Date Night in Midtown: The Gradubirthdaversary Scavenger Hunt

As the saying goes, good things tend to come in threes. Of course, my fiancees birthday always falls in April, but this year we were also celebrating her graduation from Emory Law School and our last anniversary as a dating couple (we're getting married next March). If ever there was a time to celebrate, this was it. We've lived in Atlanta since Anne started law school 3 years ago and I decided to celebrate our own "good things come in threes" with a day-long event that embraced this city and everything it has to offer. I call it: The Gradubirthdaversary.

When she woke up, I had already left the apartment. To find me, Anne would have to follow the scavenger hunt clues I have left behind. The hunt began at our apartment; there were clues in the washing machine, my guitar, and tucked inside one of our dog Braveheart's toys. I hid clues inside my favorite book, DVD, and Xbox game. I upped the ante with clues that challenged her knowledge of Vegas casinos and required her to correctly arrange a set of playing cards to reflect winning poker hands (for more details about the clues themselves, see my longer post here).

Once she deciphered the clues around our apartment, it was time to venture away from the apartment and explore our great city. The last clue at our apartment sent her to Nebo, the digital marketing & design agency in West Midtown where I work. She called her mother (as the clue instructed) who directed her across the parking lot to Nouvelle: A Westside Nail Salon to enjoy one of their signatura manicure-pedicures. The salon has a great open space with plenty of room to read, socialize, and do whatever helps you relax while the staff works on your nails. For all the folks out there looking for a good gift for that special lady in your life, they also offer custom gift certificates and you can pre-pay for whatever service you think she will enjoy.

While she was getting her mani-pedi, I snuck back to her car with the spare set of keys and slipped the next clue on the drivers seat. She be heading to the W Hotel where she'd find an overnight bag with all her missing makeup/toiletries (she had been texting me all morning about where they went but in keeping with the spirit of the scavenger hunt she had to trust me and follow the clues!). After about an hour, the concierge knocked on the door with the instructions to wear something comfortable and take the elevator to the basement level. Strange request, but regulars of the W Midtown will know that the basement level is home to the Bliss Spa, known for their "mind-unwinding full-body massages". After 75-minutes at Bliss, all the stress from 3 years of law school just melted away.

As the day was winding down, her final clue sent her to ONE Midtown Kitchen where she found me and our friends Trev and Jenn sitting at a great little table by the back window. A fantastic meal that was headlined by the mind-blowing griddled goat cheese toast (seriously, mind-blowing! I think we ordered three of them...) and killer cocktail menu was the perfect end to the Gradubirthdaversary celebration. We our night with great food, even better company, and a fuller appreciation for the city of Atlanta and what truly matters in life: celebrating our accomplishments with the people we love.