The World... This Weekend

Our Top 5 roundup of things to do in and around the ATL this weekend:

* THEATRE

Young Frankenstein

Fabulous Fox Theatre

660 Peachtree St NE

404-881-2100

www.foxtheatre.org

Mel Brooks' classic 1974 comedy didn't exactly NEED to be reinvented as a Broadway musical– if you ask us, the film starring Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle as the misunderstood monster was just perfect the way it was– but word has it this adaptation does a great job of maintaining Mel's madcap sensibilities. The script's witty wordplay and keen sense of the absurd should translate well to the spectacle of the stage, and the "Puttin' On The Ritz" musical number will likely prove a show-stopper. Catch it this weekend, before it's gone!

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* NIGHTLIFE

Havana Club

3112 Piedmont Rd

404-869-8484

www.havanaclubatl.com

This longtime mainstay of ATL nightlife returns with a new location near the intersection of Piedmont and Peachtree, and its Grand Opening party on Saturday should start things off with a stylish bang. Doors open at 8pm, with complimentary hors d'oeuvres and an open bar from 8:30-10. The club offers three atmospheres to choose from, from live musical performances to DJs spinning the hottest in hip-hop, techno and Latin music. If the old location is any indication, it also attracts some of Atlanta's hottest dancers, eager to shimmy and salsa their way late into the evening while wearing their sexy best.

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* FAMILY

Snow Mountain at Stone Mountain Park

Hwy 78, Stone Mountain

770-498-5690

www.stonemountainpark.com

Growing up in the ATL, snow days were a rarity we looked forward to every year: Some of my favorite childhood memories involve sledding down our icy streets with a daredevil's sense of recklessness, laughing our heads off all the way. Today's kids have it easy: Every weekend through March 7, Stone Mountain’s great lawn is transformed into a snowy wonderland where kids can go sledding, build igloos and snowmen, and more. No matter how old you are, Snow Mountain will bring out the kid in you: Last year I wound up in not one, but TWO snowball fights with kids who decided I'd make a fun target! 

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* FOODIES

INC Street Food

948 Canton St, Roswell

770-998-3114

www.incstreetfood.com

We've been waiting with breathless anticipation for the opening of this new venture from Roswell restauranteurs Hicham Azhari and Fikret Kovac (owners of Salt Factory and the late, great Little Alley), which has been pushed back several times due to construction delays. The interior decor was still being tweaked last night when we attended the Grand Opening VIP party, but you can bet they'll have things on point for the official launch this Sunday. The walls of the bustling bar area feature colorful graffiti, with an open kitchen designed to look like the back of a food vendor's truck. Executive Chef Richard Wilt's menu focuses on authentic South American street food: Last night we sampled savory beef skewers, delectable pulled pork tamales and several other simple appetizers (not to mention some particularly potent margaritas), but look for our full review next week!

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* OUTDOORS

 

Providence Canyon State Park

8930 Canyon Rd, Lumpkin

229-838-4244

www.gastateparks.org/info/providence

Known as Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon,” this state park near the Alabama state line offers some of the state’s most breathtaking scenic vistas. Massive gullies of up to 150 feet deep were caused by erosion due to poor farming practices in the 1800s, and now boast rainbows of soft soil in shades of pink, orange, red and purple. Whether hiking the rim trail by day or camping overnight, it’s a splendid sight to see.

HULA PARTY- Tongo Hiti at Trader Vic's

Tongo Hiti at Trader Vic's

255 Courtland St NE

404-221-6339

www.tradervicsatlanta.com

Although we've been fans of post-modern Big Band Kingsized and hipster burlesque troupe Dames Aflame (which are produced and directed by the husband and wife team of Big Mike Geier and Shannon Newton) for years, it wasn't until New Year's Eve that we finally made our way to the basement of the downtown Atlanta Hilton to check out their tropically-themed Tongo Hiti show. The night hadn't even ended before we were planning a return visit.

For those who've never been to Trader Vic's (where the Mai Tai was originally created), the bar/restaurant plays like a luau as interpreted by a '50s flick starring Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret. Tikis, bamboo and Polynesian artwork abound; food is served by waitstaff in Hawaiian shirts; and drinks are delivered in massive receptacles designed to leave you drunker than a sorority girl at her first kegger. It all seems superficial at first glance, but a particularly potent Mai Tai or two will kick your snarky self to the curb in favor of a full-on embrace of the retro-cheezy silliness.

Kingsized/Tongo Hiti frontman Big Mike is undoubtedly the ringleader of this campy circus, his massive physique belying the cheeky impishness of a playful teen. The man is clearly having fun, commanding the evening's mood and driving the backing band's energy from mellow to downright manic. Sure, he'll serenade the ladies with all the schmoozy schmaltz of a younger Wayne Newton, but he'll also slow dance with a big, burly dude (that would be me) without dropping his suave persona for even a second. 

The music ranges from Don Ho lounge shtick to classic rock and pop, but it's all delivered with a sly, knowing wink, occasionally incorporating clever mash-ups into the mix. Through it all, the lovely Dames Aflame prove provocative eye candy, at times taking center stage to strut their stuff in rehearsed dance numbers (some of which echo surprisingly traditional Indian and Polynesian influences) and at other times merely shaking their tailfeathers beside the band. Which is good, because Big Mike and company have a way with whipping the crowded dance floor into a sweaty frenzy.

It's a masterfully orchestrated party, loose enough to kick back and go with the flow but never once letting the energy lag. So if you go, make sure you bring your dancing shoes, and be sure to buy Big Mike a drink. A man who works that hard to put on a show in bound to be unbearably thirsty.  –BRET LOVE