Since I grew up just on the other side of the interstate from Vinings – literally, when we were in middle school, we’d use a huge storm drain to get from the woods on one side of I-285 to the other – I got to see that neighborhood grow and swell. The church that we attended now houses both a Mellow Mushroom and a La Paz, and the small plot of land across the street was transformed into the Vinings Jubilee shopping center when we were in high school. Then we spent most of eleventh grade being bored on a Friday night being told to beat it off the property. None of us in those days, after all, were really dressed for an evening at Cafe Chanterelle, then, the crown jewel of the facility. Nor had we any money. Continue reading “Soho, Vinings GA”
Category: modern american
The Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market
This is Marie, contributing an article about the Food Truck Park, the place that almost didn’t happen. You see, Atlanta laws make it mandatory for food to be cooked in a stationary location. Cooking in a truck that is parked doesn’t count. So practically speaking, the only businesses that can own food trucks are actual restaurants, or businesses that have a relationship with one. There are also restrictions on where the trucks can park and serve food. Luckily, there are events such as Street Food Thursdays downtown or Food Truck Wednesdays in Virginia Highlands, plus the Food Truck Park, but it’s not the same as having a BBQ truck stop by your work parking lot for an hour during lunch time so you don’t have to cross the street to the fast food place you’ve eaten at way too often, or get in your car to drive somewhere. Continue reading “The Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market”
Marie, meanwhile, in Memphis…
This is Marie, contributing an article about how the baby and I spent the Sunday in Memphis while Grant and Big Sis went off in search of barbecue, thrift stores, and other entertainment. The visit was primarily an opportunity for my siblings and mother to enjoy spoiling the baby. This task was, of course, efficiently accomplished during the course of the day. However, we had some meals worth mentioning in between gifts and playtime. Continue reading “Marie, meanwhile, in Memphis…”
Beauty Shop, Memphis TN
As we were standing in line for Gus’s on the Saturday night of our trip to Memphis, Mike told us about this remarkable milkshake that he’d enjoyed the previous night. He said that it was a – get this – cinnamon chocolate chile pepper milkshake, and that it came from a place in the Cooper-Young neighborhood called Beauty Shop. “Well, heck,” I thought, “I am definitely going to have to check that out.” As you might have guessed, I do enjoy good milkshakes. And weird ones, too. Continue reading “Beauty Shop, Memphis TN”
Five and Ten, Athens GA
Well, there’s no getting around this: Marie and I tend to eat inexpensively. We don’t set out to, but I figured out a long time ago that the meals that I genuinely enjoy the most can be had for under $9 or so. These would be the out-of-the-way barbecue joints and roadfood places that don’t have master chefs competing on, or judging, game shows on The Food Network. This is one place where Marie and I don’t completely agree, though we’re mostly in sync 99% of the time. A couple of weeks ago, she was remembering a very good meal that we enjoyed several months previously at The Sound Table in Atlanta, and suggested that we visit some place with that kind of experience. Since we’d spent the late morning enjoying barbecue miles and miles out of town, and the afternoon snacking at simple college favorites in downtown Athens, I had to agree that getting something a little different would be in order. Continue reading “Five and Ten, Athens GA”
Seasons 52, Atlanta GA
A couple of weeks ago, Marie and I were invited to join other local media at the Buckhead location of Seasons 52 to sample their spring menu. We were not familiar with this restaurant before. It’s a reasonably new “concept,” as it is termed in this business, from Darden, the corporation that owns such excessive-consumption chains as Red Lobster and Olive Garden. The first Seasons 52 opened in Orlando in 2003 and this store, one of two in Atlanta, opened in 2006. They have 27 locations in thirteen states. Continue reading “Seasons 52, Atlanta GA”
No. 246, Decatur GA
Last Thursday, nothing went right. I really wanted to go up to Athens with David and visit a couple of places I have not been for years, but Marie and I had an appointment in the evening back home that we couldn’t shake, so David and I wouldn’t have very long to visit before rushing back to town. Then I had the bright idea to leave my car downtown and have David come meet me, saving a little trip to the suburbs and then around the top end. I came up with this brilliant plan on the Thursday of market day at AmericasMart. Continue reading “No. 246, Decatur GA”
Marie, Let's Eat! 