In case you didn’t know, I’m originally from Morristown, Tenn., about 45 minutes from Knoxville (UT).  So, that means on Friday and Saturday, all of my family (cousins, friends, parents, sister) and other UT students will be migrating down South to God’s country.

Now, I’m not going to talk about the football game because that would just be mean.  This post is to help visitors find their way around Athens and not look lost.  I wish a nice Gator would do this for the Georgia/Florida, but I know there’s no such thing as a nice Gator. So, I’ll just throw that wish away.

Where to Eat on Gameday:

There are many yummy places where you can grab some gameday grub, but I’ll just name a few.  Most of them are located in our downtown area (Broad, Clayton, Washington, College, Hancock, Jackson, Lumpkin, Hull and Thomas Streets).

• The Grill: This is a famous favorite for Dawg fans.  It’s a diner that’s open 24 hours, and they serve everything from pancakes to french fries with feta dressing to hamburgers to grilled cheeses.  It’s located on College Avenue right near the Arch.
• The Mayflower: If you like family style breakfast places, this is the place to go.  The Mayflower has been owned by the same family since my Dad was here in the 70s.  Go in there and get some homemade sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, or whatever you feel like eatin’.  It’s on Broad Street to the right of the Arch if you’re looking at the Arch from downtown.
• The Bluebird Cafe: This is also a town favorite. I will say it is vegetarian, but don’t let that scare you.  I think Bluebird has the best omlettes and biscuits in town.  It’s on the corner of Clayton and Thomas Streets, across from The Classic Center.
• Five Star Day Cafe: I actually had Sunday brunch here last week.  Five Star Day is so yummy. It very much reflects the character and personality of Athens. It’s on Broad Street right across from North Campus- near Starbucks (which also has breakfast stuff, but you can go there if you want to get a heart attack from a muffin).
• Mama’s Boy: This is a little farther from campus, but it’s worth it. Mama’s Boy is actually owned by my cousin’s friend, and it’s famous for the breakfast. I like to call it upscale soul food.  You can go and get biscuits and gravy, but it will no doubt have a fun garnish or something else culinary on the side.  Try it!
• Harry Bisset’s: Now we’re getting classy. Harry Bisset’s is a cajun/bayou restaurant that continues to be a crowd favorite. Many of my friends’ parents won’t come to Athens unless they promise to eat here. On Saturdays, they’re open for brunch at 11:30, but they reopen for dinner at 5:30.
• For dinner after the game, I’ll just make a list and link to the Web sites.  If you have a question about one, make a comment on this post, and I’ll try to answer it ASAP.

Transmetropolitan, La Dolce Vita, Porterhouse Grill, East West Bistro, Speakeasy, Casa Mia, The Last Resort, The Grit, Copper Creek, The Basil Press, Farm 255

Where to watch the Game if you don’t have tickets:

I know a bunch of you probably won’t have ticket, but no matter!  You could go to:

• Buffalo Wild Wings: I know you have one of these on the Strip, so I don’t need to explain it.  It’s on Hancock Avenue, towards the back of downtown and near the Hilton.
• This new Irish pub on the corner of College and Hancock.  I can’t remember the name of it, but it’s really cool!  Lots of TVs.
• Sideways bar: on Broad Street, near the corner of Broad and Jackson, has a cool upstairs porch
• Sand Bar: lots of TVs, Jack and Coke icees- can’t get much better than that.
• Honestly, I don’t know why I’m listing all of these.  Any bar you go to will have the game on, so just find one that looks fun.

Where to go at Night:

One of my favorite parts of Athens is its nightlife, and I want you to enjoy it, too.

**An important fact**

ALL the bars in Athens are 21 and up unlike Knoxville.  That means, it’s not 18 to enter, 21 to drink.  If you’re not 21, you’ll have to find something else to do.

However, if you are 21, you’ll be wonderfully entertained until 2 a.m. when the bars close.  I don’t want to make suggestions on where to go because there are so many options!  Click here to get a full listing of all the bars.

Where to Park:

• Unlike UT, Dawg fans don’t tailgate in parking decks.  That’s mostly because we don’t have a huge deck right beside the stadium, so we have to spread all over campus.  I’ve grown accustomed to this tradition, and I really like it!
• You cannot park in any of the campus decks.  Most of those are reserved for people who have a pass.
• Parking downtown is what most people do.  If you get up at the crack of dawn, you can get a parallel spot or a regular spot on one of the DT streets.
• There IS a deck available on College Avenue where you can park.  Lots are also available all over downtown (you’ll have to pay $15-$20 on average). There are some opportunities behind downtown where some big lots are.
• If you do decided to tailgate on North Campus, I would suggest dropping off your stuff first and then go park.
• Also, wear sunscreen. The away section faces the sun, and you’ll wake up Sunday “hurtin’ real bad” if you don’t lather up.  Sunglasses can help, too.

I hope all of this information helps!  It will be fun to see everyone this weekend, and I hope Athens and Dawg fans are nice to you.

Oh, and Go Dawgs.

OK, it’s a strong statement, but I believe it.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures to document my wonderful experience at Farm 255, but I’m hoping I can paint pictures with words for you.

If you don’t know the history of Farm 255, its namesake is due to the restaurant’s farm right outside of Athens where little piggies, chickens, cows, veggies and other things are grown.  In other words, everything served in the restaurant is either grown on the “Farm” or another local Athens farm.

Such a cool concept.

Farm is located on West Washington Street, right behind Clocked.  I would really like to ask someone about the building it’s in.  The ceiling is lofted, and it almost has a barn-like feel.  The colors inside are warm; there are pictures of the farm; and the day’s harvest is drawn on a chalkboard to the right of the front door.

A side note: there is a picture of a pig that I could NOT take my eyes off when I was eating.  I swear. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Look for it when you go.

I went to eat at Farm with my parents, Tom and Kelle.  We made reservations, so we were immediately seated when we came in.

It didn’t take long for a server to bring bread to our table and ask for drinks. The kind of bread (they have different varieties) we got is made from the leftover hops at Terrapin Brewery, so it’s kind of sweet. I think it’s the best bread I’ve ever had. Holy cow.

Mom and I ordered a wonderfully delicious cucumber and pomegranate martini, and Dad ordered a gin drink. Their cocktail menu is extremely interesting.  I think it’s the most diverse menu I’ve ever seen.  Take a look.

Since they raise everything on the farm, they serve what they’ve got.  That means it is a very seasonal restaurant with not as an extensive menu as, say, Applebees.  Never fear, Dawg Food fans.

There were about five entrees listed on our menu, but it was nice to know Mom’s chicken wasn’t shot full of steroids and hadn’t been in a freezer for a couple of months.  I wonder what the “animal turnaround” is.  Maybe one day from the farm to the table?  That’s a question I will have to ask them.

For an appetizer, we ordered a cast-iron raclette. It was a little cast iron skillet with a slice of melted, strong, oh-so-pungent-but-wonderful French cheese in the middle, and was accompanied by homemade pickled okra and green beans.  I had never had pickled green beans, but they were fabulous. The skillet also came with little toasties to put the cheese on.

If you partner the pickles with the cheese, the vegetable balances the pungency of the cheese.  You’ll like it. Trust me.

For dinner, I ordered the vegetable plate; Mom ordered the chicken, and Dad ordered the spaghetti bolognese (bow-long-ney-sey).

I’ll let them describe it to you:

veggie plate
Full Moon eggplant caponata, pink-eyed pea salad, grilled Full Moon okra,
hummus & lavash, heirloom sweet potato fries   15

Full Moon pork & lamb bolognese
cappellini, Grana Padano    16

Full Moon pasture-raised chicken
grilled half chicken, sweet potato purée, Alice’s green beans, grilled okra   21

Um, I will say it was the BEST veggie plate I’ve EVER had.  The hummus was a little garlicky, but everything else was so incredibly fabulous.

Mom said it was the best chicken she’s ever had. It seriously fell right off the bone. At one point, she wasn’t eating her food, and Dad and I went right for her plate at the same time. Apparently she wasn’t done, so she smacked both of our hands. I’ll never do that again.

Dad’s pasta was amazing.  I was so puzzled at the large amount of meat in the spaghetti, but it was very light in your mouth. Does that make sense?

It was so, incredibly full of flavor. You could taste each spice, and I don’t think it needed (or had) a sauce. The oil and juices from the meat were enough.

A comment on the service: they are sooo nice!  I’ve said before that it’s hard to get good, friendly people to serve you in Athens, but our waitress was, truly, the NICEST waitress I’ve had in Athens. You know those people who are just genuinely caring and, well, nice?  Yeah, that was her.  So, thank you for making our experience even better than it was!

Guys and gals, I will have pictures another time because I know I’ll go back to Farm. I have also heard from reliable sources that the Sundee (yes, I said Sundee) brunch is the best in town.

Moral of this culinary story: Try Farm. Come back. Tell us what you think.

In case you didn’t know, today is Earth Day! I will first give my sincere props to Dr. Sallot’s PR Campaigns class that organized the Earth Day Fair today at the Tate Center.

The UGA Go Green Alliance had tables with a petition for a sustainability officer, energy efficient light bulbs, bird feeder making, face painting and so much more! I went by around 11 a.m., and there were hundreds of students milling around.

Since we are all thinking about sustainability and how to go green, I’m going to suggest some tips for going green when you eat.

• First, walk to the restaurant where you’re eating. For students, downtown is just a stone’s throw away, and there’s really no excuse for not walking.
• Think about sitting outside. Air conditioning costs here in Georgia are sky high, and the less people inside, the less the AC has to keep cranking.
• Don’t get it to-go. Do you realize how much trash is created by Styrofoam plates, to-go boxes, plastic silverware, paper napkins and everything else? Think about how many times you’ve gotten something to-go and then threw it in the trash. Using real silverware and real plates is so much better for the environment.
• Eat where you know the ingredients are fresh and local. Farm 255 is the perfect example. Transporting food and supplies with trucks, vans and airplanes takes so much gas and energy. Farm 255 gets all of their food from local Athens farms which definitely creates minimal transportation costs.

I’ve gone through my brain as much as possible, and this is all I can list. If you have any more suggestions, we would all love to hear them. What about experience you’ve had at a “green” restaurant? Do some locations in Athens strike you as environmentally friendly?

Pitch in. Help the community. Recycle. Use good light bulbs. Make a bird feeder. Go green!

One of my readers asked if there was any place in Athens that served vegan carrot cake.  Immediately, my mind went to The Grit.

So, I called them right up (706-543-6592) and asked if they had any.

“Um, yeah.  In fact, we have some right now!”–straight from the horse’s mouth.

I also asked if they had it every week or intermittently, and he said he usually sees it in the case at least once a week.  So there you go!  You can eat yummy vegan carrot cake at The Grit.  Its location is extremely convenient, and the atmosphere is chill.  At night, it’s even candlelit!

Other restaurants that offer vegan options are the Bluebird Cafe, Mellow Mushroom, Barberito’s, Farm 255, The Globe, Transmetropolitan, Bombay Cafe and even the UGA Dining Halls!

I got a lot of this information from GoVeg.com, so you can check it out, too.

Hope this helps, readers.  As always, e-mail me at katherine@dawg-food.com, or post a comment with a question or suggestion.  Thanks for the input!

For all my new “Edelpeeps” and Athens visitors, I know many of you are looking for places to eat either tonight or tomorrow.

So, I decided to give you a few suggestions!

If you aren’t going to the reception at East West Bistro, here are some fun dinner places downtown:

• For pizza/Italian: Little Italy, Amici, Transmetropolitan, Basil Press (a little more expensive), La Dolce Vita (around $15 for dinner at least), Mellow Mushroom, DePalma’s
• For steak and yummyness: Porterhouse Grill
• For tapas: Casa Mia, Speakeasy, The National
• For soul food: 5 Star Day Cafe, Clocked
• For vegetarian: Farm 255, The Bluebird Cafe
• Sushi: Utage, Shokitini

If you’re looking for breakfast, these are good, too!

• Mom and Pop breakfast: The Mayflower, The Grill
• Fabulous brunch: The Last Resort, The Globe
• Vegetarian awesomeness: The Bluebird Cafe
• Coffee: Starbucks, Espresso Royale, Walker’s Pub

I hope everyone’s having a good time in Athens! Follow me on Twitter (katlady), and ask me a question if you want.

Onward, social media!