"I sha'n't be gone long. – You come too." – Robert Frost
Hi, there! My name is Natalie Ray, and I am the creator of Books, Bites, and Sights.
This blog is space for me to focus more on the things that bring me joy: reading, yoga, spirituality, early mornings, travel, peanut butter, hot coffee, recovery, love, long phone calls, and more. I won’t be gone long— you come too.
Explore my authentic and unsolicited take on different books, bites, and sights from a variety of destinations by clicking on the drop downs. And don’t forget to leave a comment on your take, suggestions, or experiences.
I am 28 years old, and I recently left my career in Elementary Education to travel and blog full-time around America with my boyfriend in our 2023 Toyota Four-Runner. Sound fun? You come too.
Here is the gist: 63 in 365. 63 national parks in 365 days or less.
After nearly a year of planning, saving, and preparing, my boyfriend and I will be leaving our cozy Nashville west-side apartment in January to live and travel full time in our 2023 Toyota 4-Runner.
Stay tuned for more detailed posts regarding logistics of this endeavor, but I felt it critical to outline that goal before sharing how we spent 24 hours in St. Louis exploring Gateway Arch National Park, park number 8 of 63.
Books
The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
4/5 stars
Thrift-neck. That’s what I call the kink in my neck that I get after a long day of tilting it to the side as I stroll the aisles and shelves of my local Goodwill. As I try to minimize my material possessions and also my environmental impact, I have stopped buying physical books; however, I still traverse the aisles at used book stores or thrift shops in search of gems.
Unlike the old adage, I do judge books by their covers – honestly, who doesn’t? And typically I don’t read the back blurbs of books. I have become very trustworthy of beautifully crafted covers, recognitions, or awards. Additionally, I gravitate towards stamped books of notable celebrity clubs such as Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s, which is how I ended up with The Vanishing Half.
I have a book bestie, that one friend who also manically reads and who you can always talk about your current and past reads with. When I told her I was reading The Vanishing Half, she scrunched her face and gave the dreaded, “Oh, I didn’t really like that one.” Ugh! Not what you want to hear when beginning a new novel, but I decided to give it at least 100 pages, and I am glad I did.
I have always gravitated toward historical fiction, and The Vanishing Half offers a unique storyline about family dynamic within the historical context of race and gender-identity in Louisiana in the mid 1900’s. Two sisters who are so different yet alike. Two sisters on different life paths yet the same journey.
Bites
Pappy’s Smokehouse in Midtown ($50)
Y’all. Shut up. Pappy’s Smokehouse is worth the wait and holds its weight in customer service, quality, flavor, and affordability. Do not be intimidated by the line – instead embrace it and know that you will thank yourself later.
Friday night around 6 pm my boyfriend and I got into St. Louis. Pappy’s closes at 7, so we immediately drove to the Midtown location. The line was out the door, and after standing in line for 10 minutes my boyfriend and I saw that they were out of both the ribs and the brisket, so we decided to cut our losses and try again tomorrow.
On Saturday we got to Pappy’s at 11. Plenty of brisket and ribs left, but to our surprise, the line was still out the door! We waited a little less than an hour, got to the counter, ordered the ribs, burnt ends, corn, green beans, and coleslaw, waited less than 5 minutes, and ate.
Award winning and highly recommended on reddit (which is how I stumbled on it lol). Pappy’s is a no-duh when visiting St. Louis, and did I mention it was all less than $50.
Sights
Sunrise at Gateway Arch National Park
Early morning at the Arch means ample street parking, cozy sweaters, and pink skies over the Mississippi River. Worth the early morning – and always free.
St. Louis Zoo ($10)
The St. Louis Zoo is free, and parking is only $10 dollars. And let me just say, nothing beats a walk around the local zoo on a sunny day. My boyfriend and I have started intentionally visiting zoos when traveling, and I have come to really cherish our zoo escapades. Some highlights for us personally were the Reptile House and the lively spider monkeys.
Gateway Arch National Park Museum and Tram tickets ($35)
Considering that I am unlikely to visit the St. Louis Arch again, I had to ride the tram up to the top – like they say, when in Rome. Tickets were $17.50 a piece, and the entire experience was a little less than an hour long. The background to my photo dump is the bird’s eye view I captured from the top of the Arch. On a budget? I would skip this, but if you have the time and money, it is a neat experience. Additionally, there is a very informative and free museum at the visitor center.
My boyfriend, Amory, captures this trip, as well as all of his national park visits on his Youtube channel, @AmoryWild. Check it out below to know more about the 63 in 365 trip or to see a different perspective on what we did during this short but sweet St. Louis trip.
For this post, I want to focus on a keystone food in my diet: the pancake.
Over my fall break from school, I took two days to solo explore Great Smokey Mountains National Park and Fontana Dam. Fall leaves, winding roads, crisp air, and stillness. Thursday morning, I drove down the Tail of the Dragon along US 129, famous for its 318 curves in just 11 miles, to the Shuckstack Tower trail near the Fontana Dam. Thursday night, I stayed at the Fontana Village Resort & Marina campground by the trout-filled river in my hammock. Friday morning, I drove up the Foothills Parkway towards the Ramsey Cascades trail. After my hike, I went to the local Foodland and then headed off to the Elkmont campsite in Great Smokey Mountains National Park. At the campsite, I hastily but easily set up my Camp Chef Everest 2-burner stove and made myself a stack of pancakes.
Why the pancake?
Because of all the reasons: cheap, quick, delicious, versatile, nostalgic, packable.
Making it happen, ideas, suggestions:
Step one: buy the mix. While this can be where you spend next to nothing on a $4 box of Bisquick pancake and baking mix, with my dietary needs I opt for the $8 bag of Arrowhead Mills organic gluten-free oat flour and waffle mix. One bag makes about 20 medium-sized pancakes, so in terms of bang for my buck, this is still a budget-friendly (and belly-friendly) option, especially in today’s economy.
Step two: build mix with water- and oil if you have some. Skip the egg. Your pancake may be less fluffy, but when camping, less is more. No cooler, no problem. Dealing with ice, bleh. Originally I never dreamed of an eggless pancake, but my boyfriend is allergic to them, so out of necessity, I learned to bake and cook without them, and while there was a learning curve, I’ve come to find that eggs aren’t always necessary, and honestly they can be more of a hassle than they are worth.
Step three: add it on, dress it up. Classic style? regular ole maple syrup. Going hiking later? smother in peanut butter. Feeling fancy? do like I did in my photo dump below. Buy a $4 bag of frozen fruit, add a bit of water to the skillet after making the cakes, boil, and mash. Boom a simple, made from scratch fruit syrup in minutes.
Step four: enjoy the process and product. As simple as pancakes may seem, what can go wrong, sometimes will. Uneven, burnt, falling apart, or sticking to the pan. Just take a deep breath and know that they will still taste yummy, even if they look a mess. Pancakes were one of the first foods someone showed me how to make myself on the stovetop. I still treasure the fond memories of my granny’s guidance and patience as I learned to mix, pour, and flip the cakes with her before Saturday morning cartoons – unknowing that she was tossing my burnt, crummy pancakes to the dogs.
Hello – and welcome to my blog (and my first post).
My intention for this blog is capture more of what brings me joy: books, bites, and sights. By doing so, I hope to bring more joy into my life. So, if you also find joy in turning pages or tasting and seeing all the things – then as Robert Frost said, “You come too.”
My first post captures my family’s yearly vacation to Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Cliche – I know, but in terms of a vacation being what a vacation ought to be (relaxing, slow paced, a time to connect with those you love most), this one always is. This is my second time attending the festival with my sister and her family (their fourth), and I hope to continue this tradition with them in the years to come.
Books
By Any Other Name, Jodi Picoult
4/5 stars
All the books I have read of Picoult’s, I have loved, so I am unsure as to why when I started By Any Other Name I had reservations, but I did. I went to an author event in 2024 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee to listen to Jodi Picoult speak about the book and received a signed copy; however, I kept the novel in my TBR pile for nearly a year before picking it up to read. Why? I told myself, “Oh, I am not that big into theatre… I probably won’t like this book much.” Boy, I was wrong.
After the first chapter, I found myself seamlessly turning the pages and reading late into the night. Back-door romances, women’s rights, 1600’s lore, conspiracy, and more. Picoult is such a talented story teller.
Bites
Buccee’s Dark Roast Coffee in Huntsville, AL ($2)
What is a secret obsession of mine? Gas station coffee. I always say that everything that could be/is wrong with our food culture and habits are captured in a cup of gas station coffee: hot liquid in a plastic cup, an old coffee machine that hasn’t been cleaned since the day it came out of the box, low-quality, stale coffee beans, and seed-oil creamers. But that first sip of gas station coffee hits different. And what better place to hard brake for it than the infamous Buccee’s. So, fittingly, my first bite of this road trip was at the Huntsville, Alabama Buccee’s for their extensive coffee bar, their clean, private restrooms, and their unbeatably cheap gas.
Rouses Grocery Haul in Gulf Shores, AL ($100)
Like many of us, my relationship with food is complicated. I am currently on a journey to heal my gut and work through an active eating disorder. My progress is not linear, but I know that being mindful and open is the first step. Additionally I, like most, have many dietary restrictions and finding food that meets my needs when traveling can be cumbersome.
Here is where I find the silver lining: niche, hometown grocery stores. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is find the local grocery store and stroll through the aisles, stocking up on my safe foods and snagging those unique, locally made gems.
Pancake mix, eggs, oatmeal, fruits, veggies, oat milk creamer, and Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory were a few of the items I left Rouses with. More expensive than Walmart? Sure. Better customer service and higher quality products? Definitely.
Saleh Iced Coffees in Fort Morgan, AL ($17)
How do I typically like my coffee? Hot with cream. But at 3:00 in the afternoon on the beach? Um… no thanks. Solution? Iced coffees from Saleh. Saleh is in Fort Morgan, 15 minutes west of Gulf Shores, if you’re in the area and want a local place to sit and sip.
Coffee and Breakfast Platter at Buzzcatz in Orange Beach, AL ($20)
After the Annual Shrimp Festival 5K, I went to Buzzcatz in Orange Beach. The line out the door speaks for itself. They have a variety of coffees, teas, pastries, and platters. I ordered the breakfast platter which came with eggs, grits, toast, and sausage. Buzzcatz also has lovely and ample patio seating located in both the front and back of the cafe. Who doesn’t love sitting afuera and enjoying a post-run coffee?
Sights
Sunrises and Sunsets
Nothing beats the always free, always consistent, sunrises and sunsets. One aspect of vacationing I am learning to break-free of is the need for a slammed itinerary. I want to always do all the things, but honestly, I lose a lot of peace when on vacation because of FOMO and overbooking my itinerary. To actively combat this, I plan out moments of stillness.
Gulf Shores Annual Shrimp Festival
The main attraction of this vacation is the festival itself; however, you can easily traverse the entire festival in one evening which is what I have done for the last two years. Walking around the festival grounds is free and there is lots to see, taste, and hear: local artists and vendors, an abundance of yummy food trucks with all the smells, and live music from a variety of genres. Parking is complicated, but if you’re willing to pay, you can park easily and close by for $20.
Annual Shrimp Festival 5K at Orange Beach Sportsplex ($40)
One thing I like doing on vacation is staying active and exploring the town in unique ways. The average 5K is $30 to $40 to register for and typically the proceeds go to a good cause. A quick google search will pull up 5Ks in your area, and if you’ve never ran a 5K outside where you live, I highly recommend it. The energy is always up, you usually get a soft t-shirt at the end, and you get to see your vacation destination less like a tourist and more like a local. This was my second time running the Shrimp Festival 5K and was such a great kickstart to my Saturday morning.
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Breakaway from the sandy, sunny beach and onto a shaded, dirt path by exploring some of the trails at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Located less than 20 minutes west of downtown Gulf Shores, the refuge has been my go to for an early morning lonesome stroll away from the family these last two years. Last year, parts of some of the trails were closed; however, this year, they had recently been reopened. Flat, well maintained, easily accessible, and not too busy, the Gator Lake Trail (1.5 miles), the Centennial Trail (4.5 miles), and the Pine Beach Trail (3.4 miles) are all worth the drive.
Dolphin Cruise with Surf’s Up in Orange Beach, AL ($20)
I know, I know. I was hesitant too. I typically do not lean into doing “tacky” tourist things, but my sister has two little girls under three, and she figured it would be a neat experience for them to go on a dolphin cruise. So, being the cool auntie that I am, I had to tag along. Let me start by saying wow. I would 100% do this “tacky” dolphin cruise again. Hands-down. Swipe my card. First off, my ticket was $20. Yes, you read that correct. $20. There is NOTHING in this economy that you can do for $20, let alone have as much fun as I did that day. Next, it was so fun and relaxing to breathe in the salty ocean air and watch the sunset from the middle of the gulf on a boat. Last, dolphins. We rode around on the boat for an hour and started heading back to the marina without seeing any dolphins, and I had come to terms that we weren’t going to see any (but was okay with it since it was such a lovely boat ride in and of itself); however, just as the sun was setting, the dolphins came out to play. And when I say play, I mean it. They were putting on a show for us. Doing tricks, riding the waves, and even squeaking little messages to one another. I had never experienced anything like it. It was truly breath-taking, and let me remind you, all for $20. The Surf’s Up Dolphin Cruise company we toured with was very personal and professional, and I couldn’t recommend them enough. If you’ve never done a dolphin cruise, I would highly suggest checking out their sunset cruise. Honestly, it was the best two hours of my trip.
Charter Fishing with Off the Hook Charters (+$775)
Novelty is my kryptonite. I love doing and seeing new things. So, when my sister’s step-daughter and her boyfriend jokingly mentioned going fishing on charter, I said my go-to catchphrase – why not? We split the total by three (with an additional 20% tip), so I personally spent $250 for the experience. Which is steep, but all in all, worth it. Hesitant to go because you don’t know squat about fishing? Don’t be because neither did I. We had a knowledgeable and charismatic captain who took care of all our fishing things for us, which, let me add, thank goodness, because my line snapped again and again. We spent 4 hours out at sea, talking, laughing, and listening to yacht rock. I had a blast and kept thinking how fun it would be to do another charter with more family and friends. I am from Nashville which is currently the bachelorette party capital, and while on this excursion, all I could think about was how fun it would be to do a bachelorette party on a charter – maybe call it a ‘catch’elorette party (lol). During our trip, we caught both red snapper and Spanish mackerel. Reeling in the fish was such a dopamine and adrenaline rush. We saw angel fish and dolphins too. But the best part was that once on shore our captain filleted and packaged all of our fish for us. We were sent home with two coolers’ worth of fish which made the expenses of the charter worth it. I am still, months later, pulling fish out of my deep freezer and making dinners with it.
Books, Bites, and Sights 