midtown atlanta

java jive

When I first moved to Atlanta, I had the brunch epiphany. You know, that brunch is basically the best meal ever and worthy of looking forward to every weekend. Now that I’m living on a budget I don’t get to indulge in brunch quite like I used to, but there are still some favorites I will open up my wallet to. One such place is the delicious and equally charming Java Jive.

Love their decor, love their food, love the fact that there’s barely ever a wait. I’ve tried a variety of items off the menu, but I never get sick of them. Everything hits the spot and their turkey sausage is one of the best I’ve ever had! Not to mention, their bottomless cup of joe is surprisingly notable.

star provisions

Why has it taken me three years of living in Atlanta to have lunch in Star Provisions? The world may never know. What I do know now is that it’s the perfect spot to share a casual bite with a friend (which is exactly what I did). Nestled in the heart of Westside Atlanta, Star Provisions is the casual marketplace sibling to Anne Quatrano’s more well-known culinary ventures. I’ve not yet managed to get myself into Bacchanalia, most often named the best restaurant in Atlanta, but maybe this visit could buy me a little more time.

Star Provisions is an order-at-the-counter style cafe that serves a variety of sandwiches, salads, and other delicious baked goods.

west & mill

There are some places that I want so badly to be good, but no matter how hard I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, I just can’t deny my disappointment. I really don’t enjoy writing negatively, but keeping my writing voice honest is very important and in order to do that I also need to share my experiences that aren’t so perfect.

I’ve visited West & Mill twice now and both times were for a leisurely brunch, free of pressure or expectation. On Sunday mornings, I just want something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Sometimes all it takes is a good coffee and a bagel and other times I need a tad bit more effort. West & Mill is at a great location in West Midtown, right across the street from Octane. It has a cute and quaint little dining room which is a slightly weird, but cool mixture of European bistro and contemporary industrial. By looks and looks alone, all signs point to a pleasant dining experience.

paris in atlanta

Sometimes I fall into the delusional trap of thinking I’ve seen it all. Seen all the places, eaten all the food, roamed all the markets. As much as I try to convince myself that sitting at home on the weekends is the best course of action, it just isn’t true. There is just too much to be found out there in our wonderful city and even the things you think you know can surprise you. Case in point: Paris On Ponce.

I used to go to Paris on Ponce pretty frequently when I first moved here to ogle the mass amount of antiques (not gonna lie, also because they so adorably laid out cookies and lemonade too), but had fallen off the wagon due to the fact that I could never take home the secondhand furniture I coveted. A chance whim took me back there recently and I was stunned at all the changes that had taken place, in a very good way.

Paris on Ponce is now Paris on Ponce & POP Marché. Still housing a crazy amount of antique treasures, but now also home to unique vignette boutiques filled with home goods from various vendors and curators from around the city. And here I was, thinking it couldn’t get any better! Every booth is like a miniature world with a landscape abundant with patterns, texture, and color.

Despite my best efforts, I didn’t manage to make it out empty-handed.

still looking “to the wonder”

One of my favorite weeknight activities is to go see a movie alone. Without the pressures of outside opinion or the expectation of reaction, the entire experience becomes infinitely more personal – a choice to experience something with myself and only myself. Everything I feel as a result is mine and only mine. It’s a rare sort of film that reserves this impulse, but it usually falls into the category of intense emotionality or poignant cinematography. These are two elements I’m particularly partial to and when weaved together, it’s a no-brainer. Such was the case with To The Wonder.

The trailer to Terrence Malick’s newest film promised me everything I could want for such an experience. I never had the chance to see Tree of Life, but I kept hearing how visually stunning it was. So when I saw that To The Wonder was playing at one of my favorite local theaters, I knew I had to make the time to go see it.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTAzcTZTY1g]

“Emotions, they come and go like clouds. Love is not only a feeling; you show love. To love is to run the risk of failure, the risk of betrayal. You fear your love has died and perhaps is waiting to be transformed into something higher.”

random atlanta delights

Take pleasure in the little delights all around you. The more effort you put into recognizing and appreciating beauty, the more often you’ll realize your life is actually beautiful.

// window display of antiques in Palmetto

// a peach bellini and a lovely friend at Stone Soup Kitchen in Grant Park/Cabbagetown

// the abundant florals outside of the bf’s apartment

10 of my favorite wedding things