September Updates (from home)
There's a hurricane on the way, events getting canceled left and right, and so I have a little extra time to fill ya in today.
*This newsletter was supposed to go out yesterday, but all is well in Atlanta. Rained all night, some flooding in my area. Haven’t lost power and hopefully it stays that way, although winds are picking up this morning (but I think the worst of it has passed). Got a few pics of trees down from friends, but in my neighborhood it looks OK so far.
We are coming up on the three-year anniversary of this little ‘letter in October and I keep telling myself I’m going to churn out more than one post a month, but unlike this time last year, I am very busy with work — and very grateful to have a lot of it, for now. Either way, please subscribe if you haven’t already, and if you like to hear about food, drinks, hotels, and other fun travel stuff! Paid subscribers help me keep this running and it’s only $5 a month.
A few fun food and drink stories I published in September:
A Resy Rundown on Il Premio, the newest steakhouse in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood (it’s inside the FORTH hotel). I had dinner here last weekend and it was dark and sexy and moody and the wine was great and so was the steak, but I especially loved the bucatini (and the service, TBH — so friendly and warm).
Another Resy piece on Avize, a new Alpine-inspired restaurant opening October 3rd in Atlanta’s West Midtown area. The restaurant is gorgeous — also dark and sexy with a giant taxidermy billy goat as the centerpiece — and I’m excited to try the food and drinks soon.
Here is one for Eater about a restaurant coming to the High Museum in 2025. If you know me, you know I love a chic place to eat and drink after speed-walking through any museum. It’s the best way to work up an appetite indoors. This kind of place is great for a solo day of exploring or a date.
And another for Eater about tomato cocktails you can find in restaurants around the city! Really fun. I still need to try the tomato water martini at the Chastain (where I had coffee/breakfast a few mornings ago) before tomato season is officially over. They garnish it with basil from their garden and mozzarella pearls.
In September, I had three out-of-town visitors. So trust me, we were out and about.
Memorable bites included:
The cheese tart at Nadair, a seasonal fruit handle pie with cream cheese ice cream and fried chicken skin crumble by Chef Austin Sumrall of White Pillars in Mississippi at Garden & Gun Club, the fish dip at Breaker Breaker, the carajillo for extra energy (lol) at Palo Santo, the micheladas at JenChan’s, every single course at M by Murakami’s very special omakase, the creme brûlée croissant and strawberry latte at Momonoki, the martini and the caviar and creme fraiche omelette at Lucian Books & Wine, the desserts and the cocktails at Pata Negra, and an incredible salad containing “every in-season vegetable our east TN farmers are growing at the moment” at Potchke in Knoxville (I wish we had this in ATL). I’m sure I left out something I loved, but these were definitely the standouts.
Upcoming newsletters (I PROMISE):
A quickie guide to Maryville, TN
A longer guide to Raleigh and Cary, NC (it’s been in the drafts since March - I’m sorry!)
A guide to Long Island’s North Fork, specifically Greenport, NY
Guides to Malibu, Austin, and Palm Springs — though when you’ll get these who really knows
And because we have (*had*) a hurricane heading our way, here is where I wish I could teleport to right now instead of the South:
Spain, of course. Basque Country. Costa Brava. Madrid. As if I needed another reason to love the country of my great-grandparents, I started following a creator recently on Instagram who just posts the most unreal videos. Mountains, lakes, beaches, crazy rock formations. Her reels are works of art. So now, when I have nothing to do, I just scroll through all her stories and highlights:
