just like this:

color me pretty excited that the tony award winning spring awakening is going to be coming to the fox theater this spring.

not only am i a fan of edgy musical theater of the avenue q and urinetown variety, but this particular musical happens to be based on the banned frank wedekind novel frülings erwachen which i read back in the day when i was a german major. it’s an aggressive piece to turn into musical theater; a great story and from all i can tell done with great music in this incarnation.

it’s playing march 9-14 at the fox so check it out. also, keep your eyes peeled here as we’re going to work on getting some tickets as part of a giveaway.

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These are about Atlanta.

*ahem*

white flakes in my hair
falling gently from the sky
cigarette ashes

rain, rain, go away
come again another day
wait, I was kidding

slow and steady race
like turtles crawling to sea
hello traffic jam

This one is about South Georgia, probably not amusing unless you’ve been there. Or have lived there.

springtime mating dance
soulmates for life meet an end
lovebugs on my car

And this one is about tonight.

long night at the Earl
drank many shots of strega
dude, where is my car?

Love y’all, I’m out!

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If Pecanne Log isn’t already on your RSS feed, you are missing out.  Christa T always finds the best stuff… this time it is a slew of old local news bits.  The absolute best is this old WXIA theme song.

I don’t want to seem like I’m stealing all Christa’s best stuff – so go over there and check out the rest of the goodies, and enjoy her always hilarious commentary.

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as all of you know, i am just about a daily marta commuter. and a few weeks ago, i started noticing that more and more escalators were going offline. now, just about every marta escalator is out. the reason: apparently marta was the victim of fraud and mismanagement perpetrated by a contractor.

i am sure this will do wonders for ridership. i know how it goes, someone will ride marta for the first time, have to climb some stairs and say “f it” my car is better than this exercise thing.

poor marta, it seems they just can’t win for losing.

it’s easy to just point the finger and marta, shake your head and say, “man, they can’t run anything.”

the real problem with marta, of course, is not bad management or waste. it is politics. everything about marta, from it’s board, to it’s absurd state oversight committee to it’s funding structure is political. people in atlanta complain all the time about not having a world-class transit system like dc or boston.

we really only have to look at ourselves.

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While I do not have children, I can understand the need, especially given how the weather has been of late, to get them out of the house especially if you’re a stay-at-home mom (as many of my friends are). In my ongoing quest to discover inexpensive or free things to do around Atlanta, I’ve discovered something quite cool for the Moms and Dads out there (and the Aunts, Uncles & Grandparents too).

Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, through a sponsorship from Target, has Target Free Second Tuesdays every month from 1:00-7:00 pm where admission to the museum is free for all ages. More details can be found on the website.

I only discovered the existence of this museum last year but I’m looking forward to taking my nephew next time he’s in town.

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Has anyone been to the John Portman exhibition at the High ? I’d forgotten about it until this story in The Architect’s Newspaper (via Planetizen) popped up in my RSS reader.

I’ve been a bystander in a lot of online and in-person conversations about his work in Atlanta and sometimes it’s hard to believe that everyone is talking about the same guy. In any discussion of his influence on downtown you’re likely to hear both giddy, glowing praise and profane vituperations fit for a pirate ship. It’s hard not to want to know more about someone like that.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

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When I put up a post about Atlanta folks showing up in force at the Grammy’s, I totally forgot someone.  Sure, Jennifer Nettles showed up with Bon Jovi right after I wrote that post, but I’m actually talking Atlanta newest recording sensation, General Larry Platt.

I’m sad to say that I was actually watching American Idol with La Familia  when this guy first burst on the scene.  When I logged on to Facebook the next day, I had quite a few folks with updates like, “I know this guy, he’s like this all the time.”  Anyway, here he was on TV before the Grammy’s with his fist full of belts from Atlanta.  Seriously, you can’t make this shit up.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re well aware of the current healthcare debate that has taken the nation by storm. I’d like to bring it down to a local level and actually remove the insurance portion of the debate entirely.

My grandmother is currently in an unnamed local Atlanta area hospital. She appears to be on the mend, so no need for alarm, but it got me to thinking about the state of Atlanta’s hospitals and medical centers. The care she is receiving appears adequate so I’m not here to complain. However, having only frequented a hospital 3 times in my entire life (including once for a tonsillectomy when I was 5-my only overnight stay), I wanted to see what everyone else thought of the current state of affairs in the Atlanta medical community.

What’s your favorite emergency room at 3 am on a Saturday night? Who has the cutest nurses? Would you avoid Grady even if you were on your deathbed?

Inquiring minds want to know…

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i have loved atlanta-based indie rockers manhcester orchestra for years. i bought their ep when it was only available on itunes. i think rich over at cable and tweed probably first turned me on to them when he posted his mix tapes of atlanta music.

i’ve seen them a bunch of times, inlcluding one memorable show that began at the now-defunct 545 and finished (after an intervening police raid of aforementioned 545) at the masquerade.

i’m like a virgin losing a child was probably my favorite album of 2008.

you could say i am a fan.

which is why i don’t understand why it took my until the last week of 2009 to finally buy their follow-up album “mean everything to nothing.”

maybe i just didn’t like my local rockers becoming big, getting on a label and being played by 99x. maybe i was scared that andy hull, the frontman, wouldn’t be able to pull off another songwriting triumph like the firs full length lp.

anyway, i finally got it and it’s incredible. it would compete only with the airborne toxic event album for the best album i bought in 2009. if you liked the first album, or just live good solid indie rock with some incredible songwriting, it is definitely one to get.

no idea why they weren’t up on the stage with a twirling pink, the zac brown band and taylor swift last night.

now, how about a local show, guys?

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So I’m watching the Grammy’s with El Padre, and the Zac Brown Band comes on.  ”I want to say these guys are from Athens,” he says.  Really, I’m not watching the Grammy’s unless some chick comes out in something skimpy – I’m buried in spreadsheets (and loving every minute of it, sadly).

“Huh?  Who is this?  Zac what?”  Turns out they are from Atlanta.  Huh.  They played some pretty good country, which was way better than the crappy arrangement Stevie Nicks and Taylor Swift just performed.

Atlanta has gotten to a place where we regularly represent at the Grammy’s.  Usher is on right now, T-Pain was performing with Jamie Foxxxxxxxxxx, and Decatur’s Keri Hilson was nominated for Best New Artist.  I’m sure there are more Atlanta folks involved, but certainly it says something about our place in the music industry when I can’t even be bothered to try and count it all up, right?

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Imagine my surprise disgust, when standing in line to pay my ad valorem tax at the Fulton county annex (what? It’s tradition to go in person) and gazing at the sample plates on the wall, that I saw this:

Wildflowers, I get. Give Wildlife a Chance, I get. Breast Cancer, I get.

And before you start a protest rally outside my house, make no mistake: I support adoption. What I don’t support (or understand) is putting out a Pro-Life plate with no Pro-Choice plate. Is it because it’s more a popular/fashionable stance? And since when is it appropriate to put a stance about such a sensitive, private choice on a car tag?

WTF, GA?

Oh and PS, I’m now fully aware that I’m 5 years late being annoyed with this. I have no idea where I’ve been.

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I’m following up my last hard-hitting post with an equally weighty subject.  Dags.

Well, Atlanta likes dags.  Specifically, Atlanta likes scary dags.  The AKC released the most popular dog list for the last year, and both German Shepherds and Boxers placed higher in Atlanta than in the rest of the country.

I’m a bit surprised that German Shepherds are more popular in Atlanta than elsewhere, but not Boxers.  Man, just go walking through any gentrifying revitalizing intown neighborhood, and everyone and their mother has a boxer.  I mean, I think they are great dogs.  But it’s like everyone said, “Hey, I live in a gritty, up and coming area.  I need a dog that can scare the shit out of a burglar.  But let’s make sure he slobbers all over himself in a way that’s ironically cute – that’ll reaffirm my hipness.”

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the nba all star reserves were announced last night.

and my friends, there are TWO atlanta hawks on the roster. BFD, you say? well let me tell you that not since dikembe mutombo and steve smith were on the all star team in 1998 have two hawks been named to the all star team.

i don’t know if anything yet speaks to the resurgence of this team like the inclusion of two of it’s stars on the team.

congrats to joe johnson and al horford on their selection.

there is a lot of justified anger in the hawks blogosphere that three hawks weren’t included. josh smith deserved to go too and the amazing thing is this is being echoed nationally. i love this.

i feel especially excited about al horford. he’s my favorite hawk and i decided to become a hawks fan the year he was drafted. i even dug up my old post about his draft. it makes me smile to see what he has blossomed into (even if that acie law thing never worked out!!)

so congrats again to joe and al and condolences to j-smoove. keep playing like you are and next year you’ll be voted in over creaky old kevin garnett.

GO HAWKS!!!

(now when is that al horford jersey going to be available to buy?)

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A friend of mine with a generous spirit recently donated to our local NPR station, WABE. The donation wasn’t enough to warrant receipt of a stainless steel coffee tumbler, but instead an evening with Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

For those who haven’t yet been properly introduced, Lynne is the host of NPR’s The Splendid Table, during which she speaks of food with such a passion, with such colorful words and such dreaminess in her voice that you find yourself in love with the items she’s describing.

Callers ring into the show with questions surrounding a surplus of an item or soliciting new ideas for an old favorite and Lynne greets each of them with a calm gusto I lack the words to describe.

After a lovely chat with WABE Sr. VP and General Manager John Weatherford and his lovely bride, and a ten minute (!!!) chat with Lynne herself, we were seated.

Lynne read the menu and improvised, causing my friend to lean in and whisper “I need to take her to lunch with me every day. Imagine what she could do to a Chik-fil-a menu…”

Indeed.

The meal was a fancy 5 courses number – which by the way was delightfully and appropriately preceded by light delicious apps and free flowing wine. There was one that involved bleu cheese on a gingersnap but I was still so high from my conversation with Lynne I’d forgotten it almost instantly.

Course 1 – Classic Caesar Napoleon of brioche crouton, filet of romaine heart, aged parmesan frico, salt cured anchovy and quail egg.

It was fine right up until Kim double dog dared me to eat the anchovy. *shudder*

Course 2 – Chef’s choice seasonal fresh fruit sorbet intermezzo. It was so delightful, I don’t remember what the hell fruit it was.

Course 3 – Main entree: Thyme seared petit lamb chops and crab cake Napoleon severed with truffled asigo potatoes, grilled white asparagus tips and broccoli-rapini and finished with demi glace.

Good, not great. My lamb was over cooked, but there was a sweet spot on the potato that nearly sent me to the moon. Looking over my shoulder, I could see Lynne’s chop was cooked perfectly.

Course 4 – Cheese course: brie, 18 month aged gouda, manchego, aged white cheddar and gorgonzola blue. Present but not mentioned: strawberry, fig, and an unidentifiable brown object.

Course 5 – Desert: study in apple. Dried cranberry and apple crisp in micro hazelnut torte shell, vanilla bean crème brulee stuffed roasted apple cup, cinnamon apple fritter with bourbon crème anglaise.

Topping it off: the rest of my wine followed by French Italian (!?) dark roast decaf.

For me, it wasn’t about the food entirely: it was about Lynne and her contagious spirit and passion. It was about spending quality time with a friend sharing a perfectly imperfect cliché riddled once in a lifetime experience.

You can buy Lynne’s book The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio’s Award-Winning Food Show By Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Sally Swift via this nifty link.

As for scoring dinner with Lynne? Cough up some change during the next pledge drive instead of just whining about it, you never know what surprise fringe benefit you’ll get out of it.

(originally posted on my personal blog)

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i’ve already discussed my feelings on mei lan’s impending departure (although i am sure some of you will be glad to know that this will probably cut down on the number of panda related posts!) suffice it to say i am NOT taking it well.

anyway, it’s all official. mei lan is leaving tuesday. she’ll get to fly on a special fedex panda express plane, which will stop in dc to pick up tai shan (aka butterstick) before heading to chengdu.

the zoo made official the plans in a press release this morning.

this weekend will be the last time to see atlanta’s beauty on exhibit, so get out there. there will also be a special going away party and raffle on saturday between 10 am and 3 pm. along with plenty of entertainment, 500 $25 raffle tickets will be sold with the winner getting a chance to see mei lan leave her enclosure for good.

i’ll be there for sure and will probably try to head over on both saturday and sunday – perk of being a zoo member.

the zoo also has a short “best of mei lan” video up.

it made me cry. seriously.

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