and Dad host a massive family reunion with Mom's cousins for her uncle's memorial
• Went to several free outdoor concerts including tributes to the BeeGees, The Eagles and The Beatles, a local (very talented) guy named Griffin House and a local production of Footloose
• Hiked and had lunch at the Clifton Mill
• Hung out with friends in Columbus in the Short North
• Played golf (!!)
• Swam at 2 local country clubs, one which Mom and Dad are joining
• Had amazing ice cream at Young's Jersey Dairy
• Spent 4th of July indoors as it was pouring - cancelled the fireworks in Springfield
• Went to Gallipolis to Grandma Rita's several times - their fireworks were rained out 2 days later as well
• Had a lovely IPA at a brewery in Gallipolis
• Looked at loft for sale in Springfield.  AMAZING but over-priced for the area.
• Kept jogging and Wii Fitting

I am sure that there were more things, but that is what I can remember off the top of my head.  It was really good to spend some time with Mom and Dad at their new house.  It is quite unique.  It is a square with a courtyard in the middle.  4 hallways.  Really unique.  Really mid-century modern.  Photos below:

This is a shop called Ninja Headquarters.  Seriously.  In Ohio.

The love heart shaped scones I baked for the Tea Party

Our cute little menus for the Tea

The ladybug/bird bruschetta that I made

All of us at the Tea Party

Grandma and Me on her front porch

Young's Jersey Dairy.  I missed out on my fav flavour - Cake Batter!

Griffin House's show

Clifton Mill

Mom and Dad at Clifton Mill

Tupperware and Tractors on the road....(giggle)

I clocked up 100kms of jogging while in Ohio.  Yay.

A view of a hallway in Mom and Dad's house with the sun shining through the courtyard door

Mom, Dad and I also went down to Pawleys Island, South Carolina to their beach house for about a week as well.  It was a long drive, but we survived.  It was a bit rainy, but we did manage to get in a few nice days.  Sara VanAernum, my friend from high school, ended up flying down from DC to meet us for a few days.  We made it to Brookgreen Gardens, the beach, and Mom and I went to a plantation for high tea.  We had a great time.

Brookgreen Gardens

Sara and I at the Beach

Hopsewee Plantation

Here we are at the airport

Dad and Mom driving home

So I am back in Sydney now.  Gotta get organised for the next gig, but it was nice to escape the cold wet June they had.  Hope everyone in the north is enjoying the last bit of summer.  Looking forward to getting back to Sydney to catch up with everyone.  I may even get to celebrate my birthday in Australia for the first time in about 5 years!  Crazy. 

Hope all is well with you all.  Drop me an email so I know what you are up to.  It was great to get to see such a big contingent of the Americans.
All my love,

Sxo