Pretty Southern

Author: Lauren

Best Halloween Parties in Atlanta

Hotlanta gets even hotter on Halloween with the prettiest Southern girls, ghoulish gentlemen, the craziest costumes, and of course a healthy dose of “Walking Dead”. Here at Pretty Southern, we have a round up of what we expect to be Atlanta’s best Halloween party — well, the whole city will be a party so “parties” — because this year we’re set for a week’s worth of fun with events happening from Friday, Oct. 25, through the next Friday, Nov. 1. Knowing the Techies, the costumes will probably carry over into Georgia Tech’s Homecoming weekend. Here are some of the best halloween parties in Atlanta for 2013.

Friday, Oct. 25
Front Page News kicks off your wicked weekend with their Boos and Brews Halloween Party. A $25 cover charge grants you access into a New Orleans-style shindig complete with a costume contest, flip cup and beer pong challenges, plus pretty much any liquor y’all can imagine (for a nominal fee).

Saturday, Oct. 26

A Social Mess is taking over The Buckhead Theatre for their 4th annual Boonanza. Founded by Fur Bus owner, Trey Humphreys, y’all can expect more than 1,000 of Buckhead’s pretty girls, tons of Bud Light, Pinnacle Vodka, and some crazy-ass costumes. Scroll down for the video, and buy your tickets now because the price will go up!

Don’t feel like sticking to one place? The Buckhead Creepy Crawl will parade through the Buckhead Bar Triangle beginning at 7 p.m. Registration starts at Buckhead Saloon then the pub crawl continues on at Stagecoach, Hangovers, Lost Dog Tavern, Park Bench & Churchill’s British Pub.

Down in Midtown, the Living Room at Whiskey Park @ W Midtown will host a Haunted Hotel with the party looking down from the Haunted Rooftop. Featuring seven amazing paty areas, smokin’ hot DJs, custom cocktails, and complimentary glow toys, this will be one of the most wicked parties on Peachtree Street.

At Park Tavern, Spiralween spins its web over the historic Piedmont Park landmark to create the unprecedented mayhem. A $20 cover gets you in the door for some of the best costumes in the city…with some of the best views too. There’s $1,000 on the line for the best costume.

Scoutmob is sponsoring its 3rd annual party at the Goat Farm for the most eclectic party on the Westside. A $35 ticket gets you two drink tickets for wine, beer, and other spirits (including first-time bottles by Jailhouse Brewing) plus one frozen pint of Craft Beer Ice Cream (while supplies last). Throughout the Goat Farm will be fabulous art installations, including “an interactive 12-ft walking astronaut constructed by master puppeteers Raymond Carr + Wade Tilton”, plus food trucks galore.

Thursday, Oct. 31

RA Sushi hosts its Boo Bash beginning at 7 p.m. “Boys and ghouls are encouraged to dress up for the Boo Bash costume contest. Those dressed to kill will have the opportunity to take a bite out of some serious treats, including a $100 RA gift certificate for the first place winner, a $50 RA gift certificate for second place and a $25 RA gift certificate for third place. To keep the Halloween bash going all night long, a special guest D.J. will spin a haunting mix of beats.”

W Buckhead hosts a Haunted Hotel with packages and tables available at Whiskey Blue. Their spooky package includes an overnight stay in a Wonderful Room, complimentary valet parking and two tickets to the Haunted Rooftop

Masquerade at Park Tavern begins at 9 p.m. to help support three different charities — the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Choa-Marcus Autism Center, and Piedmont Dog Park. Dos XX, Power 105.7, and the Southwest Porch at Park Tavern bring the official Halloween party to Midtown with Nine Inch Neils, $1 Dos XX, and a costume contest with the grand prize of a trip to Los Angeles to see Pearl Jam.

Don’t see your event on here? Let us know in the comments section below and we’ll update it with your party details!

October 24, 2013
This Week in the South – Happy Monday!

Happy Monday y’all! Hope everybody had a wonderful weekend, even in the throes of all the football upsets in the SEC. Georgia lost to Vandy for the first time since 2006, and along with that loss went the hopes of winning the SEC East. Considering that Auburn beat Texas A & M, Georgia Tech won, and Florida lost, the Dawgs certainly have an interesting ride ahead for the rest of the season. For the record, Missouri didn’t actually secede from the Union, which makes us all wonder what qualifies them to be in the SEC…but let’s forget about all that until Saturday, and talk about a few things which we know will make y’all smile. The Southern Blog Society has redesigned its site, and we’re privileged to be a part of this fantastic organization. They’ve added the state of Arkansas to their logo, note the fabulous redesign and also take note that Missouri isn’t included. Yes, we’re still a bit sour over that loss in Sanford Stadium. Anyways, back to the happy posts.

The Centraarchy restaurant group — including New York Prime, Joey D’s Oak Room, and Tavern at Phipps in Atlanta — is serving up a fabulous martini called the Pink Kiss with 50% of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. October is breast cancer awareness month, and it’s fabulous to see this business contributing to a good cause. Click here to find out more about drinking to help save the ta-ta’s! Big thanks again to Bobby — a managing partner at New York Prime, Steve his stellar bartender, and our pal Elizabeth at Southern Color for a fabulous happy hour. We look forward to another Pink Kiss martini from Centraarchy soon!

Our ingredients for Chicken Satays, Peanut Sauce and Jeweled Rice.

Preparing a gourmet meal is now as easy as clicking the “order” button. A startup called Plated has just launched in Atlanta and serves up all the ingredients you need right to your door. Plated is cofounded by Josh Hix, a Georgia Tech grad who went onto achieve his MBA at Harvard. It was there he met his partner, Nick Taranto, and they’ve created a stellar meal plan. Thus far we’ve enjoyed the Chicken Satays, Orcchiette with Sausage & Broccoli, Tuna with Sushi Rice, and Chicken Tortilla Soup. Use the code “Pretty Southern” for 2 free plates.

There’s tons of movies filming around Atlanta. “Dumb & Dumber To” has filmed in Cabbagetown, Grantville, Stone Mountain, Brookhaven and Marietta Square, plus Jim Carrey stopped by Barnes & Noble in Buckhead to read to kids this weeked. “Mocking Jay” is filming south of Atlanta, and Fast & The Furious 7 is also here in town. But what really makes headlines for all of Atlanta is that the toll on GA-400 is finally coming down! We announced back in May that the toll would be coming down and it looks like Phase 1 of the takedown starts on Friday, Oct. 25. If all goes according to schedule, then toll collections will officially end the week before Thanksgiving.

So as we enter our last full week in October, we have something to look forward to: more football, more food and drink, lots of movies, and no more tolls. Have a great week y’all!

October 21, 2013
Tolls Finally Coming Down on GA-400

We announced earlier this summer that the toll on 400 is finally coming down and guess what? It looks like the Georgia government is actually on schedule. This toll has caused heartburn for millions of Atlantans over the years, and it is finally coming down. Here’s the announcement we received on Sunday evening.

“Beginning on Friday, October 18, portable message signs will alert motorists to pre-construction activities done by companies like Braga Building Company for the ending of tolls and the demolition of toll booths on GA 400.

The first phase of a four-phase demolition project will begin on Friday, October 25, with restriping to create a third lane in the Peach Pass electronic lanes and modification/removal of redundant signage.

In July 2012, Governor Deal announced that the state would pay off its bond debt and end tolls on GA 400 by December 2013. The ending date for toll collection has been tentatively set for the week before Thanksgiving, weather permitting.

Southeastern Site Development, Inc., of Newnan, has been contracted for the construction component of the project and will be managed through the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).

Phase I of the project will include the restriping in the electronic Peach Pass lanes and the removal or modification of about one third of toll-related signage from areas approaching the GA 400 Toll Plaza within the next two to three weeks. A total of 66 signs will be removed or modified before and after toll collection ends the week before Thanksgiving.

In Phase II and III, preparation for no tolling continues with the completion of restriping and the installation of concrete barriers between the Peach Pass and cash lanes in anticipation of the eventual shifting of traffic into the electronic lanes when toll collection ends. Once traffic is shifted, no heavy demolition work is expected to take place during the winter holidays. In Phase IV, toll booth demolition, which includes removal of plaza toll booths and canopy, as well as reinforcement and filling in of tunnel stairwells, is expected to be completed between January 2014 and Fall 2014.

The public can learn more about the demolition project at the upcoming public information open house meetings on the demolition project is scheduled for Thursday, October 24 from 4:00-7:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia, 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road in Atlanta.

For more details about the GA 400 demolition project, go to the Peach Pass website.”

To recap, if things stay on schedule then no one will have to pay the tolls on 400 by Thanksgiving. Now that’s something to really be thankful for.

October 20, 2013
Pink Cocktails for a Cure

October is breast cancer awareness month, and the Centraarchy restaurant group is here to help the cause. For those who are curious about their own breasts, they can read articles such as https://curvesfw.com/when-do-breasts-start-growing/ to be well-informed.

Their restaurants — including New York Prime, Joey D’s Oak Room, and Tavern at Phipps here in Atlanta — are all serving up the Pink Kiss martini with 50% of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen foundation. The cocktail is delicious, and there’s nothing better than drinking when you know the proceeds are going to charity.

Upon arriving at New York Prime for happy hour, we were greeted by Bobby — one of the managing partners. If you’re having trouble finding New York Prime, we suggest coming down Lenox and turning in at the Ritz-Carlton. If you get lost, just call the restaurant at 404.846.0644 and they’ll help guide you. That’s what we had to do y’all…and thanks again to Bobby for helping us find our way!

The Pretty Southern Girls with Pink Kiss Martinis

After settling in at the bar with our pal Elizabeth from Southern Color, our bartender Steve served up two of the prettiest pink cocktails. We loved our happy hour at New York Prime, and plan to go back for more Pink Kisses to help support the Susan G. Komen foundation. There’s nothing better than supporting a good cause and unwinding from a hard day with a pretty drink at the same time! The Pink Kiss is pure perfection. Not too sweet, but strong and sparkly. So make a reservation to help sip martinis for breast cancer awareness! Here’s the recipe if y’all want to make this drink at home after October ends.

The Pink Kiss Martini is a sweet treat.

1 1/4 oz. Absolut Grapevine
3/4 oz. St. Germaine liquor
3/4 oz. Peachtree Peach Schnapps
3/4 oz. cranberry juice
Squeeze of 1 lemon wedge
Dollop of raspberry sorbet
Prosecco

Pour liquors into a martini shaker over ice, then squeeze lemon and strain into a martini glass. Serve with a tiny scoop of raspberry sorbet and a splash of Prosecco. Y’all can try to make it at home, but get to a Centraarchy restaurant this week to celebrate the ta-ta’s and happy hour! Keep up with New York Prime on Facebook and Twitter, and while y’all are at, keep up with Pretty Southern too.

Go see Steve at New York Prime in Atlanta. Look for the charmer in a pink tie!

October 20, 2013
Plated Serves Up Atlanta

Preparing a gourmet meal is now as easy as clicking the “order” button. A startup called Plated serves up a clever concept which delivers all the ingredients you need right to your door. Plated is cofounded by Josh Hix, a Georgia Tech grad who went onto achieve his MBA at Harvard. It was there he met his partner, Nick Taranto, and they set out to make the “Warby Parker of food.”

Every week, a new menu with seven different dishes is posted to the Plated website (including vegetarian options). You select your plates and quantity in 2, 4, or 6 plates then wait for your delicious ingredients to arrive at your doorstep. Here in Atlanta, we’ve been getting our Plated orders every Wednesday. By signing up for the Plated membership program, you’ll get discounts every week on your plates.

Our first plated box arrives!

Here’s an overview of what to expect. For our first order, we picked Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce and Jeweled Rice, plus Orcchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe. We received an email prior to delivery saying we’d need olive oil, salt and pepper for cooking our meals. Everything else was included. They even come with cooling packs, which y’all can reuse for your tailgate coolers. After launching in other major DMAs such as New York, San Francisco, and Chicago — Plated was ready to serve up tasty meals in Atlanta.

Our ingredients for Chicken Satays, Peanut Sauce and Jeweled Rice.

The company has gone nationwide but focuses on using local, sustainable ingredients. The proof is literally in the pudding. All the proteins are hormone-free, and even the fish is wild-caught. The produce is fresh and ready-to-eat. Even the spices and sauces come in portion-size packages. Each Plated box comes with step-by-step instructions for creating a masterpiece right in your own kitchen. It’s like the Ikea of dinners. Even husbands, boyfriends and bachelors will enjoy putting together a Plated meal, and it’s sure to impress your date or significant other.

Chicken Satays, Jeweled Rice & Peanut Dipping Sauce.

All the recipes are the brain child of Elana Karp: Plated’s Cordon Bleu-trained in-house culinary director. There’s something for everyone on the menu. Since the Atlanta launch, we’ve enjoyed Chicken Tortilla Soup, Seared Ahi Tuna over Sushi Rice with a Cucumber-Avocado-Scallion topping, and Orcchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe. Plated even includes toppings such as parmesan cheese with pasta orders, or ginger and wasabi with Japanese-influenced meals.

Even husbands will be fans of Plated’s broccoli.

Use the code “Pretty Southern” to receive two free plates. You’ll also be able to send free plates to three of your friends after you place your first Plated order. Keep up with Plated on Facebook, Twitter and their adorable, inspiring Pinterest boards. Be sure the Tweet and Instagram photos of your delicious dishes using #Plated and #FoodPorn. While y’all are at it, be sure to follow Pretty Southern on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook too. We look forward to sharing more delicious Plates with you, dear reader!

October 20, 2013
This Week in the South – Saturday Edition

Goodness y’all, you better be reading this post outside because it’s just too pretty to be indoors with this beautiful fall weather. Calvary Christian School in Columbus, Ga., even gave the students the day off on Friday because the headmaster declared the weather was just too nice! “In the late 1980s, I was calling school off one winter day because of the terrible weather,” Len Williams told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. “The thought occurred to me that it would be great to call school off some day because it was too beautiful a day to go to school.” It’s a perfect weekend for just being outside, picking apples, visiting a pumpkin patch, and of course: college football.

Here are just a few other happenings from around the South:

Noah’s Ark Sanctuary — a 250 acre wildlife preserve in Locust Gove, Ga. — needs your help. Pictured is the amazing “BLT” family (that’s Bear Lion & Tiger) which includes Baloo the American black bear, Leo the African lion and Shere Khan the tiger who have lived together at Noah’s Ark since 2001. The story goes, the cubs were put together for companionship and bonded as a family. Not only is Noah’s Ark home to more than 1,000 animals, there’s also a children’s home on site. Click here to learn more about volunteering at Noah’s Ark, and find out how to make a donation.

The lovely ladies over at Sh%t Southern Women Say are working on Episode 4 of their beloved YouTube videos. We can’t wait to see which Southern sayings they come up with next. Click here for a few of our favorites plus watch Episode 1. We also hosted an oh-so-Southern bridal shower this week. If you’re looking for an easy, delicious recipe for your next party (or a tailgate) try our Chicken Casear Salad Cups.

The state of Florida has sued the state of Georgia over rights to the water from the Chattahoochee River. Hamilton Nolan at Gawker had something to say about it, to which we reply, “Bless Your Heart!” In this case, we do mean to kindly go screw yourself, Nolan, for the “Go Gators” you dropped at the end of your post. Seriously darlin’…

Alright, we’re just a little amped up over the Georgia-Florida rivalry already since the World’s Largest Cocktail Party is just two weeks away. Where has 2013 gone, y’all? It’s hard to believe there are just six weeks until Thanksgiving, which means six more weeks of college football mayhem leading up to the always-fickle decision over which team goes to what bowl. We here at Pretty Southern are still relishing in our victory over LSU, and cringing over the nail biter with Tennessee. Loran Smith said it best this week, “This is a cardiac team.” Watch his heart-felt letter to his friend in Bulldog Heaven: Larry Munson.

A Letter For Larry from Georgia Football on Vimeo.

October 12, 2013