Hello world! So sorry I’ve been away for over a week from blogging. Thank goodness for Lar and all her wonderful posts. Last week I did nothing but study for my final every day after work and before that I was in Orlando for work. But now I’m back and have a whole month off before summer classes start and I’m going to blog every chance I get – woohoo!

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.

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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

Are you guys ready for an epic battle of Leon vs. Leon’s? London vs. Decatur? Singular vs. possessive?

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!

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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

Dah-da-da-daaaahhhh!!! Hear yee, hear yee! I’ve been waiting impatiently eagerly for the past two months to blog about this blogger style feature in the April issue of Atlanta Magazine. Check out page 52 (I may or may not have the page number memorized):

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!

Lar has been in London the past few days and I’m so jealous! I really shouldn’t complain though because I’ve had a pretty gosh darn good week. It was spring break so I didn’t have class on Wednesday night, which meant that Troy and I were able to attend the Leap Year Dinner at One Eared Stag.

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.

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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

Troy and I stopped by Sugar-Coated Radical on Sunday for the CashMob that was taking place. The shop was robbed last week and a CashMob was set for Sunday so the community could come out, buy some delicious sweets and help Sugar-Coated make up the money they lost.

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!

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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

Lar and I are both trying to do a January cleanse. Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve apple cider vinegar or cayenne pepper. But the bad news is that it doesn’t involve meats, dairy or sugar either. So that means a lot of fruits, veggies and even more cravings.

I splurged a little bit the other day by eating “beef” with broccoli at Chinese Buddha in Midtown. They offer the real meat version too, but since I was trying to kind of stick to my cleanse (all the salt and sugar in the sauce is not on the diet), I got the tofu beef instead. What would you call it? Beefu? Tofeef?

Here I am with the happy Buddha, which I’m now realizing I totally forgot to rub his belly for good luck. That’s a thing, right? Or maybe it’s just something my mom would tell me when I was little.

Outfit details: Primark knitted scarf thing, New York and Co sweater, Madewell jeggings (I know, jeggings, but it was the weekend and I wanted an elastic waistband), socks c/o Falke, Jeffrey Campbell boots and tote from Shakespeare and Co.

Love this ring that Lar got me for Christmas. It makes me feel fancy even when I’m wearing jeggings.

The fuzziness of these Falke socks make me feel like I’m wearing cashmere on my feet.

Guess where I got my Shakespeare and Co. bag? That’s right! At Shakespeare and Co. in Paris. I’ve been wanting to go there for years and didn’t make it on my first trip seven years ago. It’s as magical as I imagined – books stacked all the way to the ceilings, little reading nooks and rickety old beds on the second floor for traveling writers. I think Lar was able to sneak in some photos even though you’re not suppose to take pictures inside. Maybe you’ll see those in a future post. . .

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Dearest Lar,

Do you realize we spent 2 hours today video skyping? It barely makes up for the fact that we can’t really chat too much during the week since you’re in bed by the time I get off of work. It does help that we’re doing this cleanse together. I actually look forward to drinking my kale/lettuce/celery/cucumber/pear green juice every morning. Do you? I think it’s pretty fantastic that we can encourage each other to get healthy even though we’re an ocean apart. Maybe by the time you move back to the states we’ll both be complete health nuts – although that’s hard to imagine considering that I’m still craving some Chick-Fil-A. Nom, nom, nom. At least that’s not something that can tempt you in Scotland.

Sweet dreams,

Cath

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Ladies and gentlemen, I am a lucky lady. Not only do I get to go to Paris tomorrow and meet up with my twin sister/bestie, I had the chance to attend a party full of Atlanta fashion bloggers tonight and got a free pair of shoes from Sole Society.

The party and free shoes are all thanks to Eboni of The Fashionista Next Door. That’s her with me in the photo below.

You know what’s so great about being around other fashion bloggers? No one gives you a weird look when you whip out your camera and start taking pictures of everything or get super excited over everyone’s outfit.

The party was at Sunny’s Hair and Wig shop, which I’ve been wanting to check out forever. I’m desperate for some clip-in extensions so I can have long hair again – whenever I feel like it. I got a little too distracted tonight by the good company, free wine and gorgeous shoes to really take a good look at the extensions, so I’ll be back after my trip.

Just want to do a quick shout out to all the amazing ladies I met tonight – and will be adding them to our blogroll once I find some place with wi-fi in Paris:

Lily Kai, Fashion Without Guilt, Makeup By Ren, Imperfect Concepts, Oh! Nikka, Curls Coils and Kinks, Charee Lenee, and Shandart Productions.

Speaking of local bloggers, Erica of Erica + Rice, asked me to spread the word about a great holiday donation program her high school is hosting:

Erica made the poster herself and she’s only in high school!

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Dearest Larbar,

I get to see you in 24 hours!!! I missed you more than ever tonight at the blogger get together and can’t wait to tell you all about it. I’m so buzzed that I’m supposed to wake up in 5 hours and don’t even feel sleepy! Although I also feel a little loopy and might have multiple spelling/grammatical errors on this post. Please feel free to edit while I’m flying over the Atlantic tomorrow.

See you in Paris!

love, cath

Woohoo! It’s now legal to sell alcohol on Sundays in Decatur! That’s me below picking up some Sam Smith Winter Warmer on a SUNDAY!!!

For those of you who live in states with more, er, progressive alcohol sale laws, this might not sound like a big deal. But imagine getting invited to a Sunday brunch and offering to bring mimosas then waking up on Sunday and realizing you haven’t bought any champagne. Yep, you’re S.O.L. Or how about you make a delicious penne alla arrabiata on a Sunday evening and you realize you don’t have an equally delicious red wine to pair with it. Oh well! Or what if your bf invites friends over every Sunday for some marathon NFL watching and you realize you have absolutely no beer in the fridge – only an old pitcher of pink lemonade Crystal Light. Curses!

You see? Life without Sunday sales in Georgia has been rough.

Look at Troy (below), happy as a clam with a box full of craft beer from Ale Yeah – our neighborhood craft beer market that’s within walking distance from our house. For those of you who are curious, we picked up a Sierra Celebration, Skullsplitter from Orkney Brewery, Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red and Unibroue Ephemere.

Am I starting to sound like a lush? My apologies, I’m just so excited by this change that will make my life a little bit easier. I know, I know first world problems.

Now on to some equally important stuff. . . my new sweater! I got it for Paris – it looks tres chic, no? I figure you can’t go wrong with black and white stripes in France.

Outfit details: Free People sweater, Blank cords, Asos boots (from Lar).

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Dearest Lar,

Come to think of it, you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays in Edinburgh, right? I just vaguely remember the beer and wine aisle at Tesco being blocked off on Sundays. Maybe I’m just making that up.

I can’t wait until we’re shopping at Merci together – in our unfashionable winter coats! Less than three weeks from now!

Love, cath