Ideas for summer vacation: "Georgia on my mind" and things to do in Atlanta! A staycation in Atlanta Part 1!

In my article " Ideas for Summer vacation: Thailand's on my mind" I mentioned that some people's vacations could simply consist of visiting a nearby city" or having a staycation trying something new in your town.

If you are from Atlanta or from it's surrounding I hope this article will give you a new perspective into Hotlanta! (smiles)! If you have never been to Atlanta and are somewhat curious about its history and identity I hope that this article will trigger a deeper interest.
There are fun things to do in Atlanta like
Visiting the GA Aquarium it's easy to spend a whole day in there.
Spending time at Centennial Park
Visiting the Botanical Garden
Visiting the CNN center which is one of my favorite after the GA Aquarium.
Enjoying Piedmont park especially when there's a concert or event.
Educating yourself at the Martin Luther King Center if you are interested in the Civil Right Movement or The Jimmy Carter center is you are interested about Human rights.
Visiting the High Museum during one of their fascinating exhibition, attending a Live Jazz event on Fridays...
Well I could go on and on about fun things to do in Atlanta as I have explored all the above plus some; but today I wanted to talk about a simple and enriching excursion I recently had in Atlanta.

I believe that walking is a great form of exercise and learning is good for our mental health so one morning I indulged into a little excursion downtown Atlanta.

I moved to the Atlanta GAArea 10 years ago before relocating to a nearby city in TN. I never took the time to enjoy a simple, peaceful and relaxing walk downtown. So about a month ago I had a very very short vacation/staycation and stayed just one night at the Hilton Downtown Atlanta with my husband. Walking around Downtown Atlanta was honestly one of the highlight of our vacation/staycation. I was certainly rediscovering the city. I never took time to walk downtown and take pictures. I knew downtown only by car and only knew it during busy hours.

It was on a Sunday morning, it was quiet and very different from the hustle and bustle that one is used to in such a metropolitan. It was such a relaxing time and since I took a bunch of pictures I am sharing some for your enjoyment and adding some interesting facts along the way.

Sleeping arrangements are important for a pleasant vacation no matter how short the vacation. Downtown Atlanta has many nice hotels and something for any budget. Just to name a few there is the Sheraton, The Marriott, the Westin, and the Hilton where I stayed at. (check the many pictures below)

Inside the Hilton hotel downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
We just checked in,

 I am checking the second most important room in any place, the bathroom that is, bathroom comfort is crucial for any quality vacation...

In the meantime hubby is taking in the view...

Hilton Hotel downtown Atlanta GA.

Being up so high, the 17th floor, the view of the pool down there makes me think of a weird scene from CSI Miami or CSI NY...or was it a scene in the first Lethal Weapon (1987) starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover? I don't know but I am not sure that I like being so high....

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA night view from the 17th floor.

But...there are some advantages to being on a high floor, advantages like being on a very quiet floor and having such as a panoramic view of the city by night or by day.....

Atlanta GA view from the Hilton's hotel from the 17th floor.

Atlanta GA view from the Hilton hotel downtown Atlanta view from the 17th floor.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA view from the 17th floor.

If you are afraid of height just don't look down....I have to tell you I am not a fan of glass elevators.

Hilton Hotel  Downtown Atlanta GA inside view from the 17th floor.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA view from the 17th floor.

Getting a quick peak at what's going on outside the hotel...

Okay, we are on the main floor, so glad to be out of the glass elevator, I will not take it again. I am doing a little exploring indoor, there's a Gift Shop with some very cuuute things passed the Coffee shop! Here are some pictures inside the Hilton

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA main floor.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Time for a walk Really a beautiful day to go on a walk...

Exploring the architecture of a city is certainly a fun thing to do either on a vacation in a new city or just playing tourist in your town. Talking of tourist...what are these buildings below? Can any of you tell me?

Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

I was clearly intrigued by this building in particular can any of you tell me that is? I have heard years ago of a rotating restaurant but not certain if that's it?

Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Some hotels downtown Atlanta Georgia

The Westin Hotel!

The Marriott Hotel Atlanta GA

The Ritz Carlton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA

We (hubby and I) passed by the Sheraton Hotel before we saw an old church that grabbed my attention.

Sheraton Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

I love history,old buildings, and educational vacations...

History of the First Congregational Church

First Congregational Church Atlanta GA

This is probably the one building that I photographed the most, I am sparing you all the many pictures I took but I have to share with you some of its history that I researched well after my peaceful walk.When I returned from Atlanta I was determined to learn more about this old church and I must tell you, I learned so much as I not only researched the history of the building but the lives of some of the people who attended there as well.

First Congregational Church Atlanta, Georgia.

So let me share a little history lesson...hope you don't mind...if you do just skip to the rest of the stuffs but for you all who love history, Black history, and/or African-American studies here's a treat...

The First Congregational Church in Atlanta was built in 1867 (as a picture I took above shows). Some interesting facts I retained form my researches are found in more details in the link I provide below.
The church was the Second oldest congregational church in the United States.
It was built to educate newly freed slaves after the Civil war.
The congregation was interracial.
The first service was May 26 1867 conducted by Reverend Erastus M. Cravath who later became president of Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee.  I could not find any picture of him but this one. He is the man in the center.   This picture belongs to the HBCU library Alliance and is part of the digital collection celebrating the founding of Fisk.
In 1894 the Church elected its first Black pastor Dr. Henry Hugh Proctor.
The church had some very remarkable members three of them were
John Wesley Dobbs  a political leader.
Mattiwilda Dobbs an opera singer and 
Grace Towns Hamilton the first Black Woman to serve in Georgia House of Representatives.
Each of these people has a fascinating biography and in spite of my temptation to share what I learned about each one of them it would be beyond the scope of this article to share more details.But for more on the church please read the following pages
http://www.auctr.edu/rwwl/FindingAids%5CFirstCongChurch.pdf

I know it sounded like we just had a small Black history lesson here but what good is an excursion through  Atlanta without learning a few things? We all know about Martin Luther King but we rarely talk about those people I just mentioned above. When I was taking pictures of the Church, I knew there was a lot to be known about this old building so obviously I had to please my inquisitive side. I hope the facts I shared above would simply inspire you to do some research of your own, this could be a great theme for any parent interested in teaching their children some historical facts about Atlanta GA that most people might not know about. I had visited the M.L.King Center and most things related to King in Atlanta when I first moved there 10 years ago but I never heard a thing about the 1st Congregational church and its famous attendants.

First Congregational church Atlanta GA

  There is something powerful about connecting with history, especially when you least expect it! I wish the building could talk...If that building could talk I would have be seated there for hours just listening....

First Congregational Church Courtland Street Atlanta GA.

Just a block away is...

As we walked around (my hubby and I ) there are few old buildings but nothing like that church. There are still plenty of pleasant things to check, definitely more modern, like the sculpture below:

A sculpture at the United Way building

United Way Building Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Or the shining light award

Shining Light Award by the Magnolia Bistro Atlanta on Edgewood Ave.
1988 Shining Light Award to Mrs. Leonard 'Be' Haas
Photo by Goodhealthdiva

This shining light award is located by the Magnolia Bistro courtyard on 100 Edgewood Avenue, on the bottom floor of the United Way Building. Upon returning from my trip I did some research about the Magnolia Bistro just to see if it would be worth planning lunch there someday.The reviews on http://www.yelp.com/ were not as pleasant as the cute setting I saw this quiet Sunday morning.

Magnolia Bistro on Edgewood Ave. Atlanta GA picture by Goodhealthdiva

A special note about the Shining Light award. I was very curious about what it was all about and it's worth sharing. ( Ha ha ha another small history lesson...)
 The Sharing Light award is a gas lamp and plaque that's awarded each year to a 'Georgian who has been an inspiration to the lives of others through service to humanity ' (Atlanta gas Light Company). The award has been established since 1963 and is placed at a location chosen by the honoree. The recipient of the 1988 Award ( that I pictured above), Mrs. Leonard ' Be' Haas was a volunteer, fund raiser and community leader.

Okay...moving on with our little excursion downtown Atlanta.
The buildings below certainly got my attention from a distance. Don't they look grand?

Hurt Plaza Atlanta Georgia

The Hurt Building Atlanta Georgia.Designed in 1913 by Joel Hurt.

It certainly looks grand and rich up close with tall Acanthus columns, gorgeous balusters, dental molding and plenty of fascinating details to please all those who love architecture and appreciate old world beauty.  The building...yes (sigh)...another short history lesson...the building was designed in 1913 by architect Joel Hurt and is one of Atlanta earliest skyscrapers. The building host the Venetian Room at the Hurt Plaza, the Venetian Room is a private event space and is greatly recommended for a memorable wedding at an historic venue.
So if you are looking for a wedding venue in the heart of downtown Atlanta with a flair of history there you have it...but I don't know the price tag for rentals...

Hurt Plaza Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Well, all that walking has led us to what turned out to be my very favorite spot....here we are...the beautiful park nested in the city, Woodruff Park, right across the Hurt Plaza!

I liked the park so much that I honestly forgot about everything else and simply enjoyed...so many things made me smile there! I will return for a part two of my vacation/staycation in Atlanta GA. For now just enjoy all these pictures and the historical and cultural facts I just shared with you. I will see you in a few days with more pictures of Woodruff Park, and certainly a few historical facts...

Hope you enjoyed your tour of downtown Atlanta so far. Thanks for reading and please share share share because some of the facts above are worth sharing since this article is not just about pretty pictures of a metropolitan, it's also about knowing a little more this summer...after all learning something new, fresh and changing our perspectives on a few things is what make vacations so refreshing...well... that's my humble opinion!

Are you in or from the Atlanta area? How well do you really know the city? Any fresh ideas come to mind for you to rediscover it? Are you inspired to re-discover the city/state where you are currently living?

N'na

Southern Style Sunday Stroll by the Tennessee River: Welcome to Chattanooga!

Tennesse River, Delta Queen Steamboat, Coolidge Park...

My husband & I enjoyed our Sunday evening walking downtown yesterday! The Sunday before we had fun riding our bikes in the same areas but we just opted for a much slower pace this time! I had promised myself to share some of the pictures I took on my bike ride last Sunday but I haven't committed much time to downloading the pictures. Today I am making time to share with you some of the pleasant things that were on my path as we were walking around our beautiful Scenic City! I will add a few more pictures by the end of the week, but for today here are some to charm you! A taste of a Southern city with some southern charm that make you feel so happy to be alive!

Enjoy!

The Tennessee Aquarium

The Tennessee Aquarium! I did not take a lot of pictures yesterday because I already have plenty of them representing the TN Aquarium!

What's new since the last time I walked around this street are those guys here! They are parked by many of the restaurants like EASY and passed the theaters! Whoever came up with that idea is a pretty smart dude! But I don't need them to "Take my butt home" as I am here to enjoy myself and get me some exercise at the same time!

In a few minutes I will be crossing that bridge and walk to the North Shore!


Engraved in the ground, you will read those words as you step on the TN Aquarium toward the members entrance!

My view from the Market Street bridge, I just left the TN aquarium...

The Southern Belle on the Tennessee River. Chattanooga Tennessee!

I have been telling myself that I need to take a trip on the river aboard the Southern Belle or the Delta Queen, the day I do I will let you know! For now, just keep in mind that if you want to experience the southern charm at its best, riding on a steamboat my just be the thing to do!!! For now I am just walking and enjoying the breeze, the view, my husband quietly walking along...and... enjoying myself!



The Riverfront

 I will have to commit some times to share with you the special history of this area!

The Trail of tears @ the Riverfront!

A restaurant along Frazier at the North Shore! Isn't it cool that some of the art represent fish! Ha ha ha! I will have to try this restaurant some days and find out if they have any good pescetarian meal worth recommending!

A restaurant on Frazier with cool metal art!

I am now on the Walnut street bridge, it's a pedestrians only bridge. The first time I shared with you pictures from this bridge I was spending time at the Hunter Museum and the art district. Here I am coming from the Coolidge Park entrance on Frazier Street! In the distance you see the bridge leading to Market Street and The TN Aquarium's two buildings!

Coolidge Park Chattanooga Tennessee, Delta queen on the Tennessee River!

Coolidge Park, Chattanooga Tennessee

During the summer the statue of each animal fountain below releases a jet of water that delights children and adults during the hot summer days!

Coolidge Park, Chattanooga Tennessee!

To my surprise,the park is not crowded at all! I guess being Sunday evening it's nothing like what you would see on a Saturday, but things might be different during the summer time!

There are not too many people on the bridge! Couples walking side by side, a few groups of women walking together, people seating on a bench watching the River, a single lady enjoying a book and an ice cream, toddler pacing his walk while licking an ice cream cone next to his young mother...Hm Sunday walks are not just healthy for you, they are good for your mind as well...

On the Walnut Street Bridge a.k.a "walking bridge"! You see the Hunter Museum I mentioned to you when I introduced to you the Lois Mailou Jones Exhibition on my post http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/time-at-museum-food-for-intellect.html

I love this street here! This is my favorite street to walk on, I simply love those homes! They are huge! Each home has a garage on the basement level, a rooftop deck, an elevator to accommodate access to all the floors, and of course a fabulous kitchen among their many amazing amenities!

Something funny happened at this point! A father walking along with is little girl saw me taking pictures of those homes and offered to take a picture of my hubby and I! I declined at first, he kindly insisted and after a little hesitation I agreed! He was so charming, how could I decline his kind offer when he said

" It's free"! He was persistent and cordial all at once!

That was true after all, it did not cost me anything to have him take our picture! As my hubby and I posed for the photo, I got on my tiptoes for more leverage, any extra inches help...as long as the inches are upright not wide( at the waist)! 

 Anyway, as he returned the camera to me, a man driving in a red Ford excursion stopped his car. Waiting on pedestrians, and looking at us, the driver and the passenger were smiling! The driver said something I did not quite get and my impromptu photographer kindly chatted with him and said " I could take your picture too!" We all laughed as the amused driver made a small joke about wanting is picture taken as well! It was a simple moment but it felt good!

 It always feels good to be helped and offered a smile and to laugh when you least expect it! But you know what that scene makes me thing of?! You got it: Southern Hospitality! Sweet! You see, having a Southern experience is not all about food! What's for sure my Southern experience yesterday didn't include binging on food. I had my healthy lunch at my ususal Sunday's spot and ate my usual Salmon Panini from F2O but I must say that there I had Southern love from my wonderful helper Joshua. I ended my day being active by enjoying a peaceful Sunday walk & more!

If you have a Million dollar you could enjoy living here!

We walked away from the houses, toward the many restaurants on Market Street, and we saw one of many carriages passing! There are always some carriages carrying people around downtown. It seems old school but....

 I love that! It adds a certain flair to the town!

I think the carriage ride is one of the most charming "Southern touches" of our gorgeous Scenic City!

A carriage on Market Street!

Well it was fun wasn't it?! My hubby and I stopped at the Hilton Garden to enquire about their rates because we are thinking about spending a night downtown one day and take more time enjoying our gorgeous city!

We spent some times at the gym located behind the Children Discovery Museum and then had dinner before visiting one more hotel and heading back to suburbia to our kids! 

(A little note about the gym! It was my first time at that location and when I saw that their indoor pool faces the street I wished that location was closer to the house! I was not prepared for a swim but I promised myself that one Sunday very soon I would treat myself to such an experience! An empty pool on a Sunday afternoon with a view of downtown! I met a young lady there who told me that most times she has the pool to herself as people rarely use it! She was enjoying a book while in the Jacuzzi! Hm! I like that! So check back in a couple of week, I might share some pictures of my Sunday Swim!)

The Children Discovery Museum by the Hilton Garden Hotel behind it is the Double Tree Hotel

Walking is good for you!

I have a few more pictures to share with you and truly this post is still under construction (ha ha ha), but I am kind of an impatient person so I might as well share with you some of the things I have available!
If you come back you will see more...

Is it your first time around here? Please take some times to become a Follower and leave some comments, I love to know what you think! As I am finishing this the weather is turning ugly and we have a thunderstorm warning! I am glad I enjoyed my Sunday and the gorgeous day nature granted us yesterday! It's raining now, the wind's blowing strong and it's getting dark and gray outside, thinking of it, it's a blessing to have those pictures and some pleasant memories to start my week on a bright note! Since it means a lot to me to brighten your week as well I hope you found inspiration here! I hope all is well with you and I wish you a blessed week!


I hope you enjoyed your stroll here and felt the love from your Southern hostess! Did you enjoy your little stroll here? From the pictures I just shared with you which one is your favorite?



N'na