Managing Editor photo: Sara Hanna
Atlanta is full of interesting people. Whether I’m striking up a conversation in line at the grocery store or eavesdropping at a coffee shop, the stories uncovered in our backyard never cease to amaze me. Some of the most captivating anecdotes we collect and individuals we meet often make it into our magazine, including this annual Rising Stars issue. In the pages ahead, prepare to meet a group of seven fascinating humans who are doing big things in Buckhead and beyond through their art, medical practice, restaurant, marketing firm, self-made spirits and more. From VC investor Ali Brown and self-taught artist Raymond Pickens to hardworking marketing entrepreneur Avery Schroeder, each of their paths is different, but equally admirable.
Accompanying the enthralling stories of our Rising Stars, we offer a challenge to the summer heat with Angela Hansberger’s article on refreshing Mai Tai cocktails and where to get them in our neighborhood. Lauren Finney Harden also recounts a beach babymoon to Florida’s Paradise Coast and—to balance out the cocktails and vacation—Karina Antenucci interviews an expert for tips on healthy grocery shopping.
We hope that, as you read along, you are as impressed as we are with these stories and the many others that fill our pages. Perhaps, you’ll even feel inspired to try a new restaurant, embrace a new healthy habit or strike up a conversation with someone new in your own Atlanta-area neighborhood.
