Photo: Maggie has her photo opportunity at Hotel Indigo. The sign on the chair says,

Don’t Forget the Little People. Courtesy of Hotel Indigo.

Pampered pets in Atlanta know to urge their owners to take them to Hotel Indigo, a boutique hotel where they dine and enjoy cocktail hour with their two-legged friends. The pets have their own bar, called Ruff Age Bar. For the health conscious pet, this bar serves vegan doggie treats.  Yes. The pets are living it up at Hotel Indigo, where pets are not tolerated, they are catered to. Every Tuesday, the pets can enjoy cocktail hour on the patio. Pooches dine on gourmet steak and chicken, and drink bottled water.  Pet owners can order from the casual Golden Bean restaurant and choose from weekly signature drinks including, aptly named, the Salty dog, Greyhound, and the Yellow Lab. The humans can make selections for the fury friends from Hotel Indigo’s doggie menu.

For everyone’s listening pleasure, the Hotel Indigo’s new band debuted this week. The band, The House Band with a Little Sax, features Brian Myler the Food and Beverage Director of the hotel on drums, and Eddie Barton, the front desk office manager on saxophone. Tunes that humans can sing to and pets can howl to are featured. So, don’t be surprised if you hear the band play, Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog.

Hey, if you are looking for a pet, come out to the festivities. The Atlanta Humane Society also brings pets looking to be adopted to the cocktail party. You may just make and new friend.

Now you’ve got to see this in person.

When: Every Tuesday (All summer long)

            6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: Hotel Indigo- Midtown Atlanta

              (Across from The Fox Theatre)

               683 Peachtree St. NE

               404.874.9200

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

The New World of Coca Cola is located right next door to the Georgia Aquarium in midtown Atlanta. I got more than I bargained for during my trip there. I especially enjoyed the 4D theater. A 4D Theater incorporates the 3D visuals with other senses. At the New World of Coca Cola, the chairs bucked and jerked during the movie; water splashed on the audience, and at one point, it felt like was poking me in the back of my seat. The short movie (about 15 minutes long) was about a quest to find the secret ingredient to Coca Cola.

The New World of Coca Cola is located in a two-story building, packed with Coca Cola artifacts and memorabilia. There are also a few interactive games that you can play. It’s like a Coke museum! There were no lines when I visited and it was easy to get good pictures with the Coca Cola artifacts, many of which are behind glass cases. The best part of the trip, though was tasting dozens of Coca Cola products. Basically, I took a plastic cup and was able to drink to my heart’s content. The fountain drinks were from different countries and the United States. There was one South African drink that I liked, although it was on the sweet side. I enjoyed the carbonated apple drinks and of course, the U.S. version of Fanta, grape and strawberry were some of my favorites.

Stay tuned for photos of the New World of Coca Cola

Want to Go?

121 Baker Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30313-1807
(404) 676-5151 or
1-800-676-COKE (2653)

Adult tickets are $15

Tickets for Youth  3-12 are $9

Toddlers 0-2 are free to enter

Seniors, 55+, $13 to enter

Hours of operation vary. Check here for information for the hours.

Photo Credit: Versatile Aure, Flickr Creative Commons license

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

“What’d have? What’d you have,” they shout. “Everybody please step down so that we can get you out of here.”

They are funny, gritty, and no nonsense. It’s sort of like eating at your favorite greasy spoon, if you know what I mean. The Varsity is actually the World’s Largest Drive-In restaurant. The downtown location can accommodate 600 cars and 800 people inside the store. That location is at:

61 North Avenue
Atlanta GA 30308

You can get various types of hot dog-dog combinations with chili, slaw and cheese. Over two miles worth of hot dogs are sold every day at the Varsity. The hot dogs range from a plain hot dog to a chili-slaw hot dog. Of course the following hot dogs are also sold:

• plain
• chili
• cheese dogs
• chili-cheese dogs

You can go heavy on the chili if you want to. Burgers, sandwiches, salads, frosted drinks, chocolate shakes, sweet tea (gotta love it) and soft drinks are also sold at the Varsity.

One thing about it, unless you are going to sit in your car and let a car hop serve you, you can’t be shy at the Varsity. It’s loud, brassy, and fun. The original location opened in downtown Atlanta in 1928. There are now several locations to choose from.

Hours for the downtown location of the Varsity are:

Sunday-Thursday 10:00am-11:30pm
Friday-Saturday 10:00am-12:30am
Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Christmas Eve hours 10:00am-9:00pm

Other metro Atlanta locations for the Varsity are:

Alpharetta

1000 West Broad Street
Athens GA 30606

Athens

11556 Rainwater Drive
Alpharetta GA 30004

Atlanta (This is a Varsity Junior, not the original)

1085 Lindbergh Drive
Atlanta GA 30324

Norcross

6045 Dawson Blvd.
Norcross GA 30093

Kennesaw

2790 Town Center Drive
Kennesaw GA 30144

Photo Credit : Afroswede, Flickr Creative Commons License

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

Watch a Shakespeare inspired play and have dinner at the Shakespeare Tavern, a quaint playhouse on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. The Shakespeare Tavern is the perfect place to go if you enjoy plays, love Shakespeare, and want to do something a little different. I like the fact that you can eat as the play is performed. Just make sure that you get to the Shakespeare Tavern early (far before the play starts) so that you can be seated and order your meal. The menu is available an hour and 15 minutes before the performance, but food services ends five minutes before the show. Here is a menu. Dessert is available during intermission. Prepare for long lines, though. You have to wait in line to get the treats and it seems like everyone in the entire theater gets up to get into line.

Ease up and wait in line just before intermission. In fact, when you first get to the Tavern, be sure to check the time for intermission. If you are late for the beginning of the play, you may have to wait for a hostess to seat you. There are some moments when entry is prohibited. I visited the Shakespeare Tavern to view Tom Stoppard’s, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. I enjoyed the puns in the play and laughed a lot. I thought that the acting was superb. The actors come out into the audience, which is a treat if you are on the floor. It was a good adult play. Go see this play and enjoy a little intellectual humor. Yes. There are some silly parts in the play, that you don’t have to think too much about. If you are into Shakespearean plays, you can expect to laugh out loud. The play runs until June 1.

Parking

Please don’t follow my example and park in the hospital lot near the corner of Peachtree and North Avenue, which is about four blocks away from the theater. The parking there is $13 for two hours. Park in the Crawford Long Hospital Deck which is directly across the street from the theater. The parking is regularly $7 but you can pay $4 with your ticket stub. Just in case you miss the dinner, the theater is near Gladys Knight and Ron Winans’ Chicken and Waffles. Here are some directions to get to the Shakespeare Tavern.

l-r: Nick Faircloth, Paul McClain (Hamlet), Paul Hester

Photo by Jeff Watkins, Used with permission

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

The Underground is still a popular spot for tourists and Atlanta natives. There has been some talk about Underground Atlanta being unsafe. What do you think?

Photo Credit: DB King, Flickr Creative Commons License

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

I thought that I’d hear soft music, the type you hear while floating off to sleep, during a relaxing massage. I read Memoirs of a Geisha, after all. So, I thought that I knew what to expect.

The Geisha House was nothing at all like I’d imagined. There was only one geisha, the hostess when I visited on a Friday night. The other servers wore black slacks with red, low-cut T-shirts. I am happy to say that they had Asian servers and also servers from other ethnic groups. That was cool. After a hard day at work, I was ready to chill, so I wanted to be enveloped in soft soothing music. The music at the Geisha House was not soft and gentle. It was pounding and rhythmic, sort of like being in a club, which is fine if you are expected a club-like environment.

I can say the the Geisha House was sexy. Red lighting, seating, and low-lights gave the restaurant an exotic feel.

The food did  meet my expectations. I tried the teriyaki salmon, which was delicious. Although I am not sushi expert, the California rolls that I tried were also decent. Well, they tasted pretty much the same was as the ones at Publix. Meals at the Geisha House are a la carte. Most entrees are about $15 each. So, for about $35 I had salmon and California rolls, which is too pricey given the atmosphere.

The Geisha House is located at 1380 Atlantic Drive, in Atlanta. The phone number is 404-872-3903.

Photo Credit: Claudine Williams

Technorati Tags: Geisha House,geisha,atlanta restaurants,atlanta sushi,sushi,atlantic station

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

Breakfast and brunch at Brasstown Valley

Photo and video by Claudine Williams

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

Five Guys has locations throughout the Atlanta area. The burger and fries were incredibly filling. I fell asleep right after eating. So, if you are on a diet, hmmmm, you may want to rethink a trip to Five Guys. Now, I have a question for you. Where in the Atlanta area is your favorite burger joint?

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

The petite burgers were a filling appetizers. I wish that I had the recipe for that sauce. The fries were well-seasoned. They are perfect to share or, if you are like me, you can keep both of them for yourself.

Steak and lobster was my perfect combination.

Notice the size of that steak. Yes. It was filling. I was hungry, so I wanted to sample as much as possible for this review. It is important to note. however, that the portions at Maxim Prime are controlled so that most diners won’t be overstuffed. It depends on how much your order. I dined with a bodybuilder, on the evening that I visited!

I must also add that the service was great at Maxim Prime. Every time I left the table and left my napkin in my chair, Michelle folded it prettily. Glasses were kept filled, and I never had to look for my server.

The restaurant is next to the CNN Center, Phillips Arena and the Georgia Dome. Valet parking is $5 with validation from the restaurant. Reservations are recommended. Call 404-469-4700.

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler

Imagine being high up on a giant mountain. The air is nippy, but you don’t mind the chill. A huge wooden cross is there to remind you while you are there.  Then you see the glow of the sun rising and pouring color into the sky like orange lava. All is well. That’s Easter in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Easter sunrise service at Stone Mountain National Park is a tradition. The park gates open at 4 a.m., and two non-denominational services, one at the top of the mountain, the other at the base of the mountain will begin simultaneously at 6:15 a.m.

It’s free to walk up the mountain, but if you are like me and would rather take the skyride that early in the morning, you can pay $9 for the lift up. Children, 3-11, can ride the skyride for $7. Parking is $8 for a day-pass.

Easter Services at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Atlanta

The church is located at 4465 Northside Drive in Atlanta.

Good Friday — March 21
Life South Blood Drive
10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. — McDonough Hall
Seven Last Words
12:00 p.m. — 2:30 p.m. — Church
Confessions will be heard throughout
Stations of the Cross
2:30 p.m. — 3:00 p.m. — Church

Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
8:00 p.m. — Church

Holy Saturday — March 22
Easter Egg Hunt
11:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. — Church grounds

Holy Saturday — March 22
Easter Vigil Mass
8:00 p.m. — Church

Easter Sunday — March 23
Mass Schedule
6:30 a.m. Sunrise — St. Francis & St. Anthony Outdoor Chapel
8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., & 12:00 p.m. — Church

Atlanta Easter Brunch

• Two Urban Licks, will serve Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Easter Bunny will be on hand to entertain the children who are searching for Easter eggs. Two Urban Licks is located at 820 Ralph McGill Boulevard in Atlanta. Call 404-522-4622 for reservations.

• Have your Easter Brunch high in the sky at the Sundial Restaurant on top of the Westin Peachtree Hotel at 210 Peachtree Street. Brunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Easter Sunday. The menu is available on the Sundial Restaurant site. Click on the March 23rd date on the calendar. Call 404-589-7506 for reservations.

• Eat a la carte. VII fifty Restaurant and Lounge at 1570 Holcombe Bridge Road in Roswell will have an a la carte brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 678-206-0850.

• Enjoy an Atlanta favorite. The Vinings Inn at 3011 Paces Mill Road will serve brunch from 10:30 to 5 p.m. Brunch is $39.95 for adults and $19.95 for children under 12. Call 770-438-2282 for reservations.

• Choose from more than 100 dishes at the Ritz Carlton, 3434 Peachtree Road,  in Buckhead. Old favorites as well as exotic new dishes, carving tables, and dessert presentations that will knock your socks off are available for brunch. Call 404-237-2700 for reservations.

Where are you going to worship or have brunch for Easter? Let us know! Send a comment. I’d love to hear from you. I would like to wish you all a wonderfully happy and blessed Easter in Atlanta, and keep the true meaning of the holiday in mind.

Photo Credit: Stone Mountain National Park, Used with Permission

Post from: The Atlanta Traveler