St. Louis

Before we moved in July, we were able to go visit Bailey in St. Louis for the 4th of July! We had a blast even though it poured the whole weekend. Love family time!

We arrived on Friday night and had dinner in the Central West End and walked around to see the neighborhood. Saturday morning we got up and had coffee and took a walk around Forest Park until it started raining. We had plans to go to the Cardinals game but it was still pouring. We hung out in Ballpark Village for a bit and decided to skip the game and get lunch at Schafley’s Tap Room after waiting for a couple of hours. After lunch we drove around, saw the Arch and then had Ted Drewes!

Forest Park

Ballpark Village

Taster at Schafley’s Tap Room

Delicious chicken salad

Ted Drewes was delicious!

On Sunday we got up and worked out then had brunch at Cafe Osage. It was incredibly cute and absolutely delicious! Next stop was the Budweiser Tour. It stopped raining long enough for our tour – we were super lucky as it was pouring right before. After the tour we did a bit of shopping for Josh so he could have work clothes and got rained on a bit more. We then had dinner at Scarlett’s Wine Bar to end the day.

Delicious drinks at Cafe Osage.

Our bill came in this cute book with notes all over it.

Getting ready for our Budweiser Tour!

So pretty inside!

Gluten-free pizza. So great!

Crabcakes.

Such a fun weekend! So glad we got to visit before our big move!

The Art Institute of Chicago

A couple of weeks ago Bailey came to visit and we decided to cross another item off our bucket list. First stop was The Art Institute of Chicago where our expectations were blown away. There weren’t enough hours in the day to see everything there, but we hit some of the highlights.

For dinner that night, we had an early team Valentine’s Day celebration at Drew’s on Halsted. It’s a neighborhood favorite and never disappoints!

Jalapeño Margarita

Asian Style Baby Back Ribs

Butternut Squash Ravioli: Crispy Apples, Pecans, Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Lobster Parfait: Parsnip Puree, Port Wine Demi-glaze

Burger

Crab Cakes

Charlotte

I went to visit my lovely friend Lizzy in Charlotte last month. It was my first trip there and we spent our time doing what we do best — walking, eating, talking and shopping!

I arrived Friday and we had dinner at Good Food on Montford and spent a couple hours catching up.

Seared Scallops Butternut Squash, Bacon, Pickled King Trumpets and Fried Sage

Falafel Hummus, Cucumber, Greek Yogurt

Purple Sweet Potato and Apple Gratin

Garganelli House-made Italian Sausage, Toasted Garlic and Tomato.

Korean Beef Crispy Rice and Scallion Kimchi

Pork Carnitas Pickled Cabbage, Queso Fresco, Anch Cream and Fresh Tortillas

Saturday we relaxed, went on a long walk (stopping for lunch of course at the Mayobird), shopped a bit and then went out with some of her friends that night to Bakersfield!

Chicken salad! Harvest: apples, grapes, pecans and Buffalo.

Little Sugar Creek Greenway

Queso!

Sunday was more relaxing, lunch at Viva Chicken and heading to the airport! So much fun to get to spend some much needed quality time with her <3.

Quinoa Stuffed Avocado: Pulled Chicken, Organic Quinoa, Rocoto Mayo, House Balsamic

Our only half-decent picture from the weekend.

Holiday Trip Part 3: Hoover Dam, Red Rock, Vegas

We started the last day in 2015 with a homemade breakfast from Tom and a trip to Hoover Dam. I hadn’t been since I was a little kid and forgot how HUGE it is! After walking around the dam we had a late lunch at Pizza Rock in Green Valley, one of Tom’s favorite pizza places.

Breakfast!

Delicious gluten-free pizza.

Meatballs!

Everyone else’s pizza.

After pizza, we played some ticket to ride (we have everyone hooked now) and then got ready to celebrate the new year! We had dinner at Luna Rosa in Lake Las Vegas to ring in 2016!

Gnocchi Fritti.

Insalata de Rucola, Pere, Gorgonzola e Noci

Lobster Bisque.

Gluten-free Fettuccine con Porcini e Filetto.

Rollatini di Vitello.

Salmone al profumo di Aneto.

Fettuccine con Porcini e Filetto.

Profiterole.

We started 2016 off with a hike up Turtlehead Peak in Red Rock Canyon. The hike was pretty strenuous but the view from the top was spectacular and completely worth it!

Let it begin!

Loved the different colors of the rocks.

Our destination!

Taking a breather.

Selfie!

At the top!

Heading down.

Sunset!

What an amazing start to the year! We were all exhausted after the hike, so we relaxed, ordered dinner in and crashed early!

Our last day of the trip we had a great sushi lunch in Henderson and then went back to the strip! The evening started with drinks at the Wynn by the waterfall and then continued with dinner at Mesa Grill in Caesars.

Gyoza.

Bailey’s sushi.

Bento box!

Chicken katsu.

Love tempura.

Mochi. My favorite!

Inside the Wynn.

Drinks at the Wynn.

Cheers to an awesome trip!

The Wynn waterfall.

Pumpkin Soup with Mexican Cinnamon Creme Fraiche and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Tiger Shrimp and Roasted Garlic Corn Tamale.

Margaritas.

Rough Cut Tuna Nachos.

Smoked Chicken and Black Bean Quesadilla.

Mango and Spiced Crusted Tuna Steak.

New Mexican Spiced Rub Pork Tenderloin.

Blue corn lobster tacos.

A huge thank you to Linda and Tom for making it such a memorable trip! We couldn’t have asked for a more memorable vacation <3!

Holiday Trip Part 2: Joshua Tree & Palm Desert

On day three we packed up the car, drove through the Mojave Desert and ended at the Westin in Palm Desert. After unpacking and cleaning up we went to pick up Josh’s grandmother for dinner! We took Nanny to dinner at Cliff House and celebrate her birthday — 94 years young!

Road trip!

Baked artichoke.

Steak.

Shrimp & grits.

Seabass.

Steak.

Brussel sprouts.

Happy Birthday Nanny!

Family love.

Group shot!

The next day was day one of exploring Joshua Tree! We had a great breakfast at the hotel and then drove to the park. Our first activity was hiking 49 Palms followed by a beautiful drive through the park.

Breakfast wrap.

Ham and cheese omelet.

Starting the hike!

First glance of the palms!

Enjoying the view!

Team shot!

Such a cool spot.

Having a snack before we hike back.

Joshua tree!

People bouldering.

After the hike we drove through the park to Keys View for the sunset. It was pretty chilly so we huddled together, for what seemed like forever, to enjoy the view. After that, we drove back down to the main road for some stargazing. The stars were beautiful and Josh took some great photos! After the stars, we picked up a pizza and went to visit Nanny again.

Catnap after the hike.

Love this shot!

Tom enjoying the view.

We started our last day in Palm Desert with breakfast at the hotel again. We checked out and drove back to the park to finish exploring. The second hike we chose was Ryan Mountain Trail.

Our friend at breakfast.

Taking a break!

Cousin love.

At the top!

Let’s take a selfie.

Group Joshue tree pic!

After our hike, we drove back to Vegas to enjoy a nice relaxing evening of dinner and a movie. Loved our time in Joshua Tree and Palm Desert!

Holiday Trip Part 1: Vegas

For Christmas this year, Linda and Tom took Josh, Bailey and I on a trip out west. It was Josh’s first trip to Vegas and we were excited to explore! We landed on Saturday evening and had dinner at Bella Vita in Henderson where we were staying.

Group shot on Day 1

On day two, we started the day by having a relaxing morning with some coffee, gym time and lunch at Lyfe Kitchen. It was then time to head to the strip to show Josh around. We started at the Ballagio and walked through Paris Paris before heading back to Mandalay Bay for dinner at Boiler Room. The restaurant was my favorite from our trip!

Bellagio at Christmas!

Chocolate fountains in Bellagio.

Josh and I…and Tom :).

Cousin love!

Team pic!

Decor at Boiler Room.

Boiler Room.

Josh and Tom’s Smoked Whiskey & Cola. Best drink Josh has ever had..he even had two!

Stawberry Switchblade…the best drink I’ve ever had, I also had two!

Cheers team!

Guac with homemade chips.

Dates

Braised Colorado lamb shank.

Shrimp & grits.

Guinness braised beef short rib.

Moonen Dog.

Truffle mac & cheese.

Tater tots (one of my favorite things).

Roasted brussel sprouts.

Herbed garlic fries.

After we stuffed ourselves, Linda and Tom surprised us with Cirque du Soleil tickets to see Michael Jackson ONE. Bailey, Josh and I were completely shocked and had no idea! The show was indescribable  and absolutely amazing. Words cannot describe it! After the show, we headed up to the Skyfall Lounge to admire the strip and enjoy a couple drinks. A great way to end the day!

Andy & Anna Visit Chicago!

Back in October Andy and Anna came to visit and explore Chicago. They were here for three full days of fun and we were able to cross a few Chicago bucket list items off our list.

Friday night we went downtown and stopped for drinks at a few places before having an 11:45 PM reservation at the Girl and the Goat (which was insanely delicious).

Finally found the source of the chocolate smell!

Nutter Butter bread.

Chickpea fritters.

Ham frites.

Goat skewers.

Grilled Walter’s chicken.

On Saturday, we went up in the Hancock building and sat and had a few drinks. The view of the lake was beautiful! At night, we caught a comedy show at Second City (which was hilarious). So great to have them visit!

View from the Hancock Building.

Second City!

 

 

One Year Anniversary

Josh and I went back and forth on what we should do for our one year anniversary. We ultimately ended up staying in Chicago and crossing things off our Chicago bucket list. We spent the day at the Chicago Botanic Gardens enjoying the beautiful weather and fall colors. We picked up some apple cider, one of my favorites.

My beautiful flowers from Josh!

Nola enjoying the balloon.

Loved this!

So many bright colors.

After that, we headed down to the west loop for lunch/dinner. We decided to try The Little Goat, which did not disappoint! We split two things and took half of everything home!

Nachos

Patty Melt

The Way West: Part 3

On Wednesday morning, we woke up and checked out of our cabin and headed towards the black hills to see Mount Rushmore.

We spent about ten minutes walking around the area and then went back to Rapid City for lunch and camping supplies. We ended up at a great place called Tally’s Silver Spoon for lunch. After stuffing ourselves, we explored the cute downtown area and picked up some camping supplies for the night.

Gluten-free turkey sandwich

Lox and bagel.

After getting everything for camping, we headed back to the black hills to do the Needles drive loop. It definitely did not disappoint!

Loved all the tunnels.

What a view!

Josh’s new friend. So cute!

After visiting with the mountain goat, it was time to set up camp. Josh picked an awesome spot and reserved a space that backed up to a lake. We put up the tent and then drove to Custer to get firewood.

Home sweet home!

We made a kabob on the fire and then it started raining (par for the course) so we got to eat in the car while the rain passed. Eventually we were able to enjoy our fire, eat s’mores and look at the stars. It was a great way to end our camping for the trip!

Getting started.

Gluten-free s’mores!

Loved our lights in the tent.

Thursday morning, we packed up camp and drove in to Custer. We found the cutest coffee shop to stop at and grabbed some drinks. On our drive to hike Harney Peak, Josh promptly spilled his coffee all over his lap :).

Longhorns in South Dakota.

Shoot…

We stopped at Sylvan Lake Lodge so Josh could change and then started our hike to Harney Peak (highest point East of the Rockies).

Gorgeous day for a hike!

Amazing scenery.

We had such a great time on our hike but couldn’t wait to grab a bite to eat. We checked in to Sylvan Lake Lodge and had some lunch. We spent the afternoon relaxing and playing our new obsession, ticket to ride. We had dinner at the lodge and then went to bed.

Friday morning, we checked out of the lodge and began our very long trip home. First stop, Tally’s Silver Spoon for brunch (it was that good we had to visit again).

One last tunnel shot.

Loved this bridge!

After stuffing ourselves, we began the long drive to Minneapolis. We went north and drove through North Dakota — one more state crossed off!

So many creepy old houses and barns on this drive!

After a loooonnnggggg day, we stopped at a hotel on the east side of St. Paul and crashed. It made Saturday’s drive a super quick six hours and we were home! We had an amazing time — 37 states down!

The Way West: Part 2

On Monday, we got up and had a quick breakfast in the hotel and then headed on our way. Our first stop was to see the Corn Palace..which we opted to just drive by and not go in (good decision I think). After we got gas, we continued on to Wall, SD to visit Wall Drug for lunch. We filled up all of our water bottles (their free water made them famous), opted out of the coffee for 5 cents and decided to make our way to the Badlands for our hike and camping.

Little House on the Prairie!

Corn Palace

So much of our drive was this…

Sunflowers! Fields and fields of hem.

Next stop was the Badlands National Park. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this place completely blew me away. It was just incredible! Josh had planned an off the grid hike into the middle of the park so we could camp for a night and enjoy our surroundings. Well, the area we needed to be able to park our car and start from was under construction (naturally the only place in the entire park of course) so we ended up driving around for a bit, enjoying the park and then deciding what we should do. We toyed with the idea of camping in the campground but it wasn’t pretty and there were tons of people. In the end, we headed back to Wall and got a room at the Best Western (which was actually pretty nice) and went to bed early.

Just incredible

Loved this shot.

Wildlife!

After sleeping for 12 hours (it was amazing), we got up and had a quick workout in the tiniest gym ever and headed back to the Badlands. Our goal was to see bison so we went to the Sage Creek area of the park where they were rumored to be hanging out. Mission accomplished! We saw tons and it completely made my day! We drove around this area of the park for a bit before heading back to the other side.

Found them!

Little guy!

So beautiful.

Loved the prairie dogs!

Friends.

Bison, pronghorn and prairie dogs all in one shot.

After getting our wildlife fix, we drove back through the park stopping at places along the way to take in the scenery. We took so many pictures, but none of them begin to do the park justice.

Favorite view of the Badlands.

Loved the different colors of the rocks.

After many stops along the way, we made it to the Castle hike on the other side of the park. I was somewhat terrified that I was going to step on a rattlesnake the entire time I was hiking, but I made it. It was cool to be on foot and have a different angle of everything.

More wildlife! Bighorn sheep.

After the hike, we drove to the visitors center and had lunch in the cafe. We checked in to our cabin for the evening (super cool) and sat on the back porch for a bit. We relaxed, made some microwave s’mores (so many s’mores during this week) and then played a game of ticket to ride (new obsession). Then it was time for the sunset at Pinnacles Lookout to end our fantastic day!

Our cabin.

Talking to my brother checking in on the cat.

Enjoying the peace and quiet.

Microwave s’mores.

Loved the colors!