Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts

2.20.2019

Weekend Recap

Happy Hump Day, readers!

I don't consistently post weekend recaps (or consistently post anything, haha) on the blog these days, but every now and then a really great weekend comes along that's worth documenting here. This past weekend was one of those weekends and I'm excited to share it with you...and that we're halfway to this coming weekend!

Our weekend started with the absolutely perfect Valentine's Day dinner party hosted by our friends Blair and Davis. Our friends, Emily and Frank were also in attendance and whenever the six of us get together it is a guaranteed amazing time!


Blair's tablescape was equal parts formal and whimsy and absolute perfection! I loved how she had cute details like the sparkly pom poms on the table and those marble and gold foil candlesticks were stunners!

 

We even each got our own bag of Lindt truffles at our place setting as favors! No detail was spared!


Just as important as the tablescape is the menu! I took sweet potato ham biscuits, shrimp and grits cakes, and cheese crackers, compliments of The Orderves Company (more on that in a post coming soon!).


Blair and Davis outdid themselves with our dinner menu. We feasted on salad, beef tenderloin, and lobster pot pie! Blair even made extra puff pastry in the shape of lobsters for dipping! No...detail...spared!


For dessert, we had Shyndigz Oreo Cake. So grateful for these wonderful friends and can't wait for our next get together!

Saturday morning, I taught barre and then my girlfriend Amanda and I hit the road to Raleigh. In snow and rain, no less! Right before Christmas, I had ordered a chair from Beau Dandy Goods in Raleigh. Bryce had just been to Raleigh for work and was planning to head back in a few weeks, so Ashleigh was sweet enough to offer to hold the chair so I wouldn't have to pay high shipping costs. Well...Bryce never made it back to Raleigh and doesn't anticipate a trip there soon, so Amanda and I decided to road trip to get the chair...and it was so fun, y'all!

The weather had cleared by the time we crossed the border into North Carolina. After picking up the chair, and meeting the sweet golden retriever, the "Beau" of Beau Dandy Goods, we headed to brunch at Hummingbird at the recommendation of Ashleigh, Beau's mom.


Hummingbird had a cool vintage meets industrial meets girlie vibe and we loved it! The food was also deeelicious! Amanda and I both chose the Shakshuka, which was burnt tomato, eggs, herbs, and feta baked in a Le Creuset gratin dish. We were very hungry from barre and our time in the car and it did the trick! It was a definite comfort food and it was as if an Italian dinner entree had merged with brunch! I also ordered grits on the side that were cheesy perfection, and Amanda ordered hash brown that were also tasty.

 


Our next stop was Cameron Village for shopping! Charlotte's Inc was at the top of both our lists as we've followed them on Instagram for quite some time. I didn't save any pictures at Charlotte's, but I did get this dress for 70% off and these earrings in the turquoise! We also popped into Uniquities and The Impeccable Pig and then discovered Steven Shell Living on our way out and decided to pop in! It did not disappoint!

 

I fell in love with these gorgeous oversized fern prints that were a steal for just $69! Ferns are a personal favorite and were a big theme in our wedding floral scheme, so I knew I had to indulge. I thought a pair could make a fabulous statement and chose the two on the right below. The maidenhair was a must, because it was one of my favorite details in my wedding bouquet and last summer Bryce planted a maidenhair with black stems like the print in our garden. I picked the second, more traditional fern, because I thought it paired best with the maidenhair in terms of color and scale.

 

Our last stop was Vita Vite at the suggestion of a sorority sister who lives in Raleigh for a quick bite before hitting the road. It had a great energy and vibe and art was displayed for sale all around the restaurant.


Amanda and I were both still somewhat satisfied from brunch so opted for cheese and charcuterie for dinner. We also split a baby chocolate eclair, because as it turns out, Amanda had never had an eclair before...she liked it!

 

We hit the road and made it home in time for each of us to snuggle our pups and head to bed. We both agreed that getting out of town was good for the soul and invigorating! It made me think I really need to do impromptu day trips, or even just a night away more often! One of my favorite things about Richmond is that we have so many cool destinations within just a few hours of us and I want to take better advantage of that moving forward!

Sunday Bryce and I had brunch at a Richmond favorite, Lulu's (three words: red velvet waffles) with some friends who are expecting their first baby next month. I couldn't make it to the mama-to-be's shower, so this was our chance to celebrate with them. I wore my new earrings!


After that, we headed home, got my chair styled and had a lazy Sunday! We watched As Good As It Gets on Netflix that night with Chinese takeout and thoroughly enjoyed it.


It was a weekend that was one for the books, and one where I truly savored every moment...living out my word for 2019!

Did you have a good weekend?

Any fun plans for the weekend ahead?

Do you take advantage of day trips to places near your hometown?

Have a great day!

10.24.2016

Austin Recommendations, Please!

Happy Monday readers!

Did you have a good weekend?

Ours was wonderful!

Friday night, we had two fun couples over for dinner, and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning with them talking and laughing. Saturday was low key. We went to see a movie with my dad and got an early dinner; and yesterday, we headed over to some of our best friends' parents' house for an oyster roast! I wish I could rewind a few days and do it all over again!

Today, I'm reaching out asking for your help.

Whenever I travel, I find myself heading to the blog to ask you all for tips. In fact, many of our trips, have almost been entirely planned via blog comments!

We're headed to Austin shortly to celebrate the wedding of one of Bryce's best friends from VMI.


To give you an idea of the "free" time we have to fill:  We'll have about half a day once our flight arrives to get settled and maybe grab a bite to eat before getting ready for the rehearsal. The next day, I'll have about half a day to myself while Bryce attends to groomsman's duties. I definitely plan to stop by the Katie Kime flagship store. What other spots should I visit downtown? Good shops? Somewhere I could grab a solo lunch? Then, post-wedding, we'll have about a day and a half to explore and do all things Austin: Where should we go for brunch these days? What about for a fancy date-night dinner? Any "attractions" we should fit in? We're staying right in downtown.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Have a great day!

8.29.2016

Where the Heck I've Been...

Happy AUGUST 29th, my friends!

Can someone please explain to me where August went? I can't quite believe that September is just a mere 3 days away...and that my last post was exactly one month ago on July 29th.

My blogging always tends to slow down in the summertime, but I hadn't intended to take a month long hiatus.

What's been keeping me from this space, you  might ask?

Well I do have 3 pretty good excuses: I'll share a little bit of what I've been up to...

MILLIE


Those of you that follow along on Instagram, know that we got this little black beauty in mid-July and she has completely captured our hearts! Yes, I have become that crazy puppy mom, and I wouldn't have it any other way. She is spunky, smart, and a huge snuggle bunny! That being said, her presence also resulted in a month long running hiatus. I mean, how could you possibly expect me to run, when that time could be spent with this sweet thing? I did get back on track with my running last week. Now to get back on the barre and blogging wagon! Be on the look-out for a big Millie post coming soon....I've got a lot of photos to dump, y'all!

TRAVELS


In addition to a long weekend in Charleston for a bachelorette party, we also spent a week in Orlando with my family. Throw in some weekend trips, and we've been on the go non-stop! Can't wait to share our Florida adventures with you! Maybe I'll make a goal to have them posted by the end of September!? 

A NEW JOB...again!


As if getting a new puppy wasn't enough excitement for one summer, I also decided to get a new job! I start today! Before jumping into talking about my new role, I must acknowledge that this move is bittersweet, as I am leaving behind an important mission, and some pretty amazing people! I was overwhelmed last week, when my coworkers presented me with the incredibly thoughtful gift pictured above. A 1940s Austrian oyster plate to add to our collection (signed on the back by all my coworkers). To top it off, I received four vintage-Richmond cards full of well-wishes, with a special board that I can use to display them as art, as well. The gift brought tears to my eyes and I will treasure it always. It's amazing the mark people can make on you in just one year! 

Now onto the new adventure: As y'all know from a slew of posts last summer, I left my teaching career about a year ago and joined the non-profit development (aka FUNdraising) space. Though I do miss working with kiddies every day, the decision to leave teaching was one of the best of my life. I have been so much happier this last year, and love that I'm still in a career where I truly know I am making a difference. At the very beginning of the summer, a friend reached out sharing a job description with a message saying "I know you aren't looking, but this position sounds perfect for you!" I hemmed and hawwed for about a week before deciding to apply. Though happy in my last position, I always knew that I would need a broader position next to make my experience more well-rounded. I hadn't intended to seek that new position quite so soon, but decided that I had nothing to lose by trying. I am excited to be starting this new adventure, working for an organization that directly serves kids. It's also the next best step in terms of experience. Whereas in my former position, I was working with mostly a portfolio of corporate partners, I will now work with a portfolio of individual donors, gain event experience, create a junior board, and more. It is the perfect next step towards achieving my ultimate career goals! Wish me luck!

Do these excuses make up for the serious lack of blogging?

I am certainly hoping that my next post won't be on September 29th! I'll aim for at least one post next week!

What have y'all been up to?

Good summer?

Have a great day!

7.20.2016

Richmond Musts with Deep South Details

Happy Hump Day, readers!

Today is actually my "Friday" as I am headed to Charleston tomorrow for one of my best friend Anna's bachelorette party! I am feeling really sad about leaving our Millie girl, but know she will be in good hands with Bryce. I let him know that I expect lots of pictures of the baby throughout the weekend.

Today I am excited to share a recent interview I did with the Dana and Kendell of the podcast Deep South Details.

I first met Dana in April while at the Southern C Summit in Charleston. We had a great chat over cocktails at The Striped Pig Distillery. She was so down to earth and had me laughing while we talked. That being said, I was thrilled to hear from her partner in crime, Kendell a few weeks ago, asking me to come on the podcast to talk about Richmond. Since getting to know Kendell, she is just as much fun as Dana, and the two are certainly a dynamic duo.

Their timing was also perfect, as I am planning to launch a new series on the blog called "Richmond Musts" later this summer. So much is happening in my hometown, and I regularly get emails asking for Richmond recommendations. I thought a series devoted to all the fun happenings would be a great fit for the blog. In the interview I covered Must Eat, Must Drink, and Must Do as a sneak peek of what's to come in the series.


Click here to listen to my interview..I guarantee after listening to one episode of the Deep South Details you'll be hooked and wanting to listen to more. I love listening while I'm getting ready in the mornings.

You'll hear me spill all the details on the following favorite spots:
MUST EAT
Shagbark (blog post here!)
MUST DRINK
MUST DO

I always find it funny hearing bloggers actual voices for the first time!

So tell me, what are some of the musts for YOUR hometown?

Have you listened to Deep South Details before?

What else would you like to see on my Richmond Musts list? So far the plan is to cover Must Eat, Must Drink, Must Do, and Must Shop. Anything else I should add?

Have a great day!

6.13.2016

Cru Cafe

Happy Monday readers!

I hope you had a great weekend! I took a little needed blog break last week. I had social obligations almost every  night and the thought of writing blog posts on top of them was just too overwhelming. I'm excited to be back in my groove this week!

Did y'all have a good weekend?

Mine was great! I took a personal day on Friday to unwind after my busy week. I logged a run in the morning, and then headed to the pool with a girlfriend for the rest of the day! That night, we had an impromptu double date night with our friends Emily and Frank. We both had planned to stay in, cooking our Blue Apron miso-glazed wings, so we decided to combine food and forces to enjoy the night together! Saturday I headed to a baby shower for Bryce's cousin and that night we had a date night. We decided to take a chance getting a seat at the bar of our favorite date night spot, Edo's Squid, and were pleasantly surprised when a prime table by the window was available sans reservations! Yesterday we went to brunch and then headed to my coworker Joanne's to celebrate her sweet baby boy Oliver's 1st birthday. After the party we had leftovers for dinner and went for a nice long walk. It was the perfect weekend in my eyes--a great mix of fun with friends, as well as downtime!

Today I am excited to be sharing one of the highlights of my Charleston trip with you: Dinner at Cru Cafe.

After a big trip, I am always overwhelmed by the the amount of pictures and activities to share here on the blog, but this meal was absolutely amazing, and a "must post" for sure!

Thanks to the recommendation of Ashley of Sweet Southern Prep, we decided to visit Cru Cafe. This restaurant is a secret gem in Charleston and a little bit off the beaten path! Erin (my bestie and travel buddy-see her blog here) and I had both hit some of the big Charleston hot spots on past visits, so we were excited to try a new place! Meg of the blog Borrowed Heaven, also joined us and it was certainly a meal and experience to remember!


When you arrive at Cru, you automatically feel like you are sitting down to dinner in a close friend's home. The atmosphere is casual and bright. 


I loved the giant whisk mounted above this bar seating area 
that is open to the kitchen!


After getting comfortable and taking a few sips from your beverage of choice, prepare to be amazed by the drool worthy menu! Cru has a great selection of classic Southern fare, tailored to the freshest low country ingredients available, as well as an eclectic mix of additional menu items with Asian and Caribbean influences.


I was delighted to be eating with Erin and Meg, who both wanted to try as many different items from the menu as I did! We decided to order quite the assortment of small plates, sides, and entrees to sample quite a bit of the menu.


Service was also impeccable! Our waiter was so friendly and had great knowledge of the menu. The chef, coincidentally named Erin, was also fabulous! She came out to speak with us multiple times: sharing both her story, as well as the history behind Cru. We were delighted when she sent out the amuse-bouche above as a surprise! It's tough to find shrimp that lovely or tasty outside of the low country!


Next up, we couldn't resist sharing the four cheese macaroni! If you've read my bio on the sidebar, you know I am quite the mac and cheese lover...and this baked cheesy goodness did not disappoint! 


As the last of our starters, we shared the Seared Nantucket Scallop small plate, which came with spatzle, Italian sausage, and shrimp. Scallops might be my absolute favorite shellfish and these were oh so tasty!

For entrees, I chose the Shrimp Special du Jour (when in Charleston, right?); Meg chose the Grilled Basil Shrimp Pasta, and Erin chose the General Tsos Brussel Sprouts and Truffle Parmesan Fries.


After all of our indulging, I was glad to choose something a bit on the lighter side as my entree. Arugula is hands down my favorite salad green and I didn't feel like I was sacrificing any flavor by going with a lighter option!


Meg's pasta was comfort food at its finest! I'm a sucker for orecchiette, and this was filled with peas, mushroom, basil, and shrimp, all in a cheesy, creamy sauce! Yes, please!


Erin's fries were also a treat and were served with a yummy aioli!


Finally, we were blown away by the General Tsos Brussel Sprouts. They were cooked perfectly and literally tasted just like General Tsos Chicken! 


With full bellies, we snapped a picture in the kitchen with Chef Erin before leaving!

Cru Cafe is most definitely a "MUST" when it comes to Charleston eats! I cannot wait to take Bryce on our next trip!

To check out some of my other favorite Charleston dining experiences, check out my "Charleston Eats" post here.

Have you dined at Cru Cafe before?

What are some of your favorite Charleston spots?

Have a great day!
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5.24.2016

Barre South

A sunshiney Tuesday over here, readers!

We have had pretty much non-stop rain all May, but today the sun is shining and the temperature is perfect! I am thrilled!

Today I'm excited to be posting about my experience at Barre South while visiting Charleston for the Southern C Summit. Brett, the owner of Barre South, used to live in Richmond and was my favorite barre instructor. That being said, when a trip to Charleston was in the works, I knew I had to take one of her classes! I reached out to see if she would be interested in offering a class for Summit attendees and she graciously said yes! 


We planned the class for Wednesday morning, before Summit registration. It turned out to be only three of us, as many people were still traveling that morning or taking add-on sessions. I really enjoyed the intimate class, though! In addition to myself, Erin of Attention to Darling and Maghon of All She Wrote Notes, were both in attendance! If you haven't checked out Maghon's calligraphy business, be sure to! She is very talented and has collaborated with Moon & Lola and my very favorite, Furbish Studio!

The studio is absolutely gorgeous and I wanted to take one of her fabulous lanterns home with me!



Talk about a chic place to work out!


I was so excited to get to bring some Barre South swag back to Richmond!


Brett's class was awesome! She has such good energy, and her enthusiasm makes the hard class worth it!



Those of you that are familiar with barre, know that the seat exercise below is killer!


I couldn't resist snagging a pic alongside Brett! We are both wearing Superfun Yoga Pants! True story...after first taking a class with Brett, I immediately reached out to Amy of SYP saying I needed a pair of pants just like Brett's! I now have 4 pairs and having an excuse to wear them is definitely a motivator to hit the barre!


I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to be back in class with Brett...and was also glad to burn some calories before all the Charleston feasting that was to ensue! I will most definitely be visiting Barre South during any and all future Charleston trips! 

If you are in the Charleston or Mount Pleasant area, be sure to take a class and let Brett know I sent ya! Also, if you want your own pair of Superfun Yoga Pants, you can order online here, or visit a Superfun Pop-Up shop! The Superfun gals will actually be at Barre South tomorrow night and Thursday morning! Details here.

Are you a fan of barre?

How do you like to stay fit?

Have a great day!
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2.25.2016

Snug Harbor Farm

Happy Thursday friends!

Have you had a good week? After two days of pouring rain (and even scary tornado warnings last night), I am excited to see some sunshine today.

I am so glad I get to share a closer look at our visit to Snug Harbor Farm with you today. I first mentioned Snug Harbor in my Maine getaway recap here. I was so enchanted by the farm, however, that I deemed it worthy of a post all its own. If you are ever in the Kennebunk area, a trip to Snug Harbor is a must! Bryce and I found out about it purely by accident, noticing it on our way into town. I am so glad that we made a point to go back later during our trip.

One of the things that really stood out in Maine was how lush it is. There were gorgeous flowers and gardens everywhere and Snug Harbor really epitomized this aspect of the area. I felt like our time there was magical and I was in awe of something new around every corner! It was as if I had set foot in a Beatrix Potter story. Having our own farm like this would be Bryce's dream one day!

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking throughout the rest of this post.











Oh goodness. Don't even get me started on the topiaries. I was in heaven!














Have you ever traveled to Maine?

Any other must visit places for garden lovers like us?

Have a great day!
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