Suzanne Sugarbaker, I need your help

[Rick Munroe]

Derek and I are making our first trip to Atlanta in a few weeks and the only thing we know about it is what we learned from watching Designing Women and Carol Burnett's "Went With the Wind." However, what we really need to know is...what's the best area to stay in? We love to use priceline and it seems like our only choice for 4-star hotel zones is either Buckhead or Downtown. Which do we pick? Any other advice (restaurants, etc) would also be much kindly appreciated by these two Yankee Men.

[Guest ReturnOfS]

I think that either Buckhead or Downtown would be good. Buckhead is known as the "fancier" part of town.

 

Forget restaurants. YOu can go anywhere for that. Check out "The World of Coca-Cola" next to the Underground Mall. You can go ice-skating while you're there if its set up. Check out the CNN Center. Perhaps you'll be able to be part of a television broadcast. Check out the house where MLK Jr. grew up. That is a VERY interesting tour. It was free back when I use to live in Atlanta, but you still had to get tickets because it was very popular. You might want to check out the MLK Jr. center while there. Atlanta also just got a new aquarium built that is HUGE. Go to the stadium where the Braves play. Theres a baseball museum there, I think. Check out Olympic Park. It was built for the 1996 Olympics. The house where the person who wrote "Gone With The Wind" is near the Midtown train stop. Also go walk around Gergia Tech's campus. Its right next to downtown across the street from Coca-Cola World Headquarters. Theres always something interesting going on there.

[jawjateck]

Midtown would be ideal and is my preferred area since it is close to my namesake school, but alas, there are no 4-star priceline listings in that area.

 

Buckhead is a fine area. There is a MARTA rail station at Lenox Mall if you need access. A MARTA token costs around $2 to 2.50. I don't know exactly. I haven't rode the train in over a year. When you ride MARTA, it is a flat rate regardless of how short or far your trip. It's not a sliding fare scale like in DC, etc. Downtown has nice hotels, access to several MARTA stations all of which connect to the airport. But downtown has declined over the years. It is overrun with homeless/street people. ATL has a panhandling ordinance; it's OK on the streets during the day. It doesn't bother me, but some people are easily intimidated by all the street people. Downtown has very little life at night. Underground, which has bars, shops, eateries, is kind of dead too. There are excellent restaurants all over the city, but none in downtown standout IMO. There are great restaurants all over midtown. If you go to the world's largest aquarium (adjacent to the Olympic Park downtown), attendance is still very high. You need to purchase your tickets in advance and schedule your tour time. The website is georgiaaquarium.org

 

If you stay in Buckhead, a car will help you get around. If you stay downtown, you may be able to forego the car depending on your outcall needs, besides parking fees can be unreasonable at some downtown locations. The MARTA rail is not very extensive however. ATL is a broad urban area, generally requiring use of a car.

 

If my schedule works out, maybe I can make an appointment with you guys. Don't know yet, but regardless, welcome to Jawja!

[Traveler North]

Hey Rick, I usually stay at Marriott Marguis or Hampton Inn in 14th Street area. Like to walk up to Piedmont Park (an Olmstead Park like Central Park). Convenient location. Easy to get to Swinging Richard's for some entertainment. Hope you enjoy Atlanta. Saw you in NYC last year and hope can get together with you and Ross in Tampa. :P :9 :9

[KY_TOP]

Glad you guys are headed South for once. I usually stay at the Renaissance Hotel, located between downtown and Midtown.

 

While there, you guys should eat at Mary Mac's Tea Room on Ponce DeLeon Avenue. It is like a step back in time with great Southern Cooking. You'll also find numerous pictures on the walls of some of your favorite politicans that have stopped by for a meal over the years. Atlanta Escort Tony Cummings actually introduced me to the place on a visit a few years ago.

[+ ArVaGuy]

>While there, you guys should eat at Mary Mac's Tea Room on

>Ponce DeLeon Avenue. It is like a step back in time with great

>Southern Cooking. You'll also find numerous pictures on the

>walls of some of your favorite politicans that have stopped by

>for a meal over the years. Atlanta Escort Tony Cummings

>actually introduced me to the place on a visit a few years

>ago.

 

I have to agree with KY Top on this restaurant suggestion. It is classic southern "down home" at its best. An Atlanta institution that has few peers anywhere as far as I am concerned.

 

A couple of New York gay boys will likely stick out like sore thumbs but you will like it I am sure.

[doctordoctor]

was in ATL only once and that was 19 years ago...did go to Mary Mac's and it was good...a bit of a tourist atttaction and you have to be kind of quick, I remember, with ordering and eating...if it's busy, there seems to be some sort of pressure to get in, eat, and get out....tho, I may have the wrong place entirely in mind...anybody know what I'm saying or am I wrong?...my Dad and I saw Liza (!) at the restored Fox (?) that visit, if only to see the restored theater that premiered GWTW, I think...we had horrible seats way up in the back of the balcony, but got to see the building as our main goal was not to see Liza...Buckhead is the hip, upscale area, I remember, and probably more so now...went to (something) Mountain way out NE which was a major tourist attraction and monument to the Conferderacy, but worth it for a park-like visit...if you're into hotels, the very first Hyatt Regency atrium (a trademark for them) is downtown and the Westin Peachtree (tallest hotel for a while, I think) is also downtown...airport is busiest in the world now, I hear...famous Peachtree St. was disappointing to us...we thought it'd be a grand boulevard, but it seemed to be non-descript as it left downtown heading north...a very big city and very spread out...car rental mandatory...if you have time, go over to Savannah - a great city with an incredible downtown system of historic parks and beautiful historic buildings a la the old South...skip the "boiled peanuts" at roadside stands we found all over...nothing more than mush to us...wow, could go on and on

[jawjateck]

To add some additional perspective to what doc has written...The Fox, known down here as "The Fabulous Fox Theater", is a great venue to watch a concert or play. The original was built in the 20s or 30s, can't remember exactly, but it is an Atlanta icon.

 

That "something" mountain is Stone Mountain, east/northeast of Metro Atlanta. Entrance to the park is less than $10 per vehicle. You can hike up the mountain, takes less than an hour, but you can work up a good lather doing it, or you can ride the cable car to the top. Great views during clear weather months, like March. You can ride the train around the mount <yawn> or visit the faux township built at the base of the mount <another yawner>. The laser show at night (not sure of the schedule this early in the year) has the same technology, and some of the same graphics from the 80s, has not been updated and is not impressive. In 1988, it was cool, but in 2006, no way.

 

Buckhead is not as "hip" as it was back in the 80s, early 90s, but still a fine area to stay/dine. As for downtown, the Hyatt and the Westin are OK hotels, but the restaurants are vastly overpriced and the food quality very ordinary. Savannah is good, but a side trip to Charleston would be even better.

 

I wonder if I should give up my consulting business and start coordinating travel excursions for hot escorts visiting the deep south. What kind of compensation could be arranged for such services? :9

[Rick Munroe]

>Forget restaurants. YOu can go anywhere for that.

 

LOL We need to eat! And it's always good to know where the good places are and what to avoid. :o

[Rick Munroe]

>If my schedule works out, maybe I can make an appointment with

>you guys. Don't know yet, but regardless, welcome to Jawja!

 

That would be cool, and thanks for the subway tips. Btw, I never realized that that was what your name meant (Georgia Tech). I always thought it was some sort of Star Wars reference (silly Yankee). :+

[Rick Munroe]

>Saw you in NYC last year and hope can get

>together with you and Ross in Tampa. :P :9 :9

 

We'd like that! And thanks for reminding me about Swinging Richard's. I've heard a lot about that place from quite a few clients but had forgotten what city it was located in...

[Rick Munroe]

>Glad you guys are headed South for once.

 

Well, we usually go to Florida but skip the stuff in between. This is the first non-stuff-skipping trip.

[Rick Munroe]

>A couple of New York gay boys will likely stick out like sore

>thumbs

 

It'll probably be sore nipples but I get your point. We'll try to talk "Southern," you all (how's that?).

[Rick Munroe]

>you have to be kind of quick, I remember, with ordering and

>eating...if it's busy, there seems to be some sort of pressure

>to get in, eat, and get out

 

We're New Yorkers; that won't be a problem!

 

>wow, could go on and on

 

That was very informative and entertaining. We'll avoid the peanuts and check out everything else. Thanks.

[Rick Munroe]

>I wonder if I should give up my consulting business and start

>coordinating travel excursions for hot escorts visiting the

>deep south. What kind of compensation could be arranged for

>such services? :9

 

Mind-blowing head? }(

[Candyman]

On the way back from Florida on 95 stop in Savannah and go to Paula Dean's ( Food Channel) restaurant Lady & Son's. Unbelieveable, you will have the butter dripping off you chin. (as compared to what you usually have dripping off you chin) :9

 

Have good trip boys and remember those Georgia state troopers are looking for you