Morningside
Morningside: 1529 N. Highland Avenue. Exceptional Morningside Tudor loaded with charm & character. 6 bedrooms, 5 baths. New driveway, lush landscaping & gardens. $899,000
Morningside: 1275 Beech Valley Road. True 5 bedroom, 4-1/2 bath. Renovated with large great room off crisp kitchen, level backyard, 2-car garage, on quiet section of Beech Valley. $899,000
Morningside: 1267 Avalon Place. Quintessential Tudor bungalow in coveted Morningside Elementary. 4 BR/3BA, 3 finished levels, spactacular upstars master, manicured level backyard $869,000
Morningside: 1887 Lenox Road. Striking, pure, clean & fresh. Total renovation by Leslie Williams, striking mid-century ranch with cool, crisp kitchen and baths. $699,000
Ken Covers 1411 N Highland Avenue NE · Atlanta · GA 30306 Mobile +1 404-664-8280
ken.covers@evusa.com kencovers.evusa.com
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The “great recession” shifted a lot of people’s priorities, including homeownership. I had two good friends lose their jobs and one lost their home. The other was always expecting to find a foreclosure sign stuck to his front door when he came home from pounding the pavement in search of work.
I rode out the recession by living in a rented apartment. As a matter of fact, I’m about to re-sign my lease for another year. In 2015, I’ll have been living in the same apartment for a decade. I have absolutely no desire to move or buy a home. My building in the Old Fourth Ward is quiet (the thing I value most) and the rent, although slightly high, is still reasonable for the area.
I’ve heard all the arguments about renting vs. owning, and I’ve never been moved by them. I like the conveniences and the amenities, I like the valet trash, the fact that maintenance will come
and change my light bulbs, steam my carpet, fix a cracked hardwood floor, or completely replace my air conditioning unit. I’ve never drilled down into my psyche about what puts me off about owning a home – maybe it’s just not wanting the responsibility or being tied down to the same spot.
Judging from the proliferation of apartment projects in Atlanta, the increased rents, and properties trying to outdo each other with luxury amenities (on-site dog spa or bike repair shop, anyone?), many people have decided that renting is also a viable part of the “American dream.”
If you turn to page 42, I tried to cover as many of the inprogress and announced projects we could cram into our pages. As I compiled the list, I couldn’t help but think back to the proliferation of condos that preceded the economic downturn. Everyone knew that bubble was going to burst eventually, maybe not in such a dramatic fashion, but a market correction was inevitable.
I’ve started hearing murmurs about “too many apartments,” but with Atlanta’s growth, I doubt we’ll ever have too many apartments. With the demand starting to return for condos, I could see some of these luxury rentals easily being transformed into purchasable properties.
With all the choices and amenities in apartment living, maybe I should start thinking about a change of scenery.
The graphic novel, Penny Palabras, created by James Willard and Patrick Beavers, is a dark tale of a young girl fighting of a demon called the Straw Man. The novel was so popular in digital form, that a print version is in the works, not to mention a sequel. Read more about the creation of Penny Palabras on Page 28.
The Center for Civil and Human Rights in Downtown Atlanta will open to the public on June 23. Seven years in the making, the 42,000-square-foot facility is located on Pemberton Place adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Coca, which donated the land.
The Center’s origins began with civil rights legends Evelyn Lowery and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, and gained broad-based corporate and community support to become one of the few places in the world educating visitors on the connection between the American Civil Rights Movement and contemporary Human Rights Movements around the world.
Under the slogan “Inspiration Lives Here,” the Center will feature immersive and interactive exhibits, including the use of state-of-the-art binaural surround sound to put visitors into situations like the experience of a protester sitting at a segregated lunch counter.
Another exhibit, “Who Like Me is Threatened,” uses a mirror and sensors to recognize a visitor’s presence. The visitor touches a set of descriptors, and a hologramlike image approaches from the other side of the mirror and tells a brief story of their life, about how their rights are threatened because of the common trait you share with them.
The “Human Rights Around the World” wall will be a scrolling news ticker with relevant current events and interactive information tables.
Perhaps the most notable exhibit is “Voice to the Voiceless: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection.” Items on display will include Dr. King’s report card in public speaking from Crozier Theological Seminary, a comic book about MLK and the Montgomery Bus Boycott displayed as graphic text panels; and the briefcase he was carrying the day he was assassinated in Memphis.
For more information, visit cchrpartnership.org.
ABOVE: Work continues on the Center for Civil and Human Rights ahead of its official June 23 opening next door to the World of Coca-Cola.
3 Bedrooms/3 Bathrooms
Dr. Meria Carstarphen, the new superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, doesn’t officially begin her new job until July 7, but she met with members of the media last month to outline some of her priorities for the system.
Carstarphen, viewed as a transformational educational leader, is preparing for “a new day for APS.” She embarks on this journey with a relatively new board; six of the nine members were elected last fall. In an effort to learn APS’ challenges and scalable strengths she has already visited every cluster.
The budget is one of her first priorities. The FY 2015 approved budget still allows for review and revision during the superintendent transition. Revisions will not be immediate.
“Everything [needs to be] on the table before we start making adjustments,” Carstarphen explained.
The district is finalizing its vision, mission, and values. The board is working to solidify its definition of equity and approach for distributing resources – time, people, money. Carstarphen is both drilling down into the budget and comparing it to similar districts.
She also called for a “citizens advisory committee” that would add transparency to APS budget and policy decisions. Carstarphen said she believes that public schools should focus on the whole child and ensure they are “life long learners that love coming to school.”
“Yes, we want them to do well on standardized tests, but that should be an afterthought,” Carstarphen said, adding that she believes students should see their growth in grades and project work.
During her tenure as the superintendent of Austin Independent School District, Carstarphen pushed for students to have access to high quality arts and athletic experiences for at least three consecutive years, which motivated
students to come to school and improved graduation rates. Alternate pathway enabled students to take nontraditional routes – like flip classrooms or evening classes – on their path to graduation. Social Emotional Learning was incorporated into the curriculum to teach children and adults the skills to manage their emotions, empathize, make responsible decisions, and have functional relationships.
Carstarphen said coming to Atlanta is a homecoming for her, since she has roots in the south. Born in Selma, Alabama, she began her career as a middle school teacher in her hometown. She went on to be the superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools, then the chief accountability officer for Washington, D.C. Public Schools, before heading to Austin.
Dr. Lynley S. Durrett grew up in Atlanta, GA. She received her B.A. degree from Furman University in Greenville, SC and her medical degree from Mercer University in Macon, GA. Dr. Durrett has been voted Atlanta Top Doctor for the past four years.
Obiamaka Mora, M.D. grew up in Columbus, Ohio. She received her B.S. degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio and her medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, Ohio.
Our practice’s professional expertise includes female pelvic medicine, pelvic reconstructive surgery, symptomatic fibroid management, endometriosis, and hormone replacement management.
Georgia State University and real estate developer Carter want to transform Turner Field and its vast parking lots into a south campus with a football stadium, baseball field, retail, residential and student housing.
The $300 million redevelopment of the 77acre site would be funded by public and private sources. The preliminary proposal would include a 30,000-seat football stadium and a baseball complex for Georgia State. The baseball stadium would be designed in the former location of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and would incorporate the Hank Aaron wall. Georgia State and Carter signed an exclusive agreement on May 7 to work together on the project.
“The acquisition of the Turner Field property would represent a major step towards strengthening Georgia State University’s position as one of the leading universities in the nation,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The acquisition would not only expand the university’s current footprint in the city, but would significantly increase
its appeal to students looking for a more traditional, campus-centered experience in the heart of a great American city. The benefits to our city and to the university would be substantial.”
Scott Taylor, president of Carter, said, “We have a lot of work to do to define the plan, but we want to share our vision for the site, which we believe will transform the area into a walkable Downtown neighborhood. We are committed to soliciting input on what will be best for the community and city of Atlanta.”
The site would expand GSU’s role in the revitalization of downtown, increasing its campus south into an area where about 2,000 students now park daily.
“We are excited about being partners in the proposed plan,” said GSU President Mark Becker. “I believe it holds great promise for the neighborhoods near our campus, and it’s important to Georgia State that we are contributors to the growing vitality of Downtown Atlanta.”
The Atlanta Streetcar will be jointly managed by the city of Atlanta and MARTA with a projected cost $3.9 million for the first year of operation.
Expenses are expected to drop to $3.5 million in years two through four, according to city officials, while the joint operation will save more than $5 million in the fist five years of operation. The city had been considering using a private contractor to run the system.
“This operational approach leverages the expertise of MARTA and the city’s growing technical capacity, which has been acknowledged through the city’s recently awarded FTA Grantee Status,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I’m confident that this approach will give Atlanta the best run, safest and most cost-efficient system in the country.”
The Streetcar Management Committee, consisting of Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and the city with technical advice from MARTA, will set operational policy for the system.
MARTA will oversee all management and staff for the system’s operations and maintenance functions for the first year. After that, the three project partners, with the approval of rail transit regulators, will transition operations to the city.
The city will create an Office of Transit and FTA Administration that will administer the City’s FTA grantee status and provide oversight and strategic direction for its transit operations. At press time, there was still no date set for when the streetcar will open to the public, although there are rumors it will be in early July.
Editor’s Note: Cabbagetown resident and physician Nicki Braxley created the Boulevard Tunnel Initiative to clean up the connector between her neighborhood and the Old Fourth Ward. In her own words, she describes the latest developments, including the beautiful new mural from Living Walls.
By Nicki Braxley
As I take a look at the press kit that I created more than a year ago when the Boulevard Tunnel Initiative began, it’s hard to believe but we’re actually approaching the third phase of the project – sustainability. The mural’s completion is huge, no doubt. And I hope most people will agree it is beautiful. Living Walls and MOMO did an absolutely amazing job. I’ve heard from multiple people that they actually drive a different route home or to work in order to pass through the tunnel and smile at the colors. We were doing an interview with Channel 2 during the mural painting when a woman approached us with two of her children. Her little boy, around the age of seven, wanted to bring jellybeans and homemade scones to the painters “because they are working so hard.” It was awesome. Another friend told me that every time she drives through the tunnel with her kids they yell, “Rainbows! Rainbows!”
Here’s the thing about the mural and the tunnel though: the long-term success of this tunnel is heavily reliant on the community’s reaction to it. The success of this project hinges on the fact that with brighter lights, a security camera, and a beautiful mural, more people will walk or bike the tunnel. The cars are great, but they’re always there, and they don’t cut down on the crime and the stairwell poop. It will take a community response of increased physical presence in order for the tunnel to stay clean.
Also, I hope that people are starting to think about this tunnel and the space in even bigger terms - working lights and pedestrian guardrails are a public safety
minimum, and we had to work for a year to bring attention to these inefficiencies and get them updated. I hope the community will look at space and see its potential. We’re thinking about garbage cans, curb cuts for handicap accessibility, and a new pedestrian crosswalk in the tunnel’s future.
My family and I are moving to Rwanda in August. I’m going to be among the first faculty to teach emergency medicine in a new residency program in a country where it doesn’t currently exist. We’ll probably be back in a year, but I am handing over the reins of BTI to two amazing community members. Angela Aquino, a resident of Cabbagetown, and Donell Woodson, a resident of Old Fourth Ward, have agreed to take over and continue the BTI efforts. Already, O4W Neighbors are voting on donating $500 to the annual maintenance costs of the security camera, so I have hope that people will maintain an interest in this long neglected area. I hope the community will continue to rally around Angela and Donell and the plans they make for BTI.
For more about the Boulevard Tunnel Initiative, visit blvdtunl.com.
By Collin Kelley
The Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy has named Catherine Spillman its first executive director as the organization’s master plan for the Buckhead greenspace continues to make its way through government channels.
A resident of the Springlake neighborhood, founding member of the AMPC board and past secretary, Spillman attended the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and the University of North Carolina.
Spillman’s appointment comes as the AMPC launches its fundraising campaign to raise between $10 and $15 million for renovations to the park, which includes the Bobby Jones Golf Course and Bitsy Grant Tennis Center along Northside Drive. Donations can be made at atlmemorialpark.org.
Expected to take a decade to complete, the renovations will be a boost to the Bobby Jones Golf Course, which hasn’t been updated in more than 80 years.
There would also be a new clubhouse, a new parking garage with rooftop tennis courts at Bitsy Grant and landscape changes
for better drainage.
A few updates on projects in or affecting the park:
• The new Liddell Drive Equalization Facility is expected to come online July 1 as part of the Department of Watershed’s effort to moderate the overflow of sewer water during storms into Peachtree Creek, which runs along the boundary of the park.
• The Georgia Department of Transportation continues to review plans for the proposed new bridge at Northside Drive and Woodward Way. An announcement about the plan should be come in June.
• PATH continues to work on designs completing the Tanyard Creek PATH up to Northside Drive.
• Despite the departure of Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs commissioner George Dusenbury, the review of the master plan continues.
By Clare S. Richie
An HIV/AIDS diagnosis today is no longer considered a death sentence, but for those living with the chronic disease, access to medication and stable housing remains critical. More than 50,000 Georgians are living with HIV/AIDS. Half of them will likely seek housing support. In Atlanta, 3,000 housing units are needed.
For 25 years, Jerusalem House has worked and grown to fill this gap. Put simply by Executive Director Charlie Frew, “housing is the cornerstone of survival”. This secular nonprofit is Atlanta’s largest provider of permanent supportive housing for homeless and low-income men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS.
Named for “a dwelling of peace,” Jerusalem House started in 1989 with five housing units for those with AIDS to have a safe haven to die with dignity. Back then an AIDS diagnosis often triggered an eviction with nowhere to go. When that happened to a friend of cofounder Evelyn Ullman, she had to act. So, Evelyn teamed up with Dr. Joe Wilber and Rev. Chet Grey. The three purchased a five-unit home with generous support from all segments of the Atlanta community including Southern Bell, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and The Woodruff Foundation.
Today Jerusalem House offers a place of stability and hope. With 140 fully furnished units, it serves approximately 240 people daily, including more than 100 children. The nonprofit operates two facilities in the Druid Hills neighborhood, one for single adults and one for single mothers and their children. It also leases blocks of apartments for adults and families.
Each resident completes a customized plan to guide them toward living on their own. With dozens of partners, like AID Atlanta and Open Hand, residents are connected to case management, meals, counseling, budget
classes, health care and more.
More than one-third of those served are children. To address their needs, Jerusalem House provides homework help at its Learning Center and has partners provide on-site counseling. “By providing stability and a path forward, we are helping multiple generations,” Frew explained. Each child resident has been promoted to the next grade level, with those in elementary school posting grade point averages of “B” or better.
Looking toward the future, Frew talks about investing in more permanent facilities. Owning is preferred to renting, since government funded programs are not keeping pace with rising rents. Plus residential facilities can provide more supportive services.
As in 1989, Jerusalem House can’t take this next step alone. Homeless and low-income families living with HIV/ AIDs can have a brighter future but many still need our support.
Learn more at jerusalemhouse.org.
By Kathy Dean
After decades of suburban Atlanta population growth, young, Jewish professionals are once again choosing to live in the city, bringing their skills and talents to the city’s economic and social scenes. They’re also bringing their families, creating the need for resources for Jewish children. Educational programs have sprung up that not only provide instruction in Jewish culture and faith, but also help build a firm foundation of community.
A large Jewish community flourished Intown from the middle of the 19th century to the mid 1900s. During some of that time, the Atlanta Jewish Community Center, less than a 10-minute walk down Peachtree Street from The Temple, offered recreation and activities for the neighborhood. It was just one of the many institutions that helped to keep the Atlanta Jewish community strong.
Changes began as early as 1946 when, according to the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, Jews began moving to the northern Atlanta suburbs. By 1984, 70 percent of Atlanta’s Jewish population lived outside the city limits.
While a group of more religious Jews remained in the Toco Hills area, huge swathes of the population headed north to newly developed areas like Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. The Jewish organizations and resources followed them.
In the past decade, however, things have shifted. Many young Jewish families are now seeking an Intown lifestyle. Jewish families are putting down roots in Virginia-Highland, Candler Park, Inman Park, Brookhaven and Decatur—and these families want to connect with a Jewish community they can access without getting on the highway.
Resources are popping up to support the resurgence of an active Jewish community. Two programs to offer that connection are In the City Camp and Jewish Kids Groups (JKG). Both are familyfocused, independent Jewish organizations that have developed within the past three years with the express purpose of offering the city’s Jewish kids a way to build friendships and connect with their heritage.
In the City Camp was created in 2011 by Atlanta native Eileen Snow Price, after years of schlepping her kids to the suburbs for summer camp. More than 100 kids attended the camp each week last summer. This year, Snow and her staff are planning for even more weekly campers. As of May
1, more than 250 total campers had signed up to attend at least one week of camp.
Jewish Kids Groups was also founded in 2011 by another Atlanta native, Ana Fuchs Robbins. As one of the only independent Hebrew schools in the country, JKG provides afterschool and Sunday Jewish programming for preschoolers through sixth graders.
Robbins said that while JKG’s Sunday morning Hebrew school is very popular, the afterschool program is probably the most innovative contribution to the area. It offers intensive educational experiences in Judaism, Hebrew and Jewish culture up to five days a week, all in a “ridiculously cool” environment.
“We’re ridiculously cool because we hire and retain young, energetic, dedicated Jewish counselors, we focus on experiential learning that engages kids and we’re all about building relationships,” explained Robbins, JKG Executive Director. “But most of all, we’re ridiculously cool because we’re located in the heart of Intown, an area that encompasses a young, vibrant population of upcoming professionals who are becoming influential in their fields and raising families.”
Robbins stated that she and Price, Executive Director of In the City Camp, both share a strong commitment to Atlanta and to the Jewish community there – and especially to the kids who are growing up Intown.
Price’s In the City Camp has become wildly popular. “We’re at the start of our third summer and we’ve already doubled our numbers from last year,” Price said. Of the 250 campers registered as of May 1 to attend In the City Camp this summer, 85 percent live inside the perimeter.
Kid Camp begins June 9 and runs for eight weeks. Tween Camp begins June 16 and runs for seven weeks. Campers can attend one week, all eight weeks or anything in between. “Though we encourage early signups, registration will still be open in June,” she added.
Located on the campus of Emory University, In the City Camp is the only co-ed Intown Jewish day camp for kids ages 5 to 14. The camp takes an approach similar to that of Jewish overnight camps – providing exciting activities, facilitating lifelong friendships and creating character-building experiences – but lets kids sleep at home.
Both of these programs have been embraced by the Jewish community and will no doubt play a role in more Jewish families choosing to live Intown.
Mountain Harbor Drive: Rustic elegance thruout this Mtn timber home on golf course. 4800 SF of every magnificient detail. 3 car garage. Mary Lynn Durfee 706-835-7616
MLS# 233819
Ellijay, GA 5BR/3BA $850,000 Sales Drive: 121 acre Estate. Endless possibilities. Small lake, pastures, spacious brick home. Great setting for ranch, farm, retreat, fishing, hiking.
Chris Cleberg 706-972-9301 MLS# 233597
Blue Ridge, GA 3BR/2BA $774,900 Fishhook Point: Enjoy Lake Blue Ridge Deep Water Frontage “Year Round” in fully furnished 3BR plus large loft LAKE FRONT Log Cabin! Spacious main floor living with towering vaulted ceiling. Loaded kitchen, covered porches. A clear view of Lake Blue Ridge and the USFS provide the perfect setting for this mountain paradise. Year round mountain view. Price includes the boat and covered boat dock! Donna O’Neal 706-356-9034 MLS# 238274
Ellijay, GA 3BR/3BA $690,000
Yonah Path: Private paradise. 3226 SF real log cabin on 20 acres. Gorgeous mountain views. Open concept, beautiful landscaping, so many upgrades! Jackie Lumpkin
706-455-1830 MLS# 212760
Shiloh Trail: 4,660 SF BK Cypress Log Chalet on 3 acres. Den, pantry, 3 car garage, barn, mountain views. Features galore. Motivated seller. Mary Lynn Durfee 706-835-7616 MLS# 231083
Blue Ridge, GA 4BR/4BA $499,000
North Dream Catcher: Incredible MOUNTAIN TOPS estate on 3.24 acres. Log-sided cabin plus guest house with 2 separate living quarters. Mtn Views. Mike Miller 706-851-4641 MLS# 238046
Blue Ridge, GA 4BR/3BA $439,000 Scenic Mountain View: Million dollar views. 2800 SF REAL log cabin mountain retreat on 2 acres between Blue Ridge and Suches. Perfect getaway. Louise Hudder 770-402-6081 MLS# 238103
Blue Ridge, GA 4BR/4BA $379,300
Ada Street: In-town Blue Ridge estate on 4.7 incredibly private acres. 3300 SF, two 2 car garages, in-law suite, workshop, courtyard fireplace. Mark Reeves 706-455-2418 MLS # 238044
Ellijay, GA 3BR/3.5BA $349,900
Duke Court: Quality built 3000+ SF, 2 car garage, in-law suite, on creek, mountain views. All the EXTRAS!
Marilyn Drake 706-669-5539
MLS# 225670
Blue Ridge, GA 3BR/3BA $349,900
Power Dam Road: Upscale custom home on 3.7 acres overlooking 500 FT of Fightingtown Creek frontage. Immaculate, upgrades, full basement. Teresa Bidez 706-455-2911 MLS# 233451
Morganton, GA 3BR/3BA $328,800
Beavers Cove: Pristine, upscale Prow Front log and cedar shake cabin. Great long range mountain views. Exterior fireplace. Private –gated drive. Mark Engledow 706-633-3988
MLS# 238056
Blue Ridge, GA 3BR/3BA $305,000
Mountain Tops Trail: Cabin in quiet cul-desac. 2040 SF on 1+ acres. Attached 2 car garage, full roughed in basement. Large backyard. Mike Miller 706-851-4641
MLS# 238269
Ellijay, GA 4BR/3BA $300,000
Seneca Drive: Incredible quality in 3000+ SF home in Buckhorn Estates. Open floor plan, 2 masters. Finished basement. Two level screened porches. Chris Cleberg 706-972-9301
MLS# 237524
Blue Ridge, GA 3BR/3BA $289,900
Hiawatha Trail: 2340 SF two story cabin on 1.7 acres in Blue Ridge premier community of Mountain Tops. Paved roads, city water, active HOA. Mike Miller 706-851-4641
MLS# 238001
Murphy, NC 3BR/3BA $264,000
Flowing Springs Drive: 2392 SF mountain view chalet on 1+ acre. BR and BA on all 3 levels. Detached 2 car garage. Gated, paved subdivision. Lee and Carol Barbour 828-361-9713 MLS# 233494
The Old Fourth Ward (or O4W as the locals call it) on Downtown’s eastside is booming again. From the Ponce City Market project, to the Atlanta BeltLine to the proliferation of new homes and apartments, O4W is becoming one of Intown’s most sought-after addresses. Here, clockwise from top left, are a few snapshots from the neighborhood: Historic Fourth Ward Park (with Ponce City Market in the distance); The Martin Luther Junior King Historic Site and King Center; the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine; the Downtown skyline from the Jackson Street bridge; and Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping-Pong Emporium on Edgewood Avenue.
Atlanta Cotillion, which has donated more than $1.3 million to AID Atlanta over the past 13 years, will hold a fundraising event, Cirque de Nuit en Rouge, on June 21 at 7 p.m. at the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum. There will be music from top DJs, complimentary cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres, blackjack tables, a silent auction and French circus performers. General admission tickets are $50 per person, with VIP tickets available for $125 per person and patron tickets for $250 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.atlantacotillion.com.
The Atlanta Southeastern Women’s Expo will be held June 7-8 at AmericasMart in Downtown. There will be guest authors and celebrities, presentations, demonstrations, workshops, sampling, shopping, education, and advice. For updated information on the show, visit the website at WomensExpoAtlanta.com.
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research has announced more than $703,000 in new HIV cure research grants including a $180,000 grant at Emory University. Dr. Ann Chahroudi of Emory and Dr. Una O’Doherty of the University of Pennsylvania will study the decline of the virus in various T cell subsets in a monkey model of HIV infection. As the study will be able to sample tissues that are not accessible in humans, the researchers will be able to learn more about the potential impact of certain treatments to cure HIV infection.
Senior Connections, which provides Meals On Wheels and senior services in Metro Atlanta and Middle Georgia, raised over $200,000 during last month’s annual Senior Prom. “In one evening, our supporters helped provide 40,000 meals for seniors who don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” said Debra Furtado, chief executive officer of Senior Connections. “Georgia is the 7th worst state for senior hunger. This is a great step toward closing the hunger gap for our senior neighbors.”
Part of an international clinical trial, researchers are seeking to enroll up to 780 patients at approximately 50 centers, including Emory, to study the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS). The tiny device, approximately one-tenth the size of a conventional pacemaker and similar in size to a large vitamin, is the first to be implanted in Georgia and among 13 that have been implanted in the United States to date.
David & Faith Nash have opened Pinnacle Fitness Bootcamp, a 3,500 square foot Decatur facility at 141 Sams Street, Suite B1. Pinnacle has been in Decatur for more than six years and the new facility will double the size of workout rooms and space for fitness classes and events. For more visit, PinnacleFitnessBootcamp. com.
Midtown Lutheran Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
Ellijay, GA 3BR/2BA $235,000 Davis Lane: Furnished RIVER FRONT cabin. 2400 SF plus 1200 SF of outside decks and lights. Two finished bonus rooms and storage/workshop. Marilyn Drake 706-669-5539 MLS# 224479
Blue Ridge, GA 3BR/3BA $230,000 Mountain Peaks Road: Rustic Blue Ridge cabin on 3+ acres. Long range mountain view. Private wooded setting. Good rental potential. Anne Williamson 706-633-9487 MLS# 236013
Young Harris, GA 3BR/3BA $199,900 Brandy Lane: Perfect Mtn. Cabin with mountain views. Quality built, hardwoods, stainless, granite. Loft, den, storage. Near vineyards, lakes, resorts. Mary Lynn Durfee 706-835-7616 MLS# 228344
Mineral Bluff, GA 3BR/2BA $199,900 Cutcane Road: Open floor plan family homestead with passive solar design. 2.64 acres with gardening areas, creek frontage, 2 story garage. Mark Reeves 706-455-2418 MLS# 237896
Mineral Bluff, GA 3BR/3.5BA $199,000
Moonshine Mountain: Charming, cedarsided cabin on 2.8 acres with striking year-round mountain views. Private location - Toccoa River access. Donna O’Neal 706-356-9034 MLS# 238368
Murphy, NC 38.58 Acres $199,000 Orchard Drive: Tract ready for development. Mountain views, wooded acreage, many potential home sites. Some roads rough cut. A MUST SEE. Jack Shingler 321-279-1049 MLS# 228230
Mineral Bluff, GA River Lot $189,000
Woodlands Bluff Lane: 2.4 acre premier river lot. Incredible Toccoa River frontage. River living at its best. Gated, paved roads. Great trout fishing! Suzie Soave 706-455-1195 MLS# 235592
Blairsville, GA 3BR/2BA $184,500
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Congratulations to the Valedictorian and Salutatorians from Decatur High School, Grady High School and Maynard Jackson High School, all pictured above. Decatur had two students neck-and-neck at press time for Salutatorian, so be sure to visit AtlantaINtownPaper.com to see who was chosen, as well as the Vals and Sals from local private schools.
Two Paideia students have been selected as winners of National Merit $2500 Scholarships. Katharine Walls and Adam Ehrenberg have received scholarship offers, which are underwritten by National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The Intown Academy, a K-8 charter school within the APS School district, was one of 219 schools nationwide awarded a $5,000 grant from The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. The award will be used to expand, update and diversify the school’s
library book collections.
Edgar Miranda has been named principal of the International Community School in Decatur, a charter school in DeKalb County for grades K – 5. Miranda has 30 years of experience as a teacher and educational administrator. Most recently, he was principal of Anglo-American School of Sofia, Bulgaria.
The Princeton Prize, a national service program recognizing outstanding high school students who show leadership by improving race relations in their communities, has been awarded to a number of local students. The prizes went to Kiana Chambers (Northview), who will receive the $1000 Princeton Prize, and Erin Kirchner (Marist), Archie “AJ” Wilson (Dominion Christian School), and Nikunj Jinan (Riverwood International Charter School) will receive Certificates of Accomplishment.
Cowboy is a handsome guy looking for a new rodeo. He was abandoned by his previous owner at just a year old, but he doesn’t let that get him down. He always maintains a chipper attitude and is happy to meet new friends every day. He loves to play with other pups, chase tennis balls, and eat. Bring on the treats and attention! To adopt Cowboy or any of the other dogs and cats, visit pawsatlanta.org or stop by the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.
Fulton County’s Animal Services provider, LifeLine Animal Project, was honored with a national “Animal Defender” award, presented by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) has joined forces with PetSmart’s charitable PetSmart
Gives Back Initiative. During Atlanta’s recent DogFest Walk ‘n Roll, PetSmart presented a $2,500 charitable gift for the joint partnership, PetSmart for Patriots, which benefits CCI’s Wounded Veterans Initiative. Founded in 1975, CCI is a national non-profit organization that provides highly skilled assistance dogs to adults, veterans and children with disabilities, free of charge.
Kroger presented a check for more than $2,900 to Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, a nonprofit organization that rescues dogs and cats from high-kill shelters in Georgia. The donation is part of the Kroger Community Rewards program, an initiative that supports schools and community organizations.
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I called a brainstorming meeting with the children on the Tuesday before Mother’s Day while Kristen was at book club. Elliott suggested that instead of “wasting your money” on a bracelet I could just make one with the rubber band jewelry maker. Smart kid.
We crafted up a beauty and hid it under the bed, but then Margo was too excited to not present it as soon as Kristen got home. She redeemed herself by following through on her promise to make “big, huge, giant cards” to give mommy on Sunday along with breakfast in bed and a necklace I wasted my money on. It was low key just like my wife (says she) likes it to be.
When I was a kid I’d walk down to Gristedes Grocery to buy mom a box of Russell Stover chocolates for Mother’s Day. Of course as soon as she opened it and shared with a gaggle of nougatcrazed kids, the box was practically empty. But she had a way of stretching the moment out to give me my due for authoring such a perfect Mother’s Day notion. She would examine the piece as if trying to identify a rare bird and then check the reference card to ascertain what great treat lurked beneath the dark chocolate. As a way of saying thank you, she’d savor it like it was the most delectable morsel she had ever encountered.
For my old man on Father’s Day, it was a tin of Planter’s mixed nuts. The nuts that were typically found in our kitchen were Pathmark brand and most unfortunately, still in their shells. We had a stable of medieval implements like nutcrackers, sharp picks and a small hammer to aid and abet us in liberating the nuts from their armor but it was no task for the meek. The rush of excitement at actually cracking one open would be tempered by the distinct lack of salt and the inedible portions we discovered while chewing. So, come Father’s Day, I’d imagine my
dad’s thought process to be something along the lines of: OK…these ties and homemade cards are sweet but where is the curly headed one with those luxuriously unshelled nuts?
It still feels somewhat surreal to be on the receiving end of Father’s Day affections these days. All I really want is the new Jason Good book on parenting. I may buy it for myself if I can’t wait that long and Kristen will seethe because I’m always jumping her gift ideas, but I like her to feel challenged. I do expect the cards to be big, huge, giant and awesome.
By the way, did I ever explain how the TimmyDaddy name came about? Well, Atlanta friends call me Tim but when I’m in the Tri-State area it often reverts to “Timmy” which magically lops off about two-thirds of the years I’ve accumulated. Anyway, when Elliott was a nascent walker-talker we were up in New Jersey visiting Kristen’s sister Mary, her husband Jim and their kids. They all call me Timmy. Elliott was just piecing words together at this point and in an all-out effort to get my undivided attention blurted out “Daddy Daddy! I mean Timmy! I mean…TimmyDaddy!”
TimmyDaddy has become something of a moniker and a raison-d’etre. I’d put it in the same category as Doc McStuffins and The Hamburglar. I am Timmy. My main function on this planet is Daddy and I am awfully privileged to be able to say that. Even though as I type this, the kids are fighting over a plastic balloon thing that is in the shape of an electric guitar and Kristen is giving me a look like how about you go fold some laundry, Mr. Raison-D’etre? I wish a very happy Father’s Day to all of the dads who know where I’m coming from.
Ann Taylor Boutwell
June 1, 1925: Virginia-Highland’s Fire Station #19 officially opened on the northeast corner of North Highland and Los Angeles Avenue. In 1924, the station began as a joint effort between the City of Atlanta and Fulton County. Atlanta’s chief of construction William Hansell and city engineer C.E. Kauffman approved specifications and broke ground on the building. The city appropriated $21,000 and the county $7,000. The station stands today as the city’s oldest operating station building.
June 3, 1955: Loew’s Inc., North America’s oldest theater chain, filed suit in Federal Court against Atlanta’s Board of Review for censoring the movie version of the bestselling novel, Blackboard Jungle. The film, starring Glen Ford and Anne Francis, depicted a young teacher’s experiences in an inner city vocational high school. Christine Smith Gilliam, the city’s censor chair, and her board of review contended that the movie was “immoral, obscene, and licentious.”
Later in 1955, District Court Judge Boyd Sloan ruled that Blackboard Jungle could be shown despite the ban.
June 8, 1994: Unveiled on the grounds of the Georgia State Capital was the bronze statue memorializing the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. The seventon, 11-foot-high slab of Georgia granite is a slightly larger than real life depiction of Carter with rolled up shirtsleeves and khakis. The Plains native entered politics by serving two terms as a Georgia State Senator – from 1963 to 1967 – and one term as the 76th governor of Georgia –from 1971 to 1975. The sculpture was created by Frederick Hart, who also created the three bronze soldiers at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
June 9, 1942: Golf legend Bobby Jones received a commission as a captain in the Army Air Force. Although a medical disability and his age of 40 did not compel him to go to war, he insisted on serving his country.
June 11, 1938: The Atlanta Housing Authority appointed Charles Forest Palmer, a real estate developer, as its first chairman. Palmer, a pioneer of slum clearance, had organized Techwood Homes, one of the first public housing developments in the United States. In 1955, Atlanta’s Tupper and Love Publishing Company published his book, Adventures of a Slum Fighter Ironically, Techwood Homes would eventually become one of the city’s worst slums and was demolished in 1996.
June 12, 1965: Ronald Lamar Yancey, the 21-year-oldson of an Atlanta postman, became the first African American to graduate from Georgia Tech. He earned his degree in electrical engineering.
June 22, 1955: Morris Brown graduate Charles Lincoln Harper died at his residence in the Old Fourth Ward. Born to former slaves, the Sparta native believed that America’s survival depended on a thorough education without regard to race, color or creed. He was former principal of Morris Brown College’s high school, the Yonge Street Evening School and Booker T. Washington, Atlanta’s first black high school. Although he stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and walked with a limp, Harper was fearless concerning human rights during the 1930s and 1940s. He served as secretary of the Black Georgia Teachers Education Association, vice president of Georgia’s branch of the NAACP, as well as president of the Atlanta chapter. Today’s Harper/ Archer Middle School at 3399 Collier Drive honors his name.
June 28, 1988: Virginia-Highland resident John Rushing Howell died of complications from HIV. Known for his compassion, Howell supported human rights, neighborhood preservation and the arts. In 1989, the John Howell Memorial Park at 855 Virginia Avenue was dedicated as a tribute to the neighborhood activist who, in the 1970s and 80s, helped fight off plans for I-485 to cut through his neighborhood. The park stands on land cleared for the road.
June 29, 1993: Georgia Lottery sales began. More than $13 million tickets sold the first day.
Christian Louboutin, Helmut Lang, Brunello Cucuinelli, Hermès and Jimmy Choo are just some of the luxury fashion names who will be opening shop at Buckhead Atlanta.
Project developer OliverMcMillan released a list of 28 retailers and restaurants that will begin opening in September (pushed back from the original timeframe of July). Stores and restaurants will open through the holidays and into 2015, according to the report.
Other stores will include Swiss fashion label Akris; luxury purse consignment store Bella Bag; men’s tailor and clothier Canali; French perfumery diptyque; Italian fashion label Etro; French beauty purveyor L’Occitane; skiinspire clothier Moncler; luxury and design clothing retailer Scoop NYC; fashion label Theory; Italian shoemaker Tod’s; and the previously announced Spanx.
The restaurants include Le Bilboquet, a French bistro; American F+B, a bar and grill concept; Thirteen Pies pizza restaurant; Lugo Caffe, an Italian cafe; Corso Coffee, an Italian-style coffee bar;
Doraku Sushi, a Japanese sushi and steak eaterie; Georgetown Cupcake, a bakery; Gypsy Kitchen, a Spanish fusion concept; The Southern Gentleman, a gastropub; Qinq Mu, a noodle restaurant; and Shake Shack, the beloved burger and hot dog eatery from NYC.
Courtesy OliverMcMillan
Oliver McMillan released these new renderings of Buckhead Atlanta after it announced 28 retailers and restaurants that will begin opening in the anticipated development in September. Hermes, Spanx, Bella Bag, Scoopy NYC and Christian Louboutin are just some of the luxury retailers coming to the development.
The city of Atlanta has bought out the remainder of the 88-year lease on Underground Atlanta from its operating partner, Dan O’Leary, for $8.8 million. The official owner is the Downtown Development Authority, but the city doesn’t plan to hold onto the property for long. It’s already shopping for a buyer to transform the collection of shops and restaurants into a destination for Atlantans and visitors. There have been previous proposals to turn Underground into a gambling casino, a museum or an arts district.
Uber and Lyft have become major players on the Intown scene with smartphone apps designed to request private, on-demand transportation, but a new player called Hailo (hailocab.com/atlanta) has entered the Atlanta scene. The app – available for the iPhone and Android devices – works similarly to Uber and Lyft, but Hailo has partnered with licensed and insured local taxi drivers to provide service around the metro.
SunTrust has launched an Innovation Branch at its headquarters building on Peachtree Street in Downtown. The branch, which will be used to test new concepts for the bank, has automated safety deposit boxes that allows customers to access their deposit box using their debit card, pin number and hand scan. There are also teller connected video ATMs to help customers with transactions.
Beauty retailer and spa Bluemercury (bluemercury.com) will open its first Atlanta location at Buckhead Market Place, 37 West Paces Ferry this month. The full service spa will offer oxygen facials, glycolic peels, waxing and microdermabrasion. The store will also carry Bluemercury’s skincare line, M-61.
Mama Bath + Body (loveyourmama.com) has moved from its original Decatur location to a new storefront in Avondale Estates and has announced a new location at Krog Street Market in Inman Park later this summer. The Avondale store at 112 Avondale Road will have its grand opening event on June 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residence Inn by Marriott (marriott.com/atlri) at Peachtree and 17th Street in Midtown has completed an extensive renovation and enhancement of its 160 suites and public areas. The new studio, one bedroom and two bedroom suites offer guests spacious accommodations as well as a fully equipped kitchen with full-sized refrigerator. Business travelers can take advantage of extensive workspaces and complimentary high-speed Internet access.
Gray Miller West Gallery (graymillerwest.com) has opened at 480 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. in the Old Fourth Ward. The first exhibit continues through June 5 featuring the work of Clay Hood. The trio behind the gallery are long-time Atlanta art scene players September Gray, Nic Miller and Vance West.
Starting fall 2014, Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business will offer courses for the Flexible (Flex) MBA program at its Buckhead Center located at Tower Place 200. The college’s part-time MBA is ranked No. 25 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek and No. 29 by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about the program, visit flex. robinson.gsu.edu.
Two notable buildings at 300 and 306 Ponce de Leon Ave. in Midtown have been sold to a private investor for an undisclosed amount, according to commercial real estate firm The C Group. One of the buildings is currently home to the Atlanta Eagle bar and the one next door is known as the “Kodak” building for its retro sign on the roof.
The Hotel Indigo Downtown Atlanta will open in spring 2015 and occupy eight floors of the 230 Peachtree building adjacent to the AmericasMart. The 200-room conversion will have a fitness center, business center, bar and restaurant.
The Atlanta City Council voted last month to amend the city’s comprehensive development plan for the 800 Glenwood Ave. property along the Atlanta BeltLine. Residents have been meeting with Fuqua Development to iron out a compromise for the property. The compromise includes hiding the parking area from the BeltLine path with “green screening”, senior housing, a potential nine-story office building and a five story residential building with ground floor retail. The big-box retail store is rumored to be a Walmart.
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)
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In 2010, Mayor Kasim Reed announced his goal of making Atlanta one of the top 10 sustainable cities in the country. Four years later, there have been significant strides in making the city green and there are more, exciting changes to come.
The city’s Office of Sustainability, led by Denise Quarles since 2011, said the greening of Atlanta has been possible through the unprecedented collaboration between stakeholders citywide. The most notable
collaboration has been with the business community, which has signed on as part of the Better Building Challenge to make 20 percent of Atlanta’s commercial buildings energy and water efficient by the year 2020.
“We have 200 buildings now participating in the challenge,” Quarles said, “and 76 of those are municipal buildings.”
Atlanta was one of the first cities to complete a flagship project as part of the challenge with its upgrade of the Atlanta Civic Center. The city is now working with the Georgia World
Congress Center on a similar project.
Initially, the city was only going to try for 20 percent in energy efficiency, but became the first city to add water to the challenge.
As part of the move toward energy efficiency, the city’s fire stations and Atlanta Public School facilities have installed “cool roof” systems that help reduce the urban heat island affect. Quarles said the fire stations have seen thousands of dollars in energy rebates because of the roofs.
One of the most significant watersaving projects has been at HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport,
where new toilets and faucets have saved 44 million gallons in wasted water per year since 2008.
Atlanta-based Home Depot joined the challenge by installing a rainwater
even in the most
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harvesting tank at its Midtown store. The project was so successful that the company is installing tanks at other locations around metro Atlanta.
Quarles encouraged residents to get involved with greening Atlanta by having a free energy audit on their homes by Georgia Power and Georgia Gas Light. “You will save money with the information and tools provided,” she said.
Other things Intowners can do include installing their own rain barrel, buying locally-grown produce and
goods at a farmers market, bike to work, carpool, use more public transit and recycle.
Quarles said she is also proud that the city’s Energy Star ranking has moved from 5 to 3. Energy Star is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect the climate through energy efficiency.
“We still have a long way to go, but I’m excited about what’s ahead for Atlanta,” Quarles said.
Atlanta GREEN Fest 2014 will be held June 21 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Grant Park in Atlanta. The event focuses on living sustainably, health and fitness.
This year’s event will feature musical performances by Che’Zee, The Remnants, Pippy Thomas, Kelsy Davis, Jah Richie and host Dres Tha Beatnik.
There will also be an interactive fitness demonstration area by Body House Fitness, free health screenings, a business street market, community outreach and education, a story corner presented by Atlanta-Fulton County Libraries and a kid zone with old school yard games.
The event is presented by Fight4ATL, an initiative that promotes an ecofriendly, healthy lifestyle. For more information, visit fight4atl.com.
The 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. The next meeting is June 6 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church – Ellis Hall, 634 West Peachtree St. For more information, visit southface.org/sart.
The Southface Summer Solstice will be held June 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the organization’s headquarters, 241 Pine St. Mix and mingle with Southface staff members and supporters in the organic garden. There will be summer drinks, appetizers, live music and networking opportunities. The event is free for
Southface members, while non-members are invited to join for a $25 donation. For more information, visit southface.org.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) honored six organizations in Georgia with 2014 Energy Star Awards Servidyne and The Home Depot won Partners of the Year-Sustained Excellence. Beazer Homes USA, Burton Energy Group, Hoshizaki America and Georgia Interfaith Power and Light all won Partners of the Year.
The Wylde Center will host its annual Beer Garden Silent Auction and Fundraiser on June 28, to benefit the community garden, 435 Oakview Road, in Decatur. The event brings together local brews, food and music for a casual evening outdoors. A VIP Happy Hour begins at 4:30 p.m., while the main event lasts from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door. VIP tickets are $75. Tickets are available at wyldecenter.org.
Late last year, writer/musician James Willard and illustrator Patrick Beavers began releasing a digital version of their graphic novel, Penny Palabras. Published
media collaboration. In keeping with the mystery, Beavers sent along a self-portrait with an almost Blade Runner-feel to it.
For this interview, I thought I might wrangle a face to face with Willard, a Decatur resident, but instead it was conducted through Facebook and a series of emails. Welcome to modern journalism.
How did you come up with the storyline for Penny Palabras? Did you always envision it as a graphic novel?
The original drafts were independent “chapters” without a defined end point, but once I’d written several chapters and the story started to grow in my mind, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to see happen with the story line and how I wanted it to unfold. I was interested in expressing what it feels like to be a person in Penny’s position – what’s going on in her head – as much as I am in telling a dark, spooky story.
hooked by the storyline in Y: The Last Man when I read it several years ago. It was more than just anecdotes and artwork, though the artwork’s great – it was the heart of the story. I’m currently reading Revival, a rural noir, and Saga, a sci-fi love story (kind of). I’ve also been keeping up with Deadpool, because the current writers are hilarious.
How did you meet Patrick? What was your collaboration process like?
overall style of the novel. Patrick’s been exceptional to work with and has really done a great job on the project over the past year.
in six installments, the novel follows the 17-year-old eponymous character on her quest to banish The Straw Man, a malevolent entity drawn to Penny because of her connection to the paranormal.
As of this writing, there was only one chapter left to be published in Penny’s first adventure. The previous installments have received acclaim and glowing reviews on Amazon. A Kickstarter campaign to create a print version of Penny Palabras was realized in a matter of weeks by devoted fans.
The success of the graphic novel is a testament to Willard and Beavers’ online marketing and building a mystery around themselves as well. Willard, who is also known as the one-man electronic band brokenkites, and Beavers don’t sit for traditional photos, as evidenced in this feature. Even the way Willard and Beavers met is right out of the handbook for social
After most of the story was planned out and the early version was complete, I thought it would be great to see it as a web series – a collection of short episodes that could be assembled as a movie in the end. I don’t have the connections or budget to put together a project that big – so I was really lucky to find Patrick Beavers.
Patrick brought the story to life and instantly tapped into the imagery I envisioned for it.
Are you a fan of graphic novels and comics? What were some of your inspirations?
There are some excellent graphic novels and comics out today. I really got
I searched on Reddit for artists looking for work and found that there are a lot of talented people out there, but Patrick’s style clicked the most with me. His portfolio and digital illustrations had a unique and memorable style that I wanted for the novel. After some conversations about Penny Palabras and some initial sketches, he started working on the project. I rewrote the story in comic script format, describing scenes and panels, and Patrick would advise me about things that worked and didn’t work as we went along, bringing his experience and education into the equation. His first pages were amazing! It wasn’t long before we were on the same wavelength about how everything should look and the
Under the moniker brokenkites, James Willard has released more than 30 albums of electronic music, the most recent being Birds With Blackest Hearts
In the same vein as Brian Eno, the albums are cinematic instrumentals for movies that have yet to be made. From ambient melancholia to clanging, urgent synth lines, every brokenkites album mines some new emotional territory. To win a CD copy of Birds With Blackest Hearts tweet us @ATLINtownPaper during the month of June and we’ll select three winners at random. And be sure to visit AtlantaINtownPaper.com for more about brokenkites.
Penny has received some fantastic reviews online as a digital comic. What made you decide to do a print version? Can you speak a little about how eBooks and digital are changing the consumption of comics and graphic novels?
The reviews have been really encouraging, but the number one complaint that I’ve received about the work is that it’s hard for some people to deal with the steps involved in getting a digital copy to work on their device – that they’d prefer a physical copy in their hands. There are proprietary formats to overcome, and distribution through different outlets has been problematic and frustrating. The book doesn’t convert well into some formats because it’s composed entirely
of image files instead of text – this also leads to large file sizes and delayed downloads on mobile networks. We decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to see if there was enough interest in the print version, and it’s done really well. The print version will be funded.
I don’t think digital format is ruining comic books – if anything, it’s making it easier to have access to new books that you might have overlooked if they were limited only to print. Sure, there are some titles that maybe shouldn’t be published. There’s a lot of noise to filter through in all digital media, not just in comics. I like that I can have a mobile library of digital titles that doesn’t take up much physical space. Minimalism is great. And there are some cool things happening with digital format – some of Marvel’s digitally exclusive titles make use of the technology to show event sequences and cool effects based on the way that you read them on your tablet.
Will there be another Penny series? Where might the story go?
I’ve got a much longer story planned out for Penny and a pretty solid idea of
what I’d like to do in the second story arc, but it really depends on the response that the first arc gets in the future. Penny makes some decisions in the first arc that she’s not going to get away from long-term, and while she finds the best ways that she can to solve her immediate problems, there’s a lot of room for her to grow as a character. Penny’s in for some more surprises – and
has some surprises of her own for the readers. One of my favorite things in the development of the story so far has been reading people’s reactions online to the story reveals in Episode 5. That was a big one, and I love to see that kind of thing play out – where people go back and read previous issues to see that there have been hints present all along.
Georgia Shakespeare and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will be bringing art to Piedmont Park this month.
First up is the theater company’s annual Shakespeare in the Park event from June 4-8 at 7:30 p.m. each night. The Bard’s classic As You Like It will be performed and there will also be live music each evening from different groups, including Il Brasso Magnifico, Tribute, The Head and more.
Tickets for Shakespeare in the Park are $10 for a general admission lawn seat or $250 for a reserved table that seats six. Tickets are available at gashakespeare.org.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will return to Piedmont for its Performances on the Promenade series on June 12, 19, 26 at 7:30 p.m. each evening. All the concerts are free to attend.
The first concert on June 12 will be led by guest conductor Gemma New and will feature bassist Xavier Foley performing Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto No. 2 ASO Assistant Conductor Joseph Young will lead the second concert on June 19, which will include Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien and the Overture to Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. The final concert, “An American Salute” on June 26, will also be led by Young.
For more information, visit atlantasymphony.org.
A landmark nestled in the VirginiaHighland area, the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center is celebrating the 14th anniversary of the Jazz on the Lawn series this summer. Every year from June to August local residents bring their picnic blankets and folding chairs to the mansion’s gardens and enjoy musical concerts in the front lawn.
Buckhead resident Hil Hughes said he first discovered Callanwolde when he attended the jazz series with his friends last year.
“Callanwolde has a je ne sais quoi about it that is very personal,” he said. “This is a beautiful, magical, romantic setting; something you don’t see anywhere else in Atlanta. The concerts are fantastic; they seem to find fantastic talent.”
Callanwolde’s executive director Peggy Johnson said she tries to bring local artists well-known to the community. Diane Durrett, Joe Gransden, Ted Howe, Gwen Hughes and Bradford Rogers are just some of many local artists who frequently play at the annual jazz event combining a mixture of both classic and contemporary jazz, swing and fusion. Johnson said often times the concerts are sold-out.
“Our goal is to remain current, a little edgy, and yet, family oriented,” Johnson emphasized.
In addition to the jazz concerts, patrons also have a chance to enjoy an indoor
treat in the mansion’s art gallery located on the second floor. The gallery is open all-year around. Approximately, every two months the works of a different artist is in display in the gallery for the public to enjoy. Currently, “Paint by Heart,” a mixed media exhibit by Kathy Yancey of VirginiaHighland is showing through July 11.
Influenced by her mother who was very creative with her hands, Yancey said she still has her childhood drawings. She said she strives to honor her mother with her work, to accentuate the feminine, and to illustrate the female point of view.
Yancey is a frequent visitor to Callanwolde and calls it “a magical place.”
“It makes you feel as if you were in an English countryside,” she said. “You get there and you focus on an inner stillness. It is the ideal place for experiencing art.”
Callanwolde’s patron Dana Barrett of Brookhaven sums up how many people feel about Callanwolde and the concerts in the gardens.
“The minute your turn into Callanwolde’s driveway you are transported to another place and time,” she said. “It is almost magical. There is something about the Callanwolde campus that is unique and special. You sit on the lawn, in front of a beautiful, historic mansion surrounded by amazing gardens and listening to great music.”
Formoreinformation,visit callanwolde.org.
Whether you’re looking for a recent blockbuster or a classic, there will be a number of summer film festival happening around the city showing all kinds of great films – including 75th anniversary screenings of The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind
Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at e Fox
The granddaddy of the film festivals is the annual event at the historic Fox Theatre, which will feature an impressive slate of movies all summer long on it’s giant screen. The line-up includes: Field of Dreams:
25th Anniversary (June 19); King Kong –1933 (June 22); Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (June 26); The Wizard of Oz: 75th Anniversary (June 29); Dr. Strangelove: 50th Anniversary (July 24); Gone With the Wind: 75th Anniversary (July 27); The Philadelphia Story (July 31); Saturday Morning
Cartoons (Aug. 2); Mamma Mia! (Aug. 2); Double Feature: Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles: 40th Anniversary (Aug. 3); Double Indemnity: 70th Anniversary (Aug. 14); Mary Poppins Sing-A-Long: 50th Anniversary (Aug. 17); and The Women: 75th Anniversary (Aug. 21). General admission tickets can be purchased in advance at foxtheatre.org. There is reserved seating for Gone With the Wind and Mary Poppins Sing-A-Long, and both are expected
Movies In Central Park at Atlantic Station Atlantic Station in Midtown has a summer-long list of recent hits and classics. All movies start at dusk and admission is free. Blankets and snacks are permitted. The schedule includes: Frozen Sing-A-Long (June 5); Hairspray – 2007 (June 12); Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (June 19); Up (June 26); Man of Steel (July 3); Jurassic Park (July 10); Star Trek: Into Darkness (July 17); Wimbledon (July 24); All About Eve (July 31); and Clueless (Aug. 7). For more information, visit atlanticstation.com.
Candler Park Movie Nights
Candler Park Movie Nights return in August with The Lego Movie (Aug. 2); Karate Kid (Aug. 9); My Big Fat Greek Wedding (Aug. 16) and Monsters Inc. (Aug. 23). Grab a blanket, a lawn chair, family, friends, neighbors and head to the park to enjoy the free outdoor movies and popcorn. Movies begin at dusk. For more information, visit FriendsofCandlerPark. org.
Movies on the Town Town Brookhaven’s outdoor movie series began on May 29 and continues through July 31. Movies are free and begin at dusk on the green space with music and announcements beginning two hours prior. No outside food, drinks, chairs or pets will be allowed. The schedule: Frozen (May 29); The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (June 5); Mr. Peabody & Sherman (June 12); The Lego Movie (June 19); Princess Bride (June 26); Despicable Me 2 (July 10); Footloose (July 17); Roman Holiday (July 24); and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (July 31).
live acoustic music. For more, visit oldfourthwardparkartsfestival.com.
Atlanta Fringe Festival
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Virginia-Highland Summerfest
The 31st annual Summerfest will be held June 7-8 on Virginia Avenue between North Highland and Park Drive. There will be arts, crafts, a 5K road race, children’s area and live music. Scheduled acts include headliners BoDeans, Ruby Velle and The Soulphonics and Pat McGee Band. For more, visit vahi.org/summerfest.
Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival
Taking place at the Historic Fourth Ward Park across North Avenue from Ponce City Market, the second annual event is set for June 28-29. There will be more than100 fine arts and craft vendors, a street market, children’s play area, local food and beverage concessions and
Spoken word, storytelling, comedy, circus, dance, puppetry and theater will converge for the third annual festival June 5-8. This year’s lineup features 20 eclectic productions, from 11 different states and Canada. Festival venues will include 7 Stages, Big House on Ponce, Highland Inn Ballroom, Horizons
School and the event space at Wrecking Bar brewpub. For more about the acts and schedule, visit atlantafringe.org.
Wynn Bullock: Revelations: The High is the first major art museum in nearly 40 years to mount a retrospective of work by black-andwhite photographer Wynn Bullock (1902-1975), one of the most significant photographers of the mid20th century. Opens June 14. $12 to $19.50. high.org
Guess You Had To Be There: This solo exhibition of new works by Shara Hughes showcases pieces created during her two years in the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia Working Artist Project. Closes June 28. $1 to $5. mocaga.org
Salvador Dali: Trilogy of Love: Oglethorpe Museum of Art exhibits 14 large format lithographs by Salvador Dali, including those in his “Trilogy of Love” series. Opens June 28. $5. museum. oglethorpe.edu
1h: Hans Christian Schink’s minimalist photos document the sun’s path across surreal landscapes during one-hour exposures, recording the “unseen” track only visible through film. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. hagedornfoundationgallery.org
Foreword: Six local, national and international artists exhibit work that represents their relationship to Atlanta in the City of Atlanta’s recently opened Gallery 72. Monday through Friday. Free. ocaatlanta.com
Ten Years and Counting + Fresh Blood: Mason Murer Fine Art celebrates the work of some of its favorite artists from the last 10 years alongside upand-coming student artwork from the region. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. masonmurer.com
The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, Where Art and History
Intersect: Explore the historic, artistic and cultural contributions of AfricanAmericans through rare and historic artifacts, including the Emancipation Proclamation, speeches by Frederick Douglass and letters from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Daily. $11 to $16.50. atlantahistorycenter.com
Design for Social Impact: See how designers and social entrepreneurs from the Southeast are solving some of the world’s biggest issues today, including water purification and shelter. $5 to $10. Tuesday through Saturday. museumofdesign.org
Evita: The passionate and unforgettable true story of Argentina’s First Lady Eva Peron is told on the Fox Theatre stage through some of musical theatre’s most popular songs, including “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.” June 3 through June 8. $30 to $80. broadwayinatlanta.com
Ten Mile Lake: Set live on the docks of Serenbe’s Grange Lake, this world premiere play follows a father and daughter as they learn the true meaning of home. June 12 through June 29. $20 to $25. serenbeplayhouse.com
Performance on the Promenade: The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra returns to Piedmont Park to perform three free concerts. A new program is featured each week, leading up to “An American Salute” on June 26. June 12, June 19 and June 26. Free. (Ticket required). atlantasymphony.org
Damon Albarn: The frontman of the band Blur and vocalist of virtual band Gorillaz plays the Fox Theatre in support of his new solo album, “Everyday Robots.” June 13. $32 to $55. foxtheatre.org
Aida - A Slave to Love: Robert Spano leads a cast of soloists (Latonia Moore as Aida) plus the ASO Chorus and Orchestra in Verdi’s operatic story of forbidden love, loyalty and power. June 5 through June 8. $24 to $75. atlantasymphony.org
Improv in the Park: Head to Atlantic Station’s Central Park for live improv from Whole World Improv Theatre the first Wednesday of each month this summer. June 4. Free. wholeworldtheatre.com
Shakespeare in the Park: As You Like It: Shakespeare returns to Piedmont Park this month with performances of the comedy “As You Like It.” Arrive early to enjoy live music before each performance. June 4 through June 8. $10. gashakespeare.org
Antony and Cleopatra: The Shakespeare Tavern stage becomes Egypt and Rome to tell this story of a passion so legendary that it ignites battles among kingdoms, ultimately consuming its lovers and the entire ancient world. June 5 through June 29. $15 to $36. shakespearetavern.com
Concerts in the Garden: Creedence Clearwater Revisited: Atlanta Botanical Garden’s concert series opens with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, featuring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rhythm section from Creedence Clearwater Revival performing CCR hits live. June 6. $49.50. atlantabotanicalgarden.org
Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat: Sally and her brother, their pet Fish, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and all your favorite moments from the classic Dr. Seuss tale come to the Center for Puppetry Arts stage. Opens June 10. $16.50. puppet.org
rePLAY: Symphony of Heroes: A full orchestra and chorus bring to life a new series of music depicting memorable moments from some of the most popular and beloved video games of all time. June 13. $58.70 to $166.85. cobbenergycentre.com
Tunes from the Tombs: Oakland Cemetery’s third annual music festival brings live music of all genres to Oakland’s extraordinary monuments and renowned gardens. Food trucks, complimentary tours and fortune-telling are also available. June 14. $5 to $10. oaklandcemetery.com
Daryl Hall & John Oates: From their first hit in 1974 through their heyday in the ‘80s, Hall and Oates’ smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success –including six number one singles and six platinum albums. June 15. $49 to $76. chastainseries.com
Jesus Christ Superstar: Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock musical gets reinvented as an arena rock spectacular featuring Incubus lead Brandon Boyd, *NSYNC’s JC Chasez, Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams and Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten. June 16. $44.50 to $174.50. philipsarena.com
Elvis Costello: This concert marks the first time since 1999 that Elvis Costello has headlined the South and Midwest with such a stripped down setup. June 19. $42 to $77. cobbenergycentre.com
C.S. Lewis On Stage: Tom Key portrays the author behind “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “The Screwtape Letters” and the subject of Anthony Hopkins’ “Shadowlands” – an Oxford man who could make his audience think as deeply as he made them laugh. June 19 through June 29. $25 to $35. theatricaloutfit.org
Cowgirls: A trio of classical musicians try to become country music heroines in just 24 hours when they’re accidentally booked as the featured act at an Opry-esque roadhouse. Closes June 29. $25 to $60. horizontheatre.com
If you live in Atlanta and mention Revolution Doughnuts among friends, there are always a few who start salivating on the spot. They shout out their favorites – “the Almond Joy Nut,” “Nutella Cream Puff” or “Raspberry Sprinkle” – and all this enthusiastic talk of scrumptious doughnuts reminds you how good this place really is.
Maria Moore Riggs has always loved to bake. When she moved to Atlanta from San Francisco, she started selling her homemade scones, muffins and cookies at the local farmer’s markets and quickly found a following. When she decided to try doughnuts, the response was very encouraging.
And so, with all of her savings and a lot of hard work, Maria opened Revolution
Doughnuts in Decatur during the summer of 2012.
Maria attributes the shop’s success to a tried and true product that also has good timing. “These are nostalgic treats offered during a downturn in the economy,” she said.
“A doughnut offers that feeling of comfort and happiness.”
Maria is also a smart business woman. After listening to all the diet restrictions and flavor preferences of her customers over the years, she created a variety of doughnut options including Cake Style, Yeast Style and Baked Cake. Cake Style is tender but also dense and moist with a slightly crunchy exterior. The Yeast Cake is fluffy and puffy with a bit of a chew and the Baked Cake has a texture like a pound cake or a muffin.
Because every day the crew bakes from scratch, Maria has the ability to offer various options in the doughnuts, many of which are vegan and gluten free. But it’s important to note this is an open kitchen and as Maria shared, “We can’t guarantee these doughnuts are trace free from cross contamination.”
What she can guarantee is fresh, delicious doughnuts that are made from scratch that day. There are no hydrogenated oils, no synthetic flavors or colors. Instead you’ll find ingredients like organic flour, local dairy and produce and 100 percent trans-fat free vegetable oil.
When I visited the shop, it was an all girls day in the kitchen. They began their day at 4 a.m to create the mainstay of
their menu, including seasonal and daily specials. On this day, the special was a Coconut Creme Brulee.
One of their most popular treats is the Caramel Bacon doughnut. Maria was inspired to make the glaze because of her father-in-law, who grew up eating southern cakes. He fondly remembered a boiled caramel icing that his mom used to make. Once Maria perfected it, she realized it would make the perfect glaze for a
doughnut. She then adds bacon from local charcuterie The Spotted Trotter.
With summer almost here, expect a few additions to the menu, including the Peach Slider. Plus, every holiday gets a doughnut and new concoctions pop up from time to time like the popular S’mores doughnut or the Bar Snack, made with crushed salty peanuts and pretzels atop a beer caramel glazed yeast doughnut.
Revolution Doughnuts’ slogan is “Put something good in your mouth.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Revolution Doughnuts is located at 908 W. College Ave. For more, visit revolutiondoughnuts.com.
We asked our Twitter followers to suggest their favorite place to pick up a doughnut (or a dozen)
Polaris, the legendary rotating restaurant and lounge under the blue dome atop the Hyatt Regency Atlanta hotel, will reopen to the public on June 10. The restaurant, accessed by the lobby’s glass elevators, has been closed for a decade.
Conceived by architect John C. Portman, Jr., Polaris is one of Atlanta’s most recognized landmarks. It was Atlanta’s first rotating restaurant when it opened in 1967 and quickly became a symbol of the fast-growing city, featured on souvenirs, postcards and murals.
The Johnson Studio re-imagined the space with four sections, each loosely based on the home – an open dining room with an inviting, communal table, a sumptuous living room, a clubby library, and the dazzling bar. And, just as it did in 1967, Polaris will rotate once every 45 minutes.
Executive Chef Martin Pfefferkorn will lead the kitchen at the new Polaris. The debut menu will feature tributes to classic dishes such as a deconstructed Maine lobster cocktail; Steak Oscar (locally raised beef filet topped with asparagus, crab and béarnaise sauce); braised veal cheeks; and rabbit sausage with quail eggs. Polaris will
source high quality “soil to city” ingredients from local purveyors, as well as produce from the hotel’s rooftop garden.
Visible from the restaurant, the Polaris Rooftop Bee Garden features homegrown tomatoes, herbs, peppers and other produce, ingredients that will be served in Polaris’ plates and cocktails. The garden also grows flowers, seasonal plants and the only peach tree on Peachtree Street.
But the garden’s most interesting features are its bees. Chef Pfefferkorn tends two hives of more than 10,000 honey bees
in the rooftop garden, busy insects producing several gallons of fresh honey to be served in Polaris and sold in the hotel’s gift shop. The bees, which were rescued from a truck accident, came to the hotel through an ongoing partnership with the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association.
Hyatt Regency Atlanta beverage director Mehdi Natanzi heads the Polaris mixology program. The cocktail menu will celebrate the golden age of spirits, from stiff old fashioneds and dry Manhattans, to mint grasshoppers and tart gimlets, rickeys and tonics –all served in a menagerie of vintage glassware. And the new Polaris will present a modern version of its throwback signature drink, the peach daiquiri.
Behind the bar, Natanzi has assembled a collection of one-of-a-kind, small batch spirits and the restaurant’s very own barrel of “Polaris Bourbon,” through a partnership with Elijah Craig, the award winning Kentucky distillery.
Polaris will be open Tuesday through Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The restaurant will not take reservations. For more, visit facebook.com/PolarisAtlanta.
Are you one of those people who get their lunch or dinner at the grocery store? You’re probably thinking, “That’s a silly question. Most everyone buys what they eat at a grocery store.” Well I didn’t mean it quite that way. I’m talking about those of you out there, myself included, who often get a sub sandwich combo at the Publix deli or “meat and three” at the Whole Foods salad and hot food bar. Would you like to step your “grocery store dining” up several notches? If so, then visit Star Provisions.
Located in the same West Midtown
ready for a Gourmet magazine photo shoot. The line moves quickly, but you’ll still have ample time to gaze at the homemade desserts, carefully “marketed” in a glass case just by the register where you order your lunch.
There’s plenty to choose from – an assortment of salads, fresh baked bread goods including focaccia and calzone, sandwiches and even a “blue plate” special, which is often fried chicken and rumored to be very good. Everything is made-toorder so you take your drink, your sides, your dessert and maybe a tomato or two and head to an inside or outside table. They bring the rest of your food to you when it’s ready; pretty nice for a grocery store.
We were in a sandwich mood, so we each ordered from the lengthy and varied list. There’s everything from a peanut butter and marshmallow crème on white bread to a Vietnamese “Bahn Mi” with glazed pork belly, shoulder and pickled chili to a New Orleans favorite, the muffaletta with provolone, mortadella, copa, sopressa and olive salad.
and the parmesan. The fresh baguette was crunchy and light. The reuben contained house cured and smoked pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing. While it couldn’t compete in the size category with many of its brethren found in New York City delis, it did have a good balance of flavors.
with bits of hardboiled egg, red onion, yellow mustard, fresh herbs and of course, mayonnaise, homemade at that; it was delicious.
space as the highly acclaimed Bacchanalia and owned by the same folks, Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison, Star Provisions is a foodie’s paradise with individual markets for meat, wine, seafood and cheese along with cookware and culinary bric-a-brac and… they serve lunch.
A recent visit found quite a crowd. There are lots of helpful, white-aproned staff to turn the horde into a line and hand out paper menus. You’ll pass by the homemade sides in one refrigerated cabinet and another has cold beverages. Try to resist buying some of the fresh produce nearby. On our visit, we saw beefsteak tomatoes the size of softballs that looked
We opted for the prosciutto and parmesan on a baguette, the pastrami reuben and the shrimp po’ boy. The Italian version of a ham and cheese was simple yet elegant. Its only condiment was sweet butter, which provided just the right balance to the saltiness of the prosciutto
The shrimp po’ boy, considered by many to be the best in this landlocked city, was very good. The lightly battered and fried shrimp were perched atop a buttery hoagie roll that was adorned with lettuce, tomato, pickles and Cajun mayonnaise. It rivaled many found closer to saltwater.
We also tried two of the sides, the roasted asparagus with leek vinaigrette and Southern-style potato salad. The asparagus were in bite-sized pieces and fork tender. The leek vinaigrette added a tart, springtime freshness. The potato salad evoked memories of what my Southern mother and grandmother used to make
We couldn’t resist sampling a few of the sweet baked goods. The Mexican wedding cookies were melt-in-your-mouth good. The shortbread was golden, rich and tender with just the right amount of sweetness. Save time after lunch for a walk through the market. Hopefully with a full stomach you won’t buy quite so much but it’s a certainty you’ll probably buy something… after all it’s a grocery and there’s always dinner.
Star Provisions is located at 1198 Howell Mill Road and can be found online at starprovisions.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.
Food 101 has evolved during the past decade to focus on farm-to-table, cutting edge Southern Cuisine, while also featuring several long-time favorites. The chefs at Food 101 highlight a bounty of local ingredients prepared with a bold Southern flair that provides a deliciously satisfying dining experience. High standards of quality ingredients and cutting edge cuisine have become synonymous with Food 101.
Food 101 4969 Roswell Rd Ste 200 www.food101atlanta.com
Tassili’s Raw Reality (tassilisrawreality. com) in West End will host the second annual Wonderful Wizards of Raw ~ A Raw Foods Extravaganza on June 7 from noon to 7 p.m. This celebration of raw foods will be held in the back yard of the restaurant at 1059 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. In addition to samples, there will also be guest chefs, speakers and musical entertainment.
The annual Atlanta Summer Beer Fest will be held June 21 at the Masquerade Music Park, 695 North Ave. The event will feature 150-plus beers, ciders, and a small selection of wines. There will be live music on the main stage outside, as well as out front. Inside, there will be additional music and televised World Cup Soccer matches. Advance tickets are $35, $40 after June 12, and $50 day of event. Tickets can be purchased from Xorbia through the event website, atlantasummerbeerfest.com.
with ‘cue inspired by different regions, the restaurant also offers craft beer and cocktails. Smokebelly also has “The Lawn,” a 1,500-square-foot patio complete with faux grass.
Guy Wong, local chef and owner of Miso Izakaya, is launching Vietnamese restaurant Le Fat this summer. The restaurant will showcase Vietnamese com (rice), bun (vermicelli), clay pots and stirfry.The new concept will be located at 935 Marietta Street in West Midtown.
Second Self Beer Company (secondselfbeer.com) will debut in West Midtown this summer under the direction of brewers and co-owners Jason Santamaria and Chris Doyle. The brewery, located at 1311 Logan Circle, will feature a 10,000 square-foot warehouse including a space for brewing equipment as well as a tasting area. Sampling tours will be available to the public.
A local food truck has branched out by opening a brick-and-mortar store. Yum Yum Dessert Co. (www.yumyumcupcake. com) is open at 3792 Roswell Road in Buckhead. Owner Nadia DeMessa is whipping up more than just cupcakes for her new location. The menu will also include homemade macarons, sundaes, pastries, ice cream sandwiches and espresso drinks. There is also outdoor seating and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Fox Restaurant Concepts is scheduled to open its first southeastern outpost of True Food Kitchen (truefoodkitchen.com) at Lenox Square in Buckhead this month. With a menu dedicated to seasonal fare and based on an anti-inflammatory diet, True Food Kitchen will offer a wide selection of vegan, vegetarian, organic and glutenfree options, along with dishes for those following a paleo or Mediterranean diet.
Virginia-Highland favorite George’s (georgesbarandrestaurant.com) now has a full service bar so you can enjoy a cocktail with one of the joint’s classic burgers.
Despite the fact that the team is moving from Downtown in a few years, the Atlanta Braves All Star Grill will open in late summer at 200 Peachtree. The sports bar will be filled with memorabilia similar to the one located at the airport. The Grill will be operated by the Goldberg Group, which runs Goldberg’s Bagel and Delis.
Smokebelly (smokebellybbq.com) is now open at 128 East Andrews offering a menu of “chef crafted barbecue.” Along
A second location of fast-casual Asian restaurant Chow Bing (chowbing.com) has opened at 3330 Piedmont Road. The restaurant allows diners to build their own platters with proteins, rice, noodles and vegetables.
Varuni Napoli (varuni.us) has opened at 1540 Monroe Drive in Midtown offering traditional Neapolitan pizzas.
The Emory Village location of Doc Chey’s Noodle House will transform into a new concept, Doc’s Dragon Bowl (dragonbowlatl.com), in late July. Dragon bowls were first introduced as rotating specials at Doc Chey’s locations. Guests will create their meals from a seasonal list of ingredients listed on the menu each day. To assemble a dragon bowl, diners will choose their “style” of vegetables and sauce, base and protein.
Atlanta has gone apartment crazy over the past year, with dozens of complexes in the works, just announced or looking for funding.
Last month, a survey by Rent.com and FlatRate Moving indicated that Atlanta was number 3 for the fastest growing cities for renters in the country (New Orleans and Austin were 1 and 2, respectively).
While Atlanta went through a boom and bust in condos before the recession, the need for apartments in the ever-growing city is likely not to diminish anytime soon. There’s also been rent creep, with studios and small one-bedrooms in prime areas (Ponce City Market, the Atlanta BeltLine) now well above the $1,200 range.
For this feature, we’re offering a progress report on apartments under construction and “projects to watch” that might become reality or remain a pipedream.
Progress Report
AMLI Ponce Park
AMLI’s newest complex, featuring 305 one-and-two bedroom units, is at 641 North Ave. just steps from the BeltLine. It’s expected to open in July.
Bohemian House
Dubbed BoHoO4W, the 276-unit one-andtwo bedroom apartment building at 477 Wilmer St. (off Glenn Iris Drive) held its grand opening in May.
The Flats at PCM
The exclusive 259 residential units at Ponce City Market building in the Old Fourth Ward include original details such as steel sash windows, exposed ceilings, architectural columns and European-style kitchens. Leasing is underway and moveins are expected to begin in the fall.
755 North
The latest development from Perennial Properties is being built on a hillside above The Masquerade and adjacent to the BeltLine at the corner of North Avenue and Somersett Terrace. Move-ins are expected to begin at the 228-unit building in August.
Gene Kansas Commercial Real Estate has announced it will renovate the historic Atlanta Daily World newspaper building on Auburn Avenue into apartments and street-level retail. The apartments could be ready by fall.
Alexan at Krog Street
Trammel Crow Residential is building this 222-unit apartment building on the Eastside Trail of the BeltLine adjacent to the Stove Works. The apartments will be completed in summer 2015, and you’ll be able to walk across the street to Krog Street Market.
Inman Quarter
The project formerly known as 280 Elizabeth Street is under construction in Inman Park. The mixed-use development will have 200 apartments and some of them are expected to be available for move-in this fall.
131 Ponce
Part of the historic Gulf Oil Building, designed by famed architect I.M. Pei in 1949, will be incorporated into this 280unit apartment complex located between Piedmont Avenue and Juniper Street. The project is under construction and could be open by the end of summer.
SkyHouse South (100 6th Street) Originally known as 100 6th, Novare Group christened the 23-story, 320-unit building as one of its SkyHouse properties. The building opened in March.
University House
Georgia Tech students who want to move out of the cramped dorms will have a new option in Fall 2015 with this 17-story high rise going up at 930 Spring Street.
33 Peachtree Place
Wood Partners applied for development permits in May for the 19-story, 343-unit building, which will have ground level retail.
Atlantic 16
The 317-unit development just broke ground at the corner of 16th and Mecaslin Street near the IKEA store at Atlantic Station. The building could be ready by early 2015.
Morningside
Fuqua Development has demolished the old Rock Springs shopping center and Taco Cabana restaurant at the corner of Piedmont and Cheshire Bridge roads for
a new mixed-use development currently called Morningside. The 6-acre property will have 300 apartments and 44,000 square feet of retail space including anchor tenant Sprouts Farmers Market.
SkyHouse Buckhead
Novare broke ground in March for this 26-story, 362 units at the corner of Peachtree and Stratford roads. Completion is expected in early 2015.
Crescent Terminus
Pre-leasing is underway for the 355-unit luxury apartment complex in the Terminus development at the corner of Peachtree and Piedmont roads in Buckhead.
1000 Park Avenue
Developer John Kusmiersky is proposing at new luxury condo tower called 1000 Park Avenue, which would mirror the existing 750 Park Avenue tower in Buckhead. The 39-story building on Wieuca Road near Phipps Plaza would contain 200 units.
Camden Paces
The largest project currently under construction is Camden Paces on East Andrews, a 376-unit complex being developed by Camden Property Trust. It’s expected to open later this summer.
The Residence Buckhead Atlanta
Pre-leasing is underway for the 370-unit high-rise luxury apartment homes located at the Buckhead Atlanta project. The two 20-story towers rise more than 200 feet and feature floor plans ranging from 692-square-foot studios to 1,997-squarefoot, three-bedroom penthouses. Move-ins
begin in the fall.
Crescent Howell Mill
The five-story, 256-unit luxury apartment community between Buckhead and Midtown will open in spring 2015. The 2.2acre site is adjacent to future restaurant and retail development on Howell Mill Road at the intersection of Collier Road.
Collier Lofts
Located at 1391 Collier Road in Buckhead, the 184-unit building has creek-side apartments and a big dog park. Some units were expected to be open by press time, while the majority will open this summer.
Emory Point Phase II
Gables Residential and Cousins Properties have begun construction on Emory Point Phase II – a mixed-used development on Clifton Road near Emory University and the CDC campus. Phase II will include an additional 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and 307 luxury apartment homes. The development is scheduled to be completed spring 2015.
The Place on Ponce
This 28-unit building with a fitness center, clubhouse, bike shop and dog spa is set to open this fall at 315 West Ponce de Leon Ave. in Decatur
Projects To Watch
1163 West Peachtree
Novare wants to build a 31-story building with 400 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail at the corner of 14th and West Peachtree streets.
182 10th Street
Atlanta Realty Partners has pitched a multi-building, mixed-use project to Midtown’s Neighborhood Planning Unit-E for the empty property on 10th Street near Piedmont Avenue. The development would feature a16-story building with164 condos, a 24-story apartment building (that would
actually face 11th Street) with 284 units and a five-story structure with 46 apartments.
AMLI Arts Center
AMLI Residential wants to build a 30-story tower with 351 units at West Peactree at 15th that was originally to be the site of Trump Towers Atlanta.
Post Midtown Millennium
A proposed 23-story tower with 321 apartments would open on 11th behind the Federal Reserve.
98 14th Street
There are plans for a massive three-tower project on the site that was going to be home to a new symphony hall. There would be 1,300 residential units, a 340-room hotel and 90,000 square feet of retail.
60 11th Street
A 20-story apartment tower has been proposed as part of the 12th & Midtown development. Daniel Corp and Selig Enterprises hope to break ground this fall.
6th and Peachtree
The Integral Group has proposed a futuristic-looking 35-story, 400-unit apartment building that would anchor 25,000 square feet of retail.
Yoo on the Park
The 25-story tower at 207 13th St. would feature an unknown number of apartments.
Poncey-Highland
Druid Hills Baptist Church is hoping to
transform property behind the historic sanctuary at the corner of North Highland and Ponce de Leon Avenues into a mixeduse development with more than 100 apartments, office space and retail.
King Memorial Station
Walton Communities will build a mixeduse 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.
Reynoldstown The to-be-named 285unit property from Elan will be located across from the Edgewood Retail District on Moreland Avenue. As with most new developments, there will also be retail on the ground floor of the five-story building.
Scott Boulevard
Fuqua Development finally received approval to build a mixed-use development on the site of Scott Boulevard Baptist Church. Demolition on the site is expected to begin in August and the project will include apartments and townhomes.
Phipps Plaza
Simon Properties plans to build 320 luxury residential units, a 164-room hotel and a luxury storefront adjacent to the Buckhead mall.
Buckhead Avenue
A six-story, 375-unit complex has been proposed for Buckhead Avenue near the Buckhead Atlanta development.
Handcrafted pewter details provide drama on the white hood and custom white cabinetry. The island is crafted of hand-rubbed alder and creates a rich furniture feel that bridges old and new. A hiddencentrally located pantry provides ample storage without relying on an abundance of kitchen cabinetry.
HammerSmith Inc. transformed the dated kitchen in a home near Sandy Springs shown at left into the modern and elegant cooking space you see in the photos above and below. The kitchen was recently featured on the Junior League Tour of Kitchens.
Top sales associates with Harry Norman, Realtors recently gathered at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead to be recognized and honored for their outstanding achievements in real estate and exceptional service to the community in 2013. The following agents from Harry Norman’s Buckhead office placed in the top 50 outstanding agents honored at the event: Bonneau Ansley III, Studie Young, Cathy Boston, Carol Young, Becky Morris, Mary Stuart Iverson, Dawn Mullins, CiCi Harris, Sandy Abrams and Charles Guthrie.
Epic Development will break ground this summer on eight townhomes and two single-family homes in the shadow of the Old Fourth Ward’s historic water tower at the corner of Irwin Street and Auburn Avenue. Just steps from the Atlanta BeltLine and the soon-to-open Krog Street Market, the Water Tower Stacks is being designed to fit in with the industrial look of the water tower and the neighboring Studioplex.
Local real estate agent Kevin White has launched a new website, CondoElite.
com to make it easier to search for luxury condos in metro Atlanta. White said price points will begin at $199,000 to be listed on the site. “I created this website out of a clear need that I felt was not being met for Atlanta condo buyers,” he said. “Many websites seem to be realtor friendly but not client friendly.”
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers has entered into an exclusive partnership with DotLoop to provide an entirely new paperless transaction experience for their real estate buyers, sellers and agents. By implementing DotLoop, real estate buyers can view all of their contracts and documents online and see the status of their real estate transaction every step of the way.
At the recent RE/MAX statewide award ceremony, RE/MAX of Georgia honored Donna Armstrong , owner/ broker of RE/MAX Metro Atlanta with the 2013 Outstanding Service Award. The award is given to an individual based on coaching and dedication to her agents.
Studies show that patients who receive physical therapy care within three days of an injury have better results and lower risk of comorbidities. Better results is why we do everything possible to get patients in within 24-48 hours of a referral.
That’s why BenchMark is proud to announce our new Virginia Highlands clinic. Now, Atlanta’s preferred physical therapy service is convenient for you.
Clockwise from top right: The Decatur Lantern Parade; NFL and Atlanta officials break ground for the new Falcons and Major Leage Soccer stadium in Downtown Atlanta; Ron Tarson, general manager of The Westin Peachtree Plaza, greets guests at the party celebrating the completion of the hotel’s $70 million renovation; and despite the rainy weather, thousands turned out for Atlanta Streets Alive on May 18 along Peachtree Street.
Send your photos for Parting Shots to collin@atlantaintownpaper.com.
ORMEWOOD PARK - Unfinished 3rd floor stubbed for bath, sep office on main w/
ANSLEY PARK - Artisan high-end finishes throughout. Entrance foyer flanked by formal LR and DR. Guest ste on main, plus private Study/ Library. 6Bed/5FullBath/2HalfBath $1,699,000 FMLS: 5281774
Sally Westmoreland 404-354-4845
BROOKWOOD HILLS - Open floor plan w/ hardwoods, vaulted ceils, walls of windows. Gourmet kit w/professional appls, subzero refrigerator, stone c’tops. 4Bed/3Bath $925,000
FMLS: 5251159
Lisa Barnhart 404-771-1178
KIRKWOOD - Two generous bedrooms upstairs plus laundry and hall full bath. Chef’s kit w/built-in b’fast bar. Lrg fam rm w/fireplace. Great fenced backyard w/deck & patio. 3Bed/2.5Bath $389,900 FMLS: 5287129
Melissa Stratton 404-713-5850
GREENLAND VILLAGE - European elegance situated on cul-de-sac enclave of nine homes in phenomenal Sandy Springs location! 3 finished levels, master on main, chef’s kit. 4Bed/4.5Bath $589,900 FMLS: 5287807
Beth Smith 678-595-4448
BUCKHEAD - Perfectly maintained home in Brandon Morris School district. Master suite w/spacious closet & master bath w/double vanity; private backyard. 5Bed/3.5Bath
$874,900 FMLS: 5262187
Debbie Heaton 404-434-2262
OLMSTED AT EAST LAKE - Craftsman featuring plantation shutters, coffered ceilings, fireplace in great rm, spacious updated kit w/SS appl & large island. 3Bed/2.5Bath $400,000
FMLS: 5283996 Patrick Peyer 404-784-7936
Amber Mason 678-637-3530
HIGH HAVEN - Huge square footage! Spacious split level w/3 lrg living areas: LR, fam rm and den. Sep DR. Large eat-in kitchen w/tons of storage, hardwoods. 5Bed/3Bath $335,000 FMLS: 5208988
Mike Kondalski 404-234-9379
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
MIDTOWN - Luxurious penthouse unit. Magnificent views. Floor-to-ceiling windows. Granite c-tops. Hardwood floors. Spacious patio. Walk to everything. 3Bed/3Bath $349,900
FMLS:5273346 Patrick Jones 404-518-8787
Rea Kelly 404-428-9929
BUCKHEAD - Posh W Residences. Turnkey. Completely furnished. First resale. Hotel services and amenities. Unrivaled finishes throughout. Amazing views of the city. 2Bed/2Bath $499,000 FMLS: 5254187 Marc Castillo 404-449-6862
MIDTOWN - Fabulous location. Walkable neighborhood. Hardwood floors. Private parking. Great amenities.1Bed/1Bath $199,000
FMLS: 5246271
Haddy Cham 404-983-2549
MIDTOWN - Desirable loft-living. Top floor unit. Amazing renovation. Professionally designed. Skyline view. Covered-gated-assigned parking. Great amenities. Hardwoods. True walkable neighborhood. 1Bed/1Bath $199,222
FMLS: 5278388 Drew Cockrell 404-323-2273
MIDTOWN - Sought after NE facing condo in 1010 Midtown. Spacious and open floor plan. Hardwoods, custom closets, s/s appliances. Amazing views. 2Bed/2Bath $439,000
FMLS: 5281101 Allen Snow 404-931-1176
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 $949,000
FMLS: 5181791 Collin Ellingson 404-705-1570
OLD FOURTH WARD - Spacious-bright floor plan. Refinished hardwoods downstairs. New carpet upstairs. Renovated baths. Updated kitchen. 2 outdoor patios. 3Bed/2Bath $385,000 FMLS: 5285809 Patrick Jones 404680-9534 or Rea Kelly 404-428-9929
