Life is too short to sit around and not make memories. Life is too short to get mad at the small stuff, even the big stuff should feel too small to get mad at. Last night was definitely a Valentines Day I’ll never forget.
We made reservations at our favorite place, Rippingons in Waxhaw, NC. It’s one of my favorite little towns. The stores are quaint, the people are kind, and it makes you feel like you’re walking on a movie set, a Nicolas Sparks type of movie set. The trees are lit up, not a piece of trash can be found on the ground, and it’s just one heck of a romantic town.
We got lucky because there were only a few spots open for reservations. They put us in the 5:15pm reservation, which is great because I love early dinners. Rippingtons had a special Valentines day full course menu, which forced my salad ordering self to order something different. Everything on the menu looked fantastic!
The meal came with Korbel Champagne. I drank it slowly, because even though it’s Valentines Day, I wanted to honor my healthy eating promise to myself.
For our appetizer, we had a choice between baked brie with toasted almonds, fig and apricot jam, and she crab soup.
You take the mini toast, add baked brie, fig, apricot jam, and toasted almonds on top. It sounds like a weird combination with the savory cheese and fruity jam, but it’s one of the best flavors out there. I had an appetizer plate like this in Amiens, France (which I still have yet to blog about) and I loved it! Instead of Fig, they served blackberry and that was good too!
I’m thinking about making a baked brie appetizer plate for an appetizer tomorrow night while we watch The Bachelor.
Rippingtons offered these little sampler local craft beer platters for $5.45 and we added that to the meal. These are cool for craft beer lovers though. I’d like to have a wine sampler like this 🙂
We had a choice between iceberg wedge with bacon, tomatoes, fried shallots, and a buttermilk beu cheese dressing, or a salad with fried oyster salad tossed in balsalmic with bacon bits and eggs. I chose the iceberg wedge without bacon and ranch on the side. This was actually the first time ever ordering a wedge salad at a restaurant and I kind of liked it better. Something bout the sound of cutting the lettuce was therapeutic…call me weird if you want 😉
Our dinner choices were herb encusted rack of lamb, pan seared grouper, surf & turf sirloin, shrimp stuffed flounder, or tournedos berkeley. They all sounded incredible and I’m glad we had a while to choose.
After a long fifteen minutes of contemplating, I ordered the Tournedos Berkeley.The dish came with twin 4oz filets topped with crab meat, asparagus and bernaise sauce. “Bernaise” (even though i think they spelled it wrong on the menu, if I’m correct it’s spelled béarnaise) sauce is is a sauce made of clarified butter mixed in egg yolks, white wine vinegar and flavored with herbs. Maybe it’s one of those English/French words like omelet/omelette with two spellings. I’m sure one of my readers can tell me! I don’t really care how it was spelled the sauce was incredible!
I did order the sauce on the side because there was about 400-500 calories of fat in that side dish. I’d rather eat 500 calories of cake than 500 calories of béarnaise sauce.
The filet was topped with crab meat, which was a nice combo together. I would have never thought of that. I will say they have hands down the best mashed potatoes I have ever had in my entire life. It was hard to practice self control with those! The steamed veggies were good too!
Our two dessert choices were the Girls dream, a chocolate crepe with white chocolate mousse topped with chocolate and strawberry sauce and toasted almonds, or Cupid’s double decker strawberry shortcake. We went with strawberry shortcake. Now, I’m not a cheesecake person, never was, but this wasn’t too bad. The top cake layer with the strawberry jelly was the best part. It had graham cracker crust, cheesecake layer, strawberry jelly, strawberry cake, strawberry mouse, and another layer of strawberry jam glaze.
I’m definitely going to make a healthy version of this dessert!
I ordered some coffee with my dessert and we sat around for another hour talking and sharing out dessert. We were there for about two hours and had one of the best dinners ever! Our waitress was also amazing and one of the best waitresses we’ve ever had. We’ve never had bad service at Rippington’s.
Erika says
creepy as all heck!
Taralynn McNitt says
seriously!
mikaela says
How scary! I’m glad you guys are okay! I would have passed out.
Alison says
That was so scary! Glad you’re ok!
Linda @ TheFitty says
I detest brie but I might’ve ate it wrong and I’m willing to give it anothet try. I can’t believe you got the perfect timing for dinner, whoop whoop!
The ride back sounded scary. Do you get anxiety and panic attacks? I thought those guys would stop to help you two but I guess not…you’re home, safe and sound and sorry to hear your date ended so bitter on vaentines day.
Taralynn McNitt says
They were checking the back of their trunk for something. Not sure! So scary! I get pretty scared and bad anxiety but I tried to remain calm and think of the best! I also have a crazy imagination that thinks the worse!
Kelly says
Wait… that is terrifying! Did you ever find out what hit you in the head? I thought those guys we’re going to turn out to be helpful, but they literally just left after Nick started approaching them?? That is so scary…
Taralynn McNitt says
I’m not sure what they were doing. They got out and checked their trunk for something. Nick didn’t go towards them, he just went to towards the back of the car where they were closer to. I’m sure they were making sure it was shut or something, but the timing was freaking scary!
Livi @ Eat, Pray, Work It Out says
That sounds terrifying!! I would have been dying!
Sarah O'Leary says
I would have freaked out! You should definitely go on a ghost hunt soon! I love when you post stories in detail like that! I’m glad you had an awesome Valentine’s Day with Nick though! Xx
Rebecca says
My heart is pounding!! Holy cow that’s freaky! In glad y’all are okay, though. 🙂
Fifie says
It was both a wonderful and creepy night, but hopefully you were 2 to bare the bad moments. I wish you many more Valentine Days with Nick, as long as you are happy together!
And as a French girl, I can comfort you that the sauce is spelled “Béarnaise”, you were totally right 😉 (and by the way it is full of bad fat)
kelly says
That definitely sounds scary! I must say though, it was a fun read! Your post reminded me of a good scary story (like an R.L. Stein book!) And I don’t know how people got the idea that you were engaged lol… That instagram photo did not seem like an engagement photo! Lol
DevonC says
Had goosebumps reading this post the whole time! Did you mention to Nick you felt getting hit?! That’s crazy! Glad you made it out safe, and sounds like an adventurous Valentines’ Day 🙂
Taralynn McNitt says
Yeah! I figured he’d think I was kidding but he heard me get hit too! And today, there is no bump or anything! weird stuff! Definitely a vday to remember!
Mallori says
I read this post as if it were a thriller novel! I was so nervous, haha! I am glad every one is safe.
Melissa @ The Green Palate Life says
Ahh, baked brie is my FAVORITE! Glad you had such a great day! (minus the end)
elle says
You guys are totes cute!
Kimberly Truong says
That is absolutely crazy! I am so glad that you and Nick are okay! But I think the same thing when something weird happens.
Ariel says
I’m so glad you both had a good valentines date and also that you are safe. That sounds creepy! You need a small purse Taser, gun, or knife. lol protection!
Taralynn McNitt says
I agree. We had a discussion about guns after that…I do have a stun gun, but it’s huge! I may need to look into something else.
Ashley @ AllAshleyMarie says
All of the food looks amazing! And that is an absolutely crazy story to be able to live and tell about, glad you both are safe!
Alissa says
Oh, that sounds really scary…glad you are both ok, and had a (mostly) wonderful valentine’s day! My dad just came back from being overseas for a couple weeks, so my hubs and I went over to his house, and made homemade pizza for him and my stepmom (his favorite 🙂 Not a “traditional” way to celebrate v-day, but I loved it.
Lisa says
What a cute post :-). Love that you took pictures of each course. Sounds like a great dinner. Good thing you cleared up the whole engagement story :-).
Chelsie says
Hi Taralynn,
After reading your post, I was wondering if you could write a post about ways to eat healthier at restaurants? I would have never thought to ask for an entree without bacon, or sauce on the side. I guess I always think that if it’s listed on the menu that way, I can’t make changes to it. I ALWAYS end up eating way more than I should or want to at a restaurant. I know if I went in with a game plan it would be a lot easier than trying to figure out what to do on the spot. Thanks!
Alice @ Live Fit Love Chocolate says
This is the creepiest story EVER!! like something out of a movie! I’m so glad you’re safe and alive to tell the tale! lol i would have totally had a freak out panic attack!
roxy says
And how iss your head after the whaCk? That Was really weird!
Taralynn McNitt says
completely fine! I still don’t understand it!
Marie says
Dear Taralynn,
I’m French and I can tell you that your spelling of “Béarnaise” is totally correct ! Good job 😀
Pritha says
my heart is literally pounding and i have a pit in my stomach for you. glad you two are ok.
Cassie says
Holy crap! I’m all for scary movies, but not okay with them actually happening to me. I probably would’ve cried, lol.
Sara says
so fun! 🙂
Lindsay says
YIKES!! I have total goose bumps from this post. That’s CREEPY!! I would have been the same as you for sure!!! When I’m paranoid or in total meltdown mode, my entire body freezes, like every cell in my body is alert and zinging.
Crazy girl!!!!
Kelly says
Hi Tara! So I’m a silent reader and never comment, but this story reminded me SO MUCH of a recent creepy experience me and my husband had while we were on a romantic weekend getaway! I blogged about it too…links below.
http://www.heystrawberrys.com/2014/11/terror-in-virginia-woods-part-1.html
http://www.heystrawberrys.com/2014/11/terror-in-virginia-woods-part-2.html
Glad nothing happened to you and Nick!!! That is so weird!!!
Taralynn McNitt says
Amazing story to go with my coffee this morning. BTW you are so brave. I would have NEVER EVER gone outside by myself. Good thing you took off! Goodness that was scary!!
Mary Cherian says
Hi Taralynn,
I’m so glad you are fine. I was reading this post and when the creepy things started, I kept thinking it was some weird and later maybe cute surprise that Nick had planned which involved all that creepiness. Mostly because of the title of the post.
Anyway, keep posting. My best friend, Indu and I love your blog and website. We are around your age and we take a lot of inspiration from your post. Every time I’m scared to live my life on my terms, Indu reminds me that I am young only once and this is my only life!!! (Courtesy: you!)
Thanks to you, I have also started to enjoy cooking and baking. Both of which I were just monotonous chores. Now, Im my family’s official baker.
With lots of love and prayers from India,
Mary 🙂
rachel says
i live in waxhaw!! i agree it is a little bit creepy at times but love rippingtons!
gina says
Scary!