Sunday, August 30, 2009

RELICS & RARITIES ICE CREAM SHOP OPENS TODAY @ NOON



Click on photos to enlarge.








Last night Warren Pickard of Relics & Rarities hosted a wine & wheels event to show off his new place and it is some place, guests were taken on a tour to see all the things he has collected and had a story for each item. A very cool place, kids and adults will love this place.
Here are a few pictures from last night. I will post more pictures on my flickr site soon.

I had the opportunity to meet Nick of Decatur Metro (another Decatur blog) and he took a few pictures also.

Relics & Rarities OPENS TODAY AT NOON, so get over there and check it out for yourself and enjoy the ice cream.

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

Across from Decatur High School

Have you been yet ? How did you like it. ?

Saturday, August 29, 2009

A Bird Imitation Contest at a Book Festival..That's a First.



Photo: The Bird Sanctuary sign in Avondale.
Photo credit: D.G. Whitefield


On the Decatur Book Festival Blog they have a post about a bird imitation contest to held at the Decatur Book Festival when John Yow( The Armchair Birder) appears Sunday, Sept 6 at 2:30 pm at the Decatur Conference Center Stage.
If you think you have what it takes to be a bird, you should be a contestant and show Decatur your bird imitation. Here is my imitation....HOOTY HOOT.
Here is the link to the blog post at The Decatur Book Festival site.

RELICS & RARITIES ICE CREAM SHOP OPENS Tomorrow @ Noon Aug 30th



This photo taken in March, it has changed a little bit, but this will give you an idea of how it looks.


RELICS & RARITIES
104 N. McDonough St.
Decatur, GA

Decatur Bulldogs 46 - Druid Hills 0

Decatur High Bulldogs won their first game over Druid Hills 46-0 last night.
See some good photos at inDecatur site.

Remembering RICH'S at Belvedere Plaza

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Decatur High Pep Rally Friday Aug 28 @ 6:00 PM



Kickoff Time 7:30 Decatur Bulldogs vs Druid Hills

Looking Back at McDonough St .Market & Jakes Ice Cream



Well it's been about a year since The McDonough Street Market & Jakes Ice Cream moved out of the old Belk-Gallant building and still no new tenants on the street level, Eddie's Attic is doing very well upstairs. This building when full brings life to N.McDonough St.
Let's hope we will see some new tenants soon.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Vintage Decatur Theatre movie ad.


circa 1955

Note: See updates on The Decatur Theatre web site.

1956 Decatur GA. Street Scene


1956 Decatur, GA street scene looking towards court house from N. McDonough St.

Click photo to enlarge

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

"Conversations with Shoes" running through Sept 17 @ Rose Squared




Rose Squared Event:

"Conversations with Shoes"

Opened

August 7, 2009

Running through Sept, 17, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose Squared
111 Clairemont Ave
Decatur, GA 30030

ph: 404 377-1414

Creative Loafing sold for $ 5 million

Creative Loafing chain sold to biggest creditor for $5 million
New owner Atalaya says it will make papers profitable, no layoffs planned.
By Jeffry Scott

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



The Eason family’s 37-year-old Creative Loafing publishing empire came to an end Tuesday morning when a Tampa bankruptcy judge awarded the struggling chain of six alternative weekly newspapers to its biggest creditor, a New York-based private equity company, Atalaya Capital Management LP.
ajc story

Street Scene: Can-Am Spyder Roadster Three Wheeled Motorcycle




Street Scene in Decatur. This is a Can-Am Spyder Roadster Three Wheeled Motorcycle.

I Want One.

Greg T said...

You can have one, for a little over $16k.

http://spyder.brp.com/en-US/See/Can-Am/Showroom/Index


Acaislim said...

I love it!!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Captain Healthy and Safety Dog an Original Puppet Show @ Decatur Library


Captain Healthy and Safety Dog

Safety DogDeKalb County Public Library and the Center for Puppetry Arts, in conjunction with the DeKalb County Board of Health, are teaming up on a project aimed at teaching children about a very important topic—health and safety. This fall, the organizations are presenting a special free puppet show, called “Captain Healthy and Safety Dog,” that will entertain school-aged children while telling them about things they can do to live a safe and healthy life.
Read the full press release including the schedule for upcoming shows.

Saturday. Sept. 12, 2009
First Show 10:30 AM
Second Show 1:00 PM
Location: Decatur Library- 215 Sycamore Street
Decatur, Georgia 30030

NOTE: Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis

Sunday, August 23, 2009

RELICS & RARITIES ICE CREAM SHOP OPENS AUG. 30 @ NOON



It's an old garage converted to a wonderful ice cream palor that desires to be a museum...simply put, it's Relics & Rarities
AUG. 30TH SUNDAY @ NOON
RELICS & RARITIES
104 N. McDonough St.
Decatur, GA
``````````````````````````````

WINE & WHEELS IS AUG 29TH

Please join us on Aug. 29th @ 8:30PM for a wonderful evening of wine and classic cars, and more . The event will be fun for all with a Q&A with owner, door prizes, games, music and of course ice cream. Space is limited to so please RSVP @ relicsicecream@gmail.com. Admission is just $10.00. No one under 21 allowed.

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


Original illustration by Rafael De Soto

Click image to enlarge

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Old Smith's Shoe Sign Found




Click on photos to enlarge.

This is the building where Sage was located and the new business moving in will be The Iberian Pig.
Sure would be nice if they kept the old Smith's Shoe sign. It looks so cool.
If it were up to me, I would leave the Smith's Shoe sign and put a neon light above it for "The Iberian Pig" that would make that building a Classic.

The Iberian Pig arrives in Decatur late summer 2009

The Iberian Pig
121 Sycamore St.
Decatur, GA 30030
404.371.8800

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Creative Loafing chain up for auction


By Jeffry Scott
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

His family’s empire of alternative weekly newspapers headed to the auction block next week in a Tampa bankruptcy court, Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason said Wednesday he’s confident his bid will prevail.
“I think we are absolutely the best bid,” Eason said in a telephone interview from Tampa, the headquarters of the struggling six-newspaper chain that was founded in Atlanta 37 years ago by his mother, Deborah Eason, who sold her interest to her son and a group of investors in 2000.

“Any bid has got to have cash, management and know-how, and be in a position to run the business and pay off debt,” said Eason. “We have all of that.”

But a partner in the only other known bidder, New York-based Atalaya Capital Management LP, which Creative Loafing owes $30 million, said Wednesday he was confident Atalaya would get a judge’s nod and soon run the company.
ajc full story

Decatur’s Renewal Design-Build Recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle,


August 19, 2009 - For the second year in a row, Renewal has been named one of Atlanta’s Top 10 residential remodelers by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Renewal ranks #7 for the entire metro area, and is #1 in all of Decatur and DeKalb County. The list, revised and published annually, surveys and ranks the top companies in a variety of industries across the 20-county metro area.



In addition, Renewal has earned the position of #2,022 in the 2009 Inc. 5000, an annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This list, compiled by Inc. Magazine, is the most comprehensive portrait of fast-growing private companies assembled anywhere.



Renewal, which works primarily in Decatur, Avondale and intown Atlanta neighborhoods, continues to see steady growth amidst the economic downturn. President and co-owner David Michelson credits the local community for their success. He says, “The community is tremendously supportive of Renewal. Homeowners in the area really embrace the energy-efficient and ‘green’ renovation principles we’ve promoted for so long, and they continue to recommend us to their neighbors, family, and friends.”



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



For more information, call 404.378.6962, or visit RenewalDesignBuild.com.





Kelly Cheek

Marketing Manager
Renewal Design-Build

404-378-6962


124 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur, GA 30030

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Metro Atlanta speed crackdown coming Wednesday

By Mashaun D. Simon

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Patrols will be concentrated on the interstates
By Mashaun D. Simon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Motorists beware. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) is launching another all-day speed enforcement crackdown.
On Wednesday, traffic enforcement units from DeKalb County PD, Cobb County PD, College Park PD, East Point PD, Union City PD, Atlanta Police Department are expected to run concentrated patrols on I-285, I-85, I-75 and I-20.

They will be on the lookout for motorists, who drive at illegal speeds, tailgate, drive aggressively, and ignore Georgia’s ‘Move Over Law.’ The Move-Over Law was designed to protect law enforcement officers conducting traffic stops and other first responders performing emergency tasks alongside highways with their emergency lights activated.

ajc story

Decatur GA. Postcard Photo


Wish You Were Here.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Relics and Rarities Ice Cream Parlor and Car Gallery to Open Early September.


Greetings,

In early September 2009, Relics and Rarities Ice Cream Parlor and Car Gallery will open its doors. We are prepared to take the youth of Decatur, and the entire metropolitan area on a wonderful journey. The Gallery is full of American automobile history and the culture in which it is surrounded. Just about every item in the gallery has a Relics and Rarities information plaque associated with it. These plaques provide interesting and educational comments. Our motto is “learn something cool and have a cool scoop of ice cream while you’re at it.”

Sincerely,
Warren K. Pickard

WINE & WHEELS EVENT AUG. 29, 2009

Please join us on Aug. 29th @ 8:30PM for a wonderful evening of wine and classic cars, and more . The event will be fun for all with a Q&A with owner, door prizes, games, music and of course ice cream. Space is limited to so please RSVP @ relicsicecream@gmail.com. Admission is just $10.00. No one under 21 allowed.




Relics and Rarities Ice Cream Parlor
409 North McDonough Street, Decatur, Georgia 30030

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Can You Guess Where This Is. ?


Can you guess where this trailer/ building is and what business it is. ? Hint: It's in the Decatur area.

Dave Kell said...

That's on the used car lot on E. College just west of Sam's Crossing, just outside the Decatur city limits.

Next Stop Decatur said: correct, It's called "Drive A.S.A.P."

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Filming of "PAST LIFE" at Decatur City Hall



See the guy running toward me in the orange shirt, well he ran up to me and told me, no pictures, and I said to him... No Speak English.



In this scene the two guy's in masks come running out of City Hall which was converted to be Pelham Co-Op Savings & Loan Bank,
and run down the steps, and a women walking on the sidewalk with her grocery bag sees what has just happend and one of the mask guys shoots her 3 or for 4 times, and the other guy says "what did you do that for", and he says "she saw us rob the bank man"
and they run off down the sidewalk. and then someone says "Cut"

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Take MARTA to see Paul McCartney


On Friday, workers continued to put the final touches on the venue for Saturday night's Green Concert with Paul McCartney. This is the biggest outdoor production that music producer Peter Colon has ever done, with 70 semi-trucks of production material and a million and a half dollars of just stage and production costs alone. John Spink / jspink@ajc.com
Downtown will be extra clogged this weekend with Braves game, hair show, lane closures
By Ty Tagami
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



Baby, you can’t drive my car. Or yours.
That’s what the Georgia Department of Transportation is singing as a former Beatle prepares to headline an Atlanta concert on a Saturday brimming with several other big downtown events and, you got it, lane closures on the Downtown Connector.

Paul McCartney, who has been opening recent shows with “Drive My Car,” is expected to draw tens of thousands to Piedmont Park for his first outdoor Atlanta concert in 44 years. Also on Saturday, at the Georgia World Congress Center, some 50,000 hair stylists are expected to attend the Bronner Bros. International Hair Show.

AJC STORY

Friday, August 14, 2009

New life for downtown Macy’s building


photo from creative loafing.
By Rachel Tobin Ramos The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



The glamorous, 14-foot-high teardrop chandeliers in the former Macy’s building downtown soon will have a new reason to sparkle.
Even in this gloomy economy.

Within the year, the memorable fixtures will help illuminate weddings, parties and special events.

Construction started this week that will transform the three main shopping floors of the 82-year-old building on Peachtree Street into an events venue.

The Grand Atrium and The Gallery events spaces are scheduled to open in early 2010, along with two restaurants, Meehan’s Public House and Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint. Later, a traveling exhibits venue will open on the ground floor.

ajc full story

The former Macy’s building at 180 Peachtree will house two new restaurants. The first, tentatively called Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint, will feature live music and the comfort-food stylings of Todd Richards (One Flew South). The second will be a new branch of Meehan’s Ale House — the Irish-ish pub from 101 Concepts.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Easy Living Pedicabs will provide rides to the Decatur BBQ Festival



Harmony Park is the location the Decatur BBQ Festival. Visit their website at www.decaturbbqfestival.com to get specifics and music line up. Easy Living Pedicabs will be providing rides for Decatur residents and MARTA riders using the East Lake Station. We will also be providing sightseeing rides around Oakhurst village. We are charging a flat rate of $5 for our service each trip, so it is a very affordable fun way to get around. More details in the coming days. Call, text, or email us for more information.

Decatur BBQ Blues Bluegrass Festival Saturday Aug 15


Mark your calendar for August 15, 2009, and don’t miss the 9th 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 9th Annual BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival is brought to you by three non-profit groups: the Community Center of South Decatur, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association and the Decatur Recreation Department. All proceeds of the festival will be invested directly into the Decatur community.

State gets creative with HERO truck sponsorships


Courtesy of State Farm. State Farm is paying the Georgia DOT more than $1 million per year in exchange for having its logo displayed on HERO trucks, operator uniforms and service signs.
By ALYSE KNORR The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



This week, 22 signs announcing the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Highway Emergency Response Operators (HERO) program were put up on highways around Atlanta.
At the bottom of each sign were the words “sponsored by State Farm” and an image of the insurance company’s logo.

The corporate logo on these highway signs is a result of a sponsorship agreement between State Farm and the Georgia DOT announced last May.

Under the terms of the agreement, State Farm pays GDOT $1.7 million per year for the next three years.

ajc story

"Early TV Memories" Stamps Now on Sale


"Early TV Memories" Stamp Sheet
RICHMOND - For more than half a century, Americans have turned to television for entertainment and information. Whether laughing at the first situation comedies, identifying with ordinary people who had their day in the spotlight on game shows, or tingling at crime dramas, audiences were charmed by the novelty of the young medium.

On Tuesday, August 11, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates 20 great shows from TV's golden age with the issuance of the "Early TV Memories" stamp sheet in Hollywood, CA. Check your local post office for availability.

The shows commemorated in the "Early TV Memories" 20 stamp sheet include: Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; Dinah Shore Show; Dragnet; Ed Sullivan Show; Georges Burns & Gracie Allen Show; Hopalong Cassidy; The Honeymooners; Howdy Doody; I Love Lucy; Kulka, Fran and Ollie; Lassie; The Lone Ranger; Perry Mason; Phil Silvers Show; The Red Skelton Show; Texaco Star Theater, Tonight Show; Twilight Zone; and You Bet Your Life.

http://www.wtvr.com/wtvr-hollywood-stamps,0,3927414.story

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Hundreds of Dekalb High School Students in Limbo



11 Alive

City plans to open Decatur's Fifth Avenue school

By By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The decision to renovate and reopen Fifth Avenue school will fall to the Decatur City Commission next month.
The city has such power over the schools because it owns all of the district buildings, including the shuttered elementary school that the district wants to turn into a new academy for fourth and fifth graders.

As owners, it will be up to the city to endorse the district’s plan by either borrowing the $8 to $10 million needed for the renovation itself, or granting a lease-purchase to the district to seek lending on its own.

Either way, the district plans to pay for the project using its share of sales taxes – about $13 million over five years – which it uses for similar projects such as an early childhood education center.

ajc story

UPDATE: Good news and bad news for Decatur CD customers looking for Sugarland CD/DVD




There was good news and bad news for Decatur CD customers Wednesday.

First, the good news: Making good on the promise he posted on the indie record shop’s blog last weekend, Kristian Bush, one-half of the Grammy-winning country duo Sugarland popped into the store.

The bad news: the duo’s iron-clad exclusivity contract with Walmart prohibited Bush from making good on his offer to personally deliver cases of Sugarland’s new CD/DVD set “Live on the Inside.”

PEACH BUZZ FULL STORY

Sugarland Answers Decatur CD Store's Plea




DECATUR, GA -- A Decatur record store might get a visit from a very famous country star Wednesday. Sugarland band member Kristian Bush may come to the store to make good on long time relationship.

Band members Bush and Jennifer Nettles have their musical roots in Decatur. They started out performing at small independent businesses like Eddies Attic. They're first records were sold at Decatur CD. "I remember getting their first record and selling it quite well," said Decatur CD owner Warren Hudson.

The band is now one of the country music industries top acts. And with that success, comes more ways to make money. Walmart has obtained exclusive rights to sell the bands new CD/DVD, "Live on the Inside".

Hudson's record store is one of the few independent record stores left in the Atlanta area. "We've looked at their success with kind of a cheerleader mentality," Hudson said.

So imagine his frustration when customers came into his store looking for the bands new release and he didn't have it. Hudson says he had to tell his customers they could only get the DVD at Walmart. "I can't blame the band for taking the payday at all," Hudson said. "We just want to sell what the customers want to buy."

Hudson writes a blog on the record store's website. He wrote an open letter to Sugarland. In the blog Hudson wrote "You guys have been around roughly as long as Decatur CD, and we've been supporters of your music from day one. The point is that by shutting the door on independent record stores, you're in effect shutting the door on your hometown."

At his store on Tuesday Hudson said "We're not gonna hurt Walmart's business." He made a proposal to the band in his blog. "Since we can't get your new release through our usual means, how about you bring it by the store?"

But Hudson never expected what happened. Within hours, band member Kristian Bush commented on the blog: "You are right, and thanks for the suggestion. I am in Houston for a show right now but will come by the store when I get home on Wednesday and bring you a few boxes of discs. We can peel off the Wal-mart stickers together while we catch up."

http://www.11alive.com

Photo credit:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/08/08/2008100255.jpg

Workers race to clear Piedmont Park lake before McCartney concert

By KATIE LESLIE

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



Cleanup of Piedmont Park’s Lake Clara Meer continued Tuesday as workers scooped up thousands of dead fish in August’s brutal heat.
Two men trawled the lake in a flat-bottom boat while city workers and others performing community service used hand-held nets to remove the floating fish. One man, 18-year-old Johnny Skandalakis, removed a fish nearly 4 feet long, weighing 30 pounds, he said, proudly displaying the specimen on his cellphone.

Ronald Barnes Jr., 21, said the lake was covered with the floating dead when his group joined the cleanup around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. He estimated his group had filled roughly 60 plastic bags with the remains.

And yes, it smelled.
Monica Thornton, vice president of the Piedmont Park Conservancy, said the nonprofit which oversees the park has consulted with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to determine the cause of the incident. DNR has met with the conservancy’s lake management group and said the deaths were the result of a naturally occurring algae bloom, she said.

The deaths occur as algae can quickly multiply, especially in hot, dry weather. If not controlled, the algae eventually dies and takes oxygen with it, said fisheries biologist Chris Nelson of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Thornton said rumors that the conservancy or management group sprayed something in or near the lake, precipitating the deaths, simply aren’t true.
AJC story

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Summer Clearance at Whit's End


SUMMER CLEARANCE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!! HUGE SAVINGS.



Whit's End, LLC
431 W. Ponce DeLeon Ave, #2
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 377-3310

Monday, August 10, 2009

Rose Squared "Conversations With Shoes" has Successful Opening Night


Opening Event Success!
August 7, 2009

JD Isaacs from Rose Squared sends this in.



Opened
August 7, 2009
Running through Sept, 17, 2009


Rose Squared is proud to have hosted an elegant and successful opening night to present the work of upcoming artist Jo Baskerville. Several paintings were sold and the atmosphere was electric. Jo's sister, Dawn, helped cater the affair with even his parents driving down from Virginia to attend. The gallery never looked more beautiful and the addition of the Angel-Diamond Collection of Antique women's shoes from the 1930's was a fun addition for the festive crowd that gathered.

"Conversations With Shoes" takes you into the world of "Fashion Modernism," a phrase coined by the artist to describe taking the art of fashion into the two dimensional world of painting on canvas and paper.

Come see these exciting paintings presented in a loose, fluid style of rendering that translates the art of shoe design into another form of art altogether.

"Jo Baskerville has done something unique not only in theme, but also in his personal style of painting. Every drip, every run and every brush stroke is perfectly placed with surprising spontaneity to interpret his subject in an energetic and exciting way. These paintings are not only serious depictions of iconic shoe fashions in history, but they have a whimsical air about them that puts a smile on your face and a kick in your step."

JD Isaacs

Rose Squared

111 Clairemont Ave
Decatur, GA 30030

ph: 404 377-1414