Good morning, and happy Monday! I hope your day is off to a great start.
I always regret not splitting these recap posts up after I finish them, but it’s fun to reflect on the week. I hope these long posts can give you a break from your busy day, and inspire you to go out and enjoy the small things. It always makes me happy when people tell me that they pour a cup of coffee and spend their Monday afternoon’s reading my recaps. That’s what motivates me to keep putting these things together! So thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to stop by and read.
This week was so much fun. I finished a lot of work projects and had fun while doing them. I made way too many muffins, played so much tennis, walked the dogs a lot, ate delicious and nutritious food, and spent time scooting around Charlotte like a teenager! If I could replay the week over, I’d totally do it.
Let’s get this recap started!
All my Monday’s start the same. I spend Sunday night putting all my recap photos in order, and then spend the morning drinking coffee and writing about my week, which is exactly what I’m doing right now.
After spending the writing, I made a delicious protein shake before heading out to run some errands.
I called it the “Pineapple Cashew-Colada Protein Smoothie”
It had ice, cashew milk, vanilla plant-protein powder (Orgain), frozen pineapples, and topped with roasted cashews!
For lunch, I had arugula tossed in Primal Kitchen Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (haven’t gotten sick of it yet), topped with blueberries, veggie chips (Brad’s plant-based cheddar crackers), and a fried egg on the side. I also ate my weight in carrots and hummus while the egg was frying.
I decided to remake the blender muffins for the blog on Monday, and they turned out heavenly! You can find the recipe here. I’ve made them four times so far, and even made a peanut butter & banana chocolate muffin that’ll be included in this post!
Kyle and I went for a long dog walk on Monday night, and then I spent my evening checking emails and watching The Bachelorette. I do NOT like this season. It’s so boring…It never really gets good until the last four episodes.
I spent Tuesday writing a fun post all about resistance bands that you can read about here! There is also a Fitbit Flex 2 giveaway and more! Don’t forget to check it out!
I also had many of you commenting on the water bottle from that post! It was sent to me by Elemental Bottles! I am completely obsessed. I have the engraved cursive style bottle. I want to order so many of these!
Random dinners are my specialty.
I cooked up some chicken breast, vegetables, and seasoned them with the Primal Kitchen Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, gluten-free soy sauce, pepper, sesame oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili flakes. Sounds strange, but DELICIOUS!
I had a spinach salad with walnuts, kidney beans, carrots, tomatoes, mandarines, chickpeas, dried cranberries, sesame seeds, and Primal Kitchen Honey Mustard Vinaigrette on top!
After dinner, Kyle and I headed to the tennis courts and played a couple of games before the rain started pouring! I was up when we left, but the rain definitely crushed our competitive series.
It was stretching close to 90-degrees by late Wednesday morning! I knew it was going to be a hot one.
I got my long dog walks with the boys in super early. I always feel bad for them this time of year. I never want them out in the heat!
Leo’s morning walk ended at the groomers. We decided to try out a new groomer in uptown, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a disastrous experience.
For breakfast, I failed at a banana-egg pancake because I added WAY TOO many blueberries. Despite the looks of it, it still tasted great! I had four egg whites and one yolk on the side.
Kyle and I LOVED the apple carrot muffins, so I made another batch! This time, I added oats. They were equally as delicious! I didn’t change the recipe at all, just added oats. They were just as moist and just as tasty.
The muffins are so perfect with coffee in the morning or with a scoop of peanut butter on top for dessert.
I walked to get Leo around 2pm from the groomers.
When I picked up Leo, the groomer said she accidentally nicked Leo’s tongue and said it was just so small as a “papercut”, and he stopped bleeding several hours ago. She acted like it was nothing, so I imagined it was nothing as well. After paying, I had to wait almost fifteen minutes for Leo to come back. I thought that was weird since she said he was done almost thirty minutes ago on my voicemail. I heard the blow dryer going again, and thought she maybe was blowing some hair off him.
When we got back to the house, I looked in his water bowl and it was dark red. When I walked over to the couch, there was blood dripping everywhere. Blood all over his legs, his paws, his face, and dripping out of his mouth. If this was a small nick that happened several hours ago, why was he still bleeding like this? It all started to make sense…I was waiting for her to wipe off the blood from Leo’s face and blow dry him off so I wouldn’t notice it until we left (assuming here.)
I immediately walked him down to the vet and they got him in right away. They cleaned him up and noticed a big chunk of his tongue cut…so a little more drastic than a tiny “papercut.” The vet said if it didn’t stop bleeding overnight that she’d have to put him under anesthesia and stitch it up. Luckily, it stopped bleeding the next morning.
I was so disappointed and felt so bad for Leo! I can’t even post the photos on the blog because they are so cringe-worthy.
I don’t want to put this business on blast (which is why I’m not posting the name) because I understand things happen, but I think a little honesty about how severe the cut was would have been appreciated. I would have been understanding and able to walk him to the vet immediately.
For dinner, I had leftover chicken with two eggs! I love using up leftovers, and eggs always make the perfect side.
I spent the night cuddled up with the boys and dabbing Leo’s sore mouth!
The highlight of the night was watching The Handmaids Tale.
Thursday was a much better day. Leo was feeling so much better, and that made me so happy!
For breakfast, I had scrambled eggs with sauteed vegetables. I love to make a big batch of sauteed vegetables to keep in the fridge for salads, omelets, and other random dishes.
I walked down to Queen City Grounds to grab a latte for an entire day of blogging! I’m kind of obsessed with this new coffee shop…if you haven’t noticed. I spent the rest of the day working, walking the dogs, and then played a couple games of tennis with Kyle later in the evening.
I had fun plans on Friday morning!
For breakfast, I had a strawberry & pineapple vanilla protein shake!
It had frozen pineapples, frozen strawberries, cashew milk, plant-protein powder (Orgain), ice, and ground flaxseeds.
On Friday, Arielle and I went out to shoot some fun photos for a brand I’m partnering up with this summer. You guys are going to LOVE what’s in store!
After a long day of shooting photos and running around all over the place in 98-degree weather, we were so ready for a delicious meal.
We decided to stop at Living Kitchen and try out their new menu.
This is one of my FAVORITE spots in Charlotte, and I never get sick of it. I’m fighting the temptation to eat there again this afternoon. We decided to split their new Kale Caesar. This was one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time! The salad had kale, green cabbage, cherry tomatoes, kale croutons, brazil nut parmesan, and creamy vegan caesar dressing. I don’t know how they made it taste just like a traditional Caesar salad, but dang they nailed it.
I was realllllllly sad they took my favorite fire & brimstone burger off the menu, but they had the veggie burger with the same sauce so I still got my fix. It wasn’t the same, but close. Very very close! And I’m so glad they kept the best thing on the menu…the Waldorf salad!
Living Kitchen has so many new options on their menu, which is an excuse to go more often so I can try them all out.
I can’t wait to dive into more of their bowl options.
How gorgeous is their Macrobiotic Bowl? It has roasted sweet potatoes, kale, quinoa, adzuki beans, sauerkraut, and lemon tahini sauce.
I’ve always wanted to try dessert at Living Kitchen, and so this time I decided to dive right in. We went with the carrot cake and the lemon berry cheesecake. They were both worthy of ordering again! The lemon berry cheesecake was made with cashews, coconut, lemon & berries on a pecan crust. The carrot cake was made with spiced carrot cake, made with almond flour, Medjool dates, & coconut shreds, and layered between a cashew cream “cheese” icing.
On Friday night, Kyle and I headed to the tennis courts to volley a bit. I was exhausted but toughed it out. He definitely beat me, but it was a close game.
I was so excited for Saturday morning. (mentioned my excitement for Saturday mornings in this post)
Playing hours and hours of tennis brings me so much joy! It’s fun to meet new people and get better and better each week.
After three an half of Saturday morning tennis, I stopped by Whole Foods
to pick up some lunch, and food for the week. I told Kyle I’d help him out with his meal prep. I don’t what it is, but I get them done about two hours faster 😉
I love random smorgasbords for lunch (I’ve been doing that a lot lately!) I only had a muffin before playing tennis because I do not like to do a ton of cardio after eating a heavy breakfast. I feel like it slows me down, so I made sure to eat a big lunch.
I had the leftovers from Living Kitchen, carrots and hummus, Brad’s veggie chips, Brussels sprouts, and guacamole.
While Kyle’s chicken for the week was baking away in the oven, I decided to use up the overripe bananas by making delicious muffins. Delicious is actually an understatement with these! I didn’t want to wait and do a separate post, I needed to share ASAP!
These peanut butter banana chocolate chip muffins are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and have no added sugars! I was pretty blown away by how they turned out.
Ingredients:
* 2 ripe bananas
* 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1/4 cup cashew milk
* 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
* 1 1/2 cups gluten-free quick oats
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/2 cup no sugar added dark chocolate chips (Lily’s)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with the peanut butter.
3. Mix in the vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and cashew milk.
4. Stir in the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, flaxseeds, sea salt, and dark chocolate chips.
5. Grease a muffin pan and scoop about 1/2 cup of the batter into each slot
6. Bake 22-25 minutes
Nutrition per muffin: Recipe makes 12 muffins
155 Calories, 16g Carbs, 7g Fat, 5g Protein, 5g Fiber, 7g Sugar
Lily’s vegan / no added sugar dark chocolate chips.)
We only have one more muffin left, so you better believe I’ll be making these again this afternoon. Kyle and I are also making protein peanut butter cups to keep in the freezer for nighttime cravings. I’ll keep you posted on those!
For dinner, I had ground turkey mixed with a bunch of random things. I’m sure you’re thinking “what the heck…”
I added beans, chickpeas, shrimp (surprisingly didn’t get sick this time), onions, brussels sprouts, and edamame. It was so random and so delicious! I always have to be careful with shrimp because I have a mild shellfish allergy. I find that if it’s wild caught and never frozen, I’m safe to eat it. But if it’s farm-raised, I get sick. I’ve heard it has something to do with the bacteria farm-raised shellfish create. I should probably read more about it.
Kyle and I sat outside on the porch drinking sparkling water and people watching until the sun went down, and then spent the evening wasting our time on an awful movie! Remember when I mentioned Bright Cellars on the blog! Just want to remind you that if you take the quiz, you can get 50% off your first box!!
I was up super early with the dogs for a Sunday morning dog walk. It’s tradition for Grumples andmeI to do two miles uptown on Sunday mornings when the whole city is sleeping.
If you’re ever visiting Charlotte, add “a walk in the fourth ward” to your list.
I spent an hour drinking coffee and watching Fixer Upper before starting the day.
Kyle and I headed to the courts early morning to play before it reached 98-degrees! It was still hot, but we managed to fit several games in.
I left the courts as the winner! I just have to be careful, because he’ll be back to get me next time. It’s his turn to take the win, so I’m hoping to break the pattern.
For lunch/breakfast, I had arugula topped with guacamole, ground turkey, jalapeno Simple Mill crackers, and Trader Joe’s salad toppers!
After lunch, Kyle and I decided to try out the new scooters in uptown! We had been wanting to do it forever, so we found some of the Bird ones, and headed to Southend for some green juice! Guys…..THESE THINGS ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!! You’ll feel like a little kid again. I love how convenient they are to get around, how inexpensive they are, and they are a great way to get past the traffic.
My only complaint would be that they need to get more of them! If people traded in their cars for scooters, we’d be set!
Add “riding scooters around Charlotte” to your travel list! I know they have these in other cities as well.
We rode down to Clean Juice in Southend. I ordered a “The Glow One” and it came with ginger, one apple, cucumber, and kale. I was a little thrown off because he put it in a cup with a ton of ice? Is that a thing now?…
We rode around for a couple hours. Talk about a mood-booster!
Summer in Charlotte never fails. When we got back, we took the boys out for another walk.
We try to fit in three 1-mile walks a day! When it’s hot, we’ll cut their miles down to a half. Since completing training when these boys, it’s much more enjoyable to take them out and about.
We ran some errands the rest of the evening, and then I had dinner before sitting down to put together the Monday recap post 🙂 For dinner, I had brussels sprouts, kale salad, grilled veggies, and Cappello grain-free crust with marinara sauce, and kite-hill chive cream cheese! This dinner was delicious! 🙂
Now, I’m off to work on a blog post with Arielle at a coffee shop, check my mail, and eat some lunch!
Have a great week everyone!!!
Questions for you!
- What was the last thing you did that made you feel like a kid again?
- Are you a recipe follower or a random meal fix type of person?
- Did I make too many muffins this week? (no, never, nope)
Abbey says
Yes I love the recap posts! I read them while my kids nap.
Making these make muffs (umm 🤔) stat! I can’t decide if I should make the apple/careot or PB and banana first!
I admire your new tennis enthusiasm! I’d love to see a post on how you have leanred to play and developed tennis skills.
Thanks!
Taralynn McNitt says
Love that, Abbey! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to stop by and comment.
Make whichever ones that you have most of the ingredients for! That’s always my deciding factor!
I definitely could put that together!!
Have a great week!!
Ellen says
Do you guys ever go to the Charlotte doodle romps with Grumples and Leo? I keep seeing pictures and wish I lived closer!
Taralynn McNitt says
Thank you for making me google this!!! Just signed up! How did I not know about this??? So the answer is SOON!
Amanda|The Kitcheneer says
1. Ummm last week at Trader Joe’s singing to Britney Spears while gliding on the cart in an empty aisle. 😀 Then I went home and watched Moana for the 3rd time with a glass of wine. Balance. 😉 But I definitely want to try scootering in Charlotte if I am ever in the area!
2. Im both. Most days it’s random throw together what ever is in the fridge. But most nights I cook a “recipe” or a “test recipe” for the blog.
3. NO WAY. those muffins look freakin delicious. I need to make some ASAP.
4. You are WAY nicer than I would have been if that were my baby who got hurt. I got mad just reading about it! lol But hopefully it was just a one time thing and doesn’t happen all the time at that salon.
Taralynn McNitt says
LOL I LOVE IT!!!
I need to watch Moana! I just can’t ever get that song out of my head….
YES SCOOTER IN CHARLOTTE FOR THE WIN!
You’re always good about coming up with delicious recipes!
We are giving them a chance to make it right! STILL NOTHING from them.
Katie Meshko says
You always do an amazing job of showing that a healthy lifestyle can still be fun and enjoyable!! <3 All of the treats look so amazing – I am def trying that muffin recipe ASAP! Love this post:)
XO, Katie | http://www.meshkomoments.com
Taralynn McNitt says
Awww, thank you, Katie!!!!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
What an exciting week! I can’t even remember when the last time I felt like a kid ago was. Probably when I was on vacation in Taiwan this weekend, though! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Taralynn McNitt says
Sounds like a fun weekend vacation!!
Jenna says
Swimming like a fish! I’ve been swimming so much lately because it’s just been so hot.
I’m definitely a recipe follower. I’m so jealous of you and how you just create recipes!
Nope no such thing as too many muffins!
&& I’m so sorry about Leo! I’m glad to hear that he’s feeling better! <3
Taralynn McNitt says
I haven’t swam at all this summer! I need to change that asap!
The more you do it, the better you get! 😀
yes, he’s doing so much better! xo thanks for the well wishes.
Sarah says
I Love your recaps!! I hope Leo is feeling better, if you don’t mind me asking it wasn’t dilworth was it? I was going to take my girl there for the first time in a few months to get a decent hair cut. I usually groom her so she looks homeless lol. I just wouldn’t want to take her if that was the place. Thanks!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Sarah!
Thanks so much! It was not in Dilworth. If you email me, I’ll send over the name of the salon. Also, if you’re looking for a really good and quick groomer that our dogs LOVE, you should check out Aussie Pet Mobile! She comes to your house and does your dog in less than an hour! Our dogs LOVE her! She wasn’t available the day we needed a cut for Leo, but we learned our lesson! They have amazing ratings and for a reason!
Vanessa says
What was the last thing you did that made you feel like a kid again?
This evening I went for a walk with my mum and we stopped at the playground so she could push me up in the swing. Never too old for that!
Are you a recipe follower or a random meal fix type of person?
Definitely random. I just buy whats cheap and in season and then see what I can make from that.
Did I make too many muffins this week? (no, never, nope)
Nope!
Taralynn McNitt says
You’re never too old for swings!
That’s a great idea and great way to save money while eating fresh!
HAHA!
Steph says
Hi Taralynn,
I follow you since the “Undressed Skeleton” days and I love love love your recap posts!
I’m from Germany and 6 hours ahead so it’s a weekly ritual to read your recap posts after work to relax 🙂
I also would love to see a tennis post like Abbey, I played many years ago and you motivate me to go back on track!
I hope Leo is doing well 💕
Xo Steph
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Steph!
So glad you love my post and hello all the way to Germany!!
I think that could be a fun post! xo xo
Vanessa says
Hey, so cool that there’s another German reader! Greetings from Münster! 🙂
Ann says
That is so not okay regarding the groomers! You are sweet not to blast them on the internet however, maybe they need blasted. Scary that they would minimize something like that! Do you plan on going back and asking why they did not let you know how severe it was? I would also ask that they reimburse you for the vet bill and it they say no, pick a new groomer ASAP! Scary!
Taralynn McNitt says
Yes! That is NOT our normal groomer, so we learned our lesson for sure and definitely gave them a piece of mind! We are waiting for their reply, but I definitely agree that its NOT OK!! We are giving them a chance to make it right, but if they don’t, I’ll probably end up writing a little yelp review…
Jen says
I loved everything about this post! (except what happened to poor Leo 🙁 ). All the random meals looked sooooooo good. I’m putting the Living Kitchen restaurant on my Charlotte bucket list for sure. We’re heading down that way this summer and I think a day or two spent in Charlotte is a must.
We live in PA and spend a fair amount of time in Hershey. We have unlimited passes to the amusement park and there’s always something fun to do that brings back memories of being a kid in the summer!
It all depends on what day of the week it is, what I’m in the mood for, how hungry I am, etc! But I’d say 75% of the time, it’s a random meal. They taste the best.
No such thing as too many muffins 🙂 I want to try them all.
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Jen!
Luckily, Leo is doing much better.
I can’t wait for you to explore Charlotte! You’ll LOVE it.
Amusement parks have a way of doing that for sure! 🙂
I agree. They really do taste the best! 😀
Susie | Mile High Dreamers says
Poor Leo! That’s so disappointing that they weren’t honest about his cut. You were very understanding and they’re lucky for that because a lot of other people would’ve been furious. It’s like I have to tell my 1st graders, lying turns a little problem into a big problem. How frustrating is it that adults need to be reminded of this too??
Scootering looks SO FUN. Ben would have a field day with that (and he would also be shirtless haha). Last thing I did that made me feel like a kid was swimming in the pool with a big donut floaty! SO much fun and I forgot how fabulous floaties are.
I’m more like a get inspired by recipes then try to make my own person! But I’ve noticed that I also am building up my own arsenal and can build off that too. It feels pretty good when you try a recipe idea and it turns out great!
There’s no such thing as too many muffins! ALL the muffins please! Especially with chocolate!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Susie!
You are so right!!! Sometimes it just doesn’t stick.
Lol I don’t blame him, it was SO HOT out and tank top tan lines are awful.
OMG! Floaties are the best!!! Especially going down the river!
I totally do that as well, especially after going to restaurants.
MUFFINS ALL THE WAY!
Sara says
Had to scroll down and comment before reading the whole post. What a shitty groomer. Accidents happen yes, but lying about it?! Did you call them out on it? Poor Leo. ❤️
Taralynn McNitt says
I agree with you, Sara!!
Yes, we have expressed our concerns with them and waiting for a reply!
Leo is doing so much better!
Anonymous says
Do you own a house?
Taralynn McNitt says
I do own my house
Mandi says
I am HORRIFIED to hear about Leo’s experience at the groomer. How the eff do they cut a dog’s tongue while grooming their fur?! I hope Leo heals quickly. Poor guy! My dog got bit at doggy day care once and I’ve never taken him back. I can’t stand for my baby to get hurt (I call him my baby but he’s almost 13!).
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Mandi!
I could definitely see it happening by accident since Leo sticks his tongue out when we try to clean his face, but the covering up of the cut was so unacceptable! If she would have been upfront about it, I would have totally been understanding. It makes me sad to think Leo was bleeding like that for a while! 🙁 I totally agree with you about not taking them back to places like that! Love how much you love your baby 🙂 They’ll always be babies! Leo is doing so much better and is all healed up now! Thanks for the well wishes!
Lauren says
I hope that you went back to that groomer and they compensate you for the vet bill. It’s really shady to send you home with your dog bleeding all over the place like that, not to mention scary. I agree with you that accidents can happen, but not being truthful about it is totally unacceptable!
Taralynn McNitt says
I totally agree with you, Lauren!!
Kelsey W. says
OMG poor Leo! I can’t even imagine how he (and you!) must have felt. Poor baby! I hope he’s feeling better <3 good thing the inside of the mouth heals super fast compared to the rest of the body! The last time I felt like a kid was this past weekend! My boyfriend and I drove a couple hours out to West Virginia to stay in an Airbnb cabin for our anniversary. The roadtrip/tiny cabin/time warp back to pre-cell phone days felt so fun and amazing! We simply enjoyed each others company and I didn't have a care in the world, I was so happy in that moment. That's how I remember my childhood being 🙂
I hope you have a great week! xo Kelsey
Taralynn McNitt says
I felt so bad for him 🙁 It healed up fast and I’m so happy he didn’t have to go under!
Awwww that is honestly the best type of trips!! Kyle and I just talked about doing something like that soon!
Have a great week, Kelsey!
Dana says
I love your recaps, Taralynn!
I drink my coffee and read them Tuesday mornings 🙂
You can make all the muffins in the world and it’ll never be enough!
Taralynn McNitt says
Aww thank you, Dana! 🙂 That makes me so happy to hear!! AND MUFFINS ALLLLLLL DAY!!!!
Linda @ the Fitty says
Failed bananas-egg creations still taste yummy even if they don’t LOOK yummy. You know what also makes them look good? Beet juice from real beets, or shredded beets in them! It makes it look all Valentines-y 🙂
Also, you’ve reminded me that i have this cute little off-the-shoulder top in my closet I ought to take out and wear while it’s summer.
Taralynn McNitt says
Lol I cannot do beets! Do you find they taste like dirt?
Yes! go find a fun place and wear your top out! xo Have a great day, Linda!
Olivia says
We have those scooters in Houston! I need to try them now.
Taralynn McNitt says
You need to! They are so darn fun!
Harriet says
Your recaps are fantastic!. Poor Leo, but good to hear he’s okay now. 90 degrees sounds like heaven about now, it’s was -4 on my run this morning just a bit chilly to start the day. Random meal fix’s are the best, I love how you use up all the left overs from the fridge and it turns out eatable. You can never make enough muffins!! Both your banana and apple/carrot muffins sound and look incredible, definitely going to make a batch to take to the car show this weekend! Sometimes I freeze bananas muffins, then defrost them add almond milk ice cream for a quick dessert when I have family around. A few weeks ago we went to the snow tobogganing was so much fun haven’t done it since I was 9, we ended the day with a fantastic snow ball fight! It was full day of being a kid again, such a great way to unwind with friends. Hope you have a great week!!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Harriet!
Thanks for stopping by to read 😀 OMG I forget you’re dealing with winter right now! BURRRRRRR!!!
I have to agree that random fixes end up being the best. You get the best of it all.
I can’t wait to hear how your muffins turn out 🙂 I think you’ll love them.
Snowball fights were my worse nightmare as a kid lol My brother had no mercy!!!
Embrace that cold weather! xo
Jan says
Where is that black top from in the scooter pics?
Taralynn McNitt says
Old Navy for $6! 😀
DC says
Hi Taralynn! Loved this post – I was in Charlotte for a visit this weekend and really enjoyed it. Also, went to Queen City Grounds on your recommendation and loved it – I had the matcha latte with oat milk, delicious! I’m thinking of moving to Charlotte – any tips on neighborhoods you’d recommend and/or how to meet new people there? Do you find it’s easy to walk around and have enough shops/food/etc. to explore? Coming from Boston, I’m a bit nervous about there not being as much to do – thank you!!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi! Thanks so much for stopping by to read!
MMM I’ll have to try the matcha next time. They were out of oat milk so now I know who to blame!! lol jk 😉 I’m so glad you loved Charlotte!
There is so much to do here that it can be very overwhelming.
When it comes to neighborhoods, I always tell people to live where they work. The commute can be a bit much! Southend seems like the place to be right now for endless things to do! That’s where I’d start.
Laura says
DC, not sure of your age but if you’re a young professional then Southend or Dilworth would be my recommendations. I have friends who live in plaza midwood and NoDa who also love it, but those neighborhoods are still transitioning and can have some sketchy areas. I’ve lived in uptown, South Park, and Southend before settling down in south Charlotte once I got married. I’d recommend Southend as my favorite!
Living in any of those neighborhoods gives you access to work uptown, or in north or south Charlotte. You’ll be in the center of the city that way.
If you have a family, it’s an entirely different story!
Madison says
I love your blog! I’ve been following for a long time (since you were the UndressedSkeleton!) and its been so fun to follow along! I’ve always appreciated how real you are and your views on a more relaxed, not as intense healthy/fit lifestyle. Keep ’em coming! You’ve inspired me to start my own blog something since moving to the middle of nowhere in Wyoming and having a baby. Have a fabulous day! Can’t wait to try those muffins!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Madison!
Thanks for the kind words! 🙂 “RELAXED” is a great way to describe my blog/lifestyle for sure!:)
Can’t wait to read your blog! xo
Let me know how the muffins turn out!
Tara @ Run and Live Happy says
I can’t believe the groomer didn’t say anything! I would be so upset! I feel bad for my puppy this time of year too. He gets so bored inside. I try to walk him early in the morning and right at dark. I am going to have to make some of your muffins! I love muffins! I hope you have a great week! <3
Taralynn McNitt says
She made it sound like a TINY little paper cut 🙁
I do the same with my dogs! 5:45 am and then 8:00 pm!
Kelly says
I love clean juice! I did not know that Charlotte had them.
Taralynn McNitt says
Yes! There are so many in the Charlotte area!
Vic says
Poor Leo! Keep us posted!
Taralynn McNitt says
Still haven’t heard back from the groomer!
Barren says
Your food always looks so colorful! I need to start incorporating more greens.
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Barren! 🙂 Just keep your favorites prepared in the fridge at all times! That helps 🙂
Natalija says
Thank you so much for yet another awesome,colourful and interesting recap! “Pineapple Cashew-Colada Protein Smoothie” sounds awesome,I’ll definitely try it. What a horrible experience with the groomer, i can imagine how stressed and upset you must have felt, poor Leo!I think you should have taken him back there some other day,shown her the photos of him bleeding everywhere at home and made her pay the vet’s bill. It was an extremely irresponsible behaviour on her behalf! I know confrontation is stressful,but i really hate to see her getting away with it. When people are so easy going about a living creature getting hurt,you know they are not exactly that good or reliable.
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks for reading, Natalija!
They finally got back to us and covered our cost and did the right thing by apologizing and paying the vet bill! Kyle took care of it all 🙂 I agree that confrontation is stressful for sure, but sometimes it must be done!
Jessie says
Your hair is so light! Loving it!
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Jessie 😀
Ellen says
Is charlotte a dog friendly city
Taralynn McNitt says
YES! 🙂
D says
Who did you go scootering with?
.
Taralynn McNitt says
Kyle
Erin says
Where is the black top you played tennis in from?
Taralynn McNitt says
Under Armour!
Krista says
Love Living Kitchen!!! … but I totally say that in the comments every time, haha. Their caesar salad is the best! I got it as a side this weekend with my living burrito and I could literally eat it every day. Really bummed their Chapel Hill location closed, but we haven’t been to the Charlotte location yet– gotta check it out next time we’re there!
Taralynn McNitt says
OMG recently addicted to their Caesar salad.
Yes, definitely check out the one in Charlotte! Crazy the one in Chapel Hill got closed 🙁 Such a bummer!!
Anonymous says
We just got Bird!
Taralynn McNitt says
so fun!
Anjalene says
Im not sure how I mess up the muffin recipe but I never have enough fill 12 muffin slots with a 1/2 cup