The Hushpuppy Gallery is a small neighborhood gallery located just south of the Oakland Cemetery,…read morebehind Six Feet Under. They specialize in smaller collections of cutting edge and experimental work, usually from two or three artists at a time. I attended their most recent show this last Saturday and enjoyed a great mix of friendly people from the neighborhood, some wine and PBR, and some great pieces of mixed-media pieces. Opening nights for shows are not to be missed and often feature wine tasting, and live music. It felt like the entire neighborhood was there. The owners/cruators, Jason Drakeford and Erin Dutton, are themselves local artist and often have work on display.

Last night, one of my Most Creative Friends (he actually gets paid Real Money for his work as a…read morevery talented photographer) invited me to do something new and different to my usual goings on. We went to Tula. In addition to the bigger festivities they hold on Friday nights, they've recently started to hold what I'd label "Sneak Preview Thursdays." If Friday nights are the grand opening nights for a new show in the main MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in Tula) gallery, and there's generally a bigger crowd and a cash bar, then Thursday eves are the low-key warm up. Free admission, free wine and snacks, and gallery owners keep their doors open for you to mosey around and check out their goods. Being with a local artist was awesome as he knew lots of the folks, but I got the definite impression from everyone's friendliness that it wouldn't matter if I'd just wandered in alone - they'd have been glad for the audience and still graciously kept offering to refill my glass! Tonight's opening is of the impressive Lamar Dodd collection. A prolific artist (he lived from 1901 to 1996 and painted into the 1990s) there are a huge number of his pieces on display at MOCA. Check it out!

A tiny, cozy little shop tucked away in Candler park, purveying goods from Sarah Neuburger, Katrin…read moreWiehle and Mike Lowery. Much like Indie Craft Experience across the street, Paper Ghost Studio serves as an event and studio space so it is open by appointment or events only. I recently went to their casual Valentine's Day event and had a blast looking for unique prints and cards for friends. Prints are usually $25, going up for limited releases and I think I saw $100-200 for originals (mixed mediums, and framed). Great place to find quirky prints for friends who are into that kind of thing, or cards to send to your beloved. Parking is street and usually not too hard to find.

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the Gallery just moved to a new space at Castleberry…read morePoint. The soft opening was last night and Emerging Art Scene will continue to participate in the Monthly Art Stroll occurring the second Friday of each month. The new gallery is a two-story live/work space with a really cool glass "storefront" entrance, and would be perfect for lots of events and parties and is available for rental. Works by previous artists like Julie Ross as well as new and exciting local talents are shown on both floors. I have my eye on several . . . must get that new place soon and save up for the amazing one of the woman in the black dress (second floor at the top of the stairs), for sure!

Such a cool venue! And even cooler that it serves as a free coworking space when it's not booked…read moreout. It also includes a little cafe and a shop featuring different artists' works so I would definitely recommend checking it out!

This is such a special event venue! Very well run. There are several rooms/stages to choose from…read more I chose the Black Box stage for my story-telling event. The vibe is artsy boho, which was perfect for my branding.

I've been to this venue many times since its been under new management and the staff is friendly…read moreand professional. I love the white couches it sets a nice tone to the ambience. It's very spacious so it can accommodate large crowds. I was able to checkout some live music performances and the sound system sounded great and plenty of room for the performers. They have a great liquor selection as well and the Bartenders make the drinks just right for you. The new Manager with the bright red hair is so sweet and makes you feel right at home like she's family, making sure you are totally satisfied. Atlanta's Best kept secret is a little hidden gem!

I did not know this place existed! This is a small lounge/event center but it is power packed…read more There are plenty of places to sit, there is a nice bar, a stage for live music, and a great patio outside. There is mostly street parking, but you should not have an issue finding a parking spot. The drinks are reasonably priced, and a lot of times it is free admission. What's not to like? I came on a monday and it was free admission and a free dinner! Chicken and gravy, yellow rice, green beans and a roll! Love it!

Block & Drum is an incredible space with lots of events throughout the week. They have a classy…read moreinside part which usually has chairs and seating, then they have a giant outdoor space with a huge screen, green turf space, and more seating. They set up multiple bars for bigger events so you don't have to wait on line for long, and they typically already include tax and gratuity automatically. They've switched to valet parking only, or at least for the event I went to. It was $15 but they say you can park for free at the Walmart down the road.

I met a small group of people here and the venue is as described by most other reviewers on this…read moreplatform. I opted to park at the Wal-Mart and wasn't as familiar with the trail so I took the street route. Well-light and populated for safe crossing. The venue is very open and was relatively empty since we arrived shortly after it opened. I love the indoor seating concept with plenty of couches, movable chairs, tables near the open-area space and smaller sections for 2-4 people tucked away along the wall. The DJ was already doing his thing and the bartenders remained busy. As someone who wasn't interested in the drinks, I appreciate that there was a self-serve water cooler in the center of the room. The Jenga and jumbo Uno cards were a hit!!!! It was so nice to have these options available. And as others mentioned, the large screen was playing a classic movie - which we could still see from inside. I didn't stay long and this was a Sunday night but the parking lot was much busier when I left. I imagine the outdoor space gets crowded later in the evening as well. The DJ was just okay - not my cup of tea - but folks seemed to be enjoying themselves. I can definitely see why this place is popular. Although parking is less than desirable, it is not unreasonable. The venue is well-lit and easy to move around. The crowd was diverse, with various ages and backgrounds represented. And depending on the DJ, this would be a great place for meeting with friends, date night or just zoning out to some wonderful music ... especially on a beautiful night. If you're in the mood for something different AND don't mind the trek to Chamblee, check it out.

Cat Eye Creative is my favorite art gallery in Atlanta! I really feel like the art displayed there…read moreis the most representative of Atlanta and it's always so fun to see what they're showing. Wonderfully curated, talented artists!

Cat Eye Creative is a really unique art gallery, not pretentious at all. Lots of different kinds…read moreof art, oils, acrylic, graffiti art, too. Artists from all over, as well as local artists and emerging artists. Something for everyone. Saw that the gallery was voted Best Art Gallery in Atlanta Magazine, I can see why!