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[bryant]

I kinda think I haven't found the heart of Atlanta yet. I took MARTA up to the Buckhead station, and found a wasteland of shopping malls, alleviated only by a Borders with a stunningly friendly woman behind the counter. Midtown was nicer this morning -- the Flying Biscuit is a short walk from the train station, and they do an awesome breakfast. Even if they only have turkey bacon. So maybe Midtown is the right place to be, but there weren't all that many pedestrians. Hard to figure.

People are authentically nice. You can tell because they aren't just nice to you; they act in a manner which expects niceness back. I was walking past Piedmont Park and a guy in his twenties said "Hey, excuse me?" He was in the middle of parking. He wanted help parallel parking so he wouldn't ding the bumper of the car behind him. That's pretty nice, and he assumed I'd be nice and help out, so I did.

(He had three feet in front of him. A Bostonian would have been embarassed to ask for help in a situation like that. There's some kind of tradeoff here.)

In any case, I have the pleasure of having gone from this:

To this:

The latter is Grady High School's football stadium, by the by. It is the alma mater of Earthwind Moreland, New England Patriot.

Comments

[animated-max.livejournal.com]

I lived in various places in Atlanta for a dozen years or so. I haven't lived there in 6 years, and I'm not sure what you're looking for, but if I can be of any assistance, let me know.

Of course, this assumes you haven't left yet.

Little Five Points used to be perhaps the hippest area in town, but the area just north of it (which name escapes me) is likely to be hipper by now. I know the Indigo Girls had a great restaurant there.

Viginia Highlands is yuppie central. A number of excellent restaurants, cool shops, etc.

Midtown is a very weird area. Parts of it are scary, and not good to be after dark. Other parts are very progressive, with performance art and artist studios.

Etc.

[bryant]

That's two recommendations for Little Five Points. I will check it out.