Last week Cathy hosted an event at the Buckhead W. I was super classy and immediately made a beeline for the bar (the specialty drink was some type of pineapple mojito) and then plopped down to get my nails done by one of the Bliss Spa ladies. Maybe it was the mojito or the party’s summery theme (Sunglasses at Night), but I decided to throw caution to the wind and get my nails painted bright yellow. Not sure what expression I was going for in that bottom photo. . .

Last weekend Troy and I walked over to Sun in My Belly for brunch. Remember how delicious the honey glazed bacon is? Would you still order it even though you’re not eating as much meat anymore? I thought I was being so discipline by ordering the fruit and granola, but right when the waiter was about to walk away, I blurted out, “And a side of honey glazed bacon!!!!!” Here’s me in my post-bacon-feast glow:

Tunic from Squash Blossom, Blank Denim shorts, Claire Vivier bag and an old pair of Birkenstocks.

For the past two months, Troy and I have become obsessed with Mezcalitos in Oakhurst. Even though we’ve lived within walking distance of the place for the past two years, we only recently went there for the first time and now we’re hooked. The margaritas are delicious – no fake mix stuff – and the veggie tacos are really filling. We usually sit outside and I always think about how you can’t even picnic in Edinburgh without wearing five layers under a windbreaker. As cheesy as it sounds, I wish I could bottle up the warmth here and send it your way.

For the past few weeks, Starbucks has been celebrating Frappuccino Happy Hour with half price fraps between 3-5 p.m. Each day there’s been a different photo contest theme and on Day 6 the theme was Twins. TWINS! If only you still worked in Decatur, I would have made you meet me at Starbucks so we could have taken a photo together. Instead I took this one:

Yep. Took a photo with my phone, put it on my computer and then took another one. This is the kind of hard work I have to do when my twinie isn’t around! Anywho, Starbucks posts the top ten photos each day on their Frappuccino FB page and mine was one of the top ten for Day 6!

On to other exciting news: I finished painting the chevron stripes on the wall in my closet! I know I already sent you some pics, but here are the before-ish, during and after images:

I’m really pleased with the result and now I’m itching to cover all other surfaces in chevron stripes. If only I could paint our deck! It was a bit time consuming, but this post really helped as did listening to him on repeat while I worked.

And last, but not least, a quick Toby update. It looks like he and Wheatie are totally best buds now. They each have their own beds, but always decide to share one at night (please ignore the giant dirty laundry pile in the background):

I’ll be heading to Denver for a few days so we might not be able to chat on Skype – not sure what the internet situation will be like. Nevertheless, I’ll bring my laptop in the hopes I will be able to Skype you and write a post.

xoxo, Cath

I wore my “London” dress out on a date night (you can tell it’s a date night because I bothered to put on lipstick). Troy and I went to Cakes and Ale for dinner (note to the locals: get the trout for two, you won’t be disappointed!) and then Colbeh Persian Kitchen and Bar for after-dinner drinks and then to Steinbeck’s for post-after-dinner drinks. I know, we’re gluttons! But we don’t do it every night week.

That’s my arm party in the photo below. I’m a little late on the trend and only did a tame version at that with three pieces. The watch is so old that it doesn’t even work with a new battery. When I brought it to a jewelry store to get the battery changed, the sales clerk said it wasn’t even worth repairing. Harumph! I still like it because it’s my only piece of silver and gold jewelry so I still wear it all the time. You should see the looks I get when people ask me for the time and I have to scrounge around in my purse for my phone while wearing a watch.

I love any dress with pockets – and I mean it. If a potato sack had pockets, I’d belt it and wear it everyday. Not only does this dress have pockets, it has zips!

And if zippered pockets weren’t enough to delight me, the waistband is elastic! I might as well be wearing yoga pants – perfect for big meals and, uh, some light drinking.

Outfit details: Spitalfields Market dress, Mettle necklace, Madewell shoes, BCBG OMG bracelet, Ann Klein watch, Shashi bracelet.

___________

Dearest Lar,

Thank you again and again for my lurvly dress! I got so many compliments on it – even one compliment where a guy said “I like how it’s kind of sheer, but covered up!” Sheer?! I freaked out a bit – and was a little creeped out – but Troy assured me that it’s a perfectly opaque dress.

Are you going out for high tea this weekend? I am! Troy, mom, dad and I are going to try out Cozee Teas, a new teashop in Decatur. I’ll report back, but am not going to hold my breath for real clotted cream!

love, cath

About a month ago I was asked to be a judge at the Simon Fashion Bow Wow – a fashion show featuring designs by students at Bauder College, worn by local media folks, walking down the runway with adoptable dogs from the Atlanta Humane Society in the middle of Lenox Mall owned by Simon. Got all that? No worries if you didn’t, just scroll and look at the photos to get a better idea of what the event was about.

Here I am with the other two judges. That’s Jennifer Franklin to my right and Deena Poythress to my left:

Simon Fashion Bow Wow has a special place in my heart since we got my parent’s dog, Boo Radley, at the Atlanta Human Society.

The following photos were taken by the talented Kate Awtrey.

I loved the red details on this color block dress:

Emily Foley looked so chic in this Marie Antoinette-inspired poof dress:

I’m a sucker for anything that’s cut on a bias – and purple!

Would you judge me if I told you that I would totally dress up my dog in this striped shirt and beret if I had this dress? You would? Well, I don’t blame you, but that wouldn’t stop me from doing it.

I’m really a horrible judge because I wanted every design to win (the winning student received a $250 Simon Mall giftcard).

Below is the winning dress with the designer carrying a dog in a matching ruffle collar:

Gah! So cute!

Needless to say, I had a wonderful time and will happily volunteer to judge any future shows featuring ridiculously cute dogs and incredibly talented students.

I realize now that I didn’t take any photos of my outfit that evening (fashion blogger fail). For those of you who are curious, I wore my cropped black pants from Ann Taylor, BB Dakota sleeveless white Reeder top, Mettle necklace, a long black cardi and my nude Vera Wang for Kohl’s pumps. You can kind of see my outfit better in one of the photos in the Tastemaker Magazine article.

______________

Dearest Lar,

I wish you could have seen all the dogs in the show. Most of them were too overwhelmed by the crowds so they had to be carried out instead of walked. One of the dogs was a puppy and he slept through the whole thing!

I wish you could have a dog in Scotland. You know how we were talking today about how cold you always are in your flat? Well, you would be so much warmer with a dog sitting by you. Toby is pressed up against me as I type this and my whole right side is overheated. Of course it helps that it’s like 80 degrees outside.

You and Matt should come back to Atlanta for a week just to get warm again (hint, hint). Are you guys still using your hot water bottles? It seems so wrong to ask that since it’s practically May.

I’ll be sending you warming, sunshine-y thoughts this week!

xoxo, cath

Well then, you’re in for a treat!

Actually, it’s not so much of a battle as it is a comparison. You guys enjoyed our home comparison so much that when Lar told me she ate at a place called Leon in London, I thought, “Wonder how it stacks up to Leon’s.” Leon’s Full Service, that is. One of our favorite local bars in Decatur that we’ve mentioned in previous posts here, here, here, here and here.

Let the battle/comparison begin!

WHAT

Leon: (Lar) Located in London’s Spitalfields Market (but it’s a chain, so there are a bunch around the city).

Leon’s: (Cath) Located in downtown Decatur, GA at the corner of Ponce de Leon Ave. and Church St.

FEEL

Leon: (Lar) A light-filled new build with a slight vintagey farmhouse feel with a dash 1930s propaganda posters. Lots of communal farmhouse tables and book shelves with vintage items (lamps, boxes, books) scattered about. If you eat “outside” you are still covered by the Spitalfields Market roof (good for rainy London) and you have great people watching as you’re facing the market stalls.

Leon’s: (Cath) Formerly a shop and before that, a gas station. Lots of dark wood, Edison light bulbs and chalk boards. Even if you don’t sit outside on the patio, you can sit in the main dining area with large windows and feel the springtime breeze.

FOOD ETC.

Leon: (Lar) You might be weary because they call it fast food, but don’t be. The food is served just as quickly as your favorite McDonalds, but what’s put on your tray is nothing like it. It’s fresh, healthy (for reals) and delicious. I got the superfoods salad of avocado, broccoli, fresh peas, cucumber, sprouts, feta and lime juice with just a bit of cracked pepper. I also got a side of their waffle fries and freshly juiced apple juice served with lime and mint. I’ve heard tell that they do a mean brunch as well. Check out their menu here. Oh and what fast food place do you know of that has wheat-free, vegetarian, and dairy-free items? Three cheers for Leon!

Leon’s: (Cath) Wonderful, delicious cocktails and a great beer selection that can hold its own in a big beer-loving city. Pictured below was one of Leon’s salad specials that included sliced fennel and arugula. I also recommend the homemade candy bar for dessert and the flat breads on the late night menu.

SPECIALTIES

Leon: (Lar) I’m not sure what Leon is known for because we kind of just stumbled upon it in our travels and ate as much as our tummies could hold in one go. I was still on my vegetarian/gluten-free kick at the time, but next trip to London I will certainly try their baked goods.

Leon’s: (Cath) Cocktails! They just came out with their spring drink menu and I’m dying to try the Petal Pusher: Berkshire Mountain ethereal gin, lemon, elderflower syrup, strega, St. George absinthe, black pepper.

BRANDING

Leon: (Lar) They use this kind of 1920s/30s vintage poster art mixed with a rustic edge which I really like. It’s cheery and harkens back to thoughts of homemade foods from the days of yore, but of course the food has a modern very healthy twist to it. I thought I was over that kind of vintage wine poster look (you know that one that everyone used to decorate their kitchens in the early Naughts), but with this rustic farm house twist, I think they make it work without looking at all dated or too hyper trendy.

Leon’s: (Cath) Decatur’s “community-driven restaurant and bar.” Silverware and napkins supplied in a wooden box at each table, water served in reused wine bottles, and the famous Navy chairs at every table. Even the drink menu feels special with it’s leather spine and front metal plate.

OTHER

Leon: (Lar) Fresh, nutritious foods and sustainability are their big pushes. They try to source as much as their food as they can locally, conserve as much water as possible and get involved with their communities. Their meat is all British, their eggs free range, and they attempt to buy as much free-trade as possible. They continue to aim to recycle as much as they can and so far four of their locations compost all their food waste. Go, sustainability!

Leon’s: (Cath) Huge focus on locally sourced produce and meat. Bocce ball court in the side yard.

Cath: The verdict? Well, they’re both pretty gosh darn great. Leon’s in Decatur might have the upper hand because we’ve both been there. Maybe someday Lar and I will be able to eat at Leon in London together.

Lar: I hope Leon’s expands in the states and Leon expands in the UK (come to Edinburgh, please!). I love how both places serve delicious, fresh food in a wonderful atmosphere while pushing a message of sustainability. Really the Leons are doing what I think all of today’s restaurants should! So my verdict is win win!

______________

Dearest Lar,

Did I tell you that I played the Mega Millions a few weeks ago when it was at $550 million + ? Just like everyone else I was so sure I was going to win. My plan after winning was to fly over to see you. Then we could bounce around the UK together (including a stop at Leon in London) and visit all the Jane Austen and Downtown Abbey sites. Hell, we could have visited every great estate that has ever shown up in a Masterpiece Theater/BBC period drama in the past decade and still have money to spare. Better luck next time, I suppose.

I also meant to send you a pic of what I wore to a wedding recently: a sparkly TFNC dress from Asos, the Clare Vivier clutch you gave me and the gorgeous ring you got me in London. It always makes me so happy to be wearing something from you – it makes me feel like I have my twin nearby.

Is there a Scottish lottery? Maybe if we both play our respective lotteries our chances of winning won’t change at all will double!

xoxo, Cath

That’s me on the right (of course), standing next to Eboni of The Fashionista Next Door, Jennifer of Jennysue Makeup, and Mattie of Mattieologie and Atlanta Style Bloggers.

The image is probably too small to read, but you can see the full write-up online here. The paragraph on AsianCajuns is one of the best write-ups we’ve ever had. Cathy Anderson, writer and fashion blogger (Poor Little It Girl), pulled this feature together and has made the four of us feel like rock stars.

We spent one Friday afternoon in February at an office in Inman Park for the photo shoot. It was so great getting to see Eboni again and finally meeting Mattie and Jennifer in person. They are all so gorgeous!

We had to arrive at the photo shoot hair and makeup ready. Lar is much better at make-up than me, so she coached me over Skype and then I went to Drybar to get my hair done. I wore a necklace and top from Madewell, Target belt, H&M skirt, Jeffrey Campbell heels and my AsianCajuns name necklace.

One of the best things about hanging out with fellow fashion bloggers, is that no one judges you when you whip out your camera and start taking photos of everything. My outfit? Click! Your outfit? Click! Our business cards laid out on the conference table? Click, click!

Below are just a few behind the scenes photos.

Mattie filming Eboni:

Jennifer taking a photo of Mattie filming Eboni:

Eboni is the foreground, with the talented Atlanta Magazine team in the background. That’s Cathy with the bow in her hair:

After taking what felt like a million photos, we only got a glimpse of the results on the photographer’s Mac:

It wouldn’t be a proper blogger meet-up if we didn’t exchange blogger business cards:

After the photos we spent a few minutes in front of the camera talking about fashion blogging in Atlanta. You can watch the whole video – and see me slumping in my chair for nine minutes – here.

Apart from missing Lar like crazy during the whole process, this photo shoot has been one of my best blogging experiences ever.

A big thank you to the Atlanta Magazine team, our photogs the Raftermen, Caren West PR (a little birdie told me you guys suggested us for the feature), and to Jennifer, Mattie, and Eboni for being so incredibly fun to work with!

It’s a black pencil skirt that I purchased at an H&M a few years ago when I panicked at a conference and realized that I had forgotten my then-trusty black pencil skirt (an American Apparel jersey version that didn’t hold up well to washing). My other pencil skirt favorites include a denim one from J.Crew and a classic gray skirt from The Limited.

Outfit details: Primark shirt, H&M skirt, Simply Vera for Kohls pumps, Longchamp purse and necklace from Michael’s (yep, the craft store).

On a side note, I love these Simply Vera pumps. They’re the perfect nude color and make me feel like I’m about 7 feet tall. They’re not the most comfortable (I wore them to the mall this past weekend and ended up hobbling out to my car after 30 minutes), but sometimes you just have to go with form over function. Am I right? Fellow heel-lovers, back me up on this one!

I love the elastic detail on the inside of the heel that helps keep the shoe in place.

Now back to the skirt issue. I’m thinking I need to diversify my skirt options a bit. Mostly because if I keep wearing the same four skirts as regularly as I do now, they’re going to fall apart in the wash before the season is up.

I know I should embrace trousers more, but I can never find a pair that really fit well.

I’m itching to buy a pair of the summer jeans to wear on casual Fridays and maybe this knot skirt. My dream skirt would be this DVF patterned skirt – gray and black, my two favorite clothing colors.

What about you guys and gals? Have you fallen into a workwear rut? Has anyone ever bought the J.Crew Minnie pant? Is it as amazing as the catalog makes it seem? It’s the only pair of non-denim trousers that I’ve really been tempted to get.

_____________

Dearest Lar,

My skirt collection actually doubled when you left me all your clothes before moving to Scotland. However, like I mentioned above, I’ve gotten stuck wearing the same few skirts over and over again. I need you to come look at my closet like you used to and inspire me to throw something crazy together. Can you fly back to Atlanta and stay help me with my closet?

So glad you survived your trip to the highlands with all that walking/hiking and what not. I still remember feeling so out of shape hiking about the hills 7 years ago and I actually was kind of in shape back then! You’d have to drag me up those hills now. And I’m a little annoyed that there isn’t better wifi in the highlands. What, the cows and sheep don’t need to be connected to the outside world?! Next time you venture up north of Edinburgh, I advise that you stay in a quaint cottage with good internet service and just video chat with me

xoxo, Cath

Look how happy I am in my new workout gear! And now look at some real models wearing the 2012 season line:

I have to admit that the quality of the hoodie and shorts is about a million times nicer than my workout clothes that I’ve accumulated over the past decade from H&M and Target.

Another reason I love the Stella line? Most of the items can be worn in non-workout situations, which is great for me because some days I’m just too lazy busy to workout, but want to wear something comfortable.

Example A: Wearing the hoodie with skinny trousers from Ann Taylor and Jeffrey Campbell heels:

Example B: Adidas by Stella McCartney shorts paired with Norma Kamali for Walmart shirt, H&M cardi, Madewell necklace, Urban Outfitters sunglasses and American Eagle booties:

I was also sent this stretchy ipad sleeve, which works better for travel than my DODOcase:

My only complaint is that I can’t really wear the hoodie because it’s so ridiculously hot here in Atlanta. The temp has been in the 80s since last weekend. When I took these photos I started sweating as soon as I stepped out of my house. Ah, Georgia humidity, I have not missed you!

(A big thank you to Ali and Troy for taking these photos!)

________

Dear Lar,

Can you believe that I can still hold my leg up? 17 years of dance finally paid off – ha! Although I’ve been working out a lot more this year, I bet you’re in much better shape than me since you walk everywhere. Your trip to Spitalfields probably involved more walking than I do in one week!

Miss you so much!

xoxo, Cath

Outfit details: Primark cardi, Madewell silk tank, Forever 21 pants, Target belt and Payless shoes (Lar’s).

This is all to say that it’s pretty amazing that I can fit into any of my clothes still. Enter my Forever 21 trousers! I’ve loved these pants ever since I bought them last year. They fit perfectly except the waist is too big – great for days when I feel like I could use some extra, uh, room in the waist area.

For the record, these are one of the many great pairs of shoes that Lar left me when she moved to Scotland. She wore them to our cousin’s wedding (you can see here) with a red dress and looked gorgeous.

______________

Dearest Lar,

I just realized that I never sent you a photo of Toby’s graduation from Jabula Dog Academy. These two pictures actually capture his graduation perfectly. He was well-behavied and obedient when the instructor made him sit to get his certificate (see left hand photo) and then seconds later, terrified for no good reason (see other photo):

Okay, but regardless of his random moments of being terrified, he’s much more mellow. I think the obedience training really helped him. Here’s what he usually looks like now (alert, but happy):

I wish I could bring him with me when I come visit you in the summer!

xoxo,

Cath

Robert Phalen, the chef at One Eared Stag, invited five of Atlanta’s top chefs to make an amazing five course meal. Actually, amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it: scallops with crispy smoked duck, pea consomme, braised bacon with kale, and so much more delicious goodness.

I decided to dress up a bit for the evening so I wore my new Marc by Marc Jacobs dress. It’s billowy and stretchy – perfect for belly expanding meals.

Outfit details: Marc by Marc Jacobs colorblock tunic, Claire Vivier clutch (gift from Lar), Mossimo for Target shoes (gift from Troy) and H&M belt.

The dress is meant to be worn as a tunic without a belt, but it makes me look like a walking trash bag. Plus I love how it looks drape-y when it’s belted.

But enough about me, let’s return to the food! Below Troy is pointing to Robert Phalen’s barley fed chicharone with powdered kimchi served with Hitachino Nest red rice ale.

My favorite dish of all was made by our friend Guy Wong, the talented chef at Miso Izakaya: Japanese hamburg with poached egg.

Troy and I want to come back to One Eared Stag when the weather is even nicer so we can sit outside on the back patio.

If only Leap Day was every year Troy and I would make reservation for next year this very minute! Absolutely one of the all time best meals I’ve ever had.

_________________

Dear Lar,

How is London? Do you realize this is the first time one of us is in London without the other? I feel like I should be in London with you and you should have come to the Leap Day dinner with me.

We’ll just have to take a trip down to London together next time I come to visit you in Scotland. We can go have tea at the Savoy and then head over to Oxford Circus and then maybe head on over to the Tate Modern. And next time you’re in Atlanta, I’ll take you to One Eared Stag and of course we’ll make a few trips to Miso Izakaya.

I hope you’re taking lots of photos and can’t wait to hear all about it!

love, cath

See that sign in the door? The CashMob was from 9am-4pm on Sunday and because Troy and I are such lazy busy people, we didn’t get to the shop until 2pm. There was such a great community turnout for the CashMob that Sugar-Coated was completely sold out. Pastries? Gone. Chocolates? Gone. Caramels? Gone. All sold out. Sugar-Coated t-shirts? Still in stock! So I did my bit and bought this shirt.

I first found out about Sugar-Coated Radical when Lar and I were extras in the Trends With Benefits pilot and were fed delicious chocolates with equally delicious beer. We fell in love with Sugar-Coated’s branding – look, they even use washi paper tape!

After some t-shirt buying, Troy and I headed to the nearby Irwin Street Market for some lunch: swiss chard soup and a fried green tomato sandwich with pimento cheese. And like any respectable fashion-blogger type, I made my bf take some outfit pics:

Outfit details: Jacket by Gruhche on Etsy, Son of John shirt,  secondhand necklace, American Apparel skirt, Calvin Klein socks, American Eagle booties, and purse from a shop in New Orleans.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

___________

Dear Larbar,

I wish we could video Skype everyday! Weekends aren’t enough. Since you couldn’t be here for Wheatie’s birthday on Saturday (yes, Troy and I are totally those kind of dog owners), here’s a photo:

Also, look what I found at Publix – of all places: sticky toffee pudding!

Troy has been craving it ever since we left Scotland. We’ve discovered that  4th and Swift and Holeman and Finch both serve sticky toffee pudding. We plan on eating the Publix version in between trips to both restaurants Can’t wait to be back in Scotland so we can have sticky toffee pudding together!

love, cath