Tuesday, May 31, 2011

ATLANTAvidz: May 2011 ATLANTApix

Here are all the ATLANTApix photos from May 2011. Look for subsequent ATLANTApix videos after the end of each month.

When you see a photo that you'd like to know more about, simply go to that month in the blog archive and read the post for that photo. The photo-of-the-day photos in the ATLANTAvidz videos are displayed chronologically, in the order in which they were published throughout the month.



Visit tourATLANTA's YouTube channel for other tourATLANTA videos!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Beluga Whales

Beluga Whales at Georgia Aquarium
Beluga Whales at Georgia Aquarium
I snapped this shot of two of the four Beluga Whales at Georgia Aquarium when visiting a couple of weeks ago with a good friend who hadn't been. I wasn't going for ethereal, but love the way this photo turned out. The Aquarium is one of my favorite places for photo making.

I was at the Aquarium again this past weekend with a dear friend who adopted me as her "Uncle Travie" when she was seven years old. Now she's 10 years in the U.S. Navy and a remarkable young woman. Christina is someone I will always love, admire, and be proud of.

While we were there, we of course stopped by to see the Beluga Whales. There's almost always a docent stationed at the exhibit who welcomes questions and also shares general information during their shift. On this particular visit, we learned that the smile you often see on the Beluga Whale is possible because they have flexible lips, reportedly the only whale that does.

Georgia Aquarium is one of the most interactive attractions in Atlanta. I love taking visitors to the petting tanks, especially the one with rays and sharks! And the various webcams on their website are cool, too.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Monday, May 30, 2011

ATLANTApix: Memorial Day

57th Fighter Group Restaurant
57th Fighter Group Restaurant
There are places all over Atlanta where Memorial Day is being celebrated. One of the most "decorated" must be the 57th Fighter Group restaurant, a setting that memorializes those lost in battle to preserve the freedom Americans enjoy every day.

I love this restaurant not only for its famous cheese soup, but also for the patio overlooking planes taking off from Dekalb Peachtree Airport; its headsets for listening to the Flight Control Tower; its being an access point for bi-plane rides over Atlanta; its live music events and special events; and its very enthusiastic and friendly staff.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

ATLANTApix: Mixing Metaphors

Mixing Metaphors
"Mixing Metaphors" at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum
Currently on display at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum is an outstanding art exhibition called "Mixing Metaphors: the Aesthetic, the Social and the Political in African American Art." Depicting extraordinary moments to the mundane, the more than 90 works reflect the artists' emotions relative to politics, race, class, and gender.

The works of art, in the mediums of paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media, are from the Bank of America collection and will be on display through Sunday, July 31, 2011.

Other highlights of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum include an exact replica of the Oval Office as it was during the Carter administration (1977-1981). There are also regular speaker and author (book signing) events, including President Carter himself, from time to time.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

ATLANTApix: Things to Do in Atlantic Station

The Millennium Gate at Atlantic Station
The Millennium Gate at Atlantic Station
There's so much going on there, I find myself rather anxious to get back to Atlantic Station...the "mini city" that popped up out of nowhere during the years I was living in Washington, D.C.

I was there just a few months ago to see Cirque du Soleil's "Ovo," which was fantastic! They also have, for the summer, "Bodies...The Exhibition," which I saw in Washington, D.C. (Rosslyn, Virginia), a phenomenal experience and and incredible learning excursion.

What I've not seen that's there is "Dialogue in the Dark." It's an experience of what it's like to be blind and the exhibit is led by visually-impaired docents. It's designed to increase awareness and challenge prejudices.

There's also free movies every Thursday night, a "Movies in the Park" program. Some of the upcoming films include: Jurassic Park, The Wizard of Oz, The Hangover, and Pretty Woman.

And of course the gateway to Atlantic Station, The Millennium Gate (photo), is phenomenal in its own right, but it's also a museum, which I highly recommend touring. It's comprehensive in its coverage of Atlanta history and it even has a few high-tech features that are sure to please.

I of course can't forget to mention the great shopping and the delicious dining. Rosa Mexicano is a personal favorite. And one of my dear friends, who happens to be from Mexico City, tells me that it's very close to authentic Mexican cuisine...and I love their table-side guacamole service!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Friday, May 27, 2011

ATLANTApix: "The Rites of Spring"

The Rites of Spring
"The Rites of Spring"
The Rites of Spring, a remarkably beautiful sculpture depicting symmetry and balance, is located on the grounds of Suntrust Plaza on the north end of downtown Atlanta. It was one of the last commissioned works by Elbert Weinberg.

A longtime friend of Atlanta architect John Portman, Weinberg's works also adorn Portman projects in San Francisco and Sea Island. Weinberg was awarded the Prix de Rome while studying in Italy before his eventual return to the United States. He passed away in 1991 leaving his estate and unsold art to his only daughter, Julia.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

ATLANTApix: Have Fun With Your Photos!

Vulcan Salute in the Eye of a Stegosaurus
Can You See the Vulcan Salute in the Eye of a Stegosaurus?
Vacation photos are some of my favorite, especially the fun ones. Don't get me wrong, I love the ones that turn out like postcards too, but how many of those get comments on Facebook compared to the ones where you were being totally silly and having the time of your life?

Have fun with your photos! That's what vacation is for...well, that and relaxing, of course. As much as I love lying on the beach with a cool drink and a good book, I also love sightseeing (tourATLANTA is rather telling of that fact, right?). And vacation is such a great opportunity for some unique photographs.

Practically everyone who knows me knows that I'm an overly enthusiastic science fiction fan, especially where Star Trek is concerned. I've recently, almost subconsciously, been creating a series of Vulcan salute photos.

This particular photo is especially cool to me because before I wanted to be an astronaut I wanted to be an archeologist. I eventually went to excavation sites in Wyoming and Greece and I also worked in aerospace for quite a few years. I even got to meet Leonard Nimoy in 2002 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Louis and Mary Leakey were my heroes when I was a kid. If you look closely into the eye of the Stegosaurus, you'll see me offering the Vulcan salute! How's that for connecting two of my life's passions?

So, bring your camera and have some fun. You don't have to publish the photos you take, but it's great to have the option to do so instead of never having taken the photos at all...especially the fun ones.

"Live long and prosper...and make fun vacation photos!"

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

ATLANTApix: Skyline from WoCC

Atlanta Skyline from Pemberton Place
Atlanta Skyline from Pemberton Place
I'm repeatedly astonished at how incredible the Atlanta skyline is and the seemingly endless number of configurations it presents from various vistas.

This particular view (photo), shot recently in front of the World of Coca-Cola in Pemberton Place, was a view that I'd never seen. And it was only a few dozen feet from the front of Georgia Aquarium where I've been countless times! Even though it was a cloudy day, I'm glad to have discovered this view.

The moral to this story...never underestimate the power of walking a few steps to discover a spectacular view, one that may have been missed were it not for a just a little sense of exploration.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

ATLANTApix: Palalympic Legacy

Paralympic Legacy
"Paralympic Legacy"
Nestled in the northeast corner of Centennial Olympic Park is a paralympics monument named Paralympic Legacy. The monument stands in honor of the 3,310 athletes who participated in the 1996 Paralympic Games held only two weeks after the Centennial Olympic Games hosted in Atlanta, Georgia.

The athletes, representing 103 countries and whose names are inscribed on the four granite columns surrounding a taller spiral sculpture, set 268 new world records that year.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Monday, May 23, 2011

ATLANTApix: Portman's Dogwood

Dogwood by John Portman
"Dogwood" by John Portman
There's a large modern, bronze sculpture in downtown Atlanta that could not bear a more appropriate name, as representative of it's locale, nor could it have been created by a more appropriate artist. Dogwood sits at the base of Suntrust Plaza. The architect, perhaps Atlanta's most popular, John  Portman, was also the artist responsible for Dogwood.

Dogwood sits at the north end of Suntrust Plaza, which sits at the north end of downtown Atlanta, as to welcome visitors from the North to the capital of the South...could there be a more clever banner of welcome?

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

ATLANTApix: The River Sings

The River Sings
"The River Sings" by Richard Taylor
Walking through downtown Atlanta, a surprising gem of a green space is Hardy Ivy Park. One of her jewels is "The River Sings," a painted metal sculpture by Richard Taylor, a rather successful artist who lives in Wisconsin.

The park serves as a memorial to Hardy Ivy who was Atlanta's first permanent settler. Shared with Taylor's 15.5-foot, 2009 sculpture, the Carnegie Education Pavilion also resides in this precious plot of downtown real estate where Peachtree departs its short-lived straight line to begin an adventure on a course winding through the City and beyond.

Adding to the coolness of Taylor's creation, the artist says of his own work, "My work allows the cadences, rhythms and syncopations of music and poetry to find themselves in visual expressions in paint, metal and space."

The River Sings was provided by the City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs' Public Art Program.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

ATLANTApix: Gourmet in May

Wall of Herbs in the Edible Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Wall of Herbs in the Edible Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
"Gourmet in May" is a month-long celebration at the Atlanta Botanical Garden of all things edible. The program is a cornucopia of activities, events, demonstrations, and classes that are taking place in the Edible Garden and the Outdoor Kitchen.

New just last year, the Edible Garden has become a popular destination at the Garden, even during the other months of the year. The 'wall of herbs' (photo) is a feature that I often hear visitors comment on, frequently with "I should do that at home."

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Friday, May 20, 2011

ATLANTApix: Loggerhead

Loggerhead Sea Turtle at Georgia Aquarium
Loggerhead Sea Turtle at Georgia Aquarium
On a recent visit to the Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world, in downtown Atlanta, I stopped by the Loggerhead Sea Turtle exhibit and it was the most active I've ever seen it...spectacular creature!

On that particular visit, I took a friend who had never been to Georgia Aquarium, but has been to quite a few other aquariums around the world. The friend found the Leafy Sea Dragons the most fascinating, which pleased me to no end as they are a personal favorite of mine.

Georgia Aquarium is one of those places that no matter how often you go, you'll see something new, hear something new, or experience something new during every visit. 

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

ATLANTApix: Sightless Among Miracles

Sightless Among Miracles
Sightless Among Miracles
The Sightless Among Miracles statue at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum is a solemn reminder and monument of the wonderful humanitarian work former U.S. President and First Lady Jimmy and Roselynn Carter have engaged in most of their lives and continue to do even today.

Although his global efforts are understated by many, President Carter has been one of the most involved world leaders, during his administration on Capitol Hill and since, in efforts to eradicate disease, poverty, and discrimination. The Carter Presidential Library and Museum chronicle many of the Carter's endeavors...much better than the media ever has.

Sightless Among Miracles, 1995, the first major work of art in the Carter Center gardens, is a monument to the Carter Center's efforts to end River Blindness. An identical statue is on the grounds of Merck's headquarters in New Jersey. The base of the statue reads:

"For hundreds of years, a child leading a blind elder has been the fate of families stricken with river blindness (onchocerciasis) in Africa and Latin America. Now the demise of this ancient scourge is in sight, thanks to a drug donated by Merck and Company and distributed to millions of people by the Carter Center, the River Blindness Foundation, and others. This bronze sculpture was created by R. T. Wallen and donated by John and Rebecca Moores."

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

ATLANTApix: Bonsai at the Garden

Japanese Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Japanese Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21, 2011, the Atlanta Bonsai Society will hold their Spring Show at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. I'm excited about attending this show because they are featuring Suthin Sukosolvisit, renowned for this masterful Bonsai skills since the 1970s.

I've attended the Bonsai Show in previous years and they always have a spectacular display of truly amazing Bonsai. And if tradition continues, there will be demonstrations, as well as Bonsai trees, pots and other Bonsai gardening supplies for sale.

There's a lot going on in the Atlanta Botanical Garden this weekend, including music, tomorrow's Cocktails in the Garden, featuring the Atlanta Opera, and cooking demonstrations in the Outdoor Kitchen as part of Gourmet in May, yet another fun Garden program.

Of course, while you're there, stop by the approaching-50-year-old Japanese Garden (photo), certainly one of my favorite spots at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!


Tuesday, May 17, 2011

ATLANTApix: Dr. John S. Pemberton

Dr. John S. Pemberton, creator of Coca-Cola
Dr. John S. Pemberton, creator of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, headquartered in Atlanta, is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2011. Standing in the middle of Pemberton Place, named for the creator of the Coca-Cola formula, is a bronze statue of Dr. John S. Pemberton (who happens to look a lot like my step-father, another pretty amazing person) lifting a glass of Coca-Cola to the sky as if to offer his globally-loved creation to the world.

Pemberton Place is on a parcel of land in downtown Atlanta immediately adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, donated by The Coca-Cola Company, that is home to Georgia Aquarium and The World of Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola is among the few retail logos recognized literally around the entire globe. And every tour of the World of Coca-Cola concludes with a visit to "Taste It!" where you can savor Coke flavors from around the world...an enticing destination on a hot Atlanta day!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Monday, May 16, 2011

ATLANTApix: AmericasMart Atlanta

Americas Mart Atlanta, building 3
AmericasMart Atlanta, Building 3
Atlanta's four-building, 7.7 million square foot AmericasMart Atlanta, formerly known as the Atlanta Gift Mart and the Atlanta Merchandise Mart, was founded by well-known architect and developer, John Portman. Today, Portman and his son, Jeffrey Portman, Sr., jointly own and manage the company.

"AmericasMart Atlanta is the nation’s leading gift, home furnishings and area rug marketplace and the largest trade mart/tradeshow complex of its kind in the world. More retailers, from more places, do business at AmericasMart than in any other U.S. wholesale market."

Established in 1957, today AmericasMart is home to 15 annual markets that are attended by more than half a million visitors annually. What are those visitors looking for? Quite a lot, actually, including gift, home furnishings and area rugs, as well as fashion apparel and accessories, to populate retail locations around the world. Oh, and there are fashion shows at the AmericasMart! Now, how does someone get invited to one of those, I wonder?

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

ATLANTApix: Sleeping Woman III

Sleeping Woman III, by Olivier Strebelle
Sleeping Woman III, by Olivier Strebelle
You know how when you buy a new car you start seeing the same model everywhere you drive? I seem to be experiencing the same phenomenon with Olivier Strebelle sculptures. 

A few days ago I posted that I finally discovered who created The Lions of Atlanta, the giant bronze lions in front of the Marquis buildings. Well, not too far from there, on the circular path at the base of the Suntrust Plaza building, one of Atlanta's tallest, is another Olivier Strebelle bronze sculpture. Created in 1974, my latest discovery is Sleeping Woman III.

Suntrust Plaza's grounds is home to quite a few sculptures, several of which I'll post about in the future (there are some rather interesting stories behind some of them).

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

ATLANTApix: Stegosaurus

Stegosaurus at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Stegosaurus at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History
There's a life-size Stegosaurus behind the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Be sure to go out on the back patio area or at least peer out of the windows on the ground floor level or you might miss this spectacular giant. And this Stegosaurus is special.

Crafted by Jonas Studios, this Stegosaurus is a replica of the Stegosaurus that debuted at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair, along with eight other also life-size dinosaurs. The exhibition, Sinclair Dinoland, spawned greater imagination and interest in the giants who once ruled the world.

The original Stegosaurus model, after a national tour, took up residence at the Dinosaur National Monument on the Colorado and Utah border, which is within the area where Jurassic Period Stegosaurus fossils have been found.

At the same World's Fair, Ford Motor Company debuted on April 17, 1964, in the Ford pavilion, their brand new car, the Ford Mustang.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Friday, May 13, 2011

ATLANTApix: A Purple Cactus...plant or cocktail?

A Purple Cactus in the Atlanta Botanical Garden
A Purple Cactus at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
This bright purple flowering cactus (photo) caught my attention, and fascination, on a recent visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden (yes, it’s true, I’m there a lot). It was also on this visit that I noticed that there is a lot in bloom in the Desert House of the Fuqua Conservatory…the most blooms I’ve ever seen in there.

Speaking of the Garden, their Cocktails in the Garden program started up again just last week. Throughout the summer and early fall, visitors to the Garden can enjoy a libation while strolling through the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

It's the perfect setting for a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city or, even better, it can serve as a beautiful setting for a romantic date.

I don't know if they serve a beverage called "Purple Cactus," but you can always ask. And if you're there next week, Thursday, May 19, you'll be treated to special performances by the Atlanta Opera!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

ATLANTApix: Georgia-Pacific Tower

Georgia-Pacific Tower
Georgia-Pacific Tower
This year, the 75th anniversary of the publication of Gone With the Wind, fans will turn to a skyscraper. Why, you ask? Gone With the Wind, the film, in 1939 premiered at the Lowe's Grand Theatre in downtown Atlanta where today stands the signature pink granite Georgia-Pacific Tower.

Remnants of the Lowe's Grand Theatre can be found in various places in Atlanta, including Houston's Restaurant on Peachtree Street in Buckhead, where bricks from the Lowe's were used to construct the restaurant; and The Tabernacle, a former church in downtown turned music venue, where a magnificent chandelier from the Lowe's Grand hangs.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

ATLANTApix: Crown of St. Stephen

The Crown of St. Stephen
The Crown of St. Stephen
Included in the collections at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum are many gifts that the President and First Lady received during Carter's 1977-1981 administration, The Crown of St. Stephen included...kind of, that is.

The placard displayed with the Crown reads:
"For centuries, the Crown of St. Stephen was the sacred symbol of Hungarian political authority. At the end of World War II, U.S. Army officers agreed to take the crown to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Soviet army. For many years, Cold War tensions prevented the return of the crown to the communist government of Hungary. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter decided the time was right, and the crown's return led to the marked improvement of U.S.- Hungarian relations...On March, 18, 1998, this special reproduction of the crown was presented to Jimmy Carter by His Excellency Árpád Gōnez, the President of the Republic of Hungary."

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

ATLANTApix: The Lions of Atlanta

Les Lions d'Atlanta (The Lions of Atlanta)
Many Atlanta residents know John Portman as the architect (literally) of our fair city. He's responsible for a great many of our downtown buildings, including the Westin Peachtree Plaza, the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and the Marriott Marquis (sometimes referred to as the "pregnant building"), the latter being located on Peachtree Center Avenue.

It took a lot of digging, but I finally uncovered who sculpted the four monumental abstract bronze lions perched in front of the Marriott Marquis. John Portman himself commissioned Olivier Strebelle, a globally renowned Brussells-born artist, to create the the two pairs of guardians of the Marquis, where they have stood watch since 1986.

"Les Lions d'Atlanta" (The Lions of Atlanta) is a landmark any Atlanta local or frequent visitor will recognize...and now you can tell them the name of the work and who its creator is.

While you're exploring downtown, looking at placards for other works of art (which I couldn't find for Les Lions d'Atlanta), you'll find that John Portman designed, created, or is otherwise responsible for quite a few of our beautiful works of art.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Monday, May 9, 2011

ATLANTApix: 191 Chandeliers



Chandelier at 191 Peachtree Tower
Chandelier at 191 Peachtree Tower

You may have noticed from previous posts that I really like cool chandeliers. Their designs are practically limitless!

One of my favorites, actually a set of four, resides in the lobby of the 191 Peachtree Tower, also called the Power Tower, a nod to its high profile tenants. To give you an idea of the size of these chandeliers, the lobby is flanked front and back by 70-foot archways and the lobby ceiling is a towering 100-feet high.

One of the things that I like about these chandeliers is that their Faberge-esque design takes me back to the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, where I toured a Faberge exhibition in 2004 where I saw a number of Faberge eggs and many other brilliant works of jeweled art.

Other chandeliers that I've posted include the Nepenthes Chandelier, the Mori Chandelier, and the Governor's Mansion chandelier, to note a few.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

ATLANTAvidz: Mother's Day Roses

Of all the times I've given my mother roses, it's never been more than a dozen or so at one time. For Mother's Day this year, she gets thousands! Enjoy this video dedicated to my mother, Susie, featuring thousands of roses at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!



ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!


Saturday, May 7, 2011

ATLANTApix: Sharky's Machine

"Sharky's Machine" Record Stunt
Filmed in and around Atlanta, the 1981 blockbuster hit Sharky's Machine, starring Burt Reynolds, featured the highest free-fall stunt for a commercially-released film.

Based on a book by Atlanta native William Diehl, the scene takes place from the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel (photo, background) a 73-story glass cylinder. However, the "stunt double" building would be the nearly identical glass cylinder building, although considerably smaller, the Atlanta Hyatt Regency Hotel (photo, foreground).

The free-fall, immediatly following a dramatic smashing through an exterior window, is from 220 feet above Atlanta. Oddly, to me anyway, only the beginning of the free-fall is used in the movie, which was indeed dramatic, but I for one would love to see the stunt in its entirity.

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Friday, May 6, 2011

ATLANTAvidz: ATLANTApix April 2011

Now it's easier to view tourATLANTA's photos-of-the-day, ATLANTApix. At the end of each month, I will create a video compilation of all the ATLANTApix from that month and post them here as an ATLANTAvidz video.



When you see an photo that you'd like to know more about, simply go to that month in the blog archive and read the post for that photo. The photos in the ATLANTAvidz videos are displayed chronologically, as they were published throughout the month.

Today's post catches us up on all previous months of ATLANTApix videos. Please look for subsequent monthly videos shortly after the end of that month.

Visit tourATLANTA's YouTube channel for more tourATLANTA videos!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

ATLANTAvidz: ATLANTApix March 2011

Now it's easier to view tourATLANTA's photos-of-the-day, ATLANTApix. At the end of each month, I will create a video compilation of all the ATLANTApix from that month and post them here as an ATLANTAvidz video.



When you see an photo that you'd like to know more about, simply go to that month in the blog archive and read the post for that photo. The photos in the ATLANTAvidz videos are displayed chronologically, as they were published throughout the month.

Tomorrow I'll post the April ATLANTApix video and that will catch us up...then look for subsequent monthly videos shortly after the end of the month.

Visit tourATLANTA's YouTube channel for more tourATLANTA videos!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

ATLANTAvidz: ATLANTApix February 2011

Now it's easier to view tourATLANTA's photos-of-the-day, ATLANTApix. At the end of each month, I will create a video compilation of all the ATLANTApix from that month and post them here as an ATLANTAvidz video.



When you see an photo that you'd like to know more about, simply go to that month in the blog archive and read the post for that photo. The photos in the ATLANTAvidz videos are displayed chronologically, as they were published throughout the month.

Over the next couple of days, I'll be posting the other months' videos of ATLANTApix.

Visit tourATLANTA's YouTube channel for more tourATLANTA videos!

ATLANTApix and ATLANTAvidz of the tourATLANTA blog features a daily photo or video relative to Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

BAPS Mandir: An Experience of Beauty, Culture, and Spirituality


BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
The more I study world religions the more I realize I have so much more to learn and the more I realize I don't know as much about world religion as I once thought I did. A visit to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the largest Hindu temple in the United States, was a sobering reminder of this fact.

I've visited many countries around the world and toured many churches, temples, and synagogues, but I've never seen anything quite as exquisite, as intricate, as breathtaking as the BAPS Mandir…I find myself struggling for the words to convey its beauty.

What I really wish is that I had had my Great Aunt Kathy with me on this tour. An award-winning poet and a published author, she could quite eloquently convey the beauty of the BAPS Mandir via the written word, but I'll put forth my best effort.



The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated in August of 2007. Using 1.3 million volunteer hours (an amazing feat in and of itself!), the mandir was constructed in only 17 months. 

BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
The mandir is comprised of three kinds of stone, including: Turkish limestone, Italian marble, and Indian pink sandstone. There were more than 34,000 individual pieces were carved by hand in India, shipped to the United States and then assembled onsite.

Before going further, I should mention that the photos in this post are of the outside of the temple and of the grounds. Photography inside the mandir is not permitted, and for very good reason. Unlike most tours that prohibit photography, most frequently to prevent copyright infringement, the BAPS mandir is a place of worship. 

BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
The temple grounds are open every day except Sunday, but the mandir is open only certain hours during the day. I arrived knowing already that photos inside were not permitted, so I allowed ample time to make photos of the exterior before one of the regular open times of the mandir.

When I got there, I was mystified, and could hardly believe I was in Georgia, when I saw the temple from Lawrenceville Highway and Rockbridge Road. I have several friends from India who have shared their vacation photos with me that always include historic temples, which I thought were only in India or other parts of Asia.

BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
Not so…this BAPS Mandir is smack dab in the middle of Atlanta suburbia. I have not learned the official reason for the selection of this location, but I’ve been told that there is a sizable Indian/Hindu population in the Lilburn area, where the Temple is located.

As soon as I came over a hill on Lawrenceville Highway, there was no mistaking that I was in the right place. The Temple wasn't even looming in the distance…it was right there in front of me. Finding the entrance was also easy. I was wondering to myself, "Why had no one told me about this?"

BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
A little nervous, not knowing what to expect, I approached the gate and was welcomed by a guard. He took my name, for security purposes, and granted access to the complex. Signs are clearly displayed marking the directions to guest parking, of which there is plenty.

The Mandir

When it was time to go into the Mandir, I was well beyond excited, but had prepared myself to be respectful of another culture's spiritual space. This was going to be much more than your typical tour.

Let me share quickly what a mandir is, courtesy of the Mandir's website:

"Mandir is the name for a Hindu place of worship and prayer. The word mandir is composed of two words, man and dir, whose meanings are ­mind and still, respectively. Therefore, a mandir is a place where the mind becomes still; a place where we experience peace from worldly problems."

I followed an Indian family into the mandir, the same ones I'd passed while exploring the grounds…we were the only ones there for the 11:15 p.m. time slot. Upon entering we removed our shoes and placed them in provided cubbies.

BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
We walked into the first room, which had an attendant and is adjacent to the room where a puja (reference to all forms of Hindu worship, including prayers, prayer rituals, and offerings) takes place. 

On my way out, I saw a puja prayer ritual taking place. It included two men pouring water over the head of a statue of a Hindu god, a woman chanting while circling the area where the men were pouring, and a mandir spiritual leader offering a prayer on behalf of the group performing the ritual.

It was as fascinating to watch as I'm sure some of the North American religious rituals would be to first-time visitors from India…theirs was strange to me, but luring nonetheless.

Elephant Fountain
Elephant Fountain
When I entered the main room of the mandir, my senses were overwhelmed by what I saw—pure beauty. I knew I wasn't dreaming and I definitely knew I wasn’t in a movie (got to love Hollywood magic)…this was the real thing.

Every pillar, floor, wall, and dome was deliberately intricate, every one told a story (or stories!), every one captured my attention…no carving was to escape my attention.

There were children sitting quietly in the middle of the room under the most incredibly amazing dome I’ve ever seen. This Sistine Chapel's ceiling is beautiful, yes, but I've never seen anything as intricate, as detailed, as complex as this dome…and did I mention that it's beautiful? 

Family Center
Family Center
Along the walls are statues of certain Hindu gods. They’re not small, but not quite life-size and they’re brightly colored and accented with gold. They’re behind iron gates (presumably for protection), but easily visible.

There are dozens of column throughout the main room, each decorated with carved design elements and carved figures, including some I actually recognized. There are carvings of animals throughout as well, including lots of elephants.

Again, I find myself at a lost to convey just how incredible beautiful this mandir truly is…I hope you’ll visit it yourself for what I promise will be a memorable experience.

BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir
While exploring, you may very well see visitors praying or engaged in a spiritual ritual, as I did. The rituals were as unfamiliar to me as were the rituals I saw when visiting my uncle's church as a child (now that was an experience!). All the other visitors were also respectfully quite.

When I got back outside I continued exploring the grounds. I stopped by the recreation center, complete with intricate columns and beautifully carved wooden doors.

The beauty continues with an elephant fountain and reflecting pool. The end of the pool closest to the mandir is a row of elaborately decorated elephant heads spouting water. The pool was actually undergoing maintenance while I was there, so I want to go back to see the fountain fully working.

I mentioned that photographs are not allowed inside the mandir, but there is a nice collection of postcards in the Gift Shop, many of which have photos of the inside of the mandir, so you can walk away with a photo keepsake of your visit inside…in addition to the memory of such beauty emblazoned on your memory.

The Return

Will I return to the largest Hindu temple in the United States? Will I go back to the BAPS Mandir? Absolutely. I learned more about Hinduism in a single visit there than I have in a lifetime on the outside and the temple is so incredibly beautiful…I welcome the opportunity to be surrounded by beauty and serenity.

Touring the BAPS Mandir

Date toured: Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Location: 460 Rockbridge Road, NW, Lilburn, GA (directions and map)
Parking: Free onsite parking
Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; inside: 9:00-10:30, 11:15-12:00, and 4:00-6:00
Cost: Free
Website:
http://atlanta.baps.org/


BAPS Mandir
BAPS Mandir