???? Holiday pop-up bars
Black Friday?
Nov. 29 —?If you're holiday shopping this weekend (and analysts say spending will hit record levels), don't forget to check out the Atlanta Beltline Marketplace shops celebrating Small Business Saturday.?
?? Sunny and 50° today. A sunny, but cold weekend is ahead with temperatures below freezing overnight, so drip those faucets and take care of your pets and plants.??
???The Grant Park Conservancy recently broke ground on two major restoration projects, including revitalizing the historic Abana Courtyard.
??? Go behind the scenes of Rough Draft with two recent podcast episodes: Associate Editor Sammie Purcell on "Four Questions Journalist Spotlight," and Publisher Keith Pepper on?"Small Press, Big Ideas,"?about the local media business.
ELSEWHERE
?? A two-year-old pug named Vito made history at the National Dog Show, becoming the first of his breed to win Best in Show. A judge praised the 18-pound champion as "lots of dog in a small package."?
?? A woman without a boarding pass or passport boarded a Delta flight from New York to Paris on Tuesday. Flight attendants discovered her mid-flight, and she was detained upon landing.
???? Australia passed world-first legislation banning social media access for children under 16.
?? Here's what's in today's newsletter:
? Holiday pop-up bars
? Big John's Christmas Trees
? Film Review: 'Maria'
? ?The Sports Section
AND?
? ?Top Stories of the Week?
Have a good weekend,
Collin & Sammie?
?? Need orthopedic care? Peachtree Orthopedics offers 38 specialists, same-day visits, and convenient UrgentORTHO clinics — open evenings and weekends. Skip the E.R. and get the care you need faster. Serving Atlanta for 70 years. Schedule your appointment now!
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1. Ten holiday pop-up bars for making merry in Atlanta?
?????Tis the season for holiday bars, which return for another year at restaurants around town. From Atlanta to Alpharetta, we’ve rounded up the top ten to check out for seasonal cocktails, dining rooms dripping in holiday cheer, and festive foods.
Experience the nighttime wonders at Fernbank's WildWoods: AGLOW?
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
?? Experience the magic of Fernbank’s WildWoods: AGLOW, an immersive nighttime adventure through 10 acres of enchanted woodlands.
Explore glowing sculptures, interactive projections of nocturnal wildlife, and larger-than-life installations, all set to original music. Wander through mystical mushrooms, magical blooms, and luminous plants while discovering the science behind nature’s wonders.?
?? This unforgettable experience runs through Feb. 23, 2025. It's fun for the whole family that you won't want to miss! Get information and tickets here.
2. Big John's Christmas Trees celebrates 75 years
?? The Livaditis Family, which also owns Zesto, is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its seasonal business, Big John's Christmas Trees.?
Big John Livaditis missed the birth of his son in 1957 while on a scouting trip to Canada to look for the best trees. That determination remains embedded in the family's DNA as they drive to Canada, Pennsylvania, and Michigan each year to source Christmas trees.
There are now six locations of Big John's around the metro, selling trees, wreaths, ornaments, and other necessities to make your home merry.?
3. In 'Maria,' Maria and La Callas are one in the same
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
?? If you’ve ever heard Maria Callas sing, you’ve probably never forgotten the sound. Her voice was singular – thick, dynamic, full of a range of emotion.
Maria Callas is one of the most important opera voices in history, and her life, particularly her final years, were laden with pain, both physical and emotional. The new film "Maria" – from director Pablo Larraín – chronicles the final days before her death in Paris, her health and addiction issues, and her relationship with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
But while the details of Maria’s life are interesting in their own right, the film (written by Steven Knight) is at its best not when it focuses on the external, but rather the internal – particularly when it takes that inner life and manifests it visually onscreen. Through Maria’s relationship not just to the public, but to herself, Larraín explores ideas about celebrity and persona that have fascinated Hollywood for years, but have so rarely been afforded the nuance they deserve. Casting Angelina Jolie, a woman with her own unique relationship to celebrity, only deepens that complexity.
??Stay in the picture with?Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgia's film industry.?Subscribe for free.
4.?Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate tonight; Atlanta United eliminated
BY JIM BASS
♂??The Sports Section is sponsored by?Gameday Men’s Health Buckhead,?offering testosterone replacement and other therapies. Book your appointment now to join our Founder's Club for the best prices on services. New Perimeter location opening soon!
???No. 7 Georgia hosts Georgia Tech in the annual “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” rivalry game tonight at 7:30 p.m. This will mark the 118th matchup between the two and the first Friday game in Sanford Stadium in 30 years?(ABC; 93.7 FM).
??Atlanta United was eliminated from the MLS playoffs after a 1-0 loss to Orlando City in Orlando on Saturday.
???Athens native Graham Blanks won the NCAA Men’s Cross-Country Championship for the second consecutive year for Harvard on Saturday.
?? After dealing Cleveland only its second loss of the season behind Trae Young's career-high 22 assists?on Wednesday, the Hawks play the Cavaliers for their final game of the NBA Cup Group Stage today at 2:30 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network; 92.9 FM). ???Here are tomorrow’s local college games:
?? The Falcons host the Chargers on Sunday at 1 p.m. after coming off of their bye week?(CBS; 92.9 FM).
?? The Drive for the GHSA State Title continues tonight with a Class 6A quarterfinals playoff matchup between North Gwinnett and Buford, live on the Peachtree Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. Stream the game here. ???Congratulations to AJC Sports Editor Chris Vivlamore, who is?retiring after 22 years at the paper. His final Thanksgiving column is here (subscription required).
?? Need orthopedic care? Peachtree Orthopedics offers 38 specialists, same-day visits, and convenient UrgentORTHO clinics — open evenings and weekends. Skip the E.R. and get the care you need faster. Serving Atlanta for 70 years. Schedule your appointment now!
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5. Top Stories of the Week
A look back at this week's most-read stories from our website. Follow @RoughDraftATL on Instagram for regular updates.
?? Test your knowledge of the week's news in tomorrow's News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m.?or bookmark this page!?
?? Today's newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.?
???Don't miss?our new, daily word game?- you have six chances to guess a five-letter word connected to a news story.