I just moved here. I really like it, so far. Any suggestions on places to go/ things to do. Horsey or non-horsey ok.
I just moved here. I really like it, so far. Any suggestions on places to go/ things to do. Horsey or non-horsey ok.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DMK:
Spring in Atlanta REALLY makes up for it (unless of course you have any allergies, and oh, btw, if you don’t… you will…)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Got that right…
For the life of me I could not figure what that green coating was on my charcoal colored Jeep.
Ahhh, pine pollen. Never stopped sneezing until I moved to Arizona 
Hmmm… There is a great (read: expensive) group of stores around Miami Circle in Atlanta, also, Historic Marietta Square has a lot of shops in close proximity. Queen of Hearts on hwy 9 (alpharetta, at Cogburn Rd) has a bunch of dealers - a lot of klitsch, but the occasional nice piece. Downtown Crabapple Corners, Historic Roswell and Downtown Alpharetta all have shops.
But, best of all, there are huge Antique Markets on several weekends around Atlanta - I think one is at Lakewood the 3rd weekend of every month? Check the (otherwise useless) Atlanta Constitution Urinal, er Journal (ah yes, how I long for a REAL newspaper, like say, a Knight-Ridder paper like the Miami Herald or Chicago Trib…)
Piper - I still ride with out of state trainers, so I am not up on who is where, but we have Tim Goguen, Barry Lane, Woody Dykers, Sunny Stevens, Claudia McQuillen and Karen Kirby in and around Atlanta. Tim and Barry are on the south side, the rest are in/around the Alpharetta area. I am notorious for not paying attention to anyone else at shows, but I generally like what I see when I see Barry and her students…
I just have to post that my husband, baby and I went out to a Christmas tree farm and chopped down our own tree. It was fabulous- you definately can’t do that in FL. In fact, the best you can do is Home Depot or a road side stand with trees that have been dead for 2 months, spray painted green. No joke. My first Christmas there I cried. A t-shirt and shorts on Christmas Day is just wrong.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RagsRules:
[B]Sarah,
Is Sunny a man or woman? Thanks…
Ryan[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
LMAO! Sunny is a woman, her real name is Ruth!
~Sarah
Your explanation of Atlanta was very funny- and true from what I have seen. I have driven on 400 several times now and no matter what time of day- it always seems like rush hour.
Georgia drivers are very polite. They are always waving you in, waving you out, just waving. They are even using all fingers!
From everywhere that I’ve lived, Florida drivers are the worst. You either have the senile- just get out of their way, although it usually isn’t that hard since they are about 15 under the speed limit or the teenagers. Oh yeah and don’t forget the lowriders (camaros, neons, nissan sentra -doesn’t matter)with the stereos that are 99% bass and playing latin music.
I am really liking it here. Great place to live, so far! 
OK, as another Floridian-moved-to-Atlanta, you will probably love it (I do!)… but let me warn you… this first winter will be, how shall we say it? An Ugly Shock… Never mind the cold, it’s the sun you will miss! (OK, all you northerners, we know it surely must be worse up there, but for Floridians, winter and the sun is a natural course of events - it is our DRY season). I moved up here almost 4 years ago to the day, and for the first months I was sure I had accidently been re-routed to Seattle (40 degrees and rain, nonstop). Frequent visits to the horror that is Hartsfield Airport convinced me otherwise…
As for non-horsey places to go, Little 5 points, Downtown Alpharetta, Dahlonaga, and Historic Marietta square all have neat, funky shops and antiques… And we can’t forget the outlet mall up GA 400 at Dawsonville!
Horsey places… as tack stores go, Atlanta Saddlery on Hwy 9 in Alpharetta is THE place… all others are second fiddle! Horse shows are at Conyers (very nice), Wills Park (nice, and it got a lot better than a few years ago, so A for effort) and Chateau Elan (nice and fun location).
Alpharetta is where most of the h/j crowd seem to be, although there are some very good trainers on the south side of the city. Atlanta is a little culture shock for people from Florida - I didn’t realize how much I took for granted all the world class trainers/riders we had available to us in under a 2 hour drive… On the other hand, if you want to dabble in dressage or eventing, there seems to be a lot of quality trainers/riders…
Oh yea, and if you didn’t give a Rat’s Behind about baseball or the Braves, please keep that to yourself for your own personal safety 
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Helen:
I love the High Museum of Art in downtown Atlanta… also dinner at Dante’s Under the Hatch, for yummy fondue & fabulous live jazz! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I totally agree Helen! There, the Melting Pot, and the Cheesecake Factory. Wow… I could live in those places 
I’m from Gainesville, which is an hour north of ATL so I’m not of much use to you… I’ve always ridden in the Cumming/Alpharetta area.
Thanks for all the info. We are moving next fall and Atlanta is at the top of our list. I live 4 hours away now so I know how great it is but didn’t know the horsey stuff.
Hey J Turner ~ Are you talking about the Cub Foods at the corner of Piedmont and Sidney Marcus? I live just around the corner on the other side of 400. Great location (3 miles to work in Midtown, $5 cab ride to the bars in Buckhead) but terrible traffic.
I moved to Atlanta about three months ago and have enjoyed playing and eating my way around the city. Just last night, I was at Dante’s. I would definitely recommend it on ambiance alone. If you like Italian, I would suggest Veni Vidi Vici (ate there Friday night) and I second the nomination for Canoe because of the view. And for steaks, definitely Bones or Chops.
My only complaint is that it takes me an hour (on a good day) to get from work in Midtown to my barn in Alpharetta. (I ride with Claudia McQuillen at Fox Hollow.) The traffic on 400 is horrible and bound to only get worse. So Cashmere, from what I know, Alpharetta is not a bad drive from Cumming. If you plan to ride again, stick around those parts!
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kennett Square:
What is the name of ther barn that is in/near Buckhead. It had all corporate sponsorship to build, they do lessons and Christopher Reeves opened it a few years back. It’s right near an open air pavillion that has concerts and such. It’s beautiful, lovely rings and barns but pitiful turnout.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That would be Chastain. They just finished redoing it, it was pitiful before, and it’s super fancy now. The turnout is still non-existant, and there really isn’t a good trainer there. Most of the people that ride there are the wealthy from that area that want to take lessons. 2 people that ride w/ my trainer live in that area so they keep their horses there and trailer up for lessons.
~Sarah
DMK, that is all soo true!! I myself drive a little on the speedy side <g>, but I am ALWAYS polite to other drivers! My brother on the other hand wants me to wave the finger at everyone in site! LOL I’d prefer not to get shot, ala what happened in Alabama! 
~Sarah
Cashmere,
That’s funny…I note from your profile that you are originally from Tampa and are now Atlanta-bound. I spent most of my life in Tampa and then went to college at Emory in Atlanta, so I did that whole Tampa to Atlanta transition, as well.
Now, I’m a law student in Chicago…let me tell you, that was the hardest transition to make (sunny, temperate Atlanta to bitter cold Chicago), at least weather-wise. DMK, do you really think Atlanta is that bad in the winter? Maybe I’m just looking back in fondness after spending a few months here, but I thought it was pretty nice! I enjoyed having a least a little variation in temperature after spending years in Tampa, where temps in the 60s were occassion to bust out the sweaters…
What brings you to Atlanta? And did you ride/show in Tampa?
Anyway, I never rode in Atlanta, so I won’t be any help with the horse stuff. But I was a college student there, so I have my favorite bars and hangouts, and there are some great restaurants, as well. Also, wonderful shopping, much better than Tampa. Let me know what you’re looking for!
Ann
[This message has been edited by LawAnn (edited 12-06-2000).]
Wow- the BB was down for a while, I check in this morning and have such a great response!
Well, without telling my whole life story, which would surely crash the board again… I was born in Chicago, learned how to ride while living in New Jersey, lived in Michigan, Minnesota, Harrisburg PA, & Tampa FL. I moved to Tampa after I met my husband just a few years ago, so I really am a northern girl. Sorry, Floridians, but I never adjusted to or liked the climate. These cold dreary Atlanta days are right up my alley!
I have backed off of the riding for now, since I just had my first baby this summer. Before he arrived, I had a green jumper “Cashmere” that I sold to a fanatastic girl in FL. I hope to be reading about my girl in the Chronicle when her new owner starts showing her at WEF.
My husband accepted a new job here in GA. We are renting in Cumming, until the housing market has a better selection in the spring. I really like it and Alpharetta seems really nice. I ventured to Northpoint Mall yesterday. It was REALLY nice.
Right now, I am just trying to get my bearings and finsh unpacking all of my stuff. Boy, do I have a lot of stuff.
From the response that I got, it looks like this area is going to be really wonderful.
OOH, listing our fave Atlanta restaurants!!!
You CANNOT miss brunch at the Ritz Carlton (the one on Peachtree across from Lennox – Ritz Carlton, Buckhead, I believe). It’s ridiculously expensive, but SO good. Fast for days so you can fit in all the yummy stuff they have to offer into your tummy. We’re talking filet mignon, lobster, caviar, omelette stations, pasta stations, carving stations, sushi bar…the list is endless and its absurd how much food you could eat. Great for special occasions (we went the morning of my graduation).
I am a big fan of the Buckhead Diner. My mom loved it, and always took me there when she was in town.
I second the votes for Canoe and Blue Ridge Grill. Great, but expensive.
I love the Highlands, where my favorite bar/hangout place is, called Neighbors. Also, great restaurants, like Surins (Thai), Doc Chey (a noodle house), etc.
Bones is an excellent steakhouse, as is Chops. Sometimes, you’re just craving a good steak, you know?
For Italian, my family loves La Grotta (I believe there’s two unrelated La Grotta’s…the one we go to is on Peachtree in Buckhead, and there’s another up on the Perimeter somewhere).
My brother had his rehearsal dinner for his wedding at Maggiano’s (another Italian restaurant, with wonderful, bountiful food, which can be served family style or in huge single portions)…they have great rooms upstairs for private parties.
But my all time favorite restaurants in Atlanta were the cheap ones. I was a poor student, so I love Fellini’s (great pizza, open really late…there’s a whole bunch of them around town), Tortillas (best burritos ever), Eats (huge, cheap plates of pasta), La Fonda Latina (best quesadillas ever). And I love Zestos, as well, for their shakes and ice cream. All of these places are on a one mile stretch of Ponce De Leon, near the Highlands. Right near Emory, which is why I visited them so much. The area can be a little sketchy at night, but totally safe at lunchtime. And you can’t beat these prices and the food is SO good.
As for malls, I really liked Perimeter. I lived much closer to Phipps (always expensive) and Lennox (always packed), which are nice, but I always headed out to Perimeter for the real shopping. And I always loved the outlet malls in Commerce, an hour or so north of where I lived.
I’m sure I’ll think of more stuff…although sitting down and typing it all out makes me homesick for Atlanta! Such a cool city. I hope I’ll be back someday to live. Especially after my first few months of this Chicago winter.
[This message has been edited by LawAnn (edited 12-08-2000).]
LawAnn ~ Neighbor’s is my fave bar in the Highlands too! It is so nice to sit outside on a pleasant evening and imbibe with my friends.
We too did a party at Maggiano’s and we had one of the private rooms upstairs. I have been in Atlanta for a year (but moved here officially just three months ago) and of all the dinners I have attended or organized, that was certainly one of the best. We had a private room for 50 people, our own bar with two bartenders, and all you could eat servings of the best Italian food ever!
I know this is so non-horse related but I get excited talking about Atlanta food too. There are so many great choices!
For restaurants, don’t forget about CABERNET! It’s right next to Vinny’s off 400. The food is wonderful, they have the chef and manager that were at Chops (or Bones? Whichever one is really $$, I can’t keep them straight! ). The staff is wonderful too! It is a little on the pricey side though. The fact that my next door neighbor’s own the place and I eat there all the time would have nothing to do w/ my opinion…<g> 
~Sarah
Actually the interstate system just seems like Road Atlanta…
The real Road Atlanta is in Flowery Branch, GA… north of Atlanta. My husband had it designed and built in the 1970s. He has always enjoyed owning race cars (European style - NOT stock cars!). Not my thing, however.
As a member of a sixth generation Atlanta family, I cannot fathom why anyone would want to live here currently… but, it used to be so nice.
Well, LawAnn, I confess… I fled Chicago after the Storms of '77, then fled Cleveland shortly after the Blizzard of '78 (still famous amongst cab drivers) for the Warmth of South Florida… as a Southerner by 300 years of breeding, my blood thinned immediately (blood will tell, everytime), so I must confess, I would get cold in Miami in the winter, and explore job opportunities on the Equator. So what if they were having a war in El Salvador, how bad could it be if all the gunfire warmed everything up a bit?
This probably made my first winter a little rougher than the average Florida Transplant But what really got me was the total lack of sun - I had forgotten about that part of winter. I have to say though… Spring in Atlanta REALLY makes up for it (unless of course you have any allergies, and oh, btw, if you don’t… you will…)
