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Fall Preview: Rooftops to escape the late summer heat

The Georgia Voice Editors
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The view from FAB restaurant

As fall nears, we’re all yearning to escape the late summer heat. Act like the superhero you are. Did you know you were “different” when you had a crush on Superman or Wonder Woman? Me too. So now, fly high in the sky and try these lofty rooftop bars and restaurants.

Whenever my partner and I have friends in from out of town, they always ask to go to downtown Atlanta. We always reply that Atlanta is a commuter city, but there are still some very viable places to entertain out of town guests.

We start by going to the bar at the Sun Dial restaurant on top of the Peachtree Plaza. I remember when I was a kid and my mother took me there. I had a Shirley Temple and felt like I was the most metropolitan child ever, sipping my pink fizzy drink as the bar rotated slowly to reveal the Southern Empire Skyline. On a clear day you can see forever. It’s really pretty at night.

Restaurants where gay PDA is A-OK

The Georgia Voice Editors
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Atlantans joined in the celebrations earlier this month when a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California, was unconstitutional. Sure, the case is being appealed, but we can still rejoice in the strongly worded ruling that affirmed our rights as lesbian and gay Americans.

All of the Prop 8 revelry made me think about places where I could truly be myself and grab my partner’s hand on the table and say, “I love you.” I’m not a big PDA person, but I don’t see anything wrong with a quick kiss or hand-holding as long as it doesn’t turn into an adult movie.

Here are some gay places in Atlanta where you can give your same-sex partner affection without feeling awkward. You may even want to propose and plan your California wedding.

Business Spotlight: N’awlins

The Georgia Voice Editors
GA Spotlight
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N'awlins serves brunch at My Sister's Room

As they say in New Orleans, or N’awlins, as the locals like to call it, “Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez” — Let the Good Times Roll.

This weekend, N’awlins, owned and operated by chef and trans man Franky Capobianco, plans to do just that by beginning to serve brunch in My Sister’s Room in East Atlanta.

The restaurant was once located on Irwin Street but decided to relocate to My Sister’s Room for the weekends after air conditioning problems plagued its former home.

Pets: Pet-friendly restaurants

The Georgia Voice Editors
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Dog treats from Taj Ma-Hound

They’re staring at you with those big sad eyes as if to say, “Please take me with you.” You’re heading out to dinner and you want to take them, but where? Luckily, Atlanta is filled with pet-friendly restaurants — well, mostly I mean dog friendly, but some cats like to go on trips also. The other day at Moe’s in Midtown I saw two gay guys bring their pet Lemur named Moxie – fierce.

One of my favorites is the groovy Universal Joint in Decatur, which has a great dog-friendly patio. If you go to their website you’ll even see a pooch on their patio. Take a stroll around Oakhurst Park and then head to U Joint for excellent pub fare. The warm convivial scene is urban which means no one cares if you’re gay or straight.

I love their take on eggrolls with spicy chicken and mango chutney, or if you’re feeling bad, get the scratch fries smothered in melted cheddar, bacon and jalapenos. The joint has superb specials and burgers, including a black bean version for vegetarians.

Southern seafood delights

The Georgia Voice Editors
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Seafood from Six Feet Under Atlanta

I love the REM Song “Night Swimming.” I think of swimming in rejuvenating cool water on a balmy Southern summer night, as I watch a blinking yellow symphony of fireflies. Summer makes me crave things from the sea like wild Georgia shrimp so fresh it pops in your mouth. Here are some summer seafood faves.

Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House has locations in Grant Park and Westside. The Grant Park location has a city vibe and is one of my favorite seafood joints for the money.  The space is industrial with high ceilings and exposed brick, plus a roof top patio with a view of historic scenic Oakland Cemetery where you can see Twilight goth teens scurrying around at night.

Nothing beats barbecue for signature summer meals

The Georgia Voice Editors
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Atlanta Barbecue

I’ll admit that I’m no BBQ OCD like some critics who rock back and forth muttering descriptions like char and bark. As a child in the Atlanta ‘burbs, I only knew the Old Hickory House, which we rarely went to at night since my mother didn’t eat barbecue in public because it was messy and would get her burgundy manicured nails dirty. Their barbecue beef omelet is still really good.

Today Atlanta has a ton of crave-worthy barbecue joints that embrace the imaginative, yet don’t lose sight of Southern traditions. At many, the sides can be as good and as creative as the meats.

Rolling Bones, located on Edgewood Avenue, made Bon Appetit’s 10 best barbecue places in the U.S. for 2009 and serves organic meats. Rolling Bones has that smoky, spicy complexity that signifies a real talented pit master, y’all.

Cool meals for Hotlanta, whether dining in or out

The Georgia Voice Editors
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This is why we call our city Hotlanta. Summer just officially started, but it’s already sweltering. I meant to go to the gym yesterday but my brain said, “Tread mill, or margaritas and guacamole?” It can be exhausting at the end of a long hot summer day to decide what to eat, so here are some ideas for restaurants and fast and easy dishes to make at home.

One of my favorite summer restaurants is Joe’s on Juniper. I’ve been going to Joe’s for years and they really support our community. When the sun sets you’ll find plenty of LGBT diners on their spacious patio. I love their Thursday Trivia night because it’s fun to hear the crass team names people come up with. A fierce group of gays and girlz called “The Stimulus Package” recently won.

Across the table: Best tacos under the sun

The Georgia Voice Editors
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There are certain Mexican restaurants in Atlanta that have a great vibe plus stellar food, and Taqueria Del Sol is definitely one of them. As summer heats up, who doesn’t like Mexican food on a patio with a tasty cold beverage?

As an Atlanta native, I remember when the only Mexican food you could get was at El Chico and Chi Chi’s. We didn’t even know what a Taqueria was and now thankfully upscale Latin food is everywhere.