Early Anniversary Getaway!

So, Saturday night, Ben and I had a REALLY FUN date! We don't get out very often just the two of us and it was such a treat. We kind of have a tradition of doing the same thing for our anniversary...eating the same place, staying the same place, etc. We usually stay at the Hermitage Hotel downtown Nashville, but this year they were almost completely booked and wanted WAY TOO MUCH for their rooms. They are already pretty pricey, but this was just outrageous. So...we opted for somewhere we've never been. There's a new hotel, the Hutton Hotel...and we decided to stay there. It was REALLY NICE...and brand new (well, I think it opened sometime last year)! Great location, GREAT everything.

I got tickets to Les Miserables (my FAVORITE), so we made a big night of it.

One of our favorite places to eat is Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it...and since I am such a steak and potatoes gal...there is no where better (to me) for just that (and I've had a lot of them)! :) I think it's the bubbly butter plate that does it for me! :) We had a WONDERFUL dinner and dessert and headed downtown to the play! Ben had never seen Les Mis (not really his thing) but he REALLY enjoyed it. Probably because he knew how much I love it, but still.

After we slept in on Sunday (SO NICE - no breakfast to cook, kids to get out of bed, etc), we decided to go to Pancake Pantry in Hillsboro Village. We always say we want to go (I haven't been in YEARS), but we just never do. For those that have never been there...there is almost always a line wrapped around the building of that place (which explains why we never go), but that day, we didn't have any kids or anywhere to be, so we decided to just enjoy hanging out together and wait. Breakfast was great...and worth the wait!

Oh Ruth...how I love you and your bubbly butter plate (to avoid confusion...they serve their steaks on these like 500 degree plates...and they come out just bubbling in buttery goodness...love it - I know...I am weird)! :)

Dessert never dissapoints either...creme brulee...MY FAVE! LOVE!Gorgeous Hutton Hotel. Ben and I decided we were not trendy enough for this place (very modern and swanky), but we enjoyed it anyway! :) I would recommend it to others. I got a AAA discount that was pretty good, so compared to most of the other 4star hotels downtown (Hilton, Loews, etc)...it's actually cheaper.

Much trendier than these Hazlewoods, but we pretended that we were a super cool, modern couple for one night at least! Ha! :)
Great room...not huge, but we didn't need it to be huge. GREAT shower (I love those rain showers that actually are a little painful, so this was perfect). ")
Okay...that's enough of my Hutton Hotel review and advertisement! :)

Oh...wait...except for this.

When we got back from the play that night...this was waiting in our room. I guess I had specified when I booked room that it was our anniversary and the champagne and "happy anniversary" note was waiting on us. Nice touch! :)

I have been in LOVE with Les Mis since I was in elementary school and it first came out. We lived in Connecticut at the time and I think my dad had seen it on Broadway in Toronto or somewhere when it first came out. Also, Duff's high school choir sang a medley from it during his senior year I think (91) and I have been hooked ever since. I got the chance to see it for the first time when I was in high school. Our choir went to NYC for a singing competition and we saw it...AMAZING! If you've never seen it...they are touring again this year (coming to Atlanta in April 2012 - which I plan on attending again - hey, you never know when it will come around again). Buy a soundtrack...you tube it, whatever...the music is AMAZING and so powerful! Such a beautiful story!

All in all...a WONDERFUL early anniversary weekend with my sweet, sweet husband! Thanks SOOOO MUCH to my mom for hanging with Jack and Sam all day Saturday and most of Sunday (since we took our sweet time getting back)! :) Love you mom. Sam asked this morning when you were coming to our house. He misses you!