In a recent article about Atlanta city wide wi-fi access, the AJC mentioned a proposed plan for Atlanta could cover up to 132 sq miles of the metro area to provide wi-fi services to the greater Atlanta area. The Marietta Square recently was blessed with wi-fi access - is anyone using it? What are your stories about the recent ‘improvement’ to the Square? Personally, I use T-mobile’s data plan for my wireless access using GPRS - it’s works pretty good from most anywhere, even from the runway at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, where I have on occasion posted to WhitlockAvenue.com via my pocket PC phone.

What are your thoughts and stories on wi-fi in Marietta, on the Square, and in Atlanta?

Read more on the AJC >>

Dave fm DJ, Mara Davis, dubbed her Wednesday’s show theme “It’s better in Marietta,” and citizens were on hand to prove it. Curators from Marietta Museum of History stopped by in full period dress. Some of the delegates from the Marietta All-America City Award were on hand to present Mara with the new All-America City shirt. Through out the day fans and local business owners showered Mara with gifts ranging from brownie bites to dog treats. Mara graciously honored everyone’s request for radio spots for their businesses and worked the crowd like a small town politician, greeting everyone that stopped by. All in all it was a successful event that reflected Marietta’s spirit of community to the city of Atlanta.

Rock and blues concert on Square June 30
The Friday night Glover Park Concert Series continues as rock and blues band The Naturals performs June 30. The show begins at 8 p.m., but you’re encouraged to bring blankets and picnic baskets early to grab a good seat. Concerts in the Square: another great reason Marietta is an All-America City.
http://www.mariettaga.gov/news/2006/friday_concerts.html

Mara Davis, Atlanta Radio Personality for 92.9 Dave fm, has taken her Wednesday show, Radio Free Wednesdays, on tour of metro Atlanta for the past 11 weeks. The tour ends with a final appearance at Glover Park on the Marietta Square this week.

On Wednesday, June 21 from 10 am to 3 pm, Mara will broadcast live from the historic epicenter of Marietta, where she will also be giving away free Dave fm gear and granting listener song requests. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to stop by and say hello.

“Marietta’s got a lot to prove! We’ve been to 11 other cities and this is the final stop on the “perimeter passport tour,” said Mara. Let’s show Atlanta how our hospitality and community landed us among 10 of the best as a 2006 All-American City.

See you on Wednesday!

Way to go everyone! Check out the award that our precious city has earned!

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The National Civic League crowned the city of Marietta Sunday night one of the 10 best communities in the nation as a 2006 All- America City, the oldest and most respected community recognition award in the country. Nearly 600 communities began the application process, and Marietta beat other national finalists for the award, which recognizes exemplary grassroots community problem-solving. Winners in previous years have been honored at the White House.

Finalists participated in a final round of the All- America City competition in Anaheim, Calif., June 9- 11. Each delegation presented three innovative community programs to a jury of national civil affairs experts. The finalists’ presentations addressed a wide range of social and community issues, including youth, education, poverty, affordable housing and race relations.

Since 1949, the All-America City Award has recognized civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes in which citizens, government, businesses and volunteer organizations work together to address critical local issues. Being selected a winner substantiates Marietta is a model for the nation with extensive planning efforts and approaches to facing difficult challenges in innovative and collaborative ways.

“The city is honored to win the All-America City award because only four other Georgia communities have won in the award’s 57-year history,” Marietta Mayor Bill Dunaway said. “It means the work we’re doing is among the best in the country, and it’s great that others recognize it, too.”

Dozens of community programs and organizations were cited in the city’s award application, and many were part of the Marietta delegation that competed before the jury.

“Everyone in Marietta should be proud, because winning the award is the result of the entire community working together every day,” Marietta City Manager Bill Bruton said. “We appreciate the community’s work for the great progress we’ve made the last three years.”

The National Civic League awarded Marietta because the city showed it is successfully resolving issues with active citizen involvement, volunteer and business resources, efficient government, community vision and collaboration.

In its application, Marietta demonstrated how three unique projects were solving challenges through community partnerships. The first was Marietta’s efforts to reduce crime and stabilize deteriorating neighborhoods by creating M-STAR. The citywide program combines community policing and computer analysis of crime trends with accountability of city staff and public involvement. M-STAR has resulted in many successes, the most notable being a reduction of crime.

The Marietta Revitalization Program was the second initiative submitted to judges. Its goal is to save the city from decline and create a stronger sense of community by balancing the city’s housing stock, stabilizing school enrollments, creating affordable workforce housing and revitalizing neighborhoods. The city has made substantial progress toward increasing the percentage of homeowners while reducing substandard rental units.

As part of its application, Marietta was required to show how it met criteria of the National Civic League’s Civic Index, a twelve-point self-evaluation tool that measures a community’s overall abilities to solve problems, including planning efforts and partnerships with community organizations such as the Loop Group.

Judges required a third program to benefit children, and the city explained how Marietta Reads, a citywide effort to foster reading and literacy, has increased student test scores and book circulation.

This is the first time Marietta has been selected a finalist and a winner, and the city should experience economic and community benefits as one of only 10 winners in this year’s national competition.

“Winning the All-America City award should help Marietta attract and retain businesses, which generate jobs and a stronger tax base,” Bruton said. “This is the premier national award for communities, and winners have seen an increase in tourism, grants and better bond ratings.”

“The city appreciates the support of the sponsors who helped us compete,” Bruton said. “Their contributions enabled the entire community to win the All-America City award.”

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Tucked among a row of outdoor eateries along North Park Square is a seemingly unassuming mediterranean grille also know as Efe’s. The menu posted outside features dishes in a foreign language, but recognizable to anyone familiar with some of the region’s more popular cuisinal offerings, such as kebabs and falafal. However, to capture the true essence of this establishment, you must venture inside, past the front of the house and down a small corridor. The end of the little hall spills into a more vast opening than you might expect with continous sofa-like seating that wraps around three sides of the room. The fabrics that dress the tables, seats, pillows, and walls boast the rich hues of gold and burgundy.

As you take a comfortable seat, you’ll need a few minutes to peruse the extensive offerings of mediterranean fare and Turkish dishes. Though, you shouldn’t begin your main course without a sampling of the Cacik or Falafel. Whether you opt for the Kebabs or one of the traditional Turkish dishes as the main entree, your portions will be generous, but if you want more flavor, go for the Kebabs.

After you order and have time to look around the room, you may notice that the seating does not extend past the tables along the wall. And if you are there on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ll quickly understand why. At 7:00 the quiet atmosphere instantly transforms as sounds of middle eastern melodies reverberate through the room. The gentle clanging of finger symbals introduces the feature entertainment for the evening: a belly dancer.

The décor, dining, and dancing culminates into a melting pot of a middle eastern experience. Though it doesn’t rank among the likings of Atlanta’s Imperial Fez, it is a great spot in our neighborhood for a dinner and a show with a foreign flare.

Looking to live closer to the square if you aren’t already? Walk to the historic downtown Marietta Square from this beautiful home in downtown Marietta, GA. Built in 1951, this house has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths (both upgraded in 2001 w/Tile and the master with a Jacuzzi heated spa).

Beautiful refinished Hardwoods line the interior of the home and are also in the newly renovated kitchen (2002).

A cool front breakfast room also sits right off the kitchen which is a great retreat for reading and relaxing. The front porch on this home is huge measuring 42ft x 7ft for close to 300 sqft of entertaining space complete with 3 porch fans and plenty of room to have your outdoor parties. Click here for more details >>

Don’t miss out on the Free Concert this Friday at 8pm by the Jesters, a pop-rock group. See you all there!

Family activities start two hours before the 8 p.m. concert by the Jesters, a pop-rock group. Officials will hand out slices from 10 birthday cakes with scenes of the park on top.

Two decades ago, Marietta Square’s park was down on its heels. Elm disease had killed many of the trees. The fountain and bandstand were in bad shape, and there was more dirt than grass.

At a private reception last week, Jim Glover said the park had been in bad shape for many years. He remembers his mother telling him as a child not to play there because he would get too dirty. The Glovers, one of Marietta’s founding families, gave the land to the city in 1852 with the stipulation that it always be used as a public park.

Glover said his grandfather, James Bolan Glover, fought Marietta’s attempts to turn the land into a parking deck in the mid-1960s. Public sentiment in favor of the park prompted a legal battle to save the property, he said. Rumors about the parking deck continued, though, through the years.

Developer John Williams said he heard the park was in jeopardy in 1985 when he was acting chairman of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. He got behind efforts to renovate the park with a $250,000 gift and a pledge to maintain landscaping for 10 years. Private and corporate gifts and city funds accounted for $500,000 more.

“I am glad I was a part of this. It’s a great public space for people to enjoy,” Williams said. “This is a great legacy for the city.”

Sunday afternoon, the Polk Street Players closed out their 2005-2006 on a funny note, with their production of Ray Cooney’s Funny Money. This British comedy kept the audience laughing with the story of Henry Perkins’ (played by Greg Fitzgerald) discovery of a briefcase containing over 900,000 pounds. In an effort to conceal this discovery, the characters found themselves in a tangled web of lies, while play-goers were tangled in a web of laughter. Perkins’ wife, Jean (played by Amy Rundbaken-Smith) represented the morality of making the right decision, until the pressure of that role drives her straight to the whiskey bottle. The Perkins’ friends, Vic and Betty Johnson, (played by Ned Thurman and Amy Palys) join them in the plight of figuring out what to do with, or rather, how to spend the money. Betty, an adventurous spirit, is willing to jump into the middle of the mess, while her husband Vic, is confused into submission of Henry and Betty’s plans for the money. Throw in a corrupt officer, an honest detective, and a lively taxi driver, and you have a recipe for theatre that is sure to please.

The Polk Street Players feature their productions on the stage of the Stellar Cellar. Formed in 1979, they are a community theatre group sponsored by Marietta’s own St. James Episcopal Church. Polk Street Players present pieces from all genres including comedy, drama, and thrillers. The actresses, actors, and crews are locals from the parish and throughout the metro Atlanta area.

The Polk Street Players will begin their 28th season this summer. Check back here for future shows and dates.

Having lived within two miles of the Marietta Square for the better part of two decades, my memories of this historic place are innumerable to say the least. One of my favorite childhood memories to recall is how my mother and I would spend Saturdays on the Square.

With morning chores and dance lessons over, Mom and I would set out for the afternoon together. We window-shopped among all the antique stores that lined Church Street and North Park Square. As a little girl, I developed the habit of remembering all the things my mom pointed out. When special events came around, my dad would take me to the same antique shops to help him select gifts for my mom.

Shopping on the Square with Mom always included lunch. Along West Park Square sat the Dunaway Drug Store. Inside, there was a small grille and we’d stop in for a club sandwich and milkshake. Each time my mom would remind me that up north it’s called a “grinder and a cabinet.” I thought it so strange that they would rename their food after furniture.

This morning, I decided to walk up to the Square for breakfast and a little shopping at the Marietta Farmer’s Market. The weather was ideal for such an outing. I picked up a paper on my way to the Three Bears Café. I sat outside, read, enjoyed a healthy breakfast, and basked in the quiet beauty of my surroundings. Afterwards, I walked around the corner and a little down the street to the market.

A small crowd of people hovered around the fresh selections of produce set out by local farmers and vendors. I overheard more than once that most of the produce came in from Florida and it wasn’t quite produce season yet for Georgia. Late June and July is when the market will be filled with Georgia fruits and vegetables.

Other vendors offered homegrown spices and plants, homemade honey and bread, and handmade soaps and creams. After buying a few tomatoes, cucumbers, and peaches and some soap and lotions, I headed back home thinking that next time, I’ll be sure to bring my mom along with me.

I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a quiet morning on the Square. I felt as though I rediscovered a simple pleasure from my past that I will be sure to experience again.

Let us know what simple pleasures you treasure about the Square. We’d love to hear about it!