Free-For-All Friday 2/6/15

Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.

128 thoughts on “Free-For-All Friday 2/6/15”


  2. Considering the love from my neighbors for the Decatur schools, I’ve found a lack of enthusiasm for the Decatur Rec summer camps but don’t know why. The only discussion I found about the camps on DM was from about 2010 and a reader complained about racism, a lack of diversity and bullying at the Ebster camp. Since the main camp for K-5 this year is at Ebster, I’m a little wary of sending my little ones there. Can anyone share their more recent experiences with young ones at the Decatur Rec summer camps? Or recommendations for other camps near Decatur? Thanks.

    1. My kids went to Decatur Rec Center camps last summer and will be going back this summer too. They are great camps and on the more reasonable end as camps go. They have a large variety of themes for each week of camp and go on field trips on Fridays. I haven’t seen any racism at the camps and see a diverse mix of kids. We do a mix of different camps so the kids don’t get bored some at rec center and some other ones. I’m jealous, I want to go to camp instead of work in the summer!

    2. My son had pretty good experiences with the Rec Camps overall. He did experience some race/bullying issues, but nothing that he wasn’t able to deal with. He did enjoy the YMCA camps a little better, though.

    3. Our daughter did a couple of camp at Rec center last summer and she enjoyed it. The only issue with them (for me at least) is that they don’t start registration until mid March and don’t have their detailed camp schedule out yet. Most of the other camps around Decatur starts registration either Jan or Feb and most of them fill up fast.

    4. I have so many child-years at Decatur Rec camps that I consider myself a frequent shopper. I think they are the best deal for Decatur residents and they’ve only been improving. Many of the counselors are the same staff who do the Decatur Rec school after care programs, so if your children like those, they’ll probably like the camps. Plus they’ll know a lot of the other campers. The Decatur/DeKalb Y has gotten more mixed reviews. We had one mediocre to bad experience and never tried it again.

  4. Hey,

    Anyone seen/heard anything about the homeless woman who stays on Dekalb Industrial by Kroger? Drove by this AM and her cart’s been overturned and the contents scattered along the sidewalk. hope she’s okay.

    1. Suburu Forester. Has to be.

      There’s a secret factory in Scottdale, back by the railroad tracks, hidden in the scrub pines. They come in on Ponce, late at night, like coyotes sneaking back into town after raiding YDFM dumpsters all night.

      Every morning there are more of them. It’s a problem.

      2. We considered getting a Subaru Forester. Very practical to transport the dogs and stuff. Ended up with a Kia Sportage mainly because we didn’t want to be “those” Decatur people.

        [OK, that may not have been the MAIN reason, but it was a reason!]

        1. To be fair, they’re actually very good cars – but I felt the same way and bought another Honda. Us haters just gonna hate 😉

        2. The Element is the best Hound Hauler. Especially for bigger dogs. But alas…
          How do you like the Sportage?

          1. I like it just fine, but that’s irrelevant – the wife loves it. It’s an SX with the TDI engine. We got a great deal on a used 2013 with low mileage. Clark Howard would’ve been proud, our fancy Decatur new car buying neighbors be damned!

            2. I’m shocked you were able to find a used TDI. Volkswagen keeps begging me to trade mine in. I figured because TDIs have high resale value and they’re in high-demand.

              1. We really just lucked out. Friends of ours had bought it new, then got new jobs and had to move abroad on fairly short notice. When we asked what they were going to do with the car they asked if we wanted to buy it. We paid a bit less than the Edmunds and KBB private sale values but a whole lot less than the cheapest one we could find on the market. Not sure about the reasoning, but they certainly were in low supply and priced very high. It’s like we got the Decatur house of cars!

        3. I bought my Forester as mandated by Decatur ordinance. I was shocked that it did not come with a pair of open-toe sandals though.

          1. You gotta buy them yourself and then submit online for the rebate. It’s a bit of a hassle, but the city won a communication award last year for its “Open-Toed Sandals Rebate” website interface. It was announced on the front-page of the Smarch edition of the Decatur Focus.

      3. I think the Forester, Leaf and Prius are fighting it out. Leaf has made a huge surge lately (totally cheating, too, given the tax incentives). Forester is definitely still in the running, and I think Prius is fading.

        In an only slightly related vein…I used to see a little tiny Honda del sol running around with an enormous white dog (Bernese mountain dog, maybe?) sticking out of the t-top roof. Haven’t seen it in a while. Anyone remember that? Always brought a smile to my face.

      4. Yup. First time Forester owner here, March 2014. I think Subaru figured out some secret sauce with the most recent model.

        Spouse and I are long-time Subaru drivers, but we never cared for the Forester. We went car shopping about a year ago (was time to sell the 200K+ miles Subie) and were surprised to find that we liked the Forester a lot more than the Outback. Cargo capacity and mileage of both is similar. The Outback seemed a lot less “Subaru like” than it used to (I don’t know how to explain what I mean here, but maybe other Subaru owners will get what I mean).

        The salesman told me that 1) the Forester is now his dealership’s top selling model this year (it used to be outback, but Forester sales have been taking over year after year) and 2) a lot of Forester buyer are former Outback drivers.

    2. At one point, I would argue it was the Honda Element, of which I am an owner. Damn shame they stopped making them. Honda just did a poor job of marketing that vehicle.

  8. Shout out to Mark at Emory Haircutters (Clairmont Road in the Taps shopping center across from Publix).

    Based on FFAF recommendation, I checked it out a couple of months ago and have been a regular customer there since. He’s a good guy and working to build up his business. Great haircut. Check it out – you won’t be disappointed.

  10. We were out and about last night and noted that the RR crossing at Candler is still closed. Is the one at McDonough also still closed? Do any of you have any information on when the crossings will be open again?

    4. And I guess the total meltdown that was predicted when it was announced that the crossings would be closed didn’t happen.

      1. My personal meltdown ended when I was reassured that the Agnes Scott tunnel would be open….

  12. McDonough was open but back up for 2 to 3 blocks Thursday (on College back past Chandler). Seems the light on McDonough is too short and cars that are turning to go across the tracks back up onto College, also cars were back down to McDonough towards East Hill etc

  14. Last nights RMS Black History Program was excellent: well done, students and staff! It was an entertaining and very informative program!

    For those of you who missed it, it was called: We Remember Beacon Hill: Stories of History, Hope, and the Legacy of Elizabeth Wilson.

    1. You likely did. I’m an Oakhurst resident and we’ve seen one hanging out in our trees from time to time. Which is weird because there’s no water source on our block. I’m guessing ASC’s retention pond is the draw. Anyone?

      1. I remember one hanging about at least temporarily on Jefferson Place, maybe ten years ago? My friends (and yours) saw it raiding their neighbor’s koi pond.

      3. We live next to a creek and I have seen one both in the creek with his wings spread and also rising majestically out of the creek. Perhaps they are having a Decatur stopover before landing in the Buckhead Blue Heron Nature Preserve.

      1. Also spotted at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve in Medlock as well as Melton Park in Clairmont Heights (they hang out in the trees over South Fork Peachtree Creek)

        Medlock

    4. We see them near the cemetery pond, and there is one who lives (roosts?) in the creek next to Glenlake Park. I’ve also spotted one at Deepdene and many at Lullwater.

  18. A question for all you Friday ethicists… an uncomfortable situation that stumped me at the time and in retrospect… I don’t see any “right” or “wrong” response to it and am curious how any of you would have handled it. And/or how you would wish you had handled it, looking back…

    At the Y on a weekday, late afternoon, a woman stepped onto the treadmill next to me and commenced a workout while talking into her cell phone in an extremely agitated fashion. She was obviously recounting to a friend a situation that made her very angry. It was impossible not to hear her despite the fairly loud music playing through my earphones. I hoped she would wrap it up soon, in consideration of the huge banner on the wall indicating NO cell phone use in the wellness center, but she kept yakking. I considered moving, but was nearly halfway into my workout and didn’t feel like keeping track of my stats on two different machines. (Yes, I’m working hard for my first trinket on FitLinxx points.) I turned up my music as loud as I could tolerate but could still hear her, fussing and fuming, venting negativity all over the place. This went on for at least 10 minutes before she finally hung up. (She was on the end next to the wall, so there wasn’t anyone on her other side.)

    Of course, my impulse was to take her to task directly and immediately. Like most impulses, it would probably not have led in any constructive direction and I didn’t do that.

    What would you have done? What do you think IS the most constructive thing to do in that situation?

    1. Ask her if she could read, or if she just thought the “No Cell Phone” sign didn’t apply to her.

      Grab her phone, sprint to the bathroom and “accidentally” drop it in the toilet.

      Wait, you said constructive. Unfortunately there is little you could do that would be constructive. If you stopped your workout and asked someone at the Y to intervene, you still end up being the bad guy. Someone who is that inconsiderate or has such a sense of self-importance is unlikely to change their behavior anyway. If you were able to hide your frustration/annoyance (almost impossible), you could have politely asked her to finish her call outside. But, then she would probably only bitch about the nerve of the lady on the treadmill next to her to whomever she was speaking.

      1. Or, “Excuse me. That’s a nice cell phone you’ve got there. Would be a shame if someone were to smash it to pieces on this floor.”

        But seriously, I agree — almost no way to say something and have it end well.

    2. It seems to me that the Y made the no-cell rule and they should enforce it. I would have put the TM on pause, and asked the front desk to handle it.

    3. I like to take the anger that arises from each little slight, every discourtesy, each unpleasantness that affronts me everyday, and just push it down, down, down and roll it into a bitter little ball in the back of my head. Works wonders. Try it.

    4. Don’t know about constructive, but the most FUN is to join in the conversation. Just start responding to her rants. “He did what? Whoooo Boy! Oh no he d’int! You tell it girl!” When she says “excuse me” just say “Oh, I thought you were talking to me. You talkin’ to me?” Get someone to video this if possible and post it here next Friday!

      1. I’ll bet the first people to complain about personal privacy are the ones who hold loud cell phone conversations.

      2. Video is the key. Then post it to an anonymous blog called “Decaturites Behaving Badly.” I have long dreamed of doing this and the idea came after watching a Y member reaming out a staff member at length.

        1. Great idea. I have to believe a few videos of recognizable license plates would make a real dent in the incidence of speeding through neighborhoods.

      3. Along those lines, you could do this:

    5. I disagree with the passive approach. It’s passive, not constructive, because it gets no results (the loudmouth kept blabbing, you continued to be frustrated, and she ignored the rules with no consequences). People like Ms. Cell Phone behave this way because they’re allowed to do so without being called on it.

      I would’ve politely interrupted her, and asked her to please not talk so loudly. If she had refused/erupted into loud indignation (more likely than not), I would’ve then gone and insisted that management enforced the “No cell phones” rule in the workout rooms. I wouldn’t have backed down until they did. As someone else said, if they’re going to have the rule, they need to back it up with action (in all fairness, if no one tells them of infractions, they can’t sanction the offenders). As for whether Ms. Cell Phone bore me rancor henceforth, I really couldn’t give a tin crap–I don’t need or want the esteem of people like that anyway.

      And if quietly & politely didn’t work, I’d just have to cut her. 😉
      (Yes, for the humour-impaired & newbies, that was a joke, and playing off another thread here a week or so ago. Please try to refrain from pearl-clutching.)

      1. I think this illustrates pretty well that there’s no single correct response. The only appropriate response is the one that sits well with the reality of who you are.

        One of my rules to live by is essentially this: Complaints must be short-lived. Either upgrade them to things you’re going to do something about or downgrade them to things you’re going to accept.

    6. I was fuming when a lady did this in the quiet nail salon I was in 2 weeks ago. I turned around 3 times to give her the “if looks could kill,” glance but she was totally oblivious. I really think some people have absolutely no clue how obnoxious they are to other people. If you see her again push her off the treadmill for me will ya. 🙂

    7. Crank up Slayer-Raining Blood.

      Start out slow on the treadmill, like a 4 or so. Then at the 45 second market when the guitars crank to an ungodly speed, pump that treadmill up to like 11 or so. You’ll be flying. Keep up. Then start yelling the lyrics at the top of your lungs, ‘Raining blood from a lacerated sky! Bleeding its horror creating my structure! Now I shall reign in blood!’

      Institutionalized by the Tendencies is another great choice of songs.

      2. I am HOLLERIN’ at this, even though I’d never do it (would put me on Ms. Cell Phone’s level). Thanks for that mental image–I needed it!

    8. I vote for a polite, “please can you finish/take your call in the lobby or a “please, can you be quiet?” I might also report her offensive behavior to someone. Staff knows faces and names.

      Don’t even get me started on similar behavior at the movie theatre… or litterers … or inconsiderate drivers/smokers … or smokers who drop their cigarette butts from their car windows …

    9. Y’all are great. This is exactly the range and depth of response I was hoping for.

      Practically everybody in the Wellness Center at any given time has their cell phone, either listening to music or logging their exercise routines. It’s very common to see somebody take a quick (less than a minute) call in which they are obviously getting a late afternoon check-in from their kid or other member of their household. Nothing objectionable there, IMO. So I don’t want to register an “official” complaint and wind up being tarred as the intolerant b!tch who thinks cell phones should be banned.

      I’m with Cuba about calling people out when they misbehave, and generally I do. But that day, I didn’t want my whole trip to the Y to be about fussing at the cell phone lady. And I wasn’t 100% confident that enlisting Y staff would help. Sometimes they don’t stand up as I think they should, when members are ignoring rules. (Plus, it was busy time and I would have had to interrupt someone’s tour or orientation to involve Wellness staff, or go to the Front Desk or all the way to the M’ship Desk, where they would try to refer me back to the Wellness staff. And then Ms. Cell Phone might have been gone when I returned and/or somebody else would have claimed my treadmill.) So I experimented with doing something different than I usually do.

      Staring fixedly at the side of her head had no effect, she was completely caught up in her tirade. She eventually ended her call, though, and I immediately stepped onto my side rails and took off my headphones, smiled briefly and then said in a serious tone, “I could hear your entire conversation, even over my headphones.” She looked surprised, and then apologized. I continued, “It was unpleasant for me. I’m sure that’s why they have a policy against using cell phones in here.” She kept apologizing and seemed sincere. I smiled again and donned my headphones and got on with my workout. It might have seemed rude of me not to continue chatting but I had said what I needed to say and acknowledged her response. It didn’t completely satisfy me, but it did let me return to my Happy Exercise Place and MAYBE she won’t do it again.

      I don’t go to a movie theater more than once a year any more, primarily because it’s too aggravating to spend what you have to spend and then have the experience disrupted by cell phone users. (Even when they aren’t talking, they’re texting with their screens on maximum brightness. Or maybe even watching some TV rerun, who knows?)

      1. The key to movie theaters is to go on Monday nights. Every auditorium is empty or almost so. The average age of theatergoers is so old that cell phones are rarely out. It’s almost scarey.

        1. and you can strategically pick movies at N DeKalb Mall- if it isn’t an action/comedy/horror movie, it will likely be near empty.

  20. I’m assuming you use earbuds, right? As a MARTA rider who seeks to avoid this common combination of rude loud person + cell phone, I wouldn’t be without my over-the-ear headphones that block out just about all extraneous sound. Of course, they wouldn’t look too sporty in a gym setting. On those rare occasions that I don’t have my headphones on the train, I simply get up and move to another car. Unfortunately, moving is probably the only constructive thing one can do when encountering rude people with their cellphones. Anything else is likely to end up being more upsetting to you than their annoying behavior.

    1. I nearly went after a guy at Eddie’s Attic last night during the Jim White vs. Packway Handle Band show. He and his date were loudly discussing the pictures on his phone during a song. Eddie’s used to have respectful audiences, but times are changing.

      1. We had the same experience at the Seth Glier/Crystal Bowersox concert this week. The table behind us chatting and laughing the entire evening. Very disappointing.

    2. I have found that the MARTA bus drivers (and sometimes even the passengers) are becoming increasingly pro-active at calling people out with loud phone/conversation problems. In general, bad behavior on buses seems much less tolerated (by the driver and passengers) than bad behavior on trains.

      1. Regardless, headphones are an essential accessory on MARTA (on my trips to the airport, I can get through whole albums, while reading on my phone, and barely notice that anyone else is on the train). My wife, who rides the train daily but doesn’t do headphones, complains frequently about other peoples loud music or phone calls, etc. I told her she can’t complain anymore until she tries a pair of noise-cancelers for at least a week.

        1. I agree. I wear my headphones and sometimes don’t even turn them on – it signals “don’t bother me.”

          On the flip side, most days I bike commute and do the opposite – blast music from a bluetooth speaker … Nobody has complained yet, and some pedestrians even dance sometimes 🙂

  22. Looking for a chiropractor. Does anyone love their chiropractor and can give a recommendation? I’m used to one-on-one practices with discussions of diet, energy, activity, and overall wellness incorporated in chiropractic work. Thanks!

    1. Dr. Bob Dalton, Highlands Chiropractic. Amazing chiropractor, holistic approach, incredibly knowledgable and kind. Does not take appointments, just show up, but be prepared to wait. Very much worth the wait, just go early. 404-874-4448, Mon, Wed. Friday and Sat. morning.

    2. I highly recommend Dr. Liliana Warner at Lotus of Life in downtown Decatur (right next to Baby Kroger, more or less). lotusoflifechiropractic dot com

    4. Sherwood Chiropractic Center
      1275 McConnell Drive, Decatur, GA 30033
      (404) 321-0082

  24. Hey Decaturites!

    My name is Jacob Miller, but on here I have been referred to as “the kid with the pressure washer.”

    If anyone has any pressure washing needs, I would love to get a head start before pollen season.
    I can be reached at: 404-309-9863

    Have a wonderful weekend!

  26. How do you all find an address or telephone number online for free these days? I used to use 411.com and something before that but that hasn’t been working as well lately.

    3. If you’ve got a DeKalb County library card, you can head to dekalblibrary.org and use ReferenceUSA to look up residences and businesses. Hit the Research tab, then ‘Reference Databases’. The link is under Directories.

    1. I found an article from Oct 2014 about the “PATH cycle track under construction” : “PATH wants to peel off about 10 feet from the edge of the CSX right-of-way along the edge of Church Street to make the trail continuous and also to get across I-285. McBrayer said PATH is still working with the county and CSX on that section.”

      I have written the PATH Foundation about the status of this bridge–I’ll let you know what they tell me.

      http://thechampionnewspaper.com/news/local/path-cycle-track-under-construction/

  32. My 16 year old was in a traffic accident in City of Atlanta and because the police officer could not determine who was at fault, and the other side wants to pursue it, my son has to go to a jury trial. Can anyone recommend a lawyer for the situation?

    1. I’m not sure that I understand your predicament, but I’d be happy to talk to you about it. I deal with City of Atlanta and Fulton County all the time. If both drivers were cited, the municipal court judge will usually simply dismiss both rather than sort it out. If the judge does not, there are still options beyond going to trial. If you mean that you demanded a jury trial just to bind the case over to state court, that’s a whole ‘nother story. You’d be looking at two years before the case is accused there, if it even is at all. If the case does come back up in state court, you can almost always work out a fair deal unless you want to try the case on principle.

      On the other hand, if you mean that the other driver is pursuing this civilly, then it’s your insurance company that you’ll be dealing with in defense of that claim.

      Please feel free to email me at jeffreylell_at_gmail.com if you would like to discuss it.

  34. Looking for a recommendation for a restaurant to accommodate six adults and four young kids for an early dinner. Now that Harbor Bar has closed, I’m struggling to think of anything. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks.

      1. Did you overlook “four young kids?” Cafe Lily is not ideal for young kids. Otherwise my complete agreement on a great early dinner location.

          1. Dos Madre would work. So would F20 like Cubachica said. Also Sapori di Napoli. Raging Burrito. The Marlay. And Twains loves kids!

    2. Actually, Fresh2Order would probably be just the thing for your party. They do early dinner, they have a near-endless variety of things to choose from, they welcome children of all ages, and last but not least, their vittles are downright tasty! Oh, and you don’t need a reservation.

    3. Make it fun: Pallookaville in Avondale Estates. The food is great and the kids will be entertained by the continuous showing of cartoons on the screens and all of the carnival stuff.

        1. Thanks everyone. We ended up going to Leon’s very early, but will definitely use these suggestions for next time.

  36. Is there anywhere to rent Segways in Atlanta (not a tour, but a personal rental)? If so, are they allowed on the Beltline, or are they considered motorized vehicles?

  38. We are looking for a wood floor installer. Got a quote from Rabern Nash but – wow – looking for another. I don’t see this in topics covered in the past on FFAF. Any one with good experiences or advice on installing a new wood floor?

    1. I can recommend George Costea (Newline floors) – (404) 457-3248.

      He just installed about 600 sq feet of hardwoods in my house- he matched the existing wood floors perfectly. On time, good price and he moved all the furniture (for a fee) without any problems…

  40. Uh oh. Did Selig lie about why Suburban Lanes couldn’t stay?

    http://www.decaturish.com/2015/02/suburban-lanes-bowling-alley-campaigns-stay-suburban-plaza/

    1. No, Selig didn’t lie. Bill Stogner summed things up as tactfully as he could.

      (Also, that post is kinda confusing. The book store isn’t slated for the space where the bowling alley is. It’d be on the lower level facing Church St.)

      1. I thought that Suburban WAS on the lower level facing Church St. I could swear it was.

        1. Other retail spaces front Church St– most recently, a medical training school. Kims’ Alterations & Watch Repair and the laundromat also used to be down there. Suburban Lanes shares an entrance on that side. (On entering, there are other leased spaces along the hall before you reach it.) There’s also an entrance to it on the top level.

  42. I have had three pleasant, delicious meals dining in at our new Fresh to Order. But both of my experiences with take-out have been terrible. The first time, they lost my online big order for a party-size salad for a crowd I was having over. It would have been a disaster except that I called a couple of hours ahead just to check that it would be ready and re-ordered when I found out that they didn’t have my order (which I had paid for by credit card!). But it was still a bit of a wait when I got there to pick it up. Tonight was a disaster. I went in to order, paid for my order, and sat down with a book, patiently waiting. Finally, after 40 minutes, I realized that no food was coming and went back to the ordering station. At first they tried to hand me a big bag sitting there but when I went to look at it, they exclaimed that the order wasn’t quite finished and offered me a free cookie and drink while they finished up. I sat back down. It took 20 more minutes to get my order. I didn’t even look at it this time since dinner was now so delayed that I was going to serve whatever I got. When I got home, I saw that I was given a whole apple instead of a side of apple slices as ordered, no salad dressing to go with our huge salad, and that my order of 3 croissants was missing. Luckily, the food that WAS in the bag was good. And the staff were apologetic and polite at all times, although a bit clueless. They gave the excuse that it was busy and change of shift. The latter may have been true but the place had tons of empty seats. I’m a little worried about this place’s survivability if it can’t handle take-out on a Saturday night. I’m certainly not trying take-out a third time. But I like the food well enough that I’ll still eat in there.

  44. I saw a butterfly in the backyard yesterday. In February! What is it supposed to eat?? Any butterfly lovers out there who can advise?

  46. Where is the nearest and most convenient place to get a passport photo? Decatur Post Office? Are the services always available there? I can handle the rest of the renewal process, but it’s recommended to use a professional passport photo service.

    2. On my way to the post office I walked into CVS and walked out with my photos in minutes. They were fast, cheap and good enough for the government.

        1. And if you need to do something in person (like renewing a kid’s passport), the courthouse is much less of a hassle than dealing with the post office, and no appointment is needed.

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