Happy Saturday! Thanks for all of your comments and love on my New Orleans recap post. Many of you asked for outfit details so I’ll add those to the end of this post. Before I get there…here is the rest of my road trip and Mother’s Day!
ROAD TRIP FROM NEW ORLEANS TO ATLANTA
I got up on Saturday to get a quick workout in at Hotel Monteleone’s rooftop gym before we got on the road for Atlanta. I wanted to move my body before sitting in the car for seven hours. After the previous night’s big dinner at Cochon, both of us were craving something light for breakfast so we grabbed smoothies from a Smoothie King a few doors down from our hotel and set off for Atlanta. We had about 475 miles to cover.
We stopped at a gas station Subway in Montgomery, Alabama for lunch.
CHECKING INTO THE WHITLEY BUCKHEAD ATLANTA
We arrived in Buckhead around 5:30p and checked into The Whitley. It’s a part of the Marriott Luxury Collection and very conveniently located to all that Buckhead has to offer, especially shopping at Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza (which we did not have time to do but just so you know).
The hotel was fully renovated in 2019 and the lobby area and guest rooms are clean and modern.
DINNER AT LE BILBOUQUET BUCKHEAD
We had dinner reservations at Le Bilboquet in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. It’s a French bistro concept that first opened in NYC in the late 80s and offers simple, classic French cooking along with a taste of Parisian cafe culture. Inside the restaurant there are beautiful blue velvet banquettes and outside sprawling cafe tables. I found the overall ambiance elegant while also being relaxed and approachable.
I was treated to a glass of Veuve Clicquot to start the evening for a Mother’s Day toast. Yay!
I started with a delicious blue cheese and candied walnut endive salad that I will be recreating for my blog. For my entree I had the duck leg confit with celery root, chestnut, potatoes, mushrooms and thyme jus. This was a great meal.
We headed back to the hotel after dinner knowing we had a drive back to Charlotte in the morning. I felt a little old/uncool as we were leaving because tons of people were pouring into The Shops Buckhead around 9:30-10 to “go out.” The valet line was absolutely nuts. I was totally at peace with my uncool-ness though because I’d much rather have a nice dinner and get home at a reasonable time than start my night at 10 and be out until 2a. 😉
MOTHER’S DAY 2021
We arrived back in Charlotte early Sunday afternoon and I immediately hopped into my car to scoop up the one who made me a mama! I transitioned out of fun clothes and dressing up and back into no makeup mom mode in no time flat, haha. Finn had spent the weekend on a trip with his dad so he was more than ready for a nap. Once he was up, we spent a couple of hours at the park and then just hung out around home.
Here’s a real life look at what trying to get a Mother’s Day photo looked like, although I totally love this picture. I am still obsessed with my lululemon fanny pack and I always wear it to the park or on walks.
About all I had the energy to muster up for dinner was frozen pizza and a kale caesar chopped salad kit from Whole Foods. I had to overcook the pizza a bit on top in order to get the bottom crust as crunchy as I wanted it. Not sure what was going on with this pizza/my oven but it still tasted good.
Overall, it was a wonderful weekend than ended with a low-key but special Mother’s Day. I honestly feel like every day is Mother’s Day with Finn. He has changed my life in countless meaningful ways and it’s an honor to be his mom. Finn turns three on Tuesday and I just can’t believe it. I hit the jackpot with this one and he fills my heart with so much joy, love and gratitude.
TRIP OUTFIT DETAILS
Never have I ever received so many requests for outfit details so I’ll do the best I can here. I’m not a big shopper to start and new single motherhood followed by covid didn’t do much to help that. It’s been fun to add some new pieces to my wardrobe lately and it’s nice to feel feminine and dressed up out of athleisure sometimes! Some of the items are sold out but here are brand and links as best as I can find them.
- Stellah Midi Hi Lo Blue and White Striped Dress – I got this dress at the Finicky Filly on my last trip to Charleston and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. The skirt has so much movement when you walk in it and it’s just really flattering. It’s perfect for dinner out or I could see myself wearing this during the day to various events. The ribbon belt is an addition recommended by the stylist who was helping me to accent the waist. Unfortunately, this dress seems to be sold out everywhere. Here’s a link to more Stellah dresses.
- Kork-Ease Metallic Gold Wedge Sandal – I have never owned a more comfortable heel/wedge/sandal than these Kork-Ease wedges. I mean it. I wore them all day traveling and walking through the airports paired with white jeans and I wore them all night walking around the French Quarter. They are more comfortable than most flat sandals that I have ever owned. 10/10 recommend getting a pair of these for the summer. I wear them all the time. They go with everything.
- Kate Spade Crossbody (similar)
- Erin McDermott Jewelry
- Loft Skirt – I was joking over the weekend that I had so many skirts like this in college and got rid of them because I was SURE they’d never come back in style again. And here we are.
- Athleta tank (similar)
- Toms sandals
- Le Specs sunglasses – I picked these up from a little boutique in New Orleans and they are so comfy and lightweight on my face…and cute! You can see a closeup in the car selfie above.
- Loft black v-neck shell – I got this in two colors and it’s a great summer tank to wear with lots of stuff. The material is dressier and not cotton.
- MSGM pleated floral skirt – this was a major splurge but I am MAJOR obsessed. It’s gorgeous and definitely a statement piece. This was my first time wearing it and I look forward to wearing it many more times this summer and for years to come! It might be my favorite skirt that I’ve ever owned.
- Hasbeens pink metallic sandals – took some convincing for me to get these but I’m so glad I did. Such a fun spring/summer shoe!
- BB Dakota dress – this dress is so flattering and so comfortable. I absolutely adore it. Also very reasonably priced!
- Same gold metallic cork wedges as above – they’re seriously the best and come in six colors.
And that’s all for me! Enjoy your weekend friends!
QUESTIONS
Have you done any shopping recently as we slowly get back to whatever normal is? Where are your favorite places to find shoes and clothes? Are you more of a boutique shopper, mall shopper or online shopper?
What did you do for Mother’s Day?
