Georgia Travel Log - September 2014 and A Giveaway

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We have been super busy lately traveling around Georgia and experiencing some of the newest exhibits and attractions. Because there are so many wonderful things I need to update you on I came up with a brilliant idea (well I think it's brilliant). I am calling it the "Georgia Travel Log." Once or twice a month I will give you an update on several of the newest attractions, exhibits, etc. Most of them will be ones that we actually get to experience that way I can share our personal experiences and show you some personal photos too. I hope you enjoy this edition of the Georgia Travel Log. Please leave comments with information on any other new attractions or exhibits that you know of. Also remember to follow us on Instagram to keep up with our daily adventures!

If you are hosting an upcoming event or promoting a new exhibit or attraction please email me to discuss getting it covered in the next Georgia Travel Log edition.

Stone Mountain - Yellow Daisy Festival:
Get ready for one of the top three arts & craft shows in the nation by Sunshine Artist Magazine, a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 event and winner of multiple awards by the Southeast Festival of Events Association. The Yellow Daisy Festival takes place at Stone Mountain Park on September 4th - 7th.

Despite its growth from a small arts & crafts show to the four day event that it has become today, the Yellow Daisy Festival Presented by Humana continues to be a big show with a small-town feel. The mission of re-connecting families and friends with fun, shopping, live entertainment and good food has remained constant over the past forty-five years. Multi-generations of mothers, daughters and grandmothers meander the wooded trails together in search of the perfect item.



More than 400 artists and crafters from 38 States and two countries display their works for your appreciation and purchase. Daily live entertainment, Children's Corner activities, and crafter demonstrations throughout the event as well as fabulous festival foods.

Yellow Daisy Festival is FREE with paid parking admission. Vehicle entry to the park is $10 for a one day permit or $35 for an annual permit.

Fernbank Martinis and Imax:
If you are on the search for a fun date night or moms night out then you need to head to Fernbank for Martini's and Imax. I went last month with two of my very good friends and we had a blast. Actually I had so much fun I am attending again this month!

Martini's and Imax happens every Friday night (except holidays) from 7pm to 11pm. Live entertainment begins at 7:30pm.. This fun event is one of the most unique “culture and cocktail” opportunities in Atlanta. Guests enjoy special cocktail menus, small plates, live entertainment, dancing and a chance to see a film on the biggest screen in town, Fernbank’s IMAX® Theatre. This popular event, the first of its kind in Atlanta!

The night my friends and I attended we saw the Great White Shark IMAX, read my review here. After the IMAX we headed downstairs to the party! We grabbed our very tasty adult beverages, I opted for an Island Sparkler. There is always a full bar with a wide selection of specialty cocktails, craft beers, wine and more (menus change monthly). Drinks average $6-$8. After we grabbed our drinks we found a seat so we could relax and chat. There were plenty of seating options available. The night we attended a great band called Georgia Floods was providing the entertainment for the evening. And when we worked up an appetite we headed out to the Happy Belly Food Truck for some fresh, wholesome food. Prices on the food ranged from $4-$10 and the food was absolutely amazing. There are also several games on the terrace like Cornhole and Ladder Ball that you can join in playing too!

Visit my friend websites Almost Supermom and The Diva Beautiful.

There are some awesome nights coming up in September and October like Totally 80's Night, Adult Halloween Party Night and special evening hours of the new special exhibit Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear.

General tickets for Martinis & IMAX are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors with ID and $8 for Museum members. To enjoy the atmosphere of the event without seeing a film in the IMAX® Theatre, there is an $8 cover charge for non-members. Purchase tickets online or by calling 404.929.6400. Please be aware that some shows do sell out and may not be available. View cocktail menus, live entertainment schedule, VIP policies and more here.

More Details:
Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the 5-story-tall Rankin M. Smith Sr. IMAX^® Theatre are located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Call 404.929.6400 or visit the website to purchase your tickets. The film will be shown daily through September 18th. IMAX tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children 12 and under and $8 for museum members. Extended show times available Fridays during Martinis & IMAX. Don't forget to download the Official Fernbank App before your visit.

Walker Stalker Con:
Are you a Zombie fan? Do you love the Walking Dead as much as my husband and I do? Then you need to add Walker Stalker Con to your October calendar.

Zombies will be taking over the Atlanta Convention Center at Americas Mart on October 17-19, 2014. Special guests include some of your favorite performers, actors, musicians, and artists like Norman Reedus, Andrew Lincoln, Emily Kinney, Irone Singleton, Paul Wesley and more. The exhibit floor will be open all three days and will feature games, toys, comics and other memorabilia for true fans of zombie, horror and science fiction. View the full even schedule here.

Tickets for the event start at $35 for general admission. Children 10 and under are FREE with adult paid admission.

Update: Here is a great deal on Walker Stalker Con Tickets from GoldStar.
 

Image courtesy of Walker Stalker Con.

CONjuration:
There is a new magical convention coming to Atlanta and just in time for Halloween. Two geeks from Atlanta designed a unique Southeast convention dedicated to the use of magic in books, films & other media. If you are a fan of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Supernatural, Charmed, Mary Poppins, Wizard of Oz, fortune telling, magicians and other magical elements then this is the event for you. The convention is dedicated to highlighting the importance and use of magic in our literature, entertainment and imaginations.

CONjuration takes place in Atlanta at the Marriott Perimeter Center on October 31 - November 2, 2014. Convention tickets are just $40 for all 3 days ($50 at the door) or $20 for Friday and Sunday tickets and $25 for Saturday tickets. Children 10 and under get FREE admission per paying adult. 

Do you want to win 2 tickets to this family friendly, magical convention? Then enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post.

More Details:

Taking advantage of the need in the southeast U.S. for a stable, annual, magical, fantasy convention experience; the creators of CONjuration, Chris Seckinger and Angela Hammond, have designed this convention as a means of increasing the experience and enjoyment of our attendees and guests. According to Chris Seckinger, “CONjuration will be a haven for images of all types and an enchanting experience for everyone involved! We are creating a convention where geeks that truly love magical fandom can come  together, meet others like them, and have a blast by taking part in a variety of events.” CONjuration will have trick or treating, wandering entertainers, panel discussions, classes and crafts, vendors and artists, costume contest, gaming, guest speakers, a tea party, a formal ball, quiz shows, charity events and much more. The convention has been designed to have something for everyone. 

World of Coca Cola - Discount:
With the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games coming up Aug. 28 and Aug. 30, the World of Coca-Cola is hosting Fan Days for football fans. Now through Oct. 15, fans can text “WOCC” to 66937 to get two tickets for $25 – a total savings of $7 from regular adult admission.

Image courtesy of World of Coca Cola

Atlanta History Center - The Big Read:
The Atlanta History Center - in partnership with the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System - presents the Atlanta Metro campaign, The Big Read. A program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, The Big Read is designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. The Big Read is the largest reading program in American history and a multi-faceted initiative uniting communities across the nation through great literature. This is the Atlanta History Center’s fourth time participating in The Big Read.

The Atlanta History Center selected Luis Alberto Urrea’s Into the Beautiful North for the 2014 Big Read and encourages the public to get involved by reading the book, attending free programs, and promoting the initiative in their community.

The Big Read launches on September 3, 2014, with a variety of free programs, including a ‘Taste of Mexico’ kick- off party, a keynote lecture with Luis Alberto Urrea, a StoryCorps event, dedicated discussions and lectures at various Atlanta-Fulton Public Library locations, and a film festival.

Into the Beautiful North is written by award-winning and best-selling Mexican American author, Luis Alberto Urrea. Urrea has written numerous works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In his third novel, Into the Beautiful North, Urrea transcends the "us against them" discourse of immigration and writes with compassion, complexity, and humor about the people and places caught up in the border wars. The U.S.–Mexico border is not just a line on a map; it is a dream-like destination and departure point, surrounded by desperation and expectations. Urrea invites us to think of the border as more than a stark divide between nations: he reminds us that it is a place of convergence here meaningful conversations, and even love, between cultures begins.

In conjunction, younger readers are encouraged to participate in The Little Read for pleasure and enlightenment. Tots can read along to I Love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada. While middle school ages will surely be swept up by Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan.

Whether an avid reader or simply making up for lost time, everyone in Atlanta can take part in The Big Read. Read alone, read to another, join a book club or discussion group, and discover what happens when all of Atlanta reads the same book.

Register today at BigRead@AtlantaHistoryCenter.com to participate and receive information, updates, and program details. For more information, call 404.814.4000 or visit www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/BigRead.

I hope you enjoyed this edition stayed tuned for more Georgia Travel Log updates!

Now time for the giveaway: 
One lucky winner will win 2 tickets to CONjuration.

Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winner will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winner must reply within 24 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. Prize will be mailed via me.

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Romantic Moments In And Around Atlanta - Dads Garage and Stars and Strikes Bowling

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

A few weekends ago my husband and I got a much needed break, thanks to my mom. Since I homeschool, my amazing children are pretty much with me 24/7 and sometimes this mom desperately needs a break. She offered to take the children for 3 ENTIRE days and we gladly accepted. It has been quite some time since we had a weekend all to ourselves and we knew we did not want to spend it sitting around watching Redbox movies (which is generally our go to date night). Luckily we live in Metro Atlanta so there are hundreds of great date ideas to choose from.

For this special weekend we choose to Dads Garage in Little Five Points and Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Center in Sandy Springs as our date destinations.

Dads Garage:
Dads Garage is the perfect date destination if you like improv. I have been to Dads Garage several times with my homeschool mom friends for moms night out but the last time my husband and I had a date there was before we had children.

Dads Garage was founded in 1995 and has grown from a small volunteer led organization to a thriving mid-size theatre led by professional artistic and administrative staff. The family at Dad's has continued to grow along with them and now includes over 300 volunteers and performers.

Dads Garage shows currently take place at the 7 Stages Theater in Little 5 Points. They are working very hard on raising funds for a new permanent building of their own. Shows take place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The temporary venue is very spacious, seating is comfortable and the stage is very large. Show prices are around $12 on average, but can be anywhere from $4-$23 depending on the show and day/time. The show does have mature content so it is best for 18 years and older. There is an intimate bar/coffee shop that serves beer, wine and light snacks before and during the show. 

We saw the TheatreSports show which is Dads Garage longest running show. TheatreSports will have you laughing hysterically and rolling in your seat. The show is a fast-paced improv competition that features the best improvisers in the city and uses the audiences suggestions to fuel the show. My favorite skit was when they used an audience members text messages. During the 90 minute escapade you will be entertained by two teams, a host/referee (though I don't think they are always impartial), the infamous scum box (which helps keep things in line) and I cannot leave out the lighting dude and keyboard extraordinaire. There is a 15 minute intermission during the show so you can get a beverage refill or use the restroom. The show was absolutely fantastic and moved at a great pace. It was endlessly entertaining and leaves you eagerly anticipating your next visit. After the show you can thank your improv actors during a meet and greet in the lobby.

Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Center:
Before we had children we used to go bowling at least 3 times a month with our group of friends. It was something I always looked forward too. Don't get me wrong I enjoy bowling with my children too but I am so busy making sure they are happy and not running off that I don't really get to enjoy myself like I used to.

For our bowling date we had a private lane in the Blue Room. This room is great for a night out with the friends, a special celebration with the family or corporate events of all sizes. The room has 8 private Blue Bowling Lanes. Blue Room lanes are $34.99-$49.99 and Traditional Lanes are $24.99-$34.99.

Features include:

• High-tech LED light show
• Giant, 100 foot HD video wall
• Privacy curtains
• Dedicated state-of-the-art sound system
• The Blue Bar; a private, full service bar
• Comfortable, upscale lounge area complete with large HD Screens
• Private event space that is perfect for your next group or corporate outing
• Dedicate service staff to cater to your every need

All of the employees were fabulous and very attentive. Believe it or not you can work up an appetite while bowling so an appetizer was a must. We opted for the loaded nachos which were out of this world. After bowling 4 games and totally beating my husband (okay I'm lying about that last part) we headed to the arcade. I NEVER get to play arcade games, so boy did my inner geek go crazy. We raced motorcycles and cars, shot aliens and sailed a pirate ship. We laughed, played and had fun together just like the old days. It was the perfect date!

What is your favorite date destination?