Sunday Funday!

Easy breezy Sunday!

Cocktails & Glitter rocked it out on Sunday and it was...wait for it...you guessed it...AWESOME!

We started the day off with a 5-mile walk around Robious Landing Park. This is a gorgeous park with great views of the river and beautifully maintained trails, pathways, parking lots, bathrooms and picnic shelters. Not only was the exercise enjoyed, the weather was perfect! 

After a quick stop to change we went to the Olive Oil Taproom newly opened at the Shoppes at Bellgrade. There is also a location in the West End. Essentially this is a tasting room for olive oils and vinegars, really an interesting concept! The staff was friendly and informative, and the atmosphere pleasant and welcoming. Each dispenser was well marked with information and pairing suggestions. If you choose, and have the stomach for it, you can taste over 50 olive oils and vinegars ranging in various levels of infused flavors and degrees of robustness. Straight shots of oil and vinegar were a bit much but when mixed together and paired with a small piece of bread those we tried were pretty good. We had a few misses but overall enjoyed the few we sampled. After you taste, if you wish to purchase anything you have 3 different size bottle options to choose. The smallest bottle is the perfect size for a unique hostess gift. The next time we have a recipe that calls for olive oil we are going there to get the good stuff!

Olive oil is a healthy fat but on its own is not a healthy or satisfying meal. So off we went to garb a bite for lunch. We went to the Urban Farmhouse and Market Place. Heather has now been several times and each time has been disappointed and under-whelmed by the food, this visit was no different. Kate was not impressed either.  The food sounds great and inventive on the menu but once on the plate it falls flat in inspiration and taste. The setting is ideal so future visits, if any, will be for sharing a bottle of wine on the patio or a cup of weekend coffee and newspaper reading.

With lunch over it was time to get crafty!  One of the greatest things to ever hit Richmond is the fabric store UFab and now that greatness has invaded the Southside! The fabric fabulousness is just too much to handle!  We both left with visions of fabric projects dancing in our heads, as well as, with a few remnant pieces for random little sewing projects that are sure to be future blogs. 

With all the fun stuff out of the way it was time to get down to business.  The whole point of the day was for Kate to teach Heather how to use her Silhouette, the fancy craft machine she purchased way back in February. Kate has used it several times with great success so to save Heather some technology frustration, it was time for a one-on-one tutorial. This machine is amazing and the person that invented it is a crafting genius! Thank you Silhouette inventor whoever you are wherever you are!! Highlight of playing with the Silhouette we made Cocktails & Glitter temporary tattoos! Now it is time to take on a crafty idea and put the Silhouette to work!

Coming up this weekend is the Color Run 5K at RIR where we will huff and puff our way to the finish line. Also be sure to check out the RVA Street Art Festival at the old GRTC buss depot on Cary Street.


Cheers!

K&H

Will Run for Beer!

Last Thursday we completed the Hardywood Twilight 4 miler, our second race of the year- 5 days after our first race of the year! A few mishaps turned us back into walkers (Kate was recovering from a stomach virus that's only plus was a 6 pound weight loss in 36 hours, and Heather suffered an undefined knee injury during the race). We will be registering for a 3rd race soon- let us know if you have any recommendations for us!

 This was the first year Hardywood has had a race, which they dubbed The Block Party with a 4 Mile Cover Charge. Overall, everything ran smoothly (except for Heather's knee)! We thought it was well executed- enough space for everyone to hang before and after the race, plenty of parking down the street at the Diamond, and a friendly crowd.  As with any new event, some improvements could be made. Here are some kuddos and suggestions for next year:

Kuddos:

• Really smart to have a drink ticket for runners attached to the bib.
• Pre-sale drink tickets during packet pickup- genius!
• Police support at intersections was fantastic! Thanks guys and gals for all that you do everyday.
• The community support in the fan was amazing. It's great to have a cheering section as you run though the fan!
• The signage at the race and along the way was fun, especially at the end when we needed a laugh.
• The free parking at the Diamond was greatly appreciated. Plus the half mile or so walk to the race was a good warm up.
• Really well staffed with volunteers/staff throughout the entire event.
• We LOVED the course!

Suggestions:

• A few signs marking the distance just to let you know how far you've come and how far you have to go.
• Cuter tee shirts. We actually liked the ones the volunteers and staff had a lot. The grey ones with the logo was a bit masculine for us.
• One more beer truck to help alleviate the long post race lines. 
• Add a second hand washing station by the port-o-potties.
• Spread out the heats at the starting line- we started back with the "Will Walk for Beer" group, but were surrounded by folks running once we were off.
• An MC to announce what was going on.
• A better defined Finish Line. It was a bit anticlimactic at the end- I mean, we just did 4 miles! We needed something more impressive!

We can't wait to run this race next year! We hope you'll join us!

Heather, Kate and Ashley post race

Our reward for running! (by that we mean mostly walking)

Cheers!

K&H

Color Us Awesome!!!

Is there something in my hair?

Last Saturday, we ran the Color Me Rad 5k and had a fantastic time!  And, by ran we mean ran non-stop the entire 3.1 miles in approximately 36 minutes! We are proud and have no problem bragging about our success. Hoping for repeat success this Thursday, at the Hardywood Brewery Twilight 4 Miler.  

Before and after the race with Team Zing Zang!

Lovely shoes, Heather, Nicole, Kate & Mary

Kate & Heather, looking and feeling fabulous!

This is how team Zing Zang celebrates!

Cheers! 
K&H

Sunshine Fun Times

The sun is finally shining and Spring is in full swing!  Flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, fresh air is filling the house through open windows…life is good.

 Can’t you just hear the birds in symphony?

As we are always looking for an excuse to have a party we had an impromptu gathering last Wednesday to celebrate our friend Ashley’s birthday.  Yes, even though it was her birthday our get together was very impromptu.  You know how we love birthdays and gatherings.  

 “That’s what life is all about: Let’s have a party. Let’s have it tonight.”   

Lilly Pulitzer 1931-2013

Give us an hour and we will have us a party!

The Birthday girl was supposed to go to see Morrissey, but since he cancelled- party time! 

Saturday’s great weather brought success and fun to Kate’s yard sale. Friends Kri and Martin brought about 1,200 records, which were all sold! Another friend Nicole got ride of a car load of stuff too. Kri got her craft on and made a bunch of bowls from scratched up records. Kate whipped up some wine bags, which were used for bartering goods and as a thank you gift to our Bloody Mary bartender, Mary (Or should I say Bloody Mary Mary?). At the end of the day we have a little more cash in our wallets, but more importantly, the basement has less junk in it!

It's always wine time!

Can't think of a groovier way to serve chips!

Next on the Nitty Gritty projects list for the month: gardening and lots of yard work, spring organizing of the home office, playing with chalk board paint, outdoor pergola curtains and much much more! As we complete these projects, we plan to post plenty of pictures and any how-to-dos!

Tonight we are headed back to class one more time to view the presentations put together by the PR and Brand Promotion class at VCU based on our guest speaking visit from last week. We are looking forward to hearing their insights on how to make Cocktails and Glitter the best blog ever!

Tomorrow we have book club with one of the coolest, funniest, smartest groups of ladies you will ever meet. Our book club rocks! We will be discussing over yummy food and wine State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. The last chapter will blow you away.

This weekend is the Monument 10K. Heather will be cheering on her dear friend Lauren who will be in town to run the 10K in support of Comfort Camp.  Sunday Funday will be spent in Carytown at the Carytown Beer Festival! 

Next weekend is our moment of truth as we take on the Color Me Rad run April 20, 2013 with our team the Zing Zangs! Time to cram in a little last minute training!

Cheers!

K&H

Running!

Hi everyone!

I (Kate) have been using the 5k trainer app since mid-January to help me  get off my butt and get in shape. I'm not a runner & never have been. I dreaded that day in PE class when we had to run a mile. And what's with the "runner's high" i keep hearing about? I think it's a myth. But I know it is a great way to burn calories quickly and get into better shape. So far I have been really good with my workouts- running using the program for at least 3 days a week, plus some walks squeezed in! What's even been more of a surprise, I haven't cheated! About half of my workouts have been at the gym, although I prefer running outside. For 4 and a half weeks I was kicking butt. Then last week happened.

I went out of town last weekend to visit my family for 3 days. I brought my running gear and had every intention to getting in a few runs.  Between giant meals and cold, wet snow, it just didn't happen. I did go to a Zumba class with my sister-in-law, and bought new running shoes, but missed 2 days of planned running. Once home, my schedule was crazy and I didn't get to the gym until Wednesday-6 days since my last run. It was tough. It was hot (not in the sexy way). I swear the gym keeps the thermostat set to 85 to trick you to believing that you're sweating buckets from your workout! Menopause is going to be so much fun (she said sarcastically!). I was breaking in new shoes. My earphones for some reason kept shocking me. I had all sorts of reasons to have a crappy workout and just throw in the towel. However I stuck with it and managed to do most of the running, with a bit of walking. Saturday morning I was back in the gym. My shoes still didn’t feel right, I was even more tired, and boy, was I hot (again, not in the sexy way). I was even more miserable than a few days before! I had been running 5 minute intervals now I could barely do 2. I came home feeling defeated.

The next day (Sunday) my buddy Ashley called, she was in need of some fresh air and exercise.  We ended up going to Three Lakes Nature Park with her 4 month old, Vivi, and her other child, Penny the highly energenic chocolate Lab.  After a good walking warm up, I decided to run with Penny. 5 minutes later- I felt okay. After a few minutes walking with Ashley and Vivi, Penny and I were off for 6 minutes. Then another 5 minutes. I'm not going to lie, the last 30 seconds of the last running interval was the longest 30 seconds of my life, but I did it, and I felt good about it…no, I felt great!  I pushed Vivi in the stroller while Ashley ran for about 5 minutes- something she hasn't done since being pregnant with Vivi! We celebrated with a cold (light) beer afterwards. I figure that's part of our training for the Hardywood Twilight 4 Miler in April!

I need to adjust my running to allow me to run outside. I enjoy it so much more and am so much more successful. Here's hoping the training keeps getting better!  Maybe I will find that “runners high” after all…HA! If you have any advice for a novice runner- please share in the comments. I can use all the advice (and encouragement) I can get!

Roscoe the cat joining us post walk- I think he wanted a beer too!

Cheers,
Kate

   

Hi- Heather here! This month I set a goal of 28 days of scrap booking, and I'm happy to say I've completed it! Check it out in She’s Crafty! Keep up the good work Kate- you are rocking it and it shows! 

We are both ready for some March Madness and we don’t mean basketball!  Crafts are in full swing, the workouts will get tougher and better; there will be a Happy Hour or two, Yea for Daylight Savings, The IrishFestival, Easter, Easter at Maymont, and the Easter Parade on Monument Avenue!  Just to name a few things March has to offer!

Cheers!

Heather