5 Ways to Spend the Weekend on the Cheap in the ATL: January 27-29, 2012
Atlanta has
so many awesome things going on each week that Atlanta on the Cheap’s calendar of events can be a bit overwhelming. Add in everything on Cities on the Cheap’s calendar of events, and there’s no doubt about it–it’s impossible to make it to everything.
To narrow it down a bit, try one of these five ways to spend the weekend on the cheap:
- Ticket Discounts to Cavalia: Odysseo in Atlanta (New discounts; show closes January 29, 2012)
- Free EDGE/Public Exhibition at Woodruff Park on January 27 & 28, 2012
- Turner Field Tours: Two for $12 in January 2012, Groundhog Day Repeat Pass, + Spring Training Special
- Ticket Discount for Avenue Q at the Horizon Theatre
- BOGO Tickets to Cineprov’s Purple Rain on January 27, 2012
Limiting my list to five means that I must leave out things …overwhelming or not, it’s worth skimming the calendar to make sure you don’t miss the “I’ve been meaning to get to that” events on your list.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Free & Cheap Admission to Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta
If you’re planning to go to Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, 
you’ve got a couple of ways to get in on the cheap (or better yet, free):
- Through February 28, 2012, if you donate new or gently used coats & other warm clothing items for children at the Imagine It!, you’ll receive a guest pass to be used on a future visit.
- On the second Tuesday of the month, Target covers the cost of admission from 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Reservations are not accepted, and you can pick up free timed tickets beginning at 1:00 p.m. The next free day is Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
- You can buy same- or next-day tickets at the AtlanTIX booth in Underground Atlanta. After fees, the tickets are $9.78, which will save you a couple of bucks off the regular admission price of $12.50.
- One of the coupons in the 2012 Entertainment Book is for BOGO (buy one get one) admission to Imagine It! (p. E52)
. And there’s an additional BOGO coupon in the online edition; you can access the online edition as soon as you purchase an Entertainment Book.
- On Fulton County Family Days, Fulton County residents can buy one ticket to Imagine It! & get one free. ID is required (Fulton County employee ID card, student ID from a Fulton County-based school, or a GA driver’s license with county code 60). 2012′s Fulton County Family Days will take place on February 4 & May 26. The deal is valid for walk-up ticket purchases only.
Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is located at 275 Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW, Atlanta. 404-659-5437.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Ticket Discounts to the Atlanta Hawks: 2012 Season
Want to cheer on 
the the Atlanta Hawks on the cheap? You’ve got a few ways to save:
- Through 11:59 p.m. on January 29, 2012, $42-$90 = game-day package for two to see the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena (six options available). You’ll find Groupons for the February 2 game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies & the February 8 game vs. Indiana Pacers.
- On Chick-fil-A Family Nights, you can get four tickets + four combo meal coupons starting from $79. The deal is valid for the following games: February 4 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, March 3 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, and April 4 vs. Charlotte Bobcats.
- On Me+3 game nights, you can get four tickets + four $10 Taco Mac gift cards starting from $99. The deal is valid for the following games: February 2 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, March 3 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, March 16 vs. Washington Wizards, March 23 vs. New Jersey Nets, and April 6 vs. Detroit Pistons.
- On Lucky Dog Wednesdays, $15 gets you an Upper Bowl ticket and a $50 Aaron’s gift card. The deal is valid for the following games: February 8 vs. Indiana Pacers, February 29 vs. Golden State Warriors, March 21 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, April 4 vs. Charlotte Bobcats, & April 18 vs. Detroit Pistons.
- On ScoreBig.com, you can bid to save 10%-70% on tickets to most Atlanta Hawks home games. I just checked, and most people are saving more than 25% on tickets to the game, with some tickets going for more than 50% off. Plus, you can save even more if you take advantage of a deal on Half Off Depot: $20 buys you $50 to spend on tickets at ScoreBig.com.
- Keep an eye on Goldstar, too, to save up to 50% on tickets to select Atlanta Hawks games. As of today (January 27), Goldstar has tickets for the March 19 game vs the Boston Celtics.
Philips Arena is located at 1 Philips Drive, Atlanta.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
BOGO Tickets to Cineprov’s Purple Rain on January 27, 2012
Ooh, I want to go. I’ve never seen this movie, but it’d likely be fun: Tonight, 
January 27, 2012, Cineprov is mocking Purple Rain.
Want to go? You can buy one ticket & get one free to tonight’s performance if you mention Atlanta on the Cheap. If you call & ask really, really nicely, they may give you 50% off instead if you’re going solo. Also, if it’s on your short list of places to be, you should RSVP–they’ve been selling out, so you might not get a spot if you wait to get the deal at the door.
Bonus: It’s Curtis’ birthday, so there will be cake.
Never been? You can watch clips online (think Mystery Science Theater 3000 sans robots). Tickets are regularly $10. Student-priced tickets aren’t eligible for the BOGO offer, but no worries: you’re getting a similar deal–student tickets are $5 each.
The Relapse Theatre is located at 380 14th St. NW, Atlanta. 404-246-3805
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Valentine’s Day Gift Deals
Looking 
for Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Check out these offers on the daily deal sites.
Though it’s Friday, January 27, you have a day or so to take advantage of most of these deals:
- On Tippr, $19 = $40 worth of floral arrangements from The Enchanted Florist.
- On Loclly, $15 = $40 worth of flowers from Flowers-Nationwide.com.
- On Loclly, $15 = chocolate-covered strawberry gift box from My Sugar Rush. Free Delivery.
- On Saveology, $45 = Valentine’s Day strawberries & chocolates box from Better World Brands. Free shipping.
- On Groupon, $25 = one dozen assorted truffles ($45 = two dozen) at Lulu’s Bakery.
- On Groupon, $45 = deluxe vineyard-and-winery tour with a tasting for two ($79 for four) at Montaluce Winery and Le Vigne Ristorante.
- On Sweetjack, $15 buys a voucher good for $30 worth of tickets at Horizon Theatre. The deal is valid for tickets to Avenue Q, The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered and Scattered, Sheddin’, and Time Stands Still. Promo code “FetchMe5″ saves you $5 on your first purchase.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Daily Deals, Part 2: Movie Tickets, VHS & Audio Transfer Equipment
A few 
of the online-only & multiple-location deals on the daily deal sites…for the full list of deals from several sites, check out the Daily Deals page on Cities on the Cheap.
Though it’s Friday, January 27, you have a day or so to take advantage of most of these deals:
- On Goldstar, $24 + fees = 2 AMC Gold Experience tickets, 2 drinks & one popcorn.
- On Saveology, $14 = two movie tickets from MovieTickets.com
- On Half Off Depot, $12 = two AMC movie tickets from WhiteGloveDeals.
- On Groupon, $25 = Honestech Audio Recorder 2.0 Plus or $35 = Honestech VHS To DVD 4.0 Deluxe. Includes shipping.
- On Eversave, $40 = Honestech VHS to DVD 5.0 HD video converter. Includes shipping.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Atlanta’s Daily Deals: Cavalia’s Odysseo, Atlanta Winter Beer Carnival, Atlanta Hawks, TheCityTour: Atlanta, Blue Grotto, Fishook Grille, Baci, Zucca, Flying Tour, Hot Air Balloon Ride, Mani/Pedi, & More
Here 
are a few of the highlights from the daily deals sites. If you’d like to browse the full list of deals that refresh automatically, you’ll find it on the Atlanta’s Daily Deals page.
Since it’s Friday, January 27, deadlines vary from 11:59 p.m. tonight through Sunday:
Theatre, Concerts, Attractions, & Sporting Events
- Groupon: $42-$90 = game-day package for two to see the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena (six options available)
- Sweetjack: $15 = $30 towards general admission tickets at Horizon Theatre. The deal is valid for tickets to Avenue Q, The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered and Scattered, Sheddin’, and Time Stands Still. // promo code “FetchMe5″ saves you $5 on your first purchase
- Sweetjack: $20 = admission to 3rd annual Atlanta Winter Beer Carnival // promo code “FetchMe5″ saves you $5 on your first purchase
- ScoreBig: Save 10%-70% on tickets to Salim-Sulaiman, The Princess and The Goblin, George Straight with Martina McBride, Memphis, Atlanta Hawks, GA Tech men’s basketball, & more. Free to sign up; link lets you skip the wait list for membership.
- Half Off Depot: $20 buys you $50 worth of tickets to sporting events, concerts, theatre, & more on ScoreBig.com
- Goldstar: Discounts on tickets: Cavalia’s Odysseo, The Princess and the Goblin, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs Ravel & Beethoven, The Fairy Tale Lives of Russian Girls, Red, Southern Fried Burlesque Fest, Syrens of the South’s Vixens Valentease Burlesque Show, Georgia Bridal Show, Atlanta Hawks, Medieval Times, & more.
Food & Wine
- Living Social: $12 = $25 at Blue Grotto Sushi, Tapas & Bar
- Tippr: $15 = $30 at Fishook Grille in Roswell
- Saveology: $20 = $40 at Baci by Cafe at Pharr
- Half Off Depot: $12 = $25 at Zucca Bar and Pizzeria (3 locations)
- ScoutMob: 50% off at Mojo Pizza & Pub
- Groupon: $45 = deluxe vineyard-and-winery tour with a tasting for two ($79 for four) at Montaluce Winery and Le Vigne Ristorante
- Living Social: $29 = three-hour walking tour of four Atlanta restaurants from TheCityTour: Atlanta
- kgbDeals: $10 = $20 at Little Szechuan
- Eversave: $13 = $26 at Little Szechuan
- Saveology: $15 = $30 at Cafe Istanbul
- Half Off Depot: $20 = $45 at Blackstone Restaurant
- Groupon: $25 = $50 at La Grotta Ristorante Italiano
- Groupon: $12 = $25 at Tuscany Italian Restaurant in Woodstock
- Saveology: $20 = $40 at Masani Gourmet Southern Cuisine
- Sweetjack: $15 = $30 at NINE Street Kitchen // promo code “FetchMe5″ saves you $5 on your first purchase
- Plum District: $6 = $12 at El Porton
Salons & Spas
- Eversave: $99 for four laser hair removal treatments at Shape Medical Wellness Center
- kgbDeals: $19 = CEO mani/pedi with a 15-minute massage & hot towels at Blissful Nail & Lash Bar
- kgbDeals: $15 = two shellac manicures with one polish removal at Blissful Nail & Lash Bar
- Gilt City: $50 = $100 worth of cuts, highlights & more at Dragonfly Salon
- Plum District: $120 = four laser hair removal sessions from Bella by Alethea
- Groupon: $59 = spa package with massage, facial, and reflexology ($99 for two) at WellSpa Suites
- Plum District: $13 = two eyebrow waxings at MLP Beauty Studio
- Tippr: $24 = eyelash extensions & brow wax at MLP Beauty Studio
- Half Off Depot: $25 = mani/pedi at Solo Haven, The Hand & Foot Sanctuary
Flying Tour, Hot Air Balloon Ride, & SuperKart Race
- Crowd Savings: $59 = one-hour flying tour of Atlanta for up to three people from Flyboys Flight Centers
- Groupon: $209 = a hot air balloon ride for two from Balloons Over Georgia
- Half Off Depot: $25 = SuperKart race, gaming card and rock wall experience from Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
Photography, Cooking, Baking, Painting, & Pottery Classes
- Living Social: $49 = three-hour photography composition class or $75 = four-hour introductory photoshop workshop from Digital Photo Academy
- Groupon: $19 = cookie-painting kit or $75 = cookie-painting party for 5 kids ($140 = 10 kids) from Painted Cookies
- Crowd Savings: $25 = $50 worth of classes & events at Young Chefs Academy
- Half Off Depot: $40 = three-hour gourmet dessert baking class at Lulu’s Bakery
- Half Off Depot: $17.50 = two to three-hour BYOB painting class at Creatively Yours (Brookhaven location)
- Half Off Depot: $20 = your choice of two-hour BYOB pottery class at That Pottery Place
- Sweetjack: $15 = BYOB canvas painting class at Sip & Stroke // promo code “FetchMe5″ saves you $5 on your first purchase
Airport Transportation, Shopping & Kids’ Activities
- Juice in the City (Buckhead/Midtown): $25 = $50 worth of clothing & accessories at Embellish Boutique
- Living Social: $100 = $200 worth of furniture at Dream Home Interiors (three locations)
- kgbDeals: $29 = town car service to or from the airport or surrounding metro area from QuickLivery
- Half Off Depot: $4 = admission to Monkey Joe’s (seven locations)
- Half Off Depot: $12 = $24 worth of children & maternity clothing at Sweet Repeats Buckhead
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Free or 50% off Tickets to the High Museum of Art, Including Picasso to Warhol
I’ll be using my membership to visit the 
High Museum of Art next week–Picasso to Warhol, part of the ongoing collaboration with The Museum of Modern Art, opened in October 2011, and I’m a huge fan of modern art. Other exhibitions include Trading Places, Part 1: Selected Works from the Collection of MOCA GA (closes Feb. 5); Nellie Mae Rowe: At Night Things Come to Me; Howard Finster: Paradise Garden; KAWS: Companion; and more.
A few more exhibitions open in February: Bill Taylor (Feb. 5), The Art of Golf (Feb. 5), KAWS: Down Time (Feb. 18), & Alejandro Aguilera: About the Modern Spirit (Feb. 18).
Not a member? Take advantage of one of one these deals to see the exhibitions (& the rest of the High’s collection) on the cheap:
1) From January 27-29, 2012, the High Museum of Art is hosting a canned food drive. For every one can you donate to the food drive, your ticket price to the museum will be reduced by $1, up to 10 cans for $10 off admission (or membership). Keep an eye on the High’s Facebook or Twitter pages for deals. They often offer them with little notice, so it’s worth checking before you head out to see if a rush deal is available.
2) Half-Price Thursday Evenings are still going on. You can save 50% when you visit the High from 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. To find the deal online, choose the Thursday you want to visit & pick a time slot marked “Discount Available”–once you select the quantity of tickets & click through, the discounted price will show in your cart.
3) As usual, Fulton County residents & students get in free on the first Saturday of the month; valid ID required. Bank of America cardholders get the same deal on the first full weekend of the month (discount applies to cardholder only).
4) Saturday, January 28, 2012, is College Night at the High. Admission is $7 for college students with ID, $5 for groups of 10+. The event sounds like fun: “Strike a pose in a Factory photo booth, drip paint like Jackson Pollock, curate a show in our readymade gallery, and make Calder-inspired jewelry. Plus, check out indie cool kids the Carnivores, neo-soul tastemakers Sweet Release, and join Dance Truck’s dance party with DJ Santiago Páramo! Not enough? Have a snack at Max’s Kansas City then meet Jasper Johns, Louise Bourgeois and the rest as you walk through ‘Picasso to Warhol: 14 Modern Masters.’”
5) Other ongoing discounts: Admission is free for active military with ID. Dependents of active military personnel and retired military receive $2 off admission. Zoo Atlanta members save $3 off adult admission or $10 off a membership. If you have a PBA Advantage card, you’ll save $3 off admission. ARTSCard members get $2 off admission.
6) If you’re planning to visit multiple attractions in Atlanta, take advantage of the Atlanta CityPASS to save more than 50% on admission to five Atlanta-area attractions. The Georgia Aquarium ticket includes admission to the aquarium, Deepo’s 4-D theater, and a Quick Dip tour. The World of Coca-Cola ticket includes admission, the 4-D theatre, and a free keepsake bottle from the museum. Other attractions included are Inside CNN Studio Tour, Fernbank (includes IMAX, too) OR High Museum of Art, and Zoo Atlanta OR Atlanta History Center. It’s valid for nine days, and if you plan it right, you’ll have two full weekends + the weekdays in between to get to all of the attractions.
The High Museum of Art is located at 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Ticket Discount for Avenue Q at the Horizon Theatre
I saw
Avenue Q at Cobb Energy Center a couple of years ago, and I can’t say enough good things about it. It’s hilarious. I laughed so hard, especially during Act 1, that tears were streaming down my face. The show is not politically correct–far from it, actually–but it’s fun. Complete with puppet sex, profanity, beer, & real-life problems, it’s essentially a grown-up version of Sesame Street (the characters are in their 20s & 30s), only without the happy-go-lucky vibe.
I’ll admit that I was skeptical about a show starring puppets & people, but it was very well done. The puppeteers did an amazing job giving inanimate objects a sense of expression & emotion, and everything just seemed to fit. I bought the soundtrack, too, though it’ll be years before I let the kids listen to it. My favorite tracks: “What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?/It Sucks to Be Me,” “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,” “The Internet is for Porn,” “Schadenfreude,” “I Wish I Could Go Back to College,” & “For Now.”
Warnings & disclaimers: Avenue Q “contains full puppet nudity” and it “has not been authorized or approved by The Jim Henson Company or Sesame Street Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content.” For some of you, that’s all you need to know.
That said, it also won Tony Awards for best musical, best score, & best book. So, if you’re OK with something that’s a bit irreverent, you may want to go. Told by a cast of people & puppets, the comedy (to state the obvious) “full of heart and hummable tunes” is about “trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account.”
The Horizon Theatre is reviving its production of Avenue Q, and I’d like to head out for a show to see its take on it. Since Avenue Q mixes puppets with people, the intimate nature of the theatre makes it an excellent venue for it.
Want to save on tickets?
- You’ll find discount tickets to Avenue Q on AtlanTIX. After fees, tickets range from about $23-$30 each (Regularly $30-$50). As of today (January 26), there are tickets for select performances from January 26-March 11, 2012; tickets are cheapest for Wednesday & Thursday evening performances.
- And thanks to an offer on Sweetjack, for a limited time, $15 buys a voucher good for $30 worth of tickets at Horizon Theatre. The deal is valid for tickets to Avenue Q, The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered and Scattered, Sheddin’, and Time Stands Still. Bonus: a href=”http://sweetjack.com/ar/1005/daily-deal/atlanta” target=”_blank”>promo code “FetchMe5″ saves you $5 on your first Sweetjack purchase
The Horizon Theatre is located at 1083 Austin Ave NE, Atlanta.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
Callaway Gardens: Free Admission in January & February + Getaway Deal
I’m
loving this unseasonably warm weather…it makes me much more likely to take advantage of this deal:
Through February 29, 2012, you can get into Callaway Gardens for free–no coupons, promo codes, or tickets required. Just show up, and you’ll receive free admission to the gardens.
And for those of you who’d like to stay overnight: Through March 15, 2012, you can save 50% on recreation (tennis, fishing, bikes, golf and treetop) when you book a Winter Wonders package.
Callaway Gardens is located at 17800 US Hwy 27, Pine Mountain, Georgia. 706-663-2281.
–Jennifer Maciejewski