Taste of Charlotte: Red Rocks

posted in: food, restaurants | 1

Nestled in the South Park neighborhood of the Queen City, NC’s largest city, sits Red Rocks Cafe Bar & Bakery.  I would just call it good food.

A friend and I decided to meet up there on my recent overnight trip to Charlotte.  We were anticipating a long wait, but got in there and were the next ones to be seated.  Perfect!

So many delicious finds on the menu: appetizers (including parmesan potato cakes), salads (including my dinner of a large Greek salad with salmon), steaks, pasta, fish, sandwiches: if you are hungry – they have something to fill your tummy.

Our waitress was friendly and attentive.  We were told her we were in a hurry and she was on top of things.  We placed our order, specifically under-cooking our salmon – and probably 8 minutes later, both of our meals were on our table.  My friend was gracious enough to let me snap a few photos, then we dug in.

The salmon was perfectly cooked: slightly crispy on the outside, slightly underdone on the inside.  The result: smooth, moist salmon full of flavor.  The dill sauce on my friend’s salmon was lemony and seasoned perfectly.  Not too much, not too little dill.

Then came the Oreo cheesecake.  Usually, you can’t go wrong with splitting cheesecake.  My only fault for the whole evening was I thought the cheesecake needed some more sugar, because it tasted too cream cheese, the perfect balance wasn’t there.  But, the chocolate sauce and oreos improved it 100%

Ambiance: check.  Wait staff: check.  Price: 10-20$ per entree.  Parking: no problem.  Food: double check.

New Must-See places in NC

posted in: Events, food | 2

The next 6 weeks are going to hold many adventurous and fun things to do for me in NC (after a quick trip home to FL for Christmas). But, with the birthday coming up, a little middle of the week trip to the coast, some time in Charlotte and every place in between…here are some fun places I get to go to in the Tarheel State. What places would go you go to? What places do I need to hit up or try out? What do I need to eat?

A roomie-birthday trip to the North Carolina Museum of Art which is just down the street for the Trotman exhibit.

I just saw this in a NC magazine and need to go here in January… Sipa new wine house in Cary. Tastings, cheese, affordable wines…should be a pretty tasty place.

The Stemmerman Inn – yes, I went here already, but this time I get to stay. My Mother’s Birthday present to me. I can’t wait. This is such a pretty and old inn on the river! And Wilmington won’t be so packed since it is winter. Looking forward to 24 hours away.

I get to go back to the String Bean in Belmont, NC (by Charlotte). Looking forward to tasting some more of their yummy food. Such a fabulous little place.

Another fabulous French place in Charlotte that I get to go and prepare for a women’s conference I’m doing is called Amelie’s Bakery. I’ve heard their croissants are out of this world! I’ll let you know when I go!

And to go with all this eating, I get to run a 5k on New Year’s Day in Cary. Great way to start a new year, hoping for a PR. Gotta have one!

Much and Link Love (December 6 edition)

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

Second week of December and it actually feels like it out there. Here we go:
1. O Holy Night is def my fave Christmas (sacred) song. More thoughts on it later this week.
2. Reilly Band (violin rock) and Barlow Girl were both awesome last night. Enjoyed the drive, blaring country music and Sojourn Advent, dinner with a friend, and then music and conversation.
3. Fave country songs right now: anything by Zac Brown, Put You in a Song by Keith Urban, Rain is a Good Thing, Why Wait by Rascal Flatts, Stuck on You by Sugarland.
4. Reading this week: Philippians, John, advent book by David Horner, Acts commentary by Sproul, God’s Two Kingdoms, Eat Pray Love, and Kitchen Confidential, and any missions book I can find while working on Quarter 2 and 2 resources on missions.
5. I miss the weekly communion at Sojourn.
6. I loved the snow on the ground this weekend. Beautiful driving down Duraleigh with snow topped trees that were just brilliant reds and yellows. It won’t get out of the 40s this week. Sad times this cold stuff! 🙂
7. Fun things on tap this week: Parker and Otis (cafe in Durham), Getty concert, planning day, research day, lunch with staff ladies, hanging with a friend, dinner at a pastor’s house with family, party on Thursday night and day off on Thursday (which is always good), Christmas programs, dinner out, photo shoots (definitely the busiest of the whole month!)
8. College football is almost over. Sad times. But, this was not a great football weekend, NFL or NCAA. Only Bob Stoops pulled it out for me! Florida got a good bowl game and the Carolina v UT will be a good game too!

Link Love:
1. My friend Lara wrote a great post on Hope. I love hope this season. Christ is His Name!
2. Anyone struggle with an eating disorder, or know someone who does?
3. These truffle brownies will be making an appearance at a Christmas party near you!
4. Love that this is written by one of my fave female authors and that we were talking about Ephesians yesterday in Life class and how Ephesians talks so much about what she said!
5. What a great Kevin Bacon find…do you like Bacon?
6. Kevin has always brought me good things before. Will be making these soon!
7. This candy may be making an appearance at a Christmas party near you, too!
8. I love Jane Eyre. Can’t wait to see this!
9. Check out this Charlotte designer giveaway featuring a Jess LC necklace!
10. Francis for Christmas. Good stuff.