The thick of Thursday

July 25 — Atlanta native Coco Gauff will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic Team at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. (NBC). France beat the U.S. 3-0 in men’s soccer yesterday.

🌧️ Showers with a high of 84° today. 

✈️ As Delta recovers from Friday’s IT meltdown, a Senate committee said it would provide oversight to protect passengers. The U.S. Department of Transportation is also investigating Delta’s response to the crisis, which received more criticism yesterday after CEO Ed Bastian flew to Paris for the Olympics. 

🗣️ Doctors at a recent hearing convened by U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff testified that Georgia’s six-week abortion ban endangers patients. Ossoff said he plans to hold a series of meetings to examine the ban’s impact.

🏳️‍🌈 Acclaimed artists Yemi Alade, Billy Porter, and Omawumi will headline the Global Black Pride festival from Aug. 27-Sept. 2 in Atlanta.

🧾 Invest Atlanta has launched a new tax relief program for senior residents. The initial pilot program will include 200 qualified applicants who will be randomly selected for participation.

🥤 Atlantan Kat Cole was named CEO of AG1. The former Focus Brands executive was previously president and COO of the health supplements company.

🗣️ There was a big community turnout for the Dunwoody Police Department’s “Churro with a Cop” to discuss public safety issues.

ELSEWHERE

➡ In an 11-minute address from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden explained his decision to end his reelection campaign. “The best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” he said. 

📉 Stocks fell sharply Wednesday, with the Nasdaq losing more than 3.5% after disappointing earnings reports from some large tech companies.

🛫 Southwest Airlines said it will end its open seating policy.

📺 For the first time in more than three decades, Atlanta-based TNT will not broadcast league games as the NBA inked new TV and streaming deals with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon.

🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:

• Midtown Connector Park stalls
• Atlanta Crossroads Mural Festival
• Hypepotamus story
AND
• Quick Bites

Have a good day,
Collin & Sammie

🏔️ Explore a luxurious Toccoa Riverfront chalet in the heart of Blue Ridge, listed with Mountain Sotheby’s International Realty. The modern rustic lodge is perfect for entertaining, complete with a jacuzzi pool, a wraparound deck, a gourmet kitchen, expansive communal spaces, and a party porch overlooking the river.

SPONSOR MESSAGE

1. Plans stall for Midtown highway-capping project

🌳 Work by a private foundation to build a highway-capping park to reconnect the east and west sides of Midtown has stalled.

The future of the park – first envisioned by Chick-fil-A chairman Dan Cathy –  remains uncertain without significant financial backing from a local or state government agency that handles policy, funding, and infrastructure decisions for transportation.

Doug Hooker, CEO of the Connector Park Foundation, said in a written statement to Rough Draft that because the proposed park would be built over I-75/85, it must be constructed and owned by a public entity.

➡️ Read more about the project here.

Serene and Luxurious Retreat in Vinings

SPONSORED BY ATLANTA FINE HOMES

🏡 Discover quiet luxury in Vinings in this estate listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. Nestled on 7± acres of park-like grounds, this sprawling and serene retreat boasts multiple indoor-outdoor spaces, five spacious bedrooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and open-concept living, creating a harmonious flow through the home. Experience the feeling of a vacation resort every day.

Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty is Metro Atlanta’s No. 1 residential real estate company and No. 1 in luxury home sales above $1.5 million.

👉🏼 Check out our current listings here.

2. Atlanta Crossroads Mural Festival brings local artists together in celebration of public art

🎨 20,000 square feet of wallspace distributed across three buildings in southwest Atlanta will soon bear new murals by 51 local artists.

The Atlanta Crossroads Mural Festival (ACMF) inaugural mural festival will culminate in a celebration of public art featuring more than 30 local artists, makers, and food vendors this Sat., July 27 from 12-6 p.m. 

Located at the intersection of Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. and Humphries St. SW, the mural festival has grown in just a few short weeks to transform the face of three buildings. The festival was organized by local artists Dosa Kim and Chris Wright who intend to celebrate Atlanta’s diverse mural art scene in a dense, urban setting. 

🖼️ Learn more about the roots of the festival here.

3. Meet the 10 semifinalist startups for the Fintech South Innovation Challenge

VIA HYPEPOTAMUS, A LOCAL SITE COVERING TECH

📱 As the annual conference dedicated to financial innovation, Fintech South is the place where anyone can learn about the newest fintech ideas.

Each year at Fintech South, the Innovation Challenge rewards the most innovative early-stage company based or founded in Georgia that focuses on financial technology, with a $25,000 prize.

The selected companies in the Innovation Challenge cohort participate in a four-week mentorship program to further develop their innovative businesses, products, and solutions.

Three semifinalist companies will later be selected as finalists and deliver a presentation live at Fintech South on Tues., Aug. 27 at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

➡️ Learn more about the 10 semifinalists on Hypepotamus.

RELATED

🖥️ SaaS automation platform Zapier has acquired Atlanta-based NoCodeOps.

🏘️ Nestled in the heart of Edgewood is an end-unit townhome that offers urban convenience with neighborhood charm. Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, this home features an oversized chef’s kitchen and offers smart home technology like automated blinds and a two-car garage wired for an electric car charger.

SPONSOR MESSAGE

4. Quick Bites

VIA SIDE DISH, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER| SUBSCRIBE HERE

👋 Senior food editor Beth McKibben reflects on her first six months at Rough Draft and teases what she’s working on for the rest of 2024.

🍔 Evergreen Butcher + Baker (pictured) in Kirkwood paused its wildly popular Sunday burger pop-up because neighboring businesses were complaining about the long lines. The owners plan to reevaluate in a few weeks. Earlier this month, Evergreen made news when a patron apparently purchased the allotted three burgers per person and resold them to people waiting in line at a marked up price.

🇯🇵 The first resident chef at Pullman Yards restaurant Brick and Mortar will be Kiyoka Nishikawa of Cheffrey’s Kitchen pop-up. The residency begins Aug. 16 with Nishikawa serving a traditional, seven-course kaiseki dinner for $80 per person. Expect only two seatings per night for 20 people. Reservations required. 

🧑‍🍳 Chef Jared Hucks will host a cooking class at The Alden in Chamblee on Tues., July 30 at 6:30 p.m. Guests will work on a 3-course menu of fresh local ingredients like Georgia peaches, arugula, horseradish, plums, and yuzu. Visit here for more information and to sign up.

🦪 Verdure Kitchen & Cocktails in Morningside now offers half-off martinis with oysters and jazz on Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. People can enjoy martinis with three oysters for $20, too.

🍸 Tip Top Proper Cocktails has added a new canned cocktail to its lineup. With a blend of vodka, lime, cranberry, and orange liqueur, The Cosmopolitan is a vibrant pink nod to the iconic 90s drink. Available at locations throughout Atlanta – including Elemental Spirits Company, Sun In My Belly, and Steinbeck’s – you can visit their website here for more details and ordering information. 

🐔Layne’s Chicken Fingers is coming to Roswell in October. This will be the first Georgia location for the Texas “born and breaded” chicken finger brand. An additional 17 restaurants are expected to open in the Atlanta market.

🥩Slutty Vegan and Bar Vegan are partnering with Chunk Foods to release two menu items this summer. The collaborations include a vegan pulled brisket sandwich – “The Big Meat” at Slutty Vegan, and a 4 oz. steak entrée served with two sides – available at the original Bar Vegan in Atlanta, as well as its new second location, which opened in Lawrenceville on July 13.

🎯 Your 3rd Spot at The Works in Underwood Hills now offers annual memberships to people living within five miles of the eatertainment establishment. An initial $45 membership fee for the first 1,000 people features perks like half-priced entry, line skipping, and a special food menu. 

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