This way to Oli+Ve!

Another different kind of review! This might be long šŸ™‚

My sister and I went to this place on Canton Street (Roswell) called Oli+Ve! We were fooled because this place is way bigger than it looks from the front of the building on Canton Street! Oli+Ve has a wide and diverse variety of Extra Virgin Olive OilsĀ (EVOO) and Vinegar. We walked in with the intention of looking around and getting a few extra steps on our Fitbits on a Saturday afternoon, but were immediately fascinated by all the amazing things they have in this store!

The store is an old farmhouse that has been converted into small little areas with specialties of their own. The “lobby” contains some oils and some products made with pure EVOO – sugar scrubs, lotions, etc.There is an Olive Oil room, a Balsamic Vinegar room, a room with butters (almond, cashew, etc.) and sun-dried tomato paste. As we walked through the rooms, we were able to taste all of the different oils and vinegar and even put combinations together! One of the customers there was very kind to give us some recommendations and also ideas about giving these products to people as gifts.

There are times when you may or may not know if the host of the dinner party you’re attendingĀ drinks wine or not. We’ve never run into this because everyone we know drinks wine and then some. šŸ˜‰ However, in such a situation, these oils and vinegar would make for splendid gifts! One of the rooms also has pre-made gift bags with small samples of oils and vinegar bottles!

As we were about to walk out of the store, the gentleman at the front desk offered to give us some background about the store and make some pairings for us to taste. He was very good at selling these oils and vinegar because each of us walked out with about $30 worth of product! He was very knowledgeable about the oils and how they paired with the balsamic options and gave us the 2 pairings we left with. My sister bought the Cilantro and Onion Oil and the Peach White Balsamic because the combination of those on a salad or chicken would be phenomenal! I bought the Basil Oil with the Strawberry Balsamic for the Strawberry Fields salads I have been making lately. We were both so impressed by the gentleman working at the store; I wish I could remember his name!

Finally, as we were checking out, he told us about different events and classes held at Oli+Ve and theĀ  frequent buyer program as well. We both will definitely return to this store and try out many more combinations! Who knows, I might even buy these for my next dinner party instead of the bottle of wine šŸ˜‰

  Roswell
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Farm to Ladle… to Mouth

Iā€™ve been meaning to try Farm to Ladle for a little while and finally made it here on St. Patrickā€™s Day. Not because it was planned, but because Farm to Ladle was the only place without a wait or line. Two of my friends and I walked in and were told around 8:30 PM that everything was ā€œto-goā€ and they were closing for the evening. So, each of us ordered a soup and salad combo with a beer and walked outside to eat on their patio tables.

The food was pretty good. I got the Avacado Caprese sandwich with the Tomato Basil Bisque soup. The sandwich was very satisfying and the fresh mozzarella in it was juicy and delicious! The soup was a little thicker than Iā€™d like (could have been the last bit from the day), but the flavor was creamy and rich!

My friends both got the Turkey Rueben Cuban and raved ab Ā  out the sandwich. We did all agree, though, that the sandwiches seem a bit pricey for what they are; we also ordered a beer each so that upped our bill for sure! One of them got the Kale Caesar Salad which looked amazing and fresh. She enjoyed the salad very much and if I can remember correctly, she wanted me to include in my re
view that ā€œthe kale salad is legit!ā€ My other friend got the Corned Beef and Cabbage soup which to me, looked shady, but she enjoyed it very much! She had just been telling us how her mom wasnā€™t making Corned Beef and Cabbage this year which was unusual and disappointing because she makes it every year; so, this soup might have been that annual fix that she needed! šŸ™‚

Overall, Farm to Ladle is a pretty good option if you are looking for a quick lunch or snack, but there are other sandwich places in the area that serve similar options with a smaller price tag.

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Review – Four Fat Cows, One Happy Camper!

By Ally L – Yelp Review

So maybe we will have ice cream weather going forward or we may have a snowstorm. With Georgia, you never really know, but since we don’t know, it’s best to prepare! So, here we are with our first guest review from our very dear friend Jennifer Huang about Four Fat Cows, a local ice cream shop in Alpharetta. Enjoy!

If you are craving a delicious large creamy portion of ice cream, then this is your spot. Four Fat Cows is located in downtown Alpharetta within walking distance to Alpharetta’s favorite downtown restaurants. It’s in a prime downtown location and close to the City Hall parking deck, which providesĀ perfect motivation to walk to the store. They have a few tables outside and inside the store. They have an abundance of ice cream flavors and of course you can ask for tasters. I love that their ice cream is not too sweet but super flavorful. I love their mint chocolate ice cream. Honestly anything is delicious but Iā€™d highly recommend one of their sundae options. We tried the strawberry shortcake and it was DELICIOUS. Warning! The portions are huge but it is perfect for a treat on a hot summer day. They also sell toys, and other product that makes it interesting to browse while you decide which ice cream to devour.

Last labor day when it was 80 degrees, I tried to satisfy my craving of ice cream only to find out that they were closed for the season, but the good news is you can order their ice cream as pints. For me, itā€™s not the same. I guess I need to wait for summer to come again.

By Kristie B – Yelp Review

Rumor is they are opening March 20thĀ  with a new menu!

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Review Time: Bezoria – Delicious Mediterranean!

There are not many options for Mediterranean cuisine in Alpharetta; certainly not ones that come close to Bezoria in pr

Meat, oh so good!
Chipotle meets Mediterranean

ice and quality!

My husband and I went to Bezoria for a late lunch on a Sunday and enjoyed everything till the last bite! Located on Old Milton Parkway across from Avalon, Bezoria is in a very central and desirable location. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated and spacious. Once you walk in, you come up to a Chipotle-like station where you can pick and choose your type of meal and ingredients that go into it. You can create a sandwich in a Pita or Saj Bread (flatbread), a salad or a bowl with your choice of meat, vegetables or falafel. Then add on the slaw, onions and a number of other toppings! Finally, pick your sauce and devour your impeccable creation! Want to know more? Read on below!

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Second Phase of Avalon Opening in One Month!

Hey Alpharetta Foodie Fans! First of all, our sincerest apologies for being missing for a while. The Holidays took over, then we had some family birthdays, then some vacation, but fear not, we’re back! To kick us off, I want to write about one of the most famous Alpharetta places, Avalon, and some very exciting things we have joining our city soon!

Maybe you have heard by now, but if not, Avalon is opening its Phase II development in just over a month from now on April 13th. What’s joining Avalon you ask? Oh, you know, the usual… 8 new restaurants, 12 new retailers, and a new office building with the main tenant being Microsoft.

Join us as we break down in the next section for what’s coming soon to Avalon!

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Old Varsity Site Slated for Krog Street-Like Development

I have to admit, I really enjoyed the Varsity in Alpharetta. For under $5, I could get two awesome naked dogs, the greasiest fries in the south,Ā and a cold Coke. I didn’t go very often, but it always was there to fill in that all too frequent craving I’d have for junk-food. As the years went on, it was clear to see the Varsity was hardly getting a fraction of customers it used to and it’s eventual demise came as many expected. I do miss them, but I’ve hoped the torn down site would be replaced with something even better.

Speaking of tearing down, was it just me or was the Varsity torn downĀ really fast? It’s not unusual for failed restaurants to sit empty for a long time so this was a special surprise. Turns out this was because the site already has plans for a new development.

Whaddya have!? Whaddya have!? Whaddya have?!

“I’ll take two naked dogs, and a piece of Krog Street Market please.”

Read more for the details on what is coming soon to Alpharetta!

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Coming Soon: the LOCAL wood fired grill to Windward Village Plaza

img_20161017_181918Windward Parkway has a lot of strip centers along it, so I’ll forgive anyone who doesn’t immediately recall which one is “Windward Village Plaza.” For thoseĀ without photographic memories, it’s the little center on the south side of Windward that used to house zpizza and the recently closed Starbucks which moved next door to get a drive thru and bigger patio.

So what’s new to Windward Village Plaza? We don’t know much yet, but a building permit was recently issued and a sign went up for the LOCAL wood fired grill (not sure if capitalization is right…. just matching the sign.) They are renovating the old zpizza and all we know right now is that the new restaurant will definitely include a bar and this doesn’t appear to be a part of a chain. (Plenty of that already on Windward.)

Stay tuned and we’ll get you more info and a review once the LOCAL is open! We’re predicting a rather quick opening given hey have patio furniture already.

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Sippin’ on Tea at Urban Tea

img_20161001_120617Last weekend, Daniel and I came across this tiny little place right next to Which-Wich on Windward Parkway called Urban Tea. Both Daniel and I are fans of flavored tea so we decided to check it out. The place is very small, but absolutely adorable. There is a front area with about 113 loose leaf teas and a back room where they hold tea parties and events on weekends. The teas are sold either hot or cold as per your liking and they also have scones to enjoy with the teas.

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A Different Kind of Review: The Velvet Note

Alright folks, we have a bit of a different review for you today. It’s not a restaurant, but you can eat here. It’s not a bar, but you can drink here. It’s Alpharetta’s own Velvet Note which has been recognizedimg_20160925_222017 time and time again as one of Atlanta’s best Jazz Venues. We went to the Velvet Note last week to see Roman Street perform (our 5th time here, and 5th time seeing them at the Velvet Note) and as

usual the experience was excellent.

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