Atlanta Events

With the increase in TV and film production around town, we’re lucky to have some amazing movie events throughout the year. One such offering is the annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival happening in February!

Details: AJFF - 2/8-29. $9+ per film/event.

There are more than 70 films being screened next month at great theaters all over Atlanta. Foreign, Indie and even classic movies that you haven’t seen on the big screen in decades!

Some picks from me include Opening Night at The Fox on Weds 2/8! See My Best Enemy, a fun art caper film set in WWII for just $10! If you want to rock out the red carpet experience - go VIP for $300 and enjoy the movie AND the Opening Night reception, which features tastings from top ATL chefs such as Craig Richards from Ecco and Kevin Rathbun!

Another fun option is taking a long lunch on Friday 2/10 at 12:15pm to see The Apple Pushers at Atlantic Station and getting delish eats from local food trucks outside the theater! The film is the story of a movement to bring fresh produce and healthy food to the inner city, battling obesity in a cheap fast food world.

Or hit the Young Professionals Night on Thurs 2/9 at Atlantic Station, with food/apps at Strip and then a screening of Rabies after. Only $20! Rabies is fresh off the festival circuit and getting amazing buzz for being the first horror film from Israel, but also for not following the typical plot of this genre. Lots of twists and turns in this one!

Want to go a bit more mainstream? Check out special screenings of classic movies Dirty Dancing and Sophie’s Choice!

There’s lot to see and experience at the Atlanta Jewish Film Fest, so take a look at their extensive schedule, grab some friends and enjoy some amazing entertainment here in Atlanta!

A very popular way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in most cities is a romantic (and usually expensive) dinner out. Atlanta is blessed to have lots of great restaurants that range from casual to white tablecloth dining.

Valentine’s Day is not just for couples!! Having been single for Valentine’s Day most of my life, this day always filled me with dread until recently when I had an epiphany - why does it have to be about being part of a couple? I have love for friends, family and especially good food and can celebrate however I want. Don’t let your relationship status on Facebook get in the way of enjoying a fun night out!

A couple recs:

Atkins Park Smyrna - Singles Awareness Day/Anti-Valentine’s Bash. Sat 2/11 10pm-1am. Celebrate being single with drinks, eats and live music from Homefront!

El Taco - Tues 2/14 (dinner). Grab some girlfriends and tear up the place! Great food and $4 pineapple infused tequila shots. Located in VaHi, spin the wheel and win cool prizes!

Antico Pizza - Anytime! Honestly, I have so much fun when I’m hanging out with friends at Antico in Midtown. Everyone can BYOB - whether it’s great craft beer or a fave bottle of wine and enjoy what is arguably the best pizza in the city. Gather at large family style tables and mangia! What’s not to love?

Alma Cocina - Tues 2/14 (lunch and dinner). Great food and a great cause! Alma is the location of the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s monthly supper club, which means 20% of your check goes to ACFB. How easy is that? You get great food and money goes to a fantastic ATL non-profit. A big win for singles and couples alike!

No. 246 - Tues 2/14 5-8pm. $55. 4-course meal at one of my favorite Italian restaurants in town. Be a bit sly and go for the Chef’s Counter on either Monday 2/13 or Weds 2/15 - I guarantee a fantastic time!

Three Sheets - Tues 2/14. Sensual Small Plates for 2. $5+. Three Sheets will test the theory that certain foods can be an aphrodisiac! Indulge in Bananas Fosters Flambéed Tableside, Oysters Rockefeller, and Truffled Deviled Eggs at this OTP gem.

La Tavola - Tues 2/14 5:30pm-10pm. $49 Prix Fixe dinner. This intimate Italian restaurant in VaHi has a lot of fans (myself included!) and they have a special 3-course menu for the occasion! Great wine list, delish cocktails by Alli at the bar and amazing food from Chef Brent Banda, this place is great all year round!

This is just a small example of all the amazing dinners and events happening in ATL - for a full listing of cool Valentine’s special menus and more, check out Open Table Atlanta!

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, here’s a quick guide on some great shows/events happening around town! This holiday seems to stress people out, so keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if you are married, dating, or single - it’s just another day, so spend it with people who make you feel good about yourself!

Romeo and Juliet - Shakespeare Tavern. 2/2 - 3/28. $12+. Show off your sensitive side and experience this classic romantic tragedy.

Tommy Blaze - The Punchline. 2/9-12. $15+. Laugh about the differences between men and women with Tommy Blaze, critically acclaimed comic know for his relationship humor from his ‘He Said/She Said’ tour.

Vixens Valentease Burlesque Show. Five Spot. 2/10 8pm-Midnight. $10+. Syrens of the South present a fabulous burlesque show that benefits the Atlanta Community Food Bank! Bring 3 cans of food for the discouned $10 ticket.

The Love Boat of Smooth - Yacht Rock Schooner. Park Tavern. 2/10 8:30pm. $10+. Sing along to Silly Love Songs with one of Atlanta’s smoothest bands! Pair this with their signature Salt Block Experience and you will have a Valentine’s to remember!

Twyla Tharp’s The Princess and the Goblin - Cobb Energy Ctr. 2/10-19. $20+. Atlanta Ballet, Canada’s Royal Winnepeg Ballet and famed choreographer come together for this amazing and family friendly evening ballet experience!

Valentine’s in the Garden - Atlanta Botanical Garden. Sat 2/11 7-11pm. $30pp. Cocktails (cash bar), desserts, dancing to live music in the lush gardens.

Taste of Love Benefit. Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. 2/11 7-10pm. $250. This elegant fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation of GA features gourmet dining, silent and live auctions, and more!

Dad’s Garage a Trois! Tues 2/14 8pm. $27+. Laugh it up with a significant other, or two! Finally, being a third wheel has its benefits! Add a 2nd date for only $3 with 2 paid tix! Evening features Valentine’s themed improv sketches, songs and more!

Valentine’s at the High. Tues 2/14 6-10pm. $10 members/$25 non-members. Sip champagne, delish bites, dancing and of course the amazing Picasso to Warhol exhibit with

Couples and Canvases. Blue Mark Studios. 2/14 7-9:30pm. $100/couple. Explore your artistic side with this cool event that has you creating art! Dinner buffet and wine included.

Puppy Love Party. Barking Hound Villlage. Thurs 2/16 6-9pm. $20+. Meet the new love of your life! Adopting a pet is a wonderful thing. This fun event lets you meet adoptable animals, enjoy drinks, eats and music!

Or for those who just want to escape all the Valentine’s Day insanity, grab some girlfriends and take a road trip up to the North GA Wineries! Whether for the weekend or just a day trip - drink some amazing wine, eat decadent food and hit the outlet mall on your way back into town!

However you celebrate, or don’t, there’s always something new around the corner here in Atlanta to make any day special.

Atlanta has become quite the craft beer hotspot over the last couple years and seems to have a beer festival every month. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not! Each one is different and we have a great one on the horizon - The Atlanta Winter Beer Fest!

Details: Atlanta Winter Beer Fest at Masquerade - Sat 1/28 3-8pm. $35+.

With college football over and before March Madness kicks in, the team at Atlanta Beer Festivals has gathered 100+ great beers from local brewers and breweries from across the country! Enjoy live music on 4 different stages, food and more!

Resolved to make more friends in 2012? Meet more single guys? I guarantee both can be accomplished at this event!

Being a foodie town with top chef talent, Atlanta has several really unique opportunities for diners looking to take their experience to the next level. The latest is the Chef’s Counter at No. 246 in Decatur!

Details: Chef’s Counter, No. 246 - Mon thru Thurs for dinner. $50pp for 5-courses chosen by Chef Drew Belline!

A recent birthday celebration provided the perfect excuse and occasion to try this out and it was a huge hit! We went on a Monday, which actually turned out great since we got the counter to ourselves and had a lot of time with Chef Drew Belline. We learned that he keeps bees on his family’s farm and uses the honeycomb on cheese and for dishes. We also got to hear about his passion for locally sourced ingredients and the inspiration behind his cooking.

And then there was the food…..seriously amazing! It was well over 5-courses, we started with some olives, oil & bread, moved to a delicious tomato basil soup with cracked pepper, then decadent flatbread (prosciutto, chanterelle mushooms, aged balsamic, arugula and shaved parmesan cheese), followed by pasta with oysters, shrimp, shaved garlic and bread crumbs. It was great sitting next to the prep areas in the kitchen, the chef’s team was happy to tell us about different dishes, ingredients and their backgrounds in the industry.

The courses kept coming, next was fois gras ravioli in a brown butter sauce, topped with butternut squash and sage,followed by seared beef with roasted brussel sprouts, apples and bacon. Next was the cheese course - which was hand selected and dressed by Chef Belline. He was particular about what each cheese should have accompany it - the highlight was the Taleggio with his homemade honeycomb and roasted hazelnuts. Insanely good!

The desserts (yes plural) kept the gluttony train rolling with three scoops of handmade ice cream (chocolate hazelnut with toasted hazelnuts, pumpkin with toasted seeds and mint) in a house-made waffle cone, as well as Italian ‘doughnuts’ with a chocolate espresso dipping sauce.

Needless to say, if you look on the menu - you won’t see most of these dishes there. You are paying for an experience as only Chef Belline can create for you and it’s worth the trip! Looking to impress a date or just indulge with friends in some amazingly inspired Italian cuisine? Book your spot at the No. 246 Chef’s Counter! Come hungry and tell Chef Drew I sent you…

One of my favorite things about being on Twitter is when the opportunity arises to meet fellow ‘tweeps’ in person! A fun event is happening this Tues at the Edgewood Corner Tavern that will give you that same opp!

Details: Edgewood Corner Tavern Tweet Up - Tues 1/10 6-8pm. FREE!

Edgewood Corner Tavern serves over 100 American Micro-Brewed beers and the event will feature complimentary snacks including Handcut fries with Wasabi Mayo and Curry Ketchup, Wasabi Shrimp Wraps in Thai Chili sauce,Seared Tuna with avocado topped with a bacon vinaigrette, and Andouille sausage sliders with a creole remoulade.

Beer specials include $2 Monday Night Brewing beers, raffle prizes, beer swag, $6 $6 Allagash Curieux on draft and Ommegang Seduction. Also, a Rogue Ale cask as well! So come get your drink on with fellow fans of social media this Tues!

Fans of the food scene in Atlanta might remember the introduction to the Spice Route Supper Club created by Asha Gomez last year. These exciting events were filled with delicious dishes that were infused with the unique flavors inspired by her native Indian coastal state of Kerala.

As a new Executive Chef, Gomez now brings these amazing flavors into a new Indian restaurant concept - Cardamom Hill, which opened today at 1700 Northside Dr. at I-75, offering lunch and dinner. This daily-changing menu features family-style dishes that feature seasonal ingredients and vegetarian friendly options. The bar will also showcase cocktails developed by Brian Stanger (Southern Art) and a wine list.

Attending a sneak preview last night, I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a huge fan of Indian food. The curry and spices are usually overwhelming, but Gomez’ bites were amazingly well-balanced and I loved everything we were offered to sample, including beef and potato croquettes, the Kerala-style fried chicken, with yummy drinks the gin ‘Soft Sap’ and the special Chai tea.

I’m looking forward to trying more of the menu - including the Pork vindaloo, braised short ribs, and the signature goat biryani for two! Goat is making a comeback I hear….