I’m not the kind of person who needs a plan.
So this weekend, I embraced my spontaneity! On Friday afternoon, I jumped in the car and drove…
To ATLANTA!
To see this girl!
To stuff myself silly with cheese, crackers, and crudites!
To dine like a queen among amazing company!
To wake up bright and (not so) early, meet up with THIS girl, and quite literally have my ass handed to me by a trainer whose neck is easily the size of my thigh…and of course, loving every minute of it!
To spend the rest of the day not taking pictures, but instead, galavanting all across Atlanta’s sunny (but still frigidly cold) streets, shopping, sampling, and farmers marketing!
To swoon over things like kale and braised pork ravioli with brown butter (HEAVEN!) sauce, grilled calamari with roasted cauliflower and pickled red onions, and seared scallops over sunchoke puree (I want that stuff on my FACE!) with poached fennel in chive butter!
For the record, I HIGHLY recommend La Tavola!
To share a midnight snack (or 2am dessert) of the creamiest peanut butter mousse cake while a certain someone tried convincing me that the Buzzfeed quiz wasn’t wrong when it told me I should live in Georgia.
Unfortunately, time really DOES fly when you’re having fun and eight short hours later, I was BACK in the car, heading north, and belting out some Bon Jovi.
But the spontaneity didn’t stop there!Β I decided that since this was my THIRD time traveling to/from Atlanta, that it was high time I actually stopped at some of the places that have caught my eye in times past. While I was a bit too tired to conquer the outlet mall in Calhoun, I did visit a couple of wineries!
And after spending 45 minutes at the second one, sipping and talking wine with the other passersby, I left with a bottle of Port, a membership to their wine club, and mayyyyyyybe a bit of a buzz? Oops? π
I finally (and safely) made it home around 4pm…just enough time to get a two-hour nap before I had to get ready to go to work put my “lucky” shirt on and camp out in front of my computer waiting for registration for Blend to open!
And while I had already planned to go to Blend this year, I would just like to announce the TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER spontaneity that Meghan exercised yesterday by deciding to go after Laura and I sent her a very “encouraging” text message!
And that my friends, is nothing SHORT of Β MARVELOUS! π
When was the last time you did something without a plan?
Where should YOU live according to Buzzfeed?
It’s been a long time since I did a spontaneous trip somewhere. You could say I’ve been spontaneous with my cooking & baking. I’ve been whipping up a ton of new recipes these days. Trying to experiment with new things & venture outside my usual cooking rotation.
That’s awesome, Megan! And that’s the best way to learn and boost your kitchen confidence! I think I’m long overdue for some experimentation myself! π
Ugh – I wish! I am a chronic planner – to a fault. If there is not a plan, I feel… overwhelmed. I am not good at go with the flow. π Awesome trip though
I am SO glad you ended up bouncing down to ATL to hang with me. Be spontaneous and road trip to my door any time! Next time I’m driving back with you to chaperone this little wine tour. LOL!
Hooray for BLEND!!!
Haha! Omg, this place was seriously awesome and I was wishing you were there! But I swear after hanging with you of the weekend, I actually felt like I knew a little something! Ha! I finally “get” what long finish means! #twss? She WISHES anyway! π
LMAO! I’m choking on my breakfast right now.
WHAT?! Don’t be wasting good food, woman! π
a) I’m jealous of your spontaneity…it’s something I SUCK at and b) You + laura = my dream team. Come to Toronto next time!
Off to take the quiz!!!
You should know your very first sentence made me cringe. No plan, good god what does that entail?! Apparently, a highly successful and somewhat manipulative road trip since I still can’t believe I’m registered for this event. Was I drinking yesterday (yes, but not at the time of acceptance)? Was it the Hubby saying you should do it (He is just as manipulative, maybe more so, since he can convince me in ways you and Laura cannot)? Was it the chocolate I had just consumed (perhaps, I do like my sugar)?
Half of me is scratching my head and wondering how this old lady (not truly, just in comparison) will manage with a bunch of young whippersnappers running around planless, wild and free, and the other half of me is thinking I’ll show them how it’s done. π Kidding.
By the way, you realize I’m going to have to straighten everything in the kitchen area multiple times until it is acceptable to my self-diagnosed OCD. We will have a kitchen area won’t we? Oh no, be still my cold and non spontaneous heart? Don’t take away my kitchen.
Who am I kidding? I’ll have a morning mimosa and it’ll all be fine.
I’m with you, my spontaneous muscle does not get flexed very oftenβ¦.if ever. Even with a plan sometimes I get jittery.
You will do just fine keeping up with them. I promise, if I can do it, you can do it. Now, I need to find a way to get there…
Yes. Yes you do. Clearly everyone is doing it. π
Yes, you absolutely do. I need someone to share my bed. π We can be the married fireside ladies sleeping together. The Hubbies will get such a kick out of it.
Please, please, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE find a way to get there! Should I start harassing Bob’s RM now? π
I actually thought of you and had a good chuckle when I read that first line.
SO happy you cut loose and registered for Blend. I’m sure we can find you a relaxation elixir. π
I physically cringed at that first sentence.
I know if anyone can find me the perfect relaxing elixir, it’d be you. By the way, I’m still in shock that I’m even registered for this thing. First I eat strange, but good concoctions and now I’m going to retreats. You are a bad influence, and I like it.
Haha! But I’m the very BEST bad influence! π Girl, I’m gonna have you flying by the seat of your pants in no time! I still can’t believe you’re coming to BLENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND!!! YipEEE!
Haha! Oh girl, you crack me up! Seriously…you got this! You amazed the hell out of me with the flexibility you showed during my trip (though I’m still a bit miffed that my time with you was “spontaneously” abbreviated…I think I need a re-do)! You are going to have SO much fun! And you, me, Melissa, Amanda, Sam, Laura, Sarena (because she IS coming whether she knows it or not) are going to paint Park City blue…or green…OR RED if we want! Bam! *fist bump emoticon*
But who said we can’t start a little list? First order of business once we arrive in Park City? Hit up a grocery store for champagne and OJ! π
PS, remind me to thank the hubby if/when I meet him someday!
“But who said we canβt start a little list?” Do you really mean it? Be still my heart. Our first Blend List: food and other sundry items. Excellent.
This sounds like a totally awesome weekend! I wish I was more spontaneous, but both my husband and I are planners. This can be good and bad sometimes. We definitely need to work on being more spontaneous and just going with the flow – I think that’s when the best memories are made!
Well hey, we all have to start somewhere…baby steps…maybe you and the hubby could “schedule” some time for spontaneity over the weekend! Just jump in the car and see where it takes you! π
ahhhh BLEND! So excited!!!! Glad you and Laura had a lovely weekend….and you know I’m dying over that cake. Ohmygoodness, that looks amazing.
Sounds like such a fun weekend! Sometimes the times you don’t have a set plan are the best. Plus, when you’re surrounded by good friends and food it’s sure to be a fab time.
Speaking of being spontaneous and getting out of ones “comfort zone”, I CAN’T WAIT TO BLEND WITH YOU! I’ll admit, I trekked my laptop into the kitchen at 5:56 pm ( 7:56 EST) while simultaneously shoving a panini in my face and refreshing the website to register.
Thanks for reminding us how important it is to somethings just “go with it.” Ya know? It is what it is. Life is too precious to always be strapped to a schedule and routine. Especially for those of us trying to move away from numbers, “safe food” and trying to control everything that happens in life. Which last time I checked is pretty close to impossible.
You rock. That is all.
Alriiiiiiiiight!! Oh girl, you’re gonna have SO much fun!! Everybody there is just so relaxed and awesome! Can’t wait to meet…eat…and sweat with ya! π
I SO wish I was more spontaneous. I never want to do something that’s not planned, even if it would be fun. I definitely didn’t need a reason to be more inspired by you, but now I am. π
It all starts with baby steps…it can be scary to jump outside of our comfort zones, but just THINK of what you could be missing by saying no all the time! π
I was so happy to see you if even for that little time! Next time, we get Tony there to work his booty too!
Haha! YES!! I’ve got to meet this famous illustrator of yours someday…AND the boys! Gosh, I feel like I practically know them all! π
Ah! What a fun weekend! We’ve been meaning to take a road trip ANYWHERE, it just hasn’t happened yet. Maybe we just need to jump on the spontaneity train. haha!
Do it! Half the fun is the excitement/endorphin rush of the unknown! And without any expectations, there can’t be any disappointments! π
The food, the friends, it all looks amazing.
What an awesome little trip!! I’m so bad at spur of the moment stuff. I’m such a hardcore planner, my husband always says that if its not written down in my planner then we can’t do it. Haha One of my goals now that I’m 25 is to be a bit more spontaneous! I mean, that’s what life is about you know?!!
YES!! Gotta break out of your little box sometimes and just LIVE! I know the inner endorphin junkie in you would love a little more of that! π
What a fun weekend! I love doing things spur of the moment, but definitely don’t do it enough.
I took the Buzzfeed quiz recently and it said I should live in Paris, which is very strange because I visited there for the first time last year and it rained for 4 days straight and I was miserable, haha. I think I’ll stay here in sunny SoCal π
I wish I were more like you! I do nothing on the fly… I have to plan everything. Buzzfeed says I should live in Wyoming… which I sort of get because I love running trail, and it is gorgeous there and I am sure they have lots of trails… but I also like the hustle and bustle of being in a city and not out in the middle of nowhere!
Aw, I wish I could go to Blend! (But with all of the wedding stuff going on, I’ve gotta stay in town for awhile, haha) I LOVE your spontaneity though π I think that’s such a wonderful characteristic!
You have no idea how happy I am that we’re doing this!!!
Please insert all celebratory emoticons here…here…here…annnnnnnnnnnd HERE! π
So I pretty much died of jealously when I saw the two of you together on Instagram. And when I saw the cheese. And the champagne. π
PS. I’m buying my Blend ticket today!!
OMG YOU
AREWEREDID?!?!?! Ahhhhhhhh! I can’t wait to meet you!!! πBuzzfeed says I should live in Minnesota! It is a bit too cold for me, but they do have Mall of America lol.
What awesome weekend you had!! I do not know if this counts as not having a plan, but my husband and I did not have reservations for Valentine’s Day dinner, but went for it anyway lol. We went early and after determining Olive Garden looked too crowded we ended up at the hibachi/sushi restaurant and got seats right away. It got supercrowded after that!
That counts not only for spontaneity but for sheer craziness too! Glad you guys got “lucky” on Valentine’s Day…har har har! π
I love Atlanta! One of my favorite cities for the food, the wonderful people, the culture! Cannot wait for Blend again! I belong in Colorado… trying to make a little trip happen after Blend – where did you get (I must’ve missed it in your post!)?
Oh man, I would LOVE to go to Colorado again! Hiking the flatirons was amazing! Where did I get what?
I wish I was more spontaneous! It looks like you had such a fun time. And that PB mousse cake looks to DIE for (quite literally for me… but I bet I’d love an AB version!).
Hahaha! Awww! π
Was your spontaniety inspired by any reading you’ve done recently – ahem The Dogs of Babel? I’m loving the book by the way. I never would have actually read it just based on the description – but you are right, it’s hard to put down!
Well, it was no Disney World, but Laura did her best! Haha! I’m so glad to hear you’re liking the book! I was surprised too by how “sucked in” I got! Ohhh, I can’t wait till you finish it and we can have a little mini book club session! π
so jealous of your getaway! next getaway… LOUISVILLE!!! π
Ha! I was JUST thinking that same thing earlier today! π I need to officially meet Baby Delight!
I’d love to just get away spontaneously sometime. It would be nice to take a break from Arizona and travel somewhere new. π
Gah, you gals are gorgeous & the food? AMAZING.
I need to take a trip down to Atlanta now. π
Dude……I have no idea how you got Meg into going to Blend but big props to you….I am so envious that my favs (you, meg, strangebutgood, spoons) are going to be whipping your hair back n forth together BUT…I am legit planning my American/Canadian trip around you guys for the ‘Arman Summit’ :p . Narcissistic? Maybe. But I need to get my fill of you guys.
This spontaneous trip looked like a blast in (foodie and vino) a glass! I wish I was more spontaneous- I used to be but then….things changed. Need to get out of my comfort zone more!
I know, I was completely in shock when she first said yes! Haha! Omg, it would be beyond amazing to see you when you come to America! Any idea where you’ll end up and when? August right? Gah, I wish you could make it to Blend…though I’m pretty sure you, meg, strangebutgood, and spoons would take over the place! π
I would love to go to Blend. Not this year as I don’t have the money or annual leave but one year I’m definitely going!
I love that you just did this trip spur of the moment I think that is awesome.
Last spontaneous thing I did was fill in for Nick’s indoor soccer team, it didnt go so well for me since I broke my paw but usually I think doing spontaneous things is always fun.
Awww, I love the little Sprout bomb!! π I still need to catch up on more of your posts too, but I couldn’t believe the story about your wrist…actually I could, because it totally sounds like something that would happen to me. Sports and Heather don’t really mix all that well! I hope you’re healing up well, love! If I could, I would bring over cheese, chocolate, and wine every other night just till you started to feel better…or until the alcohol numbed the pain! π
Yep a mini sprout bomb π hehe
OMG that chocolate and wine and cheese sound amazing!! Wish you lived closer.
Awww, Laura told me per email that you were on your way – I LOVE to see you two ladies together, my favorites!! Now I only need to win in the lottery, so I could join Blend…. π
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Sounds like a fantastic weekend to me! I used to have to have a plan for everything but now I fly by the seat of my pants.
Buzzfeed said I should live in Wyoming. To which I said, “Say what?!”
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