Saturday, February 29, 2020

"ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER" IS A MUSEUM WORTH VISITING



When in ATLANTA earlier this month my nephew and his wife took us to the ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER in Buckhead. Who knew this TREASURE existed?!

When we first drove up, it looked like a very small MUSEUM, but inside it was actually bigger than expected. It sits on 33 acres with beautiful gardens and other historical buildings.

Most museums are too large for me - I actually get a headache in no time from mentally trying to absorb it all. But this one is certainly manageable and very thoughtfully laid out.

We were fortunate enough to see their special EXHIBIT that opened last year - a 132-YEAR-OLD PAINTING that stands 45 FEET TALL and is longer than a FOOTBALL FIELD! They displayed it "in the round" to create "entertainment" in the 1880's, and called it a CYCLORAMA. It's one of only 2 CYCLORAMAS in the United States.  The other one is in GETTYSBURG, PA

When you enter the huge foyer of the HISTORY CENTER, you see details of how this CYCLORAMA PAINTING was meticulously restored to the tune of $8 MILLION






Here is a miniature reproduction of the painting, depicting the 1864 BATTLE OF ATLANTA.




Because a CYCLORAMA PAINTING is displayed "in the round", it was truly the introduction of the IMAX in the 1880's

This one debuted in 1886 in Minneapolis. It was painted by 17 GERMAN ARTISTS and took 5 MONTHS to complete.

A 12 minute film, overlayed on the painting, is available for viewing on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to 60 visitors at a time. It is terrific!




Near the bottom of the painting artists have added figurines and landscape to make this CYCLORAMA a 3-D EXPERIENCE. So carefully crafted, it's challenging to find where the painting ends and the 3-D addition begins.








In 1939CLARK GABLE played RHETT BUTLER in the GONE WITH THE WIND movie. It's said that when he saw this CYCLORAMA PAINTING, he asked for a reproduction of himself to be added. You can see him in the forefront of the photo below.




In the center-right of this portion of the painting is the ONLY BLACK SOLDIER in the painting.  




Since the MUSEUM is focused on the HISTORY of ATLANTA, there are multiple rooms throughout the building, each with a different focus.




Housing one of the largest collections in the United States of CIVIL WAR ARTIFACTS, they are artfully displayed and explained.








The TREASURES throughout the museum were collected largely by one family who was PASSIONATE about their local HISTORY. In 1989, in anticipation of the building's 1993 opening, MRS. BEVERLY DUBOSE, JR. donated the family's collection to the HISTORY CENTER.




One section of the MUSEUM that I particularly enjoyed focuses on the FOLK ARTS, such as HANDMADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.......








POTTERY-MAKING......






FURNITURE MAKING.......




 

MARGARET MITCHELL wrote only ONE NOVEL - GONE WITH THE WIND - a story set in the SOUTH during the CIVIL WAR

It won the NATIONAL BOOK AWARD for MOST DISTINGUISHED NOVEL of 1936 and the PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION in 1937




KU KLUX KLAN artifact. Certainly not a pleasant part of our Nation's History or Present Day, but it's still part of our history....... I give the HISTORY CENTER credit for their BOLD decision to put this on display.




The next time I visit ATLANTA, I'd like to drive through the INMAN PARK area, which was originally part of the battlefield in the BATTLE OF ATLANTA in 1864

In the 1880's, as part of Atlanta's FIRST PLANNED SUBURB, the neighborhood featured multiple VICTORIAN STYLE MANSIONS. This suburb was originally conceived of and promoted as a segregated community. 

In the 1950's and 1960's it became economically depressed, however, over the past few decades there has been a RENEWAL of this section of ATLANTA.




And a THROW-BACK to the AMERICAN DINER and ATLANTA's famed COCA-COLA, which originally sold for 5 CENTS a glass......

COCA-COLA was created in 1886 by an ATLANTA PHARMACIST - JOHN S. PEMBERTON! 








Perhaps you'll now be INSPIRED to visit the ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER the next time you visit the city. I highly recommend it!!


JOAN























Thursday, February 20, 2020

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT FROM "60 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's"



A list of "60 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's" came to life when I was 59 because I was horrified at the thought that I was going to be 60 YEARS OLD!!! I had to do something POSITIVE to take away the "sting" and to turn my negative thinking to POSITIVE THINKING.

The list has changed a bit over the past 8 years as new goals surfaced and others lost their significance. Do the math - I'm supposed to accomplish 6 goals each year over 10 years in order to stay on track. Of course, each year the numbers vary, but after 2019 I'm only up to #37!! I turned 68 last week so, I have some real catching up to do.....  YIKES!!!   

In 2018 I enjoyed completing 7 of them.  
In 2019 I powered through 7 more.  
And in 2020 I have 6 scheduled so far. Very EXCITING AND ENERGIZING!

However, it appears that I might have to RE-TITLE this list to:
"67 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's AND 70's"

Last year I accomplished the following SEVEN!!:

1.  Take my niece, LESLIE'S FAMILY on a trip to Europe to see PARIS
2.  Take a tour of GETTYSBURG, PA BATTLEFIELDS
3.  Stay in MONTALCINO, ITALY
4.  Tour the inside of the DUOMO in FLORENCE, ITALY
5.  Visit the town of VINCI, ITALY where LEONARDO spent his childhood
6.  Visit ANDREA BOCELLI's hometown, LAJATICO, ITALY
7.  Visit KENTUCKY and experience the KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL

I want to share ONE EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE that evolved from my list. 

For a long time, I have wanted to see ANDREA BOCELLI SING LIVE. I did that last week ON MY 68th BIRTHDAY while in Atlanta!!! Here are a few memories from the show.......






And 2 very short VIDEOS I took....... (click the ARROW to play)






An extraordinary piece of this story happened while in ITALY last year. My friend JOYCE and I left FLORENCE to spend a few nights in MONTALCINO. I planned for us to stop for lunch on the way - in ANDREA BOCELLI's family restaurant in his hometown, LAJATICO.  


  









When we sat down in the restaurant, next to us was a beautiful, white-haired woman. I asked her "Is this the BOCELLI FAMILY restaurant?" She nodded her head and pointed to herself and said, "I'M HIS MOTHER." 


With her permission, a photo of Andrea's mother.


I was so moved by this good fortune that tears started rolling down my face (and I RARELY CRY!). She proceeded to tell us that ANDREA had been in the restaurant the night before, but he was headed to PUGLIA for a performance that evening. She also told us that ALL of the family is talented and SINGS.  

We leisurely enjoyed a delicious lunch with BOCELLI WINE (naturally).


 













It wasn't long into our lunch when our waitress came over to tell us that ANDREA's brother, ALBERTO, who runs the BOCELLI WINERY, was on his way into the restaurant and she would ask him to pose for a photo with us. OMG!!


 Alberto and Andrea Bocelli's photo on the wall.


Me with Alberto Bocelli. The far-right photo is Alberto and Andrea as young men.


Progressive photos of Andrea Bocelli's mother, father, Andrea and brother, Alberto.


ALBERTO was very proud to show off his tall, handsome son to us, who was also in the restaurant, dining with his friends.




After lunch, still HIGH from our chance meeting with ANDREA BOCELLI's FAMILY, JOYCE and I drove by the AMPHITHEATER that ANDREA built for his concerts in LAJATICO. The stage is in the background where the STATUE stands. Can you imagine?!!








Needless to say, seeing ANDREA BOCELLI singing LIVE on stage (on MY BIRTHDAY no less) only 5 MONTHS after visiting his hometown and meeting his MOTHER, BROTHER and NEPHEW was a real HIGHLIGHT in my life. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been PROACTIVE by creating my "wish-list" - 

"60 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's"


I DO realize that I am incredibly BLESSED!!!


JOAN