It's a big catch for Downtown. MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S, an upscale seafood restaurant chain with almost 60 outlets nationwide, has announced the opening of a new restaurant on the ground floor of the Westin Hotel at the corner of Fifth and Vine. Known for high quality, fresh seafood -- they claim to serve 30 varieties prepared 80 different ways -- McCormick & Schmick's is due to open in August, the same time as the targeted completion of the Fountain Square renovation. ...

Forget what you've heard about Cincinnati being 10 years behind. DINNERS READY, which opened recently in Mariemont (7201 Wooster Pike), is another addition to the area's growing collection of "fresh meal assembly" venues. (Others include Dream Dinners in Blue Ash and West Chester and My Girlfriend's Kitchen in Mason.) It's part of a trend sweeping the U.S. There are nearly 600 places like this so far, up from none just eight years ago. At Dinners Ready, you'll find cooking stations set with recipes, equipment, all prepped ingredients, storage containers and labels to make meals like Pistachio Crusted Pork Loin and Pan-Fried Apples for $3-$3.50 per serving. The best part? No clean-up. When you're done, you just walk right out the door. 513-272-6325. ...

Kudos to Lora Storie, the forward-thinking owner of SITWELL'S COFFEE HOUSE (324 Ludlow Ave.), who banished smoking from her hip neighborhood establishment in Gaslight Clifton on Jan. 1. (See "Butting Out at Sitwell's," issue of Feb. 1-7.) If you've been to there in the past, you know what an enormous change this is. The last time I went there, I felt like I was at a Philip Morris convention. Peering through the smoky haze, eyes watering, I counted only three other non-smokers in the whole place. Now you can soak up the artsy vibe and funky crowd and not come home smelling like a loaded ashtray. For those who think smoking bans hurt businesses, the CityBeat story confirms that Sitwell's has actually been busier since the change was implemented. 513-281-7487. ...

Get wild at the zoo and do some good, too! On Feb. 16 at 6-8 p.m., the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will host the first of four 2006 WILD ABOUT WINE AND BREW tasting events. Guests can enjoy beverages, appetizers, visits from animal ambassadors and special peeks behind the scenes. It's $20 for Zoo members ($70 for the four-event series) and $25 for non-members ($90 for the series). Proceeds benefit the Zoo's Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife. Info: 513-559-7759.