By Rachael Rene. When hunger strikes in the late hours of the night, you have a few choices of places to eat at in Atlanta. At 3:00 a.m. your choices usually include: Waffle House, IHOP, and McDonalds. After a possibly long night, coming to these few places may not be your first choice. These choices may not be seen by everybody as very healthy, full of quality, and may not be the tastiest ones either. If only there was a more appealing options. Off Peachtree Road a unique restaurant by the name of R Thomas Deluxe Grill is present.

By Dee Corley. Eight O’clock on Sunday night, I sat with a group at The Punchline for my first time. It’s a small, comfortable place in a quaint little strip mall type setting, centered amongst a group of establishments that are specifically there for a fun night out. The neon sign above the door that portrays Groucho Marx is very welcoming and so fitting. The people who work there made us feel welcome from the time we walked in the door.

By Summer Stanley. Call me Ebeneezer Scrooge, but this particular holiday not even Mariah Carey’s Christmas album on loop was contagious enough for this grinch to catch the merry bug buzzing around the block. Vagina Jenkins, Atlanta’s premiere prima donna and Creative Loafing’s “Best Burlesque Dancer” finally launched me into the spirit of the season. The Big Freeze: A Holiday Spectacular, starring the Lady Miss Jenkins herself and local playwright Johnny Drago, is a blitz (bling+glitz) of local talent at the Eyedrum, the non-profit performance art space located just south of downtown.

By Rachael Rene. Start year 2010 with some great ideas for fun things to do in Atlanta. Ghosts of Atlanta Walking Tour, Hip Hop Jam Session at the Apache Café, free salsa lessons, live salsa and meringue music, Downtown Artswalk, Christian Finnegan at The Punchline, Dweezil Zappa at the Variety Playhouse, etc.

By Dee Corley. The magnificence and graceful beauty of the horse may not be entirely unmatched in nature, but it ranks pretty high. Now, multiply that beauty by sixty, and divide it by twelve breeds, add forty amazing acrobats, dancers, musicians and other artisans under the grandest of big tops, and you’ve got the show of a life time created by Cirque du Soleil co-founder, Normand Latourelle.

Rachael Rene picks again the fun things to do next week – December 21th to 27th. Not only her picks are the funnest but she always managed to find those free entry to hours of live music deals, $5 bargains, etc. Don’t miss her suggestions every week. Hot Jam’s Swing Dance, Atomic Rockets and Psycho Devilles at The Red Light Café, The Soul Shakers at Blind Willie’s, Day Before Christmas Eve Jam at The Five Spot, Cavalia in Atlantic Station, Matzo Ball at Halo Lounge, Dan Mengini at The Laughing Skull Lounge.

By Rachael Rene. Established in 1939, The Plaza Theatre is the most sustained, continuously-operating independent theater in Atlanta. Though, in the 70s it was an x-rated adult cinema, that phase has ended. It is located on Ponce De Leon Avenue, and home to many film festivals throughout the year. The remodeled marquee alone has a lot of personality describing the theater originality and class. The Plaza shows a lot of independent films and classics, surely to make a memorable night. For a decade now, they have been presenting The Rocky Horror Picture show.

By Rosey Sumrall. These times of economic instability find the market for art dwindling, and many galleries are unable to stay afloat. Here in Atlanta, we have lost many galleries to the harsh reality of declining sales. Despite the mess, Gallery 4463 in Acworth has been able to survive.

The structure of the building itself is quite striking. Brick walls and high ceilings offer enough space to accommodate a crowd. They house a number of different artistic mediums, including (although certainly not limited to) paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry and pottery.

By Rosey Sumrall. If you are looking for a place in Atlanta that is both relaxing and beautiful, check out Piedmont Park. Since 1904 Atlantans have been visiting this serene park located 2 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. It runs down 10^th Street and Piedmont Avenue.

By Madison Massey. The metro Atlanta area is dotted with hundreds of tucked away culinary gems. Field Good Gourmet Deli, featuring the refined creations of Chef Christophe Le Metayer, is a North Fulton jewel that should not be missed. Hailing from France, with over 25 years of gastronomic experience, Le Metayer remains humbly understated in a world of overboard cuisine.