Life Lately | Summer Wind Down
Happy Monday everyone! LOL is that a thing? Or should I just throw a fist in the air and wish everyone the strength to survive? Either way, I hope your week is off to a great start after a fun weekend!
We're hanging out down in Hilton Head this week for my annual family vacation. We've been coming down here since I was wearing swimmies, so it's pretty cool to be here with my own tiny human being. I'll be sure to post pics from our trip once we're home but you can follow along in the meantime over on my Instagram.
Before we left, we really got into the late summer spirit by spending its final days enjoying the outdoors and hanging with family and friends. Every few months we get the whole Hometown Lovin' group together to grab dinner and drinks somewhere around town. All in, we're over 20 deep and most of us have children - small children - so when we go out, we go out.
This time we went to Zambras, a Spanish tapas restaurant in downtown Asheville. It's tucked into a grotto-like niche on Walnut Street which adds to its ambience. I've been going to Zambras since I was in high school, and I was glad to see it's still thriving and as delicious as ever!
Between the menu and nightly specials, Zambras had about 50 things to choose from it felt like. Mike usually has a hard time filling up at tapas restaurants so we erred on the side of caution and ordered a LOT. My favorites were the gnocchi, flank steak, and pork belly deconstructed BLT. Oh -- and the Zambrarita, a chipotle-blackberry margarita concoction. Let's just say I had more than one.
It's pretty dim inside the restaurant so forgive my somewhat grainy, brightened photos.
Don't worry, I didn't personally order this fine beverage...but every guy at the table did. I took a sip and it tasted like a bad decision circa 11th grade. I prefer to wash my dinner down with a cocktail or Spanish red over something you buy at a gas station that contains the word "malt."
After dinner, the guys split off to go handle their fantasy football draft while the girls headed to Sky Bar for drinks. The whole bar is basically located on a fire escape so it fills up quickly. Luckily they have a bar in the lobby to order drinks from while you wait on the old timey elevator to take you up to the top. It's worth the wait, though. You can't beat the view.
I only had time to quickly down a glass of wine before I had to head home. Still, it was worth it to spend time with these longtime friends. I miss girl time.
I wore my new feather print shirt dress and favorite lace-up sandals to dinner. It's super comfortable, easy to nurse in, and it's got a simple-chic Parisian thing going on that I just love. I'm already planning to wear it with tights and a sweater when the heat turns down. I got a size small and it fits well.
Are you guys familiar with Goodnight Macaroon? I'm pretty obsessed. Their perfectly slouchy sweaters, pretty tops, and flirty dresses always catch my eye. They made the above dress and also this cute fringed top which keeps popping up in their weekly flash sales for under $40. I posted this photo on my Instagram page and Goodnight Macaroon reposted it on theirs! Big moment for a budding blogger...
It's HARD to believe Harlow is approaching the 40 week mark. It still feels like those early, I-just-pushed-a-baby-out-and-I'll-probably-never-get-to-sleep-again days were just yesterday. Probably because of that nasty, Mercury retrograde-fueled sleep regression from which we just emerged. Insert shudder. It was hell, pure T hell. But then I look at this face and I'm like you are an angel from heaven and you do no wrong.
It's been so beautiful in Asheville the past several days, and there's no place I love spending time outdoors more than on my parents' deck. Their house sits on several acres off the road so in the summertime you get this amazing treehouse effect that just puts me in my happy place. We ate dinner al fresco and got so cracked up when Harlow kept trying to feed my parents' golden retriever, Gracie, her apple slices.
Harlow and I went over to The Baggie Goose to pick out a few cards. When I lived in Charleston, I adored Mac & Murphy's cute, often irreverent, paper goods selection and I'm so excited to learn a local store carries a similar stock. These were some favorites.
OMG pick it up FOR THE LOVE OF PETE!
And put that dish in the dishwasher.
A woman who feels comfortable wearing a tie, cummerbund, AND super sized '80s poufy shoulders is nobody's bitch.
Because actual human interaction and decency is apparently not a valued commodity these days. Cheese and rice.
How great are these floating shelves?
Couldn't resist making our mark on the crossword wall before we left. Gracie's name was already up there, a cute coinky-dink.
While we're on the subject of fave local stores, y'all know Scout is my jam. I had so much fun picking out some early fall favorites in Dema's beautiful shop. That zebra print dress is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait to share some upcoming OOTD posts featuring more pieces like those lace joggers and that embroidered dress!
Labor Day weekend rolled in with the perfect weather and the arrival of college football! My Tar Heels didn't kick off until 5:30PM so we decided to go enjoy the beautiful day and pass the time outside. We took Harlow and the dogs over to the awesome playground here in Biltmore Park. It doesn't have swings so there's really not much we can do with her yet except go down the short slide. She wasn't too sure about it. I couldn't resist taking a trip down the long corkscrew slide...my hair couldn't resist the static electricity.
Next stop: Thirsty Monk for a beer! We originally had tickets to the Georgia-UNC game before Mike's work trip got scheduled, so I was trying to get into the tailgating spirit in my own little way.
Like all serious football tailgaters, Harlow passed out before kick off and woke up with the cutest case of Alfalfa bedhead.
We put on our official game day attire before going to my parents' house for the game. Old Navy carries a large variety of branded college and NFL tees in both men's, women's, and children's sizes. I picked up this heathered navy v-neck and these frayed ankle jeans that I'm obsessed with - SO flattering! Given how inexpensive they were I'm very pleasantly surprised with them. Do size down though. They stretch out quickly.
My dad found Harlow's dress at Cracker Barrel......?
At halftime we zipped down the street to our friends' new house for their official housewarming/Labor Day cookout. They had kegs of two of my favorite local beers: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (for me, the PA standard), and Asheville Brewing's Perfect Day. Sipping on a cold beer, celebrating an exciting moment in time for our good friends, surrounded by even more friends, with a view of our beloved mountains...what a happy moment. (PS aren't cafe lights the best?).
Before Mike took off on Sunday we squeezed in brunch at Tupelo Honey. Just typing this sentence has sparked a craving for their biscuits and blueberry jam. I always, always get the Venerated Veggie Bowl. Grits, black-eyed peas, salsa, kale, and fried okra. Like...obviously I have to get it.
With a flight on the horizon Mike went big and ordered the Queen Mary, an impressive libation if I do say so myself. In a former life, I definitely could've posted up at the bar and brunched so hard for a couple hours.
That's a wrap for now! Look for a new outfit post on Wednesday spotlighting a dark horse candidate for dress of the year.
With love to you and yours,
xxBrooke