Must-do/see things in Atlanta

The only big tourist attraction I can vouch for is the aquarium. It's worth the time and money to check it out.

Stay away from the CDC.

Yeah, if you've got a three-year old, the aquarium is a must. The zoo's fun too, but it's still supposed to be stupid cold here next week.

If you and the wife get out for the evening, skip Buckhead. It sucks. There are some fun bars and restaurants in Virginia-Highland and Little 5 Points. I'm a big fan of the Porter, a beer bar and great restaurant in Little 5 Points, or you can hit up the Vortex for a burger in the same part of town (they don't allow anyone under 18, so don't bring the kid to that one). Manuel's is a great pub in Va-Hi, and Cafe De Sol is another favorite restaurant down the street. East Atlanta has some great bars/restaurants, too. If you're into live music, there's usually a cool show at the Earl.

Decatur has its share of restaurants/bars, too, but for me the drive over there/pain in the ass parking/crowds once you get there outweigh the benefits. There's also a Mexican restaurant called Bone Garden out on the westside. It's a little bit out of the way, but I value their food more than I value most of my friendships.

If you want to do anything other than drink or eat, I may not be the guy to talk to.

Motherfucker, Buckhead is great. At least, it's great every evening when I get home from HQ.

Show some respect for your elders, Harlin.

Hitting one of the locations of Taqueria Del Sol is worthwhile, too. I guess the Decatur location would be most convenient if you're on the Eastside. Park across the street in the Sharian lot to avoid hunting a spot. Check out Decatur CD across the street while you're there.

Holy Taco in East Atlanta is also worth a visit if you're down there, and looking for yet another Mexi-option. They offer a little pork belly sandwich that rules my world.

They're showing ELF at the Plaza a few times over the next week, if that's interesting to you.

If you're there on a Friday night, and want a bit of a low-key option with the wife, Martinis & IMAX at the Fernbank museum is a pretty cool evening.

I second the rec for The Vortex. It's my favorite. The L5P location is the coolest (because the DOOR is a GIANT SKULL), but the other one in Midtown has a tiny, great comedy club inside (The Laughing Skull), so that's another entertainment option you might consider.

Hope you have a great visit!

Also, yes, Renn, Buckhead sucks, with the exception of Oxford Comics and you, I guess.

Mike, despite what these twats are trying to tell you about my part of town, there's plenty to do. You should definitely make the Gold Room Gentleman's Facility a part of your evening (please be packing- common sense of course) and if your vehicle is in need of any used tires, there's a great joint down the street called "Used Tires." Guy named Shane will hook you up.

We have a Five Guys too.

Definitely go to the aquarium, and if possible go to the World of Coca-Cola. If you're looking for an art museum, check out the High. Also, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History is pretty awesome. If you're looking for something outdoors, go take a stroll through Piedmont Park.

Further east side recommendations:
Stone Mountain Park. They have plenty of kid friendly activities. Hiking to the top may be a bit chilly this week.

If you need to take the little one out to burn off some energy I would high recommend Leapin' Lizards near Decatur. They have a bunch of inflatable toys indoors. Prices are reasonable and it is fun for the folks too.

http://www.leapinlizardsplay.com/

I second the votes for Bone Garden and Vortex, but I would add the Brick Store Pub to that as well.

We went to R. Thomas' Deluxe Grill on Tuesday night. It's nice and warm in there. The Hummus was very good though it should be noted that the server got confused and brought the table a Hummus & Grilled Vegetables entree instead of the appetizer.

I had a Californian Omelet filled with top quality seafood. Other meals served included fish tacos and a couple a pastas. The beer was good. I recommend it highly.

R. Thomas Deluxe Grill!

If you do go to Zoo Atlanta, check out Cyclorama (a few yards from the zoo entrance). It's a civil war diorama that's definitely worth the price of admission.

(According to Louis CK last Saturday there's really nothing to see in Atlanta, or any city for that matter.)

I don't know if you saw that video of his recent Leno appearance, but he sounded REALLY jaded about ever seeing/doing ANYTHING on the road. I know he travels eternally, but come on, guy.

How was the show?

I didn't see the Leno appearance, but he did a funny bit about people saying while he's in town "you really need to see...", and him cutting them off with "no, I don't." Hotel, limo, venue.

The show was really great, and was filmed from start to finish. Discussing it afterward, we weren't sure whether it was being filmed for parts of the tv show or for a tour film.

Kurt (Egg) was there, so maybe he knows. Assuming he's still alive...

(last sentence was an inside joke from the show)

I believe Donald Glover is going to do a surprise set at the Laughing Skull's BEST OF ATLANTA show tonight. Starts at 8pm. Tix are only $10. Get on that if there are seats left.