Cruise to Buckhead for The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill Patio Party May 7

There's a seat for you at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill Patio Party in Buckhead on Wednesday, May 7 from 5-7 p.m. Slurp down three for $3 grilled garlic Parmesan oysters and $3 Fireball shots or Sam Adams drafts. Toast to spring with a $4 glass of TBK white wine or sangria and soak in live music. Sample cocktails and tastes from the spring menu, such as crispy ahi tuna roll, smoked salmon carpaccio, ahi tuna niçoise, coconut fried shrimp and salmon, smoked salmon club sandwich, citrus seafood Cobb salad or lobster linguine. Live music every night! Ah, that's livin' The Big Ketch life.

Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails Brings Seed-to-Fork Samples to Taste of Alpharetta on May 8

Buy your sampling tickets ($.50 each) and look for Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails amid the more than 50 restaurants offering mouthwatering specialties at the 24th annual Taste of Alpharetta. The gastronomical food fest spreads out from city hall in historic downtown Alpharetta on Thursday, May 8 from 5-10 p.m. Admission is free, and everyone can watch culinary demos, see chefs face off in cooking competitions, party with B98.5FM and Radio Disney radio personalities and toe tap along with music stage performances of harmonic rock, folk and R&B. A family friendly fun zone encourages playtime for all. To guesstimate, know that restaurants charge from $1-$3 per sample. You'll find the latest details on Facebook and Twitter and parking info online. Milton's samples will plant that seed-to-fork desire to sit down to the historic Milton restaurant's farm-fresh menu. Follow that gut feeling and make brunch or dinner reservations online.

Hearth Pizza Tavern Patio Party Starts Rolling at 3 p.m. on May 10

Your Saturday morning list: farm the market, work out, check-off errands and assorted "honey-dos." Time out. You and your honey do earn the right to a party on the patio. Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs comes through with the live vibe of Brian Bisky and Christopher Alan Yates from Ed Roland and the Sweet Tea Project, canned craft beer specials and pizza deals beginning at 3 p.m. Those pizzas you love? Half off from 3-5 p.m., and craft beer specials run all night! The only way to top that is to add pepperoni.

Mum's the Word about Mother's Day Surprises -- But We'll Share Some Sweet Links

Whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Seriously, you don't have to tell her where you're taking her but do take mom someplace special from the usual routine. Open up The Dish blog for a list of restaurants ready to honor mom as well as gift ideas and DIY ways for the family to brighten her day in a "We love you!" way.

Roost at Chick-a-Biddy for $15 Deal during Atlantic Station Restaurant Week to Benefit Autism Speaks, May 12-18

We say "roost" because those who love Chick-a-Biddy's pimento cheese, piri piri chicken and fried chicken will want to stop by daily for their chicken fix during Atlantic Station Restaurant Week, May 12-18. The casual eatery is offering a $15 prix fixe menu during lunch and dinner that gives guests a choice of a pimento cheese or a veggie chili appetizer, a quarter of piri piri or fried chicken with two sides for the main slot, and a chocolate chip pecan cookie or gluten-free chocolate cupcake for dessert. Chick-a-Biddy owner Shaun Doty is a longtime supporter of Autism Speaks, the beneficiary of this first-ever Atlantic Station Restaurant Week. But wait, there's more! Diners can show their receipts at select Atlantic Station retailers to receive store discounts. More ways to channel support to Autism Speaks include buying $2 A-Cards for special Atlantic Station offers and discounts and participating in the Georgia Walk Now for Autism Speaks on May 18.

Grand Opening Week at Bar Meatball in Virginia-Highland is Rolling with Specials, May 12-17

Photo by Marco Alarcon

Bar Meatball has been quietly meeting the neighbors in its Virginia-Highland home over the past few weeks, and now the Italian eatery is rolling out a week of grand-opening specials. Monday, May 12 is free slider night. On Neighbor Night, Tuesday, May 13, 10 percent of the evening's proceeds will go to the Morningside Lenox Park Association. Ten dollars buys a bottle of Vitiano sangiovese cabernet blend or Banfi Le Rime pinot grigio on Wednesday, May 14. Savor sangria and a slider for $6 on Thursday, May 15. Friday brings free zeppole all around (you know, those irresistible Italian donuts dusted with powdered sugar)! Kids under 12 years old eat free from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 17. Stop by and see why Bar Meatball's old-school traditions and flavors shine. For one thing, the place draws on family recipes, high-quality ingredients, meats ground in-house daily and sourced locally whenever possible. An easily maneuverable wine and beer list make Bar Meatball a no-brainer for a simply great meal out in the neighborhood.

Picture Winning the Farm Star Living Insta-Dinner Contest and a Freezer Full of Springer Mountain Chicken

Farm-to-table blog Farm Star Living is "Insta"-gating a photogenic contest with no paltry prize -- the winner receives a freezer full of Springer Mountain Farms chicken. You read that correctly, freezer and chicken. Through that big cookout holiday of July 4th, visit any restaurant in Atlanta (or Nashville if you're headed that way) with the bird on the menu. Atlanta participants include JCT. Kitchen & Bar and No. 246. Then, Instagram a picture of the menu, honing in on Springer Mountain Farms chicken, and be sure to tag it @farmstarliving and #springermountainfarms. A free vintage-style Farm Star Living T-shirt flies out to the first 100 entries. Farm Star Living is all about farms, farming and food in the good old U.S.A. They pick the chicks from Springer Mountain Farms because these birds are 100 percent natural with no antibiotics, growth stimulants or hormones, and they're never fed animal by-products.

#foodgram

Genius. In a glass. Nikolai's Roof, atop the Hilton Atlanta, crafts a decadent Southern Pecan Pie after-dinner cocktail with Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, dark crème de cacao, Liquor 43, Frangelico and cream. In lieu of a crust (potentially soggy bottom), the glass is rimmed with crushed caramelized pecans. Look for this Southern champion in the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Battle of the Bottles contest.

What's New on Pinterest

Time to turn over a new leaf and load up on Sensational Salads. Lest we rest on our sorrels and lettuce, we're growing a virtual salad bar of ideas -- chopped, layered, protein-plumped, barbecued or salads for people who absolutely hate lettuce. Fess up. We know you're out there.