You can also purchase 1/2 price tickets from Q100 to this event.

First comes Chops, part of the Buckhead Life Group family of restaurants. The service was excellent and the restaurant full. Our party of 4 had a comfortable seat in a large booth so we could look out among other diners. I ordered the salmon, and the table also shared garlic potatoes, asparagus, and sautÈed mushrooms. My salmon was medium-rare, but came out more on the rare side so I didnít eat the middle. The salmon was average, but the overall dining experience very nice. On a side note, Chops has really loosened up on their dress policy because I saw several people wearing shorts and jeans. In my opinion this is not really a shorts and sandals kindía place.

Next night came NY Prime. I had made the reservation over a week in advance and for some reason they sat our table all the way in the corner of the restaurant. The table was horrible and I had to squeeze through to even get to my seat. The restaurant was less than half full, so that didnít make any sense to me. Furthermore, I thought our group looked very nice so I donít think that was the issue. Anyway, I had the sea bass that was one of the best Iíve had in my entire life. The fish nearly melted when I put my fork in, and tasted just divine. Overall the service was okay, we had to ask for several things during the meal including refills on water and drinks.

On a side note, the carnivores in the group preferred the Chops steaks to NY Prime and said they had better cuts of meat. Apparently NY Prime steaks have a more tough texture than Chops steaks. In my opinion, NY Prime did a better job with the fish but Chops has the entire dining experience going for them. Either way, there are lots of options for those of us who donít eat steak.

My interest is sparked because a girlfriend of mine invited me to the last laser show of the summer this past weekend. Hhmm it sounded a little yee-haw to my refined tastes. I didnít go, but am still a little curious of what exactly one does at Stone Mountain. Any opinions?

The service was pleasant but very slow. Our meal took almost three hours, and we waited a long time between courses and even to order our first bottle of wine. Yet our server was kind and particularly knowledgeable of the menu and gave detailed explanations of items in question. If I were to recommend this restaurant to you, I would say try several items on the menu and share with the entire table. The appetizers and entrees are first-rate, but skip dessert.

So today a Comcast fellow comes out, and I scratch my head and try to determine why they send non-technical people on these jobs. After one hour, he determines that my service is screwy because my cables are all loose. DUH jerkface. Like I havenít checked that before you come out. Literally 5 minutes after he leaves, Iím down again. Grrrrrrrr

Does anyone in Atlanta have an opinion on Bellsouth DSL?

Inman Perk Coffee has opened one location in Flowery Branch, and is opening another store in Inman Park. The Inman Park store will open on Elizabeth Street; both coffee shops are family owned. I had a chance to speak with manager Guy Ettinger, and he explained the Inman Park location would have slightly different hours and even more enticing coffee drinks for us city folks.

Inman Perk coffee concoctions come in simple small, medium, and large sizes. Donít worry about getting the lingo down for your double-venti-choco-latte-dry-soy-blah blah at Inman Perk. Options include espresso, cappuccino, turtle mocha (yum), several iced drinks, and many other coffees for your pleasure. Sweet treats round out the menu with pastries and a specialty PB & J sandwich. I had a latte with a vanilla shot on my first visit to Inman Perk that was excellent.

The Flowery Branch location is coming up in blooms. Local Atlanta artist Sabrina Sextonís first public photography exhibit ëPetalsí features her delicate photographs of beautiful and exotic flowers. Proceeds from each sale benefit the National Prostate Coalition. Soon you can check out her work online @ www.sugar7.com

What stood out the most at Machu Picchu is their service. Since I had never tried Peruvian cuisine, and donít even really know where Peru is, I needed some help from the staff. They brought me out a booklet and showed me pictures of several entrees on the menu. Kindía like eating at Dennyís!

For a starter I tried the white fish ceviche, which cooks the fish in an acidic marinate such as lemon and limejuices. This was not my favorite part of the meal, but my dining partner thought it was good. Normally ceviche is served cold, but at Machu Picchu it was slightly warm which I thought was strange. Perhaps it is the Peruvian way to prepare ceviche?

As an entrÈe I had the mixed seafood on rice, which was an enormous assortment of marinated squid, mussels, and shrimp. I think it was #47 on the menu, if youíre curious. The seafood was cooked to perfection and had a buttery flavor that kept me munching until I was very full. Unfortunately I didnít make it to dessert, but thereís always next time.

The manager came over towards the end of our meal and gave me a little handcrafted pin made in Peru. What a sweet ending to a wonderful meal. I highly recommend this restaurant to you.