Atlanta

Centennial-Olympic Park

Atlanta Factoid: There are almost 100 streets with Peachtree in their names. Confusing doesn't even begin to describe it!

The closest to Atlanta either Mike or I have ever been was waiting to change planes at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport!  When my best friend from college, Peggy, and her guy, Rick, move there from Virginia this summer, we make a change in the itinerary.  Instead of spending time with them in Charlottesville, Virginia, we will explore Atlanta, Georgia, instead!

Rather than fight Atlanta's infamously terrible traffic snarls, we opt to use MARTA, Atlanta's metro and bus system.  We purchase our BREEZE cards at a kiosk and we are off to the Jimmy Carter Museum.

President Carter was born and raised in Plains, Georgia, the oldest of four children.  His father was a successful businessman and staunch segregationist, while his mother, Miss Lillian, was an registered nurse and a kind, generous, tolerant woman who taught Jimmy to care for the human condition of his fellow man.

Jimmy & Rosalynn's wedding attire

A brilliant student and avid reader, Jimmy attended the US Naval Academy placing 59th in his class.   He met Rosalynn through a friend and soon after, they married.  His stint in the Navy aboard a nuclear submarine, under the leadership of Admiral Rickover who had the most influence on his life as anyone, was cut short when his father dies and he was needed to help run the family business.  So, he returned to Plains to be a peanut farmer, Georgia State Legislator, and eventually Governor of Georgia..  

He was elected President in 1976, his tenure highlighted by the energy crisis, Iran hostage situation, high inflation (world-wide stagflation), the Three-Mile Island nuclear accident, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the eruption of Mount Saint Helens.

After leaving office, Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center in 1982, a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization that works to advance human rights. He has traveled extensively to conduct peace negotiations, observe elections, and advance disease prevention and eradication in developing nations. Carter is a key figure in the Habitat for Humanity project, and also remains particularly vocal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Former Secretary of State, Madeline Albright's famous brooch collection is on display.

She was recently there at a book-signing event for her latest book, 'Read My Pins'.

Albright is famous for her snazzy pins which often relate either her mood for the day, or send a special message to the diplomat on that days's agenda like when she thought their hotel rooms were being bugged while in Moscow, she wore a huge 'BUG' pin to negotiations with the Russians the next day!            

Home Depot co-founder, Bernard Marcus, and his wife, donated $250 million to the city of Atlanta in 2001 to construct the world's largest aquarium.  The aquarium boasts tanks that hold over 8.5 million gallons of marine and fresh water for over 120,000 animals of 500 different species.

The most famous residents are four young whale sharks, four beluga whales, and four giant manta rays.  Its largest tank, about the size of a football field, was constructed specially to hold up to five whale sharks.

Its viewing wall is nicknamed the 'WOW! Wall' because that is what most folks exclaim when they first espy it.

The habitat for the Emperor Penguins has a tunnel system that allows you to pop up in the middle of the environs!  Cool!

A few days before we arrive in Atlanta, I make FB friends with a former classmate, Sue, from 2nd and 3rd grade, high school and college. When I realize that her current town of Kennassaw Georgia, is a suburb of Atlanta, I contact her and we meet for lunch one day, catching up on over forty years of life!  Then, she invites us to visit Atlanta's historic Fox Theater  where she works part-time!

A couple of days later, we arrive at the Fox Theater for the 10am tour.  And golly-gee, WOW...is Sue right about this place!  It was constructed in 1928 for the Shriner's, but due to the Stock Market Crash of '29, construction came to a sudden halt.

Enter movie mogul, William Fox of 20th Century Fox Studios.  He agrees to complete the project and share the facility with the Shriners.

The result is indeed spectacular with Moorish, Egyptian, and Spanish architecture on display.  This year's offerings include 'Jersey Boys', 'Billy Elliott', and 'Memphis.'

After the official tour, Sue treats us to a behind the scenes peek for a special, spectacular day at the Fox.  We have a late lunch at Mary Mac's Tea Room, just down the street.

A long-time favorite of Atlanta, we are treated to a meal of good old-fashioned Southern cooking. Getting reacquainted with long-lost friend, Sue, is a an unexpected treat indeed!

Atlanta's High Museum of Art is featuring a special exhibit called 'From Picasso to Warhol'.

We enjoy their art as well as pieces from Calder, Matisse, and Pollock.

Table 1280 is just across the courtyard, so we try their Three Martini lunch offering: any three items from a list of fifteen or so choices.  Yumm-Oh!

'Sex and the Second City' is playing at the Alliance Theater.   We enjoy the comedy based on dating rituals of twenty-somethings in the electronic, cyber age.  Mike comments that the poster of one of the actors looking puppy dog lovingly at one of the actresses is exactly the way he looks at me!  I break out laughing so hard that I start crying.  One of the ushers starts looking at me with an amused grin, so I tell her about our Airstream journey and she says,  'That long on a trip and you're still laughing!'  Very funny!

Later that evening, after dinner at Zapata's, que muy rico, we enjoy the 'Santaland Diaries' by David Sedaris at the Norcross Community Theater.  Sedaris based the play on his stint as an elf at Macy's in Manhattan for several years.  Very enjoyable!

For the last three days in Atlanta we are finally able to visit with Peggy,

my dear friend since college.

We spend one day at the Fernbank Natural History Museum where a spectacular exhibit of Charles Darwin is on display.

The IMAX film, 'Galapagos'  helps set the tone for the visit.  On another day, we get manicures and pedicures, ahhhh!

On our last night in Atlanta, we decide to return to Zapata's with Peggy & Rick,

a fine little Mexican restaurant in historic Norcross where we enjoy fresh-made Margaritas,

Jamie & Chepito, our favorite waiters at Zapata's!

molcajetes and Mariachis.

Our visit to the World of Coke is a so-so moment, geared for the kiddos and a great big Coca-Coal commercial.  Glad we see it, but once is definitely enough on this one!

There is so much to see and do in Atlanta, and we only scratch the surface,  Peggy and Sue, we will be baaaacccckkkkk!