Atlanta Intown - August 2014

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Editorial

Collin Kelley INtown Editor

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Ann Taylor Boutwell, Benjamin Getz, Melody L. Harclerode, Art Huckabee, Annie Kinnett Nichols, Martha Nodar, Clare S. Richie, Tim Sullivan, Pam Tatum, Dan Whisenhunt

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Collin Kelley collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

Going to the Dogs

We asked our readers to submit photos of themselves with their beloved pets and, as you’ve already seen on the cover, they responded with some really cute images. Our new graphic designer and photographer Isadora Pennington also fanned out across Intown to find some cute pets at local parks. You’ll find even more photos on pages 12-13 of this issue.

I don’t have a pet right now. I had two sweet Labrador Retrievers growing up (RIP Scooter and Doogie), but with my busy life and general selfishness with my time, I simply don’t have time to take care of a pet.

However, when I move into my dotage, I plan to adopt a Pug. I have a soft spot for those little pups and their squishy, drooly, panting faces. Yes, I will be that old man out taking his little dog for a walk. Get off my lawn, you darn kids!

Speaking of my busy life, this will be the first year I’ve missed the Decatur Book Festival , which will draw hundreds of authors and thousands of visitors over Labor Day weekend. As literary legend Joyce

Carol Oates takes the podium for the keynote address, I’ll be winging my way across the pond for my own literary and musical adventures in London.

As a fan of iconic British singer Kate Bush for 30 years, I managed to snag a ticket to one of her sold out shows at the Hammersmith theatre.

That same week, I’ll be heading over to the Young Vic theatre to see Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Anderson has come a long way since playing Agent Scully on The X-Files.

Also on my must see list: the Virginia Woolf exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery. This collection of rare photos, paintings, manuscripts and personal objects is on through September.

Before I return to Atlanta, I’ll have the honor of reading my own work at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre as part of the Polari series. I’ll be reading from my recent collection of poetry, Render, and a few new pieces. If you happen to be in London, stop by and say hello. While I’m abroad, AtlantaINtownPaper.com will be regularly updated and I’ll also be planning our October issue. Also just around the corner is our 20th anniversary issue in November. I can’t wait for you to see the stories, photos and goodies we’ve got planned for that. It’s been in the works all summer long and we’re excited to celebrate with you.

Enjoy the Decatur Book Festival, Dragon Con and all the other endof-summer events happening around Intown this month.

Cheers!

ABOUT THE COVER

Clockwise from top left:

1. Sadie with Sue Wilkinson

2. Doug Granville with Willomina, Steven Teal with Apollo

3. Jason Collier with Bertha

4. Hazek with Rachel Mayer

5. Jarrett Hayes and Ebbi

6. Squeaker with Eliza Howard

DOWNTOWN TOUCHDOWN

College Football Hall of Fame to open Aug. 23

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

The new College Football Hall of Fame will officially open its doors on Saturday, Aug. 23, in Downtown Atlanta. The attraction will formally be known as the “College Football Hall of Fame and

Chick-fil-A Fan Experience” thanks to a new partnership with the chicken giants. Tickets and memberships will be available beginning Aug. 1 for purchase through the Hall’s newly launched website, cfbhall.com.

In addition to housing the national College Football Hall of Fame, previously located in South Bend, Indiana, the attraction will offer museum-quality

memorabilia with modern, interactive, multimedia exhibits that will invite fans and visitors to engage with their favorite college football team or Hall of Famer.

Each of the attraction’s multiple galleries celebrates a unique aspect of college football, including iconic trophies and a large, touch-sensitive, 52-foot media wall filled with dynamic content such as photos and videos of players, fans, cheerleaders and marching bands. A multi-touch system allows for fun interaction with content specific to a fan’s favorite college football team.

Coca-Cola Fans’ Game Day will allow visitors to feel the excitement on campus around the big game and highlights tailgating, digital face painting, bands, fight songs, mascots, cheerleading, and countless rich traditions.

Kia Building a Champion will take visitors inside the world of players and coaches, including halftime speeches and a Q&A with current players. Fans are also invited to peruse John Heisman’s 1905 playbook, explore a timeline matching college football history with American history milestones, and learn what it truly takes to be a student athlete.

The AT&T Game Time Gallery will explore the rich rivalries of college football and invites visitors to call one of college football’s most memorable plays from the broadcast booth and guide their own college football program to the championship.

The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Skill Zone is located on the 45-yard long football field and will allow fans to sharpen their football skills through a variety of physical activities.

Fortunate opportunity for classic 1929 two-story brick with slate roof, meticulously and lovingly maintained by homeowners. Short distance to Emory Village. Everything you are looking for in Druid Hills, do not miss this inviting firepit and dining terrace nestled in the immense backyard.

5 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 1 Half Bathroom

This page: Renderings of the exterior and interior of the College Football Hall of Fame.

ATLANTA STREETCAR DELAYED UNTIL NOVEMBER

The Atlanta Streetcar won’t be open to the public until November. Cost overruns, weather, relocating utilities, mandatory testing and, most recently, issues with the overhead cable system, have continually pushed the opening back from spring to summer and now autumn.

Last month, the Atlanta City Council voted to provide $1 million a year in startup, operational and maintenance costs for the Atlanta Streetcar. The council also voted 9-1 to charge riders $1 per one-way trip.

The 2.7-mile streetcar, which will ferry riders from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center and back, broke ground in 2012 and is projected to cost $100 million.

Testing of the cars on the tracks, which was supposed to begin in April, was pushed back to later this month and the Federal Transit Administration and Georgia Department of Transportation still have to sign off on the project.

–Collin Kelley

Courtesy Atlanta Streetcar

A rendering of what the Atlanta Streetcars will look like once they actually start making their 2.7mile loop.

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Peachtree Road transformation project to get another look

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Further community meetings on the Peachtree Road transformation project are on hold while the entities involved reevaluate plans for bike lanes, wider sidewalks, new trees, new lighting, buried utilities and left turn signals and lanes.

The Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID) says that in response to community comments and traffic forecasts, it is taking a new look at the Peachtree Road project. The redesign is expected to take until the end of the year.

“After hearing from our community, our goal is to gather additional information that will help us shape the best transportation facility we can,” Jim Durrett, executive director of the Buckhead CID, said in a press release announcing the delay.

The stretch of Peachtree Road from Maple Drive in Buckhead to Deering Road just north of I-85 in Midtown now is under review by Georgia DOT and by consultants hired by the Buckhead CID to determine if a new street design can be developed that would better address the safety for motorists and pedestrians.

“We had hoped to hold our next public open house in July to share the latest proposed plans for the corridor,” Durrett said. “However, both Georgia DOT and the Buckhead CID have decided to take additional time to respond to concerns expressed by residents living in neighborhoods adjacent to Peachtree Road.”

During the July 10 Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods (BCN) meeting, Nina Schwartz from Neighborhood Planning Unit A expressed her concerns about plans to remove traffic lanes along Peachtree to make room for dedicated bike lanes and turn lanes.

“We’re concerned that this road

dieting plan will cause more congestion on Peachtree and divert traffic into the neighborhoods,” Schwartz said. “Peachtree is already at capacity with 64,000 vehicles traveling the road daily.”

Schwartz said she and her neighbors were also concerned about cyclists maneuvering along Peachtree Road in such high volume traffic and the number of curb cuts the bike lanes will have to cross.

Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, who was also in attendance at the BCN meeting, said she believed the plan should be adjusted and that she was opposed to the road diet plan on Peachtree.

But Buckhead CID chairman David Allman said the organization’s first priority was addressing existing and future automobile traffic.

“If the experts don’t believe that we can make an overall improvement in terms of mobility and safety, then it’s a non-starter as far as we are concerned,” Allman said.

Allman said the CID is not considering restriping lanes, as was done on West Paces Ferry between East Andrews Drive and Peachtree Road. The CID plans to pay to redo the road striping in that area, Allman said.

“We realize that virtually everybody dislikes what was previously done on West Paces Ferry,” Allman said. “The public should be assured that this is absolutely not being considered for Peachtree.”

Durrett said the new plans would make sure Peachtree provides a safe thoroughfare for cars.

“Our first priority is to optimize the capacity of Peachtree for safer and more reliable movement of automobiles, Durrett said. “However, if we can accomplish this goal and still make Peachtree Road a better place to navigate on foot or on a bicycle, we absolutely should try to do both.”

Briarcliff and Lakeside

cityhood initiatives merge

By Collin Kelley

When officials from the Briarcliff and Lakeside cityhood initiatives announced at the July 2 meeting of the DeKalb Government Operations Task Force that they were joining forces – “dating” (not married or engaged) in the words of Lakeside Chairwoman Mary Kay Woodworth – there was little detail about how the relationship would unfold. The couple’s first date was an awkward one as representatives from the merged cityhood movements spoke at the July 9 Lindbergh-LaVista Corridor Coalition (LLCC) meeting.

The takeaway from the new partnership between Briarcliff and Lakeside is this: those names will disappear and a new one will be chosen to represent the merged north DeKalb County territory. It also means going back to the drawing board and creating a new map.

At the end of this year’s Georgia legislative session, the three competing cityhood movements – Briarcliff, Lakeside and Tucker – found their efforts tabled over boundary disputes. A last minute effort to merge the Lakeside and Tucker plans was an arranged marriage that neither side really wanted, but accepted in hopes of getting any kind of action at the capital. With the dust settled, Tucker is now on its own, there have been shifts in the behind-thescenes players for both the Briarcliff and Lakeside movements and there is – at least in this early phase – a willingness to get this couple to the altar.

But before there are any wedding bells – or a referendum on the ballot –the combined cityhood initiatives are going to have to convince residents in both territories that the merged groups are viable and inclusive. If the mood of the members of the LLCC, a group comprised of residents from Lindridge/ Martin Manor, LaVista Park and

Woodland Hills, was any indication, there might be a few bumps in the road. There was lingering bitterness from some residents in the LLCC neighborhoods who felt snubbed by Lakeside, which, as it was finally admitted, didn’t think the communities were essential to the movement. The neighborhoods joined the Briarcliff initiative, which stalled out at the Gold Dome as Lakeside and Tucker limped forward.

“What we are trying to do is consolidate two visions,” said Briarcliff spokesman Keith Hanks. “These first meetings are going to be raw things as we figure out how to work together.”

Lakeside representative Josh Kahn agreed, calling the cityhood process “messy.” Some of that messiness was the palpable tension between members of the Briarcliff movement as they tried to explain how the process would, essentially, start from scratch again. There was also uncertainty voiced about whether or not a state representative would take the newly merged cityhood movement to the Georgia Legislature for the 2015 session.

“We are two groups trying to get to one map,” Kahn said. “We are going to have to talk to people and see which neighborhoods want to be a part of it.”

Going forward, there will be some kind of poll or survey taken of residents in both the old Briarcliff and Lakeside cityhood areas to determine if they still want to move forward with creating a new city and what essential services are most important to them. No timeline was set for when the poll might take place. The LLCC members were encouraged to talk to their neighbors and take the temperature of this new movement.

Meanwhile, the Tucker initiative has launched Tucker2015.com with an updated map and information about its plans for cityhood.

Collin Kelley

Briarcliff Initiative spokesman Herman Lorenz, right, talks with members of the Lindbergh-LaVista Corridor Coalition.

BeltLine gets grant funding for Reynoldstown, Westside Trail

The Atlanta BeltLine has received a $100,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to build the Reynoldstown Stage, a permanent stage structure, landscaped exhibit space, and an elevated park connection with some of the best views in the city.

The Reynoldstown Stage project site is located on the southeast portion of the BeltLine, and was based on a partnership with Georgia Tech professor Tristan AlHaddad and his students.

“This project is a model that demonstrates how public spaces bring people together, strengthen communities, and reflect the personalities of our communities,” said Paul Morris, President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.

Along with news of the NEA grant, the Westside Trail project has also reached a major project milestone. Working with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the City of Atlanta and a team of design and engineering consultants led by KimleyHorn & Associates, the BeltLine met the federal deadline of June 30 to complete final design and land acquisition for the multi-use trail in southwest Atlanta.

By meeting this deadline, the $18 million TIGER V grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the $43 million Westside Trail, is now secure for the project’s implementation. In

just nine months, ABI and its partners executed a complex process of design, land acquisition, environmental clearance and other approvals by the state and federal governments that often exceeds 24 months for projects of this magnitude.

In addition to the TIGER V grant and $15 million of other state and local funding, the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership is leading a $10 million private fundraising effort.

Upon completion, the 3-mile trail will run from University Avenue in Adair Park north to Lena Street at Washington Park. For a half mile along White Street, the trail will use the existing West End Trail.

The BeltLine received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to buid the Reynoldstown Stage. All renderings courtesy Atlanta BeltLine.

A rendering of how the BeltLine Westside Trail will look with transit.

A rendering of the Westside Trail at Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard.

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Black Girls RUN! evolves into national fitness movement

By Clare S. Richie

“Anyone can be a runner,” Toni Carey says. She and her sorority sister/ business partner, Ashley Hicks, both fell in love with running after college graduation less than a decade ago. Since then, the two have transformed a blog, Black Girls RUN! (BGR!), into a national fitness movement headquartered in Atlanta.

Early on, the co-founders were surprised by the lack of diversity at road races and motivated to reverse the grim health statistics for minority women. Eighty percent of African American women are overweight and more than half are obese. Carey had seen family and friends deal with chronic health issues like diabetes and hypertension from a sedentary lifestyle. “These problems are not hereditary, you can control them,” Carey said.

Carey and Hicks decided to get the word out that black girls can and should run. By providing encouragement, resources and a support system to African-American women, BGR! helps make fitness and healthy living a priority. Today, BGR! boasts 70 running groups with 136,000 members nationwide and growing. The Atlanta running group of 15,000 members is spread among several neighborhoods.

Whether finishing a training run or a race, this sisterhood welcomes members with a cheer tunnel to show they are not alone. Maybe this is why members are always raising the bar, by increasing distances, taking on triathlons, and trying new sports. For many members a full marathon is considered “graduation.”

Ready to join the movement?

Women of all races and running abilities are welcome to join a running group – sorry, no men. A great place to start will be at the “Sweat With Your Sole Festival” on Sept. 4-7 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. The Thursday evening mixer kicks off the festival. The Friday and Saturday conference will feature a lecture series and leading fitness instructors showing attendees new sports like boxing. The weekend culminates with a 5K/15K race Sunday in Centennial Park that is open to women, men and children.

Like its members, BGR! keeps raising the bar. Future plans include growing to one million members, extending the brand to BGTRI (run, swim, cycle) and BGOM (yoga), and possibly introducing its own race series. The ultimate goal remains lowering obesity statistics and related chronic diseases for African American women.

Found out more about the organization at BlackGirlsRUN.com.

Photos courtesy Nikki Canady Penda Sole Sisters at Biggest Loser 10K at Six Flags.

Black Girls Run group at a recent meet-up.

Pets & Their People

We asked Intown pets to show off their humans for this special pictorial

Leelu Dallas Multipass & Fafi La Rue Wigglebottom and Sasha & Justin Hanna

Georgi and Dot Matthews

Dikembe Mutombo and Robert Springer Bailey and Nisey Woods

Rocko & Cholula and Nikki Rentz Sadie and Bill Golden

Sophie & Romeo and Greta Holland

Lupo and Katie Culp

Peepo and Matt McDaniel & Isadora Pennington

Oona and Jen Kufalk

Sophie and Kevin White

Big Daddy and Lauren Janis

Boss and Phillip Springer

Jasper and Carter Thomas

Colette and Phyllis Colmar

Gomez and Selena Graves

Trixie and Paolo Zorza

Bella and Leslie White

Popcorn and Wisteria Grace Brady

Cha Chi and Owen Miller

INDULGE YOUR DOG

Fun, eats and treats for your furry friends

By Benjamin Getz Yelp Atlanta Community Manager

If you’re in the market to take the dog days of summer quite literally and need to shop for your canine companions, or just want to have them chill on the patio with you for drinks, we know just the place. This time, Yelp Atlanta has a few spots where you can pamper the pooch.

Park Pet Supply

Finding yourself in East Atlanta Village beckons a short trip to this goldmine of a pet store. Peruse the menagerie of natural pet foods and everything else you could possibly need for Fido. Pro Tip: If you don’t see what you need, they’ll happily order it for you. 479 Flat Shoals Ave. SE Atlanta, GA 30316.

Doguroo

This Westside doggy shop is the perfect all-in-one for the busy professional found pet owner. All of your grooming needs, boarding, and vet services. They also provide online cameras to view the pooch while you’re out on business! 1456 Northside Dr. NW Atlanta, GA 30318.

Piedmont Dog Park

Whilst taking your furry friends on a jog through the park or enjoying a picnic in The Meadow, stop by this built-in dog park to let your furry friend mingle with his/her canine cohorts. Pro Tip: Two separate fenced areas for both small and large pups. Piedmont Park –Midtown.

4th & Swift

No need to interrupt your evening walk through Historic Old Fourth Ward Park with a

trip to the kennel for the pooch. Dining on the patio here is dog-friendly for all. Don’t be a stranger to the Sticky Toffee Pudding. 621 North Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30308.

ParkGrounds

This spot is the Holy Grail for those who are looking for a wifi workplace or a place to socialize over a cup of coffee while the dogs play. The great tree in the park casts plenty of shade for those sweltering days, too. 142 Flat Shoals Ave. SE Atlanta, GA 30316

Benjamin Getz is the Community Manager for Yelp in Atlanta. Follow his reviews at benjamingetz.yelp.com and follow all of the Yelp adventures on Instagram at @ YelpAtlanta.

Piedmont Dog Park (Photo courtesy of Yelp user Cynthia K.)

Pet Pick

Who doesn’t want to wake up to a Rooster every morning? This young, charming and hilarious dog will have everyone in the family up and enjoying their day. He is a playful pup and would love to have a companion dog, but would be just fine without it as long as his people gave him lots of love and attention. He also loves car rides, trail hikes, meeting new people. To adopt Rooster or any of the other dogs and cats, visit pawsatlanta.org or stop by the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

Rooster

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The Atlanta Humane Society and Atlanta Braves will host Bark in the Park on Aug. 17 at 1:35 p.m. at Turner Field. Fans are invited to bring their pup to enjoy a game, but tickets are limited. Go to braves.com/bark to purchase and get more information about bringing your pooch to the game. For every Budweiser or Bud Light sold at this game, Atlanta Beverage will donate $1 to the Atlanta Humane Society.

The 10th annual Bark for Art to benefit Atlanta Lab Rescue will be held Aug. 23 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Westside Foundry/Westside Market, 1530 Ellsworth Industrial Drive. There will be an evening of refreshments and libations and a silent auction featuring art, jewelry, furniture, trips and other surprises. Tickets are $35 at barkforart.org.

Esquire Magazine is featuring 17 of the DeKalb County Animal Services shelter dogs in its August issue. The article, called “The State of the American Dog,” discusses how society is treating pit bulls. You can read the feature online at esquire.com/features/american-dog-0814.

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HAPPY LITTLE HAVEN

Mason Mill Park attracts young and

By Martha Nodar

Located just steps away from the DeKalb County Toco Hills-Avis G. Williams Public Library branch, the Mason Mill Park complex attracts families with children, single adults of all ages and seniors from the community.

Lindsey Glover from Echo Hills said she brings her two small children to the park at least twice a month.

“I like the park because it is so nice and safe,” she said.

With its walking trails, covered picnic areas, fenced playgrounds, and ample free parking, the park is an oasis waiting to be discovered. That was the case with Toco Hills area resident Suellen Kirwan.

“I had no idea this park was here,” Kirwan said. “This is a really nice park. I like it because they have small swings for my one-year-old granddaughter, which are hard to find.”

Kirwan said she first learned about the park when she came to its recreation center to take aerobic classes. Adjacent to one of the playgrounds, the center hosts classes, meetings and English country dancing.

On the third Sunday of every month English Country Dance Atlanta offers dancing in the center from 2 to 5 p.m. No partner is needed. Beginners are

old

encouraged to arrive at 1:30 p.m. for a dance lesson, which is included in the price of admission ranging from $7 to $10 per person depending on whether the music is recorded or live.

Music teacher Mary Ellen Doughty said it was her neighbor who got her interested in English country dancing and she has been a regular at these dances in the center for 11 years.

“If you can walk, you can Englishcountry-dance,” she said. “I hope I’ll be dancing in my 80s. Dancing keeps you young.”

Doughty said many of the pieces played at these dances are timeless and remind her of the Regency era—the time when early 19th century British novelist Jane Austen was attending dances herself with family and friends.

“The music is beautiful and feeds my soul,” Doughty emphasized.

Karen Hudlow, Doughty’s friend said she always liked to dance, thus, she jumped at the chance when she heard about these dances at the park. Hudlow said it was by attending these dances that she met and became friends with Doughty. She refers to the English dances as “elegant.”

Alice Adler, a fellow senior from the Toco Hills area, said she participated in those dances several years ago. Adler is now the president of Egress, a group for single adults 55

and older and those who are widowed regardless of age. Egress members meet on the second Sunday of every month in the park’s recreation center at 1 p.m. for lunch and fellowship.

Mary Jones, Egress’ first vice president said she has been an Egress member for almost 15 years.

“I love it,” she said about the group. “We have experienced some of the same things; it’s a healing process.”

A respite to a world saturated with technology, the Mason Mill Park offers a chance to enjoy nature and social contact.

“This park is a happy little haven,” Doughty said.

Photo by Martha Nodar

The playground area at Mason Mill Park.

Founded in 1822, the City of Decatur predates Atlanta by 15 years and could have become the region’s largest city if not for concerned early settlers who did not want the town to become a major terminal on the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Instead, surveyors looked west and created Terminus, the forerunner of Atlanta. Still, Decatur has thrived and is now known for its college town atmosphere, vibrant downtown, leafy neighborhoods and a dining scene to rival Midtown and Buckhead. It’s also home to the AJC Decatur Book Festival, which draws 80,000 literature lovers every Labor Day weekend. Pictured clockwise from above: families enjoy music at the bandstand on the Decatur Square; Brick Store Pub is a favorite downtown hangout; poetry readings at Java Monkey Coffee House draw regular crowds; Agnes Scott College’s beautiful campus; bellying up to the bar at the Kimball House restaurant.

Photos courtesy: City of Decatur, Brick Store, Agnes Scott and Kimball House.

APS ready for new school year with new leadership

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

With Atlanta Public Schools (APS) back in session Aug. 4, the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods recently heard from two of the system’s recently elected board of education members, as well as a blogger who intensely follows the district.

School Board members Cynthia Briscoe Brown (Dist. 8) and Jason Esteves (Dist. 9) spoke about their hopes for APS under the leadership of new Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, even as the cheating scandal that rocked the system continues to make headlines.

“APS is building the plane while we’re flying it,” Brown said about rebuilding the reputation, trust and educational standards for the system. “I believe Meria Carstarphen is the right person at the right time. We need her passion, confidence and abilities.”

Brown said changes are happening almost daily at APS headquarters as Carstarphen reorganizes, while the school board is already making efforts to be more transparent and accessible to the community.

It was Esteves who pushed for live streaming of the school board meetings so parents and interested parties could watch the meetings from their computers or phones, while Brown said board members are trying to meet teachers, cafeteria workers, school bus drivers and everyone who works for APS.

Brown said she’s also encouraged by the City of Atlanta and APS sitting down to work out the controversy over the $19 million debt owed the school district by the Atlanta BeltLine. APS agreed to give up some of its property tax dollars to help build the BeltLine with a promise of fixed

annual repayments. The BeltLine has yet to make a payment and there have been threats of lawsuits and plenty of rhetoric from Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and former Superintendent Erroll B. Davis.

“We are working to get the deciders to the table,” said Brown, who also sits on the Atlanta BeltLine board. “We need to get people behaving like reasonable adults. APS doesn’t want to tank the BeltLine. This is not about choosing the BeltLine or the children.”

Esteves said he hopes that four years from now that APS can be mentioned without being followed by the words “cheating scandal.” One of his big goals is to clear up APS’s unfunded pension liability of $550 million.

“We are deep in the hole,” Esteves said frankly.

Esteves said 85 percent of APS’s liability is with retirees, so raising money to fund the pension plans and fulfill its promise is a priority. “This problem started 30 years ago and was ignored for decades. The can was kicked down the road, but we have to deal with it now.”

Robert Stockwell, a CPA who runs the Financial Deconstruction blog, said he’s encouraged by Carstarphen’s hiring and described her energy as “non-stop go.”

“I’ve spoken with her several times now and she is very focused on results,” Stockwell said.

Stockwell said a focus on absenteeism would be one of Carstarphen’s tentpoles just as it was in her previous job as superintendent in Austin, Texas. “She says the first step in making a better system is getting kids to the classroom,” he said.

Carstarphen herself will be the guest speaker at the next Buckhead Council of Neighborhood’s meeting on Aug. 14.

Cynthia Briscoe Brown

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL PLANNING

Make sure to include the younger children

By Pam Tatum

All over Atlanta it is “back-to-school” time, and parents and children alike are getting ready for a new schedule, new teachers and new experiences. But what about the really young learners – the babies and toddlers – in our midst?

In Georgia, more than two-thirds of children under age six spend all or some of their day being cared for by someone other than their parents. Research says that from birth to age three is when 90 percent of brain development occurs, making the experiences during this time crucial for future growth and learning.

Just as much thought – if not more –should go into researching and planning where infants and toddlers spend their day as parents do for the schools their older children attend.

Young children need a safe and loving environment where they can question, explore and feel confident in their learning. These years set the framework for all of the learning yet to come, so parents need to make sure that their children are in the best care possible.

However, finding a high-quality childcare program can be a little harder than one thinks, and even more difficult when you are unsure of what a “quality” program is.

Nonprofit Quality Care for Children has made the search process easier with the All Georgia Kids website (AllGaKids.org), 1-877-ALL-GA-KIDS and the All Georgia Kids app that can be downloaded for free on iTunes. It’s a free, searchable resource that helps parents find a quality program that fits their criteria – ranging from cost of care to location.

Additionally, the All Georgia Kids resource includes whether or not a child care program has received a quality rating through Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s Quality Rated system. Quality Rated, launched in 2013, assigns a one-, twoor three-star rating to a program that meets standards that exceed the licensing requirements so parents can easily identify the quality of the program. More than 1,300 childcare programs in Georgia are participating in Quality Rated. Here are some tips for parents looking for childcare or to make a switch:

• Begin your search early.

• Visit all programs, and on multiple occasions at different time during the day

• Pay attention to how children are responding to care givers. Are they happy, engaged and active?

• The care program facility is in good shape and clean.

• Does the program have low staff turnover, and are they licensed or Quality Rated?

Pam Tatum is CEO of Quality Care for Children, a nonprofit working to ensure that all of Georgia’s young children are nurtured and educated. Find more tips at QualityCareforChildren.org.

THE CHRIS L HOUGH TEAM MEMBERS

Laurie Daniels Kathryn Mehl Michele Goddard

Harry Norman, REALTORS® The Intown Office | 1531 Piedmont Avenue NE Suite B | Atlanta, GA 30324 Mike Wright, Sr. VP/Managing Broker | www.harrynorman.com

School Briefs

Atlanta Public Schools (atlanta. k12.ga.us) and City Schools of Decatur (csdecatur.net) were slated to resume classes for the 2014-15 academic year on Monday, Aug. 4, while Fulton County Schools (fultonschools.org) and DeKalb County Schools (dekalb.k12.ga.us) will begin on Aug. 11. Be sure to check the school’s website for start times, open houses and calendars.

Drew Charter School Junior and Senior Academy held a grand opening preview last month at the Charlie Yates Campus in East Lake. The new 200,000 square-foot campus completes the East Lake Foundation’s vision of a cradle-to-college education. The LEEDcertified building includes: flexible learning suites to nurture collaboration, seven project learning labs and seven state-of-the-art science labs, integrated arts studios, 500-seat performing arts center serving the school and community, two gymnasiums and a fullsize track and field.

Noletha High will serve as the new principal of Atlanta Heights Charter School for the 2014-2015 school year. She previously served as a principal of an elementary school in Atlanta, model teacher leader, instructional support specialist, and mathematics consultant. High also has experience teaching at the elementary, high school and college levels. She holds a master’s degree in mathematics education and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Albany State University. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Georgia State University.

Renfroe Middle School in Decatur has been selected as Georgia Safe Routes to School Resource Center’s Partner of the Year for the Metro Atlanta Area. Winners of this award are chosen based on the progress of their SRTS programs during the past year in getting more students to walk and bike to school and increasing the awareness of SRTS within its community. The Georgia Safe Routes to School Resource Center has recognized outstanding partners with the Partner of the Year Award since 2011.

Sixteen rising seniors from The Lovett School took part in a summer medical program/externship over the summer. The students learned about coordinated care and corporate medicine at Kaiser Permanente, shadowed three specialties, observed surgery, and visited Emory Medical School. The students also observed brain surgery performed on a 12-year-old boy to remove a tumor.

Special

Front row (L to R): Olivia Rezek, Caty Lindauer, Emily Medendorp, Isabelle Leonaitis, Chapman Monroe, and Markell Adams. Back row (L to R): McKenzie Richards, Kate Marino, Mary Bryan Pope, Justin Song, Lindsey Watson, and Melissa Houghton.

Living Walls Conference is Aug. 13-17

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• Lack of energy

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Potential benefits of treatment include:

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Living Walls 2014 Conference is set for Aug. 13-17 with conversations, exhibits, a bike tour and more. The celebration of street art and collaborative art in public spaces will take place at various venues around Atlanta.

The opening night event on Aug. 13, 7 p.m., at C4 on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will feature a conversation on street art trends between Austin McManus, Photography Director at Juxtapoz Magazine, Rj Vandalog Rushmore, Chief Editor at Vandalog and Communications Manager for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, and Mónica Campana, Living Walls Co-Founder and Executive Director.

ATLANTA MEDICAL CENTER

An evening of lectures at the Center for Civil and Human Rights will be held Aug. 15, including a keynote speech by Atlanta BeltLine mastermind Ryan Gravel.

The main event will be on Aug. 16 starting at 9 p.m. at The Goat Farm. There will be a gallery exhibit, music and more. Suggested donation of $5 at the door.

The bike tour of the city’s murals will take place Aug. 17 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. starting at Atlanta BeltLine Bicycle on Sampson Street.

For more information on the conference, visit livingwallsatl.com or facebook.com/LivingWallsATL.

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

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Courtesy Living Walls

Artist 2501, Stupa, from Living Walls conference in 2013. The annual conference brings many artists from around the world to exhibit street art in Atlanta.

A LOOK BACK This Month in History

Ann Taylor Boutwell

Aug. 12, 1883: The Kimball House Hotel on Pryor Street in Downtown was destroyed by fire. The 13-story, six-story hotel was considered one of the finest in the South. A night watchman spotted flames emerging from an elevator shaft and the fire spread quickly. Guests in the 317 rooms were evacuated, but Robert H. Richards, president of the Kennesaw Mill Company and director of the Atlanta National Bank, insisted on rescuing his personal belongings. While the fire raged around him in his secondstory suite, he tossed furniture, clothing and other valuables through the windows to the sidewalk below, where his wife and spectators moved them to safety. He barely escaped the flames. The fire’s cause was from a cigar carelessly tossed in the hotel basement.

one be closed. Huddleston’s ordinance to repeal the old law was referred to the cemetery commission, but in the meantime the 1876 law went into effect. In 1908, Oakland had five gates, but only the main gate at Hunter Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Drive) was left open. Atlanta’s wives and mothers were indignant over the closure of the gates and threatened to band together and tear them down. The 1876 ordinance was repealed and the gates reopened.

Aug. 18, 1939: The first Atlanta screening of The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland and directed by Victor Fleming was at 11 a.m. in the Loew’s Grand Theatre on Peachtree Street. Four months later, Fleming’s Gone With the Wind would premiere at Lowe’s on Dec. 15.

Aug. 30 1987: At 11:15 a.m. hundreds of onlookers watched helicopter pilot Larry Pravecek position the 19-foot high, 7,800-pound, gold-leafed steeple on top of the IBM Tower (now known as One Atlantic Center) at 1201 West Peachtree Street in Midtown. The 50-story, neoGothic tower designed by New York architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee was then the tallest building in Atlanta from 1987 to 1992, when Bank of America Plaza took the crown.

Aug. 9, 1986: Henry James Furlow, also known as “Satan” from 1933 to 1983 in Auburn Avenue’s Big Bethel AME Church’s allegory Heaven Bound, died at Hughes Spalding Medical Center. He was 85. The Atlanta University graduate was a former teacher of social science at the Old Fourth Ward’s David T. Howard High School. Florine Dyer Furlow, his devoted wife, said, “He’s smiling with the other saints of Heaven Bound.” Heaven Bound, the classic story of erring human beings struggling to reach the Pearly Gates, is still performed today. Performance dates for 2014 production are Nov. 7 - 8.

Aug. 17, 1908: Second Ward Councilman L. Preston “Press” Huddleston introduced an ordinance concerning the closing of gates at Oakland Cemetery. The ordinance came about after a recent unearthing of an 1876 law requiring all cemetery gates but

Aug. 23, 1965: The Atlanta Crackers played their last game in the Atlanta Fulton County Stadium before the Braves franchise arrived from Milwaukee.

Aug. 28, 1963: Martin Luther King, Jr. (19291968) gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington

by 250,000 civil rights’ supporters.

Historian Ann Taylor Boutwell is a docent at the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta. Contact her at annboutwell@ bellsouth.net.

Big Bethel AME

Oakland Cemetary

Original Wizard of Oz poster

By Tim Sullivan

A Week Without the Kids

In something of a heroic gesture Kristen’s family took our kids to the beach for a week. Right before departing, Elliott lost his front tooth. It had resembled a hanging chad for days so I was happy for the development, but I died a little inside. One moment our son had a pretty significant childhood moment and the next we sent him and his sister off for the longest stretch we have ever been apart.

I was nervous about their safety and how long the week would seem but amidst all of that anxiety I had a glimmer of positivity: Tooth fairy detail would be outsourced! I decided that to help other dads cope with the heartache of a week away from the kids I should log a few of the minor bright spots associated with such an occurrence.

Say, for example, your buddy Schulzie asks you for help in cleaning out his garage and tempts you with the fact that he has a dumpster. As alluring as it sounds to unload junk into a dumpster your usual reply is, “Sorry, I’ve got two birthday parties, a soccer game and a scheduled kick to the groin,” but not today. Today you will be chucking stuff with gusto.

Later you might walk over the neighborhood beer garden fundraiser thing with the Huebners to sample, socialize, smile and repeat. When it is over and they are heading home to responsibly tuck their own kids in to bed, you can take your beer gardening elsewhere and meet the Alexanders out in the village. It’s just that simple. In fact, I think it made my wife giggle.

And while everyone’s in a good mood, you might find it worthwhile to explore some of the activities that led to those children in the first place…with nary a worry of midnight wanderers intent on making a crowd in your bed. Just sayin’.

After sleeping in (because understandably, you’re depressed), you might watch a mini-marathon of Love It or List It on HGTV. Note the husband whose primary “must have” was space

for his gigantic TV and that he blew the budget renovating a second floor room to accommodate it while changing nothing on the hideous first floor. Pat yourself on the back. You’re more of a catch than that guy. Go to the pool and allow yourself a snicker at the one dad who is getting bonked on the head with a kickboard by his son and the other dad who has run his daughter to the bathroom six times. Really, there is nothing you can do to help. You may contemplate sitting in the “adult swim” section on the far side of the pool where the childless people congregate, but don’t overdo it. Recognize you are only sabbatically cool. Probably best to instead sit in the Switzerland-esque middle area. Then get in the pool and float. Brother, just float.

Rent an excellent indie flick, like the kind you used to devour. I suggest Nebraska with Bruce Dern and Will Forte and the most authentic supporting cast since Napolean Dynamite. Appreciate the deftness in writing, the superlative acting and the subtle humor in a film that has nothing to do with Pixar.

Baffle economists by contributing to a spike in restaurant receipts while babysitters cite woeful earnings. Okay, this might be a stretch. I’m pretty certain that neither babysitters nor restaurants actually report any earnings but…

The gist of this is that while you love your kids dearly and this may or may not have been a difficult week, you love your wife too. There was a time when it was just the two of you, and while not as full and rewarding as the life you now know, it was pretty good and it’s okay to check in with that former self. Don’t worry, your kids will practically hyperventilate detailing their week in full for you but they won’t ask you to do the same.

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

Tim “TimmyDaddy” Sullivan with his wife Kristen.

IT PAYS TO LOOK WELL

Kirkwood barbershop marks 50 years

By Dan Whisenhunt Decaturish.com

The Langford family was supposed to do this last year.

The family planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Langford Barber Shop, located on Hosea L. Williams Drive in Kirkwood. But David, the son of the original owner Willie David Langford Sr., passed away.

David Sr.’s picture hangs on the wall. He wears a brown bowler hat on his head and sunglasses. Above his head there’s a quote that says, “It pays to look well.”

When David Jr. passed, the family postponed the 50th anniversary celebration and officially celebrated it on June 14. They thanked their long-time customers, serving food and playing music while they reminisced.

The store started in Edgewood, but moved to Kirkwood in 1971, where it has remained ever since.

LaMichael Langford, David Sr.’s nephew, is the co-owner and has taken over the leadership responsibilities. His sister, Cynthia Hines, is the company’s CEO.

“I’m proud to be able to continue the legacy,” Hines said.

Langford began working at the shop shining shoes when he was 14. He went to barber college at 16. There are eight employees at the shop, and the client list spans generations.

Langford said cutting hair is, “In my blood.” He compared his satisfaction to the smile on a mechanic’s face when he takes a bent up car and makes it look new again.

“I love to see the transformation of people,” Langford said. “When they come and leave out, they look different. They have a different aspect about life.”

Things in Kirkwood look different now than they did back in the 70s. White people are moving back into the neighborhood. Across the street, customers enjoyed a cool drink on the patio of Elmyriachi, the latest addition to Kirkwood’s increasingly busy business district.

Langford sees a more diverse clientele walking through his door.

“We’ve picked up a lot of different types, nationality of customers, since whites started moving back into the neighborhood,” he said. “The neighborhood has gotten cleaner, more police presence and a lot of white customers since they moved in. We cater to everybody. Everybody.”

The people, his customers, are what Langford likes the most about his job. His counts among his customers Anthony Carter, a retired NBA player who lived in Kirkwood and played for several different teams, and Richard Dent, a retired NFL player who spent most of his career with the Chicago Bears.

Barber Stanley Kellam stood by a chair near the shop’s front door and put the finishing touches on Jeff Ardford’s beard. Kellam has been working at the barbershop for 38 years and Ardford has been a customer since he was five years old.

“This is all I know,” Ardford said. “It’s the only place I’m going to get it done right.”

Business Briefs

Get your electric motors running: Tesla is coming to Buckhead and Decatur. The automaker plans to open a 3,245 square foot store at Lenox Square as well as store and service center in downtown Decatur at 1580 Church St. Tesla cars range in price from $70,000 to $120,000.

San Francisco-based Instacart (instacart.com) is hoping you’ll give up pushing the cart through the supermarket and use your laptop or smartphone instead. Instacart will deliver groceries from Kroger, Whole Foods and Costco and plans to add additional stores in the coming weeks. Unlike some services, perishable goods like produce and dairy will be available for delivery. The delivery area is currently north of I-20, including Old Fourth Ward, Downtown, Virginia-Highland, Decatur, Midtown and Buckhead and Brookhaven. Outside the perimeter service will be added soon. Delivery is free for your first order. After that, it’s $3.99 for two-hour delivery and $5.99 for one hour if you spend $35 or more, and $7.99 for two hours and $9.99 for one hour for under $35.

Atlanta has earned an A- grade for its small business friendliness, according to a survey from Thumbtack. In partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the third annual Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey draws upon data from over 12,000 small business owners, provides new insights into state and local business environments across the nation.

Southern Airways has announced that DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) is being upgraded to a Southern Airways “mini-hub.” With Southern’s new non-stop business shuttle now flying weekdays between Memphis and Atlanta, PDK has been raised from a “featured airport” to the more significant level of a mini-hub to compliment the primary hubs in Memphis and Destin. Southern’s overflow passengers flying between Memphis and Destin will now be connecting through PDK when those nonstop flights are sold out. Plans are currently underway for additional non-stops from Atlanta to connecting points in the Southern system.

Studio No. 7 (studiono7.com) has open at 393 Marietta St. in Downtown as a gathering place for creatives. The studio houses an art gallery, test kitchen, bar and lounge. During the day, members work and connect with one another. At 5 p.m. the studio opens to the public and transforms into a space for drinks, food and late night events.

Caring Transitions (CaringTransitionsNorthATL.com) – a company that specializes in managing senior relocations, downsizing and estate liquidations – has opened in North Atlanta to serve the metro area including Buckhead, Roswell, Sandy Springs and Marietta.

Drax Biomass, a manufacturer of wood pellets from biomass, is moving its American headquarters to Sandy Springs. Expected to bring 50 new jobs, the 10,000-square-foot offices will be located in the Concourse building.

Photos by Dan Whisenhunt

Top photo: Stanley Kellam puts the finishing touches on the beard of long-time customer Jeff Ardford. Bottom right: LaMichael Langford.

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New Rotary Club officers from left: Secretary, Vee Nelson, V. Nelson Associates, Inc.; Treasurer, Drew Robinson, CBRE, Inc.; Sergeant at Arms, Mark Burnette, Joyner & Burnette, PC; and President, Peter Michelson, Renewal Design Build.

The Rotary Club of Decatur (decaturrotary.org) has named Peter Michelson, CEO of Renewal Design Build, Inc., as its new President to succeed Robert L. Brown, CEO of RL Brown & Associates, whose one-year term just ended. Other newly elected officers include Vice President, Scott Thompson, Scott H. Thompson Insurance Planning; Secretary, Vee Nelson, V. Nelson Associates, Inc.; Treasurer, Drew Robinson, CBRE, Inc.; and Sergeant at Arms, Mark Burnette, Joyner & Burnette, PC. Elected to serve on the Board of Directors are: Susie Brown, NeuroScience Foundation; Dan DeWoskin, DeWoskin Law Firm LLC; Sara Fountain, Retired; Kathy Johnson, Emory Conference Center Hotel; Herb McCoy, Fidelity Bank; John Robinson, Robinson & Blazer LLP; Doug Torbush, Douglas B. Torbush DDS; Kyle Williams, Williams Teusink Attorneys. The Rotary Club of Decatur meets each Friday for luncheon speakers on timely and interesting topics.

Topgolf International has broken ground on a new driving range at 1600 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. The West Midtown facility will be 65,000-square-feet and feature hightech golf training, food and beverages when it opens in spring 2015. Topgolf opened its first metro location in Alpharetta earlier this year.

Downtown Atlanta’s Philips Arena is among the top venues in the country, according to industry-leading publication Pollstar Magazine. Philips Arena ranked third in the United States in Pollstar’s 2014 Mid-Year Report of the top 100 arena venues and 21st worldwide.

Fifth Third Bank has named Mike Dunlap, a resident of Buckhead, has been named its new president and CEO. Dunlap previously served as senior vice president, commercial executive and investment advisor manager for Fifth Third. Dunlap is board chairman of the Center for Puppetry Arts and a member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board.

Phase three of Westin Buckhead’s hotel-wide renovation will be completed in August. The $9 million project remodeled 365 guest rooms, hotel lobby and renovations of more than 30,000 square-feet of flexible meeting space.

The Melia Hotel in Midtown will be transformed into a dualbranded Crowne Plaza and eventually Staybridge Suites hotel. AWH Partners acquired the building, which contains 501 rooms. In early 2015, the top six floors will be taken out of inventory and will begin renovations to a 102-room Staybridge Suites hotel. The remaining 360 rooms will also be renovated and will remain a Crowne Plaza hotel.

Atlanta natives Blair Wagoner and Sara Lamond have opened an eco-beauty bar and natural skincare boutique in Virginia Highland called Fig & Flower (shopfigandflower. com). The 900 square-foot space at 636 N. Highland Ave. includes two eco-make-up stations, a “soap bar” and the largest selection of natural make-up, hair care, skincare, and beauty products for men, women and children in the Atlanta area.

Speciality grocer The Fresh Market has announced plans to open a new location in the summer of 2015 at the shopping center formerly known as Loehmann’s Plaza. With its namesake store now closed, the center at the intersection of North Druid Hills and Briarcliff Roads will be renamed Brighten Park.

Castellucci Hospitality Group’s latest restaurant Cooks & Soldiers and lifestyle boutique The Bilt-House will join women’s fashion boutique Kane as the anchors for the new 11,000 square foot retail located at the Elan Westside development on the corner of 14th and Howell Mill Road.

Mike Dunlap

Efrain Cerrato Randy Gibbs

Jimmy Kirkley

Emily Windham Susan Bird Cole O’Connor

URBAN FOREST

Atlanta’s tree canopy brings health benefits

American Forests, a national nonprofit conservation organization, delivered its extensive analysis of urban forests in Atlanta and is moving forward with the next phase: strategic tree planting and a community outreach and education program.

This study, funded by Bank of America and the U.S. Forest Service, focused on the environmental and public health benefits from the urban tree canopy in the Atlanta metropolitan area and is part of American Forests’ Community ReLeaf program, which conducts urban tree canopy assessments in targeted cities around the country to establish a scientific foundation for urban forest management, develop forest restoration projects with local partners and provide educational outreach.

American Forests conducted volunteer tree planting events in autumn 2013 and spring 2014, and is providing its local partner Trees Atlanta with a $30,000 grant to educate and work with the public to plant an additional 100 trees in some of the area’s most canopy-deficient areas.

American Forests used satellite imagery and special software to analyze tree canopy coverage as it relates to income, race and age. The study area’s urban tree canopy removes approximately 3.6 million pounds of air pollution annually, equating to almost $12.6 million in health benefits to residents and businesses.

“Trees and green spaces have been shown to have surprising benefits for urban kids, from improving health to reducing stress,” said Scott Steen, president & CEO of American Forests.

U.S Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell has called urban trees “the hardest working trees in America.” The Forest Service is active in more than 7,000 communities across the U.S., helping them to better plan and manage their urban forests.

Photos courtesy Trees Atlanta

Volunteers of all ages regularly turn out to help plant trees around Intown to help keep the city green. A recent $30,000 grant means more trees will be planted around Atlanta.

Eco-Briefs

Specializing in the Detection and Treatment of Pediatric Digestive Disorders

As a Board Certified pediatric gastroenterologist, Dr. Nirav Patel brings the experience and personal care every parent values when their child is suffering from digestive issues.At Atlanta Gastroenterology’s Pediatric and Adolescent Division, infants, children, ‘tweens and teens can be treated for every type of digestive and liver condition, including:

• Abdominal Pain

• Lactose Intolerance

• Constipation/Diarrhea

• Eosinophilic Esophagitis

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Hepatitis/Liver Disease

• Feeding Difficulties

• Celiac Disease

• Crohn’s Disease

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Acid Reflux

• Colic

5445 Meridian Mark Road NE Suite 490 Atlanta, Georgia 30342

Midtown Alliance, in partnership with Jones Day, the American Legion and ELV Associates, has completed renovations to Pershing Point Park, located at the junction of Peachtree Street and West Peachtree Street. The renovation project includes enhancements to this existing public park through beautification, structural restoration and improved safety. The park was originally commissioned in 1918 and named in honor of World War I hero John J. Pershing. The park features a memorial dedicated to World War I casualties from Fulton County in 1920.

Strummin’ on the Porch will be held Aug. 28 from 6-8 p.m. at Rhodes Hall in Midtown, 1516 Peachtree St. The free concert is a collaboration between the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation with the Atlanta History Center. The concert features award-winning indie folk/Americana band She N She. There will be a cash bar and food for purchase from Jamaican food truck, One Love. For more information, visit georgiatrust.org.

U-Haul and The Conservation Fund have promised $375,000 to help create Lindsay Street Park in the English Avenue neighborhood. Located near the headwaters of Proctor Creek, the English Avenue neighborhood is one of the most challenged in Atlanta; it has high crime, many vacant homes, water pollution and periodic flooding. To help address these challenges, the Fund has guided a community-led coalition to acquire six adjacent lots on behalf of the City of Atlanta, and continues to work with the community, the City, Park Pride, Arthur M. Blank Foundation and Waterfall Foundation to complete Lindsay Street Park. Their vision includes workforce training, temporary jobs, educational opportunities and a creek that no longer spills sewage into nearby streets.

Piedmont Park Conservancy has named Mark Banta as its new president and CEO. The former general manager of Centennial Olympic Park, Banta will focus on support for new amenities, strengthening the Conservancy’s relationship with the city and improving the experience of park users.

The City of Atlanta has joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge which aims to increase the number of American employers offering workplace charging for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) by tenfold in the next five years. The Workplace Charging Challenge asks its partners to commit to assessing employee demand for PEV charging at the workplace and developing and executing a plan to provide PEV charging access for employees. Currently, the city’s Government Center Parking deck, assessable by Washington Street and Central Avenue, houses six chargers. The chargers, available on a first come first served basis, are also available to the public free of charge and convenient to the City of Atlanta Municipal Court, Atlanta Public Schools, City Hall, and the State of Georgia.

Tickets are on sale now for The Picnic for Parks on Sept. 18 at Historic Fourth Ward Park. Hosted by Park Pride, the event will commemorate all the corporate partners, volunteers, funders, and community members that have been allies to both Park Pride and to Atlanta’s greenspace since 1989. Get tickets at parkpride.org.

Conveniently located next to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite

For Appointments 404.843.6320

www.atlantagastro.com/pediatrics

AGA is a participating provider for Medicare, Medicaid and most healthcare plans offered in Georgia.

Mark Banta

AUGUST FESTIVAL GUIDE

End of summer festivals plentiful around Intown

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

School may be back in session, but there’s still more festival fun to be had before summer ends. From arts and crafts to music and sci-fi fantasy, there’s something in August for everyone.

Piedmont Park Summer Arts & Crafts Festival

This year’s festival is Aug. 16-18 and will feature more than 150 painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metalwork, glass blowers, jewelers and crafters. The festival will also offer artist demonstrations, live acoustic music, a street market, children’s play area and food and beverages. Admission to the festival is free. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Parking will be available in the Piedmont Park deck, but organizers encourage visitors to take MARTA, walk or bike to the festival. A VIP preview party benefitting the Piedmont Park Conservancy will be held Aug. 15 from 8 to 10 p.m. at the historic Greystone Bath House. Early admission at 7 p.m. allows visitors to attend a quick sale fundraiser of small, limited editions that will also benefit the conservancy. Tickets are $50 for early admission, $35 for general admission. For more details, visit piedmontparkartsfestival.com.

The Gant Park Summer Shade Festival

This year’s event is Aug. 23 and 24 and kicks off on Saturday morning with the Adams Realtors 5K Run for the Park. An artist market, live music and a kids’ zone featuring games, activities and performances is also on tap. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. Also part of this year’s event will be Taquerias & Tequila. Visit summershadfestival.org for more details and full schedule of events.

Festival Peachtree Latino

The multicultural festival will be held in Piedmont Park on Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. featuring exhibitions, children’s activities, arts and crafts, food and live music. Performing live on stage will be Nickie Jon, Fernanda Tapia, Henry Santos, J. King Maximan, Pedro Capo, Oro Solido, Melina Leon and more. For more details, visit festivalpeachtreelatino. com.

AJC Decatur Book Festival

Award-winning writer Joyce Carol Oates will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Decatur Book Festival during Labor Day weekend. Oates will launch her new short story collection with a talk on Aug. 29, 8 p.m., at the Schwartz Center at Emory University. On Aug. 30-31, more than 300 authors will descend on downtown Decatur for the festival, which will feature readings, workshops, a children’s parade and much more. Other notable authors scheduled to appear include Ron Rash, Emily Giffin, Karin Slaughter, Wiley Cash, Ann Hood, Karen Abbott, Natasha Trethewey, Alan Gurganus and Pat Conroy. For a full line-up of events and authors, visit decaturbookfestival.com.

Dragon Con

Sci-fi, fantasy and gaming fans will descend on Downtown Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 for this annual convention that draws thousands of attendees and the chance to meet favorite actors, artists and authors. This year’s guests include Patrick Stewart, Mary McDonnell and Peter Weller among a galaxy of others. The annual parade of costumed characters down Peachtree Street will be held on Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. For a detailed schedule and to register, visit dragoncon.org.

be at Dragon

Battlestar

Captain Jean-Luc Picard himself (that’s Patrick Stewart) will beam down to Dragon Con; literary icon Joyce Carol Oates will give give the keynote address at the 2014 AJC Decatur Book Festival; crowds will be flocking to the Piedmont Park Summer Arts & Crafts Festival.

Clockwise from top left: Mary McDonnell as President Roslin in

Galactica will

Con;

Books By Local Authors

With the Decatur Book Festival coming up Labor Day weekend, we rounded up a trove of new fiction, poetry and nonfiction by local authors for you to sample.

House Proud: A Social History of Atlanta’s Interiors, 1880-1919

by Lori

Eriksen

Rush (Mercer University Press) Filled with photographs and illustrations, Eriksen explores Atlanta’s past through its rich collection of homes –from middle-class cottages to Gilded Age mansions.

Wicked Atlanta: The Sordid Side of Peach City History by LaurelAnn Dooley (The History Press) Dooley navigates the underworld of Atlanta’s colorful past with kidnappings, bribery, hit men and all sorts of criminal debauchery in this collection of historical snapshots you probably won’t find on the tourist brochures.

Man Done Gone: Poems by Lynn Alexander (Finishing Line Press) Atlanta Review editor Dan Veach describe’s Alexander’s debut like this: “Here the everyday objects of our lives are invested with the power to say what is ‘left unsaid.’ There is such a gentle kindness in the way these poems touch the world that we long to be touched ourselves – and find our wish is granted.”

Things I Should Have

Told My Daughter: Lies, Lessons & Love Affairs by Pearl Cleage (Atria Books) The bestselling Atlanta author mines her diaries from the 1970s and 80s to find a writer and woman discovering her talents as the world changes around her.

The Red Chameleon by Erica Wright (Pegasus Books) Kathleen Stone’s ability to blend in makes her an ace private investigator, but when a cheating spouse she is tailing ends up dead she fears that someone from her past has seen through her disguises.

Woodhall Stories by R. Cary Bynum (Saint Johann Press) These stories are based on life in an Atlanta neighborhood in the 1940s and ‘50s. Strange and unusual events happen to some not-so-ordinary neighbors!

A Bird on Water Street by Elizabeth O. Dulemba (Little Pickle Press) a coming of age story about Jack, a boy growing up in a Southern Appalachian town environmentally devastated by a century of poor copper-mining practices and pollution.

The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern (Chronicle Books) After a young girl’s father is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she vows to find a cure with her science fair project in this funny and poignant tale of growing up.

No Longer Confined: One Man’s Triumphant Pursuit of Truth, Wholeness and Freedom by Christopher D. Coleman (iUniverse) Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth and confined to a wheelchair, Coleman chronicles his struggles and triumphs to become a life coach and motivational speaker.

Legendary Locals of Intown Atlanta by Janice McDonald (Arcadia Publishing) Profiles of some of the city’s most well-known citizens and unsung heroes including Gladys Knight, Asa Candler, Pat Conroy, Carrie Steele Logan, Billy Payne, Samuel Inman, Hardy Ivy and many more.

A Pathway to Profit: Culture Impacts

Performance by Anita Pugh, Caroline Hipple, Chris Matthies and Dixon Bartlett (Friesen Press) The authors’ step-by-step pathway provides a strategic overview, describes a recommended architecture on which to build an organization’s culture, and presents a plan for developing leaders to ensure associate participation in achieving results.

The Chattahoochee River User’s Guide by Joe Cook (University of Georgia Press) With more than 200 photos, 32 maps and a fishing primer, this guide brings the Chattahoochee to life in an immersive and engaging manner that will inspire users to help protect their local waterways.

Cyclorama to move from Grant Park to Buckhead

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

The famed Cyclorama painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta will move from Grant Park to a brand new facility on the campus of the Atlanta History Center.

The Atlanta History Center will begin construction on a new 23,000 square foot building next summer and the attraction is expected to re-open in 2016. The estimated $32 million project will be completed with funds already raised by the History Center and a $10 million charitable donation.

The History Center intends to restore the painting to its full size and overall height, and to re-create the 128-year-old painting’s original visual perspective – both of which have been lost for nearly 100 years. The new display method will return the painting to its original presentation as a 3-D experience.

Along with the painting the History Center will also move the locomotive “Texas,” and other Civil War artifacts to the new state-of-the-art facility.

“We are honored for this opportunity, and believe the Atlanta History Center is the best long-term solution for the Cyclorama. Sharing history is our passion, and we are excited about incorporating these artifacts into our comprehensive Civil War collection,” said Sheffield Hale, President and CEO of the Atlanta History Center. “We will preserve the Cyclorama in a museum-quality environment that will ensure its availability and accessibility for generations to come. Our resources and expertise uniquely position us to interpret the painting and diorama in their historic context.”

The Battle of Atlanta was painted in Milwaukee between 1885 and 1886 in the studios of the American Panorama Company. The completed painting was 50

feet high, 400 feet long, and weighed more than 9,000 pounds.

The painting toured to a number of cities, was bought and sold numerous times, before being purchased by Atlantan George V. Gress in 1893. Gress asked the city to find space for the painting, which offered Grant Park. A wooden, drum-like structure was built for the painting and Gress gave the painting to the City of Atlanta in 1898. The Grant Park building was dedicated in 1921 and the threedimensional diorama was added in 1936.

After the relocation to the Atlanta History Center is complete, the Grant Park Cyclorama building will be transferred to Zoo Atlanta. The building will be developed into an event and community space that will include an overlook of the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. Renovations to the building will preserve the historic character and aesthetic appeal of the original facility.

Once the renovation is complete, the Zoo will feature a new entryway plaza, an enhanced African elephant exhibit and renovated workspace for administrative

staff. The Zoo’s redevelopment plan also calls for an environmentally sound underground parking solution to alleviate parking in the neighborhoods and accommodate attendance growth at the Zoo.

The City of Atlanta has been discussing the move of the Cyclorama for years. While the city will still own the painting, the History Center stewardship will save Atlanta about $1 million a year in operating costs.

Above: Detail of the Cyclorama painting of The Battle of Atlanta.

Right: A rendering of the new Cyclorama building planned for the Atlanta History Center campus in Buckhead.

Dad’s Garage hopes to buy Old Fourth Ward church

After a long and exhaustive search, Dad’s Garage Theatre Company has finally found what they hope will be their new home. The 19-year-old theatre company is under contract on a church at 569 Ezzard St. in the Old Fourth Ward, roughly a mile away from its old stomping grounds in Inman Park.

Dad’s Garage marketing director Linnea Frye said there’s still a lot of work to do, including raising the funds needed to purchase the building, but Dad’s Garage’s plan is to close on the property by the end of the year.

Dad’s Garage artistic director, Kevin Gillese publicly announced a capital campaign last week. “Any bit you can give helps, but a lot of bits help even more.” Details on the campaign are forthcoming, but in the meantime folks are encouraged to contribute to the theatre at dadsgarage.com.

Founded in 1995, Dad’s Garage Theatre Company called Inman Park home until it was forced to move to make way for a mixed-use development. The company is still going strong at its temporary home at 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points.

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A guide for arts and cultural entertainment for the entire family

Visual Arts

Piedmont Park Arts Festival: Head to Piedmont Park for a weekend of visual arts with nearly 250 painters, photographers, sculptors and glass blowers. There will also be live acoustic music and children’s activities. August 16 and August 17. Free. affps.com

A Visual History of AIGA: 19142014: Andy Warhol, Paul Rand, Saul Bass and Michael Vanderbyl are just a few of the famous talents responsible for the American Institute of Graphic Arts’ groundbreaking designs over the last century. Opens August 17. $5 to $10. museumofdesign.org

Whales: Giants of the Deep: Plunge into the mysterious world of whales at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Meet two massive whale skeletons longer than a school bus, climb through a replica of a whale heart the size of a VW Beetle, and design your own dolphin. Closes August 24. $16 to $18. fernbankmuseum.org

Be Here Now: Atlanta sculptors Mike Black and Andrew Boatright challenge gravity and beauty with their site-specific installations at this Atlanta Contemporary Art Center exhibit that also features Wisconsin’s Sandra Erbacher. Closes August 30. $5 to $8. thecontemporary.org

Vivian Maier: Summer: Vivian Maier was a professional nanny in the 1950s, but her secret passion was street photography. Her 100,000 negatives were discovered in 2007, and this exhibit highlights some of her summer-themed photos. Closes August 30. Free. jacksonfineart.com

Mid Century Modern: Works on Paper: Oglethorpe University Museum of Art displays works by mid-20th century artists, including Alexander Calder, at this new exhibit featuring OUMA’s permanent collection and pieces on loan from Emory’s Woodruff Library. Closes August 31. $5. oglethorpe.edu

Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas: Don’t miss the last full month of the High’s innovative exhibit that features 19 concept cars from 1930s Europe to 21st century U.S. that push the limits of imagination. Daily. $12 to $19.50. high. org

Extreme Dinosaurs: Discover dinosaurs from the “Golden Age” of paleontology with life-size animatronic models, skeletons and fossils at Atlantic Station. Daily. $11 to $18. premierexhibitions. com

Kongo Across the Waters: This exhibit, the anchor for Africa Atlanta 2014, explores connections between AfricanAmerican art and Africa’s Kongo peoples through artifacts from the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Belgium. Daily. $6 to $8. jimmycarterlibrary.gov

Scott Ingram: Blue Collar Modernism: Scott Ingram’s minimalist paintings, sculpture and photography at Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia was selected as one of MOCA’s 2013-2014 Working Artist Projects. Tuesday through Saturday. $1 to $5. mocaga.org

Performing Arts

Bare Essentials Play Readings: The Essential Theatre annual festival continues with readings of new plays, including “Miss Adelia’s Garden” by Gerry L. Bartholmai on August 5 and “Christ America” by Bill Gibson on August 12 at the West End

ELVIS ROYALE

FERNBANK WHALE

Performing Arts Center. August 5 and August 12. Free! essentialtheatre.com

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other Eric Carle Favorites: Eric Carle’s beloved stories “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “Little Cloud” and “The MixedUp Chameleon” are brought to life with black light and fanciful puppets at the Center for Puppetry Arts. August 5 through August 17. $16.50. puppet.org

Texas Tenors: From Alabama to Puccini, John Hagen, Marcus Collins and JC Fisher bring their unique blend of country, gospel, classical and Broadway to the Atlanta Symphony Hall stage. August 9. $29 to $69. atlantasymphony.org

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: The original horror musical comedy comes to Actor’s Express this summer for a rollicking good time complete with a few exciting midnight performances and of course, the “Time Warp.” Closes August 9. $26 to $47. actors-express.com

Gipsy Kings: The Grammy Awardwinning Gipsy Kings consist of two bands of brothers: the Reyes and the Baliardos, families who both grew up roaming the south of France, working harvests and making music. They return to Chastain as part of their 25th anniversary tour. August 15. $35 to $79. classicchastain.com

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: Six young people in the throes of puberty learn that winning isn’t everything in this musical about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky cast of outsiders. Closes August 16. $12 to $23. onstageatlanta.com

Big Mike Geier’s Elvis Royale: Big Mike Geier’s Elvis Royale at Variety Playhouse is a Vegas-style extravaganza with a live band and the Dames Aflame Showgirls celebrating the music and culture of Elvis Presley. August 16. $26.50 to $28. variety-playhouse.com

Shreya Ghoshal: One of Bollywood’s top singers, Shreya Ghoshal is best known for her chartbuster hit songs from Indian films sung in Hindi as well as several other languages. August 17. $39 to $129. cobbenergycentre.com

Unplugged in the Park: Park Tavern celebrates more than a decade of free live music with the David Mayfield Parade, an eclectic band led by a songwriter who has collaborated with musicians ranging from The Avett Brothers to country star Dierks Bentley. August 17. Free! parktavern.com

Tori Amos: Tori Amos brings her “Unrepentant Geraldines” tour to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in support of her 14th studio album release. August 19. $42 to $67. cobbenergycentre.com

When We Were Seven: Fireflies light the outdoor Skwhirlhaus stage in this combination of personal storytelling through dance and live-music soundscape by Crossover Movement Arts as they invite audiences to remember when they, too, were seven. August 22 through August 24. Free! skwhirlhaus.com

The Mentor: The Heath Brothers Quartet with Jeremy Pelt: Join NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath and rising star trumpeter Jeremy Pelt at the Rialto Center for the Arts for an evening of classics from the American Songbook, as well as signature compositions by Heath himself as part of the National Black Arts Festival. August 23. $28 to $58. nbaf.org

Bob Weir & RatDog: The Grateful Dead founding member and rhythm guitarist Bob Weir performs with his band RatDog at the Fox Theatre. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood opens. August 26. $46.50 to $56.50. foxtheatre.org

Rhythm & Brews: Athens’ bluegrass quintet Packway Handle Band closes out Sandy Springs’ summer concert series with this outdoor performance. Blankets, picnics and coolers are allowed; no pets. August 28. $2 to $5. heritagesandysprings.org

2014 National Puppet Slam: Experience the beauty, ingenuity and hilarity of the best puppet slams from across the country at this adult puppet theater show at the Center for Puppetry Arts. August 28 through August 30. $12. puppet.org.

FOODIES DELIGHT

Eat up these food festivals and events

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

From beer to barbecue, there’s something for every appetite happening around Intown during the month of August.

Decatur BBQ, Blues and Bluegrass Festival

If you want some ‘que and stew mixed with great music, head to the 14th annual Decatur BBQ, Blues and Bluegrass Festival on Aug. 16 in Harmony Park from noon to 8 p.m. General admission tickets are just $10. e barbecue will be provided by local restaurants and this year’s music line-up includes e Georgia Flood, Roxie Watson, Larkin Poe, Kate and Corey, Balsam Range and Michelle Malone. For more information and tickets, visit decaturbbqfestival.com.

Atlanta Downtown Restaurant Week

Downtown Restaurant Week returns for its 12th year Saturday, Aug. 9, through Sunday, Aug. 17. During this nine-day culinary event, top chefs o er diners signature prix- xe menus ranging from $15 to $35 per person for lunch, brunch dinner options. Presented by Central Atlanta Progress (CAP), the annual Restaurant Week will feature nearly 40 dining hot spots to choose from. To see the full list, visit atlantadowntown.com.

German Bierfest

e German Bierfest at Woodru Park in Downtown returns for its 11th year on Aug. 23 from 2 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 online until Aug. 15 then rise to $45. Attendees can drink all the beer they can safely consume and designated drivers get in for just $10. ere will also be food and music. For a complete line-up of beers and music, visit germanbierfest.com.

Savor Sandy Springs

At 5 Seasons Brewing, we are passionate about making great food, brewing great beer and serving our guests in a fun, welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere.

David Larkworthy uses more locally grown produce than any other chef in Atlanta. Brewmasters Crawford Moran and Kevin McNerney are in charge of nearly 70,000 gallons of beer (Yes, they are willing to share!) This is ‘fine dining... in denim!

5 Seasons Brewing Co.

The Prado, 5600 Roswell Rd 5SeasonsBrewing.com

There

Atlanta BAR-B-Q Festival

e 6th annual event returns to Atlantic Station Aug. 15-16.

More than 50 teams from across the region will re up their grills to compete in annual barbecue cook-o event to win cash prizes, coveted trophies and the ultimate rewardbragging rights. Attendees will also be ale to enjoy barbecue from some of Atlanta’s favorite restaurants. ere will also be a cooking stage, live music, children’s activities and a market. Event admission is $6 in advance and $10 day of show. Kids 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult. For more, visit atlbbqfest.com.

THE ONLY LEGAL

STILL IN GEORGIA

Old Fourth Distillery sets up shop Intown

By Annie Kinnett Nichols

Like many great ideas, Old Fourth Distillery started out as a simple question posed at a party: Why can’t we make our own liquor?

at’s what brothers Je and Craig Moore thought when they opened up a little clubhouse in East Atlanta. Locally brewed beer? No problem. Legally distilled liquor? Not in Georgia boys –no way, no how. e Moores – along with partners Justin Gray, Andy Duvall and Gabe Pilato– decided they weren’t going to take no for answer.

Everyone told them that making liquor was illegal in Georgia, so they decided to hire lawyers and nd out exactly what could stop them. Law rm Sard & Le went to work and soon the rst legally operating still, or distillery, was born.

Located at 487 Edgewood Ave. in the booming Old Fourth Ward district, the partners set up shop. You can stop by anytime to visit, but the doors won’t o cially open until late August.

e guys run an IT business across the street, which gave them funding to create their dream. A dream that wraps up all their passions in one: something uniquely theirs, creating from scratch, using local only, zero imprint on the environment, marketing, design, architecture, adventure, building relationships with tons of people and making something they can hang their hat on.

Right now it seems that they are the only liquor distillery in Georgia and the smallest legal distillery in the country – 1,000 square feet. ey brought in a world famous German manufacturer, Carl, the oldest continuous manufacture of stills on the planet. Gorgeous copper and shiny metal, the still arrived in a box that looked like Ikea had gone mad. ankfully, an expert came with the box, installed the still in 24 hours and promptly ew back to Germany.

Now the boys are to putting it to work, with plans to have vodka in one year, gin in two and bourbon in 10. e bourbon will sit in barrels for a decade before they sell it. No hurry here.

All the di erent liquors will be sugarcane-based, meaning no potatoes and no wheat. Sugarcane is the only starter that has 0 percent waste. 95 percent sugarcane will turn into alcohol

and the other 5 percent will be water. You can actually drive your car with sugarcane alcohol. Conversely, it takes 40 pounds of potatoes to make a bottle of vodka – that’s a lot of potato parts le over.

e founders also want everything to be local, local, local. Case in point, a kuduz vodka is in the works. “We have tons of kudzu in this state and we want to see if we can make it drinkable, Moore said.” ey’re not even sure it will taste good, but they don’t care. at’s half the fun.

Just to be clear, Old Fourth Distillery is not a bar, since that’s still illegal in Georgia. e still’s creations will be sold through United Distributors, which recently took them on as a client. However, there will be free tours and tastings coming very soon. Keep up with the still at old4th.com and at facebook.com/old4thdistillery.

Photo by Annie Kinnet Nichols

Above: Jeff Moore stands outside the distillery building on Edgewood Avenue.

Below: The copper stills were imported from Germany.

TASTING INTOWN: Alfredo’s Restaurant Review

By Art Huckabee

When I think of Italian food, I think of red sauce simmering in a big pot on the stove or Sunday gravy as real Italians call it. I also think of the warmth and comfort and feelings of family that are so evocative in Italian food and culture.

I am not Italian nor was I raised in an Italian household. Growing up, my exposure to Italian cuisine was a thin meat sauce made from a packet of McCormick’s spaghetti sauce mix served over spaghetti. My father despised the dish, and now I know why.

I fell in love with real Italian food when I was a young Navy pilot deployed to Italy in the mid-1980s. When we weren’t tracking Soviet submarines in the Mediterranean, we were tearing around the Italian countryside in a beat-up Fiat 124 looking for our next x of pasta and vino. While the food was great, the welcoming environs and that feeling of family were even greater.

Nowadays, when I want to feel like I’m part of an Italian family and get my x of Sunday gravy, I travel to Alfredo’s on Cheshire Bridge Road. You feel right at home when you walk in this place: the dark wood, the white tablecloths, the dim lighting, the doting host, the brigade of red vest clad waiters. ere’s always a crowd and on most weekend nights there’s a line out the door. Alfredo’s

does take reservations and easily accommodated our party of nine, out for a special birthday party.

Our waiter immediately descended upon our table serving surprisingly good garlic bread and an assortment of pickled vegetables. You want to know the specials? You want some wine? You want some appetizers? e man in the red vest is at your disposal and will not leave until someone gives him guidance as to how he can begin making you happy.

We ordered a couple of carafe’s of the house Chianti and several appetizers for the table. ey have a decent-sized Italian wine list and also o er several Italian beers and a full bar as well.

e appetizers arrived quickly. e mussels in white wine were perfectly done with lots of fresh garlic and Italian parsley. e fried calamari was light and crispy with a spicy Fra Diavolo sauce.

e fried mozzarella was a hit; it’s a large gooey wedge served with a good Sunday gravy.

e breast of chicken Cacciatore was pure comfort food. It was what my Italian grandmother would make if I had an Italian grandmother. e chicken was surprisingly juicy to be just breast meat, and the Sunday gravy was rich with plum tomatoes, mushrooms, red peppers, onions and herbs

e half portion of eggplant

Parmigiana hung o the plate. e delicately fried vegetable was not swimming in sauce and cheese, but rather had the right balance of ingredients as to highlight the delicate yet hearty dish.

e breast of chicken al pesto was excellent, sautéed in pounded basil, pine nuts and butter and served in a creamy garlic sauce.

e Snapper Casalinga was a large portion of fresh sh. It was broiled and served with a tart lemon butter and white wine sauce that slightly overpowered the sh. e accompanying sautéed spinach was garlicky with a hint of smokiness.

e veal dishes were very good.

e Padrino, or Godfather, is a trio of three veal preparations, Francese, Marsala and Parmigian. All were faithful representations of these classic dishes.

e veal Saltimbocca was supposed to be prepared with white wine but tasted

of Marsala wine instead, which made the dish a bit cloying.

An assortment of Italian desserts was served in honor of the “birthday boy” and the waiters and several adjoining tables serenaded with “Happy Birthday.” e desserts were all authentic with the cannoli being the star.

Alfredo’s serves good Italian food, but it excels at providing exceptional service, a welcoming atmosphere and those feelings of warmth and comfort that are at the heart of what Italian really means. Alfredo’s is located at 1989 Cheshire Bridge Road. For more information, call (404)876-1380 or visit alfredosatlanta. com.

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

Photo by Art Huckabee

Fried calamari was the perfect starter for a meal at Alfredo’s on Cheshire Bridge Road. For more photos, read the review online at AtlantaINtownPaper.com.

Quick Bites

Spice to Table (spicetotable.com), a long-awaited, new dining concept by Chef Asha Gomez, was set to open on Aug. 1 at Studioplex in the Old Fourth Ward. Open for breakfast and lunch daily excluding Mondays, Gomez describes the new restaurant as an “Indian patisserie” with menu items like spiced oatmeal, samosa pockets, caramelized onion and spiced cashew crostatas and quiche for breakfast. While lunch will feature tomato pies, vegetable rice pulao, pork vindaloo sandwiches, curried chicken stu ed bread, soup of the day and a salad of the day. As INtown was going to press, Gomez announced that she was closing her lauded Cardamom Hill restaurant on Northside Drive to focus on Spice to Table.

Petite Auberge (petiteauberge.com) turns 40th this summer and is celebrating by adding Sunday brunch to its menu. Located at 2935 North Druid Hills Road, brunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Former NFL quarterback Nate Hybl will open Gusto Wood Fire Grill in at Brookwood Village, 1935 Peachtree Road, later this summer. e space was formerly Saigon Café. e menu had not been made available at press time.

Burger 21 (burger21.com), a new franchise founded by the owners of e Melting Pot, has signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to develop three restaurants in the Atlanta area: Buckhead, Cumberland Mall and the North Druid Hills areas. e Buckhead location is expected to open sometime in 2015.

Mali Hu of One Sushi Plus in Brookhaven will open a Japanese steakhouse called Katana in late summer across from Lenox Square at 3345 Lenox Road in Buckhead.

Fadó Irish Pub will open in Shops at Metropolis during the rst quarter of 2015. Fadó Midtown will occupy the former La Tagliatella space at 919 Peachtree St. A Gaelic word meaning ‘long ago,’ Fadó will o er an Irish menu, local beers and cocktails.

Doc Chey’s Dragon Bowl (dragonbowlatl.com) is now open in Emory Village at 1556 N. Decatur Road. Owner Rich Chey converted the location of Doc Chey’s Noodle House to focus on customer-created bowls with grilled meats, healthy grains and a variety of locally grown/seasonal ingredients.

Tin Drum Asiacafe (tindrumcafe.com) is o ering up fresh noodles and Asian street food cuisine in its new location at 2566 Briarcli Road in North Druid Hills.

Kula Project (KulaProject.org), a local non-pro t focused on creating sustainable farming communities in developing nations will host the second annual #FORTHEFARMER campaign on Aug. 14 in partnership with several of Atlanta’s top restaurants. Each participating restaurant will donate 20 percent of sales from the evening to be invested in small-scale farmers in Rwanda. Participating restaurants include: 1920 Tavern at Opulent, Buttermilk Kitchen, Etris Kitchen & Bar, Foundation Social Eatery, Harbour Bar and Fishhouse, MAX’s Wine Dive, Murphy’s, Osteria Mattone, Real Fix Pizzeria, Salt Factory, Serpas True Food, Table & Main, e Optimist and more.

Terminus City , Kevin Gillespie’s long-awaited second restaurant, has opened in the Gunshow space at 924 Garrett St., Suite C. in Glenwood Park. The “takeover” of Gunshow will continue until Gilliespie finalizes the location for Terminus City. The menu is a hybrid barbecue joint meets meat and three family-style restaurant. Find out more at gunshowatl.com.

MAX’s Wine Dive (maxswinedive.com) is now open in the 12th & Midtown development at 77 12th St., Suite 6B o ering “gourmet comfort food” (Southern fried chicken, oysters, mac ‘n cheese) with a selection of wines from around the world.

e 4th annual Great Atlanta Beer Fest will be held at Turner Field on Sept. 6. is event will feature 150-plus beers, ciders, and a small selection of wines. ere will be live music with the Geeks Band, college football on big TVs, fun and games on Scout’s Alley and around the event. Advance tickets are $35, $40 a er Aug. 29, and $50 day of event. Get tickets and more information at greatatlantabeerfest.com.

Michael Lo, George Yu and Damiano Pak have opened Makan (makanatl.com), the Indonesian or Malay word for eat, in downtown Decatur, 130 Clairemont Ave. e menu is inspired by Asian street food and traditional Asian comfort food that you might nd in market stalls in cities like Hong Kong, Taiwan or Seoul.

Willy’s Mexicana Grill’s signature, hand-rolled Californiastyle burritos, tortilla chips, salsas and more are now available in a new location at 2566 Briarcli Road.

TRACE (traceatlanta.com) is now open at the W AtlantaMidtown o ering a “farm-to-hotel” menu for breakfast, lunch or dinner with a healthy take on classic Southern dishes and cocktails.

Virginia-Highland’s Bar Meatball (barmeatball.com) now has its own food truck. e mobile menu includes meatballs with sauce, meatball sliders with fries, and true ItalianAmerican pasta topped with meatballs.

e historic Midtown home known as e Castle at the corner of Peachree and 15th streets is getting a new lease on life as a restaurant. e renovated space will launch with a big party hosted by Maxim magazine on Aug. 29 starting at 9 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit http://evrd.us/c50Eb. Details on the menu and chef were unavailable at press time.

Breakfast spot J. Christopher’s on Ponce de Leon Avenue closed Aug. 3 and is searching for a new space in VirginiaHighland.

HOME SALES SIZZLE

The market rebound continues around Intown

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Home sales remain strong around Atlanta this summer, while foreclosures are on a downward trend.

Southeast Mortgage CEO Cal Haupt, who puts out a monthly housing report called The Cal-Culator, said Atlanta’s residential real estate index for June was a 6.2 out of 10 with across the board improvements in home sales, builder confidence, home prices, increased inventory and less foreclosures.

The monthly report for June from the Atlanta Board of Realtors showed the median sales price for single-family homes was $230,000 – up 10.6 percent from June of last year.

Haupt said looking back at May, there was a sharp rise in sales at 6.1 percent, the largest increase since April 2010 when first-time homebuyers scrambled to sign contracts before a lucrative popular tax credit ended.

“New-home sales posted an even stronger rebound with a nearly 19 percent increase from last month, the

highest rate since May 2008,” Haupt said, citing data released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development with the U.S. Census Bureau.

“These numbers are in line with our recent builder surveys, which indicate that more consumers are getting off the fence and coming back into the marketplace,” said Kevin Kelly, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

RealtyTrac, the online real estate information site and marketplace for foreclosures, reported that the median sales price of distressed and non-distressed U.S. residential properties rose 6 percent in May from the previous month and 13 percent from a year ago, the second consecutive

month in a row with a double-digit annual increase and the biggest annual increase since prices bottomed out in March 2012.

New data from the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index showed that builder confidence for new singlefamily homes rose to only one point shy of the threshold of what’s considered good building conditions. The index rose four points to a level of 49. Any number over 50 indicates the majority of homebuilders view conditions as “good” rather than “poor.”

“After several months of little fluctuation, a four-point uptick in builder sentiment is a welcome sign and shows some renewed confidence in the industry,” said Kelly.

Foreclosure levels in Atlanta have continued the downward trend that has permeated the real estate industry in 2014. Foreclosures in June dropped to levels not seen since 2002. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that 2,054 foreclosures were reported in June across 13 Atlanta counties, compared to 11,016 during the height of the housing crisis.

Buckhead Condo Alliance to represent vertical communities

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

The newly formed Buckhead Condo Alliance (BCA) has filed incorporation papers with the Georgia Secretary of State’s office and has been officially admitted to the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods (BCN).

The alliance currently has seven buildings along Peachtree Road on its roster: 2828 Peachtree, Alhambra, The Carlyle, Concorde, Crestwood, Gallery and Peachtree Residences.

During the recent BCN meeting, spokesman Robert Bush, vice-president of the new condo alliance, said the BCA currently represents around 800 owners in the seven buildings.

“We’ve been meeting for a year and the condos along Peachtree Road have a lot of common issues,” said Bush, who lives at The Carlyle.

He said residents were concerned about noise, development and traffic along the corridor and wanted to have a voice in decision-making and planning issues.

However, Bush said the City of Atlanta might not recognize the BCA since the member condos are located in two different Neighborhood Planning Units (NPU) and city council districts. Dist. 8 City Councilwoman Yolanda

Adrean said she believed the BCA was worth exploring, since there are more and more “vertical communities” being built.

“The Buckhead Condo Alliance is treading new ground here, but I say go for it,” Adrean said at the BCN meeting. Bush said the group originally wanted to form as an NPU, but that was denied by the city.

“The Buckhead Condo Alliance is treading new ground here, but I say go for it.”

– Yolanda Adrean Dist. 8 City Councilwoman

Perspectives in Architecture

Melody L. Harclerode

Architecture in Motion

Welldesigned architecture can move our spirit. The Rotunda of the United States Capital in Washington D.C., embodies the beauty, immensity and strength of our nation. While Dr. William Thornton conceived the space in 1793 as part of a design completion, the circular room was completed under the direction of Charles Bulfinch in 1824. This space enraptures visitors with its immense dome, elegant murals and sculptures, and light from numerous windows. The Rotunda remains a stirring backdrop for ceremonies including funerals for national dignitaries. Although minimal in ornamentation, the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago wows pedestrians with its powerful height and cascading form. This 108-story office tower by architect Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur Khan with the firm Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill (SOM) stood as the tallest building in the world for three decades after its completion in 1975. While our spirits rise as we experience the monumental architecture of the Rotunda and the Willis Tower, their walls stay still. The foundations supporting the walls are grounded into the earth restricting any movement.

Stay Connected

On Aug. 23 from 1 to 5 p.m., volunteers with the Atlanta chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Atlanta) encourage students to experiment with the traditional philosophy of buildings as stationary elements. Elementary, middle and high school students from metropolitan Atlanta explore architecture with movement during this year’s AIA Atlanta Youth Architecture Fair at the High Museum. Inspired by the Dream Car exhibit at the museum, organizers use Architecture in Motion as the theme for the event. Student admission is free. The fair begins with a brief discussion about the Dream Car exhibit from Porsche designers, Paolo Martin and Chris Bangle, and short keynote address by architect and Georgia Tech professor Ann Gerondelis.

As students sketch the luxurious cars in the Dream Car exhibit and incorporate motion into their design of a small building model under the guidance of AIA Atlanta volunteers, the young attendees may consider numerous questions. Does all or parts of their building move? What are the actual construction materials if the structure is built? Is the building moveable because it can be easily dismantled as a temporary structure? Does the architecture with the model remain stationary, but serves mobile visitors like the ones for the Varsity drive-in? The fair culminates as the students share their inventive building designs with their family, friends and other attendees in the Atrium of the High Museum. Students leave the AIA Atlanta Youth Architecture Fair energized by the informative speeches and fun design activities.

Melody L. Harclerode, AIA, a local architect, promotes the power of architecture and design as the PresidentElect of the Atlanta chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Principal of Harclerode Architects (harcarch.com). For more information, visit aiaatl.org.

Real Estate Briefs

e former Ironized Yeast Company building (later purchased by cough-syrup makers Creomulsion) at the corner of Glen Iris Drive and Ralph McGill Boulevard might be knocked down to make way for townhomes. According to a report in Curbed Atlanta, developer John Weiland wants to build up to 28 townhomes on the 1.5 acre site. Dating from 1929, the factory building has been empty for years, but has recently been used as a lm set.

Walton Communities has unveiled its newest Intown apartment project, Walton Westside e community, located near Westside Provision District at 790 Hu Road, features 254 one- and two-bedroom apartment with 14 di erent oor plans. e Walton Westside pre-leasing o ce is now open, and the community’s rst residents will begin moving in early June. A Grand Opening event is planned for early October. For more, visit facebook.com/WaltonWestside.

Simon Property Group and Columbus Realty Partners Ltd. will build a 319 mid-rise, luxury apartment building called Domain at Phipps Plaza at the Buckhead shopping mall. Construction is expected to begin in September with occupancy slated for fall 2015. Domain will o er amenities such as a yoga court, outdoor pool, health club with tness on demand, dog park with dog wash stations and roo op terrace with a resident lounge. Simon is also working on an extensive revamp of the mall.

Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development authority, has announced that Columbia Ventures will serve as the developer for ve acres located next to MARTA’s Edgewood/Candler Park rail station. e property is currently used for parking. e rst phase, expected to break ground next year, will include more 200 units of market rate housing and will be built with minimal disruption to existing MARTA operations. e second phase is expected to include an additional 235 units. One of the phases will include commercial opportunities and the full project is expected to be completed by 2019.

Four new mixed-use projects are in process for Midtown Atlanta. Related Group is working on 22 Fourteenth Street, a 400 unit high-rise residential tower with 6,500-square feet of ground- oor retail on the southwest corner of 14th Street and West Peachtree. e project, in conjunction with Novare’s proposed 1163 Peachtree, at 14th and West Peachtree streets intersection will anchor the two remaining corners facing One Atlanta Center and Regions Plaza. Hanover Company has proposed 1010 West Peachtree Street with 328 apartment units and 13,000 square feet of retail on 10th Street between West Peachtree and Spring streets. Azure on the Park from Atlantic Realty Partners is proposing a two-building development at Piedmont Avenue between 10th and 11th streets. e project is a ve-story building adjacent to a 24-story residential tower that together will total 330 apartment units and 2,100 square feet of retail.

Developer EpiCity has announced plans for Armour Junction, a “bike and brew community” with easy access to shopping, restaurants, the Sweetwater Brewing Company and eventually the Beltline. e mixed-use project near Interstate 85 would include exible commercial space, restaurants and shops including a bike shop, co ee shop and brewery, as well as residential units and an event space.

Euramex Management has purchased 3.3 acres behind Kirkwood Station and wants to buy adjacent properties at 1910 Bixby Street to build a multi-family development, according to a report from Decaturish. Euramex would need the city of Atlanta to rezone the property on Bixby for multifamily, even though it currently has apartments. ose apartments were built before the current zoning code went into e ect. According to concept drawings the company has provided to residents, there would be 290 units total. e average size would be 875 square feet.

COMMUNITY AMENITIES

• Resort-style swimming pool

• Fire pit with lounge seating

• Children’s playground

• 24-hour fitness and business center

• 24-hour cyber cafe

• Bocce ball court

• Gated access

• Elevator accessible

• Bluetooth distributed audio sound systems

• Walking distance to restaurants, shops and entertainment

BOB GLASCOCK

Multi-Million Dollar Sales Club cell: 404.754.7581 office: 404.814.9000 bob.glascock@harrynorman.com

Atlanta’s newest apartment homes. The perfect blend of modern design, classic architecture, and world-class amenities. The Reserve Collier Hills is also situated at the perfect location. Just steps from the local charm of unique shops and restaurants and minutes from all of Atlanta and its surrounding suburbs. Live at The Reserve and experience the best the metro area has to offer.

Parting Shots

Congratulations to Atlanta Braves (from left) manager Bobby Cox and pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine on their induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY last month (Photo courtesy CBS 46). Councilmember Kwanza Hall and members of Operation P.E.A.C.E. visit the Hyatt Regency Atlanta to prepare fresh picnic dinners for attendees of the Year of Boulevard Block Party and Community Cookout. The facade of the office building created by famed architect IM Pei (he’s best known for the Louvre pyramid) is back in place at the corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Juniper Street as part of the 131 Ponce apartment project. The frame of the building and the distinctive white tiles under the window were salvaged to create a new entrance for the development.

GREENWOOD ACRES - Incredible 4 bedroom/3.5 bath home meticulously renovated & upgraded while preserving original integrity. High end finishes & appliances. 4Bed/3.5Bath $584,000 FMLS: 5307102

Cherie Sundy 678-557-7791

MIDTOWN - Exceptionally maintained home just a few blocks from Piedmont Park. Large front porch & private screened porch in rear overlooking tranquil oasis!

3Bed/3Bath $544,900 FMLS: 5291549

Michael Smith 404-786-2057

OLMSTED AT EAST LAKE - Charming Craftsman: plantation shutters, coffered ceilings & fireplace in great room; spacious kitchen; private screened-in porch; fencedin yard. 3Bed/2.5Bath $400,000

KIRKWOOD - Great home with master on main. Two generous BRs upstairs plus laundry & hall full bath. Chef’s kitchen w/built in breakfast bar. Large FR with fireplace & 1/2 bath. 3Bed/2.5Bath $375,000 FMLS: 5287129

Melissa Stratton 404-713-5850

EAST ATLANTA - Semi-custom newer construction priced thousands below current appraisal. Open floor plan and ALL THE BELLS & WHISTLES! 3Bed/3Bath $354,900

FMLS: 5311653

Beth Smith 678-595-4448

MORNINGSIDE -  Updated bungalow. 4 parking spaces w/easy turnaround. Formal LR w/fireplace. Separate DR. New kitchen w/ granite counters. 3 Bed/3Bath $449,900 FMLS: 5291303

Mike Kondalski 404-234-9379

BERKELEY PARK -  Solid rental income from this irresistible duplex. Top unit vacantcompletely renovated w/covered front porch; 1930’s home w/ hrdwds, new appliances. 4Bed/3Bath $345,000 FMLS: 5310523

Debbie Heaton 404-434-2262

INTOWN - Top Floor Unit! 04W. Concrete Floors. Stained Cabinets. Granite Countertops. Great Amenities! Convenient to Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market.

1Bed/1Bath $159,900 FMLS:5317107

Tonya Marlatt 404-518-8787

INTOWN - The Stacks. Fantastic unit with Large Storage Room. Concrete Floors, Maple Stained Cabinets. Roof Top Deck w/Amazing Views. Best Pool in town!

1Bed/1Bath $190,000 FMLS: 5303956

Tonya Marlatt 404-518-8787

MIDTOWN - Fabulous location. Hardwood Floors. 10’ Ceilings. Beautiful Kitchen. Custom Paint. Incredible Downtown views. ResortStyle Amenities.

2Bed/1Bath $254,900 FMLS: 5306244 Judy Hollowell 404-441-9681

MIDTOWN - Sleek Urban Top Floor Unit. Polished Concrete Floors. Exposed Brick Wall. Overlooks Greenspace. Gated Garage. Great Amenities. Walkable Neighborhood.

2Bed/1Bath $210,000 FMLS: 5318009

George Miller 404-556-5905

MIDTOWN - Sought after NE facing condo in 1010 Midtown. Spacious and open floor plan. Hardwoods, custom closets, s/s appliances. Amazing views. 2Bed/2Bath $434,900

FMLS: 5281101

Allen Snow 404-931-1176

NORTH BUCKHEAD - Brick and stone French Normandy inspired home. No expense spared! Designer chef’s kitchen w/commercial grade appliances. Flag stone terrace overlooks formal gardens. 6Bed/5.5Bath $1,649,000

FMLS: 5294601 Marc Castillo 404-449-6862

MIDTOWN - Exceptional all brick home. Like new condition. 4 finished levels. Wood floors. 10’ ceilings. Enormous level fenced-in back yard. Walking distance to Noble Park and shopping. 5Bed/6.5Bath $1,099,000 FMLS: 5177482 Marc Castillo 404-449-6862