Cascade Springs Nature Preserve- Sunday, 19 June 16

Hello!

I recently visited the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve here in Southwest Atlanta. This has nice, easy trails made for walking your dog, taking a bit of exercise or just getting outdoors.

Gorgeous green, that helps mitigate some of the traffic noise that pretty much disappears the further you go. Sunday mornings are great as it is not crowded. Also,I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I wasn't being attacked by mosquitoes, although there were of course the usual bugs hanging around. A great



place to sit, read, have a picnic, or do yoga (saw a group with their mats arriving). The only downsides are that you have to watch out for poison ivy and I tripped on a loose board on one of the paths--so be


careful...Overall, this is a lovely, peaceful and solid green space in the middle of the city.

2016 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

Hello all,

This is an ‘observational’ post regarding the 2016 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, which was held 2-5 June 2016 in Midtown. This is a culinary celebration of food and beverage within the Southern region. It was held primarily in the Loews Hotel (classes, seminars, demonstrations, etc.) located in Midtown, the Tasting Tents (yum!) were located in Piedmont Park and there were many other venues that hosted parties and events. I volunteered at Vineyard in the City a popup venue located on 14^th Street, directly across from the Four Seasons Hotel, which hosted events during the festival. The Vineyard in the City events were wonderfully upscale - breakout the JCrew sundresses and those Panama hats - cocktails, gourmet food, dessert stations, in particular the High Road Craft Ice Cream and Sorbet, where I served up watermelon (tequila) margarita sorbet (my personal favorite), blueberry lemon ice cream (made with buttermilk) and a sweet corn pudding ice cream (the ultimate wild card that was creamy and delicious!). The site had two bocce ball courts, live music, grilled chicken, oysters, Stella Artois, Tito’s vodka, etc. for those attending.

Just a FYI, to attend this 21 and over (don’t even think about bringing your infant) event is not cheap. Depending on your participation the cost ranges from $100 to $2000, which is well worth the price. However, if you are interested in attending, but find the price a bit steep, volunteering with the festival, as I did, is a wonderful way to gain event experience, be involved in the community and enjoy food, wine, and spirits from all over the southern region.

The tasting tents in Piedmont Park were amazing, and luckily the day that I attended, Sunday 5 June, was overcast but had no rain (unlike 2015 ;)).  Warm and sunny, not unbearable. Of course, there were many culinary delights to choose from, but my favorites would have had to have been a trout/pimento cheese on white with a side of trout jerky. This bite was served up by the Sunburst Trout Farms out of North Carolina. It was surprisingly tasty and light, perfect for a hot sunny day.  Tito’s vodka was definitely my favorite spirit; the cocktails were light and refreshing, in particular the ones made with lavender. Be careful, and balance your alcoholic beverages with food, as it can be easy to imbibe a beer, wine and /or cocktail in succession.

Also, there were the usual sponsors from Coca-Cola to Skinny Pop giving out samples to fill your SWAG bag! 

Overall, this is a lovely, upscale Food & Wine festival that really gives you a chance to sample sweets, seafood, BBQ from places as diverse as Texas, Maryland and even the US Virgin Islands!

If you are a foodie or just someone who enjoys good food, I highly recommend that you participate in next year’s festival!

Young in the ATL (Atlanta!): Exploring the Life of the Southern City (INTRODUCTION)

Reviews, Musings, & Observations regarding venues, hotels, restaurants, tourism, events, etc. in Atlanta, Georgia!


Hello!


My name is Candace Young. I've been a resident of Atlanta since 2013, having moved here from Savannah, GA. As you can imagine there is a difference between the easy slow pace of the Low Country (Savannah) and the bustling activity of Atlanta, and I love it!


I'm a Hospitality professional, currently attending Atlanta Technical College towards a Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism Management A.A.S. Degree. I currently hold Customer Service 2.0 and Event Coordinator certifications.


I am also currently volunteering my time with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Atlanta Business League and Centennial Olympic Park through greeting, material distribution, and aiding visitors, participants and tourists.


I've also volunteered and interned in many local Atlanta events from the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival to David Tutera's Your Wedding Experience, both for the last two years.


These community involvements really give me a feel for the people and what they are looking for in terms of art, fun and business in our city.


I also spent 20 years in the United States Air Force in the administrative and computer systems arena, which have helped me excel in organizational skills, time management and fostered my love of travel and interacting with people.


I hope you'll join me on this exploration of Atlanta!


Young in the ATL