Mom weekend!



Me and my beautiful mom

My mom came to visit over the weekend!  Its funny how we always seem to plan a weekend get-together in spring. 

She arrived early Saturday morning just in time for brunch at my favorite spot- Paris Cafe. It is a local favorite to many palm-beachers and it was a gorgeous day to grab an outside table on the sidewalk.

Paris Bakery and Cafe

I ordered my favorite: the Moulan Rouge made with fresh spinach, goat cheese, pistachios, cherry tomatoes, and avocado.  It never disappoints. 

My mom got the Quiche Florentine with a fresh spring mix salad and their famous tarragon dressing.  We both rounded out the meal with fresh french bread, soft goat cheese, and homemade strawberry jam.

After brunch we walked down to the green market to see and taste locally made baked goods, gourmet olive oils, and view the gorgeous display of orchids and herb plants.  If I only could keep it alive, I would have bought one!

West Palm Beach Green Market
Source

 As always, my favorite thing at the green market is the olive oil tastings!

Source

After browsing around downtown, I decided to take my mom on a tour of the island of Palm Beach.  There is a beautiful chapel overlooking the inter coastal waterway that I have always dreamed of getting married in.  Of course I had to show her that ;-)

After time on the island we decided to give our legs a little rest and got some cold vitamin waters to nourish our thirst as we drove up to Juno Beach.

Juno always holds a special place for us both.  We used to go there all the time the first year we moved to Florida back in 2007.  It is so refreshing, lined with tons of natural sea shells.  The beaches in South Florida are way different than those in Central Florida where my parents now live.  Though the sand isn't as soft as New Smyrna or Daytona, the beaches here have a natural beauty to them.

After some much needed beach time (Thank GOD for warmer weather again!), my mom and I headed to the Gardens Mall to get in a little shopping :-) Girls Weekend + Shopping + Starbucks = HAPPINESS!!!!

After one of this...

Venti Zen Tea with steamed Soy

I was ready to roll! My mom and I stopped at Macy's first since we both have the Macy's credit card (I know.... trouble!) and had some extra 20% coupons to use up.  I ended up getting a cute maxi dress in aqua and yellow stripes, a short red dress for work, and a few cute tops.  Love Macy's!!!! :-)

After some relaxing shopping and browsing we headed back to my condo for the last hour before my mom had to head back up to Orlando. 

I showed her our view of the intracoastal since she hadn't seen it yet.

Balcony view

Final pic before she had to leave! sniff sniff

Mom weekends are sooo needed, even if they only last for 6 hours!  It was so refreshing to catch up with my mom and share some quality time bouncing around South Florida for a day. 

Question:
Do you get to see your family often?  If so, how often?
Since my family is 3hours away, I usually see them once every 2-3 months.  Its good but I always wish I could see them more ;-)

The Street Painting Festival

So Last Sunday was the very first time that my family met Bryan's family. Well my mom met his ;) It was so exciting because she lives in Michigan and my parents live in Orlando and they both happened to be down in S FL the SAME weekend!


With common midwestern down-to-earth freindly roots- they got along great! We all went to the street painting festival together in Downtown Lake Worth. It was a gorgeous day and a perfect setting for everyone to get to know each other! Heres a few of the highlights of the festival!

Street Painting Festival 2011

It was a gorgeous day for it!

Clint Eastwood- this one was one of my favorites by far!


The dancers caught my eye- I loved the shading!


My friend Alissa came out with her lil pup :)


And because they were so pretty the flowers deserved a picture too ;)


Mikey Mouse Tribute :-) cause its Florida!

Benefits of Bikram

As far as my workout today, I think I am going to another Bikram Yoga session tonight. I just love it and have been feeling better all week since my session Monday. The only thing is it is madly expensive. But I can rationalize it as "preventative health costs." It is way cheaper than getting a massage!

And then there's all the health benefits of the heat:

1.Enhances vasodilatation so that more blood is delivered to the muscles. This means that the capillaries that weave around the muscles respond to the heat by dilation. This brings more oxygen to the muscles and helps in the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid.


2.Allows oxygen in the blood to detach from the hemoglobin more easily. When blood passes through warm muscles, oxygen releases more easily from the hemoglobin. Blood passing through cold muscles releases less oxygen.


3.Speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids.


4.Makes muscles more elastic, less susceptible to injury.


5.Improves coordination.


6.Reduces heart irregularities associated with sudden exercise.


7.Burns fat more easily. Warmed muscles burn fat more easily than cold ones. Fat is released during stress. The stress of intense exercise causes a deluge of fatty acids into the blood stream. If you exercise with cold muscles, they can’t use the fatty acids, and they end up in places they are not wanted such as in the lining of your arteries. (Source)

........

Other news: Its official, my mom is coming to visit this weekend! It has been entirely too long since I have had some time with my mom so it will be nice to soak up the beach, get a little shopping in, and go for a run with my mom this weekend. I always love catching up with her and it will be fun to give a tour of where I live. Maybe I can even get her to come to yoga!