Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

Archive for January, 2012

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Eat, Watch, Ridicule…

Posted by AllieB on January 31, 2012

Get it? It’s like Eat, Pray, Love but not. What day is it – Tuesday? I hate Tuesdays. Nothing original has ever happened on BBT on a Tuesday – I find Thursdays are the best days for unique material – so I’ll just link to a bunch of stuff that other people have already said and/or done…including that of my own work.

First seen on BBT in May 2k11. Sorry I’m not sorry.

EAT (when it opens): ATLiens: chef/restauranteur extraordinaire Kevin Rathbun is opening a “small plates steak” place in ADAC in Peachtree Hills this summer: KR Steak Bar. I’m excited because I love steak and who doesn’t appreciate a good, old-fashioned rhyming name. Welcome to the neighborhood, KR.

WATCH: Kristen Bell is funny. She reminds me of MPvZB (a compliment) and MCL says she was great in Veronica Mars. She’s been on the circuit lately touting House of Lies, a new show on Showtime of which I am somewhat fond (it’s kind of ranchy?), but here she is on Ellen…and she’s having a sloth-related meltdown. I don’t quite get it, but I like what I’m seeing – she has very little shame. Obviously need sound:

credit: Y Kenna.

ALSO WATCH: Do you like musicals?!?! Tina, I know you do. Unless you live in a hole, you’ve probably seen the trailer for the show, Smash, that premiers next Monday Feb 6. Ever resourceful, I watched the first episode last week OnDemand, but it’s also available for free on iTunes. I liked it! I’m losing you, I can already tell, so that’s all I’ll say about it – but check it out.

TAKE THAT, KATHERINE HEIGL: according to this article, “experts” are saying her career is over. Good riddance, I say – I find her incredibly obnox, not to mention a very one-note talent. The best she’s ever made it on my list is “slightly less annoying than her most annoying” and that’s not very promising.

I hope your day isn’t suicidal. TTFN!

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , | 8 Comments »

Chicken wings and truth bombs: because that’s what BBT does

Posted by AllieB on January 26, 2012

While I appreciate what this flowchart (I LOVE FLOWCHARTS) is trying to do, it has one fatally egregious error that I cannot get past. See if you can spot it (credit: Julia)

No? I’ll tell you. There is no mention – nary a one – of condiments. HelLO the best part about wings is the blue cheese (or ranch) dressing. Well, maybe not the best part, but a very significant perk – for me, wings are the vehicle that justifies consuming inappropriate amounts of BC dressing…and, for the record, my wing personality is Maple Chipotle Hot Wings. I totally saw that coming. This did get me excited for the Super Bowl. Often overshadowed by more popular foodie holidays, such as Thanksgiving, the Super Bowl is a great day to take advantage of one of my favorite food groups: glorified bar food. I’m not above a good mozzarella stick (Treehouse has excellent ones), but I’m all about trying a gourmet wing. Who’s organizing/cooking/hosting this year??

Thursday! Thursday is one of my favorite days of the week and also a great day for lists – like this one about stuff for which I was thankful. Today I share with you things that I know to be true… No gray (grey?) areas – just black and white truth bombs.

  • if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, talks like a duck…newsflash: it’s a duck
  • you really do have to drive 25 mph Peachtree Battle Ave – there is always a cop with a radar gun
  • change is hard…
  • doing a full minute wall sit is harder
  • if you think the rules of personal space apply to the table situation at the Peach Starbucks, well…you’d be wrong.
  • Carrie Bradshaw is a whiny narcissist
  • puppies will always make you feel better…cookie dough will, also
  • it is very validating to have double digit re-pins on Pinterest
  • age is nothing but a number…
  • I really am concerned about America’s youth – kids these days: their clothes, attitudes, everything…what a bunch of brats
  • if you think that cute, slightly older gentleman the next table over is smiling at you, well…you’d be wrong again – he’s smiling at his bratty daughter and his perfect looking wife, who are walking over to join him
  • red wine = friend. Also, foe.
  • how HOW is it still January!?
  • I’ll have what Hoda and Kathie Lee are having

Welp, that was random. Keep it real, ya heard?

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 5 Comments »

A day late and a dollar short

Posted by AllieB on January 24, 2012

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, no?

Well, I totally dropped the ball on this one: the “First Place Passion” – a tour of first homes which is part of the annual Cathedral Antiques Show – happened on Sunday, January 22. I think I thought I had more than one opportunity to check it out…I really need to start reading beyond the headlines. My nearest and dearest Nancy and Ryan Duffey’s home was featured, as well as Clary Bosbyshell’s and Nicky and Jack Arnold’s. Per the account of the always reliable and ever so tasteful Carol Harrell, the houses looked awesome. Neat, I’m sure they did. Nancy, I’ll come over for some wine this week and you can take me on my own personal tour…in a non-weird way, of course.

Good news: you can still see the Inspiration House – here’s that info:

Premier – Saturday, January 28
Tours Sunday, January 29 | Thursday, February 2 – Sunday, February 5
Thursday, February 9 – Sunday, February 12

The Inspiration House, located on the grounds of The Cathedral of St. Philip, is for anyone who has a passion for design that elevates the day-to-day living experience. Twenty up-and-coming designers showcase their creative talent in a home that can inspire ideas for the modern family. The Inspiration House is included in the Tour of Homes.
Donation: $10 at the door without Tour of Homes or Antiques Show tickets.

More info here. Nancy Duffey and Allison Harper are two of the twenty designers showcased in the House – they did the nursery. IN FACT, check out this article I just stumbled upon – way to go, you two! So talented and famous.

AND you can still attend this event, which is not your grandmother’s antiques show but an actually fun and lively partay, hosted by some seriously serious heavy hitters (purchase tickets here):

I am cranky. First of all, I realized last night that I have no plans to leave the country this year, and I’m really bummed. I know – first world problems and all that – but this is just bleak…this time last year I was preparing to go to Pakistan. That was a great trip. NOT that I’m saying I wish I was returning to Pakistan – I’m pretty sure such a jaunt would be strongly ill-advised by the CIA travel website – but I wish I was going somewhere…Secondly, I woke up this morning to the breaking news that Starbucks is going to start serving beer and wine. Oh, really, 11Alive? Breaking news? I beg to differ. May I direct you to this entry from October 19 2010, which is one of the least read posts in BBT’s history – there are zero comments. This isn’t the first time I’ve scooped the local news.*

G-force and I at the Badashi Mosque in Lahore. I will likely share more pics in the coming weeks as I reminisce – I know you are all waiting with breath that is baited for a shot of me in my salwar kameez. Good times.

*Upon further research, I learned that Atlanta is one of two locations nationwide that was chosen to launch the beer and wine, the other being Southern California. I guess that is kind of newsworthy. I will acquiesce on this point, but I still say I scooped the news.

APU^, writing BBT has cured me of any and all crankiness and I’m back to breezy :)

^Hilary, that means “as per usual”

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

I love Tom Brady and puppies a normal amount

Posted by AllieB on January 23, 2012

Sometimes I watch football games – especially now that I am a baller with HD television (welcome to 2012, BBT) – and I enjoy them. But what I really enjoy watching are 1. the commercials and 2. Tom Brady. Even though the pinnacle of commercial viewing is clearly during the Super Bowl, the ads aired during sports events are just so much better than average ads. As I have not yet indulged in DVR (2012 feels sorry for you, BBT), I care quite a bit about the level of entertainment these 30 second ads offer me, and the best ones are during sports. I found some teasers for this year’s Super Bowl ads – they look promising. Particularly the one featuring David Beckham in his skivvies.

And what do we have here? Oh right, it’s Allie & Tom…what an attractive couple.

Giselle who?

I don’t know how to do photoshop and Hilary isn’t on gchat to help me…which is why that is so creepy looking.

It is with a heart filled with love and teeth clenched to the point of injury that I introduce you to the newest member of the BBT family. Meet: CHARLIE!!!!!! As I mentioned last week, Pal went to volunteer at the Humane Society. She came home with Charlie after her first day, which surprised no one. Before I met Charlie I was discussing name options with Allison – I like Molly and Lolly – but she was set on Charlie. I said to her, “Allison, you really have to be careful naming animals after the opposite gender – people will just assume she’s a boy and/or go searching around her undercarriage to figure out what she is. And you are sentencing her to a life of pink accessories.” Neither Pal nor I are a particularly huge fan of pink. However, once I met my sweet angel muffin, I knew that her name is, was, and should be Charlie, so Charlie it is. Charlie is a girl – a very sweet, precious, perfect little puppy girl.

One guess which of these 4 photos was taken with my p.o.s. Blackberry.

Charlie has already had a successful playdate with her big sister, Casey Wawa, and we’re planning a get together with her other sister, Aggie, down in Savannah. BBT is a devoted and loving aunt to her three animules.

ATTN Fellow Reading Enthusiasts: Emily Giffin (author of Something Borrowed (also a heinously miscast disaster of a movie) and Love the One You’re With) has a new book coming out July 2012 – Where We Belong. I read the first chapter online and I’m already kind of exhausted with the whole story line, which doesn’t really bode well for the entire book…but I’m sure I’ll read it anyway.

I hope all y’all had a great weekend and are totally dominating this awesome, cheery Mehday Munday. PEACE.

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

Where have YOU been?

Posted by AllieB on January 18, 2012

Hey what’s up.

I’m just going to jump right in as though I haven’t been on a two week hiatus. I find the best way to delve back into BBT after an unearned and unwarranted vacation is by doing a random round-up of randomness. Here goes:

Food: Atkins Park in Virginia Highlands (and Vinings, although I haven’t been there, and it’s owned by the same dudes as Ormsby’s of which I am also a big fan) has excellent burgers. I recommend The Best Way Burger: medium rare with bacon jam and tellaggio cheese (it’s brie-like in consistency and taste). Go with a side of the fried pickles – skip the sweet potato fries, they are less fry and more slab of potato…they kinda look like slugs. After you enjoy this light snack, take a stroll thru Va High and walk off an 1/29th of your meal, then stop by Murphy’s for dessert. Unbeknownst to many, Murphy’s will make you a molten, melty, amazing brownie for $2.00. It’s not on the menu, but it should be. Stop by and get one of those, unbutton the top button of your jeans enjoy a mimosa and/or cuppa joe and the company of friends. This makes for a very, very pleasant Sunday.

Celebrities! The Golden Globes happened. Obviously, Heidi Klum was my favorite – shocking, I know, what with the nude backless dress and large turquoise necklace. If A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz comes out with a remake of this one, I seriously might buy it.

Cameron Diaz…has possibly never looked worse.

More Food: you’re in the market for some good, old-fashioned, pseudo-texas-style bar-b-q, may I recommend One Star Ranch on Irby Avenue in Buckhead. It’s pretty basic, but in a good way – if it’s not broken there is absolutely no reason to fix it. Standouts include the fried pickles, onion rings, pork and beef ribs, and the smoked turkey. I hear their servers are really nice, too, and it’s a great place to go for lunch or dinner…plus, who can beat the $5 daily margarita special?! Just sayin, you might wanna give it a shot.

MISC: I didn’t share my NY Ressies because I find that once you share things people are more likely to hold you accountable, but I really would like to start volunteering. I worked at a non-profit for several years, and the pay was such that I felt like I was pretty much volunteering, but now I need to seek something out. Pallison is checking out the Humane Society, and I’ve considered being a foster parent for Atlanta Lab Rescue, but I’m not sure I can handle being around animules at risk/in danger…maybe I’ll plant some trees or something? I need to research. If you have a cause you hold near and dear, holla at me – I’m open to most anything.

The End. I will never, ever abandon you again.

Posted in Celebs, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

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