Jeanne on TV!
Yep that was me on the panel Sunday for the Republican 12th and 13th Congressional District runoff debates that were broadcast from Georgia Public Broadcasting. The makeup made me feel like Cleopatra!
As you may know the debates are sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club, and they are a great way to get to know the candidates. Well, that is, if they show up. One of the debates featured just one of the two candidates. The moderator, Lisa Rayam, WAGA, even said, “Ray McKinney is represented by an empty podium.”
One of the districts — the 12th — is out near Savannah so there’s less local interest. But the other debate featured the two Republican candidates for a district that includes parts of Cobb, Fulton, Dekalb, Douglas and other metro Atlanta counties so their answers, when they did actually answer the question, were of great interest.
I asked about high-speed and commuter rail. But I think at least one of the candidates didn’t hear that! Maybe I speak too softly. Regrettably rail is overlooked in favor of such hot-button issues as immigration, abortion and if you can believe, states’ rights.
Anyway, if you missed this debate, you can find it here. You can also find the debates for Governor and other offices archived on the site.
Your weekend away: the Beltline’s Southwest side
Please don’t tell me you have Beltline fatigue, kind readers, because I’ve finally made it over to the temporary trails on the West and Southwest side and I’m eager to sell you a travel package on it!
Of course all you have to do is bike across town, or take MARTA to the Ashby station. From there, it’s an easy half-mile ride to the start of the temporary wooded trail. And once there, you really won’t believe you’re still in the city.
I’ve covered this territory already, having walked part of this trail a year ago. But now, instead of a three-hour walk, you can take an hour-long bike ride (or less, depending on how far you go).
Just as on the Northeast side, which I’ve covered quite a bit, there is art to see. How about this piece?
Read more
Alive and kicking (Beltline 2.0, cont’d)
Filed under: ARTS & EVENTS, Cityscape, RIVERS/TRAILS, SMART GROWTH
I was back on the Beltline’s temporary trails over the weekend, and I saw something that was a bit amazing. And I don’t mean the art (but more on that in a minute)
Like conquering heroes, runners from the Peachtree Road Race were slowly walking from the race’s finish in Piedmont Park back to their homes/cars in Inman Park and beyond along the Beltline.
It just made the trail seem so useful!
By heading back to the Beltline on Sunday, I got in some traffic-free biking, which is key for someone like me who is really not ready to brave Atlanta’s drivers.
But my main objective was to snap a few photos of the art installations on the Beltline. (Just as a brief reminder, I access a short spur of the Beltline on Memorial Drive, and then take the Krog Tunnel to connect to the rest of the Northeastern section of the trail. Oh and I use a sturdy mountain bike — it would be tough-going on less robust bikes.)
There’s been a lot of hype, in my humble opinion, but I can tell you I was truly impressed by the innovative works of art I encountered along the path. They reference the South’s history, agriculture and economy. And it’s almost like an obstacle course where you want to check off each challenge. As I’ve mentioned, I still need to check off one big challenge: visiting the installations on the less developed Southwestern portion of the Beltline.
Anyway you can see my favorite work of art, and others in photos after the jump.
Read more
It’s alive! The blog or the Beltline, take your pick
Filed under: ARTS & EVENTS, Cityscape, RIVERS/TRAILS, SMART GROWTH
This is another post about the Beltline.
But this post is unlike anything else I’ve written about the Beltline.
That’s because yesterday I used the Beltline for what it’s intended for: I rode my bike on the Beltline from Glenwood Park to Piedmont Park.
I went somewhere. I changed my scenery. I took in the skyline. I got some exercise. I enjoyed some art. I peeked in the backyards of folks who are not even my neighbors. And I did it all on the Beltline, and so can anyone else in the city.
As usual, I’m late to the party, in this case in terms of what’s happening on the Beltline. I’ll blame it, and the unwitting hiatus this Web site’s been on, on my vacation.
But I hope you’ll find my bike ride interesting, because I really did.
I had written last year about the Beltline folks opening up temporary trails, and then promptly forgot about it, even as the calls for art went out, and radio pieces told me the art was up, and Angel Poventud’s Facebook statuses told me something was happening.
You know, the best things in life need to be experienced first-hand.
Now, to be sure, I really want to take a streetcar or light rail from my spur of the Beltline to other parts of the city. For all the hype and the money and the press releases, and the sense of importance, I want the thing to actually help solve a problem that desperately needs a solution. But that’s clearly going to have to wait. So……
Hangin’ at the High
I went to a classic car caravan and show at the High Museum on Saturday and I saw something I rarely see.
People were hanging out on the front lawn of the High.
Now maybe the High doesn’t allow it normally and only allowed it for this event, which took place right in front of the museum. But it’s something that I’ve thought about before.
At the Metropolitan Museum in New York (sorry, that’s what I know best), people hang out on the front steps all day. And I mean people who have no intention of going into the museum.
The steps are just a natural gathering spot for people-watching, reading the paper, looking for hot men…whoa I digress!
The High is a beautiful facility and the newish piazza is a great addition, though you’re not just going to wander up there, I wouldn’t guess. The lawn, on the other hand, is very inviting.
Here’s a few more pics from the show:
Read more
Headed here today….UPDATE — photos!
I posted this morning that I was headed to the Urban Picnic at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market and here are some photos in case you missed it. Skip down below to see a few more.
The Urban Picnic Presented by the Atlanta Street Food Coalition
Date: Friday, April 30, 2010
Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Location: Sweet Auburn Curb Market
The Curb Market spills onto the sidewalks for the return of the Atlanta Urban Picnic! Atlanta’s up-and-coming independent food artisans bring their carts and tables and join the Curb Market’s nine restaurants for an outdoor festival showcasing healthy, gourmet lunch foods. Fast food doesn’t have to be bad food – taste how good casual downtown food-on-the-go can be. Slow Food Atlanta, partner for the event, suggests you bring your appetite; blanket optional.
I had jambalaya from this vendor and it was great!
Look at what lovely weather the Street Food Coalition folks had! It was a great day to be out in the city — still is! See participating vendors after the jump.
Read more
will.i.am vs. John Boehner: ‘Yes, we can’ vs. ‘Hell no, you can’t’
Did tea partiers really call John Lewis the n-word?
John Lewis being arrested during the 1960s. Now a congressmen, Lewis was known for putting himself in the line of fire as a practitioner of non-violent civil disobedience.
I tweeted yesterday about the epithets spewed upon Democratic congressmen, including Atlanta’s John Lewis, by tea party protesters on Capitol Hill yesterday.
Two of my conservative Facebook friends raised the valid question of sourcing: Who actually saw the verbal attacks and attempted intimidation of members of Congress?
Fair enough. Here are some of the claims and some of the evidence behind them:
• Rep. Andre Carson and Rep. John Lewis both said yesterday that while they walked from the Capitol, they heard members of the mob yell the n-word at them — as in “kill the bill, [n-word]!” According to McClatchy, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who was behind them says, said he heard that as well. So do staffers. The folks who put the following video up claim you can hear the n-word. I couldn’t say for sure, but something close to that word can be heard a couple of times around 11 or 12 seconds in — right after, ahem, the camera passes over the guy with the Confederate bandanna. Read more
Let’s walk over to the Plaza and catch a flick
Photo credit: Karla Jean Davis via Flickr
I recently interviewed Jonathan Rej, the co-owner of the Plaza Theater, for the AJC and our conversation touched on so many different topics.
My main interest for the AJC piece was finding out about the theater’s transition last year from a for-profit enterprise to a nonprofit (the story was originally meant to run in the business section).
You can see his compelling answers in the Q&A that the AJC ran yesterday here. Unfortunately, much of the Q&A focuses on the challenges Rej and his wife face as they try to keep the historic 1939 art deco theater afloat.
But not all of the cool stuff we talked about could make it into the Q&A.
And me being me, I couldn’t help but bring the conversation around to walkable neighborhoods.
Read more
Bonner names her Atlanta desire
I often think I’m quite witty, even if evidence to support the claim is lacking.
To wit, the headline of the post is meant to spoof this headline from the Denver Post’s online edition:
“Romer Names his Colfax Desire: Streetcars”
You can read the whole story here, though I will warn you, if you live in Atlanta, the story may seem as depressing as “The Departed” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
I suppose that’s why I wanted to parody the headline.
The quick summary is that Colorado State Sen. Chris Romer is going to introduce a bill that “would take a portion of higher vehicle registration fees and flow the money to a special district that would coordinate financing, construction and operation of a streetcar line on Colfax Avenue in Denver and Aurora,” according to the newspaper.
‘”It’s been a dream of mine to restore streetcars to Colfax; they change the way people live,” said the 50-year-old Romer, D-Denver, who grew up not far from the area’s longest street.’
(The story also includes this key detail: “The state began collecting higher registration fees after last year’s legislature passed the FASTER transportation measure to pay for highway, bridge and transit improvements.”)
In the past week, I’ve written about Charlotte’s intention to apply for federal funds to build a streetcar system, and its existing lightrail network.
Now this.
I’m still learning the lay of the political land here in Georgia, but I look forward one day to reading a headline like this:
Reed (or insert another Atlanta/Georgia politician’s name) Names his Atlanta Wish: Streetcars
Our new website!
