What's New on Pinterest: Toast to the New Year

We're ready to pop the cork on the new year and are on the lookout for some colorful new ideas to help celebrate. Raise a glass to all the ideas on our "Toast to the New Year" Pinterest board, then shake up your glasses with candy cane cocktails, gingersnap martinis, caramel apple hot toddy or a champagne-inclusive cocktail sure to tickle the fancy of champagners everywhere. 2014, here we come!

Appetizing Aperture: Brunch at No. 246

Biscuits topped with country fried steak and doused in gravy? Yes, please! No. 246 obliges to the great demand with their biscuits and gravy brunch favorite that will have you planning your weekend rise 'n shine strategy early in the week. Stop by the downtown Decatur restaurant for weekend brunch served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Gerry Klaskala Taking his Talents to Naples Winter Wine Festival and Benefit

Gerry Klaskala, executive chef and owner of Aria, is taking his talents to Naples, Fla. during the Naples Winter Wine Festival, January 24-26, 2014. On Friday, January 24, Klaskala and other celebrity chefs from across the nation will take over the kitchens and dining rooms of Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) trustees - and the homeowners won't mind a bit. The chefs will prepare signature dishes and be joined by vintners with fine wines to create an intimate, one-of-a-kind wining and dining experience for guests. All this preparation and hard work will aid the NCEF's primary annual fundraising event. Themed "Celebrate the Journey," the festival boasts other events including "Meet the Kids Day Tour & Luncheon," wine tastings, gourmet meals and an auction offering wines, dining and travel experiences and one-of-a-kind treasures. The NCEF supports programs that improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County, Fla.

#Foodgram of the Week: @realalesharpton

 

Find out the latest and greatest in all things brewery and beer-related from writer, travel journalist and photographer Ale Sharpton. He covers everything beer from new brew news to craft beer events and products on his Instagram (@realalesharpton),Cruisin' for a Brewsin' blog and web show. 

Merry Christmas from Melissa Libby & Associates

Thank you all for such an amazing year! We've had a blast at Melissa Libby & Associates and have so much to be thankful for this holiday season. We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! 

We Won't Let You Drop the Ball on Making Plans to Welcome 2014

  

The holiday season seems compacted this year (remember, Thanksgiving came late in November). If it's been a blur and you're juggling a full holiday load, remain calm and click on our blog roundup of places to celebrate. Your plans may be up in the air today, but let someone else drop the ball on New Year's Eve.

New Year's Eve news flash - here's the word on more places to enjoy a special New Year's Eve dinner:

Article 14 in Midtown has a special menu for New Year's Eve. Salads include a simple garden, Little Gem and Kale Yeah ($7-$10). Then move on to starters of soup, bacon-wrapped dates or she-crab mussels ($6-$13) and small plates such as housemade chips with Vidalia onion dip, okra chips, southern spiced Georgia pecans, pimento cheese, salumi, deviled eggs, chopped chicken liver and a duck confit slider ($3-$11). Among the evening's entrées are a farmers market risotto with poached farm egg, pan-roasted sea scallops with pulled duck and crispy bacon, pan-roasted chicken with Anson Mills grits and grilled skirt steak. Reservations: 404-443-8432.

All night long on New Year's Eve, Marlow's Tavern locations are offering a three-course, prix fixe menu for $36 per person. Each location has its own menu variation, but you just might find a first taste of lobster and shrimp chowder or winter tavern salad before sailing into the 'MT' Surf & Turf of grilled filet mignon and jumbo tempura shrimp or cumin-scented sea scallops. Options for finishes include warm chocolate cake, chocolate crème brûlée or a spirited holiday spice martini. Call your favorite Marlow's Tavern location for more information.

G's Midtown is serving their regular menu on New Year's Eve. At 10 p.m., a DJ starts spinning tunes and party favors are passed out to guests. The ball drop will be on all television screens along with an in-restaurant balloon drop to celebrate the new year. For more information, call 404-872-8012.

 

Buckhead's Seven Lamps celebrates the New Year in style with a $75 four-course prix fixe menu. Sample menu items include Bramlett Farms trout with smoked potato, Georgia shrimp, confit carrots and shrimp bisque, and Wagyu beef flat iron steak with potato gnocchi, grilled romaine lettuce, braised cipollini onions with red wine bacon jus is served. Diners can sip on beverage pairings for an additional $35. An a la carte menu is served as well. For more information and to make a reservation, call 404-467-8950.

Cheers to Half-Price Bottles of Wine at G's Midtown Every Monday!

Beat the Monday blues and join G's Midtown for half-price bottles of wine. Every Monday, all wines served by the glass are half price when purchased by the bottle from 5-11 p.m. While you are sipping on that perfect pinot, order dinner from their new menu. G's Iron Skillet Mac and Steak is one of my favorites! With top sirloin steak, iron skillet mac & cheese, haricot vert and herb butter, it's no wonder this is a signature item!

Take a Peek at Our Wish List for Last-Minute Gift Ideas Plus More More in this Week's Dish

                                               

MLA is hoping for a foodie gift-filled holiday, with the fun and delicious items on our wish list this year. Be sure to check out what we are all wishing for, New Year's Eve happenings, plus much more in this week's Dish. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Kneads and Wants on MLAers Christmas Lists

 

We consider ourselves very fortunate to eat and drink for a living - and that about covers our "kneads." Wants? Given that we love all things culinary, it didn't take long for us to compile a wish list to set out on Santa's cookie plate. Elves, have at it, and thanks!

• Gretchen's black lab Pepper chewed up her garlic peeler thus procuring a new one tops her list. A lemon zester would pair nicely with it (and lemon is really good at removing any wayward garlic scent off your hands).
• Nicole pines for a cook's herb wreath, fragrant with bay leaf, sage, rosemary and oregano and handmade on a California farm. She hopes the aromatic find at Williams-Sonoma will lead to some culinary inspirations.
• Amy keeps news moving out to the media and feels a stalwart KitchenAid five-quart stand mixer will help her keep a handle on 325 watts of powerful churning at home.
• Suong is rapping about this “99 Bottles” growler jug from West Elm. She may have 99 problems figuring out which beer to fill this 64-oz. bottle up with first, but finishing it off ain’t one. 
• Emily craves a copy of "The New Classics," the latest from Australian cookbook author Donna Hay. Simple, well-defined recipes and mouthwatering photography make this book a constant companion, both in the kitchen and for conducting culinary research in a cozy armchair.
• Something warm and dry, hints Mandy. Specifically, the Excalibur nine-tray dehydrator at The Cook's Warehouse so she can preserve the veggies from her garden and dry up some healthy homemade fruit snacks for her household.
• "Chop, chop!" says Brooks, who would love a food processor to do just that, along with other kitchen counter talents.
• Tuan can guzzle some tea, and he prefers the loose-leaf varieties. To corral his leaves, he is enthused about the clever infusers at BoredPanda. We want to know what kind of tea the designers were sipping when they came up with the Tea.Tanic, the Deep Tea Diver, the Robot Infuser and Mr. Tea, who considers your mug a hot tub.
• Brandon is always working to improve his core with the office apple corer and slicer. Now he's getting bold and asking for one for home because they make preparing and eating an apple so darn fun.
• Melissa wants to stay as warm as pizza fresh from a hot oven. She's dreaming about a toasty pizza slice sleeping bag that might do the trick as she rests her head on broccoli, mushroom and pepperoni-shaped pillows.
• Georgia Tech student Linda puts in a request for gift cards to the city's best restaurants so she can try them out on her college student-sized budget!

Dear Santa - Our Christmas Wish List on Pinterest

White Oak Pastures BBQ Spice Rub - $7.99

Those of you out there shopping for foodie-oriented gifts, check out our Dear Santa Pinterest board. Tools, pans, gadgets, books, foods...our elves know their way around a kitchen, and they are scampering to share the where-abouts for these tasty wares.

#Foodgram of the Week: @gsuhospitality

We can feel the Georgia State University panther pride growing all over downtown Atlanta, so we hit Instagram to catch up on the latest happenings around GSU. Turns out the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration is celebrating 40 years of education the next generation of leaders. See all about it @gsuhospitality.

Pizza Making is Easy as Dough-Re-Mi with Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria Class on Dec. 23

While we can't promise the "pizzaiolos" at Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria will improve your vocal abilities, we can guarantee you'll sing their pizza-making praises.The talented team will instruct you on the secrets of tossing and topping during an interactive pizza-making class on Monday, December 23 at 8:30 p.m. Learn more about Max's legendary coal-burning process while creating your own pizza masterpiece and sampling everyone's creations. Purchase a class for yourself or gift to friends and family! $30 per person includes meal and two drinks (drinks choices are wine by the glass, beer, soda or tea; excludes tax and gratuity). Class size is limited to 16 guests and advance reservations are necessary: 404-974-2944 or mjs@legacyrestaurantpartners.com. 

Know a Giver? Marlow's rewards you both. #goldengiver

We all know that person. The one who is always doing things for others, even when Santa isn't watching. Now Marlow's Tavern has a way to honor him or her. Nominate this special person to win a $100 Marlow's Tavern gift card, and if he or she wins, you'll be eligible to win a $100 gift card yourself! Enter on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by tagging your entry with #goldengiver, briefly tell why this person deserves to win and upload his/her picture. What a nice way to recognize a deserving giver!

Join Santa at Ray's on the Creek for Lunchtime Photo Ops on December 22

Have the cameras and smart phones ready to snap photos with Santa during lunch hours at Ray's on the Creek this Sunday, December 22. After taking pictures with Santa, order off of Ray's regular lunch menu where the options of succulent seafood are endless. Choose from freshly made sushi, soups, salads and sharable sides to accompany the Big Green Egg specialties such as smoked salmon, St. Louis-style ribs or pulled pork piled on Texas toast. Or choose from Ray's plenty of hearty sandwiches such as the juicy beef or salmon burgers, a prime rib dip, a lobster roll and chicken or grouper sandwiches. Doors open for lunch at 11 a.m., so hurry over to not miss out on this opportunity to enjoy lunch and pictures with Santa at Ray’s on the Creek! 

Atlanta Restaurants are Ready to Grant Your Christmas Dish Wish

Does your holiday wish list include ways to squeeze dinner in while out and about, planning for a party, picking up dessert or trying to decide where to dine on Christmas Eve (or get out of the house on Christmas Day)? Santa has enlisted Atlanta restaurants to help fulfill those mouthwatering wishes. Check our blog for details!

Pop In to HOBNOB for Holiday Favorite Pot Pies

This week's forecast calls for chilly temperatures, early sunsets and steaming hot pot pies to keep us warm. Just in time for the holidays, HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern is popping out their fan favorite pot pies featuring smoked chicken, bacon, lots of veggies and savory gravy wrapped inside a tender, flaky crust. It's our dining pick to heat things up after any wintry outdoor activities around Midtown. Hurry in, because these seasonal treats are only being served for a limited time!

Join Umi for Their First New Year's Eve Celebration

Join Chefs Fuyuhiko and Lisa Ito at Umi for a sushi New Year's Eve celebration . The combination of ocean-fresh sushi and modern Japanese flavors paired with the streamlined, earthy elegance of this Buckhead restaurant will inspire you to enter the new year with serenity and peace. The night marks Umi's first New Year's Eve with an eight-course UMI-Kase including one bottle of red or white wine or champagne per couple. $175 per person. Limited seating. For details, please call 404-841-0041 or email info@umiatlanta.com.

Ring in the New Year in Most Delicious Ways Plus Much More in this Week's Dish

Still searching for a restaurant to celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Don't fret - we have you covered with all of the hot spots serving dinner and more. If your Christmas plans are settled, jump ahead to New Year's Eve by planning a special dinner out at one of Atlanta's best restaurants. We have all you need for planning your holidays, plus much more in this week's Dish!

Where to Celebrate What's Out (2013) and in (2014) on New Year's Eve and Day

 

Adios, twenty-thirteen! 2014 is nipping at your heels. Join in the chase and welcome the new year over dinner, brunch and bubbly at these Atlanta restaurants.

10^th & Piedmont serves its regular menu on New Year's Eve, abundant with sharables for before-party dining. The Midtown restaurant will serve a New Year's Day brunch buffet for $19 per person. Info: 404-602-5510.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland is hosting a New Year's Day brunch beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1. Reservations are recommended: 404-876-7249.

Aqua blue in Roswell is offering a three-course menu for $49 per person including Maine lobster bisque, five-spice New York strip and crispy shrimp, classic crème brûlée, plus much more. The restaurant is also serving an à la carte menu. Ring in the new year with a champagne toast and party favors. Reservations: 770-643-8886.

Aria in Buckhead is celebrating New Year's Eve with a $90 per person four-course meal. Diners have options for their second, third and fourth courses. Reservations: 404-233-7673.

G's in Midtown is serving a New Year's Day brunch buffet for $19 per person. Info: 404-872-8012.

Gunshow celebrates New Year's Eve with a special ticketed dinner event. On Tuesday, December 31, the restaurant pulls out all the stops with eight dishes, two sweets and wine and champagne pairings with an option of beer available. Seating reservations can be made for 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8:45 or 9:15 p.m. The dinner is $200 per person (including tax and gratuity), and tickets must be purchased by Saturday, December 28 by phone or in person at the restaurant. Tickets are non-refundable; however, if guests need to cancel, tickets are accorded gift card status for a future visit. Reservations: 404-380-1886.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown is celebrating New Year's Eve with all-you-can-eat pizza and all-you-can-drink beer and champagne for $25 per person. Info: 404-968-2288.

JCT. Kitchen & Bar rings in the holidays in West Midtown with a four-course menu offering multiple options per course; supplemental items also are available for an additional fee. $65 per person. Reservations and info: 404-355-2252.

Buckhead's King + Duke hosts a four-course prix fixe New Year's Eve dinner on Tuesday, December 31. Three to four selections per course are offered, and a wine pairing with each dish is an option. At midnight, toast to 2014 with a complimentary glass of champagne. Dinner is $70 per person. Reservations and info: 404-477-3500.

  

The Mill Kitchen & Bar in Roswell hosts a New Year's Eve bash beginning at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, complete with live music, a champagne toast and a midnight balloon drop that encompasses Mill dollars, discounts and freebies. Info: 770-817-9345.

In historic Crabapple, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails rings in a stylin' new year beginning with a special prix fixe menu from 5-10 p.m. for $65 per person. Live music starts at 8 p.m. and plays until the party stops. Toast midnight with a complimentary glass of champagne and party favors. To reserve a table, call 770-817-0161. For parties of eight or more, email Heather@miltonscuisine.com or call 678-431-8753.

On New Year's Eve, Decatur's No. 246 hosts a four-course dinner that lets guests choose from multiple rustic Italian dishes. $60 per person with 20 percent gratuity for parties of six or more and a $10 corkage fee per bottle. Reservations and info: 678-399-8246.

The Optimist hosts a four-course dinner on New Year's Eve that gives guests multiple options per course. Supplemental items are available for an additional fee. $65 per person. Reservations and info: 404-477-6260.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant celebrates a RAckin' New Year's Eve party on Tuesday, December 31 from 7 p.m. to close. Look forward to a DJ spinning party-worthy beats plus food and drink specials such as bonfire shrimp, the crunchy shrimp tempura roll, Tootsy Maki and edamame dip joined by Kirin/Kirin Light bombers, hot sake and more. Info: 404-267-0114.

Ray's Restaurants offers diners three warm holiday gathering spots. Ray's on the Creek's dining room is open from 5-11 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 for New Year's Eve, and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. On Wednesday, January 1, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Reservations: 770-649-0064. Ray's on the River's dining room is open from 5-11 p.m. for New Year's Eve, and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. on New Year's morning. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Wednesday, January 1. Reservations and info: 770-955-1187. Ray's in the City is celebrating New Year's Eve from 4-11 p.m. on December 31. Reservations and info: 404-524-9224.

Sweet Dee's Bakeshop in Tucker helps hosts uphold their resolution to serve delectable desserts over the holidays. New Year's Eve orders must be picked up before or on Tuesday, December 31. For orders and special holiday hours, call 770-696-4461.

#Foodgram: @beerstreetjournal

This foodgram knows how to put the "happy" in "happy hour." The crew over at @beerstreetjournal is pouring glass after glass of some of the best beers around because, as they say, no great story ever started with someone eating a salad." Wise words, friends.