Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour

Do you love animals? Are you visiting Atlanta? Great news...we have LOTS of animals! But enough about our citizens. We actually have lions and tigers and bears...dolphins and horses and a Big Chicken! No, seriously...we have a Big Chicken!

So, let me share with you here quite a few fun animal encounters. It's by no means an exhaustive list, but it's a great start.


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Whale Sharks, Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Whale Sharks, Georgia Aquarium

First of all, in the four years since I moved back to Atlanta, and perhaps throughout my entire life, one of my most remarkable experiences was Journey With Gentle Giants—swimming with Whale Sharks and Manta Ray—at Georgia Aquarium. We got the video, too!

Georgia Aquarium offers a number of animal encounters, some of them included with admission (petting rays and anemones, etc.), as well as optional animal encounters, including time with penguins and the Beluga Whales!


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Tiger, Zoo Atlanta
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Tiger, Zoo Atlanta

Of course Zoo Atlanta offers acres and acres of animal sightings, as well as animal encounters. There's a Petting Zoo and and their optional packages include feeding the giraffe or you can interact with the lemur, tortoise, or elephants...there are lots of options!

If you can't make it to Atlanta, you can always watch the Panda Cam

When you're at the Zoo, be sure to seek out the bronze statue of Zoo Atlanta's most famous gorilla, Willie B., and make a photo with him.


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Frog, Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Frog, Atlanta Botanical Garden

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is considerably more than pretty plants and flowers. It's an "oasis in the city" and home to quite a few animals!

One of their better known projects is amphibian research and conservation. They're working to help save a number of South American frog species. 

There are several on display in the Fuqua Conservatory (on the right just as you enter), and on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., there's a frog feeding! There's an amphibian specialist there to answer questions and give the frogs their crickets, fruit flies and various other treats.

Keep an eye on the Garden's website/Social Media channels for an announcement about the annual Reindog Parade—the one day of the year when visitors may bring their canine companions. You'll see Dog Santas, Dog Elves, Dog Christmas Trees...it's great fun! And the doggies enjoy playing with each other and their many adoring fans.


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Orangutans, Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Orangutans, Atlanta Botanical Garden

2014 is the second year, as well as the final year, of "Imaginary Worlds", an exhibition of living plant sculptures. There are 28 this year, the greater majority of them being animals, including the orangutans pictured above. There are also some berries and an AMAZING pink unicorn!

There are lots of animals for kids to discover at Fernbank's "Nature Quest", animals to discover at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and animals to discover at Stone Mountain Park. Like I said, we have LOTS of animals!


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament

I've shared before that I worked on a horse ranch in Wyoming the summer after I finished high school, also in Wyoming. I'd loved horses since I was a little kid, so working on a horse ranch, with real cowboys, was an incredibly awesome experience. 

So you can imagine how exciting it was to see the gallantry and pageantry of the horses at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. Spectacular show!

Speaking of larger animals, you can see a two-headed cow at the Georgia Capitol Building Museum, which is open to the public at no charge. No, that wasn't a typo...there's a real two-headed cow—born right here in Georgia—at the Capitol!

Not too far outside of Atlanta is Cheehaw Wild Animal Park, home to 84 species of animals including rhinos, zebras, cheetahs, and a camel! I've not been there in a number of years, but have fond memories. Especially of their goal to breed and release animals back into the wild.


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Miss Piggy, Center for Puppetry Arts
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Miss Piggy, Center for Puppetry Arts

There are many, many animal encounters in Atlanta...of every nature, including the celebrity sort. No, no, Atlanta is not home to Mr. Ed, but we do have the considerably more famous, even if testy, Miss Piggy! And Kermit, too! Thanks to the amazing—soon to expand—Center for Puppetry Arts.

If you're an animal lover, you'll LOVE the wide range of puppet animals you'll see at the Center!


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, The Big Chicken
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, The Big Chicken

Some of our super fun animals are not exactly sentient, but still rather well known by the locals. 

For instance, The Big Chicken, which is regularly noted in traffic reports and was even once referred to on the sitcom Designing Women, a show set in Atlanta [mention of The Big Chicken]. 

There's also the GIANT fish at the Atlanta Fish Market, and of course the animated, weathered gorilla at the "Gorilla Car Wash" on Cheshire Bridge Road, another Atlanta landmark.


Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Coca-Cola Polar Bear
Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Coca-Cola Polar Bear

I could go on and on about all the animals in Atlanta! Okay, one more. There's a GIANT polar bear—the Coca-Cola Polar Bear, in fact—that you can see and make a photo with at the World of Coca-Cola.


The fact is, any animal lover can come to Atlanta and have a remarkable visit. Feel free to reach out to me with questions about these and other opportunities. I'd be happy to help bring to light the range of fun possibilities. Have a great, fun time!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Confederate Odyssey

I feel like I've written about war a bit much over the last few years. I am not a warmonger. I detest war. But don't think I'm not a patriot. I proudly served my country in the U.S. Navy. And I'd do it again to preserve our freedom. It just confuses me to no end that we call ourselves "civilized" and yet we can't manage to live in peace. Perhaps one day.

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

I am, however, quite grateful for exhibits such as "Confederate Odyssey: The George W. Wray Jr. Civil War Collection", currently on display at the Atlanta History Center

Why? Because it reminds us of the atrocities that humans are capable of and should strive to fully and completely mitigate. The 670,000 souls we lost in the U.S. Civil War, for example, could have led very different, fulfilling lives...were humankind the peaceful sort.

Quite on the other hand, Confederate Odyssey is a beautiful collection. It also reminds us of the artistry and industry that humans are capable of when challenged. The exhibit includes the rarest-of-the-rare, including Southern-made uniforms, flags, firearms, bayonets, and small-caliber artillery pieces, many of which are one-of-a-kind!

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

I was caught off guard when I first entered the exhibit, located on the lower level, under the Olympic Games exhibition. The collection contains an inordinate number of rifles. I didn't do my research before going in, which sometimes I won't do so that I experience an exhibition as a tourist who was brought to the museum unexpectedly might experience it. I don't do that too often, but I feel doing so once and a while keeps me on my toes. And did it ever this time!

Don't get me wrong, the exhibition is presented in extremely good taste. It demonstrates some of the remarkable achievements resulting from that time. 

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

Confederate Odyssey includes uniforms, including rare enlisted uniforms, caps, and the bloodstained coat of a 17-year-old boy killed at the Battle of Chickamauga, the first major battle of the war that was fought in Georgia.

I love uniforms. And as much as I indulge in creativity, I'm a fan of uniformity...when the situation calls for it. Now, there are some of my friends and colleagues who might disagree, but that's perhaps because they see my wide range of interests and the challenges of keeping those organized.

I recall the great pleasure I derived from marching in Boot Camp, and later during team aerobics at the gym, when EVERYONE was in perfect cadence. I suppose that's where I learned to marvel at the success of real teamwork, which serves as a motivator today. Not the precision of "left", "right", "about face", but the success of a team effort.

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

Even though I was an expert marksman with an M-16 when I was in the Navy, the lead-spitting sort of weapon just didn't grab my attention. An afternoon at the range can be fun, but I always wanted to learn how to fence.

Whether my captivation was Hollywood's influence of depicting the chivalrous act of dueling to the death for the woman who captured your heart or Obi-Wan Kenobi calling the light saber "an elegant weapon for a more civilized age", the sword can be, and often is, a beautiful work of art. 

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

Allow me to share with you the thoughts of a friend, when I shared my initial surprise about there being so many guns in this exhibition, paraphrasing of course:
"There's certainly nothing wrong in finding beauty in such items. They were a craft, a treasured art form back then, more so than today. In large part, anyway. But they certainly gained a bad reputation, and for good reason. Many certainly have stories to tell, most of which we will never know, and probably shouldn't. Before the war, the gun was already necessary in everyday life. Guns enabled us to more humanely put food on the table and up until mass production for wars, guns and swords were a personal possession to take pride in, especially a finely made sword. Even gentlemen who would likely never have the opportunity to use a gun or sword would carry one, or both, as a sign of wealth, fashion, masculinity, tradition, or to showcase a family heirloom, much like a woman wearing jewelry or her grandmother's diamonds."
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

The exhibition is divided into nine (9) different themes, so be sure to explore them all...I think you'll be quite fascinated. 

If you're thirsty for Civil War information, you're in the right place. There's of course the Civil War exhibition upstairs—one of the most comprehensive in the world. There's also a temporary exhibit next door in the Kenan Research Center titled, "Wilbur G. Kurtz: History in Gone With the Wind". 

That exhibit chronicles Kurt's influence as the film's historian and technical advisor, including accuracy of the film's depiction of the Civil War.

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

The American Civil War was the first conflict where soldiers were specifically selected and trained as snipers, or sharpshooters. Arms technology developed such that, although incredibly expensive to purchase, said snipers could hit a target three-quarters of a mile away! Some of these sharpshooter rifles were made in Macon, Georgia.

The highest quality sharpshooter rifles designed during the war were out of England, by an engineer named Whitmore. One of the most rare in Confederate arms collections, there are only about 20 Confederate-purchased Whitmore sharpshooter rifles in existence today.

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

You're also going to see the flag carried by a Georgia regiment in the 1864 Battle of Atlanta, as well as the patent model and prototype of George W. Morse's breech-loading gun, the direct predecessor of all modern firearms.

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

The collection on display features quite an array of remarkably preserved weapons utilized in the American Civil War. If truly an interest, I highly encourage you to visit the permanent Civil War exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, "Turning Point: The American Civil War".

Confederate Odyssey is impressive with nearly 200 artifacts, but Turning Point contains more than 1,500 Union and Confederate artifacts. May I suggest completing your Civil War exploration—or starting it—with that exhibition.

Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center
Confederate Odyssey, Atlanta History Center

Confederate Odyssey: The George W. Wray Jr. Civil War Collection is considerably more than a wonderfully impressive collection, it's a reminder to honor the 670,000 lives lost in the U.S. Civil War, to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten.

Remember, there's lot more to see at the Atlanta History Center, ranging from Native American history in Georgia to folk art, and Bobby Jones to the 1996 Olympic Games. Not to mention the on-campus historic homes and gorgeous gardens. Go explore!

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Le Vigne at Montaluce

Mrs. Hall, a delightful woman from Oklahoma and the mother of a dear friend, once explained to me—when I was still quite young—that humankind is well beyond the age of hunters and gatherers, and that "dining should be an experience!"

Le Vigne at Montaluce Winery is exactly that...an experience. My best friend Barry and I, on a recent visit to Montaluce, enjoyed the pleasure of a behind-the-scenes tour, a wine tasting, and then lunch at Le Vigne with a table visit from Chef Austin Rocconi.

Executive Chef Austin Rocconi, Le Vigne at Montaluce Winery
Executive Chef Austin Rocconi, Le Vigne at Montaluce Winery

Some of the restaurant's PR surrounding Chef Austin reads, "At Le Vigne, Chef Austin’s personal style is reflected in the artistry of his plates, his well established flavor combinations, and a distinctive way of presenting familiar local ingredients with an innovative elegance."

Beautifully said. And, from what I discerned during my dining experience, every bit of it is true. I would add that he's committed to culinary mastery; delivers not just a meal, but an experience; and once you get past the formality of chef-meets-diner, he's quite personable. And I'm grateful that he spent so much time with us talking food and geography.

Cheese & Charcuterie, Le Vigne at Montaluce Winery
Cheese & Charcuterie, Le Vigne at Montaluce Winery

Our learned server, Hannah, was quite charming, bright, and friendly...a complete and total credit to the hospitality industry.

However, I call her "learned" not because she looks like the Hollywood stereotype "studious"—she's quite beautiful, not that studious women aren't beautiful, I think they totally are—but because I overheard a regular asking her about school. Turns out our "waitress" has quite a promising career ahead. All the best, Hannah!

There was no "perusing" the menu. It was a exercise in control...an exercise in not salivating all over oneself.

Barry ordered the Prosciutto Di Parma, with pickled golden raisin and extra virgin olive oil (the best prosciutto I've ever had!) and Chef sent out with that their Drunken Goat Cheese—soaked in red wine!—with a mixed berry compote, and English Shropshire with jalapeno jelly. The Shropshire was AMAZING!


View of the vineyard from Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
View of the vineyard from Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery

We were seated next to a window overlooking the vineyards. The photo above was made after standing and walking toward the window 2.5 feet from my quite comfortable chair. 

I felt like such a tourist making photos during lunch, but I really wanted to share the experience with you and I tried to look like a "reporter". That was quite a challenge with such a tremendous smile on my face throughout the meal. 


Vidalia Onion Soup, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
Vidalia Onion Soup, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery


The one item on the menu that I knew I had to experience was the 64°C Vidalia Onion Soup. I saw "Vidalia" and didn't even need to read the remainder of the description.

Why? Chef Austin has been a challenger in the Golden Onion competition, a pre-festival Vidalia Onion Festival event, and one that I follow every year. 

The soup, perfectly flavored—that wonderful Vidalia Onion flavor, but light and delicate on spice—was foamed, though thick enough to still be soup. It was explained that it's served at 64° because that's the optimum temperature for its preparation method.

Best of all, it's topped with powdered black trumpet mushroom, which is almost blue-cheesy in flavor, and powdered brown butter—the powdering is a fascinating process! And once the powder hits your tongue, it's reconstituted.

There's a dollop of yogurt on the side, with gorgeous micro-greens. I started to enjoy them separately, but Hannah came along and noted that stirring the elements together would enliven the taste experience even more. And it did. Such a brilliant dish! I sincerely hope it's still on the menu when I return.

Pork Belly, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
Pork Belly, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery

Barry had the Pork Belly with assorted pickled vegetables and a rich reduction. He thoroughly enjoyed it and it was beautifully presented.

We also commented on the Compressed Watermelon, Garden Beets, and Rainbow Quinoa. I don't know who's naming and describing these dishes, but they make me want to be a total glutton! Just look at this menu!


View from Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
View from Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery

I was excited to learn of Chef Austin's background in Mediterranean cuisine, having lived in Greece for more than two years and having immediately fallen in love with the cuisine. And it turns out that Chef is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where Barry lived for a number of years, and where we visited earlier this year. 

We were there on the way to visit Natchez, Mississippi, a beautiful city with abundant antebellum charm. We also spent a day in New Orleans. That was a fun long weekend! 


New Zealand Lamb, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
New Zealand Lamb, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery

Speaking of Mediterranean cuisine, again I was thrilled to have opted for "Chef's Choice". 

Chef Austin sent out the New Zealand Lamb pictured above. A pastiche of on-premise chef's garden vegetables were seasoned so brilliantly that I was left with absolutely no choice but to devour them...in a polite pace, of course.


East Coast Scallops, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
East Coast Scallops, Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery

Barry had the East Coast Scallops with sweet corn, pickled jalapeno, and charred octopus atop Anson Mills Carolina rice grits. Yes, I begged for a bite...scallops are a favorite!

As amazing as the description sounded and as absolutely delicious as it looked, I just wasn't prepared for how it tasted. It was the best bite of culinary bliss I've had the pleasure of enjoying in ages! More, more! 

View of Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
View of Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery

The time got away from us. The afternoon felt like one of those Hollywood time-lapse sequences...ours was filled with clips of learning, fascination, delight, and an all-around wonderful time. So much so that we had to dash out to our next destination—sadly having to miss dessert. But that gives me something to look forward to on the next visit!

I want to offer a "Thank you to Pineapple PR for connecting wanderlust ATLANTA with Montaluce Winery and Le Vigne. I've thoroughly enjoyed my near-Atlanta excursions over the years, but I have to say, this one was beyond fantastic! I'll be back soon.


View of Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery
View of Le Vigne, Montaluce Winery


I didn't want to leave Montaluce, let alone Le Vigne. The only thing that kept me from feeling melancholy about having to depart, was the sweet self-promise to return for one of Chef Austin's desserts. I'll be back!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Montaluce Winery

I'm not quite sure how to start this post. And you know me...I'm never at a loss for written words. Suffice it to say that my experience at Montaluce Winery this past weekend was sublime.

As a precursor to this weekend's Dahlonega Wine Trail event, I was invited to Montaluce for a tour, tasting, and lunch by Chef Austin at Le Vigne. This post is about the tour and tasting. The dining experience at Le Vigne deserves its own highlight, coming soon.

Montaluce Winery & Estates
Montaluce Winery & Estates

I've been on a number of wine experiences—wineries, tastings on sailboats, wine flights at some of the best wine bars, and personalized wine pairings, too—but Montaluce was a far superior, yet a wonderfully friendly experience. How do you describe feeling like you've made new friends and being treated like a VIP, at the same time?!

On this visit, we—my best friend Barry, an oenophile who is quite wine savvy—were treated to a GRAND tour of the winery and a tasting of several of the winery's offerings. "Thank you", Kara, for giving us such a wonderful greeting and making all the arrangements!

Getting there from Atlanta couldn't have been easier (We'd visited the Dahlonega Gold Museum last year, so knew it was an easy trip). The reveal of Montaluce after a drive in the country could not have been more spectacular! I had no idea!

Montaluce Winery & Estates, John
Montaluce Winery & Estates, John

Our tour guide was sommelier (extraordinaire), John. I appreciate John more than he probably realized. He's obviously gifted in discerning his tour guests' level of wine savvy, as well as their vocabulary quotient. 

As a lifelong writing enthusiast, I'm captivated by an elevated vocabulary (and continually strive to improve my own). John not only has an elevated vocabulary, he possesses the skill to discern at what level his commentary should be. Whether clever and witty or in depth and scientific, he's going to provide a wonderfully tailored tour for each of his audiences.

Montaluce Winery & Estates
Montaluce Winery & Estates

The beginning of our tour began with some magnificent views of the vineyards. And there are more than just the one pictured above, which is pretty magnificent itself.

Montaluce produces up to 2,000 cases of wine every year, from a harvest of 30 tons of grapes! On 12 acres, Montaluce produces nine varieties—seven of European heritage grapes and two are from grapes native to the U.S.

John shared with us quite a bit of history of the winery and the history of the grapes used in their wines, including vineyard family histories. We learned a LOT!

Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tour
Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tour

Montaluce distinguishes themselves as more than a winemaker, they're a "wine grower". By time the tour is complete, you totally get the "wine grower" distinction, but learning about the wine making process in the meantime is quite cool.

And speaking of cool, the insulation jackets, pictured above, are awesome. Seen out of context you could tell me they were part of a space-faring experiment and I'd have believed you. In real life, they sustain the white wine's fermentation optimum temperature.

The red wine is fermented in open vats, but a layer of heavy gas is used to prevent oxygen reacting with the wine. Ask questions...you'll learn as much as you want!


Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tour
Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tour

We all know that "freshness" is a significant component of the farm-to-table mega-movement...and I'm a fan! So get this...Montaluce harvests its grapes, by hand; sorts them, by hand; juices them and starts the fermentation process...all in the same day! That's fresh.

When John showed us the de-stemmer, I had to know what they did with the stems and skins...they compost! Great to know they're being Green. 


Montaluce Winery & Estates, Bridal Suite
Montaluce Winery & Estates, Bridal Suite

I can see why so many choose Montaluce Winery as the setting for their wedding—or any other special occasion for that matter. It's truly beautiful and magical. There's a fantastic bridal party suite on the winery observation level. It's comfortable, luxurious, and a respite from an ongoing upstairs party.

Montaluce is such a beautiful location to announce something as important as one's love for another person and an amazing post-nuptials party space! 

It'd be a fantastic venue for any special occasion—I'd love to host a party there...party-party!


Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting Room
Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting Room

The Tasting Room is wonderfully spacious and beautifully appointed. And it's right next to Le Vigne Restaurant, which has a huge window open to the kitchen, so you can imagine the amazing aromas! But don't worry, you're going to, without distraction, enjoy the terroir, aroma, and bouquet of each of the wines you taste. 

But if you can, enjoy lunch or dinner at Le Vigne. More about that in another post! 


Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting
Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting

I've been to tastings before, but this was the first time I felt like I knew what I was doing, largely in part due to John's tutelage in how to enjoy the wine, down to swirling each sample the same number of times so that your comparisons are relatively accurate. The man is brilliant!

We sampled two whites and a few reds. Both whites were splendid, but one really surprised me. When I first started drinking wine—many, many moons ago—I only drank Chardonnay. Today, Chardonnay is the last varietal I would order. In a white I enjoy light, crisp, grassy wines...a Savignon Blanc is a favorite.

The 2012 Primaluce, which is 50% Pinot Gris and 50% Chardonnay, was absolutely delightful. Totally unexpected, and totally enjoyed.

In a red, I love a full-bodied, robust wine. Cabernet Savignon is a favorite. Go ahead, call me an extremist...but I truly enjoy a crisp white and a full red.

John had us try two red wines that were the same except for vintage and how they were processed. The 2008 Blackstock was subtle and fruity...quite nice. But surprisingly, the 2011 Centurio—aged 24 months compared to the Blackstock's 12 months—was my favorite of all that we tasted...peppery and indeed robust!

John reminded us that what every person's taste observations is correct—we all have unique palates and varying degrees of experience in "tasting" wine. Of course, practice makes perfect!


Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting
Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting

When I asked about distinguishing characteristics of Montaluce's wines, John noted—among other distinctions—their wine's minerality. Personally, I agree and would add that it's the wines' magnificent taste! 

Before I went, I had more than one friend tell me to try the honey Mead wine, that it was fantastic. But, I forgot to, so that's on my list for the next visit. When you go, tell me what you think of it...

While we were at the tasting station, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous bar—treated cement with wine bottle composite. I recognized what I was sure was a DEX Industries masterpiece...and I was right! 

I'd seen their work at a Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) exhibition and we went to DEX Industries on a MODA Field Trip. I called DEX Monday morning and they confirmed that it was indeed one of theirs—and they were quite happy that someone noticed their work (but how could you not...it's amazing!). 


Montaluce Winery & Estates
Montaluce Winery & Estates

I want to offer a "Thank you" to Pineapple PR for connecting wanderlust ATLANTA with Montaluce Winery and Le Vigne (Look for that post soon!). Montaluce had been on my radar, so it's with sincere gratitude that I am thrilled to have finally visited.

Remember, this weekend is the Dahlonega Wine Trail. "Passports" are only $30 and included visits to five (5) local Dahlonega wineries and Dahlonega Square. I encourage you to visit with a desire for a phenomenal wine experience and bring an interesting question or two for your Montaluce sommelier. 

Monday, August 11, 2014

Great White Shark & One Great Dinosaur

Last Friday night I went to Martinis & IMAX at Fernbank Museum of Natural History and got a quadruple treat!

Not only did we get to see Great White Shark on IMAX and later enjoyed live music and cocktails in the Great Hall with other dear friends, but I finally got to meet my favorite dinosaur, Giggy A. Dinosaur, who has his own Facebook page by the way, AND we ran into Rachel, too!


Giggy A. Dinosaur, with Rachel, Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Giggy A. Dinosaur, with Rachel, Fernbank Museum of Natural History

That's Rachel with Giggy. Barry and I met Rachel at Georgia Aquarium when we did the Journey With Gentle Giants experience—we went swimming with Whale Sharks and Manta Ray! If I ever doubted that Barry doesn't forget a face, I never will again. When we first met Rachel she was a tour guide at the Aquarium, but is now in school studying marine biology. She, I think as much as me, totally enjoyed meeting Giggy!

Some of you already know that before I wanted to be an astronaut (which I'm not, unfortunately) I wanted to be an archaeologist. Yes, I'm all over the map! But, suffice it to say that I've been a dinosaur enthusiast since I was a little kid.

I've been following Giggy for quite some time...since June 2011, in fact. He's the smartest, most clever, and most fun dinosaur I know! What a great sense of humor...who knew dinosaurs were so funny?!

The timing couldn't have been better! August is Dinosaur Month at Fernbank! There are lots of activities throughout the month, including a big Dinosaur Birthday Bash on Saturday, August 23, featuring lots of family fun! Do you know someone who would enjoy meeting Giggy?




I've seen quite a few IMAX films over the years and Great White Shark delivers right along with the rest of so many of the IMAX greats. I wasn't sure what to expect—presumably they'd talk about JAWS and the killer reputation of the Great White Shark...but it was something else. Compassion.

Great White Shark noted the fact that this creature predates the dinosaurs—sorry, Giggy—and what an incredibly awesome creature it is. And quite surprisingly, it shares the fact that we very often swim in the same waters as they do...most of us just never knew it.

As it turns out, many of the populations of the Great White Shark—a creature that can be found around the globe—have been decimated, almost to the point of eradication. The film shows some of the little that we know about them, a little about Great White Shark tourism—yes, there's such a thing!

And in the middle of the film is my favorite footage that shows the grandeur and majesty of these creatures. I knew these things were big, but Wow!

Shark Week started yesterday...are you watching?

Well, there are a whole bunch of reasons to very soon pay a visit to Fernbank Museum of Natural History:
Have a great visit!

P.S. I mentioned swimming with the Whale Sharks, which included swimming with other sharks, too...check out the video here: Travis and Barry's Journey With Gentle Giants experience.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Medieval Times Special & GIVEAWAY

As summer draws to a close and a new school year begins, keep the kids' (and your!) spirits up with an evening of Feasting, Fighting & Family Fun!

Now through Sunday, August 10, 2014, all seats are just $29.95 as part of Medieval Times Atlanta’s Back-to-School Special! Ring in the new school year with jousting knights, damsels in distress, a free-flying falcon, and an abundance of medieval pageantry.

Click HERE for more information and to book your tickets today!

This is one of the best "dinner and a show" experiences around, and you can't beat that price! Read about my last visit to the Atlanta Castle here: Oh, What a Knight! 

GIVEAWAY

What: Four (4) FREE tickets to Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament - Atlanta Castle. The tickets are valid for any show now (allow time for booking) through the end of September. 

How: Like wanderlust ATLANTA and Medieval Times Tournament & Dinner: Atlanta on Facebook and then comment on this post (or comment on the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook post regarding this giveaway) to be entered in a random drawing.

When: Enter now through Wednesday, August 6, 2014 by 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. The winner will be announced on the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook page by Thursday, August 7. The winner should direct message me for booking information.

Good luck, Everyone!