what's simple is true

Hey there. I know, it has been a while since I've visited. I was wrapped up with finals and the end of the semester, but I officially finished my first year of graduate school! It feels so soo good. Last August I was hoping I made the right choice, to quit my job, move, and go to school full time. In the moment everything felt so contingent. The earth felt like it was shifting under my feet and I was jumping off a cliff. All of those cliche metaphors for change in your life. But you know what, sometimes we know better than we think we do. Ideas that seem like they *might* be a good idea are actually amazing ones. And if you are lucky, which I often think I am blessed to be, everything worked out for more than the best. 

I went to a graduation party for some friends who will be moving away from North Carolina. In one moment I stopped and looked around and felt so happy. I had amazing friends I had just met 8 months before who felt like family, there was good, simple food, champagne and a bonfire roaring. It was festive and people were happy. I rode my bike to the party which I just had fixed and I think will change my life. Graduate school is hard. There is no two ways about that, but life in North Carolina? It just seems more simple. A self-proclaimed city girl, I can now say that often, simple can be just as good as flashy restaurants and new high heels and taxis. 
 

heart like mine

I saw Miranda Lambert on Sunday night in Greensboro, NC. It was a PHENOMENAL show. I think there are few performers who are as good live as recorded and Miranda totally rocked it. I just want to go shopping and grab drinks with her.

One of my favorite songs of hers is Heart Like Mine. 

Well I heard Jesus, he drank wine 
And I bet we'd get along just fine
He could calm the storm and heal the blind
And I bet he's understand a heart like mine 

neighbors

For the first time ever, I can hear my downstairs neighbors doing the horizontal tango. 

Man, that's a lot of headboard banging. I thought that only happened in movies. 

 

not yet

I finished finals on Tuesday (hooray!) but them came down with a horrible cold. I have just been a sniffly sneezy mess! I planned to stay in Chapel Hill for a few days after exams to hang out and have fun, but mostly I've been napping, running last minute errands, and laying low. Today is starting to look up though! I'm not quite as miserable feeling, which is great because I have a dinner to go to tonight, followed by a Lizzy Ross Band show at Local 506. She's a Chapel Hill local who I've seen a few times and is friends of a friend. Just adore her. (Listen to "Not Yet")  

 pic

The song is somewhat pertinent in my life right now:

All in good time,
that’s what they tell me.
You only learn if you keep going.
But the deeper we “go,” the deeper I fall,
even though I’ve got no way of knowing…
no way to know where this is going…
not yet.

I'll leave you with that ;) Happy Friday! What are your plans tonight?

sit back down where you belong, in the corner of my bar with your high heels on

I have mentioned the Crunkleton before. It is my most favorite bar in Chapel Hill, but with cocktails running around $12 a piece, I have to go sparingly. Last night was another end of semester celebration with some friends in my program, so bottoms up, of course had to be somewhere most fabulous. 

I was dressed in black fishnets, a black 3/4 sleeve dress with a big wide belt around the middle, high heels, big dangly earrings, and my hair up in a loose updo. It was a night for dress up. A night to feel like an adult instead of a student. 

The bar was relatively empty, so we were chatting it up with the bar tender who put something new to drink in front of me every time I turned around. There is just something about holding a cocktail that makes me feel like a lady. 

Around midnight, the bartender comes over and says, "Hey, those guys at the end of the bar want to buy you a drink. They are UNC's male soccer coaches and just won the national soccer championship."

I politely declined the drink, because, of course I was "leaving at any minute!" but as the night went on our two groups combined, and I found myself, sitting at the corner of the bar with my high heels on chatting it up with some UNC celebrities. (It's a funny thing when you realize you are closer in age to coaches now than players.) They were completely nice gentleman and around 2am we all parted ways. I may never see them again, but it was a fun evening had by all. I love this town.

Happy Halloween!

It's been a while since I've been excited about Halloween but this year I think it is going to be SUPER fun. Chapel Hill is known for its Halloween celebration. The streets are all closed downtown and then the weirdos come out. Should be a total spectacle. I'm going to be Baby Spice with the 4 other Spice Girls. Epic. 


I went to a party on Saturday and went as Christina Aguilera from Burlesque. Here is the evidence:  

I also had some fun fishnets and red satin heels on. This was the first time I wore a wig and it was awesome!


Love this song from Burlesque:



Happy Halloween!! 

dc meets nc

I walked into a bar where a man in a blue shirt and pink bow tie checked my name off the list. There were deep leather couches, more men in bow ties shaking signature cocktails behind a giant oak bar, and it was crowded enough to feel festive but not too loud to talk. Women were in dresses, men in pressed shirts with the sleeves comfortably rolled up to the elbows.

Was I in DC? It sure felt like it. 

But no, I was at the Crunkleton in Chapel Hill. I think I have found my new favorite bar. 

pic

Perhaps it was the company, some new friends I am making, but I was just totally taken with the vibe. I had a cocktail made from gin, Saint Germaine, cucumber and lime. It tasted like summer with a smoothness to it that most cocktails don't have. 

There are plenty of dive bars in the area that are great to wear jeans to and have a microbrew, but this place just felt special. It felt like an event, not just getting drinks. Totally fabulous. 

i love this crazy, sometimes almost magic, awful beautiful life

Yesterday was probably one of the best days since I have moved to North Carolina. I slept in, had a lazy morning, then went out to participate in a school of public health field day. I met lots of new friends, got to run around and play for a while like a kid, and enjoy the weather. Afterwards, I went to a potluck for the first meeting of the new Chapel Hill chapter of Dining for Women. It's a pretty cool thing, you gather once a month, everyone brings a dish, and you donate what you'd normally spend out on dinner and the money goes to a featured organization of the month. Everyone brought something delicious and it felt great to give back a little. I'd definitely recommend starting one of your own! 


Afterwards, I went out to this little town called Saxapahaw to see the Lizzy Ross Band. She was like a cross between Miranda Lambert and Regina Spektor. It was a total blast dancing around with a few friends like fools. Also, the venue- phenomenal. I have never walked into a place before and thought, this is where I'd have my wedding. I had that feeling! (I know, boyfriend first, but a girl can dream.) Just such a cool interesting place! 


It was such a stellar day. I am loving North Carolina!

cougar town

Boots

Saturday night some new gal pals and I went out to a country western bar. We figured that we better get a real taste of the South, and what better way then to go line dancing! This place was just what we were looking for-- loud country music, a bar for girls to dance on, a mechanical bull and bras hanging from the ceiling. Klassy with a K. We got our $2 beers and hit the dance floor. 


After a while my friend said, "Hey that cute guy at the bar keeps looking at you, you should talk to him." She proceeded to drag me over and introduce me. Thanks, Capitan Awkward! Well he started teaching me some line dances and we were laughing and having a fun time. Then he pushed me around the dance floor solo for a few songs. It was a total blast -- it's been a while since a guy who really knew how to dance took me for a spin. 


Finally we needed a break and I asked him where his beer was. He held up his hand with a big black X on it and answered with a deep southern accent: "I'm not 21 yet." 


**Cue sound of heart shattering**


"Wow. I am so much older than you."


"How much, are you 22?"


"Ha. You wish. I'm 26." 


So that was the end of that! One more dance for fun and then the girls and I called it a night. I wasn't honestly considering pursuing this guy but I just realized, Wow, welcome back to a college town. 18 to party, 21 to drink.