Free-For-All Friday 9/19/14
Decatur Metro | September 19, 2014 | 7:00 amFeel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local topics not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local topics not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
First Pint at Leon's Goes For $2,650
So what do you all think about ‘leveling’ out west ponce from the marley’s / church area .. say up to the CVS. The street has so many indentions, bumps, and other uneven areas my car and bike have to try to miss them. Oh .. brainstorm.. what about instead of putting down the ugly hot asphalt like on clairmont.. we put something down like a unique pretty cobblestone..ok .. no cobblestone but maybe some brick street paver of some sort. Still have a smooth surface considering bikes etc. it could become another small signature for decatur ‘mainstreet’. just a thought.
I think that the auto traffic, unfortunately, is too much for anything other than asphalt.
Even if asphalt again, I would hope (assume) that all will be fixed when the construction trucks are done wrecking it. I’ll be happy to simply have full lanes again. Riding a bike through there is risky business in the AM heading west.
I was driving through Thomasville, GA earlier this week and they have a stretch of road downtown which is still bricked. It really adds to the character of the city as well as slows cars down.
Don’t forget to join the Decatur Police Department and Decatur Active Living for a Bicycle Registration and Safety Event on Saturday. Register your bike, receive a helmet safety check, and ride the “safety course” to learn bike safety, hand signals, and rules of the road.
Also, Bicycle South staff will be conducting bike checks.
This event is offered FREE to the community! *Children must be accompanied by an adult.
When: Saturday, September 20th, 10 am – Noon
Where: The Church at Decatur Heights (735 Sycamore Drive)
Rain or shine!
If anyone is looking for a great bike for their 4-7 year old, let me know (staciadixon @ hotmail . com). I am selling a black and white 16″ Free Agent Speedy from Decatur Bikes for $100 — and can bring it to the event: http://www.freeagentbmx.com/2013-free-agent-models/youth-bmx/
Or please remember …
(my personal crusade)
(The official event promo is flawless! :0)
Something about telling me what to do instead of asking is a turn off to what follows. Those who try it the other way usually convert.
Ah. I thought your mission was to change a negative instruction “Don’t forget” into a positive instruction “Please remember”.
That’s what I thought too. So it’s about saying “please”? Does the simple use of please turn a command into a request? I thought it just made a command into a polite command.
I miss the “Morning Metro.”
I do too. I knew something was missing from my life but didn’t realize what it was until you mentioned it.
I do too, though I’m sure it was quite a bit of work. I often see things in the news and think “that would be suitable for Morning Metro”.
Agreed, it probably was a lot of work.
Maybe we could (or really DM could) do a “Monday Morning Metro” regular post and have us submit the content? Similar to FAFF. Not sure if that would be a moderation nightmare for DM though.
Admittedly, I am not as well read as many other commenters and probably would not have much to contribute. That’s actually why I miss it. I was exposed to many interesting new websites and stories I would likely not have seen otherwise.
I wonder if it was dropped because it never seemed to draw many comments?
Here’s a perfect example. Rooftop merry-go-round for Ponce City Market?
http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014/09/19/jamestown-honcho-talks-magic-rooftops-new-restaurants-and-rent-rate-debate
Noted. It does take a bunch of time, but I’ll put a bit of effort into seeing if I can streamline the process a bit. Probably can’t do it daily, but I’ll see if I can resurrect.
Tomorrow from 8 to 3 is the Fernbank Science Center plant sale. The emphasis is on native species that are hard to find in typical retail nurseries. All proceeds support science instruction at Fernbank. This is their equivalent of a bake sale, and it only happens twice a year.
156 Heaton Park Drive. On a related note, if Druid Hills were to be annexed by the City of Atlanta, what would become of Fernbank Science Center?
There is also a plant sale at The Woodland Gardens on Scott Blvd this Sunday afternoon. They are also having a free poetry and music event.
Haven’t started your Halloween costume yet? Need decorations? Put next Saturday, September 27, on your calendar. We’re having a Halloween boneyard sale. Decorations for home and yard. Costumes, both kids and adults. Material for making decorations. Lots of other non-Halloween items as well since we cleaned out the shed and attic while digging up Halloween. Proceeds benefit English Springer Rescue America. Sale at 205 Adair Street.
Pictures of items are being posted in Bone Yard Sale photo album on the Boneyard Buckaroos Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BoneyardBuckaroos
Shout out to the two commuters this morning who saw that I was watching for a break in traffic to cross (at a mid-block crosswalk) first Columbia and later College and stopped to let me across. Lots of people ignore those crosswalks–especially during rush hour. It’s nice to see drivers being friendly to pedestrians.
On my regular walks around the city, I notice one pedestrian crossing in particular that seems to be fairly effective. That is the one in front of Tacqueria del Sol on West Ponce. The crossing is well-differentiated, especially by the use of brick pavers and some lane narrowing. These features might not be practical at all pedestrian crosswalks, but it appears that there is a psychological impact on drivers when there is more than just a striped crosswalk telling them to pay attention.
Any psychological impact is blunted, however, when the driver is wearing headphones AND looking at her phone, like the awesome young lady who almost mowed me down yesterday in that very crosswalk.
The proliferation of distracted drivers is, by itself, enough for me to look forward to the proliferation of driver-less cars.
She missed, huh?
Much as I’d hate for Junderscore to actually get mowed down, this made me chortle aloud.
Driving home on the newly paved stretch of Clairmont Rd last night I saw a couple of bicyclists along the way. Being dark, it’s hard to spot them anyway but on the new black asphalt it seems especially difficult seeing them. Please be careful drivers and cyclists! Maybe add an extra light or reflector to your bikes?
Speak of walking around town, this morning while I was out on my stroll, I cruised past the former Ruby Tuesday on Ponce. It’s such a promising location, but it’s just a big ol’ black hole. I remember that RT has a lease for a certain number of years and that they were just sitting on it and waiting for it to expire. Does anyone know when that will be?
Rumor has it that the Downtown Development Authority has sub-leased it and will be looking to sub-sub lease small portions of it. Heard that second-hand, so . . .
That would be awesome if they were able to work out a reasonable deal. When we looked at it last year, there were 8 years left on the lease (so would be about 7 now) and RT was asking so much for the sublease that it was clear they were not just looking to break even on what they owed but to actually make a profit on it. And it’s not like their lease was way below market rate in the first place. I hope the DDA was able to negotiate some sense into them rather than paying what RT was asking…
I understand that King of Pops is considering leasing the kitchen, but that would not have a retail component.
Anyone got a recommendation for some local folks to help around the yard. Could use some help with mowing, but also with pruning, weeding and trimming. Looking for someone who puts a little care into their work.
Brigitte Mebius is an Avondale mom and a Master Gardener who is great at transforming garden spaces — everything from annual pruning to new garden spots. She also likes to work side by side with the homeowner as a garden coach. After losing an enormous oak, she helped us transform into a front garden. (404) 277-6673 gardens of providence. com
Pregnant mom here, and I was hoping for some advice on area daycares. We are looking at Smarties, Clifton School, Scott Montessori and Briarcliff Day Care Center. Anywhere else we should be thinking about? Good or bad experiences? Thank you, Decatur Metro!
College Heights has infant through pre-k. If you work downtown or in midtown, Bright Horizons is fantastic. They have an open campus at All Saints.
Both my kids went to Decatur Montessori on Church St. A wonderful experience for both (all of us). Each of them went age 3 to 6, then rolled into CSD first grade. But they take infants. We just didn’t need to do that part.
My dermatologist has opened a practice out of state and I’m wary of being randomly assigned to someone within one the large group practices. Does anyone have a local recommendation?
Been going to Dr.Damon Mauldin for several years at Dermatology Associates of GA –near Clairmont and Druid Hills. It is a large practice though
Second Dr. Mauldin and he lives in Decatur. Bonus! Both my teens went to him.
A third on Dr. Mauldin. After my original dermatologist moved away years ago, I bounced around to several doctors and practices. None were as good as Dr. Mauldin. I’ve also seen other doctors at Dermatology Associates for various things and they have all been top notch.
Looking for recommendations on getting 2 tubs re-glazed. Thanks in advance!
Can someone recommend a nearby gooey Mexican place. Not Taqueria or Mar, but rather the kind of place that has various combinations of beans and meat and rice all swimming in melted cheese and unlimited chips and salsa.
Los Loros @ Clairmont and N. Decatur is exactly that.
I will not go there again. Service is not good and they always get something wrong. La Parilla at Toco, then Coyotes, Matador in Oakhurst, then Los Bravos at Kroger in my opinion.
We like Coyote’s on E. College.
Los Bravos by the big Kroger
Matador in Oakhurst!
La Parilla in Toco Hill(s).
I noticed a new sign above Mellow Mushroom in the CVS plaza today, advertising a new pizza place. Any word? I can’t remember the name but let’s hope it’s half as good as MM!
We noticed it as well. Da Vinci’s. My husband said they have another location on W. Peachtree.
I hope they have ice cream, too.
That made me laugh
I hope they have the last meal I eat.
Their website hurt my eyes.
Just saw it this morning.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f6n0px5i03q4jlm/2014-09-21%2009.02.15.jpg?dl=0
I hope they have more of an Italian pizza place menu than MM.
They get 3.5 stars on Yelp, which puts them in same league as Fellini’s and Figo Pasta.
About the last thing in the world I would put any stock in is pizza reviews by Atlantans.