Girls’ Day in the City

Having a family with four people can be great. But sometimes, the girls need time to themselves. Sometimes the boys (my husband and son) take off to do outdoor activities like riding ATVs or going fishing. On those special occasions, my daughter and I take the opportunity to pamper ourselves. The plus about living in a city like ours is that there is so much to do. We never run out of fun activities. I cannot wait for her to get older, so we can do bigger trips. Mexico, give us 7 years…lol. Many of the places we visit are accessible by the train. We love taking the train Uptown.

Self Care

In the mornings, we start by primping. I have dreads, so I only get color done at salons. However, the princess regularly gets her hair done. Our favorite stylist, Mr. Robert, owns Beautiful Essence Salon in Rivergate Shopping Center. He has been her stylist since she was 3 years old. Whether your hair is natural or relaxed, he can hook you up. The man has skills, and he is the only one who can do her hair without her crying (she’s tender-headed). 

Of course with hair comes nails. We have two salons we visit regularly. Most open early, like 9am. They have chairs that fit adults and little people. Plus, the cost is so low for the little people that you don’t mind if she messes her nails up by the end of the day. I usually get gel because I’m rough at my house and my job. I let her get regular…she doesn’t need to get baked…lol. Being that they have so many chairs, we are not in there long. The service is spectacular and the ambiance cannot be matched!

Nail Studio– Fort Mill: they get to know you by name!

Wet Paint Nail Bar- Steele Creek: they serve adult drinks 🙂

Entertainment

After getting our girly fix, we usually need some form of entertainment. No matter what you’re into, Charlotte can fulfill your needs. If you want to go outside, there are tons of parks: Freedom, Independence, Romare Bearden, and First Ward are my favorite. We usually pack a picnic (I keep a blanket in my trunk) and head that way. If I didn’t fix anything at home, I just pick up take out or dessert. 

If you’re more into academics, I recommend Discovery Place. There are three different places. Discovery Place Kids is located in Huntersville and has so many science related play spaces. They have a water station, first responders section and a grocery/restaurant section. For a style related more to hiking, visit Discovery Place Nature Center near Tyvola. The center houses different biomes and information centers. Lastly, for a cool tech scene, visit Discovery Place Uptown. They have stem kits and a large IMAX screen for science based movies. Another great visit, that’s not related to Discovery Place, is the Sea-Life Aquarium in Concord. It boasts sharks, stingrays, and a variety of other fish and coral. Finally, you have to check out the coolest library in America, ImaginOn. It has cool exhibits, tons of books, and offers unique programs that include children, for children.

Food

My favorite part of our girls’ day is the food. We don’t eat much, but we enjoy eating. Our favorite food is pizza, but occasionally we try things outside of that genre. We love food that’s photo friendly and yield enough for to-go boxes. We’ll eat the leftovers for dinner. Here’s some of our favorite spots!

Fahrenheit

Vapiano

Cuzzo’s Cuisine

Nappy Chef

Mellow Mushroom

The Pump House

Flower Child

Zoe’s Kitchen

Nana Morrison’s Soul Food

Fuel Pizza

Merts

7th Street Restaurant

Stats

Sonny’s BBQ

Dessert

After a long day of gallivanting around Charlotte, we like to cool off with a refreshing dessert. For a savory treat, we love donuts from Duck Donuts. If we’re feeling particularly rich, we go to Pop Bar. If I’m on the frugal side, I’ll pop by QT. If we’re just grabbing a quick ice cream, we’ll eat at Sweet Frog or Cold Stone. Sometimes, I’m on a health kick. At those stages in my life, we grab a smoothie at Smoothie King. 

My favorite part of the day, however, is when my daughter says, “This was the BEST day ever!”