The Atlanta Traveler

I have a triathlon athlete friend visiting from California. He wanted to know where to go biking and the first thing that came to mind was Silver Comet Trail. SCT is a 94-mile bike trail that runs from Georgia to Alabama. Currently, only about 60 miles are paved but construction is underway to finish the remaining trail which would join Smyrna, Georgia to Anniston, Alabama.

Silver Comet was originally a railroad but was abandoned by CSX Transportation in 1989. The Georgia DOT then bought the abandoned rail line. After much planning, Silver Comet finally opened to …read more

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I love breakfast. I love breakfast so much that I can eat it at every meal of the day. North of the GA-400, there are many notable places to eat breakfast or brunch. Two of these are J Christopher’s and Alpha Soda.
The first one is J Christopher’s which didn’t use to be a chain but now is. Its first location was on Haynes Bridge Rd in Alpharetta. People come in droves despite its consistent lack of good (or even acceptable) service. Breakfast here is so time consuming that a typical one lasts close to two …read more

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This year’s Taste of Atlanta was one of the best. It was well-organized with over 70 restaurants participating. The highlight of the weekend was the show and book signing of Rocco DiSpirito of the Top Chef fame. I was lucky enought to be thisclose to him. He is such a nice guy. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s good-looking, too. More photos here.

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We’ve been meaning to catch the jousting show and dinner at this place but logistics (and price) kept us away. We finally grabbed the opportunity when we found discount coupons for $5 off. Medieval Times is a dinner theater that offers a glimpse of what it was like back in the 11th century when life was about royalty, castles, and knighthood.
There are several pre and post show activities including picture taking with the King or Princess and mini shows. One of these activities included a live falcon show. There are also ceremonies for knighthood …read more

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The 22nd Annual Film Festival starts October 12 through November 17 at the High Museum of Art. This year’s film fest includes notable films from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S. All films are in their original languages with English subtitles. Please note that most of the films are geared toward mature audiences.
Here is the list of the films being shown:
Bluff
Friday, October 12, 8 p.m.
Rich TheatreAlmost Brothers
Saturday, October 13, 8 p.m.
Rich Theatre
DocuSpain:The Miracle of Candeal
Thursday, October 18, 8 p.m.
Hill Auditorium
Alice’s House
Friday, October 19, 8 p.m.
Rich Theatre
DocuSpain:Cuban Rafters
Saturday, October 20, 5 p.m.
Rich Theatre
The Violin
Saturday, October …read more

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Delta Air Lines, Atlanta’s own airline, finally acquired approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to offer non-stop flights between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Shanghai, China beginning March 30, 2008. The petition was filed in January earlier this year. Previous applications were also filed in 2000 and 2005 but were denied.
Delta’s application was heavily supported by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue who said,:
“Investors, businesses, CEOs and those board members like to be close to where the investment is,” he said.
For the state’s coastal area, strengthening business ties with Chinese companies could lead to more activity at the …read more

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I was at my neighborhood Super H Mart and found these beautiful Korean melons. They are actually cantaloupes but look like squash. Called Boseok Korean Melons, they have white flesh. They are sweet and tastes like cantaloupes and honey dews combined. Pick the ones that are still firm but not hard. You want them to be crunchy but not hard enough that your jaw hurts from chewing. You don’t want them soft and soggy either.

I bought a box that was on special for $9.99 and had 9 melons in it. …read more

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I am alarmed at the growth of Kudzu here in Georgia. I used to only see them along rural highways a few years ago. These days, I see them a mile from where I live. And it’s scary. Kudzu is a wild vine that grows an alarming one foot per week. That totals 52 feet per year! Kudzu not only suffocates trees, plants, shrubs or anything on its path, it also swallows them whole!
The Kudzu vine first appeared at the Philadelphia Centennial Expo in 1876. It was originally intended to be a …read more

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