A Trekkin' Kind of Weekend

This past weekend there was a Star Trek convention in town, to my full and total delight! But the fun didn't stop there...

50 Year Mission Tour | Scotty & Nikki

That's my friend Nikki with "Scotty" (pictured above), a cosplayer I've seen many, many times at Dragon Con. It was great to see him and many other fellow Star Trek fans at the Creation Entertainment's 50 Year Mission Tour, a touring convention celebrating 50 years of Star Trek and a three-day event in Atlanta at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel.

Scotty was one of the top three finalists in the costume contest on Saturday!

50 Year Mission Tour | Gates McFadden | Atlanta, GA

The headliners at this particular convention were William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk, Star Trek: The Original Series), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher, Star Trek: The Next Generation); Jonathan Frakes (William T. Riker, Star Trek: The Next Generation); and Michael Dorn (Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generatation & Deep Space Nine).

Obviously (photo above) I got an autograph from Gates and also got one from Dominic Keating (Lt. Malcom Reed, Star Trek: Voyager) and the lovely Chase Masterson (Leeta, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Thanks to Atlanta offering so many celebrity spotting opportunities, my collection of autographs is growing exponentially!

By the way, William Shatner has confirmed that he will be at Dragon Con 2016!

50 Year Mission Tour | Costume Contest | Atlanta, GA

It wouldn't be a Star Trek convention without a costume contest...seriously, it just wouldn't! There were some excellent entries, including Mudd, original series Captain Kirk and "Pink Trekkie". 

As I mentioned, Scotty was one of the three finalists in the contest, as were Mudd & companion and an original series Klingon couple. Thank you to all the entrants and congrats to the winners!

50 Year Mission Tour | Vulcan Salute | Atlanta, GA

Chase Masterson is incredibly sweet and charming! She was the first celebrity I met at this convention...and a delightful surprise! I got an autographed headshot—one of her has Leeta in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—and I also got a copy of her music CD, Jazz Cocktail.

I listened to it while having dinner Friday night...it's wonderful! The following morning, Chase was the first speaker and she treated us to a live performance of a couple of numbers from the CD!

Nikki taking a break between programs...the seat spins!

So, I said "...but the fun didn't stop there" when I started this post. I'm a busy guy...I love experiences more than anything, but sometimes I can take it to an extreme—not that I have anything against that. Here's what I'm talking about:

I took Friday off work so that I could attend the three-day Star Trek convention. On the way home on Thursday night, I stopped for tacos (not saying where). I chipped a tooth on a crunchy taco (I almost always have soft tacos), that wasn't all that crunchy! It was actually bonding that chipped...a childhood sibling argument left my two front teeth chipped, so I've had bonding for many, many years. 

I freaked out for a minute—knowing that I'd have to meet Captain Kirk and Dr. Beverly Crusher with a chipped tooth...and then realized there was nothing I could do until Monday, without sacrificing the Friday of the convention...and that wasn't happening! It was a minor, hardly noticeable chip. 

So...chipped tooth, three days of Star Trek convention, AND I saw a play on Friday night ("The Revolutionists" at 7 Stages...it's AMAZING, and I'll write about it soon), and I attended the Allie Awards (the Oscar's of Atlanta's event making world) on Sunday at Georgia Aquarium, and then went to the dentist on Monday morning arriving at work shortly after 9am.

Are you tired? Because I was, come Monday night!  

One Ninety One Peachtree Tower, as seen from Sun Dial Restaurant

On Saturday, after the main programming of the convention, Nikki and I went to the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View, specifically the bar (which does a complete revolution in only 35 minutes). The view is magnificent...it's pretty amazing to see the double crown of the One Ninety One Peachtree Tower so closely from the 72nd floor of the Westin!

My friend David, who was the best Superman at Dragon Con 2015, joined us and we all later went to dinner and talked all things Star Trek, cinema and superhero...good times!

Original Series Klingons, they're AWESOME  | Trek Con 50 Anniversary 

These folks were sitting in front of us during the convention (we had reserved seating!). They're characters from Star Trek: The Original Series. If you've never watched Star Trek, the absence of forehead ridges comes up a number of times throughout the franchise...as does the fact that Klingon's don't like to talk about that time in their history!

50 Year Mission Tour | Vulcan Salute | Atlanta, GA

I love how a simple hand gesture has permeated our culture and how it immediately identifies the fact that someone is a Star Trek fan. I had the great honor of meeting Leonard Nimoy in 2002 when I lived in Washington, D.C. He was speaking at the National Press Club, presenting his new photography book, Shekhina. 

Although the book was not about Star Trek, he generously shared with us the origin of the Vulcan Salute and the accompanying greeting "Live long and prosper". 

50 Year Mission Tour | Trivia Contest | Atlanta, GA

I got to be on the convention stage! There was a trivia contest and all attendees were invited to participate. I made it through three questions before I missed a question from the 2009 Star Trek film. It was great fun!

50 Year Mission Tour | Klingon | Atlanta, GA

Kapla! 

That's Klingon for "Success!"

Thanks for reading...this post was merely to share some fun and to remind everyone that you should totally keep an eye on what's happening in Atlanta so that YOU don't miss an event that speaks to your particular brand of fandom. 

Follow your favorite tourist attractions and destinations on social media and/or subscribe to their email lists, whether it's a convention like Dragon Con or whatever...just make sure you get out there and enjoy as much as possible of what Atlanta has to offer, which is a LOT!

360 Degree Downtown Atlanta Birthday

I was going round and round and round about how to celebrate my birthday this year. And then decided to do exactly that! The evening of the celebration—at least the first day of celebrating—started with a ride on SkyView Atlanta, followed by dinner at The Sun Dial, and then dessert and bubbly at Polaris. It was a spectacular evening, with best friends.

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

Probably my favorite birthday gift this year was my best friends offering a Vulcan salute! Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that I love Star Trek as much as I love being a tourist...which is a LOT! How fun of my friends to indulge me.

Left to right, that's Scott, Barry and Perry, and in this photo we were mid-celebration at The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View, in one of the View's overlook pods.

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

The evening started with a ride on SkyView Atlanta, in the VIP Gondola! My first ride on SkyView had been just a month before, on Christmas Day, with Perry and Scott. This birthday ride was with Barry, and it was his first ride, making it extra fun!

The above photo I made after our vertical 360 degree tour of downtown Atlanta. Be sure to listen to the audio tour in your gondola, which we didn't hear Christmas Day, until the very end of our ride. On this particular ride, we listened to it for several revolutions and then turned down the volume and just took in the spectacular view.

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

Since I was a small child, I've loved skylines, especially architecturally interesting ones. It's been quite exciting watching Atlanta's skyline change over the years and I think SkyView Atlanta is a magnificent addition, especially to our nighttime skyline.

I didn't realize when I booked the ride that we'd be riding as the sun was setting. When we got on, it was still daylight. By time our 30-minute VIP ride was finished, the sun had set, and SkyView was illuminated with quite the glowing rainbow of colors!

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

I've now done both the standard ride and the VIP Gondola ride on SkyView Atlanta. Both are super fun. But, I have to admit that the extra money for the VIP Gondola ride is totally worth it. 

We were greeted by our new SkyView Atlanta friend, Wisdom. He treated us like real VIPs.

When we arrived, we were immediately escorted to the comfy VIP Lounge where a photographer met us and made photos of us. Wisdom took a drink order and promptly brought that to us to enjoy on the ride. Soda and bottled water are complimentary with the VIP Gondola ticket and beer and wine are available at a reasonable cost. We enjoyed some wine on our ride.

Thank you, Wisdom, for the awesome treatment!

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

As much as I love to write and talk, it's challenging to express how amazing a 360 Atlanta sunset can be. And it was fantastic to see our next destination from SkyView—The Sun Dial Restaurant atop of the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel.

Before heading to The Sun Dial, Barry and I met Perry and Scott at their penthouse in Museum Tower, overlooking Centennial Olympic Park, for a celebratory libation and another fantastic view of the Atlanta skyline! "Versailles in the Sky" is what we've started calling their beautiful home. And not only are they dear friends, they're wonderfully gracious hosts!

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

Dinner and drinks at The Sun Dial Restaurant, a revolving restaurant, was great! We all had steak. When I saw that a blackberry reduction accompanied the dish, I was all-in. Blackberries are my favorite food, so that selection was an obvious choice for me. That it came with Blue Cheese Mac & Cheese was a total bonus!

I've been going to The Sun Dial since the late 80s. A lot of locals see it as a tourist attraction, and that it is, but it's so much more to me. It was one of my earliest experiences when I first moved to Atlanta, so it's special to me. And it has an awesome 360 view of a beautiful city!

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

We enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail and had a nice bottle of Mendoza Malbec with dinner. Having vacationed in Argentina, the Malbec too brought back great memories. 

I love this photo...dear friends, great dinner, and One Ninety One Peachtree Tower in the background—how could you not have a great time!

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

I'd admired Polaris for the first 15 years I lived in Atlanta, but unbelievably never visited. It closed when I lived in DC and reopened last year, in 2014. Being something of a sci-fi fan(atic), I love that Polaris looks like a flying saucer (I hope that doesn't offend the establishment. It's meant with great fondness).

Visiting Polaris for my birthday dessert and bubbly was my first visit, but it will not be my last! 

Polaris has its own elevator and the elevator hostess was delightful. And she had amazing shoes! There was an event going on so she wasn't sure she would be able to get us up right away...but she did. I'm grateful for her kindness and for accommodating our excitement to experience Polaris.

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

Polaris, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, was once a restaurant, one that also revolves 360 degrees. And it was the tallest building in Atlanta when it was built in 1967. Today it's a sophisticated, tourist beacon, must-experience lounge, with brilliant libation offerings, seasonal small plates and marvelous sweet treats! And the decor is stunning.

Its resurrection last year was met with great fanfare and it's already on numerous Top 10 lists. All for good reason...the place is magnificent! 

Travis's 360 Degree Birthday

I enjoyed the Warm Roasted Banana Cake with toasted pecans and creme fraiche—it was amazing, and my friends all enjoyed the Graham Cracker Cheese Cake with marshmallow meringue—I had a bite and OMG, it enraptures the taste buds!

All of this fantastic round-and-round totally fun Downtown Atlanta experience was last Saturday, January 24. My actual birthday is January 27, but I had to work that day. Our Annual Meeting was that evening and went until 9:00 p.m., not leaving a lot of time for a day-of celebration. BUT, I won one of the company's highest awards (for innovation), so it was an evening of another kind of celebration...I'm also grateful for that.

Here it is nearly a week later and I'm still celebrating. Yes, I'm one of those. I love celebrating life and will continue to do so—most enjoyably as a tourist—for all of my days, and nights.

Please feel free to borrow from my "360 Degree Birthday" theme and visit SkyView Atlanta, The Sun Dial Restaurant & View, and Polaris.

I'd like to offer a special "Thank you" to my friends, Barry, Perry and Scott, for making my birthday celebration a special experience. I had the most wonderful wanderlusting Atlanta birthday!

Sunday Brunch at the Sun Dial

I recently had Sunday brunch at the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View. I'd not been in a while and it'd been forever since I'd had brunch there. One word..."Wow!"

Sun Dial Restaurant & View, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

I almost wrote, "For a hotel restaurant, the Sun Dial is pretty awesome," but that would not at all be accurate. The appropriate proclamation is, "The Sun Dial is totally awesome!"

Not only is it the highest hotel restaurant in the Western Hemisphere, the newly renovated space is stunning, the service was superb, and the food—with a local ingredients focus—is delicious and beautifully presented. The menu changes three times a year.

The Sticky Buns appetizer is a slice of heaven! I had the trout and my friend had the smoked salmon...all of it amazing. And the blue cheese-stuffed olives in my martini were perfection. My only regret, no room for dessert. But I left with a promise to return in the not-too-distant future just for dessert, specifically the Hazelnut Carmel Crunch!

Sun Dial Restaurant & View, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

Major kudos to our server, Jeremy, who was wonderfully attentive and possesses a natural friendliness. He timed everything perfectly, our glasses were always full, and he was gracious in his service...he made us feel like VIPs. I for one am highly grateful. And, just for the record, he nor anyone else on staff knew that I author wanderlust ATLANTA, or that I'd be writing about the experience.

Sun Dial Restaurant & View, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

If you've never been to the Sun Dial, you're in for a treat! It's on the 72nd floor of the Westin Peachtree Plaza, an Atlanta icon designed by John Portman and built in 1976—the tallest hotel in the world at the time. It also was the tallest building in Atlanta until 1987, when the IBM Tower, now One Atlantic Center, opened. 

By the way, if you've never checked out non-Atlanta Portman projects, I highly recommend you do, especially if you're an architecture enthusiast.

View from the Sun Dial Restaurant & View, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

I highly recommend making reservations before you go, but I've been known to visit the bar, which also revolves and is situated above the restaurant, without a reservation. When you arrive, you'll want to enter the glass elevators from the 5th floor to enjoy some spectacular views of Atlanta...and they truly are spectacular!

You don't have to go to the restaurant or bar to got to the View, but there's a nominal charge at the 5th floor entrance for that experience. It's well worth it! There's no cost to ride if you have a restaurant reservation.

The photo above is the Georgia-Pacific Tower as seen from my seat in the Sun Dial. That building was constructed on the site where the Loew's Grand Theatre once stood, the theatre where Gone With the Wind premiered in 1939—December 15th of this year will be the 75th anniversary of the film!

Sun Dial Restaurant & View, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

All the seating in the restaurant is prime. The majority of the tablecloth draped tables are next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a one-of-a-kind view of our amazing skyline—and you can see as far as Stone Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, and well beyond Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

If you don't get a window-side table or your party is larger than four guests, there are elevated booths that also have amazing views. The restaurant takes a full hour to make a full revolution, but that first hour goes fast—it's true what they say about time flying when you're having a good time. 

The bar revolves a little faster, making a full turn in only 35 minutes. And there's often live jazz in the evenings...I've heard them play on numerous occasions and they're fantastic!

View from the Sun Dial Restaurant & View, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

These aren't my best photos—all were made with my phone; didn't have my real camera with me—so check out the Sun Dial's Facebook page and their website for some superior photography.

Again, I'd like to offer a "Thank you" to Jeremy for the fantastic service and compliments to Chef Jason Starnes on a remarkable menu! I'll be back to the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View quite soon!

Lunch at The Sundial

The same friend I was talking about a couple of days ago, the one who is coming in from Washington, D.C. this weekend, made lunch reservations at The Sundial at my recommendation. He's traveling with his mother...such a good son!

191 Peachtree Tower as seen from the Sundial

I've dined at The Sundial numerous times and it's always been pleasant...I mean, what's not fabulous about dining 72 stories above Atlanta while sightseeing from your seat as the floor revolves 360 revealing our great city?

I remember back to 1988 and a server who commented on how much my date and I enjoyed our "Bucket of Shrimp" appetizer (it was much more elegant than it sounds—it was basically a huge shrimp cocktail presented in a champagne bucket). Didn't care that he remarked on our appetite...it was really, really good!

I've taken my own mother to The Sundial, who thoroughly enjoyed the view, the conversation starters, the relaxed atmosphere...it's a great tourist restaurant without being too much of a tourist trap. Did I mention the incredible view?.

You're going to love the view! The skyscraper in this photo is the 191 Peachtree Tower, which is home to quite a few law firms. You can see that you're actually "inside" Atlanta's skyline while you're at The Sundial...pretty cool, I think.

Check out their website for menus and other information, including "The View" (free as a restaurant patron), etc. If you're one of our beloved tourists, go to The Sundial...you have to eat and this is a tourist attraction that doubles as a brunch, lunch and/or dinner. 

While you're online, please head over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page and have a look around. And check out here on the blog some of my former posts on the Westin Peachtree Plaza and The Sundial. Have fun!

The Sun Dial: Dialing Up the View

Westin Peachtree Plaza

Day and night, The Sundial Restaurant, Bar & View is one of the most spectacular ways to see Atlanta...a memorable experience any way you look at it.

The capstone of the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, the tallest hotel in the western hemisphere, The Sundial sits 723 feet atop of John Portman’s cylindrical mirror masterpiece…a brilliant diversion from his better-known 1970s concrete Atlanta architecture.

Following the Atlanta Tornado in 2008, the Westin underwent a significant renovation (including the replacement of all 6,350 reflective windows of the building's exterior) and today is, as it had been, one of downtown's most visited luxury hotels.

Sun Dial Restaurant

The Restaurant
A couple of months after I moved to Atlanta in 1987, I took a date to the Sun Dial Restaurant followed by a horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Atlanta. It was a romantic, truly delightful evening for two 20-something college sweethearts.

The Sun Dial has since been one of my favorite dining destinations in the city. Yes, I have several favorite Atlanta eateries, but I've actually dined at Sun Dial more times than I can remember, so that's saying something.

Come to think of it, I've been a couple of times since returning to Atlanta a few months ago and I even dined there when I lived in Washington, DC, while on business or pleasure travel to Atlanta.

It's great for a special occasion and it's the perfect place to bring visitors, especially if time is tight to show off the city.

Aside from the incredible views, the food is excellent. Not exactly what you would expect from a popular tourist destination, right? But, the Sun Dial's Executive Chef is a true culinary master.

Georgia Aquarium
as seen from The Sun Dial

My most recent visit was for Thanksgiving Dinner, I didn't have to cook and my out-of-town guest was entertained the whole day. My appetizer was the most delicious, tender, savory duck confit I've ever had…I wanted more of it for my entrée and dessert!

We both had a traditional turkey dinner entree, which I would venture to say probably rivals your grandmother's home-cooked bird.

Dessert was a trio of saliva-inducing flavors, the obligatory chocolate offering being one of them. The portions of every course were more than generous…no one left the table hungry.

The service, matching my memories, was superb. Minus the misplacement of a garnish on one of our pre-dinner cocktails, our server was attentive throughout the meal…we were not rushed, we were not annoyed, we were encouraged to relax and enjoy ourselves…it was the perfect holiday meal.

The restaurant seating areas, an outer and inner ring, revolve 360 degrees every hour. Given the fine dining nature of the restaurant, you'll definitely have time for a full revolution, maybe two.

View of Atlanta from
The Sun Dial

Personally, I recommend making your reservations for 45 minutes to an hour before sunset. That way you will see the city in daylight as well as its twinkling night lights all in a single visit.

The Bar

The Sun Dial Bar is the upper most level in the hotel and overlooks the observation deck and the Sun Dial Restaurant. It too revolves 360 degrees, once every 35 minutes, and has the same incredible views of Atlanta's skyline and neighboring areas.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays the Mose Davis Jazz Trio performs on the bar level, which adds to an already enjoyable experience for guests enjoying a libation in the bar, taking in the view from the observation deck, or dining below in the Sun Dial Restaurant.

The View

If you're not particularly hungry or are on a quest to find your favorite view of Atlanta's skyline, you can opt for the scenic ascent to The View, the observation deck at the top of the 73-story silver cylinder, situated just above the Sun Dial Restaurant and below the Sun Dial Bar.

To get there, take one of the two exterior elevators, illuminated with brilliant blue lights, for an 85-second, narrated trip to the top. If going for the view only, there is a nominal fee for the round-trip ride, but it's free if you're going to the bar or restaurant.

View from The Sun Dial

There are telescopes, free of charge, which you can use to zoom in on objects of interest. You can see the crowds in Turner Field; a sizable portion of Stone Mountain; that from above, the Georgia Aquarium looks like the Millennium Falcon; and you just might be able to see a few hotdog-eating diners at The Varsity, an Atlanta landmark that I'll blog about soon.

On a clear day, and there are a lot of those in Atlanta, you can see the homes, building, and parks where millions of Atlantans live, work and play.

Adorning the interior wall of The View is a "History Wall" with photos and displays that have lots of fun facts and tidbits of information about the city and the views from platforms on the observation deck.

If going to the Westin to go to The View, be sure to check their "upcoming events" page for a listing of early closures, which aren't frequent, to ensure you get to see it.

View from Sun Dial

The Return

Do I think I'll rise to the occasion of visiting The Sun Dial again? Absolutely, without a doubt, I will. It truly is a fun, relaxing, and unique way to see and show off Atlanta...and the food and service are excellent too.

I think I'll return each season throughout the coming year to see the city covered in velvety white snow, proudly showing its bright and colorful spring flowers, comforted in its lush green summer blanket of trees, and again showing off its vibrant fall foliage.

Visiting The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View

Date toured: Thursday, November 25, 2010
Hours: varies by venue (different for restaurant, bar, and view)
Location: 210 Peachtree Street (directions and map)
Cost: Varies depending on meal, drinks, or view only.
Parking: Valet at the Spring Street entrance. Bring your valet ticket with you for validation in the restaurant. Self-parking is available.Website: http://www.sundialrestaurant.com/

191 Peachtree Tower
as seen from The Sun Dial