North Carolina

For those that don’t know, I’m a cat lover. I’m not ashamed to embrace the “crazy cat lady” title. With that being said, I decided to create a gift guide for the purrfect tops for the cat lover in your life (or if you’re like me, a gift guide to TREAT YO’ SELF). I’ve scoured my favorite brands to bring you top-shelf cat lady approved attire. (You’re welcome).

Wildfox Couture’s Seeing Cats Dali Sweater
This bright read boxy crop top sweater is a must-have for the season. Pair it with your favorite high-waisted jeans or even a faux leather mini (BLANKNYC skirt from Nordstrom) for a night out with friends.

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Lauren Moshi’s Felix the Cat Ragland
This super-soft boyfriend ragland top is here to give you all the vintage feels! Pair it with distressed denim or jogger pants for a casual look (Willow & Clay’s Faux Leather Jogger Pants).
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Meowington’s Cool Cat Tank Top
This ultra-cool and on sale tank can be easily carried into the fall/ winter season. Rock it with a pair of black skinny jeans (Madewell’s High Waist Skinny Jeans) and top it off with a Moto jacket (BLANKNYC’s faux leather Moto jacket).
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Shein’s Cartoon Cat Print Sweatshirt
Are you kitten me with this sweatshirt from Shein?! This is the purrfect weekend sweatshirt for brunch. Personally I’d pair it with some colored denim like JJen7’s Release Hem Skinny Jeans in charm pink. If the top runs long on you, knot it on the side.
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J.Crew Factory’s Sleepy Cat Teddie Sweater
This slim fit sweater is a must-have for any cat lover. Take the look up a notch with a pair of black skinny jeans (Topshop’s Leigh jeans) and a fitted black blazer (Vince Camuto’s Drape Front Blazer)
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Anthropologie’s Wild Cat Top
Take a walk on the wild side with this cat print top from Anthropologie. The ruffle detailing gives it some spice and “cat-titude.” What I love about this shirt is that you can take it from desk to dinner so easily by either adding a fierce leather jacket (Pistola Tracy Cropped Faux Leather Jacket).
Screen Shot 2018-11-20 at 6.15.28 PM Now I want all of these tops. Guess I’ll be adding some of these to my Christmas list!

Dad's Journey, Uncategorized

Navigating a New Way of Life

October 19, 2018October 18, 2018 alittlebitsquirrely

Things have been a bit stressful these past few months. The day before my birthday we received confirmation that my dad has both frontal lobe dementia and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). While we all suspected the news was coming, I was in total denial about it and sorta still am in denial about it. The only blessing is that with dad’s dementia, he doesn’t realize that he has ALS.

We learned that dad’s ALS is likely tied to his time in the military. Apparently it’s a growing trend with military veterans being diagnosed with ALS. While dad never served overseas, he did work with many types of chemicals for warfare and whatnot. I don’t know all the specifics about what he did, but I do know that back then they never wore protective gear (masks, gloves, etc). Even with his actual job (post military) he dealt with a vast array of chemicals and of course they never wore protective gear for that as well. It was never a concern back then.

Now we are navigating a new way of life. We’re learning about ALS as well as dementia. Dad is no longer driving (he thinks the doctor told him that because he’s not wearing his hearing aids), but that’s not the case. We’re trying to keep dad happy with continuing with activities that he loves: going to the gym about 6 days a week, going to NC State football games, dinner with friends at his favorite restaurants (42nd Street Oyster Bar and Hayes Barton Cafe) and most recently a trip to the NC State Fair.

I’m going to try to keep this blog regularly updated about dad to eventually share with family and friends on how he’s doing and all the activities he’s still involved in.

Uncategorized

It’s Been Awhile… Part 1

November 23, 2014November 23, 2014 alittlebitsquirrely

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve blogged. So long in fact I’m going to attempt to recap what all has happened in the last year. I’m going to start with New Years Eve… here it goes!

Who wouldn’t want to bring in 2014 with The Avett Brothers? This past NYE I decided it was time to say adios to the bar scene and go see my favorite band in Charlotte, NC. The evening turned out to be more amazing than ever. My Charlotte friends were able to score box seats for the show. I was in heaven. I ended up selling my tickets on Craigslist… that was my first Craisglist transaction ever and I didn’t end up on Dateline, score!

Shovels + Rope (another band I adore) opened the show.

Right after Shovels + Rope left the stage one of the mirror balls fell onto the stage. Thankfully no one was on stage!

The Avett Brothers (you can see where the mirror ball fell)

I pretty much had a perma-smile on my face during the entire show nor did I move from my seat. I ended out the year on a high note seeing The Avett Brothers perform.

Stay tuned for more posts that features a recap of 2014! I hope to get ahead before December hits!

xoxo

My Bucket List of Bands

Somebody Told Me

August 25, 2013 alittlebitsquirrely

It would be hot as Haiti’s for The Killers concert and they weren’t lying. It felt like I was trapped in a sauna with scores of people surrounding me and incredibly stuffy it was hard to breathe, but who cares… I was FINALLY seeing The Killers. Ever since they hit the music scene, I’ve been waiting ever so patiently for them to come to Raleigh or anywhere in the state of North Carolina. My dreams came true on August 12th when they performed at Red Hat Amphitheater.

They really rocked their first show in Raleigh playing several of my favorite songs from their early music like All These Things That I’ve Done, Human, Somebody Told Me, Mr. Brightside, When You Were Young, and Losing Touch. I had a major swoon moment when he sang a tidbit of James Taylor’s Carolina in My Mind. At that moment, Brandon Flowers made me weak in the knees.

Due to the insane heat we had to get some “air” which basically meant we needed to get out of the massive crowd. While we were standing off to the side a man came out of the pit and ripped his wristband off and proceeded to give it to us. For the remained of the show we took turns going in the pit to get an up close + personal view. It was oh-so amazing. I felt like I was on cloud 45,985 watching Brandon Flowers commandeer the stage. The only downside of the night was the heat, it was rather unbearable, but we mustered through it!

Not my best concert photo, but here’s Brandon Flowers of The Killers. Swoon.

Around Town

Beer, Bourbon, BBQ= Burnt

August 12, 2013August 2, 2015 alittlebitsquirrely

Most of my friends who know me know that I’m not much of a beer drinker so for me to go to the Beer, Bourbon + BBQ festival was kind of a big deal. To celebrate this momentous occasion we went big- VIP tickets. Go big or go home! Having VIP tickets meant you could gain access to the Beer, Bourbon + BBQ Festival at noon, which meant we had two extra hours to get a head start on drinking before it opened up to rest of attendees at 2pm. Let’s just say I was there for a solid six hours. Six hours of drinking, six hours of getting sunburned, and six hours of pure fun.

Y’all like my Beer, Bourbon + BBQ souvenir glass?

I’ll confess. I bought one of those cheesy necklaces that holds your drink. It actually came in handy.

With my friend Natalie before things got a little fuzzy.

I learned to things in attending the Beer, Bourbon + BBQ Festival:

I love pumpkin ale.
I hate bourbon.

One of the guys that went with us pretty much peer pressured me into drinking some of the bourbon. Yes, at the age of 31 I was peer pressured. Regardless, I did not celebrate drinking bourbon. Had it been mixed with Ginger Ale, I probably would have handled it better than making a hideous face whenever I tried to drink it straight up. As I’m typing this, I’m cringing at the thought of drinking bourbon. Did I mention it was hot as all get out? Hot bourbon, y’all. Ick!

By the time the festival opened up to the rest of the ticket holders at 2pm, I couldn’t feel my brain. (Not being able to feel my brain = being tipsy). The rest of the day was a bit of a haze, due to the heat and alcohol consumption…. and no I did not get white girl wasted where I couldn’t remember the rest of the day. Although I did discover I had bought an $8 jar of jelly. That’s correct, an $8 jar of jelly.

I present to you my $8 One Screw Loose jelly. Someone go find me some high-end peanut butter.

That’s what happens when you drink all day, you go home with high-end jelly.

I’m going to leave with you one last photo. Don’t be like this guy who passed out beside the trashcan, otherwise someone like myself will come along and snap some pictures of you.

Travels

Vintage Finds at the Beach

July 30, 2013January 4, 2019 alittlebitsquirrely

While I was at Ocean Isle Beach on vacation, I went antiquing + thrift shopping when we had a rainy day. Who knew Ocean Isle, Calabash, Shallotte and Holden Beach had so many hidden treasures. I seriously picked up some amazing finds and can’t wait to put them to use.

On our first stop at Bargain Basement Resale in Shallotte where I picked up this adorable teacup planter. I have plans to spray paint it (I’ve had suggestions of hot pink, white or gold… not sure what direction I’ll take) and I want repurpose it into something other than a planter. Those who know me know I kill all my plants. The longest I’ve kept a plant alive is maybe two weeks… three weeks tops. I’ll keep you posted as to what I end up doing with this find.

Next stop was at a small thrift store in Calabash (can’t remember the name, oops)! I came across these tall glasses and all I could think about is how summer cocktails or lemonade would look perfect in these glasses. That was the best $4 I spent in a LONG time!

At The Memory Cottage in Shallotte, I found these AMAZING vintage steel locker baskets. They had about ten in the store and I walked out with two. I’m seriously considering calling them to see if they’ll ship me a few more. These would be great for storage in a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom or really anywhere. It’ll give any room character. That’s it, I’ve made up my mind… I’m going to call them tomorrow to see if there’s any left so I can call them mine! Not bad for $14.99, right?!

Last stop we made was at Miss Minnie’s Antiques in Shallotte where I fell in love with this bright blue lantern. I knew I had to have it. I think it’s the color that really caught my eye because it was so vibrant. Since the last thing I need to do is play with kerosine and matches, I’m going to turn it into a lamp. Either I’ll become a mini Bob Vila or find someone to help me convert into a lamp that doesn’t require starting a fire.

I realize pretty much everything I bought was in Shallotte, but there were some great little shops everywhere. We didn’t rely on Google or Yelp to steer us in the right direction, we just hopped in the car and came across these unique stores along our adventure.

Until next time, xoxo!

Travels

Let’s Go to the Beach, Beach

July 24, 2013 alittlebitsquirrely

I recently got back from a family vacation at Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina. When I say “family vacation” I mean there were about 20+ folks coming and going from the beach house. This has been an ongoing tradition well before I was born. It’s an opportunity for cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and so on to spend a week together under the same roof to really bond + catch up. When you think about it, It’s priceless. Here’s a recap of my vacation at Ocean Isle!

This was the best $9.99 I spent on a cheesy shirt from Waves to give to my cousin

I kept it classy on the first day with a Diet Coke in my House of Swank koozie.

Wine, saltwater and sand is all I need. This is what heaven looks like

The beach hat I bought was cutting it, so I bought this amazing mustache hat to keep me cool and looking hip

My cousin Blake found this starfish on the beach. Poor l'il guy lost a limb later that day. — My cousin Blake found this starfish on the beach. Poor l’il guy lost a limb later that day.

This is what happens when a pack of cute kids asks you to buy one of their bracelets they made. I couldn't say no! — This is what happens when a pack of cute kids asks you to buy one of their bracelets they made. I couldn’t say no!

Every evening led to an exciting game of beach volleyball

I adore Ocean Isle for their calm beaches

The family flag that was on display everyday!

These 2 goobers kept me laughing all week long and I got to feel young again hanging out with them

That pretty much sums up the week I spent at Ocean Isle… drinking wine/ Diet Coke, hanging out with my cousins, being goofy and LOVING the beach.

xoxo

Around Town

Poppin’ Bottles

April 22, 2013 alittlebitsquirrely

So yesterday I attended the Great Grapes Wine Festival in Cary. It was interesting… not what I expected. I learned a few things yesterday…

I don’t celebrate North Carolina wine. Nothing against it, but a majority of the wines I sampled were incredibly sweet. After about 30 minutes into the event I had enough samples because the wine was so sweet. In fact it gave me a headache. I’m not a fan of super sweet wines, I prefer a nice glass with dinner. I don’t think I’d be able to pair any of the wines I sampled with a meal.
Putting kids on leashes just isn’t for the fair, but it’s also for wine festivals. I saw a kid being monitored by their parents at the beginning, but as the wine festival progressed I noticed the kid was then put on a leash. Maybe next time the parents should find a babysitter. I should also mention that the people watching is incredible.
No big deal, just a kid on a leash.

The best part of the wine festival was the peach bellini wine slushy

I’m not sure if I’ll go back for next year’s wine festival.. I might try to hit up the Cuegrass Festival in downtown Raleigh.

Around Town

First Friday: April Edition

April 10, 2013 alittlebitsquirrely

Finally! We had Spring weather for First Friday!

To kick off First Friday, we had the most delicious meal at Gravy in downtown Raleigh. This time I tried the spaghetti + meatballs (I’ve heard rave reviews about their famous meatballs, so I decided to give it a try). It was ah-mah-zing! The portion wasn’t overwhelming, yet I had enough leftovers to make another meal out of it.

Major noms!

It’s not a true First Friday event until we stop + visit the vendors outside The Raleigh Times. I’ve been wanting a North Carolina shirt from House of Swank Clothing, so what better time to buy one?! (Side note: I should really pay attention next time because I thought I bought a SMALL shirt, but instead I bought an XL!! Maybe it was the wine I had at dinner that impaired my ability to read tags on shirts, I don’t really know). So besides purchasing the wrong size shirt, I also bought an adorable Durham onesie in pink for one of my friends who is about to have a baby. I can’t wait to give it to her!

While perusing the various vendors, my eyes locked on to an oh-so-fabulous shirt. A squirrel shirt of Sir Walter Raleigh (y’all know I have a love for squirrels). Immediately I thought, I have to get this shirt. It was a whopping $25. I wasn’t up for negotiating with the vendor on the price, so I stepped away from that epic shirt. Looking back, I wish I would have bought it… but I’m confident I’ll see it again *fingers crossed*.

Until next month’s First Friday…

xoxo

Around Town

I Can’t Get Enough

March 31, 2013 alittlebitsquirrely

Of Moon + Lola. While I know I could live in the Anthropologie store and I’m pretty sure my second home would be Moon + Lola. I took my mom to Moon + Lola yesterday so she could get a longer chain for a necklace I had given her for Christmas. I even told myself I wouldn’t buy anything. Yeah, that didn’t happen. As soon as I stepped in the store I knew I wouldn’t leave empty handed. The first item that caught my eye was a contemporary squirrel.

squirrel_1 — How fabulous is this modern, ceramic squirrel from Moon + Lola?! Of course I took it home!

On my wish list from Moon + Lola was an acrylic North Carolina necklace and I figured, why put off the inevitable? I ordered a hot pink North Carolina necklace with the heart cut out over Raleigh. Not a North Carolinian? No worries, they can make a necklace with any state (with a variety of colors to choose from) and cut the heart out of where your city is.

While in the store I managed to make a mental note of a few more items to add to my wish list! One of which is the Preston bracelet and in the picture below, a gorgeous stretch ring.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I go back to Moon + Lola for First Friday to pick up the ring I have my eyes on.

xoxo

Tag: North Carolina

Gift Guide: Purrfect Tops For Any Cat Lover

Navigating a New Way of Life

It’s Been Awhile… Part 1

Somebody Told Me

Beer, Bourbon, BBQ= Burnt

Vintage Finds at the Beach

Let’s Go to the Beach, Beach

Poppin’ Bottles

First Friday: April Edition

I Can’t Get Enough