There's No Business Like Show Business

Sometimes we are just lucky! Jeff and I have been anxious to see the show The Book of Mormon and it is now playing in Atlanta. Last June we signed up for a bus trip to see the show and have been waiting since then. Turns out they sold the trip for two consecutive Wednesdays and the week before us was cancelled due to an icy storm that shut down the states of Georgia and South Carolina. As our trip approached we had cold and clear weather.

We took Sirius to a kennel on Monday night and drove to Charleston on Tuesday where Jeff had a doctor's appointment. Got home, packed and rested for our adventure. Wednesday morning we boarded a beautiful new bus and started the five hour ride to Atlanta. Along the way we listened to the CD of the show and ate box lunches with turkey sandwiches. The day was gloomy, but we were going. Got to Atlanta and checked into the Doubletree in Buckhead. Spent a few hours in a nearby mall and then got dressed for the evening.

Our group had dinner at Maggiano's and then the bus took us downtown to the Fox Theatre. What a beautiful building with over 4000 comfortable seats. We were in the rear orchestra and just off center. The theatre was built as a Shriner's Mosque and it is exquisite. The ceiling is painted blue with lighting creating a field of stars. There are canopies over the balconies and lanterns hanging above the stage. Even the entryway and lobbies are interesting to see.

The lights went down and the show began  and we were intrigued from the first note. The opening number is the best in the show and we loved the whole thing. Music and dancing were excellent and the writing is so clever. I must warn you that the language is truly raunchy, but we found it funny. I highly recommend this show if you can get over the language and subject matter.

In the morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then I went with the group to Trader Joe's for a shopping spree. Jeff stayed at the hotel until noon and then met up with the bus for the ride home. I opted to go to the Atlanta History Center and spent a few pleasant hours there. The modern museum building sits on the grounds of a depression era mansion and an old farm. The Swan House is open for tours and I enjoyed seeing this spectacular home completed in 1928 and beautifully furnished.

The highlight is their floating staircase. Their gardens were beautiful and I would love to see them in bloom.

Inside I walked through the Civil War exhibit which was informative and chock full of items collected by a father/son team over their lifetime. Also viewed the Atlanta Olympic exhibition and a folk art collection. Again I would recommend this museum if you visit the Buckhead area.

We returned home on Thursday night and rescued Sirius the next morning. Looking back I realize how lucky we were to go since the next Wednesday as I write this, is another winter storm with icy roads.