Daylight saving time means Atlantans have more time to loll over dinner outdoors before the sun goes down. The staff at Nava, home to one of Buckhead's premier patios, will throw a bash to celebrate the arrival of al fresco weather. Drop by Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. for fruit-flavored mojitos, house-made sangria, margaritas and a specialty $6 cocktail menu. Pair your beverage of choice with several small plates from chef Jesse Perez's bar menu, or linger over a multi-course meal. Live Latin music and salsa dancers are also part of the evening. Nava is located at 3060 Peachtree Road; 404-240-1984; www.buckheadrestaurants.com. (And just in case the weather doesn't cooperate, there's a rain date of April 9.)

• Spring also means the arrival of a less welcome Atlanta phenomenon: pollen. While most of us avoid it, the folks at the city's two Ritz-Carlton hotels say, "Bring it on." The valets at the Buckhead and downtown locations will gladly wipe the yellow gunk from your car while you slip into the bar and order a seasonal Loblolly Folly, a specialty drink named for the loblolly pine and made of Citron vodka, Limoncello, lemon juice and Cointreau. It's all served in a glass rimmed in yellow sugar. And like the pollen, they're only served seasonally, so enjoy while you can. The Buckhead Ritz is located at 2424 Peachtree Road; downtown, 181 Peachtree St.; www.ritzcarlton.com.

Sean Drakes/special (ENLARGE)
'Perfect Margaritas' chill by the patio at Nava in Buckhead.
MOST POPULAR STORIES Jack Black spills the beans: Jolie expecting twins Carter, Connick do their home work in New Orleans Al Reynolds vents on Star Jones divorce coverage T-Pain has 5 nominations for BET Awards At 125, Atlanta's Grant Park wants its statues back
EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR

• Get a roadside seat for this Sunday's ING Marathon at the Globe, 75 Fifth St. Runners on Mile 24 of the challenge will pass by the restaurant's tables on the patio and in front of the large plate glass windows. So even though the Globe is usually shuttered on Sunday, it's serving the Saturday brunch menu from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for diners who want to take in the action. Enjoy zucchini and goat cheese fritattas, Norwegian salmon, fried egg sandwiches, eggs Benedict, brioche French toast, roasted chicken, steak, spaghetti and more. 404-541-1487; www.globeatlanta.com.

• Gather round the dinner table with friends and family on Sunday, but don't worry about cooking and cleaning up. Let the staff of experts at Ecco in Midtown handle that. The restaurant has brought back its popular monthly dinner series that features a themed meal around a communal table for $25 per person. Sit down at 6:30 p.m. April 6 for the "Women and Children First" dinner, with dishes served on the Titanic, the ill-fated liner that sank in April 1912.

On May 4, "Going Out on a Lamb" greets the arrival of spring with a spit-roasted lamb and seasonal vegetables. "Basque in the Glory" on June 1 with foods from the Basque region of France and Spain. After a break in July, the dinners continue Aug. 10 with the "Heart of Veneto," focusing on dishes from Italy's northeastern region.

The restaurant's regular menu also will be served these evenings. Ecco is at 40 7th St.; 404-347-9555; www.fifthgroup.com.

Keep Table Talk lively! Send comments and questions to hm_cauley@yahoo.com or call 678-574-6461.