Puffin: Fact or Fiction?

This one looks like a swanky old man. Photo courtesy of puffinpalooza.com.

Do you know what a puffin is? I didn't... until last week.  Well, that is not entirely true. For most of  my existence, I had never even heard of a puffin.  Then, in my 19th year of life (2003... Lord, I'm getting old), when I saw the film "Elf," I heard of a puffin for the first time. Still, I thought these so-called puffins were merely magical creatures of the Arctic created just for the movie, and that they didn't truly exist.  Do you recall the scene in "Elf" when Buddy is running through a snowstorm, and a cute little bird asks him a question, and Buddy yells, "Not now, Arctic Puffin!"? Well that was my first puffin encounter (youtube video clip: arctic puffin from elf.). 

Now, 9 years later, I have had yet another puffin-epiphony: during a visit with Fiance-Matt to Bar Harbor, Maine last weekend I learned the truth that these animals are in fact REAL.  The realization was gradual, though.  When Matt and I first arrived in misty Bar Harbor, I saw a building with a sign that read "Whales & Puffins." (The sign is pictured on the building below, but difficult to see).  When I first saw this sign, my wheels began to spin.  "Are puffins real? I thought they were made-up and only in Elf?" I pondered to myself.  But then I got distracted by the beautiful scenery surrounding us, and didn't think much more on the subject.

After a lovely stroll through the town, we made our way back to the main street in search of some sustenance.  En route, we passed the "Whales & Puffins" sign yet again, and I was once more forced to confront my seemingly solid beliefs about the puffin.  As we passed the sign for the second time, I was thinking that it was quite odd that a whale-watching adventure company would adverstise real whales with some mythical animal. Yet once again, I didn't get hung up on the issue, but rather suppressed the thought to the depths of my subconscious.  I moved on to more important things, like tracking down clam chowder and a lobster roll, which we ultimately found at Geddy's, and adorable establishment right in the hub of Bar Harbor (clam chowder was delicious, the lobster roll, not so much). 

However, the issue of the puffin was not to be avoided that day.  Just as we were finishing up our meal, I saw yet another trace of the puffin --- a Maine license plate with a drawing of two puffins, and motto on it that read "Home of the puffin" (see below).  This confirmed it. The puffins were real, in all their cute, fluffy glory.  I exclaimed to Matt, "Look! The puffins are on the Maine license plate. They are real!" Immediately following this revelation, my eyes began to well up with tears at the thought of this beautiful creature which once only existed in my mind, yet was actually real all along.  And not only was it real, but it was adorable.  "I want a puffin," I declared, as my face scrunched up into a cry-shape.  Matt couldn't resist calling attention to my emotional reaction, "Your'e going to cry, aren't you?" he probed (while also laughing at me). Yes, yes I was. I cried. A soft, gentle, keep-it-somewhat-to-yourself type cry, but I cried.  About a puffin.

The puffin license plate -- the cause of my tears.

Post-puffin meltdown.

Perhaps the best part of all this was when on Friday night, at our final apartment party, I was recalling the story to one of my dear friends, Paige.  I was telling her that all along I thought that puffins were fake, just like the Narwhal which was another imaginary creature in the movie "Elf."  Paige just about began to crumble with laughter.  "Narwhals are real, too, Jenny!!!"  Oh my. Apparently I have some brushing up to do on my animal science.  And apparently I'm now also in the market for a puffin.  Please let me know if you gotta guy.  

snuggly fluffy puffin :)

Pre-puffin revelation.

We Head South When it's Cold (& go GATOR HUNTIN')

This weekend Boyfriend Matt and I migrated down south to Naples, Florida to visit my Pops.  Fortunately the weather was pretty murk in New York when we left, but it was also quite rainy in Florida much of the time.  No matter, though; we still had a great time eating delicious foods, hunting for gators, watching the Pauly D Project, and spending quality time together :)  It was indeed a great escape.

Me and Fatha.

The first item on our agenda was to find a live gator. This was in fact Matt's one and only true wish of the trip.   Our original plan was to take an airboat ride in the Everglades, but since it was uber rainy on Sunday, we decided that gator-watching from the dry, air-conditioned comforts of my Dad's truck would suffice.  So we headed down Route 41 to see if we could spot any gators in the waterways alongside of the road.  My Dad pulled through on his promise to bring us gators, as he found us a spot in the Everglades that was brimming with the scaly creatures.  

Baby gator.

Creepy gator-eyes. Yowza. 

We got out of the truck and headed down to the water bank to get a closer look at some of the gators.  But unfortunately, since mosquitoes were eating us alive, we didn't stay in open-air long and we ran back to the vehicle for cover just as soon as Matt got his gator fix.

After all our gator huntin', we had worked up an appetite, so we headed to the only lunch-spot for miles: Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe.

Inside Joanie's.

Joanie's is an awesome hole-in-the-wall establishment literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by swamp. As soon as my Dad mentioned to Matt that they served gator and frog legs, Matt was all about it.  There were only a handful of customers at Joanie's, making it warm and relaxed, like we were having lunch at an old friend's house on the back porch.  We were even treated to live music performed by Beth Thompson of Marco Island (click on link to enjoy some footage we took of her singing "Bleeding Love"... really talented!).

Some memorabilia. 

Both Matt and I discovered some fantASStic signage and artwork in the restrooms...

Special treat in the ladies' room.

Wise advise for the gents in the men's room. 

After touring the bathrooms and checking out the cool memorabilia, we settled in for lunch.  I enjoyed delicious crab cakes, and Matt bravely ordered the Swamp Combo: gator nuggets, frog legs and crab cakes.  Mmmm Yummers!

The Swamp Combo.

Matt eatin' himself some gator and frog legs.

As tastey as the gator bites were (I was too afraid to try to the frog legs), I enjoyed the other home-cooked meals we enjoyed during the trip much better!

Delicious Monday night dinner (thanks Sherry!)

Even when we left the swamp and the Everglades, there were signs everywhere that ensured we were still in Gator Country :)

This is GATOR COUNTRY - @ Books A Million in Naples.

Overall, it was a great visit to (usually) Sunny Naples, Florida.  Now back to biz in NYC.

Me and Matteo out and about in Naples.

Do you have any vacations coming up? Summer is upon us so make sure you get some relaxing (and possibly gator huntin') in.  Xoxo!

Great Escapes

Tonight I found myself daydreaming about one of these tropical water bungalows.  It must be the extra long work hours of busy tax season (it's getting to me -- I cried at work today!), the dark cold of winter (though I did enjoy today's 68 degree respite), or thinking ahead to my Florida visit in April.  Either way, my body is in New York, but my mind is in the Maldives.

I invite you all to take a mental vacation with me.  Sweet dreams :)