Best of the Big A

Best banana pudding

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Staff photo If you grew up in the South, chances are dessert often came in the form of banana pudding. The iconic treat even has its own annual celebration, the National Banana Pudding Festival in Centerville, Tenn., which happens the first weekend of October. There are many variations, but bananas, vanilla wafers and vanilla pudding are pretty standard starting points. Some recipes stop with those three ingredients. Some just keep adding more to the mix. It might seem like the quintessential homemade dessert, but plenty of restaurants serve it, too. That’s what we’re looking for here. Tell us about the… >>

Weekend best bets: Feb. 17-19

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The Fusco Brothers are among the acts you’ll see at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ “Fully Charged.” It’s at Philips Arena now and moves to the Gwinnett Arena Feb. 23. Photo courtesy Feld Entertainment FRIDAY Circus: The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus returns to town with “Fully Charged,” which is at Philips Arena now through Feb. 20 then moves to Gwinnett Arena Feb. 23-26. $14-$130. Check out our preview of “Fully Charged” and the Universoul Circus, which continues near Turner Field. Storytelling: Southern Order of Storytellers’ 30th Annual Storytelling Festival is happening at various venues… >>

Best place to dine alone

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Staff photo We’ve all been there. You’re hungry, everyone you know is busy, and you don’t feel like throwing something together at home. You just can’t handle another drive-thru meal. What do you do? The world seems filled with paired diners when you’re dining alone in a restaurant, but are there places that make you feel less conspicuous in your solitude? Tell us about the places in and around Atlanta where you feel most comfortable dining solo. >>

Weekend best bets: Feb. 10-13

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Ryan Walden plays Harry Boychick in Company J’s “The Boychick Affair,” an interactive play about a young Bar Mitzvah boy who aspires to be a rap star. Walden is joined by, from left, Amy Feinberg, Grace Hancock and Sylvee Legge. The show continues through Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta in Dunwoody. Photo: Heidi Morton FRIDAY Dance: Atlanta Ballet presents the world premiere of Twyla Tharp’s “The Princess & the Goblin,” a full-evening ballet co-produced with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Performances begin Feb. 10 and continue through Feb. 19 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts… >>

Favorite new restaurant of 2011

Home Grown GA was your pick for best new restaurant of 2010. Tell us about your favorite new restaurant of 2011. Photo: Becky Stein / Special While we might lose a few favorite restaurants each, there are always new places to discover, too. This time around, we’re all about the new kids on the block. Even in a less-than-stellar economic climate, the Atlanta area saw many new restaurants open in 2011. If you’re having trouble remembering what’s new, here’s Jenny Turknett’s list of 2011’s openings and closings. Tell us about your favorite new restaurant in and around Atlanta and what makes it… >>

Weekend best bets: Feb. 3-5

A group of jugglers practice passing clubs during last year’s Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival. The 34th annual event takes place this weekend at the Yaarab Shrine Center on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown. Photo: Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com FRIDAY Festival: The Yaarab Shrine Center in Atlanta hosts the 34th annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival , which brings jugglers and fans together for three days of gravity-defying fun Feb. 3-5. Most events are free for spectators, including the competitive performances late-night cabaret at 10 p.m. Feb. 4, $5; registration $20 for festival participants. Stage: The 2010 Tony Award winner for best musical… >>

Best burger

Tell us where to get the best burger in and around Atlanta. Photo: BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. It’s time to revisit one of the most popular Best of the Big A topics: Burgers. Sure, you can grab a fast-food burger on just about any corner, but some have taken this humble American staple and amped it up. It’s such a versatile vehicle, and the variations seem limitless. Burgers are bound only by the imagination of the maker, but for this round, let’s stick with the meat-based variety. We’ll be doing a separate polling for veggie burgers in the very near… >>

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Weekend best bets: Jan. 27-29

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Colorful costumes, graceful movement and beautiful music combine in performances by Shen Yun Performing Arts. The company will bring its take on traditional Chinese music amd dance to the Cobb Energy Perfroming Arts Centre this weekend. FRIDAY Recreation, families: The North Atlanta Trade Center in Norcross hosts the Great American Motorcycle Show . They’ll have a huge selection of two-wheeled machines and lots of bike-related activities, including a best-dressed biker kid contest. It’s happening Jan. 27-29. Stage: Shen Yun Performing Arts offers classical Chinese dance and music inspired by the myths and legends of traditional Chinese culture. 7:30 p.m… >>

Best Cajun/Creole restaurant

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Photo: Becky Stein / Special How about something a little spicy from Louisiana? We’re looking for the best Cajun or Creole food in and around Atlanta. With the number of Louisiana transplants around the area, we have quite a few restaurants serving that state’s distinctive cuisine. As for the difference between the two, we’ll let you decide. Type creole vs. cajun into Google , and you’ll get enough discussion to keep you reading for days. Or just take a look at what New Orleans restaurant critic Tom Fitzmorris has to say on the subject via the website for that famed Louisiana pepper… >>

Weekend best bets: Jan. 20-22

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The percussionists of “Blast” will drum up some excitement at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre this weekend. FRIDAY Stage: In the Atlanta Opera’s “The 24-Hour Opera Project,” composers and lyricists who have been selected to participate will be randomly paired together, and will have 12 hours to write an opera scene. At the end of 12 hours, the pieces will be assigned to a stage director, who will draft singers from a pool of applicants, and have eight hours to rehearse before presenting the pieces in a showcase concert 24 hours after the project begins. Kick-off event is at 5 p… >>