From Show Home, To Your Home

While on our personal decorating adventure for our home (read: my adventure, with the hubs' approvals ha!), I have come up against a few obstacles. So, our house was built in 1991, the beginning of the open-floor plan era. This was high on our list of “must-haves.” What was not, but what we ended up with since it was all the rage back in the day apparently, were brass fixtures, light blond wood floors and carpet in the bathrooms (oh my, I am not lying). Some of these will be swapped out at some point in time (seriously, who puts carpet in the bathroom?!) and others, well, they just aren’t as important in the grand scheme of things. I am trying to focus in more on one room at a time – like, furniture to sit on (...kind of important), paint colors, and things to hang on the walls. 

A few weeks back, I was invited to attend the grand opening of the Atlanta Symphony's Showhouse just north of Buckhead in Sandy Springs on Northside Drive. It is the Atlanta Symphony Associates’ 45th (!) consecutive year of presenting the Decorators’ Show House & Gardens. All proceeds go to support the ASO and its community outreach and education programs. An Atlanta spring tradition, ASA’s Show House & Gardens is the largest event of its kind in the Southeast – and one the longest-running in the United States! This year, the duly named "Chateau Soleil" is a sunny yellow, gorgeous 14,000 square foot French style estate. 

Oh my goodness, y’all. This house is a stunner. It’s the real deal in terms of good bones. The main foyer is two stories tall, and there are rooms upon rooms upon rooms that ladder out to the left and right. The master-on-main features not only His and Hers closets, but His and Hers bathrooms, too. And the Hers closet was not just one room, but two, all of which were bigger than most of our old one-bedroom Buckhead condo! Le sigh. 

If you haven’t been to a show home before, they are really vaults of ideas. Each room is typically “done up” by a different designer, to play off what was in there to begin with and create a livable space with a twist. While you might expect a clashing style with each room side by side designed by different people, somehow it always works. Maybe its the grander vision of the home that comes through, allowing a room of jungle chic to be right next to a modern laundry room with preppy prints.  For those of you in need of decor inspiration, a show home is a great spot to check out. 

I had so many favorite spots in this house (other than that two-room Hers closet, of course). The formal living room off the kitchen was designed by an old fav of mine, Vern Yip. He was in the room when I did the walk-through, but I was too nervous to go say hi! Love him from his HGTV Trading Spaces days. His room combined a preppy feel with comfort, and maximized the massive windows that lined the space. #fangirl

The upstairs hallway was my second favorite. Yes, a hallway! Not only did it feature the original blond wood floors (!) it also featured a ton of mixed metal elements, including the original brass fixtures. In particular, the gallery wall really inspired me. We have a ton of black frames and prints from our condo’s gallery wall, but they feel out of place in our new home. Now I am inspired to grab a can or two of spray paint, update a few to be silver and brassy/gold, and mix them up for a “new” look. “Brass is back,” so many of the designers told me, so I am also feeling less pressured to swap our fixtures over to brushed bronze or chrome. They can work how they are, with a little polishing! 

Another fab space was the nursery. The designer in here mixed old and new, budget and top-line, and music and weddings. Um, hello, Katherine and BB central! The Cello Lamp was amazing, as was the framed print of lullaby sheet music. Both are totally DIY-able. 

The baptismal gown was framed in a way that allows it to be un-framed and used by the next generation. 

And how fun is the wedding dress bed?! 

The last part of the home that made me smile was the story of its color. Apparently, not only the home’s exterior used to be yellow – the whole inside was too! That’s how OUR home is! While refreshing, our home’s yellow beige is overwhelming to me. To see how the designers stripped out that color in this home to make an entering fresh new space, reminded me that "the one room at a time” approach can work for us here, too. The ASA Showhome used all Benjamin Moore colors (my fav brand) and I got a few ideas for some new neutrals that we might be able to use in our place. 

Interested in checking out the show home for yourself? It is open through Mother’s Day and would be a great girls-date idea, or a good present/fun outing with your Mom for her day (especially if you are looking for last minute ideas). Check out the details for tickets at their website. 

Disclosure: I received free entry for the show home as part of their Media Preview Day, but all opinions are my own. Go see it for yourself! The last weekend is this coming weekend. 

The Letter

One week ago yesterday, we walked into an office, keys in hand. The night prior, we stood in an eerily empty living room, hearing our footsteps echo against the bare wood floors and voices ring on the bare concrete walls.

When we walked into that office, pens were raised and names were signed. In just an hour, my very first home that I purchased all by myself almost exactly six years prior, wasn’t mine anymore. We went from that office, to another, and did it all over again. Except that time, we left with the keys, rather than leaving them behind.

One week ago yesterday, Brad and I sold our condo in Buckhead, and bought a home in the gorgeous suburb of Roswell, GA. What followed have been seven days of absolute whirlwind, only just now slowing down now that we have most of the boxes unpacked. I find it hard to think that all of these things once fit around us in 1,000 square feet in the sky! Where did I keep these things then?!

Before moving in, six years ago this summer!

These days, we are going to bed hearing the sounds of crickets, and waking up to the sounds of chirping birds. It’s amazing how quickly one can adjust to new surroundings, if it’s something you have been waiting for. We loved the hustle and bustle of town. But something about this change, right now in our lives, is just right.

It was really hard to say goodbye to our first home. It seems like just yesterday, I was sitting in the middle of an empty living room, only a TV and a camp chair to be had. I was so proud and so happy that my hard work had paid off, and that the condo was mine. Today, we feel similarly. This home is ours, and we can’t wait to fill out these rooms here, too.

In honor of our first home, I have a letter to share. Our (amazing) realtors suggested that we write a letter to the visitors coming in while the unit was on the market, sharing why we loved the home, and what made it special. A little personal touch when we couldn’t be there in person. A single unit in a high-rise might not seem extraordinary. But, ours was, and we hope it will be for the next homeowner, too. 

And you know what? The letter worked! The buyer said she loved it, and it was one of the reasons that made her want to buy our place! So, lesson learned, y'all, for anyone else thinking of selling soon. Write a letter!

XOXO I will miss you Buckhead! More to come soon. From the ‘burbs :)

The Letter

Welcome to the Paramount!  We are so glad you stopped by. We’re excited to share with you a little bit about why we love this neighborhood, this building and, most importantly, this amazing home in the city, Unit “XYZ.”

The Paramount is a perfectly situated high-rise, located right in the heart of Buckhead. Buckhead is known for its celebrities, shopping and restaurant scene. But we love Buckhead and Paramount Unit XYZ even more for the less-noticeable traits.

• Quiet weekend mornings on Peachtree Road, perfect for an early morning run or a quick stroll to the nearby Starbucks.
• Late-summer dinners on the patio, overlooking the amazing sunsets against the Buckhead skyline.
• Quick walks to Bistro Niko, our favorite restaurant in town. The patio and the mussels are to die for, and the staff always makes you feel like a VIP.
• Lazy weekends spent reading outside in one of the cabanas, with the breeze blowing past as if you are at the beach.
• Hardwood floors, granite countertops, built-in desks and shelves, arched doorways and tray ceilings; a modern feel, but with a traditional touch.
• Summers spent grilling out with friends on the Viking Range, or laying poolside, gazing up at the skyscrapers.
• Living at the start line of the world’s largest 10K, the Peachtree Road Race. And even better, living here for one of the city’s biggest fireworks displays, that 4^th of July night!
• Early mornings or late nights spent in the gym, with the in-house trainers ready to go whenever you are. 
• Taking MARTA into town for the football game on a fall weekend, to the airport early on a Monday morning, or just to the office in Downtown.

On the last day. <Tear>

As we prepare to make the move closer to our families, this is a bittersweet time. This home has meant so much to us. It was our first home, and we have loved hosting friends and family here for events both small and large.

But, most importantly, not many homes can credit introducing a couple. This home did that for us. Brad came as a friend of a friend to Katherine’s housewarming party, nearly six years ago, and, as they say, the rest is history!

Unit XYZ will always be in our hearts. And we hope that soon, it will be in yours, too.

Brad and Katherine Lehmann 

Popping In, Popping Up

Eeeek time has flown by this spring, friends. I have SO many things going on that I can't wait to tell you about oh so soon! It's been a great few months.

In the meantime, I wanted to pass along word of a fun shopping experience, over at ADAC in Buckhead this Wednesday, May 7! Pop-up shops are so fun. This one is timed perfectly for all of the spring and early summer events coming up, too. I also am excited to check out the insides of ADAC in general! That place is super cool.

Anyone want to pop over to this pop-up with me?! :) 

Laughs for Ladies Nights

As we have all continued to grow up since our early days of entry-level jobs and internship projects, our PR Girls crowd has gotten more refined in our get-togethers. And by refined, I really mean, simplified.

Early days of happy hours at local restaurants shifted to our single girl apartments, where the wine flowed cheaper and we tried out new appetizer recipes. Now, we have shifted things to our homes, while the husbands are tossed out for the night. Fancy appetizers have given way to quick runs past the store for prepared hummus and chips to add to a few "semi-homemade" treats (since we all know that the wine is the true star!).

We don't go out for PR Girls nights very often anymore. Every so often, though, we break habit and head out onto the town. A girl's gotta live it up every once in a while, after all! Plus, it's fun to throw on some heels and sparkles and have a true ladies night.

We did just that a few weekends ago, ditching the men and hitting up our former stomping grounds over at East Andrews. We weren't heading out for a crazy late night at the bar, however. Or at least, not totally :) We went to have a few good laughs at the Atlanta Improv Theater! 

About the Improv: Founded by Budd Friedman in New York in 1963, many know the Improv from the A&E show “An Evening at the Improv”. Over the decades, the talent who has played center stage include Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, Jamie Foxx, Adam Sandler and Dave Chappelle, to name a few. Today, the Atlanta Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theatre hosts national touring comics with up to five shows per week.

The comedians that performed the night we attended definitely brought the laughs. The headliner act was my favorite. Ryan Singer had a fun blend of topics that appealed to the mixed audience there that night -- something that's important to me. I enjoy comedy, but don't want to hear raunchy or off-color jokes all night. I like it when a comedian can read the audience, and blend jokes together, from witty to raunchy with a little silly throw in.

One thing to note for your visit is that the Improv has a full food and drink menu. There is a two drink minimum (not hard for us to hit that, ha) and then the food comes from fellow Andrews Entertainment District restaurants, including Stillhouse, Cellar 56, Czar Bar and Stout. Good to know in case you are combining dinner and entertainment for date night at the 8PM show, or have a case of late night munchies at the 10PM show. We stuck with easy champagne and wine, but the full bar looked promising, too.

All in all, it was a great change of pace for the night! We finished out with late drinks at the bar downstairs, part of the old East Andrews -- pretending to be 22 again, but smart enough now to know that the easiest way to head home on a late Friday night is to call Uber ;)

More info: 
56 East Andrews Drive NW Atlanta, GA 30305
(678) 244-3612
www.theimprovatlanta.com

Disclosure: I was compensated with tickets for the Improv, but all opinions here are my own. 

Four Months to Go: Wedding Preview

Hi, friends, and Happy Friday! 

I just got our four-month wedding countdown email yesterday from TheKnot.com. As you know, I am focusing all of my wedding planning attention on my Erin Condren monthly checklists, so I mostly ignore these Knot emails. They come with even more to-do lists of their own, which I think could really stress out a person. Nothing like an email in the middle of your work week with tons of wedding prep to do to get a gal sweating glistening. Thanks to my EC planner, I can completely ignore these emails other than reminding me how far out we are from the big day, getting a little twinge of "yikes!" before getting a huge rush of excitement.

So, four months out. Where do we stand? I haven't told you all yet about what's in store for the big weekend, so as a little Friday Feature, I wanted to give you an insider's look. Not like I will be revealing anything huge, though, because even my 'maids know that I am keeping most details hush-hush ... including my dress -- no one will see it before April! Gotta leave some things for people to look forward to, after all! ;)

First off, we are getting married on April 13, 2013. 4/13/13. I love the ring to it! Plus, my nerdy GT/OCD side loves that 1+3=4. Awww.

We made this fun picture into Save the Date magnets for all of our guests with details on the bottom corners.

Hint: Come back this weekend to get a little tutorial on how I made the banner we are holding in our Save the Dates. It was a fun and easy DIY project that you could duplicate for any special occasion.

CTK in Buckhead

Our wedding will take place right here in Buckhead. As if you hadn't guessed that already. We are a Buckhead couple and we wanted to keep the love right here in town. Plus, Buckhead is a great centralized location for our guests, a large majority of whom will be flying in and taking MARTA to the hotel. The hotel is close to the church which is close to the reception. No one has to drive, and everyone can hang out late-night at the nearby bars if they want, too.

Our wedding will be held at Cathedral of Christ the King, the Catholic cathedral that you might recognize if you have ever run the Peachtree Road Race course. It's located at the bend right through the residential part of town.

CTK is not the church that sprays you with holy water as you run past. That's the Episcopal one, St. Philip's. But I still bless myself as I run through that spray, and then again as I run past CTK. I figure I need the extra love to make sure I don't have an asthma attack during the race each year :)

We are having a 2 p.m. Catholic Mass. I have dreamed about having a Catholic Mass wedding for my whole life. I feel like it's the perfect blend of tradition and celebration. It might be an hour (+) long (!!), but I love that it helps showcase the actual wedding as the focus of the day, rather than the party afterwards. You all know I love throwing a party, but it's nice to remember the reason for the day.

Speaking of the party, we are having a big one that evening at The Buckhead Club, which is part of the ClubCorp organization. ClubCorp has locations all over the country, and they are like the business version of a country club. They feature awesome food, staff and areas for both business and entertaining. Most importantly, they excel at making their members and guests feel like royalty, which will be perfect for our big day. 

The views out of all sides of the Club are amazing.

Even the lounge area has a swank feel.

We love the views from the Club. It's located on the 26th floor of the Sovereign Building, up above our fav restaurant Bistro Niko (coincidence? I think not!). Our happy hour will be on one whole side of the building, and dinner and dancing will be on the other. It's going to be amazing. I can't wait to see the space all pulled together.

Want to know more about our wedding? Head on over to our wedding website, BradandKatherine.com. It's full of information about us as a couple and more details about both venues.

Tip: I chose to use Wedding Wire for the website, because I absolutely loved the templates they had. The one we chose, a Vera Wang design, matches our preppy city-chic theme and colors, and provided just enough customization along with helpful templates to make it really easy to set up.

There you have it! A brief look into what's coming up for us in just under four months. As the date approaches, I will probably share a few more details, but stay tuned until after the honeymoon for the full run down :)

Grand Opening: The Container Store Buckhead

Organizing friends, get ready for some visual lust. Last week I had the opportunity to join in with a fabulous group of local bloggers to tour the brandy-new Buckhead location of The Container Store! 

The Container Store, which proudly says that they never close stores, they only move stores to bigger and better locations, is a favorite spot for city dwellers like me. Whether you are living in tight quarters like a condo or apartment, or in a larger home with so much space that you don't know what to do with yourself (I envy you!), The Container Store has you set. No other retailer offers the depth and breadth of storage solutions that The Container Store does.

I was so honored to be invited to the preview event at the new location. The Container Store outdid themelves this time! The new space is gorgeous, and makes you want to run home and tear every piece of clothing out of your closet and start over with a new organizing system in place. I had to literally hold myself back from the displays as we got a tour. My OCD side was in absolute heaven.

Did you know? The Buckhead store location, originally at the intersection of Peachtree and Piedmont, was The Container Store's first store outside of Texas! Our store goes way back, y'all! This new 28,000 sq. foot, two-level store is now at the corner of Peachtree and Wieuca, and takes the place of the Borders that closed many months ago.

I had heard about the go-getter attitudes of the associates at the stores, but was surprised to learn how that comes about. Each full-time salesperson gets more than 263 hours of training in their first year. That is compared to a retail industry average of only seven to ten hours. Wow. These people know what they are talking about!

Clockwise, from top left: The wall of hangers at The Container Store, an Elfa
closet system demo, a flyer announcing the Gift Registry and the wall of wrapping paper

The Container Store is home to more than 120 food storage solutions (seen below on this amazing curved wall at the back end of the store which faces Peachtree Rd.), 700 organized office products, 45 types of laundry hampers, 350 products to organize a traveler, 80 styles of hangers (seriously - see that wall of them above!) and more. This store alone features more than 10,000 multifunctional and innovative products.

One of the items that caught my eye were the clear shoe boxes. Retailing at $1.69 each when you buy 20 or more, they are totally clear and see-through. You know how you usually have to put a photo or a label on the front of some other "clear" box so you can tell your black stilletos from the dark purple ones? You don't need to do that on these -- you can actually see right through them because they are made of such a high-grade plastic.

 

Another thing I was excited to see -- they now offer a registry! Obviously, this is awesome news for fellow organized brides, but also for recent high school and college grads, new homeowners and new parents (hello, baby food containers!).

Ready to get your OCD on? This brand new addition to the Buckhead shopping area is open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Parking is available in front of the store by the CVS and Pinkberry. Learn more about The Container Store's principles, community events and celebrations on their blog, What We Stand For.

Disclosure: I was invited to and attended a grand opening luncheon hosted by The Container Store, and received products as part of that event. This post represents my own opinions.

Past and Present

As this little old blog has grown in readership, I have had lots of opportunities to explain the background of its name to my new visitors and followers. Those of you local to the Atlanta area are of course hip to the "Buckhead Betty" phrase and all that the "Buckhead" word means, but to outsiders, our little neighborhood is not much more a span of blocks within the gigantic metropolis of ATL. And while I can sum up why I love living here in a single blog post, there is a ton of history that even I don't know all about yet, all these years later.

Luckily for all of us, tourists and locals alike, the Atlanta History Center has us set. They are hosting a new series of history lessons made just for adults. They are combining the past with pints ... of beer!

From their website:

Huzzah!  We’re pumped to tell you about a new monthly event designed to introduce you to the history of Atlanta… We think the name says it all - Party With the Past: Free History, Cold Beer. This free history series will take place at a different historic spot in the city each month. Here at the AHC, history is our passion, and we hope this event series will be a great way to introduce people to Atlanta, our museum staff, and famous Atlantans (alive and dead).

Fun! Luckily for us, this month's topic is all about Buckhead, and how our neighborhood got its name. This preview video pokes a little fun at our uppity area and also hints at our true background:

Who wants to join in with me for the event coming up in a few weeks? This sounds intriguing, and how can you go wrong with a happy hour that also educates?! You can RSVP for the event here on their website. Let me know if you decide to attend. I am planning on being there because, after all, no Betty can be TOO prepared for a pop history quiz ;)

New to the Neighborhood

Being in Buckhead for over four years now has allowed me to see a lot of places come and go. Little boutiques open and then shut because they are located on a horrible corner. Old standbys move locations and succeed even more, like Fado did around the corner. New restaurants open to critical acclaim, old favorites close after management decides to retire. It's just the way of the world, and when you live somewhere long enough, you start to really notice each individual change.

There's a new addition to the Buckhead neighborhood that I hope will be staying around for a long, long time. Last night I was lucky enough to be invited to the soft-opening of a brand new bakery on Lenox Road. Mae's Bakery opens today, and features cupcakes, croissants, cookies and a full coffee bar, making it a great new spot for you and the gals, or you and your wife, or you and the kids to head for a little sweet something-something.

Beth, the fabulous owner and momma to Mae herself (who is a cute little girl of six or seven), loved making others happy through baking so much that she has decided to take that big step and open up her own shop. Nothing better than that - go Beth! I think this is so awesome. Even better, though, is that her sweet and sugary concoctions are fabulous. Check out this display case.

I relaxed last night with a crazy-good s'mores cupcake that had a graham cracker base, a marshmallow topping and a piece of chocolate sitting right up on top.

And then I may have brought some home to "share" and maybe ate another half of a Banana Chocolate Chunk cupcake.

Note: and to top it off, I skipped this morning's run as a result, oh my! ;) 

What I really enjoyed about Mae's Bakery is that it's tucked away in that quaint little strip on Lenox Road in between Lenox Mall and Buford Highway. I have driven past there so many times, looking longingly over and wondering how nice it must be to be able to walk across the street from your highrise home to grab a drink and a bite to eat. Now, those same residents can walk across for a sweet bite at Mae's!

And I might be altering my commute to/from work a bit to make sure I can stop in more, too :)

Thanks, Beth and Mae, for inviting me to stop by! The cupcakes were great (and note: they were my only compensation for this post, ha! ;) )

Freezer to Table

While I may be four days into this ten-day regiment of antibiotics for what turned out to be a sinus infection (don't you hate those?), I am really only starting to feel like myself again today. My energy levels are returning to normal, and I was motivated enough this evening to clean up around the condo, something that always falls to the wayside when I am feeling sickly (much to my OCD chagrin!). Even better, last night I actually wanted to help cook dinner, days and days after not wanting to even step inside the kitchen since it meant abandoning the cozy couch.

Whether you are single or married, a corporate ladder-riser or self-employed entrepreneur, coming home in the evenings and tackling dinner is always a bit of a chore, and adding sickness or any kind of issue to that makes it that much worse. Sure, the weekly grocery shopping definitely helps -- I am pretty sure there is a scientific negative correlation between having done grocery shopping and the number of meals purchased on a whim out that week -- but sometimes there are those nights where you come home and just think "ughghgh" when you realize it's time to make dinner.

Sure, I'd love to be the one living up to the Buckhead Betty hype, staying home on Sundays and prepping meals ahead for the week. Ha. As if! We all know that it gets down to Thursday and all you want to do is call up the local pizza joint. Then any diet regimen and exercise momentum are gone and gone right with that empty pizza box.

I recently had the opportunity to try out a local life-saver for just those said occasions. Half-Baked is a local Buckhead operation that serves up oven-ready casseroles, perfect for any person or family wanting some delicious home-cooked meals without the effort.

J.J., Half-Baked's super chic co-owner and cook, was kind enough to pull out a few of her special frozen meals for us to try. It didn't take me but just a few days to have one of those nights where I knew cooking wasn't going to be happening. Knowing it was going to be a doozy of a day, I pulled out her Eggplant Lasagna the night prior, dropping it into the fridge to start defrosting. An hour later in the oven that night and we had a lightened-up version of lasagna that tasted absolutely nothing like a "light" version. In fact, I forgot it was technically a "light" version until just now, ha! The lowfat cheeses, sauce, eggplant and mushrooms combined into something homemade and awesome.

The second dish we tried was the "Cheese-o-roni" -- a fun name for what was insanely amazing mac n' cheese. It had crackers all over the top and a rich cheesey sauce that definitely satisfied the guys' munchies one late evening at home. Since I hadn't defrosted the meal ahead of time, I popped the dish out of the tin foil and into a glass casserole, dropped it in the oven as it was preheating and cooked it for about 40-45 minutes.

While we have not yet tried our last sampler meal, the Chicken Tetrazzini, I am anxiously awaiting another "busy" day where we can let J.J. and Lee do the cooking! I think it might be this week ... :)

Ready for some home cooking that you don't have to do yourself? Check out Half-Baked's menu for appetizers, main dishes, veggies and desserts (oh, the desserts!!). All of the dishes come in three sizes. The small meals, just $11.99, served up two generous portions perfect for a hungry couple, but you can also order a Medium for $22.99 that will serve a family of four.

Half-Baked is located on Roswell Road just north of the merge with Peachtree. They are open 10-6pm on Monday-Friday and 10-12pm on Saturdays.

Buckhead Betty tip: These meals would make fantastic gifts for new moms, or for a neighbor family if someone is in the hospital or really sick! 


Disclosure: I was provided complimentary meals from Half-Baked as part of this review, but all opinions are my own.

Bonjour!

This is a quickie post today but mostly because the details are still pretty slim -- guess what is coming back to Atlanta, and relocating to Buckhead??

Stumped? You might remember them as this!

F.A.B. was an awesome spot in Downtown. Their rooftop bar was amazing, as was the interior decor, but the Downtown scene, while bumping during the summer Mart-DragonCon season, is pretty quiet for the rest of the calendar year. That sadly saw the end of FAB as we knew it a few years ago :(

Some of the original PR gals at a FAB summer rooftop event -- all the way back in 2008!

The team behind FAB has been working hard, though, and their newest spot has been under way since late 2011. I am so excited to see it actually coming to life! F and B's new digs, while a bit North of the main hotel drag in Buckhead, should definitely provide the traffic they need to be a popular hit for locals and tourists alike. I can't wait to head back and see how their menu has changed and which of my favorites (the mussels!) are still there. 

While it appears many of the details are being kept under wraps, you can follow along with the opening, scheduled for the 21st (Saturday night!), via their website, Twitter or Facebook.

See you soon at France in Buckhead!

An Atlanta Tradition

As every good Atlantan does, I have some local traditions. Fridays spent at Sweetwater Brewing Company kick any weekend off right. I know to walk, not drive, around the Lenox Mall area at the holidays due to the insane traffic that piles up. Fall mornings mean we are boarding the trains with our yellow and gold on for Game Day. I like to hit up Waffle House the morning after a late night out.

Source: Uploaded by user via Pardot on Pinterest

My favorite tradition, however, is the Peachtree Road Race. This race, run every year on the morning of July 4th, is something that my family has been participating in together for years and years. My mom and dad were early instigators, suggesting one year that rather than sleeping in that morning, we should get up with 50,000+ other locals and head down to Lenox Mall for the start line of this famed, world's largest 10K road race. All these years later, and I think this year will be my sixth (seventh?) race!

Since I am not a "real" runner, I usually get randomly seeded for the race, meaning that my start group has changed almost every year. I always say to myself, oh, I should run some local 5K ahead of time and submit my time for a better number next year. But I never do. And you know what? It doesn't really matter :) As long as I am not in the last group (which is filled with almost all walkers), all of the groups in the middle are pretty much the same.

Note: I had some finish-line photos of me from past races I wanted to share here with you all, but they were all the proof versions - none that were good enough to buy ;) So after second thoughts, I decided to take them out of the post since I didn't have the rights to share them. 

Just imagine a shot of me running here. I look dorky and not coordinated :)

The race has covered almost the exact same course through Buckhead into Midtown Atlanta since 1970. It starts now right in front of Lenox Mall, and ends on 10th Street by Charles Allen. It covers 6.2 miles of hilly, windy terrain, going through some of the prettiest parts of Buckhead. At the end lies the coveted Peachtree Road Race t-shirt, the design for which is kept a surprise until the first runners pick up their bags!

Besides running, which is always a challenge but a super fun one at that, my favorite PTRR tradition is the after-party. Our group of family and friends have been holding down the corner where the race turns from Peachtree onto 10th Street for many, many years. As you run past, you are guaranteed a great hollering from those of the group holding down the fan-side, and when you are done, you walk back up to join in the race watching. Since the Peachtree lasts for a few hours (60,000+ people are running it tomorrow!), there is usually at least an hour or two left of people to pass by and watch.

The very, very best part about our tailgate? This:

Source: ezrapoundcake.com via Sara on Pinterest

The bloody mary(s) waiting for me as I walk up to our tailgating group! A bloody mary, in my opinion, is the best post-race drink EVER! In one glass, you get some replenishing nutrients AND a slight "whoa" feeling :)

Are you running the PTRR tomorrow? And out-of-towners, have you ever considered making the trip in for this momentous event? It's a popular destination for the Fourth and I urge you to mark your calendars for the 2013 race!!

Feel the Chill

Atlanta is such an ever-changing town with restaurants and bars. I only have to drive one minute down the road to see something new every few weeks. While I love the old stand-bys, I also love that you never know what cool, new place is going to open up around the corner.

While I heard about the Czar Ice Bar a month or so ago (from my mom - go Mom!), I hadn't heard much else about this new sushi + vodka spot until they reached out to me earlier this week with an invite to attend a tasting evening. You all know how I love me some V, so I was of course in! I also love sushi, and have been looking for a nice "date night appropriate" sushi spot nearby ever since Bluepointe closed (sad days).

Czar Ice Bar opened up about two months ago in a space which used to be the bar for Andrews Upstairs. Located directly next to that popular music destination, it's no wonder that Czar has a great late-night appeal and a feel of city glam.

Feeling the warmth of this crazy hot heatwave hitting A-town? Grab a seat by the bar, which, no joke, is made of ice!

If you are a vodka-drinker, your head is about to spin. The Czar Ice Bar menu has not just one huge side of their menu dedicated to the clear liquid, but half of the front side of the menu, too! We sampled a variety of V last night when we were there, but my favorite was the 7even-7even-0h. Clever pun of our phone area code aside (I love that kind of thing!), I loved seeing the bartender flambe a piece of grapefruit to rub down the edges of the glass.

 

 

BB Tip: If they don't bring you any, ask for some water, too, because even though many of these vodkas are as smooth as water, they are not water! An easy mistake for your mind to make, especially after one or two or three. Preach. 

We loved that the vodka flights came out in their very own ice mold to keep things as cold as possible!

The sushi? Also fantastic. While we didn't try any of the nigiri or sashimi, my man has tried it there on another recent occasion and said it was some of the best he's had around town. We tried a lot of their special menu items last night, instead, like the Lobster Roll (so good):

 

  

A serious caveat -- this is a vodka and sushi bar. If you don't like one or the other, there isn't much on the menu for you. They do have sodas, some beers and wine, but really don't offer many other liquors.

Not a fan of sushi? Their spring rolls and goyza dumplings were fantastic, too, and could make a good meal when combined with an order of edamame.

This wall of vodka makes me happy :)

So, our review? A must-do if you are a vodka lover, and a great date night spot for some sushi-craving fans. They have a late-night dress code, so don't expect to walk in with flip flops or shorts on. It's a good spot to leisurely hang out, too. Grab a spot on the couches and sip some V while you wait for your sushi. 

We can't wait to go back! Thanks, Czar Ice Bar!

Disclosure: I was invited to a complimentary tasting event and was able to try menu items that appealed to us. All opinions are my own.