Weekend Trippin' - Art and Eating in the ATL

High Museum of Art
1280 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309

A few weeks ago, Mr. Plow and I had the distinct pleasure of entertaining our friend J, Esq, for the weekend. Our primary goal was simple: to catch up while enjoying a few delicious meals in exciting locations in and around the city.

We spent the better part of Saturday morning at Atlanta's internationally acclaimed art museum, The High, where we were excited to see several pieces from the permanent collection as well as the current special exhibit, Cross Country: The Power of Place in American Art (now through May 7). Among the most fascinating pieces in the permanent collection is Anish Kapoor's Untitled (2010), a mesmerizing, concave stainless steel disk. I was also thrilled to revisit Claude Monet's Houses of Parliament in the Fog (1903), a favorite from my very first visit to the museum back in the 1980s.

The special exhibit was at once somber and captivating, a realistic and sobering view of our nation. The vibrant colors of Hale Woodruff's paintings (1942) of opening day at Talladega College celebrate the world of opportunity that awaited former slaves. This vibrancy hangs in stark contrast to the realism of Andrew Wyeth's Black Hunter and Georgia O'Keefe's Barn with Snow.  Grant Wood's Appraisal (1931) is at first glance a straightforward meeting between two Midwestern farm women; further reflection, however, calls into question just what (that chicken?) or who (the women themselves?) is being appraised. The exhibit concludes with Maynard Dixon's overwhelming Red Butte with Mountain Men (1935), a giant canvas that is as breathtaking as the Southwestern landscape itself.

Bar Margot
75 14th St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309

After spending several hours in the museum, we headed over to Bar Margot (on the 2nd floor of the Four Seasons Hotel) for an early afternoon treat of cocktails and charcuterie. We each opted for a different cocktail: Mr. Plow enjoyed the Jawbreaker with tequila, blackberry, lime, and ginger; J channeled Lady Victoria with a vodka-lemon-rosemary combination; and I visited the Lindbergh Palace with scotch, Pimm's, honey, and a touch of sparkling wine. These libations paired nicely with the Tasting Board featuring speck, salami, and three cheeses (a Georgia blue, a French triple cream, and a Dutch gouda).

The Iberian Pig
121 Sycamore St
Decatur, GA 30030

The evening found us in downtown Decatur at one of our favorite spots for casual, delicious food. We filled the table with all our favorite tapas: bacon-wrapped dates; flatbread with cheese, pickled onion, and white truffle; classic patatas bravas; whole-shrimp escabeche (with a sauce so delicious that we asked for extra bread for sopping); and a sinful bowl of huevos con trufo - eggs, pork cheeks, and another delectable sauce. It is also possible that we washed this all down with a pitcher (or two) of the Iberian Pig's signature sangria.

Revival
129 Church St
Decatur, GA 30030

The next morning, we made our way Kevin Gillespie's tribute to Southern cooking just south of downtown Decatur. Seriously, y'all, brunch at Revival is not to be missed. After reviving our spirits with a round of housemade Bloody Marys, we settled in for a midday feast. For starters, we shared the giant, baked-in-a-cast-iron-skillet cinnamon roll with buttermilk frosting and a couple of "Closed on Sunday" chicken sandwiches, an homage to a certain well-known chicken sandwich from another purveyor that is never available on Sundays. Then, we settled in for our main courses. Mr. Plow devoured the pork schnitzel with roasted onion gravy, eggs, and potatoes; J enjoyed the fried catfish with cheddar grits and hot sauce; and I polished off a soul-satisfying plate of corned beef hash with potatoes, onions, and sunny-side-up eggs.