life & such: March 2009

I seem to somehow keep the social/ work calendar completely packed (no surprise to anyone who reads this regularly or knows me in the least). This weekend I didn't have too much "planned" but somehow was able to pack it with some really great times.
Friday, while driving from one of my stores back downtown to my office, a co-worker called and asked to do an early happy hour. The weather was beautiful and a patio happy hour sounded wonderful. Since I live downtown near the bustling BR bar scene and needed to run home to change out of logo wear, he agreed to pick me up. With plans to have drinks at a bar with an upstairs balcony and meet up with some friends, we arrive to find their doors locked. It seems that particular bar's happy hour begins at 5 when they open (we skipped out a bit early on Friday). Quickly find a bar with a street-level patio a block away is open and ready to serve us cold beverages. With friends we enjoyed the drinks and live music for a while before heading to Tsunami for a terrace cocktail and a view of the sunset over the Mississippi. Lovely afternoon!
Saturday morning I walked to the farmer's market with green bean. I didn't make any purchases since only planned on restocking figs and my usual vendor was out and went on to tell me it will be a while before he has figs again (Whole canned figs remind me ofmy grandmother's house as a child; I don't have them often but like to have them around for an occasional treat). Following the market, I took my bike and books to a downtown coffee shop to read then over to a bench on the lawn of the state capitol to enjoy some sunshine. I noticed the capitol looked open for tours and decided to lock up my bike and take a quick elevator ride to the top. Living and working downtown, I sometimes take for granted all of the amazing things right outside of my door! I don't think I have been to the top of the capitol since I was a kid on a school field trip (shameful).

Each state and year it became a state is represented with a step leading up to our capitol.

Saturday afternoon saw an outdoor lunch with Lara and Green Bean on the patio at Bravo! (in case you didn't get the memo: weather in the 70's, sunshine, girlfriends, patio dining & pinot grigio = perfect!!!).

My beloved LSU tigers were set to play UNC at 5:30 Saturday afternoon so I met up with Nat, K-Fed and others at the Bulldog to watch the game (patio again). Drinks and company were great but Tiger basketball not-so-much. I guess if we had to lose, UNC was the team to lose to. I did manage to lose a bet to my boy BFF (huge UNC fan) so will be sporting the baby blues every time UNC plays for a year!!!
Sunday I woke up early, drank coffee on my balcony, made muffins, had "Jen time", met my parents for church and quickly home to change for a BBQ at boss' house. His family is in town visiting so he invited a few of us over to meet them. Functions with work people can sometime be a total drag but this was a great afternoon and I am very glad I went. Dan and I arrived at 1:30 and didn't leave until after 11:00!!!

(Guys trying to rescue the last ball!)
Returning to work on Monday was not pleasant to say the least. I am grateful to have had such a nice weekend and hope the rest of spring is this nice.