ATLANTA SUMMER BEER FEST 2021

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/26/21

Historical 4th Ward Park

Saturday, June 12 at 4 pm

The 11th annual Atlanta Summer Beer Fest will be held on Saturday, June 12th from 4-8pm at Historic 4th Ward Park. We will have over 150 beers, hard seltzers, as well as a selection of wine and some cider to choose from. There will be live music, DJ QTip, plenty of fun and games, and food will be available for purchase.  The beer list will be added to the website soon. http://atlantasummerbeerfestival.com. Tickets are now on sale.  $45 advance, $50 after June 3rd, $60 at the door (unless sold out). Sales tax and ticket fees will be added. More details and the link to tickets can be found at our event website: http://atlantasummerbeerfestival.com

LITTLE BEER FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY GOOD WORD BREWING & PUBLIC HOUSE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/26/21

Saturday, June 5 at noon

Follow up on the unofficial start to summer with a ticket to Little Beer, presented by the folks behind Good Word Brewing & Public House.
Co-hosted by the City of Duluth, the inaugural Little Beer festival will take place in the Parsons Alley Courtyard just outside of Good Word and feature over 40, exclusive, hand-selected breweries and over 80 types of beers!
THE FACTS
  • Little Beer participants must offer one pale lager and one beer 5.5% abv or lower, of any style
  • Liquid Death Mountain Water available to keep 💧
  • Phoenix Roasters ☕️ to keep you ⛽
  • Little Beer Glass to keep you lagered (and its a keepsake!)
Our spot, West Lawrenceville, will be closed during the event so guests can cruise around the entire downtown with their cherished beers in cans or plastic cups.
LITTLE BEER TICKETS
$85 per person for a full afternoon of tasting what the best breweries around currently offer
must be 21+
Little Beer Participants
2nd Shift
6S
Arches
Aslin
Bagby Beer
Bhramari
Birds Fly South
Blackberry Farm Brewery
Blackstack
Blaze
Bluejacket
Bond Brothers
Bold Monk
Branch & Blade
Branch & Bone
Burial
Creature Comforts
Crooked Run
Dancing Gnome
Divine Barrel
DSSOLVR
Folksbier
Halfway Crooks
Heist
Jackie O’s
Lowercase brewing
Magnanimous
Mocama
Mountains Walking
Perennial
Pontoon
OddBreed
Resident Culuture
Salud Cerveceria
Schilling
Tabol
Thinman
Three Taverns
Trophy
Twin Elephant
Wheatland Springs
Widowmaker
Wild Heaven
Wooden Robot
Wrecking Bar
Zebulon
Zillicoah

EXPERIENTIAL ADVENTURE CANDYTOPIA IS COMING BACK TO ATLANTA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/26/21

Colossal Candy Creations, Flying Unicorn Pigs and Marshmallow Tsunamis to Invade Atlanta in June

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

 Candytopia—which has delighted over a million and a half guests across the country with its candy-themed, sensational adventure—is coming back! The limited-run engagement beginning June 11th, marks the first time Candytopia has chosen to revisit a city, thanks to the monumental success surrounding its Atlanta debut in 2019.  That year, tickets sold out almost instantly and the Candytopia team extended its stay twice to accommodate more guests – nearly 250,000 in 6 months. When the doors open next month, Candytopia will showcase the most popular attractions from past locations along with new and captivating elements guaranteed to delight guests of all ages. It will be located at 3330 Piedmont Road NE, next to Disco Kroger in central Buckhead. “We’re thrilled to be returning to the city of Atlanta where we were so warmly welcomed in 2019. We’ve created an updated experience that our guests will find familiar, but with plenty of new surprises to discover,” said John Goodman, the CEO of Youtopia Entertainment.

For anyone who’s ever dreamed of scoring a Golden Ticket or traveling through Candyland, Candytopia transports guests to an imaginative fantasyland with a one-of-a-kind immersive experience that beckons you to soak in the wonder. Candytopia features more than a dozen environments filled with larger-than-life interactive art installations and full sensory experiences. As they travel through each area, guests are treated to a variety of packaged candy samples, including some nostalgic favorites, and many sweet surprises. 

Since its inception in 2018 in Santa Monica, Candytopia has enchanted scores of joy-seekers in major cities across the country including Santa Monica, New York, Miami and Houston. Tickets have sold out quickly in every market. Candytopia has amassed a huge following of guests of all ages and A-list celebrities including: Usher Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rick Ross, Bruce Willis, Adam Sandler, Kevin Durant, Josh Duhamel, Christina Aguilera, Wiz Khalifa, Hilary Duff, Jessica Biel, T.I.and Tiny.

Candytopia Atlanta will open to the public on June 11, 2021.  Tickets must be purchased in advance and will officially be on sale today May 25, 2021. Those seeking more information or to register for early ticket access should visit: www.candytopia.com

TICKET PRICES:

Adults: $28

Kids (4-12): $20

Kids (3 and under): Free

Ovide: Best Restaurant in Sandestin

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/23/21

The majestic hotel towers into the baby blue sky and casts a shadow over the parking lot below that’s dotted with high end cars and guests anticipating the inside. Walking into the Hotel Effie, you’re greeted with a beautifully decorated lobby and hotel bar and lounge just to the left. Then, beyond, tucked in the corner is Sandestin’s newest and BEST dining experience, Ovide, by Atlanta’s (and Athens) own High Acheson. Every bite and sip you put in your mouth are vibrant and alive with flavor, like the sensational filet mignon, savory prime beef tartare, uniquely wonderful farm egg, rich blackened mahi mahi, and fantastic cocktails! Let’s dip in.

Ovide’s cocktail menu and program are top notch with two spectacular cocktails, Sun Kissed and Shore Leave. The Sun Kissed is a balanced cocktail that juxtaposes the bitterness of grapefruit and piney alcohol. This reminds us of an afternoon sipper that oh, so refreshing. Our favorite cocktail was Shore Leave. With warm rum, sweet coconut, earthy rose wine, bright lime, cachaca and more, this has a brightness and sass! We enjoyed the flavor complexity of this one!

Starting out with some of the bites, the ones we sampled were the farm egg and prime beef tartare. We seriously loved the uniqueness of the farm egg with so many good flavors in one dish! Savory egg sits on a bed of collard kimchi that adds spice, crispy rice for a good crunch, earthy peas, and tangy onion for one amazing bite. Our tip is to mix the ingredients all together for a savory, spicy, crunchy, and earthy flavor explosion. After this light bite, we opted for something a little heavier. The prime beef tartare is piled high and topped with a savory egg. This tartare is thick, rich, meaty, and has a good amount of creaminess. Once you top this amazing meat dish with the egg, crispy fired onions, and earthy mustard, it’s a tasty bite. Definitely get all the ingredients on the crunchy toast, which puts is up there with one of the best bites of the meal.

For our main course, we made some good decisions trying the blackened mahi mahi and the filet mignon. The flavorful and flaky blackened mahi fish paired so well with the tart pickled cauliflower, crunchy kohlrabi, and divine red pepper sauce that gives it a kick. It ended up sweet, creamy, rich, and slightly earthy when you mix it all together. Yum. The best bite of the night had to be the filet mignon. With pepper encrusted, maître d’hotel butter, and mushroom jus, this steak had a little bit of everything. From the crunchy and slightly charred outside to the succulent inside, it was rich, meaty, buttery, and savory over-the-top good! You won’t want to share.

As the meal winds down, the sun begins to set. We sit just outside the restaurant is what looks like a library speckled with books and library-esque décor. We talk over our meal and agree we will have to come back to Ovide when we come back to Sandestin. What do you want to try?

ATLANTA’S CHEF INDIA TO HOST MULTI-COURSE POP-UP DINNER AT TWISTED SOUL COOKHOUSE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/21/21

– Local diners to enjoy pre-fix menu with Southern and Caribbean-themed dishes — 

 

On Tuesday, May 25, Atlantans can savor a carefully curated pre-fix menu inspired by southern cuisine and classics from Trinidad and Tobago. 

“The Mangrove Experience” will take place at Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours in West Midtown (1133 Huff Road). 

One of the city’s most notable chefs, Chef India, has grown a loyal following who regularly attend her pop-ups at popular establishments like Clermont Hotel as well as events for brands like Martell Cognac and Patron. 

 

The six-course, pop-up dinner will include:  

 

Bread & Sauces for the table

  • Pholourie Fritters, Cornbread, Pan-Fried Johnny Cakes

  • Honey Hot Sauce, Hot Pepper Sauce, Tamarind Sauce, Cucumber Chive Chutney

 

Pre-Fixe Dinner Menu

  1. Fried and Caramelized Trini-Chinese Style Chicken

  2. Smoked White Georgia Shrimp with Snow Crab, Cheesy Gouda Rice Grits, Confit Tomato Butter

  3. Guajillo Tamarind BBQ Beef Short Rib, Baked Mac N Cheese

  4. Snapper & Green Banana Run Down with Peppers, Dumplings, Curry Coconut Broth

  5. Spiced Rum Cake, Whipped Rum Cream, Torched Drunken Georgia Peaches

All dinner reservations require a $20 reservation deposit and will be $80 per person. Pescatarian and vegetarian dietary restrictions will be considered after the reservation deposit booking. Additionally, the pre-fix menu includes non-alcoholic beverages with cocktail pairing upgrades. 

This summer, Chef India will debut the first product from her Sauce Queen line, a Honey Hot Sauce. Guests at the event can revel in the sweet and spicy taste of Chef India’s debut sauce before it becomes available for purchase. 

For more information and reservations, visit https://saucequeen.com/themangroveexp/.

CHATTAHOOCHE FOOD WORKS PRESENTS UNOFFICIAL SUMMER KICK-OFF ON SATURDAY, JUNE 5

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/21/21

Portion of proceeds to benefit
Meals on Wheels Atlanta & Giving Kitchen
Featuring Celebrity Chef Andrew Zimmern,
DJ Luis Toro, and
new food hall culinary additions
Chattahoochee Food Hall and iHeart Radio Atlanta have teamed up to present a fun-filled, daytime event on Saturday, June 5 from 11:00* am to 3:00 pm. The first Unofficial Summer Kick-Off for the newly opened food hall. Owned/Operated by Robert Montwaid, will feature partner Andrew Zimmern, Emmy- and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality and chef along with iHeart DJ Luis Toro, and a few new food hall culinarians: Philly G Steaks, LoRusso’s Italian Market, and Smoked Pearl — all offering a taste of whats to come this summer.
Rain or shine, Andrew Zimmern will serve up 1,000 hot dogs with 100% of proceeds to benefit Giving Kitchen and Meals on Wheels Atlanta. Line up to get your dog and a smiling seflie with Andrew himself!
iHeart DJ Luis Toro will kick off the party live at 11am from the Chattahoochee Food Works patio.
*11:00 am Andrew Zimmern’s hot dogs on the patio at the Pomodoro Bella window available until they run out!

PIVOT YOUR SUMMER PLANS, FRIENDS IS POPPING INTO ATLANTA THIS JULY

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/21/21

Tickets on Sale This Friday, May 21 2021 at 3pm

UPDATE: Extended through September 26th

After successful runs in New York and Chicago, the wildly popular FRIENDS Experience, originally created for the show’s 25th anniversary, is heading South! From July 15 through Sept. 6, fans can celebrate their favorite FRIENDS characters and revisit some of the series’ most iconic moments with this two-story enhanced experience created by Superfly X, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Television Group.

“The One in Atlanta” will be located at Perimeter Pointe in Sandy Springs at 1155 Mount Vernon Highway, NE. Ticket prices start at $32.50, plus taxes and fees, and go on sale, Friday, May 21 at 3 p.m. EST exclusively at www.FriendsTheExperience.com. Guests can reserve a timed entry with hours found here. The experience also includes an extensive FRIENDS retail store featuring exclusive product that will be accessible without a ticket.

Oh..My..Gawd…The interactive space features 12 nostalgia-packed rooms and activations including the iconic FRIENDS fountain and Central Perk with the legendary orange couch. The FRIENDS Experience provides opportunities to explore the show’s history and re-create your favorite moments. Peek around Rachel and Monica’s purple door, relax in Chandler and Joey’s recliner, help with the infamous sofa pivot scene and so much more.

“We are excited to bring The Friends Experience to Atlanta this summer, giving fans the unique opportunity to step inside the world of FRIENDS and relive their favorite moments from the iconic series,” said Jonathan Mayers, Founder and CEO of Superfly X. “We expect this to be the first of many experiences we bring to Atlanta, an important market for Superfly X.”

To ensure a safe environment for all staff and guests, The FRIENDS Experience is currently continuing COVID-19 protocols throughout the space including, but not limited to social distancing, requiring masks, non-invasive temperature checks and thorough cleaning and sanitization measures. Learn more about the enhanced cleaning and safety measures as well as additional experience details at www.FriendsTheExperience.com.

Friends fans be sure to catch “Friends: The Reunion” special available to stream on HBO Max on Thursday, May 27 and, in the meantime, fans can stream all 236 episodes of the original beloved series on the platform now.

UNCORKED ATLANTA WINE FESTIVAL 2021

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/17/21

Saturday, June 19th from Noon to 4 pm

Park Tavern

Tickets: here.

Join us on Saturday, June 19th for the next edition of Uncorked Atlanta Wine Festival at beautiful Park Tavern overlooking Piedmont Park.
From 12:00pm – 4:00pm enjoy complimentary wine and craft beer tastings (over 50 varieties), music performances, and fun wine-themed activations.
Tickets Include:
-Souvenir Uncorked Atlanta Tasting Glass
-Complimentary Wine and Craft Beer Tastings (50+ varieties)
-DJ and Music
-Food Available for Purchase
Pricing Information:
SUPER EARLY: $30 – First 300 Tickets
Regular ticket prices increase from $45 – $54 in advance and $60 at the door (if available)

The Woodall

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/12/21

Over on the west side of town, there is a new restaurant, The Woodall, with a beautiful long bar adjacent to a stunning mural of a bird’s talons holding a sword. People are dotted at the bar sipping on cocktails and chatting with the bar staff. Just around from there is a pristine patio with couples, families, and friends enjoying meals in the early evening. From the center cut filet, to the spectacular salmon special, delectable small plates, sippable cocktails, and sensational desserts, everything is pitch perfect here.

We had a little bit of everything on the menu during our visit to The Woodall. Starting with the Hemingway Handshake cocktail, it starts out sweet and runs the spectrum of crispy, earthy, citrusy, and floral on the back of the palate. This one was a balanced and wonderfully unique cocktail! Of the cocktail plates we could not get enough of the Taste of the Day, a steak concoction that was meaty, spicy, tangy, and creamy. This tender and juicy steak, delicate horseradish puree sauce, and spicy, tangy, harissa are all a testament to the complex flavors that you’ll get at The Woodall. We can’t wait to see what they have for the Taste of the Day next time!

There are so many sharable options to choose from at The Woodall. We sampled the Smoked Salmon Dip, Pigs in the Blanket, and Poke Crudo were all delicious! The Smoked Salmon Dip was the favorite of these and we could eat this all day! It is slightly fishy and tangy with tasty, crispy capers to add crunch and a little bit of earthiness. That pairs so well with the overall creaminess and buttery bread. Love. John’s favorite cocktail plate was the Pigs in the Blanket! These tiny link sausages are so rich and meaty on their own then enveloped in a wonderfully crispy puff pastry. The crunchy and meaty bite is elevated by the wonderful mustard dip! If you love poke, make sure to get the Poke Crudo. It is light and fresh with hints of spice from the jalapeno, savory of the soy and tuna, and avocado creaminess. The fantastic soy sauce forward sauce pairs so well with everything on the plate. Yum.

If they did not skimp on the flavor of the starters, you’ll be treated when you try the entrees! We got the Center Cut Filet, Special of the Night (Salmon), Pappardelle pasta, and brussel sprouts. Beginning with the Pappardelle, this dish mixed thick and tender noodles, rustic mushrooms, bright tomatoes, and mellow zucchini all in a light, creamy sauce. A great combination of flavors can be paired with a protein like the Sea Scallops! Our side item, the brussel sprouts, didn’t disappoint with a sweet and savory one-two punch of flavor. These went well with the main entrees like the Center Cut Filet! Speaking of the Center Cut Filet, this savory, well-cooked steak is perfection with a light salt and pepper seasoning to let the meat’s flavor shine through. The delectable sauce is deep and savory adding an element of richness to the meat and the steak’s accoutrements. It is paired with creamy, dreamy, mashed potatoes, a dotting of tangy cooked tomatoes, and earthy spinach. What a creamy, savory, tangy, and earthy bite! Our tip is to enjoy all the flavors together in one bite! Topping our delight with the steak, was the Special of the Night, the Salmon. Literally uttering OMG, this salmon is flaky and tender with the right amount of heft yet melts in your mouth. Accompanied by a mustardy and bright citrus drizzle, plus a crunchy slaw, that’s pitch perfect with the flavors of the salmon. If this is the special of the night when you go, it’s a must try.

Our tip at The Woodall, no matter how full you are, is to stay for dessert. The Bailey’s Cake is literally the icing on the cake to a wonderful meal! Sweet and moist cake up front with a slight crisp on the edges, and finishing with a boozy Bailey’s kick, this cake is light, creamy, and tangy. Whatever you do let the cake soak in the sauce for a few minutes for even better flavor, if there is such a thing. Divine.

What do you want to try from The Woodall?

ATLANTA SPRING WINE FESTIVAL 2021

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/10/21

Historic 4th Ward Park

Saturday, June 5

1-5 pm

The annual Atlanta Spring Wine Fest will be held on Saturday, June 5th from 1-5pm at Historic 4th Ward Park. We will have over 50 wine varieties as well as a selection of beer, cider and White Claw to choose from. There will be live music, plenty of fun and games, and food will be available for purchase.  The wine list will be added to the website soon. https://www.atlantawinefestivals.com/spring/.
 $45 advance and $50 after May 27th. Sales tax and ticket fees will be added. More details and the link to tickets can be found at our event website: https://www.atlantawinefestivals.com/spring/
21 and up event, no kids, no babies, no pets. Chairs, blankets, and small bags are okay. No outside food or beverage. Rain or shine event, no refunds. We will not have Designated Driver Tickets. Free bottled water available. Beer and Wine will be cut off at 4:45pm. Do Not Drink and Drive. We Reserve the right to cut off anyone who has had enough alcohol. We will implement all CDC recommended Covid safety protocols to keep you all safe.