Travel Diaries: San Francisco

On Tuesday June 23rd, I had the awesome opportunity to travel to San Francisco to attend Ford's Digital Trends Conference. It was so amazing that I decided to document this trip because I saw so many amazing landmarks. I stayed in the Grand Hyatt hotel in Union Square, and the first thing I wanted to see were the Hearts in San Francisco: an annual public art installation started in 2004 by the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation for the purpose of fundraising. The project is inspired by the international CowParade exhibit, in which cow sculptures are painted by various artists and installed in various cities throughout the world. The choice of hearts is inspired by the Tony Bennett song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

Dewey Monument

The Dewey Monument is a memorial statue in San Francisco, California, located in the middle of Union Square.The monument was named after Spanish–American War hero Admiral George Dewey. In 1901, President William McKinley visited San Francisco to break ground for the monument.

My view from my hotel room

Looking out the window at Pier 27 at the Bay Bridge

Photo Opp with Sophia Amoruso Founder and Creative Director of Nasty Gal

The Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District of San Francisco, California, is a monumental structure originally constructed for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in order to exhibit works of art presented there.

Coit Tower, also known as the Lillian Coit Memorial Tower, is a 210-foot tower in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, California.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait, the mile-wide, three-mile-long channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean

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Travel Diaries: Miami

On September 26, 2013 I departed Atlanta and headed to the Beautiful Miami. As soon as I landed I had a brief meeting in the Miami Design District with Jennifer Pear, we met at the Moore Building, The Moore Building is located in the heart of Miami's famed Design District. This historic venue was built in 1921 as the furniture showroom space for Moore and Sons.

Inside of the Moore Building

Outside of the Moore Building

This event space is very beautiful and very popular that evening Dwyane Wade held his "Night On The RunWade" event there. I had the opportunity to visit several boutiques and Galleries in the Design District on my visit. After walking and touring the city it was finally time for me to check into the Miami Grand Beach Hotel 

The Grand Beach Hotel Miami is located in South Beach, Florida, overlooking more than 200 feet of beautiful white sandy tropical beaches on the Atlantic Ocean

Beautiful View of the Atlantic Ocean from the Private Balcony

Posing on the Balcony

Comfy Robes and Coffee in the Suite

 Mini Video Tour of the Room

The facilities includes a Boutique, two heated Jacuzzi ‘s, a well-equipped gym, swimming pools, including 2 beach level family pools and top floor tranquility pool for adults only. Oh it doesn't stop there I had the pleasure of staying in the King Partial Ocean View and My suite included 2 gorgeous bathrooms, private balcony, panoramic floor-to-ceiling sliding glass windows, breathtaking ocean views large flat screen TVs with free movie channels and complimentary Wi-Fi.  I left Miami feeling relaxed and rejuvenated Thanks to the Grand Beach Hotel.  Business or Pleasure Grand Beach Hotel is the premier place to stay while in the Miami Area.

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Travel Diaries: Chattanooga

Chattanooga was EVERYTHING that I needed. I haven't been to Tennessee since my childhood and the city is absolutely stunning. My mom and I arrived on Friday April 19th and the first thing we did was check in to the beautiful Edwin Hotel Autograph Collection and it's breathtaking definitely one of the BEST hotels I've been to in a while the customer service was exceptional. Listen THE most stylish hotel EVER it's filled with artwork from the local talent and its also conveniently located above the Tennessee River’s iconic Walnut Street Bridge, within walking distance from The Tennessee Aquarium and The Hunter Museum of American Art which I had the pleasure of checking out during my stay as well. The other thing I loved was the restaurant called The Whitebird located inside of the Hotel and we ate breakfast and Dinner there and it was uber delicious. My mom and I only stayed the weekend but I'm so happy to breakdown all the fun we had below.

Day One:

In Front of The Walnut Street Bridge

The Edwin Hotel

Warm Greeting from The Edwin Staff

Our Beautiful room

The artwork in the restroom

The gorgeous lobby

After check in we headed to Ruby Falls -- Ruby Falls is a 145 foot high underground waterfall located within Lookout Mountain. Discovered in 1928, Leo Lambert and a team of excavators found a breathtaking waterfall deep within Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Lambert named the falls after his wife, Ruby, and opened the Chattanooga attraction to the public in 1929.

 

 

After Ruby Falls we headed to Warehouse Row to do a little shopping and to eat. It was rainy and COLD so we had Ramen for dinner at Two Ten Jack!

Day Two started out with Breakfast at Whitebird -- My mom and I both had the delicious Chicken and Corn waffle with Jalapeno syrup and Chai Lattes. 

After breakfast we headed to the Hunter Museum of American Art  

Then we were onward to the Tennessee Aquarium and it was super amazing, my mom and I enjoyed an exclusive backstage tour where we were able to get a VIP experience we talked with the divers, an aquarist, we fed some of the fish, visited some of the penguins and was able to get up close and personal with the New Caledonian Giant Gecko.

New Caledonian Giant Gecko is the largest gecko species.

After the aquarium we ate dinner at the Whitebird and then ventured across the street to The Ice Cream Show for some hot chocolate since it was unseasonably cold on Saturday night

 and lastly before we departed we had coffee and bagels from the Provisions

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