Yesterday when Ryan and I awoke we planned to go to the gym. Since our bed was ridiculously comfortable and we knew we had a busy day scuba diving with whale sharks ahead of us, when Ryan said he didn’t feel like working out once the morning arrived, I agreed to skipping our planned workout under one condition: We’d workout today.
I knew I’d feel a lot better about sitting in a car for hours and hours as we made our way back to Orlando if I worked up a sweat beforehand. Let me just say that when it came time to actually hit the gym this morning, I was secretly hoping Ryan would try to sway me away from a workout.
When I came out of the bathroom this morning, he was in his gym gear ready to go, so to the hotel gym we went!
The gym at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta was set up really well and had four treadmills, two ellipticals, a pair of bikes, some weight machines and a full set of free weights. When I used to travel a lot for my second job out of college, I learned to really appreciate a quality hotel gym and this one was definitely well equipped!
As I began my workout, the iPod Gods were obviously looking down upon me, because it seemed like every song that blasted through my headphones was exactly what I was in the mood to hear.
The great music helped me power through this 50-minute treadmill workout:
| Minutes | Incline | Speed |
| 0-5 | 8.0 | 4.0 |
| 5-20 | 1.0 | 6.5 |
| 20-25 | 1.0 | 6.8 |
| 25-35 | 1.0 | 6.5 |
| 35-40 | 1.0 | 6.8 |
| 40-45 | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| 45-47 | 1.0 | 8.0 |
| 47-50 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
The stats:
Once my workout was done, I took full advantage of the fresh fruit and water the Ritz had available for gym guests.
The apple and water helped fend off serious hunger through my shower and morning packing until we were able to stop for breakfast on our drive back.
And speaking of showering, I love how the Ritz provides and iPod docking station where you can plug your iPod in and jam out in your room… or in the shower.
I’m pretty sure Ryan was loving all of the oldies tunes I was blasting this morning.
Once we were clean, we headed down to the lobby of the hotel and felt a little sad as we took in the luxurious sights of the beautiful hotel lobby one last time.
Staying at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta was such a special experience and we feel very grateful for the opportunity to spend a weekend in such a plush and gorgeous hotel.
The little things, like complimentary lemonade and peach jellybeans, embroidered pillowcases (that we were allowed to keep – I checked!) and printing out directions to our dinner location really made us feel so special and made us greatly appreciate our stay at the Ritz.
Breakfast
We weren’t more than 20 minutes into our drive to my parents’ house in St. Pete to pick up Sadie when our stomachs told us we needed to pull over for breakfast.
Ryan has a huge soft spot for McDonald’s breakfasts (he seriously gets giddy at the thought of their hot cakes and sausage), so that’s where we went!
I ordered an egg McMuffin and completely forgot how delicious those little breakfast sandwiches taste.
I think it’s been years since I’ve had an egg McMuffin and the artificial cheese is just as tasty as ever.
Lunch
We continued driving for a few hours, stopping for some snacks and gas before eventually pulling over for subs from Subway for lunch.
I ordered a veggie sub with melted Swiss cheese that was jam packed with veggies.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever ordered a veggie sub from Subway, as I typically opt for roast beef or club subs, but I think this may be my new go-to sandwich at Subway. It was great!
Once we were done with lunch, we called my family up to let them know we were only two hours from St. Pete.
Birthday Celebration
Though we needed to pick up Sadie from my parents’ house, we were especially excited to swing by to celebrate a very special day…
Today is my sister’s 22nd birthday!!!
Ryan and I were so glad we were able to spend a few hours with my family and enjoy a special birthday dinner with Leslie.
I filled my plate with mussels, clams, a crab cake and veggies and went back for seconds thirds of the shellfish and grabbed a corn-on-the-cob, too.
Of course I managed to still have room for birthday cake (x2)!
Recognize the cake? It’s the same homemade Oreo ice cream cake that my mom made for Ryan’s birthday last October. Since Leslie and Ryan share an intense love for Oreos, it was the perfect cake for her, too!
We spent another hour or so after dinner with my family, watching my sister open presents and just catching up. I just wish we could’ve stayed longer.
I kinda like those people. 
After a 2-hour drive, we made it back to Orlando. I’m currently blogging in bed as Ryan and Sadie are sleeping and breathing deeply next to me. It feels good to be home.
Before signing off for the night, I must wish one last happy birthday to my sister.
I love you so much, Les! You’re my sunshine and the best sister and friend anyone could ever hope for. I hope this year holds lots of wonderful memories and exciting moments for you and I can’t wait to share in the fun. You’re the best! I love you.
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Happy birthday to your sis! I love the picture of you 2 at your wedding.
Awh you guys make me wish I wasn’t an only child ha! Your trip looked like a blast and the perfect get away you guys needed 🙂 whale sharks, fancy restaurants, and fab hotels?! what more do you need!?
How cool that you got to keep the pillows!
Happy Birthday to your sister! Her cake looked divine.
Julie, that Oreo cake looks stunning:) I pry would have eaten the whole thing hehe. Glad you had a good trip.
So glad you could make it to your sister’s celebration! My baby brother is turning 21 in less than a month, THEY GROW UP SO FAST!!
You and your sister are so cute together, and you’re both beautiful! Happy birthday to her! I’m glad you had a fun trip to Atlanta 🙂
Such an adorable wedding pic!
I don’t know which I love more at the Ritz, jelly beans or free pillowcases. That’s a tough one.
Glad you had a good time!
Wow, the hotel gym is amazing! I just stayed in a hotel, where the gym and pool were in the same room. It was very humid!! ps. Happy Birthday to your sister! 🙂
Looks like you had a great end to a great weekend! 🙂 And Happy Bday to your sis!
Happy Birthday Leslie!!!!!
It sounds like you two had a very fun weekend!
that cake looks soooo good! 🙂 I’m glad you had a safe trip!
so cute! I wish I had a sis…but a great sister-in-law is almost as good! 🙂
Looks like a fun weekend! my sister just turned 22 as well 🙂 I miss her though, she is in Australia to celebrate her bday 🙁
Subway Veggies are my fav too. Try the sweet onion sauce, it really ties everything together! I can’t wait to visit ATL after reading about your fun times.
Working out at a hotel gym always makes me feel so smug and accomplished! Happy birthday to Leslie and hope she had her share of that cake- looks delish!
Aww, happy birthday to your seester!
Egg McMuffins are ridiculously delicious. I tend to stay away from them but now I have a serious craving…
I love staying in fancy-pants hotels!
I’m with Ryan, I love McD’s hotcakes and sausages! My coworkers and I order McD’s breakfast once a year for one person’s birthday (instead of cake or cookies) and they always laugh at me that I call them hotcakes! They are so good that I don’t care either way.
PS – You and your sister are beyond beautiful!
Happy Birthday Leslie!
Happy Birthday Leslie! That cake looks divine!! After you talked about your subway sandwich and the honey oat bread, I finally tried it and it is now my go-to bread for Subway. Sadie must of been sooo happy to see you (assuming she didn’t make the cut because you had a ton of other moments to share in this post)!
Happy birthday, Leslie! =D
I love the Subway veggie sub! Thats great that you got to keep the pillow with JF on it =)
McDonalds breakfasts, so bad they’re good! 🙂 My man also has a major soft spot for them and they don’t have them in Cyprus so he stocked up when we went back to the uk for a few days! 🙂 Sounds like you had a great trip!
Happy 22nd Leslie!
Any chance we’ll be seeing a recipe for that amazing looking confection of a birthday cake? 😉
Aah, happy birthday to your sister Leslie, Julie!
I’m so glad that you got to celebrate together – how cool! Your weekend has been very birthday themed for the both of you, lol! 😀
Dude, those mussels look so gorgeous – love thebirthday dinner. Have you ever had freshly smoked mussels? They are absolutely incredible – even better than plain, if that is possible 😉
The gym at your hotel looks amazing – so well-equipped and beautifully open and bright. How awesome to have had the chance to stay in such a swish, swanky hotel like that. And the ipod docking staion? Sweet-as! 🙂 xyx
Happy Birthday to your sister!! That spread looks fantastic!!
You two ladies look so adorable together…you must have been a fun bunch growing up!!
Oh my, I have always wondered what it would be like to stay in a Ritz! It always feels soooo nice to be pampered in luxury when vacationing. 🙂 Happy Birthday to your sister.
Do you think your mom would share her oreo cake recipe 😉
Yes, definitely! I’ll try to post it the next time she makes it so I can have photos to go along with it since it is a little complicated.
Hey Julie! Just wanted to say that I’m new to reading your blog, and I absolutely love it! So much so that I’ve decided to start my own blog (I think I have a whopping 3 posts so far haha). Keep writing, because you definitely have a true talent! And I understand about being sad to leave the Ritz… my husband I stayed at the Ritz in Sarasota for the first night of our honeymoon and it was VERY hard to say good-bye! 😉
Aw what an amazing honeymoon!!!
Sounds like an awesome trip!!!!
Happy Birthday to your sister! 😀
Happy Birthday to your sister! I loved all of your Georgia posts! Looks like you had a wonderful time with some really great eats! I would LOVE to stay at a Ritz at some point in my life. They look amazing! 🙂
Happy birthday to your sister!!!
I have to agree that a great gym hotel is key when traveling! Although I woul dhave enjoyed stayin in that nice cozy bed instead of working out! 🙂
I’m really hoping that your mom will let you post that oreo cake recipe!!
Ahh so sweet! Wish I had a sister! I love the picture of you and her at your wedding.
YUM! can you post that recipe, puh-leaseeee?
Happy belated to your sis!!
what a great time! So glad you got to be there with your sister!!!
You guys look like you had a great time! I’m going to snag that workout for today, I was in the mood for something more structured today, perfect :). The picture of you and your sister is the cutest! Happy Birthday to her!!
P.s. Bachlorette fun tonight woop woooop!! 🙂
Your time away seemed perfect! The Ritz was very accommodating; I will have to consider them for my next get-away!
That oreo cake looks delicious! I hope your sister had a happy birthday!
What a great day to born 🙂 Man, I wish I could be 22 again (OK, maybe not 22 — but 26 was a good year!).
Look at you kicking ass on the treadmill! Great run 🙂
I’m so glad to see that you and your sis are 4 years apart and still close! My kids will be 4 years apart (second on the way) so it makes me smile. =)
Happy Birthday to your sister! Your mini vacay looked amazing and the food look even more amazing! Looks like you had tons of fun!
Any chance you can post your moms recipe for the cake? My bday is August and I would love to drop a not-so-subtle hint to my family for this cake! 🙂
Happy birthday to your sister! You seem to have a great sister, you look very close to each other and it reminds me of my own sister whom I often miss because she’s away moste of the time for her studying.
Aw man, I’d wished I’d known you guys were in Atlanta because I would have told you to visit my brother’s new hamburger joint that’s been getting rave reviews! Grindhouseburgers.com . This is the only wknd I wasn’t able to keep up with your blog because I was out of town and I’m so mad I missed the opportunity to tell u!!! I hope you had a great trip anyway…
aw, we drove RIGHT by the place!!! ryan wanted to stop… but it was 9 a.m. 🙂
aw man! Well, maybe next time. I’m so proud of my brother and I’m an investor in the restaurant too, so I get so excited when people visit atlanta and they can stop by 🙂 Sounds like your trip was awesome though, esp the freebie Ritz Carlton stay….lucky duck!
Today is MY 22nd birthday 🙂 I’m glad you guys had another fun vaca, and it was really fun to follow. I love your blog Julie! 🙂
I LOVE your interval work outs. Do you happen to have them saved in a file you can email, or do you make them up as you go?
A lot of times I make them up but I keep a bunch printed out in my gym bag for quick reference. You may find many of them on my Work It Out page!
I love that you post your exact cardio work outs. They are inspiring!
Thank you for always putting so much time and energy into each and every post you do–it’s what makes your blog so amazing!
Glad you had fun on your trip!
P.S. Who doesn’t love McMuffins?! 🙂
Happy birthday to PBFsis!
(i could never turn down mcdonalds breakfast. )
That’s the best picture of you and your sister at your wedding!
I was reading your blog and when the cake came, my son said WHAT is that! with big eyes (and im pretty sure drooling hahah)
and I was wondering how your mom makes it!
Thanks Jul! That’s so sweet of you :). I love you so much and I’m so lucky to have a sista friend like you 🙂
Y’all are seriously the most adorable set of sisters EVER!!!!!!!! I hope my future kids have that kind of bond 🙂