Explore where you moved to in a targeted way

We have mentioned to each other several times that we were surprised there wasn't a really good bakery in our new hometown. So while we were driving Saturday I decided to see if there really wasn't or if we just hadn't found it. Enter a list from Google and a 1 1/2 hour dog grooming session to wait out in a very hot day.

I first went and joined AAA to check off another of those move to-do items I never finished. Then I drove around trying to find all the bakeries on my list.

I now have a list of a very expensive bakery that looks to be quite good or at least quite visually appealing in terms of cakes and pastries, a cupcake place I know is delicious, and a busy Mexican style bakery and lunch spot.

Some samples may even have been purchased and eaten in the name of research - hot chocolate cupcake anyone? Delicious.

Spiced chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, whipped cream, cinnamon dust, and chocolate shavings

While driving around I also found a newly opened Tifa Chocolate and Gelato which is apparently their second location in the county, a Noah's Bagels, and a charming little bookstore called Mrs. Fig's Bookworm.

I was unable to find one of the bakeries on my list so will do more research to see if it still exists. So many businesses here are in mini-malls and thus are hard to see from the street even if you have an address.

Yesterday I stopped in at the town aquatic center to register for private swim lessons and found it is quite a lovely facility. Waiting to hear if I got a spot to work with an instructor to refine my lap swimming technique. If I do it is 4 half hour lessons a week for 2 weeks. Way to get back into swimming or truly decide it isn't for me.

Tomorrow a new friend and I are going to try the women owned wine bar in one of the mini-malls as a lunch outing. It looks like they have good salads and sandwiches on their menu.

I am now inspired to come up with more lists of things to research and try in my new hometown.