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It’s springtime and there are few things we’d rather be doing than spending time outside, Terrapin Beer in hand, along with great tastings from local restaurants like Atkins Park, Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, South City Kitchen, The Original El Taco and at least 20 other Atlanta restaurants! Good thing that A Taste of the Highlands is here this weekend! The 8th annual event returns to John Howell Park tomorrow from 2 to 5 p.m. and it’s all for a great cause – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Live music from Lexi Street Band and Blue Remedy will keep you happy and smiling while you sample the best the neighborhood has to offer! Follow them on Twitter to get the latest updates on the event, as well as the other fundraisers they do throughout the year. Bonus – if you buy your ticket online before noon today, you can save $10!

What Does Dunwoody Taste Like?

Circle Feb. 5 on your calendar so you can be at the W Perimeter to sample Dunwoody's finest fare. Not only will you be nibbling your way through 25 restaurants' specialties, but it's a benefit for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to boot. It's always a sell-out event so buy your Taste of Dunwoody tickets this week! The new Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food in Sandy Springs and Roswell’s upscale Aqua blue will be there. Details: 7 – 10:30 p.m. on Friday, February 5 at the W Atlanta Perimeter. Cash bar. Silent Auction. Live music by RELIX . Contact Julianna Rue or call 404-785-7337.

Taste New Menu Items at Panera

It’s lunchtime and local Panera Bread locations are offering samples of their new menu items today. What better reason to hit up your local lunch spot?

sample day!

Caryn and I went and tested the new BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad and Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich. We gave them both two thumbs up. Other new items include the grilled Breakfast Power Sandwich with ham, eggs and cheese on whole grain bread; Fudge Brownies; and Macadamia Nut Blondies.

bbq chopped chicken salad samples

napa almond chicken salad sandwich samples

Also today, when customers purchase a loaf of bread or half dozen or more bagels at participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes, Panera will Share the Dough by donating a portion of the proceeds to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, its local Operation Dough-Nation organization.

Frozen Lemonade at Panera

For each frozen lemonade purchased at Panera today, $1 is donated to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Not to mention, it's the perfect refreshment for a hot day!

Be sure to stop by a location of Panera not only to pick up a frozen lemonade, but also to try some of the new menu items that are being passed out as free samples!



To find an Atlanta-area Panera near you visit their website.

Toys and Birthdays and Bears, Oh My!

This week is packed with fun events that sure to be beneficial for everyone. Check out these parties at Greazy Spoon's very own Marlow's Tavern and Aqua blue for a good time or a good cause!

Toys for Tots at Marlow's Tavern Midtown

Why toy with a good thing? Last year's Toys for Tots drive at Marlow's Tavern Midtown was such a hit, the Marines are back for more! Grab your friends and have fun picking out some of the hottest new toys, then take the whole kit and caboodle to the Marlow's Midtown drive on Thursday, December 11 beginning at 6 p.m. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve members will be filling their "sleighs" with the toys to deliver to area children who would otherwise go without. What's in it for you? The warmth of knowing you'll make a child smile -- and a cup of cheer for you. Marlow's knows you really want to play with that toy yourself, so they'll give you a ticket to trade for a free glass of house wine or beer when you hand over the toy (one ticket per customer). And aren't those Marines fantastic, serving our country abroad and right here in our community? Be sure to say "thanks" while you're there!

Marlow's Midtown: 950 West Peachtree Street; 404-815-0323.

Marlow's Tavern in Kennesaw Turns 1

Proud parent Marlow's Tavern is planning big times to celebrate the first year of its Kennesaw location. Each time you enjoy a lunch or dinner special at Marlow's Kennesaw through December 10, you'll receive a raffle ticket to redeem for a glass of house wine or draft beer (one per ticket holder) at their anniversary party on Thursday, December 11. Drop your ticket in the hopper for a chance drawing to win one $30 Marlow's gift card each week for one year (one card may be used every seven days; gratuity not included). Party starts at 7 p.m. and runs full steam until 10 p.m. with passed hors d'oeuvres, drink specials and live entertainment.

Marlow's Tavern Kennesaw: 745 Chastain Road, NW; 770-425-8777.

Teddy Bear Brunch at Aqua blue

Hand-in-hand with the medical science of healing comes the soft hugs of a teddy bear to raise the spirits of a hospitalized child. Aqua blue in Roswell wants to help bring smiles to the faces of the young patients at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta by collecting new teddy bears at a Teddy Bear Brunch from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 13. Each family that brings a new teddy bear, with tags still attached, will receive a "blue chip" card for each child, good for a complimentary meal from the children's menu on their next visit. On the Teddy Bear Brunch menu: carved ham, London broil with Marsala mushroom sauce, roasted turkey with giblet gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables, macaroni and cheese, house and Caesar salad, a variety of fresh sushi, chicken fingers and desserts. Scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, pancakes, biscuits and sausage gravy, home fries, fresh fruit and assorted pastries round out the menu. $19.95 for adults and $8.95 for children four to 12; children under four eat free. Call 770-643-8886 for reservations.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing health, hope and happiness to children through philanthropic and volunteer support for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

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