Vacation

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Spend NYE with Yacht Rock Revue!

12/29/2011 in Entertaining, Events, Holidays, Midtown, Parties, Random Musings, Vacation, We can BLOG!, What we're Doing by Lindsay | No comments

Each year, Kev and I spend New Years Eve with these fine-lookin’ folks:

Two years ago, we celebrated in Orlando at Disney for my very first visit.

Last year, we trekked out to Kansas City to watch the ball drop.  An excellent time was had.

THIS year, Kev + I are the hosts and we’re ringing in the New Year in Atlanta!  (Expectations are high.)  Sooooo, we’ve decided to celebrate with Yacht Rock at Park Tavern!

If you’ve ever seen Yacht Rock perform, you KNOW that we’re in for a great time!

And, Park Tavern is an awesome place to celebrate any holiday.  PT always throws a solid party…

NYE with Yacht Rock is an all-inclusive event.  Drinks and food are covered all night and into the wee hours of the morning.  There will be live music with Yacht Rock Revue & Atlanta’s best DJ spinning in the Piedmont Room overlooking the Midtown skyline.

Highlights include:
- Open bar: premium liquor, beer, wine and champagne
- Live music + NYE countdown with Yacht Rock Revue
- Gourmet food including hors d’ouvres, carving station, NYE specialties along with plenty of sides + salads to keep your energy up and dancing into the New Year.
- Sushi display
- Toast & get toasty with smores for dessert
- Midnight breakfast buffet including all your favorites + fresh Krispy Kreme donuts
- Photo booth
- NYE favors
- Champagne toast at midnight
- Coat check

This party is where it’s at on Saturday, so get your tickets NOW: NYE w/ Yacht Rock Revue!

***BONUS***  LOOK FOR ME AT PARK TAVERN totally rockin’ out to Yacht Rock…

…and I will give a fist pump + one of these super rad Q+DD koozies to the first three people who wish me a “HAPPY QUICK + DIRTY DIRTY NEW YEAR!”

Your drinks have never looked so fashionable…  I can’t think of a better way to toast 2012!

Q+DD koozies: so hot right now.

See y’all at Park Tavern!  Wishing a fun NYE to all!  :)

xx, L

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Merry Everything + Happy Always!

12/21/2011 in Dallas, Holidays, Vacation, What we're Doing by Lindsay | No comments

I’m fixing to fight the rain + head to the airport for a long, holiday-filled weekend in the Great State!

lookin' good, lookin' good...

Before I go, I wanted to wish you all a very:

Enjoy the holidays!  :)

Catch y’all on the flip.  xx from Texas!

xx, L

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Print Your Instagram Photos w/ Printstagram.

12/16/2011 in Random Musings, Technology, Tricks of the Trade, Vacation, Vendors, What we're Doing by Lindsay | 1 comment

So, there I was.  In a dilemma.

(lindsay. obviously.)

I’d just returned from this super-incredible vacation and I had all of these fantastic-amazing photos of it that I took on my trusty iPhone 2.  Naturally, I’d run almost all of them through the Instagram App that I love so dearly because every photo looks better with a vintage filter.  Am I right?  AM I RIGHT?  I’m right. 

instagram? we're pals.

Anyway, I thought I might order some prints of my doctored-up photographic achievements.  I logged onto Snapfish, uploaded my photos, and BAMMM – they look terrible.  I could order them if I wanted, but Instagram had resized them to the cute square shape I adore, and they would be blurry if I printed them out myself. DRATS!  I shook my fists in the air.

No way, I didn’t want to order 200+ blurry photos!  But, I liked my Instagram-ed photos better than my actual ones.  Dilemma…

I did some light googling along the lines of “how the heck am I going to get my Instagram prints now??” and I eventually found my answer: Printstagram.

Good news!  Lucky day!  By way of Printstagram, I had ENDLESS (okay, five) options of what I could do with my Instagram-ed photos.

I could order a large, high-quality poster made with my Instagram photos.  It’s 20″ x 40″ in size, and can accommodate anywhere between 50-400 photos.  Printstagram sizes them to fit the full poster size and arranges them in a clean grid.  All for only $25. 

STICKERS were another option.  Heck yes!  You get 252 stickers per order, so you’ll be able to use them liberally without breaking a sweat…or the bank.  A slick $10 will seal the deal.

The Tinybook.  Is there any cuter way to show off your pictures than THIS?  The photo quality is great, and tinybooks even magnet to your fridge.  Order 3 tinybooks with 24 photos in each for $10.

Tinybook too small?  No problemo.  Prinstagram offers the Minibook, as well.  The photos are printed back to back on card stock with a glossy photo-finish.  Photos are printed at just about the same size as they appear on your iPhone.  Order 2 minibooks with 50 photos in each for $12.

Or, you can opt for what I purchased: Miniprints.  Instagram miniprints are printed on card stock with a matte finish and just the right amount of weight to them.  It’s a simple and classy way to showcase your artistry.  Give them away to your friends, stick them in a scrapbook or on your walls, or carry a few in your wallet.  Order a set of 48 prints for $12.

my miniprints

Mine just arrived today!  So excited.  (Take note, future Printstagrammers: They ship from Taiwan, so expect for them to take their sweet time getting to you.) 

Check out Printstagram HERE.
Watch Printstagram’s product video HERE.
See what else Printstagram is doing with the Instagram platform HERE.

I’m a Printstagram FAN.  :)

xx, L

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Add THIS to Your Bucket List…

12/12/2011 in Out of Town, Vacation, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 6 comments

Last month, Kevin and I took an incredible vacation.  So incredible, in fact, I think it should be on everyone’s bucket list. 

We drove the scenic Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from Los Angeles to Napa.  It was a trip that had been on my bucket list for a while, and we thought it was appropriate for our ENGAGEMENTMOON!  Breathtaking scenery, lots + lots of fantastic wine, and not great cell phone service.  Yes, please!  So, we did some master planning, packed our bags for a nine day trip, and flew to L.A.

We stayed in L.A. for two days and had an excellent dinner at Wood + Vine in West Hollywood, perused the extensive Studio City Farmer’s Market, did some light hiking in Fryman Canyon…

…and toasted the start of our trip with the Wolkoves at the infamous Chateau Marmont hotel with a few rounds of kir royales.

Then, we hit the road for sunny Santa Barbara.  We cut over to the PCH and finally had an ocean view! 

In Santa Barbara, we chilled at Stearns Wharf, had dinner at Brophy Brothers, and wondered how it is that some people get to live in such an exquisitely gorgeous city…

We skipped to neighboring Los Olivos, to wine taste in the adorable, quaint city where Sideways was filmed.  We filled our day with stops at various tasting rooms: Saarloos + Sons, Alta Maria Vineyards, Coquelicot Estate Vineyards, and lunch at Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe.

Side note: Isn’t this chair at Saarloos + Sons amazing?! 

On our way out of the city, we couldn’t resist driving by Neverland Ranch, which was a stone’s throw from Los Olivos. 

Yep, we did that.

The next day it was onward + upward to Big Sur with a quick stop in the city of Cambria.  On the way, we got to see nesting elephant seals…

Take some photos of our gorgeous surroundings…

And, seriously keep our eyes on the road as the drive got increasingly white-knuckled. 

I usually fall asleep pretty quickly on roadtrips, but I was WIDE awake as the PCH drive became steeper and more mountainous.  We were literally driving 35 – 40 MPH on a road carved out of the side of a mountain.  To our left was the expansive Pacific Ocean…no guard rail between us and the water.  It was exhilarating.  We patted ourselves on our backs a number of times for planning the trip from South to North instead of the opposite, which would have put us on the outside of the road even closer to the ocean.  Take note.

It was difficult to capture the gorgeous drive on my iPhone camera, but I tried…

I tried again with my real camera once we got into Big Sur for the night and I met some deer just hanging out - grazing and such – at the Post Ranch Inn.

We stayed at the Glen Oaks in Big Sur, which was perfect for us, but we didn’t want to be in our room very much.  There was SOOOOO much to see and do in this gorgeous city: walk around Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, meals at Big Sur Bakery, and drinks at the edge of a cliff at Post Ranch Inn’s restaurant: Sierra Mar.

It was my favorite stop along the PCH.

From there, we drove over a series of bridges like these (how did someone build this?!) to get to Carmel.

Fun fact: Clint Eastwood is a former mayor of Carmel. 

We saw the Carmel Mission, had a delicious Greek lunch at Dametra Cafe, and walked around the adorable shops in Carmel before we headed to Pebble Beach.

Pebble Beach was GORGEOUS!  We did the 17-Mile Drive which took us by massive mansions, the Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and The Links at Spanish Bay. 

Kevin was in h.e.a.v.e.n. at Pebble Beach.

We also got to see the famous Lone Cypress.

We headed into Monterey for the night, but not before visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  I pet a shark, and I made friends with their octopus.  It was a successful visit.

For dinner, Kev had his first In-and-Out Burger experience.  In full disclosure, I was satisfied – but he was pretty seriously underwhelmed.  Oh well, at least he can cross it off of his “to do” list now!

The next morning, we drove through Santa Cruz and stopped at the beach-front boardwalk on our way to Half Moon Bay.  The boardwalk was pretty deserted since it was early in the morning on a chilly day, but at least now I can cross that off MY “to do” list.  :)

A short while later, we arrived at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay.  JUST look at this place…

It was, hands down, the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in.

It was so hard to leave the next morning.  It looked like it was on the edge of the world.  Perched on a cliff overlooking the endless ocean – we were in paradise.  We spent a large portion of the day in Half Moon Bay’s “downtown” area wine tasting and eating our way from one end of the strip to the other at Half Moon Bay Wine & Cheese Company, Sushi Main Street, and Pasta Moon.  When we got back to the hotel, we sat outside our balcony with our personal (outside!) fireplace warming our feet, finishing a bottle of wine, and listening to the ocean.  Absolutely incredible. 

I will always remember this hotel stay.

The next morning, it was off to San Fran where we cut through the city + drove over THIS bad boy.  (Kev, who is slightly weary of heights, was pretty proud of himself.)

We arrived in Sausalito and had the most delicious lunch at a restaurant on the pier called Fish.  We were only there for a few hours, but Kev will tell everyone that Sausalito was his favorite city because of this meal.  Go there.  GO THERE.

To work off our enormous lunch, we drove to Muir Woods National Monument for a hike through the park’s towering redwood forest.  We sang Woody Guthrie pretty much the entire time… 

These things are just unbelievable.  Seeing redwoods should be a must for everyone at some point. 

We spent our last two days in California wine tasting in Napa and Yountville.  We had both been to Napa before, but we definitely wanted to visit again and try out a few new wineries.

We tasted at Darioush Winery, Hess Collection, and Swanson Vineyards.  They were all fantastic in their own right - each so wonderfully different from the other.  Lunches at Mustard’s Grill and Oakville Grocery helped us to cut through some of the wine with delicious local eats.  Dinner at Morimoto Napa was fantastic, as well.  And, Chef Morimoto was there!  Naturally, I was in total paparazzi mode…

We splurged on the tasting menu, and we agreed that it was one of the best meal decisions we made throughout the entire trip.  Napa was the perfect way to end our vacation.  We flew out of SFO this next morning.

Driving the PCH is a phenomenal way to see some of California’s most gorgeous cities.  We didn’t get car sick on the windy drive + Kevin never got bored with our surroundings or plans.  If we had recorded a soundtrack of our conversations in the car throughout the drive it would have sounded something like this on repeat:

Lindsay (passenger): Oh wow!  Oh wow!  Oh wow!
Kevin (driver): WHAT??
Lindsay: I CAN’T believe what I’m seeing!/ Did you see that?!/ Oh wow!
Kevin: I can’t look or I’ll drive off of the cliff…
Lindsay:  Eh, I’ll take a picture.
(Repeat)

We were a captive audience to California’s beauty.  We will tell our kids about it one day – I know this for sure.  Do this trip.  Do it.  It’s nothing short of amazing.

xx, L

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Ritz Carlton Lodge Weekend (2 of 2): Heaven Found in the Georgia Woods

11/10/2011 in Appetizers, Chocolate, Cocktails, Event Space, Holidays, Hotels, Out of Town, Spa, Vacation, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 4 comments

So, continuing from yesterday… Kevin + I spent Halloween weekend at the Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation.

As a recap, the Ritz Lodge is located in Northern Georgia, just 75 miles east of Atlanta on the shores of Lake Oconee – Georgia’s second largest lake.  Luxury merges with quintessential Southern hospitality at the stunning 251-room resort.  Nestled in the woods, the Ritz Lodge is surrounded by water on three sides, offering commanding lake views.  Draped in beds of ivy and edged by towering pines, blooming crepe myrtles and colorful caladiums, the five-story main building fronts the glistening lake, while six separate lakeside cottages and a presidential house with four master suites overlooks the Oconee Golf Course.  Lodge guests have full access to a complete gamut of activities and amenities, including a state-of-the-art Spa, tennis, two swimming pools, two full-service marinas, hiking trails and 99 holes of championship-caliber golf.

model view of the lake oconee area

We arrived late on Friday evening, but just in time to have the most delicious dinner at Linger Longer Steakhouse.  We checked in, grabbed another drink at the Lobby Lounge bar, and then headed upstairs to check out our room. 

When we woke up in the morning, we realized that we were on Club Level (holla!).  And, we had a private terrace with an outstanding lakeside view! 

Check out THIS gorgeousness:

ritz carlton lodge

room w/ a view

We spent a significant amount of the morning sitting on our balcony staring at our breathtaking view of Lake Oconee and the Ritz Lodge grounds.  It was the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time.

When our hunger finally got the better of us, we walked over to Club to get some grub (I totally recommend staying on Club Level*) + then we went out exploring. 

*Club Level: The Ritz Carlton Club Level features both deluxe guest rooms and suites, with a spacious lounge and personal concierge and staff, as well as four complimentary food and beverage offerings daily: continental breakfast, a light snack, hors d’oeuvres, and cocktails + evening cordials.  The Club Level is accessible only with a special key.

Just look at how magnificent the property is:

the set up for chiminea dining

heated infinity pool overlooking lake oconee (my favorite part of the whole property)

hot tub

We were overtaken by our beautiful surroundings + so many amazing amenities.  We walked a bit further, and then Kev dropped me off at the Ritz Lodge Spa for my Long Winter’s Nap treatment. 

The Spa is an adventure in and of itself.  An expansive 26,000 square feet, the Ritz Lodge Spa is adjacent to the hotel and features 19 private treatment rooms, one couples spa suite, four wet treatment rooms – including one hydrotherapy room – male and female relaxation areas with lockers and changing facilities, an indoor lap pool, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, a relaxation terrace, a full-service salon + a spa boutique.  Named one of America’s top resort spas by Conde Nast Traveler, this state-of-the-art sanctuary offers more than 90 health and wellness treatments, many of them utilizing ingredients indigenous to the area, such as rosemary, pine, fir and geranium, and extracts gleaned from gemstones such as smithsonite and malachite.

Here’s a peek inside:

spa lobby

spa pool

spa relaxation lounge

It was heavenly, to say the least.

My treatment, the Long Winter’s Nap, was perfect for the chilly October afternoon.  Here’s the description: A blend of essential oils add to this traditional hot stone massage to create a relaxed dream-like state, melting away stress and muscle tension.  Continue the sweet dreams with a nap that enhances the repair process.  Um, yes, I’ll take two!  (Kidding.)  It was SO enjoyable – I definitely recommend.

By the time I left the Spa it was pushing up to the Florida vs. Georgia game, so Kev + I scooted over to Gaby’s by the Lake to stake out seats. 

Gaby’s is a newly-renovated outdoor venue offering sweeping views of Lake Oconee, as well as a full menu of casual favorites and cocktails throughout the day.  Guests are seated at the water’s edge and can catch a spectacular sunset most evenings.  “Come-as-you-are” attire for lunch and dinner.

As soon as we walked in, we fell in love with Gaby’s.  It was so open and casual, and had large TV screens over the bar for us to watch the game.  I’m OBSESSED with Gaby’s chairs - incredibly comfortable and such a cool design!

We ordered beers + the housemade potato chips with bourbon BBQ, blue cheese and Vidalia onion dips.  The bartender also threw in a bowl of boiled peanuts.  We were set.

We met some friendly folks at the bar who were also rooting for the Gators + we became fast friends.  However, Kev couldn’t bear to see his Gators lose, so we eventually closed out our bill and decided to head back to Club to see what was going on in there. 

We stopped to take this picture along the way:

We ate dinner in Club, poured some wine + headed downstairs to the campfire for 8:00 p.m. S’mores!  All the kids staying at the resort (and Kevin and I, naturally) got in line to prepare our special evening snack over the campfire.  We had such a fun time doing this + pretending that we also had a kid around somewhere making s’mores…  Kids at heart?!  Yeaaaaaaa! 

We went back up to Club, poured some more wine (don’t judge), changed into our swimsuits + ran down to the hot tub to spend the next few hours hanging out outside and enjoying our last night on the property.

In the morning, we were both feeling pretty gluttonous.  So, we decided to go for a walk on the Oconee Trail after breakfast in Club. 

Our walk was eventful. 

We got about 5 miles of exercise on the winding trail…

We saw the leaves turning on the towering Georgia pine trees…

Kev whittled a walking stick (that now calls our condo balcony home)…

And, we plotted how we could stay at the Ritz Lodge F.O.R.E.V.E.R.!! 

(We couldn’t come up with a way…  We are already dying to go back.)

It was so hard to leave, but it only took us about an hour and a half to get back to Atlanta + now we have such great memories from our relaxing weekend in the Georgia woods. 

If you haven’t been to the Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation – you absolutely MUST go!  There is so much to do there; perfect for adults and kids alike.  The Ritz Lodge is a relaxing Southern paradise that makes you feel so far away from your worries and stressors, but it’s merely a 75-mile drive from Atlanta!  Visit soon! 

Oh, also, (as if there isn’t enough to do there already) the Ritz Lodge is building an ice skating rink on property for winter!  More info here: WINTER AT THE RITZ LODGE.

xx, L

Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation
1 Lake Oconee Trail
Greensboro, Georgia  30642
706.467.7196
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ReynoldsPlantation/Default.htm

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Ritz Carlton Lodge Weekend (1 of 2): Linger Longer Steakhouse

11/09/2011 in Guilty Pleasures, Holidays, Hotels, Out of Town, Vacation, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 1 comment

Kevin + I didn’t dress up this year for Halloween.  We didn’t go to the Florida vs. Georgia game, either.  This year, we spent the last weekend of October at the gorgeous Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation.

The Ritz Lodge is located in Northern Georgia, just 75 miles east of Atlanta on the shores of Lake Oconee – Georgia’s second largest lake.  A decidedly Southern retreat, the resort is situated in Reynolds Plantation, a 10,000-acre golf and lakefront community.

happy halloween weekend to us!

happy halloween weekend to us!

There are so many incredible things I want to tell you about the resort, but I could never fit them all into one post…  Soooooo, you’ll just have to wait for more! 

It was our very first time visiting the gorgeous property + we had the most amazing weekend!

the ritz carlton lodge

This post will focus on our f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s. dinner at the Ritz’s Linger Longer Steakhouse.

linger longer exterior

Kev + I had 9 p.m. reservations at Linger Longer, so we zipped from Atlanta to the Ritz, dropped off our car + bags at the hotel and hitched a ride to the restaurant from a super friendly Ritz Lodge driver who saved us from having to walk over in the brisk cold.  (Thanks, super friendly driver!)  When we arrived and walked into the door, I immediately felt warm.  Linger Longer’s interior is cozy-elegant and exceptionally welcoming.  It was pretty much like the warmest hug EVER.

linger longer bar

linger longer dining room

linger longer dining room

The newly rebuilt (it burned down a few years ago…) Linger Longer Steakhouse is located in the Oconee Golf Course Clubhouse adjacent to the Ritz Lodge.  Known for creating simple yet flavorful fare, Executive Chef David White has created a comforting contemporary menu of American steakhouse classics.  All seafood is overnighted directly from Boston, and meats are premium cut.  In addition, more than 20 herb varieties are grown in the resort’s on-site herb garden.  Linger Longer’s extensive wine list emphasizes reds from around the world, as well as varietals from Georgia’s own Persimmon Creek Vineyards, with more than 40 wines by the glass.  Visit Linger Longer’s menu here. 

We were impressed from the moment we walked in.  But, even more impressed with the exceptional service.  The food, oh the food!, simply sealed the deal!

It had been a long week for us both, so Kev + I started off the meal with a round of cocktails.  I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was the single most delicious Gimlet I’ve ever ordered!  I’m not going to tell you how many more I had over the course of the night.  I just won’t.

Shortly thereafter, we ordered up the Tuna Tartare to share.  Perfection.  Very similar to Steel’s famous Tuna Tower, Linger Longer’s tuna tartare was also best knocked over and mixed around on the plate.  The fresh tuna was accompanied by crushed avocado, soy-lime dressing and a crispy won ton.

We devoured it and quickly moved on to the Linger Longer Loaded Wedge Salad: bacon, tomato + maytag blue cheese.  It was also very tasty.

Entree time!  Kev and I both ordered 9 Ounce Filet Mignon Oscars.  The Oscar add-on tops off the filet with crab fondue, asparagus + bearnaise sauce.  I selected Potatoes Lyonnaise as my side.

Kev opted for the Garlic Steak Fries.  (Gotta love him!)  :)

Both of our filets were totally OUT OF THIS WORLD!  Kev said that his was “the best steak he’s had in Georgia,” and I kinda have to agree with him.  They were delicious!  And, the Oscar add-on is absolutely the way to go.

For dessert, we ordered the White Chocolate Souffle.  It was spectacular.  That’s all I can say.  I don’t care how full you are; you have got to order it! 

Everything was so fantastic – we really didn’t want the meal to end.  And, it didn’t!  Our server brought over Peach Cotton Candy on a Stick as a final special treat.  What a whimsical way to finish off such an exquisite dinner!  We really enjoyed that special touch.

We went into dinner knowing that the meal would be good – heck it’s the Ritz - but we had no idea HOW good.  Kev and I were floored – and we agreed that we would surely make the drive in from Atlanta to eat there again! 

Close to midnight, we had the friendly driver scoop us from the restaurant and bring us back to the hotel so that we could officially check in for the weekend.  When we finally made it into our room, we were greeted with a few thoughtful surprises from our beloved Gorms!  (Thanks, Gorms!)

By this point, we weren’t sure how the weekend could get much better than the incredible meal we just ate, but the truth is that dinner was merely the tip of the iceberg! 

More to come, more to come… 

xx, L

Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation
Linger Longer Steakhouse
1 Lake Oconee Trail
Greensboro, Georgia  30642
706.467.7196
http://ow.ly/7osh7

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DC—->ATL

11/07/2011 in Out of Town, Vacation, Where we're Eating by Lauren | No comments

I was just in DC this weekend visiting one of my b.r.i.d.e.s.m.a.i.d.s.! and I just feel very compelled to tell you about three things I fell in love with up there:

 1. Cava Mezze Grill

 Fast food…Mediterranean style.  (read: not pumped full of chemicals or sitting around all day.)  In fact, their philosophy is as follows:

 We believe in big flavor with a small footprint. Our food is made from delicious, simple, authentic Greek and fresh local ingredients. All our meats are hormone- and antibiotic-free. All our dips and spreads are all-natural. Our bowls, drink cups, cutlery, napkins, and paper bags are compostable, and we recycle our glass and plastic.

 Love. 

I would eat here EVERY. DAY.  I LOVE Mediterranean food and this was a dream.  You go to the counter, choose a salad, a pita, 3 mini pitas or a bowl.  Then you choose all kinds of delicious Greek dips and sauces and a meat or falafel and voila – you have pretty darn amazing salad in MINUTES.  (Bonus: Their website has a nutritional information counter associated with it, how cool is THAT?)

Their website also let me know that while they just have the one location in Bethesda for now, there will be more opening in the future.  May I suggest…Atlanta? 

Cava Mezze Grill
(301) 656-1772
4832 Bethesda Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Cava Mezze Grill on Urbanspoon

 2. Mussel Bar

As you might remember, mussels are only some of my FAVORITE things in the world (right up there next to muscles. Please see L+L’s political platform HERE for more information)  They have other stuff on the menu, too, but check out the mussel selection (all mussels come with fries- duh!):

Classic, Roasted Garlic, Shallots, Cream and Sauvignon Blanc
Spicy Thai, Green Curry
Provencal, Tomato, Capers, Basil
Stout, Old Bay, Shallots, Garlic, Bacon, Cream
Red Indonesian Curry, Peanut Essence 
Wild Shroom, Pancetta, Parmesan, Truffle Cream
Tikka Masala, Chicken, Bell Peppers, Indian Spices 
Grilled Pineapple, Sweet Chili Garlic

It was also a pretty cool scene.  We made our way to Mussel Bar at 10pm and while they were still dishing up mollusks, plenty of pretty people were simply drinking cocktails at the bar too.

Mussel Bar
(301) 215-7817
7262 Woodmont Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
Mussel Bar on Urbanspoon

3. Bikram Yoga

Ok, so I KNOW we have places here in town, but I just haven’t gone yet…now I definitely plan on it.  I think I could get into 90 minutes of piping hot yoga!  Plus, my friend who I went to see had just completed a 30 day Bikram Yoga challenge and homegirl looked seriously amazing.

We actually got our class comped because apparently, the more experienced Yogis did not feel the room had reached optimal temps…but for a newbie, I thought it was pretty hot in there and definitely added another layer of difficulty to my “practice.”  (PS you should know my “practice” is pretty out of practice.  I was just grateful I didn’t pass out in there.)  

26 Poses to Gorgeousness and Calmness?

If anyone has any suggestions on Bikram Yoga studios in town, I am all ears.  I wants on this bandwagon and I wants on it NOW.

And that…is that.  I’m just glad all 3 things didn’t have to do with food!   

 xx, L

P.S. My computer is still in the shop….please send good thoughts towards the lovely people at Apple who are rehabilitating it as I type…

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See You in a Few, DC!

09/30/2011 in DC, Random Musings, Vacation, What we're Doing by Lindsay | 2 comments

Adios, amigos!  I am heading to DC today for a LONG weekend.

I am really looking forward to some serious girl time with these lovely ladies + blog regulars:

pretty little anjali

ENB

dana dana dana

And, I can’t wait to meet THIS handsome man!!  :)

sir soren!

I hope everyone has a great weekend + gets to enjoy the gorgeous Atlanta weather!  See y’all on the flip!

xx, L

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Bonjiorno!

09/20/2011 in Guilty Pleasures, Health, PSAs, Vacation by Lauren | 2 comments

I am BACK!

You guys, it was an incredible trip and I have SO MUCH to share with y’all – but alas, I am at the mercy of the people who snapped pictures and I am happy to report that I was too busy taking in the gorgeous scenery, stunning Italian culture and architecture and amazing fashion to be one of them.  

I was also very busy taking in wayyyy too much of this:

And this:

And this:

What I need now is to see a lot of this:

And a gym.  STAT.

Even though all I want to do right now is pour over wedding blogs and obsess over color combinations, I need to find myself at my trainer (I love you, Lloyd!) and definitely at Zumba (which I just discovered and LOVE!  Ridiculous dance party as a workout?  Yes, please.) and hopefully some good old fashioned running now that the weather is a little cooler.  

But to keep my eye on the prize, I found a bunch of motivating images on Pinterest that I thought I’d share with you… in case you needed a little extra kick in the rear this week, too.  

(KIDDING!!!!)

Enjoy!

xx, L

 

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Ciao, Bellas!

09/10/2011 in Vacation by Lauren | No comments

I’ve got an overstuffed bag, my camera, and SO MUCH EXCITEMENT as I head to the country shaped like a BOOT!  See ya in a week!

Ciao, bellas!

xx, L

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SEATTLE: You’re Mine.

09/02/2011 in Holidays, Out of Town, Vacation, What we're Doing by Lindsay | 3 comments

I’m leaving this morning to spend Labor Day weekend in Seattle with my friend Mindy who has lived there for several years now.  I visited a couple of years ago, we did a whole bunch of touristy stuff + I had a fine ‘ole time. 

Please observe:

I CAN’T WAIT to get there today!  Happy Labor Day, everyone!  Have fun + make it one to remember.  :)

xx, L

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Visiting the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

08/30/2011 in Out of Town, Vacation, What we're Doing by Lindsay | No comments

Slick + I road-tripped to Asheville, NC, this weekend to spend time with his family.  On the way home from our fun weekend in Ashe-town, I was able to manipulate him into “stopping by” the Biltmore Estate.  Four hours later on the way back to Atlanta, all we could talk about was how truly magnificent the estate was – the house, the grounds, the gardens, etc.  All were absolutely breathtaking! 

the biltmore estate – asheville, nc

Slick said that the lawn leading up to the Biltmore House was the “single greatest football-playing yard” he’d ever seen…  :)

For those unfamiliar with the Biltmore Estate, here’s the Q+DD:

The Biltmore is a Châteauesque-styled mansion in Asheville, North Carolina.  It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States at 135,000 square feet with 250 rooms.  Still owned by one of Vanderbilt’s descendants, it stands today as one of the most prominent remaining examples of the Gilded Age. 

On Christmas Eve 1895, George W. Vanderbilt officially opened the Biltmore House.  Three years later, he brought his bride Edith Stuyvesant Dresser to the Biltmore, and in 1900, their only child Cornelia was born there.  After Vanderbilt’s death is 1914, Edith and Cornelia continued to call the Biltmore their home, with Edith assuming the management of the estate.  In 1942, Cornelia married the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil, and they lived and entertained in the Biltmore House.  In response to requests to increase area tourism during the Depression and to bring in money to preserve the estate, the Cecils opened their house to the public in 1930.

The mountain views from the Biltmore House are pretty outstanding, too.

After thoroughly touring the house, Slick + I walked around a few of the Biltmore gardens.  The gorgeous weather didn’t hurt one bit, either…  Below are pictures from our stroll through the Italian garden, the shrub garden, the walled garden + the rose garden. 

To cool off a bit from all of our walking + to cap off our visit, we drove to the award-winning Biltmore Winery to test out a few of their signature wines.  Although we skipped the winery tour, we were happy as clams at the tasting counter – and very pleasantly surprised about how good the wines were! 

Our favorites were: Biltmore Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc de Noir (Lindsay) + Biltmore Limited Release Chenin Blanc (Slick).

I am SO glad that we decided to visit the Biltmore while we were in Asheville!  Although we could have easily spent a full day there, we saw + did quite a bit within the four hours we were on the property. I highly, highly recommend taking a trip to visit the Biltmore.  It’s gorgeous, romantic, incredibly fascinating (historically + architecturally), AND it’s only a short 3.5 hours away from Atlanta! 

Truly amazing.

xx, L

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