Cookbook author, magazine mogul and Food Network personality Paula Deen was in town this week promoting her newest title, "Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible." Naturally we wondered where she dined during her down time. On Tuesday, she had lunch on the patio of Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse at Phipp's Plaza. Sunday, she showed up at the Dantanna's in Buckhead and was so knocked out by Chef Tim Mastalski's potato salad and Krispy Kreme bread pudding that she gave him a hug. "Atlanta, you have been great!" she tweeted as she rolled out of town Tuesday.
Overscene
Actor Denzel Washington is in town filming a movie called "Flight," an action-adventure thriller in which he plays a heroic pilot with a mysterious past. (Home to the world's busiest airport, Atlanta's the perfect spot for such a project.) Friday night he checked out V103 host Frank Ski's new self-named restaurant.
Charity events to benefit kids
Two upcoming events will help groups of deserving children: Saturday night's Crystal Ball benefiting the Arthritis Foundation's Georgia chapter and a Monday luncheon benefiting Camp Kudzu. Funds raised at the Crystal Ball, chaired by Winston and Michele Gandy and honoring Elizabeth Martin, support initiatives such as Camp Acheaway, an annual camp for children ages 6-17 who are living with arthritis. Camp Kudzu, chaired by Melanie Boltax and honoring Jane Dean, serves children with diabetes. Both events will be held at the Buckhead Ritz-Carlton. For information on the Crystal Ball, call 678-237-4468. For Camp Kudzu luncheon information, call 404-250-1811.
The return of Hannity
Radio and television talker Sean Hannity can't get enough of his old stomping grounds. He was here just the other day broadcasting his Fox television show from Centennial Olympic Park and his radio show from the studio of AM750 and 95.5 FM News/Talk WSB, which airs him from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays. A onetime Atlanta radio show host, he's already planned a return trip. He'll host a Christmas Salute to the Troops concert Dec. 18 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. The event will feature artists Michael W. Smith and John Ondrasik and Marine turned author Col. Oliver North. The event will benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund for the education of children of U.S. service members who have been killed or permanently disabled in an operational mission or training accident. Tickets go on sale Friday and range from $54.85 to $163.85. If you can't wait that long, go to www.hannity.com details on ordering early.
Tweet of the day
"I'm loving all the marriage proposals I've received via Twitter! Yes, I do! Let's go to Vegas."
- Actor Kenny Wormald, who plays the lead role of Ren in the remake of "Footloose," riding high amid the movie's success. It was filmed in metro Atlanta. (See more details about the filming here in today's Living section.)
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