Hi, hi! Already October? Goodness, I’m so ready for the next two seasons because they’re my favorite.
To kick off the weekend, Stephen and I went to Smoothie King. It’s somewhat of a Friday/weekend tradition to go and get ourselves a smoothie. We usually try to go on Fridays since they have a special of $5 on Friday [or $6 for a meal replacement, I think.] for 32 ounce drinks.
As usual, I got my Vegan Mango Kale. I get this drink about 98% of the time. It’s just so good that I can barely get myself to stray away and try a different one. Maybe one of these visits I’ll get a different one, since I really only have had like 3 of their smoothies.
Thursday was one of my best friend’s [Jennifer] birthday. She and Alexis decided to spend Saturday in Nashville with us. We let her choose where to go for lunch, and she chose McNamara’s Irish Pub & Restaurant. Her family is originally from Ireland, and she also grew up there for a short time in her younger days. A family member of hers recommended this place, so it was all our first time going.
I’ve never tried Irish food before, but I was excited to give it a try.
Stephen ordered the French Dip sandwich with cole slaw. It looks like there’s more meat than bread on the top, so seemed pretty promising.
Both Jennifer and I ordered the Steak & Guinness Pie. The fries were really good! They had a light crispiness to them. I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting with the pie, but it sounded pretty good. Jen said that she expected it to look like an actual pot pie, but she liked the dish. The biscuit thing on top was the most flaky biscuit I’ve ever had. I need more of those in my life.
The meal may not look appealing, but it was mainly like beef stew. It’s a good thing I like mushrooms because there were whole ones in it. I really liked the overall taste of my meal, but Stephen and I both agreed that the food tasted a tad bit salty. Is that how it’s supposed to be? I would eat there again, but I’d probably need to drink a lot of water because by the time we went to Opryland, I started drinking a ton more water.
Alexis ordered the Bangers & Mash, which were sausages on some mashed potatoes. It looked really good – aside from the mashed potatoes, haha. She could’ve have another side, but she just wanted to double up on the potatoes.
Where We Explored for a Few Hours
Since the restaurant was near the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, we decided to visit it to see what it was all about. Plus, Alexis is taking a photography class and needed to take pictures. I’ve never been here before, and I couldn’t believe what all was in it! You’ve got places to shop, eat, and stroll. It was so cool and very beautiful. I almost forgot that I was inside for a second, haha.
The first three images are what you saw just walking in, depending on which entrance you were coming from. There were a few different sections to explore and I can’t remember them all, but we definitely walked through them all!
Behind us in the stairs picture was one of the many fountains. Can you imagine looking out at all of this from your room!? What a dream.
If you explore the sections and pathways, you’ll find these neat little greenery areas. This was my kind of place. You got to enjoy some pretty aspects of nature with no bugs! Haha. Plus, it was cooler than exploring outside, so this was such a neat set up.
I didn’t capture all the flowers in this place, [there were so many] but they were all gorgeous.
It’s funny how people were walking around and touching these magenta colored ones to see how they felt! I decided to touch one just to see why everyone else seemed to do so, haha. They look hard, but they were pretty soft.
This pretty water area was open, and we passed by it to get to the other sections.
Inside, there were little gift shops and places to really blow your money, haha. There was even an arcade in one of the sections! There were a couple of coffee shops, but we decided to pass on it here since it would definitely be way over priced!
I felt a little artistic taking this flower pic, haha.
Once we saw mostly all the areas in the hotel, we just went back to our apartment and watched The Fault in Our Stars, haha. It still gets us all every time! I made them all shrimp scampi for dinner – which was just a packet of sauce from Kroger that I mixed with frozen shrimp and some pasta shell noodles. It was yummy, and I’m definitely gotta buy that again.
Ice Cream Run
After eating the shrimp scampi, we then started to have an ice cream craving. Since Dairy Queen was right up the road, we then decided to head there to curb our sweet tooth! [Sweet teeth?]
I restrained myself and got a mini since it was a bit late. They have Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough, and it’s so yummy. I’ve gotten it the past few times, and I definitely recommend.
Once we got back to our apartment, I’m not sure how it came to be, but we ended up going on Netflix and choosing to watch The Stanford Prison Experiment. I read about it in my sociology class about four years ago and had always wanted to watch it, but I never did for some reason.
So, we all watched it, and we couldn’t believe all the stuff that went on! It’s interesting to see how far they were able to go until the big man running the experiment/simulation decided to end it – which was basically when all his team disapproved of his choices for the project because it started to heighten into something that they did not intend in the first place.
If you have about two hours to spare, definitely watch this movie because it’s just insane.
Since Sunday was National Coffee Day, it was an excuse to get me some Dunkin’, right? Actually, trick question, because I would get it every day! Our Sunday lazy day consisted of board games and video games. We tried playing Backgammon, but I’m not sure how I felt about it. Although, I did beat Stephen by one chip, haha. I’m not sure how much strategy there was to the game, but I didn’t understand the man on YouTube’s instructions, so I wasn’t so hyped about this game. I will say that Stephen beat me in Chinese Checkers.
Overall, it was a lovely weekend once again! How was everyone else’s? Have you ever tried Irish food before? What kind of board games do you like [or not like]?
Until the next time, have a lovely day!
Mmm, the food all looked so good though gosh! And the convention center is so beautiful!!! And your lippie is so purtyy!! Omg I’ve read so much about the experiment but never watched the movie which sounds so freaking interesting!!! Its not really a board game but I love Connect 4 even though I always lose!
Yeah, it was all pretty tasty for sure!! I was in awe of how Opryland looked inside, so cool how all of it is inside! It really made me want to read into the experiment more to see what they were thinking! Ahh, Connect 4 is so fun! I haven’t played that in awhile!
It is fascinating though, with the right conditioning, how people can almost change everything about their fundamental selves.
Oh, and thanks about the lipstick! I loved that color. I didn’t notice how I didn’t comment on that. But you are absolutely right. I mean, I guess we all have some hidden side to ourselves, but hopefully it isn’t that extreme!
HAHAHA i sometimes zoom past things too and im like wait wtf? I know right! Oh gosh!
Oh my gosh what a fun day!! The convention center looks absolutely gorgeous!! And the food looked amazing too! Too bad it was a little too salty though :/
Also, I couldn’t help laughing a little when you mentioned having an ice cream craving because that was totally me this weekend 😂I rarely go to McDonalds but I randomly had a craving for a McFlurry and just had to go!
It was beyond what I expected going in there! It was definitely a cool experience to try some new foods!
Ahh, that’s so funny! I guess we had the same ice cream craving, haha. I went to McDonald’s this past Friday because we had another craving for ice cream! It’s a small step from DQ, but it curbed that craving for a bit! They didn’t even mix his McFlurry, but they just dumped oreos on top! Haha. May your day be filled with lots of sweets and treats this week!
OH MY GOSH RIGHT?? They always seem to just dump oreos on top without mixing them in! By the time I was half way through my McFlurry.. there were no oreos left! This is so #FirstWorldProblems but is definitely something that drives me crazy haha
And thanks Stephanie <3 I hope you have a sweet week too 🙂
Hahaha. Oh gosh, I didn’t even think of it as a first world problem, but you are so right! I guess DQ or elsewhere it is next time for a well mixed ice cream treat!
Aw, what a fun tradition to go out for smoothies every weekend! I love mango flavor but hate kale lol, can you taste it much in there? The Irish pub food looks tasty– I’d want to try all 3 of those dishes. 🤤 Sorry it was all a bit salty though! I hate when I get extra thirsty & dry like that.
All of the photos of the Opryland are soooo gorgeous! & you, Stephen, & your friends are so cute. ♡ Can you believe I’ve never watched A Fault in Our Stars? I heard it’s a tear-jerker & I’m a sucker for those lol.
Your DQ Blizzard is really making me drool. They used to be my fave childhood treat, I haven’t had one in forever. 😭 Lol at your “trick question” 😂 coffee is def needed everyday!
Thanks so much for sharing, Stephanie! ♡
Oh yeah, I absolutely love going to Smoothie King! I used to go a lot whenever I was in college, and my hometown doesn’t have one, so it’s super exciting to have one so close now! You can taste the kale in the smoothie, ☹️ I don’t think it’s a lot, but some workers make it better than others. There’s a strong banana flavor to it too, so it’s just a mix of fruits and veggies!
It was difficult to choose which Irish meal to try; I hardly take long to look over a menu, but I had to give it some thought, haha. And thank you, Hunida!! Oh gosh, did you just never get around to watching TFIOS? That’s so funny, and I’m such a sucker for them too, and I usually cry in it!
Awe, how nostalgic! My parents would take us as well sometimes too. Definitely treat yourself to a sweet dessert and lots of coffee! Thanks for stopping by, Hunida; have a lovely day! ♡
Oh! I just looked it up & there are two Smoothie Kings in Vegas, one not too far from us. We have Tropical Smoothie Cafes all over the place here. Have you ever heard of that one? I love those mixed veg & fruit drinks, but ugh, sometimes (for me) kale ruins it. I wish I liked it since it is a ‘superfood’!
It looks like you made an awesome choice at the Irish pub. 🙂 & yesss, I love crying during movies lol. Have you seen Me Before You?
<3 Hope you have a lovely day, too, Stephanie!!!
What are the odds! And yes, we have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe thats near us as well! I really liked their food and smoothies! Awh, you like eating spinach, don’t you? I love those kale chips that they have, I was so addicted to the mango habanero ones.
I’m such a sucker for those movies, haha. Yes, I really like Me Before You! I enjoyed the book series as well. Have you read those?
I do like spinach & mango habanero anything is usually so good! I’ve never liked the kale chips though lol. 😛
I did not read the books but, bawled my eyes out at the movie!!
At least you’ve tried to like kale! Haha, and I watched that movie in theaters and I definitely remember bawling, which is one reason why I don’t go to the theaters to watch those type of movies anymore, haha. I think the books are pretty good, and it’s interesting to pick out the small parts that are different between the book and movie! I watched the movie first, I think.
Lol! I don’t mind crying at the theaters 😂 I like hearing that other people are, too! & it’s hard for me to read a book after the movie or vice versa, I usually like sticking with one version.
It is funny to see whenever the lights turn on and you look around and can tell who all was crying in the movie, haha. Ahh I see! I’m too curious to know how the movie or book turned out, so I’m always trying to compare which is better!