Sup squad! Who’s ready for Monday?
I had a totally different post prepared for today – I was convinced you would all be moved by the deep thoughts I had last night about healthy living and the blog world in general. But then, after typing it all out, I thought about the posts I like reading on Monday mornings when I’m slumped over my computer screen, coffee in hand, brain barely ready to function through another week. And on Monday morning I’m not in the mood to be moved.
I realized that even though I don’t know most of you IRL (that’s IN REAL LIFE, Mom and Dad), I love hearing about your weekends. This little corner of the blogger world is like our own water cooler. And these blogs are basically our jobs (let’s be real — we all kinda want them to be). So written accounts of the weekend are just as important as gossip by the water cooler on Monday mornings.
See? Here’s our water cooler:
Now, let’s talk.
I started the weekend on Thursday night having dinner with an old friend I studied abroad with.
We reminisced about stories that truly seemed like a lifetime ago, but at the same time felt like yesterday. The days where I passed the Eiffel Tower on my runs…when I got a sunburn that lasted weeks after falling asleep one afternoon in the Luxembourg Gardens between class…when I had a chocolate macaron from Pierre Herme at least twice a week for four months…when a flight from Paris to Rome cost $15. Days when conversations like this were casual:
Anyway, we reminisced and caught up on life while I ate the best salad I’ve had in a long time. And by long time, I mean since October (since you all know I don’t do salads in the winter).
Fried Green Tomato Salad: arugula, mozzarela, tomatoes, and fried green tomatoes with pesto and balsamic
I then spent the rest of my weekend mourning the fact that one of my closest Chicago friends, Kelsey, is moving to Denver this week. I have never known someone for such a short amount of time who’s had such a strong impact on my life. Kelsey is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met — you could ask her to drive you to New York City for a piece of pizza and she’d say “Ok! When?” She would give you the shirt off her back if you asked for it. She took me under her wing the past six months and helped me adjust to my new job and new life in Chicago, so to say I’m sad to see her go is an understatement. So we did what any self-respecting group of women in their mid-20s and 30s would do: we drowned our sorrows in a fishbowl (#college)
Luckily she doesn’t leave until Thursday so I plan on kidnapping the crap out of her the next few days and squeezing in as much time as possible until I see her next (there have been talks of NYE 2016 in Denver so there’s a plus!)
And finally, I went to Trader Joe’s because my grocery supply was sadder than Leo’s Oscar count
I went in with a list and was determined to stick to it like an adult.
And then the cute sample guy asked if I wanted to try some expensive, fancy-pants cheese. So I did. And then I bought it.
Putting that in the win column — you can never have too many blocks of fancy cheese in your fridge! Right?! …..Right?
Questions:
- Mondays: can you handle the serious posts or is it all about the water-cooler talk?
- Best fancy-pants cheese you’ve ever had (and how soon can you send me some?
i had a big lunch 
That first gif is just mesmerising.
I go in and out of serious posts and days…some Mondays I throw one out, other’s it’s random. That is awesome you caught up with a friend from abroad- That’s the beauty of it- You’re so well connected. And TJ’s had EXPENSIVE cheese? I thought that place was a well priced Mecca!
Ok you got me — it wasn’t really expensive but it was definitely fancy pants and completely unnecessary. But I actually put it in my eggs this morning and it was swoon-worthy. Another tally in the win column! And never stop Man Sass Mondays — those aren’t a tough read they make my day haha. Sass is always appreciated.
I agree with the serious Monday posts… my brain is barely working on Monday’s. Glad the Trader Joe’s guy convinced you…. I always try the samples and then I skid addle (is that really how it’s spelled?!) away so I won’t feel bad for not buying it hahhah
Anyplace that has samples has my heart — that’s why I love TJ’s so much! Is there a “right” way to spell skidaddle? Lol
I never go to whole foods with cheese on my list, but I always seems to leave with some… I am addicted to fancy cheeses! but then again they last for soooo long in the fridge, some even get better with age, and I only use a wee bit each time so I guess the cost is justified! Or that’s what I tell myself… Haha!
And now back to work, see you at the cooler again soon 🙂
That’s so true you’re right — they do last awhile in the fridge! Thanks for the reminder!
WHY DIDN”T YOU COME HOME WITH THE CUTE GUY?? Forget the damn cheese…
Hey — If I’m going home with someone there has to be a slab of brie AND a nice bottle of Chardonnay involved. I mean c’mon. Standards.
If I have actually done something over the weekend, then I tend to share it, but lately I have just been hanging out at home or going outside like one time a day haha. So it’s all up in air. GOING TO KEEP YOU GUESSING.
You have been eating the best sweets lately though. Your social media posts always have my mouth watering haha. YOU’RE SO MYSTERIOUS!!
Trader Joe’s cheese is the best! We had quite a selection at the party I went to Saturday night and I basically made it my whole dinner. That tomato salad also looks amazing.
I can’t handle serious stuff on Mondays either. I’m usually just trying to keep enough coffee in my system to get through the day!
Cheese plates should be a requirement at all social functions. They just taste so much better when enjoyed in a group, not so much by yourself watching Netflix haha.
You absolutely can never have too much cheese in your fridge! Your weekend sounds great! I always wonder is people like reading my weekend recaps – I love reading other peoples!!
I love it too — it’s a funny thing but I really do like seeing what fun things people do! Or more so what great food they eat 😉
Oh man, when I was at TJ’s on Friday, they were sampling this INSANE lemon ricotta something something pasta thing that I guess they sell in the refrigerated section and ohhhhhhh emmmmmmmm geeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. It BLEW MY MIND. I almost bought it, but I didn’t know when I’d eat it, so I didn’t, BUT. Holy smokes. It was quite possibly the most delicious sample I’ve ever had from TJ’s.
Whoa I admire that kind of passion for food!! I’ll have to add that to my list for next time! I’ve been wasting a lot of food lately, so I think I need to bite the bullet and start making more prepared purchases like that. Thank goodness for TJ’s!
Ah fancy pants cheese!! You better have some fancy wine to go with that now 😉
Love the light-hearted talk for Monday for sure, but I’d read either kind of post so write to your own heart’s desire 😀
I need to get some wine in the apartment now for sure. Wine and cheese — such a perfect combo.
Sounds like a great weekend. That tomato salad looks amazing. I love fresh mozzarella. So sad your friend is moving. Well only calls for another girl trip in the works to go visit her.
Isn’t fresh mozzarella wonderful? And you’re right — it’s a new opportunity to travel for visits so I can look forward to that!
What an awesome weekend you had there! 🙂 It’s sad that friends move, some of mine have done it and it’s harder to keep in touch, but still possible!
I’ll do whatever I can to stay in touch for sure!
Oh my goodness I love cheese so much! I love it so much that I insisted on touring a Gruyere cheese factory when we vacationed in Switzerland. I think I ate enough cheese for a lifetime on that one trip!
Studying abroad in Paris looked amazing! Such a great experience!
A gruyere factory in Switzerland sounds like my HEAVEN!
I love this water cooler idea. So much yes behind those thoughts. When I worked at TJ’s I loved to be that guy sampling the fancy cheese. Back then I ate cheese too and would get my panties so far in a (good) twist when we got new ones because that meant SAMPLES FOR DAYS!
Hahaha. Samples are KING!
Monday needs to be lighthearted. I’d rather talk about weekends than the work looming overhead. The last time I went to Trader Joe’s they were sampling the cookie butter cookies…guess who bought a box…#sorrynotsorry
How have I still never had their cookie butter? I always forget!!
As much as I look forward to reading your originally scheduled post, I think you made a good call. I don’t even know what I’m typing in the comments half the time on Mondays. My poor brain only works Tuesday-Thursdays.
Agreed! Mondays call for light-hearted posts for sure 🙂
Oohh fun I didn’t know that you studied abroad in Paris! I’ve never been to France but am dying to visit French wine country… Studying abroad in Europe was one of my best college experiences! Only because meeting my husband would obviously have to be #1 🙂
Studying abroad was the best decision I made in my life! So many experiences I’ll never forget. And traveling was so cheap over there!
You had me at fishbowl and fancy cheese! What an awesome looking weekend! Dan’s aunt makes some amazing Gouda Croissant bowl type appetizer and I become a freaking linebacker making sure I get my share 🙂
That appetizer sounds killer!! I love apps 🙂
OMG I love cheese. The best I ever had was this Sartori sampler that I got as a race ambassador last year. There was this merlot cheese…it was RIDICULOUS.
I love that picture of you guys and that giant bowl drink. You are ladies after my own heart. ❤
Cheese is the best thing ever. Merlot cheese?! Get outta town.
i recently decided i must be lactose intolerant — b/c cutting out dairy these past 2 weeks has been the best decision i’ve made in a long time, and my disaster of a digestive system is finally freeee — so no cheese here. not that i was a huge fan anyway — my fave cheese is actually cottage cheese (i know, only female in the world to say that probs). DENVER. love that place SO MUCH. my bro lived there for 3 years and i looooved visiting, but i’d much rather him be here in NY. 🙂
So many people say that about cheese! I don’t have stomach issues but I’d be scared to try cutting out cheese and then feeling EVEN better and then having to give it up haha. But living a comfortable, pain-free life is so much more important, so if that works for your digestive system, hell yeah!
More water cooler talk!!! Love reading about your life 🙂
Same, lady!
mimolette cheese <— BEST CHEESE EVER!!! EVER I TELL YOU!
Duly noted!!