I’m thrilled it’s Friday, because I am so ready for a weekend of hanging out on the couch and making a few batches of Christmas cookies. We’ve had a week full of fun post-work activities. While it’s been a blast getting out for some live music and drinks, I’m ready to veg out with no plans for a couple of days. What’s on your agenda?
In standard Friday fashion, I’m sharing some of my favorite eats, reads and activities from this week.
A Real Christmas Tree
This year James and I picked out our first real Christmas tree together, and it makes me remember why I loved having a real tree every year growing up. The beauty and smell just can’t be replicated! One of the reasons I suggested trying the real deal is because one of our cats actually chews on our fake Christmas tree every year and ends up getting sick. I hoped the taste and texture of a real tree would stop her from trying to eat it. So far, so good! We are on the hunt for a Christmas tree collar to help keep our pets out of the water in the tree stand. We’ve found several we like, but we need one with a hinge on it so we can put it around the tree stand without having to pick the entire tree up. If you have any other suggestions for keeping pets out, send them my way!
Concerts
This week has been full of so much great, live music. It started out with our friends making their debut performance as a couple at Cardinal Spirits. Mark and Ashley are both so talented, but they’d never performed a gig together before. They blew everyone away with their renditions of classic and modern Christmas songs, which definitely heightened my excitement for the holidays. We also hadn’t been to the distillery for a while, so it was nice to try out some of their seasonal cocktails and finally try some of their new food. We’d already eaten dinner, so we just split the creme brûlée. But, it was excellent! We’re hoping to return soon for a proper meal.
We also drove up to Indy to see one of my favorite bands, The Secret Sisters. This was our third time seeing them in concert, and they never disappoint. Laura and Lydia write some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard. Their voices serve as impressive instruments, which makes even the solo guitar that backs them seem unnecessary. I’m so happy to hear they’re nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy this year! While we made the trip for the Sisters, we were pleasantly surprised by the opening act. Brian Dunne’s got some killer pipes! Many of his songs have thoughtfully-written lyrics and brutally honest themes that make me so drawn to country and folk music. We snagged his record at the show, and I think I’ll be playing it on repeat for a while.
The Couple Next Door
My mom lent me a few books to read and the description of ‘The Couple Next Door’ immediately intrigued me. From the moment I started the book, it was hard to put it down. While it’s certainly no literary masterpiece, it’s a quick, suspenseful read. The book follows a married couple who arrives home to discover their baby is missing. The book is full of unexpected, and oftentimes unbelievable, twists. But, sometimes that’s just what you need. I made it through this book in just a couple of days because I was so hooked!
Nashville
We made a quick trip to Nashville to see my brother over the weekend and, as usual, I fell even more in love with the city during our visit. I dragged the guys to 12 South for lunch and shopping. Popping into the shops and indulging ourselves in gourmet burgers and donuts was the best way to spend an afternoon. We knocked a few items off our Christmas shopping lists and sampled no shortage of local brews.
What are your favorite things from this week?