Anniversary. Atlanta. Aquarium. Awesome.

Well our second anniversary is coming up (Woohoo, 2 years!!!!) and we decided that with baby on coming, we'd try to get out and celebrate our special day in a special way. We've been dying to go to the Atlanta Aquarium and had heard that if you ignore the terrible driving and the heat, Atlanta actually has a lot to offer. Our usual visits to the city have been limited to the boundaries of the temple grounds, IKEA, and Costco so we were excited to branch out, eat out, and enjoy ourselves. 

I have become a bit of a sucker for B&B's. I think it something about the home away from home feel, the delicious breakfasts, and the chance to occasionally meet with the owners and other patrons, are what draw me in. Its nice to hear their stories and avoid the sometimes stale and sterile feel of a hotel. Besides knowing that the owner was clanking around prepping food and doing laundry on the other side of a door that I am confident was not sound proof, and the fear that the bed was literal going to break beneath us (just from sleeping of course), this particular B&B was not so bad. 

The name of the place is Ponce De Leon and it is located in a great little suburban neighborhood. Full of life and joggers, and absent of turn lanes, it reminded me a bit of West Hollywood or parts of LA that are just off the beaten path and filled with energy and character.  

The owner, Lana, was a snarky but kind older woman who ran the three room property on her own. She had some interesting experiences to share (which I will divulge later) and interpreted our request for a healthier breakfast option/omelets to mean we wanted semi-greasy bacon covered breakfast sandwich (delicious...but not super healthy). 

We stayed in the cottage suite, which had a Hollywood theme which basically meant it had five or six prominent pictures of Marylin Monroe and a coffee table book of the same subject matter.  All in all, with the swinging daybed, well lit patio, and litter of Christian over-toned romance novels and self help books, the place was neat and left only a few things to be desired.

 

The house cat was a sassy, 'rotund,' albeit friendly little lass with stubby rear legs that she dragged beneath her slow moving body. She was quite adorable but not particularly mobile. We enjoyed her company during breakfast and left in haste to hide our guilt as she meowed to be let out through the door through which we had just departed. 

One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to the aquarium. I had done a bit of advance research and apparently the Georgia Aquarium is supposed to be the largest in the nation. Prior to our visit I had seen the Seattle aquarium, Monterrey Bay aquarium, and Adobon aquarium in New Orleans and none of them really measured up. The sheer (Michelle corrected my miss-spelling 'shear,' giving this phrase a whole new meaning) size of the exhibits and types of species living therein were awe inspiring. We sat and stared for ages in some areas.

The manta rays, whale sharks, and beluga whales were by far our favorite marine animals. Their size and scope was incredible when compared to the scuba divers cleaning the glass beneath them. In fact, the divers were dwarfed by the manta rays' wingspans, which were nearly double in size.

 A sample of some debris and trash. Don't pollute! Save the whales. Literally.

Had to do it. If you can't tell, the sign says "big-bellied seahorse" so of course I begged Michelle to take this picture and she reluctantly agreed. Get it...big bellied. Okay.

Before taking off for Atlanta, we asked around and  got some recommendations for good eats. One of the places was a local, start-up called LottaFruitta. They served smoothies and fruit cups made from fresh fruit in a tiny shop with an Ipad for a cash register and sticky tables. So good. So fresh. Highly recommend it if you need a tasty snack (maybe not for a meal)...and it is right up the street from the Martin Luther King home and historical site (which we didn't have time to visit this time around but hear is fantastic and under frequented).

The other place we went to was called Rias Bluebird. We were significantly under tattooed compared to their other clientele and staff but the place had a nice vibe and a yummy chicken salad croissant sandwich. We would definitely eat there again.

All in all, it was a nice and relaxing trip (despite my occasional anxieties about our timeline). We probably wouldn't got to Ponce de Leon again but might recommend it others and have no regrets. You live and you learn.

Oh and I promised I would talk more about Lana. Apparently she had a dream in which the Holy Spirit told her (And this was supposedly the only time the spirit had talked with her) that she was supposed to marry one of the young unmarried parishioners at her local church. Apparently the head pastor has been pointing him in that direction as well. Cross your fingers and stay tuned (p.s. if you know any local Atlanta parishioners, don't tell them anything, this is our little secret)!