Crew cuts: this Monthatlanta
Q&A by Tracy Walsh
Want to eat with the fishes, walk with butterflies and go wild in Hotlanta? AirTran Airways’ Jeannette Gonzalez guides us round the busy Southern city.
What advice would you give a first-time visitor to Atlanta?
First, visit Underground Atlanta. It’s a giant entertainment complex downtown in what used to be an old train station.
It dates back to the 1920s, and it has a really funky historical ambience. Now the place features restaurants, live music and a galaxy of different shops. If you want an authentic souvenir of your trip to Georgia, Underground Atlanta is the place to find it.
Where is the best nightlife in Hotlanta?
there’s a little place I love called Loca Luna, a tapas bar where you can get great food and hear live Latin music in a laidback tropical setting. It draws a very diverse and exciting crowd and is packed every weekend. Loca Luna is in downtown Atlanta, but the true nightlife district is Buckhead. Along the street are packed clubs and restaurants one after the other. My favorites are Vision Nightclub, Club Riviera and Club Plush.
What makes Atlanta unique?
the world’s largest aquarium just opened here in Atlanta. the Georgia Aquarium is home to over 100,000 animals from all over the world, from African penguins to Australian sea dragons. But you don’t need to be a marine biologist to enjoy the experience. My favorite part is the huge walk-th rough glass tunnel. You stroll into it, and suddenly you’re immersed in an aquatic world with fish swimming over your head. And there’s an octopus that drifts past. It feels like you’re floating there in the water. It’s amazing.
Atlanta is a feast for the senses. What are your favorite restaurants?
Well, I know we’ve been talking about the Aquarium a lot, but I just have to recommend Café Aquaria. I love their seafood, alth ough it feels a bit naughty to eat fish at an aquarium. If Southern food is more to your liking, you should visit Emeril Lagasse’s new restaurant in Buckhead. It’s called Emeril’s
Restaurant Atlanta, and they serve Creole and Cajun dishes. the food is great and so is the upbeat atmosphere. there’s also a huge wine cellar in the middle of the restaurant with about as good a selection as you can find in Atlanta.
If you like Japanese food, I suggest Kobe Steakhouse, which is just outside the city perimeter. You can enjoy the Japanese décor as you watch chefs prepare food on traditional hibachi grills right in front of you. they perform elaborate tricks while they cook, so it’s like dinner and a show at once.
What are your favorite day trips?
Just outside of Atlanta is Stone Mountain Park, Georgia’s most visited attraction. Over four million people go each year. You can walk around the huge granite formation there—a five-mile trek—or hike up the mountain and admire the view. Or they have a skylift that takes you right to the summit. Kids love the th ree-story treehouses at the Treehouse Challenge; and the duck ride, which is a amphibious vehicle that putters around the park and splashes into Stone Mountain Lake. they also have some impressive historical recreations, laser shows and miniature golf.
I would also recommend Callaway Gardens just south of Atlanta [see Gardens of the South feature, page 46]. they have nature trails and a lovely gardens, but my favorite part is the Butterfly Center. You step into this vast glass house and suddenly over 1,000 butterflies are fluttering around you. there are over 50 species, plus many tropical plants and birds. Kids love it because the butterflies will fly close and even land in your hair.
Sum up Atlanta in a few words.
Atlanta combines fast-paced city living with Southern hospitality. We’re a busy city, but we’re not too busy to care.