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BELUGA WHALE ENCOUNTER

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Beluga Whale Encounter

Beluga Whale Encounter

The Georgia Aquarium is a leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Atlanta, Ga., committed to working on behalf of all marine life through education, preservation, exceptional animal care, and research across the globe. Georgia Aquarium inspires, educates, and entertains its millions of guests about the aquatic biodiversity throughout the world through its hundreds of exhibits and tens of thousands of animals across its seven major galleries.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how much you know about the ocean, the Georgia Aquarium is an experience not to be missed. The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the world and the downtown attraction is home to countless sea creatures.  Its 10 million gallons of water are home to thousands of fish and enthralling marine animals, including gigantic whale sharks, beluga whales and spirited otters. The Georgia Aquarium is also the only one in the country to house manta rays.

Beluga Whale Encounter

Feeding the Beluga whales.

Beluga Interactive Program

I recently participated in the Georgia Aquarium’s Beluga & Friends exclusive encounter and we all agreed that it was truly amazing!  My children were not very happy with me for not taking them along (it was a school day), but I promised to take them soon!  If you love animals (and how could you not), then this program is for you.  It was an educational and heart-warming experience.  I do have to admit that we all were a little intimidated at first, but once we reached out to pet the whales and felt their cool gentle skin – we instantly connected and didn’t want to get out of the water when our time was up.

Beluga Whale Encounter

Striking a pose with a Beluga whale.

Please note that all animal encounters are staffed by knowledgeable experts of Georgia Aquarium’s animal care team who work with the animals daily and deeply understand the individual animals. They ensure the animals’ wellbeing while participants experience the joy and wonder of interacting with some of the ocean’s most majestic creatures.

For those living in Atlanta or will be traveling to Atlanta this summer for vacation, you can find out more information on this program and make your reservations by clicking here:  Georgia Aquarium

The experiences are limited and sell-out quickly.

You can view Georgia Aquarium’s official Beluga experience video by clicking this link:  Beluga

Click here to see my review of Split in Three.

Beluga Whale Encounter

Petting the Beluga whales.

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March for Social Justice and Women – Atlanta

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Atlanta womens march photo 1 (2)

We march!  Atlanta

I was proud to be one of the 60,000 people taking part in the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women on Saturday, January 21st.  The march was a peaceful demonstration of solidarity bringing together members of underrepresented communities, women, and their allies in Georgia and nationally.  The Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women began at the Center for Civil and Human Rights and ended at the Georgia State Capitol.

Representative John Lewis and Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin

The march was peaceful and very inspiring.  Marchers included a diverse representation of ethnic backgrounds, women, men, and children of all ages.  Attendance at the march was definitely a true representation of the diversity of our world.

Atlanta was only one of the several marches that took place around the world.  Marchers packed the streets of several cities and countries including Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Boston, Houston, Chicago, London, Paris, Melbourne, Australia and even Antarctica.

Ultimately, the marches were a demonstration of individuals standing together in solidarity for the protection of equal rights for women, minorities, LGTBQ, and all religious backgrounds.

“It is not our differences that divide us.  It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”  — Audre Lorde

Atlanta womens march photo 8

Why I marched:

I marched for equal rights for all.
I marched for social justice.
I marched for my daughter and for my son.
I marched for protection of LGBTQ.
I marched for reproductive rights.

When we went home and turned on the news, we saw that the media portrayed these marches as against the president.  That is not why we marched.  We marched so that everyone would be represented under this new adminstration.  Equal rights and justice for all.

L to R: Sherry Rosen, Charis Hanberry, Autumn Murray, and Stephanie Szalkowski

Click here to see my review of Hotel Mousai.

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AT&T Red Carpet and 50th CMA Awards

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CMA photo 1

We had such a wonderful time watching the AT&T Red Carpet and the 50th CMA Awards ceremony. From Dolly Parton receiving the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, Randy Travis singing the final “amen” in his song “Forever and Ever, Amen,” Beyoncé singing her song “Daddy Lessons” with the Dixie Chicks (which brought the highest viewership the show has ever had during that one performance) to Taylor Swift presenting the night’s greatest honor of Entertainer of the Year to Garth Brooks. A good time was had by all.

Thank you, Darden’s Delights for providing the delicious pies for the watch party. We nibbled on Darden’s Dangerously Delicious Fudge Pie and Darden’s Super Luscious Butterscotch Pie with Pecans. YUM!

You can order their delicious pies for your special event or for an after-dinner treat here: Darden’s Delights

Darden’s Delights was established to harness the power of entrepreneurship for the benefit of individuals with developmental disabilities. They are not a non-profit. They believe in challenging conventional thought by building a thriving business to enhance opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. With each pie purchase, a “slice” of the proceeds will be used to support organizations that improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.

CMA Photo 2

This event was sponsored by AT&T and the text was written by me on behalf of AT&T.

Click here to see my review of Hotel Mousai.

 

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Peaches and Prohibition Fundraiser – Speakeasy

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Peaches pic 1

The Flourish Foundation hosted their second annual fundraiser and Speakeasy – Peaches & Prohibition – at the secret location of the Edgewood Speakeasy.  The Edgewood Speakeasy was the perfect location for the 20’s themed event as it is a creative cocktail bar with exposed brick walls & low lighting, hidden at the back of the Bone Lick BBQ restaurant and Whiskey Joint.

Attendees were dressed to the nines with the ladies in flapper style attire and the gentlemen in tweed suits and wingtip shoes. Highlights of the event included handcrafted cocktails, tasty bites, and live jazz.   Proceeds from the event benefit the Flourish Foundation, Inc.

Peaches and Prohibition

The Flourish Foundation, Inc.

The Flourish Foundation, Inc. believes that children with high self-esteem tend to assume responsibility, take pride in their accomplishments, tolerate frustration, handle peer pressure appropriately, attempt new tasks and challenges while successfully handling negative and positive emotions.

Unfortunately, those who do not possess these traits combined with social and economic hardships often result in failure. The Flourish Foundation, Inc. is focused on developing programs that provide support for economically disadvantaged youth who seek the opportunity to gain valuable personal development tools and receive support for academic achievement.

peaches pic 2

Check out my review of Split in Three here.

 

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Christmas Creations – Decor and Design

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Benjamin pic 1

Christmas Creations

Benjamin pic 4

Christmas is not just for children; it is for the child in all of us. Remember the magic of your childhood, the Christmas tree is brightly lit and the house smells like evergreen and fresh cookies.  At night the lights from the Christmas tree twinkled and you could feel the magic in the air.   Christmas Creations can help bring back the magic of Christmas!

Benjamin pic 6Benjamin pic 7

Christmas Creations create beautiful settings both inside and outside of homes and businesses. They source the finest decorations from many countries and offer both contemporary and unique decor along with the traditional decor. Their designs are based on client requests and ideas or they can do all of the planning work for you.  No job is too large or too small for Christmas Creations.

Benjamin pic 2 (2)

After the big day their elves return to your business or home and quickly restore everything for you.  No take down, clean up or storage required! This means that all of their clients get to enjoy their family for the entire holiday without the hassle of doing everything on your own.   Consider Christmas Creations for your Christmas decor experts.

https://wecreatechristmas.com/

Click here to see my review of Hotel Mousai.

 

 

 

 

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President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter

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President Jimmy Carter

Meeting President Jimmy Carter – Top L to R: Rodney Murray, Ava Murray, President Jimmy Carter, Asa Murray, and Autumn Murray. Bottom: Actor Laurence Fishburne, Rosalynn Carter, President Jimmy Carter, Vicky Gordon, and Autumn Murray.

It was a humbling experience in 2000 to work with President Jimmy Carter on UNICEF’s Child Survival Awards Dinner.

Regardless of one’s political beliefs, there is no doubt that President Carter is a true humanitarian and continues to make outstanding contributions to those in need around the world.  In December 2017, my family and friends had a wonderful experience listening to President Carter teach Sunday School service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, GA.  He is truly an amazing intellect and person.

President Jimmy Carter has regularly scheduled dates for teaching Sunday School service at Maranatha Baptist Church. He has been a member there for over 50 years.  If you or someone you know is interested in how you can attend one of his services, click here for more information about Maranatha Baptist Church.  It is truly a wonderful experience for the entire family.

One of my favorite quotes from President Carter “We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”

UNICEF (United Nations International Emergency Children’s Fund) works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children’s rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects.

UNICEF believes that all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.  For more information on UNICEF and how you can support them, visit their website at UNICEF.

Click here to see my review of the Kentucky Derby.

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Skydive Georgia – Take the Plunge

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Skydive Georgia

L to R: Morgan Ley, Amy Ley, Maddie Ley at Skydive Georgia

Okay, okay so I didn’t actually skydive.  I drove my friends to and from the skydiving facility.  A 14,000 foot jump from a plane doesn’t exactly sound exciting to me – – it sounds dangerous.   Scaredy-cat, yep that’s me.

skydive Georgia

Maddie Ley getting suited up and getting last minute instruction for her first skydive.

skydive Georgia

Morgan Ley without any nerves whatsoever.

However, my friends had the time of their lives doing it and want to do it again!  Amy Ley and her daughters Morgan, Maddie and Megan had the time of their lives by checking skydiving off of there bucket list.  They all said it was surprisingly relaxing and peaceful once they actually jumped out of the plane.  Their nerves were only in high gear when they were waiting on the plane to make the jump.

Skydive Georgia

Morgan giving the thumbs up all good signal.

skydive Georgia

Maddie Ley is all smiles in the air.

Perhaps one day in the future I will try skydiving myself.  Then again, why jump out of a plane when I can stay in it and have it take me to my next travel destination and land safely on solid ground?

Skydive Georgia offers the largest and most full featured skydiving environment in Atlanta.  It is a 9,000 square foot indoor climate controlled skydive training facility. It has the latest in modern state of the art equipment including, all Zero Porosity, sate of the art reliable main canopies, digital altimeters, computerized CYPRESS AAD’s (Automatic Activation Devices) on ALL 47 parachute rig systems.  Skydive Georgia also has the largest professional skydiving staff in the Eastern United States.

To find out more information on Skydive Georgia and to make your reservations, visit there web site here.

Click here to see my review of Hotel Mousai.

 

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TAP GASTROPUB HAS A NEW MENU!

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TAP Gastropub

TAP a Gastropub – Truffle Parm Fries, Okra Chaat , and C.A.B. Kansas City Strip with potatoes, rogue and hop blooming shallots, chanterelles, and confit garlic scapes.

TAP Gastropub

TAP a Gastropub

 

Although TAP Gastropub has been in Atlanta for years, I recently visited TAP for the first time to try out Chef Tyler Wiliams’ new menu.

Recognized as “Atlanta’s Best Gastropub” by Atlanta magazine, TAP is a standout spot for seasonally-driven, innovative comfort food. An extensive international beer list and innovative barrel wine program makes TAP a popular hangout spot.

Upon entering TAP, you will see that the two-story restaurant has seating both upstairs and downstairs.  We chose to sit at the downstairs bar where all the action seemed to be.  The upstairs is where the kitchen is located and can accommodate groups as well as couples.

First, just let me say that the Cheez-It Risotto with bacon is insanely good!  Seriously – don’t miss this side.   I am still dreaming about it while dreading the calories and what I need to do at the gym to work them off – – but it was worth it!  I ordered the Kansas City strip as well and it was cooked to perfection.  The size of the strip was HUGE and I ended up taking a portion home (no complaints here). The okra dish with smoked tomato and onion was also very tasty and might be able to convince non-okra fans to change their minds.

The service was also fantastic.  All of the staff were knowledgeable and accommodating.

Before joining TAP in April of this year, Chef Tyler Williams worked with several top restaurants in Atlanta such as Bacchanalia, Abattoir and Woodfire Grill.  Following his time at Woodfire, Chef Tyler Williams became known for a unique series of pop ups and avant garde dinners throughout Atlanta. More recently, he created Byhand, a neopolitan pizza concept coupled with an organic farm in Lake Burton.  Consumers should get their palettes prepared for what Chef Tyler Williams has in store for the restaurant on the corner of 14th and Peachtree, the third concept of Concentrics Restaurants.

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Ghost Atlas Exhibit in Atlanta at Dixon Rye

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Ghost Atlas

Trevor Forrest  – Ghost Atlas Exhibit – Dixon Rye.

 

Ghost Atlas Exhibit

Dixon Rye

I had the pleasure of attending the invitation-only Ghost Atlas Exhibit by award-winning British photographer and cinematographer, Trevor Forrest at Dixon Rye.  The event was sponsored by Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine.

Trevor’s work maps the world in human moments.  While filming in far-flung places, Forrest captured images of Cuba, England, Iceland, Turkey, Japan, Sweden and South Africa.  This photography exhibit uses these countries as a stage for this epic journey and story, which is the Ghost Atlas Exhibit.

Forrest has taken photographs for over 26 years and has been the
cinematographer on many films, including a series of projects for Brad Pitt’s Plan B Production Company.  He lives in NYC and works everywhere.

The Designer Bradley Odom’s Dixon Rye opened to the public last October as the centerpiece of the Westside Ironworks development located at 1085 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta, Georgia. Conceived and curated by Odom, Dixon Rye combines elements of interiors, wares and designs in its 4,800 square foot industrial space.

For more information on Dixon Rye, visit their web site by clicking here.

Click here to see my review of MAMMA MIA!

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