Atlanta News and Current Events

The official source of what's happening in Atlanta, GA

Performances of Cirque du Soleil TOTEM This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for dining out, shopping, family gatherings, parties and entertainment. There is one event currently playing in Atlanta that takes the definition of entertainment to an entirely different level. If you haven’t heard of it already, which considering its enormous popularity would be hard to believe, the critically-acclaimed and record-breaking Cirque du Soleil TOTEM is currently playing right here in Atlanta. However, in the true spirit of the gift that keeps on giving, there have been extended performances added to last you all throughout the holiday season.

Holiday Events at Vinings Jubilee

The holiday season is a great time of year to enjoy your family, friends, coworkers and last but not least, your neighbors. When neighborhood celebrations occur revolving around a holiday, it not only builds up the community, but also boosts a sense of camaraderie amongst you and those that live in your neighborhood. The town of Vinings has once again stressed the importance of neighborhood involvement and friendliness by holding a couple of holiday events that are guaranteed to get you in the spirit of the season as you get to know your neighbors, old and new.

The Holiday Chorale & Tuba Christmas Back at Underground Atlanta

If there is one thing more enticing than the food during the holiday season, it’s definitely the music. Whether you’re inundated with Christmas standards on the radio, happen to catch a holiday video countdown or prefer to blast your personal collection of holiday carols, chances are that during this time of year it’s practically impossible to avoid the cheery and festive sounds of holiday music. Underground Atlanta, one of the city’s most popular attractions, seems to appreciate the appeal of holiday music by bringing back their specialty music series.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden

Aside from the Christmas tree, one of the most important and highly regarded parts of the holiday season is the magical display of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of twinkling lights. Although they only come out to play every December, holiday lights are appreciated all year long. One of Atlanta’s most celebrated attractions, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, has crafted an event that showcases the celebration and whimsical nature of holiday lights. The aptly named Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, not only display the beauty of the gardens, but also the decorations that make this time of year so festive and fun.

12 Days of Midtown

Though it may seem as if the record-breaking sweltering temperatures of summer were just upon us yesterday, the 2012 holiday season is in full effect. Shopping is underway, trees and decorations are up, holiday standards are dominating radio and there is a familiar chill in the air that lets you know December is just around the corner. Playing off the familiar theme of the 12 Days of Christmas, the highly buzzed about 12^th & Midtown district aims to get Atlantans in the spirit of the season by implementing the 12 Days of Midtown. Celebrating the holiday season never sounded so good!

Restaurant Spotlight: White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails

The Southern dining experience is something that Atlantans not only know quite well, it’s something that they often expect when deciding to dine out. It’s because of this familiarity with the cuisine, that new restaurants specializing in southern cooking are in for initial skepticism and harsh critique if the food fails to live up to expectations. Conveniently located right in the heart of downtown Atlanta, White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails has a lot to live up to by referring the restaurant as “Downtown Atlanta’s Contemporary Dining Experience.” This boastful claim could be a good thing however, if the food at this new restaurant lives up to hype that precedes it.

Restaurant Spotlight: Watershed on Peachtree

Restaurant Spotlight: The Greater Good Barbecue

Aside from soul food, one obvious culinary aspect of living in the south is delicious, down-home BBQ. You can find it practically anywhere in the city and the outskirts of town as well. There are those BBQ aficionados and true experts, who live and die by what they deem worthy ‘que. This makes the task of opening an impressive and successful BBQ restaurant quite daunting, if only for the fact that the potential customers here in the south can easily spot imposters. Opening this past summer in Tucker, The Great Good Barbecue aims to provide Atlantans with the BBQ they have come to love and expect from local eateries. They have some pretty big shoes to fill, but seem to be up for the challenge. Let’s dig in.

Restaurant Spotlight: The Elder Tree Public House

There is something to be said for the appeal of a pub. Aside from the obvious allure of the spirits consistently flowing (thanks to a usually long and impressive selection list), there is a welcoming, local feel that envelopes you like an old friend coming over for drinks. However, one aspect of a pub that doesn’t get nearly as much credit as it should is the food. Pub food usually contains some delicious hidden gems that tend to get overlooked and under-appreciated in favor of the alcohol. The Elder Tree Public House, which just opened in the East Atlanta Village, is aiming to give you the best of both worlds: all of the spirits that you come to expect from a pub, with absolutely delicious food that will have you ordering first and drinking second.

Restaurant Spotlight: Shabu Shabu

When deciding to dine out, of course there are the welcomed frills that go along with it like atmosphere, décor and location. However, more often than not, the single most important thing when dining out is the certainty that the food is good and worth forgoing preparing a meal at home instead. Taking up new residence in the Duluth area just north of the city, Shabu Shabu is a hybrid Japanese/Hot Pot restaurant that promises authentic cuisine and an overall lively experience worthy of a second, and maybe even third, looks.