old fourth ward

sarah dodge’s bread is good pop-up

Not sure when I first discovered who Sarah Dodge was. I’m assuming it was when she was creating the insanely delicious cinnamon buns and biscuits at 8arm, but I’ve been enjoying her pastries before that too (when she was at Little Tart). It’s so exciting to see someone with culinary talent change and grow. Once I saw Sarah making bread on her instagram, I was on HIGH alert for any announcement that would mean I’d be able to eat her pastries again.

Well, she answered my dreams. Sarah is doing a breakfast pop-up at Queen of Cream every weekend with a rotating menu. It immediately shot up to the top of my to-do list and I went for a rainy Sunday with Ben even though I already had brunch plans. I went before brunch.

The whole experience was a delight. Believe it or not, I had never been inside Queen of Cream! I’ve eaten the ice cream from the carts, but never gone inside the shop. Now I’m so glad I did – the whole thing made me feel like I was back in Montreal, eating a casual breakfast sitting in the window of a simple shop eating delicious food. There’s nothing better than these little moments of life.

I had to resist getting the predictable thing, cinnamon bun and a biscuit. I know these are amazing because duh she made the ones we know and love so well at 8arm. Instead I took a risk and got the spaghetti squash hash with a fried egg on top… and I was not disappointed. Spaghetti squash needs to go on every brunch menu from now on. It’s such a great carrier for savory flavors! Ben got the waffle with a scoop of ice cream on top, which is funny because I thought he was only ever going to be able to have ice cream for breakfast at home. It was a good morning for both of us.

SO. What you need to do is put this on your calendar ASAP. She does run out of supplies so don’t dawdle – make it a priority! Also I’m so happy to see so many others in the Atlanta community coming out to eat her food. She deserves the spotlight she’s getting and I hope this means I’m going to be eating her food for a very long time…

krog street market

More often than not, the things I choose to write about in this blog are an ode to Atlanta. The sights, the happenings, the people… this city is what sustains my creativity and my drive to be the version of myself I’ve always aspired to. I want to be someone who is cultured, someone who appreciates what the world offers, someone who values kindness and innovation. That plus a whole lot of other little things and I think I’m well on my way to being there. I don’t have as much free time as I’d like, but when I do get the occasional day off, I try to make the most of it. When I heard Krog Street Market was finally open to the public, it skyrocketed to the top of my “must-try” list.

Although it’s not developed to full capacity, what gems do lie there make up a completely worthwhile visit. The Little Tart, Spotted Trotter, Craft Izakaya, Mama Bath and Body – all with local reputations for an attention to quality and dedication to their craft. It’s nice to see all these Atlanta favorites gathered together under one roof; almost like a permanent farmer’s market or a community-centric mini mall. It’s a concept that has been oddly rare in Atlanta until recently. With mixed retail developments popping up all over town (Westside Provisions, Ponce City Market, et cetera), it is undeniable that the city is thriving and the best is yet to come.

Visiting KSM gave me the opportunity to finally meet two newcomers I’ve had my eye on, Xocolatl and Yalla. Xocolatl has got a great thing going for them; small batch anything obviously piques my interest, but small batch single-origin bean to bar chocolate is like one of the most seductive set of words I might ever hear in my life. Unfortunately they were all sold out (of course) of their bars, but it was lovely to just meet the makers and watch them pour a new velvety batch. Now I definitely have a reason to go back to KSM very, very soon (hello holiday gifts).

desperate housewares

I’m not one for cheesy puns, but I’ll certainly forgive any business who houses antique treasures like Desperate Housewares. This little secondhand shop sits conspicuously at the corner of Freedom Parkway and Boulevard, taunting me every time I visit Old Fourth Ward. I’m not really in the market for new home goods, but I can still survey the stock!

desperate-housewares-17a

Yet another reason why I love this Southern metropolis; it’s just overflowing with unique pieces to be passed down to the next generation of homeowners. From mid-century to retro 80s and lots before and after, this small shop is sure to pique your interest no matter your fancy. I can happily spend a whole weekend looking at old found objects. So much so that sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t open a shop of my own!

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.

sunny stuff

We’re officially in the dead heat of summer, but cool stuff keeps happening.

Stuff is blooming.

Stuff is ripe.

Stuff is going on sale.

Stuff is .. festival’ing?

Stuff is sunny.

props to style bloggers

MEHR. Here I go again, trying to act like I’m comfortable throwing my visage out into the interwebz. I finally caved and bought some basic color crop tops to wear for the rest of summer and here was my attempt at mastering the art of the color block outfit.

Willingly putting pictures out like this makes me feel so incredibly vain. It’s really weird and I hope you don’t think that I think that I’m super amazing or comfortable dressing like this every day. The thought running through my head over and over again was “do they think I’m trying to hard,” knowing full well that I DID indeed try hard. Props to all you style bloggers out there who post your outfits every day, every other day, or even once a week. I do not know how you manage looking so cool, well-curated, and yet unpretentious. Someday I will be able to join your league of awesomeness.

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