I’ve been looking forward to today all week because late this afternoon, Ryan and I are meeting with our realtor to check out a bunch of houses. (Eight houses! Is that a little too ambitious?) The last time we met up with our realtor we drove around three different areas and checked out various neighborhoods for five hours. Now that we feel like we have a better idea of where we want to be, we’ve compiled a list of houses we think we might like and I am pumped to see them in person.
Ryan and I have never owned a home before or even thought about buying a house, so this is all pretty exciting! We are not married to the idea of owning home and will rent if we don’t find anything that feels ideal, but we are both feeling very ready to own a house and settle down a bit. The thought of painting and decorating a house that we won’t have to move out of in a year or two sounds fabulous. I’ll keep you guys posted on our search!
For now, let’s chat about things we are loving this week. As always, please let me know what’s making you smile this week in the comments section of this post!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Charlotte Restaurant Recommendations
Thank you so, so much for your Charlotte-area restaurant recommendations! I jotted them all down and Ryan already surprised me with an email invite for a date night to one of them on Saturday night. So far your recommendations have been phenomenal (we loved 131 Main, Restaurant X and Toast)! Just in case you’re new to Charlotte or will be visiting the Charlotte area and may be on the lookout for some restaurant suggestions, here are some of the top spots on our list to check out:
(I included some restaurants we have already visited and loved in the above list!)
- Evolution Fresh Essential Greens with Lime Juice
I typically prefer juice with some sort of fruit in it for a little sweetness so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this juice when I picked up a bottle earlier this week. And I’m really loving the simple ingredient list: Juices (celery, cucumber, spinach, romaine lettuce, kale, lime, parsley, wheat grass, clover sprouts). I think the hint of lime was my favorite part!
- These Shoes… That I Didn’t Buy
These shoes! I love them! Unfortunately when I tried them on at Marshalls this week the buckle hit right at my anklebone. I know that the clasp would end up rubbing on my bone and causing a lot of pain, but I hated to walk away from such a cute pair of shoes (on sale!). I guess it wasn’t meant to be. If you happen to run across a similar pair of shoes that won’t cause an intense amount of pain, please let me know!
- Personalized Cutting Board
My friend Allison sent this cutting board to me and Ryan as a temporary housing house warming gift which I thought was so sweet (and also kind of hilarious). Allison is also the person behind the personalized koozies I had made for Leslie’s bachelorette party! If any of you are in the market for cute, personalized gifts, you can reach out to Allison at portobluegifts@gmail.com. Her stuff is adorable and her turnaround time is crazy fast.
I’ve seen a small army of fashion bloggers blog about this sale and after finally checking it out this morning, I can see why! It’s Nordstrom’s biggest sale of the year and I have my eye on a few items I am hoping to snag that I think will make great gifts for loved ones this year! Here are a few affordable items I thought might interest those of you who love cute fitness apparel and flirty dresses: Zella seamless tank (love this for barre or yoga), Lush cobalt v-neck dress (reminds me of the yellow dress I wore for Kristen’s rehearsal dinner but in blue and cheaper), Zella reversible live in leggings (love the wide waistband and the fact that these leggings are reversible), Tildon shift dress (super cute with wedges or strappy heels), Nike dri-fit tank (looks so light and breezy)
- This Watermelon Smoothie
I’ve made this exact smoothie three times this week. I can’t get enough! It’s so refreshing and simply screams summer.
- My Mom’s 60th Birthday
My mom’s 60th birthday is this Sunday! Even though I won’t be with my mom to celebrate this year, I have a little surprise planned to make her day extra special. I am missing her like crazy but sending lots of love and birthday wishes her way. Happy 60th birthday, Mama! I love you!
Past Things I’m Loving Friday Posts
Question of the Day
- What is one thing you’re loving this week?
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I’m drinking an Evolution green juice right now! Although, I need to go with their “Sweet Greens” flavor. I’ve tried Essential Greens and it’s still good – I just like it a tad bit sweeter. I only wish I could buy big bottles of this keep in my fridge!
I like the sweet greens flavor, too!
I loved this TILF post! Especially the personalized cutting board. As far as what’s making me smile today, me and my boyfriend have the weekend together and we’re ready to relax. I’m also meeting his Dad Sunday!
Have fun!
I am FREAKING OUT about the Nordstrom anniversary sale! I’m hoping to grab a good winter coat and possibly some boots. But it’s such a tease to not be able to wear those for months, but it’s hard to pass up a good deal!
I’m just loving the fact that it’s FRIDAY! And Happy Birthday to your mom!
I know! They have so many adorable boots for sale. I wanted to buy some as well but don’t want to have to wait so long to wear them!
My family is planning a Sunday Funday BEACH Day this weekend. We’ll all be together with the kiddos celebrating summer and each other. I cannot wait! Happy Weekend 🙂
Sounds like a blast!!
Hi Julie! I’m sure you’ve gotten this recommendation but I didn’t see it on the list and it is an absolute MUST – Cabo Fish Taco. Seriously, my mouth in watering just thinking about this place. It’s in NoDa and is the restaurant in Charlotte that I miss the most after moving away to SF. The mahi tacos are to die for!
I don’t think I’ve heard that one before! Thank you for sharing!!
Mmmmm love watermelon smoothies!! Unfortunately the last watermelon I had, I ate it all and forgot to freeze some haha. And that French bakery sounds super good!! Can’t wait to hear about that one! One of my favorites this week, would be the fact that I finally spent some money on myself and bought two new pairs of workout crops!! Athleta is having a huge sale right now, and there are so many crops to pick from!
The women at my barre studio are obsessed with their crops! I have a pair of their leggings that I love!
Please let us know what you end up doing for your mom’s birthday! You always have such great gift ideas. Happy 60th birthday to your mom, by the way! (my mom’s bday is actually this Saturday, what an awesome coincidence). Most people born in July are some of the most caring and nurturing.
How cool! Happy birthday to your mom!!
Mine is this Saturday too: 50!! Gah!
I am loving all the good sales lately! My bank account? Not so much. Have a great weekend!
Happy Birthday to your mother, early! One thing I’m loving this week is PB&J oatmeal. I kinda forgot about it! It’s currently making my morning.
Pb&j anything is fabulous 🙂
I’m loving our plans for a picnic at the park tomorrow! I hope the weather is good for it, we’ve had a lot of foggy, cloudy days in a row in these parts.
Add Pickled Peach in Davidson for lunch and Fork! In Cornelius/Davidson for date night dinner to your list! Both are super fresh and farm/table restaurants.
We drove by Fork the other day! It looks so cute!
That’s very exciting to go house shopping! Best of luck to you!
Thanks!!
Good luck with the house hunt. I was hesitant at first, but it really does feel good to put roots down. And trust your gut, do not settle! If the house feels right, you’ll know it. And Happy Birthday to your Mama!
Welcome to Charlotte! I’ve lived here my entire life (except college) and love it! Charlotte Restaurant Week starts this week through next Sunday and I highly recommend checking out the restaurants on that list. $30/person for at least a 3 course meal and its often cheaper than going to the restaurant any other time. Charlotte does Restaurant Week twice a year and its a great time to try a restaurant that is otherwise out of your price range!
Ahhh definitely checking this out!!
I’m LOVING the weather!! After a loooonnnng Canadian winter I couldn’t be happier to be able to run out of the house in just shorts and a tank top and to actually run outside without the fear of slipping on ice or freezing my face off, haha!
Happy Birthday to your mom! My mom turned 60 this year too 🙂
That cutting board is adorable! My husband’s gonna kill me if I spend more money ordering cute things online! 😉 How exciting to go house hunting! We have rented for our entire marriage too, and I’m getting the itch to own as well.
Quick Question – I’m so glad you’ve been loving Pure Barre – barre workouts are quickly becoming one of my favorites, too! Are you mainly doing Pure Barre as your workouts these days or are you also running, doing circuits, etc. too? Just curious! Good luck House Hunting!
Pure Batre is definitely taking over my workouts right now!! I am also using our little apartment gym to do some cardio and light strength training when I don’t take barre classes, but most days I am doing barre.
Sounds perfect to me! I’ve been loving barre classes too. There are also some pretty decent free online videos I’ve found that I like to do when I can’t make a class. Thanks for sharing; I was purely being nosey. haha!
Happy Birthday to your mom!!
I always used to shop the Nordstrom sale but then I started realizing many of the items they sell at it are made specifically for the sale. They have special tags that say their anniversary prices and once the sale is over they just rip off the bottom of the tag with the sale price and put them on big racks with all the anniversary stuff lumped together instead of dispersing it through the store back with their regular merchandise. I haven’t shopped the sale in a few years though so I’m wondering if maybe they changed this practice?
Happy Birthday to your lovely mama! I hope she has a fantastic birthday weekend 🙂
That watermelon mint smoothie sounds seriously delicious. I wonder if mango and mint would be tasty (because I have mango at home rather than watermelon right now!)
One thing I’m loving this week: Going on a date with my sister tonight! We are four years apart and she is my best friend. She recently came back from a 12 day trip touring around Europe, and our schedules are so different & we haven’t seen too much of each other lately. I am looking forward to spending time with my BFF!
Have a good weekend! Have fun house hunting 🙂
We are new homeowners and I’m pinning up a storm brainstorming decorating ideas. I’ve never really decorated a place before and I’m so excited 🙂
I’m making that smoothie this weekend! I have all the ingredients ready to go and I’m pumped about it! I think I’m going to add coconut milk instead of water to make it more creamy.
Congrats on the new house!
I have those shoes in black. I wore them to a wedding and the tops did rub. You made a good choice letting them go. I do hope you find a similar pair that are much more comfy!
I saw them in black as well and wanted them, too! They are so darn cute. If you find any that are more comfortable, please keep me posted!
I just bought those leggings. And two more pairs of capris, haha. Thanks for the rec!
Those shoes are SO cute. And perfect for Summer. I’m loving Orange is the New Black Season 2 (addicted). I’m also loving topping everything I eat with some nutritional yeast this week -it’s cheesy and nutritious!!!
Such a cute housewarming gift!!
I’m headed to Albuquerque today for a weekend reunion with my sorority sisters! I’m super excited! We’ll spend time at the pool and of course eating good food! Thanks for mentioning the Nordstrom sale because I’m in search for some more professional clothes. Good luck with finding a house too!
Charlotte restaurant week starts today!! You can check out a bunch of the ones that are on your list. All of my favorites are on there already. I am headed to 5Church tonight as it is one of my favorites. I recently discovered how fabulous Greenville, SC is (which is a about a 2 hour drive away) if you ever want a fun day trip. Have you guys looked into going to Riverjam at the Whitewater Center yet on Thursday nights?
Ugh…that Evolution green juice is not for me. I’ve tried it and I do not love the taste. I do like their other flavors especially the orange juice.
I love that pin-able you made of Charlotte restaurants! I meant to comment on your post yesterday, but I absolutely LOVE Toast. We have one in Birmingham, MI and it’s my fav spot for breakfast here. Just went this morning! Happy Weekend and thanks for linking up! xo
House hunting is so exciting! Just a tip, make notes regarding the houses you like because they will all start to blend together once you look at so many! My boyfriend and I are closing on our house at the end of the month 🙂
My dad turns 60 this Sunday, too! Can’t wait to see what you do for her special day!
i’m loving actually making salads again lately – i got super lazy for awhile and now they’re back in my life and delicious!
Good luck with your house hunting! I’ve actually never tried Evolution Fresh before but I’ve seen them and always wanted to give them a try. Those personalized cutting boards are pretty cool! Too bad I already have a ton of cutting boards. I have no idea why I have so many! lol
Happy birthday to your mom! 🙂
I’ve literally never thought to put watermelon in a smoothie, but that would be sooo refreshing! I’m loving the cooler weather, thanks to the ‘polar vortex’. Hope you have a successful house-hunting journey. We looked at 50+ houses before finding ours, which was very discouraging at times, but in the end, we know we ended up where God wants us 🙂
Happy birthday to your sweet mama! I’ve spent my morning narrowing down my Nordstrom purchases haha, almost there 🙂 Checking our your recommendations now!
That Zella tank is sooo cute; I’ll definitely be hitting up the Anniversary Sale (plus Ebates = 6% cash back!)
The Zella capris from Nordstroms are THE best!!!
Oh no! Your link to the Nordstrom sale just may have me buying some new boots for Fall! The ones I’ve had for years fell apart after last season so I see it as necessary and justifiable investment of course.
Best of luck with house hunting! I’ll definitely be checking out the Nordstrom sale, too 😉 Hope you have a great weekend! xo
My husband and I are house hunting for our first too! Looking at houses is my absolute favorite (and current obsession).
Things I’m loving this week – VACATION!! It has been so nice to get things done around my home – working in the gardens, finally hanging some art, blinds, curtains etc. I sold my last home in November, and went back to renting until I found my current house, so I know what it’s like to be on the market, twice…and I highly suggest waiting for the right property – you’ll know when you see it! I had my eye on a property in November, but we couldn’t come to an agreement on price. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because then I found my current place and could not be happier. I had barely made it into the house before I knew it had to be mine – it was well worth the wait!! Happy house hunting, and to answer your question – no, 8 is not ambitious. I lost track of how many I went to see…it’s important to not get discouraged and overwhelmed, but not to settle either. Good luck, and Happy Birthday to your mom:)
This week I love the SUN!! I’m over in western Washington and it has been sunny and warm which is such a treat! 🙂 I’ve been admiring your Florida photos, and now NC photos and have been slightly jealous of the weather but now I’m getting it too!
Ps. LOVE those shoes!
Just found out I am moving to Charlotte so that list is super helpful. So excited!
Yay!!
Good Luck with house hunting! My best friend just moved down there to the Matthews area and really likes it! I know South Carolina may be a farther drive but the housing is much cheaper!
The big 60! I bet you have something crafty up your sleeve! Well on done on restraining from buying the shoes they are super cute but not worth the pain!
Oh my gosh, your mom and I have the same birthday! I’ve NEVER known someone who has the same birthday as me! It’s so cool to finally know someone that shares my birthday, even if I don’t actually know your mom! 😛 Happy birthday to your mom!
That cutting board is the cutest thing I’ve seen all day!
I’m just loving the fact that it’s finally the weekend! Good luck with the house hunting 🙂
My mom’s 60th birthday was last Sunday! I made her this fun frame that read 60 things I love about my mom that I found an idea for on Pinterest, she loved it! I am going to go home and try to make this watermelon smoothie right now, I have all the ingredients on hand. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mert’s Heart & Soul in Uptown serves the BEST cornbread I’ve ever had!! Definitely worth a try!
I really want to try that juice it looks so good! And that smoothie..yum!
Happy house-hunting! And happy birthday to your mom! 🙂
Here are some things I’m loving on this fabulous friday: http://daybydaymasterpiece.com/2014/07/18/fabulous-friday-27-washington-d-c-recap-edition/