ATLRetro

Apologies that Wednesday Happy Hour and Supper Club has not posted yet. As I mentioned, last week Dante Stephenson, owner of Dante’s Down the Hatch, gave me a tour of some of this favorite artifacts which decorate the one-of-a-kind interior of his classic Atlanta restaurant. To be honest, there’s so much great material and photos that I just want to get it right, so bear with me. The piece may post this week or I may hold it until next Wednesday. In the meantime, without further ado, here are some ATLRetro picks for this weekend.

Thursday Feb. 3

OK, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec died in 1901, but it’s not a stretch to say that his vibrant posters and prints of showgirls, nightclub stars and the café culture influenced the 20th century romantic view of Paris and still inspire today’s burlesque performers. Look for an ATLRetro review/preview soon of the High Museum of Art’s dynamic new exhibition, TOULOUSE-LAUTREC AND FRIENDS: THE IRENE AND HOWARD STEIN COLLECTION, which opened last Saturday and runs through May 1. After night falls, catch Ghost Riders Car Club at Pho Truc in Clarkston celebrating Vietnamese New Year every Thursday in February with classic ’50s honkytonk and rockabilly. Don’t miss this week’s KOOL KAT OF THE WEEK with guitarist Spike Fullerton. Also, the Breeze Kings bring the blues to Northside Tavern. Or listen to Tongo Hiti’s luxurious live lounge sounds, as well as some trippy takes on iconic pop songs, just about every Thursday night at Trader Vic’s, as well as some trippy takes on iconic pop songs.

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OK, get ready, get set for the second week of ATLRetro’s top picks of things to do this week. In some ways, it’s a pretty quiet one, especially for anyone looking to swing back to the ‘50s, or all the kool kats could just be lying low before a big Valentine week next week. But remember we’re just getting started, so if you know of a cool happening we’ve missed, send suggestions to ATLRetro@gmail.com.

Monday Jan. 31

On a budget? Catch a free performance by Austin rocker extraordinaire Alejandro Escovedo at Decatur CD. And what’s more retro than a beer named Vinyl? The micro-brew by Magic Hat Brewing Co. is on tap, and according to them, it’s “a scrumptious spring lager that sails in on her shining wings as the spinning sun returns.” To say that spring is here two days before Groundhog Day may sound a tad optimistic despite the wonderful weekend weather, but ATLRetro thinks it sure sounds worth sipping. If the free show makes you want more, Escovedo plays the second of two nights of all ages gigs at Eddie’s Attic just a few blocks away tonight.

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Welcome to the first Wednesday Happy Hour and Supper Club. Starting in March, check back for the latest news, reviews and features on Atlanta restaurants, bars, lounges and nightclubs with a Retro location, menu or attitude. ATLRetro also will search the city for the most authentic and delicious retro or retro-inspired cocktails and recipes, or teach you how to make it at home.

Soon I’ll be posting our first major restaurant feature in which Dante Stephensen provides a tour of some of his favorite artifacts decorating the walls at Dante’s Down the Hatch. I remember when I first visited Dante’s at Underground Atlanta as a child and the sense of anticipation and mystery when I descended down the stairs into a giant coffin to find myself on the deck of a magnificent sailing ship. Combine that with live jazz music and fondue and you have the perfect example of a mid-century theme restaurant, conceived with care and creativity rather than the artificiality of many of today’s chains. In the 1980s when the old Underground closed (look for an upcoming Lost Atlanta feature revisiting its uniqueness, too), Dante moved the restaurant to Buckhead and rebuilt it even bigger and better. If you haven’t eaten there lately or you’ve never been, it’s a true Retro treasure.

Photo credit: Philip Nutman, 2010

Also in the works is a feature on Livingston. While Livingston has only been around for a few years, it’s located in the opulent art-deco Georgian Terrace Hotel. I’ll be asking Chef Zeb Stephenson about how its Retro location influences his recipes, giving a sneak preview of its current seasonal menu and sipping a few cocktails, too.

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By the clicking of these keys, something Retro this way comes… The first installment of “This Week in Retro Atlanta” won’t be as complete as I hope to make it. But everything has to start somewhere—or in this case, some time. So the time has come simply to just get the first installment of ATLRetro’s top picks of things to do this week posted.

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