Travel - Atypical Teele

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Our Long Weekend in Atlanta

Random weekends away are the best. The idea of going to Atlanta came together quickly, pushed by the fact my sister recently moved there and my beloved Minnesota Vikings happened to be playing. Couple that with the weather in Minnesota is starting to turn for the worst, the idea of warmth and sunshine was appealing. We went in with not a lot planned, but ended up finding some gems. We didn’t even scratch the surface of things to do in Atlanta so here’s a (not so) comprehensive list of things to do while in Atlanta.

Food

An overwhelming recommendation was Krog Street Market. I love food markets because your entire group can get whatever they want. So many food and drink options and eliminates anyone being upset for not getting the kind of food they like! Ryan and I definitely wanted to try Atlanta barbeque and ended up on a little patio at Sweet Auburn BBQ. The brisket was 10/10 and they had so many yummy barbeque options. I did a little research on good restaurants in Atlanta and stumbled upon Bon Ton, a Louisiana-meets-Vietnam restaurant where everything we ate was excellent. I could not recommend this spot more, especially if you love seafood. Highly recommend making a reservation beforehand. Sunday night, Ryan wanted to hit up one more brewery, so we had dinner at Wrecking Bar Brewpub. This space is SO neat and the food was excellent. I’d absolutely go here again – make sure to get the charcuterie board.

Fun

My husband would spend all day, every day at museums. I tend to differ greatly on that, however Atlanta does have several museums that would be worth checking out. We did head to Centennial Park to see the Olympic rings. In this area, you can also hit up World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. On Sunday, we went to Mercedes Benz Stadium to see the Vikings vs Falcons game. The game day experience is great, highly recommend getting to the stadium early to partake in the festivities.

Drinks

Head to the Atlanta BeltLine, a 22-mile multiuse trail that connects the city’s in-town neighborhoods. You’ll find many fun bar options. We first stopped at Brewdog because of course; Ryan needed to check out the local beer selection. From there, we headed to Lingering Shade, an upscale cocktail bar with Montauk vibes. We stayed there for a while and tried a ton of cocktail options. We ended our night at Ladybird where I ordered a cocktail served in a plastic pouch.

We were overwhelmingly recommended Ponce City Market. We did stop in quickly to check it out, but didn’t get any food or drinks. It’s basically Krog Street Market on steroids with tons of food, drink and shopping options. We’ll make this a priority next time we stop in Atlanta.

I have our whole trip saved on a highlight on Instagram called Atlanta ’23.

November 9, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Travel

I Planned My Husband’s 40th Birthday in Las Vegas: Here’s What I Learned

My lovely husband turned 40 this year! I had decided earlier this year that I wanted to do something big. We both felt a little gypped when we got engaged because we did it right at the beginning of COVID-19 and didn’t get to do all of the fun celebrating we wanted to do. I swore from then on that I’d make sure to go big on all milestones in our relationship. Ryan loves Las Vegas and we haven’t been there since 2021, so this seemed like a no brainer. I decided to secretly invite some of his friends and it turned into a pretty large event. Planning a birthday party with multiple people in Vegas can be daunting if you haven’t done it before. I’m going to share a few helpful tips I learned.

Find out your total number of attendees as soon as possible. I sent out invites 3 months prior to the event, but I’d encourage you to do it even sooner. Having a solid number of attendees will give you a better idea for outings, reservations, etc.
Make dinner reservations AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. If you’re looking to have a group dinner on The Strip, I would highly recommend making your reservations as quickly as you have your group together. If you have more than 12 people in your party, almost all restaurants require a signed contract. We had 18 in our group for dinner at Yard Bird and I was assigned an event planner, had to sign a contract, had to choose a dinner and cocktail menu, had to customize menus – there were things I needed to plan. They also required payment upfront, so be ready to pay before you’ve even stepped foot in the restaurant. Note: Yard Bird’s food and service was 10/10. I would absolutely recommend them for a large group party or even just date night in Vegas.
Be up front about cost with your guests. We had several ideas for activities and some of them were going to cost several hundred dollars per couple. I made sure to clearly explain this to the group and allow for discussion. You don’t want to put any of your friends in an awkward position of not being able to pay or declining an invite due to cost
Give your group a rough itinerary ahead of time. Once I had a solid idea of activities and reservations, I emailed our group a rough itinerary for the weekend. I left plenty of time for people to explore on their own, as we had quite a few first-timers coming to Vegas with us. After the weekend was over, the group was so thankful for having everything planned for them. No decisions needed to be made (if you didn’t want them!) and it made things easy for all attending.
If you have a large group and want to travel to other places, the obvious decision is booking a Lyft/Uber/taxi. We decided to book a party bus for travel so we could all ride together. It’s a very affordable way to get around – easily the same cost as booking 3-4 Ubers – and you can bring your cocktails with you.

Our rough itinerary:

-Most guests arrived late Thursday evening. People checked into hotels (home base for us was The Flamingo) and then we went out for drinks for the night. Very casual evening as people arrived.

-Friday was breakfast on your own. We met at noon on Brewery Row, which is a fun area off the strip that has tons of breweries all within walking distance. After spending the afternoon drinking beer, we decided on a low-key place for dinner. This was a chance for the group to go to a show, go off on their own or just do their own thing. Friday night we went down to Freemont Street for cheap drinks and gambling.

-Saturday was big BIRTHDAY day. We booked a cabana at the Flamingo Go Pool – and before I continue, this was an expensive, but absolutely worth it, decision. We had roughly 18 people and we wanted a guaranteed spot at the pool, a designated waitress and shade. It was an awesome way to spend a 100° day. Saturday night we did the big group dinner at Yard Bird, which was fabulous.

-Sunday most people took off. Ryan and I booked a late flight so we could relax and hang out just the two of us and decompress the weekend.

If you have any questions about booking a weekend or event in Vegas, please let me know!

September 28, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Travel

We Went to Summerfest in Milwaukee and Here’s How We Spent Our Weekend

I’ve committed a felony in terms of being a Wisconsin born-and-bred girl: I’ve never been to Summerfest. I know, it’s nearly unfathomable but I have never attended the world’s largest music festival that takes place in my home state. This summer, we decided to change that by seeing Eric Church on Thursday night of the festival.

I would 10/10 recommend attending a concert at Summerfest. It’s such an intimate setting, you feel like you’re getting a private concert at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. There are tons of options for food and drinks (alcohol or not) and the surprise of the night was the firework show that happened during Eric’s set. We took an Uber to the show, which I’d highly recommend. Parking seemed a little limited, so having a drop-off option would be ideal. Hotels are expensive during Summerfest. We stayed at a hotel that was a little farther away to pay a little less.

On Friday, we booked a food tour through Milwaukee Food & City Tours. We did the Brady Street Lunch tour and it was absolutely phenomenal. Our tour guide Larry was extremely knowledgeable and you could tell he absolutely loved the city of Milwaukee. We love doing food tours when we travel as it’s a great way to see the city and learn some history (all while eating yummy food). After the tour we stopped at Eagle Park Brewing, which my brewery-loving husband raved about. We wanted to have drinks on the water, so friends recommended a Key West vibes-type place called Barnacle Bud’s (get the buffalo shrimp). After drinks we had dinner at Movida, a tapas restaurant that was a short Uber ride away. We opted for an all-you-can-eat option for $50 for unlimited tapas. SO GOOD! We ended our evening by taking a short walk for drinks at Boone and Crockett, a lovely cocktail bar with beautiful views of the water and bridge.

On Saturday we had brunch at Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern. This is a hot spot, so expect to wait, but it’s absolutely worth it. After breakfast, we did the Lakefront Brewery tour. We’ve done this a couple of times, but the tour is always good and you get a couple of free drinks while you tour. They have a gorgeous spot right on the river to sip beverages by after. Ryan wanted to stop at a couple more breweries, so we hit up Company Brewing and Black Husky Brewing, which are within walking distance of each other in the Riverwest neighborhood. We had dinner at San Giorgio. If you’re into wood-fired Neapolitan pizza this place is a must. We ended our evening with a cruise down the river on the Paddle Tavern. This is essentially like the paddle tavern we did with Arizona Party Bike last summer, but on a boat! BYOB is encouraged and you do make a stop along the way at Boone and Crockett.

Bridge all lit up during the Paddle Tavern

Let me know your favorite Milwaukee spots in the comments!

June 27, 2023 By atypicalteele

2 In Travel

Top Things to Do in Duluth

What a fabulous Memorial Day weekend! Ryan and I wanted to do a road trip somewhere close by for the weekend and we landed on Duluth. It’s one of our favorite cities in Minnesota. We typically go in late July for a beer festival and find ourselves saying, “Why don’t we come up here more often?” It’s only 2 ½ hours from the Twin Cities and a very easy drive. I’m rounding up some of my favorite things we did.

Food

We ate so well this weekend! Tried a few new-to-us spots and a few tried-and-true favorites. Some of the standouts included Dreamland Supper Club in Superior. It was a little bit of a drive, but if you’re into the supper club scene I’d HIGHLY recommend checking this spot out. Another incredible spot we went to was New Scenic Café just outside Duluth. This place is perfect for special occasions and has a gorgeous view of Lake Superior. They also take reservations which is a plus during the busy summer months. On Sunday we wanted to check out a breakfast spot, but it was slammed so we ended up having lunch at Fitger’s Brewhouse. It’s a cool, historic building with lots of food, shopping and drink options. We topped off our stay in Duluth with delicious barbeque from OMC Smokehouse.

Ryan & I with our Old Fashioneds at Dreamland

Fun

If you’re into breweries, Duluth is a place you’ll definitely want to check out. We hit up several during our weekend, including Clyde Iron Works, Ursa Minor, Blacklist, Bent Paddle, Hoops Brewing and Earth Rider (Superior). This isn’t even all that Duluth has to offer, but with limited time we tried to hit up as many as possible. We also had a few cocktails at Vikre Distillery. This is such a cute spot with craft cocktails that are delicious.

Other questions I’ve received about our weekend in Duluth:

Where do you stay?
- We always stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown. It’s a little cheaper than staying in Canal Park but yet still walkable to most of the fun spots.
Did you drive up from the Twin Cities?
- Yes! We actually made a couple of stops on our drive up in Mora, Minnesota. We stopped at the CUTEST winery, Ann River Winery with one of the best charcuterie boards we’ve ever had. We also stopped at Beer Club Brewing for a few beers.
How was the weather?
- Definitely cooler than the Twin Cities. The proximity to the lake cools Duluth off considerably. It was upper 60s and sunny pretty much the entire weekend but the nights cooled down a lot so pack a sweatshirt (or two).

May 31, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Home

St. Paul Abode Boasts Farmhouse Fresh Design – Midwest Home Feature

Last fall, Midwest Home reached out to do a feature on my home and my life as a home decor influencer. I had an amazing conversation with their team and really enjoyed being a part of this. This is my second magazine feature, as I was featured in VoyageMinnesota in 2021. Check out the entire conversation with Midwest Home here.

Teele Schneider, also known as Atypical Teele on her digital blog and popular Instagram account, is a social media creator with a natural knack for design. But when she and her now-husband moved into this Cape Cod-style abode in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood in 2016, much of the major remodeling was already done. The previous owners renovated and removed nearly all the original features but luckily kept the original hardwood floors—something that Schneider will never replace, no matter how squeaky and creaky they may be, she says. Although some elements of the home are brand new, Schneider preserves its old-fashioned ambiance by incorporating antique pieces she finds in local stores like Missouri Mouse and the Mall of St. Paul—both located on Selby Avenue in St. Paul.

To make the farmhouse-inspired space feel fresh and bright, much of Schneider’s century-old abode is primarily white, flaunting a few pops of color infused through indoor planters, patterned wallpapers, or neutral throw blankets and pillows. She says that although she uses a lot of white, she wants her house to feel “cozy, warm, and inviting” and encourages her guests to make themselves feel at home. Her biggest tip for anyone who wants to elevate their own space is to “stay true to your style. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and make your home a place you are happy to be in.” Follow Schneider on social media at instagram.com/atypicalteele, or read her blog at atypicalteele.com for home, travel, and lifestyle content you’re sure to love.

April 13, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Travel

2nd Anniversary Trip to the Florida Keys

…and we’re back! We spent our 2^nd wedding anniversary in the Florida Keys and despite windier and cooler weather than normal, we had such a fun and relaxing trip. It’s so fun to get to spend our anniversaries here. After getting married in Key West in 2021 and spending our first wedding anniversary in the Florida Keys in 2022, we felt so lucky to be back again in 2023. This year we flew into Fort Lauderdale as the rates were a little better than our usual Miami flight.

First Three Days – Marathon & Islamorada

After what has felt like the longest winter in Minnesota history, it felt SO GOOD to get into shorts again and get a little sun on our skin. Our first full day of vacation we went parasailing out of Robbie’s of Islamorada. This was our second time parasailing with Robbie’s and we have enjoyed it each time. The price is really reasonable and you can add on a photo package if you want the boat captain to take some great high-res images of your flight. Since we were already in Islamorada we also hit up our two favorite breweries: Florida Keys Brewing Company and Islamorada Brewery & Distillery. Both are must-stop spots if you’re in this area. On day two we did a half-day fishing charter with Tarpon Time. We’ve fished with them several times and it is such a good experience.

A few extra favorite stops: Herbie’s Chowder House, The Island Fish Company, Keys Fisheries

Middle Three Days – Key West

We drove down to Key West bright and early from Marathon on Thursday and did another tour with Key West Food Tours. This is one of our favorite things to do in Key West! We’ve done them multiple times and each time we try a new restaurant or learn something new about Key West. We also hit up our favorite happy hour spot on the water: Alonzo’s Oyster Bar. We topped off the day with a sunset in Mallory Square. Friday was St. Paddy’s Day and it was HOT so we went to Dante’s pool for the day. We tried a new spot for dinner on Friday, Louie’s Backyard. I’d recommend getting a reservation (we didn’t have one) if you want to sit on the patio by the water. We were able to sit on the upstairs porch and had a beautiful view of the Atlantic and the most delicious food. On our final day we walked around Fort Zachary State Park and Beach. We’d never been back on the beach and it’s a great hidden gem if you’re looking for something off the beaten path in Key West.

A few extra favorite stops: Garbo’s Grill, First Flight Brewery, General Horseplay, Sunset Pier, Misohappy, Durty Harry’s

Final Three Days – Marathon & Islamorada

After our three nights in Key West, we drove back to Marathon to celebrate our second wedding anniversary! Because we weren’t down in Key West, I made reservations at Pierre’s Restaurant in Islamorada. A spectacular spot! We had never been here but were interested in a more romantic, elegant setting and Pierre’s did not disappoint. Our final two days were very relaxing. We spent a lot of time by the pool and checked out a few of our favorite bars and restaurants including Lorelei, Sunset Grille and Bongo’s Botanical Beer Garden.

A few extra favorite stops: Sparky’s Landing, Hog Heaven, Sombrero Beach

I have our whole trip saved on a highlight on Instagram called FL Keys ’23. If you’re interested in reading more about our favorite things to do in the Florida Keys, I’ve written several posts previously on our favorite restaurants, bars and activities. If you’re planning on a trip, I’d love to help make it your best trip ever!

April 3, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Travel

Teele’s Top 5 – Work Travel Edition

I started a new job in early February that has included a lot more work travel. A common misconception about work travel is that it’s glamorous. I’m here to say: it’s really not. It’s exhausting and sometimes lonely. However, there are SO many things that can make it easier and I’m here to share them all with you. While I’ve titled this work travel edition, I also did a round-up of travel items for fun travel as well.

Noise Canceling Headphones These were actually a Valentine’s Day gift from Ryan and boy, did they come at the right time. My first day on a plane with these there was a baby who cried for nearly the entire flight so these came in handy. They’re affordable if you don’t travel often and the quality is great. I’ve even worn them at the gym and they worked great during my work out. Really love the rose gold color, too!

Wireless Earbuds Most newer phones don’t come with a headphone port anymore, so these are necessary for travel if you want to listen to audio/video on your phone. I’m mostly a podcaster while traveling, so these are essential when I tune into Crime Junkie mid-flight. These are also the earbuds I wear at the gym. They’re comfortable and easy to use.

Small Crossbody Purse I hate lugging my purse with me when I travel, but I like to keep my essentials close by. This is a great crossbody option that is cute and functional. It can hold my credit cards, cellphone, earbuds and other small essentials. It comes in a ton of color options and can be dressed up or down depending on your needs.

Kindle Case I always bring my Kindle when I travel in case of flight delays or down time. I was tossing my Kindle into my laptop bag and it was getting scratched up, so Ryan purchased this case for me for Christmas. It’s super affordable, comes in a ton of color options and keeps my Kindle safe. It comes with a handle on the back for ease-of-use as well.

Tile Or, some may be more interested in an AirTag depending on your phone, but I’ve found lately that this is a must-have when traveling. While I typically carry on my bag when traveling for work, I have found if I jump on a standby flight, I may have to check my bag due to boarding last and the plane running out of storage space. I don’t have to worry about my bag at all because I’ve got a Tile hidden inside. I would absolutely recommend this for your checked bag every time.

These are just a few of the things I can’t live without while work traveling. What are some of your favorite travel must-haves?

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may make a commission at no cost to you.

February 27, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Lifestyle

I Did Laser Hair Removal!

I started my laser hair removal journey nearly two years ago. I decided to start a few months before my wedding and went to three sessions and just inexplicably… quit. I have no reason why. It wasn’t awful. I just stopped going. So, this winter when I started hearing more about Milan Laser and all the promotions they were offering I decided to give it a go again. I signed up for a package with Milan Laser to get three areas done (under arms, Brazilian, legs) and I am committed to sticking with it. I’m here to answer your top questions from Instagram.

Does it hurt?

I would first ask how your pain tolerance is. I didn’t think it hurt, but some people who have more sensitive skin may. It feels like a rubber band snapping on your skin. Obviously, in areas where the skin is more sensitive, it hurts a little more. The least painful place was my legs, but the skin there is a lot less sensitive than say, your bikini area. The woman who ran the laser constantly checked in with me to make sure the pain was tolerable and if I needed a break, which I really appreciated.

Is it expensive?

It’s not cheap, but I would consider it to be an investment. What I liked about Milan Laser is they offered an interest-free payment plan so I can pay over a few months. This made it extremely affordable for me and an absolute no brainer. The previous place I went had me pay after each appointment and if you’d prefer that, that option is available at most places as well. Milan presented me with 3-4 different payment options depending on what type of package I wanted, and I could pick the body areas I wanted to do and how much I wanted to pay.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely, yes. The small amount of money I will be paying monthly to complete 7-10 treatments and never have to deal with shaving again will be 100% worth it. I realize it might not be affordable for everyone, but if you can swing it, I’d definitely recommend it. The appointments are less than a half-hour and you go every five weeks so the time spent in the office is also pretty minimal. Milan Laser did a great job of presenting me with all of the options and I felt empowered to make the right decision for myself. Milan Laser has locations all over the country, so check out their website to see if you have one in your area. If you have a specific question, don’t hesitate to send me a message.

January 17, 2023 By atypicalteele

0 In Travel

Our Weekend in Los Angeles

Ryan and I spent a long weekend in Los Angeles with my sister and mom. We haven’t had a vacation since September, so it was nice to get out of the ice and snow and head to the beach. We stayed in the Venice Beach/Santa Monica area, which I’d definitely recommend if you’re looking for a surf-y, beachside town. Our hotel was right on the beach and waking up every morning to waves was magical.

Food

We had great food while in Los Angeles! We stuck mainly in our neighborhood, but we kicked off the trip with brunch at Neighbor where we had great food and drinks. Friday night Ryan and I really wanted seafood so we hit up The Anchor for lobster rolls and lobster bisque. It was so good and I had a fabulous Moscow Mule there as well. Before the LA Kings game, we had dinner downtown at Bottega Louie and this place was incredible. They made the most beautiful desserts you’ve ever seen and their cocktails were fabulous as well. Such a fun pasta and pizza place. Saturday night Ryan and I were on our own for dinner and we were both craving sushi, so we found Wabi. WOW. This was such a fabulous last-minute find that was only a couple of miles from our hotel. We sat at the bar and had the prettiest cocktails and the most fabulous sushi. The aesthetic of this restaurant is gorgeous as well. Before our flight we wanted to get brunch, so we walked down the block to Rose, where I had incredible pumpkin spice pancakes.

Drinks

A fun bar that was literally steps outside of our hotel door was the Venice Ale House. We stopped in here several times for drinks during our stay as they had a great array of beers and cocktails. Ryan and I went out on our own Friday night and stopped at Library Ale House. Really fun vibe and look here, plus TVs so we could watch the game. As you guys know, we usually make it a point to stop at a few breweries while we’re on vacation. The two we were able to get to in LA were The Dudes Brewing Company & All Season Brewing. If you can only get to one of these DEFINITELY make it All Season. It’s in an old Firestone tire store and it is such a neat spot to see. We hit up an amazing rooftop patio before the Kings game called Perch. Absolutely breathtaking view of downtown Los Angeles and very good craft cocktails. On Sunday we needed a place to watch both the Vikings and Packers game so we went to the sports bar Busby’s – can you say bottomless mimosas?

Fun

We spent a lot of time hanging out at the beach, but we were able to do a few fun and touristy things. We checked out the Venice Canals on our first day and this was a really pretty area. We were able to walk there easily from where we were staying and it’s a great spot to take pictures. The only thing we really planned was to go to an LA Kings game since we’re a hockey family. We love going to sporting events when we’re on vacation. We like checking out other stadiums and teams. The Kings game was affordable entertainment, and we had a great time. While we were downtown before the game, we hit up The Last Bookstore – a bookstore of ALL bookstores. It’s worth checking out even if you aren’t a reader. We also wanted to do something Christmas-y so we went to the Lighthouse Airspace to do their immersive Nutcracker experience. It was very affordable and a fun thing for adults and children.

I’ve got our whole trip saved in highlights on my Instagram under Los Angeles ’22 if you’re interested in seeing even more of what we ate, drank and did.

December 12, 2022 By atypicalteele

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Welcome to Atypical Teele

Our Long Weekend in Atlanta

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I Planned My Husband’s 40th Birthday in Las Vegas: Here’s What I Learned

Our rough itinerary:

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We Went to Summerfest in Milwaukee and Here’s How We Spent Our Weekend

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Top Things to Do in Duluth

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St. Paul Abode Boasts Farmhouse Fresh Design – Midwest Home Feature

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2nd Anniversary Trip to the Florida Keys

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Teele’s Top 5 – Work Travel Edition

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I Did Laser Hair Removal!

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Our Weekend in Los Angeles

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