goal-setting.

My goals for this weekend are quite attainable, I think.

• Show up early for the first Farmer's Market of the season. Sample ice cream for a story I'm working on.
• Long days lying on the beach. Pasty legs in dire need.
• Cocktails al fresco.
• Macarons. Lots of them.
• Make dinner for someone(s).

nerding out: jelly bellies.

Earlier this week, my newspaper helped put on an event at the S.C. Aquarium to raise money for relief efforts in Japan. There was plenty of food, drinks, and entertainment, but I was probably most mesmerized by these jellyfish. I pretty much had to tear myself away from their tank.

san diego.

Last year around this time, Todd and I made a semi-impromptu trip to San Diego. Tickets were only $150 — how could we pass that up?

It was my first time on the West Coast and I was blown away by the unfamiliar landscapes. We crammed as much as we could into four days, visiting Old Town, Del Mar, Coronado, La Jolla, Point Loma, and downtown, including a Padres game and a fun dinner in Little Italy. We even drove to the Mexican border, but weren't allowed to cross in our rental car.

We ate a lot, walked a lot, and fell in love with the town. It's a big city but it feels very friendly and approachable, and it's growing in an exciting way. Honestly, I liked San Francisco a bit more, but I can actually see myself living in San Diego. Is that weird?

I need another big trip in my life, and soon.

weekend/monday.

Things that made my weekend/Monday:

• Making spaghetti carbonara for girlfriends. And enjoying lots of leftovers. (I've consumed little besides cheese, cream, and pasta in the past 48 hours.) 
• Also, arugula. I can't get enough of it with olive oil, vinegar, and salt.
• Getting my hands dirty potting basil, mint, cilantro, banana peppers, and sweet little succulents.
• Almost staying under my $20 goal. The New York Times put me $3 over, but it was definitely worth it.
• Relaxing on the deck in the sun with the aforementioned paper and my lazy dog.
• Lots and lots of the Avett Brothers. Emotionalism, specifically.
• Learning to make cold-pressed coffee. (This may actually fit in the making my life category.)
• Long walks on the beach filled with plan-making followed by hotdogs.

I think I want to start a habit of making sure Mondays don't suck. Monday Funday, anyone?

blog love: kendi everyday.

I've given up on a lot of style blogs lately. They're fun to look at, but they don't really apply to my life in any useful way. Kendi Everyday is different. The Texas-based blogger posts daily outfits that are totally approachable and inspirational. Using pieces that I often already have in my closet, she builds outfits that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. And, like me, she's all about the bargains — she shops at Target, Gap, and Forever 21, proving that you don't have to spend a lot of money to look like a million bucks. 

charleston: the magic hour.

I've lived in Charleston nearly four years now, but I still regularly get the urge to stop in the middle of the street, pull out my camera, and snap pictures like a bright-eyed tourist. Traipsing around town on the French Quarter Art Walk last night, the light was just too perfect to resist, so I snapped away.

The Art Walk, like I said yesterday, is a free semi-monthly celebration of art in downtown Charleston. Galleries open their doors, lay out snacks, and pour glasses of wine or specialty cocktails inspired by the show. Some highlights yesterday were artisanal meatballs, Mississippi vodka, a fanciful collaborative show, a culinary bookstore opening, and lifesaver-flavored cocktails at a nostalgia-inspired show.

And for the record, I spent just over $6 last night on a small dinner at Jim 'n' Nick's Ba-B-Q. $14 to go.

dolla bills.

I'm not allowed to spend more than $20 this weekend. Seriously. I'm depositing my check, taking out a $20 bill, and sticking to it.

Todd and I aren't much for budgeting, but a recent look at our bank account suggested that maybe we should be. We (and by that I actually mean I) spend way too much on shopping and eating and drinking out. And the weekends are the worst.

Luckily, there's plenty of free stuff going on this weekend, like the Art Walk — a solid three hours of free art, wine, and food in downtown Charleston. Bike riding and beach walking don't cost a thing, last time I checked. And I have a kitchen full of food and drinks to keep me fed. I'm looking forward to the challenge, I'll just have to avoid a few places. Sorry, Target, we're on a break.

How much money do you spend on a typical weekend?