Charlotte Checkers in the Playoffs

Location: Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, NC

This past weekend was so full of exploring Charlotte and all it has to offer.  Recently, I was talking with a friend about how sometimes we try to keep going on trips to explore various places and never really take the time to do those things in the city we live in.  So I have resolved to explore more and to live more and be a tourist in my city. 

One of those ways was to go to a hockey game! Charlotte has a minor league or whatever it is called in hockey [I'm not great at sports haha] team.  I have always loved going to hockey games, I think they are so fun.  Hockey also happens to be one of Mikes favorite sports so it was the perfect date night. We had never been to a hockey game together.

The Checkers ended up playing a fantastic game.  They are currently in the playoffs, which is so good for them. They won 4- 1 after the opposing team removed their goalie toward the end of the game in an attempt to score.  Games are definitely more exciting when your local team wins and the crowd gets into it!

I have been loving researching more things to do around Charlotte and going out there to live my life and do them.  Hockey was a perfect thing to do on an evening out!

What are some ways that you explore your own city?

Aerial CLT

Location: Aerial CLT 

As a kid the circus always came to town around my birthday. One year we got to go for my birthday party.  My favorite part was the trapeze artists and the performers doing acrobatics.  I watched with awe and wonder thinking "how do they do that?!"

Well over spring break my friend and I got to try.  We took a silks class at Aerial CLT.  It was so much fun.  Of course since this was our first time we got a lot of basics and fundamentals.  We  learned how to hold the silk, how to climb, how to secure our foot so you don't fall, and basic safety skills.  The class going on behind ours was a way more advanced class and I watched with that same childhood awe but also a new found respect for this art of movement.

You guys, this class was tough. I mean, you have to maneuver yourself, hold up basically hold your body weight, and then try to pose all while the silks are probably spinning around and around. It is no joke. As sore as I am from it I had such a blast.

We are never too old to fulfill childhood dreams and try new things.  This year I am all about being brave, learning, and truly taking advantage of the wonderful adventure this life is.

Don't be afraid to fall.  Be afraid not to try. 

Topgolf | Charlotte

Location: Topgolf Charlotte 

Outfit: Tank: Target [Similar] | Jean Shorts: Abercrombie & Fitch | Sneakers: Target 

Details: 5$ lifetime membership [needed for every person], $25 - $45 per hour depending on the time you go, + cost of food and drinks.

Topgolf just opened up in Charlotte at the beginning of June. It has been a huge hit so far.  A friend who lives over by the location said every time she drives by there is a line out the door! For Fathers Day I told my dad I would treat him to a day at Topgolf this summer.  He decided to use his gift on my Mom's birthday this past Sunday, so it was like a double gift from me for both my parents.

We were prepared to wait when we got there so we put our names on the list and wandered around to check out the place.  For those of you not familiar with Topgolf the best way I can describe it is a driving range with the idea of bowling.  Your balls have trackers so you can play various types of games and you get points if you hit your ball in one of the targets by the flags.  For those super serious golfers beware if you are simply playing the "topgolf game" you could have an amazing shot but not get it in the target and not score any points at all!

We decided to get some food and drinks while we were waiting.  There are 3 levels here all with various seating and bar areas you can hang out at.  There are also lots of fun games around like pool and table shuffleboard to play while you wait.

The music was very loud in the whole place.  Be prepared for a "bar scene" vibe as a result.  This is not your quiet, serious, country club driving range at all.  I thought it made it very unique, but even our server wanted to lower the music because she couldn't hear us!

The overall game once we finally got to our corral was so much fun!  You chose your club and then wave it over the board so your ball comes out to the tee.  Then you try to hit the ball to one of the targets! I love going to the driving range; although I have only been a handful of times, this was exiting to actually get points and see where your ball landed right away.  If you make it in the targets your screen shows where the ball landed, the distance you shot it, and gives you points for that.

I had been saving up for this day for a while because as you can see there are a lot of little costs that do add up quick.  Everyone needs the lifetime membership card; this covers your "club" rentals and keeps track of your score.  You can also load money on your membership before you even go which can pay for the corral rentals. If you are going with a group of friends you can split everything evenly on the computer very easily though to keep costs down.  Be prepared to drop quite a bit of money - drink prices were high, the food was delicious but expect about 10 dollars per item.

We all had such a blast.  I ended up beating everyone but my dad in the second game! Maybe I'll start to pick up golf more regularly now. I would go again but I think I might wait until the novelty wears off a little bit and my bank account bounces back.  We had to wait for a long time [2 hours] and spending so much money doesn't exactly pass for living well on a budget in my book.  A bucket of balls at the driving range is a whole lot cheaper and still a ton of fun to do - you can even go out for drinks after to celebrate.  All in all it was a great experience and I am so glad they are here in Charlotte!

Do you have a Topgolf in your area? Or have you been to the one in Charlotte? What do you think?

Summer Country Concerts

Location: PNC Music Pavillion

Outfit Details: Romper | Shoes 

There is something about summertime and country music that just go together like peanut butter and jelly.  Every time the weather starts to warm up and the sun decides to stay out longer I turn my radio in the car to the local country station.  I really just love how country music instills a notion in me to slow down and focus on what is important in life.

Last week, in the midst of our packing extravaganza, we had the chance to take a break and go enjoy life a bit by going to a concert with some friends.  Luke Combs was opening for Brantley Gilbert in Charlotte.  He is a fellow mountaineer [Go App!] so we had to go see him and support.  I remember when he was just starting out playing small bars in Boone and around NC and now he is playing at the big time concert venue in Charlotte! Cheers to you Luke - keep chasing your dreams!

Mike is definitely not a country music fan but even he had a great time catching up with friends, doing some tailgating, and above all listening and dancing to some fun music!

Have you had a chance to go to some fun summer concerts? Which ones are your favorite? 

Outer Banks 2017 | A Clamming Adventure

Location: Pamlico Sound, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Details: Team Dempsey Guide Service 

Have you ever been clamming?  This was a first for me for sure; but it was an absolute blast! My sister and her boyfriend arranged the whole trip for us.  We headed down to the marina to get on our boat.  The day was pretty cloudy and lightly rainy; the weather didn't stop us from going and having a good time. By the end of the trip the sun started peeking through the clouds a little!

We took the boat out to the Pamlico Sound where a sand bar was formed.  We just got out of the boat to about knee deep water and walked out in the middle of the sound to the sand bar.  Basically you walk around in the water digging your heels into the sand until you hit a clam.

Did you know a clam spends it's whole life going only vertical and never moving away from their original spot?

Our limit was 200 clams.  You can't get more than that because clams, like oysters, are natural water filters and we want our earth to have nice clean water.  As a group we found way more than 200 in just the little spot we were walking around in.  We counted them out at the end of the trip and threw the excess away.

The 200 that we did catch we cooked up later that evening.  They were so fresh and delicious. We literally just had clams and wine for dinner and it was pure bliss.

If you are ever in the Hatteras region of the Outer Banks contact Team Dempsey Guide Service! This links to their facebook page.  They did a fantastic job of taking us out for our clamming trip and a little bit of fishing for my dad to test out his new pole.  They run these clamming trips and also purely fishing trips out on the sound!

This was an amazing way to spend part of our day on the island.  Clamming was definitely one of the most unique experiences I have ever had.

P.S. RIP to the hat I am wearing in these photos.  I flipped my kayak on a huge wave two days later and sadly the hat got taken away by the ocean while I was in survival mode.  Now I am in search of a new favorite hat, any recommendations?

What is the most interesting thing you have ever done at the beach?!

A Day Full of Birthday Fun

Location: Two Scoops Creamery | Central Ave 

Details: Romper | Hat | Necklace

Mike's birthday was this past week and since boys are incredibly hard to shop for I wanted to make the day really special. We spent the whole day together adventuring around Charlotte and it was perfect.

Our first stop; ice cream.  Because what is a birthday without a sweet treat.  It was the perfect day to go because Charlotte Five was having their voting for the best flavors at Two Scoops Creamery. It was so delicious but you definitely don't have to get two scoops even if it's the shops namesake. So much ice cream. Mike ended up eating almost all of mine because I just couldn't do it.

Next up: city views.  Mike has only been living here for a short time and I have just moved back to an ever evolving city so I am constantly on the lookout for ways to enjoy this place and explore.  Sometimes it's fun to just go to the top of a parking deck and take in the views.

Our final destination for the night: The Fillmore.  This was actually the first time I have been here. I got Miike Snow tickets for Mike's birthday. Mike loves music and has been to so many shows but that never really was my scene.  I couldn't help but think of LC in the Hills telling Audrina; "I would bob my head awkwardly for you"  Anyone else get that reference and obsessed with Lauren Conrad like I am?! Haha.  The show ended up being a blast, great music, fun atmosphere, and an overall great birthday date night!

How do you like to celebrate your partners birthday [especially when they are difficult to shop for]? 

P.S. If you like my romper or my off the shoulder black top I am wearing for the show; you can use the code AMANDA10 for 10% off any Ivy & Leo items online!

Date Night Italian Style

Mike and I love to cook together.  It's actually how we met.  He was a cook in the restaurant I waited tables at through grad school. So naturally our passion for food and cooking has made for some wonderful date nights at home; creating meals together and breaking bread. I also have a slight obsession with Italy.  It's my dream to go visit there and just eat pasta and drink wine every single day.  Kind of like Eat, Pray, Love but only the eat part.

For my birthday, Mike got me, as a present, a cooking class.  I have always wanted to take a cooking class - to learn something new in the kitchen in a place where they actually have space and equipment to try a new technique.

Once he told me this was my present I got to researching which class I wanted to take.  We decided on Sur la Table because they have such a wide variety of classes.  There is another place where cooking classes are offered in Charlotte I am dying to take but Chef Alyssa's Kitchen is sold out months in advance.

On the menu for our cooking class: caesar salad, homemade pasta with meatballs, and vanilla gelato with espresso. During these classes you can bring your own wine to drink so of course we accompanied our meal with a delicious red blend.

We had so much fun learning how to make all of the components to our meal.  The fresh pasta was my absolute favorite. I have never had homemade pasta before, let alone attempted to make it, now I don't think I will ever eat pasta from a box again it was that delicious.

During the class we made various pieces to the menu at various times, it didn't even make sense until the very end when a delicious meal came together.  The kitchen staff had everything portioned out for us before hand.  We worked with another couple as a group.  It was very easy because we barely had to prep or even clean up our mess ourselves.  I definitely could get used to cooking this way. haha.

I had so much fun at this class and would definitely look into doing something like this again.  I don't know if I would go back to Sur la Table because it is pretty pricey and basic.  Like I said before, my next class will be with Chef Alyssa to support a local business!

Sur la Table details: 
Location: for Charlotte; Southpark Mall
Budget: 60$ a person.
Time: 3.5 hours
Recommendations: If you love food, learning new things, meeting new people, and don't mind spending a little bit of money this is for you.  This was a special occasion because it was my birthday gift - we can't afford to have date night like this all the time. Try something new and go for it! Their calendar has so many classes and options for any type of diet.

What is a food you love to eat and would like to learn how to make it homemade? 

Yoga in CLT

photo credit

"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self." - The Bhagavad Gita

I have touched on my love for yoga a few times now.  When I was in grad school one of my professors had just received her yoga teacher certification and taught us about the benefits of using yoga in our daily life as well techniques as with clients.  I have always loved the way I feel after a good yoga class.  Learning more about the theory and research behind it made me love it even more.

When I moved to Charlotte, again, I wanted to find a yoga studio to join so I could keep up the practice more frequently.  Eventually, a goal of mine, is to get my teacher certification as well so the regular practice would be beneficial.  Then, the reality of my budget hit, and yoga studios are all out of my price range!

A friend invited me to a yoga class at a brewery in Charlotte over the summer and I was hooked.  I was able to get a good yoga class in for little to no cost out of my pocket! There is something about going to a class vs doing a yoga video online that pushes me to have a better practice. Plus being an extrovert I get to be around people instead of just my dog in my bedroom!

Actually in Charlotte, the whole fitness class centered around a brewery thing is blowing up! You could probably find some sort of free or cheap workout class that covers the class and a beer for the price! Work for your Beer has done a fantastic job of rounding up all the classes that you can attend to in Charlotte for the various prices and locations.

My particular favorites are OMB Yoga on Tap on Tuesdays.  5 dollars gets you a yoga class and a pint after the class [the picture above is actually of me there; I'm on the orange mat!] This class gets crazy crowded so you have to get there early to get a good spot.  Thursday's I go to Free Range Brewing for their yoga class.  This class is free. Also crowded but a little bit smaller and not as crazy popular as OMB. Typically I will stay after and support the brewery because it's one of my favorites in Charlotte.

So while my budget doesn't allow me to go to a studio for my yoga fixes, Charlotte breweries have made it possible for me to get a great class in with friends for a fantastic price.

Have you been to any brewery yoga classes? Have a yoga / workout class you think I should check out? Let me know! 

Riverwalk Days

This weekend the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  There was no way we could stay inside.  My Aunt was in town visiting for my birthday and we wanted to have a fun family day on a budget! WE headed down to Riverwalk.  A fun community in South Carolina, right across the border, with some awesome outdoor adventures.

Riverwalk has a greenway that follows along the Catawba River.  This is my favorite place to walk around Charlotte because of the water alone.  There is something about being by the water in the sunshine that can make any day be a good day.  Here, at riverwalk you can also utilize the Kayak launch and kayak the river.  There are also mountain bike trails that intersect with the greenway at certain points.  Whatever your outdoor adventure you choose; this is the place to explore!

My sister and I decided to walk a little faster than the rest of the fam and got in a good 5 mile walk while we chatted about life and everything in between.  We really haven't had many chances to talk like that in a few years - long distance face time and all.  Sometimes all you need is a wonderful conversation with someone you love.

After our walk, we met back up with the family at the Pump House.  A restaurant / rooftop bar right by the river.  There are also other shops and fun places I want to check out next time by the river - including a coffee shop/ wine bar! We all got a fun drink and enjoyed the view with more lovely family time and conversation.

All in all, this weekend was a good one for the soul.  Family time, sunshine, great conversation, drinks, and time spent being active outside.

Riverwalk details: 
Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina ~30 minute drive from uptown.
Budget: Free for me! [thanks Daddy] but if you purchase your own after walk drinks ~$10 a drink + depending on how many you have and if you add food as well.
Time: 3+ hours.  Really it's up to you - how far you want to walk - what shops you want to see - how long you spend at the pump house. You can even get a free book set up a hammock between some trees and read all day if thats what you wish!

How would you spend your time at Riverwalk?