Pretty Southern

Tag: Atlanta

Southern Blogger #Friendsgiving at American Cut

Eating with Erica’s #Friendsgiving has become a tradition for Atlanta bloggers!

One of the greatest connections I’ve made among the Atlanta media network is Erica Key from Eating with Erica.

Erica has the #HustleMuscle which provides her incredible opportunities, such as bringing in a group of her favorite Atlanta bloggers and Southern social media rockstars for a free steakhouse dinner! Eating with Erica’s Friendsgiving is now in its second year. I had to miss out on the fun last year, and I wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. Our group had a fabulous time at the new American Cut steakhouse.

I’ve been on pins and needles waiting for American Cut to open in the Shops at Buckhead on Peachtree. Y’all know the new Rodeo Drive of the South, right? American Cut is the newest steakhouse to grace Atlanta’s fine dining scene. From LDV Hospitality (a la Dolce and Corso Coffee also located in the Buckhead shops) it’s a much-welcome addition to the restaurant options on Peachtree.

All of our courses were served family style; after all, it was Friendsgiving! Here’s what we noshed on:

We started with a Caesar salad topped with fresh parmesan

Cocktail shrimp were served with the shrimp swimming in spicy horseradish sauce

Springer Mountain Farms roasted chicken – so tender with a crispy skin

For lighter fare, the salmon appeals to any palette

The most heavenly whipped mashed potatoes

Creamed spinach prepared with plenty of butter

And of course, there was steak. The filet mignon was cooked to medium rare perfection. If you’re wondering what is the best way to cook filet mignon, you can ask renowned chefs.

For dessert, we were offered a selection of house sweets. My favorite was the caramel sundae with cracker jacks

Erica also put together the best blogger swag bag of 2016!

The theme for this year’s swag bag was “Things to Get You Through the Holidays”. Those items were courtesy of DoubleCross, Lush, Candlefish, BlackBox Wine, Sephora, Prairie Organic Vodka, and LDV Hospitality.

The best part of #Friendsgiving was spending time with these beautiful Atlanta bloggers!

Shoutouts to the lovely bloggers who attended #Friendsgiving:
ATL Adventurer
A Taste of Our City
Darling Down South
The Front Porch Gourmet
Happily Eating
Hungry Girls Do It Better
Peachfully Chic
Pretty in Peach
The Sewcialite
Photos by Jamie King
And of course, thanks again to the hostess Erica Key of Eating With Erica and YP Insiders!

November 28, 2016
Pie Shop Happy Hour!

What are y’all doing Wed., Aug. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m.? The correct answer is Happy Hour at Pie Shop! Buckhead’s newest sweet spot is offering a sampling of their pies post-work on Wednesday. It’s $20 for an unlimited sampling of their pies until your tummy can take no more. Plus y’all get to BYOB your favorite libation to wash that yummy goodness down.

For more information, read about Pie Shop here from our feature we published earlier this summer. Come from work, the pool, wherever…just come as you are! Here’s the menu:

Ginger-plum Tart
Sweet summer corn pie
Mocha Cream pie
Old-fashioned Chess pie
Fried apple pies
Peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust
Lattice-topped Summer berry pie
Lemon meringue pie
Cream-topped ganache pie
Tomato cheddar pie
Key lime pie with graham cracker crust
Coconut Cream pie
Mushroom and onion tart
Turtle pie
Orange Creamsicle pie
Classic apple pie
Cheddar and onion fried pies
Butterscotch meringue pie

Hope to see you for a sweet treat this hump day! If you’re coming to PrettySouthern’s first happy hour, then please comment below so we can add you to the list. See y’all there for some sweetness!

July 31, 2011
Fourth of July Fun

Fourth of July weekend is here! If you’re looking for some fun ideas to celebrate America’s Independence, we’ve got you covered. Atlanta’s got a bunch of fun cooking especially over at Rosebud. Come in for “Red, White & Blue” Brunch on Sunday , July 3 decked out in Red, White and Blue attire, and get yourself a free glass of Ellen’s July 4th Sangria. On Monday, July 4, their new enterprise The Family Dog will be hosting its first annual Whiffle Ball & Flip Cup Tournament. Please check out their website for details.

PrettySouthern has got y’all covered on ideas for the ultimate Fourth of July picnic courtesy of our contributor Kat. Her inspiration board shows the sweetest finds for hosting a perfect party.

1. A striped sailor top gets added flair an oversized red poppy pin by EmersonMade. This brand puts a fresh, modern spin on classic American style.

2. Whether in your backyard, at the pool, or at a local restaurant, any event you are hosting gets an instant face-lift with a printed menu. Create and print yours at home or use a local print shop and then place one at each seat for an elegant touch.

3. Paper lanterns and tons of outdoor string lights are a must for any outdoor summer party.

4. Simple and festive tomato-mozzarella mini sandwiches are easy to make and serve. Add a patriotic ribbon to dress up these simple bites.

5. Another breezy outfit by EmersonMade, the pinstripe jumper will take you from pool to party in no time.

6. Setting the table will be quick and elegant with this red striped cotton tablecloth from Anthropologie.

What are y’all up to this Fourth of July? Feel free to comment below or join our Facebook group .

July 2, 2011
Southern Nice Spreads the Love

The best part about living in the South is our diverse culture. We’re a young region, like the rest of America, but we’ve had to rebuild after Civil War, Great Depression, multiple recessions and that darn Boll Wevil.

Why not promote the nice things about living in the South? That’s what PrettySouthern aims to do, and now we have a partner in pleasantry: Southern Nice.

Southern Nice is the brainchild of Jeff Burns: a native Southerner, graduate from Georgia Tech, and all-around gentleman. His company launched in March 2011 and has already received hundreds of orders for his products bearing the Southern Nice logo. They started out with two tee shirt designs and in their first week sold almost 100 shirts plus a bunch of koozies and croakies. To date, Southern Nice has sold several hundred shirts in just a few months.

“This was something I always wanted to do,” Jeff explained. “I grew up with Southern hospitality, that sort of kindness, for me the South is about the people. I wanted to have one brand for everyone who calls themselves a Southerner.”

Southern Nice proprietor Jeff Burns with Clark Howard

What’s better is Southern Nice donates 50 percent of their profits from sales of their “city” shirts. The company has tee shirts dedicated to two great Southern cities, Atlanta and Nashville, with the proceeds going to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta plus Hands on Nashville. Southern Nice plans to roll out designs for Charlotte, Charleston and New Orleans by then end of 2011 with proceeds from the sale of those shirts also going to charity.

“When we first started it was going to be for profit, a side business just for fun,” Jeff said. “It wasn’t until I started to realize how big the brand could be that we should collaborate with local charities.”

The products are fantastic. Comfy, soft shirts (produced in part by local Atlanta company IceBox), plus nothing says “I’m a Southerner” like a pair of croakies or a coozy with the Southern Nice logo.

“It doesn’t matter if your black, white, Asian, or Hispanic…it’s the way you smile we can tell you’re from the South. Our Southern history, our culture is enriched by diversity, and other regions can’t say that. Living in Atlanta especially, we want everyone to feel like they’re Southern.

For more info on Southern Nice, check out their website or their Facebook page.

Do you call yourself a Southerner? Are you nice? Then these shirts are for you! We’d like to present our first PrettySouthern Prize! The FIRST TWO people to comment on this post will get a FREE SOUTHERN NICE TEE! The NEXT 10 folks will get a FREE SOUTHERN NICE COOZIE! Good luck y’all!

June 30, 2011
Pie Shop: Atlanta’s Newest Sweet Spot

Everything about Pie Shop is as sweet as the label on their “Shugah”. Mims Bledsoe is one fabulous lady resurrecting the pure art of making homemade pies. To help her at Pie Shop, she recruited Kim Keene: a pastry chef with years of experience under her cute belt.

“It was just fate.” Mims told PrettySouthern over coffee one morning. “Kim was best friends with my older sister. Who do you know better than who you grew up with?”

Mims who has a background in research; however, she loved spending time in the kitchen working with her hands. “I decided to start my own business because it was intellectually challenging,” she explained. “You don’t see homemade pies anymore.”

Our sampling of tasty treats at Pie Shop

It’s a science to create the perfect crust (which took two months to perfect). The inspiration for Pie Shop’s pastries comes from many sources, including old cookbooks which Mims collects from bookstores, thrift shops, and other random places. On the day PrettySouthern visited, we noshed on several samples including Coconut Creme, Butterscotch, Grape and Strawberry Pies plus “bites’ including a Cheesecake topped with a fresh strawberry, crispy Fried Apple, Chocolate with Peanut Butter Creme and even a Vidalia Onion with Cheddar Cheese sauce.

Pie Shop adheres to a set of standards when it comes to pie, which also coincide with Southern ideals: simplistic, rustic, unpretentious, and damn tasty. Come in here for a really warm, cozy experience and get served homemade pie.

If location is everything, then Pie Shop has got it! For those familiar with the Barmuda Triangle in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, there’s now a Bakery Triangle comprised of Henri’s, Piece of Cake and Pie Shop. Located in the same strip containing Red Door Tavern and behind the bar Churchill’s, Pie Shop will be open until 1 a.m. come July to serve pie to late night party people. Y’all know pie is good any time!

For more info on Pie Shop, check out their website or their Facebook page.

June 28, 2011
Honeysuckle Gelato Savors Sweet Summertime

Honeysuckle in the sunshine is ever so sweet. Now an Atlanta company has decided to take that decadent smell to the next level.

There are two tastes Southern kids can always remember. One is the first time you picked honeysuckle then sipped the nectar from the flower. The second sensation is your favorite of ice cream in the summer time. Honeysuckle Gelato has combined both those loves into one outstanding product.

Owner and founder Jackson Smith wrote “as a true southern boy, I could not resist the temptation to play around with the flavors and dessert concepts unique to the South. We now offer the South exactly what we envisioned…an ice cream worthy of its decadent culinary roots.”

Flavors fit for ladies and gentleman (or even a Yankee palette) are available from Honeysuckle Gelato. Their Mint Julep is made with fresh herbs and the House selection of bourbon. It’s damn good as the real thing without the hangover from drinking straight liquor!

An homage to The King, Elvis Presley, is uniquely awesome Kang. “We just wouldn’t be Southern (or inspired) without an ode to Mr. Presley’s indulgent creation,” wrote the gentlemen from Honeysuckle Gelato. “Ours features toasted banana ice cream with ribbons of peanut butter caramel. We’d add bacon, but the Feds would shut us down.”

For a more classic taste, sample the savory refreshing Watermelon made with the real stuff as Honeysuckle Gelato doesn’t use any imitation flavors! The luscious Lavender would be ideal for a wedding or baby shower to serve alongside a piece of cake.

Of course, Honeysuckle Gelato had to create a signature Honey flavor. The maestros whip up gelato using all kinds of local, seasonal honeys including Sourwood, Tupelo, Purple Starthistle, etc

A full list of flavors and more information is available at www.honeysucklegelato.com. Don’t see a flavor you like? Then email the gentlemen behind the scenes to concoct your own custom creation. The boys will even be hitting the streets of Atlanta soon in their new food truck to serve up treats around the city.

Brace yourself for some sweetness!

June 15, 2011