As Decatur Mom and the Decatur Minute point out, this Saturday is the DBA’s annual Easter Egg Hunt on Decatur Square. They both have all the details, so pay them a visit.
I, however, am momentarily entertained by this Decatur Minute pic from last year, which uncaptioned seems to document some kind of child riot on the Square.
Could this be from the Great Playground Walkout of 2008?
Like most of Atlanta (sorry Atlanta), Decatur isn’t really much of a tourist destination (unless its a festival weekend.) Its a city that caters to its residents (and zombies), not to out-of-towners looking for a fun-filled weekend of unspeakable, hedonistic joy.
That said, I’m sure many others have found themselves in a position similar to my own this past weekend. (No, not drunk and broke on the casino floor – that was two weekends ago, I think. Wait, what month is this?)
Let’s start over.
When family and friends come to visit, you want to show them a good time, cater to their interests, and also show off the city a bit. But how best to do that? What are your go-to Decatur spots and/or activities when guests are in town?
I need a go-to list of local spots for those days when I just can’t bring myself to suggest the High Museum again.
Late last year, after many Agnes Scott students and alumni revolted to the filming of raunchy Road Trip 2: Beer Pong, the school created an advisory board to approve all projects.
The AJC’s Jamie Gumbrecht (aka jamieg on Twitter) writes up the college’s recent soul searching about the types and messages of movies filmed on the college’s pictorial campus.
OK. I admit in the past that I”ve spent a lot of time relieving developmental angst by railing against Atlantic Station. I sit here at the corner of Ponce and Smart-Growth Ave. and let the damning adjectives fly. I mock. I sarcaz. I scoff.
But really, how does that help anything other than my blood pressure?
So this morning, after reading a very interesting op-ed over on Maria Saporta’s new blog “The Saporta Report” by the developer of Atlantic Station, Jim Jacoby, about the new “Aerotropolis” he plans to build on the site of the Ford Hapeville Plant, I’m taking a step back. And instead of just cuing up a snarky rant, I’m going to attempt to be a bit more constructive. (BTW, the Atlantic recently used Hapeville as a great, graphic example of how much $ it costs to dissemble an auto assembly line. Highly recommend a look.)
If we must continue to endure these examples of “auto shrines cloaked in smart growth” metro-wide we might as well learn from our mistakes for the next time around, right? So…the following are my specific gripes with Atlantic Station from a development perspective. I don’t claim to have any background on how these things are make money. This looks at the long term success of these projects, not the short. Take them for what they’re worth…
1. The near complete separation of residential and commercial/office is a tragic concept. Continue reading “Fixing the Atlantic Station Model”
…for being so awesome.
Creative Loafing’s Besha Rodell does a full review of Leon’s Full Service and determines that “Decatur gets what it deserves.”
Back in December, we received word that Roy had left Sage and the “owner has given the employees who want to stay and Wayne the Chef 3 months to see if they can make it work.”
This morning, Rus reports that there’s brown paper up in the windows. Also, I’ve noticed that the website has been taken down. Has this long time Decatur staple closed for good?
Last year, January was the month of business closings. This year it seems to be March.
No lack of talent in this city.
Rus sends along the list of the selected board members for Decatur’s newly created Active Living Advisory Board. I believe I heard that there were over 20 candidates for these eight positions.
Bill Adams, Chair – Real Estate, volunteer coach, youth sports
Sally Brozek – registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator
Michael Harbin – software system development/maintenance, youth sports, high school booster club
Wendy Heaps, MPH – CDC, health/wellness program development for large business org., teen program volunteer
Mamie Jennings Mabery – Public Health [email protected], personal fitness trainer,walker, runner, tennis player
Michael Pratt, MD,MPH,MSPE – Public Health Physician/CDC, Physical Activity and Health branch, Exercise Physiology
Don Rigger – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Volunteer Coach at Decatur Rec and High School
Parky Rogers – Junior Achievement, Safe Routes to School/Injury Prevention, Decatur Cooperative Ministry
Miriam Vos, MD, MSPH – Pediatric Gastroenterologist/Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Bike Emory
