AROUND ATLANTA - HIGH MUSEUM OF ART

THE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART was hosting a free admission day for National Art Museum Day last week, and with my abundance of free time I thought I shouldn't pass up the opportunity.  The High is currently showcasing Basquiat's hidden notebooks among other great displays.  I thought I would grab a few photos while I was there to tempt you into stopping by.  I'd plan on spending a few hours going through all of the wings and floors of the High Museum.  This month Basquiat is leaving, however The Rise of Sneaker Culture is coming in on the 11th and running through August so you know I will be stopping by for that as well.  I hope you like the photos!  If you're in the area be sure to comment on any things around Atlanta I need to be checking out!

LET'S EAT PT. 7 - SHAKE SHACK

Let's Eat is back with Part 7 in the series and first up in Atlanta is SHAKE SHACK.  Wes and I have been craving In-N-Out lately and since that obviously isn't an option down here in the Southeast we thought we would try out a different praised burger chain.  Being that there is only one Shake Shack in Atlanta, the place was busy.  We stopped in around 3:00 on a Saturday and there was a line to the door.  I can only imagine what it looks like in here at noon.  It's also located at THE SHOPS AT BUCKHEAD, so be prepared to eat a good meal and then window shop at Hermes, Jimmy Choo, Tom Ford and other high end retailers.  Anyhoo....

I'll jump right in with the overall thoughts.  Shake Shack has a damn good burger, there is no arguing that fact.  When we got inside, we were able to look over the simple menu and make our picks.  Wes got a double shack burger with a vanilla malt.  I got a single shack burger with a fifty/fifty (half "shack-made" lemonade, half "organic fresh brewed" iced tea) and we split and order of crinkle cut cheese fries.  

Now, about this damn good burger.  Being that I got the single and Wes got the double we got to really see what you get for your money.  For comparison's sake, at Five Guys - which prides itself equally as much as Shake Shack does about their fresh ingredients and never using day-old product - a single cheeseburger is $4.49 and a double is $6.19.  At Shake Shack, the single is $5.29 and the double is $8.09.   The Shake Shack burgers were considerably smaller than Five Guys or even In-N-Out (not even going to go into In-N-Out's prices because they blow both competitors out of the water with quantity AND quality for the price).  I guess my point is that while these burgers really are extremely tasty, the cost just seems a bit steep for the competition.  

Rant over, now back to what's really important - the food.  The burgers were wonderful, and the ShackSauce needs to be added onto everything I eat moving forward, no exceptions.  Wes especially liked that the patty was smashed on the flat top.  Other notable quotes from dear Wesley, "the cheese was good, the bun was... a bun, the lettuce and tomato were on par, the grease level was moderate which is a good thing.  10 out of 10, would eat again".  I think what was most important to him was the consistency of his malt. "The temperature of the malt made it so that I could drink it with my burger, rather than having to wait for a too-cold shake to melt".  What can I say?  This guy gets deep when thinking about his meals.  The cheese fries were top notch in both of our opinions, which is pretty surprising since neither one of us would choose crinkle cut fries over almost any other type of fry.  The only part of the meal I wasn't impressed with was the fifty/fifty.  They take the time to note that the lemonade is shack-made and the tea is organic and fresh brewed.  To me it tasted like a very watered down Arnold Palmer.  It tasted more like an even ratio of lemonade, tea, and water.  I'd opt for a water next time, save more room for the heavenly burger and fries.  And that ShackSauce...oh that ShackSauce...

A perfect shake consistency, and a plane jane fifty/fifty

CITY HIKING ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

I woke up over the weekend wanting to take advantage of the last bit of warm weather before the next cold front came in.  I have seen plenty of people posting great photos of their day hikes on my social media pages and thought that a hike close to town would be the best way to enjoy the weather.  After doing a bit of googling, I settled on the EAST PALISADES TRAIL just north of the city. The hike is just about 4 miles and has some great views of the Chattahoochee River.

There is a $3 park fee for the day and parking is readily available right at the trail head.  We had a great time enjoying the trail, and the lookout point that stands tall above the Chattahoochee River.  The fact that fun and tranquil hikes are just a fifteen minute drive from our house is another reason why I am loving living in Atlanta.  There are so many hikes that are within and hours drive of the city and Wes and I plan on taking advantage of all of them on weekends when the weather is nice *fingers crossed that the warm weather comes back soon* This particular hike had a fair amount of traffic so if you aren't looking for quite so many trail buddies you might want to look a bit further out, possibly over at the INDIAN SEATS TRAIL just under an hour outside of the city.  If you have any suggestions of trails I should check out be sure to let me know!  I will be sure to take my camera along for the next day trip we plan.

NEW CITY, NO JOB, WHAT'S NEXT?

This is definitely a bit of a departure from my usual posts on food and travel, but I felt like it was necessary to explain why I haven't been giving you guys much consistent content as of late.  As you may know, Wes and I decided to move to Atlanta and got here on December 1.  I didn't have a job lined up but had been putting out feelers before getting here and continued even harder as soon as I arrived.  I have been looking for full time work since December and still just haven't found a match.  

Don't worry, I'm not trying to beg for your pity - but hey, while we're at it, if you like what I'm doing feel free to hire me! I come with great references - I just wanted to let you know what has been going on in my personal life that would have some effect on my blogging life.  As much as I love to try out new restaurants or plan quick weekend trips to post about, those things cost money.  And if you have ever enjoyed the life of the "fun-employed" you know that budgeting is an absolute must.  

What this really means is that I will be bringing some new posts into the fold soon. I've got a few posts scheduled for you in the coming weeks about fun things to do for free in the city.  I've been enjoying getting acclimated to a new city and taking advantage of the free fun this place has to offer.    Just because I am spending much of my time looking for work and budgeting tightly, that doesn't mean that I need to post less.  So, for now I hope you enjoy a picture into my glamorous pampered home life, and check back Thursday for a post on some free fun here in Atlanta!  

THE OUTSIDE IN IS COMING BACK FROM A NEW CITY!

Hello everyone!  I wanted to pop in and give you all a quick update before I get to work on the next regular blog post (coming very soon).  I have been absent for quite a while here on the blog.  If you follow me on Instagram, you will have gotten a few updates on why I have been M.I.A. but I haven't taken the time to give you all a full update here.  

On the 1st of December Wes and I moved to Atlanta and the weeks before turned into serious preparation mode. Since we have arrived it has been a bit of trying to get settled mixed with a bit of last minute traveling.  I am so happy with the move and extremely excited with the neighborhood we have chosen.  There is so much to do here in Atlanta and I'm really excited to be making the transition from a Savannah based blog to an Atlanta based blog.  I will still focus on the general what to do and where to go and I really hope you will enjoy joining me on this new adventure!  

If you have any suggestions on places that I need to visit or restaurants that I need to try or really just anything in general, please feel free to comment and let me know!  I'm glad to be back and I will be getting back to regular posting very soon.  Happy Holidays!!!

LET'S GO - ATLANTA PT. 2

While we were up in Atlanta for the weekend, I wanted to get some good shots of the skyline.  Having never attempted this before, I asked for some location tips from Atlanta friends.  A little before sunset, Wes and I headed out in search of a good vantage point.  I ended up really liking this location right near the Ikea over near Berkley Park.  There is a lot of new development in that area but the old railroad tracks stand out.  

I think I will make it a point to get a few skyline shots from different locations any time I head up.  Atlanta has one of the prettiest cityscapes down south.  You get the huge city, but everyone knows that the sky is more beautiful in the Southeast (facts).  I won't make you look through hundreds of photos, but I did pick out a few of my favorites from this overpass.

LET'S GO - ATLANTA PT. 1

When it comes to taking pictures while I am travelling, I have come to realize that I am just not that great.  I get so wrapped up in all of the activities that my camera rarely comes out of it's bag.  I tried as best as I could over the weekend to change that bad habit.  I think this was the first trip that I really didn't have any inhibitions when it came to where or when I took a photo.  If i liked it, I got it on camera.  
This weekend was like all other Atlanta weekends, driving up late on Friday, stopping for Nu-way Weiners in Macon, immediately falling asleep upon arrival, and packing in as much as possible on Saturday and Sunday morning before heading home.  Here are some snaps I took along the way.  Enjoy!

My new friend Jomax at our first stop out in Metter, GA.  You can visit him at Jomax BBQ right off the main exit on I-16.  I'm not sure if everything is "better in Metter", but this barbecue spot didn't look too bad at all.  

An obligatory shot of the dogs at NU-WAY.  Maybe they don't look mouth watering to some, but trust me.  Don't knock it until you try it guys. Oprah even loves the place!  The big O never steered any of us wrong.

After making it to Atlanta and getting a nights rest we started our Saturday at CRIMINAL RECORDS in Little Five Points.  Records, cassettes, comic books, a stage, and an amazing Kiss pinball machine are all there for your enjoyment.  A great place to get lost for an hour or 2 if you're in the area.

We decided to stop for lunch at the new-ish ATLANTA FOOD TRUCK PARK.  On busy days they've got up to 15 different trucks to choose from, live music, and ample seating.  We went for some empanadas and arepas with these uhhhh-mazing garlic and corn dipping sauces.  I will figure out how to make the sweet corn sauce if it's the last thing I do.  They post which trucks are going to be at the park on their Facebook page so make sure to take a look before heading down to plan out your attack.  I really wish Savannah jumped on this trend, food out of a truck just tastes better!

After lunch we took a tour of one of Wes' favorite breweries out in Marietta.  RED HARE BREWING is a microbrewery that opened in 2011.  For $10 you get a pint glass, tasting, and tour of the brewery.  They've got corn hole and bocce ball out front and live music on the weekends.

Topping off our Saturday night we headed out to Buford Highway and grabbed dinner at PANCHO'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT.  These guys had a six piece mariachi band going all out throughout the restaurant.  We had a great time taking in that festive atmosphere and some seriously good mexican food.  It was too hot that Saturday, but they have a really nice back patio for dinner on a cooler night.

We could't finish our drive on 16 without stopping for some fresh peaches.  Just one of the benefits of living down here - you're never too far from a roadside fruit stand.  I'll be back later this week with another post on some great city views from our trip to Atlanta.  And be on the lookout for upcoming posts on a girls trip to Asheville, NC as well.  Hope you enjoyed!