The Goat's Beard (Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA)

As you know, we spent last weekend in Philadelphia. Although we were there for sad reasons, we managed to squeeze in some fun at the same time.

On Friday, after looking through some of my grandmother's furniture and decorations, we decided to go for a late lunch in Manayunk.

Manayunk is a historic district, located in Philadelphia. There are lots of unique shops and restaurants located there. With the help of Yelp, we decided to grab a late lunch at The Goat's Beard. The Goat's Beard is located on Main Street in Manayunk, and they use fresh, local, organic ingredients. Check out their website here.

There are a few tables located outside, and then the inside has a few more tables. There is space upstairs for private parties as well.

We were lucky that we arrived just before they closed for the break before dinner.

A little day drinking...

It was really hard to make a decision, but I decided to go with the fish tacos.

On the tacos: fresh fish, fresh salsa, cilantro, pickled cabbage, and creme fraiche. Can you really go wrong with anything that has creme fraiche? No, you can't.

Everyone tried something different. My sister had the mussels, which it had considered ordering as well. I did steal one and they were delicious also. There is something really beautiful about mussels. I love the black, shiny shells.

If you are in the area, I would definitely think about checking out The Goat's Beard for brunch, lunch, or dinner!

 

 

 

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Local Restaurant Review: Five and Dine (Rock Hill, SC)

I bet you thought I was never coming back. I actually started to wonder if I was ever coming back. The husband even asked me the other day, “When’s the last time you blogged?”

So I decided to give myself a kick in the pants. I’ve been thinking about the blog a lot, and what I want it to be like in 2014. I have some ideas I am toying with. One thing I know that ISN’T going to change is the fact that I will keep bringing you recipes, food and gadget finds, and restaurant reviews.

Today I want to share a local restaurant with you: Five and Dine in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Confession: I’ve actually been sitting on these pictures and content since December. *Hides face in shame.*. Hence, the Christmas tree.

If you are local, maybe you remember the Old Town Bistro that we had in Old Town Rock Hill. Old Town Bistro was a great local spot with lots of history. It was actually the location of the Friendship Nine Sit-In during the Civil Rights Movement. My husband and I loved to go there for breakfast because the food was always good and it just felt really neat to be eating right where history happened. So you can imagine how sad we were when it closed down last year. BUT, I was super excited to hear that a new restaurant was opening there in October!

The Five and Dine is located on Main Street, on the same block as the Children’s Museum.

One thing I love is the way the tables are all covered with white paper, and you get a little cup of crayons to entertain yourself.

The menu is full of all kinds of unique items, like a Nutella and Banana Sandwich, Chicken Cordon Bleu Chowder, and more. Over my past three visits, I have tried out some different items, like salads, soups, and on this particular evening… meatloaf!

The meatloaf did not disappoint! The portions are pretty big— enough for two meals. (Next day’s lunch, anyone?) The mashed potatoes and collards are delicious also- and y'all know I am picky about my collards!

I mentioned I have visited the Five and Dine three times and each time I have had great food and great service. So far, my very favorite thing at Five and Dine is the Tomato Basil soup and Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich. I don’t have a picture of these, but please trust me when I tell you it is the best tomato soup I have ever tasted. Seriously. Best ever.

***Update: I visited the Five and Dine again and snapped a pic of that delish soup and grilled pimento cheese! The husband and kiddo (who both don't even like Tomato soup) BOTH agree that it is delicious!

So if you are in the area and are looking for a great lunch or dinner spot, stop by the Five and Dine. You won’t regret it! There is something on the menu for everyone. Click here to view the menu!

***

I wanted to take a quick moment and also let everyone know that we are FINALLY moved into our new house! It was a little sad to say goodbye to our first house that we bought right before we got married, but we are so happy in the new house. It feels like home already! We feel so lucky to be able to start 2014 in a new place, literally!

 

Home sweet home. :)

 

 

 

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Wine and Design

Many apologies for my absence! As many of you know, my day job as an educator keeps me very busy! And we all know what happens in August… Back to School! It's been quite a ride.

Now only was I busy meeting with teachers and preparing, but I was also preparing a certain 5-year-old for HER first day of Kindergarten! Holy Moly… this day arrived sooner than I ever could have expected!

(It's all about the bag and the shoes…)

She had a wonderful day and loves her teachers! We are blessed to have great schools and I know she will do great.

Sometimes when things get hectic…you need to de-stress. A couple of weeks ago, I got had a little adventure with some friends. We headed to Wine and Design in Charlotte for some wine, painting, and laughter.

When you first arrive, you put on your apron and pour yourself a glass of wine and just relax a little. (Note- you must bring your own wine.) Everyone's station is set up ahead of time with a blank canvas (only a pencil outline is provided), a palate of paint, and an assortment of brushes.

Next, your instructor will lead you in starting your painting. For our painting of Tuscany, we started with just the sky and the mountains. Our instructor demonstrated ways to paint each section and he also modeled for us on a canvas. I took pictures at different points along the way so that I could see how my painting progressed throughout the night.

Sky and Mountains

Next, we painted the house-- just an outline and the roof.

I'll admit that at this point, I wasn't thinking this would turn out to be anything special.

But it was fun to peek at each other's paintings and see how we all made them unique. Next, we added trees to our painting. THIS is where it really started to look like something. (Although, my husband said at this point that it looked like cucumbers.)

We then added windows to the house and added some shading to the trees to give them some dimension. I couldn't believe how much better the trees looked after adding the yellow! As you can see, we also added some shrubbery and bushes along the line where the land met the skyline.

Finally, the finishing touches were adding some red poppies to the grassy area and adding some white to the blue flowers-- which also added dimension.

When I finished this last step, I was so proud! I couldn't believe I painted this!

Of course, you must sign your work!

I loved walking around and admiring all of the other paintings. They were each unique in their own way, and we all really enjoyed ourselves.

Ta-da! Group Photo.

If you have never done one of the wine/paint sessions, I highlight recommend it for a girls' night out, a friend gathering, or even a date-night! I had a great experience at Wine and Design! If you visit their website, you can view their calendar and select the evening by the type of painting you would like to do. I really would love to do Charlotte's Starry Night. It's a Van Gogh-esque painting of the Charlotte skyline.

Have you ever done a wine and painting class?

Exercise Adventure: Ashtanga Yoga

I mentioned yesterday that I had returned to Yoga after a hiatus. It's funny... I love Yoga...but I am so inconsistent about it. And since I am inconsistent, I never really get "good" at it. Last Sunday was my first class in months, and it felt so good that I promised myself I would do better from now on.

When I woke up yesterday, I thought to myself, "How should I spend my last free Friday?" (After today, I will go back to working Monday-Friday instead of Monday-Thursday.) I scoped out the Yoga offerings at the gym we belong to, but there wasn't anything for today except beginner Yoga, and I didn't want that. Then I remembered Om Yoga in Fort Mill.

Last summer, I really wanted to try out Om Yoga, but I never got around to it. So today, when I saw there was a noon class (AND first visits are free), I decided to give it a go.

Only one problem: what the heck was Ashtanga Yoga?!

I've taken Power Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga... But never Ashtanga. I called the studio to see if they thought I would be able to take the class (being a little out of practice) and they said to come on and give it a try. It turns out that Ashtanga Yoga is like Power Yoga, but the series of poses and flow is always the same. Sometimes the instructor gives out a handout with the sequence on it to the group and you can choose to follow the instructor or go at your own pace.

I loved the way the girl at the front desk showed me around and kind of told me where I might want to set up. She also helped me to feel at ease about taking the class. The studio is really pretty and SO different from a typical aerobics room.

While I was waiting for the class to begin, I started a conversation with one of the other participants. She said, "Have you ever been here before?" When I told her I was new, she said, "And you started with THIS class?! This class is HARD!"

I thought to myself... "What have I gotten myself into???"

(What's with the footprints on my mat? I must have walked right over it in my dusty flip flops!)

 

Class began the way a typical yoga class might begin- with a purpose statement. I knew right away that I really liked the instructor. She was very real and calm and funny, too!

Then came something that was way different from other classes. We started chanting! We said a mantra together, and I literally have no idea what we said because I am pretty sure it was in Sanskrit. Seriously, I am not joking. At this point, I was still wondering if I should run for the hills.

But once we got going, it was awesome! It was hard, but I was so proud of myself for being able to keep up! I loved the hands-on personal attention the instructor gave everyone. If you weren't lined up quite right, she would come over and "fix you." I thought it would be weird for someone to come over and push or pull on my body during Yoga, but it really wasn't weird. I promise.

The first 30-40 minutes of class was intense- lots of sun salutations, quick flow. But then we moved to slower poses and finally down to the floor. At the end, I was dripping with sweat!

Then came the best part. Just before the Savasana, the teacher came around and dropped a lavendar-scented, cold wet towel onto our mats to put over our eyes. Umm...can I just tell you that it was absolute heaven? Those few minutes of Savasana were probably the most relaxed moments of my week.

I can't wait to go back and try out some more of their classes, and now I don't have to be scared of Ashtanga Yoga any more.

If you're local, you should definitely check them out!

Namaste, y'all.

 

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Fitnessy Weekend: Electric Run and National Dance Day!

Happy Sunday, friends! I'm a little under the weather today, so I sent the husband to church without me. Mucinex and Drop Dead Diva on Netflix are helping me through the morning.

How was your weekend? The first half of the weekend was pretty full of action. Friday night, my friend Allison and I headed to Charlotte for the Electric Run! Here's a little recap/review of the Electric Run for you!

I actually registered for this run way back in the spring. I thought a night run at the Charlotte Motor Speedway sounded pretty interesting and exciting. I intended to do a little more running this summer... but I just hate to run when it is hot outside. Ugh!

The Electric Run Course at Charlotte Motor Speedway

 

However, lucky for me, the night of the Electric Run was surprisingly (uncharacteristically) cool! Allison and I (and about 20,000 other people) gathered at the gigantic start line.

 

This is BY FAR the largest 5K i have ever participated in. The Electric Run is so big that they have to release people at the start line in "waves" of about 1,000 people at a time. Believe it or not, when I FINISHED the race, there were actually people still waiting to START! We were in the 3rd or 4th wave, starting around 9:20 p.m.

If you do the Electric Run, you will not need your headphones- there is a speaker system set up all along the route with music. And there are tons of cool light displays set up all along the route, too. I had to stop a few times and snap a coupe of pics. (Where are the Google Glasses when you need them?!)

 

My time wasn't awesome- 44 minutes. But I will take that, considering I have not been running routinely. My first mile was about 14 minutes. Mile 2 was my quickest at 12-13 minutes. Which means I was dragging a$$ on mile 3, at about 17 minutes! Oh no! I need to work on my endurance.

After you cross the finish line, there is a huge after party. I have to say, I was blown away by the after party. It was HUGE. I was expecting a DJ and some dancing and people standing around chatting. Nope. It was actually a full-on RAVE.

For a minute I thought I was back in that episode of 90210 when everyone goes to the Rave and Emily gives Brandon Ecstasy. It was a little insane. Or a lot insane.

So overall... It was definitely an interesting experience. Would I do it again? Maybe...it was pretty expensive, as far as 5ks run. (It was over $50) But it was pretty cool. We also encountered a lot of traffic on the way in, but we realized we were caught up in TI/Lil Wayne Concert traffic. (Taking place about 2 miles away on the same night).

Thinking of doing the Electric Run? I would definitely recommend getting there early so that you can be in one of the first waves. I would HATE to be starting the race at 10:00 or after. Also, even though Electric Run claims this is a "family friendly" event... I would leave the kids at home. It's really loud, and there are definitely some drunk runners using some not-so-kid-friendly language. Get a babysitter. Unless your children are into getting their rave on.

You'd think that after running a late-night 5K that I would, sleep in, but Saturday was National Dance Day! So...I was u bright and early to help my friend Ashley and host a 90-minute Zumba class to celebrate! Aother instructor friend, Jennie, also came to help. It was so much fun teaching together, and we had such a fun group of ladies dancing with us! Happy National Dance Day!

(Photo credit: Ashley)

 

Now, THAT is what I call a "fitnessy weekend." How was YOUR weekend?

 

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