A Weekend in Atlanta
A concert, a boutique hotel, a spa and 3 friends in a city I love
This past weekend myself and a few friends hit the road. Just a quick trip to Atlanta, one of my favorite cities for no reason at all. Since the drive is just two hours my 8 hour long Spotify playlist wouldn’t be one I’d get to unveil on this trip. Regardless we had our sunnies on and our coffees in hand (shout out to Sleepyhead for keeping us caffeinated), we couldn’t be more ready for the short adventure.
Our entire weekend was planned because really we were in town with one mission and one mission only; to see Olivia Dean live! This also happened to be the same weekend that Beyonce was in Atlanta. Everywhere we went there were fans wearing bedazzled cowboy hats, cutoffs and walking with the attitude of Beyonce herself. We’d hope to visit a few shops, hit up the spa and lounge around our hotel. The perfect girls weekend.
We started with a visit to East Fork, not only because we love their handmade mugs, but because I needed to replace one I had broken a few months ago. They had an insane selection and the kindest girl who helped us pick the perfect mug. ***She also had amazing music taste queuing artists like The XX and Royel Otis. We grabbed lunch at a pub, a delicious bottle of orange wine to sip on while we got ready that night and then made our way to our hotel. Alright if there is one thing my roomie can exceed at, it’s finding the cutest place to stay. She booked us at this new boutique hotel in the heart of midtown-Hotel Granada. If you like a stay with an aesthetic or just hate massive hotels (like me) this is the place for you. Our room was massive, the valet parking was appreciated and the vibes were immaculate.
We spent the next hour or so trying on different outfits, applying our makeup and styling our hair. Of course we snapped a few mirror selfies and then we headed down to the bar for pre show drinks. Kat and Haley opted for their Espresso Martinis (I had a sip and highly recommend since they use actual espresso) while I grabbed a ginger beer with bitters. We had the most entertaining bartenders who kept us laughing with their stories. Soon enough it was time to grab an uber and head to the show.
The concert was at Variety Playhouse (a small venue I had only been to once before). We thankfully snagged quick passes so we walked from our uber right into the venue (the best $10 I’ve ever spent). It was also hot as hell so I salute those who waited in the General Admission line. I will say Olivia has very kind and sweet fans that didn’t mind a yap-athon. Everyone was dressed in something flowy or so girly and you could just feel the excitement in the crowd. We found a spot close to the barrier and soon enough Olivia was on.
Okay, saying this show was good or even amazing is an understatement. I honestly do not know how to fully convey my experience. Of course I sang (screamed) every word and danced to every song that wasn’t making me cry. This really was an artists that was on my bucket list of artists I wanted to see live. You could tell how synced up the entire band was and how they truly cared about putting on the best show. Some bands or artists you see live and you leave thinking "man I’m glad we got to sing a long or see them live” but some artists you walk away from thinking “Okay so that was a SHOW”. That is the best way I know how to describe her set. Full on entertainment and I could not believe we were seeing it in this tiny venue. The performance felt classic almost like something that didn’t belong fully in 2025 amongst the artists doing Tik Tok dances or keeping the fog machine on a little too long. I didn’t pick up my phone a single time (all photos and videos courtesy of Kat), I was mesmerized. After the show we scurried back into our cute little hotel with Taco Bell in hand (duh), passing out to the wonderful sounds of Will and Grace. The perfect ending to our night.
In the morning we grabbed coffee and breakfast in the courtyard of our hotel. That in itself is how I dream of starting every morning because I’m just a sucker for a slow morning. After packing up it was back on the road, but our trip wasn’t quite complete. We still had one more stop. The Spa. Also not just any spa. One that had been recommended to us by a handful of people. The spa in question- Jeju Sauna Spa. I will do my best to explain this, but as Haley said “You have to experience Jeju, you can’t explain it.” She could not be more right. All I can say is venture into the Sauna first and then go from there.
I’d heard about Jeju over the years from countless friends. The one hang up I had was just one little tiny small thing. You're naked…and so is everyone else. Of course there is a woman’s side and men’s side-theres also a co-ed section where you’re given clothes to wear. But in the locker rooms and in the tru spa area everyone is naked. Alright so I’m not (and I’ve never been) the one to walk around confidently clothed. So wrapping my mind around doing that naked was something I couldn’t conceptualize. But at this point in life I am very of the “let’s try new things” mindset. Also I was with my closest friends so if I was going to freak out these were the right people to freak out with.
I thought about the spa very little, on purpose. If I could keep it out of my mind I’d be more likely to do it. We arrived, a really nice lady gave us a tour and we were left to our own devices. It was time. We were in the locker rooms and it was now the moment my clothes would be left behind this tiny metal door. I parted with them quietly and did my best to silence the voice in my mind. The voice that says “your body is fucking weird and gross and ugly”. I pulled the door open and was met with quiet, aside from the shuffling of the workers who were making their way in and out of the different sections of the spa. You could step into a dry sauna or a steam sauna, you could cold plunge, sit under infrared lights or even get a body shampoo. Every idea or assumption I had about what this place would be or how it would make me feel dissolved immediately. The best way I can describe it is-it felt like exposure therapy for body dysmorphia because that seemed to dissolve as well. I’ve truly never felt this type of freedom in my body and I’ve never felt this much appreciation for just being me.
After the spa we sat in silence as we made our way to a cafe before we hit the road. All of us sitting mind blown and running on a post-spa high. After sipping on iced matches and smoothies our words were beginning to come back to us. I think I can safely say this weekend was one for the books. A boutique hotel where we only seemed to encounter kind strangers. A concert that reminded me why I love live music so much. A spa that brought me back to my body. All with sweetest friends anyone could ever ask for.
I hope you enjoyed this piece. Remember to subscribe to get my work delivered straight to your email inbox. All paid subscriptions are much appreciated and help me to keep living this wonderful creative live. If you have any artists/bands you’ve seen live that altered your brain chemistry be sure to drop them in the comments. Share stories or even new recommendations. Stick around later this week as I continue my mid-year music review.