our neighbourhood

Last night after dinner (gaspacho with some crab meat, spinach and gruyere tart, wine... - yes, I am living life!) we went on a little stroll in our neighbourhood. It is so homely and cosy here that one can leave the house with a cup of coffee or a glass of something in one's hand and stroll to heart's content. The streets which surround our house in Decatur are green and lush, and full of interesting houses. We thought how houses really show their personality when it is dark and they are lit by lamps, lanterns and candles. Each house is different, and every time we pass them we notice something we have not seen before. Some are stylish, some are cute, some slightly shabby, but they all have something appealing and welcoming about them. Now I am sitting on our sun porch with my morning coffee and oatmeal, and observing the Atlanta's multi-taskers (for those who have not read my post about them - push trolley in one hand, dog in another, plus a blackberry and a coffee cup) walking by. I am happy not to need to be one of them now, but so contented to be living in a neighbourhood full of switched-on people who take such great pride in their homes.

Sunday morning at the cemetery

Does not sound too groovy, but it was! Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta:

struck me as a contemplative tribute to life rather than a somber place of remembrance and reflection that cemeteries usually are. The cemetery is an example of a new (in the mid-nineteenth century) style of 'rural garden cemeteries', which changed the way in which public green spaces were designed. Roses, magnolias, imposing mausoleums, poetry chiseled on grave stones of most unusual shapes ... The beauty and opulence of the place is something one notices immediately: Tiffany stained glass windows, Victorian, Gothic, Egyptian and Roman-style structures and sculptures, and vistas of the modern Altanta skyline. In other words: feast for all senses. We walked, marvelled and contemplated.

People burried at Oakland ('70.000 souls') were the cream of the South: military figures, architects, civil servants, sports champions, some more humble members of Atlanta society, and last but not least: Civil War soldiers. Their graves were most striking because of their simplicity, and the sheer number. So much history in one place!

My thoughts when strolling along the winding paths of this garden? What beauty there is in our remembrance of those we love, what poetry in people wishing to emphasise the splendour of their lives when they are no longer able to enjoy it themselves ...

oh, ladies who dine...

I officially joined the elusive group of ladies attending evening cooking classes. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept: these are classes where one does not need to make one's hands dirty - note-taking and sampling various delicacies prepared by very skilled chefs is all that is required.

Having had the pleasure of one such class at London's Claridges, I thought that my retired lifestyle calls for more. And here I was, Thursday evening, in a sophisticated kitchen store, in an even more sophisticated shopping mall in Atlanta. I dressed appropriately, and bore the right attitude, or so I thought... Oh, the elegant dresses, the pearls, the discrete smell of perfume... The ladies who attend these classes are distinguished-looking, extremely pleasant, and impressively knowleadable about food and drink, various other aspects of savoir vivre, giving cocktail parties, etc. I tested two recipes back home, when preparing a little soiree for family. Husband and the rest were appropriately impressed. A new day has dawned for me. Still no pearls in sight though.

urban chic in atlanta

Another post in the 'amazing Atlanta' series. Westside Urban Market would startle amateurs of urban, quirky vistas. Some examples:

and there are restaurants, great antique shops, a really cute children's store... My favourite was actually the Star Provisions - attached to the Bacchanalia (owned by the people responsible for the phenomenon that is Abatoir - restaurant located in a former meat packing factory) they store a great collection of cheeses, coffees, jams and pickles, and kitchen accessories. Another place full of nice, knowledgeable people. Cool, urban Atlanta...

Just married! reflections of a newly-wed 'Atlantan'

Getting married and honeymooning... If you think that it is fun yet overwhelming, try honeymooning with over 25 family members - half from Poland, half from the US! Twenty five times the fun, twenty five times ... all the other feelings. Oh, the cultural, linguistic, and culinary traps one encounters!
Thus the long break between posts.

So we are now married; and living in the South is my full time job. I am continuing to explore the cultural, architectural, sport, entertainment, and of course also food-and-drink scenes of Atlanta. Have not yet become a true Atlantan though: I cannot help thinking that to be one I need to be seen in my running gear, dog on one side, child pushchair on the other, coffee cup in left hand, mobile phone in right hand. Atlantans are unbelievably switched on people, on all levels. These multi-taskers can be observed in many of Altanta's beautiful parks, and I see them from the windows of our sunporch while having my morning coffee. Working on it, but for now I am enjoying the morning coffee with my other half too much!

Will be posting more about the honeymoon adventures and the Atlanta life! Big kiss for everyone!