So a year after I first posted about this trip, it's all over, damnit. I had a fucking amazing time there; I only wish I had a few more days; I missed seeing Death To Shoegaze666 and other Atlanta boarders, but actual work ended up happening. For a recap of my trip read on, or just skip to the pics.
Friday: I wasn't too concerned flying on the 13th, but unfortunately for me, the bad luck generally forcast for the day quickly proved true. I was at the airport by 4am local, only to find out my flight on Northwest was cancelled. The kindly folks at NWA nicely bumped me too...Air Canada. This did not bode well. First off, I had to spend the next 6 hours at Saskatoon airport, which is more boring than church. There's a Tim Horton's coffee shop and a magazine store. That's it. So I decided to sleep and caught the flight to T.O. later that morning. I was due to land in Terminal 1, and had to take the shuttle to Terminal 2, which is not difficult at all. It's nicely marked and I've done it innumerble times. Except this day, bad luck is on the agenda. I've got about 45 min until my connection to ATL. I jump into the shuttle and hit the road to T2 and it quickly becomes apparent that something is Very Wrong. Terminal 2 isn't 4-5 km away. Apparently, in addition to T2 shuttles, there are also transport to the international section of T1, despite the signs all proclaiming TERMINAL 2 SHUTTLE. By the time I get to this barren outpost where the flights to Belarus get routed, my flight to Atlanta is boarding. The extremely annoying and effete "security" guard tells me I'm likely not going to make my flight and I should have been more careful. At this point, I'm about to fucking lose it on this fucker and when it appears I won't be going anywhere, a lone shuttle appears and before I know it I'm slowly chugging back to the real T1 to get on ANOTHER shuttle to T2. By the time I get there, I've got less than 15 min before take-off and I've still got to clear US Customs. Double fuck. But then fortune decides to shine a light and by the time I see an Air Canada rep, I learn my flight has been delayed for at least 30 min, giving me all the time I need. I land in the Atlanta airport and then end up with shit luck again, by getting all fucked up and walking to Concourse T instead of taking the train and then end up getting lost trying to get my airport shuttle. An hour or so after landing, I was eating a pound of wings and sucking back beers I've never heard of.
Saturday: Reports of the events of this day have been reported
here already, so I'll be brief. Mid-afternoon, Senator Loogar and Yail Bloor picked me up at the hotel and take me to Fatt Matt's, a fucking awesome looking rib joint.
Unfortunately, once the ribs and beers are served, the cameras were immediately forgotten in the truck, but we were sitting about where the dude is in the pic. Anyway, the place smelled of smokey heaven, with a simple menu, they only make a few things so you know they do it well.
[img][650:475]http://www.fatmattsribshack.com/images/menu.jpg[/img]
We all get half slabs, which were top fucking notch in the taste department. As were the pitchers of beer (Sweetwater), another new one for me. Once the ribs were done, Loogs and I started into the beer in a big way. As a drinking companion goes, he is peerless. Rick Derris and his better half arrived in short order as well, to join in on the fun. After awhile, Bloor, Loogar and I pile back in the truck and head to Redlands. After a few pitstops to get some beer for the ride and for the evening, we arrive and the good times roll. Yail Bloor's home is fucking astounding.
A good portion of the evening was spent right here. Derris arrived a bit later and the evening eventually degenerated into haziness booziness.
I look like a goddamn mess in some of these pictures and I haven't been in Atlanta 24 hours. I've got about 145 more hours to go. Jesus fuckin' Christ. That being said, it is one of the best times I've had in a long while.
Sunday: I wake up half-drunk in the morning and have a beer for breakfast, just in time to see the Senator head off home to on his vomity voyage. Awhile later Derris kindly unloads my ass back at the hotel and I crawl into bed for a good portion of the day. Femjack awakens me and reminds me that we're going to
Fogo De Chao's for dinner. I asked the fellas about it and they assure me that meat sweats will be in my immediate future. I was still sweating a hangover by the time I hit the restaurant, but once the wine and the VERY fine beef, chicken and pork were sampled, all was well in the world. I mean it, a few samples were among the very finest pieces of steak I've ever had. Atlanta scores another huge point in the food department.
Monday: Femjack does some conference business in the morning and then drags me out for a tour of Atlanta that her business associate booked that day. Turns out it's a pretty fun ride (in a town car, we're the only three taking in the sites, probably because it's pissing rain), and we see a good chunk of the city. The tour guide is a pretty amusing old fella. After that, we're dropped off in Buckhead and we decide to have a drink and lock into a sign that says
The Tavern at Phipps. Why not, eh? We pop in and are met my an extremely buxom greeter. Things looking up, I decide and we are seated. Femjack and her business associate remark that they there's some kind of a dress code here. I look up and see our server coming over. She's built like a porn star, and is only slightly more clothed. A quick survey of the The Tavern at Phipps lets me know what the ladies in my company immediately noted. EVERY SERVER HERE IS BUILT LIKE THAT. I leave my sunglasses on and order a Bass and an order of the
cajun tavern chips. I can't even begin to describe how fucking good they are. Chock one more up for Atlanta. After having a few more beers, time has passed and dinner is decided upon. We're due to meet some other business/science types at a place called
The Clubhouse. After apps, I was a bit wary of ordering something massive, atlthough the Kobe Burger was tempting, I go with a non-traditional jambalaya. This completely blows my mind, it's so good. Full of blackened chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp and a spicy, spicy sauce, and a mighty fine shiraz. Atlanta wins again. Also the portion size is generally enough for about 3 meals back at casa de dumpjack. After spending awhile at the restaurant, we end up missing our shuttles and taking the train back downtown.
Tuesday: At the conference all day; 35,000 attendees at the Georgia World Congress Centre. I end up hooking up with some other CDN scientists in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec (no one from BC, sadly) and start schmoozing for work. I end up lining up meetings with these guys over the next two nights. Alberta bodes particularly well, which pleases me greatly. Derris had suggested awhile back that we take in
Mary Mac's Tea Room while in Atlanta, so we heed his advice and it was well taken. I opt for a full on southern cuisine experience (as much as I can handle, anyway) and get a mint julip, fried chicken, cheese grits, sweet tea and macaroni and cheese. Like last night, the portion size is insane and the food is delicious. Altanta scores again. It's becoming readily apparent that everything in this city is delicious.
Wednesday: Last day in town. After the succesful meets yesterday, I decided not to pay the daily conference fee and opted to crash it instead. This proves ridiculously easy and I kick myself for even paying the measly $35 dollars yesterday. I keep up the glad-handing for as long as I can stand it. I book a meeting in Alberta next month and make plans to meet with some other Ontario folk later that night. Our last dinner in Atlanta is at Emeril's. I'd never eaten at the restaurant of a failed sitcom star, but it couldn't be any worse than the chicken served by a countrypolitan singer, so I'm cautiously optimistic. My hope is met by another fantastic
meal of Roasted Citrus & Chile Glazed Half Tanglewood Farms Chicken with Bacon Braised Red Beans, Tomatillo Salsa and Cilantro. It was just unreal. I didn't think it would be possible to get that excited over a half chicken, but there it was. Atlanta wins again.
I flew out early yesterday morning and made it home. Like I said before, I wish I had more time to meet some more board folks. Death to Shoegaze and I tried to make plans but it didn't happen. I wish I had more music doings there as well. We considered getting to Frank Black, but time and circumstance wasn't on our side. I only made it to a Borders and didn't buy anything. I wish I could have hit a used store, but what are you gonna do? The food clearly made an impression on me, probably too much actually. Of course, now the next time I go for dinner here in the 'toon, I'm gonna be thinking "...Can't even get decent food - right after I got here, I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce, and I got egg noodles and ketchup." Hopefully I won't be living the rest of my life as a schnook here in SK. Many thanks again to Yail Bloor, Senator Loogar and Rick Derris for the good times on Sat/Sun. We'll all have to do it again, maybe next time on my turf.
Glad you had a good time man, and got a taste of southern hospitality.
