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Atlanta, Georgia is once again well represented among the most prestigious culinary and food prep experts in America for semifinalists for the James Beard Awards.
Whittled from an exhaustive list, the local semifinalists have a chance to take home the top prize and cement Atlanta’s place on the map as a bona fide cultural mecca with top-notch restaurants with diverse cuisine.
When Will The James Beard Awards Be Announced?
The winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5, 2023, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
“After a year of fundamental changes, we look forward to building on the progress made, celebrating those paving a better future for us all—through their talent and craft, service to others, and commitment to a better, more sustainable industry. We look forward to sharing more exciting details for the 2023 ceremonies in the coming days,” Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation said in a statement.
And The Atlanta James Beard Award Finalists Are…
Outstanding Hospitality
Ticonderoga Club
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Lyla Lila Best Chef: Southeast
- Ronald Hsu and Aaron Phillips, Lazy Betty
- Jiyeon Lee and Cody Taylor, Heirloom Market BBQ,
- Deborah VanTrece, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours
Here Is The Complete 2023 List Of James Beard Award Finalists
From the Best Chefs to the top bar programs, the James Beard Awards exemplify the utmost of America’s food culture, which New Orleans plays a big part in.
Read the complete list of James Beard Award nominees for 2023.
Final Word
At this point, Atlanta cuisine has become indispensable to the South. The largest city in Georgia’s food festivals and culinary events set the tone for the entire Southeast. Only in Atlanta can the casual observer find specialty food shops, off-the-beaten-path restaurants, farmers’ markets and farm stands all at an affordable price point. But Atlanta also has trendy restaurants, pop-ups and time-tested landmarks that continue to draw big crowds. Metro Atlanta’s food and drink scene continues to grow with no stops on the horizon. Ready to try something new? Here Are The Best New Restaurants In Atlanta
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Longtime Atlanta civics leader Marvin Arrington Sr. is being commemorated with a new documentary that chronicles his life alongside that of the city he loves so much: Atlanta, Georgia.
The former City Council president and Fulton County Superior Court judge was known for centering the plight of black youth and pushing for equality throughout the city.
New Atlanta-Based Film Shows The Rise Of Marvin Arrington Sr.
The documentary film features a who’s who of Atlanta figures, including Ambassador Andrew Young, Mayor Shirley Franklin, Governor Roy Barnes, Federal Judge Clarence Cooper, former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, TV news anchor Monica Kaufman Pearson, and former Mayor Kasim Reed.Bo Legs appeared in six film festivals, premiering at the Bronze Lens Film Festival, and ran for six months on Delta Air Lines’ In-Flight Entertainment. It is now available for streaming on Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Amazon Prime Video.How To Watch The Marvin Arrington Sr. Documentary
The documentary film is now streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
Arrington Sr. was born and raised in segregated Atlanta in the 1940s and knew how to galvanize the city’s residents for change. After integrating his law school, Arrington served as the longest-running City Council president in Atlanta’s history.
Working behind the scenes in crafting legislation Arrington built alliances joining black and white communities for urban development, opened the access for women and minorities serving in city government, proposed policies increasing African American businesses in the city and promoted advancement in the city’s transportation, sports, and housing sectors. “By telling his story this film tells the story of Atlanta,” says Adelin Gasana, writer and director of Bo Legs. “No other person’s biography parallels so harmoniously with the successful growth of the city of Atlanta than Marvin Arrington, Sr.”
The documentary, Bo Legs, takes viewers on the journey of one man’s love for a city and his visionary work for the city’s eventual transformation. Battling through the blows of racism and meshing with political opponents over the years, Marvin “Bo Legs” Arrington, Sr. not only found his way but made his mark in civic duty and social justice.
Final Word
Atlanta has a lot of inspirational people and AtlantaFi.com is going to introduce you to many of them as well as cool places to go, great restaurants and other ATL happenings.
Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
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Delta Air Lines is known for its courteous service and those Biscoff cookies, but it has distinguished itself for its prompt arrival and departure times. When you’re trying to save money on travel and get someplace on your trip, this is greatly appreciated.
In fact, a new report says Delta ranks first when it comes to punctuality. The OAG’s Punctuality League 2023 highlights the U.S. airlines that are the most and least punctual, which is the major benchmark for passengers looking to stay on schedule for their travels.
What Airline Is The Most Punctual In The U.S.?
Delta is the most punctual airline, according to the report, which cited the carrier’s extremely low cancellation rate (00.1%) and 81.79% on-time performance (OTP) rate.
The organization also analyzed how punctual the major U.S. airports were as well, with Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International coming in at #2 with an OTP rate of 80.08%.
Let’s look at the numbers, shall we?
America’s Most Punctual Airlines
Airline On-Time Performance Rate Cancellation
Rate % 2022Delta Air Lines 81.79% 1.94% Alaska Airlines 79.13% 2.08% United Airlines 79.10% 2.57% American Airlines 77.38% 2.67% Hawaiian Airlines 75.80% 0.58% Spirit Airlines 73.18% 2.84% Southwest Airlines 71.61% 3.17% Frontier Airlines 66.18% 2.63% JetBlue Airways 63.90% 3.32% Allegiant Air 63.22% 4.43% While rankings only look at North American airlines, the global list has Delta ranked #17 respectively.
“Strong performance by U.S. Mega Airlines and Mega Airports reflects the competitive nature of the rapidly-recovering U.S. domestic market in 2022,” said John Grant, chief analyst at OAG. “Despite a tough end to the year, overall on-time performance is improving across the board as carriers provided slightly less frequency to ease operational pressures and delays. This in turn allows many carriers to deliver OTP levels last seen in the pre-pandemic era, if not better.”
How To Fly Delta Air Lines
If you’re thinking about flying Delta, you need to have a game plan in place for your safe travel. As the largest airline in Atlanta, the “red” side of the airport is one you can’t avoid. Here’s what to know before you buy your ticket.
Take Advantage of Free Wi-Fi
The airline made the announcement recently that it will begin a free Wi-Fi rollout on select aircraft in the near future. After that, smaller jets and the wide-body aircraft used for international flights will get free internet service in 2024.
Delta Is Hiring
Be patient with the staff because many of them are new or were recently hired. Getting hired at Delta is about as difficult as it is at any Fortune 500 company. It may take several weeks for the process to be completed.
Check Out Delta’s Economy Fares
We’re not saying that these fares don’t come with restrictions, because they do — a lot of them. But you need to know exactly what they are so you can choose whether the flight is right for you.
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One of the most bold fashion accessories you can wear is a quality hairpiece that brings out your best features. If you’re a black woman, you know your wig needs to stay on point.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the wigs that are great for black women.
Wigs are a great way to show off your individual style as well as show how amazing you truly are. If you’re an African-American woman, here are the best wigs for black women.
Why Do Black Women Wear Wigs?
Here’s a question we hear all the time: Why do black women wear wigs?
African-American women have spent the better part of 400 years being told that they had to conform to another standard of beauty to measure up. Hair has been a large part of this.
Wigs, which originally came into vogue among white aristocratic men in Western society, came to signify aspirational looks for fashion and other purposes.
Black women, bound in an aspirational caste system by chattel slavery, turned to wigs as a defiant symbol of freedom and liberation.
Now with that out of that way …
Here Are The Best Wigs For Black Women
As a Black woman myself, I know that certain styles appeal to us in ways that other colors, ethnicities could never really grasp. That’s why I created this article to really delve into styles that are for beautiful black women.
No matter if you like super long black straight, black hair or curly, bobs or short styles, embrace your beauty with these styles that capture some of the most beautiful wigs for black women.
Human Hair Lace Front Wigs Transparent Glueless Brazilian Virgin Human Hair
Human Hair 180 density HD Transparent Lace Frontal Wig
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Angela Bassett has been nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The Oscar nominations were announced on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023.
Bassett is the first actress to be nominated for an Oscar for a Marvel movie.
Last month at the 2023 Golden Globes ceremony, Bassett took home the Best Supporting Actress award for the same role.
Bassett dedicated her award to late co-star Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 from cancer.
We mourned, we loved, we healed. We were surrounded each and every day by the light and the spirit of Chadwick Boseman,” Bassett told the audience. “We have joy in knowing that with this historic ‘Black Panther’ series, it is a part of his legacy that he helped to lead us.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was nominated for several other awards at the star-studded event which was held on January 10, 2023 event, but the Supporting Actress is a big one as it may influence how the Academy Awards vote next month.
Bassett, 64, played Queen Ramonda in the franchise, the mother of T’Challa and Shuri and the widow of King T’Chaka.
Angela Bassett wins Best Supporting Actress for Atlanta-filmed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever #GoldenGlobes2023 https://t.co/8iC1yTiJQF pic.twitter.com/ICLquiZTbo
— ATLHAPS (@atlhaps) January 11, 2023
The film also stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Danai Gurira and Danny Sapani.
Atlanta played a huge role in the makings of the Black Panther films.
Atlanta was the central production hub for both Black Panther movies and casting calls were held locally for both as well.
Like its predecessor, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was filmed in various parts of the United States and Puerto Rico. Major production was done just outside Atlanta at Trilith Studios, as well as around Georgia, including in Brunswick at the Mary Ross Waterfront Park.
Tyler Perry Studios was used for some key scenes in the first Black Panther movie. This time, the production moved around quite a bit.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released in the United States on November 11, 2022 as part of Marvel Studios’ Phase Five production slate.
Speaking of Angela Bassett, the actress recently caught Sheila E. at City Winery in Atlanta, and when “Glamorous Life” came on, she blessed us with the moves!
Good morning to Angela Bassett ONLY 💚 pic.twitter.com/vMcVLm6J1D
— MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) July 12, 2021
Atlanta is rallying around Black Panther 2 something serious, especially after Coogler went to bat for Georgia-based businesses by agreeing to keep production in the Peach State.
Final Word
No matter what happens, we know that Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever will be an instant hit and bring even further spotlight to Atlanta as the new center of the moviemaking universe.
Because of the steady flow of movie and TV productions, Atlanta has been called the Hollywood of the South and it’s not just a label.. If you want to be an actor, the city has classes you can take as well as places that provide headshots and more. You can also audition at numerous casting calls to build your movie and TV reel.Subscribe to AtlantaFi.com to get all the freshest movie casting calls, celeb sightings and Atlanta happenings delivered to your inbox.Want to work in Georgia film & TV? Here are the latest Atlanta casting calls
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A new initiative that aims to enlist hair professionals in the effort to support mental health in America is kicking off in Atlanta.
The Confess Project of America, “America’s First Mental Health Awareness Movement” that trains barbers in Black communities to be Mental Health Advocates, is launching their Beauty Coalition on Monday, January 30, 2023, at the Health and Style Institute (HSI) in Buckhead.
The purpose of the Beauty Coalition is to continue to raise Mental Health Awareness for the Black community in the place where Black women have always felt comfortable – in the beauty salon. Trained members of the Beauty Coalition will be armed with Mental Health Advocate tools and techniques to better serve their clients and ultimately have a positive impact on their communities.
The Health and Style Institute is located at 2450 Piedmont Rd, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30324. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST.
Dating back to even before the Civil Rights Movement, Black barbershops and beauty salons have always been a safe haven for people in the Black community to come together and be themselves.
To date, The Confess Project of America has trained over 2,000 barbers across the country to be Mental Health Advocates using a therapeutic-based framework that educates barbers on 4 key points that reduce negative thoughts and stigma around discussing mental health topics.
With the launch of the Beauty Coalition, The Confess Project of America will now be reaching even more people and can begin to impact those in beauty salons and beyond, equipping them with crucial tools for their mental health.
What Should I Expect From the Beauty Coalition?
In partnership with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, The Confess Project of America will begin providing beauty salons with free Mental Health Advocacy training specifically catered towards women in the Black community.
At the launch event, there will have a free Mental Health Advocacy training, resources, lunch, vendors, networking opportunities, and a panelist discussion with various Mental Health Advocates and Women in the beauty industry. The training is not limited to only salons, The Confess Project of America offers their training to all kinds of technicians and women in the beauty industry.
Not only will Beauty Coalition members become trained Mental Health Advocates at no cost, they will also receive a certificate, access to our private network, media opportunities, and on-going support through monthly coalition calls!
Those interested in joining The Confess Project Project of America’s Beauty Coalition Launch Event can register here.
Final Word
Atlanta has a lot of inspirational people and AtlantaFi.com is going to introduce you to many of them as well as cool places to go, great restaurants and other ATL happenings.
Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
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There’s nothing like the looks you can achieve with a good wig. The options are close to limitless when you think about the many textures, colors and hairdos you can try. The good news is that can you wear different styles with relative ease, changing your entire look. All you need is a compatible wig and you’re going to go. This article is going to show you the many resources where you can buy the best wigs online.
Where Is The Best Place To Buy Wigs Online?
Buying a wig onine is easier than ever today. Many sites have the exact dimensions included in each listing so you know what you’re getting. No matter where you purchase your hair, here are three things you need to look before you buy a wig:- Hair Color
- Hair Length
- Hair Texture
Hair Color
Hair color is usually the top quality that women are looking for when they want to buy a wig. While it used to be risky to wear bold, pastel colors in your head, that is exactly the trend today. Some of the top hair colors you will see on people today are:- Red
- Blue
- Pink
- Two-Tone
If you’re interested in dying your natural hair, here are some top products. Hair Length
How long your hair is used to be determined by your heritage, ethnicity and penchant for trimming it, but not any more. You can have hair done to your ankles if you want, thanks to wigs or installing weave. One thing that makes for good hair length is to keep your wig untangled. Here’s how to take care of your wig.Hair Texture
When it comes to hair texture, there is basically three types of strands you will be dealing with: fine, medium and thick. Wigs, from the standard to most exotic, all have various kinds of textures that you should evaluate before you buy.What is The Best Wig Brand?
After you’ve decided on a texture to go with, you may be interested in buying a top wig brand. Yes, just like cars, wigs have brands. Here are some of the best wig brands you can buy online.How Much Does A Decent Wig Cost?
Wigs can range in price to around $30-40 to over $500. Of course, the more you pay for, the greater quailty to hair piece. A decent wig costs around $100, so plan to spend somewhere around that price, depending on sales and discounts you may qualify for.What Types Of Wigs Look Most Natural?
As we mentioned above, the top trends for wigs today include bold colors not unlike some flavor of cotton candy. Instead of subtle hues, people these days prefer to shocking blues, reds and even purples. When it comes to the types of wigs that look most natural, they include burnt variations of brown or blonde.Buy Wigs Online Here
Now, let’s get into some places where you can find wigs to buy online.Final Word
Wearing a wig is one of the easiest things you can do to switch up your look. Make sure you buy the best brands. Make sure you compare the brands against the price point you’re looking for. Need more tips and resource on how to take care of your sew-in? Check out our Wigs Resource Page. Some cities control the wig market or are bigger in the hair industry that others. The Atlanta hair industry is one of the largest in the Southeast, with more than 8 million people getting groomed each month. But you can do it yourself. All you need are some quality shears and some high-performance clippers to get the job done. Check out our Beauty Page for other ways to get shaped up. -
Filmmaker and Morehouse College alumni Spike Lee is underscoring his love for Atlanta with a new program. He has teamed up with The Gersch Agency to form the Spike Fellows Program, a fellowship to help students at the Atlanta University Center, including Morehouse, Morris Brown and Clark Atlanta students.
“It is with great honor, privilege, and excitement to announce the Spike Fellows in association with my partners The Gersh Agency and the AUCC. From the jump, from the get-go, I knew when (not if) I opened a crack in the door, I was bringing as many Black and brown folks with me in front and behind the camera,” Lee said in a news release.
The fellowship program begins in earnest in January 2023 and Lee has signed on for a multi-year commitment.
The Spike Fellows Program will be comprised of five graduating students from AUCC — selected by a panel including Lee, the AUCC community and Gersh management.
The program will provide academic debt relief, industry mentorship, post-graduate internships and full-time employment, according to Deadline.
Lee graduated from Morehouse in the spring of 1979 and went on to shoot his groundbreaking film “She’s Gotta Have It,” a few years later. Widely seen as a film pioneer, Lee doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his star-discovery abilities.
The first full-length films of actors such as Martin Lawrence, Rosie Perez, Robin Harris, Queen Latifah and Halle Berry were Spike Lee Joints.
Lee said that he has always had an affinity for HBCUs, which he has tried to reflect on film.
“I know firsthand the education one receives at a Historically Black College and University. I am who I am because of my grandmother (Zimmie Jackson) and my mother (Jacquelyn Shelton Lee) who both graduated from Spelman College. I am who I am because of my grandfather (Richard Jackson Shelton) and my father (William Lee) who both graduated from Morehouse. It’s on the campuses of Spelman and Morehouse where they met, fell in love, and got married. As my elders often told me, ‘Deeds not words.’”
Final Word
Lee isn’t the only famous filmmaker making a way for young enthusiasts in the craft. The Tyler Perry internship program is accepting students.
Want to work in Georgia film & TV? Here are the latest Atlanta casting calls
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Mercedes-Benz Stadium may be the venue for one of the biggest games in the NFL playoffs. Here are the details announced by the NFL owners on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023.If either the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills don’t make it to the AFC Championship, the game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
AFC Championship Game Could Be Played in Atlanta If…
Here are the scenarios in which the AFC title game would be played in Atlanta, a neutral site this year:
- Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both win or tie in Week 18 + both teams advance to the AFC title game.
- Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both lose + Cincinnati (11-4) also loses or ties in Week 18 + Buffalo and Kansas City advance to the AFC title game.
- Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both lose + Cincinnati (11-4) wins + the AFC title game is either Bills-Chiefs or Bengals-Chiefs.
When is The 2023 AFC Championship Game Being Played?
The AFC Championship game is set for Sunday, January 29, 2023, in either Buffalo, Kansas City or Atlanta.
The need for a neutral site arose after the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo game was canceled following the on-field collapse of Damar Hamblin.
In a news release, the NFL said, “If the Ravens (10-6) defeat Cincinnati in Week 18 and the Chargers (10-6) beat the Denver Broncos, and if Baltimore and Cincinnati are scheduled to play a wild-card game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the wild-card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.”
“We believe this is a focused approach that will only affect four teams, and directly address the potential for competitive inequity resulting from 30 teams playing 17 games and two playing 16 games,” Goodell said during a Friday conference call. “It was critical for the owners to vote today so that clubs know going into this weekend what they’re playing for.”
Final Words
The NFL playoffs begin this weekend with the wildcard round.
When it comes to sports and exercise, you should always make time. That’s why AtlantaFi.com wants to help you with your journey. Check out how to make a home gym for cheap and even lose pounds in a hurry. -
When you think of lonely cities, you might not imagine Atlanta being on the list, but that’s exactly the case according to a recent study.
ChamberofCommerce.org has revealed that Georgia’s largest city is one of the loneliest in America. Say it isn’t so!
In the context of the report, it characterizes “lonely” households as those that are occupied by one person. These one-person households typically have people who have delayed marriage from the age of:
- 30.1 for men
- 28.2 for women
Which cities are home to the most people who live alone? Here’s the list:
City/State One-Person Households Percent Living Alone: Male Percent Living Alone: Female Washington, D.C. 154,140 21.5% 26.7% St. Louis, Mo. 66,357 21.8% 25.7% Alexandria, VA. 33,508 20.3% 26.2% Richmond, VA. 46,196 18.2% 28% Cincinnati, Ohio 66,960 21.6% 24.6% Cleveland, Ohio 79,152 23.3% 22.9% New Orleans, La. 71,569 19.4% 25.7% Birmingham, Ala. 39,019 21.9% 22.7% Atlanta, Ga. 103,640 21.1% 23.4% Baltimore, MD 107,827 18.5% 23.9% Now that you’ve seen how Georgia’s largest city ranks when it comes to loneliness, you might be wondering what to do about it. The one-word answer is: Anything!
The city has plenty of things you can do to gather around like-minded people and see the sights and sounds of Atlanta.
Things To Do To Cure Loneliness In Atlanta
Make It A Museum Night

Photo credit: Keegan Checks via Pexel.com Atlanta’s museums are not like some of the storied ones on the East Coast, but don’t sleep on them. Fernbank’s After Dark series is a must for grown folks.
Some other Atlanta museums you’ll enjoy are:
Are museums a vibe? If so, check these Atlanta landmarks out.
City Winery
650 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 | (404) 946-3791

If you want to check out some live entertainment, one of the best places in Atlanta is City Winery.
This Midtown Atlanta venue has relaxing atmosphere and tasty food. Come on a weekday and you might be surprised who you see in the crowd. See more live venues in Atlanta.
Go To The Club

Photo caption: Youtube Atlanta used to be a club capital, but COVID has calmed things down quite a bit. You’ll want to choose some open air clubs or those with patios like Opera to get away from the crowds.Interested in clubbing around Atlanta? Here are the city’s best clubs for dancing.Final Words
First, to find all the good things happening in the city this week, all you have to do is take a look at downtown Atlanta. That’s where some of the best restaurants are as well as where the visitors, namely tourists, are. Downtown Atlanta or Midtown often has something cool going on!
While it’s warm, take advantage of the outdoors. Don’t miss these awesome festivals.
If you like to have a good time on the dance floor or while listening to music, Atlanta has something for everyone. Check out the top live music venues around the city as well as best comedy clubs.If you’re into spoken word, you’ll love these poetry spots in Atlanta.Here are more articles from AtlantaFi.com:











