NY Time's 11 Best Foods I'd Eat More of If Someone Else Cooked

In today's Well Section of the New York Times, there is an article titled; "The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating". Some of the items on the list include beets, cabbage, and turmeric.

Picture from NYTimes.com

This article serves as just another reminder that lunch at my desk should probably consist of things other than Luna or Kashi bars and a Diet Coke. (Yes, I know it is disgusting but I can't go to Metro Fresh everyday!)

Bone Garden Cantina - A First Taste

After reading the Blissful Glutton's review of Bone Garden Cantina, I was intrigued and wanted to give it a try. So, C-Dub and I headed over there last night for dinner.

Clearly, this is a photogenic fixture in the restaurant.
(Please see Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and Exhibit C.)

Apparently, we weren't the only ones with that idea. Not only was the placed packed but we also were lucky enough to run into Broderick, Beth, and a few friends dining with them. We were a little hesitant to have a seat with them since it seemed obvious to us that they had already ordered (drinks on the table, no menus) but we soon learned we were wrong. They had brought their drinks from the bar when they were seated ten minutes earlier but hadn't seen or heard from anyone in the waitstaff since. Little did we know at the time that this would be a common theme throughout the night. (A note - yes, the service was incredibly slow. But, I will say that all the waitstaff was incredibly nice and accommodating. I think they might have been caught off guard with the crowd that night. I suspect that they will improve over time.)

The long awaited menus. At this point, all of the dishes looked enticing!

First things first, C-Dub and I had to order some drinks. I ordered their sangria and C-Dub ordered a drink called "El Diablo". I wasn't crazy about the sangria because it had that Kool-Aid sweet taste to it. (I prefer more of the El Myr variety of sangria - super strong!) But the "El Diablo" was delicious, sort of like what Sour Patch Kids would taste like if they were made into an alcoholic drink.

Sangria to the left and El Diablo to the right.

C-Dub and I ordered their mahi-mahi ceviche for an appetizer and it was excellent. It tasted fresh and citrusy; a nice, light appetizer especially if the night was as hot as it was yesterday!

Mmm...delish!

After a long, long wait and many baskets of chips later, we finally received our food. My meal consisted of two tacos (one with chicken and mashed potatoes and one with grilled veggies) and a side of rice and beans.

Chicken taco in the front and grilled veggie in the back.

The chicken taco was really yummy; I think the mashed potatoes were a delicious touch! I wasn't as fond of the grilled veggie taco, though. The veggies were topped off with a peanut sauce that tasted a little strange to me in a taco. (Conversely, Beth thought that the grilled veggie taco was delectable mainly due to that same peanut sauce.)

C-Dub ordered a plate of three tacos: the chicken with potatoes, an al pastor, and a third that I can't remember.


He also really enjoyed the chicken taco but the al pastor left a lot to be desired. (We all began lamenting the closing of the Grant Park Zocolo, a place C-Dub and I often frequented for their al pastor tacos.)

My first take on the Bone Garden Cantina is that if you've got some time on your hands and friends to drink with, go ahead and give it a try. The mixed drinks were tasty and the tacos, while not super authentic, are on the same level as the decent tacos at El Tesoro. And, if nothing else, the decor makes for a good photography outing.

Bone Garden Cantina

1425 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard
Atlanta, GA 30318
404.418.9072
www.bonegardencantina.com

"Roll Your Own Sushi" - The Official Recap

Lady Rogue has posted an official recap of the "Roll Your Own Sushi" party I talked about earlier this week.

Check out her synopsis of the event (including some pics by yours truly!) here.

Kate Spade- Shoe Sale!

Just wanted to let you all know that Kate Spade is taking an additional 25% off of all shoes, both in store and online. They still have a decent selection online (not all sizes are still in stock) but a waining selection at the Lenox Mall store. None of the shoes online right now are screaming my name- but check it out yourself. She makes a decent pair of shoes.
Click here for sale link.

SpinLash? How lazy are we?

The American consumer has now sunk to a new low. I just got an email about a new product called SpinLash that is a mechanical mascara applicator. Basically it is a mascara brush that spins! How lazy do you have to be to use one? There has NEVER been a moment in my life where I was just about ready to finish putting on my make-up, but was too tired to apply it to my lashes myself. I have never thought,
"Gee, wouldn't it be great to put on a little mascara, but gosh darn it, it is just too time consuming to rotate that little brush myself. I wish someone would come up with a solution for my woes. Life would just be a little easier."
And let's not even get into the safety issue of placing a automatically rotating brush of black goo directly at your eye- call me a control freak, but I like to know what's going on in and around my eye region.
This kinda reminds me of the electronic nail filer I got for Channukah one year. Again, if you are too lazy to move the nail file back and fourth on your nail, go get a manicure (but thanks for the gift mom, it was super sweet and I love it)!
If you must own your very own or want to see that I didn't make this modern marvel up myself- click here to purchase.

Food Studio closing up shop

FOOD STUDIO: A NEW CHAPTER

"From marriage proposals to wedding anniversaries, birthday celebrations to holiday parties, first dates to Mother's Day, Food Studio has been one of Atlanta's favorite restaurants since 1996. But as times change, so do the needs of our guests.

That's why we're announcing that as of July 19, Food Studio will convert to a full-time event space managed by our award-winning catering division, Bold American Catering. Although it will no longer function as a traditional restaurant, this stunning space will continue to be available for your corporate and social event needs, featuring customized menus from Executive Chef Todd Annis, multiple seating options and one of the most unique dining rooms in the city.

To those of you who have enjoyed and supported Food Studio over the past 12 years - thank you! - and we hope you will continue to enjoy it in this new capacity, as well. For details on booking Food Studio for your next event, email kharwell@boldamerican.com or call 404.815.1178. As always, we look forward to serving you at South City Kitchen Midtown, South City Kitchen Vinings, La Tavola and Ecco."

They may be closing but they'll never be able to take away my pre-Prom dinner memories!

Entebello- Watch out Sephora

I feel like I have stumbled onto one of Atlanta's best kept secrets- Entebello. They call themselves a "Modern Apothecary & Spa". I will be honest, I have not tested out any of their spa offerings, but love love love their store!
They carry an amazing, well edited group of cosmetics, beauty products, hair accessories, candles, etc. All the brands have been hand- picked by the owners and every member of their team knows about all the products. Unlike Sephora which is just a sea of beauty products (but is still a great store), each line at Entebello has been research and chosen. Their staff also takes the time to talk to you about each product, helps you try on and offers their honest opinion.
Some of my favorite brands they carry are Lipstick Queen (they are the exclusive retailer of LQ in Atlanta), Napoleon Perdis (everyone must own their face primer- I didn't think it would make a difference, and it does), and Susan Posnick (fab eyeliner and cream shadow 2 in 1 stick).
If you are not familiar with their brands, go to their website.
Under products you can find a good summary of each brand.
They also carry my favorite headband line, Stacey Lapidus. Her headbands deserve their own entry, so stay tuned for Fun with Headbands.

Entebello
324 EAST PACES FERRY RD | ATLANTA, GA 30305 | 404 477 2933
Parking is behind the store

Kyma - guest review

C-Dub and I ate at Kyma last summer to take advantage of Buckhead Life's summer discount card. We weren't thrilled with our meal (mainly the overabundance of olive oil in all of the dishes - a little goes a long way, people!) and did not feel the need to go back.

Which is why we've been baffled by my Dad's love of Kyma. He has never had a bad experience there and always reports a good meal. While I am still skeptical, here is my Dad's review of his dinner at the restaurant last night:

"Judy and I had a wonderful meal at Kyma last night, celebrating my 67th birthday (too old!).

We shared Pekilia (the combination spreads with warm pita bread), a special appetizer of grilled shrimp over Greek coleslaw -- the best coleslaw I've ever eaten, an entree of woodfire cooked pompano with a light butter sauce, lemon juice and capers and Greek cookies for dessert"

The server preparing their pompano table side.

While C-Dub and I wont' be going back anytime soon, my Dad would surely encourage the uninitiated to give Kyma a try.

Kyma
3085 Piedmont Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
404.262.0702
www.buckheadrestaurants.com

Sale!- Shopbop

The amazing website Shopbop.com is having a private sale today only (ends at midnight).
Use the code HEATWAVE08 when you check out to receive 20% off. Fine print says that does not apply to sale items or accessories, but that is still a pretty good deal.
Shopbop for the uninitiated is one of the best and most complete contemporatry clothing websites out there. They have a ton of well know and cult brands- See by Chloe, Rag and Bone, C&C, Vince, TOMS and of course Marc by Marc Jacob (though I do like his main line much better- some of MbMJ is a little too paper bag-like for my taste, though the handbags are great from this line). Shopbop.com also has a whole section of the website dedicated to Eco-friendly fashion.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Happy Shopping!

A Canoe Brunch

I've been to Canoe many times in the past few years. (Something I had to tell my waiter, as well.) The first couple of times, about eight years ago, I was totally impressed. (But, then again, the nicest restaurant I had been to at that point in my life was a Maggiano's for a pre-Homecoming dinner.) But, my last few visits, I haven't left scheming of how soon I can go back and who I'm going to take.

Well, when I asked my Dad where he wanted to go for a Father's Day/Birthday Brunch, Canoe was his quick reply. Who am I to turn my old man down? Plus, I've never been to Canoe for brunch (and probably never would on my own) so this seemed like a good opportunity to give it a try.

We started the meal off with a basket of sweet and savory scones.

From front to back: Bacon Cheddar Chipotle, Ginger Walnut, Cranberry, and Plain

The scones were good - not amazing but certainly not terrible. I do have to wonder why they stuck in a plain scone, though. You'd think they would want to get creative with that fourth scone!

I chose to just go crazy-all-out and got the Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pancakes. I have to say, these were quite tasty and I have had many a pancake in my life. (I didn't even touch the syrup that came with them, as the fruit was plenty sweet enough.)


C-Dub got the Brioche French Toast, as he found the idea of banana-mascarpone completely irresistible. He had no complaints - especially since he stopped himself from eating every single bite in order to keep from becoming stuffed and sick later.


My Dad ordered "The Riverside" which is applewood bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and french toast. I can't say much about this, as I only snuck a bite of his hash browns (which taste like waffle fries from Chick-fil-a, strangely enough) but his plate was pretty clean at the end of the meal. (Although that doesn't mean that much for my Dad, honestly.)



My Dad's wife had the Crispy Rock Shrimp Salad, which she seemed to enjoy.

Overall, I would say it was a very pleasant brunch. There is no disputing that Canoe has a lovely view that makes for a nice Mother's Day or Easter brunch with the family. But for a casual weekend brunch, I'd choose a place like Ria's or Gato Bizco over Canoe any day.

What about you?

Canoe
4199 Paces Ferry Road NW
Atlanta, GA 30339
770.432.2663
www.canoeatl.com.

P.S. - For all those wondering what I gave my Dad for his Father's Day/Birthday gift, I gave him Ted Allen's Cookbook and David Lynch's Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness,and Creativity

Leggings! (not for the faint of heart)

This was not a trend that I thought I would ever embrace. I can bet many of you are thinking, “Just stay away!”
When I first saw “them” a few weeks back, I thought that shiny leggings looked like something that should stay on the bottom of Boy George’s closet or trapped in the mind of Patricia Fields.
I think it was one afternoon when was looking through Nylon Magazine- in the midst of the pages, there was a great spread that showed a happy model embracing shiny leggings. Later that day I got on email from Singer 22 (great, trendy online store based out of Long Island- think Shopbop meets OK Magazine- all the clothes they sell have been featured/seen on some star out in LA first) purporting that EVERYONE in Hollywood was wearing shiny leggings- with heals! With gladiator sandals! With Converse! At that point I was ready to buy into the trend, why not- no one has died from shiny leggings. I already love regular black ones, so why not step it up a notch.
Well, I was ready to embrace the trend, but not for the $140 that Singer 22 was selling them for. Instead I did a little research and found that for under $50 American Apparel had the exact same leggings (Buckhead AA is where I purchased mine- for those of you that must run out and get your very own pair). I walked into that dressing room a skeptic and walked out a convert. So now as I sit on a plane to LA stowed below in my purple suitcase is my very own pair of shiny leggings,
I personally don’t think that they should be worn with anything but super high heels and fab jewelry- anything else looks too Emo (not that there is anything wrong with Hot Topic- just not my style).
* Note on proper legging etiquette- leggings are not pants… they are fake pants. Therefore your shirt/dress needs to cover at least half of your bum (unless you are Kate Moss, and in that case- you can do whatever you want and thanks for reading our blog).

Let me know your opinion on the trend- I know this one is going to make many of you skeptical… Ann Taylor 'aint wearing shiny leggings!

• Overpriced, but celebrity leggings


• Anna's "look for less"

Rogue Rolls

On Saturday evening, C-Dub and I went to the third ever Rogue Apron event, Roll Your Own Sushi. (If you haven't been to a Rogue Apron event before, I highly recommend it.) I've never made sushi before due to the daunting task of creating sushi rice so I was looking forward to this event.

After hitting a snag due to the repaving of 75/85, we finally arrived about 30 minutes late. We missed the tutorial but we were able to jump right in and devise our own delicious sushi creations.


The setup, as always, was top notch. Just about any kind of veggie, fish, or fruit (yes, fruit!) was available to make your roll just the way you desired.


And, of course, Lady Rogue did not fail with her homemade infused alcohol creations. This time she concocted five different sakes: strawberry, pineapple, Georgia peaches, keffir lime, and garlic. (Never had garlic infused sake? It stays with you.) My favorite was a tossup between the strawberry and pineapple, both so very good.

Since we arrived late and hungry, C-Dub didn't want to waste any time to chow down and chose to create some quick handrolls.


Later, I made a veggie roll with daikon, carrots, fried tofu which I topped off with some tobiko and black sesame seeds.


For dessert, we had little shots of sake-soaked pineapple with mint.


It was a fun evening and such a change of pace from the last two events since we got to roll up our sleeves as individual chefs. I have to hand it to Chef and Lady Rogue, they really know how to host the ultimate foodie fête!

The next Rogue Apron event, Smoky and the BBQ, was originally going to be next weekend but has been pushed to a date to be announced in July so as not to conflict with Corndogorama. Wanna go? Sign up now since space is limited. Oh, and don't worry if you are vegan or have any diet restrictions. Lady Rogue is happy to accommodate all hungry appetites!

Fan Favorite...really?

So, I'm still bummed out about Richard losing Top Chef. I haven't even been able to watch the Top Chef Reunion show all the way through.

But I did get the scoop on the Fan Favorite and I'm shocked. Stephanie? Really? I don't seem to recall her saying that she had a "culinary boner".

If it were up to me, Andrew would have been the fan favorite. (And while I'm changing things - yeah, I would make Richard the Top Chef winner.)

Welcome to Disposable Income!

now watch this bite, originally uploaded by clevermolly.

There is going to be more to come...just you wait.