Two years ago, we celebrated in Orlando at Disney for my very first visit.

Last year, we trekked out to Kansas City to watch the ball drop.  An excellent time was had.

THIS year, Kev + I are the hosts and we’re ringing in the New Year in Atlanta!  (Expectations are high.)  Sooooo, we’ve decided to celebrate with Yacht Rock at Park Tavern!

If you’ve ever seen Yacht Rock perform, you KNOW that we’re in for a great time!

And, Park Tavern is an awesome place to celebrate any holiday.  PT always throws a solid party…

NYE with Yacht Rock is an all-inclusive event.  Drinks and food are covered all night and into the wee hours of the morning.  There will be live music with Yacht Rock Revue & Atlanta’s best DJ spinning in the Piedmont Room overlooking the Midtown skyline.

Highlights include:
- Open bar: premium liquor, beer, wine and champagne
- Live music + NYE countdown with Yacht Rock Revue
- Gourmet food including hors d’ouvres, carving station, NYE specialties along with plenty of sides + salads to keep your energy up and dancing into the New Year.
- Sushi display
- Toast & get toasty with smores for dessert
- Midnight breakfast buffet including all your favorites + fresh Krispy Kreme donuts
- Photo booth
- NYE favors
- Champagne toast at midnight
- Coat check

This party is where it’s at on Saturday, so get your tickets NOW: NYE w/ Yacht Rock Revue!

***BONUS***  LOOK FOR ME AT PARK TAVERN totally rockin’ out to Yacht Rock…

…and I will give a fist pump + one of these super rad Q+DD koozies to the first three people who wish me a “HAPPY QUICK + DIRTY DIRTY NEW YEAR!”

Your drinks have never looked so fashionable…  I can’t think of a better way to toast 2012!

Q+DD koozies: so hot right now.

See y’all at Park Tavern!  Wishing a fun NYE to all! 

xx, L

The holidays are here!  For the entire month of December, you can find the perfect gifts and enjoy all the holiday experiences that Midtown has to offer! 

The kick-off reception was last night (and it looked like fun!), but there’s more! 

12/2 + 12/3: Local Gifts + Treats Pop Up Shop at MidCity Lofts (West Peachtree at 6th St. between Tech Square + Renaissance Hotel).  Vendors include: Olive, Pieces of Me, Lisa Jill Jewelry, Kristi Hyde, and JuneBug.  To compliment your shopping experience, enjoy treats from Sinless Cocktails + Rockin’ Cupcakes!

All Month Long: Midtown’s holiday festivities continue! 
- Ice skate in Piedmont Park at Park Tavern
- Visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s “Garden Lights - Holiday Nights” installation
- Visit the ”Picasso to Warhol” exhibition at the High Museum of Art
- See “A Christmas Carol” at the Alliance Theatre
- Get tickets for “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at the Fox Theatre
- Revisit the story of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Center for Puppetry Arts
- Hear “Handel’s Messiah” at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

More info below…

December may be 31 days long, but you’ve got A LOT to do.  It’s going to fly by! 

Happy Holidays from the Q+DD!

xx, L

I had seen it under-construction for a while, but didn’t realize that it opened until recently when Kev came home from a haircut at Mint.  He burst into our condo and raved about New York Butcher Shoppe for the following 20 minutes.  He was talking rapidly, but I caught that he walked into NYBS after his haircut and didn’t want to leave because it “smelled UNBELIEVEABLE in there.”  He was particularly impressed with their assortment of prepared dinners; “all you have to do is pop them in the oven, Linds!”  He made me promise that we could give them “a ton” of business.  (This coming from the guy who would eat a Lean Cuisine every night if I didn’t intervene.)  “Sure – absolutely we will,” I said.  Eh, it was fun seeing him so excited about a new business + the place sounded great.  So welcome, NYBS, to the neighborhood!  I hear that we’ll be signing over our paychecks to you very soon… 

Have you visited NYBS yet??

Here’s the Q+DD on New York Butcher Shoppe:

NYBS is a unique shopping experience for customers seeking top-quality products and exceptional customer service at great prices.  We’re a high quality market with an emphasis on personal customer care.  The prices are as good or better than supermarket prices, but at the New York Butcher Shoppe, customers enjoy personal service and expert advice on cooking, grilling and meal planning.

From certified Angus beef steaks and incredibly prepared chicken cordon bleu, to fresh seasonal vegetables, pastas, sauces, wines and more, NYBS is the perfect place to experience cooking bliss.  We are way more than just a butcher shop.  We take pride in the quality of what we serve and the care in how we serve it.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you walk in the door at the selection of products we have.

NYBS

The D’Elia family established the New York Butcher Shoppe in 1999 on Ben Sawyer Boulevard in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  Bill D’Elia is originally from Brooklyn, NY where he began learning the butcher trade at age eleven.  His career has been in the grocery industry since 1970, primarily in butcher and meat areas.  The store in Mount Pleasant quickly grew in popularity, and the concept began franchising in October of 2003.

The NYBS concept is founded on the principles of outstanding customer service and the highest quality product, in a clean and inviting atmosphere.  Our line of hand cut steaks using Premium Angus Beef, prepared entrées, side dishes, salads and dips are always fresh and fill a unique shopping niche for our customers.  We also offer fresh sausages, frozen pastas, vegetables, hard-to-find grocery items, and a top selection of fine wines and cheeses.

a peek inside NYBS

NYBS sounds AWESOME – it’s very clear why Kev is such a big fan!  I can’t wait to visit ASAP.  I bet they have a number of great items we could add to our holiday celebrations. 

In the meantime, here’s some more info about NYBS:

Take a NYBS store tour: Where’s the beef??
Check out their menu: What’s cooking, good lookin’?!
Oooh, they cater, too: NYSB on the move!

Welcome, welcome again!  I’m looking forward to meeting you soon, NYBS.  (I have a feeling that we’ll be your most enthusiastic customers…)

xx, L

New York Butcher Shoppe
985-C Monroe Drive
Atlanta, GA  30308
404.343.3614
www.nybutcher.com

(Here’s a peek at the mouthwateringly INCREDIBLE Sugar Lilly Cupcake Jar that LK + I shared on Tuesday…) 

Cupcake Jars stay fresh for up to five days + have all the perks and goodness of Sugar Lilly’s delicious, signature cupcakes.  Each jar is crafted with slices of gourmet cupcakes, layered with homemade frostings + topped with decadent goodies!

All Sugar Lilly sweets are customized - from the flavors to the personal message.  Sugar Lilly will create a unique flavor combination to satisfy any pallet or compliment any event’s theme.  If you want to keep it simple, stick to a signature flavor combo including, butterfinger, oreo, red velvet, heath bar, lemon, strawberry shortcake, black bottom and many more.  After you have selected the perfect flavor combination, customize your Cupcake Jars with a personal message or logo!

Cupcake Jars are perfect in place of gift bags or get well gifts.  Small Cupcake Jars make excellent party favors for showers, birthday parties, weddings, corporate functions or housewarming parties!  Cupcake Jars, along with other Sugar Lilly decadent desserts, can now be shipped across the country in a matter of days. 

Sugar Lilly also specializes in cupcakes, candy buffets, gift baskets, gourmet chocolate desserts + party favors!  Ordering is available through Sugar Lilly’s Facebook Page.

As I mentioned, LK + I tried a Cupcake Jar the other night and it was absolutely as good as it sounds!  They are delicious cupcakes and the portability of the mason jars makes them SO much easier to enjoy!  Deeeee-lish!  

We heart Sugar Lilly! 

xx, L

Head to the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta for a Father’s Day brunch at Park 75 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 19.

Remind Dad how important he is at Park 75′s Father’s Day brunch, where the normal Sunday brunch menu has been altered to ensure that Dad gets his favorite foods!  There will be a buffet with two carving stations, mashed potatoes, delicious vegetables + tons of Dad’s favorite manly sides.

Father’s Day shifts into fifth gear as Stone Mountain Harley-Davidson in Conyers will be providing four motorcycles for the event just for Dad’s entertainment!  Two motorcycles will be on display at Park 75, and with a valid motorcycle license + proper clothes (long sleeves, long pants + leather shoes), two of the Harley-Davidson motorcycles will be available for a test drive with Stone Mountain Harley-Davidson sales and promotions director Joseph “Guido” Cardillo.

If you think your dad deserves something special this Father’s Day, give him a unique day that he is sure to remember for years to come! 

me @ the harley-davidson convention (don't ask.)

Cost is $65 per person including complimentary valet parking.  For reservations, call 404.253.3840.

Sounds like so much fun! 

xx, L

Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
75 Fourteenth Street
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.881.9898
www.fourseasons.com

Well, you’re in LUCK, aspiring Cupids, because The Q+DD is here to help…

If you’ve waited this long to make a Monday night dinner reservation – you are probably out of luck.  However, you are still welcome to check out the great prix fixe offerings at Fifth Group Restaurants.  Give ‘em a call – you never know who might be breaking up this weekend + canceling their reservation.  (JUST saying…)  Otherwise, I spent V-Day at Apres Diem (last minute reservation) a few years ago + thought it was great!  Could be fun to grab a quick bite there + catch a movie at Midtown Art Cinema? 

Another option is Genki Noodles + Sushi in Buckhead or Sandy Springs for “I Heart Sushi Month.”  Genki will be celebrating “IHSM” for the entire month of February featuring sushi rolls in the shape of a heart for $9.95 + $6 Valentine’s Day inspired cocktails.  I think that is pretty darn adorable!

If Monday doesn’t sound like the ideal day for a celebration, here are some fun V-Day weekend ideas:

Atlanta’s Chocolate Tour
The Atlanta Trolley Tour line is offering Atlanta’s Chocolate Tour just in time for Valentine’s Day.  For $80 per person, you’ll take a three-hour tour of four eating establishments where you will enjoy special chocolate treats.  Tours take place every weekend in February + begin daily at 11:00 a.m.  Information here:  I Love Chocolate!

V-Day in the Garden
Enjoy cocktails, scrumptious desserts, live entertainment + dancing while experiencing Orchid Daze, the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s annual exhibition of thousands of exotic orchids.  Saturday, February 12 from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. $30 per person ($25 for garden members).  Information here:  I Love Flowers!

V-Day @ the HIGH Museum
In celebration of the “Toulouse-Lautrec & Friends” exhibition, the HIGH Museum is hosting a special French Cabaret themed Valentine’s Day event.  French inspired food + drinks available for purchase.  Saturday, February 12 from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. $25 per person, $40 per couple + free for members.  Information here:  I Love French Stuff!

Cupid at the Castle
Couples can have the ceremony of their dreams for a fraction of the cost on Saturday, February 12 at Rhodes Hall, Atlanta’s “Castle on Peachtree.”  Weddings, commitment ceremonies + vow renewals are all available.  Rhodes Hall will provide a romantic setting for these brief, inexpensive ceremonies.  Couples can opt to exchange vows under the magnificent granite arches of the front porch overlooking Peachtree.  The cost per ceremony is $225.  Information here: I Love Ceremonies!

Want to send something to that special someone?  Here are a few ideas you can take advantage of – if you act super fast!

Pinkberry Makes Hearts Swirl
For the first time ever this Valentine’s Day, Pinkberry is introducing Swirly Grams.  Atlantans can celebrate their sweetheart with a beautifully wrapped gift of Pinkberry frozen yogurt hand-delivered free of charge to their loved one’s home or office (in designated delivery areas).  Information here:  I Love Yogurt! 

Send a Panty Gram
Send your hunk something much more memorable than a drugstore greeting card – a Panty Gram!  He’ll receive a lacy red thong with a flirty personalized message from “his secret admirer” that directs him to the Panty Gram website.  Once he logs in, he’ll read whatever message you want to leave for him.  Information here:  I Love Underwear!

And, some last minute V-Day gift ideas:

V-Day Personalized Boxers for Him
There’s no question where his heart belongs with Lovin’ It! Personalized Boxer Shorts!  These classic boxer shorts are custom-made for him alone with a bright red heart + personalized with the name of his significant someone across the front.  100% cotton, machine washable + great for lounging or sleepwear.  (Thank you for this one, Lynn @ www.dlreport.com!)  Information here:  I Love Personalization!

Tory Burch + Kate Spade Heart V-Day
Tory Burch + Kate Spade are both offering some super adorable V-Day gifts!  Check them out online or this weekend at Phipps Mall for Tory or Lenox Mall for Kate. 

A heart-shaped cactus would be pretty rad…  (RIP Felix – miss you, old friend.)

This last idea is kinda off the wall, but worth a mention.  Wax, Atlanta’s wax-only studio in Inman Park, is offering heart-shaped bikini waxes for $59.  To each his/her own.  I promise I’m not judging…  Information here: I can’t think of anything appropriate, so just click on this hyperlink.

that darwin - such a lady killer

With all of that said written, I must admit that a thoughtful home-cooked meal, a single red rose, a bottle of wine + a cuddle can go quite a long way on V-Day.  Sometimes that’s all you really need… 

Happy V-Day weekend, everyone!  

xx, L

This business is brilliant – and I’m not the only one who thinks so…  It’s been featured in The Oprah Magazine, USA Today, Brides, The New York Times, etc.  Chocomize’s list of supporters goes on and on and on.  The concept is simple + delicious:  You design.  They create.  They ship right to your doorstep – the most creative chocolate bars you can imagine!

And it arrives in nice packaging, too!

Here’s the Q+DD on Chocomize:

Choose your favorite chocolate base and from more than 100 types of fruit, nuts, herbs + candies to create your very own personalized chocolate bars.  Our Belgian chocolate bars are handmade to order with only the finest ingredients!  More than 30 billion custom chocolate combinations are possible.  You decide which one is perfect for you.  It’s easy, fun + simply delicious.  Also, great for bulk chocolate gifts, corporate gifts and chocolate wedding favors!

This is SO perfect for me as I view candy within the same terms that I also view creative accessorizing - MORE IS MORE!  And, I love gummy bears in chocolate + that isn’t always easy to find…  Believe me.

Just think!  You could make Beef Jerky Chocolate Bars:

Or an Obama Bar:

The possibilities are endless!  You use their simple Creation Station to choose your chocolate + select your toppings and order away!  Viola!

Folks:  Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, too.  Personally, I’d much rather receive customized Chocomize chocolate over a generic heart-shaped box of old standbys.

Visit Chocomize: http://www.chocomize.com/

I’m just sayin’…Chocomize is REALLY awesome.  Dark Chocolate + 23 Karat Gold Flakes (+ Gummy Bears?), well, don’t mind if I do!  If they are putting beef + herbs into their chocolate, I seriously doubt anyone’s judging! 

xx, L

happy almost anniv., p!

In ’06, I moved my stuff into Paige’s fully furnished + decorated home.  Not a bad deal for me at all – I only had my bedroom and bathroom to handle.  We have very different personal style regarding home furnishings, but it’s never bothered me.  However, one day, I definitely look forward to decorating a condo or house of my own, and when I do, I hope that this vendor I found at the Inman Park Festival is still going strong.  (Yikes, there were a lot of commas in that sentence…)

Of the hundreds of vendors at the Inman Park Festival this year, Go Jump In The Lake was my favorite.  Their rustic, cedar signs can be custom made or you can browse their online selection here:  http://www.mapledriveworkshop.com/

slick liked them, too...

Love!  The signs are perfect for a lake, mountain or beach house, an urban cottage or a rustic patio.  (Also, they’d make a fun housewarming gift!)  Sadly, I have no free space or actual need for any of their adorable signs at the moment, but I’m definitely stocking GJITL away in my trusty mental filing cabinet for when I do!

So cute! 

xx, L

"i solemnly swear we are up to no good..."

ALSO, it was a total giveaway if we were trying to conceal the shopping spree from him – until his CC statement appeared and sold us out…  In the meantime, we had to be strategic!!

Not my dad. But, Noel Roberts looks like a cross between Mister Rogers and...

The Clint

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that my dad passed along his sensitivity to me.  Although I am just mildly scent sensitive, I’d rather not test it out too much and end up with a migrane – so I tend to stick with simple vanilla scents.  I use vanilla scented lotion and I love vanilla candles!  In fact, I burn vanilla candles exclusively.

I recently received the most amazing candle and I’ve decided it’s totally blogworthy.  I love it!  It’s made by Archipelago Botanicals and it’s part of their Private Reserve Collection. 

After its maiden burning, I did a little bit of research on it to figure out why it was so awesome – and why it didn’t give me a pounding headache.  Well, here’s the scoop on Archipelago’s Private Reserve Collection: Each of the high-end, soy candles’ scents is a personal favorite of the owners.  The candles are labeled with the fragrance name and the original lab number.  Mine is Lust No. 83.  Yowza!

My roommate walked into my bedroom when I was burning it the other day and she said, “it smells like a sexy man in here.”  I have to admit that it kind of did – but it was just me, Big Red and the candle…  We all, including Big Red, absolutely love the way it smells!  According to the website, Lust No. 83 is a mix of ”bourbon vanilla (key point for me!), sultry vetiver, warm amber and shocking bergamont.”  I guess the vanilla was my initial attraction, but it’s much more than just a simple vanilla candle.  The candle’s blend is so unique! 

All the candles in the Private Reserve Collection come in really nice, sleek black packaging - a perfect housewarming or host gift for either gender! 

Find Lust No. 83 + other candles in Archipelago’s Private Reserve Collection for $29.50 here: http://www.candleluxury.com/archipelago-private-reserve-lust-candle.html

Enjoy!  (And, a PSA from Smokey himself:  PLEASE don’t play with matches…)

xx, L

Bonus! As I am prone to gross excess, of course I made way too many…but waste not want not – they’ve been just perfect for hostess gifts and holiday remembrances for my dry cleaner, doggie daycare, etc.!

I can do this, you can too.  It was very easy.

Here’s the Q+DD on making 2lbs worth of candied pecans:

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1tbsp water
1tbsp vanilla extract
2lbs pecan halves
2 c. white sugar
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 250.  Be sure you are not storing shoes or sweaters in oven before doing so. Grease 2 baking sheets.

In one big bowl whip the wet stuff (egg whites, water, vanilla) with a fork until it’s frothy.  In another big bowl mix the dry stuff (everything else)

Then, it’s easy-peasy. Dump the pecans into the egg mixture and use a fork to stir to coat them completely.  Then transfer them into the bowl with the sugar mixture and use a fork to stir to coat completely in the sugar.  Spread them onto your greased cookie sheets and pop those suckers in the oven.

Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes and bada-bing bada-boom!  You’re done.  Let them cool and transfer them to Tupperware or whatever you’re giving them in.  My mom suggested long cellophane bags with colorful ribbon, and that would have been lovely, but since we have the Container Store here in the A, I opted for these little windowed gift boxes:

I used white raffia and black magic marker for my holiday greeting, but if you prefer something a little more festive you could use whatever you want.  Obviously.

I’m psyched that they are so easy to make because they’ve been a total crowd-pleaser and I think they’d be really cute in a bowl for guests in your home!  The hardest part is keeping your hands off them. Fact.

Happy holidays, y’all!

xx, L