{Go There}: The Growler Memphis.

Midtown Memphis is becoming such a hip spot for the beer scene. With Wiseacre open, discerning beer lovers can get their fresh, local brew fix at a number of neat locations - there's the old standby, Bosco's, there's Wiseacre, and now two growler spots have opened, featuring local craft beers like Memphis Made, High Cotton, and Wiseacre.

The first growler fill station is inside the Cash Saver on Madison - called the Madison Growler. It is a counter within a semi-sketch grocery store that has already established itself as a go-to spot for good priced beer with great variety. It is open 12-8 Mon - Sat. Madison Growler is less about atmosphere and more about utility.

The second growler fill station is The Growler Memphis, which is on Cooper right at the heart of Cooper-Young. This place has an extensive list of fresh tapped brew, which you can get as a pint, in a flight, or fill a growler. There's an area to sit and drink with friends (couches, a community table, high tops with bar stools).

We each got a pint as well as filling our growler - I got Goose Island 312 and Jake got a High Cotton IPA. Our growler was Memphis Made Fireside Ninja. 

 You can bring your own (clean) growler or buy one there. We have about 6 Bosco's growlers sitting around so we have been using that.

The staff at the Growler Memphis were really knowledgable and helpful. I can see this place doing really well and adding to the climate of Cooper Young and Midtown. Glad to have something like this in Memphis!

In discovering new places,

{Eat This}: Soup Recipes.

It's cold out there - time for soup! We just made our first soup of the season earlier this week. If you're in the mood for soup too, here are six recipes I've tried and liked:

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Noodle Soup:

Weight Watchers 3-ingredient Potato Soup:

Carraba's Copy Cat Italian Chicken Noodle Soup:

Taco Soup:

Southwestern Skillet Chicken Chili:

Mom's Chili:

In soup broth,

{House}: Better After Feature Post!

One of the first blogs that I started following was "Better After," which features (get this...) better afters. Lindsey from BA highlights before and after pictures of all sorts of things - kitchens, sofas, houses, etc. The posts are always inspirational and fun.

When we renovated our kitchen, I submitted it to Lindsey with no idea that she'd actually post it - when I saw my own pictures as the daily blog post, you would have thought I was cast in a Hollywood movie - I felt like a celebrity!! It was so fun. Here's that post (she reposted as one of her favorites recently: http://www.betterafter.net/2013/07/yellow-fever-take-2.html#comments)

A few weeks ago, Lindsey featured my exterior renovation on her site. She highlighted our exterior before and after: http://www.betterafter.net/2013/11/killer-pillars.html#comment-48440

It has been so fun going room by room through our house, fixing it up and honoring its history and structure. Next up? time to tackle the den!

In blog features,

{Shopping}: Jane.com.

I have a new internet obsession but luckily this one is relatively cheap - Jane.com. Take the idea of etsy (individual sellers, crafty type items) and the idea of groupon and combine them to get Jane.com. You get a daily email with updates - items usually list for several days, though the good things do sell out (sometimes very quickly). Items are usually at least 40% off regular price.

So far I've restrained myself well but have snagged several deals..

I got these yellow and white chevron keychains (instead the goody bags) for my advisory girls to welcome them to the upper school:

I also got these monogrammed coasters, a set for school and a set for home:

I love this black and gold necklace I got on there.. I think it was about $9? So fun:

The shipping time line is always listed and there isn't a fee to join or anything. There's an email list but you don't have to be on it if you don't want - so check it out. (Note: I just really love this site... not asked to do this...). But be warned.. it is addictive.

In daily deals,

{Travel}: ATL Bound for Fall Break.

Back in about March of this year I made my fall break plans - see when my college bestie Beth called with the news of her bun in her oven, she told me the due date was October 11, right around my fall break. It would be perfect - I could come help her "wait out" her due date, run those last errands, keep her sane.

Well fast forward to September (September 19, actually) and Beth called with news that they were having Tori early. Tori arrived safely on September 21 (right about the time I was getting out of Elise's fabulous reception) and thus my fall break trip turned into time to play with the new kid on the block!

Before I left I finally made Beth the wreath she requested for Tori's nursery. I used ribbon and a canvas for the name sign. Here it is ready to go on our door (it looked great on her door but naturally didn't get a picture...):

I left Wednesday for my fall break trip. The drive was beautiful, as usual:

When I got in I was so excited to see Tori's nursery in person. When we were there in July Beth and I found that fun whale on the top of the shelf.

Tori was just about 3 weeks when I was there and was starting to become more alert. We had some quality time in the car together:

While I was down there I just had to finally indulge and buy a pair of Tory Burch Revas. I have held off because of the price but when you break it down by use, it makes sense to invest:

They are seriously comfortable and cute. There's no turning back now, I'm afraid. I'm hooked.

Most of the visit was spent just hanging out and playing with Tori. As it turns out, babies take up a lot of time.

I got to go to the pediatrician with them:

We introduced Tori to the world of shopping early... two malls in two days:

My last day before I left we went over to the Peachtree Farmer's Market. It was fabulous. I got a jar of delicious pickles (which we promptly ate all of once I was home) and a few pretzel loaves (our favorite bread after having it a lot in Germany).

Beth got her bassets each a dog cookie. Aren't these cute?

Then it was back on the road for the trek home. Once again, I was lucky to get beautiful driving weather, which makes the drive so much easier.

These guys were glad to see me, I think:

What a great way to spend fall break! Welcome to the world, Tori!

In road trips and best friends,

{House}: Den Dreams...

When we moved in, our den was dated to say the least. Wood paneling, closed off from the kitchen, nasty carpet. Here is a picture from move in week:

We painted and tried to make the best of what we had:

Once we renovated the kitchen, we opened up the wall between the two rooms (where the pumpkin painting is hanging above). We were left with an updated, bright, modern kitchen and a dated den. Here's where we are today...

As you can see from this picture, the den opens to the kitchen - the back wall of the kitchen here is the color that the den is.

The den is 10 feet wide and 16 feet long. We use this space more than any other in the house.

Ideally we would like to take out the back door and put a window there to have an eat-in kitchen. We would put french doors with stairs to the patio instead. I'd also like to open the doorway between the den and the dining room. There are ducts so it wouldn't be too wide but anything could help.

We want to get rid of the paneling and paint it the same color as the kitchen so it feels like one big space. As for flooring, we probably will do a cork floor the color of the hardwoods since we won't be able to match the original oak hardwood flooring and want it to tie in with the rest of the house.

I'd love to get rid of the ceiling fan, which makes the ceiling feel very low. I wish we could do recessed lighting - I don't know if we'll be able to do because this is an addition and I don't know that you can get back to that part of the attic easily.

I can't wait to get started on our den project... it will probably be spring of next year!

In renovation dreaming,

{House} Mom's Bedroom Renovation.

Remember way back in April when I blogged about a project for my mom? She bought two chairs at an antique store to recover for her bedroom, which she was re-doing:

We went to Johnson's Fabrics in Bartlett, ultimately picking the one on the left:

My parents' room has been the same dark red since we moved in back in 1995. It was finally time to paint it and she enlisted the help of a designer to help change the mood of the room. The whole design centered around the painting my mom has above the fireplace:

In re-doing her room, the floors were refinished and the closet door widened, giving her access to her already wide closet (parts were hidden when she couldn't reach them from the standard door width entry).

The end result is a completely different feel - much more serene.

Here is one of the new chairs, reupholstered in the new fabric:

The closet, with a widened doorframe and new organization system:

The bed, which got new pillows and a side table. She's now got lamps and is on the search for the right art for above.

It is about time my mom redid their bedroom - isn't it always the case that the room in the house that gets the least attention is your own? They deserve this nice, pretty space.

In renovations,