I’m not talkin’ soup, but I am talkin’ DE.LICI.OUS!!!
Last weekend, we seized the opportunity to get away. One of the things I hope I never take for granted about Tad is his grasp of our need to spend time alone…our need to. He understands this better than I do. A few times a year, we find a way to get away, decompress, focus on each other, and not be pulled in a thousand directions (and when our children were younger, having the breath of life sucked out of us). We LOVE our children, they’re the greatest kids on the planet that I’ve ever given birth to ;). BUT, we are better parents when we’ve had time to fan the flame rediscover what brought us together in the first place invent new and before-unimagined ways to rock each other’s world, which may or may not include monkey cage climbing or chandelier swinging rekindle the romance.
To benefit any of you who are planning a visit to Atlanta say, next week or in this life, a few recommendations for your consideration:
If you’re lucky enough to score the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead
via priceline.com, you’re off to a smokin’ start. Congratulations. Look at our bathroom, j’adore this stuff:
Everything is so sparkly and clean and just begs to be used! BEGS!
Can you identify everything? Here, I’ll help you out…I’ll supersize the photo.
And their turn-down service with chocolates on a tray and orchids on your pillow? Well, that just BEGS to be "used", too! BEGS! How can you not jump right in when there are not one, not two, not three, but FOUR down pillows screaming your name? Irrefreakinsistable!
Good food is a must, make that GREAT food. Atlanta is home to Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts, and chefs-to-be intern at local wonderful restaurants. While they’re biding their time in class, they’re really chompin’ at the bit to graduate in order to open up THEIR OWN local wonderful restaurant. Some are legends in their own minds…some are legends.
If you enjoy seafood, you MUST try the Atlanta Fishmarket. Oh, my goodness, my heart just fluttered thinking about it. I got the Parmesan-crusted and baked Atlantic Salmon, grilled asparagus, crispy basil potato cake. I’d get it again. And again. The only problem with the whole "hip-and-trendy-new-restaurant- openings-because-of-the-cool-nearby-culinary-school", is when I LIKE something, it’s difficult NOT to return. Atlanta Fishmarket has never disappointed (outside of having to wait in spite of reservations…reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry pontificates the car rental’s ability to TAKE a reservation without the ability to KEEP the reservation…but I digress). There was absolutely NO ROOM for dessert, but I could’ve cared less. I kinda figure our dessert was on the front end…during our 45 minute wait we had time to try a few specialty beverages. Their Georgia Peach Martini is……..perfection in a glass.
We brunched on Saturday at Huey’s, and again….their steaming melt-in-your-mouth beignets were/are/were perfection…powdered sugar perfection on a plate! Tad got a veggie omelet, I had creole seasoned shrimp and grits, coupled with good coffee and freshly squeezed OJ, it was the creamiest, deliciousest brunch dish EVAH (this year 😉 ).
We tried one of those hip and trendy restaurants Saturday night. Mosaic. Gosh, looking at their website, it sounds fantabulous…BUT…I would NOT go there again :/. It was surprisingly the most expensive meal…and the most disappointing. Instead of two entrees (I needed
wanted room for dessert), we got a variety of appetizers and split one main dish (Kibbeh–Moroccan style lamb sausage with roasted garlic hummus, marinated tomatoes, grilled flatbread and cucumber yogurt sauce (so-so), a crisp calamari salad (the BEST thing about the meal, the sauce was delicious!, an average Caesar salad), and a pepper-encrusted tuna special they had that night, not on the menu (marginal :/
). The amazing chocolate dessert our waiter enthusiastically described by saying "If you love chocolate you HAVE to try this!" was simply okay, which really isn’t okay at all…based on the build-up we expected SHAZAAAM! How can a hardened chocolate shell, filled with chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with a raspberry glaze just be "okay"???
We shopped
all over the place Saturday, girlie stuff for me and Tad’s adult fantasy store. Oh, yeah, and his other adult fantasy store. I really wanted these…but I couldn’t pull the trigger. I love/hate/love/hatehate expensive shoes. I love the way they look and feel, HATE the price tag :/. I won’t pay retail for anything. If Tad likes it, he doesn’t care. This is the kind of argument we had on our weekend getaway…I’ll take that kind…
As tempted as I was, I did not purchase this: 
See how he hangs his head in shame? How he tries to hide his unmentionables? I think it’s because HE knows and I know he was nekkid and not just naked. Yep, there’s a difference. Ask Lewis Grizzard.
Whew! Worn out and glowing from all this reminiscing…and excited about the next trip…it’s gonna be the BIG one! 🙂
Definitely sounds like you had a great time. You managed to indulge yourself without giving over fully and breaking the bank.
Hope the next one is way better still 🙂
Balance is good, James. You’ll learn this again when you get married and again when you have kids and again…;).
Sounds like a wondefful weekend away.
Hope you feel less dizzy – glad you had a great weekend, in spite of the 1 not-so-great dinner spot
What a timely post . . . my husband and I are negotiating a getaway weekend for our 10th anniversary, in May. He’s in Iraq, and was able to call last night, and he shot down my plan to go to New York, stay the InterContinental, ago to a show, and a hip trendy restaurant. Too expensive right now. At least NY is. I never thought of doing that in Atlanta. I’m a little bit from Atlanta, and my parents live there now . . . we go there for family stuff, nothing else. Don’t know if I could talk my husband into it . . . though it would be handy to drop off the kids . . .
LCO…are you referring to the trip we took for our anniversary? The whole vertigo thing?? Or are you just saying I’m an “inner” blonde??? One little sad dinner spot wasn’t about to rain on my parade! 😀
Oooooo, Kristi, REDISCOVER Atlanta! I grew up not far from there, even lived there a year and a half outta college. You “forget” what a GREAT Southern city it is. With the added bonus of having nearby childcare…IT’S THE PERFECT PLACE FOR YOUR 1OTH! (Especially b/c of priceline.com!)
I’m assuming your hubby is military??? If so…thank him for me, for the sacrifices he’s makin’ (and I guess, you, too!) :).
HAHAHAHA! I know the difference between “naked” and “nekkid!” LOL!
And what you said about not being “pulled in a thousand directions (and when our children were younger, having the breath of life sucked out of us)” – you’ve summed up my life in a nutshell. Don’t get me wrong; I wouldn’t trade it for the world….I’m just sayin’….I know what you’re sayin’ 😉
I’m glad you guys had fun 🙂
That sounds so fabulous! I’ve gotta get away. I haven’t been to atlanta in years. Now I’m really missing it.
Wow, glad you had such a nice getaway. We never do that–and our marriage stinks, go figure.
That’s too bad about the chocolate dessert though!
Aaaaah (romantic sigh) – sounded absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait until my husband and I can have a weekend like that. – I’m bummed out that chocolate desert wasn’t better.
and hey – I am wondering how many googles you are going to get for “Adult Fantasy Store” with this post.
So glad you had a fantabulous time! Reading about all that food made my mouth water! mmm….and the shoes?? gorgeous…however, I think the guy is hanging his head because he saw the price tag and it floored him. he’s trying to get back up!!ehehe
Dear robin. That sounds like such fun. Where we go away to for weekends depends where we have family and friends so we can crash on their floor…. 🙁 Have you decided where you’re going to go for the big one yet, or still open to suggestions?
Very nice.
It was so nice,in fact, that I don’t feel sorry for you about the chocolate dessert.
You can’t have it all. (:
Susan, really, truly, let’s meet the next time you’re in Tennessee. Really. Truly.
Karmyn, we did drive by one of “those” and thought about stopping for fun and entertainment. The parking lot was FULL so we kept going. My mind was extremely open at the time ;). I can’t wait for y’all to get away, too!!!
Claudia, get this, I thought about YOU when I posted that shoe pic! I tried to find it discounted online, no such luck :/. The statue was so heavy, I couldn’t pick it up to find out how much it cost…and Tad had moved on to look at “other things” when he saw me eyeing it, lol.
Dear Little Miss Moi, weekends like that ARE fun :). You can crash on our floor anytime, but the beds are really comfortable and I’d even wash the sheets in advance. Nope, we haven’t decided, but we’ve got some good ideas…and are ALWAYS open to suggestion if you have any (until reservations are made and tickets are bought).
Pamela, giggle, giggle…and THAT’S alright with me…I’ll take whatevah I get :).
Jenny, fly Delta ;). I will meet you and we can have lunch together and laugh at any funny statues we see.
Mom-2-3, get away, get away, get away…somewhere, anywhere (it’s a start…and I’m sorry, genuinely so, to hear that :/.)
Sounds like fun. You guys are so good about that (which, I’m sure, keeps other things good…).
Chris and I have said that when we have kids, we want to do these weekend getaways, too. Hope we follow-through with that like you guys have.
enid can’t think about anything but the lovely pictures of food you’ve posted. she’s very hungry today and it seems even longer than usual until her evening meal. that fish sounds fab!
Heather, It was MUCH more difficult when the children were younger (but probably more “needed” then); if you’re thinking about this BEFORE you have kids, you’re very likely to do it AFTER. I will remind you ;).
Enid, why do I find the way you speak in first person so endearing? I LOVE great seafood, and this was GREAT seafood! (Hope your appetite was satisfied!)
Robin- After you visited me (after I visited you) I had to come back and read about your get-away to ATL. So, sorry for commenting on an old post but it sounds like you had a great time. I work in Buckhead, very near the Fish Market (drive past it nearly every day on my way to the bank). I do agree with you that some of the newer “trendy” places here aren’t that great as far as the food (and the service). I have an art gallery / custom frame shop on Miami Circle in the heart of Buckhead. (And I donated a custom frame from my shop as a prize in the Blog Party). Let me know next time you’re headed this way and you can stop in and say hello. Love your blog.