City Exploring - Day 3

By day three, I admit I was tired. After dealing with traffic the two days prior, I was OVER IT. I just wanted to stay at my dad's house and watch tv and take a long shower. But I talked myself into visiting some places slightly outside of the city, and I'm glad I did.

My first stop was the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn, Georgia. Definitely hard to miss from the road, this place is magnificent! I was greeted by several very nice volunteers throughout the entire visit. I stopped at the gift shop to purchase an audio tour and made my way inside the mandir. There was no photography allowed inside, so this is the only photo I took.

I can honestly say that the inside of this mandir has to be the MOST beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. And by the end of the tour, I made a note to myself to look for books related to Hindu art and architecture.

Next on my list was the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts. When I was a young teen, I was a big fan of Tupac Shakur, so when I heard there was a statue and fountain dedicated to him in this part of Georgia I knew I had to visit.

But it was more than just a fountain and statue. In fact, there was an entire building dedicated to bringing the arts to the children in the area. Since I work at a non-profit arts council myself, I could definitely support that! I talked to an administrative assistant and witnessed a class in progress. I'm always willing to hear how other arts groups try to help out their community.

Another thing on my weird "to see" list was the Walmart Mausoleum. It was a quick visit, all you could do was walk around the building and snap a picture, but I marked it off the list.

Roadside America says: The ancestral Crowley Family cemetery survived the 1963 construction of a mall and parking lot, and subsequent Wal-Martinizing of the landscape. Sometimes called the "Tomb of the Unknown Shoppers."

Then back to the city before picking up my daughter at Georgia Tech. When I discovered that the next item on my "to see" list was unexpectedly closed, I went searching for a coffee shop. I found the lovely Honey Bubble on Ponce de Leon. I got a lavender green tea and indulged on three different macarons. YUM YUM YUM!

As for Day 4...I finally gave into my exhaustion and just took a nap for most of the morning. 

City Exploring - Day 2

Day Two was spent at the High Museum of Art. After eating breakfast at a nearby coffeeshop, I slowly rambled my way up the street, excited to experience the museum without time constraints. 

One of my most favorites places in the city. Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis was a nice, small exhibit and I loved being able to get up close to the paintings to see brushstrokes. Girl with a Pearl Earring was a delight to see up close and personal!


I didn't take many pictures inside. I did get this shot because I loved her profile and how her hair was fixed. I thought it could be good reference in a drawing one day.


Now this painting is huge! It's my most favorite inside the entire building and I love seeing it every time I'm there. Dragon by Anselm Kiefer, 2001.


Just a shot of some graffiti on the Georgia Tech campus. For a minute I thought it said "Take a KID" and I wondered why would anyone want to take a kid? Haha. A nearby lady asked if it said TAKE ACID and I was like, OOOOHHHH, that makes more sense.

My Day 3 post coming up soon!

City Exploring - Day 1

This summer has been a hectic one, so I'm taking some time for myself to explore the creative and historic places of Atlanta. My goal is to recharge my artistic passion by taking in the sights and sounds of the city. This is a solo trip, so I'm taking my time to just breathe, see, and take it all in.

It all started with breakfast at Octane, and reading Kitchen Drawer.

Then I visited the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. I've been trying my best to expand my knowledge on historical events around the South, especially when it comes to civil rights.

The inside of Ebenezer Baptist Church is beautiful. It blows my mind to think about all the emotions this place has contained throughout the years.

Next up was the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to learn about one of our former presidents. I am sad to say that I didn't know much about him at all, but after visiting the museum I'm much more well-informed. I grew quite fond of this wife, Rosalynn, after reading about her compassion and her mental health advocacy. This photo was taken in the gardens behind the center.

There is a replica of the Oval Office inside the museum. How cool is that?!

My stomach started rumbling soon after the museum visits, so I stopped in Little Five Points and ate at Elmyr. Chicken tacos and a beer! Yummy!

Other places on my to-done list is: Young Blood Boutique, Mint Gallery, Wonderroot, the Krog Street Tunnel, and 54 Columns Park.

Photos edited with the A Beautiful Mess app.

More from the ATL soon!

Atlanta Art Date

Maz had an extra long weekend for her school's winter break so we decided to have a mommy/daughter art date in Atlanta on Tuesday. We visited the High Museum of Art, viewed the Picasso to Warhol exhibit and saw most of the KAWS pieces. She was especially excited when I surprised her with a trip to the CNN Center to shop at the Cartoon Network store.

Mazzy and KAWS' Companion. I asked if she wanted her photo taken with this statue and she ran over and put her face in her hands. She's a funny kid.

Maz is a very fortunate kid to be able to view famous pieces like this at age 9. I was 29 by the time I got to see an original Warhol, and looks like Mazzy's 20 years ahead of me. The best part? She knew some of the paintings and artists in the exhibit thanks to her art teacher. And she wondered out loud: "Why are there so many naked people in art?" So cute!

Mazzy and Lady Rainicorn. After she saw this she said she couldn't stop smiling. We were on the search for Adventure Time toys, but all they had were tshirts.

We made it back home in time for soccer practice. Now we have a new to-do list for Atlanta. I've promised a CNN Tour and a visit to Fernbank. Perhaps we can do it over Spring Break?

Inspiration!

I've signed up for Get Your Paint On: Beyond the Basics E-course and I'm totally stoked! Like I need ANOTHER thing on my plate, but hey, it'll be fun! This week we're all talking about inspiration, where to find it and what to do with it. 

Yesterday I drove up to Atlanta to see the Picasso to Warhol exhibit at the High Museum of Art. They were offering half off the price of admission because it was Picasso's birthday. I've seen the permanent collections many times, so I knew this trip would be short and sweet and I'd be back in time to get the kiddo from school. 

The first thing you see is Picasso's Girl Before a Mirror. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a highly sensitive person and I can cry at the drop of a hat. Well, I have to admit, seeing this amazing Picasso painting brought me to tears. Thank goodness I went alone! The rest of his paintings were equally amazing. Then there was Matisse's Dance (1)! It's huge and magnificent and I'm trying my best not to type in ALL CAPS but seriously...OMG is all I can say. Matisse AND Picasso? Be still, my beating heart! 

The rest of the exhibit was just as beautiful and I couldn't believe I was seeing all this art in real life instead of in books and magazines. I made a pact with myself that I would bring Maz to this exhibit soon. 

I wanted to buy everything in the gift shop but only had a few bucks. So I added some postcards to my lovely collection. I drove home with my artistic soul filled and a smile on my face. I'm SO READY to get my paint on!

Are you as emotional as I am when it comes to art museums?

Sunday Atlanta Trip

Yesterday I planned a trip to Atlanta with the family so we can all view the Annie Leibovitz exhibit at the High Museum of Art. Sadly, once we got there I was overwhelmed by the amount of people there. I did not want to be in a crowded museum, how can you be inspired like that? So we got back on the road, got lost, and found our way to the Georgia Aquarium. We were excited to see that the aquarium closed at 7 instead of 5. Daniel and I split up and I stood in the cash ticket line and he stood in the credit card ticket line. I was the lucky one to get the tickets! Hooray! The aquarium trip made us go over budget but it was totally worth it!

I love the aquarium! I was totally excited about the jelly fish. Luckily, the crowd thinned out a bit and we were able to stare at the jelly fish for a long while.
Daniel thinks the second photo would be a great album cover.




My favorite part has to be the Beluga Whales! I also love love love the seahorses but was unable to get a decent picture of them. I'd love to draw one.
The day didn't go exactly as planned but it was still a nice day. It's been awhile since we've done anything as a family, besides lounge around the house, and it was good to spend time with each other and give Mazzy a beautiful experience.