My 30th Birthday Trip to Asheville, NC!

Oh, Asheville. I love your quirky houses, leaf strewn streets and eclectic shops. Your food is so delicious and you have more beer options than I could ever drink, but that's kind of exciting, too. My favorite part about visiting you, though, has to be your chill. Everyone seems so relaxed! I met inspired artists, passionate shop owners, and sociable bartenders. Happy. Accepting. So much chill. My vacation eyes and 12-hour night of sleep Friday night certainly didn't hurt anything. Asheville, you were a breath of fresh mountain air. (And mountain water, I suppose, since your tap water was superior to mine.) Thank you. Love, Maria

 Here are some highlights from our trip!

  • Biscuit Head Restaurant: In general I'm opposed to waiting in long lines. (You won't see me waiting for cupcakes in Georgetown.) But. I guess I was committed to checking this place out, and once we were in the vicinity, no competition drew us away. You can choose from a plethora of savory biscuit combinations, or just top them with a jelly from the free assortment. Would I wait in line again? Nah. Do I regret doing it one time? Nope!
  • New Belgium Brewing Tour: This was so fun! We learned all about the company and its philosophy while touring around the Asheville factory, all the while enjoying free tastings and fun 3-D art. New Belgium was founded in Fort Collins, CO, and their Asheville location is only a few years old, designed strategically to cut down on transportation costs to their East Coast locations. This tour was FREE and lasted over an hour. Did I mention they gave us free tastings along the way? So much fun.
  • Comedy Show with Michael Palascak: Saturday night we went to a little comedy club called The Grey Eagle. The chairs were very uncomfortable but it was worth it when the headliner, Michael Palascak, finally came on. He had an endearingly awkward stage presence and had jokes about relatable, everyday things like flying on a plane (some lady ate corn on the cob) and having a crazy girlfriend (I hope they broke up because it didn't sound like a healthy dynamic). At one point, I laughed so hard I could barely breathe. It was fantastic. I appreciated that he didn't rely on controversial topics like politics to get laughs. Follow the link or search him on youtube if you want to feel a snippet of the fun!
Our last morning in Asheville :(

Where are your favorite spots in Asheville? I'm sure I'll be back so post them below!

XOXO,
Maria

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts from a New (Dog) Mama

Image
Lilly, sweet Lilly...how you delight and frustrate me. Everyone keeps telling me that having a dog is the precursor to kids and so I can't help but note the parallels.  1. This is affecting my sleep. Patrick is naturally a night owl and I'm more of a morning person and so I have assumed the morning shift with Lilly. This involves taking her downstairs to pee first thing, falling back asleep for an hour, and then feeding her and taking her out again for a longer walk (with intermittent running when I'm up for it and also want to wear her out). The plus side of this regimen is that I'm getting consistent exercise every morning before it gets too hot. Also, sometimes I feel inspired to complete a solo workout after the walk. Other times I go back to bed. 2. Her interests change over time.  When we first adopted Lilly, we were told that rope toys were her favorite, and this still holds true. However, within a week, Lilly developed a sudden fascination with sticks.
Read more

Halo Top Ice Cream: What's the Deal?

Image
Halo Top ice cream is celebrating its 5 year anniversary but has only been on my radar for a little while. Ibotta, my favorite coupon/rebate app, promised me $1.00 off a pint, so I decided it was finally time to try Halo Top for myself. The $4.99 price at Giant curbed my enthusiasm for a minute, but I rationalized that it was about the same cost as a trip to Sweet Frog or Starbucks.  The scoop:   Halo Top has 17 flavors, ranging from traditional (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cookie dough...) to modern (sea salt caramel, s'mores, oatmeal cookie, pistachio...). Calorie counts range from 240 to 360, with the average falling around 320 per pint. Halo Top uses organic stevia as sweetener, which I'm guessing helps it lower the sugar levels, since stevia has a strong flavor. Other popular brands have 3 or 4g of protein per serving, so the 5g that Halo Top offers isn't a considerable leap. This is still a dessert, not body building fuel. First impression: 320 Calories
Read more

New Podcasts I'm Loving

Image
Hey guys! It's been a while! As many of you know, I've moved to Stafford, VA. We LOVE our quiet, conveniently-located neighborhood but I am driving a bit longer to connect with friends and family. Lucky for me, I've discovered a few new podcasts to spice up my drive! 1. Work, Play, Love with Lauren Fleshman and Jesse Thomas : This podcast is great for runners or athletes trying to find a balance between training and work/relationships. Lauren is a retired professional runner (now coach) and Jesse is a current professional triathlete. Together, they run a company called Picky Bars . Oh yeah, and they're married! Each episode, they discuss what's going on in their personal lives and then answer questions from listeners.  What I love: Both Lauren and Jesse are candid about their experiences: the ups and downs of business, athletic careers, and their own relationship. They don't come across as know-it-alls or experts, but rather as kind friends willing to sh
Read more