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Free Kids’ Cooking School (pay attention, this thing is tomorrow)

9 Jan

For any of you Pecanne Log readers who have kids, this looks like a fun event!  And it gets you free admission to Imagine It! Children’s Museum, which is easily one of the coolest things to do with a little one in Atlanta.  The class is tomorrow from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the children’s museum.  The event is being hosted by Clementines from Spain, so the recipes being taught will probably include these.  Mmmm, clementines.  Ceci Carmichael, who is a chef and a mom, will be leading the class.

To attend, you will need to RSVP to atlantacookingschool@webershandwick.com

The owls are not what they seem

13 Oct

Named after the noble secret society lodge in Twin Peaks, The Bookhouse Pub is decorated like a cozy Pacific northwest meeting hall – stained glass owls, pine everywhere, books (uh, hello, it’s called the Bookhouse), and a woodsy back patio enclosed by a tree-covered granite wall, as seen in this blurry photograph:

The pub has a real chef (food = interesting and truly delicious) and an extensive beer list, and they always match your beer with its special glass which must get confusing in the back but since the bar is new and not outrageously popular yet they can still keep up with authenticity. Ponce needed something a little more low key and grown up to class up the fun but sloppy Drunken Unicorn/MJQ/Local/El Bar drag. The Bookhouse is really delightful and obviously a hand-carved labor of love, as you would expect from anything inspired by Twin Peaks.

Tuesdays are Dr. Jacoby’s Tiki Tuesday Therapy with Polynesian-inspired cocktails (according to Yelp). I know picking a favorite Twin Peaks character is like choosing your favorite child, but Dr. Jacoby is definitely in my top three, so I’m sure I could manage to stomach some coconut rum out of season in his honor.

And look, Mary’s put Laura Palmer on the poster for their Haunted Homecoming this weekend, so now we have to attend:

Mouthful of goodness

25 Sep

Holy mother of my tongue. Today I scored some truffle goat cheese at the East Atlanta Farmer’s Market at Village Hardware. I have not had cheese this good since I was in Italy. You know cheese is good when the mouse-sized sample they tempt you with is enough to make you think that $22.50 is really reasonable to pay for a block of cheese. I am eating a piece right now. Thank you, EAV cheese man.

MOCHA Atlanta

20 Sep

Just moments ago my heart skipped a beat and a warm flush came over my entire body at reading the joyous news that crafting in Atlanta is being taken to the next level. The Museum of Contemporary Handmade Art will not only be the home of handmade delights, but will also have a small cafe as well. Oh! Mocha. Ok, I just got it… Clever ones, they are. The museum should be opening at the Irwin Street Market sometime late this month if all goes according to plan. My first thought was that this was going to be a bit redundant seeing how many crafting resources Atlanta has already, but I think considering the 11:11 Teahouse is now defunct as a tea shop, this will be able to fill that void and become a lovely addition to the crafting community.

In case you haven’t seen Handmade Nation yet, here is a little clip.

Patio weather

18 Sep

My clothes haven’t stuck to me once this week, which can only mean one thing: the slow, grueling descent into fall/winter, where the temperatures swing between 50 and 98 degrees within the span of one week, until halfway through January at which point it’s just really consistently cold for 60 days straight.

The weather’s been so pleasantly transitional lately that I thought I would write a comprehensive post about great patios for dining and drinking…except I can’t think of any. And I asked a few experts and they can’t think of many either. So here was the pathetic list I/we came up with.

1. Panita Thai Kitchen (Va-Hi): This patio is just perfect and overgrown and secretive, and the inside of the restaurant is more like a porch so it’s still outdoorsy feeling.

2. Las Palmeras (Midtown): This little tucked-away restaurant is good for when you have a manic day and just want to sit outside but don’t want to get pestered for change or see people driving like assholes. The problem is that the City of Atlanta tears up all the residential streets in Midtown every other week, so your degree of relaxation may depend on the proximity of construction equipment.

3. Cafe di Sol (formerly Eclipse di Sol, Poncey-Highland): The patio is covered, which is nice when it looks like it’s going to rain, which is all the time these days. It’s the best for people watching of these I’ve listed.

Late additions:

4. Joe’s on Juniper (Midtown): Every Monday night they show campy movies on their tree-lined patio.

5. Park Tavern (Midtown): Do not make the mistake of going on a Sunday night, which is like energy drink promotional night with a Goo Goo Dolls cover band. Otherwise, the patio is giant, dog-friendly, and overlooks Piedmont Park. Plus when it rains all their draft beer is $1.

Does anyone else have any suggestions? The criteria is not just that a patio exists at the restaurant, so don’t anyone mention Neighbor’s or you are banned forever. The food or drink selection has to be good, the view from the patio and the ambiance pleasant. HELP US OUT.

Art scenes and Nicecream

15 Sep

We don’t want to turn this blog into a community calendar so I will try to get two notable upcoming events in one post and then stop telling you what to do with your free time. You can just click the calendar you see to your right for other things.

1. Beautiful Losers screening at the Plaza Theatre, Thursday 9/18

This is a documentary about the DIY-inspired street art and design scene that emerged in New York in 1990s, with interviews from artists like Mike Mills, Harmony Korine, and Shepard Fairey (who designed those iconic and sort of propagandist Obama posters).

The film is hosted by AIGA Atlanta, so it costs less if you are a member and/or register in advance. There will also be an art show “showcasing a variety of work from local Atlanta artists who are part of this movement.” I can’t seem to find the names of any of the local artists, so I guess it will be a surprise for us.

7:00 – 9:30 PM, $8-$12, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave

2. Nicecream Sundae Sunday at Jake’s Ice Cream, Sunday 9/28

Jake’s has come out with Nicecream, some sort of healthy (non-dairy and organic) ice cream-like substance that is supposedly delicious (made with coconut cream), so they are offering free Nicecream sundaes and other celebratory festivities.

4-7 PM, $5 suggested donation to Atlanta Food Bank, Irwin Street Market – 60 Irwin St (via News You Can Eat)

Beyond George Washington Carver’s wildest imagination

12 Sep

The economy is in perfect shambles for a food packaging innovation like this to take the country by storm:

Now everyone write your U.S. legislators to get them to stock their office reception areas with peanut butter singles instead of those boring baggies of Georgia Peanuts.

Ambrosia of the Carolinas available to common folk? OR NOT?!

11 Sep

I noticed rows and rows of Cheerwine at the Edgewood Kroger a few weeks back and was so excited that I didn’t buy any, because what’s the point? Now I can get it whenever I want so there’s no use hauling several twelve-packs back from the Ingles in Cashiers, NC to last me and my friends four to eight months. My urge to hoard is gone!

But maybe that shelf of Cheerwine at Kroger wasn’t just the work of a lone crafty buyer that that particular store who managed to coerce the eccentric Cheerwine distributor to stock a few grocery shoppers south of Greenville. ‘Cause check out this banner ad I saw on Fresh Loaf JUST TODAY:

1) I hope you’re happy, Blayne. Are you? Are you?
2) Does this mean Cheerwine is finally extending its reach and making itself readily available for purchase in metro Atlanta? The website is confusing, because it just satirizes all the people who hoard Cheerwine to take it back to their Cheer-less states.
3) Did someone get mixed up and put a banner ad on the Atlanta Creative Loafing site when it was meant for Charlotte’s?

Answer me!

UPDATE: According to WSB, Cheerwine made “it’s” official Georgia debut back in June. So this is the REAL DEAL. The people at Coca-Cola don’t seem to be shaking in their boots, though. I have it on good authority that they’ve spent all day today at Coke HQ feasting on free White Castle Slyders and a Montgomery Gentry performance. So Cheerwine will probably be to Coke as Bojangles’ is to Chik-fil-a, you know?

A good way to spend your day off

29 Aug

Do you like this? I made it myself.

Go bulldogs

Chik-fil-A is giving away three free chicken strips on Monday, Labor Day, to all customers wearing football-related clothing (high school, college, or NFL). I know, I know, you’re like, “Why would this matter to me? That’s on Monday, and I only crave Chik-fil-A on Sundays.” Same here. Also, you’re like, “And I can’t stand those cows. When will they ever learn to spell?” Well, I don’t know what to tell you, friend. Chik-fil-A thinks that is the most hilarious ad campaign to walk the earth which is why they have persisted in keeping those same damn cows on payroll for 15 years. Still, you ask, “And what’s the point of standing in line in a football jersey to get three free chicken strips?” People will give away their firstborn child for free food; that’s the point.

Never gonna brunch again the way I brunched with you

15 Aug

I was browsing the comments of Access Atlanta’s unfortunately named “Best of the Big A” most recent call for nominations – the best place for brunch in Atlanta. This time I wasn’t just being misanthropic! This time I wanted to learn something about brunch! Mamalikey wrote an informative post last year on the subject, to which I refer quite regularly when I need new ideas (and always end up at Gato Bizco anyway). Of course, eleventy million people suggested the Flying Biscuit and no matter how many delicious brunch offerings there are in this city, the Flying Biscuit will win every Atlanta brunch award ever.

Anyway, I spied a new brunch spot that I did not even know existed! A few people swore by WJZZ’s Sunday Jazz Brunch. What?! You can eat breakfast for lunch and drink mimosas and listen to that incredible sax solo from George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” at the same time? No way! No, literally, there’s no way. Because upon further research I learned this thing is on hiatus.

As a meager substitute, I am going to thrill you with some instrumental renditions of WJZZ’s favorite jam of all time so you can simulate your own Sunday Jazz Brunch whenever you feel like it. Fry up some eggs and let ‘er rip: (more…)

Toast of the town

6 Aug

Those of you at Hollis Gillespie’s decadently cheap book release party for Trailer Trashed: My Dubious Efforts Toward Upward Mobility last night may dimly recall sipping something called Pink Flamingo Punch from paper cups and wondering, “What’s in this, anyway?”

Here’s the cocktail recipe, from the drunk chef himself:

1 bottle of Stoli blackberry vodka
3 gallons of Kroger pink tropical fruit punch
1/2 bottle of papaya schnapps
1 bottle of soda

You never would have guessed if I hadn’t told you.

(photo stolen without permission from Grant Henry’s MySpace)

The Last Supper

29 Jul

One of my favorite past times would, hands down, have to be contemplating what my last meal would be if I were about to face execution. The list usually ranges from Bi Bim Bop to mac n’ cheese to beets. It would be obscene. The Dead Man Walking blog that reports the last meals of prisoners around the country is admittedly somewhat morbid but enticing none the less. This morning I woke with an unshakable desire for some Harold’s. I have not been able to stop thinking about the delicious Brunswick stew that you can stick a fork in and not have it fall over washed down with a glass of the sweet tea. Just typing that out has caused me to start salivating again.

The owner of Harold’s has to be one of the most sinister people imaginable. Not really. I am sure that they are incredibly wonderful human beings, but putting a barbeque joint within blocks of the State Pen to remind prisoners what they are missing everyday. Maybe it is brilliant actually. It has to be somewhat equivalent to the kind of torture Dante was thinking about when he described Inferno. I cannot even conceive how long the list of prisoners who have had the smell the delicious aroma of Harold’s wafting into the yard everyday request Harold’s for their last meal. I have been trying to find some document to share that will show how many last meals are requested from Harold’s. Certainly Harold’s has to be one of the most requested last meals. Come to think of it, I can even recall someone telling me that it is in fact. However, nothing is coming up to confirm my suspisions.

I think I am going to have to add Harold’s to my last meal list.

Neither Thought Provoking Nor Important

28 Jul

So I’m sort of stuck in baby-land and not doing anything interesting enough to merit a Pecannelog entry, but I did want to share a little tidbit to you all. The Atlanta Botanical Garden at Piedmont Park is currently running a special where the tickets are buy one get one free during weekends in July and August with a coupon. We went last week, and it was absolutely lovely. It was my first trip, and while I felt a little like a jerk exposing my daughter to 97 degree weather, I figured it would probably be good to start scouting some of the more baby friendly places in Atlanta. My seven month old was not totally enthralled with the exhibits, but us big kids thought everything was pretty awesome. I have to admit that I spent a fair amount of time feeling sorry for myself for feeling so sweaty and insanely hot and then watching this fancy looking mother tell her young child that he intentionally ruins everything. All of that aside, the sculptures from the “Sculpture in Motion” exhibit were really neat. I saw a note on one of the doors that they are offering “Cocktails in the Garden” where you can drink special themed cocktails and take a tour of the gardens on Thursday nights, and that sounds ideal, especially there is food provided by a local posh restaurant. But you would miss out on the endless photo opportunities where you can pose your young child with a wide assortment of adorable props. Please note my own little lady seated next to one of the frog sculptures below. It’s undeniably cute.

Hot tip

24 Jul

For sale on ebay:

A couple months ago, I waited on Andre 3000. Yes, the rapper. He and his wife came into the restaurant where I wait tables. They landed in my section, and I gave all my other tables away, thinking it would behoove me to give undivided service to such high profile customers (my fellow servers also wanted extra talbes for extra $). After complaining about some of the food (they are vegan and we are a totally non-vegan restaurant), my manager took a big chunk of money off the bill. The chef had tried to please them with original dishes and took time out of the busy dinner to customize a meal for them. Despite the spot-on service and super-catered food, they felt the need to leave me no money. I had nothing to do with the food, yet he stiffed me.

(via goldenfiddlr.)

Somehow, it doesn’t totally surprise me that Andre 3000 doesn’t tip, but it does disappoint me. When we ran a short-lived fake gossip magazine in Athens, we had a feature called the Monthly Stipend where people could report their Michael Stipe sightings. However, 75% of the Stipend submissions were about Stipe’s failure to tip at this bar or that restaurant, which wasn’t really the kind of thing we were going for. Stipe and R.E.M. have done a world of good things for Athens, but you can’t patronize drinking and dining establishments in a town whose social life IS the service industry and not tip – it makes the townies even angrier! Andre 3000, we know you’re a man of very specific and discerning tastes, but come on, don’t become the Michael Stipe of Atlanta – loved for keeping Atlanta sexy and cool but hated for cheating us out of $9! On the other hand, how legal is it for the waiter to sell the last four digits of his Visa card?

Anyway, I bet Big Boi is a generous tipper. He just seems that way.

Lunch endorsement: Babs

30 Jun

Changing jobs means not only do I not get to “work” mostly from home anymore, but I also have to find a whole new set of restaurants in Midtown for lunch when I can’t bear to eat chicken salad for one more meal. It was so easy in downtown Decatur, especially with a copy of the latest Savvy Shopper! But everything in Midtown is so silver and swanky or Georgia Tech-y! I just want to eat something inexpensive but interesting in a relaxing crawl space!

Babs (no apostrophe) is, I think, my favorite lunch spot thus far, and it’s not even dirty! Named after Divine‘s character in Pink Flamingos, they have a little altar dedicated to her, as well as a framed and rare Odorama card from Polyester. The last time I was there, our waiter told us Divine’s manager (former manager?) had been in there just last week.

When the heat isn’t so aggressive, there’s also a pleasant little fountain outside by the patio.

The sweet potato fries with curry sauce are maybe the best in Atlanta, but if you want a healthier option the side salad is pretty big and not your run-of-the-mill greens with shredded carrots – it’s almost more veggies (and fruits) than lettuce. The specials differ from day to day so you could eat there all the time and never have the same thing twice (but there’s always one salad that is topped with their star “cusabi” dressing, which is cucumber + wasabi). You can also go with their classic chicken and brie sandwich off the menu.

They especially like it when you order from the specials, though, and if you get the pushy waiter who tells you what you’ll be having today, comply with his wishes and give him a reason to like you (e.g. admiration for John Waters), and you might be rewarded with a dessert on the house or some other sort of goody, as well as a few minutes of scintillating conversation.

I still haven’t made it out for Sunday brunch, but every week they have different theme (the vestiges of which you might notice in the specials selectiongs the following week) and I imagine it’s even better than lunch because in the case of brunch, carb intake is only an afterthought when you don’t have to return to a cubicle for four more hours.

814 Juniper Street

Dollbaby

17 Jun

While I was perusing Flickr for pictures of Atlanta, I found this photo of George’s in Virginia-Highland:

HAPPY NIGHTMARES.

But – here’s a nice, soothing one of their neon sign by beki70, without a giant dollbaby ghost observing from the heavens:

They changed their fries recently from the straight-up steak fries to crinkle cut steak fries, so check them out! Just don’t go before 8 PM because it’s like Decatur up in that joint pre-dusk – babies everywhere. Except for you, Mamalikey – it’ll be like a singles mixer/meat market for your 6-month-old!

THE GREAT ATLANTA LIMEADE SHORTAGE

11 Jun

The weekend of June 7, 2008 will go down in Atlanta history as the day someone wiped out the supply of frozen limeade concentrate from local grocery stores and left me with only three dented cans of the Minute Made stuff in the frozen juice aisle. WHAT USE IS MY KROGER PLUS CARD, people, IF I HAVE TO BUY THE NATIONAL BRAND? I hope you assholes enjoyed your Summerfest margaritas.

Here’s my recipe for Suburbans, your new favorite overly-sweet frozen cocktail! By “my recipe” of course I mean someone else’s. (Thanks, Abigail!)
- 1 can limeade concentrate
- ice (approximately 20 cubes)
- as much vodka (or gin) as you can handle
- Fresca
- pomegranate juice

Blend first three ingredients in a blender until frothy. Pour into glasses and leave about two inches at the rim. Top with Fresca and a dollop of pomegranate juice – the red diffuses and it’s lovely.

Serves three social drinkers or one “problem” drinker.

However, it’s still not as good as one of Alexyss K. Tylor‘s “ghetto version of an energetic juice drink.” Like in the Suburban, the lime is the kicker!

Know your coffees

28 May

Perhaps you read the article in the New York Times about coffee cuppings and wanted to get in on the action but are stranded in Atlanta for the summer. No prob, Bob! Quite some time ago Around Midtown figured out that Counter Culture Coffee regional training center offers weekly cuppings every Friday at 10 a.m., as well as a number of other classes such as beginner and intermediate espresso labs. FANCY.

King Plow Arts Center – 887 West Marietta Street NW, Suite M210, 30318

Sorry kiddies, no more Kronic Kandy for you

8 May

I just heard on WABE this morning that good old Sonny signed a bill into law that makes it illegal for Atlanta retailers to sell marijuana flavored candies to minors, since lawmakers are sure it will convince little kids to want to use the real thing. Here’s a little blog from the AJC, and it’s dated February 2007. How have I missed this for so long??? It’s hilarious! The candy is called “Chronic Candy” or “Pot Suckers” and comes in several delightful options, like lollipops and gum drops. Going down on my Google search results, (lets hope the clear private data function is really effective on my work PC) there is an MSN article from 2005 is all about the same topic. That article is much better. It explains that the candy gets its flavor from hemp oil, like what they use in those lame expensive beauty treatments for fake hippies. It also looks like there is more than one company making these things. Points to California company Chronic Candy for their slogan: “Every lick is like taking a hit.”

Unfortunately, the Atlanta-based company Hydro Blunts doesn’t have a slogan listed. But they market their lollipops as Kronic Kandy. Kudos for the klever use of the “k.”

So if you are a minor and crazy about your Pot Suckers, you should go buy them before July 1. After that, it will be illegal.

P.S. It looks like Junkman’s Daughter is a safe bet if you are looking for where to pick some of these up.

P.P.S. Sorry Christa, I hotlinked again. But I refuse to download the photo of the pot lollipop onto my computer at work just for Pecannelog. Especially when I know you’ll come behind me and fix it.

More like Tres y Cuatro de Moustache, but whatever

1 May


Aaaaah, it’s that time of the year when white frat boys across the U.S. finally recover from their St. Patrick’s Day hangovers and get wasted all over again on Cinco de Mayo. Kirkwood Aces is starting the celebration early by hosting their annual Cinco de Moustache this Friday and Saturday. I guess you have to grow or otherwise acquire a moustache if you really want to be in on the fun, which includes $1.50 tacos, $2 Tecate cans and $3 margaritas. And:

As always, there will be prizes for the best real and fake moustaches, moustache movies, moustache decorations and the infamous PERVERSE PINATA on Saturday night. And, make sure you ask us about out moustache ride special. Now reduced to only 10 cents!

1992 Hosea Williams Drive

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