Today’s post is sponsored by Mazda, all opinions are my own.

Happy Sunday babes! I can’t believe how fast this month has been flying by. Between our trip to NOLA and this past week, it’s been a whirlwind! This past weekend Aaron and I spent some time between Columbia, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina.

We flew into Charlotte, since Columbia is SO expensive and made the 1.5hr drive to Columbia. This weekend was my sisters senior day, and I’m so thankful we were all able to be there with her!

After a very emotional senior day on Friday, we all went out to celebrate. Columbia is such a cute little town! We spent majority of our time in downtown and I couldn’t get over how adorable all the twinkle lights were throughout the town!

WHERE WE WENT:

• World of Beer: this was our first stop for dinner. They have an awesome happy hour Monday – Friday!
• Tin Roof: such a fun tiki bar!

Saturday morning Aaron and I headed to Charlotte, NC for 24hrs. We decided to spend our last day in the Carolina’s exploring Charlotte! I can not begin to thank Mazda enough for letting us drive their 2019 CX-5 this weekend. Not only was it a dream to drive, the space throughout the second row and trunk was exactly what we needed! I’m already begging Aaron to let me bring one of these beauties back full time. So fingers crossed I wear him down!

FAVORITE FEATURES – MAZDA CX-5 

As most of you know, I have been driving my Mazda since 2015. If anyone asks me what kind of car they should get, my first response is always: Mazda. They are reliable and sleek cars, that have AMAZING gas mileage. Here are a few of my favorite things about the 2019 Mazda CX-5:

• Cruise Control: one of the reasons why I struggle using cruise control on the highway, is mostly due to the changing speeds of cars ahead of me. Well, Mazda has changed the game! The 2019 CX-5 has Smart City Brake Assistance. Which pretty much means if you inch too close to the car in front of you, Mazda adjusts your speed without you taking off the cruise control.
• Advanced Smart Phone technology: Okay, now this was one of Aaron and mine’s favorite features! Once you plug your phone into the USB jack, your screen transfers to the screen in your car. Not only can you play music, and see your navigation, this advanced technology will also read your texts out loud! Creating a fully hands free experience.
• Blind Spot Monitoring: I know what you’re thinking, most cars have blind spot monitoring today, and you’re right. But does your vehicle chime when a fast approaching car is about to enter your blind spot? This was one of the best features we could have asked for, while traveling throughout Charlotte!

WHERE WE STAYED

Aaron booked us a room at the Kimpton and it was GORGEOUS! We had a room overlooking the park, and I couldn’t get over how amazing the view was. The hotel itself was breathtaking and came with so many perks. My favorite being the rooftop bar!

Our first stop was this amazing restaurant/bar, Ink and Ivy.

WHERE WE ATE & DRANK

• Ink & Ivy: delicious food! Such a fun environment for brunch, mimosas and watching basketball.
• Rooftop of the Kimpton: perfect for a happy hour drink spot! The views were unreal!
• Famous Toastery: I don’t have enough words to describe this amazing place. Just go, you’ll be happy you did.

I’m not going to fake it with y’all, we spent the majority of our time in Charlotte sleeping. After our trip to Nola, and then heading to SC it was so needed!

We ended our trip with breakfast at Famous Toastery and it was hands down one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had! I got the western omelette and Aaron made his own omelette. My mouth is seriously drooling thinking back on how delicious it all was!

It’s been a whirlwind two weeks for us, and I’m off to Austin for another 3 days. Then it’s finally back to Columbus for a solid month! I can’t wait to finally have some time to relax and enjoy our home.

Xoxo

Emily