Mother's Day > Gift Ideas > My Favorite Toffee

I discovered Toffee to Go at the Atlanta Food Show back in January of 2009 and instantly became addicted (my favorite combination is their white chocolate with macadamia nuts!)....  the combination of salty, sweet, crunchy, and smooth is so wonderful!  Toffee to Go is offering  Free Ground Shipping for Mother's Day when ordering 1lb gourmet gift boxes.  Enter promo code MOMFS10 upon checkout.  This offer expires May 6.

White Chocolate with Macadamia Nuts

Milk Chocolate with Almonds / Dark Chocolate with Pecans

Mother’s Day is just around the corner on May 9th. Give one of Colin Cowie’s Fantastic Finds on Mother’s Day!
	FREE GROUND SHIPPING 1 lb gourmet gift boxes Use promotion code: MOMFS10
This sweet opportunity is only good April 27 - May 6, 2010.

Great Find > Virginia-Highland Bungalow For Sale

Jim and I have a love for houses...  we particularly enjoy the challenge of uncovering the "diamonds in the rough" of established neighborhoods.  Fortunately for me, Jim's talents lie in understanding the beginning to end process of a house remodel.  I search for an interesting property, he lets me know what sort of existing state we're dealing with - foundation, plumbing, wiring, etc...  and whether or not we're opening a can of worms or the home is poised for a 2010 interior & exterior overhaul.

 1233 North Highland Avenue

I just noticed this little beauty recently hitting the market...  If you're looking for a bungalow in the heart of the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, this home @1233 North Highland Avenue is such a find!  3 Bedrooms, 1 1/2 Baths, priced @$368,000.  If interested and wanting more info, Jim and I highly recommend contacting our dear friend and trusted Coldwell Banker real estate agent, Christiane Zeh.  Christiane has been such a great help to us in the navigating the buying and selling process of today's market.

The US Post Office, San Francisco Coffee, Armour & Co., Highland Pet Supply, El Taco, and my favorite Ma Li Thai Restaurant all are at the door step of 1233 North Highland Avenue.

Armour & Co. is this wonderful home furnishings shop owned by local Decatur, GA resident Jayme Armour Leffler.  Her style highlights a refreshing approach to the selected furniture & accessories featured in her store.  Jayme's mix of classic, refined, and a little whimsy - all play a part in turning a room into something with interest to the eye and a eased comfort factor.  Jayme's Decatur bungalow home is featured in the May 2010 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  Check out the following images....

Mother's Day > Gift Ideas > Hable Construction

Much loved and adored Hable Construction is offering a discount coupon for Mother's Day when ordering off their website through May 10.  Receive 25% off with promo code MOM, enter prior to checkout and recieve 25% off Tag Sale items by entering promo code TAG.

Style Maker > Thomas O'Brien

Thomas O'Brien understands the High & Low chemistry of Interior Design.  In his world, both exist equally when overall style is the end goal.  The success lies within O'Brien's refined design eye and understanding the importance of function & form, no matter what the price tag to consumers.  This influence can be found in O'Brien's furniture collection for Hickory Chair and well as his home furnishings line for Target.

 Hickory Chair

 Target

O'Brien is based in New York City, where he operates Aero - his retail and studio space.  A look into more image detail - his mix of vintage modern with urban chic and little classical form living harmoniously - can be found in the pages of his recently published - American Modern.

Aero

Aero

American Modern

Thomas O'Brien has been included in the May 2010 issues of Town & Country and House Beautiful magazines.  Check out the following images and excerpts.

 House Beautiful, May 2010

 Town and Country, May 2010

I am particularly fond of O'Brien's Kitchen Designs....  About 5+ years ago, I saw published photographs of O'Brien's country home and was struck at how he selected gold/brass hardware for his kitchen cabinets.  At the time, copper accents seemed acceptable options for design materials - pots, vent hoods, etc... but prominent gold tone details seemed so radical.  Chrome/stainless hardware and appliances were and continue to be heavily marketed in Kitchen Design.  Loving the contrast, we folded the look into our kitchen remodel for our previous home.

Thomas O'Brien's Kitchen

Thomas O'Brien's Kitchen - White Cabinetry with Gold Square Hardware

 2005 - Our Home Kitchen Remodel - Influenced by Thomas O'Brien Design

Atlanta Friends: Inman Park Festival {This Week-end 4/24 - 4/25}

The Inman Park neighborhood of Atlanta holds their annual Spring Festival, starting tomorrow at 11:00am.  Inman Park is one of in-town Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods...  Original residents tapped noted architects to build Victorian and Crafstman style homes, that line the wide streets with their period details and prominent beauty.  The Festival holds a "home tour" of selected houses and gardens for a more personal appreciation and insight into the care and maintenance of these historic gems.

The Home of Current Owners Sara and Jay Doyle, is Part of The Inman Park Home Tour.  As Quoted from Home Tour Info:  {This Jacobean Revival home was designed by architect W.T. Downing and built in 1899 for Ernest and Emily Woodruff.  While living in this home, Ernest led a group of investors in 1919 to buy the Coca-Cola Company for $25 million from Ernest’s neighbor and rival Asa Candler.  Candler lived in Callen Castle just around the corner at Euclid and Elizabeth.}

Art and Food Vendors Line the Tree Shaded Streets, 3 Music Stages are Located at Various Ends of the Neighborhood,  and the not to be missed Parade begins at 2:00pm on Saturday, 4/24.

Chef On the Move > Scott Peacock

Chef Scott Peacock Cooking Buttermilk Fried Chicken in the Kitchen at Watershed Restaurant - Traditional fried chicken dinner was served Tuesday nights at Watershed.

In February, Scott Peacock left his long held post as Executive Chef of Watershed Restaurant in Decatur, GA.  During his decade long tenure, Peacock is credited with elevating the foodie scene of Decatur while also raising awareness to reviving a Southern cooking heritage.  His relationship with mentor and close friend Edna Lewis brought about an oral history of Southern recipes and an influence that has been folded into today's impression of refined traditional Southern fare.  Their cookbook, The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks, not only highlights a shared passion to define and pass down Southern cooking traditions, but also to recognize the importance of documenting food history in America.

Chef Peacock's current work schedule looks to be busy & chock full - cooking appearances on the Today Show;  a monthly recipe column in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine; and with a continued pursuit of archiving the oral recipe history of Southern food, Peacock is in talks with the Sundance film festival and Alabama Public Television for presenting his interviews and recordings with elders from his native Alabama - for more info check out the post from the AJC The Buzz blog.

Better Homes and Gardens, May 2010.

New Restaurant > Farm Burger

Downtown Decatur, GA is all a buzz with recent foodie news...  A much loved Chef departure from Watershed Restaurant and a much anticipated restaurant location change of Cakes & Ale.  Then add today's opening of Farm Burger, and Decatur is the hot spot!

{Farm Burger is defined by its mission, its farms, its team, and its community. We depend on local farmers, ranchers and land stewards to make your burger as good as it is. From our beef to our tomatoes to our compostable containers to our owners, Farm Burger is sustainable, local, humane, and helping to reroute our food system to function more like an ecosystem than a corporation. Our goal is to connect soil, animal, plant, rancher, butcher, chef & you…all in a simple wire basket.}

Farm Burger is the city venture of Athens restaurant, Farm 255.  Farm 255 is known for their regarded relationships with local farmers, emphasis on organic sustainable ingredients, and old fashioned community spirit with their patrons.  Farm 255 also has their hand in the "food cart" movement....  their Farm Cart serves lunch daily outside of the restaurant in Athens, and made a recent appearance at Atlanta's Urban Picnic at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market.