Atlanta is as Atlanta Does

If it wasn’t too busy to pay attention, Atlanta might still be reeling from the recent one-two punches it recently received from author James Howard Kunstler and musician-turned-urban biker David Byrne after the New Urbanism conference set up shop in downtown last month.

But today, what’s left of the dwindling Atlanta blogosphere (seriously, it’s hurting these days.  we lost yet another yesterday – good luck in Chi-town Ben!) is peeing its collective pants over a nicely articulated piece by Christa at Pecanne Log, who decided to write the response to “America’s Greatest Urban Minds” herself after no one else stepped up to the plate.

Here’s a tangy, yet undeniably sweet taste of her post “There’s nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”…

I also HATE when people compare Atlanta to other cities, even indirectly. Sometimes I get fired up and do this myself, and then I hate myself for it. I haven’t lived in that many other cities, so what do I really know? And if people want a city where they don’t have to have a car, or where they can be cooler than literally everyone else in the United States, or where they have more job opportunities in a particular industry, or where there are New England autumns, or where all the big policy problems are already solved, then Atlanta just isn’t going to be able to fulfill that need (even Decatur can’t provide a good Connecticut fall experience, as much as it tries). That’s cool! Do what you need to do! But when there’s some Atlanta vs. Denver, or Atlanta vs. whoever else debate, the cities just don’t usually line up enough to make any real comparisons. It becomes just a subjective exercise in what one wants out of a city.

Decatur Connecticut Fall Experience Festival!  Who’s with me!?

Dog Hit On Commerce Drive This Morning

Runs With Dogs writes in…

On Commerce this morning, between the high school and the housing community, I moved a dog that had been hit by a car to the east side of the road. It was cold then so maybe it was hit around 7am?

He/she is smallish, maybe 20 lbs, mostly black with tan paws, floppy curly ears and a short ~4” tail. If I were guessing, I’d say it was a cocker mix. He had a blue clip-on collar; no tags. I have the collar in case the owner wants it. I failed to notice whether it was male or female.

I’ve let Church St. Animal Hospital and Village Vets know in case some one calls them. They have my contact info. When animal control opens I’ll let them know too.

Makes me sad that someone’s baby went out for their morning “business” and never returned.

Optimal Body Chiropractic Coming To the Artisan

Carl reports in that Optimal Body Chiropractic has a sign over the old Pambili space in the Artisan Building at West Ponce de Leon and Commerce Drive.

The influx of medical establishments continues!

Parking Under the Influence

Should local zoning ordinances really require off-street parking for bars?   From Straight Outta Suburbia…

…did you know that American cities usually require off-street parking at bars? To take a random example, the city of Long Beach, CA requires 20 parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for “taverns”. I don’t know what the city thinks people are doing at these bars, but I assure you it’s drinking.

This is how insane our mentality is. Even bars, businesses whose sole purpose is to sell alcohol for on-site consumption, “need” off-street parking. Even though we know that people drive to them, drink, and drive home. Drink and drive. Yeah, lets make sure these people have plenty of free parking.

Bringing it home, Decatur requires its “taverns” to have one parking space for every 100 square feet of “gross floor area”.  So, even if a bar WANTED to reduce people’s incentive to drive and drink, they would be stifled by our own parking requirements.

The Daycare Hunt

Looking for daycare in Atlanta is kind of like hunting for a snark.

Some people say it exists.  Households with two full-time, out-of-home working parents obviously do something with their children during the day.  But when you actually get out there and discover the limited options available, along with the triple-digit wait-lists, you’re likely to become as mad as the Bellman.

  • “Just the place for a Snark!” the Bellman cried,
  • As he landed his crew with care;
  • Supporting each man on the top of the tide
  • By a finger entwined in his hair.
  • “Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:
  • That alone should encourage the crew.
  • Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
  • What I tell you three times is true.”

With that poetry-laden set-up, news from Kristin of the opening of a new daycare facility in Decatur might be a welcome announcement to many area residents.  The Little School House in Decatur plans to hold open houses of their facility at 124 Church Street this Thursday July 1st at 6pm and on Saturday July 3rd at 10am.

The school’s website includes descriptions of their 6 weeks – 18 months, 18 months – 2.5 years, and 3 – 4 year programs, but it does still look like it’s a bit under-construction.

Now one school isn’t going to completely satiate the need for daycare options in the metro, but hopefully it can help out a few of the lost souls caught up in the hectic pursuit.