I love me a day trip to Wilmington

A visit's not complete without downtown-wandering..







We ate dinner at Front Street Brewery. Really, really awesome. There are so many reasons why I need to go back there.

There was just enough front-porch sittin' and fly-swattin' in the evening to make me wish I had more of that simple country-style activity in my life. These bug bites on my arms, however, are contradicting that feeling now.

Ebi was so exhausted from all of his fun and playing. He snuggled up very adorably with his new Scooby.

Pretty great week, pretty Good Friday

Yesterday after work a group of my co-workers and I volunteered to help with the clean-up of an area of downtown Raleigh that was severely damaged by the tornados last Saturday. I had been hearing damage reports and seeing images on the news but the area that I live in was, thankfully, destruction free. It wasn't until Monday morning on my walk to work that I personally saw signs of the tornados- pieces of insulation in yards and on the sidewalks. Just a few blocks over from that were uprooted trees, shattered windows, destroyed vehicles, all the signs of a fierce storm. It is wonderful and comforting to see so many strangers come together to help one another.

This week we also had a special "Goodbye Party/Lunch" at the Lebanese restaurant, Sitti. They provide great soft bread puffs with an olive oil and herb dipping mixture. It's great because it's different and affordable, but the food critic in me felt like the description of the Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich I ordered was a bit misleading. It used an extravagant list of ingredients to really pull you in. Pine nuts?! What! And roasted?! Why, yes! MORE olive oil?? Okay!!! Some other kind of infused ingredient I've never heard of but sounds so authentic!? Amazing! And all combined to make a wonderful pesto on this Chicken PESTO sandwich- I'll take it! In reality, the pesto was thin, tasteless, minimal. The chicken was dry. I needed ketchup. When somebody gets the ketchup out on your food and it's not french fries, that's a problem.

Today has been one the most relaxing. I'm off due to the holiday and I slept until 11:00am! I don't even feel bad about it because I have to wake up at 4:45/snooze til 5am almost every single day. If I'm not careful or if I don't have a plan, I can sleep dangerously late like that. My day was boring- cleaned a little, did a little laundry, watched a little Martha Stewart. She did a puppy special and she talked about making your own dog treats and I will be making Ebi some treats. She also made an adorable poodle skirt and, of course, made it look so easy! Lately my mom and I have been talking about her sewing machine, my lack of knowledge, and my interest. I'm going to get her to help me make one of these for my neice.

I had so much time to spend on my hair and makeup before taking my Grandma an Easter Lily since I will be out of town on Sunday.


Then I had to dig through this mess looking all pretty for a shoe mate...


I am not proud of this situation. It is stressful and embarassing for an organized person like myself. This is not an indicator of a girl with too many shoes, I promise. It's a result of limited space. I have to find a soltuion.

The Run Down

I got my hair cut and it's pretty cute when I fix it nicely. This was kind of a transition cut, I guess. I'm getting my bangs cut shorter in a week or so. This length meant that they were immediately in my eyes and I ended up having to pin them back with a PAPERCLIP at work one day because I got so frustrated.


It got LONG in a few week's time and now I'm just okay with it. I liked the lady who cut my hair more than anyone I've ever visited. We went to high school together and I sought her out on Facebook when she uploaded Before and After pics. In a few days I'm going to get this same sort-of cut again with a thicker, shorter bang. My bangs mostly stay pushed to the side because that's all I can do with it now.

I ate some exciting pizza at lunch with my co-workers at Lilly's Pizza in Raleigh. They have you get your water out of one of those dentist office-style water things with the big jug turned upside down on top. My pizza had pistachios on it. Their decor is wild/random.


In other food news, I'm making our own sushi these days. This is a sushi lunch of a simple seaweed-outside California roll and then a fancy, difficult rice-outside roll with salmon and tuna inside. I even made Eel sauce!


My weekend trip to New York City earlier this month was super fun. Right now I only have iPhone pics so I will give a complete step-by-step by this weekend when I expect to have my "camera cord drama" (I can't find it) solved. But highlights included...

The Metropolitan Museum of Art..


Tina Fey at her book signing..


And the view from Top of the Rock..


Tonight I am making cards with this kit I completely forgot I had.


This, of course, has opened up a whole new door of interests. I want to make all my cards for everything now.

Stay tuned...

I have so much to tell about. Makeup I've bought and love (both expensive and inexpensive), how my new haircut is working out for me, my weekend trip to NYC, new household appliances, my homemade sushi-making skills, awesome items I've found on clearance, etc. as I launch myself back into dedicated blogging mode! Right here tomorrow (when I have the hours to dedicate to getting myself caught back up)!


Pretty, poppin' iPhone photo from Top of the Rock this weekend!