Merry Christmas 2015 and Happy New Year 2016

Merry Christmas! This year was filled with lots of love, family, food, and great traditions.

{Picking out our Christmas tree}

{Tree in the dining room}

{The family room}

Dinner and bright lights with the Sessions

{Waking up Christmas morning}

{One of my favorite parts of the holiday}

Christmas with the Lynch Family 

Happy New Year. This year we went to Bone's Steakhouse and had a wonderful time!

Thankful- 2015

Happy Thanksgiving! 

As always, I love hosting dinner parties, but I really love Thanksgiving and having as many people to our house as possible. This year we had both sides of the family over and loved everyone's company.

{Made my first winter Sangria- super delicious}

I hope everyone had a wonderful time with their family and friends!

South City Kitchen- Restaurant Challenge

South City Kitchen (southern), the first restaurant that was on our list for our restaurant challenge(Prior post on "the challenge") . Richard and I had both been prior, but Cole and Ashley had not been yet. We made reservations for Saturday, November 14, 2015 for the Vining's location. SCK- Vinings

For our "First Flavors", we shared two items:

 Pork BBQ- scallion-grit hoe cake, sweet red bbq, horseradish slaw AND

Pimento Cheese- celery, house made pickles, benne seed crackers. 

 Salads:

Ashley and I ordered Mama J's Local Lettuces: seasonal vegetable with balsamic vinaigrette.

Cole and Richard both ordered: the Caesar: garlic- grist croutons, fried okra, Parmesan

Our Main Dishes: 

Cole and Ashley both ordered the Springer Mountain Farms Fried Chicken with smashed bliss potatoes, collar greens, and honey-thyme jus, but Ashley ordered hers without the bone (she's so smart). 

Richard ordered the Burger from Southern River Farms, pimento cheese, butter pickles, old bay fries, and bbq mayo. 

I ordered the Hanger Steak with preserves tomato butter, baby potatoes, and braised peppers and onions. 

Restaurant Challenge -Atlanta Style

Since Cole and Ashley have moved to Atlanta over a year ago, we have had our moments where we are trying new and trendy restaurants, but we also got stuck in our ruts of going to the "classics". We decided to make a list of 10 restaurants that we wanted to try. Of the 10 choices, only a two of them have been previously eaten at by one couple- all four of us couldn't have eaten there for it to make the list. Here it is in no particular order:

1. South City Kitchen (southern)
2. Lusca (seafood)
3. Sotto Sotto (Italian)
4. 1 Kept ( southern)
5. Fox Brother's BBQ
6. Umi (sushi)
7. Antico Pizza (Italian)
8. 4th & Swift (farm to table)
9. St. Cecilia (seafood)
10. Gunshow (fusion)

Here's to wining and dining at some of Atlanta's favorites!

Auburn vs. Ole' Miss

This Halloween we spent it down in good ole' Auburn University. Even though it was an early start for us that day, we were excited to meet up with some friends, watch football, and eat some fried chicken at the tailgate.

{Molly and I pre-game}

{Me, Richard, & John}

{Mark, Ellen, & Leslie}

{The BIGGEST screen in college football history}

{Joe, Molly, Me, and Richard}

Last year in my twenties!

Today, October 23, 2015, I have entered into the first day of the LAST year in my twenties! I have finally reached "somewhat" of a milestone birthday, 29! I haven't had a birthday on a Friday in a very long time, but I really enjoyed it. Friday was wonderful with it being "Friday" for work. My sweet friends at work all wished me a fabulous day, and my sweet friend, Marisa Barth, had the BEST squirrel birthday card waiting for me on my desk.  That night, Richard, Leslie, John and I went out to Milton's, my favorite restaurant! If you haven't been...you MUST! Milton's. As always, I enjoyed the sesame crusted mountain trout- so good!

{Instead of cake, Richard bought me my favs}

That next day, Ashley and I met up and headed down to Ponce City Market Click . It used to be the old Sears building, but they have turned it into a ultra trendy food place with some shops. It opened not too long ago so there a several areas still vacant, but if you live in the area and can bike/ walk the beltline, it is a place to go. Later that night, the four of us went to 2 Urban Licks click. Richard and I haven't been in over 5 years, so we were excited to go again! It has the best ambiance and the most delicious and tender brisket!!!!

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, we traveled over to my parents house for dinner and dessert. As always, my mom made me my favorite dinner: pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes. I'm not quite sure why it's my favorite meal, but I think it's more nostalgic to me. Either way, I had the best weekended filled with great meals and my favorite people!!!