When I realized that I was going to have President's Day off, I immediately started nagging the hubs to take it off, too, so we could go on an adventure. And then the BM scheduled (smartly) vaccines for that day, since half the world was going to be off work, too. Poor vet. So I immediately started nagging the hubs to take off Friday instead and he finally acquiesced.
When he asked what we were going to do on this adventure, I said that we were going to go to Athens. Then he remembered that he'd looked at Medieval Times when we were in Atlanta for his physique competition and I demanded that we go there, too. And Ikea. And, you know, the Georgia Aquarium. All of it. Everything. I wish we could have stuck in the Coke factory again, too.
So let me give you a weekend wrapup, as I haven't done in oh-so-long.
We parked the car back at the hotel and wandered downtown to dinner at the Trapeze Pub. Got drinks from the bar as we waited to be seated, since we were too late to make reservations. (The hostess appreciated my kind response when being told the wait time - I mean, we failed... not them!) Then an awesome dinner and more downtown wanderings.
So let me give you a weekend wrapup, as I haven't done in oh-so-long.
Friday
We dropped the kiddos off at boarding and left for Atlanta at about eight. Four hours later, we were pulling into the parking lot for Takorea. It was this amazing Mexican/Korean fusion restaurant and the sweet potatoes with a sweet chili aoili were to die for. Server had a broken nose.
After lunch, we headed over to the Georgia Aquarium. The beluga whales were not on display and I was very, very disappointed. I also remember this thing being much bigger when we went the first time. #thatswhatshesaid
Ikea followed the aquarium. Neither of us had been to one, even though there's a distribution factory in our city. It was a little bit overwhelming initially and after we figured out the whole where-the-fuck-is-the-actual-product, we had to go backwards to get information on some of the things we'd loved. Went home with an end table, a cart for all my metal supplies, and a dresser. And a new appreciation.
We drove about half an hour from Atlanta to Lawrenceville to go to Medieval Times. We got there a little early and played at Dave and Buster's. I am an incredibly competitive skeeball player. Had some Starbucks while we waited for the doors to the show to open.
If you've never been to a Medieval Times, it's... like... a performance with horses. It's both wonderful and hard to attend as an equestrian, because we see everything. The good, the bad, the beautiful, and the questionable. I'm not even going to mention helmets. It started with some liberty work, some in-hand work, including airs above ground (five Andalusians working in tandem on driving-style lunge lines), one guy doing some dressage with Spanish flair, and then the actual "knights" riding. The knights did some little competitions and some jousting. I felt really bad for those horses because they never seemed to stop blowing and I'm sure the full-costume didn't help.
There were the six knights and the ringleader and then just this random guy on a dark gray. I posted a video of this to IG and a Medieval Times trainer responded, but this horse was just losing his shit. Rearing, bolting, slamming into the other horses, his poor little brain was fried. The MT trainer said that they do this to give the young stallions some show experience. The rider toughed it out until the stallion took off with him, then he unobtrusively bowed out. I wouldn't have lasted that long.
Saturday
After sleeping in, we had brunch at my favorite vegetarian restaurant in Athens, the Grit. Way too much food and oh, so happy. After breakfast, we drove to a little warehouse at which there was an "indie" fair. Selling hand-made goods, the sort of shit I love. We bought a few prints and candles and I admired jewelry. Left the fair to walk around downtown and stop into some of my favorite shops, then had Mexican at a little hole-in-the-wall place. A quick nap back at the hotel and then back out for the evening.
(we're in this video, to the right of the blue ladder thing)
D and I love an Athens brewery called Terrapin. It's a smaller brewery and pretty localized to the southeast, but oh, my god, yum. We've been talking about going to a tour for a while now and did that on Saturday. It was crazy and hectic and the beer was amazing. $16 for six six-ounce pours of their craft brews, a pint glass, and a tour of the factory. Another $10 to get crepes "from a real Frenchman" with a food truck (we spoke French and talked about his motherland). And V-Day chocolate to sample.
D and I love an Athens brewery called Terrapin. It's a smaller brewery and pretty localized to the southeast, but oh, my god, yum. We've been talking about going to a tour for a while now and did that on Saturday. It was crazy and hectic and the beer was amazing. $16 for six six-ounce pours of their craft brews, a pint glass, and a tour of the factory. Another $10 to get crepes "from a real Frenchman" with a food truck (we spoke French and talked about his motherland). And V-Day chocolate to sample.
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| The little ones are called pony kegs. See, kids, it all comes back to horses eventually. |
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| I used my Fuji Instax Mini for 99% of my photos on this trip. |
Sunday
We lazily packed up on Sunday (I was hungover AF and D was damn near chipper) and headed to a restaurant we wanted to try the last time we visited, Mama's Boy. After parking in BFE, there was another long wait time, but we got lucky and snagged some outdoor seats within minutes. I have a new-found appreciation for fresh-squeezed orange juice and goat cheese and spinach. Yum.
I slept easily for three of the four hours back to Savannah. They really aren't joking about how shitty hangovers are for old people, because boo. I felt like crap for all of Sunday and didn't really start feeling human again until Monday. I went out to see the Kid on Sunday night and gave him a Pentosan injection, all of which I'll write about later.
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10 comments
I feel like y'all would fit in really well in Austin.
ReplyDeleteWhale Sharks! Ikea! Medieval Times! These are a few of my favorite things...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really fun weekend!
ReplyDeleteI just want you to take me on a food vacation and feed me all these things.
ReplyDeleteCool weekend! I can't believe you've never been to an IKEA. I've been wanting to go to a Medieval Times, but I feel like I'd have similar problems with actually knowing how horses work. Also, I really want to go to the Coke factory.
ReplyDeleteI feel ya on the medieval times performance... I cannot handle watching them. Like horse movies, but worse. Same reason I can't go to a circus.
ReplyDeleteDID YOU HAVE A CINNAMON ROLL AT IKEA!? That's the only reason I go. And people watching.
Sounds like a blast!
ReplyDeleteMy one experience at Medieval Times was very different but it was also several years ago. Maybe it depends on who is the head trainer at the time, and who is in charge of deciding what the performance should entail? Otherwise sounds like a great weekend, and I agree that you guys would fit in just fine in Austin.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about little weekend getaways!
ReplyDeleteIs Korean/Mexican fusion a new Thing? I went to a place a couple weeks ago, and that bulgogi burrito was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.
ReplyDeleteThanks!