June 25th - Hookah smoke @ Divan Restaurant and Hookah Lounge

I'm not going to lie. I'm job hunting in this new landscape called Atlanta and it hasn't been easy. "Stressed" is putting it rather lightly. By nature, I'm a doer. Not a sitter. Not a stay-stiller. Not a sleeper. A doer. Thus going from a marketing professional / Las Vegas party girl to a Southern domestic goddess has been challenging. I decided that I needed a bit of hookah smoke in my life. Thus after delighting in the nectars of the vine at WineStyles, I made a pilgrimage to Buckhead for the relaxing benefits of hookah at Divan Restaurant and Hookah Lounge.

Divan touts itself as Atlanta's sexiest restaurant and hookah lounge and this could very well be the case. It certainly had great ambiance and seemed to attract a number of couples while I was there. There are four areas of the house-turned-restaurant off of Piedmont Avenue. A patio area at the front interest is shrouded in trees and vines. A lounge downstairs offers overstuffed cushions and intimate little nooks. A bar flanks the lounge area and then upstairs is standard seating. The lighting is dark and sultry and I guess there is just something sensual about sofas, pillows, hummus and many clouds of fruit tobacco.

Now hookah smoke is not necessarily safer than cigarette or cigar smoke but is definitely more legal than other smoking options such as pot, crack, meth, etc. In the company of friends, good food and soothing music, it can be quite a relaxing and pleasantly aromatic undertaking. At Divan, I received the much needed serenity for which I was so desperately seeking. I want to say that we smoked some sort of mango tobacco but I honestly can't remember. All I know is that it was sweet and soothing. I accompanied my shisha with a cocktail called Sunsplash which I believe included Belvedere and Grand Marnier. We ate crab risotto croquettes, seared tuna and eggplant on pita. It was delicious. We talked about the passing of Michael Jackson (R.I.P.), the Atlantan dating scene and the possible eradication of all the misgivings and prejudices which keep Americans from realizing one collective culture. Funny how the conversation always ends up going in that direction.

Anyhow, if you know someone looking for a brilliant marketing and PR professional with awesome story-telling abilities, hit me.