[Hatch Show print from our Nashville trip]
[Chattahoochee River trail — a favorite local spot]
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: chambray J.Crew button-up // emerald Old Navy skinnies // taupe Tory Burch flats // Elodie Necklace // Nancy Studs // bracelet stack, including the Enlighten Bracelet (orange/gold)]
[best umbrella stand]
[backyard sunsets in GA]
This past week brought us a few fun out-of-state visitors! My childhood BFF’s husband was traveling up to the Atlanta area for work, so she tagged along, and I’m so happy she did. Even though it was just for a couple hours, we got to visit, show them our home, and have dinner at yummy Corner Taqueria over in the Smyrna Market Village. We don’t typically see each other more than about once a year, so it was quite a treat to have them stop by! Craig’s dad was also in town on business, so we got to have him over for a Mexican dinner on the deck. Then, to top off the week, his dad came BACK in town over the weekend with Craig’s brother, and they all went to Athens for the UT/Georgia game. Sadly, I was working — but I made up for it that night with pizza and #hotnow KK donuts. We ended the weekend celebrating our favorite little redhead’s 2nd birthday at a jumpy place for kids… talk about an overwhelming sight! 🙂
Monthly Archives: September 2014
kangaroos and gibbons and giraffes, oh my!
I love a good zoo, so while on our trip to Nashville a couple weekends ago, this was our first stop. It was the most perfect weather for an outdoor activity, and we spent a few hours walking miles around the entire zoo. First, we were greeted by these giant, cobalt blue parrots. So pretty!
Meerkats! I love these little guys, but I hear they can be pretty mean.
BATS!
By far the coolest exhibit at the zoo — Kangaroo Kickabout! I couldn’t believe that they let people INTO the exhibit to walk around and pet the kangaroos. I would have stayed here for a long time if there hadn’t been so many little ones wanting their turns petting them… 😉
Lorikeet Landing was my other favorite attraction at the zoo. We paid $2 for a small cup of nectar to feed the birds, and they LOVED it! We had tons of birds all over us within a matter of seconds after we got the nectar, and it was so funny. If you’re not terrified of small birds zooming around you and landing on your head/shoulder/arm at any given moment, then it’s worth checking out.
One neat “extra” that this zoo features is the Grassmere Historic Home and Farm. The historic home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is supposedly the second oldest home still standing in Davidson County. We didn’t have time for a tour of the inside of the home, but we peeked in the windows and wandered through the farm and gardens, as well as a small cemetery behind the house. They have working stables that house horses, but they must have been on their lunch break when we visited.
We loved our morning trip to the Nashville Zoo. If you’re in the area or plan to visit Music City, add this to your list.
A Few of My Favorite Things (87)
[my birthday present – “Sweetwater Weather” canvas print by Emily Jeffords]
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Target button up // red Old Navy skinnies // taupe Tory Burch flats // gold Engravable Disc (with monogram) // Sahara Pendant // bracelet stack]
[King Plow Arts Center wedding]
[Springbluff Hall reunion at Heather’s wedding]
[Springbluff friends]
[congrats to Dr. and Mrs. French!]
[garth brooks concert]
Last weekend, we celebrated one of my college friend Heather at her wedding. It was a really fun night, especially because she’s part of a group of girlfriends who I’ve known since the very, very beginning of college. We lived together in an all-girls’ dorm on Springbluff Hall during our freshman year at UGA. I think our hall was pretty special in that many of us remained friends throughout college and still get together to this day (13 years since first meeting). Heather is one of the most genuine, down to earth people I know, and while I don’t have any pictures to prove it, she was the most stunning bride. One of the groomsmen said in his toast that Russ (her groom) described Heather as “a Southern belle with a jump shot,” which I thought was absolutely adorable and pretty spot-on. Here’s to a lifetime of love, happiness, and blessings for Dr. and Mrs. French!
And to top off a great weekend, we got tickets to the Garth Brooks concert on Sunday night with several friends. I saw him perform over 15 years ago, and he was just as great as I remembered. The sound in that arena was almost deafening, and there were more cowboy hats in one place than I’d seen in a long, long time. Garth’s songs brought back some great memories, and I loved getting to share another one of Craig’s lifetime favorite performers with him.
vacay recap:: nashville
Last week, we took a few days off work and headed to Nashville for a mini vacation. Every time we’re up that way, we are usually visiting family and/or going to a football game, so we never get to do many of the “Nashville” things that so many others rave about. So we decided to take a long weekend trip to knock several things off our Nashville bucket list. I took far too many photos (shocking!), so I’ll keep the words to a minimum and let you tag along via photos on our trip as “hometown tourists.”
On the itinerary:
1. Arrington Vineyards
2. Nashville Zoo
3. Country Music Hall of Fame
4. Dinner at Husk
5. Lunch at The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden
6. Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co.
7. TN Brew Works
8. Hot chicken!
Arrington Vineyards::
We made a pit stop at Arrington on a windy, overcast afternoon, and it was one of my favorite things we did all weekend. Because it was a Thursday, the vineyard was fairly empty, so we grabbed the “Picnic Tasting” (4 samples of our choice with wine crackers) and headed out to a picnic table with a beautiful hilltop view. You can bring your own picnic or purchase cheese/crackers/sausage/chocolate truffles from them. We didn’t think ahead to bring our own snacks, so we bought a block of Gouda, some toast crackers, and a sampling of their specially-made truffles for an impromptu happy hour. It was absolutely lovely, and I can’t wait to go back!
Nashville Zoo::
We both voted the Zoo as our favorite place that we visited, and I’ll have a post devoted to our animal friends coming soon.
Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co.::
While I don’t consider this place quintessentially “Nashville” since it’s a newer company, we were excited to make our way over to their shop. We first tasted O & S chocolates and caramels at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival earlier this year, and I just had to find their shop to get some more of their goodies. I love their Bourbon Nib Brittle, and Duck Fat Caramels. Get on their website and order yo’self some. Or if you’re in Nashville, stop by their shop and you can take a tour of the factory!
As usual, we ate our way around the city, including a home-cooked Mexican dinner with Craig’s family and a lunch out with his grandparents.
We had burgers and beers at The Pharmacy over in the East Nashville area. Such a fun little joint with lots of great outdoor seating, lots of burger and sausage options, and lots of beers on tap.
Our favorite was dinner at Husk, which I wrote about here earlier this week.
We got some of Nashville’s famous HOT chicken at Hattie B’s. We debated for a long time between Prince’s and HB’s, but this not as sketchy location won out, and I’m happy about that. The chicken was hot, but not on fire, the sides were OK, and the company we had at our picnic table was really nice. And while this choice is a bit more mainstream than Prince’s, I didn’t have to worry about our safety while I waited in line, which was a legitimate concern if we’d chosen the other option.
And we got after-dinner cocktails at The Patterson House, which was quite fun. It’s definitely not a large group-type of place, but it’s perfect for a date night or outing with a couple of the girls. Lots of interesting options (Craig got the Bacon Old Fashion and I got the Champagne Cocktail), and the mixologists are really good at what they do.
We had a little extra time one afternoon, so we made a quick stop by Centennial Park to walk around The Parthenon. I didn’t see the need to pay for us to go inside, but I later learned that it serves as the city of Nashville’s art museum, which is pretty neat. Nonetheless, it was fun to walk around the outside and gawk at the size of the columns on the full-scale replica of this Athens monument.
Hatch Show Print::
This was particularly fun for me to visit, given my degree in Printmaking. Hatch Show was the big “competition” to Yee-Haw Industries, the letterpress company I interned with in Knoxville at the end of college. Hatch Show has been around for decades and as you can see in the photo below, they make allll sorts of letterpress signage. Their studio is in the Country Music Hall of Fame building and is open to the public. Nobody was working in the studio over the weekend, but I’d have loved to see the printmakers in action. I picked up a fun Tennessee-themed print to hang in our house. 🙂
Country Music Hall of Fame::
I bet you can’t guess who wanted to go here? 🙂 Just kidding — it was pretty neat to learn more about the history of the genre and see all sorts of country music memorabilia, including costumes, guitars, records, and even giant cars once owned by Elvis and the likes. The museum is humongous, and I’m sure if you stopped to read every bit of signage on display, you could spend all day there. And how about that purple wolf jacket below? I know what Craig’s getting for his birthday this year…
Tennessee Brew Works::
After we were finished up with all of the touristy items on our list, we met up with our friend Danielle for a beer tasting and some football watching at Tennessee Brew Works. We love trying out new breweries, and I really liked that at this one, you can sit down restaurant-style and order either a flight of different beers or just choose your favorite brew to sip on. The Georgia/South Carolina game ended up being delayed quite a bit due to weather, so we made our way over to M. Street Tavern for the remainder of the night. Such a fun way to end our touristy trip through Music City!
restaurant review:: husk (nashville)
When we started planning our mini vacay to Nashville a few months ago, we knew we wanted to eat at Husk. We’d tried last fall, but it was booked up, so we were really excited to get a reservation there last Friday night. Charleston boasts the original restaurant by the same name, and I’m excited that there’s now another one in Craig’s hometown. Located in Rutledge Hill, just a few blocks from Downtown, the restaurant is in a historic brick building that served as the Mayor’s home once upon a time. From their website, “At Husk, there are some rules about what can go on the plate. “If it doesn’t come from the South, it’s not coming through the door,” says Brock (chef). “
Husk’s bar features just about every type of bourbon you can think of (they have a whole menu devoted to it), as well as a wide array of other fancy, interesting cocktails. I started off with the Athens’ Opal (Tito’s Vodka, Carpano Bianco, African Blue Basil-Cilantro Syrup, Fresh Grapefruit, Aged Balsamic Salt), which is pictured below. Craig got a bourbon cocktail (can’t remember the name), which he raved about.
I could have eaten 100 of those sesame seed rolls with butter.
To start, we chose the Ember Roasted Sweet Corn and Heirloom Peppers, Salsa Verde, and Sheeps Milk Cheese. It was the perfect portion for two, and it had really nice grilled/spicy flavors.
For dinner, I chose the Wedge Oak Chicken (Grilled Okra, Curds and Whey, Pepper Preserves). Okra is not my thing, so I handed that off to Craig, but the chicken was incredibly juicy and flavorful. I’m not so sure about curds and whey, but it was fun to try something from a nursery rhyme. 😉
Craig got the Shrimp and Grits, and we shared the Hot Water Cornbread with Sliced Tomatoes and Raw Onion, which had a really interesting texture. It was super crispy on the outside, and almost a bit gooey inside.
Before arriving at Husk, we’d decided we would have either an appetizer OR a dessert. Well… you see how that played out. We got both. Below is the Buttermilk Pie with raspberries and a lemon sorbet. Our usual desserts involve lots of chocolate (or pecan pie or coconut), so we went with the server’s recommendation.
We had such a lovely dinner, and I’m glad we finally got to see what the fuss is all about. And the best part is that you can dine at Husk in either Nashville or Charleston! Their menu changes some each day, so there will always be an excuse to go back.
A Few of My Favorite Things (86)
[Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets coming this week!]
[Nashville skyline]
[Georgia game day during vacation]
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Union Square Scarf in Geo Ikat // Engravable Disc in gold (with monogram) // Trinity Pendant Necklace]
[maternity session + Jeni’s Ice Cream = perfection]
I love a good trip… but don’t you always feel like you need another vacation just to recover from your vacation? 🙂 We spent most of last week up in Franklin and Nashville, and we had the best time. I have a couple posts coming up to share all the fun things we did (and numerous things we ate). I finished off the weekend with a really “sweet” maternity session with 2 of my favorite parents-to-be, which I’ll be sharing more of over on MHP this week. Happy Monday, folks!
A Few of My Favorite Things (85)
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: orange J.Crew top // Engravable Disc in gold // Pop Geo Pendant]
[first sign of fall]
[friday night treat]
[String Fling Gala benefitting the Center for Puppetry Arts]
[perfectly painted skies on a Sunday night]
This week was the first in a long time that did not involve ANYTHING going on after work… such a nice break from the busy weeks we’ve had all summer. I spent all day Saturday helping set up for and working the annual String Fling Gala, which benefits the Center for Puppetry Arts. I managed to log in over 20K steps that day, if that tells you anything. 😉
We’re looking forward to a little mini vacay this week — we’ll be off to Nashville for a long-awaited touristy trip around Craig’s hometown area. As many times as we have been back to visit over the years, we have a list a mile long of fun restaurants to try and touristy attractions that even he has never been to. So off to Music City we go!
restaurant review:: no. 246
So for birthday dinner #14 (only slightly kidding), a few of my favorite girlfriends and I headed over to Restaurant No. 246 in Decatur. I’d heard several rave reviews about this little Italian-inspired spot, which was opened by the famed ATL Chef, Ford Fry, and Chef Drew Belline. The interior is just as interesting and beautiful as his other ATL hits — I especially loved the style of the bar below. They also have a large outdoor patio, complete with string lights and ping pong tables. I’m excited to go back when the weather is cooler so we can enjoy that space, too.
We started with fun birthday cocktails — including yummy non-alcoholic versions for our momma-to-be of the group.
For starters, we chose a meat and cheese platter, which included Coppa and two GA-made cheeses, as well as candied nuts, stone ground mustard, toast, pickles, and macerated cherries.
And after hearing such great things about the melt-in-your-mouth meatballs, we ordered 3. The sauce was so good, one of our friends scooped the rest of it up with a spoon and almost licked the bowl clean.
By the time dinner rolled around, it was a bit too dark to snap any shots of the entrees. We may have also started eating them too quickly…. anyway, between the five of us, we tried three different pastas and a woodfired pizza. All were exceptional.
The Summer Squash Pizza was made up of thinly sliced squash, truffle vinaigrette, mozzarella, and backyard herbs — literally from their backyard. It’s not something I would have been adventurous enough to order, but the thinly sliced squash was really nice in combination with everything else.
We also tried the Agnolotti, which the waitress described as “pillows” or “little clouds” because the pasta looked like little clouds filled with goodness ( ricotta, corn, wild chanterelles, tarragon, humbolt fog). I could have eaten my entire dish in one sitting — the Pork Bolognese with a red wine sauce — but I refrained and kept some for lunch the next day. I kinda still dream about it.
I highly recommend checking out 246. The food is mouthwatering, the drinks are excellent, and the restaurant itself is beautiful. To top it off, our server (I believe her name was Kristin) was one of the most knowledgeable I’ve ever had. She gave the most visual, interesting descriptions of the dishes and really helped us to understand the various Italian terms we weren’t familiar with. I’ll definitely request her next time we’re back.
And to end this post, there’s this. Who knew there were so many giraffes in downtown Decatur?
A Few of My Favorite Things (84)
[birthday burgers with the family]
[31st birthday + national dog day]
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: navy GAP eyelet tank // citron Old Navy skinnies // Fanella Statement Necklace // Enlighten Bracelet // Renegade Bracelet // Janice Studs in Orange]
[Georgia game day]
[Springbluff Hall reunion, minus a few]
[my great-grandmother Miss Minnie’s 100th birthday party]
[Nannie and grandkids]
[16 lbs of pork for Labor Day]
What a busy, fun-filled Labor Day weekend! We kicked off the weekend with the start of football season — always an exciting time in our house! Craig was lucky enough to score box seats from a friend, so headed to Auburn with the guys. My bff Charlotte came in town from NYC for the long weekend, so we were up bright and early to head to Athens for the UGA / Clemson game. It was the hottest I remember being at a football tailgate and game, but it was so fun to be back in Athens cheering the Dawgs on to victory!
On Sunday, we took a very quick trip down to Samson, AL to celebrate my great-grandmother’s 100th birthday. There were so many family members and friends who came out to celebrate Miss Minnie — even her 107 year old friend, Mr. Jack! He was quite a character — he still drives himself to attend every event in town! It was such a lovely afternoon spent with our huge, awesome extended family.
After such a busy couple of days, it was really nice to have Monday off. We didn’t do much other than prepping for our big Labor Day cookout, which I think was our biggest yet! Craig put the 16lb pork shoulder on the egg at 10pm the night before and got up every couple hours to check on it in the middle of the night. Such dedication! We had about 20-something friends over, which meant a variety of about a dozen different yummy sides and desserts to fill up on. Our choice of entertainment for the night was “toddler fight club,” which consisted of two of our favorite little guys running around in circles and falling down on top of each other and laughing hysterically. (Not to worry — no toddlers were harmed in this activity.) When we bought our house 4 years ago, one of the most important aspects was that we could entertain there. Not much makes me happier than hosting so many of our favorite people at our home.
hayes everyday 
