Atlanta Intown - June 2018

RESERVED

Morningside: 1598 West Sussex Road. Exceptional Mediterranean Residence Recently Expanded to 5 Bedrooms Including Coach House. Heated Pool, Gourmet Kitchen, Striking Master Suite. Honduran Mahogany Windows & Doors 5BR/5.5BA $2,150,000

Druid Hills: 1237

New toMarket

Morningside: 1635 Wildwood Road. Outstanding All Brick Home Offers Combination of Seldom Seen Features & Excellent Location! Very Stylish Interiors, 10+++ Floor Plan & Rare Coach House, Fully Finished Terrace Level 6BR/5.5BA $1,695,000.

Pine Hills: 1316 Victor Road. Striking, MidCentury Home on Corner Lot with Beautiful Interiors and Suprebly Located in Desirable Pine Hills Neighborhood. 4 BR/3.5BA $799,000

Morningside : 1960 Windham Park. Handsome Home with Open Floor Plan, 4 Upstairs Bedrooms. Private Backyard & Pool, Finished Basement BR/4.5BA $899,000

Morningside: 1651 North Pelham Road. Architecturally Rich with Center Atrium & Light-Filled Rooms. Generous Motor Court & Coach House 5BR/4.5BA $1,295,000

Morningside: 1032 Cumberland Road. Classic Morningside Bungalow on a Great Lot, Offers Period Charm and is Literally Steps to Coveted Morningside Elementary 4BR/3BA $799,000

YOUR LIFE YOUR HOME YOUR REALTOR®

Morningside: 1629 North Pelham Road. Claassic Home in Ideal Location with Five True Bedrooms, Outstanding Kids Playroom on 2nd Floor, Master on Main. 5BR/3BA $899.000

Morningside: 1210 Lenox Circle. Solid Ranch on a Quiet Morningside Street. Movein Ready, Renovated Kitchen & Baths, Level Backyard 3BR/2BA $525,000

Morningside: 771 San Antonio Drive Outstanding 2013 JACKBILT Residence with Backyard Oasis, Pool & Spa. Pristine Condition, Excellent Floor Plan, Total Package! 6BR/6.5BA $2,150,000

404-664-8280 Office 404-874-2751 ken.covers@evusa.com kencovers.evusa.com 1411 N Highland Avenue Atlanta · GA 30306

CONTACT US

Editorial Collin Kelley INtown Editor collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

(404) 917-2200, ext. 102

Contributors

Evelyn Andrews, Julie E. Bloemeke, Kathy Dean, Joe Earle, Grace Huseth, Asep Mawardi, Annie Kinnett Nichols, Isadora Pennington, Clare Richie, Tim Sullivan, Megan Volpert

Submissions

Article queries and calendar submissions should be emailed to collin@ atlantaintownpaper.com.

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The Neighborhood

6 } Atlanta BeltLine Center

7 } MARTA Expansion

8 } Central Library Renovations

8 } Piedmont Park Expansion

10 } Pet Pick

11 } Grady

Enjoy free admission and special programs on the second Sunday of each month.

Nostalgic for summers’ past

EDITOR’S LETTER

There’s always plenty to do around Atlanta in the summer – from festivals and concerts to Six Flags and Stone Mountain. But I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic lately for the places and activities of summers’ past that no longer exist. Blame it on too many hours looking at Atlanta Time Machine or middle-aged melancholy (or maybe summertime sadness as Lana Del Rey would call it), but even as the city has gained so many fun things to do, it’s also lost some great ones, too.

The attraction that instantly comes to mind is the Toy Museum of Atlanta. It was housed in a long-gone Victorian mansion near the Cathedral of St. Philip’s in Buckhead. It was truly a wonderland of toys, dating back to the 19th century. There was also a wall dedicated to what was then brand new: “Star Wars” action figures. They had all of them! The museum closed in 1984 and the collection was auctioned off for a reported $6 million. Sigh.

Designed for little kids, big kids, and the whole family, Second Sundays are for everyone. Visit us each month and experience new interactive, innovative family activities inspired by our collections and ever-changing exhibitions.

Second Sundays are sponsored by the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation. Special thanks to

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Another short-lived attraction was the World of Sid and Marty Krofft, which was located on the upper floors of what is now CNN Center. This indoor amusement park was only open for six months in 1976, and it was both horrifying and entertaining – perhaps more so if you were stoned. Seeing my favorite TV characters like H.R. Pufnstuf come to life was cool, but this psychedelic playground was way ahead of its time. I am lucky to have seen it, thanks to persistent pestering of my parents. This pestering would also earn me a trip to the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, which was a hellish experience that I am still actively trying to suppress.

Collin Kelley collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

Six Flags is still a going concern that draws thousands, but what I miss is the concerts at the demolished amphitheater. I have cherished memories of seeing Cyndi Lauper, Depeche Mode and Stevie Nicks at the Southern Star Amphitheater, and getting in a few rides on the Scream Machine and Mine Train beforehand.

Summer is also when I miss old shopping haunts like Tower Records and Oxford Books. Both were open until midnight, so if there was nothing else to do you could always go and browse the new releases. I discovered so many of my favorite musicians and authors on these sprees. We need more late night shopping in Atlanta besides the 24-hour Walmarts in the burbs.

When I got older, I spent many summer nights dancing at Backstreet (which was open 24 hours a day) and The Armory in Midtown or watching the drag show at Lavita’s (which was located next door to the Tara Cinema). LGBT nightlife hasn’t been the same since these clubs closed down, despite others rising to take their place.

I’m usually not one to succumb to nostalgia and I actively try to live in the present, but there is something about summer that brings around memories of what we had and what we’ve lost.

The World of Sid and Marty Krofft

The Neighborhood

Center of Attention

New Atlanta BeltLine Center offers information, education

By Grace Huseth

If you’re strolling along the Eastside Trail and curious about the past, present and future of the trail network, be sure to pop inside the new Atlanta BeltLine Center for the answers.

The center opened in The Stove Works in April to celebrate and educate users on all the BeltLine has to offer. The space has served as offices for the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership since 2016, but has now been transformed into a visitor and community center, which is open Monday through Friday, 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Executive Director Rob Brawson said the mission of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership can be summed up in one word: support. The Atlanta BeltLine Center serves as the base camp that aids the partnership’s mission to fundraise, program and advocate for the 22-mile loop.

“The BeltLine impacts everyone in the city, whether you live directly on it or you live in the region. It’s such a catalyst for a new type of lifestyle and culture,” Brawson said.

It is decorated with bikes suspended from the ceiling, a mosaic wall of donors to the project and a giant map that gives an overview of the entire BeltLine project. Visitors can also use the restroom, register for a fitness class, check out branded merchandise and find out how to contribute to the BeltLine.

The center offers three types of tours, starting with one led by Trees Atlanta that includes a 1.5 hour guided walking tour of the BeltLine with an emphasis on nature. Other options are to hop on your bike with Atlanta BeltLine Partnership for a guided history tour or sign up for the 3-hour bus tour that runs every Saturday morning.

Later this month, the BeltLine will host an All Call Service Day on Saturday, June 30 in Maddox Park. The family friendly, quarterly service day is in partnership with Friends of Maddox Park and LOVE Atlanta and Park Pride.

More information on the Center can be found at BeltLine.org/beltlinecenter.

Donor recognition wall thanks capital and annual donors and key strategic partners, including major funding from the James M. Cox Foundation, Ponce City Market, PwC Charitable Foundation and MailChimp.

Executive Director Rob Brawson and communications coordinator John Becker ride their bikes to work every day.

MARTA Expansion

By Collin Kelley

MARTA and the City of Atlanta have recommended building 21 miles of light rail and 18 miles of bus rapid transit lines to improve transportation in the city.

According to a report at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, MARTA is finalizing expansion plans that will be funded by the half-penny sales tax approved by voters in 2016. The sales tax is expected to generate $2.5 billion over 40 years.

The plan includes completing the long-proposed Clifton Corridor light rail through Emory University, but Atlanta BeltLine proponents expressed displeasure that only about a third of the light rail promised for the 22mile loop is part of the list. MARTA plans get public feedback on the projects over the summer before coming up with a final list in September.

Some of the Intown highlights of the plan:

Clifton Corridor: Light rail service from Lindbergh Station to Emory University.

Atlanta BeltLine:

In the northeast section, there will be three miles of in-street light rail service from Ponce City Market to Lindbergh Station. For the southwest section, in-street light rail would run from I-20 to Oakland City station.

Crosstown:

Three miles of in-street light rail would connect the Atlanta Streetcar in Downtown to the Westside Trail of the BeltLine, while two miles of light rail would connect the Atlanta Streetcar in Downtown to the BeltLine near Ponce City Market.

Bus rapid transit:

A number of rapid transit bus lines have been proposed, including the three-mile Capitol Avenue line to connect to the BeltLine. A four-mile North Avenue line would connect Bankhead Station to the BeltLine along Hollowell Parkway and North Avenue. An “arterial rapid transit” line (offering more frequent service) would connect Brookhaven to Five Points along Peachtree Street/Road.

21 miles of light rail and 18 miles of rapid bus lines recommended

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Renovation Time

Central Library in Downtown will be closed for more than a year

By Collin Kelley

ON THE AGENDA

MEETINGS

The Atlanta City Council meets June 4 and June 18 at 1 p.m. at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave. For agendas and more information, visit citycouncil.atlantaga.gov.

The Decatur City Commission meets in open session on the first and third Mondays of each month at City Hall, 509 North McDonough Street, at 7:30 p.m.

NPU-E, which includes Midtown, Ansley Park, Home Park and Loring Heights, meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree St.

NEWS

The Atlanta City Council has authorized an investigation into the $800,000 in bonuses and gifts given to employees by former mayor Kasim Reed before he left office.

Peachtree Center in Downtown has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has joined Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination, a bipartisan coalition of U.S. municipal leaders committed to fight against the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

The Atlanta City Council has subleased the historic clubhouse at Bobby Jones Golf Course in Buckhead to the Haynes Manor Recital Hall Foundation. The foundation plans to convert the property on Woodward Way into a concert hall and music education center.

Oulèye N. Warnock has been appointed Senior Human Trafficking Fellow of the City of Atlanta in the ongoing effort to prevent trafficking and support survivors.

The

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

has announced that the Central Library in Downtown will close July 1 for $50 million in extensive renovations.

The library will be closed for 18 to 24 months for controversial changes, including the addition of windows to the facade of the Brutalist building designed by Marcel Breuer.

The last day of service at the Central Library will be Sunday, July 1, for the regularly scheduled hours of 2 – 6 p.m.

“The closing of our Central Library [and Library System Headquarters] will kick off an extensive renovation project that we expect will take 18 months to

complete. The result will be a completely reimagined space that will transform and modernize the downtown Atlanta library, while improving service delivery, and

creating a community gathering space that can serve all of Fulton County for years to come,” said Dr. Gabriel Morley, Director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. “While we know the closing will bring some inconvenience, the result will be well worth it.”

During construction various aspects of the services available only at the Central Library will be moved to neighboring locations. Final plans for relocated services will be available at afpls.org when temporary workspaces are finalized.

For up-to-date information on the library renovation, visit aflpls.org or call the hotline at 404613-READ (7323).

City acquires land for Piedmont Park expansion

The City of Atlanta has agreed to purchase 2.94 acres of land located at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive for the expansion of Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The acquisition of the property was approved by the Atlanta City Council on May 21.

“I am delighted to announce that we are, once again, committing to enhancing worldclass greenspace that will provide residents, families and visitors with access to healthy recreation and spectacular natural beauty in the heart of our City,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement. “Thank you to the Piedmont Park Conservancy and the

Botanical Garden for their partnership in this visionary project. It will transform the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive and provide a landmark gateway entrance to the crown jewel of our park system.”

As the city moves forward, the Department of Parks and Recreation will host a series of community meetings to incorporate public feedback into the design of the pedestrian trails, the trail connections and access to the BeltLine, as well as the expanded Piedmont Park and Atlanta Botanical Garden.

The city will pay up to $20.4 million for the property with a majority of funds coming from the TSPLOST approved by

voters in 2016, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and the Department of Parks and Recreation. A philanthropic effort to raise $80 million in private funds for the full development and expansion of Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden will be led by Carol Tomé, Chair of the Atlanta Botanical Garden Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer of The Home Depot. The property is currently operated as a retail development subject to commercial lease, whose income will be used to offset costs until each lease expires or terminates and the expansion begins.

A rendering of the windows added to the facade of the Central Library.

A rendering of the expanded park at the intersection of Monroe Drive and Piedmont Avenue.

Blaze is a dreamy, easy cat. She’s social when you need a snuggle at the end of a long day or comfortable entertaining herself when you’re busy binging your favorite Netflix series. She loves to stretch out on the coach, and she’ll nuzzle up against you if she senses maybe you need a hug. She’ll even “talk” with you, if you’re feeling chatty. Blaze loves the quiet lull of home life, the sun on the hardwoods, the space between the cushions just big enough to hold a kitty, the sound of your key in the door. To adopt Blaze, visit PAWS Atlanta’s website at pawsatlanta.org or the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

The Dogs Will See You Now …

This pawfect duo - Peaches and Honey Duke - were the first dogs to start seeing patients at Grady as part of the hospital’s Pet Therapy Program. Their skill set includes relieving stress, providing comfort, and giving the best cuddles. That’s how they roll.

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A Helping Paw

Grady adds dog-assisted therapy to patient care

Patients at Grady Hospital can now get a helping paw from certified therapy dogs on their road to recovery, thanks to the new Grady Dog Therapy Program.

Research has shown that interaction with therapy dogs can substantially ease patients’ physical and emotional pain, and Lindsay Caulfied, Chief Experience Officer for Grady Health System, puts it more plainly: “Our dogs help patients heal.”

Caulfield said the dogs have been introduced into Grady’s trauma, cardiac, burn, stroke and neuroscience departments to help critically ill or injured patients. All dogs involved in the program are certified through Pet Partners or Happy Tails.

“Since the launch of the program, visits from the dogs have provided comfort, and in many instances encouraged patients to become engaged in their recovery,” she said.

Former patient Jaylen Richardson stayed in Grady’s Burn Center for more than a year, after a near-fatal motorcycle accident in August 2016 caused third degree burns, and led to 34 surgeries, an induced coma and the loss of his left forearm.

“I was depressed. I refused to work with the doctors and nurses to rehabilitate myself, I just wanted to stay in my bed. But then one day Honey Duke and Peaches came into my room, and something came alive in me. I focused on them and my pain went out the window,” Richardson said.

Richardson’s transformation and hundreds of other patients like him has made the Dog Therapy Program a staple in how Grady delivers care, Caulfield said.

“It’s not only the patient who reaps the benefits from this program, family members and staff who visit with our dogs say they feel better too,” she said. “We’re adding more therapy dogs to the line-up so we can reach even more patients and staff with this comforting program.”

For more information, visit gradyhealth.org/grady-furlunteer.

Send us your pet picks!

For our August issue, we’ll be featuring photographs of pets and their owners. Send us a snap of you and your pet (or pets) and you might see yourself in this special section! Photos should be high resolution with all persons and pets identified by name. Send your images by July 18 to editor Collin Kelley at collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

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Three UPS Store Locations

Commerce Square Emor y Commons

Ansley Mall II

When you have school-aged children, you ask yourself things like: can I still go to music festivals? The short answer is no, you probably can’t. Or at least you shouldn’t, right? You have baseball games and Tae Kwan Do classes to shuttle to and even if you bailed on all the kid activities and left them with a babysitter, you’ll feel guilty and broke. Probably best to just give up and put on your weekend cargo shorts because you’ll be needing those impressive pockets.

UNLESS….unless you have an ace in the hole (like my motherin-law). Then perhaps you could pull it off. Kristen and I gave it a try last month with the Shaky Knees Festival in Midtown. We bought three-day passes, but like a toddler with a three-scoop ice cream cone, we knew this to be overly ambitious. Sunday would never work. Elliott had soccer down in Hampton, which is an awful long way from Midtown, and we had a First Communion dinner for our nephew. We would miss The National play, but paring it down to two days relieved a little anxiety. It’s been a long time since I’ve Lollapalooza-d.

By Tim Sullivan

On Friday we worked half days and then UBERed to Midtown. We started with Jimmy Eat World, which is a collection of middle-aged dad rockers so we felt right at home. Kristen and I were pairing up the band members with their respective doppelgangers in our friends group (Dan Payne, Mark Johnson and Ben Thoele, we’re looking at you guys). They played all the songs I know and played them well. It was a great start.

Next we saw Courtney Barnett, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and then Fleet Foxes and still we didn’t feel all that out of place. I mean sure, there were an inordinate amount of bros there. One guy wore a tank top that said “Malibro.” I overheard him telling a friend it was meant to be ironic but the irony escaped me. It was hot and dusty and from the omnipresent scent in the air we learned that marijuana is basically legal now. Unlike the Music Midtowns of my 20s, the after-party plan pretty much only entailed a shower. But actual fun was had. It wasn’t just a situation where I convince myself I’m having fun because things like this used to be fun.

Jack White was the late show and we would have liked to see him, but 9 a.m. soccer is no joke. Don’t call me boring. A proper window of time would be needed to sleep, then handle two soccer games and a dance class before again leaving the kids with Pat. This is highly structured leisure time, people.

First up Saturday was a band called Parquet Courts and they had a stripped down, post-punk sound like a mashup of The Replacements and Fugazi. I felt right at home. Manchester Orchestra was fantastic and the War on Drugs guy is like a young Alice Cooper if only Alice Cooper wrote heartbreakingly beautiful songs. Even the food was excellent. We ate some millennial concoction called a Roti and I’m not sure what’s in it but it was nothing short of spectacular.

Then we saw Matt and Kim. You may know this band as I do from their catchy pop tunes and Buick commercials. Which is to say we don’t know this band. Band is almost the wrong word here… more like DJ party people? I don’t know. Sometimes they play instruments, but the music also magically continues while they are dancing atop the drum set. Kristen and I found ourselves ensconced in what I think was our first rave. From the stage it was demanded the crowd party harder or better or something and most obliged. Kim showed her boobs, the music swirled and somewhere amongst the throngs I imagine Malibro was twirling. Our festival meter had officially expired.

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

Photos by Asep Mawardi

Hip Hotel

The Clermont is open to guests once again

By Annie Kinnett Nichols

If you’ve ever spent a night drinking and watching the dancers at the Clermont Lounge and wondered why you couldn’t go upstairs and spend the night in the hotel, well now you can.

The former Clermont Motor Hotel has been reborn as Hotel Clermont, complete with hip rooftop bar, lobby café and bar and a French-American brassiere called Tiny Lou’s.

The Clermont first opened its door in 1924 as a motor lodge and apartments. Tucked underneath, the Lounge was sometimes a restaurant and sometimes a venue featuring burlesque acts of the day. Tiny Lou was a favorite dancer in the 1950s, where is where the new restaurant got its name.

The Clermont fell into disrepair in the 1980s and was shuttered for decades until Phillip Welker and Alan Rae partnered up to bring the landmark back. And back it is.

The 94-room boutique hotel features eye candy for the retro crowd, harkening back to the roaring 20s with a splash of 70s glam. The rooms come in three sizes, including suites, rooms and bunkrooms, which are perfect for groups of friends. The hotel is also petfriendly.

Atlanta’s

Above: Contributing writer Annie Kinnett Nichols, pictured above, got to experience the newly opened Hotel Clermont on Ponce de Leon Avenue including the rooftop bar and lounge with its amazing views of the skyline.

Left: Special guests will get a coveted leather key chain that allows free entry to the rooftop play area.

Opposite page: The iconic Hotel Clermont tower has been restored on the roof.

The hotel offers fun packages like “Never Want To Leave,” which offers 24-hour check in and out and a round of drinks in your room. There’s also the “Cinema Vérité,” which offers behind the scenes tours of the Plaza Theater, tickets to a film, pre-show drinks and post show ice cream sundae.

As for Tiny Lou’s, the menu is French with a touch of the South with a culinary dive into foie gras, escargot, pomme frites and steak, Blue Ridge Trout Almondine, Vidalia Onion soup and much more. Chef Jeb Aldrich (formerly from 4th and Swift, Noble Fin and Canoe) is a firm believer in local food.

Bar manager Jordan Moore presides over the hotel’s three bars, including the Roof Top Bar with its amazing city views, astro turf surface and serving up cold rum drinks and street food. Play your cards right (or live in the neighborhood) and you’ll get a coveted leather key chain that gets you to the top for free.

And, yes, the Clermont Lounge is still the place for dancing, bands, drinks and performances from the Lounge Girls. And now, after a night of debauchery, you can go upstairs and sleep it off.

For more information, visit hotelclermont.com.

‘Cutting-edge’ digital sign to replace iconic Equitable logo

By Collin Kelley

The iconic “Equitable” logo atop the 100 Peachtree tower will soon make way for what Zeller Realty Group hopes will become another icon – the city’s first digital building-top signage.

The 50-year-old Downtown building is undergoing a revitalization process, including Georgia’s Own Credit Union relocating its headquarters to the 620,000-squarefoot tower.

Zeller Realty Group (ZRG) is working with Skanska USA to have the 174-foot-long, LED digital sign installed by early 2019 in time for the Super Bowl. The sign will display Georgia’s Own Credit Union’s logo as well as community-oriented messages promoting local and charitable events.

While the removal of the “Equitable” sign from the former headquarters of the Equitable Life Insurance building will alter the Downtown skyline, Central Atlanta Progress is putting a positive spin on the change.

“As we move towards achieving our vision of creating a diverse and active marketplace for commerce and entertainment in the heart of Downtown Atlanta, digital signage and media will play a key role in supporting this growth and defining Atlanta’s culture and brand,” said AJ Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress in a statement. “This cutting-edge, digital building-top sign is the first of its kind in Downtown Atlanta, and aligns perfectly with the goals and objectives of the newly formed Arts and Entertainment District.”

Along with the new signage, ZRG is working with design firm Gensler to redesign 100 Peachtree’s amenity spaces. The lobby will transform into an “artful, inviting experience, with new outdoor gathering spaces, soft seating, an interactive screen and public art installations,” according to a media release about the project. The 18th floor will become an “amenity hub” with a state-of-the-art conference center, tenant lounge, collaboration spaces and an upgraded fitness center. Renovations on the lobby and amenity floor will begin this summer.

Along with Georgia’s Own Credit Union, which will celebrate its 85th anniversary next year, 100 Peachtree is also the new home of The Boston Consulting Group.

SYLVIA MALLARINO BRAS

BUSINESS BRIEFS

WRS Inc. has hired commercial real estate firm JLL to market the “vertical development opportunity” for Block One at Underground Atlanta, a 1.9-acre block along Peachtree Street adjacent to the Five Points MARTA station at the northwest corner of Pryor and Upper Alabama. The development of Block One is the first part of the four-block transformation of Underground Atlanta, which will include residential, office, retail and hotel space. Project details for Block One can be found at undergroundblockone.com.

CBRE has been selected as the leasing agent for the 13-story Class A office building One Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. In addition to modern office space, the building includes a three-story lower level parking garage, outdoor event and dining space, quick access to Georgia 400 and is adjacent to Phipps Plaza shopping mall. Information: onephippsplaza. com.

Workplace furnituremaker Kimball has opened a 7,500 square-foot showroom on the Westside at 2282 Defoor Hills Road NW. Information: kimball. com.

Pop fashion retailer Forever 21 will open a 21,000 square foot flagship store at Atlantic Station next summer.

Atlanta’s Little Mammoth Media, which makes fun, adventure-filled films for kids, is kicking off its 25th anniversary with a remake of its first-ever movie, “The BIG Plane Trip.” The reimagined film, “The New BIG Plane Trip,” shares a behind-the-scenes look at a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to its final destination in London’s Heathrow Airport. Over the last 25 years, Little Mammoth Media has sold tens of thousands of videos to entertain children in more than 30 different countries around the world. Information: littlemammoth.com.

a $6 million renovation with creative office spaces now available and a bar-restaurant on the way. Information: Circa730.com

What My Clients Are Saying

Our experience with Lee was wonderful and we can highly recommend him to both buyers and sellers. Lee is an extremely nice person and his approach toward us as well as buyers demonstrated the highest level of courtesy and professionalism. Lee gave us some great advice on staging which really helped to show our house well. In addition, we had already moved out of state. Lee kept a close eye on our house while we were away ensuring that it remained secure, clean and always ready to show.

--Frank Raue and Michael Browning

Crestlight Capital and Lincoln Property Company Southeast has rechristened the 730 Midtown office building as Circa 730. The 11-story building on Peachtree Street has undergone

Spaces, a new co-working space, is set to open this month at Colony Square in Midtown. Information: spacesworks. com.

Natural and holistic pet food retailer Hollywood Feed has opened at 3535 Northside Parkway in Paces Ferry Plaza in Buckhead. The shop also offers a large selection of toys, bedding and accessories for dogs and cats. Information: HollywoodFeed.com.

Bird is the Word

Rentable electric scooters available around Intown

Transwestern Atlanta is leasing the 17,000-squarefoot space at the top of the AFC building at 3343 Peachtree Road after City Club of Buckhead closed its operations. City Club had been in the building for more than 30 years.

You might have noticed people riding on sleek black scooters around Midtown, Downtown and West End. Or maybe you’ve seen them parked in various locations around Virginia-Highland and Inman Park.

Atlanta is one of the first cities – along with Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Austin and Washington D.C. – to get the dockless, electric Bird scooters. You simply download the Bird app to your smartphone to find a “nest” (an area where the scooters are grouped together each morning) or to find one parked along the street. The scooters top speed is 15 miles per hour and can run for about 15 miles on a single charge. Sorry, kids, but you have to be 18 or older to rent and ride.

The cost is $1 to start a ride and then 15 cents per minute. Bird scooters are only available during the day. Rentals begin at 7 a.m., while a Bird crew begins picking up the scooters for recharging and maintenance every evening at 8 p.m.

The company, which is based in Venice, CA, says the Bird is perfect for short journeys across town or that “last-mile” from the subway or bus to a destination.

To get more information or download the app, visit bird.co.

– Collin Kelley

Home & Real Estate

On the Level

Women-owned Level Craft Construction is detail-oriented

By Kathy Dean

A construction company owned and operated by women may sound like a novel concept, but Virginia Van Lear and Debbie Hollonbeck, the two partners of Level Craft Construction, believe that they actually have a big advantage.

Like many builders, they’re well-organized and detail-oriented. When working with clients, however, it’s women who tend to have an edge. Their ability to listen carefully allows them to fully understand their clients’ needs. Van Lear and Hollonbeck say that it’s those communication skills — with clients, vendors and sub-contractors — that really makes the difference.

“We not only think about construction, but what’s going inside, and the overall functionality of the entire space we create,” Hollonbeck said. “We look at all aspects of constructing a house, creating intimate spaces (inside and out), as well as environmental concerns. We’re not just putting up walls, we’re creating a home.”

Both women live in Decatur and have strong backgrounds in construction. Van Lear has been in the homebuilding industry more than 20 years. She has built, designed and renovated Atlanta-area homes and commercial spaces since 1996. The Licensed Residential Contractor and Earth Craft Certified Builder is, admittedly, one of a small number of female contractors in Atlanta.

Just over five years ago, Van Lear met up with Hollonbeck, a former teacher. She and her husband Scot had renovated and sold a few homes in the area before deciding to build their home in Decatur. They hired a female contractor for the project, and Hollonbeck worked with her closely, staying involved with every step of the process. It was such a good experience that the

contractor hired Hollonbeck and they worked together for six years.

Van Lear fills the role of General Contractor and Hollonbeck is Project Manager/Design for Level Craft. Their skills and knowledge blend well and they share a hands-on, client-based vision. They also share a fine arts background.

“Our artist backgrounds make it easier — second-nature really — to make important aesthetic decisions that span the gamut from exterior architectural details to interior color palette selections,” Van Lear said. “We know the history of architecture, design and engineering. When clients hire us, they’re really getting an incredible deal,” she added with a smile.

Van Lear earned a BFA from the University of Georgia and opened a VirginiaHighland area art gallery at the age of 23. She later sold the gallery and invested the proceeds into properties she could renovate and rent. Hollenbeck spent many years as an elementary school arts teacher before following her passion of home restoration and remodeling.

Nancy Cost is an interior designer who sometimes collaborates with Level Craft Construction. Formerly a Lead Project Designer for Thrive Homes, she now owns her own design firm which specializes in helping homeowners with interior finishes for new construction and renovation projects.

“As a designer, I see how much thought and effort Level Craft puts into building a great project,” Cost said. “Some builders don’t feel comfortable doing things outside of their box, but as a company run by women, I feel the Level Craft team excels at listening, communicating and digging into the process in a way that benefits the client tremendously.”

When asked about building in Intown, Hollonbeck said, “Atlanta as a whole is such an incredible mix of culture and history. Homes reflect their owners and we absolutely adore the charm and personality of Atlanta Intown neighborhoods.”

Van Lear explained that construction can become extremely challenging in some neighborhoods where the lots are close together and driveways aren’t accessible. “At that point, material management becomes a concern, as well as the navigation of trucks and workers,” she said. “We want to maintain a safe environment and not disrupt the neighbors.”

Recently, Van Lear and Hollonbeck were presented with one of the most challenging residential projects they’d ever taken on — a super modern house plan on a steep and heavily wooded lot located in the Emory area.

“The topography of land alone presented many difficulties that we were proud to overcome,” Hollonbeck explained. “The end result is not only an incredible site, but it also enabled us to implement many newly acquired skills along the way.”

She said that she’d love to be involved in more projects like that one, “projects that test our level of expertise and expand our ability to incorporate interesting and unique materials and engineering techniques. That project was our unintended homage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s modern masterpiece, Fallingwater.”

Level Craft is continuing to grow. While still working on projects in Decatur, Midtown and Virginia Highlands, the company has recently widened its service area to include Buckhead and Brookhaven. “As you can imagine, doubling resources, managing time and employing the right people become the challenging aspects within a growing business,” Van Lear said, but she adds that she’s looking forward to branching out.

“There are many different facets within our profession, and we truly like them all — from the initial lot acquisition to the finishing touches, client interaction, the business side of things, problem solving — I could go on and on,” Van Lear said. “I guess if I had to narrow it down, I love the daily challenges of each unique project.”

Every home poses its own set of trials and tribulations, Hollonbeck adds. “We love finding the perfect solutions to those distinct issues. Seeing the finished result and doing the final walkthrough is most definitely exciting,” she said. “There’s nothing like seeing the satisfied look on clients’ faces, knowing that we were able to provide not a just a house but a home, the home they’ve always dreamed of.”

For more information, visit levelcraftatlanta.com.

Debbie Hollonbeck and Virginia Van Lear

Courtesy of Level Craft Construction

Midtown Towers

Two new mixed-use projects may soar over city

The Midtown Development Review Committee discussed two major new mixeduse developments anchored by soaring towers at its May 8 meeting. Midtown Alliance provided this look at the projects and a recap of the meeting.

MIDTOWN UNION

The first was a follow-up presentation on JLL’s mixed-use development, Midtown Union. This project is located on a 3.8-acre site at 17th and Spring Street and includes approximately 604,960 square feet of office space, a 255-key hotel, 354 residential units and 99,453 square feet of retail space, including a grocer and food hall. The podium parking deck contains approximately 1,782 spaces and supports on-site uses including public parking for retail users. Apart from the bold design of the office tower, the signature feature of the project is a new street extension of Arts Center Way, which provides the focal point for activity emanating from the retail and restaurant experience on the ground floors. The DRC has been generally supportive of the project, recognizing the significant impact it will have on the character of the district around the Woodruff Arts Center. However, at the April meeting, the committee requested more detail about the street level experience and the façade treatments. The design team from Cooper Carry provided additional information related to enhancements on the elevation that faces 17th Street, but conceded that specifics about the parking deck façades and retail façade treatments are still being refined as future tenants are identified. The DRC recommended support for the site plan and related variations, but withheld full support until additional information could be provided about the architecture.

1125 PEACHTREE

Selig debuted their latest offering at 12th & Midtown in the form of a sleek mixeduse project designed by Rule Joy Trammel + Rubio. The development occupies a full block on Peachtree Street between 12th and 13th Street and contains approximately 6,000 square feet of retail at street level, 56 residential condo units, 253 key luxury hotel, 9 story office tower and structured parking for approximately 563 cars. The office, hotel and residential components stack vertically on top of each other, stepping back as uses change to allow for amenity spaces. There are three proposed vehicle access points to the site, one on 12th Street and two on Juniper, that tie into various levels of the parking deck. Loading docks are located off 13th Street. The committee indicated that the project has several challenges to overcome on the Juniper frontage related to vehicular access and active use. The committee requested additional work at each corner on Juniper to explore the opportunity for usable space along the busy corridor.

Get Back to Nature!

A hidden gem in Morningside, this quiet community is tucked in the woods, perfectly located between Intown & Buckhead. Just a mile to the best shopping, great eateries, and quick access to all main highways. This classic brick townhome is in move-in condition: private outdoor space, garage, and totally updated. Great public schools – low monthly HOA fee. This one shines!

AIA Georgia, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects, has awarded design firm Cooper Carry its 2018 AIA Georgia Firm of the Year Award. A committee of industry leaders and influencers selected Cooper Carry after reviewing the firm’s achievements and contributions to the profession and community. AIA Georgia also named Georgia Institute of Technology’s West Village Dining Commons as the recipient of a 2018 Honor Award. Designed by Cooper Carry in association with Lake|Flato and Koons Environmental Design, the cutting-edge 50,000-square-foot hybrid facility has received national acclaim for its thoughtfully-designed, highly flexible meeting and dining hall that has drawn students and the surrounding community to the previously underutilized west portion of campus.

The City of Atlanta Urban Design Commission has named luxury residential apartment building AMLI 3464 the recipient of its prestigious Award of Excellence. The award honors projects and organizations that significantly contribute toward the enhancement of the City of Atlanta’s built environment through quality and sustainable design. The 24unit apartment high-rise in Buckhead was designed by Cooper Cary. Lincoln Property Company Southeast received an Award of Excellence from the UDC for 1372 Peachtree, which sat vacant for over a decade, then was dramatically transformed last year into a modern office building in Midtown.

Engel & Völkers Atlanta and Above Atlanta Realtors have united to form a luxury real estate company focused on condos, townhomes and single-family homes. The two firms will open a co-branded flagship location between Midtown and Buckhead at 25th Street and Peachtree Street this summer. The shop will include Atlanta’s first virtual reality screening room, allowing buyers to envision and experience their new home without leaving the office.

SET Real Estate Group, a topproducing real estate team led by David Sirzyk, Inna Eidelman and Mike Toltzis, have affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Intown office. Previously affiliated with Beacham & Company and Sotheby’s International Realty, SET Real Estate Group also added agent Pailey Nooromid and operations manager Leslie Evans.

If you’ve ever dreamed owning a vineyard and winery, Engel & Völkers Atlanta North Fulton has just the property you’re looking for. Located just outside Ball Ground in the North Georgia hills, the 24-acres of rolling land and vineyards also boasts a custom-built home, two barns, private pond, an outdoor entertainment and event venue and two turnkey businesses. For more about the property, visit atlantanorthfulton.evusa.com. For more about vineyards and wineries, be sure to visit our special section Head for the Hills starting on page 42.

AMLI 3464

Feathered Friends

Audubon Society building bird habitat at Piedmont Park

Ground has been broken for a bird-friendly habitat, complete with Georgia’s first chimney swift tower, in the Piedmont Commons area of Piedmont Park.

The habitat, slated for completion in September, is part of a cooperative effort between Atlanta Audubon Society and Piedmont Park Conservancy.

An urban haven for wildlife, Piedmont Park hosts more than 160 species of birds throughout the year. The Bird-Friendly Habitat Educational Exhibit will have two components — a native plant garden and a chimney swift tower. Both components will not only provide quality bird habitat in Piedmont Park, but also create new opportunities

for interpretive education and wildlife observation while raising awareness about how urban greenspaces can benefit biodiversity.

Located along Clear Creek, the Native Plant Demonstration Garden in Piedmont Commons will provide a habitat for birds and wildlife and educate the public on the value of native plants. Consisting of an assortment of mainly native grasses and wildflowers, the garden will be a designed plant community that mimics the natural ecosystem and invites exploration by birds, people and pollinators.

A common bird in urban areas, the chimney swift provides excellent – and free – pest control since their diet consists of flies, mosquitos, wasps, ants and other insects caught in flight. A single chimney swift may consume up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects per day. Chimney swifts are migratory birds that breed in Georgia during spring and summer.

In recent years, chimney swift populations have declined due to loss of tree cavities. Now, their alternative nesting habitats – chimneys – are frequently capped, eliminating these nesting and roosting sites. Constructing chimney swift towers is a relatively new conservation tool to curb declining swift populations. Towers provide a nesting location for this species as well as a roosting site during migration. As the swifts descend on a tower at dusk, a large

swarm forms and they then pour into the chimney like smoke.

Atlanta Audubon is working on the tower design with John Monnat, a Seattle-based architect with extensive experience in parks and recreation, and Pierre Coiron, with Decatur-based Stability Engineering. After the tower is complete, Atlanta Audubon will collaborate with the Piedmont Park Conservancy to develop interpretive signage and educational programming, such as ‘Swift Night Out’ gatherings to observe the roosting birds. The chimney swift tower at the Piedmont Commons will stand 24 feet tall and be located in the center of the demonstration garden.

“The Bird-friendly Habitat Educational Exhibit at Piedmont Park is an exciting demonstration of how Atlanta Audubon and parks groups can work in partnership to meet the needs of both people and wildlife,” says Nikki Belmonte, Atlanta Audubon Society Executive Director. “The installation of a native plant garden and Chimney Swift tower will bring visitors to this serene area of the park, offer multiple educational opportunities and provide relevant and necessary conservation actions for our birds.”

The project is being fully funded by Atlanta Audubon Society thanks to a donation from a private individual and from a National Audubon Society Burke Conservation Grant.

Photo by Steve Calver Chimney Swift

Photo by Judy Lynn Malloch Red-winged Blackbird Fledgling

Ribbon cutting held for Proctor Creek Greenway

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Chief Resilience Officer Stephanie Stuckey and other city leaders were on hand Monday, May 7, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the first three miles of the Proctor Creek Greenway.

This newly constructed segment of the trail runs from the Bankhead MARTA Station alongside Proctor Creek to the existing West Highlands Trail.

Once complete, the seven-mile Greenway will feature 50 acres of linear park and 400 acres of greenspace. The bike and pedestrian trail will span from Maddox Park and the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail to the Chattahoochee River.

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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom cuts the ribbon at the opening of Proctor Creek Greenway.

The first three miles of the Greenway are open now, but it will eventually span Maddox Park and the BeltLine’s Westside Trail to the Chattahoochee River.

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South Fork Conservancy unveils Buckhead bridge design

Evelyn Andrews

The South Fork Conservancy unveiled concept designs for the Confluence Bridge planned for Buckhead at its 10th anniversary celebration and annual fundraiser.

The April 26 event held at Zonolite Park raised $74,000 for the nonprofit, which creates trails along the South Fork of Peachtree Creek. The South Fork runs between Buckhead and Emory University. The conservancy plans to link the trails with PATH400, which has already been completed near Peachtree Creek. It also plans to connect to the Atlanta BeltLine and Brookhaven’s planned Peachtree Creek Greenway.

The Confluence Bridge is meant to provide connectivity where the South Fork and North Fork of the creek meet. The bridge will also connect to trails linking PATH400 and the BeltLine.

The bridge is planned to be constructed north of I-85 and between Piedmont Road and Lindbergh Drive. The bridge is one of six projects the conservancy plans to fund with a capital campaign that reached the group’s $2 million goal last year.

The event included awarding the South Fork Conservancy Trailblazer Award to Ryan Gravel, the visionary behind the Atlanta BeltLine and one of the architects behind the original vision for the South Fork Conservancy, the release said.

“Seeing the growth and impact of your work along the creek is inspiring. Following the water and building community support through nature trails is a new model of conservation in Atlanta and I’m proud to have been a part of it,” said Gravel in the release.

The conservancy’s long-term plan is to create trails along all 33 miles of the South Fork of Peachtree Creek. The first phase of the plan is to create a trail system that connects Buckhead to the Emory campus. The conservancy already has opened three trails in Buckhead including The Confluence, Cheshire Farm and Meadow Loop, which are all near I-85 and Ga. 400.

BIKE THE BELTLINE YOUR WAY

Fun Versatile Quiet

ElectroBikes are now available at the Atlanta Bicycle Barn right on the Beltine. Rent or purchase an ElectroBike and enjoy power when you want it.

ECO BRIEFS

Laura Hennighausen has been appointed as the first executive director of the Freedom Park Conservancy. Hennighausen, who was previously director of development for Historic Oakland Foundation, will oversee fundraising for a new master plan, as well as implementation of the organization’s recently-approved strategic plan initiatives. Other responsibilities will include developing public art programing for the park and managing relationships with park-adjacent neighborhood organizations and other external stakeholders.

The Generation Green Board of the Georgia Conservancy will honor Katherine Kennedy, Executive Director of Concrete Jungle, as its 10th annual Longleaf Award winner at this year’s Verde, the annual summer soiree, on June 15 at the Trolley Barn in Inman Park. The Longleaf Award recognizes the outstanding work of an emerging environmental or sustainability leader in metro Atlanta. For tickets to Verde, visit georgiaconservancy.org/verde.

Wylde Center’s annual Beer Garden and Silent Auction Fundraiser will be held on Saturday, June 23 and is presented by Chip Wallace of Keller Knapp Realty. The event brings together a number of local brews, food and music for a casual evening outdoors at the Oakhurst Garden, 435 Oakview Road in Decatur. A VIP Happy Hour begins at 4:30 p.m., while the main event lasts from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 for members and $50 for non-members. VIP tickets are $250 per pair and include additional benefits such as admission to the VIP party, access to a sponsor/patron lounge, patio and indoor restrooms, early bidding on auction items and more. All tickets are available at wyldecenterbeergarden.squarespace.com.

More than 750 people attended the recent Landmark Luncheon fundraiser for the Piedmont Park Conservancy. The event raised more than $360,000 for park maintenance, programming and community outreach. The featured speaker was Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank, Owner and Chairman Blank Family of Businesses. The Conservancy also honored the Atlanta Track Club with the Legacy Award and the CocaCola Company for its ongoing support of Piedmont Park’s recycling and water stewardship programs.

News You Can Eat

Restaurants � Reviews � Events

Hot New Eats

A roundup of restaurants newly opened, coming soon and on the horizon

By Collin Kelley

If checking out new restaurants is on your summer agenda, make sure you have plenty of time and a big appetite. Dozens of restaurants have newly opened, with others making plans to open soon. We also take a look at eateries planning to open by year’s end that you’ll want to add to your taste list.

Open Now

DRAFTS + DOGS

This new new cocktail and craft hot dog stall from the team behind 18.21 Bitters, is now open inside the Central Food Hall at Ponce City Market. The walk-up eatery boasts an assortment of craft cocktails and hot dogs made from locally-sourced, farm-fresh ingredients. Information: facebook.com/draftsanddogsatl.

THE POKÉSPOT

The New York City-based restaurant is open at 200 Peachtree in Downtown featuring poké bowls and signature appetizer – the Avocado Boat. Information: facebook.com/thepokespotecoatlanta.

FIVE DAUGHTERS BAKERY

This family-owned shop founded in Franklin, Tennessee, was scheduled to open June 1 inside Ponce City Market. The shop will feature breads, pastries and coffee made fresh daily. Information: fivedaughtersbakery.com.

MISSION + MARKET

Chef Ian Winslade has opened this eatery inside the new Three Alliance Center building in Buckhead. The menu features “globally influenced fresh flavors, rich textures and simple ingredients,” including brick oven pizzas, steelhead trout, fresh pasta and more. Information: missionandmarketatl.com.

GRINDHOUSE KILLER BURGERS

The seventh location is now open at 701 Memorial Drive in Grant Park with three outdoor dining options including a pet-friendly patio, full-size shuffleboard and ping-pong, and outdoor bar seating. Information: grindhouseburgers.com.

FARM BURGER

The 100 percent grass-fed and locally sourced burger joint is now open at The George building in Grant Park, 275 Memorial Drive SE, Suite 2B. Information: farmburger.com.

TRADE ROOT

Now open inside The Whitley Hotel in Buckhead, 3434 Peachtree Road, the menu features Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and signature cocktails under the direction of Executive Chef Marc Suennemann. Information: thewhitleyhotel.com/dining/trade-root.

SAGE

WOODFIRE TAVERN

Now open in Buckhead at 3379 Peachtree Road in the former Morton’s space, the menu includes surf and turf, pastas, soups, salads and more. Information: sagewoodfiretavern.com/buckhead.

LITTLE ALLEY STEAK

Now open at One Alliance Center in Buckhead, the “butcher to table” restaurant will offer prime USDA cuts of beef from Meats by Linz in Chicago, charcuterie program, seafood options, extensive wine selection and more than 350 bourbon selections. Information: littlealleysteak.com.

CARAVACA MARKET

This “urban food hall” is now open in Midtown at 782 Peachtree St. featuring Harry Bake’s Café, Taste Bar, Wine & Charcuterie, Beer & Pizza and Provisions. Information: caravacamarket.com.

THE WHITE BULL

Now open on East Court Square in downtown Decatur, the menu includes seasonal dishes made from ingredients sourced from Georgia farmers and purveyors, including pastas made with flour milled at the restaurant. Information: whitebullatl.com.

CULTURED SOUTH

Golda Kombucha creator Melanie Wade has opened this kombucha bar and fermentation marketplace on the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside Trail. Cultured South offers fermented food and beverage products to taste and take home at a 6,000-square-foot warehouse space in the Lee + White development at 1038 White Street. Information: culturedsouth.com.

DANIEL REED’S PUBLIC KITCHEN & BAR

“Elevated casual” at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead is offering up burgers, shrimp and grits, chops, cocktails and more. Information: thepublickitchen.com.

THE LOCAL PIZZAIOLO

Pronounced pizza-yolo, this new joint is open at 1000 Marietta St., Suite 202, on the Westside. The pizza restaurant plans to open three more locations this year and next at Toco Hills, Sandy Springs and Madison Yards. Information: thelocalpizzaiolo.com.

RECESS

Castellucci Hospitality Group – the team behind Cooks & Soldiers, Double Zero and The Iberian Pig – has opened Recess at Krog Street Market in Inman Park. The food stall features a menu of salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, toasts and vegetable sides, with a handful of optional meat, seafood and vegetable add-ons. Information: recessatl.com.

LINGERING SHADE SOCIAL CLUB

Located in a new addition to Irwin Street Market, 660 Irwin St., Lingering Shade overlooks the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. The Old Fourth Ward gathering spot is serving up drinks – cocktails, beer and wine – and small-plate appetizers. Information: lingeringshade.com.

Coming Soon

MISO KO

This sushi kiosk from local restaurateur and chef Guy Wong will open inside Ponce City Market this summer. Featuring grab-and-go offerings and seated dining, Miso Ko will serve madeto-order sashimi, nigiri, hand rolls, makimono, specialty rolls and more.

ROOT BAKING CO.

Coming this summer, the Charleston-based bakery will move their headquarters to the Central Food Hall at Ponce City Market offering freshly baked breads in addition to breakfast and lunch menus. Information: rootbaking.com.

THE HALAL GUYS

The famed gyros will be coming soon to the under-construction Modera by Mill Creek apartment building on 8th Street in Midtown. Information: thehalalguys.com.

FULL COMMISSION

Expected to open any day now at Larkin on Memorial, the restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering Southern-inspired small plates, coffee, craft beers and cocktails. Information: facebook.com/fullcommissionatl.

TINY LOU’S

This French-meets-Southern restaurant was expected to open in June inside the newly renovated Hotel Clermont at 789 Ponce de Leon Ave. Yes, that’s the same building that’s home to the Clermont Lounge.

HATTIE B’S HOT CHICKEN

A staple in Nashville, Hattie B’s is set to open this month at 299 Moreland Ave. in Little Five Points. Offering six levels of heat – including “Damn Hot!!” and “Shut the Cluck Up!!!” – the chicken comes in sandwiches and as plates with various sides. Information: hattieb.com.

THE JAMES ROOM

Set to open later this summer in the new SPX Alley in the Old Fourth Ward’s Studioplex development, the restaurant and cocktail bar is the brainchild of Missy and Kristin Koefod, creators of 18.21 Bitters.

BANSHEE

Set to open this summer at 1271 Glenwood Ave. in East Atlanta Village, the restaurant –named after the Irish death-heralding spirit – will serve a menu featuring ingredients from local farms as well as cocktails and wine. Information: facebook.com/BansheeEAV.

MOMONOKI

Expected to open this summer, this Japanese restaurant from the creators of Brush Sushi Izakaya will be located in the Modera by Mill Creek development at 95 8th Street in Midtown. Information: momonokiATL.

KONG’S KITCHEN

This late-night take-out and delivery-only spot is slated to open this summer at 1854 Piedmont Road next door to Smith’s Olde Bar in Piedmont Heights.

GINO’S EAST

Chicago deep-dish pizza is coming to the former Rize space at 775 North Highland Avenue in Poncey-Highland later this summer. Information: facebook.com/GinosEastATL.

PATRIA COCINA

This new Mexican restaurant from the creators of El Mexicano is expected to open this summer at The Beacon building, 1039 Grant Street in Grant Park. Information: facebook. com/PatriaCocinaAtlanta.

On the Horizon

LAZY BETTY

Chef Ronald “Ron” Hsu is set to open his Malaysian-Chinese inspired eatery at 652 N. Highland Ave. in Poncey-Highland later this year, but in the meantime twice-monthly pop-ups are being held at the Highland Inn. Search for Lazy Betty at eventbrite.com for details and reservations for the pop-ups. Information: lazybettyatl.com.

THE IBERIAN PIG - BUCKHEAD

After a decade in Decatur, Castellucci Hospitality Group will open a second outpost of its Spanish tapas restaurant in the new Hanover Buckhead Village at 3150 Roswell Road this winter. Information: theiberianpigatl.com.

WOODWARD & PARK

Set to open this fall at the Larkin on Memorial development in Grant Park, this Europeaninspired bistro will offer locally-sourced American cuisine. Information: larkinonmemorial.com.

AIX AND TIN TIN

Chef Nick Leahy will open adjoining French-inspired concepts –Aix restaurant and Tin Tin wine bar – at the Stockyards development in West Midtown later this year.

HOP

CITY CRAFT BEER & WINE

A new location is set to open in the Lee + White development in West End this fall. The nearly 6,000 square foot location will include a second floor restaurant with an expansive deck. Information: hopcitybeer.com.

ECCO BUCKHEAD

The third location – after Midtown and the airport – of this Euro-style restaurant from Fifth Group is set to open near Phipps Plaza this fall.

Cool Treats

Summer is the perfect time for ice cream

By Isadora Pennington

One of my absolute favorite sweet treats to beat the summer heat is ice cream. My love affair with this creamy dessert goes all the way back to my childhood growing up in Nashville. I can still remember that feeling of being on the swings at the playground and hearing a distant jingle. In an instant, I’d be running as fast as my spindly little legs could carry me towards the ice cream truck that came rumbling up the street.

In the years since I’d like to say that my palette has matured and that I’m some sort of ice cream aficionado who likes fancy flavors such as pistachio or lavender, but that would be a lie. I’m still devoted to the traditional flavors like chocolate and vanilla, but I do try to occasionally break out of my comfort zone for some new variations.

Here in Atlanta we have a few really great ice cream shops, and whether you’re into soft serve, gelato, sorbet, sprinkles, hot fudge, cones, cups or sundaes, there are delectable treats that are sure to please.

There are, of course, more than just the four ice cream shops featured here, but these are my personal favorites in some of my favorite neighborhoods.

JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAM

Westside Provisions District, 1198 Howell Mill Road, 30318 jenis.com or (404) 355-6050

Mini Flight with Nectar Honeycomb, Cream Puff and Vanilla Honey – $6

QUEEN OF CREAM 701 Highland Ave. NE #1, 30312 queenofcream.com or (404) 331-0807

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Sundae with sprinkles, hot fudge and whipped cream – $7.62

HONEYSUCKLE GELATO Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave. 30308 honeysucklegelato.com or (404) 228-7825 Brown Butter Scoop on a cone – $3.75

ZESTO’S DRIVE-IN 2469 Piedmont Road NE, 30324 zestoatlanta.com or (404) 237-8689

Single Twist Cone – $2.59

Photos by Isadora Pennington

A Mano

The more condo and apartment communities we build across metro Atlanta, the more we’ll be in need of small, one of a kind neighborhood joints. Nowadays, people in search of new dwellings tend to scope out local bars and restaurants with a type of scrutiny that was once reserved for choosing schools for the kids. Like Los Angeles, it often seems that nobody walks in Atlanta. The creation of the BeltLine has begun to shift our thinking on that, but not every apartment building sits close to a huge cluster of options like Westside Provisions District or whatever we’re calling that bunch of shops that sprouted up overnight at the intersection of North Decatur Road and Scott Boulevard.

Fresh Creative Southwestern Cuisine & Award Winning Margaritas

Make reservations now: 404.588.0006

For reser vations call 404.588.0006 or visit agaverestaurant com

Tasting Intown

By Megan Volpert

For those in the Old Fourth Ward who live equidistant from Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market, sometimes those big complexes and their sizable crowds are still just too much of a hassle. At sundown on Sunday, maybe you just want to go downstairs and around the corner to a little place that does a bit of everything well enough for comfort. A Mano, the Italian place at the corner of Glen Iris Drive and Ralph McGill Boulevard, will definitely do the trick. You can make spaghetti at home, sure. But when you can pay just nine bucks for the freshly handmade stuff with black pepper and pecorino, why not let this neighborhood gem do the work for you?

The bar has about ten stools; the patio and the inside dining room can each seat maybe twenty more people. The high-backed booths are great for those in search of a place to hide, while the big windows nevertheless give the place a spacious, airy feel that encourages peoplewatching. The bar is warmly lit and expertly stocked for such a small space. A Mano’s drink menu is exceptionally well balanced. They’ve got nine taps, a half dozen cans, a dozen wines by the glass. The cocktails aim for a diversity of classics, from a solid Negroni to a sweet espresso martini. Moreover, their “zero proof” beverage list is a genuine delight: limonata, house sodas, ginger beer, sparkling waters all under four bucks. Also, Red Bull, if you’re that guy — every neighborhood has one or two of them. The lavender house soda was superbly refreshing and so was the blackberry.

There are five pastas and five other entree plates in the seasonal menu rotation. A Mano makes a variety of noodles, and a particularly superior tagliatelle. Served in a carbonara with chunky house pancetta, spring peas and an egg, the huge portion of pasta was expertly thin yet not at all stuck together. The pork and beef ragu for the bolognese was wonderfully strong on basil with a decent kick of spice at the end of each bite. The other entrees have one thing for anybody — a chicken, a fish, a flank steak, a veggie plate. Many of A Mano’s dishes rely on some keen grilling, and everything we ordered involving this preparation revealed a very precise approach to charring. The exacting cook times of these entrees across the board really shows the kitchen’s love and attention, which is one of the reasons A Mano is so comforting.

The appetizers and desserts tended to be a little more wild than the main plates. A great burrata and killer sourdough was thrown off a bit by an insistent tomato jam. That same sourdough accompanying the beef tartare was competing with an overabundance of tiny accoutrements. Among the sides, you’ve got basic fried potatoes paired with a salsa verde aioli, and shishito peppers with fennel and almonds. We had a panna cotta that was nicely whipped, somehow equal parts cheesecake and chocolate. A Mano is still finding its footing on some of these, but at least one of the more creative riffs is already ready for prime time. Especially go for the cauliflower, which works some kind of sweet and sour magic full of grapes, lemon and puffed rice. In all, A Mano is what you want in a neighborhood joint—carefully yet casually cooking whatever you need to eat and occasionally showing a little thoughtful flair about it.

A Mano is located at 857 Ralph McGill Boulevard. For information and reservations, visit amanoatl.com.

“Unpretentious yet with every right to cop an attitude” -Zagat

An Eclec tic Southwestern Eater y & Tequila Bar

Megan Volpert lives in Decatur, teaches in Roswell and writes books about popular culture.

Carbonara

Tartare

Bread Pudding and Panna Cotta

Pork Chop

QUICK BITES

The 8th annual Atlanta Summer Beer Fest will be held on Saturday, June 16, from 4 to 8 p.m at Historic Fourth Ward Park. The event will feature more than 200 beers (wine and cider, too) along with live music, food, fun and games. Tickets are $45 in advance or $55 at the gate. Information: atlantasummerbeerfest.com.

The team behind the new Hosea + 2nd development in East Lake has announced the groundbreaking of the project’s Phase II. Mike Nelson and Clay Harper, owners of Fellini’s Pizza and La Fonda Latina, and their development partners, Jay Martin and Nathan Bolster of ReDevStudio, announced that they have broken ground at the northeast corner of the intersection of Hosea L. Williams Drive and 2nd Avenue. The group plans to develop a two-story, 7,700-square-foot building that will connect the public space to the mixed-use complex’s restaurant and office spaces using an open corridor through the center of the building. With space for two new restaurants/cafés and three creative office lofts, the project will complete the third corner of the developing intersection. Currently operating at the intersection are Greater Good BBQ, Poor Hendrix restaurant, Mix’D Up Burgers, and Mary Hoopa’s. Information: hosea2nd.com.

Savi Provisions, the local market chain that offers gourmet and organic foods, fine wines, craft beers and spirits, has opened a new location in Decatur at 180 Ponce de Leon Avenue (the former Cook’s Warehouse space). Information: saviprovisions.com.

The Atlanta Beer Bus shuttle service is now operating in Buckhead, Midtown and West Midtown on continual loop between the districts’ breweries. Stops include Monday Night Brewing in West Midtown, Urban Tree Cidery, Second Self Beer Company, Scofflaw Brewing Co., Red Brick Brewing Company, ASW Distillery, SweetWater Brewing Company, Orpheus Brewing, Park Tavern, and the Midtown MARTA Station. Routes vary depending on breweries opening and closing times. The cost is $15 per person. Information: atlantabeerbus.com.

Farmers Market on the Square is now open at Colony Square every Monday through September from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market features local farmers and artisans selling everything from freshly prepared lunches to organic fruits and veggies, to homemade preserves and treats.

The Studio

J a z z J a m

Trumpeter Joe Gransden’s passion for jazz keeps him hopping

By Isadora Pennington

It’s a cool, but comfortable spring Tuesday evening in the Old Fourth Ward. Cars come and go, finding parking along the streets or in the modest parking lots along Ralph McGill Boulevard. One building, formerly the NuGrape Soda Factory, is bustling with activity as people pile through the front door and into the warm glow that is now Venkman’s. Guests talk animatedly amongst themselves, sipping cocktails and eating their dinners as the musicians – pianist, bassist, drummer and trumpeter – mill about on stage getting their instruments tuned and set up.

Joe Gransden’s Jazz Jam is about to begin.

Gransden is a transplant from New York who has carved out a niche for himself in the city’s jazz repertoire. “I knew at 10 years old that I was going to be a jazz trumpeter for the rest of my life,” Gransden said, and he’s made good on his promise and built a sizeable fanbase both locally and around the world.

Growing up in an artistically charged household, Gransden benefited from a father who was a jazz pianist and singer, his mother who was a theatrical choreographer, and his grandfather who was a big band trumpet player. One afternoon, after returning from school, he found his dad had left a record, Chet Baker’s “Diane,” on his record player and Gransden was instantly hooked on jazz.

In his youth, Gransden gravitated mostly towards music by artists such as Kenny Dorham, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and Chet Baker. After graduating from high school, he attended the State University of New York at Fredonia where he pursued a degree in jazz trumpet, but ultimately dropped out after two years to tour worldwide with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for a year. Eventually Gransden’s family relocated to Atlanta and he followed along, enrolling at Georgia State University where he attained a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies.

“I have lived in a few different places, but Atlanta tends to be the most friendly for musicians,” Gransden said, noting the sense of friendship and camaraderie, with everyone pulling for one another and socializing together outside of their performances. “I owe a lot to the Atlanta jazz scene. It’s a very strong circuit here.”

In his 20s, Gransden’s career began to seriously take off, and he established regular gigs playing at venues in the city as well as touring with ensembles and booking independent musical acts. One of those regular gigs was Churchill Grounds, the jazz club once located in the Fox Theatre (recently transformed into The Marquee Club).

“When I first met Joe, he was a young man who was really beginning to delve into jazz music,” said Sam Yi, owner of the now-closed Churchill Grounds. “He was a really good musician to begin with, a really good trumpet player.”

Throughout the two decades that Churchill Grounds was open in Midtown, Yi saw many talented musicians come through its doors. “A lot of times we would do seven straight nights of live music,” said Yi. Musicians from far and wide – local, national and international alike – graced the stage at Churchill Grounds, with big names such as Wynton Marsalis, Junior Mance, and Harry Connick Jr. stopping in throughout the years. “We even had Lady Gaga in our last year come in and sing with a band – it was pretty cool,” Yi recalled.

A steadfast relationship and friendship formed between the young and ambitious Gransden and Yi.

“Sam Yi’s Churchill Grounds is really where I learned how to play jazz,” said Gransden. “I learned how to be on a bandstand, how to be a leader, how to work a crowd and how to be a businessman. I owe a lot of my career to Sam and him taking a chance on me early on.”

Yi hopes to reopen Churchill Grounds in the future and is currently looking for the perfect spot. Gransden will, no doubt, grace the stage when the club evenutally reopens.

Meanwhile, you can find Gransden and his house band on Tuesday evenings at Venkman’s beginning around 8 p.m. The weekly jam session is open to participants who can take the stage to jam or sing along with the band. On the first and third Mondays, Gransden has a standing gig with his 16-piece ensemble at Cafe 290 in Sandy Springs. On Wednesday nights, he performs at Valenza Italian Restaurant in Brookhaven alongside Kenny Banks Sr. on piano.

To keep up with Gransden’s performances and purchase his albums, visit joegransden.com.

Photos by Isadora Pennington

Joe Gransden has a regular weekly gig at Venkman’s in the Old Fourth Ward where he plays jazz favorites and invites audience members up on stage to sing or perform with the band.

In June, the High Museum of Art will unveil “Sonic Playground,” an installation of sound sculptures by internationally renowned designer Yuri Suzuki.

The installation on the Woodruff Arts Center’s Carroll Slater Sifly Piazza continues a multiyear initiative to animate the High’s outdoor space with site-specific commissions that engage visitors of all ages in participatory art experiences. It will be the High’s first venture into exploring the notion of audible play — how sounds can be constructed, altered and experienced.

On view from June 24 through Oct. 7, “Sonic Playground” will feature ingenious, colorful sculptures that modify and transmit sound in unusual, engaging and playful ways. For example, the Parabolic will send sounds from one end of the piazza to the other without using electricity while the Switch will allow visitors to shift sounds.

The installation will also set the stage for various performances and art-making activities. This programming will take place on a rotating schedule throughout run of the installation during the High’s First Friday, Friday Jazz and Second Sunday events.

For more information, visit High.org.

The Marquee Club

Elegant new space opens at Fox Theatre

FESTIVALS GALORE

Art, music & more in June

ATLANTA FRINGE FESTIVAL

Theatre groups and artists from around the country will converge June 6-10 at various venues for performances. Info and tickets: atlantafringe.org.

VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND SUMMERFEST

Live music – including headliners Alex Guthrie, Kung Fu and Gurufish – along with art, food and more takes over Virginia-Highland June 9-10. Info: vahi. org/summerfest.

TUNES FROM THE TOMBS

By Isadora Pennington

After more than a year of construction, The Marquee Club at the Fox Theatre in Midtown is officially open. The club offers patrons an elegant way to relax and socialize before, after and during performances.

Presented by Lexus, the club was designed by noted architecture firm Lord Aeck Sargent. Custom furniture was crafted by Corn Upholstery Company, a familyowned company in Tucker that first worked with the Fox in the 1950s. The design team behind The Marquee Club’s development used 3D technology to scan and preserve intricate details of the historic building, including an arcade terrace from the original 1929 building, officially opening roof access to visitors for the first time in nearly 65 years.

The club features 10,000 square feet of event space with five stationary bars on multiple levels, plush seating areas, a stage, stone sourced from three continents and ornate details everywhere you look. The renovation, which cost around $10 million to complete, is the largest onetime revitalization effort since the historic theater’s grand opening.

The Marquee Club is accessible only to ticketed guests of Fox Theatre events with an annual membership or a singleevent pass. Television screens throughout the club will stream the live performances taking place on the main stage, and they are currently beta-testing a system where guests can pre-order their drinks.

For membership and other information, visit foxtheatre.org/marquee-club.

Drivin’ N Cryin’ headlines the June 9, day-long music festival at historic Oakland Cemetery. Tickets: oaklandcemetery.com.

ATLANTA STREETS ALIVE

3.6 miles of Marietta Street and Howell Mill Road on the Westside will be closed to vehicles and open to walkers, cyclists and skaters on June 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. Info: atlantastreetsalive.com.

SUMMER IN THE CITY Downtown Decatur will be transformed into a beach with tons of sand, live music, food and more on June 15 from 5 to 11 p.m. Info: facebook.com/ DecBeachParty.

CALLANWOLDE JAZZ ON THE LAWN

The summer-long concert series kicks off this month with a pair of concerts by Gwen Hughes (June 15) and Diane Durrett (June 29). Tickets and lineup: callanwolde.org.

JUNETEENTH

Set for June 15-17, this event is focused on black history with music, a parade, workshops and more at Mozley Park. Info: juneteenthatl.com.

Summer with Shakespeare Acting company brings the Bard to local students

By Clare S. Richie

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

Four hundred years later those words still ring true as the Shakespeare Tavern and its Atlanta Shakespeare Company (ASC) bring the Bard of Avon to life this summer at Harper-Archer Middle School, South Bend Arts & Recreation Center and nearly a dozen other camp offerings in Decatur and Midtown.

“It’s active and engaging and yet, sneakily enough, it does help buoy up their learning and even prepare them for the upcoming year,” said Laura Cole, Director of Education and Training at The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse and The Atlanta Shakespeare Academy.

At Harper-Archer, ASC teaching artists will guide 150 Atlanta Public Schools middle schoolers, who are building their skills to read at grade level, through a Literacy Thru Drama experience using Greek mythology and fables.

“This year we’ll teach them how to write their own scenes and then act them out for one another,” said Kati Grace Brown, ASC Educational Programs Producer.

Partnering with Emory University’s Graduation Generation, university students work side by side with academic instructors and attend the weekly drama workshops.

“We look for creative ways that are still effective. The idea is to get [the middle schoolers] engaged so that they will come consistently, matriculate through high school and graduate on-time with college or career plans in place. If you help with literacy, you help support the other subjects as well,” said Barbara S. Coble, Partnership Manager for Graduation Generation Education.

Program data shows marked improvement in student participants’ independent reading, but perhaps the best endorsement comes from the students themselves.

In July, at the South Bend summer camp, ASC teaching artists and actors will perform “How Shakespeare Won the West” and offer a variety of workshops on improv, stage combat, hip hop and more.

“This will be our fourth summer partnering with South Bend, but the first time we are offering a performance for the students and programming that is not specifically Shakespeare,” Cole said.

ASC is excited that children, ages 4 through 14, had a say in the new program offerings.

“Last summer we took the time to ask what are you interested in learning about,” Cole said.

While The Shakespeare Tavern is a destination for live music, period costumes, outrageous sword fights and a delicious meal, the company is also dedicated to reaching students where they are yearround.

“All of us are actors first and foremost, but we are committed to the idea of a teaching artist – a professional artist who develops a skill set to transmit that knowledge to inspire students,” Brown said.

Students from Therrell High School (above) and Scott Elementary (below) take part in a workshop with Atlanta Shakespeare Company members.

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PONCEY-HIGHLAND

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OAK GROVE

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We are a dynamic, diverse, urban team working under Atlanta’s most respected, locally grown brand. If you are a successful real estate agent, or want to become one, contact me about joining our Intown Office.

LESLIE JOHNSON, Sr. VP/Managing Broker 404.897.3462 | Leslie.Johnson@HarryNorman.com

Your family’s most comprehensive online guide to arts and cultural entertainment Visit AtlantaPlanIt.org

Visual Arts

Atlanta Contemporary Art Center Exhibits: Visit the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center to see “Irini Miga: Reflections” and “Krista Clark: Plotting the Other Side,” which are both up through June 3; as well as “Sheida Soleimani: Medium of Exchange,” “TN Contemporary,” and “Dena Yago: The Shortest Shadow,” which run through July 29. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. atlantacontemporary.org

Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic: The High Museum of Art is the premiere U.S. venue for “Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic,” a playful

The Amazing Castle: Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s interactive exhibit transports guests to a magical place and time — inside the castle’s stone walls is a happy and peaceful little community where every citizen has a special job to do. Opens June 9. $12.95 to $18.95. childrensmuseumatlanta.org

Food: Our Global Kitchen: Take a journey around the world and through time on an exploration of food’s history and the role it plays among cultures around the world in this exhibit at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Opens June 9. $18 to $20. fernbankmuseum.org

Barbecue Nation: This exhibition at the Atlanta History Center explores how barbecue has come to claim an enduring place at the American table, and how it connects us to cultures around the world, in addition to traditions, history, and the future. Closes June 16. Free to $21.50. atlantahistorycenter.com

Wihro Kim Exhibit: Visit Poem 88 to see Wihro Kim’s oftentimes surreal landscape paintings that reveal exterior and interior worlds. Closes June 23. Free. poem88.net

Southeastern Pastel Society 18th International Juried Exhibition: The Southeastern Pastel Society presents its 18th International Juried Exhibition, featuring 93 pastel paintings selected out of hundreds of works submitted. Closes June 24. Free to $5. museum.oglethorpe.edu

Andrew Moore: Blue Alabama: Jackson Fine Art presents “Blue Alabama,” a muchanticipated new body of work from photographer Andrew Moore that focuses on Alabama’s Black Belt, a rich and complex region Moore calls “the most prominent social and cultural feature of Lower Alabama.” Tuesday through Saturday. Free. jacksonfineart.com

Anthony Greco’s Facts and Patterns: Of his recent work on view at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Anthony Greco writes, “This ‘series’ of work began as small studies for larger paintings. I soon realized they had a life of their own and they have since grown and evolved.” Daily. $5. callanwolde.org

Summer Swan Invitational: This year’s exhibit at the Swan Coach House Gallery has a new curator, Karen Tauches, who incorporates a few favorite participants from the past and adds some fresh new blood. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. swancoachhouse.com

The DeKalb History Center: This museum features permanent and temporary exhibits relating to all aspects of the County’s history, including the Civil War, ranch-style houses, the Davidson Quarries of Arabia Mountain and more. Monday through Friday. Free. dekalbhistory.org

Performing Arts

Candler Park Music & Food Festival: Featured artists at this festival include Gov’t Mule, Lettuce, Houndmouth, Keller Williams’ PettyGrass featuring The HillBenders,

Twiddle, SUSTO, Larkin Poe, Busty & The Bass and Webster. June 1 and 2. $30 to $80. candlerparkmusicfestival.com

The Vertical: The artists of Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre return to the natural beauty of Serenbe where they create an evening of virtuosic dance and luminous moments. Closes June 3. $20 to $50. terminus-serenbe.com

Big Boi: Outside his partnership with André 3000 as one-half of the Grammy-winning and multi-platinum OutKast, and apart from his central role in the Dungeon Family collective, rapper Big Boi has built a lengthy parallel discography on his own. Hear him at The Tabernacle. June 8. $25 to $35. tabernacleatl.com

Tunes From the Tombs: Tunes from the Tombs, Historic Oakland Cemetery’s annual summer music festival, brings some of Atlanta’s favorite bands to the city’s most unique performance venue. June 9. $10 to $75. oaklandcemetery. com

Hamilton: Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, “Hamilton,” on stage at the Fox Theatre, is the story of America then, as told by America now. Through June 10. $80 to $625. foxtheatre.org

Sweeny Todd: In this dark and witty tale by The Atlanta Opera at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, revenge-hungry Sweeney Todd returns to London after a long exile and hatches a gruesome plan that propels the story into a vast, bloody hellscape. June 9 through 17. $35 to $131. atlantaopera.org

Rascal Flatts: A country trio known primarily for their pleasing harmonies and Grammywinning songcraft, Gary LeVox, Jay Demarcus and Joe Don Rooney comprise Rascal Flatts. See them at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. June 14. $25 to $90.25. vzwamp.com

A Performance in the Park with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Conductor Stephen Mulligan for a free concert under the stars in Atlanta’s beloved Piedmont Park, featuring works by Leonard Bernstein and Tchaikovsky. June 14. Free! atlantasymphony.org

Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival: Festival organizers promise three days of live music, speakers, and beneficial information for this annual event at Mozley Park. June 15 through 17. Free! juneteenthatl.com

110 In The Shade: 1936. July 4th. Three Point, Texas. In the middle of a heat wave, while locals are desperate for rain, Lizzie Curry daydreams away fears of becoming a spinster in a tiny, dusty town during this show at Theatrical Outfit. Through June 24. $20.50 to $51. theatricaloutfit.org

The Taming: Lauren Gunderson’s outrageous political farce has laughs for both sides of the aisle in Synchronicity Theatre’s play. June 1 through 24. $23 to $41. synchrotheatre.com

Peter Pan: Get ready to sail to the second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning and go on a magical adventure with Serenbe Playhouse and the boy who refuses to grow up, Peter Pan! Thursday through Sunday. $13 to $30. serenbeplayhouse.com

The Color Purple: Celebrating the very best of the human spirit, Actor’s Express’ “The Color Purple” tells the uplifting story of Celie, a woman who struggles through adversity to find strength, love and the power of her own voice. Opens June 16. $21.60 to $43.20. actors-express.com

Zac Brown Band: Zac Brown is a country singer, songwriter, bandleader, and one of the brightest stars in a generation of performers set on changing the paradigm of the country music business. See him at SunTrust Park. June 30. $33 to $695. mlb.com/braves/tickets/concerts

Bee Happy!

Modern living, rustic settings beckon Intown homebuyers

Days of Wine and Roses

Tiger Mountain Vineyards produces award-winning grapes

By Julie E. Bloemeke

When three Tiger Mountain wines — the 2015 Sweet Petit (late harvest Petit Manseng), the 2014 Tannat and the 2016 Rosé — each won silver medals at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, Martha Ezzard, one of the founders of Tiger Mountain Vineyards, knew it was official: “Georgia wines have come up in the world.”

The 2017 competition received over 3,000 wines from 999 wineries including wines from France, Portugal, South Africa, Italy and the U.S.; that Tiger Mountain did so well is a testament to family commitment, passion and dedication. Ezzard was also particularly thrilled because “Tiger Mountain was competing alongside wines from Napa and Sonoma wineries.”

The vineyards, located on about 90 acres between Rabun Gap and Tallulah Falls in Northeast Georgia, boasts a

tasting room that hosts individual and reservationbased group tastings; individual and group winery tours; a wine and gift shop; an onsite facility where grapes are crushed, fermented and bottled; the Red Barn Café which offers lunch, brunch and Saturday dinner; a Tigerwine Tasters Wine Club; a pond teeming with bluegill and bass where

visitors can relax and enjoy a glass of wine; numerous picnic areas; and spots for do-your-own blueberry picking. Weddings, live music weekends, business

meetings, parties and an Awakening the Vines celebration in the spring are also common events.

However, it was not always that way. The vineyard began with a dream and vision for Martha Ezzard and her husband, John, both professionals who traded city careers for a return to the rural land of Rabun County. John, a physician, and Martha, a lawyer, awardwinning Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer and author of a memoir about the experience of relinquishing city life — The Second Bud — confesses their motivation: “Our chief aim,” said Ezzard, “was to save the family farm. It was part of John’s soul; he’s a farmer at heart.”

The land that comprises Tiger Mountain has been in the Ezzard family since the 1830s. Previously a dairy farm, John wanted to grow something but he was not sure what. There was talk of

Continued on Page 44

Photos by Julie E. Bloemeke

Tiger Mountain Vineyards, co-owned by Martha Ezzard (pictured below), sits on 90 rolling acres between Rabun Gap and Tallulah Falls in North Georgia.

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Continued from page 42

apples, but after extensive research and considering the land, soil and elevation, he landed on wine. It was not necessarily a popular decision with folks that had lived in the area for generations. Martha laughs when she shares the reaction. [Many people said] “John, how come you are growing these highfalutin grapes?” Then she confesses, “I thought it was a crazy idea too, but the secret was finding a mentor in Virginia.”

It was another Georgia vintner — David Harris, previous owner of a small winery in Habersham County — who recommended that John speak to Dennis and Sharon Horton in Charlottesville. After doing so, Martha and John began by working the first five acres on their own, and in 1994-1995 they planted five red European grape varieties — Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Malbec, Touriga Nacional and Mourvedre. All of these were selected by John, who took Horton’s advice to cultivate grapes for fine dry wines. And French grapes (with the exception of the Touriga, which is Portuguese) were best suited for southeastern climate and soils. Tiger Mountain Vineyards was the first vineyard in Georgia’s history to make this move, concentrating on the fine dry wines over the sweeter varieties like muscadine.

A particular time of excitement came in 1998, when the first grapes were ready to harvest after about three years of maturing. The Ezzards shared the fruit with a local vintner who was “very excited about the quality,” Martha says. And they sold the first harvest to the Hortons. This was also when the Ezzards produced their first batch of wine — on the back porch of the farmhouse in a large bucket purchased from Walmart. A photo of this

event hangs in the old barn, now lovingly restored and converted to a shady nookfilled respite for visitors to enjoy a glass of wine while overlooking Tiger Mountain. This bout of initial success led to another important event in 1999: it was the year the winery officially opened for sales.

These days Tiger Mountain Vineyards produces 10 wines, but grows seven varieties of grape — five French, one Portuguese (the Touriga) and the native American Norton. They also produce three blends: the five-grape blend Rabun Red, (the most popular Tiger Mountain Wine), Mountain Cyn (a blend of Cab Franc and Norton, also known as Cynthiana) and TNT ( a blend of Touriga Nacional and Tannat).

The Norton, a grape native to Virginia, thrives on the Blue Ridge. It’s known, Ezzard says, for “being hardy and reliable.”

Martha has taken on her own experiments with the variety. She is currently

growing two rows of Norton grapes that are chemical free. They cannot be organically certified because of the proximity of other grapes that are being grown traditionally. And the wine the Norton produces is not only known for being full-bodied with qualities of plums and cherries, it is also one of the essential wines that comprise the famed Rabun Red.

The Petit Manseng is also a point

of pride for Martha. Native to the southwestern France in the Pyrenees, it is known for its small berries and loose clusters, which make it harder for mildew to take hold. And the ability for the Petit Manseng to ripen in the Georgia climate is great. The grape produces a crisp white wine with a hint of green apple tones.

The late harvest Petit Manseng comprises the Sweet Petit, known for just enough sweetness to be considered a dessert wine.

And, while it was the 2015 lateharvest Petit Manseng grape that secured the 2017 win at the LA International Wine Competition, it was the 2013 Petit Manseng that won a gold medal for being an “exceptional wine that is near the pinnacle of achievement in its category” in the 2015 San Francisco International competition, known worldwide for “setting the standard for professional wine judging since its debut in 1980,” according to the website.

But to Martha, the connection to the grape is highly personal: “I think the Petit Manseng just loves Tiger Mountain!” she says.

Martha says a lot of folks see running a vineyard as “romantic.” But she is quick to note the intense labor involved, a topic she addresses in detail in her memoir: “[Running a vineyard] is so much work. We are just farmers.”

Still, when touring Tiger Mountain Vineyards, one can’t help but note the rosebushes planted at the end of almost every row of vines. Pops of red, orange and yellow dot the landscape amidst the green of the grape leaves. This practice originated in France as the flowers are early indicators of disease. Harbingers, they serve as way to ensure vines will stay healthy.

As it happens, Martha says, she and John have been “gifting each other rosebushes for years.” It is a tradition they picked up on and continued, in honor of the vineyard’s legacy, and of one another. For more information, visit tigerwine. com.

Wine Country

More mountain vineyards to sip and savor

The Cottage Vineyard and Winery

5050 Hwy 129 North

Cleveland, GA 30528

cottagevineyardwinery.com

Open since 2012, the vineyard hosts tastings seven days a week and also offers live music on Saturdays. Choose from a flight of five or eight wines.

Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery

3610 Cavender Creek Road

Dahlonega, GA 30533

cavendercreekvineyards.com

Wine tastings invite visitors to sample any four wines from the menu; souvenir glasses are available. Groups of six or more require a reservation.

Boutier Winery

4506 Hudson River Church Road

Danielsville, GA 30633

boutierwinery.com

Hosts weekend wine tastings with a sampling of six wines; no appointment needed. Weekday wine tastings are by reservation only.

Frogtown Winery

700 Ridge Point Drive

Dahlonega, GA 30533

frogtown.us

Offers wine tastings at various tasting rooms including locations in Hahira, Valdosta and Helen, Georgia. The

Dahlonega Tasting Room, located on the main estate, features a weekend Panini Bar.

Yonah Mountain Vineyards

1717 Highway 255 South Cleveland, GA 30528

yonahmountainvineyards.com

Individual wine tastings are available seven days a week; no reservations are required. For weekend tastings, cave tours, group tastings or a reserve wine tasting, call (706) 878-5522 or email info@yonahmountainvineyards.com.

Wolf Mountain Winery 180 Wolf Mountain Trail Dahlonega, GA 30533 wolfmountainvineyards.com

Wine tastings and tours include an estate tasting flight or a group tasting flight. Reservations are required; spring and summer hours are from Thursday to Sunday weekly.

Three Sisters Vineyards

439 Vineyard Way Dahlonega, GA 30533 threesistersvineyards.com

Hosts walk-in tastings Thursday through Sunday; large groups require a reservation. Features “Chicks and Chocolate” tasting which pairs six wines with various artisan chocolates.

Escape to Mountainsthe

Highlands Cove Realty specializes in luxury North Carolina mountain homes, breathtaking homesites, condominiums, cottages, and vacation rentals at Old Edwards Club and in the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain communities.

With an average high temperature of 78°, the gated community of Old Edwards Club at Highlands Cove offers the restorative experience of mountain living along with year-round access to a wide range of delightful local events like festivals and concerts, making it the perfect location for a second home. Whether you plan to spend your days exploring nature or enjoying world-class amenities from golf to fine dining, we’ll help you find your oasis.

Raleigh 95 40 85

Asheville Highlands Charlotte

The quaint town of Highlands is located in the beautiful Western North Carolina mountains.

Just 2 hours from Atlanta, and in close proximity to interstate 85.

Montaluce Winery and Estates

501 Hightower Church Road

Dahlonega, GA 30533 montaluce.com

Offers winery tours weekdays at 2 p.m., weekends at noon. Wine hikes and general tastings do not require a reservation; private tastings with a sommelier must be booked 48 hours in advance.

Habersham Vineyards & Winery

7025 South Main Street Helen, GA 30545 habershamwinery.com

Located in the Nacoochee Village

VACATION RENTALS

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just outside of Helen, wine tastings include five wines and a souvenir wine glass. Reservations not required for individuals, but recommended for parties of 10 or more.

The Vineyard at 37 High Holly 37 High Holly Road Scaly Mountain, NC 28755 thevineyardat37highholly.com

Nestled on 20 acres of land in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, the vineyard is an ideal space for weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, family reunions and company retreats.

PROPERTIES FOR SALE

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844-234-1005

Darlene Conley Ed Hillis

Bill Gilmore Merritt Shaw William Peavey Jennifer Blake

A Fisherwoman’s Tale

Atlanta resident trades corporate world for trout streams

By Joe Earle

Natalie Sharp’s introduction to fishing came on big boats in the deep salt waters off Florida when she was growing up. But about 17 years ago, when she lived in Atlanta, she decided to try something a bit different.

She was traveling a lot then as a consultant to dental practices. She needed a break from the road, so she headed to the north Georgia mountains. Eventually, she bought a home and settled in near Blue Ridge.

She’d always wanted to learn to fly fish, so she hired a guide to teach her how and started walking nearby mountain streams in search of trout. “I just sort of fell in love with it,” she said.

Now the 67-year-old angler is herself the guide, one of dozens salted across mountain communities who teach visitors how to effectively stalk trout in Georgia’s cold mountain creeks and rivers.

Through her company, Sharper Bites, she gives her clients lessons on how to cast a fly, the preferred lure for trout, and then leads anglers to fishing spots along private trout streams on the headwaters of the Toccoa River. And, as part of the deal, she provides lunch. “I used to the be only [guide] who supplied lunch,” she said with a laugh. “Now others do.”

Sharp has taught fly fishing to clients aged 6 to 85, she said. They tend to be “couples, husbands who want their wives to fish, corporate groups.”

Mostly, she guides only a couple of

Natalie Sharp

customers at a time. Some special corporate events have included up to 10, she said. She guides fishing trips from March through June and from mid-September through November. The water gets too warm for good trout fishing in July and August, she said. Her trips include a stream-side lunch she serves with silver and plates and linen napkins and sometimes with little fish-shaped napkin rings.

Metro Atlanta resident Bob Muniz, who’s been fly fishing much of his life, went out last fall on a day trip with a friend and with Sharp as their guide. “We had such a great day,” he said. Now, they’re eager to return on a second trip with her this fall and they’re bringing along a couple of friends.

Muniz has nothing but praise for Sharp: “She’s got that Southern charm, that Southern lady charm,” he said, and she knows what the fish will bite, too.”

Sharp describes her clients as “people who want to make it a day of relaxation. “It’s about being out on the water,” she said. “It’s all about relaxation.”

And, of course, catching a few fish.

“What I tell my clients is, ‘You’re going to see a lot of fish. You’re going to hook a lot of fish. And you’re not going to land a lot of fish,” she said. “My goal is to always get a fish into the net.”

But that’s not the real appeal for her. Not anymore.

“In the beginning, you just want to catch a fish,” Sharp said. “Then, the second thing is, you want to catch a lot of fish. Then you want to catch a big fish. Then you don’t care about catching a fish. It’s just being out there.

“What I loved about it was being in nature. It’s the beauty God creates for us.” Besides, she said, “it’s much more relaxing than being a deep-sea fishing boat.”

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHARPER BITES

Bob Munitz shows off his catch.

Mountain Fun

Wine, music, Cabbage Patch Kids and more on tap

If you’re headed to the mountains of North Georgia or North Carolina this summer and fall and wondering what there is to do besides admire the view, check out this list of eclectic upcoming events.

BLAIRSVILLE

SCOTTISH FESTIVAL

Bagpipes, drums, games and food will bring the Scottish highlands to Meeks Park in Blairsville on June 9-10. Visit blairsvillescottishfestival. com for details.

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS WINE & JAZZ FESTIVAL

The festival will be held June 16 from 2 to 10 p.m. at 58 Boardtown Road near the town of Blue Ridge. More than a dozen wineries will provide the vino, while musical acts include Kharisma Jazzmatic Funk, The 4 Korners, Tray Dahl and The Jugtime Ragband and Taryn Newborne. Visit blueridgewineandjazz.com for tickets and details.

VILLAGE SQUARE ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW

Held in Highlands, NC on June 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kelsey-Hutchinson “Founders” Park on Pine Street in downtown. There will be high quality fine art, folk art and regionally made crafts. Visit facebook.com/villagesquareshow for more information.

RABUN COUNTY MUSIC FESTIVAL

The annual music extravaganza returns to the Rearden Theatre on the campus of the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Rabun County. The lineup includes: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (June 23); Evening in the Round with Linda Davis, Lang Scott and Bill Whyte (July 7); Emile Pandolfi (July 21); 7 Bridges (Aug. 4); and The Drifters (Aug. 18). Tickets and details at rabunmusicfestival.com.

POTS ON THE GREEN

This two-day festival

– June 30 and July

1 – in Cashiers, NC features the area’s rich pottery heritage with demonstrations, talks and original pottery on display and for sale at The Village Green Gazebo. Visit villagegreencashiersnc. com for more information.

FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA ON THE GREEN

Celebrate the 4th of July in Cashiers, NC with this evening festival, which will include food, music, dancing and a colossal fireworks display. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. at The Village Green. Details atvillagegreencashiersnc.com.

GEORGIA MOUNTAIN FAIR

This year’s fair is July 20-28 at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee. Rides, live music, food and much more draw thousands of visitors each year. See all the events happening this summer at the fairgrounds at georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.

BABYLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL

The Cabbage Patch Kids were created by Xavier Roberts in Cleveland, GA, which is home to Babyland General Hospital where the tykes are born. The Cabbage Patch Kids are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and there will be events all summer long (including regular weekend tea parties) culminating with an anniversary celebration on Sept. 8. Find out more at babylandgeneral.com.

BLUE RIDGE BLUES AND BBQ MUSIC FESTIVAL

The annual festival will be held in the downtown Blue Ridge City Park on Sept. 15 from noon to 9 p.m. There will be barbeque, live music, craft beer, fun stuff for the kids and more. Find more information at stayinblueridge.com.

ROME BEER FEST

Head to Rome for the annual unique craft beer, art and music experience on Sept. 22 at Heritage Park. All proceeds benefit the Rome Area Council for the Arts, providing community arts programming, education and outreach. For more information, romebeerfest.com.

GEORGIA APPLE FESTIVAL

The annual event is held over two weekends – Oct. 13-14 and Oct. 20-21 – in Ellijay. There will be more than 300 vendors, an antique car show, a parade and plenty of apples. Visit georgiaapplefestival.org for information.

SPECIALISTS ON THE PLATEAU WITH AN INTERNATIONAL REACH

Make a Splash

Georgia State Parks offer water activities for summer

Summer is calling, and outdoor lovers will soon be on the hunt for the perfect destinations to enjoy water activities. Lucky for locals and visitors, Georgia State Parks offer a plethora of ways to get wet, including paddling, boating, fishing and kayaking just to name a few. And whether you’re heading for the hills or to some other part of the state for your summer vacation, there’s some great scenery, too.

PADDLING

The Park Paddlers Club offers an abundance of scenic waterways to explore, for both seasoned paddlers and beginners. Whether paddling in a kayak, in a canoe or on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), paddle the 24 miles of water trails at the six participating state parks and earn a Park Paddlers t-shirt and bragging rights. In addition to the six state parks in the Park Paddlers Club, visitors can rent kayaks, canoes and SUPs to explore a variety of mountain lakes, coastal waters and winding rivers, all located within Georgia state parks. Find a complete list of parks with paddling at GaStateParks.org/Paddling.

SWIMMING

Nothing says summer like a trip to the lake. Georgia State Parks’ sandy swimming beaches serve up all the amenities of a trip to the coast without the expense. Check out the beaches at parks like Red Top Mountain, Hard Labor Creek or Tugaloo. If swimming pools are more your style, head to F.D. Roosevelt, High Falls, Little Ocmulgee or Victoria Bryant state parks. Kids will find fun ways to play in the water with splash pads at Magnolia Springs, Little Ocmulgee and Gordonia-Alatamaha. Find a lake, pool or splash pad at GaStateParks.org/Swimming.

FISHING

Georgia State Parks are an angler’s paradise with reservoirs, streams and rivers, lakes of all sizes and saltwater fishing. Many bass fishermen equate “The Bass Capital of the World” to George T. Bagby’s Lake Walter F. George. In fact, the size and variety of fish are rivaled only by the varieties of unspoiled environments, from bass at Tugaloo and Hart Outdoor Recreation Area, to crappie at Seminole, Red Top Mountain and Richard B. Russell. Several of the parks have created programs that allow you to borrow equipment for little or no charge. Find a fishing spot at GaStateParks.org/Fishing.

BOATING

In addition to lakeside beaches, dozens of Georgia State Parks provide public boat ramps and docks, a few with their own docks adjacent to campgrounds and cabins. Boat rentals are available at more than 20 state parks. Larger lakes even allow boaters to partake in water skiing, sailing and other personal watercraft activities, however, some parks on smaller lakes have horsepower restrictions to preserve the tranquil setting and wildlife. See a full list of boat ramps at GaStateParks.org/Boating.

Tugaloo

Red Top Mountain Beach

High Falls

Third Act

Noted poet, dancer and activist prepares for mountain move

By Collin Kelley

Poet, dancer, activist and history-maker Louise Runyon is leaving Decatur for the mountains of North Carolina.

Her latest poetry collection, “The Passion of Older Women,” not only acts as goodbye letter to the city, but also arrives at the height of the social mediadriven #MeToo movement as a frank testament and tool of empowerment for women “of a certain age.”

“I love Atlanta and Decatur. I will deeply miss the DeKalb Farmers Market, my many communities here, my friends and garden,” Runyon reflected. “But I’m looking forward to pursuing a more spiritual path, and part of that is being in the mountains. I want to rest, be quiet and appreciate the natural world. I want to take better care of myself and get to know a new place and community. It’s an adventure.”

Runyon is not new to adventures and forging her own path. She made history in the 1970s by becoming the first woman

to work at Atlantic Steel (where Atlantic Station now sits in Midtown) since World War II. She also made a name for herself in the dance world, touring the country as a performer and choreographer and creating the Louise Runyon Performance Company. Runyon said the strong women in her life were her inspiration, including now as she prepares to make another life-altering move.

“I’m 68, so it’s pretty daunting to make this move by myself,” Runyon said. “But the mountains are where my heart is.”

She was particularly inspired by her cousin, Francis, who moved to the North Carolina mountains at age 70 and lived happily there for another 26 years. “Those were the best years of her life,” Runyon said. “She found peace there and I hope to do the same.”

Before she makes the move to Sylva, North Carolina, Runyon remains steadfast in her role as an activist, including support of #MeToo.

“Sexual assault on women, viewing them as objects and commodities, leads to the stigmatization of older women,” she said. “When you become an older woman, you feel shame and stigmatized no matter how confident or powerful you’ve been. It’s not really talked about, but just part of the fabric of our culture. I think the Me Too movement is a huge step forward for women.”

While writing “The Passion of Older Women,” Runyon became aware of just how little writing there was for older women. She said most of the books come from a religious angle or “formulaic garbage” playing on the old trope of older women desperate for younger men.

“I hope that when women read this book they will gain solace, hope, comfort and direction,” Runyon said. “We’re looking at the last third of our lives and how we’re going to live it. It’s not an easy thing to face. Younger women may not think about it or want to think about it, but this is there future, too.”

As for her legacy, Runyon said she’s not one to reflect on it.

“My contribution is to write and talk about the power of the women of my generation,” she said. “We’re a formidable group. We’ve made a difference and will continue to do so and not just disappear.”

Louise Runyon will read from “The Passion of Older Women” on June 25, 7:15 p.m. at the Decatur Library as part of Poetry Atlanta Presents… in conjunction with Georgia Center for the Book. For more information, visit georgiacenterforthebook.org or louiserunyonperformance.com.

“I’ve been involved with the community since 1960 and I was on the very first board here at Saint Anne’s Terrace. It’s a beautiful part of town and the best part about living here is the wonderful family atmosphere in which everyone gets along.”

Design Ideas

Ideas for decorating your mountain retreat

As more people buy mountain homes for retirement or as weekend getaways, interior design has definitely evolved. Gone are the days of the primitive log cabin, replaced by modern conveniences with a rustic flare.

We rounded up a few design inspiration ideas if you’re getting ready to decorate your mountain retreat.

1 2 5 6 3

4

Open floorplans are de rigueur in city homes these days, but they are also perfect for mountain retreats, especially if you’re trying to get closer to the family or hosting a party. A big kitchen bar with plenty of seating and a grand view of the living space opens up all kinds of possibilities.

Wood and stone accents in a mountain home offer plenty of charm,

If you’re going to be entertaining at your mountain home, plenty of seating will be a must. This interior design offers multiple areas for gathering, socializing and intimate conversations.

An outdoor fireplace is a must for those chilly nights in the mountains. It also makes an excellent focal point for a family gathering, party or just curled up with a good book.

A modern version of the campfire, a fire pit with plenty of seating is great for parties, sleepovers or sitting around toasting marshmallows and listening to ghost stories.

while big windows offer great views – even from bed.

No outhouses here! A sleek, modern bathroom can have a rustic touch as well as a commanding view of the mountains while you soak in a big tub or enjoy a long shower.

At right: The Atlanta INtown “art box” project continues with this psychedelic beauty from artist Travis Smith (find him on Instagram @13_robots), which is located outside Savage Pizza in Little Five Points. Thanks again to Isadora Pennington (who took the pohto) for curating this ongoing revamp of our boxes around the city. More to come!

as well as many other issues...

John Salvesen • 404-453-3438

Main photo: The Downtown skyline at twilight from the top of the Highland Walk building in the Old Fourth Ward. (Photo by Collin Kelley)

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ATLANTA - Features an open layout w/bedroom on the main. Stunning kitchen is complete with custom cabinets, quartz countertops, large island, large master suite with tray ceiling, spa-like bath and oversized closet. 5Bed/4Bath $769,000

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