Free-For-All Friday 4/27/12
Decatur Metro | April 27, 2012 | 7:00 amFeel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
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This week’s FFAF is brought to you by Risa Soap…
Hi Decatur neighbors – Check out the latest offer from Risa Soap, a locally owned business that makes and sells all natural soap and detergent. Risa is piloting a home delivery model for us here in Decatur and surrounding environs, a throwback to the old days of Charles Chips and Mathis milk. There are two package options for you to choose from, either ‘The Green Family’ or ‘The Natural’ package – both contain all-natural, handmade detergent and soaps, delivered to your door. You can also find out more about us at risasoap.com or on facebook. Don’t forget to use coupon code 4thfree at checkout to get your fourth month free when you order three! If you have questions, contact us at [email protected] or .
Would love to see DeKalb Library staff passing out Poems in Your Pocket around Decatur next year on Poem in Your Pocket Day!
That video from Charlottesville (posted on poets.org) about their Poem in Your Pocket Day was truly inspiring.
You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qt8tzj0ieb4 .
Anyone tried Cozee Tea the new tea shop? Wondering if they have nibbles to go along with the tea. Some folks in my house are wishing for a “high tea”.
I’ve heard good reports, and yes they do. Check out their Mother’s Day Tea event.
I finally stopped by yesterday and it was DE-LIC-IOUS!!! I tried the Cucumber-Mojito tea and had it iced. WOW!!! They have some really interesting flavors, so I’ll take my time and try them all. My entire household LOVES loose teas.
Great cannolis when I went.
I’ve been and it was lovely! It was hot out so I got a bubble milk tea with freshly brewed black tea. I also loved the Earl Grey shortbread.
Can’t wait to get busy dancing for a good cause at Decatur Adult Prom Saturday night! Come join the fun- if you haven’t bought tix yet, click the prom banner above!
+1 You don’t even need to glam up to have fun at this party
Hey Rick–a great video. Who is responsible for it?
as best i can tell: http://www.bigthink.com
If I’d listened to everything that they said to me
I wouldn’t be here
And if I took the time to bleed
From all the tiny little arrows shot my way,
I wouldn’t be here
The ones who don’t do anything
Are always the ones who try to put you down
And you could spend your entire life walking around
In the nowhere land of self doubt
Cuz when you start to doubt yourself
The real world will eat you alive
“Shine”
(Henry) Rollins Band
+1
Between this, the Lyrics Only Guy post, and Henry Rollins’s contribution to the Black Sabbath documentary I watched last night, I’d have to say Henry Rollins is on a roll.
Friday, May 4 at the Park Tavern in Midtown is the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper annual River Revival. Music by Burnt Bacon, Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics, Julia Haltigan, and Ben Sollee. Your $45 ticket includes beer, wine, food, and a year’s membership to UCR. This is going to be a great party for a great cause. Details and tickets at http://www.chattahoochee.org/river-revival.php.
Congrats to the seniors at DHS! Senior projects were amazing last night. We have a really talented, motivated, respectful group of seniors this year. I’m sure they will go on to do great things in their lives.
Thanks also to Jon Reese for organizing the event. It was a pleasure to act as a reviewer.
Weird stuff was going on around the Square on Wednesday. Saw a kid getting a “talking to” by officers near CVS. Then he was released and was walking toward the Square near us. Then new officers ran after him and cuffed him by SunTrust. Not sure what happened next. Then later on we heard there was an attempted purse snatching on the Square (or a successful one?) near Siam. Same thing? Just curious.
Also I thought there was going to be a ban on OUTDOOR restaurant smoking in Decatur. Is that true? If so, when will it be enforced?
It’s in effect for new restaurants and will go into effect for existing restaurants in October. Note that it only applies to places with liquor licenses and with tables on public sidewalks. People will be able to puff away at Starbuck’s and Jimmy John’s, for instance, and also be able to smoke on private property like the patios at Leon’s, U-Joint, and Java Monkey.
Thanks for the super-clear response.
My 11 year old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes Monday. Is there a Decatur Juvenile Diabetes support group?
Sorry to hear that. Fortunately this is a very manageable condition these days.
Have you called CHOA at Egleston? They might be able to help you find something.
Good luck!
Chell830 – our 5 year old was diagnosed with Type 1 last year. We have found lots of great support nearby. Start with http://www.jdrfgeorgia.org. It has local support group info as well as a lot of great resources. Super scary at first but gets better, I promise!
Yes, very manageable. I second contacting CHOA. You may also want to hook up with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: http://www.jdrf.org if you haven’t already. They have a Georgia Chapter.
My youngest daughter has had Type 1 for over 7 years – she is 17 now. CHOA did an excellent job of teaching us before sending us home. We use the endocrine group at Emory and they are SUPER! We are having issues right now because my daughter wants to be a teenager like everyone else and not have diabetes. I’m hoping things will get easier as she matures. It was easier to manage when she was younger. Keep your chin up!
She spent Monday thru Wednesday at Egleston. They were incredible. I also contacted Camp Kudzu. We are going on their wait list. Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Guess that is what I needed today. It’s been a very tough week for our family.
As thd father of a child with challenges (autism) I can certainly understand how stressful these unexpected developments can be. Fortunately you are in the Mecca for both medical and emotional support in the Decatur area! Incidentally, my wife runs a monthly support group for moms of special needs kids and I’d be happy to send you the info if you would like. Not quite the same but might be helpful.
Hang in there an know you are not alone!
Thanks Ted. My 9 yr old son has Autism. Does your wife run MASK? If so, our boys took Gym therapy together at Atlanta Gymnastics.
Yup, you got it.
Wow, sorry to hear about it. Weird coincidence to run in to each other here…
Best to both you and your kids. Let me now if we can help in any way.
Camp Kudzu is incredible! They have a weekend family camp twice a year that was amazing for the kids and parents. My heart goes out to you – the first few days are the worst. Hang in there, it will get better.
RE: Outdoor dining & smoking: I’m more offended by the dirty sidewalks than the dirty air. Visit anywhere else (other countries, other cities) and the alfresco eating establishments hose down, usually in the early morning. The Starbucks corner is particularly disgusting.
Marta periodically pressure washes their area; why can’t the City come up with a way to keep the scene more inviting?
The City does pressure wash from time to time. Bring up your concerns to Public Works.
Seems to me that if dining/drinking establishments get to use the public sidewalk to accommodate their clientele, then they should have some official obligation to keep the area clean. It shouldn’t be totally the City’s responsibility.
Anyone got a recommendation for a good optometrist in the Decatur area?
Dr. Reagin at Church and Howard (next to Ballet School) uses the most ancient equipment and a lifetime of knowledge to get far more accurate results. We have used him for years for multi-focals, computer glasses, vision training etc. for the whole family.
Thanks for the rec!
I second that. I was suffering from migraines related to eyestrain when Dr. Reagin spent a lot of time and did a fantastic job on my prescription where others had failed miserably. My employer’s insurance no longer has him in the “plan” but I am considering paying out of pocket to renew my prescription.
Has anyone had any experience with the podiatrist at the corner of Commerce and Clairemont? Alternatively, any recs for a Decatur or midtown/downtown ATL podiatrist?
Not Decatur or midtown, but I had great service from Dr Peebles @ Atlanta Foot and Ankle. Their office is one block inside 285 on Roswell Road, so I made sure to schedule my visits according to traffic. The Taco Veloz next door made me wish I still had to make the drive!
dr kramer is fabulous…he helped me a great deal a few years back when i was having big time foot problems…i would highly recommend him!!!
Dr. Tuck with Village Podiatry in Northlake is amazing. He just got my feet through 2 half marathons!
Have heard many good things about Dr Tuck on Winn Way.
He is fabulous, but his offices moved up to the practice’s location near Northlake Mall.
Anyone else noticed that construction seems to have stopped at the medical building that was replacing the JB Byrider building on Scott Blvd.?
Does anyone have a rec for a good optometrist in Decatur?
we now go to the emory eye clinic but we loved eye etc. in little five points…also reagin optometric group on church st. (by howard ave.)…super old school but wonderful dr’s!
Decatur Eye Care in Oakhurst.
Yes, Decatur Eye Care is wonderful.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I dunno how much juice the Sierra Club of Georgia has, but they’re going to oppose the transportation sales tax:
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/04/27/sierra-club-to-oppose-transportation-sales-tax/
Politics makes for strange bedfellows.
I have to say, I’m in favor of the plan but am already thoroughly fed up with the campaign — seems like a direct mail piece arrives several times a week and the robo calls just keep coming, plus a phone survey last night.
Yeah, but surveys have shown a large number of people are totally ignorant of the whole thing – which is why they’re campaigning.
And yet, you would probably have a hard time finding five randomly selected people who can’t name the leading contestant on American Idol.
Looking for a small guy friendly yoga class for someone who is a yoga virgin. Thoughts?
Thanks
I’m a middle-aged yoga guy that practices regularly with much more energy, flexibility to show for it. Tried Decatur Hot Yoga, Decatur Healing Arts, and now Form (behind Fellini’s on Howard).
I’m in love with Form. Prices are inexpensive, teachers are the best, easy parking, big choice of classes. They have a “New Form” class for beginners on thu. night with Lisa Cohen who is loud, brash and funny — great if you don’t want to take the whole thing too seriously until you get deeper into it.
http://www.formyoga.com
So are they friendly to “non-believers”? I love so many parts of yoga but am simply not a believer in moksha or samsara or anything else.
I’m as irreverent as they come and I have enjoyed both Tough Love Yoga and Mandy Roberts at FORM.
Agree that FORM is lovely. Another suggestion is Tough Love Yoga’s “Heavy Metal Yoga” class. Monday nights at 8pm is a beginner’s class. We meet in the back gallery at Young Blood Gallery near Buddy’s in Poncey Highlands. The metal yoga class usually has a good proportion of men–tattoos not required.
http://toughloveyoga.com/Home.html
I like Candler Park Yoga (formerly Jai Shanti).
Looking for recomendations for a GP for adults in the Decatur area (that accept United Healthcare:-)
Don’t know about United HC, but Decatur Family Practice downtown has done well for us.
My husband and I see JT Singh over by Dekalb Medical and think he’s great. Several of my friends and colleagues in Decatur enjoy going to him, and he and his family live in the greater-Decatur area. (It occurs to me that I probably shouldn’t be recommending Dr. Singh publically because it’ll be harder to get an appointment next time we’re sick!)
Looking for recomendations for a GP for adults in the Decatur area (that accept United Healthcare.)
Congratulations to Decaturite Thomas Mullen, who received the Townsend Prize for Fiction last night for his novel, ” The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers.” Great guy!
What happen to the bacon post?
Mmmmmm. Bacon.
I was a little uncomfortable with it.
Dangit! I miss everything naughty.
Each year we need to request a (secret?) “best of the moderated”!
Any recommendations for a general handyman that is reasonable? I have a “honey do” list and no honey!
highly recommend bruce tackett…we have used him several times in the past few months with great satisfaction…678-687-2933
I highly recommend Dale Jenks, 404-610-2349. I have been using him for years.
John Barnes – http://www.johnbarnesinc.com/. He is a great handyman and an all around nice guy.
Will Sawyer is the best we have found! Careful, skilled, and extremely reasonable rates. 828-450-6620.
Anybody else on the north side of town experiencing some really funky brown water coming from their taps yesterday and today? Two calls to the DeKalb Water office don’t have me very confident that they either a) care, or b) would do anything about it if they did.
I don’t know how this could possibly be related because I’m in East Lake, right on the line with Oakhurst, so therefore with City of Atlanta water, but my water was horribly brown much of yesterday.
Apologies to the DeKalb Water folks! I don’t know if they read Decatur Metro or if this is standard service but they had someone out to the house in less than two hours, flushed the lines to the street and the water is running clear.
Wow, great service! Standard operating procedure on our street is to call neighbors on same part of water line, see if their water is brown too, and, if so, hold off as long as possible on using water until those who have to use it flush the line! Never even occurred to me to call DeKalb County services–they actually exist?!!!
I was stunned, too! But in hindsight and in all fairness, these are also the same folks who sent someone out to our house at 8 pm on a Friday the day we closed on the house and realized that the woman who sold it to us somehow had the water manually shut off and locked at the street in the 2 hours between the final walk-through and the closing. So shame on me for initially being an unappreciative pessimist!
So, two weekends in a row of riding our bikes downtown and having a guy make a snide remark of “I wish I had money like that to burn” near the Marta/fountain area as we are walking by. Same guy both times and in no way did we provoke anything. We were just walking by. The first time I ignored it. The second time he said it to my husband by the bike rack before I got there (I got stuck at a red light….yes, I actually stop for red lights and don’t filter forward.) Supposedly they exchanged a few heated words and we found another bike rack to use. What would you do?? Has anyone else had this guy harass them?
my first question is what could possibly provoke that kind of comment?
are you riding cannondale’s with glitter streamers hanging on the handle bars and playing cards clipped to your wheel spokes?
i’m generally of the opinion that when people say unexpectedly odd things to me, they’re just odd people.
Twenties clipped to the spokes.
Bicycle Commuter, yall cant just ignore him? Clearly he must just be a nut. Certainly you don’t want to engage him on the topic. What has worked for me in similar circumstances is to smile and nod avidly.
When did Maud Baker close? I totally missed that.
Maud Baker has moved to Scottdale.
My wife and I had a great experience at the DeKalb Animal Shelter, adopting a two-year-old female boxer mix for my father in law. We were told that Gracie had been at the shelter for several months waiting for the right couple to come along. I was very impressed with the professionalism, service, facilities, and the love the employees had for the animals. While we were there, a dad and his son were trying to adopt a dog. While filling out the adoption forms, the dad had a medical emergency and 911 was called. Not only did the staff provide excellent medical service for the dad (one of the staff members was an RN), but several staff members provided care for the boy until his mom arrived.
To anyone who is thinking about adopting an animal, please stop by the DeKalb Animal Shelter at 845 Camp Rd. Decatur, GA 30032. This is a very classy operation!
I cannot endorse the DeKalb shelter as a whole. I CAN confirm that they have some amazing dogs there waiting to be adopted. Please go there first if you are looking for a dog. If you need a personal reference, you are welcome to stop by the Garden Lane Zoo to met the three rescues currently here!
Did you ever find a foster family for your rescue Golden Retriever?
Yeah, you know it’s not the most pleasant place in the world, but it’s also not as bad as the sensationalists want you to believe. It doesn’t smell great, it’s not pretty, and I’m glad I don’t work there. However, those working there who we’ve dealt with have been caring and thoughtful individuals, and I believe they’re doing a good job with the resources they have. Our family is lucky to have a goofy little hound mix that the Dekalb shelter took good care of and although their facilities are rough, every dog we looked at seemed to be healthy and as happy as a prisoner can be. Our Shyla came home a little over four months ago and is a fantastic addition to our herd of two. Please, please make a shelter your absolute first stop if you’re looking for a family pet because if you don’t, there’s a good chance they’ll never leave.