Rivoting video!

Hahahahahaha. Okay. This is clearly a case of a reporter being forced to do a story for which he has repeatedly told his producer that he has NO VIDEO.

Sarah's Birthday

A couple of weeks ago I went out with some friends for my good friend Sarah's birthday. It was an interesting evening full of new activities for me. First, we all met at thrive for drinks and then dinner.

I've been in the 101 Marietta Street building many times (that's where Radio One is located), but never really noticed the swank little restaurant adjacent to the lobby. It turns out that the food was delicious, although we were practically the only patrons. We started with the Thrive sweet crab & artichoke fondue, which was so good that I could have eaten it all myself and I think we were all embarrassed by how possessive we were being over the dip. It was great. For my entree, I had the Springer Mountain chicken breast, roasted red potatoes & rosemary port reduction, which was hands down, the best chicken dish I've ever had in my life. I mean, except for, you know, McNuggets. As far as I could tell, everyone was happy with their meal.

However, the restaurant wasn't chosen for it's food. It was chosen for it's proximity to The Glenn Hotel where those that planned on drinking had reserved several rooms. Due to my unfortunate unemployment, I could afford to neither get a room or drink, so I didn't actually stay there, but I did visit Sarah's room between dinner and a trip to the bar on the rooftop of The Glenn Hotel. From the lobby to the elevator to the room, no detail was overlooked in establishing the modern feel of the hotel. It's retro-modern style remided me of the famous Parker Hotel, where I've also never stayed. But aside from the fabulous modern decor, the real highlight of the hotel was the afore-mentioned rooftop bar. The building is just the right height... you are high enough to see all the city, but low enough to still be able to recognize the streets and see the people. Unfortunately, it was extemely crowded on that night, but it would have been quite enjoyable when it is a little less busy, perhaps on a week night.

But the real highlight of the evening was meeting Tohper Payne, the partner of Sarah's good friend Tommy. When I got home and googled Topher, I read that he was a "southern humorist." That's what I want to be! Like Hollis Gillespie or Lewis Grizzard. Or Jeff Foxworthy or Larry the Cable Guy! *sound of record screaching* Ok, maybe like Hollis Gillespie. In any case, Topher was every bit as charming and warm in person as he is in his column, which is hilarious. Of course, Topher's also an actor and recently wrote a book. OF COURSE.

This blog, admittedly, is mostly a marketing tool for my store, but reading Topher's work makes me a little ashamed of that, because he clearly puts so much thought into his posts. And not just thought, but heart. It makes me want to be a better writer.

I stole all the photographs used in this post from the respective web sites.

2012

Hey, so have you guys heard about the impending apocalypse? Really, it's on wikipedia, an unwavering source of factual information, so we know it must be true.

Basically, the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012 and because it seems that the Mayans had a better understanding or the solar system and the calendar than we do, then their calendar ending on this day must mean doom, right?

Well, since I'm always looking for something to worry about, I'm somewhat interested in this. I don't want to die, but more than not wanting to die personally, I don't want civilization to die. Why is it that the end of civilization is so much more disturbing that the death of an individual, even if that individual is yourself? Why does is matter what happens to the world if you're dead? No one knows what happens after death. Everyone has their beliefs, but from atheist to Muslim, no one thinks that once you are dead, you are terribly concerned with the living. But the world ending. It's disturbing. I guess maybe the end of the world is like the death of God, of hope. We are all part of something larger than ourselves. Some call it God. Some call it Atman. Some call it Humanity. Some call it Civilization. It's all that remains of us when we are gone and we live our lives hoping to achieve immortality through make some small impression on it. Some people have kids. Some write novels. Some blow up buildings. But we do all these things to try to make an imprint on society so that when we are dead and gone, our life will have mattered, even if it's in the smallest way.

But the apocalypse. That means that none of us matter. Nothing we do matters. And that's depressing!

So, if you only have three and a half years left until the world is consumed by fire, what would you do? Is it different than if you only had three and a half years left until you are hit by a car and killed?

And oh yeah. There's a movie staring John Cusack.

Sassy Lamb!

Isn't this lamb sassy with it's coy over-the-sholder glance?

Sassy lamb and more, currently for sale at Bad White Trash Memories: The Store.

Chairs for sale

Got these chairs at the church yardsale. Thought that they would work in my space, but after marinating on it for a week, I've decided they don't. They are awesome chairs though! I'm asking $80, if you're interested and local. And can pick them up. And have cash.

Like Ryan's...

Went out to dinner with my mom last night. She promoted the restaurant of her choice as, "Like Ryan's. Only not as good." That should have a been a huge red flag, but I figured, it's one meal, what the hell. So, my sister and I joined her at Kacey's Home Cooking on LaVista near Northlake Mall. Upon entering, I encountered the second red flag, which I also ignored- a health department rating of 80. I try to hang with 90 and above establishments, unless it's, you know, some seedy, but especially tastey ethic establishment, which isn't exactly my scene either, but I can at least understand why someone would temporarily lower their sanitation standards to eat there. In any case, Kacey's was not worth the health risk. In fact, it was mostly inedible. I only attemped fried chicken, mac and cheese and a slice of cheesecake. It seemed as though all the food had simply been poured straight from a can onto the buffet. Admission: $7.

Despite what a horrible culinary experience this was, I remarked to my sister how suprised I was that it was so busy and she noted that she was not suprised by how busy it was, but by the average age of the clientale. Unlike Picadilly or Morrison's, this place was actually mostly families, rather than the elderly population, which is who I would typically expect as such an establishment. Go figure.

The interior of this place... wow. I wished so badly that I had a camera. One review I read on yelp.com said, "The decor and layout of this place was amazing. Imagine if they put a Golden Corral inside a strip club from the 1980s. This place seriously looks like Crockett and Tubbs are going to bust in at any moment and clean house - every vertical surface in the place is mirrored. It's Scarface's All You Can Eat Buffet." Seriously, could I say it any better?

Also, another fact that I found hilarious is that while we were in there, there was a crew installing a new television. The reason this was hilarious is because there was a television about every two feet in this place. And these are fancy flat screen tvs. I think that if Kacey's has money to spend, perhaps they might want to reconsider getting that 12th flat screen television and perhaps hit up a market or even a restaurant supplier and quit getting generic cans of green beans from Costco.

It was seriously, probably the worst food I've ever eaten, which I mean, I was expecting, but it was actually worse than my expectations. So, if you must go to an all you can eat buffet, actually go to Ryans or Western Sizzler or whatever. But really, just either cook at home or go to a real restaurant. Or at least get yourself fast food. Whatever you do, don't go to Kacey's Home Cooking.

Jim Axel

I'm a little late on the draw on this one, but I would have been remiss to not mention it at all. If you're over 25 and you grew up in Atlanta, you'll remember WAGA's Jim Axel. He was an Atlanta television icon, much like Ken Cook is today. He was THE ANCHORMAN in town and much of my perception of what news was about came from Jim.

I never worked with him. He left WAGA in 1996 and I started there in 2000, but I did work with Amanda, Russ, Ken and Ken who all talk about Jim at the end of this piece. It isn't totally out of the ordinary for Amanda to cry on camera, but pretty much every time she does, she has good reason and seeing her cry always tears me up for some reason. I wouldn't call her an overly emotional person, just an emotionally honest person.

In any case, Jim Axel is dying of lung cancer. Back in the day, everyone who worked in television news smoked. Even when I started, the images of editors huddled in editing suites hovering over cellulose with cigarettes hanging from their mouths were still fresh. I smoked. My boss smoked. The director smoked. Eventually, I quit smoking and joined the new generation of professionals, who perhaps smoke in secret, but not at work. But some of those old school television news people still remain and still smoke and Jim was one of these. Well, it's caught up with him.

Here's is the moving tribute, produced by Executive Producer Marc Shavin who actually left his office and went to Florida for this piece, but who had the good sense to let Jim tell his own story, rather than muddle it with a voiceover.

It's a pure honest piece about what life looks like in hindsight, given to us from the man that told us what was news for over 30 years.



My only critique- I think that they would have been better served by not using cancer clips for his "career" montage. It would have perhaps been better to show clips of memorable stories. I know they did some of this later, but the cancer stuff seemed a little heavy handed and it didn't really serve to stir up the sense of nostalgia that would have given the viewer greater emotional involvement.