First of all, never underestimate the amount of energy travel (even passive) can take from you over time. My battery right now is as tapped out as my battery on my cell phone, even when I plug in, I only last a few hours at most.

The Atlanta trip….

The trip home was fun for me on several levels, even if it was rife with financial mismanagement.

We started out on the road Thursday in the H2. Man that thing rides smooth, even if a fill up nowadays is as much as a brand new pair of Air Force Ones!

As all road trips with me, Geoff, and Dave go, the drinking started early. Along with Drea, we immediately started drinking first some mixed drinks (they were drinking a concoction called “the 06″, I was drinking some Hennessy and Dr. Pepper), then cracking the beers. And well, you know how it goes with drinking, the “seal got broken” early. In other words niggas got the pissys. The upside of it was we got a chance to stop at one of the best rest stops in the country, along the Tennessee River. But the trip took a little longer than normal, which I guess isn’t really a downside, so I don’t know why I set it up like that *shrug*.

Anyway, I always love it when we pull up into the horizon of Atlanta’s skyline. Even as changes are made in buildings, and the traffic gets worse on 75/85, there is still no feeling like hitting the ATL.

So yeah we hit the city, stop at the BP on North Avenue and by pure luck I get us to the Hilton Downtown without having to go in 10 circles. We get to the front and get ready to unload and check in when we get into a haggling match with this old New York Transplanted parking attendent/bellhop. He tried to play us like some country bumpkins, which annoyed us, but you know nowadays it comes with the territory in the ATL.

Anyway, we settled into the room, which had a great view of the pool deck (it was hot that weekend, and well….we got lots of great views of….the ever changing ATL skyline….all weekend).

After more drinking and Dave sparking one down in Marcel and Lawrence’s room, we hooked up with the homie Drew Lewis. The plan was to grab some food at Mick’s and then go out to the Leopard Lounge. Well turns out Mick’s is closed (the Killa pauses for the cause and sheds a tear here!). We ended up going to Hooters instead. I ran into some of my mom’s friends up in there, which was kind of strange, but otherwise it was par for the Hooter’s course, which is to say, passable food and service, but nice eye candy.

Afterward we headed back and changed and rolled out to attempt to go to the Leopard Lounge. If you haven’t been there before, I should tell you, if you don’t arrive EARLY, you have to wait in the most discouraging line in the world. It wraps around the NEXT building and works on a “one in, one out” kind of deal. When we first pulled up there was NO LINE though. We were actually kind of geeked about it. Talk about your premature celebrations. By the time we actually parked the car and walked back over to the LL, the line was at it’s usual discouraging length!

We got in some good quality line kicking it. You know where you meet some people and hold a few meaningless converstaions? That kind of kicking it. Anyway after awhile the propietor of the place next door (Staley’s Grace) told us that they had a margarita special if we got tired of waiting in line, and well….for Geoff at least, that was enough temptation to say eff it….on top of that, they offered him a free drink for everyone he could coax into coming over there. Needless to say we ended up over there. I enjoyed myself talking with the homie E. Union (who is prolly still in Italy as I type this….happy belated beautiful!), but we soon broke camp. Drew took us on a late night venture to Atlantic Station which seems like it is a cool spot when it’s actually open.

That was Thursday in a nutshell….man this is going to be long…this is why I was procrastinating on it!

Friday…..well Friday first of all….we slept in….its really great to go to SNMA and not be an actual delegate. None of those meetings filled with Roberts Rules of Rhetoric, no fake ass hobnobbing with pretentious assholes, and NO FLIPPING suits! Anyway after watching umpteen episodes of “Yo Mama” (Wilmer is giving away CAAAHSH MO-NEE!) we rolled out to Lenox Mall. Lenox is the same as it always is. After awhile Drew met us and we walked over to Twist where I had some sushi and drinks. I see why folks eff with Twist, it’s a cool little spot. We headed back to the hotel and me and Dave hung out for awhile outside and smashed a few beers (one smashed literally during an awkward handshake Dave had with someone). I ran into Deah (this is your shout out!) for all of 30 seconds, but it was a QUALITY 30 seconds! I had a few awkward encounters with this old FUNNY acting chick from Spelman who goes to Howard now (weird ass chick!). Then….we rolled out to the party at Underground in this spot called Motions.

Now generally being an Atlanta native, I try to steer clear of Underground, it’s a typical tourist trap type deal usually, but this club was OFF the chain. The sign outside said, “Latin Sol” which I guess is the former name of the club, but man it was nice. As nice inside as the old Kaya or Velvet Room (but not quite “Visions”esque). Anyway, before we even made it to the club, as we were getting off of the charter bus, there was a chick outside who had to have weighed 105 pounds soaking wet who was barfing her entire life out! I caught it first and was like, “Ohhhhhhhhhhhh”, after the 4th hurl, the whole bus was with me, like, “oooooooooooooooohhhhhh!”. I’m pretty sure that chick had to go to the hospital, and this was before the party even started!!!!

Anyway the party was cool, but we had to bounce. So we hopped a cab. The first cabbie we tried to call over flashed us with his lights, so Dave hilariously cursed him out…it was the guts. The second cabbie had a van which worked for us since we had 7 (we still had to put Marcel in the trunk!). We were trying to go to IHOP, but the cabbie made a good suggestion and we ended up going to City Cafe. What followed was the funniest, post-club, drunk as hell, one eye open Geoff experience ever! Dave was trying to get Geoff to co-sign on his stories about Captain Detroit, but man, Geoff could barely keep his head up. We boxed up his food and headed out. Somehow we made it back to the hotel after a “too long for after the club” walk. We hung in the lobby for awhile (which is always a good move at SNMA), and then turned in.

Saturday for me was family day (at least after Rhiante didn’t come through on the Six Flags tickets). My mom tried to get the Mickey D’s people to spit in my food by telling them at the FIRST window that it was the slowest Mickey D’s on Earth. Moms isn’t familiar with the concept of complaining AFTER you get your food, either that or she didn’t care since SHE wasn’t eating it. I spent some time with my dad which was good for my soul (I had been feeling like a terrible son lately). I bought my dad a pack of cigarettes messed with my conscience and kinda still irks me….it made him happy, which made me happy…but I wish he’d stop smoking you know?…anyway enough of that….

After family time I headed back to the hotel in time to drink some more, make a run to crickets, and hedge about 4 or 5 times on going to Magic City. In the meantime, I saw my friend Tiffany who was looking really good. The homie Nicole also came through and kicked it with us in the lobby for awhile as we watched people go to the SNMA banquet and snarked on them in an alcohol fueled rage!

I finally decided I was going to go to Magic City (with a loan from the homie Dave) and man, I’m glad I did. The ballers weren’t in there, which meant that that night WE were the ballers. On top of that, I ran into the homies Nile and Mike. Nile, despite being an ATL native, had never been to Magic City before….and from what I could tell, he LOVED it. As I stated on a message board when I got back, Magic City is like Disney World for grown folks! It was funny when certain female members of the entourage (*cough*TTandDrea*cough*) made attempts to give tips to the dancers. Going to the strip club with girls is always a good move!

After much fun was had, and many dollar bills were thrown, we headed out and turned in for the night…..again after more lobby kicking it….

And then, Sunday morning….we left….

And that…was Atlanta….

We’ll catch up more tomorrow….