Best bike lanes for aiding traffic flow
Decatur's new bike lanes
Though far from being the two-wheelers' playground it could be, Atlanta's made some inroads when it comes to cycling. The most welcome addition to the … »more
Best bizarro local news story
T.I. talked the jumper off the building
Late one afternoon last October, radio and TV news reported that a man was threatening to jump 22 stories from the top of Colony Square … »more
Best chance to watch gold medal Olympians
Atlanta Beat
It's an expansion team in a league many people don't even know exists, but the Atlanta Beat pro soccer club fielded three members of the … »more
Best community garden for bringing a community together
English Avenue Community Garden
At last count, there were more than 150 community gardens across metro Atlanta, some large and spectacular, some super-organic with heirloom veggies, still others meticulously … »more
Best con for people who couldn't get laid at Dragon*Con
Frolicon
People flock to Dragon*Con to buy the latest steampunk paraphernalia, play Magic: The Gathering and ogle chicks dressed like Sailor Moon. People go to Frolicon … »more
Best excuse to spend a few days out of the office
Snowpocalypse
No longer will we poke fun at folks who bum-rush grocery stores when flurries appear. On Jan. 9, nearly four inches of snow blanketed metro … »more
Best local blogger rivalry
What Now, Atlanta? and Tomorrow's News Today
Online flame wars typically fizzle out after a day. Twitter debates are limited to 140 characters. And arguing in public sucks because you actually have … »more
Best local political figure
Mayor Kasim Reed
Even his detractors must admit that Mayor Kasim Reed has had a helluva year. His trips to Washington, D.C., have helped Atlanta and Georgia secure … »more
Best mainstream tourist attraction
Cyclorama
Other cities have aquariums and battlefields, but none but Atlanta can claim the Cyclorama. Even the name is cool — as it should be for … »more
Best neighborhood listserv (for outsiders)
Inman Park LISTSERV
Itching to learn more about your fellow Atlantans but can't get away from your desk? Heard of a nifty invention called the Internet? It comes … »more
Best new (born) thing in Atlanta
Zoo babies
When it comes to zoo babies, how could you single out just one of the adorable mammalian wonders who've sprung forth into the world at … »more
Best new thing in Atlanta
Historic Fourth Ward Park and Skate Park
Nearly 10 years ago, community activists suggested that the city get creative when replacing its antiquated sewers. Rather than simply digging tunnels and burying pipes, … »more
Best off-the-beaten path tourist attraction
Lake Claire Community Land Trust
Just as the Atlanta History Center's Tullie Smith Farm allows visitors to tour an 1840s plantation, the Lake Claire Community Land Trust is a full-scale … »more
Best opportunity for national retail and food hall glory
Ponce City Market
After more than a year of touch-and-go negotiations, City Hall East was finally sold to a developer this summer and its new owner wasted no … »more
Best place for a beach getaway/history lesson
Sapelo Island
Who wouldn't want to visit a village called Hog Hammock? Sapelo Island ranks as one of the state's most historically significant and downright interesting places … »more
Best political theater
State Senate
Watch Sen. Cecil Staton squirm as evidence mounts that he's actually a Casey Cagle-hating activist named Beth Merkleson! Hear House Speaker David Ralston tell Senate … »more
Best progressive radio personality
DJ Tabone
All the on-air personality in the world can't make disposable music palatable. Likewise, listening to carefully curated tunes is a serious strain when the sound … »more
Best public bus route
MARTA's No. 2 bus
When was the last time you took the deuce? Did the No. 2? Get your minds out of the commode — we're talking about MARTA's … »more
Best reason to get over loss of NHL franchise
All the other sporting events
Atlanta has lost its second NHL franchise, but we still have reason to hold our heads high: all the other sporting events. The Falcons were … »more
Best response to city's anti-graffiti ordinance
'Is this better?'
When the city announced plans for an anti-graffiti task force, many folks — including CL — wondered how the effort would change the gritty urban … »more
Best reuse of a demolished housing project
Wheat Street Gardens
In 2008, Wheat Street Baptist Church tore down its low-income housing just off Auburn Avenue, closing the book on a once-vibrant complex that had fallen … »more
Best sign of old-school media relevance
AJC's coverage of APS cheating
After years of staff buyouts, reorganizations and a relocation to Dunwoody, the AJC seemed ready for the insertion of the proverbial fork. But there are … »more
Best sign of political common sense
Sunday alcohol sales
It wasn't the most important legislation to pass this year, and we wouldn't attempt to argue that future generations of Georgians will enjoy more fruitful … »more
Best sports bargain
Turner Field
With $7 hot dogs, Turner Field may seem an odd choice. But you can see the Braves cheaply. Two-and-a-half hours before every home game, $1 … »more
Best urban wilderness refuge
Cascade Springs Nature Preserve
You don't need to go to the North Georgia mountains to get into the wild. Just take a trip down Cascade Road in southwest Atlanta. … »more
