The Palace Within My Dreams: Murica

Bounce houses. Fireworks. FRIED OREOS.

"This is everything I love about America."

Okay, not exactly everything, and my inner five-year-old is definitely taking the reins on this one. But this was my first reaction when stumbling upon this scene on Independence Day.

I was at a family friend's barbeque, and the kids decided to take a break from the drunkles (drunk uncles, for those that aren't fluent) to take a neighborhood walk. We took a few laps and kept hearing music, presumably from a house party. Following the sound it didn't take us long to find lines of people swarming down an adjacent street carrying lawn chairs headed towards the town's 4th of July Fest... you guessed it which was complete with food trucks selling piping hot fried oreos and zeppoles.

Something about the opportunity to combine a dinner of barbeque and burgers, a long weekend, and a patriotically themed outfit makes the 4th of July one of my favorite holidays. And being honest, the fried carnival foods, exploding fireworks, and opportunity to pretend I'm actually five-years-old on a bounce house was just the frosting on the cake.

Last year I was in Charlottesville, VA and the year before in Greenville, SC for the 4th, so this years festivities were definitely on the more low-key side. But no matter the place, between the chance to grill on the deck and spend the evening sipping sparkling sangria against the backdrop of colorful firecrackers, the 4th of July has all the components of the ideal summer holiday. Really, any day I can do all things that epitomize my favorite season while celebrating my favorite country is a winner in my book.

I hope you all had a happy 4th, whether that means commemorating America's independence or simply enjoying a beautiful summer day in whichever country you're from!