Early Friday morning, we set off to Tarrytown, NY - about 45 minutes north of the city, to visit the farm home to Dan Barber's (author of The Third Plate, featured on Chef's Table, and owner of Blue Hill (everything)) impeccable tasting experience.

Friday, May 5 @ 11am

Behind the Scenes Walking Tour

Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, 630 Bedford Rd, Tarrytown, N

Idyllic. Unbelievable. Enrapturing.

Arriving at Stone Barns, the clouds looming overhead threatened to burst. We debated umbrellas, decided on only one and layered up against the wind. The tour was set for 90 minutes, the longest and most in-depth they offered, and would cover the entire grounds.

It promptly began to pour.

Our group started closer to ten, and without spoiling the ending for you, we finished with four. Our fearless leader Rene, the Director of Education, wore a rain jacket, no gloves, and braced herself to take the brunt of the storm to her front while we huddled with our backs to the wind. Her voice never wavered and her smile never diminished. I couldn't help but shiver, being a lowly Floridian so far out of her element wearing another man's boots and already soaked in her skinny jeans to the bone. Mari leans over to me,

Just keep telling yourself, mind over matter.

Stone Barns is built in the Normandy Style

Decades ago, it was a Cargnegie dairy farm

The apiary is supported by "plant pathways" around the farm

Sheep and lambs stand steadfast in the storm

In any other situation like this, I would have quit. I'd have made a great excuse about how bad this was for my immune system (to be so cold), about how I would have plenty of fun in their retail space (which was quite fabulous), or just how I was done and you couldn't change my mind. Not this time.

The more I focused on the experience at hand, the more my shivers faded. I was still cold and soaked, but the adorable sheep and the incredible methodology that was governing this place kept me fully attentive to our guide. When we reached the greenhouse, the reprieve was sweet but the sight was sweeter.

This is the only picture we have together on an entire 5 day trip.

And that's okay - because we spent the rest of the photos doing what we love: Instagram, blogging, and storytelling. Social media can sometimes be seen as intruding on an experience, but as someone who engages for both business and for pleasure, it's a special treat when I get to spend full days with someone just as passionate about the art form.

Capturing images that tell the story of an event for social media is a blend of journalism, photography, and good ol' fashioned memory-making. Those albums our parents have of family trips? Instagram stories.

Mari has been my biggest inspiration on my blogging journey. I thought what I was doing was self-centered - why would anyone want to read about my life?

Through reading Mari's blog and others that inspire me, I realized that sharing your story is just one of the gifts you give the world. Her guidance and feedback gave me confidence to not just continue to share, but to share more boldly and completely. To capture the experience as it was, to take you with me.

A brief downtown stop before what we believe to be goodbye.

We happened to drive through Sleepy Hollow

With perfect spooky stormy weather

Quaint digs in Tarrytown: Coffee Labs coffee shop and Flying Fingers yarn shop

These art walls are my new favorite thing

Thank you Mari for this fabulous view

The original itinerary for the trip had a Brooklyn Airbnb stay from May 5 - 7, after which I'd head home. Upon arrival at my Airbnb and realizing it was an unsuitable place (which Airbnb handled fabulously), I hoofed it back to the subway. Me and my bags, a little shaken up, commuted back to Maplewood to be rescued by none other than Mari.

Of course, being as similar as we are, we agreed exactly how we would spend Cinco de Mayo - which would originally have been a most-likely raucous night in Williamsburg.

We'd have homemade pico and guacamole at home, with You've Got Mail playing in the background, giggling like schoolgirls over the trip thus far.

On the schedule for Saturday: Central Park, Albertine Books, Chalait, and shopping!