Atlanta is America’s past and future

“Oh, well, they’ll never win. They drove God crazy.”

I got a taste of this distinctly Atlantean verve before I had barely left Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. When we passed Mercedes-Benz Stadiummy irritated Uber driver, Chandra, identified to me that in an effort to construct a 71,000-seat sports and concert venue, developers razed not only Mount Vernon Baptist Church but in addition Friendship Baptist Church, the birthplace of two historic black colleges: Spelman and Morehouse. She was convinced that the Atlanta Braves baseball team was cursed for denigrating these historic grounds in the same way.

“Mmmm-hmmm,” she shook her head as we exited the large constructing visible behind.

Throughout its history, Atlanta was a Civil War battlefield and the house of Martin Luther King Jr. and source for R&B, hip-hop and trap music. The city, which is a believer in black culture, has long been a paradise for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Greater than all of it, this Southern city is a distillation of America’s past – the nice, the bad and the ugly – and a glimpse into its diverse and dynamic future.

Sleep Southern style

I used to be in Atlanta for the annual festival Shaky knees music festival and spent the weekend in Glenn Hotel downtown. The pre-Civil War neoclassical-style constructing was miraculously saved during General Sherman’s March to the Sea in 1864, which burned almost the whole city to the bottom. (Little surprise it’s on the National Register of Historic Places). Thirty-nine lion sculptures adorn the outside cornice, and the inside design plays on the lion motif in playful ways, from the whimsical paintings within the lobby to the patterned wallpapers within the rooms.

In the Old Fourth Ward, Wylie Hotel The 1929 constructing was famous for housing Atlanta’s first drag club, Mrs. P’s Tea Room. The club is long gone, but Mrs. P’s bar and kitchen offers dine-in service and pays homage to the establishment’s past — a minimum of in name. (If you are searching for drugs, Maria in East Atlanta presents the all-black drag show NeonBLK on the second Thursday of every month.)

If you are feeling like Nobu Hotel in Atlanta opening in 2022 in Buckhead, a neighborhood about quarter-hour from downtown. Designed by The Rockwell Group, the property has 152 guest rooms, a rooftop swimming pool and, after all, the Nobu restaurant. Bonus: The hotel’s private driver and Porsche will take guests anywhere inside a three-mile radius.

Except Georgian peaches

Atlanta still reigns supreme for its native peaches and peanuts, however it is undoubtedly a worldwide food city – and an ideal one at that.

Charmain “Sugar” Ware is the corporate’s pastry director Little LouFrench restaurant tucked inside Hotel Clermont within the Poncey-Highland district. Having lived in the town for over 25 years, Sugar understands its essence. When creating her desserts, she explains, “I always want to reference the South and what this city represents.” Although the restaurant has a European atmosphere, it has the heat of home.

“That’s what the South provides,” he says. “I always feel like it’s grandma’s kitchen. I always feel at home.”

If you are searching for more Southern grandma inspiration, come visit us BlaqHaus ATLfamily-owned soul food restaurant and cocktail bar with drinks resembling Peach Perfectionist and Southern Sangria. The best from mom is a delicious fried chicken and french fries place open this season. (I attempted their 14-spice fried chicken at a pop-up this spring and would fly to Atlanta for an additional serving.)

downtown, Continuously is a spacious bar and restaurant throughout the Bellyard Hotel. They serve up handy variations on old Southern favorites like fried green tomato caprese and fried catfish and collard greens. Kaleidoscopic mural by Lacey Longino brightens the outdoor seating within the Drawbar courtyard.

Be sure to walk BeltLinea reconstruction project that can ultimately connect 45 urban districts with a 30 km loop of trails, trams and parks. Along the Eastside Trail you’ll find Ranger Station. Advertised as a “hidden cocktail bar,” it was indeed so hidden that I almost gave up searching for it one evening – until a similarly confused couple followed their friend’s directions via live texting to guide us all there. After much wandering around in the dead of night, we found this cute, camping-inspired cocktail bar on an unsuspecting staircase.

It’s on the opposite side of the kitschy spectrum Just across the cornerno frills greasy spoon in the town center. The morning I visited, I almost needed to shout out my breakfast order to the gospel music (extremely catchy “I Believe (Island Medley)” Jonathan Nelson). A handwritten sign taped to the menu above the counter read: “Prices have modified!!! The menu is for informational purposes only. It has a retro-style red-and-white tile floor, a lunch counter with swivel chairs, and charcoal sketches of black icons (from Bob Marley to Frederick Douglass) suspended from a Coca-Cola fountain.

You can proceed to study black leaders – and work at your breakfast – by riding with them Civilian bicyclesan independent, cultural bicycle tour operator. Their mission is to indicate Atlanta travelers “heroes we didn’t grow up with but should have.” Their family tours deal with the town’s legacy of resistance and revolt.

Atlanta, with a population of lower than 500,000, is a significant American city with small-town charm. Its past makes its present unique, and today’s residents create an exciting future.

“I know some areas in this city are sketchy,” admits Chef Sugar. “But go a little off the beaten path.”

He’s right: the rewards are wealthy.