Saturday, September 08, 2012
Crysta
We had one free afternoon while we were in Atlanta, so we took a peek at the map and considered the places we might visit. Centennial Olympic Park, just down the hill from our hotel, seemed like a good place to start. So we trekked down the hill, and were greeted by a beautiful and vibrant part of the downtown Atlanta area.
The park has a great story, too. Twenty years ago, the land where the it now sits was a run down eye sore, filled with abandoned warehouses and dilapidated storefronts. You would never know that, now! In addition to revitalizing the downtown area, Centennial Olympic Park is a great tourist attraction. The improvements bring an estimated 3 million people to the area.
We enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the 21-acre park, reading the displays commemorating the Olympics (like those listing all the gold medal winners), and checking out the park's three water features.
After spending some time relaxing under some trees and watching children and families enjoying the park, we decided to hike back up the hill and find some lunch. There are lots of great places to choose from in Atlanta! We went for a place called the Metro Cafe Diner, where we were pleasantly surprised by food with a Greek flair and several international food choices, along with some of the most decadent cakes I have ever seen, rising layer after layer in a display case taunting you from the hostess station.
The service was friendly, including not just our own server, but another waitress and the host. The atmosphere was fun -- sort of reminded me of a night club with a shiny banister leading up to the balcony where we ate. My Gyro was yummy, and Justin enjoyed the lasagna.
We left with happy tummies.
The park has a great story, too. Twenty years ago, the land where the it now sits was a run down eye sore, filled with abandoned warehouses and dilapidated storefronts. You would never know that, now! In addition to revitalizing the downtown area, Centennial Olympic Park is a great tourist attraction. The improvements bring an estimated 3 million people to the area.
We enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the 21-acre park, reading the displays commemorating the Olympics (like those listing all the gold medal winners), and checking out the park's three water features.
After spending some time relaxing under some trees and watching children and families enjoying the park, we decided to hike back up the hill and find some lunch. There are lots of great places to choose from in Atlanta! We went for a place called the Metro Cafe Diner, where we were pleasantly surprised by food with a Greek flair and several international food choices, along with some of the most decadent cakes I have ever seen, rising layer after layer in a display case taunting you from the hostess station.
The service was friendly, including not just our own server, but another waitress and the host. The atmosphere was fun -- sort of reminded me of a night club with a shiny banister leading up to the balcony where we ate. My Gyro was yummy, and Justin enjoyed the lasagna.
We left with happy tummies.
