The lights of Birmingham
Went on a fun Birmingham shopping trip with one of my dearest friends last weekend! Quick recap:
We left town just after lunch, arriving at the Birmingham Marriott (which is in close proximity to The Summit) well before dinner. After checking in and freshening up a bit (Now just WHY don't they open the lounge on the concierge floor on weekends? Leisure travelers like free desserts, too!), we headed out for some food and retail therapy.
A quick stop at California Pizza Kitchen turned out to be a great idea, with yummy mushroom ravioli (You know I got the cream sauce, right?) and a nice glass of red to wash it down. We began our assault on the Summit with trips to Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids (OMG have you seen their cute Easter stuff?), and Urban Outfitters. Our feet sore and our wallets considerably lighter, we headed back to the hotel for some gossip, bad TV, and shut eye.
The next morning, we took advantage of the free buffet (Hello, eggs, bacon, grits, and fruit!), then decided to check out World Market. I'd never been there before, and I think I could have spent every last cent I have in there. They had the prettiest window coverings, plus great furniture, jewelry, and kitchen accessories. I really loved their kitchen textiles, glassware, and dishes. It got me thinking about re-doing the whole kitchen. Whoops. I went wild, of course, in the Easter basket section. (Clay is going to have one rockin' Easter basket this year.) I went ahead and signed up for their rewards program, and I've been browsing their website since returning home. (This could be a real problem.)
After that, it was back to The Summit to hit up Swoozie's (I love some of their partyware!), A Pea in a Pod (My friend is five months pregnant.), and more. We stopped to re-fuel at The Cheesecake Factory, where I sampled the hummus and edamame, and my friend had the crispy crab bites (which taste just as good as they sound) and the sliders. We split a piece of key lime cheesecake.
After that big lunch, we decided to go back to the hotel to unload some of our purchases and cool our heels. It seemed like I'd barely laid down on the bed, and I was asleep! We did wake up in time to doll up and head out to Satterfield's for dinner. I had the bouillabaisse (with a big piece of crusty bread) and a nice flight of three red wines. Delish!
On day three, after another filling breakfast, we strolled through Whole Foods to grab a few snacks for the road and specialty items to take back home. (Truffle butter. Yuuummmmm.) Then, we were off!
I really didn't do as much damage to my rusty old credit card on this trip as I thought I would, but I did manage to come back home with some finds! Plus, I got to catch up with my sweet friend and relax s bit. (Sleeping IN? A NAP? WHO is this marvelous woman?!)
We left town just after lunch, arriving at the Birmingham Marriott (which is in close proximity to The Summit) well before dinner. After checking in and freshening up a bit (Now just WHY don't they open the lounge on the concierge floor on weekends? Leisure travelers like free desserts, too!), we headed out for some food and retail therapy.
A quick stop at California Pizza Kitchen turned out to be a great idea, with yummy mushroom ravioli (You know I got the cream sauce, right?) and a nice glass of red to wash it down. We began our assault on the Summit with trips to Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids (OMG have you seen their cute Easter stuff?), and Urban Outfitters. Our feet sore and our wallets considerably lighter, we headed back to the hotel for some gossip, bad TV, and shut eye.
The next morning, we took advantage of the free buffet (Hello, eggs, bacon, grits, and fruit!), then decided to check out World Market. I'd never been there before, and I think I could have spent every last cent I have in there. They had the prettiest window coverings, plus great furniture, jewelry, and kitchen accessories. I really loved their kitchen textiles, glassware, and dishes. It got me thinking about re-doing the whole kitchen. Whoops. I went wild, of course, in the Easter basket section. (Clay is going to have one rockin' Easter basket this year.) I went ahead and signed up for their rewards program, and I've been browsing their website since returning home. (This could be a real problem.)
After that, it was back to The Summit to hit up Swoozie's (I love some of their partyware!), A Pea in a Pod (My friend is five months pregnant.), and more. We stopped to re-fuel at The Cheesecake Factory, where I sampled the hummus and edamame, and my friend had the crispy crab bites (which taste just as good as they sound) and the sliders. We split a piece of key lime cheesecake.
After that big lunch, we decided to go back to the hotel to unload some of our purchases and cool our heels. It seemed like I'd barely laid down on the bed, and I was asleep! We did wake up in time to doll up and head out to Satterfield's for dinner. I had the bouillabaisse (with a big piece of crusty bread) and a nice flight of three red wines. Delish!
On day three, after another filling breakfast, we strolled through Whole Foods to grab a few snacks for the road and specialty items to take back home. (Truffle butter. Yuuummmmm.) Then, we were off!
I really didn't do as much damage to my rusty old credit card on this trip as I thought I would, but I did manage to come back home with some finds! Plus, I got to catch up with my sweet friend and relax s bit. (Sleeping IN? A NAP? WHO is this marvelous woman?!)
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