What does this mean??  I’ll tell ya!  $50 treatment deals at a number of Atlanta’s best local spas including Exhale Spa, Bella Med Spa & Boutique, Angela Michael Skincare & Spa, and Solera Salon & Med Spa! 

Check out the deals here: 2012 Spring Spa Week

Book now!  You will not want to miss out on this! 

xx, L

Located just two miles east of downtown Atlanta, Inman Park is not only the home of glorious Victorian mansions and contemporary new lofts, but also a major culinary destination.  Restaurant-rich, the area has more than 14 restaurants and pubs, offering everything from American, Southern, European, and ethnic cuisine to your favorite pub dishes.
 

Savor historic Inman Park with three-course dinners from the following restaurants: 

$15 Menu
North Highland Pub
The Albert
Fritti*

$25 Menu
Park’s Edge
Rathbun’s*
Sauced
il Localino
One Eared Stag*
Sotto Sotto*
Pure Taqueria
Wisteria*
Barcelona Wine Bar*
Parish Food and Goods

$35 Menu
Kevin Rathbun Steak

(*= my favorites…)

More info here: EAT IN INMAN!  And, enjoy! 

xx, L

Join Concentrics’ e-mail database, follow them on Facebook, or visit their website to download Concentrics’ Cold Cash.  Enjoy $12 off at their participating Atlanta restaurants for the entire month of January! 

Sa-weet!  Visit their website here: Stay full + save money this January at Concentrics!

xx, L

I was off Monday and Tuesday and got to play house(almost)wife, I started a new j-o-b on Wednesday, and on Friday, my 3 best friends from HIGH SCHOOL traveled from near and far to visit the ATL for a little girls’ getaway.  

From left: Mary Bradley, Leslie, Lucy, and me. Baby Frank and Baby Drew are also present in this picture!

It was DIVINE.  We ate our way through the city (Noche – Murphy’s – JCT – Flying Biscuit) pausing only to shop, have our nails done, and laugh uncontrollably.

Things I learned:

1. We canNOT drink the volume of wine we used to… but that’s probably a good thing due to the fact that as our age advanced, so did the caliber and price tag of the wine we prefer.
2. Nobody can call you out on your own BS better than people who saw you through your braces and acne phase.
3. I am the last person in our friend group to be clued in on the easy and delicious dinnertime miracle – Santa Fe Soup.  I made it for Greg this evening and is is DELISH and totally easy and I thought I’d share it with you!

Ok so check it – this is all you need:

1lb ground sirloin
1 can white shoe peg corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 large onion
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1 packet taco seasoning mix

Then you just:

1. Dice your onion and sauté it while you brown your meat and drain
2. Season the meat and onion with the ranch dressing and taco seasoning packets
3. Dump the rest of the ingredients in and bring to a boil
4. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

D-O-N-E.  Mary Bradley told me to put a can of water in to stretch out the pot, which I will try next time – but it makes a HUGE pot of delicious and hearty soup as is.  Top it with a little sour cream and cheese and it’s AMAZING.

It’s also pretty healthy – I’d estimate it’s between 7-8 WW points before toppings.

Now back to my emotional hangover…miss you guys already!

Enjoy!

xx, L

Maki Fresh is the newest fast-casual concept from John Cassimus, founder of Zoes Kitchen.  Offering both traditional and innovative Japanese menu items, Maki Fresh serves sushi, sashimi, rice bowls, salads, sliders + more.  Maki Fresh also offers meals-to-go and self-checkout stations within the store.  Catering and delivery are available.

I’ve eaten at Maki Fresh a number of times over the past three weeks, and I’m a huge fan.  It’s super casual – in fact, last night I threw on a bizarre mix of workout clothes and ski gear and met Gorms for dinner.  I did not question my outfit once while we ate. 

Most of all, the food is fast AND really good.  Here are some things I’ve eaten and would recommend…

Kokoyashi Maki Bowl w/ Brown Rice: ahi tuna, coconut, cucumber, scallions + light coconut lime dressing.  It’s my favorite thing on the menu.

Look at all of that food!  And, for only $8.95.  Yeah, you read that right.

Tokyo Maki Bowl w/ Not-So-Fried Brown Rice: chicken, carrots, edamame, yellow pepper, scallions + teriyaki sauce.

Ringo Maki Roll w/ Brown Rice: eel, strawberry, jalapeno + cream cheese.

How creative, right?!  It was gorgeous, too.  And, I love that brown rice is an option!

Their sushi-related offerings are numerous, but Maki Fresh also has beef, chicken salad + salmon sliders for the sushi adverse. 

Y’all need to try this place.  It’s fresh, it’s yummy, it’s fast – AND it has one of the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines!

yeaaaaaaaaaaaa boy!

Love it.  See y’all there! 

xx, L

Maki Fresh
2349 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30305
404.869.6600
www.makifresh.com

It’s like the whole Internet is on sale.

I ran out during lunch for SUPER official business (i.e. to work on my sequin-hot mess of a New Years Eve outfit) + my mission is now accomplished!  Nothing I bought was on sale, unfortunately, but sequins are E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E.!  It’s definitely my favorite time of the year.

hey hey, new years eve: prepare yourself...

Happy Cyber Monday, Internet shoppers!

xx, L

Allow me to introduce you to the “Legginskirt” ™ by Jane Darling by ME.  Leggings.  With a skirt attached.  Seems simple but I had no idea how versatile they would be.  The spandex-y material is perfect – you can be active in them, lounge around in them, and still feel cute throwing on a pair of heels and going out to dinner in them!  Seriously.  I am in love.  I think I wore them almost every day in Italy.  They are PERFECT for travel.  Check it:

LK in JDBM in Italia!

Here’s the Q+DD on Jane Darling by ME:  Started by local Atlanta designers Marty Alterman and Emily Mak, JDBM is a line that was created out of necessity.   Marty was looking for a way to gracefully transition after she hit “a certain age” and wanted to show a little less skin and still be cute. She teamed up with her trusty alterations genius Emily and what happened next is magic:  Super. Flattering. Clothes. For. All!  

The line is NOT just Legginskirts™.  It’s jackets.  It’s shirts.  It’s dresses. It’s tunics.  It’s a line full of your go-to clothes.  Everything is slimming:  the shirts fit a little longer, the fabric is a little sturdier and more forgiving, there’s strategic ruching and ruffles and best of all – everything is very fresh.  No old lady clothes here, friends.  Check out a few pieces of the latest collection:

I am literally obsessed.  You can visit Jane Darling’s website by clicking HERE, stop by Shanghai Alterations in Sandy Springs or Beth Ann boutique in Buckhead or Fragile Gifts in Sandy Springs.

BETTER YET:  Stop by Fragile on THURSDAY November 17^th from 6:30 – 8:00PM for a JDBM trunk show! 6010 Sandy Springs Cir NE # C  Atlanta, GA 30328

Bonus: 10% of all orders done during the Trunk Show will be given to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation! 

(Bonus bonus: You get to go to Fragile.  Which is an amazing place.  But that is another post for another day – probably after I register for spectacular home goods there!)

I am begging you to check out Jane Darling by ME.  At this time, I’d like to issue a preemptive “I told you so.”

I think I will.

I told you so.

xx, L

Jane Darling by ME

It always reminds me a little of my beloved Austin to see the trucks crammed together in Midtown like one big food truck trailer park of deliciousness. 

One truck, in particular, caught my eye yesterday: WOW! Food Truck.

We got in line + in a flash of pre-ordering online due diligence, I found out that the WOW! Food Truck is Atlanta’s first truck specializing in Venezuelan arepas. (Then, I had to look up “arepas.”  Don’t judge…)  They are savory grilled corn cakes stuffed with slow roasted meats.  WOW! is also known for their delicious donuts which Creative Loafing listed on their Top 100 Bucket List .  Okay, yes yes yes!  I was ready to eat.

Here’s a glimpse at their menu:

And here’s the full Q+DD on the WOW! Food Truck:

Once upon a time, several years ago, Wendy Cross was visiting her brother (yep - that brother!) in NYC.  She asked him where she could go to get a quick bite that was really good but wouldn’t break the bank.  He quickly replied that there was an arepa bar around the corner and she should check it out.  After realizing that the word “arepa” wasn’t some sort of sophomoric attempt of him being funny, she found herself at the little restaurant eating her first arepa.  “WOW!  These are amazing” were the first words exclaimed after her first bite.  Wendy wondered…why isn’t anyone making these in Atlanta?!!  She knew at that moment it would be her mission to bring these wonderful savory stuffed corn cakes to her peeps in the ATL.  Now, all she needed to do was find a restaurant to partner with so she could bring her arepa food truck dreams to fruition. 

After interviewing several restaurateurs, she knew that the girls at Duck’s Cosmic Kitchen in Decatur would be the perfect match.  Their dedication to using only the freshest ingredients, making everything from scratch, and not owning a microwave won her over.  Wendy started to sell her arepas as a special at the restaurant while the truck was getting ready for its big debut, and after selling out the first day, they knew they were onto something good, and the rest as they say, is history!

I happen to love that story.  And also, the truck has a pretty serious paint job that I found super impressive…

Frankly, all of the menu looked interesting to me, but I was on a mission to try an arepa + a shrimp cake.

From left to right:

Chicken Sofrito Arepa: savory Venezuelan griddled corn cakes stuffed with slow roasted meats + topped with their famous creamy cilantro jalapeno “kicky” sauce.

Crispy Shrimp Cakes: panko-crusted, perfectly seasoned shrimp cakes served with “kicky” sauce alongside organic stone ground cheese grits.

Kevin and I couldn’t believe how delicious they both were!  And, really filling, too, for very little $$$.  We are going back next week for more.  Why can’t it be Midtown Street Food Monday – Friday??

If WOW! is that good, I can’t wait to see what Duck’s is all about…

WOW! Food Truck on Facebook!
WOW! Food Truck on Twitter!
WOW! Food Truck on the Internets…
WOW! Food Truck’s Menu – Yum!

Find it.  Try it.  Trust. 

xx, L

WOW! Food Truck
Location Varies
404.626.0390
http://www.wowfoodtruck.com/

Just look at today’s amazing Atlanta Daily Deals on Daily Dibs:

$7 Disney on Ice “Dare to Dream” in Atlanta!

the goof-meister. love!

$8 for $16 of Halloween costumes and accessories at Psycho Sisters!

pretty much my fav. halloween costume idea...

$100 to spend on an injectable treatment at Atlanta Institute for Facial Aesthetic Surgery!

BRING IT.

57% off two-60 minute horseback riding lessons at Wildewood Farm!

amazing date material - and this is no laughing matter!

I could go on all day, folks…  I could.

Sign up for Daily Dibs today – it’s free + super convenient!  You can check them out on the left bar of the Q+DD.  Click the link to organize ALL your online deal sites (plus a few you may not even know about) into ONE daily digest of deals.  Or, click here to subscribe!  Now you will NEVER miss a deal!

You’re welcome. 

xx, L

Oh yeah? You know who else did?   Designer Chris Adkins.

Working as a professional poker player in Vegas (and all over the world), Chris tells me that the tourneys were as much about the clothes as they were about the cards and nothing he found seemed fit his unique personal style: extremely edgy yet EXTREMELY luxe.   (Think: Prada opening a tattoo parlor.)  But the difference between Chris and yours truly is that homeboy decided to take matters into his own hands and design his own clothes.  His own accessories.  His own shoes!  (Needless to say, I love this man.)  

Luckily for us, Chris decided to ditch the chips for a while and start his own line of jewelry right here in Atlanta, Thirteen Crowns.  

It is AMAZING.  Made with high-end materials and gemstones, every piece is hand made by darling Chris.  Check out some of his pieces:

(For more styles, please visit his website HERE)

You can also visit Polished and Primped (If you haven’t been to P+P – you must.  It’s on the bottom floor of the Plaza Midtown building and it’s SO cute) where Chris has a 13 Crowns shop-in-shop.  

Newsflash: Chris will also do custom orders for you.  He tells me “If you can dream it, I can make it.”  This got the wheels turning in my head a little bit…could he be the answer to my aforementioned problem?

Also a marvelous idea: BRIDESMAIDS or HOSTESS gifts.  How cool would it be to have custom jewelry created for the lovely ladies (or gentlemen!) in your life?  Chris will work with you to ensure your vision is realized in the most beautiful way possible.  

I really and truly love his pieces – I was interested in meeting him before I knew how amazing he is personally, I think his work speaks for itself.  But I must tell you, I absolutely ADORED Chris.

For me, the best part of all of this is that when you talk to Chris, you can tell that this is his art and it MEANS something to him.  I don’t want to get too touchy-feely on you guys, but I get the sense that each piece of jewelry comes with some pretty awesome energy as well.  

So, get crowned with Thirteen Crowns A-SNAP, ladies.  (It’s only fitting – you’re princesses, after all, right?)

xx, L