It’s a Polenta Party!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/5/19

The White Bull

Decatur, GA

Last Saturday, we were invited to The White Bull to experience something we’d never even heard of, a Polenta Party. Polenta is what this southerner would equate to grits and can be dressed with similar ingredients, like cream or cheese to make it delicious. What is even more amazing is how it’s served, which is down the middle of a table, still steaming! The polenta itself was creamy, ooey-gooey, a bit savory, and delicious on it’s own. They don’t stop there, The White Bull takes whatever meat came in that day and put it right on top. Yes, right on top, down the middle of the table! We hit the meat jackpot today, because it was fresh, thigh meat chicken and a savory pulled pork ragu. First off, the pulled pork ragu was one of the best meat concoctions we’ve ever put in our mouths with very tender pork paired with a deep and savory ragu. It’s official, we heart ragu. Then, the chicken was the freshest we’ve ever had!

Beyond the delectable meat, they added several vegetables on top, and yes, right down the middle of the table! Today’s fresh veggies included broccoli, leaks, mushroom with peas, and asparagus. Let’s stop a minute here and let me discuss the broccoli with you. This isn’t your grandmother’s soggy broccoli, but a crisp, tender, olive oil drizzled star. It was like they either air or flash fried the florets, which was the right balance of crunch and savor. Also, the leaks were a perfect compliment to the polenta. It gave it a little bit of a bite, a brightness you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. It could have been a very heavy meal, but the addition of the light broccoli, bright leaks, grilled asparagus, and 25 year old balsamic drizzle on top, created a good balance.

If you want a truly enjoyable experience with your family or friends, this is one for the books. Make sure you like your tablemates, as this is a shareable, tabletop, interactive, experience. Good thing we were with amazing company. You only need 6 people to join in on a Polenta Party at The White Bull. Mark our words, we’ll be back there!

MOE’S ORIGINAL BAR B QUE: BOLD FLAVORS, ORIGINAL TAKES ON TYPICAL BBQ OFFERINGS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/1/19

We seriously love barbeque and it had been way too long since we’d been to Moe’s Original Bar B Que in Midtown! They’re going into their 10th year in business, so we came down to sample a few menu items, or more like all of them! Of the meats, the ribs were our favorite. They were meaty with just the right amount of juicy fat and rub for flavor. Fell off the bone. We also really enjoyed the pulled pork that was slowly cooked for eight hours. It had the right amount of fat, meat, and savory flavor. The meat portions were also perfect.

On the side, the stand out was the fried green tomato with the perfect, savory crunch and sweet, thick-sliced tomato. We also loved the brunswick stew too, a great hearty meat, lima, potato, corn concoction that would be perfect for a cold winter night. Let’s not forget to mention that the turkey was all white meat with a tasty slaw on the top, it was a good combination. The gumbo had tender okra and slightly spicy broth, and the collards had a balance of vinegar, spice, and tender greens. We love the bold flavors, and original takes on typical barbeque offerings. Moe’s Original Bar B Que is located at 349 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Want to become you’re own grill master? Seriously Smoked reveals secrets to mastering the grill. Check it out here:

Culture Drivers with INFINITI & UrbanDaddy Event Recap

On Tuesday, February 12, 2019 hundreds of Atlantans descended upon The Stave Room at American Spirit Works for Culture Drivers, an exclusive event hosted by UrbanDaddy and INFINITI.  An evening stimulating each of the senses, art, culture, food, cocktails and automotive excellence joined together during the private affair where culinary innovations by celebrity chef Roblé Ali took center stage. With entertainment in every corner, guests enjoyed a premium open bar, chef-driven food activation stations, an on-site DJ spinning top tracks, along with additional live music and hip-hop dance performances. 

What stuck out at this year’s Culture Drivers was the remarkable food: the best was the salt encrusted salmon. It was slightly salty from the salt outside, but extremely tender and flaky on the inside. What a great bite! Plus, we got to break the salt with a mallet! The leg of lamb, onion rings, pretzel bites, and all of the food was dynamite. They always put on a good party!

Lamb

The Barrelhouse Winter Mix and Mingle Recap Plus Our Faves Revealed!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/22/19

The Barrelhouse Now Located on North Highland!

On Tuesday, January 15th, imbibers and diners officially welcomed the recently opened Old Fourth Ward locale, The Barrelhouse, to the neighborhood. Located on the corner of Highland Avenue and Sampson Street, the classic, local pub features a diverse selection of seasonal and classic cocktails, local craft beers, an extensive bourbon menu, and delicious fare. In an intimate setting, guests took Tuesday Boozeday up a notch and sipped on the signature cocktail of the evening, God Save McQueen, along with traditional cocktails, bold wines and cold craft brews. While mixing and mingling, revelers also noshed on an array of Charcuterie, Fish Fried Tacos, Brussel Sprouts, Hand Cut Fries, Wings, Mac n’ Cheese, signature Burgers, and a sampling of house-made desserts.

Of the bites we sampled, the fried pickles were the best of the light appetizers. They were thick, with a great crunch from both the pickle and the crisp breading, topped off with a dusting of parmesan. Very good! Plus, we really liked the Brussel Sprouts that were cooked in oil and full of bacon, caramelized onions, with an Asian flair. This was our favorite side! Finally, of the burgers we loved The Barrelhouse Burger with fried egg, onion rings, and the best thing we had all night: bacon jam. The best bacon jam EVER with hints of maple syrup and bacon, together! We’ve been telling people about it all week.

Ribbon Cutting and Party Cap Off Fudo’s Grand Opening Celebration!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/14/19

Monday, January 7, 2019, imbibers and diners alike celebrated the grand opening of Fúdo in the heart of downtown Chamblee during a high-energy party and ribbon cutting ceremony with Chamblee’s Mayor Eric Clarkson, Chief of Police Kerry Thompson, City Council members and owners John and Grace Lee. While mixing and mingling and checking out the new dining destination, revelers enjoyed an array of complimentary wine, craft beer and sake tastings along with a diverse sampling of chef special sushi and small plate offerings. Of the sushi rolls that we sampled, the two that stood out were the Hunger Games roll that included some fried asparagus that gave it a crunch, as well as a spicy mayonnaise and sriracha. On top of that, there was the Mega Tuna Roll that was a ton of tuna, crunch, and slight spice. Both were really good!

Rooted in the community, Fúdo offers exceptional sushi and authentic Japanese sharable plate selections featuring the highest quality and freshest ingredients. From the restauranteurs behind Ichiban Steak and Sushi, the new wallet-friendly locale boasts a modern industrial yet warm atmosphere with an expansive, interactive sushi bar; a back-lit bar serving creative cocktails, craft beer, wine and sake; ample seating; and a pet-friendly, outdoor patio with retractable windows. Fúdo is located in Perimeter Crossing at 5070 Peachtree Blvd Suite A100 Chamblee, GA 30341 and is open from Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner, and on Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 3p.m. to 12 p.m. to dinner, on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.fudoatl.com.

FIRE AND ICE SKATING, SIPS, AND SNACK WINTER SOIREE RECAP

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 12/14/18

 

On Wednesday, December 5th, over 75 cocktail and ice-skating lovers descended upon Park Tavern for the “Fire & Ice Skating, Sips and Snack Winter Soirée” – an exclusive VIP experience. While toasting to the season with handcrafted holiday cocktails, fresh sushi and s’mores, guests enjoyed a lively evening of great conversation and mixing and mingling in Park Tavern’s new, enchanted Neo-Victorian setting that’s adorned with charming holiday decor. While taking in unobstructed views of Piedmont Park and the Midtown skyline, adventurous guests also enjoyed the brand new Fire & Ice skating experience at The Rink Powered by Pepsi.

COUNTDOWN TO IMAGINE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2019

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 10/15/18

Is it too early to have a countdown until Imagine Music Festival 2019? We were thrilled with the impressive 2018 line-up for their 5th anniversary, the elaborate set designs of the stages this year, as well as our favorite place, the splash pool! It’s hands down the best place to people watch with main stage views. We can’t wait to see what they come up with next, but first let’s take a few moments to reminisce about 2018.

As the sunset over the camp site, you could hear the festival pumping close-by, while several people were perched above their cars, outside their tents, to enjoy the spectacular sunset views. If you’re coming down the steps of the Motor Speedway, you can enjoy the sounds of the festival, to the dance of the setting sun. Magic! This September had been unimaginably hot, but with the setting sun came a cooling breeze. Festival outfits went from bathing suits and crop tops to scarves and fur, but the fun went on until the wee hours of the night. Festival poles flew, a trance-like dance was seen all-over the in-field, as laser lights flashed in mesmerizing patterns. How is it that EDM performers can perfect that right amount of beat, lights, and sound?

Overall, we were truly impressed with two acts: Leah Culver and Adventure Club. One of the first acts that impressed us was Leah Culver who is a fun mash-up of singer-songwriter/DJ/head banger. You heard right, head banger. We found her set fresh and interesting that was a good mix of singing with electro/hardstyle EDM, and a little more what we’d call “rocky.” As in Rock-N-Roll.  We enjoyed her energy most of all, spunky, punky, fun. Yes, you can quote us on that.

That brings us to Adventure Club. We heard they have been around a while, and boy they have their sound and mash-ups down to a science. We loved that they incorporated the EDM sound you’d expect with excerpts from well-known rock songs from greats like Weezer and Nirvana. You never knew what sample would be up next and that was exciting! Plus, the crowd was loving them, you could see it in their faces and in the fervor of excitement surrounding the whole set.

Here’s some of our favorite photos from the festival, browse through and enjoy. Until 2019!

Group Pose

The Tower

Splash Pool

Piano

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Ferris Wheel

Leah Culver

A View from the Top

Artwork

Performances

Glow

Punch Bowl Social’s End-of-Summer Punch Bowl Round-Up

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/30/18

Fall is here, but with the weather in Atlanta, you can definitely still enjoy an end of summer, refreshing punch bowl. We went down to Punch Bowl Social Atlanta to try their end of summer punch bowl round-up, where we had a few delightful drinks like the Kings Cup, Strawberry Fields, and more. The strawberry punch was smooth unlike most gin drinks, with the sweet of the strawberry syrup and the bitterness of the lemon and salt. It was a well-rounded drink. Then, the Kings Cup was also very good with slight rum and pear flavors up-front, with a slight vinegar scrub on the back-end. It’s a good, sweet, salty, drink.

 

As far as the food, bar far the best bite on the menu we had was the Sriracha Peanut Fries topped with carnitas and a creamy aioli. It was a layer of tender, crisp French fries, topped with a creamy aioli and spicy sriracha, pilled-high with tender carnitas. Topped with picked onions and vegetables are just icing on the cake. Why doesn’t everyone get it this way? Seriously, get it this way. We also tasted the wings, which were tender, and sweet, as well as the not-your-mother’s bologna sandwich with salty, rich Gruyere cheese, and thick, meaty bologna. Who doesn’t love Gruyere?

 

All-in-all a fun place to grab a punch bowl at the end of summer, share a few bites with friends, and take-in a game of bowling if will. We had a blast with the pinball. We’re the pinball wizards!

Dixie Q Hosts Porksinks and Pork Rinds Every Monday

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/10/18

Tonight, 9/10, Dixie Q Brookhaven has their kick off their Pigskins & Pork Rinds weekly event that coincides with MNF! We got to hang out with the guys from Dixie Q on Thursday to taste some barbeque, sip on a cocktail from Old 4th Distillery, and enjoy a flight of Terrapin Beer Co.! The Horses’ Neck was light and an “all-game” drinkable cocktail with hints of ginger and Lawn Dart from Old 4th Distillery. Of the entrees, the brisket was our favorite by far smoked the longest and fall-apart good, on top of that we also loved the sausage was tender, slightly spicy, and savory. So, watch some football, enjoy a meal, and try a new cocktail or two. #cheers

 

An Unforgettable 26th Annual Jeffrey Fashion Cares

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/3/18

An Unforgettable Evening of Fashion and Philanthropy 

Arbiter of style, Jeffrey Kalinsky, creator of two namesake boutiques in Atlanta and Manhattan, celebrated 26 years of Jeffrey Fashion Cares Atlanta on Monday, August 27, 2018. The annual fashion forward and philanthropic event was once again hosted by Event Chairs Lila Hertz, Jeffrey McQuithy and Louise Sams.  A sold-out evening, Atlanta’s most notable gathered in Phipps Plaza in the heart of Buckhead to enjoy a high-energy cocktail reception and silent auction followed by a live auction and runway show featuring Kalinsky’s style selections from high-end designers including Celine, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Dries Van Noten, Sacai, Saint Laurent Paris, Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. Kalinsky is also set to open his first West Coast location in Palo Alto.

 

The 26th anniversary of Jeffrey Fashion Cares benefitted Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta, the Atlanta AIDS Fund (AAF), and the Medical University of South Carolina. Over the course of its history, Jeffrey Fashion Cares has raised more than 15 million dollars for its beneficiaries.  For more information, visit jeffreyfashioncares.com.

 

 

Jeffrey Kalinsky’s Fall Trend Forecast: 

 

If there is one bold font message from the Fall 2018 shows, it’s that fashion is forever changing. In a world where both menswear and womenswear are being presented together, brands are evolving from the notion of seasonal collections.

If we had to choose one word to describe the season, it is #EMPOWERMENT. The expression of femininity came in many different shapes and sizes. From sharp shoulder outerwear, to an array of shine and iridescent colors, Fall 18 was anything but safe.

Other notable trends we noticed on the runways:

Sparkle:  Traditional sequins just don’t cut it! Your favorite knits, dresses, and coats have been transformed into exploded novelty items. The whirl of paillettes storming down the runway was hard to miss and the most shimmering jumpsuits were sent down the cat walk.

Oversize:  Enormous fashion, anyone? Don’t be afraid to layer up with 2-in-1 pieces or oversized strong shoulder outerwear reminiscent of the 80’s. Designers are delivering exciting collaborations with this trend.

Sports:  Go team go! Many designers took to the sports culture, each creating their own athletic inspired merchandise.

Neon:  Not afraid of color! Fall 2018 brings you iridescent dresses that can be seen from a mile away.  On the runway, there were eye-popping neons (pink, green, and orange) in every type of fabric imaginable, including florescent infused knits.

Plaid:  Plaid looked richer than ever this season. We saw perfect tailoring to strong outerwear, all featuring plaid or plaid prints.