Best of the Big A

Weekend Best Bets: May 18-20

Weekend Best Bets: May 18 20

Atlanta’s Historic Oakland Cemetery is the site of Tunes from the Tombs, an event Saturday and Sunday in which musicians, including the band AM Gold (above) perform among Oakland’s extraordinary monuments, mausoleums and renowned gardens. Photo: Batterman Photography FRIDAY Festival: You’ll find a little corner of Greece in Marietta this weekend with Greek food, dances and folk crafts at The Marietta Greek Festival through Sunday at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church. Film, festival, food: Enjoy Atlanta’s favorite food trucks and live music before the film screening Friday at the Cans Film Festival . On Saturday, the event will expand into a… >>

Best brisket

Is your mouth watering yet? Tell us about your favorite place for brisket in and around Atlanta. Photo: MCT When it comes to cooking brisket, the methods are a veritable “It’s a Small World.” Nearly every culture has it’s own take on the cut of beef. There’s the traditional Jewish method — just like bubbe makes it — braised like a pot roast and the thinly-sliced Korean-style approach. In Mexico, where it’s known as suadero, it’s slow-cooked and used in tacos and burritos. But let’s be honest — if you’re from the south, or simply just… >>

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Weekend best bets: May 11-13

Academy Theatre’s production of Michael Frayn’s “Copenhagen” features Curtis Krick (from left), Stuart Schleuse and Lorilyn Harper. Photo courtesy Academy Theatre. FRIDAY Festival: The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival takes over Midtown through May 13. Day passes start at $180; 3-day passes start at $500. Festival: Grab a bite at the North Cobb Rotary Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival in Cauble Park on the shores of Lake Acworth. The fest happens May 11 and 12. Festival, stage: Atlanta Fringe Festival’s mission is to “bridge the gap between the fine and the performing arts by showcasing nontraditional works that push audiences to gain… >>

Best smoothie

Ingredients ready for the making of a smoothie. Tell us about your favorite place for a smoothie in and around Atlanta. Photo: Phil Skinner, pskinner@ajc.com smoothie You might think of smoothies as the perfect milkshake alternative. You get the creamy sweetness and the frozen cool with less fat and fewer calories (well, most of the time, anyway). What makes a smoothie great? Is it the fruit? It it yogurt? Or is it some healthy ingredient hidden just beneath the tasty surface? Whatever you love about you favorite smoothie, we want to hear about it. Tell us where to get… >>

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Weekend best bets: May 4-6

Weekend best bets: May 4 6

Modern rock cellist Ben Sollee is the healiner for this year’s River Revival, the annual fundraiser for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. FRIDAY Music: The 16th Annual River Revival will feature music from rock cellist Ben Sollee and many others. The fundraising event for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper takes place 5-11 p.m. May 4 at Park Tavern at Piedmont Park. Stage: The Atlanta Shakespeare Company takes a break in its chronological run through the Bard’s comedies to take on “Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.” It runs through May 27 at the New American Shakespeare Tavern. Stage: Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville stages Ken… >>

Best Korean restaurant

Staff photo The Korean Beacon , a website offering “insights into Korean-American life,” named Atlanta one of its top five Korean-American cities . The communities were “selected not only for their numbers, but also for their visibility in mainstream America.” Those of us who live here already know that Atlanta is home to a large and vibrant Korean community, and the number of restaurants specializing in Korean cuisine seems to grow every year. That’s why we look forward to revisiting this topic. Many Atlanta have grown to love bulgogi, dolsot bibimbap and soondubu, but there’s so much more… >>

Weekend best bets: April 27-29

Weekend best bets: April 27 29

Don’t miss the festive and colorful parade at the annual Inman Park Festival, which takes place April 28 and 29. Photo: Raymond Hagans / Special FRIDAY Performing arts, family, recreation: The Shriners have put together 10 days of family fun in the annual Yaarab Shrine Circus and Carnival , which combines a carnival midway with daily circus shows. It runs April 27 through May 6 at Marietta’s Jim R. Miller Park. Stage: The North Fulton Drama Club presents a steampunk take on the Bard’s sea-centric “The Tempest.” It opens April 27 and continues through May 12. at Barrington Hall in Roswell. Stage: The musical “Les Miserables,”… >>

Best outdoor dining

Time to grab a bite to eat on the patio. Tell us about your favorite restaurant for outdoor dining. Photo: Becky Stein / Special Spring is the perfect time for al fresco dining in Atlanta, at least once the height of the pollen season passes. Summer is too hot, winter too cold (usually), but spring and fall are just right for grabbing a bite to eat on a patio or deck. We’re not looking for picnic spots (we asked that question last summer), but restaurants with an outdoor area. Where is the best place to dine outside? Many area restaurants have… >>

Weekend best bets: April 20-22

Weekend best bets: April 20 22

Replica of a first-class cabin room on display at “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” at Atlantic Station. Photo: Bita Honarvar, bhonarvar@ajc.com FRIDAY Festival: The Dunwoody Preservation Trust presents its annual Lemonade Days fundraiser, which features carnival rides and games, live entertainment and a bicycle ride around Dunwoody. The fest continues through April 22 at Brook Run Park. Festival: This weekend marks the 76th edition of the Atlanta Dogwood Festival , the city’s signature springtime event. Piedmont Park will be packed with people, art, crafts, music and more. It begins at noon April 20 and continues at 10 a.m. April 21 and 22. Festival, music… >>

Best margarita

Whether you like your margarita on the rocks or frozen, we want to hear about your favorite spot for this tequila-and-lime based concoction. Photo: Becky Stein / Special We’re just a few weeks away from Cinco de Mayo. It’s the perfect excuse to take a look at Atlanta’s best margaritas. Put the lime in the tequila (along with a little orange-flavored liquer) and you have a party. Would you like a little salt around the rim? Maybe you’d like that frozen, or do you prefer it on the rocks? Whatever your margarita preference, we want to hear about… >>

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