Cold rainy days don’t interfere with our weekend fun, so we dressed for the weather on Saturday and headed to The Bristol Hotel for brunch. The hotel is one of our local favorites all year round, and the rooftop bar in summer is a lovely place to spend an afternoon.
Black straight-leg jeans and a cashmere sweater with a leather-trimmed blazer provided warmth and durability. However, I don’t wear pieces that are too precious in rainy weather since light colors and delicate fabrics will likely be ruined.
We enjoyed your comments on the last post immensely. I think Mr. Mickey wore these musical-themed socks for you.
We spent a lovely few hours on Saturday afternoon sharing some excellent appetizers and desserts along with a sparkling Prosecco wine from Veneto, Italy. This was our only meal besides some fresh fruit and cottage cheese in the morning with coffee.
Pictured are the French Onion Soup with Gruyere, Mojo Shrimp Cocktail, and Roasted AJO (garlic) Hummus appetizers.
vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce
whipped cream shaved dark chocolate
Disaronno Amaretto Liqueur is also from Italy, and it is a lovely ending to your meal, with or as dessert.
Bristol lies on the border of Tennessee and Virginia, with the state line passing down the middle of State Street. The drive to Bristol from Johnson City takes about thirty-five minutes. It is about an hour longer if you drive from Asheville, NC.
All the elements of our looks are several years old and similar to things I’ve linked to many times.
Dressing for the weather is just as important as dressing for the occasion! I so enjoy your outings and salivate at your menu choices! Hope 2023 provides many more date opportunities in lovely places!
I hope, hope, hope someone made your picture together, beautiful coordinating. Or….. you will have to wear it again!
Y’all look awesome! So glad you could get out and enjoy yourselves. Love all the photos and the food looks divine.
I see an umbrella under the table. Did you wear a raincoat or any outerwear?
No, it wasn’t that cold, and we just had a few steps to take from the car into the building.
Deliziosamente carina Ed elegante come sempre
Buon inizio settimana a tutti due.
What a lovely repast. Where do Mr. Mickey’s socks come from. They are certainly fun.
He buys socks in men’s stores, online, and in department stores. I’ll ask him if he remembers where he got those.
He has purchased several pairs of socks here.
Of course you guys are color-coordinated! And I went straight for those socks, enlarging them to discover musical notes, even before I saw your comment on them! Everything looks lovely and the food–delicious!
Mr Mickey always looks so dapper and your goodself always elegant.
Venue, food, fashion perfection…Thanks for taking us along with you!
What a great tribute to the Bristol! We are under two feet of snow, but when it leaves we can go to brunch and enjoy chocolate torte too. My husband wears bacon-and-eggs socks to brunch! We love reading all about your munching masterpieces and hope to visit your lovely states soon! Love the coordinating outfits; looking forward to your spring collaborations.
Susan,
I so enjoy and look forward to your blogs every week. They provide so much information not only on fashion but living graciously. As others have mentioned before me, if you desired to write a book, it would be very well received. In the meantime, thank you for including us on your journeys.
Love that you are including more photos of the dapper Mr. Mickey. Your posts are always inspiring and uplifting. Bless you and Mr. Mickey for all the ways you help and inspire others to improve their lives.
You go to the BEST places! How do you find them?
I find places using the Maps app on my phone or Tripadvisor.
This is delightful post.
You & Mr Mickey are so fortunate to have each other.
Never take it for granted.
What do you put in for your search? Your places are definitely fine dining!
Sometimes I look for what is open now or read about what comes up as local that sounds interesting. Other times we visit places because friends mentioned a new location they like, but we always avoid national chains and fast food. Searching for fine dining or the specific type of food you want also provides good results.
The choices you & Mr. Mickey made for your meal look so delicious! Lingering over lovely food & conversation for several hours would be wonderful! We always seem to be in a rush to get the food down – even though we are both retired and have no need to hurry. I think I’ll use this inspirational post to encourage my sweetheart that it would be more than ok to slow down!
What a lovely couple you & Mr. Mickey are!
The outfits are perfect! Mr. mickey’s socks are a hit with me! And oh, that food looks so good!
Thank you so much for sharing your adventures and upbeat outlook on life with us.
I love that you are active and enjoy doing all sorts of activities. Thanks for sharing the outfits and places you go to.
Lovely couple. Enjoy seeing your out and about photos and comments. Thanks for sharing.
Another delightful post! As so many have said before, your posts always lift and inspire us in many ways — while offering valuable style ideas. Dressing for the rain with rich, dark colors — it’s genius. I’m see another helpful element in your look. I purchased a beautiful black, gray and white scarf from you several years ago, but have not worn it. I can see from the burgundy sweater in your post, I need to add a color! It always looked lifeless when I tried it with all black. Surprised Mr Mickey’s photo doesn’t have “Photo from The Bristol Hotel website” below it!
So nice to enjoy each other’s company with delicious treats and cocktails in a beautiful venue! Love your fashions too.
Loved this post! Gorgeous hotel, delicious looking food & you both look so sharp (especially the music-note socks! ) What a fun outing this must have been!
Love you both! Thank you for sharing your adventures!
Looks like a great place to spend a rainy afternoon. The food looks divine! And who doesn’t love a guy with great socks??!!
I love seeing you both together and reading about your adventures. I hope you have many more of such lovely afternoons!
Thank you for sharing. Seeing your lovely adventures is something to aspire to.
You both look wonderful, and most importantly, happy.
The shots of the food choices is making me hungry! I like your simple elegant outfit, perfect for possible rain getting in and out of your vehicle.
Your weekend sounds like fun, and you look fabulous, love the musical socks, blessings to both of you.
You and Mr Mickey make such a handsome couple. Always so wonderfully coordinated in your dress. Thank you so much for including us in your adventures.
I live in Western Australia so it’s like travelling the world when you post about your beautiful part of the world -particularly those places I’m never likely to visit.
I love how you measure out your pleasures. I enjoy all the details of your routines and adventures with Mr Mikey.
A happy post as always, love your classy look black is so smart when put together like that and again a well chosen scarf to
take it to elegant status.
Now Susan I remarked on last post about Mr Mickeys ‘ Mickey ‘ socks and again with those fab polished shoes today the ‘Musical
socks, thumbs up. No one does shiny shoes and cars like him, he takes pride in his belongings as I know you do for instance
with your beautiful ‘ bag’ collection. It’s a reminder to us readers to look after ourselves and our belongings.
I was in Supermarket yesterday and your words were going around in my head ‘eating for maximum heath’ but I did cave in and bought some cakes, rest of my shopping was ‘ clean eating’.
Thank you as always for such inspirational tips over the years. I didn’t feel to guilty buying cake when I read your post today
and no doubt you devoured that banana bread dessert and ice cream.! Well one does have to have a little treat lol.
Do you have fun socks Susan? I have a few fun scarves ie tiny prints of sheep with a black one dotted here and there it’s so sweet.
I have classy scarves but I do like a quirky theme too without it being garish.
As always Pamela from Wales UK x
The only “fun socks” I own are thick wool hiking socks meant to protect my feet on those five-plus-mile hikes I enjoy so much.
What a lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon! Prosecco can def lift one’s spirits.
Love Mr. Mickey’s socks. My hubby always wears interesting socks, too – martini, wine, baseball and crabs. I sure miss Stein Mart where I used to buy.
Beautiful you as always.
Vikki Andrews
I noticed Mr Micky had a Gentlemen’s walking stick! We have my husbands grandfathers stored in our grandfather clock. I would love to see him out and about one day using it. Thank you for all your posts.
Mr. Mickey’s walking stick is over one hundred years old, with the most beautiful script engraving adorning the knob. It is an elaborate script that no one knows how to do now. This is where he found his stick.
Love the looks – especially the scarf and Mr. M’s socks. I’ve been working on my husband to wear “colorful ” socks.
I love your posts! Wonderful to see you and Mr. Mickey enjoying life to the fullest!
You two have the most fun and are both so polished and refined looking. Thanks for posting your excursions at so many locations. “Life is a journey, not a destination”. – Ralph Waldo Emerson. P.S., Cool socks Mr. Mickey.
Always love your posts Susan, enjoy seeing you and Mr. Mickey match clothing on your outings! God bless! NH
Love your looks……especially yours….I need to review my 3rd piece….jackets, shalls and the like……and get my cute husband some fun socks!
Thank you for your wonders posts….
Fun blog. Thank you for sharing.
Susan, I just saw your likeness imposed on a woman in a bra advertisement video on Facebook. I know you would not do such a thing and was aghast. I did not catch the brand name of the product, but I believe it is aimed at older women.
Unfortunately, the unauthorized use of my images continues.
You both look terrific as usual! It’s fun to get out and about; something my husband and I do as often as we can.
It usually centers around eating out as well. Retirement is grand!
The food looks awesome!
Always fun to read your posts about livin’ life!
Looks lovely! The monochromatic look with the scarf is so flattering!
You are an inspiration!
Dapper couple, to be sure! And the wonky glass made me chuckle.
What fun.
Wow and double wow! I hope you both know that wherever you were headed, you would be, if not subtly, but down right stared at because you look absolutely stunning. Turning heads must almost be ho hum about now as when you “dress up” casual or otherwise, You will undoubtedly turn heads with appreciation to see such a nice looking couple looking so divine. Definitely not the slovenly look most people aspire to that is for sure. Maybe you will start a trend of looking appropriate, clean cut and “adorable.” Classy with a big smile, yup, that is the two of you.
Clara from Iowa
Love your style. Both of you. Love getting out of the house don’t you ??? Have fun live your best life ❤️
What a handsome couple you two are. I so enjoy your posts.
Wow Susan! You and Mr. Mickey look so dapper. My mouth is watering at the pictures of the delicious food! I hope you continue to visit these wonderful places and post your experiences for us to share. Thank you!
Love the Wobbly Glass. It is probably hand blown and each one is unique. I loved all the pictures. Bristol is a beautiful town. It looks like your day is Bristol was delightful. My father lived in Hendersonville NC, just south of Asheville, for a number of years. We loved to visit the Biltmore every time we visited.
What a classy looking, fun couple! I love the vibrant face on aging that you and Mr.Mickey convey! I always feel sad when I see older people who have “given up” on how they present themselves!
You and Mr. Mickey always look very put together and relaxed. You live a charmed life and it shows. Love all your posts.
What a nice place for brunch. Thank you for sharing. I do remember that Bristol had some nice places for dining. Some great suggestions for eating. It all looked good.
Such a handsome couple you make, both of you exude style and I always look forward to your posts so please keep them coming
Absolutely charming, both of you! You inspire me to select clothing and products to make my healthy happy 83 year old body as presentable as possibly instead of an eyesore. We, in the western states can easily slip into sloppy when the temperature rises.
We, too, have one of those timelessly classic canes Mr. Mickey is sporting.
Please continue to help us be our best selves, inside and out!
Thank you for taking us along on your outing to Bristol. Mr. M’s socks were very fitting given the history of Bristol on the website. The photos of your meal selections were mouthwatering and beautifully presented. Too funny on the wonky glass. I was given a humorous glass from a dear friend that says “Buzzed” on the label. It has been such a long time since I enjoyed Amaretto – thank you for the reminder! It’s so nice to see you both enjoying life together to the fullest. You radiate positivity!
Greetings! My husband and I live far out in the country, not a fine hotel within hundreds of miles, but oh do we love Disaronno after dinner.
Susan, this has nothing to do with this post. In past pictures, I noticed how lovely your “mother in law” plant is
It looks so healthy. Can you please tell me how you take care of it. Thank you!
I only give it a cup of water on Sunday and keep it warm. They don’t like drafts. I often put them outside in the summer but only in the shade. They’ve even bloomed a few times.
You both look terrific. Looks like you both had a wonderful time.
Restaurant looks Deco style. Nice. The onion soup made my mouth water and Mr. Mickey’s socks made me giggle. Sounds like you two always have a lot of fun while looking elegant too.
Love the socks , such fun . A positive attitude certainly helps keep a person young. Here in the north of England it’s still very cold . We’re wearing heavy coats and everything feels so drab . Can’t wait to wear bright, light clothes again and white trousers. Roll on spring.
You two look so great. You are beautiful and Mr. Mickey is really handsome.
Love the sock attitude. ALL of the postings are worthwhile
You are so beautiful Susan and Mr. Mickey is so handsome!! I love looking at all your photos and hearing the story of your day together.
Love & Blessings
Jacqui (Canada)
Been following you for many years,from Johannesburg South Africa. Your blog has inspired me to cruise from Athens to Rome with my gorgeous and delightful 86 year old mother. Your packing tips are always a win.
As always your posts are inspiring! We drive by Bristol twice a summer from the South to the Northeast One more place to try. You need to write a travel book…you and Mr. Mickey are Role models for resilience, optimism, and style!
You look very nice Susan, always a polished look!
Thank you for showing me the parts of USA I would like to visit. Away from the major cities and national parks I am yet to see some lovely places.
Take care