Almost every Tuesday, Rob and I meet at our neighborhood Tupelo Honey Cafe for martinis (my favorite is the rosemary lime with gin).

They're $3 each and totally delicious, and we always say "Let's not get dinner," because this place is so southern that there's barely anything on the menu that isn't covered in cheese or rolled in some kind of batter and then fried, but also because we live an eight minute walk away and could easily just have a drink and go home (if we had any willpower at all). But every time, we get "snacks," which end up just being appetizers for dinner. Goat cheese grits are a thing and they taste like heaven.

I guess there are worse things that could happen.

We have been so busy the past month that even though our apartment is set up and starting to feel like home, I still feel like this transition will end and we'll go back to Minneapolis.

Over the weekend I found myself feeling a bit melancholy and really missing Minnesota a lot, but it's nice to remember that, even though we've only been here less than two months, we've still managed to find a couple of regular spots to go out and feel like we're taking advantage of our new neighborhood. It's going to take time. Burgers help.

Pike's Old Fashioned Soda Shop is a sweet little burger/ice cream stop just a quick walk from our apartment. I always get a burger without the bun from the "Burger Bar" section of the menu. The last time we went, my brother was with us and he got the Black & Blue Burger; and Rob got the Buffalo Chicken sandwich, which looked awesome. The fries are really good and they have a $5 glass of rosé that I usually can't pass up.

As I'm going to hit "publish" on this post, I'm realizing that the two restaurant posts I've shared so far have been about burgers...I'm not sure if that says more about me or Charlotte, but I promise to branch out a bit here soon. Next up will be either my favorite brunch or happy hour spot!

The other day Rob and I went to dinner at Cowbell with a couple friends, and we loved the food so much that we came back the next week for lunch on the patio! I love anywhere that takes pride in their burgers, so this "burger and whiskey bar" has pretty much met (and exceeded) all my expectations.
 

I got the NYC burger without a bun, which has pastrami, sauerkraut, and the most delicious sauce. It also comes with swiss cheese, which I skipped. Rob got The Melt, which looked awesome. Also, sweet potato tots.

I'm so excited to explore (and share) more restaurants around the area! If you have any favorites, please let me know.