With election season in full swing, we checked in with one of the state’s top political reporters, Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Greg covers state and national politics, contributes to the Political Insider blog and morning Jolt newsletter, hosts the Politically Georgia podcast, and is a frequent guest on local and national TV and radio programs, including serving as a contributor for MSNBC and NBC News.
Somehow, with all of that on his plate, the Sandy Springs native and Dunwoody resident finds time to coach his daughter’s softball team and be an active member of the Jewish community, something we profiled in the October issue of Reporter Newspapers.
Greg can also add author to his resume, as his book “Flipped,” on Georgia’s epic 2020 elections, will be released next week. Order his book or catch him in person for his book launch on March 24.
In advance of the launch, Greg shared his Top 5 Things to Do with His Family when he’s not busy covering politics.
1. Atlanta United matches. I’m a die-hard fan of the Atlanta Braves and Georgia football, but there’s no family friendly experience quite like watching the 5 Stripes play. The rules of the game are simple enough for kids to follow, and you can’t beat the $2 soft drinks and other snacks to juice them up.
2. One of our new favorites is the Chattahoochee Food Works on the westside. We lived for about seven years not far from the new development before we moved to Dunwoody, and it’s amazing to see how much that part of Atlanta has grown. We spent an hour exploring the different options before finally making up our minds during our last visit, then another 30 minutes before choosing our desserts. Then we went to BOBO Intriguing Objects for some more exploration (just don’t let the kiddos mess with the giant movable B-O-B-O letters outside).
3. Downtown Atlanta. We like to start our trips at No Mas Cantina and then head to Centennial Park, where we sometimes wander through the CNN Center before a visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights or the Georgia Aquarium. My kids were once obsessed with the dolphin shows at the aquarium, and there always seems to be something new on display each time we return. It’s also the perfect excuse to go to the legendary Busy Bee Café for a bite before heading home.
4. One of my favorite spots to bring the kids — and any visitors to Atlanta — is the Chattahoochee Coffee Company’s Riverside location. It’s not always easy to access since it’s at the back of a sprawling apartment complex and only open to visitors during the weekdays. But it offers a serene starting point to a day on the river. We might grab lunch at Heirloom Market BBQ and ride our bikes on the Cochran Shoals Trail at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. And if we can find a babysitter, one of our favorite restaurants is across the street: Ray’s on the River.
5. The BeltLine. My oldest daughter basically learned to walk on the BeltLine about ten years ago, in between trips to Jake’s Ice Cream and Bell Street Burritos. Now we do scavenger hunts along the path, trek through the shops at Ponce City Market, and meet up with friends at Piedmont Park. We’ve loved adding the Illuminarium to our list of spots to bring the kids, and New Realm Brewing Co. next door for the parents.