Day Trip - Fringe of Cleveland

This past weekend Hubby and I needed to get-out-of-dodge at least for a day...so we decided to take a trip over to 'our side of Ohio'.  We didn't want to get smack-dab in the middle of Cleveland so we stayed on the fringe of it with Lyndhurst, Woodmere, and Mentor on our minds.  We decided to drive to the farthest point and work our way back.  It was just under 3 hours there.  We went to a very LARGE music store in Lyndhurst called Sam Ash Music.  It's the first branch we have been to.  We usually frequent World of Music in Erie, PA, or various Guitar Centers but this shop blew all of them out of the water!  This is a FIRST...Hubby didn't buy anything but I did!  I found a fabric Ukelele Case with a shoulder strap for about $20!  In was in a nice little plaza section with various other stores and we walked by the store fronts but didn't go inside any of the other shops. 
We then moved on to Woodmere.  I found out they had BOTH a Whole Foods Market as well as a Trader Joe's!  I was limited to one stop because there were other places we were interested in going so I decided to choose Whole Foods.  It's only the 2nd Whole Foods Market I have ever been to!  Usually when I speak about Whole Foods I am referring to Erie, PA's Whole Foods Co-Op which is owned by members and not by a chain like the market is.  Anyhow...the only other one I have been to is the one in Las Vegas.  I really liked the store but because we were only there for about a week and staying in a hotel I didn't purchase much, then.  I did notice that the Las Vegas store had a large Juice/Smoothie Bar that the Woodmere location didn't have but I have to say I really enjoyed the Woodmere location.  The staff was AMAZING, the store very clean, the selection was very nice, and I ended up buying about $45 worth of stuff.  Mostly things I couldn't find in my area/region as well as items that were lower in price than I am used to finding.  I also chose Whole Foods over Trader Joe's because they are supposed to be building a new Trader Joe's in Amherst, NY, during 4th Quarter, and that is half the time to get to once it's up!  I'm looking forward to it very much!  I have only been to one other Trader Joe's, as well, and that was the one in Pittsburgh about 2 years ago.  Saturday they were having a Vegan BBQ to raise money for a local Sanctuary and had I known I would have tried to participate but hubby had his heart set on The Winkin' Lizard and we sort of build the trip around that original thought in the first place. 

I think it's been about 5 years since we've been to the Winkin' Lizard last and I remember liking it.  So after Whole Foods Market we drove to Mentor where we ate at Winkin' Lizard there.  They have various locations as well.  I wanted to sit outside so we did.  I had a veggie wrap - without the dairy - and we shared one of their 'Drinks for 2'.  It was very nice.

We were going to try and look for a winery or two on our way back thru but we were driving on a different route and went back thru Erie and stopped to see my brother in law for a few minutes and then drove home.

It was a nice drive!  A nice day!  I'm so happy we stopped at the places we did and now Hubby has a new Music Store and perhaps we can swing by Whole Foods Market a couple a times a year now.  What did you do this weekend?  Anything special!?  Any plans for this week or upcoming weekend?

Ukelele Journey, Blissful Furkids, Boku Bar, & Dan McDonald's Blending Mastery

A while back I blogged about FINALLY getting a Ukelele.  I want to learn just enough to play along with some songs - just for fun.  I've been a little addicted to this guy!  His name is Aldrine and he's amazing!  I love that he always has a smile on his face.  I LOVE their YouTube Videos and Website!  Thru him and his "Play Along" videos on YouTube I have been able to play along with: "What I Got" by Sublime, "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Let It Be" By the Beatles all pretty well.  Thru another source I started playing "I'm Your's" by Jason Mraz.  I hope to learn a few more songs from their Song Library in the next few weeks.  I'm VERY grateful for this resource they provide!  I recently printed out a PDF of Ukelele Chords, too, from The Uke Lady.

Last night after I did a few things around the house I was playing with the new Instagram features and started to nod off.  It's been a long week.  The "kids" were pretty much in the same 'mode' which was nice.  One time when I 'came to' a little bit I opened my eyes to this.  I just HAD to take a photo!  Paco and Suzie were 'Just Chillin'.  They couldn't have been cuter!  When I took the photo I think they panned over to Riley who was sitting on Dale's Recliner.

It's been a while since I had this Chocolate Fudge Brownie Boku Bar but I took some notes a while back to share it with you at some point.  That point - is today!

Boku Superfood is a neat company!  I've tried a few of their powders and I have really liked them.  I will be blogging more about those down the road, too!  Their bars, are darned-tasty!  This specific Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavor surely lives up to it's name!  It's VERY MUCH Brownie-esque!  It was sweet, chewy, nutty, chocolatey, and slightly fruity tasting.  I really liked that I could "see" many of the ingredients in this product while I was gnawing on it!  This was a VERY impressive bar!  It was tasty, filling, and jam-packed with nutrition!

Guess what came in the mail today!?  YUP!  My new DVDs from Dan McDonald, that's what!  I took a photo of the front so you can see!  I can't wait to jump right in to them!  There are 3 DVDs in this set!  Blending Mastery!  Wooot!  Can't wait!  Speaking of some Blending Mastery - Christine over at The Raw Project - rocks the high speed blenders pretty hardcore and has inspired me to try some of her recipes and I will be posting them later today!
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It's a beautiful day outside today!  I think I might take some time to walk around downtown and take some photos and report back with my findings.

I'm also on the lookout for some easy widgets for my sidebars that would get more interaction going with people who visit my site!  I want to know what you are interested in seeing here, so let me know and be on the look out for some new features!

I'm Alive - Life Has Gotten In The Way!

It's been over a week since my last post - I'm so out of it!  So very sorry!  I have been taking lots of pics and do have lots to share it's just a matter of putting it all in a post! 

I wanted to share this photo with you 'just because'.  I have been tinkering with various iPhone Apps for Photo/Editing and came across some filters for the back side of this Methodist Church that I walk by almost everyday on my way to or from work.    The sky is the filtered part that 'really got me' - I I love the color but I also love that the windows kind of match with the light.  My husband said it looks like it was on fire!  I just thought it was 'neat'.

June 1st was my husband and my wedding anniversary and we decided to take a day trip up to Western New York - various towns and suburbs - outside of Buffalo - where I was born and raised.  The last several years I have been showing him many places of interest and the older we get the more he likes to take a day and check it out!  This time we did a few things that I had not even done.  Including a trip to a place called Chester's Cajun Grill.  No - this is far from being a vegetarian restaurant but they were very nice and accommodating!  I had a HUGE salad with all sorts of raw veggies in it and corn chips as well as hot sauce, and stir fry veggies including various peppers, mushrooms, and onions.  It was quite impressive!  Of course, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, too!  It was a nice place!

For over 10 years now - it's been an ongoing joke that I have wanted a Ukelele and my husband said he would never by me one!  So every time we go to a music store I say "oh, look!  A Uke...but I will never HAVE one."  So that weekend he bought me one!  I'm still rather shocked!  It's fun!  I can play along with 4 songs so far!  "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, "What I Got" by Sublime, "Let It Be" by The Beatles, and "Sweet Home Alabama" Lynryd Skynryd.  I'm not a pro by any means but I want to at least play around with it and try and teach myself something with the help of YouTube, that is.  I'm sure I will post more about this in the near/future!

Speaking of music...I have been a little obsessed with Bobby McFerrin lately.  Sure, I have always had an appreciation for him!  But I've been watching every interview and concert I can find online with him in it.  He's extremely talented and gifted!  Truly a a living legend of vocal experts!

I have TONS of food related pictures to post as well as our recent Wildtree adventures and some other interesting tidbits.

But I also have some not-so-wonderful news and it's not that big of a deal to most but it is to me!

I went to the dentist last week for the sensitivity in my teeth and was in need for a very aggressive cleaning, apparently.  Well, they did find a surface cavity.  A very small one.  Actually, it was more of a pit, really.  Regardless this is like life or death for me as I have NEVER ever had a filling in my life!  I'm freaking out so much and I have 5 to 6 weeks before I have to go back.  That it's even causing me a problem but the rough cleaning in the front bottom teeth is what is causing me nervousness!  It's still VERY sensitive and I'm not happy about any of it!  BUT...on to more happy and exciting things tomorrow, eh!?  I have LOTS on tap to share with you but today's post is just a mishmash of mini pieces I wanted to share!  Hope you are all well!  Miss you!