The AJC staff are doing some polls for their “Ultimate Guide” on Atlanta. Today there was one asking “What do you like best about living here?” with selections “Pro-sports teams, the weather, job opportunities, diversity, arts and culture, nice neighborhoods” (there is no slot for your own alternative entry).

I put down nice neighborhoods. I love the pro-sports teams here, especially the Braves, but, let’s be honest, everywhere has pro-sports nowadays. The weather is nice, but the lack of a sufficient winter actually bugs me. I’m a graduate student, so job opportunities is an uninteresting category to me right now. The diversity is nice, I suppose, but other cities have more and, frankly, I’ve just never really noticed the relative diversity of different places. Finally, though I’m a member of the High and the Botanical Gardens and the ASO, etc., the arts and culture here leave a little bit to be desired. There’s a good reason for it, I know, but still…

But what really makes Atlanta special, in my mind, is the nice intown neighborhoods. Va-Hi, Midtown, Buckhead, Morningside, Vinings, Brookhaven, etc. Each has its own distinct character and attitude. They are nice, enclosed, and help create a stronger sense of community.