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  • Molly Hofer

Post Studio Life

This is more for me to keep track of the experiences and important moments, but I’m happy if you read it :) Read more
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  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Crazy Dale Varnams old police car modifications😃
    He has a thing with toilets... they are everywhere 😅Sunset at Holden Beach1Sunrise Yoga @ Holden1I waited patiently for the moon&stars to fade and the oranges&pinks to replace them on the horizonFlea marketScored BIG TIME at this music shop.Anti Kamala display @ flea marketOne man's junk is another man's treasure

    Holden Beach & the backroads of NC

    Oct 19–20, 2024, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Holden Beach & Castaways
    We found ourselves at a sleepy fishing town peninsula just about an hour south of Wilmington. With a beautiful stretch of soft sandy beach and just a handful of restaurants/bars and an incredibly chill vibe, it didn’t take more than a quick dip in the ocean to decide this would be our sleeping spot.

    I drank a margarita and wrote in my journal while the live music played in the background of a little open air bar/restaurant called Castaways. In the mean time Mumpi took on the cooking task (the van only really has space for one chef at a time!) and made a lovely meal in the bar parking lot (it was made from farmers market veggies and was SO tasty!).

    The sunset was beautiful (despite the sand fleas attacking me). Not long after sunset I wanted to sleep, and it was Mumpi’s turn to have a drink at the bar. He asked respectfully if we could stay overnight and they were more than okay about it, saying, “OF COURSE YOU CAN! You’re our customer now ;)” and even knocked one of his beers off the bill 😅 what a lovely bunch of people at that place! Now we understand what “Southern Hospitality” means 🥰

    On the road again
    We found a CRAZY looking dark art display- lots of toilets, mannequins, and all other sorts of oddities shaped together into a fantastically freaky art display. We had stumbled upon Crazy Dale’s Fort Apache, a junkyard/art display of a man who had made quite a name for himself in the south, and even got a documentary made about him. Here is an article about his insane life as a drug trafficker and artist:
    https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article…

    Flea Market on 17 South
    This was probably the best flea market I’ve ever been to… so many hidden vintage gems 💎 if I lived here I would’ve bought so much more stuff. We did score some really good quality CDs and tapes for our musical pleasure (including but not limited to Shania Twain, Nsync, Dixie Chicks), cutting board with a drawer for cutlery, a much needed lid for our pan, and a cell phone holder for easier navigation 🙃 Also interesting but not so cool: the south is swarming with die-hard Trump supporters. There was even a dedicated “Trump Stand” at the flea market 😳🤯    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Nally and the sunrise at the campground (no filter necessary!)
    This is the entrance of the state park... it took us 3,5 seconds to know we wanna stay 😀2Philip Island's lonely driftwood beach1So. Many. Horseshoe Crabs!!Swamp with Spanish moss draped oakI love this tree/moss combo 😍2Oh hello little swamp puppy 🐶Tour is about to end at an old Harbor with wooden ships that were beautiful2Mumpi should not have been this close but we all know there's no stopping him 😅Playful dolphins, some were just born this year 🥹🥲Another day in paradise 🥰1

    Hunting Island: South Carolina

    Oct 21–24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We stumbled upon one of the most beautiful state parks that was situated on Hunting Island in South Carolina- with a campsite a one minute walk to the beach and trails galore all around us, we decided to immediately book 3 nights at the campground.

    We took a boat ride to Philip‘s Island one day, a protected undeveloped piece of land that is home to abundant species of wildlife that can only be visited with the certified state park guide. We saw coyote tracks, encountered two alligators, had baby dolphins playfully jumping next to our boat, and spotted two bald eagles and tons of other birds.

    One of the most amazing parts about this area was the meeting of two landscapes that never fit together in my mind- one being the coniferous forests‘ flora and fauna (lots of pine trees, fat gray squirrels, monarch butterflies, coyotes, salt marshes and estuaries) that I recognized from my childhood in eastern Massachusetts; the second being the subtropical landscape, riddled with towering old oak trees draped in Spanish moss, dense swamps, carnivorous plants like the Venus fly trap, snakes, alligators, and palmetto trees.

    We were shown such kindness while we there too- so many people on our tour gave us suggestions of where to go next, and our camping neighbors even went out of their way to come by before we left to offer us a free place to stay in their driveway if we ever come back to the area 🥰

    I am really falling in love with the south and can definitely imagine making it back here again someday 😊    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    One of my favorite squares :)

    Savannah, Georgia

    October 24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Our stop here was short and sweet: just a 2 hour stroll through one of the most charming cities I’ve seen in a while. Savannah is full of squares and has tons of trees- which is necessary with the brutal heat they experience down here. The architecture in the historic center is worth noting- with several elaborate churches, and beautiful houses are colorful and chock full of character. The center has an „Olden days“ type of feeling- lots of the inns still have gas lanterns burning on their porch entryways and horses and buggies still trot the streets.

    Mumpi&I both agreed that we would like to come back and spend more time here when the opportunity arises :)    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Sunset always looks better from a kayak
    2Find the Mumpi1Baby Scottie was born the day before we arrived! (Laura's daughter Taylor's second baby)Dexter little cutie!!!Spider chillin on the lakeside5

    My Fairy Godmother

    Oct 24–31, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Well I finally made it to visit my Aunty Laura, after so many years of being apart. As a child, I thought of her as a real life fairy. 🧚 I wasn’t sure after such a long time of not seeing each other how my childish romanticised image of her would compare to my adult perception… if it’s even possible, I admire and love her even more, and feel so deeply connected to her. When they say, “cut from the same cloth”, that is how I feel with my aunty.

    She was present for my most formative years, taking care of me regularly alongside her son Jake, who was born just a few weeks after me. From birth til age 7 or so, she was one of my primary caretakers. Life got a lot more complicated after that, with job changes, divorces, lalalala etc., and we saw each other less but still occasionally til I was an early teenager, and then she moved down south to Georgia. Soon after i left the country and we just lost touch.

    I got to spend time with her son Jake, my very first friend in the whole wide world… and we laughed like not a damn day had passed between childhood and now. He has married an incredible woman named Erin, who I wish I had met years and years ago and would most definitely hang out with regularly if we lived anywhere near each other. Their children, Clyde and Poppy, made their way so swiftly into my heart 💖

    While we were there, we laughed and talked for so many hours, kayaked into the sunset of Lake Oconee, played silly games with the kids, made clean delightful dishes, swam every single day, did yoga outside, went for walks with the dog, exchanged little nuggets of knowledge, laughed at Jeff’s dad jokes, and marvelled at my aunts “curiosity cabinet” with all her little collected treasures (butterflies and feathers and wood and shells galore!) and her extensive book shelf (ALL THE KINDS OF BOOKS I LOVE! From unique artsy/poetry pieces to cook books to nature to meditation and ecology books… reading heaven!)

    I cried so many grateful tears while there and even more on the car ride as we pulled away, wearing a purple shirt Aunty Laura gave me saying softly, “when you wear it you will feel me hugging you”. I am trying to focus on being happy for the magical time we had, and allowing myself to briefly be sad about the fact that for now, it has to be over.

    I will never let so much time pass again, and will never take my Shulman family for granted… as my aunty would say, “you are my people”, I love all of you!    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    3It's adorable around every corner
    2Brad Walker3I bought this from a collection from a local artist. It's called "timeless" :)4Me, appreciating some art, post wine bar 😅

    Dahlonega

    Nov 1–4, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We decided to head to the mountains after having the last weeks filled with coastline and lakeside relaxation. We ended up in the little town of Dahlonega, a recommendation from my aunty.

    It didn’t take long to realize we wanted to stay a few days. My first stop was at a pottery shop to meet Brad, a friendly guy whose work I admired at my aunty’s house.

    Just one shop over, I discovered my favorite place: Bleu, a local artist collective workspace&gallery and wine bar in one. You can sample wines from nearby vineyards in flights or buy it by the glass and wander slowly through this seven-tiny-room shop, each space a uniquely displayed exhibit of one artist, some of whom were there to chat and personally present their work.

    The whole town was filled with gems… from outdoor bars with live music, to one of the cutest Saturday morning artisan markets I’ve ever seen… the vibe is relaxed, authentic, and creative. One of our very favorite stops on this trip so far!    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    14Originally private video to Nico, but sums up my experience at the park too well to leave out

    Amicalola

    Nov 2–3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Sick as hell but still enjoying my life in bear country

    ❤️

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Just watching the little animals and plants breathing and living all day
    View from the fire pitI slept so good, such a comfy bedLittle games, tips and a cell phone lock box1Complimentary welcome package, including smore kitThe founders of this campground concept wrote this book ❤️And they wrote this one too, with healthy everyday life habits that help regulate your NSBrilliant short stories, couldn't put it down til I was done!Trails winding all throughout this cute tiny cottage campgroundWitchy trees1Mama & 2 Baby Raccoons 🥹 If you listen closely you hear me cheering the "weaker" baby on 🥲

    Alabama: Rest in the Postcard Cabin

    Nov 5–8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    I’ve had a cold and it got worse and worse after overstimulating myself with all the sights and happenings and people of Dahlonega and the hike at Amicalola… it was charming and lovely, but my body signaled a great need for rest.

    We were already heading direction New Orleans when a hurricane warning stopped us in our tracks, Mother Nature so beautifully agreeing that it was time to pause, to slow down, and so we decided we’d wait a few days before continuing southwest to see how things develop.

    I took a cabin in the Alabama woods. I read a few books, cancelled my online classes and recharged. I read poems aloud and I cried and I wrote so much in my journal, I sang a bit and I thought about things that were hard to think about. I kept the process of healing going.

    This journey is beautiful, but it also hurts sometimes to grow. I am grateful and I am humble, stepping one foot in front of the other each day.

    ❤️    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Mighty rocks reminded me of my strength, helped me get moving after illness
    1I Imagine this turns to a witches hand at night when no humans are lookingMumpi descending the stairwayBig leaf earsTiny waterfall!Old cable car

    Hurricane Creek Park

    November 8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    This was one of the coolest hikes of the trip. It had such a fairytale vibe, with an incredibly narrow, relatively long and very tight cave to pass through, a river carving through the paths, absolutely giant leaves everywhere, a tiny surprise waterfall, an old cable car, a “stairway” of rocks dipping steeply into the curve of the hills… worth a stop!Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    1So many cute and unique houses
    Floyd 😻🥹1Our big afternoon in the tourist center. First day of sunshine on the rooftop :)2Coming back from yoga on a rainy day to a decadent breaky 😍

    East Nashville

    Nov 8–15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Nashville, you did not disappoint us. But not even mainly due to the music or the the nightlife like most would expect (we made it to the typical tourist area exactly one time for a total of 4 hours 😅). We were smitten with the neighborhood that a long time friend, Alex, and her partner Joel and their incredibly adorable pup Floyd have lived in for some years.

    Alex gave us only top notch tips, bringing me to her yoga studio our first morning there, which honestly locked me in for the week. I bought an unlimited starter pack and went every day and got my strength back that I felt was dwindling since fighting sickness. That studio (Hola Yoga) was my highlight of this week.

    Saturday night I needed some time to explore on my own, so Mumpi went and played pool while I sang karaoke at a queer friendly bar where I felt instantly welcome and at ease.

    All of the days slipped by so quickly, filled with getting together with Alex at her local tavern, working remotely at a couple cute places/cafes, listening to some music in the pub, delicacies from a few local food joints, lots of exercise, and many hours of rain that allowed me to turn inward and ignore the city streets for some hours in the comfort of our little home ❤️

    We barely took pictures, which is a good sign I suppose. We were just in the moment.    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    1
    2Shedding a tear of gratitude to be in the pig's presenceHouses can only be reached by boat1There are some pretty political people on this bayou....11They are too damn cute 🥰1111Estimated 800-1000 year old bald cypress11Cute turtles everywhere1

    Honey Island Swamp Adventure

    November 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We made just one stop on the way from Nashville to New Orleans at Slidell to take a swamp boat tour.

    We were surprised that it only cost 30 dollars per person, so we weren’t expecting much, but we were pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this river and the competence of our guide to tell us, in story form, all about the wildlife and the very interesting history surrounding these Bayous.

    I was so happy to observe so many creatures and new magical plants I didn’t know before…the absolute hilight for me was the pigs 🐷 who were originally brought here by the Spanish but for many generations have called the swamp home :) I had to cry a little cause I was so happy. We saw tons of birds, incredible bald cypress trees, learned about some freaky parasites 🦠 and generally enjoyed the ride.

    There was a downside though…
    I specifically searched for a company that protected the wildlife instead of capitalising on them (lots of tours feed the animals to get them to come closer to the boat) and this one claimed that it didn’t- but our guide gave the animals marshmallows, which throughly horrified me. The treatment of wildlife in the US is generally terribly irresponsible and every interaction is “human centered”- meaning that priority is always human gratification rather than the wellbeing of the animal. I have witnessed this so often with dogs… I frequently ask owners if I can pet their dog, and some of them will literally push their dog towards me when they don’t willingly come, to which I always say I don’t want to if the dog doesn’t want it and walk away. It’s absurd.    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Hostel :)
    Hostel poolHome Office Never looked so goooodRandom concert at the hostel courtesy of other guests in our dorm 😊When jenga got boring, we started a round with"no hands". This is our friend Binh ☺️Inga & Deepak 🥰On the trolley about to go exploring with Inga, Deepak, Boo Boo (and Mumpi and Binh)So many cool art galleries and stores :)Mumpi had fun at the souvenir shop 😅Now for all the adorable houses 🏠1GOLDBART!GOLDBART!!

    New Orleans

    Nov 15–22, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Oh New Orleans…with our experience here I can turn back round and head up north feeling content.

    We found a hostel for super cheap (the first nights were 10,85 a night, price went up to a bit more expensive in the following days) with dorm beds, cool outdoor lounge area, pool, a living and dining room and a big communal kitchen.

    We met an incredible group of people that became good friends in the blink of an eye. It felt so good to be back in “hostel culture”- something we experienced very often in South America but never thought we would find this far north. We played games, explored the city together, ate and drank merrily, and connected so authentically and deeply in such a short span of time.❤️

    The city itself is also charming. With easy public transport and tons of little quarters to stroll around in, even a week seemed a bit too short of a visit.

    The architecture was impressive, with so many detailed wood carvings and vibrant colors daring to stand out on each little home.

    Bourbon street is worth seeing, if only for the fact that you cannot contemplate precisely this type of madness without witnessing it for yourself.

    Frenchmen street was a bit less overwhelming, with lots of cool voodoo shops, street fortune tellers, live music and cheap bars.

    One thing I noticed about this city is that it brings all kinds of people together- there’s something to do for every age bracket, budget, and background of interest.

    I will most certainly be back! ❤️    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    1

    Georgia Part II

    Nov 22–24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    It might not have been exactly on our route, but we were set on seeing the Shulmans one last time before we leave the states. This time we visited Jake and Erin at their place and Aunty Laura drove up and met us there.

    We had such a nice time hanging out and being silly with the kids, chatting about all sorts of stuff, and I even got to take a yoga class at the local studio :)

    I’m so happy we made it back for one more visit!!!

    Now for the long haul back up north!    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    5

    Shift Yoga: Maryland

    November 25, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We made a long haul on the 24-25 of November, arriving after midnight to the Shift Yoga studio parking lot.

    I read the philosophy online and saw that *finally*! after always searching and hoping, I found a yin class that fit to our whereabouts and spontaneous schedule.

    The teacher and students made me feel very welcome, and the class itself was incredibly restorative and relaxing. It was just what I needed.

    After a luxurious rooftop breakfast we were on the road again, and we are now only a few hours from Gramma and Grampa‘s and are getting excited for a big bed and a day tomorrow with absolutely no driving 😆    Read more

  • Molly HoferPost Studio LifeTraveler
    Polaroid for the Guest Book

    Back to Europe

    December 7, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    It was a difficult goodbye- more so than it has been in the last years.

    Our luggage was lost for a few days upon arrival, and we had planned to stay in Stuttgart for a wedding anniversary celebration, so we had to improvise a bit with clothes and such 🙈 But we eventually got our stuff delivered unscathed.

    Now that I am back in Europe, I’m starting a new journey alone in my van. I have learned so much and take many lessons with me from this time in the US in my heart. Til next time 💜    Read more

    Trip end
    December 7, 2024
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