West Side
{ Thursday, October 6th, 2011 }
Connie Veates and Greg Levine, Co-Executive Directors of Trees Atlanta
I am a huge fan of Trees Atlanta. Since 1985, they’ve been passionate advocates for trees, a mission made all the more critical by Atlanta’s explosive growth. On Saturday, October 8 they’ll be holding their Annual Tree Sale, a phenomenal chance to learn more about the organization and support them at the same time. A few minutes with Co-Executive Directors Connie Veates and Greg Levine, and you’ll have a better idea of how much Trees Atlanta means to the city…
Q. What are Trees Atlanta’s greatest accomplishments?
A. We are very proud that in the past 26 years Trees Atlanta has planted over 81,000 trees, cared for more than 100,000 trees, and educated an average of 2,000 adults and children annually about the importance of urban trees and how to plant and properly care for them. Additionally, we occupy one of Georgia’s few platinum LEED certified buildings, the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center, in Reynoldstown. And, we are so very fortunate to have the support of our 4,500 volunteers who help us plant and maintain trees.
Q. Why are trees important to Atlanta?
A. Trees help ensure that our air and water stay clean; they reduce the heat island effect, produce a habitat to protect wildlife, and aid in global cooling for the roads and sidewalks that we use. Also, trees are aesthetically pleasing – people are naturally attracted to the beauty of trees. And, specifically for Atlanta, trees help us preserve our identity as the “city within the trees”.
Q. A fairy godmother grants you an unlimited budget to fulfill your mandate: what would Atlanta’s transformation look like?
A. Wow, we love this question – as a non-profit we are never faced with an unlimited budget! However, since a fairy godmother is involved, it is easy to imagine our hot city being cooled by large urban shade trees. Parking lots would not be blank canvases of pavement, but would be shielded by large canopy trees. There would be ongoing tree care for all urban trees and all building and development would include the planting of trees in their plans upfront. Finally, the public would take pride in the fact that our city understands the importance of trees and does the necessary work to preserve them.
Q. Favorite Atlanta neighborhoods?
A. Greg’s favorite neighborhood is Poncey Highland where he lives. In fact, he moved there because it is a walkable neighborhood with lots of trees. Connie’s favorite is West End because they’ve been so involved in tree planting – their neighborhood leaders truly love the trees.
Q. What is Trees Atlanta 12th Annual Tree Sale Festival?
A. On this Saturday, October 8th from 8:00AM – 2:00PM (rain or shine), Trees Atlanta will hold a tree sale at our facility at 225 Chester Avenue, SE. We will offer more than 1,000 trees, as well as shrubs and tree-friendly vines. We’ll also have bluegrass music from Smokey’s Farmland Band, beverages by Honest Tea, a small lamb petting zoo, tree planting and care demos by local tree experts, and a dynamic speaker. It will be a TREE-mendous event, so we hope that everyone comes!
{ Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 }
Dave Smith, 1071 Howell Mill Road
Located in West Midtown, 1071 Howell Mill Road is one of Atlanta’s prime redevelopment sites. Despite the fact that the city has been mired in what some might call a development funk, West Midtown’s emergence as a go-to neighborhood has been a beacon of light in an otherwise stormy climate. 1071 Howell Mill is at the heart of it, and the man charged with marketing the one acre site- commercial real estate pro Dave Smith- has some opinions on Grant Park, Kasim Reed and Kevin Rathbun Steak to share…
Q. Favorite neighborhoods?
A. Have to go with Grant Park for sure….we live there, we play there and we have young children with tons of friends whose parents are our friends so we basically do not leave the hood much. Also, Neighborhood Charter School is a great intown school with fabulous teachers and staff. Midtown West is very a very close second because I spend the other half of my life at 10th and Howell Mill at Joel and Granot Commercial Real Estate…so we lunch here, we entertain clients here and we do a lot of deals here…
Q. Atlantic Station, Streets of Buckhead, the GM plant in Doraville and Underground Atlanta. Ten years from now, which will show the most promise?
A. I would say The Streets of Buckhead mostly because I believe the Falcons will stay Downtown in a new stadium and I do not see a regional draw in the Doraville project. The Streets will be a major regional draw for Buckhead and I think that is the difference in the projects.
Q. One last meal in Atlanta: Where are you going, and what are you eating?
A. How about one last day of meals……Breakfast – Thumbs Up Westside, Lunch – Pho # 1 Buford Highway, Dinner (I don’t like this game your playing here…so many to choose from) – Rathbun Steak (wifey and I love it)….For the kiddies – Six Feet Grant Park.
Q. In the face of a real estate catastrophe, West Midtown seems to be doing better than any other neighborhood in Atlanta. What makes it special?
A. Obviously there was a synergy happening during the downturn on the Westside….starting with the early restaurant pioneers and showroom and retail users who believed that if you provided a quality product folks will seek you out i.e. Bacchanalia, Forsyth Fabrics, Sid Mashburn, Figo, Flip Burger, West Egg, Chow Baby, Six Feet, now you have the new guys……Bocado, Miller Union, Ormsby’s, Yeah Burger, Five Seasons, Sprout, etc. Then you add the 1,500 to 1,800 new residential units that came on line since 2007, 2008 and you have a synergy that made this a destination in Atlanta.
Q. Mayor for the day: what’s on your agenda?
A. Aggressive Panhandling, particularly the folks on the side of the road running up to cars and creating a safety issue in my opinion. Some of these folks are very aggressive in how they approach a vehicle and I can see where that would cause some concern. You have this on a good portion of the highway exits into Downtown Atlanta and the surrounding areas. This is not what we want to project to out-of-towners and this is not something that the people of Atlanta should have to deal with. We have made strides in the Downtown area regarding panhandling but this side of the road panhandling is something that I would tackle if I were Mayor. By the way, Kasim Reed is doing a fine job for the city.
BONUS QUESTION: What is 1071 Howell Mill Road, and why would it be brilliant for an investor/developer/end user to purchase it?
A. 1071 is a 1 acre (formerly Sunlow Mass Marketing) redevelopment site between 10th Street and 14th street on Howell Mill Road. The property is directly across the street from the White Provisions Development (Room and Board, Yeah Burger, Knoll) and has the potential to be an incredible retail location for a number of local and national retailers or office users. We are planning a complete remodel and reconfiguration of the existing building to accommodate tenants in the 3,000 to 22,00 square foot range and also provide a restaurant space with an incredible roof top deck. We are looking to sell or lease the property and the owner is well funded and very flexible…..Bring us a Deal!!!
{ Thursday, July 29th, 2010 }
Kristin Benoit, Bone Garden Cantina
Bone Garden Cantina is easy to miss- it’s located at the back of an old lumber yard- but once you’re there, you won’t forget it. Great food, a wide variety of tequila, and a super-chill environment. The good folks over at Bone Garden are celebrating their two-year anniversary Saturday, and the opening of their new Tequila Club. Co-owner Kristen Benoit on Atlanta, tacos and tequila…
Q. Most underrated thing about Atlanta?
A. I’m constantly amazed by how many new and unique restaurants continue to open, even in difficult economic times. Atlanta’s dining scene is pretty impressive, and I’m not sure a lot of people outside the city realize that.
Q. Most overrated thing about Atlanta?
A. Well, I’m going to plead the fifth on this question, because calling anything “overrated” is certainly going to get someone upset. Come into Bone Garden and we can talk over margaritas!
Q. Favorite Atlanta neighborhood?
A. I enjoy living in Midtown because it’s interesting and diverse with the beautiful old homes, the high-rise buildings, the shopping, Piedmont Park, and the bars and restaurants. It is also fun and easy to walk around Midtown, which I do quite a bit now that I have a dog.
When soccer and tacos meet, you've got yourself a SoccerTaco, the sports equivalent of the Speedy Gonzalez.
Q. Under the radar gems?
A. One of my favorites is the Cyclorama in Grant Park. I take everyone who visits Atlanta to see it. Also, I may be biased, but Bone Garden is also under the radar. It’s a little joint that I’m basically running for the pure love of real, authentic Mexican cooking. The idea was that other people looking for this type of food would seek us out. What we do is not for everyone. Some folks just want the “Speedy Gonzales Combo #2″.
Q. Coolest thing about being located in an Old Lumber Yard?
A. The old train tracks in the back are pretty cool. We picked this location because it was off the beaten path. Even after you find the Lumberyard, you still have to look for Bone Garden. It’s hidden in the back. But being such a large piece of property over-all, there’s plenty of free parking. In the City of Atlanta, THAT’s pretty cool.
Q. What is Bone Garden’s Tequila Club, and why is it awesome?
The tequila club is an opportunity for folks to learn more about the differences between tequilas and discover what they like the best. We have 50 premium tequilas, and each one is different. It’s definitely okay to lick, slam and suck when it comes to tequila, but it’s also nice to sip and appreciate the art of tequila crafting. We’ll keep track of the different tequilas you try, and reward you along the way. When you’ve tried them all, you get the chance to create a custom margarita that will be featured on our menu as well as a Members-Only t-shirt that my husband is currently designing. Also, we are organizing tequila tastings – the first one is on Saturday, August 7th at 4pm. We are featuring six tequilas with interesting information about each one, as well as some light snacks. You can call us for more information if you want to attend!
The Relevant Linkage
Browse homes for sale in Riverside, a neighborhood just down the street from Bone Garden
An abbreviated history of tequila
The Details
1425 Ellsworth Ind Blvd NW # 6
Atlanta, GA 30318-4154
(404) 418-9072
{ Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 }
Shaun Doty, Yeah! Burger
Long before Yeah! Burger put their first burger to bun, Shaun Doty has been feeding Atlanta deliciousness. Perhaps best known for Shaun’s Restaurant, his Inman Park bistro, Doty is one of Atlanta’s gastronomic giants, making his foray in to the burger business a highly anticipated event. Between the Georgia raised, grass fed beef, the nitrate-free bacon and organic milkshakes, five (or so) questions for Mr. Shaun Doty…
Q. When you’re not in the kitchen, which Atlanta chefs do you most want cooking for you?
Q. Favorite neighborhood(s)?
A. Inman Park, Westside, Virginia-Highlands
Q. You’re building your dream home kitchen, and money is not an option. What’s it going to look like?
A. I was actually just thinking about this! It would be made out of all organic materials – no plastic! Everything would be natural – iron, wood. No chemicals!
Q. Hidden Atlanta gem?
A. Ryan Gainey’s gardens in Decatur
Q. What were your first impressions of Atlanta?
A. It’s a wonderful community of family-oriented people with a great tradition of Southern culture.
BONUS QUESTION: What is Yeah! Burger, and why is it awesome?
A. It’s an extension of what we do at Shaun’s – an ingredient-driven experience, but at a lower price point.
The Relevant Linkage
Live steps away from Yeah! Burger- browse condos at White Provision
A very special evening of dining cooked by Julia LeRoy and Shaun Doty
Become more ingredient-driven at home
{ Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 }
Alyssa Willis, Stella and Dot
As a stylist for jewelry upstart Stella and Dot, Alyssa Willis has gotten to know Atlanta in a fairly unique way. She throws jewelry trunk shows throughout Atlanta, barnstorming baubles from Buckhead to Brookhaven, peddling pendants from Peachtree City to Ponce, and all points in between. This lady knows what she’s talking about…
Q. Favorite Atlanta neighborhood(s)?
A. West Midtown for great brunch at West Egg, shuffleboard at Ormsby’s or strolling around and window shopping the various art and furniture galleries that I will someday afford.
Virginia Highlands for some Monday or Friday night Metalsome Karaoke at 10 High and delicious southern lunch (and hopefully dinner again soon!!) at American Roadhouse.
Midtown for yummy food and a great beer selection on the patio at Cypress Street Pint and Plate.
Q. Best dog friendly people, places and things in Atlanta?
A. Spot for dogs – best daycare and my pup frank always comes home exhausted and for $20 extra bucks, they will give him a bath at the end of the day!
Piedmont Park for a nice walk and then a little play in the doggie park.
Glamour Paws in the Virginia Highlands keeps my pup’s mohawk looking fierce and stylish and they also keep his dandruff under control!
Q. Best thing about Atlanta in the Spring?
A. Festival Season!!
Q. Mayor for a day- what’s on your agenda?
A. Turn the old City Hall into a variety of businesses where people of all ages could spend time and meet up. A farmers market, a place to buy locally made furniture or other goods, a movie theater, some good but inexpensive restaurants etc.
Keep the toll on 400 but use the proceeds to keep schools open and teachers employed.
Find a location for a new homeless shelter since one of the largest ones is closing and hundreds of people will be without beds. Then, give those homeless people jobs helping the road workers who constantly block traffic – maybe they could use a few extra hands to get it done faster!
Make sure that the Beltline project is continuously being developed and that future generations of Atlantans will have plenty of walking trails, parks and transportation to get around the city without negatively impacting our environment.
Q. Last meal in Atlanta- where are you going, and what are you eating?
A. My last meal in Atlanta would be a restaurant hop.
Appetizer at Fritti – Fried Mushrooms and glass of Chianti
Main Course at Fox Brothers – Smoked Beef Tenderloin (Friday night special)
TCBY, for those times when you're looking for a cup of good froyo with a side of nostalgia.
Dessert- good old TCBY on North Druid – hard to find these days.
BONUS QUESTION: What is Stella and Dot, and why is it awesome?
A. Stella and Dot is a stylish and affordable jewelry line that has something for everybody. If you like statement pieces or if you are more into classics, there are pieces that will fit your style. The jewelry is beautiful and good quality, without breaking the bank and as a Stella and Dot stylist, I give a portion of proceeds that I earn to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. A great way to check it out is to book a trunk show where you and your friends or coworkers can get together, pick a charity that you feel close to, have a glass of wine and shop for some great jewelry! Check out my website or email me for more info.
The Relevant Linkage
Atlanta’s next festival, the Kirkwood Spring Fling
The previous (and maybe future?) plans for the old City Hall East Building
Single Family Homes for sale in Midtown Atlanta
