Girls Weekend Staycation: Raleigh Marriott Crabtree

Is there a term that gets you more pumped up than "Girls Weekend"? I think not. A few weeks ago some of my best friends from home came to visit and we knew since the whole squad would be here, staying in a hotel would be our best option. Enter the newly renovated Raleigh Marriott Crabtree. I had recently attended their grand re-opening and left very impressed. I felt this would be the perfect spot for us to enjoy ourselves!



 I may or may not be obsessed with these lobby lights!



We did a lot of eating, shopping, and laughing. We may have also indulged in a few cocktails. The hotel is in the perfect location as it is across the street from Crabtree Mall and relatively close to downtown. Tony joined me for some afternoon cocktails while we waited for the girls. They have redone their bar/restaurant from a "typical" somewhat boring hotel fare to a Southern-inspired dining experience called 'Braise' 

 They have an awesome cocktail menu that uses a lot of bourbons. If you read this blog at all then you know how much I adore my bourbon! I enjoyed my prosecco based option but after I tasted Tony's whiskey based libation, I realized I chose wrong. Joel ( I hope I got his name correct because he is the nicest and our entire crew spent half our time drooling as he looks as good as his drinks. hahaha) He named this one 'Height of Fashion" and as a cocktail creator who spends way to much time coming up with names, I was left with name envy!


Alas, the gals arrived and we got straight to work with making cocktails and getting our shopping on. Five women can do a lot of damage in a very short time! The best part about our suite was that it was not a typical suite. We had the hospitality suite in the middle, flanked by our rooms on either side. I am not a big fan of wallpaper but I loved the one they chose. Plus, I had a crush on the sofa. I also love that they have a smart tv and can just catch up on any of my binges!


The ladies and I spent way too much time laughing and making snap chat videos. Yes, this is what middle aged woman who are too cool for school ( yes, I legitimately just typed that;) do to bide their time. Then we gorged ourselves on the awesome chocolate covered strawberries and champagne from the hotel. They have many additions to complete your stay at the hotel and make it memorable. 


That night we headed to one of my favorite Raleigh dinner spots: Relish. It may not be very "chic" or even "trendy" but oh my gosh the food really is just to die for and it was a quick five-minute drive from the hotel. Or, more accurately, it is if you don't get lost because your GPS is a big fat liar. oops. 

We headed towards downtown which is about a fifteen-minute ride from the hotel but I would recommend you take an uber. Parking downtown is the worst and it probably wouldn't be more than 5 bucks or so for the uber.  Then, upon our return, we ended our night we cheesecake and since they are incorporating more Southern cuisine into the restaurant, the cheesecake option was banana pudding cheesecake! Yes, you read that correctly. Banana. Pudding. Cheesecake. Also, I hate bananas and somehow this was divine!



All in all, we had a fabulous stay at the new Mariott Crabtree and our weekend hitting up some of my favorite Oak City stops: Relish, Moon & Lola, Cameron Village, and C. Grace! If you are looking to visit Raleigh, I definitely recommend it. Or, if like me, you want a staycation, it is great. I cannot wait to return this summer once the pool is open!

March Madness Giveaway


March Madness $200 Giveaway - PayPal Cash or Amazon GC!

March Madness is usually associated with basketball! But March also has some other fun events like St. Patrick’s Day which brings up images of all sorts of beer parties. March also ushers in the 1st day of Spring and Spring Breaks from school which are themselves a bit of madness. March also begins daylight savings time which can make us all crazy. I get the gardening itch and also want to get outside and do “normal” things minus the snow! What does March Madness mean to you?

A group of fabulous bloggers have come together to bring one lucky reader a March Madness $200 Giveaway - Winners choice of PayPal Cash or Amazon GC! This is a blogger sponsored giveaway which means the bloggers have donated towards the cost of this giveaway! You will the blogger sponsors as entries on the Rafflecopter form.

March Madness $200 Giveaway - PayPal Cash or Amazon GC

Open worldwide and ends March 15, 2017 at 11:59 PM EST.
Enter on the Rafflecopter below:
Disclaimer: This blog did not receive compensation for the published material in this post. No purchase required to enter this giveaway and there is a limit of one entrant per household. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning are determined by the number of valid entries received. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be emailed via the email address used to enter the contest. New winner(s) will be chosen if original winner(s) has not responded within 48 hours of email notification.My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life is responsible for shipment of prize. This giveaway is not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or other social media outlet. Disclaimer is posted in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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