Appetizing Aperture: The Katharine's Brasserie Burger

Order the Brasserie Burger at The Katharine in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and double up on paying homage to Katharine Reynolds, a spirited woman whose love of the arts and culture helped shape the city. French ooh-la-la and sweet Southern touches entwine here as Joyce Farms Naked Beef -- pure, grass-fed beef -- throws on raclette cheese and bread-and-butter pickles ($15 lunch/brunch, $16 dinner). Accessorize with a side of frites or mixed greens.

Star Grazing

Eclipse glasses filtered the sun for viewing on Aug. 21, but they couldn’t block out a star sighting in Buckhead. Gwyneth Paltrow and son visited Umi with friends that night, orbiting around an order of rock shrimp tempura, seaweed salad, eel avocado and shrimp roll and other delectables from chef Fuyuhiko Ito’s exquisitely modern Japanese menu. Actor Benjamin Bratt was sighted there on Aug. 17 blissfully immersed in yellowtail jalapeño, spicy tuna crispy rice, rock shrimp tempura and lobster tempura roll paired with Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc. Not despicable, if you ask me.

Gridiron Specials Kick Off Football Viewing Season

Fall is all about cleats, eats and pigskin-aligned libations. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to snag stadium seats. If not, no loss. It’s hard to beat the winning lineup of big screens, big plates and big pitchers that Atlanta restaurants pour on for the 50-yard-line season. Right between the goal posts, every time.

Football fans are fired up for the Game Day Eats menu, served all day Sunday during football season at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar – Virginia-Highland. Cayenne pepper-basted and fried Atkins hot chicken legs over fries ($9) are a hot item, along with smoked pulled pork mac ‘n cheese ($10) and a loaded quesadilla packing in potatoes, pepper jack and cheddar cheeses, bacon and sour cream ($9). The Dirty Bird sandwich flies high with Atlanta Falcons watchers, sporting chicken tenders, house coleslaw, pickles and spicy remoulade on a hoagie ($12) while the Brat Burger commands house-seasoned and ground pork, caramelized onion, cheddar cheese, sauerkraut and stout mustard ($12). Both are served with a choice of hand-cut fries, fried pickles, sweet potato fries, Tater Tots or a field green salad. Miller Lite beer slakes thirsts at $14 a pitcher. Jump on Atkins Park’s season-long NFL Pick ‘Em Challenge. Each week, pick your winners, earn points and vie to win a weekly prize of a $20 Atkins Park gift card and monthly prizes for those holding the most points. Submit picks every Thursday by kick-off time. Free to play; ask servers or bartenders for more details. College football followers, on Saturdays Atkins Park sets up cornhole boards in the parking lot for game-day fun.

Punt packaged cookies and add class to your tailgate or viewing festivities with collegiate-logo cookies from Henri’s Bakery & Café in Buckhead. Orders require 48-hour notice. Be sure to stop by the bakery’s new location at 56 East Andrews Drive, NW; open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

View games on the TVs at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Brookhaven. During regular season games, Brookhaven restaurant guests wearing their Atlanta Falcons, UGA Bulldogs or Atlanta United FC spirit gear score a free shot after their respective team wins a game.

Smokebelly BBQ yells “Game On!” and pours game-day drink specials every Saturday, Sunday and Monday during gridiron season. Tackle $5 Tito’s cocktails, $10 pitchers of Bud Light and $3 Bud Light drafts while absorbing action on 16 television screens. Linebacker hungry? Fill up on 50 cent wings every Monday during football season. Smokebelly BBQ plays home base for Atlanta-based FSU fans this year.

Taco Mac runs in with NFL and college football editions of Wings are for Winners. Every time a home team wins, guests in the restaurant win a coupon redeemable for six free wings, valid on a return visit the following Monday through Friday. When redeeming, guests must purchase a beverage with their order (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). Dine-in only, one-time use only, one coupon per person per visit. Not valid with any other offers, coupons or discounts. Georgia home teams: Atlanta Falcons, UGA, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State (Kennesaw location only) and Georgia State (Metropolis and Lindbergh locations only). North Carolina home teams: Carolina Panthers, UNC, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest. Tennessee home teams: Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Taco Mac locations also are offering a Beer of the Month and Brats pairing during football season to give wings a little competition. Purchase mini brats as an entrée with a side for $8.99. Throw in the featured beer of the month for $12.99 and receive Brewniversity credit.

The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill offers a Tackles and Touchdowns menu that’s available daily during football season. Score tasty favorites like fried oyster sac’em sliders, gridiron grouper bites and more. Don’t forget to wash them down with $3 PBR drafts. Available at both locations.

“Shorely” Don’t Miss Sips & Shells Oysters and Sparkling Wines at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails Sept. 14

Top 10 reasons to anchor at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails on Thursday, Sept. 14: eight oysters and two full glasses of sparkling wine at Sips & Shells. Enjoy these precious indulgences from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the bar area of beautiful Milton’s in historic Crabapple for only $35 per person (plus small online service fee). Buy tickets here.

Storico Fresco Alimentari e Ristorante and Mauro Molino Vineyard Meld for Exclusive Wine Dinner Sept. 11

Dine on a five-course dinner of Italian dishes and wines in the heart of Buckhead when Storico Fresco Alimentari e Ristorante hosts a Mauro Molino Wine Dinner on Monday, Sept. 11. Storico Fresco executive chef/partner Mike Patrick and vineyard owner Martina Molino carefully curate each course to convey the bold tastes of the Italian countryside. Wine selections for the evening include 2016 Roero Arneis, floral bouquet with mineral notes and a fresh, intense palate; mellow 2016 Barbera d’Alba, fine and fruity bouquet with scents of ripe red berries and minerals; smooth 2016 Langhe Nebbiolo with scents of rose and violet and a fresh and fruity palate; intense 2013 Barolo with a warm, dry palate and bouquet of cherry and dried rose; and 2013 Gallinotto Barolo with a rich and intense bouquet of ripe fruits, smooth palate, velvety tannins and long finish. Limited seating available. For reservations, call the restaurant at 404-500-2181 or email reservations@storicofresco.com.

Football-Shaped but a Whole Lot Tastier: BGE Grilling Demo at Ray’s at Killer Creek Sept. 9

Fall provides prime outdoor viewing opportunities...such as Big Green Egg watching. Ray’s at Killer Creek executive chef Mike Fuller lines up a BGE tasting menu for the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 9, and his dishes will inspire home entertaining ideas. Delve into smoked North Georgia trout dip with pickled summer vegetables and crusty French baguette. Savor (rein in the desire to gobble) smoked turkey Brunswick stew with crumbled cornbread as well as dry-rub Berkshire spare ribs with whiskey sauce, kale-quinoa slaw and warm German potato salad. BGE does dessert as well, evidenced by preserved strawberry and cast-iron shortbread with whipped sweet cream. Tickets for the 1-3 p.m. event are $39 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and include cooking demo, tasting menu, beverage of iced tea, soda or coffee and a choice of bloody mary, mimosa or 16-ounce draught beer. Reservations required with credit card payment prior to event; call 770-649-0064.

Tee Off for New Story Charity at Southern Proper Golf Tournament Sept. 25

Take to the greens with Southern Proper Hospitality Group to help New Story Charity provide four walls and a roof, a.k.a. homes, sweet homes, for impoverished families around the developing world. Grab your clubs and head out to the Polo Golf & Country Club in Cumming for a fulfilling afternoon on the links encompassing it all -- greens, cart fees, range balls, practice facilities, event prizes, hot grill station lunch, on-course hosted beverages and awards reception dinner. Players ease into the four-person scramble format charity tournament, checking-in and lunching from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. then hitting the links with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Heritage Charity Auctions & Awards stokes a post-tournament silent auction. Players can put their skills to the test at a Trick Shot Expo and Beat the Pro competition with golf entertainer Brad Denton. Vie for prizes including longest drive, closest to the pin and first-, second- and third-place team and buy raffle tickets for more chances to win. $500 per foursome; $700 sponsorship packages (includes foursome, sponsored hole, $50 restaurant gift card). Fork out for your foursome or sponsorship package here (online service fee applies). Atlanta-based Southern Proper Hospitality Group is on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States.

Doug Turbush Shares Tastes of Drift at Salud! Cooking School Alpharetta Sept. 9

Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar netted “Best Seafood in Atlanta” in the AJC’s June 2017 “Best of” poll. Taste and discover why when restaurateur and acclaimed chef Doug Turbush captains Dinner with Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar at Salud! Cooking School in Alpharetta on Saturday, Sept. 9. During Turbush’s 6:30-8:30 p.m. demonstration and dinner, savor Oysters 2 Ways (East Coast on the half shell with classic sauce mignonette and oysters Rockefeller with Herbsaint); crab salad with cucumber and avocado; heirloom tomato gazpacho; pan-seared salmon with creamed leeks, beurre rouge and roasted mushrooms; and Key lime pie with whipped cream and raspberries. Register online; $49 per person for this sea-tacular evening at Salud! in Whole Foods Market Avalon.

Five Things I’ve Learned Over 25 Years in PR

A note from Melissa Libby:

Twenty-five  Five Things I’ve Learned Over 25 Years in PR

As I see my agency’s 25^th anniversary quickly approaching, I started to write a post about the 25 things I’ve learned over that extremely interesting, exciting, frustrating, and amazing time. But given attention spans these days (mine and yours), I decided to keep it to five.

1.      You be you

For years I worried about what my competitors were doing. I noticed their client rosters, great placements, awards received, new employees attracted, and compared all these with mine. This made me cranky. So now I take that energy and direct it to noticing all the fabulous work my outstanding team does for our wonderful clients. And I congratulate my peers when I see that they have enjoyed success too. I’m much less cranky.

2.      Always find the funny

I believe that teams who laugh together do the best work. There are few circumstances so serious that you can’t find a great movie reference, meme, or cat video to use to bring some levity to the situation. Clients appreciate this too. It’s hard out there and we’re all putting in a lot of hours and enduring some stressful situations. Why not break up the meeting with a good joke or funny story?

3.      Don’t read postcards from hell

This advice from a Wood Brothers song is my go-to answer for Yelp “reviewers”, Facebook commenters, and all the other Negative Nellies we encounter in the customer service aspect of our jobs. It’s so easy to be swayed by the vocal minority we call haters but you’ve got to know which ones to ignore. Hint: it’s most of them.

4.      PR is not brain surgery

In Atlanta, we have maybe two days each winter with a threat of snow and ice. I always take a moment to remind my team of our one-sentence snow policy: “Do not risk your life to promote the latest cocktail trend.” I do take our responsibilities seriously and I know that our work is crucial to our clients’ success, but I also know that no one will die if we make a typo, send something out late, mislabel a photo or take a snow day even when it’s not really snowing.

5.      It’s all about the people, people.

No 25-year career is without its bad moments. I try not to dwell on them. I like to dwell on the positives and they all revolve around people. From the mentors who believed in me, to the boss who laid me off so I had to start my business, to the person who gave me my first restaurant account, it’s always people who make the difference in business and life. I try to surround myself with the best, most supportive, happiest, funniest, smartest people I can find.

Check back in 2042 to see what I learn over the next 25 years!

Along Came a Cider to Sit Down Beside Her at 5Church Atlanta - Urban Tree Cidery Rooftop Tap Takeover Sept. 7

In a case of the apple staying close to the tree, Urban Tree Cidery, a family-owned and -operated cidery in West Midtown, comes to nearby 5Church Atlanta for the last Tap Takeover of the summer season on the restaurant’s rooftop patio. An Urban Tree Cidery representative will talk a bushel and a peck about the whole grove-to-glass process at the 5-7:30 p.m. takeover on Thursday, Sept. 7. Enjoy flagship ciders, including Classic (crisp, slightly sweet), Original (semi-dry European classic with apple notes) and Barrel-Aged (crafted in Nicaraguan rum barrels with oaky hints), served as a flight of four ($20) or as single pints ($7). If a cocktail is the apple of your eye, try 5Church lead bartender Keyatta Mincey’s special cider cocktail. Small plates nourish; beer, wine and cocktails flourish; and games of Jenga, shuffleboard and foosball do playful times encourage.

Dine Out for No Kid Hungry at Marlow’s Tavern and Receive $5 Coupon with Donation during September

School is back in session and so is Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry fundraising campaign. Timely, because concentration suffers when tummy rumblings drown out the teacher’s lesson. Nourishing young minds starts with good nutrition, and that’s where Marlow’s Tavern locations and Dine Out for No Kid Hungry join the class. During September, Marlow’s Tavern guests who make a donation of any amount to No Kid Hungry will receive a $5 coupon redeemable on an upcoming visit between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2017. Tack a donation onto your tab after enjoying a juicy classic Tavern Burger and an ice-cold drink. Frequent Marlow’s and donate throughout the month. One coupon per donation per person per visit. No Kid Hungry works to end childhood hunger by ensuring students start the day with a healthy meal and teaching families the skills needed to shop and prepare healthy meals on a tight budget -- earning an “A+” from us for their appetizing goal.

Latch onto Quickie $8.50 Lunch Special at Babalu

Some days demand a fast repast that still feels like a real lunch break, involving friendly wait staff and made-from-scratch, mouthwatering options. Others lean toward a leisurely yet easy-on-the-budget lunch. Either way, the best new lunch buddy in town is the $8.50 lunch special at Midtown’s new Babalu Tapas & Tacos. Choose a quarter Babalu chop salad or soup of the day and two tacos plus a drink for $8.50 (excludes tax and gratuity) Monday through Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Located at 33 Peachtree Place at the corner of West Peachtree Street and Peachtree Place, the restaurant serves lunch daily in its spacious dining room and out on the huge covered patio. Babalu satisfies the lunch bunch, getting them in and out in a timely manner, all within easy walking distance of MARTA’s Midtown Station.

#Foodgram

Why use fabric when you can use food? Fashion illustrator Edgar Artis envisions fashion designs created with fruits, grains, gummies – not cotton, rayon or even a small percent of spandex.