Workin' for the weekend

For those out there in the real world, I think we can all agree with one thing—we live for the weekends!

Living in a new city is especially exciting on the weekends, as there are many new things to explore. I have to admit—I have gotten quite hooked on a few specific places (if you can’t tell), but I’m still taking chances and trying new bars, restaurants, stores, etc.

A few weeks back I played my favorite role as hostess once again for Alli and Chris! After a small mishap (taking a wrong turn and ending up in the ghetto), the twosome arrived ready to party! Naturally, Alli was frantic because she didn’t have time to get a bottle of champagne. She should’ve known better—I keep my fridge stocked with bubbly at ALL times!

After toasting to the start of a great weekend, we headed to one of those spots I’m hooked on! Aspen Bartini

We started with a round of shots from our fave bartender—thanks, Michelle!

Reunion!

 

We called it an early-ish night to prepare ourselves for Saturday’s festivities. I couldn’t help but take the guests to Sweetwater—ok, I’ll admit, this is one of those places I can’t get enough of, but $10 for 6 half pours is too good to be true!

Some of you may wonder how we manage to survive these marathon Saturdays full of non-stop sipping and munching…well, the trick is easy, keep it going!

While Taylor and Chris did some manly bonding (probably involving FIFA and bourbon), the girls went back to my house for spinach dip and a few more cocktails by the fire!

As expected, we took our guests to Decatur, which is yet again one of those places I’ve become totally obsessed with. Naturally, we went to Brickstore and enjoyed a quick brew before sitting down in a cozy nook to enjoy a delicious dinner!

We started with an assortment of yummy appetizers—sausage and grit cakes, pretzels and hummus. Then, Taylor enjoyed a slice of Shepherd’s Pie—delicious!

 

And thanks to Alli, we ended the meal with some delicious Tittle Pop, Brickstore’s tasty spin on traditional caramel corn!

The next morning, we headed to J. Christopher’s which is a casual breakfast chain. The bright colors seen throughout this quirky eatery always give me a good laugh. The quiche, however, is nothing to laugh about—yum!

 

After Alli and Chris headed back to the City of Dreams (Cola), Alli (roomie, not guest) and I had the privilege of hosting a Stella & Dot trunk show. Alli handled the food because, as we all know, the girl can seriously bake!! I stuck to what I do best—purchasing, serving and consuming cocktails!

 

We had such a great Sunday Funday shopping right from our own living room!

Just two weekends later, I welcomed another South Carolina couple—my mom and soon-to-be (eventually) stepdad!

After some manual labor (it’s impossible for my parents to visit without doing a little furniture moving), we headed to Decatur for some St. Patrick’s Day fun. It was a gorgeous day and a perfect time to try out a pub besides Brickstore. I have to say, Mac McGee's is definitely a new fave. They had an encyclopedia-sized book of whiskeys....Scott and Taylor were in heaven!

 

For dinner, we decided to try Leon's Full Service, and I was very impressed. I was finally able to try Dogfish Head’s Aprihop (after lusting after my sister’s Instagram photo), and my brisket sandwich, fries and goat cheese fondue were on point!

 

Scott was even able to cross an item off his bucket list—trying absinthe, a highly alcoholic beverage which was previously thought to cause hallucinations (I'm guessing some time in the 60s & 70s). The report: no hallucinations, and it tasted like stale licorice. Won’t be trying that any time soon!

So I’ll continue exploring ATL and working for my weekends—stay tuned for tales from a Charleston wedding, and in a few weeks, the biggest event for any Gamecock alum—Carolina Cup! Keep ya posted!