Healthy Fast Food in Miami at Grown

Could this be the wave of the future?  An former NBA player's wife has come up with a healthy fast food restaurant chain in Miami.  After thorough research with Harvard Business School and School of Public Health her concept has become a reality.  This is a great article and I would love to see more businesses like this pop up in Atlanta and other US Cities!  Kudos to this entrepreneur.

View full article here 

Inman Park's Amer Mentioned in Zagat's "Hottest New Bars"

Atlanta: Amer

Why it's hot: More often than not, Atlanta's best new drinking spots wind up being the bars in equally exceptional restaurants. That's why it's great that this intimate, European-inspired cocktail bar, nestled into the hulking Inman Quarter development, is such a treat. The focus is squarely on smart, satisfying drinks mixed, stirred, shaken, layered and more, with managing partner Shanna Mayo, an ATL drink-scene vet, at the helm.
Must-order: The Bling Machine (vodka, blackberry, ginger, orgeat, vanilla, lemon juice and Chambord) if you're feeling fruity, the Deep Red (rye, mezcal, vermouth, grapefruit juice, Zucca, Cynar) for something funky.
Insider tip: The same owners also run Bocado; head there if you like what you find at Amer, but want something more substantial to eat than the available light bar fare.

299 N. Highland Ave; 404-600-5895

View full Zagat article here

....And They're Off!

Another Derby Day party...this time at JCT this Saturday May 7th.  Looks like no charge for this one.  Make sure you wear your big hat!

Crawfish Boil

This sounds like fun...a tad expensive but fun nonetheless.  New Orleans fans will approve.  Serpas is having a crawfish boil.  Details here:

Get Your Tickets Now for Our  Annual Crawfish Boil! Don't miss out on some good old-fashioned bayou fun! Chef Scott's annual Crawfish Boil returns to the Old Fourth Ward on Saturday, May 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and there are still tickets available! Tickets include: All-you-can-eat crawfish with corn & potatoes Jambalaya Potato salad Georgia strawberry cake One drink of choice (Abita Beer or specialty cocktail) Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased here.

Located at The Pavilion at Studioplex in the Old Fourth Ward historic district 659 Auburn Avenue Atlanta, GA 30312 404.688.0040 serpasrestaurant.com

Grant Park Farmer's Market

Grant Park Farmer's Market is open Sundays from 9:30 to 1:30 from April 3rd to December 18th.  It has grown in size and is worth checking out.  Since I visited a few years ago I noticed they now have more takeaway food to choose from.  You can eat everything from a Revolution Doughnut (get there before they sell out!) to a yummy Mexican style crepe from Crepe Masters (see below).  They have beauty products and other locally made goods as well.  Street parking is available and the address to put into GPS is 600 Cherokee Avenue SE.  More information available here:  http://cfmatl.org/grantpark/

Serpa's has a special Mother's Day Brunch

Celebrate Mom with Us On Sunday, May 8!

We are setting the brunch and dinner table with mom in mind! Join us, Sunday, May 8, for brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. Executive chef Scott Serpas will be serving up a few off-the-menu specials along with favorites including, fried oyster eggs benedict with creamed spinach, tobasco hollandaise and hashbrowns, banana brown sugar french toast with cinnamon whipped cream and crispy bacon and our signaturebeignets. Reserve your table today by calling 404.688.0040 or visiting us atserpasrestaurant.com.

Is Atlanta Becoming the South’s Cultural Capital?

Great Article from Vogue Magazine yesterday praising Atlanta's quest for culture:

Is Atlanta Becoming the South’s Cultural Capital?

by CHRIS BLACK

Though Atlanta is arguably the capital of the South, most people have only spent time in the hectic Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on a layover. But the city has so much more to offer. Recently, it’s become a place to stop, explore, and be charmed. A new guard of entrepreneurs and restaurateurs has helped reshape many downtown neighborhoods, creating hubs for a burgeoning creative class hungry for culture, community, and seriously ambitious food. And please note: Atlanta’s famed hospitality is real, and so is the politeness. Here, a list of spots that are making Atlanta a destination—not just a layover.

Photo: Courtesy of The BeltLine

The Beltline
The original idea for the Beltline came from a student who wrote a paper on how to develop the old railroad tracks that encircle much of the city. Expected to span 33 miles when it’s finally complete, the Beltline is the long-awaited green space Atlanta needed. The pathway features parks, great views, public art, and vast areas to run or cycle. It also connects some of the city’s best neighborhoods—Ansley Park, Virginia Highlands, Midtown, Inman Park, and the Old Fourth Ward. If you need a break, head to King of Pops for an Arnold Palmer Popsicle.

Photo: Courtesy of Kimball House

Kimball House
Housed in an old Decatur train depot built in 1891, Kimball House is a wise Southern restaurant with little pretense. The menu changes seasonally and features produce from the eatery’s on-site vegetable garden. People come back for the extensive raw bar, where the oyster list includes varieties from all over the South and West Coast. It also has a much-lauded cocktail program that highlights traditionally prepared absinthe. Make sure to order the onion rings.

View Rest of Article Here