Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson were in Lowell earlier this week, and I was a fly on the wall during their three-hour tour of Lowell’s nosh joints. Surprisingly the trim and bubbly NECN TV Diner personalities actually eat. They dug right into Greek salads at the Athenian Corner (that's where I snapped this pic of Costa and AC owner Teddy Panos), coffee and sweets at Lowell High School's courtyard rest. and pad thai at the Blue Taleh. Even the camera man was wolfing down sandwiches at Lowell High School’s Courtyard rest. Costa really is a professional. The guy is like a sponge. He would meditate over the dishes, memorizing every ingredient the chef infused. And just when you think there's no way he's gonna retain it all, the camera snaps on and he rattles them off like old friends. That's TV for ya! The show airs on NECN March 22 and is sure to boost sales at downtown eateries. Traipsing around town w/ TV Diner solidified my dogged pursuit of chronciling our local, thriving scene. A year ago when this blog launched, Centro and Blue Taleh were distant dreams. To see Costa cosy up to the bars and swoon, made me feel that my work here has not been misspent. Meanwhile, old standbys like Athenian Corner continue to impress and reinvent themselves. Such is the hallmark of a true dining destination.