One Giant Leap...

What better way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of NASA's Moon Landing than by experiencing space treasures first-hand!!! Here are a few, of the many, places in Metro Atlanta where you can do just that!

Apollo 1 Command Module | Tellus Science Museum | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Tellus Science Museum (Apollo 1)

Take off to the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, where you can see a collection of model rockets, a Mercury capsule, and a replica of the Apollo 1 Command Module built for the HBO mini-series "From Earth to the Moon", narrated by Tom Hanks, who starred in the movie Apollo 13. This replica (there's a cutout on the other side) was used to tell the tragic story of the Apollo 1 tragedy, of the sacrifice of three American heroes who helped us get to the moon. 

Fernbank Science Center (Apollo 6)

In the Exhibit Hall at Fernbank Science Center (not to be confused with the Natural History Museum), you can see up close and personal a real Apollo 6 Command Module! This artifact, on loan from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (where I was a volunteer for a year!), was part of a test flight for the Saturn V launch vehicle. It was the last unmanned flight of Project Apollo.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Apollo 11)

On Saturday, July 20, the actual 50th Anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 Moon Landing, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is celebrating with a day of activities, 10am-1pm, their "Moon Landing Celebration"!

Through September 12, 2019, Fernbank Museum is showing Apollo 11: First Steps Edition daily at 1pm, however on July 20th, there will be an additional showing at 3pm.

With a newly-discovered trove of never-before-seen 70mm footage and audio recordings, Apollo 11: First Steps Edition 2D joins Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, the Mission Control team and millions of spectators around the world, during those momentous days and hours in 1969 when humankind took a giant leap into the future. 

There undoubtedly will be Moon Landing celebrations throughout the United States, including a few right here in Atlanta's backyard! Enjoy wanderlusting!

"Big Bugs" is Brilliant!

David Harry Grodzinsky-Rogers' first all-natural materials sculptures were dinosaurs, so it's doubly befitting that the Fernbank Museum of Natural History hosts a "David Rogers' Big Bugs" exhibition!

Big Bugs will be on display in WildWoods at Fernbank through July 21, 2019, and is free with admission...and they're great FUN!

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

"It was in the fall of 1990, while staying on a cousin’s farm in Vermont’s Green Mountains that I encountered a maple sapling bent over from a previous winter’s ice storm. There was something about the curvature and posture of this particularly ravaged tree – a backbone to a large beast, perhaps that suggested a new life for the tree. Using dried branches and different varieties of tree saplings a 'dinosaur' sculpture emerged in twelve inspired days,"

- David Rogers

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

As soon as you walk into WildWoods—the 75-acre "backyard" at Fernbank—you see the first of the 10 really, really big bugs in the exhibition! 

Some of these bugs are rarely seen, so they're excellent for teaching kids about their important roles in nature and how many of them are "friends" to humans. Seriously! Did you know that dragonflies eat mosquitoes? I call that friendly! 

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I would venture to guess that most of us know that a mating female Praying Mantis sometimes eats—as in consumes—her mate after mating. A regular practice in the mantid world, it doesn't deter male mantids from wanting to mate. 

The actual size of a Praying Mantis ranges from half an inch to six inches long! This one is massive and the welcoming sculpture in the exhibition.

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

When I was a kid, we used to play with Granddaddy Long Legs spiders! That must have been before seeing the classic 1977 William Shatner horror flick Kingdom of the Spiders! But then reading The Amazing Spider-Man comic books made spiders okay again, but we didn't play with them anymore. 

According to Guinness World Records, the largest spider in the world has a body that's a foot long! The one that set the record was discovered in 1965, so it's long gone. We just won't talk about what's still out there today, okay?

The spiders in the David Rogers' Big Bugs exhibition are anything but menacing, though. They're practically jovial! 

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I mean, look at that face...it's adorable! It's Pixar-esque, right?

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

It's awesome that we get to see 10 "Big Bugs"! But, did you know that it's estimated that there are approximately 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 insects alive at any given moment? The idea of that is like imagining just how BIG the universe is! AND, insects very likely have the largest biomass of terrestrial animals. Bugs are totally fascinating, that's what I'm trying to say.

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Ladybugs are thought to bring good luck, so just imagine the LUCK a 7-foot long ladybug would bring a person! Then again, ladybugs are attracted to light colored houses, especially ones with a clear southwestern sun exposure. I wouldn't call an infestation of 7-foot ladybugs good luck, but you can't help but love just this one, right?

When I was a kid we had a collie named "Ladybug". We loved that dog sooooo much! Did you know that Lassie has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? So does Bugs Bunny! Just sayin'.

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I don't know what kind of spider this one is or if it's a general representation, but it made me think of the myths of "writing spiders" that I heard as a kid. I couldn't find any citations of these myths except for chat rooms where others recalled the same myths. What, if anything, did you hear about writing spiders when you were a kid?

The spider above is a fun one and the web...the web is fantastic! Of all the Big Bugs, this one is the one that you get to get the closest to, but remember, no touching! 

Speaking of touching, in my senior year of high school, a friend named Dreama had a pet tarantula. She bought it to school one day and the brave lad (read not-so-bright) that I was wanted to "hold" the spider. I let it crawl on my arm and within seconds of it climbing onto my arm the lights went out!!! I totally freaked for a second, but didn't move, during which time the lights came back on. That was an experience I'll never forget!

David Rogers' Big Bugs | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

This dragonfly is at the lower level of WildWoods, near the creek. Did you know that dragonflies begin their lives in water? Did you know that dragonflies have been around for 300 million years? Some fossil dragonflies have a wingspan of TWO FEET! This one is even bigger than its ancient ancestors!

“Although their size may make them a bit underappreciated, insects, spiders and bugs act as many things from decomposers to pollinators, and even help with insect control...this outdoor installation offers an exciting new perspective on these creatures,” said Fernbank's Vice President of Programming, Bobbi Hohmann.

This is a must-see exhibition, not only for entomologists, but for nature-lovers, art-lovers, kids, kids-at-heart, and anyone with a spirit for fun. Go see the "David Rogers' Big Bugs" exhibition at Fernbank Museum of Natural History now through July 21!

"Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum" at Fernbank

"Despite the centuries that separate us from Rome's heyday, I think many people will be surprised by the parallels between today's athletes and sporting events and those from roughly 2,000 year ago—when gladiators took center stage at the Colosseum, the greatest entertainment venue of the ancient world," says Dr. Bobbi Hohmann, Vice President of Programming and Collections, Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

From Italy, Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum, is now on exhibit at Fernbank Museum of Natural History, part of the Museum's 25th Anniversary celebration. It's been organized by Contemporanea Progetti (Florence, Italy) and Expona (Bolzano, Italy) in collaboration with the Colosseum (Rome). You can see Gladiators through Sunday, January 7, 2018.

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Gladiators features more than 100 original artifacts—many from the Colosseum itself!—as well as large-scale replicas (also from Italy), and immersive environments.

The artifacts, including large fragments from the actual Colosseum, are fascinating! Make time to see and revel in their history, and don't miss the storytelling placards placed throughout the exhibition. There are multiple videos, too!

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

You'll learn about more than 10 types of gladiators (I didn't know there were so many!), as well as some of the many parallels between gladiatorial contests and modern sports culture.

I found it interesting that Atlanta United recently broke an attendance record at Mercedez-Benz Stadium with 70,000 guests. The Colosseum, built more than 2,000 years ago, could seat up to 70,000 guests! Both Mercedez-Benz Stadium and the Colosseum offer tours,by the way.

The Greeks are known for the semi-circular amphitheater, but the full-circle Colosseum (oval in this case) is an Italian invention and is the inspiration for all modern-day stadiums, throughout the world!

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Some of you know that before I wanted to be an astronaut I wanted to be an archaeologist. Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Italy have been lifelong interests. So, you would have thought that I'd have known what a Shield Boss is (pictured above). A shield boss is attached over a hole in the center of a rectangular shield, a space to protect a legionnaire's hand while grasping his shield.

This bronze shield boss was apparently quite ornate. It's from 2nd - 3rd century CE.   

Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum is as educational as it is fascinating and even mesmerizing. I was enraptured for nearly two hours, the longest I've spent in a single exhibition in a long time. I recommend going well-rested so you can expand your cranium the depth of the Colosseum itself!

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The displays for some of the Colosseum artifacts are brilliant! They not only tell you what the artifacts are and what they're made of, they show you where in the stadium they were located, as well as other details about that particular section of the stadium.

This photo (above) doesn't show the scale of the artifact. The capitals in its part of the Colosseum measured approximately 3 feet! 

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum explores four themes:

• Origins of Gladiatorial Combat & Venationes (Staged Hunts);
• The Colosseum, Amphitheater of the Emperors;
• Who Were the Gladiators?; and
• A Day at the Arena.

If you're the organized type, knowing this prior to your visit and seeking out the delineations when you're there I think will make it more enjoyable for you. If you're the spontaneous type, I think you'll equally enjoy this exhibition...there's so much to learn, see, enjoy, and experience!

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

This foot fragment wearing a Caliga—a military sandal worn by all soldiers from recruits to senior officers—is all that remains of a bronze statue of a Roman legionnaire. The sandals were made of leather and iron. 

If armor is an interest of yours, you're in for a treat! There are numerous armor artifacts on display, including an actual Caliga from the 1st century CE!

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Greaves—leg armor to protect the chins—were worn by two types of gladiators. They were often elaborately decorated with allusions or bacchanalian themes. This particular artifact is a splendid example of how just how elaborate they could be.

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

This bronze sword scabbard is one of many weaponry artifacts in the exhibition. This one (pictured above) is from the 1st century CE.

Did you see the Oscar-winning movie Gladiator starring Russell Crowe? It portrayed a minuscule amount of the atrocities—common day occurrences in Rome for four centuries—in the Colosseum, including gladiator fights-to-the-death, mass crucifixions, and elaborate animal hunts. 

Most gladiators didn't survive their first fight. Those who did and achieved fandom, would fight only about two to three times per year, with few living beyond 30 years old, and some "earning" their freedom. This exhibition shares with us what the daily life of an enslaved gladiator looked like, the atrocious and the good, and the lives that some led after being freed.   

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

We have reserved seating, which is awesome, but in the Colosseum prominent Romans and Senators had reserved seats with their names carved into their actual seat! Now I wonder if that's where the childhood quip "It doesn't have your name on it!" comes from. 

Seating in the Colosseum was by social order, but not much is known about how closely the "rules" were followed in this regard. There were 80 entrances to the Colosseum and it could seat 50,000 to 70,000 people! 

I lived in Greece, but never made it to Italy and so wanted to. This exhibition has Italy back at the top of my travel list!

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

In the section of the exhibition that explores "A Day at the Arena" there are artifacts that show similarities to today's large-scale sporting events, including entertainment, commerce, and food and beverage. The above pictured glass bowl dates to the Imperial Age, somewhere between the 1st and 4th centuries. I think it's stunning.

Gladiators | Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

There's a "Kid's Colosseum" at the end of the exhibition, just before you get to the Gift Shop. Your youngsters can enjoy puppet shows, a wooden block model of the Colosseum, hopscotch (believed to have originated in Rome), and regular readings of stories from Roman mythology!

While on the media preview of Gladiators, I ran into one of Atlanta's best bloggers, Sue, of Field Trips With Sue (since merged with 365 Atlanta Family), who has been an inspiration to me from the very beginnings of wanderlust ATLANTA. 

She was visiting with her father who is a formidable conversationalist. I could imagine him debating the finer points of the games in the Colosseum with senators and other distinguished attendees. It was a pleasure and honor to get to chat with him and it's always a great time catching up with Sue. Field Trips With Sue has merged with 365 Atlanta Family...check out their website!

When you're making plans to see Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum, check out the other exhibitions, films, and special events, too. As there has been for 25 years, there's always something fun going on at Fernbank Museum of Natural History!


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Fernbank's WildWoods is Wonderous!

"Nearly a century ago, our founders formed Fernbank to preserve Fernbank Forest as a school in the woods for nature study. Now, connecting the museum directly to the forest through WildWoods fulfills our extraordinary legacy," said Susan Neugent, President and CEO of Fernbank.  "At its core, natural history is about reconnecting humans to nature, which is why the living laboratory of learning in WildWoods and Fernbank Forest is so timely today."

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

As a member of Fernbank Musuem of Natural History, I had the great pleasure of a WildWoods preview event last weekend. WildWoods is set to open to the public on Saturday, September 24, 2016 for a Grand Opening Weekend celebration, which is this weekend! I think you're going to love it...I already do.

One begins their WildWoods journey on the Montgomery Highline Trace, an elevated boardwalk that winds through trees and over the terrain. This walkway is highlighted by two nature-inspired tree pods nestled within the tree canopy—one representing a tulip poplar flower (pictured above) and the other represents a fern, both absolutely stunning as are the vistas from them.

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

I love, love, love the Sensory Wall. The challenge presented here is for visitors to identify the various items on it suing only their sense of touch. What a wonderful learning experience! Admiring it for its beauty, I almost didn't touch it, then totally caved in...I just couldn't resist. I thought it was made from various kinds of stone, and perhaps there are various kinds of stone, but there's so much more! Go ahead...touch it and learn!

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Within WildWoods is an outdoor gallery, which I'm told will have changing exhibitions. For now there are Bug Hotels—You've really got to check these out! There awesome!—and Sweetgum Tree Sculptures, including the wonderfully wild one pictured above. I personally am super excited about the potential for this area. Part of the goal for this outdoor gallery is to include the community...that'll bring LOTS of possibilities! 

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

There are several places in WildWoods where there are purposely created animal tracks, a learning opportunity for children and grownups alike. And then there are tracks made by the creatures living in WildWoods which are fun to speculate about, unless you're already an animal expert. 

If you want to reconnect with nature, but can't get out of the city, WildWoods and Fernbank Forest may just be the place you're looking for!

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Just off the Tulip Poplar Flower Pod are a series of tree identifying markers—I love this! 

There are educational signs and markers throughout WildWoods, but they're done very tastefully and are not at all disruptive...you're having too much fun to wish they weren't there and if they weren't there I believe we would have missed them. Very well done, Fernbank! 

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

The Historic Stone Wall, which now you can walk next to, dates to the 1930s and once marked the northern edge of a formal landscaped garden. 

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Among these ruins are stone stairs, pond foundation walls and a grotto with a cross. On the morning I visited there was a praying mantis perched on top of the cross. Mantises have natural camouflage, often making them difficult to spot, but the way the sunlight was streaming through the woods at the time I spotted that one, it was like a beacon! Not to worry though, they're not poisonous.

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

I had the wonderful pleasure of an in-depth discussion of WildWoods with Deanna Smith, Director of Marketing at Fernbank Natural History Museum. The entire marketing team at Fernbank has been absolutely delightful to work with over the years and several made this day far more special than I'd expected. "Thank you!"

It wasn't until I ventured down into Isdell Wildlife Sanctuary that I realized why Deanna finds it so charming and fascinating. The boardwalk and an overlook gifts the eyes and other senses a restored creek meadow that attracts birds, butterflies (lots of them!) and other pollinators...and three otters have been spotted in the creek. This sanctuary is alive!

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

This time next year, the Sanctuary will be even more lush and beautiful. Fernbank has dedicated considerable time and resources to ensure its health and sustainability. But even without knowing that, it's still a wholly wonderful and peaceful experience.

There are also designated children's areas, but I'll leave that to my family blogger friends, 365 Atlanta Family and Field Trips with Sue. The areas look like great fun, but I'm an 'old' kid, so I'm sticking to the elevated boardwalk, nature pats and outdoor exhibits! 

WildWoods at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

I'd like to offer a word of thanks to the Museum's volunteers. They truly enhance ones exploration. And the more I/you can learn from them, the greater our opportunity for a truly mind-expanding experience and the more fun we can have! Thank you, volunteers, for your time and for sharing your knowledge, experience and expertise. You're appreciated! 

Fernbank Forest, which I'll discuss in detail in another post, is the largest old-growth forest of its kind in a major metropolitan area and is now directly connected to the museum through WildWoods...all 65 acres of it!

There are lots of activities going on in Fernbank Museum of Natural History's brand new WildWoods this coming Grand Opening Weekend! A grand exploration of a magnificent 75 acres awaits you!

There are ROBOTS at Fernbank!

"Walking is controlled falling."

That’s one of the epiphanies you'll glean when watching National Geographic's ROBOTS, released summer 2015 and now playing at Fernbank Museum of NaturalHistory.

At first, I wondered why a natural history museum would be showing a movie about robots, but quickly reconciled that in my mind. Natural history is the study (particularly observational) of origins, evolution, and interrelationships. In this particular instance, it's an exploration of the progress and potential of robots...created by and for humans. I for one and ecstatic that this is being shared at Fernbank!

National Geographic's "ROBOTS" | Poster courtesy of National Geographic

Have I ever told you that I cried myself to sleep after witnessing the fate of Huey, Dewey and Louie, the robot stars of the sci-fi classic Silent Running? It was a film that my family watched one evening when I was only seven years old. It's true I was a sensitive child, but also I was already an established sci-fi enthusiast!

You can only imagine my excitement for the new IMAX film, ROBOTS, now playing at Fernbank Museum of Natural History!

Building my excitement leading up to seeing the movie, it's narrated by Robo Thespian whose voice is that of none other than Simon Pegg himself—star of Shawn of the Dead (LOVED that one), and even more so as the star, Scotty, in the last two Star Trek films!

You're going to meet robots from all over the world and the film highlights the featured aptitudes of each of those robot. You'll also be introduced to many humanoid robots, including: 

• "ASIMO": Honda's famed humanoid can jump and run up to 5 mph.
• "HERB THE BUTLER": Thanks to this helper, we may never have to clear the table or do dishes again.
• "ROBONAUT": NASA’s space handyman helps astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
• ANDROIDS: The human face has over 40 muscles to express emotions like fear, anger, surprise, happiness — and these androids are programmed to simulate these human-like behaviors. One day, they may be built to think, act and react like us.

That's only a few of them! And watch the credits for a mention of Georgia Tech as a film advisor!

By the way, the freighter ships in Silent Running were later used in an episode of the original Battlestar Galacica, which was a childhood favorite series and featured the human-created robotic race of Cylons!

A quick reminder...as a young child, I wanted nothing more than to be an archaeologist, long before I wanted to be an astronaut. I find it pretty awesome that as an adult I get to write about both fields from time to time. 

If you're visiting over a weekend, I invite you to consider adding Martinis & IMAX to your Friday night itinerary. You have the opportunity to enjoy food, drinks, dancing with the dinos AND an IMAX film!

If you're a local, check out Martinis & IMAX and keep an eye on Fernbank Museum of Natural History's website for announcements of new films, events and exhibitions...there's a LOT of fun coming up! 

ROBOTS is running now through Thursday, October 29.

Some of the 250,000 Reasons I Blog

I want to extend a heartfelt "Thank you" to all my friends and fans and museums and attractions in Atlanta who have supported wanderlust ATLANTA over the last four-plus years. I'm extremely excited to share that a couple of weeks ago, while attending an Atlanta Ballet performance, I surpassed the milestone of more than 250,000 views on wanderlust ATLANTA. I'm incredibly grateful for all the support!

Best friends and supporters of wanderlust Atlanta, Barry, (me) Perry and Scott

I love telling the story of how wanderlust ATLANTA started, so thanks for allowing me to share it again. And while I'm at it, I'd love to share some celebrity spotting experiences—a hobby of mine—I've had since I moved back!

Marina Sirtis at Dragon Con

I had lived in Atlanta for (nearly) 15 years—1987-2001—then moved to Washington, DC, for nine—2002-2010—and moved back to Atlanta 4.5 years ago. While I was gone, Atlantic Station popped up out of nowhere and the High Museum of Art doubled in size, as did the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Atlanta was a very different place from when I previously lived here.

To familiarize myself with the city again, I decided to start a blog, something I'd thought about doing when I lived in DC, but never got around to. It was the best thing I could have done! I learned more about Atlanta in the first year after returning than I had in the 15 years I lived here before and it's been so much fun, I'm still blogging nearly five years later!

It'd be impossible to thank everyone who has made this such an amazing journey, and those who continue to make it so, but I'd like to name a few.

Thank you first and foremost to my friends who supported my enthusiasm to share all the wonderful experiences that Atlanta has to offer via the blog, even before anyone ever knew of wanderlust ATLANTA...my best friend Barry, and dear friends Perry, Scott, Mary Jo and Jeff.

A special thank you to fellow bloggers who have been a great inspiration to me over the years, Lesli Peterson of 365 Atlanta Family, Sue Rodman of Field Trips with Sue and Terry Kearns of Architecture Tourist.

With Tamoh Penikett of Battlestar Galactica

I'd also like to mention a few people I've met through wanderlust ATLANTA who have become dear friends...Patti Davis and Carrie Burns of Atlanta Movie Tours. Sally Smith, aka Margaret Mitchell of their Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind Tour is also a special person to me. John Daniel Tilford of Oglethorpe University Museum of Art has also been a great friend. 

With "Margaret Mitchell", aka Sally Smith

Also, Katie Simms, Laura Flusche, Neil, Clare, Carrie and Barbara, all of Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), have treated me like museum family for years...thank you! Martha and Hillary of Atlanta History Center are so incredibly sweet and super supportive...Thank you! Deanna Smith of Fernbank Museum of Natural History is so much fun...you're awesome!

With Connor Trinneer at Dragon Con

Chelsea and Kellie of Brave PR have been and continue to be amazing! I've loved The Fox Theatre since I moved here in 1987, but their support of wanderlust ATLANTA has afforded me a whole new theatre going experience by attending—and then writing about and otherwise promoting—Broadway in Atlanta performances, as well as other experiences via their client database. They've always made me feel like a VIP! 

With Roseanne

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention some of my favorite Atlanta attractions...Atlanta Botanical Garden, where I've been a volunteer since I moved back; Dragon Con, now one of my annual traditions (seriously, I request that vacation time at least nine months in advance!); Medieval Times Atlanta Castle...so much fun!; Oakland Cemetery; Delta Flight Museum; Gibbs Gardens; Piedmont Park; SkyView Atlanta; Center for Puppetry Arts, Zoo Atlanta...the list goes on and on and on!

A few restaurants that I've especially enjoyed over the years include Livingston, Sun Dial, Agatha's and Watershed...oh, and Peachtree Food Tours! Again, this is Atlanta...we have thousands and thousands of dining options!

With Margaret Cho at The Tabernacle

      
Thank you for indulging me in sharing a few celebrity photos...celebrity-spotting has been a "hobby" since I met Leonard Nimoy in 2002, a profound experience for me and an incredibly sad loss when he passed away earlier this year. His kindness, humor and love for his endeavors encouraged me to meet others from Hollywood and other fame. It's been great fun!

Supergirl at Dragon Con

Again, THANK YOU to everyone who has supported wanderlust ATLANTA and followed its Facebook page. I am honored and extremely grateful for the time and support you've given and continue to give my genuine desire to share all the wonderful things to see and do in and around Atlanta...it's been a "super" experience! 

I encourage your to stick around for another quarter million...you never know what you might see!