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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Enjoy Driving Slow on Ponce - Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ


When I'm driving Ponce de Leon these days, I'm going slow, I'm people watching, I'm architecture touring. You too?

Ponce is now a destination rather than a place you just want to get through, a good thing I think. This is how to enjoy your slow Ponce drives.

On Monday night this church conversion caught my eye so I stopped for some pictures. It's the  former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ at 985 Ponce de Leon. Though I've seen it a thousand times, I liked it Monday night.



It's a condo conversion across the street from the Ponce Library.  See the curvy track lights through the left window? Can you imagine this as the balcony lobby?

IMG_20180129_215743 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

I don't know anything about the church, whether it still exists, the building, or the condo conversion but I'd like to.

IMG_20180129_215804 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

If Atlanta had a church street, it would be Ponce Leon. Within two blocks are Druid Hills Presbyterian, Druid Hills Baptist, and Druid Hills Methodist. And 18 more churches between the Varsity and Decatur.

IMG_20180129_215955 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

Lot's of classical ideas here. Engaged portico with open pediment and giant order columns in antes, lancet windows. Dutch Bond brick pattern.

IMG_20180129_220056 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

Got Gothic arches.

IMG_20180129_220125 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

Capstone on the shoulders.

IMG_20180129_215924 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

Think there was stained glass?

IMG_20180129_220038 2018-01-29 Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ 985 Ponce De Leon at night

Pretty nice.



Notice the cottage court behind on Blue Ridge on the west wall of Publix?

This is how to enjoy your slow Ponce drives.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

How to Explore Inman Park Edges While Getting a Hairdo Pt. 2 of 2 The Wisteria Block


When I'm lucky, I get to take JoAnn to the salon. While she gets her "do" done, I explore.
 
I was a bit anxious about leaving JoAnn hanging, and didn't realize my phone was on mute. So I decided to chance it and do Part 2. It was about 4:45.

Part 2: The four restaurants at the corner of  North Highland Avenue at Colquitt: Folk Art, Il Localino, North Highland Pub, and Wisteria. The Wisteria block. (See Part 1: How to Explore Inman Park Edges While Getting a Hairdo Pt. 1 of 2 Fallen Arrows and The Dickey)



In order: Wisteria, North Highland Pub, Il Localino, Folk Art. Unless you are on foot, this is the way we see them. I'd never even walked the sidewalk, time for the Architecture Tourist to spring into action.



Why would you put four restaurants in two attached buildings? It was a mystery from my smallish town youth. Then I discovered food courts.

IMG_20180111_170557 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant


Folk Art is on the corner of Colquitt, has this nice sign with breakfast all day and lunch and dinner.

IMG_20180111_170442 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

Folk Art is a squarish space divided into comfortable niches with a view. Lots of ways to sit. It even has some counter seats right behind me.

Cute. I want to eat there, every day.

IMG_20180111_170840 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

Then Il Localino. Honestly I didn't even know it was there. It's a narrow front, can't see into the windows. It had just opened for dinner.

IMG_20180111_170802 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

Good grief, it's a total red-themed, white table-clothed, attentive-waiters-in-black, Italian restaurant with three (3) dining rooms. This picture is the main dining room looking from the bar toward the front door.

Cute. I want to eat here every day too.

IMG_20180111_171113 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

North Highland Pub is an 11am to 3am joint. There are always folks in there when I drive by.

IMG_20180111_170942 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant
It's deeper than it is wide with tall metal tiled ceiling, brick floor with plenty of standing and elbow room.

IMG_20180111_170954 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

Here's the giant Loews Grand Gone With the Wind Premier mural.

Cute, I'll have a beer and bar food every day.

IMG_20180116_124245 2018-01-16 The four restaurants at the corner of North Highland Avenue at Colquitt: Folk Art, Il Localino, North Highland Pub, and Wisteria. The Wisteria block.

Wisteria is the northern most.

IMG_20180116_124255 2018-01-16 The four restaurants at the corner of North Highland Avenue at Colquitt: Folk Art, Il Localino, North Highland Pub, and Wisteria. The Wisteria block.

It's what's for dinner.

IMG_20180111_171423 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

Communal inline tables, breathing room.

IMG_20180111_171448 2018-01-11 North High Highland Avenue at Colquitt Restaurants Folk Art restaurant Il Localino Italian Restaurant  North Highland Pub Wisteria Restaurant

I'd like to sit in this window, watch folks on the sidewalk, see everybody that enters and leaves.

IMG_20180116_124309 2018-01-16 The four restaurants at the corner of North Highland Avenue at Colquitt: Folk Art, Il Localino, North Highland Pub, and Wisteria. The Wisteria block.

Wow, an un-tagged wall.

IMG_20180116_124330 2018-01-16 The four restaurants at the corner of North Highland Avenue at Colquitt: Folk Art, Il Localino, North Highland Pub, and Wisteria. The Wisteria block.

Now you know.

Thanks for joining me. Let's eat.


(See Part 1: How to Explore Inman Park Edges While Getting a Hairdo Pt. 1 of 2 Fallen Arrows and The Dickey)

Monday, January 15, 2018

How to Explore Inman Park Edges While Getting a Hairdo Pt. 1 of 2 Fallen Arrows and The Dickey


When I'm lucky, I get to take JoAnn to the salon. While she gets her "do" done, I explore.

I know what you are thinking: It's way easier to wait in the car, listen to sports talk, and do Instagram. But I am the Architecture Tourst after all and I can't do three things at once anyway. (See Part 2:
How to Explore Inman Park Edges While Getting a Hairdo Pt. 2 of 2 The Wisteria Block)



On Wednesday it was "The Dickey" / Fallen Arrows block and then the four restaurants at the corner of  North Highland Avenue at Colquitt: Folk Art, Il Localino, North Highland Pub, and Wisteria. The restaurants be in part 2 of 2.



What is The Dickey? They are rehabbing a warehouse at 900 Dekalb, making a place for office lofts and restaurants, yoga, and the like. The Giving Kitchen and UrbanTrans are already there. Looks cool but who is Dickey?

Delta, Edgwood, Waverly, and Dekalb Avenue make an interesting block. Edgewood is one of the finest streets in Atlanta. DeKalb is a warehouse row that fronts Hulsey Yard and a hair-raising speedway of a street.

IMG_20180111_161353 2018-01-11 Fallen Arrows The Dickey Dekalb Avenue

Fallen Arrows in on Waverly.

IMG_20180111_161437 2018-01-11 Fallen Arrows The Dickey Dekalb Avenue

Right here.

IMG_20180111_161705 2018-01-11 Fallen Arrows The Dickey Dekalb Avenue

In here.



IMG_20180111_161732 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural gregmike
Here's The Dickey. They've removed some brick to open the place up leaving some mural parts behind.

IMG_20180111_161819 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural gregmike
GregMike mural part on the left.

IMG_20180111_161824 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural gregmike
Mural parts.


IMG_20180111_162405 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural gregmike

This is the view from Dekalb traveling West.

IMG_20180111_162511 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural

Mild mannered sign at 900 Dekalb.

IMG_20180111_162426 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural

Tag bonanza.

IMG_20180111_162606 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural

Mural on the wall with diamond windows.

IMG_20180111_162639 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural

I think this may be a restaurant area with a view.

IMG_20180111_162729 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue urbantrans

UrbanTrans has been working out of here for a year or so.


IMG_20180111_162819

With a stimulating working environment.

IMG_20180111_164833 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue

This room is big.

IMG_20180111_164912 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue

I don't know what that says.

IMG_20180111_161819 2018-01-11 The Dickey Dekalb Avenue mural gregmike
They cut the brick away, put in some nice steel to hold it up.  There's a covered walkway then the glass fronted rooms. I think this one may have do Yoga.

That's my bit on the Dickey and Fallen Arrows.

See Part 2: How to Explore Inman Park Edges While Getting a Hairdo Pt. 2 of 2 The Wisteria Block