Channeling the Simple Life

Ahhh, the summer. Everyone is jetting off to foreign places, remote islands, and cross-country destinations to see new things. For me, I am eagerly awaiting our week-long cruise to the Eastern Caribbean at the end of September, so right now, I am not going much of anywhere. It's okay, too, since that week is going to be well worth the wait, and I want to save up to splurge out there on the high seas.

But on weekends, while everyone else is leaving town, that doesn't mean we can't do something (low-budget), too! This past weekend, we indulged ourselves with a little Staycation, heading 90-minutes north to the Blue Ridge Mountains. And let me tell you, this trip is worth a re-do, because I could not be more relaxed today!

I first heard about Blue Sky Cabins on Facebook -- Atlanta's Fan Page promotes their cabins pretty regularly, and it wasn't long before I was entering to win a free weekend here and there. While I sadly never won the big prize, Blue Sky was kind enough to distribute promotional codes to all entrants, so I was able to get a discounted rate for a weekend of our own!

So off we go. It's a really short drive from town, straight up I-75 to 575. Once you get into the town of Ellijay, Blue Sky's cabins are only about 20 minutes away, up a windy and very vertical road. Thank goodness we took the truck, because a smaller car would have been challenged on some parts of the road.



We arrived! This was our quaint little house for the weekend, The Simple Life.



What a perfect name -- The Simple Life has only one neighbor nearby, a house under construction. We were otherwise all alone in the woods!



What better way to live the Simple Life, than to sit in a hot tub on the porch. Yes, please!



And when we were finished with our hot tub dip, we relaxed in the A/C in the cozy great room.

Like any outstanding rental home, The Simple Life had everything covered for us, from a grill, to a selection of movies, and even board games! So, we unplugged from media for a few hours, and worked on this!



I had forgotten how fun it is to do puzzles. What a mental workout! Plus, a puzzle can be made even more fun when you have a cocktail or two thrown in for good measure, right? :)

The kitchen was stocked with all cooking supplies, so all we had to do was bring our own food. We, of course, took the lazy Saturday to whip up a simple breakfast, nothing too gourmet....



So if you are looking to "get away," but not throw away all your hard-earned savings, check out the cabins from Blue Sky. The Simple Life is a two-bedroom, but they also have a lot of cabins for bigger groups.

Enjoy!





Disclosure: This post is 100% my own opinion. Blue Sky gave out hundreds of promo codes -- I am just choosing to write about our experience :)

67 Things You Must Do in the ATL

This post will not tell you all of these things, sorry.

But the latest edition of Atlanta magazine will!

Pick up the latest edition at a newsstand by you, or download the list for 99 cents when they post it online (not posted yet though, weird?). That's a pretty good deal for a whole list of Atlanta Staycation ideas!

I actually really enjoy Atlanta Magazine on an ongoing basis. It is one of the magazines I might splurge on for a subscription, because it always has great articles of local-interest. Area people who are making a difference through their charities, great new restaurants to try out, and city way-of-life articles about commuting and green efforts are popular topics. In every issue, they have an appendix of the top city dining destinations, too, if you are in the need of somewhere new but established for a meal on the town. 

This February issue is perfect if you are looking for some things to brighten up these drearier winter weekends. I can't wait to check it out when it goes live online - they will definitely inspire some of my upcoming Staycation posts. Even better, I bet that a lot of these things are going to be low-cost or even free, like hiking up Stone Mountain to see a sunrise for only the $10 parking pass fee - how cool does that sound!!

Staycation: A little Asia in Atlanta

This past weekend in Atlanta was rainy and gross and perfect weather for curling up under a blanket. But, truth be told, one can only hole up indoors for so long. So come Sunday, it was time for another Atlanta Staycation concept - this time, taking a little trip up I-85 to Duluth, to the famed Super H Mart.

Remember, Staycations here on Buckhead Betty aren't expensive and aren't always full-day affairs. The basic idea: taking a vacation in your own hometown - how can we explore what is already right around us?

Super H Mart is tucked up on Pleasant Hill Rd. about 20 minutes Northeast of Buckhead. It is essentially a combination of Whole Foods/Harry's and Costco - except the entire store is Asian products!



We took about 45 minutes just wandering around the store, checking out the massive array of products they have out in bins, on shelves, and on ice. The fish at Super H Mart is all under about $5/pound, which is amazingly low given what we pay here in town for things like fresh swordfish. They also have fresh vegetables everywhere, and they seem to be lower-than-average prices too. Then interspersed here and there are more exotic things like full octopi, sushi fish for you to make your own at home, and oxtail meat. Shelves and shelves of sauces, rice, ramen, drinks - it's amazing.



We walked away with some squid jerky (someone more adventurous than I likes this stuff haha) and some red bean buns that you can heat up in the microwave for a quick, sweet snack (they are awesome, by the way). I also left with some ideas in my head of things I'd get for an Asian meal in the future.

Have you been to Super H Mart? What's your favorite thing to get there?

The Details
Directions: North from Atlanta on I-85 to Steve Reynolds. Left off exit, then left onto Pleasant Hill Rd. Super H-Mart is in a shopping center on the right.
Cost: Free! Only what you buy - and the food is decidedly less expensive here for exotic veggies, fish, and meat.
Ideas: Try the red bean fish waffles or the Korean BBQ at the ready-to-eat kiosks. Kimchi, dumplings, and other products are available in mass quantities for dinners. If you are wary of trying something new, just find the Pocky Sticks display, and pick up a box to munch on. Trust me.

A new series here on Buckhead Betty

The New Year means new resolutions, new workout plans, new seasons coming up to enjoy. But maybe not a ton of extra funds after the busy holiday season, if you are like me :)

In other words, its a perfect time for a new series here on Buckhead Betty: Staycations!

Over the next few months, I am going to be profiling some area attractions that are either free or low-cost to attend. For those of you in Atlanta, they will be perfect if you are like me and craving new things to do that aren't very expensive. For those of you in other cities, take some of these ideas as inspiration, and please share any activities that you know of in your area that are similar!

Basic idea: taking a vacation in your own hometown - how can we explore what is already right around us?

The first in the series - take a hike, and head up to Red Top Mountain!

Red Top Mountain is a short drive from Atlanta, about 45 minutes up I-75 past Acworth. Red Top is part of the GA State Parks, and features all sorts of camping and visitor attractions.

With the first snow of the New Year still lingering on the ground, we spent a gorgeous Sunday afternoon yesterday hiking around. Or I should say, "hiking." This Buckhead Betty doesn't really hike-hike. This was more walking up and down on the hilly paths made for people of all ages and skill levels. If you walk at a good pace, you will definitely get your heart rate up on the hills, making it a perfect way to sneak in some exercise on a weekend outside. Some of the paths wind way out for 5 miles by the Etowah River, and take about 3-4 hours to complete. We chose some shorter ones that stayed mostly in the woods and are under 2 hours, but we got some great river views too.

The Details
Directions: North from Atlanta on I-75 to Red Top Mountain exit. Right off exit for 2 miles to Visitor Center parking lot.
Cost: $5 for a parking pass for the visitor center at top of trails. Free on Wednesdays.
Ideas: Bring a picnic lunch with you for the ride, and some water bottles for after. Head out around lunchtime to get in a few hours before dusk. You can grab a trail map or use the restrooms at the visitor center. And don't forget your gloves and hat, because it gets chilly up there in the woods!