Ohhh jolly what a day...
Before going on a trip I try and plan everything but sometimes those plans well, they don't go as planned. The day I'm about to tell you about was on of those days; however, it turned out to be a wonderful day and I wouldn't trade it for the pre-planned experience!
In early February, I had to travel to California for work and because I wanted to have some fun while I was there, I invited my Momma to meet me in San Francisco a couple of days before my work schedule began. Originally, we were going to visit Alcatraz Island but based on time constraints that adventure just wasn't feasible. We opted instead to drive up Highway One. Because Andrew and I had taken this trip last year, I thought I knew where I was going. After two wrong turns, which resulted in our not going across the Golden Gate Bridge, we finally got on the correct path. I had a deli in mind where we could grab some lunch but we quickly realized our tummies were rumbling (neither of us had eaten a meal and it was 2PM) so we had to stop earlier than planned. We pulled off at Tomales Deli and Cafe in Tomales, California. It was a cute place with mix and match chairs, a quirky atmosphere, and amazing food! My mom and I each had a sandwich and we shared the pasta salad. If you're ever driving on this road toward Bodega Bay, I'd highly recommend that you stop and eat at this quaint eatery. A bakery right next door supplies its fresh bread daily. It was even better than the deli I originally had in mind. Our next stop was Bodega Bay!
The northern California coastline offers some of the best views! There are several pull offs along the coastline to numerous Sonoma Coast State beaches. I wanted to take my mom to Goat's Rock Beach because of all the shells and sea glass that's usually there. We knew it was pretty windy (we hadn't been outside the car for at least an hour) but we didn't know how windy it was! We stopped on a cliff before the beach to get out and take pictures. She stepped out of the car and almost got blown away! She had her cell phone out to take pictures but she had to put it away quickly as it could have been blown from her hand. The picture below shows just how windy it as! Now I know I can't control the weather but this was the third strike out on our trip so I was feeling a bit bummed; however, I kept reassuring myself that the walk down to the beach would be worth it. When we finally got down to the beach, we were so cold that we were holding onto each other shivering as we were walking. To make matter worse, we did not find any sea glass! Looking around we found that we were the only brave souls on the beach which should have given us a clue that it would have been best not to have taken that stroll. Walking back toward the car, mom and I had a serious attack of the giggles, to say that we felt a wee bit foolish was an understatement. Feeling relieved to get back to the car, we headed to our final destination, Sonoma, California. We had not gone far when we realized we needed to use the ladies' room as well as get some fuel- gasoline for the car and coffee for ourselves. We stopped at two different places to go to the restroom both of which had outside porta-potties, um... no thank you?! We found a place to get coffee (no restroom) and then we had to drive a little further to find gasoline and an indoor restroom. By the time we got back to the car to head to Sonoma it was a little later than planned and we had dinner reservations to get to!
Fast forward a couple of hours: we were tired from our trip and not feeling too pretty from the unwanted wind blown look so we called the hotel for recommendations on a quick bite to eat and cancelled our previous reservations. As it turns out, there is a Mom and Pop market right by our hotel called Broadway market. We went in and ordered fresh cheese and meat from their deli, got some crackers, and a bottle of wine and were on our way to check in! We vegged out in our room and enjoyed spending time together. As I'm writing this post I'm smiling probably because it was one of the best days spent with my Momma! Even though things did not go as originally planned we still had a wonderful day together and were able to experience some great memories!
I've learned that some days are better unplanned!
In early February, I had to travel to California for work and because I wanted to have some fun while I was there, I invited my Momma to meet me in San Francisco a couple of days before my work schedule began. Originally, we were going to visit Alcatraz Island but based on time constraints that adventure just wasn't feasible. We opted instead to drive up Highway One. Because Andrew and I had taken this trip last year, I thought I knew where I was going. After two wrong turns, which resulted in our not going across the Golden Gate Bridge, we finally got on the correct path. I had a deli in mind where we could grab some lunch but we quickly realized our tummies were rumbling (neither of us had eaten a meal and it was 2PM) so we had to stop earlier than planned. We pulled off at Tomales Deli and Cafe in Tomales, California. It was a cute place with mix and match chairs, a quirky atmosphere, and amazing food! My mom and I each had a sandwich and we shared the pasta salad. If you're ever driving on this road toward Bodega Bay, I'd highly recommend that you stop and eat at this quaint eatery. A bakery right next door supplies its fresh bread daily. It was even better than the deli I originally had in mind. Our next stop was Bodega Bay!
The northern California coastline offers some of the best views! There are several pull offs along the coastline to numerous Sonoma Coast State beaches. I wanted to take my mom to Goat's Rock Beach because of all the shells and sea glass that's usually there. We knew it was pretty windy (we hadn't been outside the car for at least an hour) but we didn't know how windy it was! We stopped on a cliff before the beach to get out and take pictures. She stepped out of the car and almost got blown away! She had her cell phone out to take pictures but she had to put it away quickly as it could have been blown from her hand. The picture below shows just how windy it as! Now I know I can't control the weather but this was the third strike out on our trip so I was feeling a bit bummed; however, I kept reassuring myself that the walk down to the beach would be worth it. When we finally got down to the beach, we were so cold that we were holding onto each other shivering as we were walking. To make matter worse, we did not find any sea glass! Looking around we found that we were the only brave souls on the beach which should have given us a clue that it would have been best not to have taken that stroll. Walking back toward the car, mom and I had a serious attack of the giggles, to say that we felt a wee bit foolish was an understatement. Feeling relieved to get back to the car, we headed to our final destination, Sonoma, California. We had not gone far when we realized we needed to use the ladies' room as well as get some fuel- gasoline for the car and coffee for ourselves. We stopped at two different places to go to the restroom both of which had outside porta-potties, um... no thank you?! We found a place to get coffee (no restroom) and then we had to drive a little further to find gasoline and an indoor restroom. By the time we got back to the car to head to Sonoma it was a little later than planned and we had dinner reservations to get to!
Fast forward a couple of hours: we were tired from our trip and not feeling too pretty from the unwanted wind blown look so we called the hotel for recommendations on a quick bite to eat and cancelled our previous reservations. As it turns out, there is a Mom and Pop market right by our hotel called Broadway market. We went in and ordered fresh cheese and meat from their deli, got some crackers, and a bottle of wine and were on our way to check in! We vegged out in our room and enjoyed spending time together. As I'm writing this post I'm smiling probably because it was one of the best days spent with my Momma! Even though things did not go as originally planned we still had a wonderful day together and were able to experience some great memories!
I've learned that some days are better unplanned!
Andrew's 30th Birthday!
Sunset over the rice fields in Crocketts Bluff, AR
My husband just turned 30 and what he requested to do for his birthday wasn't a shocker to me but might seem a bit odd to others. Because it was his birthday and just not any birthday but his "Big 30," he could have asked to do anything. It didn't take long for Andrew to decide that he wanted to spend the weekend doing something he truly enjoys, duck hunting! I'm not personally into duck hunting but it also wasn't my birthday so what did we do?... We went duck hunting. I use "we" loosely, Andrew went duck hunting and I spent the weekend tucked in a cozy cabin by the fire.
Andrew and I ended up in Crocketts Bluff, Arkansas with his brother, his brother's girlfriend, and her family. The family has a duck club there and they were so nice to share it with us! Crocketts Bluff is close to Stuttgart, AR which is considered the Duck Capital of the world. That's right, the world. Crocketts Bluff is named for Captain Robert Crockett, grandson of the famous David (Davey) Crockett. During the second half of the 19th century, the community was a flourishing river port. A new era began in 1906 when a man successfully cultivated a small plot of rice in his front yard. Arkansas now grows rice on 1.3 million acres and leads the United States in rice production. I wanted to give you a bit of a history about the area as there is so much to learn about this region of Arkansas. Another cool fact is that the film "Mud" with Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon was shot in the area. The floating river house the family in the film lived in was on the property where Andrew and I stayed. The place is very peaceful and relaxing. I think everyone should experience a weekend like this where you veg out, cozy up, read a book, and spend time with good company.
This was a great 30th birthday for Andrew as it was spent doing something he loves! I am a firm believer people should spend their birthdays however they desire. Birthdays are a big deal in our family and are surrounded by fun traditions. This year was no different and we got to travel to a location that I wasn't familiar. Crocketts Bluff is a small community but such a beautiful place and it was an unforgettable birthday weekend for Andrew!
Andrew and I ended up in Crocketts Bluff, Arkansas with his brother, his brother's girlfriend, and her family. The family has a duck club there and they were so nice to share it with us! Crocketts Bluff is close to Stuttgart, AR which is considered the Duck Capital of the world. That's right, the world. Crocketts Bluff is named for Captain Robert Crockett, grandson of the famous David (Davey) Crockett. During the second half of the 19th century, the community was a flourishing river port. A new era began in 1906 when a man successfully cultivated a small plot of rice in his front yard. Arkansas now grows rice on 1.3 million acres and leads the United States in rice production. I wanted to give you a bit of a history about the area as there is so much to learn about this region of Arkansas. Another cool fact is that the film "Mud" with Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon was shot in the area. The floating river house the family in the film lived in was on the property where Andrew and I stayed. The place is very peaceful and relaxing. I think everyone should experience a weekend like this where you veg out, cozy up, read a book, and spend time with good company.
This was a great 30th birthday for Andrew as it was spent doing something he loves! I am a firm believer people should spend their birthdays however they desire. Birthdays are a big deal in our family and are surrounded by fun traditions. This year was no different and we got to travel to a location that I wasn't familiar. Crocketts Bluff is a small community but such a beautiful place and it was an unforgettable birthday weekend for Andrew!
Adventures in North Carolina
How'd you spend your last week of 2015? Andrew and I spent a few days in North Carolina with his parents, brother, and Louie (our child, um...dog). The area we visited in North Carolina is called Boone, where everything a person does is like one big adventure. Boone is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and is a place I would definitely return. We stayed in a truly magical little a-frame cabin called Chalet Alpine. My Mother-in-law found the cabin on VRBO (direct link to cabin: https://www.vrbo.com/507853) and it was absolutely amazing! If you're ever searching for somewhere to stay in the area I'd highly recommend Chalet Alpine. We had such a blast on this trip and although I'm about to tell you in detail what we did the summation is this: hike, eat, hike some more, eat a lot, play games, eat, and hike.
The first day we arrived in Boon there was a torrential downpour. Everywhere we tried to eat was packed, the streets were flooding, and we didn't have umbrellas. We finally settled on Blowing Rock Tavern in Blowing Rock, NC. All of the towns in this area are within close proximity and it doesn't take long to drive from one little town to the next. The tavern's food was amazing and so was the service! The downtown area of Blowing Rock is very quaint with a lot of cute stores. You can shop for anything from fudge, to ski gear, to clothes. I scored myself an original 1993 Carolina Panther's shirt! Go Panthers!
Day two of our trip was absolutely beautiful; thankfully, the rain cleared. We drove on the Blue Ridge parkway to all of our hiking destinations. In case you aren't familiar with it, The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile scenic drive that follows the highest ridges between the Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's designed especially for leisurely enjoyment which is exactly what we did; we enjoyed the wonders around us! On our first stop, we hiked Flat Rock Trail. The trail takes you to an overlook at an elevation of 3,987 ft. The views were absolutely breathtaking from the top! Next, we drove to Linville Falls. The hike was a bit muddy because it had rained the day before but it made the falls that much more beautiful! Linville Falls is a series of two falls, upper at 12 feet and lower at 90 feet. These plunge into the 2,000 foot deep Linville Gorge. This trail is a must do in the area and well worth your time. It takes about two hours to do the entire trail. On our last night in Boone, we ate at Proper which used to be an old jail house. Our family thought that was really cool. The food was some of the best I've ever eaten. Andrew and I shared a large helping of chicken and dumplings. Yummy!!!
On our last day, we visited the downtown area of Boone and the original Mast General Store. The store was established in 1883 and is definitely a sight to see! The old and young alike will have appreciation for this place. Residents can still pick up mail at the store and anyone is welcome to buy a tank of gasoline.
I don't think there are too many states like North Carolina left where you find century old building in the heart of the city and state government offices in renovated Victorian houses. In North Carolina you can still buy honey from a roadside stand, eat wonderful southern cooking, and sleep in inns where the people in history books once slept. I personally love this state and I'm so glad my in-laws live close! If you ever want adventure and relaxation all in the same get-a-way then this area is where you want to be.
I saw this sign in one of the stores and I thought it fit perfectly: "We aren't behind the times. It's just that we think there are times much too important to be left behind."
The first day we arrived in Boon there was a torrential downpour. Everywhere we tried to eat was packed, the streets were flooding, and we didn't have umbrellas. We finally settled on Blowing Rock Tavern in Blowing Rock, NC. All of the towns in this area are within close proximity and it doesn't take long to drive from one little town to the next. The tavern's food was amazing and so was the service! The downtown area of Blowing Rock is very quaint with a lot of cute stores. You can shop for anything from fudge, to ski gear, to clothes. I scored myself an original 1993 Carolina Panther's shirt! Go Panthers!
Day two of our trip was absolutely beautiful; thankfully, the rain cleared. We drove on the Blue Ridge parkway to all of our hiking destinations. In case you aren't familiar with it, The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile scenic drive that follows the highest ridges between the Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's designed especially for leisurely enjoyment which is exactly what we did; we enjoyed the wonders around us! On our first stop, we hiked Flat Rock Trail. The trail takes you to an overlook at an elevation of 3,987 ft. The views were absolutely breathtaking from the top! Next, we drove to Linville Falls. The hike was a bit muddy because it had rained the day before but it made the falls that much more beautiful! Linville Falls is a series of two falls, upper at 12 feet and lower at 90 feet. These plunge into the 2,000 foot deep Linville Gorge. This trail is a must do in the area and well worth your time. It takes about two hours to do the entire trail. On our last night in Boone, we ate at Proper which used to be an old jail house. Our family thought that was really cool. The food was some of the best I've ever eaten. Andrew and I shared a large helping of chicken and dumplings. Yummy!!!
On our last day, we visited the downtown area of Boone and the original Mast General Store. The store was established in 1883 and is definitely a sight to see! The old and young alike will have appreciation for this place. Residents can still pick up mail at the store and anyone is welcome to buy a tank of gasoline.
I don't think there are too many states like North Carolina left where you find century old building in the heart of the city and state government offices in renovated Victorian houses. In North Carolina you can still buy honey from a roadside stand, eat wonderful southern cooking, and sleep in inns where the people in history books once slept. I personally love this state and I'm so glad my in-laws live close! If you ever want adventure and relaxation all in the same get-a-way then this area is where you want to be.
I saw this sign in one of the stores and I thought it fit perfectly: "We aren't behind the times. It's just that we think there are times much too important to be left behind."
Lake Tahoe
I had been to Lake Tahoe once before during the Summer season however, going during the winter was a whole different experience. Andrew and I visited Lake Tahoe for Valentine's Day/ President's Day weekend. It was a long weekend trip and a nice little get-a-way. We stayed at the Heavenly Valley Lodge Bed and Breakfast and were pampered by some really good friends. Linda and Johan (a couple we met on our BVI trip) own the B and B. They are excellent hosts and I'd never stay anywhere else when visiting the Lake Tahoe area. Their Lodge is in a great location but yet you still feel a bit secluded. We had a wonderful breakfast every morning and a really nice Happy Hour every evening. If you're thinking about visiting Lake Tahoe then you need to be staying with Linda and Johan (pictured below). Here is a link to their amazing little slice of heaven: http://heavenlyvalleylodge.com/
You also must know that I'm not being biased, they were ranked the number one Bed and Breakfast in the area more than once... AND they are pet friendly! It doesn't get any better!
While in Lake Tahoe Andrew and I skied/snow boarded at Heavenly Valley resort for a couple of days. Actually... I think I'll rearrange that sentence.... "While in Lake Tahoe Andrew snowboarded and I skied for the first time in 19 years." Let's just say it's not quite like riding a bike again. I did take ski school for 1/2 a day and got the hang of it again but I also fell about 5 times during the 2 days. It was really fun and the views were excellent but I was definitely sore once our days were over! Andrew and I got to spend a lot of time together on the slopes and let's just say we learned some extra patience with each other. At one point, he was waiting on me at the bottom of a slope and he had enough time to make 6 snowballs to launch at me while I was skiing down. I did have enough courage to do several blues and got pretty decent by the end of the 2nd day. All in all though the ski days were absolutely enjoyable and the weather was the best we could have hoped for. We were on the mountain in one layer of clothes so it wasn't cold at all but there was still plenty of snow. I think Lake Tahoe has spoiled me and I'm not sure I'd ever want to ski anywhere else.
On our last full day in Lake Tahoe we decided to do a trip around the lake. We drove around and stopped at several tourist points a long the way. In total, it took us about 5 hours but it was worth every minute of the drive. We visited several national parks, got a view of the entire lake, and ate at a really great restaurant on the North Side. We also drove through an area called "Incline Village," here you can see homes that are only in your dreams!
We enjoyed our long weekend get-a-way to the beautiful Lake Tahoe area and plan to go back again! It's truly a gem and we are so thankful to know great friends that live here!
You also must know that I'm not being biased, they were ranked the number one Bed and Breakfast in the area more than once... AND they are pet friendly! It doesn't get any better!
While in Lake Tahoe Andrew and I skied/snow boarded at Heavenly Valley resort for a couple of days. Actually... I think I'll rearrange that sentence.... "While in Lake Tahoe Andrew snowboarded and I skied for the first time in 19 years." Let's just say it's not quite like riding a bike again. I did take ski school for 1/2 a day and got the hang of it again but I also fell about 5 times during the 2 days. It was really fun and the views were excellent but I was definitely sore once our days were over! Andrew and I got to spend a lot of time together on the slopes and let's just say we learned some extra patience with each other. At one point, he was waiting on me at the bottom of a slope and he had enough time to make 6 snowballs to launch at me while I was skiing down. I did have enough courage to do several blues and got pretty decent by the end of the 2nd day. All in all though the ski days were absolutely enjoyable and the weather was the best we could have hoped for. We were on the mountain in one layer of clothes so it wasn't cold at all but there was still plenty of snow. I think Lake Tahoe has spoiled me and I'm not sure I'd ever want to ski anywhere else.
On our last full day in Lake Tahoe we decided to do a trip around the lake. We drove around and stopped at several tourist points a long the way. In total, it took us about 5 hours but it was worth every minute of the drive. We visited several national parks, got a view of the entire lake, and ate at a really great restaurant on the North Side. We also drove through an area called "Incline Village," here you can see homes that are only in your dreams!
We enjoyed our long weekend get-a-way to the beautiful Lake Tahoe area and plan to go back again! It's truly a gem and we are so thankful to know great friends that live here!
Northern California- Andrew's birthday weekend!
As I said in my previous post, I was in Yountville, CA for business in January. Andrew had to be in the Sunnyvale area the week after my business meeting. It was his birthday weekend in between so instead of spending it in Arkansas we decided to meet in Napa, CA to celebrate! This is his last birthday in his 20's (he really doesn't like it when I say that) so we had to go big! We stayed in Napa but explored the region quite a bit. The day of his birthday we drove 1 1/2 hours West to Highway one. Andrew had no idea where we were going, the entire day was a surprise to him which was really fun for me! We got lunch at Pelican Plaza deli in Bodega Bay and took it to the beach to have a picnic. (shout out to my co-worker Marc who recommended the deli)! We visited 3 beaches but ended up spending most of our time at Goat's Beach. We weren't aware but the area was under some kind of weather warning. Basically it meant the waves were MASSIVE and you couldn't surf or swim. We also weren't aware of how bad the fog was there. The fog is crazy in Northern California. You're driving through one minute and you can barely see a foot in front of you and then the next minute, boom... sunshine... so strange?!... Anyways, I digress... back to the waves, when we were standing on the beach at least 30 feet from the water and a wave would hit you'd instantly feel the mist. It was like a small rain shower every time a wave would hit the land. I've never seen waves so big in my life and quite frankly, the pictures don't do it justice. I'll add a slide show of pictures, make sure you look at the one of Andrew and I, we are standing away from the water, it was too dangerous to get close. The wave was taller than Andrew (he's 6'3") from 30 feet away! We chose Goat's Beach for our picnic because there you could watch the seals. By watch the seals, I mean they are laying on the beach belly up sun bathing. They don't do much but they are really neat to see! We did see one seal swimming around which was a treat! After the beach we drove back out onto Highway One and hit the town of Petaluma. This area in general is absolutely beautiful! I can see why so many people live here. That evening we went to a restaurant called Mustard's Grill, it was pretty good but I think a little over rated. Saturday we did a group tour, the limo picked us up and the driver had blown up balloons to celebrate Andrew's birthday which I thought was so nice! We visited 4 wineries/vineyards on the tour and they were: Peju, Rutherford Ranch, BV, and Silver Oaks. It is really awesome to learn about the wine making process. Did you know, they only get one harvest per year?! The growing season is March-September and then they pick all of the fruit in September/October depending on the weather. Right now, the vines are bare but still really cool to see so many of them. Saturday evening we had dinner in downtown Napa Valley at Ristorante Allegria, again the food was just wonderful! I could have eaten my weight in food on this trip. Sunday was my travel home day but again, we found time to have a meal. We went to the Boon Fly Café for breakfast and if you don't go anywhere on my list of places besides one then this is the one! I totally love breakfast food and this place was TO.DIE.FOR! I had homemade donuts, I mean... come on?! After a wonderful weekend I had to leave my hubby in California and come home to real life. I hope you've enjoyed reading about our Northern California adventures and can see the fun we had through our pictures.
Yountville, CA
Yountville, CA is just North of Napa. It sits in the beautiful valley surrounded by wine country. I had the pleasure of going to Yountville for a business meeting the 3rd week in January. This is generally off season for wine country but I think it was pretty perfect! The weather was amazing, cool in the morning and evenings and usually high 60's during the day. We stayed at The Villagio Inn & Spa. The Villagio Inn and Spa makes you feel right at home and the people there are all so nice. The rooms and grounds are absolutely beautiful and it's in the perfect place in Yountville. Almost all restaurants you'd want to go to are in walking distance. People always say the food in Napa Valley is wonderfully tasty and let me tell you, it is! We had several business dinners while staying in Yountville and everything was great! None of the restaurants were disappointing. We ate at Redd Wood, Bottega Napa Valley, and Hurley's. I tried a variety of different things but my favorite restaurant was Bottega. Their chef, Chef Chiarello is an acclaimed chef and he is featured on the Food Network quite a bit. The restaurant is very bold Italian and oh so yummy, my mouth is watering just thinking about the amazing food I consumed. I probably gained 10 lbs on this trip.
We couldn't have a meeting in Napa Valley and not do a little wine tasting, right?! We visited 3 vineyards for our team building activity and were able to learn a lot about the culture, the history, and the making of wine. It was really cool and informative not to mention, tasty! I really enjoy the taste of wine and I come by it honestly, I think it's in my genes. My Mom likes the whites and my Dad likes the reds..... me??.. I like both! The vineyards/wineries we visited were: Elizabeth Spencer, Del Dotto, and Hall. If you're ever in the area I highly suggest going and checking these places out. They are all very neat and different in their own ways.
I'm sure your wondering if I worked on this trip... the answer is yes, but you don't want to hear about that.... it's not nearly as exciting as wine or food!
This picture is of my dear co-worker. I could not do my job without her!
If you're interested in visiting Yountville here's the link to where I stayed: http://villagio.com/. check it out!
We couldn't have a meeting in Napa Valley and not do a little wine tasting, right?! We visited 3 vineyards for our team building activity and were able to learn a lot about the culture, the history, and the making of wine. It was really cool and informative not to mention, tasty! I really enjoy the taste of wine and I come by it honestly, I think it's in my genes. My Mom likes the whites and my Dad likes the reds..... me??.. I like both! The vineyards/wineries we visited were: Elizabeth Spencer, Del Dotto, and Hall. If you're ever in the area I highly suggest going and checking these places out. They are all very neat and different in their own ways.
I'm sure your wondering if I worked on this trip... the answer is yes, but you don't want to hear about that.... it's not nearly as exciting as wine or food!
This picture is of my dear co-worker. I could not do my job without her!
If you're interested in visiting Yountville here's the link to where I stayed: http://villagio.com/. check it out!
East Coast Christmas
This year for Christmas, we visited Andrew's family in Spartanburg, SC. We love going on long trips there simply because there is so much to do! They live in the perfect area, they are a few hours from the mountains, the beach, and several really fun states! While we visited over our break we got to do so much in fact, we were tired afterwards and needed a vacation from our vacation. We don't get to spend a lot of time with Andrew's family so when we do we are always up for an adventure! This time, I'm going to let the pictures do all the talking... in the slide show you'll see Du Pont National Forrest (NC), The Biltmore House (NC), and Charleston, SC.... see what I mean??? so many fun activities!
Tinkerbelle's Wildwood Bed and Breakfast Inn
Andrew and I decided we wanted to get away before the hustle and bustle of the holidays but didn't have time to plan anything big so we took a quick weekend getaway. We drove to Hot Springs and stayed at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast! It was called Tinkerbelle's Wildwood Inn. The house started being built in 1878 and completed construction in 1884. It still has all of it's original stained glass and wood work. The inside is absolutely breathtaking! The room we stayed in had the original claw foot tub in it from the 1800's. The breakfast was absolutely amazing the next morning! We had blueberry muffins, fruit, ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches, and to top it off... apple strudels! Can't you tell the breakfast in itself was worth the stay?! The house was decorated for Christmas and it felt so homey! David and Rebecca, the owners were very pleasant and gracious hosts. We will definitely be staying at this Bed and Breakfast again and hopefully next time we can stay longer.
Saturday after breakfast we ventured to the Quapaw bath house. It's one of the original bath houses in Hot Springs. If you don't know this town is famous for the natural hot springs. The springs are said to have "healing powers." I'm pretty sure they healed me from the stress I was feeling from work and for sure from the neck pain I was having! We chose a couples package with hot stones, a massage, and a hot towel wrap. After leaving from this weekend we felt rejuvenated and ready to spend the best time of the year with our family and friends.
I do want to point out, Andrew planned this entire weekend for us. God surely blessed me with an amazing husband! Thanks Andrew for such a great weekend!
Saturday after breakfast we ventured to the Quapaw bath house. It's one of the original bath houses in Hot Springs. If you don't know this town is famous for the natural hot springs. The springs are said to have "healing powers." I'm pretty sure they healed me from the stress I was feeling from work and for sure from the neck pain I was having! We chose a couples package with hot stones, a massage, and a hot towel wrap. After leaving from this weekend we felt rejuvenated and ready to spend the best time of the year with our family and friends.
I do want to point out, Andrew planned this entire weekend for us. God surely blessed me with an amazing husband! Thanks Andrew for such a great weekend!
New York, New York
You always hear the best time of the year to visit New York City is Christmas, well I have a new thought for you... how about Halloween?! That's right, Andrew and I visited the city the weekend of Halloween which also happened to be the New York City Marathon. This was my first time to visit the city and I had some pretty high expectations. It truly is a magical city and I can't wait to go back for a longer stay to do more! Until next time, here's a breakdown of our long weekend.
Thursday: We both had to work part of the day Thursday so after flying and working we were pretty tired but we wanted to make the most of our day. We didn't get to do too much this day because we were racing the daylight. We shopped in Time Square and walked around the theatre district. One of the best places we ate all weekend was on Thursday afternoon, it was called the Picnic Basket. The place was a little hole in the wall in the Time Square area. If you are ever in NYC I would highly recommend this place for lunch. I had a zoodle salad (yum!).
Friday: I had to work almost all day Friday, our corporate office in New York is in the Chelsea area and it is a really nice office with an amazing view so the work wasn't too bad. After work, Andrew and I walked around Central Park. It was truly beautiful with all of the leaves changing. We walked all through the park and wound up at The Met. The building was huge! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go inside, maybe next time. After exploring that end of the park we ended up at the complete opposite end and ventured into FAO Schwartz. Andrew and I are both kids at heart so we had a blast in the toy store! We could have spent hours there but there was so much more to see and do so we pried ourselves away from the toys and walked across the street to The Plaza hotel. The Plaza was absolutely beautiful! After we explored the hotel we rode the Subway to Grand Central Station. The train station was gorgeous but over whelming! Our last stop of the night was Tortilla Flats. It's a Mexican restaurant in The Meat Packing district. The food was great but the atmosphere was even better! With it being Halloween, I'm sure you can imagine some of the characters that were out in the city. Turns out, Tortilla Flats is actually a restaurant that celebrities visit often, we had no idea until we were there. We didn't see anyone famous but apparently, they go out more towards the beginning of the week to avoid weekend crowds.
Saturday: We rode the hop on hop off water taxi. We were able to visit the following places on the taxi: 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street, Brooklyn, and the Statue of Liberty. On our way back to the hotel we had to stop and get a snack so Andrew took me to a wonderful sushi place. Saturday evening I had a surprise in store for Andrew. We went to a Razorback bar in the heart of New York city! It was so cool being in a completely different city and walking into a bar full of Arkansas Razorbacks! Our weather wasn't ideal this day but we made the most of it.
Sunday: Our last day in the city (b00!). We at breakfast at an amazing place called George's and then we walked to the famous Trinity Church. They were actually having mass so we went in and stayed a while. When we stepped out, we noticed it was snowing. I couldn't believe that, snowing on November 2nd?! We shopped all day Sunday in China Town and Little Italy which both felt like completely different countries inside a city. It was a little scary at first and my nose definitely had to get use to the "market" area but all in all a great experience.
As you can see, we jam packed a lot of things into one weekend. We were exhausted by the time we got home but it was well worth the experience! I can't wait to go back and have more time.
Thursday: We both had to work part of the day Thursday so after flying and working we were pretty tired but we wanted to make the most of our day. We didn't get to do too much this day because we were racing the daylight. We shopped in Time Square and walked around the theatre district. One of the best places we ate all weekend was on Thursday afternoon, it was called the Picnic Basket. The place was a little hole in the wall in the Time Square area. If you are ever in NYC I would highly recommend this place for lunch. I had a zoodle salad (yum!).
Friday: I had to work almost all day Friday, our corporate office in New York is in the Chelsea area and it is a really nice office with an amazing view so the work wasn't too bad. After work, Andrew and I walked around Central Park. It was truly beautiful with all of the leaves changing. We walked all through the park and wound up at The Met. The building was huge! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go inside, maybe next time. After exploring that end of the park we ended up at the complete opposite end and ventured into FAO Schwartz. Andrew and I are both kids at heart so we had a blast in the toy store! We could have spent hours there but there was so much more to see and do so we pried ourselves away from the toys and walked across the street to The Plaza hotel. The Plaza was absolutely beautiful! After we explored the hotel we rode the Subway to Grand Central Station. The train station was gorgeous but over whelming! Our last stop of the night was Tortilla Flats. It's a Mexican restaurant in The Meat Packing district. The food was great but the atmosphere was even better! With it being Halloween, I'm sure you can imagine some of the characters that were out in the city. Turns out, Tortilla Flats is actually a restaurant that celebrities visit often, we had no idea until we were there. We didn't see anyone famous but apparently, they go out more towards the beginning of the week to avoid weekend crowds.
Saturday: We rode the hop on hop off water taxi. We were able to visit the following places on the taxi: 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street, Brooklyn, and the Statue of Liberty. On our way back to the hotel we had to stop and get a snack so Andrew took me to a wonderful sushi place. Saturday evening I had a surprise in store for Andrew. We went to a Razorback bar in the heart of New York city! It was so cool being in a completely different city and walking into a bar full of Arkansas Razorbacks! Our weather wasn't ideal this day but we made the most of it.
Sunday: Our last day in the city (b00!). We at breakfast at an amazing place called George's and then we walked to the famous Trinity Church. They were actually having mass so we went in and stayed a while. When we stepped out, we noticed it was snowing. I couldn't believe that, snowing on November 2nd?! We shopped all day Sunday in China Town and Little Italy which both felt like completely different countries inside a city. It was a little scary at first and my nose definitely had to get use to the "market" area but all in all a great experience.
As you can see, we jam packed a lot of things into one weekend. We were exhausted by the time we got home but it was well worth the experience! I can't wait to go back and have more time.
Buffalo River Float 2 of the year!
Andrew and I went and floated the Buffalo River this past weekend, this will make the 2nd time this year. The first time we went at the beginning of the season and this time we went at the very end. The leaves were absolutely beautiful! Everything was changing colors and the temperature was perfect. It's my opinion that the fall is prime time to float. The air was crisp in the morning but warm enough in the afternoon to wear shorts and a tank.
This trip, we floated with some of our small group from Church. It was absolutely beautiful! I'm convinced the Lord made Arkansas one of the prettiest states in the USA. Enjoy the pictures!
This trip, we floated with some of our small group from Church. It was absolutely beautiful! I'm convinced the Lord made Arkansas one of the prettiest states in the USA. Enjoy the pictures!
Branson, MO
Ever been to Branson, MO?! Think of it as Las Vegas but more family-style and a bit of an older crowd. Branson has a lot to see and do including, shows, museums, shopping, and our favorite--- Silver Dollar City! Andrew and I love SDC, it's a really fun theme park set back in the 1800's. There you can find homemade candy (the Salt Water taffy is my fave!), people making their own honey and apple butter, wood creations, a genuine black smith, a shoe maker, and much, much more! We truly enjoy going to SDC, you get the thrill of the theme park with the rides and a little bit of culture on the side. Every year my Mamaw buys us Silver Dollar City season tickets for Christmas and we enjoy every trip we take there. Andrew and I try to go at least 4 times a year, once during every season. This time, it was Harvest Festival and we had a blast! We took another couple with us from California, I think they really enjoyed themselves. It's always fun taking newbies because it's such a great experience all around.
If you've never visited Branson or Silver Dollar City, I think it's a must!
If you've never visited Branson or Silver Dollar City, I think it's a must!
Jam Packed Weekend: Chicago Part II
I'm going to attempt to squeeze all of Saturday and Sunday in Chicago into this one post... here goes nothing...
Saturday morning we had to move hotels because the Marriott we were staying at the first 2 nights didn't accept points on the weekends. We were actually glad to move because we got to be in a different part of the city and we liked the hotel we moved to better. We stayed at the JW Marriott for the remainder of our trip. Saturday morning we took the Subway out to Wriggleyville. We were going to see the Cubs play but then decided against it as it was drizzling outside and we wanted to do other things during the day so instead, we saw the stadium and experienced the atmosphere for lunch. We found a place in Wriggleyville called Lucky's Sandwich Co. This place has been featured on the Food Network and Travel Channel. The sandwiches were huge and AH-mazing! Should you ever be in the area, you should really go eat here. After lunch, we went to the Lincoln Park Area of Chicago. Here, we got to see the Lincoln Park Conservatory and experience the Lincoln Park Zoo. This zoo is the only free zoo left in the United States. After our busy afternoon, we returned to the hotel a bit early to enjoy soaking in the hot tub. We really needed this after a lot of walking... my feet were very appreciative! After we rested a bit we got ready for dinner (can you tell this trip is all about food). We had dinner at Carnivale. The place was so much fun! It was all so colorful and we enjoyed the waiter, the food, and the environment. This was a suggestion by my work friend again (thank you friend!). We got the recommended dish, Paella. Paella is a seafood dish on a bed of Spanish rice with peas and tomatoes (no, I didn't eat the tomatoes). The seafood in the dish was: shrimp, octopus, squid, clams, and muscles. Andrew and I shared this, thankfully as it arrived in a huge iron skillet. After dinner that evening we visited our friends staying in The Drake hotel. We were able to go to the executive level and have a nice view of the city. We all then walked to the Grand Lux for dessert.
Sunday was our last day, we were so sad that our trip was coming to a close but felt like we really got our time in with the city. On our last day, we visited The Art Institute. This museum was recently rated the best in the world. We didn't realize just how large it was until we got in and looked at a map. There are 3 levels and each level was massive! We decided it would be best to decide what exactly we wanted to see so we didn't miss anything interesting to us. We spent almost 3 hours in the museum and saw less than half of what it had to offer although, we were pleased with the exhibits we did see. For our last foodie stop, we did Sushi! Sushi is one of our favorites and the place we chose did not disappoint! We knew that our trip was coming to an end and although we were sad to leave we know we'll be back to this amazing city!
Saturday morning we had to move hotels because the Marriott we were staying at the first 2 nights didn't accept points on the weekends. We were actually glad to move because we got to be in a different part of the city and we liked the hotel we moved to better. We stayed at the JW Marriott for the remainder of our trip. Saturday morning we took the Subway out to Wriggleyville. We were going to see the Cubs play but then decided against it as it was drizzling outside and we wanted to do other things during the day so instead, we saw the stadium and experienced the atmosphere for lunch. We found a place in Wriggleyville called Lucky's Sandwich Co. This place has been featured on the Food Network and Travel Channel. The sandwiches were huge and AH-mazing! Should you ever be in the area, you should really go eat here. After lunch, we went to the Lincoln Park Area of Chicago. Here, we got to see the Lincoln Park Conservatory and experience the Lincoln Park Zoo. This zoo is the only free zoo left in the United States. After our busy afternoon, we returned to the hotel a bit early to enjoy soaking in the hot tub. We really needed this after a lot of walking... my feet were very appreciative! After we rested a bit we got ready for dinner (can you tell this trip is all about food). We had dinner at Carnivale. The place was so much fun! It was all so colorful and we enjoyed the waiter, the food, and the environment. This was a suggestion by my work friend again (thank you friend!). We got the recommended dish, Paella. Paella is a seafood dish on a bed of Spanish rice with peas and tomatoes (no, I didn't eat the tomatoes). The seafood in the dish was: shrimp, octopus, squid, clams, and muscles. Andrew and I shared this, thankfully as it arrived in a huge iron skillet. After dinner that evening we visited our friends staying in The Drake hotel. We were able to go to the executive level and have a nice view of the city. We all then walked to the Grand Lux for dessert.
Sunday was our last day, we were so sad that our trip was coming to a close but felt like we really got our time in with the city. On our last day, we visited The Art Institute. This museum was recently rated the best in the world. We didn't realize just how large it was until we got in and looked at a map. There are 3 levels and each level was massive! We decided it would be best to decide what exactly we wanted to see so we didn't miss anything interesting to us. We spent almost 3 hours in the museum and saw less than half of what it had to offer although, we were pleased with the exhibits we did see. For our last foodie stop, we did Sushi! Sushi is one of our favorites and the place we chose did not disappoint! We knew that our trip was coming to an end and although we were sad to leave we know we'll be back to this amazing city!
Jam Packed Weekend : Chicago Part I
Andrew and I just got back from Chicago. We went September 18-21, which was the perfect time! It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold. I had to be there for work on the 19th and Andrew and I both got invited to a work event that same night so we decided to make a full weekend out of it. Neither of us had ever been to Chicago before so we really wanted to make the most of our trip and do lots of stuff in the short time we had and man, did we ever! The first evening we arrived, our plane had been delayed and we didn't land in Chicago until 9PM. We wanted to wait until we arrived in Chicago to eat dinner and by the time we got there we were starving! Luckily, I had already mapped out where we were to have dinner. It was right down from our hotel so we didn't have to walk far at all. We ate at Giordano's pizza. My step-dad recommended the place and it was amazing!!!
It was a true Chicago pie experience.
The next morning, each of us had to work but it didn't damper our trip in the least (that's what we were there for anyways). It was nice to be able to relax in our room that morning with breakfast even though we both had our laptops out but hey, the blog doesn't make money so we've still got our day jobs! Luckily, we stayed at the Marriott right on Michigan Avenue. When we got to take a break for lunch we were able to walk outside and greet the city. I loved that everyone walked everywhere in Chicago! Andrew decided before lunch he wanted to get a fresh shave. He'd never had one before so I'm not sure where he got the idea but never the less, he found a place and off we went. We ended up at an Italian Barber shop called Alfredo's, it was truly authentic. I've posted a picture below of him getting his face shaved. I was pretty worried he was going to wind up as Chicken Pot Pie (Sweeny Todd reference) but, he didn't... he came out of that chair smooth as a baby's bottom!
It was a true Chicago pie experience.
The next morning, each of us had to work but it didn't damper our trip in the least (that's what we were there for anyways). It was nice to be able to relax in our room that morning with breakfast even though we both had our laptops out but hey, the blog doesn't make money so we've still got our day jobs! Luckily, we stayed at the Marriott right on Michigan Avenue. When we got to take a break for lunch we were able to walk outside and greet the city. I loved that everyone walked everywhere in Chicago! Andrew decided before lunch he wanted to get a fresh shave. He'd never had one before so I'm not sure where he got the idea but never the less, he found a place and off we went. We ended up at an Italian Barber shop called Alfredo's, it was truly authentic. I've posted a picture below of him getting his face shaved. I was pretty worried he was going to wind up as Chicken Pot Pie (Sweeny Todd reference) but, he didn't... he came out of that chair smooth as a baby's bottom!
After that small adventure, finally we were off to lunch. My friend and co-worker who is from Chicago told us to go eat at the Billy Goat Tavern. We chose the original location which is "underneath" the city. We actually found out it was in an area that part of the Batman movie "The Dark Night" was filmed. When you walk into this place they are immediately mean to you but it's their M.O. and we were warned before dining there. They started yelling "come down the stairs, come on, order." I said "I'll have a single cheese burger please" and the guy said "No, you'll have a double, NEXT." Needless to say, I got a double cheese burger and Andrew ate part of it... I wasn't going to argue with the man?!
After lunch, I had a meeting with my boss. He lives in Chicago so that's why we had to go there in the first place. Andrew walked me to his apartment building and then I met with him on the floor where meetings can be held on a first come first serve basis. His building was very cool and I was enamored with the amenities and interior design of it all. Andrew and I got the privilege to spend time with my boss and his sweet wife while we were in town along with some other people that work with us. We went to an American Cancer Society event that our company sponsored later that evening. I'm so blessed to work for a company that inspires others to give back.
This concludes Part I of our trip, that was only the first 24 hours!
This concludes Part I of our trip, that was only the first 24 hours!
Fighouse Lunch
While we were visiting South Carolina, we got invited to the Fighouse's to eat lunch. The Fighouse's are my in-laws close friends and Mr. Bert Fighouse happens to be the preacher at the Church they attend. I'm sure you're wondering, why am I dedicating an entire post to a lunch?... well, let me tell you why.... Mrs. Patty fixes the BEST after Church lunches next to my Mamaw that you can possibly think of! She always takes care of "her boys" meaning my Husband, his brother, and her son. Andrew and Alex (my brother in law) are both very close to Zach, the Fighouse's son. We are all scattered throughout the South so it's very nice for all of us to come together and share a meal and fellowship. Plus, it doesn't hurt that there is always coffee and dessert. I think my favorite part about visiting for lunch is the presentation! Mrs. Patty always goes all out and never lets you lift a finger. I'll take being fed all day everyday... There is always a main dish, lots of veggies, some casseroles, mashed potatoes, sister Shubert roles (I try and eat the middle one every time), and much much more!
Mrs. Patty, if you are reading this, thank you! You and Mr. Bert are one in a million!
to all my readers out there... sorry, this is a personal invite only also, all names have been changed to protect their privacy in case you want to stalk her for food.
-signing off, making myself full from thinking of my lunch at the Fighouse's.....
Mrs. Patty, if you are reading this, thank you! You and Mr. Bert are one in a million!
to all my readers out there... sorry, this is a personal invite only also, all names have been changed to protect their privacy in case you want to stalk her for food.
-signing off, making myself full from thinking of my lunch at the Fighouse's.....
1st Annual Girls Weekend
The first weekend in August (2014) my best friends and I had our 1st Annual girls weekend! It also happened to be my birthday! We spent the weekend at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR. All of my best friends and I have been friends since high school and some of us have even known each other/ been friends since elementary school. I know it is very rare for girls to remain friends for that long but for us, it's perfect and we wouldn't have it any other way! We fight like sisters and love like family! These girls mean the world to me and I'm so happy God has given me friends like this! Unfortunately, we were missing one person on our trip; her name is Cate. Cate just had a baby 8 weeks ago (congrats, Cate!) so we understood why she wasn't able to come but we still missed her! We haven't all been on a trip with just our friends since high school... we do plan on making this an every year occurrence especially since this trip was such a hit! Thanks to Sarah (Bird) for letting us borrow her boat and thanks to her awesome hubby for making sure it was ready for us! I love these girls!
Top Row: Me, Bell, McConnell, Kay
Bottom Row: Bird & Tators
Missing: Cate :(
Bottom Row: Bird & Tators
Missing: Cate :(
4th of July in Fayetteville
Andrew and I spent this 4th of July (2014) in one of our favorite places ever, Fayetteville, AR. This town hosts so many things for us: it is beautiful and quirky, it's also home to some of our best friends and the Arkansas Razorbacks! Fayetteville has a special place in our hearts to say the least. It's always been somewhere we want to live and eventually we plan to make that happen but for now we enjoy anytime that we can visit! 4th of July was no different for us, we had an awesome time with a great group of people! Our friends, Abby and Theron have an amazingly cozy house in the perfect location not to mention, they have a pool... so hello, fun times ahead! We spent all weekend lounging by the pool, listening to music, eating our weight in food, and shooting fireworks. Well, the guys shot fireworks and the ladies were scared for their lives. Everyone had on their 4th of July attire, even our dog Louie! It's always fun to be around great friends in a great place and we can't wait to go back for football season and hopefully call this town our home sooner rather than later.
Floating the Buffalo River
Andrew and I went to float the Buffalo this May (2014). We went with quite a large group of people, most of them work with us so it was a lot of fun to hang with co-workers outside of our office. We only flipped one time about 100 yards away from our end destination. Andrew says he's never flipped before but he was the cause for our soak in the river, so I'm not sure if I believe him or not. Regardless, we had a great time! We camped 2 nights and 2 days (a little too much for me). Here's a picture of our group.
Isla Mujeres
I always love finding old pictures when cleaning out my cameras. These pictures are from a trip Andrew and I took with friends to Cancun, Mexico. They are from a little island off of Cancun called Isla Mujeres. It's a beautiful place, enjoy the photos!
