I will put in a few words for Atlanta, although its desirability is dependent on when the F2F is and whether we can get a good price on a hotel near a MARTA line.
Pros:
One of the world's busiest airports, which means that fares are usually pretty good
The High Museum [link] The High is in a three-year partnership with The Louvre and will have a number of paintings from The Louvre on display.
CNN - Really a pretty good tour, although it makes you grateful that you don't work somewhere where tourists can look down on your work from a catwalk.
The World of Coca-Cola [link] - Fun and interesting. I go for the original Haddon Sunblooms, he being the man who showed us what Santa Claus looked like, but there is also a lot of interesting Coke and soft drink history; many bells and whistles; and a room where you can taste Coke products from around the world (flower-flavored soda, anyone?)
The Georgia Aquarium [link] currently the world's largest. Whale sharks! Penguins! Near Ikea!
Atlanta Zoo. Baby gorillas [link] Pandas! Tigers!
The Cyclorama [link] - One of the last remaining 19th century circular paintings. It shows the Battle of Atlanta.
Stone Mountain - world's largest piece of exposed granit
Many of the usual shopping venues, although we are sadly lacking a Lush, except of the lower-case variety. We get Trader Joe's this fall.
Quite a few good music venues
If it's in April or early May, the most beautiful spring you have ever seen. Dogwoods, azaleas, daffodils in great swaths of color.
Cons:
Almost no Buffistas. It's me and Bicyclops and his DW. I have experience in running conventions, but the other proposed venues have far more localistas.
Atlanta is a very car-oriented city. We can get to many places without a car if the hotel is on a MARTA line, but after that it's rental cars, cabs and a really inefficient bus system, plus a trolley thing that goes back and forth on Peachtree to Buckhead and the major upscale shopping. If the hotel is near a MARTA station, it's an easy and cheap ride from the airport.
By late May, it's Too Damn Hot.
Old Crow Medicine Show is playing at the Cat's Cradle on Oct. 22
AIEEEEEEEEEEEEE. looks at plane ticket to NC for that weekend. sobs.
I'd be a lot more upset if I weren't seeing Corb Lund next Saturday and Cory Branan in October. Also - CURSE YOU for leading me down this particular musical path. By which I mean **smooches**!
Pat Riarch.
Oh, she's awesome. Love her! I don't know her personally, but I love her spoken-word pieces. That's still her stage name, though she also goes by Neeve sometimes as well. I'm still trying to track down a book of some of her poetry.
I can attest to Atlanta's gorgeous azaleas. We have them here, but they make them CRAZY HUGE down there. Beautiful.
Atlanta also has Joelvis, the "150% Cuban" bartender at Papi's East Cuban cuisine on Ponce. He's the source of all joy and positivity in the universe, I'm pretty sure, and made the best mojito I ever had.
Back on the NC pimping front, I kinda forgot that we have museums and a zoo. Right. After I return some calls, maybe I can come back with some Real Stuff like that for y'all.
I'd be a lot more upset if I weren't seeing Corb Lund next Saturday and Cory Branan in October.
CORB! I am so jealous. smonster and I need to work on that getting-him-to-NC thing. Seriously.
I'm seeing Cory tomorrow (eee!) and from all accounts will probably get to meet him (OMG). I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Also, Lucero and Steve Earle. MUCKLEWAIN, BAYBEE!
Also - CURSE YOU for leading me down this particular musical path. By which I mean **smooches**!
Hee! I made lj icons of Ben Nichols's arms yesterday. See how lost I am?
Corb Lund next Saturday
Perk. Here???
Indeed. Hotel Utah Saloon, Saturday the 26th, 9 pm. Wanna meet me there? Or we could meet for dinner earlier?
I'm seeing Cory tomorrow (eee!) and from all accounts will probably get to meet him (OMG). I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Also, Lucero and Steve Earle. MUCKLEWAIN, BAYBEE!
Y'know, I'm TRYING VERY HARD not to seethe with jealousy here. Ahem. Y'all just go get some pimpin' info, missy.
seethe
I can't believe we made it work. This is literally our busiest work weekend of the year, and smonster and I both finagled the weekend off. Because we are crafty.
The sad side, of course, is that we'll be saying good-bye to SA this weekend as well. The sadness! At least we're seeing her off IN STYLE.
All your billytea are belong to us.
