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Outlet Shopping for Spring

03/09/2010 in Buckhead, Deals + Steals, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating, Where we're Shopping by Lindsay | 2 comments

On Saturday, Dana + Jenny + I trekked up to the North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville for a little outlet shopping.  The weather has been warming up (yea!!), and as a result my winter wardrobe has been relentlessly begging me for some warm weather additions.  I resisted for a while, but recently I’ve had a hard time saying “no.”

It took us about 45 minutes going up 400 N to get to the NGPOs from Buckhead.  We easily spotted the NGPOs from the highway, and we were excited to park across from Off Fifth(Saks Fifth Ave. outlet) to begin our mini-spree.  Thanks to the grande Starbucks ice coffee I finished during the ride up, in less than ten minutes flat I was standing in the check out line at Off Fifth with an incredible lined winter coat (for next year) and a very-Lindsay-style gold bracelet.  And like a flash, we were off again…

In the interest of keeping your attention, I won’t break down every stop we made.  However, I will tell you that my favorite stores at the NGPOs were: Cole Haan, Burberry, Coach, Off Fifth, Kate Spade, Juicy, Polo, BCBG, Michael Kors and J. Crew.  We were afraid to step foot into Pottery Barn or Nike – which were absolutely swarmed with eager shoppers.  Even though it wasn’t a holiday weekend, we found excellent deals everywhere!  Coach was running a one day promotion for 20% off of the entire store, and Jenny and I walked away with adorable new purses.  Polo had some noteworthy deals, too, convincing Dana to stock up on shirts for her wonderful fiance who is in Iraq until May.  Overall, I thought the shopping was great. 

North Georgia Premium Outlets

Here are a few tips on efficient outlet shopping that I picked up during our mini-spree:

1- Wear flats or comfortable shoes.  You will regret it if you don’t.  However, if your feet begin to hurt while you are shopping – you can run into Adidas, Nike or Cole Haan (love their shoes with the Nike technology) and purchase yourself a brand spankin’ new pair.

2- Go to the bathroom prior to standing in line for a dressing room.  Lines can be long and there is nothing worse than nature calling while you are trying to shimmy your way out of a pair of skinny jeans…

3- Eat before you go – or bring snacks.  I wasn’t impressed with the food options at the NGPO’s – or the lack thereof.

4- Develop patience.  The lines are long for the dressing rooms, registers and bathrooms…there’s really no way around it.  And, there were a ton of slowly walking people w/ strollers.  Just keep that in mind…

5- According to a colleague, the best time to go outlet shopping is the week(end) prior to a holiday – so for instance the week before Black Friday or Fourth of July.  Apparently, the outlet stores will already have their stock out for the holiday weekend and start running their sales early.

6- Bring an umbrella.  The weather happened to be gorgeous on Saturday and we were fine - however it’s important to note that not all of the walkways between stores are covered.  It would be a shame to drive all the way out to the NGPOs and not be able to visit all the stores on your list because you’ve become a drowned rat in a rainstorm.

jenny's trunk @ the end of the day...

Four hours later on our drive home, we realized we were absolutely famished.  So, at 4:30 p.m. on a Saturday we sat down for a three hour sushi meal complete with sake bombs!  Yea! 

yu-ka sushi bar

"i say SAKE - you say BOMB!"

We went to Yu-Ka Sushi Bar - right next to the disco Kroger in Buckhead.  I did not care for the sushi or the atmosphere at all, but the service was good and the sake bombs hit the spot.  I called it an early evening and ventured home with my bags upon bags of outlet loot and redboxed The Hurt Locker + A Serious Man (both nominated for Best Picture @ the Oscar’s – The Hurt Locker won).  I really enjoyed both. 

What a Saturday!  I’m already looking forward to heading back to the NGPOs in a few months to stock up on summertime gear… 

xx, L

North Georgia Premium Outlets
800 Highway 400 South
Dawsonville, GA  30534
706.216.3609
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=16

Sushi Bar Yu-Ka
3300 Piedmont Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30305
404.233.6700
Sushi Bar Yu-Ka on Urbanspoon

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Here’s to the Troops!

11/11/2009 in Holidays, PSAs, Random Musings by Lindsay | 3 comments

We salute you!!

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Thank you for your service.

Happy Veterans Day!

xx, L + L

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Fresh-ually Oriented Content

11/05/2009 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 3 comments

I work in Midtown and have been blessed with an abundance of great lunch spots nearby my office.  On Tuesday, I went with colleagues to Grindhouse Killer Burgers and had probably the best turkey burger I’ve ever eaten.  We all loved it there and can’t wait to go back!  I promised Dana I’d grab lunch with her yesterday, and in search of some lighter fare we opted for one of my lunch staples, Fresh 2 Order (F2O) in the Spire Building.

F2O in the Spire Building

F2O in the Spire Building

F2O is perfect for a work lunch.  It’s nearby my office (key point), incredibly fresh, refreshing and their salads are plentiful.  There are a number of items on the F2O menu to choose from, but I never get past their delicious salads.  When I arrived, as per usual, the line was out the door.  Don’t be intimidated – it moves quickly.  I ordered my favorite, the Southwest Salad w/ Salmon, and it was predictably perfect.  Here’s what’s in it:

Southwest Salad
Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, Cheese, Roasted Corn, Cranberries, Raisins, Tortilla Strips, Southwestern Ranch Dressing + Bourbon Grilled Salmon

Southwest Salad @ F2O

Southwest Salad @ F2O

My second favorite F2O salad is the Asian Salad:

Asian Salad
Mixed Greens, Candied Walnuts, Tomatoes, Sesame Seeds, Avocado, Pickled Ginger, Crispy Noodles, Mandarin Oranges, Mixes Nuts, Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing + Almond Rosemary Crusted Tuna

Asian Salad @ F2O

Asian Salad @ F2O

F2O also has a Gluten Free Menu and a To Go/ Catering Menu online.  Check them out!  Although the Spire Building location in Midtown is my personal haunt, there are F2Os all over Atlanta – and one in Chattanooga.  See you there soon!

xx, L

f2o

Fresh 2 Order – Midtown
Spire Building
860 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA  30308
404.593.2333
www.fresh2order.com

F2O Fresh To Order on Urbanspoon

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Funny as Heck + Delicious as Sin

10/10/2009 in Midtown, What we're Doing, What we're Watching, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 4 comments

I’ve eaten a lot of hamburgers over the 5+ years I’ve lived in Atlanta.  In fact, I almost ate myself to death at Ann’s Snack Bar over the summer.  Learned a valuable lesson that day…  Anyway, my favorite hamburger in town remains the “Yokohama Mama” burg (w/ bison) at The Vortex Bar & Grill. 

yokohama mama burg w/ buffalo meat @ the vortex

yokohama mama burg w/ bison @ the vortex

Yokohama Mama Burger:  Burger topped w/ jack cheese, special teriyaki sauce and a ring of grilled pineapple.  (Note: I prefer the bison patty b/c it’s tastes like beef but has less fat than skinless chicken breast.) 

I usually order the YMB w/ sweet potato fries, but last night I opted for the famous Vortex tots.  They were delish!

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you won’t be at all surprised when I tell you that the Yokohama Mama is the only burger I’ve ever eaten at the Vortex.  Their menu is ridiculous, but I just can’t get past the YMB: http://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com/menus/WebMenu.pdf 

Check out the Coronary Bypass Burger & the Elvis Burger!!  I’m definitely not that hardcore, but I’d be very proud to see someone eat one of those!  P.S. The Vortex’s staff, restaurant decor and ambiance IS a seriously hardcore, no-B.S. biker bar.  So be prepared…

Also, on the app. front, we ordered the fried zucchini and polished it off in no time!  It comes to the table piping hot, sliced, battered and fried – served with ranch dressing.  Best of all, I’m pretty sure it’s completely fat free since the vegetable factor cancels out the fact that it’s fried.  :)  

fried zucchini @ the vortex

fried zucchini @ the vortex

Soooooo, I went with a bunch of ladies to The Vortex in Midtown last night to have dinner before we went to see our adorable friend, Stephanie’s, boyfriend preform at the Laughing Skull Lounge.  For those not into comedy, it’s the comedy club attached to The Vortex’s Midtown location. 

I’ve watched WAY too many American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance auditions (schadenfreude at it’s best – I know), so watching people perform live sometimes makes me really uncomfortable/ nervous for them.  I had a stiff drink at dinner to calm my nerves a bit for the show, but it was totally unnecessary.  The comedians were HYSTERICAL.  And, I think the Laughing Skull is a lot more legit that I anticipated.  In fact, I just read online that Creative Loafing selected it as the Best Comedy Club in Atlanta.  Way to go!  Among the five comedians at our show was Jim Florentine from Crank Yankers, another dude fresh off a Comedy Central tour and Stephanie’s boyfriend – who had me in stitches.  (Aren’t they cute?!)

*adorable*

*adorable*

The Laughing Skull would be such a fun date.  Tickets are around $20 per person, depending on the evening and the comedian, and The Vortex is right next door for beer and burgs ahead of time.  I’m totally, completely 100% sold – and I can’t wait to go back for another show!

Couldn’t we all use a good laugh?  (And an out-of-this-world burger with a catchy Hawaiian name?!)  I’m thinking YES.

xx, L

vortex_bar___grill
The Vortex Bar & Grill – Midtown location
878 Peachtree Street #4
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.875.1667
www.thevortexbarandgrill.com

Vortex Bar & Grill (Midtown) on Urbanspoon


Laughing Skull Lounge
878 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA  30309
877.523.3288
Comedian schedule: www.vortexcomedy.com
Cash only @ the LSL bar
**Two drink minimum**

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“If It Ain’t Broke – Don’t Fix It?”

09/29/2009 in Buckhead, Inman Park, Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 7 comments

I’ve lived in Atlanta for five years.  Eaten at restaurants all over the city.  And, I think Atlanta has a fabulous culinary scene!  However, when friends come to visit for the weekend or I just need a nice, hearty brunch, I always suggest The Flying Biscuit Cafe.  I am not thrilled that it’s been franchised all over the city, but I don’t feel like biscuits are being compromised in any way.  My favorite location is the one in Candler Park, but I will happily eat at the one in Midtown or Buckhead any day!  I’ve waited for up to two hours to sit down for a meal at Flying Biscuit before.  At almost any other restaurant, I would be immediately deterred by such a long wait - not the FB.  No one does biscuits like them – and they are worth the wait!  Believe it or not, I’ve been eating at the FB at least once a month for five years and I’ve only ever had ONE entree there.  (When did I turn into my father??)  I am a relatively adventurous eater with a serious case of restaurant ADD, but as soon as I step foot into the FB – that all goes out the window!  On Saturday, I found myself at the FB in Buckhead with a number of ladies who hadn’t been in a while or were from out of town.  They asked for menu suggestions, but I simply couldn’t help them out.  The only item I’ve ever eaten is (drumroll please): The Egg-ceptional Eggs!
 
Egg-ceptional Eggs: two fried eggs on black bean cakes topped w/ tomatillo salsa (the green kind) and feta + fruit cup (mostly berries) + whole wheat biscuit.  Deeeeeelicious!

 

Flying Biscuit's Egg-ceptional Eggs

Flying Biscuit's Egg-ceptional Eggs

Of course, I have nothing to compare it to…  Regardless, Flying Biscuit is an oldie, but a goodie – and now it can be found all over town!  Expect to wait at least 20 minutes for a table - pretty much any time of the day.  Don’t forget that they serve breakfast all day long! 

Here’s a link to their menu: http://www.flyingbiscuit.com/Menus.aspx

Bon appetit!

xx, L

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Candler Park
The Flying Biscuit Cafe
1655 McLendon Ave.
Atlanta, GA  30307
404.687.8888
www.flyingbiscuit.com

Flying Biscuit Cafe on Urbanspoon

Midtown
The Flying Biscuit Cafe
1001 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.874.8887

Flying Biscuit Cafe Midtown on Urbanspoon

Buckhead
The Flying Biscuit Cafe
3280 Peachtree Road, NE
Suite 145
Atlanta, GA  30305
404.477.0013
www.flyingbiscuit.com

Flying Biscuit Cafe on Urbanspoon

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Wise Words for the JNY

09/18/2009 in Cocktails, Holidays by Lindsay | No comments

Living on the front of my refrigerator you’ll find a number of engagement/ shower/ bachelorette party and wedding invitations, pictures of friend’s adorable babies, an array of tacky magnets and some super-duper shots of Paige, my roommate, and me.  You will also find a napkin that I swiped from a champagne bar in Chicago.  Lauren and I think the quote on the napkin is brilliant, AND I’d like to share it with all you lovely readers:

“I only drink champagne…when I’m happy and when I’m sad.  Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone.  When I have company, I consider it obligatory.  I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am.  Otherwise, I never touch it…unless I’m thirsty.”

- Lily Bollinger, Ouotiation from Daily Mail – October 17, 1961

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Gosh Lily, it’s like you’re in my head…  Amazing!

Happy Friday -and a big L’Shana Tova to all my Heebs!  Dana, CK and I plan to bring in the JNY – the wrong way - at Ecco (my fav!) tonight with a few of these bad boys:

Celebrate the JNY!

Happy JNY!

xx, L

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The Leaning Tower of Tuna

09/03/2009 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 5 comments

People come from near and far to witness the majesty of this delicious offering at STEEL Restaurant & Lounge in Midtown.  You don’t have to look hard to find it proudly displayed on their ”plates for sharing” menu: Tuna Tower.  L and I order it as an entree, because mixing it with other food would not do it justice.  In fact, it would be flat out disrespectful.

Voila!

Tuna Tower in all it's glory

Tuna Tower in all its glory

At the table, your server will knock over the tower and mix/ mash it together so that you get crab and spicy tuna in each bite, like so:

Tiiiiiiimberrrrrr...

Tiiiiiiimberrrrrr...

Flattened tower…

Tuna Tower crumbled

Tuna Tower crumbled

…and its gone before you know it!  (Isn’t the flower a nice touch?)

Tuna Tower...disappeared!

Tuna Tower...disappeared!

The only thing that makes a tuna tower even better is enjoying it with good friends!

Dana's Birthday @ STEEL

Dana's Birthday @ STEEL

P.S. Their bento boxes are pretty amazing, too.  Try the sea bass one.  And say “hi” to the MP, Chuck.  He’s the bee’s knees.

xx, L

STEEL Restaurant & Lounge
950 W. Peachtree St. NW
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.477.6111
www.steelatlanta.com

Steel Restaurant & Lounge on Urbanspoon

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Cooking w/ L+L – Famous Rotel Queso Dip

07/27/2009 in Appetizers, Entertaining, What we're Cooking by Lindsay | 3 comments

They say that the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  Slick will tell you that it’s actually through his rib cage, but he’d prefer you consider the stomach route first…
 
Last night, I made a big taco dinner for him and a few of my girlfriends.  As usual, my Famous Rotel Queso Dip was the show-stealer. 
 
Here’s the Q+DD on my incredibly simple Tex-Mex gift from G-d:
 
Ingredients:
 
- 1 lb. pasteurized processed cheese (Velveeta) cut into 1″ cubes
- 1 can (10 oz.) diced Rotel tomatoes/ green chilies
 
Directions:
 
1) Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl.
 
2) Microwave on HIGH for five minutes.  Stir once at 2.5 minutes.
 
Serve and enjoy!!
rotel_cheese_dip
 
Told you so…
 
xx, L

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TOMO Arigato, Mr. Roboto

07/23/2009 in Suburbs, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 1 comment

My daddy always told me to avoid, at all costs, Mexican food north of Oklahoma. He’s a wise Texas man – just like my favorite Texan, Kinky Friedman:  http://bit.ly/3MVGhq.  Side note: Kinky Friedman’s Guide to Texas Etiquette: Or How To Get To Heaven Or Hell Without Going Through Dallas-Fort Worth is an excellent read!! http://bit.ly/cClm8z

In a similar vein, I also strive to avoid sushi (my #2 favorite food to pizza) when I am away from (1) big cities or (2) cities close to water. But, as previously blogged, I found myself in Smyrna over the weekend and, well, it was dinnertime. After a long day of baking, Dana and I opted for lighter fare for dinner and started debating sushi restaurants. Then, a light bulb went off – I was in the general vicinity of Tomo!

Here’s the Q+DD on Tomo and why you should seriously consider OTP sushi:
Tomo is the creation of Chef Naito, who comes to us from Nobu in Las Vegas. It’s located on Cobb Parkway in a strip right outside of the adorable Vinings Jubilee. It’s an intimate restaurant and less foo-foo than some of the Midtown sushi restaurants that may focus more on atmosphere than sushi quality.
yum yum yum!

yum yum yum!

Although it’s a schlep for those of us ITP, the sushi was incredibly fresh – even on a Sunday! (Note: Many sushi restaurants only get fish deliveries on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are the best days of the week to get your fish fix.) Dana and I split a few rolls, but our favorite was their House Special Roll (with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, whitefish, smelt egg, eel and avocado). De-lish! Best of all, their amazing fish is priced for the suburbs (which helps make the amount of gas you use to get out there seem much more reasonable). After being so anti-suburban regarding my sushi consumption, I left the restaurant not just full but looking forward to my next visit!
 
 
xx, L
 
Tomo
3256 Cobb Pkwy
Atlanta, GA 30339-3896
(770) 690-0555
 

Tomo on Urbanspoon

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Cooking w/ L+L – Georgia Cake Balls

07/20/2009 in Entertaining, Gifts, Guilty Pleasures, What we're Cooking by Lindsay | 4 comments

This may be hard for some of you to believe, but this weekend I BAKED!  In fact, Dana and I baked up a storm.  Some people are contracting swine flu – I caught baking fever!!
 
Here’s the Q+DD on my Georgia Cake Balls:
 
1 – Bake the cake according to the instructions on the box.
IMG_4767
 
2 - Let the cake cool completely.  Once cooled, crumble it up in a large bowl.
IMG_4768
 
3 – Add in the entire container of cream cheese frosting and thoroughly mix with cake.  (Listen, I never said this was a Weight Watcher’s recipe…)  You may want to use your hands, but be prepared for it to be nice and messy (and delicious)!
= domestic princess

= domestic princess

 
4 - Roll the mixture into quarter-sized balls and place on wax/ parchment paper (should make approximately 50 balls). 
IMG_4774
 
5 – Heat up the dipping chocolate as instructed on tubs.  Place toothpicks into cake balls and dip them into chocolate.  (I ran really low on the dipping chocolate, so I’d suggest buying four tubs.)  Replace on wax/ parchment paper.  Repeat as necessary.
VOILA!

VOILA!

6 – Refrigerate for cooling.  Enjoy!
 
Ingredients*:
 
- 1 box of Betty Crocker red velvet cake mix + associated ingredients (eggs and vegetable oil)
- 1 container of cream cheese frosting
- 4 tubs of Baker’s dipping chocolate
- Wax or parchment paper
- Toothpicks
*(Seriously, that’s all folks…)
 
They are soooooooooo delicious and were easy enough to make – even I could do it!  I will say, however, that my fingers are still dyed a bit red…  Slick, a huge UF fan, would probably never reach for anything red/ black, nonetheless he seemed to really like the cake balls!  Happy, happy cooking!
 
P.S. I guess I always knew I was going to be the next Martha! :)
 
Halloween circa 2005 = jailbird Martha Stewart costume

Halloween circa 2005 = jailbird Martha Stewart costume

 
xx, L

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How to…Start a Dinner Club

07/01/2009 in Entertaining, Organizing, Parties by Lindsay | 2 comments

I am sure I am not alone in finding myself with an increasingly packed work schedule, which oftentimes puts a strain on my social life.  As we mature in our careers (and are pulled in a thousand different directions), it becomes even more important for us to make time for ourselves.  For me, setting aside time to spend with my girlfriends can be difficult to schedule, but is critical to my overall social satisfaction and stress relief.  About a year and a half ago, Dana and I started a monthly dinner club and it has been going strong ever since.  Prior to forming our club, I had been part of numerous book clubs, wine clubs and dinner groups that ultimately failed - mostly due to a lack of structure.  However, our dinner club has been successful because of the following five steps we took seriously from the get-go.

1 – Establishing Structure: Establishing a dinner club structure is an important step toward success.  We have roughly six to eight consistent members in our dinner club.  Once a month, someone volunteers to cook for the group and invites attendees to bring over a bottle of wine.  We rotate each month, and members are likely to only cook for the group once or twice a year.  In other dinner clubs, the host prepares the main course and a few sides, and then delegates other sides, dessert and beverages to attendees.  However, we think our structure works the best because the burden to cook is fairly infrequent – which has resulted in consistent, high attendance.
 
IMG_3745
2 - Selecting a Day: We decided that Tuesday would be the best day for our dinner club since our members are less likely to have plans toward the beginning of the week than they are at the end of it.  I suggest discussing member’s schedules and polling them as to their most convenient day to meet each month. It’s okay to be flexible on the day of the week, too.  Sometimes Wednesdays work better for our group –  and no one minds if we temporarily move the day for a month or two.  Additionally, we named our dinner club after the day it occurs to help members remember it.  Our Evites are for the “Third Tuesday Dinner Club,” which brings me to…
 
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3 – Invitations and Communication: It’s important to have a structured e-mail invitation so that dinner club members have all the information they need about the month’s club, including time, location, directions and information regarding the meal.  Our dinner club uses Evite to communicate with members.  Additionally, I think it’s important to set certain rules about cancellations.  For example, our club frowns upon canceling the day of the dinner club unless it’s an emergency.  We hate for the host to overspend and end up with a bunch of food left over, so it’s a good idea to set certain rules like this early on.
 
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4 – Perpetuating Momentum: I think most dinner clubs die because they lose momentum.  In hopes of avoiding a similar fate, we send out the Evite for the following month’s dinner club very shortly after the current month’s occurred so members can mark it on their calendars as soon as possible.  Everyone appreciates advance planning!
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5 – Diversity and Creativity: Dana and I wanted our dinner club to be a vehicle to merge our groups of friends.  Our club is composed of a diverse group of girls from a range of backgrounds - which keeps conversation interesting and meals unique.  We communicate about our meals prior to the dinner club so we can be sensitive to food allergies or aversions, as well as help to generate attendee interest in the meal.  Members of our dinner club have cooked Jamaican food, Indian, Columbian, Mexican (tacos and tortilla soup), Italian (lasagna and ziti parmesan), kosher for Passover, create-your-own-salad, handmade ravioli, organic dinners with food purchased from the DeKalb Farmer’s Market and we’ve grilled out (turkey burgers and hobo packs).
 
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All the members of our club look forward to our monthly meals.  We hope that these five steps will help you to form a successful dinner club of your own!

 
xx, L
 

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