Moving to Mayfair

We've done it!  We've found an apartment!  After looking at almost every building in Midtown, we have found the perfect one!  Ironically, it was the one building we didn't immediately look at because we thought it would be too expensive, but it was the one I secretly REALLY wanted!  It was tough for Will and I to agree on a place until now - our requirements were so different!  

He wanted a building that was safe and had each of the following: a concierge, key access to all entrances, security cameras, apartment complete with Internet, dishwasher, washer, dryer, pool, gym and for it to be located on the highest possible level of a high rise with a balcony.  

Things that were important to me were: that the building was attractive from the outside, that the overall street that the building was located on was attractive, that the interior was clean, modern (if possible) and of course attractive, that the bathroom and kitchen especially be in good condition with no grime, rust or mould anywhere, that we have a wardrobe big enough for both of our clothes + my shoes, bags, scarves, hats and belts; and finally, that we have a bathtub.  

Well the Mayfair Tower ticks all of our boxes (except no balcony - but it would have been too dangerous with such a small dog anyway... and no pool - but let's face it, we're too germ-a-phobe to get into a shared pool anyway!)  To me, it's in the best building in Atlanta and the apartment has the best floor plan and most awesome view! We will be on the 23rd level with views on one side of the apartment facing Piedmont Park and on the other side facing Buckhead. 

Here are some pics... move in date on the 30th! 

Main entrance

The two towers
(the one we're moving to is the tall one on the left -
the other is called the Mayfair Renaissance) 

View of the towers from across the pond at Piedmont Park,
where I shall walk Baxter every day :)

Say hi to Baxter!

Over the past week Will has started preparing me for the inevitable fact that he must return to the office soon.  Monday I spent driving around Peachtree City, shopping and having lunch with his mum, while Will spent the entire day catching up on the state of affairs at his work.  It brought to light an alarming realisation that I had not yet considered: Will is a travelling salesman... his territories need attending to... he would soon be travelling... we would soon be leaving Peachtree City... and I would be all alone.  

Up until this point, I have felt more or less like I'm on holidays.  Everything around me is so new and foreign; Will the only familiar constant, we have been together almost every minute so I haven't' had time to consider this overwhelming lifestyle change... but Will has. 

Knowing how difficult it is about to become for me, my amazing husband drove us to a small town called Zebulon today where we picked out an adorable new companion for me: a miniature poodle puppy who we have named 'Baxter' and who is asleep on my lap as I type this!  He is 10 weeks old, weighs 2.3kgs (5 pounds) and I already love him so so much! 

Little fluff ball!
Official name on birth certificate:
Baxter My-Little-Gentleman Lawson

Will is allergic to dog hair, so he got us a poodle,
which is said to be hypo-allergenic <3 font="font">

          

Settling in

Since we just arrived and have no place of our own, we are staying with Will's mum while we find a place to live.  She lives 45 mins away from Atlanta in a unique and picturesque place called Peachtree City. Much of the original forest here has been retained despite development, so houses sit amongst enormous trees on large lots and there is a good deal of privacy between neighbours. There are also several lakes winding around golf courses and roads, with some of the lucky houses sitting placidly on their edges.  The best thing about Peachtree City however, is the golf buggy road system that weaves through the forest and connects to the main roads, making all of its parks, playgrounds, restaurants, cafes and shops accessible by the buggies parked in the driveways of almost every house in the neighbourhood. Kids 16 + even drive them to school!     

My favourite time of day in Peachtree City is absolutely dusk, when fire flies come out and magically flutter through the trees and flowers, where the absence of noise pollution makes it easy to spot plenty of American wildlife such as deer, eagles, possums, squirrels and armadillo. It's so great for a newbie like me to see and experience all this new and foreign flora and fauna.  Meanwhile, Will and I are driving into Midtown Atlanta almost every day to look at apartments and buildings since we have decided a more urban lifestyle is what we want while we are young and childless. 

Golf buggy path through the forest
Photo credit:  mountbrookstarrsmill.com

An example of the houses & yards in Peachtree City
Photo credit:  viewatlantarealestate.com

One of the lakes - golf buggy bridge in background
Photo credit:  flickriver.com

What a car park looks like on any given day
Photo credit:  ken-parker.com

Introducing Lena...

Last week, I moved from Brisbane QLD, Australia to Atlanta GA, USA so I'm a very fresh immigrant; but is not my first international migration. I was 6 years old when my parents, brother and I left Kazakhstan (yes, the same one as Borat!) and moved to Australia - a country that adopted us and swallowed us whole.  Since we were so young and both starting school at the primary level, I think it's safe to call my brother and I Australian; but our parents did their best to ensure that we retained as much of our Russian heritage as possible.  Now that I'm older, bilingual and have been exposed to such different ideologies and cultures, I consider myself blessed beyond belief.  For as challenging as it was sometimes to grow up feeling like an outsider; I now see that this adversity helped shape me into a stronger and more open-minded person.  

My parents are also responsible for the travel bug within me, since from our very first month in Australia, they always took my bro and I somewhere different and interesting on weekends. We would go to the beaches, mountains or State parks that surround Brisbane; on road trips to other States; or simply attend cultural landmarks such as museums, art galleries, theatres and concert halls... we always went somewhere!  The repercussion is that now, regardless of where I am permanently stationed, I become restless and need to travel; or at the very least explore the localities surrounding me. 

I had thought that once I visited those places within Australia I had always wanted to see, that Europe would be my next destination. I didn't ever imagine I would end up in Atlanta USA... or that I would be living FOUR HOURS drive from a the ocean - which had long ago become somewhat of a lifeline to me... But life had her own plans and so last year, I met an American boy named Will, fell madly in love and married almost instantly.  Will calls Atlanta home and brought me back with him, now making it my home too. 

This means that soon I will be exploring Atlanta and its surrounding areas, so I wanted to start a blog of my adventures and acclimation into a new country and home.  Of course I know it won't be easy and there'll probably be a few soppy posts about homesickness and the like; but hopefully you'll stick with me, give me lots of feedback and enjoy being a part of my new world.

Photography by Michael Corey Studios Atlanta