Day 1: E-Ville to Atlanta

Day 1: Emery du Ville to Atlanta

Coming August 16th to an e-seller near you:

Yours for only $1.99...buy deux or trois or un mille

LB is right on time, we're off to SFO at 6am. Weather: a bit humid! ParkSFO is totally full, valet parking only (still cheapest way to handle 8 days of parking). Somehow LB is treated to TSA-Pre, maybe because THB has global entry? Even with a delay for mechanics to change the rear light bulb (pilots were afraid of a ticket on the taxi for takeoff?), we're in Atlanta right on time at 3:30.

Doubletree Suites

inner courtyard

the latest in valet service: 10 minutes registering your car (remember when they gave you a stub with your name on it...and it took 15 seconds?) 

The beginning of the traffic mess: road work. Then 8 lanes (in one direction!) through downtown on a Saturday wasn't enough, we're at a standstill. Forty five minutes for a 25 minute drive.

Car rental is a two-stop "train" ride away, we print off boarding passes for tomorrow, and pick up our Alamo car. We remember the last time we were here having the identical confusion on where the car pickup was relative to the check-in desk (we use the kiosk, there's a long line awaiting a customer check-in rep): it take s two escalators and one elevator ride and we're taking the first mid-size car we see.

Not too reassuring: the Safety Tips and Fire Instructions are in "quotes"...fake news? fake instructions?

Traffic Department: Yep, it's Saturday around 4:30, we're going through downtown at a snail's pace, trying to get to the 85/75 split. Can't wait to see what it is like tomorrow morning (Sunday for those of you who lost the day of the week) on the return to the airport.

At the hotel: it's valet only, you have to register your car on your i-phone!! That let's THB off the hook, LB now gets to call for the car in the morning. We have a king-size suite: big bed, extra room, no extra bed. So, LB and THB may be sharing the king size bed and talking to each other all night long (we're sleep-talkers!).

THB is getting ready for #51

And LB goes for #19

Alumni on the field

There's a "home run" contest with 50 kids spread around chasing what looks like mini-batting practice

Smoked brisket sandwich spot

Not much in the way of specialty brews, $8 and an "age" check (fake id used by THB?)

Not bad, needed "spicy" sauce; sandwich and side of slaw $14

Braves have had lots of success in past, just not in the recent past when they have been awful

A very short walk to ballpark, it is practically at the end of the block! Basically,  a pretty vanilla ballpark, not much of note to post home about. The Braves are celebrating alumni weekend and the guy sitting in front of our good seats is clearly an alum...of the Falcons! He's massive, probably played tight end. So, neither of us get a great look at the both the pitcher and batter at same time. Doesn't matter,  most of them are striking out through the first six innings; the Braves starter, Foltynewicz, sets a personal best of 11 in less than 7 innings. Strailey for Marlins isn't far behind. Braves break the game open in the late innings, Freeman hits a massive opposite field 3 run homer and Braves coast to victory, 7-2, before 40,000 tomahawk choppers.

Home Depot sponsors the 7th inning "race"

Hammer comes from way back to win

Tomahawk chop with I-phones ablazing; that big head on bottom right of picture gives THB and LB and obstructed view

40,000 in the park, not bad for two very mediocre teams

"full" moon

 LB takes the couch, THB the bed.


Art Show Review: For you Bay Area types, there's an interesting exhibit of British artist Sarah Lucas at the Palace of Legion of Honor, mixed in among the Rodins on the main floor.  Yes, THB is still chasing art after seemingly finding every last piece of art in Europe in July. THB sez  this show is worth a detour. You can check out the soft sculptures sitting atop appliances and furniture at Lucas at the Palace