You could spend a day flying from Atlanta to China to see the Olympics. Or you could skip the long flight and drive to Chamblee for a taste of Chinese culture.

The Atlanta Chinatown Mall in Chamblee has long been a center for the Chinese community in metro Atlanta, with a food court offering spicy Asian hot pots, and a bookstore with Chinese-language books and newspapers. The supermarket at the mall has served many of the estimated 30,500 people of Chinese descent in metro Atlanta. A mile or so away is Asian Square on Buford Highway in Doraville, another center of Chinese and Vietnamese commerce. In this Year of the Rat, it is auspicious to make a fresh start and try new things. Here are some suggestions.

HYOSUB SHIN / hshin@ajc.com (ENLARGE)

Store owner Victoria Truong assists customer Victor Gichuhi with some wedding shopping at Victoria Cosmetics, Bridals and Fashions, which sells traditional Chinese and Vietnamese dresses at Asian Square on Buford Highway in Doraville.

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Asian Galleria

Watch a replay of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics on big screens at the Doraville Arena, in Doraville on Aug. 9. Organizers expect about 500 to 1,000 people to attend the free family event. The day includes traditional Chinese dance and music with drums, gongs and instruments like the many-stringed gu-zheng and the two-stringed erhu. A kung fu performance and tai chi demonstration are part of the lineup, as well as karaoke and a magician. About 35 vendors will sell fried noodles, dumplings, cookies and Chinese "milk tea."

When: 2-9 p.m. Aug. 9. Free.

Location: Doraville Arena, 3037 Pleasant Valley Drive, Doraville. Directions: Go north on Buford Highway, outside the perimeter. At the third traffic light, turn right onto McElroy Road at the Checker's Restaurant. Take first left onto Pleasant Valley Drive.

Dinho Market

Looking for broiled eel sauce? One whole aisle of this supermarket contains sauces for every occasion, including more than a dozen varieties of soy sauce. Choose live tilapia in a tank, chrysanthemum tea, rice and egg noodles, dried seaweed, lotus seeds, salted croaker fish and dried fungus. Dinho Market has served the Chinese community for 21 years and was one of the first in metro-Atlanta to specialize in foods from mainland China. A large flat screen TV on the wall will broadcast the latest Olympic news in Mandarin.

When: 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Location: Dinho Market, at Atlanta Chinatown Mall, 5381 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee. 770-452-6907

YT Herb Store

The elderly owners don't speak English, but they have a supply of about 360 traditional Chinese herbs for what ails you. This store is one of the longtime retailers at the Atlanta Chinatown Mall. The most popular herbs are bags of ginseng, some that go for $65. The herb can be used in cooking stews and is good for health. Try Root of Pilose Asiabell for more energy, says the couple's daughter-in-law, Vivian Wei. If you want to delve into the many drawers of herbs behind the counter, be prepared to know the name in Chinese.

When: Open every day 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Location: YT Herb Store, at Atlanta Chinatown Mall, 5389 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee. 770-458-8898.

Chinese Herbal Center

This center offers traditional Chinese herbs and acupuncture. The reception area has a clean, calm air with large jars of herbs on display. Dang gui, or Angelica Sinensis root, is supposed to improve circulation, says Yong Lee, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. After an initial exam, Lee might consider a combination of herbs, acupuncture and other treatments for a patient.

When: 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday-Friday (closed Saturday). By appointment only.

Location: Chinese Herbal Center, at Asian Square, Suite C-180, 5150 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-936-8603.

Victoria Cosmetics, Bridals

and Fashions

A symphony of deep reds, greens and blues greets the visitor at this shop selling traditional Chinese and Vietnamese dresses. The Chinese quipao is a long, narrow sleek dress that comes in many shades, with scenes of birds, leaves or dragons. The dresses, which have the traditional Chinese collar and cloth clasps, are made of polyester-cotton blend and go for between $40 and $60. The shirts are about $20 to $30, depending on the fabric.

When: Open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: Victoria Cosmetics, Bridals and Fashions, at Asian Square, 5150 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-457-1413.

Ni Hao Ma? How are You?

Want to learn to say hello in Chinese and a few other phrases that could help with a trip to China or business contacts? Kennesaw State University offers a 20-hour course for students with little or no background in Chinese. Class begins Oct. 1, 2008 and runs 10 weeks through Dec. 12, 2008. Cost is $169. Go to www.kennesaw.edu and look up continuing education for more information.

'The First Emperor,

A High Museum exhibit will showcase terracotta army figures and horses made to protect China's first emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, in the afterlife. The first emperor created a unified China in 221 B.C. The sculptures were buried with him and unearthed in 1974. For more information online, see high.org.

When: Nov. 16 through April 19, 2009. High Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday (closed Monday).

Location: 1280 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, 404-733-4444.