Skate the Square and Politan Row – Lunch with Lauren

by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection

Do people keep popping into town and you’re running out of places to take them? Do the kids have cabin fever? Skate the Square and Politan Row at Colony Square is your answer. Colony Square is in Midtown and the skating rink is surrounded by some of the city’s best restaurants.… Read More »

Yao Is A Yes!

Lunch with friends makes any meal better, but Yao doesn’t even need the help. Fans of the bustling Tum Pok Pok will love the upscale, refined Yao. Adidsara Weerasin and Taya Denmark opened Tum Pok Pok while waiting on the build-out for Yao and both are such gems. 

Yao offers lunch, dinner, and now a dim sum brunch.… Read More »

Head to Cattle Shed

Have you been to Halcyon yet? It’s a quick drive up 400 in Alpharetta off McFarland Parkway. In warmer weather, people flock to the Big Creek Greenway trailhead situated at Halcyon and enjoy the open-air shopping and dining. In addition to a food hall that has a Gu’s, there are many restaurants for any mood or taste.… Read More »

Thanksgiving Wine Suggestions

Start Thanksgiving by clinking a flute of bubbles. Zardetto Extra Dry Prosecco Rose 2020 is around $15. It is very well balanced with just enough acidity to make it perfect for appetizers and soft cheeses.

 

White Wines
Tonnino Mediterraneo is a moderately priced Chenin Blanc from Italy. Chenin Blanc is a popular turkey pairing because of its citrusy notes, but this version adds enough minerality to tie the whole meal together.… Read More »

This Week’s Meal Plan

Over on the Lunch with Lauren Facebook group, I occasionally post my weekly meal plan to give recipe ideas, but also to show the importance of meal planning in creating some ease in your week and cross utilizing products to help with budgeting. 

I always try to look at what is going on the week ahead, as far as evening activities, to gauge how much time I’ll have to cook and if anyone will be around to eat.… Read More »

Lunch with Lauren Pantry List

One of my biggest pet peeves is having to run to the grocery store more than once a week. I’ve heard that many of you have to make multiple trips and that is one of the factors in making mealtime so stressful. You may open a recipe and see that you don’t have a minor (or major) ingredient and scrap it altogether or get in the car and spend 30 minutes trying to find buttermilk.… Read More »

Prep Food Junction – Literally A Hidden Gem


I was having a day that required tacos and rallied some adventurous friends to try out Let’s Taco Bout It. I dropped the address in Waze and went on my way, past that weird abandoned cylinder building at spaghetti junction, and ended on the frontage road of 85 facing the Big Green Egg building. I pulled up into what can only be described as a food hall in the form of an office park known as Prep Food Junction.… Read More »

Places to Check Out @ Lunch with Lauren

Ready for a few places to try this week? If you don’t want to cook dinner, just need a lunch out, or want to try Dunwoody’s newest bottle shop, keep reading.

Antiguo Lobo
5370 Peachtree Rd Suite A,
Chamblee, GA 30341

Open for lunch and dinner, except on Tuesdays. 

My husband and I enjoyed a nice day date at Antiguo Lobo in downtown Chamblee.… Read More »

Lately at Lunch with Lauren: Wright’s Gourmet Cakes + Leftover Magic + Myungrang Hotdog

Recent excerpts from our Lunch with Lauren Facebook Group by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection

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For everyone looking for their Wright’s cake fix. Go to Porter BBQ & Brewery  for bbq, stay for cake

I love when random stuff from my fridge/freezer come together for a delicious meal.… Read More »

Lately at Lunch with Lauren

Recent excerpts from our Lunch with Lauren Facebook Group by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection

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I am tip toe-ing into trying to lose my quaran-ten extra pounds. Deven Jenkins at Camp Gladiator has made me realize my eating habits are less than ideal. While I do eat pretty healthy, I also skip a lot of meals bc of work or knowing I’m going to eat some insane meal later that day.… Read More »

Recent Highlights from Lunch with Lauren

Recent excerpts from our Lunch with Lauren Facebook Group by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection

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Seasoned batter may be secret to fried okra

I can’t wait to try out this fried okra recipe from Marlow’s Tavern (1317 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Suite 102,…! I’ve never made it like this before.… Read More »

Lunch with Lauren ~ Summer Lunches

by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection

Well, we all made it to summer and what’s that saying……”The pool/beach will give it whatever body I give it?” That’s my mentality considering most moms should get a patch for just surviving May. I do tend to eat less and lighter, but still maintain this squishy physique with plenty of empty wine calories.… Read More »