When thinking about the Mississippi gulf coast, most people might picture the shining neon lights of casinos along Beach Boulevard. But about 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the casinos is the city of Ocean Springs. I had been eyeing The Roost, a boutique hotel in the city for months, trying to decide when Garrett and I could pay it a visit. What drew me to it was the gorgeous interiors, amazing price point, and the tucked away, charming aesthetic. 

The stars aligned for me, and a friend of mine sent a save the date for her wedding in Ocean Springs! I hurried up and booked a room almost 5 months in advance. I know that might be a little extreme, but I had been dying to stay there and experience it for myself. A blogger “co-worker” of mine stayed there, and I was basically drooling over her stunning shared content. 

When we pulled up to the hotel, my eyes lit up! The beach-side colors of the building were perfectly fitting for its proximity to the coast, while the porch and rocking chairs matched the southern charm of the large oak trees. The room itself was just as gorgeous! From the bedding to the shiplap and sliding glass shower doors, I was in LOVE! The room’s layout was unique and refreshing. There was a small hallway to the bathroom complete with a wet bar, making the room feel much more spacious.

​In addition to being decorated to perfection, each room also has it's own record player. So whether you want to layout by the pool or open a window, music is always an option at the Southern. The pool is somewhat small, but I think that's why I liked it so much (lol). It's not big enough for cannonballs but is big enough for an adult "swim"!

Once we all checked-in, we either headed to the pool or grabbed a bike from Brook's Bike Shop. If you're staying at the Southern Hotel, you get a special discount when you rent bikes! It was a fun way for us to enjoy the gorgeous weather and explore the surrounding area. Later that night we grabbed drinks at the bar and then had dinner at Oxlot9. Dinner was super special because not only were we in the private diner room, but Head Chef Jeffery curated an exclusive dinner menu just for us! It was a five course meal with drink pairings for each individual course. Everyone agreed that Oxlot9 rolled out the red carpet for us! I was so happy that we could celebrate three of my favorite people that night. The Southern Hotel really made our weekend incredibly special.

​The next morning, they set up a special brunch spot for us to relax and chit chat about all of the previous night’s laughs! The fresh blooms were compliments from Covington Bloomery! If you're looking for a local boutique hotel to check out, make sure the Southern Hotel is on your list! Besides the decor, their staff was top notch and I couldn't think of a better place to celebrate three of my closest friends.

Old Metairie has a special place in my heart. Growing up, I lived a block off of Metairie Road. I went to St. Catherine of Siena, and my dad's side of the family lived within minutes of each other in Old Metairie! I'll never forget my Maw Maw Milligan picking me up from school, taking me to Majoria Drugs, and then begging her to take me to Sal's Snoballs for a sweet treat! On Saturdays, if I wasn't running track at Metairie Playground (now called Pontiff Playground), my mom would spend her days relaxing at H2O or Glen Micheal's.

Twenty  years ago, even ten years ago, Metairie Road looked completely different. As of lately, there are so many new boutiques, restaurants, and businesses popping up. I love seeing young entrepreneurs chase after their dreams while helping our Metairie community thrive. With all of these new places, I can't help but think of all of the oldies but goodies that have been around forever. 
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JB's, Oscar's, and Winston's have always been the bars serving locals. Since 1994, Langenstein's has been there to help you make groceries. And let's not forget Mark Twain's Pizza Landing, which is an iconic part of Old Metairie!

With this said, I thought it would be fun to visit my old stomping grounds and spend the entire day shopping and eating my heart out at all my favorite stops, both new and old.

Danielle, owner of Wildflower, opened her doors a year and a half ago after being inspired by her mom who has owned a boutique in Morgan City for over 15 years. Wildflower is a women's boutique specializing in fashionable, yet practical clothing and affordable accessories!

Emily Walker opened her doors ,Em's boutique, in 2005 to create a one stop shop that caters to all ages and price points! Since then, Emily has expanded her talents throughout New Orleans, and our Old Metairie community is exceptionally thankful to her for bringing style to our favorite street in town.

Despite being open for less than a year, Sorellas has clothing, home decor, and curated vintage finds that has flourished and is a special addition to Old Metairie. Their unique selection guarantees you will find the perfect item for yourself or your home. 

The first poke restaurant located in New Orleans, Poke Loa is locally owned and serves up the freshest cuts of fish around. They have fresh fish delivered daily and chop all of their fish, veggies, and toppings in-house. Old Metairie has welcomed them with open arms, and it can be one of the busiest lunch stops along Metairie Road. 

Growing up I would get so excited about ordering meatballs and spaghetti (I think I'm just a natural born carb loader), but would request to have my sauce on the side. Trust me, I'm all about soup but don't want to see my noodles drowning, ya feel me? With this recipe I opted out on making a sauce and still managed to enjoy every bite. Enjoy!