How We Got Down in Hotlanta

As you know, Shaun and I took a little trip to Atlanta over MLK weekend. I had to go down there for work, so the man joined me to enjoy the weekend. Though some people may know Atlanta by Hotlanta, I assure you, hot it was not. The weekend we were there, it was more like Icelanta.

Anyhow, I worked Friday and then we went to the Buckhead Diner for dinner. It was out of this world. So out of this world, in fact, that I accidentally deleted the delicious photos that I took of our food. It's like it was too good to be real. Oh well. In all my blogging days thus far, it's the first time I've ever done that. But let me just tell you that if you are ever in Atlanta, the Buckhead Diner is where it's at.

So aside from eating lots of fried chicken and white chocolate banana cream pie (yep, it happened), we also took in some sights after I finished working on Saturday, starting with the Coca Cola Museum. Did you know that Atlanta is the home of Coca Cola? I didn't either. But it is, so they have a fun museum, and more importantly a tasting rom.

With countless artifacts, this was one of my favorite displays...the vintage Coke dispensers and refrigerators! I would love one of these for my house.

 The whole story of Coca Cola was strewn throughout the exhibit. Since this guy is a history buff, it was right up his alley. And who would have thought that a scientist with a dream of creating a soft drink would turn it into the most recognized brand in the world?! Perhaps its the brand manager in me, but I found the old advertisements and entire story to be extremely fascinating.

As a treat, they also featured the Olympic torch from the 1996 Olympics, which Shaun ran right up to snatch hold, while I snapped away...cool right?

And I'm obviously wanting some of the bronzed cup Coke. Don't you think everything would be better in bronzed or gilded cups?

And then we headed into the Coke room. Nope, it wasn't a den of illegal substances. Good thing too, because that would have been awkward. Instead, it was a room full of these pods, each of which denoted a continent or territory and the flavors of Coca Cola that are found there.

I have to say, we thought this was pretty awesome. I didn't even realize that there were so many international flavors, be it good or semi-disgusting tasting.

A little boy came over and warned Shaun not to try the Italian version, but that of course just fueled the fire of Shaun wanting to try it. So he did. It wasn't pretty. The boy was right. The moral of the story is: Kids know their sugar. Take their advice.

After our tums were coated with sugary goodness, we hit up Slice Downtown for some pizza and beer to take in the Steelers-Ravens game. PBR tall boys for 2.50? Don't mind if I do.

I know, who leaves New York and orders pizza? Apparently we just can't let it go.

After pizza 'n beer time, we headed over to the Georgia Dome for the Falcons-Packers game! When Shaun suggested we try to get tickets...and told me the game was in a dome stadium so we wouldn't have to sit in the cold..., I was all yes please! Despite the obnoxious girl behind us and her incessant 'Go Pack Go!' throughout the. entire. game. over. and. over., and despite the fact that my faux-Falcon fanning was short lived due to the beating they took by the Packers, it was a ton of fun and such a special experience to be at a game so full of energy!

If you ever have the means of going to a playoff game, regardless of the team, I say do it!

Plus, at non-New York stadiums, they think its a good idea to give people long sharp sticks to wave around. I was into it and figured that in itself was a once in a lifetime opportunity since I'm fairly positive that would never be permitted in Giants Stadium!

So there you have it. A lot accomplished in a little bit of time. We were able to change our flight on Sunday to make it home in time for the Jets-Patriots game, and no regrets on that one! Even though it was for a short time, I loved traveling and giving Atlanta a little look-see. I find it fascinating to see other places and how other people live, even within our own country! Oh, and of course, for the food! So what about you? Do you like traveling? What is your favorite part?

Gone South

Tonight I took a little trip down south. Down south to Atlanta for a little work trip. Unfortunately it's not any warmer down here than up north. I kicked off my trip with a little beer 'n books at the airport bar while I waited for the plane. I was just finishing up Naked Heat (it's the novel from the show Castle...anyone? Pure cheese, but pure fabulousness) on the Kindle, so it was nice to have some time to unwind before cramming onto the tiny Delta flight!

 

Once we landed in Atlanta (on time!), I headed over to MARTA, the local subway system to get to my hotel. I could have hopped in a cab, but I always like taking public transportation. It makes me feel like I'm learning even more about the city I'm visiting. Plus, my feeling is that if I can navigate the NYC subway system, I'm ready to take on the world!

And I have. Here's my sister Kimberly and me hopping a subway in Budapest when Shaun and I visited her in Eastern Europe in '07. We liked to pretend we were super touristy (which we were) and took mostly thumbs up pics throughout the trip!

Once I got to the hotel, I picked up dinner in the hotel cafe. Apparently this is what $13.00 gets you at an Atlanta hotel:

 

New York City where are you at a time like this? Luckily when Shaun joins me down here tomorrow night, we have big plans to sample some real Southern cuisine! Spoiler alert: There will be fried chicken and peach cobbler. I'm all about sampling local delights to see how it's done right! Just sayin'.

So that's part one of my little Atlanta getaway. Tomorrow I'm at a trade show all day and then the fried chicken will commence. So what about you? Do you like to sample local cuisine? How about the local transportation?

My Birthday Fare Part II: South City Kitchen in Atlanta, GA

As I mentioned in Part I, I was on a solo business trip to Atlanta during my birthday but that didn't keep this food-obsessed chick from seeking out the best meal I could find. Already bored with room service from the night before, I set out to find some Southern cuisine and found some serious grub at the famed South City Kitchen. Boasting contemporary Southern food on the quaint Crescent Avenue, SCK is anything but serene yet the food was out of this world. Take a peak...(oh, and please excuse my uber dark photos on this one...I was sitting at the bar, it was dark and I was using my BlackBerry!)

Though I could have gone crazy with the appetizer menu (fried green tomatoes with goat cheese, crab cakes, strawberry salad, smoked bbq pork), I decided against any starters and instead feasted on not one but two corn muffins which were brought to the table in lieu of the traditional bread basket.

For dinner, I made like a local and went with the buttermilk fried chicken. Peppery, crispy, juicy but not  greasy, this delectable dish was served atop a bed of buttermilk mashed potatoes, green beans and bourbon gravy. Yeah, it was pretty wonderful and just about the most delicious way to ring in my birthday.

And since fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans just didn't seem to be enough to fill up this foodie, I also ordered a side of skillet mac & cheese. Yes, I realized that I'd probably need to be wheeled out of the restaurant on a dolly, but when in Georgia, right? And wasn't I totally justified in getting a side dish since I forewent the appetizer? No? Just me? Ok. But the skillet was a lot smaller than it looks in this photo...

Last but certainly not least, I enjoyed the SCK banana pudding at the recommendation of the diner sitting next to me. This was no ordinary pudding. Thick, creamy and custard-like, this pudding was more like a trifle. Layers of pudding, pie crust and homemade whipped cream filled my glass and I'm not going to lie to you...I put a decent dent in it.

So there it is. My super indulgent dinner down in the Southern city.