Weekend Review

We wrapped up a long weekend and I actually took advantage of a big, cold rainy day Monday that allowed me to relax. I actually caught up on a few items that I have been wanting for myself I just haven't felt like I've had enough time or the desire. Matt and I have been busy bees trying to combine bills and accounts and other married administrative items -- slowly. If I try to do them all at once I'll lose my mind. 

Anyway, here was a bit of our weekend! 

Friday I ate 3 donuts with icing and sprinkles. Then we went to cheap Mexican for dinner and stopped by our local Starbucks to participate in the World's Largest Starbucks Date. I guess everyone came earlier but it was a nice change from our regular dates and we had a really nice time sitting, chatting and listening to music before getting in bed at the shameful hour of 9 pm on Friday. 

Saturday I ran a 5k with my neighbor - it was really cold but I was very interested to race a short distance and see what my time would be. I wanted a 27 flat. I got a 27:45. Pretty good for me but I definitely think I can improve! 

Our Valentine's Day tradition is Waffle House. From waaayyy back to our first go around at a relationship. It remains a romantic spot for us and we had a lovely meal complete with a heart shaped waffle and a trip to PINKBERRY for dessert. Then we went home and caught up on New Girl episodes. 

Sunday Elise and I had budget friendly brunch at her house (I was over there for 6 hours...oops) and I at least thought to prep a giant crock pot of chili. I had never made this "Biggest Loser Turkey Chili"that I found on Pinterest but it's definitely a winner. We behaved and skipped cornbread Sunday night but I definitely made a Monday batch. Rain and ice deserve cornbread, yes? 

I also tackled my crazy disaster of a closet. I've had that project on the list for weeks. While I worked on that Matt hung up our beautiful new light fixtures in the master bath! I love them! I'll try to get some decent pics soon!! 

Sunday Mornings

Happy Sunday, y'all!  How is the weekend almost over? I had a fun play date/date on Friday with Rocky where we met up at the park with our dogs {Hogan and Luna} and walked and talked and let them meet and play.  Hogan was a gentleman and very well behaved just like I expected him to be but Luna is still just a puppy so I am pretty sure it wore him out just hanging out with her for 2 hours! We let them loose in a baseball field {even though I can hardly get Hogan to come back so I can put his leash on} and it was fun for me to see him just run around and play.  Sometimes I forget how fast and athletic he is even though he is a 8 year old puppy.  It made me really happy to see him stretch his legs and run and bounce around.  I'm still not sure how I feel about Rocky.  He's been trying to play hard to get with me which just results in us hardly talking because I am not going to be texting anyone to ask for a date.  I don't get him.  

 It's a blissful morning here because I am up early getting some work done while Em and Little A are sleeping in.  I love having my girls here for a weekend!!!!  Hosting is so much fun!  We've been out and about visiting The Housewife and playing with #1 and holding new babies, drinking champagne "just because", and catching up with each other.  We had a wonderful dinner last night at Canoe {review to come} with Elise but we didn't get home until 11:30 or so {which is apparently now late if you are approaching 30}.  We had "big" plans to hit Little Alley Steak in Roswell for some after dinner drinks but there was no way that was happening.  I had coffee after dinner and once we got home we all promptly went to bed.  Funny how life changes. 

This morning I'm listening to...

I also picked up another book this past week. I needed to get my head out of that Outlander series for a bit.  I've been meaning to get the prequel to Cassandra Clare's YA series City of Glass {etc} and Em was kind enough to lend me her copy of Clockwork Angel. 

And once the girls get up we will having coffee and making pumpkin pancakes. 

Grabbed this recipe off of Pinterest and it's super easy and delicious! Great for family breakfast. 

*photo from website w/ recipe*

All this just means I am one of the happiest girls in the greater Atlanta area today! 

What do you with your girlfriends when they are in town? Traditions? Breakfast fare? I want to know. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Restaurant Review: Little Alley Steak

Y'all. There is truly not enough love in the world so I am here to sound my "barbaric yawp" about Little Alley Steak...or really Old Town Roswell in general.   I know my city folk inside the perimeter may gasp, but you can, in fact, eat fabulous food and enjoy incredible atmosphere outside of the perimeter.  Recently written up in Southern Living, I'll do my best to weigh in. 

*not my picture*

First confession...I haven't actually had a meal here yet. But -- I just fell so completely in love upon my first stop in {and the reviews are amazing anyway} that I had to just go ahead and blog about it.  It's beautiful and dark inside.  It was full of people.  A random stranger said I was beautiful and helped me save chairs for Em and The Housewife {seriously take pregnant people with you if you want to sit in a crowded bar}.  The bartenders were super charming.  We had champagne that was $14 a glass "just because".  

One small disclaimer, while this Single Gal freely spends $85 on brunch without blinking I know that not everyone is OK with that. So,  I won't lie to you -- Little Alley is not cheap by any means. And, hey, if steak houses aren't for you then you have plenty of other great options just steps away on Canton Street. 

Oh, and props if you got the Walt Whitman reference. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Weekend Wrap Up

It was a jam-packed 3 day weekend for this Single Gal--what about y'all?!

To start, it was totally worth every little bit of sleep I lost to get up early and watch the Royal Wedding with The Housewife and Little Ashlie! It was amazing.  The Housewife was very well researched and fed us tons of stats during the initial viewing.  You would have thought she worked for CNN Friday morning.  Also, if I am being honest, I have probably watched a few re-runs of the entire event at some point this weekend.


The dress was perfect.  The kiss was perfect. 

I don't know how Kate looked so relaxed.  Cheers to the Duke and Duchess!

I got to see one of my best, most fabulous, and funny friends Elise later that night for patio drinks at a lovely place in Atlanta--JCT Kitchen.  The upstairs bar menu is different than the dinner menu I usually partake in downstairs which was a nice change. (Check out our Tumblr for obsessive photos of Royal Wedding stuff and a great hispstamatic of Friday night's patio view!) We also enjoyed steak tartar with my old roomie Chip who stopped by.  The weather was perfect and Elise seriously stalked a great patio table for us. I was a bit late due to the round of golf I played with Big J and P after the Royal Wedding viewing but I rallied and had a great evening full of laughter.

I stayed close to home on Saturday--except for a trip to the vet and a visit with The Housewife and #1.  I am trying to learn to relax and just go with the flow of things and Saturday was an exercise in this area for sure.   It's just so hard for me to not want to know the next step of everything in my life and to not plan every minute out.  I am trying to work more for living in the moment, but find this makes me nervous--in a good and a bad way. Great BBQ,  great company, and fro-yo were Saturday highlights!

Sunday Funday consisted of brunch at a very quaint cottage off of Peachtree and Piedmont in the city.  Except we had seriously terrible service!!!! I will never go back--which is sad, because their quaint little house and patio for this restaurant were so beautiful!!!!  Y'all--we sat at our table for probably 40 minutes before anyone finally made an effort to bring us the drinks we ordered.  Drinks. Not food.

Browsed a Borders going out of business in Atlanta and bought more books which was super fun.  This makes a grand total of 3 books purchased this weekend making my "to read" pile on my nightstand ridiculously tall. I need to get to work so I can conquer the totem poll of books sitting beside me. Like, tonight. Like, right now...

Love you. Mean it.

~the single gal~

p.s. Vacay is in 11 days!!!!!!!!!!!! So. Ready. For. Punta. Cana.