Good morning friends! I am still making my way through the Midwest visiting family and friends. It has been such a wonderful trip so far! I spent Friday hanging out with my great friend Lindsey, who took the day off of work just so that we could spend the day together.
We spent the morning shopping at all my old favorite spots, and then took a mid-day break to go to my number one Cincinnati restaurant – Melt.
I went with the 3-bean vegan chili which had the perfect amount of spice.
And I couldn’t resist trying the vegan mac n cheese. It was not at all what I was expecting, but still really tasty.
After lunch I decided that I liked Lindsey’s coat so much that I needed one for myself (from Target!)
And then I spent a little quality time with my mom getting manicures and pedicures. Such a nice way to relax!
Friday night concluded with a lot of pizza and a game of Scattergories.
We were up early on Saturday to make our way up to Indianapolis to see Casey’s family!
After nine hours in the car on Thursday, less than two felt like nothing.
Also in Indianapolis – my little sister Sarah! We picked her up at her sorority house (she’s a Delta Gamma like me!) and brought her back to Casey’s parents house to hang with us for the weekend.
And now we are all hanging out at Tina and Eddie’s house catching up and celebrating lots of birthdays.
Three candles for three birthday girls – Tina, Sarah, and I are all February birthdays.
Delicious cupcake and coconut milk ice cream to complete the weekend.
Off to brunch! Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend too. I promise I will cook lots of delicious recipes for you as soon as I get home. Until then…
69 Comments so far
Leave a comment
I <3 the Midwest! Have fun!
[Reply]
How fun! :) Have a great day!
[Reply]
Any restaurant called “Melt” has my heart! The vegan mac and cheese looks SO good! Is it wrong to crave some before noon…?
Slash your sister’s sorority house is gorgeous! I can’t wait to rush in the fall:)
[Reply]
Midwest is best :) Those cupcakes are making my mouth water…I might have to do some baking today!
[Reply]
the pup at the end looked like a hefty version of james!
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
February 27th, 2011 at 11:33 am
Omg that is a 200 pound Rottweiler. She would eat James for breakfast! She looks so big and mean but she is a huge wimp. :)
[Reply]
lindsay Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 10:17 am
Hahah…its so funny b/c I think Lottie and James look alike and I made the same comment to Emily about that rottie looking like my dog, Lottie!
[Reply]
It looks like you are having such a great time. I love all of the vegan places you go to, it’s so interesting to see the sort of food vegan eateries serve. I’m not a vegan myself but now I know that if I ever wanted to try a vegan place, I would have no trouble finding something delicious on the menu.
[Reply]
Glad to see you are having a great time. Enjoy!
[Reply]
ohmigosh, MELT is my #1 Cincinnati pick, too! I love love love that place… sigh, huge MELT craving kicking in… why must it be 3 hours away! :-)
[Reply]
So glad to hear there is a Veg-friendly place in Cincy! My boyfriend is from there and I’m always looking for good places to go. Do you know where it is??
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
February 27th, 2011 at 11:33 am
It is in Northside!
[Reply]
Looks like a great trip so far! That chili looks really good :)
[Reply]
Melt is such a great name for a restaurant! Enjoy the rest of your trip!
[Reply]
What size did you get your coat in? It is very cute!
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
February 27th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
It runs kind of small, so I actually got a medium so that I could wear it over sweaters.
[Reply]
Looks like a fun time!
[Reply]
What a fun looking trip! Your mani/pedi reminds me that I’m in dire need of one too.
[Reply]
That looks so fun but so cold! I lived in Wisconsin for 6 years, and that scenery/sky looks very familiar. Now that Iive someplace warmer, though, I miss things like coats! Yours looks really cute.
[Reply]
Oh, my goodness. I’m a native Cincinnatian living in DC. I love it here, don’t get my wrong, but I haven’t found an equivalent to either Melt or Dewey’s in my new home– and I miss them terribly. Enjoy your travels!
[Reply]
Perfect way to spend a birthday, family, friends, pedicure & cupcakes!!
[Reply]
You have me wanting a cupcake now…
And glad you have had such a great trip!
[Reply]
Wait- you were a DG at Denison, right? My best friend from high school is too!! Small world!! I’m glad you’re enjoying your weekend. How could you not with vegan mac and cheese and cupcakes??
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
February 27th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Yes totally! How funny – small world indeed.
[Reply]
OOoh! i wish there was a vegan place near me!! Looks like youre having a great trip! Isn’t it so nice to go home?? Have a great day!
[Reply]
Recipes are great…but you getting a break and having fun with family is even better. :)
[Reply]
what an awesome birthday weekend! :) that’s great that you can see both your and casey’s families!
[Reply]
Looks like so much fun (and such good food!) Pizza, cupcakes and vegan chili, oh my! Continue having a great birthday week, Emily! You deserve it :)
PS. Love the jacket!
[Reply]
Trips home to see family are always so comforting! Glad to see you’re having a great time! Reading this makes me SO excited to go to Atlanta to see my parents tomorrow. They live in Roswell and I’m pumped to try out the running paths you recommended. In shorts!
[Reply]
Happy, happy birthday. You’ve had a whole day of birthday fun…new coat, shiny nails and cupcakes!! Good livin’!
[Reply]
Wish you were going to be in Indy longer. I’d love to have had a chance to meet you in person, though I feel as if I know you because I’ve read you blog for so long!
[Reply]
Yay for DG! Have a great time on your trip!
LITB
:)
[Reply]
I LOVE road trips…and obviously I love the midwest, too :) Hope you’re having a great trip!
[Reply]
Glad you’re enjoying your trip! We’ll see you in the kitchen when you get back! =)
[Reply]
Haha, love the matching coats :) I have totally done the same thing!
[Reply]
Love the birthday cupcakes! So cute and fun. :D
Looks like you’ve been having a wonderful weekend so far. And your new coat is adorable. I heart Target. :D
[Reply]
All these cupcakes are making me seriously jealous! [too bad I still have baby weight to loose from enjoying one too many treats - hehe] Army green is one of my fav colors for jackets :)
[Reply]
I am a senior Delta Gamma of the Alpha Psi chapter at the Univertiy of Mississippi, and we just had our initation this morning!I am rituals director, so I planned the ceremony and acutally initiated my younger sister today. It was fun to read you and your sister are fellow Delta Gammas!!
[Reply]
Love Deweys!
[Reply]
Mac and cheese, pizza and cupcakes? Oh HaPpY dAy! There’s nothing better!
Love your new coat!!
Here in Canada we don’t have Target BUT they recently bought out one of our similar retail stores SO we will have Target soon enough!
PS I just watched your Christmas video where you guys find out your family is growing. I definitely cried and my husband definitely laughed at me!!
[Reply]
Looks like you had a fabulous weekend! i love getting manis/pedis with my mom and sister!
[Reply]
I didn’t know you were a DG!!!! Now I love your blog even more:) I was a DG at Virginia Tech!
LITB!
[Reply]
Your weekend looks amazing! Love the new coat!
[Reply]
Thanks for sharing the pictures of the Midwest. I am from Chicago with family in Indianapolis and love those cornfields! Enjoy the time with your family – it always goes too fast!
[Reply]
I didn’t know you are a Delta Gamma! So am I! :)
Have so much fun during the rest of your trip. I just added Melt to my Cincinnati list of places to go. :)
[Reply]
Anna @ Doing Good & Living Well Reply:
February 28th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Ashley and I were DG’s together at UGA. :)
[Reply]
I love your sisters black boots in one of the last pictures! Those cupcakes look phenomenal too!
[Reply]
Happy Birthday! Family time really is the best time, isn’t it?
[Reply]
I am always jealous of people when I see them eating coconut milk ice cream. That stuff is so good!
[Reply]
Fun! I have been reading for awhile but I am a DG too (@ Villanova)! I live in Minneapolis. Would you ever be interested… not this year (it is next weekend) but in the future speaking at our founders day? itb
[Reply]
I’m jealous of all your cupcake consumption! :)
LOVE the jacket.
[Reply]
Looks like you’re having a great time! One of my goals in life is to explore the Midwest, eats included! Loving your new coat, by the way. I always think you’re outfits are so stylish.
[Reply]
*your
[Reply]
That rottie’s face is so sweet! Glad you’re having such a great time!
[Reply]
You look sooo pretty!
[Reply]
Looks like you had a great trip. You look different in the post…very glowy! 30 is treating you well so far :)
[Reply]
OMG, I love, love, love Dewey’s pizza. Very jealous!
[Reply]
Had a great weekend too. My son and GF who’ve known eachother 7 years this year have gotten engaged. Date is 09/??/12 but just glad it happened finally.
You look great and your Mom sure must be glad to see you. Have fun at Casey’s and relax. Raining here and warm but 40′s tomorrow.
Have a safe trip home!
Lancaster Pa Gal
[Reply]
What a fun trip! I haven’t been reading long, but I didn’t know you were a DG. How fun to share that with your sister! I’m a DG, too :) Have a great rest of your trip!
[Reply]
So glad you had a good birthday weekend! And with Dewey’s no less…LOVE their pizza! :)
[Reply]
Is Dewey’s a vegan pizza place? I looks good.
[Reply]
Fun seeing all the Ohio things from your travels :). Safe trip back to DC Emily!
[Reply]
Is that the DG house at IU?
[Reply]
Looks like a sweet birthday celebration! If you like cupcakes made fresh from scratch, you HAVE to check out Lavender Moon Cupcakes on Royal Street in Old Town, Alexandria. For pure pastry and baked goods indulgence, you have to try Vegan Treats. They’re based out of PA, but distribute to Toscana Grill, Java Green, Busboys& Poets and Bread & Brew in the DC area. Absolutely decadent and surpasses traditional, non-vegan sweets. Peanut butter bomb – ’nuff said. http://www.vegantreats.com/
[Reply]
This sounds like a lovely trip so far! :)
[Reply]
Love seeing all the comments from Delta Gammas here. :) ITB!
Your pictures look like so much fun! Have fun on your travels and hurry back so I can run into you again in Old Town.
[Reply]
I love road trips! Can’t wait for when my husband gets home and we can take our cross country trip! :-)
[Reply]
Midwest is the best. :)
Can’t wait for the kombucha tutorial!
[Reply]
i love that you and your sister are both dg’s, its so fun to share that. you should totally be featured in the anchora!
[Reply]
Leave a comment