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

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

AND, don’t forget the Kitty Halftime Show!  (That one is for you, Mrs. Wolkove…)

Don’t forget to set your DVR for Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl VIII on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00 p.m. E/P!

Can’t even WAIT! 

xx, L

I’m getting SO excited for Commercials and Buffalo Wing Dip Day the Superbowl!

xx, L

Tadasana Yoga Pants.

 They’re a little slimmer and a little more flattering than my beloved Groove Pants and a little higher waisted, too, so they’re perhaps even MORE practical for all kinds of exercise…and they’ll look just a teeny bit cuter when I just put on workout clothes and traipse around town pretending I worked out!

I love you, lulu.

Namaste and all that!

xx, L

A really radical DJ will be spinning your favorite 80′s tunes, and the bar will be pouring classic 80′s cocktails.  For $6 each, try a Long Island iced tea, Mai Tai, Blue Hawaiian or one of the new concoctions from Fadó’s winter drink menu. 

don't forget these bad boys!

Start the evening with the Atlanta Dance Marathon from 7:00-10:00 p.m.!  Join this fun-lovin’ group donning their best 80′s outfits for non-stop dancing to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. 

Cost is ONLY $15 per person + includes a pint of beer and all-you-can-eat complimentary appetizers.

yessssssss

There are few things that LK + I love more than a good 80′s party…

rock? ON!!

Sounds so super fun! 

xx, L

Fado Irish Pub + Restaurant
273 Buckhead Ave.
Atlanta, Georgia  30305
404.841.0066
http://www.fadoirishpub.com/atlanta/

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/

You see, I walked out to my parking garage to find my back left tire…

Flatter than a pancake.

I managed to get to the Costco in my neighborhood at Town Brookhaven, and after waiting for an hour and a half for Costco Tire Center to open, I was informed that though the puncture from the NAIL I drove over could be repaired, my tire was essentially mulch on the inside and would have to be replaced.  HOWEVER – they didn’t have the tire I needed in stock at that location so they fitted my car with a lovely donut and instructed me to high tail it to the Perimeter Costco to get this blessed tire. 

In the 5.6 miles between the two Costcos…apparently I rolled through a stop sign and was promptly pulled over by a motorcycle cop. 

Yep.  

However, alls well that ends well because it just so happens that my evening was so spectacular that it quite literally saved the day. 

Check out my two-step remedy:

Step 1.  Core Fusion® Cardio at Exhale Mind Body Spa in Midtown. 

I decided I had mooched off Lindsay’s Exhale membership for long enough so I called up our buddy Anne Marie to get myself my very own membership!  Yay!

Linds has been preachin’ the gospel about Exhale for a while, but as a reminder, the Q+DD on Core Fusion® Cardio is this: It’s a “calorie burning, sweat inducing, body sculpting, power-packed fitness experience, masterminded by the co-creators of Core Fusion®, Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito. Merging cardio with intense strength and flexibility moves, this 60-minute class generates maximum calorie burn, resulting in defined abs, sculpted legs, and high, rounded glutes.”

I am here to tell you it was ridiculously tough and I felt like a bazillion bucks when I finished. 

After our class, Linds, our girlfriend Stef, and I met a handful of our fabulous friends for the BEST thing that ever happened to Wednesdays (and also step 2 in my remedy.)

Step 2.  LADIES NIGHT at Piola!

 Reminder: if you are a lady, EVERY Wednesday, you can enjoy BOTTOMLESS wine or sangria with the purchase of an entrée or a pizza.  I suggest both. 

I’d also suggest ordering absolutely ANYTHING with the Catupiry cheese.  ET turned me on to this amazing soft cheese from Brazil and it pretty much just makes everything better. 

There you have it, ladies.  Straight from LK.  There is nothing a little detox/retox and a GNO* can’t fix.

Happy Thursday, friends.  It’s ALMOST the weekend.

xx, L

*Girls’ Night Out.  Duh.

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

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

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