TMC

My first trip since this whole pandemic shenanigans began was to Atlanta. It was my first time getting packed up, going through TSA, and getting on a plane. Truthfully, it was nerve-racking, going through the whole process and sitting close to people, but everything ended up being fine. How I missed seeing the clouds from above. And getting the opportunity and chance to check out Atlanta was one that I didn't want to give up. I actually first headed down in August to move my sister into her dorm at Spelman College. She is headed into her junior year, and I have yet to visit because I've had to move myself into college. So now that I have graduated, it was my chance to get down there and spend some time with her, in her atmosphere. It was delightful to have my sister take me around and show me the places that she frequents while at school. The city very much has its own ambiance and vibe that you immediately pick up on. Not quite the same bustle as other bigger cities, but there is still a persistent energy that gives it a hum. I was immediately compelled.   

 

That first trip, I actually had the pleasure and privilege of getting to stay in an Airstream. For those who don't know, an airstream is an aluminum, rounded trailer that had its peak in the 70s/80s. They're made in the US, which is another reason why they're kind of popular. It's a very vintage living arrangement, unique and individual. Now, getting to rent one was really special because I didn't think I'd ever really get the opportunity to. Especially so soon, especially in such an ideal spot, next to a farm and chicken coop; right near where my sister was staying. It's just not something you find on Airbnb every day. I have always been interested in having a minimalistic living arrangement in my future which is how I've come to learn about Airstreams. However, they are not my preferred choice of tiny living quarters. I greatly appreciated the opportunity of renting one out and getting to try it myself to see how I would like it. And I did enjoy it! It's very, very cool but just not for me. It is slightly too small in the corners, making it seem smaller around the edges; you have to walk around with your head bent when not directly in the middle. BUT, that doesn't take away from the experience itself. 

 

I simply cannot go any further without talking about the impeccable and immaculate food that the city of Atlanta possesses. I have yet to be disappointed. The pure variety, quantity, and quality of restaurants and eateries are breathtaking. I don't want to get into the listing of restaurants now/ I definitely could; instead, I want to speak about why I think the food is so central. Being the south, there is already, by nature, a deep food history. As well as a large mixture of cultures that gives you a good mix of flavors for the city. I think… I know that food is such a staple of what makes a geographic culture. Food is what provides the people with energy; it is the fuel that drives communities. The immense culture that Atlanta emits would not exists without the food to provide its dynamism. It became more evident to me why ATL is considered a new cultural hub. 

 

I know I probably shouldn't, but I feel I must "briefly" talk about gentrification. I sit and go back and forth internally about gentrification in my head. The quarrels that I have with myself are entirely about the process of improving neighborhoods. How do you improve an area, economically develop it without displacing people and not suffer gentrification? Because once values start increasing, won't that attract people not necessarily from the area. In my experience and 20+ years in Boston, I have seen neighborhoods gentrifying, that process of displacement. In some places in Boston, you can drive and still see some of the historic redlines, the stark contrast of adjacent neighborhoods where wealth lies and where it is absent. In Atlanta, that contrast is, on most occasions, house to house. I ponder with myself on how you uplift a community without negative implications. Because as you increase a places' social-economic standing, wouldn't people start to be attracted to the area? These are the questions I sit and ask myself when I want to think about something for an extended period of time. I suppose it stumps a good amount of other people as well. That was a "brief" spiel on gentrification. To be continued…

 

Lastly, I just want to briefly mention it's one of the first things my sister and I talked about once getting on the highway into the city my first time there. Atlanta does not have a good skyline; it's unfortunate. Mercedes Benz Stadium is remarkable and bizarre looking; driving by late at night, you're like, what is that in the sky? It kind of looks like a spaceship. But the actual skyline of buildings, there's not much to speak of… it's pretty whack.