Georgia on My Mind
I've been in Atlanta since Wednesday night last week. I came down for a course over the weekend and extended it out until today to see a bit of the place and enjoy it. Just like I did in Chicago and New York City. Here are my observations on Atlanta.
1. Smoke. They still smoke in bars here. I know I sound like Hamish now, but fuck it's really gross. More than gross, it's extra laundry. ugh. oh and after nearly a year smoke free, this was the first time I actually wanted one.
2. Pointy Buildings. They have a few fairly tall skyscrapers in the city, nice ones actually. And in most ways they are reasonably non-descript, except for the pointy tops. Take a look at this image and see what I mean. There is no explanation for why they are into making really elaborate tops, but it's cool.
3. Waiters. The waiters and waitresses are the best in this city. Without exception they have been smart, nice, personable, outgoing and super efficient. Holy crap these people do NOT know how to be surly!!
4. Cold. The South is not as warm as we're led to beleive. Or at least it wasn't for us. It was below freezing for three days here and just finally got warm yesterday. As the guy at the car rental place said "It's been cold, but not as cold as all y'all are used to, but for us, it's cold."
5. Accent. I can't hear all the variations and differenes in southern accents, but i can tell North Carolina from Texas from Georgia. But man they are sweet. There are probably rural or ghetto accents that are harsher, but to my ear the accents I've heard have been like a warm blanket.
6. Grits & Biscuits. Okay here's the thing, I've tried grits, I really, really have. I thought I didn't like them, then I came to the South and tried them again to be sure, because I'm sure a Yankee version of grits (from NYC or Chicago) would be anathema to a real Southerner. But you know what? While admittedly creamier and with a nicer texture, they were still fucking awful. They were what I imagine PolyFilla to taste like. The biscuits, on the other hand are a different story. I have always liked biscuits. I buy one most mornings from Tim Horton's with my coffee. So when we went to the local diner in the gay area we're staying in for breakfast on Friday, I knew I was in for a treat. The Flying Biscuit Café promises, from its name alone, a Southern biscuit experience. And it delivers. These things are little flowery, buttery, flakey, fluffy pucks of pure joy. I buttered it and sat chewing, nearly weeping at how good it was and as I stared at it I knew then that I could never - ever - give up carbs.
7. Fat. We had a dessert at Nikimoto's (great sushi place) that consisted of a piece of angel food cake battered and deep fried and then served with a banana 'compote' (which is French for hot jam, not to be confused with a coulis, which is French for runny jam). It was good. We pointed out to the waiter that the very idea of deep fried cake is precisely why Americans are fat.
8. Drink. Do not drink with amateurs. My travelling companion is spectacularly hungover today. It's quite funny really. I drank more than he and I feel good. I think I'm just going to leave his sorry ass here and go back to They Flying Biscuit Café and have nothing but coffee & biscuits for breakfast.
I'm flying home on a late flight tonight.
