I am still glowing from the weekend’s activities. Last Friday, I got some surprise news that tickled me to no end. It was a treat I wanted to share with our very besties and neighbors so I sent out an email asking everyone to be at our house on Saturday between 5- 7pm for a huge surprise.
All the guesses I received were hilarious – was I pregnant (what?!?!), did I get a television show (hmmm…), are we moving (hell no!!!)
But I knew it would make all of us smile and warm our hearts in a big way.
Whew, what a weekend. Lets get started with the recap.
Friday night we attended FLUX, the art installation in Castleberry Hill. It is more of an art installation than art festival because it is interactive and a bundle of fun. Called Le Flash last year, this year’s incarnation had a ton more partiers and more things to see. There were zebras running on buildings, movies projected onto high rises, singing heads, food carts and much more. Eric and I went with besties Crystal & Teague, said hello (and Happy Birthday!) to our friend Denise Jackson in her gallery, and then stopped for a drink at our other besties loft, Matt and Clint. It was delightful, exhilirating and cultured.
Roll the footage!
Crystal and Teague party down at Miss Jackson's gallery
You know how I love to travel. And I love keeping you all up to date on the coolest destinations. Today’s inspiration comes from our friend, Bonnie Crail, with The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte. The drive is only 240 miles from Atlanta, so it would make a terrific weekend getaway, y’all.
Charlotte? Come on, now, give it a chance. They have lovely restaurants, they also have a five star rating in less than a year of opening. That’s stellar. And they have the new Mint Museum Uptown close by. Let’s see what Bonnie and friends have cooked up for us.
THE RITZ-CARLTON, CHARLOTTE LAUNCHES ENJOYMINT EXPERIENCE,
OFFERING ACCESS TO THE CITY’S NEW MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN
Weekend package includes entry to Charlotte’s long-awaited Mint art and craft museum, scheduled to open October 1 and located within walking distance of the hotel
CHARLOTTE, NC. September 23, 2010 – The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has launched a new package designed for art lovers and featuring admission to the long-awaited Mint Museum Uptown, located within walking distance of the hotel and scheduled to open on October 1, 2010.
The EnjoyMINT package at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is ongoing and offers deluxe weekend accommodations, breakfast for two, two tickets to the Mint Museum Uptown and more. Priced from $319 per night, the package is available on Friday, Saturday or Sunday evenings, while a Thursday evening option is also available when combined with a Friday night stay. Reservations may be requested online at www.ritzcarlton.com, by telephone at 800.241.3333, or through a travel professional.
EnjoyMINT at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte includes:
Deluxe accommodations for one weekend night
Breakfast for two
Two tickets to the Mint Museum
Late checkout of 4 p.m.
Overnight valet parking
Part of the Levine Center for the Arts, the Mint Museum Uptown houses the renowned collection of the Mint Museum of Craft + Design plus distinguished American and contemporary art collections and selected works of European fine art. In addition to the Mint, the Levine cultural campus includes the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the John S. and James L. Knight Theater. The Mint Museum is closed on Sunday mornings and all day Monday.
About The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte
An eco-focused rarity among luxury hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte offers 146 guest accommodations delivering highly-advanced technological and environmental features and an array of innovative comforts and conveniences for frequent travelers. The 18-story LEED® Gold-certified hotel features a 13,000-square-foot bi-level penthouse Spa & Wellness Center, fitness center and bromine-treated swimming pool, and 12,000+ square-feet of state-of-the-art meeting space. Dining highlights include the Lobby Lounge’s regional and organic culinary choices and signature martinis, cocktails, wines, coffees and flavored ice teas, while the street-side BLT Steak offers prime cuts of beef, fresh seafood, a wide variety of tempting side dishes, and classic American dessert favorites. Located seven miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte enjoys a walkable setting moments from Uptown Charlotte’s favorite sights, sounds, restaurants, clubs, shopping and tourist attractions.
My mind is on sweets lately. Next week I am hosting a very special “Gays and Girls Dessert Dance Party” in my home and I have got to come up with some treats that will impress my stylish friends.
And then I found this. Oh.My.Goodness. It is a sampler basket from Jacques Torres, the renowned god of all things fabulously chocolate. Listen to what you get in the very stylish hat box – a 12-pc boxed assortment of bonbons, Classic hot chocolate, cheerios, cornflakes, milk chocolate covered pretzels, approx 5oz. dark bark, 60% bar, Wicked bar, Brulee bar, and a Milk Almond bar. Chocolate cornflakes? Yes, please!
For your glamorous chocolate cravings
I believe I will be inspired and whip up some chocolate covered potato chips for the party, along with confetti cupcakes, blondies, brownies, lemon bars and a colorful candy bar. The decor will be the burlap material I have been hanging on to, waiting for the perfect occasion, which will be offset by pink tulle. It will be so cute!
But you could always just get in touch with Jacques and he will send one of those amazing baskets over. At $85 a pop, I know it’s pricey, but maybe for someone very special (you?) for Christmas?
