I do apologize for the delay in posting. I've been in a whirlwind of work. I've also been recovering (with water and salty snacks) from the amazing event I got to take part in two weekends ago - the Sugar Coma redux. So many of you have commented on the post & photos from the first edition of Sugar Coma...I just had to share this latest tour with all of you. I took close to 300 photos that day...and as much as I would like to share every detail with you, this post is just the frosting on the cupcake of all we experienced that day.
I was so tickled that the creator of Sugar Coma, my brilliant friend The Broke Socialite, asked me to the be official "Sugar Mama" for the tours. Yes...you read right....I said tours. So that meant twice the caloric, delicious Sugar Coma fun. Fear not - I had my roomy jeans and my water bottle with me as a support team. It was a wonderful day of trying new dessert spots in Atlanta, meeting folks I've known from the on-line world, and making some new friends. There were also cupcakes. Lots and lots of cupcakes - the ones shown in the top photo are beautiful little creations from Cami Cakes.
This was how our day started. Folks, this was at 8 am at No Mas Cantina. They put out quite the delicious spread and got us caffeinated with Mexican hot chocolates and coffees. It was at this point that I almost phoned and friend and asked for a delivery of Tums. Did I mention this was our first stop?
Like I said, there were a lot of cupcakes. These little treats were a riff on your usual coconut cake variety. They're topped with cream cheese frosting. I declared that day that anything can be used as a vehicle for cream cheese frosting. Thank you, Highland Bakery, for these bites and for being so dedicated to quality ingredients & cruelty free chocolate sources.
I've sung the praises of Cacao many times on this blog - most recently in my post about the Food Bloggers Bake Sale. Kristen, the owner of Cacao, is fiercely indie and thoughtful about the sources of her ingredients. She travels to far-away lands, sleeping in hammocks and facing not-optimal security conditions to get the best ingredients possible for her creations. The fruits of her labor? Chocolate like you've never tasted before - she was named one of the best new American chocolate shops by Food and Wine. The Love Bar is one of her signature items, which you can order on-line.
Needing a little break from all of the sugar, one of my new favorite spots in Atlanta - Noon Midtown - had a brilliant idea: some savory bites to take the edge off. These BLT bites were little stacks of the best early spring tomato i've ever had, beautifully smoked bacon, and toasty brioche. By the time we reached this stop in the tour, everyone's eyes opened wide at the thought of something lunchy.
That having been said, Noon also put out the sickest sweetest single bite on that tour: profiteroles made from cult-doughnut phenom Sublime Doughnut. Sliced down the middle, stuffed with vanilla ice cream and a mound of roll-em-yourself chocolate sprinkles....there were no words.
Peachy Treats was a revelation in that "I-can't-believe-I-didn't-think-of-that-first" kind of way. Seriously, ya'll. It's a color customized candy catering/buffet business. They'll customize your candy choices, color-coordinate them to your shower or reception, set up and break down the display. All you have to do is contact them. There are wonderful little cello bags included so guests can take a goodie bag to go. This buffet was at the communal lunch and everyone in attendance audibly squealed when the word "candy" was announce. So much fun!
The afternoon tour had a very sophisticated, relaxing stop courtesy of 29 Spa at The Mansion on Peachtree. Stepping out of the elevator, our group let out a group sigh of happiness and relaxation when we entered the spa. So beautiful and calming in a way that is more upscale and refined than your typical spa - no New Age bubbling brook soundtracks here. We were treated to a glass of wine, fresh berries, bites of chocolate...all while getting a tour of the space & hearing more about their grape-based skincare line. I just adored this stop and have been dreaming of booking a massage there soon.
Our last stop on the afternoon tour was a place I just had to share. Off the beaten path in a neighborhood called Castleberry Hill, The Wine Shoe is a charming little store. The owners try not to carry wines that are overly expensive or wine that you can get just anywhere. We were given several tastes, which were paired with sweet bites from private chefs Chris Arpante and Bren Herrera.
Of all the noshes I had there, I just have to show you these little vanilla custards topped with a delicious blackberry mirror and fresh berries. After having so much rich, chocolate-y stuff pushed your way during the day....having a glass of white wine paired with this little treat was heavenly. Chris has been a blog cohort and friend of mine for some time and is now branching out into pastry - visit her at Mele Cotte.
As you can see, it was a fully delicious experience. There are plans in the works for Sugar Coma tours all over the country, as well as other boutique tour experiences. Keep up with all the future event details on The Broke Socialite Does... Facebook page!
