Over the last few years, Marie and I have really enjoyed visiting some of the big farms and orchards around the north Georgia mountains, but until last month, we had never stopped by what is probably the biggest of all of them. Mercier Orchards was founded in 1943, and if anybody in the region isn’t familiar with them, they’re, flatly, not paying attention. They have a presence at farmers’ markets from Atlanta to Chattanooga, a big interstate billboard campaign to promote their fall season, and a line of hard ciders that gets a lot of people talking. Continue reading “Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge GA”
Category: georgia
Pink Pig, Cherry Log GA
In a few previous chapters, I’ve expressed our desire to do a much more thorough investigation of barbecue joints in northwest Georgia, around the Dalton area. But the hills around Ellijay are likewise hiding a number of restaurants that our blog needs to uncover. Heading north up I-575 from Marietta, we’ve mentioned several already, including Bub-Ba-Q, Mo-Ribs, Two Brothers, Davis, Walker’s and of course Poole’s, but I know of four more just off the top of my head that we have not visited. Happily, a couple of Saturdays ago, we crossed one off the list. Marie’s mother was in town for Thanksgiving, and we decided to go up to the mountains to get some fresh apples. More about that in the next chapter. I had picked out a barbecue place in Blue Ridge to try, knowing that we’d probably have to make an additional stop or two, as Marie’s mother, madly, does not like barbecue. We were on the way to the place I’d picked when we passed a sign for the Pink Pig in Cherry Log, which read something like “full service restaurant.” We decided to go there instead. Continue reading “Pink Pig, Cherry Log GA”
Skips Chicago Dogs, Avondale Estates GA
Long story short version: I was looking for a place new to me to visit a couple of Fridays ago, and the earlier that it opened for lunch, the better, since there were many things to do that afternoon. So I found a very popular hot dog place in Avondale Estates, a little town just east of Decatur that I had never, in all the years I’ve lived around this area, had reason to visit before. Skips opens at the agreeable hour of 10, serving up nicely-priced Vienna Beef dogs from underneath the requisite collection of Bears, Blackhawks and baseball memorabilia and banners. If their collection is not quite as wild and esoteric as the museum on the walls of Marietta’s Chicago Delights, it’s still enough to satisfy the homesick. Continue reading “Skips Chicago Dogs, Avondale Estates GA”
Mac the Cheese and The Pickle, Atlanta GA
This is Marie, contributing an article about cheesy goodness. It makes for a change from desserts, and is nearly as dear to my heart. Continue reading “Mac the Cheese and The Pickle, Atlanta GA”
Bloggers Invade Veni Vidi Vici
This is Marie, contributing an article about a higher-end place than we usually attend. Not for lack of desire, mind you; funds are more commonly the issue, although it’s also hard for me to leave the toddler behind. I enjoy spending time with him and he would not at all like this place! Nor would the other guests, most likely… Continue reading “Bloggers Invade Veni Vidi Vici”
Firehouse Subs, Sandy Springs GA
A lot has gone on since the last time that I had occasion to write about Firehouse Subs more than a year and a half ago. They’ve expanded wildly in such a short time, opening about a hundred more stores – there are more than 500 now – and widening their footprint into ten more states than when I last wrote. Plus, they’ve installed a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine into every one of their locations, making them the first national chain to do so. Continue reading “Firehouse Subs, Sandy Springs GA”
Olive Bistro, Vinings GA
A couple of weeks ago, Marie and I met up with Lakshmi Jagad, who has been writing a good blog called The Rich Vegetarian for a couple of years, to enjoy a good supper and talk shop about our hobby. She suggested that we meet up at the Vinings location of Olive Bistro, which has been popping around with a few different locations since the original location opened in Little Five Points in 1997. The Vinings store, which is at the far end of the Kroger shopping center at Cobb Parkway and Paces Mill, has been doing good business for five years now. I have been racking my brain and asking around what was in this space before; it was, perhaps, a Cajun-themed restaurant. Continue reading “Olive Bistro, Vinings GA”
Marie, Let's Eat! 