TASTEMAKERAtlanta

March/April 2012

The Gourmand Issue

UltimateSecret Suppers, Cheap Eats, Food Pairings + More!

Foodie

Market Buckhead’s Chef de Cuisine, David Gross’ crispy bacon wrapped shrimp with cilantro and passion fruit mustard Page 44

MARKET Buckhead

Chic, Seasonal + Local

the

guide

5Top FavesAtlanta foodies list their favorite local eateries

2 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In Every Issue

Features

17 Tastemaker Spotlight: Do-ing it Her Way

Events Around Atlanta

10 FAB Finds

Gentleman’s Corner

Editor’s Note

Contributors

Food for Thought

B Braxton hitting Atlanta?

COVER STORY... Chef de Cuisine, David Gross cooks up delec-table dishes using local and seasonal ingredients.

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Interview- Kyla Cox/ Grape Crush Productions

3

11

12 9 8

45

54

42

5244

Little Black Page{By Gary Johnson}

March30th- Atlanta Hawks Vs. New York Knicks at Philip’s arena game time is at 7:30 p.m.

8th-Make love faces with Trey Songz with Big Sean at the Fox Theatre at 8 p.m.

9th-DJ Pauly D from Jersey Shore is in Atlanta at Eleven59 10 p.m.

15th-Retrospect: Third Thursdays 80’s & 90’s Party, Justin’s 9 p.m.

16th- Childish Gambino at the Taber-nacle 8 p.m.

17th- Royal Comedy Tour with Som-more, Earthquake, Tony Rock and Bruce Bruce at the Civic Center at 7 p.m.

18th-Harlem Globetrotters, Gwinnett Arena 2 p.m.

24th- Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival, Georgia International Horse Park at 10 a.m.

27th-Daughty, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

29th- Young Frankenstein, 8 p.m. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centere, Trey Songz

4 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

GOURMAND ISSUE

Arts & Culture

Lifestyle

33 5 Things we’re talking about around Atlanta

Indie Artist Music Feature

BeautyMust have skin products for Men

6 places around Atlanta that offer Mani & Pedi’s for Men

Hair Highlights

Emily Art Gallery

9 cheap eats around Atlanta

Secret Supper Revealed

Drinks: Beer & Food Pairing

Atlanta Chef ’s Expo

Hottest Destinations for Spring Break

Tangerine Tango: Fashioning Interiors

March/April

VOLUME II ISSUE II

Mens Fashion for Less: finding great pieces for a fraction of the cost

Thrifted Finds: An instant re-play of old favorites 4 finds under $50

Up and Coming Fashion Designers

Fashion

Spring Handbags

Foodies Dish on their Top Spots around Atlanta

Tracy Reese: Catwalk To Sidewalk

Kyla Cox: Grape Crusher

Book Nook: Spring Reads by Patrick Shaffer

343836

5866635761

40

69

52

1513

14

18

21

30

2732

Little Black Page{By Gary Johnson}

April28th- Elk Aidmore Music Festival at the Georgia International Horse Park 2 p.m.

2nd- Snowpatrol with Ed Sheeran at the Tabernacle at 7:30 p.m.

4th-Chaka Khan performs at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m.

6th- Atlanta Hawks Vs Detroit Pistons at Philips’ Arena. Game time is at 7:30 p.m.

10th- Red Hot Chili Peppers heat up the Gwinnett Arena at 7:30 p.m.

16th- The Ting Tings light the stage at the Variety Playhouse at 8:00 p.m.

19th- Van Halen performs at Philip’s Arena at 7:30 p.m.

24th- Les Miserables makes its way to Atlanta at the Fox Theatre at 8 p.m.

25th- The Fray performs at The Taber-nacle at 8 p.m.

26th- Sam Sparro at The Masquerade at 7 p.m.

Sam Sparro

6 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Carmen Blakely

Ruksana Hussain

Kelli Flournoy

My favorite food is...chocolate! It makes everything right and it makes good, better!

If I were a car, I’d be...a Subaru Tribeca! Not too flashy. Reliable. Impressive. Powerful.

I’d love to meet...Curtis Stone the Take Home Chef from TLC :)

I really wish I knew how to...give myself a great blow out.

I wouldn’t be caught dead...with hairy legs.

I’m most creative when...I have walked around in Soho, I get so inspired! Such cool people and great things to see.

My favorite food is...French toast...I love the way the bread soaks up all the yummy syrup

If I were a car, I’d be...A Porsche.sophisticated but a little danger-ous

I really wish I knew how to...Speak French, the language can make anything sound romantic

CONTRIBUTORSMy favorite food is... Soul food. I think because it gives me the feel-ing of comfort that reminds me of my family and home.

I really wish I knew how to... Sew. It would really help me out as a wardrobe/fashion stylist.

If I were a car, I’d be... A Volkswa-gen Jetta. Modern yet classic

I really wish I knew how to... swim because it has always been a fear that I would like to conquer.

If I were a car, I’d be ...a honda stylish but they are tough, depend-able, and reliable cars.

I’d love to meet... Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry.

My favorite food is tacos. I love the mixture The crunchier the bet-ter.

I really wish I knew how to play the piano because i can’t sing so I guess playing an instrument would be the next best thing.

I wouldn’t be caught dead... in anything yellow. especially canary yellow.

Deena Poythress

Briana Augustus

Terrell Johnson

My favorite food is...anything Mexican! Mexican food is usu-ally cheesy and I love cheese!

I’d love to meet...JILL SCOTT!!! I love her music and everybody says we look alike.

I wouldn’t be caught dead...in a fun house at a carnival! I’m scared of clowns :-(

I wish I knew how to... Sing. I would love to belt out a Stevie or Aretha song and sound good do-ing it.

I wouldn’t be caught dead... on a Girls Gone Wild video. No fur-ther explanation needed.

If I were a car I’d be...Ha! The exact car I have, an Audi A3: Equal parts fun, sporty, and prac-tical. Sometimes temperamental.

Mary Walker Erin Kasari

7 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Kirstin FullerIf I were a car, I’d be...a Bently Continental Coupe. Sexy, elegant and always in demand...:-)

I wouldn’t be caught dead...at the Republican National Con-vention. i’m a Democrat for cry-ing out loud

My favorite food is...Macaroni Grill’s chicken parmesan.that wonderful chicken, breaded and smothered in that fabulous sauce with cheese on top... who can re-sist!)

CONTRIBUTORSMy favorite food is... pizza! I know it’s very common but its one of may favorite foods because I love cheese

I really wish I knew how to... fix a car because I have this fear of being stranded somewhere and having to wait for help

I wouldn’t be caught dead... downtown late at night because the people down there are crazy!!!

Monica Thorpe

Chanda ScottIf I were a car, I’d be...a Aston Martin. It’s fast, fun and you don’t see them on the street often.

I’d love to meet...Sanaa Lathan and pick her brain on all the roles she’s played through the years.

I’m most creative when...you give me a camera on a pretty day and you tell me to do my thing!

Andrea Janise My favorite food is...Jamaican brown stew chicken with rice & peas and sweet plantain on the side. I love the combination of Ca-ribbean flavors.

I wouldn’t be caught dead...watching Jersey Shore. I like reality TV, but watching that show makes me feel like I am wasting precious minutes of my life.

I’m most creative when...I have a strong cup of coffee and a DJ Ja-mad mix tape playing in the back-ground.

cont’d

Aisha StithI really wish I knew how to...solve social and political issues instanta-neously

I wouldn’t be caught dead...eating red meat (28years of being a pseu-do vegetarian)

If I were a car, I’d be...a Porsche Panamera Turbo S

My favorite food is...anything Mexican!

I wouldn’t be caught dead...with a gold tooth.

I really wish I knew how to...fly a plane.

Erika Ward

8 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Atlanta TASTEMAKER Editorial Director Tiffini Gatlin

FashionEditor Deena Poythress

Contributor Terrell JohnsonContributor Kelli Flournoy

BeautyContributor Carmen Blakely

LifestyleEditor Andrea Janise

Contributor Erin KasariContributor Erika Ward

Arts & CultureContributor Monica Thorpe

Copy EditorAriann ThigpenAquila Butler

PhotographyChanda M. Scott

FeaturesContributor Briana Augustus

In Every IssueContributor Mary Walker

Contributor Aisha Stith

ICONS

LIKE US

FOLLOW US

PIN WITH US

SCAN WITH YOUR SMART PHONE

YOU’LL WANT TO

FOLLOW...

Atlanta Tastemaker Magazine

Phone: 404-884-8296

Email: ilove@tastemakermag.com

Twitter: @tastemakermag

Facebook: Atlanta Tastemaker Magazine

Website: www.tastemakermag.com

When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of living as an entertainment attorney; likely because I was entirely too bossy. Who would have thought 30 something years later I would be traveling to cool destinations, forecasting fabulous fashions with stylists, eating my way through the city of At-lanta and experiencing some of the best cultural events around the world—certainly not me! Can you believe we’re on our sixth issue? I could not have produced this amazing food issue with-out my lifestyle editor, Andrea Janise, who is an es-tablished foodie in her own right. Andrea probably doesn’t know this, but it’s because of her that i’ve broadened my eating habits and trailed her heels to some of the most spectacular eateries in Georgia. When you read this issue, The Gourmand

Issue, you will feel like a natural born foodie, almost salivating over the yummy dishes exposed by some of the best food critics in Atlanta. Take for example this Haute Dog pictured above from HD1, I would have never ordered a wiener with fried onions and a pickle—but that was one of the best darn Haute Dogs I’ve ever had! I’m so proud of the work Andrea did in this month’s issue and invite you to tell me how each article made you react by emailing me at editor@tastemakermag.com. Or feel free to tweet me @theatlgo2girl. Somehow I can’t help but wonder if you’ll be asking yourself, ‘When was the first time I fell in love with food?’ I’d love to know your answer!

Tiffini Gatlin

Haute Dog...We Did It Again!

Editorial Director

10 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

10FAB

FINDS

keep kissably soft lips with EOS lip balm; $3.29

<

Show off your springtime pedi in these peep-toe wedges from Urban Outfitters; $69.99

>

Get a handle on your phone calls with these colorful Yubz Retro Hand-sets; $39.96

>

Step your picnic game up a notch with this Chich Picnique basket by Fashion Designer Tracy Reese for Clos du Bois.

Your hands will love you when you use Butter London nail lacquer; $14

The best darn popcorn around...POP! Gourmet Popcorn; $6.99

<

Where the wild things are...perhaps in his pocket?Etro Pocket Square; $110

>

Saddle Up with this Bothos backpack tote; $949

Say It Like You Mean it with Swanson Vineyard Message Bottles:$25

This & ThatFab, Cute and a little yummy—cool things that will never go out of style.

We Love e.l.f. Gem Eye shadow Brushes! Glam-tastic and s11mall enough to fit in your clutch!: $4.00

love the leather braided detail!

12 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

You asked for it and now here it is! A place that you can call your own—the Gentleman’s Corner. This is your opportunity to discuss topics that are hot on the radar–it’s like your digital man-cave. Sports, fitness, cars, sex–tell us what you REALLY mean. Here, four guys give us what their most coveted fashion accessory is. Do you want to weigh in on our next “man” topic or suggest a new topic? Email us at editor@tastemakermag.com.

Name: Gene Gimono

Age: 35

Occupation: Fashion Designer

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

My Taste: A nice scarf. During the colder months it can be a good substitute for a nice tie.

Name: Keven Williams

Age: 34

Occupation: Owner/ Producer

Hometown: Carson, CA

My Taste: A fresh watch. I’m not a flashy guy. No earrings, or chains, so it’s my only accessory. It’s a conversation starter, if it’s the right one.

Name: Jerry Mercedat

Age: 36

Occupation: Physician’s Assistant

Hometown: Montreal, Canada

My Taste: I would have to say a pocket square. It adds character to your style. It’s the perfect finishing touch.

Name: E. Vincent Martinez

Age: 46

Occupation: Blogger

Hometown: Havana, Cuba

My Taste: For me it a combina-tion of 3 essential pieces, that can be worn together or indi-vidually; bow ties, cuff links and brightly colored and pat-terned socks.

Gentleman’sCorner

Survey Says

32%of men say a nice watch is an essential accessory!

Must Have Skin Products For MenGone are the days when men grab the Dove soap and wash from head to toe. They have thrown aside their barbaric ways, and adopted many of the regimens their female counterparts have long ago tried to drill into their heads.

Skin care has become more important; with that comes brands stepping up their game to ensure a plethora of choices for the male species. While dudes don’t opt for all the fancy packag-ing, glitz and glam, they do want products that have as much horsepower as the Chevy Tahoe that may be parked in their garage.

Lend me your ear while I break down some men’s skin basics.—Carmen Blakely

Eye creams? Yeah… good luck on getting him to give your Estee Lauder a try. However, the Jack Black brand has saved the day with an eye balm that targets dark circles, fine lines and puffiness.

eye cream shouldn’t be applied with rough hand. The Industrial Hand healer gets down to business with Vi-tamin A and E to replenish, moistur-ize and protect from harsh elements.

Soap on a rope? Anything else would be uncivilized. Australian skin care brand Eshu has packed tea tree oil (a natural antiseptic), paperback and sweet almond oil all in a brick. Your beau gets squeaky clean and remains hydrated. Follow up with Anthony’s Sea Salt body scrub to buff away dead skin cells. Sea kelp and aloe vera gel sooth and nourish after the roughness is swept away.

Shaving, a necessary evil, comes with small, sometimes painful reminders — ingrown hairs. The Art of Shaving pre-shave oil softens the beard and preps the skin for a more efficient shave. Now ra-zor burn can be a thing of the past! Af-ter shaving, the old faithful Tend Skin comes to the rescue. Apply this with a cotton pad, and it magically prevents ra-zor bumps.

14 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

RHIANNA

THE DOWN LOW ON

Highlights With warmer temperatures around the cor-ner you may be thinking about transitioning your hair color from winter drab to summer fab! Seems like celebrities like Rhianna, aren’t scared to go a few months without retouching their col-ored tresses. In fact, the new trend is to create a contrast by allowing your roots to grow out darker against your lighter ends. We love a Tastemaker that goes against the grain. A blonde coif like British songstress Emili Sande’s definitely makes a statement and color always screams confidence! Add red to any head of bountiful curls and you’re sure to get a second look anywhere you go! Paloma Faith pulls it off effortlessly!

Expert AdviceBill Murphy, founder and owner of William David Salon says to transition from winter to spring gradually. Murphy suggest adding a reconstructing and moisturizing treatment like Davines, an organic line from Italy, to add vitality back to ravaged hair after the dry heat and static that accompanies the winter months. Murphy says clients are opting for soft honey blondes, rich and beau-tiful auburns and golden reds for Spring. –10970-B State Bridge Rd Alpharetta, GA

You Go Girl!

Blonde Bombshell Emili Sandé goes bold! >

British singer Paloma Faith flaunts bountiful red curls that we are completely in love with!

Rhianna reportedly spends $23,000 a week on maintaining her fresh hairstyles by celebrity hair stylist Ursula Stephen.

Do Men Really Get Manicures + Pedicures?

Axiom Salon for Men1874 Piedmont Ave NE

Atlanta, GA 30324404-815-0404

Yes they do! In fact, one would be surprised at just how many men feel that getting a manicure or a pedicure should be a part of every man’s groom-ing regiment. It has nothing to do with a man being feminine, but everything to do with per-sonal upkeep. We conducted a social media survey including 30 women, 85% of the women said that they feel men should get a manicure or a pedicure every now and then. 65% of men said that they already get manicures and/or pedicures; 15% said they would not mind having those services done, but they either did not want the

services done in a women’s sa-lon. or they preferred to have a woman with them when they went. Many women are not fond of their men rubbing his unkempt feet on her at night. Maybe it’s time for a small change fellas. It doesn’t have to be done all of the time (that would become somewhat questionable) but every now and then simply won’t hurt. We found a few man friendly nails shops in the Atlanta area.

Too Groovy Salon & Spa

265 Ponce De Leon Ave NEAtlanta, GA 30308

404-873-5300www.toogroovy.net

Roosters2022 Powers Ferry Rd, SE

Suite 250Atlanta, GA 30339

770-303-0069www.roostersatl.com

Nouvelle1011B Marietta St. NW

Atlanta, GA 30318404-835-7839

www.nouvellenailspa.com

Nouvelle Nail Spa,Marietta St.

Alluring Studio & Massage

149 S. McDonough StSuite 240

Jonesboro, GA 30236404-333-5431

www.alluringmassages.com

-By: Briana Augustus

16 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Education Powerhouse

Cindra Taylor leads one of the most prestigious early childhood education facilities in Atlanta, now she’s ready to share her secrets to success!

education law, No Child Left Behind, that some say put too much pressure on students and teachers. With all the attention placed on the cheating scan-dal, the accomplishments of many great educators who put their best foot forward each day were overshadowed.Cindra Taylor, Executive Director for

Premier Academy Inc., a nonprofit child-hood education provider that has provid-ed quality education to over 21,000 low to moderate income children in metro Atlanta since 1971, has over 29 years of early child-hood education.

After working with the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, Taylor had the need and desire to give back to the community and decided to join Premier Academy’s Board of Direc-tors on which she served for five years in different capacities. Taylor said it was only natural to take on a leadership role with the organization.

“Growing up my mother had a childcare center and when I came to Atlanta, I vowed I would never ever work with children again because my first love was accounting. Nonetheless, we don’t always get to choose what our vision, passion and purpose in life really is. It’s been a blessing to line up with my calling in terms of being in a field that can impact children. This is why I took on the role with Premier Academy.”

Taylor says she’s always wanted to strive for excellence for the sake of the children, and since joining Premier Academy Inc. in 1996 she has a lot to be grateful for. “Through accreditation standards we ensure that children are exposed to the absolute best. The best in their teachers, the best in their learning environment, and obviously the best in their instruction and curriculum. We have been nationally accredited since I came on board in 1996 and I’ve been able to maintain and be a model as to what excel-lence for children should look.”

Taylor attributes her success to having the right team. “Bringing people around a com-mon issue is important, and the common thread through all of this is we care about the success of children. We strive to ensure our children are ready for school when they leave our centers.”

Taylor offers parents 4 considerations to make when searching for an early childcare center. Read the entire article HERE.

Georgia is no stranger to being in the spotlight when it comes to edu-cation. Last year, many public school districts came under fire after educa-tors were found cheating on standard-ized tests which, in retrospect, likely caused Georgia to be released from requirements of the landmark federal

Executive Director, Cindra Taylor

>

40 Years of Excellence

18 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

The Professional- With classic essentials Kanye pulls it off effortlessly!You can too.

$88

Brooks Brothers invented the buttoned-down oxford shirt in 1896 and since has been an American preppy essential. If you’re in a hurry this non-iron shirt will be the perfect addition to your wardrobe.

$85Make your pocket square tell the story of how dapper you are. We love this woven-silk MR Porter square.

$80 Oxfords are here to stay and now you can jazz up your footwork a little with colored soles! by Steve Madden. Men are always saying they can’t find good shoes under 100 bucks–well looky looky!

looks great with a blue or grey suit.

$100

A fitted blazer in any color pulls your look together. This cognac blazer from Zara is perfect & so is the price!

A basic chino can take you from day to night. You’ll be happy to know they come is green and khaki too! Hint: If you don’t like the straight leg order a size bigger.

$70

$20

It’s something about a man in a bow tie that says he’s confident and tad bit patient. Finish off your dapper look with a bold neck piece.

“When you collect all the essential pieces , getting dressed is a breeze!” - Colin

GREAT BUYS UNDER $100!Because sometimes finding men’s fashions can be a pain in the butt!

The Geek- Well not really...a man wear-ing a sweater gives him smart appeal!

$58

You can’t go wrong with a lightweight cardigan like this smoky gray one from GAP! Great for cool spring mornings or a cover up for your date during a mid summer night stroll!–See we’ve got you covered!

$20

Be a geek, but don’t be a bore! Have fun with your accessories like these stripped socks from Paul Smith.

$70 Keep comfortable in these Sperry Top-Sider Harbor Cup Chukka’s. These will go perfect with your entire look. Psst...Zappos is a great place to get shoes for a bargain!

$40

We know that being on time is important to you so why not switch up your watch bands with theses Time X J. Crew color-ful adjustable watch straps.

Add a white pant like this from Ralph Lauren, for a su-per clean and fresh look that pulls your “smart appeal” completely together.

$80

$85

Playful plaid is in and this silk Ted Baker ties will play up your geekish look appropriate enough for the office.

“There aren’t too many choices out there for men, so I love when brands re-purpose old favorites” -Derek

GREAT BUYS UNDER $100!Because sometimes finding men’s fashions can be a pain in the butt!

20 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

The Hipster For the days when you want to be incognito!

$68

Color, Color and more color for this season is what we’re loving! This coral lava print jersey t-shirt from Marc by Marc Jacobs is super week-end cool!

$95

If you’re the hip guy, everyone will likely be asking you to pop bottles with them–literally. Use this fancy stainless steel bottle opener!

$75 Every man should have a pair of icon-ic hi-top Plimsolls All Star Converse–it’s just classic! C’mon all the cool kids are wearing them!

$21

Add a trendy belt to your ensemble like this ASOS stripe elastic belt with gold hardware and leather trims.

$32

$18

Every hipster needs a great pair of shades. You don’t have to spend a lot to look cool! These ASOS silver Aviator Sunglasses just work!

“Being “hip” isn’t about the clothes you wear. In my opinion, it ’s the attitude you posses while wearing them.”-Paul W.

GREAT BUYS UNDER $100!Because sometimes finding men’s fashions can be a pain in the butt!

There’s nothing like a a pair of good ‘ole LEVI’s-527.

styling tips fromNifty thrifting

Unexpected finds—fabulous deals—ways to pair essential pieces at a fraction of the cost.-

Photographed ByChanda Scott

Styled ByBriana Smith +Courtney Lowrey

Curated by Gary Johnson

22 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

This Edie Sedgewick inspired look is a flash from the past. The dress is reminiscent of the glamorous sixties and the belt gives the look a modern touch.

Dress- Psycho Sisters; $25Belt- Value Village; .99Luggage- Value Village; $6.90

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Say cheese! Get excited about finding a retro look that’s con-servative enough to take into the office. It’s all about pairing pieces that make sense! Men, you’ll get hooked on finding your look too!

On HerBlazer- $13.70Stefan’s Vintage Clothing

Multi-color blouse- $6Value Village

Coral High waisted Shorts- $6Value Village

Gold brooch- $10Jay’s Exchange

Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture

On HimWindbreaker- $19Paisley button down- $3

24 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Sometimes you just want to go back in time and rock an outfit that’s to-tally reminiscent of the 80’s! Tex-tured sweaters and floral print acid wash jeans will get you there. This look instantly dates your look back 20 years.

Jeans- $8Jay’s Exchange

Peach Sweater- $12

Window Seat

26 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Stopping TrafficThere is always that one outfit that literally has the potential to stop traf-fic. You’ll be amazed at what you can find when you rummage through racks of fabulous thrifted finds!

Butterfly blouse- $12Stefan’s Vintage Clothing

Tortoise handle clutch- $3.25Psycho Sisters

Pocketed Khaki Pant- $2.39Value Village

upcoming Designers Every journey begins with one step, and the path that these designers are on is sure to take them to the runways of fashion week. Though their starts may be different, their drive is all the same. A passion for all things beautiful keep their pins pushing and their machines sewing in hopes that one day they will be able to give the world a taste of their designs. Sometimes fashion is born with you, and for others the passion is found over time. You can say that this would be the case for Brandon Murphy of the Brandon Murphy Collection. While shop-ping the fabulous streets of NYC, Brandon entered the shop of Bergdorf Goodman and met his design destiny face-to-face. It was at this shop that his love for fashion emerged. Upon entering his first year at Morehouse University, he designed his first dress for the Clark Atlanta University Homecoming Fashion Show. From that point on, he taught himself how to sew. He continues to showcase his pieces at the CAU Homecoming Fashion Show and his own showcas-es around town. Brandon believes in providing feel good designs that bring a sense of confidence. You can find Brandon’s pieces at: www.BrandonMurphy-Collection.tumblr.com

Brandon Murphy; Junior at Morehouse College

sketch by TwISH

H

Spotlight on

Brandon’s Designs >

>

28 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Sometimes those around you can see the po-tential of your gift more than you can. This would ring true for LaDonna Wiggins of www.PinkLa-dy.com. After years of designing for her friends, LaDonna, with a few nudges from her loved ones, launched out and created her online boutique that is driven by one thing: quality customer service. With the lack of customer driven web based bou-tiques, LaDonna, in her determination, set out to create a place where shoppers, knowing that if any problem arose a solution would be found, could feel comfortable with their online purchases,. Are you slightly smaller than a large, yet snug in a medium? Well, how about choosing “customize me”? This service, offered by PinkLa-dy, provides alterations to pieces found on the site with just a submission of your measurements, and can turn every piece from ready to wear to haute couture. And guys, LaDonna hasn’t left you out. You can find distinct original pieces for your clos-et at PinkLady’s brother site www.KnotEBoy.com

LaDonna Wiggins ; designer of Pink Lady + Knot EBoy designs

>

Dominique Riddick’s career began at the age of 13 when he ventured outside the malls of Virginia to create his own designs that fully encompassed all that he embodies. During his years at Norfolk State, while studying to ob-tain his BA in fashion design, opportunity be-gan knocking and by demand he found himself traveling up and down the highways to showcase his pieces in various fashion shows in Atlanta. Upon graduation, the obvious move for him was to Georgia where business was booming, so he packed his bags and began his journey as the founder of Fearful Clothing, Inc. Fearful Cloth-ing is all about giving the world striking designs to boldly step out in. It’s not for those with a faint fashion heart, but those who can bear the weight of being the center of attention. With clients like celebrity hairstylist Derrick Jay and singer Don-dria, Fearful Clothing is definitely a line for a true star. However, the talent doesn’t stop there; you can also find Dominique teaching hopeful models how to own the runway, or behind the scenes as the fashion show director for Black Gay Pride Week. In June, Fearful Clothing will launch a hot new line and a fresh site at www.fearfulclothinginc.com

Designer Dominique Riddick>

30 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Color Fever! 10 bags-by Kelli Flo

urnoy

We’re Lovin’Even though its still winter, we can’t stop daydreaming about gorgeous spring days and all that comes with…in-cluding the one item that will not only haul all of your necessities, but can also make or break your look. Don’t fret, we’ve pulled together the best and brightest spring has to offer! Featuring updated takes on the classics and of course great colors, we’ve got you covered for the carry.

This structured coral tote can take you from the city to the sands....perfect for a weekend getaway. $395

Mid City Tote: Foley + Corinna

Bohemian chic with a splash of sass, the classic hobo gets an upgrade with a pop of color. Marc by Marc Jacobs; $428

Classic Q- Hiller Hobo

Preppy Nylon SashaThe simplicity of this cross body bag is offset by an intense pink/purple...perfect for leisurely strolls through the park. MARC by Marc Jacobs; $198

Canary Yellow Intrecciato Leather ToteWhether carried as a tote or a shoulder bag, this color-popping piece is sure to add sunshine to your day. Bottega Veneta; $2600

Donna HoboThis blue leather shoulder bag has plenty of room and is best paired with complimentary col-ors such as pink and yellow. Alexander Wang; $892

Python Pleasures

The perfect accessory to make a pair of jeans and a white tank look fancy! Prada; $2800

Striped Diamond Canvas ToteA striped canvas tote is the ultimate accessory for spring–elegant and classy! Rebecca Minkoff; $195

Hamilton Large North South Tote

Make a statement by pairing this tangerine tote with an all white ensemble. Michael Kors; $348

Red Muse HoboThe Yves Saint-Laurent Muse is traditional and classic but in red serves a punch of color perfect for the season. YSL; $1550

Schoolboy Swag

Relive the innocence of carefree spring day with this teal Rebecca Minkoff cross body. $250

Blake Lively carrying her Mulberry Soft Matt Calf Bayswater Top Handle Bag

32 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

TRACY REESEFashion Cravings:

Tastemaker’s editorial director Tiffini Gatlin is digging what designer Tracy Reese is dishing on the runway of New York Fashion Week!

1....layered dressesthis dress is perfect for someone like myself who is a bit top heavy and it conceals in the right places. One addition–the pocket!

2....sheer overlaybesides loving the color and the ef-fortless move of the dress...it’s the ultimate optic illusion! Perfect dress that I can take from the boardroom to after 5 drinks with friends.

3....stripes excite meWhat can I say...I’m in love with stripes this season whether it’s in a tote bag or a carefree dress like this that I can wear to the park or a day party!

4....going bold!This dress screams Michelle Obama and the hat says Kate Middleton. The big bold print is a show stop-per, plus A-line is my bestie!

5....ROMPERS!I can’t say more...it’s what i’ll be wearing all summer.

@theatlgo2girl 1 2

3 4

5

I Love...

5Things around

ATLANTAWe’re talking about!

arts & culture

edition

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

It’s that time again! From April 20th-22nd en-joy wandering throughout various booths and the awesome carnival type foods. If that’s not up to par for your taste, take part in the Inter-national Food & wine Tasting event. Tickets are on sale now! http://www.dogwood.org/

Harlem Globetrotter

Everyone’s favorite travelling exhibition basket-ball team that combines skill and comedy will be dribbling their way down the courts of Phil-lips Arena and The Arena at Gwinnett Center on March 17th-18th. Hurry! Tickets are selling fast. http://harlemglobetrotters.com/

Billy Elliot

Starting March 13th at the fabulous Fox The-ater enjoy a night of song and dance as Atlanta welcomes Billy Elliot. The three time Oscar nominee musical details the struggles of a tal-ented young boy as he is torn between his un-expected love of dance and the breakup of his family. http://billyelliotthemusical.com/

The George Washington Carver Exhibition

Created by the Field Museum in Chicago, follow George Washington Carver on his journey as a slave to becom-ing one of the most success-ful African-American sci-entists in history. From now until May 27th enjoy the ex-hibition at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Muse-um. http://fieldmuseum.org/about/traveling-exhibitions/george-washington-carver

Feel good FridaysThe weekend is almost here and you need a good drink? Why not head on down to Scores Camp Creek. The All-Star Sports Bar & Vid-eo Lounge will get your weekend started off right with a DJ spinning until 4am. There is always a good spades and dominos game going on. 3607 N. Desert Drive, East Point, GA 30344

34 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Marshall GillsonOriginally from Providence, R.I., Marshall Gillson has spent time listening to the likes of Eminem as he learned to develop his flow. “A lot of my raps have multisyllabic and in-ternal rhyme,” said Gillson. He pays hom-age to other artists such as Nas, Pink Floyd and The Bettles to name a few. Like most indie artist time is of an essence! “Time is a killer for me,” said Gillson. “Because I don’t have a manager or a promoter or a publicist, I have to handle everything myself. It’s very rewarding, but also very strenuous.” Even-though he isn’t seeking management at the time he is continuously on his grind contact-ing magazines and news outlets among other things. ‘Labels generally don’t care about the music. And why should they? They’re busi-nesses,” Nolan said in reference to if he was seeking management.”This same thing just happened to Lupe Fiasco. He’s a great artist with a strong vision and the follow-through to make powerful albums. But the label want-ed to push him more as a pop artist, so they ended up dictating the sound of his latest ef-fort. And as a contracted artist, there’s really nothing he could do.” Which is something he said would probably prevent him from sign-ing with a record label. This strong willed art-ist is definitely all about the music and having 100% creative control. With the support of his friends and family, Gillson is currently work-ing on three news albums and performances around Atlanta. His latest album Head in the Cloud is available on iTunes and his website www.glasseyeballs.com

Jamar NolanAtlanta has been the hot spot for all things entertainment within the last decade. In-die rappers Jamar Nolan and Marshall Gillson are no stranger to hitting the pave-ment and making a name for themselves in what Atlantans have dubbed “Hotlan-ta.” Born In New Haven Connecticut, Ja-mar Nolan has always had an interest in picking up the mic and using his Nas-like lyrical flow to impress his fans. “They pretty much come from the beats,” Nolan said about how he comes up with his lyr-ics.” I let the track play and just zone out, so eventually I’ll figure out the subjects I want to speak on and I’ll come up with lines simultaneously. It’s not really a com-plex thing for me.” As you can see, there’s nothing complex for the self-taught rap-per who can write a song within an hour depending on the subject. Unlike many artist Nolan doesn’t have many traditions before going on stage. “I make sure to pray a couple times throughout the day if I have a show coming up, but that’s just my faith in God. I don’t believe anything can be successful if He’s not involved in it, Nolan said. The not only hip-hop influenced but soul and jazz as well, Nolan has survived a near death car accident last year but is now looking towards the future.”Expansion is my main goal. I’m working with a compa-ny based in Germany to put out an EP, I’m working on a compilation to bring more awareness to my imprint as a whole (The Manifest Movement), and preparing my “Distinction” album for this year,” Nolan said. Nolan’s music can be found at http://www. jnolaniscool.bandcamp.com.

36 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Fast becoming one of the most profound and insightful voices of his generation, Patrick D’Anzel Shaffer — writer, national blogger, and sacred activist — fuses a profound cultural sensitivity with a passion for progressive leadership. National recognition includes: a profile in the July 2009 issue of Essence magazine and the April 2008 cover of Being Single magazine; he has written for MSNBC’S TheGrio.com, The Washington Post’s On Faith section; and is a regular guest on local and national TV and radio. Love Again: A Spiritual Memoir is Patrick’s debut book.

In this issues “Book Nook” Patrick shares four books he encourages all Tastemakers to add to their reading list. Check out his recommendations and tell us how you like his picks. Follow Patrick on Twitter @patrickdshaffer

A story that is more unlikely than you think, Jack Ken-nedy: An Elusive Hero by Chris Mathews is part myth, part man that lives within the pantheon of great world leaders. There is no purer picture of patriarchy.

Peace from Broken Pieces by Iyanla Vanzant was my first read by Iyanla and I am glad. What I found was a trove of wisdom birthed by great accomplishments, bad missteps and tragically painful loses.

She is white, hippie, lib-eral, a minister and terri-bly observant and funny. The wonder of this book is how meaningful Anne Lamott’s reflections about life are. I promise, you will enjoy every word.

Book NookPlaying for Keeps: Mi-chael Jordan and the World He Made isn’t a book about basketball (but it is utopia for a bas-ketball junkie); this as a book for everyone who wants to build a brand..

ADVERTISEMENT

WE’RE DIGITAL BABY!Subscribe and read TASTEMAKER on your tablet —

now that’s something to TWEET about!

Available on:

ALREADY ADIGITAL SUBSCRIBER?

Excellent! Please tell a friendto subscribe as well and don’t

forget to sign up for our newsletter at no cost!

38 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Located on 100 Marietta Street is one of the most well-known art galleries in midtown. Emily’s Art gallery is home to over 20 artists who are represented by the Chapel Hill, North Carolina born Emily Amy. With her love for abstract expressionism and her degree in Art History, she moved to Atlanta, and for the last eight year’s she has been making a name for herself in the Atlanta art scene. Having only been an art gallery owner for the past four years, I had an oppor-tunity to ask her about her love for art and the current state of her gallery.

EMILY AMY

How do you go about finding artists to show their work at your gallery?I read many art publications and do a lot of research to arrive at the type of work that I am interested in.  On occasion, my selections will result from an artist submission; but more of-ten than not, from the recommendation of an-other artist.  I also like to scout out work when traveling.  

Can you describe a normal day for you? I don’t know if that’s possible!  My tasks on any given day vary widely.  For example, some days I am changing light bulbs and packing boxes and others I am meeting with some of the top collectors in town to deliver artwork.   It just depends on which day it is.

Is there an artist that’s relevant or current now that you would love to have featured in your gallery?There is one artist that I have been watching for years whose work I love: Lance Letscher.  I look forward to the day that I represent him.

What distinguishes your gallery from others that are around the Atlanta area?

Owner, Emily AmyReception

—By Monica Thorpe

Openness and kindness.  I am really trying hard to change the public’s perception of galleries.  They should be wonderful inviting places for people to visit and no one should feel pressured to buy.  Breaking down that barrier is a challenge that I am up for on a daily basis.

Tell me about the exhibit you are most proud of and why.The current exhibition, Scott Ingram: CUSP, has been such a great success for both Scott and the gallery, that I am incredibly proud.  We got great press coverage (cover of the Atlantan), the clients loved it and the critics re-joiced.  It was a grand slam.

What do you do in your spare time to relax? Cook.  I love to cook and to bake.  In fact, I got a bread machine for Christmas and have been baking bread 2-3 times a week since.  It is such a great way to relieve stress!

1000 Marietta Street, Suite 208Atlanta, GA 30318

Open Tuesday through Saturday 11-5 pmSundays and Mondays by appointment

Exhibition Space

Entrance

40 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

41 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

B.BraxtonTakes Atlanta

Brenda Braxton owns the upscale groom-ing parlor, B. Braxton, in Harlem, New York. After a second chance at entrepre-neurship, she’s ready to open a second lo-cation in the busiest city in the South—Atlanta.

By Briana Augustus

BBraxton is a top of the line, upscale grooming parlor for America’s hardwork-ing man, located in Harlem, New York. Men; imagine an environment where you can have a drink, relax, network and get the ultimate barbershop experience. BBraxton has a very conservative feel, and it was created with “him” in mind. In the 30’s and 40’s, men were always clean cut, sharp, and well groomed by good tonso-rial services. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to see a man get a manicure while one was getting a haircut or a shave. The idea for such a place was sparked by an article in Code Magazine that addressed a couple who was preparing to go out. When the guy put on his sandals, his lady noticed his feet and was not pleased with their condition. He advised her that he would not mind receiving a pedicure, but not in a woman’s salon. Brenda Braxton embel-lished those words; and hence, BBraxton was born. Brenda Braxton is more than your average business woman. She’s a Broad-way actress extraordinaire, who landed her first Broadway role one year after high school. She has starred in over ten Broad-way shows including Chicago, Jelly’s Last Jam, Dreamgirls, Cats, and Smokey Joe’s Café. Braxton is a lover of old school; and

42 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

by old school, she means old manners, old styles, and old ways of showing affection and respect for others. Talk about a determined woman; during the tenure of Chicago, Brenda would do a number on stage, go in the back and talk to people online about financing and investing, then return to the stage. When done, she’d hustle back to talk to the architect just to get her business off of the ground.

Brenda Braxton has a lot of excitement these days. She is preparing for an off Broadway show called, “Hold On To Your Hats, Cougar The Musi-cal”, which is slated to begin at the end of March. She’s also making preparations for BBraxton Atlan-ta! Yes, men of Atlanta; get ready for the pampering you deserve.

There will soon be a BBraxton location here in At-lanta. Braxton had planned to put a location here every since she visited a friend, and fell in love with Atlanta. Braxton stated, “There are so many upward-ly mobile blacks in Atlanta, and I think BBraxton is really going to flourish there. The gentlemen there are definitely the old school southern gentlemen. I know that my demographics are going to change, and I am ok with that.” The BBraxton brand thrives with a two fold motto. “She knows Him”, as in a woman knows what her man wants and needs; and also, “She knows God and the Power He has to make things possible”. In a perfect world Brenda would have BBraxton Atlanta opened by Father’s Day, but a more realistic time frame is by Christmas 2012.

If you’re in the market for upscale grooming for men, Brenda is actively seeking investors for BBrax-ton Atlanta! Follow Briana on Twitter @JournalisticBri

B.Braxton New York

B. Braxton offers a luxurious atmosphere

Cupcakes and Cake Pops have dominated the sweet spots of many people for quite some time, but there may be a new cake in town giving the sweet treat a run for its mon-ey. What is this new “sheriff ” in town you ask? An oldie but goodie—bundt cake. Tisha Rosamond, a 22-year former director of guest experience for the hotel in-dustry, and her sister, a retired Navy commander decided to open the first franchise of the dainty California-based com-pany, Nothing Bundt Cakes. After visiting one franchised location in Dallas, Texas dur-ing a girls trip with

Sweet Deal: From Corporate Professional to Entrepreneur

friends, Tisha said she knew this was the perfect business to make her transition from cor-porate professional to entre-preneur. “I fell in love with the look and feel of the store and the product is sustainable.” When you walk in the Sandy Springs location, you immediately get a warm and fuzzy feeling and thoughts of chocolate chocolate chip and red velvet bundt cakes dance around in your head. You im-mediately suspect this is exactly how Tisha wants you to feel, as employees feel more like your best friend than the cashier be-hind the counter. Tisha ensures no matter which of

their 43 locations you visit, you’ll receive the same quality products and wowing service. More than a true cake boss, Tisha chose her Atlanta location to connect with local businesses and nonprofit orga-nizations like Cure Childhood Cancer and Atlanta Foster Kids where she is able to donate her time and product.Be sure to check out this cute cake shop and don’t leave with-out trying the white chocolate popcorn–it is enough to make you weep! Nothing Bundt Cakes5975 Roswell Road Suite A-103Sandy Springs, GA 30328404-236-2114

Trisha trades in hotel hospitality for making sweet treats.

44 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

MARKET Buckhead’s ambiance and décor has already won accolades, but when you add the culi-nary expertise of Chef de Cuisine David Gross, this restaurant based in Buckhead’s chic W Hotel has become one of the most revered in Georgia’s capi-tal. Pennsylvania bred and classically trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Gross was at the helm of Bone’s Restaurant and Blue Ridge Grill before becoming the head chef at MARKET Buckhead for the past two years. Adding his culinary influences to esteemed New York Chef Jean George Vongerichten’s popular dishes, Chef Gross has made a name for himself in the South by utilizing classic techniques and fusing French and Asian flavors into his cooking. Empha-sizing his desire to use seasonal and locally sourced foods, Chef Gross uses different spices and textures to create fresh, flavorful dishes with unadulterated natural ingredients when they are at the peak of their flavor. His most popular entrées include the Tuna Tartare, which is beautifully plated and co-alesced with avocado, spicy radish and ginger mari-nade; crispy Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with cilantro and passion fruit mustard (pictured on cover); the popular Steamed Shrimp Salad with avocado and mushroom champagne vinaigrette; and the savory Slowly Cooked Cod served atop aromatic black beans, avocado and scallions. In an exclusive interview, Chef Gross happily enter-tains questions that further disclose the essence of his culinary genius.

MARKET BuckheadFine dining that’s fresh, local and Chic!

Photography By Chanda M. Scott | Story By Andrea Janise

Chef David Gross of Market BuckheadAtlanta Tastemaker Magazine: First off, let me commend you on your commitment to use local and sustainable in-gredients in your cooking. How are you able to maintain that commitment and infuse it into your cooking style?

Chef David Gross: We use a lot of local farmers, so you get the freshest products and produce that aren’t treated. As far as my style, it could be considered fusion. I’ve worked in restaurants that have a bit of a fusion spin on them; I use a lot of French and Asian flavors, fresh chilies and gingers, and I’ve done a lot of Thai cooking. So, I have much experi-ence in those categories.

ATM: What has influenced your style, both historically and geographically?

I come from a pretty good [sized] family, so we were always cooking. There are seven of us; one of us was always rolling meatballs or making tomato sauce, we had a garden outside where we got many of our ingredients. We even made wine; we had a grapevine out there. So, I was grown into fabricating meats and making sausage and pickling foods. All of those things have made me what I am. My mom was an awesome cook, and she still is. Mom made a little bit of everything. That’s why I am so well rounded. American Regional style cooking is pretty much what we did, and it has influenced me to this day.As far as culinary influences, Chef Ian Win-slade was a big time chef in the city, and we worked together for a long time. He is a great guy who taught me a lot of stuff. He has worked in some of the best restaurants in the country. He opened MARKET Buckhead and brought me on right away. It’s a great company, and the W hotel is a pretty swinging, swanky little place.

ATM: How did you end up in Atlanta?

I’m originally from Northwestern Pennsylva-nia. I went to the Culinary Institute of Amer-ica, and then I came to Atlanta the year of the Olympics. I honestly thought I’d be running a country club in Naples of Ft. Meyers, Florida. That is really what I had my mind set on, but Atlanta has been good to me.

We use a lot of local farmers, so you get the freshest products and produce that aren’t treated.

“

”

47 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

ATM: What do you see as the future in food trends?

It’s going to be farm to table. It’s getting food as local as you can get, which is going to give you the freshest ingredients. If you know your farmers, you can plant things in the winter and spring to use over the whole summer, and they will even tailor specifically to your menu. If you want a certain squash, fruit, tomato or a certain type of lettuce, you can work with them to basi-cally plant your menu.

ATM: How accessible are the farms in Georgia?

They are pretty accessible, the farms are a bit of a trek, but just about every chef with a little bit of spending cash (because it’s not cheap) has access to local farm-ers, and we all use them, whether it is cheese or dairy or even fish from the coast not too far away from here.

ATM: So what exactly constitutes local? Is it getting ingredients just within the state of Georgia or the Southeast Region?

Getting ingredients just from Georgia would be awe-some, but pretty much anything in the southeast re-gion is local. Just about everything that we get comes from about a 50 to a 100 mile radius. So it gets picked the night before and then it’s delivered the next day [between] 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p. m. It’s the best of the best.

ATM: How often do you get fresh foods delivered to your restaurant?

Three times a week, roughly. It does depend on how many people are using that particular farmer, how close he is, and how many trips he has to make; but usually twice to three times a week. We even invite the farmers in for dinner so they can try what they are growing. They are all really good guys.

ATM: Considering that you use fresh ingredi-ents that are at the peak of their flavor, how often do you change menu?

About 7-8 times a year; we change our menu with the seasons and also when local indigenous in-gredients are available. We don’t cook with a lot of cream or use a lot of oils; we use techniques to bring out the flavors in the dishes. We even have a gluten free menu. I can design a menu for any of your dietary needs, right on the spot.

ATM: With all of your experience in Atlanta’s dining scene, what has been the evolution?

It’s always evolving and growing. Things are defi-nitely changing. The farm to table movement has been happening for quite a few years, and the slow cooking method has been going on for a while and increasing the visibility for freshness. It’s getting back to small plates. People are doing a lot of char-cuterie and meats and cheeses. Some people even have small herb gardens on top of the roof of their

We don’t cook with a lot of cream or use a lot of oils, we use techniques to bring out the flavors in the dishes.

“”

hotel or restaurant. Like Gerry Klaskala at Aria, there are some people who grow their own items right on property, which is awesome.

ATM: If you had your own restaurant concept, what would it be?

It would probably be French and Asian fusion like what we do here. But I never really wanted to have my own restaurant. I have a great team and we work well together and gel. I’ve been very successful at just about every place I’ve worked at, and I like what I’ve been doing.

ATM: And we do too! Keep up the great work and the passion that you have for creating delicious and sustainable foods.

Make plans to visit MARKET Buckhead for your next memo-rable dining experience. Voted “Diners Choice” by Open Table, they make every effort to make each customer satisfied, from the table service to Chef David Gross’ expertly prepared dishes. If you can’t make it for dinner, join them for their Themed Par-ty Brunch one Sunday each month to dine on their celebrated brunch menu and enjoy $14 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Mary’s. Visit their website at www.marketbuckhead.com or call 404-523-3600 for more information or to make reservations.

MARKET Buckhead at the W Hotel Atlanta 3377 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

slow cooked cod atop aromatic black beans, avocado and scallions

steamed shrimp salad

Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

49 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

50 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

–by Erika Ward

Kyla Cox

yla Cox is no strang-er to the Atlanta party and entertainment scene. With her company, National Party Starters, and ventures like Grape Crush Produc-tions, Kyla has made her mark in the city, and how!

After 15 years in cor-porate marketing and pub-

lic relations, where she han-dled special events at Ma-cy’s, Kyla established Na-tional Party Starters. With chapters in Miami and Chicago, she hosts fashions shows, galas, and fundrais-ers. Three years ago, she launched a separate divi-sion of the company, Grape Crush Productions,

to fill a void — an outlet to host profession-ally produced educational events to sample and explore wines; and not just in commercial spaces, but also for smaller events in homes and offices. “The decision to go solo was not made on the spur of the moment. I always had interests outside of corporate life, like work-ing with non-profits, so personal interest in entrepreneurship and years of experience in the [event] industry led to my efforts,” says Kyla. Believing strongly that culinary arts are a vital part of a city’s culture, Grape Crush Productions, Atlanta’s premier food and wine event specialists, was voted one of Atlanta’s BEST businesses of 2009, 2010 and 2011 for bringing the “tasting room” to living rooms, offices and venues across metro Atlanta. Kyla and her “Grape Girls” provide guests with a customized wine tasting experience to intro-duce their palates to unique wines from vine-yards around the world. In 2010, the City of Atlanta honored Grape Crush Productions with a proclama-tion presented in a special ceremony at the St. Regis, that officially named the month of April, the Atlanta Food and Wine Month, due to the efforts of Grape Crush Productions. In partnership with the City of Atlanta (Office of Cultural Affairs), the local food and wine scene is celebrated for an entire month with exciting events at diverse venues. Clients and partners include Bloomingdales, Taste of At-lanta, Alliance Francaise d’Atlanta, various corporations, non-profit and cultural organi-zations, as well as individuals celebrating im-portant milestones. Kyla adds, “We’ve made it our mission to demystify the wine tasting ex-perience, food pairing and selection process. Our goal is to help people expand, or develop, their love of wine in a welcoming and unpre-tentious environment.” In keeping with that mission, Grape Crush Productions is also the creator and pro-ducer of Sunday Wine Socials, Chefs in the City and the all-new Buckhead Wine Festival that will be held at East Andrews Entertain-ment District, from 2-6 pm, on Saturday

KConnecting Atlanta’s Wine Lovers and Foodies

By Ruksana Hussain

April 28, 2012, in partnership with the Buckhead Business As-sociation. Other events include the Atlanta Winter Wine and Jazz Festival which is a prelude to the Food and Wine month and city of Atlanta Jazz Festi-val. They also organize Grape Escapes, which are wine excur-sions to national and interna-tional destinations, including an annual trip to Wine over Water in Chattanooga. “I’m so fortu-nate to be able to do every day what I’m passionate about. My greatest pleasure is sharing the love of great wine and food, the wine country lifestyle, with oth-ers,” shares Kyla. National Atlanta Party Starters has grown since incep-tion to include three market-ing event directors and several

part time event assistants for bigger events. Grape Crush Pro-ductions has three account ex-ecutives, a PR manager, and is looking for a social media guru and business development per-son. A call for volunteers for events usually goes out days before and candidates can sign up through the website. As a small business owner who’s ex-cited about the growth in female owned businesses, Kyla is happy to share some advice, “Always review your business plans — I do that every quarter. Analyze your goals and take well-calcu-lated risks.” Hailing from Chica-go, and growing up in Michigan, Kyla now calls Atlanta home. Her current wine inclinations are boutique artisan wines from family-owned vineyards which

are hard to find in mass pro-duced brands. Her recom-mendations for buying wine in Atlanta include Cellar 56 in Buckhead, Wine Shoe in Castle-berry Hill and The Wine Cel-lars in Smyrna, among others. It’s no surprise that her favorite quote is “wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance” by Benjamin Franklin. We’ll drink to that!For more information on events and dates, visit www.grapecrushevents.com

Follow Ruksana Hussain on Twitter @IdeasAreUsATL

55 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Not Your Average Taco!Try pairing this dish with a cool Margarita or Limeade *(drink responsibly)

For those who don’t cook this is the simplest recipe, but it has a huge wow factor. Your guest will think you have created an insanely intricate feast, but it is quite simple! I have added a few simple changes, such as Salsa Verde (green salsa), Yellow tomatoes, and a cornbread cake instead of using taco shells to your standard taco night!

COOKINGwith

AISHAFood that’s deliciously simple!

What you will need:

Cornbread mix, or you can make your own cornbread from scratch (very easy, cornmeal, eggs, milk, flour, and a pinch of sugar)

16 oz. of Ground Turkey**(if you are going vegetarian sauté extra fresh veg-gies)

1 Tablespoon of Chili Seasoning (make sure to use all natural-no msg)

¼ cup of your cheese of choice (I use smoked mozzarella & cheddar)

Salsa Verde (easy to find in your foreign foods section at your grocery store)

1 Yellow tomato

½ Bell Pepper

Iceberg Lettuce

Not Your Average Taco

56 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Peach Praise! I know, I know you are thinking balsamic vinegar and fruit don’t go together, but I promise this taste is incredibly delicious and sensuous. It can be eaten by itself or it can complement a decadent aperitif, scoop of ice cream, or a warm piece of pound

What you will need:

· Two peaches· ¼ balsamic vinegar· 1/3 cup of sugar· 1/3 cup of brown sugar· 1 teaspoon of butter· 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

You’ll be singing after one bite!

Let’s Cook Peach Praise:

1. Use a small sauce pan and pour your vinegar over medium heat, add sugar slowly stiring often, the reduction will begin to boil and thicken.

2. In a small pan place 1/2 cup of water, peaches, butter, and cinnamon.

3. Once the peaches begin to boil add 1/3 cup of brown sugar, let them simmer in the sugar.

4. Remove peach mixture from the heat and plate.

5. Drizzle your reduction over your peaches, this is a sexy, sensual, sweet treat. Drizzle and Sizzle!

Let’s Cook Tacos:

1. Make your batter for the cornbread. (Just remember we are cooking the cornbread on the stove so do not place the cornbread in the oven.

2. Make your cornbread cakes, just as you would a pancake, flipping after each side is golden brown.

3. Mix your chili seasonings with your ground turkey and make medium sized meatballs.

4. Over low heat, place meatballs into a skillet and let them cook. You will likely have to rotate the meatballs.

5. Slice your lettuce as thin as possible, that is going to be more like a natural “slaw;, using the yellow tomatoes and bell peppers.

6. Sprinkle with cheese and use your Salsa Verde as a salad dressing. Platting in this dish is quite important. Place the cornbread at the bot-tom. This dish is a nice spin on a Mexican dish. Ole!

Atlanta Chef Expo Winners

gluten-free vendors on site, cooking demonstrations throughout the day, and hand-crafted Absolute vod-ka cocktails to sip and enjoy. Some of my favorites included the Pork with Root Vegetable Hash from Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails; Grilled Salmon with Chardonnay Sauce from Private Chef DeWayne Hair-ston; and the delicious good-ies from Cake Café Atlanta. Radio and TV personalities Tom Sullivan and Holly Fifer joined Savory Exposure blog-ger Broderick Smylie to judge the dishes and give their rec-ommendations for the “Most Creative” item in each cate-

The first annual Atlan-ta Chef ’s Expo opened up a world of tastes for local food-ies. Held on February 19th at the esteemed Foundry at Pu-ritan Mill, the 4-hour event showcased some of the city’s top culinary talent for food lovers to enjoy. The chefs were divided in separate sections, so each guest sampled menu items from local restaurants in Restaurant Row, tasted cre-ations from top Atlanta cater-ers in Catering Alley, noshed on savory bites from private chefs along The Chef ’s Table and indulged in sweet treats from nearby bakeries in the Sugar Shack. There were also

Atlanta foodies battle their tastebuds for one of the year’s best culinary events. —By Andrea Janise

I’m a Foodie who will

STOPFOR FOOD !

Atlanta Chef Expo

gory, while guests had the opportunity to vote for the crowd favorite. The first annual Atlanta Chef ’s Expo was a hit, leaving everyone who walked out the door full and satisfied and looking forward to next year. And for those who can’t wait, the folks behind the Expo are planning a Street Food Festival in July, so stay tuned! Check out our pictures from the 2012 Atlanta Chef ’s Expo on our Facebook page.Follow Andrea on Twitter @atlfoodwriter

Best Restaurant: Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails

Most Creative Restaurant: Maggiano’s Little Italy Buckhead

Best Caterer: Aqua Blue

Most Creative Caterer: Aqua Blue

Best Private Chef: Chef Rian McDonald

Most Creative Private Chef: Chef Jax Concepts

Best Pastry Chef: Heavenly Dolce

Most Creative Pastry Chef: Heavenly Dolce

Best Gluten Free/Vegan Chef: Chef Barry Garber and Chow Baby (tie)

Most Creative Gluten Free/Vegan Chef: Chow Baby

Fan Favorite: Aqua Blue

Chef DeWayne Hairston

58 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

CHEAP9

$9eats Under

For most, eating out is an everyday occurrence. A quick breakfast to-go because you got up too late. Lunch to catch up with friends; dinner because you don’t feel like cooking. It all adds up. Whether you’re looking for break-fast, lunch or dinner, here are 9 meals that will keep you full without empty-ing your wallet. —By Erin Kasari

B.e.S.T French Toast Breakfast - $8.50Homegrown | 968 Memorial Drive, Atlanta

With breakfast eats, there’s always a choice between savory or sweet. Sometimes it’s hard to choose; but the kind folks at Homegrown have created a breakfast sandwich to satisfy both of these cravings. Bacon, spinach, tomato and an optional egg stacked between two slices of cin-namon French toast and served with a side of syrup for dipping, puts an end to the taste bud tug-of-war.

Short Stack Pancakes - $2.90Thumbs Up Diner | Multiple Locations in Metro Atlanta

Sure, you can go to any breakfast joint and get a hunger satisfying short stack for under $5, but they won’t measure up to the pancakes at Thumbs Up. Extra vanilla. A little nutmeg; some cinnamon maybe? Whatever is in their “special recipe” batter makes these plate-sized pancakes among the best in Atlanta.

Polish Omelet - $8.75Rise-N-Dine | 1565 N. Decatur Rd, Atlanta

With ingredients like ham, onions, peppers, tomatoes and cheese, Western omelets are good, but so ordinary. The Eastern European in-spired ingredients of the Polish omelet makes these eggs delicious and extraordinary. Potato-filled pierogies, perfectly seared kielbasa, sautéed onions and cheddar are tucked inside buttery eggs and topped with sour cream.

Meatloaf Sandwich - $4 Half/$8 WholeTiny Bistro | 1039 Marietta St., Atlanta

When separated into its individual parts, this sandwich has all the makings of a home-style, sit-down meal. Homemade meatloaf, with a smear of mashed potatoes, topped with thick-cut bacon and ched-dar cheese on a Cajun pistolet roll is pressed, panini-style to create a compact, comfort food package to go.

60 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Falafel Wrap - $6.50 AliBaba | 60 Broad St. & 1099 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta

It’s hard to believe that so much goodness can be packed into one pita. With falafels so big, the wrap first needs a layer of hummus to help hold them in. Tangy tabbouleh, lettuce, cucumbers, tzatziki sauce and feta are the toppings which come standard. Finish it off with some spicy sauce to add a little fire to the falafel.

Hummus Quesadilla - $8.00 The Righteous Room | 1051 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta

Mediterranean meets Mexican to create a surprisingly crave-worthy combo. Hummus, goat and cheddar cheeses, sauteed onions, mush-rooms and spinach are all folded into a flour tortilla and grilled until just a little crispy. Fresh sunflower sprout toppings, with their slight peppery taste, provides added flavor and a healthy twist.

Bún - $9SoBa | 560 Gresham Ave., Atlanta

Pronounced “boon”, Bún is simply the Vietnamese word for the rice vermicelli noodles that serve as the base for this popular dish. A salad of lettuce, cucumbers, pickled carrots, daikon and sprouts is layered on top and rounded out with a choice of meat or veggies. Stir in savory fish or hoisin sauces to complement the dish’s fresh flavors.

Lily’s Nut Burger - $9 Urban Pl8 | 1082 Huff Rd, Atlanta

Vegetarian versions of the classic American burger are typically squishy, dry or bland. That’s not the case with Urban Pl8‘s. Their blend of walnuts, cashews, brown rice and cheddar, served with a dollop of spicy sour cream, makes for a delicious, substantial, and better-for-you burger that keeps its form on its whole wheat English muffin “bun”.

Gourmet Hot Dogs - Starts at $3.50HD1 | 664 N. Highland, Atlanta

In the past, all that needed to be done to dress up a dog was to add some relish, chili or slaw. Now, the toppings are far fancier. Tomato-pimento marmalade, garlic cream cheese, and grilled radicchio are just a few of the garnishes that adorn the custom dogs at HD1, which are all served inside a sweet, brioche-like, Ghana bread bun.

BermudaGrab a few friends and hop on the first flight to Bermuda. The beautiful Caribbean island of Bermuda has de-clared itself the official spring break destination with the “Feel the Love Bermuda Spring Break 2012” event. The party starts March 3rd and continues through March 17th. The event features hot parties, beach parties, beach games, pool parties, giveaways and an exclusive party cruise. The official resort of Bermuda Spring Break 2012 is the luxurious Coco Reef resort. The resort is offering guests the amazing rate of $79.99 per night (per person) and free event passes. The event pass will give you access to all activities. Do something uniquely different this year and enjoy your spring break on one of the Caribbean’s most exotic and beautiful islands. For more information, please visit www.gotobermuda.com/springbreak to book your special rate.

St. LuciaWhile we are dreaming about spring break in the Caribbean, let’s head over to St. Lucia. St. Lucia has become an extremely popular destination for the celebrity jet setter and we know why. The island features several fabulous boutique resorts perfect for spring break. One of our favorites is the Coco Palm Resort in Rodney Bay, but the island is also home to the Ginger Lilly and the Caribbean Jewel resorts. All of these resorts have gorgeous pools and suites and are centrally located in downtown Rodney Bay. They are also within walking distance to some of the hottest Caribbean restaurants, clubs and the beautiful beach. The Coconut Bay Resort and Spa is also a wonderful destination for spring break. Located on the southern tip of the island, it is a

Spring DestinationsIt’s spring break time for all the college students around the nation. We have a few fabulous desti-nations to help you plan a great spring break vacation. Normally, when you think of spring break, you think of Daytona, Las Vegas or Orlando. These are great options, but let’s try something a little different this year. — By The Travelin Diva, Kirstin Fuller

62 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

The Coconut Bay Resort and Spa is also a wonderful destination for spring break. Located on the southern tip of the island, it is a former Club Med property that includes a fantastic water park. This all-inclusive va-cation gem has its own private beach, four signature restaurants, swim up bars and a heavenly spa. If you can’t make it to St. Lucia for spring break, con-sider visiting the island in May. The first weekend in May is the time St. Lucia hosts the hottest music festival in the Caribbean — the St. Lucia Jazz festival. The St. Lucia Jazz festival is always held around Mother’s Day weekend and always features a fabulous music lineup. Past headliners have included: the late Amy Wine-house, Esperanza Spalding, John Legend, Ne-Yo and Corinne Bailey Rae, to name a few. This years’ lineup does not disappoint; it features Joshua Redman, Ziggy Marley, Keri Hilson and Melanie Fiona. The dates for this year’s festival are May 9th through May 13th. It’s not in time for the usual spring break vacation, but it would make a great vacation to celebrate the end of the semester and passing of all your final exams. For more information, visit www.stluciajazz.org.

We couldn’t talk about spring break without discussing two of the hottest destinations — Mi-ami and Las Vegas. Both cities are known as party capitals and are fabulous vacations spots. The city of Miami is famous in its own right; it is home to the fabulous South Beach, which is legendary for its night clubs, wonderful restaurants and trendsetting boutiques. If you want to spend spring break on South Beach, consider the Hotel Victor, the Loews Hotel and our favorite hidden jewel, the Winter-Haven Hotel. The WinterHaven is right on South Beach; the sand and sun is literally a walk across the street, and it’s a few blocks away from the famous Versace Mansion, as well as South Beach staples, like Wet Willie’s.For those of you who want to visit a dangerously fun, sin city on spring break, Las Vegas is your des-tination. MTV has set up spring break headquar-ters at the Palms Casino Resort for ‘MTV’s Spring Break 2012’ party. The travel website expressly for traveling spring break students, www.StudentCity.com, is your exclusive connection for discounts and parties for this ultimate spring break party. Book your spring break vacation with MTV and Student City and enjoy express and free admission to MTV concerts, celebrity pool parties, parties at the Palms main pool, and more. This is guaranteed to be the ultimate spring break vacation/party. Remember what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas! Whatever you decide to do on your spring break vacation, make it fun, fabulous and safe!

Visit www.Passenger156.com for more fabulous spring break deals and destinations and follow Kirstin on Twitter @thetravelindiva

Miami + Las Vegas

The Ultimate Pairing

Downtown Decatur Square is defi-nitely one of the best places to in-dulge in an extensive selection of lagers and ales, converse with fel-low beer geeks and munch on fare that sets a higher standard for typi-cal “bar food.”

Square Pub’s Bob  Rhein and  Ja-son Wiles have made it a point to take their passion of pairing par-ticularly ales with a wide variety of their delicious menu items.

I had the pleasure of sitting down and sampling Chef Jason’s inven-tive beer and food pairings as he prepared four courses of the Pub’s delectable food with some of North America’s best beer.

Beer Expert Ale Sharpton sits down with Chef Jason Wiles of The Square Pub for a four-course beer and food pairing— Words and pictures by Ale Sharpton

Beer + Food

Square Pub’s Beer Expert, Chef Jason Wiles

64 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

First Course: The Square Pub Crab Cake paired with Uni-broue’s La Fin Du Monde

Jason: “I grew up in Maryland, which makes me an expert on crab. Crab has big flavor with a sweet component to it and the Belgian-style beer brings it out just a bit more.”

Ale: I am a crab cake fanatic, but it has to be virtually zero filler—bread crumbs, eggs and whatever to keep it together should have almost zero presence—fresh, and simple delicious with a slight sear. They landed it. And the beer? La Fin Du Monde by Uni-broue— a light bodied, yet potent Belgian tripel-style brew out of Chambly, Quebec—is one of my all-time faves, so I was in heaven with this pairing. The brew’s low hop profile matched the sweet-ness of the crab meat.

^

The Square Pub Slider paired with Terrapin Rye Pale Ale Jason: “We make everything from scratch here. Burgers paired with pale ales simply make sense. They are both not huge in fla-vor, but you add the smoked Gouda, Applewood-smoked bacon, and green chili so you heighten the flavor components. We went with the Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, which is not quite an IPA but still has that rye and hoppiness to it.”

Ale: Jason strikes again. I asked for some of their smokin’ home-made BBQ sauce and it was a wrap! Jason even considered add-ing the sauce as a permanent option. They laughed and joked, “It is now the Sharpton Slider!”

“...Crab has big flavor with a sweet component to it and the Belgian-style beer brings it out just a bit more.”—Jason Wiles

The Square Pub Pot Roast and Creamy Yukon Gold Mashed Po-tatoes paired with SweetWater Exodus Porter

Jason: “This is a big hearty dish that needs a big hearty beer. Porters, stouts and strong ales work really well here.”

Ale: Honoring the traditional hearty beef and potatoes. Europe has so many celebrated variations of porters, Jason played the seasoned matchmaker with his tender pot roast, steaming mashed potatoes, and smooth, medium-bodied Exodus Porter made by ATL’s own SweetWater Brewery.

^

The Square Pub Chocolate Covered Cream Puff paired with Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro

Jason: “You have this puff with thick, rich custard inside teamed up with a creamy milk stout. These two just go together so perfectly.”

Ale: Porters and Stouts, the dark ales known to possess coffee, tof-fee and chocolate flavors, are very popular to pair with rich cakes and pastries. Jason chose the creamy Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro to effortlessly match this delicate dessert’s cream filing and chocolate topping. This was the perfect ending.

Ultimately, it’s official. When it comes to food and beer pairing, Square Pub stays on point like icicles!

Look for more of Ale Sharpton “Cruisin’ For A

Brewsin’” at www.alesharpton.com Follow Ale on Twitter at @alesharpton

‘The Square Pub has great beer and great food in a comfortable, neighborhood setting.’— Bob Rhein, Co-Owner of The Square Pub

66 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

shhh...(Secret Suppers Revealed!)

Secret suppers were once the modern day, dining equivalent of the Depression era speak-easy, discovered only by word of mouth or by special invitation. Now the secret’s out. Secret suppers and other underground dining experiences have become a common way to enjoy food outside of a restaurant setting. In recent years, they have transitioned from being sit-down dinners created in private, home kitchens to more elaborate preparations and exclusive locations that are just as important to the overall experience as the food itself. —By Erin Kasari

Caterers Who Create Their Own PartyBlack Tie CateringWhen Black Tie isn’t creating custom menus and serving up food for their client’s events, they’re busy scouting locations and preparing the menu for their own, the signature Black Tie Secret Supper. Given their popularity, the fact that these suppers exist isn’t the secret. Rather, it’s where you’ll be go-ing and what you’ll be eating, both of which are not revealed until 24 hours before. Served family style, each of the meals features vegetarian, red meat & white meat or fish options, and includes desserts and specialty cocktails. In addition to the perfectly planned menu, what makes the secret suppers spe-cial are the unique venues in which they’re held, like the Theatrical Outfit theatre, Millennium Gate museum and most recently, the Atlanta Ballet.

Chef in His Own Kitchen

Push Start Kitchen

The instant gratification of seeing the look on people’s faces after trying one of his culinary creations is the rea-son why, says Chef Zach Meloy, he got into cooking for a living. As a line cook at an Atlanta restaurant, he of-ten doesn’t get that satisfaction, thus a supper club was created. Set in the rustic, rural-like location of the Goat Farm in West Midtown, Meloy and his wife Cristina host an intimate group of 12 people for dinner in their loft each Friday and Saturday evening. Their food is in-spired by their travels through South America as well as by the food that Meloy grew up eating here in the South. The four-course meal includes cocktails and canapes, salad or soup, meat-centered main course, and home-made dessert. The menu is chef ’s choice and is revealed a week ahead.

Next Dinner: Cinco de Mayo Secret Supper

To Get In: Join email list at www.blacktieatl.com

Tip: Be prepared to stay up late. Tickets tradi-tionally go on sale at midnight and sell out by 6 a.m.

Next Dinner: Weekly on Friday and Saturday

To Get In: Join email list at www.pushstart-kitchen.blogspot.com/.

Tip: Don’t drool over the menu for too long. Those with the fastest mouse-clicking fingers are the ones that get a seat.

68 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Atlanta Nosh

Next Event: Every Sunday, beginning April 15th

To Get In: Join email list at www.atlan-tanosh.com.

Tip: Bring cash in small bills and an empty stomach, they’ll be lots of food to choose from.

Several Cooks, Single Location

Live well and have fun by checking out Erin Kasari at www.vivalalife.com and Follow her on Twitter @vlalife

For the last year, the Atlanta Underground Market has provided food professionals and home cooks the opportunity to share both established and experimental recipes with adventurous eaters in various Atlanta locations, like the Sweet Auburn Market and Atlanta History Center. With attendance regu-larly in the hundreds, the monthly markets have been a huge success. Now, creator, Michaela Graham is developing the concept into something grander. In April, the Atlanta Nosh will replace the Atlanta Underground Market and become a weekly event. In addition to its new name and time, the market will also have a new, permanent home at Atlantic Station. Attendees will still be able to enjoy small-bites at a low price, but will also be able to buy food to-go. While the concept overall will remain the same, Graham is looking to make the Atlanta Nosh a spring board for those who want to open their own food-based business.

In honor of our Gourmand Issue, we want to intro-duce our readers to some of the city’s beloved res-taurants, specialty shops and must-see festivals. In doing so, we asked some of Atlanta’s most popular foodies to share with us their top 5 favorite places to eat, drink and hangout in Atlanta. From gastropubs to burger joints, cupcake stores and coffee shops, we cover it all. We hope there will be a few mentions that will encourage you to further explore Atlanta’s culinary scene and maybe even make them your favorites as well! Enjoy! —By Andrea Janise

Top Atlanta Foodies

Share Their Favorite Spots

70 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Top 5 Favorite GastropubsAle SharptonBeer expert, writer and show hostTwitter: @AleSharptonwww.alesharpton.com

Brick Store Pub125 East Court SquareDecatur, GA 30030(404) 687-0990www.brickstorepub.com

The Porter Beer Bar1156 Euclid Ave NE  Atlanta, GA 30307(404) 223-0393www.theporterbeerbar.com

Deckard’s American Tavern650 Ponce de Leon Atlanta, GA 30308(404) 941-3520www.deckardsamericantavern.com

Cypress Street Pint & Plate817 W Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30308(404) 815-9243www.cypressbar.com

Twenty-Two Storys The Hyatt Regency265 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta, GA 30303(404) 460-6318www.atlantaregency.hyatt.com

Top 5 Favorite Coffee ShopsBren HerreraPrivate Chef, writer and coffee en-thusiastTwitter: @brenherrerawww.flanboyanteats.com

Octane Coffee1009 Marietta Street Northwest  Atlanta, GA 30318(404) 815-9886www.octanecoffee.com

Inman Perk240 North Highland Ave., Suite HAtlanta, GA 30307(678) 705-4545www.inmanperkcoffee.com

Intermezzo 1845 Peachtree Road NortheastAtlanta, GA 30309(404) 355-0411www.cafeintermezzo.com

Dancing Goats 419 West Ponce De Leon Avenue  Decatur, GA 30030(404) 687-1100www.batdorfcoffee.com

Rev Coffee1680 Spring Rd SE # B  Smyrna, GA 30080(770) 573-4434www.revcoffee.com

Top 5 Favorite Cupcake SpotsChris Watkins of Eat.Drink.Repeat Food blogger and cupcake aficionadoTwitter: @christopherbwwww.eatdrinkrepeat.com

Caryn’s Cakes1050 Marietta Street, Suite CAtlanta, GA 30318(404) 897-9338 www.carynscakes.com

The Cup705 Town Boulevard Atlanta, Georgia 30319(678) 705-9883www.thecupgourmet.com

Little Cake Bakery3792 Roswell RdAtlanta, GA 30342(404) 841-8856www.littlecakebakery.com

Atlanta Cupcake Factory624 North Highland AveAtlanta, GA 30306(678) 358-9195www.theatlantacupcake-factory.com

West Egg Café1100 Howell Mill RdAtlanta, GA 30318(404) 872-3973www.westeggcafe.com

Top 5 Favorite Burger SpotsAndrea Janise Lifestyle Editor of Atlanta Tastemaker MagazineTwitter: @atlfoodwriterwww.tastemakermag.com

Holeman & Finch Public House2277 Peachtree Road NE # B Atlanta, GA 30309(404) 948-1175www.holeman-finch.com

Grindhouse Killer BurgersSweet Auburn Curb Market209 Edgewood Avenue SoutheastAtlanta, GA 30303(404) 522-3444www.grindhouseburgers.com

Flip Burger Boutique1587 Howell Mill Road NWAtlanta, GA 30318(404) 352-3547www.flipburgerboutique.com

Chef G’s Burger Bar Park 75 at the Four Seasons Hotel 75 14th St NE  Atlanta, GA 30309(404) 253-3840www.fourseasons.com/atlanta/din-ing

Bocado 887 Howell Mill Road NW #2Atlanta, GA 30318(404) 815-1399www.bocadoatlanta.com

Top 5 Favorite Restaurants Inside the Perimeter (ITP)Suchita Vadlamani Local foodie and TV personalityTwitter: @suchitavadhttp://www.facebook.com/Suchita-Vadlamani

Top Flr 674 Myrtle Street Northeast  Atlanta, GA 30308(404) 685-3110www.topflr.com

Aria490 East Paces Ferry Road North-east  Atlanta, GA 30305(404) 233-7673www.aria-atl.com

Cardamom Hill1700 Northside Drive NWAtlanta, GA 30318(404) 549-7012www.cardamomhill.net

Farmburger410 West Ponce De Leon Avenue  Decatur, GA 30030(404) 378-5077www.farmburger.net

Sotto Sotto313 N Highland Avenue Northeast  Atlanta, GA 30307(404) 523-6678www.urestaurants.com

Top 5 Favorite Restaurants with Beautifully Plated DishesTami Hardeman Food stylist, writer + bloggerTwitter: @runwithtweezerswww.runningwithtweezers.com

Pura Vida656 N Highland Avenue Northeast Atlanta, GA 30306(404) 870-9797www.puravidatapas.com

Empire State South 999 Peachtree St NE # 140  Atlanta, GA 30309(404) 541-1105www.empirestatesouth.com

Aria490 East Paces Ferry Road NortheastAtlanta, GA 30305(404) 233-7673www.aria-atl.com

4th & Swift621 North Avenue Northeast Atlanta, GA 30308(678) 904-0160www.4thandswift.com

Bacchanalia 1198 Howell Mill Road NW # 100Atlanta, GA 30318(404) 365-0410www.starprovisions.com

72 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Top 5 Favorite Restaurants Out-side the Perimeter (OTP)Malika Harricharan Food writer, blogger & author of Food Lover’s Guide to AtlantaTwitter: @ATLEatsandTweets www.atlanta-restaurantblog.com

Aqua Terra Bistro55 E Main St  Buford, GA 30518(770) 271-8161www.aquaterrabistro.com

Vingenzo’s105 East Main Street  Woodstock, Georgia 30188(770) 924-9133www.vingenzos.com

Heirloom Market BBQ  2243 Akers Mill Road Southeast  Atlanta, GA 30339(770) 612-2502www.heirloommarketbbq.com

Canoe Atlanta4199 Paces Ferry Road Northwest  Atlanta, GA 30339(770) 432-2663www.canoeatl.com

C & S Seafood and Oyster Bar3240 Cobb Pkwy SE Atlanta, Georgia 30339(770) 272-0999www.candsoysterbar.com

Top 5 Favorite Atlanta FestivalsBroderick Smylie Food Photographer and bloggerTwitter: @savoryexposurewww.savoryexposure.com

Sweetwater Brewery’s Brew Your Cask OffMarch 10, 2012www.brewyourcaskoff.com

BaconfestMarch 31, 2012www.dadsgarage.com

Atlanta Food & Wine FestivalMay 10 – 13, 2012www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com

Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival July 22, 2012http://jctkitchen.com/tomatofest

Taste of AtlantaOctober, 2012www.tasteofatlanta.com

PRESSPASS

10 designers competed at the 2nd annual Fashion Uncorked fashion runway show at the Gwinnett Environment & Heritage Center to benefit Easter Seals. The event was hosted by WSB-TV News Anchor Monica Pearson and Lifetime TV Project Accessory Contes-tant Cotrice Addison. Designers created three designs (women’s day/evening and kids witha matching teddy bear), however it was Sidratu Maju, who took the judges breath away with her colorful designs. She received high acco-lades for including her heritage in her designs and was named the 2012 winner of Fashion Uncorked.

Fashion Uncorked2012

74 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

PRESSPASS

Macy’s Romare Bearden Event

Macy’s celebrates Black History month with honoring the legacy of famed artist Romare Bearden. Macy’s at Lenox Square highlighted some of the artist’s most important works dur-ing a special exhibition for hundreds of blog-gers and art enthusiast for Bearden’s 100th birthday. Romare’s work encompassed art, music, design, history and literature and dur-ing the event attendees were able to experi-ence a little piece of his legacy. In addition to the exhibition, Tastemakers had the opportu-nity to nosh on food inspired by dishes you can find in the Bearden carribean cookbook.

SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH AT

Tastemakermag.com

We Will Always Love You: A Tribute To Whitney Houston

ASOS 2012 Spring Pieces Are In Full Bloom

We lost a great talent but her legacy lives on! Click to read the full article...

Click to see our favorites from the collection.

Buckhead Restaurant Week ReturnsThe 3rd annual Buckhead Restaurant Week runs Saturday, February 25th – Sunday, March 4th, 2012. Click to find out what you can anticipate!

Kid Cudi’s New AlbumWe’re in the mood for new albums and musi-cal collaborations that make sense! Check out Cudi’s new collabo with producer Dot da Genius.

Fashion, Beauty, Entertainment

We have you covered...it’s the latest fashion tips you want to know about, the hair trends that keep you looking fabulous and the entertainment that’s relevant and now!

Go Now: tastemakermag.com

77 Tastemakermag.com| March/April 2012

Cover Photo: Chanda M. Scott http://www.cmseventsphotography.com

Page 3 Trey Songz Photo http://bing.com

Page 5 Sam Sparro http://bing.com

Page 14 Pictures of Celebrities http://bing.com

Page 12 Shoe Photo: http://www.gq.com/style/street-style/201101/tommy-ton-pitti-uomo#slide=17; Kevin Williams Photo courtesy of J3 Photography

Page 27 fashion sketch: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=fashion+sketches&view=detail&id=776BFD49234B9B473111CF6ADC4E053D56060369&first=61&FORM=IDFRIR

Page 55 Food For Thought Photos by Hodo Photo

Page 67-68 Secret Suppers Revealed Leah and Mark for Black Tie Catering; Push Start Kitchen Blog for Push Start Kitchen; Dr. Princess for Atlanta Nosh

Credits