Fruttela Frozen Yogurt – Springtime is here!   That means it’s also Frozen Yogurt time!  At Fruttela Frozen Yogurt in Inman Park, students get 10% off every Monday.  Better still, the yogurt you get at Fruttela is made with real fruit and non-fat organic milk – perfect for staying cool and keeping your mind sharp over the summer break.

The Drafting Table – Come in daily at 3:00pm for 1/2 price appetizer specials until 7:00pm.  The Drafting Table will resume lunch hours in June, but for now, Sunday brunch continues weekly from 11:30-4:00 and dinner is of course served every day from 3:00pm until close.  The Drafting Table is located downtown at 349 Decatur St.

Parish – Parish Restaurant in Inman Park is chock full of specials.

• Fried Chicken To Go – Available daily starting at 5:30pm, get a ½ chicken fried with cornbread and your choice of two sides – polenta, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, collards, and cabbage & caraway
• Burger & Beer – Every Wednesday starting at 5:30pm, get a classic cheeseburger with fries and a bottle of high life for $13
• Buy a Glass, Get a Bottle – Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:30pm – Purchase a glass of wine from the featured wine list with your entrée and you can keep the bottle!
• Friday Fish Frys – Friday nights starting at 5:30pm, enjoy tempura battered and fried cod with a side of French fries and tartar sauce for just $15.

P’cheen – To find out about the big news happening at Inman Park’s P’cheen, check out this post from last week.  Add to that P’cheen’s weekly $10 Springer Mountain Fried Chicken Dinner with mashed potatoes and green beans, and you really do have a winner.

The Old Fourth Ward pioneers who recently brought Atlanta Bone Lick Barbecue and Edgewood Speakeasy are now laser-focused on their eight-year-old first child, P’cheen.

The changes at the N. Highland Ave. restaurant and bar involve both the menu and the interior.   And to be clear, both the new menu and remodel are complete!    So take a look at the info below and get over there to experience the new P’cheen for yourself.

Let’s address the food first.  The fact is, P’cheen’s owner and executive chef, Alex Friedman, is incredibly talented.  (He even recently appeared on the Food Network’s “Chopped”!)  The new menu, created by Alex himself, will allow this award-winning chef to truly showcase his skills in the kitchen – and we all get to benefit.

The menu includes small- to mid-sized sharable plates ranging from $4 to $12. Chef Alex will continue to use the finest seasonal, market-driven ingredients that are sourced locally.

A sampling of new menu items (photos below) includes:

• BBQ Octopus, Fresh Lemons, Cured Olive, Feta
• Pork Belly Nigiri, Seaweed Salad, Wasabi
• Pan Fried Frog Legs, Granny Smith Apples, Calvados, Tarragon
• Turtle Soup, Lemon and Madeira
• Portabella, Hoisin Meatloaf Burger, Choice of Cheese
• Lamb Belly Ravioli, Green Peas, Fava Beans, Fried Leeks

P’cheen’s new menu will also include reinvented, smaller versions of their staples including Sweet & Spicy Thai Wings, Coconut Curry Mussels, and Guinness Beer Battered Fish & Chips. Every Wednesday, P’cheen will offer the wildly popular full-sized Springer Mountain Fried Chicken entree for $10.  The kitchen will stay open late nightly – serving until midnight Tuesday through Thursday, and until 1am on Friday and Saturday.

P’cheen will also continue its popular weekend brunch and Sidewalk Sunday event featuring $10 bottomless mimosas until 5pm, $3 shots, Bloody Marys, and moonshine cocktails.

And now on to the remodeling… 

The Georgiaville Food Company restaurant group, which includes P’cheen, Bone Lick BBQ, Pizzeria Vesuvius, and Edgewood Speakeasy, partnered with restauranteur Jeff Myers (Top Flr, SoundTable) to breathe new life into P’cheen.  Jeff understands the P’cheen brand and the Old Fourth Ward.  His vision for P’cheen led to a new bar top, relocated lounge area, and a completely new color palate to enhance the restaurant’s already incredible night scene.  DJs will continue to be a part of the fabric at P’cheen every Thursday through Sunday.

P’cheen is making a couple of other big changes as well.  The restaurant is now closed on Mondays and open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday only.  Also, P’cheen is now a no smoking restaurant.

Take a look at what the good folks at Atlanta Magazine had to say about the changes and head over to see and taste it for yourself!

P’cheen is located at 701-5 N. Highland Avenue.  For more information or to make a reservation, visit the website or call 404-529-8800. Stay connected on Facebook and on Twitter at @pcheen.

Baked Jumbo Lumb Crab Mac and Cheese

Potted Duck Confit

Pan Fried Frog Legs

Lamb Belly Ravioli

Chow Bing

If you’re just now hearing about Chow Bing for the first time, here’s the concept: 

Chow Bing differentiates itself from traditional Chinese restaurants with its focus on natural (and gluten-free upon request) ingredients.   The restaurant’s owner, Gary Lin, prides himself on working with responsible suppliers.  He uses meats from animals that are humanely raised without antibiotics or growth hormones, serves sustainable seafood, and purchases vegetables primarily from local sources.   And after all of that, the delicious food is still affordable.   Diners can enjoy Chow Bing’s build-your-own Bing (burrito) or Bowl with premium protein and vegetable combinations starting at $8.00.  All menu items are cooked to order.

The Atlanta press has been buzzing about Chow Bing.  Here are some of the articles we’ve rounded up along with a few photos of some of the restaurant’s tasty (and healthy!) dishes.

Creative Loafing, Chow Bing: Bubble Tea and Burritos, April 20, 2013

Thrillist, Chow Bing: Asian Burritos and Boozy Bubble Tea in Grant Park, April 24, 2013

Getaways for Grownups, Chow Bing, May 5, 2013

Atlanta Restaurant Blog, Chow Bing: Fast Casual Chinese in Old Fourth Ward, May 6, 2013

Tonight!  Mara Davis is Armando tonight at the Village Theatre!   The Atlanta radio legend will tell real stories from her life to inspire the scenes the improvisers create.  8:30pm, $10.  Grab dinner before the show at Caramba Café, The Drafting Table or the new Chow Bing healthy Chinese restaurant.  Parking is FREE and the restaurants and Village Theatre are all in the Pencil Factory complex so you can walk to the show after you eat!

Grant Park Home and Garden Tour – May 11 and 12.  Learn about the diverse architecture of this historic Atlanta neighborhood.

Gardens for Connoisseurs at the Botanical Gardens – May 11 and 12.  Tour 11 of Atlanta’s finest private gardens and get bonus admission to the Decorator’s Show House exterior gardens.

Buckhead Spring Arts and Craft Festival – Chastain Park, May 11 and 12.  175 artists, live acoustic music, children’s area, lots of food.  Admission is free and pets are welcome!

Tour de Fat – Candler Park, May 11.  The event kicks off with a police-escorted bike ride through the city in celebration of the bike.  After the ride, the celebration continues at Candler Park with music, beer and activities.

Whatever you do this weekend, don’t forget about Mother’s Day Sunday!

Beauty and Brunch in West Midtown
Treat mom to a mani/pedi at the new Apex Nail Studio then grab a bite to eat right next door.  Apex Nail Studio is located at Apex West Midtown – in the same complex as West Midtown Corner Tavern and Bone Lick BBQ – both of which are offering a delicious Mother’s Day brunch.  Park for free in the Apex lot, paint your toes, and then walk over to the restaurant that best suits your mom.  

***PLUS spend $50 at any Corner Tavern between today and Friday and you’ll get a Mother’s Day card as well as a coupon good for $20 off Mother’s Day brunch May 11 or 12 at any Corner Tavern.  Details here.

Bone Lick’s brunch menu, as featured on Thrillist this week, will include BBQ shrimp n’ grits and a pulled pork English muffin sandwich.  Mmmmmm.

Mother’s Day at the Bowling Alley
Do something different this Mother’s Day – take mom bowling!  To celebrate mom, Midtown Bowl is providing FREE shoe rental to moms this Sunday, May 12.

Traditional Mother’s Day Brunch
PARISH will be serving brunch from 9am to 3pm this Mother’s Day.  Feast on southern brunch favorites including PARISH’s Georgia Trout & Eggs, Fried Chicken Benedict, and Brioche French Toast. Raise a toast to mom with the help of PARISH’s famous Bloody Mary.  You can also head to PARISH for Mother’s Day dinner from 5:30 to 9pm.   To make your reservation, call PARISH at 404.681.4434 or visit their website.

Check out the BeltLine, located immediately behind Parish, before or after brunch to explore Atlanta’s newest intown attraction with mom.

The Drafting Table at the Pencil Factory Flats & Shops downtown will be serving Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday… including special Mother’s Day cocktails.  View the complete, delicious brunch menu here and call 404-343-2821 or visit the website to make a reservation today.

Mother’s Day at the Improv Theatre!
It’s the mother of all improv shows!  Treat your mom to some laughs at The Village Theatre’s first-ever Mother’s Day show featuring an all-female improv cast!   The show takes place Sunday at 5:00pm and costs just $10 per ticket. Grab dinner or a drink afterwards at The Drafting Table, Caramba Café or the new Chow Bing healthy Chinese restaurant – all at the Pencil Factory Flats & Shops where you can park for free.   Get your improv tickets online today.

Cinco de Mayo at Caramba Café – It’s pretty much a party here every night, so you can imagine the festive experience you’ll get on Cinco de Mayo.  Caramba Café, located at 349 Decatur St. downtown at the Pencil Factory Flats & Shops, will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend long with tequila specials galore.   Order food from their extensive, authentic menu (including the Paleo menu that was recently featured on TV) and you’ll have all your Cinco needs addressed.

Cinco de Mayo weekend at P’cheen – P’cheen is another spot that knows how to have a good time.  Their Cinco celebration begins Saturday, May 4 at 9pm with the Cinco Dance Party and continues Sunday from 2-8pm with a special edition of Sidewalk Sunday featuring DJs Marcus Hurst & Ryan Baker.   P’cheen is located at 701 Highland Ave. in Inman Park.

Cinco de Mayo at Bone Lick BBQ – Can this be true?  Mexican munchies — BBQ style?   Cinco de Mayo at Bone Lick BBQ takes place Sunday, May 5 starting at 11:30am and will include an all-you-can-eat BBQ taco bar, a salsa-making contest and more.  Bone Lick BBQ is located at 1133 Huff Rd. in West Midtown.

Virginia Highlands Cinco de Mayo Patio Pub Crawl – Celebrate Cinco at some of Atlanta’s best patios including Hand in Hand, Atkins Park and Darkhorse Tavern.    Crawling begins Sunday at 1:00 at Diesel.  Tickets are $20.

Adios, amigos!

Movies at Central Park in Atlantic Station – May 2-August 15 – Claim a spot in the grassy field between Rosa Mexicano and Strip Steaks on Thursday nights this summer.  All movies are free.  Grab some food from Publix or one of the fast casual restaurants in Atlantic Station and enjoy a night outside.  Movies include Hunger Games, Ratatouille, and Ghostbusters!

Unplugged in the Park at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park – Check out Atlanta’s longest-running free music series on Sunday nights this summer.  Music starts at 7:00.  View the complete list of headlining musicians here.

Old Fourth Ward Movies After Dark Film Series – Old Fourth Ward Park is hosting movies and food trucks May 9, 16, 23 and 30.  The May 9 feature is “Think like a Man.”  Get all the details here.

Atlanta Ballet – Ok, so it’s not outside, but it is a great way to spend a couple of hours appreciating the art of dance.  West Midtown Corner Tavern is giving away tickets to Atlanta Ballet Love Stories happening May 10-12.  For a chance to win the tickets, strike a dance post in West Midtown Corner Tavern, snap a picture of it, and post the pic to their Facebook page or their Instagram page.  Drawing for winners will take place May 8.

Our tour began on a Saturday at 10:00am directly behind Parish restaurant at N. Highland Steel.  We were greeted by Kate Baltzell, education coordinator at Trees Atlanta, and Rich Sussman, Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum Docent and Central Fulton Master Gardener, who led our tour.   Roughly 20 people joined us on the tour which began on time. 

Our tour headed north on a beautiful Atlanta day.  The pace is relatively slow and included frequent stops during which our guide told us about the trees that had been planted and interesting facts about the species that led to the decision to include them on the BeltLine.  Our particular guide (each tour is different) also sprinkled in facts about the BeltLine itself and the development happening around it.  The tour ended around Paris on Ponce at which point my friend and I continued walking to the current start/end of the Eastside trail near Piedmont Park.

Arboretum tour dates open at 9:00am on the 20^th of each month for the following month.   It’s super easy to sign up.  If you haven’t yet experienced the BeltLine, this is a great way to do it.   Make a day of it and grab a bite before or after at Parish.

Below are some photos from our tour.

Our guide greeted us behind Parish restaurant.

Our tour group walking along the BeltLine

Path connecting the BeltLine and Freedom Park Trail

Inman Park Festival – For many, it’s the granddaddy of Atlanta festivals.  And I can’t argue with that – it’s a great one.  Artist market, parade, festival food, kids’ zone, tour of homes, and so much more in one of Atlanta’s oldest and most beautiful intown neighborhoods.  Friday through Sunday.  If the weather looks ok even for just a short period of time, we highly encourage you to check it out.

If you’re looking for some indoor fun, you are in luck.  The Village Theatre at the Pencil Factory Flats & Shops has several shows happening this weekend.   Take a look:

Friday

8:30pm – $10 – Dave Willis, creator of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, is Armando

10:30pm – $5 (or free if you see the 8:30 show), check out the sketch comedy show, Pollen in Love

Saturday

The Village Theatre crew will be in the Inman Park Festival parade at 2:00

8:30pm – $10 – Improv A**hole

10:30pm – $5 – Pollen in Love

1:00am – FREE – Secret Standup Show

Sunday

5:00pm – $5 – Chalk Outline Improv Show

7:00pm – $5 – Last performance of Pollen in Love

If you do head to The Village Theatre, grab a beer and a bite before or after your show at The Drafting Table, Caramba Café, or the new healthy Chinese restaurant, Chow Bing.

So there you have it, Atlanta.  Spring fun rain or shine.

Chow Bing differentiates itself from traditional Chinese restaurants with its focus on natural (and gluten-free upon request) ingredients.   The restaurant’s owner, Gary Lin, prides himself on working with responsible suppliers.  He uses meats from animals that are humanely raised without antibiotics or growth hormones, serves sustainable seafood, and purchases vegetables primarily from local sources.   And after all of that, the delicious food is still affordable.   Diners can enjoy Chow Bing’s build-your-own Bing (burrito) or Bowl with premium protein and vegetable combinations starting at $8.00.  All dishes are cooked to order.

This Thursday, April 25, Chow Bing is holding its official grand opening event.  Come to Chow Bing Thursday, April 25, from 6:00pm-10:00pm for FREE appetizers, drink specials, giveaways and great music.   Everyone who attends the grand opening will also receive a VIP card for 10% off all Chow Bing purchases for a year!!!

Bloggers and members of the press are invited to sample Chow Bing’s menu during an upcoming media tasting event.  The restaurant is providing a lunch opportunity from 11:30am-1:00pm and a dinner opportunity from 6:30pm-9:00pm for writers to experience the tasty new concept first-hand.  Interested press and bloggers should request an invitation by sending an email to chowbing@LMRPR.com by 5:00pm on April 30, 2013 with their names, their company name and/or a link to their blog or company website.

Chow Bing is located downtown at 349 Decatur St. in the Pencil Factory Flats & Shops.  All diners can take advantage of FREE parking in the Pencil Factory’s covered lot.