My Side Boo: Atlanta

* I don’t condone having or being a side piece, but it makes the article funny.

I love my main guy, Charlotte, but ba-by [insert head nod and finger snaps], my side boo keeps me going. LOL!!

Anyone who is from Georgia, North Carolina, or South Carolina will tell you that their favorite weekend spot for a quick getaway is Atlanta. Typically, you can get there within three to four hours. I love it so much that all of my novels are based out of Atlanta.

I love ATL dearly because it’s dope, whether you’re single, married, or hanging with your kids. There are so many wonderful things to do. Now, conversely, I’d never want to actually move there. Ironically enough. Like I said, Charlotte is my main boo. I’d never leave him.

I remember my first time visiting in middle school. We took a church trip one Saturday to see the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was so cool to be walking around the city and admiring all of the different people who wanted to see the same things as you. Now, since this was a church youth group trip, we didn’t do much outside of that besides eat. Then, we headed back to South Carolina.

However, my next visit was when I fell in love with the city. I visited as my senior trip in high school. It was not an official school trip, but a trip my mom let me take semi-alone for the first time in my whole life. Because I was young, I stayed with my cousin. OMG!! The fun we had! That was my first time eating at Waffle House! To this day, I still order the same thing! Grits, eggs, bacon, and coffee. I think it’s the All-Star breakfast. It was also the first time I visited Stone Mountain, when we went for a morning hike. She made us smoothies afterward, yum!

After high school, I didn’t get down there much. I moved to Charlotte after finishing up at College of Charleston. I fell in love hard. I love the skyline, the people, the activities. But something still drew me to Atlanta.

My first few years here, and during my pregnancy, and after having my two kids, I didn’t do much traveling. I was tied to the babies. So much so, that I had developed mild depression. I lost who I was. While on FB one day, I saw an ad for a women’s retreat hosted in Atlanta. It was just what I needed: girl time, spa day, food, and adventure. This was the first time I went to the movies with adults since leaving college. I had kids young, don’t judge.

Ever since then, I’ve been visiting Atlanta nearly every month or every other month for years.

Some of my favorite activities include: the Aquarium, the Battle of the Bands, the Botanical Garden (I actually have a membership), shopping, eating at several restaurants, the Reggae Festival, the Trap Museum, Carnival on Memorial weekend, and the concerts/ live shows.