Restaurant Re-Cap

Empire State South, a new restaurant in mid-town! Hailing southern food as their staple, with decor to match, it's a great stop for any "northerner" looking for an authentic experience in Atlanta. The bar is long and spacious, with many excellent wines to choose from. The menu is ever changing, based on fresh ingredients and the weather. 

I had their catfish which was unbelievable. It was paired with cheesy grits and okra...so southern and so good! They rotate their menu so I did not get to try their mac and cheese, I have a feeling with cooler temperatures it will be back on the menu in no time. 

They also have an extensive coffee bar so a little morning jolt! I have not been yet to describe, but I have heard it's killer! 


XOXO

Events/Things you should know about and attend!

Here is a DO list for you and your friends! I am excited to report some really fun events coming up for your entertainment (effortlessly, of course)!

Wednesdays at P'cheen (Thanks to Daily Candy)

Low Country Boil at P’cheen
What: All-you-can-eat servings ($25) of the Southern staple mean stretchy-pants Wednesdays.
Why: The new version expands on tradition with Alaska snow crab, crawfish, mussels, potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille sausage.
When: Every Wed., 5-10 p.m.
Where: 701 Highland Ave., Old Fourth Ward (404-529-8800).   

**So go get your eating on! 

Braves season is ALMOST over, so get out there before the season is over. Plus it's Bobby Cox's last season, ever. 

 Game on Sundayt 10.10.10 4:30 and Monday night...I am planning on going, come! 

OCTOBER 14th is a big day in Atlanta.. 

BIG NEWS: PINKBERRY IS OPENING another store in MARIETTA! 

 

 I. love. FRO-YO! And lucky for me, this store is near my parents home, so when I make the drive to East Cobb, I can now indulge the wonder of pinkberry! This was on of the first of many frozen yogurt places to pop up first, only in LA and then moving to NYC (where I first tried it). Now, it's come to the dirty south! I suggest you go and get some as soon as it opens.. and if you can't wait, there is another one on Aker's Mill Road (near Cumberland Mall-opened just weeks ago)

Where: 1281 Johnson Ferry Road Marietta, GA 30068

Time: 6-10pm

Try to enter to win some cool prizes with Melissa Libby PR.. send email to RSVP@melissalibbypr.com

Click here for more info! 

I suggest you go get your fro-yo and then head to the next event on my list:

Best of Atlanta 2010 Party- (duh, of course you should go) 

Here is a background of what Best of Atlanta is: "Simply the best. Obvious though it might sound, that was our aim for this year's Best of Atlanta — to feature nothing but the city's most exemplary neighborhoods, bloggers, artists, galleries, bands, bars, restaurants, chefs, salons and shops, without the shackles of CL's traditional categories or our past affinity for overarching themes."

This event is the big celebrate of the big WINNERS! Please check out the best blog in town... The Quick and Dirty Dirty! 

When: Thu., Oct. 14, 7 p.m.-12 a.m.
Where: Ventannas (this place is amaz)
Phone: 404-ROOFTOP (766-3867)
Price: $20 in advance 

 More to come...

The Big Fish! Atlanta Fish Market

I have to report that I simply love the Atlanta Fish Market. So when Mike suggested we go there for dinner on Sunday, I immediately dropped the menu I was looking at and headed straight to the BIG FISH! They get their fish in fresh daily, which is why it's so amazing. I have never had anything but FAB food there. 

Please allow me to foodie out for a moment: Every time I get their "Hong Kong Style" fish I am in total heaven. Hong Kong Style -sherry soy, scallions, ginger, spinach & sticky rice. It's best paired with Chilean Sea Bass (my mouth is watering). Asian flavors combine with the flaky white fish and it's perfection! 

Great date place! I like the octopus light fixtures and globes! They also have a private dinning room for group dinning! 

Located
265 Pharr Rd. NE,
Atlanta, GA 30305
404-262-3165

*call to make a res! 

LOVE!

Festivaling in October

Fall seems to be upon us, and in the ATL that means fall FESTIVALS! October is jam packed with fun for you and your friends and family to eat, drink, and be merry! I am so looking forward to all these events, please join me. 

October 2nd: Atlanta BBQ Festival AND Battle of the Burgers

Atlanta BBQ Festival: located at Atlantic Station and is from noon until 8:00pm. Enjoy blues and bluegrass and some serious BBQ!

Battle of the Burgers: Enjoy burgers from top restaurants around Atlanta. This festival is located at John Howell Park in Virginia Highlands. Sweetwater brewery will be there along with Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, Whynatte milkshakes, and photobooths for your entertainment!



October 16th: Decatur Beer Festival
Located on the main square in Decatur, this event is will surely sell out, I think it already has, Hint, go to craig's list for tickets! Sample beer from noon to 5pm.. please take a taxi home! This should be great fun. 
 

 


....and last but certain not least

Taste of Atlanta: "The best festival since sliced bread" (love!) Do you love to eat, I d0. Do you love to try many different kinds of food at a time, I do. Do you like beer and wine, I do! Well then come out and enjoy over 70 of Atlanta's best restaurants! 


You can find tickets to all of these events on the links I have provided!


Happy Festivaling- see you there!




 

FRITTI: Oh my YUM!

FRITTI was amazing last night. My girls and I had a little ladies night last night and O.M.G. was our experience amazing? Yes it was! We participated in Inman Park's Restaurant Week's pre fixed $15.00 menu, which included a salad, a pizza, and a dessert. I know, ridiculous!

Must have: Mushroom Pizza AND the chocolate soup dessert. The pizza has white truffle oil, which is so flavorful and compliments the mushrooms perfectly. The chocolate soup is so rich, definitely worth the cals. 

FRITTI has an amazing set up because in the winter it's completely closed, but in the summer they un-zip their outside "walls" and the exterior left portion of the restaurant is transformed into a  glorious patio (we discussed my love of patio's a few posts ago).  This is a great date night, ladies night, or group dinning spot. It's not too expensive either. Pizzas will run you between $8.00 and $17.00. Salads cost on average $8.00.  They have many options for people that love meat and veggies. I would suggest this restaurant to anyone coming into town for the weekend.

Oh, I almost forgot, they have an extensive wine list. YUM! There is a cozy bar at the front of the restaurant that seems to be always buzzing with people.


My friends had to roll me out of there last night! Success. 


Next spot on my train is: Block Island for my cousin's wedding! 

Rock stepping the night away....

Okay, so I have a confession to make... I adore Dancing with the Stars, it's totally true... AND I have wanted to learn how to Ballroom dance for like 2 years now. No joke! So, with my partner in hand, we checked out Atlanta Ballroom Dance Center on Monday for a beginners swing class. The verdict was: love at first moment. Our instructor broke it down step, by step and I have been counting and dancing in my head and in my living room since then (thanks Mike, for playing along)

Just like this....



Aiming for this one day.. (especially for the M)


Happy Dancing!

Urban Plate 8: Go Worthy Restaurant!

This weekend flew by, but I have to report an awesome new restaurant in Atlanta. It's called Urban Plate 8 (Urban pL8). Located in West Midtown, just off the beaten path, it was a little gem of a place with a great patio (I am a sucker for eating outside). My beau and I, along with The Newberrys, who just got married, had a lovely double date, while we munched on some yummy food.

From their website: Urban pL8 opened its patio doors on Thursday, July 16th. The unique menu features fresh, seasonal, local ingredients with clean, bold flavors using healthy preparations. Urban pL8 is about quality and affordability; "high quality, affordable food in a casual, cool, friendly atmosphere…an everyday kind of place with exceptional food and service" describes Chef and owner, Betsy Pitts. Urban pL8 will be Betsy’s first restaurant since her days as sous chef at Bacchanalia and Floataway Café (2 great Atlanta Restaurants). This is an endeavor she has been passionate about for a long time. She states, "It's about local, sustainable products, healthier options, and affordability".

I had the scallops and let me tell you they are delish! There was a subtle spice to them that was quite lovely. The veggies that were paired with them were cooked to perfection! I enjoyed my dish tremendously. Mike, the beau, got the Nut Burger, and was not so impressed. However, the flavor was quite interesting.

Must try: The Steak. Mr. Newberry ordered it and loved it. The Scallops, of course! As for cocktails: There is one called the Bee's Knee's! It's a sweet gin cocktail with honey, a southern favorite!

Sit outside on their glorious patio! Now that fall is almost upon us, take advantage of the outside air!

NOTE, IMPORTANT!!! This place also has $10.00 unlimited mimosas for BRUNCH! Awesome!

Great spot in town, I suggest you check it out!

• 1082 Huff Road, Atlanta, GA 30318

• Phone:404-367-0312

• Fax:404-367-0317

• email
  
  

What's up at West Egg?

I recently went to West Egg Cafe for the first time in a long time. And let me tell you, there were some serious improvements. The front area is more of a place hang out, drink a cup of coffee with your buddy. The back area and patio are fit for a business breakfast or lunch of just a friendly catchup. I held just that, with a friend of mine named Alyssa. One of the lovely owners of Sashay Creative Events.

We leisurely sat on the patio sipping delicious cups of coffee while drooling over everything on their one page menu.





The biscuits were to die for! I am not a southerner but I love a good, fluffy biscuit, and WOW were these good. Some other things to try: black bean cakes and eggs, and their oatmeal.

So, next time you are looking for a great brunch spot check it out!

West Egg Cafe
1100 Howell Mill Rd
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 872-3973

Tonight... free concert at Atlantic Station. Nothing like winding down after a long week so some good jams. Thanks Dave FM for sharing!

Bridal Bar comes to Atlanta

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so excited to announce that Bridal Bar is open in Atlanta! And yours truly will be working in the store and blogging on the blog (www.bridalbaratl.com). Bridal Bar is an event resource that is completely free! We guide newly betrothed couples through what could be rigorous waters of vendor selection, to clear, smart choices of who will make their day unforgettable. We represent the best of the best in every category from florals to photography. In a market as saturated as Atlanta with so many people to choose from, its hard to know that your choice is the right one, Bridal Bar's pre-screening process ensures that a Bridal Bar vendor will not be a headache but more of a blessing.

Located next to Perimeter mall in Atlanta, GA we are ready for brides to knock down the doors and share their color schemes and desires :0) So come sip some campaign (that's free too), gain some knowledge, and leave knowing you are going to rock your weeding day!

A new spin on a trend that won't go away!

The Mini Cupcake! As many of you know having cupcakes at events is a trendy way to mix it up... not just the old square cake. But now the cupcake trend is getting a little dated, so how do we make this yummy trend stick.... by tweaking it a little bit. I just got my May/June edition of BizBash magazine and I found a tiny article on this big new trend. A company up in NYC, Baked by Melissa, has specialized in making quarter sized cupcakes in a variety of delicious flavors. These cupcakes come in flavors like peanut butter and jelly, red velvet, tie-dy, rainbow sherbet.. etc. These treats start at .90 so its pretty budget friendly, not to mention won't make you loosen your belt a notch. I can not wait for this trend to begin catching on in markets all over.  I'm actually throwing a shower for a freind of mine in 2 weekends and I ordered cupcakes for a novel twist on desert. 

Budget Tight? Where to Squeeze....

So, money is tight, but that does not mean parties need to be cancelled. Celebrations are a huge part of life and money should not stand in the way of a fabulous gathering. Yes, money is a big part of planning and putting on an event with friends and family, so I wanted to share with you some tips on saving money on your budget and getting the most bang for your buck. 

1. Say no to an open bar! Open bars are a huge drain on your budget. Whether its a wedding, graduation party, birthday etc, open bars can suck you dry. But, I know people still need their potions for parties. So here is my suggestion. Select a lovely red, and white wine that you enjoy, maybe a beer that ties into a memory for the party or occasion, and then select a specialty cocktail. Having the simple combination of beer, wine, and a specialty drink covers your bases and everyone can select something that they like best. Speciality cocktails are HUGE right now. People are designing drinks, giving them custom names, mainly for event branding purposes, and this really makes a statement and gets people excited! For example, you select a smooth Merlot, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and then have a Pomegranate and Cranberry Martini- that you name Love Potion #9 on the menu that will really make you look, first of all, super trendy, and second of all, no one will suspect that you are trimming your budget down. 

2. Use a single bloom for centerpieces. To me, nothing is more stunning, and simple than one beautiful bloom in a small vase repeated throughout an event. This keeps costs down and style way up. First select a flower that matches the mood and purpose of the event. Think rose=romance/drama, tulip=playful, light orchid=modern/chic etc! Once your bloom is picked, go the dollar store, Michael's, or even a Pier 1 or Ikea to select some skinny vases. Plop down the vases on tables, buffets, cake tables and let blooms really speak for themselves. This technique is elegant and simple.

Here is an example of an even simpler way to utilize your glasses if you are having an event at home. This mason jar makes a homey yet fun statement with a single pink rose. This is such an easy way to keep your stress down while looking simply stunning! 

3. Go the email route! If the event is casual enough to not have formal invitation, send an evite, or an e-mail invitation to your attendees. There are so many cool ways to utilize the internet when it comes to events. Evite is a free online service that allows you to pick a template and fill in your event information. Then you add your guest's email addresses and poof your cost is ZERO and everyone is invited. This system also tracks RSVP's. Another cool site that offers invitations is Sendomatic. This website has a small fee but is free from advertising. This website is a great resource to all you event interested people out there. It offers ideas, trends, tips, etc! This one tracks RSVP's as well. This money saving tip is also environmentally friendly. I am always looking for ways to keep mother nature happy and limiting paper products is always a way to reduce out footprint on the earth. 

Attention ALL Atlanta Brides

Are you looking for a wedding dress? Are the prices of wedding dresses overwhelming you? You are in luck because Filene's Basement is putting on The Running of the Bride. This is a world famous event taking place on March 20th in Buckhead. There will be over 2,200 beautiful gowns from international designers and super labels! In addition there will also be couture styles to choose from if that is something you are dying to try on. And I am saving the best for last because the prices will surprise you. Filene's is taking 70-95% off these finds for your big day. Find dresses that you would normally pay between $900-10,ooo and actually pay $250-700. Doors open at 8:00am and I would encourage you not to be late! Dresses will be going fast.

Just beware of: long lines, over bearing brides, extreme competition, and out right mean behavior. I suggest keeping a sense of peace in your mind and heart as you walk into the store.

Check out their website to fully prepare yourself! It looks to me like Brides, in the past, have invited friends, bridesmaids, mothers, etc to help in this frenzied environment.

Good Luck!

The Bridesmaid Dress Dilemma

So you just got engaged and now the task ahead of you is HUGE! There are so many decisions to be made and opinions to take into account, and mothers and grandmothers to please, etc (you get the point.) I wanted to share some thoughts and trends on picking your bridal party attire. The days of boring wedding gear are out. Today's bridal parties are sleek and stylish. No longer do you need to order 8 plain, a-line dresses that you yourself would never wear again. In fact, brides are becoming more bold in their choices, and this is leading to more brand names, patterns, and fun in the bridesmaid dress department.

In 2009 I will personally be in 3 weddings and I think that number is climbing with some many of my friends getting engaged. So with all this love in the air and weddings to attend I have been researching wedding attire. To create a more modern look for your bridal party here are some stores that you might have never thought about to look for bridesmaid dresses. Anthropologie is a wonderful resource to find dresses with personality. They have an array of different styles, colors, and patterns that will cater to your personality and desires. Also try Nicole Miller! This designer's dresses are absolutely flawless. While these dresses can be expensive their quality and fit are truly something to rave about. There is a section devoted to bridesmaids, but I think all of her dresses would work nicely. Obviously Jcrew is always a crowd pleaser, classy and chic. They always have simple, stunning numbers that are sure to be easy on the eye and a little easier on the wallet than Nicole Miller. Do you have a "beachy" theme for your wedding, Lilly Pulitzer's dresses might be the perfect way to incorporate bright colors and cool patterns.

There are also a few bridal companies that are producing more modern cocktail dresses. Dessy is one of my favorites. They have so many different styles to choose from and almost any color you can think of. They have a few different collections so make sure your search is extensive on their websites. Dessy dresses are usually only available at bridal stores or formal wear stores.

If you have a certain color in mind but trust your friends to pick out something fabulous, give them a color swab so that everyone's "bright red" matches. You can go to Home Depot and grab paint samples of your color and then pass them out to your bridal party. This is a cost effective way to keep your bridesmaid's on the right track. Remember to give some specifications, such as "knee length", or "empire waste" so there is a sense of cohesiveness.

The whole purpose of this post was to suggest some out of the box ideas for your wedding party. What will best fit your vision? Don't be afraid of doing something in a less traditional way! Ultimately your bridesmaids will be extremely happy to be a part of your wedding, but think how confident they will feel in a dress that they love as well and will wear again.

Welcome to Effortless Entertaining

Hello! My name is Jaimi Lynn and I have a passion for creating events and everything that goes along with them. From recipes, to decor, to logistics, I seriously love it all. I wanted to share some of my passion with you that is why Effortless Entertaining was born. Maybe some of my tips will even assist you as you put on a birthday party for your spouse or host a Superbowl party for the block. Don't be mislead by the name of this blog, entertaining is NEVER effortless, in fact it is quite the opposite, but my goal is always to make it look effortless and simple.

The first thing I always think about when planning a party or event is the goal of this soiree? Why are people gathering together? If its to celebrate, keep that in the forefront of your mind as you plan. If the purpose is to learn, or to grieve, keep that in mind as well.

Picking a menu for a party can be tricky, especially with so many taste buds to think of. My advise is to keep it simple, yet never boring. Have classic dishes with unexpected elements of surprise and fun for your guests to keep coming back for more. Also you will see in the recipes I select to feature here will be mainly vegetarian or fish centric and when it comes to sweets, you will find that I LOVE to bake so there will never be a shortage of treats to look through.

I can't wait to get started! Hope you enjoy this as much as I am!

Love,

Jaimi Lynn