Atlanta Intown - October 2015

Clifton Corridor Light Rail Gaining Momentum

By Clare S. Richie

Despite the 2012 T-SPLOST defeat, MARTA and its regional partners are actively pursuing the Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative, a proposed light rail line that would link the Lindbergh and Avondale Stations and provide relief to one of Atlanta’s most congested job centers.

Each day an estimated 50,000 cars travel to Emory University, Emory Hospital, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Children’s Healthcare, and the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, through an area described as the Clifton Corridor. In the next 25 years, 65,000 more jobs are expected in this area, which currently lacks access to an interstate or MARTA stations. The three MARTA bus routes (6, 19 and 36) and Emory private shuttles are simply inadequate, according to officials.

“Can you imagine if Downtown or the Perimeter had no interstate or MARTA option?” asked Tameka Wimberly, Clifton Corridor Project

Manager -MARTA Office of Transit Systems Planning. “It’s an urban area that’s not connected the way it should be.”

A light rail line connecting the corridor anchors has promise. It could cut current commute times between Lindbergh and Emory in half and shave 17 minutes off the trip from HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport. The line would also provide access to Cheshire Bridge, Suburban Plaza, and DeKalb Medical Center and connect riders to the Red and Gold (North) Lines and the Blue (East) Line.

Right now, the proposed project is in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) phase that will look at two alternatives; the second (Alternative 2) is a lower-cost option with only street level (at-grade) rail. This phase includes environmental analysis, cost refinement, station locations/ design, other potential impacts, as well as community outreach and public hearings. More details like track locations, traffic signals, bike lanes, sidewalks, and bus route connections

GLOBAL REACH

will come later.

Completion of the final EIS statement is expected in 2017. Submission of the statement is the first step in applying for federal funding under the New Starts program.

A project this size isn’t cheap. “$700 million is the current cost estimate for Alternative 2. It assumes light rail operating on street level with existing vehicles, but costs could change as the project is refined in the EIS process,” according to Wimberly.

What’s also daunting is that the Federal Transportation Administration expects 50 percent or more of the project cost to come from local sources. “Atlanta is competing with cities like Los Angeles that only ask for 20 percent federal funding,” Wimberly shared. And MARTA is the only subway system in the country that doesn’t receive state funds.

Instead, MARTA and its supporters will work with the Georgia General Assembly to pursue levying a halfpenny sales tax in DeKalb and Fulton counties.

If all goes as planned, light rail service in the Clifton Corridor could begin in 2025.

For more info, visit itsmarta. com/Clifton-Corr.aspx or facebook. com/pages/Clifton-Corridor-TransitInitiative. Send comments, questions, ideas and concerns to the Clifton Corridor Project Team at clifton@ itsmarta.com.

Courtesy Google Maps The Briarcliff Road and Zonolite Road intersection, which is home to busy Sage Hill shopping center, would be one of the main stops on the Clifton light rail line

There are two proposals for the Clifton Corridor Light Rail The second option, pictured on the opposite page, would only have “at-grade” (street level) crossings as it winds its way from the Lindbergh MARTA station in Buckhead to Avondale Estates It’s the lowest cost option at a projected $700 million Picture above is another option which would have both at elevate tracks, at-grade and tunnels Both plans are currently undergoing environment impact studies

For

Grand Opening

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Grand Opening

Residents: Put more cops in our neighborhoods

By Joe Earle

Scores of Buckhead residents, voicing anger and fear over recent high-profile crimes, recently told top Atlanta police officials that homeowners want more officers to patrol their community.

“Our concern is house break-ins... We’re worried about the sanctity of our houses and the safety of our houses,” resident Brink Dickerson said during a public meeting Sept. 10. “Zone 2 needs more cops. There’s a well-known joke that if you see a cop in Chastain Park, you should stop and offer directions, because he’s lost.”

authorized to employ 2,034 officers and now has only about 70 vacancies to fill, he said. The department has about 100 recruits in training, he said.

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Many of the more than 150 residents attending the gathering at The Lodge at Piedmont Presbyterian Church applauded as Dickerson told police officials, including Chief George Turner, that “we need more cops that are visible and on our streets more of the time. ... We feel a little underserved right now.”

Maj. Van Hobbs, who commands the Zone 2 precinct, which includes Buckhead, said police are responding by putting more officers in areas where crimes regularly occur. “We will get resources,” he said. “We will put them up here and we’ll turn it around.”

Residents indicated they have been on edge since three home invasions earlier this year and more than 100 car break-ins during a single week in September.

Turner said the APD now “has more police officers on the street than we’ve ever had in this city.” The agency is

But Turner told the crowd he also thought Buckhead needed more officers on patrol. “I agree with you that you need more police officers,” he said. “We need more police officers in the city.”

Police officials said that in addition to the officers on the street, the department uses high-tech crime-fighting equipment, including a network of cameras spread throughout the city. Keeping an eye on the cameras creates “smart policing,” Dave Wilkinson, president of the nonprofit Atlanta Police Foundation, said. The department now monitors about 5,700 cameras and plans to install as many as 10,000, he said.

But homeowners weren’t satisfied. “We can talk about cameras all we want to, but we need more policemen in our neighborhoods,” Jana Unterman said.

“We can all agree on that,” Turner said.

“We’ve got to have officers on the street,” Unterman continued.

It’s that time!

“We’ve got more police officers on the street than we’ve had in this city,” Turner said.

“We need more,” Unterman replied. Residents pointed to a series of car break-ins and reports of home invasions and said they had seen reports on social media of people driving through their neighborhoods as if scouting houses for possible thefts. Others said outsiders would knock on their doors, as if to see whether anyone would answer.

Lindsey Yarborough told the officials a man came to her door pretending to sell magazines and kept trying to get in for 10 minutes after she called 911. “He stood at my door for 10 minutes and did everything he could to gain access to my home,” she said.

The man was released on bond and faces a court hearing later this month on a charge of soliciting without a license, she said. “The reality is he committed a crime that was much worse than what he’s charged with,” she said.

One resident said she didn’t sleep well because of her fears about crime in the community. Another shouted a question from the back of the room asking if she could shoot strangers at her door. “Not for knocking on your door,” Turner replied.

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Another resident held up a computer printout that he said showed a dramatic increase in some types of crime in Zone 2.

“Rape is up 50 percent in Zone 2,” he said. “I want to know what you’re going to do in Zone 2 about rape! ... Long-term [solutions] we heard about. But what are going to do about the short term? Short term, what are we going to do... to stop the madness?”

Hobbs said the rape statistics did not show the full picture. The increase in reports was from 13 to 18, he said. Some of those assaults were crimes that were reported this year, but did not occur this year, he said. Others involved people who knew one another or had been together socially before the attack. Only a single report involved a stranger-on-stranger attack.

“One [rape] is too many,” he said, “but we don’t have a serial rapist running around.”

Still, residents said they did not feel safe in their neighborhoods.

“There is a feeling of being a sitting duck,” one resident said.

Joe Earle

Atlanta police Maj Van Hobbs addresses the crowd during a Sept 10 community meeting while, seated, left to right, Deputy Chief Joe Spillane, Chief George Turner, Police Foundation President Dave Wilkinson and Assistant Chief Shawn Jones, listen

Additional cameras, tag readers coming to Buckhead streets

By Ellen Eldridge and Collin Kelley

More surveillance cameras soon will appear in Buckhead and throughout the city.

Dist. 8 Atlanta City Councilwoman

Yolanda Adrean said at a recent Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting that she plans to use $250,000 from her discretionary budget to partner with the Atlanta Police Foundation for more surveillance cameras and vehicle tag readers.

Also, Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza shopping malls will add 235 cameras as part of a partnership with Simon, the real estate company that owns the malls.

Buckhead residents have been on edge since three home invasions earlier this year and more than 100 car break-ins during a week in September. Adrean said generous residents of the community (including one who paid to have Tuxedo Park wired for cameras) and local businesses will also be involved in helping to fund and decide locations for the cameras and tag readers.

“The cameras and tag readers won’t solve all our problems, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Adrean said.

Robin Suggs, the general manager for Lenox Square, said Simon works with local law enforcement to coordinate focused efforts around their security program.

Suggs said Simon welcomes the opportunity to provide the entire community with heightened measures through the Operation Shield program, which was created in 2007 to improve crime prevention.

“Thanks to our collaborative relationship with the Atlanta Police Department, we now have enhanced safety and security around our properties with the Operation Shield initiative,” Suggs said.

“Cameras such as these are increasingly responsible for arrests

that otherwise wouldn’t be made,” Councilman Howard Shook said.

“I applaud Simon for their civicmindedness and hope others follow suit.”

Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said the partnership will boost proactive crime fighting efforts in Buckhead. “The additional cameras will help our officers to do more than just monitor crime but will also aid in capturing video evidence to help solve crimes faster,” Turner said.

Dave Wilkinson, head of the nonprofit Atlanta Police Foundation, which supports the APD, said the foundation wants “to build the best video surveillance system in the world.”

Atlanta police now can monitor about 5,700 public and private-sector cameras, he said, and officials hope to connect eventually to 10,000. Since the program’s start, the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Police Foundation have joined several organizations, including the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta Public Schools and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, to monitor cameras.

During a community meeting at The Lodge at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Wilkinson said technology allows “smart policing.”

“If you call 911 anywhere in the city of Atlanta, when the 911 operator is talking to you, police officers are queuing up cameras closest [to your location],” he said. “These officers truly are investigating the moment you make the phone call.”

Eventually, technology will allow officers to collect information from surveillance cameras, car-tag readers and from callers with cellphones. One system being proposed, he said, should allow cellphone users to install an app that would allow them call 911 and “to show the officers what you’re looking at.” “The bottom line is you don’t have to explain it, you can show them,” he said.

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City negotiating sale of Civic Center

The City of Atlanta is close to finalizing a nearly $30 million deal to sell the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center to a retail developer.

Texas-based Weingarten Realty Investors will convert the 19 acre space into a $298 million mixed-use development with 250,000 square feet of office space, 222,900 square feet of retail including a grocery store, 250 condominiums, 386 apartments and 20 townhomes. The 4,600-seat auditorium and event space built in 1967 on Piedmont Avenue will be torn down.

–Collin Kelley

Bike lanes on Peachtree Road unpopular with some residents

By Collin Kelley

Residents unhappy with the proposed “road diet” for Peachtree Road sounded off during last night’s Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting. Although an official from the Georgia Department of Transportation wasn’t able to attend, the floor was opened to comments from the larger-than-normal crowd.

The plan calls for re-striping Peachtree Road through Buckhead to include turn lanes and bike lanes. The majority of residents on hand for the BCN meeting were opposed to removing travel lanes to accommodate for bike lanes.

“Peachtree Road is overcapacity and it should be for cars and nothing else,” one meeting attendee said.

Other residents were concerned that less thru lanes for vehicles on Peachtree would mean more cars diverting into neighborhoods. Another resident suggested maybe it was time for Atlanta to stop spending money to accommodate more cars and start charging a congestion fee similar to the one in London where motorist pay a toll to drive in the heart of the UK capital.

“I’m a cyclist and would never ride my bike on Peachtree Road,” one woman said. “The speed of traffic and density makes it unsafe even with bike lanes.”

Other attendees said community focus should shift from how to accommodate more cars to alternative transportation. One resident mentioned the new grassroots organization The MARTA Army, which is mobilizing

Atlantans to use the train and bus service rather than drive.

Dist. 54 House Rep. Beth Beskin, R, said the majority of residents she had spoken to are against the bike lanes. She also said residents need to start contacting the city about the proposed extension of the Atlanta Streetcar system from Lenox Square to Fort McPherson.

Here is the current GDOT “road diet” plan for Peachtree Road:

• Maple Drive to Shadowlawn Avenue would have seven taffic lanes with three travel lanes in each direction, one turn lane and two bike lanes.

• Shadowlawn Avenue south to Peachtree Battle would have six traffic lanes with three southbound lanes, two northbound lanes and one turn lane. There would be no bike lanes on this stretch.

• Peachtree Battle south to Deering Road: Five traffic lanes with two travel lanes in each direction, one turn lane and two bike lanes.

Zone 2 prosecutor: Residents have a friend in the DA’s office

By Ellen Eldridge

Elizabeth Morrow wants Buckhead residents to know they have a friend in the District Attorney’s office.

Morrow grew up in Milledgeville, Ga., and worked in the trial division of the Fulton County District Attorney’s office, where in 2014 she was named attorney of the year for her unit. Earlier this year, she was chosen to be the community prosecutor for Atlanta’s Zone 2.

“Many people think Zone 2 is just Buckhead,” she said, “but Zone 2 includes Lindbergh, Garden Hills and Marietta Boulevard, and extends to Northside Parkway. It’s 40 square miles, so it’s the biggest zone.”

Chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit B Andrea Bennett has been a Buckhead resident for 25 years and joined the NPU-B in 2005. She said she appreciates having a community prosecutor who often attends meetings,

and updates residents on current cases and crimes.

When people ask Bennett for help in contacting someone, Bennett said it’s good to have a specific recommendation. “Instead of saying ‘call the DA’s office,’ I can say, call this person,” Bennett said.

Morrow said she’s going after criminals and helping unite the community she serves. She describes herself as a liaison between the community and the DA’s office, she said.

“What we do is take high-profile cases in which the community has a great interest, usually repeat offenders, and we will seek the maximum sentence or at least incarceration,” she said.

Morrow said feedback from neighbors about a possible drug or “trap house” leads to controlled drug buys, and police can verify drug dealing and illegal activity.

“If a community identifies [crime in] an area, we will canvas with our mobile outreach clinic and our investigators,” she said.

Examining arrests made by patrol officers provides the DA’s office more ammunition to prosecute cases and seize property.

The DA’s office then sends a “cease and desist letter” and can eventually seize the property, she said.

“In Zone 2, there’s been a very good response to issues in the community and a very good response to the community

prosecutor—me,” Morrow said. “The APD has been very responsive to citizens’ concerns. Once we can identify something, we can act.”

She said many people do call police when they notice a problem because they want to feel safe in the place where they live and pay taxes.

Wayne Robinson is a Buckhead resident who regularly rides along with Atlanta patrol officers in Zone 2. He said his neighbors throughout the area should feel comforted that police care about the community.

“They make a point to stop and say hello [when] passing through neighborhoods and wish more people would approach them,” Robinson said. “I know they are well trained and motivated to get criminals off the streets.”

While Robinson said he thinks the answer is to add patrol officers, community prosecutors take a lead role in identifying and driving crime out of

Elizabeth Morrow Atlanta zone 2 community prosecutor

the area, Morrow said.

Morrow meets with the Citizens Advisory Committee, Neighborhood Planning Unit B and the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods. “That’s where we get the feedback from the community to see what issues they’re having and what areas of concern they’re having in terms of crime in their neighborhoods,” Morrow said.

Morrow said she also works with the Buckhead Business Association and the police department’s repeat offenders unit so she can get everything she needs to keep repeat offenders in jail.

Morrow recently won a conviction of a 23-year-old man who already had two violent felony convictions when he was arrested July 13 for breaking into cars.

Travantae Turner was accused of smashing the windows of three cars in a gym parking lot on Bishop Street and stole a computer bag, camera, iPad and MacBook laptop, she said. One of the car owners saw him stealing and demanded her things back, Morrow said. When Turner drove out of the parking lot, he drove on the wrong side of the road and hit a patrol car, she said.

Morrow offered him a plea deal where he would serve 2 1/2 years in state prison, followed by two years and four months on probation. When he gets out of prison, Turner will have to pay $2,500 in restitution, attend mandatory drug treatment, and will be banished from Zone 2 for the duration of his probation, Morrow said.

If he fails to pay the restitution

to the victims, which represents the deductible they had to pay for smashed car windows and other damage, he would be sent back to prison, Morrow said. Same thing if he fails to report to probation or attend drug treatment.

“Hopefully he can get some kind of treatment in jail,” she said.

Some criminals are obviously drug addicts in need of rehabilitation, Morrow said, but others are just violent.

Morrow said she went after this 23-year-old man so hard because he already had two violent felony convictions on his record, she said.

“One was a burglary, one was false imprisonment,” she said. “None of them were drug related.”

During his recorded jail phone calls, he bragged about his crimes and said he would only get probation, Morrow said.

“He was laughing about it, bragging about it and trying to get his girlfriend to take possession of a stolen gun that was in the car,” Morrow said.

She calls herself an advocate for the victims of crime, such as the woman who walked out of the gym to find her car window smashed and glass all over the ground.

“One moment you’re going into a gym, working out, and another moment the glass of your car is all in the grass and your stuff is gone and [the victims] have to pay,” Morrow said.

Morrow said her job as a community prosecutor helps her engage with the larger community and not just the victims of crime.

As an attorney who represents people “on behalf of the state,” Morrow said she enjoys seeing in practice the people she works so hard for.

“You actually get to see ‘the people,’” she said. “I like that aspect of [my job].”

She said when she started law school, she felt business minded, and used her English background toward drafting and interpreting contracts, but she said she quickly felt bored. She wanted to help others more, she said.

“When I was working in the private sector, I felt like I was working for myself, and now I feel like I’m working for other people, and that makes me feel fulfilled,” Morrow said.

Morrow said she is proud to be part of a team of people working to fight crime on a local level.

“It’s like you have a friend in the DA’s office,” she said. “You have to keep the community safe.”

Zone 2 includes Buckhead, Lindbergh, Garden Hills and Marietta Boulevard, and extends to Northside Parkway

Runners and walkers will have a unique opportunity to race on the 5th Runway at the world’s busiest airport on Oct. 17. The Mayor’s Inaugural 5K on the 5th Runway will be hosted by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and sponsored by Delta Air Lines. All proceeds will benefit the United Way of Greater Atlanta. The 5th Runway will be temporarily closed Saturday morning to accommodate the expected 2,500 race participants. For more information on entrance fees and registration, visit tinyurl.com/mayors5k.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia will present its first-ever live music fundraising event Concert with a Cause at The Buckhead Theatre on Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Performers include The Plott Hounds, Dank and All the Locals, with all proceeds from the event supporting the work of the Epilepsy Foundation. Tickets are $25 in advance at epilepsyga.org or $30 at the door. Limited VIP meet and greet tickets are $40.

On Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails will host Gateway Center’s annual fundraiser, Human Clay. The event will be a celebration of Gateway Center’s 10 years serving those experiencing homelessness in Atlanta through therapeutic programs and community collaboration. Starting at 7 p.m., guests will be treated to an evening of southern fare prepared by Chef Todd Richards. There will be live folk and bluegrassstyled music as well as a silent auction featuring artwork from local artists. For tickets and information, visit gatewayctr.org/events.

The Children’s Tumor Foundation NF Walk will be held Oct. 17 at Piedmont Park at 10 a.m. The walk raises money to find a cure for neurofibromatosis. To register, visit ctf.org/GA-News/Atlanta-NF-Walk.html.

Colony Square in Midtown will once again host Canstruction on Nov. 5. The 17th annual Atlanta competition sees competing teams, led by architects and engineers, will showcase their talents by designing giant sculptures made almost entirely out of canned and packaged foods. The public is invited to view the completed sculptures for one week only, Nov. 6-15. At the end of the exhibition, all of the food used within the structures and the additional donations collected on site will be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank for distribution to hundreds of nonprofits with hungerrelief programs in metro Atlanta and North Georgia. For more information, visit canstructionatl.com.

Pet Pick

Knuckle loves everyone and everything he meets. He is a goofball and keeps the staff and volunteers laughing. We can always count on him when we are having a rough day. He is a 1-year-old Rottweiler mix who loves other dogs, cats and children of all ages. We couldn’t think of a more perfect pup. Come out to the shelter and take him for a walk around our wooded trail. To find out how to adopt Knuckle, visit PAWSAtlanta.org or stop by the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

Pet Briefs

The 2nd annual Run Your Happy Tails Off Run and Festival benefiting Happy Tails Pet Therapy, a local Atlanta non-profit, will be held Oct. 10. This family and pet friendly event is centrally located in the metro Atlanta area at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody. The fun-filled day starts off with a 5K Run or a 1 Mile Fun Run and the race is a USATF qualified course. After you finish the race, hang out for some great food from Shane’s Rib Shack and check out the wide range of vendors supporting the event. For more information, visit runyourhappytailsoff.com.

The Atlanta Humane Society will hold the inaugural Walk for the Animals on Oct. 18 starting at 8 a.m. at Atlantic Station. Proceeds will help save animals at the shelter. To register and for more information, visit ahswalkfortheanimals.org.

Atlanta-based Anisa International, a global cosmetic brush and accessory company, donated $40,000 to the Fulton County Animal Shelter, managed by LifeLine Animal Project, to help fund brand new meet and greet and outdoor run yards for individuals to meet potential adoptees and the animals to enjoy expanded outdoor play space.

Lovett

2989 N. Fulton Drive, Suite B, Atlanta,

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 seven 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 8th annual 20 Under 20 will appear in our January 2016 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. 6. Please email your nominations to editor Collin Kelley at collin@atlantaintownpaper.com.

The Neighborhood Hot List: Little

5 Points

1. Little 5 Points Halloween Festival

Dress up and party with your friends while watching the annual parade. It’s a ghoulish good time!

2. Wrecking Bar Brewpub

A historic house transformed into a restaurant and bar where they brew their own craft beer.

3. Variety Playhouse

Bands of all persuasions find a welcoming stage in this historic venue on Euclid Avenue.

4. Charis Books and More

One of the country’s last feminist book stores, Charis recently celebrated 40 years in business.

5. Vortex

The iconic skull draws you in, the beer and burgers keeps you coming back.

6. Wax’n’Facts & Criminal Records

Vinyl has made a big comeback and both of these shops have huge selections, whether you’re looking for Miles Davis or Lady Gaga you can find it here.

Meetings

Neighborhood Planning Unit-E (NPU-E), which covers the neighborhoods of Ansley Park, Ardmore, Atlantic Station, Brookwood, Brookwood Hills, Georgia Tech, Home Park, Loring Heights, the Marietta Street Artery, Midtown and Sherwood Forest, meets the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree St. NE.

Community meetings, news & events

NPU-F, which covers the neighborhoods of Virginia-Highland, Piedmont Heights, Morningside-Lenox Park and Lindridge-Martin Park, meets the third Monday of each month at the Hillside facility, 1301 Monroe Drive, at 7 p.m,

NPU-B, which covers the neighborhoods of Brookhaven, Buckhead Forest, Buckhead Heights, Chastain Park East, Garden Hills, North Buckhead, Peachtree Heights East, Peachtree Heights West, Peachtree Hills, Peachtree Park, Ridgdale Park, Pine Hills and South Tuxedo Park, meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road.

The Atlanta City Council will meet Oct. 5 and Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave.

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

News

The Midtown Alliance has announced the last in a series of four streetscape enhancement projects on Peachtree Street between the Fox Theatre and Emory University Hospital Midtown. These latest Peachtree Street enhancements between Ponce de Leon Avenue and Pine Street include new sidewalks, pavers, ADA ramps, pedestrian light-poles, expanded tree wells, new bike racks and landscaping. Construction will begin later this fall. A new mid-block High-intensity Activated Crosswalk Beacon (HAWK) will be located near Emory University Hospital Midtown. The HAWK signalized crosswalk functions similarly to a stop light, halting car traffic when a person walking pushes the button to cross Peachtree Street.

As part of a plan to ease overcrowding in the “Grady cluster” of Atlanta Public Schools, Superintendent Meria Carstarphen has proposed reopening historic David T. Howard High School in the Old Fourth Ward as a middle school. The Grady cluster, which includes Grady High School, Inman Middle School, Mary Lin Elementary School, Hope-Hill Elementary and Springdale Park Elementary, is one of the district’s most overcrowded. Howard High School, which was attended by Martin Luther King Jr., first opened as an elementary school in 1924 but was later converted to a high school. It closed in 1976 and was used as administrative offices up until 2008. Its sports fields are still regularly used by soccer teams.

The Fulton County Tax Assessor’s Office has opened its new location in the Mall at Peachtree located at 235 Peachtree Street, North Towers, Suite 1400. The move put all tax assessor offices in the same building. “We are certain that this move will provide our residents with more efficiency and better customer service,” said David Fitzgibbon, Chief Appraiser. “This new location provides more parking options and since MARTA comes directly into the building, residents can use the train system to easily access our offices.”

The Decatur City Commission elected Commissioner Patti Garrett Mayor Pro Tempore at its Sept. 8 meeting. The previous Mayor Pro Tempore was Kecia Cunningham, who resigned her District 2 seat on the City Commission last month to take a job out of state.

Dist. 8 Atlanta City Councilmember Yolanda Adrean said she plans to use $250,000 from her discretionary budget in partnership with the Atlanta Police Foundation to have more surveillance cameras and vehicle tag readers installed in District 8, which covers a large swath of Buckhead. Adrean made the announcement at last month’s Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting. Adrean said she was meeting with the foundation to design a strategy for installation of the cameras and tag readers to create what she calls the “District 8 Safety Net.”

A LOOK BACK

This Month in History

Ann Taylor Boutwell

October 1957: Fortune magazine listed Mayor William Berry Hartsfield among the top ten United States mayors and also ranked Atlanta first in its regional planning and noise abatement success.

Oct. 1, 1923: The 10-story Glenn Building opened to tenants. The prolific Washington, D.C., architect Waddy Butler Wood designed the limestone, concrete and steel structure with terra cotta detailing. Located on the corner of Marietta and Spring streets, the site opened in January 2006 as the Glenn Hotel, one of the city's first boutique hotels. In July 2006, the adaptive reuse renovation captured an Urban Design Award.

Oct. 3, 1935: The police committee of the Atlanta City Council decided it was time for the city to have parking meters. After a few weeks, two thousand new meters were installed in the Downtown area. The cost was a nickel for one hour.

Oct. 5, 1925: The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce launched the Forward Atlanta campaign to boost the city. In the next five years more than 760 businesses valued at $35 million relocated to Atlanta.

Oct. 6, 1920: A fire at the Piedmont Driving Club destroyed the old New York Building designed by architect Charles Norris Hoar. It was built on the club’s property for the 1895 Cotton States and International Exhibition, and used for years for balls and entertainment. Defective wiring was the cause for the blaze.

Oct. 12, 1958: A dynamite blast rips a gaping hole in a wall of Atlanta's oldest reform synagogue, The Temple. It was a warning to Jacob Rothschild, The Temple's

outspoken rabbi, who had encouraged the congregation to support integration. The bombing of The Temple on Peachtree Street outraged residents of Atlanta. Mayor William Hartsfield went immediately to the side of Rabbi Rothschild and offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to conviction. On Oct. 17, a Fulton County grand jury indicted five members of the National States Rights Party, but they were ultimately set free and the charges dropped for lack of evidence.

Oct. 14, 1964: Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. At age 35, he would youngest recipient of the prize. King would be presented with the award in a ceremony in Oslo, Norway on Dec. 10, 1965. The $54,000 in prize money was donated to the civil rights movement.

Oct. 18, 1996: The Coca-Cola Annex Building located at 187 Edgewood Ave. was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1903, the three-story classical revival site was built to house the now defunct Coca-Cola Chewing Gum Company. In 1905 when the beverage company dropped the product it became office space for the bottling company and a highly automated factory was located in the basement where the fizzy drink was produced.

Oct. 26, 1995: Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell and former mayors Ivan Allen, Sam Massell, and Maynard Jackson along with 200 officials unveiled the public monument "Atlanta from the Ashes," also known as the "Phoenix." The 18-foot sculpture depicts a woman lifting a phoenix above her head. The 25-year-old sculpture was relocated from an island between Forsyth and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive beside the old Rich's department store building to Woodruff Park ahead of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Oct. 30, 1974: A groundbreaking ceremony is held in west Downtown for the Georgia World Congress Center.

The Temple

Atlanta from the Ashes

Stella Drive 6/6/2 | Buckhead/Chastain | $2,295,000

Inverness

6BR/5BA | Morningside | $1,485,000

3BR/2½BA | Morningside | $739,000

Edmund Park

4BR/4½BA | Morningside | $775,000

Darlington Commons Circle 3BR/3½BA | Peachtree Park/Buckhead | $649,900

TimmyDaddy

By Tim Sullivan

+ American Ninja Dad +

Outside of Phineas and Ferb there isn’t much on television that our whole family can agree on. We never watched American Idol or Dancing with the Stars or the myriad competition shows until Elliott discovered American Ninja Warrior. Have you seen this spectacle? At first I thought it was something along the lines of Wipeout, with ridiculous contraptions designed to make people look like idiots.

et your heart rate up at least 30 minutes a day.

Guerrieri,

and her

Isaiah , right, working out at the Fitwit gym on College Avenue in Kirkwood, which also hosts exercise classes for children

But American Ninja Warrior is a higher quality of ridiculous and it is compelling.

For starters, you need to be a phenomenal athlete to compete. The obstacles border on the insane. People like me who played traditional sports in high school generally suck on this show. But if you were a gymnast – sure, this could be your thing. Rock climber? Even better. Circus act? Best. It’s comical when the announcers summon wonderment when making comments like, “He was not even an athlete in high school!” Oh really? He couldn’t make the trapeze team?

The competitors are featured in background segments designed to make people cry – or laugh – or laugh at themselves for crying. There was the single dad whose three kids are struggling in school, so he practices balance on the top of a fence that separates a state road from a canyon. Or the guy whose wife is wheelchair bound so he climbs the underpinnings of bridges. I must be the only one thinking what if they fall and wait – why? It never seems to be a concern because American Ninja Warrior has a solution for life’s toughest challenges – work out like a maniac. Can’t pay the bills? Do 7,000 pull-ups. Living in a van and dumpster diving for food? Try going to the beach and doing some back flips, brother.

Occasionally, the vignettes last longer than the contestant’s actual run on the course. They did a lengthy bit on the CEO of Cliff Bar. He cross trains with his employees at lunchtime and does headstands during meetings! He’s not your average CEO! But he splashed out early on the quintuple steps, so I was wanting those three minutes of my life back. Obviously his resume was a little light on hardship. Sigh.

It seems the most surefire way to be successful is to own a gym. And I don’t mean the Soloflex in your basement. You need to be a trainer of people who aspire to have the same physical awesomeness as you, but never will. Also it is helpful to be a master carpenter. The backyard setups these people build are remarkable and allow for additional training in the scant hours of the day when they are not in the gym. By the way, do any of you know how to build a perfectly calibrated, fourteen-foot warped wall? I don’t, but that’s what Elliott wants for Christmas.

Elliott and Margo create their own family-room courses. They run down the hall and leap onto the back of the sofa, carefully scaling their way to the chair, the side table, the other chair, and then stick the landing on the ottoman. If they slip and fall on the rug, that’s hot lava (their own wrinkle). In the show, the contestants fall into a pool of water, but one guy did train by setting his landing area on fire as added inspiration to not fall. I’m good with just the pretend hot lava.

They keep lifting up my shirt to inspect how my abs are coming along, but American Ninja Warrior contestants in their 40s are marveled at as if they had recently been exhumed. So I’m good with a support role here and training for the next generation. The kids have been inspired enough to join FitWit Kids to begin unleashing their inner awesome. I’m all too familiar with their gene pool, so we’re looking at something of a long shot here, but unless they start scaling bridges, I’m calling our family TV viewing a success.

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

Getting your heart rate up 30 minutes a day at least five days a week has countless health benefits. Why not get up and move? It’s good for the heart, blood pressure and weight control. And at the game, it helps you rock the house.

Preferred Healthcare Partner of the Atlanta Falcons. And their fans.

northside.com

G

Camilla

above,

brother

Lantern Parade

60,000 took part in this year’s kickoff for Art on the Beltline �

Photos by Steve Eberhardt

Angela Carrington, Cynthia Barnard, Cheryl Stauss

Chantelle Rytter

Georgie Madge, Marc Fayard, Ryleigh Fayard

Heather and Fabio Carneiro

Paul Morris, Atlanta BeltLine CEO

By Collin Kelley

The INtown and Reporter Newspaper staff regularly has an office outing: bowling or taking the streetcar for lunch at Sweet Auburn Curb Market, for example. Last month, we loaded up and headed to West Midtown to check out Top Golf, and it didn’t matter that most of our staff had never stepped foot on a greenway.

You see Top Golf before you actually arrive. The giant fence that encircles the green is visible above the tree line on Chattahoochee Avenue. The Top Golf facility itself is on Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard and resembles a futuristic office building from the ample parking lot. But once inside, the entire mood changes.

Smiling staff welcome and check you in, high energy music is playing from the sound system and there’s an upscale sports bar vibe happening. We’re led out onto the three-story game play area that overlooks the massive “course.”

Playing at Top Golf is a strange hybrid of traditional golf, putt-putt and bowling. Each putting green has comfortable banquettes and bar-top seating where we enjoyed lunch from Top Golf’s extensive menu of burgers, wraps, flatbreads, salads and more.

As we ate, we were shown how to play. You assign yourself and teammates a number on the touchscreen score-keeper, pick a club from an extensive rack (there are clubs for lefties, too) and wave it over a sensor which releases a ball on to the green. The ball has a microchip inside that tracks your swing and whether you hit one of the targets. The more accurate your shot and the farther the distance, the more points you earn.

If golf isn’t your game, there are pool tables, video games and giant Jenga in the Kid Zone.

Top Golf is great for all ages and skill levels, even a total amateur like me. If you’re looking for a unique place to hold a birthday party, bachelor party, teambuilding event or just to spend an afternoon with friends, Top Golf fits the bill.

For more information, visit topgolf.com/us/Atlanta.

Top Golf makes for fun, challenging afternoon

1925

Luxury experience at every price.

494-0504

5BR/5.5.5BA

MICHAEL HOSKIN (678) 686-0614

MICHAEL

Harry Norman, REALTORS ® THE INTOWN OFFICE

(678) 686-0614

Chris Burell, Senior Vice President/Managing Broker 1531 Piedmont Avenue NE, Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30324 (404) 897-5558 www.harrynorman.com/intown

4BR/3BA Brookhaven beauty with many unique features. $700,000

JENNY STALLINGS (404) 394-0934

3BR/2BA ranch with renovated kitched and an amazing yard. $339,000

403-5780

3BR/2.5BA

394-0934

(404) 229-5520

UNDERCONTRACT

481 CHEROKEE AVENUE Hilltop 5BR/3.5BA totally renovated crown jewel of Grant Park. $739,000 RODNEY HINOTE (404) 786-9562

711 COSMOPOLITAN DRIVE, #800 Designer 2BR/2BA corner condo loaded with upgrades. $244,900 LADONNA SUGGS (404)

55 INVERLEIGH ROW

and full finished basement with kitchen and fireplace. $499,900

805 PEACHTREE STREET, #106 Sleek contemporary 1BR/1BA loft in the heart of Midtown. $225,000 BUTCH WHITFIELD (770) 630-6668

2566 SUNSET DRIVE

LINDA KYLES (404)

5450 SHIVER SUMMIT

5BR/3.5BA home with updated finishes and a large kitchen. $635,000 KEVIN KILBRIDE

420 BARRINGTON DRIVE

home with huge, fenced backyard and a large deck. $238,000 JENNY STALLINGS (404)

3BR/3BA townhome with hardwood floors, new carpet and paint. $131,900

HOSKIN

3044 LAUREN PARC ROAD

470 MONUMENT AVENUE

Craftsman 2BR/2BA bungalow with original heart pine floors. $285,000 BUTCH WHITFIELD (770) 630-6668

2960 PHARR COURT SOUTH, # N-2 Pristine designer inspired 2BR/2.5BA corner condo in Buckhead. $580,000 MONIQUE RELLER (404) 310-2200

1532 ARAGON WAY

44 PEACHTREE PLACE, #733 Large, South-facing 1BR/1BA overlooks pool and city. $239,900 TODD HALE (404) 822-0230

3262 FERNCLIFF LANE Spacious 4BR/3.5BA open floor plan townhouse with 2 car garage. $525,000 GEMMA TAYLOR (404) 310-8582

771 WELCH STREET Move-in ready 4BR/4BA home with hardwoods and fenced yard. $110,000 BRENDA SHAW (678) 399-4210

1161 MCLENDON DRIVE 4BR/3BA with open floor plan, oversize windows, and high ceilings. $319,900 BRENDA SHAW (678) 399-4210

3220 ARBORWOODS DRIVE Traditional 5BR/3BA 4 sided brick home with hardwoods on main. $328,000 TERRY WOOD (404) 338-0847

Larkin on Memorial would be mixed-use “main street”

The developers behind Krog Street Market and the forthcoming Atlanta Dairies have announced another new project at 519 Memorial Drive – Larkin on Memorial.

According to Curbed Atlanta, Paces Properties will transform the former Habitat for Humanity facility across from Oakland Cemetery into a 63,000-square-foot mixed-use project.

Under the tagline “Main Street in Your Backyard,” the developers envision a practical shopping center to meet the needs of Grant Park and surrounding communities such as groceries, daycare center, dry cleaner, offices and restaurants. Spaces at Larkin on Memorial will range from 1,245 to 16,000 square feet.

–Collin Kelley

Business & Retail Briefs

American Field, a pop-up exhibition and market featuring the handcrafted products, will set up shop at Ponce City Market from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 American Field’s inaugural Southern appearance will feature brands such as Ball and Buck, a Boston-based retailer geared towards the sporting gentleman, Rancourt & Co., a leader in handcrafted men’s shoes, boutique flask company Blind Pig Flask Co. and North Carolina-based micro-dairy Skyline Dairy, among many others. Vendors, who will be set up throughout Ponce City Market’s second floor, will engage with shoppers by selling their goods providing interactive, on-site demonstrations. Guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy the curated selection of restaurants within the Central Food Hall throughout the weekend. American Field will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit americanfield.us.

A new permanent tenant at Ponce City Market is Karoo, which offers a wide selection of fashionable and affordable eyewear. Karoo offers a single price point of $149 for a complete pair of eyeglasses including any frame in the store and single vision lenses. They also have a large selection of prescription sunglasses priced at $249. Eye exams are $69 and customers usually leave with their glasses the same day. The owners are Dr. Gavin Cohen and Mark Meyberg, who also operate Optique at West Paces in Buckhead and Reflection Eyecare in Brookhaven. For more information or to schedule an eye exam, visit gokaroo.com or call (404) 875-2766.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber has announced that Kate Atwood will join the organization as vice president of marketing. In this newly created role, she will be responsible for leading the recently launched ChooseATL regional marketing campaign. In her role, Atwood will focus on managing a multi-pronged marketing campaign that includes paid, earned, social and digital media. She will also spearhead the campaign’s fundraising efforts and work closely with multiple partners and stakeholders in the 29-county region to showcase all that metro Atlanta has to offer. Prior to joining MAC, she served as executive director of the Arby’s Foundation. In 2003, Atwood founded Kate’s Club, an innovative grief support organization for children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling.

Elite Crowdfund has launched its online equity-based platform in Atlanta, which allows investors to connect directly with vetted early stage investment opportunities. Investors can connect with selected early growth stage companies in exchange for an equity share in the company while offering start-up or early stage funding. Elite Crowdfund’s portfolio of business opportunities is only available to accredited investors, defined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an individual with annual net income of more than $200K individually or $300K jointly, or whose net worth is more than $1 million annually, excluding the value of a primary residence. For more information, visit elitecrowfund.com.

The Gathering Spot, a private, members-only business and social club, has launched in Atlanta’s Northyards development to offer a socializing alternative to traditional city or country clubs, startup incubators and co-working spaces. The Gathering Spot provides a 24/7 business and social environment, with events, concierge services, integrated technology and a full-service restaurant and bar. For more information, including membership details, visit thegatheringspot.club.

The nsoro Foundation has announced the appointment of Atlanta community leader Nina Cheney as its new executive director. Established in 2005, the foundation offers helps young people emancipated from foster care by providing non-merit based college scholarships and engagement programs designed to encourage high school graduation. Cheney, a Buckhead resident, is a member of the Board of Directors of WonderRoot, the SCAD Board of Visitors and the Children’s Museum of Atlanta Advisory Board. She is a member of the Forward Arts Foundation, for which she has chaired the organization’s two major fund-raisers.

Dixon Rye is set to open early this fall at the Westside Ironworks development at 1085 Howell Mill Road. Conceived and curated by designer Bradley Odom, Dixon Rye will combine the elements of interiors, wares and design in its 4,800 square foot industrial space. Odom will offer exclusive finds from Sabin and Astier De Villatte (to name a few), mixed with pieces from emerging and well established artisans, craftsman and designers. Custom upholstery designs by Odom himself will also be in the mix. For more information, visit dixonrye.com.

Huang Yi & KUKA

Thursday, October 1, 7:30 pm

Friday, October 2, 8:00 pm

“One of the most interesting and just plain coolest things you can find on any stage this year”

–Blogcritics.org

STREB: Forces

Thursday, October 8, 7:30 pm

Friday, October 9, 8:00 pm

“Forces doesn’t so much push the boundaries of strength and endurance as it removes them. A rush.”

An Evening with Radiolab’s

Jad Abumrad

Saturday, October 10, 8:00 pm

“Gut Churn, the outcome of three years of research and thought about everything from Cherokee dream hunting to the works of Kierkegaard and the teachings of various Zen masters.” –Blogcritics.org

Nina Cheney

Trees Atlanta has opened TreeHouse, an education and research center in the Stove Works in Inman Park. The 3,800 square-foot facility is the non-profit’s second office and will provide a venue for Trees Atlanta’s many youth and adult educational programs. The newly designed space features flexible multipurpose areas for educational classes and lectures. Innovative features include seasonally changing exhibits and interactive play zones for all ages. A backdoor opens directly onto the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, which will serve as an outdoor classroom and laboratory. In the first photo above at last month’s ribbon cutting was, from left, Amy Phuong, City of Atlanta Commissioner for the Department of Parks and Recreation; Connie Veates, Trees Atlanta Co-Executive Director; Ed Dobbs, Trees Atlanta Capital Campaign Chair; Atlanta City Councilmember Natalyn Archibong; and Greg Levine, Trees Atlanta Co-Executive Director.

October 2015 Yard of the Month winners

ach month, our Engel & Völkers Intown Atlanta family wants to recognize a few homeowners who take exceptional pride in their community, and individual homes, by showcasing these lovely properties as our “Yard of the Month” award winners. Not only are these properties beautiful to view, they also help improve desirability, and thus value, for their neighborhoods.

Morningside: Move-Right-In. Mstr on main & 4 add’l bdrms office/den, gourmet kitchen. 3 bdrms on 2nd level. 4th bdrm/ bath, 3rd level. Lush landscape, fenced yard, deck. 5BR/ 4BA

Ken Covers ken.covers@evusa.com $915,000

Cabbagetown: Rare wide lot on Savannah Street! Large enough for a two-story cottage with driveway. Located in a historic district where guidelines must be followed.

Morningside: Custom home w/vaulted ceilings, skylights. Passive solar design by Rick Sibly. Wood-burning stove. Landscaped, wooded outdoor retreat in the city. 3BD/ 2BA

Dan Gunia dan.gunia@evusa.com

Mosaic: Spacious townhome, open floorplan, hdwds, SS apps, granite. F’place in LR. Formal DR w/wainscotting. Best location, across from private park. Swimming pool. 3BD/ 3.5BA

Michael Gaddy michael.gaddy@evusa.com

$239,900

Virginia Highland: Exceptional John Willis Custom Home in wonderful lot Home includes back veranda w/f’place to enjoy 9 mos out of year. Customize home to taste. 5BR/ 4.5BA

Michael Gaddy michael.gaddy@evusa.com $1,399,000

Freedom Heights: Spectacular loft on Beltline w/rooftop deck! Four living levels, 2 outdoor living spaces. Spacious, gorgeous. Ponce City Mkt blocks away. 1BR/ 1.5BA

The Astoria: Spectacular 12th floor home w/splendid view. All Thermador apps. Kitchen opens to DR/LR. Premiere boutique mixed use bldg. Concierge, rooftop pool. 2BR/ 2.5BA Michael Gaddy michael.gaddy@evusa.com

1411 North Highland Avenue Atlanta, GA 30306

Saratoga Springs: Traditional John Wieland resale on quiet cul de sac w/2-car garage. Swim/tennis comm. Updated kitchen. Office, formal DR, sep laundry rm. 2 sunrms, deck.4BD/ 2.5BA

Quinn Arnau quinn.arnau@evusa.com

404-874-6357 | intownatlanta.evusa.com

$219,000

Rivergate: Entertainer dream home. Cathedral ceil & stone f’place. Huge LR/kit w/granite & center island. Deck, pool, wooded lot. Master retreat w/vaulted ceilings. 5BR/ 4.5BA Laurie Nickless & Andreas Alsdorf

The Neighborhood Hot List

Tell us about new restaurants, attractions, shows, concerts, businesses or o -the-beaten path places in your favorite neighborhood. Send us your photos, too!

January: Downtown

February: East Atlanta

March: Westside/W. Midtown

April: Inman Park

May: Candler Park

June: Buckhead

July: Ansley Park

August: Decatur

September: Midtown

October: Little Five Points

November: Morningside/Lenox Park

December: Virginia Highland

The Importance of Common Ground

Like thousands of others in Atlanta, I love Piedmont Park. For the past forty years, I have lived within walking distance of this crown jewel in Atlanta’s park system.

One of the joys of my new semiretirement is that I can spend more time walking or jogging around the park, usually in the active oval with its stunning view of Midtown Atlanta – but also along the shores of Lake Clara Meer and near the banks of Clear Creek.

It’s not just the fresh air, the grand trees and the lovely Olmstead views that bring me to Piedmont Park – it’s the people.

Like other places of “common ground,” this public park draws wondrous varieties of people: their activities, languages, costumes, sports, music, food and celebrations. The ever-changing tableau never fails to invigorate me.

My walks through the park also bring back memories: attending the Arts Festival there in the 1960s, cheering for my sons as they raced through the park in the Peachtree Junior in the early 90s, walking through the snow after my father died four years ago, and attending a glorious Indian wedding earlier this year.

The Boston Common, designated a public open space in 1634, is considered the nation’s first city park. But it wasn’t until the early 1900s that the vision for urban parks changed from natural settings and pleasure gardens to public areas that provide recreation in close-to-home neighborhood parks. Thus was born the notion of the public playground.

The first municipal park in the country equipped as a permanent

playground was dedicated in the heart of New York City in 1903. A decade later, my maternal grandmother helped establish and then supervised the first public playground program in five parks in Norfolk, Virginia. Born in New York City in 1880 and trained there in physical education and social work, she believed that urban youth needed a safe place to play, exercise, learn games, and compete in a friendly atmosphere.

Sometimes, when I walk through Piedmont Park, I think about the grandmother I never knew and all the people who have advocated and helped pay for the greenspaces that mean so much to our daily lives.

Fortunately, we have nonprofit organizations that work with government agencies and community partners to sustain and protect our public parks and urban gardens. While the Piedmont Park Conservancy focuses on my neighborhood park, Park Pride works throughout the city of Atlanta and DeKalb County and provides grants of all sizes to fund park improvements.

The deadline for Park Pride’s community building and legacy grant applications is October 26, 2015; firsttime applicants must attend a workshop on Saturday, October 3 (10am-12pm). For more information, see parkpride. org/get-involved/funding-your-park.

Sally Bethea is the retired executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (chattahoochee.org), a nonprofit environmental organization whose mission is to protect and restore the drinking water supply for nearly four million people.

Sally Bethea

Piedmont Park

EcoBriefs

Cirque De Catur

Woodlands Garden of Decatur is gearing up to host Cirque De Catur under its enchanting treetop canopy on Oct. 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. The fundraising event will have a turn-of-the century vintage circus feel, and feature acts like fire breathers, contortionists, tarot card readers and fortunetellers. Chef Kevin Clark from HomeGrown will be providing food for the event. The evening benefits Woodlands Garden’s Keep It Green Indie-Catur capital campaign, which aims to raise $1 million to preserve the one-acre parcel at the corner of Scott Boulevard and Clairemont Avenue adjacent to the Garden. Early-bird tickets are on sale now for $60. For further information and to purchase tickets, visit woodlandsgarden.org.

The Atlanta BeltLine was honored with the Phoenix Award at Brownfields 2015 in Chicago, IL. The event was hosted by the Phoenix Awards Institute, Inc. and recognized real estate developers, environmentalists, and other public and private sector organizations for accomplishments in cleaning up and decontaminating areas of land known as brownfields. The awards recognize achievements in each of the 10 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regions. The Atlanta BeltLine’s award was presented for the Eastside Trail and Historic Fourth Ward Park.

Some of Georgia’s finest musicians will perform at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. for ROCK CHASTAIN , a benefit concert for the Chastain Park Conservancy. This year, Chuck Leavell, long-time keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, and 2015 Georgia Music Award winner for Best Female Rock Artist, Michelle Malone will take the stage. The Conservancy, which keeps Atlanta’s largest park safe, clean and green, is in the final phase of a $5.2-million capital campaign. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com.

Atlanta families are invited to take a break from the business of fall school schedules, football games and holiday preparations to spend an enjoyable evening making and eating s’mores in three of the city’s tranquil greenspaces. The Wylde Center is hosting three free family-oriented gatherings, S’mores for All from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Sugar Creek Garden in Decatur; Oct. 24 at Oakhurst Garden; and Nov. 14 at Hawk Hallow in Atlanta. For details and information, visit wyldecenter. org/smores-for-all.

S’mores for All

Frightful Fun

By Collin Kelley

Netherworld

The classic haunted house is open all month long at 6624 Dawson Boulevard in Norcross. Named one of the scariest haunted houses in the world year after year, it’s worth the trip outside the perimeter to have the pants scared off you. Find out more at fearworld.com.

Chambers of Horror

With The Masquerade leaving North Avenue to make way for a mixed-use development, this will be the last year to have the bejeezus scared out of you inside the historic mill. This adult only haunted house runs Oct. 1 to Nov. 2 and the storyline visitors will enter is all about weaponized zombies, secrete government plots and lots of blood. Tickets are available at the door or online ranging in price from $22 for general admission to $60 for VIP. For more, visit chambersofhorroratl.com.

Candler Park Fall Fest

The annual festival returns Oct. 3-4 from noon to 9 p.m. each day. A 5K, live music, more than 100 artists booths, kid zone and Tour of Homes are all part of the weekend. For more, visit fallfest. candlerpark.org.

LakeFest in Pine Lake

DeKalb County’s smallest city will host two days of art, music, food and family fun on the shores of beautiful Pine Lake on Oct. 3-4. Now in its 15th year, the festival showcases handmade art and crafts by 45 local and regional artist vendors, live music, a kids’ carnival, chalk art and sand sculpture contests, a poetry reading, pet show and parade. Admission and parking are free.

Halloween and fall festivals around Intown

A full listing of events is available at pinelakefest.com.

Oakland Cemetery

On Oct. 4 the 36th annual Sunday in the Park Victorian street festival brings Oakland Cemetery’s past to the present. From noon to 6 p.m., explore the cemetery’s splendor with living history demonstrations, guided walking tours, a Victorian costume contest, live music and dance performances, children’s area, food trucks, beer tents and much more. Attendees are also invited to participate in the Victorian costume contest and photography contest, or explore inside some of Oakland’s grand mausoleums, which are only opened once a year during Sunday in the Park.

Tickets to this daylong celebration are $7 and children under 3 years old are free. Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours will span two weekends on Oct. 23-25 and Oct. 29-31. Experience the cemetery after dark on guided walking tours.

Tickets range from $13 to $25 and are available in advance at TicketAlternative. com. Visit oaklandcemetery.com for more details.

Scarecrows in the Garden

The Atlanta Botanical Garden goes all in for Halloween with its annual display of 100 scarecrows from Oct. 8-31. Kids are invited to dress up in their best costumes for Goblins in the Garden on Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will feature crafts, storytelling, pony rides and train rides.

Fest-of-Ale happens every Thursday in October from 5 to 10 p.m. with seasonal brews and live music. Local chefs will square off on Oct. 29 from 7 to 8 p.m. for the Great Pumpkin Carving Contest. For details on all the Halloween and fall events, visit atlantabg.org.

Pace Academy Fall Fair

The 52nd edition of the Fall Fair (this year’s theme is A Sweet Day & Knight) will be held Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attractions will include dozens inflatables, rides, a haunted house, food and a street fair featuring artists and vendors offering items ranging from unique jewelry, toys and children’s accessories to gourmet specialty foods. For more information, visit paceacademy.org.

Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade

The 15th annual tradition will see thousands congregate in L5P on Oct. 17 to enjoy the artists market, food, drinks, live entertainment and one of the best Halloween parades the South has to offer. The parade begins at 4 p.m. Costumes are encouraged! For more information, visit l5phalloween.com.

Fall Festival on Ponce

The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces will host the fifth annual Fall Festival on Ponce Oct. 17-18 at Olmsted Linear Park. There will be more than 125 displays of fine art and crafts, folk and “outsider art.” There will also be a children’s area, local gourmet food, beverages and a small stage for acoustic

musical performances. Admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Visit festivalonponce.com for more information.

Krog Masquerade

The street party returns to the iconic Krog Street tunnel that connects the Old Fourth Ward and Cabbagetown on Oct. 17. There will be live entertainment, street performers, food and more during this “avant-garde European style masquerade ball.” Masks will be required for entry into the tunnel and attendees must be 21 or over. The festivities begin promptly at 8 p.m. and will end at 1 a.m. Tickets are $40-50 for general admission or $100 for VIP. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit krogmasquerade.com.

Atlanta Arts Festival

The 9th annual event returns to Piedmont Park on Oct. 24-25. There will be an artist’s market, art demonstrations, classes, food, live music and more. Admission is free. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit atlantaartsfestival.com.

Hocus Pocus

Jerusalem House will hold its 16th annual Halloween party, “Hocus Pocus,” Oct. 24 from 7 p.m. to midnight at W Atlanta - Midtown. Each year, the event attracts hundreds of costumed guests and is the largest fundraiser for Atlanta’s oldest and largest provider of permanent supportive housing for homeless people with HIV/AIDS. General admission tickets are $75. For more information and tickets, visit jersusalemhouse.org/tickets.

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Sunday in the Park Krog Masquerade

A Social Mess

Anne Lee Burnstein

Chad Elkins

Chris, Audrey & Carrie Cunningham

Catie Leary

Karen Rooker Tris Sicignano Kelli Cameron

John Whitt

Evan Valentine

Alexis Mastmeier & Jay Arcement

Calvin Yu and son Roman

Hall-Sisson

Keep Atlanta Weird

It’s Halloween year-round for horror artist Shane Morton

By Isadora Pennington

From the litany of Halloween themed events like the Little 5 Points Halloween Parade to zombie films and shows in production yearround, this city has its fair share of spooky happenings for horror lovers. Behind the scenes of many of the weirdest, creepiest, and most bizarre productions in Atlanta is Shane Morton, an artist with a fondness for monster movies.

Morton is a staple in the Atlanta horror scene with a resume that includes acting, illustration, painting, sculpting, production and much more. He’s known as a renaissance man in the industry. “I’ve always done this stuff for fun, you know,” he said. “I was always obsessed with this since I was a kid. I saw King Kong when I was 3 years old and it changed my life. I’ve been making monster stuff ever since.”

“Why is Atlanta so weird?” mused Morton. “It’s because of Ted Turner.”

Morton cut his teeth on the old horror movies shown on Turner’s first broadcast channel, WTCG (later WTBS) which showed a steady diet of classic films and TV shows. Morton remembers watching classic monster movies while eating breakfast, “that sort of thing kind of warped us in a good way.”

Morton took his love for horror and created Silver Scream FX Lab in South Atlanta. The space is nearly 20,000 square feet full to the brim with props, memorabilia, displays, artwork, and movie sets. Production happens in the lab, too, and bits of silicone body parts in progress can be found strewn around the work area. In one corner sits a box of creepy fake faces and along the walls are shelves of fake props mixed in with real animals preserved in jars of formaldehyde.

Many of the pieces on display in the lab can be recognized from Morton’s various projects, including “Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell” for Adult Swim on The Cartoon Network (which just so happens to be owned by Ted Turner). “When I found out they were going to do a satanic sitcom I was like, ‘I’ve gotta be the guy,’” he said about the workplace comedy set in hell.

Morton has also worked with the Adult Swim team for projects such as the bizarre “Too Many Cooks,” a surreal, comedic short film. The short begins as a parody of ‘80s and ‘90s television opening title sequences which are interrupted by a homicidal character. The clip became an Internet sensation and went viral after its online debut. Metalheads might be familiar with Morton’s work in the recent Mastodon music video “Asleep in the Deep.”

Though he has always been an artist, he didn’t always focus on monsters. While still in high school, Morton started a small business doing airbrush artwork on the beach in

his hometown of St. Simons Island.

“In the ‘80s that was really popular,” explained Morton. Following a brief and painful stint working at a Burger King while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, Morton returned to the art business and opened an airbrush shop at Oglethorpe Mall in Savannah making shirts. This, in turn, led him to get involved with the production of the ‘80s horror film, “Return of the Swamp Thing.” He was also building a music career as singer and guitarist for a successful band called The Luchagors.

He was torn about leaving music and return to art, but once he returned to his love of art and horror, Morton’s career took off. This year alone, he has finished eight big projects, including two feature films, three pilots, and three videos. “Hard work ethic helps,” said Morton. “I work every day, even when I’m at home.”

One of 2015’s crowning achievements for Morton and his team is a unique horror film called “Sam & Mattie Make A Zombie Movie.” The film is an action-packed adventure following two bionic teens as they fight against zombies, demons, and their own fears. “Just when you think everything has been done in film and television and then something like this comes along,” said Morton. The film was conceived, written, acted, and directed by best friends Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, two teens with Down Syndrome who met at the Special Olympics in elementary school.

“There is a purity to what these boys have done and to their approach,” Morton said. “It’s so real, it’s hard to wrap your head around it.”

Now in post-production, Morton is anxiously awaiting screenings of the finished product. He believes that this is the beginning of a new type of filmmaking and thinks that the movie will be a hit with audiences. “It’s gonna be huge,” he said. The film is full of culture references and collaborations with celebrity talents such as the Beastie Boys, Farrelly Brothers and Pauly D.

In addition to the television and production side of his work, Morton is also known for his contributions to projects like the Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse, a fully immersive Halloween attraction that inserts the participants into a zombie outbreak. Performing as his alter-ego Professor Morte, Morton also hosts the popular Silver Scream Spook Show at the Plaza Theater on Ponce. At the time of our meeting he was preparing for Monsterama, a fantasy and horror convention at the Marriott Perimeter on the weekend of Oct. 2-4.

To see updates on “Sam & Mattie Make A Zombie Movie” online, go to facebook.com/samandmattie and follow the exploits of Professor Morte at silverscreenspookshow.com.

Stay weird, Atlanta.

Photos by Isadora Pennington

Shane Morton, pictured above, and creepy props inside the Silver Screen FX Lab.

Photo show captures contrast, nostalgia, connects with viewers

By Martha Nodar

Members of the Buckhead-based Atlanta Artists Center (AAC) are once again engaging the viewers with their images this fall during the annual Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP) Festival.

Now in its 17th season, the festival, which takes place at multiple locations every October, is sponsored by ACP, a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting photography. One of those locations is the Buckhead Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System.

“The AAC Eleventh Photography Exhibit at the Buckhead Public Library” opens on Sept. 30, and runs through Nov. 2. A reception, open to the public, is scheduled for Oct. 10, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Included in the exhibit are images by Midtown artist Paul D’Amato and colleagues: Aleta Aaron, Gay Allen, Althea Brown, Chet Burgess, Cheryl D’Amato, Nathan Dean, Mikki Dillon, Judith Dunne, Erin-Elizabeth Durham, Louise Georges, Nafisa Sheriff, and Saul Torres.

One of the pieces in the show is Paul D’Amato’s “Disconnected,” a black-and-white digital photo of a rural landscape south of Atlanta. D’Amato said he is drawn to black-and-white images because he believes they are the best for him “to elevate the contrast” and possibly “evoke a sense of place or mood in the observer.”

That was the case with Atlanta artists Clara Blalock and Carolyn Meltzer who perceived a touch of nostalgia in the implied contrast between past and present captured in “Disconnected.”

“As I look at this photograph, I am transported to another place and time,” Blalock said. “The house, which is the focal point, is static, while the movement of the sky keeps the eye from resting for too long. It is almost as though part of the image has stopped-in-place while the environment continues to move in the present tense.”

“This piece really drew me in,” Meltzer said. “The ordinary house and the open green space may pull the viewer back to a time long past, the middle of nowhere, a humble beginning perhaps. Yet, the turbulent sky above stirs the present atmosphere and adds to a growing sense of uncertainty.”

Participants and attendees for ACP 2015 can also

expect lectures from prominent photographers and curators, public art installations, the “My Atlanta” popup gallery of photos by residents at Ponce City Market, a photography auction, film series, photobook fair and much more.

For a complete schedule of ACP events, exhibitions and participants, visit acpinfo.org.

- Hilda Willis Performing Arts, Director in Residence

“ Weber students embrace the creative process and connect with who they are artistically, culturally, and spiritually.”

“Disconnected” by Paul D’Amato

ELEVATE 2015

Public art program returns to Downtown Oct. 15-23

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has announced the artist lineup for ELEVATE 2015, the city’s annual visual arts program and festival. Now in its fifth year, ELEVATE will take place over nine days in Downtown, from Oct. 15-23. ELEVATE aims to promote citywide cultural growth among residents by exhibiting large-scale public art installations, visual performances and educational opportunities.

“The city is home to nationally-renowned visual and performance artists, poets, authors and scholars,” said Camille Russell Love, executive director for the Office of Cultural Affairs. “ELEVATE 2015 will celebrate and spotlight Atlanta’s own homegrown, worldrenowned arts and cultural community. Our goal is to ensure Atlanta residents feel a strong sense of pride in their city and the cultural resources and experiences it offers to the world.”

Programming for ELEVATE is curated by internationally-recognized visual/performing artist and scholar Fahamu Pecou whose artistic

Local

dancers

By Martha Nodar

work is featured on Emmy award-winning shows including the FOX drama “Empire” and ABC’s hit comedy “Black-ish.”

Additional contributing artists include: Christopher Chambers, Jason Kofke, Gwendolyn “Kitty” Pope, Lionel Daniel, Heritage High School, Lumumba Mogerie, Max Woo, Nelly Bonilla, Rachel K. Garceau, Bent Frequency, Sanithna Phansavanh, Angela Davis Johnson, AllWays Open Creative, Brandon Sadler, Balmori Associates, and Vex Nea.

The theme for this year’s ELEVATE event is Forever I Love Atlanta (F.I.L.A.), and will feature a special art installation presented by Rico Wade and Ray Murray of the Atlantabased hip-hop production company Organized Noize. All of the programs, workshops and lectures presented during ELEVATE are free and open to the public.

For a full schedule of the ELEVATE 2015 programs and participating artists, visit ocaatlanta.com.

kick-off 30th season in “High” style

CORE Atlanta – a nonprofit, contemporary dance organization based in Decatur – launches its 30th season by participating in events at the High Museum in conjunction with two exhibitions.

CORE’s first performance of the season will be a Waltzinspired show at the High on Oct. 23, at: 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., as part of “A Royal Affair—Opening Party for Habsburg Splendor.” The performance is free with the price of museum admission.

“We love collaborating with CORE,” said Erin Dougherty, the High’s head of public programs and community engagement. “They bring such passion and creativity to every project they work on. CORE’s performance adds another layer to our patrons’ experience on top of viewing the art work.”

Sue Schroeder, CORE’s founder and artistic director, said her company is committed to the creative process.

“We respect the museum and try to create an intentional kinetic entry point to the exhibition for the museum patrons,” she said.

To that end, CORE member Joshua Rackliffe of Little Five Points, who is choreographing for the upcoming event, said he has been studying the Habsburg dynasty. He said he is selecting Waltz compositions that are “complimentary with the Habsburg collection.”

“The Waltz is a dynamic piece of music that is indicative of high society, civility, and gracefulness,” he said. “I plan to incorporate music that will represent the themes of the rise and fall of the empire.”

Rose Shields, a fellow CORE member and one of the performers in the show, said she is drawn to the Waltz.

“The spiral element of the Waltz makes you lose sense of what’s around you,” she said. “You give-in and fall into the rhythm.”

Next spring, CORE members will perform at the High on May 6 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with the exhibit “Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion,” which runs from Nov. 7 to May 15, 2016.

To learn more about CORE’s other performances around Atlanta this season and the classes and workshops being offered at its studio, visit coredance.org.

By Martha Nodar

A new European exhibit comes to the High Museum of Art this fall ushering in the allure of vintage treasures from an old dynasty.

“Habsburg Splendor: Masterpieces from Vienna’s Imperial Collections,” featuring objects, artifacts, costumes and works for art from previous centuries, opens Oct. 18 and continues through Jan. 17, 2016.

Among the 20 paintings spanning from the 17th to the 19th centuries included in the exhibition is “The Crowning with Thorns,” an oil on canvas masterpiece by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio – an Italian painter who came to be known as Caravaggio – the name of a small town near Milan where he grew up.

Oglethorpe University’s art history professor Jeffrey Collins said that because of disagreements among some scholars related to the Italian artist’s real name “we use the name of the city where he lived to identify him.”

Influenced by the Baroque era – a creative period known for drama and contrast when religion was at the forefront – Caravaggio captivates his audience, then, and now, by blending the physical, poignant, mundane, and spiritual aspects of human life through his expertise in chiaroscuro (blending dark and light).

“Caravaggio gives us such powerful, emotional depth,” Collins said. “He places the sacred stories in ordinary places. He gives us the deeply human and the mystery all at once.”

“The details in this painting are really terrific,” said Virginia Sweeney, the High’s coordinator of museum interpretation.

“Habsburg Splendor” will feature more than 90 artworks and artifacts tell the story, including arms and armor, sculpture, Greek and Roman antiquities, court costumes, carriages, decorative art objects, and paintings by other masters such as Correggio, Giorgione, Rubens, Tintoretto, Titian and Velázquez. Most of the artwork has never been exhibited outside Austria.

Sweeney said her department is “hard at work” preparing docents’ discussions and audio tapes to enhance the patrons’ museum experience during this exhibition.

For more information, visit high.org.

MUSIC FROM 5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION

Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra is the first to seamlessly combine the distinct sounds of Chinese instruments with the foundation of a Western orchestra. The result is a rich, vivid sound that leaves an impression on everyone who hears it.

shenyun.com/symphony/atlanta Woodruff Center Box Office: 404-733-5000

Visual Arts

Indigenous Beauty: Masterworks of American Indian Art from the Diker Collection: Explore both the deep historical roots of Native American art and its dynamism of the living cultures and traditions of Native American tribes through to the contemporary era. Opens October 10. $6 to $8. carlos.emory.edu

Habsburg Splendor: Masterpieces from Vienna’s Imperial Collections: More than 90 artworks and artifacts tell the story of Europe’s long-reigning dynasty, including arms and armor, sculpture, court costumes and more. Opens October 18. $12 to $19.50. high.org

Searching for the Queen of Sheba: Discover the myth and mystery behind one of history’s most elusive female figures in this world premiere exhibit. Daily. $16 to $18. fernbankmuseum.org

Sheila Pree Bright: 1960 Now: Sheila Pree Bright’s most ambitious photographic project to date celebrates a generation of leaders from Atlanta and the American South who became the catalyst for social change in the early 1960s. Tuesday through Saturday. $5 to $8. mocaga.org

Turbo Sculpture: Artist Aleksandra Domanović questions the emergence of a new kind of public art in the ex-Yugoslavia republics in which local authorities eternalize Hollywood stars and heroes of the Western world. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. atlantacontemporary.org

Performing Arts

talents, from D’Angelo and the Vangaurd and Public Enemy to Santigold and Tyler The Creator. October 3 and October 4. $79 to $289. afropunkfest.com/atlanta

La bohème: Puccini’s masterpiece introduces Mimì and Rodolfo, young lovers living in Paris in the 19th century who, along with their group of bohemians, traverse the landscapes of love, poverty and loss. October 3 through October 11. $34 to $141. atlantaopera.org

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Arthur Miller’s powerful tale of the Salem witch trials comes to The Tavern stage to explore what happened to the women of Salem in 1692. Opens October 10. $15 to $39. shakespearetavern.com

Jersey Boys: The 2006 Tony Awardwinning Best Musical tells the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history as The Four Seasons. October 6 through October 11. $40 to $150. foxtheatre.org

ORQUESTA BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB

Curious Literary Encounters: Seven innovative Atlanta artists and ensembles create original, interactive work based on famed works of literature within the hidden nooks and corners of 7 Stages. October 1 through October 4. $15 to $22. 7stages. org

R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (And Mystery) Of The Universe: Tom Key stars in this unconventional one-man show that blends multimedia, poetry and humor to tell the story of the Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century. October 1 through October 25. $20 to $50. theatricaloutfit.org

I Am A Moon: Explore how Eastern and Western cultures search for intimacy and how perceptions of the body influence self-image in this new play from Zhu Yi. October 1 through October 10. $14 to $20. theater.emory.edu

Afropunk Fest Atlanta: Hear a lineup of groundbreaking icons and emerging

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club: After more than a thousand performances, Cuba’s legendary music group is bidding the road farewell with one last tour of their Latin jazz sounds. October 24. $100 to $138. rialto.gsu.edu

STREB: Forces: Big ideas, big hardware, big hearts and big muscles collide in this dance-meets-Hollywoodstunt-work performance for the whole family. October 8. $22 to $46. ferstcenter. gatech.edu

Come, Stay, Go!: Atlanta Master Chorale anticipates new beginnings in their season opener at Emory’s Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. October 10. $10 to $20. atlantamasterchorale.org

The Ghastly Dreadfuls: Raising Spirits: Some shows just can’t stay dead, and this band of specters is back with a Halloween cavalcade of creepy stories, frightful songs and devilish dances from around the world. October 14 through October 31. $25. puppet.org.

Symphony Hall at

“It is beyond anything I can put into words. It’s the most amazing, uplifting, spiritual journey.”

—Margaux Brooks, executive film producer

Your family’s most comprehensive online guide to arts and cultural entertainmentVisit AtlantaPlanIt.com for more upcoming events.

Community Calendar

October 2015

Kale Fest - Thursday, Oct. 1, 4-8 p.m. Community Farmers Market presents a new event in celebration of Kale during the farmers market. Got a love for cooking? You can participate in a kale recipe contest with 3 categories: Classic Kale, Most Creative Kale, and Quick & Easy Kale. Chef David Sweeney will be on deck whipping up demos throughout the day, and bartender Tim Frost of Illegal Food will be making kale-inspired cocktails for a cocktail demo while Cherokee Moon Mixology will be serving up their refreshing (and non-alcoholic) kale tonics. Live music, kids games, and recipes to take home make this event a Kale lover’s dream. East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, 561 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, 30316. For more info, check out farmeav.com.

Maker Faire - Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday, October 4, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. The Maker Faire is coming to Decatur this October! This event is a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness and showcases ideas from a variety of contributors, such as tech enthusiasts, crafters, homesteaders, scientists, and garage tinkerers. This national event will be taking place in downtown Decatur which is handy for grabbing a bite or a drink from a business nearby during the event. Tickets are free and can be found at makerfaireatl.com. Downtown Decatur, 30030.

Flux Night 2015 - Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. - 12 a.m. Flux, one of Atlanta’s favorite outdoor art exhibitions comprised of temporary public art projects, returns in 2015 to a new Neighborhood: Old Fourth Ward. Curator Nato Thompson has brought together contributions by Center for Tactical Magic, Courtesy the Artists (Malik Gaines & Alexandro Segade), Arthur Jafa + Elissa Moorhead + Rashida Bumbray, Otabenga Jones & Associates, Stephon Ferguson, Jessica Felder-Scott, Yoko Ono, and the transmedia project Question Bridge for this year’s event. Taking place in the Old Fourth Ward on Edgewood and Auburn Avenues, between Jackson and Howell Streets as connected by Boulevard. To see maps of the area and learn more about this event, go tofluxnight2015dream.org.

Atlanta Black Theatre Festival - Thursday, Oct. 8 through Sunday, October 11, daily hours 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. The Atlanta Black Theatre Festival (ABTF), also known as the “festival of 40 plays in 4 days,” is a celebration of cultural diversity through theater. The festival features uplifting social engagement and world class entertainment portraying the richness of African heritage. The series seeks to promote diversity in theatre and performing arts and foster creation of new works with new voices. Audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy full-length performances, stage readings, educational workshops, comedies, musicals, dramas, an international vendors market, and awards ceremonies. Morehouse College Campus, Ray Charles Performing Arts Center, 900 West End Ave. SW, 30310. Learn more online at atlantabtf.org.

Atlanta Underground Film Festival - Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, October 10. dooGallery will host the Atlanta Underground Film Festival, an event that showcases DIY, grass-roots movies that break the rules of traditional film and cinema. Short and feature films will be screened in a small and intimate environment that seeks to foster collaboration and connection between independent filmmakers. Tickets are available for purchase at the door 30 minutes prior to each screening on a first come, first serve basis. Cash only. General admission is $6 per feature or shorts block, students with ID are $4 each per feature or shorts block, and daypasses are available for $12 each. To see the full lineup and schedule check out their website at auff.org. dooGallery, 205 Holtzclaw Street SE, Unit J, 30316.

Back to the Future Party - Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. Great Scott! It’s Back to the Future Day! In the beloved classic 80s film, Marty McFly travels in his DeLorean to the future. Specifically, he goes to October 21, 2015, a fantastical time full of technological advances such as hoverboards and 3D holograms. Come out for an adult costume party at the Masquerade, complete with live music, DJs, dancing, and a costume contest. Tickets start at $15 each. Ages 18 and up to party, must be 21 or older to drink. Masquerade, 695 North Ave. NE, 30308. For more info and to buy tickets go online to bttfatlanta.blogspot.com.

EngageMINT - Saturday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m. The second annual EngageMINT party will be taking over Mammal Gallery on South Broad in downtown. The evening will feature art, food, drinks, and performances curated by Mammal Gallery’s Brian Egan. Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and purchase signature cocktails, beer and wine from the cash bars in the gallery. The silent anonymous auction will feature works by 100+ artists of both local and national recognition. Bidding starts at $25, and the artist behind the work is revealed at the end of the night. Proceeds benefit MINT Gallery, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, volunteer-run arts gallery and organization dedicated to cultivating the local arts community. The Mammal Gallery, 91 Broad St. SW, 30303. For more information, go to mintatl.org.

IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST A recap of Dragon Con 2015

By Isadora Pennington

Dragon Con, a Labor Day weekend tradition, bills itself as the largest multi-genre science fiction and fantasy convention in the world. Locals and visitors alike book hotel rooms and don their best cosplay outfits before heading into the fray to purchase artwork, comics, meet celebrities, attend panels, screenings, pose for pictures, party, and participate in the massively popular parade along Peachtree Street in Downtown.

This year, I had the opportunity to attend Dragon Con and meet some influential Atlanta people affiliated with the event. After a decade of volunteering at the event, Dan Carroll has been media relations director for Dragon Con for the past seven years. “Dragon Con is such a cross section of American culture and brings together the best people in fandom to enjoy the things that make them squee,” said Carroll.

Since the convention’s inception in 1987, the convention has grown from a few hundred fans to 70,000 at this year’s event. “The growth of the convention brings new challenges and new opportunities,” Carroll explained. Navigating the crowds and trying to get a view of the parade can be tough with so many in attendance, but at the same time the growing popularity of the event also allows the organizers to bring in high-profile special guests. In recent years more local businesses like the Georgia Aquarium have gotten in on the fun, hosting special events and promotions during the Con as well.

While only pass holders have access to the sprawling interconnected hotels Downtown, the parade is open to all and has become an Atlanta tradition. “Our parade is the ‘public face’ of Dragon Con and introduces many to the wonderful variety of things you’ll find there,” said parade director Jan Price. Her favorite part? “The enthusiasm of the participants, and the amount of time, effort, and investment they make each year putting together what they bring to the parade.” Price also said she enjoys watching the response of the audience, especially kids who are meeting their heroes face-to-face along the route.

“Absolutely delightful to watch!”

John Bradford, the COO and president of aerospace engineering firm SpaceWorks Enterprises, has been attending Dragon Con for many years. “The first parade was over in about five minutes,” Bradford

recalled. “Nichelle Nichols from Star Trek was going by in a minivan just waving and that was it.” In contrast, this year Bradford arrived more than two hours early to get a good spot for the parade. It just so happens that Nichols was the 2015 parade grand marshal.

He has also been witness to changes in the programming and booking of the convention throughout the years.

“The space and science track early on covered pretty obscure topics,” said Bradford. “They were doing things like the face on Mars and, ya know, magic crystals and things.“ While he admits that there is a place and time for those topics, he feels that the programming has matured to brings in guests from highly respected institutions, in turn improving the quality of the information being conveyed to the public.

In addition to cosplay and science, there is also an impressive array of cartoonists and artists who attend Dragon Con. I spoke with Dave Cook, a local artist who has been attending the convention for many years. For six seasons Cook designed the posters for the Roller Girls here in Atlanta as well as pursuing his own comic projects like Splatter Comics, a series he described as “a 1980s thrash metal version of the Tales from the Crypt.” These days Cook works with local productions like the Walking Dead thanks to connections he made throughout the years here in Atlanta. “Atlanta is a very small community of artists and great people,” said Cook.

Just a few tables down from Cook in Comic Book Alley sat the booth of another well-respected local artist, Bob Burden, creator of the Flaming Carrot comics. “One day I came up with the dumbest idea ever for a superhero,” said Burden. “He has no superpowers, he has no secret identity, and he’s not very smart.” Burden was inspired by preposterous cartoon characters he had seen on television and wanted to push the envelope in creating a new character. The popularity of the comic took off and gained a cult following which in turn led to Burden creating the Mystery Men series.

For many die-hard fans preparations have already begun for their 2016 Dragon Con experience, working diligently on their handmade costumes, booking hotel rooms and arranging flights back to Atlanta for next Labor Day weekend. To learn more about the convention and next year’s programming as it is announced, go online to dragoncon.org.

Photos by Isadora Pennington

Suzanne & Dane Cook

Dan Carroll

John Bradford

Bob Burden

New Restaurants

By Collin Kelley

Cooler weather might be on the way, but Intown’s restaurant scene continues to heat up as a slate of new restaurants open – or prepare to open – to diners looking for the next hot spot. Here are some of the new eateries making mouths water in anticipation.

between Peachtree and Juniper will feature fare inspired by his Mexican heritage. The menu will include customizable tacos like grilled adobe chick and whole grilled fish with charred corn tortillas and housemade salsa. Be sure to follow the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter @RrealTacosATL for more information.

Pita Pit

The Canadian fast casual favorite has opened its first Atlanta location at 950 West Peachtree in Midtown. As the name suggests, soft pita bread is rolled and filled with grilled meats, fresh vegetables, cheeses and sauces. Visit pitapitusa.com for more information.

Revelator Coffee Company

Ponce City Market

JP Atlanta

Atlantans of a certain age will remember the elegant, Danish-inspired Midnight Sun restaurant that used to be at Peachtree Center in Downtown. Almost 50 years later, creator and architect John Portman plans to create a modern interpretation of the Midnight Sun called JP Atlanta this December. 230 Peachtree, which Portman first designed and developed in 1965 as part of his Peachtree Center complex, has been reacquired for adaptive reuse. John Portman & Associates will once again design a signature restaurant space within the building, which will also be home to a new 203-room Hotel Indigo hotel. Although the menu will feature new American cuisine, expect sleek glass, stone and skylights that are hallmarks of Portman’s design aesthetic.

Venkman’s Venkman’s, the new dining and entertainment concept from Nicholas Niespodziani and Peter Olson of Yacht Rock Revue, and local chef Nick Melvin, just open its doors last month 740 Ralph McGill Boulevard in the Old Fourth Ward. The menu features classic comfort food and cocktails alongside curated live music performances and DJs inside the renovated NuGrape Soda Factory. For more information, visit venkmans.com.

Juice Bar

The new Virginia-Highland/ Morningside location at 1402 N. Highland Ave. offers customized juices, smoothies and “essential oil shots.” There’s also an eats and treats menu with quinoa salads, spring rolls, fruit cups and soups. More information at ilovejuicebar.com.

Rreal Tacos

Expected to open this fall in Midtown, chef and owner Adrian Villarreal’s taqueria on 6th Street

Located in the Elan Westside Apartment building at 691 14th Street, the shop provides a simple menu of its specialty seasonal coffees, tea, and foods from local artisans, including H&F Bread Company, Flora & Flour and Queen of Cream. Visit revelatorcoffee. com for more information.

Cape Dutch

Restaurateur Justin Anthony (10 Degrees South, Yebo) has opened this South African-inspired steak and seafood kitchen at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road in Morningside in the old Woodfire Grill space. Menu highlights from executive chef Philippe Haddad include grilled lamb chops over basmati rice, Chilean sea bass and peri-peri duck.

The Central Food Hall is already buzzing with the opening of Chef Linton Hopkins H&F Burger (those double cheeseburgers are heavenly) and Hop’s Chicken (chicken and biscuits); sandwiches and salads from Farm to Ladle ; sweet treats from Honeysuckle Gelato ; olive oil, salt and spice purveyor Strippaggio ; Asian delights at Simply Seoul Kitchen ; Prohibitionstyle cocktail shop 18.21 Bitters ; and Hugh Acheson’s coffee kiosk Spiller Park Coffee . Coming soon: gourmet Italian market Bellina ; beef jerky, pies and South African wine at Biltong Bar ; Indian street food concept Boti ; Latininspired sandwiches from El Super Pan ; authentic Szechuan-inspired food from Jia ; cold press juice bar Lucky Lotus ; kebabs and hummus at Marrakesh ; casual Mexican concept Minero ; cocktails with your lunch and dinner at The Mercury ; Guy Wong’s Japanese concept Ton Ton ; and W.H. Stiles Fish Camp from Anne Quatrano.

Beetlecat

Ford Fry has a new seafood restaurant opening in the Inman Quarter development on North Highland Avenue in Inman Park called Beetlecat . Billed as a companion restaurant to Fry’s popular The Optimist, the new eatery is expected to open in November.

chef is Ryan Smith, previously of Empire State South. For more information, visit facebook.com/ staplehouseATL.

Brush Sushi Izakaya

Chef Jason Liang, creator of Craft Izakaya, will bring sushi to Downtown Decatur later in the fall in a gastro pub-style setting. The restaurant will be located at 316 Church Street.

Queen of Cream

Queen of Cream is now open at the Highland Walk building, 701 Highland Ave. in the Old Fourth Ward, serving up ice cream, sundaes, milkshakes, floats, coffee and more. The ice cream parlor was co-founded by David Sandling and Cora Cotrim, who formerly worked as a pastry chef at Paper Plane, Victory Sandwich Bar, and Cacao. For more information visit queenofcream.com.

Bar Margot

Just open from Chef Fry is Bar Margot at the Four Seasons in Midtown. The new concept places Park 75 Lounge and serves up lunch, dinner and cocktails, of course. The bar is named after Gwyneth Paltrow’s character Margot Tenenbaum, the secretive playwright in the movie The Royal Tenenbaums.

Staplehouse

After numerous delays thanks to city’s permitting department, Staplehouse is open at 541 Edgewood Ave. in the Old Fourth Ward. The dream of Jen Hiddinger and her late husband, Ryan, the restaurant’s purpose is to give proceeds to nonprofit The Giving Kitchen, which assists restaurant workers who experience unexpected hardships. The executive

Dolce Italian

A local version of Miami’s Italian café-style restaurant, which earlier this year won the Bravo reality TV show “Best New Restaurant,” is now open in the Buckhead Atlanta development. The menu includes classics ranging from handcrafted pastas, to indulgent seafood risotto, meatballs over creamy polenta, and a selection of specialty Neapolitan-style pizzas. For more, visit buckhead-atl.com.

Little Trouble

The new bar/restaurant concept from the team behind Victory Sandwich Bar in Inman Park and Decatur is located in Westside Provisions District underneath Marcel (a steak concept from, you guessed it, Ford Fry) featuring an Asian menu of dumplings, yakitori and noodle bowls alongside craft cocktails. For more information, visit facebook.com/ littletroubleatl.

Urban Cannibals and Madre + Mason

Chef Calavino Donati and Doria Roberts moved their beloved Urban Cannibals from East Atlanta Village to Midtown at 368 5th Street. They are serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner at the deli and café with offerings like soups, salads, sandwiches, po’boys and more. The duo also plans to open Madre + Mason, a “Southern-Latin family kitchen” at 560 Dutch Valley Road on Oct. 1. For more information, visit facebook.com/urbancannibals.

Bar Margot

Queen of Cream

JP Atlanta

Dolce Italian

HOW SWEET IT IS

New eats at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market

By Annie Kinnett Nichols

Sweet Auburn Curb Market just keeps getting sweeter thanks to some new eateries opening stalls inside the iconic building on Edgewood Avenue.

An Atlanta institution since 1917, the market is ranked the 16th Best Food Market in the world by USA Today.

Along with fresh fruits, meats, flowers and other market staples, some great foodie favorites have also debuted here, including Grindhouse Killer Burgers and Bell Street Burritos.

Here’s a look at what’s new:

Le Metro Creperie

If you love a good crepe with a twist this place is perfect for you. If you’re gluten-free then you are in double luck. Started by mother daughter team Christine Taylor and Gwen Denninghoff, there’s lots of crepes to choose from: Mother Gaia with homemade hummus and cucumbers; Banh Mi Crepe with chicken and Sriracha sauce; Grandma Prince with brie, prosciutto, arugula and peach jam; and the classic Limonette crepe. lemetrocreperie.com

Rawesome Juicery

Liquid lunch just took on a new meaning with this cold pressed where you can make your own or choose from one of their amazing recipes. Along with the fruit and vegetable juices, there are also smoothies, made to order salads, wraps, zucchini noodles, and cleansing shots to start your day off right. rawesomejuicery.com

Panbury’s Double Crust Pies

South African expats Lauren Duxbury and Adam Panayiotou are taking comfort food to another level with

these pies, which have become a breakfast and lunch staple. Expect to taste the flavors of Jamaica, New Zealand, Africa and Britain in these pies with their flaky crust filled with chicken and mushroom or curry. They also feature a fresh fruit pie every day. panburys.com

Arepa Mia

Arepa Mia was started by Lis Hernandez, who hails from Venezuela where his mom was a street vendor. Hernandez learned by helping his mom cook up these amazing recipes every day growing up. When he came to Atlanta, he realized it was the perfect spot to recreate his mother’s wonders. There are 14 Arepas, which are gluten-free corn meal or flour patties sliced in half and filled with grass-fed beef, sautéed chicken, tilapia, beans and veggies. They also have empanadas, cachapas – all Venezuelan and all amazing. arepamiaatlanta.com

Sweet Auburn Curb Market has free parking with validation and is walking distance from Downtown. You can drive, walk, bike or take the Atlanta Streetcar right to the front door. For more information, visit thecurbmarket.com.

Panbury’s

Sweet Auburn Curb Market

attitude" -Zagat

By Megan Volpert

Decatur is beginning to suffer from an overabundance of choices. You can get French, Thai, Korean, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Indian, Irish, and 17 unusual kinds of ice cream, all within a couple of blocks. It’s delightful; it’s a great way to raise your kids right –unless your kid wants to eat nothing but pickles and mac ’n’ cheese. Well, you can still order them some junk off the kids’ menu while you enjoy your higher class food, can’t you? Except your awesome eatery doesn’t really focus on having a great pickle and mac ’n’ cheese for the kids. Decatur needs a reminder of the familial food things at the heart of the South – it needs a Revival!

Enter Atlanta native Kevin Gillespie with a treasure trove of classic homestyle recipes under his arm, courtesy of Grandma Geneva. Naturally, my wife and I ordered the Family Style Dinner. We each got to pick an entree and dessert off the regular menu, and the kitchen took care of the rest – meaning finger sandwiches and pickles, bread service, a salad to share, five gigantic sides of the chef’s choice, and coffee or tea. We ate until we were overfull; we ate a complete meal out of the leftovers the next day; we finally finished the last bites on the third day; we only paid about forty bucks apiece for this much face-stuffing.

Everybody around here knows that Chef Gillespie knows what he’s doing. When you go in, the only hipsters are the ones behind the bar making two terrific kinds of punch (go with the Chatham Artillery). Revival is not a place for trying out edgy new concepts. The interior is blue and white with actual Gillespie family photos hanging everywhere. All the food is the very best possible version of exactly what you think it is. My wife ordered a beef and pork meatloaf that was, naturally, wrapped in bacon. I order the fried chicken, which was neither greasy nor overcooked. We both swooned over the fatback-fried silver queen corn, and actually raced for the last bite of hickorysmoked greens. Most of the time, neither of us will even go near the greens!

This is all very telling, because even as Gillespie is delivering exactly the Southern menu you desire, he is most considerately tweaking the details to provide a surprisingly unique plate. Take the cornbread for example. It’s brown and crispy on the outside, thanks to a light dose of bacon fat. The inside is completely fluffy; no hint of the usual flaking or crumbling you’d expect after an outside with such crunch. They’re shaped like triangles instead of slices or muffins. The butter is sculpted, not simply scooped. This is a bread service that speaks to a thousand loving little considerations – the time and attention lavished upon you by grandma.

Revival is a deeply hospitable place,

and more than just the familial food style makes it so: the place owes its soul to Kevin Gillespie’s little sister, Kayla. You don’t have to ask around to figure out which one she is. The Gillespie siblings share twinkling blue eyes, flaming red hair, mischievous grins, and serious charm. Kevin works the kitchen magic, and Kayla works her spell over the dining room. She told us some great stories about the stuff on the walls, helped us decide on desserts, and kept all the servers in good spirits so they remained just as friendly and helpful as she was.

Every time she approached a table with a little kid digging happily around in a blue ramekin of perfect mac ’n’ cheese, Kayla would talk to the children first and the guardians last. She reminds me of my favorite cousin – the one I most often got to see when we all ended up at grandma’s house for dinner. As much as Decatur certainly appreciates a celebrity chef making dinner in the neighborhood, Revival is truly at its best when it reminds us of our roots and traditions. Couldn’t we all use a little more Sunday Dinner in our lives?

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

Southern inspired cocktails, vegetables, cornbread and desserts are all on the Revival menu.

For the Love of Coffee

By Isadora Pennington

Coffee, Java, Joe, Brew - it goes by many names, but no matter what you call it, we love to drink the stuff. When I was a kid, I once took a sip out of an unassuming mug on my kitchen table thinking that it was a Coke. Unfortunately for me, it was cold, day-old coffee. I spit it out, coughing and gagging, and swore that I would never drink it willingly again. But then life happened, and college, and work, and hangovers, and now I’ve come to see it for what it is - a miracle in a cup. It was when I was a full time student and also working full time that I really came to rely on coffee to help me pull all-nighters, write essays, and get me going on days where I’d rather just stay in bed.

Coffee shops are also great spots to gather your thoughts, spend a quiet moment alone, or collaborate with others and network. This month I went on a little tour and photographed five of my favorite neighborhood cafes. Have a suggestion on a future food & beverage feature? Email me at isadora@reporternewspapers.net!

Meals On Wheels receives $1 million anonymous gift

Meals On Wheels Atlanta has received a $1 million gift, given anonymously from a local couple who has been involved with the organization for many years. The announcement comes as Meals On Wheels Atlanta marks its 50th anniversary and the culmination of a two-year capital campaign to renovate its Atlanta headquarters.

“This single donation is the largest in the organization’s 50 year history,” said Jeffrey Smythe, executive director

of Meals On Wheels Atlanta. “We will dedicate these funds to increasing meal production and alleviating the waiting list of more than 300 seniors to receive meals.”

The capital campaign, which raised more than $2 million, enabled Meals On Wheels Atlanta to renovate its facilities and transform its capacity to serve the expanding needs of Atlanta’s senior population. The commercial kitchen was the largest facility improvement, and included extensive new equipment, a new freezer and additional storage spaces to increase meal production and serve more local area seniors in need. Other critical improvements included a new roof, new HVAC, a new delivery vehicle, and updated facilities for the seniors who are served at the onsite Adult Day Health Center and the Northside Activity Center.

The organization will close out its anniversary year with the 28th annual A Meal To Remember on Nov. 6 at The St. Regis. For more information, visit mealsonwheelsatlanta.org.

Canned goods line the shelves at Meals on Wheels Atlanta.

Buckhead - Buckhead Grand. $184,900 3338 Peachtree Road, No. 1104

Sandy Springs. $500,000 940 Landmark Drive

477 Overbrook Drive. $850,000

Listing Agents: Jere Metcalf & Stephen Flanagin

Amsterdam Avenue. $1,245,000

Listing Agent: Jere Metcalf

Quick Bites

Decatur Restaurant Week will be held Oct. 4-8 with participating restaurants offering gourmet prix fixe menus ranging from $15, $25 and/or $35 and include brunch, lunch and/or dinner options for diners to enjoy. Prices are per person and exclude alcohol, tax and gratuity. Participating restaurants include Bhojanic, The Bishop, Café Lily, Cakes & Ale, Chai Pani, Green Ginger, Iberian Pig, No. 246, Parker’s on Ponce, The Pinewood, Twisted Soul Kitchen & Bar, Wahoo! Grill, and more. A complete list of participating restaurants and their signature menus can be viewed at decaturrestaurantweek.com.

The 4th annual Brookhaven Chili Cook Off will be held Oct. 10 from noon to 6 p.m. at Brookhaven Park, 4158 Peachtree Road. More than 75 restaurant and amateur cooking teams will compete for bragging rights, plaques, medals, cash and prizes. Each team will be cooking up chili and Brunswick Stew that can be tasted by festival goers, who will can in the Most Spirited Team and People’s Choice Award competition. Other festival activities will include live music, a kid zone, arts & crafts area and more. A limited amount of tasting spoons will be available in advance on the website for $10 or at the gate for $15. A portion of the proceeds from the festival will benefit Releash Atlanta which provides adoption support to pet rescue organizations and shelters in metro Atlanta. For more information, visit BrookhavenChiliCookOff. com.

The 3rd annual Atlanta Cheese Festival will take place Oct. 9 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown. The festivities will begin with a Grilled Cheese Meltdown and Macdown competition from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Attendees will have the chance to vote after sampling grilled cheese sandwich creations and mac and cheese from a range of competitors. At the end of the evening restaurants will be crowned Macdown and Meltdown champion selected by attendees and guest judges. Attendees will be able to wander through the garden and sample items from cheesemakers and producers. A full lineup and tickets (which start at $37.50) are available at atlantacheesefestival.com. Proceeds will benefit The Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides emergency assistance grants to metro Atlanta restaurant workers facing unanticipated hardship.

Agave in Cabbagetown will celebrate 15 years serving up southwestern food with “A Night of Good Karma,” a six-course tequila dinner, on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. The cost is $85 per person and space is limited. For reservations, visit agaverestaurant.com.

Petite Auberge, 2935 North Druid Hills Road, will host its annual Oktoberfest Party on Oct. 24 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. The event will feature a buffet with all-you-can-eat traditional German and Bavarian cuisine. The cost is $40 person and includes coffee, tea, tax and gratuity. Reservations are requested by calling (404) 634-6268.

The Palm Restaurant in the Westin Buckhead Hotel, known for its first-class steaks, and outrageously large Nova Scotia lobsters, is marking its 20th anniversary with a renovation. Andrei Caciula has been named the new general manager. The redesign includes a hand-painted feature wall that highlights Atlanta’s landmarks and two private dining rooms. There’s also a new bar that opens to the hotel lobby. For more information, visit thepalm.com.

Atlanta Les Dames d’Escoffier International hosts its 15th annual Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe on Nov. 8. Chefs from Atlanta’s top restaurants paired with the area’s best farms will be set up in a tasting format alongside fine wines and premium micro-brews. There will also be live music, cake raffle featuring sweets from Atlanta’s top pastry chefs, hayrides, children’s activities and a silent auction offering dining and travel packages, food and wine merchandise and original art by local artists. Proceeds from Afternoon in the Country benefit Georgia Organics, Wholesome Wave, Global Growers Network, The Giving Kitchen, The Wylde Center, The Atlanta Community Food Bank and Atlanta Les Dames d’Escoffier International’s scholarship fund for women in the culinary, beverage and hospitality arts. For more information and tickets, visit ldeiatlanta.org.

CONDOS AND TOWNHOMES

Demand for different housing options continues to grow

By Kathy Dean

Townhomes and condos are the perfect lifestyle choices for many Intown residents. The best the city has to offer is right outside their doors, and they can walk to neighborhood parks, shops and restaurants. And the low maintenance of condo living gives them more time to enjoy themselves.

Availability, however, has been an issue. With the high demand for Intown housing, townhomes and condos have been at a premium. Now sharp-eyed developers are taking notice and doing something about it.

The real estate market is picking up in Atlanta, according to Anne Schwall, Vice President of Developer Services with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, particularly when it comes to condominiums.

“The new construction condo market has given buyers the opportunity to purchase a product that was previously unavailable in Atlanta,” Schwall said. “These condominium projects offer buyers more square footage and outdoor space, enticing those homeowners looking to leave behind the maintenance and upkeep of a larger, single family home to simplify their lifestyle without sacrificing indoor and outdoor living space.”

She added that buyers seem to recognize the scarcity of high end, luxury condos in Atlanta, and the benefit of purchasing these homes throughout the construction process. An example is One Museum Place, a collection of 44 residences directly across from the High Museum of Art. Fifty percent are already under contract and the project hit its presale goal with over $30 million in sales. The residences range from 1,700 to 4,800 square feet, and have a magnificent outdoor lanai fully outfitted with a sink and gas grill. In addition, fifth floor residences have access to rooftop terraces where owners can enjoy breathtaking views.

The location of Seventh Midtown, on the corner of Seventh and Peachtree, is within walking distance of Piedmont Park and the Fox Theatre. Homes range from 1,805 to 2,874 square feet, and each unique floor plan offers beautiful views and plenty of space for entertaining. Every home includes an oversized outdoor terrace with the finest of finishes, including Pedini

European cabinetry, silestone countertops, Waterworks fixtures and Wolf/Sub Zero appliances.

“Seventh Midtown has been met with great success as a result of the improving condo market,” Schwall said. “It’s now over 60 percent under contract, and construction is expected to be finished by January 2016. Seventh Midtown will be Midtown’s first completed new construction luxury condo project in years.”

Phase One of The Atlantic residences in Atlantic Station is now 75 percent sold. The building is among the tallest in Atlanta, and provides sweeping views to residents of condos in the 46-story high-rise. The long list of amenities includes a full size pool and poolside terrace with stacked stone fireplace, and each home features floor-to-ceiling glass windows. One bedroom condos start from $300,000; two bedrooms from $376,000; three bedrooms from $614,000; and penthouse from $1.3 million.

Paula Burr, Onsite Sales Associate at Monte Hewett Homes, has also seen a strong rise in the market where townhomes and condos are concerned. “It’s undeniable that the locations are desirable, but a lot of it is about the lifestyle choice with a townhome. People don’t need to worry about any exterior maintenance, since the homeowners’ association handles it all. It’s a lock-andleave deal.”

And that’s exactly what makes it perfect for people who want to simplify their lifestyles, including older folks who no longer have kids to worry about, and younger couples who are busy with their jobs, according to Burr.

Monte Hewett Homes has two townhome communities underway. Ansley at Piedmont, a cozy community of seven townhomes in one building, is right across the street from Piedmont Park and the Botanical Gardens. Two homes are already under contract, and an end-of-the-year completion date is set for the other five. The three-story townhomes offer 4,505 square feet of modern living space that includes four bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths. “For both Ansley at Piedmont and St. Andrews, the big draws are the location and the walkability to everything in the neighborhood,” Burr said.

St. Andrews will be a larger community of 32 homes set in the heart of Buckhead on East Andrews Drive

between West Paces Ferry and Roswell Roads. The project is so new that no plans or pricing is available yet, but the location makes it very desirable.

“There’s a pent-up demand for well located midrise and high-rise development,” said David J. Tufts, President, The Marketing Directors, LLC. “Today the market is hot with little to no new product.”

Tufts noted that while construction lending has been the big constraint in the marketplace, townhomes have been the first and easiest multifamily for-sale product to get financed. As the apartment market gets softer and sale prices firm up, he expects to see more apartments converting to condos.

The six units of 5th & Piedmont Townhomes in Midtown are nearly sold out. The existing historic home on the site has been renovated and reconfigured into two units, and four new homes are being constructed beside it. The three-story townhomes, just steps away from Piedmont Park, start at $790,000.

“The high finish level and modern style has been very well received,” reported Tufts. “5th & Piedmont has three out of the six townhomes under contract at this time, and occupancy is expected in October.”

MODA R-town has firm sales for 30 of the 46 townhomes, with first delivery in 2016. The new construction project offers three- and four-level townhomes with two or three bedrooms, as well as high style flats, starting from the low $300s. Tufts said that the modern style, Reynoldstown location and great amenities, including a saline pool, have made it a hot property.

“We have a priority waitlist developing now for MODA Decatur,” Tufts said of a similar project to the one in Reynoldstown. “The residences will feature outdoor fireplaces, rooftop decks and a signature saline pool, only steps away from Downtown Decatur.” The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath townhomes will be available from the low $500s.

John Wieland Homes also has two townhome communities in the works. Square at Glen Iris, in the Old Fourth Ward near Ponce City Market, and The Mews at North Decatur, near Emory’s Clairmont Campus. Both projects will place luxury townhomes in sought-after neighborhoods.

MODA

MODA

Real Estate Briefs

North American Properties has broken ground on Anthem on Ashley, a 245-unit mixed-use apartment development with 6,000 square feet of ground level restaurant and commercial space located directly on Historic Fourth Ward Park. The project will be at Ralph McGill Boulevard and Ashley Avenue. Anthem will feature a neighborhood restaurant and coffee shop along with amenities like a resort-style pool, fitness area, club room, business center, roof-top terrace overlooking the park and easy access to the Atlanta BeltLine. Anthem on Ashley is slated to open early 2017.

Atlanta-based Pollack Shores Real Estate Group is nearing completion of The Monroe, a new apartment community located on Bobby Jones Golf Course and the Atlanta Beltline in Buckhead. The Monroe has 217 luxury units with granite and quartz countertops, plank flooring, stainless steel appliances, shaker style cabinetry and under mount sinks. The property overlooks a 1.5-acre private park as well as the golf course.

A 22-story mixed-use development has been announced by Mill Creek Residential for the southeast corner of Peachtree and Pharr roads. The development would feature 400 apartments and 20,000 squarefeet of retail space right next door to Buckhead Atlanta.

Leasing has begun at The Office, an ongoing, redevelopment-conversion of 250 Piedmont Ave. into luxury high-rise apartments in Downtown Atlanta. The 20-story former SunTrust Bank office building has 327, one-and two-bedroom homes for lease. The project, a joint venture between Paces Properties and Tampa-based DeBartolo Development, embraces its industrial character with 12-foot concrete ceilings, exposed ductwork and new 8-foot glass window systems. Each apartment features wireless entertainment with builtin surround sound speakers, USB wall ports, wine and beverage coolers, quartz and granite countertops, stainless steel appliance packages including full-sized washers and dryers and a choice of two distinct color pallets. Other amenities include a fitness center with yoga and spin rooms, recording studio, gaming lounge with billiards and vintage gaming stations, a dog park and spay, and a resort-style pool.

Coro Realty Advisors plans to build a mixed-use development adjacent Buckhead Place and the famed Disco Kroger on Piedmont Road. The development would include 40,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space, a 186-room hotel and 190 apartments, according to a report from BuckheadView.

Castleberry Hill Loft Tour returns Oct. 10

The Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association’s (CHNA) Castleberry Hill Loft Tour returns on Oct. 10, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the historic Downtown Atlanta neighborhood.

This year’s Loft Tour will kick off with the neighborhood’s popular Art Stroll on Oct. 9 from 7 to 10 p.m., as well as a patron party where guests can meet some of the loft and business owners. After a brief hiatus, the Loft Tour is excited to welcome attendees to the Landmark District to explore hand-selected lofts and the neighborhood’s distinctive art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and businesses. Castleberry Hill is home to a bustling array of restaurants, bars, lounges and retail spots, most of which will be open during the Loft Tour. As the city's true loft district, many of the early 20th-century warehouse buildings have been converted to lofts and form continuous frontages along the street and railway lines, giving the area a distinctive urban look.

Each year, the Loft Tour helps the historic community raise money for aesthetic improvements, neighborhood beautification and other neighborhood initiatives. Tour-goers will get to view street sign toppers, the signature Castleberry Hill metalwork neighborhood sign, new trash cans, newly planted trees, neighborhood banners and more – all of which are a result of funds raised during past Loft Tours and other neighborhood fundraising efforts.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at castleberryhill.org/lofttour.

Anthem on Ashley

Mill Creek Residential

Buckhead Place

Parting Shots

Artist Kyle Brooks, known as BlackCatTips, was on hand at the Old Fourth Ward Fall Festival painting rain barrels. The free festival drew crowds to the O4W Skate Park on Sept. 12. Live music, food trucks, a pop-up bar and lantern-making for the Lantern Parade were part of the event.

Madeleine Barreto mans her table at Root City Market Fall Pop Up which was held on Sept. 12 at the Stove Works on Krog Street. This recurring market brings together crafters, designers, and makers for an afternoon of shopping and socializing.

Isadora Pennington

Isadora Pennington

to shops, restaurants, Whole Foods, plus Emory and Lavista Park right around the corner. Tastefully updated and maintained.

4Bed/3.5Bath $439,000 FMLS: 5580251

Erin Fye 404-771-9822

MORNINGSIDE/LENOX PARK - Spacious all brick home on wide low-maint lot. Gracious entry foyer, beautiful treetop vistas out of every window, and a four car garage. 5Bed/3.5Bath $799,900

FMLS: 5587970

Ed Woods 404-759-9680

BROOKHAVEN - A truly amazing home great for entertaining with salt water pool! Tremendous sq. footage and renovated with modern upgrades. 5Bed/3.5Bath $650,000

FMLS: 5564744 Stephen Simonson 404-326-0876

OAKHURST - Wonderful bungalow w/big screened front porch - Living room & Dining room feature original details, including: masonry fireplace, parquet floors, & heavy moulding 3Bed/1Bath $384,000 FMLS: 5587991

Bonnie Smith 404-406-1993

PARAMOUNT - Beautiful corner unit overlooking the pool. Living room w/trey ceiling. Spacious kitchen w/granite counters, stainless steel appliances, breakfast bar and built-in desk.

2Bed/2Bath $339,900 FMLS: 5570153

Mike Kondalski 404-234-9379

GRANT PARK - Located on the future BeltLine & 3 blocks south of Grant Park. Updated 3 Bed/2 Bath with hardwood floors, new windows, deck, basement storage & deep lot. 3Bed/2Bath

$284,900 FMLS: 5594527

Sherry Warner 404-784-8848

EAST ATLANTA - A truly special home, perfect for entertaining with 10ft ceilings, large rooms, heavy molding, pockets doors, hardwood floors, fabulous kitchen and amazing flow & space!

4Bed/3.5Bath $434,999 FMLS: 5566966

Kathleen Sickeler 404-368-3234

BUCKHEAD - Collier Hills. Designer Renovated. Beautiful Updated Kitchen. Rich Hardwood Floors. Plantation Shutters. Elegant Boiserie Millwork

Throughout. Large Deck Overlooks Private Fenced Backyard. 3Bed/2Bath $629,000 FMLS: 5526824

Marc Castillo 404-449-6862

MIDTOWN - 1010 Midtown. Turn-Key w/Many Upgrades. Recently Renovated Hardwoods. New A/C. Huge Pantry. Floor-to-Ceiling Windows. Spacious Layout. 1Bed/1Bath $320,000

FMLS: 55195412

Chrishena Stanley 404-536-7400

INTOWN - White Provision. Stunning Floorplan. Gourmet Kitchen. Floor-to-Ceiling Windows. WalkOut Balcony. Prime Location. 2Bed/2Bath

$369,900

FMLS: 5545646 Sales Office 404-705-1570

WEST MIDTOWN – West Highlands. Charming Home w/Open Floor Plan. Rich Hardwood Floors. Granite Kitchen. Detached 2 Car Garage. Front Porch, Private Fenced Patio and Yard. 3Bed/3Bath $309,000 FMLS: 5582262

Marc Castillo 404-449-6862

INTOWN - Highland City View. Newly Renovated w/New A/C, Carpet & Appliances. 1 Car Garage. Gated Community. Hardwoods. Walkout Terrace. Steps to Beltline. 3Bed/3.5Bath $244,900

FMLS: 5583084

Ray Marino 404-900-8396

DECATUR - Frazier Park. Large Loft/Bonus Room. New Roof. Den w/Fireplace Lead to Deck & Fenced Back Yard. Quiet Cul-De-Sac Street. Close to Emory & CDC. 3 Bed/2.5Bath $299,995.

FMLS: 5578709

Warren Lambert 404-403-4255

INTOWN -The Stacks. Stunning Loft. 18+ foot Ceilings and Floor to Ceiling Windows. Incredible Views. Granite Countertops. Stained Cabinets. Huge Laundry-Storage Closet. 1Bed/1Bath

$239,900 FMLS: 5566449

Tonya Marlatt 404-518-8787

Sunbelt Lending Services

Intown Tanya Arnold 678.777.0815 Midtown Marchelle Compton Butler 404.783.9588

BUCKHEAD – Collier Hills. Newly Updated Kitchen. Fantastic Light Throughout Main Level. Hardwood Floors. Xeriscaped Landscaping. Large Deck,  Hot Tub, Organic Garden. 3Bed/2.5Bath $579,900  FMLS: 5581743  Corey Miller 678-641-3106