Today I find myself in Atlanta, Georgia, with our CEO and publisher, Francis X. Gallagher, for a quick business trip.  I flew on my own from La Guardia Airport on American Airlines to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — smoothest domestic flight I have ever taken!

Once in Atlanta, I met with FXG, and we made our way to the hotel. Thankfully, it wasn’t as hot or humid as I thought it’d be, although there was a bit of traffic. We were greeted by the concierge with such warmth and upbeat energy at the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel and then proceeded to check in around 5:30 p.m.

From the hotel we made our way to dinner at the Blue Ridge Grill, and, oh boy, were we in for a treat! From its beautiful architecture and décor to the legendary customer service, this place made a regular Monday night into the start of a great week. As we sat at our table, Rog (our spectacular server) introduced herself and gave us some time to look at the menu. FXG quickly noticed her name and a star were embroidered on her vest; turns out the star signifies she has been working there for about five years — there’s only one person with four stars. Yeah, you can do that math … .

I started with a delicious and light crab cake floated atop creamy aioli dressing with mustard seeds. Rog recommended the ribeye, and I do love me some steak. It was juicy, tender and full of flavor, cooked perfectly to a medium temperature. We shared some grilled asparagus, baked potato and the star of the night — the collard greens!

We couldn’t say no to dessert, so we opted for the perfect balance between spices and nuts — delicious (not at all sugary or gooey) pecan pie with a nice full scoop of cinnamon ice cream on top. God, this meal was the perfect way to start off the first official week of June.

What made this night magnificent was the professionalism and amazing service provided by Rog. She answered each and every single one of our questions with such grace and patience and made sure we experienced what the Blue Ridge Grill is all about.

When you find yourself in Atlanta, please pay them a visit!

— Yasser Ogando, sales planner