Shady, Creative, Promising
I have always believed that if you have friends in interesting locations – you are obligated to go visit them. One week ago, that belief led to me jumping into the driver’s seat of my tiny hatchback and spending an entire evening on the road – destination, Atlanta. A friend from my time in California had recently made the move back east, and considering that I had never spent any time in the Big Peach, I could not pass up the opportunity to explore what is quickly becoming “The Hollywood of the South”.
Due to production incentives in the form of transferable tax credits, Georgia has made it economically responsible for large productions to move their filming locations from the notorious Southern California to the up-and-coming “new” south. The entire Hunger Games trilogy was filmed in Atlanta, along with Oscar nominee Hidden Figures and the last two Fast & The Furious movies. I was personally thrilled that my close friend (who is a brilliant actress herself) had felt the magnetic pull of ATL’s potential, and was now within driving distance of me. I spent 4 days in Virginia Highlands (a trendy Atlanta neighborhood), experiencing everything this city had to offer, and I must admit that I loved every second of it.
Shady:
The first thing that struck me about Atlanta as a city is that it doesn’t actually feel like a city at all. According to Wikipedia, 36% of Atlanta is covered in trees, which is nearly 10% higher than the national average of 27%. Even National Geographic had something to say about it in their Ultimate City Guides: "For a sprawling city with the nation’s ninth-largest metro area, Atlanta is surprisingly lush with trees—magnolias, dogwoods, Southern pines, and magnificent oaks." From the moment I stepped onto the BeltLine I felt a pleasant sense of southern charm and suburban lushness. Leafy branches protected me from the sun as I jogged, and the green canopy above me kept the air fresh. All at once I was energized, relaxed, and at home.
Creative:
Maybe it was because I was hanging out with actors, maybe was the afternoon I spent browsing graphic prints at the Ponce City Market, or maybe it was the drunken live karaoke I found myself singing at the Dark Horse Tavern, but Atlanta seems to be bursting with expression. The encouragement I felt to express my thoughts, opinions, and desires was vivid and intense. Everyone wants to share thoughts and experiences – and I found that I spoke less about work during that one weekend away than I had in nearly the 6 months prior. It was lovely, and it was freeing.
Promising:
Atlanta has long been a hotbed for musical genius – with OutKast, Janelle Monáe, Ludacris and Usher all calling Atlanta home. There is a reason the New York Times called Atlanta “hip hop’s center of gravity”. But beyond the significant musical influence, I could sense that Atlanta and its people have so much more to offer. With the burgeoning Hollywood scene, fantastic options for theater and overall artistic flair, Atlanta feels like a city poised on the edge of something fantastic – something unique, innovative, and dazzling. This city is wonderful as it stands today, but I would be surprised if we didn’t see more from it in the very near future.