How to keep your tummy from growling:

Athens, Ga. takes great pride in its restaurant variety.

Vegetarian/vegan, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, pub and chain food line the sidewalks from downtown to Atlanta Highway.

Since UGA Connect is on campus, the Athens downtown area would be the most convenient place to go for a cup of coffee, a sandwich, a drink or some ice cream.

Here are some suggestions for this weekend:

For coffee:

• Starbucks- a well-known favorite; it is on the corner of Broad Street and College Avenue
• Espresso Royale- a local venue; they have different blends of the day, one of which is their chocolate roast coffee. If you want a bagel or something, they also sell have baked goods, and they have a toaster to warm it up!
• Walker's Pub- past Starbucks on College Avenue; they have a great selection of daily brews; the inside has a woodsy, airy feel, and they always play great music. I've heard their hummus sandwich is good as well.

For a snack:

• Cookies Cafe and Company- on the corner of Clayton Street and College Avenue; as if you couldn't tell from their name, they are known for their wonderful cookies. Wedding cookies, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, and many others line the case inside. They also have a wonderful lunch menu.
• Cold Stone Creamery- on Broad Street, almost across from the Arch; this is always a great place to go if you have a sweet tooth. Pick any flavor and any topping, and they'll blend it right there infront of you. You can't go wrong with this choice.
  
• The Last Resort- on the corner of West Clayton and Hull Streets; this is one of the most famous restaurants in Athens. From lunch, to dinner, to Sunday brunch, to dessert, any choice is a good choice. Their cakes are notorious for their originality and absolute deliciousness. Please go there while you are here this weekend. I promise you won't regret your decision.

I have created a Google map where you can get the lay of the land. All the restaurants I mentioned are relatively close together-- within two blocks of each other.

If you want to hear some good restaurant critiques, check out my blog, DawgFood.

I encourage you, however, to stop in one that looks interesting and try it out! You never know what you may find.