Asheville + a Stop at West Elm Outlet

So, now that we are finished up with Christmas lights, we are starting to turn our focus to the house.  FINALLY!!!!

I have been sitting here imagining for MONTHS some of the things that we can/should do.  Number one being PAINT.  Oh what a difference paint makes! This has been underway for weeks, and we are coming close to completion (which I will share in a separate post) but the furniture situation has been sketchy since we moved in.  Our big leather couch is living in the downstairs of our new house.  I wanted something less huge for upstairs.  My requirements were leather and not puffy. 

I was almost set on a sectional for our living room.  It really would be perfect in our space.
This vintage beauty was calling my name for MONTHS.  It was perfect style-wise and the price was RIGHT!  But then it was CREAM FABRIC!  After a brief survey on FB, my friends verified that I would be absolutely nuts to get that with three toddlers.  But it is sooooooo good!

Still, the more I thought about it, I knew that I wanted leather.  Also, I realized that it would be very limiting in my layout.

Even more worrisome than limiting my layout options was limiting the number of chairs I could fit in the room.  GASP!  (and you know I have a chair addiction)

Last year when visiting my brother in Asheville I discovered that the West Elm Outlet is 15 minutes from his house.  What a great resource!  I only purchased a rug there last year, but with discounts being up to 60% off regular prices, I thought I should check there for a sofa.

I simply called the store Thursday and asked "Could you tell me if you have any couches in a saddle colored leather please?"  To which the wonderful saleslady, Sherry, replied yes!

Enter the Modern Chesterfield sofa. 

They put it on hold for me and at 7pm Friday night I decided I was going to take a road trip to Asheville sans family. (Ernesto was not into driving that weekend, but did want a couch, so he sent me off)  I tried my persuasiveness on two friends [who have kids] so they would drop everything and go with me, but it was just too late:(

I ended up on the road sola with Starbucks in hand at 10am.  It was an exhilerating feeling...ahhh to be free!!  I ended up talking to my sister on the phone for the THREE hour drive.  She was painting and I was driving, so we both loved passing the time on the phone.

She said "Wow, this is great! I haven't had your undivided attention for years." LOL. So. True.

What a relaxing morning. Things got even better when I walked into West Elm to find all the sofas were and EXTRA 20% off!! yeah!

 I was so close to buying this sofa as well.  The Brooklyn has the coolest wooden legs and of course the "licorice" leather was so good. 

Wasn't sure if my room could handle two full size couches, but if I had thought they would fit in the truck I would've just bought it and figured out what to do with it later.  #supergooddeal  #storyofmylife 

 With the money that I "saved" from the unexpected 20% discount, I was able to basically get two chandeliers FOR FREE.

I am such a great shopper!!

I made it to tio Brrrian's house by 4pm and we hung out a bit in the old cabby-cabin before heading downtown for some noodle bowls and out to his friend Jeff's farm where we had a major jam session in his new, awesomely modern barn.  No pics of IT, but this video is sure to make you smile.

Tio Brrrian has a great group of friends who I have gotten to know over the years and I was happy to party it up with them.  It had been waaaaaaay too long.  It was nice having some beers knowing that I didn't have any responsibilities the next morning. Yes!

 

The next morning while lounging with coffee, I just happened to open up Craigslist Asheville to see if there was anything interesting...and you aren't going to believe this but THERE WAS...there was something interesting!!  Veeeeeery interesting indeed! In fact, I decided immediately that I needed it and could not text the lady fast enough.

"Will you take $25?"  (she was asking $40 which was a total STEAL yet the bargainer that I am, I had to offer less)  "I can come this morning and pick these up.  Please text me asap."

No answer, no answer.

Brrrian and I headed out for breakfast and a little cruise around town.  Past the Grover Park Inn, which is amazing no matter how many times you drive by.
Also, I'm sorry, but who has an all copper roof??  Gutters too?? This house. Drooooling......

Back to the cabin....

I was all packed up to leave Asheville and .....Still no word from the Craigslist seller.
Sigh.   I left for Atlanta. 

Well no,  the lady did not return my text.....until TWO DAYS later when I was already back in Atlanta....without ANY bargaining power.

This guy wanted NOTHING to do with my Craigslist transaction.

He ignored my texts even. Not abnormal actually, but I knew with this favor looming he would NEVER answer.  UGH!  Tio Brrriannnnnnnnnnnn! Donde estassssss???

I ended up having now choice but to ask my sweet friend Fenella (whom I met through Brrrian) if she would mind picking up the treasures.  She answered me back in one minute flat. 
"Sure.  What is the address?"  Oh I love it when things are so easy!

So what was it that I HAD to have???  You are dying to know, right?
What did I NEED to have so badly?

Wait for it.....Behold...... my new pets.....heron 1 and heron 2

OMG!!  I AM SO EXCITED to get these birdies polished up and sitting in front of my house!  Oh, what a SCORE! This is probably one of my best.  $30??  They are over 3' tall!!! Solid brass! Ridiculous.  I am a little bit scared that Fenella and Rob might be getting too attached to these guys.  She told me the first day that she really likes them and wants me to help her find some herons too.  I mean look how awesome they are sitting in her yard, can you blame her?

Sometimes you don't know what you need until you do your friend a favor and pick up some herons and place them in your yard.  Yes, yes I need 2 huge brass herons!!

And there you have it my friends.  That is how my wonderful care free, couch buying, brother visiting, beer drinking, heron stalking weekend went down.  FUN FUN FUN!!

Road Trip: Asheville!

G

Gosh! It had been a whole year since we last drove to Asheville to visit my Brother...aka tio Brrrrian. What? How did that happen? We picked the kids up from school Friday, and stopped to see a house (a ranch fixer upper) on our way out of town. The kids promptly fell asleep, we stopped for Bucky bucks, and we were on our way. Ahhhhhhhh two hours of peace and quiet!

Even with the leaves gone on the trees, it's a beautiful drive.

We had a very relaxed fun weekend. Saturday morning around noon, we took the kids to a park and although it was quite chilly, they ran around playing frisbee.

Baby girl was sleeping so I brought her out undercover. No one knew who she was.

She enjoyed her first time cruising down the Blue Ridge Parkway and both her and sus hermanos were sleeping before we knew it.

A late lunch at King Daddy's was so satisfying. Great choice tia Kyja!

While the others devoured habanero chicken and big fluffy waffles, I was in heaven eating this warm sesame kale salad with pickled beets and pears. Oh my!

Not even 3 hours later, we were sitting at Kyja's school fundraiser eating a big Italian meal. (Prepared and served by her students) STUFFED! After dinner we walked next door to her co-workers house and had a wonderful evening of adult conversation while six kids ran around the house. The two new kids on the block (mine) made themselves at home and were sad to leave their new friends.

I always feel a hike is in order when we visit Asheville. I mean, if you can climb up to see this view, how could you not?

The name Lookout Mountain really fits, doesn't it? (Located in Montreat, a cute little town not far from Asheville.) This is a hike we have done before, but it had been a while! Yeah, we were kid-less the last time we hiked it, which seems like forever ago.

It was pretty great though seeing my little girl snuggled up to her papi for her first hike and and my little boys climbing a mountain like it was nothing. AND in rainboots no less!!

Unfortunately, I did not bring any shoes that were appropriate for a hike, so, instead of buying new shoes (which I considered) I doubled on thick socks and wore Ernesto's boots.

Surprisingly, they were very comfortable.

Being the great mountain dog that he is, Bruno was back and forth on the trail trying to herd us together. (Between jumping and flipping for [snow]balls.)

The boys were fascinated with these swords icicles.

Talk about dangerous! Even with a bandaged hand, Mateo was ready to break these off and start swinging. His bandaged hand helped him hold the ice. Yes, he had an unfortunate run-in with tio Brrrian's wood burning stove. Poor baby.

Per his usual, he was tough. He did cry, which is to say it hurt like hell, because it takes a lot to make him cry in pain. That was his first burn though. Bumps, bruises and cuts are his specialty so this was somethin' different.

Baby girl slept in the carrier the whole way up and when almost back to the car she wanted a little snacky snack.

Mountain breastfeeding is a new one for me. Ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low....to keep me from feeding you babe. (Don't ask, that just popped in my head)

Not too long ago, I found out that there is a West Elm Outlet in Asheville (15 minutes from my bros) so I had to sneak out before the Super Bowl and see what I didn't need could score.

At more than half off the retail store, how could I not buy this wool Charm Rug? Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?? It is sooooo soft and fluffy (and shed-y) It's wool.

Then on our way home, we stopped for lunch and coff coff in Biltmore Village. Cantina had decent Mexican fare, at least my mango chicken salad was rico, but what I really wanted was to do some shopping. I yelped and found Bon Vivant, a multi-dealer vintage shop.

This painting caught my eye first for the colors. I love orange so much! I am more drawn to abstract paintings normally, but this one had me at first glance. The fact that it depicts the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego was the ONLY reason Ernesto agreed to let me buy it. (That sounds as if I need his permission to buy something, but a house full of my stuff tells a different story) It is HUGE and it is awesome. The vintage frame is not my favorite (with its red-Ish stripe) but it does add to the charm.

 

Now to find that mid century house for my mid century painting!!

 

Thanks tios Brrrian and Kyja for your hospitality!! We had a great time. Now it's your turn. Come on over!

 

Oh! And just to end with a laugh, if you want to know what you are going to look like in 40 years, download the app Age Booth and you will see into the future. Oh the laughs! This app is a real party starter, let me tell ya.

I think we look pretty good "for our age." What do you think?

 

 

Weekend in Asheville!

Over the weekend we made a quick trip to Asheville.  My parents were up at my brother's little cabin, and we decided we would surprise them.  (Although Ernesto started working last week, he didn't schedule any lighting jobs over the weekend.)    God, I love to surprise people.

We wanted to arrive while everyone was still drinking their coffee and lounging in pj's (that is at least 11am at our house).  We wore our pjs on the drive to make sure we could just join in.  Well, we planned to be on the road at 5am, but didn't wake up until 530am (thanks marcelo!) We were out the door by 620 and we arrived at 1030.  Ok, no one was in their pjs, but they were still drinking coffee.  They were surprised for sure.

It was nice and cool up in the mountains too.  Although Brrrian's cabin is small two bedroom, all 8 of us were comfortable.  (We are a close family!) The cabin has come a long way since we last visited in the Spring.  New hardwood floors, a new tiiiiiin roof (rusted! for you B-52's fans).  My parents had just helped them paint the main room and kitchen cabinets too.  (mint green and navy blue!) 

You can see in the photo above where the rock patio begins behind the house.  The green in between is the garden.
There is a great fire pit and you can see the fire master here re-kindling the fire from the night before.



Mateo loved exploring the woods, climbing hills and throwing sticks and bucket lids to his buddy Bruno.  Here is a crazy Mateo with Kyja...and just so you can see his calm side too, here hammock hangin' with tio Brian.
Marcelo is the king of chillin'.  He is happy anywhere, anytime. Kinda like his papi.

 





















Because the leaves are changing this time of year, Asheville is packed with tourists.  It's nice to have family that live in great vacation spots.  Thanks again to the hosts!!

I love walking around downtown Asheville.  Have you guys been?  So much is going on.  So many cute shops.  The boys had to watch Ohio State so my mom and I snuck next door to Chocolate Fetish.  We bought dark chocolate habanero sea salt caramels. 

Mateo was loving the street performers and kept giving them dollar bills.  We did a little dancing to the bluegrass music too. Im not big on Country music, but there is something about bluegrass that I love. 

These guys were awesome, and pulled a big crowd of spectators.  I mean, look at that base they made out of a aluminum wash tub! It sounded good too.

Overall a short, but sweet getaway.
We left at 7pm (ie: mimi time) and both boys were out for the 3.5 hour trip.  Que bueno!