Bachelorette ATL

It's so fun to be at an age where a lot of your friends are getting married! I'm fortunate to have a husband who doesn't fuss about me taking a weekend away with the girls. This particular trip was to one of my favorite cities: Atlanta, GA. We did have an incident there a couple of years ago, but I'm trying not to let it ruin my happy memories.

I got in late Friday night and met the girls at Flip Burger. I'm very sad I had to miss the meal, but I had to work and make the long drive. Flip Burger is owned by Richard Blais one of the hubby and I's favorite chef's from Bravo TV's Top Chef. I did however, make it in time for dessert: a nutella and burnt marshmallow liquid nitrogen milkshake. It was SOOO yummy but even too rich for the bride and I to finish together. Definitely a place I want to go back with the hubby.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel for some drinks and games. Another bridesmaid planned the whole weekend and she did a FABULOUS job. Our hub was the Hyatt Place Buckhead. Perfect location. Safe. It was a short walk to many restaurants, stores, and a MARTA station. She made the whole board game herself with bachelorette themed charades cards and trivia cards personalized to the bride and groom! It was so thoughtful and fun!

Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the hotel and took MARTA down to Georgia Tech where we did the Taste of Atlanta food/wine/beer/cocktail festival. It made for a PERFECT day. The weather was amazing and it set the tone for the whole day. We ordered VIP tickets (definitely worth the extra money). The allowed us access to the VIP tent all day (read: all you can drink and eat). The bridesmaid who planned everything had costume challenges throughout the day. We started with stick on mustaches (a big hit with the crowd). progressed to pirate eye patches (those didn't last long--a safety hazard when you're drinking), and skeleton gloves. I would do this again in a heartbeat. We got to sample all kinds of different foods and beverages. I finally got to try Korean BBQ (yum!!) and also had a mini burger, white beans with kale, duck sausage, gourmet grilled cheese, a crab springroll, spinach and artichoke dip, hummus, black bean chili, a mini chicken taco, and I'm sure there's more. Everything was just a small sample and it was fun to try so many new and different things. Also, I drank a lot of great wines. After about 5 hours, we rolled our gluttonous selves back to MARTA and to the hotel.

Everyone needed a nap, but I was not going to pass up my chance to head down the street and hit up my favorite grocery store of all time: Trader Joes. I could have waited until Sunday, but GA doesn't sell alcohol on Sundays. (Come on, people! Jesus turned water into WINE!) I've made that mistake once before (See Roanoke, VA post). This time, I wasn't missing my "Two-Buck Chuck." So, I forfeited my much needed siesta and headed to shop. I loaded up a serious cart full of wine, dried fruits, sauces, tortilla chips (they have the best) and whole wheat gnocchi (a favorite of the hubby). WHYYY CAN'T THERE BE ONE CLOSER???

We pushed our dinner reservations back to 9:00...after all we had been eating and drinking ALL day. We got all fancied up (and then made the bride wear the customary ridiculous bachelorette tiara, veil, sash, and beads) and took a taxi to Eclipse di Luna. Tapas was the perfect choice. If we had all ordered full meals, I think we would have exploded. Instead, we had a scrumptious pitcher of red sangria, salads, fried green beans, patatas bravas, and atun a la placha (herb encrusted tuna). 4 people. 4 tapas dishes. And we didn't even finish them. But, they were very yummy. It was a great atmosphere! Live music! We sat on the heated patio. We ordered a 2nd round of drinks (beer for everyone, very yummy mojito for me) and things were starting to die down. The waitress brought out this contraption and it brought the whole patio back to life!! So much fun and definitely a way to liven things up!

I did some research and finally found one. It's call an El Porron. My heart says "buy it!" my head says, "do we need something else to sit in the cabinet?"

Like the last bachelorette party, we passed around a notebook everywhere we went asking for funny or serious marital advice. If you're planning a bachelorette party... I would definitely recommend doing this! It can be sweet, hilarious, and makes a great souvenir for the bride!

The checklist came out...
















and headed for the clubs/bars. We hit the Buckhead scene and had fun! I think the bride had a blast and accomplished most of her checklist! Note: Boys in Buckhead were not nearly as willing to buy the bride drinks as the boys in New Orleans and Nashville. Maybe a younger crowd?? I don't know but she had fun and that's what matters!

Sunday morning: walked to breakfast at The Flying Biscuit Cafe. Had to wait a while to get in but it was DELICIOUS!! Their grits were creamy and dreamy (as advertised)...best I've ever had. Found this recipe online...must try. Everyone (except me) had the Southern Scramble with collard greens and said it was very yummy. I decided to try something totally different and went with the Egg-Ceptional Eggs. HOLY BREAKFAST COW! Sometimes trying new things is disappointing...this whole weekend new choices were amazing and broadened my horizons. Blackbean cakes topped with over-medium eggs, topped with rosted tomatillo salsa, sour cream and feta cheese! And of course, everything came with a scrumptious biscuit.

After breakfast, we parted ways. I dropped two of the ladies off at the airport and headed home. Everyone had a good time, especially the bride. Successful weekend! :)

The South Rises! RI

What a special trip! We took a lovely trip to Rhode Island with my grandparents, parents, sister, and aunt. We flew out Friday after work and arrived into Providence around midnight.

We stayed in a older, but nice lake house right outside of East Matunuk beach.

Saturday morning we woke up and had breakfast at the house. Then, we all loaded up and Grandpa took us to all of the places he grew up. They moved around a lot and I'm pretty sure we saw the whole state.

It was so nice to hear him reminisce about the places he lived, worked, went to school, etc. We made stops throughout the day to get out and walk around. And we had lunch at the FAMOUS Olneyville N.Y. System. We enjoyed the scrumptious hot wieners (read: wee-nahs), french fries with vinegar (read: vine-ee-gah), and coffee milk (read: coif-ee melk). It really was yummy, but even better for the soul. They even (by our special request) unsanitarily stacked the wieners up their arms like the used to in the old days...

 It's fun to think that my grandpa was sitting at that exact same counter eating the same things in the 50's! The people there took great care of us and embraced our touristy nostalgia. 

Like any good tourists, we also made a stop at the LaSalle Bakery. I'm not a huge sweets person, but maybe because they don't have sweets like this in the South. The chocolate eclair was to die for!!!

We also stopped and picked up some local wines and a bottle of Rhode Island Hard Cider for my sis's upcoming 21st bday and then headed back to the beach house. We rested for a few minutes and then headed out to pick up my great aunt and my dad's cousins. Then, we headed through Massachusetts to Bristol, RI. Here, you find one of my Grandpa's favorite restaurants. We went on our last trip to RI (10 years ago). They're famous for their baked stuffed lobster. The group also chowed down on stuffed quahogs (eh) and steamers (gag me!) But they really seemed to enjoy them. My sister and I enjoyed the bread basket and they had a fabulous house Italian salad dressing! Going back would not be my top choice, but I'd go anywhere to see my grandpa happy!

Sunday morning we went to a really nice grocery store... I wish I could remember what it was called... it was very "Fresh Market--y". Us girls enjoyed just wandering around and looking at all of the different products. My mom got the most beautiful dahlia. 

After that we went and walked on the Atlantic and drove down to Point Judith. We were in a hurry and didn't get to stop at the light house... next time. The Atlantic is pretty, but we all know I'm a beach snob. I'll take our white sand and pretty seashells over gray muck and rocks any day :) 

Next on the agenda was the cookout. Beautiful weather and lots of family and friends. I think it was a perfect day! I got to meet some new family and that is always special. It was such a casual day. We talked, grilled, watched football, and just enjoyed each other's company. I love to get all gussied-up and go out, but sometimes the laid back days are the best ones. 

There were some beautiful swans at the lake. Andrew and I took some of our younger cousins down and fed them some left over hamburger and hot dogs. Who doesn't love acting like a kid and feeding the birds (unless they're seagulls, pigeons, or any other bird that's likely to poop on your head)? 

AND THERE WAS A BUNNY! I get excited about the little things in life, I know!

Monday morning we went out to Newport to visit some of the Newport Mansions. First, we made a stop at the visitors center and then drove down to see the mansions. Our first stop was accidental. We thought we were going to The Breakers. When we all unloaded out of the van, I thought it looked smaller and less extravagant than the last time we went. But, that was ten years ago, so I thought maybe I was wrong. I wasn't. It was Salve Regina University. However, it ended up being one of those beautiful mistakes because we could wander around and take photos. The building was exquisite!

 Could you imagine having a fire in here??? I would have loved to live back in the days when these houses were happening! I could have definitely schmoozed with the Vanderbilts! Wait! I would like to bring modern plumbing, heating/AC, and my smart phone with me though, OK?

Anyways, we then actually made it to The Breakers. Andrew and I took the cliff walk. It is very nicely done and a great way to see the houses and a charming view of the ocean if you don't mind walking a little.   Have you ever been to the Biltmore in Ashville, NC? If not, you should go...it's FABULOUS! I want to go back at Christmas someday. I digress. The Breakers is the people who owned the Biltmore (the Vanderbilt's) summer home. It is overly-extravagant to a ridiculous point. It is much like going to a museum. When you get there, they give you a player and headphones for a self guided tour. (Note: I asked and they do not sanitize the headphones between visitors, but you can opt for no headphones and just hold the player close to your ear!)

After The Breakers, we went to the Newport Creamery. It was recommended by a friend. I think it must be more of a nostalgia place. Their big thing is the Awful, Awful.  

The food wasn't "awful, awful (hah! i crack myself up)." Just typical diner food. I probably wouldn't go back again...
After lunch we went to The Marble House. It is another part of the mansions of Newport. I really liked it as well.

It's a ginormous, magnificent house with so much marble. My favorite was the red marble. The woman who owned it, Alva Vanderbilt was very big in the women's suffrage movement and she was from Mobile, AL. Her divorce was one of the first among New York society. It sounded like she was a pistol! Out back is this cool little pagoda they use as a tea house. So, you have this huge house with all of this imported marble that took years and tons of $$ to build... they lived there for 3 summers!!!! Then, Alva decided to move down the street but keep the house for a closet and to do her laundry. Ahem! Excuse me to HAVE her laundry done for her. Big money, big problems, right? I keep telling myself that...

Monday night we went to one of my dad's cousins house for dinner with the whole family. I think there were about 20 of us. They're Italian so we ATE (and then ate and ate and ate) and drank and talked (and yelled) and talked and laughed all night. It was so fun to see my Grandpa with his only sister. Family is a beautiful thing whether it's people you see every day or every 10 years!

It was truly a beautiful trip and happy memories that will last a lifetime.

Ideas for the next trip:
-Plan a long enough trip for side trips to Boston and maybe NYC.
-Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival (September)
-Take the ferry from North Kingston to Martha's Vineyard

N'awlins

The hubby and I took a late anniversary/pre-back to school getaway to the Crescent City. I love New Orleans! It is such a unique city. We only spent 2 nights, but made the decision it is too convenient to not come back often. We got a great deal and stayed at the Hotel Monteleone!

The hotel was perfect. The location was AMAZING! It has a old school feel with modern conveniences. I knew I was in love from the moment we walked in the door to a live jazz trio...

Another unique feature of the hotel was the Carousel Bar. Yes, it actually spins...no worries...verrrryyy slowly. Bar snack= Zap's Cajun Crawtators in your own individual bowl (screw you nasty bar nuts that peoples dirty hands have been digging in for days) When we made the reservation, we told them we were celebrating our anniversary. Upon arrival, there was an envelope waiting for us with an anniversary card with gift certificates for two drinks at the Carousel Bar (way better than free cheap champagne if you ask me).

Our room wasn't ready when we got there. They kindly stored our luggage and we took to explore the French Quarter. We landed at the Gumbo Shop, it had been recommended by friends and did not disappoint. It is located in the NE Corner of Jackson Square. 

I had a fresh fruit strawberry daquiri to start and Andrew a bloody mary. Then, bowls of gumbo...complete with fresh crusty bread (p.s. how can you not love a city that serves almost every meal with fresh crusty french bread?!) and a sauteed shrimp poboy, he had a roastbeef poboy...which come to think of it, I did not steal a bite of. I would definitely recommend this place. We spent the afternoon walking around and exploring the area (Note: if you've never been to New Orleans...stay on the main streets). 

Our room was ready so we went up and showered (showering is necessary several times a day when visiting New Orleans in August). For dinner, we drove uptown to a little place called Jaques-Imo's. 

If it hadn't been recommended to us by friends, we never would have stumbled upon this place, but we were very glad we did. We're always up for something out-of-the-ordinary. Jaques (actually Jack) the chef wanders around the 3 separate buildings the restaurant uses socializing with his customers. They do not take reservations. We got there fairly early (6:30ish) and still waited 45 minutes. Their drink specialty is watermelon mojitos, which made the wait not so bad ;) 

The menu is a mix of southern comfort food and cajun cuisine. Hubby had a smothered chicken dish, which was OK. I had (are you ready for this???) Shrimp and Alligator Sausage CHEESECAKE! Wait! Stop! Don't think cheesecake! No sugar, no strawberry topping. No! Think delicious, savory, gouda cheesy, salty perfection! It is listed as an appetizer, but I was still full from lunch so I ordered it as my entree. Best decision ever!

After dinner, we drove back to the hotel, and walked around some more (can you see why there is the need to walk so much??) Then we adventured out into one of the best parts (or worst, depending on who you are): La Rue Bourbon. Bourbon Street at night is something every adult should experience (this is where I would like to go off on my rant about irresponsible adults bringing children to Bourbon St. at night, but I'll spare you). 

There is something for everyone (except children...see above). We wandered around for a while, people watching. We made it to Tropical Isle and sat upstairs on their balcony with our hand grenade and horny gator drinks. People watching on Bourbon St. may be more entertaining than anywhere else in the world. You can trust me, I'm a professional people watcher. The ATL Airport is a close second though...

We finished our drinks and made our way to Pat O'Brien's for one of their famous hurricanes (which I much prefer to the green junk at Tropical Isle, hubby disagrees). Anyways, we got them to-go and found the perfect Bourbon St. escape. Somewhere near Pat O'Brien's, on the other side of the street, there is a beautiful courtyard. 5 steps in the gate it is surprisingly peaceful and serene. We sat down with our drinks and enjoyed some live, soothing bluesy-cajuny music. The band took a break while we were there and the guys walked around collecting tips (in a non-invasive way) and spending time talking to people in the audience. It was just one of those great moments... sitting on a bench with the love of my life, happy, swaying to the music. Sometimes you just have to stop and look at the simplest moments that make you smile and think, I am blessed. For me, that moment is at the beach, at family gatherings, at church, and yes my friends, that night it was 5 steps off of Bourbon St.

We finished our night at Howl at the Moon dueling pianos bar. It is a franchise (see Bachelorette Party in Nashville post) and SOOO much fun, if it's a good crowd. It was standing room only, but we had a blast singing, dancing, and laughing. Perfect close to a fun night.

Due to our late night, we woke up slow Sunday morning. Thank goodness, the place we knew we wanted to go to for breakfast serves breakfast all day (more places should do this...take note, America!). We arrived at Mother's to a line outside the door in the direct sun. We had been warned about it and told it would move quickly. Usually there is a long line outside restaurants for a reason and Mother's did not disappoint. 

Hubby had an omlet and I had a traditional egg breakfast with their famous ham. Nothing special about it. Just no-fuss good eatin. Hubby did say that the bloody mary was the best one he'd every had...

I'm not a bloody mary fan, but even I took a sip and it was good.

We had put on our tennis shoes that morning and spent the rest of the day exploring the city by foot. We checked out the Riverwalk shops, walked along the muddy Mississippi, and walked around the French Quarter looking for some local art. It is incredible to me the variety of talented artists are around Jackson Square. Each one is so talented and yet no two are even close to being similar. 

Our next stop was a New Orleans MUST, the Cafe du Monde. Beignets and Cafe Au Lait aren't exactly what one wants walking around in 98 degree weather with 98% humidity, but hubby had never been so there wasn't an option. Thank goodness we discovered they serve FROZEN cafe au lait...mmmmm...

From there, we wandered in several more souvenir shops and art galleries as we made our way down to the French Market. I LOVE the French Market. The front half is fun street food, produce stands, and some classier vendors. There was even a cajun cooking demonstration going on...

The back half is more flea-markety but still fun to walk through. We walked down a little bit past the market and saw a traditional New Orleans wedding street parade. So fun!!! Maybe I can convince one of my friends to do this for their wedding! 

By this time it was late afternoon and we headed back to the hotel for a quick nap and yes, you guessed it shower. We changed and walked down to WINO. I was really excited about this adventure. I had seen it earlier that day on the touristy channel on the hotel TV. The concept is very cool. The have tons of wine stored in these stainless steel containers. Each wine is hooked up to a pump. When you arrive at the place, you put $ on a card. You walk up to a machine, insert your card and then you can select whether you want a taste (1 oz.), larger taste (2 oz.), or glass (6 oz.) portion. The prices are displayed for each one. 

Sounds perfect, right? Well, the workers were rude, the atmosphere was off (only one other group in there) and the wines were odd and expensive. Most wines were $30-40/bottle and it was hard to find the most basic wines like a cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay.  The place had a lot of potential but was not well executed for the general wine drinker. We thought if we had more $, we could open one ourselves and do a much better job. 

We walked a ways (we needed it) to dinner at the Crescent City Brewhouse. They only serve 5 beers, all brewed in house. Live music, good beer, crusty bread and that was all before the meal even came. Hubby had an awesome jambalaya pasta and I had the ribs (I read on UrbanSpoon that they were good, and they were). My ribs came with a side of mac&cheese. It was done in a ramekin and crusty on top and creamy in the middle. It was very good, but there was something very different about it. There were crunchy cheesy bits throughout. It took me a minute, but I figured it out. When our waitress came back, I said, "This is going to sound very strange if I'm wrong, but are there Cheetos in this mac&cheese." She was impressed. Yes, my friends, there were. What is the opposite of a distinguished palate, haha? 

After dinner, we went back and had our free drinks at the carousel bar and decided to make another stop at Howl at the Moon before calling it a night. Not very many people, not nearly as fun. The guys running the show were talented, but it definitely take a few drunk bachelor/bachelorette parties to really get it going, and on a Sunday night, no such thing...

Sunday morning we checked out, considered going to the zoo, decided against it and went back uptown for breakfast at the Camilla Grill. I had fond memories of the place from visits as a child. It's definitely a novelty. We had to wait forever, my sandwich was not very good, hubby's chilli-cheese omlet was though (tasted like it clogs arteries). 

Then, we headed home with a stop at Copelands (we used to have one at home and hubby still talks about their chocolate cake). So we stopped and got him a slice of Big Al's Chocolate Fudge Cake. He was as happy as a little kid on his birthday. 

Like I said earlier, we are planning to go back to New Orleans often. It is the perfect weekend get away. We have a list of things we want to do on future visits: plantation tour, zoo, aquarium, dinner on the Natchez steam boat, voodoo tour, Saints game, and Mardi Gras (that's on my bucket list). 

Wow! Long post for a 2 day trip! It was a wonderful one, and the perfect way to spend some quality time with the hubby before the long school year begins! As they say in N'awlins my friends... Leissez les bon temps rouler! 

To Roanoke and Beyond

Britty and Katie's Road Trip 2011 began EARRRLLYYY Sunday 7/17. I picked Britty up and we hit the stormy roads. This road trip was like the others... a great time for the two of us to catch up, do some exploring, and reminisce about the good ole days!

Stop1: Trader Joes I can't say enough how much I love this grocery store! They carry their own brand and have a huge selection of organic products. I loaded up on their dried fruit. It makes a great snack and their's have no added sugar, which is hard to find. I had my arms full of "Two Buck Chuck" only to stumble into the sign proclaiming Georgia does not sell alcohol AT ALL on Sundays! C'mon people! Jesus turned water into the stuff! But we recovered and managed to leave with a bag full of non-alcoholic goodies.We loaded up the car, gassed up, ate at Five Guys and set the GPS for Roanoke.

We made it to our friend's house by 8pm and spent the next 4 days talking, laughing, cooking, and exploring. I cannot begin to describe what a wonderful visit we had. I have come to cherish these visits more than I think they know. We took a side trip to historic Fincastle, VA and other markets and "knick-knack paddy-whack" stores around town. One of our friends is very into wine pairing and he took us to Kroger and helped us pick out wines. We left with 16 bottles of wine (which he insisted he pay for...we caused a huge scene in the middle of the checkout area arguing back and forth). Between the wine and bag of Trader Joe's goodies, we could have been stranded for weeks with no problems ;)

We also visited the Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain.  When you get up to the star, there is an observation deck with a sign that tells you to call your family and friends and have them go to a certain website. The website has a "star cam" so of course, being nerdy tourists, we did! The view is lovely and I'm sure is even better when it's not a hazy day with temps in the 90's. Here's our only picture from the whole trip!

We had many other adventures including helping an Amish (maybe Mennonite) woman who's tire blew right in front of us and she crashed into some rocks. No worries, she was OK, but we learned a lot about that culture waiting with her for a couple of hours. Let's not forget the wild bunny, groundhog, and fireflies we saw! I was so excited. The rest of them thought I was ridiculous, but where I'm from, we don't see those things!

Our last night in town, we went to the yummy Carlos for dinner. Great company, beautiful view, yummy food and wine? Yes, please!! The next morning we loaded up the car, said our sad "goodbyes," and headed for West Virginia.

I think West Virginia gets a bad rap. From the interstate drive it is the most BEAUTIFUL state I've ever driven through. Sure, mountains are pretty everywhere you go. But the mountains of West Virginia are so raw and untouched. I was very impressed! 

We needed to waste a few hours before we could meet our friend, so we set the GPS for Tamarack. If there was ever a perfect place to waste some time, this was it. It is a very cool shopping facility that sells all local art, jewelry, food, wine, etc. We wandered around for a long time looking at things that were artsy that we'd never afford (or never pay for if we could afford) and at some fun reasonable things. I left with some banana pepper mustard (very yummy if you've never had it), hot pepper relish for my grandpa, and some hillbilly salsa for my sister. 

We headed for our friend's house, but as we got close we saw that we needed to waste a little bit more time before she would be ready for us. So we saw the sign for Lost World Caverns and in true road tripper fashion, we cut across a few lanes of interstate to make the exit. We wound around through one lane dirt roads on the mountain and finally made it. It was fun, not something I'd make a whole trip for but it served our adventurous souls well!

Finally we arrived at our beloved friend's house. It was great to see her! We had dinner at The Mason Jar and headed to The Greenbrier. 

It is definitely the swankiest place I've been. I'm still confused how it draws that kind of crowd to the middle of West Virginia, but to each his own, right? Britty and I felt VERY out of place as we wandered around waiting for our friend's show to begin. The show was fabulous. They house a very talented group of folks. After the hour long show, we were to go down to the casino to watch our friend do her waltz and champagne toast. From there the story gets crazy I won't tell it all, but it involves a man named Corey, security, a $12 glass of wine, free champagne, an awkward toast, penny slots, old men and a lot of laughter. We met our friend and spent a lovely evening back at her house.

Up early the next morning for the LONNGGG drive home. I'm still sticking with the fact that West Virginia has the most beautiful interstate drive of any state! Before making it home we made our "annual" (for the 2nd time) favorite stop in Chattanooga: The School Box. We did some damage, but not nearly as bad as last year.

After 16 hours in the car, we made it home. I loved this trip, mostly for who it was with! 

  

VEGAS!

February 18-21, 2011
Las Vegas,  NV

OK, I'm finally caught up on blogging our travels since marriage. We just recently got back from our trip to Vegas. We LOVED it and went with great friends from college. They flew in Thursday night and we came in Friday afternoon. We stayed at the Mirage which was very nice. I think it was perfect for our first trip to Vegas. We got a great deal and it was perfectly located. We spent most of our time walking around and admiring the different casinos. They are all so different and full of details. We really liked the Bellagio, Venetian/Palazzo, and Caesar's Palace. The Cosmopolitan was also really nice, and our friendly cab driver on the way back to the airport suggested we stay there next time.

Like any good vacation, I feel like all we did was WALK and EAT. However I think we could have walked all day everyday and still not burned enough calories to cover what we ate/drank. Some of the restaurants we  enjoyed:

• BLT Burger in the Mirage. It was just what we needed when we arrived in Vegas. How can you go wrong with a beer and a burger (or a buffalo chicken sandwich in my case)?
• We had a hard time choosing where on the strip to go for our 1st night's dinner. We decided on Todd English's P.U.B. It was a really fun atmosphere with great food. Andrew and I tried their carving menu and were really impressed. 3 things: turkey. warm pita. black truffle mayo. Andrew had beef brisket and our friends had the lobster rolls which they said were delicious.
• We had heard good things about the Bellagio Brunch Buffet. I'm not a huge buffet fan, but it did not disappoint. It was worth the $25 and we should have done the unlimited champagne for $5 more. It was not your typical buffet. Everything was very fresh and there were lots of healthy options. 
• After the buffet, we did not see the need to eat again until dinnertime. Our wonderful friends had done some research (not to self...travel with a laptop from now on...cell service in Vegas sucks.) We decided to go off the strip for dinner. We went to this tapas place called Firefly. I would recommend it to anyone. What we payed in cab fare to get there, we definitely saved in dining away from the center of the strip. They do not take reservations so we called ahead and the told us to be there by 6. Well, we didn't make it until like 6:30. There was a 45 minute wait, but what's a wait when you're with your best friend and they have homemade (3 day marinated) sangria?? Once we got seated, we ordered a pitcher of mojitos and ordered tapas dishes 4 at a time. We ate 11 different dishes, which is why I love tapas. A few bites of many different things. Our favorites were: tuna tartare (delicious and melted in your mouth), roasted eggplant cannelloni (stuffed with goat cheese, be still my heart), patatas bravas, and chocolate cherry bread pudding. Fun atmosphere, great food, great company. A+
• The next morning before our friends left, we walked to the IP for breakfast at Hash House a Go Go. They call their cuisine "twisted farm food" which describes it perfectly. It was another fun meal, very hearty food. My only complaint was the ridiculous portions. Each meal was easily enough for 2-3 people. Next time I'm going to be brave and try the chicken and waffles. 
• Our last night, we had dinner in the Mirage at B.B. King's Blues Club. Good BBQ, great live music.
• We tried the Mirage breakfast buffet before heading to the airport. I think it would have been good IF we hadn't already eaten at the Bellagio's buffet. 

Geez! Maybe I should turn this into a food blog, instead of a travel blog. Enough of the food! On to the entertainment!!!

• On the plane ride to Vegas, URBAN MEYER sat two rows in front of us. I got my picture taken with them and talked to him for a second. He was just like you'd expect nice and laid back.
• We had a very angry cab driver on the way to the Mirage. I asked him how long he'd been a cab driver and he proceeded to scream at us for the 20 minute ride about politics and "stupid, moron criminals" then he charged us $25. The ride from the hotel back to the airport was a very nice cab driver who told us jokes and helpful information for our next trip. He only charged $13!!!
• The first night we saw the Cirque du Soleil "O" show at the Bellagio. It was amazing! Personally, I was most impressed with the set design and the actual acrobatics. The whole story line just confused me. Once again, I don't think I'm artsy enough to understand.The cast was incredibly talented and I really appreciated the live music.
• We walked down to New York, New York to their piano bar. It was kind of crowded and they were playing a lot of  older music, but it was an open air bar (you could hear everything perfectly outside or the bar) so instead of paying cover we grabbed drinks at the bar across the "street" and listened for a while. Wouldn't do it again. We didn't enjoy that end of the strip as much.
  
• Like I said, we spent most of our days just walking through the magnificent casinos. We didn't do too much gambling, just a little bit of the slot machines for kicks. We really liked the Price is Right and Deal or  No Deal games. Mainly because they were fun, not because we made a  lot of money. This is why I'm a bad gambler.
• Our last day, we went back to a few casinos so Andrew could get some photos he wanted to take. We also took a cab down to the Luxor. We got a pass to do Bodies and Titanic (at the Luxor) and The Secret Garden & Wildlife Habitat at the Mirage.
• Bodies was really interesting. The exhibit is full of REAL bodies that have been preserved. Each part of the exhibit features a different part of the human body. Everything in the exhibits (except for the eyes) is completely real. It was so neat to see how complex our bodies really are. It strengthened my faith in our Creator. How incredible our bodies really are! The part of the exhibit that stuck with me the most was the fetal room. They had actual babies who had died in-utero at all different stages of development. At first it made me incredibly sad, but then I tried to see past the emotion and into the beauty of how a child develops in the womb.
• We weren't really sure how we were going to like the Titanic exhibit, but it turned out to be really cool. They did a great job making the whole experience personal. Before we went into the exhibit we received cards with a passenger's name and information about them (age, class, hometown, occupation, where they were going in America and why, and who they were traveling with). Throughout the exhibit there was information about and artifacts from different passengers. Having the card helped you realize this wasn't some fictionally glorified event, it was real life for these people. My card ended up being the last survivor from the Titanic. She passed away only a few years ago and the entire exhibit was dedicated to her.
• Then we went to the Secret Garden at the Mirage. It was well done. We happened to be there when the dolphin trainers came out and did some tricks with the dolphins. There is  also an underwater observing area. The lions and tigers were also very cool. But BE CAREFUL! We saw a lion spray unsuspecting observers more than once. We talked to an employee walking around about the tiger that bit Roy a few years ago. She had some very interesting theories, including the tiger saved his life by biting him exactly where he had an aneurysm on stage and allowing the blood to release. We did not hangout for too long, but overall enjoyed the exhibits.  It would be a great thing to do with kids in Vegas.
• Our last Vegas adventure was the Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's. Harrah's itself was not impressive compared to all of the other grandeur of Vegas. The room the comedy was in was as you'd expect... a dark room with a small stage. You sit at tables with strangers and order overpriced drinks. The comedians were really funny though. We saw Dana Eagle, Mike Burton, and Gary Valentine.

We had so much fun on our whirlwind Vegas weekend. The best part? Getting away, spending time with good friends, and exploring a new fun place!!!

Out of Order- Roanoke, VA

Whoops! Out of order! The perfectionist in me hates this, but I can't figure out how to change the order, so I'm just going to take a deep breath and go with it...

July 2010
Road Trip to Roanoke, VA

My BFF Britty and I have a great relationship with our 7th grade English teacher. She and her husband lived down the street from BFF when we were in middle & early high school. We would go over to their house for hours and complain about how awful our parents were--hah! Anyways, they moved to Roanoke our Senior year and we still manage to see them about once a year. Either they come to us, or we go to them. We always have the most wonderful time when we are with them.

This was a short weekend trip because Britty had to get back to school, but a special one nonetheless. We spent a lot of time talking and relaxing at their house and of course "Krogering" with them  to learn about all of the things we should and shouldn't be eating. Roanoke is absolutely beautiful! It is set right in between the Blue Ridge Pkwy and the Appalachian Trail.

One evening we took a drive to the Chateau Morrisette Winery. We explored the store there before enjoying a scrumptious dinner at the restaurant there. The winery is very unique in that it is dog friendly. One of their wines is actually called, Black Dog.  The employees all have their dogs hanging out in the store. Very cute! On the drive home we probably saw 50 deer along the sides of the mountain roads.

Roanoke is very organic and local farm friendly.  I wish our area was better about this.  We went to Isaac's Mediterranean Restaurant where I discovered black bean hummus (which I have been obsessed with ever since) and had a fresh gyro. All of the food was very fresh and you can definitely taste the difference.

While downtown, we also checked out the Taubman Museum of Art. It was a unique experience. We'll leave  it at that. I'm just not artsy enough for modern art. We also went to the Hotel Roanoke. It was built in the 1800s and has a beautiful historic value. Our last stop of the day was Virginia Museum of Transportation 
where we learned all about trains.

We had a wonderful time with our friends! The road trip highlights included introducing BFF to Five Guys
which she was afraid had been overhyped. It wasn't. It can't be. We stopped on the way there and the way back.  We also did some serious damage at a teacher supply store along the interstate in Memphis. There is nothing like a quick roadtrip with your BFF!

Bachelorette Party- Nashville!

Labor Day Weekend 2010
Nashville, TN

What do you do when one of your best friends gets married? Throw a destination bachelorette party!!! After  my AMAZING New Orleans bachelorette madness... the bar was set high. We started the weekend by coming from all over to the bachelorette's house in Atlanta. We spent a fairly quiet night drinking wine and catching up.

Then we made the lovely drive through the mountains to Nashville, TN. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Nashville. It was nice and the best location we could find. Still a bit of a sketchy walk to Broadway but I didn't see anything better.

We spent the first day walking around the city. Then it was time to head out to party! We dressed up in the traditional bachelorette ridiculousness and had dinner at the Wild Horse Saloon. I would definitely recommend this. They have live entertainment, dancing, and good food at reasonable prices. We really enjoyed it as a start to our night.

From there we went to Big Bang Dueling Pianos. So much fun!!! It is interactive and a great experience!

There were several bars that we had high hopes for that turned out to be duds... Decades had a lot of potential but was EMPTY when we got there. Graham Central was just sketchy. Coyote Ugly was nothing like the movie, it was just, well...ugly.

My favorite bar of the trip was definitely Tootsie's!!! In fact, we stopped at Tootsie's three separate times during our short trip. It is a traditional HonkyTonk. The small place is PACKED from wall to wall. The talent on the stage was incredible every time we went in.

There was another honky tonk a few door down from Tootsies where we met Charles and Dave from LADY ANTEBELLUM!!! They were so nice and humble. Just two guys standing at the bar drinkin' whiskey.

We made the drive to Arrington Vineyards. It is owned by Kix Brooks (from Brooks & Dunn). The drive was scary one-way lanes going through rock around curves. But, the property was absolutely breathtaking. We bought a couple of bottles of wine and some cheese and drank and ate on the porch while we waited for the wine tasting. The wine tasting was not too impressive. They only allowed you to taste a few. But, overall it was a great experience. If we went back, we would bring a picnic and a blanket or chairs.

I really loved Nashville and I'm excited to go back one day with the hubby!!!

1st Anniversary Trip- Savannah, GA

July 2-5, 2010
Savannah, GA

We spent our 1st anniversary in beautiful Savannah, GA.  We stayed at The East Bay Inn. It was small enough to be more intimate than a hotel, but bigger than a bed and breakfast. It was perfect for us, and they even had a complimentary breakfast and an afternoon wine and cheese hour. My only complaint would be the limited parking, but you could buy parking passes for the city garages (a short walk away).

We started our trip with an Old Town Trolley Tour. I would definitely suggest doing this. It was a great way to get acclimated with the city and to know what sights we wanted to go back and see later. The city itself was gorgeous. Every other block has a beautiful square with statues, fountains, and incredible trees.

We were the crazy tourists who lined up at the crack of dawn to get a reservation at Lady and Sons (Paula Deen's restaurant). We had their Sunday buffet and it was very good! Some of the best fried chicken I've ever had and the griddle cakes were awesome! We took a long walk afterwards. Neither of us ate a ridiculous amount, but you could definitely feel all of the butter (read: buh-tuh) in your system!

We spent some time at the City Market and bought some local art. We also did a small tasting at the Meinhardt Vineyards Shop...it was all muscadine wine and I'm not a huge fan.

We also ate at the tourist trap, The Pirate House. It is said to be one of the oldest houses in America. The food was so-so. There was supposed to be a tour of the "haunted" restaurant, but it was crowded and unorganized and the "pirate" who was supposed to lead the tour was rude and unhelpful. Another disappointment was the Hearse Ghost Tour. To be fair, we're not big ghost people...but we found the whole thing very hokey.

One day we took a drive out to Tybee Island.

It is a beautiful drive through the Georgia lowlands out to the Atlantic Ocean. When you get out to the island GO LEFT! Do not go right!!! I mean, you can, but it turns into tacky 50's beach (think pink motels) and cheesy tourist shops. Obviously, we made this mistake and could not figure out what all of the fuss about beautiful Tybee Island was about. But, thank goodness for smart phones :) We quickly found our way to the other side of the island. It is a weird drive, you feel like you're invading these peoples' nice neighborhood. We paid the small fee to tour the fort, lighthouse, and lighthouse grounds. It was beautiful and  Andrew got some great pictures!!!

One of the things on our list that we did not get to see was the Bonaventure Cemetery. If we go back, I would like to do that, as well as Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House (said to be better than Paula Deen's, but it is open obscure hours and has very limited seating). I would also like to do a trip out to Hilton Head, SC. We also saw an advertisement in a magazine for a photography tour of the low lands. I think Andrew would really enjoy this.

For our anniversary dinner, we dressed up and went to The Olde Pink House. One of my favorite meals...ever! It's a really cool atmosphere, a renovated 18th century mansion. We started with a signature pink lemonade cocktail in the basement bar. Then we had an incredible shrimp and gritcake appetizer and of course steaks for dinner.

We were there for the 4th of July and enjoyed the fireworks over the river.

Savannah was the perfect romantic vacation for our first anniversary. It makes me excited about all of our anniversaries to come!

Family Time

April 16-18, 2010
Seaside, FL

I have the most INCREDIBLE family. Not many people can say they'd want to take a trip with their parents and grandparents, but I would any day of the week. Seaside, FL is a beautiful ritzy beach town on the Gulf of  Mexico. It also happens to be where the Truman Show was filmed. It's the kind of place where everybody rides their bikes, waves to their neighbors, and spends their days on the beach. I absolutely loved it!

Our cottage was, Wean Back and Wewax (Cute, right? and Don't worry! We didn't pay that price...We have connections...but if we did have that kind of money...I'd be all over it!)

We spent our mornings making breakfast and drinking coffee on the porch...our days strolling around, laying on the beach, and eating in cute little cafe's...and our nights grilling out, laughing, and playing the marble game. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my weekend!

Staycation

April 1, 2010
Big Lagoon State Park

 A cheap and fun way to get away for a day or two? A staycation! We bought a few cheap camping supplies to add to our collection and found a local campground. Note to self: you have to reserve campsites and they are MUCH more popular than you think at this time of year!

Big Lagoon is beautiful, but not too much going on. Next time, we'll make reservations earlier and head out to Ft. Pickens. Also, next time we need to bring friends, or games. I'm all  for getting away from technology... but I must admit after the 3rd nature trail walk...we were bored.

Senior Bowl

January 30, 2010


Ok, so this doesn't really count as travel, but it was definitely a fun event. We took a day trip over to Mobile,  AL to watch the Senior Bowl. The weather was yucky, cold and rainy so we didn't stay for the whole game. But, we did get to cheer for my favorite...

and a few of Andrew's players as well.

Vineyard Festival

August 30, 2009
Chateau Elan
Braselton, GA

Went to visit friends in Atlanta, GA for the weekend. We made the short drive up to Vineyard Fest at the Chateau Elan. You pre-buy tickets to the event (a little pricey) but definitely worth it. Once you get there, they give you a glass (to keep) and off you go. There was live music, grape stomping, cooking demonstrations, tons of yummy food samples (Peach Bread Pudding!?!?) and best of all lots and lots of WINE. And then, there was our weakness, the bread table. All that wine and an endless supply of hot, fresh bread. I think I could have stayed there forever! Definitely a great experience!!

Honeymoon- Negril, Jamaica

June 28-July 3, 2009

After the best day of out lives...we traveled to Negril, Jamica to Couples Swept Away. We got a great deal using a discount code we got through The All Inclusive Outlet.

We spent most of our time at the resort and really enjoyed the beach, water sports, food (especially Thai) and of course, drinks! We made friends with the assistant food manager at the resort and he gave us lots of great tips. We also received a free couples massage for being Honeymooners! Another of our favorite activities was the  "booze cruise." The resort took a group of us out a huge catamaran into the ocean and stopped to let us swim in some caves.

One day we walked lunch at Margaritaville one day, but decided it was not worth the $ when we had our all-inclusiveness a few steps away. 

We did venture off on an excursion that took us shopping at some local markets where we bought a local artist's painting,to the Negril Point Lighthouse, and to Rick's Cafe. We enjoyed getting off the resort and seeing some of the local sites, as well as the touristy Rick's Cafe.

With the exception of Andrew's camera being stolen out of his checked luggage (which Delta was wonderful and refunded us for) it was an AMAZING trip. Perfect for our budget and some relaxation after our big day.

Hello!!!

I just wanted to start a blog about our travels...kind of  a virtual scrapbook...