White Oak

INSTAGRAM |  TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | SHOP

So this past weekend, Atlanta Downtown Restaurant Week kicked off.  I had found out about it on Facebook, and immediately knew that we would participate in it on our weekly date night.  After quickly checking the website, me and hubs decided on White Oak Kitchen.  The Yelp reviews were good and the hipster-ish name drew me in.

We were out and about on Saturday fairly early for a brewery tour, so we arrived for a slightly earlier-than-usual-for-a-Saturday-night dinner, which is why it may look a little empty in my photos.  I have to say, I love the decor.  It has all of these wood accents (of course) and has a huge wall of tall windows.  All of the natural light gives the place such a nice vibe, not to mention, it's perfect for taking food pictures.

During Atlanta Downtown Restaurant Week, participating restaurants put together a special prix-fixe menu at a fixed price that includes 3 or 4 courses.  The price is always a steal for what you're getting and it's such a great way for diners to become aquainted with the restaurant and it's food!  That is really the purpose of "restaurant weeks" in general--to get people inside these restaurants to discover or re-discover their offerings.

Because, I'm no bonafide restaurant critic, I will quickly let you know what we ordered.  I ordered the watermelon salad, chicken, and of course, the chocolate pot de créme.  Hubs ordered the tomato salad, pork, and the same dessert.  We both added the accompanying wine pairings as well.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals.  From the salads (hub's salad was the winner), to the entrées (tie), down to the dessert (same).  The wine pairings, also, perfectly complimented each course. 

I also would like to mention that the service was impeccable, including the sommelier!

So, if you live in the Atlanta area or are visiting, go have dinner at White Oak Kitchen, or drinks even at their beautiful but cozy bar.  I also recommend you try as many other restaurants as you can during ADRW, that's what me and the hubs plan to do!

White Oak Kitchen
270 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30303

The Weekend + Princi

INSTAGRAM |  TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | SHOP

This past Saturday, the hubs and I went on a date night and decided to have dinner at Princi.  It's a fairly new restaurant in Midtown (Atlanta).  We've walked past it a few times, because we tend to hangout in the Midtown area, and we've always took note on how quaint it looked, especially the patio.

I won't go into full "food critic" mode, but I just thought I'd share that we really enjoyed our time there.  The food was great, and the ambiance couldn't be beat.  I had the Chicken Piccata and the hubs had Branzino.

If you happen to be in Midtown, Atlanta.  I suggest you give Princi a try!

Oy!

INSTAGRAM |  TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

So, as you know, we've been back in Atlanta for a few months now.  During this time, we've been eating and playing our way through the city since we've gotten back.  There are so many new places to eat and new things to do that have popped up while we were away.  So I will make it a thing to chronicle some of our new "discoveries" here on the blog.

One weekend here recently, the little family and I decided to go grab a bite for lunch.  I was craving a burger and nobody seemed to object.  Intent on trying out a new place, I jumped on Yelp and did a quick search.  This place "Oy" popped up.  It was only a few miles away and had great reviews--so we decided to give it a try.  They seem to have a very popular breakfast/brunch--but apparently, their burgers are the biz as well.

To make a long story short, the hubs and I both ordered the "Juicy Lucy" burger and it was fantastic.  Oy makes their burgers out of a mixture of brisket, short rib and certified angus beef.  The burger was seasoned perfectly...but the standout....is that it's stuffed with cheese.  Like, it's inside of the that nice juicy thick patty.  We also ordered what they call a "mountain of fries"--and it is indeed a mountain.

We all were very happy with our lunch that day, and we plan on going back for brunch to try the pancakes they serve that are as big as a medium pizza--seriously.

If you're in the Atlanta area, I'd suggest you give Oy a try...because, why not?

P.S. I thought it was fitting that I publish this post now, because as of January 1st, my hubs and I are on a 30 day vegetarian challenge.  So the next few food posts will NOT be about any juicy burgers, steak, chicken...any of that.  But, hopefully, I will have some nice vegetarian delights to share with you all.  So stay tuned!

Oy
2355 Cumberland Pkwy
Atlanta, GA 30339
oyatlanta.com

RA Sushi Leawood

Tuna California Roll

So, Spring has sprung and summer is on it's way.  This gets me excited because this is the time of year when some restaurants begin to bring out their summer menus or make some seasonal items available.  One of those restaurants happens to be RA Sushi.  I had the pleasure of tasting some of the items off of their seasonal menu with my homie, Lashonda of FashionPlateKC, and really enjoyed everything on the menu.

Langostino Strawberry Salad

Red Seabream Nigiri

Red Seabream Carpaccio

I have to say, that I'd never had the fish, Seabream, before.  It was delicious.  It's a nice, mild and meaty, white fish. I also tried a couple of the cocktails, and I have to say, the Peach Basil Sour was my fave!!

If you're ever in the Town Center area here in KC, be sure to stop by RA Sushi and give the seasonal menu a try!  Great food and always a cool atmosphere.

::Eat:: Renee Kelly's Harvest

photo via Facebook

It's hump day, ya'll!! This is just a quick post about one of my favorite things (as you know)--food! This past weekend, the hubs and I tried a new restaurant that was recommended to us by friends. It's called Renee Kelly's Harvest.  The owner is chef Renee Kelly, and this is a "farm to table" that supports local Kansas and Kansas City area farmers.  So, in other words, the freshest food ever.

This restaurant is thee cutest. Cute may not be the right word, but hey, this is me talking.  The building looks like a gothic-y cottage style house.  A slight castle vibe.  Upon entering, however, it has the feeling of a lodge because of all the wood.  It's very nice.  It has two dining levels, as well as a wine cellar in the basement.

Duck tacos.

But why am I talking about the decor??  This place is all about the food!  The hubs and I started out with the duck tacos which were amaze!  I was really starving when we arrived, so these hit the spot like nothing else could.  For dinner I had a pork chop dish that was served with a savory bread pudding and thee tiniest Brussels sprouts I'd ever seen. They called them baby Brussels sprouts.  And I ate those babies too!  My husband had the duck breast with polenta and the seasonal veg.

Pork chop with savory bread pudding and baby Brussels sprouts.

Pressed duck breast with polenta and seasonal veg.

The food was amazing!  

Instead of dessert, we opted to have a an extra glass (or two) of wine and took a quick little tour of the building. We hung out in the wine cellar for a bit, and then took a peek at the patio and garden outside.

Really bad camera-phone pic. Thx to me having the junkiest iPhone ever.

I have to say, this was one of my favorite meals that I've had in Kansas City so far.  I guess I'm just a sucker for fine-ish dining.  That presentation, tho. 

If you're ever in the KC area, I highly recommend!

Renee Kelly's Harvest
12401 Johnson Drive
Shawnee, Kansas 66216 

Chai Shai...Again

Didn't I tell you guys that I would be going back to this spot because the food was so good?!  Well, I went back sooner than I even thought.

This past weekend, me and the hubs had some kid-free time and decided to go grab a bite and then go drink some craft beer (a hobby of ours).  I decided it was time for him to give Chai Shai a try, too!  First thing he said was "Indian & Pakistani restaurant? That's interesting, seeing that  they are enemies in real life."  I just love that handsome nerd.

This time around, I'd gotten a lamb dish and he'd gotten the chicken dish that I tried last time.  All I can say is my meal was nothing short of amazing.  Oh, and we started off with the vegetable samosas.  I actually like the veggie better than the chicken samosas.  So good!

I would go into detail over the food and what I thought of it, etc., but I'm not going to pretend to be a real food critic.  I'm just here to share awesome stuff with you all and hopefully encourage you to partake in said awesome stuff. 

 

So again I say, YES--this place is awesome.  You really should eat here some time.

After that, we had beers at 75th Street Brewery in Waldo--another KC gem.  It was a great night.

Happy hump-day!

Chai Shai
651 E. 59th Street
Kansas City, MO 64110
(816) 260-5203

Festa Italiana

We've been living here in the Kansas City metro area for almost 6 months now.  Since I choose to view this move as an "adventure" (albeit, temporary), I've made it a goal to do as much and see as much in this town that I can.  There seems to be a lot of events, especially family-friendly, that go on during the summer months--which is great for us.  

This past weekend, we decided to check out the annual Festa Italiana (Italian Festival).  It took place in yet another huge outdoor shopping area in KC, called Zona Rosa.  (Sidenote:  I'm so intrigued that this place that gets snow and freezing temperatures during the winter has sooooo many outdoor shopping districts!)  So in the name of trying to blog more, here are a few snaps.  Enjoy!

Yay for Fridays!

...well, First Fridays, that is.  I figured it's fitting that I publish this post on a Friday since it's about "First Fridays" in Kansas City.  Here in KC, the first Friday of the month is all about the art walk in the Crossroads Art District in downtown KC.  The area is made-up of art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, creative businesses (i.e. architects, marketing firms, etc.)--you name it.  On a first Friday, these businesses, especially the galleries, open their doors showcasing their latest installments.  If you're lucky, you'll score some free wine too! There are also tons of street vendors of handmade items like jewelry, pottery, art, etc.   Oh, and you can't forget the plethora of street performers and live bands who just set up shop in parking lots, alley ways, etc.  It's like everyone is out to showcase their "talent"--whatever it may be.  It's an amazing, quirky atmosphere, or what I like to call "a hipter's wet dream". 

 

I'm so happy that spring/summer is here, which makes outdoor events like this doable for me here in the Midwest!  I hear KC has tons of outdoor festivals this time of year, as well, and I look forward to showcasing all the happenings here on my blog.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. I'll leave you with a little music...

KC Eats :: Bo Ling's

I'm going to start this post out by saying....Yay for date nights!!! 

We are now all settled into our home here in Kansas (City area).  I have to admit that aside from the wintery weather--I'm loving it.  Speaking of wintery weather, it actually felt almost like spring the past couple days which was perfect for a date night!  Since I am now in a new city and will be trying out new places to eat, shop, see, etc., I thought I'd make an effort to take you guys along for the ride.

Yummy Mai Tai

Because this particular date night we were crunched for time, hubs and I decided to head down to The Plaza and grab a bite and just hang out for a bit.  I've mentioned The Plaza in another post.  It's a HUGE shopping/dining district in Kansas City with Spanish architecture.  It's one of my favorite areas to hang out in KC so far.  Also, during the holiday season The Plaza is decorated extensively with Christmas lights all over the buildings.  It is quite a sight to see.  This was the last weekend of the lights, so that's another reason I thought it would be cool to go there.  

Me and my man had decided ahead of time to grab some sushi and so we ended up at Bo Ling's Chinese restaurant.  It's actually a chain, which made me a bit skeptical but it turned out to be just fine.  From the apps to the green tea--we were very happy with our meal.  I give the service an "A+" as well.  We will definitely be back.

Oh, and the entrance of Bo Ling's is VERY unassuming and upon entering, you would never think the place would be so grand inside, as well as look so nice a modern.  That little trick of sorts made me like it even more.

Seaweed and cucumber salad

Tempura fried calamari

Tempura fried calamari

A couple of sushi rolls.

My hot date

Organic jasmine green tea

Obligatory bathroom shot

Be sure to give Bo Ling's a try if you're ever in the area.  Apparently they have a few locations around town, but I can only vouch for the one in The Plaza.

Happy Monday!

EAT :: Chick-a-Biddy

First off, how can you not like a name like "Chick-a-Biddy"??!  Second, you'll like it even more after you've had the food!

A few days ago, a friend and I decided to meet up for a late lunch.  Because it was a nice day, we decided to head over to Atlantic Station, since it always provides such a nice atmosphere as well as after-lunch shopping.  We decided to eat at a place we hadn't tried before and settled on Chick-a-Biddy.  Chick-a-Biddy and it's sister restaurant, Bantam & Biddy are the brain child of two known Atlanta chefs, Shaun Doty (of "Yeah! Burger" and former owner/head chef of "Shaun's", what was an excellent restaurant) and Lance Gummere.

Chick-a-biddy boasts that it only serves "farm fresh chicken", but it also has a lot of other items on the menu as well.  My friend chose the fried chicken with mac-n-cheese and sweet potato fries.  I, however,  decided on the piri piri chicken with mac-n-cheese and sauteed Brussels sprouts.  Let me tell you, all of it was good....but those Brussels sprouts were thee best Brussels sprouts I'd ever had in life.  The mac-n-cheese looks sort of "regular", but it was really good as well.  Last, the chicken was flavorful and I liked the piri piri spices.  My friend said that her fried chicken was winning as well.

The only negative--I do not go to restaurants to be served wine in stemless glasses!  Even though, it's a casual restaurant, I just have something against drinking out of stemless wine glasses when I'm out on the town.

I didn't get any photos of the restaurants interior because we decided to eat on the patio.  The patio is really nice and is in a good spot for people watching. The inside decor is really cute, and reminds me of places in Miami.  It has a very modern styling with a white & orange color scheme.

I look forward to going back and trying some of the other menu items.  If you're ever in Atlanta, go hang out in Atlantic Station and definitely give Chick-a-Biddy a try!

GO :: Georgia Wine Country

So now that the countdown begins on our move from my beloved Atlanta, hubs and I decided there are some things that any resident of Atlanta should go/see/do at some point.  Since our time here has now been cut short, we're going to be checking some things off of that list.

Something I've always wanted to do, but just had never gotten around to it is go check out Georgia's "wine country".  Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia and stretching all the way over as far as Savannah, this "wine country" is home to a significant number of vineyards.  We visited two vineyards in Dahlonega, Georgia which were Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery and Frogtown Cellars.  Wolf Mountain is one of the more popular vineyards.  They have gorgeous grounds and a cafe with amazing food.  Maybe because this was a holiday weekend, Wolf Mountain was wayyyyy too crowded for us.  It detracted from the ambiance a bit, so we moved on rather quickly.  We decided to hit up Frogtown and it was quite a treat.  They were busier than usual too, but it was a bit more manageable.  So we spent the rest of the afternoon, noshing on small plates and partaking in some wine tasting.  It was just so nice.  I really do cherish moments like these with my husband, as we don't get "alone time" as much as would like.  The backdrop of the mountains along with the beautiful scenery of the vineyard below gave us the perfect casual but romantic atmosphere.

We really liked a some of the wines that we'd tasted and left with a few bottles.  It was a great day. *smile*

And yes, I'm wearing those pants again--and, no, I don't care how that looks.  They are my faves. *chuckle*

By the way, check out this movie called "Sideways".  It came out in 2004 and won an Oscar.  It's a funny, quirky film that we enjoyed.  We happened to watch it a couple weeks ago, and that is what gave us the nudge to make this quick little roadtrip.  We're actually planning a trip to California wine country, too!

Chevron

So, did everyone have a great weekend?  I sure did!  There was a lot going on in Atlanta this past weekend.  There were a couple festivals going on, One Music Fest (which I didn't make it to) and the Atlanta Arts Festival in Piedmont Park.  Hubs and I opted to get out for a few hours and check out the arts festival.  I had been debating for a while about going to the music festival, but as much as I love music, I know that my attention span isn't long enough to have me sitting out in the hot sun for hours and hours and hours, amidst a big crowd.  As I get older, I realize that comfort has become a big deal to me, especially when it comes to activities that are suppose to be "fun". haha

I finally pulled out this chevron print dress that I'd gotten from Forever 21 months ago in the spring.  I'd just never gotten around to wearing it.  I decided to dress it down with white Converse, as I knew we would be walking around for awhile.  Last, I grabbed my denim button-up, that I never leave home without and called it a day.

By the way, the weather was PERFECT.  It's starting to cool down slightly, so the highs were barely touching 80 degrees both days.  That made for a perfect temperature to be out and about outdoors.

Did any of you do anything fun?  Holla back!

*NikG*

GO :: Georgia Aquarium

This past weekend, hubs suggested we take the kids to the Georgia Aquarium here in Atlanta.  It's supposedly "state of the art" and we still had not been.  So we went!  It was really nice, I have to say.  We started off with the live dolphin show, Dolphin Tales, which the boys thoroughly enjoyed.  I have no pictures of that, as they asked that no photographs be taken as it could distract the animals, etc.  After that, we went through all of the exhibits.  There are several.  There are even exhibits where you can even touch some of the sea life.  I touched a stingray!  We even pit stopped in their restaurant, Cafe Aquaria, which was nicer than I would have expected. 

Just a few pics...

Sea Dragon.  How cute is that?!

I definitely think if you live in the Atlanta area or are visiting, it's a must see!

*NikG*

Weekend Snaps

Hope everyone had an amazing Labor Day weekend like I did!  I actually was out and about a bit more than I had planned, and I'm not complaining.  Although, I did spend the whole day Monday recuperating.  A girl can't do it like she use to, ya'll.  Of course, I attended the International Day Party organized by my friend DJ Salah Ananse, and I had such a great time!  On Sunday, I attended House In The Park which is always an amazing time.  Such great music, vibes and energy!  It rained on our heads, but that didn't slow down the party one bit.  Later that night, I hung out with some of my girls for a birthday celebration at Buckhead Bottle Bar & Bistro.  It was all the way live.

So here are some pics from the day party.  I started taking pictures early, but once I got into my groove the camera was put away!

I also posted a few pictures from the other excursions on my Instagram, in case you want to take a looksee.

Have a great day!

*NikG*

DO :: Int'l Day Party This Saturday!

Check check check it out! Day party Saturday, Aug 31, 2-8pm at The Sound Table! Featuring an international music set and international guest DJs! There will be House, Reggae, Haitian, and African music played!  Organized by DJ Salah Ananse and hosted by yours truly, Suze Sadler & Eddie Dupont. I would love to meet some of my Atlanta area readers!  Come on out!

*NikG*

EAT :: Cruzado ATL

So, I've been in the process of clearing out photos off of my SD cards, and I've come across a lot of photos that I had intentions of using in blog posts but had forgotten all about!  I will try to get them on the blog over time.

First up, here are some photos taken in June at Cruzado.  Cruzado is this cute and quaint little Cuban (mostly)/Latin/Caribbean restaurant tucked away in a residential neighborhood in Midtown Atlanta, with really yummy food.  What really made me like it was just the vibe of the atmosphere/neighborhood.  Let me be honest, I use to live within walking distance of this location when I first moved to Atlanta, so I am a bit partial.  Midtown is the shizzz!

Anyway, we had decided to try it out during their 1 Year Anniversary celebration.  We chilled out on the patio, tried a few tapas and drank a bunch of mojitos and caipirinhas.  The drinks were perfect, and the dishes I did try were great, and like I mentioned, the laid back, "neighborhood joint" atmosphere couldn't be beat.  Prices were great too--nothing outrageous.

Next door to the dining room, they also have a hookah bar for more lounging if that's your thing.   You could also take a quick stroll a few blocks away to Piedmont Park after your meal to walk off all of that Latin-y goodness.

Patio

Pork stuffed plantains

Chicken empanadas--definitely a HIGHLIGHT of the tapas.

Definitely check it out if you're ever in the neighborhood!

xoxo, *NikG*

Weekend Mentions

Hey all!  Hope everyone had an awesome weekend/St. Patrick's Day!  

My weekend was pretty chill.  The highlight was being able to have a "date night" with the hubs on Saturday.  We decided to give a new (to us) restaurant a try and were very happy with our choice.  The restaurant is named "Coast" and it's a seafood restaurant and raw bar with a nice little beach-y feel in the heart of Buckhead.

Photos courtesy of Google.com

They have indoor and outdoor seating.  Of course, this being the first weekend of the year with 70+ degree weather--we chose the patio!  

Drinks were great and the food was even better.  We started out with appetizers--I had fried calamari and hubs had peel & eat shrimp.  I forgot to take pictures of those because I was too busy chowing down.

For the main course, I had the Boston Lemon Sole entree.  I'd never had that type of fish (sole) before, and I'm glad I decided to try something new.  It was full of flavor.

Hubs opted for the skirt steak with shrimp.  Let's just say, my fork kept finding it's way over to his plate throughout our dinner.  You can't go wrong with a "surf & turf" kind of meal.

The ambiance was nice and they had live music on the patio as well.  We will definitely be back.  If you're ever in the area--give it a try!

Happy Monday!

Weekend Mentions

So, as you already know, me and the hubs had a quick little date night on Saturday.  We decided to give a new (to us) restaurant a try.  We dined at Aqua Blue in Alpharetta (a suburb of ATL) and can I tell you, the food was AWESOME.

The ambiance was nice, and my cocktail was perfect.  I wish I could give you the name of it, but I forgot and they don't have their cocktail menu on the website.  Anyway, it was some kind of Basil, Lime martini that was absolutely fabulous.

I'm not going to go through our full meal, because I didn't take pictures of all of it.  I will tell you about MY dish, which happened to be the "special" of the night.  It was a pan seared duck breast with some kind of apple chutney, along with green beans and mashed potatoes.  And if that wasn't enough, they topped the whole thing with shrimp.  I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Have I mentioned, I've never met a duck dish that I didn't like?  I tend to order it often.

Hubs had a couple sushi rolls, which were delicious as well.

Instead of desert, we opted for French press coffee while continuing to chat.  All in all, I was one happy camper.

If you're ever in Alpharetta--go!

Link Up

This past Saturday, I got the chance to connect with an old (new) friend.  I say "old (new)" because she is someone I stumbled upon during the Myspace years.  I use to devour pictures of her and her friends' eclectic, earthy and fabulous Brooklyn style.  This was before I transitioned to natural hair, and all of them had natural hair which was additional inspiration for me to take the plunge.  Anyway, over the years, we've been social media friends and finally met up this weekend.  She happened to be here in Atlanta and wanted to film me for a video project she is working on for a website she will be launching soon!  I will be sure to let you guys know when that happens.  It is always great to meet another kindred spirit!

Introducing Michi!  If you want to be inspired by cool fashion and a warm spirit, follow this girl!

We met up at one of my favorite coffee shops that I frequent weekly.  So the night began with coffee and ended with cocktails and laughter.  I took her to one of my favorite rooftop lounges found at the restaurant, Cafe Circa.  

 
Can you believe the picture below of our drinks were actually shots?  Yes, the bartender decided to make us shots the size of real drinks.  We had to call it a night after that. haha

Looking forward to sharing with you all the finished product!

Weekend Mentions

This past Saturday, me and the fam decided to head out to the Dekalb International Food & Music Festival.  The weather was perfect!  It really was a diverse affair, all types of food from Jamaican to Ethiopian to Puerto Rican to Chinese...and of course, Bahamian.  We got our Bahamian food itch satisfied, and all was well with the world.

So what kind of fun did all of you get into this past weekend?

This post is part of :