Saturday, December 31, 2011

Restaurant reopening after pet store problems fixed



From ajc:

By David Ibata

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Decatur-area restaurant closed for nearly eight weeks after a rat infestation spilled over a from a pet store next door reopened for business Friday afternoon, just in time for New Year’s Eve, Channel 2 Action News reports.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Ring in The New Year...Locally

From The Decatur Minute:
If you are like me, you don’t want to drive downtown (or OTP for that matter) to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Thanks to the best local businesses ever, you don’t have to! You can stay right here in downtown Decatur and ring in the New Year with your friends and neighbors. Here are just a few of the places around town to see and be seen:

*Welcome 2012 at Wahoo! Grill The countdown to 2012 has begun! Ensure that your last meal of 2011 is a memorable one by joining Wahoo! for New Year’s Eve dinner! Enjoy chef Speigal’s new winter menu items along with signature handcrafted cocktails and acclaimed wines.

*New Year’s Eve at Twain’s Cross the threshold into 2012 with us! Enjoy three in-house DJs, complimentary champagne toast at midnight, special menu options, friends and merriment!

*Brick Store PubCraft Beer New Year’s Celebration

* Featured Draught Selections
* 450 Cellared Bottled Selections to help make it special
* Many, many special Holiday Beer offerings
* Our original food menu + several features from our kitchen

Fancy yourself a jeans, t-shirt, no fuss kinda NYE person? This is the place to be….
{ Complimentary Champagne Toast & Party Favors at Midnight }

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Welcome 2012 at Wahoo! Grill


Welcome 2012 at Wahoo! Grill

New Year's Eve at Wahoo!

The countdown to 2012 has begun! Ensure that your last meal of 2011 is a memorable one by joining Wahoo! for New Year's Eve dinner!

Enjoy chef Speigal's new winter menu items along with signature handcrafted cocktails and acclaimed wines.

Menu highlights include:

Slow Roasted Pork Belly
brown sugar grilled apples, apple cider gastrique

Pistachio Crusted Mahi-Mahi & Scallops
lemon nage, lemon-herb rice, sauteéd spinach

Charleston Shrimp & Grits
sauteéd and simmered in a spicy tomato cream sauce over stone ground white cheddar grits

To make your New Year's Eve reservation, please call 404.373.3331 or email or email events@wahoogrilldecatur.com today!!

Go ahead and Jump...Van Halen to Tour in 2012

Monday, December 26, 2011

Mingei World Arts after Christmas Sale


Dear Friends All-

It is time for a SALE!

40%- 50% off Christmas ornaments,
holiday cards, and holiday CD's.

50% off all Christmas stockings.

Happiest of holidays to everyone! We hope these savings will make your celebration just a tad more joyful!

Thanks for your support in 2011. We really do appreciate your choice to shop locally with us!

Heres to more adventures, treasures, love and laughter for all of us in 2012!

Ellen and Ann
Mingei World Arts
427 Church Street
Decatur, Georgia 30030

Tom Cruise's box office "Mission" accomplished

From cbsnews.com
(AP)

LOS ANGELES -- Tom Cruise's latest mission has won a holiday weekend that's shaping up with some silent nights at movie theaters as business continues to lag.

Studio estimates Sunday placed Cruise's "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" a solid No. 1 with $26.5 million domestically over its first weekend in full release. The movie raised its total to $59 million since it started a week earlier in huge-screen cinemas and expanded nationwide last Wednesday, and distributor Paramount estimated that revenues will reach $72.7 million by Monday.

Cruise's fourth "Mission" flick was a bright spot over a Christmas weekend filled with so-so tidings for Hollywood, whose usually busy holiday stretch since Thanksgiving has been a bust.



Saturday, December 24, 2011

Memories of The Decatur Theatre in O Scale

This O Scale Christmas Train layout building is based on The Decatur Theatre located in Decatur, GA. in the 1950's
The Decatur Theatre was located just off the square on N McDonough St. next to what is now Eddie's Attic.

The Glen Theatre in Decatur

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Great picture from flickr member RGW55 of The Glen Theatre that was located in Decatur Ga.
circa 1950's
Glenwood Rd & Candler Rd.

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As it looks today.


Ronaldgw
Ronaldgw on January 5, 2010 at 2:23 pm

The Glen opened September 1952. The owner/operator was William Greene who also was owner/operator of Palmetto Theater in Palmetto, GA.
The Glen was the only theater in the Atlanta,GA area that had push back seats installed. If someone needed to get by, you only had to push the seat back and they could pass without you getting out of your seat. There were also 2 cry rooms for crying babies. The total seating was 480 with a small balcony that seated 54. The projection booth had 2 Simplex XL projectors with Peerless carbon rod lamp houses and Simplex sound heads.
I started to work at the Glen on opening night in September,1952 (I was 16 years old) as usher/doorman. Later on I also worked the Concession stand and as Projectionist. I worked there untill January 1957.
When the Glen opened in 1952 the admission was Adult-35 cents, Children-15 cents. Popcorn was 10 cents a bag.
The weekly schedule was:
Monday thru Friday open at 3:00pm
Sunday & Saturday open at 1:30pm
Sunday & Monday———– Feature, Cartoon & News Reel
Tuesday & Wednesday——Feature, Cartoon & News Reel
Thursday & Friday———Feature, Cartoon & News Reel
Saturday———————-Double Feature, Cartoon & Serial
In late 1953 Mr Greene made the decision to change the Monday thru
Friday opening time to 6:15pm due to declining afternoon attendance.
The Projectionist was a union member and the union told Mr. Greene
that he would have to pay the Projectionist starting at 3:00pm. Mr.
Greene refused and the union operator walked out.
Mr. Greene bought in a Projectionist (a WWII disable veteran from
the Palmetto,GA Theater) who was not union. The union set up a picket line and kept up this line for over a year and then quit. A strange thing was that the men who walked the picket line were not union projectionist but were hired to walk the picket line. Those of us that worked at the Glen durning this time had a good relationship with these men.
The Projectionist from the Palmetto Theater taught Me, Eugene Leftwich and Bill Anglin how to be Projectionist. Bill and I did this untill 1957 and Eugene untill late 1961.
I do not know when the Glen started showing X rated movies. When I got out of the Marine Corps in 1960, I did some relief Projectionist work showing regular movies for about 6 months.
See photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rgw55swd Photos made September,1956 durning Kiwanis Club free kids day. William Greene is standing at lower back door and I am stanting at projection booth door in balcony

Ron W

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Shop Decatur for the Holidays

From: catherine lee at decaturga.com

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Last minute gifts and stocking stuffers from Mingei World Arts


Wrapping up the holidays!
Last minute gifts and stocking stuffers from Mingei World Arts

This is it. The holidays are most certainly here!

Everyone is in a twirl, and Mingei has all manner of stocking stuffers, last minute gifts, and trimmings to finish off your holiday list with style and a smile!

Dust the sugar off your fingers, set your wrapping aside, remember to blow out the candles before you leave the house, and come in into Decatur for a festive last bit of shopping!

Don't forget to buy your chances for this beautiful Fuentes carving ! All proceeds will help Zeny and Reina Fuentes' daughter Fatima in Oaxaca, Mexico with medical and travel expenses for her thyroid cancer treatment. $5 per chance. Enter as often as you like! The winning name will be drawn Thursday, December 22 at 2:00pm! You need not be present to win. Good luck to all!

Fuentes deer

terra cotta pot candles
Candles from
Himalayan Trading Post
Perfect holiday scents:
Mistletoe, Orange Grove, Sage Pomegranate, Spice, Red Currant, and Wild Green Fig, to name a few--
in glass, terra cotta, wood and tin reusable containers
$16-$32
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse--
Too cute.
Hand-felted children's slippers from Kyrgystan.
$36
Have other little feet needing
to be shod?
We also have handknit slippers from Turkmenistan and those adorable little baby shoes from Thailand, too!
From $18


Trimmings for the tree
Ornaments for alll proclivities! Buddha heads, Happy Buddhas, Golden Buddhas, Buddhas with flowers, Ganeshas too! And evil eye amulet ornaments, saints of all stripes, Mexican tin, glass ornaments from Nepal, and Hebron, felted ornaments from India and Turkey ,and lots more!
$4 - $30

Baubles, bangles
and beads.
Literally.
Our always amaziong assortment of vinateg and new necklaces, pendants, chains, charms, rings, earbobs, baubles, bangles and beads!
Starting, yes, at $1.


Promotion Name
The stockings are hung...
Felted stockings from India and mirrored stockings made of vintage Indian fabric.
$40-$72
And to fill them:
Worry dolls, bottlecap pins,
tiny Thai teasets, Peruvian fighty toys, Guatemalan beaded keychains, Mexican pocket mirrors, alapca finger puppets, Indian bindis, Afghan soap, bobble toys from Mexico, Thai frog noisemakers, milagros, hand-carved wooden utensils, sets of colored stick pencils from Thailand, hand-felted evil eye bracelets from Turkey, and plenty of other tiny treasures!
Starting at $1.00!
period pouches

And merchandise to benefit

50 Cents. Period!

Wishing all the warmest and most joyous of holidays!

All of us Elves at Mingei World Arts!


Mingei World Arts | 427 Church Street | Decatur | GA | 30030

Friday, December 16, 2011

Decatur was a very special place to be at Christmas.

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Left to Right : Friedman's Jewelers, F.W.WOOLWORTH CO. ,HOBBY HOUSE / DECATUR SPEEDWAY and Hotel Candler

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One of my early childhood Christmas memories growing up in Decatur, Ga was when I had my first visit to see Santa Claus at the F.W. WOOLWORTH CO. located on E. Ponce de Leon Ave. I could not wait to tell him what I wanted for Christmas ( sort of like Ralphie in "A Christmas Story"). Once inside the 5 & 10 cent store you would have to follow the giant foot steps that were placed on the floor which would lead you to the back of the store where Santa was, he was in what looked like a large closet with a giant gold chair fit for a king. At Christmas time WOOLWORTH had tons of Christmas decorations all over the store, even in the front sidewalk display windows and with all the toys on display through out the store, it was something special.
Decatur would go all out with decorations, all the telephone poles had Christmas Wreath's with a large candle in the middle which would light up at night. Decatur was a very special place to be at Christmas. And yes, I remember it well.
--

Decatur's Christmas tree at the corner of Sycamore and E. Court Sq. circa 1960's
Stores that are lit up are Belk Gallant (side entrance) and Smith's Shoes.

click on pictures to enlarge

Thursday, December 15, 2011

A developer is proposing to redevelop Suburban Plaza

ajc file photo
A developer is proposing to redevelop Suburban Plaza, seen in this 1960 photo and located near Decatur, with a Walmart.


By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Decatur and Walmart seemed an unlikely match to some from the start and that tension was on display Wednesday afternoon during a well-attended and occasionally combative public hearing on whether the retail giant would receive a parking variance.
The DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals granted that variance despite objections from nearby residents who say the proposed supercenter, with a grocery and pharmacy, will bring unwanted traffic to what is already a congested area. But for some in this progressive enclave, where chain stores are the exception, not the rule, the very idea of a Walmart is enough to rouse opposition.

"[The developer] was apologetic from the start that they were bringing a Walmart here," said Melanie White, who presented a petition signed by 378 Decatur residents opposed to the planned redevelopment of aging Suburban Plaza, located on North Decatur Road between Church Street and Medlock Road. "We built Decatur with small businesses."

But Walmart officials say opponents don't represent the majority of residents who will welcome the estimated 250 to 300 jobs the Arkansas-based retailer will bring to DeKalb.


Full story: http://www.ajc.com

Decatur Ga Train Track

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A video Christmas Card

This is a great homemade Christmas video card on youtube:
Enjoy.



From: Youtube
Uploaded by bellbottomtear

In these tough economic times, who can afford to send Christmas cards to family and friends? In lieu of the standard card/photo combo, we decided to send this video to those nearest and dearest to our hearts..... plus the internet. :) We hope you enjoy, and here's wishing you an old fashioned Christmas.

A Special Holiday Offer from Renewal

Friday, December 9, 2011

Walmart proposed for Suburan Plaza

Investors Like DeKalb water-sewer bonds

By April Hunt

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Investors have shown considerable interest in making sure DeKalb County residents don’t have to boil their water.
The county found more than enough buyers for the $381 million of water-sewer bonds it sold Monday, earning a nearly $30 million premium on the deal. After fees, the county will soon have more than $405 million of investor money to start the $1.35 billion overhaul of its aging, and failing, system next year.

“We think we have a very favorable outcome,” county Finance Director Joel Gottlieb told commissioners, who approved finalizing the sale Tuesday.

The sale is something of a turnaround for DeKalb, which saw its bond ratings plummet after ending last year with just $12 million in reserve, less than a third of the $40 million that cover’s a month’s expenses.

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services and Moody’s Investor Services have since upgraded DeKalb's bond ratings, with S&P’s decision released late last month. Higher ratings make it easier for municipalities to borrow money and at lower interest rates.

The county will pay 4.6 percent interest on the bonds sold Monday, just slightly higher than the 4.58 percent it paid in its 2006 sale of water and sewer bonds. With interest, that means DeKalb water utility users will pay back $767 million over the next 30 years.

full story at ajc

Monday, December 5, 2011

New Philips Arena restaurant to get diners closer to the action

From ajc

New Philips Arena restaurant to get diners closer to the action
By Leon Stafford

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Philips Arena is getting a new restaurant and it will be closer to the action than the facility's other food offerings.
Philips will open Red, a new full-service restaurant, in February. The eatery will be tiered so that all guests will have good views of what's going on either during Atlanta Hawks games or at a rock concert, officials said.

But it comes at a cost: seven rows -- about 400 seats -- were removed from the arena for the dining establishment.

The restaurant, whose design is said to be the first-of-its-kind for an arena or stadium, will cost about $2 million and seat 250 guests.

The menu will include crab cake blt, lollipop chicken wings, knife and fork steak specialties, a signature burger and vegetarian options.

Full story at ajc

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Coke is seeing red again after flirting with white cans and confusing market


By Leon Stafford

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After flirting with selling Coca-Cola in white cans for the first time in its 125-year history, Coke is seeing red again.
The Atlanta-based company said Thursday it is returning the traditional red Coke cans to shelves in its upcoming run after releasing millions of Coke "white" cans.

The "white" cans are part of the company's partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and was much ballyhooed by Coke when it announced the limited-edition packaging in late October. The "white" cans feature the company's polar bear mascots on a stark white and gray background with Coke's famous red script on the top.

The about face comes after some in the media reported that the white cans were confusing to Diet Coke fans and could potentially be harmful to diabetics who may choose the "white" Coke can thinking it was diet.

Spokeswoman Rand Carpenter said Coke had always planned to use the traditional red cans as part of the "arctic home" campaign, whose purpose is to bring attention to preserving habitats for polar bears, the company's holidays mascot. But the company did not mention its intent to switch to red cans anywhere in the press information announcing the campaign.
full story