I ate a lobster claw

I don't know if you do this, but sometimes I compose blog posts, or potential blog posts, or snippets of blog posts (you get the idea right?)  in my head throughout my day. Today was such a day. It was a swell day. 

I slept in. Kind of. Actually I woke up at 7:30 and every hour until 9:30. I was having bad dreams I think because I woke up feeling angry and exhausted, and that's not how I went to bed! Also it was rainy, gloomy, and chilly for most of the day so that may have affected my mood too. After getting ready for the day, I vacuumed my apartment, which took about an hour because my vacuum is horrible so I had to use the hose a lot. Jeepers. Last night I used a freebie code to get a Redbox movie. I chose Rise of the Guardians. Yes a kid's movie. Have you seen it??? SO GOOD! Great animation and a really cute and good story line. I started it last night but was so tired that i went to bed so I finished this afternoon. Great flick. I'd recommend it. 

Then I decided to go spend some time in Market Common just walking around the shops. I really just wanted to browse Barnes and Noble. Maybe hunker down and start reading a book. I started a book this morning that I got from the library, while lying in bed deciding if I should get up or go back to sleep, and after 10 pages I could tell it wasn't worth my time. Drats. That's happened a lot recently.

Icky weather called for bright colors and patterns

I decided to "pop in" to Banana Republic since they had a sale sign and I also had a coupon so maybe I'd find a good deal. Can I just tell you that lately I have been a fan of their dresses? I have! I got a cute one about 6 months ago that I am in love with. Good material, great cut and length. I tried on a yellow one and liked it but didn't love it. Tried on a few shirts that I liked, but didn't love. And then. I sauntered to the sale section and low and behold my eyes lit up as I saw some aaaaadorable striped t-shirts. 

Fun fact about Gabe. I do not like summer clothes. 

Yes you read that correctly. Really, all I want to wear in the summer are running shorts and tank tops because it's so blimey hot. I realize that is not terribly attractive and cute so I give in and try to look presentable, as much as a sweaty girl can. Anyway. Yay for 2 new shirts to add to my pathetic summer wardrobe! 

Finally I made it to Barnes and Noble and wandered around. I liked to cruise through the stationary aisles and I stumbled upon these!

I was SO tempted to buy them but then I had the mental argument with myself about needing them vs. wanting them and decided that I didn't need them. So I walked away. Sadly. 

I made my rounds through the cookbook section, thumbed through a few knitting books, peeked into the movie/music section...and then ended up here.

My favorite section: kids books.

I was tempted to pull out an I Spy and play read, but there were a lot of kids around and I didn't want to take anyone's seat, especially being that I am 25, not 6. As I was reminiscing as I scanned through some of my childhood favs, I stumbled upon this:

I loved this book in the second grade. My teacher, Mrs. Ports (I had 2 teachers in 2nd grade actually, Mrs. Ports and Mrs. Erickson, who always gave out yummy Jollyranchers. Back then I recall they had a strawberry-flavored one and that was my favorite! Also I walked by her house everyday on the way home from school. I thought I was so cool). I was captivated by this tale. I don't think I've actually read the whole thing since, but I was tempted to today. Although, sometimes when I do that, the book/movie/whatever isn't as magical and wonderful as I remember it to be, so I prefer to just bask in the glory of it as my memory has it. 

I also passed by a rack of "The Giving Tree" books. I have a confession. I do not like that book or "Where the Sidewalk Ends." Deep breaths. I know. I know that was incredulous. I realize I am probably 1 of 3 people in the universe to say that, but it's true. I thought "The Giving Tree" was depressing and "Where the Sidewalk Ends" weird. Not a fan. 

Next. I decided to pay a visit to a bakery/deli I have passed multiple times. I ran into an old friend from college last weekend who was randomly visiting Myrtle Beach with her husband and she recommended it to me. I was in the area...why not? Well. I was pleased. It's totally run by an Italian family. I mean the name says it all: Toffino's Italian Bakery & Deli. It's a cute place. I was pleased with their pastry/dessert selection, and could see they are popular because a lot their sweet treats were all gone. Always a good sign. After some debate, I settled on....

...a cannoli and a lobster claw. I had to compare to my beloved Mike's Pastry in Boston. While I was waiting for my treats to be packaged up, the gentleman in front of me, who I swear was a northerner, probably from Jersey or NY, and also Italian (he had a gold pinky ring on...come on now. Dead give away!). He had an accent and the build of an Italian. I was eavesdropping on his conversation and the nice young man ringing him up is named Georgie or George-O, I couldn't quite hear. AWESOME. And they were discussing the Italian Wedding Soup, which is made by George's grandmother, Mama Rosa. I am not making this up. It deeeelighted me to hear this. Got my treats and then headed to my car and decided I couldn't wait until I got home to try out the goods. 

Report: both tasty. The cannoli shell was interesting and part of it tasted a little bit graham cracker-y. Good though. The filling was yummy but Mike's is better. I mean you cannot beat a hazelnut cannoli. I'm sorry. But Toffino's was good. I'd go back. Correction: I will be going back. The lobster claw was INCREDIBLE. Both fillings, I can tell, are homemade, as I would expect. Really, really good. I was happy. 

Self-restraint. Though, I did decide to take another bite of the lobster claw as I was climbing the stairs to my apartment. MMMMM MMMMM!!!!

Good day!

And. On Wednesday my studly younger brother leaves for Provo, UT to enter the Missionary Training Center to prepare to serve his 2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  in Australia. I'm so proud of this kid. I'm going to miss him LIKE.CRAZY. I love that I am best friends with both of my younger brothers. I'm terribly excited for him. 

Such a stud.