Hear a concert in the park
Location: Justin Townes Earle concert at Atlantic Station
Date taken: December 2, 2012
Concerts. Bed races. Beach volleyball. Beer festivals. Food festivals. Cirque du Soleil. The 138 acres now occupied by Atlantic Station have seen a lot of changes in the past 100 years. Opened as the Atlantic Steel Mill in 1901, this Westside neighborhood is now a tourist destination for shopping (only IKEA for hundreds of miles) and dining. And, for locals, it’s a space to live (buy or rent) and work (Creative Loafing’s offices are here) and attend a variety of events. If you can navigate your way in and out of the massive parking deck, it’s a great place to spend an evening.
Stare awhile at a work of art
Location: High Museum of Art
Date taken: November 20, 2012
Touring the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles earlier this year, I kept thinking to myself, “This looks familiar. This looks like MY art museum.” Of course, my art museum is the High Museum here in Atlanta. I grew up going on regular field trips to the High and exploring the children’s part of the museum, which back then featured a giant tongue, giant nose and giant ear for exploring. The Getty did not appear to have any of these giant body parts or a children’s area, but it turns out that the Getty and the High were designed by the same person — Richard Meier. Meier is know for his white buildings and rationalist style. Except the Getty is cream not white. People were afraid the California sun bouncing off the white walls of the museum might create a blinding sight for motorists on the nearby highway or people in nearby homes. While Atlanta’s sun might be hot it’s rarely blinding, so we got the real deal — classic Meier white.
Play in the sand
Location: Festival on Ponce
Date taken: September 15, 2012
Along the path in Atlanta’s Olmsted Linear Park, there’s a stone that reads: “We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. – Benjamin Franklin”. Parks, of course, are designed for play. They are designed for throwing a ball or throwing a frisbee, for swinging on a swing and hanging upside down from monkey bars, for playing tag or playing hopscotch, for running a race or jumping rope. And sometimes, when you stumble upon an arts festival, you might get to play awhile layering colors of sand in a small, plastic bottle. Play is simple. Simply play.
Drive on by (or through)
Location: Krog Tunnel
Date taken: November 3, 2012
Driving along Dekalb Ave at rush hour, traffic usually slows around Krog Street. As the main thoroughfare linking Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward on the north side of the train tracks with Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown on the south side, Krog Street and its famous tunnel can get quite congested. In addition to cars, there is usually a flurry of bicyclists and pedestrians … and the occasionally film crew (such as on the day this photo was shot). But stopping for more than a few minutes in front the tunnel does have its advantages — you can find out about upcoming events. I don’t know when or how the tradition started (or who oversees the process), but the front of the tunnel serves as a homemade billboard for the next big neighborhood event. The main event is painted across the top, while smaller events find their way onto the pillars and inside walls of the tunnel. Drive slowly through and you’ll probably learn about some upcoming events.
Skate your way around a park
Location: Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark
Date taken: November 4, 2012
The veterans gather on Sunday mornings at the skate park in the Old Fourth Ward. There are some newbies too … and kids on scooters and tourists and general onlookers. It’s part performance, part competition, part social club and mainly a great way to spend a warm fall morning. I recently fell down a set of stairs (yes, just walking normally), so placing a board on wheels beneath my feet and propelling myself down a sloped concrete wall does seems like a death wish. It also makes me more impressed with those who do skateboard … who gather early to share a few dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and a love of their sport.
Live by a park
Location: Adair Park
Date taken: November 9, 2012
As a native of Atlanta, I grew up frequenting the playground at Hammond Park and played in the first softball league at Chastain Park. I have taken tennis lessons at Mason Mill Park, and there’s a brick that bears my name in Centennial Olympic Park. I helped teach my nephew how to swim at the Candler Park pool, and you can frequently find me jogging along the trails of Olmsted Linear Park. People often say that Atlanta is a “city among the trees.” Thank goodness it’s also a city among the parks.
Row, row, row a boat
Location: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Date taken: September 16, 2012
Floating down the Chattahoochee River in a giant intertube has always been one of the traditional summer activities for Atlantans. But, the river is not just for leisurely trips downstream. If you feel like more active water sports, rent a canoe or kayak, join a stand-up board group, or test your skills with the Atlanta Rowing Club. And, for those Atlantans more inclined to stay on dry land, there’s also plenty to do — take a tour of the Nature Center, plan an afternoon at a park’s picnic tables, grills and playgrounds, join the annual Run the River 5k/10k, or eat at Ray’s on the River or Canoe.
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