Books, Bags, Bollywood, Baubles, Bangles ... @ Mingei World Arts

New Reading Figures from La Union!

La Union Library project featured in AJC article!

Yes-- we have new reading figures, but they are going fast!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution featured the story of our reading figures and La Union on Monday, August 31, and the reposnse has been tremendous.

Read the article here. These carvings of animals, mermaids and angels with books that benefit the library we helped open last summer in one of our favorite artisan villages are leaving almost as quickly as we can unpack them-- but never fear! Ellen and Ann are headed back to Mexico on September 18 for more. And remember-- you can order readers especially for you. Want to give Uncle Whit a donkey reading a detective novel? Does your sister need a cat reading Jane Austen? We can do that. Please let us know your deepest desires and we'll see what we can do for you. Or-- watch your email to learn when the newest figures are available.
----------------------------------------------------

Decatur Banner Bags are here!

In early August, the Decatur City Commission voted to donate their used festival banners to another Mingei project-- banner bags! These eco-friendly totes are made from banners that have flown over Decatur during the Olympics, the Millenium celebrations and more. Maria Cristina Giraldo Echeverria (pictured with the bags above), a refugee from Colombia resettled by the International Rescue Committee with a great talent for sewing and design, works her magic to transform the banners. She just brought in a stack of these one-of-a-kind totes. Come on in and see! $35 each

----------------------------------------------------------
Remember
Night Life of Trees?

The most popular book we have ever carried, the fabulous hand-made Night Life of Trees
featuring Gond tribal artists from India,
looks to be on its way back to us by October! We have a list of people waiting for copies, and if you'd like to be added to the list, please let us know so we can order accordingly!
In the meantime, we have two other wonderful titles by Tara Books in India, I Like Cats and The Flight of the Mermaid. They are certainly worth a look while you are waiting !
-------------------------------------------------------------

Bollywood posters are back

Orginal, vintage posters from Bollywood are back at Mingei.
We have a great collection from our spring buying trip to India.

$40 each

Come see us soon--
and remember to let us know any special requests for Mexico!
Mingei will be open while we are shopping in Mexico, September 18- 29.

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

Oakhurst Arts Run 5K Oct 10th 2009

Saturday, October 10

A Run Georgia Premier Event
Oakhurst Arts Run 5K
Decatur
Contact: Ed Williams (404) 327-7738.

http://www.rungeorgia.com/calendar.html

Free Seminar at The Decatur Library Sept 8th @ 7PM

This fall, Renewal and the Decatur Library are hosting free seminar series on green remodeling. The first seminar is next Tuesday, Sept. 8th at 7PM.


September 1, 2009 - This fall, the Decatur Library will host a free seminar series focused on green remodeling. Topics discussed will be: The Homeowner’s Guide to Green Remodeling, Show Me the Money:Why Green makes Sense for Your Wallet, and Creating a Healthy Home. The library is even featuring local green experts as speakers. Peter Michelson, CEO of Decatur’s Renewal Design-Build, and Joe Thomas, certified Home Performance Consultant for Renewal System Solutions, will be speaking from their extensive experience with green renovations. Renewal Design-Build is an EarthCraft Renovator of the Year and was even featured on a green remodeling show last summer. “Our hope is that this series will meet the needs of Decatur and Atlanta homeowners, who are interested in going green but may not know where to begin,” says Karen Skellie, coordinator for the Library. “By bringing in green experts who are also local residents, we feel as if the community will really benefit from the speakers’ knowledge on greening homes that are similar to their own.”


The date and description of each seminar are as follows:



· Tuesday, September 8, 7:00PM: The Homeowner’s Guide to Green Remodeling

Thinking of going green but don’t know where to begin? This seminar will discuss the typical Decatur home’s inefficiencies, some possible solutions, and how incorporating “green” into your home will benefit your wallet, health, and peace of mind.



· Saturday, October 17, 10:00AM: Show Me the Money:Why Green Makes Sense for Your Wallet

This seminar will discuss how certain green improvements to your home will increase energy efficiency and save you money. In addition, you will learn how the most recent green tax credits and rebates will put even more money in your pocket.



· Saturday, November 14, 10:00AM: Creating a Healthy Home

Recent EPA studies have shown that the air in your home may be even more harmful than the air outside. In this seminar, you’ll learn how to improve the indoor air quality of your home and protect your family from indoor air pollutants like gases, chemicals, pests, radon, and carbon monoxide.


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


For more information, call 404.378.6962 or visit the Decatur Library’s website at www.dekalblibrary.org/branches/decatur.html.


Kelly Cheek

Marketing Manager
Renewal Design-Build
124 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur, GA 30030
t. 404-378-6962
f. 404-378-6963

Kelly@RenewalDesignBuild.com
http://www.RenewalDesignBuild.com

Will The Varsity Drive-In Think Twice about Building a Decatur Location ?

A question I would like to ask The Varsity, Will you ever decide to build a Decatur location.?
Back in the 70's you almost built a location at the corner of N. Decatur Rd. & Dekalb Industrial Way, and for some reason you changed your mind.
If today you decided to build a Decatur location, I think a good location would be at Suburban Plaza Shopping center in the closed gorcery store location.

What location in the Decatur area would you like to see The Varsity Drive-In build another location ?

JOLOMO SAID:
I can't think of a great place in Decatur (somewhere along Commerce, maybe?) but it got me thinking where the old drive-ins were in Atlanta in the 1950's so I looked them up in the only directory I had handy. More than 30 of them in 1956.

Over at the fabulous Next Stop...Decatur blog they were asking about where a good spot would be for a new Varsity location. I couldn't think of one but I wondered just how many drive-ins Atlanta used to have. Not sure where it falls in the spectrum, but 1956 had a whole bunch! I counted 33 that had "Drive In" or "Drive Inn" in their name in the city directory. Most of them had pretty unimaginative names so I guess they just had to find a spot with lots of auto traffic and wait for the business to roll in.... except for the Pigmy Drive-In. Wonder what their gimmick was?

A&W 450 Flat Shoals av SE
Barron's 3260 Bankhead hwy NW
Berry's 1155 Memorial dr SE
Big Wheel 29 Moreland av SE
Blue Jacket 820 Lee SW
Buddy's 1179 Spring NW
Butch's 1905 Simpson rd NW
Carroll's 1350 Gordon SW
Center 2496 Stewart av, SW
Cotton Joe 805 W. Whitehall SW
Diner Drive-In 851 Memorial dr SE
Gabe's 30 Moreland av SE
Gene's 2110 Campbellton rd SW
Ideal 1953 Lakewood av SE
Idle Hour 1571 Moreland av SE
Lefty's 300 Candler rd SE
Mark's 585 Stewart av SW
McMichael's 483 Peters SW
Minit 2721 Stewart av SW
Mobley's 690 Bankhead av NW
Murray's 1010 Pryor SW
Piedmont Drive In Club 2115 Piedmont rd NE
Pigmy 261 Hunter SE
Pitch 'N Putt Drive In Restaurant 2349 Glenwood av SE (right across from East Lake Country Club! Related to the package store on Johnson?)
Poncey 767 Ponce de Leon av NE
Ruben's 439 Marietta NW
Rusty's 2225 Ptree rd NW
Smitty's 11 Irby av NW
South Side 359 Memorial dr SE
Tara 2653 Bankhead hwy NW
Twin Oaks 1400 Northside dr NW
Two Point 371 Flat Shoals av SE
Wilson Two Spot 2001 Chicago av NW (didn't know we had a Chicago av, but we do)

While I was in there couldn't help but notice a few other things. We also had:
Doo-Drop Inn 845 McDaniel SW
Duffie's Tavern 698 West Ptree NW (Duffie ain't here)
Tasty Town was already there
Niether the Varsity nor the Yellow Jacket say "Drive In", but we know they were!
Zesto's hadn't started yet, I guess

Drive-ins of the 1950s

http://atlhistory.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=26&func=view&id=377&catid=8

Thanks JOLOMO for this great list, I can remember some of them.

Decatur Book Festival This Coming Weekend

Cakes & Ale Garden

photo: Jeremy Jones Photography
Billy and Kristin Allin, owners of Cakes & Ale, have a garden in their Decatur Back Yard to provide fruits and vegetables for their restaurant.


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By JOHN KESSLER



Billy and Kristin Allin’s home seems like any other on its Decatur street — quaint and well-tended, with a mini patch of green lawn and neighboring houses crowding either side.
Read full AJC story

LEON'S FULL SERVICE SINCE...

Leon's Full Service
131 E. Ponce de Leon Ave
Decatur, GA
404-687-0500

SABA RESTAURANT - OAKHURST

This is the new location for Saba.
Click on photo to enlarge.

Saba @ Oakhurst
Oakhurst Village
350 Mead Rd.
Decatur, GA.
404-377-9266

GRAND OPENING FOR RELICS & RARITIES

Click on photos to enlarge.
Here is a short video of the museum side of Relics & Rarities in Decatur, GA.
the ice cream parlor is in the middle section of the building.

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. ?

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

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.

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

"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!!

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

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

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

Angela Easterling Free Show at The Decatur Library

click on image for more info. on Angela Easterling

JAX PACKAGE STORE, DECATUR GA.

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

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.