Saturday Adventures with Anna: Vanderbilt Mansion

Meet Anna: a 14-year-old photographer, fashionista, and creative spirit.

She also just happens to be my sister. :)

Anna and I live in a beautiful part of New York and there are tons of places to explore and discover. With all these fun places within driving distance, Saturdays are officially our local adventure days. Yesterday was our first of the summer.

Where We Went:
Vanderbilt Mansion and Historic Site - Hyde Park, NY. The Vanderbilt grounds have long been one of my personal favorite places in the Hudson Valley. Once the home of the Vanderbilt family, this property has a breathtaking view of the Hudson River and acres of lush grass and beautiful English gardens. Vanderbilt is a great place for a picnic, a long walk, or a photo shoot. Here's a few of my photos from the day:

Oh, and here's one of both of us thanks to the self-timer. Check out Anna's blog for more of her Vanderbilt photos!

Where We Ate:
Eveready Diner - Hyde Park, NY

A good adventure is never complete without some good food! Anna and I stopped at the Eveready Diner for some triple decker chicken salad club sandwiches and super crispy french fries. They were delish! In addition to the tasty food, Eveready's claim to fame is its appearance on The Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. From the chrome exterior to the employees' uniforms, going there is like taking a quick trip back to the 50s. There's even an old roller rink next door! 

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Dear Friends: Ready for an Adventure?

I'm Erin. I just turned 20 a few weeks ago. I'm now officially in my 20s [read: OLD]. On my 20th birthday, I realized that the next decade or so of life is sure to be jam packed FULL of crazy new adventures. And I want YOU to be a part of them. That's where Sincerely, Erin comes in. I hope that as I experience new things, big and small, you'll join me on this journey. Think of this blog as a virtual postcard from me to you. :)

As far as adventures go, here's a little sneak peak at at some that are coming up for me...

First, I'm taking a mini-adventure with some of my best friends, my SIFE [Students in Free Enterprise] team, to Kansas City, Missouri. I've never been there before and we're taking a 22 hour bus ride (did I mention I'm from NY?) to get there. 

Just a few days after I get back from that, I'm hopping on a plane for a 2-week trip to Coimbatore, India.  INDIA. INDIA! To say that I'm excited for this trip would be a huge understatement. I've been counting down the days for months [currently 18 FYI]. I'm going with 11 other wonderful people and while we're there, we will running a business camp at the Miracle Garden Orphanage and helping the Chandra Bose School implement a business curriculum. It's going to be such a scary/exciting/challenging/wonderful 2 weeks. I can't wait! Chances are a good chunk of this blog this summer will be devoted to stories about those 2 weeks alone.


In the off chance that you're reading this and don't actually know me in life outside of the World Wide Web, I'll leave you today with 10 things you should probably know about me:

1. I'm in love with Jesus. Expect to hear about all the cool ways He's working in my life a lot! 
2. I'm a marketing major and just finished year 2 of college. My dream is to go into non-profit marketing. Non-profits and missions have a special place in my heart.
3. I recently discovered that I'm a picky eater. I never really noticed until some of my friends pointed it out. Then my mom confirmed it so it must be true (moms are never wrong). I just really love good food, especially chocolate.
4. I really, really want a teacup pig. 
5. I would not consider myself especially graceful or neat. I'm the friend that looks like this:
   Ok, that may be a bit of an exaggeration... :)
6. I appreciate creativity and art. If you do too, you should visit my other blog which is 99% pictures and art here.
7. Old maps and chai tea are two of my current obsessions. 
8. I love love LOVE Pixar movies. I could watch Up a million times and never get sick of it. 
9. When I don't know a person's name, I make a nickname for him/her...and that nickname usually sticks. For example, the picture above is saved on my computer as "Messy Face Kid." Now, every time for the rest of your life that you see that picture, he/she (what is it?!) will be "Messy Face Kid." You're welcome.
10. In addition to Kansas City adventures, Indian adventures, and just plain old life adventures, you'll probably get to read about some really cool plans with a very special Mama Carmen of Guatemala. Check her out on Facebook here. 

Well friends, that is just a little tiny peek at me. I'm so excited that you're reading this post and I'm even more excited that you're going to keep reading (you will, right?) about all the amazing adventures that God has planned for me! 

Sincerely,

Erin

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