Wedding season is here! Everyone loves a good party to celebrate two people in love. Although, it can get quite expensive. Between the gifts, gas to get there, and price of a hotel room if the wedding is out of town, the event can get costly for a guest. Which means there’s little money left in the budget for a pretty new dress to wear for the occasion.
Rent The Runway is here to help. Ladies, you have to join the club but it’s quick and free. After y’all fill in the basic info, you gain access to their fabulous closet of hundreds of dresses, jewelry, shoes and even handbags. They’ve got plenty of style options for any wedding for you to be the “best dressed guest.” Rent The Runway is so wallet friendly. The site offers a selection of 50 items under $50 and you order a can second dress for just an extra $25. RTR will even ship to your hotel so you won’t have to worry about packing your garments.
This Elie Tahari sheath retails for $298 and is yours for the whole weekend at $65
When selecting your dress, you have the option to choose a second size of the same dress for no extra cost. This is a great option for those of us girls teetering between sizes 4-6-8 depending on the kind of month we’ve had. There’s no need to be a model size 0 in order to use Rent The Runway.
Shipping is included and you’ll have the dress for four days. However, it’s only two days as those of us in the South as we have to account for one day of shipping the dress from Manhattan and another day to send it back. It’s still perfect for a weekend wedding. The dress arrives on Friday, the wedding is on Saturday, and you send it home on Sunday. Simple, stylish and cost-effective.
Keep up with Rent The Runway on their blog, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter. Have any of y’all out there enjoyed a dress from Rent The Runway? If so, how’d it go?
Talk about doing the Tomahawk Chop! Our Atlanta Braves are back in action. RA Sushi is right there rooting for the home team by offering a signature sushi roll. The Midtown restaurant is bringing back the seasonal Tomahawk Chop Roll– an eight-piece spicy lobster roll with cucumber and avocado rolled in rice and seaweed, topped with fresh tuna tataki and red beet tempura bits, drizzled with wasabi aioli and served with a creamy tataki dipping sauce. Sounds tasty and wallet-friendly at only $12 for this novelty entree. Check out the fish restaurant houston for the best sushi.
“The Tomahawk Chop Roll was made to represent the Braves logo,” says Andy Palermo, general manager of RA Sushi in Atlanta. “We wanted to incorporate the colors of the team as well by using the seared tuna on top of the roll for red and the sauce in a soy dish on the plate in blue. The roll has a little bit of spice to it, but the flavors are meant to be very clean and straightforward. It isn’t heavy and it tastes very fresh. This roll should be able to appeal to anyone who is looking for something different and loves the city of Atlanta!”
Now do the Tomahawk Chop with us, y’all! “Ohhhhh, Oh, Ohhhhh! Ohhh, Oh, Ohhhhh! Go Braves!”
I have to agree with these sentiments from Sophia Bush: “Life is too short…I’d much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.” The One Tree Hill was right on, especially after my visit to Alpine Bakery and Trattoria. Located in the historic Crabapple district of Alpharetta, this restaurant and bakery will make even the most disciplined dieter forget about Weight Watchers points plus counting carbs and calories to simply enjoy a delicious meal in great company.
I recently dined in the Trattoria, Alpine’s newest addition to their Bakery. My gastronomic journey began with a wonderful, fresh Caprese Salad. If you are a lover of cheese you must try their Burrata Mozzarella which is made specifically for Alpine.
Buratta is a type of fresh mozzarella that when translated means “buttered” in Italian. It is much creamier, richer, and decadent than traditional Buffalo Mozzarellas. Paired with a 12-year-aged balsamic vinegar and heirloom tomatoes, Alpine’s dish is perfection!
For dinner I ordered one of my favorite dishes: Veal Marsala. This is a dish I’ve had many times in different places but at Alpine the care and attention they put into selecting the perfect cuts of meat made the entrée anything but ordinary. All of the meats at Alpine are butchered and cut specifically for their dishes and after five months of testing and perfecting the proper cut for each dish I was able to taste the rewards of a fork tender, juicy, Veal Marsala.
While Alpine is known for their cakes, pastries, and authentic, Italian cookies their cuisine menu is equally as memorable. Other menu selections include Crab Cakes (made entirely of lump crab); Pappardelle Bolognese which highlights homemade egg noodles, fresh goat cheese and a hearty Bolognese sauce; plus a variety of traditional Italian dishes. If you have never been to Alpine you have more than likely tried their baked goods if you have visited any of the “diners” in the Atlanta Area. Their offering of 28 gourmet flavors ranging from White Chocolate Raspberry Mouse to “Million Dollar Cake” are sure to please. Marietta Diner, Landmark Diner, and various establishments from Downtown to far outside the Perimeter carry Alpine’s glorious cakes.
Don’t live in Atlanta? Well, Alpine also supplies baked goods to restaurant across the South. Alpine will also cater for any size gathering. Imagine trays of lasagna followed by a platter of treats and truffles. In addition to their impressive classic layer cakes with a traditional fresh cream icing, Alpine offers hard to find authentic Italian Cookies such as Pignoli. These pine nut covered clusters are the “Perfectly” Southern Italian version of a macaroon.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://prettysouthern.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Profile-Picture.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Jennifer Eubanks is an Auburn Graduate raised on the golf courses of Augusta. Born to a Chinese mother and New Yorker father, Jennifer is Pretty “uniquely” Southern. She has an eye for style possessing all the grace and charms which only the Southland can offer.[/author_info] [/author]
Once upon a time, a traveling circus came to Atlanta. The troupe ran out of money and could not afford to keep going. A wealthy landowner offered to buy the train cars containing the circus animals, but he only wanted the cars for scrap metal. The creatures were a package deal and stayed put in the city. Officials said Grant Park was the best place to house all the animals; thus, Zoo Atlanta was born.
Fast forward 123 years to our present time. Zoo Atlanta is excited to offer a new opportunity for kids both young and old to experience the wildlife up close and personal. Twiga Terrace is now open at the giraffe exhibit. A beautiful deck allows guests to look the tallest mammals on Earth straight in the face. Plus visitors have the chance to feed the giraffes lettuce, a regular part of their diet. It’s only a $3 donation to access Twiga Terrace although the feeding times are scheduled and on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Abu, the papa giraffe, up close and personal at Twiga Terrace
In addition to Twiga Terrca, there are new behind-the-scenes tours appropriately named Wild Encounters. Imagine feeding a Komodo dragon using giant tweezers (we did y’all and it was so cool!) These will take place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 12:30 p.m., $35 per guest. African elephant Wild Encounters will run daily at 1:30 p.m., $75 per guest. Giant panda Wild Encounters will run daily at 11 a.m., $150 per guest. All-inclusive programs for all three species will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m., $185 per guest. Children under 3 are free, but are not permitted to feed the animals. Children ages 3-8 will be allowed to feed the animals with adult assistance.
This little gent was thrilled to check out an elephant up close.
Pretty Southern was lucky enough to be invited on a Wild Encounter. We met Tara & Kelly, the Zoo’s pair of elephants. These elephants are smart. They can learn commands, comprehend games, and have powerful memories (remember an elephant never forgets?) Both gals are twenty-somethings who like to have fun with both their keepers and visitors at Zoo Atlanta.
Kelly was in a great mood during Wild Encounter.
For more information, check out Zoo Atlanta’s website. Prices and hours are available (y’all it’s not expensive at all for an amazing experience!) Zoo Atlanta’s mission is to return as much of the revenue it takes in back to conservation. Due to deforestation, human expansion to find farmland in developing nations, and destroying a food chain supply many of the animals at Zoo Atlanta are either endangered or “vulnerable”. It’s important for us to do our part here in the South by visiting the Zoo to help support the animal kingdom around the world.
There’s also the Wild on the Rocks event series coming up this summer. Ticket prices include two complimentary cocktails, light hors d’oeuvres, exhibit tour and a lesson on love in the animal kingdom. The next Wild on the Rocks (“Flirting with the Future”) is Thursday, April 26, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Zoo Atlanta is plugged in with all you wild things out there. Like them on Facebook, follow on Twitter, and check out more photos here on Pretty Southern.
This chivalrous declaration of debauchery is not for the faint of heart. RowdyGentleman.com is a website dedicated to all things we enjoy about our American independence: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…albeit while partying. Based out of Austin, the Rowdy Gentleman sports products of all kinds showing love for our nation. Just like our Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, the Rowdy Gentleman’s jokes are to be taken in jest. For sale on their website are tee shirts (a.k.a. “Frocketees”) for ‘Mericans, croakies for sunglasses, and coozies — even ones big enough to wrap around a keg! There’s also a collection of hats and other paraphernalia showing love for the last great Republican ticket: Reagan/Bush ’84.
A keg skin can be yours for the bargain price of $40. Totally worth it.
There’s also gear just for fraternity gents and sorority ladies.
Although it’s not exclusive to the South, RowdyGentleman.com upholds the chivalrous ideals we too treasure here at PrettySouthern.com. From the Rowdy Gentleman website: “A Rowdy Gentleman is equal parts sophisticated and sophomoric. He drinks the finest liquors and the cheapest beer. He blacks out in a black tie. He works hard but plays harder. He loves women, though he commits to none, save for Lady Liberty. Because above all else a Rowdy Gentleman loves America.”
Here are just a few of our favorite sayings from @RowdyGentleman:
“A Rowdy Gentleman has never lost and laughed, unless you count his maniacal laughter as he burns down the arena he lost in.”
“A Rowdy Gentleman only surrenders to his inhibitions.”
“Bloody Marys & Mimosas for breakfast, lunch beers, scotch in the evening & throw a steak in there at some point. The Rowdy Gentleman diet.”
“If a Rowdy Gentleman doesn’t outrun the police he’ll surely outargue the prosecutor.”
“A nacho cheese stained tuxedo is a sure sign a Rowdy Gentleman was at one point drunk and hungry.”
Our personal favorite coozie, "Robert E. Lee will be there to remind you that a true Southern Gentleman never drinks a warm beer." To "celebrate Ronald Reagan’s historic landslide victory in the 1984 general election."1776 was the year of our Independence; 2012 shall be the year of the Rowdy Gent.
Have any of y’all out there ordered gear from RowdyGentleman.com? If so, we’d love to hear about it! While y’all are at it, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. We certainly are!
Atlanta foodies: get ready to be sucked in hook, line and sinker. The dream team behind South City Kitchen, Ecco, El Taco, and La Tavola is preparing another Southern masterpiece focused on fresh seafood. Fifth Group Restaurants will open Lure in Midtown this July. The restaurant is housed in the space where Vickery’s Crescent Avenue Bar & Grill was formerly located. Lure’s location holds a special place in the hearts of the restaurant’s partners. Fifth Group Restaurants’ history began in Midtown with the opening of South City Kitchen (right down the block on Crescent Avenue) almost 20 years ago. This restaurant opening signifies Fifth Group Restaurants’ successful expansion over the past two decades and the company’s commitment to Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood.
“We have been talking about Lure for more than three years, and the basic idea of serving simple, high quality seafood dishes in a fun, uniquely designed atmosphere has been our inspiration from the start,” said Fifth Group partner Robby Kukler.
Chef David Bradley samples seafood to inspire his menu
David Bradley, currently the chef de cuisine at Ecco, will oversee the kitchen at Lure. Bradley has worked with Fifth Group Restaurants for 12 years and has been a part of the culinary team at Ecco since it first opened in 2006. His passion for sourcing and preparing amazingly fresh seafood and his love of seasonal produce will be reflected in the menu at Lure. Here’s a taste of what y’all can expect on the menu
Raw oysters and an eclectic raw bar offering
House-smoked seafood “charcuterie” sampling (a la Ecco)
Sapelo Island clam crudo with charred Padrón peppers and a Guerrero-style spicy seafood cocktail with citrus and a shot of a summery pilsner added tableside.
Sautéed pompano with Silver Queen corn and curry and grilled whole Georgia trout with pickled ramp butter cooked in the kitchen’s 1400-degree charcoal burning Josper Spanish oven
Acadian redfish fried in sourdough batter with malt vinegar marinated cucumbers
Georgia shrimp broiled Scampi style with Sparkman’s cultured butter.
Fifth Group Restaurants Beverage Director Vajra Stratigos is constructing the beverage program for Lure, which will include an expansive list of both draft and bottled beers as well as a collection of interesting wines and innovative cocktails for which Stratigos is known.
Lure’s patio is under construction. Just imagine sipping cocktails with friends while noshing on fresh local Georgia shrimp .
“Lure will offer its own unique bar culture,” says Stratigos. “We love the Midtown community and many of the ideas that we’ve developed for Lure have been driven by what we have learned from our regular guests.”
Stratigos has been sourcing unknown and off-the-beaten-path wines for nearly a year now and has collaborated with renowned importers such as Terry Theise, Neal Rosenthal and Michael Skurnik. Many of the wine selections planned for Lure draw personality from their seaside macro climates and are a natural fit for oceanic gastronomy.
“Ocean wines should feel very natural, rather than display overt fruitiness,” says Stratigos. “For me, seafood wants acidity, minerality and salinity in a wine partner – all things that accent what is inherent to the ocean itself,” he adds.
Lure seats 150 guests and exhibits an atmosphere that is sophisticated yet still suitable for everyday dining. The building has undergone major renovations to the interior, exterior and patio. Bill Peace of Peace Design and ai3, both of whom have designed many of Atlanta’s most acclaimed restaurants, are designing the new space. As for the plumbing, you might want to consider calling this plumber who is known for his efficiency or other nearby plumbing services.
July is right around the corner and Pretty Southern can’t wait for Lure to open.
“Both ai3 and Bill Peace really understand the ideas we articulate and our desire to achieve an understated, timeless look at Lure,” says Kukler. “Our design inspiration for this restaurant is, naturally, the ocean and the contrast of its unrefined and polished characteristics,” he adds.
The designers are utilizing a cool, fresh color palette reminiscent of the sea along with stripped, weathered wood and steel. Reclaimed nautical spotlights cast blue-green reflections off a zinc bar top, and, paired with gloss shiplaps and the essence of billowing sailcloths, evoke both the raw nature of the fishing industry and the mysterious charm of the ocean.
Lure is located at 1106 Crescent Avenue NE in Midtown and will be open for dinner daily first with lunch service added at a later date. For more details and to keep track of LURE’s progress, keep an eye on on their Facebook page.
Editor’s Note: Mandy Betts and Michael Erickson contributed to this article. We will keep y’all updated for Lure’s opening this summer!
