Comedy, Crawfish and More in Smyrna-Vinings

Our friendly neighborhood vino shop, , presents an evening of Italian Wine & Food Pairings with Chef Philip DeYoung. On Friday Feb. 25, from 7-9 p.m., gourmands and oenophiles (translation: food and wine lovers) will rejoice as five fantastic food and wine pairings are served course by course. To whet your appetite, here are a few of the enticing selections Chef Philip will be preparing: proscuitto-wrapped cantaloupe sachet, filet of beef carpaccio with enoki mushrooms and Vidalia onions, and crab cake with chipotle tartar sauce. The winemaker will serve his personal pairings to accompany the extraordinary cuisine. This delightful dream of a foodie/wine lover evening costs just $25 per person and space is limited. Reservations may be made online.

Whether you’re a Ragin’ Cajun’ or just love Cajun food, ’s Crawfish Boil is the place to gear up for Mardi Gras. From March 1-8, South City Kitchen will revel in the Mardi Gras spirit by serving a special Taste of New Orleans menu, so the Crawfish Boil is their way to start it with a bang. On Monday, Feb. 28 from 6:30-8 p.m. for only $25 per person, you can indulge in all-you-can-eat fresh Louisiana crawfish with all the regular accompaniments: corn-on-the-cob, red potatoes, and spicy andouille sausage. Of course, no authentic crawfish boil would be complete without a special New Orleans-style Hurricane cocktail. SCK knows how well beer pairs with a crawfish boil, so Sweetwater and Miller Light drafts are on tap at $3 a pint as well. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

If seeing some of the best-picture nominees kept getting bumped off your to-do list, AMC’s Parkway Pointe has an excellent package deal for you to cross off that task before the Oscars. On Saturday, Feb. 26, Parkway Pointe is staging the “Best Picture Showcase 2011,” a 24-hour movie marathon. $50 buys you a 24-hour movie pass and includes a free $20 voucher for concessions. Beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the 10 best picture nominees will be shown back-to-back, beginning with “Toy Story 3’’ and ending with “The King’s Speech.’’ Tired of popcorn and Junior Mints? Just plain tired? A lanyard is provided so that you may come and go from the theater for meals and/or sleep. For show times and tickets, check the website.

Comedy comes to our ‘hood this weekend! Catch the Rev’d Up Comedy Night at (you guessed it) this Saturday night, Feb. 26, from 7:30-10 p.m. Back by popular demand, this family-friendly show hosted by Bleepfree Comedy will showcase about 15-20 goofballs who compete for a $100 cash prize. Each contestant is allotted four minutes to get their comedy on and the audience votes at the end of the evening. The night’s King or Queen of Funny also wins a spot at the next Bleepfree Comedy competition at The Punchline in Sandy Springs. Cover charge is $8.

Often lauded for outstanding cuisine, in Vinings has also recently come to be known as a great live-music venue on the weekends. Most Friday nights, local dynamic duo, The Free Wheelin’ Band, play to an enthusiastic crowd at Blackstone. Experienced musicians Mike Garrett and George Martin have been entertainers for more than a quarter of a decade and their talent shows in spades. The Free Wheelin’ Band knows exactly how to please an audience and keep the grooving going, and that means playing “anything from Sinatra to Van Halen, and everything in between.” The Free Wheelin’ Band begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25. Saturday nights at Blackstone feature house vodka and vodka martini specials, as well as local live music.