OVERVIEW

Every year around the holidays we like to give Sidewalk Radio fans a little something extra, some lagniappe if you will.  Today, we score big bringing to you a rollicking conversation with football’s greatest comedic talent, Mr. Cooper Manning; brother of Peyton and Eli, son of Archie and Olivia, husband and irritant to Ellen, and fun-loving father to May, Arch and Heid. Along with the wry wit this tête-à-tête delivers, there’s also a healthy dose of indulgence. So, please, indulge us.  

Sidewalk Radio Host Gene Kansas grew up in New Orleans and considers himself extremely fortunate to have known the Mannings his entire life.  While Kansas was never technically invited on a family vacation, Coop remains a life long friend and one of the funniest people he knows.  However, getting phone time with Coop these days is no laughing matter - the guy has become quite famous thanks to his hilarious hit show over on Fox.  Let’s just say we had pull some pretty big strings to get him biting on our little slice of entertainment pie.  

Enjoy this fun, funny, honest interview with the star of The Cooper Manning Hour, and a guy who can put it all in perspective...a true Christmas gift, Mr. Cooper Manning.

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I can't say where life will lead me

But I know where I have been

I can't say what life will show me

But I know what I have seen

“Sitting In Limbo”, The Neville Brothers

When you interview a photographer you learn about what we see by understanding what they’ve seen.  Stereoscopic photographer Peter Bahouth is an artist, an advocate, an activist, and an airbnb mogul...of sorts.  He lead Greenpeace in the US, was Director of the Turner Foundation, owns a sweet treehouse suite, and shoots in a format that is at once both nostalgic and progressive.  We were happy to share an extra special afternoon with this layered, complex and insightful man. Enjoy. 

If you dig this interview (or if you're into art, travel, design, food & wine), you're also sure to love Cover Books, created and curated by Peter's wife, Katie Barringer, a star in her own right.

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For this, Sidewalk Radio’s “5 Year Anniversary Show”, we can’t help but look to the future with great reverence for the past and the parade of fine folks who have helped us achieve this milestone. This extra special episode is a retrospective and reciprocally a look forward into hopes and dreams and conversations to come. It is also a sincere "thank you" to our friends, fans, supporters, sponsors, contributors, guests, and most certainly family. Thanks to you all.  Please enjoy.

Sincerely yours,

Gene Kansas, Creator & Host

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Here's a question, "What do Martin Luther King, Jr. and environmental beauty found at Yellowstone National Park have in common?"  Let's find out...Today’s show, A Most Historic Site, is Part I of our National Park Service Road to the Centennial coverage. Our guest today is Judy Forte, Superintendent of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, a true jewel in the National Park Service crown, and an inspirational and spiritual home that travels well beyond its geographic boundaries.

Judy oversees the historic site with a smile, a presence, and knowledge that civil rights and the legacy of Dr. King are more than what may meet the eye and ear, they are gateways – an introduction - to the greater value our National Park Service has to offer.  

The National Park Service will celebrate it’s Centennial in 2016.  As part of our Road to the Centennial coverage, Sidewalk Radio will explore the literal sites – and sounds – of one of our nation’s most important departments.  The National Park Service is a collection of pride, beauty, history, and exemplifies our dedication to the preservation of cultural and environmental treasures. Enjoy this show, and find out how you can help preserve the history, culture, and nature we're so fortunate to have.

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​Jamie Allen has a healthy obsession with squirrels. What!? Yes, this writer and storyteller is creator of the Inman Park Squirrel Census. Jamie's humble disposition and modesty often shift accolades to other well deserving members, but make no mistake, this guy is a leader in the squirrel community.  He thinks about squirrels, he dreams about squirrels, he writes about squirrels, and he certainly counts them.

Jamie's crew, made up of smart, creative and caring members of the greater human community continue to multiply, albeit not at the same rate as our furry friends. This October the Census counts again. For this EXTRA special episode of Sidewalk Radio, we sit down and learn more about this writer, modern-day dad, and the underdog victory IPSC is rallying. Oh, and we get to hear Jamie read some of his work as published in the Oxford American magazine. Enjoy!

OVERVIEW

Han Vance is a writer, a poet, and a vivacious Atlantan who has a passion for self-expression. His poetry book, “ATL Fire” deluxe is a unique perspective about our City in a Forest. Originally inspired by an exercise in book writing, "ATL Fire" deluxe is a Harriette Austin Poetry Award winner. The exercise honed evolved into Golden State Misadventures, a book about Han’s travels through California and life, due out August 24th.  If you’re looking for some insight into a man who writes, who cares, and who both walks-the-walk and talks-the-talk, then tune in now.  We hope you’ll enjoy.

OVERVIEW

Everyone knows that Atlanta's reason for being is rail.  We were born at the terminus of the Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1837.  By 1842 there were 30 residents, now there are over 6,000,000.  On July 14th friends, family, and lots of kids gathered with my wife DeAnna & I to celebrate Levi London Kansas’ 1^st Birthday to great fanfare, lots of smiles and a smashed cake.  In honor of birth, origin, identity and because I’m a proud poppa, I thought it’d be fun to do a show that features both the history of Atlanta and a conversation about being born. 

Northside Hospital delivers more babies than anywhere else in the United States, over 16,000 this year alone.  How is it then that we always hear "no one is from Atlanta"?  What do the evolution of a city and the birth of its children have in common?  Does where we’re born make a difference?  And, how contributing is the identity of the individual to the identity of a city? All these questions, plus captivating answers in this month’s episode, “Atlanta, baby”.

Our guests today are Northside Hospital Labor & Delivery nurse Sharon Magruder, community powerhouse Angel Poventud, plus my favorite guest of all time, a cameo by intown expert at Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Real Estate, MODA Board Member, and most of all mother to Levi, my wife, the lovely DeAnna Kansas.  Enjoy!

Yours truly,

Gene

Gene Kansas is Creator & Host of Sidewalk Radio, husband to DeAnna, and Dad to Levi.

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​In this EXTRA edition of Sidewalk Radio, we're honored to spend some time talking life and film with Victor Levin, the super talented Writer & Director of the romantically charming, meaningfully funny, "5 to 7".  So often interviews with a Writer/Director focus solely on the film, the stars, or the directing itself.  Not this one.  Like Levin in "5 to 7", we chose to take an alternate route in storytelling.

Sidewalk Radio Host, Gene Kansas, instead spends his stolen moment with Mr. Levin talking about writing, and in doing so the duo goes on to cover a wide range of topics from dentistry to ad libs, memorials to the affect of internal detente, and of course a good bit about storytelling and its innate ability to transform lives.  

Of course, we also delve into the film and discuss the prowess of Anton Yelchin (who plays Brian Bloom) and grace of Bérénice Marlohe (the stunning Arielle).  Their questionable affair makes us think about what we'd do for love, and what to do when we've found it.  The movie explores themes of memory, and the monumentality of every life.  It's deep without overwhelming, it's superficial while thought provoking, and for us, it's one of our favorite films.  

If you're looking for a film that sets the bar high in terms of intellect, cultural curiosity, cameos, an all-star cast (lest we forget Olivia Thirlby, Frank Langella, Glenn Close, and Lambert Wilson), and the meaning of love, then look no further.  Go see this movie, and please enjoy this conversation with one of America's most comedic romantics, Mr. Victor Levin.

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Experience the Grand Re-Opening of the Historic Daily World Building in Atlanta, Georgia, as told through the voices, stories, memories and energy of that day.

The building was built in 1912 and gets its namesake from the Atlanta Daily World newspaper, the oldest African-American paper in the United States. Hit by a tornado in 2008, the building was in peril. In March 2012 a developer applied for a demo permit. 1100 people signed a petition to deny that, and their community will prevailed.

In January 2014, Atlanta developer Gene Kansas and partner Ben Dupuy bought the building. On March 12, 2015, the successful historic rehabilitation was complete and the community gathered to celebrate. Enjoy this "great day for Atlanta" and a memorable event for all those who worked so hard to "Save The World".

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The Class Of '65 by Jim Auchmutey is a history lesson told through the turbulent days of the Civil Rights Movement and as played out in the south Georgia town of Americus, where a white kid and the dissident religious community he came from were persecuted for believing in freedom for all. Our interview with Jim, an author and former AJC writer, explores bullying, American bifurcation, the navigation of an era, and the tension and entanglement caused by desegregation in the deep South.

This near hour-long discussion covers everything from racial politics and alternative religion to the author's personal experience with bullying (he was on "the fringe of the peanut gallery" in school). Most of all, it focuses on the emotional trauma faced by the story's main character and his unexpected reconciliation years later with students who had once scorned or ignored him. 

The Class of '65 as a book and this as an interview go well below the surface and in doing so let us know how quickly things can change, how powerful our words and actions can be, and why we must not forget from where we come. Enjoy. 

OVERVIEW

75 years ago, on December 15, 1939, Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel (1936) turned blockbuster film, Gone With The Wind, premiered in sensational fashion at the Loew’s Grand Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.  Over 300,000 people lined Peachtree Street hoping to catch a glimpse of Hollywood royalty: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Olivia de Havilland all in attendance.  The 3-day event was a milestone for Atlanta, bringing worldwide attention and putting the city on the pop culture map.  Three quarters of a century later, we’re still star struck.

The film was honored with 10 Academy Awards in 1940, including Best Picture, Best Director (Victor Fleming), Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award, and notably absent in Atlanta). Adjusted for inflation, it is the single most successful production in box-office history.

There’s plenty to say about the premiere.  Stories of pride, prejudice, and preservation lost. Tales of glamour, glitz, politics, pageantry, capitalism, controversy and command performance abound.  This month, in true Sidewalk Radio form, we peer behind the curtain, examining it all through the history and cultural impact of this magic moment.  Yet, as we look back at the pomp and circumstance, we also remember this landmark occasion with sensitivity and objectivity toward the story of race.  We look at where we are, where we’ve been, and where we go from here.

Our guests today are Matthew Bernstein, Professor and Chair of Film and Media Studies at Emory University, award-winning author of Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn, Gary Pomerantz, and Tim Lee, a collector with a heart and the passion to prove it.  All experts in their own right, we are honored they could join us.

This month’s show also marks a landmark of its own, our 52^nd monthly production.  We’re proud to share our journey and our joy with you, our friends and fans.  Thank you so much for another wonderful year.  Have a festive holiday season, a happy and healthy New Year, and many joy-filled moments until we meet again.

A special “thank you” to our friend, Spalding McArthur Nix, for his brainy suggestion of this epoch episode. 

OVERVIEW

Every year here at Sidewalk Radio we love putting together our Thanksgiving Special.  It’s our chance to have great conversations focused on what we’re grateful for.  This year, while working on editorial ideas, Irma Thomas’ sweet, soulful music played in the background.  Then it dawned on us.  We’re thankful for Irma Thomas!

We’re so very honored that the Soul Queen of New Orleans could join us to celebrate the American tradition of giving thanks.  We thought the conversation might be focused on New Orleans and music.  And, while these are certainly basis for gratitude, the Grammy Award Winner choose to sing the praises of passion for one’s life work as a central theme.  We have to agree.   After all, what is the point without the passion!?

With love for craft, being thankful for the folks who help you achieve your goals is a natural byproduct.  So, it goes without saying that we are thankful for YOU, our faithful fans.  Here’s to a Thanksgiving filled with fun times, fond memory making, a cornucopia of fine friends and family, plus the joy of one of our country’s most amazing artists on your favorite radio show.  Please be well, and enjoy this special edition with the one and only, Irma Thomas.

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“My research for this book has taught me what the people of Atlanta have known for a century and more: there are two Atlantas.  The old-line southern families, white and wealthy, lived in an Atlanta that developed along its most famous thoroughfare, Peachtree Street.  The other Atlanta existed as if a parallel universe. It was home to blacks learning to be free.  The center of their Atlanta was Auburn Avenue.  Hungry to share in the fruits of the city, they built a commercial district that came to be known as Sweet Auburn.” 

Journalist and nonfiction author Gary Pomerantz conducted over 500 interviews to pen Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn, a New York Times notable exploring the history of 2 Atlantas: black and white.  The book, a must read for any lover of history, traverses the intersection of well healed Peachtree Street, and Auburn Avenue, the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement that was at one time black America’s premiere example of enterprise, culture and achievement.  Pomerantz provides captivating prose and political provenance in sharing the “saga of race and family” of two legendary lineages.  The Allens were slave owners.  The Dobbses, slaves.  From these bloodlines comes the legacy of Ivan Allen Jr., and Maynard Jackson, Jr., two of  the most impactful mayors the South has ever seen.

Why is this important now?  As Auburn Avenue experiences a renaissance, many are concerned about the prospect of history lost.  We can’t know where we are if we don’t know where we’ve been.  Our interview is an in-depth look into the book, and pari passu the lives of two of Atlanta’s great families.  It’s a story of race, of abstracted progress where not only a city, but the entire south can restore the ideologies upon which our country was founded.  Enjoy this story, it’s all of ours.

This month marks Sidewalk Radio's 50th episode!  Special thanks to AM 1690 "The Voice of the Arts", Producer Stephen Key, Associate Producer Hannah Amick, Associate Producer Nicholas Cooper-Kedrick, our sponsors Perkins+Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates, and of course to you, our listeners and fans.  We are honored to bring you all elevated conversations and colorful coverage about life and culture in the modern city.

- Creator & Host Gene Kansas

Extra special thanks to: my loving and idea inspiring wife DeAnna Kansas, my always supportive sister Ann Kansas Cross, and to my mother, Sally Kansas, a class act and the best storyteller I know.

OVERVIEW

If you’ve seen Fahamu Pecou’s work than you know the breadth of his artistic talent.  You also know he is always the subject.  At first glance you might wonder if he’s an egomaniac playing persona apotheosis through self-portrait.  He’s not.  He’s exploring black masculinity.  While it is true ego plays a role, until you’ve heard the rest of the story you can’t possibly imagine how much self-worth, self-esteem, humility, thought and representative personality each painting has in terms of the hopeful liberation of the African American male from society’s data, status and stereotypes.   

In his work and in his life, Fahamu is one man and every man: a scholar, a father, an artist, a thinker, black, bold, and beholden to be both spokesman and star on the rise.  We are honored that he sat down with Host Gene Kansas to talk everything from inspiration to motivation, kids to insecurity on canvas, sold out shows to PhD’s,  plus the honest brutality of being a young black man in America.  Oh, and we got chills hearing about one small moment that gave much needed confidence along the road to making it big.  

Take a listen, then make sure to go take a look at several upcoming gallery openings and exhibits, including solo shows at MOCA GA and The High Museum of Art.

OVERVIEW

​In this episode of Sidewalk Radio, Host Gene Kansas talks art, advertising, and the power of imagery with renowned artist, Gregor Turk. A lover of nature, Turk does not much care for billboard advertising. However, with his latest work, Apparitions: Look Away, he celebrates it, utilizing the medium to both transfix and transform our conversations. 

The final stance in a 3-part series, black and white photographic images of General Sherman's eyes glare out from their poster-boarded vantage points above the Atlanta BeltLine, enticing sentiments from agony to amusement, inciting actions from table talk to rock throwing. A provoking artist, Turk makes us think about what we see...and in this case, what sees us. 

This Atlanta Celebrates Photography commissioned public art installation is certainly a sight to behold. On view through November 15th. Take a listen, then go take a look. 

OVERVIEW

​Jason Ward, a tour guide for the Atlanta Audubon Society, is the Number 2 birder in Atlanta, Georgia, Fulton County.  But, it's not his prowess that makes him so special to us.  Instead it's his love for nature and his passion for being a role model with the goal of attracting more kids into a worthwhile pursuit of adventure, education and enjoyment.  

Join us as Jason takes us on a bird walk, of sorts, that starts in the Bronx, NY, and ends up with his dream to be the Bill Nye of birding. Throughout the journey we learn about our fine feathered friends, some ideas for sustainability, and even hear a bit about a winged mafia. It's a thrill and an honor to have Jason on the show.  Please enjoy.

Want more info about upcoming field trips with Jason and Atlanta Audubon Society?  Here you go!

OVERVIEW

Ansley Park is not a park.  The historic neighborhood does however enjoy a verdant, rolling, and vibrant landscape providing 275 livable acres of country in the city, a fine example of the Garden City Movement. The neighborhood, developed in 1905, was cultivated by railroad magnate Edwin P. Ansley as an alternative to the streetcar suburbs like Inman Park, offering an automobile oriented development for a new generation of Atlantans. Today, nestled in the heart of Midtown, the neighborhood is known for beautiful homes, winding roads, pocket parks, and for its ability to directionally challenge visitors.  As a perennial bonus, the annual Tour of Homes event is not to be missed.  This year check out “Eclectic Ansley” from October 18^th – 19^th.  

Joining us in the studio this month is Kevin Grady, long time Ansley Park resident and local historian. Kevin may have practiced as a lawyer, but his true love is history. He sits down with us to talk about the design decisions behind Ansley, its history, and what makes the neighborhood so special.

Local business owner, Ansley resident, and landscape designer Marcia Weber makes keeping Ansley Park beautiful her life’s work. Her company, Marcia Weber Gardens to Love, boasts projects throughout Atlanta and has perfected some of Ansley’s greatest gardens, including her own where fresh limes find their way to perfect gin and tonics on the right day, and where a box turtle has visited for 30 + years.  Marcia sits down with Gene to chat about sculpting the natural environment to compliment a human one.

Jason Ward, a birder and tour leader with Atlanta Audubon Society, is a modest man, so we took it upon ourselves to shine a light.  Jason is the Number 2 ranking birder in Fulton County, making him one of the most adept individuals in the state at finding, identifying, and pontificating about some of our feathered friends. Jason chirps with us about Ansley Park’s other residents, why it’s a great place to observe nature, and a bit about his goal to be the Bill Nye of nature watchers.

So put on your walking shoes and grab your binoculars as we take you on an aural tour of Ansley Park.  After you listen, don't forget to sign up for this year's Tour of Homes!

Special thanks to rockstar neighborhood volunteer DeAnna Kansas of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty, for her contributions to this episode, and for helping share Ansley with us all.

Header image photo credit: Eric Champlin

OVERVIEW

Steve Selig is the 2014 Four Pillar Tribute Honoree as named by the Council for Quality Growth. The theme of the night, “By Doing Right”, is more than a phrase for Selig, it’s a way of life.  In anticipation of the big night on October 2, 2014, we are honored to have the opportunity to sit down together with Steve, and son Scott Selig, to talk about life, real estate, family history, preservation, politics, philanthropy, music, parenthood, and, of course, “Doing Right”.

What you might be surprised to learn is that for all of Steve’s acumen and success, he is guilty of going against one of real estate’s cardinal rules, “don’t fall in love with a property”.  In fact, Steve, Scott and the whole of Selig Enterprises has an emotional tie to all of their properties, a portfolio that encompasses in excess of 10,000,000 sq. ft..  Take a listen to find out about the logic and lesson behind this behavior, and why The Council for Quality Growth is so right in honoring a man who has done so much.

WANT TO ATTEND THE AWARDS CEREMONY? GET TICKETS HERE.

OVERVIEW

The Star Bar indirectly gets its name from the intersecting streets eponymously influencing one of Atlanta’s most unique communities, Little 5 Points (a.k.a “The Star Community”).  L5P is widely known for grit, grunge, PBR, juicy burgers, vintage t's, coffee, records, live-music, mustaches, Halloween, and all things indie. And, there are few spots more "Little Five" than the Star Community Bar.  Beer soaked and down right dirty – in a good way - this right of passage is a fixture, weathering changes in politics, popular culture, music and mayhem since 1991, becoming the go-to spot for loud music, cheap drinks, and good times.  It represents a paradoxical safe haven that is on one hand culturally alternative, while simultaneously being socially egalitarian.  And, for our guests today, it is more than all that, it contributes heroically to their identity.

Joining us to talk history, jukeboxes, rabble rousing and Elvis, is Star Bar co-founder, David Heany. David owned and operated the Star Bar for 11 years before delivering the iconic dive to a new generation. During his reign, David presided over the transformation of the old CNS bank building at 427 Moreland Avenue into an Atlanta landmark, the crafting of an Elvis shrine, and the development of a rock & roll scene that still blasts to this day.  David is also Creator and Host the Coin Operated Music Hour, hitting airwaves September 5^th, and playing every Friday night from 7pm – 8pm on AM 1690 “The Voice of the Arts”.  We’ve heard it.  We love it.  Check it out.  You can hear music from David's show any night of the week downstairs on the jukebox in the Star Bar's Little Vinyl Lounge.

A launching pad for bands, comedy careers, and love affairs, The Star Bar represents new beginnings. Sometimes those fresh starts come in the form of revitalization, and in the case of the ever-fabulous DJ Romeo Cologne, they manifest a renaissance of disco, funk, and the underdog hero.  In all of our over 200 interviews, we’ve got to say that Romeo is a standout, waxing on what it’s like to re-start a love revolution, a special blend of music, and his love for saving dogs a bit down on their luck. It’s a good mix, thank you DJ.

By now you’ve heard that The Star Bar is, at its heart, a dive bar, and caters to those of us who like our fun on the raucous side. But, you’ve also been informed that it’s a spot for passion and true love to blossom.  Joining us for a cameo is Principal and Creative Director of Morgan CODA, Thomas Bledsoe, best friend to Sidewalk Radio Host Gene Kansas, and a lucky dude who met his wife under the trance of DJ Romeo’s magic web of disco funk one fateful Tuesday night at The Star Bar.

OVERVIEW

The Cyclorama is not a place to race bicycles, it's home to an incredibly historic painting portraying the Battle of Atlanta, a turning point in US history.

150 years ago in 1864, Atlanta was a city at war. Just as it is today, the city was a transport hub although then it was the train rather than the plane providing the city's lifeblood. Tons of Confederate war material, food, and goods were housed in Atlanta warehouses and the city's sprawling rail network carried troops and material to the front lines. The Confederacy hung on, despite the devastating losses at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, largely thanks to the goods pouring out of Atlanta.  The rail had to be broken, the city had to be taken.

After defeating the Confederate army at its most vital distribution point, Union general William T. Sherman began his famous “March to Sea” toward Savannah. The Battle of Atlanta cost the lives of over 12,000 American soldiers and is represented today in the 15,000 sq. ft. oil painting housed at the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum. The aptly named Battle of Atlanta along with an extensive diorama depicts the battle in both minute and grand detail.  On July 22, we celebrate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the battle that changed the course of American history.

To help set the stage is Senior Military Historian at the Atlanta History Center, Gordon Jones, to tell us about this turning point in Civil War, Atlanta and US history.  Following Jones are two other guests who keep the history alive.

Derrick L. Williams Jr. A student of both the political sciences and history, Derrick worked for the Albany Civil Rights museum before joining the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum as tour guide, actor, and superstar spokesperson. He joins us to talk about the Cyclorama's role in educating the world about equality and freedom via the Battle of Atlanta as told through his character, “Young Abe” Lincoln.

For 28-years Shae Avery has been overseeing an expert crew to clean, conserve and restore the Atlanta Cyclorama diorama. He speaks with us about his position at the intersection of preservation and creation, the delicacy of working with a historical work of art.

THIS SHOW AIRS ON MONDAY JULY 28TH AT 6:30PM EST ON AM 1690 "THE VOICE OF THE ARTS".

or...LISTEN NOW by pressin' PLAY up top of this post.

OVERVIEW

While exploring community is always top of mind for us here at Sidewalk Radio, it’s not too often we invite a doctor into the studio to help us diagnose its importance. This month, quadruple board certified oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Chip Cole joins us to talk about his new book, Face Change, and shares his precise and professional perspective on community building, giving back, and how to look and feel your best…why not?! 

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, we find there’s quite a bit in common between Dr. Cole and the more frequent guests of our show: architects, designers, artists, and educators.  Our conversation looks at the world from health, wellness and family perspectives, and prescribes paying attention to the millimeters with all as the key to success. 

Drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun, and enjoy this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA.

OVERVIEW

When you imagine the built environment, the places that shape a city's culture, you probably think about stadiums and parks, skyscrapers and museums. But, what we often forget is the importance of the ubiquitous. We often forget about how culturally impactful the hotel can be.  With over 5,000,000 rooms nationally, from Motel 6 to the Ritz-Carlton, these haunts of hospitality provide a place of rest, but also a platform for stories, memories, legend and lore. This month come sit down, relax, and turn on that free cable as we enter the lobby of culture, convenience, and capitalism. This month we're checking in to "The Hotel".

Hotels have been around for a long time, tracing their heritage back to medieval roadside inns. These inns provided a place of rest for weary travelers who wanted something softer than an open field or a farmer's barn to sleep in. University of New Mexico professor, and award-winning historian, Andrew Sandoval-Strausz, quite literally wrote the book on the subject.  Hotel: An American History, traces the rise of the hotel in America, and how this bastion for hospitality became a powerful cultural catalyst along the way.

Food and beverage super-star, Brian Schaer, is Senior Interior Designer for Hirsch Bedner Associates, one of the world's premier hospitality design firms. From Abu Dhabi to Atlanta, Brian has a talent for creating jaw-dropping spaces designed to draw the eye, the palate, and the hungry traveler. He joins us in the studio to talk lobby culture, libation, and, of course, the delicacy that is superior interior design.

As a point of interest, Gene Kansas, Creator & Host of Sidewalk Radio, would not be here today if it were not for the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.  Gene's parents met just off the lobby at the famous Sazerac Bar many moons ago.  It's a great story.  Ask him!  And, enjoy the show.

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Tactical Urbanism is not a buzz phrase, it's a revolution. Mike Lydon, a Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative, wrote the book on it. Mike's success is well deserved, and now he's bringing that experience and a whole lot of passion to the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, Atlanta's Sweet Auburn Historic District.

Take a listen to this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA, then join as we work together to temporarily transform two blocks of Auburn Avenue into model Lifelong Community “Better Blocks” - places where people young and old can live, work, and play throughout their lifetime. 

Lend a hand in making this street transformation happen during the Build-Out, or stop by June 21st or 22nd to enjoy the festivities. Help us make the Atlanta Region a Lifelong Community that allows us all to live life “Beyond Expectations.” 

For more more information, including exact times and locations, visit Facebook.

OVERVIEW

How often have you passed the time at the doctor’s office leafing through torn edged magazines featuring last week’s bad news?  How long have you waited in a tiny room with nothing to do but look out of a window onto lifeless structures?  How many long corridors have you wandered down searching for the right door? Now, imagine having Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome where long hallways trigger fear, where dark corners potentially house bombs, and where closed doors sound alarm bells.  Then imagine that healthcare design might actually be part of the cure.  Imagine a safe, comfortable, peaceful world where mental and physical stress have not only been considered, but are paramount to the critical analysis that informs the affect of therapeutic environments. Today, consider healthy design.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) afflicts many Americans with military veterans in particular being effected in staggering numbers. Over 120,000 US military servicemen and women were diagnosed with PTSD between 2004-2012.  This month's show explores innovative thinking and an unlikely band of combatants coming together to fight for the cause through thoughtful design.

Our guests today are clinical psychologist at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Edward Vega, Ph.D., Innovative thinker and Perkins+Will architect, Matt Finn, and US Marine Corp veteran, Corporal Clint McMahan.  Through our interviews, we hope the listener will find as we did that design does matter and can help make for healthier environments.  This is an important and fascinating show, one that we hope will inspire others to be innovative, be thoughtful, and remember all of the consequences of combat.

EXTRA: Read "Posttraumatic Understanding" by Matt Finn.

In honor of Memorial Day, we offer respect and remembrance to all those who gave their lives in service of this country, and give thanks to all those still serving. Enjoy a safe holiday weekend. We’ll see you next month.

OVERVIEW

It’s that time of year again, when music lovers and cultural tourists pour into the Big Easy the last weekend of April and first weekend of May for food, melody and memory-making. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or “Jazz Fest”, as its affectionately known by fans all over the globe, started in 1970, growing from a modest group of 350 to more than 600,000 annual attendees. However, the historical significance of the Jazz Fest dates much further back than even the dawn of New Orleans Jazz in the early 1900’s, back to the 1700’s when an integrated world danced in the public squares of the Treme, sweet summer sweat permeated only by the rhythm of African drums and Caribbean beats.

The first Jazz Fest included musical acts in a singular Gospel tent on Congo Square.  That inaugural event must have been quite a show with artists like The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, and The Meters taking the stage to perform. Today, the festival has expanded genres to incredible variety showcasing blues, R&B, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, Afro-Caribbean, folk music, Latin, rock, rap, country, bluegrass, and of course both contemporary and traditional jazz. Oh, and then of course there’s the food: muffulettas, red beans and rice, and crawfish Monica, beignets, alligator sausage po' boys, softshell crabs, jambalaya, crawfish pie and file gumbo.

It’s no coincidence that one of the most popular music festivals in the world is held in New Orleans.  To give us a history lesson is host of Jazz Insights, our friend and professional musician, Dr. Gordon Vernick.  A true musical epistemologist, Gordon is most passionate about education, teaching “the audiences of the future” about his beloved jazz.  Answering the complex question about “the birthplace of jazz”, our interview hits high notes of colorful provenance concerning New Orleans musical legacy, and how events in history lead to the diversity we hear today.

“We  always playin’ together, why don’t we try to get together and try to organize the band and get something happenin’?,” asked our second guest, Roger Lewis, of Charles Joseph in a conversation leading them to found The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.  What they did was play more than just music.  They played a sound that was brand new, and people danced to it. In an interview that is quintessentially New Orleans, we hear about the early days, how New Orleans has changed and yet remained the same, plus we get some good eatin’ insights about where to hit when you’re at the Fest.

If  you like history, music, and great conversation, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this show. Laissez les bon temps rouler.

Header Photo credit: David Grunfeld, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune.

OVERVIEW

For this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA we’re exploring the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival through the eyes, ears and instruments of one of the city's most prolific and profound groups, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, as a precursor to their performance the last weekend of April in The Big Easy.  Ben Jaffe, Creative Director and resident tubaist for the band, was kind enough to jump on the phone with us to talk jazz and Jazz Fest.

For those not in the know, Preservation Hall is a home, venue, and right of passage in the New Orleans music scene. Founded in 1961, Preservation Hall exists to help maintain a bastion of one of our country's oldest musical forms. It was formed as both a performance venue and as a non-profit organization with the sole goal of keeping jazz alive in America's heart.  

Jaffe has been attending the New Orleans Jazz Festival since he was a kid, first performing at the festival as part of his Elementary school band. Now he performs every year, and has the honor - along with the rest of the krewe - of being featured on this year's Jazz Fest poster.  Take a listen, then go hear the show.

OVERVIEW

The Crystal Palace was built in 1851.  On Saturday April 5, 2014, representatives from 9 different disciplines at Georgia Institute of Technology join forces to give a symposium that covers design, building construction, architectural history, music...well, you get the idea.  

At the time of its construction, The Crystal Palace was a feat of design, engineering, and programming that amazed attendees, captivated world attention, and inspired architecture and design forever after.  On April 5th we'll hear the who, the what, the how.

We are honored to be joined in the studio by Brian Bowen, Professor of Practice, School of Building Construction, and Robert Craig, Professor Emeritus, School of Architecture, as a precursor to the day's events.  The presenters and run of show are below.  Take a listen now for a sneak peak into the conversation.  Please enjoy.

Great Buildings and Structures That Made a Difference

THE CRYSTAL PALACE, LONDON

The Great Exhibition of 1851

A Symposium

Saturday, April 5^th 2014

Reinsch-Pierce Auditorium, Architecture Building

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

The Presenters

Douglas Allen

Professor Emeritus, School of Architecture

Brian Bowen

Professor of Practice, School of Building Construction

Jason Brown

Assistant Professor, School of Architecture

Frank Clark

Professor & Chair, School of Music

Robert Craig

Professor Emeritus, School of Architecture

Laura Hollengreen

Associate Professor, School of Architecture

Lawrence Kahn

Professor, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Joyce Medina

Lecturer, School of Industrial Design

Steven Usselman

Professor & Chair, School of History, Technology & Society

OVERVIEW

Paper is the ubiquitous product we never think about. We may live in a digital universe, but paper, a very old school product, is still what keeps the pages of our world turning. Our money is still printed on it (to the tune of almost $1 billion a day), our books are still written on it (around 800 a day), and we still communicate with it (411 million letters a day). Despite these staggering numbers, there is no denying the sea change in culture and consumables. With that in mind, we decided to explore the past, present, and future of paper.

Paper, by its very nature, is meant to be temporary.  In fact, Americans throw away 4.5 million tons of office paper each year, enough to build a 12 foot high wall from New York to LA. So why is it that in the heart of Atlanta exists a museum dedicated to preserving what so many people toss in the trash? To answer the question about the permanence of impermanence we sit down with Virginia Howell, Education Curator of the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum at Georgia Tech.

It's no secret that newspaper sales are in decline. The clumsy black and gray rectangle that your father read each morning at the kitchen table is going out of style faster than yesterday's news; a coincidence. In its place, a glass and plastic tablet filled with an endless stream of information, pushing content and our need for trusted journalism higher than ever.  Let’s face it, The Times they are a changing.  Representing both mediums is Lee Clontz, an Emory journalism professor in charge of digital technology.  Lee joins us in the studio to talk about where we go from here.

We've got a great show for you, and we hope you'll look at paper just a little bit closer, perhaps in both a historical and innovative light. Please enjoy.

OVERVIEW

It's always been a lil dream of ours to put a few comedians on the air.  Well, we finally got our chance.  For this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA, we're extra lucky to have the super funny Blair Holden and Josh Warren from The Village Theatre.  

How did this go down?  Glad you asked.  It just so happened that the "Improv Boyz" (as we affectionately call them) were at AM 1690 doing a promo for a Valentine's Day segment with our Host Gene Kansas.  Gene was able to coax the guys into Studio P1 to tape a riff on paper.  

Why paper? Well, as it turns out, it can be quite a humorous subject.  Oh, and because "Paper: The History & The Future" is our headline episode for March.  Go figure.  And, tune in on March 31st.  It's going to be a good one.

OVERVIEW

Standing proudly in Upper New York Bay, the Statue of Liberty is an American icon and a symbol of freedom known the world over.  While grand and symbolic, the statue is just but one part of a much bigger picture that makes up the National Monument and our National psyche. What often gets forgotten is the foundation that Liberty aligns herself with, Ellis Island. Despite sub par conditions, its history, legacy and lore represent more than a processing station for new arrivals.  It is a beacon of hope, of opportunity, and of promise in a land of new beginnings. To understand where we are today we take a look back at the past and pay tribute to the history, architecture, ancestry, and practices of a little place with big impact.

No names were changed at Ellis Island - that is a myth.  In fact no legal documents were used at all.  It was a place to inspect, scrutinize, to push forward, and in some cases to send back.  Hardly the dream you’d hope for when you first caught glimpse of Bartholdi’s beautiful green goddess on neighboring Liberty Island.  However, from the 1890’s through the mid 1950’s, this rocky, immigration outpost received 75% of all people arriving in America.  Immigration expert, professor, and author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island, Vincent Cannato, joins us to deliver some fascinating historical highlights about coming to America.

An architect who understands the significance of the back-story is of the utmost importance to any project.  Lee Ann Gamble is co-founder and partner of Gamble + Gamble Architects with husband Michael.  The firm’s reputation for intelligence in design and approach are renowned. But her architectural acumen alone is not what brings her to our studio.  A penchant for tedious research, a love of storytelling, and an inquisitive father lead Lee Ann to open an account at Ancestry.com, and has grown into a near daily journey into understanding not only where her family came from but what we’re all made of.  In 2012, she took a trip to Ellis Island and, today, true to her architectural talent, she audibly paints a portrait of immigration’s stock in trade while sharing a personal and profound story of pride.

Through our conversations, we rediscover Ellis Island and in doing so celebrate its bounty of hope, of opportunity, of promise and of new beginnings.  And, of course, we do all this Sidewalk Radio style.  Please enjoy. 

THIS SHOW AIRS ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 24TH AT 6:30PM ON AM1690 "The Voice of the Arts".  In Atlanta? Listen live on your radio, or tune in from anywhere in the world to catch us online. 

Just can't wait?  Hit the play button at the top for Ellis Island on demand!

Art credit: Header image by Tamas Gaspar 

OVERVIEW

We're thrilled that Phil Harrison could join us in the studio this month.  It's not often one gets to sit down and talk about the future of design with the President & CEO of the number one architecture firm in the country as named by Architect Magazine.  

Harrison’s background in the arts, Philosophy, and Architecture make him the ideal leader of Perkins+Will, a firm whose mantra inspires “ideas and buildings that honor the broader goals of society.”  This ambition, and our conversation, covers everything from visual thinking to the role of designers in the social realm, from creativity to the changing landscape of education in architecture.  It’s a colorful conversation that will leave you well learned and yearning for more.  Please enjoy.

OVERVIEW

The Christmas season over, we thought it’d be fitting to take a retrospective look at toys so that we may have perspective about personal enjoyment and community development as we enter the New Year. It’s important to hear “Toy Stories” as narratives not glamorizing collective gluttony, but introspectively about their importance in the cultural food chain.  But, we promise, we won’t get too serious.  Toys are fun after all, and for us they are the topic of this month’s show, the passion of our guests.

Every year since 1947, one exceptional class of our armed forces takes on a very special Christmas mission. The U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program distributes donated toys to millions of needy children in a monumental effort to give back, to inspire, and to develop community.  We’re honored to be joined by Chief Warrant Officer A.T. Wilson, who has been the Director of the Atlanta Toys for Tots program for the past 9 years.  In 2012, the Atlanta program was the largest in the country, distributing 804,000 toys to children during the holiday season! 

If anyone knows toys, it's Christopher Byrne, celebrated author and Content Director at Timetoplay.com. His book, Toy Time!, takes a look back at the greatest toys of the last hundred years making him an expert on toys enjoyed by kids from all ages.  But, it’s not just his knowledge about Monopoly and My Little Pony that has us wrapped with attention, it’s his passion and understanding about what toys represent in society that adds insightful decoration to our discussion. 

We've talked to a lot of smart people about toys; the way they build and the way they are shared. But who are we kidding, no one knows toys better than a kid. They are the way children learn to turn their dreams into reality, how they learn to create a better (or at least more exciting) world. That's why we invited 10-year-old Maxine to give us the low down on what's hot amongst the Elementary school set and reintroduce us to the magic of toys.  Her story is a fun one, and one to remember as we enter the promise of 2014.  Let’s make it imaginative.  Let’s let the kid in us all live and prosper.

OVERVIEW

For this episode of Sidewalk Radio we’re thrilled to be joined by Brian Bell and David Yocum of BLDGS Architects, two extraordinary rising stars in the world of thoughtful design.  With accolades from The New York Times and CNN, and clients like Georgia Tech and the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, the duo captivates us in ability and in a conversation ranging from education to art, process to promise.  

Through the theme of transformation, our conversation not only delivers an elevated discussion about architecture, but also offers an audio journey that begins at BLDGS’ beloved “Villa de Murph”, travels to the unveiling of the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, emphasizes collaboration between contractors and architects on the college campus, and makes a pit stop at an auto body shop turned temple for Congregation Or Hadash.  In the end, we end up back at the beginning.  The future.  It’s an enlightening voyage. Please enjoy.

OVERVIEW

When we think about Thanksgiving we reflect and give thanks for friends, family, football, turkey, and on November 28^th, 50 million of us nationwide will tune in our appreciation for the always-spectacular Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  For the past 86 years the parade has thrilled and entertained us, becoming as traditional as sweet potatoes, cranberry, and pecan pie. 

Of course, there are many different types of processions that celebrate, and these parades vary widely in their look, feel and flair.  Beyond mind-blowing balloons, fantastical floats and marching bands, they all have a constant, a traditional reminder that we’re a community. This month we meet up with three guests who LOVE a parade, lending their colorful, personal experiences to marshal a parade of traditions, a tradition of parades. 

Publisher and parade historian Arthur Hardy is the voice of Mardi Gras.  Since 1977, his omnipresent Mardi Gras Guide has sold more than 2 millions copies, providing color commentary and programming to the Greatest Free Show on Earth.  Hardy joins Gene to talk about the royalty, revelry, and reminiscences contributing to entertainment, community engagement, and the identity of New Orleans.  The Mardi Gras tradition offers many different faces – rockin’, rollin’, ridin’, and reigning supreme as the largest parade of parades the world has ever known.

For 31 years Bill Schemerhorn has intimately contributed to one of our country’s greatest holiday traditions, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We’re lucky to have caught up with Bill just weeks before his parade proceeds through Manhattan with 3.5 million spectators in attendance.  As Creative Director, he oversees everything from dirigibles to clown coordination, from dancers to performers to talent selection and musical accompaniments, all in what he lovingly describes as “a 3-hour long variety show” bringing joy to millions.   We concur.

The Atlanta Beltline is the genius of Urban Designer and architect Ryan Gravel, connecting 45 different Atlanta neighborhoods and providing a path of cultural development.  Founder and Captain of the Krewe of Grateful Gluttons, Chantelle Rytter, raises a light to the BeltLine with her annual Lantern Parade, a new tradition that celebrates the connection of community.  As Atlanta’s first-ever krewe, the Gluttons keep up ATL’s mantra as “The City Too Busy to Hate”, parading 2.7 miles in a procession that differentiates itself by encouraging all to join the parade. Now that’s a party.

As we wind down, please have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and enjoy the show.  

Special thanks to DeAnna Kansas, who’s love of family and tradition inspired the creative content for this month’s episode.

This show is dedicated to the memory of Frank Lucas, a world-class father, a man of honor, and a veteran of tradition.  He was greatly loved, he will be greatly missed.

OVERVIEW

Skateboarding was at one time relegated to misguided perception and city streets.  Participants were counter-culture kids considered misfits and ne’er-do-wells constantly on the run from authority.  Well, those misfits are grown up, and they’re still running.  However, now they’re running businesses, charitable foundations, and the town. This month we recognize and explore the personal expression and cultural development that skateboarding so righteously offers both fans and communities.

Miki Vuckovich is Executive Director of the Tony Hawk Foundation.  With foresight, philanthropy and passion from super-star, celebrity skateboarder Tony Hawk, Miki and company have helped build and given grants to over 537 skatepark projects in an effort that covers all 50 states since 2002. Along the way they’ve delivered community pride and donated more than $4.5 million.  Miki, joins Gene to talk about skateboarding (then and now), and the promise it holds for our future.

Wade Thompson is self diagnosed ADD, but we just see him as an extremely talented, nationally desired brand expert who happens to have better focus when he’s on a skateboard.  As President of Son & Sons, Wade gets paid to help companies and communities understand, celebrate and illuminate their brands. Who woulda’ thought that a skateboard kid wasn’t solely sliding curbs, but also seeing the city from a different perspective?!

When he was a kid, Brad Siedlecki built a quarter pipe in his front yard with his dad. In 2013 Brad’s company, Pillar Design Studios of Tempe, AZ, finished designing and building 70,000 square foot Highvalley Skateworld in Stockholm, Sweden.  Brad is living proof that hanging out at the park can evolve in to more than bumps and bruises.  Brad joins Gene to talk about his personal experience and lifelong lessons he picked up skating that go well beyond the board.

Join us as we venture back to the future (sorry, we had to), and kick it with some really great folks, doing really good things, all in the name of community, self-expression, and skateboarding.  It’s a good one.  Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

Over the past 3 years, we’ve interviewed over 150 colorful guests representing the very best in a cultural continuum that's shaping the world around us.  We’ve sat down with artists, urban planners, educators, administrators, architects, preservationists, and peregrine falcon keepers.  We’ve chatted with chefs, farmers, directors, designers, leaders, luminaries, and in one case a guy who carved a tree in to an owl.  It’s been a journey of great learning, and we’re so glad you’ve joined us for the ride.

Along the way we’ve made great friends.  From “Littles” in Big Brothers Big Sisters, to the Chairman Emeritus of the Atlanta Braves, Civil Rights icons, CEO’s, historians, archivists, entomologists, and experts from a variety of fields. We have learned so much, and have enjoyed bringing our listeners an authentic look at Atlanta’s history and culture.  It’s absolutely been an honor.

We’re sincerely grateful to all of our listeners, our fabulous guests, and the great group at AM 1690 "The Voice of the Arts".  To our friends and family, thank you so much for your love and support, you mean the world to us.  We are extremely grateful for the creativity, hard work and enthusiasm of Associate Producer Hannah Amick and Writer Nicholas Cooper-Kedrick.  We’re also super thankful for and appreciative of our sponsors.  Perkins+Will has been incredibly supportive from the very beginning, providing inspiration and allegiance, and for that we thank them.  Of course we’d also like to thank our newest sponsor, Hirsch Bedner Associates.  Take one look at their work and you’ll know why we’re fired up!

The purpose of Sidewalk Radio is not only to host interesting, insightful and entertaining conversations, but also to foster them.  Together we’re all elevating discussions among our spheres of influence, and ideally we’re all contributing to positive physical and cultural development in our communities.  So, in the spirit of great conversation, let’s join Host Gene Kansas and Producer Max Arbes as we look back and listen to some of the “best of” from the past 3 years.  Enjoy the show, and thanks so much for tuning in!

WANT TO LISTEN BACK TO OUR ENTIRE 36 EPISODES?  Well, just kick it on over to iTunes.  Enjoy!

OVERVIEW

​The Broken Window Theory postulates that a broken window is more than just shattered glass, it's a visual indicator that the property is uncared for and even unsafe.  You fix all the windows on the building, then all on the street, then all in the neighborhood and you've elevated the community.  Analogous to that, a Pie Shop is more than just a pie shop.  For this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA we sit down with pie entrepreneur Mims Bledsoe, pie maker and owner of the Pie Shop in Buckhead's West Village.  Listen and you'll hear her story, and the encouraging narrative about how pies do more than tempt our taste buds, they catalyze urban development and community building.

Another cool component of this EXTRA is that we're doing our part to help build neighborhoods in Atlanta by letting you, the reader and listener, know about the Pie Shop Kickstarter campaign.  YOU can make a difference in our Atlanta community just by liking pie.  Now that's in good taste.  Dig in.  

CONTRIBUTE TO THE PIE SHOP KICKSTARTER NOW.

OVERVIEW

Sometimes we’re lucky.  At Sidewalk Radio, we feel that way about our friendship with Charles McNair. McNair, host of Charles McNair Book Reviews, and 1994 Pultizer Prize nominee for fiction, is luminous, empathetic, and approachable. On September 20^th, Pickett's Charge, his “stirring and hilarious tale of the final battle of the American Civil War” hits shelves; it needs to be in your hands. 

Today, Mr. McNair is in our studio. From the instance that began a career, to the thought behind the cover, to the inspiration for the book, this interview gives us a colorful and insightful back-story to the story and the storyteller, the conversation we all want to have with the writers we read. Please enjoy.

OVERVIEW

In 1917, an enormous fire ravaged 75 blocks of Atlanta, leaving 1 mile of destruction in its wake.  To replant the seeds of commerce, the city of Atlanta created an open-air market (1918 – 1923) in what is now the Sweet Auburn Historic District.  The gathering became so popular, a permanent structure was demanded and the Women’s Club of Atlanta raised money to help make it happen.  The Municipal Market of Atlanta, as it’s officially titled, opened its doors in 1924, selling produce, meats, and products to consumers of the day.  The market was in many ways egalitarian, meant for people of all classes and color, but not everyone was allowed inside.  The African American shoppers had to buy their goods from carts on the curb, prompting a nickname that still stands nearly 90 years later; today we affectionately call it “The Curb Market”.

Public markets have the power to positively influence the image of a city.  Ask people what they like most about The Curb Market and you get one answer repeated: diversity. Much like the city it represents, The Curb Market not just offers diversity of people, but diversity of cultures, experiences, products, and ideas. From little old ladies who have shopped there since MLK, Jr. preached around the corner, to GSU students exploring downtown for the first time, from doctors and nurses at Grady, to tourists visiting the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, The Curb Market attracts us all.  And, on the food scene, diversity tempts our taste buds with each new merchant. Be it a chef-inspired ice cream shop, Venezuelan street food, or fresh juice to go, there’s always something tasty to catch eye and appetite.  

Managing the market and its diversity is Pamela Joiner.  Part “house mother”, part curator, Pam joins Gene to provide an inside look into the bustling day-to-day activity that makes The Curb Market such a cherished cultural asset, an enjoyed community treasure.

Markets are so popular right now we sometimes forget they’ve been around since antiquity. In a time of “market mania” (Ponce City Market, Krog Street Market, Buford Highway Farmers Market to name a few), The Curb Market stands as the city’s oldest public market, and one of extreme importance in regards to historic preservation and cultural significance. Richard Laub is Director, Master of Heritage Preservation Program, at Georgia State University; GSU and their 32,500 students surround the market. Richard has worked in the field of historic preservation for over 30 years, receiving his initial training as a restoration craftsman with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Richard adds his expertise to discuss the market’s preservation success story in an historical context, adding a professor’s touch to the importance of markets in communities worldwide.

As the Atlanta Streetcar’s Executive Director, Tim Borchers is a true community builder. Tim hops on board to talk about the impact and operations of our rising transit star; where it will go and where it’s taking us.  From what we can tell, the transformation will be transformational for the 2.6 mile loop leading from The King Center to Centennial Olympic Park. An estimated 2 million visitors enjoy both tourist destinations each year.  But, where do they eat?!  Of course, there’s an official Streetcar stop right outside the Edgewood Avenue front door of the Sweet Auburn Curb Market.  Why?  Tim says, "It’s where people want to go."

Steven Smith is Co-founder and COO of Sunday Gravy, a NYC favorite that arrived in Atlanta just 4 months ago,  quickly making many friends at The Curb Market. Smith’s passion for gutsy fare and his New York-Italian heritage inspired the revival of a century-old tradition of sharing a slow braise of beef, pork, meatballs, and sausage in a rustic tomato ragu -- Sunday Gravy. Smith has been featured in The New York Post, The Opie and Anthony Show, and Fox and Friends, and joins us to “tawk” about being a new merchant in an historic market. 

Steven’s business partner, and “roommate” at The Curb Market, is Keith Schroeder, a celebrated entrepreneur, chef, author, and food educator. He is the co-founder and CEO of the award-winning, chef-inspired High Road Craft Ice Cream, and is actively building a family of food brands, including his partnership with Sunday Gravy and Winnow Food Markets. Schroeder is currently completing his first book, and brings a lively conversation (along with ridiculously good Buttermilk ice cream) to the Sidewalk Radio studio.

This show is super tasty, full of history, and promises to be a colorful exploration of Atlanta’s best-kept secret/soon to be most popular stop on the Streetcar, The Sweet Auburn Curb Market. 

Special thanks to Nicholas Cooper-Kedrick & Hannah Huffines Amick for their collaboration with this post and in this production.  It's good.  Enjoy!

OVERVIEW

Want to learn about Atlanta?  Take the class by listening to this show.  From real estate to restaurants, “hipstoric” trends to historic tracks, our conversation with urban guru James Oxendine covers a lot of ground.  A writer, educator, consultant, and lover of Atlanta, our very special guest makes this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA something to talk about.  Enjoy smart, cool conversation about our Atlanta story as told by a man who talks the talk by walking the walk.  

OVERVIEW

This month we sit down with three unique guests to talk about the gravity and gravitas of the world’s largest piece of exposed granite, Stone Mountain.  A memorial to the Confederacy, this several trillion-ton landmark stands as a complex example of both physical and cultural geography, of civil and natural significance.  A magnificent place to hike, to explore, and enjoy the outdoors, the park provides.  However, one of the most interesting attractions is at times also its most polarizing.  The historical carving featuring a trio of Southern generals and their horses: Jefferson Davis on Blackjack, Robert E. Lee on Traveler and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson on Little Sorrel, spans three acres and is larger than the Mount Rushmore relief, its creation and implication making for interesting discourse and debate.

Paul Hudson, Ph.D has been hailed by The New York Times as a world authority on time capsules.  Hudson is also co-author, along with Lora Mirza, of Atlanta’s Stone Mountain: A Multicultural History, the book winning the 2012 Lilla M. Hawes Award from the Georgia Historical Society.  Hudson’s commentary on Stone Mountain as a time capsule adds a colorful look back into the future.

Cultural Geographer and long-time teacher John Allensworth, Ph.D. is a resident of Stone Mountain with a penchant for its history.  John has been jogging, climbing and reading about the mountain since moving to Atlanta in 1998, and joins Gene in the studio to discuss his explorations and adventures through the lens of both a doting grandfather and a world-class geologist.

When you think stone, you typically don’t think bird watching.  But, as a Master Birder and Board Member of Atlanta Audubon Society, Jay Davis has a different view. In fact, Stone Mountain Park is a birdwatcher’s haven.  Jay leads walks at Stone Mountain and is also one of the founders of birdJam, a bird song app used for bird identification.  Jay and Gene chirp away about the many feathered friends whom inhabit the park.  Pretty cool stuff.

Hike often, and enjoy the show!

OVERVIEW

​From Farm.  To Table.  To Farm.  That's the life of Anne Quatrano, one of our country's most touted and beloved chefs and restauranteurs, as she brings fresh goods from the farm to her award winning restaurants only to turn the truck around and head home (back to Summerland Farm where she and her husband, Clifford Harrison, live) in time to get a well-deserved night's rest.    

We were fortunate enough to have Anne join Gene in the studio for our "BBQ: Pitmasters" episode, and enjoyed the conversation so much we decided to offer the full course, airing this interview in its entirety.

Our chat runs the gamut from the early days of Bacchanalia to the advent of Abattoir, from the choice of investing in Atlanta's Westside (the city's original meatpacking district) to her new book, Summerland; All along the way Anne delivers quite a treat in culinary discourse.  

Thanks for listening.  Please enjoy.

OVERVIEW

Barbecue fans, this show’s for you.  This month we take a spicy, sweet, saucy, smokin‘ good look at the history, art, science, position and passion for barbecue in our Southern society and beyond.

Joining Gene in the studio this month are some of the country’s most pork-influenced tastemakers. They provide us with a flavor for this enduring tradition, and a background that’s both educational and entertaining.

We’re delighted and charmed to have James Beard Award-Winner Anne Quatrano join in our BBQ discussion this month. Author. Innovator. Visionary. Entrepreneur. Plus, Quatrano is widely held to be one of the country’s greatest chefs. Together with her husband, award-winning chef Clifford Harrison, she operates four of Atlanta’s most celebrated restaurants - Bacchanalia, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Floataway Café and Abattoir as well as a cook’s market, Star Provisions. These renowned concepts are located in and around Westside Urban Market and White Provisions, the epicenter of the city’s original meatpacking district. Anne talks about where our food comes from, the importance of purveying, the perfect pig, and the history of Atlanta’s Westside.

If you like beer and barbecue, especially together, then you’ll love Bob Townsend. Bob has been writing about beer and food for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for well over a decade. His "Beer Town" column appears in the paper’s Thursday Food section and his weekly "First Look" restaurant feature runs in the Wednesday Living section.  Bob delves into the culture of pairing beer with BBQ, and we even crack open a cold one with him for a little on-air taste test.  Good stuff.

One of our favorite return guests is Sidewalk Radio friend, Jim Auchmutey. A journalist and author in Atlanta, Auchmutey was twice named Cox Newspapers' Writer of the Year. His food stories have won awards from the James Beard Foundation and the Association of Food Journalists and he has co-authored two cookbooks (one of which was about barbecue sauces and rubs). He is currently working on two books, one being an illustrated history of barbecue, in conjunction with a traveling exhibition at the Atlanta History Center. He hails from a long line of Georgia pit-masters and Brunswick stew-makers (Jim's grandfather can be seen in this story's main photo as featured in Saturday Evening Post magazine July 1954), making him a perfect addition to this all-star cast.

SPECIAL THANKS TO HANNAH HUFFINES FOR HER HARD WORK IN MAKING THIS ONE OF OUR MOST TASTY EPISODES YET. 

OVERVIEW

There is plant life, and then there is the life centered around plants.  Today we germinate, blossom and bloom with conversation about both.  Our journey takes us from the farm to the garden to the design studio and even to edible insects.  Let’s just say it’s a show that flowers with cultural pollination.  

Lise Cormier is Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Mosaïcultures Internationales in Montréal, and she is also the creative visionary responsible for “Imaginary Worlds”, a mosaiculture fantasyland featuring remarkably elaborate three-dimensional sculptures made completely out of plants on exhibit now at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Mary Pat Matheson is the President and CEO of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and was instrumental in bringing “Imaginary Worlds” to the US for the first time in history.  Mary Pat charms us with her rosiness for garden life, and helps us to understand the business behind botanicals...and business is blooming.

When it comes to business, we’ve got just the eco-entrepreneur for you, his name is Daron Joffe, affectionately known as “Farmer D”.  Joffe is both dynamic and biodynamic, helping to create relationships between what we grow, what we eat, and how we live.  From CNN to PBS to the New York Times, the press adores Farmer D, and the kids who get to play in his gardens harvest memories that will last their lifetime.

Jule-Lynne Macie is the “Bug Lady” and she likes it. An entomologist with the University of Georgia in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Jule-Lynne helps bring a micro look at a macro contributor to plant life, the bugs. An expert on the subject, she most enjoys teaching.  On the day of our interview, she spent time with a second grade glass educating them about edible insects; you’ve got to hear her recipe for worm fried rice.

Plants are everywhere.  Tune in and learn a bit about ‘em.  Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

This year at FLUX, Sidewalk Radio set up a LIVE mobile studio to capture the sights and sounds of Atlanta’s largest free public art event.  It was a colorful evening, full of creativity and curiosity…and, of course, art.  Marching through the streets and right into our ON AIR studio was the Krewe of Grateful Gluttons, an amazing group of family and friends who bring their gift (read: parade) to Atlanta.

If you’ve seen them marchin’ down the street (or BeltLine), then you know how spectacular they are.  Now hear Creative Director, Chantelle Rytter, roll in audio fashion with Host Gene Kansas on what we’re proud to say is one of our most fun interviews to date.  Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

This month on ART STROLL we’re gonna “Dash through the Past” with The Georgia Trust at the 4th Annual Rhodes Race. It’s a family friendly 5k that benefits historic preservation in Georgia.

It’s only fitting that the race winds its way through one of Atlanta’s favorite and most historic ‘hoods, Ansley Park.  But, before you lace up your shoes to enjoy the beautiful, tree-lined course, tune in as President and CEO of The Georgia Trust, Mark McDonald, joins us on this episode to talk about preservation, places in peril, and the collaboration for restoration in Georgia.

LISTEN TO THIS SHOW NOW, and then dash, stroll or roll on Saturday November 10th.  Enjoy the show, then show your support.

Wanna run?  Click here to register. 

OVERVIEW

We all know and celebrate The Fabulous Fox Theatre. Many of us know about the “Save the Fox” campaign of the 1970′s.  But, how many know about how this place and this cause come together to help restore and preserve 261 other historic theaters in Georgia?!  That’s where The Fox Theatre Institute comes in, and that’s where history, culture and preservation luck out. This month on ART STROLL, we are joined by Program Manager of The Fox Theatre Institute, Carmie McDonald, to tell us more about historic preservation and to share some of the highlights from the newly launched “Georgia Historic Preservation Handbook”.

Typically on ART STROLL we introduce our listeners to an arts and culture event.  This month our exploration comes in the form of visiting a virtual space (see the Internet) to get our hands on, well, the handbook.  At 214 pages long, it’s not just some pamphlet, it’s impressive and it’s important.  However, the flow, advice and resource it provides is done in a way that makes it easy for the layman to understand.

NOT A THEATER OWNER?  No worries, the handbook is not just for owners and operators of historic theaters!  The handbook covers all efforts historic as they relate to restoration and preservation.  Some Sidewalk Radio favorites include: How to get a historic marker, resources for grants and tax incentives, and an explanation of the “alphabet ranch”.  Make sure to take a listen to ART STROLL and then go download your very own handbook today.

MAKE HISTORY. HERE.

DOWNLOAD THE HANDBOOK.

OVERVIEW

On this segment of ART STROLL, we hear about how the BeltLine is bringing together friends, families, artists, and admirers.  Fred Yalouris, Director of Design for the Atlanta BeltLine, talks about how art (and abandoned rails) truly connect our community. 

A lil bit of New Orleans – thanks to The Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons and Chantelle Rytter – and a lot of art – thanks to 74 visual and performing artists – is coming to the Atlanta BeltLine on Saturday September 8th as “Art on the BeltLine” kicks off their 3rd annual exposition with a Lantern Parade.

Spaces and faces will be lighting up on the corner of Lake Avenue at Irwin Street (Ya know, next to The Icebox) beginning at 7:30pm for a march along the line.  The parade is an all ages occasion to help celebrate the opening of “Art on the BeltLine”.

OVERVIEW

The 2012 Living Walls, The City Speaks Conference kicks off on Wednesday, August 15th. This year’s conference is the first of its kind by featuring 26 all-female street artists. Living Walls Founder and Executive Director, Monica Campana, joins Gene in the studio on Sidewalk Radio’s event and culture segment, ART STROLL, to talk about this year’s focus on female artists and give insight plus information on the purpose of the annual conference.

Though the conference officially starts on Wednesday, street artists have already begun to transform the urban landscape of Atlanta.

Living Walls is an annual conference focusing on urbanism and street art. Started in Atlanta in August 2010, the conference showcases street artists who interact with the city to create conversation and uncover culture.  The five-day conference is filled with block parties, bike tours, film screenings and lectures. Come hear Sidewalk Radio’s host, Gene Kansas, participate in a panel discussion on Saturday the 18th at the Plaza Theatre at 3:00…see event flyer below for more info about all participants…it’s going to be a great conversation.  All events, which can be found here, are free and open to the public.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH

2nd half of Lectures

The Plaza Theatre

12:00pm-4:00pm

2nd half of Lectures with panels discussing urbanism and public art in Atlanta.

Oh, and they’re not only on walls…they’re also on Facebook.

OVERVIEW

Renowned Atlanta artist Todd Murphy joins Gene in the studio (via Brooklyn) for this Sidewalk Radio Special to talk art, life, adventure and the future of the gallery.  It’s a fascinating interview with one of the country’s most prolific creative talents.  Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

“Freedom is not free.” – Congressman John Lewis on Sidewalk Radio. We are honored that Congressman Lewis, a Civil Rights icon and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, could join Gene for the “Freedom: Civil War to Civil Rights” episode.  To celebrate his participation on the show, we are making the entire, unedited interview available.  Enjoy this wonderful conversation about what it takes to be a voice for freedom, and the cost to be free.

Find out more about the contributions and accomplishments of U.S. Congressman John Lewis.

Interested in Civil Rights? Listen to our "Freedom" episode.

Interested in Auburn Avenue? Listen to our "Sweet Auburn" episode.

OVERVIEW

THERE IS A 15 SECOND DELAY IN PLAYING THIS EPISODE...THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

Politicians are people.  But, it’s not everyday that we get to see the personal side of a public figure.  In this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA, we have the honor and privilege to sit down with Atlanta City Councilmember for District 2, Kwanza Hall, and get to know the man behind a mission.  And, by getting to know him personally, we see the passion that is Year of Boulevard.

Yes, this interview runs almost 1 hour, and the majority of it is about YoBoulevard!, but the road we travel to arrive there discusses some of Kwanza’s most important life memories and milestones: the importance of parenting and the positive role his father played, an interest in art and culture, and the moment that botany helped him become a man.  Yes, botany!

This is a must hear for anyone who cares about a person caring for our Atlanta community.  Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

Kai Riedl is a musician, a scholar, and most recently, along with UGA Art professor Eric Marty, the co-founder of Athens Slingshot, a new art, music and cultural event taking place in Athens, Georgia on March 9th. If you love Athens, art, music, and have a keen interest in hearing about how to start your very own cultural festival, you’ve gotta take a listen to this interview.

We’re excited about Slingshot, and we’re also very amped up about ON THE ROAD: ATHENS, an upcoming episode of Sidewalk Radio where we, well, take the show on the road.  That episode airs March 25th.

Enjoy this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA, and make sure to get to Athens to take part in this inaugural event.

OVERVIEW

Greg Alterman is the entrepreneur who made an American classic comfortable. Thank you, Greg.  While the super soft, stylish and comfy Alternative Apparel started out of his college dorm room, Alterman’s business acumen goes way back through his family’s ancestral lines. The Altermans have owned grocery stores, restaurants, and even dressed Hollywood starlets. For this Sidewalk Radio EXTRA, Gene sits down with the Atlanta native who has made it big by paying attention to the smallest details. It’s a fun, entertaining, and entrepreneurial chat with a decently funny guy. Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

The Wren’s Nest is the historic, West End home of Atlanta author Joel Chandler Harris, where some of the world’s most famous literature was written.  We all remember Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit along with the other multitude of incredible characters and colorful tales written by Harris.  However, not many know that Harris’ stories have their origin in Africa.   More than that, Harris learned these stories (and their lessons) while working on a plantation.  Harris was never a slave owner, but was a stuttering, bastard child and was considered to be a lesser person than the other whites in rural Georgia.

It was this upbringing that relative and current Board Chairman of The Wren’s Nest, Lain Shakespeare, says contributed to Harris’ moral compass and his pen, instruments that over 100 years ago were pointing solidly in the direction of Civil Rights through his writing; the first collection of tales was published in 1880.

Lain joins Gene on this month’s ART STROLL to talk about the legacy of Harris and his contributions to Civil Rights.  Also joining is “Wren’s Nest Rambler”, Curtis Richardson, a more than charismatic storyteller with The Wren’s Nest.  Listen to this show to hear Curtis and Lain share their stories.  Enjoy.

ENJOY FREE STORYTELLING and tours each Saturday at The Wren’s Nest.  This upcoming Saturday, July 28th, Sidewalk Radio will be providing FREE KING OF POPS popsicles to all guests.  Show starts at 1:00, but come a little early for a VIP tour of this historic house museum.

OVERVIEW

Modern Atlanta’s 5th Annual education and exhibition series kicks off on Friday June 1st and promises to be the biggest and best thus far.  MA Co-Founder Elayne DeLeo joins Gene in the studio to talk about this years program, entitled “Design is Human”, and give some insight and info about the always popular Modern Atlanta Home Tour.

This episode of ART STROLL airs on Monday June 4th at 8:20 am and 6:20 pm on AM1690 “The Voice of the Arts”, but don’t wait until then to enjoy MA.  Program highlights feature the highest echelon in design from architecture to interiors to visual arts…all the things we love over here on Sidewalk Radio and ART STROLL.

MA “Design is Human” runs June 1st – June 10th.

Definitely do not miss the Home Tour on June 9th & June 10th.

Get your tickets to the Modern Atlanta Home Tour now.  Enjoy!

One more “do not miss” event in MA…For all of you Michael Habachy fans (count us in on that list), make sure to head on over to Room & Board on the Westside for a design talk on Thursday June 7th, 6:00 – 8:00.

OVERVIEW

50 years ago on June 3, 1962, the single greatest disaster in Atlanta’s art world took place when 122 art patrons lost their lives in a crash at Orly Field in France.  The terrible moment created grief, heartache and sadness.  The silver lining was a catalyzing movement in Atlanta’s arts and business communities to create a memorial.  That memorial is The Woodruff Arts Center.

This June 3rd, we remember those who lost their lives and celebrate what they stood for at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Orly Community Day.  There are plenty of fun – and free – activities planned. The Alliance Theatre, High Museum of Art, Young Audiences, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (all part of Woodruff’s offerings) will play a part, but sure to be among the most touching of those activities will be a reading by author, poet, and playwright Pearl Cleage of her poem “Wish You Were Here” written in commemoration of those who perished.

Pearl was kind enough to visit us in the studio to read a segment of her poem and talk to us about what a memorial means to her.

OVERVIEW

What does art have to do with love?  Find out this Wednesday morning by tuning in to Art Stroll on AM1690 “The Voice of the Arts” at about 8:20am (yeah, we know, early), and then cruise on over to Johnny’s Hideaway on Thursday night around 7:00pm (also a lil early).  Not enough info?  Okay, read below too.

One Love Generation is an Atlanta arts based non-profit that seeks to educate and inspire young artists through classes and mentorship.  The organization aims “to inspire positive social change through art, service, and awareness,” and offers multiple programs each month to students.  For this week’s Art Stroll we sit down with One Love Generation’s fearless leader Jennifer Lester, to discuss the young Atlanta arts community.  Among other things we also discuss an upcoming fundraising “opportunity” that you are invited to.

One Love Generation will be hosting their 3rd Annual Date Night fundraiser this Thursday at Johnny’s Hideaway, and you’re invited.

The prospective dates include skydiving, wine tours, a trip to the shooting range, and lots of dinners at Atlanta’s fine restaurants, all complete with some of the city’s interesting and attractive people (visit Facebook for a complete list of folks being auctioned and included activities).

So why wait?  Tickets are $15 online, or $20 at the door.

Think about it–art, charity, fun, dancing, hot dates.  Why hesitate? It’s for the kids. One Love Generation’s 3rd Annual Date Auction April 19, 7p-11 Johnny’s Hideaway.

OVERVIEW

Mary Murphy is not your typical librarian (she’s a with-it, stylish, Visual Resources Librarian) and the books in SCAD Atlanta’s ACA Library are not your typical books.  In this excursion of Art Stroll, Gene sits down with Mary to talk about why some books are better off being on the coffee table instead of on the tablet.  In fact, some of the books in the collection (like ones created by Tauba Auerbach) are the size of a coffee table, measuring nearly 3 feet long and retailing for $550.00.  Now that’s a book!

The ACA Library features over 2100 “artist books” that encourage interaction.  You can make an appointment to view these amazing and touchable works of art anytime, but if you head over to SCAD through April 13, 2012, you can see everything that Mary helped collect over the past year.

Tune in Monday, March 12th (host Gene Kansas‘ birthday, by the way!) to hear this show.  Email Visual Resources Librarian Mary Murphy at mmurphy@scad.edu to schedule a visit.  Book it and enjoy!

OVERVIEW

ART STROLL is a new, monthly excursion from Sidewalk Radio featuring the very best in Atlanta’s creativity. ART STROLL, hosted by Gene Kansas, covers arts & culture events and the people making them happen.

For our maiden voyage, we take a snapshot into the high-end art world with Anna Walker Skillman, owner of famed Jackson Fine Art, a premiere gallery showcasing world-class photography right here in Atlanta.

Anna joins Gene in the studio to talk about three incredible shows on exhibit through April 7th. Todd Murphy, Chip Simone & Vivian Maier. Tune in, take a listen, then go take a look.

OVERVIEW

This month, Host Gene Kansas and Sidewalk Radio, leave the streets and hit the seats to delve into the world of cinema with a NEW SPECIAL SEGMENT called POPCORN THERAPY that brings together exceptional people with expert psychologists to explore the characters of a film and their stories. It’s a movie review, but since they’re not film critics, Gene and his guests will be exploring these characters and the movie through their own life experiences. Today’s film, “Chicken with Plums”.

Sony Pictures Classics’ “Chicken with Plums”, is a 2011 French drama, directed by Marjane Satrapi (who’s great, great grandfather was the last Emperor of Persia) and Vincent Parronaud, the dynamic artists and filmmakers who took home the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2007 with their internationally acclaimed Persepolis.  Satrapi and Parronaud magically orchestrate a story of broken love as told through the swan song of Nasser Ali Kahn, one of the world’s best violin players.  The film starts with Nasser Ali’s wife smashing his prize violin, making it impossible for him to ever play – or love – again, or so we think.  In absolute despair, Nasser Ali recedes to his room to die.  He does so 8 days later, and through his death we learn about life.

For this session of POPCORN THERAPY, we have two very special guests in the studio.  Violinist David Coucheron is the Concertmaster violin player with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Jared DeFife, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, former Harvard Medical School fellow, and a faculty professor at Emory University where he acts as Associate Director of the Laboratory of Personality and Psychopathology.

It seemed only fitting to have Mr. Coucheron, who plays a 1725 Stradivarius and is one of the world’s top violinists, join us to share his thoughts about the film through a musician’s eyes and ears. And, Mr. DeFife, no stranger to psychoanalysis, is also a logical guest to help dissect the hopeless Nasser Ali and his family.  So where does “Chicken with Plums” come in?  Listen andsee.

LISTEN TO POPCORN THERAPY NOW.

“Chicken with Plums”, making its US debut, is open now in select cities, and premieres locally in Atlanta at Sidewalk Radio favorite, Tara Cinema, on October 5th.  Run Time: 91 minutes.  Rated: PG-13.  Enjoy the show! 

Don’t live in Atlanta? Find a theater near you.

Special thanks to Jennifer Ament, Producer of POPCORN THERAPY.  Hear more of her work at Soundcloud.

This session of POPCORN THERAPY brought to you by The Icebox. Cool Stuff.

OVERVIEW

Urban explorer and Host Gene Kansas again delves into the world of cinema with our special segment, POPCORN THERAPY, that brings together exceptional people with expert psychologists to explore the characters of a film and their stories. It’s a movie review, but since they’re not film critics, Gene and his guests will be discussing the movie through their own life experiences. Today’s film, “Versailles ’73”.

In 1973, the Palace of Versailles was in desperate need of repair, a makeover so to speak, so a lavish fashion show was dreamt up to attract the most influential and affluent attendees, with the most sought after and famous designers and models in the world.  The evening’s program featured French designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy, competing against newcomer American talents like Steven Burrows, Halston and Bill Blass along with Anne Klein and Oscar de la Renta who were relatively unknown on the international scene.

The show took place on the same stage where Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette, and the anticipation for French dominance was high.  But, the show stoppers where not royalty, in fact they were unknown African American models, pulling off a stunning coup de etat of elegance in their simplicity that had all in attendance, including Princess Grace, throwing their programs in the air with wild applause.

For this session of Popcorn Therapy, we have two very special guests in the studio, and, as always, two that have particular relevance to this film. Daniel Troppy is a fashion expert and owner of Doubletake, Atlanta’s first choice for luxury vintage, and, Dr. Rhea Gordon, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice with 30 years experience including positions at Harvard Medical and as former Director of Counseling at Spelman College.

It seemed only fitting to have Mr. Troppy, whose passion for style is impeccable, join us to paint a picture with words about the film through a stylists’ eye for fashion. And, Ms. Gordon, an expert in diversity, self-awareness and identity, is also a logical guest to help us understand ego and inner beauty.  So what happened that night at the Palace?  Listen and see.

“Versailles ’73” is open now in select cities, and premieres locally in Atlanta at Sidewalk Radio favorite, Midtown Arts Cinema, on October 29th, 30th & 31st.  Run Time: 91 minutes.  Rated: NR.  Enjoy the show! 

IN ATLANTA ON TUESDAY NIGHT THE 30th? JOIN US FOR THE 5:40 SHOWING & STAY FOR A LIVE Q&A WITH DIRECTOR, DEBORAH RILEY DRAPER.

GET TICKETS HERE.

OVERVIEW

Urban explorer and Host Gene Kansas contemplates American history and its leadership through the lens of cinema with this “session” of POPCORN THERAPY, our special segment bringing together exceptional people with expert psychologists to explore the characters of a film and their stories. It’s a movie review, but since they’re not film critics, Gene and his guests will be discussing the movie through their own life experiences. Today’s film, Lincoln.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” -LincolnLincoln the film covers the last 4 months of President Lincoln’s life: the lobbying, the tests of loyalty, and the struggles of a man to deliver equality, win The Civil War and unite a nation.  As viewers we see Lincoln’s relationships with his wife, his children, his soldiers, his citizens, his people. As American’s we experience the relationship of history to the unacceptable alternative in a very intimate manner and throughout a turning point of our existence, watching the President knowingly choose the harder, bloodier road to do what he felt was right.

For this session of Popcorn Therapy, we have two very special guests in the studio, and, as always, two that have particular relevance to this film.  Rickey Bevington is News Director of TV, radio and digital for Georgia Public Broadcasting, a journalist highly experienced in covering both politics and The Civil War.  Also joining is returning guest Jared DeFife, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Emory University with a passion for cinema.

It seemed only fitting to have Ms. Bevington, whose pastime meets her profession, a true authority on Civil War history and a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of our democratic system. And, Mr. DeFife, an expert in human behavior, is also a logical guest to help us understand the relationship between the psychology of the man and the psychology of a President.  So how does Lincoln stand up to legend and legacy?  Listen and see.

LISTEN TO POPCORN THERAPY NOW.

Steven Spielberg directs two-time Academy Award® winner Daniel Day-Lewis in what’s sure to be another award-winning performance.  DreamWorks’ Lincoln opens nationally on November 16th.  Run Time: 150 minutes.  Rated: PG-13.  Enjoy the show!

OVERVIEW

Today we’re excited to introduce a new special segment called VOXPOP that captures sounds (and imaginations) from various people and places around town.  Why?  Well, we think about it as a preview to whet the appetite for each month’s upcoming Sidewalk Radio show…that, and we have fun doing it.

November’s episode of Sidewalk Radio is “Buford Highway”, so we thought it only proper for Sidewalkers Jenny Ament & Ashley Cooper to hop in the Voxmobile and pay a visit to the Buford Highway Farmers Market to get us warmed up.  What we find are incredible people in a place that’s one-of-a-kind.  The result is a true cultural feast.  Enjoy.

Sidewalk Radio’s “Buford Highway” episode airs on Monday November 26th at 6:30pm on AM 1690 “The Voice of the Arts”.  

Special guests include: Greg Best (H&F, Bottle Shop), Linton Hopkins (Restaurant Eugene, H&F), Jack Halpern (Halpern Enterprises), and Harold Shinn (Buford Highway Farmers Market).  Now that’s a show!

OVERVIEW

As a holiday teaser for this month’s show, Coca-Cola & Christmas, we left our seats and hit the streets to ask Atlantans what they think Santa looks like and Coke tastes like. The conclusion, a refreshing, informative and fun holiday excursion. Grab a Coca-Cola and Enjoy! Happy holidays, y’all.

COCA-COLA & CHRISTMAS airs on Monday December 24th at 6:30pm.  A Christmas Eve Special.  

OVERVIEW

We all know the importance of giving back.  Help our fellow citizens.  Help the community.  Make the future brighter, healthier, and happier for children.  As a prelude to this month’s “Giving Back” episode, we left our seats and hit the streets with our Special Segment, VOX POP (voice of the people), to hear what fellow Atlantans are supporting.  Take a listen, then then take a moment to check out our Giving Back Sweepstakes for a chance for us to donate to the charity of your choice!

TUNE IN ON MONDAY JANUARY 28TH FOR THE FULL “GIVING BACK” EPISODE.

OVERVIEW

It’s Oscar time, folks. Before you load up on red wine and red carpets, take a listen to our visit to the box office, compliments of the friends and fans of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

This outing and these interviews are a preview to our upcoming episode, “Hollywood South”, set to air on Monday March 25th. Enjoy this show, and tune in to the feature on films next week.

OVERVIEW

For those in the know, which is a lot of folks, Athens, Georgia is a special place and especially creative.  As a preview to this month’s ON THE ROAD: ATHENS episode which airs on Monday the 25th, we met up with a select group of friendly and inspiring talents who call Athens home.  Their interviews are in a very relaxed and conversational style, just like Athens, and the places we visit along the way are a must the next time you stop by town. We met up with architect and curator Carl Martin at Cine, the fabulous art house movie theatre and art gallery that is right next door to The National, a Hugh Acheson restaurant; see a movie, then get the stuffed medjool dates with celery, manchego cheese, smoked paprika.  Our interview is with one of Athens’ coolest collaborators, and certainly a great host for our VIP tour.  LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH CARL NOW.

While we were hangin’ and talkin’ to Carl at Cine, we had the pleasure of an impromptu art tour with artist Jennifer Hartley, who happened to be hanging her show there that afternoon.  LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER NOW.

Just down the block from The National and Cine is the home and studio and garden and wonderland created by Rinne Allen with her husband Lee.  Rinne gave us an audio tour through her world.  It’s fascinating and picturesque.  Rinne has a cool connection to Sidewalk Radio, her brother Ben Allen composed our theme song and is a guest on Monday’s show.  Oh, and Rinne collaborated with Hugh Acheson to produce A New Turn in the South, a book that won a James Beard Award.  Cheers to that.  LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH RINNE NOW.

Our last visit, before kicking around town for more art, food and music, is with Michael Lachowski.  A founding member of Pylon, an artist, a publisher, and now with the Georgia Museum of Art, Michael is certainly one of Athens’ most active and influential creative talents.  Take a listen to the interview, you’ll see. LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL NOW.

AND, MAKE SURE TO TUNE IN ON MARCH 25TH AT 6:30PM EST FOR “ON THE ROAD: ATHENS” WITH FEATURED GUESTS: COACH VINCE DOOLEY, PRODUCER BEN ALLEN, IDEAS FOR CREATIVE EXPLORATION’S MARK CALLAHAN, & WIL GREENE OF THE GEORGIA THEATRE.  LISTEN LIVE HERE.

OVERVIEW

Atlanta has plenty of bragging rights (The Olympics, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-a, the Fox Theatre etc.), but perhaps one of our most iconic treasures is a dive strip club, The Clermont Lounge.  Opening its doors in 1965, in the basement of the Clermont Hotel, The Clermont Lounge is the longest running strip club in Atlanta history.  In a city famous for its adult entertainment, “The Lounge” certainly reigns supreme when it comes to character.  It is much more than a seedy dive with elderly strippers.  It has architectural clout, cultural significance, a rich history, and for many, a visit to this haunt has become a right of passage.  But, with the hotel foreclosed upon and its rooms being shut-down by the Department of Health, the Lounge (which remains open) and the hotel’s future remain quite uncertain.

Sidewalk Radio’s very first show will answer the burning question: What’s so important about The Clermont Hotel & The Clermont Lounge, and why should they be saved?

Boyd Coons, Executive Director of The Atlanta Preservation Center, joins us to offer his expertise about Atlanta’s important properties and to share with us the context the hotel embodies from a preservationist’s perspective.

On the architectural side of things, we’re happy to have Mike Gamble, principal of Gamble & Gamble Architects, a tenured Professor of Architecture at Georgia Tech, and Grand Prize Winner of the Clermont Hotel Design Competition, sharing his vision about what The Clermont can become.

Long-time Clermont bouncer and de facto spokesperson, DJ, also stops by to share the good, the bad and the awesome about the iconic lounge.

And, for the real treat, Atlanta Icon and The Clermont Lounge’s legendary, beer-crushing, exotic dancer, Blondie, joins us in the studio for an arousing interview and a poetry reading of her own work.

You’re in for a wild ride.  Join us for a listen.

OVERVIEW

There are only two other projects in the history of Atlanta with an impact on par with what the Atlanta BeltLine will deliver. One is Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the other is the 1996 Olympic Games.  In other words, the BeltLine is a big deal.  It is in year 3 of a 25-year project, with an estimated $20 billion in economic development opportunity. This 22-mile loop of abandoned rail is much more than a place to walk, bike and jog.  It will connect 45 different neighborhoods, increase parks and green-space by 40%, and eventually have a pedestrian-friendly rail transit system that will put Atlanta top of class with other major cities like Denver, San Diego, Dallas, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Sydney, and Madrid to name a few.

However, despite the gigantic impact the BeltLine promises, very few Atlantans have any real clue about it.  A common question among Atlantans right now is, “when is the BeltLine starting?”  As of the airing of this episode of Sidewalk Radio, over $230 million in development is currently underway.  It’s not a question of when.  It is now.  Let’s take a look at a “Past, Present and Future” glimpse of the BeltLine through images:

There are many facets to The BeltLine: art, architecture, community, parks, planning, development, design, financing and so on.  But, to truly understand where you are going, you have to know where you have been.  For Atlanta, it all begins with trains.  Yep, trains.

Sidewalk Radio’s November Show, “All Aboard, The BeltLine” focuses on transit, specifically Atlanta’s relationship with rail – past, present, and future.  One of the nation’s leading authorities on the Civil War, Gordon Jones, Senior Military Historian at the Atlanta History Center, discusses how Atlanta’s rail of the 1800’s historically impacted our city and set the stage for today’s BeltLine.

Brian Leary, President and CEO of the Atlanta BeltLine, also joins host, Gene Kansas, to share his vision about how the BeltLine’s proposed pedestrian-friendly rail transit system will unite our neighborhoods, and improve our communities for the future.

Train artist, Robert West, and architect Jeff Morrison, add colorful perspective to this whistle-inducing show.  Railroad music intermixed, of course.

Take a look at Morrison’s installation “Cribbing” for Art on the Beltline and understand what it’s all about when you tune in. It’s gonna be a long, strange trip folks.  Let’s get rolling.  ”All Aboard, The BeltLine.”

OVERVIEW

Do you ever look at a painting and wonder if you’re missing something? Ever consider why the work is even in the place you’re seeing it to begin with? Can you see art, but can’t see how it can become a career? What about trying your whole life to create something, and then suddenly, and without explanation, obtain the ability? We’re workin’ on this one too!

If the answer is “yes” to any of the questions above, then YES, “The Art Show” is for you.

Sidewalk Radio’s “The Art Show” considers the question about “how to see art” from four uniquely creative perspectives.  On this show we hear from The Creator, The Curator, The Career Counselor, and The Chainsaw (wait, you’ll see a little later in this post).

The “Creator”: Radcliffe Bailey is one of Atlanta’s most celebrated artists. If you’ve been to the International Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, then you’ve seen his incredible mural “Saints” as you head down the escalator to your next destination.  Perhaps this is your first encounter and connection with Atlanta.  This June, many more will be connected and exposed to Bailey’s breadth of work at his upcoming solo show, Memory as Medicine, at The High Museum of Art. Gene and Radcliffe talk about how he sees his art and how others may see it, in an interview that ranges from the artist’s childhood to the legacy he hopes to leave behind.

The High Museum’s curator of African Art, Carol Thompson, was generously in the studio during Bailey’s interview with Gene, and helped give us insight into how the southeast’s premier museum looks at collecting, curating, and cultivating in the art community.  Thompson is a co-curator of Bailey’s upcoming show.

The “Career Counsler”: Robert Brown, Chair of Printmaking at SCAD, joins Sidewalk Radio to discuss SCAD’s incredible contribution to the Atlanta community and how they guide students to a career in the arts.

The “Curator”: Also bringing his perspective and expertise to “The Art Show” is the Artistic Director for the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Stuart Horodner. According to Horodner, “Art is anything that is created with the intention of it being art.”  And, on the show, you’ll hear how he works tirelessly to allow us to see art in an educated and entertaining way.

The “Chainsaw”: Lastly, a man, who has never before in his life sculpted with wood, is hired to trim a tree struck by lightening. Using his recently deceased father’s tools, he channels a natural talent to create an absolute work of art. The Washita Tree sculpture. Terry Legge joins Sidewalk Radio for a few words about divine intervention, innate ability, and therapy through art.  NOTE: While we question the former height of the tree, the art is unquestionable in it’s uniqueness and how it transforms space.

So, at the end of the day, hopefully we help answer the question, how to see art. Join us for a listen, contemplate art, and then decide for yourself. Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

Typically on Sidewalk Radio we choose dynamic topics that are in a state of flux.  The BeltLine, The Clermont Hotel, The Art Show, as recent examples. So, it might seem odd that January’s show highlights a place that normally we might think about as anything but in transition, a cemetery.  But, it’s not just any cemetery.  Historic Oakland Cemetery is the oldest landmark in continuous use in Atlanta history.  And, as you’ll hear, Oakland is anything but dead.  It is very much alive and growing.

One of Oakland’s newest and most colorful examples of vibrancy comes to the grounds this Spring in the form of a wildflower meadow.  In this show, Oakland landscape designer and talented local artist, Cooper Sanchez, spreads the good word (along with a little seed) about this rebirth and helps us understand a bit about horticulture along the way.

George Hart, a long-time, devoted supporter of Oakland Cemetery, also joins Gene in January.  As former Chairman of the Board for Historic Oakland Foundation, Hart gives enthusiastic and lively insight behind the walls of Oakland and into the legacy of some of its most notable residents, many of whom helped shape Atlanta’s physical and cultural landscape.

DL Henderson, a Doctor of Humanities, an expert in African American History, and a current Board Member at Historic Oakland Foundation, is also the creator and curator for Oakland’s Cell Phone Tour of the African American Section launching this MLK Day, January 17th.  Henderson shares her heritage and experience, discussing where we’ve been and where we’re heading in regards to both ritual and racial segregation, plus introduces us to Oakland’s foray into technology using cell phone narration.

Senior Associate Dean of Architecture at Georgia Tech and Master Landscape Architect, Douglas C. Allen, joins host Gene Kansas, and helps transcend our everyday experience when visiting cemeteries, expounding upon the deeper meanings of memorials, the history of landscape architecture, the influence of the Victorian sense of a “rural” garden, and Oakland’s place in Atlanta’s city planning.

This show will not bore you to death, but awaken your interest and bring to life your understanding about how a cemetery, who’s last plot was sold in 1884, can continue to invigorate, inspire, and grow.

OVERVIEW

On Sidewalk Radio’s February show, the phrase “street smart” takes on new meaning as some of Atlanta’s brightest minds share their expertise and insights about our city’s icon, our connective landmark, the history laden, world famous Peachtree Street.

There is Broadway in New York, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Sunset in LA, and Bourbon in New Orleans, but Peachtree Street is more than famous, it is a living, breathing, archeological diorama of Atlanta’s history told through its transitioning neighborhoods and ascending architecture.

Join host, Gene Kansas, as he explores the history, lore, legacy, culture and character of a street whose name really came from a pine tree.  See, it’s already getting interesting.

To discuss the past, present and future of urban planning, transit and architecture is David Green AIA, LEED AP, and Senior Urban Designer with internationally renowned architecture and design firm, Perkins+Will.  In addition to his applied professional chops, Green also adds a professor’s point of view, gained from more than 20 years of teaching at Georgia Tech, helping to educate us about how cities develop and why Peachtree is so important to Atlanta.

Preservationist Mark McDonald, President & CEO of The Georgia Trust, enlightens us about the street that boasts such treasures as The Georgian Terrace, The Temple, The High Museum, and The “Fabulous” Fox Theater, saved from certain destruction through a grassroots effort in 1974.  McDonald also discusses important places we’ve lost and “Places in Peril” that we need to protect.

Adding some real legs to our tour along this famous route is Atlanta Track Club’s Executive Director, Tracey Russell, in charge of putting on The Peachtree Road Race.  In its first year, 110 runners finished the race.  41 years later, on July 4^th 2011, 60,000 participants will take part in the world’s largest event of its kind, and Russell runs down a long list of impressive stories and statistics that will have you entertained and intrigued from start to finish.

And, very much a place-maker, Shannon Powell, COO of The Midtown Alliance, rounds out the guest list taking us back 15 years to shed light on a neighborhood that at one time was so unsavory you would not have walked down Peachtree at night, but now is thriving with the arts, restaurants, residences, and the promise of incredible street level retail that one day soon will be on par with its Midwestern cousins along “The Magnificent Mile”.

Peachtree has come a long way, both literally and figuratively, growing and developing in parallel with the city, and spawning 71 variations of its name along the way.  And, just like in the treaties of the Creek Indians that inhabited our land before Peachtree, the “pitch” still holds us together, symbolizing the vows that we have to history.

AND, A SPECIAL “THANK YOU” TO OUR SPONSOR, PERKINS+WILL.

OVERVIEW

The introduction of the “Bird’s Nest” (鸟巢) in Beijing, China for the 2008 Olympics wowed the world with its brilliance.  This icon, on a monumental scale and stage, reminds us about the creative and cultural capability of man.  Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron designed the National Stadium, but few might know that their original design actually did have a roof.  Structural concerns and constraints lead to the removal of the roof and ultimately to a most inspirational result, the nest itself.

Be it a small coffee shop or an international airport or an office building or a museum or a hospital or a university or even an Olympic Stadium, all spaces go through a creation process.  And, you never know when or from where inspiration will strike.  The March episode of Sidewalk Radio explores this process, along with inspiration, getting the inside scoop behind some of Atlanta’s most interesting, cool, and conceptual spaces. Join host Gene Kansas, along with four of Atlanta’s most “with-it” professionals, as they layout, design, educate and cook up what it takes to create space.

The Place Maker. Bob Amick of Concentrics Restaurants serves up not only what it takes to prepare fabulous spaces, but also how to pick the places in which they exist.  As creator of ONE Midtown Kitchen, TWO Urban Licks, TAP, and Parish to name a few, uncovering potential seems to be second nature to this taste-making entrepreneur.  His passion for design and love of the experience helped put Atlanta on the restaurant map, and makes his Sidewalk Radio interview sizzle

Todd Murphy fresco painting. Murphy and Amick have worked together for years to combine art and space.

The Interior Designer. Allison Hyer of Hyer Creative, worked with the Grammy Award winning Zac Brown Band to turn a 30,000 sq. ft. warehouse into the perfect combination of creative space and glorified green room.  Hyer shares with us her secrets for success with an tune that’s right on key, as she describes how Zac’s entrepreneurial spirit and down-home sensibilities shine through in “The Warehouse”.  This multi-use facility houses the corporate offices for Lucy Justice Goods, a commercial kitchen with style, an auto body shop, a leather shop, a t-shirt screen printing facility and a “living room” for the band and their families to enjoy time together when they’re off the road.

The Historian. Leslie Sharp, a historian and Assistant Dean with the Georgia Tech College of Architecture, also joins Gene in the studio this month.  Sharp shares a historical context of architecture on campus and brings the listener on a journey through Tech’s newest star, the Hinman Research Building.  Well, okay, maybe it’s not that new…A historic structure, and Georgia Tech’s first research building, Hinman was originally designed in 1939, and has just recently been renovated and re-imagined.  It’s a space that is so thoughtful, that it actually makes you want to think.  Check it out at their Grand Opening on March 30th.

The Architect. And then there’s Perkins+Will’s new headquarters building and the soon to be unveiled MODA (Grand Opening March 19th) space at 1315 Peachtree.  Lead Designer on the new space, Bruce McEvoy, enjoys his role as both Chairman of the Board at MODA and a Associate Principal at P+W.  McEvoy and P+W CEO, Phil Harrison, both serve on the MODA board and feel like the stars aligned to make the project possible.  McEvoy shares with us an insider’s guide to both the client and the designer’s perspectives on this transformational move for both his firm and the Museum of Design Atlanta.

So, join us on the creative journey, we know you’ll be happy you did.  The show airs on Monday March 14th at 8:30am and 6:30pm on AM 1690, “The Voice of the Arts”, both on your radio and online at http://www.1690wmlb.com.  And, of course, catch Sidewalk Radio anytime on iTunes.  Thank’s for tuning in, y’all.

OVERVIEW

Hank Aaron is much more than a ballplayer in the advancement of civil rights, and the Atlanta Braves are much more than a baseball team to Atlanta.  Both, tied together in history, are place-makers and community builders.  Aaron, an icon for equality on the field, helped create a place for African Americans off, and the Braves helped launch a medium-sized city to an international metropolis with a lasting legacy of sports accentuated by World Series Championships and Olympic Games.

Mr. Bill Bartholomay, Chairman Emeritus of the Atlanta Braves, and the man responsible for bringing the Braves to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966, is the father of our home team’s birth and their ongoing legacy.  Mr. Bartholomay joins Gene to discuss his nostalgia for early days, why he chose Atlanta, the impact of baseball on the community, and the future of the franchise.

Director of Athletics for Georgia State University, Cheryl L. Levick, is no stranger to winning.  With more than 44 National Championships during her career as a player, a coach and an administrator, it is her goal, her purpose, and her passion to make Georgia State a winner on a major scale.  And, the fans seem to love it.  Levick shares her role in bringing a football program to GSU, bringing service to our community, and bringing good grades to the classrooms of her student athletes.  Her game plan for success is impressive and the cheering crowds add living proof to the impact athletics is having.

VP of Development with Green Street Properties, Jim Irwin, is responsible for building with materials that go way beyond “sticks and bricks”.  It was during his tenure with Barry Real Estate, and his emersion in and understanding of the community of Fort Wayne, Indiana that helped him and his team from Hardball Capital create one of the most creative stadiums baseball, both minor and major league, has ever seen.  Parkview Field is home to the Fort Wayne Tincaps, and Jim talks today’s modern methods for building excitement, amenities, stadiums and fan bases within communities as he joins Gene in the studio this month.

And, then there’s Chris Fennell.  ”Bats Baseball”, a public art sculpture he created for the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, uses 800 baseball bats (600 donated by Louisville Slugger) to help make his own artistic dream a reality and help contribute to making Southside Park in Atlanta a truly special place.  Fennell, a MFA graduate from Georgia, uses site-specific items from the communities he creates within to physically build something on a metaphoric level.  The artist spends time between road trips (Nashville to Idaho) to discuss the meaning of his work and what community means to him.

OVERVIEW

Even though the whole “green” theme fad is becoming obnoxious, we’re happy to say that it certainly seems like the “sustainability” trend is here to stay…that’s both a fun pun and a good thing.  The question about the future of sustainability is not in question.  However, what exactly sustainability means fully depends on who you’re asking.  This month we ask an entrepreneur, a traditional architect, a LEED Faculty professional, and an artist what they think.  They’re all very smart and experienced, and they all have a different answer.

Steve Nygren is a self-described “developer by default”, but in our opinion he is a visionary.  Nygren founded Mick’s and The Pleasant Peasant, and moved his family to the country for a better, more sustainable lifestyle after he sold the company.  But, not in his wildest dreams did he imagine that a simple country life would lead to being one of the country’s foremost sustainable developers.  Through a seriously interesting series of events, Nygren created Serenbe, a true model of sustainable success, in South Fulton County.  Steve joins Gene in the studio this month to talk about how he went from a family of 5 living on a farm, to winning over landowners, amassing 40,000 acres, and developing a true, and award-winning community.

Kevin Clark is a traditional architect and a partner at overachieving architecture firm, Historical Concepts.  To Clark, “a building is not good because it’s old, it’s old because it’s good.”  In other words, buildings that stick around are sustainable, and having energy efficient systems is just a bonus.  Historical Concepts does everything from master planning communities to designing homes and creating spectacular commercial projects.  While Walter Gropius may not totally agree, Clark considers traditional design to be the most adaptive to sustainability, and his work appears to us like it’ll be around for a long, long time.

Associate Principal and Co-Director of Perkins+Will’s firmwide sustainability initiative, Paula Vaughan, sits down with us to explore sustainability from a material perspective.  Specifically what materials are used in design, and why that design is materially important to our own sustainability.  Vaughn, who was intimately involved in the design of P+W’s new headquarters (a LEED building, of course), is also very active in the healthcare segment of the business.  Paula goes in-depth with Gene about how sustainable materials are defined, not only in their “green-ness”, but also in their “friendliness” to the people installing them and using them on a daily basis, making for safer construction, for safer use, and thus offering true sustainability of life itself.  That’s a good one to keep sustainable.

Perkins+Will, recently named the #1 Firm in the Country by Architect Magazine, is leading the way with sustainable initiatives, especially in the world of children’s healthcare.

And then there’s Lori Sturgess.  Sturgess’ company Recentered Pieces creates everything from sculptures to centerpieces, to commercial applications to even dog parks.  Yes, dog parks.  Hear her colorful descriptions on the lighter side of longevity and lifestyle as she discusses her concept, from junk yard to table top.

OVERVIEW

The railroad, the Olympics, Coca-Cola and CNN, are all huge contributors to the development and prowess of Atlanta as a business center and to its stratospheric population growth.  But, without the airport, Atlanta would not even be close to the city it is today.  This month we get a bird’s eye view of the airport’s history, its economic impact on Atlanta, the experience it offers to travelers and beyond through branding, and even get a gourmet lesson on how to prepare food that pleases for all palates.

Sam Massell, the first Jewish Mayor of Atlanta, the current President of The Buckhead Coalition, a true and perennial ambassador for our city, and a man who’s administration was chiefly responsible for bringing MARTA to Atlanta (and ultimately the airport which it finally reached in 1988), joins Gene in the studio this month to opine and offer anecdotes about the huge success of Atlanta’s International Airport, plus offer a politician’s view on its importance to our city.  Oh, and the Mayor even shares a few secrets from his time in office including his take on Brand Atlanta, New Coke, and why we won’t have a second airport.

With 90,000,000 passengers traveling through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport each year (and climbing), the world’s busiest airport (out of 49,000!) is in many ways the de facto face of the city, a tremendous component to our brand.  We’re lucky to have experiential branding expert, Keith Curtis of Perkins+Will, join us this month to talk about the importance of brand, and how the airport’s image impacts the rest of Atlanta. 

When most parents would drop their kids off at a friend’s house or have the babysitter come over, David P. Henderson‘s mother would deliver him to the observation deck at Hartsfield International, while David’s father, a Delta Air Lines (a huge reason that Atlanta and the airport are such a success) pilot, would fly the friendly skies.  Henderson, a true wealth of airport information, and author of Sunshine Skies, brings personal reflection with an amateur historian’s knowledge to our discussion about Atlanta’s Airport.

Part-time stand-up comedian and full-time celebrated chef of “ATL’s” first high-end restaurant, One Flew South, Chef Duane Nutter serves up a whimsical take about airport security, “southernational” cuisine, and what people from all over the planet want to eat when they visit our airport.  Chef also shares a sample menu that makes us want to fly down to the airport and belly up for a bite.

In preparation for takeoff on this, the 12th episode and 1-year anniversary of Sidewalk Radio, please bring your seat-backs to their upright and locked position, make sure your tray table is put away, and all of your carry-on items are stowed.  It’s our job to provide your in-flight entertainment, a colorful, fascinating and fun history lesson about perhaps the biggest reason Atlanta is Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.  Please enjoy, have a nice trip, and see you next month.

OVERVIEW

Growing up as a retail pocket to serve Inman Park and Candler Park in the early 1900′s, L5P as it is affectionally known, developed organically.  This type of development meant that the area was not planned, per se, but grew out of need and desire.  That original desire was not the alternative lifestyle we see today, but it always had a vibe.  In the 1960′s its vibe dwindled into deplorable conditions when white flight and local politics reared their ugly heads.  However, local politics was also one of the reasons that the neighborhood bounced back in the mid 1970′s.  That, along with lots of blood, sweat, tears and beers, plus a healthy dose of rock music and elbow grease, brought Little Five Points back to life.

Little Five Points got its name from the five streets that intersect at the center of the neighborhood, but got its reputation from a sub culture of urban pioneers who are among Atlanta’s most funky, creative, colorful and cool.  In this episode of Sidewalk Radio, our host Gene Kansas explores the art, music, mayhem and culture of this alternative enclave that includes Elvis shrines and disco nights (Star Bar), record stores (Criminal Records, Wax’n'Facts), raucous retail (Junkman’s Daughter), thrift havens (Stefan’s), booze (Euclid Avenue Yacht Club), books (A Cappella), bands (Variety Playhouse), co-op’s (Sevananda), coffee (Aurora), and pimento cheese burgers (The Vortex) to die for, all available within a few block radius, and in Atlanta that makes it one of the truest novelties of it all.

Joining Gene in the studio this month to discuss some of the history and architecture of Little Five Points and how alternative enclaves develop in cities all over the world, plus share his design expertise, and impart personal and professional insights about the cultural aspects of the area is Perkins+Will Principal and their Atlanta Design Director, Manuel Cadrecha.

Also lending an artful conversation to this month’s show is one of Atlanta’s favorite local artists, if not one of our most colorful and visible, Ronnie Land.  ”R. Land”, as his signature reads, creates a cast of characters through his art that embody Atlanta and goes hand-in-hand with the counter culture on display in Little Five.

Eric Levin is the founder and owner of Criminal Records, the owner of cult and neighborhood favorite Aurora Coffee, and is one of the early pioneers who has grown up in business and in the neighborhood, but he is more than that.  Levin joins Gene in the studio representing scores of local residents and business mainstays in his love for the ‘hood and why it’s an important place to cultivate and sustain.

So, get on your green wigs, grab your PBR, load up your Yacht Dog and get ready for a thrill ride through a place that is culturally unique to our city, Little Five Points.  Enjoy.

OVERVIEW

Albeit a centerpiece both in form and function, the cuisine at our favorite restaurant is just plain food if not paired with conversation, company, atmosphere, and brought to us by people who care.  In other words, it truly is the “thought” that counts.

For this, our Thanksgiving Special, Gene is joined by four very “thoughtful” guests who act as our Atlanta Restaurant Guides, coming together through conversation to explore our heritage, our history, the soul of Southern Food, and the importance of family and friendship.

Bill Johnson, Founder and Principal of The Johnson Studio, knows his way around a kitchen, and a bar, and a seating area and Atlanta.  His firm has had an architectural and design hand in well over 400 restaurants that locally include Aria, Nava, Bistro Niko, One Midtown Kitchen, Lobster Bar, South City Kitchen, Kyma, Horseradish Grill and even The Varsity.  Bill stops by the studio to talk shop and drop knowledge about the thought that goes behind these fabulous spots.

Steven Satterfield, Co-Owner and celebrated Chef of Award-Winning Miller Union, is a true talent in the kitchen (ask Martha Stewart) and just a down-right cool guy.  His restaurant just celebrated its 2nd anniversary, but the location’s history dates back many years before when Atlanta’s reinvigorated “West Side” was a meat packing district and the site where the restaurant sits today was the Miller Union Stockyard.

Steven joins Gene to share the history of the “West Side”, his personal history, insight into the Southern Foodways Alliance, and the art of today’s Southern food.

Don Rooney’s job is to answer questions.  As Curator of Urban and Regional History at The Atlanta History Center, Rooney’s depth of experience and knowledge about about our past is hard to beat.  But it’s his personal nostalgia and love for Atlanta along with his role in a dining club, that really add the cherry on top to a wonderful conversation that ranges from Civil Rights “sit-ins” to celebratory birthday dinners and much more.

In 1962, Marie Nygren’s mother, Margaret Lupo, bought Mary Mac’s Tea Room from Mary McKenzie after working there for just one week.  Over the next 32 years she grew that business through equality, family values and of course mouth watering Southern Soul Food like collard greens and potlikker, macaronni and cheese, fried chicken, cornbread, fried green tomatoes, meatloaf, okra, black-eyed peas and baked potatoes.  Marie joins Gene and graciously shares her family’s story about Mary Mac’s and the carried on traditions of home cooking, plus its place in her current kitchen, “The Farmhouse at Serenbe”, where she and husband Steve Nygren will host 400 for Thanksgiving Dinner!

So, with that, please enjoy this feast of knowledge and nostalgia that promises to impress.  We’d also like to offer a special Thanksgiving “thought” to all of our friends, family, and fans…Have a fabulous holiday and enjoy it in good health.

OVERVIEW

In 1929, William Fox was a movie mogul and The Fox Theatre was Atlanta’s crown jewel of movie palaces.  This Christmas Day, “The Fox” celebrates its 82nd birthday.  Over the years it has hosted many award-winning performances. Comedies, tragedies, & dramas – in the form of movies, plays & dance – have all played on the big screen and the stage, creating more than a few memories along the way.

However, The Fox’s history is not all glitz and glamour.  The curtain nearly closed in 1974, and would have for good if not for the efforts of concerned citizens, community oriented corporations and the foresight of Atlanta Landmarks, Inc. and their “Save the Fox” campaign.  This month we celebrate with The Fox and take a look back at the history, the preservation, the restoration, and the theatre’s place in Atlanta’s cultural landscape.

Beauchamp Carr is EVP at The Woodruff Arts Center and was an integral player with Atlanta Landmarks, Inc.’s effort to prevent The Fox from becoming a Bellsouth parking deck.  Beauchamp joins Gene in the studio to remind us about the incredible preservation effort, and to share some personal thoughts about the theatre he helped rescue.

Chairperson of Emory’s Film & Media Studies, Matthew Bernstein also swings by Sidewalk Radio to talk about The Fox, the golden age of cinema, and the magic of movie palaces.  Bernstein’s passion for film and his knowledge about cinematic history paint a nice picture of how The Fox used to be, what it used to be, and why it is important today.

Leo Alvarez is nothing if not real.  As Atlanta’s Urban Design Leader at Perkins+Will, Alvarez is consumed with culture.  In this episode, Alvarez discusses how to protect, plan, design and deliver culture within our community while keeping it genuine and appreciating the authenticity that already exists.  And, in Atlanta, “The Fox” is synonymous with authenticity.

Molly Fortune is Atlanta’s good fortune in that she leads a team that keeps The Fox alive, refreshed and restored so that memories can be made and so that this cultural monument can be enjoyed for generations to come.  As Director of Restoration at The Fox Theatre, Fortune has a magnifying glass on every detail from furniture to fixtures, wallpaper to windows.  In our interview, we examine these important design and architectural details with her down to the smallest twinkling star.

So, as we move into a New Year, let’s reflect on the icon we almost lost, and remember the importance of keeping it real!  Here’s to a fantastic 2012, and a sincere appreciation for The Fabulous Fox Theatre over the past 82 years.  Happy Birthday Fox Theatre & Happy Holidays, y’all!

OVERVIEW

The United States can claim as one of our most lofty inventions, the skyscraper.  George A. Fuller’s solution for “load bearing capacities” lead to the eventual construction of the Tacoma Building in 1889, the first structure built where the outside walls were not relied upon for support.  A few years later the famous Flatiron Building, one of NYC’s first skycrapers, was erected in 1902.  Atlanta was ahead of the curve on this one however, with our own Flatiron Building preceding the Big Apple’s version by five years.  So, it’s no surprise that our highrise history comes with ample pride.  This month we explore that history along with the impact and importance that the skyline plays in both our physical and cultural development.

When the Atlanta Falcons made their debut in 1965, the Peregrine falcon was experiencing a swan song.  Pesticides used in farming since the 40′s had all but killed off the falcon by sending their reproductive abilities into a free fall.  Strangely the football team’s name really has nothing to do with the local presence of this great and rare bird. Despite the fighting spirit and sporting nature of the bird, which inspires the team name, it took environmental legislation such as the Clean Air Act to help the species soar high again.  In two cases, the falcon has literally come home to roost among some of the skyline’s marquee buildings.  Jim Ozier, with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, joins Gene in the studio to share his perspective about nature meets man in the big city, and to tell us about these notable nests.

As Atlanta was growing up socially and economically, it was also growing vertically.  Growing up as a native, Jim Auchmutey, an author of southern culture and a features writer with the Atlanta Journal- Constitution for 30 years, took great notice of these advancements and his curious nature lead him to explore Atlanta’s skyline with a kid’s imagination and a historian’s approach.  From riding elevators to see his city from new heights, to interviewing power-brokers and policy makers, Jim’s pride for Atlanta is evident.  Jim sits down with Gene to share some of his personal reflections and give an insider’s scoop to some of the people behind the properties.

Robert M. Craig, professor emeritus of architectural history at Georgia Tech, author of Atlanta Architecture: Art Deco to Modern Classic, 1929–1959, and coauthor, with Paul Goldberger, of John Portman: Art and Architecture, is one of the foremost authorities on Atlanta architecture.  Having an architectural historian seems only appropriate for a show about the skyline, and we’re both happy and impressed by Craig’s extensive knowledge and his willingness to educate and inform.  His insights and audio visualizations into the world of John Portman (and the world he created) are particularly intriguing.  His history lesson about Atlanta architecture is worth taking note(s).  Oh, and he’s a great guy.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, and the skyline is the photograph most attributed to the identity of a city, then it would stand to reason the best vantage of the city would be worth knowing.  Chip Simone, acclaimed Atlanta photographer of city life, does not make a habit of shooting the skyline. He does however tell us about “Kodak Hill” and shares the in’s and out’s of capturing life in the shadows of Downtown…and Midtown…and Buckhead.  In fact, Simone has walked the entire length of Peachtree Street (10.1 miles in all) with camera in hand, and walks-the-walk of a true artist.  This month he joins us in the studio to talk-the-talk.

Although we all enjoy the majesty of Atlanta rising into the sky, we hope this show will literally change the way you look at it…in an interesting and entertaining way, of course.

OVERVIEW

If you’ve ever flown into Atlanta, and that’s about 100,000,000 passengers per year, you’ve certainly noticed one thing as you soar over the city: the trees. Atlanta’s urban canopy gives it an enduring nickname – City in a Forest, and towering pride if not a-plenty of pollen. These green guardians beautify our neighborhoods, clean our air, and cool our homes, but it takes a community to ensure they’re around for all to enjoy. In honor of Earth Day, Arbor Day and Springtime in the Peach State, we thought it’d be fun to celebrate the season with a look back at our roots and the shade they provide. This month we take a look at trees with a few friends who help keep Atlanta green, the conversation colorful.

As a growing metropolis it can be difficult to ensure our developmental haste doesn’t destroy the abundance of green space that makes Atlanta so special. That’s where Greg Levine, Co-Executive Director and Chief Program Officer of Trees Atlanta, plants a strong foot forward. Greg lives, eats (well, not really), and breathes trees, having planted his first tree, a purple leafed Japanese maple, when he was just five years of age. Gene and Greg talk special projects like The BeltLine Arboretum, the purpose and prodigy of planting, public art, and a good bit about the people populating the tree community.

In the 1970′s Jennie Richardson got a notice that a freeway was going to transplant her home and pave over the historic Olmsted Linear Park, so she got her hands dirty for peace of mind. Frederick Law Olmsted, the “Father of Landscape Architecture” designed the Olmsted Linear Park in the 1890’s as place for residents of the city to enjoy the outdoors. For forty years Jennie has fought to preserve and protect one of the city’s oldest parks, her efforts now turned toward perpetuation. Jennie stops by to discuss the history and heritage of Olmsted, the important responsibility we all share to preserve the forest, plus what you can do to support the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance.

The Tree Cowboy, aka Wayne Shannon, is an ISA Certified Arborist/urban forest conservation manager. A soon to be Masters graduate from Georgia Tech, this Tree Cowboy, is full of deep thoughts and practical information. Wayne joins Gene to explore life in the tree tops and to talk about the many sides of timber.  From counting rings to common sense safety issues, from helping a homeowner to providing notable chefs with hardwood for their grills, there is much more to the life – and death – of a tree than we see from 30,000 feet.

Artist Daniel Blignaut sees trees like he sees life, in colorful shades of seasonality and cycle. Calling upon sapling memories from his own upbringing, Blignaut paints the canvas with a childlike innocence meets Masters in Architecture style, creating his own language for discourse about human emotion, philosophy, primal patterns, aesthetic beauty, and psychology through physicality.  Through Blignaut’s stunning exhibition, “A Conversation with Trees”, Atlantans have the ability to create their own dialogue by visiting the Bill Lowe Gallery for an Opening Night Reception with the artist on April 26th, coincidentally both Arbor Day and Frederick Law Olmsted’s birthday.

We’ve got quite the show, so take a quick break from reveling in the great outdoors and please enjoy.

Special thanks to Nicholas Cooper-Kedrick for his help in producing this episode of Sidewalk Radio and for writing our web post for this month.

OVERVIEW

In Athens, Georgia, most roads lead back to education, to football, and to music.  In turn, these cultural catalysts inspired development in visual arts, historic preservation and most certainly food (see Sidewalk Radio friend, Hugh Acheson). This month, we take the show “on the road” and visit this cultural nexus to explore why this small town is so prominent on a national stage. Interestingly and coincidentally to our endeavor, we find that “touring” has had a lot to do with it.

At the time, groups like REM and Pylon before them did not have a large local fan base so they toured voraciously.  In doing so, they brought not only their music to towns like Boston, LA, Chicago and New York, but they also delivered the creativity and culture of a small southern town.  Great music and a cacophony of concerts made Athens a major music town.  Athens born, Grammy Award-winning producer, Ben Allen, joins Gene to talk about his hometown, sharing personal reflections and professional insights into why he and folks around the world love Athens’ music, culture and so much more.

Co-owner of the Georgia Theatre, Wil Greene, played in Athens’ bands, wrote songs for others, and even earned an MS in Geography, but none of that experience nor education prepared him for the day the famed music venue caught fire and burned. The Georgia Theatre had been for years a rite of passage for bands coming in and out of Athens, but on June 19, 2009, it nearly became a memory. Greene, with help from organizations like the Georgia Trust and folks from around the country, rebounded and now the Theatre is better than ever. Wil shares his road-to-recovery story with some entertaining interludes along the way.

The impact of the University of Georgia on Athens history is beyond considerable.  In 1785, UGA became the first state-supported university.  In 1804, two years before Athens officially became a town, the first graduating class celebrated…and they haven’t stopped since. Don’t believe us?  Head Downtown on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday night!  While it is true that Athens is certainly a party and football town, it’s also making major waves and advancements in creative exploration.  It’s no happy accident that we stopped by ICE (Ideas for Creative Exploration) to chat with Artistic Director Mark Callahan.  We talk about their process, projects and the promise of creative collaboration in higher education.

Game day at “Georgia” is more than a tradition, it’s a way of life.  For 25 years, Coach Vince Dooley led the University of Georgia Bulldogs “Between the Hedges” and on the road to a mind numbing 201 victories and 20 bowl games, and in 1980, to a National Championship. Under Dooley’s leadership, UGA was first broadcast on national TV, “touring” en masse and winning fans everywhere except for in the SEC!  And, while we certainly have a high degree of respect for the impact of sport on Athens, it’s Coach Dooley’s love for and acumen in history and gardening that captured our attention in the Sidewalk Radio studio. Take a listen to the Vince Dooley interview that is sure to make you an even bigger fan of the Athens’ icon, sports legend, Civil War authority and master gardener.

For ON THE ROAD: ATHENS, we had a blast, made some great friends, drank Red Blazers (rye whisky, bitters, Cheerwine from the bottle) at the Manhattan – which we encourage, caught some great shows including Dave Marr featuring Unscripted host Alan Flurry and then caught Kai Riedl followed by Reptar at the 40 Watt, saw some really cool works at Georgia Museum of Art, and had amazing conversation about history, culture and all things creative.  And, for you dear listener, this is the road trip you can take right from your radio or i-thing.  Please join us & enjoy!

OVERVIEW

To say that the film industry is making an impact on Georgia’s economy would be like saying that “The Godfather” is a decent little movie.  An understatement of blockbusting proportion.  In 2012, direct economic benefits of film production came to nearly $3.1 billion for the state.  Films like “The Blind Side”, “Driving Miss Daisy”, and “Forrest Gump” were all filmed in Georgia.  But, it’s not just A-list actors and revenues generating buzz, Hollywood is also a boon to students, residents, cultural events and local communities.  This month, we explore the epic of cinema in the South and why Georgia wants to continue to roll out the red carpet.

Atlanta and Georgia’s history in film goes way back, most famously to “Gone with the Wind”, premiering at Loew’s Grand Theatre on December 15, 1939.  The Fabulous Fox Theatre has also played a major role as one of the grandest movie houses ever built, and one of Atlanta’s proudest preservation efforts.  To talk about the tax credit that’s helping to relaunch an already storied career is the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Lee Thomas, Director of Film, Music & Digital Entertainment.

A big part in Georgia attracting major studios and production houses is our base of local talent.  But, before the cast, crew, and future directors get their cue, they first have to be trained.  Dean of SCAD’s School of Digital Media, Tina O’Hailey, brings a colorful conversation to Sidewalk Radio, revealing how Hollywood is helping both SCAD and the students, and how that’s good news for the rest of us.

Chris Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival, also joins Gene in the studio to talk about what he credits as Hollywood’s contributions to Atlanta’s cultural undercurrent.  Chris shares an insider’s guide to a fantastic festival, the mojo behind the movie industry in Georgia, and a good bit of back story about Hollywood’s film culture in the capital of the South.

Last, but certainly the funniest, is Mark Asworth. Mark has been working on his acting career and in dining rooms of some of Atlanta’s best restaurants (Sotto Sotto, and now Miller Union) for 7 years.  He’s had success on the small screen, stage and in film roles, like “Lawless”, but it was his casting as lead in the “Doritos Goat 4 Sale” advertisement by Pogo Pictures that garnered wild applause the world over; the commercial aired during the Superbowl, being viewed by over 100,000,000 people.  We want to party with you, Mark.

So, with that hopefully tantalizing preview, grab your popcorn and let the listening being.  Enjoy the show.

For film reviews and therapy sessions wrapped into one, check out POPCORN THERAPY.

OVERVIEW

Why do we give back?  Many reasons.  To help the community.  To help others.  To feel good about ourselves.  If you ask 100 people why they give, the majority of them would answer similarly.  If you ask those same people what they give to, the answers start to vary.  There are many worthwhile causes out there.  This month we discuss the importance of giving, the act in itself a true gift.

Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, is a billionaire. And, lucky for us all, an extremely philanthropic one.  Mr. Marcus supports many causes, but the two for which he is best known are The Georgia Aquarium and the Marcus Autism Center.  So, why these two most prominently? Don Mueller, Executive Director of the Marcus Autism Center, joins us to share that story, and also discuss the progress made in autism awareness.  It’s an effort that’s paying off. In the case of MAC, hard work and generosity have propelled the center from its humble beginnings in 2 office trailers to the top autism research center in the United States, giving care to families and to those in need.

GIVE BACK TO MARCUS AUTISM CENTER.

It’s hard to argue that giving back to causes that support kids in our community is not vitally important.  Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta has been doing that very thing for the past 51 years, and doing it very well.  In fact, BBBS of Metro Atlanta was named Large Agency of the Year in 2012, the top honor for this esteemed national organization.  And, for the past 21 years, the BBBS of Metro Atlanta charge has been lead by CEO Janice McKenzie-Crayton. Janice joins Gene, a mentor and volunteer in the program for the past 14 years and a current Board Member, to talk about the gift of giving back, the difference real estate can make to a non-profit, and the March 16th fundraiser called Bowl For Kids Sake that allows teams to give back while having fun.

GIVE BACK TO BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS.

For a model agency, David Axford represents a model individual, and a mega success story for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta.  David, a 17-year-old high school student, has been matched with 2012 “Big Brother of the Year” Don Freer for 6 years.  At the age of 10, David suddenly and tragically lost his father.  With the help of Don, a loving and supportive family, and through his own inner strength, confidence and determination, David not only picked himself up, but became the young man his father knew he would be.  David joins Gene to share his thoughts about what it’s like to be the one who receives the gift of another’s giving.  Not surprising, the conversation quickly turns from David to how he plans to give back.  You’ll be amazed by the poise and character of David, and feel inspired by the benefits gained as a result of Don’s mentorship.

DAVID SUPPORTS THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY’S RELAY FOR LIFE. GIVE BACK TO FIGHT CANCER.

Lisa Moore is principal of The Moore Firm, LLC, an entertainment and intellectual property law practice she founded, is an expert in First Amendment Law, has taught at UGA and Emory University, and is the immediate past Executive Director of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts, a non-profit organization that gives free legal advice to creative talents across the state.  In the spirit of giving back, we thought it would be fun to tap into Lisa’s expertise and have her give some free

legal advice to the artists in our listening audience.  So, if you’re a songwriter, a singer, a painter or a poet, you have to listen to this part of our show…well, you don’t have to, but we think you’d enjoy it.

GIVE BACK TO GEORGIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS.

A FEW OTHER GREAT CAUSES THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT: TEAM GLEASON, ONE LOVE GENERATION, AND MANY OTHERS AT GEORGIA CENTER FOR NON PROFITS.

This show is dedicated to the memory of Ellen Stich Newell, a loving wife, sister, aunt and friend.  Her greatest gift was giving of herself to others through her steadfast support and genuine interest in their lives.  Everyone was Ellen’s best friend.  She was greatly loved, she will be dearly missed.

OVERVIEW

This month, we celebrate the ho, ho, holidays with Atlanta’s very own, Coca-Cola.  Coke is the world’s most recognized brand, one of America’s most generous donors to charity, and the company’s leadership helped make and shape Atlanta into the international city that it is today…plus, Coke tastes great.  But, it’s Coca-Cola’s effervescent espousal of tradition, specifically the colorful Christmas magic they have concocted, that gives it thirst quenching, creative appeal.  What appears in the iconic bottle as a drink is, in reality, a mindset.  The Coke brand is a cultural identity curated through art and advertising, rooted deeply in the National and International psyche. From Santa Claus to polar bears to holiday caravans and concerts, Coca-Cola – more than any other commercial factor – has made Christmas what it is today, and we happily drink it up.

Ted Ryan is Director of Communications for Coca-Cola’s Archives Department, an adoring father, a history buff, and clearly a huge Coke fan. Can you blame him? Coke did after all create the modern image of Santa Claus. While Santa has been around for many centuries (the name  ”Santa Claus” was first used by the American press in 1773), it wasn’t until Coca-Cola commissioned artist Haddon Sundblom to lay brush to canvas in the 1930′s that we got our modern version of the pleasantly plump, jolly ole, white-haired, red-suited St. Nick. Ted talks pop culture, the history of Santa, and wraps up the interview with some of Coca-Cola’s other heralded holiday treats.

We all know Santa lives at the North Pole, but do you know where polar bears come from?  Well, the Coca-Cola polar bears come from the magical mind of Ken Stewart, their likeness from his Golden Labrador Retriever puppy, Morgan. That’s right, the genus of the bear is a dog…well, creatively speaking, of course.  In 1993, when Ken created the “Northern Lights” commercial for Coca-Cola, animation was definitely not what it is today.  Ken joins Gene to talk about creating this famous “fairy tale”, some of the cool tricks to the trade that came from his collaboration with animation company Rhythm & Hues, and of course his adorning puppy, all of which inspired this perennial holiday favorite.

Zoe Howorth has had a big year across the pond as Marketing Director for Coca-Cola Great Britain.  First, the London Olympics (which were amazing, by the way), then news of a Royal baby, and now Christmas.  For most people, “The Holidays Are Coming” means busy schedules, silly sweaters, and shopping like crazy.  But, for Zoe and her team, the phrase is an “advert” come to life with Coca-Cola’s famous truck caravan commercial rolling knees up in real time.  The commercial, which has been running since 1995, is a regular feature each year in 100 different countries.  Zoe graciously and wittingly charms us on this International phone interview, giving a festive overview of the campaign that visits 64 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland. We also get to hear a bit about Christmas in the UK, so make sure to take a listen…And, if you’re available, go see the trucks in person through December 23rd…we plan to (next year).

Christmas is not Christmas without music, and Coca-Cola is playing lead there too.  Coke’s philanthropic contributions have helped support the arts the world over, most notably here in Atlanta through the

Woodruff Arts Center.  We’re lucky to have Jere Flint join our ensemble cast for this month’s show.  Jere, a cellist in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for four decades, and Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO) since 1979, brings a wonderful perspective about music and education, plus a rousing finale to a show that’s all about creating Christmas.  Hear Jere on our show, and make sure to go visit the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in person for a holiday concert if you’re in our fine city.

Get in the spirt, y’all, for this Sidewalk Radio Holiday Special. It’s creative, it’s fun, and it’s a history lesson about creativity. We hope all of your holidays are joyful and bright.  May your New Year be creative, cultural and full of wonderful conversation. Enjoy the show!

OVERVIEW

This Thanksgiving, Sidewalk Radio is celebratin’ a highway.  Huh?  Give us a moment, we’ll explain.  There are highways and then there is Buford Highway.  Highways are typically monotonous expanses of concrete taking us from one place to another.  In the case of Buford Highway, this colorful, multi-ethnic road transports us to another world.  With over 1000 imigrant-owned businesses, it’s the city’s international trade route, serving up the most culturally diverse slice of life Atlanta has to offer.  This month we put our mic where our mouth is with a show that sizzles with appreciation for food, family, and flair all with a Thanksgiving twist.  It’s a culinary and cultural treat with four superior guests joining to give thanks to the harvest that is Buford Highway.

Bernard Halpern immigrated from Poland to the United States in 1938 at the age of 16.  By 18 he had made and saved enough money to buy his own grocery store.  In the 1960′s he started buying shopping centers, the first one still home to the family business, Halpern Enterprises.  The late Mr. Halpern’s son, Jack Halpern, now runs the company with sister Carolyn, close family members and trusted associates.  Jack joins us to talk about the relevance of Buford Highway, the heritage of family business, and how his company helped catalyze a major demographic shift by giving others a chance.

Harold Shinn is another familiar face in the world of family owned businesses on Buford Highway, and his is famous for its international offerings and, at times, outrageous items.  The Buford Highway Farmers Market is more than just a place to get foods from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, West Africa, Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Eastern Europe, it’s an institution for chefs, foreign nationals, and purveyors of family suppers all over Atlanta. Harold joins Gene to talk about growing up and growing a business on Buford Highway.

Greg Best and Linton Hopkins are well known for their successes at Holman & Finch and Restaurant Eugene.  Chef Hopkins is a 2012 James Beard Award Winner, and Best sets the bar high with his cocktail creations and love of craft.  We’re thrilled to have Greg and Chef on our show, and have become big fans of their own AM 1690 over achieving ensemble, Feed Radio, a show that covers the magic of food and drink through deep catalog music and colorful commentary.

Beyond radio and the restaurant & bar business, the duo are also brothers in arms through their love of Buford Highway and often pilgrimage together with many others in the know and from the industry to sample the true flavor of our international community.

If you’re a lover of food, flavor, family, history and farmers markets, we can’t imagine a better show for you.  And, for you all, our dedicated listeners, we are truly thankful.  Sidewalk Radio exists to create a conversation, and we hope that yours around the holiday table this year is filled with love and joy.  Thanks for all, and enjoy the show — and the sounds of the Buford Highway Adventure Club!

OVERVIEW

The Center for Disease Control, or CDC for short, commands high importance in the health and wellbeing of our world community.  They fight to eradicate disease, research new viruses, and promote safety campaigns to keep us prepared. The CDC is also the only government agency headquartered outside of Washington DC, and it’s based in Atlanta, Georgia.  In the Atlanta community, the CDC’s impact cannot be understated.  It is measured by prestige, progress and even in terms of economic development, bringing new business to the city and to the region.  Today, the CDC is also fostering an environment of collaboration: through design, through education, and even by way of Zombies…yes, Zombies.

Dan Watch grew up on a horse farm in rural New Jersey.  The work ethic and drive he cultivated during his childhood has not disappeared, in fact it has only strengthened.  As an architect and Science + Technology Market Leader at Perkins+Will, Dan spends a great deal of his time focusing on developing and delivering forward thinking design for the CDC.  It was during a presentation there on September 11, 2001, that all of our lives and his designs changed forever.  Dan joins Gene in the studio to share his experience, both personal and professional.

The CDC does more than just fight disease, they inspire and support others to do so.  As President and CEO of the NAMES Project Foundation, Julie Rhoad is both a beneficiary of the collaboration and a leader in the mutual fight of eradicating AIDS through research and awareness.  The NAMES Project Foundation is popularly known for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and Julie brings an executive’s approach with the sensitivity of a dear friend to her work.  Julie shares the progress, pain, and reward of stewarding the world’s largest and most collaborative memorial.

As creator of the Zombie Apocalypse campaign, agency spokesperson for the CDC, David Daigle is a very prepared person.  But, it’s the preparedness of others that keeps him up at night, and got him thinking of ways to connect to a younger audience.  David tells his story about the emergence of this extremely popular emergency preparedness campaign that temporarily took down a CDC server moments after the first Tweet, and has perpetually drawn attention to the cause, saving lives.

OVERVIEW

Auburn Avenue was at one time known as Wheat Street.  In 1893, a group of white citizens went to the city council and petitioned to change the name to Auburn because they thought it sounded more sophisticated. However, it wasn’t the whites who made Auburn Avenue sophisticated, but instead the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of Atlanta’s diverse African American community that propelled Fortune Magazine to name Sweet Auburn “The richest negro street in the world” in 1957.  With over $200,000,000 in new and proposed development, plus a shiny new streetcar, Auburn Avenue is once again poised for prosperity.

The name “Sweet Auburn” was coined by John Wesley Dobbs, grandfather to Atlanta’s first black mayor, Maynard Jackson.  Dobbs, himself the unofficial “mayor” of Auburn Avenue, helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement and for Auburn’s most notable resident, Martin Luther King, Jr.  Ironically, progress lead, in-part, to the decline of the neighborhood as new found freedom fostered an exodus for exploration outside of this historic district.  On this show, we’ll examine what made Auburn Avenue great, what went wrong, and why it’s all coming back together through rebuilding, re-connecting, and the Atlanta Streetcar.

While the Auburn Avenue historic district has seen a devastating decline since the 1970′s, there are many people working to preserve the neighborhood’s history and help bring it back to prominence. The Auburn Avenue Research Library is special in that it is the only library of focus in the Fulton County Library system, and that it has for years collected important documents, artifacts, and images relating to the African American experience. Archivist, Kerrie Cotten Williams joins Gene to talk about the collection, the importance of cataloging culture, and how the library preserves African American history not only for people right here in Atlanta, but for cultures across the globe.

Looking forward, Auburn Avenue plays an important role in Downtown Atlanta and Sweet Auburn’s revitalization due in large part to the Atlanta Streetcar Project.  At one time Atlanta boasted over 300 miles of streetcar tracks, not only providing a mode of transportation, but also connecting our communities.  In the late 1940′s the “car” went the way of the bus.  Well, thanks to $47,000,000 in federal funding, the streetcar is back and it’s being built as we “talk” with an east-west route that rides right down Auburn Avenue.  Here to traverse the future of transit in Atlanta, and specifically the streetcar, is Ryan Gravel, Senior Urban Designer with Perkins+Will.  Gravel, who had the original (and may we say very bright) idea of the Atlanta Beltline, is the type of person who really sees the big picture, and we’re happy he could join Gene in the studio to talk about the positive implications the streetcar’s promise has on our city.

Back in the day, Sweet Auburn was not only home to seriously successful entrepreneurs, including Alonzo Herndon, Atlanta’s first black millionaire, but it also hosted the hottest acts that showbiz had to offer.  The likes of Duke Ellington, Sam Cooke, Gladys Knight, and Little Richard all graced clubs like The Royal Peacock.  Auburn was literally booming, but as the residential population dwindled so went the retail, restaurants and nightlife. Fortunately, the culture, character and history remained.  Blight and the subsequent endangerment of those assets prompted local civic leaders to get involved to protect their homes and their heritage.  As the Chairwoman of the Historic District Development Corporation, Mtaminika Youngblood continues to work toward the preservation of the Sweet Auburn area, representing the interests of the neighborhood and the community at large.  Mtaminika’s connection to Auburn Avenue, along with her story of restoration and preservation of her family’s home, adds a personal touch to a show that is rich with history.

One of the sweeter stories of success along Auburn Avenue comes the way of the Sweet Auburn Bread Company, owned by chef Sonya Jones. Praised for her cakes and pastries, Chef Sonya opened shop and her doors to the community in 1997. One of her more notable moments was when she served then President Bill Clinton her famous sweet potato cheesecake (of her own creation!) during his visit to the historic district.  Her ambition and tasty treats keep customers happy and deliciously contributes to the fabric of her community.

As we watch Atlanta grow, we cannot forget the history of our iconic neighborhoods.  No other area of our city embodies the triumphs of African Americans like Sweet Auburn, and no other area is carrying the banner of Atlanta’s immediate developmental future quite like this neighborhood.  We predict with pleasure that Auburn Avenue will continue to contribute as much to Atlanta’s positive growth and culture in the future as it has in our storied and precious past.  As we celebrate Black History month, let us look to the future, but remember and honor those who helped bring us this far.

OVERVIEW

Often when we talk about an “art collection”  it comes from the context and perspective of the collector; however typical to Sidewalk Radio, we like to look at things a bit differently.  In this month’s episode we explore the art of collecting by assembling a collection of our own: the appraiser, the artist, the cultural curator, and the puppet master (well, of sorts).  What we find is that the art of collecting is a varied, and many times individual, process of understanding.

Joining Gene in the studio to discuss the value of art is gallery owner, creator of the respected “Culture Club”, and certified art appraiser Spalding Nix of Spalding Nix Fine Art.  Spalding helps paint the picture of value from sentimental artifacts (like his treasured Rolling Stones t-shirts) to stratospheric trophy collecting like Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”, predicted to sell this summer at auction in the neighborhood of $100,000,000; smart money is on the Russians to snap this up.

We’re very happy to talk with celebrated artist Todd Murphy, who’s passion and profession drove him to sail to Antarctica. Todd’s recent collection Narrow Road to the Far South was born from his journey aboard an ice-cutter plowing the frigid waters, and is now showcased at locally famed Jackson Fine Art.  On a recent visit “home” Todd hopped on over to our Midtown studios (by way of Brooklyn) to discuss his voyage, what he likes to collect, how his art is collected, and the use of collected elements used to create art.

Leading the charge of rallying new patrons to the arts, and doing a fine job himself at supporting art across Atlanta, is Louis Corrigan, creator of Flux Projects. But, Louis is more than just a guy who likes and supports art. Corrigan is a collector of artists, helping to coordinate their creativity in a way that curates the city.  Flux’s temporary public art (not to mention the extreme creativity and interaction supplied by the artists), brought 10,000 people out on a single night to see art last October in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood.  Corrigan wants to get that number to 1,000,000 city-wide and we believe he can make that happen. Louis joins Gene to talk about the importance of collecting from a cultural perspective.

Then there is Daniel Summers, Jr., Marketing Director at the Center for Puppetry Arts.  Daniel is no puppet on a string, but rather his own master creation of theatrics, knowledge, entertainment and expertise. Daniel talks about the collection at the Center for Puppetry Arts (they have over 2000 puppets in their collection), the history of puppetry, and how puppets are working works of art.

All in all, we are very happy with our “collection” and hope you will be too.

OVERVIEW

Well, we’ve all heard that April showers bring May flowers.  In this month’s episode of Sidewalk Radio, we’ll also find that water brings folklore, inspiration, public parks and preservation. In examining Atlanta’s life aquatic, Gene sets out with four great guests to explore their areas of expertise, everything from dance to destination, from history to heritage…and all of that as told through good ole H20.

From its humble beginnings “as a damp spot on a rock” in the North Georgia mountains, the Chattahoochee River flows south through the Chattahoochee National Forest and west through Atlanta. After a few more twists and turns, plus a merger with the Flint River, “the Hooch” hits Apalachicola Bay and then goes into the Gulf.  In addition to some fine fishing up north, the river is also the major source of water for our city. Sally Bethea is the Executive Director of the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, an organization she founded in 1994 with the mission to protect and restore the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed. Sally joins Gene in the studio to talk about our greatest source of water, along with one of our greatest concerns.

Markham Smith is a founder and principal at Smith Dalia Architects, a firm that specializes in adaptive reuse of older buildings.  It is Markham’s passion for a park however, along with adaptive reuse of another type that brings him into the studio this month.  Smith is one of the original founders of the Historic Fourth Ward Park, a very cool public space that started as a novel idea over breakfast at Thumb’s Up Diner to handle the runoff from Clear Creek Basin that was flooding, among other things, City Hall East (soon to be Ponce City Market).  Markham talks about the process flow for designing with water and how, along with many others, his group saved us money while giving us a great amenity.

Sharon Foster Jones is a former divorce attorney, turned historian, turned author.  She just finished a book about one of Atlanta’s perennial favorites, Ponce de Leon. Sharon joins Gene to quench our thirst for Ponce history and talk about its legend and namesake, The Ponce Springs.

“Just at the northern extremity of the boulevard is a pretty little vale, upon which some slight cultivation has been attempted, mineral waters having been discovered bubbling out of the bank a few years ago. The name Ponce de Leon Spring was at once given to it and the spot has become a pleasure resort, always visited in the course of an afternoon’s drive…The waters have a sulphurous, nasty taste, and therefore it is quite likely that they possess some at least of the medicinal properties ascribed to them.” (Harper’s, 1895)

Lauri Stallings is the founder and “Dancemaker” at gloATL, a collaborative artistic group that incorporates location and rhythm into an immersive art experience. The group is known in particular for their large, location specific performances that relate the audience to space itself through the art. Lauri and Gene meet up this month to discuss water and its place in art and commentary, specifically gloATL’s upcoming “the search for the exceptional”, a collaborative project with filmaker Micah Stansell at the Old Fourth Ward Skatepark. As leader of Atlanta’s most fluid arts group, Lauri offers Sidewalk Radio a look into the kinetic nature of gloATL and gives us a new way to envision our planet’s most abundant substance.

So, sit down, grab a cool glass of…uh…water…relax and enjoy this episode of Sidewalk Radio.  Water is vital to all known forms of life, and it is our hope that this exploration has you looking at and considering the life it brings to our city in ways you might not expect.

OVERVIEW

Memorials are here to remind us, to motivate us, to inspire us.

This month we explore and remember the leadership, courage and creativity that molded art, music, and educational arenas in Atlanta, and places far beyond. What we find is that memorials are community building, not necessarily isolated to one static place. The most meaningful of them are ideas, omnipresent and affective. Our guides for this journey include a business leader, an author, and a poet. Their stories take us on a journey to discover the legacies who helped shape our community, and in its own collaborative way, create an audible memorial through the context.

Fifty years ago on June 3, 1962, Atlanta lost 106 patrons and loved ones in the most devastating tragedy our art community has ever seen. On takeoff back to Atlanta, after spending three weeks of cultural tourism in Europe, their plane exploded in a fiery crash at Orly field just outside of Paris, France. Orly shook the community to its core, yet in response catalyzed Atlanta’s arts and business communities to create a memorial. That memorial is the Woodruff Arts Center. Joe Bankoff, President and CEO of the Woodruff, joins Gene in the studio this month to discuss the positive impacts of this memorial and the leadership that made it possible.

Author, playwright, and poet Pearl Cleage is well accomplished and well known for her work. But the invitation to commemorate Orly through her poetry was a unique challenge. How does a woman – who at one time felt like The Woodruff was not a place for her – speak to the families who’s loved ones are memorialized therein? She does it with kindness, with care, with love and with respect. Pearl takes time to read a part of her poem “Wish You Were Here”, making the listener feel like they were there. It is both sad and satisfying at the same time. Pearl will be reading “Wish You Were Here” in its entirety on June 3rd as part of the Woodruff Arts Center’s Orly Community Day.

Blind Willie McTell, who played in Atlanta and around the South through the 1940′s and 50′s inspired the likes of Bob Dylan and The Allman Brothers with his captivating guitar playing. He also inspired local author David Fulmer to add McTell as a character in novels, as a documentary subject, and in a controversial move, to replace McTell’s tombstone with a memorial Fulmer felt more appropriate to the legacy. Fulmer’s colorful and charismatic story-telling brings a great conversation along with the perspective of music as a memorial.

Of course, this month’s show is also in the honor and spirit of Memorial Day, a day that we remember and celebrate the men and women who have bravely given their lives for our united freedom. This idea of “freedom” is priceless and their sacrifice is the lifeblood of our nation.

OVERVIEW

This month Sidewalk Radio presents both a radio show and an art show that journey along the path to discovery in Atlanta’s arts and culture realm. The radio show delves into the world of education as told through an arts critic, an arts collector, and an architect who specializes in design for student life.  The art show, by way of The Sidewalk Art Project, is the end product of a creative partnership between Sidewalk Radio and SCAD Atlanta that exhibits student work about our history and culture. What we learn through our exploration is that education is both in itself an art form and a producer of art, how it is constructed many times parallels the path of the student.

Art collector and explorer, Bill Arnett, is Founder and Chief Curator at Tinwood Media. While extremely accomplished, being perhaps the foremost collector and educator about the art of the southern black slave tradition, Arnett is himself “self-taught".  Joining Gene in the studio this month to talk about his journey toward knowledge and the unorthodox route he took, Bill enlightens and educates about discovery in the arts and within the individual. AM 1690 has extensive coverage about Arnett’s work, and can be further enjoyed by listening to an interview done by “The Voice of the Arts” own David Lewis in his interview.

Jeff Stebar is an architect and student life expert with Perkins+Will. Jeff joins Gene to talk about the future of education from both the built environment and from life outside the classroom. Since the students for whom Stebar is now designing are only in the 6th and 7th grade presently, predicting how they will learn and where they will learn when they get to college makes the work he and his team embark upon interesting and a challenge. What our discussion uncovers is that buildings are being designed not to predict the future, but to adapt to it. The interests of the students and the advancements in technology are highly considered as is the new reality of having to recruit in higher education.

Cathy Fox is a long-writing Atlanta arts critic and founder of ArtsAtl. While Cathy does not have a focus on arts education per se, she is certainly one of Atlanta’s top voices when it comes to covering the arts. Her interview is in part to educate upcoming artists such as those who participated in The Sidewalk Art Project about how to and where to learn, and in another way meant to take a critical eye on education within the arts.

And, speaking of arts critique, we must take a moment to recognize our Juror Panel who helped select “Best In Show” for the art show portion of this month’s exploration.  Special thanks to Spalding Nix, Ronnie Land, Bruce McEvoy, and Stuart Horodner. Each of these individuals are big in Atlanta arts, and dedicated their time and expertise not only to help the SCAD students learn more in the way of exposure to success in the arts, but also to learn themselves about the students and their work.

Congratulations to the two students selected “Best In Show”, Elizabeth Castaldo for “Miss Winter (Juniper)” and to Nate Kamp for “Kights Armor, Palisade, Lucky Penny”.  To see their work and read the artist’s statement visit us on Sidewalk Radio’s Facebook Page.

OVERVIEW

Freedom is a very large and very important concept. Our country is built on it. Our civic and personal identity tied to it. Our physical landscape is both scarred and improved by it. People have fought for it, people have died for it. One thing for sure about freedom, it’s not free. But, it is absolutely worth it.

Joining us in the studio this month are four guests each with their own experience and their own story to tell about freedom and the journey our nation and our world has taken from the Civil War to Civil Rights in pursuit of it.

We’ll start with the Civil War and Gordon Jones, Senior Military Historian with the Atlanta History Center. Jones shares historical accounts of the American Civil War, the impact the war had on freedom, and a sincere sensibility about the importance of storytelling in relation to history.

Lain Shakespeare is the great, great, great grandson of Joel Chandler Harris, a great man in the journey of freedom. Shakespeare is Board Chairman of The Wren’s Nest, the now historic house museum in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood, where Harris wrote his world famous Uncle Remus tales.  Lain shares stories about the “trickster hero” role (both Brer Rabbit and Harris) in the pursuit of Civil Rights, and a bit about the history of Harris himself.

“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?"

U.S. Congressman John Lewis has been “Getting into good trouble since 1960″ and the world is a better place for it.  It was a true honor to have Civil Rights icon and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Congressman Lewis, on this month’s show.  Lewis has been a true leader in the pursuit of freedom since he joined the Civil Rights Movement as a 15-year-old. Lewis was beaten unconscious and nearly to death in Selma, Alabama, spoke at the March on Washington, and joins our host Gene Kansas in the studio this month to speak about being a voice for freedom.

A new leader in the quest for freedom is National Center for Civil and Human Rights CEO Doug Shipman. Charismatic, compassionate and with an eye toward progress, Shipman is poised to help lead us into the future of freedom. Doug shares an insider’s look into the new center, now under construction in Atlanta, and how the design of the campus plays a large part in connecting and understanding.  The center will focus on education, its physical design helping to create a dialogue for people from all over the world.

This show is dedicated to Winston “Bud” Newell, a man who served our country in WWII, an adoring husband, a fabulous father, a giver of great toasts, a lover of jazz, a friend to all, and a gentle and loving uncle. He will be missed, but his spirit lives on.

OVERVIEW

August in Atlanta is hot, so what better month to celebrate our sizzling passion for porches?  As you’ll hear, this space and place are more complex than you might imagine.  This platform plays the role of architectural element, environmental medium, status symbol, memory maker, and even a place for race relations.

Jim Strickland is founder of Historical Concepts, an architecture firm believing strongly in the prominence and provenance of the porch.  Jim joins Gene in the studio to recall personal moments of porch life, the architectural importance of the porch, and the dialogue that design creates on, off and about the porch.

Jocelyn Donlon likes porches so much she wrote the book on them.  Swinging in Place: Porch Life in Southern Culture, examines everything from childhood games to courtship to gossip with neighbors.  Donlon, via phone from Japan, talks about the significance of the porch to our everyday life and gives a nice comparison to other traditions around the world including the Japanese porch, the engawa. Donlon’s grandmother’s porch, one of a white woman in a black neighborhood, was not only a place where the author grew up and enjoyed life, but it was also inspiration for the book.

As Chair of Emory University’s Department of Environmental Studies, Uriel Kitron is no stranger to the insects we see, hear and swat while playing on the porch.  Kitron gives a warm and educational review that ranges from the dangers of disease in mosquitos to the romance of the firefly, all in the context of the urban environment and with historical scientific footnotes.

Kicking back with an iced tea or a cold beer, watching the world go by, and just enjoying the breeze is all part of porch life. It’s hard to talk about porches without talking about rocking chairs. Thought to have been invented by Benjamin Franklin, the rocking chair has enjoyed many famous aficionados.  From masters of literature like Mark Twain to Presidents such as John F. Kennedy, the rocker has kept on rocking.

But, it’s the imagination, creativity and ingenuity of designer Kathleen Oscadal that has us impressed.  Oscadal created the Sawa Chair, part rocking chair part porch swing, as an expression of her belief that it is okay to be ourselves. Oscadal’s human quality, personality and charm shine through in both her design and in our interview.

The “Passion for Porches” is available now on iTunes.  While you’re there, please rate and review us.  Thank you.  Enjoy!

OVERVIEW

Freedom Park’s relevance in Atlanta history dates back to the Civil War.  On July 22, 1864, Sherman watched the city burn during the Battle of Atlanta from Copenhill (location of the Carter Center) very close to the same spot that the “Homage to King” sculpture stands today as a symbol of our freedom.  This sculpture, by Catalan artist Xavier Medina, was erected at the intersection of Boulevard and Freedom Parkway shortly before the 1996 Olympics on a site that just five years prior was embroiled and embattled in a contentious fight that had been brewing since the 1960′s and severely heated up in the early 1980′s when the Department of Transportation reignited the proposed Stone Mountain Tollway that promised fast access through the city and almost certain destruction of Atlanta’s in-town neighborhoods.

At the literal and metaphoric heart of the matter was the Carter Center.  Like most big time real estate deals, politics plays a huge part.  As Governor in the 1970′s, Jimmy Carter had opposed the road.  However, after his presidency, he backed the plan for a “Presidential Parkway” in and effort to find a home for and road to his Presidential Library.  The city was up in arms again, and in 1981, Cathy Bradshaw helped lead the fight (along with some serious assistance from friends, neighbors and future Congressman, John Lewis) against the Georgia Department of Transportation’s proposed road which would have literally divided many of the charming neighborhoods we love today.

Bradshaw was President of C.A.U.T.I.O.N (Citizens Against Unnecessary Thoroughfares In Older Neighborhoods) the legal arm of a protest group, who together with the very visible activist arm known as the Roadbusters, ultimately (in 1991) helped put an end to the proposed road.  This resolution not only ensured the preservation of treasures like Inman Park, Candler Park, Lake Claire, Poncey-Highland and Druid Hills, but it also resulted in the symbolic connection between the MLK Center and the Carter Center, proving to be a win-win-win for all.  Cathy joins Gene in the studio this month to reflect on the “NO ROAD” fight and remind us about how Atlanta came together for a common cause.

Even though all sides were able to reach an agreement in August 1991, the work was far from over.  It was by chance that David Blackley, a landscape architect and now President of the Freedom Park Conservancy, was at City Hall and happened upon the plans for the new road.  The DOT was not known for designing beautiful, meandering parkways, opting instead for quicker, cheaper, easier straight lines.  David teamed up with Cathy and C.A.U.T.I.O.N (which later evolved into the Freedom Park Conservancy) to perfect the plans for beautification and has been involved ever since, helping to give us the prideful park we have today.  David and Gene discuss the design of the Freedom Park, the ongoing programming, and art in the park.

And speaking about art in the park, Gene speaks with Patricia Kerlin, responsible for helping to bring significant sculptures to Freedom Park and representing the Atlanta Public Arts Legacy Fund (APAL) which oversaw the maintenance of much of the public art on Freedom Park after the Olympics.  Kerlin, an architect, brings her insight and her opinion to some of the park’s greatest pieces, some of its more controversial installments like 54 Columns by Sol LeWitt, and of course the lasting legacy of gateway pieces like “Homage to King” in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and “The Bridge” by Thornton Dial in honor of the contributions of Congressman John Lewis.

We’re also honored to have on our show this month, City of Atlanta Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, George Dusenbury, adding valuable insight and expertise to the discussion about Freedom Park and our city’s park program en masse.  Prior to his role with the city, Dusenbury was heavily involved with the Freedom Park Conservancy and Park Pride among others.  In addition to overseeing all of Atlanta’s 348 parks, plus the creation of new parks from efforts like the Atlanta BeltLine and others, Dusenbury also takes time to enjoy, riding his bike through Freedom Park to the Capitol several days per week.

So, now that you’ve read a little more about this important effort and amazing park, tune in to hear the full story from our experts.  Oh, and get out on the path for a walk, a jog, a bike ride, or just to see some great art in Atlanta’s largest public green space.

OVERVIEW

MARTA is more than a method of transportation, it’s about connecting people, neighborhoods, promoting business, and conservation.  And then of course there’s the art, architecture and history.  In essence, MARTA is integrally important to Atlanta.

As we all know, this summer has been notoriously hot.  It is serendipitous that our art interview focuses on a sculpture called Hot-Lanta Fan, a work by industrial designer and all-around creative Ted Freeman.  Freeman’s work was selected by MARTA as one of seven works of public art exhibited at the highest-traffic stations, his at Five Points Station.  Ted joins Gene to talk art and his love for Atlanta.

Brian Bell with BLDGS Architects is a Harvard graduate, a Georgia Tech professor, and a patron to the arts, but it’s his love for and knowledge about MARTA that brings him into the studio.  Bell, along with business partner David Yocum, bake in a rich, historical perspective to their work, and Brian shares the history of MARTA’s architecture along with some personal sentiments for spots like King Memorial Station, Decatur Station, Arts Center and Five Points Station to name a few.

Certainly it is not surprising to know that city planning has played a big part in MARTA’s making, and Heather Alhadeff, a Senior Transportation Planner with Perkins+Will, has been on the forefront of our city’s efforts for many years starting with her work in Mayor Franklin’s administration on Atlanta’s first, true transportation plan.  Heather also practices what she preaches, taking MARTA daily, and joins Gene to share her insights about the process and effect of planning for transit.

The new Manager of Streetcar Development, and long-time MARTA mainstay, Paul Grether, is the glue that brings the whole show together.  Paul imparts his extensive knowledge about the origin of MARTA and the promise of its future.  Additionally, Grether goes into some of the behind the scenes details about how MARTA came to be, and what its predecessors were like in the early days of Atlanta history.

OVERVIEW

What is Atlanta’s style?  In a word, versatile.  In a genre, southern. Our friends and neighbors rock khaki, clubwear, hoodies, gingham, seersucker, sundresses, navy blazers, roper boots, jeans and “t’s”, and even couture.  This diversity is not totally surprising, we are a bustling metropolis after all.  What is surprising is the skyrocketing popularity of our style over the past few years.  From the streets (and runways) of New York, to cooking it up on cable like Top Chef’s Hugh Acheson, from gracing the stage at the Grammy’s, to winning wardrobes in Hollywood, the South is hot.  We’ve even got the world’s most desired undergarments coming out of Atlanta thanks to Sidewalk Radio friend, Sara Blakely and Spanx.  But, it hasn’t always been this way.  We’re joined by some of Atlanta’s favorite friends and faces in fashion to explore where we came from and why we’re now getting this major attention on the national stage. Hold on to your hats, y’all, it’s “The Fashion Show", southern style.

Sid Mashburn is an Atlanta superstar and super cool guy from Mississippi (with a stint in New York, of course) who tells us he always wanted to be a radio DJ. Well, if our interview is any indication, Mr. Mashburn has a career beyond being a fashion icon.  A designer, a trendsetter, and a named favorite of Garden & Gun, GQ, and the New York Times, Sid is certainly at the top of his game; wife Ann Mashburn being a huge contributor and a powerhouse in her own right. He is kind, charming, and always interested to ask about you instead of talk about himself.  We’re happy go lucky to have Sid join Gene in the studio this month to share his insights about personal style, the Atlanta look, and what it takes to build a fashion community.

With 18 years of writing and editing experience, the ever stylish author, Amy Flurry, has made a lot of friends in the fashion business.  But, it was something that started as a side project that has famous fashion houses like Hermes calling when they want to dress up their style.  Flurry and business partner Nikki Nye create works that artistically accentuate fashion through their Paper Cut Project and it has designers like Kate Spade, mags like Italian Vogue and the likes of Christie’s all clammoring for their creations. Working out of the ultra cool ‘n collaborative Athens, GA, Amy talks to us about styling for fashion one piece (of paper) at a time.

If looks could kill, people wouldn’t have to be buried far from where they’ll be watching Historic Oakland Cemetery’s “Sunday in the Park” costume contest.  On October 6th, Cynthia Crowder, Victorian era fashion expert and Head Judge for the contest, will be overseeing the origins of Atlanta style. In anticipation of the event, Cynthia was kind enough to bring the history of fashion in to the Sidewalk Radio studio, giving us a glimpse of the past, along with a look into the future.  As it turns out, a science fiction twist on Victorian is all the rage, showing up in a very fashion forward manner in the material world and even at “Sunday in the Park”: It’s called steampunk, and we dig it.

In 1957, Bruce Teilhaber moved to Atlanta to join his father in-law in business at Friedman’s Fine Shoes.

Opening in 1929, and now in its 83rd year of business, Friedman’s still occupies its original location downtown at 209 Mitchell Street. What makes Friedman’s unique is the experience, the clientele and the sizes. Specializing in sizes 14 – 22, its where the big boys come to shop. Professional athletes literally come in by the busload (Former Saints owner John Mecom, Jr.once treated the entire team and coaching staff to a $25,000 shopping spree). Today, fans of Friedman’s include: Charles Barkley, Tony Gonzalez, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal (size 22 in case you’re wondering), Gene Upshaw, Tony Dorsett, Gary Sheffield, Eddie George, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, and heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis to name a few. Bruce and son Brett Teilhaber (who now runs the family business with his 3 brothers), bring in Brooklyn accents and larger than life personalities to talk about where the celebrity set athletes go to get their kicks.

This show is not to be missed.  If you like clothes, characters, colorful stories, fashion, fond memories, or just want a behind the scenes look into Atlanta’s style, you’ve got to tune in.

OVERVIEW

Social drinking, instead of drinking to simply survive, has been around for about 8000 years.  Atlanta’s place in the beverage business, and in America’s history, is also distinguished, and growing.  “Atlanta Drinks” is about the literal drinks that have made our city popular, like Coca-Cola as the prime example, but the show also pours it on with history, people, places and insights about the cocktail culture, coffee, and the communities surrounding these concoctions.

Greg Best, co-founder/owner/celeb bartender at Holeman-Finch Public House, did not start out to be a bartender.  In fact, he started with a career in radio before moving to Las Vegas to work at Delmonico and develop a taste and talent for the classic cocktail.  Making a comeback to the airwaves in style, Greg joins Gene in the studio this month to talk about his history, the H&F story, the resurgence of the classic cocktail culture, and the huge part Coke plays in it all.

Octane Coffee’s cult-like following not only helped fuel the Westside’s popularity, but also keeps regulars buzzing.  For stimulating “coffee talk”, we turn to Tony Riffel, co-founder and owner of Octane and the new Octane PocketBar.  Riffel shares his story about leaving corporate America to pursue a dream and how coffee fits into the fabric of Atlanta’s communities.

Literally mixing it up in both business and in the bars is Jesse Altman, co-founder of the Whynatte Latte.  This tasty, cold, canned mixer (and more) is a coffee & energy drink that is adding a new look to the beverage industry’s coffee offerings and kickin’ it up the creativity in bars with shots like the “Whippet” and the “Birthday Suit”.  We can neither confirm nor deny that Gene and Jesse did shots in the studio…okay, fine, we admit it.

Art Wall at H&F. Art on loan from Coke Archives pays homage to our city’s brightest brand for its influence on the cocktail culture and the restaurant itself.

Octane Coffee’s new “PocketBar” at Bank of America Plaza.

While bartenders and bars are obviously vital ingredients to the beverage community, without the customer they would cease to have importance, and that’s where long-time regulars like Angelo Fuster come into play.  Fuster, a spokesperson for three Atlanta Mayors (Jackson, Young, Campbell), has been talking politics, drinking drinks and making friends at Manuel’s Tavern since the mid 70′s.  Angelo is not your typical guy, and Manuel’s is certainly not your average bar.  Both have a joie de vivre for life, politics, journalism and for being real.  Listen in as Angelo shares his stories about this storied and “quintessential” neighborhood bar.

And then there’s Coca-Cola.  We all LOVE Coke, and we all know what a large part they’ve played in Atlanta’s business, social and philanthropic prowess.  Coca-Cola archivist, Ted Ryan, takes us a little deeper into the vault (no, not the one with the secret recipe) to discuss the brand, the art, and the company’s affect on pop culture.  Additionally, since Coke is such a big part of Atlanta, you’ll hear how the refreshing beverage winds it’s way through all of our other guest’s interviews and makes for the perfect mixer on all accounts.

Enjoy!