Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
-
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
-
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:
-
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
-
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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Have you ever attended one of the best street parties in the ATL? Did you miss the last
@ATLStreetsAlive ? No problem!Make sure you come out at the Atlanta Streets Alive: Southwest on Sunday, Sept. 2 from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Atlanta Streets Alive: Southwest – everything you need to know
The event will connect seven neighborhoods spanning from Cascade Avenue to Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, and Georgia Avenue. We’ll close the streets to cars and open them for people to walk, roll, bike, and play!
The fun kicks off at 2:00 pm with the official opening of the street followed by a parade of the route. Parade lineup is at 2:00 pm for a 2:30 pm launch. FREE bike decorations will be available while supplies last!After the opening program and kickoff parade, visit Activity Partners and Route Hosts along the route for a wealth of interactive experiences hosted by community organizations, local businesses, and our sponsors. You can explore the open street from end to end or enter and exit the route at any cross street at any time during the four-hour activation.
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.
There are so many Atlanta events popping off every week it’s hard to keep up with it all. That’s why I suggest you subscribe to AtlantaFi.com to get all the freshest gatherings, Atlanta happenings, parties and more delivered to your inbox.
Things to do in Atlanta on a weekly basis can range from going golfing mid-week to checking out the latest restaurant openings. At AtlantaFi.com, we curate the city for you!
Read more: The essential bars in Little 5 Points
Food & drink specials: How to eat for cheap in Atlanta EVERY DAY
-
One thing about Atlanta is that it’s full of celebrities at every turn. Atlantafi.com recently caught up with actress, producer and reality TV star Yandy Smith Harris to learn about Yelle, her skincare line.
Harris shared what motivated her to get into the beauty and cosmetics industry.
Yandy Smith Harris: Yelle Skincare Is Dedicated To Melanin-Rich Skin
“When I started getting on TV that was my first time wearing makeup and my skin really reacted badly to it. I broke out really bad.”
She said that when she went to Sephora to get everything she needed to clear up her skin, the total bill was more than $600.
“I realized the average woman would not be able to afford an all-natural plant-based skincare line that would cost $600 a month,” she said.
“That’s when I decided I wanted to get with a master esthetician and a chemist to create something that was green, that was natural, that was plant-based for the everyday working woman like myself.”
I wanted to make sure that this product was for people with melanin in their skin.”
Where Can You Buy Yelle Skincare?
You can buy Yandy Smith’s skincare products at yelleskincare.com.
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.
-
Google just announced the winner of its national Doodle 4 Google competition and we’ve got a local champ.Arantza Pena Popo, a senior from Arabia Mountain High School in DeKalb County, won the national competition, Google announced.Lithonia teen wins national Google Doodle contest
Earlier this summer, the Lithonia teen advanced to the online voting stage where she competed with artists around the country.Arantza’s doodle is titled “Once You Get It, Give It Back.”original story:How to help Arantza win Doogle 4 Google contest
All you have to do is vote here.
Online voting began June 3 and will end June 7. From there five National Finalists will be selected. They will be announced by Google later in the month.One of them will be chosen to have their doodle featured on the Google homepage for a day.The National Winner also gets a $30,000 college scholarship and their school gets a $50,000 tech package towards the establishment or improvement of a computer lab or technology program.To see a full list of state winners and to vote online, visit http://www.google.com/doodle4google/vote.html 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.