Free-For-All Friday 12/9/11
Decatur Metro | December 9, 2011Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
« Can the Proposed Suburban Plaza Walmart Change 15% of Shoppers’ Travel Behaviors? Two Young Decaturites Killed in Separate Incidents Yesterday »
Does anyone know what the current game plan is for making improvements to the RR track intersections?
I made the mistake of trying to bike with my daughter through the candler/college intersection near DQ and almost got creamed by someone accelerating through the yellow light.
Second this. Also would like to inquire about the intersections where Commerce crosses Sycamore and Trinity. It’s like a launch pad going over those bumps. And I drive s-l-o-w-l-y.
I drive this route every morning. The bumps are a hazard and they really affect the traffic. Scott? Any hope of smoother sailing in our future?
I hit those bumps on my bike heading west on Trinity a couple of years ago and ended up in the emergency room with a concussion and broken collarbone.
Ouch! I’m so sorry to hear that. I think broken collarbones are the most common bike injury, and a cracked helmet will often complete the set. You went over your handlebars?
I really wish they would install green arrows for turning left on to Chandler from both directions of College. I come home from work everyday and when I’m making a left off of College to go over the railroad tracks I keep thinking to myself, “today is the day a car hits me.” It’s incredibly difficult to see oncoming traffic when making a left turn at that intersection!
I’m not sure if that’s why you were almost ran over or not, but it’s definitely another problem at that intersection.
This has previously discussed at length, most recently in FFAF a few weeks back. That intersection is part of a state designated route (GA 155) and GDOT controls all changes to such roads. Neither the city nor the county (who are the ones that do traffic signals in Decatur) can unilaterally make that change. BTW, it’s Candler, not Chandler.
The state owns the traffic lights but the county maintains them.
When we were working on our sidewalk improvement plan in 2008, the City put me in touch with the state DOT engineer for Dekalb/Rockdale about my concern that a sidewalk was being made dangerous by a state road configuration. The DOT re-striped the road after studying it and I do think it is much safer now. In my conversations with the engineer, he invited me to let him know of any other roadway concerns and so I begged him for some protected left turns across College Ave. He responded that the county maintains the lights but that they could look at it and make recommendations. Nothing changed then, but I will see if he is still there and ask again about getting protected left turns (green arrows).
Meantime, I started with the City and I suggest that anyone who has road concerns should start with the City because they have the proper contacts.
If I was truly fearful every single day I commute that I was going to get hit at a particular intersection, I would change my route.
Good for you!
I’m not fearful, but I am surprised that there isn’t more incidents/accidents at that intersection. Then again, I don’t watch it 24/7 so there might be.
How do we get this project moving? Someone must know how to get in touch with GDOT. I looked on the GDOT website but have no idea what I am looking at.
We need a turn signal at:
-College and Candler
-College and Columbia/Commerce
-College and Mcdonough
We have discussed it multiple times so let’s get it moving. Anyone? Contacts at GDOT? How does it work?
On a related note, I have been wondering about the bond issue for improvements to the RR crossings that was on the ballot several years ago. Didn’t that also include the crossing at West Howard at the gas station and Thinking Man? I voted for it, it passed and so far only the attorneys and the banks seem to have benefitted!
The bond issue is for transportation improvements in general. There was no specific item mentioned other than sidewalk improvement.
Anyone been to a child’s [age 3 or 4] birthday party at Tessitura? We are thinking of having a party there in March. Interested in any comments.
If you wouldn’t mind me jumping on, we’re thinking of having a 5-year-old’s birthday party at Oakhurst Community Garden or Little Shop of Stories. I’d be interested on thoughts about those places too. Thanks!
We had our 5YO’s party at the OCGC last year. It was wonderful, despite the monsoon rains. I would definitely do it again. And we are having our 3YO’s party at LSOS in January. I can report back then!
And to reply to M1, we have not done a party at Tessitura but have been happy class members for years! Ms. Lynette is awesome.
LSOS is great and so is the garden. However, we have not enjoyed Tessitura for classes or parties. But other people love it there, so it’s just a style thing. Bean Work & Play does some cute party stuff. DO NOT DO LEAPING LIZARDS unless you pony up for the private room.
We had a January party for our daughter last year at the garden and it was awesome. It was cold, but we brought hot chocolate and had a big fire and roasted marshmallows, and I don’t think the kids noticed the cold. They got to hang out with the chickens and even planted lettuce in the greenhouse (right up my kids’ alley). Actually, it was one of our favorite parties ever.
kid’s. Apostrophe mishap.
an apostrophe “catostrophe”
oh that’s bad. somebody stop me from hitting subm….
Thanks for the reviews. We have an active almost-5-year-old boy and I wanted to make sure the Garden or LSOS wasn’t too tame. He does like making and planting things (and we’re looking for January too). I didn’t want to do Leapin Lizards because it seems like everyone goes there. Nothing at all wrong with it; I just like to expose him to different things.
I don’t have kids of my own, so I’m certainly not the expert, but the best kids’ birthday party that I’ve been to recently was at the Martial Arts Center in Toco Hills. Of course, the samurai sword cake cutting ceremony was the highlight.
Ya know, there are a ton of families with kids in the Clairemont/Great Lakes neighborhood. You should really ask this question on their listserv
Even though J_T can be antagonistic…
Wow! What a really cool idea! I’m going to check into it. Thanks!
BTW, let me know how that TicketCity Bowl goes!
I’m not even going to get on your case for calling me antagonistic. I’m just shocked that a Pitt fan knew such a big word and used it correctly!
[For those of you who have no idea what we are talking about, you're probably just too young or too Southern to know that Penn State/Pitt is like Auburn/Alabama, albeit with snow and crappy football nowadays]
Well, I did have to use spell check.
We had our 7 yo’s birthday party at the Oakhurst Garden last summer and it was one of my favorite parties we’ve had. We chose the fairy theme and all the kids had a blast going on the scavenger hunt, making fairy wands and taking a tour of the garden. The hostess fairy did a great job of making my daughter have a special birthday. It sounds like they offer really cool winter parties as well!
When my son turned 4 we had a dinosaur themed party at Little Shop and it was fabulous!
The kids had a great time and the parents loved being able to drop their child off and go have lunch on the square while their kid enjoyed the party. Had it been a party at our house I would have asked parents to stay, but the party space at LSOS makes wrangling easy.
Thanks! That sounds great! He loves dinosaurs!
Time to put my family movies (Super 8 & 8mm video cassettes) on DVD. Any affordable, reliable recommendations, even local?
Please and thank you.
The video transfer place at the Edgewood/Target shopping center on the Lowe’s side underneath Willie’s is excellent
I recently used Cinepost in Marietta and they were great.
2160 Kingston Ct.
Suite N
Marietta, GA 30067
678-238-0800
Nostalgic Media on North Druid Hills Road. Really nice people. They give a discount for 10 or more tapes, and another discount if you pay with a check rather than a credit card.
http://www.nostalgicmedia.com
Nostalgic Media did a nice, quick job and provided great service when converting my old slides. Converted them to TIFFs too!
Is there any update on the tea shop/tea room that is rumored to be coming to downtown Decatur? Inquiring tea drinkers want to know….
The sign in the window says it is called “CozeeTea’s” (I don’t know how I feel about that apostrophe). I too am a tea lover and I am wondering if it will be retail only (loose tea/accessories?) or if it will also be a place where I can sit and have a cup. And…maybe they’d consider carrying bubble tea? (SunO is alllll the wayyyyyyy over theeeeerrreeeeee….)
Thanks Marla! A name was all I needed. See the post I just put up.
HI!
Just a quick reminder to everyone traveling on East Lake through Oakhurst neighborhood in the morning. I know there are many people who are new to the area, so I wanted to let you know that in Decatur (and maybe other places, too) the big red signs at the intersections mean that you are supposed to STOP, not race through the intersection as fast as you can or cleverly inching up to the car in front of you and traveling through on their coattails. I figure that will all the movement in Decatur real estate lately, many of you are from OD (outside Decatur) and you might not understand our strange custom of actually stopping at stop signs and waiting our turn. Thank you and welcome!
+1, and same goes for the stop sign at Oakview and Adams, which has been there for a few years but folks still seem to miss. Mr. KJ did witness a poor cyclist who was pulled over for same while trying to make it up the hill of all things.
+1 REALLY LOUD
Would also like to see it become customary for all traffic to stop at the Oakview/2nd intersection (where there are 4 of those big red signs PLUS a flashing red light).
Whoa, I thought these signs were ONLY for the new people. I spent 15 years travelling down East Lake before they put up that stupid stop sign at 2nd so I must be grandfathered in, right? As long as I’m in a car and not on a bicycle of course…
I really don’t think the audience you’re trying to reach is reading this blog.
Does anyone know the process for requesting a sidewalk? I live on Fayetteville and 1/2 of the street has a sidewalk and 1/2 doesn’t. With the increased 5th ave traffic, it has become even more dangerous to walk or bike on the street. Any ideas and has anyone been successful with getting a new sidewalk installed? Thanks for any advice!
Hey, Kris. The city has an existing sidewalk survey which shows all currently planned repairs, improvements and installs. Check here:
http://www.decaturga.com/index.aspx?page=166
I’d call Decatur City Hall 404 370 4102
If anyone’s looking for decatur holiday ornaments or decatur-themed gifts, we’ve made Decatur logo windchimes from recycled cans. Large ones for outdoor use and little ones that work great as ornaments. Check us out on Facebook at Decatur Craft Geeks. 1/2 proceeds benefit Decatur Youth Fund.
Can anyone recommend a local car-detailing person/shop? I’m looking for interior (including cloth upholstery/carpet shampoo) and exterior (wash, wax, buff)? Thanks!
Kenny Carter on Fayetteville. Someone on here has his number, I think. I usually just yell at him down the street when I need him
Yup. K.C. does our vehicles as well and I usually just drive by looking for him. My favorite part is when he brings me my keys while I’m sitting at Steinbeck’s…couldn’t ask for a better waiting room!
Thank you!
I’ve seen activity in the old Cakes & Ale space. Looks like retail set up rather than restaurant. Anyone know what is going on there ?
Anybody still suffering from an over-abundance of leaves? We will pick them up and leave at your curb in the recyclable bags. Cost is $1.50 per bag if you provide the bags or $2.00 per bag if we provide the bags. 10 bag minimum. Email to set up.
http://www.publicsquareatlanta.org/about_us.php
Any interest?
An incident where an Emory student was arrested in the library last night has been getting a lot of Facebook attention in the past hour or so. The student describes his ordeal here:
http://dirtseyeview.wordpress.com/
He says the Emory police acted overly aggressively, and I’m inclined to agree based on the video:
Is this an example of the militarization of police culture, as the student says?
Sorry, this incident didn’t happen last night but late on the 6th. The student was released late on the 7th. People are only learning about the incident today.
Cops were right and the kid is acting like a publicity whore. They asked him a very simple question and he refused because he wanted to refuse and the camera turned him into an even bigger fraud. Biggest fake I’ve seen lately and I don’t believe 1% of what he wrote about the encounter.
Was he trespassing? Was he committing a crime? I’m sorry but “show me your papers” is not a legal prelude to obstruction charges.
Emory Police are in deep deep trouble.
I would like to know more about the woman he was trying to talk to. Was she hurt, had she been beaten, was she impaired? Maybe the police were trying to protect and help her, and then out of the blue some guy shows up trying to insert himself into the situation, and instead of being allowed to do whatever the heck he wants to do, the police ask for his identification. Pretty simple request in my mind. Returning to the scene of the crime and acting like someone who wants to help is not uncommom. It just happened this week in Canton…the murdering child-killer was also helping “look” for the missing child.
From what I saw, the kid’s a fraud who just so much wants to matter.
Seems like the guy was looking for attention and trying to make a point. A waste of time in my opinion. But I will say that the cops displayed their ignorance by telling whoever was recording the incident that they could not do so. Good for her for calmly setting them straight on that matter. This incident may have been much ado about nothing, but Youtube and phone cameras are exposing a lot abuses by police that otherwise would go unrecorded. That is a good thing.
Emory is private property, so yes, if Emory tells him to leave and he doesn’t he is trespassing. I’m also pretty sure the Emory student code, or whatever they call it, requires students to identify themselves to to Emory Police upon request while on campus. He is just a punk looking to start something to get attention. And street medic? Seriously? What a joke of an excuse to try and start something.
My life is too short to read the student’s entire account/commentary about this. Based on reading part of it and on viewing the video, it looks like he baited the officers to some extent and they (regrettably) took the bait. One of the most telling comments he makes is near the end of the video when he says this kind of thing would never have happened on a college campus 30 years ago. Can’t help but think he needs more context, as it was not quite 42 years ago that something much, much worse occurred.
There needs to be serious examination and discussion about the trend toward militarization of police forces. But this kid is not contributing to that conversation, IMO. Besides, I have to think that in the case of campus police, they need to be able to demand student ID in order to know who is on campus. That is for the protection of the campus community.
To my mind the police didn’t need to act in such a shrill fashion. The kid showed his ID and was going to leave. The police pursued him and then forcibly restrained him. He was not resisting arrest or obstructing justice, and there were no charges filed. The police overreacted. There was no need at all to act the way they did.
To be in the library, the student had already shown his ID. He was not trespassing.
This guy was totally making a scene. He was told to show his ID, and he didn’t, then told the police what he was going to do instead….then he wonders “what did I do?????” He was told he would be arrested if he didn’t show it, and then when he gets arrested he wonders what he did wrong. He sounds like one of my more immature 8th grade students. I don’t think an obstruction charge would hold up, all all though. While he was purposefully trying to be belligerent and defiant, I do agree the police were too forceful. All of that wasn’t necessary.
Anyone know if there is a new business opening across from the old Banner Ford on Scott Blvd.? Saw some activity there last week.
They are tearing down the old JD Byrider to build a Doctor’s Office from what i have been told.
Has anyone Red Hare: Long Day Lager yet?
Yep, yummy.
Yes, it is a good solid lager. I have enjoyed it immensely this fall since its release. A nice break from the double this and imperial that..
I think the IPA needs some work but their fall releases of a Brown Ale and Chocolate Porter have both been solid.
Nice owners who went all in from the beginning with a brand new brewhouse. I admire that they didn’t test the waters by contract brewing their beers first.
Most importantly, how does it compare to PBR and does it pair well with Jager? Because, really, anything beyond that is just superfluous beer snobbery…
PB&J is always a winner…..especially cheap at the Albert…..
It’s an even better deal when a certain bartender is working and the Jager is a full 2 ounces or more I’m usually at the Yacht Club instead, as that became my go-to beer and darts bar when Trackside was closed. They don’t have an offical PB& J special but they know to bring me one as soon as I walk in. Some people would say that indicates that I have a problem. I say it would only be a problem if they automatically handed me a Zima and a purple hooter when I walked in.
+1 for EAYC
LOL! Y’know, J_T, I’ve had good expensive beer & bad expensive beer; I’ve had good cheap beer, and bad cheap beer. I have to throw PBR solidly in the latter category. Despite PBR’s recently-acquired hipster cred, I’ve concluded that life is too short to waste my time drinking beer that tastes like a urinal smells!
Bah! I actually went through a period where I stopped drinking PBR precisely because of its newly acquired hipster cred. Then I realized that, PBR or not, I would never be confused with a hipster so I went back to unabashedly drinking it with absolutely no irony. Yuengling is as close to “fancy” or “craft” beer that I get nowadays. In fact, I think there’s a Pottsville Porter in the fridge right now calling my name…
Yay…..Yuengling Porter…..my college beer at the ‘Skeller for $1.50 a pitcher at happy hour. Didn’t even know the Lager existed until years later.
Ahhh, the Skeller. I still have a box full of those green Skeller bottle openers somewhere. I shed a tear a few years ago when I visited on a football weekend and found out that they no longer sold cases of Rolling Rock ponies.
Sounds good. Think this may be my next purchase @ Beer Growler
I vote we throw in a little humor this Friday afternoon. I was reminded of an old joke that I love (yes it is clean) because it is just so corny and juvenile…
Why do gorillas have big nostrils?
wait for it….
Because they have big fingers!
You can pick your friends. You can pick your nose. But, you can’t pick your friend’s nose.
Two men walk into a bar and the one says, “Ouch,” and the other says “Where did that bar come from?”
i. love. this.
I have a spare ticket to Norton Juster tonight and can get two more from a friend. If anybody is interested and doesn’t want to wait in line.
I’ve seen reno activity in the building in the fork of S. Columbia and Commerce. Does anyone know what’s going on? The interior got painted a lovely blue this week.
Also saw reno activity going on at the former bank at the corner of Ponce and Clairmont (you know, it looks like it would make a really cool restaurant.) The for lease sign is down after being up for more than two years, and lights were on last night …this is the “thin” building that is across from the old Courthouse..anyone know what is going on in there?
Say it ain’t so! How then will we ever realize my hubby’s dream of converting it into of THE COOLEST loft with band practice space and complete with a vault for shelter in the zombie apocalypse?
‘Course, we have to win the lottery 1st…. minor detail.
i like that plan
Glad to see Noodle go from a 54 inspection rating (November) to 100. Still a little queasy about seeing that 54 after we ate and reading that report.
http://atlanta.digitalhealthdepartment.com/dekalb/history.cfm?id=884354
Please join GATHERING WILD DANCE For a free outdoor performance
in the MARTA Plaza on the Decatur Square
Terrific Thursday, December 8 @ 7PM & Saturday, December 10 @ 7PM
Choreographers Charles “Bubba” Carr, Corian Ellisor, and Jerrylann Warner
have each selected a song with personal emotional resonance that will be sung to life by Margaret Allstrom-Stewart (Vocal Director), Apollo Levine, Anna Grace Whitehead,
Travis Barron, Michael Provencial, and Leigh Lesesne.
Guest Guitar by Tommy
Lighting by Larry Holland
ok – My weekly post! Can you advise of a good place to get dinner with the kids for tonight? all of your suggestions so far have been great!
Mac Magees! I’ll be there having a whiskey flight, myself
Even for a family with a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old?
No, of course it is not appropriate for a 4 year old to have whiskey. The one year old, however, can have a wee bit on his nipple
And with or without kiddos, big thumbs up for Mac McGee’s. Not a big whiskey drinker myself and, as some other of my comments will attest, not even a fancy imported beer drinker. Yet we end up here pretty often for the food. They have a small menu but they do it all well with fresh, seasonal ingredients. The woman claims the burger is the best in town (don’t know how one would define “best” but it’s pretty darn tasty). I can’t resist the pickled beet salad when they have it and the ploughman sandwich is also top notch.
+1 for MacMagee’s food. It is really fantastic: not your average bar food at all.
I see kids/babies in there all the time! I don’t have any myself, so I’m not sure if the food is kid friendly… but the kids I see are usually smiling and eating, so I’d take that as a good sign
Green Ginger (formerly Thai Bowl – or as we called it Tidy Bowl) has iPads at every table, plus a cool lounge lizard interior. Same menu as before. Next to Mellow.
For a 4 year + 1 year old, try Coyotes. El Cheapo and good on College nr.Sam’s Crossing. They used to have mariachis on Fri nite. Not sure if they still do.
And Another question – I have a crapload of winecorks. What can I do with them? something practical that I can make out of them?
I have seen a tray made out of wine corks laid out in a pattern and placed under glass. And I saw a Christmas tree made out of wine corks.
A wine cork is my cat’s second favorite toy in the world. Her very favorite is the foil disk produced by using a foil-cutter to take the “lid” off a bottle of wine. On a hardwood floor it’s like a hockey puck.
If you would like to gt rid of them I will more than happily take them off your hands. I am trying to make a mantel art piece and can’t seem to drink enough wine to make what I need. And I’m trying so very hard
I’ve actually been saving mine to make a cork bathmat. Going to get a shallow shadowbox and cram in cool stamped corks. No mildew, no trial of water on my hardwood floors and don’t have to worry about throwing it in the washer/dryer.
An Alabama artist whom I know uses them to make interesting bulletin boards and earrings. Her “Bee Yourself” gallery of wine-cork earrings is linked below. (It’s a FB page, so I’m not sure if you’ll be able to see the pics.)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bee-Yourself-Unique-Creations/136953299667851?ref=ts#!/media/set/?set=a.137206949642486.20557.136953299667851&type=3
Ours go into the compost heap and remind us of good times…in home and in garden.
I just made a Xmas wreath out of wine corks. Started with a straw form, hot glued the corks on, added some trims from the craft store. It took a lot, however. I had to put out a request on free cycle to get enough corks.
I have also made a trivet/bulletin board (works either way, depending on orientation) starting with an old picture frame and scrap wood backing.
Apparently my dear husband regrets being a science nerd instead of a cool kid. He has bought a guitar and is attempting to teach himself via some crazy computer program/game thingy. Instead of rolling my eyes, I am going to attempt to be a supportive wife by getting him real guitar lessons for Christmas. Any suggestions for a good place that offers adult lessons?
Eddie at Guitar Decatur (little brick house right across from Decatur High on McDonough)…
++++++++++++++++++ for Eddie at Guitar Decatur. He is amazing. We were at Firehouse for awhile, and the lessons there are cheaper, but Eddie is worth every penny.
Ask for Johnny at Fire House Guitars on North Decatur Road. Johnny is a fabulous teacher for both kids and adults, and a super guy to boot.
Speaking of music instruments, we inherited my wife’s grandmother’s piano and it is badly in need of tuning. Can anyone suggest a reliable, reasonable piano repairperson/tuner?
Rick Cooley of Rick’s Pianos: 770-938-1056.
Rick’s a great guy! Good cyclist too!
Ophthalmologists please. Any local recommendations? Thank you.
I was happy with my first visit to Dr. Laura Bealer at Atlanta Eye Physicians and Surgeons on Scott Blvd. across from Ace Hardware.
We like Dr Dhingra at Physicians and Eye Surgeons on Scott.
SAY NO TO WALMART IN DECATUR
Join the movement to stop Selig from building a Walmart Supercenter at Suburban Plaza. Show you care about quality of life in your neighborhood and support our local, small business community.
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
JOIN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO DEFEAT A PARKING VARIANCE REQUEST:
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 – 1:00 p.m. (please arrive by 12:30)
Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA 30030
SIGN THE PETITION:
bitly.com/decaturwalmart
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK & LEARN MORE:
bitly.com/decaturwalmartfacebook
Is it a supercenter or a wal mart express? Earlier information on this site indicated it was a smaller wal mart…. just curious.
It’s a Walmart Supercenter. Plans are to tear down all existing building from Medlock to the Piccidally to make room.
The proposed design is at https://www.facebook.com/NoWMinDecatur
Just got this from the neighborhood association and thought it would be appropriate to add:
From the MANA Board:
Opposing Walmart’s presence in our neighborhood was never an option because Suburban Plaza is already zoned for a big box store with Walmart’s specs. The only issue on the table is the parking special exception, the question being: “Will this redevelopment plan work with fewer parking spaces than what the County requires?” Opposing the parking variance only argues for more parking, not against Walmart at Suburban Plaza.
I’m in the minority but I can’t wait for it. As long as the theater / bowling alley/ bigots stays in. I’d love for CoD to annex that parcel and use that money instead of milking me for more!
Agree with you on the theater and bowling alley, but the bigots have to go. This is, after all, still a blue city:)
just returned from seeing The Civil Wars at Presser Hall on the Agnes Scott campus.
1. they were, in a word, exquisite. remarkable musicianship with finesse and control that is rare in popular music (though they are anything but pop)
2. the acoustics were wonderful, particularly for their duo set. Presser is now one of my favorite venues.
3. thanks to whomever (DM?) posted this video oh so many months ago–you turned me on to a treasure
+ however many is possible,,,
Ditto.
i won’t even try to be brief.
here’s the deal: when musicians record their albums in studio, they get to record take after take until their performance is “just so”–(typically) free of rhythmic and pitch imperfections–optimized for their best performance.
the performance they gave last night was just so.
it was a virtuoustic display of vocal finesse: harmonic precision, emotional in-it-ness . . . wonderful artistry.
you know how a ribbon of smoke rises from burning incense, curving and bending its way upward until its end tapers, then disappears into the air? imagine two of those ribbons intertwined and you have their voices last night. elegant, tight.
there’s a particular detail of the craft of singing that turns me on: it’s that end part of the “smoke”–how singers release their notes, and I can’t remember any duo who does it as artfully as they do. all of their phrasing has that quality, and their bending of notes to resolve harmonic suspensions is, um, kinda, no, verry, hawt.
another thing i loved loved loved about their singing is their off-mic technique. fully on-mic you hear them as you would expect, but throughout the night they played the mic by varying their distance from it–sometimes 5 feet away . . . and created a sonic depth on the stage that was so tasty. really masterful use of that technique.
and they look beautiful. they took the stage to perform this neo southern gothic/romantic jewel box of an album dressed in black tie: JP was wearing a nicely fitted black suit, white shirt and black bow tie. Joy: a beautiful black dress that landed above the knees, atop some cruel shoes. him, with his roguish mane and scruffy beard tamed by his Sunday revival duds, juxtaposed against her girl next door cuteness.
JP is a really strong guitar player across an impressive dynamic range: from whisper soft harmonics to driving strumming that rocked the rafters in the chapel.
Joy has playful bounce and plays the air with her hands like a belly dancer. she’s a very cute filly. and a terrific singer. I think she’s the one who coaches all of the vocal precision into their performances.
and lastly, there’s their physical chemistry. he’s anything but stiff, but he does plant himself while she sensually opens and closes the space between them. it brings another level of drama to their music, that seals their deal with me.
but i gush . . .
so who else has heard the few fireworks or gunshots in the past 10 minutes?
We heard them, as did several dogs in the neighborhood. Adair/Lenox Place.
Lenox place as well. Our dogs were not big fans.
Is there a house sitting/checking service here in decatur for somebody to check on your home when you are out of town?
There’s a police house check that you can sign up for on the City website. Very handy. They do not come inside, water plants, feed pets etc. but we have found it very useful in terms of feeling safe.
actually – thats all I want. to be sure when I am out of town my house is ok and no one breaks in. thx for the suggestion
A bad consequence of all this community coyote talk is that the word seems to be out in the elementary schools that coyotes are scary and all about. I saw a big, bruising 11 year old afraid to walk a few yards in the dark the other night. Could we remind them that coyotes are not that big and prey on small animals, not people? That native peoples and newcomers out West have lived with them for years and actually celebrate them in art? I’m not saying that we have to talk about coyotes in glowing terms but they’ve become the latest bogeyman and I’d like to nip this excuse for not falling asleep good at night in the bud! Coyotes are not zombies, vampires, or out to get the children of Decatur!
But remember, native peoples had tomahawks.
My Facebook page is totally white. Has anyone else ever had this problem and did you solve it? I did send a notice out into the great Help Void at FB.
I know little about the quality of wine and beer but posters on this site seem quite knowledgable so I have a question for you all. If you were going to a party at the home of one of the senior leaders of your workplace, what would you bring in terms of a bottle of wine or other alcohol? I’m thinking of something of good quality and general appeal. Appearing quirky, cheap, or extravagant is probably not a good strategy!
I would suggest a 22oz or 750ml of a good quality beer- maybe Sam Adams Infinium or a specialty Sierra Nevada that someone may not buy themselves. Or, perhaps a couple of mid-priced bottles like Heavy Seas, Lagunitas or Stone that could be taste tested. I would suggest going to Sherlocks and picking out a couple of bottles that sound good and interesting to you- there isn’t much at Sherlocks that will send you in the wrong direction.
Growler of something interesting from Ale Yeah!
Wine is usually the safer option for those situations. Check out Herb’s choices at
http://decaturpackagestore.com/Home.html
Or go there and ask the man himself exactly what you just asked here!
Car #1 northbound on 2nd Ave, stopped at Oakview intersection (4-way stop) with right-turn signal activated. Car #2 eastbound on Oakview pulls to a stop with left-turn signal activated. Car #1 turns right onto Oakview and Car #2 starts to turn left onto 2nd. At that instant, bicyclist northbound on 2nd zooms down the hill, swerves around Car #1 in the midst of its turn, barrels through the intersection and disappears. Car #2 was (atypically) dawdling somewhat and so had not actually entered the intersection yet, but driver is startled nonetheless and slams on brakes, yells a lot of bad words and finds herself indulging in a brief but vivid fantasy about the bicyclist going ass-over-teakettle on a speed bump.
Every time a motorist has an experience like this, it sets back the cause of equal rights and mutual respect for all modes of transportation.