ATLANTApix: Phillips Arena Building

Phillips Arena

The Phillips Arena building is unique in Atlanta in that it actually bears the name "ATLANTA" within its facade, in the biggest letters I've seen in any other building in the city.

When I lived in Washington, D.C., I heard the city called by visitors as "the city where everything is carved in stone." An accurate observation where architecture is concerned...many of the city's buildings do indeed have names and quotes engraved into them (fortunately because of our democratic voting system, not 'everything' is carved in stone). But I do not recall a building with such a prominent namesake incorporated into a D.C. structure, as it is at Phillips Arena.

Phillips Arena is home of the city's hockey team the Atlanta Thrashers, named for the Georgia State Bird, the Brown Thrasher, as well as concerts and special events. And the Thrashers have what I think is one of the coolest uniforms in the NHL, but maybe that's a biased opinion. Not at all biased, hockey is one of the most exciting sports to watch live and Phillips is the place in Atlanta to catch that action.

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: Centennial Tower is Thriving

Centennial Tower

It's difficult to believe that one of the more modern-looking buildings in downtown Atlanta was actually built in 1975. Centennial Tower, formerly known as Marietta 101 (for its street address), underwent a major renovation, inside and out, that left it a trademark building in the Atlanta skyline.

From what I've read in my research, when the chevrons were added to the top of the building during its 1998 renovation the total height was increased by 13 feet and the dramatic lighting of said chevrons makes it uniquely distinctive at night. 

To see how beautiful it is on the inside, check out the Jackson, Oats, Shaw virtual tour or you can always pop into the sleek, contemporary first floor restaurant Thrive and enjoy the euro charm of this upscale yet casual dining destination (it really looks like a lot of fun...I want to go!).

When I snapped this photo, I was downtown buying tickets to an Atlanta Thrashers game and clouds were coming in very quickly. Skyscrapers in cloudy downtown Atlanta at sunset can look rather ominous...and cool at the same time.

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