Yesterday, I spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with some friends in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. There was a holiday event there with all kinds of food, music, games, decorations, and other fun activities. We spent about four hours up there and had a blast. Here are the highlights from the trip.
I carpooled there and back with a good friend to keep things simple. After about an hour’s drive, we got to Fernandina Beach and quickly found a good parking spot. Then we wandered around for a while, taking in the sights and exploring a cool bookstore called The Book Loft. While inside, our other friends texted that they were here, so we made our way to the welcome center and met up with them. Our first quest to find roasted chestnuts was unfortunately left unfulfilled, but that early disappointment didn’t prevent us from enjoying the rest of our time up there. We took a few pictures and then spent some time listening to Christmas carols and singing along while also learning a bit about their history.
We then headed over to the main stage to listen to the Crescendo Amelia band, add another friend to our group, visit for a bit with a friend in the band, and dance for a while. Once that ended, we listened to a reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” and then headed over to Wicked Bao for dinner. We planned to eat outside, hoping that the heating devices they had would keep us warm despite the cool weather. Unfortunately, the clouds opened up and poured down rain, forcing us to eat inside. We made the most of it, however, having fun conversations while enjoying our food. I had some pork pot stickers and lemonade, as well as a bit of a pork bao that a friend let me try; I enjoyed the bao much more than the pot stickers, so I’ll order that next time if I go back there. The rain let up and allowed us to go to our final stop of the night, Fantastic Fudge. After a brief wait, we got our dessert, said goodbye, and headed home.
I’ve felt for a while now like I needed a break, and this, along with going home and relaxing after work on Friday night instead of going out, gave me exactly what I needed. Changing up my usual routine and doing something special helped me relax, feel refreshed, and slow down and stretch out my day off so that it felt like three days instead of just one. It seems that days like this come along at just the right time to get me back to where I need to be and I always enjoy them and the benefits they give me. This was a great one and I’m glad I got to experience everything it had to offer.