Decatur Named Georgia's "Most Walkable City"

From 11ALIVE.COM

By - Eden Godbee

Decatur, GA -- The City of Decatur has been named Georgia's "Most Walkable City" by Walkscore.com, a website that rates cities according to their "walkability." Decatur received a 66.5 walk score, which put its walk score just above that of Brunswick and Atlanta.

A score of 66.5, according to Walkscore.com, describes a "somewhat walkable" city meaning "some amenities are within walking distance." In rating cities, the site considers their city center, their population density, the cost efficiency of housing around businesses, whether they have public parks or spaces to gather, and their consideration for pedestrians, proximity to schools and workplaces and street design.

According to this site, people who live in walkable neighborhoods weigh 7 pounds less than people who don't. Also, their studies show that for every 10 minutes spent in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities fall by 10 percent.

Several area malls including North Dekalb Mall are fighting to survive

By Russell Grantham

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Near Decatur, the struggling North DeKalb Mall has emerged from the long recession as a virtual ghost town, with roughly 30 percent of its storefronts sitting vacant.

A stroll through Gwinnett Place Mall shows that a similar portion of its storefronts are dark. And Union Station Mall — the former Shannon Southpark Mall in Union City — shut down in early November, except for its Macy’s and Sears stores.

While most shopping centers are fretting these days about how good Christmas sales will be, the season could prove critical for a handful of metro Atlanta’s malls.

Better-than-expected retail sales reports for November also are buoying hopes a bit.

Still, signs of holiday cheer can be a bit thin at some malls.

On a recent weekday morning, a small crowd of parents and shoppers at North DeKalb Mall’s food court quickly evaporated after an orchestra of fifth-graders from Kittredge Magnet School finished their performance.

Within minutes, the crowd was gone. Half the shops surrounding the mostly empty food court were vacant, as were roughly 30 percent of the storefronts in the mall. Few shoppers walked around.

“It looks worse than last time [she visited]. Decidedly. It makes me sad,” said Debra Scott Remlinger, who had come to North DeKalb Mall to see her son, Ian Remlinger, play the cello.

ajc story

Frosty The Snowman

Someone asked why does Frosty The Snowman have a Broom ?


Answer: Frosty the Snowman's classic broomstick in hand may well be a symbol of the season, sweeping snow off doorsteps is common.

Christmas is 1 week from Today

You can bet the malls will be packed this week-end.
Good Luck.

Note: To view with black background click on picture.

Help spread the word about CALENDARS for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

This sent in by childhoodcalendar.com/
Hello!

I wanted to remind you about the newest Children's Calendars.

Created by Atlanta photographer Oana Hogrefe, the 2011 calendars make the perfect holiday gift. In addition, proceeds go to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Please help us spread awareness of these calendars! I have attached a press release below. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Thanks for your consideration,

Melissa Bennett
Scholz Communications
Account Coordinator
678.499.8881

For Immediate Release

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER OANA HOGREFE ANNOUNCES 2011 "CHILDHOOD CALENDAR"

Annual Fundraiser Benefits Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA - November 17, 2010 ”Local photographer Oana Hogrefe of Oana Hogrefe Photography, a boutique studio providing insightful and genuine portrait imagery of children, babies and families, announces the 2011 edition of the Childhood Calendar.

Each year, Hogrefe donates her time and photography skills to create a calendar to benefit a local child-centric charity. This year's beneficiary is Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

“I chose Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta this year because it is an incredible local non-profit, providing exceptional care for half a million children each year,� stated Hogrefe. “I am so excited to see the generosity of so many who believe in this cause!�

The 2011 calendar's theme is a Timeless Pleasure and features children at play. The children were selected from open casting sessions advertised, and community members voted on their favorites to be featured in the final calendar. Proceeds from the voting also benefited CHOA. To date, the Childhood Calendar project has raised over $3,500 for the charity.

Calendars and more information can be found at www.childhoodcalendar.com.

About Oana Hogrefe Photography:

Oana Hogrefe Photography is a lifestyle and event photography studio in the greater Atlanta area that specializes in modern, truthful and fun, high quality keepsakes of families and growing children. Photography classes and teleseminars/webinars are offered through the studio for parents and beginner photographers. Owner Oana Hogrefe is an award-winning, established professional photographer and is committed to giving back to the community by donating her time and talent each year to several local charities. She is also an area coordinator and affiliate photographer with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

Last Terrific Thursday of 2010!

This sent in by Mingei World Arts
This is the Last Terrific Thursday of 2010.


Dear Marvelous Mingeisters--

We wanted to remind you that Thursday, December 16 is the LAST Terrific Thursday of the year! Come join the fun in Decatur: shopping, sipping and snacking from store to store and taking advantage of the great discounts offered on these festive evenings.

We'll be open until 10:00pm, serving up wine and nibbles and offering 10% off everything in the store!

We've been adding new items each week to tempt you. Be sure you swing back through even if you've visited us recently, so you won't miss any of the new arrivals.

Make your list and drop in for a browse! Here are a few things that have just arrived in the last few days!

Arghand pebble soap sets from Afghanistan
Arghan pebbles

5 assorted lovely soaps that look like river stones!
$15 a set

Moroccan tea glasses
teaglassesnew
Good for holidays sips
and hostess gifts!

New styles and colors
$6 each


Beaded bracelets
beaded bracelets from Guatemala
Fresh styles just in from Guatemala!

From $6 to $26


And, of course, there's plenty more, from the perfect stocking stuffers and folk toys, to that antique cabinet or dewali oil lamp you've been wanting... It's warm in here, and we are ready to help you polish off that gift list!

Sincerely,

Ellen and Ann
Mingei World Arts
427 Church Street
Downtown Decatur, GA
404-371-0101


Mingei World Arts

Last Terrific Thursday of 2010!

Darlene Love to Return to David Letterman's Late Night Dec 23,2010

Here she is from last year singing "Baby Please Come Home"
As David Letterman say's "It Ain't Christmas until Darlene Love sings this song."

In other Darlene Love news : Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2011 inductions just announced will include Alice Cooper, Darlene Love and Neil Diamond.

Major Renovations are in store for 3 Decatur Buildings

The Decatur Fire Station No. 1 built in 1958 to get major renovations in early 2011


The fire department, recreation center and public works facility are going to get big renovations this coming new year. First up will be the 1950's Decatur Fire Department located at 230 E. Trinity Pl. the station will have all the interior gutted and rebuilt, showers, dormitory space for men and women, and geothermal heating will be part of the new station.

The other two building to get renovations are the recreation center and public works facility.

The city will have to issue about $13.8 million in municipal bonds for the projects, said City Manager Peggy Merriss.

read more in detail at The Champion News

Welcome Video from City of Decatur

From The Decatur Minute

DeKalb County to get to Sewer Upgrades

From Fox 5

DECATUR, Ga. (AP) - DeKalb County has agreed to make sweeping improvements to its sewer system to curb overflows of untreated sewage.

The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that DeKalb will pay a civil penalty of $453,000 to be split between the U.S. and the state of Georgia. The county also agreed to launch $600,000 program environmental program.
full story @ Fox 5

Lakeside High School to get $24 Million Makeover

From The Champion News:

Lakeside High School is ready to see major changes as the first stage of a $24 million renovation project begins.

At the groundbreaking ceremony for the site, DeKalb County School System officials, faculty and students gathered Dec. 1 to celebrate the project’s long-awaited start.

“This process started about three to four years ago and it started with the idea that we were going to get a fine arts auditorium,” school Principal Joe Reed said.

“Obviously it’s gotten a little bigger than that. At this point as far as the process continuing the people chairing have gotten us from a fine arts auditorium to 25 additional classrooms...and all sorts of other things,” he added.

The audience applauded as Reed went on to thank those involved for “getting this thing way beyond what it was suppose to be.”

Railroad crossing @ S Candler & E College Ave Closed for Water Main Repair

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The railroad crossing at South Candler Street and East College Avenue in Decatur will remain closed this week while DeKalb County officials repair a water main.

A water main under the train tracks burst last week, county officials said.

The county’s watershed department anticipates the crossing will be closed to all train and vehicular traffic for a week while repairs are made.

ajc story

Holiday Bonfire and Marshmallow Roast Thursday, December 16 • 7-8 p.m.

Holiday Bonfire and Marshmallow Roast
Thursday, December 16 • 7-8 p.m.
Make plans to join the community and roast marshmallows around the popular 10' x 10' bonfire on the square. Enjoy special music and visit Santa in the Community Bandstand. Free. Sponsored by Decatur Business Association.

From: http://decaturdba.com/

Decorate Decatur Contest

From: http://www.decaturga.com/
Decorate Decatur Contest
Sunday, Dec. 19
Join in the communitywide decorating contest – turn on your holiday lights, light your luminaries, and be a part of the celebration. Judges ride through Decatur and pick 10 favorite homes, a business, a neighborhood, and an overall winner who receives the Commissioners Cup from the City Commission. Call 404-37... and leave the address of your favorite holiday house. Judges will ride by all the addresses on the list plus as many other streets as possible.

Attention Neighborhoods: If you would like a load of sand to use for luminaries for your neighborhood for Decorate Decatur, call 404-371-8386. You must have a space large enough to accommodate a load of sand and the truck delivering it.

>Click for a list and photos of the past winners

The Beatles @ Lenox Square

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Kudzu Antiques Event

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Annual Holiday Shopping Parties are back!

Join us for our popular annual Holiday Shopping Parties, with great SALES every weekend until Christmas.

Sundays are our special days, with free beverages and food from 1-7, and live music from 2-5. We have an amazing musical lineup the next four weeks:
Sun, Nov. 28 – Ever popular local recording artist Caroline Aiken.
Sun. Dec. 5 – Grammy award winner Yonrico Scott with guitarist Jody Davies
Sun Dec 12 – Mr. Music Man himself, Tom Wolf
Sun Dec 19 – Guitar virtuoso Craig Rafuse and friends

http://kudzuantiques.com/

2928 East Ponce De Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 373-6498

Guatemalan Bags @ Mingei - Coleccion Luna Trunk Show

Sunday , December 12th 1 pm to 5 pm
Mingei World Arts
427 Church Street
Decatur, Georgia 30030

Santa Cop

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Santa will visit some DeKalb County children early this year. And he’ll be wearing a badge.
Santa Cop will take 50 special children on shopping sprees Saturday at the Wal-Mart on Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker.

The children will be accompanied by police officers as they each pick out $200 worth of presents, said Leigh Vaughn, treasurer of the DeKalb Fraternal Order of Police.

After the shopping trip, the children will return to the FOP’s lodge, where they will meet Santa and have lunch.

ajc story

Downtown Decatur 9 Years Ago.

Notice in 2001 you see no art work on Johnny's New York Style Pizza on Church St.
This was before all the trees were put in.

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In 2001 Downtown Decatur was going through a lot street repairs

Santa's Coming to Wahoo Grill This Saturday

Space is limited so make your reservations soon.

1042 West College Avenue

Decatur, GA 30030-3507

Get Directions

(404) 373-3331

wahoogrilldecatur.com‎

Strange Mystery object streaks across the sky

By Ty Tagami

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It was a bird. It was a plane. Or maybe there was just something wrong with the video camera.
You decide.

A DeKalb County man happened to have a camera rolling when what looks like a fireball floated in the sky overhead last week. Or maybe it was just an optical illusion created by a passing aircraft.

Charsign Raymond, of Clarkston, was visiting a friend's apartment just west of downtown Stone Mountain when his friend's wife happened to drive up.

"She ran in and said, ‘Look, you've all got to see this," Raymond recalled.

Raymond, 39, had been playing with his video recorder, and he got out of the apartment in time to capture whatever it was in the sky.

It looks like a double-barreled ball of fire falling toward earth.

Raymond contacted the AJC last weekend with his find and later loaned a reporter his videotape so the AJC could publish it here.

ajc story

The Perfect Tree

Christmas Vacation House

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Decatur to renovate remnants of Beacon Hill community, former all-black schools

From the ajc
By Bill Banks



The rambling 1950s-era brick complex, home to the police department and other organizations, is a nearly-forgotten piece of Decatur history.
o most residents, if they notice the buildings on the edge of downtown Decatur at all, they appear as drab relics of a past that has no connection to the city’s contemporary image.

Elizabeth Wilson wants to change that perception. To Wilson and other African-Americans who lived in Decatur 45 years ago or longer, the structures have a significance that’s at once symbolic, emotional and historic.

Earlier this year, when the Decatur City Commission approved financing for a master plan to renovate the complex, Wilson set about making sure everyone involved in the project knew exactly what they were dealing with.

“This was once called Beacon Hill,” she said, speaking of an area about three-quarters of a square mile, just southwest of Decatur’s square. “The primary thoroughfare was Atlanta Avenue, and it’s no exaggeration to say that this was our Auburn Avenue. These [buildings] were [all-black] schools called Beacon Elementary and Trinity High.”

It’s a history that Wilson knows intimately. She moved to Beacon Hill as an 18-year-old in 1949, and nearly a half century later became Decatur’s first (and to date only) mayor who was both a woman and African-American.

She can drive around the former Beacon Hill and map out a verbal grid of the district’s halcyon days, including at least a dozen streets that no longer exist. She points out where the Ritz Movie Theater stood, and where other businesses were, including Rogers Cab Co. , Mossman’s Grocery, Kilgore and Anderson’s Barbershop, Spates Barbecue Stand, LC’s Rib Shack, the Cox Brothers Funeral Home, Tom Steel’s Cafe (known for its sausage “splits” that cost 10 cents), George Sterling’s Cafe (whose splits were 15 cents because they had lettuce, tomato and, Wilson said, “real meat”) and Thankful Baptist Church, where Jackie Robinson spoke in the early 1960s.

ajc full story

Just One More Thing for The Decatur Diner to Do....OPEN

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The 2nd Annual Decatur Christmas Tree Lighting

On this cold December night the city of Decatur held it's 2nd annual Christmas Tree lighting, a big crowd turned out to see this event, Santa appeared on the roof top of Little Shop of Stories next to the tree and did a count down to the lighting, it was also Terrific Thursday for some late night Christmas shopping. A very fun event.

Alternative Gift Market @ The North Decatur Presbyterian Church this Saturday

This sent in by David
Hi there,

I'm pretty new to Decatur--my wife and I moved from NYC a month ago to co-pastor at the North Decatur Presbyterian Church on the corners of Scott, N.Decatur, and Medlock. It's been a bit of a culture shock, but Decatur's been very friendly to us.

We've got a pretty neat event at the church this Saturday from 10-3 that I'd love you to post if you've got room. Every year, we host an Alternative Gift Market. We bring in local and national vendors to set up stands and they sell all kinds of hand-made, fair-trade, and socially-responsible goods, from clothes to food to artwork. The selection is great and you can have peace of mind that the money spent is supporting the workers and producers of the goods.

It's a one-day only thing, so we'd love for people to stop by as they're running errands and putting together Christmas gifts for family, friends, and co-workers!

Thanks for what you do for this city,
Peace,
David

The Pita Pit Opens Thursday Dec 2

The Pita Pit Decatur GA

One West Court Square
Decatur, GA 30030

Flooding near Decatur High

Flooding on E. Maple St. in front of Decatur High School
Photo from Fox 5

Christmas Time in Decatur

The Yellow Tree at Agnes Scott

More Bike Lanes are Needed for Decatur

Above are the bike lanes on West Ponce de Leon Ave, the bike lane construction started back in Oct. for West Ponce and W Trinity and the project was to last 3 months.

--- Below is S. McDonough St. which as you can see are in need of these bike lanes also. I would think that when they do the streetscape on N. McDonough St that it will
also include S. McDonough St.



Click on photos to enlarge.

Comment:
Gike said...
I'm not sure if they are going to reconstruct S McDonough. As a member of the Bike Decatur google group, I will ask around. But yes, that would be ideal. Especially for ASC students who want to go south. S Candler is very hostile at times

Charlie's Greater Decatur Get Together

SQUASH BLOSSOM - Donate a New and Unwrapped Toy for 20% discount

Bring in a new,unwrapped toy and they will give you 20% off one full priced item.
Sale runs thru Dec 12



SQUASH BLOSSOM
113 East Court Square
Decatur, GA 30030-2521
(404) 373-1864

Trackside Construction Update

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Follow the rebuilding of Trackside Tavern on Facebook

Happy Holidays from Worthmore Jewelers Inc.

117 East Court Square
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 370-3979

Santa Claus is Coming to Downtown Decatur

The above image is based on an old ad for Santa coming to Downtown Decatur by helicopter
to light Decatur's Christmas Tree.( circa 1960's) back then Santa would land over at The old Decatur Federal building parking lot which is now Wells Fargo. The tree that year was located out in front of Decatur Federal bank building.
Christmas comes early in Decatur, how great is that.
Read below


By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Santa will make an early stop in Decatur on Dec. 2 to light the city’s Christmas tree.
Decatur’s tree-lighting ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. in East Court Square. It will feature Christmas carols and treats.

Agnes Scott Receives $1M Pledge for Faculty Support

Agnes Scott Receives $1M Pledge for Faculty Support
From http://www.agnesscott.edu/

Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Agnes Scott College has received a $1 million pledge from an anonymous alumna and her husband to support faculty, the largest single gift for faculty development in the college’s history. The funds will be used by faculty to pursue significant opportunities for professional renewal that will enhance their teaching and ultimately benefit Agnes Scott students.

"Our faculty are superb teacher-scholars who seek creative ways to integrate their research and teaching and make learning come alive," said Elizabeth Kiss, president of Agnes Scott. "This generous gift will enrich faculty scholarship and teaching and bring wonderful benefits to them, to their students and to our shared intellectual life on campus."

Faculty may use the funds to do everything from visiting scholarly archives to developing a new course to collaborative research projects involving students.

full story

David Gray - Babylon

Dine out for Bert's Big Adventure @ WAHOO Grill

WAHOO GRILL
1042 West College Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030-3507


(404) 373-3331

Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me - Elvis Presley

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Spot Light on Jason Spooner

Jason Spooner Contemporary singer songwriter

Jason Spooner is a very independent singer/songwriter who is currently having some wonderful success at AAA radio with his third album “Sea Monster.”
Here’s a link to a free song – “Seed In The Ground” – from Jason’s new album. It's easy to pass around because it downloads easily, and no email or any kind of registration is required:

http://www.jasonspooner.com/free/seedintheground/

If you like “Seed In The Ground”, by all means, please share it with your readers/followers. Its blogs like yours that help expose great artists like Jason. We appreciate your time!

Mingei World Arts Flying into the Holidays

Click photo for full ad from Mingei World Arts.

Mingei World Arts
427 Church Street
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 371-0101

The Shell Girls of the 1950's

This was for the opening of the Shell Service Station located at N. McDonough & E. Trinity
Decatur, GA This is where the Chick-fil A is located now.

105 East Trinity Place
Decatur, GA 30030

Decatur's Great Christmas Tree Lighting Dec. 2 at 7pm

This sent in by Dave of Little Shop of Stories.

Bark If You Love Storytime!! Sunday Nov. 21 3:00 pm

From Little Shop of Stories site.

Does your dog like stories? Or maybe just to chew on a good novel? Join us this Sunday afternoon, Nov. 21 at 3 pm for our canine-themed storytime. Bring your dog if you like, or just come if you love to hear a good dog tale, Treats for our dog attendees will be provided by Taj Ma Hound in Oakhurst.

Big John Christmas Trees Since 1949

Park Tavern and the Rink - A New Ice Skating Rink at Piedmont Park.

Atlantans dreaming of a white winter may be delighted to find that some beloved aspects of New York City’s holiday offerings have been duplicated in the South this year. A focal point of these offerings is a brand-new ice skating rink at Piedmont Park.

Called the Rink at Park Tavern, this 3,200-foot ice rink is located in the restaurant’s Garden Tent at 500 10th St. N.E. in Midtown. Open Nov. 22 through Valentine’s Day, the rink will be open seven days a week with special 21-and-up sessions each night at 9. To add to the festive feel, Park Tavern will serve specialty drinks and desserts both rinkside and in the lodgelike restaurant.

“I took my kids ice skating at the St. Regis last year, and we had a great time. It made me think that a bigger, parkside rink in Midtown would really work,” said Paul Smith, owner of Park Tavern and the rink.

ajc full story

Photo from Flickr member:---kenan research center
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Ice Skating in Piedmont Park

Ice skating on the swimming pool in Piedmont Park, 1940.
Catalog No. Vis.82.128.12

Fay Gold is launching a new Venture in Travel

By Howard Pousner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Her art gallery was a destination in Atlanta for nearly three decades, and now Fay Gold is planning on taking tour groups to arty destinations.

Having closed her self-named Buckhead gallery last year, Gold is launching a new venture with Atlanta travel business executive Bram Majtlis -- high-end European art tours. Their endeavor, Fay Gold Treasures, takes wing in May 2011 with a weeklong tour of Vienna. Visits to Amsterdam and Berlin also are being planned for 2011.

The groups will be small (20 to 25), the better to savor behind-the-scenes tours of museums, art fairs, private collections and artist studios. The price tag will be ... well, not so small. The Vienna tour is $6,750 per person based on double occupancy.

But the freight is virtually all-inclusive, covering everything from five nights of luxury accommodations at the new Ring Hotel to multiple fine-dining meals and a packed art itinerary that includes stops at the Leopold and Albertina museums, Belvedere Palace (home to the famed Gustav Klimt painting "The Kiss") and the Viennafair international contemporary art fair.

ajc story

Boy finds 16th Century Gold Pendant in Essex

Boy, four, unearths 16th Century gold pendant in Essex

James Hyatt was with his father when he made the discovery

A four-year-old boy from Essex using a metal detector with his father unearthed a gold pendant believed to date from the 16th Century.

James Hyatt, of Billericay, found the reliquary while searching in a field in Hockley in May last year, a treasure trove inquest in Essex heard.

It is believed to be worth up to £2.5m, a sum the Hyatt family would share with the landowner if the pendant is sold.

His father, Jason, said: "We dug down... and got a flash of gold."

Virgin Mary

He added: "All of a sudden we got a buzz from the metal detector, quite a strong buzz.

Pendant believed to be worth up to £2.5m

"We dug six to eight inches down and lo and behold, we got a flash of gold.

"I moved the earth around and brought it to the surface and there it was."

The locket was declared treasure trove at the inquest.

The British Museum examined the locket, which it said weighs a third of an ounce (8.68g) and has a gold content of up to 73%.

It said the image engraved upon it is probably that of the Virgin Mary, and the speckles on the cross she is supporting could signify blood.

The back panel no longer slides out but would have revealed a cavity, probably designed to contain a relic, the museum said.

It is decorated with the five wounds of Christ.

"Devotion to the blood and wounds of Christ was one of the hallmarks of late medieval piety," a letter from the museum to the coroner stated.

As in all treasure trove cases, any proceeds from a sale is split between the landowner and the person or people who discovered it.

see video @ link below

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

Decatur Estate's Antique Thanksgiving Sale

From: Maggie Monastesse of Decatur Estate Antique

Hello Everybody:

Remember 5 years ago when you gave us your email address? Well, we have finally

moved into the 21st Century and actually figured out how to use email (HOLY

TURKEY GIBLETS, BATMAN)!! Keep your eye out and pretty soon we'll even be on

Facebook (hopefully during our lifetime).

Come on down to Decatur Estate, we're having our big Thanksgiving sale! All

items that are $20 or more and are not marked firm are 20% off. Some dealers are

having sales of between 30% - 50% off! Be sure to look for other items that are

marked down as much as 50%!! Ooooh! Ahhhhh!

If you're in the area, come on down and say hello.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Everyone at Decatur Estate & Way Back Antiques

*Sale ends Sunday, November 21 at 6:00 pm


http://www.decaturestateantiques.com/

Decatur Estate is located in the Suburban Plaza on North Decatur Road between Church Street and Scott Boulevard, nestled between Big Lots and Piccadilly.

Decatur Estate and Way Back Antiques
2595 N. Decatur Road
Suite E
Decatur, Georgia 30033
(404) 378-4889

Breakfast with Santa Dec 18 @ Decatur Holiday Inn

Breakfast With Santa
Event Date: Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 8:00 am
Facility: Holiday Inn Downtown Decatur, Decatur, GA

Find tickets here.
http://culturemob.com

Fernbank Museum Transforms into a Winter Wonderland

From Deanna Smith of Fernbank Museum

Fernbank Museum Transforms into a Winter Wonderland during

Cultural Exhibition, Celebration and Programming Series

Fernbank Museum of Natural History will celebrate holidays, traditions and cultures this holiday season with Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World, a new exhibition and programming series offered from November 17, 2010 through January 5, 2011. Featuring trees and other displays decorated by local community partners and Consulate offices, the exhibition will twinkle with lights, glimmer with color, and shine with a variety of cultural ornaments and emblems that recognize the diversity of celebrations, holidays, traditions and events around the world. Festive programming will accompany Fernbank’s Winter Wonderland on select days as cultural groups entertain visitors with performances, dancing, music, craft demonstrations, storytelling and more.

Winter Wonderland trees, displays and performances will showcase the cultures, celebrations and traditions from the Arab world, Argentina, Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Greece, Honduras, India, Israel, Japan, Liberia, Mexico, Ukraine, Peru, Philippines, Switzerland and Turkey. Fernbank and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center will also decorate trees and will offer a joint ticket package that includes a ticket to Winter Wonderland and Christmas at Callanwolde.

Fernbank will feature a variety of other opportunities to celebrate Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World, including:

· Evening Hours*
Saturday, November 27 and Sundays on November 21, December 12, 19 and 26
Fridays during Martinis & IMAX® on November 19 and 26 and December 17
See Winter Wonderland after dark during special extended hours. On weekends, the Museum and exhibitions will be open until 7 p.m., and hot chocolate and cookies will be available for purchase. During Martinis & IMAX® only Winter Wonderland will be open until 11 p.m.

Cost: Weekend tickets: Included with Museum admission and free for members. Friday tickets: Included with Martinis & IMAX® admission (free for members or $7-$12 for non-members).

· Winter Wonderland Celebration Weekends
November 20-21 and December 11-12
Join Fernbank for special activities, performances, crafts, games and more inspired by the cultural celebrations and traditions of Winter Wonderland.

Cost: Included with Museum admission and free for members.

· Martinis & IMAX® Holiday Fest
Friday, November 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Work off those extra Thanksgiving Day calories with live music by Kingsized, evening viewing hours of Winter Wonderland and more during a special holiday-themed edition of Martinis & IMAX®.

Cost: Included with Martinis & IMAX® admission.

· Caroling and Cupcakes: A Winter Wonderland Celebration
Saturday, December 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Enjoy the sounds of the season and holiday delights including performances by the Georgia Boy Choir, ornament-making crafts and a special appearance by “Santa-saurus!”

Cost: Included with Museum admission and free for members.

· Winter Wonderland Cocktail Party
Wednesday, December 8 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Warm up to the holiday season with a special evening presented in partnership with B98.5 FM’s Vicki Lock and the Morning Show team. Try a special Peppermintini cocktail, enjoy free hors d’oeuvres from Serpas Restaurant, and experience Winter Wonderland after dark.
Cost: $15 (includes one drink ticket). More details to be announced soon.

*Events, dates and times are subject to change.

Admission to Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World is included with Museum admission at $15 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, $14 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for Museum members and children ages two and younger. Tickets can be purchased online at fernbankmuseum.org or by phone at 404.929.6400.

A special joint ticket package is available from December 1-12, which includes admission to Fernbank Museum, including the Winter Wonderland exhibition, and to Christmas at Callanwolde, a historic mansion decorated by Atlanta's top interior and floral designers to reflect a Roaring ‘20s Christmas theme reminiscent of the era when the Candler family lived in the Gothic-Tudor mansion. The joint ticket package is offered at $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $22 for children and can be purchased by calling 404.929.6400

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Brandi Berry

Director of Public Relations

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

767 Clifton Road NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

Direct: 404.929.6339

www.fernbankmuseum.org

Black Friday Comes Earlier for Walmart

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Wal-Mart plans to open most of its stores at midnight the night of Thanksgiving, the company announced Monday, becoming the latest in a series of retailers to expand hours to lure shoppers who want to get a head-start hunting for holiday bargains.

American retailers have increasingly expanded their hours on Black Friday to get ahead of the competition, but now the kickoff is creeping into Thanksgiving Day.

Sears Holdings Corp., which operates Kmart and Sears stores, is opening Sears on Thanksgiving Day for the first time this year. Toys R Us plans to open its stores at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and stay open through Friday. And Gap Inc.'s Old Navy stores will be open on Thanksgiving Day as they were last year.

On Monday, the world's largest retailer also offered shoppers a preview of the discounts it plans. Starting at midnight the night of Thanksgiving, all Walmarts will offer $9 Wrangler jeans and $15 tubs of Legos. Starting at 5 a.m. Friday, they'll sell Hewlett-Packard Co. laptops with 15.6-inch screens for $298, Emerson 32-inch LCD HDTV TVs for $198 and Kodak digital cameras for $59.

Full story @ accessatlanta.com

Delta Community Bank branch Opens this week in Decatur

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Delta Community Credit Union opened its first DeKalb County branch this week in Decatur.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday at 246 West Ponce de Leon Ave.

On Saturday, the bank will also host a community event to teach children ages 12 and under about savings accounts. The first 50 children who open an account will receive a $50 deposit. Children will also receive coloring books and piggy banks.

How many attractions for downtown Atlanta

Photo of London Eye from janosburg.net
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By Rachel Tobin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With developers proposing a $200 million replica of the London Eye ferris wheel attraction for downtown Atlanta, the natural question is: What's next?
Atlanta has become a beacon for inventive -- and sometimes screwy -- ideas.

Downtown already has horse-drawn carriages. How about pedicabs?

How about flooding the railroad tracks in the area called “The Gulch” to create a water feature? Or a casino at Underground Atlanta? And isn't downtown Atlanta missing a pirate museum?

Some of the ideas that have been floated for downtown have often seemed starry-eyed.
Perhaps the biggest and wackiest idea of all also proved the most visionary. When Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympic Games, it showed that dreaming big can pay off.

One of downtown’s most popular attractions, the Georgia Aquarium, was certainly an “if they build it, will they come” exercise. For Georgia Aquarium benefactor Bernie Marcus, a founder of Home Depot, his vision has been remarkable. He’s adding a $110 million dolphin museum to his $290 million aquarium that has been attracting over 2 million people a year.

ajc story

Decatur Sidewalk Improvements Update

From Linda Harris decaturga.com

Mission:Impossible 4 Filming in Dubai

New Department Store Coming to Atlanta

By Arielle Kass

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The city of Alpharetta has cleared the way for the Von Maur department store to enter North Point Mall next year.
A spokeswoman for the Iowa department store chain said in an e-mail that that city's design review board on Friday morning approved Von Maur's plans to gut the former Belk space. Von Maur will expand the two-story store to 140,000 square feet, from 115,000.

The 25-store chain plans to make the North Point location a flagship space for further expansion in Atlanta and the rest of the south. That store will bring an estimated 230 jobs and is expected to open in November 2011.

ajc full story

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Von Maur
Founded	1872
Headquarters	Davenport, Iowa
Website	Von Maur website

Von Maur is an upscale specialty department store chain with virtually all stores located in the Midwestern United States, except one in Louisville, Kentucky. The chain, based in Davenport, Iowa, sells upscale brand-name apparel, accessories, cosmetics, gifts, jewelry and shoes. As of November 3, 2008, the chain has 24 stores in nine states. (A store opening in September of 2010 in Missouri will mark the chain's entry into a tenth state.) All of its stores are anchors of shopping malls or lifestyle centers. A hallmark of some of the Von Maur services are a no-interest bearing credit card account, free shipping and free gift wrapping. Another signature element of Von Maur stores is a live pianist who performs for customers during normal business hours. It competes on the same level as Nordstrom, and Lord and Taylor.

Join Renewal in Donating Canned Goods to a Good Cause

From Kelly Cheek of Renewal Design-Build
Join Renewal in Donating Canned Goods to a Good Cause. Plus, We'll Pick Up Your Cans!

Join us in celebrating the Thanksgiving season by donating canned food the week of November 15th, and help us meet our goal of 300lbs! The generous contributions will be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

We will pick up your cans! We will actually pick up your cans on Thursday, November 18th beginning at 9am. Or, you can drop them off at our office during normal business hours from Nov 15-18.

If you choose to have your cans picked up, please email kelly@renewaldesignbuild.com so that we may verify your home address. Please have your cans in a bag - clearly labeled "Canned Food Drive"- and placed by your front door at 9am on November 18th.

Most Needed Items: ** No glass containers, please!**
peanut butter, canned tuna, canned beans, canned soups, stews, and pastas, 100% fruit juice, canned fruits and veggies, macaroni and cheese dinners, whole grain, low sugar cereals

Renewal Design-Build
124 S. Columbia Dr.
Decatur, GA

What are the best places to work in Decatur Ga.

The ajc did a survey of the Best places to work.

Well Next Stop Decatur wants to know: What companies are the best places to work in Decatur ?

Read ajc story below:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

You say you work for a great company with an encouraging and inclusive atmosphere. You say you have good benefits. You say your bosses are fair, sympathetic, understanding. Then why not share the good news?

In April, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will publish a special section on the Top Workplaces of Metro Atlanta, detailing the area’s best places to work, according to the people who know best — the employees.

We need your input. Anyone can nominate a potential winner, including employees, executives and customers. Nominations are open to all businesses, including nonprofits, with at least 50 employees in a 15-county metro region.

ajc full story

Warhol painting goes for $ 35 Million