Travels with Charlie: Sunday Stroll

Sometimes our travels take us far and wide and sometimes we don't go very far from home. 

On a recent Sunday we didn't stray very far from home at all. We visited a local shopping center that has a special place in my heart because I worked there at a temp job over the summer. I love all the cute shops and outdoor seating areas.

 As with most of our outdoor shopping areas, the Crossroads is very dog friendly and Charlie enjoys a visit there as long as we don't visit her doctor who is located at the far end of the parking lot. 

She would also prefer that we didn't make her ride in an elevator. She really is not a fan. So, like any good mommy, I made sure to get a picture.

Don't worry, no dogs were forced to ride in elevators in the making of this picture.

She loves to walk on the wide sidewalk and try to visit the stores.

Some of the stores actually encourage her visit.

Of course the reason the hardware store is so pet-friendly probably has something to do with the fact that there is a big pet food store right next door.

On this particular Sunday we weren't looking for hardware or pet food. We were in search of CAKE!

 You see, this year Mr. T and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary. Yeah, I know, I can't believe it's been that many years either. Of course, I'd love to have a nice party with family and friends to mark the occasion, boy how I would love to, but that's not in the cards again this year. So we're doing the only thing we can do - we're eating a boatload of cake all year.

Each month, on our anniversary date, we are getting some form of cake to celebrate. This month we had a coupon to "buy one, get one free" at the cake store so that's just what we did.

Mr. T had chocolate chocolate chip and I chose white chocolate raspberry. He made his last 2 days...I can't say the same. I ate that whole thing in one sitting and wished there was more.

It's probably a good thing we're only celebrating once a month.

It's possible that Charlie pouted a little bit because we didn't share. 

But she'll be ready next week for another big adventure when we Travel with Charlie!

Glampiversary plans

The "rustic elegance" anniversary party that I blogged about on Saturday wasn't going to be the only fun this past weekend; our plans went further than just one night. We had the whole weekend planned out with activities for all 3 days. We even planned on putting out of towners up for 2 nights at our favorite all-suite hotel in my hometown. I envisioned it being a little like hosting a summer camp for our friends & family without having to rough it. I had taken to calling the whole event Glampiversary.

On Friday night we had planned a private bowling welcome party at a local luxury lane, KingPinz. 

Now, I'm not a big bowler (I have had my share of strikes but I've also bowled a perfect gutter ball game before) but it's lots of fun with a group and luxury lanes make it even funner...what, it's a word. You rent out 2 or 3 private lanes with tables. Your catered food is brought right to you so that you bowl and eat and eat and bowl.

I was so excited about this event that I'm determined to do it one day with or without an anniversary party attached.

happy anniversary to me

Today it's supposed to be sunny and 65 in Northern Virginia.

Since I am not in Northern Virginia right now, this is only important to me because today is the 29th anniversary of the day my husband and I started dating...and we were planning a trip back home to Virginia and a party to celebrate.

If you are wondering why you never received an invitation to this wonderful event, it's because it's not happening. We started planning, found the perfect venue, put down a deposit and then had to cancel...yet again. I've actually lost count of the number of parties I've canceled in the last four years. Ok, that's not exactly true. I remember each and every one.

But, today would have been the perfect day for the beautiful, rustic, elegant, country party that I had planned at Willow Creek Farm.

 

so to celebrate, I want to throw a little virtual party and share some of my plans.

That's beautiful Willow Creek Farm in Ashburn, Virginia. The restaurant did not exist when we lived in the area but we found it when we came for a visit a year ago and fell in love with the atmosphere. The restaurant consists of 4 vintage buildings and barns that were purchased in the 1980s, dismantled and stored for decades until this property became available and Clydes decided to open a restaurant.

 This is what you see as soon as you walk in the front door.

That gorgeous staircase leads to a set of private dining rooms upstairs. This is the room where the dinner would have taken place.

Oh my gosh, I knew this lace jacket was the perfect anniversary outfit (along with a crocheted skirt) the minute I saw it.

Underneath it all I was going to wear these perfect, perfect aqua boots. Love!

I love purple, it's my favorite color, so when I saw these glass jars I knew they would be perfect for centerpieces with just a few wildflowers. And I just fell in love with these burlap and lace silverware holders. I haunted Etsy for weeks to find unique items for every aspect of the celebration.

What's a party without cake? This suitcase cake is one of my favorite designs.

 We never got as far as menu planning but the restaurant is running a lobster special this month so I have a feeling that would have been on the menu. 

I had so many ideas, too many to show here but if you're at all curious go take a look at my Pinterest board to see what I had in mind.

It would have been an awesome party.