VZ City Guides: Atlanta, GA

By Beverly Bryan
Published: April 8th, 2009 | 2:05pm

Nicknames: Hotlanta, The ATL
Population: Just under 5 million in metro Atlanta
Up-and-coming corners: East Atlanta Village, Grant Park

After being remembered as the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., Georgia’s capital city is known for birthing ubiquitous household names such as Coca-Cola and Chick-fil-A. But this bustling commercial center and transportation hub is really better represented by the flamboyant iconoclasm of OutKast than by any corporate logo. Beneath the urban sprawl lies a delightfully eccentric soul reflected in the city’s kaleidoscopically diverse cultural life. As the cultural capital of the South, Atlanta earns its honorific title one offbeat gallery show, avant-garde stage production, and independent record release at a time — to say nothing of grand mainstream institutions like the High Museum of Art. Besides unleashing OutKast and Gnarls Barkley on world, Atlanta is equally culpable for the Black Lips, Mastodon and Deerhunter. But there’s another, subtler vibe: gleaming skyscrapers notwithstanding, Atlanta stays close to its history. You never have to wander far to find a plaque detailing a crucial incident in the Civil War that took place on the very spot where you stand.

Dates:
For the past five years the A3C Hip-Hop Festival has brought together the giants of hip-hop’s early days with today’s hardworking underground heroes. Events like fashion shows, panel discussions, workshops, and DJ and B-boy exhibitions make this fest a complete and unabridged celebration of hip-hop. Starting this year, it will expand into East Atlanta Village for three days in October. Also in East Atlanta Village, Corndogorama testifies to Atlanta’s musical eclecticism. The summertime music festival’s focus on corndogs is appropriate to a scene that, on the whole, doesn’t take itself too seriously. On the quieter side, Indie Craft Experience draws independent crafters from all over the country twice a year — first to Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park in early summer, with live music, hands-on craft workshops, and demonstrations, and then again in November at various locations.

Sights:
Sure, you could tour CNN or check out the world’s largest aquarium, but Atlanta also boasts something a bit quirkier: the world’s largest oil painting. The Cyclorama, a 358-foot circular panorama depicting the Battle of Atlanta, was stranded in the city when the traveling circus that brought it here went bankrupt (or so the rumor goes). On display since 1893, it is outfitted today with a diorama in the foreground and rotating amphitheater seats in the center of the room that houses it. The seating platform turns slowly as a recording narrates the dramatic battle.

While the historic 1920s Arabian/Egyptian/Moroccan-themed Fox Theatre is a great place to see an old movie or a touring show (the venue hosts acts ranging from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Flight of the Conchords), it is also a sight in itself and well worth visiting just to take a tour. And if you can get a group together and you’re willing to make an appointment, the Waffle House Museum offers a certain nostalgic kind of fun. One half is a small museum, and the other half is the original Waffle House diner, refurbished and fully stocked with plastic eggs, bacon, and waffles.

Fare:
Atlanta is to breakfast what Seattle is to coffee. Among Atlanta’s many stellar breakfast places, the unassuming Java Jive Coffee House and Café stands out for its biscuits (and the gingerbread waffles), while Ria’s Bluebird sets an impressive standard for hearty food and friendly staff. Late night hunger pangs are best satisfied at El Myr or 97 Estoria, where vegetarians and vegans will love the tofu-based burritos and the vegan riblet (respectively). Those who wish to sample the truest Southern meat should start at Daddy D’z BBQ Joint, a local institution that features live blues music every weekend. Or, if you’re willing to wait for a couple of hours, you should try the Ghetto Burger at Ann’s Snack Bar, made famous by an article in the Wall Street Journal. Just make sure you stay on the patio until it’s your turn to take one of the eight counter seats inside. For a more sumptuous experience, settle into a plush booth at Two Urban Licks. This luxuriously converted warehouse space serves an inventive meat-centric menu with top-drawer cocktails. Reservations are advised but you needn’t dress too formally.

Nights:
Nightlife in Atlanta is fairly unpretentious so don’t worry about picking just the right thing to wear out. The EARL (East Atlanta Restaurant and Lounge) is the best place for seeing touring indie and local best-kept musical secrets, with the Drunken Unicorn (part of the MJQ Entertainment Complex) scooting up right behind. Just don’t stand too close to the stage at either establishment if the crowd is really into it; you run the risk of getting drenched in Miller High Life. The Earl also serves a signature meal called “Dunch” — their hangover-friendly Sunday breakfast that includes drinks and live music.

The Highland Inn Ballroom is a great spot for offbeat local music and crate-digging genre-specific DJ nights. And for a little taste of what people mean when they say “dirty south,” hit Karaoke night Tuesdays at the Clermont Lounge, Atlanta’s oldest continuously operating strip club. Lastly, if you’re in town when someone happens to book a show at WhirlyBall up in Roswell, go. It’s like Chuck E. Cheese’s for grown-ups. You’ll drink beer and play jai alai in bumper cars, then watch a band like Athens’ Dark Meat while your stomach (hopefully) settles — essentially, the perfect night.

Merch:
Going to Criminal Records in Little Five Points is akin to going to one of the Amoeba stores in California — its size nearly guarantees you will find things you forgot you desperately needed. Go on a Saturday afternoon for the in-store concert and free beer. Then hit Reactionary Records in East Atlanta for a small selection of very choice vinyl. Vacation Gallery and Boutique and Youngblood Gallery and Boutique sit within walking distance of one another on Highland Avenue, and both combine gallery space with unusual retail. Youngblood emphasizes handmade clothes and house wares with a high adorability quotient, most of which is made nearby if not in town. Vacation specializes in inexpensive vintage finds, but also carries an array of surprises. You could pick up a handcrafted fuzz box for your guitar or a mix tape from Calvin Johnson. Finally, any trip to the ATL is not complete without an afternoon of homage-paying at the original Clothing Warehouse, now a nationwide fashion institution.

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If there is a special city you'd like to see, or a killer hot spot we somehow overlooked in this guide, email VZ City Guides editor, Erica Phillips, at cityguide (at) venuszine (dot-com).