Nothing to Do HKY

07/28/2026

My 8-year-old son told me that he wants to live in Blowing Rock when he grows up.

I hope he lets me live with him. 😆

There's a reason why Blowing Rock is consistently making the rounds on everyone's "top" list. The scenery is beautiful, the landscaping is gorgeous, the shops and restaurants are amazing, and everyone is so kind.

It's like your stereotypical Hallmark small town.

Though it's only a short drive up 321 from our house to Blowing Rock, we don't get up there nearly enough, so we made the trip up the other week.

Our first stop was Birdies Coffee & Treats - which meant we had to drive a little past Blowing Rock, but worth it. Their coffee is always consistently good.

Then we headed downtown, spending most of our time as one of the coolest playgrounds in the area (though we are blessed with so many amazing play areas).

We ended our trip with a stop in Barks & Co. for some pup treats, Kilwins for some human treats, and The Blowing Rock Pasta Co. for some amazing pasta to bring home.

❤️

We didn't get to go into as many shops as I would have liked, but I guess that means we will just have to take another trip up soon.

07/27/2026

In February 2025, Burke County Smart Start and some other partner agencies in North Carolina stopped enrolling new families due to a funding reduction. ⤵️ Find a link to the story in the comments.

07/26/2026

Friday night was date night!

After dropping our kids off for 'Parents Night Out', we headed down to Boca for dinner. Boca is a Mediterranean tapas and entre style restaurant located in the gorgeous Moretz Mill.

Charlotte Restaurant Week® is happening until August 2nd, meaning that several of our local restaurants are featuring some of their best dishes with a 3-course prix fixe menu - Boca being one of those. While my husband opted for that, I ordered off the menu.

We enjoyed:

- beet and arugula salad (with goat cheese and orange coriander vinaigrette dressing)
- wedge salad (iceburg lettuce, blue cheese crumble, bacon, tomatoes, and blue cheese dressing)
- citrus cured anchovies (with tomato fresco and crispy baguette)
- naan trio (with tzatziki, hummus, and baba ganoush)
- beef kebob (with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and harissa sauce)
- chocolate mousse cake

Quite a feast!

With the weather a bit on the dreary side, we sat inside, but the patio seating looked gorgeous.

Full, but with time left until we picked up our kids, we then headed to one of our favorite little spots for fun.

Care to guess where?

I'll share in the next post. ❤️

07/26/2026

07/26/2026

07/26/2026

🚩 Glen Alpine

Bodies found days apart along nature trail. Both were murdered, NC sheriff says

07/25/2026

Love taking my boys here! ❤️

Parents’ Night Out was a success! Thanks to Kelly and Emma for making the magic happen. See you August 14th for our next one!