June has officially ended, which means we are halfway through 2024. Like most years, this one feels like it is going by quickly, so it is important to take a moment and reflect. For me, while June may have been a busy month, it wasn’t without its fun.
I opened the month with the Main Street Kent Art & Wine Festival on June 1.
My family attended this event for the first time last year, but we had so much fun we decided to make it an annual thing. You get 10 tasting tickets for $25 and a commemorative wine glass. There were 13 wineries in attendance, two of which were meaderies. I am not a big Mead person, but my husband is, so he spent most of his tickets at those two stands. The wine was great! I like sweeter wines, and luckily there were plenty of options for me to choose from.
My favorite wine was Redemption from The Winery at Wolf Creek. It is a sweet red table wine, which is out of character for me because I tend to lean toward white wine. Below is a picture of the wine’s description from The Winery at Wolf Creek website.
The second half of the festival was the art. The blocked-off street was lined with art booths of different niches and mediums. Some of the art was too eclectic for my taste, but I’m sure people loved it. Last year, my husband and I bought a large wooden “Ohio” sign, and this year we kept the tradition alive by purchasing a smaller “Ohio sign.
The next thing that happened that month was my 28th birthday on June 3. Part of my birthday celebration was the Art & Wine Festival, which meant I got to have a nice weekend with my family, who undoubtedly spoiled me. Before my birthday, my parents and aunt gifted me (and my husband) outdoor chairs for our temporary hot tub bar, my brothers got me a small CD player that looks like a record player along with 6 Taylor Swift CDs, and my husband treated me to dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant. Then, on my birthday, my husband cooked me my favorite dinner, which was pasta, Italian sausage, and peppers in an olive oil sauce with a side of garlic bread. He also bought me the prettiest potted flowers, which I am happy to report are still alive. It was a great birthday and I was blessed to have spent it with my family.
The third event of the month was one of my best friends’s bachelorette weekend in Hocking Hills from June 7-9. The matron of honor, my second best friend, found us the most amazing cabin with a game room and a hot tub. In attendance was the bride, of course, and her five bridesmaids. The weekend’s theme was Disney Princesses and each person was assigned a different princess (I was Pocahontas). Setup for the event consisted of blowing up the balloons that would be used for a balloon arch and in the bride’s bedroom, setting the dining room table, putting out the gift bags and the small little details, and the matron of honor making a magnificent charcuterie board.
The last part of the setup was creating the champagne tower that the bride requested. Getting that tower made was no easy feat, but I accepted the challenge and it turned out really well!
The first night consisted of everyone getting settled in, followed by drinks, grilling hamburgers and brats, group FaceTiming our mothers, and relaxing in the hot tub. The second day had a slow start, but once everyone was up and moving, breakfast and a fruit charcuterie board were served and we headed out to two wineries. The first stop was Hocking Hills Winery. The slushies were better than the wine, but the pizzas were amazing! The second stop was Revolution Rockbridge Winery. I loved the vibe of this place. One cool detail was that the wine flights were served on boards in the shape of Ohio, Bigfoot, and what I guessed was Moth Man. The wine here was different but in the best way. I deeply regret not getting a bottle before we left.
The rest of the evening was spent back at the cabin where we enjoyed a pasta bar, games, and Disney Cocktail Night. For that, each person made a drink inspired by their Disney princess. As I said earlier, my princess was Pocahontas, so I made the Colors of the Wind cocktail, which consisted of grenadine, orange juice, white rum, and blue curaçao. The rest of the drink descriptions are shown below. Scroll through the pictures to see what everyone made! It was a fun weekend and made me want to schedule another girls’ trip.
The final event of the month was that same friend’s bridal shower on June 30. It was held at one of the local Metroparks in a building with three large windows that overlooked a pretty wooded area. It was a lilac wonderland! The tables were covered in white tablecloths with a thin lilac fabric bunched in the middle and the centerpieces were vases filled with white flowers and each table had a framed picture from their engagement shoot. There was also a mimosa bar, a coffee bar, a killer dessert table with cookies and cheesecake, and a great spread of food with frittatas, hummus and pita chips, fruit and veggie tray, yogurt parfaits, and crescent sandwiches. Sadly, I did not take any pictures that day, so you'll just have to see the details in your mind. The lucky couple appeared to be showered with love from all and received a lot of wonderful gifts. It was a really nice afternoon and I hoped she enjoyed it! Next stop, her wedding in August!
June was a jam-packed month filled with wine, friends, and family. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I hope July, and the rest of the year, live up to the incredibly high standard that June set.
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