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Renaissance Gateway Staycation – Let’s Go

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Hi pretties,

Staycations R’ Us, or me rather. A short getaway is good for your overall well being. I am fortunate to have so many amazing hotel choices right here in my hometown and I chose the Renaissance Gateway for a long celebration weekend.

Let’s face it, a hotel room can make or break your stay. Here are some things to consider in a hotel room:

  • Location – high up, away from the ice machine and elevator
  • Size – big enough to move freely
  • Staples – coffee station, free water
  • Bed – nix the decorative pillows
  • Bathroom – big, with a a door, and easy to use shower head
  • Extras – good toiletries, reading nook

The Room

Let’s talk about this door! How unique is this design?!

I love the room, so fun and modern. The gallery wall over the bed is a mix of contemporary art in a classic black and white color combo! The wall art is quite interesting and definitely sparks conversation. I love that the bed doesn’t have a million pillows – nap ready!

The bathroom is cool, but not cold in white, black and gray tones. The dark flowers are a nice touch. It’s well appointed and a good size.

But then a glance to the right and bam, an incredible art wall – in the bathroom. Was not expecting it and loved it!

The decor is simple but unique. The settee at the end of the bed is perfect for getting dressed or relaxing in front of the television. A reading nook is always a nice feature of a room, this one is no exception in a beautiful apple green. But, my favorite piece is the trunk bench, in a rich brown with belt detail and accented with a cute pillow.

The obligatory full length mirror is a must. The rustic frame is compliments the room’s decor.

This room was right up my alley. My preference is a modern room without too much stuff and lots of unique details. I was so pleasantly surprised but really this hotel is smartly done with accents that really standout.

Next post I will share this unique space and my thoughts overall on my staycation.

Does the hotel room matter to you or is it just a place to sleep?

robincharmagne

Candytopia – Let’s Go

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Hello pretties,

Candytopia is coming to Atlanta and I am excited about being invited to the media sneak peek next week. I am not sure what to expect but I have heard Candytopia is colorful, interactive and Instagrammable! Oh and made of candy, yes you read that right candy. I will have a full review after the sneak peek, but until then, here is more on the installations and how to get tickets…

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Canopy Atlanta – Let’s Go

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Hi pretties,

I was super excited to attend my first hotel opening for Canopy Atlanta. Located in Midtown Atlanta, this hotel is part of the Hilton family of brands. I am always looking for staycation spots in The A and this one is definitely being added to the list.

Canopy is a lifestyle hotel situated in the heart of Midtown, with close proximity to many popular attractions such as the High Museum of Art and the Art District. It has 176 rooms and 4 canopy suites that include complementary Wi-Fi.

Canopy Atlanta Midtown

Xhibit

For the event, we were able to try bites from the Xhibit Kitchen and Bar. Everything was not only visually appealing, but so delicious! The restaurant has a Cafe, Bar, and complimentary tastings each evening!

Rooms

After sampling some the goodies from Xhibit, we were treated to a tour of the hotel including the guest rooms. The decor is contemporary in style with a mostly neutral color palette. I really liked the open closet space as soon as you walk in, just hang your stuff and go! And there is filtered water on every floor.

Art

Art plays a big part in the decor of the hotel. Many of the installations were designed by local artists. I especially liked the wall that acknowledged patrons of the arts that supported the hotel, check it out you may see a familiar face!

Canopy also boasts meeting spaces, an outdoor terrace with fire pit, and bicycle rental.

If I had to describe Canopy in three word, it would be artsy, cool, and fun. The decor really adds to the ambiance, it doesn’t feel stuffy at all. With their brand promise to deliver a “positive stay”, this hotel is a welcome addition to Midtown Atlanta. I see a staycation in my future.

When you vacation, do you notice the art work at the hotel?

robincharmagne

Solis – Staycation

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Hi pretties,
Getting a little personal on the blog today! Over the past few months, my twin brother has been seriously ill and I was just burned out physically and mentally. I felt so drained from the ripping and running and just the thought of losing my brother. But thank God, he turned a corner and when he did, I took a staycation to do absolutely nothing. The A has so many nice hotels in all categories from budget to 5 star so it was pretty easy to find a spot for the weekend, I chose Solis.

Solis

Solis is in a prime location near the airport, making it super convenient for travelers. This is a unique hotel and the first in the United States. It is part of the Porsche Experience with magnificent views of the Porsche Center located right next door. That was the appeal for me! A luxury hotel with luxury cars, winning combo.

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This is a luxury hotel with a laid back feel. The lobby is sleek but not over done. Adjacent to the front desk is a Porsche themed lounge area.
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I was welcomed from the valet to the front desk. As a matter of fact, the front desk agent walked me to my room and explained the features of the room and hotel. But he wasn’t stuffy at all, very friendly and put me at ease. I hate I didn’t get his name!

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I love when rooms have these welcome messages!


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Very subtle car themed room that is not overly done or cartoonish

I know a room is good when I want to take some features home, this wood wall and bath tiles

This space was so relaxing with a bird’s eye view of the track! Super exciting to watch folks enjoying the Porsche Experience.

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Mesmerizing! Definitely driving on my next visit!

The bed had a million pillows and I slept like a baby, feeling refreshed. I was soooo excited it was The Royal Wedding Day, which I totally forgot. But man, I ordered room service and chilled watching this beautifully loving and diverse ceremony, I shared my thoughts here.

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That Royal Wedding was the truth and my breakfast was yummy

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend Solis for its unique space, friendly staff, doable luxury price point, and amazing views of the Porsche track and plane landings. It’s close to the downtown and the airport. Oh they also have two acclaimed restaurants Apron and Overdrive with the rooftop bar. I’m ready for my second visit to Solis.

A Staycation was on the birthday list, maybe I’ll go back and take a Porsche for spin! Do you have a favorite local hotel?

robincharmagne

Architecture – Amsterdam Week – Part 2

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Hello pretties,
Another segment of Amsterdam week featuring beautiful architecture. From my first day in Amsterdam, I started snapping photos of buildings. You will find a fantastic mix of old and new buildings all across the city with unique details. These are a few of the beauties I captured…take a peek…
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Call me the nerdy diva because it is so interesting to see the architecture of other cities and hear about the history of the buildings and how they shaped the city’s landscape. An interesting tidbit is a lot of the buildings and homes on the canals don’t have elevators so a hoist is used to move furniture and things into the buildings. Can you imagine seeing fridge or a couch being hoisted up to the top of a building? Pretty clever!

What types of photos do you like to capture while vacationing?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

robincharmagne
Images: personal

Hong Kong All Kinds Of Epic – Let’s Go

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Hello pretties,
Hong Kong for Spring Break 2016, EPIC! I had no plans for visiting this unique destination, but a deal popped up on a Thursday, booked the flight on Friday, booked the hotel on Saturday, and flew out on Wednesday. YOLO! When these travel deals pop-up honey, you gotta jump on em’. I am going to share more on how to snag deals in a future post! Part One of the trip highlights, take a peek…(sorry for the slow load)!

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5 Reasons To Watch The Walking Dead

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Hello,
I hope your Love Day was full of love! Today is the President’s Day holiday; however, I am working and not complaining about it! Let’s talk television – The Walking Dead. Season 6 premiered last night and reminded me why I love this show. So if you don’t know about The Walking Dead, it is an apocalyptic adventure that follows a mixed bag of survivors as they try to navigate this new and crazy world full of good guys, bad guys, and yeah zombies or as they are affectionately known walkers. Let me tell you what brings me back to AMC on Sunday nights at 9…

1. The Walking Dead is filmed in and around Atlanta and other parts of Georgia – the Hollywood of the South. Did you know Georgia was number 4 in movie/television filming in the U.S.? Being a native Atlantan, it thrills me to see my hometown week after week and learn about new towns like the infamous Woodbury home to the prison that was central to seasons 3 and 4
2. Strong female characters are significant to the show. Michonne, Carol, Maggie, and Sasha do not run and fall down and have to be saved in stereotypical girl fashion. No ma’am, they pull out their revolver, katana, or hammer and fight back and they do the saving. It is so refreshing to see women characters that lead, make decisions and exhibit strength and courage when faced with the impossible
3. This show is not afraid to take chances. You remember the days when a leading character could pretty much count on getting a check every episode? With this show, key characters and fan favorites get killed off as with my most loved Hershel in season 4. I shed some crocodile tears when they killed him off the show. I always say, if you get cast for TWD, don’t make any major purchases because you could get axed in any episode
4. You know a show is good when it has its own after party, hosted by Chris Hardwick. The Talking Dead airs right after the show with special celebrity guests and analyzes the previous episode. Funny and informative with sneak peeks and deep conversations, it is a must see after the show. You can even call in with questions
5. What The Walking Dead does best is force us to ask tough questions. Who would you be in this environment? We would love to think we would maintain 100% of ourselves, our humanity. But, as they say desperate times call for desperate measures. Could you kill, maim, bamboozle, and defend strangers to survive? What role would your faith play?

Repeatedly, I have said this show is not about zombies at all – in fact, they are somewhat anecdotal to the show. Last night confirmed that The Walking Dead is an ongoing class on how to be a human being. The Alexandria townspeople were deathly afraid of fighting the walkers – remaining locked in their homes without ever killing any walkers. Nevertheless, by the end of the episode, they realized they could not survive without banning together and getting some blood on their hands. In life, you cannot stand on the sidelines and hope to be saved, you have to jump out there and do your part to save yourself and in many cases, save other folk too.

Do you watch The Walking Dead?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

robincharmagne

My 5 Takeaways From Cruising

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Hey pretties,
So yesterday I posted some motivation to get your Monday going. Real talk, Monday is my least favorite day of the week. I was feeling so blah after a fabulous birthday and vacation, but then a friend posted those 5 Daily Reminders which uplifted my mood. I hope you liked them too!

This week’s posts are mostly going to be about cruising and such! I had not cruised in 14 years so the anticipation was through the roof. This cruise was 6 days on the Carnival Breeze leaving from Miami traveling to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. The experience was so much fun and far exceeded my expectations. I’m sharing the things that “made” this cruise experience awesome.

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