Access Atlanta > The Newcomer > Archives > 2008 > June
June 2008
Out for the week
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m in Michigan for my big brother’s wedding, so I’m out for the week. There might be a stray post here or there — really, how many hours can anybody spend rehearsing ceremonies and spraying up-dos? — but otherwise, I’ll see you Monday!
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Newcomer’s Guide to Atlanta Museums
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
National Health Museum
All this Health Museum madness — you can read AJC stories about here and here and here and here, and let’s not forget blog posts! — got me wondering about what we’ve already got in this town.
The answer: a lot. Of every variety, from historic houses to libraries to aquariums. Here’s a list of ‘em, courtesy of AccessAtlanta.
This is all good news if you’re a “From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler” kinda person. (I am.) But I’m also way beind, even for a newcomer. So far, I’ve been to two of them, assuming you consider the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta to be museums. (I do.)
Here’s a handy map of Atlanta museums I slapped together with the help of Google.
I might have missed some — your favorite, even. (I hope not.) So tell me about it down in the comments: what’s the best in town, exhibit-wise and value-wise? And which will never bother with again after the half-asleep docent and painfully overpriced gift shop?
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What’s the best vantage point to get a view of Atlanta?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We had a LOT to say Thursday about Google Street View and it eye on Atlanta.
For this week’s Q&A Friday, I have a different kind of look at the city.
Where’s the best place to get a view of the city? That perfect skyline shot or a nice look at something that really looks like your Atlanta?
You know, the place I could take my dad if he came to visit my new town and say, “Yeah, there it is.”
Maybe it’s the view from the top of a roller coaster or the top of a hill on the expressway. Whatever it is, let me know. We’re compiling them for a little project, and as always, we love your help.
Here’s one view of the skyline from March 2008, courtesy of AJC photographer Mikki Harris
P.S. A lot of you asked questions about Google Street View and how it works as it does for Atlanta. I’m working on it and will report back. In the meantime, enjoy this Web site of some of the best finds on Google Street View. I can do this for hours.
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Google Street View: giving newcomers (and stalkers) a fresh look.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a little creepy, this idea that anybody could plug in my address and seconds later get a nice view of my building. Google just introduced Street View in Atlanta, so it’s certainly possible.
(Want to start mapping? Here’s a link.)
But I respectfully submit for your consideration that there’s a benefit to this. How often have I gotten directions that are something like, “Go straight, turn left at the Urban Outfitters, right just after the Chipotle and then park right next to an orange building with a big tree out front.”
Uh huh. See you in four hours.
I’m thinking about myself as an AJC intern five years ago — how great would it have been to know that this is what I was looking for on my first day?
Admittedly, the map isn’t complete. Parts of the ‘burbs seem like a work in progress, and it’s even spotty in town. In fact, my building isn’t yet street viewable.
What do you think — handy tool for finding your way around, or scary new tool for stalkers?
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A good breakfast is hard to find.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Biscuits, of the flying variety.
A few rules I’ve learned about eating breakfast in the South…
When given a choice between biscuits and toast, biscuit is always the correct answer.
If the grits are instant, you don’t need them. If you’re at Thumbs Up Diner, as I was this weekend, you can’t live without them. (Finally, I understand. YUM.)
Pork is a seasoning. Vegetarians and vegans: watch for it, and ask for the SOYsage.
Breakfast might be served all day, but not all night. Don’t expect your favorite waffle joint to be open 24 hours, unless you love the Waffle House version.
And the trend I’m seeing that I’m less than thrilled about…
- A good breakfast will come with a wait. It’s worth it, but bring a snack.
Considering my new obsession with Thumbs Up, and the reality that I can watch Flying Biscuit-goers chew by looking out my window, I’ve come to know the place and its menu quite well. (Haven’t tried the grits. I promise to get on that one of these mornings.) Both have legendary waits.
Thumbs Up’s Web site says its opening a downtown location on Marietta Street. (Home of the AJC. I may never eat lunch at my desk again.) The Flying Biscuit is a future franchisee.
So where else can newcomers and long-timers go in Atlanta for a tasty, Southern-inspired breakfast? Bonus points for 24-hour spots!
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How to register to vote
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m a day shy of useful on this, but if you missed Monday’s deadline to register to vote in the July 15 primary election, fear not — there’s always the general election in November.
Here’s how newbies (or any resident turning 18 or older!) can register to vote in Georgia.
Online: Fill out the registration form from the Secretary of State Web site and mail it in to the address. If you don’t yet have a Georgia ID, you’ll have to send a utility bill, pay stub etc. with your new address.
County voter registration offices: Visit or call for an application.
Cobb County, 736 Whitlock Ave., Suite 400, Marietta, 30064, 770-528-2581.
DeKalb County, 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur, 30032, 404- 298-4020.
Fulton County, 141 Pryor St., Suite 4075, Atlanta, 30303, 404-730-7020.
Gwinnett County, 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 200, Lawrenceville, 30045, 678-226-7210.
Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety offices: State law allows voter registration when renewing a drivers license.
State colleges and universities: Applications are available in registrars’ offices and in most offices of the vice president of academic affairs.
Government offices: Public libraries and other government offices have registration forms that can be mailed.
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A Beginner’s Guide to MARTA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s not so hard to pick out MARTA newcomers. They’re the ones with their eyes locked on the route map for the entire ride, who turn riders with big, shaky eyes that say, “Is this East or West?”
Be kind to them. It’s hard to buy that first Breeze card and give up the car, even just for a ride downtown or to the airport. (Don’t care whether you’re a newcomer or a long-time Atlanta driver…it’s not so hard to give up $4.03 gas.)
I’ve been happy with my train-riding experience so far, but I haven’t taken a bus yet. Certainly, there are horror stories, although I’ve seen plenty of horrors on the road, too.
Rather than letting the bad parts intimidate, we’re going to try to help each other out. The AJC is building a beginner’s guide to MARTA, and we want your help, from rider etiquette tips to little secrets about the stations you frequent. Do you have to take the everlasting escalator at Peachtree Center? Will your cell phone reception always cut out when the train doors close? If you end up on the wrong Northbound train, what’s the easiest way to backtrack?
My take on things…
- For a gentler, less sardine-like ride, take the train that starts and ends at Candler Park during high-traffic hours, if you can. It’s worth waiting for.
- Start asking for directions based on MARTA. I’m rarely happier than when it’s a short walk from the train. (That’s how I found someone to alter my bridesmaid’s dress — I asked a local bridal shop if they had recommendations off MARTA. Ta da! Dress! And it even fits!) I wonder: if we ask often enough, maybe people will just offer them up automatically?
- Don’t talk to people with headphones. If they wanted to listen to you, they wouldn’t be blasting their iPods with Garrison Keillor or Lil Wayne or Royksopp, now would they?
You can share your helpful ideas and MARTA-isms in the comments or if you want to go into more detail and offer up your name, you can always write me at jgumbrecht@ajc.com. (To be credited in the story, we need full names.)
Other questions? Newcomer tries to get answers. Leave your Atlanta ‘n’ Georgia questions in the comments or in my e-mail at jgumbrecht@ajc.com. I’ll try to answer them for all the other newcomers and inquiring minds in Friday’s blog post.
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Q&A, v. 7: How to get a license plate in Georgia.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week’s nitty-gritty, broccoli-among-cheesecakes question comes from my editor, a newcomer and explorer of the finest sort: how do you get a Georgia license plate?
Licensing a vehicle is a process only slightly less annoying than, say, recovering from a hangover, re-tiling a bathroom or getting the actual license. At least there’s not a photo and 3,000 forms of ID involved.
The question begs advice on where to go, what to bring, what it costs — all that good stuff. If you’ve got any advice on the speediest tag office locations, the cheapest emissions test, the part of the process that makes you want to leave your car in the parking lot and walk home…spill.
The Georgia Department of Revenue offers this arcane how-to guide. I’ve condensed it drastically to suit Average-kinda Newcomer needs. Check it out below.
Georgia residents must register cars, trucks, trailers, motorcycles and motor homes and apply for Georgia certificates of title (when a Georgia title is required) within 30 days of establishing residency here.
Vehicles can be registered at your county’s tag office. Here’s a link to the County Tax Commissioner’s Tag Offices.
What you’ll need to bring:
Title: For a vehicle made in 1986 or later, you’ll need a Georgia certificate of title. Here’s an explanations of which vehicles need a Georgia title. You can register for a Georgia title at the same time you register the car.
Driver’s License: Most counties require a new resident to appear in-person, with a valid Georgia driver’s license or state-issued ID card. Counties that allow mail-in registration will expect a copy of the driver’s license.
Application: New residents must bring a completed MV-1 tag and title application, typed or written in blue or black ink.
Proof of insurance: The vehicle must be covered with Georgia liability insurance before it can legally operate in the state and before a tag can be issued, renewed, replaced or transferred.
Emissions test: Most counties require proof that the vehicle passed an emissions inspection. For info about which vehicles need a test and where to get one, check out the Georgia Clean Air Force Web site.
Cash: Or maybe check. Maybe credit card. You must pay all fees and taxes with cash, check or money order made payable to your county tag office. Some counties accept credit cards. Out-of-state check usually aren’t accepted. Most new residents can expect to pay $38 — $18 for title, $20 for registration. Additional taxes might be added.
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What are Atlanta’s best blogs?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Before I go, dine, explore, shop, anything, I Google.
And what provides the best results, the unfiltered opinion, the option I never thought about? Usually some random blog.
I like it that way. Open-source life, let’s say.
So what are the best local blogs out there, whether for reading pleasure or information? The AJC has a gigantic list of blogs. Creative Loafing, too.
And then there’s APWBWGTTG, or Atlanta People With Blogs Who Get Together To Drink. (Which, by the way, has its June meetup at 7 p.m. tonight at Universal Joint in Decatur.)
But those are just big lists from well-known sources, or at least within easy stumbling distance of a poorly worded Google search.
What’s your required Atlanta online reading, the best blog, the best blogger, whether it keeps you informed, or looking reeeeeaaaalllly busy at work?
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Do you call it Atlanta or “Hotlanta?”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UPDATE: Here’s Ken Sugiura’s story about the origins and love-hate relationship with “Hotlanta.” An interesting point: “What certainly appears true is that it gets more use outside of Atlanta, in a similar vein to how no true Bostonian would ever refer to home as ‘Beantown.’”
Newsflash: Atlanta is stupid warm. Soggy, smoggy, drape-yourself-on-the-air conditioner hot.
But I do not call it Hotlanta. I am painfully aware that it’s hot. I don’t need a reminder. I need an ice pack and a Popsicle, thanks.
I hear the term often, almost always from people who don’t live here. Urban Dictionary backs me up on that.
And the AJC is plenty guilty of using it. Our archives show “Hotlanta” references as far back as 1983, when the Atlanta Journal and Constitution library dwindles off for a bit.
It looks like we peaked in 1996; it appears 41 times in our archives for that year. For the record, it was used 23 times in 2007, and four times so far this year. Another reporter here is working on a story about the nickname, and wondered what we really think about it, whether they use it, when they use it. If you’ve got an opinion and would like to share it with our readers, shoot Ken Sugiura an e-mail with “Hotlanta” in the subject line.
So newcomers and long-timers, “Hotlanta”: Hot or not?
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Back in a few days
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thank you so much for the recommendations on where to go and what to do with used books. I think I’ll be taking you up on several of those ideas. I’ve already signed up for Book Crossing. You guys are wonderful.
Meanwhile, I’m on the West Coast for a few days, but I’ll be back later this week. Keep an eye out for fresh posts.
For other reading fun, check out the ATLArts blog. They talk about fun stuff. Like books!
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Q&A, v. 6: Where can books get a second life?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, I’m the only one with a question this week, but it’s one that I trip on every day when I leave this house: where in this town should I donate or sell old books?
I have a nasty habit of hoarding reading material. When I moved here, I made a big decision to thin the collection so it actually fits on the shelves. That left me with several large boxes and stacks of books — fiction, literary nonfiction, text books, good books, awful books — piling up by the door and threatening to tumble every time I open it.
But I love my books — oh, the hours I spent deciding which ones should go! — and I want them to go where I know it’s helping people, or at least where someone is likely to see it and have a chance to enjoy it like I did.
There was an interesting AJC story about Better World Books, a for-profit company that holds book drives and sends some of the profit back to non-profits while reselling the books.
I see giant book collection bins outside of Krogers and Whole Foods around town, too.
And Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party, the little coffee shop in my neighborhood, sells used books for 50 cents to benefit Mary Lin Elementary.
I’m sure there are plenty of used-books buyers in town, too. A great list of Atlanta-area book stores emerged on the blog this week. Who would be willing to take a few (hundred) off my hands?
SO! If you have a question, remember, we look for answers every Friday. Leave your questions about the best of, history of, quirkiness of Atlanta and Georgia in the comments or in my e-mail at jgumbrecht@ajc.com. We’ll try to get your questions answered in Friday’s post. Don’t be shy.
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What to know before you fly from Hartsfield-Jackson the first time…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
::poof::
That’s my fantasy of connection-free, moderately priced air travel to major cities whooshing off into our “code orange” smog alert.
When making that “Should I stay or should I go?” list before moving here, a big plus was the idea of easy air travel. Three years of living by a tiny airport meant I was waaaaay over shopping for deals that don’t exist and making connections at airports within an hour’s drive.
From Atlanta, I’ve booked good fares and no layovers to Baltimore and — surprise! — Flint, Mich.. But I’m hitting Berkeley for a few days that makes me stop in Los Angeles for many, many hours with Scrabulous and a good book.
Jim Tharpe, the AJC airport writer, tells me Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the world’s busiest airport — busier than Chicago O’Hare, busier than London Heathrow — with 89 million people a year going through it.
If you’re new to this airport…well, it’s quite a trip.
Look below for some travel tips from Tharpe and others. And leave yours in the comments section. What’s your favorite way of dealing with the world’s busiest airport, our very own little Hartsfield-Jackson?
A co-worker just pointed out the AJC’s spiffy airport page. Yea for information.
The airport is easily accessible by MARTA. Totally worth dragging my luggage down McLendon Ave.
Only about 25 percent of passengers using the airport begin or end their flights in Atlanta. Tharpe says we have a saying: “If you die in the South, it doesn’t matter whether you’re headed to heaven or hell, you’ll still have to change planes in Atlanta.” Know what that means? If your long lost sister/friend/roomie is stuck here for five hours, you can go meet them there for grab a meal or a drink.
Some flights are pretty cheap. The AJC releases cheap Web deals every Wednesday. Bozeman, Montana, here I come!
The airport has two security checkpoints — the main 22 gates at the atrium and the T-gate checkpoint, with 3 gates, near the Lufthansa ticket counter. Haven’t tried it, but the airport will send you text messages or emails about wait times, if it’ll help.
The longest security wait times are in the morning from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or so and in the late afternoon. To avoid crowds, try mid-morning or early afternoon. (Should’ve checked that advice BEFORE booking flights into Oakland…)
The airport has about 30,000 parking places, but there are also “many, many” privately run lots off Camp Creek Parkway that offer huge parking areas and frequent shuttles to and from the airport.
A new, $1.5 billion international terminal is under construction, and Delta Air Lines, the airport’s major carrier, now counts international travel as 35-40 percent of its business. An important quirk: if you’re flying international into the country, wrangling your bags takes longer. Give yourself some time.
The airport employs 55,000 or so people and is the major economic engine for the metro Atlanta and much of the Southeast. But it has vending machines that dispense pretty much everything, including iPods.
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My favorite day of summer should be…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maybe all eight of you still addicted to ye olde print edition have noticed our “97 days to play” feature on the front of the Living section lately.
Summer has 97 days, and we’re taking advantage of every single one of ‘em! Or…we will! If you’ll help!
We’re trying to come up with something cool to do every day this summer. It’s not hard to find great stuff happening in Atlanta, but I’m new - there’s just no way the events I stumble on can be the only things keeping people busy. I hear tell of a soap box derby, of concerts, of festivals, of wacky parties and nights out I’ll never find if I’m not looking.
Today’s event, if you’re wondering, came from my cubicle neighbor Adrianne Murchison: “Take the mic at the Shrine of the Black Madonna bookstore for ‘Wordlife Wednesdays,’ a showcase of poetry, storytelling and spoken word. Performers can sign up from 7-8 p.m. and be admitted for free . The event is hosted by poet Plain Brown and includes live music. Check it out every first Wednesday of the month. $5 general admission. The bookstore is located at 946 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. S.W., West End. 404-622-5588, www.shrinebookstore.com.”
More events coming up this week fill us in on movies at the Fox Theatre, Virginia-Highland’s Summerfest and the Indie Craft Experience. As a newcomer, I’ve experience exactly none of those.
So what’s your favorite summer event? Concerts, date nights, protests, races, meals, movies, workshops, anything. If the public can attend, we want to know. Share details, if you can. It’ll be a long, hot summer without something to do…
— Other questions? Newcomer tries to get answers. Leave your Atlanta ‘n’ Georgia questions in the comments or in my e-mail at jgumbrecht@ajc.com. I’ll try to answer them for all the other newcomers and inquiring minds in Friday’s blog post.
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Born an Atlanta sports fan, or made a fan?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you have to be born into local sports fandom, or can you be made a fan?
I grew up where people are mad for hockey, basketball and more recently, baseball. I left college with drawers full of green-and-white Michigan State University paraphernalia. It was easy to get swept up in close scores, scandal and rivalry without knowing a thing about the game. (Sports and I don’t really get along.)
A few years later, I was in Lexington, Kentucky, home of the University of Kentucky and not a single pro sports team. I proudly attached my green-and-white sticker to my car after I watched MSU beat UK in the men’s basketball NCAA Tournament, but it was impossible to live in Lexington without a teensy bit of interest in Kentucky sports. The people don’t just bleed blue; they wash in blue, puke blue, swaddle themselves in silky blue, blow giant blue raspberries. It was easy to get caught up in the spirit, if not the sport.
And now I’m in Atlanta, where pro teams abound and in-state college rivalries are a big, big deal. I’ve got a cousin who attends University of Georgia, but no strong ties to the campus. Georgia Tech is always a good resource when I need someone to translate science into newspaper, which doesn’t seem like much of a reason to care about its football team. I’ve got no reason to love or hate any of the pro sports teams.
So when you move some place new, do your old sports allegiances die? And how do you form new ones?
I’ve heard some people say they wouldn’t live in a town where they didn’t like the teams. Seems crazy to me, but then…maybe not. I know plenty of perfectly sane, kind people who list “watching ESPN” as a hobby on Facebook and chose Michigan State for the basketball. If it demands that much time and passion, why wouldn’t you pick a place where you love the sports?
But if you’ve got no history here, no reason to pick one team over anther, what’s the sport, team or rivalry worth getting caught in? What’s the difference between real fandom, and the kind you have just by living in a place where the team plays?
Q & As. Every Friday. Leave your questions about the best of, history of, quirkiness of Atlanta and Georgia in the comments or in my e-mail at jgumbrecht@ajc.com. We’ll try to get your questions answered in Friday’s post. Don’t be shy.
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Atlanta readers: name your best book stores and libraries.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In this photo, author Ann M. Martin signs books at Scott’s Book Store in Newnan.
One of my first stop in any new city is the nearest library branch. Next stop is often a good local book store. (There are few ways I’d rather spend money than on books, but free and shared is always better.)
The Decatur branch of the DeKalb County Public Library impresses me every time it manages to have some obscure title. They dug a copy of “Beautiful Swimmers” out of storage for me. And how do I thank them? By turning it in late.
I’m pretty thrilled to have A Cappella Books within walking distance. And of the biggest thrills since I’ve moved here - Geek Out Time - was meeting Ann M. Martin, author of my childhood obsession, “The Baby-Sitters Club”.
Scott’s Book Store in Newnan was adorable and comfortable. It was the perfect neighborhood kinda place to wait in a line of tweens to meet an author, then park on couch and read for a while. Like Emily Hinely, pictured below:
If you’re a fellow library nut but aren’t sure where to go or how to get started, here’s a list of all the public libraries in Georgia, with links to their Web sites. Most list who is eligible for a card and you to fill one out. If you’re a newcomer who hasn’t yet gotten an official Georgia ID, bring along a lease, pay stub or utility bill that shows your address.
What’s your favorite place to find new books and or great old classics? Where’s your favorite place to curl up and read?
Maybe it’s the best place to meet an author, best place to find an obscure title, best place to get a good price or the place where you’ve got the best memories…share!
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