ATLANTApix: Olympia

"Olympia"
(sculpture at Promenade II)

Atlanta is indeed a land of discovery. Beyond the magnolia trees, around every corner, in every neighborhood, below the majestic skyline, and in skyscraper courtyards are all sorts of treasures to be found. At the base of the Promenade II is "Olympia."

Created by (Albert) Paley Studios, Ltd. of Rochester, New York, in 1990, Olympia stands 30 feet tall and is fashioned of steel and polychrome. 

What's polychrome, you ask? I'm glad you did.

From Greek (as is the sculpture's name), polychrome translates as "many" and "color." You can see from the photograph, Olympia is indeed sporting many (vibrant) colors. I lived in Greece for more than two years and still remember a bit of the language, to my great surprise.

The Promenade II courtyard is but a brief detour on any Midtown Atlanta walking tour and is an excellent spot to make some great photographs of neighboring skyscrapers.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: First Church of Christ, Scientist

First Church of Christ, Scientist

The First Church of Christ, Scientist has been a landmark building in Midtown, Atlanta since July 1914. Located at the intersection of Peachtree Street and 15th Street, it's very close to the High Museum of Art and Colony Square.

First Church has a claim to fame related to Atlanta's major at the time of its establishment. The wife of Mayor Livingston Mims hosted meetings at their home at the corner of Peachtree Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue, where the Georgian Terrace Hotel stands today. Not coincidentally, the two street-level restaurants at the Georgian Terrace are named Livingston and Mims.

The Church also features a Moller organ. You may know Moller from references to Mighty Mo, the Moller organ in the Fox Theatre across the street from the Georgian Terrace.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: One Ninety One

One Ninety One Peachtree Tower

In the 1970s Atlanta's skyline was largely filled with nondescript concrete buildings, except of course for the Westin Peachtree Plaza (from where this photo was taken), which was built in 1973. The 1980s ushered in an era of signature buildings and that era continues today.

The 50-floor One Ninety One Peachtree Tower (photo), sometimes written 191 Peachtree Tower, was completed in 1991. Of all the buildings in downtown Atlanta, the 191 is my personal favorite. Not only for its Gothic seven-story rooftop crowns made of columns, arches, and domes, but also for its seven-story atrium that features huge chandeliers that I think remarkably resemble Fabergé eggs.

One Ninety One Peachtree Tower also is an award winner. Twice it has received BOMA's "The Office Building of the Year" (TOBY) award, in 1991 and again in 1998.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Hope

"Hope"

I've mentioned "Hope" (the sculpture) a few times in recent posts, so here's a photograph of what she looks like. Quite charming, I think.

Hope, a CherryLion Studios creation, is on the grounds of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in the Rose Garden. That particular capture was made recently, after cooler weather set in, but during the spring and summer the garden is spectacular.

There are several sculptures on the Carter Center's grounds and the Museum is a must-see. It's the only presidential museum I've been to, but I can imagine it holds its ground in prestige...it's really that remarkable. And President Carter himself is there from time to time...I had the pleasure of meeting him (for the second time) at a book signing only a couple of months ago at the Carter Center.

There are a number of book signings and other events that take place at the Carter Center throughout the year.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Oglethorpe University Museum of Art: Embracing Differences

CherryLion Studios Sculpture

If children can so clearly see that prejudice and intolerance are wrong, I for one do not understand why grown-ups can't do the same. In the exhibit Embracing Differences: Students Draw the Line Against Prejudice, 5th through 12th grade students throughout Atlanta are the model citizens. We can learn a lot from these kids.

On exhibit now through Sunday, February 13, 2011, the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art has put on another extraordinary exhibit in Embracing Differences. The exhibit is a hybrid student and professional artists exhibition.

Some of the Student Winners

As always, docent-led tours are available on Sundays at 2:00 p.m., but this time I decided to explore on my own. I've done the tour before and highly recommend them.

When I arrived at the third floor of the Weltner Library on the Oglethorpe campus, I was kindly greeted by the Museum staff (one of the two young ladies I remembered from when I was there for the Nineteenth Century French Master Drawing and Sculpture exhibit).

Although I'd visited the Museum's website before going, I didn't notice that this particular exhibition is free, which I hope is incentive to draw a larger audience. It's a great way for locals to check out the museum to determine if you'd like to return for other planned exhibits for later this year.

Art Class

After the greeting and the great news of free admission I welcomed into the Museum. I noticed in the one gallery that an art class was being conducted (Yeah! It's a working Museum).

I overheard the instructor note that the class was soon wrapping up, so I visited the other gallery first. I was invited to tour the gallery where class was taking place, which I found impressive … their endeavor to share knowledge through beauty didn't stop because of a class in the museum.

"The Scales of Equality"
by Darrel Mobley

The Exhibit

I’ve seen many student art exhibits over the years (and even had a piece of my own sculpture on exhibit in the Greenville County Museum of Art when I was in 5th grade and some of my photography exhibited at a show in Utah when I was in 12th grade living in Wyoming), but I do not recall seeing a student exhibit that was quite so poignant.

And, bias aside, there also is more quality artistic ability in Atlanta's youth than I had expected, which is always a nice surprise.

The exhibit collection includes sculptures, drawings, paintings, and multi-media creations, some realistic, some more on the abstract side.

Lauren Baldwin (right)

My favorite piece of the student art I like for its inscription. Created by Lauren Baldwin, a second grader at International Community School, she wrote, "I noticed when I was working on my art project that I looked different than my friends. My hair is long and dark, my skin is dark brown. My friends have different skin colors and hair colors. We eat different foods. But my friends and I all wear the same friendship bracelet."

Lauren is seven years old and she gets it, she understands.

The Other Artists

CherryLion Studios

If the free admission isn't enough to entice you to go check out this exhibit, maybe the 20 professional artists on exhibit will be. Do the names CherryLion Studios and Salvador Dali whet your appetite?

CherryLion Studios, specifically owner and artist Martin Dawe, is the artistic talent behind the World Athletes Monument at Pershing Point and Hope at the Jimmy Carter Library. Currently on display are several CherryLion rather dramatic sculptures of various mediums.

I love their work. I had not heard of them until I started writing this blog and next thing I knew, I started seeing their name all over Atlanta. They've created pieces for clients in other cities throughout the United States and several international locales as well.

Salvador Dali

The Salvador Dali piece on exhibit (in full disclosure, there's only one Dali piece, but even that is remarkable in my book) is a limited edition lithograph of a painting that I do not recall seeing before, and I've been to the Dali museum in St. Petersburg (my birth city) and the recent Dali exhibit at the High Museum of Art, not to mention the number of Dali books I've examined.

Tying Dali to the Draw the Line exhibit, I have always found it interesting that someone so different can elicit such public admiration (tolerance) while someone else who is normal is deemed an outcast (prejudice) just because of different skin color or culture. I really don't get it.

The world is a puzzling, troubled place sometimes, but the young people who contributed to this exhibit offer a ray of hope. Personally, I hope to one day live in a world free of prejudice, a world similar to the vision these students offered their thought-provoking, optimistic artistic expression.

Student Work

I'll leave with you a quote from the exhibit program taken from one of my favorite authors, Marianne Williamson: "In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it."

The Return

Will I go again to the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art? The first and second times were amazing, so yes, I'll definitely return. Actually, I'm anxious to see their next exhibit, opening Sunday, March 13, 2011, which will feature works by contemporary artists from India.

Touring the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art

Date toured: Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: 4484 Peachtree Road, NE (directions and map)
Cost: Free (free for this exhibit, usually $5)
Parking: Free onsite parking
Website: http://museum.oglethorpe.edu/

Weltner Library,
Oglethorpe University

ATLANTApix: Iris Garden

Iris Garden

Tourists and locals alike can take respite from the city in any of the more than 350 public parks throughout Atlanta. 

One park that I return to time and again is Winn Park, specifically Iris Garden (established in 1930). It's in a beautiful residential neighborhood on Peachtree Circle, one block off Peachtree Street near 15th Street. 

Iris Garden has cascading ponds, elevated benches, stone paths, and incredible views of several Midtown skyscrapers. That's why I like it so much...while you're communing with nature you can at the same time can revel in the architectural marvels of Atlanta.

When you're finished with your lunch, book, meditation, or whatever brought you to the beautiful Iris Garden, you're close enough to walk over and visit the High Museum of Art and the soon to open Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA).

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Two-headed Cow

Two-headed Cow at the Georgia Capitol Museum

"The Georgia Capitol Museum is almost as old as the Capitol itself. In 1889 the General Assembly revived the Office of State Geologist. The legislation directed the geologist to complete a survey of Georgia and to create a museum. The exhibit would demonstrate the state's natural and economic resources. The collections grew quickly and spread throughout the building. Over the years the museum's emphasis expanded as new displays joined the old, educating generations of Georgia schoolchildren and other visitors."

Of all the artifacts in the Georgia Capitol Museum, the two-headed cow has consistently remained a favorite of visitors touring Atlanta both young and seasoned, local and international. Coincidentally, there was a two-headed cow born in the Republic of Georgia earlier this month.

The Museum is always on the look out for new artifacts to tell the story of the Georgia Capitol. If you have an item(s) that you would like to donate, contact the Museum.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Levy Parterre

Levy Parterre at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

What is a parterre, you ask? In all honesty, before discovering the two currently on display at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, I had never heard the word parterre. If the Fuqua Conservatory or Canopy Walk aren't quite enough the tip the scales of decision toward visiting the Garden, then maybe the Dale Chihuly-created parterres will.

While I love the Nepenthes Chandelier hanging in the atrium of the Hardin Visitor Center (Its bright greenness is actually the wallpaper on my laptop), the Levy Parterre (photo) nestled between the Rose Garden and the Alston Overlook is just as remarkable.

Starting on February 5, 2011, the 2011 annual "Orchid Daze" will feature thousands of blooms coupled with an array of water features in an exhibition titled "Liquid Landscapes." Or if you're looking for a romantic idea for Valentines Day, consider "Valentines in the Garden: Romance Blooms!" on Saturday, February 12, 2011.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Turner Field Tours

View of Downtown Atlanta from Turner Field

Granted, baseball season is still more than a couple months away, but with football season winding down and hockey season having only 11 weeks remaining, lots of Atlanta sports enthusiasts are looking forward to the Atlanta Braves' first pitch in April.

For those who just can't wait to be surrounded by all that is baseball, Turner Field offers year-round tours. I've taken that tour and it's fantastic! Visitors get to visit the media booth, the players' dugout, and get to stand on the playing field itself.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: International Cuisine

Der Biergarten Mural

Dining in Atlanta entails more than the Southern staples of Atlanta-based Waffle House and Mellow Mushroom.

Southerners' palettes are considerably more diverse than some might think.

The recently opened Der Biergarten (photo), located adjacent to Georgia Aquarium, features a significant menu of German cuisine and libations (watch the creation of the mural in this video); RA Sushi at 1080 Peachtree is touted as home of the city's best sushi; and Violette Restaurant, on Clairmont Road, offers some of the best French cuisine in town that I've had.

But, if an authentic Southern culinary experience is what you're longing for, there's always Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles on Peachtree Street.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Football as Art

Football Sculpture in Georgia Dome

Art and decor are not lost on football enthusiasts, quite the opposite actually.

The prestigious Cherry Lion Studios created the football action sculpture in this photo, which is one of many pieces of art throughout Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons. This particular piece adorns the walls of the Owner's Club on an upper level of the Dome, along with another piece titled "Falcon."

Cherry Lion has created art for numerous sites around Atlanta, including the "World Athletes Monument" at Pershing Point on Peachtree Street; "Hope" at the Carter Presidential Library; and the 65-foot salmon at Atlanta Fish Market on Pharr Road.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Governor's Mansion: Home, Sweet Home

Mary-Laine and me at
the Governor's Mansion

I've dined with Ambassadors, rubbed elbows with Presidents, and conversed with Heads of State, but of all the states I've lived in, I have never been to a Governor's Mansion. As it turns out, touring The State of Georgia Governor's Mansion felt every bit as prestigious as any of those other experiences.

I'd wanted to tour the Governor's Mansion for many years and am so glad I finally made it happen…and it's a free tour so that made it even more appetizing. I decided that since we have a new administration that was about to move in, I would wait until the move and then go. Turns out the Mansion is closed for the first two weeks of January, so it all worked out.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011 was the first public tour date following the inauguration of new Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Georgia's First Lady Sandra Deal being in the home. Surely busy with matters of State, we would not have the opportunity to meet the Deals on this particular visit, but I'm told that during previous administrations, the Governor and First Lady do from time to time visit with guests when they tour the mansion.

As can be expected, you have to go through security to gain entry to the Mansion grounds. Basically, you give your driver's license (or other government issued identification) to the security guard and once cleared you'll be directed to the guest parking lot, just steps away from the guard station and the Mansion's front door.

The Mansion

Governor's Mansion

The Governor's Mansion is the official home of Georgia's Governor and that person's spouse, currently Nathan and Sandra Deal, Nathan being the recently elected Governor and Sandra the First Lady of Georgia.

The Mansion was completed in 1967 and opened officially on January 1, 1968…not that long ago considering it's now the home of Georgia's 82nd Governor.

Governor's Mansion

Although relatively recently built, its design is neo-classical, meant to reflect Grecian design, Greece being the birthplace of democracy (even though we're a Republic, we employ the democratic process of voting for our leaders).

Surrounded by 30 Doric columns (think "Parthenon" in Athens, Greece), each at 24 feet tall, the Governor's Mansion is a 30-room, 24,000 square feet stately manor situated on approximately 18 acres.

Tours of the Mansion are a hybrid of self and guided. Unlike other tours I've been on, you can move about the house at your own pace and for as long as you like (first floor only, the Deal's private space is on the second floor) and there are docents in each room to give tailored discussions based on specific interests.

The Rooms

When I arrived at the front door, I didn't know whether to ring the doorbell or go right in…it is someone's home after all. After peeking through the sidelite and noticing activity, I went on in.

I was immediately and enthusiastically greeted by Mary-Laine. I didn't confirm the spelling of her middle name, my bad, but her accent left no doubt of her Southern authenticity.

Sterling Bowl

Mary-Laine proceeded to tell me a little about the Mansion and how the tours work. She said that most visitors zig-zag the depth of the house so I did just that.

The tour starts immediately inside the front door in the Entrance Hall. Embedded in the white marble floor and on the door knobs is the Georgia state seal. The centerpiece of the Hall is a sterling silver bowl (now used as a flower vessel) that was once on the USS Georgia and it also bears the Georgia state seal.

Also in the Entrance Hall are bronze busts of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Guest Bedroom

The first room I visited was the Guest Bedroom, the one bedroom on the first floor of a total eight bedrooms in the Mansion. Some of the prestigious guests who have slept in the Guest Bedroom include President Clinton, Princess Anne, and Prince Charles.

Several of the docents mentioned the needlepoint hanging in the Guest Bedroom. The largest needlepoint I've ever seen at several feet tall, it depicts George Washington.

Library

Immediately across the hall is the Library. Filled with books by Georgian authors, the collection includes books written by some of Georgia's former governors.

The Library docent pointed out a favorite of kid visitors—a lamp with a bent finial. The finial was bent when a hurricane in the 1990s hit the area…and of course the lamp wasn't replaced given its historical significance.

There are fireplaces throughout the Mansion. The white marble fireplace in the Library is one of my favorites.

State Drawing Room

The largest room on the tour is the State Drawing Room, used for entertaining guests at the Mansion.  

One of the modern pieces in the home is a glass art Magnolia blossom created by Frabel, a German-born, Georgia-based artist. Although some think that Georgia's state flower is the Magnolia blossom, it's actually the Cherokee Rose (which you may have learned when you were in the Guest Bedroom).

The rug in the State Drawing Room is an exact replica of the original rug in the room. It was reproduced by a local Georgia mill.

One of the two prominent portraits in the room is of Lillian Henderson, the first woman to hold a prominent position in Georgia government.

The docent (I was with Mary-Laine again) explained that convex mirrors (present in the room) were more popular at the time Georgia was founded because the technology to make flat mirrors (from blown glass) was incredibly expensive and difficult.

State Dining Room

Across the hall is the State Dining Room. Guarding the dining room table are two Cabbage Patch Kids fashioned after Governor and Mrs. Deal, one at each end of the table…evidently gifts from the Cleveland, Georgia company of the same name.

The dining table, expanded to seat 14 (and up to 18) and collapsible to fit four, also is adorned with more sterling silver pieces from the USS Georgia.

Circular Hall

The Circular Hall is by far my favorite room in the Mansion. The gleam of its grandeur is visible from practically every room on the first floor.

The centerpiece is the chandelier created for the Mansion from two chandeliers, one a modern American chandelier and the other a 19th Century Italian chandelier. Overlooking the chandelier is a portrait of Atlanta's first historian, Hugh McCall.

If it's possible to use the term "comic relief" in the same sentence as George Washington, our nation's father…well, suffice it to say that the portrait of the first American President hanging in the Circular Hall is not exactly to scale. Presumably, the body was painted first and George's head incorporated later.

One of the most rare pieces in the Mansion's collection is in the Circular Hall…it's an 1800 gold gilt vase with a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. The vase sits on a "petticoat" table. There's a mirror in the back of the lower part of the table where women could check to ensure that their petticoats were not showing, especially when receiving guests.

Family Sitting Room

The Family Sitting Room is the most uniquely decorated room in the Mansion…immediately obvious by its butternut paneling. "Butternut" is a type of hickory…who knew?!

A few unique items in the Family Sitting Room include an 1820 sewing table, a writing desk owned by Amos Lawrence (a merchant and philanthropist), and a sofa that was inexplicably cut in half and reassembled.

The Library's collection continues in the Family Sitting Room with books about the 159 counties in the state of Georgia. And actually, Georgia has the second highest number of counties in the United States.

Family Dining Room

The Family Dining Room is where the Deal's will be having many of their meals.

The table and chairs were owned by Jim Williams, of Savannah, who sold them to help pay for his trial, on which the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was based.

Really cool, under the rug that the table sits on, there's a button that the Governor can press with his foot to summon the kitchen. That's kind of cool for convincing guests that the kitchen staff can anticipate the needs and wants of the Governor, right? I wish I had a button.

From the Family Dining Room you can see the Kitchen, which recently underwent a remodel and modernization. The room docent told me that Chef Holly had stepped out to do a little grocery shopping.

While standing there, Holly returned, with groceries, so I got a glimpse of her and some of what the Deal’s would be having for dinner, I assumed. You too can sample Holly's culinary creations! Holly posts a "recipe of the month" on the Mansion's website.

The Good Bye

Circular Hall

While there's no gift shop in the Governor's Mansion, I was able to pick up an official Governor's Mansion tree ornament, which will go quite nicely with my White House ornaments.

The absolutely most impressive part of touring the Governor's Mansion was the volunteers. "Volunteer" meaning that they're not paid, that they give their time to the Governor's family, the people of Georgia, and all visitors to the Mansion.

When I finished my tour, it was close to 11:30, the close of tour time at the Mansion. Several of the volunteers made a little extra time to chat with me on the way out. They asked about my writing and they told me more about the Mansion…a great way to finish a tour.

They made me feel like a VIP guest and I appreciate their gift of time and enthusiasm for one of our city's more remarkable tourist destinations.

The Return

Will I vote for a return visit to the Governor’s Mansion? That would be a great big giant check mark in the "yes" box. Several of the docents recommended returning when the Mansion is decorated for Christmas, so that's on my calendar.

Touring the Governor's Mansion

Date toured: Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
Location: 391 West Paces Ferry Rd NW (directions and map)
Cost: Free
Parking: Free onsite parking
Website: http://mansion.georgia.gov/02/gov/mansion/home/0,2792,118193663,00.html

Governor's Mansion

ATLANTApix: Lenox

Lenox Square (front of Neiman Marcus)

Of all the places to shop in Atlanta, Lenox Square quite possibly has the greatest variety of shopping options.

When it's time (Bulgari or Cartier) for a sweet snack (Govida) or a full meal (Prime or California Pizza Kitchen), Lenox is a good bet for satisfying your craving. If you've been walking all day and decide you absolutely have to have comfortable shoes (Nike or Sketchers) for tomorrow's sightseeing (Wolf Camera & Video), Lenox is a good bet for foot coverings. If you want to expand your wardrobe while you're touring Atlanta (Banana Republic or Armani Exchange), Lenox is a good bet for dressing you with style.

Actually, anchored by Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Neiman Marcus (photo), Lenox Square has nearly 250 specialty shops to meet your shopping needs, wants, and desires.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Roseanne!

Me with Roseanne Barr

Atlanta is great for celebrity spotting! This is me with Roseanne Barr just last night.

In addition to being a total tourist, I also love celebrity spotting. I was hooked when I got to meet Leonard Nimoy at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. (I later met Mary Tyler Moore, Gavin Menzies, and Elie Wiesel at the same venue).

I met Roseanne at a book signing event, which is how I've met quite a few celebrities. Roseanne read 14 pages of her new book and then took the time to chat with those of us there for an autograph.

Other places in Atlanta to meet celebrities (usually book signings) are the Margaret Mitchell House, the Carter Presidential Library, and of course Borders.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: HIGH Horse

Tin Horse by Deborah Butterfield

There are many pieces in the High Museum of Art's permanent collection that I consider my favorites, but only one do I recall seeing in textbooks in my art classes in high school in Pinedale, Wyoming...a horse made of corrugated tin created by Deborah Butterfield.

Even more coincidental, I met Lenore and Burton Gold at a party in their home in Atlanta, Georgia, where I saw another tin horse (it may have been the very same one!). 

I have a photo of me and Lenore and me in front of the horse...a cool photograph. Today, that horse stands in the High Museum of Art. Sadly, Lenore passed away in an automobile accident and Burton passed a few years later. (Updated August 3, 2013)

For Atlanta tourists and locals alike, Lenore and Burton's love for art continues through the legacy of their personal collection. While you're at the High, check out the current special exhibit, "Fifty Works for Fifty States," a collection compiled by Dorothy and Herbert Vogel.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!