Image: Ed Castro Landscape
We all move through moods as the day transitions from morning to night. I wake up like a small child, approaching the world with open arms and a smile. In the early afternoon I feel slightly mature, having wrapped my head around the projects of the day. By the time night descends, I feel aged and contemplative, examining the day’s scope from afar and wondering...always wondering.
Just as my moods change throughout the day, so too do my opinions change on, well, just about anything. Today, my moods swing in regards to design and dining -- complimenting each other to create my perfect mental bloom. Exterior design can evoke the same emotional reactions as any piece of art by using hardscapes, landscapes, water, and fire as its mediums. As it relates to the time of day, these top tier Atlanta landscape design companies illustrate my headspace, especially when it comes to eating and drinking amazing Atlanta fare.
Morning
Gardens To Love Designs offer a light and refreshing mood -- perfect for daybreak. Marcia Weber and her team's utilization of the natural world, and how an individual moves through it, is breathtaking. The sitting areas in small spaces they've created seem to offer up local flora in an almost old world setting. Pair the mood with a strong cup of organic Whirling Dervish coffee from Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters. With it's upfront strength and bitterness, softened by smooth chocolate and cherry notes -- you're guaranteed to start the day off properly.
Mid-Morning
Ed Castro Landscape embodies in me a productive mood, while still allowing a loose creative approach, as well as a peacefulness, to the day. The modern lines they choose, mixed with manicured natural elements instill a productive serenity in me. By this time, I have a strong idea where my day is headed, and I need something quick, healthy, and invigorating to get me there. Kale Me Crazy fits the bill. The "Grounded" smoothie offers a full bodied, nutty sweetness that satiates -- packing your system with proteins and vitamins.
Afternoon
Afternoon is ‘go time’, which is why Botanica Atlanta fits so well. They generate a well-balanced working relationship between landscapes and hardscapes. Creating OCD-like clean lines -- organizing my normally crazed and flighty world -- they're spot on when project mode is upon me. This perfect headspace calls for the perfect meal at Victory Sandwich Bar! Try the Mile High Club (chicken, bacon, ham, avocado, fontina, dijon) for a fantastically balanced sandwich. As you dine amidst fellow aging hipsters, you can listen to the musings of Wilco underscored by the click-clack of ping-pong and digest in splendor.
Early Evening
I’ve been wildly productive all day and need to decompress. Nothing helps me unwind better than being surrounded by water. The designers at Terranova Landscape Design capture this want in me entirely. It’s almost as if the water in their concepts designed the buildings, instead of the other way around -- offering a truly natural flow to their settings. When decompressing in the early evening, I desire two things -- food and people. I can find both, along with the option of either grocery shopping or dining out, at the Decatur Farmers Market. Its lively attitude and friendly merchants bring me out of work mode and into the joys of humanity, while also contributing to local farmers and vendors.
Evening
Sometimes, the end of the night is big and rambunctious. Other times, it’s an unplanned descent into sleep. The creators at Outdoor Makeover & Construction are steadfast pros when it comes to fireplaces and fire pits, lending to the possibility of a lively party or a night spent cuddling up with your partner. The Drafty Kilt from Monday Night Brewery specifically comes to mind within these hours of the night. A full-bodied Scotch Ale with dark sugary notes and well balanced smoky malts -- this brew is perfect for fireside chats while staring into the flames and letting the day melt away.
As an old man I crawl my way to bed thinking of well designed spaces, food, and beer - it's a rough life. Great Atlantan minds have developed truly beautiful creations, allowing me to travel throughout my day with solid optimism and productivity. Now it's time to climb inside my cocoon and start tomorrow off fresh. I wonder what interesting head spaces I'll find myself in tomorrow?