After the CNN Behind the Scenes tour I grabbed some lunch (which turned out to be the worst sweet and sour chicken (?) I have ever eaten) from a Chinese place in the food court, bought some souvenirs from shops in the atrium and then hustled out to catch the train to my next stop, the High Museum of Art.

The High (as Atlantans call it) had two specific exhibits I wanted to see; Louvre Atlanta: Kings as Collectors, comprised of more than 30 works assembled during the reigns of Kings Louis XIV and Louis XVI of France and Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990 - 2005, an exhibit of 175 photographs Leibovitz created on assignment as a professional photographer, as well as personal photographs of her family and close friends.

Ironically (but not surprisingly), there is no photography allowed in the museum.

I arrived in time to take the one hour guided tour at 1pm so I could get an overview of where everything was in the museum and then spent another hour and a half just strolling through and enjoying the exhibits I came to see and other art on display. I was a little disappointed that they only had one Monet painting on exhibit, “Autumn on the Seine”, but since I was fortunate enough to have been at his home and garden just 2 months ago I shouldn’t grouse too much. The Louvre exhibit was beautiful and reminded me of my several visits to the Musée du Louvre in May.

The Annie Leibovitz exhibit was spectacular and easily the most crowded part of the museum’s exhibits. The exhibit was composed of both fully processed works and, perhaps even more interesting, proof shots. Ms. Leibovitz is truly an artist with a camera, carefully posing her subjects with their individual personalities in mind in what she is striving to capture. This famous photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono attempts to show the nature of this famous couple’s love and relationship. Tragically, this photo was taken the morning of December 8, 1980; at approximately 11pm that night Lennon was shot and killed outside his home.

After Atlanta, the exhibit moves to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. from October 13, 2007 through January 13, 2008 and then on to the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco from February 9 through May 11, 2008. If you’re in either of those places during those times, I highly recommend this exhibit.

Leaving the High I got back on the train and made my way to Underground Atlanta. I wish now I hadn’t wasted my time.

Underground Atlanta used to be the street level for this section of town, back in the days when the train ran through it. In the 1900’s with new-fangled automobiles and an ever-increasing pedestrian population causing the streets to be dangerously crowded, the city decided to build viaducts, not to rise above bodies of water but to rise above the crowded railway street.

These days, Underground Atlanta is (this is my opinion) a horrible mutation that resembles a shopping mall with heavy flea market influences. There are shops on each side of the street and the street itself is filled with cheap kiosks that appear to have reproduced as prodigiously as rabbits. But I’m probably the one out of sync on this because the place was incredibly crowded and it was only 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I kept a hand on my wallet because pickpocketing would be so very easy in this atmosphere. I’m told by residents and friends that it is a very enjoyable place at night when the clubs open up and music acts are performing, but I’m not sure I’d enjoy it with even more people crammed in the area. Plus, the place smelled bad. I don’t even know how to describe the odor that was constant during my walk through, but it wasn’t pleasant by any means.

Here I am (somewhere, just not sure where) on the street level above Underground Atlanta where you will find several of those white archways letting you know that beneath your feet is the world famous Underground Atlanta. Like I said, I wish I hadn’t wasted my time.

Anyway, this Sunday I’m looking forward to my first Major League baseball game when I go to see the Atlanta braves play the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:05pm. I already have my ticket and, if you want to watch for me, I’m in the field seats that are just beyond first base, 18 rows up. Of course I won’t have my mask on, so you won’t recognize me anyway. Still and video cameras are allowed so I’m hoping to get some good photos and a little bit of video, besides enjoying the game.

And finally, before I go I’ve been meaning to mention that not only is former WFTV reporter Ross Cavitt here at the Atlanta ABC local affiliate, but so is Jodie Fleischer.

Today marks the start of the 2007 Hurricane Season, even though we’ve already had a sub-tropical storm in the Atlantic back in mid-May. Predictions from NOAA call for there to be “…13 to 17 named storms, with seven to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes of Category 3 (111 - 130 mph) strength or higher,” and Colorado State University hurricane guru William Gray has predicted a 74 percent chance of a major hurricane making landfall in the U.S., with a 50 percent chance of one making landfall on the east coast.

Yet in spite of those predictions, and this country’s experience with hurricanes in the past 3 years, a recent Mason-Dixon poll showed that most coastal residents, from Texas to the Florida Keys in the Gulf of Mexico and from the Florida Keys up to Maine on the Atlantic coast side, still haven’t made hurricane survival plans. 53 percent of the surveyed in 18 Atlantic and Gulf Coast states said they don’t think they’re at risk from hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding, and 52 percent said they had no disaster plan in place.

Darwin was right.

Anyway, hopefully you’re not one of those with your head in the Florida sand. Here at the Blog Cave we’ve been preparing by stocking water, food, batteries and such, as well as testing flashlights, the battery-powered TV/Radio and the new weather alert radio we purchased this year. Important documents will be sealed over the next few days and we’ll add some things like rope and extra ice. We’ll keep cash on hand in case the ATM’s go out and gas in the Blogmobile for the same reason, although this year any gas station within a half-mile of an interstate, turnpike or designated evacuation route must have generators installed to run their pumps if power is lost. I just don’t like the lines and the waiting and the way some people turn into assholes during these things. I’d much rather be prepared and ready to ride something like Charley out on my own with loved ones.

Plus, I’m trying to be sure Blog Girl has everything she needs in case I’m somewhere else in the country when another 100 mph Charley comes roaring through here. I’m going to feel helpless enough by not being here, but at least I can be sure she is prepared, should that happen.

Also remember that, starting today and through June 12th, certain hurricane supplies in designated price and type categories will be Florida Sales Tax Free. That’s especially helpful if you’re purchasing a big ticket item like a generator.

Here are some helpful links to city, county, state, federal government and voluntary agency hurricane and disaster resource sites online:

City of Orlando Office of Emergency Management

City of Orlando Citizens Corps

Orange County Government Emergency Management

Osceola County Emergency Management

Seminole County Emergency Management

Volusia County Emergency Management

Brevard County Office of Emergency Management

Lake County Emergency Management

Florida Division of Emergency Management

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

American Red Cross

Volunteer Florida Disaster Response and Recovery

Personally, I’m looking forward to the day when Blog Girl and I move the Blog Cave to North Carolina.