Sara Cheshire

Places to Watch Presidential Debates?

2008-10-02T13:44:00Z

I've been trying to find some places around town to watch the presidential debates, including the VP debate that is tonight. I have done some research, but I thought I would ask you to contribute to the patriotic cause of helping inform our local voters.

Two places I am fairly confident about is Manuel's Tavern in Poncey Highlands, which has a long political history and a Democratic stronghold. There is also Thinking Man Tavern in downtown Decatur. Makes we wish for a bigger place because I would be hosting some debate-watching parties, for sure.

The Young Democrats of Atlanta are also hosting a watch party at Joe's on Juniper in Midtown tonight for the VP debate -- choice location I might add. Cypress Street Pint & Plate in Midtown will also have the debate on. And after much Googling on my part, it appears you can watch the VP debate online.

Please post a comment on other spots for watching Election 2008 coverage. Don't forget you can vote now for the next president now if your mind is made up. 11 Alive News has a list of locations for early voting.

Happy debate-watching partying and voting!

Where to Find Gas in Atlanta

2008-09-29T13:33:00Z

Ok, so I'm at a quarter tank and all the stations around me intown are out. My coworker even said he drove to the mountains this weekend to fill up. But, you don't have to go that far. The AJC has a link to a twitter page that lists real-time postings of reports of stations with gas.

The AJC reports two more weeks of gas chaos. I'm sticking with fewer drive commutes and must the say it felt great to get back on the bike this weekend, especially with the nice weather. MARTA is doing a study today to check ridership levels to see if they need to increase route frequency. Kudos to MARTA. I didn't realize that on the Monday and Tuesday after Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast, ridership rose 3 to 4 percent and MARTA added trains, reported the AJC. The same thing could be done this week based on an increase in riders. Just maybe, if enough people try MARTA to save gas, and more trains and buses run, then we could all get a taste of the better functionality of our transit system and these improvements, and ridership levels could maintain post-gas drama.

It would be great to see if Clean Air Campaign can give us some air quality stats, to see if this gas crisis is improving our air quality -- if only due to people driving less/filling up less or taking a bike or train to save some fuel.

Wishing you a good fill up and easy alternative commuting.

Atlanta Gas Shortage

2008-09-24T00:46:00Z

So over a week ago I thought I was in the twilight zone when I went by six gas stations that were out of gas. Ok, so Ike had just hit the coast, but did I miss a memo?

And what is going on this week? I'm seeing the plastic bags over the pumps again, the gas price signs missing the gas prices and the AJC printing another story on the long lines at gas pumps. Plus, you know it is bad when people you know out-of-state start sending you emails about the Atlanta gas shortage they read in a CNN news story. Right now, I'm just glad I have a half tank and don't need to go out into the petroleum frenzy that is becoming Atlanta.

I mean, if I realized that a shutdown of Texas oil refineries would increase my price at the pump and make the city go nuttier than a forecast of snow, then I would have purchased and filled up on cheap gas before Ike landed. I usually hit the Briarcliff corridor for cheap gas prices; the QuikTrip near the intersection with Clifton, or several of the stations on North Druid Hills near I-85. But they were out of gas last time I went by a couple of weeks ago. But my question is, why are we out of gas again?

It is important to note that in the CNN story, it talks about suburban gas stations being out. Sure, they were out of gas at some intown stations too, but I have three comments about the suburban issue:

People in the suburbs probably drive a whole lot more, and partially of their own choosing. They had their chance to have easier MARTA access, but in the past have declined rail extensions due to fear of urban spread and urban crime. As early as 1990 there was a vote to extend MARTA rail to Snellville, Stone Mountain and Gwinnett, which was ardently voted down. And I will say the last I heard, the Cobb Community Transit Express buses were standing room only, so it isn't like there isn't a demand for transit options in nearby counties.
It goes to show how different the lifestyles are intown and OTP (outside the Perimeter). I live in the city and I'm too busy half the time to even be caught up in the news about gas or be willing to fill up my tank at a moment's notice. I budget my money anyhow and so far have stuck to a $70 limit for gas this month. I'm sure not going to fill up until I need it. I take MARTA to work almost every day of the week, so gas or no gas, I'm getting to where I need to be. I would be freaking out too if I lived 30 minutes from anything.
Why is Atlanta having this problem and not other cities? I'm guessing it is partly the sprawl and way too many cars. People like to drive too much here. There are just too many cars and too many people driving and too many people needing gas and too many people over-reacting. Instead of getting freaked out by the evening news, go volunteer, meet your neighbors, do something cultural or hop on that train you aren't taking and go to a sports game. But let's not inconvenience the whole city by thinking you need to fill up your cars and SUVs "just in case". This whole gas issue is supporting that point that Atlanta is overly car-centric. Most people seem to not care if they are contributing to the gas shortage as long as their car is topped off. They are making Atlanta seem more like "closing day"...hard to have an opening-day type of city when you can't get fuel to get where you need to go.

So, I would say to those people who are worried about gas, maybe you could turn more of your worries and more of your support toward transportation options in the city that would benefit everyone and lead to less demand for gas. The Clean Air Campaign offers carpooling match ups, and there is MARTA of course, which seems to be perpetually out of money. Support the Belt Line or Citizens for Progress Transit. Encourage your employer to do four-day work weeks or telecommuting. Vote "yes" for transit expansion, or don't whine and complain when gas shortages happen or prices go so high that they become unaffordable. It doesn't really affect me, as I can get around without a car, but I don't want to be inconvenienced when the choices made by those outside the city catch up with them and that SUV driver in Roswell causes gas panic in my 'hood.

The Holy Grail of MARTA

2008-09-16T03:25:00Z

I experienced the Holy Grail of MARTA tonight. Ok, so maybe a slight exaggeration. Still, I was flabbergasted when a man on the train was on his phone from Arts Center all the way to Five Points. Maybe not a miraculous thing for you, but my phone surely doesn't work underground, and I always have to cut people short or call them back if they catch me near a tunnel.

So I asked the guy, "Whose your cell phone provider?"

"T-Mobile," he responded.

There you go. If you are shopping around for a cell phone provider, it is good to know that T-Mobile has your MARTA coverage.

I also had another miraculous MARTA discovery recently. Google Maps now shows MARTA bus stops and train stations. Plus, when you click on "Get Directions" you can choose the public transit option from the drop down menu and Google will give you MARTA directions, total commute time AND tell you the upcoming departures for the bus or train on your route. Or if you ever wondered how long it would take you to walk to work or the grocery, select the walking option. It makes it so easy. So get your Google schedule and hop on the train with your T-mobile phone and be one of the chosen few in the know.

Fly Delta Jets - for Gustav Deals?

2008-09-03T00:46:00Z

For me, one of the big perks about living in Atlanta is being able to fly non-stop to just about anywhere in the world. Both Delta and AirTran call Atlanta home, which keeps prices competitive, even as gas costs go up.

AirTran is relatively new to the travel industry, with its first flights in 1993. On the other hand, Delta originally serviced the Mississippi delta region in the 1920s as a crop-dusting company, beginning passenger service in 1929. Monroe, Louisiana was Delta's headquarters before moving to Atlanta in 1941.

Now, what I'd like to know, is how this long-standing company, a company originally from Louisiana, let slip through the cracks an e-mail I received today. I'm signed up to receive weekly fare specials from Delta, so on Tuesdays I get e-mailed prices good for flights departing the upcoming Saturday, returning on Monday or Tuesday. Great deal if you are willing to travel last minute. I was happy to see a $120 round-trip flight to my hometown today and...sale flights to New Orleans?

Ummm, I think they just had a hurricane. Not even all the residents have been allowed back into New Orleans after Gustav and Delta is offering flights there? Some of the homes may not have power for another three to four weeks. My first thought was that surely this was a mistake to offer a weekend deal to the city in post-hurricane clean up (including sewer repair - enough said). But on second thought, I started thinking that volunteer clean-up crews could benefit from a cheap flight...or what about all those evacuees? They could take a one-way flight back to New Orleans for only $69.

But where was this sale last weekend? If Delta is willing to offer weekend deals regardless, couldn't they assist with evacuation efforts by offering this sale price to people in New Orleans or other hurricane zones? Delta did offer three additional flights out of New Orleans before Gustav, but I wonder, at what price? I don't know the financial requirements of Delta or other airlines, so I am not sure of the feasibility to provide airline tickets at a discount to those in evacuation situations, but it seems like the noble thing to do. Why couldn't the government subsidize some of the cost if it came down to that? Just a thought.

For now, if you want to volunteer or visit at your own risk, purchase Delta's weekend fare to New Orleans. If you have already booked travel around New Orleans and were affected by Gustav, Delta is also offering ticket changes without charge through September 8th. The same goes for select cities that may be affected by Tropical Storm Hanna, through September 12th. So next time you get charged extra for a bag or snack, be thankful that at least in Atlanta you can get competitive flights and flexibility to hurricane and non-hurricane destinations.

Atlanta Road Work: Only You Can Prevent Traffic Jams

2008-08-07T05:21:00Z

I've come to expect this of Atlanta: driving down I-75, going at least 75mph in a 55 and getting passed by cars like I'm going out of style. There are some crazy fast drivers in the city, not to mention some plain crazy ones. I had to chuckle at reading an article published last week in the AJC. Titled DOT to weekend drivers: Skip the Connector (August 5, 2008), it basically said that traffic has been getting so backed up on the connector during the repaving project because drivers have been ignoring the signs and recommendations to stay off the highway during the weekends. And, because of this, drivers have been causing up to two-hour traffic jams.

I don't know how much of it is due to summer travelers just rolling through town...maybe there should be clearer messages for motorists to take I-285 on weekends if they are just passing through. But, it seems there are also just a lot of people in town who either haven't paid attention to road work notifications or think they are the exception to the traffic rule. I was pretty shocked to read in this same article that people getting stuck in the traffic of their own making were calling to complain about trying to get people to the airport.

Ok, it is bad enough to attempt weekend travel on the connector. It is another thing to not think to use MARTA. Sure, MARTA is not perfect, but it has a straight shot into the terminal at Hartsfield. Taking MARTA to the airport is probably the best time to use MARTA -- no traffic, no parking and you literally exit the station into Delta kiosks. I traveled to the airport recently from intown, and two hours from the point of waking, dressing, walking to the station and transferring trains, I was sitting on my plane. It helps that the airport is only 16 minutes from the Five Points station, and stays 16 minutes, no matter what is going on with the roads.

If you are just transporting people to the airport, drop them off at your nearest station and I guarantee their travel time will be much more assured than a risk on the connector where repaving, an accident or Braves game throws a wrench into the traffic flow. Even on MARTA's bad days, the trains don't usually break down for more than 15 minutes...no where near two hours.

If you do need to drive, I'm a big fan of taking Piedmont or Juniper/Courtland through town. A good time to bail is at 17th Street if you are heading southbound into the city, as traffic usually starts backing up just beyond that point. Sure, if you get off the highway the roads can be confusing, as half seem to change directions and names at least once, but I'd rather study some maps, become friends with my GPS or hop on the train ($1.75 one way sure beats $4/gallon gas) than be one of those people pointed out in the AJC for being personally responsible for causing traffic jams.

Not Such a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood?

2008-07-20T16:13:00Z

I'll be honest with you. I'm having serious problems deciding where to live and am fed up with the crime and with the police in this city. It isn't just me, another Atlanta blogger wrote about the same feeling of fear after being exposed to crime in her post on Atlanta Metblog. It is hard being an independent person in the city and suddenly you get mugged yourself, hear of muggings, miss a mugging at gunpoint by a few minutes or have a prowler on your property. The fact is, I'm hearing crime reports in most areas I've considered living in...and I partially feel my choice is between neighborhoods I like that might be less safe or locking myself up in a gated condo that might not feel like home.

So, the police have been hanging out at the Inman Park Station at night. On the surface you might think that is good thing...but honestly, it probably means there has been an increase of crime in the area to warrant a police stakeout. It makes me more nervous honestly, as with the broken glass on the street. Or being in the park the other night (ok, so it was after hours), and a policeman kindly asked us to leave because, "This is Atlanta, you might get raped or robbed." Thanks a lot. That really makes me feel more confident in the city when the police have such a negative view. And my thought is...well, instead of shooing people out of the park, can you maybe spend more time preventing and tracking down criminals? It is rather treating a symptom and not the cause to be trying to remove innocent citizens from high crime areas versus reducing crime to begin with.

The Atlanta Police Department has Crime Mapping tool you can access online. You can select type of crime, date range and area of the city. The central districts are 5, which is downtown/midtown and 6 which is east of downtown, including Virginia Highlands, Candler and Inman Park and East Atlanta. I also really like this color-coded crime map of the city, though not sure how up to date the data is. Neighborhood crime watches and message boards are a good resources to check and get involved with.

Don't get me wrong, intown neighborhoods are great. I run into familiar faces all the time. I can walk to the coffee shop and parks, but it isn't so fun to feel you have to be on guard, limit where and when you go out and not be sure where to live after the areas you used to be comfortable in no longer feel safe. What kind of city dynamics are in place that would cause crime? What are the solutions?

MARTA on YouTube

2008-07-18T00:44:00Z

Ok, so I finally watched the "Crazy Girl on Train" video on YouTube the other day. Whether or not it is bad press for MARTA I don't know, but I found it absolutely hilarious. And the fact that someone took the time to add subtitles for what this ranting woman was raving about really put the icing on the cake.

Now, I ride MARTA all the time. In fact, I lived without a car for 6.5 years and on average, say I rode MARTA once a day each day. That means over 2000 rides on trains and buses. Not once have I seen craziness like that. Sure, I probably could count on two hands the number of more exciting incidents...the guy who got knocked out of his wheelchair at Five Points or the stand-up preacher on the East line. But I'm averaging .005% on MARTA incidents. That's what makes the video so funny...it is out of the norm, an extreme case of MARTA gone wild.

But I wonder, how did non-MARTA riders view it? If you live OTP (outside the perimeter), did it make you less inclined to hop on the train after watching the screaming "Soulja Girl"? Maybe if you caught it on the news, you didn't see the funny captioning. Humor goes a long way...even the time I saw that man get accidentally dumped out of a wheelchair (wow, did we all go silent), the man who caused the incident later made a crack about it at another station, which for good or bad made me chuckle. Those of us regulars on the train know you might see just about anything...and learn not to take things so seriously.

Most people on the train are pretty low key and quiet, so much that MARTA actually has a sign stating that if you are going to play music with a headset, keep the volume down (believe me, that rule was needed -- but that is another story). At night it is quieter, except if you get caught by Falcons fans or help us, another cheerleading convention. Most people are just trying to get home from the late shift, and there is the occasional business men and tourists. You learn too, that if anything ever bothers you, change to a different train car at the next stop or page the train operator. But, like I said, the occasion comes up rarely and as long as you go into the MARTA experience with a sense of adventure, willingness to mingle with people of all types and awareness that if anything does seem shocking, it is an abnormality, then you'll be fine. Plus, I promise, the more you ride, the shock value wears off and you'll be just slightly annoyed and wish the crazies would be quiet so you can go back to decompressing on your carless commute.

Best of the Big A List

2008-06-04T18:03:00Z

The Best of the Big A 2007 is now out. Access Atlanta, the entertainment sidekick of the AJC, does the Best Of every year, as well as rates top picks on an ongoing basis on their website. It is a great resource if you are new to the city or are looking for something to do. My personal favorite is the Weekend Elert, a weekly email with the A-list events for the weekend if you need some inspiration.

So is this year's list really the Best? I have lived here 6.5 years, survived 7 summers. By some standards that makes me almost a certified local. It sure isn't California and there are plenty of issues that make this city flat-out weird and troubled, but let's take a look at some of winners from the best places category:

Best Place For a First Kiss: Botanical Gardens
Oddly enough, I was just at the gardens last weekend trampling around with the opposite sex. I might have to agree with this vote...I found myself feeling young and carefree and energized by being outside, and there are plenty of benches for talking...or, I suppose...kissing.
Best Place to Take Out of Town Visitors: Georgia Aquarium
Sadly, Atlanta doesn't have a lot of stellar tourist attractions or stunning landscapes that places like Denver or San Francisco have to offer. But, the Georgia Aquarium is probably the best traditional attraction we have to offer. I think part of the issue with tourism is due to the fact that Atlanta is more a place to live, less a place to visit. In my opinion, one of the most unique features of the city is all the intown neighborhoods. Taking a day or two exploring the parks and commercial districts of places like Grant Park, Virginia Highlands, Inman Park and Decatur would be my choice for visitors. Have brunch in Cabbagetown, window shop the Highlands, coffee in Candler Park, dinner in Decatur...endless combinations of old charm and history.
Best Place to Pamper Your Pooch: Piedmont Park
Yep. Big dog park. And it is free. It is almost worth going to even you don't have a dog.
Best Weekend Getaway: Savannah
Charming and historic, Savannah offers a waterfront that we are sorely lacking and architecture not burned down. Another good best pick.
Best Wifi Spot: Starbucks?
Woah. You have to pay to use Starbucks wifi the last time I checked. It certainly wouldn't be my first choice. Inman Perk Coffee, Octane and Java Vino offer unique independently owned coffee shops with outside seating, and in some cases, wine. Highland Bakery also has killer brunch with wifi. There is rumor that you might be able to pick up some stray signals in Piedmont Park as well by the townhomes near Piedmont. More and more restaurants now offer wireless, so check out this list of f ree wifi spots in Atlanta, though I think this particular list is slightly outdated.
Best City View: Sundial Restaurant
I have yet to visit the top of the Westin (though a little scary now post-tornado), though it is on my list. Forgot about just visitors, I'm excited to go see the view when Sun Dial Restaurant has live jazz performances. Unless you want an expensive evening out, stick to the cocktails and jazz, and not so much dinner. FYI, they offer Fourth of July packages if you would rather chill in the AC with panoramic sky views of several of the city's firework shows.

However, I must say for an outdoor place with a view, the westside Six Feet Under is hands down an amazing place to see the city. I recommend going at night...and if you time it right you can also see fireworks from the Braves Game. Doesn't get much better than that.

Public Art Opening: A (new) Genre Landscape

2008-06-04T15:32:00Z

There is much more art in the city than the High. Plenty of local studios and artists call Atlanta home, but perhaps they don't always get the recognition they deserve with the city more like a sports town than a cultural one.

But, it is never to late to appreciate and support Atlanta artists. Saturday, June 7, the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program is hosting a reception for its new exhibit: A (new) Genre Landscape. Held at the Cyclorama from 5:30-7:30pm, the reception will feature nine artists and three artist teams that have been working in local parks and communities to experiment with contemporary artwork.

The exhibits will last all summer long...providing the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while interacting directly with the artists, as each will be providing artist talks in the parks throughout the month.
Click on the above link to see the schedule.

The featured artists, Danielle Roney, Shiela Pree Bright, Avantika Bawa, Joe Peregine , Pam Longbardi, Craig Dongoski, Michael Reese, Last Stand Collaborative, Tristan Al-Haddad, Matt Haffner, Ruth Stanford, Angus Galloway, Nat Slaughter cover a variety of art forms and span the range of emerging artist to internationally recognized.

A van tour of all the parks and art on exhibit is scheduled for July 19. Or bring on the heat with the "safari bike tour" of the art on the same day. I have no idea what the safari part is about, other than it being hot, but it definitely has me curious to learn more.

For more information, contact Stuart Keeler: 773 771 9362 or newgenrelandscape@gmail.com.

Flicks on 5th (and other summer movies)

2008-05-17T07:04:00Z

A friend asked me the other day, "Have you seen the schedule for Flicks on 5th?"

I was like, no. We both had decided that we weren't so keen on Screen on the Green being moved to Centennial Olympic Park because of the drought, and that the other outdoor movie series near Georgia Tech might be a better pick. I'm starting to suspect attendance to be down at most events moved from Piedmont Park this season, but that has yet to be seen. As this Creative Loafing blogger puts it, we should be glad officials have even found new locations for displaced park events.

Anyhow, here is the movie schedule for Flicks on 5th, a great time to bond with Atlanta on a humid night and find clever finger foods to bring to the show:

2008 Flicks on 5th Schedule:

June 11: I am Legend
June 18: Horton Hears a Who
June 25: The Bourne Ultimatum
July 9: Hairspray
July 16: Superbad
July 23: 21

Or if AC is more your thing, there is always the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at the Fox Theater, which is always a fun time and includes faux night sky, classic cartoons and organ playing -- that's Might Mo to you regulars.

BikeFest Follows AJC Letter Attack

2008-05-09T16:57:00Z

On Sunday, April 27th, the following letter was published in the AJC:

For years cyclists have caused traffic problems on the streets. They ride slowly and avoid the rules of the road. Now these people are riding down major highways during rush hour.

Traffic is bad enough without people taking a recreational ride down a major road while productive members of society are trying to get to actual destinations. I'm seeing cyclists on U.S. 41 and Ga. 5 during rush hour, and there seems to be more of them each day.

We need to write our politicians to get these people off the road.
-Kurtis R.E. Segars, Marietta

Most of the cycling community in Atlanta was outraged as Mr. Segars made it sound like those who ride bicycles are unproductive members of society and somehow find it a fun recreational idea to ride their bikes on busy roads during rush hour traffic. Not my idea of a good time. Have you ridden a bike in this town lately? It is often flat-out dangerous to be on the roads with a bike, not to mention the annoyance of inhaling rush-hour exhaust fumes.

But that is a big point for this city: air pollution. Yes, we've had a cool spring and those Code Red days have been nearly forgotten. But Atlanta is up there on smoginess. Cars, and not bikes it seems, are a major cause of hazards. During the '96 Olympics when the city was freaked out about event traffic and almost mandated people to ride MARTA or alternative transit...guess what? Cases in asthma went down and air quality went up (read the CDC press release).

So actually, these rush-hour bike riders are HUGELY productive. They aren't contributing to air pollution and are, in a very small part, increasing the health of everyone in the city. Sure, I am guilty myself of not always following the proper rules of the road when I'm on my bike, but when is the last time anyone driving in this city followed the speed limit?

I agree we need to get cyclists "off the road," but into bike lanes and paths. That is what we need to talk to the legislature about, commute options that protect cyclists and encourage clean commuting. Getting involved with groups like the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign (ABC) is a great place to start. They offer Confident City Cycling classes so riders can learn the rules of the road and know their rights. Plus, you can join them for breakfast once a month at Thumbs Up Diner near downtown and see how friendly and productive cyclists can be.

Especially appropriate, the ABC will be hosting Atlanta BikeFest this Wednesday, May 14, from 11am-2pm. Along with the Downtown Transportation Management Association they will have some festivities and raffle prizes in Woodruff Park along with safety tips and information on commute options.

Other Resources

Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association Forum (responses to AJC letter)
Biking Urban Atlanta (essay on getting started with cycling in the city)
A-Train Trip Planner (walking, public transit and biking commute planner)
Clean Air Campaign (get paid to carpool or take transit to work)

Tornado Food Fundraiser

2008-04-14T00:40:00Z

I was only 1.5 miles from some of the most severe damage from the tornado last month. Until last week, when I was driving through Cabbagetown, I had no idea the homes had been hit so hard. Of course, the Cotton Mill Loft damage took much of the lime light, with collapsed floors and a corner chunk of the historic building gone. But porches were ripped off, huge trees fallen right in the middle of houses and on cars. Massive damage. Blue tarps on roofs still scatter most of the neighborhood.

The artists have already had a fundraiser shindig, and now the restaurants in the area are pitching in. On Monday, April 14, if you dine at participating restaurants, 15% of the bill will go toward disaster relief.

I'm all about food and fundraising. Here is your change to enjoy a nice meal and some drinks (think Agave and tequilla bar --yum) and not feel guilty about how much you spend, as the more you spend, the more charitable you become.

For a list of participating restaurants, view the Dine-Out for Tornado Relief website, and get the scoop on the $5 raffle tickets where you can be entered to win restaurant gift cards and gallery-style canvas of the famous tornado picture snapped by Shane Durrance.

Boulevard is still closed to through traffic so getting to Cabbagetown and parking should be challenging. Best bet for getting there is via the Krog Street tunnel which will dump you right into Cabbagetown and off-street parking (I think the fallen trees in the street are gone now) or Hill Street to Memorial Drive.

Swing Dance Alert!

2008-04-08T01:48:00Z

This weekend is ATLX5. No, this isn't some shorthand for the fifth runway at the airport. It is the 5th annual Lindy Exchange. In layman's terms, a weekend of lessons and dances for lindy hop/swing dancers. As part of the weekend events, there is outdoor dancing to be had at Grant Park. Outdoor dancing in the city is rare, but incredibly fun. The dance is free, held on Sunday, April 13 from 1-5pm in Pavilion #1. I'm incredibly excited. Peachy.

Check out the ATLX5 schedule for full event information. The Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association (ASEDA) website is also a good resource for this event, other city swing dance events and dance lesson information.

For the Dogs: Festivals Go South

2008-04-05T19:55:00Z

I continue to have mixed feelings about the Dogwood Festival this weekend. Of course, there is the obvious failure of purpose that the DOGWOOD Festival has been moved this year to the Lenox Mall parking lot where there are no DOGWOODS. For me, one of the best perks about attending festivals in Atlanta is being able to enjoy the outdoors, in normally PARK settings.

So maybe I'm more against the move to Lenox Mall than I thought. At the same time, the Dogwood Festival tends to bring a more upscale crowd, those who might not otherwise venture into the city and who might actually be able to afford some of the art. In that case, maybe Buckhead is more fitting.

Drought was cited as the reason for the move. Ironically today is the second day of rain washing out the festival. Other spring festivals have found other homes this season as well due to drought concerns...so don't plan on heading to Piedmont Park unless for a personal picnic. The Atlanta Jazz Festival (May 24-26) has been moved to Woodruff Park downtown, while Atlanta Pride (July 4-6) is taking dibs at the Civic Center.

While I am sad about the state of the drought and state of the park...perhaps the exodus of festivals is the first tangible effect of the drought that will reach a large number of people. Still at times the city seems a bit too preoccupied to pay attention to environmental woes and I swear every time I walk out the door I see a new condo development around the corner.

Where is the urban planning? Let's hope the new comers to the new condos like parking lot festivals and short showers.