A Day Away in Southern Pines, NC.

It was the best kind of trip…the one that you don’t over think or over plan…a trip that you just know will be great, just because of the company you have going with you. My closest friend and I decided that we were in need of a day trip, like now…or yesterday would have been better;-). You know the kind of trip you really don’t care where you go, you just want to get away from it all and just breathe?! Now when I say close friend, I don’t just mean a friend you hang out with from time to time. I mean a friend that also helps you to relax, someone that thinks the same things are funny, a friend that you have inside jokes with, a friend that you know what the other is thinking, a friend that your’ children are growing up together with…I can go on and on kind of friend! She’s not just a best friend, she’s the other sister I never had…she’s family!

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 NIV)

We decided to go to Southern Pines, NC. because it has one of the quaintest little downtowns you will ever see, because of all of the yummy places to eat (very, very important!), and because of my friend Becky’s obsession with “popping tags” (thrift store and antique store shopping). This girl will snatch up all of the tea sets she can find, lol! I, on the other hand, have a shoe addiction;-) Hide your shoes, hide your teapots…we will find them!!

Once we arrived, I parked close to where we were going to eat lunch. Becky was concerned that the first place on her “popping tag” list was going to close early that day. So, rumbly tummy and all, we got back in the car and drove to the Coalition. www.sandhillscoalition.org/

The Coalition has several buildings to browse through. I have to say I have been through many thrift stores, and this was one of the most pleasant ones I’ve been to. It has something for everyone…whether you are looking for furniture, housewares, clothes, shoes, etc. You’ll most likely find something that you will want to take home! I especially liked Cris and Florrie’s Boutique where it lives up to the name being more like a boutique than a smelly thrift store. The items were well displayed and organized. Also, The Bargain Barn was great and felt like going on a treasure hunt! I found that my tummy had lost its grumbly ness after the “shoe high” kicked in;-). I mean who needs to eat when you can buy pretty shoes, right?!?

My Shoe purchase with the original tags still on them…$2.50 a pair!

My purse purchase…all four $17 total!
One of them is an Eddie Bauer and the burgundy clutch is a vintage Koret that let’s just say is worth a lot more than the $2.50 I paid for it 😉

The treasure hunt…I was pleased to find this old Scrabble game that I was specifically looking for that day! I wanted to use it for this very blog…to spell out “TADA’s” name with the letters. I also found an Irice perfume bottle that others like it are selling online for $25 and up…I bought it for .10 cents. All of these items for $1.33!

I bought this rocking chair for $20 and had some good laughs while trying to fit it into my tiny car! I was determined to take it home with us;-)

Okay, so after we were done at the Coalition, our appetites returned to us once again; so back to the restaurant we went. We ate at Betsy’s Crepes; they serve the best crepes I’ve had in the States! I’ve been there three times and I always get the Sweet Gabby with the Hungarian crepe…it is amazing!!! Strawberries, Brie cheese, and brown sugar all rolled up in a cinnamon vanilla crepe…I mean, what’s not to love! Becky ordered one of their savory crepes. When we eat together, I usually always order something sweet and she usually always orders something savory and, obviously this time was no different:-) I did at least order a side of bacon…I love bacon!

My “Le Sweet Gabby” crepe! I’m drooling just thinking about it!

After we ate lunch, we got a coffee at the Cup of Flow Coffee Shop where their beans are locally roasted. We checked out a few other boutiques, then we drove to the near by town of Pinebluff, NC to “pop some more tags”.

Becky and I in the coffee shop

I could feel Becky’s excitement! She loves the next place we were at. She found this little place awhile back and likes to call it her “happy place”. I joked with her and said that I could see a twinkle in her eye…seriously, though I could see it! Peddler’s thrift shop looks like something you would see in an episode of Sanford and Sons. When I first came to this place, I was a bit apprehensive to go in. If it wasn’t for Becky’s referral, I would have just settled with going into the Antique shop right next store (which is a great little place to check out as well) and passed this place up all together! Once you set foot through the front door you can’t help but notice the little bit creepy, baby dolls hanging from the ceiling. I finally got up enough nerve to ask the owner “why?”, he said because he felt bad for the little guys and knew no one would want to buy them so he put them out on display for everyone to see. The owner is very nice and helpful! If you are looking for something specific, just ask. Chances are if he has it, he’ll know where to find it. This place is crammed full of goodies…old vintage furniture, glass wear, vintage frames, silver platters, I could go on and on! Becky bought an old soup tureen for a few dollars that she had been wanting, and I bought a beautiful antique mirror for $7, which was the rest of the $60 that I had planned on spending on this trip. If you like treasure hunting and are ever in Southern Pines, NC…you should definitely take the quick little drive to this place and check it out!

Becky in front of her “happy place”

The above pic is of the mirror I found…it now looks great over my dresser! After we left Peddler’s Thrift Store, we went to another place Becky had wanted to take a look in and then started back towards home.

The more I travel and explore the more I realize, for me, that not only do I enjoy discovering new places or going back to old ones; I enjoy experiencing them more accompanied by family and friends! This New Year’s Eve I watched the movie “Up” for the first time with my family. It is a beautiful story, one that not only focused on accomplishing a lifelong goal but also to enjoy time spent with loved ones while you have the chance. So, if you have a trip that you have had in mind to take or just want an excuse to spend time with a loved one…do it! The details will work it self out. Travel (sometimes just a day trip like this one) is time well spent!

TADA!