Our weekend started out on a positive note on Friday night with a casual dinner. We spent most of the early evening setting up our living room (we bought a chair and TV stand from HomeGoods!) and ended up scrapping our plans for a nicer date night in favor of grabbing some comfort food at a casual local barbeque restaurant.
Mac’s Speed Shop was highly recommended to us and it didn’t disappoint. We loved the upbeat, friendly atmosphere and had some fabulous pulled pork and cornmeal hush puppies. (The hush puppies were ridiculously delicious and came with honey butter that was perfectly sweet and creamy!)
After dinner, we made our way to Davidson and split a cookie sundae from Ben & Jerry’s!
We ate it outside while listening to live music coming from the back patio of Summit Coffee. It was such a gorgeous evening and there was a slight chill in the air that makes me think crisp autumn temperatures may be on the horizon.
Saturday
On Saturday, I was up early because I had a day of travel ahead. I gave Sadie some love before leaving but she refused to acknowledge me since she could tell I was saying goodbye.
What a stinker.
My Saturday did end up being a day of travel, but I never ended up at my intended destination.
I was supposed to be leaving on a week-long fitness retreat press trip to Nelson, British Columbia with Mountain Trek but after arriving at the Minneapolis airport for my layover, I realized I forgot my passport. I panicked and called my contacts at the resort and the PR agency, embarrassed and totally flustered. I could picture my passport on the kitchen counter as I spoke to them (why I left it on the counter and didn’t pack it in my bag, I’ll never know!) and we talked about many different ways I could possibly make it on the trip (Ryan overnighting my passport, me staying a few nights in Washington and renting a car, etc.) but in the end it was decided that I should just head back to Charlotte. (There were major logistical issues with the shuttle that was supposed to take me and the other guests on a four-hour drive from Spokane, Washington to Nelson. The shuttle only leaves on Saturdays and I would’ve jeopardized everyone’s trip if I went without a passport, among other things.)
I ended up spending the rest of the day in the Minneapolis and Atlanta airports feeling absolutely awful about my mistake. I am obviously incredibly disappointed and bummed about missing the trip since blogging about travel and fitness are two of my favorite things but I am hoping to at least be able to share some of the healthy recipes or workouts from the Mountain Trek team with you guys in the future. I definitely owe a big thank you to Mountain Trek for being so understanding throughout my whole embarrassing debacle.
Two random things I must share from my travels: Everyone (honestly, every single person) I met at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport was so friendly. And I must give a big shout out to Tyrese and Sue from Delta whose customer service was fabulous throughout the whole ordeal. They were both so upbeat, kind and patient and I felt fortunate to have them working with me to change all of my flights and get me back to Charlotte before 10 p.m. It was a mess and I am grateful I had such wonderful people helping me figure everything out when I was feeling so embarrassed and flustered.
Sunday
Sunday was quite a bit more relaxing than Saturday! Since I basically cleared my schedule for the week, Ryan and I had a Sunday with absolutely no plans ahead of us when we woke up. We spent most of the day running house-related errands. For those of you who said that we’d be living at home improvement stores after we closed on our house, you could not be more correct. We’ve been to Lowe’s nearly four times every week!
We also made our way to IKEA and bought a few things. (A quick side note: I cannot tell you how awesome it is to live near so many stores – like IKEA and others – again. I feel so spoiled!) Our day concluded with a sushi dinner and an evening walk with Sadie. Nice and relaxing!
Question of the Morning
- Have you ever experienced a major travel fail like forgetting your passport or something similar? Please tell me I am not alone!
- Can your pets tell when you’re going somewhere? Do they give you the cold shoulder like Sadie?
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No travel fail since I don’t travel much but our plane had to turn around ALMOST halfway to Maui from San Fran because the back up power died. I cried.
That is absolutely terrifying. I am so glad everything turned out okay and that everyone is safe!
Nothing else to say but, THAT TOTALLY SUCKS! My family and I were on our way to aboard our first cruise to Mexico. This was such a big deal for us, because we all got our new passports (first timers) and we were so excited to be going somewhere that didn’t require sleeping on relatives’ couches and sightseeing in national parks. My youngest son, who was 12 at the time, wanted to hold his own passport. After some hesitation and lots of lectures from my husband we decided to let him. When we were getting off the plane, my husband decided to go back where the boys were sitting to check their area. That’s when he saw my youngest son’s passport on the seat where he had been sitting. Needless to say, my husband held on to my son’s passport for the rest of the trip. 🙂
Aw poor thing that’s the worst! I haven’t had that happen to be yet but I’m sure someday it will. As for Mac’s Speed Shop, they are the best! Love their pulled pork and the awesome environment. A few years ago it used to be a “typical” biker joint but the food is so good everyone else started going too!
Oh, no! That’s the worst!
My dog totally knows when I am leaving. Even when I leave for work in the morning, he gives me this bewildered look like he can’t believe I’m leaving him, even though I do 5 days week!
sorry about your travel fail! no fun at all! BUT how fun is where’d you go, Bernadette?! loved that one.
Loving it so far!!!!
Agh I’m so sorry to hear about the passport problem, Julie! You’ve got to come back to Canada though (BC in particular) because it’s beautiful and you’ve got to see it! 🙂 I haven’t had anything quite that inconvenient happen, but one Thanksgiving I went to visit my mum who lives near the US/Canada border, and finally managed to convince her that we should do some state-side shopping. The morning came that we were supposed to go and I realized my passport was back at my house, 3 hours away. So no shopping, but at least I got through the weekend and came out a little bit richer than I would have been had we shopped! 🙂
The pictures look absolutely incredible — dying to get there eventually!!
I agree that everyone in the MN airport is super friendly- just like the people in the city itself!
It was so awesome. I feel like people are often a little cranky when it comes to traveling, so it was such a pleasant surprise. Very, very friendly!
Our dog knows when we’re leaving for a trip too. His ears drop and he looks at us with the most pathetic face ever. He knows just how to make us feel terrible!
That sucks! My biggest fear is that I’ll leave my ID/Passport at home, so I’m always obsessively checking it to make sure its still there. You know, in case it just managed to disappear in the 5 minutes since I checked it last.
On the plus side, it should be a nice, relaxing week! Have a great Monday! 🙂
ME TOO! It has always been a big fear and before we left I checked for my ID but totally forgot to check for my passport that I put on the kitchen counter so I wouldn’t forget it. Bleh!
I’ve never had a travel issue like that, but I can say our Blinker (the cat) hates to see our overnight bags come out of hiding. He jumps in them and “hides” (his face, because if he can’t see us we can’t see him…right?) under our clothes. It’s so pathetic.
So sorry to hear about your trip – I’ve been curious about BC area, and was looking forward to your recap. BUT … I know it will happen one day 🙂 Must just be meant to be for you to stay home, relax with a HAPPY Sadie and put more rooms together!
Oh my gosh, Julie, I feel so bad! That is such a huge disappointment 🙁
I remember when we closed on our house we were always at the home improvement stores! Ha we still are! We actually are failures at that, though, and never bought gift cards to get the free gas.. even when we put a huge deck on nearly a year later and realized our mistakes the first time around. No travel fails, just money saving fails lol
Aww, you poor thing! That stinks! Maybe have a checklist specific to each trip on the door before you leave of 3-5 things you MUST have. I’m a list person and we go over it like 5x the night before! LOL
We’ve only been to Canada and remembered the passport (which they didn’t even stamp or really acknowledge so I felt gypped!) We did lose power on a trip back home from Hawaii flying into LAX (and we’ve been on 13 flights there so we know what things are supposed to sound like.) Most of the flight was asleep since it was a red eye so you could hear a pin drop and the Mr and I said our I love you’s to each other as I silently cried. Thankfully all turned out well but we were already returning home for a funeral when we were worried we’d be next. Not fun.
Our dog would see the suitcase come out and she would get inside and sit in it like “you’re not going ANYWHERE!” 🙂
Oh no! My heart sunk for you while I was reading this. I’m so OCD when it comes to packing, so I’ve never had something quite like this happen. **knocks on wood**
So sorry to hear that! My dog knows that whenever the suitcases come out, I’m leaving. Instead of getting upset with me, he just gets really mopey and depressed. It’s pretty funny but I always feel so bad for him!
That made my stomach tie up just reading it! I would’ve been a mess. I always feel like I’m forgetting something when I travel, so I’m glad that you handle this little oops with more poise than I would have. There probably would have been tears! haha!
My husband and I didn’t have a travel fail, but we did have a packing fail this summer! We were going to a wedding that was a 9 hour drive away and up in the mountains at a lake house for the weekend. They day before everyone is hanging out on the lake and I realized I didn’t pack a swimsuit and had to hang out on the deck. Even worse, the next day my husband realizes he didn’t pack his suit and only had shorts and t-shirts. He had to borrow clothes from friends and ended up looking like a rodeo clown because the jeans were too short and the shirt too tight!
I lost my wallet in Evansville, IN the first time I went there with my then-boyfriend (now husband) so we had a HECK of a time getting home (since I had no ID!). Luckily it all worked out after several hours, but I felt like such an idiot. It happens to the best of us!
Our animals can always tell when we are leaving. I’m not sure the cats care too much, but the dog definitely gets this look in his eye…he just knows…smart little cookies.
First of all, you look so incredibly cute in your workout clothes and hat!
I don’t travel that much but I did end up in Savanah once when driving from North Carolina to Atlanta. Still not sure how I did it but it was a mess and I had to work the next day with no sleep. 🙁
Something similar happened to my cousin on her honeymoon. She forgot their passports, but thankfully realized before she and her husband boarded the first plane and rescheduled their flights until someone could run the passports to the airport for her.
Oh no! That’s the one travel mishap that I am constantly worried about! I’m so sorry, but on the up-side, an unplanned/surprise relaxing weekend is always nice!
ugh so sorry about that! traveling can be SO frustrating sometimes! <3 happy monday!
Um, YES. I do have a travel fail. I had to fly for work about a month after I got married this year…so, the tickets that I just mindlessly printed from my work email had my new last name, but I hadn’t gotten to the DMV to get a new license yet! Let’s just say that TSA did not like that one bit. I went through the whole 9 yards with security – a pat-down, they searched my bags, and they called to make sure that I wasn’t on the ‘do not fly’ list…not to mention that all of this was right in the middle of the Cincinnati airport. I finally made it on my flight, but it was so embarrassing!!
My mom grew up in Minneapolis and every time we visit, everyone is so nice. I haven’t met one mean person with an accent from there. I’m sorry about your traveling! Glad they understood
That is such a bummer about your passport! I hate that sinking feeling I get in my stomach when I realize I made a major mistake like that. I hope the rest of your week goes well and you get a chance to do some things that you wouldn’t have been able to if you’d been traveling!
My dog Nutmeg can ALWAYS tell when I’m packing to go somewhere, even if I try to be sneaky about it. Any time I start putting stuff in my car she freaks out and cries at the door until I come back inside!
My senior year of college I studied abroad for a semester in Ecuador. The tourist visa was 90 days, and I was advised that if I left the country and came back in the middle of my stay, my 90 days would start over.
Long story short, it didn’t. I was so excited to go home, only to be crestfallen when the customs guy asked if I spoke Spanish, then proceeded to tell me (in Spanish) why I couldn’t go home that day. Despite our begging and offers of bribery, we were sent back into Quito to pay a $200 fine, plus the cost of rescheduling our flights for the next day.
Talk about an expensive travel fail – but makes for a great story now! Sorry to hear about your trip! Hope you have a relaxing week at least.
Oh no! Sorry to hear about that! I’ve never forgotten my passport but I did almost miss my flight once because security was shut down. I ended up sprinting through the airport (because of course my gate was the furtherest one) and had to beg them to still let me on!
I almost always take the same bag with me when I travel and my puppy Bailey recognizes it. She tries to climb in when I get it out! It was adorable when she was tiny and now it’s just funny because she’s basically the same size as the bag!
Oh my goodness, I loved but hated to read this post because I know exactly how you feel!!! And it’s not the best feeling in the world. I lived in Spain for a year, in a remote village where I had to take a 1.5 hour bus ride to get to the nearest airport. One night I went on the latest bus, around 830 pm and arrived in Seville around 10 to stay overnight and wake up early for my 5 am flight to Italy to see my mom, who I hadn’t seen in almost a year. Right when I got to my hostel, they asked to see my passport and I froze. I had forgotten it on the counter!!! I brainstormed all the possible ways to get it to me, feeling horribly about asking friends to drive it, but nobody could because most of my friends didn’t have cars. Some of my Spanish friends told me to go to the police and tell them I got robbed, and they could allow me to fly without it. But there was no way I could even consider that, I felt wayy too guilty. Finally, I paid a taxi $90 to bring it to me. It was such an expensive mistake, and I got no sleep as I stayed up til 2 am waiting for it to arrive. Totally worth it to be able to see my mom in Italy the next day though! I wish it could’ve worked out for you in the end 🙁 at least now we will probably never forget them again!
I am so sorry you missed your trip! I think these things all happen to the best of us. I missed a flight last year because I was getting coffee. I was so annoyed with myself and ended up having to wait for a later flight. My mom and boyfriend warn me about “wandering off to get coffee” every time I travel now!
You should have just spent the weekend exploring Minneapolis!
Thankfully no major travel mishaps so far but whenever I fly it’s standy so I do have some great stories.
Oh man, what a bummer! Travel stresses me out until I get to my destination – I’ve forgotten too many things to just assume things will go smoothly, I suppose. But, mistakes happen, and one time my cousin forgot to renew his license (it was expired) before flying to his wedding. A major sinking feeling for him that day, I’m sure!
That is just horrible what happened. Leaving my passport is one of my worst fears!! Also, I love Mac’s Speed Shop. Yay for NC barbeque 🙂
I LOVED that book Where’d you go, Bernadette. It was SO good! How are you liking it?
Oh no!!! I’ve never had anything quite like that happen to me, but we did end up having a travel nightmare trying to get to Mexico on our honeymoon – cancelled flights, stand by, lost luggage, the works… No fun. Minneapolis is by far my favorite airport to fly through!
Our dog Charlie can tell the moment the suitcase comes out that we are going somewhere and he lays right next to it with the saddest eyes, hoping we will just pack him along. So heart breaking!
I get so paranoid before leaving for trips for that exact reason! I have all these grand ideas like “I’ll leave this here so I don’t forget it” and then BOOM… I forget it. hahaha. glad everything worked out and you got back to Charlotte! Maybe look at it as a sign that you were supposed to stay in NC this week! 🙂
Oh no! My worst travel nightmare! I’m travelling for work today, so here’s hoping I didn’t forget anything!
Oh no! What a bummer. It happens all the time though. You are definitely not alone.
Oh no!!! Ugh, that is such a bummer. My closest experience is when I started a new job that had headquarters in Tennessee (I work from home in Chicago) and when I got there I realized I forgot all of the HR documents that they’d sent me beforehand and ask that I fill out, plus my second form of identification and voided check for payroll. The HR woman was so angry, and it was my first day! I felt like an idiot. I had to have my roommate overnight my passport and checkbook (for $75!!!). I was so embarrassed.
That sucks that happened! That’s everyones biggest travel fear come true. I guess with the amount you travel its bound to happen eventually. Too bad though, because Nelson is absolutely beautiful.
Oh man I am so sorry!! I would be so bummed if that happened. But yay for free time with your husband!
Oh no!!! That’s the worst. At least you got a lot of house-related duties taken care of. Hope your week ends up being great even if not on your retreat. I’ve never had a travel fail like that, knock on wood.
I was leaving to go to Chicago for a work trip and was so excited since I never get to go anywhere for work. I got to the airport and the self check-in was not working. I called the lady over and after her trying to help me and still not being able to figure out why my reservation was not coming up, I realized my flight was actually the day before!
I was so upset, especially at myself. I had to call my boss and tell her, which thankfully, she was understanding. Although my family won’t let me live it down.
I know how disappointing you must have been. I hope you have a better week!
It happens! But just remember, it all happens for a reason 🙂
That’s so sad! I’ve never forgotten my passport, but my mom misplaced hers right before our first cruise. We were sitting in our car at the airport while she looked through every pocket in her wallet, purse, and suitcase. Now, we make sure that it’s in the same pocket, and one person has responsibility for them.
As a Minneapolis resident, I can vouch for the friendliness in the airport — and the city itself 🙂 So glad your experience was a pleasant (albeit chaotic) one. Next time you’ll have to hang around and check out Minneapolis outside the airport! Just do yourself a favor and avoid it from November to May, ha.
Travel fail: When I was going to New York, my wallet fell out of my purse on the plane. I realized it the moment I got in the cab, called delta, who informed me that the policy was anything left on the plane flies back from where it came (which makes NO SENSE TO ME). So, I contacted Minneapolis and FedEx and arranged to have it shipped overnight to our hotel in New York. I thought problem was solved, but it was not.
When my wallet did not show up the next day, I called FedEx back, and they informed me that since the call was made the day before AFTER 1:00, “overnight” meant “over the weekend” and it wouldn’t arrive at our hotel until Monday. Which really sucked, because we left for Minneapolis on SUNDAY.
Long story short, I didn’t end up getting my wallet back for about a week and a half. Luckily, I was with my family that weekend so they were able to cover me, but OH MY GOSH. So frustrating. Haha.
Thankfully that has never happened to me.
I was at the airport checking in for a flight to Germany and saw a man frantically feeling his pockets, opening his bag, etc. I then witnessed him calling home as I think he left his passport at home. I felt so bad! I could actually feel his anxiety in my stomach.
Definitely a fear of mine!
Not at all the same but I did leave our bike rack key at home on a visit to my parents, so the bikes were pretty much stuck on the car. Thankfully it was only a little over an hour away and a nice neighbor met us halfway to give me the key, but I was definitely not allowed to live that one down.
I am SO sorry that this happened to you. I always get so nervous when traveling that something like this will happen which I why I make so many lists and set so many reminders on my phone. I do believe that everything happens for a reason and maybe you just weren’t meant to go. At least you know next time you will definitely not be forgetting that passport! 🙂
Oh my word; I can literally imagine that feeling of panic – I would’ve been such a hot mess!! I’m sorry this happened :(.
Oh no, how frustrating! I’ve gotta say, though, that your post made me super proud of my beloved hometown! Next time you should leave the airport–and go somewhere besides the Mall of America.
Oh, I’m so sorry you had to miss your trip! What a bummer! That is SO something I would do. I feel for ya!
Didnt happen to me, but my parents were leaving to come home from Spain and realized they left their backpack in the cab, with their passports. Luckily the cab driver was so nice to drive back to the hotel and left it there.
Oh my gosh, my cat is the same way, she definitely doesn’t want any of my hugs, which always bothers me haha even though I’m just going to work. When I had dogs, they would freak out, and get uber attached to us, it was like they thought they could sneak into the car with us haha.
I’m sorry about your travel debacle, but you definitely aren’t the first person to forget your passport – I’m sure it’s happened to so many people!
The dumbest travel mistake I committed was missing my flight… when I was an hour early to begin with. I was flying back to Philly when I was in college, and my mom and I arrived way too early for my flight, so we decided to have lunch at the airport. Somehow we lost track of time, and I ended up missing my flight haha. It was pretty humiliating.