Cumberland Rd Northeast, Morningside / Lenox Park

Comfortable is a good way to describe the overall affect of Morningside/Lenox Park. Distinct from its neighbors on all sides (Lindbergh to the north, Piedmont Park to the west, Virginia-Highlands to the south) the area is mostly composed of decades-old single-story homes and unimposing cottage-like double-deckers – nothing too showy, nothing too shabby. Families make up the majority of the residential population, which collectively exudes a laid-back sense of welcome. You get the feeling that your neighbors won’t get their panties in a twist over the plastic kiddie pool that languishes in your side-yard all summer (though some many gently raise the standing-water/mosquito issue). But, then again, if you lived here, you’d be too darn nice to put your fellow Morningsiders in that position in the first place.

Amenities are plentiful, but low on the braggadocio. People who live here know and love their impressive green spaces (including two bona fide nature preserves) and their resident foodie haunts (Atmosphere, Woodfire Grill, Floataway Café), but the area manages to remain a place where you suddenly “stumble upon” these gems, rather than seek them out en masse – an admirable and hard-to-manufacture quality that keeps Morningside/Lenox Park from getting too popular for its own good (cough, cough, Virginia-Highland, cough). All in all, this is an entirely pleasant and as-yet not unattainable corner of Atlanta in which to make yourself at home. Cheers!

Take my word for it. As the festive holiday season rolls back around and the temperature dip, the fascinating jewel-shaded residents with their undeniable 'sparkle' will have you clamoring for an intimate get-together or a full blown party in the warmth of Morningside. Last year, my friend Amy, a Morningside maven with an artistic left of center style of her own, invited me to one such soiree that oozed with the magic and te hwonder that IS Morningside.

As I approached the door of her 1920’s Craftsman bungalow (characteristic of Morningside), I peered into her window and was captivated by the decorations – and the people! Only in Morningside, would I see a Christmas tree, a menorah, and a kwanza basket all in one place. It was the best party ever. Among her other guests were two gay couples, two artists (a sculptor and a painter), a Unitarian minister, a musician with the Atlanta Symphony, an actor from the Alliance Theater, a young couple with their 7-year old daughter, a rock climber, two university professors, a Chinese acupuncturist, a Jewish doctor and an African-American lawyer, two “Habitat for Humanity” volunteers, a professional cat sitter, and an octogenarian with sheering wit!

Nowhere else in Atlanta have I seen a more diverse and lively bunch. But, this IS Morningside.

Even if you cannot appreciate the well-manicured yards of its historic homes or its proximity to Piedmont Park, great Ansley and Lenox shopping and restaurants nearby, and some tame nightlife to keep things interesting, it will be the people that will definitely bring you back.

And, you might want to stay a while.

This street is great for those with children. The houses are big and most people who live here are married and have kids of their own. Everyone looks out for their neighbors without getting nosy. whenever my friend would leave for a weekend everyone knew and they would watch his house, and likewise, when others went away he and the other neighbors did the same. Safe, quiet, and friendly, this is a great place to live.