atlanta Travel Guide
Tags: Top Chef Travel / Top Chef / Food Travel / Restaurant Travel / Atlanta Travel / Atlanta Restaurants / → All Tags
Flavor is the Focus For Top Chef's Eli Kirshtein at Atlanta's ENO
Spiky-haired, bespectacled Top Chef contestant Eli Kirshtein garnered the ire of Tom Colicchio after serving up what the judge deemed "raw lamb." That's no mark of a master chef, but as we know, even talented artisans are prone to missteps, perhaps owing to the pressure of a major prize and a national audience in the millions.
Off the show, Kirshtein serves as the Executive Chef of Atlanta's ENO Restaurant and Wine Bar. No relation to Brian Eno as far as we can tell, although that would make it infinitely cooler. Like many of his competitors, he's a locavore, sourcing ingredients for ENO's menu from farms and specialty stores around the great state of Georgia.
Tags: TSA Airport Security / TSA / Airport Security / TSA Theater / → All Tags
Internet to Atlanta TSA Agents: Sorry About That!
Gosh it's hard to be objective, and no fun at all. On Friday, a travel blogger named Nicole White posted a harrowing account of being detained in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport by TSA Agents. Entitled TSA Agents Took My Son, her post alleges, among other things, that a male TSA agent separated her from her 16-month-old son for a private pat-down, which is against TSA procedures. Christopher Elliott picked up the story on Elliott.org, and despite his sage counsel that we withhold judgment until all the facts come out, the commenting classes rose to the defense of White.
Tags: Top Chef / Top Chef Travel / Atlanta Travel / Atlanta / Food Travel / → All Tags
Former Top Chef Hopeful Cooks 'With Heart and Balls' in Atlanta
Axed Top Chef contestant Hector Santiago may be large in stature, but what he serves are small dishes—tapas, to be exact. Tapas, for the unfamiliar, are small plates meant to be shared among many and are traditional in Spanish cuisine. At his Atlanta restaurant, Pura Vida ("Pure Life"), Santiago has taken the communal style of eating and practices a "no-rules approach" to cooking. For him that means melding unusual flavors and eschewing tradition to come up with dishes like...Tofu "Ceviche." Oh, boy. Memories of Jennifer's seitan-stuffed peppers from Episode One are coming to mind.
A few questionable choices aside (Trout Ceviche with jelly, canchita corn and milk, anyone? We didn't think so.), many of these cross-cultural menu items are appealing precisely because they're unusual. We're dying to know more about his take on Duck Confit, which comes with caramelized plantains, and Chicken Picadillo Empanadas with a chile-sugar cane vinegar "pique." And, you can't go wrong with Button Mushrooms Pinchos in chipolte garlic butter, Santiago's take on Spanish champiñones.
Tags: Best Factory Tours / Best-Factory-Tours-Map / Coca-Cola / Atlanta Travel / → All Tags
Head To Atlanta For All The Coke You Dare To Ingest
Become an informed consumer while still on vacation! Check out Jaunted's newest series of the Best Factory Tours the world over, and let us know if we missed any.
The World of Coca-Cola is probably the closest real equivalent to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, except you don't need a Golden Ticket to attend. The Atlanta tourist attraction re-opened in 2007 after the company dropped $97 million on a facelift, and even if you don't particularly enjoy its sweet ambrosia, it's worth a visit.
Originally invented as a medicinal tonic, Coke is now the biggest-selling soft drink ever, and the World of Coke is the golden altar to that success. Watch the bottling process, then check out antique Coke ads that reflected how the beverage was sold to us until we learned to love it. The international bottles display showing what the rest of the world is drinking (from Coca-Cola Inc.) and a "4-D" film will take you, no, not back in time, but on a jolting trip through distribution. To go back in time, check out the shrine to New Coke.
Tags: Airline News / Airport News / Southwest Airlines / Atlanta Travel / ATL / → All Tags
Southwest Still Jonesing To Get Their Hands On Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport
As a result of losing the bid on Frontier to Republic Airways, Southwest Airlines has also lost its hopes of entering the Atlanta market by taking over Frontier's Hartsfield gates. Perhaps they haven't lost all hope yet, as industry watchers are convinced that the world's largest low-cost carrier isn't done with the world's busiest airport quite yet.
Southwest originally upended the airline industry by ignoring the traditional hub-and-spoke model, focusing instead on underexploited "point-to-point" routes. Recently the airline has seemed intent on challenging legacy carriers on their own turf, entering markets outside its traditional southwest and northeast strongholds. Having invaded other big markets, it now may have its eyes fixed on the mega-delicious Hartsfield. Says the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
Tags: Museum Travel / Museums / Delta / Northwest Airlines / → All Tags
Northwest Gets Its Own Moment At Delta's Heritage Museum
Not satisfied with just talking over the skies, Delta now has its eyes focused on museums. At the Delta Heritage Museum just outside Atlanta, the staff recently debuted an exhibit dedicated to the role that Northwest Airlines has had in the history of commercial air travel at home and abroad.
The exhibit, Red Tail Flying: Voices and Images of Northwest Airlines, will feature vintage advertisements and commercials from the airline, onboard amenities, and even a model of a 747. All of these artifacts, notably from the former competition, snuggled right up close to some of Delta’s pieces of history.
Tags: Animals / Aquariums / Sharks / Adventure Travel / Swimming / Scuba / Snorkeling / → All Tags
Where to Swim with Whale Sharks and Downward Dog with The Fishes
When the Animal Overlords take over, we can rest assured that our own Shira Levine will be safe from persecution.
We're going to try to be more thoughtful the next time we eat sushi and just stick with the faux crabmeat after indulging in peaceful day at the Georgia Aquarium. This the only place in the world where you can swim in a giant fish tank with a couple of 23-foot long whale sharks.
The Atlanta fish farm hosts "Swim with Gentle Giants," swimming and diving tours in their football field-sized, eight-million gallon Ocean Voyager tank. To say the underwater experience is thrilling is an understatement.
These fish (which include massive manta rays and sting rays, guitarfish, zebra sharks, cownose rays and wobbegong sharks) are as friendly as puppies and kitties. They like to swim up really close and skim along your body before darting off into the faux deep blue.
Tags: Spring Festivals / Spring Travel / Atlanta / → All Tags
Forget Cherry Blossoms, Atlanta's Got Dogwoods In Their Festival
We all know that DC is famous for some blooming trees, but it’s not the only one getting in on the spring fun. Atlanta has its own festival devoted to the Dogwood, and this thing has been going strong for the last 73 years. After a scheduling snafu last year, this year’s festival is back in Piedmont Park where it belongs.
The party starts on April 17, runs through the weekend, and best of all, the whole festival is free. Artists from all over the country converge on the city to display their wares and works. The Fine Artist Market is where you can check out sculpture, pottery, and jewelry from up and coming artists—unfortunately bringing some of these things home with you is not free. Constant music on the main stage will keep you going strong.
Tags: Coca-Cola / Delta / Drinks / Northwest Airlines / Airline News / → All Tags
Your Next In-Flight Rum & Coke May Be Missing A Key Ingredient
For the last 77 years, two of Atlanta’s biggest companies, Delta and Coca-Cola, have been best friends on the ground and in the air. However, things aren’t as friendly as they used to be. With the merger between Delta and Northwest, the Atlanta airline is now considering—gasp—Pepsi products.
Northwest has been a proud Pepsi supporter lately, so we’re thinking that they really don’t want to say goodbye to Sierra Mist or Aquafina. And Delta's CEO, Richard Anderson, used to be a hot shot at Northwest, so maybe he’s the one shaking things up. No word on if the airline is considering offering an in-flight Pepsi Challenge.
Tags: Airports / Atlanta / Delta / ATL / → All Tags
Hotlanta Airport Not So Hot for Delta?
Frequent travelers always gripe about Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the most congested airport in the nation but that could possibly change in 2010. The master lease agreements that several large airlines have with the airport are due to expire in 2010 and naturally, the airport wants to charge airlines more for new leases. But some airlines aren't down with that.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc., the world's biggest carrier, and discount carrier AirTran Airways, a unit of Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran Holdings Inc., say that if their costs are too high they may be forced to move some connecting flights to other airports.
Together, Delta and Air Tran represent nearly 93 percent of the airport's traffic. Things also get a little more complicated at ATL as the airport is attempting to secure more financing for a planned $1.6 billion new international terminal. That construction has already begun with the new terminal to open in 2012.
While Delta and AirTran want to stay in Atlanta, the possibility of moving flights to other Delta hubs in Memphis, Cincinnati and Detroit, is very real.
So what does this mean right now for you travelers making connections in Atlanta? Nothing right now. But later this summer or next fall, you could be connecting in one of those cities mentioned above instead of Hotlanta.
Related Stories:
· Airlines threaten to move flights from Atlanta [AP News]
· Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport [Official Site]
[Photo: FrancoFolini]
Tags: Where Is / Barack Obama / Political Travel / Atlanta-White-House / → All Tags
The Atlanta White House?
How broke is the government? They're selling the White House! Oh wait, that's not the real White House, just a replica in Atlanta whose owner, a McMansion builder, just put it on the market.
Fred Milani, who is profiled in the New York Times today, has been living in his mini-White House for the last seven years but can no longer pay the bills on the 16,500-square-foot home. He's asking $9.88 million for the place, which includes a Presidential gallery as well as decor that reflects Milani's Iranian-American heritage.
Ironically, Georgia has not one White House but two. When FDR was convalescing in nearby Warm Springs, he lived and ultimately died in what is known as the Little White House in Warm Springs. While a much more reasonable size, that house is not for sale--but you can visit the six-room cottage.
Related Stories:
· Hard Times Find Replica of White House for Sale [NYT]
· Barack Obama's (Temporary) New Nabe [Jaunted]
· Time for Change: Redesigning the White House [Jaunted]
[Photo: wharman]
Tags: Where Is / Accidents / Botanical Gardens / Sad / → All Tags
The Atlanta Botanical Garden?
One worker was killed and 17 more were injured this morning when scaffolding alongside the still-under-construction "Canopy Walk" attraction collapsed. Crews were pouring concrete for part of the 40-foot-high, 600-foot-long elevated walkway that's scheduled to open next spring.
Part of Atlanta's Piedmont Park, plans call for the botanical garden to double in size to 30 acres by next year, with a new LEED-certified visitor center in addition to the Canopy Walk, which, when finished, will wind through the Storza Woods on the northern end of the garden.
One of the most prominent attractions of its kind in the US, the Atlanta Botanical Garden has hosted a hugely popular Dale Chihuly exhibit and a Niki de Saint Phalle show in addition to other art events and is home to the country's largest collection of orchids.
Related Stories:
· Scaffolding Collapse at Garden [AJC]
· Canopy Walk [Official Site]
