shoe's cup and cork

I'm not entirely sure how long it will last but today was an incredibly beautiful spring day in Northern Virginia.  My husband and I both had different appointments earlier in the day but this afternoon, we decided to get outside and make the most of this glorious day.

We decided to take sweet Daisy with us and walk around downtown Leesburg.  I'm so glad we did!  We walked all around the historic district while Daisy panted and gave me dirty looks.  To say that she's not quite used to exercise is probably the under-statement of the century.  I think she was wondering why I neglected to bring her pink stroller on our adventure.

Since we were limited on dog-friendly places to eat at, we decided to have a casual dinner outside in the Secret Garden at Shoe's Cup and Cork.  They were completely welcoming and went out of their way to make Daisy (and us) at home.  In fact, they didn't have an apple to sell us (one of Daisy's favorite treats), so one of the waitresses offered to let Daisy have her apple that she didn't eat at lunch!  She is now Daisy's friend-for-life!

Year's ago, Shoe's belonged to an actual cobbler.  There was no food to be eaten but it was the place to go if you needed your shoe's repaired.  Several years ago, Shoe's was opened as a cute coffee shop/cafe but closed last year.  We were so happy when new owners "re-soled" it and brought it back to life.  In my opinion, Shoe's Cup & Cork is better than ever.

I should have gotten pics of the charming Secret Garden but it was tough to get past this adorable face!

Apples and water were all it took to put a smile on her face

If you are in Northern Virginia or the D.C. area, you should give Shoe's a try!

It's been a few weeks...

Having both of my kids on two different Spring Break schedules was a little frustrating since we never had a moment as a family, when we were all together.  That said, my son and I went down to visit my daughter in SC while he was on his break, so I did have a few days with both kids.  I don't know how much of a break it actually was for my son.  My daughter went to school in January without her car, so it seemed we were busy driving her places from the time we arrived - until the time we left.  We did enjoy a few relaxing dinners while we were there.  Columbia, SC has some great restaurants.  This trip, our favorites were Pearl's Oyster Bar and California Dreaming.  Pearl's has really great oysters on the half shell and pretty fabulous lobster rolls.  (I'm a tough critic when it comes to lobster rolls since I was born in Massachusetts, so you can trust me on this.)  California Dreaming's house salad is amazing...though I could have probably done myself a few favors by saying "no" to the honey croissants that accompany each salad.  The fact that we began our meal with an appetizer of croissants was probably not the best decision but they tasted incredible.

The ballerina's spring break was cut short from the beginning as she had a performance at the Columbia Museum of Art on the first Saturday of her break.  My son and I were able to attend the dress rehearsal the day before.  It was so great to see her dancing again.  It wasn't a ballet piece - it was a "swing piece" to complement the theme "From Geisha's to Gatsby".  The choreography was fast and fun.  They performed 3 times during the Gala and she said all three performances went really well with great energy from the dancer's as well as the crowd.

The dancer's all donned black bob wigs - I barely recognized her!

I think she misses the dogs when she is at school..more than anything.

Headed back to school in her new car ~ Happy Girl! 

We headed back to Virginia on Sunday - wishing we had brought the SC weather with us.  I think my daughter felt she got "the short end of the stick"...coming home to the freezing cold on "spring break" but she was so happy to spend a few days at home with her pets before having to go back to school.

I wish I had  gotten some pics of my son over the break.  He arrived home with a bad cold, so we spent the first half of his break, nursing him back to health before we headed south and we were so busy while we were in SC, I didn't think about it.  Thankfully, they'll both be back for a few weeks in May, before their busy summers begin.

How were your spring break's with your kids?  Busy (like ours) or relaxing...like most people we know?

Oh Snow! Post Valentine's Day Lunch ❤️

This weather...can you even believe it?!  If you are pretty much anywhere on the east coast, with the exception of Florida, you know what I'm talking about.  The last several days in Northern Virginia, we were hit with between 12-15 inches or more of that fluffy white stuff.  I love snow more than most but I've got to say, I think I'm over it now.

Along with the chilly temperature, I've been trying my best to get rid of a bad cold/virus so I really wasn't up for going out for dinner on Valentine's Day.  Today, we got a reprieve....both from the snow AND my cold.  My husband and I decided to go to Upperville for Brunch.  If you are in "hunt country" and want a great place to eat and drink, Hunter's Head Tavern is for you.  It had been many years since I was last there and today I was reminded how much I love it.  Hunter's Head Tavern is a completely charming British tavern about 3 miles from Middleburg, Virginia.  The staff is friendly and welcoming.  The food was great.  I had a crab cake because it was a special but my next visit, I'm embracing my Scottish roots and going for the Bangers & Mash.   We shared the "staff favorite" dessert, lemon pound cake with a lavender glaze.  It's now my favorite!

We had a great lunch near a roaring fire and walked around Middleburg afterwards.  It was a lovely afternoon.