Free-For-All Friday 8/3/12
Decatur Metro | August 3, 2012Use this post to ask questions and make comments about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
Use this post to ask questions and make comments about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
Latest from Decaturish
Why is a helicopter circling above Scott Blvd.?
hoping it’s not multiple road blockages due to downed trees from yesterday evening
Scott is closed WB/SB (coming from Ace towards Decatur) and traffic is being rerouted on Willow to Superior… Hard to get out of the driveway this AM. Looks like tree limbs/transformer fire.
utility pole was smoking heavily when I went past at 7:15. The had the ends of the road closed, but not the feeder streets, so be careful not to drive into that scene (like I unwittingly did.)
Wow, I managed to come through the Clairemont/Scott intersection about the same time without noticing a thing. It scares me how I’m on autopilot sometimes.
the smoking pole (did I just write that?) was near the lowest part of scott between clairmont and n. decatur. It was also at the very top, some 25-30 ft up, so I’m not surprised it wasn’t noticed by many.
And I may have my time off a bit – the fire trucks had just rolled up when I went by.
It was still smoking at 8. I was sitting at the redlight at Superior heading outbound on Scott, and I was trying to figure out where the smoke stack came from. I was surprised when I got l close enough to see that the pole was smoking.
It’s not uncommon for those transformers to do that during the heat of the summer. They don’t last forever and with the peak power demand of the summer they start to fail and have to be replaced. It’s a good idea during the summer to take a look around outside if you are having power fluxuations in your house. Also watch those large ground transformers, as they often catch fire too.
I live at the new townhome neighborhood just up the hill from where you guys saw the smoke. We lost power from about 8:40 until 9:00.
Can we get Mayor Floyd to pronounce today as “Pole Smoking Friday”?
A crappy day at work was just made a whole lot better by this comment. Thanks for the grin.
If only it had happened in front of Chik fil a.
For the win!
We need “LOL” buttons. So many writers on this blog make me laugh out loud (in a literal sense, not just “LOL” as in I thought that was funny).
The Downtown Decatur Chick-Fil-A was (and is probably still being) used as the setting for the Fox and Friends (national) reports about today’s “Kiss-In”. John Roberts (formerly of CNN) is doing the stand up.
love the energy that back-to-school creates….and feeling fortunate to be part of the sense of community that seems alive & well in decatur/csd!
Last night’s storm heavily damaged Fox Bros. on Dekalb Ave.
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/atlanta-weather-storms-pound-1489998.html
The nearby traffic lights at Moreland/Dekalb Ave are out. In fact, one of the sets of lights is completely removed from overhead.
Our cat is missing and I was wondering how one can post information/photo onto this blog? I’ve sent an email to , but noone has yet to respond. Please help, we miss him! Thanks.
Remember to register for Team Decatur by August 13th as the price for registration increases after that date. For information on Team Decatur and link to registration visit http://www.decaturga.com/teamdecatur. There is also a schedule of free walk and run trainings there. We are trying to reach our goal of 300 walkers and runners. You know you want to do it!!
Cheryl,
Would you please tell me how I can post a comment (w/photo) about our missing cat? Many thanks!
Has Sapori di Napoli re-opened? I need my pizza fix! Also, anyone know what sort of renovations were done?
It was supposed to re-open August 1st. Did it not?
Saw folks in there yesterday on my way home, so I assume they’ve reopened. Haven’t been back in myself yet, so don’t know what they had done. But I definitely plan to get my pizza eat on this weekend!
Good read from Georgia Tech’s dean of the Scheller College of Business Steve Salbu in yesterday’s NYT on Chick-fil-A.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/opinion/let-chick-fil-a-fly-free.html?_r=1
Heading over to Chick-fil-A later for the Kiss-In. I just can’t make up my mind whether to go as Gene or Ace.
Damnit, Fatso! Why didn’t you bring this up earlier? I would have been all over this. And I would have even let you be Gene. That dude just creeps me out.
It would have been cool for Colbert or Stewart to bring Gene Simmons in full regalia to the NYU Chick-fil-A today.
I wish it were a same-sex hug or cuddle in.
Why not?
The description I read this morning said “lip-lock.”
Can anyone recommend someone local for re-upholstering furniture (sofa, loveseat, rockers), mostly antiques? Need someone who would pick up / deliver. Thanks in advance for any help.
a designer/neighbor on the oakhurst yahoo group consistently recommends corn upholstery in tucker…she says their quality and professionalism are unmatched!
yep… we used them, they are really great.
I’ve been getting a lot of deliveries lately and have built up a large inventory of clear plastic bags, standard bubble wrap, and those large plastic air cushions (none of which include the recycle logo). Does anyone know if I can recycle this stuff curbside? If not, are there any collection points somewhere close by that will take this stuff? Thanks!
Send a note to Decatur Public Works and ask them.
Or, there is a recycling lot at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market
Heck, I’ll take it and reuse it. I’ve been selling a lot of stuff on eBay and I’m always running out.
We are making a local move soon, and will be moving most of our belongings ourselves…would love to take this off your hands in anticipation (and an incentive to start packing)! If you still have the packaging and are interested, please let me know.
Or post it on the Freecycle – ITP board, people are always looking for packing materials and boxes and I am sure someone will come get it from you quickly (and better yet, reuse it)
Ugh…I’m sorry guys I already ripped up all the air cushions so it would take up less space. I’ll keep the Freecycle board in mind next time. Sorry!
I just found out that my son can go to Animal Crackers after school program at his school (coming off the waiting list). The potential problem is that I’ve found another program that I kinda like but I really like the idea of having him stay right at the school. Does anyone have good or not-so-good things to say about the Animal Crackers?
Yes. There will be people who have good things too say about it. Then there will be people who have not-so-good things to say about it. Or maybe vice versa. Any other questions?
Just wanted to note that I wouldn’t have expected snark in response to this question either, New Scott. Hope you get the actual input you’ve asked for.
Please dial back the sensitivity on your snark detector, it’s Friday.
Thanks magpie63, I appreciate it, but this is just J_T’s way (a symptom of a Penn State “education”) and his response is exactly what I would’ve expected.
Ha ha, really though, it’s all in fun. He’s actually (usually) pretty funny.
Yeah, I figured that even a Pitt-i-fully educated guy would get it
Not looking to derail an advice thread. I figure when it comes to all things kids and school related, nothing can stop the revenue negative folks around here from expressing their opinions.
So, back on topic…ANIMAL CRACKERS, yay or nay?????
I love Animal Crackers. I can’t wait to see if my next one will be a lion, or a camel, or a tiger, or a bear…
Hooray for Captain Spaulding!
I always wondered what kind of soup would have animal crackers in it.
Spaulding get your foot off the boat!
TEAM J_T!
OK, but Team Anniston or Jolie? This is the one I really go back and forth on.
anniston.all.the.way.
Jolie, babee. I would have totally taken her to the love-in at Chick-fil-a today.
Is it wrong, or awesome, that I have no idea what you all are talking about?
Probably awesome for you, little dude.
I can honestly say that I don’t remember the last time I was called “little dude”
It means you’re not spending enough time following celebrity gossip. I kind of justify it by noting they occasionally have pop culture and marriage categories on Jeopardy. By next week I’m going to expect you know if you’re on Team R-Patz or K-Stew!
Our daughter attended AC at Clairemont for two years.
Positives: She loved playing with friends from school. It was a consistent environment. The counselors were always nice, respectful, and fun with the kids. The school may/will provide additional tutoring and/or computer time. There is lots of outside play time.
Negatives: The counselors are not equipped to help younger kids with their homework (too many kids, not enough time, and that is not how the program is designed…I don’t mean this as a diss on them AT ALL). The kids don’t get to know other kids from around Decatur that attend different schools.
Overall, my daughter LOVED it. One of the Clairemont counselors works at CVS, and we saw him recently. Two years after my daughter was in the program, he remembered her by name, and she remembered him. I think that speaks volumes for the quality of people that are hired to care for Decatur kids. I think it comes down to what you are interested in your child experiencing after school. If you are seeking a specialized program for art or music, then go with that. If you have no preference in that area, I don’t think you can go wrong with AC.
New Scott- Our two (now teenaged) children attended AC for many years and it was a great experience for them/us. The counselors (at that time anyway) were attentive and personable and as Oateoateo has experienced, we run into them sometimes and they remember the kids.
Non-snark: My two children have used Animal Crackers for years and love it. My favorite part is how well-trained and caring the staff are, truly nice people–they do a lot of the Decatur Rec summer camps too. And it’s a long-time, tried and true, totally certified program, with plenty of awards. The on-site location is seamless although I have to say that kids love van/minibus rides too! It has enrichment activities but isn’t super-rigid or super-academic (which is good or bad, depending on your perspective.) My only complaint is that the staff vary in how much they enforce homework. We’ve used Color Wheel and First Baptist and those are good choices too. Color Wheel tends to appeal to girls more. I know there’s music-oriented and outdoors-oriented choices now too but cannot speak to them.
Note: Both First Baptist and Color Wheel have long waiting lists right now (I think 15 at CW and 20 at FB).
My older kids attended Animal Crackers back between 2004 and about 2008 or something–and they loved it then. Now my youngest attends and loves it too. Complains if we’re there for pick-up too early. They have special visitors come in, like gardening experts, a puppet-show guy, etc. They have something for everyone–a reading corner for the quiet types, outside play, games, etc. We’ve been very pleased.
ETA: the staff members are phenomenal. I don’t know how they can have that much enthusiasm and energy for all those kids! We’ve also run into counselors while “out and about” in the past many years, and they don’t just wave and say hi to my kids–there are hugs involved and they remember names.
Thanks everyone, with the possible exception of J_T.
This was very helpful information!
Depends on the school, I think. Most kids seem to enjoy the social time, and it is nice that they get their HW done. I’ve seen really good counselors and really inactive ones, but they are always kind to the children.
Anyone have a recommendation for a good tailor? Looking to maybe having the collars and cuffs replaced on some of my dress shirts.
I use Hong Kong Tailors on Buford Highway.
Shirts and pants I had made there have lasted 10+ years… While you are over there, go get some lunch at Chef Liu’s across the street or next door at my favorite Hole in the Wall Mexican, Monterrey.
Stitch and Sew on College Ave in Avondale is amazing. The seamstress is cash only but she does a fabulous job with a short turn around. My husband just bought a seersucker suit for a wedding and we dropped off the pants that needing hemming on Sunday. They were ready for him yesterday. Great service.
Can anyone suggest a good arborist? My trees need a checkup.
We’ve used arborguard twice and been very pleased. The arborist was knowledgeable and didn’t oversell us on trimming other trees. They took down a large (dead) tree in my backyard when I had a newborn and were so quiet he never made a peep. They cleaned up all of the debris and even swept the driveway!
Thanks!
My DHS teenager has recently discovered that several of the decatur restaurants she likes to go to with her friends have been charging gratuity. I understand it is common practice with large groups (6 or more) but this is 2 or 3 well behaved older teenagers spending their summer job money. Any else have this experience? It does not seem right to me. If the establishments are going to add 20% to their bill, they should let them know in advance. Last night she asked about it and the waitress took it off, but what’s up with that? She and her friends always leave a tip, but if they are tricking them into 2 tips or forcing them to leave a 20% tip because they look young, the restaurant should tell them in advance. Anyone else come across this or have suggestions?
Tough one. I have a waiter friend who recently had a bunch of very young and well dressed people , run him ragged and then got up and left without paying the bill while he was getting their desserts. And frequently young people will run up bigger bills ($60 to $80 range) and then leave $3 or $4 bucks, that’s not an anomaly apparently. 20% is the standard for decent service service. Did she feel they didn’t get the 20% worth, and would have left less?
If she felt like she didn’t get adequate service, the manager probably would have knocked their drinks off the bill. But since so many waiters seem to get the shaft by younger people, and for many tips are their only source of income, I tend to side with the waiter on this issue unless the service they received wasn’t adequate.
It has happened 4 times in the last couple months when she has gone with a small group (4 or less) of well behaved friends, usually all girls, 15 to 18 years old. They have always planned to leave a tip, but are starting to get irritated that they are treated as if they wouldn’t. I think it should be posted if the restaurants are doing this. If any other group (race, ethnicity, etc) was getting this type of treatment, it would be a big issue. So far she has noticed it at Noodle and Raging Burrito. I guess I wanted to alert other parents of teens to watch for this. I told her to ask the manager next time, not just the waitress. A tip should be up to the customer, not the wait person. And young people may be reluctant to speak up to management about this.
Daydreamer’s reasonable comments notwithstanding, I tend to agree with you. That’s a lame practice if they’re not advising people up front. Tips are voluntary and, while social convention dictates that performance should be rewarded, it’s ultimately up to the customer. Yes, keeping it that way leaves room for the crappy tip, but it also leaves room for the extravagant tip.
I feel bad if a server gets stiffed, but unfairly profiling what could be perfectly good kids isn’t the way to fix it.
Yeah, I mean, I totally get where she’s coming from, I would absolutely be annoyed if someone pulled that on me without prior notice. My guess would be the waiter wouldn’t do it without the manager’s approval, so it must be condoned by management in some sense.
But since she’s spending her hard earned cash, she has every right to speak to the manager. If it happens again, tell her to send the bill back and have it adjusted.
Tell your daughter that if it happens again at Noodle, she should ask to speak to Lenny before leaving the restaurant and explain the problem and ask him to clarify whether there’s an autogratuity. Lenny is one of the owners and cares very, very much about his customers.
I would never consider 20% as standard for decent service. 15% is plenty generous for standard service and especially when the customers are kids. 20% is for excellent service in my opinion and it goes up as the service becomes outstanding.
20% is generally what I tip because I’m just that generous and it suits my limited math skills, but that is a damn healthy amount for any restaurant to add automatically to a bill, especially if it’s fewer than 6 people. I’m more used to seeing, at most, an 18% gratuity automatically added for large groups, and frankly, it they feel the need to add the tip for me, I will never tip over that amount. It usually costs the server money in my case.
Seriously, if there is a place that adds 20% automatically for small groups, you should share the name of the location as a public service because it’s simply wrong in my opinion.
I agree about not increasing the added gratuity. I typically tip 20% +. But, if they value their service at 18%, I don’t argue.
Hell, even in a large group, I feel the server should tell you if gratuity was included when he brings your bill. I was out the other night in a group of 10 and the server didn’t say anything about it. A couple of us were splitting the bill and only thought to ask after the credit cards were run. Of course the original receipt was not brought back to the table with the credit card slips.
As an aside, I know someone who was out at a work function with a medium sized group and gratuity was added to the bill (about $500). No one noticed so they tipped another $500. That is nothing short of deceitful and borderline theft for a waiter to take a 40% tip w/o at least confirming that is what the patrons intended, especially when the dollar amount gets up there. He knew everyone was drinking too much and not paying attention, and he took advantage of the situation. In that case, the restaurant refunded the additional $500.
People who make that mistake at my company get the extra tip rejected from their expense reports and I always assumed they had to eat it (no pun intended). I wonder how many think to take it up with the restaurant to get a refund. Thanks for mentioning this–I wouldn’t have thought to do that.
Infuriating. Sorry to hear it. I would contact the managers and please do let others know of places that are profiling people.
No one can force you to tip. If there is a charge for groups, that should be stated before ordering on the menu. However, this is a good lesson for your daughter to always review a bill and check receipts. Mistakes do happen and overcharges can occur.
Anyone eaten at Burnt Fork lately? I love their food but my recent service experience there was just awful. And I felt like the portion sizes had shrunk considerably. I really hope they aren’t starting the downward spiral. It is wonderful to have a bbq restaurant that caters so well to vegetarians. I will be heartbroken if they close, but we sure didn’t feel like valued customers. Maybe just an off night? Last time I was there a couple months ago everything was fine.
Yes, ate there on Sunday. Slow early evening and service was fine. Food was excellent.
But, I overheard the waiter telling another patron that they were “stuck” in the curent location for at least another 3 years and other comments that suggested customer traffic was not great. Comments to the effect that “no one thinks of this area” when considering or looking for somewhere to eat, and that drive bys don’t notice they are there, in spite of the signs and mural.
I think this would be helped if the two buildings across the street had retail or restaurants, and if the former Maud Baker space was occupied
I think the location is a problem. It’s on the wrong side of downtown for foot traffic and looks difficult to get in and out of if driving. I live downtown so would be walking, but I never think to venture over there. Indeed, when we get the urge for some bbq we usually end up driving to CommunityQ. I’m not sure about the wisdom of using the word “burnt” in a restaurant’s name, either.
One thing I will add about Burnt Fork is that I LOVE that they are a BBQ place offering a green salad that is not just an afterthought. The tender field greens are fresh and the dressings are house made, and delicious if a bit generous.
Good observation. The only other BBQ place I’ve had a salad is Fox Bros, and their salad sucks.
The “Kitchen Sink” salad at Community Q is excellent. Tons of different seasonal veggies, aome pickled, some fresh. and HUGE.
Try it.
Anyone actually satisfied with their local internet provider? I work online and need a very fast and stable connection and Comcast is the pits.
My AT&T fast DSL is very stable and plenty fast enough for me, however, their customer support is pretty awful. (Virtually anything you might need falls outside the scope of their tech support, but they are always very eager to help by selling you a one-year subscription to their premium support package.) I previously had Earthlink and it was fast and reliable and their support ranges from good to excellent. The next time I make a change, I’m going back to Earthlink. (Have not used them for Internet connection for about 3 years, but maintain email account with them and had occasion to get a little help earlier in the summer when had to reinstall Outlook and recreate email account settings — they were great.) My sister in another part of the metro area went with AT&T Uverse earlier this year, the connection is fine but they did some kind of bait & switch with the billing and she had to wrangle with them for months to get it resolved.
We noticed a major improvement in our Comcast connection when I replaced our old school Netgear N150 or some number like that with a N600 something or other. Obviously I am not expert, but I do know we now don’t have as many delays when someone in the house is watching Netflix. Not sure how fast a connection you need, but you might check your wireless router before switching (that is if you are on a wireless router). When I check our comcast speed at speedtest.net, we usually have 20 plus Mbps on the download speed.
Interesting, Comcast started behaving better for us too when we went from a wired router to an Apple AirPort(?) wireless router about a year ago for reasons unrelated to Comcast service. I didn’t make the connection though.
Try upgrading your router or modem as others suggested. You can also test the speed of your service. I had a problem at my prior house where the old cable line running from the street to the house couldn’t handle the capacity, and Comcast replaced it for free. I am pretty sure the slowest internet service provided by Comcast is faster than the fastest DSL service. I know that was true when I looked into it a couple of years ago.
Uverse internet has been very reliable for us. The connection is rock solid, but I don’t know if their fastest speeds are fast enough for you. We have 18mbps, which is more than good enough for our purposes.
Speaking of internet speeds, does anyone else use the wireless Roku (the cheapest one) to stream Hulu? We bought one a few weeks ago when we decided to ditch cable TV, and though it generally works ok, we have a lot of problems with Hulu freezing up. Seems to be a Hulu problem rather than a Roku problem, as it happens much less often with Netflix. Anyone else experience this with Hulu?
The Uverse service has been great, much better than the AT&T DSL I had before. The customer service and tech support is horrendous – I had the same billing experience as STG’s sister. It took months to sort out and I may have had to resort to crying.
I have the Roku hockey puck and Hulu stalls, even though I’m paying for Hulu Plus (for the Criterion Collection, of course, not Parks and Recreation. Ahem.) No problems with any other service through Roku, so I guess it’s just them. Anybody here streaming through Amazon Prime? I am tempted.
“for the Criterion Collection, of course, not Parks and Recreation. Ahem.”
I love both!
As for Amazon Prime, it’s good for the free two-day shipping without the minimum, but the free streaming titles are limited and have a lot of overlap with Netflix. Probably not worth it unless you order a lot of stuff from Amazon.
AT&T U-Verse rocks!
I’ve never had any issues with the broadband, and they have speeds up to 24 Mbps.
Installation can take a while sometimes. If they find issues with your in-house wiring it can take a while to get it addressed. But once it’s installed, I’ve experienced no issues.
Plus, if you need TV, they have the best service on the market.
I was a mindspring customer, and held on when they became Earthlink. I NEVER have problems with my internet. I know nothing about the speed, etc., but I do know my kids always watch videos and TV on the computers. Might be worth exploring them, and I think they’re a local company.
1+.
We had Earthlink DSL for about 11 years, until we moved last year. It was rock solid stable — we can barely recall the downtime over those 11 years – a far cry from our Comcast-hating neighbors. Plus when the power went out briefly in storms or we had power surges, a UPS provided plenty of power to keep the modem and wifi router going while we sat in the dark with our laptops
DSL is available at up to 6Mbps – not as fast a U-verse or a cable modem at peak rates, but still plenty fast to stream Netflix and handle the kids/spouse on laptops.
Would someone please enlighten me about the 5 story building across from DHS? I am referring to the albatross that is being built right in front of a house as well as right on the sidewalk. I’ve just been expecting a story about this building, but I can’t wait any longer.
Discussed very recently (maybe last week FFAF), it an architectural firm. Since it’s a commercial zoned area, they can pretty much do whatever that want.
True – but if I were hiring an architectural firm, I would certainly question this one’s ability to design something that would be appropriate to or fit in with the surrounding area…
This is exactly what I think every time I drive by it and by the house the architect did on McDonough with the “modern” style in back of what looks like a New England salt box
I guess everyone has their own take on it,… I think the modern one hidden behind the brand-new-but-old-looking farmhouse thing on McDonough is fabulous, shows respect to the traditional appearance of the neighborhood while allowing the owner to be modern on the back portion. I personally prefer that to the new huge houses pretending to be a bungalows/craftsmen, but that’s just me. I’m still waiting to see how the new one across the high school finishes out.. It does have a treehouse feel to it right now. My hat’s off to anyone building something bold in this economy.
+1!!!!! I find it interesting that people think it is OK to bust through the roof of a 1500 sf house and add on with similiar exterior finishes, as that is “in keeping” with the neighborhood feel. Then these same people criticize those who keep the original street frontage and build what they want/need in the back. Private property is just that, private. We renovated two homes, one in another state and one here. Similiar homes, almost identical renovations. In the other state, we were nominated for a historic preservation/renovation award. Here, our house earned a not-so-nice name. Probably just outed myself here!
I never said I liked that either! We added two bedrooms and a bath onto our house; a lady who was born in it in 1920 (and whose parents owned it until 1977) came to visit. She had a hard time differentiating between the old and the new. I was really pleased about that. In fact, no one can tell we added on!
I love that modern house on McDonough. it was on a tour of homes recently. Since they kept the original facade and setback, I don’t think it’s the same as the one across from DHS at all.
I don’t think we are talking about the same thing. This was a vacant lot and totally new construction.
If she’s writing about the house on the Modern Atlanta home tour, you are, in fact, talking about the same thing. A lot of people think that the part if front is original, but it is not.
The same architects who designed the house on the home tour also designed Village Vets and this new structure.
Personally, as long as a person satisfies code requirements relating to setbacks, impervious area, etc., I don’t care what they build. Do we want a homogenous community, or one where artistic expression is allowed? Real cities value difference. Once people start talking about “fitting in” and maintaining “character,” they silence alternative voices. I’d much rather have a building I dislike, and that speaks of something new, than another historical interpretation. This is a living city, not a museum.
well said.
+1! Like it or not, new modern houses are slowly being built in Decatur, some with wonderful energy efficient features, thoughtful floorplans and great use of light. Many of the younger 20/30-ish set like them better than the bungalows (and some of us in their late 40’s wish they had one). Like anything, some of us will love them, some will not. I think it’s great! Very innovative and american.
Why is everyone always picking on the albatross. It’s a fine seabird and shouldn’t have to take this kind of abuse.
Take it up with Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
It is a monstrosity and looks absurd. I think it’s going to be an eyesore on this street. If they needed more space, they should have moved to another location. The Village Vets renovation is very classy and understated and fits in nicely with its surroundings while still standing out as a beautiful building. The Marble House is (I believe) one of the oldest buildings in the area. The other little cottages are operating businesses and to have this thing going up between them is ridiculous. I see it as being arrogant. But that’s just my [strong] opinion!
Well then…you’re not gonna like the rumor I heard that the same guys who did the faux finish on the Decatur Diner walls are painting that whole building!
Interestingly, they are the architects that did the Village Vet building.
Came here to bitch about this very structure, actually. Can’t believe it got permitted, but I guess with the zoning, not much could be done. My biggest complaint is how it completely effs up the city skyline when you’re entering town via McDonough. It’ll be even more of an eyesore when the promised improvements of that street start happening over the next few years.
Even so, it’s so bizarre it’s actually intriguing and I find myself morbidly curious about what the finished building will look like.
We were wagering at work whether it was going to be a ship! I just wonder why it has to be so close to the road!
“It’ll be even more of an eyesore when the promised improvements of that street start happening over the next few years.”
Actually not, since the streetscape will widen the sidewalks and the side median, it will have more setback.
I thought McDonough was part of an historic district.
The downtown area recently was added to the National Register. Not sure how far out McDonough the district goes, but it wouldn’t make any difference anyway, because National Register has no restrictions on appearance. Only local historic districts can govern appearance, and McDonough is is not in a locally designated district.
I know this may not be popular, but I was wondering if anyone knew of a place to get fried chicken livers at a reasonable price. I know Farmburger has them, but they are rather pricey (though tasty). Just having a hint of nostalgia, because I grew up eating them.
Folks Restaurant near Northlake has them on the menu. Can’t comment on the taste as I quit eating liver a while ago.
We had a once in a lifetime urge for fried chicken livers near Blue Ridge. Out comes the iPhone and kazzam: Yellow Jacket Restaurant. Who ever heard of a restaurant known for its chicken livers? One order feeds a famished family of four. We won’t be returning this incarnation.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34778-d2078836-Reviews-Yellow_Jacket_Restaurant-Blue_Ridge_Georgia.html
South CIty Kitchen. They are more pan fried/sauteed than deep fried (not sure what you are looking for), but they are the best in town.
You ain’t gonna find ones anywhere as good as the ones you grew up eating if you had a mom or grandma or aunt who could cook worth a lick. What you need to do is go to the Krogers (yes, for this purpose it shall be called “the Krogers”) and buy you some. Take them home and soak in buttermilk for an hour. While soaking the livers, pour out some flour and season with salt and pepper and if you are feeling crazy add some garlic too, maybe even some cayenne or whatever spices your heart desires (no, I don’t how much of each, just do it, this ain’t science). Dredge the livers in the seasoned flour and fry them (deep fry, pan fry, whichever floats your boat).
Gonna taste better than anything you find in a restaurant around here. My grandmother would have eaten them with ketchup. I’ll admit that’s disgusting. That’s what hot sauce is for.
I suspect J_T has the right of it, but you might also be interested to know that Church’s frequently offers fried chicken livers, but it’s not a regular menu item and you often have to ask up front if they have them. If you ask nicely, they’ll even cook them to order and not fry the hell out of them.
My mom (a New York Jew who married a southern Catholic and cooked like a Baptist) cooked them all the time when I was growing up, so I’ve always loved them, but my wife (a true southern Baptist from Carrollton) cannot abide them, and every time *I* eat them feels compelled to point out, “You know that processes WASTE, right?”
I just have to say that your comment read like listening to a true southern gentleman. *Abide* I could almost hear the drawl. I mean that as a compliment. Happy Sunday.
Evans Fine Foods? I am guessing their price will be extremely reasonable…
Definitely!
Nick’s on MLK near Grant Park used to have them. Don’t see them on the menu available online but you could give them a call and see.
http://www.nicksfood.com/
Don’t know what your choke point is (mine is the idea of eating chicken liver), but I’m sure Mary Mac’s serves them.
I’ve had good fried chicken livers at Steinbecks. They were a special, so not always available.
Yes! Very good at Steinbecks.
Evans at Emory Commons has chicken livers
“Out of the Pan” in the 100 block of Clairemont Avenue fries chicken livers to order and they are great.
I would like to personally recommend, as additional reading when time allows, the excellent blog of someone from DM – http://blog.villines.com/. It is thoughtful, smart and frequently funny. And if you can stand one more opinion about CFA this week, his should be the one you read.
I got hooked thru this site awhile back and hope you do, too. Kudos!
Plus, his wife is one kick ass veterinarian!
You and I agree on many things, J_T. Our pups love Dr. Villines.
So does my cat (and she hardly likes anybody).
BTW, there is something wrong when my cat has access to vastly superior health care than I do. But that’s another thread for another day.
Decatur is known for its wonderful high school, but one size doesn’t always fit all.
A small group of Decatur parents, teachers and students have started the Learning Tribe. This independent study initiative is an alternative to the large classes and institutionalized approach that characterizes public education. If you have a student who is interested in taking responsibility for his or her learning within the home school movement, please check us out.
http://learningtribe.com/
Bruce, how does one get involved as a teacher?
Right now we’re around 10 families. The genesis came from two teachers — English and Math — who came from Academe of the Oaks. We pretty much sought out teachers we knew to create a curriculum.
I am new to the home school movement, but there are groups that have organized to support students this way including LEAD, also of Decatur. Email me via our contact page to discuss more.
Did anyone try the family dollar yet? I loved it – I’ve never been in one before, but it was like having a miniature Target right on the doorstep. I was able to pick up my Target essentials on the way home, and I wasted a lot less time because there was no wandering confused around all of the aisles, and I wasted a lot less money because I did less impulse buying!!!
It doesn’t look like it has any direct competition to Oakhurst Market (I stopped for soap and milk and diapers), or even the Hop and Shop (I don’t believe they stock soap, diapers and milk etc either). I feel very lucky that I now don’t need to jump in a car for anything between my weekend trips to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market!!!!
“but it was like having a miniature Target right on the doorstep.”
Blasphemy. Target sells art and fashion, don’t you know that? Target is cool and hip; they’ve spent millions to be that way. Haven’t they convinced you?
We went today, and I was actually amazed to see that they did sell art and fashion. Also, the people were very friendly, the store has a surprising amount of stuff in it, and I can see us being frequent customers. We did, however, blow the cashiers mind by giving her 23.01 for our 22.91 amount due. She kept insisting we had already given her enough until we encouraged her to go ahead and plug that amount into her register to see what would happen. We left with our shiny dime and will return.
FFAF observations:
CSD enrollment: I’m hearing that most schools are at all time highs, at least all time highs for the last two decades. Someone said that FAVE has had to convert some non-classroom rooms like art and science centers into classrooms. Renfroe has had to convert at least an ESS room to a classroom. I’d be curious to know what proportion of the increase is the baby bulge from the early to mid 2000s moving on through the system and what proportion is a higher than usual number of families moving in. It feels like both are happening. The increase may in the end exceed even the aggressive estimates from the Superintendent’s Enrollment Committee. I remember thinking a few years ago that the recession might slow down family growth and the housing market such that enrollment stabilized. Evidently the forces of gentrification have been greater in COD than the forces of the economic slowdown.
Family Dollar: My first impression upon entering was that it was plain, clean, ordered, and utilitarian, not at all like dollar style stores that feel cluttered and random. The more time I spent perusing the aisles, the more I realized what depth and variety such a small store contained. I wasn’t planning to shop but ran into several items I needed. This will be a good place for basic school supplies and I hadn’t expected that–right now they are priced slightly higher than the school supply sales going on at Kroger but they will be cheaper during the regular year. There was even an attractive kid’s backpack for $8, on sale for $5–darn good pricing for something that should be just fine for a preK-5th grader although it probably wouldn’t be do for extended outdoor hiking. The feel of this store is that of one of the old-fashioned discount stores from the 20th Century–e.g. a Woolworth’s or Kresge’s. More versatile and comprehensive than many dollar style stores but not as vast as a Target or Walmart.
Anyone know of anyone who does “dishwasher tune ups”?
Mine isn’t working so great, really has never worked so great (it’s a Maytag) but I wonder if someone could check it out and try to tune it up so it works good. I hate calling repair people for this kind of thing since they tend to go through some ridiculous “dispatcher” who doesn’t know anything.
I thought I’d try this route before getting a new or new-used one.
Jerry Jenkins 678-492-8311
he used to work as a sears repairman so he is very familiar with all brands/appliances…
he’s fabulous & his prices are extremely reasonable.
just made our maiden voyage to Family Dollar.
best new functional addition to not just Oakhurst, but the whole of Decatur, since CVS opened.
open 8am -10pm
has all the sundries you need that the Farmers Market doesn’t carry.
plus, 20 items for only $20!
boo und yah
Word to the wise: Much of what is in Family Dollar is $1 but some items are not. There’s items for $1.50 and even as much as $8 depending on what they are. But there’s also items for 75 cents so it goes both ways. Overall, it probably averages out to a $1 per item. I actually like this model better than the stores that are strictly $1 only, e.g. the one in the Big Kroger shopping plaza. Some $1 items end up being so cheaply made to be profitable at the $1 price point that they really aren’t worth buying at all whether they cost $1 or 1 cent.
Our dog, Molly got out (without her collar on, unfortunately) at about 5:30PM 8/3. She is a very sweet, friendly, non-aggressive dog, but is very scared of storms. She will come if called.
We live on 2nd Avenue in Decatur (inside the city limits) but are right at the border with Eastlake and Kirkwood (we live one block north of the Hosea Williams/2nd Ave. intersection) , so neighbors in Eastlake and Kirkwood, please be on the lookout for Molly, too.
Molly’s description:
25-lb., very blonde color, medium length hair. Looks like a small version of a golden retriever. Has a scar near her right eye that is in the process of healing.
She is microchipped and the contact information is current.
If you find Molly, please contact Kerri as soon as possible:
Kerri: 404-307-1069!
Thank you very much!
People with an Acura/Honda: Where do you get your car serviced (like things only a technician can do, not like an oil change or rotation) in Decatur? I was going to check out Avondale Independent. Anyone been there? Experiences? Thanks.
I’ve had positive experiences with Avondale Independent. Using them again after nearly 20 years since last owning a Honda. My current Civic is only a few years old so they haven’t done any major work on it yet.
They serviced my previous Honda Civic for many year in the 1980’s – early 90’s . At that time, the business was Avondale Independent Honda. Name was changed after Honda asserted its trademark rights.
Not sure if the ownership is the same now as back then but I’ve had no complaints about my service in the last 2 years.
Quantum Mechanics has worked on our Odyssey multiple times. No complaints.
I’ve had good luck with Summit Automotive in Avondale for many years. Honest, and will tell you what you don’t need to spend now as well as what you should (I’ve gone there twice with no bill and a “just keep an eye on it” from the owner). They service all major Japanese brands.
I am looking for a place to run steps/stadiums. Anyone know of a good place available in the early-ish morning hours or weekends?
I used to run at Grady High.
Tip for any other childless householders with poor impulse control: Family Dollar sells individual ice cream treats, so you don’t have to commit to a whole box and then torture yourself trying to make it last longer than 48 hours. Speaking as someone who has been known (even if only to herself) to make up an excuse to stop by Ace just to get an ice cream sandwich.
Wish it were not so but the childful can have poor impulse control too, especially at night when no one is looking to see poor eating habits modeled. Just ate a whole box of Pim’s orange Belgian biscuits, one by one, with at least a few minutes between each one as though I could stop at any time. It lasted an hour.
Speaking as someone who inadvertently split a pint of Graeter’s black raspberry chip with my wife in one sitting last night — and a pint of mint chip a couple nights before — I feel your pain.
Thanks to “all y’all” who recommended Feathers Computers near Home Depot on Lville Hwy for repairs. My laptop is repaired for a decent price, without the Onyx fee to even look at it! And picked up a reasonably-priced, lucious chocolate cake for the weekend at the previously-forgotten German Bakery next door. Definitely worth the trip!
I LOVE that bakery. Thank goodness it’s not right in COD or I would no longer be svelte.
Yeah, dude at Feathers is a nice guy who does great, reasonably priced work. Would absolutely use again after 2 positive dealings with him. (Hard drive replacement and repairing an overheating problem.) He works quick too.