Nondescript But Jumping

Ormsby's is the perfect bar for a shitty February afternoon. It oozes warmth. It promotes silly gamesmanship. Upstairs is slick bar and restaurant dressed in pretty woods, while downstairs looms a fun-bunker, a cave, a huge space teaming with backgammon, Bocce, darts, pool and full-length shuffleboard. The entrance is nondescript, a single door with an "O" tucked beneath the overpriced furniture showplace Room & Board. It keeps with the speakeasy theme that's grown popular around the city--and indeed the country--of late. The draft beer is adventurous (Duchesse De Borgogne alongside a killer strand of Terrapin called Wake 'n Bake), though I feel the decor screams for a basic Guinness. Although huge and practically brand-new (it opened around Christmas), Ormsby's gets packed. This is your favorite college bar after its spent five years slaving in the real world, developed top-shelf sensibilities and a penchant for drinking potent beer from snifters. Another welcome addition to the burgeoning Westside.

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Nightlife • Extended Coverage Area

Cafe Chameleon

Cafe Nineteen occupies a prime corner unit of Atlantic Station. And it changes. Transforms with the day. At this chameleonic cafe/bistro/lounge, patrons can soak in the charm of the mini-city's brick streets, or chortle at baggy-pants teens spilling from the nearby Regal theatre. You'd be hard-pressed to find another menu offering espresso macchiato, Frank's Hot buffalo wings, and a straight glass of Maker's on the same business day. Admittedly, I haven't been at night, but the interior seems posh-sleek enough for a suitable nocturnal transformation. All and all, it's a great pit-stop before catching a flick. Or the Cirque. Or Georgia's own Collective Soul, next time they're tapped to unveil The Great Tree.

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Coffee • Extended Coverage Area

Tumbleweeds in Buckhead

In autumn, it's Tide central. In winter, Super Bowl headquarters. At all times, a rootin-tootin good place to find UFC on big screens. The Cheyenne Grille, tucked for centuries off Peachtree in southern Buckhead, boasts the rustic, slightly tattered charm of a neighborhood dive. And the strange Western nostalgia of Back To The Future 3. Don't underestimate the grub. Since a management switcheroo in October, the Grille doles out carnivore-friendly offerings with an emphasis on hearty. The Covered Wagon--available in beef and bird varieties--comes covered in sauteed unions, while the South of the Border harbors guac and salsa. Whatever you choose, it's served with two sides for under $10. Those options pale on the gluttony meter to the Ranch Hand Ribeye ($24), a beefy vessel of kickass fit for a grizzly. Don't let the ho-hum locale (the aged Peachtree Battle Shopping Center) fool you. This place has soul. Bonus: More free parking than a Kansas prairie.

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Restaurants • Extended Coverage Area

Man-Palace Fantasies

Dating back eons to 2005, Fox Sports Grill in Atlantic Station was a pioneer in the man-palace concept. Long before its brethren like STATS, the Peachtree Taco Mac, and the newcomer Hudson Grille, this sprawling ode to plasma and touchdowns occupied a special place in the hearts of intown meatheads. Swank but accessible, it offers affordable grub with a Dixie-fied twist (skillet cornbread and Southern style meatloaf, anyone?) The cigar zone is cozy, and the outdoor patios spacious, not a bad gameday seat anywhere. Beware that weekend waits can sometimes ooze onto 19th Street, especially during the holy months (college football season) or when the Cirque-us is in town.

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Restaurants • Extended Coverage Area

Dollar Tree, PhD

Richards Variety Store is like the Dollar Tree with a philosophy degree. It gets it on some higher plane. A staple in the Buckhead area for 60 years, this family-run biz branched out to Midtown cattycorner Piedmont Park a while back. I bought my mother a book for Christmas there, "The Friars Club's Dirtiest Jokes." I was reading it in line, LMAO. I treated myself to the Salman Rushdie-edited Best American Short Stories of 2008 and a good half-hour of wandering. They sell toys for kids whose parents smoke pot. Their greeting card aisles shine with witty one-liners and vintage photography. Wacky without being too kitschy or downright vulgar, Richards Variety Store is an unexpected jewel.

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Shopping • Extended Coverage Area