Alabama + Graffiti

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Birthday – ATL style

January 7, 2015 · 7 Comments

For most of you that have visited a little bit, you know that I grew up in Atlanta.  Atlanta is still one of my most favorite cities to visit.  I absolutely love it there.  So instead of taking our normal birthday trip to Nola (which I’ve pretty much done every year since I’ve known B), we decided to stay a little closer to home and take it a little easier, so we took the 2 and half hour drive over to ATL to spend the weekend there.

31ST BIRTHDAY

One thing that we’d been wanting to do was head to the Georgia Aquarium — we had never been, and decided it was about time to knock that off the list.

Reminder to everyone who goes to an aquarium.  Saturdays when kids are still out of school….probably not the best day ever to go.  It was really, really crowded and really, really loud. (Better get used to it, right?).  Did I mention that there were a lot of people there?  Because there was.  A LOT of people.

The California sea otters were our favorite — and the belugas.  But they also seemed to be everyone else’s favorites, because I couldn’t get close enough to take a really good picture.  But below is what I did get to snap a few pics of.  I only took a picture of the Falcons dolphin, because I was grateful for them losing to the Panthers, because they gave the Pack a run for their money the last game they played, and well, I didn’t want that happening again.

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After the aquarium, I was starving.  So we headed to my most favorite lunch spot in Atlanta;  The Varsity.  I looooove this place.  And I don’t care how touristy or greasy people say it is — it reminds me of home, and it tastes awesome.  So there.  I got two chili slaw dogs, some onion rings and a frosted orange (which is pretty much just a creamsicle drink).  And I ate ALL of it.

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So after our super healthy lunch, we went over to the Krog Street Market, which was pretty much all food and alcohol.  Since we’d just eaten, and since I can’t drink ( I did over to just chill with some water if B wanted a beer), we scooted through this and decided to go ahead and check into the hotel.

The freakin’ Ritz Carlton.  Is my B good to me or what?!  So we chilled for a little bit, watched some of the game, and then good ole hubs gave me my birthday present.

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A pair of diamond studs that I’ve been wanting forever!!  He was so sweet to get them for me!  These are the first diamond earrings I own — if you know me, that’s a big deal since I don’t normally do jewelry.  I mean, the wedding ring comes off the second I get home.  But they haven’t come out of my ears since Saturday.

After present time, we decided to go and get an app at the cute little tapas place down the street, Alma Cocina.  They had this amazing non-alcoholic blackberry and lavender drink, and we got the salsa and guac sampler.  3 guacs and 3 salsas, and they were delicious!

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After the app, we decided we were too full for an actual dinner, so we headed over to the Cabbagetown Village of Atlanta to get some cupcakes.  We went to Sweet Cheats, got a couple of cupcakes and headed back to the room.  From there, we ate our cupcakes, had some coffee and fell asleep watching King of the Hill.  Awesome night, right?!?!

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Sorry for the blurry cupcake photo.  It was really good though.

So the next morning, we woke up and decided it was  time for brunch.  B tried to order a Bloody Mary to the room (for him, of course), but Georgia has even more ridiculous laws than Alabama, and they can’t serve before 12:30.  Lame.

So we headed to The Flying Biscuit for brunch, because I am obsessed with their grits and their biscuits.  I had the Piedmont omelet, and B had the Southern Eggs Benedict.  It was so good.

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After brunch, we drove around for a bit, and found ourselves back at Sweet Cheats for cupcakes to go.

I know how much work B put into this birthday with it being the last one with just us.  I love how he just knows me, and how just cuddling up with coffee and cupcakes watching cartoons is also his idea of a good night.

It was definitely one for the books.  And now I’m in my early 30s.  Gross.

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Filed Under: Atlanta, birthday, brunch, travel, weekend

Being 30 So Far

January 9, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Has royally sucked.
And I wish that I was exaggerating when I said that, because for so long I dreaded turning thirty.  I didn’t want to be in my fourth decade; I backtracked and acted like I was twenty.  Going out every night, having liquid dinners, etc.
I fought it the best way I knew how, but it still came.
coffee mug my dad got me for my birthday.
We went to New Orleans for my 30th — that part was fun.  It was what happened the day after that and ever since that day that I don’t like.
Sunday the 5th — the Packers lose in the first round of the playoffs.
Monday the 6th — Auburn loses the National Championship.
Tuesday the 7th — I am sick as a dog.
So, see?  What do I really have to love about being thirty so far.  The one highlight that comes to mind is I’m going back splash shopping at the Lowe’s this weekend.   That’s right bitches; back splashes become amazing fun once you turn thirty.  So do trips to Lowe’s.  
I don’t know what I was expecting when I turned thirty — for the wrinkles I have to get worse; for my metabolism to just shut down (which seems like it’s done lately); for the whole world to just fall in my favor.  Yeah, definitely that last one.
But it hasn’t — so fourth decade of life, you have a lot to live up to.  Please let’s start getting to that tomorrow.

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Filed Under: birthday, ramblings

Thirty on Thirty

December 31, 2013 · Leave a Comment

In case I haven’t mentioned it, I turn thirty on Saturday.
I started looking through a lot of posts about people doing thirty things before they turn thirty.  A lot of them are very introspective and things that make the world a much happier place.
And decided I was probably never going to come up with thirty things that I would actually do.
Except on a weekend.  In New Orleans.
So here you have it folks…
My Thirty on Thirty.
1.        Have a banana daiquiri
2.       Get my tattoo.
3.       Get my picture taken with the Hand Grenade Person.
4.       Take the street car to Cooter Browns.
5.       Visit a New Orleans cemetery.
6.       Buy a daisy, put it in the river for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
7.       Go to Tipitinas.
8.       Buy street art at Jackson Square.
9.       Eat chicken at Willie Mae’s.
10.   Get picture with cash register guy at Vieux Carre Pizza.
11.   See New Orleans Brass Band.
12.   Go to WWII museum.
13.   Go to Vaughns.
14.   Go to Ninth Ward.
15.   Get a drink at French 75.
16.   Get a drink at Snake and Jakes.
17.   Have a unique po’boy.
18.   Bowl a strike at Rock N Bowl.
19.   Have an absinthe at the Old Absinthe House.
20.   Have a beignet from a place we haven’t been to yet.
21.   Take ferry to Algiers and have a beer (bonus points if dogs are there and get a picture)
22.   Get a stranger to reply War Eagle.
23.   Buy defend New Orleans shirt at favorite clothing store.
24.   Play a slot machine at Harrahs.
25.   Enjoy snow in New Orleans
26.   Have a prohibition drink at Bar Tonique.
27.   Walk through Louis Armstrong Park
28.   Buy a 2014 Christmas Ornament.
29.   Have a drink at Checkpoint Charlie’s.
30.   Tip a street performer I haven’t seen.
Puppy passed out on the floor of Crown & Anchor in Algiers.
 

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Filed Under: birthday, new orleans

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