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…I highly recommend that you cheat with these bad boys:
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q Fried Ribs Appetizer
I ate one of those this weekend when my fam was in town, and I’m just gonna come out + say it… I DIDN’T regret it. Not even for a minute. I didn’t.
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q’s fried ribs are definitely a splurge, but they are totally worth it in my book!
JUST sayin’. 
xx, L
Tags: bbq, clean plate club, comfort food, Country fried love, don't judge, i need a gym STAT, I'm just saying..., i'm on a diet., LMR, Ridiculous., splurge!, Table for Two, Texas Texas yeehaw!, That'll do Pig, The South, Things we love!, You Can Find Me in the A, Yowza.
There’s a few things on my list today and they all have one thing in common: I have absolutely NO business purchasing any of them right now.
Sssssigh.
Without further ado:
1. Van Cleef and Arpels “Sweet” Alhambra clover pendant necklace
Yellow gold. Mother of Pearl clover.
2. Balenciaga City handbag in Gris Poivre
I love you.
3. And… as always, a black diamond eternity band.
You will be mine.
Oh, and adding to this dream wish list, Lindsay would also like to put an order in for a Neverfull in the light Damier canvas.
While you’re at it, send me one too.
Pleaseandthankyou.
xx, L
Tags: don't judge, fashion, I want a lot of stuff., I Want Wednesdays, I WISH, I'm just saying..., Things that are awesome..., Things that are GORG, Things we love!, Yowza.
Super Bowl XLVI?? I care not. PUPPY BOWL VIII?? Heck. Yesssss!!
For those living under a massive pile of rocks, here’s the Q+DD on the Puppy Bowl:
The Puppy Bowl is an annual television program on Animal Planet that mimics the Super Bowl, using puppies. Shown the same afternoon of the Super Bowl, the show consists of footage of a batch of puppies at play inside a model stadium, with commentary on their actions. The first Puppy Bowl was shown on February 6, 2005. The puppies featured in the Puppy Bowl are from shelters, and the show contains information on how viewers can adopt rescued puppies and help their local shelter.
It’s the very best thing on TV all year, folks. FACT.
Check out the Puppy Bowl VIII starting line-up HERE!
There are some very serious contenders this year, I must say. But, these three are my top picks…
FUMBLE
Breed: Chihuahua/ Terrier mix
Sex: Male
Age: 9 weeks
Fun Fact: Has every Bow Wow song on his iPad.
fumble
CALVIN
Breed: Dachshund
Sex: Male
Age: 10 weeks
Fun Fact: Restores classic cars.
ABILENE
Breed: Australian Shepherd mix
Sex: Female
Age: 10 weeks
Fun Fact: Expert scuba diver.
abilene
AND, don’t forget the Kitty Halftime Show! (That one is for you, Mrs. Wolkove…)
Can’t even WAIT!
xx, L
Tags: "i like sports and i don't care who knows", careful cowboy!, dog daze, don't judge, i need a dog..., I'm just saying..., incredibly bold statements, LMR, Mrs. Wolkove, newsworthy, Ridiculous., set your TiVo, super important causes!, Things that are awesome..., things that are hysterical, Things we love!, Yowza.
I ate too much over my birthday weekend. FACT.
Also FACT: My most delicious meal was eaten at Aria.
This Buckhead institution is known for its delicious food, excellent service, extensive wine list, and super-exclusive wine room table. It’s a restaurant that I think of for celebrations. Turning 30 was an appropriate one. I was treated to this fantastic dinner by my fantastic friend, Gorms. You are going to be so disgusted impressed by how much we ate!
We began our feast by polishing off Pastry Chef Kathryn King’s Warm Focaccia Bread and a glass of pinot gris. If there was a such thing as a winter coat made out of bread – I’d want it to be this bread.
Next up was Aria’s Creamless Celery Root Soup with black truffles and parmesan.
Potato and Goat Cheese Ravioli with lamb and mushroom bolognese and reggiano parmigiano followed.
Warm Lobster Cocktail with butter braised Maine lobster, broccoli, and black truffle potatoes were next. This was incredibly delish! Gorm’s favorite, in fact.
For entrees, we shared the Blue Ridge Mountain Trout with sweet potatoes, black trumpet mushrooms, Maine lobster, and white corn…
…and the Painted Hills Ranch Natural Beef Short Rib with celery root whipped potatoes, tender carrots, sugar snap peas, and celery hearts.
They were cooked to perfection. So many lovely flavors!
Dessert began with a sensational Warm Apple Tart with caramel ice cream to share…
…and ended with a delightful birthday plate of chocolate surprises!
The meal was OUT OF THIS WORLD (as predicted)! If you have something to celebrate – celebrate here. I would also tell you to order exactly like we did. We had such a nice variety of savory and pastry, and I really feel like it was an excellent sampling of Aria’s menu. I’ve never heard anything negative about this restaurant, and I only have very positive praise to add! So well done!
Enjoy, restaurant-goers! And, thank you Gormsie, for such a delicious night!
xx, L
Aria
490 E. Paces Ferry Rd. NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
404.233.7673
www.aria-atl.com
Tags: Beef., birthday lovin, buckhead betties, clean plate club, don't judge, fancy pants, Gorms, i need a gym STAT, I'm just saying..., incredibly bold statements, LMR, sugar rush!, sweet tooth, Table for Two, That'll do Pig, Things that are awesome..., Things we love!, very important people, wine-O, WineTime, You Can Find Me in the A
Over my birthday weekend, Kevin took it upon himself to make plans. Shocked, I was, shocked! And, v. pleased.
He arranged for a number of excellent meals over the weekend, but my favorite thing we did was have a little stay-cation at The Social Goat Bed + Breakfast in Grant Park.
Here’s the Q+DD on The Social Goat:
The Social Goat Bed + Breakfast is located in downtown Atlanta, and is in the community surrounding the oldest city park, Grant Park. The park was established in 1882 when Lemuel P. Grant gave the city of Atlanta 100 acres and the city acquired an additional 44 acres to create a park for its citizens, eventually developing Atlanta’s largest historic neighborhood. A failed circus traveling through town in 1889 was purchased and animals were placed in what is now Zoo Atlanta for spectators. In 1892, the circular painting of the Battle of Atlanta was exhibited in the park and is now housed in the Atlanta Cyclorama. Just one block from the park, guest can enjoy all the attractions and much more while the stay at The Social Goat.
the social goat exterior
The Social Goat was originally built in 1900 as a Queen Anne Victorian to accommodate 13 children. Once a working farm and homestead, the house was located on a large piece of property that eventually was sold to make way for suburban building. This property is now 3/4 of an acre and once again has a miniature barnyard. Residents include two nigerian dwarf goats named “Sherman” and “Tallulah”, three cats named “Monkey, Leon, Tanuki”, three black spanish turkeys, 12 chickens, and plenty of goldfish and koi that inhabit the pond. The Social Goat welcomes you with southern hospitality, and invites you to stay and relax on their little city farm.
Prior to our stay at The Social Goat, I hadn’t heard about this bed + breakfast before, so I was super impressed that Kevin had booked our stay at such a unique place! When we arrived, we took a brief tour of the house – which was beautiful.
Here’s a peek:
barcelona wine bar
The next morning, Kristy (The Social Goat owner + innkeeper) made us breakfast in the dining room. She borrowed eggs from the chickens on her farm behind the house. The breakfast was DE-licious. A true feast.
Finally, it was time to meet the animals! This was the biggest highlight for me! We hung out with the most friendly, dog-like, dwarf goats named Sherman + Tallulah.
I. fell. in. LOVE!!
They, however, were slightly less interested in us, and way more interested in my bright purple jacket. Oh well. Still soooooooo unbelievably cute!
Then, we met the roosters who had woken us up in the morning. This one is named Fabio.
Kevin and I did not make friends with the turkeys. They were jerks.
We really could have played with the animals all day…
The Social Goat Bed + Breakfast truly deserves the positive reviews and praise it’s received on Yelp! I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a little getaway within the city. It was such a unique experience – one that I know I will never forget. I just loved!
More info on The Social Goat Bed + Breakfast here: Gobble til ya Wobble!
Miss you, Sherman + Tallulah…
xx, L
The Social Goat Bed + Breakfast
548 Robinson Ave.
Atlanta, Georgia 30315
404.626.4830
http://www.thesocialgoatbandb.com/
Tags: birthday lovin, careful cowboy!, don't judge, from the farm, I'm just saying..., Kevin!, Lets hear it for the boys, More culture than frozen yogurt!, oh so hipster, Ridiculous., stay-cation, Things that are awesome..., Things we love!, vay-cay, You Can Find Me in the A, Yowza.
Yep, canned sparkling wine. And, is it cute or WHAT?
I went to an industry event at the Biltmore Ballrooms on Tuesday and one of the vendors had these at their table. I was probably slightly too excited about the cute pink cans + I definitely took more than one…
Here’s the Q+DD (from the interwebs) on Sofia Blanc de Blancs Canned Sparkling Wine:
Niebaum-Coppola Winery, owned by film director Francis Ford Coppola, wanted to sell its Sofia blanc de blancs sparkling wine — named for daughter and fellow director Sofia — in a 187 ml serving, just big enough for one drinker’s thirst and a neat way to enjoy sparkling wine without opening a full-size bottle. For years, champagne and other sparkling wines have been served up in 187 ml bottles (about six ounces, or a quarter of a full bottle) known among wine types as splits. Coppola wanted to sell a split of Sofia, but couldn’t find anyone to package it in small bottles with corks of the same quality as their full-sized offering, which has been bottled since at least 1999.
Other ideas weren’t terribly appealing — a bottle with a screwcap looked too much like those airline single-servings; not bad, but not the hip image the winery wanted for Sofia Then they contemplated the can. “The more we kind of played with the idea, the more we warmed up to it,” said Erle Martin, president of Niebaum-Coppola. “We realized we could make a can very cool and very elegant.”
Part of the plan has been to market Sofia not merely as premium wine without a bottle but as a clubgoers’ drink: ordered by name, easy to hold at a bar and ideal for resort poolsides where glass is a no-no. Niebaum-Coppola’s intention is to target drinkers of beer or alcopops, those fruity mixes like Smirnoff Ice that have supplanted wine coolers as the choice for sweet-palated drinkers. The cans are meant to appeal to what Martin has described as a “Sex in the City” crowd: sophisticated female city-dwellers, from just over drinking age up to their mid-30s. It’s a different audience than most wine drinkers. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/)
After doing some light online research, I realized that Sofia blanc de blancs has been around for a while in the mini cans, SO I might be a little slow to the game. Whatever the case, I’m still excited about it! These little cans of sparking happiness are seriously super cute + have fully caught my attention. (Move over PBR…)
JUST love!
xx, L
Tags: blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol, celebrities!, day drinking, don't judge, Festive, I'm just saying..., LMR, More culture than frozen yogurt!, Moxie? We got it., newsworthy, oh so hipster, PLU, The Happiest Hour, Things that are awesome..., things that are hysterical, Things we love!, very important people, wine-O, WineTime, Yowza.
As I’ve previously blogged numerous times, I’m a BIG, BIG fan of The Girl… series.
I breezed through the first two books and the first two Swedish movies. The characters are so interesting and well-developed. The plot is addictively, intricately detailed and twisty. I couldn’t wait to see the American-made movie version of the first book over X-mas…
And, it was more than I could have EVER hoped for! The movie was totally chilling, pretty true to the book, and the acting was spot on perfect. I’ll say it – I’m kinda obsessed with Rooney Mara. What a badass! (I’ve decided it’s okay to use profanity to describe her. See the movie and you’ll agree.)
Inspired by the American GWTDT movie, I’ve recently started the third book in the series: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. (I was saving it because I didn’t want the series to end…) = ADDICTED. I love that it picks up right where the 2nd book left off. I. Can’t. Put. It. Down. I’m not sleeping at night. I’m not kidding.
Read it. See the movie. (Pass on the Swedish ones if you’re not a hardcore fan.)
Stieg Larsson: You were brilliant. Thank you so much for the hours and hours of addictive entertainment. R.I.P.
xx, L
Tags: don't judge, I'm just saying..., literature, LMR, Sorry not sorry., Things that are awesome..., Things we love!, very important people, wash your mouth with soap!, Yowza.
OMG, Y’ALL. One of the most exciting events of the year is THIS weekend: Advance Auto Parts 2012 Monster Jam at the Georgia Dome at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 14!
Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh, Monster Jam!
Last year, Kev and I went to the Jam with our friends Seth + Loren and we had a B.L.A.S.T.! (In full disclosure, it was my second Monster Jam experience since I’ve lived in Atlanta. I’m super into this event.) This year, Monster Jam will be even more exciting (how can that be possible??) as they’ll celebrate Gravedigger’s 30th anniversary! More on Gravedigger HERE.
go, gravedigger, gooooo!
Fact: Monster Jam is the single best people watching opportunity in Atlanta. (NASCAR is a distance second to this.) Here’s a sneak peak at what’s in store for you shot from yours truly last year…
overalls EVERYWHERE
And, here are a few more for your viewing pleasure:
monster jam 2011
Tickets are cheap. Beer is…also cheap. And, this is an out-of-the-ordinary event that is sure to spice up your MLK weekend! Ticket information here: Let’s go to MONSTER JAM!!
Coming from a girlie-girl raised going to the ballet and to see musicals, I’m tellin’ you that you DO NOT want to miss this! (Consider that a warning…)
xx, L
Tags: awesomeness, blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol, careful cowboy!, Don't Be Rough, don't judge, I'm just saying..., Kevin!, Lets hear it for the boys, LMR, loren not lauren, oh so hipster, people watching, Ridiculous., see and be seen, Sorry not sorry., Things that are awesome..., Things we love!, You Can Find Me in the A, Yowza.
Each year, Kev and I spend New Years Eve with these fine-lookin’ folks:
Two years ago, we celebrated in Orlando at Disney for my very first visit.
Last year, we trekked out to Kansas City to watch the ball drop. An excellent time was had.
THIS year, Kev + I are the hosts and we’re ringing in the New Year in Atlanta! (Expectations are high.) Sooooo, we’ve decided to celebrate with Yacht Rock at Park Tavern!
If you’ve ever seen Yacht Rock perform, you KNOW that we’re in for a great time!
And, Park Tavern is an awesome place to celebrate any holiday. PT always throws a solid party…
NYE with Yacht Rock is an all-inclusive event. Drinks and food are covered all night and into the wee hours of the morning. There will be live music with Yacht Rock Revue & Atlanta’s best DJ spinning in the Piedmont Room overlooking the Midtown skyline.
Highlights include:
- Open bar: premium liquor, beer, wine and champagne
- Live music + NYE countdown with Yacht Rock Revue
- Gourmet food including hors d’ouvres, carving station, NYE specialties along with plenty of sides + salads to keep your energy up and dancing into the New Year.
- Sushi display
- Toast & get toasty with smores for dessert
- Midnight breakfast buffet including all your favorites + fresh Krispy Kreme donuts
- Photo booth
- NYE favors
- Champagne toast at midnight
- Coat check
This party is where it’s at on Saturday, so get your tickets NOW: NYE w/ Yacht Rock Revue!
***BONUS*** LOOK FOR ME AT PARK TAVERN totally rockin’ out to Yacht Rock…
…and I will give a fist pump + one of these super rad Q+DD koozies to the first three people who wish me a “HAPPY QUICK + DIRTY DIRTY NEW YEAR!”
Your drinks have never looked so fashionable… I can’t think of a better way to toast 2012!
Q+DD koozies: so hot right now.
See y’all at Park Tavern! Wishing a fun NYE to all!
xx, L
Tags: any excuse to party, blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol, careful cowboy!, Costumes + Parties, DANCE PARTY!, don't judge, fashion, Festive, fun freebies!, holiday gift ideas, I'm just saying..., Kevin!, LMR, Moxie? We got it., new year's, people watching, piedmont park, PLU, Q+DD friends, Q+DD koozies!, Ridiculous., see and be seen, spreading holiday cheer!, The Park, Things that are awesome..., Things we love!, vandy law, vay-cay, very important people, You Can Find Me in the A, Yowza.
As y’all know, Fifth Group’s restaurants are some of my favorites in Atlanta. Sooooooo naturally, I’ve been closely watching the progress of their newest downtown hot spot, Alma Cocina.
Set to open this month, Lauren + I were recently able to take a sneak peak into the contemporary Mexican restaurant to try out some of their tasty bites!
When it officially opens, Alma Cocina will serve lunch + dinner and provide catering services to the downtown Atlanta area. The restaurant accommodates about 200 guests for traditional dining room seating, accented by two distinct bar areas with large booths and communal tables which spill out into the beautiful One Ninety One Peachtree Tower atrium.
We sat at the bar, which was a spectacular choice, because we got to spend two full hours with the fabulous bartender Tony – who, get THIS, plays a zombie in AMC’s The Walking Dead seasons 1+2! We love him. MEET him.
I started off with a skinny girl margarita called “Just Wear Black”: Herradura silver tequila, agave syrup, and hand-squeezed lime juice. It was goooooooood. Made perfectly.
Lauren opted for some amazing-looking rum drink. I missed the name of the cocktail, and admittedly, the ingredients - but I DO know this: Lauren liked it a lot. And, it comes in a cool glass. Witness, por favor:
Our man Tony ordered us some traditional Guacamole: tomato, lime, cilantro, red onion, and serrano. It was good. Although we didn’t try it, we thought the Guacamole & Butternut Squash on the menu sounded pretty cool. It’s seasoned with chipotle and queso fresco.
Lauren and I decided to share everything – small plates and entrees. We certainly brought our appetites.
One of my favorite dishes of the night was the Yellowtail Ceviche: pickled mango, cucumber-serrano water, coconut granita, Fresno chile, and micro cilantro. So fresh – so light and unexpected at a Mexican restaurant.
Next up, Braised Lamb Taquitos: cucumber-mint salsa, fire-roasted salsa, queso cotija, and pomegranate seeds. We thought the pomegranate seeds were such a nice touch, and they added a unique flavor to this creative dish.
We moved on to the Huitlacoche Empanada: corn truffle, charred tomato, jalapeno, queso Oaxaca, epazote, and salsa ranchero. It hit the spot.
Tony stopped us there and informed us that we needed a wee bit more to drink. (Did I mention that we loved Tony?!) He whipped up a blended pina colada with ginger for us to share. It tasted like Christmas in Mexico! And, you MUST know by now how we feel about umbrellas in our drinks. We couldn’t have been happier if we tried.
We made Tony take a picture of us with it…
Eventually, it was dinner time. We shared a Pork Pibil Tamale: banana leaf-braised with bacon-corn masa, green chile sauce, crema, and pico de gallo.
And, also a Roasted Chicken Mole Oaxaca: mashed plantains, grilled green beans, and sesame seeds. I pretty much ate all of the plantain mash. SO good. Sorry, Lauren…
To finish off our grande meal, we shared a few bites of the refreshing Grapefruit-Mint Sorbet: rum-marinated pineapple, guajillo chile sauce.
I’m fully aware that that was a lot of food for two lovely ladies, and I’m being completely honest when I say that we ate most of it and we weren’t in a food coma when we left the restaurant. The plates were smallish – perfect for sharing – and many of them were lighter than you’d expect at a Mexican restaurant. We LOVED Alma Cocina + we’re thrilled to add it to our Fifth Group favorites list! Heck, we’ll even drive downtown to eat there… Anytime.
Welcome, Alma Cocina! Ay! Ay! Ay! We’ll be back soon.
xx, L
Alma Cocina
191 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
http://www.alma-atlanta.com/
Tags: Beef., blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol, careful cowboy!, clean plate club, comfort food, dinner date!, don't judge, I'm just saying..., More culture than frozen yogurt!, Moxie? We got it., PLU, see and be seen, Table for Two, Things that are awesome..., Things we love!, very important people, we heart fifth group, You Can Find Me in the A
If you know, you know.
If you DON’T know, you might get in a car wreck (like I almost did on Sunday night heading home from Kev’s work holiday party)…
The beautiful Buckhead house on the corner of Peachtree Dunwoody + Winall Down has decked out their front lawn with Christmas inflatables. I’m talking maybe 100 or so if I had to guess. There isn’t ANY walking room! It’s hardcore.
The little Jewish girl in me who wasn’t allowed to have Christmas lights or inflatables in my yard growing up wanted to jump out of my moving vehicle and hug each + every one of these colorful, holiday blow ups! (My brain pretty much exploded…)
Instead of completely actin’ a fool in my holiday party-appropriate dress + heels, we U-turned and snapped as many photos as we could. And, we weren’t the only ones.
We found this, too!
"dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, i made it out of clay..."
Y’all need to see this display at night. It’s instant holiday cheer. The kid in you will LOVE it!
xx, L
Tags: careful cowboy!, don't judge, Festive, I'm just saying..., Kevin!, LMR, newsworthy, Ridiculous., spreading holiday cheer!, Things that are awesome..., things that are hysterical, Things we love!, You Can Find Me in the A, Yowza.
It’s been an amazing week.
I was off Monday and Tuesday and got to play house(almost)wife, I started a new j-o-b on Wednesday, and on Friday, my 3 best friends from HIGH SCHOOL traveled from near and far to visit the ATL for a little girls’ getaway.
From left: Mary Bradley, Leslie, Lucy, and me. Baby Frank and Baby Drew are also present in this picture!
It was DIVINE. We ate our way through the city (Noche – Murphy’s – JCT – Flying Biscuit) pausing only to shop, have our nails done, and laugh uncontrollably.
Things I learned:
Ok so check it – this is all you need:
1lb ground sirloin
1 can white shoe peg corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 large onion
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1 packet taco seasoning mix
Then you just:
D-O-N-E. Mary Bradley told me to put a can of water in to stretch out the pot, which I will try next time – but it makes a HUGE pot of delicious and hearty soup as is. Top it with a little sour cream and cheese and it’s AMAZING.
It’s also pretty healthy – I’d estimate it’s between 7-8 WW points before toppings.
Now back to my emotional hangover…miss you guys already!
Enjoy!
xx, L
Tags: Birmingham Love, careful cowboy!, don't judge, funny people, I'm just saying..., i'm on a diet., Ladies Who Lunch, Moxie? We got it., PLU, Recessionistas, very important people, You Can Find Me in the A
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