Plan an Atlanta staycation!

WalletHub recently shared a listing of 2016’s best and worst cities for staycations… And Atlanta came in as the 6th best city for a staycation!

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Now, we know Atlanta is pretty fabulous – there’s lots to do, a deep sense of history, fantastic restaurants and shopping – the list could go on and on. Obviously, the folks at WalletHub agree. Their number crunchers compared the 150 largest cities across 28 key metrics. WalletHub’s data set includes such metrics as movie and bowling costs, golf courses, frozen-yogurt shops and spas per capita. Pretty neat Atlanta earned the spot as the 6th best staycation city on the list!

And we couldn’t agree more… Here are our thoughts of the top places to stay and things to do as you plan your in-town staycation:

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The Mandarin Oriental Atlanta promises luxurious, fabulous accommodations and is currently in the #1 spot on TripAdvisor’s top Atlanta hotels list. The rooms are sumptuous and the attention to detail is stellar.

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Now, if you’re searching for a cozier place to stay, look no further than the Stonehurst Place bed and breakfast. This hidden gem is located in Midtown and it will truly serve as your home away from home. The rooms there feature stunning furnishings and museum-worthy original works of art! Bonus – you don’t have to make the bed.

Atlanta Westside illustration by Nik Neves
Atlanta Westside illustration by Nik Neves

In addition to shopping at steve mckenzie’s and exploring all Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood has to offer, there are tons of amazing tourist attractions our team recommends…

GA Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Oakland Cemetary
Oakland Cemetary
High Museum of Art
High Museum of Art
Ponce City Market
Ponce City Market

And there you have it, a quick rundown of where we’d stay and what we’d do on our Atlanta staycation! Thanks to WalletHub’s listing of best/worst staycation cities for inspiring this post… We hope we’ve inspired some of our local readers to become tourists in our own city – or if you’re from out of town, we hope to have sparked some interest in planning a visit to Atlanta. Remember to stop by steve mckenzie’s while enjoying Atlanta. We promise the tea here is cool, as is our current selection of unique, authentic souvenir options!

Flux Projects Presents Nick Cave!

Artistic dance, cultural symbolism, and unique storytelling. That’s what artist Nick Cave‘s latest performance, Up Right: Atlanta is all about.

nick cave _ up right atl

About Nick Cave:

Nick Cave is an African-American artist and dancer, famous for his embellished costumes, called Soundsuits, which he often stages in public spectacle. Though influenced by a vibrant palette of African art, armor, found objects, fashion and textile design, the Soundsuits are rooted in social critique. Cave first created a suit in the aftermath of the Rodney King beatings in 1991, envisioning an emotional shield that protects one’s race or gender while still expressing individuality.

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Nick Cave

And we’re so lucky to have the opportunity to experience the art of Nick Cave in Atlanta! Our friend and talented designer, Kristen V. Cahill, met Nick Cave at Art Basel Miami in 2012 and has been working ever since to bring his work to our city, through Flux Projects.

flux projects nick cave logo

Kristen is a member of the board for Flux Projects, and works with other members to bring new art and cultural experiences for us to enjoy right here in our city!

Here’s some info on Nick’s upcoming performances:

Up Right: Atlanta is a “call to arms, head and heart” for Cave initiates—the lead characters of this work. Through the performance, they are prepared mind, body and spirit to face the forces that stand in the way of self-hood, to enter a world over which they have complete control. Initiates become warriors of their own destiny. Cave is working with T. Lang, assistant professor of dance at Spelman College and artistic director of T. Lang Dance

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Photos by James Prinz Photography. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

And if the ticket reservations and images associated with this performance’s promotion are any indication, it is not to be missed! The performances, starting today and over the next two days at Ponce City Market, are actually already sold out, but, as with many free performances, spaces may become available as reservation holders don’t show up, so consider coming out! In addition, Nick is preparing for future performances at his alma mater, the Cranbrook Academy for Art in Detroit.

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Photos by James Prinz Photography. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

If you’ll be missing out on this performance, Flux Projects is always working to bring innovative and captivating art-centered events to Atlanta, so be sure to subscribe to their mailing list. And mark your calendars for the next Flux Night, a night of art and experimentation, taking place October 5, 2015.

flux night

Here’s Flux Project’s mission:

Flux Projects produces exceptional and surprising temporary public art to galvanize Atlanta’s cultural curiosity.

We aspire to produce the most innovative art experiences in the world. We provide contemporary artists with financial, production, and marketing support to create aesthetically and conceptually rich work. These projects engage people in their daily lives, outside of traditional arts venues, and instill a sense of wonder. Our projects last from a few hours to a few months and demand the scale, duration, and visibility required to have a meaningful impact on a broad audience.

We seed Atlanta with creativity to foster cultural curiosity and a spirit of experimentation. We shift perceptions of people inside and outside the city to see the creative energy that is already here and imagine a future where that creativity is central to Atlanta’s official identity. We seek an ecosystem of risk-taking artists and an engaged audience that desires and supports innovative works of public art.

We’re all about that – a BIG thank you to Flux Projects for introducing us to the work of Nick Cave and for all you do for Atlanta!