Here’s a recap of my Music Midtown experience: 

the black keys

what's better than one funnel cake??

love.

I have a feeling that Music Midtown is here to stay, people! 

In the mood for some more music?  Well, you’re in LUCK.  One of my favorite bands, Austin-based Ghostland Observatory, will be in Atlanta preforming at the Masquerade on Wednesday, October 5!

ghostland observatory

I first saw Ghostland live at Austin City Limits Music Festival (’09) playing with the University of Texas Marching Band for a few songs.  It. was. INCREDIBLE!  Anyway, they are electro-rock-funk-ish or kinda elecro-dance-soul-rock: hard to put into a box, but they have a really great, unique sound + I can guarantee that they put on an awesome live show with lots of lasers and stuff. 

For iTunes research, check out these Ghostland albums: delete.delete.i.eat.meat and Robotique Majestique.  Codename: Rondo is their newest, but I like the previous two better.

If that’s not enough to convince you, GO’s lead singer has an impressive set of braids he rocks out on stage.  You’ll def want to check them out… They’re sorta mesmerizing.  (You can kinda see below.)

And, the show is at the Masquerade on North Ave.  Not only have I never been to that venue before, but also I usually drive faster down North when I pass it because it reminds me of a haunted house or something out of a bad episode of Law & Order. 

the masquerade

However, I just Sherlock Holmes-ed Wikipedia.com and while the Masquerade looks like a pile of sticks from the street, the venue actually has a lot of history + the inside of it seems fairly reasonable.

xx, L

The Masquerade
695 North Ave NE
Atlanta, GA  30308
404.577.8178
http://www.masqueradeatlanta.com/

(currently trying to find this for my condo)

I’m pretty sure that the chandelier was my favorite Texas-inspired decoration, but it’s hard to say for sure…

After oogling the walls for about 15 minutes, we sat down and perused the extensive menu.

Without a second thought, I ordered up a Mexican Martini, which I am sure was inspired from my beloved Trudy’s in Austin.  It wasn’t nearly as good as Trudy’s world-famous MM, but it did the trick.

Elizabeth opted for the Texas Bloody Mary which arrived with an olive + a green bean.  She enjoyed it, but we both agreed that a Bloody Mary is an awkward dinner drink. 

My favorite item we ordered for dinner was a special we all saw on the chalkboard outside of the front door: the Bacon Taquitos.  They were absolutely mouthwateringly good!  No joke.  AMAZING.

Slick, Elizabeth + I all ordered tacos for dinner.  Each of our plates looked similar to Slick’s pictured below.  From left to right:

The Tex Taco: Chopped brisket with a spicy mustard sour cream, BBQ sauce, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce.  (Very tasty + the house special.)

The Carinta Taco: Chopped pork, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce.  (It was so incredibly salty, Slick + I couldn’t eat it.  I do not recommend.)

El Guapo Taco: A flour tortilla filled with refried beans, a crispy taco shell with house ground beef, lettuce, cheese + pico de gallo.  (My favorite!  It was like a fancy Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell!  And, I’m pretty sure it weighed about three pounds.  Judge me.) 

Scott ordered the enormous Big Tex Chicken Chimichanga: a huge tortilla filled with pulled chicken, pinto beans, pico de gallo + cheese rolled and fried, topped with their signature Texas queso + pico de gallo.  Did I mention how enormous it was??!

It was a feast, to say the least.  (Rhyming!) 

scott + elizabeth

Are they a cute couple or what?! 

I can’t say that any of us actually finished our massive meals, but we truly put in some serious effort.  NO room for dessert, although the Red Velvet Cheesecake sounded tempting.  After we settled up with our server, we walked around the restaurant again and discovered a substantial party room in the very back complete with TVs, pool tables + skeeball!  This space is totally ideal for a birthday party or a fun night out with a group!

Big Tex Cantina was very enjoyable.  It’s priced well, the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations but it’s large enough that you wouldn’t have to wait forever, + they’ve done really well with the Texas-themed decor (at least in my book!).  The menu is extensive + I have faith that the restaurant will be successful.  Having the Fox Bros. name behind it, at the very least, means something.  If you are trying to satisfy a random Mexican food craving, I probably wouldn’t recommend making the trek to Decatur to test out Big Tex over heading to Taqueria del Sol.  BUT, if you are into trying out new spots, you love the Great State as much as I do, or you are seriously hungover (get the Chimichanga - trust me.), Big Tex will do the trick. 

YeeHAW, partner!

xx, L

Big Tex Cantina
308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA  30030
404.377.3939
http://www.bigtexcantina.com/

She’s an Austin-based jewelry designer + retailer who I’ve recently become obsessed with.  Please see how gorgeous her designs are… 

She specializes in colorful cuff bracelets, cocktail rings, bib necklaces, chandelier earrings + bridal jewelry.

If Kendra sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen her stuff featured in InStyle, Lucky, Real Simple, Allure, People, Martha Stewart Weddings or US Weekly – just to name of few of the publications she’s been in thanks to her celebrity clientele.  (I believe that I’ve also seen her on Gilt Groupe before…)

She has her only retail store on South Congress in Austin, and (fun fact), it was recently voted one of the “Top Ten Places to Work in Central Texas.”  When I was visiting Austin last weekend, I stopped by her boutique with my girlfriends to check it out.

Here’s a peek inside:

It’s a really energizing space + makes you want to spend lots of $$$.  (Go w/ your girls…)

Anyway, one of the coolest things about her store is that there’s a color bar for you to design your very own customized jewelry.  You can also do this online on her website, but I thought it was so much fun to do it live when you could actually hold the various settings + stones up to you.  After much consideration, I selected a pair of teardrop earring settings + iolite quartz stones for my creation.  Within ten minutes, one of the colorists put them together for me + I was able to wear them right out of the store! 

Soooooooo…what do you think?!

my customized earrings

If you have a classic solid color dress to wear but you still want to make a statement, check out Kendra Scott Jewelry online.  Her stuff is so amazing - I want it ALL.  (Just another reason to love Texas, if you ask me…)

xx, L

Today, I leave for my bi-annual extended weekend in Austin and my boots are all packed up + ready to go!

Get ready, Texas, I’m a-comin’ HOME!

xx, L

(Inspired by the supa-chic Mrs. Wolkove.)

The raccoon in me could only resist them for so long…

They are going to look amazeballs w/ the printed Spring dresses I picked up at Bloomingdale’s + Urban Outfitters last night to wear in Austin this weekend! 

Can’t. hardly. wait.

Just can’t. 

xx, L

And like a flash, we were off to The Original El Taco (El Taco for short) to test out their new weekend lunch menu.

As soon as I spotted this guy, I felt right at home…

(He’s so festive, too!)

Before we could even order our drinks, Slick + I asked our pleasant server to zip over a Queso Royale:melted Mexican cheese w/ jalapenos, Mexican chorizo, chili rajas, charred onions + lime-salted corn chips.  Behold the Q. Royale in all its cheesy glory…

We killed it immediately.  At one point, we used our fingers to make sure that we got the last little bit of cheese.  We’re just fancy like that.

It filled me up more than I’d expected, so I decided to order two small tacos for my entree.

1 - Mexican Chorizo (p.s. I LOVE chorizo.  LOVE.):  yuca, raja, Fresno arbol salsa + flour tortilla.
2 – Pork Carnitas:  fresh cilantro, diced onion + corn tortilla.

Slick, however, was ready for more.  He ordered the Sloppy Jose (we got a serious kick out of that name):spiced ground beef, onions, garlic, tomato, Monterey Jack cheese topped with an over-easy egg.  Served on a fresh, crusty roll with Mexico City grilled corn. 

He won.  My tacos were good, but Slick’s order really hit the spot!  Not only did it almost instantaneously cure his hangover, but it filled him up for the entire rest of the day.  It was pretty solid.  The corn was delicious, too.  I can’t remember exactly what was in it, but I know it had a little mayo + cheese.  Definitely try the MC corn the next time you visit.

We were impressed with El Tacos lunch menu + we are thrilled to now get to include them in our VA Highlands weekend brunch/ lunch options running list – particularly when a hangover calls.

Click HERE to view El Taco’s new lunch menu + don’t forget that they also do take out!

xx, L

The Original El Taco
1186 N. Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA  30306
404.873.4656
www.eltaco-atlanta.com

Established in October 2000 and set in the historic Cotton Mill general store, Agave has frequently been named the Best Southwestern Restaurant in Atlanta.  

More about Agave’s history HERE. 

I love this restaurant for many reasons, but in particular I am passionate about a specific menu item: STUFFED MOUNTAIN TROUT TOMATILLO.  It’s an Idaho trout stuffed with crawfish, mushrooms (which I typically don’t eat), onions + basil over Spanish rice w/ a roasted tomatillo sauce + freshly cut cilantro.  I’ve tried many, many of Agave’s entrees over the years (also love the Sashimi Pan Seared Tuna), but the trout is my hands down favorite.

The menu will make your mouth water.  Check it out here:  TOLD YOU SO

If the menu isn’t enough to put this restaurant on your radar, allow me to introduce you to their extensive Tequila + Margarita List:  DON’T MIND IF I DO…

Impressive, huh?  Very appropriate, too, for a restaurant named after the base ingredient for my old friend, Mr. Tequila.

Agave Tequilana

I mean, Mr. T and I are just tight like that. (Here I am hanging out w/ one of its relatives in El Paso.)

It’s important to choose your friends wisely, you know…

Anyway, I always suggest Agave when asked for a restaurant recommendation, but I hadn’t been for dinner in quite a while.  Slick + some of his colleagues + I dropped in last week + I was quickly reminded of how much I really enjoy it there.  Slick ordered the Spicy Tequila Anejo Shrimp + his colleagues ordered the Sunburned New York Strip Steak + Agave Cayenne Fried Chicken (which was a big hit at the table).  Naturally, I got the trout…and I didn’t share.

If you haven’t been to Agave before – GO.  Don’t forget about this amazing Atlanta staple.  The tequila will be waitin’.

xx, L

Agave Restaurant
242 Boulevard Southeast
Atlanta, GA  30312
404.585.0006
www.agaverestaurant.com

I try to go every year, and have been to it three out of the past five.  Do I play or follow golf?  No.  (Although, I do LOVE mini-golf!!)  Peter Pan Mini-Golf in Austin is one of my favorite places in that city + it’s BYOB!  It was pretty much made for my personal enjoyment…

Peter Pan Mini Golf - Austin, TX

Okay, back to big-people-golf:  I don’t play “real” golf or particularly enjoy watching it on TV, but I love watching it in person!  And, I love any excuse to throw on a preppy dress + pearls and stroll around East Lake w/ Slick + his buddies.  The course is gorgeous and I fully consider the walk around it with a beer in my hand to be a proper workout for the day.

East Lake Golf Club

My favorite part, though, is the amazing concessions!  At football, basketball or baseball games, I normally eat pretty healthy as far as concessions are concerned. (Minus the beer, obv., which burns off the longer you stand up and shout at your team.)  At the Tour Championship, however, I always eat a cheeseburger.  I don’t know what they do to make them so unbelievably good.  Maybe it’s just eating them outside on a pretty day in a pretty dress w/ beer?  I still think there’s more to it…  Those hamburgers keep me coming back every year! 

just seems like such a great combo to me

And, this year they had a photo booth!  Lucky, Slick… 

If you went to the Tour Championship this year, I wish I’d known so that I could have borrowed some sunscreen…  (Hope you had fun!)  If you didn’t, I highly suggest buying tickets or getting someone to hook you up to go next year.  Those burgers aren’t worth missing, and the golf is kinda fun to watch, too!   

P.S.  For those into golf, we saw: Paul Casey, K.J. Choi, Charley Hoffman, Geoff Ogilvy and Phil Michelson, among others.

Thanks, Brooke, you’re the best!  Really.

xx, L

i'll see you this afternoon, old friend.

I’m heading to the Live Music Capitol of the World this weekend to fill up on Tex-Mex and visit these schmegegges:

camp folks

greenspan + nalick

the other stac shap

goldie + ms. graham

lovely lara

the hardins!

cutest baby ever, little miss hadley hardin

leiber

mr. wolkove

I’ve been living in Atlanta for almost six years now, and I love it, but I make sure to get back to Austin twice a year to see close friends and to remind me of my precious Texas roots. 

Think that’s annoying?  Too bad.  You can’t pretend to ignore the lyrics, “God blessed Texas with his own hands/ Brought down angels from the promised land…”  I mean, it’s science.

don't judge

The purpose of this particular trip, however, is to celebrate Amy’s birthday!  The weather may call for rain, but that won’t stop us from having an excellent time.  Happy almost birthday, Ams!  Can’t wait to see you!

the brilliant mind behind our amazing Q+DD logo

Catch y’all on Monday! 

xx, L

Let’s take a step back, shall we? 

I’ve never turned my nose up at a cupcake, but they aren’t my favorite dessert in the world.  I can take ‘em or leave ‘em pretty much any day.  Magnolia (NYC), Sprinkles (Dallas) and Belly General Store (Atlanta) all have excellent cupcakes, but I’m not writing home about them.  Hey Cupcake (Austin) is definitely the closest I’ve come to cupcake-on-the-brain.

Hey Cupcake (Austin, TX)

Until now…  A girl in my book club brought a box of Cami Cakes to a meeting last week, and well, that’s all it took.  I’m officially hooked!  After talking about/ thinking about Cami Cakes for what seemed like days and days and days, Slick and I popped in yesterday after a visit to the Atlanta Humane Society to get a few treats for a little dinner celebration we had last night @ Fat Matt’s (more on that later). 

I’d frequently passed Cami Cakes on drives down Peachtree St. from Midtown to Buckhead, but I’d never noticed it.  It’s situated in a short, kinda boring strip (dry cleaners, tax advice, etc…)  nearby Varasano’s - so it’s easily overlooked.  I will most certainly NOT miss it from now on!

When you walk inside Cami Cakes, you are overwhelmed with the wonderful aroma of freshly baked cupcakes.  Slick’s first question to the gentleman behind the counter was, “How IN THE WORLD do you work here and you’re not 900 pounds?!”  Slick has excellent people skills. 

The cupcakes are artistic and creative, while at the same time flavorful and very moist.  Nothing is compromised in the making of these beauties!  You can choose from delicious flavors in their long glass case including – THE ELVIS: Creamy banana and peanut butter frosting topping their classic chocolate cake garnished with a hint of salt, and SWEET POTATO: Cinnamon and real sweet potato mixed into their buttery yellow cake and topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.  Yum!

We eventually left the store with a small box of the following:

Top Left – RED VELVET: Their classic Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting studded with lightly toasted pecans.  (Their best seller!)

Top Right – CHOCOLATE COCONUT PECAN: Rich and creamy caramel frosting with loads of coconut and pecans topping their classic chocolate cake.  (My least favorite…)

Bottom Right – CARROT: Moist spice cake loaded with carrots and pecans beneath cream cheese frosting studded with lightly toasted pecans.  (Absolutely delicious.)

Bottom Left – CLASSIC CAMI: Their signature yellow cake with classic pink buttercream frosting.  (Can’t beat the classics!)

After dinner, our cupcakes were gone in a flash!  SUGAR RUSH!!

Stop by Cami Cakes ASAP and you’ll see what I mean.  This just may be the second happiest place on Earth (next to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, of course!) 

Welcome to Cupcake HEAVEN!

xx, L

Cami Cakes
2221-B Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.748.4288
www.camicakes.com