Though it’s been more than a month since I got home from Engage, I’m not going to let the time lapsed stop me from writing about it. Because the Gala on the last night? It was truly a once-in-a-lifetme experience.

Start with a particular point in history when, between Downton Abbey and the Great Gatsby movie, 20’s style has never been more in vogue.

Add in the majestic Biltmore Estate, the largest privately owned house in America. Make sure it has a stupendous view.

Choose a picture-perfect summer day.

Invite a crowd that reinvents the idea of a costume party. Fringe and sequins and feathers, oh my!

Serve the most delicious food, arrange for stunning decor, bring in pitch-perfect period jazz music.

And a fire breather, just for good measure. Yes, seriously.

Now add in one gal who adores Downton Abbey, whose second favorite book of all time is The Great Gatsby, and who leaps at any excuse to dress up.

There. That is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Quite literally, almost: I had the chance to chat with one of the gals who works in the Biltmore catering office, and she said that they usually only do two events per year on the South Lawn — and that she had never seen anything like this one. Until time travel is possible, I think this is the closest I will ever come to experiencing another era, and I am just tickled that I got to do so.

Hope you enjoyed the peek!

All photos by Allan Zepeda, Jeremie Barlow, and Carla Ten Eyck & Andrew Henderson except second and group photo near bottom

John and I just got back from our first big trip of the summer – a week in Northern Michigan!

His family shares a cottage on the shore of a small lake near Lake Michigan. The accommodations are rustic, but that’s okay, because the surroundings are spectacular.

We didn’t spend much time inside at all, actually. The beautiful weather turned this past week into one of my most active in the last few years: we biked, hiked, climbed dunes, jumped off dunes, ran down dunes, waterskiied, knee boarded, kayaked, played tennis, swam… my muscles were feeling it by the end of the week!!

We did make time to visit a few favorites: Cherry Republic (they carry their theme to perfection!), the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Frankfort, Inspiration Point, and Riverside, among others.

We also had a campfire (and s’mores!) every night, and saw some jaw-dropping sunsets while doing so. One night, we even saw a smoldering sunset in one direction, and a double rainbow in the other! Amazing!

I hope y’all had an amazing Fourth of July!

Martha Stewart

Happy Fourth, friends! Of all the things I find marvelous in life, this great country of ours has to be near the very top. I am so grateful to have been born in America; for the incredible history of this country and the people who’ve shaped it into what it is today; and for all the freedoms I enjoy as a U.S. citizen. One of the very first purchases John and I made for our house was an American flag; we’ve flown it proudly every day since.

Today John and I are enjoying hot dogs, lemonade, waterskiing, fireworks, lots of family time, and s’mores — I hope y’all have the day free to enjoy your own version of bliss! :)

Oh my word, we’re in the second half of the year!

And I feel pretty good about that! I didn’t do particularly well with my June goals (completed about half), so you’ll see many of them on my July list. One thing we did complete — by the skin of our teeth — was the raised bed. We got it in in between two waves of storms on Thursday, finishing after dark. But when we woke up in the morning, it still looked good!

This month I will…
– Organize the loft
– Sharpen knives
– Hang some art downstairs
– Get a rain barrel
– Take our bikes in for a tune-up
– Enroll in life insurance for me (John already has it through his job)

For the rest of my July goals, please see this post :)

You can see all of my 101 in 1001 goals here and my 2013 daily goals here. If you’d like to share your goals for July, I’d love for you to either list them in the comments or leave a link, and I promise I’ll check them out!