Archive for August 31, 2009

My Trashy City

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[tag]I live in Atlanta – and am tired of living in a city that looks and feels like crap.  I have never before lived in a place where there is so much litter.[/tag]  In fact, the litter drives me practically insane.  Stuff is thrown out of cars on exits, there is litter on my walks with my dogs, there is trash quite frankly EVERYWHERE.  And I am tired of it.  But I am not sure what to do.  I pick up litter all the time on my walks.

I also think that trash leads to broken windows and then to crime.  You know, the “broken window theory.”   We are seeing more trash, more graffiti, and more crime.  No if, ands, or buts.  It is here and we all must do something.  Certainly, our leaders are doing nothing about the trash.  They have cut funds from the state level to the city level.    citytrash.jpg
This photo was taken directly across the street from our illustrious City Hall East – I mean, seriously?  No one picks up trash anymore, no one cuts grass along our highways, no one thinks this smaller problem can lead to much much bigger problems.  But it does and it is.  I find that some of the highest levels of crime are happening in the trashiest parts of our city.  My blogging friend, Ben, of [tag]Terminal Station[/tag], has created a pretty amazing post about the rise of crime in our city.  Check it out.

Anyway, pick up trash when you can.  Get your neighborhood organizations to start “trash days.”  Let’s try to do the little things to help our City along.  God knows, it needs it – or the whole city will end up looking like Memorial Drive.

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The Kirkwood Corner Market

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So, I visited the new [tag]Kirkwood Corner Market[/tag] like two weeks ago and am just writing about it.  I apologize – because I really did like it!  What a fun, fresh, new shop located on Hosea Williams Drive next to Coan Middle School.  It is a true market – with groceries, fabulous retro candies, chips, snacks, fun gifts for kids and adults, flowers, and of course – a lunch counter.

They advertise themselves as “a nostalgic general store atmosphere that serves up baked breakfast goods, deli style sandwiches, home made sides, snacks and gifts”  which sounds a bit better than my first paragraph – but they are indeed all that!  I love the patio surrounded by plants and flowers and I love that they sell things like microwavable Chef Boyardee and you can microwave it right there yourself in the shop.

The sandwiches on the board were all very inexpensive.  I got a club sandwich, chips (snotty ones at that), and a wonderful fountain coke for less and 7 bucks.  It was a great club – nothing fancy about it – but I did not want fancy. I wanted a good club sandwich.  I got it.  I need to go back for breakfast – or to buy some Chef Boyardee.  Go visit if you live in this area – very walkable, the patio is dog friendly, and we need to support our local businesses!

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tongue.jpg Little Girl gives it 3 paws up.

Alabama Gets Kool Korner Sandwiches

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We should be ashamed that we lost such a great sandwich shop – and now friggin Birmingham has old man Ramirez and his famous Cuban sandwiches!  How we miss those delicious and amazing and inexpensive Cuban sandwiches packed in a paper bag while we try to eat them on the dilapidated picnic tables out back. Ah, the memories.

Well, Alabamans – enjoy.  Maybe Alison and I will take a road trip.

Salem, GA

Ah, you wonder where Salem is?  I think there are like three “Salem’s” in Georgia, but the one we know is near Conyers – and we stopped at the local Chevron off of I-20 to use the bathroom after a long day on the lake.  Alley and Alison could not make it home.  Jennifer and I did not get a chance to enjoy the sites of the Chevron – because we were not as desperate.  Alison came back to the car and got the camera to take a couple of pictures in the Chevron…  They truly loved the bathroom sign and what would we have done without the 1980′s pantyhose?   I mean, really.

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