Hotlanta!

We just returned from the best Memorial weekend vacay EVER. We ventured down to the deep South to the ATL to spend 3 days and 3 nights checking out the best the city had to offer! It was kind of a spur of the moment trip-- as for weeks we'd been scouting out Charleston, SC as our next vacation destination. But being the procrastinators we are, we left booking the hotel to the last minute and when push came to shove we simply could not find a hotel affordable enough to do it! Jon suggested Atlanta since it's bigger and would have more hotel options, so thanks to Priceline we found a place for a steal right smack downtown and quickly changed gears!

 We started the day at the Georgia Aquarium, which apparently is the largest in the world. There was tons to do and see, and tons of people to share the experience with. The place was packed! Lucy and Zach wanted to pet the stingrays first, so our adventure began there. 

 There were lots of colorful fish to see, as well as sharks, alligators, penguins, dolphins, eels, and other creepy crawlies from the deep blue sea. They were in great moods (the kids, that is)-- happy to be on vacation, and happy to see so many cool fish.

 Hidden upstairs away from the main floor there was a neat frog exhibit that we had fun finding all the camouflaged frogs and toads in since we had the place to ourselves. Right after we checked out a cute 3D movie next door.

 Ooooooh, the jelly fish... These guys creep me out!!

 There was a really neat Shark Tunnel you could walk through, and they had several whale sharks which were HUGE!! They'd cruise right over your head almost so close you could touch them! There was a free dolphin show (kind of Sea World-esque) with music and actors which Zach unfortunately fell asleep during. It lasted until 2:30 p.m. so we were STARVING after the show and ready for lunch, and as we were walking out, Zach (who was sleeping on Jon) popped up and groggily asked, "What's next on the list, guys?"  What a goof.

 Since Coke World is right across from the aquarium we had to snap a pic even though we didn't pay to get in. I'm the only Coke-fan in the family who could even come close to drinking my way through the $16 admission fee. 

 Taking a break after a yummy lunch at Baja Fresh in downtown Atlanta. Lucy was such a trooper walking wherever we needed to go! I know we did a couple of miles that morning and afternoon alone. Poor Jon was tasked with carrying Zach around since somehow he made it out of Pinehurst with his only truly crappy pair of flip flops that naturally he has the most trouble walking in.

 Lucy checking out Olympic Park in the heart of Atlanta. It was a beautiful day with great weather!

After a well-deserved break at the hotel so Leah could get a nice long, uninterrupted nap, we headed back out to eat at FLIP Burger Boutique, a restaurant owned by Richard Blais (Top Chef winner). I'm a big fan of his from his various stints on reality TV where he showcases crazy creative eats, so I was super excited to check out this place!

 The famous Krispy Kreme liquid nitrogen milkshake. This sucker holds the coveted distinction of having 5 stars on Yelp. Tastes just like the real thing, and since it's made with liquid nitrogen table-side (they bring it in a tea kettle and pour it in smoking), it freezes instantly and is super creamy! We also tried the Nutella and Toasted Marshmallow, which was also very good.

 I had such a hard time deciding which burger to try because they all sounded so good! I finally went with the Turkey which had white cheddar, guacamole, pomegranate ketchup, and sprouts. Jon was adventurous and got the Bison Burger which had some super spicy chili on top and he dubbed it a "gut bomb."

 The sides were honestly the best part of the meal. We tried the sampler so we got the vodka battered onion rings with horseradish dipping sauce (AMAZING), hand-cut fries with smoky mayo, and sweet potato tater tots with blue cheese dip. Mmmmm. Worth a trip back just for those! Overall we scored Richard an A on the milkshakes and sides, and B for the burgers we tried. Definitely recommended if you're ever in Hotlanta!  

 After dinner we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a lovely southern sunset on the way.

 Sunday morning the kids were up again bright and early, so after showering and eating breakfast we let Leah nap and Jon got to share a spiritual message with the kids in honor of the Sabbath. Our kids think staying in a hotel is a huge treat. 

 Once Leah woke up we headed back out to the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Center, which gave us an unanticipated tour of the ghetto through a pretty sketchy stretch of Atlanta (don't care to walk through there again; lots of homeless peeps), but was well worth the journey in the end.

 There was a really nice museum detailing the country's violent struggle for Civil Rights, along with a really powerful movie about Martin Luther King Jr. I don't think I really fully appreciated what a visionary and inspiring man he was. It just really hit me how much hatred there was in the South for a very, very long time. Dr. King was born at the right time and in the right place, and his life really spread a message of love. He tried to show blacks and whites that nonviolence was the solution-- and was probably one of the best speakers/writers of the century. 

 He and his wife's tomb is located just down the street from his birth home as well as next to the church where he was pastor.

 Ebenezer Baptist Church-- the church he attended as a child and subsequently became pastor alongside his father later in life, which gave him extra time to read and write.

 Inside the church. Many of his messages about love and faith were spoken from that pulpit. It was very moving to stand there-- and needless to say he was a very inspiring man. I think Lucy even appreciated the experience.

 After our MLK moment, we decided to cap off our black history tour with lunch at Gladys Knight's. This restaurant is revered as an Atlanta institution, and is critically acclaimed to have the best chicken and waffles in the country. 

If you can tell (the picture is kind of dark), we weren't the only ones who had heard of its repuation. This is Zach standing across the street, looking at a line of at least 50 people trying to get in. We put our name on the waiting list and hung out for 90 minutes until it was our turn (we'd been warned there is a constant 2 hour wait). We just figured it was a once in a lifetime chance to have some real Southern soul food. Thank heavens for iPhones to entertain little children!

 Here it is! Dubbed "The Midnight Train to Georgia." Admittedly, it was a fantastic waffle, and while I've never been a big fan of fried chicken, it was some seriously good fried chicken. It was fried and seasoned perfectly and super moist, but even better was the fun atmosphere we got to eat in. The mac and cheese was delicious too!

Lucy can now add to her list of experiences (along with a tantrum in the Oval Office, and falling asleep on an Amish woman's shoulder while on a buggy ride), eating chicken and waffles at Gladys Knight's. With our bellies full, we were all pretty hot and tired from miles of walking (again, props to Lucy who walked the entire time), so we took a little siesta back at the hotel. 

That evening we were ready for another adventure and a snack, so we headed to the Atlanta Food Truck Park to check out some local street food.

It was a great kitchy little place with lots of covered picnic tables, music, atmosphere, and tons of food trucks. Jon and I split a chicken tikka masala wrap, the kids ate BBQ hotdogs, and we split some really tasty cupcakes for dessert. It was a great cap to an already pretty cool day.

Before we made it back to the hotel we quickly swung by Margaret Mitchell's house to see where the famous "Gone With the Wind" novel was penned. Because Sherman basically burned Atlanta to the ground on his infamous march, there aren't many Antebellum homes left.

We woke up early Monday morning to pack up, check out, and head back home, but not before a nice leisurely breakfast at the Flying Biscuit, which is a fun, off-the-beaten-path kind of place with hippy-dippy natural and organic food.

 Here's my goat cheese and mushroom omelet with creamy dreamy grits, and one fantastic flying biscuit with homemade jam. It was a very southern breakfast and tasted great. We had a blast checking out Atlanta, and can now happily check it off the ol' Bucket List of Places-to-See-Before-We-Move. I'm grateful to my kids who are such good sports, and especially my husband who is my favorite travel buddy.

One last picture before I sign off: Just about every gas station you stop at here in the South has a Boiled Peanut station. They are disgusting, FYI. But you know, shout out to life in the deep South!