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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Atlanta. Written by Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

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Restaurant group wants investigation into 2018 sinkhole at Piedmont Park

Be Our Guest Investments accuses Piedmont Park Conservancy of covering up the issue before anyone could determine the cause of the sinkhole.

News

The traditional Georgia accent is fading away

The speech pattern used by white English speakers "peaked" among people born around World War II

Georgia teacher fired for having book about gender identity in classroom

She is one of — if not the — first educator in Georgia to lose her job in relation to  a 2022 state law

Education

Remember when: A celebrated artist created Atlanta's most creative playground

The playground is striking for its simplicity and use of color.

Absinthe-themed speakeasy Pigalle comes to Underground Atlanta

The team behind Paris on Ponce blends a Parisian theater and hush-hush bar

Food and Drink

A theater and absinthe-themed speakeasy from the minds behind the sorely missed Paris on Ponce and La Maison Rouge is coming to Underground Atlanta.What&#x27;s happening: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pigalle" data-vars-click-url="https://thepigalle.com/" data-vars-content-id="64285e61-ed93-4cfb-be27-5a68ad7dc709" data-vars-headline="Absinthe-themed speakeasy Pigalle comes to Underground Atlanta" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://thepigalle.com/" target="_blank">Pigalle</a>, a new concept from Skip Engelbrecht and Nicolette Valdespino, is joining fellow Ponce de Leon area exiles like MJQ and the Masquerade and taking over a 6,000-square-foot space at the subterranean mixed-use center.

A darkly lit Parisian-style speakasy with vintage satin chairs, chandelier and red, purple and deep blue tones.

Colette Bread and Bakeshop comes to Poncey-Highland

Baker Sarah Dodge's brick-and-mortar spot brings bagels, doughnuts and bread

When people line up for pastries, consider that a sign.Driving the news: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Colette Bread and Bakeshop" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/colettebread/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="6e2baee6-5392-45bf-b3fb-d4192fa9f77b" data-vars-headline="Colette Bread and Bakeshop comes to Poncey-Highland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/colettebread/?hl=en" target="_blank">Colette Bread and Bakeshop</a>, a new brick-and-mortar spot from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="baker Sarah Dodge" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sedodge.com/about" data-vars-content-id="6e2baee6-5392-45bf-b3fb-d4192fa9f77b" data-vars-headline="Colette Bread and Bakeshop comes to Poncey-Highland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sedodge.com/about" target="_blank">baker Sarah Dodge</a>, is drawing crowds three days a week for its selection of bread, bagels, and all sorts of sweet baked goods.

Side by side photos of baked goods like cookies, bagels, scones and rolls

Portrait Coffee's cafe opens in West End

It's the first cafe for the roastery on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard

Portrait Coffee&#x27;s long-anticipated cafe in West End is open for business.Details: The Black-owned company with a mission to make sure Black people remain part of coffee&#x27;s narrative opened its doors late last month and is serving a range of their roasts plus pastries.

Two people wait in line at a modern and bright coffee shop with a black-and-white simple menu over the counter and shelves lined with cameras and mugs

Black Restaurant Week gets underway in Atlanta

The seventh-annual campaign runs through Aug. 20.

Black Restaurant Week is underway in Atlanta, giving local foodies an opportunity to explore eateries that may not be on their radar.Driving the news: The seventh-annual <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="campaign" data-vars-click-url="https://blackrestaurantweeks.com/atlanta-black-restaurant-week/" data-vars-content-id="e7e952b0-2daa-4a78-83a5-2d821876e984" data-vars-headline="Black Restaurant Week gets underway in Atlanta" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://blackrestaurantweeks.com/atlanta-black-restaurant-week/" target="_blank">campaign</a> runs through Aug. 20 and includes dozens of restaurants located both inside and outside the Perimeter.

El Tesoro's coming to Wild Heaven along the Beltline

The popular Mexican restaurant is taking over the brewery's kitchen

El Tesoro, the Edgewood Mexican restaurant where the long lines are worth the wait, is taking over the kitchen of Wild Heaven Beer in West End along the Beltline.What&#x27;s happening: Starting Monday, Aug. 7, people can pair their Emergency Drinking Beer with El Tesoro&#x27;s barbacoa de res tacos and frontera mulitas at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lee &amp; White" data-vars-click-url="https://www.leeandwhiteatl.com/" data-vars-content-id="77bb7823-915a-489f-96c3-14e5e1395547" data-vars-headline="El Tesoro&#x27;s coming to Wild Heaven along the Beltline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.leeandwhiteatl.com/" target="_blank">Lee &amp; White</a> brewery. (Or anything else; <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="it&#x27;s all spectacular" data-vars-click-url="https://www.eltesoroatl.com/menu" data-vars-content-id="77bb7823-915a-489f-96c3-14e5e1395547" data-vars-headline="El Tesoro&#x27;s coming to Wild Heaven along the Beltline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.eltesoroatl.com/menu" target="_blank">it&#x27;s all spectacular</a>.)Details: The location will be open seven days a week and starts serving at 11am. You&#x27;ll be able to order beer and food at the same time.<ul><li>You&#x27;ll also be able to place online orders to takeout via <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wild Heaven&#x27;s website" data-vars-click-url="https://wildheavenbeer.com/#" data-vars-content-id="77bb7823-915a-489f-96c3-14e5e1395547" data-vars-headline="El Tesoro&#x27;s coming to Wild Heaven along the Beltline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://wildheavenbeer.com/#" target="_blank">Wild Heaven&#x27;s website</a>.</li></ul>In the weeds: Wild Heaven&#x27;s adding the Lager Libre Tex-Mex Lager to its menu in honor of the partnership.What&#x27;s next: The 23-acre Lee &amp; White complex that houses the brewery is putting the finishing touches on its 19-vendor food hall — announced tenants include Gusto, Vietvana and Good Azz Burgers — and adding a Grady Health System outpatient center.Plus: The brewery is opening a third location — with Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q manning the kitchen — in the Toco Hills Shopping Center in 2024.

An aerial photograph of hands reaching for colorful plates of Mexican food crowding a small table

The fight over Roswell's downtown promenade proposal

The city's proposal to close part of Canton Street for a pedestrian space on weekends met pushback

A fight over plans to periodically close a downtown Roswell street for pedestrians is coming to a head.Driving the news: A task force of business owners and residents meets tonight at Roswell City Hall for the first time — and has until Aug. 25 to present their findings to government officials.

Illustration of a walking signal pushing the "do not walk" hand out of frame.

Michelin Guide comes to Atlanta

The guide's selections — and the coveted Michelin stars — will be announced in the fall.

The Michelin Guide — a shortlist of the top restaurants in the world — is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="finally releasing an Atlanta edition" data-vars-click-url="https://michelinmedia.com/c0/michelin-guide-arrives-in-atlanta/" data-vars-content-id="b47ceb77-57dc-4cc3-b641-c370d4290d6e" data-vars-headline="Michelin Guide comes to Atlanta" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://michelinmedia.com/c0/michelin-guide-arrives-in-atlanta/" target="_blank">finally releasing an Atlanta edition</a>.

Illustration of a first place ribbon with a gold plate at the center.

Slutty Vegan's Pinky Cole and Big Dave's Cheesesteaks' Derrick Hayes tie the knot

Both vegan and non-vegan food options were served at the wedding.

Did your invitation to wedding of Pinky Cole and Derrick Hayes also get lost in the mail?<ul><li>It&#x27;s OK. The New York Times has a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lovely look at the ceremony" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/14/style/slutty-vegan-pinky-cole-atlanta-wedding.html" data-vars-content-id="6090ef65-96dd-45ec-9617-bc69746b569a" data-vars-headline="Slutty Vegan&#x27;s Pinky Cole and Big Dave&#x27;s Cheesesteaks&#x27; Derrick Hayes tie the knot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/14/style/slutty-vegan-pinky-cole-atlanta-wedding.html" target="_blank">lovely look at the ceremony</a> where, Cole, the founder of plant-based burger chain Slutty Vegan, and Hayes, the brains behind Big Dave&#x27;s Cheesesteaks, got hitched.</li></ul>

A bride wearing a white flowing dress and husband in a white tuxedo smile while sharing their first dance in a white and light-pink themed wedding

Alcohall now open for your imbibing needs at Pullman Yards

Picture a food hall. Now replace all the food with booze.

Pullman Yards has opened the doors on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AlcoHall" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/blameitonthealcohall/" data-vars-content-id="1025f6cc-94a3-458c-a5af-d0f8599474b5" data-vars-headline="Alcohall now open for your imbibing needs at Pullman Yards" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/blameitonthealcohall/" target="_blank">AlcoHall</a>, a roughly 74,000 square foot beer, wine and liquor hall.Details: Picture a food hall. Now replace all the food with booze.

Side by side photos of a large building lit in purle with benches and stalls serving alcohol

Lunch dining in Atlanta is down compared to before the pandemic

Atlantans still aren&#x27;t dining out for lunch as much as they were before the pandemic.Driving the news: The average number of lunch transactions was down 19% in the first three months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a new report from Toast" data-vars-click-url="https://pos.toasttab.com/news/how-the-pandemic-and-wfh-have-affected-lunch-across-the-u-s?x-craft-preview=u8x83wF4g5&amp;token=Eq_UvWq5B97PntOrHKV7KnVOmVCaFD5U" data-vars-content-id="8832faaf-1a99-4f4d-9b2a-fa7929503327" data-vars-headline="Lunch dining in Atlanta is down compared to before the pandemic" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pos.toasttab.com/news/how-the-pandemic-and-wfh-have-affected-lunch-across-the-u-s?x-craft-preview=u8x83wF4g5&amp;token=Eq_UvWq5B97PntOrHKV7KnVOmVCaFD5U" target="_blank">a new report from Toast</a>, a digital point-of-sale system for restaurants.<ul><li>More than 450 independently-owned restaurants with Atlanta mailing addresses (and hundreds more in the suburbs) use Toast, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per the company&#x27;s website" data-vars-click-url="https://www.toasttab.com/local/search?filters=eyJ1c2VyTGF0IjozMy43NDg3NTIsInVzZXJMb25nIjotODQuMzg3Njg0NDk5OTk5OTksInVzZXJDaXR5IjoiQXRsYW50YSIsInVzZXJTdGF0ZSI6IkdBIiwidXNlclN0cmVldCI6IiIsInVzZXJOZWlnaGJvcmhvb2QiOiIifQ%3D%3D&amp;pg=1" data-vars-content-id="8832faaf-1a99-4f4d-9b2a-fa7929503327" data-vars-headline="Lunch dining in Atlanta is down compared to before the pandemic" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.toasttab.com/local/search?filters=eyJ1c2VyTGF0IjozMy43NDg3NTIsInVzZXJMb25nIjotODQuMzg3Njg0NDk5OTk5OTksInVzZXJDaXR5IjoiQXRsYW50YSIsInVzZXJTdGF0ZSI6IkdBIiwidXNlclN0cmVldCI6IiIsInVzZXJOZWlnaGJvcmhvb2QiOiIifQ%3D%3D&amp;pg=1" target="_blank">per the company&#x27;s website</a>.</li></ul>

A map of the United States in varying shades of red, with the darker red marking states that saw an increase in the number of lunch bills that included alcohol

Food and Drink 🍽