Cityscape
Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
When J. CARTER stepped on the scene, Atlanta nightlife was in a lull. The promoter behind weekly club events like Django’s Fever, Sutra’s Stereotype and the monthly smash-hit soiree Sol-Fusion, Carter and partner Kenny Burns give after-5 life in the ATL a much-needed shot in the arm. If his name is attached to an affair, you can rest assured that the music - provided by star DJs such as ?uestlove and local heroes Salah Ananse and Jamad - will be ass-shakingly hot, and the folks assembled will represent a multicultural microcosm of people ready to do the damn thing. Thanks for keeping us jiggy, Jason.
“www.sol-fusion.com.” See related: - After Dark: Best Club Event Sol-Fusion (Critic pick)
- After Dark: Best Weekly Club Event Sol-Fusion (Critic pick)
- After Dark: Best Weekly Club Event Fever (Critic pick)
BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
For those who want to spend their dollars on one-of-a-kind, handmade purses, soaps, clothes and gifts, rather than their premium-priced, mass-produced counterparts in the mall, Beehive Co-op founder PETRA GEIGER stepped in to save the day. A budding handbag and stationary designer herself, Geiger had difficulty finding a suitable retail outlet to sell her wares — so she created her own. Geiger’s co-op is comprised of several smaller boutiques boasting clothes by Olive, Rinse bath and beauty products, creative kids’ clothes and accessories by Bold Mary, and all those indie-jewelry designers that you hit every craft festival in hopes of finding. Easier to shop than most malls and affordably priced, we couldn’t ask for an easier way to support local artists while treating ourselves.
See related:
- Consumer Culture: Best Place to Shop for Local Designers Beehive Co-op (Critic pick)
BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
SCOTT REILLY could remain content as the owner of the Retromodern home furnishings store and the city’s foremost name in, well, all things retro and modern. But he takes his role a step further by working with the High Museum to bring to Atlanta some of dec-art’s most notable experts and artists for lectures and speaking engagements that educate design collectors and enthusiasts. Thanks to his connections, no less than the legendary, then-98-year-old Eva Zeisel (known for organic design in silver, ceramics and glass) and Charles Ray Eames (grandson of Charles Eames, great-nephew of Ray Eames, and champion of the family furniture legacy) have made an Atlanta appearance. The icing on the cake: Everyone who attends the lecture is then invited to Retromodern to view its corresponding exhibition and enjoy a glass of champagne.
See related:
- Consumer Culture: Best Eclectic Furniture Retromodern (Critic pick)
- Poets, Artists & Madmen: Best Museum The High Museum of Art (Reader pick)
- Poets, Artists & Madmen: Best Museum Makeover High Museum of Art (Critic pick)
Best Bike Ride / Urban BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Bizarro Local News Story BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Columnist/Journalist BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Country Music Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Day Trip BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Day Trip BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Festivals BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Festivals BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Fighters for Atlanta’s Soul BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Georgia Beach Retreat BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Georgia Mountain Retreat BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Golf Course BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Ideas to Right the Wrongs BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Intown Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Jazz Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Jogging Path BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Jogging Path BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Athlete BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Blog/Zine BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Blogger BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Celebrity BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Do-Gooder BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Hero BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Political Figure BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Rabble-Rouser/Activist BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local TV News BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local TV News BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Loft Project BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Morning Drive-Time Radio Show BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Non-Commercial Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best OTP Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Overall Neighborhood BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Overall Neighborhood BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Person You Hate to Love BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Person You Love to Hate BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best place for Celebrity Sighting BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best place to ride your bike BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Radio DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Reason to Live in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Rock Climbing Wall BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Rock Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Spot to Commune with Nature/Best Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Street Character BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Morning Drive-Time Radio Show BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
The 41-story glass tower rising on the corner of Peachtree and 14th streets marks the tallest construction in Atlanta in more than a dozen years. But 1180 PEACHTREE, designed by the prestigious Connecticut firm Pickard Chilton, has more than height going for it. The building’s swooping lines evoke the contours of a gigantic, shimmering cell phone. Or is it a neo-gothic cathedral? Either way, it’s also the largest structure in Atlanta to attain “green” status; developer Hines Interests is constructing the tower using at least 10 percent recycled materials, and it will be outfitted with water-saver toilets and faucets. The high-rise, informally known as Symphony Tower, is scheduled to open next year, when mega-firm King & Spalding sets up shop on 17 floors.
www.1180peachtree.com.
Best Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
People laughed when Infinity Broadcasting dumped its tired classic rock formula on Z-93 and created something called “DAVE FM” at 92.9, promising “rock without rules.” But the format works. A typically unpredictable set can include the Kinks, Better than Ezra and Jane’s Addiction, with a refreshing emphasis on B-sides and lesser-known tracks. And for its morning show, the station brought back former 99X jock Steve Barnes, who in turn enlisted ubiquitous CNN personality Holly Firfer to create a morning team offering a welcome alternative to the usual noise.
404-741-9393. www.929davefm.com.
Best Non-Commercial Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Festivals BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Festivals BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Make sure you show up hungry to the GEORGIA APPLE FESTIVAL just outside Ellijay, the state’s apple capital. The annual event, now in its 34th year, spans two weekends at the height of October’s harvest season. In addition to the obligatory regional dishes — apple pie, apple butter, apple dumplings, and fried dill pickles — there are more than 300 vendors offering such mountain handicrafts as log furniture, birdhouses, blown glass and quilts your memaw would kill for. You’ll typically find local musicians a-pickin’ and a-grinnin’, and you might even find a peach, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Oct. 8-9, 15-16. Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds. 706-636-4500. www.georgiaapplefestival.org.
Best Jogging Path BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Overall Neighborhood BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Overall Neighborhood BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Sitting on the border of Cobb and Cherokee counties, many of MOUNTAIN PARK’s 250 cottages were built in the early 20th century as summer retreats for Atlanta’s elite, who gave the homes names such as “Park-Ur-Carcass” and “Shack-Toe-In.” Designated as both a wildlife refuge and a waterfowl nesting area, Mountain Park sits 23 miles from downtown Atlanta and is framed by rolling hills and two lakes. Residents now are doing their best to maintain the neighborhood’s charm despite infringing subdivisions, and Mountain Park’s recycling program and anti-pollution projects set an eco-friendly example for its neighbors.
www.mountainparklife.com.
Best OTP Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Picnic Spot BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
SPRINGVALE PARK is small, and therein lies its charm. The peaceful atmosphere is unlikely to be disturbed by a pickup game of any sort, because there aren’t any sports-sized fields at the 116-year-old park, located just two blocks off busy DeKalb Avenue. Instead of the usual shrieks and whoops, the park’s fountains gurgle soothingly. Landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1903, the park also boasts an original, 1889 stone wall and a Victorian-era vibe — all of which forms the perfect backdrop for a quiet lunch for two.
Bounded by Euclid Avenue, Waverly Way and Elizabeth Street. www.inmanpark.org.
Best Person You Hate to Love BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Person You Hate to Love BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Ooh, look at TY PENNINGTON take off his shirt and swing a hammer for the cameras on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Isn’t he dreamy? Well, maybe cheesy is more like it. And it’s a little sanctimonious when he yells into that bullhorn, “Come on, team — let’s make this family’s dream come true!” But so what? Pennington, who was raised in Atlanta, broke into showbiz as the token hot-guy carpenter on “Trading Spaces.” Now he actually helps families in need. Among other things, he and his crew have enlarged the home of a couple expecting triplets, and remodeled a house so a wheelchair-bound teenager could get around more easily. Watch out, Oprah.
www.tythehandyguy.com.
Best Person You Love to Hate BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Person You Love to Hate BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Baby-faced super-Christian RALPH REED is running for lieutenant governor, and while the campaign is Reed’s first bid for public office, he’s said to have his eyes on the White House. Scary. Reed is a cutthroat behind-the-scenes political street fighter who’s claimed he put enemies in “body bags” and led the Christian Coalition to national prominence. The former plagiarist — he was banned from UGA’s student newspaper for copying lines from an attack on Gandhi — returned to the state as a political consultant following claims that a company with close ties to him over-billed the coalition. Now Reed is up to his neck in allegations that he fought the development of Indian casinos with money provided by their competitors. How presidential.
www.ralphreed.com.
Best place to ride your bike BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
A few years back it was the poor man’s Stone Mountain, but thanks to DeKalb’s much-touted greenspace program, ARABIA MOUNTAIN TRAIL has come into its own. The county is completing an ambitious trail network through the 2,000-acre nature preserve that includes elevated boardwalks through forest wetlands, well-marked paths across huge expanses of open granite, and a picturesque covered bridge. The concrete trails, open to hikers and bikers, extend north to Stonecrest Mall and downtown Lithonia and, eventually, south to Panola Mountain. Once in the park, mountain bikers can go off-road to find some challenging rock-hopping.
‘’www.arabiaalliance.org. www.pathfoundation.org/trails/arabia.cfm.
Best Spot to Commune with Nature/Best Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Standing on the grounds of IGNATIUS HOUSE, one can’t help but evoke the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” With 20 acres to explore, including a natural waterfall and an outdoor chapel, it’s hard not to quiet yourself at the Sandy Springs prayer and meditation center run by Jesuit priests. If you’re really stressed out, try partaking in a silent weekend retreat. No talking is allowed for two days, so bring all those unresolved issues.
6700 Riverside Drive. 404-255-0503. www.ignatiushouse.org.
Best Spot to Commune with Nature/Best Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Dog Park BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Located just north of where Park Drive crosses from Monroe Drive into Piedmont Park, the PIEDMONT PARK DOG PARK is where the city’s pooches, from Great Danes to Pekinese, run wild. The 2.5-acre doggie playground also has a separate fenced-in plot for small dogs and puppies. The place is paradise for dog-watchers - and perfect for Atlantans who don’t have a Fido of their own to scratch that dog-owning itch.
www.piedmontpark.org.
Best Bike Ride / Urban BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best place to ride your bike BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best place for Celebrity Sighting BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Person You Love to Hate BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
We have to hand it to CHOICEPOINT. The company spent years buying information on virtually every American while assuring privacy advocates that the information was safe. Yet all it took was a Nigerian crook posing as a legit business to compromise information on 145,000 Americans. Did ChoicePoint offer a full accounting of the scandal? Yeah, right! The company waited months before ’fessing up to a security breach. Then, when CEO Derek Smith finally talked, he said, “We didn’t expect organized criminals would attack us with this sophistication.” Derek, they used a fax machine! ChoicePoint shares tumbled, but before the scandal went public, Smith managed to sell thousands of shares, netting $13 million.
www.choicepoint.com.
Best Bizarro Local News Story BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
His friends call him Mike; his driver calls him Mr. Vick; and his doctor calls him RON MEXICO. At least that’s the name that Falcons quarterback Michael Vick allegedly used while getting treatment for a case of genital herpes, according to court documents filed in a Gwinnett County lawsuit. In April, a 26-year-old alleged former girlfriend sued Vick for negligence and battery, claiming he gave her the STD after he once refused to wear a condom during sex. Vick denies the allegations, and the suit has yet to go to court. But here at CL, we’ve already reached our verdict: “Ron Mexico” is one kick-ass nickname!
www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0405051vick1.html.
Best Columnist/Journalist BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Best Radio DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
For all your crunk desires, you can’t beat Hot 107.9. Riding in your old-school Olds, listening to everything from the Ying Yang Twins to T.I., Ludacris to Trap Boiz, the hotness factor is not so much boom-bip as it is beats to bump. WHTA-FM is probably the best place to hear tracks fresh off the latest mix tapes, which makes sense since the station employs at least four for-real DJs. Although the somewhat contrived diversity in the station’s billboards for its “A” Team morning show may throw you for a loop, you’d be loopy not to have your radio pre-set to the all-the-way-to-the-right station.
404-741-1079. www.hot1079atl.com.
Best Radio Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
It might be well into its 30s, but ALBUM 88 hasn’t lost a shred of edge. In what can be a somewhat despairing sea of radio bile, the student-run station broadcast out of Georgia State University is one of the most powerful (100,000 watts) and widely heard (with an estimated 150,000 listeners) college radio stations in the country. That’s not by accident. Album 88 has more than 40 specialty shows, running the gamut from math rock to space rock, post-punk to Japanese, instrumental hip-hop to drum and bass, as well as live, in-studio performances by bands whose tours pass through Atlanta.
404-651-4488. www2.gsu.edu/~www885.
Best UnderRated Thing About Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best UnderRated Thing About Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Best Reason to Live in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Reason to Live in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Best Rock Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Best bets for getting into some funny business: Comedian BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
During the past 15 years, nearly 1,400 Atlantans have learned the rudiments of stand-up comedy in Jeff Justice’s Comedy Workshop. Justice teaches students how to write and perform jokes and then sends the fledglings on stage in front of a packed house at the Punchline comedy club. The key to comedy is being yourself, Justice insists, which sets some students on a mini-metaphysical quest. Graduates include Ron Lester, who starred in Varsity Blues, and our own columnist extraordinaire Hollis Gillespie.
404-262-7406. www.jeffjustice.com.
Best Street Character BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Street Character BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Best Tourist Trap BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Tourist Trap BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Although it doesn’t open until Nov. 23, we’re pretty sure the GEORGIA AQUARIUM deserves this honor — not least of all because the facility will move roughly 8 million gallons of water into downtown Atlanta. Bernie Marcus’ intown improvement project has the Home Depot’s name written all over it. No surprise there: The facility wouldn’t have been possible without Marcus’ ridiculously generous $200 million donation. In its first year, the giant fish tank is expected to attract more than 2 million visitors to see more than 100,000 animals representing 500 species.
www.georgiaaquarium.org.
Best Festivals BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
Screw the face-painting and arts and crafts booths. Each summer, the Earl’s CORNDOGORAMA mixes hot bands and white trash for the perfect indie-rocker brouhaha. During Corndogorama, which celebrated its 11th anniversary this year, the club’s sidewalk and parking lot are literally flooded from the afternoon to the wee hours of the morning with gawkers and participants partaking in such distinguished events as corndog-eating contests. Inside, nearly 40 bands, most of them local, perform over four days. Yuppies, be warned: Festival-goers have been known to strip to their skivvies and ride a stationary four-wheeler like a mechanical bull.
488 Flat Shoals Road. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com.
Best Bizarro Local News Story BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
In January, an e-mail began popping up in inboxes claiming A LOCAL RESTAURANT WAS SERVING RATS, MICE, KITTENS, PUPPIES AND A LARGE FROZEN HAWK. While the restaurant wasn’t named, an early version of the e-mail included a map showing it to be a certain Chinese restaurant near Perimeter Mall. Accompanying the e-mail were four pictures of skinned and shrink-wrapped rats and mice. Soon, though, the Fulton County Health and Wellness Department found that the e-mail was a hoax. (Incidentally, the restaurant in question had excellent health records.) The photos turned out to be pictures of prepackaged food for snakes.
www.snopes.com/food/tainted/rats.asp.
Best Urban/ Contemporary Station BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Fighters for Atlanta’s Soul BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Fighters for Atlanta’s Soul BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Critics Pick
In the 1880s, CABBAGETOWN was built to accommodate Fulton Bag & Cotton Mill workers. In the ensuing century, the neighborhood developed into an enclave of brightly colored bungalows and shotgun-style shanties — many with lopsided porches and junkyard art. Located east of Oakland Cemetery and north of Memorial Drive, Cabbagetown was home to folk artist Panorama Ray, who photographed the neighborhood’s barefoot and potbellied children, and avant-rocker Benjamin of the band Smoke, who dressed in drag and developed a beatnik mix of blues punk. Despite the recent razing of a historic building that housed the gallery and music venue Art Farm, Cabbagetown’s charm has survived infringing gentrification — and is still home to approximately 75 descendants of the original mill workers.
www.cabbagetown.org.
Best Ideas to Right the Wrongs BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
When J. CARTER stepped on the scene, Atlanta nightlife was in a lull. The promoter behind weekly club events like Django’s Fever, Sutra’s Stereotype and the monthly smash-hit soiree Sol-Fusion, Carter and partner Kenny Burns give after-5 life in the ATL a much-needed shot in the arm. If his name is attached to an affair, you can rest assured that the music - provided by star DJs such as ?uestlove and local heroes Salah Ananse and Jamad - will be ass-shakingly hot, and the folks assembled will represent a multicultural microcosm of people ready to do the damn thing. Thanks for keeping us jiggy, Jason.
“www.sol-fusion.com.” See related: - After Dark: Best Club Event Sol-Fusion (Critic pick)
- After Dark: Best Weekly Club Event Sol-Fusion (Critic pick)
- After Dark: Best Weekly Club Event Fever (Critic pick)
BOA Award Winner
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2005 » Cityscape » Readers Pick
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