It's Follow Friday - Meet our Tweep of the Week @ChefPatricBell

West Egg Café on Atlanta's Westside is where many Atlantans head for their morning eye-openers and belly warming breakfasts.  What does Executive Chef Patric Bell do between bites?  He tweets funny stuff.  Please don't laugh with your mouth full...

Leave the Cooking and Cleaning to Us and Enjoy Your Gifts!

Are you staying in town for Christmas but don't want to go through the hassle of cooking and cleaning? Luckily there will be restaurants inside and outside the perimeter to cater to your holiday wishes. Aqua blue is offering a three-course holiday menu priced at $25 from 4 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve only. The Roswell restaurant also will be serving its regular menu. Atkins Park - Virginia Highland is one of the few restaurants open on Christmas Day to welcome its neighbors. Doors open at 6 p.m. Christmas Day, and the special holiday menu is $20 for adults, $15 for young adults and $8 for children under 10 years old. For an elegant dinner on Christmas Eve, sit down to an incredible five-course menu at Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse. The savory selection from Executive Chef Bennett Hollberg is priced at $58 per person or $78 with wine pairings. Spice Market, located inside the W Atlanta Midtown, is another top dining destination that is open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Come either or both days for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. or dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Feliz Navidad, y'all! For the first time ever, Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food will be open during regular hours on Christmas Eve. The Buckhead location will be open from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and the Perimeter location will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Remember those sweaters that your mom always made you wear for Christmas? Go dig them out of the deepest, darkest depths of your closet and head to Atkins Park - Smyrna to celebrate Christmas a little early with its "Tacky Sweater Party" tonight, December 17, at 10 p.m. Enjoy live music and cash prizes for the tackiest in attendance! My motto is: The tackier the better!

No More Heavy Holidays – Slim Sips From RA Keep the Pounds at Bay!

Keep your holidays happy and healthy with RA Sushi's “New Year, New You” menu featuring three brand new skinny cocktails!  Light on calories, not on taste; these $7, guilt-free drinks will let you indulge this holiday season without any extra bulge.  You can choose from the light and fresh Cucumber Slenderita, the sweet and sour Cosmo-teeny, and the cool and wintery Thin Mint Mojito (for mature Girl Scouts only!).  Luckily, you don’t have to wait until the new year to try these lightened libations – they’ll be on tap from December 15 through January 31.  So sip on and reap the waistline rewards; it’s RA’s gift to you!

RA Sushi:  1080 Peachtree Street at 1010 Midtown; 404-267-0114.

You Gotta Try This Turkey

Soooo, I'm not much of a cook, but I knew I had to give it my all when Will Harris presented me with one of his turkeys from White Oak Pastures at Thanksgiving. We smoked it on the Big Green Egg and it was delicious. Can't wait to serve it again at Christmas!

These Free Range Bronze turkeys are roamers on the farm and are not subjected to antibiotics or added hormones. They have their own niche in the farm work force as grazers and fertilizers along with the large ruminant (cows) and small ruminant (sheep) animals.

Order your turkey now -- last day for shipping is Tuesday, December 21. The birds are available in three sizes: small (15 pounds or less) for $99, medium (16-20 pounds) for $120 and large (21+ pounds) for $140. Because the turkeys are raised in a natural setting, the farm cannot guarantee specific weights. There is an additional $30 flat-rate shipping fee on all turkeys (regardless of size). Free Range Bronze turkeys can be ordered online or by calling 229-641-2081.

Pacci Says "No Peeking!"

Maybe you can get away with it at home, but opening and resealing gifts is strictly prohibited at Pacci Ristorante in Midtown. During the month of December, the Kimpton Restaurant is offering a “No Peeking” promotion by giving diners a sealed envelope containing an undisclosed prize at the end of their meal. The envelope must remain sealed until the next time the guest dines at Pacci, during which a Pacci server will open the envelope to reveal the hidden surprise. These surprises could range from 50 percent off a meal at Pacci, a cocktail party for eight people at AltoRex Rooftop Lounge, a weekend stay at Hotel Palomar or another desirable deal. Prizes may be redeemed through the end of February (excluding Valentine’s Day weekend, February 12 – 14).

Pacci Ristorante: 866 West Peachtree Street, NW, adjacent to the Hotel Palomar; 678-412-2402.

Marlow's Tavern Opens in East Cobb TODAY

Marlow's Tavern officially opens today in the Merchants Walk retail center at the corner of Highway 120 and Johnson Ferry Road. This new neighborhood eatery (located across from the movie theatre near Kohl's) will be your go-to haven for good times, gourmet pub fare and wines, spirits and brews at a variety of price points.

As if a new neighborhood joint wasn't enough of a reason to visit, all seven Marlow's Tavern locations are currently serving up a special holiday Lobsters & Libations menu. Favorites from last year (lobster chowder!) plus some new dishes make this menu a must try. Lobsters & Libations is available through December 31.

Ride With Santa This Wednesday at the 4th Annual Atkins Santa Ride

Don’t miss your chance to support a great cause and have some holiday fun this week at the 4th Annual Atkins Santa Ride. On Wednesday, December 15, several Santas and Mrs. Clauses will ride their bikes from Atkins Park Tavern - Virginia Highland to Ormsby’s on Atlanta’s Westside -- and back to “go.” It’s an easy 10 to 15 miles tops. Ormsby’s and Atkins Park’s Owner Warren Bruno started this annual holiday-themed biking event four years ago to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Last year, 40 riders were decked out with trees, lights and tinsel! The miles will seem short as you stop and socialize with other Santa riders along the way…hot cider giving way to Jagermeister and dinner. So, strap some lights on the front and back of your bike and head out! Jingling bells are always a nice touch. Meet in the rear parking lot of Atkins Park – Virginia Highland at 6 p.m.

Atkins Park Tavern - Virginia Highland: 794 North Highland Avenue; 404 -876-7249.
Ormsby’s: 1170 Howell Mill Road, NW; 404-968-2033.