Atlanta, GA

AtlanTIX offers LIMITED half price tickets the day of the show for participating vendors. You can call their hotline for free notices of what will be on sale the following day: 678-318-1400. Besides participating theaters, you can get discounted tickets to Zoo Atlanta, High Museum of Arts, Wren’s Nest, Stone Mountain Park, Cyclorama, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum and more. Check out their website for more details: http://www.atlantaperforms.com/tickets/atlantix.asp

Visit the AtlanTIX booth at Guest Service desk at Lenox Mall OR the Underground Atlanta Visitors Center at the corner of Upper Alabama & Pryor Streets.
Hours:
• Tues thru Sat - 11:00am to 6:00pm
• Sunday - Noon to 4:00pm

You like Mexican - You like Nuevo Laredo
On their menu thay state - Your search for the best salsa is over - and they are totally right! It’s probably the best salsa I’ve been served.

I think the thing that makes this place great is it’s fresh ingredients. Yes, I still left with that why did I get so much, I’m amazingly full and can’t eat Mexican for two weeks. But when that two weeks is over and I’ve forgotten that too full feeling and crave the Mexican food - I will be craving Nuevo Laredo.
http://www.nuevolaredocantina.com/home.php

What used to be an area full of factory workers for the Cotton Mill, then a more seedy part of town is now a bustling residential/ commercial area where property is not as cheap as it once was.

Cabbagetown is nestled south of Inman Park, east of Oakland Cemetery, north of Grant Park and west of Reynoldstown. The area got it’s name from the time period the Cotton Mill (now lofts) were active and the workers lived near the mill and on their minute budget they cooked and ate alot of cabbage. Enough for the town to smell like cabbage.

Now the scent has drifted, and you can rent or live in one of the colorful homes or eat at one of these fine restaurants: Agave (Mexican), Carole Street Cafe (My fav!), some new pizza place, and a bar with food (18+ only). There’s also the hot spot for drinks and they offer lunch and dinner 97 Estoria.

Here’s a list (in order of most favorite) of the best Atlanta movie theaters:

1. Midtown Art Cinema: They show artsy fartsy films, some mainstream ones, and they serve wine and beer. A good weekend plan (date idea) grab some dinner at the restaurant next door to the theater, Apres Diem, catch a flick, and then have some after dinner drinks somewhere in the shopping complex

2. Starlight 6 Drive-In Movie Theater: It’s a drive-in…how cool is that? You pull up your car, tune in to the correct radio station and watch the movie - real easy to see two films for the price of one.

3. Atlantic Station Regal Movie Theater: This place gets super crowded on the weekend. If you want to catch a mainstream movie in the city, this is your best bet. Stadium seating, student tickets, and they voucher your parking ticket.

4. Plaza Atlanta on Ponce de Leon: This movie theater’s coolest feature is that they always show the Rocky Horror Picture Show every Friday night at midnight and a cast reenacts the entire movie in front of the seats. This place is definetly not updated in the fact that there’s only one guy in a booth to buy your ticket from, one guy at the concession stands, but it’s great location for those living in the Midtown/Virginia Highland/Poncey Highland/Little 5 Points area. They do some some interesting flicks and film festivals.

* Atlantic Station is hosting a German Beer festival this Sat. Aug. 25 - Tickets are $30 and gets you a souvenir glass with all the beer you can drinks. Plus there will be some food there to help you not get amazingly sloshed.

*Grant Park Festival - Aug. 25 & 26 - Really great festival - Last year I won a gas card for Geiko and a discounted hair cut from some salon that had a booth there - Art to look at or buy, carnival type food for sale. Also, Corks and Forks- a fine food and wine event - $30 at the gate - taste food from restaurants like Redfish, Canoe, Shaun’s, Element, Wisteria, Dish and more. NO PETS ALLOWED at the festival.

*Go see the Crucible at the Mable House (for more details see yesterday’s entry)

Okay - so here’s some pretty blatant self-promotion. I’m in The Crucible at the Mable House and want more people in our audiences besides the family and friends of the cast and the students of Cobb county schools whose teachers are making them come see the show.

It’s actually going to be a pretty sweet show for the following reasons:

1. It’s an outdoor play
2. The audience is going to move into different locations to follow the play
3. I’m in the play
4. The word equivalent to female dog is used (really stretching here)
5. There’s an old house we perform in front of that is supposedly haunted by Mr. Mable himself

So here’s the necessary 411:

Performances are Thursday-Sunday August 23 - September 2. NO SHOW ON SATURDAY, AUG. 25 (Pat Benatar is playing at the Mable House). Thursday-Saturday at 7pm. Sunday matinee at 3pm.

Limited Seating so buy your tickets now by stopping by the Mable House or calling 770-819-3285. Tickets are $10.

For directions, please visit: http://www.mablehouse.org/directions.htm

I mainly wanted to write about Eats because I’ve really been craving it recently.

So yeah, Eats, basically it’s good, somewhat healthy food and it’s best quality is it’s CHEAP.

This very casual restaurant has two counters to order from: pasta or chicken and veggies. The servings are very generous and this once cash only restaurant now accepts credit cards.

Located at 600 Ponce de Leon Ave - near the Whole Foods shopping center.

My favorite dish is to get the veggie plate with collard greens, switch between the mac n cheese and black beans and rice, and sweet potato - sometimes lima beans. The jerk chicken is amazing and huge and the chicken can also come in lemon pepper (I think that’s the other flavor)

The pasta bar is sort of a pick the pasta and sauce you want type deal. I enjoy their lasagna.

So check it out - we’re talking under $10 here. I think my veggie plate is around $5 - and yummy!!

*Alison Krauss performs at the Fox Theater Sat. Aug. 18 - 8pm

*Braves play the Arizona Diamondbacks at Turner Stadium Sat. Aug. 18 at 7:05pm

*BBQ, Blues, and Bluegrass Festival at Harmony Park in Oakhurst - Sat. Aug. 18 from 2-11pm : Live music, including barbecue, vegetarian food, and a special children’s area. Adults $5, children under 10 free. No coolers allowed in festival area.
www.decaturbbqfestival.com

*World Famous Bronner Bros. International Hair Show, Aug. 18-21 - I’m not really sure if you can go to this as general public, I think it would be totally entertaining to see the hair show competitions. More info. go to: http://www.bronnerbros.com/index2.html

Art in the City: Thursday Nights at the High

Thursdays, August 16, 23, 30, 5 – 8 p.m.
Relax and rejuvenate at the High after work! On Thursday, August 16 don’t miss DJ Tabone and spa treatments by Spa Sydell. The High offers extended hours every Thursday until 8 p.m. including events such as guided tours, lectures, gallery talks, music, wine-tastings, book-signings, and more. This is a great way to see special exhibitions and avoid the weekend crowds. A guided tour of Permanent Collection highlights is offered at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: Free with Museum admission and free to members

Also Check out…
August Friday Jazz
August 17, 5 to 10 p.m.

August’s Friday Jazz performer, Gary Motley, has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Great American Jazz Piano Competition. He has also been featured in “Downbeat Magazine”and on “Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland.” Gary received “Creative Loafing” Magazine’s 2003 Critics Choice Award for Best Local Jazz Pianist. An active member of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE), Gary is the Director of Jazz Studies at Emory University. Held on the third Friday of every month, Friday Jazz includes live musical performances in the Robinson Atrium of the Stent Family Wing, art-making activities in the Greene Family Education Center and gallery tours. Food and drink available for purchase. Friday Jazz is sponsored by Goldman Sachs. Promotional partner is WJZZ Smooth Jazz 107.5.

Tickets: $15, available for purchase online at www.High.org or through the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office, 404-733-5000. Service charges apply for phone and online purchases.

Drawing in the Galleries

August 17, 6 to 9 p.m.

Pencil yourself in for some time to draw in the galleries! Join the High Museum on the third Friday of every month from 6 to 9 p.m. during Friday Jazz for a complimentary figure drawing opportunity to enhance your visit to view the Museum’s Permanent Collection and special exhibitions. Each month, a live model—in costume, will be positioned in the galleries for patrons and visitors to see and capture with pencil and paper! A special guest will facilitate these life-drawing opportunities for everyone to enjoy. The model will be positioned for short-term poses, ideal for gesture drawing and quick sketches; pencils, paper and drawing boards will be provided.
GENERAL ADMISSION
Adults $15
Students & Seniors $12
Children 6-17 $10
Members and Children under 6 FREE

WHERE
High Museum of Art
1280 Peachtree Street
Midtown Atlanta
MARTA: Arts Center

This week only, participating downtown Atlanta restaurants are welcoming patrons with a specilaty three course menu for $25. The reason is to get people to experience new restaurants for a cheaper price than normal.

This is a very popular event and books fast - Reservations are accepted and encouraged. Last year I went to BED - This was the downtown restaurant at the bottom of a hotel that had actual fancy beds that your group could eat your meal on. The meal was fantastic - however, I guess the gimic of eating on a BED wasn’t enough for Atlantans and it’s now outta business.

Participating Restaurant Include the Following:
Fine Dining

Avanzare–Hyatt Regency Atlanta
Azio
City Grill
Dailey’s Restaurant & Bar
Django Gypsy Saloon
Durango Steak House
Fandangle’s–Sheraton Atlanta Hotel
French American Brasserie
Hsu’s Gourmet Chinese
Les Fleur de Lis Café
Luckie Food Lounge
Max Lager’s American Grill & Brewery
No Mas! Cantina
Pacific Kitchen
Pacific Rim Bistro
Pittypat’s Porch
Pleasant Peasant
Ray’s in the City
Sear–Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Spoon Thai Cafe and Lounge
The Grille @ 590–Renaissance Atlanta Downtown
Thrive
Trader Vic’s–Hilton Atlanta
Tringali’s

Casual Dining - Two can dine for $25.00

Endenu
Mick’s
O’Terrill’s

To see the menu of what the participarting restaurants are offering for their three course meals, visit: http://www.atlantadowntown.com/DARW/menus.html

Studio 101 off N. Druid Hills and LaVista in the Loehmann’s Shopping
Center is offering free discover classes this week. I went to this
studio once and thought it was great. So in case any of you want to
take a dance class this week – you can go for free!

Examples of some classes offered: Discover Hip Hop, Bellydance, Ballet, Jazz and much more!

For more info and schedule of classes: http://www.dance101.org/

*Tonight, 8/10, at the Red Light Cafe on Amsterdam Ave. Go check out up and coming country singer Caroline Monroe. She performs at 9:30pm, tickets are $7.

*Tomorrow at Variety Playhouse in Little 5 Points - a Tribute to Elvis Presely with lots of impersonators and those girls who like to take their tops off, the Dames of Flames - Show at 8:30pm, tickets $20

Not only does this woman pride herself on style, being a woman in power, she also just happens to be the Mayor of Atlanta.

Let me be honest here, when I think of Mayor Shirley Franklin, I think of her big flower pins she wears everytime you see her in the public view. Did she copy this from Sarah Jessica Parker’s Sex in the City character Carrie, or was Carrie copying Shirley? Regardless, most women wouldn’t dare tote this out of fashion fad pin wear but Shirley still carries it well.

It is sad that this is the first and only concrete thing I can think of when I think of the Mayor of Atlanta. She must be doing something right - it’s not like the city has turned into Gotham City. So Good Job Mayor Shirley Franklin!

Forbes recently released a study which placed Atlanta as the second most unhealthy commute in the U.S. - only to be beat by Riverside, California.

The main reason for Atlanta being in such a bad placement was related to speeding which causes accidents and a longer commute and longer period of time in unhealthy air.

This really shocked me that Atlanta had such a bad placement. My God! That’s pretty bad. Luckily, I live and work intown so my commute is about 10 minutes to work, not getting on the highway, and no traffic. I can’t imagine what my sanity would be like nevertheless my health if I had a commute in traffic which takes many over an hour.

A helpful tip for those Atlantans is to use recirculated air in your car during your commute, so you’re not getting the fumes of other vehichles. Also - how about those alternative methods of getting to work - MARTA and carpool. Unfortunetly, I don’t think walking and bike riding is going to work for peolpe not living Intown. Which also reminds me, why not move intown? But really - if you look around at the cars coming into the city for work abuot 99% of them are people alone - get in a freakin carpool already. It saves gas, money, and look it’ll help our air.

I recently carpooled with a coworked of mine and signed up for the Clean Air Campaign. They will actually pay you for carpooling up to $180 and if you have atleast 3 people in your carpool you are in drawings for monthly gas cards…

If you live in Atlanta, please comment to this blog as to how you get to work..

Eddie’s Attic, a popular acoustic, song writer venue in Decatur, is hosting a contest on Myspace to pick the most popular candidate to play a show on their stage.

Please vote for my friend and country singer/songwriter Caroline Monroe. Originally from Atlanta and currently residing in Athens, GA - Caroline has some of the best material around. I personally love her witty songs like, See Rock City, She Regrets Her Tatoos, and more…To learn more about Caroline visit her website: www.carolinemonroe.com.

Click here and VOTE FOR CAROLINE:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=90656906&blogID=293668321