Last week, unsuspecting diners at Empire State South were treated to a slow jam flash mob courtesy of ATL Collective. The collective's mission is "to foster the Atlanta music scene, encourage collaborations and cross-pollination and to create happenings that will inspire and entertain." In this instance, The Shadowboxers got everybody chillaxed by performing "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" from Neil Young's After the Gold Rush.
Watch ATL Collective Flash Mob Empire State South
The Airport Concessions Saga Continues
[Photo courtesy of Fox 5 Atlanta]
Early this week, Fox 5 aired an I-Team report where Dale Russell delved deeper into the "political wrangling" at hand in the $3B airport concessions deal. Documents and accusations flew. The next day, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported that the over 2 million pages of 2011 procurement proposals went on public view January 10. Make that one for Mayor Reed and transparency, zero for Common Cause Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution took a look at the documents in a report last night, noting that two big companies won in the second round that would have been disqualified in the first. What say you, Eater readers? Time to call it or keep on delving?
· All previous Hartsfield-Jackson coverage on Eater Atlanta [-EATL-]
Pepsi Official Gwinnett Center Beverage; Taco Crimes
Punch bowl on the bar at H. Harper Station. [Photo courtesy of Facebook]
· Pepsi Named Official Gwinnett Center Beverage [ABC]
· 1 in 6 Adults in the United States Binge Drink [Eatocracy]
· What I Learned Cooking For A Michelin Chef [Foodie Buddha]
· The 30 Best Taco-Related Crimes Ever [Buzzfeed]
· Pasta Graduates From Alphabet Soup to Advanced Geometry [NYT]
· When Michelle Obama Came to Lunch [Gilt Taste]
· North Korea Accuses U.S. of Politicizing Food Aid [WSJ]
· Man Leaves $0 Tip, Tells Server His Time Is Worth More [Eater DC]
· New Weak-Ass Starbucks Coffee Goes on Sale Today [-EN-]
Yelp Wire
Downtown's Boners BBQ has made angry the social media universe. Not because their name and catch-phrase ("Put a little south in your mouth") is ridiculous, but because they're even less classy than that. After customer Stephanie posts a thoughtful, but negative review on Yelp, the Boners management posts Stephanie's photo and some angry slurs on Facebook. What could go wrong? Epilogue thanks to Creative Loafing: owner apologizes (for real this time). [UnMarketing/CL]
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Watch Linton Hopkins On Imbibe & Inspire
Over at Imbibe & Inspire, Stephen Torres interviews chef Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House. They share a glass of 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, "the pride of Kentucky," and discuss Atlanta's burgeoning chef/owner culture, how focusing on fresh can save the corporate food machine ("big is not bad"), and where chefs need to step in to clean up on Capitol Hill. On the chef's kitchen responsibilities, Hopkins notes, "There's no way to humanely kill a chicken. It ain't pretty"—ergo, he's not gonna overcook meat, ever. Other topics on which the "father, husband, chef, restaurateur, and old hippie" waxes philosophical: Escoffier, inspiration, television cooking shows, the best meals he's ever eaten, and a personal motto: "Success is joyful, eternal dissatisfaction." That's deep, chef. Deep.
Awards Season
In the February issue of Food & Wine, the magazine announced it would add a Best New Pastry Chef award to be announced in May. The honor will select the best rising pastry chefs from around the country. And starting Feb. 8, the magazine will launch the People's Best New Pastry Chef competition online to hear from the public. Hop over to Eater National to read an exclusive Q&A; with editor in chief Dana Cowin about the new award. [-EN-]
Castle Renovation; H&F; Bread Update; Melton's Reopen
The Castle. [Photo: John Maley]
1) Midtown: Permits have been filed to renovate historic building The Castle across from the Woodruff Arts Center, first reported by Creative Loafing. Plans are to update the current site and add on to include a four-unit hotel and a dining space. C.L.'s "Gravy Train" also notes a new sports lounge and seafood spot, Fins, coming to 12th and Crescent. [PRE-PLYWOOD]
2) Westside: Foodie Buddha gets the scoop on H&F; Bread Co.'s planned move and retail space, receiving word from Gina Hopkins that the new location will be open in early spring. [PLYWOOD]
3) Decatur: After a troubling couple of months, Melton's App & Tap has reopened. [POST-PLYWOOD]
Book Club
The latest edition of Travel + Leisure's "100 Greatest Trips" features Atlanta's Westside as a "site of vigorous creative discourse," The Reynolds Group recently posted. The sixth edition of T+L's "invaluable and inspiring compendium of the year's most distinctive destinations" highlights the Westside Provisions District, specifically Miller Union, and Abattoir. The guide notes MU's farm egg in celery cream; and Abattoir's "slaughterhouse" meaning in regard to "just how far the neighborhood has come." [via TRG]
Popular
Deen Wire
One of Paula Deen's sons, Bobby, is branching out with a new Cooking Channel show featuring healthy recipes, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Not My Mama's Meals includes lightened up versions of Deen family staples like gooey butter cake, pimento cheese, chocolate meringue pie, and Bobby's favorite "unfried chicken." Mama Deen, who's still got a few tricks up her own sleeves, makes appearances via old show clips and guest spots, warning: "Son, don't put your Mama out of business now, okay?" [AJC]
Georgia Peanut Show; Menu Prices Will Rise
Wine room at Blue Ridge Grill. [Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Grill]
· Georgia Peanut Show Set for Jan 19 [ABC]
· Outlook 2012: Menu Prices Will Rise [NRN]
· USDA Plan to Shut 259 Offices Raises Food Safety Concerns [AP]
· Desert Winds Blow Cocoa Higher [WSJ]
· Infographic: America's Strange Attitudes Toward Food [Fast Co]
· Golden Globe Stars to Dine on Desserts of Gold [Reuters]
· Why Americans Sing About Food [Salon]
· McDonald's Shame Mask Hides Your Sad Reality [-EN-]
· 60 Minutes Explores the Pricey Underbelly of Truffles [-EN-]
Eater Atlanta Likes You!
Ever visit Facebook and realize that there's not nearly enough Eater going on? Click on over to the Eater Atlanta Facebook page or the "Follow Us" section on the right, and then like magic, Eater's top stories will start showing up in your Facebook feed. It's like friends with benefits! But we understand if you want to take it slow at first, so how about we just follow each other on Twitter first? [Facebook/Twitter]
Atlanta Magazine Profiles Restaurateur Tom Catherall
The dining room at Prime. [Photo courtesy of Here To Serve Restaurants]
In this month's Atlanta Magazine, restaurant columnist Christiane Lauterbach takes a look at "Thomas Catherall's Staying Power." The profile includes Catherall's humble beginnings and rise to wealth (as conveyed on his vanity plate: PO B 4) using the restaurant philosophy: "I want the masses, not the classes." The Here to Serve restaurateur has launched eleven restaurants in almost three decades, and according to the report, is planning a Texas-style barbecue spot complete with a brewery on the way for Buckhead in 2013. Also in the works, concessions at the expanding Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and a newly launched line of rieslings.
Applewood Report
Mississippi's home of pig ear and hot smoked sausage sandwiches is branching out to Atlanta, reports Creative Loafing. Big Apple Inn will open a location this February in up-and-coming Westview, five minutes southwest of downtown along the BeltLine. For more about Big Apple, check out this video Joe York documented for the Southern Foodways Alliance a couple years back. [Creative Loafing/SFA]
Book Club
Today's the day for Eater National's definitive Spring 2012 cookbook and food book preview. So what's trendy this Spring? First cookbooks from some big name chefs (Chris Cosentino, April Bloomfield, Zak Pelaccio, Paul Virant), grilling books ('tis the season), and wine books are among the highlights. Locally, Savannah institution Back in the Day Bakery will publish a cookbook celebrating the landmark's tenth anniversary—due to hit shelves March 6. [-EN-]
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