Food Friday, Asheville Edition: Early Girl Eatery

A few weeks ago I put a call out for suggestions on things to do and places to eat in Asheville, North Carolina. And the Internet came through! A special shout out for the lovely suggestions provided by Kate D., Lauren W. and Jennifer. We were only in town for two days and had so many things on our lists! What we did do a lot of was eating. When asked where to go for food, nearly everyone we spoke to (including Steve's parents) told us to go to Early Girl. When one place is recommended that frequently, I just have to check it out!

Early Girl was our first stop after we checked into our lovely AirBNB home. It was lunchtime and I wanted to head downtown. When we checked-in with the hostess we were told there would be an hour to hour & fifteen minute wait but we should check back in 45 minutes. That is a long wait but I was expecting it from all the recommendations. So Steve and I wandered around the Grove Arcade until 45 minutes had passed. We checked back in with Hostess and were seated in 10 minutes. I hate waiting but I love when restaurants give you accurate wait times, and the staff at Early Girl was polite and helpful. This lunch was off to a lovely start!

Of course being in Asheville Steve had to try some local beer. I was so sick with a cold that the idea of alcohol was unappealing so I stuck to water. Steve is a fan of Highland Brewing Company and really enjoyed their Gaelic Ale.

This jam was on our table and I loved it. My dish came with a fresh biscuit and I put butter and jam all over that thing. I've only started enjoying jams in the past two years and it's opened my eyes to all the amazing things that I can put on a biscuit (besides butter).

While I was ready for lunch, Steve wanted some breakfast so he opted to order off the breakfast anytime section of the menu. He ordered the Porky Breakfast Bowl which contains, "Homefries, BBQ pork, scrambled eggs and farmstead cheese smothered in Benton’s smoky bacon gravy." It was pure pork heaven in a plate! That Benton's Bacon gravy was to die for and the pulled pork had a great smoke flavor and a good texture. I think I might have to order this myself next time. 

I wanted to have a more traditional lunch so opted for the Early Girl's fresh take on meat + 2 where you choose one protein, two sides and you get a bonus biscuit. For my meat I chose the local mountain trout with pecan butter. The fish was cooked to perfection and the sauce was very light and not overpowering. This might be the healthiest meat + 2 I have ever had. For my sides I chose the honeyed beets and candied yams. I love beets and this was a great dish for me. I even tried to replicate this myself when I came home (Beets+Honey+Orange Juice=YES!). I was super happy with my choice and I felt great after. I was ready to take on downtown Asheville!

I can see why everyone recommends Early Girl. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is pleasant. There were lots of really cute paintings by a local artists around the restaurant. I love that we sat at a table next to a big window overlooking the busy street below. But the shining star is the food, as it always should be. Their healthy farm-to-table take on southern food is a sure winner.



Impress Press On Manicure Review

I'm not great at keeping my nails looking nice or keeping them painted. There are so many bloggers out there who do amazing things with their nails and they always look great. This is not me. How do you ladies paint your dominant hand so nicely? Also, I have been known (on occasion) to bite my nails. A few weeks ago my nails were looking terrible and I was sick of seeing those sad puppies every day. I read some reviews online for the Impress press on manicure and I figured I would give it a try. 

I picked up a pair of black nails at a local CVS for about $8. The application was supposed to be quick and the nails were supposed to last for at least a week. Perfect. I went home and was excited to get my manicure on. The directions were clear and easy to follow. They provide you with an alcohol pad to clean your nails before you adhere the plastic nails. You just peel off the sticker in the back and place them at the start of your nail bed. You press the nail down for a while to make sure it is stuck and you are good to go. 

You can see the offending nails looking good in this photo

Everything looked great. I followed the directions and went out for the night. After having the nails on only a few hours, one just popped off. I was sad because I was out for the evening and had to walk around with a missing ring finger. The next morning I put on a new nail, but by the afternoon I had lost two more. Ok. I put on those two for an outfit shoot but damn, I lost a few more. The nails didn't even stay on for two days!

I was so frustrated that I pulled them all off. I was surprised how easy it was to remove them. I will not be purchasing these things ever again.  Not a fan. Has anyone had a similar experience with these nails? For you ladies out there that do their nails and keep them looking great- what is your secret? Are there any at home nail solutions that you use? 

November Sponsor Roundup!

I know that Thanksgiving has passed, but I hope you are still hungry! Our lovely November sponsors share their favorite holiday dish. Please say hello to my wonderful sponsors!

Blog//Twitter//Facebook

Etsy//Facebook//Blog

Blog//Tea Tree Vintage//Tea Tree Photo

Blog//Twitter//Instagram

Blog//Twitter//Facebook

Blog//Facebook//Pintrest

Blog//Twitter//Facebook

Blog//Instagram//Pintrest

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Sources: Amanda/Emily/Rachel/Alex/Jennifer/Autumn/Renee

Sponsor ORB in December

My little site has been growing! Thank you to all my readers and friends who make this whole endeavour worth while. Do you have an etsy store that has really awesome gifts for the holidays? Will your blog be doing some special holiday themes? Advertise on Old Red Boots to get the word out!

And because I love you all, use the code Holiday20 for 20% off all ads this month! Just head on over to my sponsor page and sign up!

Dressed up like a clothes hamper

Greetings friends! I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving. Sorry for the radio silence on my end but I spent turkey day in East Tennessee with Steve's family. It was nice to take a relaxing few days off from the internet. But I guess it's back to reality! Besides eating lots of good food, Steve and I took a quick trip to Asheville, NC. Thank you to everyone who gave us suggestions on things to do. We had a great time, but more on that later. :)

Do you ever have one of those days when you feel that putting on everything in your closet at the same time is a really good idea? Clearly I did when I put this outfit together. A polka dot skirt, a plaid shirt, a print t-shirt, lady-tie and giant headgear? Ok, I'll admit that maybe this outfit is a little much. But goodness it was fun and I don't care!

This headband is admittedly Frida Kahlo inspired. I made this large batch of pompoms that were all in this soft muted color palate so I thought I would try to sew them all up together for a large crown. I really like how it came out. It is pretty light and easy to wear despite how large it is. I know this won't be an everyday piece, but I look forward to bringing it out for special events.

Skirt: Modcloth

T-Shirt: Old

Plaid shirt: Target boys section

Sweater tights: Free People

Tie: Modcloth

Boots: Old Red Boots

PomPom Headband: The BombPom

Happy Holiday's from The BombPom

I hope you are all enjoying the last bit of your Thanksgiving weekend. I've been enjoying some downtime with Steve's family, hence the lack of posts. I know I'm a little late for the black Friday sales and a little early for the cyber Monday stuff, but I like Saturdays. So here is my Saturday surprise!

Use the code TURKEY20 for 20% off all orders at The BombPom. Remember, I make custom orders. If you don't see your favorite color, just ask!

Modcloth Sale Time!

It's that time of the year again! Modcloth is doing their amazing Tis The Season Sale. This means tons of awesome, new products are 50% off. I got up bright and early to check out the goodies, and boy am I going over my budget this month. But it's worth it to stock up on good clothes for such a good price. Head on over and splurge!

November Large Sponsors!

Happy day before Thanksgiving! Are you like me and eating very light and healthy today because you just know you are going to stuff yourself silly tomorrow? Oh yeah, it takes planning and preparation to eat as much as I do! 

This month I asked my lovely sponsors to tell us what food is their Thanksgiving favorite! Please welcome my lovely large sponsors. Check them out and show them some love!

 Steve Cross Wedding Photography//Wedding Photography Facebook//Steve Cross Photography

Blog//Twitter//Pintrest

And the winner is...

Congratulations Rae! I can't wait to make you pompoms of your choosing. Thank you of all who entered!

Happy Birthday Mr. Cross

Today is my lovely Steve's birthday. I am such a lucky girl to have found someone who is a great friend, amazing boyfriend, and all around nice guy.  Also, someone who does everything. Steve is an amazing photographer, entertaining drummer, part-time Weezer guitarist, home-brew enthusiast, DJ and science fetishist. I just want to wish a loud and proud happy birthday to my better-half. 

Happy Birthday Bubs. I love you.

The BombPom Update: Christmas Ornaments

Please check out my lovely deer Prince modeling The BombPom's new Christmas Ornaments! They are available in a variety of colors and options. And of course, if you can think it up- I'm more than happy to make it for you! So get decorating and check out the new ornaments here!

Huge Sweater and some Fall Flamingos

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a great weekend. This weekend I celebrated my darling Steve's birthday. We had a nice big dinner at China Cottage followed by drinks with friends. I was so tickled by how much love this guy has. He is very lucky. Yesterday Steve and I ran the Mayor's 5k. It was so nice outside and a perfect afternoon for a run. I didn't do as well as I wanted, but we all have those days right? I guess it wasn't my race. Then Sunday night we went to a friendsgiving dinner hosted by a few of the people in the Protomen. If you don't know them, check them out. Especially if you like rock operas about Megaman (I mean, who doesn't?). Also, the lovely Jen from Librarian Tells All was there! We got a chance to talk about blogging, knitting and some good books!

We did this outfit shoot at at the Shops at Fatherland. It is a new development in East Nashville that provides small storefront space to new businesses. We were there on a Sunday, so most of the stores weren't open. I love small businesses and I think that this little sopping area is such a great idea. Makes me wish I had the knowledge/drive/ability to open up a small shop. 

I purchased this sweater two summers ago at the Nashville Flea Market. I got it because I planned on going as the Log Lady (from Twin Peaks) for Halloween that year. I bought it clearly as a costume, but wound up loving it. It is just the right size on me and I love the pattern. I never wound up dressing up as the log lady, but now I wear this sweater far to often. My sweater has something to say to you...

So the flamingo tights are making a comeback! I know that orange and pink don't really match, but whatever. I want to wear these tights as much as possible before it gets too cold. Of course, I'm wearing one of my creations from my new Etsy store, The BombPom. If you want to win a pompom barrette and earrings don't forget to enter my giveaway here!

Sweater: Flea Market

Shirt: Old Navy

Tights: Romwe

Shoes: Some shoe outlet last year

Necklaces: My Grandma's

Hair Clip: The BombPom

Food Friday: La Hacienda

I love Mexican food. Most of the time when I am hungry and not exactly sure what I want for dinner, I settle on tacos, burritos or enchiladas. It is the comfort food that I never had growing up. For some strange reason, my family never ate at Mexican restaurants. It wasn't until High School that I discovered the pure magic that is re-fried beans. So I guess with all my Mexican food consumption lately, I'm just making up for lost time.

La Hacienda on Nolensville Road is my go-to place for quick, quality Mexican grub. The space is large and bright. The service is friendly and fast. The margaritas are enormous, and the food is good. They have a variety of food, ranging from the familiar chicken quesadillas to the more adventurous tripe tacos (my absolute favorite thing in the world).

I'm on a personal mission to find the best tripe taco in Nashville. If you are new to this blog and don't know about my predilection for all the "gross" parts of the animal, I apologize. But I love to eat the stuff that most people find too gross. La Hacienda makes, hands down, the best tripe taco I have had in Nashville. The tripe is fried crispy, but still retains the soft chewy goodness. I feel that most people fry the S#*& out of it and it ends up tasting like burnt bacon. But really good tripe is heaven! I also had a beef tongue taco and a cheese enchillada. The enchillada was just OK, but the tongue was great. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that La Hacienda shines in the taco department.

Steve ordered a chorizo taco, a beef sope and a chicken enchillada. Steve's favorite meat product is probably chorizo. The dude puts that stuff in everything and if it's on a menu, that's what he orders. So Steve loved the chorizo taco. Surprisingly, this was our first sope. It tastes like a thicker tamale crust with meat on top. It was really good, but too thick for my taste. I like the flat tortillas better.

Oh and the chips?! They have really good fresh fried chips with some tasty salsa. Their salsa is just a bit more spicy than your average table offerings. All things considered, I really like this place. You really can't go wrong with grabbing some grub at La Hacienda. Oh, did I mention it's cheap? My whole plate of food was about $8!

Cat Lady Problems: Yarn

I love my cats. I love them. I also love knitting, crocheting and making pompoms. This means that I have a lot of yarn in my house. I have a craft storage unit (hooray Ikea) that houses most of my yarn. But when I'm making things, I sit on my couch in the living room. I have a little storage depot of yarn hanging out around the couch. Cats + Yarn=Mess. I know you ALL know that formula, but goodness. Look at how smug Special Agent Dale Cooper is after unraveling a whole skein of purple yarn and dragging it through the living room, kitchen, and hallway. SO MUCH SMUG.

Don't forget to go HERE and enter to win a 2 pompom barrette and earrings from The BombPom.