Now that Avondale is overrun with whitebread tourists from Birmingham, with many of them coming to see, among the trendy sights of the Brewery and Freshfully, the new Saw's Soul Kitchen, you should not forget that Saw's was there in Homewood long before the country girl from Trussville would even dare to set foot west of Crestwood.

Now that Avondale is overrun with whitebread tourists from Birmingham, with many of them coming to see, among the trendy sights of the Brewery and Freshfully, the new Saw's Soul Kitchen, you should not forget that Saw's was there in Homewood long before the country girl from Trussville would even dare to set foot west of Crestwood.

I wandered past the newish taco place in Crestline many times, trying not to be noticed as usual. A couple of things I noticed myself in my passing observations, though, that the place was hopping in the style of Crestline these days—busy and...

Saturday before taxes were due, many would-be badauds and flaneurs in search of lagniappes found a great way to procrastinate--by pretending to be Cajuns. Some of the teams at the Cajun Cook-off for Girls Inc. in Avondale actually did bring in some ringers, though.

Saturday before taxes were due, many would-be badauds and flaneurs in search of lagniappes found a great way to procrastinate--by pretending to be Cajuns.  Some of the teams at the Cajun Cook-off

You may have heard of the most horrid person I ever met, otherwise known as the country girl. Funny, she first revealed herself in church, when it was time to go forward for communion she was afraid to leave her purse in the pew. I guess she feared that one of the doctors or stockbrokers at Cathedral Church of the Advent would steal it.

Isn't Advent the lead-up to Christmas presents? And isn't Lent the uncomfortable prologue to gorging yourself on Easter candy? So how do the two go together? Yes, I can tell by your holiday descriptions that you are too into selfindulgence to submit yourself to any Lenten deprivations.

North Georgia has a thriving little wine industry, in fact. Most wineries are around the old gold-mining mountain town of Dahlonega. There's one near the faux Alpine village of Helen-or Hel[o]n Earth as I call it. There is one next door in Towns County, and one working winery still in Rabun County.

I will never forget the time Bunny and I traveled to Paris together. I know I spent some time on arrival in that ville `eternelle with my amie personnelle, but things were still in a bit of a fog right then for a spell. That is because we took the trip not long after 9-11.

EL BARRIO, newly opened in the Loft District on Second Avenue North, is absolutely the most exciting new restaurant I've been to in months.