Atlanta Blog

Dust off your pocket protectors, this Sunday, July 13th is National Embrace Your Geekness Day! Celebrate the occasion by showing off your astronomy knowledge at the planetarium at Fernbank Science Center, or see if you can name (by order, family, genus, and species) all the inhabitants at Georgia Aquarium.

Looking to add more likeminded friends to your circle? Register with Geek Dinners to find out about upcoming social networking dinners for Atlanta’s “geeks by profession.” Geeks, your (our) day has arrived!

There are plenty of fun events happening this month in Atlanta. Check out a murder mystery play at Manuel's Tavern, enjoy live jazz in the garden at Villa Christina, or head to the Chattahoochee Nature Center for the Flying Colors Butterfly Festival.

Click here for my complete July Events Calendar.

The Associated Press reports that Barack Obama will visit the Atlanta area this week. Obama plans to hold a Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday morning, July 8th, at McEachern High School in Powder Springs where he will speak about the impact of the economy on American families.

For free tickets visit:

• George Allen Hair Salon, 103 Spring Rd, Smyrna
• Saturday, July 5th 9 am-5 pm and Sunday, July 6th 11:00 am-6:00 pm



• Los Portales, 4485 North Town Square, Powder Springs
• Saturday, July 5th noon-10:30 pm and Sunday, July 6th noon-9:30 pm

Melissa Golden/Getty Images

It's going to be a busy 4th of July weekend in Atlanta! Head to Midtown for Atlanta Pride 2008, wake up early and cheer on the participants in the Peachtree Road Race, or kick back and enjoy one of the incredible fireworks displays that will be taking place around the city. Click here for a list of the best fireworks venues in Atlanta.

Photo courtesy Stone Mountain Park

Come out this weekend and celebrate “unity, visibility, and self-esteem” of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals with Atlanta Pride 2008 at the Atlanta Civic Center. Enjoy a weekend of music and entertainment featuring more than 30 diverse acts and 200 vendors.

There are two paid shows: “Friday Night Divas,” with live performances by Expose, CeCe Peniston, Frenchie Davis, and Thelma Houston, and “Starlight Cabaret,” a drag show extravaganza on Sunday night. Purchase tickets in advance to reserve your spot. All other shows are free.

Don’t miss the parade on Sunday, July 6th at 1pm starting at the corner of 10th and Piedmont near the park.

• 395 Piedmont Ave, NE
• (770) 491-8633
• Hours: Friday, July 4, 6pm-11pm
• Saturday & Sunday, July 5-6, 11am-11pm
• Free admission

Photo: Atlanta Pride, Inc. All rights reserved.

I remember when my mother and I first moved to Georgia. I told everyone back home that we were moving to Atlanta rather than Smyrna because 1) my friends had never heard of Smyrna and 2) Atlanta sounded much more alluring (not to belittle Smyrna, of course).

When traveling, suburbanites often verbally relocate themselves to the big city in order to 1) seem more cosmopolitan (not to imply that Smyrna is anything less, of course) or 2) put themselves on the map in order to avoid having to explain the location of Alpharetta/Duluth/Sandy Springs in proximity to Atlanta.

No surprise that Bravo’s latest flock of Housewives don’t really live in Atlanta but rather in the aforementioned OTP burbs. They're close enough. Besides, "The Real Housewives of the Greater Metro Atlanta Area" is a mouthful. Visit Bravo for photos and profiles of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."

Unplugged in the Park has returned to Park Tavern. Enjoy free outdoor concerts every Sunday evening amid the scenic backdrop of Piedmont Park. Come out this Sunday, June 29th at 7pm and catch performances by Rocco DeLuca, Honey Honey, and IKE.

Thru October 19 (no show on August 31).

• Park Tavern
• 500 10th Street, NE, Atlanta
• (404) 249-0001

Tune into BET tonight at 8:00 for the BET Awards '08, with appearances by some of Atlanta's best hip hop and R&B artists.

Usher and Young Jeezy are scheduled to perform, and Erykah Badu, Keyshia Cole, and UGF featuring Outkast are among the list of nominees. Soulja Boy Tell 'em is up for Viewers' Choice for his video "Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)." Place your vote and catch the results during tonight's live show.

Thoughts? Predictions?

Rosie Greenway/Getty Images

Come to Rosa Mexicano at Atlantic Station between June 23 and July 20 for Festival de Helados, a celebration of ice cream! Artfully selected Mexican ingredients are sure to make these desserts legendary. Taste test an intriguing selection of ice creams like Mango Flameado made with rum and fresh mango or Vampire Sorbet, a blood red cool treat made from sweet beets.

I'm already daring myself to try the special guacamole dessert with avocado ice cream, white chocolate, and mint leaves. See you there!

• (404) 347-4090
• 245 18th St, NW


Photo courtesy The Reynolds Group Inc.

Join the crowd at Fado Irish Pub for Euro 08. Root for your team, as long as it's the right team, and enjoy a few pints of Guinness while you're at it. You haven't experienced the thrill of soccer until you've watched it in the company of the Irish.

Check out Fado's website to download schedules and register your own Fantasy League. Through June 29.

• Fado Irish Pub
• 279 Buckhead Ave
• (404) 841-0066