inspired: atlanta shops

The last time Ryan and I had been to Atlanta, our friend Rob took us to Ria's Bluebird Cafe where we tried the MOST delicious pancakes we have ever had: their specialty pumpkin-cinnamon pancakes. We got there a little bit early, so we walked around a bit and discovered nearby Little Tart Bakeshop and Octane Coffee, both of which charmed us just as much as Ria's. I knew then and there that we must find a way to spend more time in Atlanta the next time we had a chance. Last week, we were able to add just a half-day of exploring onto some time planned with friends in the Atlanta area, and I thought I would share a few of my favorite moments from our exploration! First stop was an awesome shopping center called Westside Urban Market, where we stopped in the Jonathan Adler store. I adore his fun, colorful designs, and these pillows were some of my favorite bits in the shop. I have been eyeing his ceramic pieces for awhile now and picked up the tiniest little bud vase to bring back home with me as a souvenir - isn't it adorable?!

Next we went into an incredibly lovely shop, Star Provisions, which offered all sorts of beautiful kitchenware and food goods - I was absolutely drooling. The merchandising was exquisite and their shelves overflowed with one perfect item after another.

We picked up a snack at their yummy food counter - I chose Boylan's grape soda (always my favorite!) and Ryan chose a root beer made by Gale Gand (he is becoming quite the connoisseur!). And because soda on its own is never enough, hehe, I chose a lime-frosted cornmeal cookie (DELICIOUS!!) and Ryan enjoyed their classic brownie.

Westside Urban Market has this very cool modern and industrial feel, with a touch of a vintage aesthetic pulling it together so that every which way we looked, we were charmed.

After a wonderful afternoon spent shopping and exploring, we headed back to our hotel where we enjoyed the best room service (a rare splurge for us!) we have ever had. My Southern Cheese Plate featured an assortment of delicious cheeses, chutneys, homemade saltines and biscuits, and even a piece of honeycomb just dripping with the sweetest honey I have ever tasted. It was absolute heaven, and the perfect way to end our day of Atlanta adventures.

I am sure there are a million and one more things to see in this very awesome city. Just makes me even more excited to visit Atlanta again sometime soon!!