Uptown Acorn Travels {Bay St. Louis/Pass Christian, MS}

What a great weekend was had! J and I left for Bay St. Louis and walked around the galleries, shops, and bars of the cute downtown area. Bay St. Louis is such a cute beach town and has grown so much during the time since it was demolished by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Most excited for us was the newest addition, The Pearl (many of you know the one in Rosemary Beach, FL). Luxury accommodations are what the Bay has been missing, and it has finally arrived. The restaurant, Thorny Oyster, is well-appointed and worth the hype. The interior is amazing and just waht the doctor ordered.

Bay St. Louis Eats:

Mockingbird Cafe

A delicious cafe housed in a charming home. May I suggest the Mockingbird burger. It is delicious.

Thorny Oyster

What a sight! The well-decorated restaurant is just what the Bay needed. It is a more upscale eatery, but a great destination and meeting place for locals and visitors alike. The restaurant is connected to the Pearl Hotel. It was my first time. I enjoyed the ceviche, fried calamari, and the fresh lobster roll.

Bay St. Louis Drinks:

Hinge

A new bar ajacent to the Pearl Hotel. It is much more upscale than most bars along the beach. You can actually visit and hear conversations. 

A plush cocktail bar, which boasts a menu of fine libations including pre-Prohibition style signature craft cocktails and a variety of wines, spirits, and select beer. 

Bay St. Louis Shops:

Gulf Coast Home

One of my favorite new discoveries in downtown Bay St. Louis. The shop is a treat for the eyes with furniture, fabrics, and accessories galore. A must-see in Bay St. Louis!

The Shops at Century Hall

A collection of vendors under one roof. I always visit my favorite Bay Life Gifts. I also love the designs of Sassy Bird Interiors.

Pass Christian Eats/Drinks:

Fill-Up with Billups

What an awesome breakfast place housed in a former service station. May I suggest the sun-up breakfast? The biscuit was almost as large as my head.

Bacchus on the Beach

A great place near the beach for raw oysters, cocktails, and dinner.

Pass Christian Shops:

Art Alley in the Pass

It is not a trip to Pass christian without a stop at Art Alley in the Pass. Beth, the proprietor, is such a gem. A cute, beachy destination filled with great accessories and food items. I love the selection of jams and jellies. And yes, I picked up a jar of my favorite raspberry jalapeno jelly. Yum!

Pass Christian Stay:

Hotel Pass Christian

A newish, 10-room boutique-style hotel across the road from Bacchus on the Beach and next door to Fill-Up at Billups. The hotel overlooks Pass Christian harbor. The accommodations were fine for the price of the room. I did like that our balcony overlooked the gulf and the Pass Christian Yacht Club.

Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian, y'all!

The Weekend That Was {March 18-19}

Since I was involved with Science Olympiad last week (our team placed 1st for the 3rd consecutive year), J & I did not get to travel for my birthday weekend. But we certainly made up for it this weekend.

We ventured to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for some fun and retail therapy. The weather this weekend was absolutely Chamber of Commerce perfection.

First stop: Bay St. Louis

We dined at The Blind Tiger. With a view of the Bay, this spot is always a great destination for fresh seafood and scrumptious burgers.

I suggest a lil retail therapy at Bay Life Gifts. The quaint shop is filled to the brim with coastal-inspired accessories and original artwork by Tehle. 

Second stop: Ocean Springs

Here, we rushed to my favorite destination, Hillyer House. J & I scored yet another original art piece by Jean McKee (more on our purchase later).

Poppy's next to Hillyer House is another fun shop filled with exciting goods. Poppy's is a wonderful shop filled with gifts, local art, and gourmet food items

We stopped and had a couple libations at The Office. It was a beautiful day to people watch, one of my favorite pastimes.

Third stop: The White House

This is our third time staying at The White House in Biloxi. We adore the hotel. The White House Hotel is a historical boutique hotel with a beachfront location. J & I ventured to the bar for happy hour, ate a few appetizers, and several martinis later we crashed. The rooms are well-appointed and comfortable.

Fourth stop: Premium Outlets, Gulfport

A trip to the Gulf Coast is never complete without stopping at J. Crew, LaCoste, Polo, and Banana Republic. A lil retail therapy is always a welcome treat.

It was a great weekend of fun and relaxation. If only the weekends could last longer.

                           March 18-19, y'all!

Bay St. Louis Hurrication {The Carroll House}

What does one do when your power is out for days due to a slow moving, wind pounding hurricane? If you are J & I, you leave! Fast! We had already planned to leave for the Labor Day holiday weekend but decided quickly to leave a day earlier than planned due to the widespread power outage. We spent ONE night here last Thursday with no electricity and were totally misearable.

J & I headed just an hours drive away to the charming coastal town of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

We stayed at The Carroll House, a beautiful restored Victorian home built circa 1890. The Bed & Breakfast was recommended to us by a co-worker of J who has a home there.

The Carroll House is conveniently located just 2 blocks from the beach and from the quaint Old Town of Bay St. Louis. We were in easy walking distance to all the cool shops, antique galleries, restaurants, and bars.

The owners of the B&B were very helpful offering insight in the many things to do in such a unique city. Jane, our host, was even nice enough to allow us to come one night prior to our regaular reservation. Living in BSL for Katrina, she understood our plight without the "e" word. Service at the B&B was stellar and our accommodations were quite comfortable--- A/C, internet access, laundered towels!

J & I stayed in the Master Suite which included a king size bed, private large bath with footed tub, private porch and entrance.

A fresh, yummy breakfast was served in the main dining room of the home. You know I need my "coffee tawk" to start off my morning. I appreciated how the breakfast was served on Victorian era china.

I would definitely recommend a stay at The Carroll House on your next visit to Old Town Bay St. Louis.

Check out The Carroll House: Click HERE!

Bay St. Louis is situated on the Bay of St. Louis which emties into the Mississippi Sound. Devastated bu Hurricane Katrina in 2005, BSL is rebuilding and coming back strong. The people who reside in BSL are the friendliest and most hospitable folks around. The towns people are very welcoming and love to share many fascinating stories of life in such a small, unique locale.

In the coming days, I will share with you my series of "hurrication" posts from Old Town BSL to Pass Christian. I will bring you along with me inside the vast shops, restaurants, and bars of this charming destination. I will also share with you some of the cutest cottages I photographed along our daily walks and some of my favorite finds. Of course, I arrived home yesterday with a bevy of new things from BSL & PC. Aren't you dying to see my "coastal-inspired" purchases?

Pack your bags and join me on this exciting trip.

Bay St. Louis, y'all!