It's February! What a Month it is!

February is a crazy month for me. It begins with Bastien's and mine 6th year anniversary on the 5th, then it jumps to crazy old valentines (validation) day, then skips on to one of my best bud's 25th bday on the 18th and then completes the month with my 25th bday on the 26th! Aye!

Right now in my life, I'm still considering lots of things because at the approach of my quarter-life crisis I know I still have plenty of time to contemplate. Here are some of the contemplations/plans:

-I'm still working at my most favorite place of employment ever, The Littlest Birds. I'm only working half-time right now because that's all the time they can give me...but...soon come I will be getting many more hours. Come August/September of this year I will be working nearly full-time when one of the owners moves. Her and her lovely spouse will be moving to go to grad school and I will get to take over her time. I am so excited and so privileged to get this opportunity to run a small, locally-owned business. I am also way impatient and would love for this to happen NOW! But patience is a virtue, I hear.

-I've been yearning to take some more classes. I am so in love with this Earth we live on and I want to do as much as I can for it. Despite this passion, I need to be more knowledgeable. I need to know some basic science, some basic scientific facts. I have never been a science kind of girl, but I really want to take some herbalism classes at the Appalachian School of Herbalism (so I can grow my own awesome garden and create my own beauty and cleaning products) and I want to take lots of environmental science, botany and ecology classes so I can be a better educated environmentalist. I'm starting to look at ways of doing that in Western NC.

-I want a car! Ack, I have a very deep love/hate relationship with the Asheville Transit System, the sweet thing. But I want a car. And even better, I'm thinking about getting a diesel car so I can use biodiesel to run it. That's right, ya'll - I want a vegetable car! ;) I'm thinking about getting a late 90's VW diesel car. It's pretty much my choice of a Mercedes or a Volkswagen, only. Not many other cars have diesel engines.

-Omg, beer! The beau, er, fiancé, and I have been brewing beer (well, mostly the beau). And we love it! And he loves it! I really do believe he has found his passion and his life path. Whew! So our plan, now? Create a microbrewery/restaurant. I won't give any more details on that plan right now. It's so juicy and delectable, but it still needs to do a bit of fermenting (ba-da-ching!) before more details are released. Let's just say I love to write business plans and I've already got a good start on this one.

-Oh man, I just have too many ideas and plans and desires, it's almost too much! Oh, and I have, like, no money. No money to save, no money to invest. Nada. Anyways, I would also like to have my own business where I sell handmade, handcrafted, preferably local, goods for the home. And of course I have a business plan written already. ;)

-I would also like to be an environmental constultant. Hence, the desire and need to take some environmental science classes. I figure I could hire myself out to plenty of people who need some practical and easy advice on taking steps to helping the Earth.

-Oh yes, I'm a bridesmaid. I'm one for the wonderful, soon-to-be-my-sister-in-law-in-just-over-a-year Lucie.

-And then I have a wedding of my own to plan. (Wow, did I really just say that? Good god.) But it will be lighter on the wedding planning and much heavier on the party/reception and the traveling/honeymoon planning. I've already got some ideas floating around in that lil' head of mine...like May 1st, courthouse wedding, big-arse party in a park/backyard/natural, outdoor setting with lots of friends and fam, family celebration in France and Corsica traveling afterward.

A lot, a lot. A lot that I like.
<3

Wkend Recap: Mountain Adventures & Parties

Thursday: Worked at the B&B. Watched Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince at the Asheville Brew and View w/Steph, D & the beau. Had some yummy Ninja Porters.

Friday: The beau and I had a mountain adventure...but not like it sounds. We started our day in the hopes of making it to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the US east of the Mississippi. After eating at Asheville Pizza, we soon realized the day was much too foggy and rainy. So we continued on eastward. We stopped in Marion at a visitor's center and found a map and decided to venture to Johnson City, TN taking all back roads. So after taking many windy, old beautiful roads we made it to JC. We walked around the town and the beau's alma mater and remincsed about the days when we were still in college. We also stopped by the wonderful Acoustic Coffee House for some beer, tea and chips. As the sun began descending, we thought we'd head back home (the fast way). Back in Asheville! We then hung out w/Alexandra & Nik, where the girls throughly kicked the guys butt at both Trivial Pursuit and darts. Take that!

Saturday: Worked at The Littlest Birds. And instead of doing anything exciting, I just stayed at home and relaxed w/a cup of warm tea.

Sunday: Worked at The Littlest Birds till 4. Nik dropped off his cat, Gonzo, so he could make a visit to his parents in Chapel Hill. Next, we headed to the Mountain Xpress' Best of WNC party at the Orange Peel (The Littlest Birds won Best Kid's Clothing Store & the owners gave us the tix!). We had a blast filling our bellies from some the best restos in Asheville and listening to an amazing bluesy-rock teenage band, called Skinny Legs and All.

<3

Oh, Abe, you're making me blush!

I received my federal tax refund on Monday and celebrated all day! On top of it all, Monday was a snow day for the beau so we had to untie our shoes and act a little irresponsible. ;) I went with the beau to Nine Mile and we ate & drank to our little hearts' content.

(Hello, Mr. President...[source].)

Later on, we hopped over to Greenlife, picked up some yummy and (slightly) healthier-than-usual pizza, chips & dip. We came back home, put on our couch potato clothes and watched one of the stupidest movies ever - The Animal - on Netflix. Honestly, I do not recommend it.

It was a fun day, but one that will not be repeated soon...I must save money for a beach trip in April & our trip to Quebec this summer (w/Lu & her beau!). Nevertheless, mad props to our man Abe (Obama!) for "stimulating" our economy. He can stimulate me, anytime. ;)
<3

A Perfect Weekend

This has so far been a nearly perfect weekend (gotta leave room the perfect weekend). Yesterday afternoon I went to Greenlife & got some great cheese and baguettes for the play I was soon to be attending with my parents later in the evening. After a nice 30-40 min. roundtrip walk to the store, I got everything prepared and loaded up my tote bags with the yummy goodies.

(The Hazel-Robinson Theatre, where the Montford Park Players perform every year.)

Once ready, I started my much shorter walk to the outside theatre. The play was "Antony and Cleopatra" and was done by the Montford Park Players. This theatre troupe does at least four plays a summer in the outside theatre. This is a super fun and super relaxed thing to do in Asheville in the summer. I met my parents there & had a good time munching on French Bread, Camembert, Morbier & D'Affinois.

(Some characters + the stage.)

(Antony & Octavia [Ceasar's sister].)

And then today: Today I went with my bf to Nine Mile, a sweet little resto that is located right across from our house.(The inside of the Marley-esque restaurant.)

And now, I'm getting ready to go to the Westville Pub. It's a short 10-min. drive away. We're going to have another informal, somewhat-awkward high school gathering there. Some high school acquaintances of ours are having a show there, while silmitanously having a benefit for the local t.v. station, URTV. I'm so happy with this weekend! :)