Old-School Jams, Chill

www.nabjconvention.org
Wednesday, August 3, 2005 THE NABJ MONITOR 13
Atlanta’s nightlife at a glance
Old-School Jams,
Chill-Out Spots
It’s A Hard Rock Life
By BRIAN LEE
Monitor Staff
Lauren Marsh / THE MONITOR
Members of the NABJ Executive Board (clockwise, from bottom left) Barbara Ciara, Bryan Monroe, Sarah Glover, Melanie Burney and
John Yearwood chat with NABJ President Herbert Lowe (second from right) after dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta.
Brio Tuscan offers taste of Italy
By BRIAN LEE
Monitor Staff
Located in Buckhead, the
restaurant has a big open terrace
thatʼs ideal for evening dining.
Entrees range from $12 to $25.
Management says its popular
entrees are steaks, chops and
pastas, says assistant general
manager Steve Hoberg.
Not known for seafood, Brio
Tuscan Grille serves a fish-ofthe-day special.
On
Martini
Night
onWednesdays, the popular
drinks are discounted by $2 per
glass. The frozen peach Bellini
is another favorite.
The
restaurant
attracts
celebrity patrons, including
Mase, Jamie Foxx and one of
Atlantaʼs hottest stars.
“Usher still comes in a lot,”
You wonʼt need notebooks,
cameras or demo tapes for
this assignment. Simply report
immediately to the dance floor.
Bell Bottoms, a nightclub in
Buckhead, has been called an
intergenerational
experience,
attracting a 25-to-40-year-old
crowd.
“People have come here with
their parents and had a great
time,” said club manager Dan
Cummiskey.
Bell Bottoms is the only
retro-focused spot in town and
its disc jockey is allergic to
music released after 1993. That
means youʼll have to put up with
an occasional Tone-Loc jam.
“It is strictly urban old school,
focused on the ʼ70s, ʼ80s and
early ʼ90s,” Cummiskey said.
Sour
apple
martinis,
Hennessey and beer are the
drinks of choice.
The club has three doormen
and Atlanta police on duty at
all times. Itʼs open from 8 p.m.
to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Admission is $5 before 10 p.m.
and $10 after that.
Even with its throwback
theme, Bell Bottoms does not
allow athletic wear. No baggy
jeans and pants are allowed. Only
women get to go sleeveless.
The club is at 225 Pharr Road
NE (404-816-9669) next to the
popular Atlanta Fish Market.
he says.
The restaurant, which has
chains in 10 U.S. cities, is
located at 2964 Peachtree Rd.,
N.W. It is a stoneʼs throw from
Centennial Park, which offers
free jazz concerts.
If you go:
MARTA: Traveling north,
If you go:
take the Doraville line to the
MARTA: Any northbound
Lenox (six stops). Board Bus 23
train to Art Center Station (four
will stop in front of restaurant.
stops from Peachtree Center).
Board Bus 23 and get off at the
corner of Peachtree Street and
Pharr Road.
Club Eleven50 — so named
because of its address at 1150
B Peachtree St. — offers three
different experiences in a single
location.
Thereʼs an outdoor art gallery,
a lounge/bar as well as a thirdlevel nightclub.
Open Fridays and Saturdays,
Club Eleven50 caters to an
“upscale” crowd with admission
ranging from $10 to $20, said
Rachael Pryor, the director of
operations.
Mixed drinks start at $7.
Domestic beers cost about $3.
The best thing about the
club is its diverse draw in
terms of ethnicities and ages.
Accordingly, the music spans
electronic, old school, funk and
hip-hop. Its celebrity patrons
have included P. Diddy, who
celebrated a birthday at the
venue.
Thereʼs a strict dress code for
men: no shorts, sandals, workboots or white sneakers. Athletic
wear, jerseys and baseball caps
are also off-limits. Jeans may
be worn.
For women the code is more
flexible. “Sexy, sophisticated
and neat,” Pryor said.
If you go:
MARTA: Club Eleven50,
404-874-0428, is one block
north from Peachtree Center.
Board Bus 10 northbound to
the corner of Peachtree and 13th
streets.