Photo: Louie Favorite/AJC

Scott Peacock has cooked his last supper at Watershed.

The famed local chef has parted ways with the Decatur restaurant partly owned by the Indigo Girls’ Emily Saliers to concentrate on a documentary project.

Peacock and Buzz first talked about his project last fall and he said in an interview this afternoon that he decided the film was “the best use of my time and energy.”

The James Beard award winner served diners at Watershed this afternoon and left without much fanfare.

“I care about the people tremendously,” he said. “I’m a big supporter.”

But his project, where he crisscrosses his native Alabama talking to its most senior residents about their stories and memories revolving around food, seems pressing. One interview subject passed away before he could record her on film, making Peacock realize what a “narrow window of time” he had to complete the work.

He’s been in talks with Alabama Public Television and the Sundance film festival and has shown …

Continue reading Scott Peacock leaves Watershed for film project »

From left, emcee Karen Greer, the CDC's Dr. Barbara Stoll, keynote speaker Dr. Phil Landrigan, Stephanie Black and co-chairs Lisa Tush and Laura Seydel

Lisa Tush and Laura Turner Seydel are on an environmental mission – with the ladies-who-lunch crowd in their sights.

Their first “Enlightenment Lunch” packed the Biltmore ballroom with more than 300 guests last fall, and the second sold out a larger room at the Marriott Marquis last week.

If their third, on April 20, wasn’t already booked at the new Loew’s, we might suggest the Georgia Dome, given Stephanie Blank is among their supporters.

(Toward the end of the event she talked about the chemicals found in many common cosmetics, and encouraged attendees to visit the Environmental Working Group Web site to investigate the true contents of their makeup bags.

“I’m Southern,” she said. “I don’t go out of the house without lipstick.”)

Stephanie Blank modeled her botanical lipstick for us. It's called CARGO Plant Love in the color …

Continue reading Eco-fabulous luncheon highlights the green scene »

Singer and reality show star Fantasia Barrino isn’t letting some racist fool get her down.

The celeb site TMZ reports that Barrino – spotted recently in Atlanta while filming her reality show “Fantasia For Real” – received a disturbing missive after finishing a performance of “The Color Purple” in Los Angeles the other day.

The screed apparently came from a nutcase claiming to have worked security for the Fox network the season Barrino won “American Idol,” besting Snellville’s Diana DeGarmo.

It was “peppered with threats of violence and racial slurs — including the N-word,” the TMZ report said.

Barrino contacted security at the theater where she was performing as well as the Los Angeles Police Department. Authorities are investigating, but Barrino is reacting with her trademark spunk.

“I will not be defeated by one isolated person’s hatred,” Barrino told TMZ in a statement.

- Jennifer Brett, jbrett@ajc.com

Commenting is closed on this …

Continue reading Fantasia reacts with strength to racist letter »

We’ll always remember where we were that historic day when Tiger Woods took to the airwaves with all the spunk and spontaneity of a hostage video.

We were talking to the very spunky and spontaneous Fred Schneider.

“I need to do something like that and apologize to the nation. I need some publicity,” Schneider mused as Tiger droned.

The reason for our Friday morning chat was “Fred Schneider’s Spring Thang Bingo Dance Party,” a March 5 benefit at the Gold Room for the charity Pets Are Loving Support and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

“If you’re wondering, ‘what should I wear?’ Who cares? Just bring a big, fat wallet,” said Schneider, exhibiting more candor in one sentence than we saw in that entire Ponte Vedra Beach press conference. “I’m going to be playing all this wild and real obscure funk. I don’t take requests. I’ll probably get out on the floor dancing. I don’t really know how to DJ. I just pick the songs and then get out and dance.”

Want to join the party? Tickets are …

Continue reading Watching Tiger Woods, talking to Fred Schneider »

Buzz predicts a bidding war could break out over Kevin Gillespie’s proposed book project.

We started hearing from publishing houses eager for his contact information after reporting earlier this week that the “Top Chef” finalist  has a book project coming together. The humble Gillespie, selected fan favorite on the Bravo reality show, said his goals this year are to become a better chef and a better writer.

We’ve forwarded all comers to his publicist.

Meanwhile, Atlanta’s foodies seem to be eating up the news that he and his partners plan to open a barbecue restaurant later this year.

- Jennifer Brett, jbrett@ajc.com

Continue reading Kevin Gillespie heading for a book bidding war? »

Kevin Gillespie, shown in the kitchen of his Atlanta home, plans to open a barbecue restaurant by the end of the year.

Bravo’s “Top Chef” saved Kevin Gillespie from financial ruin. Business had been so slow at Woodfire Grill that there were nights last year when just a couple of diners – and sometimes none at all – came in.

“I can’t tell you what it feels like to work all day tweaking and getting things ready to share with people and then have no one show up,” he said. Trying out for the show was a last ditch effort to save the restaurant he’d bought with two partners.

“We’re sitting there, literally, praying that Bravo would call,” he said. “We kept borrowing money, scraping by. We wouldn’t have lasted six more months.”

The day Bravo announced he’d be featured, reservations suddenly surged, and the crush hasn’t let up. Not a single diner has canceled – even when icy weather made the roads a mess recently – and Valentine’s was hopping. (A quick check on OpenTable.com found the …

Continue reading Checking in with Kevin Gillespie, post “Top Chef” »

Laura Holt, left and Lindsey Weber celebrate their "wins" Saturday morning. Weather forced the cancellation of the Marietta 5K, so organizers gave out medals and prizes anyway.

Sunlight dancing in her runner’s medal, Lindsay Weber was full of triumph Saturday morning.

“It’s all so surreal right now,” she said, having just been named winner in her age group at the Marietta 5K. “I want to thank my family for their overwhelming support. It was over before I knew it.”

Actually, it never started. Although the race had been delayed for two hours due to the weather, the roads’ stubborn refusal to thaw in time for the pushed-back start time forced the cancellation of the charity race at the last minute. So there was nothing to do but hand out prizes anyway.

“This is the only race I’ll ever win,” said Libby Spencer, one of the many – and we mean many – “winners” at the hastily re-named No-Run.

Added Marie Khan,” This is the most fun I’ve ever had at a race.”

Not everyone agreed. Angry …

Continue reading Weather cancels 5K, but “winners” celebrate anyway »

A happy crowd Saturday packed the Breman Museum. It’s full of Seuss things and folks want to see ‘em.

This great, nifty show, “Dr. Seuss Goes to War,” features news clips and drawings and letters and more.

But the star of the show, if you really must know, was Elinor Breman, that gal on the go, who once upon a time, a generation ago, was a war bride who served at the local USO.

She sold paintings and houses but year after year, she always found time to volunteer. She and late husband Bill Breman, in 1996, opened the Breman Museum the year of the Atlanta Olympics.

Saturday’s gala at the Breman was a wonderful night, with tributes like Rabbi Alvin Sugarman’s: “Elinor, you bring joy. You bring light.”

She was joined by family including sons John, Phillip and Jerry, and “Souper” Jenny Levison’s troupe sang and made merry. Just before it was time to go tour the Seuss art, singers sang Breman’s favorite, “Young At Heart.”

At the end of the show, with her eyes all aglow, Breman …

Continue reading A musical, Seussical night at the Breman Museum »

If you’re planning to see Tyler Perry’s new play when it comes to Atlanta in April, you need to be on time.

Be. On. Time.

“Sit the hell down!” Perry barked at late arrivals Tuesday night, breaking from character seconds after his entrance during the play’s stop in Macon. “Seven o’clock is seven o’clock, people! People have spent their hard-earned money to be here, and you can’t be on time.”

He was just getting started.

“Front and center. That tells me you got your ticket early, but you’re late getting here!” he bellowed at some poor unfortunate soul with cursedly good seats, pulling the prop gun from Madea’s handbag for emphasis. In a final swipe at tardiness he singled out a man who had the double bad luck to be both late and bald.

“Your head is shining like aluminum foil,” Perry shouted. “Sit the hell down!”

Moments later he tossed a box of tissues to an usher and directed that they be passed to a couple of women sitting a few rows from the stage.

“Take the gum out of your …

Continue reading Previewing Tyler Perry’s Atlanta-bound play »

Hey, lacrosse players. Want to be famous?

And by that we mean, want to run around in the background of a new television show?

If you’re 18-28, have some time to kill tomorrow and want to earn a hundred bucks, listen up.

MTV is remaking the 1980s Michael J. Fox movie “Teen Wolf” as a new television show set to star Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed and Dylan O’Brien. The network is filming here starting at noon Wednesday and that’s where you lacrosse players come in. You must have your own equipment and you must know how to use it.

If selected you’ll be running around for six to eight hours and MTV will slap a Benjamin on you for your trouble. E-mail a current color photo and list your height, weight, date of birth, phone number and which lacrosse position you play to clubextras@gmail.com.

- Jennifer Brett, jbrett@ajc.com

Continue reading MTV needs lacrosse-playing extras »