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

Journalist and technical writer Linda Erbele will "talk story" with you about business, lifestyle and travel writing projects.  She reveals little-known details uncovered along Georgia's back roads and byways on her Georgia Crossings blog -- including digging up some juicy Vidalia Onion history in her entry on the newly opened Vidalia Onion Museum.  Those Vidalias are so sweet they won't make you cry, but they will inspire you to follow Erbele's tweets (@atltravlr).

Ice Cream Time!

The word is out... Slow Food Atlanta is hosting its Fifth Annual Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social fundraiser on Saturday, June 18, and right now they are seeking amateur ice cream makers to go up against some of Atlanta's top chefs!!

The Ice Cream Social, which is in conjunction with the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, will take place in the garden of St. Philip’s Cathedral at 2744 Peachtree Road on Saturday, June 18 from 12:30 pm to 2:00 p.m.

Contestants are asked to provide 2 - 3 gallons of homespun ice cream or sorbet made from fresh ingredients. Slow Food Atlanta will provide cups and utensils (all compostable or recyclable), signage, and an eager ice cream-eating public. Last year’s event drew almost 200 hungry Atlantans of all ages.

If you are interested in entering the friendly competition, email your name, contact info and ice cream flavor to slowfoodicecreamsocial@gmail.com by June 1.

More of an ice cream eater rather than ice cream maker? Purchase your tickets to this tasty social here.

Mr. Harris Goes To Washington

Photo by Angie Mosier

White Oak Pastures President Will Harris III is DC-bound this week, and it won't take a cattle prod to bring him back to Bluffton.  Talk to Harris and you'll find out the grass really is greener on his side of the fence.  His cattle love it that way and so do the growing number of grass-fed beef devotees who purchase White Oak Pastures' all-natural, grass-fed beef at quality markets and restaurants in five states.  

Harris will be recognized as Georgia's "2011 Small Business Person of the Year" during the Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week events, May 18 - 20, in Washington, D.C.  The fifth-generation farmer has grown the family farm to become one of the largest producers of organic, grass-fed beef in the nation -- covering more than 2,500 acres.  All farming, cattle raising and processing is done at White Oak Pastures using sustainable methods, modern technology and renewable energy sources.  

In addition to running his farm operation with 44 employees, Harris is president of the Georgia Organics board of directors as well as the beef director of the American Grass-Fed Association.  Congrats to Will and all of White Oak Pastures!

Fadó Brings Back “Ladies ‘80s”

If you missed it in April, you have another shot to celebrate the famed decade full of slap bracelets and big hair at Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant on Saturday, May 21 at 10 p.m. The Buckhead hotspot is hosting its "Ladies '80s" party once again with all the same great specials. Dress out and dance up a thirst for '80s classic cocktails such as the Long Island Iced Tea, Mai Tai and Blue Hawaiian priced at $6 each for the ladies. Get down to the sounds of a live DJ (not an '80s cassette player). '80s babies, visit an '80s blog for memory-jogging ideas for fashion and hair. Fadó party favors include period accessories such as slap bracelets and candy necklaces.

Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant: 273 Buckhead Avenue; 404-841-0066

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, You Had Me At Food

The upcoming Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is so heady and rich in flavor that we can hardly condense its essence to a simple paragraph or two. Offering close to 200 ways to "sip, savor and enjoy the South," the May 19-22 festival overflows with learning experiences, tasting tents, street carts and a connoisseur lounge. Events and themes are divided into three categories: Old Traditions, New Traditions and Imports & Inspirations. Lest we become the proverbial kids in a candy shop, we are honing in on a dozen chefs, restaurants and food experts in particular. We're focusing forks on Owner/Executive Chef Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill, South City Kitchen Executive Chef Chip Ulbrich, Ecco Executive Chef Micah Willix, Fifth Group Restaurants Co-Founder Steve Simon, White Oak Pastures President Will Harris, JCT. Kitchen & Bar Owner/Executive Chef Ford Fry, Chef Nathan Lippy and his event at the W Atlanta-Midtown, Morelli's Gourmet Ice Cream & Desserts, Executive Chef Tracey Bloom of Ray's at Killer Creek, Executive Chef and Partner Drew Belline of No. 246 in Decatur, Spice Route Supper Club's Chef and Creator Asha Gomez, and Owner/Executive Chef Gerry Klaskala of Aria. Download the program schedule for complete event details. Tickets, ranging in price from $50 to $2500 per person, are available for purchase online.

Get Some "Rock 'N' Roll Delight" at Briza with Hugo This Thursday

Briza is doling out some "Rock 'N' Roll Delight" this Thursday, May 19 at 10 p.m. when England-born/Thailand-raised musician Hugo stops by the Midtown restaurant to perform an intimate live set from his debut album, "Old Tyme Religion." Hugo will hit The Masquerade stage for a full concert the following evening, but this is your chance for a closer look in a cozy setting. You won't want to miss his cover of Jay-Z's "99 Problems."

Briza Executive Chef Janine Falvo is offering a $40 tasting menu for the special occasion. You can reserve a spot between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. for her special tasting menu and “HUGOtini” cocktail by calling the restaurant at 678-412-2402.

Briza: 866 West Peachtree Street, NW, adjacent to the Atlanta Renaissance Midtown Hotel.

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.

Hold Your Horses - It's Almost Derby Time at South City Kitchen Vinings

Dressing up and sipping mint juleps for "The Run for the Roses" is a Southern tradition.  All that horsepower.  All of those juleps.  Oh-so-hospitable South City Kitchen Vinings is throwing a Kentucky Derby party from 5 - 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.  You won't miss a minute of the action as the restaurant will televise it, high volume, on its flat-screen TVs.  Out on the patio, saddle up with cocktail tastings of mint juleps, mojitos and Kentuckyritas and enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvre including smoked chicken wings, Kentucky sausage meatballs, grilled pimento cheese sandwiches and burgoo-a traditional Kentucky stew. 

Hold your horses -- there's more: bartenders will teach guests step-by-step how to stir and shake up these cocktails themselves -- you'll even get recipe cards to take home so it'll be perfect every time. Even if your horse loses the Derby, you'll still win because partygoers will receive 10 percent off dinner if they choose to stay for another lap.  Purchase Kentucky Derby party tickets online for only $25 per person plus tax and gratuity.