Atlanta Intown - June 2022

The hissing of summer toilets

Editor’s Letter

Collin Kelley

Two milestones occurred within a week of each other at the end of May: a year has passed since I bought my condo and my cancer surgery.

has been editor of Atlanta Intown for almost two decades. He’s also an award-winning poet and novelist.

collin@AtlantaIntownPaper.com

To mark the occasion, my toilet started hissing. Since my dad was a plumber and passed on a few – let me stress few – tips, I replaced the flapper in the tank as there was a tiny bit of water leaking into the bowl. That didn’t help. Now I’m thinking it’s the flush valve or maybe there’s a crack in the fill valve or the gasket connecting the tank to the bowl.

Whatever it is will require a plumber because I’ve reached the frontier of my plumbing skills and I have a terrible knack for making things worse by trying to fix things myself. My friends are like, ‘just Google how to fix it or watch a YouTube video.’ If it was that easy, there wouldn’t be a repair service industry left.

On the upside, I have grown to like the condo more. You might remember a few months ago when I wrote about having buyer’s remorse and wishing I’d just stayed at my apartment. That has mostly passed now, aided by finishing the move-in process.

After the surgery, moving in here was hell. I stuffed things in closets, threw books on shelves with no organization, and couldn’t open my kitchen cabinets without something falling out. With all these things finally sorted, more donations made, and a few things sold at Half-Price Books, I feel more settled in.

As for my health, I’ll be getting my six-month scans again in June with another round of visits with my oncologist and surgeon, plus a checkin with my dentist to make sure the proton therapy didn’t damage my teeth. The persistent dry mouth is no fun at all.

In the meantime, editing Intown has kept me busier than ever. We’ve had a string of big issues (thank you, advertisers!), plus our popular Rough Draft newsletter is now going out five days a week. Be sure to subscribe at roughdraftatlanta.com if you haven’t already.

We also hit 10,000 followers on our Instagram account (@atlantaintown) after being locked out of it for five years. Pro-tip: don’t close the email account associated with the account plus lose the password. Doh!

The June issue is brimming with news and features, including our cover story on the South Dwntn project. Rather than demolish historic buildings (as Atlanta is still wont to do), Newport RE is restoring “Hotel Row” on Mitchell Street to its former glory with restaurants, shops, offices, and future residential. You can read more starting on page 14.

We have a couple of special sections worth your attention this month, too, including a guide to Virginia-Highland Summerfest (page 27) and our special travel section (page 47) will whisk you to the mountains for a weekend away in Clayton, GA, and closer to home, to Arabia and Panola mountains.

Stay cool, y’all.

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The end of Roe v. Wade?

Here’s what it means for Georgia abortion law

By Riley Bunch | GPB News

Aleaked draft opinion shows the Supreme Court intends to overturn abortion rights, which would open a likely path for Georgia’s sixweek abortion ban to be upheld.

The document, published last month by Politico, was written by Justice Samuel Alito in February and says that the highest court in the country has voted to strike down the 1973 decision made in Roe v. Wade.

“It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” Alito wrote in the 98-page opinion.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. confirmed the authenticity of the document and called the leak a “betrayal” of the court.

While the document is credible, the court said, it does not represent a final decision.

But the draft indicates what many women’s rights advocates have feared: federal abortion protections are in jeopardy.

If the Supreme Court uphold its position, state legislatures will have say over their own abortion policies.

Georgia’s so-called “heartbeat bill” that passed in 2019 is still held up by a federal district court of appeals. The law would ban most abortions once a doctor could detect fetal cardiac activity with an ultrasound — usually around six weeks into pregnancy.

Judges in the U.S. 11th District Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in September but were wary to push the case forward as the U.S. Supreme Court was set to take up Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case from Mississippi that bans most abortions after 15 weeks.

Roe’s reversal would favor Mississippi’s law and pave the way for states to make the final decision on abortion access for their residents.

Gov. Brian Kemp’s office responded to the news with optimism that Georgia’s law will eventually go into effect.

“Georgia is a state that values life at all stages,” said Kemp spokesperson Katie Byrd. “Gov. Kemp led the fight to pass the strongest pro-life bill in the country and championed the law throughout legal challenges. We look forward to the Court issuing its final ruling, however, this unprecedented breach of U.S. Supreme Court protocol is deeply concerning.”

Critics of the restrictive measure say many women don’t even know they are pregnant until further into the first trimester, meaning the law essentially amounts to a total ban on abortions.

A coalition of abortion rights advocates in Georgia sued the state after lawmakers passed House Bill 481, which creates a short timeline for a woman to receive an abortion.

The law also includes what supporters call “personhood” language that grants legal rights to fertilized eggs.

The Georgia law is on par with a recently enacted Texas law that also bans abortions as early as six weeks and has stirred outrage among supporters of reproductive rights. It was also originally blocked in lower courts.

Kwajelyn Jackson, executive director at Feminist Women’s Health Center in Atlanta, said advocates weren’t surprised by the leaked ruling that Roe v. Wade will be overturned — a possibility for which they have been preparing.

“However, I don’t think anybody was expecting to have this information be shared late last night,” she said. “And for a leak to come from the Supreme Court was also just a surprising phenomenon that I don’t think any of us were anticipating.”

Georgia does not have a “trigger law” that would immediately outlaw abortion if Roe is overturned, she said, so the challenge to HB 481 will still have to play out in court, though the current injunction could be lifted.

But the draft opinion does not mean immediate restrictions of abortions, she said.

“It is just a draft, it is not the final story,” Jackson said. “Abortion care is still available today; it is still legal today.”

Dr. Andra Gillespie, professor of political science at Emory University, agreed that it’s important to remember that the court’s decision goes through many changes and we won’t know the final ruling for another couple of months.

“We have to keep in mind that decisions are in flux until they are released,” she said.

Political firepower

The Supreme Court’s reversal of the landmark decision would also mean a dramatic infusion of the abortion rights debate into both national and state politics ahead of crucial elections.

President Joe Biden responded by first reiterating the uncertain nature of the final ruling but said his administration has already prepared for the circumstance where Roe v. Wade is overturned.

“If the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose,” he said. “And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.”

The issue will likely deepen the divide between Georgia voters in the contentious upcoming elections. Georgians will soon take to the polls to make decisions on the state’s next governor, a U.S. senator, congressional lawmakers, and statewide officials.

Democrats and advocates argue that access to safe abortion services is particularly vital in Georgia, where maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the country — especially for Black women.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock was among the first to weigh in. Warnock’s reelection bid has the potential to determine which party holds majority power in the upper chamber.

“As a pro-choice pastor, I’ve always believed that a patient’s room is way too small for a woman, her doctor, and the United States government,” Warnock said on social media. “I’ll always fight to protect a woman’s right to choose. And that will never change.”

Warnock faces Trump-backed Republican

candidate Herschel Walker, who has the endorsement of the prominent anti-abortion organization, the National Right to Life.

Other Democrats echoed rally cries. Jen Jordan, Democratic candidate for attorney general, called Georgia “the next battleground for reproductive freedom.”

Jordan gained national attention when she spoke out against House Bill 481, sharing her own deeply personal story of unsuccessful pregnancies.

Gillespie said that Democrats are already using the news to mobilize voters and raise campaign funds while Republicans are taking the opportunity to cheer a victory for their anti-abortion platform.

“Democrats are going to try to lobby and organize around this,” she said. “There were already Republican candidates who were very clear in making pro-life issues a central part of their campaign strategy. So, they’re going to continue to do that.”

Jackson, with the women’s center, said that Georgians still have the power to make change at the ballot box.

“I hope that this will remind people that we cannot just rest on the backstop of the federal government,” she said. “We actually have to work to not only protect and defend the very fragile rights that we already have, but to expand them to actually meet the needs of people.”

“I want this to not lead people sort of deeply into despair,” Jackson added, “but to actually light a fire and fuel their activism going forward.”

This story comes to Atlanta Intown through a reporting partnership with GPB News, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state of Georgia.

Abortion rights demonstrators march through Atlanta in May. (Courtesy Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

Rappers Young Thug and Gunna are two of 28 members of the Young Slime Life (YSL) gang indicted by the Fulton County District Attorney on racketeering charges, including murder, assault, and threats of violence.

The Georgia High School Association voted to ban transgender students from sports by requiring athletes to compete based on the gender marker on their birth certificate.

The Shepherd Center received a $50 million capital grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to support the construction of a new family housing building at its Peachtree Road campus.

Atlanta Streets Alive could go monthly on Peachtree

By Dyana Bagby

Atlanta Streets Alive is hoping to shift gears and become a once-a-month cycling and pedestrian gathering along traditionally car-centric Peachtree Street thanks to legislation now under consideration by the City Council. Atlanta Streets Alive, an initiative of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC), began in 2010. The event blocks vehicle traffic along stretches of major thoroughfares like Peachtree Street and DeKalb Avenue and opens them up for bicyclists, pedestrians, skaters, and

scooters. Nearly 2 million people took part in Atlanta Streets Alive between 2010 and 2019. But when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, the popular event was put on hiatus.

Last year, the ABC, responding to what they were hearing from the community, urged the City Council to make the event a weekly gathering. The legislation went nowhere. The nonprofit organization is hoping the council this year is amenable to once a month.

“Our original proposal was somewhat of a moonshot for a weekly Atlanta Streets Alive,” said ABC Executive Director

“But there was some pushback from some prominent stakeholders along Peachtree Street to the weekly timeline and so we scaled back,” she said. “Monthly still would be amazing, because I think would it still get a lot of the benefits of the frequency, the regularity, to be something that people can expect.”

City Council members Amir Farokhi, Jason Dozier, Liliana Bakhtiari, and Matt Westmoreland introduced the legislation last month seeking to close off Peachtree

Tourists love it.

Fulton County has seated a special grand jury to probe former President Donald Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election in Georgia.

Street between Mitchell Street and 14th Street every Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. beginning Jan. 15.

“Atlanta Streets Alive obviously has been met with open arms for the past 10 to 11 years in the city,” said Farokhi. He credited the ABC for the program’s success.

The current legislation, he said, would “get the city to carry the baton on what should be a regular occurrence in a worldclass city.”

“If you look at many of America’s great cities and world’s great cities, you see they have a regular car-free day of the week or day of the month,” Farokhi said. “It’s pretty common because people love it. Residents love it. Businesses love it.

“It brings the city together and brings it alive in ways that make you fall in love with city,” he said.

The legislation is currently being held in the transportation committee while the council works with administrators to find funding to put on the event every month if it is approved. Farokhi said it is estimated to cost $1.5 million to hold Atlanta Streets Alive monthly.

Serna said the ABC started Atlanta Streets Alive as part of advocating for safer streets.

Atlanta Streets Alive on Peachtree in 2019. (Courtesy Atlanta Bicycle Coalition)

“Our streets are really dominated by cars and people driving and we, in advocating for safer streets for people, felt we needed a dramatic mindset shift,” she said. “Closing streets down to cars temporarily and turning them over to people entirely seem to provide that shift for people who participated in it.”

Peachtree Street was chosen for the proposed monthly program because it links South Downton, Downtown, and Midtown, some of Atlanta’s densest neighborhoods, she said. The three-mile stretch of Peachtree Street that would be closed off is also accessible to six MARTA stations.

Rebecca Serna.

Congratulations, graduates

Atlanta Intown congratulates all the 2022 high school graduates as we recognize the valedictorian and salutatorian from local schools.

Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Classical Academy: Charles Wessinger (V) and Mary Catherine Adams (S)

Benjamin E. Mays High School: Antoni Juarez (V) and Corissa Ross (S)

BEST Academy: Amani Bedwa (V) DeCarlos McKinney (S)

Booker T. Washington High School: Angel Walker (V) and Evelyn Navarrete (S)

Charles R. Drew Academy: Myah Crowell (V) and Alexandria Sweeny (S)

King Young Women’s Leadership Academy: Alexandria Smith (V) and Treasure Evans (S)

D.M. Therrell High School: Daniel Hermonstine (V) and Evan Means (S)

Frederick Douglass High School: Raymond Bedell (V) and Jeremiah Williams (S)

Carver High School Early College: Toni Takaya Reid (V) and Zariah Taylor (S)

Carver High School STEAM: Brian Akomeah-Sakyi (V) and Kyshawn Forbes (S)

Midtown High School: Annie Laster (V) and Duncan Tanner (S)

KIPP Atlanta Collegiate: Jala Birtha (V) and Haleigh Sallaway (S)

Maynard Jackson High School: Madeline Davis (V) and Meghan Frederick (S)

North Atlanta High School: Milan Capoor (V) and Riley Coogan (S)

South Atlanta High School: Anaya Mitchell (V) and Ge’Naya Hough (S)

Private Schools

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School: Brandon Sertl, George Wray (V) and Abigail Jablon (S)

The Lovett School: Anika Singh (V) and Phoebe Ann Phinizy Ellis (S)

Pace Academy: Kargil Behl (V) and Samuel Alkire (S)

The Weber School: Danny Kobrinsky (V) and Kol Hakavod (S)

Atlanta Jewish Academy: Daliya Wallenstein (V) and Micah Feit Mann (S)

Mount Vernon Presbyterian School: Lisa Kosmos, Jackson Aull (V) and Austin Taylor (S)

Capstone Academy: Emily Tso (V) and Kate Williams (S)

Ben Franklin Academy: Kaitlyn Chapman Crutcher (V) and Catherine Elizabeth Rooks (S)

Greater Atlanta Christian School: Marilee Karinshak (V) Lynn Sim (S)

Cox Foundation donates $30 million for Atlanta BeltLine Northwest Trail

By Amy Wenk and Collin Kelley

The James M. Cox Foundation has donated $30 million to the Atlanta BeltLine. Combined with the $80 million secured late last year from The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, BeltLine officials say they now have the philanthropic funding needed to finish the 22-mile trail corridor by 2030.

“I’m so excited that this gift will let us finish constructing that big, beautiful circle around Atlanta,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in an announcement.

According to a BeltLine spokesperson, the donation from the Cox Foundation will specifically fund the construction of the BeltLine’s Northwest Trail, which is currently in design in partnership with the PATH Foundation.

On May 12, a preferred route for a 2.8 mile segment of the trail was announced during a public meeting. The segment will begin at the northern end of the Westside Trail at Huff Road and Marietta Boulevard and traverses across the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant and Howell Mill Road. The trail will then cross Northside Drive, dip under I-75, and follow a portion of Tanyard Creek until it meets the southern end of the Northside Trail in Ardmore Park.

Officials said more time and community engagment would be required for another segment of the trail that will connect Bobby Jones Golf Course to the Peachtree Hills neighborhood.

The Northwest Trail is a complex project that must navigate a major highway, active railroads and the city’s most famous street, Peachtree. Unlike other parts of the BeltLine, the northwest segment doesn’t have abandoned railroad corridors to repurpose for trails.

The Cox Foundation and its Chairman Jim Kennedy have helped build Atlanta’s trail network through the PATH Foundation since 1991. Kennedy helped launch the BeltLine by co-chairing its first fundraising campaign in 2007 and made an early donation that helped fund the Eastside Trail, according to an announcement.

In total, Kennedy and the Cox Foundation have donated $44 million to the BeltLine. “From our experience building the PATH trails, we know what a difference it makes for people to be able to be outside, exercising, meeting neighbors, and building the sense of community we all need,” Kennedy said.

The Cox Foundation is a philanthropic entity of Cox Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Atlanta Beltline is one of the nation’s most ambitious redevelopment projects. When complete, it will connect 45 neighborhoods through trails, parks, and ultimately transit. The BeltLine also is working to bring jobs and affordable housing to Intown neighborhoods.

“We are incredibly grateful to the James M. Cox Foundation for their support of the Atlanta BeltLine and knitting the city together through a trail network,” said Clyde Higgs, president and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine.

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Above and below, renderings for the Atlanta BeltLine Northwest Trail

Mayor commits $58.7 million to affordable housing

By Collin Kelley

Mayor Andre Dickens said the City of Atlanta will invest $58.7 million in the development and preservation of affordable housing during the first meeting of his Affordable Housing Strike Force last month.

During the May 11 meeting, Dickens told the task force, made up of leaders from across government and the nonprofit sector, that money would also be used to prevent evictions and address homelessness in the city.

“Housing is foundational to a community’s health, and simply put, Atlanta doesn’t have enough of it,” Dickens said. “Since day one of my Administration, the development and preservation of affordable housing has been at the top of our agenda, and the steps we are taking today will rocket us forward. Atlantans deserve access to high-quality homes that they can afford.”

Dicken’s multi-million commitment is one of the city’s largest-ever single-year housing investments. The mayor said his administration is already in the process of deploying those funds toward affordable housing and homelessness initiatives including:

• $22.5 million in emergency rental assistance, newly secured from the Federal government;

• $9.1 million to support the relocation of residents from the Forest Cove Apartments, sourced through American Rescue Plan funds;

• $6.2 million in homelessness assistance, sourced through American Rescue Plan funds; and

• $20.9 million activated to develop affordable housing through the city’s affordable housing trust fund.

The Affordable Housing Strike Force will collaborate across their respective organizations to prioritize development projects based on shared goals, jointly identify the needs and obstacles to development, and coordinate planning, funding and infrastructure investments across agencies.

The Strike Force will also partner with non-profit, faith-based and private developers to achieve its goals.

This is 50?

A couple of weeks ago Kristen and I returned home after our second full day at the Shaky Knees music festival. I was dusty, sweaty and my feet hurt but I was invigorated at the same time. It was exciting to see live music again and the crowd had such a good vibe that I felt young and energized. Until, well, until I saw an envelope on the counter that may as well have been a 2-by-4 to the side of my head. In front of my kids and my mother-inlaw, I let out a loud and pointed “Fudge”, only I didn’t really say fudge. An invitation to join AARP can do that to a fellow.

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May I Be Excused?

Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan is an award winning columnist who writes about family life and thinks everything is at least a little funny. tim@sullivanfinerugs. com.

So yeah, in between the time I write this and the time you read it, I will turn 50 years old and I’m not entirely sure how to feel about that. In the rug business I’d be classified as semi-antique and my flaws could be referred to lovingly as ‘character’ or ‘patina’. I’d be a curiosity simply for having lasted this long. Unsurprisingly, these waning weeks of my forties have brought upon some reflection and introspection but as the big date approaches it’s starting to feel like a dramatic prologue to a non-event. And maybe that’s a good thing.

It seems there are two common approaches to turning 50. Should I channel Sally O’Malley and kick a leg over my head and proudly proclaim “I’m 50! 50 years old!!”? Or do I slink off to a corner and resign myself to filling out the AARP form muttering something pathetic about discounts? The new thing is to take a birthday picture when you think you look pretty cute and post it to social media claiming “This is 50!” But now that I’m here it feels a little more like This is 50?

I’m don’t know what I expected, maturity perhaps? Like maybe I’d be talking about mutual funds a little more and eating Lucky Charms straight from the box a little less, but here we are. Do people ever really feel mature themselves or is that just a judgment others make about you? It’s not entirely without surprises though. I mean, no one ever warned me about lower leg baldness. A lifetime of sock-wearing and the hair on that part of your leg just sort of gives up, huh? Are there manscaping tips for patchy malepattern shin baldness?

I used to think the other side of 50 must be no fun at all. But as I look at my friends and family members who have already crossed that bridge it doesn’t seem that bad. For my 50th I’ll be in the mountains with a bunch of these folks, so I plan to examine them closely. Are they only pretending to like hiking or is this keen appreciation of nature genuine? When they talk about how fun Pickle Ball is, do they secretly wish they could still play actual tennis?

To my kids, me turning 50 is comical if anything at all. It reminds me of the time when Margo was about 6 and the two of us were on a walk and having a little esoteric chat. I asked if she would take care of me when I got old and started to lose my mind. In typical fashion she deadpanned, “No! I’ll find your mind and stick it back in your ear!” It’s added incentive to keep sharp because tough love may be the only love I can count on down the road.

Hopefully, I’m a good stretch away from losing my mind but I think Margo’s take on the situation might still be applicable here. Stewing on the milestone doesn’t serve much of a purpose so time to find my mind, stick it back in my ear and carry on. I suppose this is 50, and I suppose that’s fine. Oh, and mutual funds – amiright?

School rezoning for Midtown advances despite protests

By Dyana Bagby

The Atlanta Board of Education could take a final vote in June to move forward with a controversial recommendation to open a new elementary school in VirginiaHighland.

However, that recommendation may change before the vote after some board members said they want more feedback from Midtown residents who strongly oppose a new K-5 school.

The board voted 5-4 on the first vote at its May 2 meeting to approve Superintendent Lisa Herring’s recommendation to convert the former Inman Middle School into an elementary school. The plan requires some 850 students from Morningside, Mary Lin,

and Springdale Park elementary schools

to be rezoned to different schools. More than 500 would come from Springdale Elementary, known as SPARK, lowering its enrollment by nearly 50%.

Herring made her recommendation public a week ago. She bypassed a proposal to create a dual SPARK campus. She said the new elementary school offers flexibility for future enrollment growth across the Midtown cluster, creates balanced elementary schools, increases the potential percent of students in the walk zone, and maintains diversity where possible.

SPARK parents packed the May 2 meeting, wearing flowers pinned to school T-shirts, and criticized the process, saying one week was not enough time to study and review the plan. They urged the board

AwardWinning

our students’ mental health and well-being,” said one SPARK parent whose child’s entire education has occurred during the pandemic. “There will be a tremendous amount of change for the over 800 students taken from their current schools.”

to reject Herring’s recommendation and go with the dual campus. SPARK parents have started a petition to try to overturn the recommendation.

“Our kids deserve stability, and I don’t believe the recommendation prioritizes

Board members asked for more time to listen to the upset families and to understand better why a new school was recommended over a dual campus. But Herring said a final decision could be made by August to give time to hire staff for a new school for the 2023-24 year.

Parent Ryan Valduga urges the Atlanta School Board to reconsider its redistricting plan.

History in the Remaking

Newport’s adaptive reuse project South Dwntn promises a ‘sense of place’

By Dyana Bagby

When German real estate company Newport RE bought 222 Mitchell Street four years ago, there were no plans to capitalize on the historic building’s rooftop views. It was simply another strategic purchase for the company’s plans to revitalize dozens of South Downtown properties.

“I don’t think we understood the actual value of the building,” said Newport RE Senior Vice President April Stammel as she scanned the downtown skyline from 222 Mitchell’s rooftop during a recent tour. “We had not done design plans. We hadn’t studied what it could be.”

What it will be is about 300,000 square feet of office space and 70,000 square feet of retail. Slater Hospitality, the team behind the rooftop dining and entertainment experiences at Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward and the Interlock in West Midtown, is set to open two new spots atop 222 Mitchell early next year. And the hulking, dreary building that sat vacant for two decades will soon be the centerpiece of Newport’s $500 million “South Dwntn”

project that could take up to 10 years to complete.

A generational opportunity

Newport opened an office in Atlanta in 2016 because it saw the opportunity to breathe life back into the historic neighborhood located between Alabama Street to the north, I-20 to the south, and flanked by the Georgia State Capitol and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was here where Atlanta got its start as a railroad hub in the mid-1800s, where Terminal Station led passengers directly into Hotel Row, where Broad and Peachtree streets were bustling commercial centers lined with storefronts as well as department stores such as Rich’s and Davison’s.

Construction of the Five Points MARTA station in the 1970s split Broad Street and cleared the streets of pedestrians that shopped in the area. The impact was devastating and South Downtown rapidly declined. Many businesses shut down and some still sit empty. What was once the center of the city became a memory. The brick buildings remained, however, and Newport snapped up 48 of them across

eight blocks along Peachtree, Broad and Mitchell streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The real estate firm also bought some parking lots.

Tearing the buildings down was never in Newport’s plans. Adaptive reuse of historic brick buildings with original floor tiles, wood beams, and vintage signage is in demand. Ponce City Market, a former Sears building, shines as a beacon.

People want a connection to history, Stammel said.

“I think as the world changes, people are starting to become more inherently attached to the spaces that they’re in,” she said.

“They want spaces, whether it’s to live in or to eat in or to grab a coffee, that give them a sense of place. I think old buildings do that naturally better than new construction,” she said. “New construction can certainly check those boxes, and we are going to have a lot of that. But there’s something you just can’t recreate, and that’s what we have here.”

Kevin Murphy, executive vice president of Newport, said the company considers South Dwntn as more than just a real estate project – it’s a neighborhood development that will provide people a place to come

back to where Atlanta began.

“This is a generational opportunity,” he said.

Residential on the horizon

The renovation of Hotel Row is nearly complete with several tenants ready to move in and open shop. 222 Mitchell is slated to open early next year with Slater Hospitality and several other businesses as tenants.

The first question Mitchell Street tenants asked after they inked their leases was how they were going to survive the nights when there were no sporting or entertainment events. Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena are both within walking distance and their events are expected to bring plenty of foot traffic to

Newport RE Senior Vice-President April Stammel on the roof of 222 Mitchell Street. (Photos by Isdoar Pennington)

South Dwntn’s businesses.

CIM Group’s $5 billion Centennial Yards project on the property once known as The Gulch includes two new apartment complexes with retail. More residential is planned to meet demand of a hot housing market. Underground Atlanta is moving into its master planning stage that could include student housing.

And now Newport is ready to begin the redevelopment of Broad Street, which was a haven for artists in recent years. The company will focus on adaptive reuse of the buildings it owns, some a century old. It also plans to construct from the ground up two residential buildings on either side of Broad Street, totaling about 300 units.

“We’re up against the unique challenge and opportunity of how we honor the

historic structures while increasing diversity and answering that residential question,” Stammel said.

“Broad Street will be the first time Atlanta will see what we’ve been able to do, that marriage of old adaptive reuse and new ground-up architecture.”

An announcement of what the new residential construction will look like is expected this summer, she said.

Alena Green is director of economic development for Downtown’s advocacy organization Central Atlanta Progress. She

praised Newport’s willingness to work with the city to ensure streetscape improvements that will create safer experiences for those on bikes, on walking, or using wheelchairs.

The company’s passion to take an “assetcentered” approach to their development will benefit the people new to South Downtown as well as those already living there, she said.

“This is truly an authentic urban experience you get when you come here,” Green said.

CONFIRMED TENANTS

Ohio River South, a lobbying and advocacy firm, is set to move into the former Sylvan Hotel at 235 Mitchell Street this summer.

Pizza Clementine, a carryout pizza shop from Slater Hospitality founders Mandy and Kelvin Slater, will open at 219 Mitchell Street later this year. The duo is also opening a bar named Thirteenth Floor in the pizzeria’s basement.

Slater Hospitality will open a modern diner on the roof of 222 Mitchell Street with views of the Atlanta skyline and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The company is also opening a nightlife lounge below with more rooftop space with views of the city and the Georgia State Capitol. Both are expected to open in the summer of 2023.

Pins Mechanical Company is building out a 25,000-square-foot entertainment complex at 222 Mitchell. The new social destination will include duckpin bowling, more than 50 pinball machines, and classic arcade games, bocce ball courts, ping pong, and patio pong. Opening is slated for early 2023.

How Crispy will open at 235 Mitchell. The space includes a tile floor with “Imperial Fruit Co.” also spelled out in tile. Imperial Fruit Co. was a business on Hotel Row during its heyday.

The facades of historic buildings at the corner of Mitchell and Forsyth streets are part of the South Dwntn redevelopment.

Newport RD Senior Vice-President April Stammel, Executive Vice-President Kevin Murphy, and Senior Vice President-Development TP Bullock.

Chicken restaurant How Crispy will open in the former Imperial Fruit Co. building on Mitchell Street.

Mitchell Street was once known as “Hotel Row” and was a quick walk from the longgone Terminal Station train depot.

A mural of Outkast in the basement of 219 Mitchell where Slater Hospitality is planning a bar concept called Thirteenth Floor.

Gleaming hardwood floors, support columns and brickwork are all part of the historic interiors along Mitchell Street.

◄The 50,000+-squarefoot IST Management Services’ new International Headquarters building has officially opened. The building, designed by Atlanta based TSW, is located at 1341 Moreland Ave. in East Atlanta. The IST building will be part of an 8-acre, mixed-use development with over 21,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and over 34,000 square feet of office space with onsite parking. The development will also include an 89-unit apartment complex, overlooking the newly restored creek area, that is expected to break ground later this year. More info is available at tsw-design.com.

Lincoln Property Company Southeast has negotiated two new leases totaling 20,191 square feet at 55 Allen Plaza in Downtown Atlanta. DRB Group, a homebuilding construction firm based out of Rockville, Maryland, signed to occupy a 17,080-square-foot space at the building. McArthur Law Firm, a personal injury attorney group, signed a 3,111-square-foot lease. For more info, visit lpcsoutheast.com.

Gucci has announced the opening of its new store at Lenox Square. The boutique spans over 3,000 square feet and showcases a wide collection of men’s and women’s shoes, handbags, luggage, small leather goods, fashion and silver jewelry, watches, and Gucci Beauty. Learn more at gucci.com.

The U.S. Small Business Administration Georgia District Office has announced its 2022 Georgia award winners. Ardina Pierre, chief executive officer of Nature’s Own Herb Shop in Hapeville, Ga., was named the 2022 Small Business Person of the Year. Michael Randall, president and CEO of Safeguard Security Solutions LLC in Stockbridge, Ga, is the 2022 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year, and Destiny Brewton, founder and CEO of A House Called Hue in Atlanta, is this year’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The 2022 NSBW theme, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” highlights the resilience, ingenuity and creativity of America’s 32.5 million small businesses. Go to sba.gov/nsbw to find out more.

The sustainable fashion store Reformation has opened in Ponce City Market. It’s the brand’s first-ever retail location in Georgia and includes sustainable dressing room carpets, vintage furniture, and eco-friendly fabrics, hangers made with FSC-certified wood, and reusable deadstock totes. The store will also offset 100% of its electricity usage with wind energy. Click on thereformation.com to shop and get details.

◄Atlanta’s Ready Trading has opened its flagship clothing store in the Toco Hills Shopping Center. The shop specializes in natural fabrics and a globally inspired aesthetic for women of all ages. Owner and curator Lee Read Pilgrim is an Atlanta native and her READY TRADING in Decatur has been in business for more than 10 years. The store is known for fostering connection and community among women through Open House events held on the third Thursday of each month. Stay connected at readytowearclothing.com or @readytradingtaos.

►To celebrate the launch of their ICON collection,

Kimberly-Clark Professional partnered with Atlanta street artist and muralist Yoyo Ferro to bring the element of art to hygiene. The ICON collection is an automatic dispenser with interchangeable and customized faceplate options. Ferro created four custom designs that were printed and installed on faceplates. The company recently debuted Yoyo’s “Art of Hygiene” series during a virtual event from the Besharat Gallery in Atlanta. Get additional info at kcprofessional.com and yoyoferro.com.

The IT consulting and digital technology company Xebia has moved its global headquarters to Atlanta and plans to add 200 positions for business and IT professionals, bringing its U.S. workforce to an estimated 500. Xebia has led multiple key digital transformation initiatives for companies like Walt Disney, Levi’s, Aspiration and Beachbody. Check out xebia.com for updates.

◄Sandbox VR has finalized a lease for a 5,500-squarefoot entertainment space at The Interlock, the $450 million mixed-use project on Howell Mill Road NW in Atlanta. It will be the firm’s first Georgia location. Sandbox VR offers a socially immersive gaming experience that provides players a unique combination of full body motion capture and VR technologies. Sandbox VR is expected to open at The Interlock in the third quarter of 2022. Go to sandboxvr.com to find out more.

The California-based lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne will open at Buckhead Village this spring. The brand is best known for timeless wardrobe items and home classics that speaks to the modern woman. The new shop will be located on Buckhead Avenue, between Canali and alice + olivia, and offer wardrobe essentials, home decor items and small items like candles and pillows, as well as their skincare collection Oak Essentials. Jenni Kayne has 13 stores across the country as well as a robust online website and a popular lifestyle blog called Rip & Tan. Follow on Instagram, @jennikayne, or visit jennikayne.com.

A Community of Care on a Mission to Heal

Ad agency internship aims to open doors for Black creatives 8

During these uncertain times, HammerSmith is here for you and your family. We provide safe, essential services, architectural designs and home renovations. Start planning today for how to live better in a changed world.

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By Dyana Bagby

A national internship program designed to create more opportunities for young Black creatives to break into the advertising industry is now in Atlanta.

Named BLAC, short for “Building Leaders and Creators,” the nonprofit internship program is now in its second year. It was created in the wake of George Floyd’s murder when all of corporate America vowed to take a closer look at diversity and inclusion policies.

A primary mission for BLAC is to “open the doors” for more Black creatives, say organizers, to gain jobs in the advertising industry where less than 6% of its employees are Black. And of that 6%, the overwhelming majority of Black employees are in entry-level or administrative.

“Right after the murder of George Floyd, the industry had a real serious moment of reckoning,” said Toni Lee, a BLAC board member. “The goal of this program is to change the face of the industry, all the way to the top leadership.”

Last year, 11 independent ad agencies from across the U.S. — from San Francisco to Chicago to New York — participated in the BLAC internship program. The companies hired 32 interns and 23 found full-time jobs. This year, 22 agencies are participating, including Response Media, a digital advertising company in Norcross. Response Media is the first metro Atlanta and Georgia company to hire interns through BLAC.

Michelle Rainbow, vice president of Media & Campaign Management at Response Media, said she and her colleagues were deeply impacted by Floyd’s murder and wanted to take concrete action to create a more diverse workforce.

“We sat down as an agency and a community and really took a hard look at ourselves and the industry and really wanted to make a commitment” to being intentional about diversity, Rainbow said.

Response Media has 33 full-time employees; 30% are Black. The percentage is higher than many advertising agencies, Rainbow said. “But we all need to do better.”

The BLAC program is sponsored by Procter & Gamble. No resumes, portfolios or college degrees are required to apply. Instead, those interested send in a two-minute video spotlighting their creativity. The idea is to remove barriers to entry.

“It opens up the doors of opportunity for those who never even really considered that advertising was an option for them,” said Asmirh Davis, a founding partner and Chief Strategy Officer for Majority, an Atlanta-based advertising agency co-founded by Shaquille O’Neal. Davis is also a BLAC board member.

Another critical role of BLAC’s program is that it prioritizes helping the interns create their own community for professional and personal support.

“This internship program is different than others because it’s not just about focusing on increasing the pipeline,” Davis said. “The pipeline is not the problem. There’s never been a talent problem with diversity.

“It’s not just bringing more interns in who come from diverse backgrounds, but it’s about changing the environment that they’re coming into and changing the perspective of the agencies that work in this industry,” Davis added.

For more information, visit blacinternship.com.

Norcross-based Response Media is participating in the BLAC internship program to support diversity in the advertising industry.Response(Courtesy Media)

Hope and reconciliation at the Chattahoochee

– decades after slavery was ostensibly abolished – the brick company leased convict laborers from the state to produce millions of handmade bricks for city streets, sidewalks, cemeteries, and other purposes. It is believed that makeshift graves were created onsite and likely remain.

When a fuel terminal was proposed for the riverfront site several years ago, civil rights leaders, neighbors, and environmentalists protested; they hoped to memorialize the people who suffered at Chattahoochee Brick by preserving the property, while protecting the river from industrial development. In April, the Atlanta City Council voted to purchase the site to create a park and memorial.

Hundreds of tires, construction debris, mounds of asphalt and trash poked out from behind the trees and dense vegetation.

Above the Water Line

Sally Bethea

is the retired executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and an environmental and sustainability advocate.

On weekends in the 2000s, a friend and I often explored tributaries to the Chattahoochee River that flow through the less-traveled sections of its urban watershed: industrial parks, junkyards, abandoned neighborhoods, construction sites, landfills, kudzu woods, and land near railroad lines and under highway bridges. In these places, we discovered unexpected natural beauty, along with heart-breaking volumes of trash and pollution.

Not far from one creek we explored in northwest Atlanta, we found a dark story from the city’s post-Civil War history: one

that, like so many others, was never taught in our southern schools. The stream in the area we investigated – then unnamed –flows behind an old landfill, an auto parts facility, and other industries on Bankhead Highway, now Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway; its waters merge with Proctor Creek and then flow another half-mile or so before entering the Chattahoochee River.

Exploitation

At the confluence of Proctor Creek and the river lies a seventy-five-acre tract of land that was owned by Chattahoochee Brick Company for a century beginning in the 1870s; its founder was former Atlanta mayor and Confederate captain James English. Here, leased convict laborers from local penitentiaries – nearly all Black and many jailed for petty crimes – were exploited, horribly abused, and forced to live in filthy conditions. Some died in what has been called a “death camp.”

The gruesome history came to light in Doug Blackmon’s Slavery by Another Name, published in 2008. He reveals that at the turn of the twentieth century

Bryan Stevenson – acclaimed public interest lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative – has said: “We need an era of truth and justice in this country; we need to have truth and reconciliation… There’s something better waiting for us that we can’t get to until we have the courage to talk honestly about our past.” What happened at Chattahoochee Brick is an important part of Atlanta’s past. The city’s action to invest in its preservation and memorialize its tragic story is a beginning.

Chronic Pollution

When my friend and I explored the mature, diverse forest of approximately thirty acres that surrounds the creek near the landfill, in the mid-2000s, we were not aware of the nearby brickyard and its sad history. Although the area was full of trash and the waterways were obviously polluted, this pocket of nature was also beautiful and surprising for its size in such a highly urbanized setting.

A small tributary that flowed beside the old landfill was bright orange and smelled of chemicals. The larger, unnamed creek, which was crossed multiple times by a sewer pipe with brick manhole columns, contained whitish strands of bacteria: a sign of chronic pollution. Could the columns, which wore their covers like jaunty hats, have been made at Chattahoochee Brick? When it rained, the sewer pipe was unable to contain the volume and pressure of the contaminated water that rushed through it, resulting in the jarred manhole lids and sewage overflows into the creek and forest.

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the environmental organization that I led at the time, contacted the landfill operator about the orange-colored stream. The company agreed to repair breaches in the landfill, remove trash, and stabilize the eroding streambank. With Atlanta officials, we discussed the sewer pipe overflows and mentioned the children we’d seen playing near the creek in a downstream neighborhood. They were already working on the overhaul of Atlanta’s entire sewage system, required by CRK’s 1995 lawsuit against the city, and promised to investigate our report.

Determined to officially name the stream, we applied to the National Board of Names and, in 2005, secured approval for A.D. Williams Creek to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s grandfather, a minister and civil rights activist. That spring, we organized a naming ceremony and cleanup in the woods beside the creek, working with community advocates. Our collective hope to reclaim this pocket of nature in the city kept us working for a better day.

Justice

Donna Stephens has lived in Atlanta’s English Park neighborhood, within a mile of Chattahoochee Brick, for nearly all her fifty-five years. Until she saw the PBS documentary about Blackmon’s book a decade ago, she knew nothing about the brickyard’s past; she was “floored” by what she learned. In recent years, Donna has been the driving force behind community efforts to preserve the land—a place where she feels a sort of physical connection to the people who labored there so long ago. She says that someone must “stand up” for those people, so she has never given up hope or stopped working for a day of remembrance and reconciliation.

Lawyer Bryan Stephenson has said: “I am persuaded that hopelessness is the enemy of justice; that if we allow ourselves to become hopeless, we become part of the problem. I think you’re either hopeful, or you’re the problem. There’s no neutral place... Hope is the thing that gets you to stand up, when others say, ‘Sit down.’ It’s the thing that gets you to speak, when others say, ‘Be quiet.’”

Sally Bethea

The remains of the Chattahoochee Brick Company. (Courtesy Georgia Trust)

Drowning in Plastic

One mom’s journey to a lower waste lifestyle

By Isadora Pennington

Is your pup keeping you up all night with their incessant scratching, licking and biting? If you think you’re distraught, imagine how your dog feels!

Pain

Our oceans are positively swimming in plastic, and we have found microplastics in the bellies of fish and birds. And it’s not just the animals, it’s in humans too. A 2019 study conducted by The University of Newcastle Australia suggests that the average person may ingest up to 5g of plastic every week, the equivalent of a credit card.

The medical term for scratching related to excessive itching is pruritus — and it is the second most common reason dog’s visit the vet.

Be sure to consider the possibility that something is causing pain or discomfort. For example, if you notice your pup biting their paw, it could be a thorn or rock stuck in his foot pad. Compulsive chewing or licking can also be a result of orthopedic problems, such as arthritis and hip dysplasia.

I looked around my house and saw that plastic was everywhere. Especially in our kitchens and bathrooms. I wanted to make a change for my daughter’s sake – every bottle, cup, bowl, and utensil we had for her was plastic. Even though I always checked to make sure they are BPA-free, I learned in my process that other plastic replacements such as BPS can be harmful and are currently under investigation.

brick-and-mortar location that offers refillable Common Good brand products as well as a wide range of zero waste makeup and self-care items. Secondly, an innovative concept called Tap Refillery (taprefilleryandsustainablegoods.com), a mobile truck that sets up at festivals, local shops, and can even be booked for private events to facilitate refills of cleaning and self-care products.

Parasites

I should mention that sustainability and privilege go hand-in-hand. I think it is important to note that choosing to avoid plastic is expensive. It’s difficult, it takes work, and it requires a financial position where you can afford to invest in products or shop at different stores.

Here are the steps I took to live a lower waste lifestyle:

One of the first signs of a problem may be the development of acute moist dermatitis, better known as a "hot spot" — a red, irritated area caused by persistent chewing, licking, scratching, or rubbing. Once an area become irritated, dogs relentlessly scratch, lick, or bite, causing hot spots to pop up rather quickly.

UNCOVERING THE CAUSE

Dogs scratch, lick, or chew for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from allergies to boredom to parasite infestation:

Allergies

1. I started by giving away the plastic items from our kitchen cupboards and replacing them with bamboo, silicone, stainless steel, and glass. This was without a doubt the most expensive part of my process. I chose Elk & Friends (elkandfriends.com) for the cups and Grow Forward Kids (available via Amazon and other retailers) bamboo plates and bowls.

Scratching is often the result of allergies to food or environmental triggers. Your pup may develop a skin irritation called contact dermatitis when they encounter substances like pesticides or soap.

Boredom or Anxiety

Just like people with anxiety might bite their nails, dogs can show physical responses when they’re upset too!

Dry Skin

A variety of factors, including winter weather and fatty acid deficiencies, can cause dry skin in dogs.

Hormonal Imbalances

Fleas, ticks, and mites are among the most common causes for licking, chewing, and scratching. Don’t assume your pup isn’t suffering from parasites just because you can’t see them — fleas often go unnoticed until there is a large infestation, and mites are microscopic!

From changing food, eliminating parasites, topical medication, behavioral modification and more, there are many possible solutions to this "irritating" issue. As soon as you notice a problem, visit your local Scenthound for a Problem Skin Treatment! This service includes a medicated bath using Zymox shampoo and conditioner that supports skin and coat health, soothes skin and diminishes itching and irritation. If problems persist or worsen, it’s time for a visit to the vet to help you figure out the cause and determine the best treatment plan for your pup.

4. I went out in search of non-plastic cleaning and kitchen tools. I had great luck at the Ace Hardware (intownhardware.net) on Scott Boulevard. There, I was able to find silicone and wood cooking utensils, reusable knitted scrubbing cloths, bamboo brushes, beeswax food wraps, and lots more. I ordered silicone reusable ziploc bags and silicone bowl lids online. I invested in a pack of mini mason jars, and we use them for storing food in small quantities, as well as the glass food storage containers I already had on hand.

If your dog’s body is not producing enough thyroid hormone or putting out too much cortisol, superficial skin infections can occur. You may notice bald spots, and your dog may scratch or lick as if bothered by allergies.

Dr. Jim MacLean Chief Veterinarian, Scenthound

Dr. MacLean’s rst job was working as a grooming assistant when he was 15 years old. Since then, he has worked in every aspect of small animal veterinary hospitals, has practiced in small animal medicine and surgery for 26 years, and has owned and started multi-doctor veterinary hospitals.

2. After doing some research, I settled on replacing my soaps, shampoo, and conditioner with bar products. I really like Ethique (ethique.com) shampoo and conditioner bars, specifically the Pinkalicious scent. I have fine hair and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my hair feels and looks much better now. There are also deodorants that come in cardboard instead of plastic, I like the brand called ATTITUDE (attitudeliving.com).

With a mind for both medicine and business, Jim received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from VMRCVM at Virginia Tech in 1994 and his MBA from Georgetown University in 2011.

3. I found some incredible local companies where I have been able to refill my hand soaps, laundry detergent, lotions, and cleaners. I recommend checking out Fig & Flower (shopfigandflower.com) in Virginia Highland, a

Coming full circle, he joined the Scenthound pack to bring his expertise and experience to the grooming world. As chief veterinarian, Dr. MacLean guides Scenthound from a health and medicine perspective and helps achieve our mission to improve overall pet health on a broader scale.

5. I started bringing my own bags to grocery shopping again. This is one area where I acknowledge I will likely not reach the zero-waste limit. It is incredibly difficult to buy many of the food items we consume in vessels that are not plastic. I bring reusable cloth produce bags to eliminate the need for plastic produce bags. I go to Sprouts (sprouts.com) and Sevananda sevananda.coop) to use their refill stations for things like pasta, beans, nuts, and other dry goods. I try to buy my meats and cheeses from the deli instead of pre-sliced and ask for them to be wrapped in wax paper instead of plastic.

Medicated Baths can help address Hot Spots, Allergens, Dandruff, and other Skin issues that can irritate and frustrate your Dog.

With Hydrocortisone, help give them relief to all of that itching and scratching.

ECO BRIEFS

Wild & Scenic Film Festival hosted by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper will kick off with a premiere party on Saturday, June 11 at the Brenau University Charles D. Walters Theatre, and continue online through June 17. Featuring awardwinning, family-friendly films about nature, adventure, conservation, and more, the festival serves as a fundraiser to back pollution prevention efforts in and around Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee’s headwaters. Get tickets and the lineup at chattahoochee.org/ wildscenic.

Advisors and served as vice-president of strategic alliances with Velo Solar and co-founder and CEO of Radiance Solar. Marlow will be on hand to meet guests at the annual Summer Solstice Celebration at Southface on June 23. Get more information at southface.org.

Trees Atlanta honored its 2022 Tree Champions for their teamwork and dedication to the organization at the recent Root Ball. The honorees include volunteer Myrtle Lewin, neighborhood partner Chosewood Park, community

partner Westside Future Fund, corporate partner Georgia Power, and longtime board of directors member and fundraiser Paul Zurawski.

The Trust for Public Land announced the city of Atlanta placed 27th on the 2022 ParkScore index, boosted by significant improvements in park access and investment. In 2021, the city ranked 40th on the list, so the jump to 27 makes Atlanta the biggest mover on this year’s index. Boosting Atlanta’s ParkScore rank were the Cook Park and Westside Park initiatives. The addition of these parks—coupled with other access improvements—means that 77 percent of Atlanta residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared to last year’s 72 percent.

▲James Marlow has been named the new CEO of sustainability organization Southface Institute. Most recently, Marlow was the CEO of Clean Energy

Back on Track

Campanile revamp gets thumbs-up; Midtown Exchange moves forward

By Collin Kelley

The stalled renovation of a Midtown tower appears to be back on track after the City of Atlanta filed an “abandoned project” complaint against the developer. The Campanile building at the intersection of Peachtree and 14th streets – across from newly renovated Colony Square – has had its lower front facade boarded up for several years after planned renovations were put on hold back in 2020.

Now, Dewberry Capital has presented plans to the Midtown Development Review Committee (DRC) to reignite renovations, but on a much larger scale. At the May meeting, Dewberry presented an updated plan that would add approximately 304,00 square feet of retail and office space to the 1980’s-era building. Six new floors are proposed at the top of the tower including roof terraces at levels 23 and 27. Eight new levels of retail and office space are proposed around the base of the office tower.

The existing skin of the building will be replaced with new stone and glass curtain wall cladding at all floors. The old plaza at the corner of Peachtree and 14th will be replaced with a larger hardscaped open space, new landscaping and integrated steps cascading down to 14th Street.

The DRC was supportive of the project

and requested more detailed information about the streetlight plans and plaza design.

Midtown Exchange update

The DRC also reexamined Selig’s massive Midtown Exchange project

consisting of a 37-story residential tower with 465 apartments, a 26-story office building, 24,500 square feet of groundfloor retail space, and a central courtyard accessed from Peachtree Walk.

The property – bounded by 12th Street, Peachtree Walk, and 13th Street – is currently home to a collection of old homes and buildings transformed into restaurants and businesses. It’s the last vestige of Midtown’s residential origins in the vicinity.

Selig made several modifications since its original April presentation including making changes to frontages along 12th and 13th streets for uniformity and modifying the frontage on Peachtree Walk to include a deeper tenant space for future retail or café use accessed directly from the sidewalk.

The Midtown Alliance and Selig are collaborating to integrate the design of the project as the transformation of Peachtree Walk into Midtown Art Walk –a pedestrian street full of art, restaurants, and shops stretching from 10th to 15th streets.

The DRC was supportive of the progress, encouraged continued coordination on the Art Walk, and provided additional feedback centered on the elevations to be addressed by Selig.

The façade of the Campanile building in Midtown has boarded up for several years after a stalled revamp.

A rendering of the new renovations planned for the Campanile building.

A rendering of Midtown Exchange.

Your Next Home Could Be In…

JENNIFER

Where is it? A 15-minute drive from Downtown on I-75 south and next door to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

What’s the history?

The village was officially chartered in 1891 by Dr. Samuel Hape, one of the local landowners who, along with other families, purchased 500 acres of land two decades earlier to create a settlement along the Macon and Georgia Central Railroad.

What’s the city known for? It used to be home to the giant Ford Assembly Plant, which was demolished to make way for the North American headquarters of Porche. Perhaps its most famous resident is comedian Jeff Foxworthy. It’s also known as the home of the original Chick-fil-a Dwarf House, which was recently enlarged and modernized, and the Delta Flight Museum.

What’s going on now? After decades of being rundown and a depressed industrial area, Hapeville was rediscovered by young professionals looking for inexpensive homes near the airport and Downtown Atlanta. In the last 15 years or so, it’s become a hotbed for artists, while its main street –Central Avenue – has been restored to historic glory and is full of restaurants and shops.

What about homes? Like everywhere else, inventory is low, but there was a wide range of prices at press time, including a two-bedroom fixer-upper for $170,000 and new townhomes priced at $650,000.

Just as the days grow longer and warmer, Metro Atlanta’s housing market remains hot, hot, hot. Strong representation matters more now than ever before. Whether you are looking to buy or sell, it would be my pleasure to use my expertise, valued connections and global network to guide you through today’s market. Contact me today to turn someday into right now.

CLOSED & PENDING SALES

4240 OLDE MILL LANE | CHASTAIN PARK | $1,699,000

2567 TYLER WAY | DECATUR | $365,000

2671 ROCKCLIFF ROAD | GRESHAM PARK | $370,000

225 PEACHTREE WAY | ATLANTA | $935,000*

755 MOUNT PARAN ROAD | BUCKHEAD | $850,000

Downtown Hapeville

Porche HQ

New townhomes for sale.

Chick-fil-A Dwarf House

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

▼Global real estate developer Tishman Speyer has announced plans to redevelop property on Brady Avenue that is currently home to two nightclubs into a massive mixed-use development. According to Bisnow, the property at 990-1008 Brady Ave. would have 300,000 square feet of office space, 50,000 square feet of retail, and 700 apartments. The West Midtown addresses, which sit next door to MARTA’s bus opera-

tions facility, are currently home to Compound and Republic Sports and Social nightclubs. Tishman Speyer exited the Atlanta market in 2017 when it sold off the Three Alliance Center in Buckhead. The firm was also in talks to buy and redevelop the Mall at West End last year, but the deal never materialized.

Master Home Remodelers recently won a Contractor of the Year Award (CotY) from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry in the category of “Commercial Specialty.” The CotY Awards are the highest form of recognition by industry leaders and peers. The project, which is located at Colony Square, had placed first in both the local and regional NARI competitions. Get details at MasterHomeRemodelers.com.

In April, the 2022 Southeast Designers and Architect of the Year Awards (SEDY) were presented by ADAC and VERANDA in the categories of architecture, contract design and residential design. Winners include Harrison Design of Atlanta, Ga. (Architect) and Harris Interiors of Atlanta, Ga. (Contract Design). The Residential Design winner is Liz Hand Woods of Birmingham, Ala. To learn more, visit adacatlanta.com.

Real estate investment and management firm Jamestown will accept rent payments in the form of cryptocurrency through a new partnership with BitPay. The program includes Jamestown’s U.S. properties including Ponce City Market, Buckhead Village and Westside Provisions District. More info at jamestownlp.com.

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2.5

3.5

Bridge Commercial Real Estate and Bridge Office announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to a new space at 1277 Lenox Park, a revamped Class A building on the border of Buckhead and Brookhaven. Part of the company’s Abridge flex office portfolio, the 20,000-square-foot space will offer Bridge’s 80 employees more flexible layouts as they move from the former headquarters at Concourse Office Park. Find out more at abridgeoffice.com.

►Robert Hamilton has joined the Keller Williams office in Glenridge Point and is specializing in residential sales in the Buckhead, Sherwood Forest, and Ansley Park areas. Contact Hamilton at (706) 207-2276.

Tristain O’Donnell, real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta, recently held the first public showing of Park + Terrace, a five-home enclave of contemporary-style farmhouses just south of Atlanta’s Grant Park neighborhood. Park + Terrace is under construction by Barrel LLC, and prices begin in the low $500s. Go to parkterraceatl.com for further information.

A 20-story apartment building from M Development could rise behind the RH Atlanta furniture showroom at the corner of Peachtree Road and Buckhead Avenue, according to plans submitted to Livable Buckhead. The building would feature 289 rental units, housed on levels 4 to 20. It would have indoor and outdoor amenities on the first three levels, along with 478 parking spaces.

▲Luxury home builder Toll Brothers, Inc. has opened Eloise at Grant Park, a community of

townhome and 18 condominiums near the Atlanta BeltLine. The two- to three-bedroom townhomes offer

or

baths, two-car garages, open floor plans and rooftop terraces with wooded views. Additional info is available at TollBrothers.com.

Set in the beautiful Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, on the scenic and historic Virginia Avenue between Barnett Street and Arcadia Street at John Howell Park, Summerfest has been celebrating community and all things summer for 37 years. Summerfest is the annual fundraiser for the Virginia-Highland Civic Association, Inc. (VHCA), a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that helps maintain Virginia-Highland as one of the most livable urban communities in America.

The VHCA leads and supports zoning and planning initiatives and other neighborhood improvements, including Orme Park and John Howell Park renovations and purchase/construction of North Highland Park, new trees, graffiti eradication, and street captain crime prevention programs. The VHCA also provides financial support to local parks, schools, public libraries, Trees Atlanta, and other organizations serving Virginia-Highland residents.

The Virginia-Highland Civic Association is thrilled to announce the return of Summerfest. For one day only, this annual favorite summer tradition will bring fine art, crafts, live music, a 5K run, children’s activities, dining options and more to the historic Virginia-Highland neighborhood.

The Festival

The 37th-annual Virginia-Highland Summerfest takes place Saturday, June 11, in Atlanta’s quintessentially walkable intown neighborhood. Summerfest hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Artist Market

Summerfest welcomes more than 150 fine artists from throughout the United States to participate in the Artist Market. Here, attendees will find works in a variety of mediums, genres and price points. The carefully selected emerging and established artists offer sculpture, jewelry, textiles/ fiber arts, photography, clay, wood, metal, graphics and mixed media.

Makers’ Market

In the dozens of booths at the Makers’ Market, attendees will find one-of-a-kind handcrafted goods like soaps, lotions, candles, pet treats and gourmet foods. This browsable, shoppable area quickly became a Summerfest favorite when it was introduced a few years ago.

Live Music

Summerfest features a full day of live music in John Howell Park, and the lineup is known for its combination of renowned local musicians and nationally acclaimed singer-songwriters. See this year’s music schedule below.

For the Kids

On the other side of John Howell Park, it’s all about the younger festival attendees. Summerfest presents Kidsfest, a special area with games, crafts and activities for children of all ages, many of which are free. Kidsfest is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Summerfest

5K Road Race

For more than 30 years, runners, walkers and rollers alike have flocked to the Summerfest 5K Road Race. This chiptimed race is an AJC Peachtree Road Race Qualifier that follows a beautiful, windy route through tree-lined streets dotted with historic homes and buildings. Race participants all get a free drink and a T-shirt, and awards are given by age group and for overall winners. Registration is $35 and available at vahisummerfest.org/run/. The 5K Road Race takes place Saturday, June 11 at 8 a.m.

Friday Kick-offNightParty

A Festival Overview Music

To start the weekend off right, VirginiaHighland Summerfest includes a kick-off party and community dinner. With live music, several food trucks, a cash bar, and even a bouncy house and face painting for kids, the Friday Night Kick-off Party welcomes the whole family for a night of fun. This is a ticketed event with proceeds going to the John Howell Park renovation. The Kick-off Party takes place Friday, June 10 from 6 to 10 p.m.

For guests 21+ tickets include Tip Top Proper Cocktails, Ciroc Vodka Spritz and Crown Royal craft cocktails. Complimentary Coke Zero Sugar is also included. They have also just decided that each table will include a free pair of General

Admission tickets to Music Midtown. Supply is limited, based on availability. Get more information at vahisummerfest.org/ kick-off-party/.

Eating & Drinking

Summerfest features a range of delicious food from an array of festival vendors and local restaurants. Beverages, beer, wine and cocktails are available throughout the festival grounds.

Parking

Summerfest offers an on-site bike valet. Limited, paid parking is available in certain business lots. Handicap parking is also available.

(11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Pop-country singer/songwriter

Leah Bell Faser will perform a solo acoustic set at this year’s festival.

Leah worked with Grammy Awardwinning producer Casey Wood to release her debut album, “Crossing Hermi’s Bridge.” The single, “Second-Hand Store” has been featured on Spotify’s New Music Nashville and Tidal’s Rising: Country playlists and has been added to radio stations nationwide. Find out more at leahbellefaser.com

Kate and Corey

(12:30 – 1:15 p.m.)

Roots-rock singer/songwriters Kate and Corey are Atlanta natives who have been pursuing music full-time since 2011. They have performed across the country, including the

historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Dollywood, and as finalists on the County Showdown contest. Their debut album is called “Somewhere Else Tonight.” Find out more at kateandcorey.com.

◄Drew Ashworth Band

(1:45 - 2:30 p.m.)

Steeped in Delta Blues, Southern Rock, R&B, and Classic Country, Drew Ashworth released his

debut album “The Higher Plan” in 2018, followed by “Agents of Change” in 2019. In 2022, Drew signed an artist recording contract with platinum producer Chas Childers and his Nashville/Atlanta-based record label, Emanant Music Group. Find out more at drewashworth.com.

Skirts. Now on the cusp of releasing their sophomore album, “Perfect Heaven,” Heffner is primed to conquer bigger stages as the latest big thing from Athens.

▼Futurebirds

(4:30 – 6 p.m.)

Recently celebrating their 10th anniversary as a band, Futurebirds have been receiving rave reviews for their unparalleled live performances and their most recent LP “Teamwork.” Follow them to see why Rolling Stone calls Futurebirds “one of the most fascinating and captivating rock acts touring today” on and off the stage. For more, visit futurebirdsmusic.com.

▲Heffner

(3 – 4 p.m.)

This Athens, GA band blends power pop, aggressive postpunk, and even some ‘70s glam. Their debut self-titled record saw them touring with Futurebirds, Coin and Modern

◄Leah Belle Faser

I practice Integrative Massage Therapy, utilizing Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, Acupressure, Reflexology and Assisted Stretching. Massage with a healing intention, an atmosphere of trust and communication, and a therapeutic relationship promotes deep relaxation and restoration of the mindbody connection. It’s an honor and a joy to get to practice massage therapy and work with clients in this way.

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More Festival Fun

Friday Night Kick-Off Party

This year, Summerfest begins with a familyfriendly party with food trucks, live music, and a great community gathering. The Friday Night Kick-off Party on June 10 from 6 to 10 p.m. in John Howell Park offers an ideal way to begin the festival weekend. All proceeds from the party support the park renovation. Kickoff Party attendees will enjoy live performances by The Unmentionables and the Backyard Birds while sampling cuisine from local favorite food trucks with a variety of fare for purchase, including Sweet Auburn BBQ, Yumbii, Hot Dog Pete’s, and The Cereal Lab. There will be plenty of fun activities for kids, too.

General admission tickets are $25, which includes entrance access to the cash bar. Tickets for kids 12 and younger are $10, while ages 2 and younger get in free. There’s also a VIP package for $500, which includes a table for 10 (ages 21+), two drink tickets per person, raffle tickets, and a goodie bag. Get tickets at vahisummerfest. org/kick-off-party.

5K Race

For over 30 years, serious runners and walkers have participated in one of the best races in Atlanta.

The Summerfest 5K is an official Peachtree Road Race qualifier, chip-timed race. The route winds through the VirginiaHighland neighborhood, and participants get a premium t-shirt. The race begins on Saturday, June 11, at 8 a.m. (line-up begins at 7:30) at the intersection of Lanier and Virginia avenues. Awards will be given to the first in age group, and for overall, and masters male and female winners. Registration is $35 per person at active.com. Race packet pick-up, which is strongly encouraged, is June 8-9 at Phidippides at Ansley Mall. For more information, visit vahisummerfest.org/run.

Kidsfest

Kidsfest 2022, open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is going to be an amazing experience with fun vendors, including:

■ Creole Creative Designs: children can become artists and paint a masterpiece.

■ On Family: a water sensory experience.

■ Miss Teacup: face painting and making balloon animals.

■ Intown Tumbling: obstacle course several.

■ Music crafts with JKG and Z-tunes music.

■ The Sand Art Cart will returns this year.

■ You will also be able to test your strength with Ring The Bell

■ Rucker Family Amusement will be providing water inflatables to keep you cool.

Different Twist Pretzel Co. (differenttwistatl.com)

Burger Brothers Food Truck (IG: @burgerbrothersatl)

Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream (dippindots.com)

GoodAzzFood Truck (goodazzfood.com)

Ira Lane Coffee (iralanecoffee.com)

Jalapeno Corndog Concessions Truck (IG @jalapenocorndogconcession)

Chow Club Atlanta: Come for the Food, Return for the Community

By Clare S. Richie

On May 7 and May 8, Chef Carmenia Morgan Tyrus presented an authentic five-course Liberian meal to more than 50 Chow Club Atlanta guests in a brandnew Lindbergh area office building atrium.

Chef Tyrus served up plantains with corn beef hash gravy, sweet potato greens with smoked meats, coconut candy, homemade ginger beer and more, while sharing stories and pepper sauce.

“It was amazing!” Chef Tyrus shared. “The guests really enjoyed the food and asked me a lot of questions.” Chef Tyrus migrated to the U.S as a teenager and spent 25+ years in nursing before becoming a chef and running Musulyn ‘s Catering & Events Planning.

The monthly pop-up supper club, Chow Club Atlanta, brings chefs and members together in a way that’s mutually respectful and beneficial.

“It’s about celebrating cultures through food,” Chow Club co-founder, Amanda Plumb said.

It’s also about supporting small business owners.”

Ciao Chow on June 17 and 18 will feature Chef Deborah Kudelka’s Italian creations including arugula soup, eggplant “meatballs”, Nutella stuffed crepes with coffee/liqueur sauce.

“It’s not going to be things you’ve seen on an Italian menu before,” Plumb said. Kudelka is a private chef with 20 years in the Atlanta restaurant and catering industry. Up

next in July, Cantonese cuisine. Each dinner includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

The idea for Chow Club was sparked when Plumb asked Yohana Solomon to cater a traditional Ethiopian dinner for her friends.

“I used to organize Atlanta Underground Market, a pop-up food event that promoted small businesses - mostly refugee and immigrant chefs,” Chow Club co-founder Solomon said. “Amanda was a member and volunteer. One day Amanda asked if I could recommend a great Ethiopian restaurant. I said ‘my house’.”

Solomon knew a lot of chefs. Plumb had friends who loved to eat. “What if we started hosting once a month?” they pondered.

NEW RESTAURANT RADAR

Fishmonger, a fish market and raw bar from Chef Nhan Le and 8ARM’s Skip Englebrecht, is now open behind the Plaza Theatre, 674 North Highland Ave., Poncey-Highland.

Spiller Park Coffee has opened its third location at 2275 Marietta Blvd. in the Moores Mill Shopping Center.

Since then and despite a 466-day COVID-19 pause, the venture has served more than 4,000 guests at 83 dinners from 34 different cultures including Syria, Antigua, Korea, Afghanistan, Hungary, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines and more.

Interested chefs submit a menu for consideration.

“We invite them for a tasting,” Plumb said.” We have a photographer take photos for our website and social media and share them with the chefs to help build their brands.”

Chow Club lets chefs focus on the food while they handle everything else.

“We find the venue, do the marketing, do the ticket sales, figure out tables, chairs,

Chef Kevin Gilliespie’s latest concept, Slabtown Public House, is open in the former Cold Beer space on the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail serving up pub food, beers, and cocktails.

Orran Booher has opened a third location of Baker Dude at 1565 North Decatur Road in Emory Village in the former Rise and Dine space.

Shake Shack has a new location in Piedmont Park, 1071 Piedmont Ave., near the 12th street gate.

Incoming

Zakia: A new Lebanese restaurant in Buckhead (Summer)

Tio Luncho: Peruvian concept coming to Poncey-Highland (Summer)

Wylie & Rum: Caribbean restaurant and rum bar in Reynoldstown (Summer)

Spina Pizza and Small Fry: New concepts at Atlanta Dairies (Fall)

Chef Carmenia Morgan Tyrus (Photo by Mathilde Piard)

Amanda Plumb and Yohana Solomon (Photo by Catie Leary)

Chef Christian Lopez (Photo by Haley Zapal)

volunteers and all of that,” Plumb said.

Participating chefs range from James Beard nominees, like Parnass Savang of Talat Market, to those who’ve never cooked for 50+ people, like Christian Lopez, a middle school teacher who does pop-ups on the side (@humocuisine, June 5 at O4W market and June 25 at Three Taverns in Decatur).

“I was super excited to give a good representation of what Colombians eat – street food [empanadas and buñuelos] -

nervous. The tickets sold out fast. The day of the dinner there was much joy to connect with them and make them feel welcome.

The son – you know – cried. He was very touched and felt appreciated and welcome. We have the best members, they are all about supporting community.”

Membership is free and acquired by joining the mailing list or purchasing a ticket to a dinner. Fittingly, members receive a passport to collect a stamp per cuisine.

After receiving five stamps, they become Ambassadors and get first crack at tickets.

At the dinner, members find fellowship when seated alongside new friends from different backgrounds and zip codes.

“One of our firsttime guests pulled me aside and said, ‘Yes the food is amazing, but we were just having the best conversation’,” Plumb shared. “We don’t do any conversation prompts – we’ve never had too.”

because we grew up humble”, Lopez said. I had my grandma come help me and everyone was able to meet her.” Veteran Chow Club chefs Wellington Onyenwe and Marlena Joseph also volunteered alongside Lopez.

And Lopez returned the favor to Chef Tyrus last month. The experience extends well beyond the food.

“My favorite was the Syrian dinner we hosted during the Muslim travel ban,” Solomon said. “We met a mother and son Syrian refugees, who feared not being accepted. Especially the son. He was protective of his family and didn’t know how he fit in this new world. We asked them to do Chow Club. They were very happy but

QUICK BITES

▼The Peachtree Center Green Market, 225 Peachtree St., has reopened and will continue every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through September. Featuring fresh produce, handmade goods and delicious fare, attendees will also have the opportunity to enjoy live music, yard games, and weekly giveaways. More details at peachtreecenter.com.

HOT-LANTA

CHICKEN SANDWICH

Volunteering is another way to experience Chow Club.

“Volunteers come an hour early to help set up, work as servers and help out in the kitchen,” Plumb said. “You really get to know the chef, see behind the scenes and eat!”

Chow Club is also looking for a home base with a big meeting room, full kitchen and parking.

Experience it for yourself.

“It takes you to a street in Colombia or to Auntie’s house in Nigeria. It takes you global within Atlanta.” Lopez said. Sign up at chowclubatlanta.com for exclusive invitations to monthly pop-up dinners, email chowclubatl@gmail.com to volunteer.

Farm Burger has announced that Chef Drew Van Leuvan has joined the grass-fed burger chain as its culinary director. A long-time veteran of the Atlanta restaurant scene, Van Leuvan led Buckhead’s Seven Lamps and was most recently, executive chef at Ecco Buckhead.

◄Fresh MARTA Markets have reopened at rail stations, including an expansion of the program to Doraville. The markets are open from 3-7 p.m. Open Tuesdays: West End; open Wednesdays: H.E. Holmes and Bankhead; open Thursdays: College Park; open Fridays: Five Points and Doraville. A market will open at Kensington this summer. Find out more at itsmarta.com/marta-market.

Bitter Southerner has been nominated for three 2022 James Beard Media Awards, including “The Creature Comfort of Aunt Jemima” by Adia Victoria in the Personal Essay, Long Form category; “Raising Caine” by Shane Mitchell for Feature Reporting; and Food Coverage in a General Interest Publication (along with the Washington Post and The New Yorker).

Canadian-based coffee and bakery company Tim Hortons will open 15 stores in Atlanta and Columbus, GA over the next five years. Atlanta residents and restaurant operators Abid Khutliwala and Saleem Lakhani will open the franchises.

Slutty Vegan is expected to open its first Athens restaurant in May at 700 Baxter St. on the edge of the University of Georgia campus.

The 11th annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival will return to Historic Fourth Ward Park from Sept. 15-18. This year’s event will benefit Children of Conservation’s school lunch program, providing nutrient-dense meals for children in Africa. More at atlfoodandwinefestival.com.

Dinner is served at Chow Club.

Chill out this summer with refreshing reds

Women + Wine

Last year’s column about chillable reds was a hit, so we wanted to recreate and update with our new finds for this summer’s selections.

Let’s start with what makes a wine “chillable.” Any wine can be served at any temperature you desire however, warm Champagne is not great, and a powerful Barolo becomes silenced when too cool. The perfect balance of temp for red wine really comes from preference: we like a nice cellar temp of 55 degrees for most reds, but some just crush straight out of the fridge.

We sat down with VinoTeca Sommelier

Janeen Jason to talk about our favorite summertime red wines and to get

suggestions on when to put a chill on it.

Janeen’s first piece of advice is to look for wines that are unoaked and aged in alternatives such as stainless steel, amphora, and concrete. You can usually find this information from your friendly neighborhood wine retailer, but the internet can also help.

She says, “no oak allows for a purer expression of the fruit notes and typically means a lighter wine.” Secondly, Janeen suggests looking for thin-skinned grape varietals such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, and lesser-known varietals include Trousseau, Grolleau, and Negrara.

Janeen’s third rule of thumb is the most transparent: “look for clear bottles. Wineries choose them to let you know what you’re getting into. Generally, these wines are not meant for aging and are meant to be drunk young.” It is also easy to gauge the wine’s color. With thinskinned grapes and no oak, the wine tends to be vibrant, see-through and a full spectrum of color from ruby to purple.

Lastly, look for naturally made wines. These are produced with minimal intervention, so most often without oak, and have little to no sulfites added.

Talking wine with Janeen

Janeen’s top selection is a 2021 Cantina Furlani ‘Alpino Negrik’ Vino Rosso from Trento, Italy. This wine is made with the varietal Negrara by Matteo Furlani, who is known for his sparklings, but took a chance on a unique grape indigenous to the Alps. Grown at over 700 meters in elevation, the name Alpino tells the story of the fresh flavor delivering more mineral notes than fruit. The texture is crunchy and natural with an almost fluorescent crimson color. Drink with Caprese salad and Italian-inspired charcuterie while pontooning around Lake Lanier.

Number two on Janeen’s summer love list is a 2021 Fossil and Fawn’s ‘Do Nothing’ from Oregon. This wine is composed of both red and white varietals that change every vintage. The grapes are farmed organically, fermented wholecluster with carbonic maceration that leads to an almost fruit punch-like juiciness. Natural tannins from the skin are accentuated by its fermentation process. The name “Do Nothing” is exactly the sentiment required to enjoy this wine –chill it, sit back, and don’t leave your patio.

A third pick also hails from the U.S. – 2020 Subject to Changes “Sleepless Nights” from Mendocino County, California. Winemaker Alex Pomerantz makes well-crafted, natural wines that always come from a single vineyard. The Sunhawk Farm Vineyard, where this wine hails from is farmed biodynamically and has a blend of random varietals such as Grenache, Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon,

Zinfandel, and Viognier to name a few. The vines are co-planted, harvested and fermented together. The wine is footcrushed, unfined, and unfiltered. The flavor profile is brambly blackberry mixed with floral notes mixed with hints of spice. It’s almost like red wine and white wine had a baby. Pairs well with Buford Highway Korean BBQ on a Saturday afternoon.

Janeen then takes us to Spain and the deepest of our wines with the 2019 Gulp Hablo Red blend from La Mancha. The Parra brothers are committed to organic farming, low intervention, and making friendly, quaffable wines all in a 1L bottle. Like the Sleepless Nights, this wine is a co-fermented blend of both red and white varietals but grown in a hot and arid dry riverbed known for rocky soils that help to stress the vines enough producing a high concentration of flavor including black and red berries, purple flowers and wet stone. Enjoy chilled with chorizo, Manchego while overlooking Old Fourth Ward Skatepark.

Katie and Sarah chime in Katie takes the reigns for the fourth wine with a winery she recently visited in Austria. 2020 Koppitsch ‘Rét’ hails from vineyards that overlook the Neusiedl am see, a large, shallow body of water known for its steady breeze in the foothills of the Alps. Alex and Maria Koppitsch are biodynamically farming vineyards planted by Alex’s grandfather with indigenous varietals, but the family has roots that date back to 1523. They still use their grandfather’s press and fermentation tanks and are strong believers in a low environmental impact and natural wine movement and this wine is a perfect example. Made from both Zweigelt and St. Laurent, this wine is both fruity and spicy with tons of red fruits including cranberry and raspberry. Pairs well with shooting the ‘Hooch’ with a belly full of bratwurst. Sarah is sending us to southern France with 2020 Mas des Caprices ‘Rouge a Sirator or R.A.S., a Pays d’ Oc wine made with Grenache, Mourvedre, and Carignan. Biodynamically farmed and made by husband-and-wife Pierre and Mirelle, the name appropriately translates to “a red to sip.” This beautiful red is bright and juicy with a hint of herbal spice that feels like you’re sipping wine on a lavender beach. The siblings use concrete instead of oak for aging which preserves the freshness of the wine. Sip while gorging on carnitas tacos on the patio at El Ponce.

Just because the temperatures hit double digits doesn’t mean you have to forgo the red wines. Treat yourself this summer to some refreshing reds and chill out!

Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre

Rice owns VinoTeca in Inman Park and Pierre owns 3 Parks Wine Shop in Glenwood Park..

Railtalk Returns

Flux Projects brings back art installation to inspire MARTA riders

By Dyana Bagby

An art installation beginning this month will offer MARTA riders waiting on a bus or train the chance to send messages to each other, but not via text or Tweets or Tik Tok. Instead, participants will use their ABCs.

“Railtalk-Re-Connect” by Dutch design collaborators Bouke Bruins and Wouter Corvers is an interactive art installation that provides riders magnetic letters to form messages on metal surfaces. The project begins June 8 and is a joint effort of Flux Projects, Atlanta Design Festival and MARTA Artbound. It concludes during the Atlanta Design Festival set for Oct. 1-9.

The intersection of public art, design, and public transit presents the opportunity to create “unexpected interactions” between travelers and provide entertainment as people wait for trains and buses, said Flux Projects Executive Director Anne Dennington. And it is a way to bring Atlantans together as everyone tries to deal with the struggles of the pandemic in a polarized world.

“During the pandemic, many of us stayed in our neighborhoods and didn’t go out … and there is a feeling that people are wanting to get off their devices and connect,” Dennington said.

Railtalk was in Atlanta in 2019 at two stations where more than 23,000 riders saw the interactive exhibit. About 4,000 people left messages over nine days. This year, the installation will be at seven stations – North Springs, Doraville, Lindbergh Center, West End, College Park, H.E. Holmes and Indian Creek stations – and for five months.

“MARTA stations are amazing public spaces that serve people of all walks of life,” Dennington said. “And this year Railtalk traverses the city, going north, south, east and west. This is really about the city as a city.”

Flux Projects was founded in 2010 to raise the visibility of Atlanta artists by providing public places for them to exhibit their talents. Doing so also brought people together to share an experience as various places in Atlanta – Oakland Cemetery, Ponce City Market or dancers suspended in air and performing vertically on the side of the 725 Ponce building facing the Eastside BeltLine Trail.

The group took two years off from public space projects due to the pandemic. Virtual events were held. The group is ready to return to hosting public art at various spaces throughout Atlanta.

In early fall, conceptual artist and writer Jonathon Keats will introduce the Atlanta River Time project, a new “erosion” clock for the metro area based on the flow of the

Chattahoochee River, Peachtree Creek and other local waterways. The exact date is to be determined, but River Time will be held at Browns Mill Village, a Habitat for Humanity affordable housing development in southeast Atlanta.

The project aims to change Atlantans’ perspective on time, the natural environment, and the impact of modern human existence on both.

When people gather to watch an artist at work, the shared experiences can create sacred spaces that hold the beauty and mystery long after an installation or exhibit is gone, Dennington said.

“Our best projects, when we talk of them, are kind of like a church,” she said.

“They are spaces where people can experience the art individually or

communally and be moved. And as people come back to public space, art has a way of bringing meaning to those spaces,” she said. Flux Projects also acknowledges art can just be for fun.

“One of our core principles is ‘art for art’s sake’ and we will always lean into that,” Dennington said. “There are times when we really just need to celebrate.”

For more information, visit fluxprojects.org.

MARTA riders will have the chance to leave messages for each other at various stations in the city as part of ‘Railtalk-Re-Connect’ art installation. Thousands participated when the project first came to Atlanta in 2019 at the Midtown and West End stations. (Courtesy MARTA)

Summer Arts

Check out our guide to June’s hot events

By Kathy Dean

Intown has many events for Atlanta residents to get out, mingle and enjoy the warm weather. Here’s a list of highlights with some of this month’s must-attend festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and shows.

Morris. Visit atlantaopera.org for more.

Frozen

June 2-12. Broadway in Atlanta presents Frozen at the Fox Theatre. The hit musical includes an expanded score featuring dozens of new musical numbers. For tickets and info, visit foxtheatre.org.

music and art — and a 5K run. There’s more info at vahisummerfest.org and see our special section on page 27.

Civic Season Kick-off Party

June 12, 2-7 p.m. Celebrate what you stand for at this new event that anchors parties happening around the country. There will be giveaways, live music, food trucks and much more at Atlanta History Center’s Midtown Campus. For more, go to atlantahistorycenter.com.

Atlanta Summer Beer Festival

June 12, 4-8 p.m. Everyone aged 21+ is invited to sample local and national beers while listening to live music in the Historic Fourth Ward Park. Additional info is at atlantasummerbeerfestival.com.

Lost Art Music Festival

June 17-18. Cathead Distillery hosts a music festival that features Durand Jones & The Indications, Rayland Baxter, The Lone Bellow and Paul Cauthern. Find tickets and details at lostartmusicfest.com.

Bob Thompson: This House is Mine

June 17- Sept. 11. This nationally touring exhibition includes paintings and works on paper by the contemporary African American artist Bob Thompson (19371966). For more info, go to high.org.

Pullman Pops: A Tribute to Motown and R&B

June 18. Complete with food and drinks, the outdoor concert will be performed by a 45-piece symphonic orchestra at the Pullman’s Art Center Amphitheater. Go to feverup.com and search for ‘Pullman Pops’ for tickets and details.

Atlanta ShortsFest

June 25-26. Rolecall Theatre presents the year’s best short films produced by filmmakers from around the globe at live indoor and outdoor screenings. More info at atlantashortsfest.com.

Vegan Dark Food Festival

▲Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years of Picturing Books

Through Aug. 7. Eighty original drawings, sketches and finished illustrations by the award-winning artist and children’s book author Oliver Jeffers whose works include “The Day the Crayons Quit” are part of this retrospective exhibition. Go to high.org for more information.

Origami in the Garden

Through Oct. 16. Check out an exhibition of massive origami-inspired sculptures by Jennifer and Kevin Box, including one that weighs 7,500 lbs., at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Click on atlantabg.org for additional info.

►Atlanta Opera at Pullman Yards

June 2-19. Atlanta Opera closes its season with the “Come As You Are” festival at the Kirkwood destination, with a new production of the musical “Cabaret,” chamber opera “As One,” and a cabaret-style concert from Metropolitan Opera star Jay Hunter

Candler Park Music Festival

June 3-4. There’ll be food trucks, vendors, artists and, of course, music with performers that include Grace Potter, the Disco Biscuits, Cha Wa and Twiddle. Go to candlerparkmusicfestival.com to learn more.

Flying Colors Butterfly Festival

June 4-5. Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, 12-5 p.m. The Chattahoochee Nature Center spotlights butterflies through entertainment, games and a Butterfly Encounter. Details are at chattnaturecenter. org.

Virginia-Highland Summerfest

June 11. The historic Va-Hi neighborhood’s John Howell Park will come to life with

▲Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at the Fox

The festival kicks off June 17 with a 50th anniversary screening of “The Godfather.” Other films include: “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (June 18), “Casablanca” (June 24), “Coco” (June 25), and “Saturday Night Fever” (June 25). Tickets and details at foxtheatre.org.

The Big Homecoming

June 17-18. Here is an HBCU experience that pays homage to historically black colleges with performances from top-tier talent, tailgating and vendors offering food and art. Learn more at thebighomecoming. com.

June 26. The public is invited to Atlanta’s first Vegan Dark Food Festival in Atlanta that features dark coffee, chocolate, blackberries and lesser-known foods like black garlic and boudin noir. Go to facebook.com/events/523936268219472/ to learn more.

Fantastic Fourth Celebration

July 1-5. It’s a full day of family attractions and entertainment, as well as a special fireworks and laser show, when Stone Mountain Park celebrates Independence Day. Visit stonemoountainpark.com for additional info.

Off the Grid

July 1-Sept. 4. This exhibition confirms the grid — the geometric form of intersecting vertical and horizontal lines — as a dominant force in 20th-century art and expands it to include a more diverse group of artists working in a wide array of media. Get details at high.org.

Midsummer Night’s Dream

July 2-24. Lovers, fairies and amateur actors get hilariously tangled up in Shakespeare’s classic comedy at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse. Tickets and info at shakespearetavern.com.

June 17-19. African American Emancipation will be celebrated at Centennial Park with a parade, music, arts and performances. Make plans by visiting juneteenthatl.com.

Find even more events in our How Do You Atlanta? Calendar at howdoyouatlanta.com.

▲Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival

Orly Remembered

The loss of 106 civic leaders in 1962 spurred Atlanta’s art scene to greatness

By Rickey Bevington

Growing up in the shadow of family tragedy is like growing up with ghosts. The lost loved ones are dear to us, but they are off-limits.

“If you ever want to see Poppy cry, ask him about Betsy,” my father once said of his father. I regretted breaking the unspoken rule of not asking about his late mother.

Betsy Bevington, my paternal grandmother, and her mother, Dell White Rickey, were killed in an airplane explosion on June 3, 1962 at Orly Air Field in Paris. They’d just wrapped up an Atlanta Art Association tour of European art. More than 100 philanthropists and civic leaders were flying home to build a world-class arts center for Atlanta. Of the 130 onboard, only two flight attendants survived.

My grandfather, Milton Bevington Sr., witnessed the crash from the airport terminal where he’d just kissed his wife and mother-in-law goodbye. Betsy was uneasy about flying together with three young sons at home. Poppy was to take the next flight back to Atlanta.

In Georgia, my father, Mit, was a week shy of his 10th birthday. His brothers, Rickey and Peter, were not far behind him in age. Poppy’s brother, a Catholic priest, joined a family friend in whisking the boys off to a north Georgia lake house. Within hours, reporters were circling in boats trying to photograph three little boys kneeling for Mass on the porch. They were among the 33 children who lost parents that day.

The Orly Air Crash was the largest commercial aviation disaster up until that time. President John F. Kennedy sent a telegram of condolence. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Harry Belafonte canceled a downtown Atlanta sit-in. Andy Warhol created pop art out of a photograph of the crash on the cover of the New York Mirror.

As we mark the 60th anniversary of the crash, the Woodruff Arts Center represents the vision of those killed at Orly. The Atlanta Symphony and Alliance Theatre perform in the Memorial Arts Building built in their honor. The lawn of the High Museum of Art features a priceless bronze cast of Auguste Rodin’s “The Shade,” a memorial gift from the French government to the City of Atlanta.

The Orly Air Crash is a symbol of both unspeakable pain and Atlanta’s drive toward progress. 106 citizens inspired Atlanta to leverage the arts to turn their southern town into a world-class city. If beauty can come from tragedy, I hope the Atlanta of today reflects the optimistic future they envisioned.

Rickey Bevington is President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and Executive in Residence at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business. Prior to joining the Council, Bevington spent two decades as an award-winning television and radio broadcaster with outlets including Georgia Public Broadcasting, PBS Newshour, and National Public Radio (NPR).

“The Shade” by RodinAuguste

Andy Warhol’s pop art.

Awarding excellence, envisioning Atlanta

Architecture and design in the United States and, later, the preservation of each, have deep roots in the country’s history. The State of Massachusetts established its Historical Society in 1791 (two years after the official start of the new government). In 1850, the State of New York moved to preserve the country’s first historic house museum, Hasbrouck House – George Washington’s headquarters in Newburgh. And in 1857, Philadelphia opened Carpenter’s Hall to the public – the site of the first Continental Congress and the first privately-owned American building to be preserved. These, and many similar preservation efforts, laid the foundation for what we know today as the historic preservation movement.

The movement secured two significant legislative gains in 1949 and 1966 when Congress chartered the National Trust for Historic Preservation and passed the National Historic Preservation Act, respectively. Among other things, the latter established the National Register of Historic Places and authorized grants to the states and territories for the establishment of State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs).

In Atlanta, this federal action prompted

Inside the Arts

Camille Russell Love

Camille Russell Love Love has been executive director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (@atlantaoca) for more than two decades.

the city to create a 15-member Atlanta Civic Design Commission (ACDC). Active from 1966 through the mid-1970s, Mayor Maynard Jackson’s administration replaced it with the Atlanta Urban Design Commission (AUDC) in 1975. Like its predecessor, the AUDC did not initially have regulatory authority to enforce its decisions –that would come later in the decade with new City of Atlanta ordinances. However, the new Commission began to bring attention to the city’s rich history and to weave together a more comprehensive and inclusive narrative.

2022 Design Award Winners

Awards of Excellence

Greg Cross, Smith Dalia Architects

Robyn Zurfluh

Ronnie Mabra, Mabra Law

Sue Brennan, Winter Construction

Olivia Pontiff, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Dick Anderson, Fulton County Manager

Bill Mason, Program Facilities Manager (accepting the award)

Armond Borders, Consultant –Department of Real Estate Asset Management

Joe Davis, Director - Department of Real Estate Asset Management

Tim Dimond, Deputy DirectorDepartment of Real Estate Asset Management

Brett Laureys, Lead Design-Build Architect

Heba Elsayed, Design-Build Architect

Elizabeth Roberts, former County Attorney assigned to Courthouse Project

Michelle Blackmon, Grant Park Conservancy

John Sitton, Project Manager for the Historic Preservation Project

Alisa Chambers, Grant Park Conservancy

Nikki Zimmerman, Grant Park Conservancy

Upholding the tradition of awarding excellence in a variety of areas that began in 1973 by the first Commission, AUDC’s first executive director and chair (Jenny Thurston and H. Randal Roark, respectively), held the first annual Awards of Excellence ceremony in 1976. Urban Walls (a public arts organization) and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birth Home were among the first honorees.

Since then, the AUDC’s Design Awards celebration continues to recognize excellence in many categories related to historic preservation and design. The Design Awards event is comprised of two awards: the Awards of Excellence (awarded since 1976) and the more recent Community Design Awards. The two are distinguished primarily by the scope and reach of the project, site, property, program, etc. being nominated.

As the name suggests, nominees for Community Design Awards are put forward by local citizens. The awards focus on projects, programs, or people who have worked to make the city or a neighborhood a better place to live. Conversely, Awards of Excellence are given for physical projects, programs, and sometimes people located in the city of Atlanta that have improved the City’s physical character. Often, though not required, nominees for this award are recommended by industry professionals and stakeholders. Also, categories for this award are more defined than those for the Community Design Awards.

Both awards seek to identify, highlight, and validate the design trends that make Atlanta unique and give meaning to those who inhabit its many communities. Atlanta’s built environment reflects not only the nuances of the city’s history, but also it is a prism through which are refracted intense, if at times imperceptible, socio-cultural currents. In Carl Sauer’s 1925 book, The Morphology of Landscape, the author argues that landscapes are created as human cultures work with and on nature; thus, it is only by reading landscapes that we understand culture.

Each year, the Design Awards provide a snapshot of Atlanta’s culture – who we are, how we see ourselves, and what we value. Through the Design Awards, we get to define that vision. For ultimately, it is our responsibility to each other and to the city we call home.

Jere Smith, Atlanta Public Schools

Sophia Tarkhan, Cooper Carry Architects

Katy Daugharty, Cooper Carry Architects

Matthew Wilder, Associate Vice President / Principal Landscape Architect - Pond

Adeline Collot, Program Director - Upper Westside CID

Peter Ferrari, Curator

John Dirga, Project Director

Lauren Standish, Principal – HGOR

Todd Fuller, Principal - HGOR

Chris Mutter, Principal – HGOR

Joe Greco, President - Lord Aeck Sargent

Shan Arora, Director - Kendeda Building for Sustainable Innovative Design at Georgia Tech

John Star, Principal - Lord Aeck Sargent

Britni Johnson, Director of Public Relations - North American Properties

Jay Yu, Director of Innovation & Digital Assets - North American Properties

Community Design Awards

Amber Knight, Virginia Highland District

James Hicks, Mozley Park Dog Park & The Lofts at Centennial Yards South

Jane Bradshaw Burnett, Festival Chair, Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes

The award-winning Carnegie Education Pavilion in Downtown was built from the remains of the Carnegie Library façade.

Atlanta Contemporary’s Art Party fundraiser returns June 11

By Collin Kelley

Tickets are available now for the Atlanta Contemporary’s annual Art Party fundraiser on June 11, where new exhibitions for summer will be unveiled to guests.

The entire campus of the Contemporary, located at 535 Means St., will be transformed with programming, special presentations, and Open Studios with our artists from the gallery’s Studio Artist Program.

Along with the art, there will be cocktails, select food vendors, and dancing with tunes provided by some of the city’s top DJs.

Those attending Art Party will also get an exclusive first look at summer exhibitions overseen by Miranda Kyle, the arts and culture program manager for

the Atlanta BeltLine, and John Haworth, the director of public programs for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

The exhibitions include “Returns: Cherokee Diaspora and Art” curated by Dr. Ashley Holland and featured indigenous artists Luzene Hill, Brenda Mallory, and Kade Twist.

“You Are Heleswv (Medicine)” examines the forced removal of the Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee from the Southeast. The exhibition is curated by Elisa Harkins and features work by Jeremy Charles, Nathaniel Cummings-Lambert, Kalyn Barnoski, Hôtvlkucē Harjo, Patrick Freeland, Joy Harjo, and Raven Halfmoon. Tickets for Art Party are available at atlantacontemporary.org.

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

Photo

Cultivating fertile ground for art

By Collin Kelley

“Fertile Ground: From Sankofa to Blue Heron” – an initiative between Atlanta Public Schools, Blue Heron Nature Preserve, and ZuCot Gallery – selected the best art from 130 student submissions for a recent exhibition.

First, second, and third places as well as honorable mentions from elementary, middle, and high school submissions were chosen by Buckhead’s ZuCot Gallery for an exhibition at Blue Heron’s indoor art gallery.

Nature-inspired artworks from historically lauded, yet underappreciated Black artists were studied district-wide as part of the project. Art teachers took what they learned back to students from artist talks, viewing Black nature-inspired art, and exploring the nature preserve itself.

“We want to broaden our art teacher’s horizons and our student’s perspectives on Black landscape artists,” said APS Fine and Performing Arts Coordinator Dr. Sara Womack.

“Our nonprofit organization is committed to leveraging the beauty of our greenspace to advance environmental knowledge, appreciation, and stewardship, and appreciation to the diverse community of nature lovers across Atlanta and beyond,” said Blue Heron Executive Director Melody Harclerode.

Sponsors for the contest and exhibition included Sam Flax Art Store, Georgia Power Foundation, Chick-Fil-A Foundation, Northside Hospital, Morgan Stanley, REI, and Kaiser Permanente Visit bhnp.org/fertile-ground for more information.

Ana Sofia Arceo Barajas, Garden Hills Elementary, Second Place

Maragret Hodge, Mays High School, Third Place

Marissa Rainey, D.T Howard Middle School, First Place

Gabriel Olagbegi, Sylvan Hills Middle School, Third Place

Alix LaGuerre, Hope-Hill Elementary, Third Place

Peyton Washington, D.T Howard Middle School, Second Place

Aviana Kokane, Warren T. Jackson Elementary, First Place

Heidi Hampton, Midtown High School, Second Place

Demetruis Flie, North Atlanta High School, First Place

A Weekend in Clayton

Wineries, restaurants have made North Georgia town a destination

of Southern Living magazine’s best hotels, while its restaurant received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The five-acre property has luxury suites with fireplaces and porches to enjoy the mountain views.

Another charming suggestion is the White Birch Inn (thewhitebirchinn. net) inside a century-old building in downtown with just six uniquely decorated guestrooms. Each has a fireplace, and you can request the room with a copper soaking tub.

Looking for somewhere dog-friendly to lodge, then check out Parker Ranch (parkersranch.com), which is just a mile from downtown. There are five guest suites and breakfast is included in the price of the room.

And then there’s Kingwood Resort & Winery (kingwoodresort.com), which features hotel rooms, condos, an 18-hole golf course, spa, and the onsite winery, which offers Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Red Blend.

Where to eat

You won’t be able to eat at every restaurant worth a visit in one weekend, but here are a few to get you started. There is literally something for every taste in

By Collin Kelley

You’ve likely passed through Clayton, GA on your way to somewhere else – like to eat at the famed Dillard House or for shopping in Highlands, NC.

But you have to get off Highways 23/441/15 – the main drag full of gas stations and fast-food joints – to really see this historic town and all that it has to offer, including some of North Georgia’s best dining.

Make your way over to the historic downtown district, where you’ll find Main Street lined with restaurants that have made Clayton the “farm to table” capital of the state. Or you might want a grab a beer at one of the local distilleries or savor a locally produced wine at one of the Rabun County vineyards.

You can work off all that food and drink at one of the local state parks or attractions, where hiking, fishing, and horseback riding are available.

Where to stay

If you want to keep it cheap and simple, there’s a Days Inn (wyndhamhotels.com) on Highway 441 that’s less than a 10-minute walk to Main

Street. But if you’re going for a weekend away, splurge a little and try one of the local spots that will give you luxury and a taste of the mountains.

Beechwood Inn & Breakfast (beechwoodinn.ws) was named one

Beechwood Inn

Clayton, and if fresh is what you’re after, you are definitely in the right town.

OpenTable named Fortify Kitchen & Bar (fortifyclayton.com) one of the

Continued on page 48

Black Mountain Rock State Park

best restaurants in the country for its varied menu of farm-fresh ingredients, including trout, salmon, steak frites, and fried chicken. Sister restaurant Fortify Pi serves up brick-oven pizzas, wings, and sandwiches.

Clayton Café (theclaytoncafega.com) is a town institution operating for more than 60 years with a menu of Southern comfort food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Think Country-fried steak, shrimp and grits, and bone-in pork chops.

If you’re a fan of Universal Joint (ujclayton.com) in Decatur, then you might want to visit this satellite location with a big, leafy patio and a familiar menu of

burgers and brews.

For something healthy, check out Grapes & Beans Café (grapesandbeans. com) for vegetarian options made from local and organic ingredients. There’s also a wine shop to explore.

And one other gem not to miss is Sunday Diner (sundaydinerclayton.com),

which will take you back in time and fill your bell with ribs, chicken-fried steak, fresh veggies, hearty breakfast favorites, and big glasses of sweet tea served in mason jars.

Where to drink

Take a tour of downtowns’s Moonrise

Distillery (moonrisedistillery.com), which crafts its own whiskey, bourbon, vodka, gin, and fruit brandies with locally sourced ingredients. The Speakeasy Bar is the perfect place to sample the distillery’s output, plus there’s live music.

In nearby Tiger, GA you’ll find the small artisan Stonewall Creek Vineyards (stonewallcreek.com), known for its awardwinning Petit Manseng and Cabernet Franc.

There’s also Tiger Mountain Vineyards (tigerwine.com), which handpicks its own grapes to make exceptional red wines available for sampling in the tasting room. There’s a café open at weekends. Also close is 12 Spies Vineyards (12spiesvineyards.com) in Rabun Gap, with its selection of Chardonnay, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Where to enjoy the outdoors

Black Rock Mountain State Park (gastateparks.org/BlackRockMountain) is in Clayton’s backyard with 80-miles vistas, four hiking trails, and campsites if you’d rather sleep in the great outdoors on your weekend trip.

South of town is Tallulah Gorge State Park (gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge), home to its namesake 1,000-foot-deep canyon. You can walk across the 80-foothigh suspension bridge, hike to one of the gorge waterfalls, and camping is also available.

If you’re driving up to the Dillard House (dillardhouse.com) for a dinner, why not make a day of it and go for a riverside horseback r from the stables or a fly-fishing excursion? It’s the perfect way to work up an appetite. There’s also an on-site hotel if you’re too tired to make the drive back to Clayton.

Another outdoor activity in Dillard is Andy’s Trout Farm (andystroutfarm. com), which sits on more than 300 acres and offers rentals, bait, and overnight accommodations in cabins or campsites.

Kingwood Resort

Downtown Clayton

Clayton Cafe

12 Spies Vineyards

Fortify Kitchen and Bar

Continued from page 47

Two-Wheel Daytripping

Exploring Arabia Mountain, Stone Mountain, and Panola Mountain by bike

S ELF-GU I DE D PAT H TO U R

E xplore a land 400 million years in the making The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA) is an open landscape of breathtaking b e a u t y, p e a ce , a nd w o nd e r j u s t e a s t of A t l a n ta a l o n g I -20 D o mi n a t ed b y t w o m a s s i v e g ra n i t e o u tc r o p s , i t o e r s v is i t o r s natural wonders, compelling histor y and hear t-pumping ac tivit y T h e PATH Fo u n d a t i o n t ra i l w i t hi n t h e A M N HA i s d e s i g n ed to link cu ltu ra l, scenic, natu ra l a nd histo ric sites Mo re tha n 30 mi l e s of de d i ca te d , p a ved t ra i l s a re o p e n to bi k e r s a n d hikers We’ve highlighted some of our favorite sites here

There a re severa l o ppo r tu nities with the D a vi d so n-A ra b i a M o u n ta i n Na tu re Pre se r ve to hike tra ils o n fo ot a nd bike rack s a re lo cated at the entra nces to severa l of these tra ils . Remember to a lways be p repa red fo r you r ride, ta ke p lent y of water, a cell p ho ne a nd su nscreen The terra in is hilly a nd so me biker s sho u ld be awa re that so me climbs a re pa r ticu la rly strenuo us

Hi s to r ic Di s t r ic t of Li tho nia

Rai lr o ad Cut

Vaug hter s ’ Far m

Ar ab ia Mo unt ai n & Q uar r y

Remain s

Q uar r y O ce Ruin s

Far mi ng Ter r ace s

Ho r ace K i ng Co mmemor ati ve

Cove re d Br i d ge

Evan s Mill Ruin s

Hi s to r ic Di s t r ic t of K lo n di ke

Po le Br i d ge Cr ee k Was tewater Tr eat me nt Plant

By Collin Kelley

Gasoline is still sky-high, which might put the kibosh on a long road trip or weekend getaway this summer. For a cheaper alternative, hop on your bike and head for the hills that are literally in Atlanta’s backyard.

Flat Ro c k Co mmuni t y

Lyo n Far m

S o uth Ri ve r Br i d ge #1

Ale xan der B ar n

The Par ker Ho u s e

Pan o la Mo u nt ai n

S e r p e nti ne Br i d ge

De C as t r o Ret r e at

Lo r r ai ne Tr ai lhe ad

S o uth Ri ve r Br i d ge #2

Mo nas te r y of the Ho ly Sp i r i t 21

Th e d e ve l o p m e n t a n d p r n t i n g o f t h s m a p wa s m a d e p os sib e by a g ra n t t h ro u g h t h e gene ro u s su pp o r t o f

19 20 f ro m t h e N a t i o n a l Pa r k Fo u n d a t i o n

Co ca - Co la, the Co ca - Co a Fo u nda ti o n, D sney, a nd the Scro o by Fo u nda ti o n

If you’re a cyclist, Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain, Panola Mountain, and the South River Trail offer easy daytrips for all skill levels.

Arabia Mountain PATH Trails: Hike and bike more than 30 miles of recreational trail. Just 20 minutes east of Atlanta, cyclists will pass historic landmarks and stunning vistas.

Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve Trails: The Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve is made up of rolling hills, woodlands, and secluded lakes. This granite outcrop has well-marked trails of varying lengths and difficulty. Trails can be accessed from parking lots on Klondike Road or from the paved Arabia Mountain PATH trail.

Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail: Rent a bike from Atlanta Bicycle Barn or one of the many bike-share stations. A combination of multi-use trails and linear greenspace, the Eastside Trail connects with the Freedom Parkway Trail and Stone Mountain Trail for biking. Enjoy dozens of featured art

A cyclist passes Vaughter’s Farm at Arabia Mountain. (Courtesy Arabia Alliance)

installations along the 3 miles of multi-use trails that make up the Beltline.

Stone Mountain: In Stone Mountain Park, take the 4.5-mile loop trail around the base of the mountain for a look at the local flora and fauna and lake views. The Stone Mountain Trail has numerous access points with places to park.

South River Trail: About 15 miles southeast of Atlanta, the South River Trail offers a wooded route along its namesake river. Enjoy nature, scenic views, and sounds while biking the trail running parallel to the river. This trail ties into the extensive trail network with a connection to the Arabia Mountain Trail, which connects to the Rockdale River Trail.

Panola Mountain PATH Trail: A little further south is Panola Mountain State Park, which features a gorgeous five-mile trail through the park to glassy Alexander Lake. It’s a great way to check out the granite outcroppings covered in lichen, moss, and wildflowers.

For more information, visit

pathfoundation.org and discoverdekalb.com.

Photo by Squareframe Media

Waterfalls,

wildflowers and wine

Georgia’s mountains offer plenty of things to see and do

Travels with Charlie

Charles Seabrook

Veteran Georgia journalist Charles Seabrook has covered native wildlife and environmental issues for decades.

For “Travels with Charlie,” he visits and photographs communities throughout the state.

“Thar’s gold in them thar hills” — and also stunning waterfalls, breathtaking mountain vistas, charming small towns, pristine trout streams, award— winning wineries, quaint lodges, apple orchards and on and on. They’re all in the splendid mountains of North Georgia about a two-hour drive from Atlanta.

Whether you visit for a day, a long weekend or even longer, you’ll find an array of ways to escape life‘s daily rigors.

Stroll along a scenic trail bounded by wildflowers in the 750,000-acre Chattahoochee National Forest. Learn about the fascinating history of Georgia‘s gold rush, 20 years before California’s. Taste superb wines at some of the more than 25 mountain wineries. Shop for arts and crafts in the inviting towns. Climb to the top of huge ceremonial mounds built by prehistoric Native Americans. Sample down-home barbecue and country cooking at roadside eateries. Rent a rustic cabin. Or, simply relax by a serene mountain lake at a state park or resort.

North Georgia’s mountains are the southern end of the Appalachian mountain range that extends north into southeastern Canada. In Georgia, the mountains are divided into three so-called “physiographic ecoregions” based on their rocks, origins and other geological characteristics. The Blue Ridge Mountains region encompasses the northeast part of the state; the Ridge and Valley region occupies most of the state’s northwest section; the Appalachian Plateau covers the extreme northwest corner of the state.

But no matter where you go in

Georgia’s mountains, you’ll find an amazing variety of publicly accessible natural treasures -- spectacular waterfalls, picturesque valleys, roaring whitewater creeks and awe-inspiring views from mountain peaks.

Among the waterfalls, a must-see is 153-foot-high Anna Ruby Falls (actually twin falls) near Unicoi State Park in White County, one of North Georgia’s premier vacation destinations. Another is Amicalola Falls in the state park of that name in Dawson County. At 729feet tall, Amicalola Falls is Georgia’s highest waterfall and touted as one of the state’s Seven Natural Wonders. Two other magnificent, don’t-miss waterfalls are reached from a popular trail in Cloudland Canyon State Park in Dade County — Hemlock Falls and Cherokee Falls.

North Georgia’s greatest natural

treasure by far, though, is the majestic Chattahoochee National Forest, most of which lies in the state’s Blue Ridge Mountains (where Atlanta’s drinking water source, the Chattahoochee River, begins) with a smaller portion in the northwest region.

The Chattahoochee forest is said to be a hiker’s paradise with some 430 miles of recreation trails lush with wildflowers in spring and fall and winding along tumbling streams, cascading waterfalls and forested ridges. From leisurely, short-day strolls to more strenuous, long-distance ones, there is a trail for nearly every level of hiker, from novice to expert.

Several of the trailheads are along one of Georgia’s most beautiful drives, the 38-mile Richard Russell-Brasstown Bald Scenic Byway, which begins near the town of Helen in White County.

One of my favorite hiking trails during all seasons, the Raven Cliff Falls Trail, is easily accessed from the highway. The well-maintained trail winds 2.5 miles (5 miles round trip) around several waterfalls, including one of the forest’s most unusual falls where water gushes from a crevice in a 90-foot-high massive cliff.

Also, along the Russell-Brasstown Bald Byway are several roadside turnouts and overlooks that provide sweeping, far-as-the-eye-can-see views of the mountains. The grandest view of all, though, is from atop Brasstown Bald, which, at 4,784 feet above sea level, is Georgia’s highest peak. A shuttle bus takes visitors from a parking lot to a visitors’ center and observation deck from which, on a clear day, one can see four states — Georgia, South Carolina, North

Continued on page 56

Swinging Bridge on the Benton Mackeye Trail, Chattahoochee National Forest, Fannin County

Carolina and Tennessee.

In the northwest mountains is another great scenic drive, the 47-mile Ridge and Valley Byway, offering mountain overlooks and views of picturesque farmlands as it travels U.S. 27, state routes 136 and 156 and county roads. From the highway, you can reach the Keown Falls Scenic Area and the Johns Mountain Overlook, from which you can get a grand view of the serene, fertile Armuchee Valley.

We would be remiss, however, if we didn’t mention some of the other fabulous panoramas that can be had from vantage points elsewhere in the mountains, including Cloudland Canyon in Dade County and Rabun Bald, Black Rock Mountain State Park and Tallulah Gorge in Rabun County.

But as if natural beauty and outdoor recreation were not enough, Georgia’s mountains are incredibly rich in human history and culture -- and visitor attractions. The countryside holds the histories of the native Cherokee Indian Nation, Civil War battles and early settlers whose 1800’s farmsteads still stand. In 1828, the discovery of gold in the Dahlonega area in Lumpkin County triggered America’s first major gold rush, which quickly spread through Georgia’s mountains.

Today, reminders of the frenzied quest for gold abound in the mountains. In Dahlonega, tour an old gold mine and visit the Gold Museum State Historic Site, which offers visitors a close-up look at the state’s gold mining history, including a complete collection of gold coins -- worth a small fortune -- minted in Dahlonega.

The gold rush changed the course of North Georgia’s history. For the native Cherokee Indians, who owned most of the land usurped by thousands of frenetic prospectors, gold mining spelled doom. A bitter tension arose between the gold seekers and the Cherokee people, culminating in one of Georgia’s darkest hours -- the forced removal of the Cherokee to lands out west via the infamous “Trail of Tears.”

The Cherokee Nation’s former prominence in northern Georgia is still evident in the region.

Most noteworthy is the New Echota State Historic Site in Gordon County, the location of the short-lived but highly significant Cherokee capital on the banks of the Oostanaula River -- the spot where the tragic Trail of Tears began. Today, visitors can see 12 original and

1 - Anna Ruby Falls, White County

2 - View from Tennessee Rock Trail, Black Rock Mtn. State Park, Rabun County

3 - View of East Armuchee Valley from Johns Mountain Overlook, Walker County

4 - Day hikers on the Benton Mackaye Trail, Chattahoochee National Forest, Fannin County

5 - Unicoi Lake in Unicoi State Park, White County

6 - Lake Trahlyta, Vogel State Park, Union County

7 - Tallulah Gorge State Park, Rabun County

Article and photos by Charles Seabrook

IT’S COOLER IN THE MOUNTAINS

and now is the time to search for a second home or condo

Experience the best of mountain living just two hours from Atlanta. With an average high temperature of only 78°, abundance of farm fresh dining options, award winning golf courses, boutique shopping, outdoor activities and live music, the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau offers a little something special for everyone. And the views are nothing short of breathtaking! Whether you plan to spend your days exploring nature or enjoying world-class amenities, we’ll help you find your oasis.

o: 828.526.8128 | 175 Highlands Cove Drive, Highlands, NC 28741 | HighlandsCoveRealty.com

Continued from page 56

reconstructed buildings, including the nation’s Council House, Court House, Print Shop, a tavern, a missionary house and Cherokee farm buildings – as well as a small museum in the visitors’ center.

Another notable Cherokee site is the Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home in Rome in Floyd County, a National Historic Landmark. Major Ridge was a signer of the Treaty of New Echota, which resulted in the Trail of Tears.

But, wait, there’s still much more to see and do in Georgia’s mountains. We’re talking about the region’s captivating towns and cities full of charm, delightful shops and friendly people.

There’s Helen, whose Bavarianstyle shops, restaurants and lodgings seem right out of a storybook. Ellijay, surrounded by orchards and wineries, is home to the Georgia Apple Festival each fall. In Blue Ridge, you can hop aboard the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, billed as a step back in time that takes passengers to the equally charming town of McCaysville and back.

Hiawassee is home to the Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa and the site of several concerts and festivals each year. Clayton is a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and close to Georgia’s highest state park, Black Rock Mountain.

Cave Spring lives up to its name: It has an easily accessible limestone cave in the middle of town and a picturesque spring that gushes water pure enough for drinking. Blairsville is within a short drive of Vogel State Park, one of Georgia’s oldest, most popular state parks with one of the prettiest mountain lakes in the state.

So, what are you waiting for? Head for the hills.