I then decided to get us a hotel since he recently had his 29th birthday and that alone is deserving of a few carefree days. In the midst of planning the trip he found a hotel called the Highland Inn. So I checked out the website and decided right then it was where we would stay. It’s a historic hotel right in the heart of Little 5 Points and Poncey-Highlands area in Atlanta.

As I perused the inn’s website and all the links for restaurants (because we all know I love food) and all the links for entertainment, I came across an array of brilliantly designed websites including this one for Atlanta Parish Foods & Goods. I was so impressed with all of them that I already had it planned out in my head, “When we get to the hotel, we’ll find everything we need and get settled in… then eat! We’ll rest and maybe go to the zoo one day and then we’ll eat! We’ll have to go to at least six of the restaurants and eat! Because the websites were designed so brilliantly that must mean the food is to die for! I can’t wait to eat! And I can’t wait to see him!” I was on a high from the excitement of getting to see him and getting to see all of the incredible collaborations of food and design. Ok, I’ll admit it… I have an addiction to both of those.

When we got there, I was so inspired by the familiarity of the artistic district called Little 5 Points. It’s nice to come to a city where you see it’s similar to home but it’s even more advanced and more of an eyeful. I’m sure the locals and those that are familiar with the area don’t think anything of it, but from an outsider looking in and realizing that I had time to soak it all in, I was very observant of the strong sense of design and creativity that was clearly evident on every corner. So many places to eat with such wonderful aesthetics starting from signage to building facades to interior design, amazing gastronomy (I was never disappointed and always impressed) and overall brand identity.

Atlanta may be seen as the dirty south (just had to say it) or just some fast-paced southern city in some people’s eyes, but to me it’s a place that’s full of opportunity, talent and diversity. And if you haven’t had a chance to experience this city, you must put it on your list of places to go (especially if you share my addictions). I’ve listed below the links to the restaurants I was inspired by as well the hotel where we stayed. Bon Appetit!  Oh, and the zoo was wonderful. Scroll down to see the pictures.

Parish Market

Fritti Lunch was fantastic here and the interior is beautifully designed as Modern Italian with creative flare (Nick’s half Italian so he enjoys good Italian food)

Figo The website could use some updating but I loved the logo  (He likes this place too)

Highland Bakery All around amazing. Brunch was delicious and the design is well, great! They even have vegan food!

Wisteria This is another one that could use some site updates but overall it’s quite charming and the building is great

Concentrics Hospitality

Highland Inn

Keep in mind… there is so much more great design in Atlanta besides in Food and Beverage. 944 Magazine is a well designed good quality magazine, the High Museum of Art has amazing architecture and a great site, etc, etc, etc. Just visit the city and you’ll understand where all the excitement comes from.

As I was brainstorming about what to write the next blog post about, my mind was racing with recent thoughts about the process of entering the job market. I’m not sure how many of you had the opportunity to read my guest post on Mikinzie Stuart’s blog, “The PRepguide,” but I talked a lot about my approach to finding a job right out of college. My last semester in college, I was faced with a choice – go to graduate school and earn my MBA, or find a job right out of school. I chose the latter. Here’s how it worked out for me…

After tirelessly applying to public relations/marketing jobs ranging from North Carolina to Florida beginning in September 2009, it finally came time for me to graduate in December. I had interviewed for five different positions, but had no luck in landing a job. I got tired of hearing, “…but you don’t have any experience!” I’m sorry, but it is extremely hard to gain the experience of a public relations professional while taking 18 hours of classes every semester for four years. Although I did complete a public relations internship the summer before I graduated, not every college student can afford an internship. Most internships are unpaid and take time out of paid jobs and schoolwork, to work a job that requires college tuition. How does that make any sense (I could go on and on about this subject)?  I felt like I was going around and around in circles – how was I to gain the experience that was so important to my career if I didn’t have a starting point?

I decided to move back to my hometown, Savannah, Ga. and pick up my old job of waiting tables at a local breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant to make ends meet. One day a family friend called me and offered to speak to me about employment opportunities in the Savannah area, so I decided to take him up on his offer. Little to my knowledge, there was also a job opening at his place of employment. I interviewed for my current position on the spot and was offered the opportunity to have a trial period for a few weeks. After those trial weeks, I decided that the job met my expectations, and I knew it would be a good fit. So far, so good

The lessons to be learned from this story are twofold:

1. Although it may be difficult, do your best to complete at least one internship in your field before you graduate. I can say without a doubt, that this gave me an edge over my competition.
2. Getting a job right out of college has a lot to do with your education. It has more to do with who you know. Make connections and keep the lines of communication open!

One of the easiest ways to gain experience is to start at the bottom (even if that means doing pro bono work), and the only way to do that is to fight for what you want.

Last Saturday Tori and I decided to get a head start on the weekend and be productive by heading to the Forsyth Farmer’s Market. It runs every Saturday from April 10 to November 20 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the end of Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga. between the basketball and tennis courts (they also have a great website with vendor information: http://www.forsythfarmersmarket.org/). I found out about it by getting on the listserv that goes out every Friday before the farmer’s market.  When Tori and I got there on Saturday morning about 10 a.m., we were thrilled to see about 12 vendors with all sorts of goodies – fruits, vegetables, watermelon juice, herbs, grass-fed beef, eggs, pasta, bread, pastries and the list goes on.

As soon as we walked up, there was a small booth set up to the right where customers were able to use debit/credit cards to purchase tokens to use for currency, if they didn’t have cash. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was an option – they were obviously trying to make the farmer’s market very user-friendly.

Tori and I had a couple of things in mind, specifically veggies and grass-fed beef for the doggies (yes, dogs need to eat healthy, too). We ended up spending about $20 each, and getting TONS of fresh and local food items: peppers, eggplant, squash, zucchini, pasta, bread, canary melon (one of the best melons I’ve ever tasted), basil and purple basil and beef liver. All of the farmers and vendors were very nice and extremely generous. A few of them allowed us to grab more than we needed because they didn’t want to have to take anything back to their farms.

In addition to feeling great about supporting our local farmers, we were thrilled to find that most of the items we purchased were significantly cheaper than grocery store items. The only things we “splurged” on were the loaf of bread and the pasta, which were well worth the extra money. We bought these two things from a bona fide Italian man, complete with a thick accent, traditional Italian clothes and a plastic sword on his side – fabulous! He also gave us some great recipe ideas.

We decided for next time that we would bring cloth grocery bags, since most of the vendors use plastic bags. It seemed a little counterproductive to be shopping at the farmer’s market with plastic bags. Going to the farmer’s market is a HIGHLY recommended habit to get into. As we said earlier in the “From Seed to Supermarket…” post, every time you buy something, you are casting your vote. Vote wisely – vote FRESH and vote LOCAL!

I might be a little behind the times in the movie world because I didn’t even know what Twilight was until a few months ago, or I might be right up to speed. Bekah and I had the opportunity to rent Food, Inc. this past week, so we scooped it up as quickly as we could. Although I am already a vegetarian and consider myself to be very informed on the food that I consume, I learned a lot from this documentary.

The film is all about exposing the corrupt food industry and making people aware of what they’re eating and buying. It is one of the most informative and worthwhile movies I’ve seen in QUITE a long time. It is not a grotesque documentary that simply uses disturbing images and scare tactics to get the point across. It is a thought out film with arguments that are well made. Not only does it uncover the food industry as a whole, it also shows how it affects our quality of life.

In the movie, farmers, workers and employees feel guilty about the way they are forced to make a living, but have no other way to make ends meet for themselves and their families. It’s gotten to the point where farmers are under surveillance, investigated and ridiculed for simply trying to do the right thing. For example, if their farming isn’t done the way the parent corporation wants it to be done, they lose their contracts. Many times, they are dismissed without compensation to repay the loans they had to take out in the first place to purchase the equipment and as a result, are unable to defend themselves in any way.

Although to the common person it may seem like we have so many products and companies to choose from, only a select few corporations control those thousands of products from seed to supermarket. The majority of the products we eat are made from corn or live on a corn-only diet. Deaths from diabetes, E. coli, salmonella, obesity and a list of cancers are all linked to the food we eat. There were several things in the movie that I’d like to quote that are extremely important for us to remember, they are as follows:

• “Your vote counts! Every time you purchase something in a supermarket or grocery store, you are voting to keep it in the stores.”
• “Read labels.”
• “You can change the world with every bite.”
• “Eating well costs more; eating badly costs less.”
• “Raising, catching and killing billions of animals every year is not sustainable, period.”
• “The average meal travels 1,500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.”

Buy local, organic, and sustainable foods by supporting your local economy and community. If you live in Savannah you can start by visiting Forsyth Farmer’s Market every Saturday until Nov. 20, 2010. www.forsythfarmersmarket.org

Go to www.takepart.com/foodinc to find out more and WATCH THIS MOVIE! Our lives and this earth depend on it. Also, keep up with our blog to see regular posts about earth-friendly and healthy recipes.

After working at a breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant for almost five years, I developed an addiction…to Texas Pete. Tori and I share this addiction, and decided that you too might be suffering. The test for self-diagnosis is posted below.

You Know You’re a Texas Peteatarian When…

1. You only eat things that taste good with Texas Pete (pretty much everything)
2. Every time you eat Texas Pete on your food, it takes more and more of it to taste “hot enough”
3. New foods require Texas Pete
4. You keep an industrial-sized bottle of Texas Pete in your refrigerator
5. Your industrial-sized bottle of Texas Pete has a bottle pourer to allow for adequate/efficient dispensing
6. You make up the term “Texas Peteatarian”
7. You write a blog post about being a Texas Peteatarian

Here’s what http://TexasPete.com has to say about it:

“Our famous blend of 3 different types of peppers, aged to perfection to bring out the natural, bold flavor. The result is a rich, delicious sauce with strong cayenne overtones. This is the sauce that true hot sauce lovers have used since the 1930’s to spice up barbecue, eggs, pizza, chicken, veggies, and just about everything else.”

**If anyone has any information on rehabilitation for this addiction, please let us know in the comment box below. Maybe a Texas Peteatarians Anonymous group?

The restaurant is innovative in every way, from the incredible gourmet taco menu created by Kurtis Schumm, to the fresh, beautiful and effortless design of the entire place by Sarah Lanier. This eatery is brand new and just opened about a month ago, but you wouldn’t know it by the size of the crowd there almost every night. It has an old soul feel, with a new look.  

I had the honor of creating a flag for them as an innovative way to capture beach goers and locals alike and to correspond with the ingenuity of the business as a whole. So, here are the pictures of my process as well as the completed version which, by the way, passed with ‘flying colors.’

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let me tell you a little bit about what we’ve been up to. A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from one of the volunteer coordinators at the non-profit where I work asking for emergency volunteers for the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Animal Control Shelter (http://www.chathamcounty.org/SCMAC.html). They were moving all of their animals from their old building to a much nicer, cleaner building right behind it and needed volunteers to help bathe and relocate the animals. Tori and I didn’t need to be asked twice…we were on our way!

As soon as we got there, the director of the animal control shelter promptly greeted us and put us to work. We were relieved (and maybe a bit overwhelmed) to find that there was a lot of work to be done. Tori and I each quickly grabbed a dog, rushed them to the shower/bathing area in the new building and put them in their new cages. The dogs looked so relieved to be clean and mostly flee-free. After many dog bathings and relocations, we walked back over to the old building to see where we could lend a hand.

With several large dogs attempting to bark over one another in the background, one of the employees handed Tori a syringe and asked her to start mixing immunizations. Although Tori wasn’t quite able to hear the instructions over the barking, she watched intently as the woman demonstrated how to mix the bordatella and distemper shots. This entailed extracting saline solution from one vile, mixing it with the powder-form vaccine in another vile and extracting the final solution (all while trying to avoid sticking herself with the needle).

With our help, and the help of a few other volunteers, we were able to get done in one day, what the employees of the SCMACS thought it would take three days for them to accomplish. All of the dogs were updated on their shots, bathed, given lots of hugs and kisses and moved to their new cages – all in about three and a half hours.

On our way home, we couldn’t help but think of all the animals – all of their sweet faces and loving dispositions. After having an experience like this, I feel it is important to stress how crucial it is to adopt from animal shelters like the SCMACS and to make sure your animals are spayed or neutered.

As we returned home, our clothes stained with who-knows-what, our bodies tired and our hearts full, we talked about our experience over a pizza and a few glasses of wine. What an excellent ending to an excellent afternoon.

So, it’s Monday and it’s raining out – a perfect combination for creativity! Rainy days are ideal for laying around and watching really great movies, or cooking up some delicious food. Instead of immersing ourselves in any design work, public relations business or visionary projects, we decided to take advantage of the weather and let our creative juices flow…in the kitchen!  

First and foremost, one half of T&T loves food and everything that comes with it. Tori Caldwell – advertising, graphic design, etc., etc., etc. – loves cooking, eating, preparing and buying food. There is not one aspect of food that she is not in love with and it seems like every time you turn around she has another dish she’s created in her head. So, that is what the majority of our Mondays turn into – an apartment filled with creative dishes accompanied by delicious drinks and decadent desserts.

This Monday, due to a little Sunday afternoon shopping spree at Davis Produce, Tori found some beautiful baby eggplants, green tomatoes and much more. As a vegetarian and a creative cook, she came up with a great recipe for this Monday night dinner – fried green tomatoes with spicy raspberry vinaigrette for the appetizer, eggplant tart topped with bleu cheese and basil for the main course paired with a homemade red sangria (are you drooling yet?) to wash it all down, all followed by chocolate turnovers for dessert.

Now we’re stuffed and it’s late so, we’re going to hit the hay. Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned in for a little bit more of This and a lot more of That! (If you want more info on any of these dishes or would like to have the recipe, leave us your email address in the comment box)

So, here we are – blog post number one. This blogging thing is a lot more intimidating than we first imagined. We went through a few websites before finally deciding to use WordPress. We wanted to add blogging to our bag of tricks, so we are bound and determined to learn!

I just wanted to test out the post feature, and make our blog look a little less empty. We will be frequently updating the website, and need all the help we can get. If you have any suggestions about layout, design, widgets, or anything else, please don’t hesitate to let us know (look, I’m using the lingo already). We are working on designing a custom banner to fit our identity, and will have that up and running as soon as it is ready.

We appreciate your patience and support!