Atlanta for the big 25 (part one)

For James' 25th birthday (which was 2 1/2 years ago for those of you keeping count) I wanted to do something big for his 'quarter of a century' birthday. We were just dating then but I knew (from the beginning) we would be married. His birthday is in December (27th!, even though I always mix it up with my Auntie Jill's on the 28th - oops!) and this was when we both lived in Charleston and if you know Charleston, you know its empty in December! I was able to book us a room on Hotwire for next to nothing at The Mills House hotel, a great hotel downtown near Queen and Broad Street on Meeting Street and we went to an amazing dinner at Charleston Grill, the restaurant inside the Charleston Place Hotel. It was one of my favorite nights and really wowed James!

December 27, 2009 - what babies we were!

That being said, I knew for my 25th we wanted to get out of dodge leave Columbia for the weekend and just enjoy each others company. After many searches on Hotwire (seriously, I am obsessed with that site. I even used it to book rooms in Madrid and London), we decided on Atlanta for the birthday weekend. I took off work on that Friday and Thursday at 3 pm off we were to the Intercontinental in Buckhead.

Credit: The amazing lobby at the Inter

The Inter in Buckhead was beautiful and in a perfect location, walking distance from the MARTA, and had an unexpected surprise - an Escalade to take us wherever we wanted to go (well, within two miles of the hotel)! Thursday evening we headed to Phipps Plaza to shop at Nordies  and had a great dinner at Twist. I picked up a cute pair of flats (thanks, Gran!) and of course, the best headband ever (you will not regret the $8 you spend to not have a headache if you have a huge head like I do!) James and I were up at midnight so he sang happy birthday to me and I opened my gifts!

Breakfast of champs!

 I woke up bright and early on Friday morning and drove myself through Buckhead traffic to get the best birthday breakfast I can imagine, Macarons from Maison Robert.

25th Birthday ice cream sandwiches!

We then got ready and headed to Miller Union for my 'birthday lunch'! I had read about MU's amazing hamburgers and knew that would be what James wanted! Plus, who doesn't like homemade ice cream sandwiches. We both had beers (who can resist day drinking on a Friday lunch during vaca?!) and I thoroughly enjoyed my ham and cheese sandwich! Everything at MU is house made which meant it was even more delicious. I can't wait to go back!

A look back on my 24th birthday celebrations in Columbia, what a difference a year makes (hello tan self and longer hair!)

24th Birthday cupcakes made by James!

Dinner at Mr. Friendly's, May 25, 2011

Birthday Happy Hour and a Surprise!

Sweet surprise planning husband!

When I was younger my parents used to joke that I was the queen of birthdays. I had one at school, one at home and one with family as well. I was all about the cake and the fun, what can I say?! I guess this still holds true since this past week was my 25th birthday. On the 25th of May. We just had to do something for that! My sweet husband James decided he would be getting together a group to go to a surprise happy hour. If you know me, you know I can figure out surprises in a hot second with just a small hint. And usually, James gets so excited about his great surprises that he hints away until I have guessed it. So with this happy hour, I knew he had something up his sleeve - I just didn't know what- and I was determined not to find out!

Photo Credit: Gervais & Wine website

SURPRISE!

Tuesday rolls around (the 22nd) and home I go from work to get ready for this happy hour. Not knowing where we are going I go into slight panic mode since you can't imagine different happy hour places can be in Columbia; either norts and a sorority tee or, on the other spectrum, nice dress and heels with the after work crowd- the joys of living in a college town that is also the state capital. So dressed in a white dress I get (hey, I have to do something with all those white dresses from my bridal showers last year!) and I close my eyes as we hop in the car to head to this surprise happy hour. 10 minutes later and a lot of guessing on my part (curiosity has not killed this cat yet!) and we pull up to Gervais & Wine!


I had wanted to try this Mediterranean wine and tapas bar for quite some time and I know I had mentioned it to James just once in passing- its not really his kind of place - so a job well done by him. We walk into the restaurant and James says "There is someone sitting there that you might want to chat with", I look and its my BFF Jessica from Charleston! She and I were best friends at UNC and Phi Mu's there and we both moved 'home' to our families in Charleston after we graduated! Jess had driven all the way from her work in Charleston to be there, such a great shock and surprise!

Twins!

Empty dishes and glassware means a fun time was had by all! 

Jess and I chatted while the rest of the group got there- James' law school friends who have become such great friends to me as well. What is great about Gervais & Wine is their tapas menu.  The group got a lot of different tapas and everyone just shared - such a great concept and one I loved from my time abroad in Spain.
Do you love surprises as much as I do or do they send you into full panic mode?

Hatfields & McCoys

So last night James and I settled in on our comfy couch to watch an evening show. I had seen the previews for the History Channel mini-series, Hatfields & McCoys, but thought I wouldn't be interested in it enough to watch it for 2 hours and 7 minutes (yes it ended at 11:07).  James was, of course, all over this show and had been talking about it since we had seen the preview a few weeks ago.

Photo credit: History Channel

Plus, I am an old lady that gets up at 7 am to go to work (or 7:40 am if I really want to get a work out in push it. shower.dryhair.makeup.clothes.whatdoIwear!) so an 11:07 pm end time means I am asleep at midnight and don't really get to read at night, and who doesn't like to relax a little before bed with an Agatha Christie book? (Hercule Poirot for president!)

However, this gem of a show was not only interesting for my history major of a husband but it also had enough story line to keep even the most distracted person engaged for the two plus hour run time. Seriously, it was one of the best shows I had watched; it just kept me guessing and definitely kept the blood splatter on our screen. If I were a fault finder (oh wait, I am) that would be my one complaint; rather bloody, at best, but considering the historical context of the setting, the end of the Civil War and the fact that this is based on an over-a-century long feud between two families, one would come to expect some blood spills.

This is a three episode mini-series and the second part plays tonight at 9 pm. You can bet that we will be glued to the telly tonight like we were last night to see what will happen next - who do you side with, the Hatfields or the McCoys?

The Best is Yet to Come!

Welcome to the ramblings, loves and rants of a twenty something newlywed! I am Sarah, a world traveler married to my sweet southern lawyer to-be, James! We've made our home in Columbia, South Carolina after a beautiful Charleston wedding on July 31, 2011. The best is yet to come!