I Officially Heart Tally

I'm fresh off a fantastic work trip to the state capital, where I got to take in all the good food that Tallahassee has to offer on a culinary media tour. Before my trip, I had always thought of Tallahassee as the capital city where all the state level politics were and of course as a huge college football town thanks to FSU. If you were following along on snapchat (@greenfashonista), instagram (@greenfashionista), or twitter (@GreenFashonista) you may have already seen a lot of my fun pics from the culinary tour.

I stayed at the beautiful Hotel Duval which is Tallahassee's only boutique hotel, and upon entering my room was greeted with an awesome swag bag full of goodies from the Visit Tallahassee team and vendors that I'd be meeting throughout my stay.

*The lighting in the room was terrible for pics, but it was so pretty*

After getting settled into my room, it was time for happy hour up at the Level 8 Lounge where I sampled their signature cocktail The Golden Key which is comprised of Ketel One Citron, Amaretto, Cointreau, Drambuie, Local Tupelo Honey, and topped with fresh Florida orange juice. Such a beautiful spot for happy hour, set up on the top floor with an outdoor patio and views all the way out to the Gulf of Mexico.

Then it was time for a special treat - a 6 course meal with drink pairings at Avenue Eat and Drink right off the town green.

The staff were amazing, the food was delish, and they even went above and beyond to accommodate my seafood allergy. I enjoyed a freshly made artichoke dip, lamb chop, grilled and chilled salad, braised beef, key lime pie, and carrot cake which were all paired exceptionally with bubbles, wine, and handcrafted drinks including an espresso martini which comprised of coffee beans from Lucky Goat tjat I enjoyed a tour at the following morning.

I enjoyed breakfast in bed the next morning from room service, complete with Starbucks coffee before heading over to the Lucky Goat for a coffee grinding tour. It was so much fun watching them roast the coffee beans, learn more about the history of the beans, and of course sample lots of different coffees including their cold brew (which is better than Starbucks!). I also found it neat that they sell growlers of their cold brew - it's THAT good!

*There was even an observation window so patrons can watch the coffee being roasted and grinded while enjoying their coffee.*

Next stop on my tour was a lunch time trip to Bradley Country Store for the best smoked sausage I've ever had and a grits grinding tour.

After enjoying a sausage sandwich and learning more about grits grinding, it was time for something sweet at Lofty Pursuits. This ice cream shop is also an old fashioned soda fountain, candy shop, and toy shop. Truly a one stop shop for kids and adults alike.

While getting a historical background from the animated owner, I was able to watch candy making and sample root beer floats, a frozen Arnold Palmer, a toasted marshmallow shake, and the best ice cream sundae I've ever had.

After all that food, my tour guide took us to Cascades Park to walk off some of the sweets and take in some more history and the beautiful views.

*How much fun would it be to see a concert at the new amphitheater under the stars?*

After a little downtime at the hotel and nursing my eye (oh yes - guess who came down with pink eye while traveling) it was time for dinner at KitchenAble. I'd never been to a cooking demonstration dinner, and I was in for a treat! The owner and head chef was such a colorful character, and the epitome of a former Disney employee. It was almost as if a Disney princess was cooking us an amazing dinner while telling us stories.

The next morning I was all set for my last full day of touring the beautiful city, but I woke up even sicker. My eye was worse, and I also had the added bonus of joint pain and a ridiculously sore throat. Why this would happen on a fantastic work trip is beyond me! But, I wanted to press on and do as much as I could until my body reached it's stopping point.

I was able to enjoy a delicious southern style breakfast at Maple Street Biscuit Company and then a tour of the gorgeous Hearth and Soul store before throwing in the towel on the magnificent weekend. I ended up missing out on a brewery tour, dinner at Kool Beanz, and an evening at a one of a kind blues cafe. But the 4 hour drive back to Orlando was super uncomfortable being as sick as I was and once I got home I passed out for the evening. So, as sad as I was to have missed the last few activities, my body needed me to get home and rest.

I could not get over how unique the Hearth and Soul store was, which is owned and run by Susie Busch Transou of the Busch beer family. It's truly a gathering place reminiscent of your home with "his and hers closets" for clothes shopping, a full kitchen that prepares brunch on the weekends, a fully stocked coffee and tea bar, living room, library, and even an outdoor patio where they have yoga, pilates, and barre classes. Events such as guys/girls night out, book signings, lululemon exercise classes, etc... are also thrown by the store which makes it such a unique concept. Also, everything in the store including the furniture and artwork is for sale so it may change each time you go there to shop.

*His and Hers Closets - the Hers was bigger of course*

I couldn't leave Tallahassee without driving through the FSU campus which was of course beautiful! Made me wonder why I ever decided to go to college back up north.

What I loved most about Tallahassee was how passionate everyone I met was about what they do, and the city they live in. You could truly feel the southern hospitality unlike anywhere else I've experienced in the sunshine state.