Sweet Treats for A Good Cause This Weekend

On Saturday, May 14, Atlanta food bloggers will band together to sell some delicious goodies with the goal of handing over dough raised to Share Our Strength's mission of eradicating childhood hunger and establishing healthy after-school and summer feeding programs.  Summer is an especially critical time for the 17 million children facing hunger in America who will not have school programs in session to feed them over the long break.  The second-annual Atlanta Food Bloggers Bake Sale, organized by Tami Hardeman of Running with Tweezers, will be held at 10 a.m. at Phipps Plaza in conjunction with the Atlanta Luxury Living Show.  The bloggers will be parked in front of Williams-Sonoma in Monarch Court.  For more information, visit the event Facebook page.  Can't make the sale?  You can still help by donating to the Atlanta team online.  Phipps Plaza is located at 3500 Peachtree Road, NE.

It's Follow Friday; Meet Our Tweep of the Week @TasteofVaHi

Festivals and farmers markets are filling the weekends so fast it's hard to keep up with the flurry of festivities.  A Taste of the Highlands, fast approaching on Saturday, May 14, keeps their news in the forefront on Twitter (@TasteofVaHi).  Follow for food, fun and Terrapin beer details about this event that benefits Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.  Lots of handy info and reminders to buy your tickets now because the event usually sells out.  We're especially looking forward to seeing what Atkins Park Tavern, Ecco, La Tavola and The Original El Taco are servin' up for this exciting event!  Hit the event website for even more info.

It's A Beastly Feast

Between the pandas and the penguins, Zoo Atlanta is always a fun visit but add in the culinary treats of some of Atlanta's greatest chefs and you've got yourself one stellar night out!

This year's Beastly Feast is this Saturday (May 14) at 6:30 p.m. at Zoo Atlanta. Guests will begin the evening at sunset with a stroll throughout the Zoo grounds enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres from some of Atlanta's finest restaurants, such as Spice Market and Rathbun's. A seated dinner and dancing to the music of a live band will follow. The live and silent auctions will help the Zoo in its goal of raising $1 million dollars for the 14th consecutive year.

For ticket reservations, call 404.624.5836.

JCT.'s Lara Creasy Represents in NYC

JCT. Bar Mixologist Lara Creasy is headed to NYC where she'll craft cocktails along with some of the world's greatest bartenders at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic on Saturday, May 14. Creasy and her peers will shake and stir in The Lounge at Astor Center from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.! Since it's kind of an early gig (for a mixologist), we thought it appropriate to share the recipe for her Strawberry Alarm Clock drink. Enjoy!

Strawberry Alarm Clock

Glass: highball

2 oz. cachaça

1 strawberry, muddled

3-4 small lime pieces

1 bar spoon of brown sugar

¼ oz. balsamic syrup

Muddle strawberries and lime with brown sugar in mixing glass. Add ice, balsamic and cachaça. Shake and pour all into highball glass garnished with limes and strawberries.

Double Zero Napoletana Opens Tonight!

It's finally here! Double Zero Napoletana , the new Sandy Springs restaurant from Castellucci Hospitality Group, is opening to the public this evening. We have been waiting patiently to get our hands on the restaurant's certified, authentic Neopolitan pizza that is cooked in Ferrara ovens from Naples, and all the other southern Italian dishes from Chef John Coley...and we know you have, too! Along with cuisine from the Campania region of Italy, Double Zero's extensive wine list and Barrel Aged Negroni cocktail are also sure to impress. A little birdie told us not to miss out on the restaurant’s signature starter meant for sharing called “The Roast." It's a 1.5 pound pork shoulder served in cast iron alongside six accoutrements and a thin, pita-like bread made from pizza dough. The dough is baked at 1000 degrees in the aforementioned ovens to use for scooping up the pork and other goodies.

The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Double Zero accepts reservations as well as all major credit cards, and valet parking is available for guests. Stay tuned for the opening of The Café at Double Zero, where guests will be able to get breakfast and lunch come June.

Double Zero Napoletana: 5825 Roswell Road; 404-991-3666.

Don't Miss the 2011 Georgia Fine Wine Festival Next Month

Don't forget to grab your tickets for the 2011 Georgia Fine Wine Festival at BlackStock Vineyards and Winery on June 4 and 5. BlackStock, outside Dahlonega, graces the front of the 2011-12 Georgia DOT Highway Map so you'll know exactly where are all the excitement is happening. This family-friendly festival gives you the chance to sample more than 60 Georgia-grown fine wines from various wineries in our state. Entry for the afternoon includes a festival glass and wine sampling, two food tickets to relish tapas-style plates from 25 North Georgia restaurants, live music on the deck by Kip Dockery Jazz Quartet and colorful folk craft demonstrations. Children, admitted free, are not left high and dry; they’ll love the complimentary petting zoo! Tractor-pulled vineyard tours will be offered for an additional fee. Festival hours are 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 4 and 1 - 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 5. $50 per person for one-day tickets; purchase online at www.bsvw.com. Questions? Call 706-219-2789 ext. 223.

BlackStock Vineyards and Winery: 5400 Town Creek Road, Dahlonega; 706-219-2789 ext. 221.