local

buttermilk kitchen

The upside to working retail is the beauty of my days off. Sure, sure, it would be fantastic to have my two-day weekends back. But sometimes you just have to look at the silver lining and soak in what you can. I get to explore sweet little local places unburdened by crowds and every now and then I’m lucky enough to have the company of women who are quite lovely. This week, Buttermilk Kitchen was our southern brunch nirvana.

There’s not much I can convey in words to add to what these pictures already show you. The atmosphere was perfect, particularly on the patio with the sun moving up, and the service was extremely on-point. Everything was in a perfect state of balance, very thoughtful but not at all fussy. The menu was pared down and every piece of food on our table was exactly what we wanted it to be. It was fresh, it was rich, and well worth the trip.

I imagine that the weekends could be overwhelming in a place like this. It’s undeniably awesome and I’m sure the entire neighborhood knows and loves it. If you ever get a weekday off, make a day date for Buttermilk. I swear to you, probably one of the best brunches I’ve had in Atlanta.

dancing goats coffee bar

I’m a self-professed lover of all things delicious, but by no means am I a culinary expert. I just know what I like. And one of the things I like most is coffee. Thank god I have some awesome coffee baristas to teach me what it is to drink (and make) a good cup! If you’ve seen my instagram activities, you probably know I frequent Octane quite a bit. They do have a little piece of my heart, but my other local favorite is Dancing Goats, the brew bar home of Batdorf and Bronson roasters and lucky for me, they just opened a lovely new location at the currently-in-development Ponce City Market.

homegrown

Listen. I know I’m probably overwhelming you with gluttony-inducing photographs, but I just can’t help it. Food is beautiful and Atlanta is just too damn abundant for me not to share it all! I actually don’t really eat out very often; it just so happens that my parents visited me to help me move and thus the frequency of the food posting. Today I’m delighted to finally show you Home Grown.

I’ve been dying to try Home Grown for a very long time. Drive by on any weekend morning and you will see a crowd of people around their doors! It’s made me wonder what the fuss is all about for quite some time now, but I haven’t managed to find a reason to brave the wait. That is, until my parents came to visit.

cafe jonah

There are so many adorable breakfast/brunch places up in the atl that I don’t even know where to start. This is just one of many reasons why I can’t see myself being able to live anywhere else but here.

Cafe Jonah is one of my most recent favorites and it resides in a little converted cottage in the heart of Buckhead. That right there already gets you, doesn’t it? Well, get ready for more.

On Sundays, Cafe Jonah has a “pay-what-you-like” brunch in which you literally pay whatever you want. There’s no catch whatsoever, just faith in the good of your heart. And whether you’re eating in or taking to go, there’s a plethora of delectable options to satisfy both your sweet and savory addictions…

iman

Iman works at the art gallery where I first began my journey here in Atlanta. She wasn’t hired immediately after we interviewed her, but she was always lingering in the back of our heads. She exudes a quiet and graceful beauty that sneaks up on you and stays. I try to visit the gallery for every opening night and at the last one, Iman looked completely stunning (in that subtle way she has). Her pairing of white jeans with this sheer shirt-dress is just the best.

Completely elegant casual. It’s no surprise that she not only dresses beautifully, but creates beautifully as well. Her sculptures and drawings are as delicate and earthly as her fashion style reflects. These are some of my favorite pieces of hers:

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