Friday Favorites: No. 246, Goat Farm, and More!

Happy Friday!

I have exciting news to share. In the next couple of weeks, I’ll be redesigning my website with a shiny new logo and layout! Basically giving this three year old blog a big makeover. The logo was designed by Kenan Hill, the same talented woman behind my headshots, and it’s so pretty! Sneak a peek at the logo below. The other thing that will be changing soon is how I do Friday Favorites. Once the website changes are complete I plan on adding a Friday newsletter. Expect to find weekend happenings and discounts for tickets and events!

I’ll be honest, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed this week and almost didn’t do a Friday Favorites but couldn’t resist sharing some of the amazing things going on. On that note, let’s get to it!

Favorite food photo: this maple duck dish with tamarind sauce at 26 Thai Kitchen & Bar.

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Duck yeah I enjoyed this duck dish at 26 Thai. Crispy maple duck with tamarind sauce and green apples on top. The restaurant itself is lovely and I can't wait to go back! Hope this helps with any last min Sunday supper plans you're trying to make!

A post shared by Lia Picard (@liapicard) on Mar 19, 2017 at 4:58pm PDT

26 Thai isn’t like any other Thai place I’ve been to in Atlanta. You’ll find the standard Thai offerings like Pad Thai and various curries, but the menu goes beyond that. Order one of the dishes in the “Main” category and you won’t be disappointed. The duck was lovely, but Jon’s kao-ka-moo was even better with fall-off-the-bone pork and incredible spices. Don’t pass on the street-style pork appetizer, especially because it comes with one of my favorite Thai sides, sticky rice.

26 Thai Kitchen & Bar is adjacent to Lindbergh Station at 541 Main ST Atlanta GA 30324. It’s a beautiful space with spacious seating, high ceilings, and gorgeous Thai decor. Rumor has it the drinks are good, too!

Favorite piece of food news Beloved food truck, Buena Gente, will be gracing Piedmont Park’s green market with their Cuban goodies every OTHER Saturday.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIS5ULPgdIL/?taken-by=liapicard

Cuban food will always hold a special place in this South Floridian’s heart so I was pretty excited when I first tried their goodies. I particularly enjoy their spinach empanadas and have been known to buy a guava pastelito from time to time.

Favorite foodlanthropy: No. 246’s fundraiser benefitting their sous chef, Jason Fisher, and The Giving Kitchen. Fisher is just 29 and has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time. This is sad on sooo many levels. The fundraiser comes to us in the form of a potluck bringing together some of the best chefs in the Atlanta community, including Anne Quatrano of Star Provisions, Nick Melvin of Venkman’s, Chris Hall of Local Three, and Justin & Jonathan Fox. A ton more chefs are participating, you can find out more here.

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Go to No. 246 for brunch and order the ricotta fritters with seasonal jam and lemon curd… Then thank me later. 😉 They're kind of like doughnut holes so I would say they fall under my jurisdiction 😂

A post shared by Lia Picard (@liapicard) on Dec 17, 2016 at 8:03am PST

No. 246 is a favorite of ours. We’ve dined at the chef’s counter twice and afternoons spent in Decatur typically start with brunch at No. 246. So while I don’t know Jason personally I still feel compelled to offer them whatever support I can give. The potluck is free to attend, but No. 246 suggests a $40 donation per person. Think about what you’re getting for $40! It’s not just about the food, but the food will be good. Whether you plan on attending or not I hope you’ll join me in making a donation to his Go Fund Me account.

Favorite purchase: this cool painting I bought from Lauren Betty Art last Friday. I met my friend Katie for happy hour and then on a whim decided to go with her to the Goat Farm Arts Center for its open studios weekend. I’m so glad I did because I found this beautiful piece, and connected with so many great local artists.

If you’re not familiar with the Goat Farm, it’s a really cool multi-use space hiding on the Westside. Artists have studios there, but there’s also a performance space and event venue. Follow their Facebook page for more updates about plays, exhibits, and such!

Favorite new activity: yoga at Dancing Dogs Yoga. I’m not really a yoga gal, but I could be one day (maybe?) plus I love learning about new things to do in our community so when Shelley, the founder of DDY, invited me to take a class how could I say no? I took Sunday class at noon which was a great time to do it – my morning grocery shopping was done, and I was ready for lunch after.

Photo taken by Shelley Lowther. Can you see me all the way in the back not following directions? #modelstudent

The studio was sunny, warm, and spacious, far from cramped. Shelley owns another studio in Savannah, GA along with a juice bar, Beetnix, and plans on bringing the juice bar concept to the soon-to-be BeltLine location of DDY. I did get to sample a couple of her juices, though, and I’m still thinking about them! Particularly the basil lemonade. Tangy but a little sweet and very refreshing. Be warned: this class leaves you SWEATY! Pricing info here.

What’s on deck for everyone this weekend? I have some tasty eats lined up including Foundation Social Eatery in Roswell and Southern Baked Pie in Buckhead. Oh, and can’t forget about the Junior League of Atlanta’s Tour of Kitchens! It’s my favorite JLA fundraiser and never disappoints.