Six hours in … Midtown

Take a detour from the usual suspects — the cushy high-rises, rococo restaurants and positively gaudy bars that are the aftermath of Midtown’s breakneck development. Off the beaten path, you’ll find those rare gems that avoid the personality lobotomies of gentrification.

2 p.m.: Pull some strings Embrace your inner child — and entertain your actual child — with painstakingly crafted marionettes and art exhibits celebrating the original Muppet master, Jim Henson, at the amazing Center for Puppetry Arts.

4 p.m.: Art shop Sure, you could swing by such mainstays as the High Museum of Art, but we recommend a detour north of the Woodruff Arts Center to the Savannah College of Art and Design’s in-house boutique, Shop SCAD. A smartly curated jumble of student wares ranges from French-milled soaps to pretty baubles to original screen-printed T-shirts, all at judicious prices.

5 p.m.: Gallery love Peruse visual art offerings aplenty from Atlanta’s up-and-comers, all in a comfortably claustrophobic space at Beep Beep Gallery. Of special mention are Beep Beep’s opening parties, which more often than not feature notable local bands that add to the community love-fest vibe.

7 p.m.: Southern flavors Tierra impeccably executes a fluctuating seasonal menu that revolves around Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. Owner/chef and husband/wife team Dan and Ticha Krinsky have steered the restaurant through the city’s never-ending string of restaurant trends, and they’ve succeeded for one reason: Their food is amazing. Be sure to order the pionono, plantains filled with pristinely spiced beef. You won’t regret it.

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