Out and About

Jacket: Levi's Slimfit Trucker Jacket (similar) - Hoodie: J.Crew Cotton-cashmere zip - Jeans: Levi's 511 - Shoes: Asics Onitsuka Tiger (similar) - Glasses: Ray-Ban Meteor

Matthew, Party for One

I've always had this fantasy of moving to a big city, knowing basically no one, where I can dine and go to movies and whatnot alone. I'm obviously very social and I love my friends more than anything, but sometimes it's refreshing to do things solo.

The other night, I had a date with one of my favorite people: me. I went to a little restaurant called Slider Bar located in The Castro, the gay district (or the gayest I guess). After enjoying the Club Med, D Lux, and Hot Chick, I was pretty damn full. Okay - I had a few beers and side of fries, too. Don't judge!

After I paid my bill and rolled out (I don't mean in a cool black way; I mean in a fat ass way) I decided to take a little stroll to burn off some calories (because clearly burning off 40 calories by walking for 30 minutes totally justifies the 2000 I ate). By happenstance (or possibly because I had seen it there earlier) I walked past a Creme Brulee truck. OMG. Amazeing. Delicious. Cellulite!

There were several flavors but I stuck with plain old Vanilla Bean - why not start with the original. As I sat outside with the "Brothers and Sisters" lights above my head enjoying French music lightly playing in the background (yes there really was French music) I realized: this is what life is all about. It was so romantic and peaceful and just...nice. Then I was mildly accosted by a homeless person (they're everywhere) and I was brought back to reality. Still lovely though.

Friday Finds: Happy Fatz Hotdogs

In the Houston area? Hungry? Hotdogs it is. How delicious do these look? I mean...

I'm trying to post more relevant info for my out of town readers, and I think Houston is a great place to start. My friend, Michael, is a newbie to the area, and I'm so jealous because he gets to try out all of these great new eateries. He and our friend Matt recently went here, and when he sent me the pictures, my mouth instantly started watering. Yum!

Happy Fatz Specialty Dogs

All dogs are ¼ pound Hebrew National Kosher Beef
                 Served with your choice of kettle chips, slaw, or fresh fruit

Happy Fatz Dog- $7
            Tomato, onion, bacon, cheddar, dill pickle, yellow mustard & Happy Fatz Seasoning 

Texas Chili – $8
            Homemade Shiner Bock chili, onions, cheddar, fritos
Baron Van-Ratchet- $7
            Happy Fatz sauerkraut, spicy mustard, crunchy pretzel topping on soft pretzel bun
Al Capone (Chicago style)- $7
            Fresh onion, tomato, dill pickle, relish, sport pepper, yellow mustard, celery salt
Philly Dog- $7
            Grilled onions, peppers and mushrooms and melted provolone
Slaw Dog Millionaire- $7
            Coleslaw, bacon, red cabbage, celery salt
The Clucker- $8
            Hash browns, bacon, grilled onion, fried egg cooked over easy, secret clucker sauce
St. Louis- $8
            Happy Fatz special baked beans, bacon, grilled onions, basil garlic mayo
Perro De Mexico- $8
            Happy Fatz special charro beans, sour cream, fresh avocado, fresh pico de gallo, cilantro, queso fresco, salsa verde, rolled in a tortilla
Lotus Blossom - $7
            Fresh spinach, red cabbage, Happy Fatz white cheddar pimento cheese on a jalapeno bun
Ricky Ricardo- $8
            Panini style hot dog with ham, provolone, dill pickle, honey Dijon mustard
The Godfather- $8
            Panini style hot dog with roasted red pepper, purple onion, pepperoni, provolone, olive tampenade

Talenti Gelato

Mmm...I loooove Talenti gelato. It's now become one of those nightly guilty pleasures...

Since moving out of my house, I've been temporarily staying with my friends, Ryan and Danielle, who were gracious enough to take me in (allowing me to avoid the commute to/from Gonzales where a lot of my things are). Since they live within walking distance, I've been picking up a lot of dinners from Whole Foods. While it may not be the most cost effective option...I love it. My favorite thing has become grabbing an iced tea from Starbucks, then running into Whole Foods for a fresh salad with chicken and quinoa and enjoying my dinner on their outside patio.

The point of this post: when we were shopping for dinner one night, my friend, Ryan introduced me to this gelato that's sold there. There are tons of flavors, but so far my favorite is the Sicilian Pistachio. Two spoonfuls a night and I'm good to go. I have a major sweet tooth, and that does the trick. Next time you're at Whole Foods check them out - I promise you'll love them!

Men's Fashion - Burlap Keds

I juuust got these in from Keds.com, and I love them! They're the burlap or "Heavy Weave" style Keds, and I couldn't be more satisfied. I've owned burlap TOMs before, but those fell apart pretty quickly. Even though I've only had these for a few days, I can already tell that they'll hold up much much better.

What I like about these Keds, as well as most other styles, is that they're subtle but still fun. It usually takes people a second to realize they're Keds, but once they do the reactions always the same: "Oh I love Keds! I used to wear the red/blue/white ones growing up!" I got these on double sale and they were only $19 with free shipping. Umm..yeah. I'll take 'em!

Bonobos!

"We started Bonobos to solve a simple problem: men’s pants just don’t fit well. They’re either too tight to be comfortable or too baggy to look good. But by innovating in a few key areas, we’ve developed a fit that actually looks and feels great for a wide variety of men."

Simple enough, right? I'd say so, and beyond pants, they've created great fitting jeans, shirts, sweaters, and suits. Other than the fit, I love the detailing on their clothing - specifically the shorts' back pockets. You can see in the first picture, how just a touch of the inside pocket detailing comes through when you have the pants on. You'd be surprised, but people notice...so I guess if you don't want people staring/commenting on your butt you maybe shouldn't wear them?

Check out their AMAZING shorts and everything else here. (and as a side note - I find that their shorts tend to run a tad small)

Friday Finds - Warby Parker (Re-Post)

Everyone knows TOMS for their "One for One mission" where, when you buy a pair of TOMS, a pair is given to a child in need...and they're cute. Recently, I was introduced to another company with a similar story, and I obviously couldn't go without sharing! The company is called Warby Parker, and I am on the verge of obsession. Please note: The style of these glasses are a dream come true for any hipster or vintage/old school dresser. Beware.

Just like TOMS, for every pair Warby Parker sells, a pair of glasses is donated to someone in need. These are prescription glasses! So they must be really expensive, right? No! Both their optical and prescription sunwear collections are only $95 dollars! I've never heard of such a thing! Here's what you do. If there's no store near you (NY, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Boston, Portland, Austin, Oklahoma City), then you can do what I have to do - order a few "try on" pairs for FREE. You can go online and select up to 5 frames you want to try on at your house. They'll ship them to you for free, you can take your time trying them on, then ship them back...for free. If you found a pair you like, let them know and send them your prescription. Within a few days, you'll get your super chic Warby Parkers in the mail...all for only $95 dollars.

I hope you guys are as excited about this as I am. I think this is one of the coolest things ever. I already have my eyes set on the Sinclairs and the Roosevelts. Can't wait!

Buzz Cafe'

I love The Buzz Cafe'! I recently went for a work lunch and had an absolutely great experience. It's located on at 340 Florida St. in downtown Baton Rouge in a really cool building. Tables made out of old doors and vintage iron chandeliers only add to the charm of the overall space...not to mention the food. You should check it out next time you're downtown for lunch!

FatCow Burgers

 

 

Well, I had another post planned for today, but I accidentally deleted it after reverse happy hour last night.

FatCow. I'm really not sure how to begin a post that involves one of my favorite things in all of Baton Rouge. This is a new burger place located on Highland near the LSU Ave. intersection (next to Drunken Fish), and their food is nothing less than...well...perfection. Their burgers like the 120 or the Napa are my favorites, and since you can sub the meat for salmon, chicken, or portabello mushrooms, nothing ever seems to get old. And don't even get me started on their duck fat and parmesan fries. Even their salads are great if you're looking for a healthier option.

I've never had anything I didn't love here, and I could not recommend it enough. Now is a great time to check it out, too! They have a shady outside seating area with fans and misters, and after you eat your burger and fries, you can continue to enjoy the patio with one of their DE-licious shakes.

Here are a few of my favorites from the menu:

FUJI APPLE SALAD · $7.99
- Spring mix, sliced Fuji apples, shaved Parmesan cheese, apple smoked bacon, and toasted walnuts with roasted onion balsamic vinaigrette.

THE 120 BURGER · PETITE–$7.75 REGULAR–$8.75
- A toasted bun with a hand ground angus burger topped with Benton’s apple smoked bacon, Gruyere cheese, caramelized onion, fresh arugula, sliced tomato and horseradish mayonnaise

NAPA BURGER · PETITE–$7.75 REGULAR–$8.75
- Sliced Pear, red onion marmalade, goat cheese and fresh arugula

THE SICILIAN BURGER · PETITE–$7.75 REGULAR–$8.75
- Piled high with fresh basil, tomatoes and sliced mozzarella then lightly broiled and finished with balsamic vinegar.

SMOKE STACK BURGER · PETITE–$7.75 REGULAR–&8.75
- Smoked Cheddar cheese, Benton’s apple smoked bacon, fried onion straws, lettuce and tomato, drizzled with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.

Friday Finds - Archipelago (Stonehenge)

Friday is here! OMG it couldn't have come soon enough. This has been quite a week, but one thing that has kept me sane is this candle. Relaxing in my temporary apartment with a glass of wine, chill music, and this candle burning have done wonders. I LOVE the Archipelago line probably more than any other candle. Their scents fill up a room with ease, and they burn beautifully - not as smokey as Tyler candles for example. My favorite scent has always been Havana, but Jeri recently introduced this one (Stonehenge) to me. This may sound weird, but it kind of has a guy's apartment smell. No, not dirty laundry...just like...a manly scent? IDK. Either way - if you haven't checked out this line, I highly suggest it. They're amazing!

Friday Finds - La Boulangerie French Bakery

From open faced portabella sandwiches complete with a pesto mayo and caramelized onions to apple walnut and cream cheese danishes, La Boulangerie French Bakery, located at 4600 Magazine St. has it all. The impact of the aroma that hit us when we walked in was only trumped by the first bite of the apricot preserve danish that we bought. I was in heaven. I LIVE for starting my Saturdays by walking down the street for early morning coffee, a yummy (and fattening) breakfast, with a good book to read...and lots of people to watch. La Boulangerie is perfect for all.

If you're in New Orleans this weekend (and near the 46 hundred block of Magazine) I cannot recommend this place enough. In fact, let me know if you go - I have a to-go order I'll need you to pick up for me!

Friday Finds - The Creole Creamery

The Creole Creamery! I have to tell you, this hit the spot as we were in New Orleans just finishing up the best fried chicken in the city...according to the Food Network. (sound weird, but I'll explain in a later Friday Finds post) We visited the Uptown location of The Creole Creamery since Taylor lived right around the corner (and we were staying there).

I loved this place. It was typical New Orleans - kind of hole in the wall, nothing too fancy, cash only, and totally delicious. Per suggestion, I got the flavor, Nectar...something-or-other. It was sweet, simple, with a very mild flavor. On the other hand, I also tasted the flavor, Red Velvet Cake. Holy Sh Moly!! with chunks of REAL red velvet cake, it was bold and exciting. I was in heaven.

Check the out. Scroll across the this to check out their website!

Friday Finds - Wesley Bonner Photography

Happy Friday! Are you looking forward to the weekend as much as I am? Good Lord, I'm exhausted. The only thing that's keeping me going is knowing that I'll have 3...or 5 lbs. of crawfish with my name on them tonight! (btw - the spell checker wanted to change "crawfish" to crayfish". Where is this thing FROM?)

On to the find...

I met Wesley (above picture) via Facebook a while ago, and after chatting we discovered that we had a lot of similar interests. He's 25 years old (like me) and finishing up his last year in grad school (mmm...not like me). One passion that we both share, and the topic of this post, is photography - although we explore it through different avenues. I take pictures of mostly stationary objects. It's super hard for me to capture something in the moment without having the whole image come out cheesy or one big blurry mess. Wesley, on the other hand, has been doing freelance photography for over two years, and takes on much more ambitious projects: weddings, engagements pictures, family portraits, head shots, corporate/business images, etc.

Per my request, Wesley sent over a few images that I could use to sample of his work for my Friday Find. Photography is so important - especially for a wedding. Capturing moments from the most significant day(s) of peoples' lives is something I could NEVER take on. In fact, I've been asked before about my interest in wedding photography, and my answer is always the same: I love you, I'm flattered, but I don't think my blood pressure can handle it. Wesley seems to have no problems though. BTW - top right picture...is that not the best picture EVER?

Obviously, I recommend his services (otherwise he wouldn't be my Friday Find)! If you're interested in quotes or have questions about his services, please don't hesitate to contact him! 

wesleybonner1@gmail.com

Friday Finds - Capri Blue Candles

Is there an Anthropologie near you? There should be. Why? Because you NEED this candle. The brand is Capri Blue and the scent in Volcano (one of my favorites). Usually, the candle comes in a blue container, but Beau found the scent in in Mercury glass jar at Anthropologie In Perkins Rowe. I love it. The best part is that the candle actually serves it's purpose. There's nothing more annoying than buying a candle with a great scent that does absolutely nothing when lit. This candle's scent will fill up your entire house...if it's 1200 sq.ft. like mine.

Happy Friday!

Friday Finds - Caldrea's Countertop Cleanser

Happy Friday! It certainly is for me. I took off from work, so I'm looking at a day filled with fun projects, time with the danes, and hopefully a little exercise. Topic of today's discussion: Caldrea's Countertop Cleanser. We first ran across this at Beau's sister, Laurel's house, and we thought it was so neat. Upon further research, we found out that similar to the Mrs. Meyer's line, Caldrea has a whole line of household cleaning tools and products. Now, I can't speak for all of the scents, but we and Laurel have Ginger Pomelo, and it smells sooo good. Just like Mrs. Meyer's, these products are less harsh, don't have a chemical smell, and are way cuter. If you're looking to pick some up, I know it's available at Goodwood Hardware in Baton Rouge (of all places) Outside of BR - you're guess is as good as mine, but it's worth the search!!