The Donut Experiment

Greetings from Florida!! We seemed to escape the winter wonderland just in time for some sunshine down south. One of my favorite things about this trip are the donuts! I generally prefer yeast donuts over the cake variety - unless they’re hot and fresh. This morning Adam and I had a special date with just Felix - we thought he could benefit from some two on one attention - but just as we headed for the door he said “oh no! Please bring baby Beatrix!!” He’s really surprised us with how loving he is of his younger sister! 

But back to those donuts!! We get ours from The Donut Experience and I can’t recommend them enough! The actual experience is a little chaotic (especially around 10am when there’s a big rush), but if you come prepared to wait a bit, it’s totally worth it.

Here’s how it works: When you come in you pick up an order sheet and check off what combo of icing and toppings you want on each donut. We went with the house Key Lime (graham cracker and lime drizzle), glaze and rainbow sprinkles, plain chocolate, plain strawberry, caramel and nuts and strawberry with sea salt. You can watch the staff prep each order, and there is a 15-20 minute wait, but NOTHING beats a fresh hot donut in my world! Unless it’s my son enjoying his donut just as much as his mama. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree there! 

Have you ever done the create-your-own-flavor donut type thing? What combo do I definitely have to try? Drop me a note on facebook or instagram! 

If you’re in this neck of the wood, The Donut Experiment is at 210c Pine Ave, Anna Maria, FL 34216 and open 7am-1pm. 

We Went to Belize!

WhatIWore: Last week Adam and I returned from what was easily the most relaxing and restful vacation of my life! We went to a private island off the coast of Belize and spent our days swimming, fishing, napping and reading. It was incredible. Adam surprised me with this trip as a gift for our fifth wedding anniversary. It was a treasure hunt which lead me to a safety deposit box at the bank and inside was the reservation. Two tickets to paradise! A key to enjoy the fantasy suite as a couple! We haven’t had a midwinter beach trip in years and this time Felix was able to stay home with his grandparents, which was also the first time we’d had a night away from him… ever! It all worked out great though! (I have two posts - one on weaning and another on transitioning from co-sleeping to a crib coming up this week or next). 

Back to our trip! We flew into Belize City and stayed one night in a chain hotel, which was really meh compared to the amazing Royal Island Resort via AirBnB (get a $20 off your first stay here) which was about 15 minutes by boat from the coast. The island has five two bedroom beach cottages and we were only one of three occupied cabins on any given night. Most of the time the soft white sand beach was completely empty (!!!) as other guests were off doing their own thing. We opted to stay put and just soak up the sun (although day trips can be arranged). In the water we went kayaking (even to an uninhabited island next door, hello LOST! duh dun), saw giant eagle rays swimming beneath our paddle boards, went fishing and floated/swam around the gorgeous turquoise waters. On dry land we napped, read books (first time I’ve finished a book in 16 plus months, let alone two!), played dozens of games of Gin Rummy, drank 4 bottles of rum and slept 10-11 hours a night. HELL YES says the mom of a toddler. 

Also, the food. Let’s talk about that. The “restaurant” is set up as so, but is really just a kitchen serving a single option per meal. No menus! On our first day we requested to eat Belizean style cuisine, so that’s what we got. Fry Jacks, rice and beans, fried plantains, etc. The food was really great and I managed to lose four pounds, and who the hell does that on vacation? We weren’t restricting ourselves (see above rum consumption), but it was actually pretty paleo friendly. Also: Banana Daiquiris.

Finally - the staff. They were incredible. It felt like we were staying with really helpful friends who didn’t hover. When we needed something, it felt like they were there, but for the most part, we felt like we were completely alone, in a good way. Sherlyn and Bernard checked in on us daily and organized things like my massage and our transportation to and from the airport. Hiro was our boat captain and helped us find the best fishing spot. (Caught 5, first time fishing since I was 10). Roddy was our waiter at the restaurant and we loved him! And the chef, who will remain nameless was incredible. The food was right our our alley. Not too fancy, not too fried, just wholesome and local and delicious.

We were tempted to not share the name of this place, because we wanted it to be our little secret, but it’ll probably be a couple years until we can go back, so we want you to know about it too. It’s incredible. I will never under estimate the power of a restorative beach week ever again. Not only just I have a chance to just be, but I got to spend precious time with Adam and not think about work or being parents or chores or cooking or where to check in on what day. Our decisions were made for us with food, we just had to know what time to show up. We slept like babies. We read and zoned out and eventually wanted to go home. We face timed Felix who was having a blast with his grandparents. It was the perfect vacation. 

So now… photos! But before that, the swimsuits, which was the only thing I wore while I was there (plus a cover up and two rotating dresses). Pink reversible one piece, Mara Hoffman, Black and Blue reversible one piece, Mara Hoffman, Coverup - also Mara Hoffman, Sunnies, Karen Walker and Hat - self made (I can make you the same one via Stars and Field)

What I Wore | Concert Tee

WhatIWore: We had such a great weekend! Adam took a few days off and on Friday we drove south to Louisville for the day. I knew the weather would be nice, and I wanted to wear this polka dot skirt but wasn’t sure what top to pair with it. I thought a black tee could be cute and then I had the idea to wear a Paul McCartney tee I bought when we saw him in concert with Adam’s parents a few years ago. I love how it works together. Sort of weird but cute too! I kept my shoes simple (flat sandals) and also had a jean jacket for the cooler morning hours.

When: April 17, 2015

What:
Shades: Target, older style
Tee: Paul McCartney concert (online here)
Skirt: ModCloth (sold out, but sign up for a restock if interested!)
Backpack: Vera Bradley, gift
Sandals: Toms (similar)

Where: Louisville, KY

Quirk Road Trip Part II | Asheville, NC

Asheville, NC This mountain town was right up our alley with a free spirited, hippy vibe and amazing (amazing!) food. Read on for our many restaurant recommendations, where we stayed and what we did while in the Blue Ridge Mountains plus where we ate during our pit stops in Louisville, Charleston, WV, Washington DC and Durham, NC! 

Check out the first portion of our vacation HERE! 

We left Wednesday and Thursday nights up in the air and didn’t have anything booked ahead of time, leaving us flexibility to stay in Raleigh Durham or go to Asheville early. We ended up doing the later and booked our first AirBnB rental at 2pm the day of our arrival.  

(Use this link to get $25 off your first AirBnB stay) 

We stayed in West Asheville, which was an easy drive into downtown and close to Sunny Point Cafe, where we dined twice. Our studio apartment rental had a small kitchen and private garden entrance and was pretty cute! It was in a basement (and had a little bit of a basement smell, which was easily remedied by lighting a candle the host had available) and we could hear a bit of the shuffle of the host’s family upstairs, but really no big deal. It was also really inexpensive (we paid $88/night) and far better than staying in a hotel. For a budget Asheville stay, we’d absolutely recommend it!

On the last night of our trip, we switched to a different AirBnB rental that I’d booked before we left and we really loved this place. It was a private two bedroom home (pictured above) in the River Arts District in an area called Chicken Hill (which lived up to it’s name with SUPER steep hills). Our host was so flexible (we arrived early) and had things like cereal, milk and coffee available to us. Plus the place was just cute! The home is located next to a highway (with a slim bank of trees between) but the window AC unit masked any sound at night.

Tupelo Honey Cafe This downtown spot came highly recommended and also ranks in my top restaurants of the trip. We went for a late lunch and sat on the patio without a wait.  To start, we shared fried green tomatoes over grits and this dish might be the very best thing I ate all week. AHHH-MAAAAZZZ-ING. So so good.  Adam had a crazy Bloody Mary that was like a salad and a drink that he enjoyed. For our meals, I had buttermilk coated and fried shrimp and Adam did a soup and salad.  They also bring out biscuits before the meal and those were delicious too. I wish I had bought the cookbook when I was there because I can’t stop thinking about those grits (something I wasn’t raised on and don’t eat in Indiana). Man, oh man. Good stuff

Tupelo Honey Cafe 12 College Street Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 255-4863

Sunny Point Cafe We ate here twice during our visit and loved it both times. For our first meal, we both got the Huavos Ranchos, and (lucky us!) were there on donut day (Thursday!) so ordered a cinnamon sugar and maple glaze.  Slammin all around.

The second visit I had carrot pancakes with cardamom butter (OMG) and Adam had a breakfast sandwich. I’d be in trouble if I lived close to a place like this!

Sunny Point Cafe 626 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 (828) 252-0055

Mellow Mushroom For our first dinner we felt like salad and pizza and were really happy with our experience at Mellow Mushroom. We ate on the funky patio, listened to trivia night and had the pretzels, Enlightened Spinach Salad (large enough to share) and the Holy Shittaki Pie (from their site: Olive oil and garlic base, Shiitake, button and Portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella and MontAmoré cheeses. Drizzled with garlic aioli and black truffle oil. Garnished with fresh chives and shaved Parmesan). So so good. Also, great service, happy people and a wonderful welcome to Asheville! 

Mellow Mushroom 50 Broadway Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 236-9800

Farm Burger We kept things easy for dinner and went to Farm Burger, known for it’s grass fed beef burgers. You order your fixings a la cart and I had my burger with a fried egg, tomato, lettuce and mayo on top. Adam ordered sweet potato fries and chicken pot pie slides (warning: incredible!) and we really enjoyed the overall vibe and meal. You order at the counter and seat yourself (we sat on the patio outside).  I could see myself eating there once a week if I lived in town! 

Farm Burger 10 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 348-8540

Lexington Avenue Brewery  We sat at the stone counter up against the sidewalk and I tried a Cheerwine (cherry soda) and Adam had a beer. We ordered the beef sliders and Lab Lox (from their site: Thyme-citrus cream cheese wrapped in house cured salmon with dill pretzel lavash, apricot coulis, smoky mustard, salmon mousse, pickled red onion and flash fried kale). Super super delicious.

LAB 39 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 252-0212

Corner Kitchen A part of the Biltmore village, this upscale spot is located in an 1895 home and has a menu that changes week to week.  This was our last meal in town and by this time, we’d been eating a lot of filling, rich meals and ended up just getting an entree and calling it a night. I had the lamb and Adam had the meatloaf and both were really good. We were kind of tired and had a bit of the end of vacation blues so we were in and out in less than a hour. I’d love to go back with a really empty stomach (and after I have baby so I could enjoy a glass of wine!) Reservations Recommended.

Corner Kitchen 3 Boston Way, Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 274-2439

The Biltmore One of the largest homes in America, built by George Vanderbilt in 1895, and is the perfect trifecta of history, nature (it’s set on 8000 acres) and fanciness. We bought out tickets online (which saved us $20) and also got valet parking (something we never do, but really came in handy for my tired, pregnant self). We also did a guided architecture tour which was $17/person and absolutely worth it (you get to go up on the roof and the views are stunning). Our 3 hour visit was a little tiring for me, but it was the only really touristy thing we did on this trip and we both enjoyed ourselves. If you’ve read Empty Mansions or watched Downton Abbey, you’d love it too! More photos to come! 

The Biltmore 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803 (800) 411-3812

Hot Springs Adam really wanted to check out some natural hot springs while on our trip and found a little mountain spot that offered just that. Before I describe this place even further, you should know this was not fancy, but it was a lot of fun. If you love camping and being outdoors, you’ll enjoy it (but if you’re more of the luxury hotel spa kind of girl, I’d suggest finding something else).  So here’s the set up: there are multiple spa style hot tubs that are re-filled with naturally heated mineral spring water for each guest (or set of guests). It’s between 100-102 degrees and overlooks a bubbling stream. The cost is $15/person for a hour and we had a lot of fun! We brought a cooler with ice (in case the water was too hot for me) and some drinks and really enjoyed just relaxing for the hour. I mainly soaked my feet but got in for a few minutes a couple of times.  The 40 minute drive from Asheville was really pretty too and we enjoyed getting off the beaten path a bit. 

Hot Springs For Reservations Call 828.622.7676

Shopping There are lots of cute shops throughout the downtown area and two I really liked were Nest Organics and Minx. I ended up buying a Boob Dress at Nest (it’s a brand cut so you can modestly nurse your baby and can be hard to find) plus a set of non toxic blocks, a hand carved baby rattle and a little finger puppet.  Minx was such a cute shop too and if I weren’t pregnant I would have bought so many things! The price points vary widely (a lot of reasonable $100 and under dresses plus some fancy pieces upwards of $300). The store clerk was so friendly and I’d love to shop there again! 

Nest Organics 51 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 258-1901

Minx 64 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 225-5680

Louisville, KY After an early (6:30am) start to our trip, we had our first stop in Louisville for breakfast and went to our favorite area - NuLu/Market Street. We had a quick breakfast at Toast on Market (and I don’t even remember what I had) but I do remember it was good and kept me full until lunch. So many good restaurants in that area (Harvest, The Garage). See my full post on 48 hours in Louisville here. 

Toast on Market 620 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 569-4099

Charleston, WV For our first day lunch break, we stopped at Pies and Pints in downtown Charleston. We both had salads and split a small Grape, Rosemary and Gorgenzola pizza. So good! 

Pies and Pints 222 Capitol St, Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 342-7437

Washington DC We actually booked an AirBnB room for Sunday night in DC, but after lunch decided to skip it and drive straight through to the beach, and we’re so glad we did.  While in town we ate at Founding Farmers and had a mixed experience.  We both loved our drinks (grapefruit soda for me, Bloody Mary for Adam) and my meal was awesome (crabby eggs benedict) but Adam’s plate was not so good (sausage gravy benendict).  We sat at the bar to avoid the wait (it was Father’s Day) and Adam loved their set up. Compared to everything else we ate on our trip, I’d give it a B-, although I received lots of positive recommendations from friends. 

Founding Farmers 1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC | (202) 822-8783

Because we were already on Pennsylvania Ave, we walked down the street and checked out the White House, which actually had me really excited. I’d visited DC for a class trip back in the late 90s but all I remember were protesters and only had a disposable camera at the time. We then took outfit photos across the street and then Adam suggested skipping town and I agreed! 

Durham, NC We had also planned to spend a day or two in the Raleigh Durham area but realized the heat (mid 90s and humid) would be too much for my 7.5 month pregnant tail to bear.  We did stop for a quick lunch at Watts Grocery, which came highly recommended. The food was pretty good (I had fried chicken on a biscuit, Adam had onion rings and deviled eggs) but the service wasn’t incredible. It was actually pretty bad, which unfortunately tarnished our experience. Let’s just hope our server was having a bad day and that’s the exception, not the norm. 

Watt’s Grocery 1116 Broad St, Durham, NC 27705 (919) 416-5040