It's the first weekend of October and as any of you who read this may notice, there were no posts in the month of September. More than anything, that's just because it was a busy month! We started off with a Labor Day camping trip to Asheville, NC with Danny and Sherry. It was still plenty warm up in the mountains of North Carolina, but we enjoyed doing some walking around at the NC Arboretum (hiking trails, botanical garden), eating at some unique restaurants including Tupelo Honey Cafe and Jack of the Wood Pub, and relaxing as much as possible.
As September progressed, Nathan and I both entered our "busy seasons" at work. The students came back in full force at Duke at the end of August and the first month of school included our Fall Career Fair, Mock Interview Day, my hosting 2 Experts-in-Residence from DC, and training a new class of Career Ambassadors. And Nathan's been busy as ever, balancing multiple clients around the state.
Mid-month, we took a trip to Blacksburg to watch the Hokies play Arkansas State. It was a brief visit back to campus, but fun because we got to tailgate with friends and family, enjoy the cooler weather, and watch VT win. We even stayed up late to eat dinner at a local favorite spot, Macado's, before heading back to Rocky Mount and falling asleep.
Last but not least, Nathan and I celebrated Rosh Hashanah during the last week of September with a sweet meal for a sweet new year -- round, raisin-studded challah from La Farm Bakery, a sweet potato and lentil chili, and sugar free banana pudding parfaits :).
BOOM, here we are in October! A favorite month in the Reynolds' household due to the fall weather and colors outside, the abundance of pumpkin-flavored treats, Halloween, and Nathan's birthday. This year, we get an extra special treat because Corey and Pat are getting married in Key West, Florida, which means a nice vacation for Nathan and myself as well. No doubt this month will fly by, as well, but I at least wanted to provide a little update for our readers ;).
Happy October and we hope to see you soon!
With love,
The Reynolds'
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Mexican Quinoa
Since I just put this recipe together to share with a coworker, I wanted to post it here as well. This is one of our favorite meals -- we even ate it for dinner tonight! Packed with protein and flavor. Enjoy!
Mexican Quinoa
1.5 cups quinoa
3 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups frozen corn (thawed, if possible)
1.5 cups salsa
1 cup 2% mexican cheese (or more if desired)
1. Mix water and quinoa in a medium pot.
2. Bring mixture to a boil on HIGH heat.
3. Reduce heat to LOW and cover. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes or so.
4. Once quinoa is ready (liquid will have been absorbed and you will see the little white "rings" on the quinoa), stir in the rest of the ingredients.
5. Put on MEDIUM heat and warm through. Divide among 4 bowls.
Makes 4 servings
Mexican Quinoa
1.5 cups quinoa
3 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups frozen corn (thawed, if possible)
1.5 cups salsa
1 cup 2% mexican cheese (or more if desired)
1. Mix water and quinoa in a medium pot.
2. Bring mixture to a boil on HIGH heat.
3. Reduce heat to LOW and cover. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes or so.
4. Once quinoa is ready (liquid will have been absorbed and you will see the little white "rings" on the quinoa), stir in the rest of the ingredients.
5. Put on MEDIUM heat and warm through. Divide among 4 bowls.
Makes 4 servings
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Wedding Coordinator, Part 2
This past weekend I served as the day-of coordinator my my boss's daughter's wedding in Asheville, NC. No, wedding planning is not a new "side hustle" for me, contrary to the impression given by my coordinating 2 this summer. However, I am glad I could use my organizational skills to make two great families' special days run smoothly.
The photographers from this weekend (AJ & Kyle of AJ Dunlap Photography) just posted some great photos of Kelly and Brian's wedding day on their blog. Feel free to check them out -- gorgeous decor, a beautiful bride, and an all-together great time :).
Enjoy: http://ajdunlapblog.com/?p=3730
The photographers from this weekend (AJ & Kyle of AJ Dunlap Photography) just posted some great photos of Kelly and Brian's wedding day on their blog. Feel free to check them out -- gorgeous decor, a beautiful bride, and an all-together great time :).
Enjoy: http://ajdunlapblog.com/?p=3730
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
July = Crazy
Soooo it's been over a month since our last post. BUT that has been for good reason! Since I last updated you all, I've traveled to Texas, DC, and Pennsylvania, and am currently working through a 4-day certification class on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (personality assessment tool we use in career counseling).
Texas (San Antonio, specifically) was for the annual National Career Development Association Conference -- my first time attending the event and a great learning and networking experience. I ate some good food, engaged with nice and inspiring people, and had a very positive experience. The only real challenge was when my colleague and I literally had to RUN to catch our connecting flight from Dallas to Raleigh on the way home -- phew!! At least when I got back to NC, Dillon and Christina were waiting for me, and Nate and I got to entertain them for the 4th of July weekend.
Days later, I flew to Washington, DC with two colleagues as part of an employer and alumni development trip. We visited with 6 individuals from various industries and offices, and attended a fun networking event for Duke students and alums from the Public Policy department. The best part of the adventure was getting to see David and Julianne, have dinner at their new house, and learn that they're expecting their first child (yay!!). Unfortunately I got sick between the TX and DC trips and was quite sniffly for over a week. No fun to have a summer cold, but glad I was able to come home and conquer the illness before our family vacation to PA.
This year, Danny, Sherry, Nathan, and I spent our annual week-long summer vacation in Hershey, PA. Last year we went to Savannah/Tybee Island, Georgia, and we were hoping to find cooler weather by driving a few hours north. While it was still plenty hot up in Pennsylvania, we enjoyed spending our days experiencing Hershey attractions, checking out Philly, and eating and shopping our way through Lancaster (aka: Amish Country). I spent most of our vacation enjoying tasty treats (my fave = a double dark chocolate cookie from Hershey's World of Chocolate), reading, and just enjoying time with the fam. It was nice just getting away and not having to do anything work-related for a whole week :).
So now Nate and I are back in Cary, both busy with work stuff, and even though we're done traveling for a while, we still have plenty going on. The month of July has been insane and I can't believe it's almost August, aka: the month of students returning to campus in full force. Luckily, it's also the month that Corey and Pat move to NC, I get to help coordinate my boss's daughter's wedding, and I get my hair cut and colored for the first time since January (woo!). See you in August :)
Texas (San Antonio, specifically) was for the annual National Career Development Association Conference -- my first time attending the event and a great learning and networking experience. I ate some good food, engaged with nice and inspiring people, and had a very positive experience. The only real challenge was when my colleague and I literally had to RUN to catch our connecting flight from Dallas to Raleigh on the way home -- phew!! At least when I got back to NC, Dillon and Christina were waiting for me, and Nate and I got to entertain them for the 4th of July weekend.
Days later, I flew to Washington, DC with two colleagues as part of an employer and alumni development trip. We visited with 6 individuals from various industries and offices, and attended a fun networking event for Duke students and alums from the Public Policy department. The best part of the adventure was getting to see David and Julianne, have dinner at their new house, and learn that they're expecting their first child (yay!!). Unfortunately I got sick between the TX and DC trips and was quite sniffly for over a week. No fun to have a summer cold, but glad I was able to come home and conquer the illness before our family vacation to PA.
This year, Danny, Sherry, Nathan, and I spent our annual week-long summer vacation in Hershey, PA. Last year we went to Savannah/Tybee Island, Georgia, and we were hoping to find cooler weather by driving a few hours north. While it was still plenty hot up in Pennsylvania, we enjoyed spending our days experiencing Hershey attractions, checking out Philly, and eating and shopping our way through Lancaster (aka: Amish Country). I spent most of our vacation enjoying tasty treats (my fave = a double dark chocolate cookie from Hershey's World of Chocolate), reading, and just enjoying time with the fam. It was nice just getting away and not having to do anything work-related for a whole week :).
So now Nate and I are back in Cary, both busy with work stuff, and even though we're done traveling for a while, we still have plenty going on. The month of July has been insane and I can't believe it's almost August, aka: the month of students returning to campus in full force. Luckily, it's also the month that Corey and Pat move to NC, I get to help coordinate my boss's daughter's wedding, and I get my hair cut and colored for the first time since January (woo!). See you in August :)
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| Outside Fireside Tavern in Lancaster, where we enjoyed the best tomato soup ever!! |
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| Does this photo really need a caption? YUM!! |
Friday, June 24, 2011
Mazel Tovs All Around
This blog seems like the right place to report a few bits of happy news for the Reynolds family at large. As June comes to a close, I feel lucky to celebrate the month in which...
-Aubrey graduated from high school. She'll be attending VCU in Richmond this fall.
-Dillon started his first real job after college. He is now an Associate Account Manager at Royall & Company, a marketing firm in Richmond.
-Josh got a full-time job in Northern Virginia. As much as we'd like to move ALL our family down to the Raleigh area, it appears Josh has impressed folks up in the DC area with his media skills. He recently secured an A/V Specialist role at National Captioning Institute, starting later this month.
-Corey and Pat are planning a move to North Carolina. Corey rocked her interview down here a few weeks ago and was offered a marketing/social media position with FGI Research in Chapel Hill, starting in August.
-Katie & Zach got married. We were lucky to be able to help out and celebrate at the Haney's wedding on June 4th.
and last but not least, the closest to home...
-I was promoted to Assistant Director at the Duke Career Center! After 2 years as a Career Advisor, I was rewarded for my efforts and the new title goes into effect July 1 :).
"Mavel tov's!" all around and thanks to everyone who supported me during the long waiting process for my own news, ha. Love you!!
-Aubrey graduated from high school. She'll be attending VCU in Richmond this fall.
-Dillon started his first real job after college. He is now an Associate Account Manager at Royall & Company, a marketing firm in Richmond.
-Josh got a full-time job in Northern Virginia. As much as we'd like to move ALL our family down to the Raleigh area, it appears Josh has impressed folks up in the DC area with his media skills. He recently secured an A/V Specialist role at National Captioning Institute, starting later this month.
-Corey and Pat are planning a move to North Carolina. Corey rocked her interview down here a few weeks ago and was offered a marketing/social media position with FGI Research in Chapel Hill, starting in August.
-Katie & Zach got married. We were lucky to be able to help out and celebrate at the Haney's wedding on June 4th.
and last but not least, the closest to home...
-I was promoted to Assistant Director at the Duke Career Center! After 2 years as a Career Advisor, I was rewarded for my efforts and the new title goes into effect July 1 :).
"Mavel tov's!" all around and thanks to everyone who supported me during the long waiting process for my own news, ha. Love you!!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
New Couches!
Hope you are not getting whiplash from the quickness of our posts these past few days ;). Suddenly it seems we just have more to post and more random pockets of time to do so.
Over Memorial Day weekend, we picked out two new couches for the den and they were delivered last Friday. Here are some photos of the new den set-up:
Over Memorial Day weekend, we picked out two new couches for the den and they were delivered last Friday. Here are some photos of the new den set-up:
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| Now our den feels cohesive and put-together with the addition of 2 couches |
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| We made sure that whatever couches we picked had soft, plushy armrests so people could lie down on them to watch TV |
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| Each couch sits 3 people, so now we can have at least 8 people lounging at one time, |
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| We especially liked how our couches came with cute pillows that bring in some of the green from our loveseat |
Friday, June 10, 2011
Restaurants Worth Trying in Cary/Morrisville (Also Part 1)
To continue on with my restaurant review series (which you folks out there may or may not be actually reading, but it serves as a great list for me to remember when we're deciding where to eat each week, ha), I'll now focus on the area of town Nate and I have called home for the past 2 years: Cary/Morrisville. Even when we were living in Raleigh during my NC State days, we still drove to Cary to do much of our shopping and eating. So here are some of our faves around here:
Starting closest to our current home, the place Nathan has probably frequented the most is Buffalo Wings and Rings in Grace Park. We often pick up orders there, and they literally know Nathan by name, so it's safe to say this restaurant is a staple for the Reynolds Fam. Nathan is dedicated to their wings, whether coated in Sweet BBQ or Crazy Garlic-Q sauce. I can vouch for their chicken pita and fries. They have particularly tasty blue cheese dressing, as well. Also in that shopping center, we appreciate non-chain spots like Pepper's Market & Sandwich Shop. The owners there are super nice, and they have some great creative sandwiches there. My personal favorite thing on the menu is their black bean burger - yummo.
Across the street from the aforementioned Grace Park shopping center there are a few more restaurants we enjoy. The first is Georgina's, an authentic, casual Italian restaurant that serves great pizza (try the BBQ chicken pizza!), pasta, and more. They also have live music some evenings and a nice outdoor dining space. A few doors down is a definite local gem, Morrisville Deli. This is definitely NY style, with an incredible selection of sandwiches, side dishes, and desserts. Our personal favorite is their ginormous black and white cookie which is more like a small cake than a cookie, ha. Seating is limited here, so come on off-peak times or pick up an order to take home. One NEW local favorite is the frozen yogurt shop, YoPop, which opened in the Food Lion shopping center about a month ago. It's self-serve (both for the froyo and the many different toppings) and the prices are actually very reasonable since they determine it by weight and they give you a membership card after spending $5 that gives you 10% off every future visit. We try to make YoPop a weekly stop :).
Driving down the road a bit towards Cary proper, we can definitely speak to the deliciousness of Tribeca Tavern. Boasting local beers, cheeses, and meats, this is a place we take MOST guests who come to visit. It's a nice big restaurant (with outdoor seating upstairs on the balcony and on the porches downstairs) with some huge and tasty burgers (Nate's favorite is the Wolfpack and mine is the You're My Boy Blue burger with the beef swapped out for their awesome black and white bean burger). They also have good pizzas, salads, sweet potato fries, and tons more. Definitely worth checking out! A few steps away from Tribeca is Cafe Caturra, one of my personal favorite places to meet girlfriends for dinner and drinks. This is a small chain place with locations in VA and NC, but it just recently made its way to Cary. They have a wine bar that you can sample from before ordering a glass and lots of unique sandwiches, soups, and small plates to enjoy. Indoor and outdoor seating here, including a fireplace that blazes in the winter. Driving a mile or two down High House, Stonewood Grill & Tavern has great bread, pot roast (per Nate), Asian chicken salad (per me), wine list, and desserts. The atmosphere is also ideal -- fancy but not too stuffy, with warm lighting and comfortable booths. A nice bar as well, with weekly martini specials. Our last spot to mention in the Davis Drive & High House area Goodberry's Frozen Custard. If the name doesn't sell you already, imagine a Triangle-area treasure that makes fresh frozen custard every hour on-site (you can see it churning out!) and has tons of mix-ins that you can use to create your own "concrete" blended treat. We appreciate that Goodberry's has a No-Sugar Added Vanilla flavor in addition to their usual chocolate, vanilla, and daily special flavors. Goodberry's has a few locations around the Raleigh area, but this one is closest to where we live, and thus our new fave.
Back in "Mo'ville," Randy's Pizza is our favorite NY pizza place in town, with huge, thin slices that you can get in a 2-slice combo for a great price. Saffron is a DELICIOUS but more upscale Indian restaurant that I've now been to twice and have liked every single thing I've tried. Another nicer place that we save for special occasions and often bring guests to is Nikos Taverna. This is an authentic Greek restaurant with a nice ambiance, great service, a reasonable couple's special Tues-Thurs, and delicious items like spanakopita, saganaki (flaming cheese!), and stuffed tomatoes. Nikos has a sister restaurant in Durham near where I work called Taverna Nikos -- creative, right? Two Guys Grille is a super casual, beachy sports bar that started in Wilmington, NC but has a location right behind our old townhouse in Morrisville (same shopping center as Randy's and Saffron). They have beer specials daily, and our favorite thing on the menu is the philly's -- I get a black bean philly and Nate gets the cheesesteak. Both of us can't resist their sweet potato fries with sweet cinnamon butter to dip in. Rounding out this particular shopping center is Tossed, another chain place with just a few other locations throughout the US. This is the place I think we've both picked up food the most from over the past two years. They have awesome, unique salad options, as well as wraps, mini pizzas, and more. Easy, quick, consistent, and relatively healthy :).
Since this post is getting quite long, I'll just mention a few more places. Lubranos is our go-to Italian pick-up place since Nathan loves their baked ravioli and I enjoy anything they make with pink sauce :). Neomonde (also has a location in Raleigh) serves some of the best hummus and pita I've ever tasted. Ginza has great Japanese food, and you can either sit at the tables where they make the hibachi dishes in front of you, or on the other side of the restaurant where you order like a normal restaurant. I just tried An the other week and it is a beautiful Asian-fusion place with great service and food. In regards to local BBQ places, though our FAVORITE is in Raleigh (to be mentioned later), in this area we'd recommend Dixie Bell's Smokehouse and Smokey's Shack, both of which are uber casual. Village Deli has great philly chicken subs and cheesesteaks, and I had my 25th birthday dinner at a lovely "new-southern" restaurant called Lucky 32 that prides itself on an extensive wine list and a menu items that change seasonally.
As you can see, Nathan and I have done lots of eating over the past few years since we've been living in and near Cary, NC. We definitely encourage you to check out some of our favorite spots...and since we live nearby, feel free to invite us along :).
Starting closest to our current home, the place Nathan has probably frequented the most is Buffalo Wings and Rings in Grace Park. We often pick up orders there, and they literally know Nathan by name, so it's safe to say this restaurant is a staple for the Reynolds Fam. Nathan is dedicated to their wings, whether coated in Sweet BBQ or Crazy Garlic-Q sauce. I can vouch for their chicken pita and fries. They have particularly tasty blue cheese dressing, as well. Also in that shopping center, we appreciate non-chain spots like Pepper's Market & Sandwich Shop. The owners there are super nice, and they have some great creative sandwiches there. My personal favorite thing on the menu is their black bean burger - yummo.
Across the street from the aforementioned Grace Park shopping center there are a few more restaurants we enjoy. The first is Georgina's, an authentic, casual Italian restaurant that serves great pizza (try the BBQ chicken pizza!), pasta, and more. They also have live music some evenings and a nice outdoor dining space. A few doors down is a definite local gem, Morrisville Deli. This is definitely NY style, with an incredible selection of sandwiches, side dishes, and desserts. Our personal favorite is their ginormous black and white cookie which is more like a small cake than a cookie, ha. Seating is limited here, so come on off-peak times or pick up an order to take home. One NEW local favorite is the frozen yogurt shop, YoPop, which opened in the Food Lion shopping center about a month ago. It's self-serve (both for the froyo and the many different toppings) and the prices are actually very reasonable since they determine it by weight and they give you a membership card after spending $5 that gives you 10% off every future visit. We try to make YoPop a weekly stop :).
Driving down the road a bit towards Cary proper, we can definitely speak to the deliciousness of Tribeca Tavern. Boasting local beers, cheeses, and meats, this is a place we take MOST guests who come to visit. It's a nice big restaurant (with outdoor seating upstairs on the balcony and on the porches downstairs) with some huge and tasty burgers (Nate's favorite is the Wolfpack and mine is the You're My Boy Blue burger with the beef swapped out for their awesome black and white bean burger). They also have good pizzas, salads, sweet potato fries, and tons more. Definitely worth checking out! A few steps away from Tribeca is Cafe Caturra, one of my personal favorite places to meet girlfriends for dinner and drinks. This is a small chain place with locations in VA and NC, but it just recently made its way to Cary. They have a wine bar that you can sample from before ordering a glass and lots of unique sandwiches, soups, and small plates to enjoy. Indoor and outdoor seating here, including a fireplace that blazes in the winter. Driving a mile or two down High House, Stonewood Grill & Tavern has great bread, pot roast (per Nate), Asian chicken salad (per me), wine list, and desserts. The atmosphere is also ideal -- fancy but not too stuffy, with warm lighting and comfortable booths. A nice bar as well, with weekly martini specials. Our last spot to mention in the Davis Drive & High House area Goodberry's Frozen Custard. If the name doesn't sell you already, imagine a Triangle-area treasure that makes fresh frozen custard every hour on-site (you can see it churning out!) and has tons of mix-ins that you can use to create your own "concrete" blended treat. We appreciate that Goodberry's has a No-Sugar Added Vanilla flavor in addition to their usual chocolate, vanilla, and daily special flavors. Goodberry's has a few locations around the Raleigh area, but this one is closest to where we live, and thus our new fave.
Back in "Mo'ville," Randy's Pizza is our favorite NY pizza place in town, with huge, thin slices that you can get in a 2-slice combo for a great price. Saffron is a DELICIOUS but more upscale Indian restaurant that I've now been to twice and have liked every single thing I've tried. Another nicer place that we save for special occasions and often bring guests to is Nikos Taverna. This is an authentic Greek restaurant with a nice ambiance, great service, a reasonable couple's special Tues-Thurs, and delicious items like spanakopita, saganaki (flaming cheese!), and stuffed tomatoes. Nikos has a sister restaurant in Durham near where I work called Taverna Nikos -- creative, right? Two Guys Grille is a super casual, beachy sports bar that started in Wilmington, NC but has a location right behind our old townhouse in Morrisville (same shopping center as Randy's and Saffron). They have beer specials daily, and our favorite thing on the menu is the philly's -- I get a black bean philly and Nate gets the cheesesteak. Both of us can't resist their sweet potato fries with sweet cinnamon butter to dip in. Rounding out this particular shopping center is Tossed, another chain place with just a few other locations throughout the US. This is the place I think we've both picked up food the most from over the past two years. They have awesome, unique salad options, as well as wraps, mini pizzas, and more. Easy, quick, consistent, and relatively healthy :).
Since this post is getting quite long, I'll just mention a few more places. Lubranos is our go-to Italian pick-up place since Nathan loves their baked ravioli and I enjoy anything they make with pink sauce :). Neomonde (also has a location in Raleigh) serves some of the best hummus and pita I've ever tasted. Ginza has great Japanese food, and you can either sit at the tables where they make the hibachi dishes in front of you, or on the other side of the restaurant where you order like a normal restaurant. I just tried An the other week and it is a beautiful Asian-fusion place with great service and food. In regards to local BBQ places, though our FAVORITE is in Raleigh (to be mentioned later), in this area we'd recommend Dixie Bell's Smokehouse and Smokey's Shack, both of which are uber casual. Village Deli has great philly chicken subs and cheesesteaks, and I had my 25th birthday dinner at a lovely "new-southern" restaurant called Lucky 32 that prides itself on an extensive wine list and a menu items that change seasonally.
As you can see, Nathan and I have done lots of eating over the past few years since we've been living in and near Cary, NC. We definitely encourage you to check out some of our favorite spots...and since we live nearby, feel free to invite us along :).
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Mr. & Mrs. Haney
Sorry it's been a few weeks since our last post. We've been spending most of our time buying new couches (photos coming soon!), having guests stay with us, making time to go to the gym, and participating in Katie & Zach's wedding.
Last weekend, Nathan's cousin Katie Hancock and her then-fiance Zach Haney became husband and wife at the Belmont Estate in Reidsville, NC. I served as the wedding coordinator, Nathan was an usher, and Danny and Sherry were around to help out as always, so needless to say we were BUSY those few days!
We had a productive rehearsal of the ceremony Friday evening, followed by a lovely and relaxing rehearsal dinner in the gazebo area of the estate. The next day, we were back at Belmont by 2:30 to begin setting up for the big day. Though it was a very warm summer evening, there was NO RAIN (woo!), the bride looked beautiful, and there were some nice emotional moments throughout the event that filled the day with love. I'm glad we could be a part of making the wedding happen, and we wish Katie and Zach lots of fun on their honeymoon cruise!
Last weekend, Nathan's cousin Katie Hancock and her then-fiance Zach Haney became husband and wife at the Belmont Estate in Reidsville, NC. I served as the wedding coordinator, Nathan was an usher, and Danny and Sherry were around to help out as always, so needless to say we were BUSY those few days!
We had a productive rehearsal of the ceremony Friday evening, followed by a lovely and relaxing rehearsal dinner in the gazebo area of the estate. The next day, we were back at Belmont by 2:30 to begin setting up for the big day. Though it was a very warm summer evening, there was NO RAIN (woo!), the bride looked beautiful, and there were some nice emotional moments throughout the event that filled the day with love. I'm glad we could be a part of making the wedding happen, and we wish Katie and Zach lots of fun on their honeymoon cruise!
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| The happy couple! |
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Graduation & Grandparents
This past weekend, Nathan and I headed to Virginia to celebrate Dillon's graduation from UVA. Though we're in no rush to return to that campus (Hokies Forever!! Haha), we were very glad to share in the celebration. And to top it all off, my grandparents (G&G Lieber) were able to be there as well. It had been about a year and a half since I'd seen either of them, and we were all happy to be together, even just for a few days. Here are some photos from Dill's big day.
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| Aunt Hilary, Christina, Dillon, Samara, & Nathan |
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| Hilary, Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dillon, Dad, Samara, & Nate |
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| Dill with Mom & Dad |
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Kitchen + Dining Nook
This week's photos are of our kitchen and dining nook. Our downstairs area is very open, so someone who is cooking or cleaning up after a meal can still talk to guests, watch tv, and see what's going on. It was fun picking out the countertops, cabinets, flooring, and appliances during the building process, and we are getting more and more used to the flow and organization of our kitchen each day. We've already had a few friends and family members over to eat and relax with us -- hopefully many more in the years to come!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Restaurants Worth Trying in Durham: Part 1
I was trying to think of other things I want to share on this blog now that the house is complete and we won't have AS many major house-related posts in the months to come.
Based on a lovely tea + scone experience this morning, I decided I wanted to share my knowledge of delicious restaurants with others. For those that don't live in the Raleigh/Durham area, you may not find this super relevant, but if you visit and want to try one that I mention along the way, certainly let me know :).
I'm starting with Durham, and I put Part 1 because I know there will be more posts as time goes on. I am always ready to try new tasty places, especially if I don't have to drive there ;).
Today's star was Rue Cler, a french-inspired bakery and cafe downtown. I had Vanilla Grapefruit White Tea (in my own little teapot!) and a fresh chocolate chip scone. Yum. My friend had an egg, cheese, and bacon sandwich that looked amazing (minus the bacon, of course, ha) and apparently Rue Cler is known for their beignets as well. And the atmosphere inside (especially in the cafe/dining room section) was just fancy enough to make my coffee date with a colleague feel special. Would definitely go back.
A few more downtown Durham favorites include Toast, where my favorite thing is their crostini with warm goat cheese, honey, and black pepper. I could eat 20 of them if you let me. Across the street from Toast is Dos Perros, which is an upscale Mexican restaurant. Guacamole and chips particularly tasty. North of Duke is another local gem called Watts Grocery, which is actually not a grocery store at all, but a quaint restaurant and bar. It has a great casual-chic vibe and an ever-changing menu reflecting local and seasonal fare. I take new Duke employees here a lot, so I've noticed.
Another place worth mentioning in the Bull City is Thai Cafe. The same friend I ate with today took me to this place a few months ago, and I have gone back at least 2-3 times since. They have great lunch specials, including my favorite: Noodle Bowl w/Tofu, which comes with a delicious coconut soup (or salad with peanut-ginger dressing, if you prefer), all for less than $8. Awesome. And the best part? Thai Cafe is in the same shopping center as my other new obsession, Local Yogurt. I am very happy they recently opened a new location in Erwin Square, closer to my office and another local fave Nosh. Order the Red Velvet frozen yogurt with Organic Brownies mixed in. Thank me later. Also in the 15-501/University area, The Q Shack is local and very casual (great hush puppies, cobblers, and pulled chicken bbq), and both Foster's Market (french toast & cookies!!) and Guglhupf (scones!!) have amazing bakeries, brunches, and places to relax with friends, family, or a good book.
Venturing more towards Duke's campus, I recommend the chips and queso at Blue Corn Cafe on Ninth Street. They also have some interesting and tasty options, including a Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew. Also on Ninth Street, Elmo's Diner is a legendary local establishment serving breakfast all day (had Sweet Potato Pancakes for lunch the other day with my coworker who had Blueberry). Fun atmosphere but not excellent parking -- get their before or after the brunch and lunch rush! Another good standby near Duke is Mad Hatter's Bakeshop & Cafe. It's a great place to have meetings because there's a parking lot (which you all know I love), it's open and sunny inside, and you can easily enjoy a tasty breakfast, quick lunch, coffee/tea drink, or a tasty cookie or cupcake (for under $2! Yah!). Lots of people sit there all day with their laptops and I have been known to be one of them, but mostly I like to go there with a friend or two. Nathan and I had our 1-year wedding anniversary dinner at Vita, which has a cozy setting and good Italian dishes and service. Last but not least is Pop's, which is off Main Street and has an Apple, Brie, Ricotta, and White Truffle Oil Pizza I could probably eat every day of my life.
In the American Tobacco area, I definitely enjoy the atmosphere and happy hour food specials at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe. The trick is to get there before 5:30pm and take advantage of their $3 appetizer specials. My colleagues and I are planning to capitalize next month on another benefit of Tobacco Road: their awesome patio seating overlooking the Durham Bulls Ballpark. Free baseball games + dinner and drinks with friends after work? Can't wait! Additionally, a super low-key local icon (around since 1942!) one of my former colleagues introduced me to is King's Sandwich Shop. While I'm sure the burgers and hotdogs they're known for are great, the thing I look forward to chowing down on again is their veggie burger! One of the best I've had yet, for sure.
Though there are definitely other places worth mentioning (especially if you polled meat-eating foodies), these are definitely my favorite Durham eateries thus far. If you haven't already tried them, and get the chance to in the future, enjoy...and let me know what you think!
Based on a lovely tea + scone experience this morning, I decided I wanted to share my knowledge of delicious restaurants with others. For those that don't live in the Raleigh/Durham area, you may not find this super relevant, but if you visit and want to try one that I mention along the way, certainly let me know :).
I'm starting with Durham, and I put Part 1 because I know there will be more posts as time goes on. I am always ready to try new tasty places, especially if I don't have to drive there ;).
Today's star was Rue Cler, a french-inspired bakery and cafe downtown. I had Vanilla Grapefruit White Tea (in my own little teapot!) and a fresh chocolate chip scone. Yum. My friend had an egg, cheese, and bacon sandwich that looked amazing (minus the bacon, of course, ha) and apparently Rue Cler is known for their beignets as well. And the atmosphere inside (especially in the cafe/dining room section) was just fancy enough to make my coffee date with a colleague feel special. Would definitely go back.
A few more downtown Durham favorites include Toast, where my favorite thing is their crostini with warm goat cheese, honey, and black pepper. I could eat 20 of them if you let me. Across the street from Toast is Dos Perros, which is an upscale Mexican restaurant. Guacamole and chips particularly tasty. North of Duke is another local gem called Watts Grocery, which is actually not a grocery store at all, but a quaint restaurant and bar. It has a great casual-chic vibe and an ever-changing menu reflecting local and seasonal fare. I take new Duke employees here a lot, so I've noticed.
Another place worth mentioning in the Bull City is Thai Cafe. The same friend I ate with today took me to this place a few months ago, and I have gone back at least 2-3 times since. They have great lunch specials, including my favorite: Noodle Bowl w/Tofu, which comes with a delicious coconut soup (or salad with peanut-ginger dressing, if you prefer), all for less than $8. Awesome. And the best part? Thai Cafe is in the same shopping center as my other new obsession, Local Yogurt. I am very happy they recently opened a new location in Erwin Square, closer to my office and another local fave Nosh. Order the Red Velvet frozen yogurt with Organic Brownies mixed in. Thank me later. Also in the 15-501/University area, The Q Shack is local and very casual (great hush puppies, cobblers, and pulled chicken bbq), and both Foster's Market (french toast & cookies!!) and Guglhupf (scones!!) have amazing bakeries, brunches, and places to relax with friends, family, or a good book.
Venturing more towards Duke's campus, I recommend the chips and queso at Blue Corn Cafe on Ninth Street. They also have some interesting and tasty options, including a Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew. Also on Ninth Street, Elmo's Diner is a legendary local establishment serving breakfast all day (had Sweet Potato Pancakes for lunch the other day with my coworker who had Blueberry). Fun atmosphere but not excellent parking -- get their before or after the brunch and lunch rush! Another good standby near Duke is Mad Hatter's Bakeshop & Cafe. It's a great place to have meetings because there's a parking lot (which you all know I love), it's open and sunny inside, and you can easily enjoy a tasty breakfast, quick lunch, coffee/tea drink, or a tasty cookie or cupcake (for under $2! Yah!). Lots of people sit there all day with their laptops and I have been known to be one of them, but mostly I like to go there with a friend or two. Nathan and I had our 1-year wedding anniversary dinner at Vita, which has a cozy setting and good Italian dishes and service. Last but not least is Pop's, which is off Main Street and has an Apple, Brie, Ricotta, and White Truffle Oil Pizza I could probably eat every day of my life.
In the American Tobacco area, I definitely enjoy the atmosphere and happy hour food specials at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe. The trick is to get there before 5:30pm and take advantage of their $3 appetizer specials. My colleagues and I are planning to capitalize next month on another benefit of Tobacco Road: their awesome patio seating overlooking the Durham Bulls Ballpark. Free baseball games + dinner and drinks with friends after work? Can't wait! Additionally, a super low-key local icon (around since 1942!) one of my former colleagues introduced me to is King's Sandwich Shop. While I'm sure the burgers and hotdogs they're known for are great, the thing I look forward to chowing down on again is their veggie burger! One of the best I've had yet, for sure.
Though there are definitely other places worth mentioning (especially if you polled meat-eating foodies), these are definitely my favorite Durham eateries thus far. If you haven't already tried them, and get the chance to in the future, enjoy...and let me know what you think!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
More fun with fruit
As a follow-up to the roasted peaches and plums I made for Valentine's Day dessert, I enjoyed another tasty roasted fruit dessert last night. A few days ago, I stumbled upon Barefoot Contessa making some sort of meringue cookie dessert thing with roasted berries. I didn't need the former but was very excited to pair the latter with some vanilla frozen yogurt as a dessert for when my friends visited the new house for the first time.
I didn't have a vanilla bean and I didn't buy AS much fruit as Ina does in the recipe, but it was still delicious. Best warmed up, for sure! Enjoy.
Roasted Berries (Makes 6-8 servings)
Place the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries on a sheet pan and toss with the sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.
I didn't have a vanilla bean and I didn't buy AS much fruit as Ina does in the recipe, but it was still delicious. Best warmed up, for sure! Enjoy.
Roasted Berries (Makes 6-8 servings)
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- 2 half-pints fresh raspberries
- 2 half-pints fresh blueberries
- 2 half-pints fresh blackberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Vanilla bean, split and seeds removed (again, we didn't use this part since I didn't have one!)
Place the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries on a sheet pan and toss with the sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
An Enviable Lawn
Not sure if I ever thought Nathan and I would be associated with a lawn that other people would admire. Neither of us were good at, interested in, or really involved much with lawn care growing up (save a summer job that involved Nathan + lots of mulching), and having a lawn to maintain was one of the things we were most anxious about when we bought our own house. We considered hiring lawn care people, but realized it probably wasn't the most fiscally responsible move. No, we would have to do the work ourselves...for better or worse. Only a few weeks after moving in, though, we own a new lawn mower and trimmer, working sprinklers, and what seems to be shaping up into a nice looking yard.
This weekend, Danny and Sherry came back down and the tasks at hand included painting and organizing the garage, putting up two ceiling fans, adding one more shelf to the pantry, and swapping out the pine straw around the trees and shrubs in our front yard for red mulch with stone pavers.
Luckily it was shady most of the morning on Saturday, so the team got lots done without getting too sunburned or exhausted. I rewarded everyone with homemade panini sandwiches and dessert Saturday evening, and before we knew it, the weekend was over. Busy, but fun and productive.
Here are some new photos of the front of the house. We were proud when neighbors came around to tell us how nice our yard looked. Who would have imagined that? :)
This weekend, Danny and Sherry came back down and the tasks at hand included painting and organizing the garage, putting up two ceiling fans, adding one more shelf to the pantry, and swapping out the pine straw around the trees and shrubs in our front yard for red mulch with stone pavers.
Luckily it was shady most of the morning on Saturday, so the team got lots done without getting too sunburned or exhausted. I rewarded everyone with homemade panini sandwiches and dessert Saturday evening, and before we knew it, the weekend was over. Busy, but fun and productive.
Here are some new photos of the front of the house. We were proud when neighbors came around to tell us how nice our yard looked. Who would have imagined that? :)
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| Front yard with newly mulched and paved greenery |
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| Check out those stone pavers and bright red mulch! |
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| Lookin' fresh :) |
Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Office
After a few days of Nathan waiting for me to unpack my share of the boxes, we finally have the office set up in a way that seems to work well. Nate enjoys using my old desk for his computer and printer set-up, and now his desk is more for personal use, photo display, and supply storage. We set this office up much like it was in our old place, and now we have two nice windows from which to get some sunlight during the day.
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| Desk 1 and storage |
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| Desk 2 |
Friday, April 15, 2011
Open for guests!
It has officially been one week since we closed on the house and a lot has happened over the past seven days. We are slowly unpacking/organizing the house and meeting our neighbors. Minus some pictures and ceiling fans the guest rooms are ready to go - so schedule your visits (with Samara of course, I have no idea what our schedule looks like).
Main guestroom
This room has three windows so lots of natural light.
Guest bedroom #2 (bed courtesy of my parents)
Each of the bedrooms have these double door closets which have been great for storage.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The house continues to come together
Well while they aren't any official pictures yet, the big news from yesterday actually took place outside the home. I successfully (maybe debatable) mowed and trimmed the yard last night. Oh the joys of owning a home. Back inside the house I present to you the next room for viewing - the guest bathroom.
The giant tree shower curtain - selected by Nathan
Two sinks for the guest bathroom as well, because Samara learned the benefits of having two sinks in her childhood bathroom while sharing it with two siblings.
Upstairs hallway looking at the linen closet, guest bathroom and into the stairwell.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Laundry Room
We got our new washer and dryer delivered yesterday and setup in the new laundry room upstairs. I even had the joy of testing them out :)
Everything looks good and another room is completed!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Master Bedroom
Day 4 at the new house has arrived and things are finally starting to look in place. I spent most of yesterday cleaning up the old townhouse and moving the final items over to the new house. We should be completely done with the townhouse this weekend. The master bedroom is the first room that looks complete enough for now for a photo profile. Here is a look at the master suite:
Bed and new ceiling fan (thanks to Dad)
Master bedroom set
Walk-in closet
Master bathroom & linen closet
Double sinks - a must have.
Now I'm off to continue unpacking and organizing our lives while waiting on (a) Home Depot for the washer, dryer and fridge and (b) Time Warner Cable.
Monday, April 11, 2011
One Photo
So here's at least ONE new photo, thanks to Danny and Sherry, of our new house. Luckily we had good weather for the move-in part of the weekend and slept heavy after lots of hard work. More pictures to come!
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| No, that is not our truck. Yes, that is a VT flag in the front yard. Home, sweet, home! |
We're in!
Well after a long week of waiting on the closing meeting and two full days of moving, unpacking and organizing we are finally in the new house. There is still a lot to do in order to get settled here but the hardest part is over. We will get some pictures up over the next few days. For now I am off to the old townhouse to get the rest of our stuff and start the cleaning process.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Being Flexible
A quick update to let you all know that unfortunately we won't be closing tomorrow (Tuesday) anymore. There's a bit of a hold-up on the appraisal paperwork that apparently couldn't be avoided, so now we're looking at a Thursday or Friday close. Either way, we hope to be MOVING IN on Saturday! We'll keep you posted. Thanks for your support :).
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Closing in on Closing Day
This past Tuesday, Nathan and I had our "Homeowners Orientation Walk-Through" with our builder, Scott. This was much more fun (and much shorter of a process) than the inspection on Sunday. Scott showed us how to work all the different appliances and fixtures in our house, and told us he'd fix everything from our inspection reports.
The last step will be walking back through the house with him next Tuesday before closing and then locking up the house together on our way to the meeting. When we parted ways, Scott said "see ya'll on Tuesday," and it definitely hit home that we were at one-week-out from the big day. It's all very exciting and though we have plenty of packing to do between now and the move, it's all good stuff. Here are the last photos before closing day!! Enjoy.
The last step will be walking back through the house with him next Tuesday before closing and then locking up the house together on our way to the meeting. When we parted ways, Scott said "see ya'll on Tuesday," and it definitely hit home that we were at one-week-out from the big day. It's all very exciting and though we have plenty of packing to do between now and the move, it's all good stuff. Here are the last photos before closing day!! Enjoy.
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| View from front door, looking through foyer into den |
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| View from foyer into dining room, with hall bath to the right |
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| Downstairs bathroom |
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| Stairs + my purse, ha |
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| Our hardwood floors, finally unveiled! |
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| Dining nook and kitchen |
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| Den/Great Room |
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| Closer look at the kitchen |
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| Loft (aka: future game room/playroom) |
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| Windows in one of the guest bedrooms |
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| Guest Bathroom |
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| Laundry Room |
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| Master Bathroom |
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| Master Bedroom |
Monday, March 28, 2011
Passing Grade!
This will be a short, picture-less post because I'm on my lunch break at work, but for those of you keeping up with our blog, we had our Home Inspection yesterday. It was a VERY LENGTHY (read: 3 hour) process that involved Nathan being much nicer than I am and listening to our super chatty inspector and me taking note and pictures of more of the cosmetic fixes around the house. As expected with new construction, we PASSED our inspection, with just a few minor items for KB Homes to address for us in the week ahead.
We submitted our list of requests to the builder and will send the inspection list his way today as well. Tomorrow we meet with Scott the Builder to go through the house and learn how to work everything, ask questions, etc. Then there's nothing much left for us to do besides PACK between tomorrow and CLOSING a week later. Ahh! Exciting, scary, fun, exhausting...but no doubt worth it.
Thanks everyone for your support!!
We submitted our list of requests to the builder and will send the inspection list his way today as well. Tomorrow we meet with Scott the Builder to go through the house and learn how to work everything, ask questions, etc. Then there's nothing much left for us to do besides PACK between tomorrow and CLOSING a week later. Ahh! Exciting, scary, fun, exhausting...but no doubt worth it.
Thanks everyone for your support!!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Counting down the days
Walking through the house this evening, Nathan and I realized it was out last time doing so before final inspection next Sunday. Though there's still plenty to be done for the house to look move-in ready, there were some fun changes this week that we captured on film. In three weeks, we'll be pretty much all moved in at 313 Riversville Court, beginning to unpack. Hard to believe, but exciting none-the-less.
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| Our mailbox!! |
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| We have a lawn! With little shrubs and a tree |
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| Starting to all come together now |
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| House numbers on the garage |
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| New front door knob |
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| Blinds are in! |
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| Door Knobs |
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| Vertical blinds on sliding doors, heading to backyard. And a sneak peak of backyard grass. |
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| Blinds on two of the windows in our guest room |
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