Gallatin, TN: The Corn Crib

Cassidy: Ah, this post is long overdue. I feel like procrastinating is always the best answer whenever you hit a point of writer's block. Ben just told me that he doesn't remember this day at all. I remember perfectly, because he was pissed off about having to spend five dollars. One of my favorite things about living on this Earth is that there are cool things on almost every inch of it. Really. Go one town over and tell me if you don't find at least one thing in it that is pretty rad. Gallatin is an example of my belief in the whole every-town-is-a-cool-town theory.

Ben: First things first: Pizza. One of the first things I noticed coming into this town was this awesome place called The Pizza Machine (now moved to a new location). It looked really cool on the inside; it reminded me of a peanut related board-game that I used to play where you try not to get caught by the deranged half-man, half-machine chef who captures you and turns you into peanut butter. Anyways, I did not get any pizza in there because I am really cheap and we were going to Cici's Pizza Buffet later that night. RIP.

Ben: This is a pizza lamp. End of sentence. 

Ben: These are raisins below a lamp. End of sentence.

Cassidy: We saw these dudes at a great place called The Marketplace at Amberleaf.

Ben: Despite my joke, I actually want to say more about these raisins men. I enjoy their aesthetic. 

Cassidy: Middle age is all the rage.

Ben: Ah, the essentials of film. An empty film reel, a small popcorn bucket, and...

Ben: A big ticket pillow.

Cassidy: We've been trying to think of how to caption this photo, and Ben said that he doesn't know what to say about selfies. Welcome to 2014. 

Cassidy: Swooning.

Cassidy: I'm glad that you all are finally getting to see my house. This is it, everyone. 

Cassidy: Welcome to my crib. My corn crib.

Ben: This is my best friend, Joseph Pope.

Ben: Me and Joseph - 

Cassidy: Do you want me to write "Joseph and I?" 

Ben: No. Me and Joseph have been friends for fifteen years. 

Hartsville, TN - Antiques, Crafts, and Nuclear Power Plants

Cassidy: While driving to The Strawberry Patch barn sale in Hartsville, TN, the only thing I could think about was The Secret of Red Gate Farm (the Nancy Drew book). Maybe it's just the fact that I really want to be Nancy Drew and I find reasons to liken myself to her, but the drive to the SP seemed a lot like Nancy's drive to Red Gate Farm. Except it wasn't really like it at all, since it didn't storm and I didn't get stuck in the mud (and there was no mystery to solve). 

Ben: ...... Yeah.
Cassidy: My family and I are extremely into antiques and crafts, so barn sales are right up my alley. After hearing my mom rave about The Strawberry Patch the last time it happened, I really wanted to go check it out for the September event. There were lots of great vendors, and I snagged a pajama party suitcase while there. I also convinced my mom to buy a carnival chalkware figure that has red hair and a "C" written on her shirt (no pics, sadly).  

Here's a photo of the main barn, filled with different antique/craft vendors and a space for live music.

I got these sunglasses for a whopping DOLLAR at the DOLLAR TREE. CAPS LOCK BECAUSE I LOVE THE DOLLAR TREE. 

 Ben yawns at the lack of aliens. 

 

Caressing my dollar sunglasses. My big pink button says "MIDDLE AGE IS ALL THE RAGE" if you're wondering.

Why am I not living in this camper? That's what I want to know. Plus, it had an awesome interior. There were two other campers at this barn sale that were equally as adorable. 

Ben wants to note that he got these glasses for free at the movie theater he worked at, in spite of my dollar glasses. 

My two favorite words: Free refills.

Is that Matthew McConaughey? No, it's just Ben. 

My dream vehicle. It was the right color and everything.

On the left is me calmly taking a picture with a Volkswagen bus. On the right is how I feel on the inside. 

I can't describe to you how stoked I was to find this pajama party suitcase. PAJAMA. PARTY. SUITCASE. 

Notice something weird in the background? We did too. There's an abandoned site for what was going to be a nuclear power plant right next to where the barn sale was happening. This giant, creepy cooling tower makes for a bizarre background image to the gorgeous farmland we were on. Turns out, there are some weird rumors about this place (just check out what this website says: WEIRD ABANDONED POWER PLANT STORY). Although you can't get close to the property, we managed to get some pictures of the cooling tower.

Oh, yeah, that's not a cooling tower. We couldn't really get any more pictures of it since it's all blocked off. This is just Fluffy from Sesame Street, who for some reason really scares Ben. Ben says that he was traumatized as a child by this faceless trunk making it's loud elephant scream.

Kelly, KY - Journey to a Fried Snickers

If you've ever met me in real life, you know that it is mandatory for me to get a fried snickers every time I see that a place is offering them. There's just something about that deliciously deep fried chocolate peanut log (on a stick!!!!!!) that is everything I've ever wanted in a fair food. No offense to funnel cakes and the TN State Fair's infamous beef sundae (no, I'm serious, it exists: HOT BEEF SUNDAE PROOF), but a deep fried snickers is virtually unbeatable in my book. Here are some photos that document my journey to getting a DFS in Kelly, KY.