Weekend Recap

Saturday morning brought a lot of rain in Raleigh, but we didn't let that keep us inside. We drove a few minutes East to check out the Midtown Farmers Market at North Hills for the first time. Technically, it's the closest farmers market to our apartment, but it has taken us over a year to get over there! We were well rewarded with a tote bag of local produce and other goodies, and a petting zoo with a newborn baby lamb who was having the best time head butting bunnies!

We found a spot in the North Hills plaza with an awning for shelter from the rain while we enjoyed breakfast. I had a lemon blueberry scone and Aaron had a maple cinnamon roll. We brought home a basket of WNorth Carolina peaches to fill my beautiful jadeite bowl!

While we were at the farmers market we also picked up a box of fresh, handmade Cheddar & Onion Pierogi from Melina's. All of her pastas are handmade at her shop in Durham. We had never heard of Melina's Pasta before, but when I saw the booth, I couldn't resist! 

Learning how to make fresh pasta is on my to-do list for the future, but cooking and eating fresh pasta is on my to-do-immediately list! I paired the pierogi with a cherry tomato (fresh from the market), basil and bocconcini salad. Yum!

On Sunday morning I went for a walk around Lake Lynn and then got back in the gym. It felt so good! After lunch Aaron and I ran a few errands and then we I went to see Monsters University (see previous post).

We ended our weekend with dinner at O'Malley's Pub and ice cream at Fresh with friends. I enjoyed a waffle cone with a scoop of mango sorbet topped with a scoop of lemon chiffon. It was the perfect combination for a warm summer night!

I hope you had a good weekend!

4th of July Weekend Recap

The end of long weekends are Aaron was off for the 4th and I was able to work from home. We drove out to Rocky Mount, NC to meet my mom and dad (hi guys!), who were on their way home from their first ever trip to the Outer Banks. After lunch Aaron and I stopped at Sonic to celebrate our America and our Freedom to drink Peanut Butter and Bacon milkshakes. Oh yes, we did!

When we got home I hung the Star Spangled Bunting that I found in the Target dollar section last week. Look there is proof that I actually did decorate for the holiday! I know it's a crummy photo, the light in the main living area of our apartment is terrible 24hrs a day. The two bedrooms are the only rooms that get any good, natural light. When we start looking for houses next year, natural light will be close to the top of the wish list! 

We didn't make it out for fireworks this year, but I did grill a few hot dogs to enjoy along with side salads and an icy cold Redd's Apple Ale or two. 

On Friday it was back to work for me, but Aaron went with a group of our friends to go SKYDIVING! Whhhaaatt?! Yeah, he has always been interested in trying and the timing worked out perfectly, so he took a big jump! I really admire him for being so brave to do this, but I was totally nervous the whole time until he texted me that he was back on the ground! Maybe I will get him to share his story here on the blog.

On Saturday night we celebrated Aaron's 26th Birthday with a ride on the Trolley Pub! We peddled our way to a handful of downtown bars including: Isaac Hunters, Landmark Tavern, The Raleigh Times, and Tir Na Nog. We spent the rest of the night at The Ugly Monkey playing and having a great time! We made a late night pit stop to Snoopy's before heading home. We had a fantastic time with the Trolley Pub and would recommend it for a birthday party our just a fun night downtown!

Hope you had a good weekend!

Weekend Recap

It is officially Summer! 

That means road trips, sleeveless dresses, sweet North Carolina corn on the cob, fresh watermelon, family visits, ice cream runs, summer concerts, birthdays, and only one more season until our wedding day!

Okay, so I didn't get to posting the weekend recap yesterday, but there is no better time than now! On Friday evening, Aaron and I and made a Target run for my short list which originally only included Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy, mascara and greeting cards, but of course I forgot to add on the mint green lace dress that wanted to be on my shopping list. On the way home we picked up hibachi from my new favorite Japanese to go restaurant for dinner.

Saturday took us all around the Triangle. We went suit shopping in Briar Creek and then in Durham. After lunch we attended a couples wedding shower over by Shelly Lake. We enjoyed frozen cosmos, screwdriver and margarita cocktails, more creatively named shotcicles or poptails, haha, they were really good! We played a round of Celebrity Catch Phrase and then everyone headed outside to learn how to play croquette. 

On Sunday we spent a relaxed morning getting all spiffy for a friends wedding in Yancyville, NC. It was our first wedding of the year and one that we had been looking forward to (we look forward to all of them...) It was beautiful and so much fun! I will post more about the wedding tomorrow for Wedding Wednesday.

Hope you had a good weekend (and Monday!)

Weekend/Life Recap

Hi there! I have been on a bit of a blogging break recently because... I started a new job! I am the new News In Education Manager at The News & Observer! The News & Observer is the oldest newspaper in Raleigh and is central to our city. This position is a perfect combination of working in education and technology. Its challenging, but I like it so far!

Making the adjustment from working 20 hours a week back to 40 hours a week hit me harder than I thought it would. Since I started at the beginning of June it seems that I have been trying to find time to fit everything in. Even though blogging has been one of my favorite hobbies for the past 13 or so years, there are times when it's not easy. It can be hard to find the time to dedicate to blogging when I am also trying to find time to work 9-5, keep the apt tidy, cook dinner almost every night, get to the gym, keep in touch with my family, keep in touch with my friends, making time to play with our very energetic kitten, plan a wedding, organize parties, and keep up with current events and industry news. Whew!

So many good things going on, but there is only so much time in each day!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On Friday evening Aaron and I went to see This is the End with a few friends in Cary. It was so much more than it promised to be! If you are a fan of apocalyptic humor, Seth Rogan and his friends, Pineapple Express, or seeing the downfall of celebrities, then this movie is for you!

On Saturday we were in full on wedding planning mode! (less than 4 months to go!) We were crossing items off of our To Do list like wedding planning ninjas!  

On Sunday we ran a few errands then made time to video chat with our families for Father's Day. Even though I just got to see my family last weekend and they are coming to visit next weekend, I can never get enough of them!

So, as I try to find the time to dedicate to blogging, I ask that you please be patient with me, and know that I won't forget to write!

I hope you had a good weekend!

5 Things To Try This Weekend in the Triangle

Food Truck Shabbat

Celebrate the end of the work week while you meet new friends and enjoy dinner from Mama Dukes and Big City Sandwiches. This event will also feature frozen yogurt, music followed by Shabbat services at TBO.

When: Friday, May 31, 5:30pm
Where: Temple Beth Or, Raleigh
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Durham Bulls vs. Buffalo Bisons

Cheer on the home team with friends and then visit the American Tobacco Campus for post-game drinks.

When: Friday, May 31, 7pm
Where: Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Info: www.durhambulls.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Happymess Art Studio's First Annual Hoedown 

Help raise funds for an art outreach project at fun filled night in Durham. Ride a mechanical bull, play in a corn hole tournament, and party like a cowboy or cowgirl!

When: Friday May 31, 7pm
Where: Shooters II, Durham
Info: www.happymessart.com
Social:  Facebook | Twitter 

NC Symphony Summerfest: At the Movies

Enjoy a special performance of Oscar-winning music from some of the greatest movies of all time, including the James Bond films, “Out of Africa,” “Indiana Jones,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Gone With The Wind.” Wear an outfit inspired by your favorite movie character for your chance to win prizes.

When: Saturday, June 1, 7:30pm
Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary
Info: www.ncsymphony.org
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Fuquay-Varina Celebration of the Arts 

Support your local economy by shopping this town-wide arts festival. The festival features artists and  craftsmen producing original work including jewelry, basketry, ceramics, soaps, candles, decorative paintings, fine art painting, garden art, metal work, furniture, drawings, and folk art.

When: June 1, 10am - 4pm
Where: Downtown Fuquay-Varina, 108 Raleigh St.
Info: www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

If you have a chance to try any of these this weekend let me know! Share a tweet or photo by using the hashtag #5thingstriangle on Twitter and Instagram! 

Hope you have a great weekend!

5 Things To Try This Weekend in the Triangle

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Animazement 

Animazement is an annual convention in Raleigh, NC that celebrates the world of Japanese visual culture through anime, manga, video games, J-rock, martial arts, traditional crafts, and more! Live tweet a Guest or Fan Panel Session from the convention and collect as many autographs as you can from your favorite Cosplayers!

When: May 23 - May 26
Where: Raleigh Convention Center
Info: animazement.org

Social: Facebook | Twitter

Glenwood South Monthly Market

Get involved in supporting your local economy by shopping local Triangle businesses at the Glenwood South Monthly Market. The markets will feature 40 vendors set up along North Street and will be held on the last Saturday of each month until October. 

When: Saturday, May 25, 2013 10am - 3pm
Where: Downtown Raleigh, Near Hibernian Pub on North St.

Info: legacyeventplanners.org/monthly-markets
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Motley Tones at the Downtown Cary Farmers Market

With their unique blend of classical and folk harmonies and off-kilter sense of humor, The Motley Tones have emerged as a popular local street show. Join in and sign a sea shanty and then take a picture with a pirate! Bonus: It's also Cooking Sample Day!

When: Saturday, May 25, 8:00am - 12:30pm
Where: Downtown Cary - Park & Academy St.
Info: www.caryfarmersmarket.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter



Summerfest Opening Night

Wear your summer whites, pack up a picnic with friends and celebrate the beauty of North Carolina and music at this outdoor summer kick off event. Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre offers a dramatic backdrop for music that is out of this world – as well as costume contests, instrument zoos, picnics, games, prizes and so much more. 

When: Saturday, May 25, Gates Open at 5pm, Show Starts at 7:30pm 
Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre - 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary, NC
Info: www.boothamphitheatre.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Cocktail Taste Test Party
Throw a Memorial Day backyard cookout or pool party and test out a few cocktail recipes like the Oak City Summer or the Franklin Street Fizz using locally brewed Slingshot Coffee. 

Info: slingshotcoffeecompany.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

If you have a chance to try any of these this weekend let me know! Share a tweet or photo by using the hashtag #5thingstriangle on Twitter and Instagram!  

Have a great weekend!

Weekend Recap

You probably didn't notice, but I have decided to take a little step forward and buy a legit domain name! My blog is now officially accessible via www.theanchoredelm.com! It's a tiny upgrade, but it makes me feel 110% more official and excited to put more work into this blog!

On Friday afternoon Aaron and I drove over to our wedding venue to meet with our coordinator. We set a tentative menu for the reception and talked about ceremony details as well as napkin colors, timing and other details that go into planning a wedding. 

After our meeting we drove up Six Forks Rd. to explore a bit. We were meeting my cousin, Caitlin, for a 7pm movie, but we had some time to fill before then. We used my Yelp iPhone app to find a place to have dinner. On a whim we decided to try Zest Cafe in Six Forks Station. It was perfect! The cafe has a very fresh menu and it shares a space with a home decor shop. We both had delicious meals and I left with a mermaid post card that will be framed and hung on the wall soon!

We decided to walk to the theater from the cafe and discovered a large patch of honeysuckle bushes! I couldn't resist...

After running a few errands on Saturday morning we drove out to Chapel Hill to visit our friend Jacob. We watched the 1st J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie in preparation to go see Into Darkness. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and cuddling with Skwisgaar, as usual.

On Sunday we were planning on going to Artsplosure downtown, but a massive thunderstorm arrived just as we were about to leave. We decided to stay home and watch a movie instead. I cooked up spaghetti and meatballs and we took ourselves out for a double scoop at Fresh, a local ice creamery.

Hope you had a good weekend! Congrats to all of the graduates!

5 Things To Try This Weekend in the Triangle

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Got to Be NC Festival

Celebrate the goodness of North Carolina agriculture and have an animal encounter! Make a friendly bet on a pig race and take a picture with the winner! Bonus: Cheer on the Carolina Rollergirls as they compete in an exciting all day tournament at Dorton Arena.

When: Friday, May 17 - Sunday, May 19  
Where: NC State Fairgound

Info:  www.gottobencfestival.com

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Greenhouse Vegetable Day

Stock up on local produce and enjoy a FREE, fresh & delicious NC Tomato Sandwich!

When: Friday, May 17 11am - 1pm 

Where: State Farmers Market

Info: www.ncagr.gov

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Artsplosure 

When you are ready to take a break from exploring art galleries and watching live performances, challenge someone to a game of life-size chess! Use the opportunity to play on the oversized version of the classic board game to make new friends or show off your strategy skills to old ones.

When: Friday, May 17 - Sunday, May 19  
Where: Moore Square – Downtown Raleigh (map)  
Info: www.artsplosure.org/artsplosure2013

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Tour de Coup 

Visit 21 backyards of Raleigh area chicken owners for a first-hand look at keeping chickens in an urban environment and make a photo collage of each coup. Learn the ins and outs of back yard poultry and urban farming. 

When: Saturday, May 18 10am - 4pm, rain or shine

Where: Various locations around Raleigh (map)
Info: tourdcoop.com

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Trophy Brewing Company 

Bask in the beautiful spring weather while you enjoy one of the creatively named draft beers and a freshly baked pizza on the brand new patio at Trophy Brewing Co. in downtown Raleigh. 

When: Mon-Thu, Sun 5pm - 12am, Fri-Sat 5pm - 2am

Where: 827 W. Morgan St. (map)

Info:  trophybrewing.com

Social: Facebook | Twitter 

If you have a chance to try any of these this weekend let me know! Share a tweet or photo by using the hashtag #5thingstriangle on Twitter and Instagram!

Have a great weekend!

Weekend Recap

Photo by Cassie P.

Good Morning!

Is the weekend over already? Seriously? 

On Friday evening I went to the beautiful Bond Metro Park with a few friends to see our friend Cathy perform in the Cary Town Band for the very first time! We packed up an amazing picnic and went to support Cathy, (who is the second youngest member of the band) play her way through Sousa marches and Civil War era overtures. We also learned what a Polonaise is and the difference between Light Cavalry and Heavy Cavalry... The crowd at the concert was a little stiff (why can't you dance around to the Star Spangled Spectacular?) but we had a good time and most importantly, we are so proud of Cathy!

After the concert I met Aaron, who had gone to Durham to see Amy Schumer's stand up comedy show at DPAC, back at our apartment for a drink and a few kitten snuggles.

On Saturday I made the mistake of going to the Whole Foods on Wade Ave. around the same time that the NC State graduation let out from the PNC arena. I totally forgot about graduation! Downtown was packed with NCSU grads in bright red caps and gowns. Congrats to all of the class of 2013 grads!

After lunch Aaron and I stayed out of the rain and started to play the new Tomb Raider game that was released earlier this year. When I say that we played it that really means Aaron plays and does really well and I sit next to him and shout out "left!" "right!" "watch out!". 

On Saturday evening I went to Dorthea Dix Park with Cassie and Cathy to run in the Great Glow Run 5k! Even though I have been training for the past 6 weeks, I was still so nervous!!! I will write more about it in a post once the event photos are posted, but it was a really positive experience and I am so glad that I signed up! After the run we went to a party to see our friends and to celebrate the NSCU grads!

After a long Saturday Aaron and I decided to take it easy on Sunday morning. We enjoyed smoothies while we watched HGTV and eventually motivated ourselves to get up off of the couch and go to CostCo and Trader Joe's.

When we got back from running errands we spotted a pile of discarded furniture near the dumpster. Because of graduation, it was a big move out weekend, which basically means free stuff if you are lucky! We went over to investigate and found a coffee table! We decided that it wasn't in the best shape, but it's sturdy and mostly in need of a wipe down and a coat of paint. 

The rest of the day was spent watching Game of Thrones season 1 with commentary, video chatting with family, doing laundry and relaxing.

I hope that you had an amazing weekend like I did!

Friday Favorites

 

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Paramore's new, self titled album is AMAZING. It is the only album that I have been listening to in my car for the past two weeks. I was worried that I wouldn't like this album as much as I loved Brand New Eyes, Riot!, and All We Know is Falling, but I realzie now that I should have more faith in the band. (I ALWAYS get super nervous when one of my top 5 bans releases a new album, I prepare for the worst. Maybe having super low expectations makes me love the good ones even more...Vampire Weekend - you're next)

These Maui sandals from Minnetonka are on my wish list. I have called 3 local retailers and I can't find them anywhere! I am nervous to order them online because they only come in whole sizes (I wear a 8.5) If you live in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area and know where to find Minnetonka's let me know!!!

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I am off to see my friend Cathy play in the Cary Town Band tonight! We are getting a group of friends together to have a picnic and watch her play at the Sertoma Amphitheatre in Cary, NC. Tomorrow night I am running a 5k (!!!) called The Great Glow Run, hopefully I will have some pictures to post.

Hope you have a good weekend!