Pop Art Show

What makes Atlanta unique? For me there is no one defining trait. We live in a magnet city that draws people here from everywhere to do their best. Last night King of Pops celebrated that conglomeration of talents with a Pop Art Show. Another is planned for June, so keep an eye on their facebook page for ways you can be inspired, and be inspiring.

Attempts To Translate Soul

My soul lives in such a strange unsayable space
It pulses with odd sounds, dipped in a sea of sadness, lazy float on blood cell tubes, it sometimes explodes uninvited into gaping gaps in my heart, other times like breath fills the uninvited cracks in my heart,
God I wish I could translate it, transcribe heartbeats into words,
catch those deep and heavy feelings and strain them through a dictionary, fit them into these molds of english language,
but every time i try to summon that strange mysterious thing in my inner being and manifest it into something tangible, flatten it into just two dimensions,
It dissolves, leaking through the holes of these alphabet letters,
Like a haunt, a phantom,
And i am terrified.

Wondering if there is something wrong with my insides.
Wondering if there is something at all in my insides.

My soul lives in such a lonely and isolated place
Where it doesn’t believe that it can ever be understood
It longs for the substance in smells and sounds and especially colors,
Aches to contain those wide and untouchable blues, pine-scented greens, warm and glowing yellows,
At times i feel so close to being able to touch it, that vast mysterious thing,
But it passes, and my soul is left again wondering,
If there exists anything of substance, anything to declare as objectively, undoubtedly, true.

But from that same strange space, i hear a spirit also saying
do not be so afraid, dear human.
And my goodness Loosen up
I guess my soul has been holed up for far too long; grown overweight with these unheard emotions and thoughts,
It’s gotten claustrophobic all compressed within the confines of the body -
it’s time , dear soul. to climb up the spine and gaze out from from where your eye socket lets light in, take the veil off the beautiful outdoors, see a glimpse of land above epidermis, and then squeeze yourself out as tears and feel what freedom you can experience in exposed and liquid form-
take note of the present unfolding like candy, like therapy,
Because you’ll begin to see the things that are objectively, undoubtedly, true,
Like the way a baby giggles at adults playing peekaboo, like sticky hands from popsicle juice on summer sidewalk cracks, like the deeply life-giving pat on the back from a dear listening friend.
These are small inconsequential things but they will expand your soul, fill you with a sort of affection for all of creation, convince you of the magic that breathes within each everyday, remind you of things bigger than yourself, and outside of yourself.
I have slowly begun to find love here, organically growing, eager to be picked,
Expansive,
Filling,
Strangely substantial,
And i realize that i am not so alone anymore, if i just allow myself to love
And be loved.

And one more thing that i think all humans should do, and it is this.
To take heart in the hyphens - they connect these feelings and ideas that dont have words - they’re like words for the non-words, those unsayable mysterious things,
and yet they’re recognized as a completely legitimate grammatical structure.
Hyphens imply that It is okay to not understand,
It is normal that your soul translations are far from perfect,
It is okay to simply see that it is all very, very good,
So I will continue to believe. in those larger and infinite eternal divine hopes,
Because maybe they are the truest things yet,
But perhaps they’ll take a lifetime to manifest,
Keep trying.
Because the soul lives. and if it can live, it can grow. and if it can grow, it can grow full.

Jessie Lian

Introducing SoBro Face Oil

Her skin feels dry and taut after washing her face. The black pump delivers SoBro Face Oil from the blue glass bottle to her palm. She massages the oil into the skin around her eyes, over her sinuses, circling her mouth, upward on her neck and into her décolletage. What a wonderful word, décolletage. Her skin drinks in the oil, feeling hydrated and smooth. She closes her eyes to indulge in the subtle scent that passersby will later admire. Her fingers rub the leftover oil onto her elbows. She has been using it for years on her oily, then combination, then dry and mature skin. That woman is Sophia Brothers Peterman, and she wants to share this marvelous face oil with you.

SoBro Face Oil contains high quality lavender, rose, geranium, clary sage, frankincense and myrrh essential oils mixed with evening primrose oil, castor oil and vitamin E in jojoba extract. It is sold online here in 2-ounce bottles. A handy pump dispenser is included. A 2-ounce bottle lasts approximately two months with twice daily use.

Sophia Brothers Peterman

Introducing SoBro Face Oil

Her skin feels dry and taut after washing her face. The black pump delivers SoBro Face Oil from the blue glass bottle to her palm. She massages the oil into the skin around her eyes, over her sinuses, circling her mouth, upward on her neck and into her décolletage. What a wonderful word, décolletage. Her skin drinks in the oil, feeling hydrated and smooth. She closes her eyes to indulge in the subtle scent that passersby will later admire. Her fingers rub the leftover oil onto her elbows. She has been using it for years on her oily, then combination, then dry and mature skin. That woman is Sophia Brothers Peterman, and she wants to share this marvelous face oil with you.

SoBro Face Oil contains high quality lavender, rose, geranium, clary sage, frankincense and myrrh essential oils mixed with evening primrose oil, castor oil and vitamin E in jojoba extract. It is sold online here in 2-ounce bottles. A handy pump dispenser is included. A 2-ounce bottle lasts approximately two months with twice daily use.

Sophia Brothers Peterman

Roll Model: Jack Wachtel

I just moved down to the city in mid August, and the automobile gods frowned upon me right before I came down. My loss of a car put me back into the saddle, and truth be told, I don't know if I'll ever go back. I cruise mainly through the Edgewood Avenue area, and you can catch me most mornings at Cafe+Velo. Never leaving my side is my trusty steed, a 1992 Trek 1200 Aluminum. First and only bike I have owned, and I'm zealous about squeezing every inch of life I can from it.

I grew up in Canton, so I'm ecstatic to be out of the suburbs. But even in my short time here I think I've surpassed the initial joy that comes from being cradled among the concrete forest of a progressive metropolis. Atlanta is a microcosm for our nation: a sprawling puzzle of subjective identity. A thousand varieties of opinions and cultures, and enough diversity to draw political borders around the neighborhoods. The American identity is impossible to put a pin on, but calling yourself an Atlanta Native is badge of passion.

But that pride is something you miss when enclosed in a rolling, two-ton, cage of steel. You fail to witness the living, breathing entity that you can’t help but fall in love with once you sleep down here for a week, because it’s something that only a resident can know.

So what has my saddle given me? A chance to romance my city, and a city to call my own. For what good is living free, if your house is not your home?

Jack Wachtel

#WeAreNice

Last night 84 people were senselessly murdered in France as they celebrated liberty, history and life. When George Hanna III and I were in Paris during the November attacks, one of the most incredible things to witness and be inspired by was how the citizens mourned respectfully and with gentle care. There were no street declarations of revenge, no rioting, destruction of property or violent backlash. The next day, everything was up, everyone was working, and then there was an incredible organic vigil at the Republic for those who were so cruelly ripped away from those who loved them. Thousands brought flowers and candles and made a powerful stand against terror.
Tonight, at Paris on Ponce, we will be modifying our Bastille Day Festivities in honor of those that we all lost last night. We will still meet as planned at Charles Allen and 10th at 6:30 to kick off our parade with Blair Crimmins and the Hookers, and we will show ourselves and Atlanta that we care about this global community and will not be bullied into fear or loathing. But rather than parting the night away with multiple bands as planned, we will have a candlelit vigil into the night.
We will be taking donations for the American Red Cross, and serving some wine. Please come celebrate life, liberty and hope with us tonight.
Then, join us for our regularly scheduled nonsense the rest of the weekend.

Nicolette Valdespino

Guest Blogger: Larkin Taylor-Parker

Guest Blogger Larkin Taylor-Parker studies law at the University of Georgia.

I am three or four in this picture, with my grandfather on one of his smaller cranes in Smithfield. He operated, traded in, sold parts for, and repaired pretty much everything that burns diesel and is not a train.
Dear Cousins,

I have to talk to you, my white, conservative, devoutly Christian, North Carolina cousins in the rural counties of the state’s east and west, about HB2. I feel the need to say something to you not as an outsider who makes fun of your accent but as Ken’s granddaughter, who grew up with the run of the Smithfield not-junkyard, as the heir to some of Dot’s beautiful, impractical furniture and tacky, impractical lawn ornaments.

This dancing cherub is the most inoffensive of my late grandmother’s lawn ornaments. I have no pictures of the 90 lb, concrete gnomes.
I grew up wading in the creeks that you did. I think I could find the church near Fuquay-Varina where we hold the family reunion without a GPS if I really had to do it. I have visited my grandmother’s people’s original land grant, a swamp. I made an entire law school admissions essay out of mountain driving. I know the stories of our great-great-grandparents in Watauga Co., the local lawyer and postmistress who were also subsistence farmers, small-scale moonshiners, and parents of many.

These are my Taylor great-great-grandparents, Sarah and Adolphus. I come by being wildly over-committed honestly.
Though I never minded the little Sunday dresses in which my grandmother enjoyed displaying us at her church, I grew up to like suits better. People who see me in public sometimes call me ‘ma’am’ and other times call me ‘sir.’ Either one is alright with me. What I wear, how I look, and what gender of potential spouse I might someday bring home to test for family compatibility have no bearing on the fact that I grew up with you. You taught me about the love of God, the value of hard work, the benefits of spending time outdoors, the importance of history, and how tomato based barbecue is a dangerous heresy. I love you. I would never hurt you, and nothing about my appearance changes that. HB2 is not keeping predators away. It is making me nervous about visiting and making life hard on a daily basis for NC residents, also your neighbors and cousins, who might identify as things like gender nonconforming or trans.

I am four or five years old in this picture, in a red and white dress with frills at the sleeves. Church is over, and I am outside with my grandfather, who is probably encouraging me to catch toads.
You are safe from me. I wish I could tell you that makes you safe, but you are in more trouble than you know. The oldest threat to your well-being in Southern history is on the move: wealthy and powerful people using bigotry and scapegoating to consolidate ever more money and power. These people distract you with hot button issues, pretend to care about your values, play to your worst impulses, and pass laws that serve their own interests and no one else’s. Then, they laugh at you and call you stupid hicks behind your backs for letting them. Traditionally, the wedge of choice was race, but bigotry is getting diversified just like everything else these days.

This is a recent picture of me, taken at school, in a navy suit, blue-and-white striped shirt, and 1930s panto glasses.
The actual and spiritual descendants of the wannabe feudal lords who held our distant ancestors as indentured servants, beat fortunes out of our Black neighbors and cousins during slavery, squeezed sharecropping families for all they were worth, and worked textile millworkers to death well into the 20th century are still here. They are still not our friends. Their interests and yours will always be opposed. You want North Carolina’s economic pie to get bigger so that your hard work gets you a decent living. They would be okay with the pie getting smaller so long as they can hoard more of it for themselves. You like capitalism plus a social safety net. Their ideal economic system is feudalism with no room for your children to be upwardly mobile.

They are creating a transgender bathroom problem that does not exist so that they can keep you distracted while they quietly dismantle things like the public education system that has helped perpetuate and grow North Carolina’s middle class. If they get what they want, North Carolina will sink into the kind of poverty and backwardness you see further south. Some elements in state politics would rather have you thinking about strangers’ genitals than jobs, roads, and especially schools. Unless you worry less about who uses which disgusting public toilet and more about your mass-exodus of teachers, you will be remembered as the generation that singlehandedly squandered over 200 years of our ancestors’ hard work and sacrifice. These people are my heroes. Please do not let hatred distract you from saving their life’s work.

This is Adolphus Taylor again, looking a little like the ASU mascot. Rather, the ASU mascot looks a little like him because it represents mountain people who cared so much about educating their children that they built public post-secondary while they were still living in 18th c. conditions. 

I have no idea what our great-great-grandparents would think of the way I look, but they valued public education enough to somehow carve out time to get involved in the founding of ASU. I have no doubt that they would be absolutely disgusted with you if they saw you losing North Carolina to the oldest trick in the book. The good news is that it is not too late. Register to vote. Nag your friends and family to register to vote. Give people rides to the polls. Demand to hear what candidates think about real issues, and make it clear that you will only vote for the ones who make education a priority. I have always spoken highly of your discourse, the way you think like free people, and your engagement with the democratic process. The worst of the Old South is coming out of the woodwork, but I think you have the wherewithal to stand your ground and stave off the unsavory characters who want this place to look like Mississippi. I think you will save the place that has been your home since before there was a United States. Please prove me right.

Love,

Larkin

Dani And Sarita Present Their May Playlist

Forgive me for my immodesty, but this playlist that Dani and I just finished is SO GOOD! It will be the soundtrack to my month, and maybe it should be the soundtrack to yours too. New and newish songs heavy on the summer vibes and pan-African influences. Also, Drake.
Sarita

Guest Blogger: Elizabeth Day Looks At Wes Lambert

photos by Elizabeth Day
One of those rare talents at ease on either side of a camera, Elizabeth Day has appeared many times on this blog. She also contributes to the success of #weloveatl. While enlivening a grey Saturday with this fun pop of pink by Betsy Johnson, she shared with me her portraiture of Wes Lambert.

Guest Blogger: Daniel Mueller

Elizabeth Day by Daniel Mueller

An accomplished photographer in her own right, Elizabeth Day is one of those people who are at home on either side of a camera. She gave Daniel this moody pose, which bears repeating here. Ever dapper, he shares yet another look with me for followers of this blog.

People's Climate March Tomorrow

Atlanta has the potential to be a very loud voice in the international cry for strong climate action ahead of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris (especially since our own Mayor Reed will be there!) which begins on November 30th. Spearheaded by a diverse group of dedicated volunteers representing Georgia non-profit organizations, businesses, academia, activists, religious groups, government and more, this march is already several hundred strong. The People's Climate March in Atlanta is intended to be a peaceful, yet forceful demonstration of Atlanta's commitment to the global climate movement. We hope to bring together people of all different backgrounds and interests to show that climate change is a mainstream issue, and that we demand action from our local and world leaders on climate. Join us for the People's Climate March happening here in Atlanta on November 29th.

Lauren Ashley Reef

Guest Blogger: Daniel Mueller

photo by Daniel Mueller
An accomplished barista, Daniel recently surprised me with some impressive portraiture. While I knew of his macro photography, he has made quite the transition from spiders to people. Here is the first installment, a moody gaze down Boulevard where it ducks beneath Hulsey Yard. Cue The Pogues 'Dirty Old Town' and admire how chiaroscuro at the vanishing point complements her floral dress.

Roll Model: Becky Katz

I wasn’t a bicyclist until I moved to Atlanta. For most people, this comes as a surprise. Atlanta? By bike? Really?

When I moved to Atlanta three years ago, I didn’t own a car. I didn’t have a job. I didn’t know anyone. It was just me, my partner and my bicycle. In my solitude, my bike grew to be my closest friend while we explored our new city.

In 2012, I started working at Park Pride and noticed that the organization did not have a strong relationship to the bicycle community. At the same time I realized that bicycles didn’t serve just a single purpose. My bike was more than a way of getting to the office. It was a way to connect, a way to surprise people, a way to be social. It could be exercise, a style, a way of in-town living, and a tool for advocacy.

I have been lucky to work in parks and greenspace around the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County, and to incorporate bicycling into my work. Riding has helped me build stronger relationships with park advocates and other stakeholders. It has also helped me lead by example. I led my co-workers at Park Pride to a first place win of the Bike to Work Challenge in 2014, and used biking to bring a new twist to events such as Park Pride’s Community Garden Tour and Pints for Parks (June 16th, and part of the Atlanta Cycling Festival). Biking even helped me raise money and awareness about my neighborhood, Adair Park, through Tour De SWAT.

My bicycle, a blue Cannondale Cad 3, has been a gift for my personal and professional development. Unfortunately, in early February my bike and I were hit from behind by a car going 40 mph. Thanks to my helmet, my injuries were not as severe as they could have been, but my bike was left beyond repair. The accident has only solidified my commitment to making bicycling a part of more people’s lives. I have been able to connect with other victims of cycling accidents and work more closely with law enforcement on improving their response to accidents involving cyclists. Despite the physical and emotional pain, the support and love I have received from friends, family, and the bicycle community have helped my recovery.

Currently, I’m searching for my next bicycle soulmate. And I can’t wait to be back in the saddle.

Becky Katz

Roll Model: Shayna Pollock

I try to use my bicycle to understand Atlanta. A passionate urban planner, I’m obsessed with the way cities live, work, and breathe. Riding on two wheels enables me to notice the off the beaten path buildings, the bustling neighborhood parks, and the tiny details of this city that give it character. Of course, I also notice the pot holes, the construction plates and Atlanta’s oft-bizarre street grid. However, I feel certain I wouldn’t see and experience the city the same way if I was a car driver speeding through.

I ride Linus, my early 1980s red road bike, everywhere. As my mom says, “Shayna and Linus have a thing.” We really do. I bought him at a used bicycle shop in Athens during college, and we’ve been inseparable (other than a stint abroad) ever since. He’s my primary mode of transportation and my permanent adventure buddy.

About 2.5 years ago, I left the US for a while and lived in the Netherlands (and a couple of other places). There, bicycling culture is so different. It’s the norm to cycle everywhere, and the pace of city cycling is much more leisurely. Since I didn’t even know anyone with a car there, I had to depend on my little Dutch bike to get me everywhere, even when I had huge items (see: campfire wood, an entire box of bananas, and a rolling duffel). Developing that self-sufficiency abroad really inspired my cycling habit once I returned home. Now each grocery store run, Home Depot purchase, or commute to work is a reminder of the independence and mobility that a bicycle affords.

Now, I commute to work in Downtown from Reynoldstown, and I truly enjoy it more every day. Because Wylie and Edgewood are such popular bicycling corridors, I’m making friends on the ride to work. It’s nice to chat with fellow cyclists at red lights and it’s a human connection that I certainly wouldn’t get if I was inside a vehicle. Plus, more and more people are joining the ranks every day. The bicycling community in Atlanta is so strong and welcoming. I’ve loved being a part of it so far and I look forward to watching it grow as our infrastructure expands over the next few years.

Shayna Pollock

Roll Model: Aubrey Hake

It’s no secret that the Atlanta bike scene is on the rise, if not flourishing in its own right. As a recent Colorado transplant, this is a familiar taste of home. I molded my way of life around riding a town bike (Fort Collins is quite flat); my style of dress, the places I shopped, almost everything I needed I accessed on my bike.

I must admit I haven’t biked much since my arrival. Differences in weather (rain, heat, humidity, oh my!) and my single speed cruiser restrict my travel comfort and distance (and the hills! Respect to the Atlanta riders!). Limited to running errands on the BeltLine and jaunts through Piedmont Park, I am slowly finding ways to venture out. The Atlanta Streets Alive last Sunday provided another exploration opportunity and how exciting to see the turn out, the events and activities!

It is inspiring to see so many dedicated individuals that passionately pedal the way for more to have safer conditions and the comfort and comraderie of other cyclists. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is the first organization I sought out upon my arrival in town and a valuable resource and inspiration as a new urban rider.

The Atlanta Bicycle Challenge motivated me to attempt a ride to work via the BeltLine and Piedmont Park. After running out of bike lane and safe path, I walked the last few blocks. In the meantime I’ll keep this up, but it is definitely time to get a commuter bike!

As the Phoenix represents the City of Atlanta, I believe it also represents the spirit of the biking community. The riders here have found a way, through the chaotic traffic, hills, weather, and road conditions, to do what brings joy and freedom from a car-centric society. I have found inspiration in each individual I meet to keep trying every day to make one more adjustment (fix that chain, tighten those handlebars, get some rain gear). They prove it can be done, and they are enriching the community with every pedal.

Aubrey Hake

Roll Model: Malia Mask

Like many, my love for biking began in my youth. I have many fond memories of navigating the neighborhood on my red bike, beads on my spokes and the wind in my hair. All that joy came to an end when my little brother got old enough to take my bike apart... but lacked the skills (and intelligence!) to put it back together. It wasn't just my bike. My two sisters got the same treatment. What is it about little brothers!?

Fast forward quite a few years and I am in Paris for my honeymoon. We sign up for an urban bike tour and fall in love with navigating the city via bicycle. It is amazing what a different perspective a bicycle can give you. Not just touring a city but just running an errand. When was the last time a trip to the store made you happier, healthier and better looking?

Anyway, on my honeymoon, I fell back in love with biking and got a baby blue cruiser with a basket as soon as I got home. How cliche is that?! At the time I lived in Buckhead and could be seen cruising sidewalks on the regular. It was liberating and invigorating, but something didn't feel quite right. I wanted to be on the streets. I wanted to play by the rules. I wanted legitimacy, and I wasn't going to get there on my cruiser.

So, I moved to midtown and solved my own problems. I founded MBIKES, which designs fixed gear, single speed bikes that are light and fast... perfect for intown riding. Now, I ride almost every day. I lose my car keys on weeknights and weekends and I love it. With my fixie, my bike has become the ultimate fashion accessory. My bike, The Twain, was originally white on white but I switched out one of the rims to add a hit of the world’s most regal color, purple! That way, when I am on my bike killing it down 10th Street, I feel like the queen of the streets. Since we ride hard, my fashion accessories usually include my Vans and my favorite pair cut offs, but I am not scared to dress it up for a concert in the park or a date night with my hubby.

At MBIKES we say we want to rid the world of cars one bike at a time. We believe in biking as the solution for many of our intown transportation issues, and we want to be part of that solution. From a brick and mortar showroom to one day manufacturing our bike frames in Georgia, we have big plans for MBIKES. When Mayor Reed says he wants Atlanta to be a top ten biking city. We say what can we do to help?!

Oh, and remember that story about my little brother? Well, he was our first MBIKES customer. So, he turned out alright. Funny how things work out.

Malia Mask

Roll Model: Theresa Kanter

I enjoy living in Atlanta so much more as a cyclist. In 2008, I moved to the Edgewood neighborhood because of the proximity to MARTA stations and to work (then downtown, now the CDC by Emory). Living in Edgewood has allowed me to appreciate all the great surface streets running through and near the neighborhood that are bicycling thoroughfares: Wylie, Whitefoord and Oakdale, Freedom Parkway, Hosea Williams, Edgewood (which is curiously not in the neighborhood), and now the BeltLine. At the right times of day/night, I also love cycling down DeKalb, Moreland and Briarcliff, and Memorial.

These days, I primarily ride two of my six bicycles: a red hybrid Trek FX (a.k.a. Big Wheel, but I’ll take suggestions for a better name) and a red folding Citizen Miami (a.k.a. Rosa). The staff at Atlanta Cycling’s Ansley location was super helpful to me when I got the Big Wheel, which replaced an ocean blue stolen Trek hybrid. Rosa came by mail from Citizen. Both bikes have racks and panniers; my rides generally include transporting stuff.

Most of my bicycling is commuting to work to avoid parking hassles and because I’m too lazy to workout otherwise. The ride is about 5 miles, mostly through Druid Hills where I must endure The Hills! The last stretch of my ride to work takes me through Emory, and it seems like the elevation change from the Oxford Road entrance to Haygood and Clifton is a bajillion feet. The commute works for me because, given the speed limit, traffic lights, and stop signs, it takes me about 20 minutes to drive to work, and on a bike, it takes me about 25 minutes. My neighbor and I inadvertently confirmed this last week when she drove and I biked, and arrived at Emory at the same time. It’s a tough ride and I appreciate having showers on campus; I’m sure my colleagues do too.

Beyond work, I love being able to bike to dancing, athletic events, the symphony, and flying lessons at PDK. Especially dancing. In addition to clubbing, I’ve been social dancing (east coast swing, salsa, and blues) for a few years. I like biking to meet friends for dancing at Northside Tavern, the Georgia Tech Ballroom, Fernbank, and Kavarna . After hours of twirling on the dance floor, I love cooling off in the night air on the ride home. I wear white/reflective gear and use lights, but here’s the beauty of night riding: there are few cars on the roads. I actually feel much safer bicycling late at night, as do the many of the cyclists who ride the Midnight Full Moon Ride. One memorable ride home happened after dancing at MJQ. When I turned onto Moreland from Freedom Parkway, another cyclist caught up to me at the light in Little Five and we chatted until I turned off at Wylie. It was such a treat to have company and safety (in numbers) late on a Saturday night.

I loved that the Heels on Wheels rides affirmed that cyclists can ride in a broad range of attire. When I bike to work I wear spandex pants and tops appropriate to the season. I try to be visual by wearing white, florescent, or reflective clothing. A good windbreaker and gloves make all the difference to me when it’s cool/cold out. When I bike home, I wear my clothes from that day with the windbreaker from the morning. I tight-roll loose pant legs, and, if I have a particularly flowing skirt, I use a binder clip to turn the skirt into a skort. A-line or knit skirts and dresses work great for me on either bicycle. In the winter, I find clogs keep my feet the warmest; in other seasons I like Mary Janes with a low heel. I’m not sure if the extra strap across the foot makes a big difference, but I feel more secure, and prettier, wearing them. (Pictured, dianaira dress, Uniqlo cardigan, and vintage dragonfly brooch.)

Theresa Kanter

Roll Model: Ann Shen

I was a late bloomer when it comes to learning to ride the bike. At the age of thirteen, my father taught me how to ride my first bike, a brand new fuchsia mountain bike that I had proudly selected at the store with dad's help. Biking has always been something dad and I shared, starting with fond memories of riding shotgun on dad's top tube when I was little.

I have also been pretty lucky to grow up in bike and public transportation friendly cities such as Ottawa and Toronto, so moving to Atlanta has been an interesting challenge. The sheer sprawl of the city as well as the disappointment of MARTA has resulted in me owning my first car. This feeling of dependence on my car coupled with a generally negative attitude towards cyclists and public transportation was something I struggled with after relocating here.

Everything changed after I met Bianca, my Specialized step-through bike. Riding Bianca around town makes me feel so liberated! I've been able to not only discover and explore so much more of Atlanta car-free, it has also made me realize that Bianca is all I need to get to places I love. Although I still drive my car to and from work, I love that the moment I come home, when I can park my car, hop on Bianca, and go to the grocery store, meet up with friends, or go thrifting in L5P. A rear bike rack, my Po Campo bag, a pannier, and some solid wind resistant/water proof layers pretty much mean I can go anywhere. Weekends will find Eliot and I riding around town on our bikes to the ASO, the High, riding the Mobile Social, enjoying Streets Alive; really, any excuse to ride my bike. Some of my fondest memories entail Eliot and I biking around on gorgeous sunny afternoons, just trying to get lost and explore our favourite neighbourhoods such as Grant Park and Decatur.

As a member of ABC, it has also been very exciting to see all the advocacy and infrastructure changes that ABC has helped to bring about, such as the cycletrack on 10th and the new buffered bike lane on Ponce. I'm also excited about the upcoming cycletracks ABC is working on creating in Midtown and O4W. I hope that the creation of more bike lanes as well as greater visibility of female bikers will lead to more women feeling safe and empowered to bike around Atlanta.

Ann Shen

A Tribute to Abbie Howard By David Moore

Our dear Abbie Howard, it’s just not fair

To have your body lying there

Beneath the roots of this old tree

Without a stone to identify thee

The visitors here just walk right by

Unknowing of the place you lie

And so it remains a mystery

Your place in Atlanta’s history

You came this way from Louisiana

To seek your fortune in Atlanta

A city which had been set ablaze

And mired in post civil war malaise

But business woman that you were

Saw fertile ground for the entrepreneur

And brought us out of our depression

By establishing mankind’s oldest profession

They called your establishment a house of sin

But you couldn’t dissuade the legions of men

Who sought refuge from their daily chores,

In the company of your charming girls.

You provided work and a place to dwell

For  women who had chose to sell

Their wit, charm, and sophistication

In lieu of the marriage certification

You scoffed at the moralizers and critics

Defending your lifestyle to all of your cynics

The temperance workers who chose to condemn

Didn’t know what it was like to put up with those men

Married life would not have been all that sunny

All the cooking and cleaning without all that money

Because what they say is so true in the end

Diamonds…. are a girl’s best friend

Discriminating provider of services to men

And Margaret’s inspiration in Gone with the Wind

Because Historian Garrett determined that Belle

Was really our Abbie (can I get a “do tell?)

Yep, that’s the truth (it came from Franklin’s mouth)

An authority on history down here in the South

 In 1905 your time had expired

 No longer quenching the thirsts of desire

You were buried at Oakland under the dirt

Lying down on your back, but not having to work

David Moore


Please follow this link to the Athens Banner-Herald for the remarkable story of how the marker came to be dedicated.