the wonders of wilmington - a post by lacey

I posted two weeks ago about my then upcoming Wilmington trip, and after my trip, I totally forgot to tell you how it went! My mom was the one who reminded me that I left you guys hanging. Well, then, you're in for a treat. The trip was a much needed time for relaxation (when is relaxation never not needed?) We stayed at a small rental called the Pineapple Inn a few miles from downtown. It was the perfect size for the four of us. There was a huge front deck where we lounged frequently with wine glasses and our feet propped up. We spent most of our time walking around downtown and exploring the surrounding Wilmington area. Here is a rundown of most of the places we went to: 

Southpaw-When we got into town we were ready to eat! We parked right outside this place, and the "Today's Specials!" sign on the sidewalk drew my attention: "Turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo." That's all it took. I love turkey. I love cranberry mayo. I knew it was the place. Since it was around 3 pm at this point, there were no crowds to fight so we walked in and got a table right away. Lunch was out in no time and we scarfed it down, unashamedly. 

Coastal Cupcakes-Jonathan and I stopped here after lunch because I love cupcake bakeries, and this was the only one in town. I looked at their site before our trip, and the place looked cute. I never thought a cupcake bakery could be a sad place, but I was proven me wrong. There were no tables, no chairs. Two workers stared at us from the moment we walked in until we left. They had a small glass counter with about fives plates of different cupcakes (all of them looked a few days old). I HAD to try one just to get the full experience. We bought a chocolate chip PB cupcake and walked over to Port City Java for an iced latte to go along with it. The cake was dry and the frosting wasn't sweet enough, but I did get a cute paper box that they packaged it in! (Think positively!) (http://www.coastalcupcakes.com/ and http://www.portcityjava.com/)

Indochine-A local Thai restaurant recommended by a friend of mine who went to school at UNCW. This was where I chose to go for my birthday dinner. It was PACKED when we got there so we waited around outside and gawked at people through the windows. We checked out what they were eating and watched the bellly dancer who roamed from table to table. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was very festive. I didn't tell anyone it was my birthday because I was afraid I would have gotten a personal performance by the belly dancer. (http://www.indochinewilmington.com/)

Thrill of the Hunt-This place was an awesome shabby chic/furniture/odds and ends store. They had loads of cool painted furniture and house decor. They had some great looking chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, but, of course, since I don't have a place to put those kinds of things yet, they do me no good. I did save a lot of money though...

Fairy Circle Consignment-This was one of the thrift shops that my mom researched before our trip. It was hidden smack in the middle of a small strip mall, and when we walked in, it smelled like incense. My mom and I aren't scared off so easily. We scoured the racks, and among the fairy wings and leotards, we found some pretty cute things. I ended up with a navy mini dress and a handmade magic fairy wand. (Just kidding about the fairy wand. I already own several of those.) (http://www.fairycircleconsignment.com/)

Sawgrass -a cute gift shop in downtown. I was browsing the shelves when I noticed they carried the Lollia fragrance/candle/body lotion line. I have been eyeing their #19 Breathe perfume for several years (seriously. years.), so I and asked Jonathan in the sweetest tone  if this could be one of my birthday pressies. He said yes because he's so sweet, but I think he also noticed the crazed look in my eyes. I probably scared him into it more than anything. (www.sawgrassgifts.com)

Caffe Phoenix-I read about this restaurant in North Carolina Signature magazine about a month before our trip, and I knew I wanted to try it at some point over the weekend. Jonathan and I ended up eating here on Sunday after church. What a treat! We sat outside since it was such a beautiful day and people watched until our food came. On Sundays, they only serve brunch so we ordered a Spanish omelet, a croissant sandwich, fruit, muffins, and homestyle red potatoes. This may have been my favorite restaurant meal of the weekend. (www.thecaffephoenix.com)

So there you have it-our weekend in a blog post. Wilmington is definitely a place I would travel to and explore again. Because it's close, it's easy to plan a weekend trip. With this trip under my belt, I feel like an experience traveler. I think I could take on something a little more risky. Wal*mart on a Saturday? 

Until next week, 

Lacey

images: 1.planetware.com 2.islandgazette.net 3.thecafephoenix.com