Fabulous and exclusive...
This place gave me all the feels. For starters, the Red Phone Booth is essentially a 1920's themed speakeasy with style and design elements borrowed from the Prohibition era. It's uber underground and exclusive; in fact, it's so exclusive that patrons can only gain access through the red phone booth that requires a secret passcode. I absolutely loved that!
And, speaking of "passcode", my hubby and I literally stood outside for 10 minutes (in the cold nonetheless) with at least 10 other people trying to find ways to enter the establishment. We tried using the phone in the booth to call for help, we Googled "how to get into the Red Phone Booth in ATL", we even asked previous visitors on Instagram how to get in...and none of it worked. The mystery of it all brought us together with total strangers and provided an unique opportunity to socialize and do what we Americans do best: have fun and figure s*** out.
We finally got the passcode from a group of tourists who obtained the code from the concierge at their hotel...because, as we found out, the code can only be gotten through hotels or by word of mouth. We graciously thanked our new friends for sharing their code with us and finally entered into the speakeasy through the secret door in the red phone booth...
Boom! We're in there!
Once we entered, we were greeted by Mike, the speakeasy's manager, and was given a grand tour of the establishment, including its members-only area and a humidor that houses hundreds of cigars from around the world. My hubby's face immediately lit up as he walked into the humidor -- he's really into cigars (so into cigars that he started his own cigar company, Magnate Green).
The tour Mike gave was fabulous and well-detailed. He gave us information about the history of the speakeasy and their relationship with hotel concierges. He also shared secrets with us that he doesn't usually tell his regular customers. Being a blogger definitely has its perks. 😘
Once we settled into our private table (every table feels like VIP here by the way), my hubby and I were completely floored by the luxurious yet laid back and unpretentious vibe of the space. The leather furnishings, the warm lighting, the exposed brick, and soft lantern-style candles made the environment feel upscale and sexy. It was exactly what we look for when going out on a date.
Bring on the cocktails...
I asked Mike, the manager who so graciously served us himself, to recommend a sweet and fruity cocktail for me. My hubby ordered a whiskey to complement a champagne cigar that he chose from the humidor. Mike suggested I try their "popular with women" cocktail called "The 404." And omg! It. Was. SO. GOOD!!! I had never had anything like it! It was bright and refreshing with hints of citrus; yet, the cocktail's grapefruit and berry flavored liquer and vodka packed a powerful punch. I'll return back to the Red Phone Booth just for that cocktail alone!
Let's not forget the food...
Amalfi Pizza is located upstairs from the Red Phone Booth and that is where the food we ordered came from. We shared an order of calamari with aioli sauce as well as a five-cheese pizza. Y'all, the food was absolutely delicious! I've been to Italy before; and, I have to admit, the Italian food I had from Amalfi tasted so much better than the Italian food I had in Italy. Go figure.
Hypnotize and socialize...
One of the things I liked best about the Red Phone Booth is it's great for a one-on-one with your better half but it's also great for socializing and networking. My husband is business-oriented to the core and I literally live for connecting with people on a deep level. So, once we had eaten, downed our cocktails and whiskey, and engaged each other in sexy, hypnotizing conversation by the candlelight, we began to notice others in the room and decided to open ourselves up to connecting with them.
We didn't notice much diversity at the Red Phone Booth, as all the other patrons there were White, but literally everyone we met was friendly and genuinely interested in us and having a great time. The atmosphere was completely conducive to socializing and making new friends. We loved that!
We also loved how our night ended...
The Red Phone Booth gave us everything we needed in a date night. It was the perfect backdrop for us to go deeper with each other and break up the monotony of our daily lives. It also helped to get us in the mood for the rest of our evening.
We ended the night at the fabulous Westin Hotel in Buckhead, completely in bondage to one another as we performed sexy, dominatrix moves that we learned from watching 50 Shades of Grey. Just joking!! Or am I? 😘
And, don't let the difficulty getting in discourage you from going. I promise you, once you're in there, it's so worth it!
With love,
Quan Lanae Green
I recently spent some time in Jaipur and was blessed with a private tour of one of their most fabulous upscale restaurants in northern India: Bar Palladio. It's a beautifully decorated restaurant and lounge that serves Italian cuisines and popular cocktails. I ordered a strawberry margarita while lounging in the restaurant's garden and had the most difficult time departing from that space - partially because the margarita was pleasantly strong and the space was just so chill and loungey. Yes, "loungey" is a word.
What I liked most about the restaurant was the interior decor. It was designed by world-renowned fashion star and Dutch designer Marie-Anne Oudejans who cleverly mixed blues with whites and oranges to create this aesthetically pleasing and stylish cocktail lounge. Upon walking into the restaurant, I could sense the inspiration taken from traditional Indian culture; however, it also gave off quite the European vibe.
The space feels grand and opulent without being too fussy and pretentious. Clearly, this is a place to see but it's not a place to "be seen" as the restaurant asks its customers to adhere to a strict "no photography" rule. Luckily, I was invited to photograph the space by the owner and her publicist before doors opened to the public. How fabulous was THAT?!
Another fabulous point I should mention is that the restaurant is conveniently located on the grounds of the fabulous Narain Niwas Palace Hotel and next to another cocktail lounge that plays popular music and caters to ultra-chic millennials. The area and the whole social scene makes for one hot and happening evening in Jaipur.
If your travels ever bring you to Jaipur, India, be sure to make a stop at Bar Palladio. It's sure to give you your fabulous life!
With love,
Quan Lanae Green
Yesterday I happened to come across a FABULOUS new restaurant in downtown Lawrenceville called Local Republic. I was trying to find a location to interview Chari and Dane (more about them later) and saw the restaurant's amazing industrial-chic outdoor space. It was the perfect backdrop for our interview, so I set my camera up there and decided to call it a shoot.
The restaurant was closed at the time; however, a few minutes before I wrapped my interview, Robin, the restaurant's gracious hostess, came out to see if we needed anything. I told her I was doing an interview for my YouTube channel and she was surprisngly intrigued by that. It was the perfect opportunity to tell her about my blog and my interest in informing you about places you can go to live life fabulously. And, well, the Local Republic restaurant is clearly one of those places.
Robin allowed me to take a quick tour of the restaurant before any customers arrived. I entered in on the main level where I immediately noticed how warm and inviting the ambiance was. The incandescent lighting and the way it softened the exposed brick gave off the impression that this was a place that welcomed the hip, cool, and chic. In other words, it's not your grandmother's restaurant! Although, I'm sure she'd appreciate their shrimp and grits; which, I hear, are to die for!
As I made my way through the restaurant, I noticed the industrial theme was consistent at every turn; however, it didn't make me feel like I was in a factory. The harder industrial elements, like the brick walls and red steel, were met with classy and upscale elements, like tufted leather booths decorated with cushy designer pillows. It all came together to create a completely modern and stylish aesthetic. The design coupled with the restaurant's three levels and two bars gave me such cocktails-in-Manhattan vibes. The designers truly did an outstanding job.
Brian, one of the restaurant's cooks, invited me into the kitchen for a short conversation. He told me how they only use fresh ingredients ( aka no "frozen patties" here, folks) and the food is prepared from scratch each morning. He also spoke candidly about his passion for the food industry and how he puts love into every dish he prepares at Local Republic. The head chef, Chef Scott Smith, was at AmericasMart attending a food show. This tells us that Local Republic's kitchen staff are dedicated to mastering their craft, invested in ongoing education, and striving for excellence in their industry. We're so here for that, right?!
I highly suggest you head on up to Lawrenceville to dine at Local Republic. It's only 20 minutes from Atlanta and the prices are super affordable. Hello, $17 for filet mignon, mashed potatoes, onions, mushrooms, spinach and red wine demi!!!
For your photographic pleasure, I'm including a few pics from my tour of the restaurant below. You can also see a short YouTube video of the tour here.
You know I'm always looking for ways to inspire you. I hope this article has helped you to get a vision of how much of a fabulous dining experience you can have at Local Republic. I'll be posting more dining suggestions from restaurants in Atlanta and abroad soon - I'm leaving for India in less than two weeks by the way! I can't wait to bring you along with me through my social media posts, blog, and YouTube channel!
Until next time, Fabs, dream big and live life fabulously!
With love,
Quan Lanae Green
