Virginia is for Lovers Post #3: The Shennendoahs.

I've never really spent much time in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but I got my fair share while I was visiting mom and dad. Apparently these mountains are the oldest in the country, and that is why they are so round (or something like that).

I got to meet up with one of my dearest friends, April Graf, and meet her beautiful 1 year old daughter, Tasha. April picked out this "easy" hike (easy for her, since she is so in shape, being in the military!) while the rest of us struggled up the mountain. Haha. But it was really fun, really beautiful, and I even got to eat a freshly picked apple on my way.

The views of the valley were gorgeous, and although the colors of the leaves were not as vibrant as I would have liked, it was amazing to sit out on these rocks and look out over the world, I mean Virginia.

Our hike on the way down was quicker than the way up! I enjoyed walking through the leaves and the beauty of the trees, and just being out in nature. It's amazing how good it feels to get out of the concrete jungle every now and then!

After our hike we went straight to Sonic in Waynesborro for Limeaid slushes. Sooo good! There are a few sonic's in Illinois but they are too far away for me to get to .... so its a good thing we could go in VA! We had dinner on the Mall in downtown Charlottesville and then sad to say we were so tuckered out from Friday's adventures in Philladelphia, and a full day of exercise that we all went to bed early!!

Virginia is for Lovers Post #2: JCREW Warehouse sale.

Mom saw a sign for a JCREW warehouse sale in Richmond. I did a little google searching and found out (a) it was happening. and (b) you can get amazing deals. Like a-maz-ing deals. So, we decided it was worth the 1-hour drive to Richmond to check it out.

Dad and Ryan had plans to play basketball. So, we had an easy out to say we had plans for the morning too :)

As we arrived in the parking lot a few minutes before the doors opened, I realized I was not prepared for this. A line of at least 100 women were outside the store with huge plastic garbage bags!! I sent mom back to the car to grab a few bags of our own. I envisioned elbow-throwing and fighting over certain coats and dresses...

Luckily, I can say that it wasn't violent in there at all. There was a limited number of women (and a few men) let into the store at a time, and everyone was super nice. Mom and I split and got lost in the piles of tops, bottoms, coats, dresses, accessories, etc etc. I have to admit, it was hard work. Digging through piles and piles of clothes to find those little golden gems was not easy. But in the end, I can say we had success!

To make a long story short -- I ended up with:

1 Long wool coat, in a cream color (valued at approx $300)
1 Mid-length wool coat, in black (valued at approx $200)
5 cotton tops (valued at approx $100)
1 sweater (valued at $80)
1 sweater dress (valued at $80)
1 wool dress (valued at $150)

For a grand total of ... $150.00 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Isn't that AMAZING? I still can't believe it. The best part is that I really needed a warm wool coat for the killer winters here in Chicago, and I got 2 for way less than the price of 1. SCORE! I will be going back to JCREW for more warehouse sales in Virginia!

With Love, Philladelphia XOXO

My dad lived for 2 years in Philadelphia, and loves this city. When he heard that Ryan had never been there, he instantly decided we would make it a part of our East Coast trip. So, Thursday night we picked up Ryan from the airport in DC, and then made the drive up to Philly. We were blessed with the most gorgeous fall weather, and we had a blast exploring this awesome city! I hadn't been back since I was 11, so it was fun for me to see so much culture and history as an adult, when I can appreciate it just a little bit more :)

Aren't my parents the cutest couple ever??

Liberty Bell.

Walking along the historic streets of Philadelphia.

Christ's Church.

Independence Hall had all kinds of scaffolding on it, so I thought a photo of Congress Hall would have to do the trick. 

See all the scaffolding? I was so disappointed.

Outside Independence Hall.

The Signer.

We went to lunch at a little dive called Ishkibibbles, for philly cheese steaks. Delicious!! It also gave me the chance to meet up with one of my dearest friends, Nicole, who has been living in Philadelphia for the last year and a half. It was so fun to see her!!

We went exploring beyond the typical historical sites and found the oldest neighborhood in the history of the US. I LOVED this alley and the gorgeous row houses that are still occupied today.

Another one of my favorite things on this trip was finding Reading Terminal. This was an awesome market full of fresh fruits, veggies, meats, and awesome restaurants. Since Dad already made plans for a cuban restaurant for dinner, we decided to have our dessert first and grab some ice cream before leaving. It was AMAZING. If you ever go to Philly, go to Reading and get some ice cream!

We took a stroll by gorgeous city hall, and of course took some photos in front of the LOVE sign. It did take a local guy to pressure Ryan into giving me a kiss in front of the sign! :)

We ended the day with the most amazing meal. Alma de Cuba was an incredible restaurant for design, and aesthetics as well as the food and flavors. I would go back in a heart beat!

Thanks Dad for showing us the best time ever in Philly!!