So, continuing from yesterday… Kevin + I spent Halloween weekend at the Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation.

As a recap, the Ritz Lodge is located in Northern Georgia, just 75 miles east of Atlanta on the shores of Lake Oconee – Georgia’s second largest lake.  Luxury merges with quintessential Southern hospitality at the stunning 251-room resort.  Nestled in the woods, the Ritz Lodge is surrounded by water on three sides, offering commanding lake views.  Draped in beds of ivy and edged by towering pines, blooming crepe myrtles and colorful caladiums, the five-story main building fronts the glistening lake, while six separate lakeside cottages and a presidential house with four master suites overlooks the Oconee Golf Course.  Lodge guests have full access to a complete gamut of activities and amenities, including a state-of-the-art Spa, tennis, two swimming pools, two full-service marinas, hiking trails and 99 holes of championship-caliber golf.

model view of the lake oconee area

We arrived late on Friday evening, but just in time to have the most delicious dinner at Linger Longer Steakhouse.  We checked in, grabbed another drink at the Lobby Lounge bar, and then headed upstairs to check out our room. 

When we woke up in the morning, we realized that we were on Club Level (holla!).  And, we had a private terrace with an outstanding lakeside view! 

Check out THIS gorgeousness:

ritz carlton lodge

room w/ a view

We spent a significant amount of the morning sitting on our balcony staring at our breathtaking view of Lake Oconee and the Ritz Lodge grounds.  It was the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time.

When our hunger finally got the better of us, we walked over to Club to get some grub (I totally recommend staying on Club Level*) + then we went out exploring. 

*Club Level: The Ritz Carlton Club Level features both deluxe guest rooms and suites, with a spacious lounge and personal concierge and staff, as well as four complimentary food and beverage offerings daily: continental breakfast, a light snack, hors d’oeuvres, and cocktails + evening cordials.  The Club Level is accessible only with a special key.

Just look at how magnificent the property is:

the set up for chiminea dining

heated infinity pool overlooking lake oconee (my favorite part of the whole property)

hot tub

We were overtaken by our beautiful surroundings + so many amazing amenities.  We walked a bit further, and then Kev dropped me off at the Ritz Lodge Spa for my Long Winter’s Nap treatment. 

The Spa is an adventure in and of itself.  An expansive 26,000 square feet, the Ritz Lodge Spa is adjacent to the hotel and features 19 private treatment rooms, one couples spa suite, four wet treatment rooms – including one hydrotherapy room – male and female relaxation areas with lockers and changing facilities, an indoor lap pool, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, a relaxation terrace, a full-service salon + a spa boutique.  Named one of America’s top resort spas by Conde Nast Traveler, this state-of-the-art sanctuary offers more than 90 health and wellness treatments, many of them utilizing ingredients indigenous to the area, such as rosemary, pine, fir and geranium, and extracts gleaned from gemstones such as smithsonite and malachite.

Here’s a peek inside:

spa lobby

spa pool

spa relaxation lounge

It was heavenly, to say the least.

My treatment, the Long Winter’s Nap, was perfect for the chilly October afternoon.  Here’s the description: A blend of essential oils add to this traditional hot stone massage to create a relaxed dream-like state, melting away stress and muscle tension.  Continue the sweet dreams with a nap that enhances the repair process.  Um, yes, I’ll take two!  (Kidding.)  It was SO enjoyable – I definitely recommend.

By the time I left the Spa it was pushing up to the Florida vs. Georgia game, so Kev + I scooted over to Gaby’s by the Lake to stake out seats. 

Gaby’s is a newly-renovated outdoor venue offering sweeping views of Lake Oconee, as well as a full menu of casual favorites and cocktails throughout the day.  Guests are seated at the water’s edge and can catch a spectacular sunset most evenings.  “Come-as-you-are” attire for lunch and dinner.

As soon as we walked in, we fell in love with Gaby’s.  It was so open and casual, and had large TV screens over the bar for us to watch the game.  I’m OBSESSED with Gaby’s chairs - incredibly comfortable and such a cool design!

We ordered beers + the housemade potato chips with bourbon BBQ, blue cheese and Vidalia onion dips.  The bartender also threw in a bowl of boiled peanuts.  We were set.

We met some friendly folks at the bar who were also rooting for the Gators + we became fast friends.  However, Kev couldn’t bear to see his Gators lose, so we eventually closed out our bill and decided to head back to Club to see what was going on in there. 

We stopped to take this picture along the way:

We ate dinner in Club, poured some wine + headed downstairs to the campfire for 8:00 p.m. S’mores!  All the kids staying at the resort (and Kevin and I, naturally) got in line to prepare our special evening snack over the campfire.  We had such a fun time doing this + pretending that we also had a kid around somewhere making s’mores…  Kids at heart?!  Yeaaaaaaa! 

We went back up to Club, poured some more wine (don’t judge), changed into our swimsuits + ran down to the hot tub to spend the next few hours hanging out outside and enjoying our last night on the property.

In the morning, we were both feeling pretty gluttonous.  So, we decided to go for a walk on the Oconee Trail after breakfast in Club. 

Our walk was eventful. 

We got about 5 miles of exercise on the winding trail…

We saw the leaves turning on the towering Georgia pine trees…

Kev whittled a walking stick (that now calls our condo balcony home)…

And, we plotted how we could stay at the Ritz Lodge F.O.R.E.V.E.R.!! 

(We couldn’t come up with a way…  We are already dying to go back.)

It was so hard to leave, but it only took us about an hour and a half to get back to Atlanta + now we have such great memories from our relaxing weekend in the Georgia woods. 

If you haven’t been to the Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation – you absolutely MUST go!  There is so much to do there; perfect for adults and kids alike.  The Ritz Lodge is a relaxing Southern paradise that makes you feel so far away from your worries and stressors, but it’s merely a 75-mile drive from Atlanta!  Visit soon! 

Oh, also, (as if there isn’t enough to do there already) the Ritz Lodge is building an ice skating rink on property for winter!  More info here: WINTER AT THE RITZ LODGE.

xx, L

Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation
1 Lake Oconee Trail
Greensboro, Georgia  30642
706.467.7196
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ReynoldsPlantation/Default.htm

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A little birdie brought me a box of cupcakes yesterday + boy oh boy were they GOOD!  I’ve just gotta brag about them…

They were from Holly’s Cupcake Shop in Colony Square.  (Who knew that there was a cupcake shop there?!  I guess you learn something new every day…)  Apparently, Holly’s has been serving East Atlanta since 2009, but recently opened their Midtown location in CS.

Before I opened the sweet-smelling box, I carefully reviewed the accompanying Holly’s pamphlet.  I honestly couldn’t believe how many cupcakes were listed: 33 flavors!  So many seriously delicious choices.  Just listen to some of these: coconut snowball, margarita, cookie monster, rocky road, samoas, strawberry lemonade + buckeye brownie.  Talk about a creative variety!  (No lie, my mouth is watering from just writing out the flavors…)

Holly’s cupcakes are handmade so no two are exactly alike, but all of them are baked from scratch from only the highest quality ingredients.  With over 30 flavors ranging from the simple to the sublime, along with seasonal and holiday selections, there is absolutely something for everyone at Holly’s!

Here were my sexy six: caramel apple (my fav!), red velvet, chocolate-chocolate, vanilla chocolate, margarita + hummingbird. 

I don’t want to tell you how many I ate.  I just don’t.  A lady has to keep some secrets, y’all.  But, I will tell you that I had some help (LK + our fav. bartender at Ecco: Eric) and that we thought they were simply spectacular!  The cupcakes were really flavorful, moist + the icing wasn’t overpowering at all.  Our favorite part was, hands down, the hidden cream in the middle!

You guys have gotta try these cupcakes!  They are just so decadently divine.  Check out Holly’s Cupcake Shop online HERE or visit Colony Square ASAP.  The secret is out! 

xx, L

Holly’s Cupcake Shop
1197 Peachtree Street – Colony Square
Atlanta, GA  30361
404.815.1180
http://www.hollyscupcakeshop.com/

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Y’all, these are pretty awesome…

They aren’t quite as “healthy” as 100 calorie packs, but they’re a heck of a lot better than your grandma’s brownies + a tasty way to satisfy your summer sweet tooth!

Here’s the Q+DD on SnackWell’s Rich Vanilla Creme Brownie Bites:
Serving size: 1 package
Calories: 150
Fat: 5g
Carbs: 26g
Protein: 2g

I strongly suggest putting them in the refrigerator.  They are delicious as a cold snack.  One more month of official swimsuit season to go…JUST sayin’.  Pick them up at your nearest grocery.

Happy, happy Friday!

xx, L

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Gift giving + fulfilling party needs just got a bit easier.  Johns Creek mobile bakery, Sugar Lilly, turned their delicious cupcake recipes into a treat that will wow your taste buds.  Cupcake Jars are the delicious solution to all your cupcake problems…and you can indulge at your convenience. 

(Here’s a peek at the mouthwateringly INCREDIBLE Sugar Lilly Cupcake Jar that LK + I shared on Tuesday…) 

Cupcake Jars stay fresh for up to five days + have all the perks and goodness of Sugar Lilly’s delicious, signature cupcakes.  Each jar is crafted with slices of gourmet cupcakes, layered with homemade frostings + topped with decadent goodies!

All Sugar Lilly sweets are customized - from the flavors to the personal message.  Sugar Lilly will create a unique flavor combination to satisfy any pallet or compliment any event’s theme.  If you want to keep it simple, stick to a signature flavor combo including, butterfinger, oreo, red velvet, heath bar, lemon, strawberry shortcake, black bottom and many more.  After you have selected the perfect flavor combination, customize your Cupcake Jars with a personal message or logo!

Cupcake Jars are perfect in place of gift bags or get well gifts.  Small Cupcake Jars make excellent party favors for showers, birthday parties, weddings, corporate functions or housewarming parties!  Cupcake Jars, along with other Sugar Lilly decadent desserts, can now be shipped across the country in a matter of days. 

Sugar Lilly also specializes in cupcakes, candy buffets, gift baskets, gourmet chocolate desserts + party favors!  Ordering is available through Sugar Lilly’s Facebook Page.

As I mentioned, LK + I tried a Cupcake Jar the other night and it was absolutely as good as it sounds!  They are delicious cupcakes and the portability of the mason jars makes them SO much easier to enjoy!  Deeeee-lish!  

We heart Sugar Lilly! 

xx, L

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My little brother is a bit of a budding foodie.

brother pictured left (dragon eyes...) w/ his adorable gfriend.

Michael lives in Oklahoma, which doesn’t exactly provide him with the most creative culinary scene, but he makes do.  He also watches quite a bit of the Food Network + Travel Channel and recently saw one of the two (can’t remember…) cover Spread: The Restaurant in San Diego.

Michael thought that this was totally up my alley (+ he was v. right), so he e-mailed me a link to Spread’s site the next day.  I’m not lying when I say that this place makes me want to pack up + move in with Ron Burgundy in sunny Californ-i-a!

Okay, so check it: Spread’s mission is to stimulate + challenge the culinary imagination of their diners by working with and serving only locally grown, organic ingredients.  They specialize in the rarest fruits, vegetables and edible flowers + strive to constantly create new and exciting menu items and tastes.  Sounds fun.

The restaurant does regular meals, private events, catering + offers signature seasonal couture spreads! 

Their sensational spreads are all listed online here: SPREAD ‘EM! + include descriptions, ingredients list, nutritional facts + all ship within three days of your order being placed.

Here are six that look pretty freaking awesome to me:

No. 30: White Chocolate Blueberry Peanut Spread
No. 32: Cinnamon & Silver Goji Berry Peanut Spread
No 55: Butterscotch Almond Spread
No. 73: White Chocolate Inflused w/ Pretzels Peanut Spread
No. 113: Chocolate Curry Peanut Spread
No. 137: Rose Salted Basil Peanut Spread

I think that this might even be something that catches Captain Kurt’s attention…

…or maybe not. 

Spread’s spreads look so decadently delicious to me + I think they’d be a fantastic little surprise for a foodie friend!  Check ‘em out. 

xx, L

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