The Tamesis
Must-buy souvenirs: Atlanta Influences Everything T-Shirt. Just because it’s become a cliché, doesn’t mean it’s not true.
Anyway, I love tourist traps: The Varsity has been a game day staple since 1928. Sometimes you just need a hot dog and a milkshake in the company of passionate Georgia Tech fans.
For peace and quiet: As long as your visit doesn’t coincide with a blowout summer festival like House in the Park, Grant Park is an urban oasis just a few miles from downtown. Picture 131 acres of lush green space and wide walking trails. Spread a blanket on the lawn and enjoy the shade of all seven species of Georgia magnolias.
Best way to get around town: car. Movie studios aren’t the only thing we have in common with LA. Rush hour is a nightmare, but our driver was polite.
One day tour: Providence Canyon State Park, also known as “Little Grand Canyon.” Full disclosure: This may look like a natural wonder, but it’s actually a lemons-to-lemonade situation. Poor farming in the 1800s created massive ravines over 150 feet deep that look so much like the Grand Canyon you can fake it on Instagram. The giveaway is a late-blooming azalea with lovely pink, purple and white flowers.
Best time to visit, weather factors: Any time except July or August. During other months you can ride with the top down.
Cheap dates: When Eats closed last fall, I felt like someone had erased the memory of my twenties, when a five-dollar pasta dinner wasn’t cheap. I’m happy to report that an angel investor has taken over and Eats is reopening at the Lee + White compound. All the young people and bohemians in the city are happy!
Worth the splurge: Lazy Betty. What could be more decadent than an eight-course dinner paired with wine? Eight courses, wine pairings and caviar enhancement. It’s a great place to celebrate a birthday because at least one other person will be toasting another trip around the sun.
Best place for people watching: The Beltline is a pedestrian street with a total length of approximately 15 miles. Excited couples, runners, speaker-toting skateboarders, stylish pooches and dog walkers all love it. If you’re lucky, you might catch a pop-up performance by the Community ATL Chorus. The acoustics under the North Highland Bridge spread the sounds of joy for miles around.
Secret spots known only to locals: Busy Bee is an old-school soul food joint that’s been in business since the 1940s. You haven’t had fried chicken before going to Bee! They won a James Beard Award in 2022, but they didn’t get too crazy. Why? Because most people who frequent this place don’t know James Beard from a can of paint. All they know is good food!
Favorite airport restaurant: ECCO is located in the International Hall (outside the security area), so your non-traveling friends can join you. The menu is the same as their downtown flagship store. If you don’t get an upgrade on your flight, you can have a full seabass and a glass of Sancerre at Ecco and pass on the in-flight meal.
What you should know about my city: History buffs know Atlanta as a city that rose from the ashes after being burned in the Civil War. “This city is too busy to hate” is Gone with the wind And Martin Luther King. Many movies and TV shows have been filmed here, earning us the nickname “Hollywood of the South.” When Andre 3000 famously declared that “the South has something to say,” he was talking about Atlanta.
