Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/5/17

On Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27, 2017, the 15th annual Grant Park Summer Shade Festival welcomed thousands of music and art lovers to Atlanta’s oldest park for two days of nonstop fun. Presented by and benefiting the Grant Park Conservancy, the festival kicked off with the annual Adams Realtors Run for the Park 5K on Saturday morning and featured an impressive lineup of live music throughout the weekend on two stages, which included unforgettable performances from Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics, Blair Crimmins, Grant Green Jr., Michelle Malone, James Hall & The Steady Wicked, Front Porch Session Players, and the Matt Wauchope Trio. Always a favorite, guests sipped, shopped and strolled through the expansive artist market, enjoyed a larger than life Kids Zone and took advantage of the exclusive Beacon Atlanta VIP Lounge.  Open to all ages and free to attend, the 15th annual Summer Shade Festival also had a diverse selection of local food trucks with offerings for all tastes, and imbibing offerings including Monday Night Brewing craft beer, Bold Rock Cider, and Frida Kahlo Tequila and Status Vodka cocktails and more.

Posted by Liz Attaway, 4/10/17

 

With only a few locations in Atlanta, you probably didn’t know that Chuy’s started in 1981 and that the Aker’s Mill location off Cobb Parkway is the 83rd. They are all over the Southeast! From the THOUSAND hard carved fish floating overhead at the bar, those framed dog photos, tin palm trees, to hubcaps lining the ceiling, one of the most interesting things about Chuy’s is its patchwork decor. On top of that, they handmake their margaritas, sauces, and flour tortillas. Speaking of sauces, the first thing you should do when you get to Chuy’s is to familiarize yourself with their signature sauces, or as I call it “land of #allthesauces.” I really enjoyed the Ranchero and if you like spice, the Green Hatch Chile. It has so much flavor with the chiles, fire roasted to perfection, and spice on the back-end. Beyond the sauce, is the Nacho Car from 4 to 7 pm each weekday. But, don’t call it a happy hour, call it Nacho Hour. Load up on beans, meat, queso, pico de gallo chunky salsa, and unlimited chips.  UNLIMITED. FREE. Ok, with a purchase but you go to happy hour for a drink, so of course, you’ll stay for the nacho car.

 

My favorite thing at Chuy’s are the refried beans, which are creamy, savory, and slightly salty. I know that may be odd, but they are! Everything is good at Chuy’s from the tacos to the fajitas, margaritas, and flautas. I had the skinny margarita and it was delicious because they fresh make them with agave, lime, and tequila. That’s it. There isn’t any sour mix, which makes it seem so fresh! As far as the meal, started with the flautas and they were just the right amount of crunch, sauce, tender chicken, and spice. I followed that up with the fajitas, which were both tender and flavorful, with just enough spice. Add that to their homemade flour tortillas that were probably just made 5 minutes ago, guacamole, and toppings, and you got a wonderful meal.

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/31/17

Immersive Creative Experience “Blends” Together Hair Styling, Music, Makeup, and Performance Art

Atlanta, Georgia (January 26, 2017) – Keune Haircosmetics, a global hair care company with North American headquarters in Atlanta, launched its much-anticipated new hairstyling product line BLEND at an exclusive, invite-only event on January 22, 2017.  Produced by  Bill Kaelin Marketing and located at the striking  Southern Exposure venue within King Plow Arts Center on Atlanta’s Westside, the event hosted over 250 hair  stylists  and  tastemakers,  and played off of a “blended” theme throughout, including a variety of unexpected artistic experiences, entertaining performances, and creative food and drink.

“Keune BLEND’s launch party was a celebration of individuality, personal style, true beauty, and art,”  says Atlanta-based Rachael Hoffman, VP of Marketing for Keune North America. “We are thrilled with the positive reception to Keune’s hot new hair styling line, and look forward to continuing to expand BLEND’s reach for consumers and hair stylists alike throughout Atlanta and North America’s hair salons. For a company that has been around for over 97 years, in 72 countries – we are just getting started in the states and the response has been tremendous.”

Southern Exposure’s expansive 7,000-foot space with soaring 25-foot ceilings, more than 2,000 panes of glittering glass windows and unique vignettes set the scene for the BLEND creative experience to unfold.  Everywhere guests turned there was something to stimulate the senses Atlanta  DJ Ree De La Vega put a bounce in partygoers’ steps with her sick beats, while famed local graffiti artist Dr. Dax created a large scale painting that was given away at the end of the evening. An aerialist flew over an all-white photography area where guests were given the opportunity to take part in a live photo shoot. Performance artist Diego entertained onlookers through a glass-walled bathroom space, where he played with BLEND products and various hairstyles, while hair models with makeup by Crush Studio and styling by nationally renowned Keune artists George Alderete, Edward Woody and Switzerland’s Mike Karg showcased trendy BLEND looks throughout the crowd.

Garbed in over-the-top wigs filled with colorful BLEND products, drag queen hosts took Polaroid photos of guests that hung from clotheslines during the event, and later, attendees took home their snapshots. The hosts included the fabulous Dax Exclamation Point, who has appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race; Brigitte Bidet, who emcees her show “Tossed Salad” at Burkhart’s Pub; and Hydrangea Heath, who performs for the “Tossed Salad” and “Gurlfrand” shows in Atlanta.

Garbed in over-the-top wigs filled with colorful BLEND products, drag queen hosts took Polaroid photos of guests that hung from clotheslines during the event, and later, attendees took home their snapshots. The hosts included the fabulous Dax ExclamationPoint, who has appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race; Brigitte Bidet, who emcees her show “Tossed Salad” at Burkhart’s Pub; and Hydrangea Heath, who performs for the “Tossed Salad” and “Gurlfrandz” shows in Atlanta.

Bold American Catering tantalized taste buds with creative bites that juxtaposed flavors like sweet and savory and cool and hot, such as bacon and peanut butter shots and cantaloupe and pineapple with smoked chili powder. At the open bar, Bai cocktails matched BLEND’s hot-hued packaging in flavors like blood orange, pineapple and grapefruit and Atlanta’s Wild Heaven provided yellow cans of Emergency Drinking Beer. Plus, mobile sips and treats  included Cult Carts’ “adult” cotton candy in unexpected blended flavors, such as Strawberry Fig Balsamic, Lavender Cookies & Cream, and Vanilla Popcorn, as well as a model who brought bubbly to partygoers with her “Champagne dress.” Tito’s Vodka served up Moscow Mule slushies from the dry ice bar in VIP.

Fashioned for the modern muse, style chameleon, and free spirit, Keune BLEND sparks creativity with endless mix-and-match hair-styling options. The 14 premium products in the modern and colorful BLEND collection feature packaging with silver metallic, bold black and a rainbow of hot hues, and look just as great on your shelf or countertop as it does when used on your hair. The line encourages personal style by offering everything you need to work with volume, texture, hold, shine and more. Use each product, from a shaping texturizing cream to a de-frizzing shine booster, alone or create a custom mash-up that suits your hair or the mood and mode of the moment. Grab two, three, four—as many products as you want—to invent a whole new shape and make it your own. It is top-shelf mixology for hair that’s going places.

Need inspiration? Keune has got you covered with eight international looks inspired by today’s street fashion and DIY videos to help you create them. Watch another video introducing Keune BLEND here.

All Keune BLEND products are available for purchase at professional salons, including Salon 124 and Genesis Salon locations in the Atlanta area. To find one near you, visit us.keune.com/salonfinder.

ABOUT KEUNE HAIRCOSMETICS:
A family-owned and founded company based in The Netherlands, Keune Haircosmetics has served hair stylists, colorists, and consumers since 1922 by providing the finest professional hair color, hair care, and styling products to more than 70 countries. For more information, visit keune.com/na.

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 12/11/16

We were invited on Tuesday, November 29th to experience Fogo de Chao’s newest location in Dunwoody. They have tons of offerings from salmon to heart of palm to black pepper candied bacon on their salad bar, as well as every meat imaginable. The best was the bacon wrapped filet, followed by the lamb chop, and the parmesan pork. Everything is delicious and the drink list is impeccable. Beyond that, they have stepped it up a notch with modern, yet inviting decor. Here’s more information about Fogo de Chao’s newest location below, as well as menu offerings. Enjoy!

 

Authentic Southern Brazilian Steakhouse opens in Atlanta’s hottest suburb

 

ATLANTA – Internationally-renowned Southern Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão (pronounced fo-go dee shown) is bringing the heat to Atlanta’s culinary scene with the opening of its second Atlanta-area location on Wednesday, November 30 in Dunwoody.

 

“We’re very excited to open our second Atlanta-area restaurant in Dunwoody,” said Larry Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Fogo de Chão. “Since opening in Buckhead almost 16 years ago, we’ve kept an eye on the growth in Dunwoody, and are thrilled to establish Fogo as a regular destination for residents, the business community, and tourists alike.”

 

The menu is anchored around the Full Churrasco experience – the art of roasting meats over an open fire, and espeto corrido, or “continuous service” – that Fogo de Chão began serving more than 37 years ago in Southern Brazil. The menu features a wealth of savory, fire-roasted meats that are perfectly seasoned, prepared and carved tableside by a team of authentic, Brazilian-trained gaucho chefs. Some guest favorites include filet mignon, lamb chops, and ribeye, as well signature Brazilian cuts like their house specialty Picanha sirloin. As a complement to the variety of protein options, guests can also enjoy the gourmet Market Table and Feijoada Bar, which includes seasonal salads, soups, fresh vegetables, Feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew), and authentic Brazilian side dishes. To celebrate the new location, an introductory price of $46.50 is being offered for dinner.

 

The brand new Dunwoody location offers a variety of other dining options and experiences for everyone, including:

 

• Gaucho Lunch: Designed to accommodate the busy schedules of weekday diners and business professionals, starting at $15. Guests may also choose to add a single cut of meat to the Market Table, all for under $25.
• Brazilian Brunch: Introduced to celebrate family and friends on weekends, guests can enjoy the Full Churrasco experience along with the Market Table, fresh seasonal fruits, Greek Yogurt and some special, Brazilian-inspired breakfast items like Pão de Queijo Egg Bake, Braised Beef Rib Hash and a Seasonal Sunday Roast. To complement the experience, Fogo de Chão offers a special Brunch Bar in the main dining room where guests can enjoy made-to-order Caipirinhas and classic American brunch cocktails with Brazilian twists such as their cachaça Bloody Mary and Passion Fruit Mimosa.
• Bar Fogo: Created for those craving the authentic Fogo de Chão experience in a more casual way, guests can enjoy smaller, shareable plates, a variety of craft cocktails, award-winning wines and happy hour specials located in the bar area of the restaurant.
• Seafood: Brazilian-inspired seafood options such as Shrimp Cocktail with homemade Malagueta cocktail sauce and Mango Chilean Sea Bass are also available a-la-carte.
• Group and Private Dining: Whether celebrating a special birthday or hosting a large corporate meeting, Fogo de Chão has become the place for group and private dining internationally. The Dunwoody restaurant is well-suited for groups of all sizes with customizable menus, beautiful private and semi-private dining spaces, and complimentary A/V equipment.

 

The Dunwoody culinary team is proudly led by General Manager and Head Gaucho Chef Alceu Pressi, who first learned the gaucho style of cooking on his family farm in the small town of Marau, Brazil, located in Rio Grande do Sul, the state in which Fogo de Chão was founded.

 

Every Fogo de Chão restaurant boasts an award-winning wine list and extensive drink menu, featuring Brazil’s national drink, the Caipirinha, handcrafted with cachaça (Brazilian liquor made from sugarcane), fresh lime, and sugar. Fogo de Chão also offers a tempting dessert menu, including its signature Papaya Cream – made with fresh papaya and vanilla ice cream, then finished with Crème de Cassis tableside. A dining experience for all ages, children six-and-under enjoy complimentary dining, and ages seven-to-12 dine at half price for the Full Churrasco experience.

 

For more information, please visit the Fogo Dunwoody location page or Fogo.com.

 

Fogo de Chão Dunwoody is located at 4671 Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody, next door to the Spruill Center for the Arts.

 

Lunch and Weekend Brunch:

Monday through Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 

Dinner:

Monday through Thursday: 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Friday: 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Saturday: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Sunday: 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Happy Hour  

 

Happy Hour Monday through Friday: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Available in the bar area only).

 

About Fogo de Chão

Fogo de Chão is a leading Brazilian steakhouse, or churrascaria, which has specialized for more than 37 years in fire-roasting high-quality meats utilizing the centuries-old Southern Brazilian cooking technique of churrasco. The company was founded in 1979 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and expanded into the U.S. in 1997. There are currently 45 locations throughout Brazil, the United States, and Mexico, including locations in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago and Mexico City. For more information, visit Fogo.com or Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Check out “The Gaucho Way,” a documentary-style video shot through the eyes of real Fogo de Chão Brazilian gauchos and explore the restaurant’s deep cultural roots in Southern Brazil (http://bit.ly/1jMHAtm).

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/20/16

Arbiter of style and acclaimed retailer Jeffrey Kalinsky kicked off Atlanta’s fall social season on a stylish note at the 24^th Annual Jeffrey Fashion Cares on Monday, August 29, 2016. One of the largest combined AIDS and breast cancer benefits in the country; the philanthropic affair featured a pre-show cocktail reception, silent and live auction, and a dazzling runway show – giving fashion lovers an intimate look at Fall’s hottest runway trends.  For the second year in a row, Jeffrey Fashion Cares returned to the recently renovated Phipps Plaza in the heart of Buckhead where attendees slipped into a completely transformed and private environment in the Monarch Court as Kalinsky and his team once again embarked on their mission to raise as much awareness and funds as possible for the event’s beneficiaries, Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta AIDS Fund (AAF).

 

For 2016, Kalinsky once again joined Event Chairs Lila Hertz, Jeffrey McQuithy and Louise Sams in producing an unforgettable evening for Atlanta’s most stylish.  Attendees mixed and mingled at pre-show cocktail reception while they bid on an array of luxury items including timeless jewelry, watches, and must-have handbags. After guests took their seats, a high-energy live auction featuring once in a lifetime experiences led up to a stunning runway show featuring Kalinsky’s style selections from high-end designers such as Lanvin, Celine, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Gucci, Valentino, Dries van Noten, Saint Laurent Paris, Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik.   Last year’s sold-out event raised $700,000 for Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta AIDS Fund (AAF).

Fall 2016 will be an over the top season, literally. From New York, London, Paris and Milan, we are bringing you an oversized, puffed up, perfect selection to lift your look for autumn. We have the biggest trends of the season, suitable for every occasion.

We’re showcasing cashmere, leather, glossy brocades, and liquid silks–producing silhouettes that reflect a powerful, yet refined attitude. Fall will be portrayed through a monochromatic palette with color blocks to set the mood; including lemon yellow, royal blue, and shades of red.

Elegance is an attitude as well as an appearance. This year, however, the theme mirrors more casual lifestyles, relevant for today’s busy women. The selection has been carefully chosen from our favorite designers of the coming season.

The basic look will be an oversized street style. It will be highlighted by designers Vetements and Marques Almeida. We continue to see the exaggeration in fit and tailoring to complement the puffiness of this comfortable trend.

Along with this new image, we have a found a velvet goldmine, showcased by designers using this rich fabric as a revival of a revered fabric chosen by royalty.

Celine impresses us with wearable garments, conceptual shapes, tunics worn over flared pants, with variations of outerwear as well. Brandon Maxwell empowers women with striking sexy, sculpted silhouettes that accent today’s evening wear.

Our key elements of oversizing are seen in parkas, capes, bomber jackets, furs and shearlings for a splendid season this fall.