Scott Freeman

1 month ago | atlantamagazine.com | Scott Freeman

“I’ll meet you in the lobby at 4:30,” my friend said after we’d checked into our rooms at the fabled Peabody Hotel in Memphis. “We can see the ducks and then get dinner.”I gave him a puzzled look. “The ducks?”He smiled. “You’ll see.”When I came back downstairs, a long red carpet was rolled out in front of the elevator. On either side of the red carpet, velvet ropes hung from metal stands. I was astute enough to understand that all this fuss wasn’t for me.

2 months ago | atlantamagazine.com | Scott Freeman

My monthly ritual in college was a drive into Atlanta to make the rounds of the rich array of record stores across the city. My favorite haunt was Peaches, a warehouse-sized store that prided itself on having the back catalog of just about every music artist imaginable. This was long before iTunes and Spotify. There was a sense of exploration and discovery from walking into a record shop that’s sadly absent in the digital age.

2 months ago | atlantamagazine.com | Scott Freeman

Back when I was a freelance writer, I got called into the office for a meeting. “We’ve got a fantastic story idea, and you’re the only person who can write it,” I was told. Okay, flattery is always a good start. My editors explained they wanted a story about Willie B., the iconic gorilla at Zoo Atlanta, who was about to reach the age of 40. “We want it written in his voice,” one of them said. “You can make it funny. Have him go to the Cheetah Lounge thinking he can pick up female gorillas.”Willie B.

Jan 22, 2025 | atlantamagazine.com | Vené Franco |Scott Freeman |Rachel Garbus |Denise K James |Lia Picard |Sarra Sedghi | +1 more

It’s January: a month to reset, reflect, and renew—or just veg out in your comfy clothes and savor the last of your holiday treats. Who are we to judge? The new year offers a fresh opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of 25 ways in Atlanta to get moving, get creative, or just get started on a new hobby.

Dec 17, 2024 | atlantamagazine.com | Scott Freeman

Somewhere in the family archives, there is a photo of me as a toddler sitting on the lap of Santa Claus, my face bunched up in a teary-eyed primal scream. Obviously, the concept of the jolly ol’ Saint Nick was not sitting well with me. The photo was taken inside Rich’s department store in downtown, and though I don’t have a specific memory of it, I suspect the afternoon included a ride on the famed Pink Pig.