Spring has un-sprung
Hi friends! Happy Saturday!
We slept until 10 this morning and I donโt even know who I am right now ๐ I always joke with the Pilot by saying he makes me lazy, because when heโs home I feel so comfy and content. When I finally rolled over and open my eyes, I looked at him and said โyou did this to me.โ
It felt soooo good to sleep in, and even better to wake up to lazy weather. Spring had un-spring overnight– itโs freezing and raining! I kinda like it ๐
Lazy morning French toast:
Brown rice French toast with maple syrup and blackberries
Last night, we had a little date night together.
We put on REAL clothes and headed to North, which is a fun place to chill on a Friday night.
North is located at La Encantada, which is an outdoor shopping center here in T-town.
They have an open kitchen:
Modern atmosphere:
and on the weekends, they play club music out on the patio- it gets pretty packed ๐
The food is amazing, which is also a bonus.
First we had some vino (white for him, Shiraz for me)
and they brought out some bread with sundried tomato butter.
For an appetizer, we rolled with the grilled artichoke hearts with sea salt and lemon aioli.
Yay for finger foods at swanky places ๐
We had to ask our server how it was prepared, because it blew away out at-home artichoke experiences. She said that they steam the artichoke first, then brush it with butter, grill it for about 30 seconds and then sprinkle sea salt on top. The lemon aioli it was served with was so creamy and tangy, too. Ridic.
For my entree, I chose the salmon:
Few things in the world make me as happy as perfectly cooked salmon. Itโs right up there with designer jeans on sale, finding money in a winter coat, and having just enough almond butter left in the jar that it would be silly to use it for anything other than a spoon dip ๐
The Pilot ordered the pork tenderloin- he said it was also perfectly cooked and raved about the BBQ sauce that it was served with.
Weโre off to see a movie. Itโs that kinda day ๐
Have an amazing Saturday and Iโll see you later!
xoxo
Gina
Something to think:
โThe greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.โ
Oprah Winfrey
Just for fun:
I was drinking water out of a plastic cup last night, since they were left over here from a get-together and all of our cups were in the dishwasher.
Bella kept biting at it and trying to knock it overโฆ and then determined that it was the best toy ever. So much for her $9.99 Martha Stewart toysโฆ hahah
Looks like you two had an awesome time! Sundried tomato butter sounds amazing, I love sundried tomatoes in just about anything. ๐
Love the video of Bella! So cute. ๐
<3 date nights. And now, I am determined to make an amazing artichoke replica! That sounds unbelievable ๐
I just adoreee the pic of Bella! Enjoy the movieee!
LOL I am cracking up at that video. SO cute!!
Your date night looked like a great time!
Hahaha! “You did this to me”. Hahaha!
Bella isn’t the same breed of dog as mine, but they’re so similar! my dog likes to play with random stuff like that too! ๐
Looks like you had s fun time last night. Sometimes I love waking up to bad weather and just having a lazy day with the man I love!
Spring has *finally* sprung here! YAY!
The sundried tomato butter sounds oh so yummy!
I LOVE sleeping in with the husband ๐ It is soooo needed and relaxing sometimes! It is snowing here. YES snowing. Yikes. Oh well, off to hang in my pJs. haha
aww so nice that you two get to have some date night time together again ๐
as always bella is adorable ๐
I ate at North for the first time a couple of weeks ago when my parents were visiting! It’s so good!! We also ordered the artichokes and I agree that they were INSANELY DELICIOUS! Looks like you guys had a great night!
Hahaha.. my puppy LOVES plastic too! A plastic bottle makes him go WILD!!
ugh, that’s how my cat is too! I buy him catnip mice and fancy toys, and his favorite things? milk caps and hair ties.
I want to eat there!!!
I LOVE your cup video! OMG she’s so fast!!! We gave our mini schnauzer a plastic bottle the other day… our intentions were to just let her have it for a second but it ended up to be the funniest thing and endless entertainment for her!! lol so cute!
hahaha, i loooove the bella video! our puppy loves ice cubes as treats! he likes them better than his milkbones! dogs are strange little things… ๐
your date night looks fabulous!
I LOVE Bella- she is soooo cute ๐
I had a Golden Retriver whose favorite toy was a water bottle. It was so cute, she would just walk around with them around the house. Cheapest toy ever ๐
Shiraz, yum! Oh and the food looked great too:)
how lovely, you guys need to enjoy the lazy time. We do the same. I wish I could sleep in till 10am, maybe a glass of wine tonigt will help. hehe.
And who needs toys when dogs are so easily amused with plastic, right?
Cheers!
LC
Bella is cute! Our dog Brutie (named after Ohio State’s mascot) is the same way with plastic water bottles….she has a huge basket of toys but give ehr a plastic water bottle and she gets ridiculously excited! Funny kids!
haha too funny! I have a shitzu-pom and she goes crazy like that over random objects too! It’s so funny to watch them. Looks like you had a nice date night!! And a relaxing morning. I however had the alarm go off at 730 this morning to start on homework..and to bake! =)
I don’t even remember the last time I slept until 10 in the morning!!! I’d be wired for the rest of the day. ๐
I love watching dogs as the “butt-tuck” Great video.
Cute video. It’s hot & 90 here. What movie did you see?
Mmm yes, I completely agree about perfectly cooked salmon. Unfortunately too many restaurants feel the need to cook their salmon until it tastes like an eraser. ๐
Your date night looked like a blast I absolutely love date nights… and that artichoke oomgg looks delish!
cutie bella!
Enjoy the movie! I slept in until 9 and it was pretty amazing.
Your date night looks awesome ๐
The artichoke sounds so incredible. I’m going to have to try that method. And how can you go wrong with the gorgeous salmon?! *drool*
That is such a great pic of you and the Pilot! Glad you two are enjoying the weekend together. <3
The artichoke looks amazing.
I always think of you when I find a good-looking gluten free recipe. Here ya go…
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html
Your hair looks super shiny and awesome, those treatments must really work! Love the video of bella, so so cute!
I literally want to recreate that dinner at home next weekend! Everything looked amazing! Theodora and I are going for spanish tonight in Las Vegas and that wine definitely is what I’m craving!
Haha such a cute video! Salmon has an equally pleasing effect on me… just like when you get all green lights on the way to work, wake up realizing you can still sleep for another hour or two, find a Lululemon top on the clearance rack IN YOUR SIZE (!!!!), and find a pair of heels that look amazing AND fit well too. Enjoy your movie! ๐
sundried tomato butter
the artichokes
and the perfectly cooked salmon
NICE!!
Usually with meals out, there is one thing that’s good. Or sometimes great. Sounds like you hit the trifecta!
And of course, having your Pilot home to go out with is the most important part for you, I’m sure ๐
we had beautiful weather here for once.
i want to try artichokes, this may help now
Wow, sun dried tomato butter sounds amazing. Also, my dogs tear up those Martha Stewart toys (or any toy), so I often just throw them a crumpled paper bag to go fetch. That way they tear it up, and I’m not out $!
North looks fabulous…i’m all about that sundried tomato butter!
I love (and miss) date night! I wonder if your “North” is the same as the one here in Denver? I know they have a few scattered across the country and they are definitely delicious. Atmosphere is nice too. Glad you and the Pilot had a wonderful lazy day. ๐
EEEK! Bella is so flippin adorable! Let me know when you have an open sky promo for her ๐
hahah NEVER ๐
bella is gorgeous! dinner looks delicious and that’s a great quote – thanks for sharing ๐
LOL @ the “finding money in a winter coat” feeling. Well it’s always winter in Ireland so for me that just means finding money in one of the coats I haven’t worn for a few weeks (and hopefully hasn’t been put into the washing machine first, eek!)
Fur-babies tend to decide on the cheapest, unexpected items as their favorites, LOL.
Your swanky dinner looks delish! I haven’t had a fresh artichoke in the longest time. I think it’s time to give up my streak. ๐
French toast!! Bring. It. On! ๐
yummy looking French toast. I wish I had read this before eating breakfast. Bella is adorable.
Grilled artichokes sound delicious! This weekend has been one of those “and now I should put on real clothes” weekends ๐ so I loved the reference!
I like the salad chopper from Pampered chef. It chops salad like crazy and also helps make yummy guac and salsa. My staples. ๐