Mental Post-Its

Thoughts, Notes, and General Mental Mayhem

Monthly Archives: January 2012


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My Favorite Atlanta Restaurants

Because I used to work in restaurant public relations, and still keep up with the restaurant scene in Atlanta somewhat, I get asked a lot what restaurants I recommend or are my favs. So, I’m compiling a list here, in no particular order. I know I’m probably leaving one or more off that I would like on here since I’m just going off the top of my head, but there are so many to choose from. I did try to provide a wide variety.

We have tons of great restaurants in Atlanta, so get out and explore! I don’t even visit my favorites very often; sometimes it may be a couple years between visits. With numerous restaurants opening every year, there are always options at hand that I must try before returning to a place that I’ve been to before.

So, here’s my initial list.

  1. di Paolo – For years, I’ve said this was my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I think that still holds true. Incredible food. Gracious service. Quaint atmosphere. Great prices. It turned me on to northern Italian cuisine, and now I barely eat southern Italian. Best cheesecake ever.
  2. Figo – You can’t be the prices and fresh food here. Delicious Italian. Gluten-free options. Friendly service and atmosphere. Doing good in the city. I’m obsessed with the arugula salad.
  3. Doc Chey’s – This restaurant would be the Asian equivalent of Figo in all categories mentioned above. Cheap and fresh. I crave the coconut soup and the tofu lettuce wraps. They do a lot to support their neighborhood and the city at large.
  4. ONE. midtown kitchen – The best steak frites in the city, though they offer a lot of fabulous options. One of my favorite atmospheres in the city.
  5. Cabernet Steakhouse – It’s been quite a while since I’ve been, but in my opinion, these are the best steaks in the city. Cabernet was my first job after moving to Atlanta, and it taught me to be a steak snob. It was a very delicious lesson.
  6. Ted’s Montana Grill – Get the New Mexico. Add horseradish sauce to anything you order. It’s a sin to order anything but the bison. Simply the best burger in town.
  7. Urban Pl8 – Oh, my. Been here three times and it was a complete joy every round. Love the gluten-free options, but everything I’ve tried here was a home run. Peanut Butter French Toast? Pesto Chicken Omlette? C’mon!
  8. Alon’s – I probably visit this place more than any other. You can buy just about anything. Everything I’ve ever bought has been wonderful. All made from scratch in house. De-lish!
  9. Pura Vida – There’s a reason Chef Hector was on Iron Chef. He’s amazing. I’ve been introduced to numerous, different ingredients here with pleasing results. Try the baby goat.
  10. Pure Taqueria – I love this laid-back atmosphere and great Mexican food. My favorite, though? The hamburger. You may think it’s weird, but I guarantee you won’t question it again if you try it.
  11. Sushi Nami – I’ve only been here once, but it was stellar. Absolutely incredible. Well worth the drive.
  12. Rosebud – Southern goodness. It’s haute and home-cooked. Lovely atmosphere and good service. It’s hard to decide what to order!
  13. Serpas – New American with Creole influences. It’s a new spin on a lot of your favorites. Scott has been one of my favorite chefs through several restaurants now. Follow him. You’ll be glad you did.
  14. Season’s 52 – A healthy version of eating at a nice restaurant. Good portions, good calorie count. BUT…it’s also yummy. It’s a great night out.
  15. 4th & Swift – Inventive and rewarding. My friend took me for my birthday a while back, and it was a happy birthday indeed. Jay Swift is an Atlanta favorite. Eat here and you’ll see why.
  16. Village Tavern – If your in the suburbs up north, this place is one of the best to visit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten here and it’s always been wonderful. Consistency should be rewarded.
  17. Top Flr – Love the atmosphere here, and the food is just as captivating.
  18. Murphy’s – There is a reason this place has been around for about 30 years. Voted best brunch many times, but also a great lunch and dinner. Super yummy desserts.
  19. TWO Urban Licks – A sister of ONE. midtown kitchen. This restaurant is worth going home smelling like meat. Really fun atmosphere and fantastic food.
  20. Takorea – I’ve only been here once and am headed back tomorrow. Korean and Mexican blend. I can’t even begin to describe the delight in this joint, both in the atmosphere and food. Sesame Fries, Tempura Sweet Potatoes, Brisket Enchiladas, Tacos, etc…on and on…
  21. (one to grow on) Feast – I know there are a hundred fantastic places in Decatur, but I just don’t get there often. I took a friend here for her birthday a few months back, and it was all-around wonderful. Adorable decor, great service, fantastic food. Yeah, gotta get back to Decatur.

For pizza:

  1. Fritti
  2. Antico Pizza
  3. Z Pizza
  4. Blue Moon Pizza
  5. Mellow Mushroom

For dishes:

  1. J. Christopher’s  – Blueberry Crunch Cakes
  2. Jim ‘N’ Nick’s – Brisket and Cheddar Biscuits with Honey Butter
  3. The Flying Biscuit – Creamy Dreamy Grits or Heavenly Potatoes (great brunch overall)
  4. F.A.B. – Try the Creamy French Onion Soup and you’ll dream about it for years. I do.
  5. Cinco – best Chicken Tortilla Soup I’ve ever had.

For desserts:

  1. Piece of Cake
  2. Cami Cakes
  3. Henri’s
  4. Cacao
  5. Parish

And let’s not forget our friends the food trucks!

Let me know which of your favorites I missed, and why! And if you’re ever looking for suggestions, just let me know.


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Yet

I am currently reading through Psalms. I gotta say, it’s not my favorite. I know many people enjoy reading Psalms and Proverbs for their comfort, insight and wisdom. But I really have a hard time getting through them, and always have. I think it is because there is no real narrative. Lots of people feel that way about some of the other books of the Old Testament, but for me, I’d rather read through something like Lamentations because at least there is a story flowing through the book.

Anyway, the other night I read Psalms 22 and it struck me in such a profound way. I’ve read it before, but I guess that’s one of the beautiful things about the Bible…you can read through it over and over, and still find new insights. It speaks to me differently depending on where I am in life.

Psalm 22

New Living Translation (NLT)

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.

3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you,
and you rescued them.
5 They cried out to you and were saved.
They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

6 But I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned and despised by all!
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.
They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 “Is this the one who relies on the LORD?
Then let the LORD save him!
If the LORD loves him so much,
let the LORD rescue him!”

9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.
10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth.
You have been my God from the moment I was born.

11 Do not stay so far from me,
for trouble is near,
and no one else can help me.
12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;
fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!
13 Like lions they open their jaws against me,
roaring and tearing into their prey.
14 My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax,
melting within me.
15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.
16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dicefor my clothing.

19 O LORD, do not stay far away!
You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
20 Save me from the sword;
spare my precious life from these dogs.
21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws
and from the horns of these wild oxen.

22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.
23 Praise the LORD, all you who fear him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!
Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned his back on them,
but has listened to their cries for help.

25 I will praise you in the great assembly.
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the LORD will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.
27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him.
All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
28 For royal power belongs to the LORD.
He rules all the nations.

29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.
Bow before him, all who are mortal,
all whose lives will end as dust.
30 Our children will also serve him.
Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.
They will hear about everything he has done.

I’d like to draw your attention to the “yet” at the beginning of verses three and nine. One of the things I’ve always loved about David, as the supposed writer of Psalms or at least many of them, is that he was a bit bipolar. He is loving life in one verse and cursing it in the next. I like to think it’s the artist in him. We are a sensitive bunch. I have no proof, but I suspect we are way more likely to experience things like depression than the concrete thinkers. So, in always being led by my heart and forever a drama geek, I appreciate a good show of dramatic flair.

And as I started this Psalm, I smiled at myself as I could see David heading for one of those hairpin turns. But then I got to verse three and I stopped. I reread it. I pondered. I kept reading. I saw it again in verse nine. I reread it. I pondered. I finished the Psalm.

It dawned on me.

David seemed to be having a pretty bad day. Like Jack Bauer 24 bad from the sound of it. But in the midst of it, he was able to have perspective. He got outside his circumstance to recognize God for who He was and is. I thought that was pretty remarkable. After all, we get pretty selfish (or at least I do) when everything seems to be against us. We (I) tend to draw inward and be consumed with our (my) own hardships. It’s easy to play the victim or remember all the other times things went badly. Especially if this has been a recent trend. And we know from reading any five, random Psalms that David had his share of bad days.

I admire, though, that he took time to talk himself through it. He stepped back and took a deep breath. The beginning of the Psalm has such a different tone than the end. At first he laments the things that are going wrong. Then he takes the time to recognize that God is still good, even when things are bad. He wavers a bit after that, but devotes the remainder of the verses to how he will still love and serve the Lord in spite of his circumstance.

I guess it’s easy to see in times like these why David was a man after God’s own heart. He was honest with God. He loved God. He shared his life with God. He even did a lot of complaining to God. He composed music and poetry for God. The foundation of it all came back to the fact that he desired a relationship with God. It’s a beautiful example of both God and David’s character.

Bad times will always be a part of life on this earth, yet God and His promises remain the same. There’s a time for eternal laughter, singing, joy and happiness…but not yet.


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My 2012 Theme

Well, as some of you may know, a few friends and myself pick a theme for the year, and have done so for the last few years. This tradition is loosely based on the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. My friend, Daron, inaugurated it about five years or so back. Since then, I’ve really latched on to it and look forward to discussing my theme with close friends.

The basic idea is that instead of merely looking back at the year to see what happened at the end, you start the year by looking ahead to see what you think the year might be about. Then you use the theme as a lens in which to view things throughout the year and see if you can incorporate it. At it’s basis, it’s a way to be proactive/responsive to the year, and not let the year just happen to you. It’s an intentional way to live rather than reactive…which is how I prefer to live.

Now, come December, I start this process again. I evaluate the year, see how things went, remember what happened, take stock of my responses or reactions. Sometimes the theme has changed completely over the course of the year. Sometimes the theme still holds true.

2011 was an interesting year. Very different from others for a variety of reasons. After taking a hard look, I feel like the theme “Prioritize” held up pretty well for the first half of the year. For the second half, I’d say it was more like “Heal” because it was a time to recoup from all the changes life brought. Lots of changes during the year and the few months at the end of 2010. So, the latter half of the year gave me time for myself to rest. That’s not something I have ever been great at doing, in any way shape or form, so perhaps it was good that it was thrust upon me.

But I feel like I learned a few things along the way. After all, what a waste it would’ve been for me to go through it and not learn anything. And now I feel like I’m up for something similar and something different in 2012.

Anyway, all this is leading up to my 2012 theme. And after a period of reflection, I have decided to go with “Prioritize” again. I want to give it another go and see how 2012 shakes out differently. I believe it will, and I look forward to seeing the ways that it might.

So here goes….

Word:
“Prioritize”

Verse:
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Song:

“Empty Me” by Jeremy Camp