Raleigh, NC Staycation

Happy Monday, sweet friends! How was your (snowy) weekend? So, I know this post is longgggg overdue but I am so excited to be back on the blog today sharing my Raleigh, NC staycation from a few weeks back. Right after my trip to Chicago, my mom and I decided to take a quick overnight girls trip to Raleigh and got to check out a few of our favorite restaurants and gems around town. So, let’s get started!

Our weekend started at Level7 Rooftop Bar. I just published a (super long) blog post all about our time here but y’all, I need to rave about it again. What we loved most about Level7 was that the menu set up. Menu options are tapas style (or small plates) so everything is easily sharable. This was, you can try a bunch of different items instead of getting full off one big meal. Since we went near the end of October, the weather was still quite warm but if you go during the winter, there are tons of heaters on the rooftop and a beautiful view of North Hills. We plan on definitely going back on a winter evening just for the view and yummy cocktails.

Right after lunch at Level7, we checked into our hotel to freshen up for the Kendra Scott fall collection launch. We stayed (c/o) at the Hilton in North Hills on the executive floor.  Our favorite part was that our room was full of natural light and on the corner of the hall, so all we heard was complete and beautiful silence.

Moving along, y’all know that I absolutely adore KS but this was the first time my mom got to visit a store. Since fall was in full bloom, we snacked on mini pumpkin pies and made apple cider mimosas. I picked up some new jewels and my mom got a fashion portrait done by a local illustrator.

We stayed at the KS launch party for a little longer than expected so right after, we were starving. Thanks to Hilton North Hills, where we stayed, we enjoyed dinner and drinks at 88 Oaks, the hotel restaurant.  I’ve gone back twice (don’t judge me) since our trip because everything on the menu was phenomenal. My only suggestion is to go H U N G R Y because the serving sizes are huge. We both left with to-go boxes after finishing off drinks, appetizers and about half of our dinner plates. Even though we probably didn’t need dessert after steak, crab dip and ribs, we dove head first into the berry bounce cobbler.

After a well rested and greatly needed chance to sleep in, we slowly got ready for our last visit of the trip, lunch at Seasons52. Unfortunately, the hotel was completely packed (busy wedding weekend) so we didn’t get to do a full tour of the grounds as we planned, but if you see above, we got to check out a few gems of the hotel such as the theater space. If you guys remember from last year, I went to a menu tasting at Seasons52 with a ton of blogger babes in the triangle area. This time around, my mom and I were invited to try to their new menu featuring fall favorites like butternut squash, turnips, hearty soups and wood-grilled everything. We started off the lunch with a little wine tasting and a visit from the chef to educate us about all the in season vegetables features and dishes exclusively for fall. The coolest part about this restaurant is that their menu changes every 13 weeks, just like the seasons. So even though the core menu items such as roasted chicken, scallops and leafy salads remain on the menu, how they are cooked and what they are paired with changes. If you’re ever wondering how to find the best vegetables and flavors for the season, I would highly suggest using what Seasons52 in your area is using in their meals to ensure your fresh items are at their prime in the current season. We can never visit without getting the tropical martini, which comes with an extra shaker, and several dessert shooters. And the absolute best part about visiting Seasons52 at Crabtree is the valet parking! If you have shopped at Crabtree before, you know the parking situation can be a little hectic. Whenever you dine at Seasons52, even if you decide to go shopping before or after, the host will stamp your valet ticket and you won’t have to pay the standard $6 rate!

Well friends, that’s all for today! Though my schedule is flexible and easily set-up for someone who likes to travel, my mom doesn’t have the same type of work life. So being able to have her on this trip with me was so much fun and something we plan on doing again in the near future! We loved spending time in Raleigh and are always amazed at the new gems we find when visiting. If you find yourself in the triangle area soon, I would highly suggest all the places we visited and stayed. In the comments, let me know your favorite place to take weekend trips! I would love to add them to my travel list 🙂 Have a lovely day -xo, Azanique <3