“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
- Saint Augustine
When working for The Man leaves you feeling stuck in a Downtown Connector loop, head east to recover your indie spirit in Little Five Points (L5P). Start with the obvious: underground comics and Jack White's latest at Criminal Records, or vintage soul and shoe-gazer Goth CDs at Wax-n-Facts. The density of musicians in L5P makes September's Little Five Fest one to watch for breakthroughs, and Variety Playhouse regularly features live alt-folk and bluegrass in a deco theater. Don't worry if you missed L5P's legendary Halloween Parade & Festival—just be sure to pay due respects to the Elvis Shrine between live sets at Star Community Bar, located inside a converted bank. Guinness is too corporate for L5P happy hours: locals head to Wrecking Bar Brewpub for backyard-brewed Stout served in a former Methodist Church. To honor undead-invasion movies like Zombieland, the brave enter the skull doorway of Vortex Bar and Grill for Hell Burgers (haba—ero-spiked burgers) and Skull Crushers (the Deliverance version of a Long Island Ice Tea). Stop and smell the roses and/or discover your presidential ambitions at the Jimmy Carter Center in neighboring Inman Park.