Atlanta is home to over four million people, many of whom have seen it transform from a city in the south to one of our country's cultural meccas, while still retaining its southern roots. Atlanta is full of historical neighborhoods and buildings, but over the years, many were in desperate disrepair. When it was chosen to be the host for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, the city went through major facelift, involving millions of dollars of new developments and renovations - the largest one since it rose from the ashes when General William Sherman burned it to the ground in 1864. The building and remodeling projects continued with the Philips Arena in 1999 and the Georgia Dome, home to the 2000 Super Bowl.
Run down neighborhoods and abandoned warehouses have been reborn into modern lofts and vibrant gallery spaces - and each neighborhood offers different cultural delights, from tasty dining spots from every part of the world, to funky shops and cosmopolitan nightclubs. The Westside (www.westsideurbanmarket.com) is a collection of renovated warehouses turned restaurants, furniture stores, antique shops, and artists' studios; boutiques and cafes line the streets of Virginia-Highland, which is located between University Drive and Ponce de Leon Avenue; upper scale shops and restaurants fill the neighborhood of Buckhead at Peachtree and Lenox avenues; while those seeking a funkier experience head over to Little Five Points just below Virginia-Highland and centered at the junction of Euclid and Moreland avenues.
THE Place to Stay
Atlanta is known as the City of Trees, and the street of Piedmont is a perfect example of where the city got its reputation, lined with a lush wall of green that seems to reach all the way up to the deep blue sky. This is the perfect setting for the three Victorian homes that have been renovated into guestsAtlanta (811 Piedmont Avenue NE, (800) 724-4381, www.guestsatlanta.com), which offers the perfect blend of historical architecture with urban boutique hotel flair. And with rooms starting at $59 a night for a queen bed with a shared bath, or $89 for a queen bed room with a private bath, it has to be one of the city's best bets for the dollar. Their use of modern design and European bath products made us feel pampered, while the comfortable beds, down pillows and heavy drapes made us want to just stay in the cozy room all day, especially after a night on the town. guestsAtlanta is in walking distance to Piedmont Park, clubs, restaurants, boutiques and coffee houses.
Fab Food Festivities
By the time my travel partner Drew, a native of Georgia and a former Atlanta resident, and I finally made it out of our cozy cove at the hotel, we were starving. So we took the advice of the guestsAtlanta staff and headed to a few of their convenient dining establishments, including Willy's Mexicana Grill, located at 1071 Piedmont Road, (404) 249-9075. On their outside patio, we filled up on an order of Super Nachos, a margarita for me and a Corona for Drew, plus a few of their signature California burritos - all for around 20 bucks. Having actually grown up in California, Willy's Grill pulled it off well - even their guacamole passed the test.
Flying Biscuit (1001 Piedmont Avenue, (404) 874-8887, www.flyingbiscuit.com), a popular breakfast/lunch/dinner spot that is worth the typical wait of around 20-30 minutes. They specialize in hearty dishes with a healthy flair, from turkey bacon and free-range eggs to organic oatmeal pancakes and veggie burgers. Flying Biscuit is also a hot spot during Pride Fest, which takes place in June of every year, where patrons take to sipping on a variety of martinis as they watch the parade go by. Their second location is at 1655 McLeondon Avenue, (404) 687-8888.
Song Ki-Yong and Ok-Ja, a Korean couple who wanted to offer healthier choices in Asian cuisine, opened Mirror Korea in 1980 (1047 Ponce de Leon Avenue N.E., (404) 874-6243). Inside you'll find stonewalls and traditional alcoves with floor seating, and a menu that's big on taste and variety. They lean mostly on broiling or boiling techniques and the use of spice for creating healthier Korean dishes, including the vitamin punch of pickled seaweed, sprouts and cucumber as our lunch starter. They also offer sushi, including their house special, the Mirror of Korea (MOK) Maki with eel, avocado and cream cheese wrapped in fried salmon skin.
Noodle House in Midtown (903 Peachtree Street, Suite A, (404) 685-3010, www.noodlehouse.net) serves up more than just noodles. But you have to try their signature bowls of warm, dishes of noodles and full-flavored soups - from curry and Thai Peanut to spicy basil and Yaki Soba. Noodle House makes their famous noodles fresh every day. Any of the dishes can be made to suit your spicy or not-so-spicy taste, and are free of MSG.
When it comes to one of the ultimate dining experiences, Fogo de Chão (3101 Piedmont Road, (404) 266-9988, www.fogodechao.com) has created the perfect formula. The unique concept for this restaurant was conceived by four brothers and "Gauchos," (Southern Brazilian cowboys) Jair and Arri Coser and Jorge and Aleixo Ongaratto, and in 1974, opened their first genuine steakhouse from Rio Grande de Sul in Southern Brazil. When you arrive, you are given a "Red Light/ Green Light" chip, and by turning it over to green, the Gaucho servers are right at your side, slicing off your choice of fifteen cuts of slow roasted meat including filet mignon, sirloin and beef ribs, or chicken drum sticks wrapped in bacon. When your plate or you are full, flip your chip to red. The vegetarians in your party will be able to feast on the most elaborate salad bar I've ever seen, which includes a large assortment of fresh and marinated vegetables, cheeses, breads, sliced salmon and fruit. Bottom line - Fogo is pure decadence. It's no wonder they have won many acclaims, including the 2003 Zagat Award for America's Top Restaurants. The Buckhead location is one of four restaurants they have in the U.S., with another three original locations in Brazil.
Drinkin', Dancin', Diggin' the Scene
Atlanta's night scene is constantly bubbling, offering swanky lounges where hipsters sip on sophisticated cocktails, urban dance floors starring local and national DJs, pubs with numerous microbrews on tap, and funky atmospheres that could easily be (and may have been) featured in any architecture or interior design magazine.
On a balmy Thursday night we headed to the Midtown Martini March (www.themartinimarch.com), which gave us an opportunity to check out a variety of bars and clubs all within walking distance of another (or stumbling distance as the night went on) while giving back to the Atlanta Food Bank. Jennifer Siegel, founder and owner of J'Endeavor Events, put the benefit together in the style of a sophisticated bar crawl, where martini drinkers saunter from bar to bar and taste test the best vodka and gin specialties from each drinking spot.
When Drew and I arrived at the first stop, Cosmopolitan (45 Thirteenth Street, (404) 873-6189, www.cosmopolitanlounge.com), we paid our $15 and received our marching orders in the form of a bar map. While sipping on our first beverage of the night, we hung out with the venue's manager, Stu Medlin, in their outdoor patio. "Business has definitely been affected by the state of the economy," Medlin comments, "All the bars in this area of town are working together as a community instead of competing with each other. Everybody wins." So when Jennifer came to him with the idea, he was more than happy to get involved, and encourage other clubs and bars join in.
The next stop was Leopard Lounge, a two story converted Victorian house that is another example of Atlanta's vibe of old meets modern, with a quaint sitting area fashioned with velvet chairs and the signature leopard print, including 2 levels of drinking and lounging space, an outside patio, cozy fireplace, and three bars.
Eleven50 (1150b Peachtree Street, (404) 874-0428, www.eleven50.com) was originally a 1920's theater, and in the millennium, is one of Atlanta's most popular clubs, featuring world-renowned spin masters, including Paul Van Dyk and Digweed, along with their own Tommie Sunshine (Fischerspooner) playing a crate full of 80's electro. Their outdoor adjacent restaurant, Eden, is open during the spring and summer months, serving up cocktails and delectable dishes.
Lava Lounge (47 Thirteenth Street, (404) 873-4202, www.lavaloungeatlanta.com) was also on the map, so of course, we had to check out their four bars and three floors of rich, mosaic designs, plush sofas and contemporary vibe. Their musical director, Brian Dotson, books some of the best house and dance DJs in the biz and teams with Sonic Percussionist Don Tonic who pulls off live drums with Brian on the decks.
Another night we checked out the local alternative station, 99X, and their Big Rock Freeloaders concert series featuring Atlanta's art rockers The Hiss and the hot red and white duo, The White Stripes. The sold out event took place in the meadow of Stone Mountain Park, about 30 minutes outside of downtown, where we rocked out in the fresh air and tall trees of the outdoor venue.
We made our way back into town to check out Halo Lounge (817 West Peachtree Street, E100, (404) 962-7333, www.halolounge.com), which is deceiving from the outside. There's no sign on the warehouse door, which opens wide to spacious layout, with a long, purple bar fizzled with light, and the double level lounge area was fitted with pop art and neo-classic diamond design that sparked with rich, ornate mirrors.
There was no time for us to make it to any live music venues, but there are a number of clubs I saw in their alternative weekly publication, Creative Loafing, that seemed to book the cool bands, including The Masquerade (www.masq.com), Echo Lounge (www.echostatic.com), and Cotton Club (atlantaconcerts.com).
Just a Snapshot of Atlanta
Drew and I only had a few days to enjoy all that Atlanta has to offer. There are many, many more shops, restaurants, and clubs, along with museums and art galleries to discover in this southern gem - where historic old style meets urban city. If you don't have a travel partner that's familiar with HotLanta's cool spots, check out the links we've provided to pre-plan the "must-sees" for your trip. As for myself, I'll be going back again, y'all can count on that.
Kim Owens is editor for Kaffeine Buzz, an entertainment magazine based in Denver, Colorado, and a contributor to Collegian Travel & Adventure Magazine, In Flux Magazine, and Skratch Magazine. |
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