Atlanta, I'll Be Back, Y'all

Friday, April 10, 2009 by Jayne Haugen Olson.

Yes, I’m a Northern girl, but I do love Atlanta. Now, don’t think I only say that because of my new Delta connection. I’ve been to Hotlanta a handful of times in my adult years. Atlanta provided my first taste of a Krispy Kreme nearly ten years ago. I’ve roamed such neighborhoods as Virginia Heights and Little Five Points. I’ve walked the public spaces created for the Olympics. And I was awestruck when I took a tour of the legendary Fox Theater, which was built in the 1920s as the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque.

For our recent Sky launch party, I stayed at the new W in Buckhead. I remember staying along that same Peachtree Avenue strip in early '90s when the now Westin Hotel was a Swissotel. This new W (just down the street from the swank shopping at Lenox Square) is terrific. I was near giddy when I walked into my room. I recently moved, and my new home is under a bit of a transformation. The Thom Felicia-designed rooms of the W Buckhead are right in step with where my décor head is at. (I’ve included a few snaps from my iPhone.)

I loved the carpet.

The touches of orange.

Luxe and livable.

Here’s a quote from Thom I found about the project:

"It is a place where southern hospitality meets modern style. My designs are for a
comfortable, stylish urban environment infused with the historical references
that define the rich style and tradition of Buckhead. It has the feel of a
social club and is well suited for the demanding modern traveler as well as the
young affluent Atlanta tastemaker."

An associate and I had lunch at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Market restaurant within the W. The space was bright and artful—like that of a restaurant in a contemporary art museum. The service was a touch overly attentive, but our steamed shrimp salads were spot on.

Our launch party was held at the top floor Whisky Blue. (My favorite of the four party locations in our two weeks.) You enter the club from a direct ground-to-rooftop elevator that is large enough to house an extended sofa. (I sense the sofa is for a little late-night post party necking versus a place to rest your feet.) Once exiting the lift, a glass walkway leads to the hip establishment—complete with living room-style modern furniture, several outdoor spaces, and lots of grass on the roof. Loved it!

Our post-party dinner was conveniently across the street at Tom Colicchio’s new Craft outpost. Thankfully, we had a table for ten—which allowed us to order nearly every entrée and a half-dozen-plus sides of vegetables and mushrooms, so we could experience a broad spectrum of tastes. Though I didn’t want to share many of my scallops, we all partook in the Southern hospitality of family-style dining.

In hindsight, even though I don’t consider Buckhead a typical city-walkable area, this little strip is filled with world-class experiences all accessed without needing some wheels.