Day 35- Beat the heat with beads. And gelato.

It's hot y'all.  Soooo hot.  Esther made a great suggestion last week to beat the heat.  With beads.  At Ain't Miss Bead Haven in Mooresville.  We were first charmed by this store in 2015.  The inventory is prolific and the staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.  I mentioned to the girls that this time we were going to stay as long as possible, to stay out of the menacing heat.

In typical Esther fashion, she had a project already planned in her mind:  for neon chain dangle earrings.

CC and I struggled a bit to find a project.  I sometimes feel like a deer in headlights when faced with so many project possibilities.  Look what CC came up with.  First, she made one for our next door neighbor/honorary family member, Ellison.  Then she made a matching one for herself.

pretty sparkly things at every turn

After almost an hour browsing, this string of natural pearls caught my eye.  I transformed it into a necklace and earrings.  LOVE THE RESULT.

The girls are loving their necklaces.  Twinsies.

Then, a true nose-following moment transpired.  As we made our way back home I noticed this beautiful pizzeria in a warehouse on Main Street in Mooresville.  I felt guilty about buying lunch when we had food at home, but summer is short.  Alas, summer is almost over.  I turned the van around and pulled right up to Alino's Pizzeria.

CC wonders, "How have we never been to this place?"

The real deal.  Pizza Margharita con mozzarella di buffala.  Certo.

This place is huge with communal tables, and three (count em) wood fire pizza stoves.  If you have never eaten pizza in Italy, this is as close as you will come in the LKN area.  Bravo.  I found myself reminiscing about our Sicilian honeymoon.  We were so young, and so skinny:)

The perfect finish:  gelato.  Perfetto!

Day 34- following my nose, I mean stomach.

Yesterday I was taking inventory in the pantry when I noticed a bag of forgotten organic popcorn.

I compiled the obligatory grocery list as intended.  Then I continued with my day.  Lunchtime approached and I found myself jonesing for rhe popcorn.  With the remainder of the cheddar cheese popcorn topping in the spice cabinet.  But oh dear- how absurd to consider cheddar popcorn for lunch.  However, I am a grown woman, I am blogging about following my nose.  That translates into the small things too.  Like what food I am craving.  So I did it.  I pulled out the big pot, added olive oil and popcorn.  Ever popped popcorn on the stovetop?

And then I added the cheese. 

Until it was all gone.

Yum.  No regrets.  

Day 33- Back to life, back to reality

We're baaaack.  Vacation was deeply satisfying, restful, inspiring and lovely.  And now we're back.  And so is the blog.  I have 67 days of discovery left to live in the spirit of discovery and openness, what vacation can ideally be.  So, here we go again.  I am picking the blog back up with fresh energy and renewed hutzbah.  Thanks for joining me for the adventure!

Laurie