(there’s just nothing like kicking a bag in the morning)

2.    Lunch at Zoe’s Kitchen

(with Amy and La one last time before ZOEY!)

back in the day

3.    QUICK shopping trip at Festivity

(I may or may not have walked out in a brand new dress and my old dress in a shopping bag)

4.    Dogwood Festival

(with the Shaps! It was crowded, but fun to see so many people out there enjoying the sunshine!)

5.    Sweetwater 420 Festival

(Seen at 420: fab music, fun friends, lots of artsy-fartsy wares (including a new collar for Olive by Hollywoof), an engagement, and an ACTUAL dance-off!)

6.    Treehouse

(So Olive could show off her new gear and HELLO, Cowboy Cobb!)

7.    Movie on the couch

(Where are the Wild Things? On my TV, yo.)

Fin.

P.S. Special thanks to the INCREDIBLE weather we enjoyed today.
P.P.S. You still have another day to check out the aforementioned Fests.  I recommend both, however, if I had to choose just one, I’d go with 420 Fest. Personal preference.
P.P.P.S. I love you, Atlanta.

Invitations designed by our very own Mark Wolfe of Wolfepack Creative!

What is Camp Dance, you may ask? Um, it’s only my favorite event of the WHOLE YEAR!

 

Camp Dance Preparty 2009

Camp Dance Preparty 2007

Camp Dance Preparty 2007

Camp Dance 2008

Camp Dance 2006

Camp Dance 2007 (nothing ever changes)

Camp Dance 2009

Besides being just an amazing event, Camp Dance benefits Camp Twin Lakes, a fabulous camp for children facing serious illnesses and other physical, emotional and life challenges will be held on May 8th, 2010. For more information on Camp Twin Lakes click here.

Christine, Stacey and I hard at work at the CTL Service Day a few weeks ago:
Here’s the Q+DD on Camp Dance:

Remember when Color War was your favorite activity?
When Bug Repellent was the preferred scent?
And when hand-written letters were the only form of outside communication?

Well pull out your favorite camp photos,
Re-read those cherished camp letters
and put on your favorite camp attire

‘Cause It’s Back!
Camp Dance 2010
presented by Camp Twin Lakes’ Junior Board
Saturday, May 8th
6:30pm-11:00pm at Zoo Atlanta

A Night Amongst the Animals

6:30pm-8:00pm
Sip, Watch, Gasp
Enjoy some complimentary spiked bug juice while you observe the pandas, orangutans, gorillas, and other animals during feeding time
(Animal viewing only during this time)

8:00pm-11:00pm
Eat, Drink, Party
Enjoy complimentary camp-style finger foods, beer, and wine
while you dance the night away to hot jams from Band X.

Cocktail Bar
Each admission ticket includes 2 free drink tickets to the cocktail bar.
Additional drink tickets may be purchased by cash at the event.
Beer and wine are complimentary all night.

Tickets:
$55 through April 4
$65 through April 30
$75 through May 8th

Attire is Camp Casual
Guests Must Be 21 or older to attend.

THE EVENT SOLD OUT LAST YEAR and I had NO strings to pull, PLUS ticket prices increase on Sunday, so get your tickets TODAY by clicking here and click here to see the event on Facebook.

I JUST CAN’T WAIT!

xx, L  (+L + C!)
*actually, you are invited by the three of us, plus the entire Junior Board of Camp Twin Lakes and all the fabulous people on the host committee, which I am lucky enough to chair. For a complete list of hosts, click here.

*Note: Please do not read any further if you happen to be on a diet…

the shapiros (blog regulars)

Alfredo’s is NOT a place you want to choose for a first date.  It’s packed (even on random weekdays) – it’s pretty loud – there’s not a sexy atmosphere whatsoever – you absolutely REEK of garlic when you leave – and you cannot get out of there w/o consuming roughly 4,000 calories.  However, I love every minute of the famous Alfredo’s experience!  From the 70′s-ish decor that hasn’t been updated to the heavily-accented Italian servers – this place is a gem! 

We went on a Thursday evening and although we made a reservation, we had to wait 20 minutes to be seated.  Even I patiently waited…  The restaurant was filled with businessmen in suits and Sandy Springs married couples.  I ran into a colleague who’s around my age with some of her friends.  The demographic at Alfredo’s is entirely across the board. 

On Stuart’s recommendation, we ordered delicious caesar salads and almost immediately cleaned our plates.  We shared fried calamari + marinara and garlic bread.  I believe we ended up finishing three or so baskets of GB…don’t judge.  It’s the best I’ve ever had – and it’s what leaves you breathing garlic for the following three days.  Seriously, it comes out of your pores.  Not sexy at all - but kind of awesome.

For entrees: Stuart’s chicken parm was the group favorite.  Slick and I had the mussels w/ linguine + marinara and the chicken al pesto.  Stac ordered the chicken cacciatore.  We washed it all down with a bottle of cab.  This doesn’t sound like an enormous amount of food, but it certainly was**.  So much, in fact, that after dinner Slick and I parted ways so that we could each go home and rub our stomachs + independently pass out from our food comas.  (Again, sexy – I KNOW.) 

I was full until about 3:00 p.m. the next day.  Even though I brushed my teeth almost hourly after the meal, I could still smell + taste garlic two days later!  Alfredo’s really isn’t kidding around.

me

It’s officially spring and the weather is starting to warm up.  You might as well try Alfredo’s now before you start thinking too much about swimsuit season…   Oh also – I’ve heard from friends that its small bar is a fun place to sit at and have a drink on the weekends. 

**Note: No pictures were taken of our meal because I felt it would be disrespectful.  This place is sacred.  You’ll just have to see for yourselves. 

xx, L

Alfredo’s Italian Restaurant
1989 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30324
404-876-1380
http://www.alfredositalianrestaurant.com/

Slick + Stuart

Somehow these amazing (but never plan-oriented) boys pulled together a very thoughtful + incredibly romantic, surprise V-Day getaway for Stacey + me @ Chateau Elan! 

Chateau Elan

Here’s the Q+DD on Chateau Elan:
Chateau Elan is the largest winery in Georgia and is located in Braselton, 40 miles north of Atlanta.  It was founded in 1982 by Dr. Don Panoz who came from the pharmaceutical industry.  Their wines have won many regional awards including 19 from the Atlanta International Wine Festival, two from The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition and numerous Florida State Fair awards.  The facility is 3,500 acres, but only 50 are dedicated to the vineyard.  Georgia wines are marked “Founder’s Reserve,” but other bottles with the Chateau Elan label can include grapes from a sister property in California.  (www.wikipedia.com)

itineraries in hand...

Once we found out where we were going, we expected to drink a lot of mostly locally grown wine and RELAX RELAX RELAX.  We did not, however, expect to learn “the secret to life” from an enthusiastic Chateau Elan employee.

Wine Tour

The Chateau Elan wine tour was just one of the many fun events the boys had planned for us during our “V-Day Extravaganza,” but it was the most memorable.  We learned all about CE’s grape harvesting, wine making and bottling process, and then got to taste a few of their signature wines. 

Wine Tasting

After the tasting – in hopes of scoring another heavy pour – the four of us stuck around to chew the fat with some of the CE wine experts + employees.  We spent the majority of our time talking to a particularly friendly, white-haired wine pourer.  Much to our surprise, he told us that he was 77 years old.  Shocked, we asked him how he looked so young and had so much energy.  (This gentleman was in remarkable shape.)  In a beautiful accent, he informed us that “the secret to life” is eating like a diabetic, or watching what you eat at each and every meal, and marrying your very best friend.  Just a little something to think about…

Chateau Elan

We enjoyed a really nice four-course dinner at Cafe Elan that evening, took advantage of the hot tub at the Spa and treated ourselves to a delicious brunch at Le Clos on Sunday morning (wearing our robes and all), but still, my favorite part of the trip was our brief + incredibly enlightening conversation with the Australian wine expert at the tasting.

Brunch @ Le Clos

What a memorable little trip!  Stacey and I were very impressed with the boys, and we can’t wait to see what may be up their sleeves in the future! 

Way to go, Slick + Stuart!

xx, L

Chateau Elan
100 Rue Charlemagne
Braselton, GA  30517
678.425.0900
www.chateauelan.com

sweet kicks

My top three places to bowl in Atlanta used to be:

1- Midtown Bowl  (Midtown)
1936 Piedmont Circle NE
Atlanta, GA  30324
404.874.5703
www.midtownbowl.com
Kitschy – Impressive Bar Selection – Good ‘Ole Greasy Bowling Food – Come As You Are…

2 – Funtime Bowling  (Buford HWY)
3285 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA  30329
404.636.7548
www.funtimebowl.com
Black Lights + Glow Lanes – Good Music – Got to Love Buford HWY – Diverse Crowd…

3 – Ten Pin Alley  (Atlantic Station)
261 19th Street NW
Atlanta, GA  30363
404.872.3364
http://dolcegroup.com/tenpinalley/
High-End Bowling – Owned by Dolce Group – Expensive to Bowl but Worth the Scene Every so Often - Dress Code…

Until, Slick and I doubled with The Shapiros for a bowling night at 300 – Atlanta.  (300 is a bowling chain with an alley in a number of major cities, apparently, but I’d never been before.)  

The Shapiros - Bowling Ballers (what!)

I’ll be honest – it was a schlep, but it ended up well worth the drive.  300 is noticably clean, reasonably priced and a great mix between Midtown Bowl (lower-end) and Ten Pin Alley (higher-end).  The music is bumping, they have large screens above the pins at each lane and seriously comfy seating areas for players while waiting for your turn.  The music they played – accompanying videos were on the screens – was so good I went directly home after the date and got on iTunes to download.  (Now, I’m working out to Chris Brown’s ‘I Can Transform Ya’ on repeat.)  The food looked more than edible, too. 

unnecessary bowling-related cockiness

necessary bowling-related cockiness

I strongly recommend trying 300 if you are looking for a nice bowling alley that your don’t have to wear a tuxedo to, but also aren’t afraid to put your feet in the communal shoes.  And, let me know if you need a few bowling pointers – we played girls vs. boys and the ladies won both games…

the sad, sad face of defeat.

naturals!

I mean…  When you’re hot.  You’re just hot.

300  – Atlanta
2175 Savoy Drive
Atlanta, Ga  30341
770.451.8605
http://www.threehundred.com/atlanta.html

I sit in front of a computer all day – in prime shopping hours – and, well, let’s just say I excel at multitasking.  It’s never a problem for me to participate in a conference call while sending work and personal e-mails, reading Perez Hilton and paying for a pair of shoes I found online that I just can’t live without.  That being said, I do not enjoy waisting time surfing the Internet looking for good deals.  Instead, I rely almost completely on the most glorious website - Gilt Groupe (www.gilt.com).

If you aren’t already a Gilt member, you absolutely must sign up immediately.  It’s free – you just have to provide your first/ last name and e-mail address.  Each day at noon, Gilt Groupe sends out an e-mail to its members with the day’s incredible sales on luxury and designer goods for up to 70% off of retail from names like Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Cole Haan (my favorite!), Theory…the list goes on and on and on.   The sale alert e-mails are very user friendly.  And, unlike other similar websites, you don’t feel overwhelmed or bombarded with sale items – like you are at a massive online garage sale. 

Gilt Groupe Sale Example

Gilt Groupe’s sales are broken up into Gilt (women + home + children), Gilt Fuse (less expensive and funkier items), Gilt Man (for men…) and Jetsetter (Gilt’s incredible travel site).  You can sign up to get e-mails specifically from any of Gilt’s subgroups, if desired, but they are all accessible from the general home page. 

I don’t buy from the site all the time, but I look at the sales every day and use the function on the website to put reminders on my Outlook calendar for specific designer’s sales I am interested in throughout the week.  You have to act fast when the sales start at 12:00 p.m. each day because they only have a limited number of items and they tend to sell out fast. 

Also, you can e-mail a sign-up link to your friends from the Gilt Groupe website and when a friend signs up for the sale alert e-mails and makes his or her first purchase – you get a $25 credit to use on the website towards a future purchase.  That seems like a pretty sweet incentive to me!

I’m just saying – it’s worth a look.  Maybe you’ll be guilty, too…  Enjoy! 

xx, L

2. SHOPPING.  After I left Maura, I was in such a good mood that I proceeded to SPEND. ALL. MY. MONEY.  If you are looking for my benjamins, you can find them at the following places: Mitzi and Romano, Paper Source, Barney’s Co-Op and, of course, Nordy’s.

Mitzi + Romano in the Highlands

3. Super Amazing Chili Cookoff. I found FoodieBuddha (crying in his cocktail over Michigan’s loss…) and we made our way to the Atlanta Brewing Company for the 3rd Annual Liberty Park Chili Society Cookoff hosted by Jimmy who writes the blog Eat It Atlanta.

(Sidebar: Y’all.  I have blog friends now.  !!!!.)

The scene at Atlanta Brewing Company

It. Was. Awesome. There were a GRILLION different kinds of chili.  Traditional chilis, creative chilis, superspicy chilis, chocolate-based (mole) chiles, chilis with all kinds of fabulous toppings (hello, pimento cheese on chili!) chilis with various proteins: beef, chicken, turkey, venison, bison, bean (vegetarian)….I mean…I was on chili overload.  The best part for me, though, was the shameless lobbying that each charismatic chili chef was doing for their own chili.  Loved it. I think it was safe to say that equal parts moxie and chili were served that evening.  The Buddha felt like personality weighed heavily on the way he would cast his vote and I had to agree.  Eventually all votes were cast…

brilliant. I straight up stole this picture from Eat It, Atlanta.

And tallied…

(counting ballots)

The ultimate winner was, as I predicted, Cowboy Hat Chili. Dude had on a cowboy hat and reminded voters of his moniker as he doled out ladlefuls.  Sage advice from the musical Gypsy, “you gotta get a gimmick if you want to get ahead…”

"Don't forget Cowboy Hat, y'hear?"

Jimmy + friends raised a chunk of change for Project Open Hand and everyone seemed to have a blast…I know we did!

My new chili friends. Hi!

4. Post-Chili Beverages. The Buddha and I decided to wash down our chili with a few drinks at the Bookhouse on Ponce.  Y’all: I adore this bar. It’s low key and cozy and funky and just a perfect little place to hang out.  We were, of course, NOT eating, but the menu looked pretty darn good.  Gastro-pubby.  You know.

I ordered a flight of delicious beer, mostly selections from the specials menu:

hand-crafted beer thingy

and FB got a super-manly Cape Cod:

Our adorable server. The umbrella was a nice touch, thanks!

Fab fab fab.  Thanks for taking me, FoodieBuddha! Even though you make me take pictures by myself, you’re a riot and you show me great places, so I forgive you.

The BookHouse Pub
(404) 254-1176
Ponce de Leon Place
Atlanta, GA 30306
www.thebookhousepub.com

5. Face-time with 4 Gorgeous Faces. Bonus!  On my way home, I popped over to Eclipse di Luna to say a quick hello to these lovely ladies…

…before they danced the night away at the newly-opened Gold Room on Piedmont.

It was a fabulous little Saturday…have I mentioned I love this city?

xx, L

- Audrey HepburnLike Audrey, I take my cuticles very seriously. Even if I am broke as a joke, my manicure and pedicure are the last thing to go. You’ll never catch me without neatly lacquered nails. Fact.

If you’re like me, you probably have a go-to manicurist in your neighborhood. For me (and Linds and Mer…), it’s Lily’s Nails on the top floor of the two story strip mall at Monroe and Piedmont. You don’t need an appointment (which is key for last-minute girls like myself) and my fabulous $10 manicure lasts at LEAST a week. Plus, Lily, the owner, is adorable and will occasionally serenade the entire salon with Top 40 songs as she bustles around the place. Fab. If that is convenient for you, I suggest you try them.

Lily’s Nail & Spa
1529 Piedmont Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 249-8080

BUT: We have all been stuck outside of our ‘hood in desperate need of a mani. Never fear. I enlisted a glossy little group of girlfriends (Linds, La, EZ, Stephanie, Stefani, Christine, Cari, Meredith and Stacey) to help make a handy-dandy list of our favorite places around town!

However, if we have somehow missed your favorite place, PLEASE kindly leave the address and phone number in a comment.

Buckhead:

Both Stephanie and Stefani recommended Sugarcoat (www.sugarcoatbeauty.com)
And when I lived in the Eclipse, this was my go-to as well. It’s the cutest salon ever. It’s pink and girly and PRISTINE. It’s also the best place to get an adorable gift, they offer fabulous products (Haviana flops, Hanky Panky, Lollia, etc.) and Sugarcoat is owned and operated by the cutest duet of ladies (well, besides L+L, of course), Christie and Colette, who are PERFECT to consult with on gift options or polish colors! C+C – I miss you!
Note: You DO need an appointment, though, they book up quickly.

Sugarcoat
256 Pharr Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 814-2121

Stefani also recommends Eminence (on the top floor of the two story strip mall in Buckhead Loop) She says the massage chairs are to die fah!

Eminence Nail & Spa
3495 Buckhead Loop NE Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 846-1555

EZ is faithful to Nail and Toe. (They do a great job and offer a fabulous shoulder massage with every manicure…)

Buckhead Nail and Toe Spa
3210 Roswell Rd NW # B Atlanta, GA 30305-1822
(404) 869-8999

Christine goes to Glamour Nail (in “The Peach” shopping center)

Glamour Nail
2900 Peachtree Road NW Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 239-0717

Midtown/Highlands:

If you can’t make it to Lily’s, Christine recommends Highland Nail (off Amsterdam)

Highland Nail
1190 N Highland Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 249-6245

Sandy Springs:

You can find La at her weekly Friday 3:15 appointment at Hammond Nails (off Roswell Road)

Hammond Nails & Spa
4279 Roswell Rd Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 250-9698

Recently, she has been getting “Gel Nails” which is a new process by OPI. For $25, they will paint your own nails with a similar solution as acrylic nails. The benefit? It lasts 2 weeks without ANY chipping and does not harm your nails. Note: you must have them “soaked” off a la acrylics as well. As far as I know, Hammond Nails is one of the only places in town offering this service.

Cari loves Nail Talk and Tan (in the Target Shopping Center by Perimeter mall.)

Nail Talk Tan & Spa
90 Perimeter Center Pl NE Atlanta, GA 30346
(678) 320-0400

Stacey either goes to Hammond Nails or Fancy Nails (She said Fancy Nails is cheap + good but not actually Fancy.  Which is funny because conversely, Stacey herself is fancy + good, but not cheap.  Interesting?)

Fancy Nails
6125 Roswell Rd NE # 10A, Atlanta
(404) 257-1205

Please stay tuned for a post regarding polish color. For now, I’ll leave you with a quote from the American cinematic masterpiece, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003):

“Never underestimate a girl with a French manicure and Harvard Law degree.”

(Listen, I don’t have one of those things, but don’t you underestimate me, either.)

xx, L

PS. Thanks, ladies!

I LOVE Thai food.  There are so many great places in Midtown to grab delicious Thai grub (Nan, Tamarind Seed and Surin are my favs), but I couldn’t find any in Buckhead.  Well, the other night we ventured out with our newlywed couple-crush to Annie’s Thai Castle on Roswell Road, and I have to give it two freshly-manicured thumbs up.  Way to go Buckhead!

Annie's Thai Castle on Roswell Road

(Okay, fine.  That’s not it.  Not even close…  But isn’t it pretty?)

We ordered adult beverages and shared the Fresh Avocado Roll (not fried) for an appetizer.  I probably wouldn’t recommend it, but that is just because I didn’t care for the cream cheese.  Everyone else liked it just fine.

For entrees - we stuck to basics sharing the Sweet and Sour Chicken, Shrimp Masaman w/ Avocado, Pad Thai and the Pad See-Ew.  They were all absolutely enormous portions and really, really delicious.  Although we definitely lost points for creativity, we agreed that it is okay to have a benchmark dish (like Pad Thai) by which we compare every Thai restaurant.  (Whatever works!)

We all left stuffed and kind of surprised with The Castle, as we lovingly refer to it now.  We’d passed it a million times on Roswell Road and had no idea that it was (1) surprisingly nice inside for a Thai restaurant and (2) had debatably the best Thai I’ve tried in Atlanta.  Although 82% of the time I opt for sushi over Thai, I would definitely go back to Annie’s!

xx, L

Annie’s Thai Castle
3195 Roswell Road NW
Atlanta, GA  30305
404.264.9546
www.anniesthaicastle.com

Our close friends, Stacey and Stuart, got married at the St. Regis Atlanta Hotel on Sunday.  It. was. AMAZING!

The Happy Couple

Slick and I couldn’t resist the wedding block room rate and made it a little Labor Day weekend getaway.  Although he lives almost across the street from the hotel, staying there for the wedding was the best idea we’ve had so far!  The hotel is incredible.  Here are a few of my favorite things about it: 

Beautiful Chandeliers

Incredible bathrooms w/ spectacular acoustics for shower-singing...

Amazing detailing all over the hotel - loved the crystals in the stairs

Bathtubs that could fit five people. (Not really, but they were enormous!)

We checked in on Saturday and hung out at the beautiful pool all afternoon and explored the hotel.  We couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing day!

St. Reg Pool

St. Reg Pool

St. Reg Pool

The wedding on Sunday night was absolutely amazing!  It was a gorgeous day – perfect for such a special couple to get married.  We danced the night away!

Bringing the party

We had a blast!

(stud)

We spent Labor Day at the pool with the newlyweds and their family/ wedding party.  Although we were in the heart of Buckhead, we felt like we were on the Italian Riviera.  The hotel, itself, is absolutely incredible, but the pool is my favorite part by far.  In fact, I had a business luncheon at the hotel today and couldn’t resist sneaking away to spend a little extra time with S and S at the pool, again… 

Also, although we didn’t hit it up this weekend, I totally heart the St. Reg. bar.  Their drinks do the trick and the nuts they have on the tables are incredibly addictive…  Don’t say I didn’t tell you so!  Plus, they validate your parking. 

If you have the opportunity, don’t miss the chance to spend a romantic evening at the St. Regis.  It’s worth every penny! 

Congratulations Stac & Stuart!!

xx

xx, L

The St. Regis Atlanta
88 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA  30305
404.563.7900