Georgia’s Heart of Gold at Fernbank Sept. 26-Jan.3, 2010

On view September 26, 2009 to January 3, 2010

A new photography exhibition commissioned by Fernbank Museum reveals Georgia’s golden history through the work of students at Atlanta’s Portfolio Center. Georgia’s Heart of Gold features 41 photographs that showcase gold’s local and historic influence—from modern-day gold panners to gold medal winners, from gold records to gold “grillz,” and from Dahlonega’s gold mines to the State Capitol’s gold dome.

Georgia’s Heart of Gold was created through a partnership between Fernbank Museum and the Portfolio Center to complement the Museum’s simultaneous presentation of GOLD

Avoid the rush! Purchase advance tickets for GOLD by phone at 404.929.6400 or online.

2nd Annual Walk/Bike/Roll Pep Rally Tuesday Oct 6

Get ready for another fun time with family and friends; it's the 2nd Annual Walk/Bike/Roll to School Day Pep Rally, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, Tuesday, October 6th on the Decatur Square.

Join us on the square for music, games, prizes, entertainment and special guests. The following day, Wednesday, Oct. 7th, is National Walk to School Day. Decatur Active Living staff and parent volunteers will be out that morning at Clairemont, Oakhurst and Winnona Park elementary schools and Glennwood Academy with healthy snacks for students and coffee for parents.

For more information on the pep rally, Walk to School Day, or the Decatur Safe Routes to School program, please contact Greg White, 678-553-6543.

Zombieland Starts Oct 2nd

Zombieland trailer
Some scenes were filmed right here in Decatur, GA.

Good Review for Johnny's Pizza

Nathan's on a roll..over at thedecaturminute.com check out his review.

JOHNNY'S PIZZA
340 CHURCH ST
DECATUR, GA
404-373-8511

2nd annual Park Renewal Day Nov. 7th

Park Renewal Day to Return This November

Kelly Cheek of Renewal Design-Build sends this in:



September 24, 2009, – After the success of last year’s inaugural event, participants will once again return to Decatur’s Dearborn Park on Saturday, November 7th to root out invasive plants for the 2nd annual Park Renewal Day competition. Last year, this joint effort of Renewal Design-Build, the DeKalb County Parks Department, and City of Decatur’s Active Living Division, had over 100 participants – all competing for prize money – clear more than an acre of English ivy and Chinese privet from the park. Dearborn was chosen for the competition again due to the large amount of invasive species and debris not yet cleared from the park.



This year’s participating teams will compete for big prize money with the five highest-scoring groups taking home $1,000, $500, $300, $200, and $100, respectively. Each team’s assigned plot will be scored by County Park experts and local celebrities. The judging panel for this year’s event will include Decatur’s own Mayor Bill Floyd.



Teams eligible to participate in the competition include school organizations, Boy Scout troops, religious groups, and any group of people willing to come together, help the park, and raise funds. A number of last year’s teams competed for charitable causes. The winning team, “Invasive and Persuasive,” donated their prize money to the group’s church, and third prize winner, the Decatur High School Bulldog Booster Club, handed over their winnings to a competing team of Decatur High students trying to raise funds to attend President Obama’s inauguration.


Prizes will be awarded after the competition, along with food and live music.


The 2nd annual Park Renewal Day will take place on Saturday, November 7th at Dearborn Park. For more information on Park Renewal Day and how to register, visit ParkRenewalDay.com.


Renewal Design-Build, 124 S. Columbia Dr. in Decatur, provides complete solutions for renovations, additions, kitchens, baths, porches, decks, small projects and repairs.


More pictures can be found at ParkRenewalDay.com.

2008 first prize winning team:
Invasive and Persuasive





Kelly Cheek

Marketing Manager
Renewal Design-Build
t. 404-378-6962
f. 404-378-6963

124 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur, GA 30030
Kelly@RenewalDesignBuild.com
http://www.RenewalDesignBuild.com

Fall Merchandise Now at Whit's End

Happy Fall Everyone,



Hope you are all drying out from the past weather. Our great new Fall merchandise is here, and will be continuing to come until mid October. We are adding Woolrich this year!


In the meantime, we still need to move out the rest of our summer attire. All summer shoes, short sleeve shirts, and shorts are CLEARANCE PRICED. Many items are more than 50% off! Please come take them from us. These are final sales, though. See you in soon,



Jeff and Greg



Columbia Sportswear/Levi-Strauss-Dockers/Kuhl/Prana/Woolrich/DHS Spirit Wear/City of Decatur Merchandise/Jockey/Patagonia Shoes/Yuckboy/Decatur Dad



Whit's End, LLC
431 W. Ponce DeLeon Ave, #2
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 377-3310
(404) 377-8335 Fax
whitsenddecatur@bellsouth.net
www.whitsenddecatur.com

Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta Results

Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta Awards

Decatur won in all three general categories:

Best suburb
Best neighborhood to live in
Most down-to-earth place

The "critics" picked

* Decatur as "Best Overall Neighborhood"
* "Decatur Metro" as "Best Local Blog"


Congrats to Nick over at Decatur Metro.

Decatur Garden Tour takes place this weekend

The 21st annual Decatur Garden Tour takes place this weekend, September 26 and 27. 13 beguiling gardens across this charming intown community are featured. Fall colors, rare and native plants, fountains, koi ponds and sculpture by local artists are all in store for visitors. Highlights include a Japanese-style garden featured in Backyard Living magazine and the renowned “garden rooms” of noted author and designer Ryan Gainey’s private home. The tour features Saturday evening hours, during which visitors can explore two gardens along with music and wine.



The tour is a benefit for the Decatur Preservation Alliance, a non-profit citizens’ group dedicated to preserving Decatur’s historic structures and greenspaces, and the Oakhurst Community Garden Project, a non-profit center dedicated to preserving community greenspace and cultivating the next generation of environmental stewards.



Tour hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Rain or shine. Tickets are $20 in advance (through September 25) or $25 the day of the tour. Children 12 and under are free.



For details of each garden, Decatur dining destinations and online ticket sales, visit www.decaturgardentour.com.

City of Decatur's First Police Car

This photo was taken in 1924 showing the city of Decatur's first police car, it was a roadster with running boards. In the photo is Tom Ellis who was then a policeman.

The New DHS Gym-Auditorium Open to Public Oct 11, 2009

October 11, 2009 Public Opening of New DHS Gym/Auditorium

The doors will be open to the public on Sunday, October 11th from 2-4 p.m. Go check out the new place and join in the celebration.




http://www.decatur-city.k12.ga.us/

I'll Have a Cherry-Lime Ricky and a Hard Boiled Egg

I'll have a Cherry Lime Ricky and a Hard Boiled Egg.....Oh, and I've just found.. the internet.

Cherry Lime Ricky Recipe

Courtesy of

http://www.foodnetwork.com/

6 fresh cherries, pitted
1/2 lime, cut into 3 wedges
2 teaspoons sugar
3 ounces gin
1 cup chopped ice

Preparation Instructions by The Food Network:
Put the cherries, lime, and sugar into a large rocks glass. Muddle the fruit and sugar by pressing them with a pestle or a wooden spoon until juicy and fragrant. Add the gin and chopped ice. Cover with a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, by the time the shaker mists up the drink is ready.) Serve.

thanks Bill Curtis and I've just found.. the internet.

And thanks foodnetwork.com for sharing this great recipe for internet viewers.

Griffin Circle(as I called it) has Flooded

The last time I saw it flooded like this was back in the 60's and my neighbor took his row boat out for a test. I lived in that area.
Check out some photos over at Decatur Metro

Mudslide Cleanup in Dekalb County

Will Mad Men Win Again for Best Drama Series

"Mad Men's" top victory last year was historic. Never before in Emmy history had a basic cable show won best series, either drama or comedy. Was it a fluke? Or are TV academy voters still crazy about "Mad Men" now? Our Emmy gurus/ forum moderators Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Robert "Rob L" Licuria (AwardsHeaven.net) believe it will prevail easily and explain why below. Also read their expanded, insightful views on these categories; best comedy series, lead comedy actor, lead comedy actress, supporting comedy actor, supporting comedy actress, guest comedy actor, guest comedy actress, comedy writing, comedy directing, best lead drama actor, lead drama actress, lead actor in movie/mini and lead actress in a movie/mini. See Boomer, Rob and I battle over which shows may win best comedy series in our video slugfest here. See a chart of predix by top journalists here. Read more predix in our forums.

http://goldderby.latimes.com
DRAMA SERIES
"Breaking Bad" - Richmond
"House" – Kubicek
"Mad Men" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Boedeker, Brown, Furlong, Kapsch, Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter, Rushfield, Zurawik

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment" - Licuria, Porter
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" – Beachum, Boedeker, Brown, Kapsch, O'Neil
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men" – Berman, Rushfield
Hugh Laurie, "House" – Ausiello, Furlong, Kubicek, Mitovich, Richmond, Zurawik

UPDATE: "Mad Men" did win best Drama Series
and Bryan Cranston won best actor for "Breaking Bad"

Friday Night Football: Decatur 20 - Hillgrove 51

Click on Bulldog for 2009 schedule
Decatur lost their first game of the season.

Varsity Football Friday 09.18.2009
Decatur 20
(2-1)


Hillgrove 51
(4-0)

E. COURT SQUARE IN 1957

Decatur, GA.
This is a 1957 photo of East Court Square.
Tatum's Drugs and Joseph Siegel Jeweler's

Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle, He Was One Cool Cat.

Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle
in Dirty Dancing
http://www.fanpop.com



Also as Dalton in Roadhouse

Low Country Boil Oct 22, 2009

What started as a lively backyard party has grown into one of the community's most anticipated annual events. The Decatur Education Foundation's Low Country Boil, now in its seventh year, is taking place on October 22, 2009, at the Solarium in Oakhurst.

Besides offering sumptuous food and drink prepared by Chefs Michael Condon and Ray Allen of Badda Bing and live music by The Dammages featuring Tammy Dammaan, the event raises critical funds for programs that support the children of our community. As in past years Decatur "personalities" will serve as guest chefs and servers to add local flavor.

Businesses interested in sponsoring this the event can click here to download a sponsor form or email gail@educationfoundation.org for more information. Tickets are $50. You can purchase tickets online at www.decaturlowcountryboil.com or send a check to:

DEF Low Country Boil 315 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Ste 770
Decatur, GA 30030

Decatur Education Foundation unveils new website

The Decatur Education Foundation works to help Decatur Youth realize their full potential, not only in the classroom but also through learning experiences that contribute to personal development. MORE >

The Informant Starts Friday at a Theatre near you.

DeKalb residents don't trust government, avoid census

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ty Tagami


DeKalb County Commissioner Connie Stokes will lead a public relations campaign to encourage county residents to talk to federal census workers.
County CEO Burrell Ellis, who noted that federal grants and other funding are tied to population size, appointed Stokes Wednesday to lead DeKalb’s Complete Count Committee and “maximize” the population count for the 2010 census.
ajc story

DeKalb libraries up 6% in Circulation

by April Hunt

The AtlantaJournal-Constitution


Nearly 4 million items — from books to movies — were checked out of DeKalb County public libraries last year.
The 3,988,770 items checked out during the fiscal year that ended June 30 account for a 6 percent increase from 2007. The increase came despite having eight of the 22 branches closed for renovations.
ajc story

Atlanta Rollergirls Tryouts

Atlanta Rollergirls Tryouts


When:
September 20 : 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Price:
Free

Event Phone Number:
770-469-9775

http://www.atlantarollergirls.com


All American Skating Center

5400 Bermuda Rd
Stone Mountain, GA 30087

770-469-9775

http://atlanta.metromix.com

Martinis & IMAX

For a limited time, enjoy special ticket prices for Martinis & IMAX®. See below for details.

Enjoy cool cocktails, stunning films, live music and creative cuisine beneath the world’s largest dinosaurs, Fridays (January through November) from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

This one-of-a-kind Friday night experience is available exclusively at Fernbank Museum’s Martinis & IMAX® presented by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

Jazz Nights at Scottish Rite Sept 17

Joe Gransden - Trumpeter/vocalist.

Joe Gransden has already performed worldwide and released four CDs under his own name. Renowned first for the hard bop approach of his trumpet, Gransden's singing voice has been compared to that of Chet Baker and Frank Sinatra. www.joegransden.com

http://oakhurstjazznights.com/schedule.html

Blue Sky Concerts - Wednesdays

Enjoy a mid-week lunchtime music break every Wednesday in September at the Community Bandstand on the square in downtown Decatur. Free. Bring your lunch or purchase a special to-go lunch from a nearby restaurant and enjoy live performances from a variety of artists. Brought to you by Decatur Business Association and SunTrust Bank.

Sept. 16
Ernie Quarles & Shaun Anderson, Soul/R&B
Co-sponsors: Kaiser Permanente and Web TECHEASE

Sept. 23
The Rosin Sisters, Fiddling
Co-sponsors: Kaiser Permanente and Zucca Pizza Bar & Restaurant

Sept. 30
The Conundrums, Women's African drumming group
Co-sponsors: Kaiser Permanente


http://decaturga.com/events.aspx

Decatur Time Machine - From Auto Shop to Relics & Rarities Ice Cream Shop

409 N. McDonough St.
Decatur, GA

The Jay Leno Show Premieres Tomorrow Night

Jay's Mini Movie: The Road Trip

Come Fly with Me @ The Alliance Theatre

Come Fly with Me @ The Alliance Theatre
Vocals by Frank Sinatra - Listen
and my favorite
Sept. 15 - Oct. 11

Updated photo on The Decatur High School Auditorium

Decatur High School
Decatur, GA

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

Atlanta Arts Festival this weekend

The 2009 Atlanta Arts Festival will take place Sept 12 and 13 in Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA.

We are grateful to be allowed to utilize Piedmont Park again this year, in spite of the severe drought that has affected the region and limited the park’s usage.

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009
10am - 7pm.
Free to the Public
Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009
10am - 6pm.
Free to the Public

Decatur replacing old public housing; most tenants staying put

Allen Wilson Terrace, named for a minister, houses 200 families. When it is rebuilt, there will be public housing for 190.
ajc photo
by Ty Tagami

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Decatur, GA
The heavy equipment parked along one of Decatur’s main streets will soon tear into the city’s biggest public housing project.
Allen Wilson Terrace along Commerce Drive has sheltered some of Decatur’s poorest residents since 1941. City housing officials say they’ve done their best to maintain the buildings but that now must be replaced.

The destruction of old public housing is nothing new. For years, the Atlanta Housing Authority has garnered national attention for its policy of razing old projects and replacing them with higher-end private condos. Many of the old tenants were dispersed into neighborhoods across metro Atlanta using Section 8 vouchers, in an effort to eliminate concentrations of poverty.

But Decatur is bucking that trend. The little city — it’s only four square miles — has promised a home in the rebuilt project for every tenant.

ajc story

RELICS & RARITIES on Fox 5 This Morning

HAIR @ 7 Stages Theatre Starting Sept. 12

ABOUT THE PLAY
Join us as we open our 30th season with Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, revitalized from its successful run in 1984 during 7 Stages’ 5th Season. With a score including some of the greatest songs in theater such as "Aquarius," "Hair" and "Let the Sunshine In," Hair illuminates the gripping cultural movement of the 60's and 70's that transformed a generation. Saturday, Sept 12 – 8pm (Opening Night Celebration!)

7 Stages Theatre, 1105 Euclid Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30307
404-523-7647 (box office, open for walk ups one hour prior to each performance and for phone sales during normal business hours)
404-522-0911 (administration)
Website: www.7stages.org

Relic & Rarities on FOX5 Tomorrow Morning 6:30 AM

Relics & Rarities will be featured on FOX5 morning show at 6:30 AM.
All Decatur is invited.


Relics & Rarities
409 N. McDonough St.
Decatur, Ga

Across from Decatur High School

Stevi B's Pizza to have 50 Stores by the end of 2010

Stevi B’s expects to have about 50 stores by the end of 2010, Loney said. In addition to Gainesville, a restaurant will open near Northlake Mall in Atlanta in late October.

Much of the expansion will come outside metro Atlanta, with Florida and California key growth markets, Loney said.

Stevi B’s faces challenges. Same-store sales have dropped about 5 percent so far this year, Loney said. It’s core customers, families with incomes of $68,000 a year, have been hit by the recession, he said.

Some pizza buffet chains also have lowered prices to as low as $2.99, pulling away traffic, Loney said. Stevi B’s emphasis on quality will pay off, he said, bringing back price-sensitive customers as the economy recovers but also drawing higher-income families.

ajc story

Flu-Symptons shuts Down Margaret Harris School

The AJC reports on this school.
A spokeeswoman for the School district said 23 of Margaret Harris School's 50 students were out sick.
AJC story

Carribean Harry's Out & Pharm House Restaurant In.

According to Dave over at the inDECATUR Pharm House Restaurant has taken over Carribean Harry's space. You can read all about it over at his site with pictures of some food, and menu.
I thought something was going on because I did not see the Carribean Harry's sign over the week-end.

Here for the Beer spotlights The Brick Store Pub

Decatur Metro found this video at Hereforthebeer.com that spotlights The Brick Store Pub

Vintage Hollywood Cartoon

The Iberian Pig Giving Samples at The Decatur Book Festival

The 2009 DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL

These photos are from Sunday Sept 6, 2009

More photos on Flickr

Jon Scieszka author of "KNUCKLEHEAD"

Decatur, GA. Sept. 5, 2009

Jon Scieszka at The Decatur Book Festival telling one of his storys from his book "KNUCKLEHEAD" The story he told was the Car Trip:
Chapter 33: Car Trip

Of all the Scieszka brother memories, I believe it was a family car trip that gave us our finest moment of brotherhood. We were driving cross-country from Michigan to Florida, all of us, including the family cat (a guy cat, naturally), in the family station wagon. Somewhere mid-trip we stopped at one of those Stuckey's rest-stop restaurants to eat and load up on Stuckey's candy.

We ate lunch, ran around like maniacs in the warm sun, then packed back into the station wagon—Mom and Dad up front, Jim, Jon, Tom, Gregg, Brian, Jeff, and the cat in back. Somebody dropped his Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll on the floor. The cat found it and must have scarfed every bit of it, because two minutes later we heard that awful ack ack ack sound of a cat getting ready to barf.

The cat puked up the pecan nut log. Jeff, the youngest and smallest (and closest to the floor) was the first to go. He got one look and whiff of the pecan-nut cat yack and blew his own sticky lunch all over the cat. The puke-covered cat jumped on Brian. Brian barfed on Gregg. Gregg upchucked on Tom. Tom burped a bit of Stuckey lunch back on Gregg. Jim and I rolled down the windows and hung out as far as we could, yelling in group-puke horror.

Dad didn't know what had hit the back of the car. No time to ask questions. He just pulled off to the side of the road. All of the brothers—Jim, Jon, Tom, Gregg, Brian, and Jeff—spilled out of the puke wagon and fell in the grass, gagging and yelling and laughing until we couldn't laugh anymore.

What does it all mean? What essential guy wisdom did I learn from this?

Stick with your brothers. Stick up for your brothers. And if you ever drop a pecan nut log in a car with your five brothers and the cat . . . you will probably stick to your brothers.

That was a funny story.

Kristian Bush of Sugarland at The 2009 Decatur Book Festival

Decatur, GA. Sept. 5, 2009
Here fans of Sugarland get a photo with Kristian Bush

The 2009 DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL is SEPT. 4-6 2009

Decatur, GA. Sept.5, 2009
Above are some Decatur Blog fans who stoppped by the AJC's Bloggers tent.
This was the first year they had a tent for bloggers.


-----------------------------------------------------

Decatur,GA. The 2009 Book Festival
Here a crowd is front of The Iberian Pig which will be located in the old Smith's Shoe building getting free samples. (It was good) The Iberian Pig is due to open in two weeks.

DECATUR ROLLS OVER HENRY COUNTY 21-13

EASY LIVING PEDICABS at The Decatur Book Festival

CALL 920-371-2227 TO BE PICKED UP.
MICHAEL GERKE - OWNER



THE PHONE NO. IS 920-371-2227 Sorry it was cut off video.

The 2009 DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL STARTS TODAY

The Decatur Book Festival runs through Sunday Sept. 6, 2009
Decatur, GA

BOOKZILLA ! Is Here, Run for Your Books at The 2009 Decatur Book Festival

click to enlarge

The 2009 Decatur Book Festival starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday.