PING PONGERS PADDLE IT OUT DURING PONG WARS AT ATKINS PARK TAVERN IN VIRGINIA HIGHLAND STARTING AUGUST 10   

Last month, killer tomatoes rolled into Atlanta's Westside.  This month, Pong Wars storm Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland.  New Belgium Brewing Company joins forces with the neighborhood tavern to host a six-week ping pong tournament, starting Wednesday, August 10.  The only casualties will be pride, and spoils include $1,000 in cash and prizes.  Balls fly at 10:30 p.m. every Wednesday night until the big final showdown and party on September 14.  Weekly winners take home points to apply toward the finals along with house cash and New Belgium Brewing Company gear.  Practice pong makes perfect -- the ping pong table is set up Monday to Wednesday from 10:30 p.m. until closing.  Whether you're winning or watching, you won't want to miss the action!

AUGUST 10 ANNIVERSARY PARTY CAPS AQUA BLUE 10-YEAR/10-DAY CELEBRATION 

Ten years have flown by since Aqua blue opened in Roswell, and the restaurant's 10-day anniversary celebration has zoomed by at light speed.  If you haven't had a chance to come in and enjoy the $20.01 prix-fixe dinner menu or drink specials, you'll be excited to know Aqua blue has saved the best for last!  The last night anniversary party spans the evening of Wednesday, August 10.  Get in the groove with Atlanta's own FunkyStuf 70s band and enjoy complimentary cake and champagne in addition to the prix-fixe menu and $5 small plates and drink specials.  Register to win a free meal a week for a year!  Special Olympics Georgia receives a gift of 10 percent of the last night's sales.  Visit Aqua blue on Facebook for more details. 

SMASHBURGER OPENS IN JOHNS CREEK ON AUGUST 10 

Smashburger opens for lunch and dinner in Johns Creek on Wednesday, August 10, bringing a different kind of "sizzle" to summer in metro Atlanta.  Score that school's back in session so you can make a lunch date with friends or stop in for a "fast-casual" family dinner.  

 The menu and prices are easy to navigate, from Certified Angus Beef Smashburgers "smashed" on the grill to sear in the juices to marinated Smashchicken sandwiches, Smashdogs and Smashsalads ($3.99-$6.99). Kids' meals are $3.99, Smashsides run $1.99-$2.99...and there's even wine and beer for adults and Häagen-Dazs shakes and root beer floats for kids of all ages.  Check out the Buckhead location's menu to tempt your taste buds.  Smashburger is destined to be a "smash" hit!

Smashburger - Johns Creek:  9775 Medlock Bridge Road; 770-497-6274.

COUNTER CULTURE AT NO. 246:  GRAB A SEAT AT NEW CHEF'S COUNTER FOR FIVE-COURSES, AWESOME KITCHEN VIEW    

The bite about reality cooking shows is that you watch the chefs... then the "experts" get to eat.  You get nothing. Not so when you sit down to the new Chef's Counter dining option at newly opened No. 246.  Watch Chef Drew Belline in action?  Check.  Close-up views?  Check.  Eat?  Five courses, coming your way, Tuesday through Sunday each week!  

For $50 per person, Chef's Counter guests dine on a five-course menu of Italian-inspired cuisine served directly to them by the chefs who prepared the dishes, who can answer questions and who can make drink pairing suggestions.  No. 246 usually doesn't take reservations... in this instance, reservations can be made for two or four people at 6:30 p.m. or 9 p.m.   Note any dietary restrictions when making your reservation.

No. 246:  129 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue; 678-399-8246.

NEW YORK BUTCHER SHOPPE AUGUST SPECIALS HANDLE BACK-TO-SCHOOL MEAL TIMES AND SUMMER WEEKENDS 

Even though school buses are rolling, there's still six weeks of summer to go.  New York Butcher Shoppe has August specials to calm hectic school night meal planning, to make weekend cookouts a cinch and to even ease you out the door for end-of-summer getaways.  Early week specials earn an A+ in fast oven-to-table skills with marinated chicken, cheddar/bacon- or Greek-flavored boneless stuffed pork chops, mac 'n' cheese and all-natural frozen veggies.  Weekend grill fests and gatherings cry out for C.A.B. ribeye steaks, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, the Americana Grill Master package or the new finger lickin' good Ribs package with Causey's BBQ sauce.  If you can't get away, the August Xplorador Wine promo at the Sandy Springs and Alpharetta locations brings the vineyards of Chile to your glass.  Concha Y Toro Xplorador Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet are $7.99 a bottle. 

New York Butcher Shoppe: Dunwoody at 2458 Mt. Vernon Road; 770-399-6328. Sandy Springs at 4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704. Alpharetta at 5354 McGinnis Ferry Road; 678-624-0047.

TRUFFLES CAFÉ CHANGES NAME TO TRUFFLES GRILL, TRANSFORMS MENU TO SATISFY LUNCH, DINNER AND COCKTAIL CROWD 

Lenox Mall shoppers, Buckhead business folk and Hilton Head vacationers are all familiar with Truffles Café.  The popular Buckhead café has undergone a summer makeover, changing its name to Truffles Grill and rolling out a new menu that reflects the changing tastes of guests.  Truffles Grill leans more to the upscale side of dining than its casual predecessor and is now open daily from 11 a.m. through dinner hours.  Get ready to drool over the hugely diverse new menu that features new items such as tilapia with organic butter and sea salt, shoestring fries and coleslaw; tequila-lime chicken -- a marinated half chicken, grilled and served with fresh vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes; steak frites with a nine-ounce sirloin accompanied by shoestring fries and coleslaw; and Cajun-seasoned tuna with wasabi cream, fresh vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes.  Signature dishes include jumbo lump crab cakes with wasabi mayonnaise; basil Parmesan-glazed grouper; creamy tomato dill soup; a tuna burger chopped with fresh ginger and scallions and topped with cilantro mayonnaise; and a Blondie with butterscotch and chocolate chips, served warm with vanilla bean ice cream, homemade caramel sauce and chocolate drizzle. Everything is made fresh daily and is reasonably priced from $5 to $29. Truffles Grill offers 35 wines by the glass, specialty cocktails, premium liquors and an expansive offering of beer, lagers, pale ales, porters and stouts.  Walk in or make reservations online or call in and take out.    

Truffles Grill:  3345 Lenox Road; 404-364-9050.

HEY NEIGHBOR, COME ON OVER!  ROOFTOP 866 EXTENDS 20 PERCENT DISCOUNT TO NEIGHBORS ON TUESDAY NIGHTS 

On Tuesday evenings, the view is 20 percent rosier for those who look out from Rooftop 866 located adjacent to the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel.  That's when the chic rooftop bar passes on a 20 percent discount to guests who live in the surrounding neighborhood.  The rooftop garden feeds on the vibrant energy of the neighborhood around it, juxtaposing serene stars above and lively streets below.  Locals love it!  Use the discount to try the lounge menu's refreshing fare and shareable dishes such as lemon garlic hummus, grilled ham and cheese and house-made chips with a chili-peach and Vidalia onion dip (menu $.99 - $9).  At the bar, choose from a wide selection of wines by the glass and microbrews.  More adult treats include the Raspberry Lemon Drop and other inventive cocktails ($9-$11 each)...or those frosty Boozy Pops everyone's talking about.

Rooftop 866:  866 West Peachtree Street, NW, adjacent to the Atlanta Renaissance Midtown Hotel; 678-412-2400.

JUSTIN BALMES IS BACK FROM TV KITCHEN LAND

A fierce contender on this summer's "The Next Food Network Star," Marietta's Justin Balmes is done with the show and back in his hometown. Competition was fierce between the 15 chef "Star" hopefuls. He didn't make it to the end, which means we have more access to his talents here in Atlanta.

Want some closure in the kitchen? The 32-year-old Balmes will be on the show's finale that airs in mid-August. A newcomer to TV kitchens, Balmes has plenty of Atlanta experience. He graduated at the top of his Art Institute of Atlanta culinary school class and worked with Jason Dauble of the Georgia Grille and Shaun Doty at MidCity Cuisine before moving over to Whole Foods Market.  The enthusiastic young chef says "I have big goals!"  We can't wait to taste them!

WE'LL LEAVE THE LIGHT ON -- KRISPY KREME IS ALWAYS ON FOR THIS YELPER 

Wonder how often Yelper Lauren E. has to get new brakes?  She's a Krispy Kreme diehard who can't pass a lit-up "Hot Donuts Now" sign without pulling in for just one hot Original right out of the cooker.  Lauren frequents the Krispy Kreme in Midtown.  We may join you there, Lauren!

Some days, you just want a freshly baked donut. Or twelve.

I've actually yet to visit this place when the baking sign is NOT lit; therefore, I have never strayed from the original glazed flavor. But hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Everyone should have the chance to eat a just-baked donut at least once in his or her life.  

The staff is pleasant and the seating area is usually pretty clean, so it's actually a nice place to sit for a little bit with a friend (it helps to have a compatriot or three when you're ingesting hundreds of calories in one sitting) and catch up.

EAT IT AND TWEEP:  JOLLY MOM TWEETS GET MOMS READY FOR SCHOOL AND DAILY MOMDOM 

Piera Jolly out of Lawrenceville, Ga. is one of Nielsen's 50 Power Moms!  The wife/mom/wannabe photographer and cookbook author founded her Jolly Mom blog as an outlet for her passions.  Jolly tweets (@jollymom) save-ry tips on giveaways, bargains and food finds.  Her blog passes on more details on the latest trends for moms and kids, crafts, parenting info and child-friendly activities.  Oh yeah, and recipes to help you crank those meals out!

Sample Tweet:  New Blog Post: Promote Your Giveaways: Giveaways Galore Link Up http://ow.ly/1e5U5m