Weekend Roundup: Valentine’s Day in NuLu

One of my favorite parts about living in Louisville is all of the neighborhoods to explore. Each one has their own flavor and things they are known for, and one of the trendiest neighborhoods right now is NuLu. Even though I work adjacent to NuLu, it isn’t often that I have an excuse to make the trek downtown to enjoy the different restaurants and shops that take residence here. This made NuLu the perfect stop along our Valentine’s Day itinerary.

Our first stop of the evening was the Before I Die wall. This is a piece of community art sponsored by the local Speed Museum where people are encouraged to write the things they dream about doing in life. I’ve been wanting to write something on this wall since I moved to Louisville but never had a good excuse to stop by. Lucky for us, the Before I Die wall is right next to the restaurant where we were having dinner. Since the wall has been up since 2013, you can see it is really starting to fill up. Hopefully you can tell though that my addition to the wall is saying that I want to marry my Valentine. (Ugh, gag. It is Valentine’s Day after all.)

In the words of Ryan, “Never have I made a fatter face.” Sorry, babe. Sometimes you just got to do it for the Instagram.

Our second stop was at Decca. Right in the heart of NuLu, Decca has a cozy atmosphere that made it a perfect pick for Valentine’s Day. It’s known for its seasonally changing menu full of great entrees and even better cocktails. Ryan chose the rib eye and waysider while I had the lamb and little red dress, and there was plenty of sharing in between. Next time we go back, I want to check out Decca’s Cellar, which serves a full dinner menu and bar snacks and often has live music.

Although Ryan and I love trying new restaurants in Louisville, I still always have the Grinch in my head repeating, “but what will I wear?!” For Decca, I wore a simple black dress with scallop detail (almost identical) and followed this make-up tutorial for a Valentine’s Day eye using my Naked 3 and Too Faced Romantic Eye pallets.

We topped off the night sampling this tart, drinking this wine, and watching this movie.

How did you spend your Valentine’s Day weekend?

Cheers!

Sarah

Friday Favorites

I scored this cute valentine at the Louisville Papersource.

Check out this week’s roundup of things that we thought were a llama fun!

Inner WKU Spirit Growing up in Bowling Green, we both have a special place in our hearts for WKU.  After taking this silly quiz, we have determined that Laura is a White Squirrel, and Sarah is Big Red. So typical.

Athleisure With several trips coming up this spring, I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of cute sneaks. I loved the slip-on trend that popped up last year, but never really found a pair that I liked enough to buy. This year, it seems like they are everywhere. I’m especially loving these in rose gold with a lasercut pattern.

Getting Married Is Not An Accomplishment I have to admit that when I first saw this title, I thought to myself, “oh just another one of those articles telling me why/why not getting married is the right thing to do” *insert eye roll*. However, after reading it, Natalie Brooke presents a very valid point. So whether you’re celebrating this Valentine’s Day weekend with a significant other or not, remember that love is just one of many parts of a girl’s life to celebrate (and not always the most important).

I Just Want To Hang With My Dog  I love a good graphic tee for hanging out at home or running errands around town. Recently I stumbled across this one on Etsy. Not only does it speak the truth, but 20% of all profits are donated to animal shelters!

Decadent Valentine’s Day Treat I first tasted this brownie tart at a birthday celebration for a friend. His girlfriend (now wife) had made it for us all to share, and I immediately asked for the recipe and went out to buy a springform pan. Believe me when I say that this tart is decadent and that a little sliver will go a long way. I will definitely be sharing this treat with my Valentine this weekend.

Cheers!

Laura & Sarah

Planning for Spring in Kentucky

This past weekend, we enjoyed a girls’ weekend in Lexington. We saw Mama Mia at the Lexington Opera House and hit up a couple of my favorite restaurants – The Village Idiot and Windy Corner.

Stephanie, Sarah, and I before Mama Mia

Winter starts wearing on me, and I always get in a funk in February. Getting out of the house and laughing with friends always does the trick. This weekend was just what I needed to help combat the funk. I’ve found that I start planning fun weekend events and vacations for the warmer months around this time of year, so it gives me something to look forward to. Although I like extended vacations, research shows that having more smaller events to look forward to is more beneficial than one larger event, so I’ve compiled several events that are on my radar right here in Kentucky.

*Side note: Read this and replace “Mom” with “Laura,” and you have a legitimate one sided conversation I have with people when talking about Lexington (where I live now), Bowling Green (where my parents live), and Somerset (my husband’s hometown). I seriously believe what I say too!

Anyways, Lexington, which has often been overshadowed by Louisville, is becoming a hip and foodie destination in its own right. More entrepreneurs and business owners are changing the landscape of small towns throughout Kentucky for the better. There is definitely plenty to see, do, and eat these days in Kentucky!

March 31 – Old Crow Medicine Show Concert – A classic crowd-pleaser with a cult following. Scoring tickets may be difficult.

April 9 – Under the Streetlamp – This show features the past performers from Jersey Boys, which is one of my favorites! Guaranteed to hear some doo-wop and Motown favorites, and probably some coordinated foot action as well!

May 22 High Hope Steeplechase – I say I’m going to go to this every year, and something always comes up. I hope to make it this year!

June 1-12 Phantom of the Opera – Another great Broadway favorite! Sarah shared how she won free tickets to KyPAC in this post, so you Louisvillians may want to try it for yourself.

June 10-12 Lake Cumberland 360 – If you’re a fan of the lake during this summertime, this festival includes activities beyond the normal lake day. We’ve participated in the bike ride before.

June 11 Beer Cheese Festival – I’ve never been to this quirky festival before, but I’ve heard it’s a good time. What’s not to love about beer cheese?

July 8-9 Master Musicians Festival – This falls during the same month as Forecastle in Louisville, but I like this music festival so much more! It is laid back, lawn chair friendly, and normally has a good selection of food and drinks.

Do you have any plans for warmer months?

Cheers!

Laura

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, readers! We are so close to the weekend that we can taste it. As soon as work is over, I will be driving to Lexington to spend some quality time with the other half of Kindly Kentucky, Laura. But first, I have to share what got us through the week.

Valentine’s Card Ideas The best cards are homemade and include a pun. (Disclaimer: It is a family trait to love a good pun or a corny joke.) I plan to pull out my glitter and bright pink paper this weekend. Now, I just have to decide which ideas to use! – Laura

Support a Friend with Depression I’m glad that discussions about depression, anxiety, and more severe forms of mental illnesses are beginning to become less taboo. However, I think there is still a lot of work to be done in our communities regarding these issues. When someone is sick or disabled with a physical ailment, it feels much easier to know how to support them. I thought this short post shared some good starting points to help friends with depression. – Laura

Adnan’s Appeal If you were Serial-obsessed during Season 1, then you may already know that Adnan Syed began undergoing an appeal this week for retrial. One of the most interesting parts of the appeal is that Asia McClain (a.k.a. Adnan’s only alibi who withdrew her claims during the first trial) has taken the stand. You can follow along with the preceding in the news or on Twitter by following Rabia Chaudry (@rabiasquared), one of Adnan’s family friends who spoke on Serial. – Sarah

Soda and Lime One of my best friends has recently started a mini blog series as a way to journal her weight loss journey. With New Year’s Resolutions and Lent just around the corner, this blog couldn’t be better timed. If you need a reason for a good laugh, inspiration, and a chance to say “me too” at least 10 times while reading through her posts, check out S’s perspective on weight loss, fitness, and, of course, Hilary Duff. – Sarah

Cheers!

Laura & Sarah

Kentucky Running

I ran my first 5K when I was 17 and my first half marathon when I was 20. Since then, I’ve run a handful of 5 and 10K’s and one or two half marathons a year – nothing too crazy – and I certainly haven’t ventured into full marathon territory.

Around this time every year, I start slacking on my fitness. I’m over the cold temperatures and my new year’s resolutions have worn off. However, I usually try to combat this lack of motivation by signing up for an upcoming race since it essentially forces me to stay in shape. If you’re in the same rut, I recommend signing up for something like a race or an intramural event because it definitely makes you think twice before hitting snooze or driving past the gym on your way home from work.

I’ve listed my favorite Kentucky races, and I love them all for different reasons. If you’re looking for a running buddy or want to sign up for a race, let me know! It’s always better to have a friend there for motivation.

Favorite 5K Races:

November 24: The Great Turkey 5K, Bowling Green

November TBA: Girls on the Run 5K, Lexington

Favorite 10K Race:

October TBA: Medical Center 10K Classic, Bowling Green

Favorite Half Marathons:

April 2: Run the Bluegrass (shorter options available), Lexington

April 30: Derby Festival Mini-Marathon, Louisville

October 16: Iron Horse Half Marathon, Midway

Please excuse the blurry/poor-qualify of this photo. We’ll just pretend that I was running so fast at the end of the Iron Horse Half, it was hard to capture a good picture.

I’m ready to try some new races. Here are the ones on my radar for 2016!

April 16: (Un)Pleasant Hill Trail Runs, varying lengths, Shaker Village

August 13: Midsummer Nights Run 5K, Lexington

September 17: Railrunner 10 Miler, Nicholasville

Because that was a semi-boring post, I’ll share a humorous little backstory about my first half marathon…

Alex and I after our first half marathon. We ran the Kentucky Derby Mini-Marathon on the UK Dance Blue Team.

The race itself is only notable since it was my first one, and it had some big hills, which are no longer part of the course. However, the pre-race details stick out the most. For starters, neither Alex nor I were really familiar with Louisville at the time, so we stayed in a hotel on the outskirts of town. When we checked it, I was really excited to learn that the hotel had free (aka really cheap) drinks and appetizers. It was a month away from my 21st birthday, so I felt pretty fancy drinking a glass of the white zinfandel out of a plastic cup. Alex was already 21, and I think she was smart enough to not partake. After our wine and cheese, we lounged by the hotel pool with the sound of interstate traffic drowning out our gossipy conversation. The hotel’s policy was that an employee had supervise the pool area whenever it was occupied. Since it was late April, we weren’t in our bathing suits and weren’t even thinking of getting in the pool. Nevertheless, a pimply teenage employee sat out there to monitor us until we left to carb-load at a pasta dinner. While the evening wasn’t too crazy, I laugh every time I think about how slick I thought I was drinking cheap wine. If I drank that now on a night before running, I would probably be seriously sick during the race. Oh, to have the liver of a college student…

Since this was my first half marathon, I took training really seriously. I followed one of the training plans from Hal Higdon, and I found it to be a really great starting place. Now, I’m lucky if I get two or three 10+ mile runs in before I run a race. I just try to consistently run about five days a week in the months preceding the race.

Cheers and happy running!

Laura

Suit Alternatives

There are very few articles of clothing I dislike more than the business suit. I believe this hatred started in college when I was in an organization that occasionally required that we wear matching suits. Although I appreciated the formality and etiquette of the outfit, I always ended up feeling more like a high schooler in FBLA than a young professional. Even though I now own a navy skirt and blazer that is more structured and fitted (thanks, Banana Republic!), I still just don’t feel like myself when I put it on. This means I’m occasionally faced with a challenge, and one I’m guessing many of you all face too. What is appropriate to wear whenever faced with a formal professional event, but you just can’t bring yourself to squeeze into that suit like a Hillary Clinton-wannabe one more time?

I present to you my “suit alternatives.” These would be my go-to choices anytime I have a more formal day at work. Even though many traditional or corporate environments still like to see suits during interviews, I think these could even work for interviews if you work in a less traditional environment, such as a start-up or PR.

Pictured here as part of a casual outfit, imagine this tweed jacket over your favorite silky top and a pair of patterned pants. Give me a blazer-like jacket with a touch of fringe, and I’m sold.

I’m into the midi trend these days, and I think the modest length of this dress is perfect to flaunt at the office. Plus, at $70 it’s a major steal from Zara.

Who said matchy-matchy had to just be for suits? You could easily throw on a blazer over the peplum top to make it even more formal if needed.

How do you dress up for work?

Cheers!

Sarah

Friday Favorites

 

After a mini-snowcation last weekend, I had a major case of the Mondays that I never really recovered from. Since it looks like the weather is going to be really nice for this time of year, I’m hoping to hop on my bike for a long ride on Saturday.

Shine Theory Ok, so shine theory is not necessarily a new idea, and honestly, it shouldn’t even be that radical of an idea for us women. However, it’s been on my mind a lot lately! It’s so common that whenever one woman experiences success, we use it as an excuse to compare ourselves to her in a negative light. Shine theory says that instead of giving in to this destructive knee-jerk reaction, befriend that woman because learning about all of those things that make her shine can help encourage you to shine too. It’s the associative property of awesomeness. – Sarah

Valentine’s Day Movie List I’m always up for a good rom-com, so I really don’t need an upcoming holiday as an excuse to watch one of these movies. Nevertheless, I’m hoping to watch one of these flicks this weekend. – Laura

Hound Runs Half Marathon When everyone in our family saw this news story, we immediately thought that this would be something Sarah’s dog, Lou, would do! This Alabama hound came in 6th place despite stopping to smell a bunny,visit another dog, and hang out with some cows and mules. Hilarious! – Laura

Spring Dress We still have a couple more months of winter in Kentucky, but I’m already ready to pack away my tights, boots, and heavy coats. I love this casual dress with the longer sleeves, which is perfect for 60 degree spring days. With a boat neck and navy and white stripes, what more could you want? – Laura

These look seriously tasty!

Cheers to a fabulous weekend!

Laura

Oven BBQ Chicken

In this family, we love The Pioneer Woman (Laura’s already mentioned her here). She has down-to-earth style, and her food reminds me of things that my mom would cook, a.k.a. the best food. Compared to the other Newton women, I’m still a novice in the kitchen, but anytime I feel like experimenting with a recipe, The Pioneer Woman is one of my first stops.

With all the snowy weather lately, I’ve exhausted my repertoire of soups and chili, and I’ve found myself craving something different. That’s when I stumbled upon this recipe. Because I live in an industrial loft and a grill is pretty much out of the question, I was immediately excited by a recipe that would allow me to get a taste of a traditionally barbecued food that isn’t just your standard baked chicken.

“Drop anything for me, Mom?” – Lou

Ingredients

• 3 Cups BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Peach Preserves
• 1 Clove Garlic
• Hot Sauce, optional
• 12 Whole Chicken Thighs, skin-on
• Olive Oil for Brushing

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While preheating, brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and place your chicken thighs skin side down (I only made 6, not 12). Let them roast for 25 minutes. While roasting, go ahead and prepare your sauce. If you’re in a hurry or want to keep things simple, you could just use your favorite BBQ sauce from the grocery store. I took The Pioneer Woman’s advice, however, and warmed some honey BBQ sauce on the stove for about 10 minutes while adding a heaping spoonful of peach preserves and 1 clove of garlic minced.

You need this garlic roller. Perfectly minced garlic every time!

 

After the 25 minutes is up, remove your chicken thighs and brush them with your BBQ sauce. Then flip them so that they are skin side up, and brush with sauce on that side too. Then, let them continue roasting for three 7 minute intervals. Between each interval, remove and brush with sauce again. For the third set of 7 minutes, bump your heat to 425 to get a little char on the edges.

 

Yummmm.

This recipe was Ryan tasted and approved–seriously, it was so good. This will be a repeat recipe in the future. I was a little hesitant putting the sauce on the first time not knowing how much it would need, and I wouldn’t hold back so much next time. Another thing I would do differently is mix up the cuts of meat. Chicken thighs are good, but not my favorite. I would probably do a mixture of thighs and legs and maybe even a few petite breasts. I also didn’t use bone-in thighs as suggested in the recipe, and I honestly think the ease of being able to eat them boneless made them better.

Cheers!

Sarah

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day in elementary school was just the best! I loved picking out my box of Valentine cards, carefully tearing down the perforated lines of the card stock, selecting which card I would give to my closest friends and secret crush, and taping a piece of chocolate on each one. I loved decorating my shoe box that would become my Valentine mailbox and making crafts out of pink and red construction paper and doilies. I loved looking through all of my cards during my afternoon ride home on the school bus. Seriously, it was one of the best days of the year!

Then middle school happened, and Valentine’s Day became one of my least favorite days. It became a stressful holiday where I had to think about romance or worse – the lack of romance in my life, depending on the year. Although I’ve been fortunate enough to have the BEST Valentine the past few years, it still stresses me out. Candlelight dining and the pressure to make the evening feel special is just too much for me.

Around this time every year, Jay and I hesitantly look at each other and agree to not exchange gifts. Inevitably, he’ll surprise me with flowers, and I’ll make him a sweet treat. We’ll decide to do something together because that is way more fun than receiving heart-shaped jewelry. A couple of years ago, I happened to be in San Antonio for a work event that ended on Friday, so Jay flew up and joined me for the rest of the Valentine’s weekend. We rode bikes to missions along the river, ate well, and enjoyed the 75 degree weather. It was the best!

This year, we have less time to get away and are planning a longer trip for later in the year, so we’re heading to one of my favorite places in Central Kentucky – Shaker Village! We are spending the night, going to brunch, and if the weather cooperates, hiking and exploring the village in the afternoon. It should be just long enough to feel like a mini-getaway.

If you haven’t been to Shaker Village recently, it has seriously gotten cool. There are so many events I want to go to in the next few months, from beer and bourbon tastings to concerts to yoga and paddle boarding. We’re heading to the Bee My Honey Brunch, which couldn’t be more perfect for us with brunch fare, honey, and bourbon.

One thing that I do like to do on Valentine’s Day is have a festive outfit. Since it falls in the middle of winter, little red dresses and pink skirts are out of the question in Kentucky. Because we’re having a casual Valentine’s Day, I’m all about being comfortable and wearing practical clothing. Here’s what I’ll be packing for our weekend…

Sweater    Blouse    Jeans    Nail Polish    Bracelet    Flats

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Valentine’s Day! Some people love the romance and others prefer to pass on celebrating. What will you be up to?

Cheers!

Laura

Weekend Recap

If you reside in the Bluegrass or really anywhere in the Upper-South/Mid-Atlantic region, then you were probably snowed in for much of the weekend like we were. During January and February, I relish snow days and think they are good for the soul. They force people to slow down and take some time to rest from the normal bustle of life. However, by March, I definitely have spring fever and am ready to be outside without having to bundle up.

Other than heading out for the UK vs. Vanderbilt basketball game on Saturday, we spent much of the weekend playing in the snow, curled up with hot beverages and books, and eating comfort food.

On Friday, I was so tempted to make a big batch of chocolate chip cookies, but I satisfied my baking bug by making this honey wheat bread. However, by Sunday, I couldn’t hold out any longer and just made some cookies. I also made a big batch of The Pioneer Woman’s potato soup that we’re still enjoying. I substituted milk for half of the heavy cream in the recipe, and I think it still tastes decadent.

Here are some scenes I snapped of our weekend:

Where did all the squirrels go?

We did a lot of this after playing in the snow.

The view from our front porch. Jay won the neighborhood superlative for best shoveled sidewalks.

Spent some time planning a girls’ trip to New England this summer. I’m most excited to visit Maine!

We also stopped by the Bluegrass Barkery this weekend to pick up some of these Pawz booties and a few treats. After a light snow last Wednesday and the snowstorm this weekend, the pads on the bottom of her paws were getting red and irritated from the ice and salt. These little booties were great to put on her before walks and playing in the snow. She normally doesn’t like wearing anything, but she tolerated these better than I anticipated. The booties are reusable and disposable, so they come in packs of 12. Annabelle wore the same booties for several days, and they are still in good shape. The pack will definitely last all winter and possibly even into next winter. If you have a dog that you walk frequently, I definitely recommend these booties!

 

I hope you’re well rested and ready to take on the week! Cheers!

Laura