Free-For-All Friday 12/5/13
Decatur Metro | December 6, 2013 | 7:00 amFeel free to use this post to make comments or ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the last week.
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Off to Asheville for a quick weekend. Any restaurant / shop suggestions?
Lots of good choices for restaurants. We were there in early October and had a very fine meal at Chestnut http://www.chestnutasheville.com
Early Girl, Early Girl, Early Girl
I thought this was a new spin on “First” and then I realized it was an eatery.
I thought the same thing!
lucky otter has some good burritos.
If you’re a book lover, Downtown Books and News in Asheville is a very good used book store that also has a strong selection of periodicals (an uncommon combination, in my experience). If you prefer new books, Malaprop’s is their sister store.
If you’re into chain restaurants, I hear they have a U-Joint, Chai Pani, and Farm Burger.
The Admiral and Curate. Both creative and excellent. We’re heading back to AVL after the holidays, and the Admiral is a big incentive.
Curate is fantastic — we always go there.
Have heard so many recommendations for the Admiral, but they are always booked!
+1 on The Admiral. Had a fantastic dinner there. I’m still dreaming about the mussels and the steak tartare.
Bouchon – yum!
While we aren’t vegetarians, both times we’ve been our favorite meal was at the Laughing Seed (the raw spinach “manicotti” specifically). So freaking good. Great cocktails, too.
I’ll second Bouchon as well!
Try Jack of the Wood tavern on Patton Avenue for spirits (celtic pub) or Wedge Brewery in Art District. You will have to ask someone how to get to the Wedge. Also, there is an excellent caribbean restaurant called Salsas on Patton as well. It was the best mojito I have ever had.
See Biltmore grounds at least and if you can, go to Grovepark Inn for cocktails on the veranda. Restaurant is overrated and very expensive, but it is worth it to just have a drink so that you can take in the view and see their beautiful hotel. Rooms there are not very nice and cost a fortune.
I would avoid Lobster Trap. Unless you like small portions.
Bittersweet Cottage and Suite would be my choice of a place to stay. Just some thoughts.
There are a few outdoor activities that are fun like river rafting through Nantahala Outdoor Center or going to natural hot springs that are near there too.
Love Asheville. Kelli
we enjoyed homegrown there last time for a not-so-fancy organic alternative to downtown Asheville. not at all upscale, just awesome food. And my fave for lodging is the Sourwood Inn.
Have a great trip!
For restaurants: Tupelo Honey ( for breakfast, lunch or dinner) is a must , The Lobster Trap (featuring their own brewery, the Oyster House ), and, for breakfast, Early Girl Eatery.
OK,folks,we did it again,another Art show at Trackside Tavern,this one based on Cult films.This Saturday night,we’ll have Art(of course) a beer special from Blu Tarp Brewing and some films screening on the TV’s.Please come out and support some local artists
https://www.facebook.com/events/588386507887508/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_filter=calendar
Mandela. That is all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnHvgujwks8
For all breakfasts: be prepared for an hour+ wait. EGE has free coffee, at least.
No real point to this post, except to communicate to you what I saw.
Yesterday at approximately 8:30 am I was on North Decatur Rd at the bottom of the hill near the intersection with Landover.
On the other side of the road, IN THE ROAD, (where there is no sidewalk on the eastbound side) was a man in wheelchair trying to get from Landover to Superior all by himself.
He did not have full use of both of his arms, so he was using his legs to propel himself. He was struggling. It was a dangerous and frightening situation. And cars coming down that hill were coming fast and the road was slick.
Scary stuff. We were driving on that stretch last night and the first observation was that the dashed lane-divider lines need to be repainted. There’s no margin of error on that road and adding a pedestrian (or worse — someone in a wheelchair) to that mix is a ticking time bomb (again).
I don’t know if it’s just my eyes getting old, but I notice lots of roads where the lines are barely visible at night. Can’t wait till I can afford to give up night driving and pay Uber to do it.
At the light at Webster & N Decatur (the corner of Publix), it is impossible to see the lines heading eastbound. That needs a fix since the lanes take a little jog there and are not perfectly straight.
Did he have any kind of reflective or bright material? Even at that time of day, it’s a good idea.
Fairly certain you were trying to make a point.
Do go to Curate – Best Tapas in the United States – Do not Miss…………
We visit pretty frequently. Fig, Limones is a nice hidden gem, and Zambra. Don’t forget to shop at Tops for Shoes!
+1,000 for Limone. One of the most delicious meals we’ve ever had, and awesome service.
If Starbucks is the coffee shop that the good chief mate Starbuck would open, what would an Ahabs coffee shop look like?
I don’t know, but I’ll have what Queequeg is drinking.
Agnes Scott put some sheep in the Park down between Green St. and S McDonough. With these sheep comes a long tacky white Electric fence. Yes they have warning signs but still be carefull. I know one dog on a walk already got zapped..
Does anyone know how long they are going to have these sheep there? It’s a weed control project according to one sign.
3 or 4 days I think. They’re the same herd (is that what a group of sheep are called ?) that were at the cemetery.
flock, isn’t it?
I think so, now that you mention it. At any rate, a bunch of them.
Or maybe it’s a Nation of Sheep – no, that’s something else entirely.
This is probably the most random FFAF in history. Allow me to add to it.
Water weighs approximately 8.3 pounds per gallon.
I like artichokes.
Every year, when I renew my SiriusXM subscription, it seems really expensive. But I do it anyway.
The Sirius DJs seem to be a little too chatty lately.
Agreed. Jose on Liquid Metal and Octane is especially irritating.
And Pandora (the free version) is adding more and more commercials. I’m too cheap to pay for both SiriusXM and the Pandora subscription option, so I just put up with the Pandora commercials.
I broke down and subscribed to Pandora. Have not regretted it.
Do you simply renew it? If so, you’re overpaying. Call them and tell them you are cancelling. When they ask why, tell them it’s too expensive. They will then give you whatever promotional rates are available.
Good tip. Just like with the cable companies.
I will definitely do that next time my renewal comes up. Thanks, J_T.
Exactly what I do, and never say yes when they ask if you want to turn on auto-renewal.
Just renewed Sirius XM at half what I was paying. On to Comcast!
We have up all subscriptions (Sirius, Pandora) for Spotify. We get music in all cars, home and office for $10 month. Love it. A new album comes out and we have access to listen to it immediately.
That must be the origin of the saying, “a pint is a pound.”
And while we’re at randomness, here’s a PSA for lovers of both artichokes and wine: Artichokes, while tasty, are not wine friendly. The Wine Lovers’ Cookbook calls them “the enfant terrible of wine pairing.” This is apparently because they contain an acid called cynarin, which makes everything taste sweet after eating them. You are welcome.
DM, why is informing our neighbors of a home that is For Sale By Owner in a category that is very rare in COD a problem? Isn’t that precisely the kind of thing a community blog is for? This home is not being sold by a realtor. My guess is that people would be interested in this. 447 E Pharr Rd
It’s just to keep FFAF from becoming filled with advertisements. I don’t always catch all of them, but I’ve had to curtail them on and off over the years. I agree that there is a place on community blogs for real estate ads, but it’s not in this thread. Perhaps we need a separate, regular thread that allows residents to post items for sale, etc.
Fair enough. A separate thread like that would actually be a great idea! I think people would love it!
You could call it Sale-For-All!
Or Not Free For All.
or not-free-for-any
For the grammar win! Although, some things might be free…
It’s so people don’t try and drive business to their bike shops and inadvertently start up political conversations.
Took the thought right out of my head…
Anyone have CPA recommendation for an audit? This is for DHYS/Medlock ballpark. Doesn’t need to be Financial Statement certification. Think more review, controls, appropriateness, and items like that.
Small Business Services in Inman Park. 404-873-0470.
Forbes & Co. are excellent.
http://www.forbesco.com
770-392-7117
What do mothers do when all of their children are off to college? I am wondering how to fill that emptiness, which rhymes with empty nest. I think I will need regular contact with young children.
Try some day drinking.
You’re welcome to borrow my kids whenever you need a fix 😐
I might take you up on that, Stearns. I’m easy to find online.
I know one that is adapting a 5 year old from an orphanage in Haiti. She’s been working on it for 2 years though.
Sounds like you need a dog, or a few.
+1. Better yet, volunteering to be a foster for one of the many local dog/cat rescue organizations is one of the most rewarding things you can do, and you’ll save a little life (or two).
Allergic to dogs and cats, so not going to volunteer with any pet rescue places.
There are tons of two-working-parent families that need a couple hours a day, or a few days a week, to watch kids between school and work hours. I think you wouldn’t have to look hard for some kind mutually beneficial relationship, if that works for you.
Take yourself over to IKEA tomorrow or Sunday, about 4pm (and if you really want the full experience, skip lunch). That’ll get you turned right around to the virtues of adults-only company.
Holiday Sale TOMORROW, Dec. 7th, 10-6 with the Little Tree Artists and guest artists in Avondale (it’s Decatur-ish, right?) at 2834 Franklin St., or, as crow flies, directly behind the Waffle House. Paintings, letter press, textiles, mixed media, pottery, blacksmithing, digital art, jewelry & more!
I love my Slacker radio in my Tesla! No DJ’s and no commercials unless I want them.
I’m curious if your license plate is the same as your screen name? I got cut off on E. College yesterday by a Tesla with a name that seemed similar.
If you ever find drool on your car, don’t blame me. Oh no, never.
The Oakhurst holiday tree lighting and debut performance of the Oakhurst Community Choir will be taking place in Harmony Park (intersection of Oakview Rd & East Lake Dr) tomorrow, Saturday 7th, at 5pm. Please join us for this fun festive celebration! Hot drinks and cookies will be served.
(If it rains, the choir will be performing in McGowan’s Oakhurst Pub instead, so it’s a win-win).
Oakhurst Community Choir was established in 2013 as a non-audition choir welcoming all teens and adults. For more information, email [email protected] or find us on Facebook.
Can I remind people to take a look at the condition of the sidewalk in front of their house? I’m seeing a lot of folks walking in the road and dollars to donuts, it is because the sidewalk is covered in leaves or just plain over grown.
You might consider also taking a look at stretches of sidewalk that seem ‘orphaned’ and in need of clearing. When I run, i try to use the sidewalk when I can, but lately I’ve run almost exclusively in the road for this reason.
I’ll admit that there is a stretch of sidewalk in WP that I’m sorely tempted to attack in the middle of the night with sheers and pruner because it is almost entirely overgrown and unusable (and in front of someone’s house…)
I did prune back (well, broke off a ton of branches on) somebody’s hedgerow once because it was severely impeding the sidewalk along a very busy road. I was pushing a stroller and it was either a. cut back the branches b. Have the branches scrape my child’s face as I pushed through c. Walk into the road with speeding cars.
+1
Also, is there any way to get the recycling guys to NOT throw the empty bins on the sidewalk? Walking with a stroller on a Thursday afternoon can be very challenging.
That might be a lot to ask
We are new to the area and looking to buy a white pine for our christmas tree. Any suggestions on where I can find one of these trees around Decatur?
The last white pine we got, and that was over 20 years ago, was from a cut-your-own place around Stockbridge that is now defunct. Most people around here are partial to Fraser Fir, because many of them are locally grown in North Carolina.
The Tree Elves are selling live European Spruce complete with home delivery.
http://treesatlanta.org/news/live-christmas-trees-2013/
I just found a sweet little schnauzer on 5th Ave in Oakhurst. No tags and no microchip. I just sent the picture to DM. Anybody missing a sweet pup?
Owner has been found!
What’s the best place to buy a Christmas tree in Decatur? I’d really like a more narrow tree like a Caroline Sapphire.
Happened upon a skinny scraggly Frazier fir at the big Kroger on DeKalb Industrial Way for $30. It’s perfect — more room for ornaments, small enough to fit into our little Decatur cottage. Looks more authentic. And the price was right. I think the market for this style of tree is totally underserved.
I agree with you. We’ve gotten some trees that were ideal for the purpose because they were flat on one side and were going into a corner anyway.
Winnona Park Elementary is having a Christmas Tree sale on Saturday, starting at 9:30am. Frazier Firs and I’m not sure what else.
We always buy our trees from Troop 103 on Lawrenceville Highway (they’re now across from the Home Depot after being displaced by the Golden Corral last year).
DHHS sells Christmas trees as a fundraiser. This year they are in the Suburban Plaza parking lot at the Hancock Fabrics end. Very reasonable. You have to write a check in order for the school to get credit.
In case you’re wondering, the origin of the annoying pop up video ad on the Decatur Metro site is Sitemeter. Remove sitemeter, and problem solved
I have a leather jacket that loves to grow mold/mildew. I have tried wiping with a wet cloth only to come back a month later to find it full of mold again. The tag says Professional Leather Cleaning Only. Is this something I can take to the dry cleaner?? or do I need to find a professional leather cleaner? Where in Decatur can clean leather jackets?
I had a nice leather jacket ruined being professionally cleaned, and was later told by leather professionals never to do it. If the leather has been dyed (and most has) the different skins will lose different amounts of dye during cleaning. Try leather conditioner on your jacket, or a desiccant (Damp Rid) in your closet.
Minor but annoying problem needs solving. I have less than one year old windshield wipers on my Prius. Front and back squeak the most aggravating noice when in use. It doesn’t matter high or low speed. Is there a fix for this?
Try a product called RainX, spray on, wipe off.
Some wiper blades wear out faster than a year (especially a rainy year like we’ve had here). I like the Bosch blades for durability, but they’re expensive.
Buy new blades. Consumer Reports recommends Valeo-600 series.
Thanks for all the Asheville ideas. So far so great!
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
That is all for today.
Aren’t you the Plainsmen? Or is it the Tigers?
War Eagle, Plainsmen, Tigers, whatever – it all sounds like Pasadena to me!
And a big ol’ WDE to all the fellow Auburn fans we met at the Clairemont Holiday Marketplace yesterday!
WDE! Literally a shocking season; just like last year. ’12 total disaster. ’13 total surprise. What a year. Let’s hope it continues to be AU-some around 8:30 tonight.
Um, YOU are Penn State. Don’t be jumping on bandwagons of schools that don’t… well, you know.
Mrs. J_T went to Auburn. Penn State got butt-raped by the NCAA in sanctions. War Eagle!
[Holy crap. How does “butt-rape” not get automatically moderated?]
So, NCAA went with the eye-for-an-eye punishment?
Oh, and I am also Auburn by marriage. Didn’t keep me from enjoying my Iowa State Cyclones whoopin’ up on the Tigers, however.
Harsh, man. So since he didn’t go to Auburn, he’s not allowed to root for them? At least he hasn’t been an a$$hole about it, nor has he ever come across as a sunshine fan.
While I obviously can’t pull for Auburn, I think they have had an amazing season. Good for them.
Mrs. Brianc went to Bama, but you don’t see me jumping on that bandwagon just because Georgia State doesn’t have a football program. Go Dawgs!