SMASHBURGER EASES SCHOOL EMPLOYEES BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM WITH FREE FOOD

The buses will be rolling in a few short weeks and that means it's time for school employees to head back to school to prepare for the students.  Newly opened Smashburger in Buckhead is helping staff make the transition, offering a tempting mealtime deal.  From Monday, July 25 through Friday, July 29, school employees who bring in their employee badge, card or pay stub will receive a free side item when they purchase a burger, chicken sandwich, salad or hot dog.  Smashburger sides include Smashfries, french fries, sweet potato Smashfries, haystack onions, fried pickles, veggie frites, beefy chili, chili cheese fries and a small wedge salad.   Jump on this one and move to the head of the class. One offer per person and only valid during store hours during the selected dates. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Smashburger:  2625 Piedmont Road NE; 404-237-2374. 

MARLOW'S TAVERN IS OPEN IN CUMMING! DROP IN AT THE AVENUE FORSYTH FOR A BITE AND BEVERAGE!  

The doors are open (not letting the air conditioning escape, of course), drinks are cold and the food is oh-so-satisfying at the new Marlow's Tavern in The Avenue ® Forsyth in Cumming. The tavern's grand opening celebration is on the books for August, but who wants to wait? Dodge summer's steamy days and evenings by ducking in for some starters including Ahi Tuna Poke, shrimp and crab nachos or J.T.'s Kettle Chips along with a thirst quenching brew such as Sweetwater 420, Terrapin Rye Pale Ale or a hand-crafted cocktail. Or, go for a crisp, cools salad like the Black & Blue Steak or Knife & Fork Cobb with a glass of wine from the varied list of boutique and classic wines. Big Bar Sandwiches, Tavern Favorites, Classic Tavern Burgers and Sweet Stuff also really hit the spot. Marlow's Tavern is kid-friendly with a yummy Kids' Fun Foods menu that aces the picky eater test! Marlow's Tavern in Cumming joins the other seven well-loved Marlow's locations around the metro area as the place for a lunch, dinner or drinks and apps of classic American tavern fare with an upscale twist.  

Marlow's Tavern in Cumming: 410 Peachtree Parkway; 770-886-3666.

SPICE MARKET ICE CREAM SOCIAL PREVENTS HOT HEADS

Ice cream lovers, scoop up this doubly sweet Tweet-up at Spice Market's Ice Cream Social on Wednesday, July 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Try several delectable new ice cream creations and sample other complimentary light bites with your hosts Laura of @favthingsATL and A Few Of My Favorite Things Atlanta blog as well as Melissa Libby & Associates' own @AtlantaDish. Spice Market, in the W Atlanta Midtown, is home to "The 90 Degree Freeze" promotion this summer. When the Weather Channel confirms the outside temp is 90 degrees or above, Spice Market churns out complimentary ice cream to patrons with a $5 minimum purchase. These are not your grandma's flavors either: Vietnamese coffee, banana cashew, and fresh mint ice cream and mango, passion fruit and coconut sorbets.  Dine-in guests only, one ice cream per person, not valid with any other offers. 

Spice Market:  In the W Atlanta-Midtown, 188 14th Street, NE; 404-724-2550.

FLEMING'S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR HOLDS "SUMMER OF GIVING" EVENT TO BENEFIT ALT PINK FOUNDATION, INC. ON JULY 29  

Make it a feel-good Friday by stopping by Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at 6 p.m. for its "Summer of Giving" event to benefit the ALT Pink Foundation. Inc., a non-profit organization that raises money to help Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) patients, aid in IBC research and raise community awareness about IBC.  This special event lasts until 8 p.m. and includes wonderful wine and hors d'oeuvre pairings on the restaurant's patio.  The cost is $25 per person at the door, and Fleming's will donate 20 percent of the night's proceeds to the ALT Pink Foundation. Inc.  Call Fleming's at 770-698-8112 for more information.  Fleming's also is giving a $25 gift card to "Summer of Giving" attendees to use at their next visit.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar:  4501 Olde Perimeter Way in Perimeter Place Village; 770-698-8112.

FADÓ IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT HOSTS TOTALLY TUBULAR "LADIES '80s" PARTY ON JULY 30 TO BENEFIT TEAM IN TRAINING

Eighties exercise wear is totally appropriate for the "Ladies '80s" party at Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant on Saturday, July 30. This particular theme night steps out at 7 p.m. as a Totally 80s fundraising party for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Atlanta Chapter of Team in Training. Top 80s tunes and classic 80s cocktails will flow -- think Long Island Iced Tea, Mai Tai and Blue Hawaiian at $5 each for the ladies. Pull on some 80s garb and count on Fadó to hand out some 80s accessory party favors to complete the look. Costume contest with a $100 prize, raffle (donations requested for participation) and a silent auction will all go toward drumming up funds for the Atlanta members of Team in Training. Ultimately, the monies go toward finding a cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma. Fadó keeps the party going with a DJ starting at 10:30 p.m.

Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant: 273 Buckhead Avenue; 404-841-0066.

CHEF AND OWNER MARC TAFT OPENS CHICKEN AND THE EGG ON MONDAY, AUGUST 1 IN MARIETTA

Marc Taft's new restaurant, Chicken and the Egg, opens Monday, August 1 in Marietta.  Taft, the former general manager for Pacci Ristorante in Atlanta, is eager to welcome guests to his modern farmstead restaurant for sophisticated fare from down on the farm . . . local farms, in fact.  Taft coined the restaurant name to draw attention to the importance of sustainability and our impact on the planet.

Chicken and the Egg will be open for dinner nightly and begins offering weekday lunch on August 8th.  Executive chef Joseph Ramaglia, formerly the executive sous chef at Pacci Ristorante, has worked alongside Taft to build the restaurant's menus around seasonal ingredients from local farms and purveyors as well as sustainable beef, pork, poultry and seafood.  Diners of all ages will be comfortable sitting down to lunchtime's "meat and three" plates ($7-$12), dinner's moderately priced entrées ($10-$24), and weekend brunch with breakfast and brunch dishes served family style plus Bloody Marys and bottomless mimosas.  Parents--Chicken and the Egg's children's menu uses high quality ingredients that will win friends among finicky wee ones.  The bar is open all day and features hand-crafted cocktails, earth-friendly wine selections and artisan beers as well as food service between meal times.

Chicken and the Egg: 800 Whitlock Avenue in Marietta/West Cobb;678-388-8813.

$20.01 BUYS THREE-COURSE DINNER DURING AQUA BLUE 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AUGUST 1-10!  LAST NIGHT IS PARTY NIGHT

Happy anniversary! Aqua blue in Roswell is celebrating its first 10 years by offering a special $20.01 prix fixe dinner menu plus $5 small plates and drink specials over the first 10 days of August.  The festivities culminate the evening of Wednesday, August 10th with an anniversary party.  From Monday, August 1 through Wednesday, August 10, guests can choose from a selection of dishes that have graced the menu over the past 10 years.  The $20.01 memory lane menu starts with a choice of a tasting plate of Asian Delight or butter lettuce wedge with vine ripe tomato, crispy applewood smoked bacon and candied pecans and sweet gorgonzola dressing; main plates include Maine lobster ravioli, wild shrimp and scallop grits, or grilled beef tenderloin.  Desserts include classic crème brulee or a trio of sorbet. 

If you're more of a small plates and cocktails collector, selected choices of both are only $5 each during the 10-day anniversary celebration.  Japanese shrimp tempura with ponzu, spicy tuna crunch roll, crispy shrimp spring rolls and pan seared pork dumplings and a fiesta roll mix well with $5 cocktails. Anniversary cocktails include Strawberry and Lemongrass Margarita, Summer Squared, Ginger Sidecar, Basil "Southside," Bees Knees, "AB" Manhattan, Orange Peel, Vesper and Ginger Tea. 

The last night of the 10-day spread, Wednesday, August 10, is party night.  Same prix fixe and $5 menu deals, and the Atlanta band FunkyStuf lays down the '70s groove beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Co-Owner/Executive Chef John C. Metz and Co-Owner Tom DiGiorgio will have prizes, complimentary cake and champagne for guests.  Register to win a free meal a week for a year!  Special Olympics Georgia gets in on the celebration, receiving a gift of 10% of the last night's sales.  Visit Aqua blue on Facebook for more details.  RSVP to 770-643-8886.

JCT. ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATO FESTIVAL WAS A SMASH HIT!

Good news! The Third Annual JCT. Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival came to fruition last Sunday and met with great success. The action was a little dicey for the tomatoes. The chefs, farmers and mixologists sized up the red-faced competition and took it from there to the delight of the festival guests who downed culinary creations and cocktails with gusto. The afternoon-long siege raised close to $40,000 for Georgia Organics! Everyone who participated is a hero, and here's a shout out to the winners:

Best Booth: Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene/Holeman and Finch Public House

Best Presentation: Hector Santiago of Pura Vida

Special Mention: Donald Sargent of Morelli's Gourmet Ice Cream And Desserts

Best Tasting Dish: Andy Carson of Bacchanalia

Best Tasting Cocktail: Miles Macquarrie of Leon's Full Service

People's Choice - Best Cocktail: Paul Calvert & Raul Aparcana of Pura Vida

People's Choice - Best Dish: Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol

YOU "LINGER AND LEARN" AT SOUTH CITY COOKING CLASS AND WINE TASTING  

Keep the summer living easy at South City Kitchen Vinings with short and sweet "Linger and Learn" cooking demos on Thursday, July 28 at 5:30 p.m.  During the interactive class, "students" will learn how to prepare pickled Georgia peach salad with arugula, pecans, goat cheese and pecan vinaigrette; summer ceviche Georgia shrimp with Roma tomatoes and cucumbers; chilled roasted tomato soup with house made crackers; seared sea scallops in Romesco-style pan sauce; and Georgia peanuts and okra.  

They'll taste these Georgia summer dishes along with summer-perfect wines including Crios Torrontes | Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Chard, Vietti Arneis | Stephen Vincent Crimson, Janasse Cotes du Rhone, Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon, Paul Mathews TNT Pinot Noir, Byron Chardonnay | Chehalem Inox Chard, Eroica | Hangtime Arroyo Pinot Noir, Le Cengle | Montevina Barbera and Nopa Vinho Verde | Cims de Porerra.  Only $30 per person, including tax and gratuity!  Limited space; buy tickets today at http://tinyurl.com/sckvlingerlearn.

South City Kitchen Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Parkway SE; 770-435-0700.

ECCO HOSTS A ZIND-HUMBRECHT WINE DINNER FEATURING A LOT OF WINE AND A LITTLE HISTORY

The wines are from this decade, but the winemakers started in 1620.  Fifth Group Restaurants Mediterranean-influenced Ecco is hosting a Zind-Humbrecht Wine Dinner on Thursday, August 4 from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.  The Humbrecht Family tree could more aptly be called a grapevine as their European winemaking expertise has been passed along from father to son since Europe's Thirty Year War in 1620! 

The four-course menu begins with an onion and bacon tart with farmer's cheese, speck ham and smoked rainbow trout paired with 2009 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling, 2009 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris, 2009 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Blanc and 2009 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurtztraminer.  The second course brings forth roasted pork belly, rye spatzle, cucumber and cherries paired with 2007 Zind-Humbrecht Brand, 2005 Zind-Humbrecht Hauserer and 2005 Zind-Humbrecht Heimbourg. Seared duck breast, foie gras, Sungold tomatoes and ginger are next, paired with 2005 Zind-Humbrecht Clos Windsbuhl VT, 2004 Zind-Humbrecht Hengst, 2005 Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg and 2007 Zind-Humbrecht Goldert Muscat. The meal ends with a course of Alsatian muenster and pickled watermelon rind. Only $75 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Seating is limited; call 404-347-9555 today for reservations. 

Ecco:  40 7th Street, NE; 404-347-9555.

CNN EATOCRACY IS OINKIN' ABOUT ATKINS PARK'S BACONY BURGER

CNN's Eatocracy has bitten into the bacon craze. Howard Winer, a CNN Supervising Producer set out on an Atlanta Bac-spedition and pigged out on a two-handed burger prepared "The Best Way" with bacon jam and tallegio cheese at Atkins Park Tavern. 

According to Winer, "after eating a burger 'The Best Way,' having a regular old bacon cheeseburger will be plain sacrilegious."

 Atkins Park Tavern - Smyrna: Market Village, 2840 Atlanta Road; 770-435-1887. 

MELISSA LIBBY & ASSOCIATES IS SEEKING INTERNS FOR FALL 2011

Melissa Libby & Associates is currently seeking two interns for Fall 2011.  Our interns join the team for the semester to work directly with both media communications and social media, and help with events, client services and video production. Passion for PR and fanaticism for food/wine culture are appreciated, as are creativity, positive energy and great writing skills. We prefer that candidates receive school credit for their work with MLA.  Internships require 15 hours per week and are unpaid positions. We strive to make it a hands-on experience that will benefit interns in their future endeavors. To find out more about Melissa Libby & Associates, please visit our website and our Facebook page.  Interested? Please send your resume and availability to atlantadish@gmail.com. 

YELPER RELIGIOUS ABOUT SPENDING SUNDAY MORNING AT GRANT PARK FARMERS MARKET

That Gillian R. faithfully attends the Grant Park Farmers Market on Sunday mornings has nothing to do with denomination and everything to do with friendly fellowship, gratitude for all the fruits and veggies, and appreciating the vibe of diversity.

This market is stellar.  I've been meeting my pal for Sunday morning farmer's market dates for about two months now, and I look forward to it all week!  She likes that the market is on Sunday, since she works Saturdays.  I like that it doesn't start until 9:30, so if I've had escapades the night before, I don't feel like a bum for not rolling in at 8 am.  The downside to that, however, is that I end up with sweat rolling down the backs of my legs.  Thinking I'm cute yet?  

There is a good variety of vendors here.  We kind of have a routine these days, and it includes checking out the mocktails that H&F Bottle Shop is offering (I recommend the Ginger & Maryanne, Spa Treatment, or Watermelon something-or-other, all delightfully fizzy) and a pretzel roll from H&F, then wandering to figure out where we're going to spend our schillings this week.  

We had a delightful blueberry galette one week.  We split some scratch  and dent peaches (perfect for a peach pie, which I then devoured).  There was the purchasing of a vegan chocolate donut, which I heard was delicious.  I bought a dozen fresh eggs from the guy who has a booth with a giant chicken on the front (in case you're wondering, he has raw milk, fresh eggs, and I believe he said chicken) which made fantastic egg sandwiches all week.  (What?  It's hot and I've been lazy.)  

If you don't have cash, I found out last week that you can swipe your credit card at the info booth and get farmer's market dollars.  Doesn't get better than that!  

The vibe here is lively, vendors are friendly, and there are dogs and kids galore.  If I were 23, I might feel a smidge out of place without a grubby two year old in an overpriced stroller, but at 27, my uterus is just old enough to love this kind of place.  I sometimes even find myself staring at those grubby 2 year olds with longing.  When I am lucky enough to have one, I'll be sure to frequent this market.

Grant Park Farmers Market: Open 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Sundays; 600 Cherokee Ave SE.

EAT IT AND TWEEP: AND BABY MAKES THREE...NEWLYWEDS TAKE CORGI ON HONEYMOON

Ya gotta love DrPrincessJulia's joie de vivre -- finding something fun-loving and positive in every situation. The Atlanta physical therapist and Gator fan doubles as Mrs. Lioness on Weddingbee when she's not tweeting at @DrPrincessJulia or blogging.

Sample Tweet: Had fun & learned a lot about coffee with @jasondominy and the crew from @ATLCulinaryTour at @BatdorfATL! Blog post coming soon :)