Louisville Restaurant Resolution List

Every new year I resolve to lose weight and get more organized. This year I decided to make a resolution I knew I could actually keep: to visit as many different Louisville restaurants as possible. So last week I spent one of my three snow days being super productive; and by super productive, I mean I sat on the couch and made a list of all the places in town at which I want to eat. 

It's no secret that Louisville has one of the best food scenes around. Some of my favorites include The Silver Dollar, Grind Burger Kitchen, Mussel & Burger Bar, Cafe Lou Lou, Napa River Grill, and The Irish Rover. As ecstatic as I am when my friends suggests we visit one of those delicious places, there are so many more eateries in town I've been wanting to try.

I looked to the Instagram account "EatLoveLouisville" for inspiration, and created the following list:

1. The Post 
2. Joella's Hot Chicken
3. Feast
4. Over the Nine
5. Harvest 
6. Zeggz 
7. Nord's Bakery
8. Against the Grain Brewery
9. Hi Five Donuts
10. Blaze
11. Ghyslain 
12. Wild Rita's
13. Jeff Ruby's
14. Fontleroy's 
15. Please & Thank You
16. RIVUE
17. Big Four Burgers
18. Stout Burgers
19. Sidebar 
20. El Camino
21. The Hub 
22. Royals
23. Monnik
24. Check's Cafe

This weekend I was able to visit two of the spots on my list, and let me just say that they did not disappoint. 

On Saturday, my cousin Tara and I ventured out to The Post for some New York-style pizza. 

Tara ordered the meatball calzone, for which she had to get a to-go box because it was so large (and yummy). I got a "giant slice" of pepperoni and it was a giant delight.

The atmosphere was fun and laid-back, and my bill was under five dollars, folks. I will report back to The Post for sure.

On Sunday, my friends Erin and Jenny accompanied me to Zeggz for brunch. The girls opted for breakfast, while I went the lunch route and got "The Big Z".

It was truly one of the best burgers I've ever eaten, and the seasoning on their fries was sensational. Erin also ordered a skillet cinnamon roll for us to share, and it was the sweet stuff dreams are made of.

I'm pleased to say the first two restaurants on my list were a hit, and I can't wait to try the others. If you've been to any of the eateries I'm hoping to visit, please let me know what you thought and what you would recommend. Are there any additions you think I should make to the list? 

Here's to fabulous food, family, friends, and fun!

Twenty-Fifteen Blessings

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. 2015 hasn't been my favorite year. I've spent a lot of it sick and stressed out. By the lack of posts, it's obvious I haven't exactly been inspired to write. 

But as I lay on the couch watching football on the final day of 2015, I thought about how I've always done a year-in-review since I started this blog, and while I'm sure all (thirteen) of my readers' lives would go on just fine without it, I didn't want to have any regrets and thus, I convinced myself to follow suit.

And you know what? I'm really glad that I did. Because as I started looking back at the pictures I've taken this year, I realized that a lot of wonderful things happened. So while at times I have felt really stressed, 2015 has truly been another year about which to feel blessed...

I got to start the year with some of my favorite Bellarmine peeps.

Derby Day at my aunt's house meant family, fishing, and fun.

Watching The Bachelor with Angie and Courtney made Mondays worth waking up for.

I loved having my sweet niece visit my classroom!

I had yet another fabulous trip with my DT girls, which included a walking tour of downtown Cincinnati and a stay at the luxurious 21C Hotel.

Mom being kidney cancer-free has become one of my favorite anniversaries to commemorate; 8 years and counting!

I loved being with my Grandma in Indianapolis to celebrate her 86th birthday.

It was so special to be at the hospital when Anderson met baby brother Brody.

Treat Yo Self 2015 was such a good day, it got its own post this year.

I'm so grateful our whole family could be at the lake together this summer; nothing makes me happier than when we are all together.

I had a ball (pun intended) planning the baseball-themed baby shower for Kate and little Lucas!

I enjoyed getting to know my fellow bridesmaids and getting to see my friend of 20 years tie the knot.

The highlight of the year was definitely the birth of my nephew! He is so precious and I've loved seeing him grow the past three months. My niece adores him and it has warmed my heart to see her as a big sister. 

Speaking of the (little) big sister, we started spending every Wednesday night with my niece, and by we I mean my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and me. From touring Target to looking at Christmas lights, I've enjoyed every moment of our weekly outings.

There was no way I could lose getting to attend the Bellarmine-Louisville basketball game with Terry, Dan, Tara, Jill, and Andy. Go Knights! Go Cards! Go Family!

Seeing Straight No Chaser for the third time with my girls Jenny and Erin was delightful. Note: if you haven't heard them sing, I suggest you remedy that. 

Spending Christmas Day with these two sweeties was the greatest gift of all!

From the moment I saw Darrell Griffith & Denny Crum at the Hard Rock Cafe, until the final second ticked off the game clock at Nissan Stadium, I loved my Music City Bowl experience. Cheering my Cards on to victory over Texas A & M in Nashville was a wonderful way to wrap up the year.

With such supportive family and friends, it's clear that I truly am too blessed to be stressed, and I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store.

Treat Yo Self 2015

We had another brutal winter, and amid the many snow days, I discovered I'm allergic to dogs, cats, and among other things, cockroaches (neat). In addition, I learned the spectacular news that I have a nephew on the way (McNugget # 2!), and we celebrated Mom's 8-year cancer-free anniversary! 

Back in April, when the snow had thawed but it felt like summer would never get here (we were in school until JUNE FIFTEENTH, people), my friend Joey and I needed a light at the end of tunnel, so to speak. I don't exactly remember, but I'm pretty sure our conversation went something like this:

Me: We should have a Treat Yo Self Day.

Joey: What's that?

Me: Watch this...

If you're like Joey and find yourself unfamiliar with what it means to "Treat Yo Self", you should go ahead and watch this short clip from the hilarious show Parks and Rec:

Joey was on board without hesitation: Yes! Mimosas! Wait-do I like mimosas? Probably!

So basically I was Donna, and he was Tom and on June 18th, Treat Yo Self 2015 commenced as follows:

Omelettes.

Treat yo self!

Brunch at The Cafe

Custom T-shirts.

Treat yo self!

What's better than a t-shirt with your face on it? Thanks, Dirty Tease! #treatyoself

Drinks with umbrellas.

Treat yo self!

 Cheers to pedicures & smoothies at Na'Vi Salon!

Shopping spree.

Treat yo self!

Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass: Purses, and glasses, and shoes! Oh my!

Steak.

Treat yo self!

After a delicious dinner at Stoney River, we checked into the fabulous 21c Hotel...

...where art, architecture, and rubber ducks live in harmony.

Luxury hotels.

Treat yo self!

Fancy.

Peace. Love. And penguins.

Oh you know, just waiting for the valet to bring the car 'round.

Brunch at Toast, where Treat Yo Self Day collided with Joey's Birthday (Also, is that John Candy?)

After a stroll through Waterfront Park to visit to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial...

...we concluded that Treat Yo Self 2015 was, indeed, the best day of the year! 

Everyone deserves a Treat Yo Self Day, so I suggest you start planning yours. 

I'm already looking forward to Treat Yo Self 2016!

Fabulous Fourteen in '14

I decided to dust off the ol' blog for my annual review. I'm surprised it's already been 6 months since my last post, but as you'll soon see, 2014 was a little busy.

There are so many things to be thankful for when I reflect back on the past twelve months, but I managed to narrow it down to 14:

1. Tee on Sports Center: One of the greatest sports moments I've ever witnessed started this year off right. The #GetTeeOnSportsCenter campaign warmed my heart for so many reasons, one being that I used to work with Tee's mother, Brenda when Tee attended our elementary school. It was truly a remarkable moment for a terrific family and I am so happy I was there to witness it.

2. St. Louis Trip: I always love visiting STL, and luckily so does my brother-from-another-mother, Joey. We embarked on a Spring Break expedition to see the Arch, Busch Stadium, The City Museum, and more. We had such a great time, I won't be surprised if we make our way back to this beloved city in 2015.

3. John Legend: Jenny and I traveled to Indianapolis to see John Legend for the first time, and needless to say, he did not disappoint. "All of me" loved all of his concert, as well as the little road trip to Indy with my Sparkle Sister.

4. Peyton Siva Day: As a diehard Louisville Cardinals fan, I was definitely more excited than any of my students when National Champion point guard Peyton Siva made a visit to our school. I was even more excited that I got to meet him & snap a few pictures. #LocalCelebrity #L1C4

5. DT Does Patoka Lake: I'm pretty sure I've never laughed as hard on a vacation as my team and I did on this one. So many hilarious things happened, I dedicated an entire blog post to it back in June.

6. Family Lake Trip: We always have a good time when we visit my uncle's lake house in Indiana, but this was the first year in a long while that our entire family (Petey Pug included) could all be there at the same time. Among the many cute things that my niece did while we were there, catching her first fish was the most precious.

7. Mom's 7th Cancer-Free Anniversary: To commemorate the day that my mom became kidney cancer-free we gathered together for dinner, Mom blew out a 7 candle that was nestled inside her salad, and my niece was of course as cute as ever. Each year that our family gets to celebrate Mom's health is truly a blessing.

8. Noonday Party: I thoroughly enjoyed hosting my first Noonday party this summer, not only because it brought so many of my friends together, but also because of the wonderful cause it supported. I'm so thankful that my sister-in-law, Kate introduced me to such an awesome organization. 

9. McNugget's 2nd Birthday: I still remember the moment I held my niece for the first time like it was yesterday, so it's hard to believe that she's already two years old. I've loved getting to watch her grow-her little personality is beyond precious. Still, I'd like her third birthday to take its sweet time.

10. Summer Friend Reunions: One of the perks of being a teacher is having time in the summer to visit with old friends. I loved getting to meet in Lexington with my dear friend from college, Heather, as well as reuniting with my sweet teacher peeps. I also got to squeeze in some time with my lifelong friend, Erin and her new baby girl, Emily. So thankful for time to be with friends near and far!

11. Birthweek: Always my favorite week of the year, celebrating my birthday was especially fun this year with dinners, games, concerts, and more. My birthweek was also a reminder of how blessed I am to have so many caring friends and family members. Here's to 33 more years and beyond!

12. Getting Shredded: This was the year I lost 40 pounds and gained health, confidence, and so much more. With the help of Jillian Michaels' "30 Day Shred" & "Ripped in 30" workouts, I was able to reach my fitness goals.  

13. Meeting Lozo with Tara: This year my cousin Tara moved back to Louisville and I couldn't be happier about it! Our Aunt Terry hooked us up with awesome seats to the Ohio State/Louisville basketball game. At halftime, we went to the concession area and ran into the face (and heart) of the Louisville Football program, Lorenzo Mauldin. He was so sweet to take a picture with me, and in addition to hanging out with Tara & the Cards defeating the Buckeyes, meeting Lozo was the highlight of my night.

14. My Little Sister's Wedding: This event really deserves its own blog post, and unfortunately I haven't had the time to write it yet. But let me just say that the day could not have gone any better for our family. My sister was a gorgeous bride, my maid of honor speech went well, and the reception was a blast. And as you can imagine, my McNugget was adorable as always. There are so many photos that I love from that day, but for now I'll share a few of my favorites.

“For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice.

And to make an end is to make a beginning."

-T.S. Eliot

I'm so thankful for the many blessings 2014 bestowed, and look forward to what 2015 has in store. Happy New Year!