Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

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I’d rather not go to there

Posted by AllieB on May 1, 2012

Atlanta, in recent years, has really made a name for itself on the Foodie Scene. From high-end chains like BLT Steak to the food trucks (Tex’s Tacos WE MISS YOU), Atlanta has made an indelible foot print on the national culinary front. I read NYMag on a daily basis not for the politico mumbo jumbo or even the current events, but for the celeb, food, and culture stuff. The penultimate category pertains mostly to NYC-centric restaurants, but occasionally they step outside the box. Their food section, Grub Street, just published this article listing worth-the-trip restaurants in every US state (50 State Dinners: Food Pilgrimages You Must Make This Summer). Neat! I thought. “Pilgrimage” implies that they’re going off the beaten-track a bit, so I actually thought about for it for a second before I read the Georgia suggestion. I figured it probably wouldn’t be in Atlanta, unless it was a Korean BBQ place on Buford Highway or similar, but I thought they might direct people to Athens or Savannah, or even Madison or Thomasville – definitely someplace in a town that’s heavy on Southern Charm. Evidently, I was barking (get it?!) up the wrong tree:

And we wonder why Georgia still has this country bumpkin, back-country, red-neck, missing teeth persona. Let me first assert I am not hating on Rexall Grill – I’ve never been therefore cannot judge, and I’m sure that, if it’s made the upper crust echelon that is NYMag, it must be pretty good, but COME ON. Surely there’s a better photo? And what’s more – once you send people to Duluth, they’re going to be in Duluth…this is hardly a destination eatery. I spent a lot of time in Duluth back in 2k5 when I was slinging ads for the AJC, and there’s not a whole lot going on unless you count sitting in traffic as an activity. Which I do not. I probably would have chosen someplace on Tybee Island, such as Tybee Island Social Club. Should you find yourself on Tybee Island, you must go to here: long on charm, short on strip malls/doors with bells that ring when you enter. Or what about ADD Drug in Athens?! It’s a pharmacy that serves awesome food and it’s in the coolest city in the world. I think I might leave a comment on the website about this oversight.

If this is the direction in which NYMag was going, perhaps they should have chosen One Star…?

Summer’s here. Who has a pool?

I know I said I wasn’t going to talk about her anymore, so I will leave you only with this one teeny thing. (Just click thru; no sound, no crazy pop-ups – just simple truth)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO WILLIAM & KATE! That wedding really was the highlight of my 2011. She’s as glorious as ever. All hail the princess.

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 5 Comments »

Pizza for everybody!

Posted by AllieB on April 16, 2012

This is not brand new information, but I demand a click-thru on this link: #WHATSHOULDWECALLME. It’s funny because it’s true and awesome and I love GIF images.

 FLIRTING 

What I think I look like:

What I actually look like:

Haha. Happy Munday. Also, Happy Eggs Benedict Day – true story.

Obviously my spreadsheet is woefully out of date, and I’m sure one of these days I’ll get around to updating it, but for now…whatever. I did venture to one of the newer spots in town this weekend: STG Trattoria on W. Paces Ferry in the same complex as Flywheel and Dry Bar. It’s really good! K and I shared a Nature Salad, which really was full of nature: radishes, beets, carrots…more nature than I usually prefer, frankly, but it was lightly dressed and we wanted something crunchy and green, so it served its purpose. Then we shared the Spinach, Proscuitto, Mushroom, Parmesan, Bechamel pizza, which was amazing. My favorite part was definitely the bechamel…just kidding – I don’t know what that is, but it made my pizza awesome. There are lots of neat things about STG, from the wine-bottle lined entry way, to the u-shaped dining bar that kind of focuses on the huge super-hot ovens that they cook that pizza in. It’s run by the same guy who does Bocado – Brian Lewis – and he’s got Joshua Hopkins of Abbatoir (LOVE) and Adam Waller of Sotto Sotto (ALSO LOVE) in the kitchen. I think this place will only improve over time, but it will also be very loud when it’s crowded – not shocking given that dining at Bocado is like playing a screaming match of tennis. Word to the wise: be very specific when you order your bottle of wine, lest you end up with a $54 one as opposed to a $29 one…oh yeah – the extensive wine list is all sold at a retail prices so none of that pesky 200% restaurant mark-up. BBT says: go forth and dine. Two forks up.

I ought to start taking pictures of my food now that I am with iPhone, which I am absolutely loving. I’ve been terribly busy the last few days, so I don’t feel like I’ve totally acquainted myself with it…much to my dismay, the manual was not that 50 page booklet like most devices, but some very simple and abbreviated fold-out pamphlet. I kind of feel like Apple threw me in the deep end without any floaties…

*Pizza for everybody! – Rebecca, if you’re reading this, I did it for you….long live Oz 2k3!

Short but sweet, no? I’m slowly but surely getting back into the swing of the blogosphere. Do your part and eat some hollondaise today. TTFN!

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , | 5 Comments »

Eat, Watch, Ridicule…

Posted by AllieB on January 31, 2012

Get it? It’s like Eat, Pray, Love but not. What day is it – Tuesday? I hate Tuesdays. Nothing original has ever happened on BBT on a Tuesday – I find Thursdays are the best days for unique material – so I’ll just link to a bunch of stuff that other people have already said and/or done…including that of my own work.

First seen on BBT in May 2k11. Sorry I’m not sorry.

EAT (when it opens): ATLiens: chef/restauranteur extraordinaire Kevin Rathbun is opening a “small plates steak” place in ADAC in Peachtree Hills this summer: KR Steak Bar. I’m excited because I love steak and who doesn’t appreciate a good, old-fashioned rhyming name. Welcome to the neighborhood, KR.

WATCH: Kristen Bell is funny. She reminds me of MPvZB (a compliment) and MCL says she was great in Veronica Mars. She’s been on the circuit lately touting House of Lies, a new show on Showtime of which I am somewhat fond (it’s kind of ranchy?), but here she is on Ellen…and she’s having a sloth-related meltdown. I don’t quite get it, but I like what I’m seeing – she has very little shame. Obviously need sound:

credit: Y Kenna.

ALSO WATCH: Do you like musicals?!?! Tina, I know you do. Unless you live in a hole, you’ve probably seen the trailer for the show, Smash, that premiers next Monday Feb 6. Ever resourceful, I watched the first episode last week OnDemand, but it’s also available for free on iTunes. I liked it! I’m losing you, I can already tell, so that’s all I’ll say about it – but check it out.

TAKE THAT, KATHERINE HEIGL: according to this article, “experts” are saying her career is over. Good riddance, I say – I find her incredibly obnox, not to mention a very one-note talent. The best she’s ever made it on my list is “slightly less annoying than her most annoying” and that’s not very promising.

I hope your day isn’t suicidal. TTFN!

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , | 8 Comments »

Where have YOU been?

Posted by AllieB on January 18, 2012

Hey what’s up.

I’m just going to jump right in as though I haven’t been on a two week hiatus. I find the best way to delve back into BBT after an unearned and unwarranted vacation is by doing a random round-up of randomness. Here goes:

Food: Atkins Park in Virginia Highlands (and Vinings, although I haven’t been there, and it’s owned by the same dudes as Ormsby’s of which I am also a big fan) has excellent burgers. I recommend The Best Way Burger: medium rare with bacon jam and tellaggio cheese (it’s brie-like in consistency and taste). Go with a side of the fried pickles – skip the sweet potato fries, they are less fry and more slab of potato…they kinda look like slugs. After you enjoy this light snack, take a stroll thru Va High and walk off an 1/29th of your meal, then stop by Murphy’s for dessert. Unbeknownst to many, Murphy’s will make you a molten, melty, amazing brownie for $2.00. It’s not on the menu, but it should be. Stop by and get one of those, unbutton the top button of your jeans enjoy a mimosa and/or cuppa joe and the company of friends. This makes for a very, very pleasant Sunday.

Celebrities! The Golden Globes happened. Obviously, Heidi Klum was my favorite – shocking, I know, what with the nude backless dress and large turquoise necklace. If A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz comes out with a remake of this one, I seriously might buy it.

Cameron Diaz…has possibly never looked worse.

More Food: you’re in the market for some good, old-fashioned, pseudo-texas-style bar-b-q, may I recommend One Star Ranch on Irby Avenue in Buckhead. It’s pretty basic, but in a good way – if it’s not broken there is absolutely no reason to fix it. Standouts include the fried pickles, onion rings, pork and beef ribs, and the smoked turkey. I hear their servers are really nice, too, and it’s a great place to go for lunch or dinner…plus, who can beat the $5 daily margarita special?! Just sayin, you might wanna give it a shot.

MISC: I didn’t share my NY Ressies because I find that once you share things people are more likely to hold you accountable, but I really would like to start volunteering. I worked at a non-profit for several years, and the pay was such that I felt like I was pretty much volunteering, but now I need to seek something out. Pallison is checking out the Humane Society, and I’ve considered being a foster parent for Atlanta Lab Rescue, but I’m not sure I can handle being around animules at risk/in danger…maybe I’ll plant some trees or something? I need to research. If you have a cause you hold near and dear, holla at me – I’m open to most anything.

The End. I will never, ever abandon you again.

Posted in Celebs, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

Where’s my penthouse?

Posted by AllieB on December 28, 2011

There is a lot of money floating around in Russia, and this guy’s got a bulk of it. Dmitry Rybolovlev, a fertilizer kingpin – obviously, just purchased the most expensive apartment in New York City for his daughter, a freshman in college. There are a few things worthy of note regarding this exorbitant acquisition:

  1. If you are a freshman in college in NYC, or even in the general ballpark of that age, it would behoove you to make friends with Mr. Fertilizer’s offspring. 2 words: house party. (Jordan, I’m looking at you.)
  2. Mr. Crap is ranked as the world’s 93rd richest person, worth approximately $9.5 billion as of March this year. That makes my head hurt.
  3. He is also in the process of getting divorced. Well, hellooooo Mr. Smelly {head toss, shoulder dip}

Check out pics/floor plan here. I want to go to there.

That’ll do.

Did you have a nice Christmas? I did. It was lurvely. My sisters were home for nine full days, so we got in lots of QT. My favorite new things include: my express electric kettle – it boils water in like under a minute!! Given the amount of Easy Mac tea I consume, this is a real luxury. I am also obsessed with my new Pierre Deux “Eau de le Maison” candle. It is the best smelling candle I have ever smelled, so you can imagine my dismay when I realized that Pierre Deux has closed. Ever resourceful, I did done some research and found the maker of this candle: Seda France. I also love my new DvF luggage – I never saw myself as a glamorous traveler, but this stuff is a real game changer – as well as my new home goods. Notably missing from my new possessions: a penthouse.

As we’ve learned, I am no good at reviewing movies, but I do have to acknowledge Girl with a Dragon Tattoo: it is awesome. It is very long, but unless you consume a (movie sized) medium diet coke AND a (brought from home) can of La Croix, you should be okay. Rooney Mara is excellent at encapsulating Lisbeth Salander’s rage/intelligence, and Daniel Craig is exactly who I always pictured to play Mikael Blomkvist. Even if you haven’t read the books, you need to see it. BBT says: two thumbs way up.

Uno mas shout out: Antica Posta. My whole fam went on Christmas Eve, and we enjoyed what was probably one of my top three meals of 2011. From the arugula salad (so fresh with LOTS of parmesean) to my roast chicken entree (a seasonal special – bursting with flavor) and my side of pasta (a carbonara of sorts with a gemelli noodle – I should note this is not a “side” so much as a $13 appetizer option…I wanted leftovers…) – it was awesome. Plus the bar area is very cool with double-height vaulted ceilings and cozy club chairs. Huge fan. I’d like to say I’ll be going back soon, but, while the food is not unreasonable, the wine list kinda is, and that’s what gets me. BBT says: have someone take you in the very near future.

I realize this whole post is kind of apropos of nothing, but ya gotta grease the wheels before you get back on the bike…or something, I just made that up.

HAPPY ENGAGEMENT TO SISSY AND BILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are no words that could do my happiness justice. It’s just…yay.

I don’t put boys on BBT, so here’s a pic of me and Sissy. Mash.

 Oh, and if you don’t have a lot going on in the workplace this week, take some time to appreciate this 35 picture retrospective of B Spears. Amazing. That “Hit Me Baby One More Time” video was to me what Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video was to pop culture in general…

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 6 Comments »

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