The Next Level STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne Shoe designer Antonio Brown had no idea who Jason Derulo was when the singer-songwriter’s stylist contacted Brown to ask him for a pair of his kicks for Derulo’s appearance on Good Morning America. Brown had recently launched his footwear company, LVL XIII (pronounced “Level 13”), after ...

Inspiring Atlantans share their stories of successful career changes STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne Spanx founder Sara Blakely sold fax machines door-to-door before launching the now famous billion-dollar company. Harrison Ford was a professional carpenter before transforming into a bona fide Hollywood legend. And Mark Twain piloted riverboats prior to trying his hand at ...

Fit for Success STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne Five years ago, Monica Dioda walked into Flywheel Sports and took an indoor cycling class. She loved the boutique feel of the studio and started thinking about opening one herself. As a single mom of two young children, Dioda had been considering her career options. Although ...

Feeding Her Soul STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne It was 2014, and Cristy Lenz spent nearly every moment of every day on her phone. “My Blackberry could have been superglued to my hand,” she says, recalling her intense career as the director of coverage and supervisor of the national desk for CNN. Over 20 ...

GET TO KNOW THE CITY’S FAVORITE OFFBEAT PASTIMES STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne Atlanta has become quite the sports town in recent years. Professional teams such as the Falcons, the Braves, the Hawks and Atlanta United FC have enthusiastic fans filling stadiums when their seasons are in full swing. While the city is a ...

There’s a net, a ball and paddles. But it’s not tennis. Or badminton. Or even pingpong. So what is this game that’s popping up on courts around Atlanta? It’s pickleball. STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne The name may sound funny, but there’s nothing silly about this burgeoning sport, which was founded in 1965 at ...

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne Gone are the days of skaters in fishnets and tutus clothes lining each other as they race around a track. Instead, today’s roller derby is an impressive blend of strategy and showmanship that has elevated this contemporary sport into a must-see spectacular. And right ...

There’s something particularly special about cornhole. STORY: Amy Meadows PHOTOS: Stephen Payne “It’s the only game that lets you hold a drink in one hand while you throw a bag with the other. You can’t play baseball with a beer in your left hand,” muses Jeff Brawand, founder of Cornhole ATL, Atlanta’s largest cornhole league. ...