You guys! I'm celebrating two years as an Atlanta "boomerang." That is, I lived in Atlanta (I came here for college) moved away for grad school, and then I moved back to Atlanta! (That's how a boomerang works...get it? ? Y'all have to laugh at my corny jokes, lol). I can't believe it's been just about 2 years already! [Insert happy dance here ?].

This is exciting for me because I always knew that Atlanta was home for me. Ever since I was a teenager in the Caribbean, I dreamed of living in Atlanta. I don't know why. ??‍♀️  I just believe that what is meant to be will be. God had a plan for me! I was fortunate enough to move here for college (Emory University alumni, stand up!). Now that I'm back, I work at a company that I love and I've bought a house, so I guess I'm permanent now! Y'all are stuck with me now for good, so...... I'm an ATLien for life.

But now on to the good stuff. Since moving back, I realized that what I love about Atlanta is all the fun things to do! When people ask me why I brag on Atlanta so much, my response is that the city has such a cool vibe and it's always popping! I am never bored or at a loss of things to do. There are activities I've loved for years that I always go back to, and there are new activities that I've added to my "Favorites." If you're an Atlanta resident, my hope is to inspire you to explore and enjoy this wonderful city even more! And if you are new, I know you can find something fun to experience on my list.   

​As your resident non-official Atlanta ambassador, here is my list of my 7 favorite things to do in Atlanta:
​
1. The rooftop restaurants.
Y'all already know I love a rooftop (if you're following me on instagram @living.life.to.the.t then this fact should be clear, lol). My favorites are the Skylounge at the Glenn hotel which is right in downtown, and the view is AMAZING. Skylounge has such a cool grown and sexy vibe. The second is the Sundial Restaurant, Bar & View. This is the swanky restaurant/bar at the top of the Westin hotel downtown that provides 360 panoramic views from over 700 feet in the air. It.is.amazing. It used to rotate, but someone got hurt and it doesn't any more. Bummer. Safety first. Plus the view is the view, even without the spinning. Besides the view, the best part about the Sundial is the ride up on the glass elevator that is on the outside of the building. So you get the view on the way up/down. If you don't like heights, don't look down! 

2. The festivals
To me, enjoying the Atlanta festivals are all about enjoying the weather. I'm an island girl, so being outside is easily my favorite pastime. One of my favorite festivals is the Dogwood Festival. It is HUGE and happens in Piedmont Park every Spring around my birthday. Dogwoods are a pretty popular flower in Atlanta, so you can basically consider it a spring festival. Another fav is the Atlanta Jazz Festival, which is usually pretty top notch. They bring in some of the best jazz artists and it's so relaxing to sit on a blanket at Piedmont Park and be serenaded. Other favorites are the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival (a taste of back home) and the Sweet Auburn Spring Festival (named after the district that houses a lot of history from the civil rights movement).  

3. The salsa dancing scene
Salsa dancing is one of my favorite things to do. I am an old school salsa junkie and I enjoy the workout I get from dancing. There are so many places to go salsa dancing. Some of my favorites are Coco Cabana (in Northlake), Havana Night Club (Buckhead) or this really cool hole in the wall place called Nemoe's Tavern (Peachtree corners). If you're ever up for salsa dancing, hit me up!

4. The sports events
Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer - you name it, Atlanta's got it! I'm a diehard Falcons fan, and more recently an Atlanta United fan (after all, we are the 2018 MLS Cup winners!!) I particularly love the Falcons and Atlanta United teams more since they built the new Mercedes Benz stadium (same place where the Super Bowl will be held). That place is super nice! And there isn't a bad seat in the house! Whenever I get the chance, I love going to games because the energy is ridiculous and it's always a good time.

5. The Arts Scene
I consider myself to be very cultured person (Pinky up! Can somebody pass the Grey Poupon? ?) If you love the arts,  there are plenty of opportunities to expose yourself to these things. I love getting dressed up and going to a play at the Fabulous Fox theater. What I love is that every broadway/major show will typically make a stop in Atlanta. For instance, Alvin Ailey will be here in February and I cannot wait to see them! I also love going to shows by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (violins make me happy), or to the latest exhibit at the High Museum of Art or at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. All these can be enjoyed alone, with some friends or on a date. 

6. Ponce City Market
Ok, this one is new. I swear, when I moved away it wasn't there (it was still an old abandoned warehouse). When I moved back, it was everyone's favorite place to be! And with good reason! This is more than just an outdoor-indoor mall! It is an experience! Besides the eclectic mix of shops, there is the City Winery, where you can feel grown and sexy by enjoying a famous artist perform live while sipping local wine (Pinky is still up!). Then there are the wide variety of restaurants that fit any taste, from casual to fancy. And finally there is the rooftop with the VIEW and tons of games and entertainment. It's the one place adults can run around and play like lunatics and not be judged for it. And when you think it couldn't get any better, Ponce City Market is right on the Atlanta Beltline, a 22-mile trail that connects 45 Atlanta neighborhoods. So when you finish eating at Ponce City Market, you can just grab your friends and go for a walk on the Beltline! It is truly one of my fav spots!

7. Eating Out
There are like 500 million restaurants in Atlanta. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but there are A LOT of places to eat! The food scene in Atlanta is ridiculously good! (Shameless plug: see my 2019 Atlanta Restaurant Bucket list lower down in the "T's Fav Things" section of my website ?). Plus, it seems like a new restaurant opens every month, so you never feel like you have to repeat places lol. No matter what food you like, there is something for everybody (and every budget).

There you have it guys! There are lots of other things I like about Atlanta (like the weather, the music and the people), but if I put it all on this list, you'll be reading until the end of the year. I think this top 7 hits the nail on the head and gets at the essence of why my city is da bomb!

Leave me a comment with your thoughts, or let me know what you love about Atlanta! 

Until the next adventure,

​-T

I can't think of a better way to celebrate "National Plan for Vacation day" than with my reveal of the latest addition to my living room! I bought this ADORABLE world map decal from Etsy (my 1st Etsy purchase btw). I searched high and low for the perfect one that would fit on this wall above my bar (which I  made btw...shameless plug: check out my blog post on that Ikea hack in my "Decor & DIY" section). This map gave me the perfect way for me to display all the cities I've traveled to in the world. I've had this for a few weeks now, and honestly, every time I walk by, I can't help but look up at it ?...it's so gorgeous! 

To give the map more visual detail, I decided to use pins to mark each city where I've visited or lived. The pins help me visually see how much of the world I've covered. I'm glad I did that because it has led me to several conclusions:
1. I dont need to go back to Europe anytime soon - I've been to most European countries...I almost ran out of pins (and space) trying to mark all the European cities I've been to.
2. I would like to travel South America more
3. The African continent is calling me - South Africa in particular.
4. The eastern side of the globe is also calling me. Australia in particular, also Japan and southeast Asia.

​I am proud to call myself a world traveler. I've traveled to 32 countries on 5 continents, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the world. Traveling is my passion. People don't always understand why I love traveling so much. Listen - I spent most of my life living on a tiny 37 square mile island. That's just over half the size of Washington, D.C.! Don't get me wrong, St. Maarten will always be home and I love it there. I also didn't feel like I was missing out on anything when I was living there. However, as I got older I realized that the world is a big place! And that there is more to life than the Caribbean. I love getting to know new places, people, and cultures. I'm kind of obsessed, lol. When I'm exploring a new city or country, I just feel at peace...I get in my happy place. ?

Here's a quick time-lapse of me installing the decal. There are actually two installation methods. In the video I use the method where you remove the backing from left to right (vs top to bottom, which is the second method). Here are the basic steps:

1. Tape the decal to the wall
2. Put some tape in the middle to anchor it. I used painters/masking tape that's easy to remove.
3. Starting with the side to the left of the tape, remove the backing paper to expose the sticky side of the decal. Then stick the decal back to the wall.
4. Then repeat on the right side.
5. Be sure to press the decal to the wall using a credit card, just in case there are any air bubbles.
6. Final step is to remove the top layer of the decal. This is the hardest part because of all the corners and islands and such. ​

But when you're done! It looks sooo amazing! Here are some close up photos! 

Here is a close up of the pins I used to mark each city I've visited. I love how they give the map a 3D look. The cities I visited, I marked with yellow pins, and the cities where I've lived, I marked with black pins. I got both sets of pins on Amazon.

​Here are the details of the Etsy shop where I purchased the map:
StoneCreek Wall Decals (Saint George, UT)

That's it guys! Drop me a comment and let me know what you think!

Adventure on!
-T

I LOVE to eat! Does anyone else love to eat? lol. One of the things I love about my city Atlanta is the plethora of eateries! That is just heaven for this foodie! It seems like every month they open a new restaurant, and I'm not complaining. I've decided that I am going to be more intentional about trying out new places to eat  - I'll just make an adventure out of it. Food brings people together, so trying out new restaurants will give me the opportunity to invite friends to come and spend time with me. So, selfishly, I'd be combining two of my favorite things: Food and People. Sounds like a win to me! 😆

I decided to share my Atlanta restaurant bucket list so my readers could see what I'm into and looking forward to. I also thought it could also start a dialogue with those who are also excited about those places too or with those who have already tried places on my list that are willing to share their experiences. This will be a living, breathing list, meaning that I might add some places to the list as they come up, lol. The list is not that long! I can visit 1-2 places per month, which is not unreasonable. Most of these places are mid-range and budget friendly, which I am very intentional about - I love to eat, but I also love to save money. 

Ok friends - here's my list! 

Ok guys, there you have it! Let me know your thoughts below or if you have a restaurant you think I should try and add to the list!

Till the next adventure,
​-T