Soft breezes over rolling, green lawns, mint juleps on Saturday afternoons, and social events that carry all the demur dignity they did over a century ago: This is what defines Southern gentility and, ultimately, it's what defines Marietta, Georgia. A city of 56,579 to the northwest of Atlanta, Marietta is home to many of the professionals that work in that world-renowned 'alpha' city's powerful telecommunications and media industry. It's also a preferred place of refuge for businesspersons and families from across the American South, however, and as such it maintains all the distinct charms that region is known for. These include instinctive hospitality, a centuries-old cuisine, and a colorful history that, in the case of Marietta, includes an episode where it was the location of the 'Great Locomotive Chase' as well as other significant events during the Civil War. Though Marietta only played a supporting role during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, for instance, its residents continue to enjoy the breathtaking stretch of rugged terrain that was preserved as the nearby Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The past, however, is not the only thing that makes Marietta special, as the increasingly international and upscale nature of the greater Atlanta area has brought with it a number of bistros, music venues, and upscale shopping opportunities. Whether they're involved in developing so-called 'new media', working in one of the South's more traditional fields, or simply in the market for a comfortable place to retire, Marietta is definitely a pace anyone in the market for a luxury home should consider.