Claudine wrote about the Cyclorama here in June. See http://www.theatlantatraveler.com/what-is-a-cyclorama-in-atlanta-anyway/

It is truly an icon here in Atlanta. The painting was completed in 1896 and it depicts the Battle of Atlanta. It was given to the city by George Gress, the founder of the Grant Park Zoo, in 1898. The diorama was added in 1936. This is old Atlanta, but worth your time.

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You will walk through a first-class cabin and a third-class room.  There are eye witness accounts, photos and many exhibits, including pieces of the china used in both first class and third class. My “Boarding Pass” was in the name of a second class passenger traveling to Akron, Ohio, who was, coincidentally, my age. At the end a list of all the passengers and crew is presented with diginity, as well as the individual stories of some and how they came to be on that particular ship. Even if you have no interest in the romance of the popular movie, this is a fascinating trip back into time.

I have been to the Aquarium before but it is still beautiful and awe-inspiring. Just watching the whale shark and a manta ray swimming overhead is other-worldly. The music adds to the tranquility of the place. I can see why the belugas are such a popular exhibit. They are big and well, almost huggable.

The Titanic exhibit will only be here until Spring. See www.georgiaaquarium.org.

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If you’re not familiar, Seabrook writes about places in Georgia with unique flora and fauna as well as explaining when you can expect to see which variety of hummingbird coming through or what kind of owl it is in your neighborhood making that strange noise. He has written books on Cumberland Island (Cumberland Island: Strong Women, Wild Horses, John F. Blair Publishing, $16.95) and the kaolin industry in Georgia ( Red Clay, Pink Cadillacs and White Gold: Georgia’s Kaolin Chalk Wars, Longstreet, 1995)

Really – there’s nothing like being “out there” and knowing what you are seeing. Here are links to several recent columns:

Mushrooms fill a variety of vital roles -

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/printedition/2008/11/23/wild.html

Owls rule autumn’s nighttime chatter –

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/homeandgarden/stories/2008/10/05/wild_1005_owls_autumn.html

Invading bugs ravage our forests -

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/printedition/2008/11/02/wild.html

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In Clayton County, the Festival of Trees and Lights at Clayton County International Park until December 21. $7 per car wkends, $5 Tue-Thur.

The annual Celebration of Light will be at the Norcross Cemetery beginning at 5 p.m.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an interesting list: www.ajc.com/holiday/content/atlanta-holiday-guide/entertaining/great-holiday-decorations.html

Let us know what your community is doing!

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I didn’t know anything about MedSpas until I visited Ageless Remedies. MedSpas are a little different from traditional spas because they usually have doctors who can prescribe medication. MedSpas have  prescription-grade products available to sell to clients.

Ageless Remedies, founded in 1999, is a MedSpas that offers skin treatments like microdermabraision, Botox and injectables which used to only be available in a doctor’s office. There are 15 Ageless Remedies locations in the U.S. I visited the Alpharetta location.

Some MedSpas have more of clinical feel, but Ageless Remedies, with soft, soothing music piping in the treatment rooms and the comfortable blankets on the treatment table, felt pretty much like a traditional spa. The difference was that Ageless Remedies had medical-grade products. Although I was a little apprehensive about getting a microdermabraision treatment, I felt confident that my esthetician knew what she was doing. My skin had been dry and flaky and I was told that I needed to exfoliate weekly. I knew that I had not been exfoliating, and had not been drinking enough water.

The microdermabraision was not painful. It felt as if someone was gently and softly buffing my skin. Well, that probably sounds a lot worse than it felt. Take my word for it, the treatment didn’t hurt a bit. I noticed that my skin was softer and smoother after the treatment. I also experienced an oxygen treatment, which felt like someone blowing cool air on my face through a straw. Oxygen is supposed to help sooth the skin and have restorative ability.

Ageless Remedies also has laser hair removal. You can rid yourself of unwanted hair for $99 a month. Think about it. No more shaving!

Ageless Remedies is located at

5815 Windward Parkway

Suite 207
Alpharetta, GA 30005

770.475.0770

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Photo Credit: Claudine Williams

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Every weekend there is another celebrity performance in Atlanta. Last month, Ashanti performed at the Compound, which I am trying to get to this summer. Have you been to the Compound? What was this club like? Do you think that it’s worth all of the hype?

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I recently stumbled upon a website rating the best restaurants in several categories in Atlanta. Do you agree with their choices?

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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

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