A Visitor from Georgia

 This weekend was a blast! One of my best friends from Savannah came into town. She lives in Atlanta now and is a very successful sale rep for a ergonomic office furniture company. EEB and I are probably two of the most unlikely people you'd expect to be friends. I'm ultra conservative, and she tends to be a little more open minded. However, she's got the purest and most loyal heart of anyone you'll ever met.

This weekend was her first trip to visit me in Virginia Beach. We recently got Southwest airlines at the ORF. She flew in about 3:30 on Tuesday and my incredible boyfriend took the day off work and picked her up at the airport. They entertained themselves walking around Chicks Beach and stopping in at the Green Parrot for a bit before I got home from work.

We quickly got ready and headed out to Mermaid Winery. You may remember from before, but Mermaid's is Norfolk's very own urban winery. The service was slow, the trains were loud and had the food and company not been good, we would've been off to a bad start. After apps and a wine flight, we headed to Little Bar Bistro's Empire for dinner. Empire boasts amazing tapas dishes and a fun eclectic atmosphere. EEB told us a few ghost stories and we discussed the paranormal. Both J and EEB are believers, but I've never had an experience, so I'm not a believer yet.

Friday, I had to work from 8 to 5. It was a stressful day, so I was happy to have EEB waiting for me when I got home! We checked out Surf Rider off Great Neck for a little seafood. They had an amazing lobster special for $14.99 of which J took advantage. EEB had shrimp and I chowed down on some Mahi Mahi. After Surf Rider's we headed to Chicks for Virginia Beach's famous Orange Crush. We were only there briefly. I was tired and couldn't stop yawning from a long day at work and EEB wasn't complaining about spending a little quality time on the couch at home either. We headed back to Chick's Beach.

Saturday we ventured out to Doc Taylor's, another beach favorite. The brunch is wonderful and cheap and worth the wait. Or perhaps, you're just so hungry by the time you get seated and order, anything tastes good! I had crab benedict and  it was to die for! After brunch we walked 5 blocks to WRV, a local surf shop. I figured we were at the beach, so why not take her to a surf shore? There we went a little crazy. I bought 2 new pairs of flip flops -- one Sanuks and the other Rainbows -- a WRV teeshirt and St. Christopher's charm. St. Christopher is said to be the Saint of Travel. Surfers around the area promote this Saint to stay safe while they tackle the waves. For EEB, it meant safe travel home because she's scared of flying. After hitting the shop, we took a stroll on the boardwalk and Atlantic Avenue just to play tourist for a bit. Eventually we ended up at 22nd Raw Bar for a quick drink and later on at Harpoon Larry's for a quick snack.

We returned to Chick's Beach tired from being out in the sun and ready for a restful evening. Our friends Pat and Leanne, joined by my roommate Whiney and her boyfriend Will all readily agreed to dine with EEB, J and I at Zia Marie's. Zia's is a little Italian place about a stone's throw away from our house. The food is great and not overly priced. The atmosphere is loud and friendly.

We turned in early again, and we well rested for Sunday morning brunch at Waffletown (which also happens to be on UPromise) before heading to the Norfolk airport to say goodbye. It was so good to see her! I'm looking forward to not waiting 8 months to see my friends again. As I get older, I realize the importance of keeping the people in your life who are important to you close.

Puerto Lago

I never quite finished blogging about my trip to Ecuador. I'd like to share with you our experience in Puerto Largo. It was absolutely breath taking! Located right outside Otavalo, the lodge boasted llamas, a wonderful restaurant and views of the water. 

Jason and I spent the day walking through churches and markets in Otavalo and bargaining with the locals. At night we dined in the hotel's restaurant. It was wonderful. The weather was so strange. During the night it was cool, but would get very hot during the day. It was a lesson in bringing layers. 

Trash to Treasure: Part II

Here's the final product! We even bought a chair for $10 at the Thrift store and painted it to match!

The bottom picture is set up at Jason's house for his new desk!

This was a fun project, but cost about $100 for all the primer, paint, handles and twine. The desk was saved and therefore free. After scouring Virginia Beach antique stores for the perfect chair, we ended up finding one at the first thrift store we entered.

Our next project are jars for the kitchen with chalk labels. I cannot wait!