Tis' the Season to GIVE!

It's that time of year for Christmas tree decorating, cookie baking, and LOTS of holiday cheer, but many people this year are truly struggling to provide for themselves and their families. What better way to celebrate this year than to give to those who really need it!  This year, Matt and I decided to skip the gifts to eachother and donate to the kiddies at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. After an afternoon at Target and a cart filled with Crayola Crayons, Barbies, and Tonka Trucks, we were happier than we could have ever been receiving presents from one another! Do what you can to help people in need this year, whether it is donating your time, cans of soup, toys for children, or $5! For information on how you can give back to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, please visit http://www.choa.org, and download their wishlists!

Restaurant Review: Veni Vidi Vici

Another AMAZING Buckhead Life Group Restaurant! My family and I have been big fans of their entire fleet of restaurants for years, but have never tried Veni Vidi Vici before last week, and we are so glad we did! Although the parking situation is a little tricky and currently under construction, you forget about that the second you walk into the restaurant. Located in the heart of Midtown, the warm atmosphere and tuscan-style layout makes you feel like you're right in the heart of Italy! We began our night with a bottle of wine, homemade bread, crispy calamari, and steamed mussels with spicy tomatoes, chicpeas, and sambuca (my personal favorite!) We proceeded our appetizers with some amazing entrees, including the Farfalle and Rigatoni (shown on right), and Zuppa di Mare, which was a medley of mussels, clams, prawns, scallops, and tomato lobster broth. The authentic Italian dishes, amazing service, and warm atmosphere made it a new family favorite!

Recipe: Blackberry Cobbler

Blackberry Cobbler

Recipe Courtesy of Sandra Lee

2 pounds frozen blackberries, thawed

1 cup sugar plus more for dusting

3 tablespoons instant tapioca

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 (7.75-ounce) packet butter biscuit mix

3/4 cup cream soda, divided

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 (4-inch) ramekins with butter flavored cooking spray and set aside.

In a bowl, combine thawed blackberries, tapioca, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of cream soda and sugar. Transfer to ramekins, filling about 2/3 of the way up.

In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix and remaining cream soda. Mix until well blended. Sprinkle biscuit mix over berries, making sure it covers the majority of the top. Dust with sugar and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm and messy!

Blowing Out the Candles

I wanted to thank everyone for all the warm birthday wishes and love I've received over the past few days! I have been so lucky and thankful for my friends and family, and am really grateful for every opportunity and obstacle that God has given to me. I've learned a lot this past year, but I think the one true realization that I've come to is that life is too short and precious to sweat the small stuff. This upcoming year, I hope to remember to be grateful and live life to the fullest, capturing and living in every moment, because we truly only have one life to live.

Restaurant Review: Sushi House

For my recent birthday celebration, I decided to try Sushi House in Buckhead with two of my best girlfriends. Voted City's Best Sushi in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, we had to check it out! We started our night with a glass of wine and an order of their spring rolls for an appetizer, which came out hot and flavorful! We ordered an array of sushi, as you see above, and decided to try a little bit of everything, which I didn't mind at all! My favorite roll was the Kamikaze roll (shown on left), filled with crab, shrimp tempora, cream cheese, topped with tuna and eel. Oh so yummy! We also tried some of the spicy tuna rolls and crunchy rolls (shown on right) which consisted of a spicy tuna roll, topped with a spicy mayo and additional tuna with lots of crunchies! With two locations in Orlando and Atlanta, it is a definite hidden gem in this city!