Take stock of Thursday
Sept. 5 — Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson will discuss her memoir “Lovely One” at Atlanta Symphony Hall tonight at 7:30 p.m.
☁️ Cloudy and 82° today.
?️ Four people are dead and nine injured after a 14-year-old gunman opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, GA on Wednesday morning. The shooter, who was apprehended by police and will be charged as an adult, was known by law enforcement officials.
?️ The mass shooting led local schools – including Atlanta Public Schools and DeKalb County Schools – to increase security patrols.
?️ In a new opinion piece in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, columnist Patricia Murphy calls on lawmakers to act on protecting students.
❤️? Here are some resources to help children process tragic events.
OTHER LOCAL NEWS
? At a Tuesday press conference, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and the city council announced plans to invest $60 million in public funds to provide housing to unhoused residents.
? Brookhaven is addressing the affordable housing crisis by financing the construction of a new apartment building on Buford Highway, that the city is calling “100% affordable workforce housing.”
??♂️ Rapper and hip hop artist Lil’ Kim will be the featured headliner at the 33rd annual AIDS Walk Atlanta Music Festival and 5K Run on Sept. 28 at Piedmont Park.
⚽️ Atlanta United removed VP and technical director Carlos Bocanegra, effective immediately. CEO Garth Lagerwey will take over his duties.
ELSEWHERE
? The U.S. Department of Justice said that it had disrupted plans by foreign governments to interfere in upcoming elections. Two Russian state media employees were charged in a $10 million scheme to spread propaganda through U.S. social media influencers.
? The NFL season begins tonight with the Chiefs hosting the Ravens at 8:20 p.m. on NBC. Kansas City is attempting to become the first team in history to win three straight Super Bowl titles.
? Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• ELEVATE: 50 Years of Culture
• EdTech startups
• Trethewey at DBF
• Best new Atlanta restaurants
AND
• Quick Bites & Food Events
Have a good day,
Collin & Sammie
? Love is Love Cooperative Farm is at it again. Join them on the farm on Sat., Sept. 7 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for the Fall Plant Sale. Shop for plants and enjoy workshops, pop-up chefs, farm tours, music, artisans, and fun. Learn more here. (SPONSOR MESSAGE)
1. ELEVATE: 50 Years of Culture to showcase visual and performing art
? This fall, ELEVATE: 50 Years of Culture, takes over Atlanta as the annual visual and performing arts extravaganza marks five decades of cultural richness in the city.
This year, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pulling out all the stops to honor the city’s cultural legacy with a series of events every weekend from Sept. 20 to Oct. 13.
While the full schedule is still being finalized, the opening night event has already been announced: a panel discussion entitled “How it All Began, a Conversation on 50 Years of Culture.”
?️ Click here to learn more about the event.
Honoring Veterans in Sandy Springs
SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS
?️ The City of Sandy Springs is proudly expanding Veterans Park to pay tribute to the men and women who served our country. Be part of this important initiative as we add iconic sculptures and war memorials to honor their sacrifice and valor.
You can also recognize and pay tribute to your loved ones with personalized pavers and benches. To have your paver engraved by Veterans Day, make your purchase by Sept. 30.
? Learn more about how to contribute to this meaningful project and honor our veterans.
2. EdTech startups you need to know
? As the new school year kicks off, students, parents, and educators alike are sharpening their pencils, plugging in devices, and logging in to new startup platforms to help kids find success inside the classroom.
While VC funding of the EdTech (educational technology) sector has significantly slowed over the last year from its pandemic high, innovators are still present. Startups in this space have had to navigate tighter funding environments and shifting market demands, but some are still finding ways to innovate and provide critical solutions for students and educators alike.
With a focus on adaptability, these companies are addressing modern educational challenges from remote learning hurdles to personalized curriculum development.
? Click here to learn more about these startups from Hypepotamus.
3. Meet Natasha Trethewey
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL
? The 19th Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize winner Natasha Trethewey learned to read and write in Gulfport, MS. The crossroads of Highway 49 and Jefferson Street were once a post-Civil War settlement, and their experiences and histories have been lost or forgotten. Her new release, “The House of Being” (Yale University Press, 2024), brings these stories back to light.
?️ The panel discussion is Sat., Oct. 5 at 12:30 p.m. on the DeKalb County Stage in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Decatur.
➡ Get more information on the Decatur Book Festival here.
4. Eight new Atlanta restaurants that captured our attention this spring and summer
? Spring and summer in Atlanta saw many new restaurants hit the scene, kicking off with a handful of hotly anticipated dining establishments making debuts in May. Even more eagerly awaited restaurants followed in June, July, and August.
Senior Editor Beth McKibben, who oversees food and dining for Rough Draft, spent the spring and summer dining at new restaurants throughout the Atlanta area. Here, she offers her top picks for the quarter.
? Click here to check out Beth’s faves!
? Ideas Festival Emory – a weekend featuring some of the most impactful and imaginative scientists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, and creators of our time. Sept. 20-22, in beautiful Oxford, GA. Check out the schedule here. (SPONSOR MESSAGE)
5. Quick Bites
VIA SIDE DISH, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER| SUBSCRIBE HERE
? Have you heard? Mad Dads Philly’s Authentic Cheesesteaks & Hoagies will be opening their third location at Roswell Junction in September. For more updates follow them on Instagram.
? Ashland’s Kitchen is now open at One Overton Park near Cumberland Mall. The 95% made-from-scratch restaurant offers a variety of gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free items including vegan nuggets, keto pancakes, and shakshuka, as well as a grab-and-go service.
? Attention Dawgs fans! Creature Comforts Brewing Company has added a craft seltzer called Sip ‘Em Seltzer Red Lemonade to their lineup. The launch of the new beverage is one of several initiatives to celebrate their partnership as the “Official Craft Beer,” “Official Taproom,” and “Official Craft Seltzer” of the Georgia Bulldogs. Read more here.
? Have you signed up for a Meal Deals Pass on CobbFoodieWeek.com yet? Starting Sept. 7 and running through Sept. 14, this celebration of Cobb’s culinary scene will feature specials at over 55 participating restaurants – including discounts, giveaways, and prix fixe menus. Learn more about Cobb Foodie Week here.
? Mark your calendars for Tues., Sept. 10. Lure, the seafood bungalow in the heart of Midtown, will officially reopen as Lure Saltwater Kitchen and Bar (pictured) with a new menu, outdoor bar, and revamped design.
☕ Indaco, along the Eastside Beltline, has revamped its counter service. Now available Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m., you can grab everything from coffee and a pastry to a meatball panini or a hearty cheese bucatini.
FALL EVENT ROUNDUP
♨️ This week officially kicks off fundraising for ZUNZIFEST! at Zunzi’s on Howell Mill. From Sept. 1-30, 1% of all sales will benefit CURE Childhood Cancer. On Oct. 8, proceeds will be presented to CURE Childhood Cancer along with other specials including a free regular Conquistador sandwich for 26 CLUB members.
? Sweet Auburn’s Auburn Angel is launching their Atlanta Sunday Brunch Club this Sunday. Expect a five-course tasting menu with farm-to-table dishes that are globally inspired alongside wine pairings. Visit here for more information and to make reservations.
? Chef Leonard Yu of Omakase Table is hosting a whisky pairing dinner on Sept. 10 with seatings available at 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. The 20-course omakase experience will pair whisky selections from Japan’s award-winning Nikka Distillery, led by Kosuke Yoshimura, Nikka’s global director. Reservations can be made here.
? Tickets are available for the Roswell Town Square Dinner Series on Sept. 8 and Oct. 13 at The Mill Kitchen & Bar. The four-course dinner and wine pairing will be curated by Chef Derek Dollar starting at 6 p.m. on both dates.
? TWO urban licks, known for its wood-fired dishes, is teaming up with Gastro Garage for three nights of high-energy shows, and an eight-course dinner – complete with blowtorches – on Sept. 18, Sept. 27, and Oct. 5. You can book online at OpenTable here.
? Le Bon Nosh Chef-Founder Forough Vakili has teamed up with Chef Philippe Haddad to host a Harvest Dinner on Thurs., Sept. 19. The five-course dinner with wine and champagne pairings kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available here.
?️ Indulge, a three-night dinner series featuring chefs Deborah VanTrece, Duane Nutter, Terry Koval, Arnaldo Castillo, Mia Orino, and Jared Hucks, will kick off at 103 West on Sept. 22 and run through Sept. 24. Tickets for the inaugural dinner series, hosted by Atlanta Magazine, can be purchased here.
? The 21st annual Party in the Kitchen fundraiser for Open Hand Atlanta will be Thurs., Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. The event will feature 20 chefs, live music from The American Flyers, and an auction. Tickets can be purchased here.
? Midtown’s Epicurean Atlanta is hosting an Atlanta Food Staples Wine Dinner on Sept. 27. The five-course wine dinner will highlight local favorites — think chicken wings, soul food, taqueria eats, Buford Highway dumplings, and a Waffle House-inspired dessert, all coupled with stories about Atlanta restaurants that have inspired these creative combinations.
? The Marcel burger pop-up is back for one day only! On Fri., Sept. 27, Bar Blanc will host neighboring sister concept Marcel to serve the double-stack with pickles and 50/50 sauce from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Share your love of Rough Draft with a friend
Use the personal referral link below and get cool stuff.
Get 10 referrals and we’ll send you some stickers.
Get 20 and you’ll get a t-shirt!
? Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
