Atlanta Intown - March 2014

We’re about to change the way you think about real estate.

The curtain goes up

March 31, 2014

Our mission: Published monthly since 1994, Atlanta INtown provides its readers with hyperlocal news and information that helps foster a sense of community in a dynamic urban setting. Live, work and play—we cover everything that makes our city home.

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Editorial Collin Kelley INtown Editor collin@atlantaintownpaper.com (404) 917-2200, ext. 102

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Pamela Berger, Ann Taylor Boutwell, Bethany Clark, Joe Earle, Art Huckabee, Lela Johnson, Clare S. Richie, Tim Sullivan, Melissa Weinman

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IN the Neighborhood

EDITOR’S LETTER

Collin Kelley collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

Good for Business

Last month, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was named an honorary chairman of Southerners for the Freedom to Marry, a $1 million multi-state campaign to build support for same-sex marriage in Georgia and across the South.

Reed joins other honorary co-chairs in the bipartisan movement, which includes well-known Republicans and Democrats like Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), US Congressman John Lewis and former President George W. Bush’s media advisor, Mark McKinnon.

Like President Obama, Reed’s views on same-sex marriage have evolved. In 2009, Reed said he supported civil unions for the LGBT community (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender), but was not in favor of gay marriage. By the end of 2012, Reed had changed his mind and was calling for marriage equality.

Whether it was political expediency or a change of heart, Reed is not only standing up for human rights but also protecting the open climate for diversity and business in the city.

At press time, a pair of bills designed to “preserve religious freedom” were being debated in the Georgia Legislature. Those bills have already drawn the ire of Atlanta-based businesses, including Delta Air Lines, which said the proposed laws would “violate Delta’s core values of mutual respect and dignity.” Other states, including Arizona and Kansas, have also seen businesses line up to decry legislation perceived as anti-LGBT.

While the debate over same-sex marriage continues to rage, there has been a large shift in the mindset of Americans when it comes to gay marriage over the last few years. According to most major polls, a majority of Americans support it, while 17 states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriage. Courts are now regularly overturning bans on samesex marriage – including Kentucky and Virginia – declaring them unconstitutional.

Mayor Reed has wisely acknowledged that Atlanta has one of the largest LGBT populations in the country (third, according to recent US Census data) and that welcoming everyone – regardless of religion or sexual orientation – is good for business.

ABOUT THE COVER

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Atlanta has a reputation for tearing down the old to make way for the new, but there are still hundreds of historic sites in metro Atlanta and they will be open for tours and special events during The Phoenix Flies presented by the Atlanta Preservation Center.

There are 237 events during this year’s annual event, which runs March 8 – 23, taking place in buildings, landscapes and neighborhoods around the city, according to coordinator Carolyn McLaughlin.

“We’ve added 30 events this year,” McLaughlin said, “and we’re expecting 4,000 to 6,000 people to take part in this year’s celebration.”

The Phoenix Flies includes guided walking tours, bicycle tours, exhibits, interactive children’s activities and visual and performing arts. Notable events include the Atlanta History Center’s tours of Kenan Research Center, Atlanta Preservation Center’s Guided Walking Tours of Historic Atlanta, open houses at the antebellum LP Grant Mansion, the Atlanta Urban Design Commission’s tours of historic City Hall, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center’s guided tours of the 1920s mansion and grounds, Piedmont Park Conservancy’s history tours of Piedmont Park, Whittier Mill Village Neighborhood Association’s neighborhood house tour and Wren’s Nest house tours and storytelling.

Courtesy Atlanta Preservation Center

A guide takes kids and adults on a walking tour of historic Westview Cemetery. The private cemetery is just one of more than 200 events taking place in March as part of The Phoenix Flies.

Some of the new events for 2014 include:

• Guided tours of the Atlanta Curb Market, Glenn Hotel and the Tabernacle.

• Visits to Return to Rich’s at The Breman Museum led by a curator of the exhibit.

• Self-guided, guided and bicycle tours of Westview Cemetery, a private cemetery which dates from 1884, which is the resting place of many important Atlantans.

An afternoon in Ansley Park with guided tours of the Piedmont Driving Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution Building.

• Lectures on the National Register and preservation tax benefits by the Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Easements Atlanta.

Complete event listings are available at PreserveAtlanta.com. All events are offered on a firstcome, first-served basis but many events require reservations, so be sure to check the website and secure your spot.

McLaughlin said the Atlanta Preservation Center raises all funds necessary to produce and publicize the event with private donations, sponsorships and grants.

Phoenix Flies got its start in 2003 as a way to mark the 25th anniversary of the saving of the Fox Theatre, an event that is used to mark the beginning of Atlanta’s preservation movement.

“That first year we had 40 events and 16 preservation partners, now we have nearly 240 events and 83 partners,” McLaughlin noted.

Teye Doku

Photos Courtesy Atlanta Preservation Center

Clockwise from left: Some of the buidlings and spaces open for special tours and events during The Phoenix Flies include the Glenn Hotel in Downtown Atlanta; a tour of the Grant Mansion in Grant Park; Whittier Mills Park; and historic English Avenue on the city’s westside.

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MARTA’S FUTURE VISION

New Midtown stations & King Memorial development on tap

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

MARTA is looking ahead to redeveloping its transit stations to make them more commuter and neighborhood friendly.

Midtown Alliance has released renderings of the proposed makeovers to the Midtown, Arts Center and North Avenue MARTA stations. Created by Smith Dalia Architects with input from Center Forward, Roseview, Sylvatica Studio, Gabler & Youngston Architectural Lighting Design and local artist Hense, the images show colorful greenery, plazas, retail and restaurant space to transform the stations into more than just transit stations, but destinations.

Midtown Alliance has been working with MARTA on a study (funded with an $80,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission) to radically improve the visual appeal of the train stations. “We want the stations to act as a gateway as well and give riders a since of arrival into

Midtown,” Midtown Alliance CEO Kevin Green said.

The cost to revamp the stations is estimated at $11.6 million. Whether the stations will actually wind up looking like these images remains to be seen.

Also in the pipeline is the selection of Walton Communities to build a mixed-use development of nearly 400 apartments and 13,000 square feet of retail next door to the King Memorial MARTA station. The roughly four-acre property sits behind the transit station and is currently a parking lot.

King Memorial is the first station selected by MARTA for a mixeduse development to be built on land owned by the transit system. Last year, MARTA put out a call for developers to submit plans for projects that would spur revitalization – and generate revenue – around 10 stations in the system.

The next potential development is around the Avondale Estates MARTA station.

Courtesy Midtown Alliance/MARTA

Above: A rendering of the proposed revamp to the Arts Center MARTA station. Below: Walton Communities will build a mixed-used development at King Memorial Station in the Old Fourth Ward.

Boulevard Tunnel cleanup makes big strides

Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Last summer, INtown reported on local physician and Cabbagetown resident Nicki Braxley’s efforts to clean up the Boulevard tunnel that runs underneath DeKalb Avenue, the CSX railway and MARTA tracks. Her efforts evolved into the Boulevard Tunnel Initiative (BTI) and received support not only from the community but the city of Atlanta.

Since it’s inception a year ago, Braxley said “we’ve made some great strides and have even bigger plans for the next few months.”

Braxley said in a letter to BTI supporters that new lights were installed in the tunnel in November by Atlanta’s Public Works Department creating a much brighter environment for pedestrians.

Railings along the elevated walkways were also replaced and will be repainted a more vibrant, pleasing color soon.

Braxley said BTI has also signed a contract with Living Walls to have the entire tunnel painted with a large mural. The final muralist is still being sought out, but Living Walls said this will be one of their biggest projects of 2014. Final sketches

will be approved by the city, and Living Walls will be covering the cost of the mural (an estimated $10,000).

The mural is expected to be complete by the end of April and BTI is working with Cabbagetown and Old Fourth Ward businesses to host a large block party to celebrate the new mural.

BTI was also awarded a $2,500 grant from NPU-N and the city towards installation of a security camera in the stairwell, which will be linked to the Atlanta Police Department’s network. Braxley said the grant will only cover the cost of one camera, but they will continue to seek donations to buy a camera for the other stairwell.

For more about the project, visit blvdtunl.com.

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Courtesy BTI

A city worker installs and paints new handrailings in the Boulevard Tunnel in the Old Fourth Ward.

Play & Project-Based

Pace Academy has named Syreeta D. Moseley its sixth Head of Lower School following an extensive nationwide search. Moseley comes to Pace Academy from the Atlanta Speech School, where she held multiple positions over a 16-year period. She most recently served as curriculum specialist for the school’s Anne & Jim Kenan Preschool. A graduate of Northwestern University, Moseley received a Bachelor of Science in Learning Disabilities and went on to earn a Master of Arts in Special Education and Rehabilitation from the University of Arizona.

Twenty-three seniors from Atlanta Public Schools were awarded four-year, fulltuition leadership scholarships by The Posse Foundation to some of the top colleges and universities in the country – including Boston University, Syracuse University, Texas A&M University, The College of Wooster, Brandeis University, and Bard College. The class of 2014 marks the largest number of Posse Scholars awarded to APS seniors since the program’s inception in Atlanta during the 2007-2008 school year. The students are: Derrius Jones, Reginald McGee, Solomon McBride, Tabias Wimby, Ruqiyah Mukarram, Jalecia Wilborn, Jamaya Powell, Keturah Walker, Ryan Boston, Xavier Nelson, Alanne Stroy, Joseph Capelouto, Emma Pettersen, Stanley Miller, Rickey Waddell, Ahmara Smith, Felicia Williams, Kenyatta Hendricks, Demeisha Crowley, Sidiamond Stills, Stephen Richardson, Jasmine Collins and Asia Hollinger

Actor Brian Baumgartner, the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (hies.org) alumnus known particularly for his role as Kevin Malone on The Office, will return home to campus this June to teach at a new Holy Innocents’ Film & TV Academy. Academy classes, scheduled June 2–20, will teach students to

write, direct, film and edit their own film. Registration is open now through May 15 at hies.org/summerprogram . Baumgartner took advantage of acting opportunities when he was a student at Holy Innocents’—after a leg injury sidelined him from sports— and the result has been a successful career.

The East Lake Foundation (eastlakefoundation.org) closed on a $12 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) transaction with SunTrust Bank, the net proceeds of which complete the $73 million campaign fundraising goal for the Charles R. Drew Charter School Junior and Senior Academy at the Charlie Yates Campus. SunTrust has partnered with the East Lake Foundation since 2009.

The Lovett School (lovett.org) is hosting the exhibition In the Ghetto of Warsaw: Heinrich Jöst’s Photographs from March 17 through April 30. The exhibit is free and open to the public at in The Lovett School Galleria.

Syreeta D. Moseley

By Joe Earle

Now that the northern end of Peachtree Road has a new look, planners are turning their attention to the south.

The Buckhead Community Improvement District, one of the groups behind the project, calls it the “Peachtree Transformation.” The plan is to add granite curbing, medians, trees, bike lanes, wide sidewalks and turn lanes, and bury utility lines in order to make Peachtree a more attractive and safer place to walk or bike.

“Bicycles and beautification are a byproduct. It will be a safe and more reliable corridor first,” Buckhead CID Executive Director Jim Durrett said.

The Buckhead CID has hired planners Kimley-Horn and Associates for $460,000 to take a new look at the plans for work along a stretch of Peachtree, a little more than a mile long, Durrett said.

“We’re exploring what makes sense given the constraints in the corridor and the development that is taking place now and is likely to take place in the future,” he said.

On Feb. 19, planners held an open

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house at the Buckhead Theatre to discuss the project with residents.

Wayne Morgan, who lives in Buckhead, walked on Peachtree to the theater for the presentation. He said it was the first time he’d walked the busy street.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “You can’t drive in urban areas at 50 miles an hour. The traffic has to be slowed down.”

After examining the maps, Gordon Certain, president of the North Buckhead Civic Association, said the proposed changes should help slow traffic. “I’m glad they’re paying attention to it,” Certain said. “I think it’s going to be a lot calmer for pedestrians.”

The first two phases of the overall Peachtree project have been completed, the CID says. The work already done covers Peachtree from Maple Drive to the Buckhead CID boundary at Roxboro Road.

The new designs will cover segments of Peachtree from Maple Drive to West Shadowlawn Avenue and then from Shadowlawn to Sheridan Drive.

Construction is to begin this summer on the Shadowlawn-to-Sheridan segment. Work on the Maple-to-Shadowlawn segment is scheduled to begin in 2015, the CID says on its website.

“Fairly often I walk from here to the [Buckhead] Village,” Durrett said during an interview in his office in a high-rise near Peachtree and Piedmont roads. “It’s not that far, but with the quality of the walking experience right now, it feels like it’s a long way.”

Work done on future phases of the project will differ from the work already done, in part because there is less space between buildings and the roadway, Durrett said.

“[On the north end], we were able to widen Peachtree. You’re not going to be able to widen Peachtree down there,” he said. “You’re not going to have seven lane cross-sections with huge landscaping and huge sidewalks. People should not expect that. It’ll be scaled down.”

Kayla Robins contributed to this report.

Photo by Kayla Robins

Left to right, Robert Binder of Kimley-Horn, Buckhead resident Wayne Morgan and Atlanta planner Stosh Kozlowski look over plans to make Peachtree Road more ‘walkable’ during a presentation at the Buckhead Theatre.

Poncey-Highland could have easily been a casualty of Atlanta’s love of building freeways, but determined residents banded together with other neighborhoods in the 1980s to preserve their community.

Former President Jimmy Carter proposed a “Presidential Parkway” to connect Downtown to his new Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, but the road would have continued into Druid Hills. The GDOT demolished more than 500 homes, but the project was curtailed and we were left with Freedom Parkway.

Poncey-Highland, named for the intersection where Ponce de Leon and N. Highland avenues intersect, contains many of Intown’s most historic buildings, not to mention favorite businesses and landmarks.

The circa 1939 Plaza Theatre continues to show indie and new films, while you can slide into a booth at Majestic, which has been serving up diner food since 1929. Manuel’s Tavern is still a favorite haunt of politicos and journalists, while Blondie still works the pole at Clermont Lounge, the city’s oldest strip club. And if you haven’t given in to Netflix, Videodrome has DVDs and videos to rent.

For more about the neighborhood, visit ponceyhighland.com.

Clockwise from left: The Majestic Diner; Plaza Theatre; Manuel’s Tavern; and the Carter Center are just some of the landmarks in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood.

Nonprofit promotes adopting shelter animals

By Melissa Weinman

If you ask Rebecca Guinn, metro Atlanta has come a long way since 2002.

Twelve years ago, Guinn called county animal control officials after she noticed a dog that had gotten its paw stuck in a fence. The dog was taken to the county shelter and Guinn learned that it would only have five days before it would be killed if its owner couldn’t be located.

“I became obsessed with the dog. I called the shelter every day,” Guinn said.

On the fifth day, she decided to save the dog that had been caught in the fence. The first day she had visited, the shelter was packed. But by the time she came back, many of the animals had been euthanized.

“That empty shelter - I’ve never forgotten that moment,” Guinn said. “At that time in the Atlanta area, over 100,000 animals were being euthanized a year. I had no idea.”

Guinn knew there had to be a better way and was moved to start LifeLine Animal Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to animal welfare. Guinn now serves as the CEO of the organization.

“We started LifeLine and started looking at why is it like this in the Atlanta area -- what can we do to make a difference?” Guinn said. “Today, we run that shelter.”

LifeLine Animal Project now operates the animal shelters in Fulton and DeKalb counties. LifeLine is coming up on its first anniversary of running the shelter

in Fulton County, having taken over the management of the facility and county animal control services on March 15, 2013. LifeLine began managing DeKalb’s shelter July 1.

In December, both counties had record low rates of euthanasia: 25.8 percent in Fulton and 13.4 percent in DeKalb, LifeLine says.

“We’ve done a lot to promote adoptions at Fulton County. We’ve tried to raise the profile of the shelter and bring more people to the shelter,” Guinn said.

Guinn said one way LifeLine has boosted the number of adoptions is simply informing people that they can go to their county shelter to adopt a pet. LifeLine also has used several other strategies to find homes for animals in its shelters and prevent more from ending up there.

For example, Guinn said there is a “surrender counselor” in both that will talk with people about why they are turning their pets over to the shelter. Often, she said, people feel they can’t afford something their pet needs.

“We try to find resources for them, whether it’s building a fence for them, or a dog house, or veterinary care,” Guinn said.

One of LifeLine’s first initiatives was a spay/neuter clinic, Guinn said. All of the adoptable pets at the shelter are already spayed or neutered. But Guinn said the organization is continuing to emphasize the importance of getting pets fixed to prevent unwanted litters of puppies and

kittens.

In DeKalb County, LifeLine is offering a program called SNIP DeKalb, to provide free spay and neuter operations and vaccinations for people who can’t afford them.

“This is a program that we raise money for, it’s not something that the counties pay for,” Guinn said.

As a nonprofit organization, LifeLine has resources such as volunteers, donations and relationships with other animal welfare groups that allow it to be more flexible than a traditional governmentrun shelter.

DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader said he’s been pleased with LifeLine’s work at the animal shelter.

“I think that the experiment in outsourcing shelter services has been a good success,” Rader said. “Based upon the numbers I understand coming out of shelters, we’re seeing a reduction in euthanasia and an increase in placement of animals, which is very positive.”

DeKalb commissioners have approved funding for a new animal shelter to replace the current facility, which is outdated and too small to serve the county’s needs. The new shelter is to be built on land adjacent to the DeKalb- Peachtree Airport. Rader said that facility is expected to be complete by

March 2015.

Guinn said taking over county services has been a big adjustment for LifeLine. She said each shelter can take in up to 30 animals a day, which means the organization is providing services for between 25,000 and 30,000 animals a year.

But Guinn said bidding to provide the county services was a logical extension of the work LifeLine was already doing.

“We’ve always been involved in the solution and felt like if we wanted to take Atlanta to the next level, we needed to lead the way,” Guinn said. “Both counties were struggling.”

Guinn said there’s still a lot of work to do, but she’s pleased with what LifeLine has accomplished in Fulton and DeKalb. “Where it used to be that 83 percent were dying [at the DeKalb shelter], in December, 87 percent left alive,” Guinn said. “Which just goes to show you, if you see a problem, you can fix it.”

Photo by Melissa Weinman Karen Hirsch, LifeLine communications director, visits with one of the dogs at the Fulton County facility.

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Atlanta Streetcar Appears

One of the big blue carriages that will ferry residents and visitors along the 2.7 mile Atlanta Streetcar route made an appearance on Edgewood Avenue last month. The streetcar is still on track to debut before Memorial Day weekend and will offer free rides for the first three months. Afterwards, fares will be $1. The city is already in talks with the Atlanta BeltLine about extending the streetcar to the east and west to link up with the BeltLine trails and future transit.

Photos courtesy of Atlanta Streetcar.

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LUCK ‘O THE IRISH

Plenty of local fun and frivolity for St. Patrick’s Day

By Lela Johnson

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday (March 17) this year, so many of the city’s celebrations will be happening the weekend before. Although Irish pubs will surely steal the spotlight, there’s also a parade, music festival and more.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The 132nd annual parade moves to Midtown this year and will step off on Peachtree Street at noon on March 15 from 16th Street. Led by the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales, the parade will feature 2,000 dancers, musicians, floats and balloons. The familyfriendly event will continue to 5th Street. Come early to find a good viewing spot. For more information, visit atlantastpats.com.

Shamrock the Station

After the parade, head over to Atlantic Station for an afternoon of family activities and an evening concert by The Ruckus. A schedule was still being planned at press time, so visit atlanticstation.com for more details.

Shamrock Music Festival

Wear your green party clothes and head to the Masquerade Music Park on March 15 for this annual festival featuring tribute bands to Journey, The Rolling Stones, The Blues Brothers, Van Halen and U2. There will also be grub from local food trucks and plenty of green beer. Advance tickets are $19.95 at shamrockmusicfest.thrivemediapartners. com.

Lucky Leprechaun Pub Crawl

The 3rd Annual Lucky Leprechaun Pub Crawl returns to Buckhead on March 15 from 5 to 11 p.m. Purchase a ticket that will include 5 “Leprechaun” sized drinks, and St. Paddy’s food and drink specials. Tickets and more information is available at atlantabartours.com.

Fado’s St. Patrick’s Day

Always a popular place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Fado’s Irish pub in Buckhead is hosting a two-day bash for everyone 21 and up. March 15 will include a street festival of fully stocked bars, food tents, and live music, while the pub will open at 7 a.m. on March 17 with bagpipers and Irish dancers. Make sure to buy your tickets in advance for this famous weekend event at fadoirishpub.com.

Tell

Photo courtesy Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day Parade Crowds gather along Peachtree for last year’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year’s event is March 15 in Midtown.

By Tim Sullivan

Now and Then: Surviving winter storms

No one appreciates the creative weather-naming exclamations of 2014 more than me: SNO.M.G.!

ICEPOCALYPSE! SLEET’s getting REAL! But SnowJam in January was two inches, right? Two weeks later, we had the ice, snow and sleet that closed schools and businesses for days and prompted an historic run on the bread shelves. What is it with the bread, anyway? When the apocalypse does come are we going to be happier about it if we are stuffing our faces with fistfuls of 9-Grain?

When I was a kid growing up in New York, we had to walk five miles in the snow, uphill, both ways, just to get to and from school. At least that’s what I was telling my kids on their eighth weather-related school cancellation of the year. I think Margo might have yawned and noted that the battery on the iPad was getting low.

When I was a kid and snow had fallen overnight, we would huddle around the A.M. radio in the breakfast nook with great anticipation to listen to a frantic reporter, who sounded like he was broadcasting from the 1930s, read the area school closings: Archbishop Stepinac—Closed, Our Lady of Good Counsel—Closed, Solomon Schecter School—Closed, ya hear, CLOSED! Our Lady of Sorrows School (wait for it, wait for it…) one hour delay…” Doh! Now, Elliott can tell by the way our phone rings that the robocall has come through yet again in his favor. A sweet sounding computer informs us that we should “stay safe and warm” while spending yet another school/work day climbing the walls of our own home.

When I was a kid, we wore plastic bread bags over our socks to better waterproof our flimsy rubber boots. Every article of clothing had an undeniably scratchy essence to it. Mittens were woolly and pants were puffy, but we’d play in the snow for hours until the call of Campbell’s soup overtook us. Margo’s ensemble to combat the Atlanta winter weather of 2014 was a summer dress over tights, a zip-up sweatshirt and a vest. She wore non-waterproof boots, sans socks of course. I was actually impressed by how long she lasted outside given she was soaked within minutes. But, honestly, she was thinking, “charge up the iPad already!”

When I was a kid, my father would tackle a snowstorm by waking a couple of my older brothers at some preposterously early hour to help shovel and salt the driveway so he could back his car out and

get to work. I prepared for the oncoming sleet, snow and potential power outages in February by going into ACE Hardware and essentially asking them what they had left. They had one shovel. I bought it. They had no more salt but they did have seven bags of sand. I bought four of them and used none. They had a paltry assortment of flashlights. I bought the last big one, a small one and a headlamp for good measure. The power never went out. I waited in line at Valero to gas up my car, which didn’t leave the garage until the storm had completely cleared out. I got some wine and firewood. Those items actually did come in handy.

When I was a kid, our severe winter precipitation was typically followed up by severe winter cold. The shoveled and plowed snow would become dirty ice banks. These flanked the slippery paths that allowed us tip-toe through the drudgery of everyday life until spring mercifully arrived. Here our February blast was swiftly trailed by sunny days in the 60s and pollen count reports on WABE. Winter has come and gone and Margo never even put on a pair of socks.

Tim Sullivan grew up in a large family in the Northeast and now lives with his small family in Oakhurst. He can be reached at tim@sullivan nerugs.com.

Photo by Tim Sullivan

Margo Sullivan braved the cold to make a tiny snowman during last month’s winter storm, but in all honesty, she’d rather be playing with an iPad.

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March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month.

The Buckhead Coalition has established a $5,000 reward fund to help find suspects in a string of robberies and other “crimes of opportunity” taking place in Atlanta Police Department Zone 2. President Sam Massell said there has been an uptick in pedestrian robberies since the beginning of 2014. The Coalition has found success in the past with its major reward program in crime reduction, once paying out $50,000, the largest reward ever paid in Georgia. Anyone with information about robberies should contact Atlanta Police Department Zone 2 at (404) 848-7231.

Would you like to get first-hand knowledge about the MARTA Police Department and transit system law enforcement? Then apply to join the MPD’s annual Citizens Police Academy. The department is accepting applications until March 4 for the 10week course, running from March 18 through May 13. Classes will be held on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at MPD Headquarters, 2400 Piedmont Road with one Saturday class. All applicants must be at 18-years-old and must submit to a criminal background check. For more information about MPD, visit www.itsmarta.com/police.

The Atlanta Police Department has announced a number of promotions and changes in staff. Chief George Turner promoted Maj. C.J. Davis to Deputy Chief over Strategy and Special Projects Division upon the retirement of E. Renee Propes after 30 years of service. Other changes: Maj. James B. Shaw is the new Commander over the Code Enforcement Section; Maj. Byron K. Martin is in charge of the Community Services Section; Capt. Jack Snowden is the new Night Commander; Capt. Bennie McGee is the new Assistant Commander in Zone 6; and Capt. Marisha Shepherd is new Assistant Commander at the Airport.

Decatur Police are urging residents to use caution if they receive an unexpected knock at the door, notice unknown vehicles in the neighborhood or strangers on their property after a rash of burglaries and attempted burglaries. Decatur PD is working with Atlanta and DeKalb police on arresting a robbing crew that has been targeting neighborhoods bordering jurisdictions. If you receive an unexpected knock on the door, it may be a ploy to determine if anyone is home before a burglary is attempted. Asking “Who is it?” through the door is a safer option than opening the door for a stranger and also alerts a potential burglar that the home is occupied.

A LOOK BACK

Ann Taylor Boutwell

March 1, 1990: Atlanta’s Harwell Road Elementary School, located in Collier Heights, changed its name at the beginning of the 1989-90-session to Usher Middle School. It honored one of Atlanta’s and Georgia’s most respected female educators – Bazoline Estelle Usher (1885-1992). During her 50 years as a professional educator, she rose through the ranks of the public school system to be supervisor of black education initiating seven new elementary schools. Once when asked she said that training teachers was what she liked best. She passed Feb. 8, 1992 at the age of 106. Her interment was at Southview Cemetery. On March 13, 2014, Usher will be inducted at the 23rd annual ceremony at Macon’s Wesleyan College as a Georgia Woman of Achievement.

March 3, 1854: Mayor William M. Butt commissioned jeweler Er Lawshe to create Atlanta’s rst o cial city seal. Depicting a steam railway locomotive within a circle, it appeared on the title page of Atlanta’s rst city directory published in 1859.

March 3, 1943: Mary Large Moore completed a three-day institute on radio broadcasting and public speaking as part of the Atlanta Junior League’s educational program. e Atlanta native, a Vassar College graduate, was known for her professionalism. She was the rst voice for Southern Bell’s telephone time and temperature service. In 1939, she was the local broadcast announcer for the Gone With the Wind movie premiere. During World War II, she read local newspapers over the radio because paper was scarce and there weren’t enough to newspapers to go around. By 1950, Mary had her own television show called e Mary Moore Show. at year she was also the League’s president. Moore’s community accomplishments focused on the Atlanta Speech School and a docent program at the Atlanta Historical Society’s Swan House. At her death in November 1996, her family requested that the Atlanta Speech School be the recipient of donations.

March 9, 1961: e Georgia Civil War Centennial Commission commemorated the con ict with a costume ball at the Atlanta Biltmore Hotel. Georgia Gov. Samuel Ernest Vandiver was the ofcial host and grand marshal. Actresses Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland attended the anniversary premiere celebration of Gone With the Wind the following evening at the Loew’s Grand eater on Peachtree Street.

March 12, 1925: Davison-Paxon merged with R.H. Macy and Company of New York. On March 21, 1927, the new store opened on Peachtree in the handsome $6 million building designed by Starrett and Van Vleck of New York and Hentz, Reid, and Adler of Atlanta. The landmark site next door to the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel is now an events and office facility.

March 15, 1911: The Atlanta Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met at the Carnegie Library on Forsyth Street. An important item on the agenda was the opening reception at the Atlanta Chapter’s new Cragie House at 1240 Piedmont in May. For 74 years, it served the Atlanta Chapter until 1985 when it suffered tree-fall damage. The Georgia Trust placed it on its 2011 list of Places in Peril. On Feb. 12, 2014, part of the house collapsed during the ice storm. The current owner, Bert Sanders, hopes to save the front Piedmont Avenue façade in his new home.

March 22, 1934: The first Masters Golf Tournament was held in Augusta. Beginning in 1940, the tournament’s schedule changed to the first week of April. Horton Smith won that first tournament.

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Pet Pick

Ivy, a 5-year-old boxer mix, is always playing and eager to meet new people. She lived in a home for her entire life, and she is accustomed to nice things. She is housebroken and has lived with another dog. If you have a pup at home, you should bring him or her out to PAWS Atlanta to see if they love Ivy as much as we know you will. To adopt Ivy or any of the other dogs and cats, visit pawsatlanta.org or stop by the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

Pet Briefs

Piedmont Park Conservancy’s inaugural Doggie Dash 5K will take place on March 16 at Piedmont Park. Runners and walkers of all levels will enjoy a scenic route through the park with music and more. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the race at 11:30 at Greensward Promenade. e cost is $25 in advance online at piedmontpark.org or $35 the day of the event.

DogFest Walk ’n Roll will be held March 29 at First Baptist Church Atlanta, 4400 North Peachtree Road. e event will bene t Canine Companions for Independence, a non-pro t organization that provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities, free of charge, nationwide. ere will be a one-mile wheel friendly walk culminating with a festival at the nish. For more information and to register, visit cci.org/dogfestatlanta.

The Pet Set

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Metro Atlanta Red Cross marks 100 years of service

By Clare S. Richie

e year was 1914, when World War 1 broke out in Europe, Henry Ford introduced the Model T assembly line, and the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross received its charter.

For a century, the Metro Atlanta Chapter has helped the city, state, nation and the world face disasters like the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Whether responding to one house re or a tornado that leveled hundreds, the Metro Atlanta Chapter mobilizes volunteers who provide shelter, food, key necessities, kindness and hope. ey ask for our blood to save lives – three lives for each pint, to be exact. And they train citizens to be lifesavers, too.

Headquartered at 1955 Monroe Drive near the I-85 connector, the Metro Atlanta Chapter seeks to “prevent, prepare for, and cope with emergencies,” through disaster response/preparedness, lifesaving training, communications for military members and their families, international humanitarian services, and support for the Southern Blood Services Division headquartered in Douglasville.

“Our long rich history has evolved with the community, but our mission has stayed the same,” said Communications O cer Sherry Nicholson.

What started with 12 volunteer

organizers has since grown to 1,700 registered volunteers that outnumber paid sta 40 to 1. Together volunteers, donors, partners and sta serve a 13-county area of 5 million Georgians. e Metro Atlanta chapter also oversees 11 other chapters across the state.

To commemorate its 100th anniversary, the Metro Atlanta Chapter invites residents to participate in its 100-Day Centennial Celebration from March 23 to June 30. Some of the upcoming events the public can get involved in include:

• Join Team Red Cross as a runnerfundraiser at the March 23rd Publix Georgia Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K in Centennial Olympic Park.

• Experience the chapter’s history through personal stories, recorded in partnership with StoryCorps Atlanta and edited by Morningside multimedia producer Lauren Waits. Listen online and hear from people like 91-year-old Mr. Greason, a disaster relief volunteer for two decades, explain that when disaster strikes, “I’ve

got to go”.

• Give blood at one of the 100 Drives in 100 Days, culminating with the June 28 All American Red Cross Blood Drive with the Atlanta Braves at e 755 Club. O cials said Metro Atlanta does not collect enough blood to serve the needs of our community and this drive could help change that.

For more about the Red Cross and upcoming events, visit atlantaredcross.org.

Dr. Summers is a family medicine practitioner and her office sees children and adults. She has extended hours for flu shots and walk-ins (7:15-8:15 a.m. on Tuesday)

Monday & Wednesday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tuesday 7:15 a.m.-5 p.m.

Thursday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

The Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Red Cross has responded to some of the city’s biggest disasters including the 2008 tornado that struck Atlanta and Cabbagetown (left) and the Winecoff Hotel fire in 1946 (center).

Mandarin

Mandarin

..and bigger than ever! With six different sessions covering a variety of media and themes.

Introducing Math Camp!

...where experienced teachers will use wide-ranging tools, such as games, computers and robotics, to make mathematics fun and exciting!

For more information, dates and registration, please visit www.friendsschoolatlanta.org.

Atlanta International School Summer Camps

Charlotte Lane founders source items

By Pam Berger SweetPeachblog.com

Atlanta-based couple

Kristine Cholakian and Kenneth Cooke have combined their passions for curating and creating to open an online shop called Charlotte Lane, which features home decor items that are accessible, well made and playful.

Together they scour antique markets, auctions and yard sales to nd one-of-a-kind items, which they embellish, repurpose and restyle for modern use.

eir shop also includes plain and poppy pocket squares, which I’m always a sucker for. ese are colored with fabric dye, handstitched and can easily be customized to your liking. I love the idea of any of these vibrant hankies tucked inside a guy’s jacket pocket or back pocket this spring, and for just $12 each, there’s no reason why that can’t happen.

I appreciate any shop with lots of vibrancy and color. It makes me think the people behind it are really happy. Check out the entirety of Kristine and Kenneth’s online shop, which also includes a lovely mix of hand-painted stationery and gi tags, at charlotteln.com.

On the site too, you’ll nd a link to Kristine’s day job – running the event planning company, Simply Charming Socials. And Kenneth keeps busy with his own branding company, K Cooke Designs. Amidst all the madness and creativity, they have found a shared passion, and a shared shop that is both happy and by the looks of it, in trend.

Courtesy Sweet Peach Blog Charlotte Lane founders Kristine Cholakian and Kenneth Cooke, left, work together to find vintage items to embellish, repurpose and resell at their web-based company. Above are some of the glass and kitchen items in Charlotte Lane’s ever-changing inventory.

Atlanta is number 12 on Forbes’ list of America’s Fastest-Growing Cities 2014. According to the list, Atlanta has a median pay of $62,500, a growth rate of 1.27 percent and an unemployment rate of 7.07 percent. Austin tops this year’s list with Raleigh, Phoenix, Dallas and Salt Lake City rounding out the top ve.

has announced it is moving to the city. e studio specializes in “docutainment for multicultural audiences.” Since its launch in October, the studio has six documentaries in various stages of production, including A Genius Leaves e Hood: e Unauthorized Story Of Jay Z and Gunland

London-based Topshop/Topman (topshop.com) has announced it will open in Lenox Square in Buckhead in 2015. Specializing in clothing for men and women, shoes and accessories, the British retailer will occupy 15,000 square feet at the mall.

Google has released a short list of cities being considered for its new ultrahigh speed broadband network called Google Fiber including the cities of Atlanta, Decatur, Brookhaven, Avondale Estates, Sandy Springs, College Park, East Point, Hapeville and Smyrna. Google Fiber could bring residents access to “Gigabit” Internet connections up to 1,000 Megabits per second—or up to 100 times faster than basic broadband. Google will provide an update on which cities will get Google Fiber by the end of this year.

Los Angeles-based retailer Johnny Was (johnnywas.com) will open a new location at Phipps Plaza this spring. e shop o ers vintage-inspired and “boho chic” women’s clothing and accessories.

e Atlanta Track Club (atlantatrackclub.org) has announced that Olympian and two-time World Championship bronze medalist Rich Kenah has been named the new executive director of the organization. In addition to his nine-year professional running career, Kenah brings nearly two decades of experience in events and sports marketing. He comes to Atlanta Track Club from Global Athletics and Marketing, Inc.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (choa.org) has been ranked among Fortune magazine’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America.

It is the ninth consecutive time the notfor-pro t pediatric healthcare system has been named to the list. Landing at No. 43, Children’s is one of only two healthcare systems in Georgia to appear on the list, and one of only four companies headquartered in Georgia. In addition, Children’s is one of only two pediatric hospitals on the list.

Downtown’s Luckie Marietta District advisory committee has appointed Marika Johnson as executive director. Stretching from the Georgia Aquarium to the Georgia World Congress Center, the District is a hub for tourism, entertainment and commerce for locals and visitors.

Atlanta’s status as “Hollywood South” continues to grow as Moguldom Studios

Web-based information provider Connecture, Inc. has relocated to a new, larger o ce at 55 Allen Plaza in Downtown Atlanta. More than 100 employees, including numerous seniorlevel executives, are working at the new, 28,000-square-foot o ce.

MODA Floors & Interiors, located in Atlanta’s West Midtown Design District, has opened a 5100-square-foot retailfocused store in Town Brookhaven. MODA sells materials and provides installation services for hardwoods, tile and stone, carpet, luxury vinyl, laminate, area rugs and window coverings. As a Shaw Design Center, the new showroom includes the latest media technology to enhance the shopping and buying experience.

100,000

Trees Atlanta will mark milestone March 27

By Bethany Clark Trees Atlanta

2014 is a milestone year for local non-pro t Trees Atlanta. At the end of this month’s planting season, the organization will have contributed 100,000 trees to the Atlanta’s urban forest since 1985.

On Thursday, March 27, Trees Atlanta will host a party to celebrate the milestone called the “The Root Ball” in the Greystone building at Piedmont Park. Presented by the Southeast Permanente Group, the event will feature food, a live band, a ceremonial planting of the 100,000th tree, and an award recognition of Trees Atlanta’s valued partners in the categories of individual, corporate, community partner, and volunteer. More information and tickets are available at reesatlanta.org.

Atlanta has always been nationally recognized as a city in the trees, encased as we are in such a beautiful natural urban forest. ough our urban forest began to su er a bit in the 1970s due to drought, increasing development, and other environmental factors, over the last few decades our city continues to make our natural environment a priority. A er all, our parks, trails, greenspaces, and rivers are a big part of how we enjoy life in Atlanta.

For nearly three decades, Trees Atlanta has

been a community partner committed to planting trees in our neighborhoods. e 100,000 trees that we have collectively planted keep us cool in hot temperatures, improve our air quality, provide fresh oxygen, and make our communities beautiful.

Trees Atlanta is supported by thousands of volunteers, local businesses, corporate partners, and committed citizens like you, and this moment belongs to all of us. We have much to be proud of.

In reaching the 100,000 tree milestone, the Trees Atlanta community has:

• Planted in more than 100 neighborhoods across Atlanta, improving the beauty and health of the forest, parks, and corridors of our city;

• Helped restore native botanical diversity to the city’s urban forest by planting many species of oak, maple, pines, elm, magnolia, and more;

• Enriched habitat for wildlife, birds, butter ies, and bees

• Enhanced the Atlanta Beltline through the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum;

• Educated thousands of men, women, and children, creating more tree advocates and stewards.

Many of you have shared with us your rst-hand experiences of how trees improve your communities, your health, and your quality of life.

You’ve told us that many of the trees we planted in the 1980s now provide a green canopy for enjoying your outdoor community. Imagine, as these 100,000 trees continue to grow, what a legacy this will leave for generations to come.

Buckhead

Tuesday,

RSVP:

Ponce

Thursday,

RSVP:

Photo by Gregg Murphey

Trees Atlanta volunteers gather for a recent tree-planting work day. The nonprofit will plant its 100,000 tree this month.

Green infrastructure to take center stage at annual Park Pride conference

e Atlanta Botanical Garden will play host to this year’s Park Pride Parks and Greenspace Conference on March 31.

e year’s theme is “Pipes to Parks: Creating Greenspaces with Rainwater.”

e conference will focus on rainwater and the bourgeoning eld of green infrastructure, a set of techniques used to divert rainwater runo from overwhelmed sewers and drainage pipes and into parks as water features, into bioswales, or into roo op gardens.

Green infrastructure is the hot topic in sustainability as businesses and cities race to take advantage of both the scal and societal bene ts presented by its implementation.

“Municipalities nationwide are discovering the economic, social, and environmental value of green infrastructure as a way to create and expand the reach of parks and greenspaces in communities,” sad Carlos Perez, the Chairman of the Parks and Greenspace Conference.

e nationally recognized Historic

Fourth Ward Park is one such example, built around a water retention basin doubling as a lake that collects excessive rainwater runo , ending the recurring ooding in the surrounding area.

Walt Ray, Park Pride’s Director of Visioning, feels that green infrastructure elevates parks from being ‘optional community amenities’ to vital components of healthy communities.

“ e topic rede nes how decision makers approach community planning, and is especially relevant with the record amount of rainfall Atlanta is experiencing this year; the existing infrastructure has been overstressed and there is a great opportunity to leverage green infrastructure for improvements in city parks.”

To register and nd out more about the conference, visit parkpride.org.

e Southface Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable convenes once a month to discuss the region’s current environmental issues – from water to energy, urban planning to policy and much more. Members of the audience are encouraged to ask questions, make comments, network and learn about Atlanta’s current and future opportunities for sustainable development. e next meeting dates are March 7 and April 4 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 634 West Peachtree St. For more, visit southface. org/sart.

Cox Enterprises today announced expanded goals for Cox Conserves, the company’s national sustainability program. e program originally focused on carbon reduction and now includes waste and water goals. Expanded goals include sending was to land lls in the next decade and becoming carbon and water neutral in the next 25 to 30 years. Since Cox Conserves launched in 2007, the company and its a liated foundations have invested more than $100 million in sustainability and conservation through operations projects and grants to environmental nonpro ts.

Atlanta has joined a 10-city e ort to signi cantly reduce energy use in commercial buildings across the city. Atlanta’s participation in the City Energy Project (CEP) comes on the heels of a White House announcement in December that the city had also been invited to participate in the Better Buildings Energy Data Accelerator program. Buildings are responsible for roughly 40 percent of Atlanta’s carbon emissions, and more than half of this pollution in most U.S. cities – more than either the transportation or industrial sectors. Improving building e ciency couold lower energy bills by as much as $146 million annually and could cut about 1.1 million tons of carbon pollution from buildings in Atlanta, equivalent to the carbon footprint of 55,000 homes every year.

e Atlanta Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) organization has announced its 2014-15 o cers and executive board: Rodney J. Russell, President; Willie L. Palmer, Vice-President; Cantrell Watts, Treasurer; Marleen Metcalf, Assistant Treasurer; Jo Holliman; Secretery; Alisha Hargett, Assistant Secretary; and Trevor A. Quarter, Parliamentarian. For more about the organization, visit aabe.org.

GET CRAFTY

Intown artisans get ready for American Craft Council Show

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

e American Cra Council Show is set for March 15 -16 at the Cobb Galleria Centre with more than 225 of the nation’s most respected cra artists on hand and thousands of visitors expected to take in the 25th anniversary event.

Cra ers will exhibit and sell their latest one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry, furniture, clothing, home decor and more.

As the Southeast’s largest indoor cra show, artists are selected through a rigorous jury process to ensure admission of the highest quality work. Founded in 1943, the Council is a national, nonpro t educational organization.

We asked three Intown artists selected to participate in this year’s show to talk about their work in their own words.

Kathleen Plate, Furniture & Lighting

Creating works of art from empty wine bottles is the ultimate alchemy and way to combine my love of ecology with my love of art and architecture. I always love nding the beauty in the unexpected, and breaking what others call “rules.” is led me to combine processes from di erent mediums (glass, ceramics, stone work) and develop a new material derived from recycled glass bottles that I was able to patent and use as the building blocks of my chandeliers. e entire process, from dumpster diving for empties, to dimming the lights for the perfect e ect, are part of my art. My lighting stops people in their tracks because it is simple and beautiful, and when I tell them I made it from empty beer bottles, or sake bottles, they can’t believe it. at’s what a love, keeping a bottle in its original shape, color, and size, yet transforming it so radically people are stunned by its beauty. is work is 100 percent custom.

ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ TRIO

Friday, March 7 8 p.m.

“Rodriguez’s talent for finding emotional truth in the split-second fall of a piano key has brought him to the verge of an improbable success story”

–Los Angeles Times

ShUFFLE, ShAkE AND ShATTER

by SANFORD

bIGGERS

Friday, March 28 8 p.m. Atl A ntA Premiere

“A quiet force in the art world” –Art in America

PILObOLUS

Saturday, April 5 8 p.m.

“The best Pilobolus works, with no loss of wonder or pleasure as popular entertainment, are sustained flights of poetry and drama”

–The New York Times

sponsored by

ferstcenter.org

Lynn Pollard, Paper

Breathing deeply, to experience the serenity of simplicity, to experience these subtle indigo markings on paper, life relinquishes the harsh realities of contemporary life with its brutal murders, humans lashing out at one another without forgiveness, terrorism, war, and the clutter and stress of our daily existence and hears the silence of solitude. My work addresses pure beauty and ideal nature and escape. It exists solely for beauty, for visual experience, for tactile luxury. And why blue? e complex nature of this particular dye, the ancient practices of dyeing blue, the traditional experience and symbolism, and the superstitions that developed around it for many ancient cultures all add to the signi cance for me. e connection to these other dyers working before me and superstitiously dying the color of royalty or traditional beliefs or war practices and to those working now to serve their beliefs and traditions and family moves me to work under the sway of the indigo vat.

Lucinda Carlstrom, Paper

I sew Japanese papers, new and recycled silk from antique kimonos and thri store dresses, paste papers and bronze and 23k pure gold leaf (thin metal which is rst adhered to paper before being cut up). is work, which has its foundation in traditional quiltmaking, is done on a much smaller scale than most quiltmakers. I o en sew 1/2” strips of paper with 1/10” seams. My larger pieces o en contain several thousand pieces. My work is blocked and sewn to museum board for permanent installation and framed under glass.

For more about the show, visit cra council.org.

A guide for arts and cultural entertainment for the entire family

Visual Arts

Chuck Close, Up Close: See the work of American photorealist and screenprinter Chuck Close up close at Buckhead’s Alan Avery Art Company. Opens March 7. Free. alanaveryartcompany.com

Romare Bearden: A Black Odyssey: Romare Bearden’s collage and watercolor series at the Carlos Museum bridges the classical mythology of Homer and African-American culture. January 24 through 26 features free live readings of “The Odyssey” by Atlanta actors and special guests. Closes March 9. $6 to $8. carlos.emory.edu

ONCE THE MUSICAL

Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps: Atlanta History Center’s Kenan Research Center exhibits contemporary botanical art and maps depicting the plants discovered by the Bartram family while exploring the American colonies from the 1730s to 1790s. Opens March 19. Free. atlantahistorycenter.com

Undertone: Orly Genger’s ambitious Modernist knotted rope sculptures decorate SCAD Atlanta’s Gallery See, along with a

selection of recent drawings and cast wall sculptures. Closes March 23. Free! scad. edu

Blind Handshake: This solo exhibit at Marcia Wood Gallery features works by David Humphrey, whose paintings, sculptures and drawings have been known by critics for their “surreal sexiness, postmodern snap and painterly discrimination.” Closes March 29. Free. marciawoodgallery.com

SCORE: Artists in Overtime: The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA) explores the parallels between art and sports – strategy, timing and spectators – in this exhibit featuring paintings, installations and design objects. Closes March 29. Free. mocaga.org

Splendor: The Work of Jim Waters: Forty-five reflective 16-point stars are displayed in the High’s latest exhibition of this Atlanta-based artist who uses the reflective properties of light to create color. Tuesday through Sunday. $12 to $19.50. high.org

Stars Fall on Atlanta: The Premiere of Gone With the Wind: Get a closer look at the events surrounding the 1939 world premiere of “Gone With the Wind” in Atlanta at this special exhibition at the Margaret Mitchell House. Daily. $8.50 to $13. gwtw. org

Performing Arts

Once: Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical, “Once” at the Fox Theatre tells the story of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes an interest in his haunting love songs. March 4 through March 9. $30 to $75. broadwayinatlanta.com

We’ll Always Have Paris: Robert Spano and Jeffrey Khaner reunite to present the ASO debut of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Flute Concerto along with a Paris-themed program of Ravel, Debussy and Mozart. March 6. $24 to $75. atlantasymphony.org

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: Capitol City Opera presents Stephen Sondheim’s chilling and suspenseful masterpiece musical of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime at the Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University. March 7 through March 9. $30 to $40. ccityopera.org

St. Vincent: Following a year-long sold-out tour and a critically acclaimed album collaboration with David Byrne of the Talking Heads, St. Vincent returns

on the heels of releasing her self-titled album in February. March 8. $25 to $28. tabernacleatl.com

Faust: In Gounod’s operatic retelling of the famous legend, an elderly scholar sells his soul to the devil Méphistophélès for a chance to seduce the beautiful Marguerite. March 8 through March 16. $26 to $140. atlantaopera.org

So Coco: Theater meets fashion in this view behind the runway inspired by fashion icon Coco Chanel played by Park Krausen at The Goat Farm Arts Center. March 13. $35 to $50. theatredureve.com

Shrek the Musical: Shrek the ogre leaves his home to rescue a princess in this family-friendly one-act show inspired by the popular book and film. Closes March 16. $20 to $35. alliancetheatre.org

Rachmaninoff Vespers: Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring sonorities of Rachmaninoff’s striking chords as Atlanta Master Chorale performs this timeless work. March 15. $25 to $30. atlantamasterchorale.org

Maple and Vine: This play at Actor’s Express follows a 30-something New York couple struggling in their marriage until they meet a man who offers an alternative lifestyle – a planned community dedicated to living every minute of every day as if it were 1955. Opens March 19. $15 to $40. actors-express.com

Modern Choreographic Voices: See the works of some of today’s most sought-after contemporary choreographers, including Ohad Naharin, Alexei Ratmansky and Tara Lee, in the Atlanta Ballet’s production at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. March 21 through March 23. $20 to $120. atlantaballet.com

Bach Birthday Bash with the Georgia Boy Choir: Atlanta Baroque Orchestra invites the Georgia Boy Choir to Peachtree Road United Methodist Church for a concert of Bach’s great masterworks in celebration of his 408th birthday. March 22. $10 to $25. atlantabaroque.org

Race: In this new play from David Mamet, two high-profile lawyers — one black, one white — are called to a court case where blatant prejudice is as disturbing as the evidence at hand. Closes March 23. $15 to $50. truecolorstheatre.org

Weather Rocks!: From a newsroom in the clouds, five energetic meteorologists tell the audience all about the weather with sunny melodies ranging from rock to gospel in this en”lightening” puppetry musical. Closes March 23. $16.50. puppet.org

Tanz Farm Series 3: The third of four shows in the gloATL Tanz Farm series features a performance by Austin McCormick and Company XIV at The Goat Farm Arts Center. March 27 through March 30. $15 to $25. gloatl.com.

NEW RESTAURANT ROUNDUP

An iconic space is reborn and soup’s on in Decatur

By Collin Kelley

INtown Editor

Atlanta has truly come into its own as a culinary destination as innovative chefs open new restaurants serving up cuisine to delight all palates. For March, we’ve rounded up a list of the newly-opened (and opening soon) eateries you won’t want to miss. Make your reservations now.

Polaris

Perhaps the most anticipated opening of the year is the re-opening of Polaris at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Downtown. e iconic, blue-domed ying saucer has been a xture on the Atlanta skyline since 1967, but the restaurant and bar closed a decade ago. e new space, reimagined by Johnson Studios, will be divided into four distinct areas including a bar and media zone with communal tables, a living room space with sofas, a library space and a traditional dining room. e oor of Polaris will slowly rotate o ering one-of-a-kind views of the city. Hyatt executive chef Martin Pfe erkorn has promised a menu of light fare and small plates with ingredients sourced from a roo op garden. e Polaris is expected to reopen this month, so check facebook.com/PolarisAtlanta for more information.

Big Sky

Hector Santiago, Adam Berlin and Juan Calle have joined forces to open Big Sky, a fast-casual space with a Latin-inspired menu at 3201 Cains Hill Place in Buckhead. ose missing Santiago’s Pura Vida in Poncey-Highland will de nitely want to grab a drink, lunch or dinner. Visit facebook.com/BigSkyBuckhead for more details.

Bar Meatball

Joe Masi and his cousin, Joey Federici, teamed up to transform the Pozole space at 1044 Greenwood Ave. in Virginia-Highland into Bar Meatball, featuring a menu of traditional Italian comfort food. Find out more at barmeatball.com.

e Imperial is newly-opened neighborhood joint at 726 West College Ave. in Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood has a menu featuring salads, hearty bowls, wings, burgers and a full bar. e former gas station also has a big patio for when the weather warms up. More at imperialdecatur.com

Painted Pin

Eat, drink and bowl a strike at Painted Pin, billed as an “upscale boutique bowling and entertainment venue,” which is set to open in April on Miami Circle in Buckhead. Check in at the concierge-style desk for your shoes, then order sandwiches, tacos, wine, cocktails and more right from the lane.

Victory Sandwich Bar

Victory was forced to close its doors to make way for the 280 Elizabeth Street mixed-use development last year, but it’s re-opened in new digs at 913 Bernia Avenue in Inman Park and still serving up its tasty sandwiches and frozen Jack ‘n Cokes. vicsandwich.com.

Shake Shack

e Buckhead Atlanta development is going to be full of restaurants, but one of the most anticipated is an outpost of New York favorite, Shake Shack. e “roadside-style” burgers, hot dogs, fries and frozen custard have a loyal following since its beginnings a decade ago as a food cart at Madison Square Park. It’s expected to open in July. Find out more at shakeshack.com. (Pictured at top)

Souper Jenny – Decatur

Neither freezing temperatures nor black ice could keep the soup lovers away when Jenny Levison opened the second outpost of her famed Buckhead restaurant on Valentine’s Day. Located at 1 West Court Square in Downtown, the place is already packed for lunch. souperjennyatl.com.

Spice to Table

Asha Gomez – known for the Spice Route Supper Club and Cardamom Hill – has opened Spice to Table in the Studioplex in the Old Fourth Ward. e Indian-inspired eatery serves breakfast and lunch. facebook.com/Spice2Table.

Quick Bites

Happy Belly Food Truck (facebook.com/HappyBellyTruck)

co-founder Terry Hall, pictured at le with his wife Dawn, died Feb. 11 a er a ve-month battle with lung cancer. Muss & Turner owner Ryan Turner described Hall as “gi ed, determined” and having an “insane work ethic.” e Happy Belly Truck will continue to roll through local neighborhoods with the help of Hall’s sister and husband, who have moved here from Louisiana.

e Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market announced today that it will hold its 2nd Annual Taste and Brews beer tasting and food festival on March 8. is unique event includes food samples from a choice of 10 Atlanta food trucks paired with unlimited tastings from more than one hundred domestic, imported and cra beers. e event will be from 2 to 6 p.m. (VIP entry at 1 p.m.) at the park, 1850 Howell Mill Road. Tickets are available now for $45 for General Admission and $75 for VIP. For more information, visit tasteandbrews.com.

e Georgia Cra Beer Fest is set for March 22 at Red Brick Brewing, 2323 Defoor Hills Road, to bene t the Georgia Cra Brewers Guild. ere will be samples from 25 breweries, including Moon River, Coastal Empire, Macon Beer Co. and Southbend. General admission tickets are $40 from 1 to 6 p.m. ($75 for VIP from noon to 6 p.m.). Tickets and information at georgiacra brewersguild.org.

Tickets are on sale now for the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, which will be held May 29 – June 1 in Midtown Atlanta. An early bird pre-sale continues through March 14 at atlfoodandwinefestival.com. e event will feature food and drink from local chefs and mixologists and educational opportunities.

SOHO Atlanta (sohoatlanta.com) restaurant in Vinings has appointed Scott Warren as executive chef. He has served as the sous chef at SOHO for three years and will take over the executive chef duties for departing Executive Chef Joe Ahn.

Las Margaritas (lasmargaritasmidtown.com) on Cheshire Bridge Road has recently given its building a fresh new look, installed a new bar and added new additions to the menu, including a special Monday night fajita menu for just $10 and a Cuban bu et on Tuesdays.

Annual BaconFest will raise money for Dad’s Garage

Defying bulldozers, hardhats and cement trucks, the wildly popular BaconFest will rise from the dirt mountain of its former home and descend upon the Masquerade Music Park on March 29 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Sponsored by MailChimp, BaconFest will again bene ting Dad’s Garage eatre Company, who recently found itself without a permanent home of its own and is currently producing shows at neighboring 7 Stages eatre in Little Five Points, until they nd their forever home.

Utilizing the extra space that Masquerade a ords the event, BaconFesters can expect a triple helping of everything during the 14th annual event. at means more bacon, more beer, more music, more booths, more entertainment, a silent auction and, as always... more shenanigans.

Selling out every year, all proceeds bene t Dad’s Garage eatre Company, a nonpro t theatre group that engages, cultivates and inspires artists and audiences alike by producing innovative, scripted and improvised works that are recognized locally, nationally and internationally for being undeniably awesome.

Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now at dadsgarage.com for ages 21 and up.

TASTING INTOWN: 10 Degrees South Restaurant Review

By Art Huckabee

If you were to stop the average Atlantan on the street and ask them what they know about South African cuisine, you would probably get lots of blank stares. Moreover, judging by the recent survey news that one out of every four of us thinks that the sun revolves around the Earth, you’d probably get even more blank stares if you asked, “Where’s 10 Degrees South?” While the answer to the rst question can be somewhat complicated, the answer to the second is really quite simple; it’s right on Roswell Road in Buckhead.

For close to 15 years, 10 Degrees South has been providing Atlanta with the unique and multicultural cuisine that is South African. From its modest beginnings in a small bungalow to its present contemporary state, this restaurant has created quite a following with food that while o en very good can sometimes seem like expensive comfort food.

Our party of six arrived on a Wednesday night. ere is a warm and intimate feel about this place. e interesting artwork and lighting lets you know that someone cares just as much about the atmosphere as they do the food. A guitar-playing singer could be heard in the bar.

We chose a bottle of wine from the large selection of South African whites and reds. Many will recognize the South African professional golfer turned winemaker, Ernie Els, whose wine can be found several times on the list. ey also have a limited number of choices from other latitudes as well. Many selections can be had by the glass.

We tried a variety of small plates. e mussels were excellent. e accompanying baguette was the perfect vessel for sopping up the delicious white wine and garlic broth. e bobotie spring rolls were lled with a ground beef curry and served with a chutney. ey were crunchy good but maybe a little too sweet for many appetizer palates.

e sosatie, the South African version of a kabob or meat on a skewer, was tender beef let and also on the sweet side with its apricot curry. It had been de-skewered and sat atop a mound of Basmati rice, a staple side for many dishes. An order of garlic bread produced another very good baguette; the bread is good here.

We ordered the Filet “Au Poivre,” the rack of lamb, the prawns, the chicken curry and the chicken bobotie. e let was tender and had a nice peppercorn cream sauce. e beef was cooked to the correct level of doneness but it lacked a good sear. e accompanying medley of vegetables was well seasoned and spiced with a dash of red pepper ake. e mashed potatoes were simply prepared.

e lamb chops were good-sized and cooked to medium rare as ordered but, they, like the let, lacked the sear that a hotter grill would provide. Regardless, they were quite tasty and also accompanied by the vegetable medley and potatoes. e prawns were split open lengthwise and grilled in the shell with lemon butter. ey

Savor Sandy Springs

Walk into The Brickery and you will quickly feel the difference that proprietors Bruce and Sally Alterman, also longtime Sandy Springs residents, have created. The Brickery has been feeding Sandy Springs and area residents for over 22 years. It’s a genuine neighborhood landmark that can only be created with time, and with great food, and it’s the kind of place that has become part of, and important to, the community itself.

The Brickery Grill and Bar, 6125 Roswell Road – www.thebrickery.com

There are more than 100 full-service fine dining restaurants in Sandy Springs. Reserve a table and enjoy a delicious meal in our community!

had the consistency of lobster and were only slightly smaller. Two at our table ordered them and both proclaimed them a hit.

e curry chicken while tasty, was texturally a one-note dish. It was a plate of comfort food – chicken and rice with just a hint of spice – not necessarily something one would chose to eat when dining in a ner restaurant. e chicken bobotie was another comforting plate of food. Bobotie is the national dish of South Africa. To the uninitiated it gives the appearance of a free-form potpie. However, an egg custard stands in for the topping. e dish had a mild level of spice and was quite rich, thanks to the custard. Again the basmati rice was its stalwart, if uninspiring backdrop.

No one felt the need for dessert but the waiter’s description of Di’s sponge cake, evidently made daily by the owner’s mother, sounded too good to pass up. We also ordered a brulee cheese cake as well. e sponge cake was a surprising hit. It was warm and so , bathed in a caramel sauce and served with ice cream.

Small plates range from $9 to $16 with sampler platters for 4 at $70. Entrees range from $21 to $38. e menu states that they will add an 18% gratuity to parties of 5 or more, however they did not do so in our case.

10 Degrees South combines a very inviting atmosphere with solid service and some very good food, even if some dishes are relatively uninspired. If you don’t want to spend een plus hours ying to Johannesburg, it can provide you with a taste of South Africa many latitudes closer.

10 Degrees South is located 4183 Roswell Road. For more, visit. 10degreessouth.com.

Art Huckabee is one of Yelp’s Elite Reviewers, as well as a pilot, gourmet cook and food lover. Send feedback to tastingintown@atlantaintownpaper.com.

For more information about dining in Sandy Springs, please visit: http://www.visitsandysprings.org

Lamb chops, above, needed more searing time, while the chicken curry, below, was good but one note.

A COOK’S DELIGHT

Junior League of Atlanta’s 17th annual tour is March 29-30

e stylish kitchens on the Junior League of Atlanta’s 17th annual Tour of Kitchens are sure to make your mouth water.

e event will be held Saturday, March 29, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 30, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. e selfguided Tour of Kitchens provides attendees exclusive access to homes in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Ansley Park, Midtown, Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, as well as the opportunity to sample food from the city’s best-known chefs.

e Tour of Kitchens will showcase many “ rsts” this year. As part of a larger JLA e ort to reduce childhood obesity, the tour will include its rst o cial child-friendly chef –Chef Ed Harris, Season 4 winner of e Food Network’s Chopped. e tour will also feature its rst kosher kitchen designed by LEFKO Renovations.

Kitchen designers and architects featured this year include Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios, Kitchen Design Korner, Design Galleria, Morgan Creek Cabinet Company, Tish Mills Interiors, LEFKO Renovations, Renewal Design Build, Rose Hall Kitchen Galleria, HammerSmith, Clausen Services, Home ReBuilders, Home Forge Remodeling, InsiDesign and Kingdom Woodworks.

Days before the event on ursday, March 20, hundreds of patrons are expected to attend the annual Toast of the Tour at the PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting Showroom in Midtown West. e event will include culinary demonstrations, cocktails and a silent auction featuring items such as VIP Suites at the Mandarin Oriental, Loews and Four Seasons, spa gi certi cates, designer accessories, sports memorabilia from Atlanta’s home teams and in-home culinary experiences with Atlanta’s premier chefs.

“ is year’s Tour of Kitchens is poised to be the most impressive to date, with an extraordinary list of local kitchens, designers and entertaining events,” said JLA President Michelle Wells.

e tour is JLA’s largest fundraising event, and has raised more than $1 million since its inception in 1997. e organization promotes voluntarism, leadership, development and community improvement for young women.

Advance purchase tickets to the event are $35 per person and include both days of the tour. A limited number of tickets will be available the day of the tour for $40. Tickets to the Toast of the Tour party are $75. Tickets are available now at touro itchens.org.

At left: Tour of Kitchens Chair Wadette Bradford, right, and Junior League of Atlanta President Michelle Wells.

Above: Rose Hall Kitchen Galleria was the company behind this gorgeous kitchen in the top photo, while Design Galleria did the work in the bottom photo. (Photos by Galina Coada)

SOMETHING TO CLUCK ABOUT

Urban Coop Tour showcases city chicken farms

e Wylde Center will host the 7th annual Urban Coop Tour on March 29-30 from noon to 5 p.m. each day.

Local chicken owners will open their gardens to the public for a close-up look at a dozen distinct coops around the city. Owners will be on hand to answer questions and discuss their experiences caring for a backyard ock.

e featured coops range from artistic to utilitarian and vary in size. Many of them are key components of an edible landscape, or serve as a focal point for the garden. e tour is self-guided and will be held rain or shine.

Advance tickets are $20 or $25 the weekend of the Tour, and may be purchased at wyldecenter.org.

“We have featured chickens in the Oakhurst Garden for several years, and they are very popular, especially with our young members and visitors,” said Stephanie Van Parys, executive director of the Wylde Center. “More and more city-dwellers are discovering that it is possible, and enjoyable, to raise their own chickens.”

Van Parys said the dual bene ts of farm fresh eggs and reclaiming ownership of the local food chain have inspired hundreds of people in and around Atlanta to give chicken raising a try.

“Plus, the chickens eat insects as well as some kitchen scraps, providing an environmental bene t, along with the fresh eggs,” she said.

Clockwise from left: One of the fancy chicken coops on this year’s tour; chickens rule the roost in many urban farms in Intown; garden guru Walter Reeves will be on hand to answer questions about raising chickens in the city.

Real Estate Briefs

A plan to build three skyscrapers in Midtown, including one that could top out at 60 stories, is moving forward, according to a report from Atlanta Business Chronicle. On Feb. 5, plans were formally led in Atlanta for Midtown’s long-vacant “symphony center” site at 98 14th Street. e 4.5-acre site is sandwiched between the 50-story One Atlantic Center and the 41-story 1180 Peachtree tower. A development team including New York-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp. and international design rm Arquitectonica are proposing a nearly 2 million-square-foot development with three towers. In total, the project could include 90,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, 1,300 apartments, 340 hotel rooms and about 1,500 parking spaces.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has appointed Jonathan Kiser as Relocation Director. Kiser will be responsible for representing Coldwell Banker with local businesses, meeting with associates and managing brokers and leading e orts to increase performance of the department.

rive Homes will begin construction on a new development in Decatur called Seven Twelve Oakviews this month with townhomes ranging in size from 2,074 to 2,309 square feet with three and four bedrooms. e townhomes will also feature roo op terraces, two-car garages and high-end nishes. Located on Oakview Road, the homes are expected to be nished this summer.

Renderings have emerged for a mixed-use development proposed for property located behind the historic Druid Hills Baptist Church in Poncey-Highland. According to a report at Curbed Atlanta, the project would not threaten the main building of the 100-year-old church, but would ultimately result in the destruction and replacement of adjoining buildings that are home to a Montessori school and o ce space. Early documents suggested the site would include 115 “dwelling units,” as well as o ce space, street-level retail and additional parking. e project would front North Highland, Blue Ride and Seminole avenues.

OAKHURST - Renovated in 2013, mstr on main w/walk-in clst & bth. 2nd bed on main + office, LR & DR off kitchen. 2 beds + bonus rm. Lrg scrn prch, fncd yard. 4Bed/3FullBath

$530,000 FMLS:

MORNINGSIDE - Huge tudor w/2 car carprt. Rear scrn porch, updated kit & baths, mst w/ stmshwr & guest ste on main, crtyard w/fountain, sep DR & LR, fam rm, bfst/kpng rm and lib/study. 4Bed/4FullBath $799,900 FMLS: 5244110 Sally Westmoreland 404-354-4845

SAGAMORE HILLS - Renovated in 20062007, open floor plan, gourmet kit w/bfst bar & cust cabinets, family room. Terr lvl w/guest suite & den. Two car garage. Fenced backyard. 4Bed/3FullBath $459,000 FMLS: 5243835 Derek Scheidt 404-593-4754

BUCKHEAD - Featuring eleven, 4-story townhomes designed by award winning architects Smith Dalia & constructed by Cablik Enterprises. 3Bed/3.5Bath $999,900

FMLS: 5182846

Allen Snow 404-931-1176

BROOKHAVEN - Like new construction, renovated kit. w/grnt, stain, lrg. mstr suite w/trey ceiling, bth, & closet overlooks bkyrd. New carpet & paint. 3Bed/2FullBath/1HalfBath $469,900 FMLS: 5217665

Bradford Smith 404-210-4141

ORMEWOOD PARK - Beautiful home! Hwds, tongue & groove ceilings, vaulted ceiling, frplc, built-ins, mstr walk-in closet. Office on main, insulated bsmt ready for finish out!

4Bed/3FullBath $479,900 FMLS: 5247977

Kathleen Sickeler 404-368-3234

DRUID HILLS - Story book charm at its best! Gracefully maintained home situated on double depth lot, large kitchen, spacious master suite w/stunning bath. 4Bed/3FullBath/1HalfBath $999,900 FMLS: 5185669

Bradford Smith 404-210-4141

PONCEY–HIGHLAND - Pre-construction purchasers may select finishes for a custom home. Homes include 2-car gar, custom lighting, fine cabinetry, stone c’tops, roof-top terrace, & balconies. 3Bed/3Bath $579,900

FMLS: 5029379 Allen Snow 404-931-1176

VIRGINIA HIGHLAND - Stunning home w/ original details and modern updates! Beautiful living spaces. Front porch, screened-in porch and 2nd story sleeping porch. Private yard. 3Bed/3Bath $749,000 FMLS: 5227494

Tanya Marlatt 404-518-8787

MARIETTA - Gated 9700+ sf estate. 1.37 acres. 6 car gar, gourmet kit, 2 islands, custom cabinetry, pro appl., hardwoods, elevator, in-law suite, walk-out yard w/ creek. 6Bed/6Bath/2HalfBath $1,850,000

FMLS: 5201648 Liz Baska 770-712-8767

HISTORIC BROOKHAVEN - Bill Ingram designed estate with pool. Old world details. Transitional interior. Calcutta marble. Stainless countertops. Covered-screened porch. Guest cottage/art studio. 4Bed/3.5Bath $1,659,000

FMLS: 5250145 Marc Castillo 404-449-6862

OLD FOURTH WARD - Sought after condo located on courtyard level. Excellent location and great investment opportunity.

1Bed/1Bath $155,000

FMLS: 5238187

Tonya Marlatt 404-518-8787

MIDTOWN - Final opportunity to purchase NEW inventory in Midtown! Dramatic design. Stunning views. Amazing curves. It’s 1010 Midtown. Incredible floorplan & walls of huge windows. 3Bed/3Bath $1,000,000

FMLS: 5181791 Sales Center 404-815-4622

MIDTOWN - Amazing views. Southern exposure. Spacious layout. Large balcony. Granite countertops, s/s appliances. Floor to ceiling windows. Walk to everything. 2Bed/2Bath $374,900 FMLS: 5245940

Jim Fountain 404-431-1311