Atlanta Dreaming

Ok, you didn't think yesterday's little post was the end of my coverage on our trip to Atlanta, did you?

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Honey, please -- I write a travel-ish blog and this is the only trip I've taken in a while. You know you're gonna get the full Monty!

We stayed the weekend with my lovely friends, Mer and Matt. I've known them since our crazy college days but this was their first time meeting The Boy. Our good friend Lauren also joined us for the festivities. Yay!

Thursday:

Arrived late in the evening. Squealing and hugging, then eating. 

Bedtime.

Friday:

Enjoyed high tea at the lovely The Potted Geranium tea house in Greensboro. We were on our best behavior and looked like the ladies and gentlemen we certainly weren't for the rest of the weekend...

Then there was some major pool time. Gotta love sparkly sunscreen, warm sunshine and reading the juicy bits of a Nicholas Sparks novel aloud. Oh, and there might have been some of this...

Sports Illustrated photo shoot, y'all

We closed the day with some exploring in small town Georgia, where the peaches grow.  Gotta love that southern architecture ... and this red door.... and the collage feature on Picasa...

Aw, so handsome!

Dinner was at Flip Burger, an awesome gourmet diner created by Richard Blais of Top Chef fame. OMG so delicious. I went wild and crazy for a steak tartare burger but the hit of the night was the Krispy Kreme donut shake. 

MMMMMMMMM

Saturday:

We were up before the rooster calls (not really) to be first in line (not really) for Six Flags Over Georgia! I looove me some roller coasters and waiting in line is no biggie when you've got a fun crowd to play 20 Questions with. I highly recommend the Superman - you actually get to fly, face down, over the park.
Amaze.

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After hitting most of the major rides and thoroughly depleting our capacity for waiting in line and ingesting fair-food, we went home for a nap break before heading off for a night of revelry at The Village Theatre. The guys from The Village put on an awesome Saturday night improv show, complete with audience-participation drinking game. 

No pictures exist of my antics at this show, thank goodness.

Sunday:

M & M have two itsy-bitsy, cutesy-wutesy dogs and on Sunday we treated them to a walk through Atlanta's gorgeous Piedmont Park. The park was huge, lush and surprisingly gay-friendly. Who knew?

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Next, we enjoyed massive slices of cake here, then strolled through a local art fair slurping famous King of Pops popsicles (yes, I am now on a diet.) Back at home, we got our college on with some beer pong and a Zac Efron movie. 

Killer combo.

Monday

Last day. Wah-wah. Took it easy with some dog walking and sushi binge-eating. Yes, we hit a sushi buffet. Be jealous.

It hit back too, but that's another story. Before we knew it, it was time to head home. We had a great view from the plane :

And cried all the way home :(

Muchas Gracias to our dear friends in Atlanta for having us. Matt, Mer and Lauren - it was so, so good for my soul to see you. Zoe and Holly, thanks for the walks and licks, you cuties. Love you all!

xo,

E.

Headin' Down South

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Oh, yeah, it's travelin' time!!

I'm leaving the cold weather behind for the warm, balmy South.

Although we're going by plane, the journey really should be made in a blue Ford pickup, tootling along dusty roads blaring Tom Petty through old speakers. 

For a Northern girl like me, the South holds as many mysteries as pleasures. When I first moved to North Carolina for school, I was hoping for a shock to the system - a real, this is how the Southern half lives moment. But the differences were much more genteel in their presentation - they snuck up on my slowly so that I never really realized them until the contrast of home was back around me.

In the South, manners still matter - except on the roads. Hospitality is an art and an obligation. Monday through Friday is for Taylor Swift, but Friday and Saturday are all about Weezy. Save Sunday for some Gospel. Iced tea IS sweet tea. They're only different things to Northerners. Southern cultural traditions are  biracial, but race is still sore spot. Y'all is not slang. Long drives lead you past cotton farms sprouting snowballs of white fluff. It's called the War of Northern Aggression.

And the earth is red.

This weekend, visiting Atlanta will feel like being home. Not only do I get to see great, great friends but I will be back in the South - a place I didn't know I loved quite so much until now.

On that note, I'll leave you with my lover, Tom, and his great Southern drive song.

Any recommendations for food or fun in Atlanta? We've got a great itinerary planned, thanks to my buddy, but suggestions are always welcome!