I took a little road trip last weekend to visit with some really close friends of mine, friends whom I grew up with. The host planned some amazing things and made sure the weekend was action packed.
Basketball is my very first love. Got the chance to play in college and even was even afforded the opportunity to be on the coaching side of things! So, as you can imagine, going to a basketball game in Philly was one of the highlights! We also went to this fabulous Thai food restaurant, Jasmine Rice (love BYOB!). The food was delic, the owner was our server! If you want Thai and you’re in Philly, you’ve got to go there, it’s small and intimate. There are so many amazing restaurants in Philadelphia it can be hard to know where to eat! I only wish we had stayed for longer. One of my friends recently enjoyed a private dining experience at a family party at the famous James Restaurant and had such a fantastic time. If we get to go back anytime soon, I would definitely consider giving them a try. Next time we go back we’re going to try some vegan restaurants in Philadelphia as my friends have said despite them being vegan, they do the most amazing food, so I am seriously looking forward to that!
After dinner we took a stroll over to Insomnia Cookies for dessert. What cookie place do you know, that is open and delivering until 3am! Brilliant. In the morning we had an amazing home cooked breakfast then went to spin class at Body Cycle Studio. If you’ve never done spin, it’s an amazing, amazing workout. (You should also try SoulCycle).
I packed lightly. But there are three things that I never travel without!
1). My iPad is essential because I never stop working. I have to stay connected and anytime I have a spare moment, I’m writing away on MeridethMorgan.com! Always keep your gadgets protected. The Goyard iPad case was gifted to me by fabulous cousin. I’m obsessed! Thanks E!!
2). My gold metallic notebook from Poppin is attached to my hip. I jot down any and all creative thoughts pertaining to my site or things I want to do to my home. It’s so pretty it motivates me to use it alllll the time!
3). Whenever there is a quiet moment that I can steal for MYSELF (rare), I love to read! I keep up with all of the magazines but there’s nothing quite like reading a novel (specifically romance novels). I’m currently reading “The Virgin Suicides” by Jeffrey Eugenides.
What are your travel essentials?
While in Philadelphia, I stayed at the Residence Inn downtown. This is no boutique hotel, but man, the view from my room was impeccable and that’s all I cared about. It’s located right on Penn Square-you can’t get a better location!
My room was equipped with a full kitchen and a separate living room/working space. The master bedroom was spacious and had just as an amazing view as the living room…breathtaking views of the City Hall. The windows were huge, allowing for lots of sunlight, which I can greatly appreciate. Walking distance to the convention center and local restaurants and bars.
Breakfast, included, was by far the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. And who am I kidding, that’s clearly the best selling point for me! Food trumps all. They had a huge spread of anything you can think of. Everything from yogurt and granola, to fresh fruit, to make your own waffles, to eggs and grits, to biscuits and gravy…the list goes on. Of course, I had eggs and grits-hands down, my favorite breakfast food.
This hotel was perfect for my little weekend getaway and highly suggest staying there when traveling to Philly.
