What do glass elevators, chocolate sauce, world-renowned choreographers, and fried onion rings have in common? Nothing, but they do all have something to do with my most recent trip to Atlanta, Georgia.
It was my nephews twenty-fifth birthday, and his wife planned a surprise party at one of the most prestigious restaurants in all of Atlanta, the Sundial Restaurant located on the 73rd floor of the Westin Hotel. Other than the food, the revolving dining room floor is the highlight of this restaurant! So imagine, as you are seated with breathtaking views of the city you, all of a sudden, realize the floor is moving! No, you don’t get motion sickness, well at least we didn’t;-) As you dine you get a full 360 view of the city sights! It was spectacular! I couldn’t help but want to move back to the city as I looked down at the beautiful Atlanta skyline…”Hotlanta” they call it, big city feel with all the southern charm you could ever ask for!
Downtown Atlanta…the round building is the Westin Hotel
The above pic is the dining floor of the Sundial Restaurant at sunset
More pics of the restaurant views
I had the Duck with a bed of potatoes and steamed carrots with chocolate sauce. It was delicious, but my husband had it beat by ordering the Ribs Bourguignon…it was delicious!
Above pic is the duck plate
Below pic is the Ribs Bourguignon
The prices were as expected from a four star restaurant, but the food and atmosphere didn’t disappoint! Oh, and how could I forget to tell you about the glass elevator ride on the side of the building that gives you amazing views of the city!
My favorite part of the evening was watching my nephew clasp his hands over his mouth out of shock and surprise and then got a bit teary eyed. Yes, he is what you call a sensitive guy, but it fits him well and that’s one of the things I love about him.
My nephew Sean
Sean and his lovely wife Kass
My husband Jason and I
All of us…including my sister-in-law Stef and her husband Nick
After we were finished, we drove to my nephews house for more fun. Whenever we get together we like to share funny videos that the other found on YouTube, etc. The guys started a fire in the fire pit and then we laughed hysterically at some videos! We also got to listen to some of my nephew’s new music he produced…he owns and operates his very own recording studio, Skylar Studios! If you are ever looking for a recording studio and want excellent service, you should definitely check this one out! I’ve listened to his work…it’s amazing!
The next day my husband and I returned to my parent’s house to visit. They had kept our girls the night before so that we could attend the surprise dinner. I love that every time I get to visit my parents in Georgia, I get to reminisce on my childhood. I love Atlanta, Georgia and all it has to offer; especially that I can visit quite a bit of my family there:-)
That evening we headed back into the city to see a choreographers showcase at the Rialto Theater. My sister-in-law Stefanie, my nephew’s wife Kass, and myself went to the show. Us girls, all being dancers and choreographers were super excited to see the show! My favorite pieces were from choreographers Wayne McGregor, Alejandro Cerrudo, and tap soloist Michelle Dorrance.
Afterwards we treated ourselves to onion rings at The Varsity drive in! So there we were, eating onion rings and fries discussing the likes and dislikes of the performances that we had just seen. Dancers and fried food, it’s more common then you would think…in moderation, of course;-) “What’ll ya have, What’ll ya have?” is your greeting when arriving to the counter to request your order. My dad would take me here on occasion for a treat…my favorite things are onion rings, orange frosty, and the fried peach pie! Yum!
The Rialto Theater
The next day my mom made us some delicious German pancakes for breakfast. We spent the day relaxing, eating more of my mom’s homemade goodies, and visiting with my parents and my youngest brother and his family before heading back home. What a great weekend!
I leave you with a pic of my mom’s homemade German pancakes! I can’t wait till we travel to Germany with my parents to visit my mom’s childhood hometown…hopefully, sooner than later!
TADA!
