I don't know if you feel like this or not, but the couple of days before vacation are always insane for me. There is so much to do to prepare for leaving that I always find myself running around like a crazy person to get everything ready before we head out. Over the weekend I did about thirteen loads of laundry, cleaned the house, bathed the dogs and washed their beds, had to get some writing and photography work done since I'll be out of pocket for the week, and of course I had to pack, which is always a thing with me.

I know you may be thinking that some of things wouldn't necessarily have to be done, but I have to clean the house before we go out of town because I get anxiety about leaving if everything isn't in order. Also my sister-in-law is dog sitting for us and I like everything to be nice for her including the boys (Amos and Rutledge) smelling their freshest.

PostedOctober 20, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsVacation, travel, Miami, Florida

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A Girl's Weekend in Arizona: My Diary of Us

Somewhere between college and now, my best friends have sprinkled themselves across the country. We all got older, each moved to a different state, and don't get to see each other nearly enough for my liking. We get to see each other about once a year if that, but when it does happen it's amazing. We revert to our 20 year old selves, or in some cases our 15 year old selves. Things pick right back up where we left off and it feeds my soul in the best way possible. Last weekend I headed to Arizona to see my friend Teresa, a friend from college who from the moment we had the same class together we became inseparable. A girl's weekend in Arizona was totally necessary for both of us.

We hiked gorgeous routes Saturday and Sunday, got pedicures, laid by the pool, ate Italian food and cooked some serious meals for her to freeze.

It was a quick trip and neither of us were ready for it to end, but I'll take what I can get! I'm already ready to go back and it's only been two days.

We started out Friday by shopping (of course) and then ended the day with chips and guacamole, a margarita for me, water with lemon for her, and then grabbed yogurt on the way home, because I'll use any excuse to get yogurt. Excuses like my friend is pregnant and she NEEDS me to eat yogurt with her.

PostedAugust 20, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsArizona, friendship, travel, hiking, Italian food, Scottsdale best eats, Cooking, meal prep, girl time, Girl's Weekend

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I am originally from Tennessee, East Tennessee to be exact, and don't get to visit as often as I would like. It is usually a big event that brings me back home, and this weekend was no different.

This past weekend we traveled to Tennessee to celebrate my friend Katie and her new husband Jeff on their big day! It was a perfect weekend filled with roller coasters (literally), amazing food, people I love dearly, and beautiful surroundings! Not to mention Canean and I got to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary while being surrounded by those we love so much!

We started the festivities off with a trip to Dollywood, for those of you who do not know it is an amusement park themed around the one and only Dolly Parton! Yes, it's as amazing as it sounds. We road roller coasters all day, which was not something I usually partake in, but I did it and had a blast...even though my face in every picture looked like my life was in danger. See image below...

PostedMay 27, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

Tagsweddings, Tennessee, friends, life, marriage, travel

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I hope that you aren't tired of good food yet. Because there is plenty more to be had. The last post that you read, we were standing at the bean sculpture taking pictures of the city and our reflections and were pretty entertained by it I must say. From there, we headed to the shops around the area including H&M and Anthropologie of course. After once again working up at appetite (surprise surprise), we headed to The Gage, where we sipped Prosecco, and split pub-style fried pickles (one of my southern favorites jazzed up), fish and chips, and because we needed something lighter a delicious scallop salad with grapefruit and butter lettuce.

PostedApril 11, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsChicago, travel, girls weekend, foodies, best eats, fashion, shopping

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I have been dying to tell you more about my girl's weekend in Chicago since I have been back. Partly because I have been missing it quite a bit and talking about it with you always brings me right back to the trip! There is a reason I named this post Scrumptious Chicago, and it's because I mean it. Literally. My friend Rachel and I ate our way through the city one restaurant at a time until we had our fill of all things delicious!

Here's the deal, we shopped, we ate, we shopped some more, we laughed hard, slept in, and drank loads of bubbles and wine. It couldn't have been more perfect honestly. Rachel is a great traveling buddy and that could be because we are very much on the same page when it comes to traveling. Experience the city through the food, have no agenda, and see what the day brings! We just went with the flow and walked where our boots took us.

Let's start with the most amazing croissant that these lips have ever tasted. An almond croissant to be exact. If I haven't told you before I'm telling you now, I sort of have an obsession with almond desserts. And this croissant could be considered breakfast or dessert in my book. We inhaled it within the first hour of being there at the cutest French bakery called La Fournette. From there we immediately began shopping. Naturally.

PostedApril 9, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsChicago, travel, Girls Weekend, foodies

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Now that you know all about our trip to Florida, it is time to talk to you about one of the best things about the trip.

I bet you can't guess what that might be...

Or maybe you can, because you already know me, that and the title of the this post, but whatever you already know that I have to talk to you about the food that we ate because it was so amazing and you need to relive this with me right now.

I'm going to cut right to the chase and tell you that within an hour of being in Miami, our friend Sean took us right to South Beach and we hit up a Cuban restaurant called Havana 1957 for lunch. Basically, it was mouth watering delicious. I ordered a traditional beef dish (it was basically fall apart flank steak) with the best black rice and beans I think I've ever had, while Canean ordered a traditional chicken Cuban sandwich on out of this world Cuban bread, and Sean ordered a pork dish with yucca. All insanely tasty and to top it off we washed it down a refreshing sangria. I'd say we were off to a pretty good start.

PostedMarch 5, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

Tagsmiami, restaurants, best eats, foodies, travel, Greek, Italian, Argentinian

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