Scare a scarecrow
Location: Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Date taken: October 3, 2014
Fall is the season for pumpkins, apples, golden leaves and amazing weather. At the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, it’s also the season for Scarecrows in the Garden. Local businesses and organizations show their creativity in transforming this farm figure into an urban dweller. Stroll the gardens in the fall and you’ll get an extra dose of art along the paths — some scary, some playful and a few wonderfully classic.
Hashtag your love of Atlanta
Location: #WeLoveAtl Mobile Photo Gallery
Date taken: October 5, 2013
It started as one art show. Now, it’s a ongoing exhibit with dozens of new photos added each week. #WeLoveAtl showcases Atlantans’ photos of their city and love of their city. Atlantans — those on Instagram — have been sharing their photos of skyline views, resident portraits, landmarks, neighborhoods and even various modes of transportation. #WeLoveAtl’s photos are now available for purchase, with proceeds going to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Want to participate? Just grab your camera or smartphone, and snap a photo of your favorite Atlanta spot — don’t forget to hashtag #weloveatl.
Climb the walls
Location: Wall Crawler Rock Club
Date taken: October 6, 2013
Intimidated by giant rock climbing walls? Don’t know where to put your hands and feet amid all the colorful holds? You like the sound of the word “belay” but have no idea what it means? Follow the smell of cookies baking (yes, there is a cookie factory just across the train tracks) to the Wall Crawler Rock Club on Dekalb Avenue, and you’ll find a intimate and laid back climbing gym. The walls are tall, but the learning curve feels a little smaller here. Of course, this is by no means a beginners only spot — there’s a crew of neighborhood regulars who call Wall Crawlers their home gym. Stop by, and you might become one of them.
Find the really good stuff
Location: Westside Provisions
Date taken: August 6, 2013
The directional signs sprinkled throughout the Westside Provisions District read, “Really good stuff ,” and the statement is true. From the dessert case at Star Provisions to the guacamole at Taqueria del Sol to the gorgeous furniture at Room & Board to the stylish clothing of Sid Mashburn, Westside Provisions has become a dining and shopping destination. The Howell Mill block of brick buildings has come along way since its days as Atlanta’s first modern meatpacking facility (hence the pig logo).
Race around the block
Location: East Atlanta Village Criterium
Date taken: August 17, 2013
The streets around East Atlanta Village close down, and the bikes take over for one Saturday afternoon every August. Criterium implies a short course, usually less than a mile, and the EAV Criterium lives up to its name. Find a spot along the course, and you’ll see cyclists zoom by about every minute or so — they race on a small rectangle of a course around the main stretch of the neighborhood. Locals, family and friends and cycling enthusiasts cheer on the racers, starting with youth early in the day and ending with the veterans who compete for a cash prize. If you can’t make the EAV race, check out other criteriums nearby — Grant Park, Athens.
Sing your heart out
Date taken: July 26, 2013
Location: Melody 2
For those of us born without an ounce of musical talent, a night of karaoke can sounds quite terrifying. But when your solo is limited to a group of your closest friends, karaoke becomes a little less intimidating. Among the international flavors of Atlanta’s Buford Highway sit several private room karaoke clubs. Rent a room. Bring your friends. Order drinks. Select a song, and sing your heart out. There are books and books of songs. Make your selection, enter it into the room’s iPad and soon you’ll be singing your favorite rock song, love song, country classic, ballad or cheesy 80s hit. And, if you’re lucky, your song will not only feature lyrics but an entertaining video as well (don’t be alarmed if you start seeing the same actors over and over).
Atlanta Heydays 
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