Hugo Carrillo-Villaseñor | June 23, 2021

It goes without saying but I’m going to say it anyway, if you’re from California you’re unbelievably spoiled. This can stop you from enjoying a new destination because you’re looking for traits & qualities that pertain to something else. Like in life, when you travel it’s important to not live in a state of comparison. Instead, let the wanderlust consume you as you eat, drink and talk your way through your temporary home.

However, if you’re from Atlanta, you’re just as lucky. Atlanta might not have the glitz and glam of LA, but you have something uniquely yours—a communal sense of pride. A city with acceptance and understanding of who it is. This is the first city I’ve had the privilege of being in where you don’t see the level of segregation that there is in California, at least not from the short time we were there. However, our initial experience wasn’t pleasant, granted, we were scrambling to find a rental and the famous southern hospitality didn’t seem to be anywhere in sight. Really quickly, traveling with expectation is the silliest thing anyone can do. It can lead you to believe things about a place that aren't true. Ruining the experience without giving it a proper chance.

Anyway, back to Atlanta, we leave the airport and find ourselves in an uber like most travelers. We’re taken to our Airbnb where we find ourselves¾disillusioned. Whatever, we’re in Atlanta for business anyway we tell ourselves. However, first, we eat. Fogo De Chão was the destination­¾a churrascaria where decadence is at the forefront of the experience which couples well with the debauchery, we were on the hunt for. We start at the bar of course, where we order four caipirinha’s to start because I spilled the first one like the cool guy I am (great first impression.) 

For those of you who have never had the most popular drink from the South American giant, it’s made from cachaça, lime juice and sugar. Which in all honesty, tastes like vacation, giving us the illusion we’re not in hot ass Atlanta and in 90% humidity. We make it to our table and waiters are now prancing around with meats piled on steel skewers with gaucho knives, ready to slice you a perfectly cooked piece of sirloin—ah, life. 

Day 2: Debauchery

We’re up and we’re moving early. Prep the ensembles accordingly since we’re heading to the Atlanta Streetwear Market to gain an understanding of what’s hot in Atlanta. Cut and sew took center stage at the market. However, the story was beyond the clothes, which is almost always the case; we saw a unified community that came out for one another. The venue was small but everyone from vendors to window shoppers were excited to be there. Regarding the fashion that was seen throughout the event was all over the spectrum borrowing from different eras and regions of the states. In short, Atlanta has a lot to offer within the fashion space but even more to be discovered.

We leave the streetwear market to continue our search to better understand Atlanta, so we’re taken to Little Five Points, a district on the east side of Atlanta. Here we find ourselves in a unique neighborhood which seemed to be home to the many subcultures within Atlanta where you found anything from eccentric vintage stores to Wish­, a very well curated boutique, with a carefully designed space. I mean the place had a sneaker cave in the basement. We have lunch, some killer conversation with @keenandavismusic and @rrmpulse and head home to recoup.

Last night in Atlanta, we intended to make the most of it. We end up in downtown Atlanta at Metro bar and diner, not exactly where we wanted to start but we have to role with the punches. We sit down on your typical barstools with blue neon lights lining the dimly lit dive bar. Surprisingly, this is the place that would lead us to our night of debauchery. We meet a mom and daughter duo at the bar and the conversation ensues. “We have one night left in Atlanta, what do we do,” we ask. Names of places we’ve never heard of get thrown our way, rumors of possible violence is murmured about these possible destinations, so, naturally it sounds like a good time.

The mom and daughter duo split so we turn our attention to Tristan, our jaded cool guy bartender, who migrated from New Orleans to Atlanta looking to escape a troubled past. Needless to say, after getting to know a bit of his story, I want to know where he’s headed for a good time in Atlanta. Being the awesome guy he is, he takes cocktail napkin and provides us with an incredible list of thrills. We thank him and with our debauchery cheat sheet in hand, we’re off on our quest.

First stop, Claremont Lounge, Atlanta’s oldest strip club which has a roof top bar and a restaurant that we did not get to see. Pictures on google were nice though. Naturally, we go to the basement for the entertainment. The atmosphere is unique and a bit raunchy. We feel at home and begin to converse with the talent. Of course, we’re there for the conversation what else would we be doing there? I found myself in 45-minute conversation that led to a close encounter with a beautiful set of breasts.

Few more drinks in, and we move the party to the legendary Magic City. We walk into a club where you see small fortunes on the floor and the beautiful women that command them. It’s the kind of place you imagine James Harden frequents in the off-season, and rightfully so. Here, I find myself in a daze stunned by how beautiful the women are and how ostentatious this entire spectacle is.

Unsurprisingly, I join in on the fun. Turns out, any time you couple unsuspecting men and beautiful women, money doesn’t last very long. I should mention, I don’t frequent strip clubs to often and it showed in a particular instance where I remembered I was standing on top of small fortunes and thought it would be a good idea to throw them back on to the stage. Considering I’m able to sit here alive and well, I’d say Atlanta had its southern hospitality on full display.

Tip from the Bittersweet team: talk to your Ubers whenever you travel­ they’ll build your itinerary when you go without one.