This past girls’ weekend was too much fun! Like I mentioned in my last post, Purvi and I hadn’t spent much quality time together since our weddings over two years ago. But we changed that by trying different restaurants, exploring different neighborhoods, and relaxing, all while catching up on life.

Quick side story (that is still relevant) – while chit chatting Thursday night, we realized that it’s been five years (to the weekend) since Purvi and I moved in together my last year of grad school. We decided to dedicate the weekend to celebrating that!

We kicked off Purvi’s arrival with dinner and drinks at Balan’s. The food is pretty good, but what I really love about this restaurant is the location. It’s smack dab in the middle of a very busy and fun area. It also doesn’t hurt that the truffle mac n’ cheese is out of this world delicious!

While we didn’t make it to the beach this time around, we did get to spend a few hours by the pool one of the days. I can’t remember the last time I relaxed by a pool. We spent our time reading (I got Purvi hooked on Gone Girl!), talking, and swimming. It honestly felt like we were on vacation on some faraway island!

One of the places I definitely wanted to take Purvi to was Andiamo. After trying their pizza with Vishnu, I am determined to take all of our visitors there – it’s that good! We enjoyed a half eggplant and tomato/half rosemary potato with gorgonzola pizza. Again, not only is the food worth your while, but the ambiance and the service are great as well.

And of course we spent an entire afternoon ducking in and out of stores on Lincoln Mall Road. While neither of us bought anything, we did build up quite an appetite and decided to eat lunch at Huahua’s Taqueria. This was actually a new-to-me restaurant, and I’m so glad we decided to check it out. The menu is full of fresh Tex-Mex type items, but the main highlight are the tacos. Purvi and I decided to get two tacos each with a side of queso to share. One of my tacos was stuffed with a spicy veggie mixture and tofu crema, while the other one had fried avocado. I will definitely be back!

Purvi, like me, loves to run. In fact, she just started training for her 2^nd marathon! I couldn’t let her leave without experiencing my favorite running route, so on Saturday evening, we went for a 4.5 mile run. Running with Purvi made me realize how much I love having a running partner. The time seriously flew by. Maybe I can convince Vishnu to run with me again!

Something else Purvi and I have in common is our love for dancing, so on Saturday night we met up with our friend Khusbu and her coworkers for a girls’ night out. We started with dinner at Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita and then went to a lounge to dance the night away. Good times were had by all!

We slept in a little on Sunday and then just hung out around the apartment for a few hours before showering and heading out to Coconut Groove. I knew Purvi would love this neighborhood and its cute little restaurants and shops. After walking around a bit, we decided to eat a late lunch/early dinner at Lokal. The veggie burgers we ordered were super hearty and tasty, but the fries stole the show – perfectly seasoned and surprisingly not too greasy. I told Vishnu that we have to go back soon, as it is definitely his kind of restaurant – great food, a huge selection of beers, and a fun quirky vibe.

After dropping Purvi off at the airport, I went for a short walk and then proceed to fall asleep at 9:45. I was wiped!

Anyways, here’s to a fun girls’ weekend with a great friend! I can’t wait to do it again soon.

What would your ultimate girls/guys weekend include?