New West's New Bands Kickoff AthFest

Athfest Kickoff party preview:
This Thursday at the 40 Watt, for the official Athfest Kickoff Party, New West Records is bringing our three new young bands, straight out of Houston, TX....Buxton, Wild Moccasins, and Robert Ellis. Collectively, these young guns are at the forefront of the newly re-budding Bayou City music scene. The best rock, pop, and country that H-town has to offer, transplanted to Athens for one night. And let us not forget, the party will be topped off by a late night DJ set/dance party by Immuzikation.

Buxton

Buxton's music is difficult to put in a box and neatly classify. Great harmonies, haunting melodies, and top notch instrumentation are staples in their set. There are hints of Phosphorescent and Bonnie Prince Billy in Sergio Trevino's vocal inflections. Their forthcoming record (to be released this fall), contains songs that evoke feelings of My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, and Fleet Foxes. Buxton will begin blowing folks' minds around 10:00 or 10:30 on Thursday.

 

Wild Moccasins

Wild Moccasins are up next, and their lively, dance-y take on pop-rock will be the perfect formula to keep the party going. Co-fronted by the girlfriend/boyfriend duo of Zahira Gutierrez and Cody Swann, the Mocs will remind you at least a little bit of Vampire Weekend...or maybe what the B-52s were like in their youth. The band will be fresh off the release of their New West debut Skin Collisions Past, which will be available on both CD and vinyl at the show.

Robert Ellis

Robert Ellis & The Boys are set to bring the house down in the headlining slot. Dust off your boots, but remain prepared to rock as well. And remain prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor a few times after witnessing the musical mastery of Wil's pedal steel solos, along side Robert and Kelly's guitar solos. At only 22, Robert may be a modern day Gram Parsons in the making...come see for yourselves on Thursday. And keep your eyes peeled for Robert's upcoming album, Photographs, which comes out 7/5.

In The Kitchen: Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Get ready to be amazed. After making these I found myself wondering how I lived without them for so long. I am salty over sweet girl any day of the week, and I love any sweet that has a hint of saltiness. These nutty, little bites of deliciousness are perfect, and make a kiddie snack seem all grown up. Rice Krispie Treats are a great hot, humid southern summer dessert, because you don't need to turn on the oven. Hallelujah!

This recipe is stolen from Smitten Kitchen:

1 stick unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan

1 10-ounce bag marshmallows

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea sal

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box) Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 9x12 with 2-inch sides.

Melt that whole stick of butter. Stir constantly as the butter bubbles and then begins to take on a golden brown color and smell nutty. Don't let the butter burn.

Once the butter is browned, take off the heat and stir in the marshmallows. I prefer the minis. Add the Rice Krispies and Salt

Put in your dish. Using some waxed paper really helps force it into the nooks and crannies.

These won't last long...

The Buddy was a big fan.

What is that lovely pan, you ask? I swear by Staub cookware. Their cocottes are not only beautiful  (i have a stack on display in the kitchen), but they are fairly non-stick and can be put in the dishwasher - I'll take another Hallelujah on that.

Midsummer Night Dream

While I am a bit confused by the name - "Midsummer Music & Food Festival" - seeing that the summer solstice hasn't even happened yet, I am really excited about hanging out in Candler Park on Saturday. The fledgling Atlanta Food Truck scene will be in full force. They finally found a place in the ATL where they are allowed to sell grub. I plan on sampling goodness from all 20 trucks. One truck is a Jalapeno Corndog Truck. Come to Mama!

I am a huge sucker for braised, shredded meats. I can't wait to try Tex's Tacos Pulled Pork BBQ taco. The Pastor Quesadilla is rather enticing too. I have a feeling Mr. Fonty will get the BBQ tacos, so I can steal a bite. This is why I married him.

YUMBII looks pretty interesting too. Korean BBQ/Mexican fusion? This could be great or crash & burn. I can never deny a fish taco though.

The food is what is drawing me, but it's the music that has Mr. Fonty in attendance. One of his bands, Ponderosa, is playing. Meet them here:

Dr. Dog is the 3rd band up, and they are one of my favorites. Mr. Fonty and I saw them a couple years ago at Tasty World here in Athens when New West was courting them. They are pret- ty great. JJ Grey and Robert Randolph round out the last 2 sets. Not sure if I will be up to marching after a day of gluttony in the sun, but stranger things have happened...

And the real reason I am looking forward to Atlanta, I get to spend the day with my sweet goddaughter. I know what you're thinking. Yes, she is in fact the cutest thing around.

Happy Weekend!

Gems Of Etsy: Silhouette Blue

I am a huge Etsy lover. However, among all the unique, one of kind pieces I am convinced I can't live without, there is a lot of horrifyingly ugly merchandise. I've taken it upon myself to feature the gems of Etsy.

Our inaugural seller is the stationary site Silhouette Blue.

I ordered all my wedding stationary from this site (with 305 wedding invitations, I ordered a lot of thank you notes), and could not have been happier. The stationary arrives in cute ribbon tied boxes - a great idea for gift giving. All of the stationary colors can be customized. I matched my stationary to our wedding invitations. It was an inexpensive way to make everything feel custom. The delivery is remarkably fast too. Most of the sets are $25 for 16 cards+envelopes. Can't get much better than that!

Some of my favorites:
Mr. Fonty and I are thanking our wedding guests with this little number (I know, so manly. I am sure he is thrilled):

I customized this note for my pre-wedding thank you notes. The font perfectly matched our wedding invitations (I'm kind of jelaous of the name: Olympia Biddeford. So regal):

Invitations too! I would love to use these for a backyard engagement party:What a cute wedding gift idea!

A Bicycle Made For Two

I spent some time with great friends in Venice, CA a few months ago. I've always said I could never live in LA. It felt like Atlanta on steroids and my closet would always feel inferior. However, after spending an afternoon in Venice, I was hooked.

As with any hipster town, Athens is a bike friendly city, but most people ride vintage Schwinns picked up at a local Goodwill. In LA the bike is a fashion statement - fancy and stylish.

Linus Bikes,based in Venice, make some of the best looking rides I've ever seen. Founded by 2 South African guys, I can stand behind anything with this description "LINUS is the utilitarian, city bike… simple and reliable but with a personality and style that makes you feel like you’re in an old French movie… you’re floating a little from the wine you drank at lunch… maybe instead of going back to the office you’ll take a nap under a tree, go for a swim in the sea or drop by your lover’s house…" Yes, Please!

If I didn't think I would find a homeless man on Clayton Street singing a serenade to my bike after stealing it, I might consider getting one. I guess there is a reason Athenians get cheap rides.

Linus Lust:

The Classic RoadsterThe Dutchi

And no bike is complete without hip accessories. I like the un-cutesyness of these bags from Acorn Bags. We don't all need to look like The Von Trapp Family Singers when cruising around town.
Roll Bag Giving new meaning to Saddle Bags

This adorable ticking stripe Handlebar Bag from DNTX has straps to double as a purse. Genius! $95