The Best Of Atlanta / Smyrna by The Best Of Magazine

Atlanta, GA Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. With an estimated 2018 population of 498,044, it is also the 37th most-populous city in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, home to 5.9 million people and the ninth-largest metropolitan area in the nation. Atlanta is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia. Portions of the city extend eastward into neighboring DeKalb County.

Atlanta was originally founded as the terminating stop of a major state-sponsored railroad. With rapid expansion, however, it soon became the convergence point between multiple railroads, spurring its rapid growth. The city’s name derives from that of the Western and Atlantic Railroad’s local depot, signifying the town’s growing reputation as a transportation hub. During the American Civil War, the city was almost entirely burned to the ground in General William T. Sherman’s famous March to the Sea. However, the city rose from its ashes and quickly became a national center

of commerce and the unofficial capital of the “New South”. During the 1950s and 1960s, Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and many other locals playing major roles in the movement’s leadership. During the modern era, Atlanta has attained international prominence as a major air transportation hub, with Hartsfield– Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998. Atlanta is rated as a “beta(+)” world city that exerts a moderate impact on global commerce, finance, research, technology, education, media, art, and entertainment. It ranks in the top twenty among world cities and 10th in the nation with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $385 billion. Atlanta’s economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors that include aerospace, transportation, logistics, professional and business services,

media operations, medical services, and information technology. Atlanta has topographic features that include rolling hills and dense tree coverage, earning it the nickname of “the city in a forest.” Revitalization of Atlanta’s neighborhoods, initially spurred by the 1996 Summer Olympics, has intensified in the 21st century, altering the city’s demographics, politics, aesthetics, and culture. The history of Atlanta dates back to 1836, when Georgia decided to build a railroad to the U.S. Midwest and a location was chosen to be the line’s terminus. The stake marking the founding of “Terminus” was driven into the ground in 1837 (called the Zero Mile Post). In 1839, homes and a store were built there and the settlement grew. Between 1845 and 1854, rail lines arrived from four different directions, and the rapidly growing town quickly became the rail hub for the entire Southern United States. During the American Civil War, Atlanta, as a distribution hub, became the target of a major Union campaign, and in 1864, Union William Sherman’s troops set on fire and destroyed the city’s assets and buildings, save churches and hospitals. After the war, the population grew rapidly, as did

manufacturing, while the city retained its role as a rail hub. Coca-Cola was launched here in 1886 and grew into an Atlanta-based world empire. Electric streetcars arrived in 1889, and the city added new “streetcar suburbs”. The city’s elite black colleges were founded between 1865 and 1885, and despite disenfranchisement and the later imposition of Jim Crow laws in the 1910s, a prosperous black middle class and upper class emerged. By the early 20th century, “Sweet” Auburn Avenue was called “the most prosperous Negro street in the nation”. In the 1950s, blacks started moving into city neighborhoods that had previously kept them out, while Atlanta’s first freeways enabled large numbers of whites to move to, and commute from, new suburbs. Atlanta was home to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a major center for the Civil Rights Movement. Resulting desegregation occurred in stages over the 1960s. Slums were razed and the new Atlanta Housing Authority built public-housing projects. From the mid-1960s to mid-’70s, nine suburban malls opened, and the downtown shopping district declined, but just north of it, gleaming office

towers and hotels rose, and in 1976, the new Georgia World Congress Center signaled Atlanta’s rise as a major convention city. In 1973, the city elected its first black mayor, Maynard Jackson, and in ensuing decades, black political leaders worked successfully with the white business community to promote business growth, while still empowering black businesses. From the mid-’70s to mid-’80s most of the MARTA rapid transit system was built. While the suburbs grew rapidly, much of the city itself deteriorated and the city lost 21% of its population between 1970 and ‘90. In 1996, Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, for which new facilities and infrastructure were built. Hometown airline Delta continued to grow, and by 1998-9, Atlanta’s airport was the busiest in the world. Since the mid-’90s, gentrification has given new life to many of the city’s intown neighborhoods. The 2010 census showed affluent blacks leaving the city for newer exurban properties and growing suburban towns, younger whites moving back to the city, and a much more diverse metropolitan area with heaviest growth in the exurbs at its outer edges.

Interesting Things You Might Not Know About Atlanta? • Atlanta was originally named Terminus and Marthasville (the latter for Governor Wilson Lumpkin’s daughter.) • The city got its current name from railroad engineer J. Edgar Thompson. It’s thought to be a shortened version of “AtlanticaPacifica.” • Your GPS might be confused if you punch in “Peachtree” as your destination. There are over 55 streets with the name. • And it’s possible none of them are named for an actual peach tree. Historians suggest they’re named after the Native American village of “Standing Pitch Tree.” The pronunciation corrupted over the years. • Atlanta was the only city in North American destroyed as an act of war. (General Sherman burnt it to the ground.) • Only 400 buildings survived. • That’s why the city’s symbol is a phoenix. • Lots of airports claim to be the world’s busiest. But HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport truly is the world’s busiest airport. 9. Why? Because Atlanta is a perfect location. It’s just a three hour flight from many major American cities. • The terminal is as big as 45 football fields! • Atlanta is Georgia’s fifth capital. Savannah, Augusta, Louisville, and Milledgeville boasted the title earlier. • The Georgia State Capitol building is gilded with 43 ounces of locally-mined gold. • The Continental Divide out west gets all the love, but Atlanta is home to the Eastern Continental Divide, which separates water draining into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. • One of the largest Hindu temples outside of India is located in the Atlanta metro area.

• It was once illegal to put an ice cream cone in your back pocket in Atlanta. • Atlanta also outlawed tying a giraffe to a telephone pole. • Want to ride your bike to Alabama? The Silver Comet Trail starting in Smyrna will get you there. • In 1996, Terry Hitchcock ran from Minneapolis to Atlanta in just 75 days. He covered over 2100 miles! • Stone Mountain outside Atlanta is one of the largest blocks of exposed granite in the world. • Stone Mountain’s etching of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis is the largest bas relief in the world, too! • Atlanta had some tough competition when it nabbed the 1996 Olympics hosting duty. The city beat out Athens, Toronto, Melbourne, Manchester, and Belgrade for the spot. • The fastest baseball game in history happened in Atlanta, when the Mobile Sea Gulls beat the Atlanta Crackers 2-1 in just 32 minutes. • Atlanta also played host to the greatest rout in football history—a 1916 contest in which Georgia Tech blew out tiny Cumberland College 222-0. • When pro football moved to Atlanta, the owners considered over 500 names. A schoolteacher came up with the Falcons nickname, a bird she endorsed because it was “proud and dignified, with great courage and fight.” • Why did Atlanta resident Margaret Mitchell write Gone with the Wind? Because an ankle injury kept her from walking and she was really, really bored.

Exercise Myths Busted People think the craziest things about their exercise, diet and fitness habits, and they’d be surprised to learn that all they are are myths which have long since been discredited. Let’s take a look at a just a few of the top fitness myths, as well a the truth... 1. Stretching before workouts will prevents pulling muscles Truth: Stretching before a workout just gets the blood flowing to the muscles, enabling them to work hard. It’s not going to prevent injuries, using the proper form for your exercise will do that. Stretching will ensure that the muscles are ready to work. 2. Drinking sports drinks after exercising is good for you. Truth: Unless you do more than 60 to 90 minutes of exercise, sports drinks are basically just sugary sodium water. They contain more calories than are good for you, and they’ll end up adding a lot of sugar into your body. 3. Protein Bars and Shakes are Top-Notch Nutrition Truth: Protein bars and shakes do have good protein, but they’re often higher in calories and sugar than you think. Many protein bars are like candy bars, so they’re not really all that they’re cracked up to be. It’s better to get protein from a natural source, and only supplement your protein requirements with these foods.

4. Women Shouldn’t Lift Weights

7. Target your belly to burn the flab

Truth: As long as it’s not power lifting, most woman can lift weights safely. It helps to burn fat, tone the muscles, and keep their body from wearing out.

Truth: You can’t “spot reduce” your body fat, despite what you may have heard. You have to work on the body as a whole, and your body will eventually burn away the fat around your entire body, including the inner tube around the waist.

5. The scale is your sign of progress Truth: Your scale just tells you how much your total weight is, not how much your lean body weight is. Your goal should be to increase your lean body weight and decrease your body fat percentage. That’s something the scale won’t be able to tell you.

8. Exercise allows me to skip out on dieting Truth: If you train hard but don’t eat properly, you’ll not only stay hefty, but you can actually injure your body because you’re not giving it the proper nourishment that it needs.

6. Low intensity steady state cardio is the way toget in shape

9. Pain is a part of training

Truth: Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio alone isn’t going to burn much fat, but it will actually end up cannibalizing your muscle tissue. You need to add resistance training into the mix to stop your body from using muscle tissue for energy.

Truth: If there’s any type of pain (sore muscles, achy joints, tired body, hurting bones, etc.), beside the pain from burning muscles (lactic acid being released as your muscles work) you’re doing something wrong.

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Hiking Trails Best For: An easy-going outing for the entire family including the dog. Dogs: Leashed

With history, scenery and generally pleasant conditions for hiking year round, Atlanta is packed with plenty of options for everyone from beginners and families to experienced hikers. The many miles of easily accessible hiking trails make the area ideal for both short day trips and all-day outings Island Ford North Loop Trail Location: Dunwoody, GA in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area - Island Ford, 23 miles north of Atlanta Length: 2.8 miles round-trip lollipop loop Difficulty Rating: Easy

Vaughters Out and Back Trail Location: Pine Mountain, GA in the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, 19 miles east of Atlanta Length: 5.3 miles round-trip out-andback Difficulty Rating: Easy Best For: Spotting rare plants and learning about interesting geology Dogs: Leashed Freedom Park (Stone Mountain) Trail Location: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, downtown Atlanta Length: 7.3 miles round-trip out-andback Difficulty Rating: Easy Best For: An urban, paved trail with downtown flair that hikers young and old will enjoy Dogs: Leashed

East Palisades Route Location: Vinings, GA in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area - East Palisades, 11 miles north of Atlanta Length: 4.2 miles round-trip loop Difficulty Rating: Easy/intermediate Best For: A peaceful hike with the one of the best overlooks of the Chattahoochee River Dogs: Leashed Vickery Creek Trail Location: Roswell, GA in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area - Vickery Creek, 20 miles north of Atlanta Length: 4.1 miles round-trip lollipop loop Difficulty Rating: Easy/intermediate Best For: A popular hiking spot close to many amenities and a historic downtown district Dogs: Leashed

The Russell Brasstown Scenic Byway, Blairsville If you’re drawn to majestic mountain scenery, enjoy a scenic drive through the Russell Brasstown Scenic Byway. This route, which takes you deep within the Chattahoochee National Forest, travels past sections of the Appalachian Trail, through Helen, Georgia’s little slice of Bavaria, up to Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia, and past Vogel and Unicoi State Parks. Access the Russell Brasstown Scenic Byway by taking Interstate 985 north to Highway 23. Follow to State Route 384, then take State Route 75 North to the byway. The Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, Villanow Georgia is home to some of the most lush and fertile farmland in the South, and you can experience this for yourself on a journey along the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway. Along this route, you’ll see 19th century farmhouses sprinkled in with breathtaking mountain stop-offs, including the Keown Falls Scenic Area, John’s Mountain Overlook and the Pocket. To get on the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, take Interstate 75 north to Exit 306, then travel west on State Route 140. Follow to Highway 27 and continue along the highway north until you reach State Route 156.

Scenic Drives Hit the road this year and experience these unbeatable scenic routes in Georgia: The Cohutta-Chattahoochee Scenic Byway, Dalton This drive travels through the stunning Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests. Amid gentle rolling peaks, explore lush forest and streams with a relaxing stroll, kayak on the Ocoee River or enjoy the misty thrill of white-water rafting. Discover Native American history and trace the steps of the Civil War.

The Historic Effingham-Ebenezer Scenic Byway (cities of Ebenezer, Guyton, Springfield, and Rincon) Take a tour through Southern history with a drive along the Historic Effingham-Ebenezer Scenic Byway. You can see the historic churches throughout Effingham County, explore American Revolution-era tavern sites, retrace the steps of George Washington and General Sherman and see the ferries and gorgeous waterways along the Savannah River. To take a scenic drive down the Historic Effingham-Ebenezer Scenic byway, get on Interstate 95 to Exit 109, then follow Highway 21 north to Fourth Street in Rincon where the byway begins. (Note: this is a long way from Atlanta. To get to I-95 from Atlanta take I-75 south to I-16 east to I-95 north. Basically, you drive almost to Savannah then head north.)

gers. An opthamologist can spot these warning signs early. Most people skip the appointment if their vision is good, but here are three more good reasons to schedule a visit with an ophthalmologist as opposed to an optometrist, who focuses on vision issues.

Reasons You Should Get Your Eyes Checked Eyes aren’t just a window to your soul, they could also reveal health problems: Hard to spot micro-bleeds in the small vessels of your eyes could be a sign of impending heart trouble that only a trip to the eye doctor can identify. Research shows otherwise healthy people displaying these micro-bleeds were 50 percent more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat - an early sign of potential heart disease or stroke risk than those without the eye issue. Because your eyes’ vessels are affected by hypertension or high levels of inflammation, they can help experts identify hidden health dan-

Wider eye vessels signal possible brain problems. Because your brain’s vessels are similar in size, function, and structure to your eyes’, issues with your peepers’ veins can be an early warning sign of cognitive disorders like dementia. Yellowing of the eyes is a tip-off of liver diseases like hepatitis and cirrhosis. The discoloration is the result of your liver’s inability to filter out toxins from your blood. Different-sized pupils are a sign of a possible brain tumor or stroke. Both conditions can restrict oxygen or blood flow to one of the pupils, causing the size discrepancy.

In a study, people who consumed daily lutein supplements over the course of a year improved their sharpness of vision, contrast sensitivity, and sensitivity to glare—all markers that can result in better nighttime driving. Lutein is found in healthy eye tissue in your retina and is responsible for how sharply you can see. But if your lutein is low—potential culprits include a poor diet, smoking, and exposure to UV light—your vision starts to go, especially in dimly lit or glary situations. The 20 milligrams (mg) of lutein that people consumed every day is about the same as 1 cup of cooked kale (about 4 cups raw)—not exactly a small amount to consume daily. But a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables will help you consume optimal levels of the nutrient. However, if you’re looking to sharpen your vision, you may need to take a supplement to really see the effects.

Eat Your Way to

Better Eyesight Have trouble driving in the dark? Cook up some kale. Lutein, a compound found mostly in leafy green vegetables, can help improve your night vision.

Juicing

What exactly is Juicing, Anyway? Juicing is the process of extracting the juice from fresh fruits and vegetables. A small kitchen appliance known as a juicer is used to extract the juice (not the pulp), and these can range in price from $50 to $500. Fresh juices should not be confused with smoothies, which are usually made in a blender, food processor, or high-powered juicer and include the fibrous pulp of the fruit and vegetable ingredients.

Types of Juicers: ‘’Fast’’ Juicers This type of juicer is one of the most common varieties you’ll find on the market. A fast juicer (or centrifugal juicer) grinds your fruits and veggies and then pushes the extracted juice through a strainer by spinning at a very high speed. The pulp is extracted and ejected into a special compartment, usually near the back of the juicer. This type of juicer produces pulp-free juice very quickly, but it also tends to extract less juice than other types of juicers. This type of juicer also generates more heat than other types, which some experts say could compromise the nutrients in the produce.

“Slow” Juicers This juicer produces juice in two steps, using one or two gears. First, it crushes the fruits and veggies, and then it presses out the juice. These types of juicers take longer to produce juice, and they tend to be more expensive than most centrifugal juicers. However, they are said to extract more nutrients from the produce. They yield a thick juice with more pulp, yet still produce some pulp extract in a separate compartment.

Reasons to Juice: • Juicing allows your digestive system to rest, so that energy may go into elimination, recovery and healing, instead of digestion. During this time, cells can repair themselves and detoxify. Freshly pressed juices provide enzymes as well as vitamins and minerals that are easily assimilated. • Juicing will help to break down the vegetables, making it easier to assimilate, so you will receive most of the nutrition. • Juicing allows you to consume more vegetables than you normally would. Some people may find eating vegetables difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice. • You can add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet. Many people eat the same vegetables, raw or cooked, every day. Foods should be rotated to prevent developing allergies. With juicing, you can juice a wide variety of vegetables that you may not normally enjoy eating whole.

Basic Green Juice (16oz Serving Size): 1 Cucumber; 4 Celery Stalks; 2 Apples; 6-8 Leaves Kale; 1/2 Lemon; 1 tbsp Ginger

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Kennesaw Battlefield Park preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign, and also contains Kennesaw Mountain. It is located at 905 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, between Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia. The name “Kennesaw” derives from the Cherokee Indian “Gah-nee-sah” meaning “cemetery” or burial ground. The area was designated as a U.S. historic district on October 15, 1966. History: The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, fought here between Generals William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union army and Joseph E. Johnston of the Confederate army, took place between June 18, 1864, and July 2, 1864. Sherman’s army consisted of 100,000 men, 254 cannons and 35,000 horses, while Johnston’s army had only 50,000 men and 187 cannons. Much of the battle took place not on Kennesaw Mountain itself, but on a spur of Little Kennesaw Mountain known now as Pigeon Hill, and the area to its south around Cheatham Hill. A total of 5,350 soldiers died during the battle, which resulted in a Confederate victory.

Park: Established as Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Site on February 18, 1917, it was transferred from the War Department on August 10, 1933, and redesignated a national battlefield park on June 26, 1935. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park is a 2,923-acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. There are three battlefield areas: In front of the Visitor Center, off Burnt Hickory Road and a major site at Cheatham Hill (commonly known as the Dead Angle). At the southern tip of the park, Peter Valentine Kolb’s farm house, where a minor battle was fought, has been restored to its original condition. The Visitor Center contains an information desk, museum, and a theater which screens movies about the battle fought there. While walking some of the 17.3 miles of interpretive hiking trails, historic earthworks, cannon emplacements, and various interpretive signs can be seen.

There are three monuments representing some of the states who fought here Illinois, Texas, and Georgia. Kennesaw Mountain is 1,808 feet above sea level. It is approximately a 664-foot gain in elevation from the Visitor Center to the mountain’s summit. The hike up is approximately 1.4 miles on the road and 1.1-mile on the trail. Mission: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield was authorized for protection by the U.S. War Department in 1917 and was transferred to the Department of the Interior as a unit of the National Park System in 1933. The 2,923-acre battlefield includes the site of some of the heaviest fighting of the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War. The battlefield was set aside as an important cultural property dedicated to public inspiration and interpretation of the significant historic events that occurred here. With the expansion of urban sprawl from nearby Atlanta, Georgia, concerns have been raised that the preserved areas of the park may be in danger from overuse and/or misuse.

When to choose

Organic Produce

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These 15 forms of produce are so low in pesticides that conventional should be just fine: • Onions • Sweet Corn • Pineapples • Mangos • Eggplant • Kiwi • Cantaloupe • Avocado • Cabbage • Sweet Peas • Asparagus • Sweet Potatoes • Grapefruit • Watermelon • Mushrooms

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Beard Papa

A long time ago, there was a small bakery in Osaka, Japan. The townspeople loved the bakery’s delightful sweets that filled the town with a pleasant aroma. Everyone also loved the head baker, who was called Beard Papa after his fluffy, white beard. One day, a group of children visited and asked, “When are you going to come up with a new treat? We can’t wait for you to work more magic!” As Beard Papa stroked his fluffy white beard, it suddenly hit him. “I’m going to make an original recipe for cream puffs that are just as fluffy and lovable as my beard!” The next day, Beard Papa enthusiastically baked away, and he successfully created double layered puffs filled with a perfect mixture of whipped cream and vanilla custard cream. The townspeople were delighted, and to this day, Beard Papa’s stores use this recipe to put smiles on customers’ faces.

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