The Last Getaway

Although we weren't able to travel to Ireland in November as we originally planned, C & I did want to plan one last getaway, just the two of us, before Baby W makes his grand appearance. We decided to extend Halloween weekend, and travel somewhere Sunday - Tuesday. That way, we got Saturday at home to do various housework and such, and also hand out candy in the neighborhood (we had over 100 trick-or-treaters!), and then had a few days off work for our mini-vacation.

We tossed around a number of ideas of locations, knowing that we wanted something A) close by (sitting in a car for several hours isn't my idea of fun when I'm not pregnant), so within a few hours of our house, and B) somewhere we had never been / stayed before. That meant we eliminated our go-to "getaway" locations of the lake house and Williamsburg, which are places we truly enjoy and are able to go to and relax, but aren't new and different.

After lots of googling and time spent looking at the map, we settled on a long weekend at Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville, VA. We've driven past it lots of times on our way to the lake and other places, but neither of us had ever really spent any amount of time in Charlottesville (it's the home of UVA, arch-rival of Virginia Tech - so why would we?!) It turned out to be a fantastic location, and we had an amazing trip! I'm so pleased that we were able to find some time to relax and fill up our "quality time" banks, just the two of us.

The goal of our trip was to unplug, recharge, relax, and enjoy ourselves. We intentionally did not set agendas or make plans, other than a few suggestions of things we might like to do if we had the time and desire. C's request was to find somewhere to watch football on Sunday afternoon, and my request was a little pampering via the spa at the Inn. Other than that, we were completely free. That meant Sunday night's dinner end up being Zoe's takeout in our room because I couldn't stand the thought of getting dressed and going to a restaurant, and Monday afternoon naps in the peace and quiet of our room. We didn't feel obligated to pack the time we had with activities, and instead enjoyed a few days of leisure. We visited the pedestrian mall and sat in a coffee shop reading. We walked around the property of The Boar's Head with cups of coffee and tea. We went for bagels for breakfast in our pajamas (what, the college kids were doing it!).

Sunday and Monday were cloudy and damp, but Tuesday was a sunny, beautiful autumn day. We took advantage of the sunshine to visit Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, for a tour, which neither of us had done since grade school. We were pleasantly surprised to find an all-new visitor / education center, which was really great, and a nice gift shop and cafe. The tour was interesting, and it was a perfect day to be standing on top of a mountain, with views for miles! We also stopped by Carter Mountain Orchard before heading home - not to pick our own fruit (another time), but to get apple cider donuts and a few already-picked apples. I turned them into a delicious apple cobbler later, which was a great by-product of our trip. Yum!

All in all, it was just what we were hoping to get out of our "last" baby-free vacation. I'm so glad we took the time to plan a little trip, and made it a priority to get some "us" time before we become a family of three. I know lots of people plan big, extravagant "baby moons," but that really wasn't what we were looking for. We just needed a few days to unplug and connect, which is exactly what we got. Perfection!

Where We Stayed
Boar's Head Inn, Charlottesville, VA
C picked this place, and it was wonderful. Just a few minutes from "downtown" Charlottesville, so we had easy access to anywhere / anything we needed, but felt like an oasis of calm. It was beautiful and rustic, which we love, and, because we were staying at the beginning of the week at a non-peak time, practically deserted. I think we were one of just two or three cars parked outside our section of rooms, and we hardly saw another person other than groundskeepers and other staff. We opted for a room overlooking the lake on the property, and enjoyed sitting on our deck for morning coffee. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the amenities were great. We would definitely splurge to stay at Boar's Head again!

Where We Ate
The Virginian - this restaurant is right by UVA's campus, and touts itself as "a Charlottesville Tradition Since 1923" and Charlottesville's oldest restaurant. The menu has some really delicious-sounding things on it, but, to be honest, I really wasn't impressed. It was cramped, dark, kind of dirty, and had rather gross bathrooms. C had really good fried chicken, but my Reuben sandwich was sub-par.

Lazy Parrot Backyard Barbecue - found this one during a Google search for barbecue (C's request), and we were pleasantly surprised. It's a dive bar, and there were some sketchy-looking people sitting inside drinking in the middle of a weekday (you do you, I guess!) but the food was really good. I had a pulled pork sandwich and C had ribs - both were fantastic.

Bodo's Bagels - another local Charlottesville favorite! There used to be a bagel shop in my hometown when I was little, and I still remember the amazing, fresh bagels (anything else is NOTHING like a fresh bagel!). We chose Bodo's for breakfast both mornings, and were very happy with the simple menu, quick service, and, of course, homemade bagels.

Mudhouse Coffee Roasters - we hung out at Mudhouse one evening reading and relaxing, which we never get to do. Located in the Pedestrian Mall, the coffeehouse is tucked in among other shops and restaurants. Totally hipster (not exactly my thing) but with a laid-back, college vibe. I had an individual pot of tea (so cute) and C had a latte. I also had an oatmeal raisin cookie - stick with the drinks; the cookie was dry but okay.

Wild Wing Cafe - since we got to Charlottesville on Sunday afternoon, C wanted to find somewhere to watch football and hang out for a bit. A Google search led us to this bar, located (somewhat confusingly) right next to the train station. We snagged a booth and settled in for a bit. We shared some appetizers and C tried a couple things off their beer menu (always love local beers on draft!). Particularly delicious was "David's Chicken and Friends," which I expected to be a shredded chicken dip, but it was not. Instead, diced grilled chicken is just topped with cheddar and broiled til melty, then covered in bacon, scallions, and ranch, and served with tortilla chips. So simple - a total "why didn't we think of this?!" item. Try it!

What We Did
Boar's Head Inn Spa - my single request for the "babymoon" was to go somewhere with spa so I could indulge a bit. The spa at the Boar's Head totally fit the bill. I enjoyed a manicure and pedicure before a prenatal massage, and absolutely loved the pampering. The spa staff were so sweet and accommodating, the amenities were lovely, and the services were wonderful. It was the perfect way to spend a morning!

Charlottesville Historic Downtown Mall - we parked in a garage and wandered around the Pedestrian Mall several times, ducking in and out of various shops and reading restaurant menus. We had good walking weather, so it was nice to just stroll and people-watch. Personally, I love that many of the restaurants have large outdoor seating sections lining the center of the mall. Such a great way to use the space.

Monticello - our one "touristy" activity for our short trip to Charlottesville was a visit to Monticello. Neither of us had been there since field trips in grade school, so we were basically seeing it with new eyes. There is a gorgeous visitors' center that was built a few years ago, and a bus to take you to the top of the mountain for your tour of the house (MUCH appreciated by me at 8 months pregnant - not sure I would have made it if we'd had to walk!). The tour is led by extremely knowledgeable guides, and I found it very interesting but also just long enough. They kept the groups moving quickly through the house, offering facts and stories about ol' TJ and his home, without overdoing it. Following the tour, C & I wandered a bit on our own and enjoyed the same views Jefferson did. It was picturesque!

Carter Mountain Orchard - we drove past the orchard on our way up to Monticello, and I knew I wanted to stop on the way back down. I've seen lots of friends head to Carter Mountain for apple picking, but had never been myself. Other than the fact that it was absolutely packed on a Tuesday afternoon (who were all those people, and why weren't all those kids in school?!), it was a great place. We opted to fill a bag with already-picked fruit rather than go off picking our own (another time!), and I made sure to have a fresh apple-cider donut... SO good. Bonus: Bold Rock Hard Cider, a company local to the area, has a little nook where they doing cider tastings and sell their goods. Definitely a fan! I look forward to taking a trip back to Carter Mountain when we have a little bambino who will enjoy apple picking and running around.

The Trip We Aren't Taking

Earlier this spring, I lobbied hard and finally convinced C that we should take that "big trip" to Europe that we've been daydreaming about for years. I scoured travel sites and Groupon and found a great deal on a week-long trip to Ireland, which is a total bucket-list location for both of us. We crunched some numbers and did some brainstorming, and on the last day of April, a Thursday night I remember vividly, I finally got my darling husband to say okay and commit - we would buy the tickets and go the first week of November.

[source]

I kid you not, the next day, I took a pregnancy test that turned out to be positive (oops, spoiler alert... not). I was completely not expecting it - I was fully prepared to see the same single line that I'd been seeing for several months, and the double line shocked me. I've never written that story out here, but needless to say, it took a little while for me to gather myself together (and take several more tests, just in case). There were approximately one million thoughts swirling around in my little brain... one of which was, what about Ireland?!

Humph. JUST when I'd finally convinced C to pull the trigger, we got the biggest, most surprising news of our lives. It was a bit of a buzzkill, I have to say!

[source]

When C came home from work that night, the first thing I said when he walked through the door was, "I guess we can't take that trip in November after all." He was a little confused until he saw the pregnancy test laying on the counter!

Don't get me wrong - I know that we still could have gone on that trip. But honestly, traveling to one of my dream locations while 8 months pregnant is NOT how I envision that adventure. Visiting the Guinness factory and watching everyone else taste beer is not my idea of fun. Waddling from site to site, out of breath and tired, does not sound like a fun vacation to me. I'd much rather put the whole thing on hold, and plan it again for when I can fully participate and enjoy myself. Sounds a smidge more fun!

[source]

We are still going to take a "babymoon" (I hate that term, seriously), but it's going to be a little more low-key, and a lot closer to home. We will have a great time, and I'm really looking forward to it... but in the back of my mind, I'm thinking about the fact that I should have been packing for a trip to the Emerald Isle right about now! Instead, I'm planning what I should pack in my bag for a hospital trip. Pretty sure both trips are high on the list of "life changing," just in very different ways!

Plane life

Last week, I was on a total of six airplanes. That seems like kind of a lot for one week. (If that does not seem like a lot to you, I am not jealous of your life at all.) I am pleased to report that I only had one majorly turbulent flight, and I only had one not-so-great seatmate. Considering four of my six flights were with Southwest (cue open feeding seating frenzy), I consider this incredibly successful.

As a general reminder, it's not a great idea to be the person who falls asleep in the middle seat and can't control their body after that. Especially if it means the seatmate beside you has to scrunch into the farthest edge of their seat to avoid you resting your head on their shoulder.

Also, use a hair-tie and put your mane into a ponytail so that your seatmate doesn't also have to worry about your hair water-falling itself into their personal bubble while you doze.

On the list of good seatmates were the gentleman who was happy to lift my (very heavy) backpack into and out of the overhead bin, and the gentleman who held my coffee while I tried to figure out what to do with it while getting myself organized and buckled in. Small gestures of kindness go a long way when trapped in a flying metal tube.

Final observation from last week: having a set of terrible, misbehaving children juxtaposed with adorable, angelic children makes the first set look (and sound) that much worse. Talk about a headache.

Doughnut Miss These

See what I did there?? Ba-dum-cha. Bad jokes all around.

I am not a huge doughnut fan (I mean, I love sugar, don't get me wrong - but as for doughnuts? I can take 'em or leave 'em). However, when I found myself in Portland last night, just a few minutes away from Voodoo Doughnut, I knew I had to make a stop. I've seen Voodoo on shows on the Travel Channel and in plenty of articles featuring the "best of Portland," so it only seemed right to check it out.

The shop was easy to find, and there was no line (probably not surprising on a Wednesday evening) but cues set up for busy weekend mornings. I was prepared with cash (thanks for the warning, Internet) but not prepared for a huge menu with limited descriptors of flavors. It's probably important to note that most of the names are rather raunchy - good for a laugh but not good for describing to your mother! I just kind of picked a few blindly and hoped for the best. The prices were great - I got three doughnuts to sample and a cup of water for $5!

The treats turned out to be delicious - I picked well, I got the famous Portland Cream (like Boston Cream), a Butterfingering (chocolate cake doughnut with Butterfinger crumbles), and a Raspberry Romeo (raspberry-jelly filled). My coworker picked up a Voodoo Bubble (bubblegum flavored! A little crazy but the color was amazing).

It was a fun, touristy experience, and a cool travel bucket-list item to check off. When in Rome Portland!

Travel Essentials - What's in My Carry-On?

Good morning from the West Coast! I am checking in from Washington State today, where it is hotter than blazes and I am still adjusting to being three hours behind. Whew!

Business travel is intense, and I generally feel like I am constantly "on" when traveling - there is no downtime when you are with your clients from morning til night! It is exhausting, but it is worth it, too - I love meeting new people and putting names to faces instead of just seeing signature lines in emails.

All the work travel I've done in the last year or so has led to becoming a pretty succinct packer - I can fit my whole life for a week into a carry-on suitcase and a backpack and maneuver pretty well. While I'm often on little planes where they gate-check your carry-on luggage, I always have my backpack with me. I thought that I'd share a few things I always have handy to make those long days of multiple flights a little easier. Creature comforts, if you will!

1 // a water bottle - my number one tip for traveling! Everyone knows that you can't take liquids past security at the airport, but an empty water bottle is no problem. Pack it into your carry-on, and fill it from once you're past the TSA. There are water fountains near almost every bathroom, and I've found that a lot of airports have bottle filling stations these days. Love it! You save on paying for overpriced water, and you'll help yourself stay hydrated as you travel.

2 // my nook and a magazine - I load up with e-books before I hit the road, so that I have plenty of options whether I'm on the plane or passing the time during a long lay-over. I throw a magazine in my bag, too, though - you never know when your battery might die, or you just lose interest in the same story for a bit. A magazine is a light-weight change of pace.

3 // a light scarf / pashmina - good for a multitude of things! Warmth if the airport or airplane is chilly, scrunched up to use as a pillow, a scarf to dress up a plain outfit, you name it. Doesn't take up much space, and usually comes in handy.

4 // snacks - I try to avoid paying for crap in airports, both because it's expensive and it's stuff I wouldn't normally eat. A gallon-size ziploc bag with some granola bars, a banana, a single-serving package of peanut butter, and whatever else I can grab at home goes a long way, both in the airport and as I'm traveling from site to site throughout the week.

5 // an external battery pack - critical to my survival. I'm pretty sure I've sang the praises of this invention before, but if I haven't, let me start now. $20 will get you a rechargeable battery pack from Amazon, and as long as you have the right cords with you, it will definitely save you in a pinch. My phone battery dies constantly, and being phone-less on travel day is no good. Additionally, my nook battery is likely to die if I'm using it all day, too. A quick plug-in to the battery pack, and I'm good to go. Get one!

What things do you make sure to travel with? I can get away with leaving a lot of stuff at home while I'm on the road - but as long as I have these five things tucked into my bag, I'm generally a pretty happy camper. So long from the West (Best??) Coast!

Easter Monday

Another Monday, another busy weekend in the books! My day is jam-packed with meetings and things to do, or else I probably would have stayed home and teleworked today. The parking lot at the train station was empty this morning - pretty sure a lot of my fellow commuters had the same idea I did, and actually followed through. Lucky them!

I can't complain much, though, because I took the day off on Friday. It was a much-needed mental health day! I wandered around Target for a while, took over an hour to grocery shop, had Chipotle for lunch, and got my hair cut and highlighted. It was just what the doctor ordered! A welcome day of respite in between lots of weekends of plans.

Speaking of weekend plans, we were out of town again this weekend. On Saturday morning, C and I packed up and headed down to Fayetteville for a fun event: a surprise 30th birthday party for my friend, Ashley! I hadn't seen Ashley in almost two years (oh my god, how time flies) so I was glad we were able to get down to North Carolina for this milestone. Her husband has been planning it for weeks, and it turned out great. Plus, her two adorable little boys were dressed in tuxes, and more than happy to just some moves on the dance floor. Not sure I've ever seen anything cuter!

PS - this was my first ever Rent the Runway experience! Verdict: I liked it, but didn't love it. Or maybe I just didn't love the dress, and that was my own fault. It was pretty, but I picked a cut that doesn't always flatter my body-type. As far as the service goes, my dress was promised to be delivered by Friday evening, and I had it in my hands Thursday afternoon. I ordered a back-up size for free, and I was really glad, because I was much more comfortable in the larger size due to the cut and the cloth. I do think I would try it again, for a special occasion! 

Sunday morning, C and I had breakfast at Cracker Barrel (hash brown casserole? Yes, please!) before heading home. We had big evening plans: making Easter dinner! We cooked our very first ham (not very complicated, as it turns out) and I made an amazing potato casserole (The Pioneer Woman does it again). We ate until we were stuffed to the gills. Delicious!

It was a beautiful day, and I loved seeing all the pictures on Facebook and Instagram of everyone's kiddos in their best spring clothes. So sweet! Is there anything better than babies in bonnets? Probably not. 

If I wasn't here, I'd be there

It's always approximately this time of year when I start to get really antsy and cabin-fevery: I love winter, and will always prefer being cold to being hot, but it reaches a point where it's just too much. I inevitably find myself researching vacations and daydreaming about spontaneously escaping for a few days.... the likelihood of actually ever doing this is slim-to-none, but thinking about it saves my sanity for a couple of hours. If only I had a bigger bank account and a lot more vacation leave saved up. Wishful thinking! But how good do these deals look?

a trip to Jamaica with Groupon Getaways

IRELAND! Another Groupon Getaway. OMG, what I'd give to hop on a plane...

A quick two-day cruise to the Bahamas with Groupon Getaways... that would be enough, wouldn't it?

Wine tasting in Carmel, CA, with LivingSocial Escapes - I'd be there in a heartbeat.

I had a work trip to Florida booked for next week, and the thought of it was keeping me going... and then we had to cancel. BOO. Seriously. Work, sure, but Florida, also! Where it's sunny and 70 and not windy and gray and cold. It would have been amazing to be there for a few days instead of here.

What's your best cure for winter weather blues? If you could go anywhere today, where would you go? I'm talking pack-a-bag-and-you're-gone.... what's the destination for you??

Monday in Motor City

Hello from the great state of Michigan! I flew into Detroit last night and spent the night at one of my favorite hotels (the Westin in the airport) before starting a full week of meetings today. I have seen my fair share of hotels in the last few months, and they have ranged from grimy to gorgeous. The Westin has proven to be one of the (much) nicer ones - though I really can't believe they want to charge $10 to use the wifi. It's 2014, dudes! That's my only complaint. 

The neighborhood I grew up in held its annual Chili Cook-off this past Saturday, and since C was out of town visiting some friends, I headed up to spend the day with my family. It was a perfect fall afternoon, with just a hint of wind and clouds, and the 12 types of chili being made were the ideal complement! We had so much fun. 

C and I went on a date on Friday night before he left - we were planning to stay in and cook dinner, but when I realized that Fury had just opened, we had to go. We both love movies like that - historical action types - and we thought it was a really good film. Technology has come so far, and war movies are just so accurate these days. Amazing. 

Before the movie, we got dinner at our favorite local Mexican place. Yes, we were the young couple ordering the "fajitas for 2" special at 5 pm. 20s going on 70s. It happens. 

It was a great weekend, and good to spend some time with my love and my family before a week away from home.  My current biggest issue is that I didn't realize how cold it already is in Michigan!! I didn't bring the right clothes for this.... Whoops. I might find myself being the proud new owns of a Michigan sweatshirt from the airport... Just what I need! Ha :)

Five for Friday: Travel Edition

After getting home close to 2 AM this morning, it's probably unnecessary to say that I am exhausted. Where is a caffeine IV when you need one??

I was on business travel this week, so my brain is practically mushy at this point. I did want to share a few of my favorite things from the past few days, though! It always looks a little different when I've been on the road. Travel adventures lead to the strangest assortment of pictures on my phone. It's fun to look back!

1 // This particular work adventure had me traveling through the Midwest, and while the first couple of days were rainy and gray, the last couple were absolutely gorgeous. The weather just blew me away - 70s, sunny, brilliant blue skies, and no humidity! I couldn't get enough. With days like that, I understand why people love their farm towns so much.

2 // Travel always means the chance to discover new local treasures... we experienced Biggby Coffee on this trip, and it was delightful! Reminded me of Dunkin' Donuts. A chain coffee shop, but with a kind of homey feel. Yum!

3 // My coworkers are busy getting pictures of their kids.... and I'm getting pictures of my cat. Typical. Not ashamed! C sends me lots of kitty pictures when I'm gone - makes being away a little easier!

4 // Airport meals are the worst. I ended up with very little time between flights last night, and hadn't eaten in hours. I was determined not to grab fast food (everyone around me was eating McDonald's!!) and didn't really want a pre-made sandwich that had been sitting around all day, either... made do with what I could find. Thank goodness for Greek yogurt & hummus, which held me over til I got home.

5 // Every new airport I'm at gives me a chance to discover some cool new things... This was my first time passing through Chicago-O'Hare, and I'm definitely impressed! I loved seeing the indoor Urban Garden they have growing, and even found a yoga room available for people who want some quiet time! If I'd been dressed a little differently, I probably would have used it. Another exciting find was the water-bottle-fillers at every water fountain - a little luxury! It makes SO much sense to encourage people to use refillable bottles, and it's so much easier than trying to use the water fountain. Hooray!

Back to the usual grind for me next week - I am looking forward to a low-key weekend and a little bit of normalcy!



  linking up with karli and amy

Mobile Monday (again)

Another Monday, another mobile post... But this one is "mobile" for a different reason, too:

That's right, I'm at the airport again. Another business trip begins today! I'll be sleeping in Michigan tonight - any of my readers call that lovely state home??

Thought I'd pop in to share a little thought-provoking quote to start your week.

I got this in my inbox from Real Simple this morning, and it resonated with me a bit. Maybe because lately I have been feeling a little more comfortable with who I am, and a little more accepting of my flaws (heaven knows that is a lifelong roller coaster, right?) Its not always the case, but right here and now, I'm doing all right. That is worth documenting, I think!

Have a wonderful Monday! 

And now I'm ready for lunch... OBX eats!

Hello, hello! Long time, no chat. My post-vacation mind melt finally seems to be clearing - my brain is starting to work again!

We spent last week down at Cape Hatteras with C's family, enjoying the annual family beach trip. We had so much fun, and spent plenty of time relaxing, eating, and soaking up sun (on the days when it wasn't pouring rain!). It is always a treat to be able to take some time away and disconnect from real life. On the other hand, it sure is hard to come back and get the gears turning again! So I'm slowly getting everything going again and returning to real life.

Since we all know that most of my daily life revolves around food (when is lunch?), you can only imagine how much I enjoy indulging while on vacation. C's family is great about cooking meals all week while we are at the beach, but we do take some time to enjoy local restaurants, too. In fact, one of the things that C and I like BEST about vacationing in the OBX area is the endless supply of non-chain restaurants - there is always something new to try, and we've discovered some time-tested favorites, as well. We get such a kick out of trying local joints and hole-in-the-wall places - you'd be amazed at the local treasures that get discovered when we make a wrong turn or randomly decide to walk into a new place for a drink.

In case any of my darling readers ever find themselves in the Hatteras area, I thought I'd share a little bit about three local places we ate at last week and loved. Maybe you'll get a chance to go there, too!

Billfish Bar & Grill

We went to the Billfish on a whim on a rainy afternoon for lunch - we were driving around with C's parents looking for somewhere to eat, and C said "turn here!" without really knowing where we were. As it turned out, it was perfect!

When we walked in around noon, we were one of just a few tables with patrons - but as we ate, we noticed that the place was getting totally packed. By the time we were done with lunch, just about every table was full!

The food was delicious, the waitress was sweet, and the beer was cold. For lunch, I went with that day's special: fish and chips, made with freshly-caught local cod. It was fantastic! A light, flaky beer batter coating a big filet of fish (without being way too much), crispy fries, and a side of homemade coleslaw. I ate every bite! Had we had a chance to get out for lunch again, we wouldn't have hesitated to eat here twice.

Top Dog Cafe

You might remember me mentioning Top Dog before... this was not our first time there. Lunch at Top Dog is one of our family traditions - it's a must! The burgers speak for themselves, of course, but the rest of the menu is pretty amazing, too. Top Dog is super casual and beachy, with plastic tables and chairs and Corona buckets on the table full of condiments and spare napkins. It's really a no-nonsense place, too, which I like - they don't do special orders, they don't do substitutions... just order something and enjoy it. And we do!

This is our 4th picture like this! Creatures of habit.

The trek to this cafe was a bit longer for us this year since we were further down the coast, but no one batted an eye when we said we still had to go. I remembered salivating over the fish tacos when someone else ordered them last year, so that's what I went with this year!

Huge pieces of Mahi are wrapped in soft flour tortillas, then topped with cool, crunchy, diced cabbage and warm, melty cheddar. A side of pico de gallo adds some freshness, and the key lime sauce that comes on the side is killer. My mouth is watering at this very moment. Dang!

Breakwater Restaurant

C & I went to Breakwater for our date night, and it was a very pleasant surprise! We had no idea what to expect, but it was a really nice location for a date. We were seated at a table on their back deck, and enjoyed dinner while watching the sun go down over the sound. It was gorgeous!

The food was great, too. (no food pictures here - it was date night, after all! Phones away :) )We splurged a bit - we had drinks and an appetizer (the Firecracker Shrimp, which we delicious, but I could have used a little less sauce), and then ordered our entrees. C went with the Filet Oscar, and was delighted to find that it came topped with a ton of crab meat and then a béarnaise sauce, rather than a sauce with a little crab in it like he's had before (does that make sense?).

I had the Catch of the Day - Snapper, which I ordered blackened (yum). I really, really wanted to try their homemade Key lime pie for dessert, but couldn't have eaten another bite if you'd paid me. We always cherish our date night while on vacation, and Breakwater was a fantastic location for some alone time. We recommended it to the rest of the family, too!

Now that I've officially made myself hungry AND sad that we are no longer on vacation... hope you enjoyed reading about some of the places we ate last week! My seafood-loving-self was in heaven. I definitely took full advantage of the local offerings - and loved every minute of it.

So tell me...

• Have you been to Hatteras or the Outer Banks? Have you tried any of these restaurants?
• Do you cook on vacation, or go out to eat for every meal?
• Do you stay safe with chain restaurants, or experiment with local joints?

Travel Tales: The City of Brotherly Love

Man, this was a whirlwind weekend! Hard to believe it's already over. I feel like it was 5 PM on Friday just minutes ago... A weekend that flew by so quickly must have been full of fun, right?? You betcha!

On Friday night, C went down to Richmond to hang out with his buddies for the weekend, so I had the evening to myself. I would be lying if I said I didn't take advantage of the alone time and do some of the most girly, most cliche things possible: I took a bubble bath, complete with wine and candles and a book, I listened to old country music, I painted my nails, and I may or may not have finished off a container of Ben & Jerry's that I found hidden in the freezer. I then put myself to bed early and enjoyed a night of uninterrupted sleep with the entire bed to myself. I am not unhappy about how that evening went at all. It was delightful!

On Saturday morning, I got myself up, ready, and packed before hitting the road... it was off to Philadelphia! I picked up my friend, Sharon, on the way, and together we made the journey to the City of Brotherly Love. We made excellent time and made it to Lizzy's apartment by early afternoon. After dropping off our stuff and finding a parking spot for the weekend, the three of us set off towards Independence National Historical Park - home of the Liberty Bell! I'd never had an opportunity to be truly touristy in Philly, so we decided to take a few hours to see the sites. We walked all over the area, snapping pics of the various historical buildings and locations, skipping the long lines to actually SEE things like the Bell and Independence Hall. Thanks but no thanks - a picture from afar was enough for me! It was a beautiful day, albeit a bit windy, and we had fun walking all over the place.

Lizzy took us to the Second Bank Portrait Gallery to escape the wind for a bit, and we meandered through the exhibit viewing all sorts of famous people we learned about in elementary school.

On our way back to Lizzy's apartment, we walked through China Town and cut through Reading Terminal Market, passed by City Hall, and stopped to see the original "love" sculpture - turns out, the one in NYC isn't the first!

Back at Lizzy's apartment, we had a few minutes to relax before it was time to get ready to dinner. We had a reservation at Alma de Cuba, which turned out to be an amazing choice. Lizzy did a great job picking that one!! We enjoyed a leisurely meal with an appetizer and a few drinks, and I had salmon that was perfectly cooked at absolutely delicious. The ambiance of the restaurant was lively and fun, and the waitstaff was on point. We had a wonderful experience, and it's certainly a place I would return to. Following dinner, we made our way to a wine bar called Tria for a few drinks and more chatting. Tria is very small and it was crowded on a Saturday night, so things were a little awkward until we finally found a place to sit down. Once we had some seats, though, we were good to go! The wine was delicious, and while it was quite loud, it was a fun place to hang out for a bit.

The only pic of the three of us from the weekend...
awkward photo poses aside, the waitress got a cute one!

Back at Lizzy's apartment, we spent a few more hours chatting and drinking wine - it's amazing how long a couple of girls can spend rehashing high school and college and comparing notes on stories we all remember. It was so much fun to reminisce - and I am definitely reminded of how glad I am that all those years are behind us :)

On Sunday morning, we were treated to a delicious breakfast of smoothies and French toast, courtesy of Lizzy's husband. Can't beat that! We lounged around watching Food Network and drinking coffee for a while before Sharon and I decided it was time to hit the road. Good thing we left when we did, because the trip home, which should have taken a little under 4 hours, ended up taking 6! There were several big accidents, and everything was just a mess. Not exactly the best way to end a great weekend, but I figured it was karma since the trip up was so easy. Womp, womp.

Traffic issues aside, I had a wonderful weekend with some good friends, and it was just the kind of recharge I needed. There is truly no replacement for quality time with old girlfriends!

So tell me...

• What do you like to do with friends to recharge?
• What was the last out-of-town place you visited?
• How was your weekend?