Productivity + Creativity = A Fabulous Weekend

Condo is rented, house is rented and the movers are coming FRIDAY!!! 

One of the things I've really enjoyed the past few weekends is being able to take the time to enjoy them!  We're usually on the go so much that weekends consist of traveling somewhere, so it's been nice to be able to take the time and have a laid back, long dinner on the deck with friends like we did on Friday, take a yoga class, and still have two full days to get things done (PACKING!) that we need to.

Last night, I went to the Wine Palette in Noda.  What an awesome, creative business!  Every session features a different painting and artist.  Customers can bring in whatever food and beverage of choice that they’d like and the receive hands on help from the artist of the painting.  Wine Palette provides all canvases and paints, you just show up with your bottle of wine and ready to paint!  Last night, the painting was of the bridge at Freedom Park.  Freedom Park is definitely one of my favorite places in Charlotte and I’ll definitely miss running there when we move. For $25, this is such a fun alternative girls night that is also a perfect memory to take with me to Austin!

Patrick also got creative this weekend and stained our once light wood coffee table to a dark, cherry color and added new hardware.  It's a gorgeous coffee table that was his parents previously and we have been wanting to stain it darker to match our other furniture for some time.  I admit, I was a little skeptical about starting this project when we had so much else to do, but it actually ended up beautiful.  All it took was $40 for the stain and sanding items plus the 4 new pulls on the drawers and a couple of hours of sweat equity.  See below for the before and after pics:

Stressed but Blessed

Disclaimer – if you aren’t in the mood for sappy, don’t read this post! (or just read and roll your eyes all you want).   I am wayyy too emotional today.  Last night all I could think about was the things that I’ll be missing when I move.  Life just keeps getting more hectic the older we get and I feel like it’s hard enough to see people and keep in touch while living in the same city or state, how is it going to be once we move?  I HATE missing out on things and last night was the first time I got sad about it.

Luckily, I have friends that keep me grounded and build me up when I need a boost.  I have the best family in the world too, but they kind of have to love me you know?  The friends I have in my life I am just blessed to have…

A friend who I look to as a friend, a therapist, and an inspiration, because she moved out to New Mexico by HERSELF when she for a few years, which takes independence that I admire.  She’s honest enough to say that “yeah, you’ll end up missing out and it sucks because you literally can’t just go to anything and everything, but the relationship you gain with yourself and the experience you’ll get is completely worth it”.

Another friend, who somehow can verbalize what I’m thinking even if I can’t and who, no matter what kind of mood I’m in or what she’s going through, somehow knows the right thing to say and usually how to make me laugh if I’m crying.  Maybe because she’s known me since we were 14 and that type of connection only comes from over a decade of emotions, events, and experiences.   

A third friend, who is somehow the most blunt person I  have ever been friends with but who is also one of if not the most supportive people I’ve ever met.  Who can make me feel like I am literally super woman even I’m feeling like a failure.  Who I didn’t even know two and a half years ago but who now knows me probably better than the majority of people in my life. 

And a few more who are unfailingly loyal, who are inspiring because they are such strong people, who are just FUN, and who are really some of the best people I know.

To have one of friendships is rare.  To have multiple friendships like this is precious. 

Have a happy Friday, go give your friend(s) a hug, and enjoy the weekend!

~Love to the Queen City~

As excited as I am about our move, I’m feeling some bittersweet emotions as well since we’ll be leaving so many friends and a pretty great city behind.  This weekend definitely made me appreciate Charlotte so this post is dedicated to some fave places and some new things I just discovered… so if you’re here and haven’t already, check out:

The Wine Shop on Park Road Fridays from 4-7

In need of a low key weekend, this seemed like the perfect way to end the work week without getting too crazy.  From 4-7 they offer free wine and cheese tastings.  Some girlfriends and I went up Friday to check it out.

In addition to your tasting, or anytime you are there, they have Self Serve Tasting machines which are so incredibly cool.  I discovered these with my mom earlier this week and here’s how it works.  You put money on a card ($10 minimum) and there are 15 wines in the self serve machine.  Using your card, you can pay to taste (96 cents - $2.00 depending on the bottle), have a half glass (which is more MY idea of a taste!  ) or enjoy a full glass of whatever wines are featured in the tasting machines!  They have high top tables scattered as well so you are able to gather and enjoy your wine for awhile if you’d like.  This is genius!

Brunch at Pewter Rose:

I went here for the first time a few months ago and again Saturday to celebrate a friend’s baby boy coming in August!  Everything on the menu that I’ve sampled is incredible and paired with the double mimosas (you can get normal too if you want… but who doesn’t want the extra champagne?) it’s hard to go wrong. They bring each table butterscotch scones which are as incredible as they sound.  And I can’t resist ordering the Italian omelette every time (Italian sausage, basil pesto, fontina, spinach, and roasted red peppers)- it is to die for, and for a super carb loaded breakfast, they even feature a mash potato omelette! 

Divine Cupcakes and Yogurt Café:

I brought cupcakes from here to the brunch and you must, must go there.  Made fresh daily with no added preservatives, these cupcakes are delish.  Offered in their daily selection are vegan and gluten free options so everyone can enjoy!  They also serve up cake balls (mix of cake and frosting dipped in chocolate) and home-made frozen yogurt with real fruit… you literally can’t go wrong!  And for all of you that pamper your puppy, they even have “doggie delights” and “pupcakes”  Honestly, it cannot get any cuter ;)

Tip: I noticed on their website when looking them up that Monday is Buy one cupcake, get one free… what a perfect cure for case of the Monday’s next week!

~Austin!~

I had every intention of updating this twice a week and I’m already behind!  In my defense, I have been busy J

Over Memorial Day weekend, we went to Austin for the first time to house hunt and explore the city and are now even more excited to move there!  It would be an extremely long post to detail everything we did but let me just say thank GOODNESS that Austin is an active city because with all of the amazing food, you definitely need to stay moving!  Here are a few of the weekend highlights:

Rudy’s BBQ:  This ain’t NC BBQ ya’ll… but it is GOOD!  The line at Rudy's is always long, but it moves quickly and while you’re waiting, you wind past long rows of coolers filled with beer and a variety of soft drinks in glass bottles (why is it that sodas are so much better from a bottle?).  When you get up to the counter, you can order by the lb (or half lb) from brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey, or sausage.  They then pull whatever you order from where it’s been marinating/cooking and slice it then and there.  Served with their signature BBQ sauce, a variety of sides (the creamed corn was amazing), and literally a whole loaf of bread per order, this was unlike any BBQ I’ve ever had and I will definitely be back, and will take everyone who visits there to experience it!

Zilker Park:  this enormous (351 acres!) park is considered Austin’s “most loved park” and it’s easy to see why.  Located literally just outside of downtown, it provides hiking and biking trails, sand volleyball courts, a nine-hole Disc Golf Course, 2 Multi-use Fields, access to Town Lake for canoeing, playgrounds, picnic table and Barton Springs Pool.  About the pool – this is truly awesome!  It’s a natural spring-fed pool with a year-round average temperature of 68 degrees.  The main spring pumps an average of 27 million gallons of water a day!  We were walking around on the park on Memorial Day, so it was swarming with people.  There is even a separate area of the springs below the main area where dogs are allowed!  I definitely see a puppy in our future :) You can see a picture of the scene below with the buildings in the background.

702 Monroe:  a.k.a. our new house!!  We looked at houses in a lot of different areas around Austin which was helpful because we were able to get a feel for how the city and surrounding areas are laid out.  We found the perfect location at this house off of S. Congress.  It’s just under a mile outside of downtown and within walking distance to restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and stores.  It’s also about a fifteen minute walk or five minute bike ride to Zilker Park J  We put in our application and found out yesterday that we were accepted! The house is 3 bedroom/2 bath so we are anticipating visitors!  Front and Back views of the house are below...