Friday, June 11, 2021
How was your week? It is time for another edition of Friday Favorites! Linking up here with Andrea, etc.
We have had so much rain lately! We are supposed to dry up and have a stretch of several nice days. I know the upside of that is that everything will be so green, and that will be a favorite!
I finished this book early in the week and I just loved it! I have had two great summer reads in a row. I want chick lit, rom com, and light books in the summer, you know? I really love all of the Christina Lauren books – the author is actually two people; they are best friends/writing partners.
Next I am on to this:
Anyone think it’s weird that I am reading all yellow books lately? I really enjoyed The Happy Ever Playlist last summer by the same author.
So, summer reading is definitely a favorite. I get an email almost every day from my library saying they have another book for me – oops! So many books – so little time until the due dates!
This next favorite is very, very special to me. My hydrangeas didn’t bloom last year. I was so sad, but maybe they didn’t want to come out because of 2020/Covid? I don’t blame them. I was worried that I had done something wrong. I consulted with gardener friends and family and trimmed back some of the stalks in the early fall when I realized they weren’t going to bloom.
Well, they are blooming this year! They normally bloom in May but took their time a bit and didn’t bloom until June, which is totally fine because May was busier and I had less time to enjoy them.
This hydrangea bush was transplanted by my Dad from my childhood home about 15 years ago if I am remembering correctly. My parents moved to another house at that time and my Dad thoughtfully brought this to me. He wasn’t a big gardener so it still kind of surprises me. (To be honest, I don’t think I appreciated plants that much at the time and I had twin toddlers.) That was my Dad, though. He was very thoughtful about gifts. Neither of my sisters still live in the same homes from 15 years ago, so I think I am the only one who has one. I have been so happy watching these bloom and thinking of my Dad.
I heard about the Voila app from Andrea early in the week. It makes your photo into a cartoon version of you and I had fun with mine
and Tom’s. I can’t stop laughing at Tom’s. This picture of him was from a few years ago when he didn’t have as much grey in is hair.
I also did some of my nieces’ and nephews’. I just got the free version of the app, by the way. It plays tons of ads so patience is required.
My biggest favorite from the week came on Wednesday when my two best friends picked me up and we headed to our downtown. We decided to eat lunch at Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen and shared nachos
and each had a taco and a cocktail. I forgot pictures of the tacos but they weren’t as good as the nachos.
then we checked into the Omni Hotel. This was my first hotel stay since the pandemic.
We immediately got changed and headed to their rooftop pool. The rain finally stopped and we felt like we needed to hurry before our window closed. We tried to get massages booked about a week ago, but we were too late. No big deal to me. I was fine to just lounge.
Well, the weather kept improving as the afternoon went on and we enjoyed some majorly overpriced cocktails while chatting and enjoying the hot tub and pool.
This was called a “Kentucky Summer” and had bourbon and orange flavors. It was so good!
And, this was called a lavender lemon spritz.
We got ready for dinner and I took my first Uber ride.
We had reservations at Jeff Ruby’s, which is an upscale steakhouse. My one friend loves it even though she is a vegetarian! She gets their sushi and loves their bread and truffle butter.
One of my friends and I split a salad and
we both got a crab cake and I got a baked potato (could not eat much of that monster!) and she got fries.
We walked back instead of Ubering and hurried back to the rooftop to see it lit up before it closed.
The view from our room the next morning:
We were on the 11th floor so the rooftop pool is really on the 3rd flloor. It is on a roof but not on the highest roof!
The little market in the lobby has local coffee and a local breakfast place called Con Huevos. It is like a Mexican/Cuban breakfast place and there is another one by my house.
It was a fun 24 hours in our own city. I am so grateful that we all live within minutes of each other, but it had been so long since we had had uninterrupted time to chat like this.
Day drinking is not for the weak. I was tired! Lol!
What were your favorites this week?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
What a fun getaway with your girlfriends! I think those are the best – no need to travel very far to enjoy some much needed girl talk and good food. It looks like a lot of fun and I hope y’all get to do it again soon!
xo,
Kellyann
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Thank you! I agree!
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That trip looks fabulous! Love your hydrangeas.
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It was so nice! Thank you!
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What a fun day/night downtown!
Day drinking is a commitment, I agree. Whew.
We did this in Denver once, 24 hours at a fancy hotel, and it was worth it!
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Thank you! I can’t believe the stamina I used to have! I think it would be fun to do with Tom but he is so practical!
Here is the link for the bike shorts. I feel like they are a light legging material. I really like them!https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D8W4L6X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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What a wonderful girls’ weekend. The hotel looks beautiful. Hope you have a great weekend!
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Thank you! Your trip looks amazing! I am working my way through each day!
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I love your hydrangea story. So sweet. Hydrangeas are my favorite and Travis planted some in our old house and then again in this house. Ours didn’t bloom last year either! But have started to bloom this year. So pretty. Your staycation with your friends looks fabulous!
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Thank you! I have told it before but I like repeating myself! Lol! Isn’t that weird that we both have ones that didn’t bloom? I noticed others did have them bloom! It was a nice staycation! Feel very refreshed!
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I love hydrangeas and I could never even pick a favorite color, they are all gorgeous! The girlfriend getaway looked wonderful and I’m with you on the day drinking, if I do it there will be a nap in the afternoon!
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I love the periwinkle color but they are all beautiful! Thank you! Yes – it makes me so tired – especially if sun involved too!
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You have SUCH a fun life!!! It makes me want to book a hotel overnighter somewhere fun!! Thanks for inspiring me on your blog!!! I just LOVE what you post!!! Also, placing a hold on that book as well!! If you like it, I’ll like it!! ha! 🙂
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What a nice compliment, Michelle. I really don’t leave town much anymore but I should. You should totally do it. My friend likes to take solo trips but I don’t know if I am that brave! I do hope you like the book. I kept thinking it would make a great rom com movie which we need right now!
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What a fun staycation! I use do these when I still lived in Cali (mostly to get away from my parents for a few nights) but I haven’t since moving to Florida or Texas. I always plan to stay at the Omni here in Dallas (their brunch looks amazing) but I just haven’t yet.
That was super thoughtful of your dad! My mom has a whole garden that she magically keeps alive (fruit trees too). Meanwhile I can’t even keep a rose alive for more than 3 days lol.
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Thank you! The Omni is really nice but a couple of their restaurants are closed from Covid and hopefully will re-open eventually?
It was really thoughtful. I wish I was better at landscaping!
You should totally do a hotel stay! Thanks for commenting!
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That looked like so much girlfriend fun! I’m glad the weather worked out. Your hydrangea story is so great! I’m glad they’re blooming again this year. Have a great weekend!
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Thank you! I love the story of my hydrangea and never get tired of telling it. I am now hearing of others who had the same thing happen in 2020 but now have them blooming!
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Loved your weekend vacation. Don’t know as I am brave enough to do that yet. I am not convinced we are over the worst yet. Hopefully soon. If you cut off and trim your dead branches on your hydrangeas, your flowers will show better. They are a lovely color and look very healthy.
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Thank you! My friend wiped down all the surfaces in the room and the three of us are vaccinated. The hotel was very empty and we never saw another person on our floor. I felt very safe.
Everyone told me they bloom on dead wood so I was worried about cutting too much. I will do that. Thank you for the tip!
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