The Good Living in Mentor section that appears in Thursday's News-Herald (Sept. 20) offers plenty of information about new restaurants opening in Mentor. Check out all the stories by Jean Bonchak and Betsy Scott below:

• Influx of restaurants ramping up
• Caribbean fare served up in Mentor's Maracas
• Zoup!'s on in Points East Plaza
• Tony Sacco's set to change look, tastes of Great Lakes Mall
• Five Guys fans soon to find locale in city
• Looking forward to Scrambler Marie's
• Mmmm ... It's Melt in Mentor
• Jimmy's Backyard BBQ serves up barbecue at its best
• Frank & Pauly's eatery fills historic home
• Familiar Brown Derby back in town
• Red, Wine & Brew expands to city

Back in May, Staff Writer Betsy Scott wrote about a new restaurant/bar that would be opening in Mentor.

Now, Maracas is open at 7597 Mentor Ave. I haven't been there yet, but the signs out front advertise daily dinner specials and $5 lunch specials.

Check out Betsy's preview story and video.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

After a recommendation from my colleague Caitlin Fertal, my Thursday afternoon coffee treat this week was a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino. Yup, you read that right. Not the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino.

I love how Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte really tastes like fall. But when the weather is as warm as it was today, I'm not ready for a hot cup of autumn spices. Fortunately, for days like today, you can get the famous fall drink as the blended Frappuccino. (By the way, that website has some fun time-wasters, like a remix soundboard and a drink builder.)

The Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino reminded me of the pumpkin-flavored ice cream we made in the fall at the ice cream place where I worked in high school. It was a good, refreshing taste of fall when I'm not quite ready to let go of summer.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl