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HONORING OUR REMARKABLE
HOMES, GREENSPACES & COMMUNITY
Reserve the end of April for these must-dos in Druid Hills:
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
April 15th - 23rd
Olmsted Linear Park Alliance + Olmsted Plein Air Invitational's
Prosecco in the Park
Thursday, April 20th
Concert on the Lawn in Emory Village
Saturday evening, April 22nd
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational PaintQuick™
Sunday, April 23rd
Historic Druid Hills Gala at Callanwolde
Frederick Law Olmsted Sr's Birthday, Wednesday, April 26th
Friday, April 28th - Sunday, April 30th
Friday, 1-5 pm • Saturday & Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm
Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour
Friday, April 28 - Sunday, April 30th
As the longest-running home tour in Atlanta, the
Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour opens the
doors to many stunning houses and gates to some
spectacular gardens. This year's tickets include free
access to Fernbank Forest, one of the nation's largest
urban old growth forests, and several special events
planned in our Druid Hills parks and greenspaces!
Visit DruidHillsTour.org to learn more about all our events
London calling
Elliott’s Christmas gift was a long weekend trip to London.
I know, it’s extravagant, but as our kids mature into wanting
“experiences” instead of “stuff” it seems we should reward that
when and where we can, right? At least that is what Kristen and
I convinced ourselves, his fellow travelers, was the right thing to
do. The main event was the North London Derby, the Tottenham
Hotspurs versus the Arsenal F.C. That’s a soccer game people.
Elliott played a good bit of Youth Soccer himself and rooting for
Atlanta United was like a gateway to the pinnacle of soccer fandom,
The English Premiere League. The unwritten rule is you select a team to pull for, stay
faithful with every fiber of your being and denounce all others as rubbish. On this, there is
no wavering. He chose Tottenham, largely because none of his friends had selected them as
their own. From this powerful origin story, the Sullivan family has forged an unbreakable
bond with the club for life. As proof, I own both a team hat and scarf.
We bounced around London for a couple days — visited the Tate Modern Museum, the
Top of the Shard, Borough Market, The Churchill War Rooms, Harrod’s. We navigated the
subway system and walked over twenty miles. For my Christmas gift, Kristen signed me up
for a live Peloton ride in the London Studio. It was a blast but if you ever want to be truly
MAY I BE
EXCUSED
Tim, Elliott, and
Kristen Sullivan on
their trip to London
to see Tottenham
Hotspur FC.
humbled, work up an embarrassing sweat and then have your photo taken with a celebrity
fitness trainer who is half your age.
But the focus of this trip was the beautiful game. We toured Stamford Bridge, the
stadium for Chelsea F.C. We watched the Manchester United vs. Manchester City match
in a pub to soak up the scene. We told anyone who would listen that on Sunday we were
headed to the North London Derby and we were pulling for the ‘Spurs. And they told us
what they thought ofTottenham in colorful language.
Once in the Stadium, a live band played in the concourse. The catchy Tottenham fight
song is set to Glory, Glory Hallelujah and has lyrics that sound like they were penned by
three drunk mates who skipped church one day. We ordered fish and chips and made do
with the popsicle-stick sporks. I was told a beer called “Neck Oil” was like an American
pale ale so despite the abject failure of the marketing department, I ordered one. In a
fascinating turn, they filled the beer from the bottom! It was like sorcery. How did it seal
itself? Wouldn’t it leak? The answer is yes, yes it would.
A young Tottenham fan of maybe 10 years old was seated next to me. Since every Brit
we encountered was an unquestioned expert on the sport, and this kid didn’t look like he
came along just for the fish and chips, I asked him for his game prediction. He replied
flatly that Arsenal would win 2-1. He was emphatic, “They’re top of the league—they’re
class!” I thought, how sad, a kid so cynical about his own team’s chances. I countered that
Tottenham would win 2-1, we just needed a bit of magic on our side. He shot me a look as
if to say, ‘Shut up, Ted Lasso.’
Indeed, it is the hope that kills you. Arsenal won 2-0 (nil) and the kid was much closer
to correct than I was. But other than the result, we couldn’t have enjoyed it more. The level
of skill on the field was a marvel and the atmosphere was unparalleled. On the tube ride
back to the hotel, Arsenal fans zeroed in on Elliott’s attire to trash-talk Tottenham but he
didn’t take the bait. He deftly handled it, like someone who can appreciate the beauty and
nuance of a game that sometimes ends in a 0-0 tie.
121 MARCH 2023
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