Amazing Weekend

I didn't come into work on Friday. Instead, I arrived at a local plant at 6a for my ride-a-long. This was a chance for me to understand a part of the supply chain that no one thinks about when they see product on a shelf. How does it get there? Who stocks it? Turns out, there's a little man in a brightly colored truck. The experience was eye-opening and the work ethic impressive. Physically, I could not do his job today. The speed and acuracy is important, as is the execution. From local food outlets to convenience stores, everyone expects the best service. Further, this man's scheduled 10 hour shift can be shortened by moving quickly. He's paid for the minutes on his paper, not for his actual time of execution unless he works past 4p. Absolutely fascinating.

As for the rest of the weekened. My boyfriend landed around 9p. I've learned that the airport is just big enough that if company calls me when they LAND, I should arrive as they exit through baggage claim. That said, the Atlanta airport has numerous flaws in my opinion. The largest being that baggage claim and ticketing/check-in are along the exact same wall. Meaning halfway through the wall, the cars on the left want to be on the right and the ones on the right want to be on the left. SILLY!

Friday night we ventured to one of my favorite tapas restaurants in the Highlands, Noche. Indeed it was bustling, but the 10p reservation had us seated quickly. Afterwards, we strolled N. Highland to a local pub with a highly entertaining singer. Plus a unicorn dance that looks like the chicken dance on steroids. Saturday morning we had breakfast on the otherside of Piedmont Park at Flying Biscuit. Quite yummy and yes, incredible biscuits!! I've decided the food here is enough for my waist to expand a size (thank goodness for the walking I do!). We spent the afternoon in the Atlanta Botanical Garden before crossing the park back to Summerfest, a Virginia Highland festival. We met a couple interns and ran into more classmates at the festival - bands on both edges of the street, funnel cakes, knick-knacks and lots of art. The dinner destination was Ruth's Chris - decadent food, but delicious. Opera Nightclub was our final stop for the night, meeting up with another intern and her roommate. It slightly reminded me of a club in Vegas and though I didn't last until 3a as I was still full from dinner, it was a fantastic experience and a place I'll likely frequent.

Finally, Sunday kicked off with Murphy's brunch followed by an afternoon at the Georgia Aquarium. Can't beat the 50% off student rate after 3p on Sundays!! I'll admit, there were a few too many kids out for me, but the afternoon was still fun. Dinner was a home cooked meal, which I missed after 2-3 days of hearty Southern food. After my drive to the airport, I relaxed before heading to bed early. It'll definitely be 5 gym days for me this week! Perfect weekend.