We all know Valentine's Day recently past. Instead of doing the "go out to dinner" date with my boyfriend, Tony. I wanted to surprise him with a nice ride and a trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. We always wanted to go to one of the museums here in Richmond but didn't have time. So that was our Valentine's date that weekend, and of course, we brought Adora along.

First, let's talk about the car we were cruising in that week! I drove the fully loaded, 2018 AWD Grand Touring Mazda CX-5 for a week. It is such a nice car. I wish I was able to switch my car in for the Mazda, haha. The CX-5 was a nice size for my family. We all had leg space and enough room in the trunk for our belongings.

My favorite features of the 2018 Mazda CX-5 were the rearview camera, advanced blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, USB ports in the front and back, and the many options for music. It's also great on gas, and the ride was very smooth. I loved the rearview camera because it gave me the needed assurance that I could back up safely. Same goes for the advanced blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alerts. I'm a very safe driver(I have zero tickets, and never been stopped) but these two features made the driving experience more secure. I hate needing to get a car charger with a socket. So when I see a car that provides USB ports I'm immediately grateful, haha! That way I can just bring my house charger for my phone, or tablet. Furthermore, the USB ports in the back are a plus when traveling with more than two people. Which gives passengers in the back a place to charge their devices. In the Mazda CX-5, you won't need an AUX cord to play music. It features Bluetooth, Pandora, and other internet radio integration options. The Bluetooth and Pandora options are enough for me to enjoy the ride!

Enough about what I loved, let's get into how the 2018 Mazda CX-5 looks and a few other features we can all enjoy! It has a sporty style, with a show-stopping red exterior. Along with a luxury, white interior. This showstopper is a keyless push-to-start car. So there's no need to put the key in the ignition. It has all around heated seats, along with heated side mirrors, and steering wheel(available in packages). With just the push of a button, you can open and close the trunk. The CX-5 can alert you when you need to immediately break or when you're unintentionally crossing over to the next lane. The music travels through Bose speakers. While the car is powered by a Skyactiv®-G engine with cylinder deactivation. There are many more features to love and enjoy, you can check out more information about the 2018 Mazda CX-5 here.

Now that I showed off the ride we were cruising in. Let's talk about our visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. I'm a very artistic person. I went to college for graphic design and always loved art since I can remember. I usually visit art museums or events when I need inspiration. Lately, I've been needing a lot of it! So for me, this visit was much needed. Ever since we moved to Richmond, Tony wanted to check out the museum.

Overall, we enjoyed the VMFA. We didn't get to see everything because some exhibitions you had to get tickets for. Next time we plan to go on a tour instead. That way we can really enjoy the art and sculptures. I would also love to go to a few of their events; like wine and art, jazz cafe, or an up-down, turn around class for Adora.

The collections we did see were South Asian Art, Decorative Arts after 1890, Modern and Contemporary Art, and Photography: Like a Study in Black History. We didn't get a chance to visit the ancient Greek and African art on the 2nd floor(which is what I really wanted to see). Adora started to get cranky so we had to leave but we did enjoy the collections we saw. I love to see the similarities and differences in art and sculptures between each culture and how art has evolved! I didn't take many pictures because I was too busy taking everything in! If you're ever in Richmond, definitely tour the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts you won't be disappointed!!

Ride Along With Us and Experience Mazda