barkley

Barkley’s owners are our great friends, the Sands.  We wanted to see them, too, of course.  They recommended that we have brunch at nearby Atmosphere Bistro and then head down to the Chattahoochee River Trails for Barkley’s first swimming lesson.  To me, that sounded like the best. day. ever. 

So, we met at Atmosphere pre-church crowd rush.  It was my first time at the restaurant, but even before setting foot inside I knew four things about it.

1 – I pass by it driving on Piedmont (Morningside intersection) almost every single day.
2 – It’s a French bistro that has won a lot of local dining awards.
3 – The patio looks like a great place to have dinner or brunch cocktails.
4 – Everyone I know who has tried it has recommended it to me.

Here’s a picture of Atmosphere at night.  So impossibly cute.

Anyway, we successfully snagged a table on the patio and ordered up some champagne cocktails + coffee.

We literally wanted to order everything on the menu.  It all sounded so splendid!  We ultimately decided on two appetizers to share – both of which I strongly recommend.

Crab with avocado, tomato + pineapple chutney served in a martini glass.

Breaded + fried brie with an arugula salad.  OOOOMMMMGGGG.  Awesomesauce, y’all!

After we’d effectively wet our whistles with a few cups of coffee, brunch-y cocktails, and delicious appetizers, we quickly eased on to our entrees.  The Sands both settled on Benedictine: poached eggs benedict over toasted bread, ham, and hollandaise sauce, served with homemade French fries and mixed greens.  A perfect brunch-on-a-patio dish.

Kevin selected the L’Omelette du Jour which happened to be filled that day with thick cut bacon.  There were no complaints from his side of the table.  His omelet arrived with French fries Oeufs and mixed greens, as well.  Kev thought that Atmosphere’s French fries were spectacular!  (Obviously cooked in duck fat and with love.)  He was thoroughly impressed.

I ordered the Carpaccio de boeuf: thin slices of raw Kobe beef with shaved Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh lemon juice.  Simple and delightful.  I was very pleased with my selection.

By the end of the meal, we were completely stuffed.  I was so glad that the Sands suggested we try Atmosphere, and now the delicious restaurant is no longer just a quaint house with a sign that I pass by on Piedmont each day, but rather a destination for really enjoyable French cuisine.  I am looking forward to going back to try their dinner menu, and taste their famous French Onion soup!

Shortly after brunch, we headed out to the Chattahoochee with Barkley – who had been patiently awaiting our return. 

I’m sure you will all be pleased to know that he is a total water pup and had a very successful first swimming lesson!  The Sands are sure to become river regulars!

Hoping that everyone had as lovely of an Easter as we did! 

xx, L

Atmosphere Bistro
1620 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA  30324
678.702.1620
www.atmospherebistro.com

xx, L+L

I posted this guy last year, but I couldn’t think of anything more creative to post for Passover 2012.  Please enjoy…AGAIN.  Happy Passover, y’all! 

Tonight marks the first night of Passover.  Jewish folks all over the world will sit down this evening to have a traditional Passover seder with friends + family. 

For those who are unfamiliar with this holiday but curious about it, the Q+DD is here to help!  I’ve put together a Passover “quickie” guide below (many thanks to Slate.com) for your reference covering all major seder points.  (Fact: LK + I actually used this as our seder program two years ago.)  Check us out below with our homemade charoset.  Oh yeah, our seder was 80′s-themed.  Don’t judge…

Two key items critical to the Passover seder are matzah (unleavened bread) + kosher wine…lots of it.

So here we go…

The Passover seder, the oldest continuously observed religious ceremony in the world, tells the story of the Jews’ Exodus from Egypt.  Jewish tradition says that people of each generation must imagine that they personally departed from Egypt + the sages say that each generation must retell the story in its own terms.

(The sages probably did not intend this.)

Opening prayers:

Lighting of the candles

Blessing over the wine

Prayer over the matzah

Pour a glass of wine for Elijah.  This is NOT like “spilling some out for your homeys.”

Thanks, G-d, for creating wine.  (Drink wine.)

Thanks for creating produce.  (Eat parsley.)

Overview:

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  Now we’re free.  That’s why we’re doing this.

(Drink wine.)

Four questions:

1. What’s up with the matzah?

2. What’s the deal with horseradish?

3. What’s with the dipping of the herbs?

4. What’s this whole slouching at the table business?

(Drink wine.)

Answers:

1. When we left Egypt, we were in a hurry.  There was no time for making decent bread.

2. Life was bitter, like horseradish.

3. It’s called symbolism.

4. Free people get to slouch.

(Drink wine.)

A funny story:

Once, these five rabbis talked all night, then it was morning.

(Heat soup now.)

The four kinds of children + how to deal with them:

Wise child – explain Passover.

Simple child – explain Passover slowly.

Silent child – explain Passover loudly.

Wicked child – browbeat in front of the relatives.

(Drink wine.)

Speaking of children:

We hid some matzah.  Whomever finds it gets a surprise.  Yippee!

(Drink wine.)

The story of Passover:

It’s a long time ago.  We’re slaves in Egypt .

Pharaoh is a nightmare.  We cry out for help.  G-d brings plagues upon the Egyptians.  We escape, bake some matzoh.  G-d parts the Red Sea. 

We make it through; the Egyptians aren’t so lucky.  We wander 40 years in the desert, eat manna, get the Torah, wind up in Israel, get a new temple + enjoy several years without being persecuted again.

The 10 Plagues:

Blood, Frogs, Lice, Flies, Pestilence, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness + Eliminating the Oversensitive 1st Child…OY!

(Drink wine.)

The singing of (one chorus of ) Dayenu:

Ilu ho-tsi, ho-tsi-a-nu,

Ho-tsi-a-nu mi-Mitz-ra-yim,

Ho-tsi-a-nu mi-Mitz-ra-yim,

Da-ye-nu!

CHORUS:

Dai, da-ye-nu,

Dai, da-ye-nu,

Dai, da-ye-nu,

Da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu!

Dai, da-ye-nu,

Dai, da-ye-nu,

Dai, da-ye-nu,

Da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu!

(Drink wine.)

If G-d had gotten us out of Egypt and not punished our enemies, it would’ve been enough.  If he’d punished our enemies and not parted the Red Sea, it would’ve been enough.  If he’d parted the Red Sea…

(Remove gefilte fish from refrigerator now.)

(Eat matzah.  Drink more wine.  Slouch.)

Thanks again, G-d, for everything!  We promise we’ll remember!

SERVE MEAL. 

(Drink wine.)

The seder is complete.  Next year in Israel!

Well, there you have it.  You’re welcome + happy Passover to all! 

xx, L

Last year’s event SOLD OUT. Tickets are $25...but if you get them BEFORE WEDNESDAY and use code LuckyLK…they are a “wee” bit less at $20! (click HERE)

Live performances by: 

2:00PM Life and Limb (local ATL ROCK!)

4:00PM Nimrod (Green Day tribute band… get it?  GREEN Day?)

6:00PM Unzipt (80′s Cover band.  I mean, why not?)

DJ Harrison Griffis and DJ Mason Gill all day and all night

Get ready for “The biggest green party on this little blue planet!”  LuckyFest 2012!

xx, L

What are you going to do with your “extra” day?

xx, L

I’ve said it once; I’ll say it again…  St. Patty’s Day is the greatest holiday all year long!  It’s science, actually.  You don’t have to celebrate it with your family – so no potential arguments.  Everyone’s drunk.  Again, everyone’s drunk.  You get to deck yourself out in GREEN (which is a pretty flattering color on most people – also science).  And, pinching is socially acceptable.  Y’all admit it: It’s a solid way to celebrate a holiday.

I love St. Pat’s so much I once named a dog, “Guinness.”  Fact.

Anyway, this year Kev and I are taking our St. Patty’s Day party on the road to the Ritz Lodge at Lake Oconee.  We may be far away from a lot of the green debauchery, but we are still sure to celebrate!

ritz at lake oconee

If we were going to be in town, though, we’d absolutely, 100%, without a doubt, be at Fado Irish Pub + Restaurant for their annual St. Patty’s party!

Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant was the first Irish pub to be designed and constructed in Ireland and shipped and installed in Atlanta.  It is distinguished by its genuine Irish hospitality, the quality of its pints + authentic Irish food and fun.

Fado is hosting the city’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration!  On Saturday, March 17, Fado will open at 7:00 a.m., and rugby fans will enjoy non-stop live action including Ireland vs. England in the exciting final match of the RBS 6 Nations Rugby tournament.  There will be a $10 cover charge starting at 8:00 a.m., which grants fans access to a viewing area that has been sectioned off for the game.  The rest of Fado is open with no cover charge for guests until noon.

At noon, the Buckhead pub will open its doors to the street festival that includes beer tents, bagpipers and Irish dancers along with live music throughout the day and night!  Pre-sale tickets are available for $10 online (these sold out fast last year!), and tickets will also be sold for $15 at the door. 

Astral Freaks (Van Morrison cover band), Desire (Atlanta’s own U2 cover band), and Justin will all perform live for the crowd outside the pub, and a DJ will be inside spinning tracks for inside partygoers.  Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, partygoers can start early and stay out late.  It’s a full day session that the pub likes to call a “Paddython!”

Fado will also be hosting exciting events leading up to the St. Patrick’s day festival, and interested guests can get more information by visiting the pub’s online event schedule.

Fado serves a menu of authentic Irish food and beverages including corned beef and cabbage, traditional Irish boxty and fish n’ chips, Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks, Bailey’s Irish Cream, proper Irish coffees, and a wide selection of Irish whiskeys.  Yummmmm.

So plan ahead + don’t miss out on the fun at Fado from 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m on Saturday, March 17 – Sunday, March 18!  OR you may be making this face on St. Patty’s when the tickets are completely sold out…

Happy (early) St. Pat’s!  Wishing green-awesomeness to you all! 

xx, L

Fado Irish Pub + Restaurant
273 Buckhead Avenue
Atlanta, GA  30305
404.841.0066
www.fadoirishpub.com/atlanta

Prepared just for YOU! 

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovebirds! 

xx, L

oooh, i'm this close...

No wait.  Still haven’t gotten it.

eh.

(Duh!  It’s one of the most exciting days of the year!) 

IT’S LAUREN’S BIRTHDAYYYYY!!!!!  Hooray!

get out of town!!

Happy, happy birthday, lovely lady! 

Hoping that you have the most wonderful day, and a year full of happiness, laughter, success, a picture perfect wedding day to your amazing fiance GREG!!, lots of QT with Princess Olive, family, so many great friends, shopping sprees, cocktails, and LOTS and LOTS of love!  You deserve it ALL!

Happy birthday from everyone!  Enjoy your special day, LK!

So much love!  Can’t wait to c.e.l.e.b.r.a.t.e!!

xx, L

So, as your elder, I’d like to share a few New Year’s Resolutions (better late than never…) with y’all that LK + I thought were worth a double-read.  If you haven’t quite made your 2012 resolution(s) yet, or if you made one and have already broken it (like me…I was hoping to eliminate my Diet Coke consumption), here is a little something to think about from the Thought Catalog.

20 New Year’s Resolutions for 20-Somethings (30-Somethings count, too…)

Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet.

Know which candidate you’re going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and know why.

Enough with the 14-day juice cleanses.  If you want to lose a little weight quickly, eat less and exercise like crazy.  If you want to lose a lot of weight slowly, do whatever Jennifer Hudson did.

If you really like the person you’re hooking up with and would like them to be your boyfriend/ girlfriend, find a way to tell them, and hope for the best.  If you don’t and wouldn’t, stop.

Find a way to save approximately 300 dollars and spend it on a flight to see a friend or family member who lives far away.

Please stop liking the Kardashians, all of them.  It’s not helping anyone, least of all the Kardashians.

Spend less than or equal to the money you earn each month.

Wear clothes that fit you, especially to work.

Call someone on the phone at least once a week, and speak to him or her for at least ten minutes.

Start preparing now to get over the fact that Facebook is probably going to change again in six months.  You’re not going to deactivate your account.  You don’t know how.

Wait 30 seconds before you look up a fact you can’t remember on your phone, and try to remember it using your brain.  This is what the olden days were like.

Replace one terrible reality show you’re currently watching with one wonderful scripted show currently available on television. 

Try that food you think you don’t like but have never actually tried, unless it’s brussel sprouts.  They really don’t need any more attention.

Cut one person out of your life who you truly do not like and add one person who you truly do.  Note: not on Facebook, on Earth.

If you’re still blacking out regularly, you should stop.

Volunteer once over the next 90 days.  You’ll feel really good about it, and probably end up volunteering again over the next 275.

Tell someone who you love that you love them on a more regular basis.  To their face, not in a text.

Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos.

Poop or get off the pot.  This applies to whatever thing you’re not doing that you should just sack up and do already.

And in the eternal words of Tom Haverford, “TREAT YO SELF!”

All worth at least considering…  We hope that 2012 is treating everyone really well! 

xx, L

upped her awesomeness quotient by 15%. (just when you thought she was at awesomeness capacity.)

and

rocked a moustache harder than anyone you know

and

ate some really great food...with some really great company

and

hosted New Year's

and

kissed some cute babies

and

went to some fun parties

and

traveled the PCH

and

said what's up to the ocean

and

won some awards (!!!!!)

and

took some really adorable pictures (duh!)

and

conquered the 3-Day!

and

became engaged to a WONDERFUL man

and most recently…

developed a meaningful friendship with a barnyard animal. (hi, Sherman!)

Yep.  She did ALL of that in her 29th year… and even though you might think it doesn’t get any better than that – I have a feeling 30 will be the BEST. ONE. YET.

And it starts TODAY!

Happy BIRTHDAY, Linds!

xx, L