Changes for Downtown Avondale Estates

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Decatur Firm Buys Downtown Avondale Estates

 From Decatur Patch

Oakhurst Realty Partners of Decatur purchased 26,000 square feet of retail space. 

People have been wondering for years when something would happen to change the rundown look and feel of downtown Avondale Estates.
It may have happened, with landowner Newburger-Andes selling all of the downtown property it owns to Oakhurst Realty Partners of Decatur, according to the commercial real estate website Bisnow.
David Andes, chief investment officer and owner of Newburger/Andes, said the sale includes virtually all of the Tudor-designed downtown Avondale Estates. Many of those stores have been vacant for years.
read more at the Patch 
more here

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Maybe they will restore the Theatre to show movies. Below is my vision of how it might look.

Tom Jones sings Thunderball theme song for James Bond's 50th Anniversary

Jayne Mansfields Car Official Trailer

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Remember some of this was filmed  in Decatur.

12 Annual BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival AUG 18

From: decaturbbqfestival.com.
Mark your calendar for August 18, 2012, and don’t miss the 12th Annual Decatur Barbeque, Blues, & Bluegrass Festival, at Harmony Park in Decatur. The gates open at 4:00pm and there will be live music until 10:00pm. Kids 10 and under admitted free.

Please note that no outside coolers will be permitted on the site.

Decatur’s 12th Annual Decatur Barbeque, Blues, & Bluegrass Festival is brought to you by three non-profit groups: the Community Center of South Decatur, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association and Decatur Active Living. All proceeds of the festival will be invested directly into the Decatur community.
When: Saturday, August 18 – 4pm-10pm
Location: Harmony Park in Oakhurst, south of downtown Decatur
Scrumptious Food: BBQ by Fox Brothers and Black Tie BBQ
Cold Beer: Fat Tire Amber Ale, Ranger IPA, Somersault Ale and Shift Pale Lager

Entry Fee:
21 & up – $10 (‘Day Of’ ticket price)
Under 21 – FREE!

Japanese Band Plays Sing Sing Sing

Crazy Car Crash Caught On Red Light Camera

Latest on Suburban Plaza Redevelopment

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From : www.medlockpark.org

from Theresa Same, MANA Zoning Chair

Our cross-neighborhood committee met with Selig on June 27th for our first design and redevelopment meeting. As a result, I have some new design concepts to share with you as well as some general updates on the project.

Design – Selig has hired Associated Space Design (ASD) to design the redevelopment of Suburban Plaza (SP). ASD recently designed the Shops Around Lennox near Lennox Mall. The redevelopment at SP will have some similar design concepts that you see at the Shops Around Lenox and yet will have a unique look as they attempt to blend the many different architectural styles found in the Decatur area.  ASD began this design process by studying the architecture of the surrounding areas (which varies greatly). They identified the following as dominant styles in the area: Modern-retro Industrial, American Traditional, Modern Deco, Urban Chic, and Italianate Classical. ASD then began creating a plan for SP that attempts to incorporate design elements from all of these styles. The attached renderings are preliminary design concepts for the façade renovation at SP.  The design process is always mutable, and changes should be expected as the plans are further refined.

read more

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This stop Walmart sign can be seen all around surrounding neighborhoods near Suburban Plaza.

Farm to School Symposium

From:oakhurstgarden.org All those interested in are invited to attend (teachers, educators, parents, businesses, etc.) to learn more about farm to school, share lessons learned, and meet others who share the same ideals to enhance future collaborations. Register today!

Neighborhood Watch Coming Soon

Krog Street Tunnel

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The Krog Street Tunnel is a tunnel at Dekalb Ave and Krog St. known for it's Street Art.
I still have not seen what I would call great painting since the Robert Mitchum painting several years ago.

Sidewalk Sale July 6-8 Downtown Decatur

To see a complete list of stores for this Sidewalk SALE! visit The Decatur Minute

Dress Code for Dekalb Court

Great Finds at Decatur's Kudzu Antiques

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Vintage ELVIS 45

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LEMMY Lemonade Since 1939

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/24391992@N00/7491857382/in/photostream/lightbox

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Ringo Starr Stop Poster

-- Kudzu Antiques 2929 E. PONCE DE LEON AVE. DECATUR GA 30030 / 25,000 SQ.FT./ OPEN 7 DAYS 11AM-7PM / VOTED ATLANTAS BEST SINCE 1979 /404-373-6498 --

website:  http://www.kudzuantiques.com/

Decatur Book Festival 2012 Labor Day Weekend

Read all about it at: http: decaturbookfestival.com

Thumbs up if you have ever wished you were on that bus.

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11 Alive visits Decatur

 11 Alive visits Decatur

 
see all related video links after this is played.

Local Arts and Crafts Festival in Piedmont Park Aug. 18

From Kathy Fox:
The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces “brought back” the local arts and crafts festival tradition to Piedmont Park in 2011. This event “knocks it out of the park” for local painters, potters, and hand crafters! Not a typical fine arts show, this one is for local crafters and the people in our community including our neighbors and friends to “show off” at their favorite park. The best way to describe it is Inman Park meets Yellow Daisy, meets Indie Craft, meets Buckhead Arts Festival, complete with arts, crafts, a children’s area, and local foods and beverages. And watch out for some surprises, like last year’s “Flash Mob!”

Location: 1071 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30309
Times: Sat., August 18, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sun., August 19, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Music: Acoustic music only
Admission: Free to attend

CONTACT INFORMATION
www.piedmontparkartsfestival.com
www.affps.com

Farm Burger and Morelli's Ice Cream to Team Up.

--  From: http: accessatlanta.com
By Jenny Turknett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Farm Burger and Morelli's Ice Cream expanding O.T.P.

We have exciting news for folks outside the Perimeter. As first reported by Tomorrow's News Today, Farm Burger and Morelli's Gourmet Ice Cream are teaming up to expand to Dunwoody. George Frangos, owner of Farm Burger, confirmed the news. Farm Burger and Morelli's will move into a spot in the Georgetown Shopping Center off Chamblee Dunwoody Road. According to Frangos, the new location should open close to Labor Day.

The size of the Dunwoody space prompted the Farm Burger/Morelli's collaboration. Frangos says, "This is a larger restaurant for us, which dictated a partnership." Frangos connected with Donald Sargent, owner of Morelli's, through a real estate broker, who became familiar with both parties through their (unsuccessful) airport bidding packages.

You can expect the Dunwoody Farm Burger menu to be similar to that of the Decatur and Buckhead locations. As for future plans, Frangos says they have "no grand plans" for expansion but they are "always looking."

http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-restaurants-food/whats-new-farm-burger-1466506.html

11 Alive on the Square this Friday Morning.... Be There.

From The Decatur Minute Catherine posted this:
Calling all Decaturites – who are morning people! 11 Alive is filming its morning show on the square this Friday morning from 4:30-7 a.m. Yes, you read that correctly. That’s 4:30 AM! And we want you to come out and join us on the square. Wear your Team Decatur shirt, make a fun welcome poster, dress up in costume, roll out of bed and come in your pjs, bring your cup of coffee in your favorite travel mug, bring your dog (he/she will appreciate the early walk), or just stop by and wave to the camera. If you don’t plan on getting up to the square until, say, 5:30 a.m., that’s fine too. Just make sure to stop by before 7 a.m. Need some incentive? How about this:

• The first 25 people to come to the square on Friday morning will get a free Revolution Doughnuts doughnut.
• The first 20 dogs to come to the square (on a leash with their owners of course) will get a free Taj Ma Hound biscuit.

We can all have a sugar-high together at 4:30 a.m. on the square! If that doesn’t sound like a fun way to start your Friday, well then, I have nothing more to say to you. Except that Bookzilla will be there too!
You can’t turn doughnuts AND a giant lizard with a book for a head, right? See you there!

Creature from the Black Lagoon @ The Plaza Theatre June 30 and it's in 3D

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From plazaatlanta.com CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON in3D Saturday June 30th @ 1pm and 10pm Presented by The Silver Scream Spookshow! WHAT IS THE SILVER SCREAM SPOOKSHOW? Audiences of all ages are getting the “yell” scared out of them at Professor Morte’s SILVER SCREAM SPOOKSHOW, a unique brand of eerie entertainment. With a cast of creepy, colorful characters, the SILVER SCREAM SPOOKSHOW mixes classic spook show scares, comedy and horrifically hip hijinks. Morte --the ghost host with the most-- presides over this twisted variety show featuring magic tricks, dance numbers and fun-filled frights! Think “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” meets “The Munsters.” A classic horror film follows each show. From “Frankenstein” to “The Creature From the Black Lagoon,” the SILVER SCREAM SPOOKSHOW shares its love of scary cinema with a new generation. And this monstrous double bill and interactive movie-going experience gives guests more boo for the buck! www.silverscreamspookshow.com

1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast  Atlanta, GA 30306

(404) 873-1939

Decatur Library Gets a New Roof

Decatur, GA: The Decatur Library gets a much needed new roof.

Modern Creative Office Space in Decatur

Decatur GA.
-- 115B N McDonough St, Decatur, GA 30030. Description Modern Office Building located one block from Decatur Square. Newly constructed building w/ hardwood floors is approx 3,500 sf with roof terrace. Perfect for design firm, professional office, or live work. Spaces include studio, loft, kitchen, bedroom/office, 2 baths w/ tiled showers. Kitchen has fridge, range, and dishwasher. Street signage is available. More images at http://lightroom.tv/projects/architecture_commercial/lightroom/lightroom.html Located on N. McDonough Street in the heart of downtown Decatur, one block from Decatur Square.
info from:http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17038400/115B-N-McDonough-St-Decatur-GA/ --

Georgia Perimeter Layoffs

 From ajc
When Georgia Perimeter students return to campus in August they'll have fewer tutors and less people to answer questions about financial aid or what courses to take.
The college laid off 282 people Monday -- nearly 9 percent of its employees -- and 92 of the cuts are in student affairs. This division includes admissions, financial aid, student life and advising and counseling.

The job cuts are part of a plan to close what could be a $25 million deficit next year. Interim President Rob Watts said eliminating jobs was unavoidable because about 90 percent of the budget is spent on personnel.

"Our first priority in making the reduction-in-force decisions was protecting classroom instruction for students," Watts wrote in an email announcing the layoffs. "Our goal is for these staff reductions to have the smallest possible effect on students."
Tenure and tenure-track faculty were exempt from layoffs. Still, the cuts mean tutoring, advising and recruiting will be reduced at the two-year college. Tutoring is crucial for many of the nearly 27,000 students, especially those who are older and haven't been in school for a while.

"When I first came here I used the tutoring center and I don't know if I would have done well without it," said Jennifer Freeman, 25, who is in the sign language interpreting program

The Teen Advisory Board presents Zombie Night

From: dekalblibrary.org --

		The Teen Advisory Board presents Zombie Night at The Decatur Library
Date: Friday, June 22 2012, 6:00 pm—9:00 pm Location: Decatur Event Type: Fun Activities Series: Own the Night Age Group: Teen (Ages 13—17 years) Dress up as the "Walking Dead" and join us for a night of games, movies, and terror.

Walmart Opens First Georgia Neighborhood Market

From ajc
The Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market at 3059 Lawrenceville Highway in Lawrenceville will be open 24 hours, and will open its doors at 7:45 a.m. The company has at least two other such stores in the works in metro Atlanta, and will open between 80 and 100 of the grocery stores nationwide this year.
The stores have on average 29,000 items and are less than a quarter of a Supercenter's size. This store is opening in a former Publix space. It will have a self-serve deli, produce, prepared and frozen foods, a pharmacy and an organic section.
Wal-Mart is opening eight Neighborhood Markets nationwide this month, and has a total of about 200 such stores. When the grocery stores were first announced in metro Atlanta last year, executives described them as part of a fill-in strategy, to capture small grocery trips that wouldn't ordinarily go to Wal-Mart.
The store will employ 80 people.

Decatur's new Slogan

-- From The Decatur Minute:
Do you remember when we kicked off the Go Local Slogan contest here? And then needed your help selecting from the top four here? If you don’t, here’s the gist: we’ve been looking for a slogan to encourage people to shop, dine and support local businesses in Decatur and decided to reach out to the community for help. Well, after receiving more than 250 entries, creating a Go Local committee made up of local business owners, narrowing down the entries to the top four, we’ve got our winning

slogan>


  Read more at decaturminute.com

Chastain Park Summer Movie series every Thursday night in July.

From Kathy Fox
AFFPS announces Chastain Park Summer Movie Series

The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, which produces the on the Chastain Park Arts Festival and Festival on Ponce, among others, will host the Chastain Park Summer Movie series every Thursday night in July.

The movies will be screened at sunset on the hilltop meadow just off Park Drive in historic Chastain Park. Local food trucks will be on had to provide food and beer and wine will be available. The film line up includes:

The Artist: This homage to the silent film era won Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. (July 5)

Mirror Mirror: Julia Roberts stars as the evil queen in this live-action version of the telling of Snow White. (July 12)

Letters from Juliet: A young woman dreams of becoming a writer and travels to Verona, Italy for some Shakespearian inspiration. The film stars Amanda Seyfried, Gael Garcia Bernal and Vanessa Redgrave. (July 19)

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Audrey Hepburn stars in this classic film based on Truman Capote’s novella about the free-spirited socialite Holly Golightly. (July 26)

Blankets are welcome, but no lawn chairs allowed. Free to attend.

Drive-In Theatre Memories

Beach Party 6/15/12

From thehttp://thedecaturminute.com/
The weather forecast looks beautiful and Yacht Rock Schooner is gearing up to give us one heck of a show!
The Decatur Business Association puts on the Beach Party every year as our biggest (and only) fundraiser. Money raised tomorrow helps to fund all of our free events for the rest of the year including the Concerts on the Square, the Bonfire and Marshmallow Roast, the Easter Egg Hunt, and the 4th of July Fireworks.
Tickets are $7 in advance for adults, $10 at the gate. Kids 3-12 are $5 and that ticket includes all of the boardwalk games and fun. Click here to purchase your tickets.
Please remember that no outside food or drinks are allows inside the festival gates-also no coolers or pets, sorry!
Finally, our Decatur Fire Department will be collecting canned goods and other non-perishable items for our local food banks. The summer is a tought time for those organizations so please bring us supplies to help stock the shelves. Drop your items in the big red barrels at any of the entry gates tomorrow.
See you tomorrow on the Square!

Downtown Decatur building sells to Boston-based fund

From ajc
Downtown Decatur building sells to Boston-based fund
By Greg Bluestein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A downtown Decatur building has been sold to a Boston-based investment fund.
Cushman & Wakefield said Monday it represented Pope & Land Enterprises in the sale of Decatur Plaza to an affiliate of REIT Management & Research. It was not immediately clear how much the deal was worth.

The 112,000-square-foot building, located at 101 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, is fully leased through 2021 to Emory Healthcare.

Stop Work orders issued for Soapbox Derby Track

From: ajc
   
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

By April Hunt



The DeKalb County Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to halt construction of a soapbox derby track favored by CEO Burrell Ellis, a project the commission insists it never approved. Ellis' reply: not so fast.
“This is as clear as this board can be: stop what you're doing,” Commissioner Elaine Boyer said of the 6-0 vote (with one absentee) demanding the county halt any work being done at the site on Rock Chapel Road near Lithonia.

An Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation revealed last week that county taxpayers have paid $91,819 thus far on clear-cutting trees and other work on the track that Ellis authorized without commission consent.

Despite growing controversy over the project,estimated to cost $1 million, Ellis said he was blindsided by the resolution and was unclear on his next step, other than asking county attorneys if the board had the power to stop construction. He stopped short of saying he would immediately halt work in the meantime, saying that the board’s 2011 vote to add the derby track to a potential projects to be completed with parks bond money was tacit approval of the track.
read more: here

The Forgotten 1976 Neil Diamond Negative

This image of Neil Diamond is from a old 35mm negative which was a result of bad exposure and bad lighting when I shot it that night (May 14, 1976) at The Fox Theatre, I never thought about it again until now. It turns out that now I think it's one of my favorite images that I have taken of Neil Diamond.

After playing around with photoshop I turned that old negative which I had almost forgot about into this image above, also this is the first time I merged two pictures into one using a old Fox Theatre photo. click image bottom and just listen. and/or click here for a one hour story of Neil Diamond.
-- ---Diamond Show Real Sparkler. Reprinted from AJC. May 15, 1976 Singing Just For You. By Scott Cain. The Neil Diamond concert was one of those events that leaves everybody happily drained. Both artist and audience gave far more to the occasion than was required by mere politeness. Diamond has the knack of making an audience feel it is the most important crowd that has ever heard him perform. His Friday show at the Fox, the first of three he is giving this weekend in the grand old theatre, could not have seemed more tailor made for the occasion if he had spent six months working up a special performance. He turned the Fox's mighty organ into a supporting performer for a routine that was comic highlight of the concert. While an organist ground out a "Phantom of the Opera" style tune, Diamond recited a witty dialogue about Jimmy Carter's unlikely rise from peanut prince to would-be occupant of the White House. This number may prove to be the funniest comment anyone will make about election-year aspirations. Diamond also took advantage of the Fox organ's ability to crank out the unlikeliest sounds--auto horns blaring and whatnot. He made this serve as sound effects for the title number from his soon due album, "Beautiful Noise". Except for this song, Diamond's show was a greatest hits collection. Many of the numbers he rendered exactly as they were recorded, but in the most important intervals in the concert he revealed a commendable flair for expanding on familiar material. He turned Song Sung Blue into a audience sing-a-long. Sweet Caroline had such a reception that he sang it several times in mid-concert. He opened the show with a bang, the pulsating "Soolaimon." From there, he ran through a long collection of his hits, "Solitary Man", "Play Me", "Morningside", "Hot August Night," "The Last Picasso" and many others, taking care to present each one as if his reputation would rise or fall based on its interpretation. The show was a reminder of the broad range of material that Diamond has used to advantage. His intensity as a song stylist is such that each person feels Diamond is singing just for him. The evening had plenty of light moments too. Aside from the traditional addled blond in the aisle, Diamond cast a especially hypnotic spell on one young woman (wearing a luminescent green necklace,yet), who was unable to restrain herself and bounded onto the stage to tell him how adorable she considers him to be Gallant to the end . Diamond assured the dazed creature that he returned her deep feeling. To say that the audience ate up the show would be a monstrous understatement. Diamond indicated that he was overwhelmed with the response and it is easy to believe he was. He gave a long encore consisting of selections fro "Jonathan Livingston Seagull." When even this did not satisfy the crowd, he gave two more encores, each one to thunderous applause. The End. Reprinted from AJC. May 15, 1976 -- --

Little Shop of Stories in the Round

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Click photo to enlarge

 --From Little Shop of Stories website. We're the best children's bookstore in Georgia! All right, in the the entire Southeast! In this big 'ol United States! In all of North America! In the entire western hemisphere! Okay, we're the best one on the planet Earth! In our solar system! Would you believe in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy?! No, no, no. Little Shop of Stories is the best independent bookstore for kids & the grownups they become in the observable universe!!! (which, according to Wikipedia, "consists of the galaxies and other matter that we can in principle observe from Earth in the present day, because light (or other signals) from those objects has had time to reach us since the beginning of the cosmological expansion.") address: 133A East Court Square Decatur, Georgia 30030

60 Years of Music

Jerry Andrews sends this in.

This is neat. It's sort of a "Jukebox Time Machine" of music. Each of the years below connects to the best 20 hits of that year via a Jukebox. Click on a year, wait a few seconds, and a Jukebox will appear showing you 20 hits from that year to select from. You can play all 20 hits, or.. click on just those that you like. Enjoy the ride! > > > 1940 > > > 1950 > > > 1960 > > > 1970 > > > 1980 > > > 1990 > > > 1941 > > > 1951 > > > 1961 > > > 1971 > > > 1981 > > > 1991 > > > 1942 > > > 1952 > > > 1962 > > > 1972 > > > 1982 > > > 1992 > > > 1943 > > > 1953 > > > 1963 > > > 1973 > > > 1983 > > > 1993 > > > 1944 > > > 1954 > > > 1964 > > > 1974 > > > 1984 > > > 1994 > > > 1945 > > > 1955 > > > 1965 > > > 1975 > > > 1985 > > > 1995 > > > 1946 > > > 1956 > > > 1966 > > > 1976 > > > 1986 > > > 1996 > > > 1947 > > > 1957 > > > 1967 > > > 1977 > > > 1987 > > > 1997 > > > 1948 > > > 1958 > > > 1968 > > > 1978 > > > 1988 > > > 1998 > > > 1949 > > > 1959 > > > 1969 > > > 1979 > > > 1989 > > > 1999

One-tank trips close to Atlanta

Vacation close to home

From ajc

Too busy to take a “real” vacation? You don’t need a full week and plenty of dough to enjoy these smaller towns. They’re easy to get to, within a short drive (a tank of gas or less) from Atlanta, and full of undiscovered Southern charm. For instance, in Georgia, historic Dahlonega has a pre-gold rush history, wineries and home-style restaurants. The Chattooga River offers beautiful scenery and exciting rafting. In western North Carolina, the city of Asheville beckons with the magnificent Biltmore house. Adventure is only a short drive away.
ALABAMA
• Birmingham, Ala.: for art lovers
• Fort Payne, Ala., offers natural beauty • Vintage motorcycles in Leeds, Ala.
• Selma: Revisit civil rights history
• Tuscaloosa, Ala.: More than football
GEORGIA
• Albany's revived waterfront
• Athens, Ga.: a classic college town
• A James Brown fest in Augusta, Ga.
• Raft and ride in Blue Ridge, Ga.
• Cartersville, Ga., home of Western-theme and cowboy art
• Chateau Elan (Braselton, Ga.) resort/winery
• Chattooga River rafting
• Golf in Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee (Eatonton, Ga.)
• Dalton, more than the carpet capital of Georgia
• Dahlonega, Ga.: Where wine is the new gold
• Gainesville, Ga.'s history, trails and more
• Helen, Ga. is a "little Bavaria"
• Howard Finster Vision House (Pennville, Ga.)
• LaGrange, Ga.: Southern heritage, French twist
• Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville, Ga.
• 19th-century architecture in Madison, Ga.
• Wild animals in Pine Mountain, Ga. | Callaway Gardens
• Presidential history in Plains, Ga.
• Better than Rome, Italy? Rome, Ga.
• History, beauty and art in Savannah, Ga.
• Pebble Hill estate in Thomasville, Ga., worthy of a movie set
• Vienna, Ga., has cute cotton museum and the Big Pig Jig
NORTH CAROLINA
• Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C., is a year-round destination
• Blowing Rock, N.C.: mountain beauty
• Cashiers, N.C. is the serene heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains
• DuPont State Forest (Cedar Mountain, N.C.): a once-private territory
• Popular Atlanta getaway: Highlands, N.C.
• Hot Springs, N.C.'s working farm, Briar Rose
• Ski close to home at Maggie Valley, N.C.
TENNESSEE
• Chattanooga, Tenn.: train is a treat | Chattanooga riverfront
• Manchester, Tenn.,may be nicer without the music
• Elvis is forever at Graceland in Memphis
• Beale Street in Memphis is home to the blues, brews and barbecue
• Knoxville: More than just the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Nashville is country music’s capital and home to the Grand Ole Opry
• Lynchburg is the birthplace of Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
• Pigeon Forge is the the perfect family getaway and the home of Dollywood

One Day in Atlanta

 From: http://www.atlanta.net

One Dayin Atlanta
If you only have limited time in our wonderful city, enjoy this quick and enjoyable itinerary.
Morning

Head to the Georgia Aquarium, where you can see more than 120,000 animals of 500 different species in more than 8 million gallons of marine and fresh water. Touch tanks, 4-D theatre, Whale Sharks, Beulga Whales and more are perfect for kids of all ages!
At the Inside CNN Atlanta Tour, watch behind-the-scenes action of the newsroom, see what it takes to put a news broadcast together and even learn how the weather map works.
Insider's Tip: Make reservations in advance for the 50-minute tour.
Visit Centennial Olympic Park, the world's gathering place during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. The park features the popular Fountain of Rings and many outdoor events during the summer months.
Insider's Tip: Wednesday WindDown is a free concert series every Wednesday from 5:30-8 p.m. at Centennial Park during the summer months.
Lunch

The SunDial Restaurant Bar & View (atop the Westin Peachtree Plaza, the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere) offers breathtaking views of downtown Atlanta.

Afternoon

Head to the World of Coca-Cola, where the famous soft drink's story is told through fascinating exhibits, classic ads and an imaginative replica of the bottling process.
Did you know Atlanta boasts two Nobel Peace Prize and Medal of Freedom winners?
The Sweet Auburn district is the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site includes a visitors' center depicting the story of Dr. King and the civil rights movement; the restored King birth home; Ebenezer Baptist Church, where three generations of the King family preached; and Dr. King's burial site.
Currently on exhibit at the MLK National Historic Site: The International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. Stand in the footprints and see the shoes of 17 civil rights leaders displayed as a tribute to the warriors of justice.
Or visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, next to The Carter Center. The library includes a replica of the Oval Office and Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize, as well as traveling exhibits.
Insider's Tip: Transportation to the MLK National Historic Site or Jimmy Carter Library/Carter Center would be best by car (both locations have free parking) or MARTA bus. You also can enjoy the Carter-King Peace Trail pedestrian and bike path between the two attractions. Commemorative plaques can be found along the 1.5-mile walk.
Evening
Option #1: Between April and October, catch an Atlanta Braves baseball game, including pre-game pep rallies and testing your hitting or throwing skills at Scout's Alley.
Insider's Tip: Visitors are allowed to bring food into the ballpark, so grab dinner at The Varsity, an Atlanta landmark on North Avenue, serving chili dogs, hamburgers and the signature Frosted Orange.
Picnic tables are right inside the ballpark's entrance.
Option #2: In the cooler months, you can attend an Atlanta Hawks basketball game at Philips Arena.

Neon Trees - Everybody Talks

Vote needed on Courthouse Lawn Repairs

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 From Decatur Patch
All those festivals on the Decatur Court Square have taken a toll.

The lawn near the community bandstand has become so worn down over the years that the City of Decatur wants to budget $275,000 to renovate the area. The city commission will vote Monday night on the project.

Work would start just after July 4 and take about two months, said a memo from Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon.

Saxon said the work would include "removal of compacted soil around the bandstand, installation of a waterproof liner, drainage system, structural soil mix, irrigation system and laying a new Bermuda turf lawn. Several declining trees will be removed and replaced with trees, shrubs and other landscape improvements."

If the commission approves, a $224,000 contract will go to Ed Castro Landscaping Inc. of Roswell. That company was the low bidder.
read more

50 fun things to do in Atlanta.

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Whether you've got a few hours or days, stay and play your way with these fun things to do in Atlanta!

From:  http://www.atlanta.net

Atlanta, Georgia offers tons of fun for families, kids and couples. There are so many things to do in Atlanta - from top attractions and history, to outdoor adventures and award-winning culture - you're sure to find seasonal sensations year-round! To create your must-have memories, start with this list of 50 fun things to do in Atlanta.

Alliance Theatre
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Braves and Turner Field
ATL-Cruzers Electric Car Tours
Atlanta's Eclectic Neighborhoods
Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome
Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Dream at Philips Arena
Atlanta Higher Education Centers Score an A+ in Culture!
Atlanta History Center
Atlanta Motor Sports
Atlanta Opera and the Atlanta Ballet
Atlantic Station
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chastain Park Amphitheater
Buckhead Arts & Galleries
Buckhead Entertainment and Nightlife
Centennial Olympic Park
Center for Puppetry Arts
Chattahoochee River Fun
College Sports
Decatur Square
Downtown Nightlife
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Festivals Galore
The Fox Theatre
Georgia Aquarium
Golf in Atlanta

Grant Park
Hard Rock Cafe
High Museum of Art
Historic Neighbors
Historic West End
Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta
Inside CNN Studio Tour
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Legendary, Luxury Shopping
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta
Margaret Mitchell House
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site & Sweet Auburn District
Medieval Times
Michael C. Carlos Museum
Midtown Nightlife
Midtown Walking and Bicycling Tours
North Georgia Day Trips
Outlet Malls and Day Trip Shopping
Piedmont Park
See Atlanta From Above
Six Flags Over Georgia
Stone Mountain Park
Underground Atlanta
William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum
World of Coca-Cola
Yellow River Game Ranch
Zoo Atlanta

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Suburban Plaza / Walmart: updated site design

From:http:http://www.medlockpark.org/
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Suburban Plaza/Walmart: updated site design
The following is an updated version of the Suburban Plaza Redevelopment article that Theresa Same, MANA Zoning Chair, contributed to the current issue of our Medlock Matters neighborhood newsletter.
Before I dive into my update, I want to again state that after engaging legal counsel and speaking with our County Representatives the MANA Board and I decided that it is in the best interest of our neighborhood to work with Selig Enterprises and Walmart on the redevelopment of Suburban Plaza. I believe that my job as your Zoning Chair is to give you as many facts as I can about this development so that you can form your own opinion. I respect that those opinions vary greatly throughout the neighborhood and that many of you feel very passionately about how this redevelopment will affect our neighborhood – all of which I attempt to honor in my discussions with Selig and Walmart. At the same time, the board and I are realistic in trying to negotiate the best development we can for our neighborhood with one of the most powerful retailers in the country; this is especially difficult within the confines of our county and sate laws/ordinances that generally favor business and cars over residents and alternative transportation. 

As I drive or walk through the neighborhood, I can’t help but notice the growing number of “Stop Walmart” signs.  People stop and ask me everyday what is going on with the Suburban Plaza redevelopment. The truth is there has not been a lot to report since our negotiations with Selig/Walmart and the Zoning Board of Appeal’s decision in December to approve Selig’s request for a parking exception on the property [this link calls up all updates we've had since then, posted on this website]. This slow-down in activity is about change because things are starting to take shape for the redevelopment.
read more here.
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More Walmart news:

 Bethesda Walk Plaza Walmart  is expected to open June 25

In other Walmart store news The new Walmart Neighborhood Market in Lawrenceville in the Bethesda Walk Plaza vacant building where a former grocery store once called home is expected open June 25th. This new Walmart Neighborhood Market  will be Georgia's first with two other locations coming soon in Alpharetta and Snellville later this year.

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