Hi, friend! How are you?

We’re heading off on a family vacation to Maine this week, but before we go, I wanted to share my latest faves with you. It’s crazy to think that after our Maine trip there are only two more weeks of summer before Brady starts first grade. To get ahead of the game, we already got his school supplies, his new backpack and his new lunchbox. So other than a few outfits and some shoes, he’s ready to go. But it does leave me wondering how this summer flew by like it did?

This past week was full of teaching group fitness, watching a lot of the Olympics (does anyone else find themself in tears sometimes watching these athletes’ incredible performances?), working and getting organized for our trip. Speaking of work, right now, I’ve got seven regular weekly classes on the schedule at Life Time Charlotte, and I’ve been subbing quite a bit too, so we’ve been spending a lot of time at the gym the last couple of months. I’m really lucky that Brady likes to be there with me, because I’ve needed him there most days of the week.

Other than that, I’m happy to share that I got a couple home/life issues taken care of recently, and it feels good to have them behind me. We had our primary shower fixed (after months of not being able to use it), and we also got all the holes and water damage in our ceilings and walls patched up from related plumbing leaks. And, after being in a rental car for a couple of weeks, I finally have my car back and fixed up from a hit-and-run it sustained while I was working at Life Time a few weeks ago. It’s the little things — a house with no holes in the ceiling and a car with no dents. 🙂 

And with that, let’s get to the current faves …

Current faves

Fun

A second girls’ weekend in Holden Beach, North Carolina

A couple of weekends ago, I went with my girlfriends to Holden Beach, North Carolina for a super-fun ladies-only getaway. This was our second time doing this (we also went last September), and it was a wonderful time.

We’re really lucky that our girlfriend’s parents have a gorgeous home on the marsh in Holden Beach, and they are kind enough to let us stay there. It’s just over three hours from Charlotte and totally doable for a weekend away. 

(Here’s my bathing suit top, here are my bathing suit bottoms.)

We arrived on a Friday evening, opened up some champagne, played some games and even held a baby sprinkle for one of the ladies in our group, who is expecting her second set of twins (the sprinkle was festival themed, as you can see below).

The next day, we made breakfast, walked more than a mile on the beach, changed into our bathing suits and hung out most of the day in the sun, playing in the waves. That night, we went to Oyster Rock for dinner and then let the games continue at the house. This weekend was way too short, but we filled it with laughter and good times, as well as a couple of late nights of girl talk.

We had a group of six this go around, and we’re each busy moms who really needed this little escape. I can’t wait for the next one! I made this video about our trip, if you want to check it out.

Our first time in North Carolina wine country

When people ask me what I miss about living in the Bay Area of California, I always say a few things: the food, how my hair looked in the drier climate, and of course, wine country.

We lived about 45 minutes from Napa, and boy, looking back, I wish we had gone a lot more than we did. I used to love to visit there for the day. We only went three times during 2020 (COVID, of course and our last year in California), and that’s a shame. 

Whenever I talk about Napa or Sonoma to people in my current home state, I’m often reminded that we’re less than an hour from plenty of wineries here in North Carolina too. Although we’ve been living in Charlotte for three-and-a-half years, we had never yet tried venturing out to any of them until a couple weekends ago.

(Here’s my dress, and here are my sunglasses.)

We went to Veronét Vineyards & Winery in Kings Mountain, North Carolina with one of our favorite couples (shown above). And, let me tell you, it was a great time. I really enjoyed it.

While I wouldn’t say the wine was amazing (North Carolina is not known for its wine), it was tasty enough, and the setting was great. I was pleasantly surprised with the vibe and the winery grounds (having lowered my expectations a bit knowing that it wouldn’t be as good as what we’d been used to in California).

We hung out at several different seating areas during our three hours there, two outside and one inside. And we ordered a yummy and well-done fruit-and-cheese platter and a charcuterie to go along with our wine.

I loved that many of the patrons were dressed up, and I loved that we felt like we had left our usual South Charlotte bubble too. It really did feel like a mini getaway. It was hot on a sunny summer day, but in the shade, it was manageable. 

We were gone for a total of five hours this day (it was a Sunday), and we left Brady at our friends’ house with their kids and a babysitter, so he had a really fun day, just like we did. I’m glad I’ve finally tried a North Carolina winery, and I would absolutely do it again. It’s all about the people you go with, anyhow. 

This little trip came together last minute when our friends suggested it just a couple days before it took place, and I’m going to make it a point to do it again before too long. Three cheers for last-minute plans and trying something new.

Family

Brady’s first mini-season of basketball

Brady is very into sports right now. And I mean very into them. He spends most of his time kicking a little soccer ball around our house or shooting a small basketball into an indoor hoop.

And when I take Brady to Life Time with me, he always chooses to play sports there too. He’d been asking to do a basketball team for a while, and when a friend of mine sent me a link to “Yes I Can Basketball” in the South Charlotte region, I signed him up right away. This was the perfect Saturday-only three-week mini-season for us to try out.

(Here are my leggings, here’s my top, and here are my sneakers.)

Three Saturdays in a row, Brady went for a 1-hour practice, followed by a 30-minute scrimmage at a local elementary school (not his), and it was literally the ideal introduction to the sport for him.

He learned how to pass, he learned how to dribble down the court, and he learned about rules of the game. And it was really fun to watch. Perhaps what I love most about basketball is that it takes place indoors. We didn’t have to sit in the hot sun to watch him play (like we do with soccer, of course). 

On the final Saturday of Brady’s mini-season, the coach gave out an MVP award to one player, and we were so excited that Brady received it. He did really well at basketball, and he was so proud of himself. He already has soccer on Saturdays in the fall and tennis on Tuesdays, so I’m not sure if we’ll do basketball too, but he’ll definitely do it in the winter. 

Seeing Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo touring show

This past weekend, Dave, Brady and I went to see our third Cirque du Soleil show in less than a year. We saw a matinee of the traveling “Corteo” show at Bojangles Coliseum in Uptown Charlotte. I booked these tickets months in advance, and it seemed so far away at that time, but it came up quickly. 

(Here’s my romper, here are my sandals, and here are my earrings.)

I’d taken Brady to the old Bojangles Coliseum once before to see “Disney on Ice” a couple of years ago. The facility is outdated (from the outside and inside), but I actually didn’t mind the set up for the Cirque show. The stage was open on two sides, and unfortunately, there were quite a few open seats this day.

The theme of this show was based on a circus performer dreaming about his funeral (apparently the word “corteo” means procession in Italian). A bit morbid, yes, but it worked.

While I always love the stunts and creativity of a Cirque show, I would say Corteo was one of my least favorites I’ve seen. For some reason, it didn’t have as many wow moments as some of the other ones we’ve been to. I also saw a couple mistakes (for instance, the jugglers dropped stuff two times, and some of the aerialists were not in sync). Maybe I’m being too critical though, because we really did enjoy watching it and were glad we went.

Speaking of Cirque du Soleil, I’m so interested in how these performers get into this line of work, you know? That being said, we’ll be on the look-out for our next Cirque du Soleli opportunity, because I’m all for investing in experiences like this for our little family.

Books

Reading “XOXO, Cody” by Cody Rigsby

I haven’t done a Peloton ride in maybe three years, so I don’t really spend any time with the brand’s famous instructors any longer. But when I used to do a lot of rides back in the COVID days at home, my number-one cycling instructor was Cody Rigsby. He didn’t have the best planned-out routines or even the best fitness knowledge, but he was a hoot. Rigsby is hilarious, he keeps it realer than real, and he’s not afraid to talk about pretty much any topic on the bike, or in his new book — “XOXO, Cody: An Opinionated Homosexual’s Guide to Self-Love, Relationships and Tactful Pettiness.”

I was totally skeptical that his self-written autobiography would live up to the hype, but it does. I read it in about five nights total, which is fast. It felt like Rigsby was telling his story out loud on the bike, and because I know his voice so well — I could hear him talking to me.

(“XOXO, Cody” by Cody Rigsby)

While Rigsby shares his story of growing up incredibly poor in North Carolina to making it big in New York City, he has one piece of advice he nails home: “Don’t be scared to be yourself, and don’t ever worry about looking stupid.” I’m here for that advice.

If you’ve ever done a Peloton ride or a workout with Cody Rigsby, or if you want a fun-loving book with some taboo topics, off-color jokes and self-love pep talks, this one is for you. I ate it up! But beware, the language is certainly not safe for work.

Fitness

Talking about the benefits of group fitness classes

If you’re reading this blog, then you know I love to teach group fitness classes and write about group fitness classes. Well, I was excited to be interviewed and featured in Life Time’s very own “Experience Life” magazine with my thoughts on the benefits of taking classes. If you’re a class lover, check this one out … “5 mental health benefits of group fitness classes.”

A Lady Goes West 

Here’s what’s been going on around the blog. Did you catch all of these?

Getting back on track … “How to get back on track after taking a break from your healthy routine.”

Group fitness tips … “How to get better results from taking group fitness classes.”

Nordstrom finds … “13 wardrobe staples to get during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2024 (under $150).”

And that’s the post for today! Thank you so much for coming by A Lady Goes West. I’ll be over on Instagram sharing all about our Maine trip, if you want to join me there. Have an amazing week!

Questions of the day for you

Have you read anything good lately?

What’s the best thing you’ve done so far this summer?

What’s your favorite Olympic event?