Free-For-All Friday 10/25/13
Decatur Metro | October 25, 2013Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
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Rival
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theron wasson
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Went to Hola for the first time this week and had a good experience. Our server was friendly, attentive, knowledgeable and efficient. Food was good, and perhaps the prettiest plating of enchiladas I’ve ever had. Also saw they have weekend breakfast. We’ll be going back.
Good to know, but I have never seen many people in that place. Last night about 7, saw one table occupied inside vs at least a half dozen at Noodle next door.
yes, that’s why I posted. It got such poor reviews during their opening that people have been scared away. From our experience compared to what we heard early on, they’ve really improved things.
Thanks Mac. The three meals I had at Hola were terrific. In addition to the great food, they also hire DHS students and grads. I wish them well.
The restaurant is missing the magic buzz that so few restaurants manage to capture, aka Brick Store Boys Magic Touch. The servers give it their all, but no cigar.
That being said, the lunch steak fajitas are the bomb — ridiculously under-priced at 9.95. Enough food to feed a family of four in an underdeveloped country.
People used to use the huge servings to make a case for Decatur Diner. Portion size is rarely a draw for me, especially if what you’re getting a lot of doesn’t taste that good. I’d rather get a sensible serving of something really good than a massive plate full of something mediocre.
That said, you guys are making me want to give this place a shot. Haven’t tried it yet.
+.5
I have also eaten there several times over the past couple of months and have been very pleased. Would be a shame for this establishment not to make it. Hope more people give it a try!
As someone who previously posted about a less than stellar experience there, I will resolve to give it another chance the next time the Mrs wants Mexamerican
Shout out to the woman in red shirt with white stripes who was picking up garbage along Ponce downtown last Saturday. Your community service was noted and appreciated!
Are you sure it was voluntary?
Surprisingly enough, there are rare birds that actually take a plastic bag when they take a leisurely morning walk and pick up trash here and there. Embarrassed to say that dragging a dog along, I’m not one of them, but do actually know one.
One of these days, I’m going to haul my ladder downtown so I can reach and remove those “Well Fed” bumper stickers that are plastered on the back of the street signs (particularly at the Ponce/Commerce intersection, but elsewhere too). They’ve been up there for years and always bother me.
This wasn’t me, but I and my husband regularly pick up trash whenever we walk around Decatur. You should try it. Helps clean up the community.
The lawns around Glennwood 4/5 Academy used to grow the most gi-normous dandelions. I used to feel compelled to weed for CSD. I was pretty sure they were mutant plants that would grow several feet in just hours no matter how good CSD’s weed control program. Most folks thought I was either a good citizen or OCD.
There is a woman who has regularly done that for several years and actually got a Hometown Hero award for her efforts. Don’t know if it’s the same one.
Thanks again Mac. I also appreciate those who pick up trash. I recall a former mayor who picked up trash on the square as he walked home.
Picking Up Trash: One of the many things I have in common with those whom I have nothing in common with politically but share a love of Decatur.
That’s why I love local politics. It’s typically non-partisan. Just neighbors with a fair amount of common interests working together to hopefully make things better.
At its best, anyways.
So true! I remember making dear friends among Decaturites, through working closely together on community projects and causes and when a national election finally rolled around, being genuinely and deeply shocked by their views and voting intentions in that arena. I had not experienced quite that before and it really put things in a different perspective. It’s easy to disrespect and dismiss some stranger who’s got the wrong end up; when it’s a close friend, you have to think about it in a different way. They can still be totally wrongheaded, of course but if you aren’t going to demonize them, it opens up all kinds of possibilities for how to think and respond. (Including, of course, learning to avoid certain topics.)
And it can work the other way too! People who vote the opposite from me in national politics turn out to be total soul mates on certain school issues. And folks in my national political party can so be wrong on a local ordinance. The polarization of politics at the state and national level is so obscuring our true similarities and differences at the individual and local level.
What I like so much about local non-partisan politics is that you are forced to learn about the individual candidate and his/her past experience and record, current positions, and stated plans. You can’t just glance at whether they belong to the blue or red party and have a knee-jerk response.
I’d greatly appreciate any recommendations for:
1. A home security system company (we don’t have a land line)
2. Termite company
thanks!
I would get the woman in the red shirt with white stripes to watch your house.
If you are willing to up the ante a bit and add some home automation along with security, I highly recommend AT&T Digital Life.
We use Bulldog Security. We have a security system plus some kind of thingy that transmits to the monitoring station via radio since we also got rid of our land line. Very pleased with their service and monitoring.
For security, we use Ackerman. They are great, and they use the radio transmitter thing so you don’t need a land line.
We have been very satisfied with Bulldog Pest Control (bulldogpc at comcast dot net)! Affordable and thorough. No association with Bulldog Security — at least, I don’t think so.
Agree, Bulldog Pest Control has done a great job for us the past 14 years.
how about training your termites to defend your home? two birds, one stone.
Another vote for Bulldog Security. They’re local and have great customer service.
Mosey’d on down to the Kimball House last night for oysters and a couple Southern Baptist Highballs, then walked over this morning to Revolution for coffee and a cream pie doughnut. Just another example of life on the Dequator. (And yes, I’m gonna keep hammerin’ that term until it catches on, which I feel is acceptable since I’m not the one who made it up.)
Happy Friday, y’alls.
I went to Kimball House last evening for oysters as well – they have an impressive selection and are beautifully cleaned and shucked.
If you are an oyster fan, do yourself a favor and go to the Happy hour from 5-7. I took my 3 yr old at about 5.15 yesterday for a ‘date’ and she loved it too – staff was really welcoming and made us glad we snuck over there for a snack and cocktail before coming home for dinner!
The Kimball happy hour oysters are $1-$1.50 each and you order off a sushi style menu that tells you the geographic origin and taste characteristics of each oyster. Pretty cool idea. You should have called me Brad! I was out with M after school and we would have met you guys up there.
Good to hear. Do either of you know where they are getting their oysters?
Can’t say from a specific source perspective but the menu is extensive and offers not just Gulf, but Atlantic and Pacific varieties in abundance. I’m so used to the standard Gulf stuff that’s usually served on the half-shell ’round these parts that I was pretty much clueless just how much size, shell and flavor vary across all the different types.
I hate oysters but I’m a fan of anyone who tries their hand at keeping the depot’s doors open. Hope to try some of their other offerings soon.
Their oysters aren’t cheap, average around $3 per, but damnit if they weren’t delicious so this has now become another place I’ll become broke. And the little eye dropper of something with a French name I can’t remember (I think it begins with an “m”), was perfect. These aren’t heavy horseradish and cocktail sauce kind of oysters…you really want to taste the oyster itself.
Not sure what it is called, but its some kind of champagney vinegar goodness. Awesome.
I heard that one of the owners is obsessed w oysters and is the man behind ensuring great sources, handling and storage and clean shucking… His obsession is a good one!
It’s mignonette. (In the fancy bottle.)
Yeah, that’s the ticket!
At happy hour none are over $1.75 a piece. I hate vinegar and did have a tad of horseradish, and they were still fantastic. Our server didn’t give me any attitude about it
They were surprisingly fast out too, considering how busy they were.
Sounds like I’m gonna have to try out happy hour!
Thanks to the cyclist this morning that picked up a big box that fell off a truck in the middle of the intersection of Ponce and Commerce. No thanks to the truck that didn’t secure the box well and probably never knew it flew off. I was a little worried about the safety of the cyclist as he kicked the box out of the way of traffic but me and the car next to me stopped to let him finish so all was well.
Wonder if he was the same cyclist who passed my wife yesterday on the red light at that intersection and proceeded to run it?
This person AHID mentioned potentially risked his own life to save someone elses and that’s the most relevant thing you scramble up? This comment confirms your level of loathe for cyclists has officially approached irrational.
And to the cyclist AHID mentioned, THANK YOU
The one who ran the light risked his life as well, albeit foolishly, as well as the lives of others.
I don’t loathe cyclists who follow the law.
Although I agree with your perspective on non-law abiding cyclists, I disagree with your insertion into AHID’s shout out. We don’t always have to take every opportunity to cyclist bash on this blog. Your comment took AHID’s positive FFAF post in a negative direction, for me at least.
I agree, thanks to the helpful cyclist and AHID for posting a happy thought.
i wonder if that’s the same person named Steve that i saw break the law and put others’ lives in danger by speeding down the highway this morning.
just to be clear, i don’t loathes Steves who follow the law.
Nope, no me. I wasn’t driving this morning, and when I do there is usually a line of cars behind me since I drive near the speed limit.
well, glad to hear you never break any traffic laws. i’ll do my best to not group you in with all those other Steves whose total lack of respect for fellow road users and common decency is made obvious every time they don’t make a full stop at a stop sign, drive distracted, fail to use turn signals,… (which is pretty much every other Steve).
I’m going to out myself as a Steve by taking offense at this remark.
This helpful cyclist was heading north on Commerce and in the appropriate lane, waiting to make a left hand turn onto Ponce. If he hadn’t removed the box, I was going to have to figure out what to do because I was heading south on Commerce, when the box fell into my lane. I couldn’t move to the left into oncoming traffic and I couldn’t move to the right where there was another lane full of traffic alongside me. I’m not sure whether the cyclist stopping to get the box and kick it along for the rest of his left hand turn was legal or not. But someone was going to have to do something with the box. Unless you were a Humvee, you wouldn’t want that box caught under your car.
Any idea what’s in the box and if it’s still there?
Ever seen “Seven”?
Not recently enough to get the reference.
What’s in the box? What’s in the box?
The only good Gwyneth Paltrow movies are the ones where she dies
+1
No, it was a non-descript cube-shaped cardboard box. Last I saw it, it was in front of CVS on the street. But that was hours ago.
I was chuckling at most of the coments concerning the box, sorry Steves… but then I realized what this could have been.
A non-descript cardboard box left alone in the middle of a busy intersection in a quaint, small town. Does anyone else see the potential danger and risks involved with this situation? I think I might have called the police. I know my Israeli neighbors would have, given some of the experiences they’ve had. Sorry to bring everyone down.
All the more reason not to run over it………
Didn’t think of calling police. Could never hurt.
Very true!
And, as I think about it, a would-be bad guy probably wouldn’t have left it in the street. He’d have left it in front of the CVS in the first place. So, good job not running over it and good job cyclist.
The box is still there. Sending the kids down to look inside….
It is a (now) empty box of some sort of cleaning supplies (Limpia and Fresca!). In other news, the truck that hit the pole in front of CVS an hour ago apparently took off the button to the pedestrian signal. Guess I’ll have to email a request in to traffic engineering ….
Glad it wasn’t another cow tongue. Bomb Squad would have been called in.
Found Female German Shepherd running on Coventry Rd.
No collar
Can anyone recommend an agency for a caregiver?
I have a coworker who is new to the area, who has a friend who has been in town helping out a relative who is undergoing chemo and has an elderly mother living with her. And a young son. She will be moving on soon so the family is looking into a caregriver for daytime help, but may eventually move into overnight as the chemo progresses.
They would love a rec from someone with personal knowledge of an individual or company, so any info is appreciated.
Thanks much.
Personal Care, Inc. on Sycamore in Decatur. 404-373-2727.
We have had a good experience with them.
Personal Care, Inc. on Sycamore in Decatur. 404-373-2727. We have had a good experience with them.
Georgia’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection has a database of providers and resources. The statewide toll-free number is 866-552-4464 (www.aging.ga.gov). Locally, you can contact http://www.AgeWiseConnection.com.
here’s an event tonight=
http://eventmap.us/event/fafatl-day-of-the-dead-preview-show-1246817/
there will be Art,crafts for the kids and Blue Tarp Brewing has sponsored us with a keg of freshly brewed beer.
come out and have some fun
Map looks like it’s the Core Gym building adjacent to Thinking Man. Is that right?
It’s in the building to the left of Core, between Core and Thinking man
So driving home from seeing Neko Case last night, we saw an amazing sight: Bike lanes going in on either side of Ponce from around Peachtree down to just east of Ponce City Market. This would seem to be pretty big news for cyclists (of which I am not one, but bike lines help everybody by keeping everyone safe and out of each other’s way). Reasonable to assume the lanes will extend farther in either direction, but that’s what we could see marked off for painting.
Critical Mass is tonight (last Friday of the month worldwide). There “might” be a few bikes in these new lanes around sundown.
So how was the show? Wanted to go but had a schedule conflict. Haven’t been there since it changed from the Roxy to the Buckhead Theater.
The show was great! I especially enjoyed the second half of the show and the encore. It seemed like Neko, Kelly, et al. really settled in from “I wish I was the moon” onward. She did a songs from every CD.
There was one bouncer who was fiercely enforcing the no videoing with your iphone (or any other device) rule up at the front. Neko Case got a little distracted by an argument between one guy who had been relieved of his phone and the bouncer during the first or second song. I think that may have contributed to the first part of the show seeming a little less connected.
We must have been at different Neko shows. The one I saw was a hot mess even Kelly couldn’t salvage.
I fall somewhere in between these two accounts. I’ve seen her better, but it was not a bad show. Her voice did seem a tiny bit strained that evening, but not horrifically so (I’ve been to shows where they really just should have canceled the singer was struggling so badly).
Did you go to Neutral Milk Hotel this weekend? I had tickets last night but bailed due to exhaustion. I’ll see them the next time they tour, in another 15 years.
Please tell me you’re joking about bailing.
I wish I was joking. I also bailed on Built To Spill at Variety on Thursday night. Brutal week for me.
I did, last night! For a second I was like, “Is he psychic?” Then I remembered my avatar.
We too were exhausted, and wife almost bailed, but we toughed it out and were glad we did.
It was a great, great show. Elf Power had a great set (including a little last minute tribute to Lou Reed at the end), and to see NMH live an in the flesh (for some context, I was completing my senior year at UGA in 1998 when Aeroplane dropped) was amazing. I will say, some of the “oh my God is this really happening” was stolen by seeing Jeff Mangum solo at Variety Playhouse a couple years ago, but the energy of the full band, the crazy beautiful instrumentation, seeing the music live and breathe in ways a lot of folks thought it never would again…. Beautiful.
They’ve been in the works since announced a year ago. Some drives hate the lost lane, but I think adding the middle turn lane really helps backups during rush hour. The bike lanes run from murder Kroger to Piedmont. No immediate plans for extensions. Lots of bikers take St Clarles from Briarcliff to Ponce Place, and this connects up with that.
I bike Decatur to midtown 4 or so days/week and rode these lanes twice this week – they are great for bike commuters!
Now if only they could lengthen the car turn lanes at Ponce and Briarcliff.
Dang. I miss being able to park in the DFB lot.
Just saw 2 cop cars going about 70 southbound on McDonough between asc and oak view rd. hope they got what they are after!
Decatur cops?!? They won’t generally pursue at that rate of speed.
Revolution just put a fresh batch out, I guess.
Yep decatur pd
Looking for a place to get a watch battery replaced and a gold chain repaired. Any economically places?
Worthmore, I’ve had a few batteries replaced there…good price.
Worthmore has been really good to us, too, on the jewelry repair front.
Speaking of cyclists running red lights – here is an interesting article on some states efforts to allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, requiring them to yield to traffic with the right of way, but otherwise allowing cyclists to roll through stop signs if they have the right of way. It is the law in Idaho. http://bicyclelaw.com/articles/a.cfm/legally-speaking-stop-as-yield1
This portion of the Idaho law is sometimes referred to as “Stop as yield,” meaning that cyclists may treat stop signs as yield signs. The Idaho law also allows “red as stop,” meaning that cyclists may treat red lights as stop signs.
Something along this line failed in GA a year or two ago.it was initiated more by the motorcycle lobby, but cyclists were lumped in with it.
“Something along this line failed in GA a year or two ago.it was initiated more by the motorcycle lobby, but cyclists were lumped in with it.”
I think you are thinking about the measure to allow motorcyclists run a stoplight when they are alone at an intersection and the bike does not trip the sensor. The car driver in me thinks of that as bikers simply rationalizing a reason to be a rebel. However, I am also a closet motorcyclist who has experienced the scenario many times. Imagine that you are caught out in the rain on a bike (the most miserable experience in the world that does not involve Fox News). While protected from the traffic that is not there, you are powerless against the rain that is.
It would have been a great thing
Yup, in fact, a motorcycle sitting at the light southbound on Commerce at W Ponce will not trip the light late at night. Which causes a problem when cars are behind it. I’ve seen a MARTA bus drive behind a motorcycle at this intersection go nuts over it.
I always thought it was just us bicyclists who were screwed by these sensors, but it is sometimes motorcycles and motowcooters as well. Add in pedestrian signal buttons that don’t work (like Artwood at Ponce) combined w a bike not activating the light, and sometimes the only option is to run it.
On my scooter, my choices are to either run the light or make a right and then a U-turn. Do any of the science geeks know if there is a way to modify my scooter – say with a large magnet – to cue the lights? I have tried making sure what little metal I have is near the lines to no avail.
“Do any of the science geeks know if there is a way to modify my scooter – say with a large magnet – to cue the lights?”
I am no expert in this area (I can barely turn a wrench,) but I think the sensors are based upon weight or points of weighted contact. I owned a scooter before becoming enamored with a 1000cc “crotch rocket.” I have almost as much of this trouble as before. If I were you, I would talk to the guys at Twist N Scoot. They are great.
They’re actually based on mass, not magnetics. I would think a scooter of decent size would trip it, probably not a small one. Most motorcycles would, I think, but I have no experience with either. The loops probably have a sensitivity adjustment, too.
For what it is worth, most traffic sensors do in fact use induction loops if they have a sensor. See the link http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/question234.htm
A large magnet or stopping as close to the loop (versus in the center) might in fact help. It would at least be worth the experiment.
Not even God can trip the light at Commerce and Sycamore.
On the For the Money tip – Best chinese delivery for the money?
Chin Chin on Ponce
Pyng Ho on Clairemont
I still love me some Golden Buddha, and their delivery is usually freaky fast.
Golden Buddha has been reliable for years. Plus, there are no stray cats in the neighborhood.
While venturing into the Wilderness of the Unincorporated, I found the best cheap Chinese food around: Hong Kong Decatur in Shamrock Plaza. The horrendous decor makes this a take-out or delivery place only, but the food is good with huge portions for the money.
Had dinner at Ink and Elm last night in Emory Village and loved it! It’s a beautiful space and offers a dining room, lounge/bar, and a tavern. The cocktails were yummy and dinner portions huge (I brought home enough food for a second meal).
You’ll have to venture out of CoD but it’s worth it.
We loved our experience there as well. It’s a nice night out (at least in the dining room), but a superb way to mark an occasion.
Got to report another good experience with Onyx, the place that rescues our computers when bad things happen to them. Big disappointment that a two year old Mac laptop hard disk crashed. I thought Macs were so reliable. I feel like PC-based systems need constant care and maintenance because of malware attacks. But now it seems like Macs are needy in terms of fragile hardware–we’ve had a laptop screen and a laptop hard disk crash, all in just 2 years of life. For the price, I was hoping that Apple products were worry-free. I guess that was unrealistic.
Don’t replace your computer with a Sony Vaio, mine has been a bust from literally day 1. I thought paying more was some kind of protection, but after just a few months I’m ready to demand they just replace the whole thing. On the other hand, we got an Alienware at the same time, and that one is fantastic and runs like a dream. If any gamers have it on their xmas list this year, it’s really REALLY cool.
Eh, Vaios are generally overpriced, but I’ve had two and both put up with varying degrees of abuse. My current one is five years old and has survived one very hard fall and more than a couple of smaller falls. Still runs like a champ.
Even very minor things lock mine up, and it hasn’t ever (since the day we pulled it out of the box) been able to shut down, sleep, or restart, and all of the sudden now the “h” key isn’t working, And some weird bios message popped up that said “fatal” last week. The only way way to ever shut it off is manual power button push, it’s just a mess. If it were a year old maybe I could believe I manhandled it too much, but it’s just a few months out so…
You may have a bad BIOS battery. This is a tiny, extremely low voltage battery that insures that the BIOS settings are amenable even the normal battery is removed and no power connected.
We are a many Mac family. All our Mac repairs (even my Macs at work which have AppleCare) go to Onyx. They always get it right the first time. They rock. i just wish they’d fix iPads (for whatever reason, they don’t touch those)
Burnt Fork Barbecue (next to Onyx of the post above): I find their greens to be real special–not bitter nor smoky neither of which flavors go over well in our family; they are actually kind of sweet. We also like their pork, beef, mac n’cheese, and beans. LOVE their homemade bread–IMHO, it’s ahead of what Community Barbecue provides. However, out of ~5 times of ordering take-out from them, this is the second time I’ve ended up with a big bag, big price tag, including a half-loaf order of the bread, but when I got home….No bread!!! Since that’s our fave, it meant a trip back to get it. So I’m recommending Burnt Fork, but be sure and check the bag for the bread before you leave.
Halloween procrastinators – you’ve got to check out Eddie’s Trick & Novelty over on Rio Circle, around the corner from the Southern Sweets Bakery and not far from the YDFM. Wigs, makeup, masks, costumes and super-nice staff. Saved me a trip to Party City this weekend, for which I am very, very grateful.
Whoa, thanks! I’ve got a procrastinator in this house!
I am really happy that Bob and his crew are selling retail out of the Rio Circle warehouse now. Great people, and if you can get Bob to do a couple of tricks for you, so much the better.
Any relation to the Eddie’s Trick Shop up on the Marietta square that had my brother and I firmly in its sway when we were kids?
Just got back from Taco Mac – kind of an enormous shitshow. The heated patio thing that opens onto Ponce was alternately WAY too hot or WAY too cold, depending on which table you were seated at. Moot point, since apparently a dishwasher failed behind the bar, which led to dirty water leaking into the seating area.
Above and beyond that, it was just okay, foodwise. My loaded nachos blow theirs out of the water, and while the servers were just as nice as they could be, the fact that they have SO many beer options means that they can’t possibly describe everything.
Do they have a beer menu at least? I hope to god they aren’t just expecting servers to list them off, (and you to choose based on that).
Just like the TM of old, there’s a list by broad variety (stout, pilsner, red ale) with brewery and ABV but no tasting notes or anything. So while there’s a list, it’s literally just a list.
(oh, and in the area where we were dining two of the three TVs on the same wall were on the same game. You have a room with a dozen TVs in it, and you have two immediately adjacent to each other showing the same game? amateur hour.)
Anyone else tried their wings? I had an order just after they opened and again one today. Not the same wings that I loved. The old ones had a lot of flavor without dripping in sauce; an exact flavor and texture that I had found nowhere else except the various Taco Macs. On neither of my orders were they the same. Someone help me!
The sudden loss of the sidewalk on the north side of W. Ponce around the 315 construction is making for some unpleasant walking, because of having to cross Ponce twice. Does anyone know for how long it will be like that?
Rest in peace, Lou Reed.
Oh man, this one hurts. As bad as the loss of Jon Lord last year.
Everything Lou Reed did was pure gold. I was just listening to “Transformer” the other day. For those you who aren’t familiar with that album, go out and buy it, or download it. Right now. You won’t be disappointed.
Say hello to Sweet Jane for me, Lou.
Rest in peace, Edna Krabappel.