Free-For-All Friday 5/13/11
Decatur Metro | May 13, 2011Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
- rss
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
When is somebody gonna do something about all the problems?
Taken care of so things are looking up!
Now on to the positive. What’s on tap this weekend for an 18 month old boy and his Granny (me) to do other than the usual strolling and playground tours?
Kirkwood Spring Fling
http://www.kirkwoodfling.com/
Yes, and the home tour associated with this was fun last year. Gonna give it a wing again this weekend.
If the weather holds, maybe we’ll check that out this weekend. Is there parking or easy MARTA access? The website seems to be lacking in those details.
never mind – the google map finally loaded all the helpful little markers. Yay parking!
I blame my local politician and/or government agency.
A quick check of CNN didn’t show you protesting in Decatur Square.
Won’t anybody please think of the children?
I guess you guys must have missed it. All the problems have been solved so the police are creating more by breaking into cars
don’t poke the bear!!
Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
For everyone with Android smart phones, what is the best* free app for local news? Or which local news station’s app functions the best for “breaking news” and traffic alerts?
I have an Evo HTC 4g.
* most user friendly/intuitive
“what is the best* free app for local news?”
I’d like to know as well. I use AJC (sucky interface) and Creative Loafing (not good for breaking news). Also, I wish there were a MARTA android app.
I wouldn’t use any local news station’s app — the purpose of those isn’t to get you the news you want as quickly as possible; the purpose of those is to deliver ads and drive you to their sites, all of which are designed to deliver as many ads as possible.
I think the answer to your question, if you’re concerned about quality of information and signal-to-noise, is Twitter and/or a traditional (RSS/Atom) newsreader app, and a carefully curated set of feeds.
I’d also love it if there were a great MARTA app, but MARTA can’t even figure out how nice it would be to have arrival time signs in stations but *before* you get to the platform, so I wouldn’t hold my breath while waiting for them to catch up to the late 20th century and start publishing that data on the internet in a consumable format.
Thanks for your feedback, Shawn. I don’t twitter but may look into carefully curated rss feeds.
Cannot do anything about Andisheh’s problems but have two shoutouts:
1) The person who found my credit card and turned it in to the QuikTrip #745 at Briarcliff and Shepherd’s Lane and the staff that kept it safely. Picking up my card prompted me to go inside and notice that store was clean, the prepared foods looked edible, and there was a handwashing sink for customers serving themselves–very different from my image of the usual gas station convenience store.
2) Blue Elephant Book Store between Taqueria del Sol and Dancing Goats: Helpful, knowlegeable, abreast, insightful staff–all of them, workers as well as owners. They have an evening book club but may be starting daytime ones as well if folks express interest. Their children’s area is small because they are a full-scope bookstore as opposed to Little Shop of Stories specific niche, but I’m impressed with its quality.
I purchased gas at a QT yesterday and had to go inside to get my receipt. The computer was restarting, so I had to wait about five minutes. The guy offered me a free drink! I wasn’t even bothered by the waiting. They have great customer service.
I’ve been going to QT for years. Even though most of the time I don’t go inside, when I do, like you said, it’s so clean compared to any other gas station.
Another QT fan here…
When I started going there over 20 years ago, I tried to buy stock by found out they were a privately owned family company. They are usually always clean, have the lowest gas prices (along with RaceTrac) have a great drink and coffee selection and (believe it or not) have good sandwiches/salads at low prices when you running errands and don’t want to make another trip for fast food. If you sign up on their website for monthly surveys, they send you coupons for FREE drinks, sandwiches, coffee etc.
Rock on QT!
I love QT too, and I looked to buy stock too, only to be disappointed. Good gas prices, clean stations, squeegees (sp?) and paper towels always in-stock, and only very, very rarely do I get a “see attendant for receipt” message. They also do a great job with recruiting, as the attendants have been unfailingly polite, competent, and fast. Kudos to the owners – lots/most businesses could learn a thing or two from QT.
If you’re there early enough, you can get their BEST-IN-THE-WORLD chocolate cake doughnuts, very fresh and heavenly with their well-made coffee. I’ve been a fan of QT for many years, as they are headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., where I used to live before coming to Georgia. I was so HAPPY to see QTs here too!
Love Blue Elephant!! They always have wonderful recommendations and the staff is very knowledgable. They may be small, but they have a great selection. Support this local business!!!!!!
+1
Blue Elephant Book Store – this is a wonderful wonderful bookstore!! so glad they were brought up! Helpful staff (very), good selection AND!!! – for every $100 you spend you get a $10 credit. I think that little bit makes all the difference.
I still frequent Little Shop for kids – but I ALWAYS go to Blue Elephant for my books. Although I would be remiss if I didn’t mention they also have a great kids and YA section (I may spend a little time in the latter.)
LOVE Blue Elephant Books!
While walking through the Decatur Cemetery this morning with my dog, I watched a hawk swoop from the sky, attack a mockingbird nest, and steal a baby. Several mockingbirds and blue jays were on full attack. It sounded like an air strike — oh, guess it was.
Nature.
Did the hawk look like it had some special new tail that nobody has ever seen before to help it move more silently?
It may have been a new stealth bomber hawk. I’ve heard of them rumored in Decatur.
Fixed it for you…
While walking through Abbottabad last week with my dog, I watched a blackhawk helicopter swoop from the sky, attack a fortified compound, and steal a terrorist. One tweeter tweeted constantly. It sounded like an air strike — oh, guess it was.
Nature.
just saw 3 fire trucks, an agnes scott police car, and 3 emt trucks fly up mcdonough towards/heading into agnes scott….any idea what happened?
Grease fire in Mollie’s. All is well.
Unexpectedly went to Square Pub last night. (Shakes fist at peer pressure.)
Loved the fried avocado and butternut squash soup.
Black bean burger needs a bit of work.
All over costing more than I would expect, although “paying for location” might have been part of it.
Scoutmob’s got a 50% off deal for Square Pub. For next time.
SqPub has two veggie sandwiches – black bean and portabello – but neither of them are very good. Bean is mushy and Portabello soggy. Green Salads are good, but I’ve about sworn off eating there. I really WANT to like the food there, so much quieter than Brick and easier to get a seat but can’t live off tater tots. So, Dear Square People, please work on those veggie offerings! Go eat Love Cakes at Flying Biscuit, that style of black bean cake would be a good fit on your menu.
My brother graduated dental school at Medical College of GA a year ago in Augusta, GEORGIA. He is now in a residency program in Augusta, MAINE. He’s trying to get back south to be be near family as his wife is pregnant and expecting their first baby in July.
Does anyone have any recommendations for dentists/dental offices that he should send his resume to? Thanks!
I am quite frustrated! The entire CSD school schedule was overhauled to reduce summer to two months in an attempt to avoid brain drain. However, my first grader informed me that she will have no homework for the last three weeks of the school year, and that they are no longer having math lessons during the school day. When I asked her what they do, so said they had “free time” and that she would “play.” I totally get that part of my job is to teach her at home with workbooks, but why take away a month of summer, when the kids are, in effect, getting it anyway (just at school rather than home/camp)?
Man, I wish my kid was in your kid’s first grade class. My son is in first and has had more homework then ever!!!
I second that–it sounds like that attitude is specific to your child’s teacher, oateoateo, not across-the-board for the 1st grade. We’re still doing homework, taking tests, etc. here!
I’m getting that too. My 3rd grader no longer has homework, and even my 6th grader no longer has math homework but is just working on a SS project–nothing else.
3rd grader was also peeved about the trip to the 4/5 academy. They were told they would all have hard hats and would get to go inside. Instead, they got thin plastic “construction hats” from oriental trading (http://www.orientaltrading.com/childs-construction-hats-a2-25_1615-12-1.fltr?Ntt=hard+hat) and did nothing but stand around outside and look at the field. She was very disappointed.
Yup, I was SO glad I didn’t take precious hours off of work to chaperone, thinking that I’d get a chance to see the insides. Hope that this isn’t a sign that things aren’t on schedule. I could swear that the original billing of the class trips to Fifth Avenue included a true tour.
Now, now, now. I thought the hats were adorable and a lovely touch. My 4th grader was quite proud of his. I had already told him that they wouldn’t be going inside, so he was just happy for the field trip.
Let me give you another first hand account. The kids got to hear from their new principal who gave them info on the style of the building (craftsman) and what were parts of the building they will be enjoying. What a mezzanine is and also where the green space will be.
It is a danger to allow 3/4 graders in an active construction site.
Also as far as the hard hats goes, at no time did the kids need real hats which would not of been cost effective.
This school (the first new school in Decatur in 40 years) is something we can be proud of. Constuction is on schedule.
The kids also got to meet some teachers and 4th graders and learn some new things about their new school.
Go Falcons!
+1
Fifth Avenue Falcons?
Darn.
I was hoping for Fifth Avenue Fighting Gnus.
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Those kids shouldn’t have been happy unless they were able to man the jackhammer, fire some nails from a nail gun, and write their names in wet cement.
My 6th grader has had very little homework this year. On the other hand, my 2nd grader continues to have daily homework. My 6th grader often says he does his homework at school or the math takes very little time. Haven’t had any “big projects” to work on at home this year. ( First time in several years.)
My 6th grader is on the blue team. Has this been anyone else’s experience with 6th grade?
Of course, as parents who’ve attended every meeting held about the new grading system, we have no idea ( well, maybe a little idea) of how he’s doing in school. We’re hoping all of his efforts “cummulate” into something resembling A’s and B’s. Fingers crossed!
Contrarian view: We find the mostly-no-homework turn of events refreshing. In our experience, homework bores the kids who already get it and frustrates the kids who don’t. But I would NOT be happy if the classroom instruction has degenerated into camp. That’s one more problem with standardized testing besides teaching to the test–once the test is over, lazy educators or students can decide to hang it up for the rest of the year. Hopefully, the last few weeks of school is a chance to teach things and do things that one cannot do earlier in the year because teachers are held to preparing for the CRCT.
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2011/05/10/the-crct-is-over-time-to-teach-or-time-to-kick-back/
Interesting column on this… read the comments and many teachers feel they are free to teach some stuff they are really passionate about.
We’ve eased up on homework but that’s ok, I can tell they’ve been doing other things to.
Fact is the last few weeks are always the last few weeks no matter when they are. That wind down and anticipation are all part of it. I certainly don’t expect constant efficiency or else.
I know this is not true for all grades, but now some teachers use the last few weeks after CRCT to catch up the students that didn’t pass. The state moved the re-test up so that summer cramming doesn’t help systems get AYP anymore. Unfortunately, this leave the students that passed just hangin’ out. I’m sure good teachers try to do both, but the stakes are so high to get kids to pass CRCT that many teachers have to focus on the kids that did not make it.
If folks are looking for something to do tonight I highly recommend seeing the band Dawes play at the Variety Playhouse in Little 5 Points. Singer/songwriter Brett Dennen is the headliner. In my opinion Dawes is best rock band to emerge in years. Their songwriting is brilliant and their harmonies are incredible. Give this set a listen and judge for yourselves:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128777213
There are a lot of really great shows going on tonight!
If you like dark folk music, Richard Parsons, Poco Vestita and Little Horn are playing at Picaflor on Arizona Ave. http://youtu.be/o5a5Ls4xQj0
If you’re in for an odd mix of metal, DJs and unsightly electronic artists, Royal Thunder, Barreracudas, Cousin Dan & DJ Black Sunshine are playing the Basement in East Atl. http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=169937909728200
Or if you like stuff that’s not very good, the Coathangers are playing at the EARL.
Sorry tonight is Cracker van Beethoven at the Roxy, er, Buckhead Theater!
Oh yeah! That’ll be an awesome show. If you can’t get tickets though, I humbly suggest supporting local music.
We can agree on that. Nothing against the local music scene! I hardly ever go to “big” shows any more and couldn’t even tell you the last time I saw an arena or stadium show (probably would have been Springsteen ten years ago), though I do admit as I reach my parents’ age that I love me some Chastain in the summer. And not that CvB or Cracker were ever really big acts anyway, but when the woman was offered free tickets from work I told her there’d be hell to pay if she didn’t take them. Gonna relive some college days tonight!
Am I allowed to say how much I love WMLB, AM 1690? They just played some kind of insane polka with gargling and then a Seinfeld clip, Newman and Kramer Go to Traffic Court. They’ll play Janelle Monae, big band music and Bob Dylan all in the same hour. A great radio station for a rare weekday at home.
Ok, back to the housecleaning.
Yup- they’re the best local station. Such a good and crazy mix of tunes.
We’re also fortunate to have three excellent college radio stations in town . . . WRAS, WCLK and my favorite, WREK. The commercial stations here, and across the nation, still play the awful music I hated when I was growing up, or over-produced urban yodelers. These college stations expose me to interesting new music, and help to keep my iPod fresh. And WREK (Music to annoy your neighbors) is streaming its HD2 broadcast over the intertube. For adventorous listeners, this is a great town.
Still loving your screen name! And WRAS!
My kind of radio! Thanks for the tip!!
Stumbled upon this interesting time killer, it sucked me in for a couple of hours easily. Enjoy!
http://vault.fbi.gov/popular-culture
Oh thanks, Rebeccab. Now I’ll never look at John Denver the same way again!
I need a recommendation for a dermatologist…..NOT the ones at North Druid Hills and Clairmont please
Thanks in advance!
I go to Olansky Dermatology Associates. It’s over by Lenox Mall, so it’s not exactly close, but I really like them. http://www.olanskydermatology.com/
I second Olansky! Dr. Ganz is one of the warmest and best doctors I’ve had.
Over by Northlake mall. Highly recommended.
http://atldermatology.blogspot.com/
Dr. Richard Detlefs, (404) 351-7546. Office is on Peachtree, sort of across from Shepherd Spinal Center. Been seeing him for 20 years.
Dr. Kitha Griffin, Emory Clinic, 404-523-42223 (old Crawford Long clinic site, on Peachtree Street). She’s the best dermatologist I have ever been to, no kidding.
Anyone notice the big tree at the post office off Ponce? Kinda looks like its on its way out, which is too bad.
I hadn’t noticed. Those are great trees.
I planted an acorn from the PO in my yard, and one in my neighbor’s yard, about eight years ago. They are close to 16 ft. tall now. Tall and narrow.
Speaking of Lost and Found:
I found a single cycling glove in the Ponce Bike Lane this morning: blue, Size M Specialized. If this blog can reunite pets with their owners, why not a glove looking for its mate?
And a shout-out to all you drivers who realize that giving cyclists more room when passing is a considerate thing to do.
This has probably been asked about before, but I haven’t been following the blog that long. I love Free-For-All Fridays!
Anyway, I need a recommendation for a good tailor in the area, specifically, one who is really good with tailoring men’s clothes. I’ve tried Stich and Sew a few times, but I’m not too terribly impressed. Any suggestions?
I like Avondale Expert Alterations. They do a great job and their prices are very reasonable. They are located on N. Avondale in the “Tudor” village.
Kim’s is the best! TThe Kims are a great family and run a prompt and honest business. They are also pretty affordable.
Second the Avondale Expert Alterations recommendation. When I needed a rush job on three new suits a few months ago, the really nice lady there did a great job. I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant because when I first called I had trouble understanding her accent. But nobody else could do the fitting and alterations in the immediate time frame I needed so I took a chance and I was really glad I did. The only negative was when she told me “you know, you lose weight and you not need me let this out.” I told her to let it out some more…
Wow! She really said that? That’s awesome.
Yes, she did. Fortunately, I’ve got pretty thick skin to cover up the fat so it was OK. Anyone who dishes it out like I do better be able to take it in return
Yes, this is a great alterations shop. What I love is that she has a photo of Edna from “The Incredibles” posted by her cash register. “I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now.”
Perfect Stitches on Clairmont and Briarcliff in the IGA shopping center. They are awesome. They’ve done bridesmaids dresses for me and at 5’2″ I get almost everything taken up and sometimes in. Very reasonable prices and they are the friendliest people in the planet.
Kris – Did you have a bad experience at the one on Clairemont or did you just find they could not help you no matter how many times you went back? I thought it was just me.
*Just a reminder for all the food truck lovers and newbies*
“The Marlay House will be hosting Decatur’s premier street food event in our parking lot by the pub. The Marlay will be debuting their own “Mobile Marlay” Fish & Chips truck alongside local street food favorites like Yumbii, Tex’s Taco, Grace’s Goodness, Westside Creamery and Tamale Queen. It will be the first chance for Decatur locals to get a taste of the energetic Atlanta street food movement. There will be live music and beer to wash down all the delicious food. There is a concert on the square from 7-9:30pm so grab your eats and then stroll down to the square.”
I’m a big fan of Yumbii and Westside Creamery and have been stalking Tamale Queen on FB to find out where she is set up. So, I’ll be the one with eyes bigger than her stomach enjoying some good food
Is that for tonight?
the trucks will be Decatur tomorrow afternoon. But they (though not the Marlay one, I don’t think) also will be in Castleberry Hill tonight for the art stroll where some of us have artwork hanging.
Any recommendations for an oral surgeon to extract wisdom teeth?
Two teens, eight teeth to be removed, no dental insurance
Anybody use Emory Clinic? If so, can you please elaborate on pricing, experience?
Thanks!!
We love John Muse in downtown Decatur. Few of us have dental insurance that covers much of anything at all. It’s a flaw in our health care. Our teeth and gums are integral parts of our bodies that need as much care and cure as any other part.
IMO dental insurance isn’t “insurance” at all. Plans that I have seen have unrealistically low limits on annual coverage, like $1500. If you add up the premiums and compare that to the benefits, it’s just money changing hands. Ditto for vision “insurance”.
Agree. Ditto for long-term care insurance–again it’s a narrow definition of health care, only expensive in-hospital or in-clinic care is dealt with well in our reimbursement system, even though what most elderly or dying patients really need is care at home.
You need to educate yourself about LTC insurance. Nearly all policies cover in-home, assisted living and skilled (nursing home) care and one doesn’t need to be hospitalized to qualify for benefits. A typical policy can pay up to at least $5000 a month or more and the premiums are pretty inexpensive compared to writing a $5000 check every month. Stats show that at least 60% of us will need that type of care at some point. It’s not medical insurance – that’s what Medicare is for and Medicare doesn’t cover LTC. And, many policies also cover non-care items like having someone cook, wash clothes, mow the lawn, etc.
What I meant to say was that MEDICAL insurance covers in hospital/clinic but LTC covers inhome. I have not been impressed with the LTC policies I’ve seen. They all have the ability to raise premiums for your whole risk group after you’ve signed up, no matter what level policy you get and what company, group or individual, as long as they permission from their regulator, AND they’ve been recently doing so. It seems that mutual insurance companies have planned better and raised premiums less.
Other thoughts, folks, on long term care insurance options? Would love to hear advice because LTC seems pricey for non-guaranteed rates and the companies do not seem to be planning well.
I would remind you that medical (and all other) insurance rates can be and are raised unilaterally also. LTC is still insurance. My suggestion for LTC is to buy from a large company that’s been in the business a long time and understands underwriting, claims history and the like. There are only a couple of them, while there are many others who are in (and in some cases have gotten out of) the business. There really isn’t an alternative to LTC except for not having it. No other product will do what it does. There are some newer products that combine LTC and life insurance. The last alternative is to qualify for Medicaid, but that leaves one with no assets and often times can’t be practically done anyway.
I guess I was thinking that LTC insurance would operate more like life insurance for which you can buy policies that have guaranteed rates for the term of your policy which may be decades and decades. You are paying money for a benefit which you hopefully never will need and you are rewarded for buying it early by getting a better, guaranteed premium. Whereas you receive the benefits of medical insurance almost immediately.
The basis for life insurance premiums are mortality tables, which indicate on a long term basis the likelihood of a person dying at a given age. There is long experience with those tables (people have been dying for a long time). There is not nearly as much experience with LTC claims or the reasons fro them, so it’s somewhat of a movable feast. That’s why I say deal with an experienced company.
It’s also possible for younger people to get a policy whereby you pay premium, for 10 years or to age 65 and stop, with the coverage continuing. Some policies also will waive further premiums for the survivor upon the death of a spouse or partner.
As for immediate benefit, theoretically that could happen with LTC insurance if one experienced a sudden accident or illness the results of which qualified one for LTC benefits. We just more often think of LTC for “old people”. I know of some people in their early 40s who have LTC insurance.
HHS National Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information
http://www.longtermcare.gov/LTC/Main_Site/index.aspx
Steve, I completely agree. This year, my partner and I decided to get “premium” vision insurance (offered through work, for the first time) and it was worth the extra few dollars.
I got disposable contacts at a good price and we both got new glasses. Mine cost more because I got a complete pair of glasses from Target Optical. My boyfriend saved by buying a pair of Ray-Ban frames at Target that cost $27 after insurance. He sent them off to $39 Glasses for the lenses (includes scratch protection, very thin — but not the ultra-premium — lenses, and antireflective coating). He also paid $49 for a pair of prescription sunglasses from Zenni Optical but he thought they were very slow in sending them.
Tip for everyone: The optical store at Perimeter Target is super but they have a smaller selection than Lenscrafters and not as hip of a collection as boutique framers (and none of the attitude of the one I used for years). One of the women who works at Target gave me the inside scoop (she used to work for them) on another nationally-known optical center’s upsale tactics, which basically force most people to spend much more than necessary to meet their needs.
2nd John Muse. He removed my wisdom teeth last year. Excellent overall experience (and I don’t have dental insurance either).
WHY do people who set up lane closures on Dekalb Ave never seem to realize that they are forcing you into the path of oncoming traffic, and so never shut the middle lane off from that oncoming traffic?
Why were so many fire hydrants painted silver, but not the top of them?
Those are hydrants that have been checked and flushed. I imagine they don’t do the top so as not to gum up the valve.
They sprayed all of the one that is a few inches infront of my fence silver including the top, and left some shiny silver paint on my fence
I hope we get new fire engine-red caps on them!
Friends and neighbors, mark your calendars for Sunday, June 5. From 5-8pm, the
Solarium will be hosting its annual PATIO PARTY FUNdraiser to help ensure that this historic
neighborhood treasure is available for you – the Decatur community – to utilize
and enjoy.
Enjoy tasty food from local caterers, adult and kid-friendly beverages (all
provided free of charge with your ticket), listen to live music, and perhaps
leave with incredible raffle prizes or outdoor artwork decorated by local
artists through our not-so-silent auction.
Tickets are only $15 in advance (vs. $20 at the door), and are available online
now at http://www.xorbia.com/tickets/patioparty. Kids under 12 are admitted free, and
tickets for seniors are only $5. All funds raised go directly towards upkeep and
continued improvements to our building and grounds. We look forward to seeing
y’all then and there!
WHAT: The Solarium’s 8th Annual Patio Party
WHEN: Sunday, June 5, 2011 from 5-8pm
WHERE: 321 W Hill St, Decatur, GA 30030 (the easternmost building of the
Historic Scottish Rite complex, just off the Oakhurst Village)
Dr Muse’s fee is approx $2500. Yikes!
For anyone interested in getting fresh veggies over the summer and well into the fall, Riverview Farms CSA is open for subscription. We’ve been subscribing for 2 years now – both veggie and meat CSA – and cannot say enough about the quality! PIck-up for veggies is at Oakhurst Community Garden. Here’s their site if you are interested:
http://grassfedcow.com/
Have a great weekend everyone!
Zombie Pub Crawl Sat. May 14
I can’t believe no one has mentioned this event.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/657013@N23/discuss/72157626462030371/
Miffed at Maud’s.
So I ordered some Mother’s Day flowers online from our local florist Maud Baker – trying to support local Decatur Businesses – and they never arrived despite a confirmation email and a charge on my credit card. A call to the proprietor was underwhelming and not in the least apologetic. Meanwhile, I’ve got some splaining to do (yes, splaining) to some moms.
Is there another florist anyone recommends in Decatur?
Btw, shouting out to Burnt Fork BBQ. Had a great tasty, flavorful meal there last week after a so-so visit many weeks ago. Glad I gave them another chance.
I love that place. I always got the BBQ but now am hooked on the Smoked Turkey Club. Yumm-o.
On our morning walk my friend and I stopped to peek in at the new Tex-Mex place the Fox Bros. folks are opening in Decatur. The manager, Cindy, couldn’t have been friendlier, she invited us inside to look around and gave us the scoop. She said they are getting ready for server training and plan on opening, first just for dinner, the week of the Decatur Arts Festival (which I think is the week of May 23). She was very excited about the menu, said there will be a lot of great food and desserts (you know I liked to hear that!). It is pretty incredible how different, and good, the space looks. There is a beautiful, rustic-looking wood bar, a large open dining room, lots of cool artwork, a patio, and also a game room in the back (which we didn’t look at). Even with the space next door it is all a lot bigger than I would have thought. I will definitely look forward to checking them out.
We tried Rail last Saturday for lunch and were impressed by the service, food (awesome california club & sweet potato fries), and cocktail selection. In fact, we liked it so much we tried out their trivia night on Tuesday (@7:30) – food and service were still great, but doesn’t seem like too many people were aware of the trivia. Of course, having just 3 competitors made it easy to place… but we’d love a challenge next time.
Oh, and,Trackside’s most recent facebook post says they hope to be back “a month from now”!!
I’m in an animal-lover mood today. What businesses in Decatur have store cats (or dogs or parakeets)?
Books Again has a cat (and a lot of great used books!).
Fleet Feet has a dog, at least the one time I visited.
Doesn’t the Seen Gallery have an orange bird (species?) Its cage sits out on the sidewalk during summer days.
Boo-Boo… the Genday Conure that we used to have out front during the summer was a rescue. We found that we could not keep her over the winter inside the gallery because she was simply too loud. And Amy could not keep her at home for the same reason. Also..birds are very social animals so we felt it was cruel to leave it alone so much during the winter. So.. it had to go back to the rescue. With that being said.. Amy has 19 birds that she keeps at home. Five of these, Cockatiels, stay at the gallery. We don’t put them outside much during the summer because they are not as accustomed to this climate as are Conures. But… we have a fairly steady flow of people who come in to visit them. Some kids are constant friends. If you ever come in and do not see them… we keep them in the women’s restroom if they become too noisy. Long answer to a short comment.
Squash Blossom has the ultra-cool Puma as shop dog.
Sheepish has a shop cat . Her name is Bibi. Super sweet, friendly cat. She often sleeps on her bed just inside the front window.
The eye wear shop next door to Sheepish has a small dog – looks like a Yorkie.
I love window-watching fluffy Bibi! She had cancer surgery earlier this year; I don’t even knit but went in to give a dollar because I would be sad if she were not there sleeping in the sun.
Eyeworks of Decatur is my optometrist and I’ve never seen a dog there! I must be going at the wrong times, alas.
Eagle Eye Books has a very sweet dog named Gretl:
[img]http://www.eagleeyebooks.com/staffpics/Gretl.jpg[/img]
I’ve seen the dog there just two or three times. It barked at me when I walked by with my dog. Maybe it belongs to a customer and I just happened to go by when it was there. Didn’t seem to have the right temperament for a shop dog, anyway .
Does anyone know what went down at the new Cakes & Ale space yesterday evening? Church St. was closed off in front of it by a firetruck and police cars and the fire truck had its ladder extended up over the building. Most obvious explanation is a fire, but I haven’t heard a word about it on Twitter, here or anywhere else.
A friend posted pictures on her FB of a naked man being helped off the roof of Raging Burrito. Maybe that is what it was….
Now why isn’t THAT an Eye on the Street?
Just had tasty street food at The Marley. Tamales, fish sandwich, and a hoecake topped with chickpeas, beets, and cheese ( amazingly good). And for dessert…. Ice cream sandwiches and Popsicles .
the 4th grade spelling bee champ in me can’t help but point out that your name should be spelled “no suRprise”…sorry…couldn’t resist
and the food sounds awesome, btw…especially the hoecake…who knew there was such a thing!
I had a good time at The Marlay, too, tonight. I enjoyed the fish and chips from their van, felt like I was eating at Bimbo’s Burgers. (We’ll see who gets that reference.) The Marlay managed it really well, you could come and go from the pub to the patio, to the parking lot/food truck court. Our waitress managed to be very attentive and yet to sing with the band. Met up with friends at The Marlay, then headed down to see The Dammages at the Concert on the Square. Fun evening and it didn’t hurt that the temps were less than seventy degrees.
The small brick apartment building on the corner of Fayetteville and Gordon (right behind the nursing home/rehab center on 5th Ave.) is going to be torn down soon. Anybody with information on what will replace it?
It’s being subdivided into two standard lots which will each have a single family home.
Thanks!
Spelling is intenshonal. Itz my thing.
i’m down with that…no capitalization for me!
Don’t know what you all are reading but I’m completely hooked on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.
Fantastic book, non-fiction that is as fun as fiction but as informative as a medical journal. Also read The Help recently and enjoyed it although it isn’t quite as amazing as The Immortal Life….
I realize I’m way late to the party here, but has anyone else seen this from Tomorrow’s News Today’s restaurant deathlist watch:
http://www.tonetoatl.com/2011/05/toneto-atlanta-deathwatch-q2-2011.html#more
Decatur Diner (Decatur) After finally opening (for a day), the writing is already on the wall. The restaurant’s sporadic hours and multiple delays have more than confused and troubled the neighborhood. Their sister diner in Sandy Springs closed after about four months in business and word that ownership is known to not pay vendors or employees, makes me question how they were even able to lease the restaurant in the first place. This restaurant will be closed by fall.
I guess we shouldn’t be that surprised if it becomes true, but after all the speculation, waiting, speculation, waiting, unnecessary use of electricity, waiting and more waiting, this would be ridiculous.
Looks like the author also has low expectations for Erbert and Gerbert’s:
“A local husband and wife chose one of the worst locations to open Atlanta’s first Erbert & Gerbert’s. Located along East Ponce de Leon Avenue, the restaurant is not within the city limits of Decatur and is not close enough to walk from like anywhere. Its closest neighbor is the adult entertainment club Pin-Ups and something tells me they won’t see much business from there. I give ‘em props for having the cool new Coca-Cola Freestyle machine that features over 100 beverages, but that alone will not save them. Not far away, IN Decatur, Jimmy John’s recently opened and serves (IMHO) better food at a more customer friendly price point. All in all, decent concept, decent food plus horrific location spell failure for this new-to-town fast casual concept. As they did JUST open, I’ll give ‘em till next week to see the error of their ways… and until early next year to close.”
RE: closest neighbor is Pin Ups
/puts on sunglasses/
Erberts, Gerberts and Perverts
I’d go for a Tits and Tots combo special…
“Erberts, Gerberts and Perverts.”
HA! Now THAT was funny. Thanks for the laugh, Golazo.
Anyone know what’s going on with the gas station on the corner of N Candler and Ponce? I noticed some guys doing what looked like construction work there yesterday.
Had a blast sampling the food trucks! Props to The Marlay for making it happen and creating an atmosphere that is comfortable to imbibe.
Wife and I had a blast!
The taxpayer’s bill of rights meeting are June 6th and June 14th regarding the 1.0 millage rate increase by the City of Decatur Schools.
On a related note, the bus contract is online. I was surprised to learn that the contract is for 16 buses and that any after school transportation and field trip use of the buses is an additional cost.
CHARGES FOR SUMMER SCHOOL, FIELD TRIPS, ATHLETIC EVENTS AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The formula for the calculation of the cost of all summer school, field trips, athletic events and extracurricular activities for both regular education and special education activities shall be:
Driver salary per hour
x actual # of hours
+ $1.80 per mile
= TOTAL COST
anyone else hear what sounded like 3 gunshots about 0400? i’m in lenox place, sounded like the came from close to ponce
Friend of mine who lives near Deepdene heard the shots and looked out her window–saw a pickup truck speeding down her (quiet) street. She called the police. She’s worried someone was shot in the park.
Wanted to give a quick shout out to Vivid Boutique on East Court Square for once again being a great place to find quality gifts at good prices and Michael did a beautiful wrapping job. If you need a gift, check them out.
Also, weeks back there was a thread where the new range near Emory was mentioned. Quickshot on Zonolite off Briarcliff Rd (www.quickshotshootingrange.com). We tried it out and will be going back. Nothing fancy but they have one range built out and are working on another one. The staff was great, not the crazy gun people I have encountered at other ranges. Lane rentals were reasonable. They keep a range master monitoring the shooters and safety is obviously their top priority. They have a 101 class which includes everything from the use of a firearm to safety to instruction.
Blind Lemon I have had several bad experiences with Maud Baker and now use Candler Park Florist and they are really great. Quality flowers, they don’t do carnation filler, and the staff is excellent. I have been using them regularly now for the past three years and have been nothing but happy.
Agree on Quickshot. Husband and I went out at the beginning of the year. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. And if I am not mistaken they are the only range ITP.
I love Vivid and Michael is great!