Hey all!! I have a big ol’ recap post in the works discussing the move, new home and other recent happenings through July! Before that I am bursting at the seams to share about when my friend Sara visited all the way from California. She had a wedding to attend in Chicago, and we both agreed it would have been a crime if she didn’t stop in while on this side of the country! I haven’t seen her since 2021 in Austin, and this was her first time meeting Quinn too.
Quinn was in an extra chipper mood the day she arrived – we had so much fun giggling and playing. We stopped by the grocery store to get fixings for dinner and toys for Moose.
Sara had never been to Ohio before, and I wanted so badly for her to think fondly of it! She admittedly had some negative ideas about Cleveland/Ohio, and I was determined to change her mind 😉. That evening I greeted her with a classic Midwest Ohioan meal of salad, pierogies and some chicken apple sausage. (And don’t worry, I had the fried onions and sour cream on the side for the pierogies!).
We ate dinner on the steps outside on the porch (still need to get patio furniture), and we watched Moose and Quinn play in the yard. We all got a great night sleep that night. Sara really needed it in particular after a crazy red-eye travel day with delays.
The next day, I decided to use a full daycare day while Sara and I went to explore Cleveland. I missed our Quinnie, but it was a great way for us to spend some good quality time together and do a lot in a short period.
First stop on a full girl’s day: brunch!
We drove to Cleveland and enjoyed Le Petite Triangle in the Ohio City area. YOU GUYS. Easily one of the best brunch spots I’ve been to here in NEO. Or maybe ever? So. Good.
We started out with a couple mimosas while sitting alfresco, as ya do.
Now onto the foooood! We had to share their French toast and opted for the lemon curd. We both agreed it’s some of the best French toast we’ve ever had.
Sara had their vegetarian quiche which she raved about. The waitress said this was her favorite dish too.
I had the croque monsieur with an added egg, and I didn’t leave a bite on my plate!
Time to do some explorin’!!! We went to Edgewater Lake and walked around the trails.
The day could not have been more beautiful (yes, of course, the weather is always like this 😜). There was a company outing that looked so fun, Sara even inquired if they were hiring!
We went to Edgewater beach too. I have got to come back here with Quinn!
We also found one of the Cleveland signs in town and grabbed some classic pics.
After, we drove to the downtown area and admired the architecture and art.
Sara loves history, and when she spotted the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ monument in Public Square, we had to check it out. One of the workers appreciated her enthusiasm over learning all about the monument, and he gave us a free tour of the tunnels beneath it!
He explained to us they offer an annual tour to the public down there, and the tickets usually go very fast. In the article I was reading, there’s even a two hour wait just to get inside. We were honored to get a private tour, and it was so cool! I was admittedly nervous at first – I mean not often do I find myself in the underbelly of Cleveland in a dark tunnel 😬, but thankfully it was all kosher.
We raced back home since Sara had a spray tan scheduled for the wedding she was attending that weekend. Plus I wanted to pick up my Quinnie 🥰. For dinner, we enjoyed Piada- we introduced her to the avocado piada (thanks again, Bex!), and she raved about it! All soooo good!
Dance party!!
Before her flight the next day on July 20th, we were able to fit in one more meal. We went to one of our favorite spots- Garretts Mill Diner.
They have the best fruit cups with a delicious variety of fresh fruit including mango and pineapple 😋.
I had to try their croissant breakfast sandwich, and it was incredibly delicious. I have never had a bad bite of food at Garrett’s Mill!
Sadly, Sara had her flight to Chicago at 2 and left for the airport around noon.
Quinnie and I took a long nap together and then just played around the house and in the yard!
Although it was all sunshine during the day, storms rolled in that evening. Mr. Moose was terrified. He was panting and shaking. Poor boy was sitting in my lap as much as he would fit. We discovered he does better in the basement during storms since it drowns out the noise. They are so stressful for him :(. I think we may need to try a thunder jacket or a doggy Xanax because he is panicked like nothing I’ve seen during them 😣.
And that wraps a wonderful few days with Sara! She texted me that she “loves Cleveland”, so I say mission accomplished 😄.
Questions for you:
– What’s something unique about where you live?
– is there a city you think is “underrated”?
<3,
Mackenzie
So much amazing food and so many beautiful places in this post–and with a welcome meal like a big summer salad and pierogies, I’m not sure who *couldn’t* be won over by Cleveland.
Quinn is quite the dancer! And I feel very seen by your recounting of sitting on the patio steps to eat dinner–it took us over a year to furnish our house and outdoor space, but it was very worth it to me so that I could see how we wanted to use the spaces before we made some big purchases.
Hope you’re enjoying the final days of summer!
Hey Taylor!!! Aw yay I’m so glad you saw CLE in a positive light through this post ☺️
She LOVES to dance. Her recent thing is spinning around . I just love this age!!
Oh my gosh yess!!! That makes me feel better that you guys did the same!
Hope you are too- thanks for stopping in, friend 🥰
You did have a beautiful day to show off the 216! And I was just looking up Le Petit Triangle- so thanks for “the review”. So good-I must follow through and go there, sometime in the next 10 years. 😏
One special thing about Medina, Oh, is that we have a very pretty town square and something fun or interesting is always going on there- concerts, art exhibits, farmer’s markets, ice sculptures…
Yayyy! I am so glad you think so!! I have an idea- what if we did a weekday girls’ brunch one day to Le Petite! Quinn would love their French toast too I’m sure hehe.
Yes!!!! I love Medina’s square. I need to get there one weekend soon- I bet they have some fall fun activities too 😍
Also have you heard of the Elvis/doll house in Medina? Im sure you have! It recently sold – https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5061-Grande-Blvd-Medina-OH-44256/34893745_zpid/?utm_source=zillowgonewild&utm_medium=zillowgonewild&utm_campaign=zillowgonewild&fbclid=IwAR1EH4fLqFPpWmBo01_I61Mde0sv1wMTNFkYNCaIDZXl25UFXUzlOvo3nZ0
Yay! I’m so glad she liked the avocado piada! I’m still dreaming of the day I get to eat another one myself… 🙂
Hmmm something unique about where I live… I live close to Virginia Tech which is world-renowned for it’s engineering school (which my husband teaches for) and one of their buildings has a Rolls-Royce jet engine suspended from the ceiling just for display. But it wasn’t the first one… apparently the first engine was damaged during transport; it was rammed into an overpass while travelling down the interstate. Oops! We also have a river in the area that flows south to north which is odd. My hometown is morbidly known for paralyzing Superman and having an inactive volcano in which part of the Library of Congress is built in to.
I totally get why you dream about it- because it is soo good! I’m so glad I can have dairy and soy again!
That’s so cool your husband teaches at VT! You have such a fascinating life, Bex! That’s so interesting about the Rolls Royce jet engine and the story behind it! Also fun about the south to north river- it reminds me of those “mystery spots” around the country. We went to one in Santa Cruz! Oh wow that’s crazy about Superman and the library- these are some seriously fascinating facts!! I have a morbid one from my hometown too- Jeffery Dahmer grew up here 🫣
Oooo that’s creepy!
Very much so! I had a teacher that actually went to school with him
Look at all those places to go in your city – I like the pose on the city sign spelled out in letters; you have other places with Cleveland’s name – how unique. I wonder if Detroit does that? What a stylin’ little girl Quinn is – I like that matching dress and sun bonnet. 🙂
Aw thanks, Linda!!
I bet you could find some fun signage or photo ops around Detroit too!!
Hehe, I just love her summer outfits she was gifted from her grandparents 🥰
I should try to find something, though I’m usually alone so that presents a problem getting a picture. All Quinn’s outfits are cute … she is a lucky little girl!
Aww thanks, Linda!
We have a replica of the statue of David in our town.
Oh so interesting!! That is a fun fact!
What an incredibly fun time! I love that you both received a complimentary tour. So cool!
Quinn just keeps getting even cuter!! I can’t handle that video and her precious smile. <3
I hope you have a beautiful weekend!
It was such a fun , unique experience for sure!!!
Aw thanks, friend! So does Ans!!!
Hope you have a great rest of your week ☺️