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

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Georgia At The James Beard House

Wednesday, October 14th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings!

A handful of Atlanta’s most-loved chefs are teaming up with Georgia Grown to make the upcoming Georgia Grown Dinner at the James Beard House this Thursday, October 15th a reality, where the state will be recognized for excellence in agriculture and cuisine. Most of us aren’t aware agriculture is the single biggest economic contributor to Georgia’s economy, contributing over 71 Billion annually.
 
Event sponsors include Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines and the Georgia Restaurant Association, among others. Chefs Holly Chute of Georgia Grown, Jay Swift of 4th and Swift and Noble Fin, Kyle Jacovino of The Florence, Savannah Haseler of Twain’s Brewpub, Chry?sta Poulos of Rocket Farms Restaurants and Mixologist Julian Goglia of The Pinewood make up the talented culinary team heading to the Beard House.
Left to right. Julian Goglia, Commissioner Gary W. Black, Holly Chute, Kyle Jacovino, Jay Swift, Savannah Haseler, sous to Chrysta Poulos

Left to right. Julian Goglia, Commissioner Gary W. Black, Holly Chute, Kyle Jacovino, Jay Swift, Savannah Haseler, sous to Chrysta Poulos

If you are in the NYC area on Thursday, see if you an get a seat to root for our Georgia All Stars!

xoxo, Patti

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A Sparkling Trip to Italy Via Canoe

Tuesday, October 13th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings!

Last week was a whirlwind of parties. I am back in the swing of things and diving in head first.

The lovely folks from Ferrari Trento invited me to join them for an exclusive lunch at Canoe, one of Atlanta’s most romantic restaurants. I tend to forget how close Canoe is, and yet it seems a world away from the city. There were less than 20 of us there for a glamorous preview of the Lunelli family’s stunning sparkling wines, paired with scrumptious cuisine prepared by Chef Matthew. The event was a lavish indulgence in the middle of the day.

Gracing the banks of the Chattahoochee River

Our group was seated in the private dining room and we all introduced ourselves. So many new friends!

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I didn’t want to miss a moment hearing about these exceptional wines, so I chose a seat directly from our guest of honor, Marcello Lunelli, the distinguished winemaker.

Marcello Lunelli

Marcello Lunelli

Did you know that the rest of the world is drinking sparkling wine from regular wine glasses? We are the only ones drinking from flutes. Marcello wants to spread the word that sparkling wine is for everyday, not only special occasions. I concur. He made a great point by saying if he is out with his wife and another couple and they all prefer a different variety of wine, they can all agree on bubbles. I have seen this over and over again at our parties. No one declines a glass of bubbly!

Canoe’s dishes were a perfect accompaniment to the six (!!) glasses we sampled. Here’s a look at the menu and the wines we enjoyed.

Oysters on the Half Shell

Ferrari Rose’ NV Trento DOC Metodo Classico

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House Smoked Salmon on a Crispy Potato Cake, Vermont Goat Cheese

Ferrari “Riserva Lunelli” 2006 Trento DOC Metodo Classico

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American Prosciutto Salad, Compressed Melon, Parmesan

Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore “Giulio” 2002, Trento DOC

Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore “Giulio” 2001, Trento DOC

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The “Guilio” 2001 was a standout for me. It has a remarkable nose with hugely expressive aromas of dried orchard fruits, cake batter and acacia honey. Cake! It was my favorite. And I think it might be your favorite, too, when you try it.

Next course!

Crisped Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Thai Salad, Yuzu

Ferrari Riversa del Fondatore “Giulio” RD 1999, Trento DOC

Ferrari Riversa del Fondatore “Giulio” 1993, Trento DOC

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This was my favorite dish paired with my other favorite wine. The 1993 vintage is one of the more costly wines, but wow, for a special occasion, what a perfect splurge. I found it online retailing from $168 up to $358 per bottle. It was so exciting to be able to sample this exquisite treat. If you are a lover of fine wines, I know you would be thrilled to add this to your collection. Or, send to me as a gift! 🙂 Trust me, you will be in grand company. Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Thatcher, Andy Warhol, Alec Baldwin, Brooke Shields and the Scissor Sisters have all enjoyed Ferrari scrumptious wines. Their wines were even served at a G8 dinner.

If you are traveling to Italy, you must make Trentino a stop and visit the charming Lunelli family. The vineyard even has a Michelin Star Restaurant, Locanda Margon, nestled amid the vines. I can’t wait to go. Shall we plan a trip together?

The company I enjoyed at this luncheon was marvelous. Joon Lim, who is a server and sommelier at Kevin Rathbun Steaks and I had a wonderful discussion about how most restaurant patrons are reluctant to ask for help when ordering wine. He is so fabulous that I have asked him to talk to me in depth about today’s sommeliers and why you should always ask for help. Look for the interview next week or so.

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Many thanks to Ferrari Trento, Canoe and Palm Bay International. This was a special afternoon with special food, people and of course, the Ferrari Trento sparkling wines that will be gracing my dinner parties in the future.

xoxo, Patti

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A Touch Of Coffee

Wednesday, October 7th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings!

I am so grateful for my life. It’s a life filled with love and laughter. And sometimes gifts in the mail.

I LOVE gifts in the mail. This week, I received a fabulous coffee maker (!!!!) from Touch Coffee & Beverages. This machine is a total Betty – gorgeous! And I couldn’t wait to take her for a spin. The package arrived in the early evening, but that did not deter Eric and me from drinking ALL the coffees. We can sleep when we’re dead.

A little background on our new family member (coffee makers are integral to a household, yes?) She came stocked with 3 types of coffees inspired by L.A. iconic landmarks. Now that I don’t live in Santa Monica any more, I can truly appreciate her beauty. The L.A. Coffee capsules are engineered to allow 30% more coffee – WAKE UP Y’ALL! This could replace the ubiquitous Coffee Bean & Leaf stops we used to crave when we lived in the City of Angels (Starbucks is so passe’).

Shall we take a look at our new kitchen art? So pretty!

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Close up!

Close up!

We already own a Keurig and the Touch claims to brew faster, so it was fun to put them to the test.

How did they do? Well, the Keurig does take longer to get ready to brew and the Touch is instantly ready – you just hit the button, choose the size coffee you want and it is done! But, if you wait for the Keurig to be ready and then brew them side by side, the Keurig is faster. Basically, the Touch beats the Keurig hands down for speed. And who doesn’t need their coffee in an instant in the morning? And I love the L.A. Coffee pods. My favorite is the Beverly Hills. It’s a nice medium roast with a hint of sweetness to it.

And I really love the design. It outshines our Keurig in good looks. And it fits with all our other appliances – how did the nice folks at Touch know?

Some facts about the Touch:

  • The brewer is ready to start brewing in under 20 seconds after being off all night.
  • The hot water has more contact with the coffee grounds, which ensures that all of the coffee flavor is extracted. Other machines take much longer to warm up and then shoot water through the coffee grounds too quickly, so you end up throwing away untapped flavor with the used capsule. Even with a slower, more deliberate brew, when factoring in the warm-up time, the Touch still turns out a cup of joe in a fraction of the time.
  • You can now brew larger cups of coffee without sacrificing flavor. Customize your coffee experience by choosing from five cup sizes (6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 ounces) and three brew strengths (mild, medium or bold).
  • Its removable 90-ounce water tank has a greater capacity and is shorter in height than its counterparts, meaning you will be refilling less often, and it will be less awkward when you do.
  • Touch’s single serve cups are larger than traditional K-Cups, allowing more coffee grounds. More coffee means bigger, bolder flavor

Verdict: I am in love with my new Touch coffee maker. Do you need one? Of course you do! Go out and buy one right now and we can be twinsies!!

xoxo, Patti

 

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Dragon Con 2015

Wednesday, September 9th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings,

How was your Labor Day weekend? Was it filled with goblins and ghoulies? No? What?! Then you must not have been in Atlanta, my loves!

Dragon Con marks the end of summer for us here in Atlanta, with a big flourish! I think of it as the precursor to Halloween. Over 70,000 delightful individuals descend on our city dressed in the most amazing costumes! It is a revelry for all things weird and wonderful.

Here are a few of my favorite shots of the weekend. Come see us next Labor Day in Atlanta and stay for Dragon Con. It is a MUST DO!

Meet my fine feathered friend!

Meet my fine feathered friend!

Archer is my favorite show. And look, a Tardis!

Archer is my favorite show. And look, a Tardis!

Who ya gonna call?

Who ya gonna call?

Eric and I readying for a little time travel.

Eric and I readying for a little time travel.

And speaking of Dr. Who....

And speaking of Dr. Who….

And one of my favorites from the weekend – a meet up with Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows!

Barnabas and Me! BFFs. :)

Barnabas and Me! BFFs. 🙂

Now it’s time to think about all things pumpkin! Woo hoo! Welcome Autumn!

xoxo, Patti

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Some Summer Things

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015

Good Morning Darlings,

I simply cannot let summer slip away. The nights are getting a smidge cooler and Labor Day is upon us.

Here are some of my favorite shots from summer. They may not all be my shots, but I love them just the same.

This past weekend we visited with our friends Denise, Rick and Holly in Florida. Despite the impending hurricane, we had a fine time. Here we are getting ready to tuck into some bairdi crab legs . They are a cross between snow crab and Alaskan king crab. Delicious.

Hanging at Crabby Bills

Hanging at Crabby Bills

We also spent the night at La Hacienda, owned by our dear friends, Tera and Ed. I took no pictures, I just enjoyed the day.

I never made it to the beach, but I bet it looked like this! Maybe later this year:

 

Wish I were there!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we did lots of beer tasting (doesn’t that sound better than drinking? much more sophisticated).

Eric and I discussed the house we will buy before the end of next year. Things on our wish list include:

A pizza oven is a MUST!

I want the entire backyard look like it’s always ready for a party. Party lighting is a must have.

Is this scrumptious?

That’s all for now. Share all your dreams and secrets for summer with me! I promise not to tell.

xoxo, Patti

 

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Brunch Time

Monday, August 24th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings,

Brunch is my favorite meal. And since it really only makes sense two days out of the week, you can really make it special.

At our house, brunch can turn into a 7 hour affair that can become quite raucous. But we like that kind of thing.

What to serve? Champagne is a must. Cava and prosecco are perfectly budget conscious replacements. Just think bubbly. Then you can add orange juice for a mimosa, peach puree for a bellini and anything else that strikes your fancy. A bloody mary bar is always appreciated, too. Fill bowls with olives, onions, stalks of celery and let your guests build their own. Add worcestershire sauce as well as salt and pepper or hot sauce to top off the fun.

This is the time to break out your best everything – china, wine glasses, flatware, napkins. You can arrange some pretty flowers around the table, making sure not to create an arrangement that is so high your guests can’t see each other from across the table. Hydrangeas set in a pretty bowl would be nice this time of year.

Lovely hydrangeas

Next – what will you serve? I like to try and keep it simple, with a make ahead menu that will allow me to spend more time chatting with my guests instead of feeling like a slave in the kitchen. A few weeks ago, this is what we served for a group of 6:

Mimosas

Starbucks Coffee Cake (it’s so easy and delicious!)

Chipotle Candied Bacon

Hashbrown Casserole

Fresh Strawberries

Coffee

Notes on the menu:

Coffee Cake: Next time I make this (and I WILL make it again – it is so good) I will line the pan with aluminum foil so it overlaps the edges and I can lift the entire cake out. Not lining the pan caused the cake to stick to the bottom because it was so moist. I know, first world problems. I also made this the day before the party.

Chipotle Candied Bacon: I prepped two pans of the bacon, set on cookie racks sprayed with Pan and then wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge the night before. The next morning, I took them out so they could come to room temperature and popped them in the oven with the casserole.

Hashbrown Casserole: Not sure what went wrong, but I’m thinking I didn’t cook it nearly enough as the potatoes weren’t particularly crunchy, which I would have liked. My guests were super polite and ate it anyway. Lol.

Brunch is such a fun and economical way to get friends together. If everyone brings a bottle of bubbly, your cost goes way down, while the fun stays waaaaay up. If you don’t bake, pick up a coffee cake or bagels from the store.

It’s all about having fun. Don’t stress out. 🙂

xoxo, Patti

 

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Buttering Up To Bulldogs

Friday, August 21st, 2015

Good Morning Darlings,

If you know me well, you know that I am a complete sucker for all things bulldog. My beloved Chelsea was the flower girl when I married E, much to her distaste of wearing a tutu.

Wedding

Chelsea went to heaven many years ago, but my love for English Bullies stays strong. The wonderful folks at the Georgia English Bulldog Rescue are always taking in stray and abandoned (how can that even be a THING?) English Bullies and give their all doing so.

They are having a fundraiser to pay for all the great work they do and all you have to do is show up and eat and drink (half priced bottles of wine, y’all!) Take a look:

GEBR eclipse di luna 2015

 

So go out next Sunday and grab some yummy treats for a great cause.

 

xoxo, Patti

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Sip Up the Last Bit of Summer

Thursday, August 20th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings,

The days are getting shorter and we are almost through August.

Yet, I cannot let summer go. I love the heat and the lazy weekend mornings.

This summer Eric and I have been discovering the wonderful breweries all around Atlanta. Every Friday we pick a new one and off we go to learn about the complexities of one of time’s oldest beverages.

Here are a few we’ve tackled so far:

1. Sweetwater Brewing. One of Atlanta’s oldest. We loved the party vibe here and I loved the Sweetwater Blue, which had a hint of blueberry to it. Yummy!

Always a party at Sweetwater

2. Eventide. New to Atlanta, but home to one of my favorite brews this summer, a Kolsch. Light and refreshing, this has become my go-to drink.

My new fave.

3. Monday Night. A playful tasting room encouraging you to “Tie One On” with some of Atlanta’s best beers. The brewery is tucked away in West Midtown, so it’s close by. I like the Nerd Alert.  The name and the beer!

Tie One On – and use Uber!

4. Wild Heaven. One of the first breweries Eric and I explored. A group of us went last year to celebrate E’s birthday and we really loved the laid back atmosphere here. Their Let Their Be Light is scrumptious. Grab a brew and play some cornhole for a couple of hours. Afterwards, hop over to Pallookaville and eat some tasty corndogs in their adorable dining room.

Relax with a Let There Be Light at Wild Heaven

 

5. Red Brick Brewing. Red Brick had a band playing the Friday we visited that made me wish I could take them home – they were Ah-mazing! This place gets packed and the brewing room was melty hot on the scorching day we went.  But the tasting room was nice and cool and with that many folks hanging around and sipping, you are bound to make a new friend.

Make a new friend at Red Brick!

 

All of the tasting rooms averaged $10 to $12 for a tour including a signature pint glass and 6 tasting tickets. That’s a steal! And everyone we met that worked at the breweries were all so nice and eager to teach us about what was on tap. This is a perfect way to kick off the weekend.

There are more breweries that we haven’t tried yet, but they are on our list. I will keep you updated!

How are you holding on to the last bit of summer?

Xoxo, Patti

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Magical La Hacienda

Monday, September 15th, 2014

Good Morning Darlings!

Eric and I have been so busy this summer that there’s been no time for a getaway.

We remedied that this past weekend at La Hacienda.

Our sweet friends, Ed and Tera Hattaway, are the owners of this Shangri-La.

Define Shangri-La:  Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise, and particularly a mythical Himalayan utopia — a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. In the novel Lost Horizon, the people who live at Shangri-La are almost immortal, living years beyond the normal lifespan and only very slowly aging in appearance.

My view from inside the pool!

My view from inside the pool!

Because you are my darlings, I am willing to share La Hacienda with you. Brand new, magical, marvelous. Step in and allow time to slow down. We spent over 6 hours between the pool and hot tub and at the end of the evening, we fell into the deepest sleep in the most comfortable bed. When the sun rose, Ed and Tera were in the kitchen whipping up a delicious mexican brunch of machaca. What’s machaca? It is a yummy beef dish, topped with a sunny side up egg. Refried beans, fresh fruit and piping hot coffee completed the meal.

This could be your breakfast!

This could be your breakfast!

I almost hate telling you about this slice of heaven. Less for me…but more for you!

xoxo, Patti

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Delicious Summer Evenings

Friday, September 12th, 2014

Good Morning Darlings!

The nights are getting cooler….NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I’m not ready for summer to end. I never even made it to the beach!

But, I did hit some swell parties and fun places.

Here are just a few.

1. Piedmont Park Arts Festival VIP Party – business partner Carrie and I schmoozed our way into this one. And it was a doozy. Marvelous food by Chef Shane at Ocean Catering Company and a virtual who’s who in Atlanta. And us. We had a ball.

 

Hanging with Chef Shane!

Hanging with Chef Shane!

 

2. Sister Hazel at the Buckhead Theatre. Ooh, this was another VIP that Eric and I got in to.  I hadn’t been to the Buckhead Theatre since it had been the Roxy Theatre. This was a blast. We were invited by our friends Cyndi and Sally, who are the superstar concierges at Pinewood Studios.

 

 

3. Dragon Con. I wait for this every year and it never fails to thrill. The costumes this year beat out anything I had ever seen. I was beyond excited to meet Groot. How cool is this?

 

How was your summer?

 

xoxo, Patti

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