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Theres a new taco joint in town: Velvet Taco opened its doors on Monday, Sept. 9 in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood.Velvet Taco offers funky tacos from an all-day menu that featuring creative, playful dishes accented with mult-regional and mult-cultural influences.New Atlanta restaurant: Velvet Taco
Velvet Taco prides itself on being a “funky fast-casual” restaurant, which means that its lineage is more international than just plain Tex-Mex.
“It’s our mission to deliver a fresh take on the ubiquitous taco” says Clay Dover, Chief Executive Officer. “We’re very excited to bring our unique and quirky takes to Atlanta and can’t wait to welcome the community to dine with us soon.”
The new Atlanta restaurant will be 2,500-square-feet and set just a short walk away from the heart of Buckhead’s shopping district.What’s on the menu at Velvet Taco?
Velvet Taco offers more than 20 taco varieties that capture the creativity and innovation of the inner-city taquerias of yesteryear along with modern sensibilities. Their will be some great desserts as well.Whatever you order, including slow-roasted rotisserie chicken to housemade pickles, will be prepared from scratch by chefs.Here is what some of Velvet Taco’s mouth-watering tacos and drinks look like:
Where is Velvet Taco located in Atlanta?
Velvet Taco is located at 77 Paces Ferry Pl NW Atlanta, GA 30305. This is at Buckhead Market Place where Whole Food is and across from The St. Regis on West Paces Ferry. Here is a map to Buckhead Market Place to help you find it.Atlanta is having a restaurant renaissance. Hot chicken is the rage in Atlanta’s dining scene right now. But so are chicken and waffles.Fast-casual is also the dining trend du jour around metro Atlanta restaurants. The concept involves mixing the quick accessibility of fast food with the casual dining experience. Food in Atlanta is also adapting to the various tastes of the migrants that come here to live.
Read more: 10+ essential soul food spots in Atlanta
Patrons typically order off a menu board like they would at a burger joint, but the convenience of sitting down to leisurely enjoy their food has made the segment a popular one with the restaurant industry.
The craze hasn’t escaped metro Atlanta’s food and drink scene, which has seen a fast-caz explosion in recent years.
Check out some of AtlantaFi.com’s best Atlanta restaurant stories
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T-Mobile is offering a free hotspot and 30GB for one month as part of a new promotion in Atlanta and other cities.
The offer includes you getting a “test-drive” device to try T-Mobile’s wireless service for 30 days. Again, it’s totally free.
How to get free hotspot & 3GB for 1 whole month
The test drive devices pairs with your phone, so you can try the carrier out using your own number and all your apps.
It’s basically a 30-day free trial for mobile service. The real prize though is that you get 30GB.
To take advantage of this offer, click here to get to T-Mobile.
Up next: Where to buy a cell phone in Atlanta
Photo credit: @designecologist
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A new hip-hop competition show that filmed in major cities, including Atlanta, is coming to a screen near you. The show, “Rhythm + Flow,” is hosted by Atlanta rapper Clifford “T.I.” Harris, Chance the Rapper and Cardi B.
Netflix has ordered 10 episodes of the show, which will debut on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. That’s when the first three episodes will be available for streaming.
Netflix show Rhythm + Flow debuts Oct. 9
The following Wednesday, Oct. 16, another three episodes will air. Finally, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, the final three shows will stream.
Auditions for season 1 have ended, but if the show is picked up for season 2. This website will be how you audition.
There are so many movies filmed in Atlanta these days that it’s hard to keep up with it all. That’s why I suggest you 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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Movie mogul Tyler Perry reflected on his success recently when a sign on the interstate directing motorists to his studio went up.
The sign is at the Sylvan Road / Cleveland Avenue exit on I-85 in southwest Atlanta.
Tyler Perry Studios sign goes up on Atlanta interstate
Perry posted on Facebook about the sign, which he said reminded him of how far he’s come.
“Driving into work today I saw these signs on the highways being changed. My eyes filled with water knowing what God has allowed to happen in my life. Atlanta has truly been the promised land for me. I came here with nothing, lived off Sylvan Road, ended up homeless and starving, but I was always praying and believing. I was always keeping the faith, knowing that if I worked hard, did my absolute best, kept my integrity, honored every blessing, and remained grateful through it all that everything would work out. And it has, thank God.”
Music mogul Jermaine Dupri also praised Perry for the accomplishment, saying on Twitter, “This deserves to be posted twice cause I saw some stupid a** comments, this man was homeless, living in his car and now look at God,if this don’t inspire you to get up,get out and get something,I don’t know what will.”
Perry’s story is well known. He moved to Atlanta from New Orleans with only a dream. He put on a series of plays that turned into movies.
A couple years ago, he purchased more than 30 acres at Fort McPherson in southwest Atlanta. Today, that property is where Tyler Perry Studios is located. When the studio opened, the first movie to film there was “Black Panther.”
Atlanta has become a movie mecca in recent years and Georgia has been a favorite location for TV productions since the state instituted generous tax breaks for film companies that agree to shoot locally. Projects from CBS, NBC, HBO, BET and more are slated to shoot in the metro area in 2018-19 and the foreseeable future.
With more than 700 movie and TV projects just in the last few years, the film industry has generated more than $9 billion for the state of Georgia.There are so many movies filmed in Atlanta these days that it’s hard to keep up with it all. That’s why I suggest you 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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One of Atlanta’s tastiest restaurants, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, is hosting a pop-up on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Que-osk.
The preview pop-up is of their new restaurant Goldee’s Barbecue, which will open its doors in May in Fort Worth, Texas.
Fox Bros. BBQ To Host Texas Pop-Up in Atlanta
Goldee’s Barbecue will be powered by pitmaster Dylan Taylor with friends Johnny White (Valentina’s Tex-Mex; Franklin Barbecue) and Lane Milne (Freedman’s; Micklethwait Craft Meats) .
The menu for Saturday’s pop-up will highlight central Texas craft-style barbecue with traditional proteins like brisket, sausage, ribs and sides. Guests are encouraged to arrive early, as quantities are limited. Service begins at 11am and runs until sold out.
The pop-up will take place at The Que-osk, 120 Ottley Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30324. Don’t know where it’s located? Here’s a map to help you find it.
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.Other Atlanta restaurant articles from AtlantaFi.com:
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Like your children, every U.S. airport is different and unique in its own way. Turns out that Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has a key savings perk for travelers looking to save.
Hartsfield is one of five U.S. airports that have their lowest fares in the fall, according to a recent Groupon study.
Study shows when Hartsfield-Jackson airport has its lowest fares
The coupon site analyzed flights in every season to look for pricing patterns in airfare. What they found was that five five airports have cheapest fares in the fall. Aside from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport, the other four are:
- Newark
- Phoenix
- Minneapolis-St.Paul
- Fort Lauderdale
That means if you’re looking to save money on travel, try to fly out of one these airports this fall.
For summer, the Groupon study found that Chicago’s O’Hare had the cheapest fares followed byNYC’s LaGuardia airport.
For springtime, New York City’s JFK International Airport had the cheapest fares.
For winter, the study found that it’s cheaper to fly out of West Coast airports than East Coast.
Up next: Atlanta’s Hartsfield makes U.S. best airport list
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Dragon Con, the pop-culture convention for science fiction, fantasy, gaming, art, comics, music, and film, is set to invade Atlanta on August 29 – Sept. 2, 2019.
Attendees at the Marriott Marquis can expect a heavy dose of cosplay, workshops, panels, contests, vendors, and videos in downtown hotels.
Dragon Con Atlanta 2029: Everything you need to know
There’s also going to be willing guests for scheduled autographs (signings) in one area. On Thursday, Aug. 29, patrons are invited to gather at the Center for Puppetry Arts for our final ball honoring Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic”.
A free Dragon Con Party in Woodruff Park is also set for Friday (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.). There’s also a Dragon Con Parade on Peachtree Street is Saturday (10 a.m.).
Explore Atlanta at your own pace
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. CNN Center often has something cool going on! Check out these events in Atlanta today and this week and this weekend:
- For a month’s view: The Official Atlanta Events Calendar
- For a more immediate look, check Things to do in Atlanta This Week
Here are more articles from AtlantaFi.com you might like:
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OpenTable just released its list of the 50 Most Kid-Friendly Restaurants in America for 2019 and one Atlanta restaurant made the list: Old Lady Gang.
The annual listing shows where families can bring their kids to eat or celebrate their big day. As parents know, kid-friendly restaurants are getting far and few between.
Old Lady Gang makes list of top kid-friendly restaurants in America
Old Lady Gang is a restaurant started by celebrity couple Todd Tucker and Kandi Burruss-Tucker. The name of the eatery is from Joyce “Mama Joyce” Jones, Bertha Jones & Nora Wilcox, known as the original OLG.
The restaurant has been a hit around Atlanta and has grown quickly in only a few years.
Old Lady Gang has three locations in metro Atlanta: The original one at 177 Peters St SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 in Castleberry Hill. Another is inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Another one is at 3650 Marketplace Blvd at Camp Creek in East Point.
The list from OpenTable features restaurants from 16 states across the country. The way OpenTable compiled the list from more than 12 million verified diner reviews of over 30,000 U.S. restaurants.
Georgia landed two more restaurants on the list: The Pirates’ House – Savannah, Georgia and Henry’s Louisiana Grill in Acworth.
Here are states with multiple restaurants that are good for kids:
- New York and Florida — 7
- Hawaii — 6
- California, South Carolina — 4
- Georgia, Illinois and Washington, D.C. — 3
Atlanta is having a restaurant renaissance. Hot chicken is the rage in Atlanta’s dining scene right now. But so are chicken a/nd waffles.
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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was on hand to join Shaquille O’Neal and Papa Johns CEO Steve Ritchie to cut the ribbon on O’Neal’s new Papa John’s restaurant near Georgia Tech in Midtown Atlanta.
Shaq is on the Papa John’s Board of Directors and the company uses him as a spokesman.
Shaq buys Papa Johns in Midtown Atlanta
According to security filings, the pizza chain is paying the NBA great $4.1 million in cash over three years. Shaq is also getting 87,136 shares of stock that vest between 2020 and 2022, according to restaurantbusinessonline.com.
Those shares are reportedly worth $4.4 million.
The deal also includes Shaq appearing on the company’s social media accounts once a month and other partnership plans.
On Sunday, the City of Atlanta’s Twitter account posted about the ribbon-cutting in Midtown.
Mayor @KeishaBottoms joined Shaquille O’Neal and @PapaJohns CEO Steve Ritchie to cut the ribbon on @SHAQ’s new Papa John’s restaurant near @GeorgiaTech. Congrats, @SHAQ! pic.twitter.com/F91GLZPgLi
— City of Atlanta, GA (@CityofAtlanta) August 25, 2019
Shaq owns several Midtown Atlanta establishments in the food industry, including the iconic Krispy Kreme on Ponce de Leon Avenue.
In 2016, the TNT analyst paid $1.1 million for an estate in McDonough. The property is spread out across 14 acres and features two homes, a basketball court, a theatre and a three-stall barn.
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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It’s that time again, yall. The 2019 MEAC/SWAC Challenge comes to Atlanta’s Georgia State Stadium on Sunday, September 1. The game will feature Bethune-Cookman University and Jackson State University.
The MEAC/SWAC Challenge has been an Atlanta tradition for a number of years now.
2019 MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Everything you need to know
The annual game features teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Launched on Labor Day Weekend in 2005, the HBCU matchup was held for its first three years at historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.
In 2008, the game moved to Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Since 2016, the Challenge has been played at campus sites.
Get tickets here
About Bethune-Cookman College
Bethune-Cookman boasts the #1 band in the MEAC, known as the Marching Wildcats. They make up a 300+ unit that has five drum majors known affectionately as “The Five Horsemen.”
Bethune-Cookman is located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Wildcats’ biggest rivals is in-state HBCU Florida A&M University.
About Jackson State University
JSU’s band, the Sonic Boom of the South, is the #1 ranked band in the SWAC. Jackson State University is located in Jackson, Mississippi. The mascot is a bengal tiger.
While 90% of JSU’s students hailed from Mississippi, other states make up the rest of the student body. The top three feeder states are Illinois (419 students), Louisiana (227), and Tennessee (192).
Among international students, most were from China, according to a JSU factbook.
Where to park at Georgia State Stadium
Parking at Georgia State Stadium is festival style, first-come-first-served in each lot. Handicap parking is available in the Green Lot on a first-come-first-served basis.
Please be advised handicap parking spaces are limited. A state issued placard or license plate and a parking pass are required for entry. Passes are currently available for the Green lot only.
Lots open 4 hrs prior to kickoff. No overnight parking. Online parking sales close on Saturday, August 31 at 11:59 p.m.
