The Gods of Chocolate

Pacci provided unofficial mascots for the Chocolate! 2009 fundraiser last night. Chef Keira Mortiz sprayed her bravest servers in real chocolate and put them on display for a crowd of 800+. They served mini s'mores covered in chocolate...one of the many decadent treats I indulged in last night.

Chef Kein of Aqua blue whipped up Kahlua laced chocolate mousse and

Rathbun's baked little chocolate bread puddings and served them in chocolate milk.

The night was as beautiful as the chocolate desserts.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation successfully hosted the ninth annual fundraiser,Keira successfully painted her servers in chocolate, and I successfully ate a completely chocolate supper.

Gotta Keep Hardy at the Top!

Those people over at Murphy-Goode just can't get enough of a good thing. We're gonna cut them some slack since we want our man Hardy to get that job, but darnit, decide already! So, here's the latest. Tomorrow, the most recent voting deadline, they are going to take the top 50 vote getters and, yep, you guessed it, start the voting again! Hardy's been consistently up near the top but if you still haven't voted in this round, please be sure you do. The link is on his blog.

Btw, Hardy and Andres were on their first glass of Murphy-Goode in this photo. Imagine what happened later.

Tailapalooza at Aqua blue

Aqua blue is making it A-OK to arrive for the tail end of dinner this month with their June Lobster Tailabalooza. The Roswell restaurant will offer three special combinations featuring cold water grilled lobster tails throughout the month of June with such reasonable prices that guests will want to jump right in. The three-tail combo ($31) includes three lobster tails with three sauces -- lemon and garlic butter, mango and pineapple salsa and beer BBQ sauce. The two-tail combo ($23) comes with lemon and garlic butter and mango and pineapple salsa. Subtract a tail and add a filet mignon for the tail and turf combo ($28) that comes with lemon and garlic butter. Roasted red potatoes and corn on the cob come with each combination, and tax and gratuity are not included. Don't forget to check out the restaurant's spacious patio for a sunset meal!

Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell; 770-643-8886.

Ditch the Diet at Chocolate! 2009

On a summer diet? Well forget all about it tomorrow night at the 9th Annual Chocolate! 2009 event, benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This is the one event where it's perfectly acceptable to eat as much chocolate as humanly possible! Funds raised at this annual indulgence will go straight to cystic fibrosis research and treatment. More than 1,000 chocoholics are expected to attend the event at Villa Christina, which also features a full dinner buffet, two live bands and a silent auction. Chefs from Aqua blue, Bold American Events & Catering, Kozmo Gastro Pub and Pacci Ristorante, plus other top bakers, chefs, vintners and caterers will whip up a plethora of chocolate delicacies. Tickets for the 6 - 10 p.m. event are $65 in advance and $75 at the door and may be purchased online or by calling 404-325-6973.

Chocolate! 2009 hopes to raise $100,000 net profit for cystic fibrosis research. Since its start in 1955, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has worked to find a cure for the aggressive disease and to improve quality of life for those with CF. As a result, the median survival age for people with CF has doubled from 18 years to the early 30s.

Get Turned On To Fabulous Wines For Less Than $15 A Bottle

Woodfire Grill Wine Director Nick Quiñones has searched the globe for wine values and brought home eight wonderful wines that retail for under $15 each. Bring $10 for a tasting tomorrow Wednesday, June 17 from 6-9 p.m.- it is a value tasting, after all.
Reserve your spot by contacting nick@woodfiregrill.com or calling Woodfire Grill at 404-347-9055. Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055

A Really Goode Toast to Hardy at Aria

We will drink to that! Join us tomorrow night at Aria and toast Hardy Wallace from Dirty South Wine to show support during his application process to get A Really Goode Job with Murphy-Goode Winery. If you haven't already, check out his video and vote to keep Hardy in the top!