6.22.2009

lunching.....

Good morning girls!


First i just wanted to let you know that Mason made it home safe and sound Saturday from his visit with the grandparents in Florida. He had a fabulous time and flew home by himself. .....on an airplane........


*whew*


I'm so glad he's back...safe.....with a tan.......and a smile.






Anyways, last week i was able to "sneak" off by myself for a whole day.....yes......you heard that right.......i have a lovely friend that took my kids for the whole day....and i think she only volunteered because there were only 2 children to take...since Mason was "vacationing".......


so what did i do....you ask?..........


well.......







I headed into my little "downtown" of St. Charles with a friend......we perused the Little shops nestled in old historic homes.........





This place is called Stonehouse.........I love it.....




Every charming downtown needs a bookstore/cafe...........a true indie........and charming........

and our little downtown sits right on the river.........









....and then i met a friend for lunch at the bookstore's backyard cafe....................................






....yes....you heard me.....a backyard cafe.......in back of a bookstore..........
love.love.love










...I had a glass of the finest Pinot Grigio.........................









.....and one of the best sandwiches i've had in a long time............







So, anytime you head here to St. Charles.....just let me know....I would love to meet you for lunch!




xo








56 comments:

The Little Red Shop said...

Very cool! The bungalow I am restoring is for expanding my shop...which is currently the size of a postage stamp...ahhh...they tore down the house across from it on Friday (the owner passed away last year)...I wish someone else would rescue and move a wonderful old house to that spot and put in a sweet little something...I would if I could!

Your town is LOVELY!

: )

Julie M.

Brunch at Saks said...

Oh my...if there was a backyard cafe in my town I don't think I would ever leave! What more could a girl want: books and yummy food?!

Lovely post :)

Lulu and Co. said...

What a wonderful day indeed! The town looks completely charming I could spend all day doing what you did.... and stopping for lunch with wine... yummmm
LuLu

La Table De Nana said...

A fun day for you:) You deserved that! Mason is very handsome! I am surprised you girls don't do more babysitting for each other:) It would give you some little afternoons off once in a while~
We love having our grandchildren and I know our daughters appreciate the time to themselves..not getting babies and kids out of car seats..trying on things.. window shopping etc..:)

ccreatif said...

That is my dream, owning a bookstore/cafe in my little town.And if I can't own it, I would like to work there.
You took time for yourself, way to go! :-)

Unknown said...

What a beautiful way to spend a day!

Maisy said...

looks delicious....
happy you had a great day!
xoxo

Unknown said...

i love the stonehouse! glad you had a day to yourself, so nice of your friend!

vicki archer said...

That freedom to do what you want - isn't that just the best Kasey...xv

vicki archer said...

That freedom to do what you want - isn't that just the best Kasey...xv

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

Looks awesome - a whole day? What would that be like?

Brandie said...

Am I living in the wrong town or what? I am quite envious of your little indie book store (I want one here to haunt so badly) but to have a little cafe behind? Now that is special. What a lovely little slice of heaven!

Suzanne said...

Oh, that's fun. I haven't done the St. Charles thing in awhile. Usually the ladies insist on going to Geneva. Do you attend the Thursday night concerts in the park? A great little country band called Tin Horse is going to be there on July 23rd.

- Suzanne

Brenna LaPray said...

Stonehouse looks so peaceful. I'm glad you had a wonderful day. Do you think it would be possible to find a friend to take my 5 kids for a day?? I don't either.
I'm glad that Mason made it home safely. He sure looks a lot like Bryan in that picture.

J.J. said...

That looks like such a fun afternoon!!! Makes me want to come there just to have lunch with you!

Janelle said...

How fun to have a whole day to shop and eat out for lunch. Can't imagine doing that, especially on a weekday. We have tons of shops just down the street from us and I haven't even made my way in some of them after living here for 4 years. You'd love it here I think.

Tara said...

Sounds wonderful Kasey, the next time I am in your town I will call you for lunch, k? Love the photos, looks so charming! XO

a.love said...

another place to visit on my long gypsy list of places to go! :)

koralee said...

What a charming...lovely day you had...and so glad to here your son made it home safe and sound...have a great Monday!

Jeanne Oliver said...

So thankful that Mason is home safe and he had a great time. St. Charles has always been one of my favorite towns. Glad you had a nice day with friends.

Anonymous said...

that sounds lovely! Glad your son is home safe!

Farmgirl Paints said...

I've been to St. Charles! So much fun. That to me would be a perfect day. Glad you got a chance to "get away":)

Laura said...

I can be there by noon...

oh how I wish! This is exactly my kind of day....

and FYI..I will take your kids anytime...the more the merrier...

Lisa said...

Well, now. I may just have to take you up on that offer. And should you ever find yourself in Asheville, NC, look me up. I believe you would find our area equally charming! Glad you had such a lovely "break". Also glad your young man is safely home! :)

Chablis said...

Dreamy!! My gosh, I gotta move to Illinois. I'm from Utah, they have places like this that are my favoite, but not as cute.

I will be calling if I'm ever that way.

I can't wait to get the package!! It will be like Christmas!

Oh, and what a darling pic of Mason!

mrs boo radley said...

Mason is way cute.

Would write more but my pot of yams and beets is boiling...gotta go. xo

Sarah said...

Sounds fabulous! So glad Mason is home safe! I think a trip to St.Charles needs to be put on my calendar! :)

Rue said...

Your town is perfect Kasey! A little bit of Mayberry right there... LOVE it :)

xoxo,
rue

TheSuiteLife said...

Looks like so much fun! Wish I could have "met" you online before we moved away from the area so we could have met in person....sigh. Looks like a fabulous day!

Kacey said...

St. Charles sounds like a beautiful little town! I love that small-town feel.

Vana said...

yes i went to the town house books twice with my gals. Next time we're in St. Charles you're coming along. Loved the food and the atmosphere.

Wendy said...

It's a date! ;-)

Michelle, All Home and Love said...

What a beautiful place to walk around! Love the old homes.
~Michelle

Jackie said...

Sounds like perfection!

Leah C said...

Oh it all looks so lovely! So glad you got a day to "yourself"...it does feel good to unwind, doesn't it? Wishing you another day like that again soon:)
P.S. Happy to hear your sweet boy made it home safely:)

~Grace Happens~ said...

Cute town!!! It's got such character. Glad your son is back! I would have been a nervous wreck!

Jen from Windy Ridge said...

We drove by st. charles and I would have LOVE to stop and explore!

Tracy ~Seeking Refinement~ said...

i'm SO there.....

xo

Kristin said...

Love this! Eating lunch with you would be a blast and precious at the same time.

Andrea Villarreal said...

Oh I would have stayed all day:) That sandwhich looks delish! And books what more could you ask for??
Love the previous post that's funny:)

Its So Very Cheri said...

Is this St Charles, Mo? I grew up in Kansas City.
Cheri
www.itssoverycheri.blogspot.com

tracey said...

So glad Mason had a great time! I was just at Panache the other day myself and bought the prettiest necklace. I haven't been in Stonehouse in forever though, I'll have to go back and check it out soon. Sounds like you had a lovely day:)
T

Amanda said...

Your town is SO charming! At first I thought it may be one that we saw taking the train in from Wheaton, but pulled up a map and realized it's further West. Anyway, it's adorable and hope I can visit someday.

paperbird said...

What a beautiful sweet town.

Suzanne : : S.HOPtalk said...

Charm galore...right up my alley. I love that you had wine with lunch. I'm a Pinot Grigio girl too. :) Glad you had such a wonderful day.

traci said...

so glad mason made it home safe and sound. what a wonderful day. good for you. i haven't walked around st. charles in a long time. we'll have to do that together someday.

Pretty Little World said...

This sounds like a perfectly lovely day!! All of these places are certainly places that I would love to visit -- all of the shops look very charming!

(And the sandwich looks tasty as well!)

Amanda said...

Oh trust me, I know! I grew up in SE Michigan! I actually miss MI summers... not so much the humidity, but I pretty much love how green it is, the warm nights, and especially our cottages on the lake "up-north!"

Alicia said...

I so adore your blog!! I've had a blast looking through it! I have a boy named Mason too =)

Christina said...

wow, it sounds like you had an amazing time (and your son is so cute!)

meg duerksen said...

i have been there!
it's so yummy! thanks for that memory today!

stacy di said...

what a great place! and so nice to sneak away for a fun afternoon!

glad your son made it back safely!

Southern Foothills said...

Wow, this is my kinda place for lunch!

Alyssa said...

you went to all my fav's - I need to get over to Stonehouse and buy a rug soon :) So glad you had a fun, relaxing day...

The Lind Family said...

I was so surprised to see this little bookstore cafe on your blog....I've been there!!!! I recoginzed it from a visit I made to my cousin a few years ago. I LOVED that place! I want to go back!!! My family is in Naperville and my mom grew up in Wheaton. You are so blessed to live there.

It' an Evolution said...

I love town house books...when I worked at Anderson Consulting I went there all the time...oh lets meet for lunch sometime...I forgot all about how wonderful St. Charles is.
Janet