The Church And The Barn

Yesterday I got to have one of those girl days that I love so much!  My friend Carol and I do this a few times a year.  We usually meet in Castle Rock which is about halfway for both of us. I have told you about the places we go before, but this time I had the for thought to bring my camera...so you can actually see what we did!

First we went to eat at The Old Stone Church.  It's one of the oldest churches in Colorado, but it's been a restaurant for many years.  The food is just amazing!  I had a hazelnut crusted chicken over pasta with a cilantro pineapple butter, and a little bit of cranberry walnut salad on the side.  Yum!  Carol had shrimp and goat cheese enchiladas with a chipotle cream sauce...I almost had that.  She let me taste it...it was insanely good!  

They also gave us a basket of flat bread with chimichurri sauce to dip it in. The sauce was SO good that I was dipping my chicken in it. The server asked if I would like some more, and I jokingly said I would like a whole jar to take home. She said they did sell it by the jar, and when you bought it..you got the recipe for it too! Naturally a jar came home with me.

Next we headed down the block to The Barn.  It really is an old barn.

It sits right next to the Purina Chows company.

But inside it's unassuming exterior lies delights that can barely be described!

Every vendor gets a little room for their wares.

This is just a small sampling of the many rooms!  They have a real eye for vendors that fit a certain style and it would be easy to spend thousands in there!

While I didn't spend thousands, I did get some lovely little treasures, including the grey scarf in the back, some small reproduction french letters, a key chain and two necklaces.

I also got a carved crow, and a couple of handmade flowers.  I didn't show you everything I bought.  I got a lovely feather flower but Penelope was trying very hard to help me with it so I decided to put it back on my jewelry amoire safely out of little kitty paws reach!  I got some really pretty leg warmers and a truly beautiful headband with a flower on it too.  I am wearing the headband though, so it didn't make it into the picture either.

This is just a close up of the swan lake and the Paris necklaces I just had to have!  

They have added a small building to the left of the Barn called The Barn Too, which was filled with more delights including the shabby pink table with it's scalloped edge.  I thought it would make the perfect stand for my TV, so after some careful maneuvering we managed to get it into the back seat of my car!

It was a really fun day, and also so great to see my friend.  I know if you knew her you would love her as much as I do.  She is just this fun, cool, sophisticated lady with a little bit of an edge...there is NO ONE else like her!

Toes And Treasures

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day.  It was cold, but what a bright blue sky!  It was the perfect day for a little bit of adventure.  I woke up feeling completely excited.  It was going to be a girl day!

Now I love going places with R, but there is something special about having a day with a female friend.  I suppose it's because I don't get many of those anymore.  As I have told you before, all the female friends I had that live in town have either moved, or moved on.  So those girl days that used to come a few times a week, now only come a few times a year.

When I got to the freeway I felt that old familiar quiver in my stomach.  Having traveled so much in my life, when I am faced with an open road the gypsy in my soul stirs and I get butterflies...it's almost the exact same feeling as falling in love.

I was only going as far as Castle Rock, but it didn't matter.  It took less than an hour to get there.  I pulled up in front of the quaint Victorian house that was the restaurant I was to meet my friend at for lunch. 

After that it was off to Copper Falls spa.  We had pedicures.  I know you will probably be amazed when I tell you that I have never had a professional pedicure before.  It was heavenly!  If I were a rich woman, I would have someone do something for me every week at a spa.  It's my guilty pleasure.  Don't my toenails look fabulous!

After a blissful hour of being pampered we trudged half a block in 19 degrees wearing those funny little sandals they give you, carrying our shoes.  We stopped at a Parisian cafe for macchiatos. 

After an hour of drying and gabbing, we headed off to The Barn.  Don't let the name fool you.  The Barn is indeed a big white barn, but it houses one of the best antique shops I have ever been in...and I have been in quite a few.

We bought a few treasures including some glitzy bracelets, a letter opener, a lace scarf, and a decorating magazine that I love but find only on rare occasion because it's from Denmark.  I also got some cute little buttons and yards and yards of ribbon to use on bears!  There were a couple other little trinkets as well.

By then it was time to head home.  I could have let the day last much longer, but I suppose all good things much come to an end.  I am already dreaming of my next girl day!