I was so excited to get to go see Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors exhibition at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art last night! I had bought tickets months ago and had been anxiously awaiting my turn ever since. The show did not disappoint! This was one of the most fun art exhibitions I have been to (and having been an art major and working at a museum for three years, I’ve been to a few!).
I’ve been getting a lot of questions over the past few weeks about what to do in NYC during the Holidays so I wanted to put together this easy 3-day itinerary! The great, and sometimes overwhelming thing about New York City is that you can ask 20 different people for a recommendation and you will get 20 different options, all of which are probably really good. So, this is just my personal list of what we did when we went last year and liked!
With summer fast approaching, its a great season to get out and explore! We love making the quick road-trip up to Athens, Georgia in the summer when school is out. Its less crowded and has a very laid back college town vibe...minus the one zillion college kids!
The hike up Mt. LeConte to LeConte Lodge has been a tradition in Kyle's family for many years. While I only joined in on the tradition four years ago, it has become one of those events that I look forward to every year. It's a chance to unplug and unwind, get some exercise, breathe some fresh air, be outside, explore, enjoy each other's company and go just a little bit outside of our comfort zones (going to the bathroom in the middle of the night with bears on the loose is scary I tell you). To top it off, watching the sunset over the Great Smoky Mountains from Cliff Tops is, quite simply, magical. We've been a lot of places, seen a lot of sunsets...but Kyle and I both agree, this one still tops them all!
Have you ever wanted to spend the night inside a Bass Pro Shop? No? Okay, how about sleeping inside one of the Great Pyramids of Giza? Well, Memphis, Tennessee's Big Cypress Lodge can check both of those off your list! You didn't even know you needed to check those off your list, did you?
I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!! After taking an unintentional year and a half hiatus from the ol' blog-a-roo, guess who's back! Tell your friends!
Not much has changed since I last sat down to write one of these...oh wait, just kidding...yes it has! We had a baby!
The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles through North Carolina and Virginia connecting Shenandoah National Park in Northern Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Growing up nearby...
If you're looking for a travel resolution for 2016, here it is: get off the highway! *Side note: I also considered naming this post "How Make a 7-hour Drive Last 2 Days...On Purpose," but I decided that was just too long.
5. Hiking Mt. LeConte
We do this hike in Tennessee's Smokey Mountains every year, and every year we experience an even more breathtaking sunset than the last. As you can see this was another magical year. Staying at LeConte Lodge on top of the mountain is a must.
1. Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden
This holiday light show at Atlanta Botanical Garden is a must see! Grab dinner at one of midtown's bajillion restaurants and head over to the gardens. Enjoy some hot chocolate or an adult beverage and wander through the maze of lights! It gets bigger and better every year!
When most people think of Memphis, Tennessee, they think Elvis, Beale Street, the Mississippi River, BBQ, Graceland, and the Blues. These days, Memphis is all that and more. The city has thriving arts scene, a new and growing collection of breweries, tons of parks and music venues, sports, history and then there's the food. Yes, the BBQ is to die for. Always have the BBQ! But, you can also find some of the best southern cooking this side of the Mississippi. Justin Timberlake said it best when he said, "London ain't got no Gus's Fried Chicken. Paris may rendezvous, but they ain't got no Rendezvous. Egypt has the pyramids, they don't have a Bass Pro Pyramid."
Over the years, Kyle and I have passed through Birmingham countless times on our way to Memphis. Most of the time, if we stay the night, we grab a hotel room right off the interstate, but the past few trips we have started to explore more and more. A few weeks ago, we met some friends there for a Saturday night getaway and did some more exploring. Here is my advice on how to spend a highly enjoyable 24 hours in the Iron City.
The Havasupai are an American Indian tribe who have lived in the Grand Canyon for over 800 years. Supai, the town in which the Havasupai live, is one of the most remote cities in the contiguous United States. It is located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and is only accessible by driving 60 miles on Indian Road 18 to the trailhead at Hualapai Hilltop, then hiking 8 miles to the village and another 2 to the campground. There is also a helicopter option to get to the village, but I would highly recommend the hike. In total, if you want to see all of the falls including Beaver Falls, you will walk 28-30 miles, but this experience is worth every single step!
Sedona is one of the most uniquely beautiful places I have ever been. When Kyle and I went a few weeks ago, we flew into Phoenix and drove to our hotel in the dark. As we arrived at Enchantment Resort and Spa, everyone on staff, from the guard at the gate to the front desk clerk, kept saying to us, "Enjoy the sunrise!" So, though we hadn't planned on it, we thought, "Well I guess we should get up for sunrise!" As we walked out of our "casita" in the pre-dawn light, we finally saw what we had been missing...
Established in 1926, Route 66 is the original American highway aka the Mother Road. In Arizona, the highway runs from California to New Mexico and, just outside of Peach Springs, Arizona, 66 enters the Hualapai Indian Reservation, where we started our hike to Havasupai. On the way, we experienced several different areas of Route 66 including Seligman, Peach Springs and Flagstaff. There is a lot to love about Route 66, just as long as you know what to expect. Here are a few do's and don't's for the road....
Knoxville, Tennessee will always hold a special place in my life. It's where I went to college (Go Vols!), it's where I met some of my very best friends, it's where I spent four of the most fun years of my life and it's where I met and fell in love with my husband.
That being said, the college student's Knoxville and the slightly-older-than-a-college-student's Knoxville are two different experiences. Kyle and I revisited the city for a wedding recently and found a new side to one of our favorite cities.
If there is one food group Kyle and I are passionate about, its barbecue. With Kyle being from Memphis, he considers himself a barbecue aficionado. No matter where we are, if we spot a barbecue restaurant, we are probably going to try it. It doesn't matter if it looks like a nice place or if it is slightly terrifying - all that matters at the end of the day is finding the best 'cue! So, when we were in San Antonio last month we just had to take a little detour to Lockhart, Texas, otherwise known as the "Barbecue Capital of Texas." I'm not exaggerating either. In 1999 the Texas legislature made it official.
Fall is my absolute favorite time of year and, in my opinion, when Atlanta is the most enjoyable. The heat and humidity has finally broken and we can all get outside for a little fresh air without dissolving into a puddle. While, this is not an exhaustive list, here are just a few of my favorite ways to enjoy all of Atlanta's autumnal glory. #fallismyfavorite
San Antonio's historic Mission Trail has something for everyone. With 10+ miles of paved paths winding along the San Antonio River, you can easily walk, run or bike to each of the city's famous missions. For those more interested in a quick bit of fresh air and a brew, Blue Star Brewing is right off the trail and just a short ride or walk from the downtown area. We went the route of the bicycle, which was made easy by San Antonio's B Cycle, a bike share program with stations literally all over the city and costing just $10 a day.
This past weekend Kyle and I went to San Antonio, Texas for a long weekend and to see some family. Neither of us had ever been to San Antonio before so we were excited to check out the city, stroll along the river, sip on a few margaritas and enjoy some Tex-Mex!
Can you [pan]handle this [San]destination? Cue the Destiny's Child..."I don't think you can handle it," (insert finger wag).
A little over two hours outside of Atlanta, in the Appalachian mountains, lies the town of Highlands, North Carolina. With a permanent population of less than 1,000 (it can swell to upwards of 20,000 when you throw in a few tourists) this tiny town is huge on mountain charm.
While I was in New England in July, I decided to make the most of my time and head up to Maine! I had been wanting to visit Maine for awhile, and now I can't wait to go back and see more of Vacationland!
When in Maine, here are a few must-do's...
Every year, The New York Times publishes a list of its top picks for places to visit in that given year. This year's list of 52 Places to Go in 2015, provided an interactive look at places around the world, from Macedonia to Cleveland to Cuba. While I wouldn't turn down the chance to go to any of these places, I have had the chance to visit a few for myself so I thought I'd share my own top four picks from the list (four is much more manageable than 52, am I right?!).
One of Kyle and I's favorite things to do when the weather is nice and we have a free weekend, is head up to some of the vineyards and wineries in North Georgia. We have tried out several now, but our favorite one to visit is Frogtown Cellars. Its just over an hour outside of Atlanta and has the most beautiful views.
A few months ago we decided to road trip it and spend a weekend exploring Savannah! While we had visited the city before, we had never really taken the time to stay for a long weekend and get to know this classic southern city.