Bun Tom Thit Nuong Cha Gio at Pho Dai Loi in Forest Park, your pick for best Vietnamese restaurant. Pho Dai Loi also has a location on Buford Highway. Photo: Becky Stein, Special

YOUR PICKS
1. Pho Dai Loi
You say, “Another vote for Pho Dai Loi on Jonesboro Rd. Many a Saturday morning has found me there shaking off a hangover with a big bowl of pho and some Vietnamese coffee.” There is also a location on Buford Highway.

2. Lee’s Bakery
3. Chateau de Saigon
4. Pho Bac
5. Quoc Huong
6. Dua

A tasty bowl of pho at Nam Phuong in Norcross, our critic's pick for best Vietnamese restaurant in and around Atlanta. Nam Phuong now has a location on Buford Highway, too. Photo: Becky Stein, Special

OUR PICKS
1. Nam Phuong
The AJC dining team’s specialist in International Cuisine Gene Lee says, “Run by a mother and son team, Nam Phuong’s Norcross location impresses diners with a sophisticated upgrade not typically associated with Vietnamese dining. Around a year later, a second location …

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Go get yourself a boat at the Atlanta Boat Show this weekend – or maybe you could just window-shop and dream. That's likely what most of the attendees will be doing at this annual event, but don't miss the interactive learning experiences being offered through the weekend. Photo: Johnny Crawford, jcrawford@ajc.com

FRIDAY
Recreation, outdoors: The Atlanta Boat Show will have powerboats, sport fishers, ski boats and personal watercraft. Booths showcase the latest engines, gear, electronics and more. Don’t miss a massive 200,000-gallon wake park and the Let’s Go Fishing Center, which offers an underwater view of fish reacting to lures and bait. At the Georgia World Congress Center through Jan. 15.

Stage: In the Actor’s Express production “Next Fall,” 20-something Luke, who believes in God, is deeply in love with the slightly older Adam, who believes in everything but. When a tragic accident interrupts their perfect life, Adam must turn to Luke’s friends and deeply …

Continue reading Weekend best bets: Jan. 13-15 »

Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on Aug. 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C. We honor the great civil rights leader with an annual holiday on Monday, Jan. 16, when Americans are encouraged to volunteer and give back to the community. UPI.

Many of the King Day events are centered in the King Historic District in the Auburn Avenue area, including Monday morning’s annual commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church and the march and rally on Auburn Avenue Monday afternoon. Check the King Center’s website and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Site’s online home for more. For volunteer opportunities, head over to Hands On Atlanta’s MLK Day page.

“From King to Obama – DuBois and Back Again: Reflections on Race, Nation and African American Internationalism.” An art exhibition by J.R. Phillips focusing on the artistic interactions between the African Diaspora and mainland China in the 20th and 21st centuries. Through March 31. Free.

Continue reading Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in and around Atlanta »

Taco Mac, with locations all over the metro Atlanta area, is your pick for best place to watch the Super Bowl. Staff photo.

YOUR PICKS
1. Taco Mac

“Excellent food and service, family oriented in the suburbs and city chic in Atlanta locations. An amazing number of beers on tap, and from what I’ve observed, from 30 to 60 flat-screen TVs in every location.”

2. Trackside Tavern
3. Hudson Grille
4. TJ’s Sports Bar & Grill
5. The Derby

Stats is our pick for best place to watch the Super Bowl. The upscale food choices are a big draw, but the number of screens is a factor, too. You won’t miss a moment of the game at Stats. Photo: Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com

OUR PICKS
1. Stats
We say, “This downtown Atlanta spot has TVs everywhere, free-flowing beer and food that puts the average sports bar fare to shame. Stats is the kind of place where anyone can feel comfortable, and you’ll never miss a moment of the game.”

2. TJ’s Sports Bar & Grill
3. Dantanna’s
4. The Derby
5.

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