STRIKING POSES: A PERMANENT GALLERY BY BEN ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY AT LENOX SQUARE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/14/16

Lenox Square showcases the glamour of Atlanta fashion with “Striking Poses,”

a permanent gallery by Ben Rose Photography

 

ATLANTA (February 24, 2016) – Lenox Square, an iconic shopping and lifestyle destination located in the heart of Buckhead, has collaborated with Atlanta photographer Ben Rose to introduce an intimate glimpse into high fashion in Atlanta. Beginning March 15 and located near the center’s new Gallery Entrance between Cartier and Escada in the Neiman Marcus wing, the exhibit dubbed “Striking Poses” will offer guests a front row seat to some of the city’s signature fashion events. Images will be featured from affairs such as the Annual Corps de Ballet Kick-off Luncheon, the Annual Forward Arts Foundation Fashion Show and Luncheon, the NBAF Annual “Fine Art + FASHION” Event and Jeffrey Fashion Cares Atlanta — all featuring looks from designers found at Lenox Square and its sister property, Phipps Plaza.

Lenox Square commissioned “Striking Poses” to showcase the city’s stronghold on world-class fashion and the designers who have committed their labels to Atlanta – all of whom call Simon’s Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza home. The photographs capture the essence of beauty, glamour and couture found both on the runway and backstage at the city’s leading fashion events. From graceful movements on the catwalk to intimate backstage moments captured seconds before models take the runway, Lenox Square has curated an exhibit of Rose’s work that will leave visitors intrigued and inspired by Atlanta’s burgeoning fashion scene.

 

An Atlanta native, Ben Rose has been behind the camera since 1999. What began as a part-time gig in college for parties, campus events and nightlife, has turned into a thriving career as a photographer for luxury brands, fine dining experiences and corporate clients. Rose has also established himself as one of the premier celebrity event photographers in Atlanta, shooting the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, Oscar de la Renta, Manolo Blahnik, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Zac Posen, Miley Cyrus and more. He has been the lead event photographer at Jeffrey Fashion Cares Atlanta since 2009, an annual event now held at Phipps Plaza, and has shot national luxury retailers found at Buckhead’s Simon properties including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Jeffrey Atlanta, David Yurman, Cartier and Prada.

 

About Lenox Square

Located in the heart of Buckhead, Lenox Square is an Atlanta landmark. Founded in 1959, Lenox Square is one of the largest shopping malls in the Southeast. Anchored by Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Neiman Marcus, shoppers have more than 250 store choices, including exclusive retailers like Diane von Furstenberg, Escada, Prada and Louis Vuitton. Stores range from designer boutiques such as Bvlgari and Salvatore Ferragamo to casual staples such as J.Crew and Banana Republic. Five full-service restaurants including True Food Kitchen and Zinburger Wine and Burger Bar, an extensive food court recently renamed the Lenox Fashion Café and casual dining options including Panera Bread, Corner Bakery Café and Sprinkles Cupcakes make the mall a popular dining and entertainment destination. Each year, Lenox Square celebrates the Legendary 4th at Lenox Square, the largest fireworks show in the Southeast, and is home to the annual Macy’s Tree Lighting, an Atlanta holiday tradition. For a map and store listings, as well as directions, events and job listings, visit simon.com. For additional information, visit Lenox Square on facebook.com/LenoxSquareMall, twitter.com/LenoxSqMall and http://instagram.com/lenoxsqmall.

AMER COCKTAIL BAR NOW OPEN IN ATLANTA’S INMAN QUARTER

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/4/16

AMER COCKTAIL BAR NOW OPEN IN ATLANTA’S INMAN QUARTER

From Team Behind Atlanta’s Beloved Westside Restaurant BOCADO

 

AMER, a cocktail bar from partners Brian Lewis and the late David Durnell of Atlanta’s BOCADO restaurant, will open in Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood in late March 2016: NOW OPEN as of March 31st . The space is located at 299 North Highland Ave, in the high-end, mixed-use development Inman Quarter.

 

The beverage program will be headed up by Timothy Faulkner, formerly of LUSCA, Octopus Bar, UMI, and Restaurant Eugene. “AMER” translates to “bitter” in French, and the bar’s drink list will have a focus on bitters and Italian Amari, with an opening menu of 20 cocktails. The drink menu is divided into four sections, designated as Shaken, Built, Sodas, and Stirred. Though AMER is centered around cocktails, no attention to detail has been neglected in the program as a whole. Think of the Italian tradition of the ‘Aperitivo Hour’, and expect a thoughtfully curated selection of beers and wines, aperitifs, digestifs, and playful surprises like the Super Coke with the AMER ten Amari blend, clarified lime & Mexican Coca-Cola.

 

A spot for guests to begin or end their evenings, AMER will also serve a menu of savory small plates and bar snacks curated by Chef Adam Waller of BOCADO. Dishes will include chips with charred onion dip; fried artichoke hearts and lemon; Buffala with trout caviar and fried leeks; Hamachi, green apples and sunchokes; English muffin, local egg and pork belly; and more.

 

AMER’s aesthetic will reference ‘70s-era Italian film and retro Amari labels. The punchy and exaggerated color palette will feature bright yellow, deep indigo, bronze, and marble. Playfully referencing Giallo movies, the exterior façade is divided by a red horizontal stripe on a yellow background. Open and airy, AMER will be flanked by large accordion windows. Mid-century furniture and old-world textures like rustic wooden beams will play off cinematic splashes of color. The intimate space will seat about 35, with a small private room for 12.

 

Brian Lewis is an Atlanta-based restaurateur who opened BOCADO in 2009. In 2010, it was named to Atlanta Magazine’s list of “Best New Restaurants,” and in 2012, Brian was named by StarChef as a “Rising Star Restaurateur” in the food industry.

 

AMER follows the 2014 opening of BOCADO BURGER, a concept spawned from BOCADO’s highly prized burger stack, served with American cheese, housemade B&B pickles, and fries. AMER, too, is hatched from BOCADO. It will draw inspiration from the restaurant’s lauded beverage program while showcasing an entirely new menu of cocktails.

 

 

www.ameratlanta.com

ATLANTA BRUNCH FESTIVAL 2016

Saturday, March 5th at 12 am

Location: Historic 4th Ward Park

Atlanta Brunch Festival 2016

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/13/16

 

An egg breaks into a pan, there is a low sizzle, now topped with bacon jam, and a hint of maple drizzle. One part juice, three parts champagne, keeps the head loose, maybe a trip down memory lane. Yes, it’s an ode to the almighty brunch. It’s something that peaks this poet’s interest, be it hash, chicken & waffles, breakfast tacos, or Huevos Ranchero, it doesn’t seem like we can ever get enough. No matter how you do your brunch, Atlanta Brunch Festival had it all. You couldn’t go wrong. Here’s the meat and potatoes.

One of the first things we tried at Atlatlanta brunch fest breakfast tacoanta Brunch Fest was Wahoo Grill’s Hash. It was a menagerie of flavors: apple, bacon, potato, and collards. It was delicious, with the right amount of sweet apple and salty collards on top of the hearty bacon and smooth potatoes. Right across from Wahoo Grill was a long line for Another Broken Egg. The draw? Fried Green Tomato BLT. The freshly fried green tomato on top of bacon and lettuce, what’s not to like? They also gave you a beignet on the side, which was the best thing I had all day! The right amount of crisp, fried, and sweet powdered sugar.

On the other side of the park, we kept seeing a chunk of Mexican food topped with Chihuahua cheese. We had to scope out where this was coming from; it was Guaco Joe’s. We heard people raving about them! I got the breakfast taco which was a delicious mix of egg, sausage, pico de gallo and crisp lettuce. It was a lot of food and very satisfying. Near there, our friends at the Mad Italian were grilling up fresh, to-order cheese steaks. Fresh, hot, and meaty, they might be right in they are the best cheese steak south of Philly. We love these guys! Funny story, we met a guy who actually thought Mad Italian was offering cheesecake. He went up and got his cheese steak and took a bite and was like, “this isn’t cheesecake.” I just shook my head. Cake doesn’t equal steak.

One of the best spreads was DBA’s potato and pulled pork hash topped with eggs, along with a side abe atlanta brunch festivalof bacon, then top that off with a plate of chicken and waffles. The pulled pork went perfectly with the potato and onion mix, it was the right blend of savory and salt. The bacon was crisp and thick, and in unlimited supply. The chicken with the chicken and waffles was a little bit spicy, as well as seemed to have a hint of bacon in the batter. As for the waffle, it had just the right amount of sweet to compliment the maple and chicken. Overall, delicious all the way around.

When the sun started to set behind Ponce City Market and all the orange juice had run dry, we rolled out full and happy. We should have worn yoga pants! On top of that, it was one of the most beautiful spring-like days we’d ever seen, while the food was dynamic and top-notch. The perfect day, if that can even exist. P.S. it does.

PIRATE ADVENTURE ISLAND SAILS INTO LEGOLAND® DISCOVERY CENTER ATLANTA

Saturday, March 19th at 10am

Location: Legoland Discovery Center

By Liz and John Attaway, 3/9/16

Pirate Adventure Island sails into LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta March 19

New LEGO® pirate-themed component docks on the third floor of Phipps Plaza next month

 

Ahoy, Atlanta! Announced today, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta will debut a booty-full new attraction this March, featuring a giant pirate ship, an aquatic building area and a bounty more of fun! Titled Pirate Adventure Island, the new exhibit will anchor ashore in the Phipps Plaza attraction beginning March 19.

 

“Pirate Adventure Island will sail families through an imaginative, nautical journey right here in Atlanta!” said Aries Viera, Master Model Builder of LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta. “The new component is not only an exploration of the high seas, but it is also an educational quest for families with several hands-on sensory activities. With endless interactive, playful elements Pirate Adventure Island is sure to create lasting memories for visiting families!”

 

Pirate Adventure Island is designed to encourage both children and adults alike to participate in free play and tactile activities. Families can explore treasure island themed build spaces to create their own LEGO® sandcastle or treasure map, construct a LEGO® pirate ship and set sail through an aquatic obstacle course and battle fellow shipmates by setting off air cannons. The new exhibit will have a soft play element and send guests on a pirate adventure as they climb the rigging, walk the plank, capture the flag!

 

Deal Alert! From now until March 17, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta will offer guests a buy one, get one free “Pardon Our Dust” ticket offer to those wishing to visit the center during the install. Visit http://bit.ly/LDCdust and enter promo code “DUSTY” to redeem the offer!

 

Pirate Adventure Island will join LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta’s fleet of other playful offerings, such as Kingdom Quest Laser Ride, Merlin’s Apprentice Ride, MINILAND®, the LEGO® Master Builder Academy, LEGO Friends Olivia’s House and more! Also brand new this year, “The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” will play in the 4D cinema for a limited time beginning February 27. Pirate Adventure Island will replace the attraction’s soft play area.

 

For more information, please visit www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/atlanta/.

 

About Merlin Entertainments

MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS plc is the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Europe’s Number 1 and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates 111 attractions, 12 hotels/4 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its almost 63 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and estimated 26,000 employees (peak season).

 

Among Merlin’s attractions are – SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, DreamWorks Tours SHREK’s Adventure, The London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, THORPE PARK Resort, Blackpool Tower, Heide Park Resort, Sydney Tower Eye and SKYWALK. All brands which are distinctive, challenging and innovative – and which have great potential for growth in the future. Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.

 

Press Release C/O

Kellie Rehn
BRAVE Public Relations

krehn@bravepublicrelations.com