Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

Posts Tagged ‘atlanta’

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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 »

Winning > Losing

Posted by AllieB on December 21, 2011

This is seriously getting pretty weird – I just keep winning things?? I’m concerned I’m going to get accustomed to this, causing my previously bottomed-out expectations to start rising – how unhealthy would that be. And Sister just reminded me of the $100 I won in Newnan last Thanksgiving…it’s becoming something of a pattern, and it’s not good. This time it was this beautimous pair of earrings by the very talented Mary Kelly Clary of give a penny.designs via the High Museum Wine Auction Giveaway.

I’m thrilled – those just scream ALLIE. They’re the “Gold Laura” and they are nice and big which is perfect for my opposite-of-small domepiece.

I’ve decided that a fun thing to do will be “A Year in a Review: Baxter Bark Twice.” You know, top posts, most remarkable and/or memorable events…as well as the worst posts and the least interesting things – it’s going to be a very comprehensive round-up. I’m not going to do it today because I am simply too busy, but BOLO. This epiphany of a year-end review came to me not via all of the other publications doing year-end wrap-ups, but by way of good food and friends at Mosaic. I know, I’ve said horrible things about Mosaic in the past (and on my spreadsheet), but on a gross Tuesday night when they have half-off wine and their sliders taste like a gift from the culinary gods, I’m okay with it. Granted, Danielle had to basically order our food directly from the chef as the servers were no where to be found, but I guess ya can’t win ’em all.

Merry Christmas! Love, Le Boof, H&H Home, and BBT…

Pinned Image

..and The Duchess. How glorious do both she and her hair look?! I can’t wait to hear about what William gives her for Christmas. I’m thinking maybe a full-length chinchilla coat plus a million dollar donation to her favorite charity..? I think that sounds perfect – she’s a fashion maven with excellent taste and a heart of gold.

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

And the winner is…ME!

Posted by AllieB on December 7, 2011

I never win anything. I mean, I can win stuff competitively (have you met Game Time Allie? You may or may not want to – she’s something of a dealbreaker), but when it comes to winning things randomly, like raffles or lotteries or enter-here-to-win-xyz contests, my track record is like 0 – 1,249. Until yesterday! So, I read this blog: Elements of Style. It’s written by an interior designer based in Boston, and she puts up pretty pictures of “rustic” Maine Bed & Breakfasts and cool restaurants in Boston, and sometimes I just kind of want her life. Anyway, she was giving away a $75 gift card to this stationary store, Felix Doolittle, all you had to do was write in what item you liked best from their online store. I forget what I wrote exactly, but I DO know what I wrote about “catching up with my correspondence” a la Rachel on Friends in the One Where No One Is Ready…irrespective of my words, I was chosen as the winner out of 425 comments, and now what do I buy!? Personalized stationary? An “Allie Baxter” seal? Calling cards? Ha, what if I walked around handing out calling cards…I don’t think even Buckhead could handle that. Mom, maybe there’s something you’d like? And surely it’d be a travesty if I didn’t get these personalized magnetizers…

Speaking of interior design/pretty things, there is a Block and Brayer/Allison Harper Interior Design Trunk Show tonight, and I highly recommend going to check out their wares – there’s even a live demonstration with artist Hollis McFadden. I went to their last show, and I was very impressed and wanted all of the pillows shown in the pic below as well as window treatments and maybe even a shower curtain. BBT says: go!

Tonight, Miami Circle: be there.

I just heard my favorite meteorologist since Flip Spiceland, Chesley McNeil, mention that there will potentially be snow flurries in the Metro Atlanta area this afternoon/evening. This reminds me: time to TURN ON MY HEAT. My lone ranger space heater that I have blasting in my office right now really is not going to cut it…getting out bed in the AM is borderline impossible…it’s time. I didn’t turn it on last year, but last year I lived in a unit that is like 1/3 the size of my current one…so, note to self.

Bragging about winning that contest just reminded me I never did choose a winner for my own contest. I think I want to do it a different way – maybe you should have to do something like comment or share the link to win. This is all about generating readers, people, not just gratuitous gifts. I’ll get back to you.

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , , , | 11 Comments »

It’s turkey time, you turkeys

Posted by AllieB on November 21, 2011

The annual day of thanks is upon us once again. I’ve come to really love Thanksgiving, and despite the fact that I will be the lone ranger dining with my parents and Missy and that it is a very unsettling 75 degrees outside, I am nevertheless very excited about this holiday.

I even wanted to cook something. I’m not going to, but the thought seriously crossed my mind – so much so that I BOOKMARKED recipes. This this one of Linton Hopkins’ wild rice casserole looked pretty delicious.

from: Garden & Gun

My second option was a less-tony-but-still-tasty-looking beans with brown butter.

Conclusion: neither/nor, but I WILL be ever so helpful with preparation and cleaning. I’m serious, I will. OH, maybe I’ll create a themed cocktail for us…that can be my project. Or we can just stick to the Baxter Tride & True: Whiskey Sours. That’s fine with me. Hey, look at that – I’m already done with my project. I had some lofty aspirations for cooking something last year, too – in case you were wondering, it didn’t pan out. And there’s your token turkey day funny on the right; I borrowed it from myself, which is totally not cheating.

I’m working on my holiday wishlist right now, I’ll put that up next week. What with the arrival of Pinterest in my life, it’s been a lot easier to compile/keep track of my wants and needs. My mother has already informed me that she has completed her holiday shopping, so I guess I should have gotten on top of this sooner…Gaylen and I aren’t always on the same schedule re: getting things done.

ATLiens: The Whigs are playing their annual Thanksgiving show on Friday night at Variety Playhouse. Openers are Ponderosa and Johnny Corndawg. Be there or be not awesome.

I mostly just wanted to check in real quick and say hey. Hey.

Posted in Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

New & Improved

Posted by AllieB on November 16, 2011

Good day.

Two, no three things of interest:

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar has been released. They seem to have cut out the bonus 13th month that I posed for…strange. That Brooklyn Decker is just tragic, isn’t she?

so sad :(

On a wholly unrelated note, I have updated my restaurant spreadsheet!!! I’ve even helpfully HIGHLIGHTED the new restaurants, per the suggestion of Randy Dale. I know I am missing some because there are more than 150 restaurants ITP (there are three or four OTP that I need to mention…next time), but it’s pretty comprehensive. You may check it out here, and it is also updated on my Atlanta Restaurants: A Guide page that has some other helpful links to reviews and stuff. I aim to please.

My posts are getting shorter and shorter…OH YEAH – I went back to Mirko and ordered off the menu…BBT says: delicious. I got papardelle (long, wide noodle) with the mushroom cream sauce. It had approximately 1,400 calories and 45 grams of fat, but it was really, really good. My father got the papardelle with the Amatriciana (spicy tomato) sauce, and his was really good, too. Not as good as my gluttonous concoction, but very tasty nevertheless. Plus, the Spinaci salad (baby spinach, goat cheese, raisins, some vinaigrette dressing) was also quite good. Forget Pan-Asian on Sundays; I’m going to Mirko.

Watch out for tornadoes.

Posted in Food & Drink, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

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