Friday Night Concert in the Park

During April and May, Curtis Hixon Park and Lowry Park Bandshell host a Friday Extra Concert Series. Concert goers can enjoy live music, sweet treats and the great company of their friends. Did I mention that it is free?

I headed out to the Concert series with some friends. We hit one of my faves, Paninoteca, for supper. I had their tzatziki with pita wedges and spanakopita. It was a yummy splurge and a great break from my usual healthy diet.

After grabbing a bite to eat, we walked down to the park. We had a great time catching up on our lives and listening to the bands. The weather was absolutely perfect which certainly helped us to enjoy the evening, especially before the heat of the summer sets in.

Robert & Christine

Me & Jennifer

Concert!

Yummy Ice Cream Treat

While the series has come to an end, check out Curtis Hixon Park's Rock the Park Series to enjoy your own evening in the park.

A Night in Espana

I rang in 2012 tucked away in Fernandina Beach, a cozy little town just north of Jacksonville on the Florida/Georgia border. My parents and I were searching for a restaurant to celebrate the end of the year and we were surprised to find a charming Spanish restaurant called Espana.

The food was amazing! Authentic and delightful. Even on a busy New Year's Eve night, the service was fabulous.

Our meal began with Sangria and a plate of Entremes - Serrano Ham, Cured Chorizo, Manchengo Cheese, and Marinated Olives. We then shared Scallops Ole, Mussels Roijana and Gambas al Ajillo. Of course, any celebration requires a stellar dessert so we capped our feast with Crema Catalana (similar to a creme brulee).

Mussels Riojana

Scallops Ole & Gambas al Ajillo

Crema Catalana

If you ever find yourself in this beach town, be sure to check out this fabulous restaurant. You will not be disappointed.

Less Busy, More Present

When I created my Thirty Before Thirty list, one of my goals was to be less busy and more present. I am fortunate to live a pretty great life and I did not want to be so busy living my life that I had no time to be fully engaged in it. In my early 20's, I would pour my thoughts into my journals but for this project, I wanted to explore another way of expressing myself. As I was searching for inspiration on how to document this year in a meaningful way, I stumbled across this great idea on pinterest.

The project was easy to create and cost efficient. I picked up the card stock on sale at JoAnn Fabric and the jar was $4 at Walmart (in the kitchen canister section). I had the colorful markers and scissors on hand already.

Throughout the year, I have been writing down the key moments in my life. Some are big like taking a trip to NYC and others are the sweet little moments in life that make a big difference such as penning my perfect day. Each week, I keep a running list of moments that I want to add. I then write them down on small slips of paper and fold them up to place inside of the jar. When I prepare to welcome in 2013, I will open my jar to read, reflect, and appreciate the things that have happened in my life this year.

I have really enjoyed this little venture and hope that it might inspire you to create ways to appreciate your life moments as well.

Click here to follow Grits & Gravy on pinterest!

{jar, scissors, pretty paper, colorful markers}

{colorful and textured paper for inspiration}