Okay , what a huge success last weekend was, as I flew to Atlanta for a presentation of my new lecture series “Four Seasons of Design.” I invited Trish, my VP of Special Events and Promotions, to join me. Thanks to her support, I gave one of the best lectures I have ever done in my entire career. A book signing followed and overall we left feeling extremely grateful and honored by the AmericaMart team and by the many positive comments I received. I was told I motivated everyone to embrace their outdoor rooms’ opportunities with my step-by-step principles. Tons of books were sold, I stood for photos, answered questions, and overall it was beyond MARvelous.
I was able to be relaxed and feel well prepared as we arrived a day early, on Saturday, therefore we had a full day before my lecture to discover the city, do some shopping and plan a yummy dinner. But first up: where’s the closest Starbucks? Just a block away, thanks to the helpful directions from our concierge. We checked in and caffeined up. After a visit to the fascinating AmericaMart exhibits, I booked us a dinner reservation at the Atlantic Grill located in our hotel, the Ritz Carlton. It was both convenient and recently rated four stars by Wine Spectator Magazine.
We dressed up for dinner, ordered a fabulous bottle of French wine and enjoyed the live jazz. Then – out of nowhere – a man came over to our table and said, “I just want to tell you that you are the best dressed people here.” He noticed us as we walked over to our table and felt the need to tell us. We thanked him for such a lovely compliment, and as he walked away Trish and I both said to each other “Don’t you just love Atlanta?”
That said, with plenty of great meals, CosMARpolitans, and a successful lecture under my belt, this whirlwind weekend in Georgia’s capitol proved to be not just work but a mini vacation. We were sad to leave but we both agreed we would refer to this weekend as AmericaMARt! To paraphrase Cole Porter, the experience was delicious, it was delightful, it was Atlanta!
