Holiday Orchid at Orchid Daze, Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Come celebrate the Atlanta Botanical Gardens 10th Anniversary of the Fuqua Orchid Center and the Orchid Daze Exhibition.  This years Orchid Daze exhibit opens on February 4th to April 15th, 2012. The Atlanta Botanical Gardens Orchid Daze exhibit highlights unique varieties of orchids and tropical plants. The Fuqua Orchid Center is home to the largest collection of species of orchids in the United States. You  will be in awe of the sweetly scented lush orchids cascading from high above in a tapestry design with Moth Orchids and Amber Slipper Orchids floating above.

Orchid Daze at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens

One of the best times to celebrate a romantic evening is February 11th, 7 to 11 p.m., when the Atlanta Botanical Gardens will open for Romance Blooms. This is the only evening the Atlanta Botanical Gardens Orchid Daze will be open. Enjoy an evening of live entertainment, cocktails, dancing and scrumptious deserts  surrounded by warm candlelight and sweetly scented orchids. While at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens indulge in a Custom BLEND Perfume.  A Master Perfumer will assist you in selecting from fourteen families of fragrance and design a perfume that is truly yours! As this magical Midtown evening comes to an end take home a complimentary long-stemmed rose.

Shellmont Inn is located just a short walk south of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. This exhibit is one of our favorites as evidenced by our previous blogs on the Atlanta Botanical Gardens Orchid Daze 2011 and Orchid Daze 2010.

Whether you live nearby or are visiting and looking for what to do in Atlanta, don’t miss the Atlanta Botanical Gardens Orchid Daze!

Mountain View in North Georgia

Let us plan your fall getaway to see Atlanta and the North Georgia Mountains. You can immerse yourself in the beautiful red, bronze and orange colors. One of your rewards for staying at a Select Registry Inn is their Golden Quill Loyalty Program. It is EASY, stay 12 nights, register on-line and receive a $100 Gift Card to use on your next trip!

One of our most popular Atlanta attractions is the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Don’t miss the Canopy Walk and the Art in the Garden, including sculptures and water features. After a morning at the gardens its time to head over to the High Museum of Arts newest exhibit, Picasso to Warhol – Fourteen Modern Masters. One of the best kept secrets for lunch is Table 1280 at the Woodruff Arts Center, next door to the High Museum of Art. After an afternoon of seeing how these fourteen artists changed our ideas about what art is, stroll back to our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast for some late afternoon treats.

Start the day with one of our scrumptious breakfasts before you tour the Georgia Aquarium and visit with all the fish. After an early lunch at the DeKalb International Farmers Market, it is a short drive to Stone Mountain. On a clear day you can get a great view of the city and even see the North Georgia Mountains. Have an early dinner at Swift & 4th before returning to Shellmont Inn.

Tomorrow drive north towards Chattanooga, and check- in to one of my favorite Georgia Bed and Breakfast, the Chanticleer Inn in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Spend the afternoon 1,800 feet above sea level with wonderful vistas of three states, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. Rock City Gardens is located just across the street with views of seven states. Wonderful restaurants are located just 10 minutes away in downtown Chattanooga.

After a delightful breakfast of Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes it is off to see Ruby Falls and Point Park. Finish up the day with a ride on the steepest passenger railway in the world, The Incline. Climb up Lookout Mountain with spectacular views of the mountains and the valleys. Your own Chocolate Fondue awaits you back at the Chanticleer Inn. Tomorrow we are off to Georgia’s Wine Country and and another Inn.

After arriving at the Beechwood Inn located in Clayton, Georgia it is time to explore Black Rock Mountain State Park. Black Rock Mountain State Park is the highest state park and offers wonderful hiking trails with scenic waterfalls. Spend the afternoon amazed at the wonderful colors and vistas of the  North Georgia Mountains before returning to the Inn.  Be sure and be back in time for the Daily Wine-Thirty at 5:30 for a complimentary wine tasting of Beechwood Inn Wines made from local grapes.

After a late breakfast, it is off to tour Tiger Mountain Vineyards  located on our way to  Glen-Ella Springs Inn in Clarksville, Georgia. Don’t miss all the wonderful art and antique galleries in Clarksville before checking-in. Be sure stroll over the inns 17 acres with meadows, perennial herb and flower gardens. Make sure to make your reservation for dinner when you book your room. Let Glen-Ella Springs Inn tempt your palate with a wonderful selection of entrees from Rainbow Trout to Beef Tenderloin.

After breakfast it is time to go back to home and dream about your next trip. Be sure and register your Golden Quill Loyalty Points. It is easy, stay 12 nights and get $100.00 Certificate for your next trip.

Hope to see you this fall!

Atlanta Dragon Con’s first annual Comic Book Babes Costume Contest is Saturday evening. This juried Atlanta event has a $1,000 first place price. If you are a little shy, strut down Peachtree Street on Saturday morning in the Annual Atlanta Dragon Con Parade 2011 with thousands of your friends. Be sure and register early to participate.

Saturday evening dress in your finest Dragon Con costume for a Night at the Georgia Aquarium. The Aquarium’s main exhibits will be open for viewing, along with entertainment and food.

After a long day at the Dragon Con 2011 parade, autographs, workshops and just having fun head back to our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast for a little me time.

Rubber Ducks invade MODA

Atlanta was invaded by thousands of rubber ducks on their way to see Water Dream: The Art of Bathroom Design. The Museum of Design Atlanta, MODA, is presenting Water Dream: The Art of Bathroom Design on exhibit until September 24, 2011. See the timeline of how bathrooms evolved from being necessary for hygienic purposes to the luxurious bathrooms of today. Each of the designers used their own approach to designing today’s bathroom. Patricia Uriquola encourages her products to be touched, using handles on sinks that double as towel bars. Jean-Marie Massaud brings nature indoors by using stone, wood and grass as inspiration. Brothers, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have a minimalist approach creating a serene landscape. Minimalist Designer, Phillipe Starck uses form and function to create a spa like experience with no distractions from our busy world.

After a morning at the Museum of Design Atlanta, head over to the High Museum of Art and lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Table 1280 Restaurant. The regional inspired American menu will tempt your taste buds. As you stroll back to our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast dreaming about using your own suite with waterfall faucet, whirlpool for two and steam shower.

Experience one of my favorite annual Atlanta events on July 4th, 2011, the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Sixty thousand runners and walkers alike will descend upon Atlanta for the annual Peachtree Road Race. The 6.2 mile scenic course begins at Lenox Square and continues south on Peachtree Street thru Buckhead, past the High Museum of Art and ends just blocks from our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast in Piedmont Park.  One Hundred Fifty Thousand spectators will line Peachtree Street and cheer the runners on.  All finishers receive the coveted 2011 Peachtree Road Race T-Shirt to wear and impress their fellow Atlantans.

The Peachtree Road Race begins at 6:45 A.M. with the wheelchair racers as shown in the above video.  At 7:30 A.M. the Invited Elite Runners from across the states and internationally begin.  Then the masses start.  Your start time is based on your performance. All racers receive a Chrono-Track-D tag to attach to your shoe, it is activated when you cross the start line and deactivated at the finish line.  You will be notified one to two weeks after the race about your Peachtree Road Race Photo. Your unofficial Peachtree Road Race Results will be posted that evening on the Atlanta Track website.

If you plan on cheering on your favorite runner, be sure and go early and pick a nice shady location, bring a chair and plenty to drink.  You can meet up with friends and family in the meadow near Park Tavern in Piedmont Park.

The 5th Street Bridge, with its lush green landscape buffer, is one of Atlanta’s best kept secrets for watching the July 4th Firework Display being held at Centennial Park.

See you in Piedmont Park or at the 5th Street Bridge!

When planning your next visit to tour our Georgia attractions, don’t miss the Georgia Aquariums newest exhibit, AT & T Dolphin Tales.  The AT & T Dolphin exhibit holds slightly less than 2 million gallons of man-made salt water for the dolphins to frolic in.  The Georgia Aquarium now has a total of 10 million gallons of fresh and marine water and more aquatic life than any other aquarium in the world. The new gallery lobby has a 25 foot- long underwater viewing area. You may find the Dolphin trainers in this area answering questions from the public.  The interactive displays allow you to have a better understanding of dolphins and the conservation efforts being made. The Georgia Aquarium has partnered with The Dolphin Conservation Center at Marineland to create the Georgia Aquarium Dolphin Conservation in Marineland Florida.  The focus is to do research and rescue, rehabilitation and release of dolphins back into the wild in Northeast Florida.

 Lastly, the Dolphin Tales Theater is a state of art enclosed theater with seating for 1,800 visitors.  The Aquarium spent two years planning the Broadway-style musical.  The best of the best animal trainers were hired to work with the dolphins and showcase their athletic ability as well as their attachments to humans. The show will WOW you. 

After spending the morning with the dolphins, head over to the World of Coke or the Georgia Zoo for the afternoon.  Then it is back to our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast to relax on the veranda overlooking the gardens.

Atlanta Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park

April kicks off the festival season in Atlanta.  With warm days and cool evenings it is the perfect time to go to the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, April 15 thru April 17, 2011. To celebrate their 75th Anniversary this year, you can ride the 9 story classic Seattle Ferris Wheel or a 1965 Vintage carousel. This Atlanta Arts Festival  is located just four blocks from our Atlanta bed and breakfast in Piedmont Park.

One of my favorite parts of the Atlanta Dogwood Festival is to stroll thru the Artists Market with over 250 artists in twelve different mediums from the United States and Canada.  This year I am looking forward to seeing Michael A. Barnes work.  Selected as an artist winner in the 3-D- Clay Category, he uses clay, either porcelain or stoneware to create wonderful faces, heads or figurines. Don’t miss him in Booth 31.

The International Stage at Lake Clara Meer Dock will hosts over 400 performers sharing their native cultures. At the International Stage on Sunday the coveted  “Best in Show” award for the best decorated golf cart will be awarded to one of twelve countries.

If you are looking for the latest products in Green Building don’t miss the Eco Village.  The Atlanta Dogwood Festival focuses on Green Initiatives by having LED lighting on all stages, food vendors will convert cooking grease into 75 gallons of bio diesel fuel.

Saturday afternoon is a great time to wander over and see your favorite breed of dog compete in  the 20th Annual Disc Dog Show. The winners will compete in the World Finals in October.  

For all you music lovers, there are two live music stages to select from the Coca-Cola & Xfinity Main Stage and the Acoustic Stage.  Relax with your friends and enjoy your favorite bands.

Two other Atlanta events  you will not want to miss this spring are the Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes, April 30 thru May 1, 2011. Stroll the tree-lined streets filled unique artists selling their wares and tour the Victorian  homes in Atlanta’s first suburb. Experience a culinary weekend with some of Atlanta’s finest chefs at the Food and Wine Festival, May 19 thru the 22nd, 2011.

See you at the Dogwood Festival!

Italian motorcycle compliments of Barber Vintage Sports Museum

We would like to welcome the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) to Midtown.  They are located across the street from the High Museum of Art and just a short walk from the Atlanta Botanical Garden and our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast. 

Be inspired by all things designed from architecture, interiors and furniture, graphics, fashion and much more. You will become aware of how design plays an important role in our everyday lives.  The Museum of Design Atlanta’s first exhibit in their new home is Passione Italiana:  Design of the Italian Motorcycle. View eleven Italian motorcycles that span five decades, from vintage to contemporary.  You will learn how the intricate design of the world’s most sought after motorcycles relate to fashion, industry and furniture of the time.  Some of the masters of their craft are MV Aguste, Decati, Bimota and Moto-Morin. This exhibit is in cooperation with the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

Each Thursday evening the museum is open late, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Design & Drinks.  Indulge in a spirit and be entertained while  learning about the museums current exhibit. Hope to see you this Thursday!

Panda Po, Photo Courtesy of Zoo Atlanta

If you are looking for things to do in Atlanta, don’t miss one of our guests favorite Atlanta attractions, Zoo Atlanta.  Zoo Atlanta was established in 1889 in Grant Park.  It consists of 39 spacious acres in a naturalistic setting with plenty of trees, shrubs and water features. The animals run free in their natural habitats.

One of Zoo Atlanta’s newest residents is Panda Po.  He was the only Giant Panda born in the United States last November.  Po is beginning to make morning appearances with his mother Lun Lun, between the hours of 9:30  and 10:30 a.m. at the Arthur Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center.  If you love pandas and can not make it to the Atlanta Zoo, you can catch him on the Zoo Atlanta PandaCam.  Zoo Atlanta is one of only four zoos in the United States with Giant Pandas.  They contribute 1.1 million per year to China’s Giant Panda Conservation.

This year has been declared the” Year of the Turtle”. There are over 8,200 species of turtles in the world, on every continent except Antarctica.  Presently there are  25 turtle species in danger with an extremely high rate for extension.  Zoo Atlanta houses three of these species, the McCord box turtle, Burmese star Tortoise and Sulawesi forest turtle. In addition, another six species housed at the Atlanta Zoo are on the very likely extension  list. It is surprising to learn that one of our own Georgia species is on the list. Bog turtles are most threatened by the loss of their habitat.  Their world-wide cousins are endangered from extreme over-harvesting for food.  Let’s learn what we can do to help preserve turtles in our own backyard and world-wide.

After spending the morning at the zoo, it is time to head over to the westside of Grant Park and see the Atlanta Cyclorama, the worlds largest oil painting.  It was painted in 1885-1886 by German artists and deplicts the Battle of Atlanta.  It has been a fixture in Grant Park since 1893.  Then it is back to our bed and breakfast in Atlanta to relax and enjoy our new gardens.

Atlanta Seafood at its' Finest

Mark your calendars for three of my favorite weeks of the year, Buckhead, Downtown Atlanta and Midtown Restaurant Weeks.

The second annual Buckhead Restaurant Week will begin on February 26th thru March 6th, 2011. This Atlanta event will promote some of Buckheads finest established restaurants and new trendy spots.  Buckheads well-known chefs will tempt your palate and wow you with their creativity using local and international ingredients. The Pre-Fixe Dinner Menu includes an appetizer, entree and scrumptious desert for just $25.00 or $35.00 per person(excluding alcohol, gratuity and tax).

There are over twenty-five participating restaurants and only nine evenings, so ENJOY! I am looking forward to the Atlanta Fish Market’s Smoked Trout Potato Cake with Roasted Red Pepper Remoulade and Arugula Salad for an appetizer and the Chocolate Toffee Crunch Pie for desert. Another one of our favorites is Annis Cafe. One of their entree specialities is Truite Meuniere Pan-roasted Trout, Wilted Greens, Marinated Artichokes, Capers and Lemon Brown Butter.

As summer arrives, it is the perfect time to experience Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week, beginning May 28th thru June 5th, 2011. You can take in the view of Atlanta’s incredible skyline as you dine at some of the cities finest restaurants.

And lastly,  Midtown Restaurant Week begins August 27th thru September 4th, 2011. Come and enjoy some of my favorite restaurants just a stroll from our Atlanta Bed and Breakfast.