January is a very intense month for us. No sooner the Christmas season is over, which is full of church, retail, wrapping, and parties, we hop on a plane and head for the major Gift & Ready To Wear Shows. Here is a scene we see everyday on our way to the Atlanta shows. We always happen to be there during Martin Luther King's birthday celebration. It's hard to see, but the sign on the left is a portrait of him.
First stop upon arriving is dinner at LaTivola. It's a cozy Italian restaurant in Virginia Highlands. This is their Warmed Olives appetizer.
Dessert at LaTivola is not to be missed. The special of the night was this delicious Apple Tart with Rosemary Cream. We also ordered a side of house made Vanilla Semi-Freddo.
Here's the view from one of the several highrise buildings that comprises the Atlanta Gift Mart. This was a snowless trip. It was cold but not bone chilling.
A fun showroom stop. It is rare to find sofas to lounge on. Generally you are on your feet...ALL DAY!!!
Every year has a different twist. This year several vendors had craftsmen outside in the halls demonstrating how things are made.
The Mart stays open until 8pm on the weekend. We shop, enjoy a nice dinner, and then drop. Atlanta has so many unique restaurants and they believe in dessert. One of my favorite stops, "Wisteria", lets you choose 3 of their homemade desserts for $10. We chose the Coconut Meringue Pie, Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream (Yes, it had a kick!), and Bread Pudding. I wish restaurants here in L.A. would pick up on this.
Being a "foodie" I look forward to the Gourmet Food section of the show where you get to sample everything.
Atlanta is a city that I enjoy. Here, popular "South City Kitchen" (You better have a reservation) is in a remodeled Southern home surrounded by spectacular high rises. Fascinating!
I think the Mussels here were among the best we have ever had. Considering we are from the Chesapeake Bay that is saying something.
As soon as we land in L.A. it's off to our local shows. This was taken as I was enjoying a break in the lobby of the California Market Center, my "home away from home" for the last 3 decades.
With all the lofts being built downtown their are new restaurants cropping up. We enjoyed people watching from our window table at PatternBar.com. You can see the California Mart from the window.
Here is a nice night shot of the L.A. Mart, home to many gift and decor showrooms. We have been shopping into the night on both coasts and had a very successful trip. You will find the fruit of our shopping in Mountain Rose Gifts and Revelation Tops.
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