Singledom Archives - Page 2 of 3

New Year’s Eve 2018

January 6, 2019 by Kathryn Edwards

It’s been almost a week since New Year’s Eve.

This morning, as I was cleaning up the camera roll on my phone, I came across the pictures I took that night. We had so much fun ringing in the new year! I love the way the new year holds so much promise and inspires us to be our best.

I haven’t always celebrated New Year’s Eve, as I usually prefer sleep over partying. But for the past few years, I’ve discovered that I love a good New Year’s celebration. Although I don’t always go out, I do stay up late to ring the new year in with people I love. I always wear something sparkly-even if the sparkles are accessorizing sweatpants. I make the effort. Sometimes just making the effort creates memorable events.

These are the highlights of my New Year’s Eve 2018….

I started the day by doing my own manicure. I had planned to get my nails done, but decided to save the money for later, as I couldn’t commit to sparkly gold nails for more than a few days. The glitter nail polish came from the Dollar General. How awesome is that?

I also tried out a fantastic face mask that was in my stocking from Santa. Everything gold for New Year’s Eve! One of my goals for this year is to take better care of my skin.

A little known fact about me… I have tattooed eyeliner!

I kind of waited until the last minute to choose an outfit for New Year’s Eve. I’m always bad about choosing outfits in advance. I have to see what I’m feeling on that very day. Check out this adorable Ren top from Stella & Dot. It’s so soft and perfect to dress up or down. And YAY! This is the replacement for the GiGi New York purse that was stolen at a Christmas party. The new one has my new monogram.

I wore my new Mignonne Gavigan earrings that were a gift from Eric. I’ve wanted these for a whole year! The bracelets are both Stella & Dot, as well. I’m still a Stella & Dot stylist and I’m still obsessed! The Jasper beaded bracelet and coordinating necklace are still on sale! Make sure to check out the Stella & Dot sale items. There are so many good markdowns and sale items go quickly!

That afternoon, I made champagne cupcakes. This is my second year making those. It’s definitely becoming a tasty tradition! Maybe because it gives me an excuse to sip sparkling wine while baking? Whatever the reason, they were SO good!

Of course, I took most of the cupcakes to my parents and my sister because my waist line did not need 24 cupcakes! I had a little sparkling wine at my sister’s house. My brother-in-law, being the nut he is, poured mine into a dessert glass to mimic my obsession with the coupe glasses I got for Christmas. I do love him. He’s the brother I never had!

By the time I got home, it was time to get ready to go out. Eric came down from Raleigh to pick me up. We snapped a few pictures before we left. This is Little’s first New Year’s Eve! He needed a gold bow tie, don’t you think? He’s so handsome.

We went to Barrique in downtown Goldsboro for their New Year’s Eve party. Eric’s best friend and his girlfriend joined us. The food (and the company) were fantastic! One of my former students was our waiter. It was the perfect night!

We started with a champagne toast (note the coupe glass!)

You know when I’m having fun because my mouth is always wide open!

It was such a fun night. We danced and we laughed.

Sometimes, you have to make the effort.

You have to make the fun happen. I’d been sick all week with some type of miserable virus and could have easily just gone to bed early. But I’m glad I showed up. So many times in life, you just have to show up. As a former flaky person who used to cancel everything, I’ve worked really hard on “showing up” and it’s been worth it.

I wish all of you much happiness in the new year! May you be inspired to be the best version of yourself. No perfection needed. Just show up and make the most of what 2019 brings!

Two Years Strong- Part 2

April 19, 2018 by Kathryn Edwards

I should have finished this post a month ago. Sometimes, I’m so lazy. I don’t know how finding time to walk upstairs to my office is so difficult. I totally blame it on my recliner downstairs. There must be something that sucks me into the seat. Once I sit down, I’m totally done. So, I’m going to try to be better about that.

Really.

So here we go….

After the previous amazing night (see Two Years Strong-Part 1), we drank much coffee, thanks to the Nespresso machine in our room. And I scarfed down the hotel chocolate from the night before while Eric wasn’t looking. I hate it when that happens.

Yes, sleeping in and much caffeine was needed.

Once we finally felt human, we checked out. It was difficult to leave. I could have easily made the 21C Museum Hotel my new residence. I will go back. That view, though……

And who says that 13 isn’t a lucky number?

After brunching at Rue Cler, we headed to our first destination- Honeygirl Meadery. In looking for adventures on Groupon, I discovered this place. You can read more about mead here.

When I purchased my coupon for Groupon, I figured the meadery was within the general area, but I had no idea that it was only a minute away.

Just a note about Groupon- definitely do it! It’s a great way to expore new places at a discounted price.

When you use Groupon, go through Ebates, where you can earn cash back on your purchases. If you use this referral code, you’ll get an instant $10.00. So far, I’ve earned over $200.00- just by shopping through Ebates. That’s free money!

Yes, I am the bargain queen.

Ever since I’ve started using Groupon, everyone has always cheerfully accepted my Groupons. A tasting for two at the meadery, with the cute stemless wine glass, was only $7.00! I LOVE a deal.

Although I’d tasted mead before, this was much better than what I’d previously had. The taste was much different from wine. One could definitely taste the honey.

We liked.

I imagine this place would be fun during the warmer weather, when the garage doors are open. We spent an hour or so sipping mead and snacking on local cheese and crackers that we purchased at Bulldega Urban Market, the cutest little market in Downtown Durham.

Thankfully, Eric is always prepared with his trusty knife. Although it is not your typical cheese knife, it served it’s purpose. And no one lost a finger. Notice the cute camo bag and aviators. (You know I had to mention it!) I can get those for you. These have been my most favorite Stella & Dot accessories this season.

Our next Groupon adventure was for Mystic Distillery and Farm.

It was only a few miles away from the meadery. As neither of us had ever done a whiskey tasting, we weren’t sure what to expect. When we arrived, a group was already gathering. We were welcomed with a shot of whiskey. What a way to get a party started!

Yes, this place was going to be fun. I could already tell….

Our tour guide was energetic and fun. We learned so much about the whiskey making process. We sampled directly from the barrels.

Yikes! I wasn’t prepared to drink gasoline!

We finished the tasting with a Gin and Tonic. I’d never had one before. I believe it will be my new favorite summer drink, as it was light and refreshing. We purchased both the whiskey and the gin.

I’d definitely recommend a trip to Mystic Farm and Distillery. We had so much fun!

After leaving Mystic, we headed to the Hampton Inn in Downtown Raleigh. Although Eric actually lives in Raleigh, he understands the need for a get away, even if it is in stay-cation form. This Hampton Inn is often our Raleigh home-away-from-home. It’s very consistant. We unpacked and headed out. This is my favorite Stella & Dot bag. It’s perfect for the weekend. It holds everything I need. Where ever I go, it goes. I’ve used it heavily for a year, and it still looks great! Everyone needs a nice bag for traveling.

Downtown Raleigh is a fun place to sample drinks and appetizers. Although we have a few favorite places, we are always open to trying interesting new places. Because we do much walking on these downtown adventures, we’d like to think that we are burning some of the calories we are consuming.

At least, we pretend.

Our first Downtown Raleigh stop was Sullivan’s Steakhouse. You can’t go wrong with Sullivan’s. It’s amazing. I decided that I was only going to drink sparkling things for the remainder of the night. After all, it was our anniversary celebration.

We ordered the Filet Wellington Bites. Yum! They were served on a salt slab.

After we left Sullivan’s, we walked past Vidrio, a Mediterranean restaurant. It caught our eye and we decided to stop. It was a lively place. We sat at the bar. Eric ordered tuna and I ordered the chili spiced nuts. And yes, I had more sparking wine. This time, it was Rose’. Yay for Rose’. I also tasted Eric’s Mediterranean Mule. That was equally amazing. I’d definitely recommend trying it.

As always, we wound up at 42nd Street Oyster Bar. They always have a great band and we never miss an opportunity to dance.

Yes, they had sparkling wine. Who knew??!

What better way to end a perfect weekend than dancing the night away with hushpuppies and more sparking wine?

We needed this. As a couple, we really, really, really needed this adventure.

Life gets busy. Money gets tight. Responsibilities are many. That’s life.

But I’ve realized that it is so important to make time for each other when you are in a relationship. If you want to make a relationship work, you must make the effort. I remind myself of this very thing every single day.

Eric and I are now two years stronger in our relationship. I am two years stronger in my personal growth.

Cheers to two years and may the third year be the best yet!

Two Years Strong- Part One

March 23, 2018 by Kathryn Edwards

Has it really been two years?

Through the ups and downs, Eric and I have made it to this milestone. We are two years stronger.

To commemorate this special occasion, Eric made plans for a very special weekend- just for us. Rarely- very, very rarely- have we been able to spend an entire weekend together because our lives constantly take us in different directions. Although that seems to be the norm for two dating adults with established lives, it makes us really appreciate our time together.

I’m finally getting around to sharing some of the highlights from our anniversary weekend. Literally, we ate and drank our way through two cities. We found some amazing places that, hopefully, you might want to try also.

Because there are so many pictures, I’ll break our adventure into parts.

I’ll keep you hanging…

Our adventure began with an overnight stay at the 21c Museum Hotel in Durham. The 21c Museum Hotel is an art museum/boutique hotel. Eric knew that it would appeal to my artsy side. He earned points for his thoughtfulness. If you are a boyfriend, you know it’s all about the points you accumulate.

Seriously.

A happy girlfriend equals a happy dating life.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a video on the floor of the entry. At that moment, I knew this hotel was going to be the best ever!

I made sure to step around the people. Eric, however, did not mind violating the art.

We checked into this most amazing hotel, only to find that the elevators were not in use. This was not good news, as Eric had booked the 13th floor suite. I actually climbed 13 floors in heels. Really, I didn’t mind. I burned more calories to later be used for wine.

Upon arrival, there was a handwritten note with chocolate, as well as chocolate on our bedroom pillows. The secret to any good hotel is chocolate and hand written notes.

I’m a simple girl. Just give me luxury.

And suddenly, the trek up the 13 floors was forgotten.

Our room was amazing! We had a balcony off the bathroom. This seemed odd. But apparently, you never know when you might be in the bathroom and feel the need to sit outside.

Had it been warmer, we would have drank wine on the balcony. We did endure the blustery wind to take a couple of sips and to take a picture, just to say we did it. Just imagine it during warm weather…

Everything about this hotel was extraordinary- from the rum bathroom soap to the rubber duck in the shower.

Ummm….the bride duck freaked me out a little. Ask the friends I texted!

After browsing the museum , we braved the frigid walk downtown. Our first stop was Mateo– a tapas bar, where we indulged in fried calamari and scallops. Our cooking at home is NOT like this. I took note that Eric and I have a very good eating rhythm. I taste, he eats the bulk… because he is a giant and I save my calories for the alcohol.

I might (or might not) have eaten the sauce with a spoon. I learned that pistachios and scallops are a winning combination!

Afterwards, we made an impromptu stop at Taberna, another tapas restaurant, where we ordered the salmon. Omg! It was cooked to perfection. It was crusty on the outside and flaky on the inside. I would have taken a picture, but I was distracted by the pink sparkling Rose’ I ordered…..

I’m always a fan of anything sparking and anything pink. Sparkling Rose’ is just my thing. It’s a match made in heaven.

On our walk back to the hotel, the beautiful full moon was a welcome distraction from both the cold and our nearly full bellies.

Our eating adventure ended with a bite from the hotel restaurant, The Counting House, where we enjoyed grilled broccolini and seared tuna. For those of you who know me, I had nothing to do with the tuna. Gag. My food has to be cooked to pieces. I was, however, all over the broccolini dish.

We were treated to an anniversary dessert. I’m still not sure exactly what it was, but I do remember that it was tasty. Could it be that I’d had a thousand glasses of wine by that time? Probably, most likely.

Before heading to our room, we explored the downstairs level, which was an old bank vault.

Clearly, Eric has done this before. He looks very natural opening a vault.

Wow! Look at the tiles in the bank vault room. Have I mentioned that this is the coolest hotel ever?

We also explored the upstairs restrooms. I needed to visit the restroom until I saw that they were clear. Apparently, when you are inside, the windows become opaque. Yeah. I’m didn’t trust that. I’m not that adventurous.

Hands down, our favorite artwork at the hotel was the flag. It was made with thousands of tiny G.I.Joe figurines. Awesome!

Thankfully, by the time we headed up to our room, the elevator had been fixed. It was the most amazing night ever!

We truly needed the time together.

If you ever have a chance to visit the 21c Museum Hotel, definitely do so. It will not disappoint. Downtown Durham will not disappoint. We passed so many restaurants of all types. There is definitely something for everyone.

And all of these unvisited places are future adventures waiting to happen!

Stay tuned for our next day’s adventure….

Life, Spirituality, and a Trip to the Local Winery

February 10, 2018 by Kathryn Edwards

Making sense of life…..

That’s a hard one. I struggle with that idea.

I strongly feel the need to make sense of my life. I need to know why things in my life have happened the way that they did.

Why couldn’t I be married for over 50 years, as my parents have been?

Why did I have an eating disorder that robbed me of my best years?

Why must I be plagued with perfectionism and the need to be in control?

I’ve been through years of therapy. I’ve read a million self-help books. I am a certified holistic health coach. I should, by now, have all the answers. Right?

I’ve realized..maybe just more so today, that it’s my spirituality that answers all of my questions.

Because there are so many different beliefs, I know that religion is a very touchy subject.

I come from a place of understanding all religions. Personally, I chose long ago to be a Christian. Although I am a Christian and I read the bible by way of daily devotionals, I recognize that there are many concepts of spirituality.

By definition, spirituality is “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things”. For my personal self, it is being in touch with a greater being who feeds my human spirit and soul. Through years of soul searching, my contentment comes from believing in fate and the belief that there is a reason that all things that happen. Because I am a Christian, I find comfort that God has a plan for me. Everything I’ve been through has been a learning experience. You see, God allowed me to make my own choices. He allowed me to make mistakes. I have a record for not listening. I completely blame myself. Although my choices didn’t always make my own life easy, my faith has made me so much more understanding and appreciative of the things I have now.

Through my holistic health studies, I believe that it’s so important to have a belief in a higher being, regardless of religious beliefs. After all, religion is a very personal thing. And that means different things to many different people.

So what spurred this this very serious, introspective post?

A trip to the local winery inspired me today…. Secret Garden Winery in Pikeville, to be exact. Every time I’ve visited the winery, it’s been on a whim- a complete last minute decision.

And every time I’ve been to that winery, I’ve met people that have blessed my life. (Future blog post with pictures coming…)

After school today, I needed to stop by the grocery store to get supplies for National Pizza Day. You know I have to celebrate every occasion! I randomly decided to stop by the winery to see if there was anything new to taste.

I arrived at the same time as a couple from Chicago, as well as a most fantastic local woman. The four of us had seemingly nothing in common, but as we talked and tasted wine, we began to connect. We discovered that we each had overlapping life stories. For hours, we shared our stories and beliefs. We shared encouragement. Shouldn’t that be our ultimate purpose if life? To make connections and encourage others?

I left with many references for new books as well as a renewed sense of purpose. Because as much as I’d like to think I have it all together, sometimes I’m very lost. I’m not lost in my walk with God. I pray. I pray so many times a day. As far as my walk with God, I’m there. I’m very spiritual.

But sometimes, I struggle with knowing my purpose in life. Am I destined to be single forever? Will I have a “forever” person? How will I know when something is truly right? Will I be able to help others through my struggles?

These are all chapters of my life that are waiting to be written. Maybe I overthink things. Scratch that- I KNOW I overthink things. That’s my daily struggle.

But for now, I’m doing my best to leave things in the hands of God. I am a spiritual person, and I do believe that my life has a plan. I’ll have to be patient so that I can see where life leads me. I’ll constantly remind myself to be understanding and accepting.

And in the end, my life will be a beautiful story.

I realize that all the chapters in my life will create the whole story. If even one chapter were missing, the story wouldn’t have the same ending.

So tonight, thanks to the visit to the winery, I’ve realized that I look forward to writing the next chapter in the book of my life. For sure, my life has a purpose.

A Duplin Winery Art Class

February 6, 2018 by Kathryn Edwards

One of the reasons I blog is to document my adventures. In my old age, I want to remember the details of all the things I’ve enjoyed. I want to see how my life has changed and how those changes have inspired me to become the person I am.

When I was married, my life was full of adventure. Rarely did a weekend pass when there wasn’t some type of fun activity. My ex and I were in involved in many different clubs. After we separated, because of finances and other responsibilities, I had to let go of nearly all our memberships.

Once I was able to get my finances under control, I rejoined the Heritage Club at Duplin Winery. The club truly feels like family. I always feel welcome, even when I attend things by myself. A girl needs fun things in her life!

So, allow me to share my my Duplin Art Class adventure from this past weekend…and if you browse the link, make sure you check out all of Duplin’s events.

When I saw that Duplin Winery was offering a painting class, I jumped at the opportunity to attend with my mom and sister. A day spent sipping wine and painting is a day well spent. Otherwise, I’d just be at home, cleaning the house.

Yuck.

The painting class was held at the Chapel in Duplin’s Vineyard. I loved the rustic-elegant atmosphere. Nestled among the trees and vineyards, it would be the perfect venue for a wedding!

The chapel was situated by a pond. I can only imaging how pretty it must be during the springtime when all is fresh and green!

Ann, the art instructor, was amazing! She has the most infectious personality. She was so encouraging and positive. I loved that she stressed that art should be very individualistic. She reminded us that we all have our own style. That’s something I try to teach the elementary-aged kids in my art classes at school. Individuality is the most important thing when creating!

We had so much fun exploring our creativity and laughing with our table-mates as our paintings emerged. Nothing creates a bond like sipping wine and crafting. We all agreed that the wine definitely improved our painting skills!

Halfway through the class, lunch was served. Before the class began, we were allowed to chose from several lunch options. My sister chose the fried green tomato and pimento cheese sandwich. I opted for the chicken salad. I’m very picky about chicken salad. I won’t eat just anyone’s chicken salad. I like it to be “clean”. In other words, I’d die if I were to get a piece of fat or gristle in my mouth.

Every time I’ve visited the Bistro at Duplin, located at the winery, the food has been spectacular! Definitely put that on your list of places to visit. You won’t be disappointed!

Because the day spent with my mom and sister was so fantastic, I had to have a souvenir to commemorate the occasion. So, I added another wine glass to the family. Does it really matter that I already have 10,058 others at home? Absolutely not. I had to have it. I couldn’t have resisted the gold leopard print even if I hadn’t had an excuse.

Not only did we leave with our chicken paintings, we left with great memories of a day well spent. And we won’t tell anyone that we took the exit in the wrong direction and wound up in Wilmington! Oops!

On the way home, I was was thinking that the three of us should do more things together. Although we are all neighbors, we often pop in and out for a quick visit. However, we rarely spend more than those few minutes together. As I get older, I’m grateful to have my family live so close. I’m grateful for the rare days that we can coordinate our schedules to spend a block of time with one another. And one day, I’ll be grateful I took the time to write it all down. So, in my old age, I can remember all of the good times.