Today's Chiropractic Lifestyle

Discussion Board

Survey

My Profession

Three Days in the Capital of the South
By Brittaney Carter

Atlanta is known as the biggest city in the South—a bustling, hip urban oasis offering an exhilarating hiatus from the small towns and country roads that cover most Georgia. However, beyond its Southern roots, Atlanta has a uniquely inspired atmosphere that’s tucked away in its historic neighborhoods, successful sports teams, trendy restaurants and colorful residents.

Two major events welcome chiropractors to Atlanta in October. Life University will be hosting a LifeSource seminar on Oct. 12-14 and Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 25-28. Enjoy the heart of the “ATL” with our three-day guide.

Day One: Dry Martinis and Dinner on the Town

After you check in and the bags are put away, it’s time to sink your teeth into the rich Atlanta night scene. Begin with Martinis and IMAX at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Here you can sip cocktails from the fully stocked bar and take in a movie. The drink menu features selections like the Mango Cosmopolitan, made with Van Gogh Mango Vodka and triple sec, and the Peach-Pomegranate Martini, which includes Peach Schnapps and Van Gogh Pomegranate Vodka. You can listen to a jazz ensemble in the Great Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. or check out the exhibit, “Frogs: A Chorus of Colors.” As one of the Fernbank’s most popular 2005 exhibits, the show is returning with more than 100 live frogs showcasing a rainbow of colors from Russia, Madagascar, China, Uruguay and other faraway places. Tickets to the exhibit are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children 12 and under, and free for members.

A chef-prepared dinner is available at the Fernbank Café, where the menu includes blackened salmon salad, gourmet vegetarian pizza, mushroom and swiss burgers and more. After dinner, watch a movie on the 72-foot wide IMAX screen. Film screenings begin every hour from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. What’s best, the $5 cover charge is waived for guests who arrive between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. IMAX movie tickets are $11.

If you’d rather stretch your legs after your travels, venture into Atlantic Station for dinner, drinks and a little window-shopping. Previously the site of the Atlantic Steel Mill, the 130-acre area is now home to a multi-use community that includes an open-air mall, office buildings and residential homes. More than 10,000 people live in this city within a city, which includes over 50 stores, 18 restaurants and a movie theater. You can take in the Atlanta skyline and a little bit of the city’s nightlife.

A good place to start is at Strip on 18th Street. This steakhouse and sushi bar makes an instant impression with three floors of food and entertainment. On the first level, floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of Atlantic Station. Level two houses the Meat Market, a sushi bar with a V.I.P. section. A rooftop cocktail lounge where diners can enjoy great drinks and company al fresco takes over the third level.

If you’re in the mood for spicy fare, Rosa Mexicano serves fresh guacamole, prepared tableside, and an awesome pomegranate margarita. An eye-catching 18-foot waterfall sets the stage for a definitive dining experience with authentic Mexican entrees.

Day Two: Midtown Culture and the Best of Buckhead
Begin the day with a breath of fresh air at Piedmont Park in Midtown. The park has acres of lush green grass and lots of walking paths. Fish at Lake Clara Meer, pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grass, or learn about the park’s history with a free Saturday morning walking tour. Presented by the Piedmont Park Conservancy, the tours begin at 11 a.m. and last an hour. The park is only a few minutes away from one of Atlanta’s quirkiest restaurants, The Flying Biscuit Cafe. The Midtown location is the second installment in the soon-to-be franchise, but there’s no need to worry—it still retains its genuine Atlanta zest. “The Biscuit” specializes in an alternative approach to comfort food with menu items like organic oatmeal pancakes served with a warm peach topping, from the famous breakfast menu, which is served all day. After a filling lunch, explore the High Museum, located within the Woodruff Arts Center. The museum underwent a major renovation in 2005 and took on a new architectural design, which drew inspiration from the open atmosphere patterns of an Italian piazza.

The High is making history through a collaboration with Musée du Louvre in Paris, which will bring exhibits from the Louvre to Atlanta. The three-year project enters its second phase on Oct. 16, which is entitled “The Louvre and the Ancient World.” The exhibit includes artifacts from the Louvre’s collection of Egyptian, Near Eastern and Greco-Roman antiques.

Cap off the day’s activities with a trip to Lenox Mall, located in Atlanta’s shopping mecca, Buckhead. The mall’s major destinations include Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s, but shoppers will be happy to know that they will also come across designer stores like Burberry, Cartier, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. In addition, buyers can get carried away with still more stores—literally. The complimentary Shopper’s Chauffer shuttles shoppers across Peachtree Road from Lenox to Phipps Plaza, where they can indulge in even more posh stores than before. Phipps Plaza is home to Saks Fifth Avenue, Gucci and Giorgio Armani, just to name a few.

When it comes to dinner plans, Atlanta has every cuisine to offer. You could go for Southern at Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles. The famous R&B queen and her son bring the Harlem tradition to Downtown Atlanta. For something with a little more kick, there’s Two Urban Licks in Inman Park. The menu changes daily, but you’ll always find fiery American cuisine. And, when we say fiery we mean it—the restaurant’s 14-foot-tall wood-fire rotisserie is a sight to see! If you’d rather kick off your shoes and enjoy exotic fare, Imperial Fez, in Buckhead is a Moroccan restaurant with a captivating presence. Guests remove their shoes at the door and rest on pillows while they dine on a meal from the kitchen of celebrated Chef Rafih Benjelloun. Imperial Fez, which also offers the exotic entertainment of belly dancers, is a great place to share with fellow colleagues or to treat your staff to an exotic dinner.

Day Three: Charming Atlanta Neighborhoods
With your stay in Atlanta coming to a close, day three is the perfect opportunity to take in another charming side of the city with its historic neighborhoods and attractions. Begin with the Atlanta Preservation Center’s walking tour of Ansley Park. The residence of “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell is located here, among a collection of Craftsmen bungalows and Queen Anne-style homes.

Other neighborhoods to visit include the charismatic Virginia-Highland and the affluent Buckhead community. In Virginia-Highland, cute bungalow-style homes line the streets, and the area is filled with welcoming sidewalk cafes, quaint shops and trendy boutiques. Buckhead is a Beverly Hills-like retreat that includes beautiful neighborhoods, mansions and high-end shopping. Here you can take up an afternoon at the Atlanta History Center or walk along the trail that encloses Chastain Park.

Before heading home, put a little South in your mouth with the Sunday Supper menu at Restaurant Eugene. Chef Linton Hopkins, a past contender on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” offers a three-course meal with traditional home-cooked favorites like Mary Randolph’s Southern fried chicken, fried green tomatoes and red velvet cake. This exquisite meal is a fitting end to your visit in Atlanta, as sweet and savory as the city itself.

Explore Atlanta
Life University, 1269 Barclay Circle; (770) 426-2884; life.edu
Fernbank Museum of Natural History, 767 Clifton Rd, N.E.; (404) 929.6300; fernbank.edu/museum/martinis.html
Atlantic Station, 171 17th St, Suite 1650; (404) 876-2616; atlanticstation.com
Strip, Atlantic Station, 245 & 18th St; (404) 385-2005; heretoserverestaurants.com
Rosa Mexicano, Atlantic Station, 245 18th St; (404) 347-4090; rosamexicano.com
Piedmont Park Conservancy Community Center, 1071 Piedmont Ave; (404) 875-7275; piedmontpark.org
The Flying Biscuit—Midtown, 1001 Piedmont Ave; (404) 874-8887; flyingbiscuit.com
High Museum, 1280 Peachtree St, NE; (404) 733-4400; high.org
Lenox Square Mall, 3393 Peachtree Rd; (404) 233-6767
Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Rd NE; (404) 262-0992; simon.com
Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles, 529 Peachtree St NW; (404) 874-9393; gladysandron.com
Two Urban Licks, 820 Ralph McGill Blvd.; (404) 522-4622; twourbanlicks.com
Imperial Fez, 2285 Peachtree Rd, NE; (404) 351-0870; imperialfez.com
Atlanta Preservation Center, 327 St. Paul Ave; (404) 688-3353; preserveatlanta.com
Restaurant Eugene, 2277 Peachtree Rd; (404) 355-0321; restauranteugene.com