Tales from the Corners

Just as Senator Obama wrapped up his acceptance speech, we had Chicago on our minds. This week's cover story is a feature on the Windy City's neighborhoods. Read all about Chicago's neighborhoods on Men's Traveler . Plus, there are some great deals at the top of the page.

I have a new In The Spotlight this week at Men's Traveler . It's a feature on Florida's Panhandle.

Now that I know I have time around Christmas to get away, I'm looking to plan my next winter vacation. I have a few suggestions in a feature on all inclusive vacations on Men's Traveler

I was thinking about a recent Anthony Bourdain program when he visited South Carolina. It inspired me to produce this week's cover story on Men's Traveler Driving to SC for good Q is a real treat for us. Indeed we have some good places in the ATL and the Southeast, but there is something about SC's history and dedication to the art of cooking Q. If you happen to be in our part of the U.S. (the Southeast), try to take a trip throughout South Carolina -- especially the Old 96 district and Olde English district .

Yes, I raved about Norcross, Georgia's Mojitos before. I must give another shout-out again. We visited again on Saturday. This time I was treated to their Elena Ruth sandwich. The Elena Ruth is Mojitos' house specialty and consists of: Roast turkey, cream cheese and strawberry preserves on toasted sweet bread. The result: Yummy!

The 30th anniversary of my family's Virginia trip is mentioned in my latest feature on Men's Traveler Also, more material is available on my Tales from the Corners blog. Don't worry big brother, local issues are discussed :-)

This weekend was a whirlwind. We took a quick day trip up to Chattanooga and check out its south side area. Unlike Atlanta, Chattanooga is revitalizing old buildings. The area is now beginning to offer cool shops and lofts. When we were returning to the ATL, we were greeted by some nasty weather on the horizon. We followed the big storm down I-75. When we got to the area, we heard about huge oak trees that fell and knocked out power to thousands of Georgia Power customers. On Sunday morning, I was surprised by the appearance of my last column for the AJC Gwinnett. The section will be gone after next week. In the future I might contribute to the main section. Note to Big Brother, I'll always write about local issues so I can avoid so-called "conflicts." No worries: I don't have an axe to grind with your or the president. As one can tell, I'm getting into the county issues. Hmmm, I'm wondering if I ought to join the planning commission.