Whitefish, Montana + Auburn, Alabama
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Lulu is obsessed with saving old candles, or the candle vessel rather. She uses boiling water to release the lingering candle wax, removes it once it cools, and then she has leftover wax to make a new candle. Or the easier “reduce, reuse, recycle” takeaway would be to use the candle glass/ceramic/what-have-you as a planter or a vase! Alison is obsessed with Afterpay, because who doesn’t love instant gratification when shopping. Just remember you still have to pay it, just a little bit each month. It doesn’t affect your credit, which is the big draw here!
Lulu is really wanting these Outdoor Voices sweatpants, now that WFH is seeming like it’s here to stay, she might as well look chic while feeling cozy. Alison is looking for an ice pack sleeve made for a foot. She recently had an allergic reaction to a bee sting on said appendage and thinks having one on hand would be a good idea!
Lulu has found the perfect snow-centric accommodation at Snow Bear Chalets in Whitefish, Montana. They have ski-in, ski-out treehouses. TREEHOUSES! How cool is that? Lulu picks the Ponderosa Treehouse, which has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and most importantly, a private deck with a hot tub. You can ski to a chair on Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort's hope slope in less than 30 seconds, and whenever you're not taking advantage of that easy access, there are amenities aplenty to enjoy indoors. The beds have bed warmers, there is a gas fireplace, a Sonos sound system throughout the house, and a full kitchen! Lulu is most excited for the hot tub, but the turret with scenic views is a close second. This space also offers optional upgrades like a housekeeper in-house massage, private chef, and a grocery shopping service! She is just exploring Whitefish on this day, which happens to be very near Glacier National Park, which she’s done in a previous day!
Lulu buys a Ford Ranger off of Craigslist, then starts out on her day. First stop is Amazing Crepes, where she goes for a savory one with smoked salmon, Thai green curry sauce and spinach. After crepes and coffee, Lulu buys out a private Great Northern Ultimate Snowmobile Tour through Swan Mountain Snowmobiling.
After all that time in the snow, she needs to warm up. The best way to do this of course to indulge in some hot alcoholic drinks, right? Lulu hops in to Hellroaring Whitefish, where she has seven of their hot alcoholic drinks. SEVEN. Think spiked coffee, boozy hot chocolate, and winter weather flavors!
Assuming she can stand up straight after all of those libations, she goes to Cafe Kandahar to pick up some dinner. They have a take-out menu during COVID, and she opts for the butter lettuce salad, chicken coq au vin, and a huckleberry tart.
Lulu is very much looking forward to ending her day with some time in the hot tub! Out in nature as the treehouse is, she anticipates some stunning starry skies as a bonus! To make her soak all the more enjoyable, she gets Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath and a pineapple and chocolate Edible Arrangement. Wait a minute, why not buy her own portable hot tub, so she can continue this luxurious evening at home?
What to do in Auburn, Alabama, when there’s no football going on? Alison finds a way to spend $10,000, or close to it, in this southern college town. She spends nearly $7,000 on two nights in this 4-bedroom house on a golf course. Which seems absurdly expensive, especially considering the less-than-stellar photos. But the reviews are amazing, and its likely that the high price tag is relative to the surge of folks crying “War Eagle” come game time that need a place to stay.
She starts with every appetizer, or “tableshare” on the menu as well as multiple mimosas at The Hound, which was #1 on a list she found on Spoon University ranking the best brunch and breakfast restaurants in Auburn!
Alison stumbled across the Southeastern Raptor Center at Auburn University’s Veterinary Medicine Center. They have a Football Fans and Feathers show, where hawks, falcons, eagles and other birds of prey are on display. During games the birds are free-flown from towers and around the amphitheater, enabling visitors to see these raptors flying close. During the covid-era, masked visitors get to see them up close and learn interesting facts about natural history, conservation, and rehabilitation! You can even “adopt-a-raptor”! Alison adopted Spirit, a bald eagle with a broken break. She can’t be released due to that, but Alison’s adoption fee helps provide daily care for Spirit. She also gets a plush replica of the bird. Worth it.
Since she can’t enjoy football, she goes for Auburn’s next best thing and heads to another unique eatery called Acre. It’s literally on an acre of land of nearly all edible landscaping. After indulging in all the appetizers, she heads to Hickory Dickory Park, a unique playground experience for children, and Alison, apparently. But listen, it’s actually really cool. It’s a 12,000 sq ft park that is a mini representation of Auburn University.
Alison hits the road to visit the tiny town of Seale, Alabama, about 45 minutes away from downtown Auburn. She is specifically going to visit the world’s first drive-thru art gallery. Created by local artist and collector Butch Anthony as an extension of his Museum of Wonder, the drive-thru is made from stacked shipping containers, with windows cut into the sides to reveal the curiosities curated or created by Anthony. His art philosophy of “intertwangleism” has resulted in some unique pieces, like “Man with a Red Hat”, which Alison purchases solely based on the joy she felt by seeing that the man in question is wearing a blue hat. $2500 and its hers!
Alison rounds out her day with dinner at The Depot. She found a special event they put on in collaboration with The Hound (where she had brunch) called the Feast of Seven Fishes! A modern take on the Italian celebration featuring local seafood and produce. The dining event is only $85 and comes with FOUR glass of wines paired with different parts of the course. You had Alison had multiple glasses of wine.
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