Top five favorite things about Atlanta

In no particular order:

1. The nickname
Calling Atlanta "The ATL" has completely lost its irony, and I think that's awesome. I seem to recall once Wikipedia-ing "Atlanta" and reading an explanation of the nickname. I'd always just associated it with rap songs I managed to learn when I was in high school, but never thought about the fact that it was based on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's abbreviation.

2. The disjointed but self-contained neighborhoods
Atlanta can be hard to navigate because many of its roads conform to topography, rather than a logical grid pattern. But intown areas like East Atlanta Village and Cabbagetown offer a small town feel in the middle of the U.S.'s 9th largest metropolitan area, and have their own unique identities-- and good-natured rivalries.

3. The guerilla art
A recent Creative Loafing article explored the consequences for "taggers" when they paint public (or private) spaces, but frankly I'd be sad to see their work go. The Krog Street tunnel entertains at every passing, with its shiny portrait of Bob Marley and hastily-scrawled show ads across the bridge. (Really, who doesn't want to see that Marley memorial every day on their way to work? He's smiling so encouragingly.) This part gets painted over and redone every week, if not more often, as a giant flier for a new event. That one cement strip must be hundreds of paint layers deep. It's the urban equivalent of geological strata or rings in a tree trunk.

4. The disproportionately high restaurants-to-people ratio
Lots of these restaurants offer outdoor seating, notwithstanding the stifling summer heat and, oftentimes, the dearth of appealing vistas. My grandmother, on a visit from her home on Long Island, once shook her head and declared, "Atlantans will do anything to eat outside overlooking a parking lot." It's true! And the food's good, too.

5. The music
That's the main reason we're here, right? Over the years, Atlanta has produced many artists that have gained national attention and success, from hip-hop and R&B to adult alternative, to indie rock. Most recently, indie bands like Black Lips and Deerhunter have rocketed into the national spotlight, but what about the bands the rest of the world hasn't caught wind of yet? The ones we can go out each week and enjoy for ourselves, the ones we don't always have to share with everyone else?

That's where Paste:Local comes in. Stay tuned.

Music aside, if this hasn't served as an effective intro to the city and what makes it great, let these guys illuminate the situation: