the library

Last night John and I wanted to go out (aka I didn't want to cook and I was dying to get out of the house). Somehow, John was able to get this stuff called Dining Dough. I think he got it through some website, whatever...basically its x amount of dollars towards a gift certificate at a certain restaurant. You can choose a restaurant from a list that's on Dining Dough's website. So we were looking and looking and only growing more frustrated at not knowing what to choose and getting hungrier. Well, we chose a cute little place called The Library. It was advertised as a restaurant/bar in the South Side (an area of town known for cool bar and grill type places). Once we arrived I fell in love! It was so cute...low lighting, dark walls and decorated with books...just like, you guessed it, a library! Such a cool place! And the food was fantastic! Mmmm mmm! I had bow tie pasta with gouda cream sauce, with sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach. It was delish! John had some type of salmon with yummy vegetables!! Needless to say, we'll definitely be going back...I told John that whenever my cousin Emily came up to visit that I was taking her there because she's a bookworm and loves good food and drinks! (Can't wait Em!) And for any of our other guests who would like to visit...just let me know and I would gladly make another trip there :)

new look

I've been wanting to spruce up our blog for awhile now, but since I don't have the techie skills to do that...it took me a little bit of time. So I decided to search for new templates...I hope you like it!

missing summer and the beach

This long, cold winter ain't easy on our Southern bodies and souls. I am seriously missing the summer weather and the beautiful ocean. (Disclaimer: this may be a dramatic post) I really feel like there is a longing in my soul, the ocean is calling me to come back. I think about it everyday at work and how much I just wish I was on the beach. And it doesn't help to have an aunt who lives 10 minutes from the beach who brags about going on walks with her husband and her dog when I'm stuck in my house because of snow. (You know who you are nameless aunt...happy birthday by the way!! I love you very much Donna!) Anywho...here are some pics from awhile ago that Mom took of me, Katie and John. Enjoy!

bookworm

So like I said awhile ago, John made me some bookshelves to store all of my wonderful books. They are neatly organized as so:

-On the upper left:books I've borrowed from Emily and John's Mom
-On the lower left: cookbooks
-On the upper right: novels/just for fun books
-On the lower right: spiritual books

I've been meaning to post this picture because I'm so proud and happy to have shelves to organize my books! Yay for bookshelves! The next thing we want to add: a bean bag chair/comfy chair to put in that corner beneath the shelves so that I can have a reading corner.

pics from this past weekend

I thought I would post a few of the pictures from this weekend since I always seem to forget to post pics when friends visit.

Pam and I on Saturday:




Us in the Strip District on Saturday:




Our Valentine dinner:

Pam's visit

As many of you may know, my dear friend Pamela came to visit this past weekend. We had such a great time together! Just like college :) I think it would be easier to list the things that we did instead of writing a 2 page blog about it:

-First I picked her up from the airport and brought her back to our CLEAN house!
-I showed her around the house, we chatted a little and then she went to bed
-We woke up and I made pancakes for the 3 of us
-We cleaned up, then showered and got ready to explore
-We went to the Strip District (an area of town that contains old warehouses that are now changed into ethnic food stores and wholesale meat stores)
-We bought some veggies to make guacamole and enchiladas with, along with freshly made salsa that was wonderful! We were also offered roses for free from a street vendor but I insisted that we pay for them (needless to say, we got them for half price...they were beautiful!)
-We went to Chickfila (they don't have them in NYC and Pam specifically requested that we go)
-Shoe shopped at DSW where I talked Pam into some gorgeous yellow flats
-Grocery shopped to pick up the last few items for dinner
-Came home and made a wonderful Mexican dinner, complete with guacamole, salsa, sangria, and enchiladas
-Watched West Side Story and a little SNL, then went to bed
-We slept in on Sunday, laid around and eventually ate leftover enchiladas
-Got ready and went to see a matinee of He's Just Not That Into You (loved it! highly recommend it!)
-Came home and watched Friends
-Went to an Irish pub that John and I love! (John stayed at home and did homework)
-Watched mine and J's wedding DVD, then most of Failure to Launch
-Went to sleep and slept in (not too late) on Monday
-Age lunch at Panera (another Pam request) and ran errands
-Came back to the house and laid around watching Friends, playing on the computer and painting nails (mine are electric blue!)
-Then I had to drive her to the airport :( where she made it back safely to the big city

I had a wonderful time, thank you so much for coming Pam! It was packed full of fun! I love you!!

PS-Pam send me some pics so I can post them (please!).

i'm obsessed

So Pamela introduced me to an incredible music video--Beyonce's "Single Ladies"! Of course I've heard the song but I'd never seen the video before and needless to say I LOVED IT!! I'm seriously talking with Katie about learning the dance so we can perform it together when she comes here next...Kate you've got 2 months so start practicing now!! Please check it out!

Here's the link, because I still don't know how to put a video on here...someone please help!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_yXnxamgYQ