Atlanta Intown - August 2019

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Editorial

Collin Kelley INtown Editor

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Julie Chalpan, Sue Collins, Kathy Dean, Grace Huseth, Donna Williams Lewis, Asep Mawardi, Jacob Nguyen, Clare Richie, Tim Sullivan, Megan Volpert

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

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The future of Hulsey Yard

When I moved back into the city in 2000, my first apartment was at the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts in Cabbagetown. While my apartment faced Oakland Cemetery, you couldn’t miss all the 18 wheelers rumbling up Boulevard or the boom-clangscreech coming from Hulsey Yard, which sat just behind the lofts.

Some nights, we’d sit on the rooftop deck and watch the trucks coming and going and CSX trains arriving with their shipments of cargo containers. Eventually, the sounds from the yard became part of the sonic fabric of the neighborhood and I hardly noticed them.

Even after I moved over to Highland Avenue, when the wind was right, I could still hear the trains and sounds from the yard. I cannot imagine how silent it must be at the lofts now that CSX has closed Husley Yard.

While CSX has announced no plans to sell the yard, the communities that stretch along its 70 linear acres – Cabbagetown, Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park and Reynoldstown – are proactively taking steps to create a master plan for the property. Lord Aeck Sargent is drafting a plan that envisions a significant greenspace with room for homes and retail to present to the Atlanta City Council when the time comes.

There’s also the question of getting the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail across the yard. Currently, the trail uses Krog Street Tunnel to connect in Cabbagetown, but there’s no way a future streetcar or other light rail transit will fit.

If I could wave my magic wand, I’d transform Hulsey Yard into a park with affordable housing. Do we actually need a new “neighborhood” with more retail and offices? I don’t think so.

In a study by the Federal Reserve Bank and University of Chicago, Atlanta was ranked the 4th fastest-gentrifying city in America. That means buying a home or renting an apartment Intown moves further and further out of reach for many people. The City of Atlanta recently created an action plan for affordable housing, which you can read more about on page 31. Perhaps Hulsey Yard could be the centerpiece of that effort when CSX decides to sell.

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The Neighborhood News & Features

Memorial Drive Update

BeltLine extension and Publix open as reversible lane disappears

By Collin Kelley

The revitalization of the Memorial Drive corridor reached some significant milestones in the last two months, including the opening of the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail extension, the opening of Publix at Madison Yards and the removal of the reversible lane along a four-mile stretch of the corridor.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held July 11 for the final phase of the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail that stretches between Kirkwood Avenue and Memorial Drive. The Eastside Trail is now completely paved from Piedmont Park in Midtown to Memorial in Reynoldstown – a distance of three miles.

A pedestrian scramble is soon to be installed at the Eastside Trail’s busy intersection with Memorial and Bill Kennedy Way, which is where the Madison Yards mixed-use development is under construction. The first tenant, a 50,000 square foot Publix supermarket, opened June 26. Created by Fuqua, Madison Yards will eventually feature an AMC movie theater, a fitness center, retail shops and restaurants Hoots, Taqueria Tsunami, Marlow’s Tavern, Steel City Pops, Curry Up Now and Salata. Greystar is building the 500-plus unit apartment component of the development.

Just as the projects are nearing completion, Georgia Department of Transportation crews have been working since spring to resurface and remove the reversible traffic lane along a four-mile stretch of the corridor from Reynoldstown to East Lake. A center turn lane has been installed, which should make it easier for motorists accessing all the apartments, condos and the Atlanta Dairies mixed-use development, which are nearing completion.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at the ribbon cutting for the Eastside Trail extension.

The Publix at Madison Yards

Road crews remove the reversible lane on Memorial Drive.

Greystar is building apartments at Madison Yards

Back to the Books

By Collin Kelley

Time to put away the bathing suits and hit the books again. Intown’s public schools will resume classes this month for the 2019-2020 academic year. Here are some key dates for those who have kids heading back to school.

Atlanta Public Schools

The new school year kicks off Monday, Aug. 12. For those already thinking about vacations, the Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 25-29; semester break is Dec. 23 and through Jan. 3, 2020; spring break is April 6-10; and the last day of school will be May 22. APS will hold its annual “Back to School Bash” on Aug. 10 at the World Congress Center where there will be information, activities, health screenings, resources, exhibitors and 5,000 backpacks will be given away to students. For more information, visit atlantapublicschools.us.

City Schools of Decatur

Decatur’s public schools will resume classes early – Thursday, Aug. 1. Fall break will be Sept. 23-27; Thanksgiving break is Nov. 25-29; holiday break is Dec. 23 to Jan. 6; winter break is Feb. 17-21; spring break is April 6-10; and the last day of school is June 2. For more information, visit csdecatur.net.

Fulton County Schools

The 2018-19 school year begins Monday, Aug. 12, for thousands of children in Fulton County. The Thanksgiving holiday is Nov. 25-29; winter break is Dec. 23 to

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Jan. 3; spring break is April 6-10; and last day of class is May 22. The school system will host “First Day Fulton” back to school celebrations on Aug. 3 at Banneker High School and North Springs High School with free school supplies, activities, health screenings and entertainment. For more information, visit fultonschools.org.

DeKalb County Schools

DeKalb public schools are also back in session on Monday, Aug. 5. Thanksgiving break is Nov. 25-29; winter break is Dec. 23-Jan. 3; spring break is April 6-10; and the last day of class is May 21. For more information, visit DeKalbSchoolsGA.org.

By Collin Kelley

A second deadly collision involving an electric scooter rider in Atlanta has prompted calls for streets that accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter users.

According to police reports, William Alexander, 37, was struck and killed by a Cobb County transit bus on West Peachtree Street in Midtown on the night of July 17. At press time, Atlanta Police investigators believe the bus was turning onto 15th Street when it struck Alexander, who was riding a scooter on his way home from an Atlanta United match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

After the incident, Atlanta City Councilmember Amir Farokhi said Alexander’s death should be a call to action for the city.

“We need to invest more in complete streets that accommodate cyclists, scooters, and pedestrians as much as they do cars. It’s in our power to ensure these sorts of tragedies are absent from our city,” Farokhi said. “While I am working aggressively with the City’s Office of Mobility to solve the problems created for pedestrians by e-scooters, the vast majority of which occur in District 2, we must solve the bigger problem of streets and sidewalks that are not safe enough for all modes of mobility.”

The city council recently passed legislation to wrangle the more than 10,000 e-scooters and bikes on Atlanta’s streets and to compile scooter injury data from local hospitals.

Councilmember Andre Dickens indicated in a statement that he has asked Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer, Commissioners of Public Works and City Planning to conduct evaluations with regards to how the city’s transportation and construction management practices could be improved and aligned to prevent further injury and loss of life.

“In the six months since City Council passed new laws impacting the operation of e-scooters and other mobility devices in the city, we have learned a lot about ridership trends, rider behavior, and how to manage these devices,” Dickens said. “In that same period, a cyclist in a bicycle lane was severely injured just last week, and another scooter rider was killed near West Lake station in May, on top of multiple fatal vehicle accidents and pedestrian deaths. These events and others indicate that we need a critical review of our light transportation infrastructure, our police practices around enforcement, and our overall safety around all forms of transportation.”

Dickens said the city needed to constantly evaluate and improve regulations of scooters to limit the frequency and reduce the severity of accidents.

News Roundup

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has vetoed legislation approved by the Atlanta City Council that would convert Baker Street in Downtown from one-way to two-way traffic. Local businesses, including hotels, had expressed concerns about the conversion causing traffic headaches for customers, employees and delivery people.

The second phase of compensation adjustments for the Atlanta Police Department began July 1, according to a press release from the City of Atlanta. The adjustment brings senior police officers and investigators to the 90th percentile of the competitive benchmark as identified by the Atlanta Police Foundation’s compensation study. Officers will see the pay adjustment in their July 19 paycheck.

Collie Greenwood, formerly the chief service officer with the Toronto Transit Commission, has joined MARTA as chief of bus operations. In his role, Greenwood will be responsible for daily operations and maintenance of MARTA’s bus system, which includes a fleet of 532 buses and paratransit vans.

The City of Atlanta has announced the integration of WorkSource Atlanta with Invest Atlanta—aligning the city’s workforce development arm with its economic development arm. Nearly a year ago, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appointed Kimberlyn Daniel to serve as interim Executive Director of WorkSource to establish a strategic plan that ensures the program serves Atlanta residents and to meet the deadlines of the grant programs. “This integration pairs two of the most pivotal services provided by the city, which will result in world-class training and placement for the people of Atlanta—particularly those with barriers to employment—into the jobs Invest Atlanta is recruiting, retaining and growing,” Bottoms said in a statement.

Charge unveiled its first electric scooter charging, docking, and service station at Woodruff Park on July 1. The company has secured more than 250 location and charging stations, which are compatible with any of the rentable e-scooters currently on the streets. Charge hopes the introduction of the docking stations for the dockless scooters will help clear them from sidewalks, roadways and the BeltLine.

Read All About It

Renovations coming soon for Ponce Library

By Clare S. Richie

AtlantaFulton County’s Ponce de Leon Library is about to get a serious makeover.

The branch was slated to close July 15 for renovations but the date was moved to the end of August after community outcry over the planned removal of 17 trees to make room for additional parking spaces and a drivethrough book drop. Library officials have said they will work to preserve as many of the trees as possible.

The branch will be closed for approximately six months once work gets underway.

Fulton County has contracted with Evergreen Construction and McAfee3 Architects for design, engineering and construction management services.

“The designers have done an amazing job maximizing every corner of the space,” Fulton County Library System PR/ Marketing Manager Claudia Strange said. There will also be infrastructure updates to electric, plumbing and HVAC.

Although the Ponce branch is part of a two-year effort to redesign and modernize 23 of Fulton county’s 34 libraries, each project is unique. Many of the changes to the branch came directly from patrons during a series of public input meetings that began about a year ago.

“One of the big resounding cries was for some quiet spaces for studying, reading and tutoring. We heard a lot about the space having hidden areas, so we wanted to have sight lines from where the staff sit to monitor the branch,” Strange said. “There was a desire for the children’s area to have a better separation from adults. For the exterior, people asked about better lighting, better parking and ADA access, which we were already planning for.”

Two new reservable enclosed rooms that seat four comfortably will be located in the middle of the adult section.

“They’re all glass so staff can still monitor them but are a private space suited up with technology, useful for students working on a project or a small meeting,” Strange said.

The renovation also features a

modernized computer lab with 20 new desktop computers with flat screen monitors. It’s located next to a much smaller staff info desk that encourages staff to walk around to help patrons.

“The children’s area will be almost half of the library and will include tables and a story time space,” Strange said. Right behind it, a state-of-the-art meeting room will be able to accommodate larger programs.

“The meeting room will be probably be the most visible transformation with new furniture, flooring, lighting, storage for staff, storage for Friends of Ponce, and all new technology, including a drop-down big screen for a presentation or movie night,” Strange said.

To encourage older youth to come in and enjoy the library, teens will have their own dedicated “loungy” space across the lobby from the children’s area.

Like all renovated branches, Ponce will also have a digital display announcing upcoming library news and self-check out. Books on hold will be right inside the lobby. Look for the first four letters of your last name to grab your books, scan your library card, scan all your books at once at the self-check out machines and off you go.

For those who wish to peruse for books at the branch, they’ll find the lower shelving more accessible.

Even the book collection is getting a makeover, following the standard practice of removing books not checked out in two years.

“Weeded out books get donated to

Better World Books who gives us credit to buy new books. It’s good for us because it allows us to improve and update the collection, while getting books out that aren’t being checked out. And we’re still able to move books across all 34 libraries and get them to you,” Strange said.

During the closure, patrons are encouraged to use nearby branches –Peachtree Library, Kirkwood Library and East Atlanta (closing Sept 16). You may find the deployed Ponce staff at these or other branches or at outreach activities publicized on afpls.org and Facebook.

“While we know the closing of this library will bring some inconvenience, the result will be well worth it. We look forward to completing the renovations as quickly as possible and re-opening beautiful renovated libraries that can serve the community more efficiently,” Fulton County Library System Director Dr. Gabriel Morley said.

That unveiling is already well anticipated.

“Friends is excited about the idea of having a beautiful library and we are starting to brainstorm about the grand opening,” Friends of Ponce Library past president Stephanie McCaa said.

For up-to-date renovation information, visit afpls.org or call the renovation hotline at (404) 613-7323.

City bans smoking in bars, restaurants and airport

Outdoor smoking at bars and restaurants will still be allowed, but not near windows and doors. There is also an exemption that applies to cigar lounges, hookah bars and other tobacco-focused businesses.

For violations of the smoking and vaping bans, the city will fine the owners or operators of spaces $100 for a first violation and $200 for each additional offense within one year.

The intent of the smoking ban is to prevent workers and customers from being exposed to the many health hazards of smoking without warning or practical choice. The ordinance was lobbied for by Smoke-Free Atlanta, a coalition of such organizations as the Atlanta-headquartered American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association.

The ordinance was introduced by City Councilmembers Matt Westmoreland and Andre Dickens. In a written statement, Westmoreland said he’s proud that Atlanta “has joined every other major American city in adopting a comprehensive ‘SmokeFree’ ordinance.”

By John Ruch

A ban on smoking and vaping inside nearly all bars and restaurants was passed by the Atlanta City Council July 1. The ban, which also covers Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is scheduled to take effect Jan. 2, 2020.

The new ordinance tightens existing laws that already restricted smoking inside most places of business but had exemptions for private rooms or if they exclude customers or workers who are under 18. Those exemptions will go away.

Tee Time TOUR Championship set for Aug. 21-25 at East Lake

“I’m proud that we worked with a broad and diverse group of stakeholders on how to both improve quality of life while working to protect small businesses like cigar bars and hookah lounges… [I] think this process was a great example of protecting public health, working with small businesses, and highlighting the danger to our teens of e-smoking,” Westmoreland said.

The tightening of the rules had two “no” votes from Buckhead-area Councilmembers J.P. Matzigkeit and Howard Shook.

Matzigkeit said he does not personally like smoking and had no problem with the city banning it on government property, but he objected to telling private businesses what to do.

“To me, as a small business owner, I believe customers should be the ones to tell owners how to run the business, not the government…,” said Matzigkeit. He noted the owners of the Vortex Bar and Grill locations in Little Five Points and Midtown conducted a large survey of their customers about smoking and already decided to ban it inside the businesses based on the feedback.

As part of the PGA’s restructured tournament schedule, the TOUR Championship will now be played in August instead of September, with the 2019 tournament set for Aug. 2125 at the East Lake Golf Club.

Thirty top golfers – likely to include Matt Kuchar, Brooks Koepka, Rory Mcllroy, and maybe Tiger Woods – will vie for the coveted FedEx Cup.

Between matches, fans can enjoy a cocktail in the Grey Goose 19th Hole, refuel with friends over a meal prepared by the city’s best local restaurants, cool off and test putting skills in the SO Cool Zone and much more. Plus, kids get in free.

Along with the new dates, the TOUR Championship will also unveil a new scoring format to determine the FedEx Cup champ. The standings leader heading into the TOUR Championship will start the tournament at 10-under par. The next four players will start at 8-under through 5-under, respectively. The next five will begin at 4-under, regressing by one stroke per five players until those ranked Nos. 26-30 start at even par.

Seventy-two holes of stroke play will determine who gets the FedEx Cup and a $15 million payout.

Daily tickets range from $35 to $75 and are available along with more information at pgatour.com.

pets & their people

We asked our readers to submit photos of themselves with their pets and they delivered! From cute pups to exotic birds, Intowners love their furry and feathered friends.

Critter with Katie McGuire

Sergeant and Veronica Lovejoy

Chip with Marnie Williams

Sergeant with Sergeant Major Clifford Lovejoy

Hank and Moose with Erica and Chris Templin

Hawky with Tyson Levine

Athena with Emily Ross

Kimmy Kitty with Amelia McClure

Gracie with Dan and Brittany Drescher

Johnny Cash and Jason Cook

Gizzie with Deb Day

Roo with Ted Leres

Rosco with Jackie Longacre

Buddy with David Ross

Scout with Danon Vaughn

Murphy and Daphne with Teresa Campbell

Riggins and Tyra with Bert Weiss

Lillie and Eliska with Tara Levine

Rylie with Ashley Wallace

Ginger and Popcorn with Wisteria Grace Brady

Enjoy

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Tucker with Doug and Robin Shore

Ailey and Vivian Reid

Duchess with Tonya Gomes

Pepper and Cas with Chris “Alluur” Carter

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‘TransFURring’ love across state lines

By Donna Williams Lewis

Each year, about 6.5 million animals enter animal shelters nationwide, and about 1.5 million are euthanized, according to the ASPCA.

In Georgia, about 150,000 adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized every year, simply because they are homeless, says Furkids, the nonprofit operator of what, according to its website, is the largest cage-free, no-kill shelter in the Southeast for cats and a no-kill shelter for dogs.

Atlanta-based Furkids is going the extra mile — actually, lots of extra miles — to help put a dent in Georgia’s animal euthanasia rates. Last year, the 17-yearold group launched its TransFUR animal transport service, a program that is picking up unwanted animals from high-kill shelters across Georgia and sending them to no-kill animal shelters in northern states, where there is high demand for adoptable animals and a low inventory of them.

The warmer climate and lack of laws or enforcement of laws requiring spaying and neutering contribute to animal overpopulation in the South, according to Samantha Shelton, Furkids’ CEO and founder.

“They can’t comprehend the sheer volume of what we’re dealing with in the South,” she said. “They have the demand. We have the supply.”

TransFUR has delivered just under 2,000 cats and about 150 dogs to partner shelters awaiting them since the program’s inception in March 2018. “They’re begging us for these animals,” Shelton said. “Shelter staff welcome the animals with open arms and big smiles.”

The group partners with Georgia shelters and with shelters in the North so they all can know what types of animals are available and which are needed at any given time. The requests can be pretty specific, ranging from the number and age range of animals to requirements for recent vaccinations and certain medical treatments, Shelton said.

Furkids picks up animals from animal control and rescue agencies as far as three hours’ drive away, delivers them to the program’s shelter in Doraville, and then prepares them to be transported to north U.S. locations on the next TransFUR run.

“Our vet techs and veterinarians spend a good part of the day checking them from head to tail, making sure they’re totally healthy and preparing a health record,” she said.

Once they get to the North, “whole teams are outside to help unload them and check them on their end,” Shelton said. “They typically quarantine them for a day or two. These cats are adopted immediately, once they hit the adoption floor.”

Karina King, director of operations at the Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, Mass., talked about the shelter’s win-win relationship with Furkids. “We love working with our Southern partner shelters and supporting their efforts to save lives,” King said. “We ourselves had far too many cats/kittens in our own community not too many years ago and remember what a blessing it was when we could get others to take some animals from us.

Furkids does a wonderful job working with us, and together we save more lives.”

A plea for help

TransFUR had its genesis in October 2017 with Hurricane Irma.

As the hurricane approached the U.S., dozens of Furkids volunteers and staff in vans and planes worked around the clock for six days to rescue 120 dogs and cats from animal shelters in mandatory evacuation areas along Georgia’s coastline.

Getting them out of danger was just the first major step. Caring for and finding them homes was the next huge deal.

When a group from Minnesota heard about their emergency need for adopters, they called to say they could take 30 cats. A donor paid for a rental van and off the cats went.

Interest grew, and TransFUR was born.

These days, there is typically one transport per week, usually of about 30 to 65 cats, to currently 12 states, from Minnesota to Maine. The focus is on cats because most other animal transport services in the country focus on dogs, Shelton said.

Another reason: 70% of dogs entering shelters come out alive, while just 15% of cats

do, she said, quoting stats from the Georgia SPOT Society (Stopping Pet Overpopulation Together).

Northern adopters show “so much gratitude and appreciation” for their transported pets, she said. “We have had some very sweet emails from people who’ve received them,” Shelton said. “It just brings tears to my eyes and a smile to my face to know there are cats from Georgia who were someone else’s throwaways who are somebody else’s beloved family member.”

Furkids has rescued more than 30,000 animals since its founding in 2002. About 1,000 animals are in the program today in Furkids shelters, PetSmart and Petco adoption centers and more than 400 foster homes.

A “no-kill shelter” generally means the shelter has a live release rate of 80% or more, Shelton said. “At Furkids, ‘no-kill’ means every life is valuable,” she said.

And the program has vastly improved the live release rates of its partner Georgia animal controls and rescues, she said. ToccoaStephens County Animal Control, for

instance, is reporting a 17% increase in its live release rate since joining the transport program, according to Furkids.

The program plans to acquire a second transport van this year to allow for more frequent trips to the North and is developing a training program for municipal shelters in Georgia’s small towns.

“We’re saving more lives through this program than we ever have before,” Shelton said. “We know we’re on to something great here and it’s worth every effort.”

Shelton’s senior animals

Furkids’ cat shelter has been offering rates reduced sometimes to zero for cats 5 years old or older. The shelter currently has about 75 cats in that age category.

Shelton, a Peachtree Corners resident, has personal experience with senior animals as the owner of four of them — three cats and a dog. Her youngest cat, Tortie, is 18 years old. She found her as a kitten in her backyard.

Her quest for a home for Tortie back then made Shelton aware of “the serious pet overpopulation problem in Atlanta” and led to her founding of Furkids. She’s passionate about the value of senior animals.

“With an older animal you definitely know what you’re getting in terms of personality, which to me is a benefit … and you’re not having to deal with training,” Shelton said. “A lot people don’t fully grasp what’s involved when you have a puppy. It’s like bringing home a baby.”

“There are wonderful adult dogs and cats available in the shelter,” she added. “Sometimes owners passed away, there was a divorce or a new job that requires traveling all the time. These animals pay the price. It’s heartbreaking when people bring their senior pets to a shelter. That’s when they need us the most.”

Furkids — How you can help

■ Adopt or foster a Furkids cat or dog. You can search for your new pet at furkids.org and other sites such as petfinder.com.

■ Volunteer to walk, bathe or help socialize shelter animals. Administrative and leadership volunteer roles are also available.

■ Help with the TransFUR van’s prep, cleanup or maintenance.

■ Make a donation.

For more information about Furkids, animal shelters and thrift stores in Peachtree Corners, Marietta and Lawrenceville, visit furkids.org.

Jean and Larry Hammond adopt their new cat, Jolie.

Photo courtesy of Furkids.

Samantha Shelton, CEO and founder of Atlantabased Furkids, relaxes at home in Peachtree Corners with her four senior animals. From left are Betsy, 20; Uncle Buck, 20; Tortie, 18; and Misty, 8.

Photo courtesy of Samantha Shelton

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Pet Picks

Tyson is a shy and gentle guy who came to PAWSAtlanta from a hoarding situation in South Georgia. He spent much of his life outside on a tether but now he has fallen in love with the great indoors. He revels in the air conditioning, burrows into beds, and learns about all the new things he never had the chance to see before. He would love a patient and kind human who has time to let him experience the world in a new and better way. He does great with other dogs.

Ducky is a 5-year-old Jack Russel Terrier mix that snuggled his way into our hearts. Ducky is a gentle, mellow guy with a very quiet and ready to please demeanor. He once had a home, but his owner’s circumstances changed and PAWSAtlanta volunteered to help out. Ducky would love to have a quieter, more laidback home, where he can relax and feel like part of a family. He’s been through a lot lately and just needs a safe place to exhale and regrow his confidence. He seems good with other dogs and has excellent manners.

Pet Briefs

On Saturday, Aug. 17, two weeks before Dragon Con enlivens Downtown Atlanta, Woodruff Park hosts an opportunity for metro-Atlantans and their four-legged friends to get in on the cosplay fun. Presented by ADID and Georgia’s Own Credit Union, Doggy Con features a pet parade and costume contest, a vendor village of dog-centric goods and activities, and a yappy hour social with a cash bar hosted by Steady Hand Beer Co. For registration and more information, visit woodruffpark.com.

DIG, a dating app for dog lovers, has launched in Atlanta. The app lets dog lovers and owners find compatible dates with those who also share a love for dogs. You can also plan a dog-friendly first date through the app, which is available for iOS and Android.

The Banfield Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of pets and the people who love them, recently awarded Ahimsa House $15,000 to continue its mission to help keep pets and people together. In addition to routine and emergency veterinary care for pets, Ahimsa House’s Direct Services program provides boarding and foster care, animal transports, a 24-hour hotline, pet-inclusive safety planning, legal advocacy, and pet deposits for victims in Georgia at no charge. $32.95 Service Package (Reg $101.95)

To adopt Tyson or Ducky, visit PAWSAtlanta.org or the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

T his Month In Atlanta History

Editor’s Note: In honor of Atlanta INtown’s 25th anniversary and in memory of our late historian, Ann Taylor Boutwell, we’re bringing back her column every month in 2019.

Aug. 1, 1966: The Atlanta Falcons played their first pre-season game at the old Atlanta Stadium. They lost 9-7 to Philadelphia.

◄Aug. 2, 1926: Sears & Roebuck opened its retail and distribution center on Ponce de Leon Avenue. The massive building would eventually become City Hall East and now Ponce City Market.

Aug. 2, 1854 ►: Concert pianist and composer Alfredo Barili was born in Florence, Italy. After studying and performing at venues around the world, Barili and his wife settled in Atlanta in 1880 to teach at the Female Institute on Peachtree Street. In November 1883, he made his first Atlanta appearance at DeGive’s Opera House. Three years later, he opened the Barili School of Music on Juniper Street. He died unexpectedly at the age of 81 on Nov. 17 while on a walk near his home in Midtown. Barili stumbled into the path of a city bus on Ponce de Leon Avenue and died instantly.

Aug. 6, 1907: An enthusiastic crowd in the Georgia State Capitol sang “Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flow” as they watched Gov. Hoke Smith sign the new prohibition bill,

ANN TAYLOR BOUTWELL’S A LOOK BACK

which became law on Jan. 1, 1908.

Aug. 17, 1842: Although Julia Carlisle, daughter of Sarah and Willis Carlisle, was credited with being the first female baby born in Terminus (the first name of Atlanta), she was actually born in Marietta.

Aug. 17, 1860: The Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the throwing of water, dirt and trash from windows and doorways.

Aug. 19, 1904: Atlanta Fire Chief Walthall Robertson “Cap” Joyner escorted a caravan of monkeys, parrots, macaws, and swans to the zoo in Grant Park. Thanks to the generosity of the Georgia Railway and Electric Company, the animals shipped from New York City remained there for the rest if their natural lives. The baboon, called Mr. A.B. Boon, perhaps the most interesting newcomer, hailed directly from the Congo.

Aug. 28, 1963: Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Jr. led the March on Washington where he delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial calling for equality an end to racism during the Civil Rights Movement.

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The kids were heading to sleepaway camp in a couple days and Kristen and I were going out West so it was time to get organized (panic). I loathe packing to the point I sometimes think “I’ve been enough places. I’m good.” Kristen is better at travel prep but that doesn’t mean she likes it. She clearly doesn’t tolerate her less-skilled teammates all that well. The camp requirements looked like a check list for NASA (if NASA shopped at REI) and launch day was fast approaching. The kids experience absolutely zero packing anxiety because, brilliantly, they don’t trouble themselves with such things.

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I folded myself into laundry detail. I don’t much care for that job either, but it allowed me to squirrel away for a bit. I envisioned myself as Kristen’s sous packer, readying the clothes as she systematically meted out towels, flashlights and toiletries. I had to be stealth because it bothers her that I sort through my own laundry first. She thinks that I’m thinking that if an earthquake struck and we had to make a dash for it, maybe she would pick up the task after the dust settled. And I might be but the chances of that are slim.

I just happen to be the biggest person in the household and I work from large items to small. This makes sense so I can get a better look at the 87 pairs of underwear my family of four has worn in the previous week. An unavoidable interruption really would be welcomed though. Nothing catastrophic, but maybe the dog needs a walk? And then a neighbor needs help moving something heavy? And then they ask me to join them for a beer on the porch? Totally unavoidable!

I sharpened my focus. Once all the dad-wear was squared away, I went for the larger of the small people’s duds and separated into piles. Elliott’s clothes are miniversions of my own so they were relatively easy. Stretching into hour two of folding, I was left with Kristen and Margo’s itty bits and, really, how bad would it be if a smallish meteor struck our general quadrant of Earth? I get carpal tunnel from trying to fold these things in some reasonable fashion but they wear socks that are roughly the size of my thumb! I think I was sweating at this point, but I got through it. Kristen even gave me a small nod of something less than disdain as if to say, “not bad rookie.”

Pictures of laundry don’t make for great Instagram posts, but it is said that life is what happens while making other plans. And calling laundry life may be a stretch, maybe life-prep? Luckily, I didn’t impress Kristen too much with my folding skills. Strictly junior varsity material. The return from sleepaway camp was the big game –the most epic laundry undertaking of the year. Camp was in the mountains but the dampness of their duffels indicated a swampier locale. Left to me, I might have simply set fire to the sleeping bags, but mercifully Kristen was rejuvenated from our trip. She disappeared into the laundry room and I took the dog for a stroll.

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Festive 4th of July!

Fireworks were held in the Old Fourth Ward and the Pied Piper Parade was held in downtown Decatur to mark Independence Day. Photos by Jacob Nguyen & Asep Mawardi

Underground Update

Hotel, nightclub and apartments announced for Downtown redevelopment

By Collin Kelley

WRS, Inc. has announce three major signings for its four-block redevelopment of Underground Atlanta, including a hotel, an LGBTQ+ nightclub/ restaurants and apartments.

Located at the northwest corner of Pryor and Upper Alabama and adjacent to the Five Points MARTA Station with direct tunnel access into the station, YOTEL will be located on 1.90-acre site Block One. The hotel brand, which has properties in London, Paris, New York and other international cities, offers compact luxury “cabin” spaces at more affordable prices (See the sidebar for more details).

At the southwest corner of Pryor and Alabama on Block Four, Keith Young and Hoosh Mishu have signed a 10-year lease for Future, a night club and restaurant geared toward LGBTQ+ patrons. Atlantabased drag queen, Phoenix, who competed on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” will lead the cabaret show. The 14,000 square-foot, two-story space will be open for lunch and dinner and available for private rentals for functions and events. Walix Construction has demolished the existing retail spaces and will construct the new venue. Axis will lead the architecture efforts and Planning Interiors, Inc. will take charge on the design front.

Prestwick Companies will develop apartments on Block Three, a 3.09-acre site at the Southwest corner of Central and Alabama. The housing will feature a mix of street-level retail focused on the needs of the neighborhood and Georgia State University

students. The development, known as The Avery, will have around 130 units with one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom options. Approximately 104 units will be affordable for families earning 60 percent of the area median income or below, while 26 units will be unrestricted market units.

YOTEL will offer short and long stays

International hotel chain YOTEL will build a 351-room property as part of the redevelopment of Underground Atlanta.

The new hotel will feature 234 “cabins” designed for short stays (YOTEL) and 117 “PADs” for longer stays (YOTELPAD). Construction of the hotel is set to begin in summer 2020, with an anticipated opening date of Autumn 2022.

The “smart hotel” will feature selfcheck-in kiosks, adjustable SmartBeds, outdoor pool and terrace, rooftop bar, “GRAB+GO” cafe on the ground floor and KOMYUNITI, a combination restaurant and co-working space.

“We’re excited to have found the right hotel partner that is unique to Atlanta. YOTEL values a forwardthinking environment and designs their hotels with independent and tech-savvy travelers in mind. It’s perfect for Underground’s location in the heart of Downtown and close proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,” said T. Scott Smith, President and CEO of WRS, Inc., in a media statement.

Above: the site plan for Underground Atlanta. Right: a rendering of the revitalized Underground.

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Anchored by the shopping mall, a fixture at Peachtree and Lenox roads for 50 years, additions will include Nobu Hotel and Restaurant, a 90,000 square-foot Life Time fitness club and a new office building.

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The hotel will have 150 rooms, rooftop pool, spa and corporate conference space. The restaurant, which will feature Japanese cuisine, will operate in a 10,000 square foot space. The new 13-story 350,000 square foot Class A office building, One Phipps Plaza, will include a three-story parking garage. An outdoor greenspace will also be part of the redevelopment.

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►Jamestown, the Atlanta-based real estate investment and management company behind Ponce City Market, has bought The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. The 356,000 square foot development – which includes office, retail and dining space, and two undeveloped parcels totaling 2.7 acres – was built in 2014 by Oliver McMillan and is situated across six blocks in Buckhead. This transaction was brokered by JLL Capital Markets. The property is home to international luxury brands such as Hermès, Spanx’s Global Headquarters, health and wellness studios and a variety of dining options.

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◄Meet At Ponce, a boutique-style meeting and office space solution, is open at 620 Glen Iris Drive across from Ponce City Market. With free on-site parking and Wifi, the more than 5,000 square foot renovated space includes private offices, meeting rooms and a training room which can also be used for special events. For more information, please visit MeetAtPonce.com.

Atlanta Urgent Care will move their Druid Hills location to the Clairmont Road and Briarcliff Road intersection near I-85 by the end of summer. The new address will be 2738 Clairmont Road. All of the progress and updates will be posted on the website at atlantaurgentcare.com.

Italian fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana will open its first Atlanta store at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead in time for the holiday shopping season. The store will feature women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections and will be located next to the recently-announced Tom Ford store.

The Pop Up Spot, a 10,000-square-foot space available for bookings for a day, week or even months, has opened at Atlantic Station. The Pop Up Spot creates a unique retail experience, allowing local artists, out-of-town brands and other exclusive tenants the opportunity to plant temporary roots the city. The space is located at 260 18th Street NW, Suite 10110, between LOFT and francesca’s. Visit AtlanticStation.com for more information.

Code Ninjas has opened a new location at Emory Point, 1520 Avenue Place, Suite B1-110. Utilizing a curriculum centered on video games, Code Ninjas teaches children ages 7 to 14 computer coding and problem solving skills. For more information, visit codeninjas.com.

Candle-making shop Candlefish is now open at Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward. Candlefish specializes in creating scent experiences through a fragrance library of 100 unique scents as well as hands-on workshops. For more information, visit candlefish. com. JJ’s Flower Shop, a local floral company delivering custom arrangements and flowers, will open its first brick-and-mortar kiosk inside PCM later this summer. For more information, visit jjsflowershop.com.

WeWork, the coworking office space provider, has leased 35,000 square feet of office space in downtown Decatur, at 120 W. Trinity Place. The three floors will be able to provide workspace for more than 540 members.

OODAZU (pronounced OO-da-zoo), an LA-inspired play and yoga space for kids, has opened at 800 Miami Circle. The space includes yoga programs, scaling towers, climbing walls, cargo nets, slide, trampoline basketball and more. For more information, visit oodazu.com.

DS Smith, a leading London-based packaging manufacturer/recycler, has opened its new U.S. headquarters in Atlanta. Located in Buckhead at 3475 Piedmont Road, the facility will serve more than 50 employees in DS Smith’s sales, marketing, finance, legal and technical departments.

Home & Real Estate

Building Affordable Communities

City of Decatur opens latest affordable housing option

By Collin Kelley

With the ongoing gentrification of Atlanta and its surrounding communities, the conversation about maintaining affordable housing continues to heat up.

Much of that conversation has been centered around neighborhoods connected to the Atlanta BeltLine, where home and rent prices continue to soar out of reach for middle class residents. Nowhere is that more evident than in the Old Fourth Ward, where townhomes are now selling for $1 million and up and rent for a one-bedroom apartment are at $1,400 and up.

The City of Atlanta recently unveiled its Housing Affordability Action Plan (see the story on Page 31), which has an ambitious plan to create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes by 2026.

The City of Decatur began taking action in 2012, and just last month the Decatur Housing Authority (DHA) held a ribbon cutting for the rehabilitation of an aging apartment complex in the Oakhurst neighborhood rechristened Oakview Walk. Oakview Walk now consists of 34 family apartments in an attractive three-story building. It includes 27 one-bedroom units and seven two-bedroom apartments, all built to the Enterprise Community Green standard. The community also includes a multipurpose community room, a covered exterior gathering area, onsite laundry, a “tot lot” equipped play area, fenced community garden, gathering area with kitchen, computer lab, wellness center and an onsite management office.

Twenty-seven of the new apartments are tax credit units designed for families earning 30 to 60 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). The remaining seven apartments are designated as workforce housing for families earning 80 to 120 percent of AMI with rents below market rate.

This rehabilitation comes on the heels of upgrades to the former Gateway Manor complex at West Trinity Place in downtown, which is now known as Trinity Walk. DHA began planning for Trinity Walk back in 2012 while the nation was still in recovery from the economic crash. The 121 renovated, affordable apartments opened in late 2017. Similarly, the Allen Wilson community on Commerce Drive in

downtown has been revitalized into 191 affordable apartments, including those for seniors.

Since 2014, DHA has invested $55.7 million and received millions in tax credits to transform the properties.

“I believe that affordable, achievable and accessible housing is the foundation that supports a stable and positive life,” said DHA Executive Director Douglas Faust. “With stability, families can pursue healthy habits, greater educational opportunities and quality employment. We are proud of these new homes, as they are the capstone of five years of hard work in planning, financing, resident relocation, construction, development and property management.”

Mayor Pat Garret, who was on hand for the ribbon cutting, said the Decatur City Commission recently established an Affordable Housing Task Force after holding its first “housing summit” to identify more properties and methods for creating affordable homes.

“I remember when Oakview Walk was just an idea, and Doug Faust came to the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association with information and sketches of what was to come,” Garret said. “And, wow, what an asset Oakview Walk is to the neighborhood!”

Faust said Decatur was unique for having affordable housing communities in the heart of the city rather than outside it. He said that easily connects residents with schools, shopping, restaurants and services.

“We look for ways to enhance the lifestyles of our residents through community gardening programs, play areas for the children, academic resources for students and mentoring programs,” Faust said. “A number of local organizations and businesses partner with us to provide educational opportunities for our younger residents as well as employment, health and wellness programs for the adults.”

Partnerships already formed include one with the Wylde Center in Oakhurst and the University of Georgia Extension Service to offer onsite gardening, cooking and nutrition programs. Bryant Pharmacy is working with local businesses to provide free, regular health screenings to residents.

Additionally, the Decatur Education Foundation, local citizens and Decatur businesses have collaborated to create The Opportunity Partnership, a mentoring program for low income students, while DHA’s own STARS Afterschool Program includes tutoring, homework assistance, reading, computer skills and enrichment classes. Since 1992, DHA has funded scholarships to support 377 graduating high school seniors as they begin their collegiate careers, and 42 adult learners continuing their educations.

City of Decatur officials were on hand last month for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Oakview Walk.

Mayor unveils affordable housing action plan

By Collin Kelley

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has unveiled the City of Atlanta Housing Affordability Action Plan – a roadmap to substantially increase the number of residents who can afford their housing costs.

The plan was a collaborative effort from multiple city agencies, non-profits, philanthropic organizations, faith-based organizations, educational institutions, private companies, residents, and community members who came together under the banner of House ATL to develop recommendations.

The plan entails 13 initiatives based on four key goals:

Create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes by 2026 and increase overall supply

1. Leverage vacant public land for housing

2. Create and expand housing affordability tools

3. Revise the zoning code

Invest $1 billion from public, private, and philanthropic sources in the production and preservation of affordable housing

4. Maximize existing funding sources

5. Develop new funding sources

6. Increase philanthropic and private investment in affordable housing

Ensure equitable growth for all Atlantans and minimize displacement

7. Prevent involuntary displacement

8. Explore the expansion of property tax programs for the creation and preservation of affordable housing

9. Expand awareness of and increase participation in housing affordability programs Support innovation and streamline processes

10. Establish a Housing Innovation Lab

11. Continually improve building and zoning codes

12. Improve our system for developing and delivering affordable housing

13. Enhance community engagement

During the release of the Action Plan, the City of Atlanta and affordable housing developers Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP) and Laurel Street

Residential broke ground on Creekside at Adamsville Place, a new rental community designed to address the affordable housing needs in the city. The $27.6 million, 147-unit development will offer rental rates affordable to families with incomes at 30, 60 and 80 percent of area median income.

Financing for the project includes 4 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits from Georgia Department of Community Affairs and TaxExempt Bonds and Housing Opportunity Bonds from Invest Atlanta. Red Capital is providing first mortgage financing for the project. RBC Bank is the Federal and State equity investor.

Visit atlantaga.gov and search for Housing Affordability Action Plan to read the full report and learn more about programming, policies, and initiatives.

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers has proposed a combination development that would feature one tower for student housing and another for market rate apartments. According to a report from Midtown Alliance, the Midtown Development Review Committee (DRC) got its first look at the project at its July 16 meeting. The property is at 1081 West Peachtree Street, but would also front Spring Street, just behind the Hanover West Peachtree complex. A 22-story tower would offer 205 units of student housing, while a second 27-story tower would feature 385 apartments. Both towers would have street level retail/restaurant space – roughly 8,000 square feet total. The towers would share an 8-level parking deck with approximately 712 spaces. The site plan includes a new private street on the southern edge of the property, which would allow for service and loading to be handled internal to the site. The DRC recommended the addition of continuous sidewalk, accommodations for ride-share passenger drop-off and short-term parking, more specificity about exterior building materials and adequate screening of the parking garage to block it from the residents in the Hanover building.

Windsor Homes is planning a condo project at 501 Boulevard in the Old Fourth Ward that would feature 27 one- and two-bedroom units, according to a report from Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Harry Norman, Realtors has launched Harry Norman, Realtors Philanthropy Fund in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to showcase the firm’s commitment to Atlanta’s people and neighborhoods throughout the metro Atlanta region. Throughout the year, sales associates contribute an amount from each closing to the Philanthropy Fund. The real estate firm will participate in matching funds to further enhance the community impact. Each of the 16 Harry Norman, Realtors offices will participate in the process to identify and support the important charities in their communities.

JackBilt is constructing 10 new townhomes, Ardyn at Virginia-Highland, priced from the $900s to $1 million. The crisp, white brick homes will feature open floorplans, rooftop decks and elevators. For more information, visit jackbiltdevelopment.com/ ardyn.

Engel & Völkers Atlanta’s Ben Harris Group recently closed on an $845,000 residence at 1010 Midtown, setting a record-breaking price per square foot in the luxury high-rise located in the heart of Midtown. The 28th floor unit was locked in at $605 per square foot by Engel & Völkers Atlanta listing agent Ben Harris who has secured over $30 million in total sales at the condo tower. 1010 Midtown is part of Selig Enterprise’s 12th & Midtown mixed-use development.

Celebrating its 1st anniversary, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Midtown office recently feted its executives, agents, and a roster of new agents with a champagne and dessert reception. Held at the office’s Midtown location, 11 14th Street, the office’s Senior Vice President and Managing Broker Valerie Levin welcomed guests to the contemporary, state of the art office. Toni McGowan, Executive Vice President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, was a special guest and commented, “The Midtown office has already achieved a high level of sales and is dominating the Midtown residential market.” Designed by the acclaimed interior specialist David Long, the office is easily recognizable from the street by its cascading lighting features.

From left: Midtown Office Creative Director Randall Valverde, Senior Vice President and Managing Broker of the Midtown Office Valerie Levin and Executive Vice President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Toni McGowan

Sustainability

Recycling • Resources • Lifestyle

Sustainable Clothing

The Conscious Outfit brings sustainable clothing to Inman Park

By Grace Huseth

When Joanne Fredo and Casey Kelly go shopping, their arms start to ache from swiping hangers across the rack while on the hunt for vintage finds. But for the fashionistas turned ambassadors for sustainable clothing, it’s a joy to give high quality clothing a second life.

Celebrating the one year anniversary of their clothing shop, The Conscious Outfit, this month, the business partners have scoured thrift stores, estate sales and more for pre-loved styles with potential. Fredo, with her fashion design background, upcycles clothing as needed while Kelly, with a background in fashion retail marketing, pairs pieces to create one-of-a-kind outfits.

The Conscious Outfit is joining the sustainable fashion revolution that has exploded in the past five years. The fashion industry has been ranked as the second largest polluter, from the amount of cotton produced to emissions of shipping overseas. With sweatshops and child labor still on the rise, consumers have started to find fast fashion not worth the low price tag. “I’m not going to get pleasure out of wearing something if I know someone had to live in disparaging conditions in order for me to pay that lower price,” Fredo said.

With the fashion industry less than transparent about their practices, consumers have started looking for clothes through thrifting and consignment. Resale has grown 21 times faster than the retail apparel market over the past three years. “The way [fashion] is going to change is by consumerled initiatives to demand to know where the clothes come from,” Kelly said. “Women’s Wear Daily talks about it every day in their headlines, and it’s changing.”

Advocates of second hand styles often fall more eccentric than elegant on the fashion spectrum, but both Fredo and Kelly bridge trendy and classic fashion. The Conscious Outfit has many contemporary designers scored from estate and prop sales, often with the tags still on, and keep many basics – jeans, t-shirts and hoodies – in the inventory.

Fredo studied design at SCAD and Kelly’s background in high-end, luxury apparel brands keeps the mannequins looking modern. When the two met at Inman Park Ladies’ Social Club, they knew they needed to pool their closets and host a pop-up shop of vintage styles. Compliments from the party turned into clients, which quickly grew into a business model to sell

B-

D - Worn at many galas in Egypt, this dress is still for rent for formal events in Atlanta.

E - A vintage Whiting & Davis snake necklace was the treasure found in an Atlanta thrift store.

F - Roaring 20’s style dress is for rent for centennial 2020 New Year’s Eve parties.

and rent sustainable clothing.

The Conscious Outfit sells, rents and offers subscriptions for clients. For a monthly fee, members can mix and match items on the shop’s racks, trading out items to always keep their closets fresh. The first membership starting point is $20 a month and provides a selection of clothing and accessories valued up to $100.

“A cool side effect of the renting service

is the opportunity to take more fashion risks. You might try something you might not have necessarily tried before,” Kelly said.

The Conscious Outfits racks can be perused in the guest suite of Fredo’s home in Inman Park, but often roll all over Atlanta for pop-up shows. This summer, The Conscious Outfit provided a fashion show experience at Argosy Market, the Summer Block Party at The Shops of Buckhead and at a Self-Love health conference. Wherever they go, they share that sustainability is in style.

“Starting this journey has not only changed the way we shop, it’s changed the way we live,” Kelly said. “I think more sustainably about everything.”

For more infromation, visit the theconsciousoutfit.com

A -Hand sewn beads are the spotlight of Joanne Fredo’s mother’s dress from the late 1960’s.

The butterfly, Inman Park’s logo, is a top seller in the shop’s accessory line.

C - Casey Kelly and Joanne Fredo

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NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN

Each January, we feature students from Intown’s public schools, private schools and colleges who have given back to their community in a significant way. Over the last ten years, we’ve featured students who have created their own nonprofits, have given up summer vacation to work domestically and abroad to help the less fortunate and one even helped build a library by collecting books.

The 12th annual 20 Under 20 will appear in our January 2020 issue and we

are now seeking nominations of students ages 19 and younger who have committed themselves to service to the community. Nominations are welcome from teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, siblings, fellow students or community leaders. Here’s the information we need:

• Nominator (name, relationship to nominee and contact information)

• Nominee (Name, age, grade, school, parent or guardian names, contact information)

• Characteristics and service: Please provide a paragraph describing why this nominee deserves recognition. Include service projects, goals, interests and areas of interest to help illustrate your point.

The deadline for nominations is Nov. 15. Please email your nominations to editor Collin Kelley at collin@atlantaintownpaper.com.

▲ The nonprofit Blue Heron Nature Preserve has met its $750,000 goal to finish a new three-mile trail network known as the Blueway Trail. Once two major bridges are in place before the end of the year, all three parcels of the nature preserve will be easily accessible by a continuous trail. “Thanks to the tremendous efforts of our board, generous gifts from local foundations and individuals, we have completed the largest capital campaign our young organization has ever undertaken,” executive director Kevin McCauley said. “Plans for Phase 2 include linking Blue Heron’s trails to nearby Chastain Park and PATH 400.”

The Atlanta Audubon Society is accepting applications for funding “bird-friendly improvements” in green spaces. The 2020 Habitat Restoration Fund program will fund such improvements as invasive species removal, native plant installation, design services for gardens or habitats, bird monitoring and community programs. Green spaces ranging in size from 50 square feet to 3 acres are eligible, and the locations can be in several metro Atlanta counties, including DeKalb and Fulton. City governments and community or friends’ groups, and other property managers can apply. “Atlanta Audubon and its partners play an important role in creating bird resiliency in the Southeast,” said Nikki Belmonte, Atlanta Audubon’s executive director, in a press release. “The Habitat Restoration Fund aims to increase high-quality habitat for birds while also increasing community partnerships and educational outreach. Through our collaborative conservation and engagement programs, we are building places where birds and people thrive.” The 2019 funds went to Atlanta’s Candler Park and Tucker’s Henderson Park. The 2020 application deadline is Sept. 2, with a chosen project site announced in late October. For more details, visit atlantaaudubon.org.

Tickets are now on sale for the one of the Southeast’s largest eco-benefits, the Captain Planet Foundation’s Annual Benefit Gala. The event will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Flourish (3143 Maple Drive) from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Single tickets are $750, $1,500 per couple, and corporate tables start at $5,000. Information and tickets are available at captainplanetfoundation.org/ gala.

With more than four years in service, a new monthly pop-up recycling event in Buckhead and 250,000 tons of goods recycled, Atlanta’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) has plenty to celebrate at its annual fundraiser party A CHaRM’ing Evening. Tickets are on sale now for the Oct. 3 event at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, which will include a performance from Yacht Rock Revue and the opportunity to win a three-year lease on a 2019 BMW i3 from Global Imports. Tickets are $40 at charmbmw.org.

By Julie Chalpan

Community Gardens have been popular for years and are usually associated with leisure. However, a recent collaboration between Atlanta-based real estate investment firm EpiCity and garden experts Natural Born Tillers (NBT) has led to an urban farm experience at several EpiCity properties.

EpiCity’s President Tom Stokes was introduced to Cory Mosser, founder and CEO of NBT, through a mutual friend, Dan Parson, the award-winning Oxford College at Emory University farmereducator. Just 700 feet from Oxford’s main campus is an unusual living laboratorythe Oxford College Organic Farm. This 11acre tract was for a very long time the Fran and Marshal Elizer homestead. Both longtime members of the Oxford college faculty and staff, the Elizer’s influence lives on through the land they gave to the college in 2011. Having worked well for years in the college setting, it is now successful in office parks, where interest, along with fruits and vegetables, is growing.

Mosser has been a farmer his entire adult life. At one point he realized there was a whole new market out there for farming; corporate entities could benefit from urban farming by including nutrition, as well as aesthetis, in their landscaping. Recently he began work as a farming consultant. Today he teaches various constituencies and demonstrates the value of farming beyond nutrition.

EpiCity friend and Sizemore Group architect and CEO Bill de St. Aubin is a huge proponent of creating engaging, sustainable urban spaces. Urban agriculture is a relative new area of interest to him. His recent focus is on a new initiative of the Urban Land Institute, the agrihood – communities developed around sustainability including locally grown, organic foods. Of the EpiCity urban farming project, de St. Aubin said, “This is a great use of landscaping in the EpiCity communities promoting health and social interaction. It brings people together and is a perfect amenity to offer. Stoke’s crew continues to create exciting spaces and now a healthy atmosphere with these urban gardens.”

EpiCity was NBT’s first customer to establish edible landscaping in a business community. “These gardens create curated spaces and engage employees,”said Cory. “It gives working folks in the office park access to nature in an urban setting, and a chance to disengage from work for a few minutes to enjoy their sense of smell, taste and touch – and even get their hands dirty.”

Andrea Richard, Director of Operations and Education for Natural Born Tillers, is overseeing the gardens at Powers Ferry Business Park, tending to the gardens

Green Collaboration

the office park who want to spend time in the garden can help with planting, picking and just enjoying the fruits, vegetables and herbs. The tenants have been pleased.

Lindsay Corris of ADDO, a tenant in the business community offered, “this is so out of the ordinary and not many office parks have something like this, and it is well maintained and so accessible.”

Natural Born Tillers is expanding this model and now working with Delta Air Lines at its corporate campus and with other larger companies. According to Cory, Tom and EpiCity served as the foundation for this program. He remembered, “Tom first said to me ‘we have all this land – why don’t we grow some food?’ and so that’s what we did.” Natural Born Tillers also works with herbs and pollinating plants as nectar sources.

All Natural Born Tillers landscapes are maintained using organic methods, which provides pesticide free environments for beneficial insects like honeybees, butterflies, and lightning bugs.

At EpiCity’s Armour Junction, located at 400 Plasters Ave. in Atlanta, there is a patio garden with service berries, as well as blueberries, mint, guava, figs, rosemary, and lavender.

“We are really enjoying this collaboration with Natural Born Tillers

and training EpiCity’s landscaping crew. She loves the work, adding “the gardens are aesthetically pleasing and fun. When people pass by, it looks like landscaping and then they get a little closer and there’s carrots, there’s radishes and herbs. It’s fun watching their reactions.”

At Powers Ferry Business Park there are

three raised beds where carrots, radishes, peppers, and tomatoes are growing to be harvested. There is also space designated for perennials -- blueberries, blackberries, Asian persimmons, figs, lavender, pineapple guava, and a Nanking Cherry tree (bush) that serves as part of the landscaping. Tenants and visitors to

and the ability to offer our communitymembers more amenities and a chance to get outside and to be a part of God’s beautiful creation,” said Stokes.

For more information, please visit EpiCity at EpiCity.com and Natural Born Tillers at NaturalBornTillers.com.

EpiCity and Natural Born Tillers create urban farm experience

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News You Can Eat Baking For Justice

Virginia-Highland entrepreneur’s bread company helps feed the hungry

By Sue G. Collins

In the last year, the profits from Arielle Pool’s home-baked bread company, Just Food, have funded nearly 7,000 nutritious meals for Atlantans through Feeding America’s partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank and with Action Ministry’s Women’s Community Kitchen.

The entrepreneur, inspired by a trip to France, started experimenting with recipes and techniques and now bakes beautiful breads regularly, selling to neighbors and a growing clientele, with the goal to help Atlanta’s hungry.

“I suppose my motivation to bake for justice exists in two parts: the practical and the theoretical,” said Pool, who lives in Virginia-Highland with her husband and daughter, who are also her number one fans and taste testers. “For years, I have spent time volunteering with Atlanta-area organizations working in hunger-relief. As I worked in food pantries, at meal kitchens, among homeless neighbors and even teaching in local schools my understanding of ‘food insecure Atlantans’ morphed from a generic notion of ‘someone else’ to a flood of memories of the faces of people I had met and chatted with.”

When she first started baking, she envisioned sharing her loaves with Atlantans facing food insecurity. “A direct application of the idea that if I have extra, let me share with folks who don’t have enough,” Pool said.

But the logistics of getting bread from her kitchen into the hands of those in need was difficult. “My bread has no preservatives – yay! – but that means the shelf life on my loaves is relatively short – boo! But what if I became a sort of middle man (woman)? Could I sell my artisan bread at reasonable prices and still garner enough profit to send directly to organizations in Atlanta working on the front lines of hunger relief? Turns out, it’s possible.”

Indeed it is. Just Food’s profits helped purchase a mobile cooler for Free Food Commune, an organization that rescues would-be-wasted food and distributes it at no cost each Saturday. Pool is eagerly following and helping fund both the gleaning and food education work of Concrete Jungle, an organization that has rescued more than 90,000 pounds of produce that would otherwise be wasted, and given it to food banks and shelters. She hopes her profits will benefit these

projects.

Beautiful artisan boules, muffins made with seasonal berries and naan are among the bounty baked in the Just Food kitchen along with honey molasses granola and buttermilk biscuits from Arielle’s great-grandmother’s recipe.

Pool calls herself an “accidental baker.” A stay-at-home mom and accomplished tutor, she researched recipes on the web and ultimately found a valuable resource at her local library.

“If you told me three years ago I would own a bakery, I would have laughed heartily. I’ve always enjoyed cooking meals, but my early forays into baking were, shall we say, less than impressive. Dough that wouldn’t rise, flat-as-a-pancake biscuits, and that

kerfuffle when leftover fish-frying oil went into the brownie batter. Since then, I’ve slowly expanded, tinkered, tried, failed, and settled on a collection of baked goods I’m pleased with.”

The benefits of her business are numerous and some are unexpected. “I’ve certainly met a host of folks and forged relationships with neighbors and throughout my community. I’ve been able to experiment in baking, teach baking classes, and show my daughter the adventure of entrepreneurship and the joy found in starting to improve the world,” said Pool.

Email JustFoodAtlanta@gmail.com to get a weekly menu and join the Just Food brigade.

Arielle Pool bakes in her kitchen.

Tasting Intown: Bazati

Tasting Intown

By Megan Volpert

Everybody wants a piece of the BeltLine. Lots of micro boroughs are popping up all along it. There is plenty of room for further development and yet already a cornucopia of killer options no matter what section of the BeltLine is nearest to where you are. But location alone does not a success story make.

Which brings me to Bazati. Located at Common Ground between Two Urban Licks and New Realm Brewing, the restaurant is a three-in-one: a brasserie downstairs, a series of tiny boutique shops, and a Miami-inspired joint called Estrella upstairs on the roof. It’s been open for a little over a year and there was a fair amount of buzz about the French dinner menu last summer. We went for brunch on a beautiful Saturday at noon and will not be going back.

The space is gorgeous. There are huge windows letting in lots of natural light and the gigantic patio overlooks all the BeltLine passersby. But you can also see the happily overcrowded patio at New Realm next door and it will unavoidably lead you to believe you’re missing out on a better time. We were at Bazati during the high tide of the weekend, and only two other tables were seated the entire time we were there. The upstairs spot likewise has only a handful of guests, and there were a half dozen people at the bar. Bartenders and servers alike were greatly amusing and friendly, though this did not much placate our table during inexplicably long wait times for our plates.

On the surface, Bazati is nice to look at and nice to chat in. The deeper problem is that most of the food we ordered was merely passable. As in: if your suburban dad who is a picky eater wants to “experience the BeltLine” and “see some city culture,” you can take him here for a decent $26 steak frites. The steak was properly cooked and the eggs on the Benedict were properly runny, but the burger was sadly very well done.

I’d ordered the namesake Bazati

Continued on page 44

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

Steak Frites

Eburger because I’m a sucker for lamb, but was brought L’Americain with Angus beef instead, which I would have sent back had it not taken so long to arrive.

Fortunately, I’m always willing to pile up the small plates and dessert. The caprese salad adds a nice touch by smoking the mozzarella, but then undercuts its own success by butchering both the heirloom tomato and cheese too thin. The fried brussels sprouts with lemon and capers were a delight. Normally I’m quite tempted to fill up on bread, and you’d think a $4 bread service at a French brasserie would be truly something to fawn over—but as my mother would sometimes say on a Saturday, “this tastes like Friday’s bread.” There were two slices of an olive loaf, a small baguette that was more stale than crusty, and a pat of piped butter still too cold to put a knife through cleanly.

As for dessert, the flourless chocolate cake is the same as everywhere else, the raspberry crepe has great filling in a somewhat overcooked and thus rubbery package, and the profiteroles with pistachio ice cream calmed me down enough to think maybe this place can still turn things around. But let’s be real. Bazati has already had a year to make good on the feedback from their early lukewarm reviews. Their legit French chef, Remi Granger—formerly of very successful ventures like Gunshow, Revival, and Bread & Butterfly—has already bailed. The fact is that if a French brasserie can’t get simple bread service right, it’s toast.

Bazati is located at 550 Somerset Terrace. For more, visit bazatiatl.com.

Caprese salad

Angus burger

Eggs benedict

Brussel sprouts

Flourless chocolate cake

Bread service

QUICK BITES

The women-centric Dames & Dregs Beer Festival returns Aug. 10 from 1 to 10 p.m. at The Masquerade at Underground Atlanta. There will be more than 120 beers and spirits to sample, women-led panels on the brewing industry, food, games, giveaways and more. General admission is $35 or $50 for VIP at damesanddregs.com.

The Atlanta Summer Wine Fest will be held Aug. 10 at City Winery with two sessions to choose from – noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to10 p.m. – and more than 50 wines and a selection of local beer. There will be live music upstairs, DJ Q-Tip downstairs, and food will be available for purchase from City Winery. Tickets are now on sale for $45 and will increase to $50 after Aug. 1 and $60 at the door. Sales tax and ticket fees will be added. More details and the link to tickets can be found at atlantawinefestivals. com/summer.

◄ Taqueria del Sol, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, and Charleston’s Home Team BBQ are teaming up again to bring the Hatch Chile Fest to Atlanta on Aug. 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. The event celebrates the annual harvest of fresh chiles from Hatch, New Mexico while raising funds for Hogs for the Cause. The one-day, block party style festival will take place at the Westside location of Taqueria del Sol, 1200-B Howell Mill Road, and will feature food stations from the participating restaurants, Hatchinspired cocktails, local beer from Creature Comforts and live music by Moontower. Tickets are available through bigtickets.com.

The inaugural ATL Wine + Spirits Fest will be held Aug. 24 from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Promenade at Piedmont Park. Proceeds will benefit The Piedmont Park Conservancy. ATL Wine + Spirits Fest is modeled after the Wine on the River hosted in Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, Louisville, and Mobile. The event will highlight wines from various regions across the globe and feature hundreds of varieties of wine, beer and spirits for sampling. All attendees will receive a souvenir wine glass and passport designating the various regions. Tickets are on sale now: General Admission tickets are $49 plus tax per person and include a souvenir wine glass and all wine samples. DayOf General Admission tickets are $59 plus tax per person and will only be available if advanced tickets have not sold out. In addition, a “Designated” Driver ticket which excludes any access to alcohol sampling is available for $20 plus tax. All tickets are available online at ATLWineandSpiritsFest.com. This is a 21 and older event and everyone must have a valid ID for admission.

► The 16th Annual German Bierfest will offer a day filled with authentic German beers, live music and food on Aug. 24 from 2 to 7 p.m. in Woodruff Park in Downtown Atlanta. Receive a commemorative sample glass to use to enjoy unlimited samples of more than 35 authentic German Beers. Atlanta area German restaurants will serve up bratwurst, pretzels, sauerkraut, schnitzel, and more. Tickets are available through freshtix.com.

Fred’s Meat & Bread is the latest Atlanta-based restaurant to operate inside MercedesBenz Stadium selling its famous cheesesteak sandwich created by Chef Todd Ginsberg. Fred’s cart at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is near section 116.

Curry Up Now, the Indian fast casual and transplant from the San Francisco Bay Area, has opened its first metro outpost at 1575 Church Street in Decatur. The restaurant is known for its Tikka Masala Burritos, Deconstructed Samosas, Indian street food and more.

New Realm Brewing and Lyft have partnered to help Giving Kitchen , the nonprofit that helps food workers in need. Until the end of the year, if you take Lyft to New Realm in Poncey-Highland, $4 will be donated to the charity.

◄ Bea Lewis, founder of Hush Dinner Club, will open Concept , an American, diner-inspired restaurant, along Georgia Avenue in Summerhill in early 2020. Concept will blend modern American cuisine with the interior look and feel of a traditional 1950s diner. There will be a 1,200-square-foot dining room, a 1,300-square-foot industrial kitchen and a 2,000-square-foot patio. Once complete, the patio may also be reserved for private events. The restaurant is part of the Summerhill redevelopment from Carter in partnership with Oakwood Development and Healey Weatherholtz Properties. The team is developing 35 acres into a mixed-use neighborhood including corporate office uses, traditional multifamily apartments, specialty and neighborhood retail and private student apartments.

► Tickets for Taste of Atlanta , which is set for Oct. 18-20 at Historic Fourth Ward Park, are now on sale. The 18th annual festival will feature more than 100 restaurants as well as onstage cooking demos, cooking classes and new this year, Food Districts, a more expansive VIP Experience and a Saturday night concert. Buy tickets at tasteofatlanta.com.

The Studio

Hot Happenings

Books, barbecue and Doctor Who on the way to Intown

By Collin Kelley

School might be back in session and summer winding down, but there’s still plenty of festival fun to be had, especially on Labor Day Weekend with the double shot of DragonCon and the Decatur Book Festival. Here’s some events not to miss this month:

Decatur BBQ & Bluegrass Festival ►

A day of live music (including headlining Chris Duarte Group) and barbecue from local restaurants is set for the 19th annual festival on Aug. 10 at Legacy Park. The music lineup includes Honeywood, Campbell Station, Roxie, Grizzly Goat, Sandra Hall and Randall Bramblett. Information: decaturbbqfestival. com.

Piedmont Park Arts Festival

More than 200 artists will be featured at this year’s event on Aug. 17 and 18 along with live music, food, kid’s area and more. Information: piedmontparkartsfestival.com.

◄ Grant Park Summer Shade Festival

Live music, food, an artists’ market, kid’s zone, and 5K race will feature at the 17th annual event Aug. 24-25. Some of the music talent performing on the two stages include Rock a Teens, Roxy Watson, Blair Crimmins, Christopher Paul Sterling and Marshall Ruffin among many others. Information: summershadefestival.org.

and tv franchises. The parade along Peachtree Street featuring costumed characters is set for 10 a.m. on Aug. 31. Information: dragoncon.org.

Decatur Book Festival ►

Hundreds of authors will descend on Decatur Aug. 30-Sept. 1 for a weekend of readings, panels and book signings. U.S. Supreme Court Justic Sonia Sotomayor will be this year’s keynote speaker, which is sure to be highly sought-after ticket. Other big names making appearances include Phillipa Gregory, Ocean Vuong, Kevin Kruse, Julian Zelizer, Tea Obreht, Ilya Kaminsky and Stacey Abrams. Information: decaturbookfestival.com.

◄ DragonCon

Sci-fi and fantasy fans will converge on Downtown Aug. 29-Sept. 2 to meet special guests, attend panels and workshops, cosplay, shop at the giant market and more. “Doctor Who” will be in heaven as stars David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Freema Agyeman headline a huge contingent of celebrities from some of the biggest sci-fi film

DragonCon Parade 2018, photo by Asep Mawardi

‘Hamilton’ to return for five-week run at The Fox

By Collin Kelley and Manning Harris

Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta has announced its 2019/2020 lineup including an unprecedented fiveweek run for “Hamilton.”

The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda had a sold out run last year at The Fox and many theatre-lovers didn’t get to see the blockbuster show about America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton. Broadway in Atlanta said in a media statement that “Hamilton” will run from March 31 to May 3 next year.

But “Hamilton” isn’t the only big show headed to Atlanta. Tony and Grammy winner “The Band’s Visit” will be at The Fox on Jan. 21-26 and “Wicked” returns early in the season from Oct. 23 to Nov. 17 this fall.

Also on the way: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (Sept. 24-29); “Hello, Dolly” (Feb. 11-16); “Miss Saigon” (March 17-22); “Blue Man Group” (June 2-7); “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” (June 23-28); and “Anastasia” (July 28-Aug. 2).

While “Hamilton” may be on the boards for five weeks, getting a ticket will likely still be a challenge. Season tickets are already sold out and single tickets for individuals shows won’t go on sale until 8 to 12 weeks prior to the engagement.

INtown’s theatre critic Manning Harris described audiences for the 2018

Atlanta premiere “supercharged.”

“The audience burst into thrilled applause the moment the house lights dimmed,” Harris said. “That’s very unusual.”

But what’s it about?

The birth of a nation, of course; but the midwives are not marble statues of dead white men, but instead –immigrants! These states were created by people who came from other places or their immediate descendants. From the beginning Miranda envisioned a multicultural cast, especially black or

Hispanic, to represent a nation born to welcome immigrants and to signal our diversity. To quote a phrase repeated in this almost entirely sungthrough show: “Hey, yo, I’m just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry, and I am not throwing away my shot.”

Masterpieces by Mouth

Fine

By Grace Huseth

Anyone who has gone through their child’s artwork knows how difficult it is to narrow down the pieces worthy of display on the refrigerator door. Kate March feels the same way when selecting art each year for a collection of prints, greeting cards and calendars for the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA).

March represents 66 adaptive artists as a national artist counselor of the association, which is headquartered in Europe. As she connects with mouth and foot artists, she continues the 66-year tradition of the international MFPA to create a partnership of painters who are unable to use their hands but have adapted to make a living using their talent.

The profits generated by the MFPA come through the sale of reproduced products that are sent out twice a year in the mail with the option to purchase. This October, MFPA USA will be sending their Christmas and Holiday package, containing holiday greeting cards and a yearly desk calendar. All the items they offer are reproduced from the stunning artwork painstakingly produced by 800 artists worldwide.

“All of our artists have painting as their life’s work. This is what drives them and they are constantly committed to excel in their artwork,” March said.

From her office in Atlanta, March advocates for artists such as Mariam Paré, a quadriplegic mouth-painter who discovered she could continue her love of painting after attempting to sign her name with her mouth. She now paints in a variety of mediums including acrylic and oil as an associate member of MFPA. Mouth-painter Keith Jansz best described the power of painting, “I love to feel the brush dance across the canvas and give back to me the sensation of movement which my body now lacks.”

MFPA encourages artists to use the organization as a platform to become professional artists. MFPA’s motto “self-help, not charity” displays pride in becoming artists recognized for their talent rather than their disability. “MFPA not only provides financial support but the ability to work within the community and contribute,” March said. “The association is not a charity, but bolsters individuals to do what they love. A world without beauty is a world without hope, and I am reminded of that hope

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every day in the stories and visionary works of the amazing artists of the worldwide MFPA.”

The criteria for acceptance into the association is equal, if not more rigorous, than any other arena for contemporary commercial artists. Paintings are judged by an artistic jury including other mouth and foot painting artists who keep standards high. While they believe all art is a beautiful display of self-expression, jaws should drop when it’s revealed that MFPA paintings have been painted with adaptive techniques.

Full and associate members of MFPA receive a regular salary that can help them move away from government assistance, while student members receive a monthly stipend to cover art supplies, tuition and assistance. The financial support from MFPA allows the artists to enjoy a sense of work security and put their canvas front and center in their lives to produce even better quality work.

“It is an honor and a privilege to work for the artists of MFPA USA. I am humbled that they trust in me to give their extraordinary work the deference it so truly deserves,” March said. “As I review the hundreds of paintings from all over the world, I am made acutely aware of the transformative healing power of art.”

For more information, visit mfpausa.com.

page: White Blossoms by Jung Eon Hwang

Below: Balloon Ride by David Nolt

Visual Arts

Monster Fish: In Search of the Last River Giants: Dive beneath the surface of the world’s rivers in search of bizarre and extraordinary species of freshwater fish. Daily. $18-$20. fernbankmuseum. org

The Dark Crystal Ball - Gathering Of Gelflings: Join the Center for a masquerade ball in celebration of our special exhibit Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic. Aug. 29. $150-$300. puppet.org

is one of the biggest hitmakers of all time with 56 songs in the Billboard Hot 100. Aug 23. $74-$204. foxtheatre.org

▲29Rooms - Expand Your Reality Experience: This multi-sensory event offers visitors 29 experiences under one roof, with each room revolving around its own theme. Daily. $34-$49. 29rooms.com

3-D And Small Works Art Exhibition: 77 small works and 26 sculptures from local Atlanta artists. Closes Aug 15. Free. atlantaartistscenter.org

Any Great ChangeCentennial Of The 19th Amendment: This exhibition explores the decades-long struggle for women’s suffrage as well as the key groups, their strategies, and their leaders. Daily. Free-$21.50. atlantahistorycenter.com

Curated by Design(er): Experience the power of art through the eyes of 30 of Atlanta’s most compelling interior designers. Tue-Thu. Free. dkgallery.us

DANK - Contemporary Cannabis Photographs: This is the first Atlanta exhibition of cannabis images by today’s leading photographer. Tue-Sun. Free. pulpatlanta.com

Doc McStuffins - The Exhibit: Explore a hospital and play doctor in the McStuffins Toy Hospital environment. Daily. $13.95$18.95. childrensmuseumatlanta.org

Leon Kelly – American Surrealist: Nearly 40 years since Kelly’s death, this exhibition will serve as one of the first retrospectives spanning the artist’s entire career. Tue-Sun. $5. museum.oglethorpe.edu

Of Origins And Belonging, Drawn From Atlanta: This exhibition will feature six artists who address issues related to place, belonging and heritage in their work. Tue-Sun. $14.50. high.org

Salvador Dalí’s Stairway to Heaven: Two fine print portfolios of illustrations for the “Comte de Lautréamont’s Les Chants de Maldoror” and “Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy.” Tue-Sun. $5. museum. oglethorpe.edu

Small Expressions 2019: This prestigious exhibition is the inaugural event for the

Wire & Wood - Designing Iconic Guitars: Explore the basics of guitar design while also considering how some guitars have become icons.Tue-Sun. Free-$8. museumofdesign.org

Performance Art

Backstreet Boys: At the height of a commercial teen pop explosion in the late ‘90s, this group emerged at the top of the boy band pack alongside friendly rivals *NSYNC. Aug 21. $59-$850. statefarmarena. com

Brad Paisley: Arguably the preeminent male country artist to emerge in the 2000s, Paisley cannily blended the past with the present Aug 23. $22-$89. vzwamp.com

CATS: This record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages. Aug 6-11. $46-$145. foxtheatre.org

Charlie Wilson: The powerful lead singer for funk legends the Gap Band, Wilson fronted 15 Top Ten R&B singles. Aug 30. $45-$275. classicchastain.com

East Texas Hot Links: Journey to the piney woods of East Texas at the Top O’the Hill Cafe for an up-close look at the folks, the drama and the humor. Closes Aug 11. $20-$50. truecolorstheatre.org

Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance’s ten-year anniversary celebrations. Tue-Sun. Free. fiberartsalliance.org

Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival: Brings together the classic southern staples BBQ and blues for one night in Decatur. Aug 10. $Free!-$20. decaturbbqfestival.com

Dionne Warwick: The legendary vocalist

▲Head Over Heels: This wildly entertaining musical romp follows the royal family of mythical Arcadia on a madcap journey to save their kingdom and follow their hearts. Wed-Sun. $20-$40. actors-express.com

Heart: Ann and Nancy Wilson continue to rock with new music and classic radio hits like “Magic Man” and “Barracuda.” Aug 19. $37.50-$320. vzwamp.com

Jill Scott: The R&B vocalist excels with slower, sensual material (“Slowly, Surely,” “I’m Not Afraid,” “My Love”) and versatile enough to pack plenty of punch. Aug 12. $47.50-$155.50. foxtheatre.org

Strange Light - The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin: The first major presentation of Laughlin’s photographs by the High Museum following a landmark acquisition of his work in 2015. Tue-Sun. $14.50. high.org

John Mayer: The hitmaker has widened his approach over the years, encompassing everything from blues-rock to adult contemporary in the process. Aug 11. $59.50-$469. statefarmarena.com

Jonas Brothers: This popular boyband returns with hook-filled power pop anthems after an extended hiatus. Aug 12. $92-$495. statefarmarena.com

jam band ethics. Aug. 3. $38.50-$113. cocacolaroxy.com

PAW Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure!: It’s the day of the Great Adventure Bay Race between Adventure Bay’s Mayor Goodway and Foggy Bottom’s Mayor Humdinger, but Mayor Goodway is nowhere to be found. Aug 17-18. $23-$139. foxtheatre.org

Peter Frampton: One of the biggest arena rock stars of the ‘70s, making his name largely on the double-LP concert set ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’ Aug 11. $29.50-$361. vzwamp.com

Pocahontas: Come along and journey through the forest where you’ll find Pocahontas, as she awaits to share the tale of her beautiful, beloved homeland. Closes Aug 4. $13-$25. serenbeplayhouse.com

▲Khalid: This non-traditional R&B singer and songwriter attracted a large following with an undemonstrative but heartfelt vocal style and a down-to-earth perspective. Aug 14. $39.95-$99.95. statefarmarena.com

Kiss 104 Flashback Festival: Join Kiss 104 Labor Day weekend for a concert with some of R&B’s greatest legends. Aug 31-Sep 1. $41-$104. mablehouse.org

moe.: carved a niche for themselves with a distinct blend of Americana, melodic turns, clever songwriting, and

Queen + Adam Lambert: A collaboration between the active members of the British band Queen (Brian May and Roger Taylor) and American vocalist Adam Lambert. Aug 22. $70-$375. statefarmarena.com

Spring Awakening: A provocative exploration of the journey from adolescence to adulthood told through an

electrifying contemporary musical with a pop/rock score. Thu-Sun. $18-$24. onstageatlanta.com

▼Tenacious D: Rightfully hailed as “the greatest band on Earth,” the supersized acoustic metal/ comedy duo became an unlikely success story. Aug 5. $55$193. cocacolaroxy. com

The Smashing Pumpkins: Though they emerged alongside grunge acts like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, this

Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre - Art Over Dinner: Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre (TMBT) is the newest company underneath the thriving Serenbe Institute’s artistic umbrella. Aug 18. $85. artfarmatserenbe.com

band were the group least influenced by traditional underground rock. Aug 21. $22-$268. vzwamp.com.

The Who: Though it took a while to find their audience, by the late ‘60s the Who rivaled the Rolling Stones as a live act and in album sales. Aug 18. $55-$418. statefarmarena.com

The Wiggles: For the first time in years, the world’s most successful children’s entertainment group will perform in 28 cities in the U.S. Aug 19. $40. cobbenergycentre.com

Vampire Weekend: Mixing well-read indie rock with joyful, Afro-pop-inspired melodies and rhythms, this band helped define the sound of indie music in the late 2000s. Aug 27. $35.75-$124.50. foxtheatre.org

By Collin Kelley

The Red Barn Cafe at Tiger Mountain Vineyards

After a weekend tour of Tiger Mountain Vineyards, relax on the patio over a meal. The café is open May through November for Friday and Saturday night dinners as well as Saturday and Sunday lunch/brunch. The menu includes soups, salads, small plates, entrees and desserts. 2592 Old 441 South, Tiger. Information: tigerwine.com.

The Dillard House ►

Famed for serving up Southern and country cooking, The Dillard House Inn and Restaurant doesn’t skimp on breakfast either. Whether you’re checking in for a getaway or just want some homestyle cooking, you’ll find out what’s been drawing hungry visitors for more than a century to Dillard. 768 Franklin St., Dillard. Information: dillardhouse.com.

Bodensee Restaurant

If you’re soaking up the charms of Helen’s Bavarian village, be sure to try some authentic German favorites like spätzle, Weiner Schnitzel, and house-made sausages. There’s also a great outdoor patio to enjoy the view. 64 Munich Strasse, Helen. Information: bodenseerestaurant.com.

MOUNTAIN MEALS

Try these acclaimed restaurants in Georgia and North Carolina when you head for the hills

The Sawmill Place ▲

Blairsville residents and visitors alike swear by the big breakfast served at The Sawmill Place. We’re talking homemade biscuits, bacon, baked apples and much more. You can also grab lunch there, too. 1150 Pat Haralson Drive, Blairsville. Information: thesawmillplace.com.

Beechwood Inn ►

Check in for the weekend and enjoy panoramic views of Black Rock Mountain from your room and the restaurant, which offers award-winning cuisine prepared from local food and the inn’s own wine list. 220 Beechwood Drive, Clayton. Information: beechwoodinn.ws.

◄ Harvest on Main

Consistently named one of North Georgia’s best restaurants, Harvest on Main uses seasonal products from local farmers ¬–grass-fed beef, veggies and trout – to craft its menu. 576 E. Main St., Blue Ridge. Information: harvestonmain.com.

Jim’s Smokin’ Que

If it’s barbecue you’re hankering for, head to Blairsville for smoked baby back ribs and expertly smoked pork, chicken and turkey. Don’t forget the Brunswick Stew! 4971 Gainesville Highway, Blairsville. Information: jimssmokinque.com.

Hofer’s Bakery ►

Enjoy breakfast and lunch in the Bavarian dining room, featuring entrees specially prepared European staff and breads baked in a stone hearth oven. Deli sandwiches are perfect to pick up for picnics or hikes and there’s also an outdoor biergarten. 8758 N. Main St., Helen. Information: hofers.com.

La Pizzeria at Cucina Rustica

If you’re in the Blue Ridge Mountains but craving a taste of Italy then La Pizzeria’s menu of wood-fired pizzas will take you there. 76 Forge Mill Road, Morganton. Information: lapizzeria-ga.com.

61 Main ▲

This farm-to-table restaurant serving up quail, grouper, rabbit and shrimp is located inside the historic Jasper Theater building. 49 S. Main St., Jasper. Information: 61main.com.

Wild Thyme

This gourmet restaurant in Highlands, NC serves up an American menu with Asian influences, not to mention a wine list praised by Wine Spectator magazine three-years running. 343-D Main St. Information: wildthymegourmet.com.

The Orchard ▲

Set in a century-old farmhouse, this Cashiers, NC favorite serves up local fish, beef and a big selection of wine and beers to enjoy while gazing out over the orchard. 905 Highway 107 South, Cashiers Valley. Information: theorchardcashiers.com.

The Black Sheep

The restaurant serves up new American dishes, including local beef and veggies, with private label wine and a giant outdoor patio with raw bar and craft cocktails. 480 W. Main St., Blue Ridge. Information: blacksheepblueridge.com.

Table 64

If you’re in Sapphire Valley, be sure to have dinner at Table 64 with its unique tapas menu and diverse wine selection. 3093 Highway 64E, Sapphire Valley, NC. Information: tablesixtyfour.com.

Mountain Events

Music, tennis, wine and more things to do in August in North Georgia and North Carolina

2019 Events

Blood, Sweat&Tears August 2

Vince Gill August 9

Sawyer Brown and Exile August 31

2019 Dail ey&Vincent Landfest Sept. 12-14

Georgia Mountain Fall Festival October 11 -19

Appalachian Brew, Stew&Que October 26

Mountain Country Christmas in Lights Opens Thanksgiving Night

Highway 76 West I Hiawassee, GA 706-896-4191

www.GEORGIAMOUNTA1NFA1RGROUNDS.COM

Concerts at Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds

Head to Hiawassee for an August full of music featuring concerts by The Gaither Vocal Band (Aug. 1), Blood, Sweat & Tears (Aug. 2), Vince Gill (Aug. 9) and Sawyer Brown & Exile (Aug. 31). For tickets and information: georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.

Mountain High BBQ Festival and Car Show

This two-day event, Aug. 10-11, featuring authentic, mouth-watering BBQ, live entertainment, a car show, crafters and tastin’ tent will be held in Franklin, NC. Information: VisitFranklinNC.com.

Georgia Mountain Tennis Championships

The 9th annual tournament will be held at Young Harris College Aug. 23-25. Divisions will include singles, doubles and mixed doubles for juniors, adults and seniors. Brackets will be determined by age and skill level. Information: mountaintennis.com.

Helen’s 50th Celebration Street Dance ▲

Head to Helen, GA on Aug 24 to mark the Alpine village’s 50th anniversary with a host of events including a big street dance in downtown from 6 to 8 p.m. Information: helenga. com.

Crush Festival ►

Head to Ellijay’s Cartecay Vineyards on Aug. 24-25 for grape stomping, live music, vineyard tours, food, fun and more. Information: cartecayvineyards.com.

Village Square Art & Craft Show

Now in its 14th year, the Aug. 25 event features regionally-made fine art, crafts and rustic furniture. The festival is held in Kelsey-Hutchinson Park in Highlands, NC. Information: highlandschamber.org.

Blairsville Mountain Heritage Festival

Mountain music, arts and crafts, and living history activities are featured at the Heritage Festival held Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 on the town square. Information: unioncountyhistory.org.

Chasing Waterfalls

Georgia State Parks offer recreation, beautiful sights

While exploring for that new home in the North Georgia mountains, be sure to drop by one of Georgia’s State Parks to check out some impressive waterfalls. Not only are they beautiful, but the parks also offer amazing recreational amenities, too.

◄ Amicalola Falls State Park

The tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast, Amicalola Falls towers above the surrounding greenery at 729 feet high. The falls supply various vantage points for visitors to view the scenery, including a hard-surfaced trail perfect for strollers and wheelchairs. Climb the more challenging staircase to the top for unprecedented views of the falls. GaStateParks.org/ AmicalolaFalls

▲Black Rock Mountain State Park

Cloudland Canyon State Park

Cloudland Canyon is one of the largest and most scenic state parks in Georgia’s repertoire. Within the park one can find canyons, sandstone cliffs, caves, waterfalls, creeks, dense woodland and abundant wildlife. One of the most popular hiking trails includes the twomile Waterfall Trail leading to two scenic falls that cascade over sandstone and pour into beautiful pools at the bottom. GaStateParks.org/CloudlandCanyon

◄Tallulah Gorge State Park

One of the most impressive canyons in the southeast, Tallulah Gorge is 1,000 feet deep and roughly two miles long. The gorge contains numerous paths and overlooks for visitors to view the six waterfalls cascading through the bottom of the gorge. To gain access to the floor of the gorge and “Sliding Rock” (Bridal Veil Falls), visitors must acquire a permit available at the visitor’s center. Passes run out quickly, so it’s important to get an early start on the day for the full experience. GaStateParks.org/TallulahGorge

Located within the Blue Ridge Mountains, Black Rock Mountain State Park is located at the highest elevation of any Georgia State Park. The rugged terrain and fresh mountain air are home to Ada-Hi Falls. A short but steep trail and staircase lead to this small, secluded waterfall. GaStateParks.org/BlackRockMountain

Vogel State Park

Vogel State Park is one of the nation’s oldest state parks, and rests at the base of the beautiful Blood Mountain. Located directly below Lake Trahlyta, this stepping stone waterfall cascades 40 feet. GaStateParks.org/Vogel

►Moccasin Creek

State Park

Moccasin Creek State Park sits on the shores of Lake Burton and is a central location for visiting multiple falls in the area. The park’s two-mile trail Hemlock Falls Trail leads to the beautiful Hemlock Falls of Rabun County. The trail is kidfriendly, offers glimpses of the waterfall along the way and supplies a beautiful pool of water at the base of the falls. GaStateParks.org/MoccasinCreek

Cabin Life

Even laundry, cooking and cleaning feels like a vacation in the mountains

By Robin Conte

I don’t usually do nothing. I’m not a do-nothing person.

But here, in the mountains in our house built of logs, I feel like I have not only permission but almost an obligation to do nothing.

If it’s pouring outside, I can spend the day listening to the rain on our metal roof while lying on the couch with a good book.

If it’s warm outside, I can choose the hammock.

In the morning, I sit on the deck perched on a tall chair with a cup of coffee, watching as the mist rises like steam over the river below and lifts to reveal layers of mountains disappearing into the horizon.

I sit again at night in an Amish rocker as the air cools, and I listen to the call of the whippoorwill.

I plant flowers. I sweep floors. I wash clothes. I make meals. I always plan on writing,

Escape to E x t r aord i na r y. Escape to Blue Ridge

but I usually get distracted by doing nothing.

When I’m here in the mountains, even when I’m doing something, it feels like a vacation.

I organize the pantry, clean out a closet, schedule for repairs. If it’s a long weekend and I have time, I’ll boil sugar water and put out a hummingbird feeder. I buy fresh, local peaches in the summer and apples in the fall, and in the Spring I’ll get strawberries by the gallon,

little glistening red gems that are so sweet they’re like juicy lumps of sugar.

My daily exercise is a hike along the river or through the mountain trails.

I call the drug store, and the pharmacist answers immediately, in person. When I stop by later to pick up a few things, there are no lines, there is no waiting. I go to the local nursery to buy plants and it’s like walking through a candy store. I salivate all the while over the bright, luscious blossoms, and I get gorgeous potted arrangements at bargain prices.

I drop by our post office to mail a letter, and there is a box of tiny green army soldiers and a sign that says, “Please take one and remember to pray for our service men and women.”

We go to church, a small one-roomed chapel, and afterwards we walk to the local grill to have dinner with friends from the congregation. Someone always picks up the tab for our priest.

We built the place almost 20 years ago, now. We hunted for a couple of years, driving from Greensboro to Hartwell to Hiawassee and back down to Ellijay, looking for just the right spot for a family retreat. Did we want to be in the mountains or on a lake? Those are your choices if you’d like an easy two-hour drive from Atlanta. Our compromise was a North Georgia river, and our river is the Toccoa.

We planned the design and the details of the cabin together, as a family. Our general contractor went AWOL when it was time to pour the foundation, and, with the encouragement of my builder, I ended up GC-ing the job. I went through two electricians and three masons. I chose the logs for the structure, the rocks for the fireplace, the nails for the floor, and handled everything in-between. The place seems more like ours because of it.

When we’re here in the mountains, we are an undistracted family. We play board games and card games together. If there’s something good showing, we’ll go to the drive-in theater—one of the last of its kind in the U.S.—where the kids used to buy funnel cakes and toss footballs or Frisbees while waiting for the sun to set. My husband built a tree house with the twins when they were young, and all of our children have taken turns blazing trails with him.

We go kayaking and canoeing and wading, when the river is down. We watch birds. We pick blackberries. We bake apple pies in the fall and berry cobblers in the summer. We churn ice cream. We chop wood. We roast marshmallows for s’mores. We look for tracks in the snow.

We sit in rocking chairs and stare at the mountains and the river and the wide open sky. And mostly, we do nothing.

Robin Conte lives with her husband in an empty nest in Dunwoody. To contact her or to buy her new column collection, “The Best of the Nest,” visit robinconte.com.

VACATION

Discover the Mountains

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

With an average high temperature of 78° in the summer, the gated community of Old Edwards Club at Highlands Cove offers the restorative experience of mountain living along with year-round access to a wide range of activities like rock-climbing, whitewater rafting, hiking, exploring waterfalls and best small-town specialty shopping, rated by USA Today. Whether you plan to spend your days exploring nature or enjoying world-class amenities from golf, fine dining to shopping, we’ll help you find your oasis.

Happy Bear

Beautifully furnished 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home. Kitchen includes Viking Professional appliances with Cambria countertops, gas log fireplace in the living room, and wood burning fireplace on the deck. Temporary club membership is available

Starting at $775/night

Nine

Absolutely stunning, designer furnished modern, mountain condominium that has an amazing mountain and golf course views! Lower level floor plan with two master suites plus an additional guest bedroom with its own bath.

Starting at $375/night

Barnell

Whether your passion is exploring nature or reading by the fireplace, this 3 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home is the perfect place to spend your vacation! All of the bedrooms have been updated and outfitted with new mattresses and top of the line linens.

Starting at $575/night

Roostica Cottage

Roostica Cottage was recently featured in Cottage Journal Magazine! This beautiful home includes 2 main floor suites and sleeps 8. Cottage is across the street from the largest lake in Highlands –Lake Sequoyah.

Starting at $425/night

PROPERTIES FOR SALE

92 Pinehurst Court MLS #89044

Beautifully furnished 4 bedroom, 4 and a half bath timber frame home in Old Edwards Club at Highlands Cove! The Master is on the main floor with two walk-in closets. Comes fully furnished. $1,595,000.

14 Old Wagon Trail

MLS #L87047A

Make your vision a reality by owning two new lots located inside the gates of the prestigious Old Edwards Club. These lots provide the best of all worlds, featuring exceptional mountain, golf course, and lake views! $550,000.

410D Highlands Cove Drive

MLS #90842

One of a Kind 3 bedroom, 3 bath condominium has tons of upgrades and comes fabulously decorated! RAREUpper unit with only a few steps going in with exceptional views of both the mountains and the golf course $650,000.

75B Burning Bush Lane

MLS #86753

Price reduction of $20,000.00. Seller is motivated to sell! This 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo features a floor plan that is all on one level and has hardwood floors throughout. $495,000.

Toll

Ed Hillis Bill Gilmore Letty Murphy William Peavey Jennifer Blake

Mountain Fitness

Stay fit with kayaking, trail biking and rock sliding

If you’re planning to make the move to North Georgia and wondering how you’ll stay fit without your local gym, the state parks have some interesting and unusual ways to get your regular exercise. With only a $5 parking fee, you can visit multiple parks on the same day and stay fit year-round.

Hike with your dog

Georgia State Parks just launched the new Tails on Trails Club, geared toward dog owners and their pups. While all of Georgia State Parks’ trails are dog-friendly, the Tails on Trails Club encourages dog owners to complete seven designated hiking trails for a reward. Upon completion of all seven trails, dog owners will receive a T-shirt and dogs get a bandana. Participating parks include Fort Mountain, F.D. Roosevelt, Don Carter, Sweetwater Creek, High Falls, Fort McAllister and Red Top Mountain. Find out more at GaStateParks.org/TailsonTrails.

Paddle lakes and rivers

Don Carter State Park is the only state park on the northern edge of 38,000-acre Lake Lanier, making it the perfect paddling spot for stand-up paddleboards or paddling. For a challenging workout, take a three-mile trip to Flat Creek Island, the northernmost island of Lake Lanier. Don’t own a boat? Canoes and/or kayaks may be rented seasonally at more than 20 state parks. Join the Park Paddlers Club and paddle 22 miles of scenic waterways to earn a T-shirt reward. More information: GaStateParks.org/Paddling.

Cycle the trails

If biking is your thing, get on the trails at Fort Mountain State Park near Chatsworth, Smithgall Woods State Park and Unicoi State Park near Helen, Don Carter State Park in Gainesville and Tallulah Gorge State Park. Find out more at GaStateParks.org/ Biking.

Splash in state parks

Those looking for a more daring dip into nature can make a splash at Tallulah Gorge State Park and Watson Mill Bridge State Park, both of which provide summer swimmers with a unique opportunity to experience a natural waterslide made of “sliding rocks.” Get more information at GaStateParks.org/Swimming. Find out more about where to get fit at GaStateParks.org.

COLDWELL BANKER

NORTH BUCKHEAD - Beautiful to be built home by Direct Build Atlanta in Whitewater Creek on 1.6 acre very private lot. 10’ ceilings on main, 9’ on 2nd story, 3 car garage, covered deck off master BR. Will overlook Buckhead skyline. 5BR/4.5BA $2,149,900

FMLS: 6568410 David Brown 917.705.6387

BROOKHAVEN - Fully renovated home with hardwoods throughout, spacious living & dining rooms. Kit w/granite c-tops, custom cabs & SS appls. Incredible backyard w/patio perfect for entertaining, work shed. Situated on .4 acre lot. 3BR/2BA $499,900

FMLS: 6576903 David Brown 917.705.6387

WESTWOOD TERRACE - Beautiful renovation on the Westside. 3 levels of living space, open floor plan, hardwoods, master on main. New HVAC, updated electric. Finished basement with full bed/bath & exterior access. One car garage. 4BR/3.5BA $369,900

FMLS: 6569805 Nicole Barthelmeus 404.441.8116

EDGEWOOD - Total renovation by Elemental Green built to highest standards, meeting or exceeding Earthcraft certification. High efficiency systems with low maintenance. Luxurious finishes, large open living spaces, eat-in/hang-out kitchen. 3BR/2BA $549,000

FMLS: 6536034 Clarke Weeks 404.932.0391

GRANT PARK - 1910 Victorian home just a block from the Zoo/Grant Park. Bright open floor plan, soaring ceilings, heart of pine floors throughout, 3 fireplaces, open kitchen w/keeping rm. Rear deck & nice backyard. 1 year old roof. 3BR/3BA $439,000

FMLS: 6584705 Ed Woods 404.759.9680

BRIARCLIFF WOODS - Situated on corner lot in desirable Oakgrove Elem school district featuring spacious & bright living rm overlooking lrg ½ acre lot. Gleaming hardwoods recently refinished, custom built-ins, updated kitchen. 5BR/3BA $499,000

FMLS: 6531133 Helene DeLoach 404.210.6250

KIRKWOOD - Storybook home w/open floor plan, warm kit w/island & breakfast bar, private master addition w/walk-in closet, new roof & windows, hardwoods, smooth ceilings, built-in speakers, private fenced backyard, detached 1 car gar. 3BR/2BA $415,000

FMLS: 6568264 Sherry Warner 404.784.8848

PONCEY HIGHLAND - Amazing opportunity for this 100+ year old home situated on nice, level lot. Tons of potential in a desirable location close to Ponce City Market/The Beltline. Bring your renovator/builder to make this your dream home. 3BR/2BA $500,000

FMLS: 6569452 Sherry Warner 404.784.8848

BROOKHAVEN - Gorgeous light filled bungalow in the heart of Hillsdale. Open concept, renovated kitchen, renovated baths, double pane windows, new A/C. Master w/walk-in closet. Finished basement, fenced level backyard w/large deck. 3BR/2BA $500,000

FMLS: 6580714 Joan Arkins 404.661.2500

VIRGINIA HIGHLAND - Expanded bungalow featuring updated kit w/breakfast bar & granite c-tops, 9’ ceils on main, hardwoods. Separate living & dining rooms. Freshly painted. Large backyard w/storage shed. Walk to shops/restaurants. 5BR/4BA $825,000

FMLS: 6583164 Mike Kondalski 404.234.9379

PONCEY HIGHLAND - Wonderfully renovated newer construction a few blocks from The Beltline/Ponce City Market. Open floor plan, kit w/Quartz c-tops, Thermador appls, white cabs. Freshly painted, 2 car garage, flex space on 3rd floor. 4BR/3.5BA $950,000

FMLS: 6588714 Nicole Davis 404.358.6252

DRUID HILLS - Custom built newer home featuring Subzero fridge, large island, kit open to generous family rm. Real office on main could easily be 5th BR. Huge space up for 2nd LR or play space, detached 2 car garage w/unfinished space above. 4BR/3.5BA $975,000 FMLS: 6589074 Nicole Davis 404.358.6252

DECATUR - Incredible price in the city of Decatur. Huge Chef’s kitchen, family room w/stacked stone fireplace, guest ste on main w/full bath, built-ins throughout. Earthcraft certified. Detached garage with full bed & bath above. 6BR/5BA $899,000

FMLS: 6584857 Kathleen Sickeler 404.368.3234

DECATUR - Beautiful Craftsman home with great architecture & well designed spaces. Kit w/breakfast area & butler’s pantry, lrg dining rm, gorgeous master ste, ship lap accents, vintage mantle in fam rm, 2 car garage, finished basement. 5BR/5BA $969,000 FMLS: 6584929 Kathleen Sickeler 404.368.3234

DECATUR - Gorgeous new Craftsman home w/master on main & additional guest suite. Fabulous flex space upstairs, stained concrete floors in basement set up for media room, tons of storage, city of Decatur Schools. 2 car garage. 5BR/6BA $975,000

FMLS: 6584904 Kathleen Sickeler 404.368.3234