Oh, Atlanta...

We just got back from the bead show in Atlanta. We had a great time there! I had a lot of fun meeting all the long-time (and some new) Green Girl Studios customers and chatting with them. I had a minor revelation while talking with one of the customers – I'm not a good salesman. There are some folks who are born with the innate ability to sell ice to an Eskimo and I'm not one of them. My joy doesn't come from numbers and dollar signs, but in talking with people and generating creativity. I can, and often do, sit for hours with people discussing creative solutions to everything from stringing to marketing. That's where my joy comes from.

Just down the street from the show was one of the coolest KFC's I've ever seen. The giant chicken's mouth opens and closes!

There's something about the South that puts me at ease and makes me feel completely comfortable. Maybe it's the sweet tea or sing-song accents? Or maybe Southern hospitality? I don't feel like I have to rush my words and hurry up to say what I want. I can meander with my words, like wandering in a garden... finding roses of sharon, crepe myrtles, all spice flowers, and Chinese button bushes along the way. Above are a couple of snapshots of different flowers that I found during my Atlanta travels.

One of the perks of doing the Atlanta show was the opportunity to visit with our friends Anne Choi and Lynn. They are both really awesome! Anne Choi is one of my all-time favorite bead-makers! Visits with her are always inspiring. Another benefit of the Atlanta show is being down the street from the Marietta Diner. The Marietta Diner was featured on the Food Network and for good reason! The food was delicious, the portions ample and affordable, and the service LIGHTNING fast! And let's not forget to mention the cake!

I love visiting cities where friends live. They know all the best places to find really good eats. For instance, Anne Choi took us to Paolo's for Italian Gelato. Look for the line, because folks circle the block for their summer-time gelato fix.

Anne Choi also introduced us to the Highland Bakery. What a wonderful place! It's another example of affordable, delicious, ample-portioned foodie goodness. I adore places with a great neighborhood vibe. The Highland Bakery has that and a hip, friendly staff to boot!

Above is a picture of Azalea trying out the blueberries on her ricotta pancakes. The center photo is a shot of my sweet potato pancakes that were absolutely mouthwatering and utterly delectable! The image on the far right is of Cynthia's French toast. When they say, "thick slices" – they mean it!

The show ended yesterday and today was our day to run around and have a little fun. One of the destinations was Zoo Atlanta. We all had such a wonderful time, but Azalea was beyond herself with happiness at seeing all the animals.

The zoo was studded with bronze sculptures of various animals, all worn bright yellow-gold from countless visitors posing for pictures with them. Above is a collection of photos of Azalea doing just that.

One day we'll get around to putting together a comprehensive scrapbook filled with just pictures of Azalea putting her face in the animal cut-outs. Above she is posing as an elephant, a lion, and a meerkat.

We walked all over the zoo, seeing everything from gorillas, meerkats, elephants, and tortoises.
We particularly enjoyed looking at the red panda, the river otters, the baby pandas, and visiting the parakeet and budgie aviary (there's over 2,000 of them in there!).

After the zoo, we stopped in Alon's for lunch. What a great little foodie market! They have a great selection of paninis, cheeses, and fancy sodas. Not to mention lovely desserts and baked goods!

Our time in Atlanta was good. The only thing we didn't particularly enjoy was the excessive traffic, but the opportunity to spend time with our friends and exploring the city where they live was well-worth it.