In Focus

inFOCUS NEWS BITES FROM AROUND ATLANTA

PURPOSE PARTY WITH A Rub elbows with other young professionals while helping children in need during the fourth annual Spring Fever event benefiting CURE Childhood Cancer. Guests will enjoy live music, great food and cocktails, interactive games and an expansive silent auction of sports memorabilia, travel options, jewelry and exclusive gift items. March 27 at American Spirit Works. For tickets and other information, visit curechildhoodcancer.org/spring-fever.

PHOTO: CURE Childhood Cancer Kids of all ages learn how to work together in the fun new exhibit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Secrets of the Sewer. Channel your inner Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello or Michelangelo as you test your reaction time in a pizzagrabbing game, navigate a back-alley rope maze and build shapes, arches and tunnels out of sewer pipe. Through May 10 at Children’s Museum of Atlanta. 404-659-5437, childrensmuseumatlanta.org. COWABUNGA!

Downtown Duluth is the place to be every Friday, May through August, as Fridays-NDuluth conjures a family-friendly environment filled with food trucks and live music. It all kicks off May 1 with games, a lantern-making station and a lantern parade. The last Friday of each month brings Block Party on Main, featuring a festive, street-fair atmosphere that’s both family-friendly and free. For more information, visit duluthga.net. PHOTO: Dustin Grau Photography Putting The Fun in Friday

Historic College Park Home Every year, students at Woodward Academy get an in-depth look at the world of artistic expression during Experience the Arts Day. Student painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians and other artists showcase their crafts in front of and inside the school’s visual and performing arts building, as other students take in the array of canvases, art bords, sculptures, pottery and more. This year’s Experience the Arts Day takes place April 15. For more information, call 404- 765-4000 or visit woodward.edu. A Crash Course in The Arts

Think you know everything your senses can tell you? The interactive exhibit Our Senses: An Immersive Experience takes visitors through funhouse-style situations that explore the way our brains make sense of the data we receive through our sensory perceptions. See how different the world can look when illuminated in different colors, and experience the secret sights, sounds and smells that other species know. Through May 3 at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. 404-929-6300, fernbankmuseum.org. Making Sense of The Senses

DANCE IN THE OLYMPIC RINGS Located in the heart of downtown, Centennial Olympic Park is a lasting legacy of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. At its heart is the Fountain of Rings, where the water dances in a synchronized ballet with music, sound and light effects, four times a day, 365 days per year. In warmer months, the fountain is one of the most unique and fun ways for kids—and grownups—to cool off from the summer heat. gwcca.org/centennial-olympic-park

ATLANTA

By Rachael Mason

No doubt about it, Atlanta can be an intimidating place. There’s so much to take in that it’s easy to feel like an outsider. To help you start feeling like a true local, we’ve broken down what makes our city special: its essential dining experiences, sites that add a little his tory to your new home and the five things every true Atlantan has to do. Follow these helpful suggestions and you’ll be feeling like an insider in no time.

WALK UP STONE MOUNTAIN Standing at the top of Stone Mountain offers an unparalleled view of not just the Atlanta skyline but the entire surrounding area. If you can’t handle hiking the incline, you can ride to the top in a cable car, but keep in mind that you won’t get “I climbed Stone Mountain” bragging rights. stonemountainpark.com

LEARN SOME SOUTHERN HISTORY The metro Atlanta area is rich with history. Learn more about one of the city’s most famous residents at the Martin Luther King. Jr. Center (thekingcenter.org). At the Atlanta History Center, check out exhibits illuminating the Civil War and the city’s fascinating post-antebellum story and tour some of Atlanta’s grandest historic homes. atlantahistorycenter.com

CATCH A BRAVES GAME AT TRUIST PARK There’s nothing quite like an Atlanta Braves home game, especially now that the Braves are in their new home at Truist Park. The fun starts long before first pitch with a stroll through The Battery Atlanta, a lifestyle destination surrounding the park filled with dining, shopping and special activities galore. Inside the park, you’ll feel right on top of the action, as it boasts some of the best sightlines in the major leagues. atlantabraves.com

EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS Take a stroll along the BeltLine, a 22-mile paved trail constructed from reclaimed railroad corridors that links 45 neighborhoods, numerous parks and additional trails. Be sure to stop for lunch on the patio at one of the many eateries along the way (beltline.org). Admire the stunning flower gardens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (atlantabg.org) and spend an afternoon walking, biking, picnicking or just people-watching at the city’s favorite greenspace, Piedmont Park. piedmontpark.org

ENJOY A FROSTED ORANGE AT THE VARSITY The Varsity is Atlanta’s iconic fast food joint, in operation since 1928. The flagship location on North Avenue is billed as the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, sitting on more than two acres and able to accommodate more than 800 customers at a time. In addition, servers and savvy customers speak their own special lingo. Try the Frosted Orange, a frozen treat that tastes like a Creamsicle, only better. thevarsity.com

GRAB A BURGER AT THE VORTEX This attitude-heavy restaurant and bar (patrons must be 18 or older) serves up some of the best burgers in town, including the Classic Bypass, a half-pound sirloin patty topped with a fried egg, three slices of American cheese and four slices of bacon, served with mayo on the side. Two locations. thevortexatl.com

EXPLORE BUFORD HIGHWAY You don’t have to travel around the world to enjoy a wealth of international cuisine. Buford Highway offers a diverse cornucopia of authentic ethnic fare, from Korean barbecue and Vietnamese noodle bowls to Chinese kabobs, Cajun crawfish and Mexican menudo with handmade tortillas.

DINE AT BACCHANALIA This upscale establishment is the city’s premiere fine-dining restaurant. Each night, chefs Anne Quatrano and Jonathan Kallini create a different seasonal menu. The four-course meal, which costs $95 per person, includes two small appetizers, an entrée, a cheese course and dessert. starprovisions.com/bacchanalia

GIVE BACK AT STAPLEHOUSE Located in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, this eatery has garnered several rave reviews and awards since opening in 2016, and its tasting menu changes regularly. But Staplehouse started as an underground supper club founded by Ryan and Jen Hidinger. Ryan died of cancer in 2014, but his legacy lives on with the restaurant and The Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit started to aid metro Atlanta restaurant industry employees who face unexpected hardships. All after-tax profits from Staplehouse benefit The Giving Kitchen. staplehouse.com u

THE BIG CHICKEN This giant bird, which adorns a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in neighboring Marietta, won’t teach you anything new about Atlanta, but it’s one of those things you have to see to believe, and is more than worth the drive to the suburbs. marietta.com/ attractions/ the-big-chicken

CNN CENTER Distinguished by a giant outdoor CNN logo, the cable empire’s world headquarters offers behindthe-scenes tours of several of its newsrooms. The space also includes a number of shops and restaurants and is connected to the Omni Hotel and State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. center.cnn.com

EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. preached non-violence at this historic church, which has been operating since 1866. Today, you can still visit the church on Auburn Avenue and take part in its services. ebenezeratl.org

THE GOLD DOME The Georgia State Capitol shines brightly in the Atlanta skyline due to the gold paneling on its dome. The Capitol also houses a museum where flags, artwork and other historic artifacts are displayed. atlanta.net/partner/ georgia-state-capitol/48/

MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE At this historic landmark, you can see the apartment where author Margaret Mitchell wrote “Gone With the Wind.” The space has been preserved with period furnishings and original architectural features. The remainder of the building and an addition next door serve as a museum dedicated to Mitchell’s work. atlantahistorycenter.com