It was another early start for us this morning, with bags packed and wheels rolling by 7:30am. What could’ve been a quick one-hour drive turned into a two-hour crawl thanks to peak-hour Atlanta traffic. Eventually, we rolled into the city and made a beeline for Starbucks — caffeine and breakfast muffins were non-negotiables at that point.
With everyone fed and a bit more awake, we headed to Lenox Square Mall. The girls and I were set for a full day of retail therapy, while Mark and TJ popped in briefly to help sort an issue with Sophia’s phone at the Apple Store before heading off to Truist Park. Their mission: watch the Atlanta Braves take on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Upon arrival, they grabbed their free caps, picked up some classic stadium food, and made their way to their seats to soak it all in. Being a midweek game, the crowd was never going to be a sellout, but the atmosphere was still buzzing. The Cardinals came out firing, taking an early 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Braves answered right back, leveling things with two runs of their own in the third. The Cardinals edged ahead again with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Braves weren’t done — storming back with a five-run rally in the top of the eighth to take command. The Cardinals tried to mount a comeback in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough, and the Braves sealed a thrilling 7-6 victory. It was hot, humid, and sticky in the stands — classic southern baseball weather — but the boys were happy, especially when they ducked into the Braves shop just as a torrential downpour hit. Turns out half the stadium had the same idea, so between staying dry and queuing in a sea of Braves fans, they were stuck there for a while — but spirits stayed high.
Meanwhile, back at Lenox, the girls and I were deep in our shopping groove. We broke for a lunch of Shake Shack (forever a favourite) before diving right back into the shops. No fitting room was left untried.
The boys made it back just before 5pm, and it was straight back to the Apple Store to finish up Sophia’s phone saga. We squeezed in a bit more shopping before Bloomingdale’s called time at 7pm, signalling it was time to think about dinner.
Dinner was at North Italia, a popular Italian spot just outside the mall, and it did not disappoint. Everyone found something to love — from the fresh pasta to the delicious sauces, it was a definite crowd-pleaser.
After dinner, we made our way into the city to check into our Sonder apartment for the night. Once settled, the boys and Sophia tuned in to watch the Boston Celtics take on the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series — a great way to round out a very sporty day!