Weekend Edition : No. 1 "Tourists For A Day"

Hello, friends!

It's been a long time since I posted last. Heck, a whole season has come and gone- but instead of reliving that period, I say it's time to move on and share a few pictures of our weekend.

We started off our Friday evening with sushi at a local hole-in-the-wall with two of our closest friends and their sweet boy Ollie. When I say hole in the wall, I mean it's located in a part of town that I never venture in to. The vestibule is so sketchy, the dried up fountain looks like death.... But of their sushi is so fresh and so so good. The reviews on yelp echo the same sentiments, that it's in a shady area and is dimly lit from the road but has some of the best sushi in town. It's a must try if you are willing to give it a go! 

We followed up dinner with coffee at our favorite coffee shop in Franklin, Frothy Monkey. Everyone grabbed a hot drink and we all split an ever so yummy chocolate port cake with cherries soaked in port wine. Divine.

 

Sweet little Ollie hands!

Our friendship with them is easy- there's no need to keep up appearances or impress one another. We laugh, we are honest and are purely ourselves. I hope they know how much we appreciate their friendship, they are true blue friends.

Saturday was grey and had a constant misty rain fall all day. After shopping every weekend in December and braving the crowds, we opted out of a busy mall and headed to The Frist. If you're not from the Nashville area, The Frist is an art museum in downtown Nashville on Broadway. I had always drivien by and thought, "Oh, I'd love to visit there someday!" but never took the time. 

I had seen a few ads recently that Kandinsky, one of my favorite painters for many years, had pieces that we're being shown for an exhibit until January 4 so I knew that I had to go. I'm so glad that I did. The pieces that I had seen so many times and had posters of on my walls in high school were now right in front of me. I could see the brush stokes from inches away! In walking from room to room I became so excited to see more pieces and learn more about Wassily Kandinski. The India ink drawings were fantastic in their simplicity and I believe my favorites were the ones he painted in his latest years - I fell in love with his works all over again. 

I took a couple of pictures at the beginning of the exhibit but didn't realize it was forbidden so I quickly put my phone away.

After touring around the museum we walked towards downtown and grabbed a bite to eat at Merchant's. Again, a place I, nor Adam had been to before. Aww shucks we are just so darn adventurous! We originally planned to grab a slice of pizza at Luigi's (best $3 slice of pizza after a Predators game) but opted for something new.

I knew I would love it for being black and white with marble tables. I just love me some marble tabletops.

We split the grilled cheese Sammy  and tomatoe soup as well as the grilled chicken sandwich. Definitely the meal of the day- filling and quite decadent considering all of the cheese. 

We walked a couple of miles afterward so we didn't feel so darn full. Merchant's was great overall- quick service and good food. Another must try if you're downtown! ( Oh and their bathrooms were very clean as well! Total bonus)

Sunday we slept in for as long as we could muster and then headed into town to take care of errands. 

We caught the early afternoon showing of "The Imitation Game" which is the story of Alan Touring and both really enjoyed the film. It was smart and witty and we both walked away saying how well we felt Bendict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightly acted. I hear it is getting lots of Oscar buzz and can definitely see why! 

The rest of the evening was spent catching up on household chores and grocery shopping... I'll spare you the stories of folding laundry and catching up on Friends on Netflix. (I'm slightly addicted)

Today was hardly anything to write home about- just a Monday that I am A-O-K to forget about. 

So cheers to a new week, in a new year!

I'll talk to you soon,

Xoxo bd

Lovely Saturday

 

I am currently in the living room of my grandparents home visiting while my grandfather recovers from a major surgery and UT v GA game is on. Its quite apparent that this living room audience is captivated. I've never been much for watching sports but Adam loves it and frankly, I enjoy watching his reactions to the plays.

On Thursday evening we made a last minute decision to make the drive down to Mobile, Al, where I am originally from, to help my grandfather and my grandmother out.

The beauty of being down here meant that this morning we woke up to the sun rising over the Mobile Bay and later took a walk down the beach.

It has been a really nice time and my grandfather is recovering really well. Yay!

I hope that this October weekend has treated you well and I will follow up with you shortly.

Talk to you soon...

Xoxo bd

Weekend in Review: 7/28/13

...and by weekend in review I mean Sunday, because we bought a camera on Saturday and didn't capture anything until Sunday.

We purchased the Sony Cybershot and are so happy with its swiftness in taking photos. The saleswoman at Best Buy kept saying, "There's nothing faster than a Sony" and I can honestly say she was 100% right. 

Sunday morning we met Adam's parents for lunch at Puckett's in downtown Franklin for Brunch! The drive to meet them was absolutely gorgeous and we had our windows down the entire time. The skies were so very blue and the temperature felt like fall! After we filled up on french toast we walked around the square and tested out the camera a little bit more. Again, we were just super impressed and started taking pictures of really random objects which I will not bore you with. You're welcome!

Later on we headed to see 'The Way Way Back' which has finally been released into all theaters. We really enjoyed the movie- if you are a fan of Almost Famous and the way you are really brought into a story, you'll like it. You feel for Duncan, the main character, and empathize with his experiences. Loved it.

We grabbed a bite to eat at The Cheesecake Factory (my favorite) and then walked around the mall. Adam purchased his very first bow tie at Brooks Brothers which he definitely rocked in court today. He's dreamy, I tell ya. 

So there you are, a little weekend Sunday in review. We will be going out of town this weekend so I want to show you my must have travel picks this week. I hope your Monday got off to a great start, I'll talk to you soon.

xoxo bd

Weekend Getaway: Chattangooa

A weekend away with your spouse is wonderful. A spontaneous weekend away with your spouse is freaking awesome.

On my drive home from work on Friday afternoon I decided we should change up our usual weekend routine and go on a roadtrip. After being home for 30 minutes I had packed our bag and had confirmed our hotel in Chattanooga!

Chattanooga is roughly 2 hours from our home and seeing as we hadn't been back since our 1 year anniversary, I thought it would be a fun surprise! For the night we stayed at the The Chattanoogan. We were really please with our room, the friendliness of the staff and the amenities. Their pool was amazing and I wish we had a chance to take a swim! We checked in to our room and immediately freshened up to go downstairs to the hotel bar. With drinks in hand {Mojito and a local brew} we made our way to the large patio area that had soft music playing and a large fire pit. Peekture!
We sat for over an hour and talked...It was delightful! The hotel staff were very helpful and kind and our room was ever so comfortable. Can I get an Amen for blackout curtains and turning the air down as low as you want?!! Gosh I love hotels!

Saturday morning we woke up, checked out and headed to brunch at Rembrandt's. Here's a little video from instagram of our time. 

I absolutely love the exterior of their building and the patio. With the stucco on the exterior, the vines growing up the sides, the wrought iron seating, lush greenery and herringbone pattern patio! I love the Mediterranean feel of its design.

Located in the Bluff View Art District, this quaint cafe is surrounded by large trees and a beautiful view of the river. We hope to stay at the Bluff View Inn, a little B&B, next to Rembrandt's when we are in town again. 

My Spinach salad was amazing and Adam really enjoyed his croissant breakfast sandwich. Did I mention we ordered lattes and capuccino's twice? We were jacked up!

So here we are trying to capture a fun picture of us for memories... and totally failing!

That's a little better!

After brunch, qe spent the afternoon at the aquarium which is one of Adam's most favorite things to do. He was able to capture some really great photos of the fish and the butterflies in the butterfly exhibit. If ever you are in the area, you should really check it out, and on Saturdays they have vendors selling everything from jewelry and soap to food.

 We spent a little time around town after the aquarium and then headed back home. We kept saying to each other how much we enjoyed getting away even if it was just for the night.

I hope you had a great weekend! I'll talk to you soon 

xoxo bd

{Original Header Photo}

Insta Weekend: 6/28-6/30

A weekend filled with friends, old and new, is always delightful! Here's a little picture dump for your viewing pleasure:

Friday evening I had 4 girlfriends over for dinner and some much needed catch up. These girls have known me for quite some time and though we may not talk every day, we always catch up where we left off last. These are true blue friends, I tell ya! We went through a few bottles of wine and may or may not have demolished a box of chocolate covered strawberries and a box of cream puffs. Okay, we totally did.

 We all decided that it was so much fun and should do it every month.

Saturday morning I woke early to visit my dearest friend, Holli to help her out as she is in school to be an esthetician. I received the pampered treatment including my *gasp* very first eye brow wax. I know, I know, a girl who is ridiculously obsessed with beauty has virgin eyebrows? I’m a little shocked myself. After an unbelievable relaxing facial and massage I could barely sit up straight. I was a limp noodle with gorgeous eyebrows and glowing skin. I am already planning on purchasing the skin care line she used on me. Yay Holli!

Saturday evening we went to a wedding held outside of a historic home in Columbia for Adam’s boss’s daughter. It was very intimate and the flowers were stunning orchids flown in from Hawaii just the day before. Such a beautiful evening and the weather couldn’t have been more obliging.

Yesterday we slept in and headed to Nashville for sushi, a movie and a little shopping. I haven’t been to PM in a couple of years and since Adam had never been we figured it was an obvious choice. Both of us feel like we could eat sushi every single day for the rest of our lives and never tire of it.

We later saw ‘The Heat’ with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. Some of the one liners in that movie will make your jaw drop followed by inevitable roaring laughter. It does have a lot of language so if you are uncomfortable with that, you may want to hold off until it comes on tv- but man oh man we laughed so much it hurt.

So that was our little weekend in a nutshell! A short work week is ahead of us *Hallelujah* which is much needed. 

I'll talk to you soon!

xoxo bd

Weekend Getaway: East Tennessee

Top Left: Morning Coffee from Grindhouse Top Right: Tupelo Honey Cafe for dinner

                                                       Bottom Right: Mr. Handsome

I am back from a wonderful weekend away with my favorite person in the world.  When given the opportunity to get away, just the two of us, we seize it!

We to Knoxville for just a night and explored Adam's old stomping grounds of UT. We drove past his old home, dorms, bars he loved and restaurants he frequented. We ended up at Market Square so that we could walk around and grab a bite to eat. We had a very filling meal at Tupelo Honey Cafe where they serve you very large, warm biscuits with blueberry compote as you wait for your meal. I sipped on the Southen 75 cocktail and Adam had the seasonal beer on tap. The weather was perfect, the breeze was light and a saxophonist played jazz close by. We walked around the downtown area and market square for a bit then grabbed a latte and a box of macarons at Cafe 4. 

Saturday morning we left Knoxville bright and early to drive over to Pigeon Forge for Dollywood. This girl right here loves theme parks. Loves them. I adore roller coasters and the ice cold lemonade stands. Even Adam was surprised at how excited I was :)

Unfortunately I didn't snap a single picture that day but I did come away with a hefty sunburn on my shoulders and arms. Sweet job watchin' out for that delicate skin of yours, Betsy. Good thinking!

Yesterday we spent loving on both of our dads and treating them to some fun gifts. I do find us to be blessed that we both have great relationships with our fathers and have the opportunity to see on a weekly basis. 

I sure do love my daddy :)

So that was our weekend in a nutshell! I hope to visit Knoxville again- Hopefully to stay at the Oliver Hotel and have breakfast at Pete's. 

Here's to a great new week!

xoxo bd

{Bottom left hand photo}

A Simple Saturday

Hey you!

Saturdays are kind of my favorite day. I try to not have any obligations so that I can get up when I want to, clean if I need or cook if I please. I like having flexibility on Saturdays as Monday thru Friday are full of clocking in and getting things done in a timely manner. That is all fine and good, and productive really, but sometimes I like to lay on my bed listening to music for hours.

Last night we went out for pizza with a couple and the husband is a police officer who is with Adam on a regular basis in the court room. They were nice enough to ask if we would like to eat with them and I am so glad that we did. We arrived at 6 and left at 10 only because they were literally locking up the restaurant. It's really interesting the lives these guys lead. Adam and Jeremy that is. Both kept sharing crazy stories about clients, intense DA's, napping judges, naked people, drug stories, raids and the list goes on. I sure do hope we get to hang out with them again!

For most of today Adam has been taking care of office things while I have been very successful in painting my nails and making a kick butt salad for lunch. I think he wins the award for being most productive...just sayin'. 

So here's to rest & relaxation and a Happy Weekend! Talk to you soon!

xoxo bd

{Photo Credit}

Weekend Update

If you watch SNL {Saturday Night Live} I'm sure you are familiar with Weekend Update with Seth Meyers. By far, that is my favorite segment. I'm not sure why exactly, but I never stop laughing when it comes on...not  to mention when Stefon is on. The Mother's Day Ideas segment is my absolute favorite. Hands down.  I literally cackle every time I watch it. 

Oh and if you haven’t seen this past week’s episode where Melissa McCarthy hosted, well you best watch that right about now.

Saturday Adam said he quite a craving for sushi so we set out for one of our local favorites, ‘Peters’, only to find out they were closed. Insert sad face. I recalled another sushi joint in town that I hadn't been to in years so off we went! We headed to Bodeli Sushi in Cool Springs/Franklin and found that they had an all you can eat special. Now, if it were 'all you can eat chicken fried steak' or 'all you can eat hashbrown casserole', we would have passed…but all you can eat sushi?! Yes, please!

Can you believe the damage we made at the end of the meal? In case you are curious there are typically 3 pieces of sushi per plate.

In the middle of the restaurant is the “kitchen” or prep space where the sushi chef prepares all of the rolls and then places them on small plates that go around on a conveyor belt. Each plate has a colored ring around it that indicates the price of the sushi/item.  They had everything from simple Philly Rolls to sea weed to dumplings to cabbage rolls to tempura rolls. See something you like? Grab it! It gives new meaning to instant gratification, you know? We were in heaven. I made a little video on Vine HERE to see it in action!

Sunday we took the day off of our normal commitments as Adam had planned to work with his boss but it turned into another date day for us. 

I like him a lot…I really really like hanging out with him. I still have a school girl crush on that man. 

We got groceries for the week and later spent the evening cleaning our home. Every window was open bringing in the sunshine and a light breeze. Here’s an instagram of what we did:

We changed all of our winter bedding out, cleaned the master bathroom, vacuumed all of the floors and wiped the baseboards, organized our closets, did loads and loads of laundry, dishes, and took out the trash literally 3 times. By the end of the night we cooked some vegan pizza for dinner and conked out.  We felt very accomplished! 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend and are ready to start the week! I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

Sunday Date Day

Holy moly, it is officially the middle of October!  This month is flying by and it feels like Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I would really love to slow things down a bit and enjoy my days more but when you are in a building for 8 hours in a day and the sun begins to go down as you leave, the time only seems to speed up. May I also mention that these weekends feel like a flash in the pan?

We have a weekend routine that begins with dinner at Adam’s parents’ home and ends on Sunday with lunch with my family. We usually take Saturday as our date/errand/cleaning day but this Saturday my brother, sister-in-law Amber and our new niece, Charlotte came for their first visit to the grandparents’ home. My dad grilled out, my mom made a cake and we all took turns holding little Charlotte. She’s a hard one to put down; all you want to do is cuddle with her!  We ooh’d and ahhh’d at everything she did from a simple sneeze to her sleeping. We are in the palm of her teensy hands…wrapped around those precious fingers!

So… being that we spent all of Saturday soaking up sweet family time, we knew by Sunday morning that we needed some “us” time.  Sunday date day it was!

After talking about where to eat for lunch, Adam mentioned a craving for burgers and thus our decision was made, Burger Up!

And here we are...being all..."taking pictures in a restaurant...cause this will go up on a blog later"

Their stance is, the more local, humanely treated and grass fed, the better. Everything from their cheese to their sauces are either homegrown local or freshly made in store. Yep. It’s good stuff.

See what I mean? They even make their own ketchup….those fancy pants people!

I ordered the Turkey Burger with Avocado and the Mr ordered the Woodstock. 

We both became pretty quiet once the plates arrived. I mean, hello warm, juicy burger-ness! But, just in case you woud like to eat there but would rather not eat meat, they have a quinoa and black bean burger, salmon burger and lots of other veggie options. 

You should definitely check them out if you are in the Cool Springs or Nashville area!

The rest of our day was just as nice but flew by way too quickly.

I absolutely love spending time with that man! When our weeks are full of work, house stuff and extra work followed by busy weekends, I cherish what I can get with just the two of us. I’ll end the mushy paragraph here and will sign off for now.

I hope you had a lovely weekend and are having a great start to your week.

Talk to you soon!

Xoxo bd

Have a lovely, rainy weekend!

Okay so I changed up the lyrics to 'Folsom Prison' to suit this past week and coming weekend's forecast.

If you live in the U.S., which chances are you do, you have been hearing on the news about Hurricane Isaac.

My family in Mobile, AL has definitely felt the brunt with rising waters in their front yard (they live on Mobile Bay) and so have their neighbors. Piers have been torn apart and washed up on shore, some of the bulk head has washed away and most have left their homes boarded up. Such is the life of a dweller by the sea...or Mobile Bay.

Here in middle Tennessee we will be met with many thunderstorms over this long weekend. In a perfect world, the weather would be clear and crisp for a camping trip. But maybe what I really need are naps under warm blankets while the rain pounds the pavement. ...and maybe a movie marathon or two...

I hope you enjoy your Friday night, it looks like a date night is in store for me and the Mr.!

I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

{Original Photo Source: Here and Lyric Source: Here}

Blushing Monday

A little late in the day, I am in bed after a shower and am sitting next to a very handsome man, might I add.

Glanced at a couple of photos and wanted to post them on this blog for personal eye candy. You've got to love a slew of blush roses growing over a doorway and Olivia Palermo's impeccable style.

I hope you had a lovely weekend! I spent the better part of Saturday cleaning and organizing while the Mr. played golf. I know it must sound like we live in the 50's but I promise, we're just not that exciting.

Sunday we were with both families filling up on delicious meals and catching up on life. 

Monday has come and passed so quickly...so here's to another great week. 

Oh, by the way, if you are in the middle TN area right now, can you believe this weather? It's amazing! I want to drink it in as much as possible. 

I think its time to bid you goodnight...

xoxo bd

{Photo Credits: One & Two}

Sabrina

Most nights before bed, after I’ve rinsed off and cleaned up, we like to watch a movie on one of our phones. Though sometimes it’s just me watching something as my husband will be head first into his latest novel. Last night I browsed Netflix and found one of my favorite movies was recently added, Sabrina. I am ever such a fan of both adaptations; the first (1954) with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart followed by the second (1995) with Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford.

I remember first watching the newest version and feeling like one day I too would move to Paris as a girl then come back home a woman a few years later. I mean, I’m assuming that’s was Paris does to you.

All of that to say, I love this movie. Here’s the opening monologue by Ms. Hepburn:

“Once upon a time, on the north shore of Long Island, some thirty miles from New York, there lived a small girl on a large estate. The estate was very large indeed, and had many servants. There were gardeners to take care of the gardens, and a tree surgeon on a retainer. There was a boatman to take care of the boats: to put them in the water in the spring, and scrape their bottoms in the winter. There were specialists to take care of the grounds: the outdoor tennis court and the indoor tennis court, the outdoor swimming pool and the indoor swimming pool. And there was a man of no particular title who took care of the small pool in the garden for a goldfish named George. Also on the estate there was a chauffeur by the name of Fairchild who had been imported from England years ago together with a new Rolls-Royce. Fairchild was a fine chauffeur of considerable polish, like the eight cars in his care, and he had a daughter by the name of Sabrina. It was the eve of the annual six-meter yacht races, and as had been traditional on Long Island for the past thirty years, the Larrabees were giving a party. It never rained on the night of the Larrabee party. The Larrabees wouldn't have stood for it. There were four Larrabees in all - father, mother, and two sons. Maude and Oliver Larrabee were married in nineteen hundred and six, and among their many wedding presents was the town house in New York and this estate for weekends. The town house has since been converted into Saks Fifth Avenue. Linus Larrabee, the elder son, graduated from Yale, where his classmates voted him The Man Most Likely To Leave His Alma Mater Fifty Million Dollars. His brother, David, went through several of the best eastern colleges for short periods of time, and through several marriages for even shorter periods of time. He is now a successful six-goal polo player and is listed on Linus's tax return as a six hundred dollar deduction. Life was pleasant among the Larrabees, for this was as close to heaven as one could get on Long Island. “ 

{Paramount Pictures, 1954- Screenplay by Samuel A. Taylor, Billy Wilder and Ernest Lehmen}

The story goes, Sabrina being a daughter of this wealthy family's chauffeur, grows up  living a simple life always looking  in on the life of the Larabee’s and their youngest son, David.  She dreams of one day being a part of this family's lavish affairs with David but, alas, he pays no mind to Sabrina. She sets off to Paris for culinary school and upon arriving home two years later, she is quickly admired by both sons as being elegant, refined and beautiful.  Cue romance, family problems, weddings, beautiful cars and la vie en rose.

*Fun side note, during the filming of Sabrina Audrey and William Holden (David) had a brief but very public affair!*

So what is it that I love about this movie? The simplicity, her elegance, the  complications, being love torn over two men and them over her, that inimitable pixie cut, and of course her style.  There’s truly so much more that I enjoy but I think I should keep some details quiet until you’ve seen it for yourself. 

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend!

I’ll talk to you soon, xoxo bd

{Photo Credits,:Netflix and iPhone captures}

The Morning Light

Happy Monday!

I can’t believe this weekend has already come and gone. Lately I have tried to be in the moment to savor the two mornings when we can sleep in because the time flies by so quickly.

This past week I mentioned to Adam how I miss being able to see the morning light in our home. On a typical day at this blissful time I have already left for work but yesterday I made it a point to take a few photos of my Sunday morning.

As I came downstairs, our kitchen table already had that beautiful morning sun I’m talking about...the whole dining area began to warm up. Can you see what I mean?

For today's post I wanted to share a little "Sunday morning in the life of Betsy" with you:

First things first: Coffee.

I heat up my water and mix the espresso into the coffee press. Set aside for amazingness to percolate…literally. 

After 15-20 minutes I pour over a large cup of ice and add milk.

Time to prep for breakfast:

1.Pop french toast into toaster (Cause I'm classy like that)

2.Wash and Rinse Strawberries

3. Make syrup, pour juice, place on plate and enjoy!

I hope this week goes so very well for you!

Talk to you soon, xoxo

bd