Atlas' Fall Inspired Cocktail

                          Photo by Mia Yakel

THE FIRESIDE

Atlas’ Fall-Inspired Cocktail, Created by Lead Bar Tender, Carl Gilbert

With the leaves falling it’s the perfect time to cozy up with Atlas’ latest boozy treat created by Lead Bartender Carl Gilbert. An ideal cocktail for autumn.

The Fireside combines tequila with that beloved ginger and apple cider flavor with aged bitters, caramel sweetness, and the refreshing citrus flavors of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

RECIPE:

1.5 oz Don Julio Tequila

.25 oz Ginger Syrup

.75 oz Mercier Apple Cider Reduction

1.0 oz Lemon Juice

2 Dashes of Barrel Aged Bitters

Garnish with a Red Caramel Tuile 

Build all ingredients in a shaking tin, add ice, shake, *double strain, garnish, serve and enjoy!  

Located within the St. Regis Atlanta, Atlas celebrates the very best in seasonal American cuisine combined with European influences.

Revel in a fine dining experience in the dining room or join us at The Tavern featuring an all-new, chef-driven small plates menu and hand-shaken cocktails.

With a focus on curating fresh ingredients from local farms, this chef-driven restaurant brings unparalleled culinary experiences to the capital of the South. For more information, visit atlasrestaurant.com

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Concentrics Restaurants' ALLORA Now Open in Midtown

Photos by Erik Meadows

Celebrating the flavors of Italy, guests are invited to slip into ALLORA where the art of dining and drinking is rediscovered. Blending Italian classics with modern techniques and seasonal ingredients, Executive Chef Chris Maher offers an impressive menu filled with house made pastas, specialty pizzas, creative insalatas, small plates and more. Located in TWELVE Hotel Midtown, ALLORA welcomes guests to sit and stay awhile in an inviting environment that showcases industrial design, warm leathers and woods, and rustic touches including an expansive central bar, chef’s tables overlooking an open kitchen, comfortable booths, and a spacious, covered outdoor patio. 

With a wealth of culinary experience that includes The Ritz Carlton Buckhead, 4Th & Swift, and ONE. midtown kitchen, Chef Maher is best known for his outstanding handmade pastas and taking classic dishes and ingredients and reinterpreting them with a modern, and sometimes playful, approach. Highlights from the menu include a range of antipasto like Charred Octopus, Barlotto Bean Hummus, Peperonata, and Castelvetrano olives; Veal and Ricotta Meatballs with Parmesan Grits, San Marzano tomatoes and Grana Padano; and Whole Roasted Artichoke with Bagna Cauda and bread crumbs. Perfectly cooked specialty pizzas such as the Carbonara with Pancetta, Cracked Pepper, Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and a Farm Egg; Fennel Sausage featuring San Marzano Passata, Calabrian Chiles, Cherry Tomatoes, Sicilian Oregano; and a traditional Margherita pie are ideal for sharing.  House made Cacio e Pepe; Porcini Agnolotti; and Lemon Saffron Campanelle are among the pasta offerings while sumptuous entrees like the Roasted Branzini; Grilled Wagyu Flank Steak; and Pork Milanese are sure to please. Those looking to imbibe can explore a carefully curated wine list created by Todd Rushing, signature and classic cocktails, and craft beers in cans, bottles and on draft.  

ALLORA is located in the TWELVE Hotel Midtown at 361 17th Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30363. Complimentary valet up to three hours and two hours free parking in the parking deck are available. ALLORA will be serving breakfast Monday to Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; lunch Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; dinner and brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; and weekend brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call 404.961.7370 or visit www.alloraatl.com. 

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The Fox Theatre pushes back Marquee Club opening

by Encore Atlanta

The completed rooftop will look much like this and overlook the Fox Theatre marquee. Photo: Fox Theatre

Almost exactly a year ago, the Fox Theatre announced plans for a 10,000-ft. expansion featuring a rooftop terrace and generous event space. Word then was that the space — named the Marquee Club — would open this fall.

Photo: Michael Portman

This week, that grand opening was pushed back to early 2018. The reason: Surprises encountered when design and construction crews began digging into an 88-year-old building.

“We anticipated challenges once we began construction,” Fox president and CEO Allan C. Vella said in a news release. Fox officials hope to be able to set a firm 2018 opening date soon.

The theater will reach out to anyone who has purchased a Marquee membership (annual, corporate or individual) and offer exclusive previews in the months before it opens, the statement said. Memberships are still available at 404.881.2127. Prices, which were set for 2017 and may change, are:

• Corporate annual: $12,000.
• Noncorporate annual: $3,000.
• Broadway in Atlanta subscriber annual: $500 for six shows. The rate may go up or down depending on the number of shows booked.

The Marquee also plans to offer limited per-event access based on availability.

The main level of the Marquis Club (clockwise, from left); another view of the outdoor terrace; and the mezzanine level of the club. Photos: Fox Theatre

The members-only club will include a 4,000-sq. ft. rooftop terrace under the night sky and overlooking Peachtree Street, plus some 6,000 square feet of indoor event space. All of this, the most significant expansion in the theater’s history, will continue the venue’s Moroccan-style decor.

The rooftop terrace will feature a combination of indoor, solarium and outdoor spaces for climate-controlled, cooled or fully outdoor spaces. Each will have its own bar. Members will be able to use the lounge/terrace before and after events and during intermission. Other perks include:

• The ability to buy tickets before the general public.
• A dedicated ticketing concierge.
• Self-parking in a dedicated lot.
• Private entry 90 minutes before show time.
• Complimentary nonalcoholic beverages and hors d’oeuvres.
• Access to five bars.
• Private restrooms.
• The ability to pre-order drinks, desserts and coffee for intermission.

Lord Aeck Sargent, an award-winning Atlanta architectural firm that specializes in conserving and preserving historic venues, is leading the renovation. Its previous projects include Language Hall at Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford, the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center in Buford, the mixed-use Berkshire Terminus in Buckhead and Parkmobile Corporate Headquarters in Midtown.

The 4,665-seat Fox, which hosts some 250 performances a year, is home to the Broadway in Atlanta series of touring theater productions, Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker and the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival. It’s a regular stop for dance companies, children’s shows, comedians — Louis CK, Mike Epps, George Lopez — and such musicians as Ringo Starr, John Prine and Widespread Panic. These events attract more than 500,000 patrons a each year.

The Fox also is a popular site for wedding receptions, trade shows, corporate meetings and association functions.

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ATANTA PRIDE PARADE 2017

Atlanta Pride presented a 3-hour parade on Sunday October, 15. The slideshow features highlights of the parade.

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Revenge of the 80s: The Best Halloween Party in Town

Alright Valley girls and Valley boys, New Wavers and Preppies - you shaped the 1980s, literally - with your big hair and shoulder pads - so on Saturday, October 21, the night is yours for the taking, OPEN BAR included! So c'mon pretty kids in America, you're not like virgins anymore, come out, dance and drink with us - all in support of Jerusalem House, an organization that provides continuum housing and supportive services for homeless and low-income individuals, families, and children affected by HIV/AIDS. 

Revenge of the 80s will put the totally in fabulous, especially with its famous/infamous costume contest - CASH prizes and once again, yours truly is a judge!

For all things Jerusalem House, visit their website AND for Revenge of the 80s party info, tickets & VIP visit HERE!

So like we better, like OMG,  see you at the like, most totally bitchin' Halloween party of the season on like Oct. 21 - after all, girls just wanna have fun so hit us with your best shot!  

Photos by Dan Lax courtesy of Jerusalem House.

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Handbags born of theater, and necessity

by Encore Atlanta

Scenery bags are limited-edition, one-of-a-kind clutch purses made from recycle theatrical drops.

THERE’S A STORY behind these bags — of upcycling, fashion, theater and giving back.

Jen Kahn and a carload of discarded drops.

It’s also the story of Jen Kahn and how her company Scenery came to be.

In 2015, Kahn and a friend road-tripped from New York to Maine. They browsed in a store selling handbags made from old sails.

She and her friend had an aha! moment.

Kahn, a professional stage manager, started Scenery and now collects discarded or retired backdrops from all over the country. A Florida factory cuts and stitches them into simple, rectangular clutches. A portion of the proceeds helps take New York kids to see theater.

“The only thing more sad than closing a show is watching it get thrown out,” Kahn says. “I can’t stop shows from closing, but I can help their story live on and, in doing so, continue to give the gift of theater to many more.” 

Scenery bags tagline: Take the Story With You.

Scenery bags ($30) are limited-edition, one-of-a-kind pieces. Inside each is a label identifying its show of origin.

The inaugural batch came from The Desert Song, a 1926 operetta about Moroccans fighting French colonial rule.

Drops from productions of Hairspray and Oklahoma! are next. The bags can be pre-ordered from the website. Doing so gives you a number and a place in line. When your number is reached, you can choose from either of two drops or defer to the next round.

Scenery bags went live online July 5 and sold out in 48 hours, making enough money to send 10 kids to shows through the Theatre Development Fund’s Stage Doors program. To date, it has recyled some 900 pounds of drops.

Kahn and her company are committed to introducing a new generation of storytellers to theater. And, she says, “taking what would have been trash and making it into immeasurable treasure.”

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AJC Decatur Book Festival Presents EQUALLY WED: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR PLANNING YOUR LGBTQ+ WEDDING

Wedding planning is notoriously costly and arduous, especially for couples who are breaking the traditional mold. Kirsten Palladino presents a fun, elegant, comprehensive, and gender-neutral guide to creating an inspired wedding.

Join us this Sunday at the AJC Decatur Book Festival from 2:30-3:15PM at the Marriott Conference Center Auditorium for a discussion with Equally Wed's Kirsten Palladino. 

I'll be moderating the discussion and I have so many questions prepared for Kirsten! Of course, there'll be room for audience Q&A... so don't be shy and ask away! 

Kirsten Palladino is an award-winning editor and writer, and the co-founder of EquallyWed.com. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including The Knot, Huffington Post, and Glamour. She lives in Atlanta.

So... if you are thinking about getting married or have friends thinking about tying the gay knot, bring them and join us this Sunday for THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR PLANNING YOUR LGBTQ+ WEDDING!

For more information about the AJC Decatur Book Festival and to see the full schedule,  Click Here! 

ABOUT Equally Wed: Equally Wed is the world's leading digital wedding and honeymoon magazine and social community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and allied couples. We offer a modern, elegant and unique guide to gay wedding planning, from ring shopping and proposing to tying the knot and living happily ever after—and everything in between. Engaged couples can plan their weddings using our comprehensive suite of wedding planning tools, including a guest list manager, a budget manager and an extensive interactive to-do list. Fresh and innovative, equallywed.com's focus on gay weddings offers a closer look into Real Weddings around the world, as well as engagement stories, a socially interactive community and Local Resources, a vetted marketplace rich with gay-friendly wedding vendors.

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