Anatomy of a Dinner Party: a day in the life of a hospitalityaholic
 

December, 2009

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Gaga For Lady GaGa

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

lady-gaga-albumforweb

Good Afternoon, Darlings!

I know a concert is not a dinner party, but it felt just like a party so I thought I would tell you about it.

Eric and I started with dinner at Figo – the lasagne for him and the penne with bolognese for me. And darn if Eric doesn’t have the talent for ordering the best thing on the table. His dish was awesome – mine was very good, but his was astounding. Love Figo – dinner for two, $21.00. Gotta love it.

We knew when we left Figo we were dealing with a flat tire, but pumped it full of Fix-A-Flat and headed to The Fox.

Oh we had fun!  Before the concert started they played all of Michael Jackson’s hits and everyone sang along. So that was about 5000 folks just having a little MJ sing fest before the real party started.

She came out around 9:30pm and didn’t stop until 11:30pm. It was crazy. It was insane. I think I might have had a mini heart attack or that could have just been the bass. Not sure. LOL.

I am still reeling from all the fun, so I will leave you with this clip from the close of the show. Enjoy!

Bad Romance From Lady GaGa\’s Atlanta Concert 12/28/09

xoxo, Patti

Lofty Aspirations

Monday, December 28th, 2009

Good Morning, Darlings!

Eric and I were most fortunate to be invited by our sweet Clint to a party at his swell friends Calvin and Steve’s loft in Castleberry Hill last night.  This loft was really something and I can’t wait to share the photos with you. Everything in the loft was huge – the Christmas tree, the disco ball, the giant nutcracker – all remarkable.  But I do believe my favorite spot was the section of First Class airline seating in their foyer – who has a foyer big enough for a section of an airplane???  Why, Calvin and Steve, that’s who!  Take a look:
Holiday Fun Photos After The Fold

Cure For Christmas

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Hello, Darlings!

Oh, wasn’t Christmas wonderful? Show of hands – who drank a smidge too much champagne? Hmmm, that might be me.  What was needed the day after was some recuperation. And that is just what I got.

An entire day of sitting on the couch in jammies, cuddled up with the adorable quilt from Crystal, remote control in one hand, petting dogs with the other. Perfect. No champagne to speak of.  Eric fixed us a positively delicious salad midday and there were turkey sammies later that evening. Tons of water to drink and The Hangover on pay per view (hilarious and definitely appropos.)

The one treat we indulged in was another helping of that Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding from the night before. And we remembered to photograph it for you! Here you go:

Chocolate, Creamy, Crunchy Goodness!

Chocolate, Creamy, Crunchy Goodness!

Doesn’t that look yummy? It was! Although I had enough of everything the day before and could only manage a couple of bites. There are still two servings left…..

After all that rest we are ready to do it all over again. The party never stops around here (save for yesterday – even my phone didn’t ring!) So tonight it is a party with Clint in Castleberry with his fab friends Calvin and Steve at their awesome loft, tomorrow we are seeing Lady Gaga at The Fabulous Fox Theatre, Tuesday a Mead tasting at Leila and Shane’s…and that’s as far as I got. Except for the two parties on New Year’s Eve and our pajama party on New Year’s Day.

Enjoy your week!

xoxo, Patti

Our Christmas Feast for Six

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Good Afternoon(!!), Darlings!

I trust you all had a bang up Christmas.  We certainly did.  There were six of us gathered around the table this year and it was the one of the nicest Christmases I can remember. Oh, we had fun. But you knew that already, didn’t you? 🙂

First, let me list the menu:

Prime Rib, Dry Aged By Eric
Yorkshire Pudding
Mashed Potatoes
Peas
John’s Awesome Veggie Bake w/Brussel Sprouts, Portabellos, Broccoli, Wild Rice, Cheese (Everyone had at least 2 helpings of this!)
Beef Gravy
Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding w/Homemade Whipped Cream
Everything Cookies
Buckets and Buckets of Champagne

More Christmas Celebrations After The Fold

Pho With The Girls

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Fresh, Tasty Spring Rolls!

Fresh, Tasty Spring Rolls!

Good Morning, Darlings!

Yesterday I had a great time with Tami and Shameeka at lunch.  Our original destination, Chateau Saigon, apparently has closed, but Shameeka knew just where to take us.  She took us to her favorite pho restaurant, Pho Dai Loi and soon we were all tucking into cha gio, spring rolls and the most delicious noodle dishes ever. We were so hungry that we forgot about pictures, but here is a nice review from The Blissful Glutton. Not only was it incredibly tasty, but so cheap!  I paid for pho for Eric and me (Eric was working, so take out was in order), and an order of cha gio and it was $16. I sure love Buford Highway. If you are in Atlanta and want the lowdown on how to Eat Buford Highway, try the website….Eat Buford Highway!

Shameeka was on fire yesterday and after lunch, took us all to a cupcake place she has been wanting to try. Caryn’s Cakes is the place where we all chose a cupcake (or two!) This was accompanied by champagne at my house and then our visit was done. It was all so quick!

But today I am off with Morgan to shop. If you don’t recall, Morgan is the niece of my bff, Vickie and she is staying with us until Christmas Eve. So I am enjoying all the time I can with her.  I know you understand.

But tomorrow I am back to discuss the Christmas Tablescape. Have a wonderful day, Darlings!

xoxo, Patti

Ormsby’s

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Good Morning, Darlings!

Saturday afternoon Eric and I ventured to the new Westside pub, Ormsby’s.  Owned by the folks who brought you Atkins Park and Aunt Charley’s (anybody remember Aunt Charley’s?)  It was a great time.

Tucked right under Room & Board at 14th and Howell Mill in the White Star Provisions building, it is adorable.  Very pubby. Lots of cozy booths and hardwood floors.  We settled into a booth and took a look at the beer and wine list. Very extensive. Well, the beer list is longer than the wine list.  But Eric decided on Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar and I chose a nice Chardonnay whose name I cannot recall.

Food Pics After The Fold

There’s A White Elephant In The Room…

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Good Morning, Darlings!

Four more shopping days until Christmas! So exciting!

This weekend was a bundle of fun.  Friday night my darling and I spent the evening in, watching movies and cuddling up on the couch. Perfect time!  Saturday was Val and Jay’s White Elephant Party. You know about White Elephant parties, right?  Everyone brings an inexpensive gift and puts it under the tree.  Then a corresponding number goes into a hat for drawing later.  You all draw numbers (although Jay and Val did theirs a bit different – they put everyone’s name into a hat and then drew them for picking a gift), pick a gift, unwrap it and decide whether you want to keep it or trade for a gift that someone else has.  It was just a blast.  All our neighbors were there (I seriously love walking to and from these parties!), the food was great and the gifts hilarious.  Sorry, but some of them were fairly NSFW (not suitable for work viewing), but I did take plenty of photos.  Take a look:

More Zaniness After The Fold

Sugar Coma!

Saturday, December 19th, 2009
Sugar Plums, Macarons, Cupcakes...Oh My!

One of Tartelette's Gorgeous Macarons!

Good Morning, Darlings!

As this is the time of year when sugar plums are dancing in your head, I would like to let you in on a super cool event happening on Saturday, January 16. It is being organized by super fab Shameeka of The Broke Socialite, who has just been invited (along with my other buddies, Laura at The Weary Publicist and my darling Tami at Running With Tweezers) to attend the Martha Stewart Show in NYC on Bloggers!! I am so excited for them and cannot wait to hear every detail when they return. Here are the details on this super fabulous, super exclusive event:

The Broke Socialite has embarked upon the creation of a unique series of experiences in Atlanta. The first will be held on January 16, 2010 and is entitled “Sugar Coma”. In essence, it is a tour of local bakeries, cupcakeries and restaurants that serve sweets, which allows those with a hankering for all things sweet to be chauffeured on a tour of some of the city’s finest establishments. On the flip side, it’s a great opportunity for a business or chef to market their offerings and share “test kitchen”/new recipes with feedback that will be channeled through the waves of social media. I am looking forward to Sugar Coma being a successful event and trust that it will set a precedent for those that will follow in the series.

Helen McSweeney, a French pastry chef out of Charleston, has come on board as our “Sugar Mama” (read: keynote) and she will discuss her experiences as a blogger, foodie, pastry chef and will facilitate Q&A between stops on the trip. This is a tremendous coup! Through her blog, Tartelette, Helen teases us with the yummy desserts that she chefs up and photographs. She has also been nominated among the 50 Best Food Bloggers In The World. I know…awesome, right?!

Tickets are $40, Cadillac is the transportation sponsor (!!), and you get to eat sweets all day – it’s required!You can get all the details at the Broke Socialite’s site.

Will I be there? You bet your sweet cupcake, I will! Come out and lets get chauffered around sampling sweets.

You deserve it!

xoxo, Patti

Diane and Jonathan & Crystal and Teague

Friday, December 18th, 2009
Warm and Inviting, Yes?

Warm and Inviting, Yes?

Good Morning, Darlings!

It is a very rainy day here in Atlanta. I understand there will be snow up north. But here, not so much.

But it has been cold! I thought some soup was in order.  Miss Diane was sweet to pick up a gift for us and swing it by, so I thought she should have dinner with us.  She called me mid-afternoon to let me know that her beau Jonathan would be flying in from assignment in Columbus, Ohio early evening.  How exciting!  We would finally meet her mystery man.  Jonathan is a well-respected videographer and we couldn’t wait for him to join us.

And to add to the mix, we invited Crystal and Teague to join us.  I love a party!

More Dinner Party Fun After The Fold

Bocado

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Good Morning, Darlings! Hope your holiday season is coming along swimmingly.

Yesterday I had the good fortune to lunch with sweet friend Tami, of Running With Tweezers at Bocado, a new restaurant on the Westside of Atlanta (not too far from my house!) Apparently, I am Tardy For the Party***, since I am the only person I know who has not been there yet.  It was wonderful. Full of great conversation and great food.

Tami ordered the salad with cranberries, goat cheese and pecans.  I ordered the cubano – their cuban sandwich, made with homemade pickles! Yummy. And we split a order of the decadent garlic fries – fabulous! Some photos for you:

Tami's Salad With Goat Cheese and Cranberries

Tami's Salad With Goat Cheese and Cranberries

My Cubano, With Those Homemade Pickles

My Cubano, With Those Homemade Pickles

The Oh So Bad For You, But Taste So Good Garlic Fries

The Oh So Bad For You, But Taste So Good Garlic Fries

It was the nicest visit. It was so lovely that we are doing it all again on Tuesday, but this time with the incredible Miss “Broke Socialite” Shameeka.  We will be traveling to Buford Highway, and that’s always an adventure.

Since it was Wednesday, you know what that means – dinner with Miss Diane.  Last night I was kickin’ it old school with a simple meal of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and fresh steamed green beans. And champagne, because if you get the chance, you should always drink champagne.

More cooking fun tomorrow, Darlings!

xoxo, Patti

***In no way endorsing those awful “Real Housewives of Atlanta”, but I thought the title was funny….