My stomach warm with peanut buttery goodness from O'Carr's deli, we left behind Alabama's cotton fields and made our way to Atlanta.
What a fun town! It's where Margaret Mitchell sits in her 1920s apartment, placing yet another sheet atop the 5 foot manuscript that would become Gone With the Wind.
We learned there was a two-year casting search for the movie, and that Clark Gable didn't want to play Rhett Butler.
But Viven Leigh was Scarlett O'Hara - no one else but she could play her. She left her ho-hum husband and baby girl in London to follow Larry Olivier to Hollywood. Their beautiful affair lasted 20 years, until he left her for Method Acting, and she came down with a nasty case of bipolar disorder. I could relate.
We walked down Peachtree Street as day became night and discovered the Fox Theater. It was designed in 1929 as a Moorish fantasy, with hieroglyphs, minarets, and a ceiling heavy with twinkling lights.
"Not only is it on the National Historic Register, but it is one of the most beloved landmarks in the city - people have come here to see their first performance or Broadway show, they had their first date here, and maybe even had their first kiss in the balcony." General Manager Allan Vella said.
I wanted a peek.
But the doors were locked. We could hear violins tuning - the BBC Symphony was playing in an hour.
But Mike, the distinguished head usher with his own Rhett Butler vibe, opened a secret side door to let us in. He was surprised it was our very first time to the Fox, he said. How could he say no to us?
Mike used to work for United Airlines and trained people from Hong Kong to Toronto. Now with a bit of free time, and that magnificent grin, his boss Mr. Vella couldn't help but ask him to oversee their weekday performances. And give girls impromptu tours.
So when you get off, I suggested to Mike with a sidelong glance (my best approximation of Scarlett), why not join us for a bowl of pasta next door at Baraonda?
He laughed.
But halfway through our second glasses of Savignon Blancs, who showed up but Mike! He was dressed in full usher regalia, and with military precision, he handed us two orchestra level tickets. For free. I thanked him with a kiss, and as we melted into our seats for Rachmaninoff's piano concerto, I decided that - no matter where I go - I'll always have a soft spot for Atlanta.