Of course I never have the camera handy, fully charged when I need to take impromptu photos. In this case, my wife and I saw TLC’s Trading Spaces truck and trailer in the parking lot of the Sheraton Suites at the Cobb Galleria over the weekend. No doubt an upcoming episode will feature two metro-area couples swapping homes for weekend room makeovers.

Do with this useless gossip what you will.

It would’ve been cooler with a picture. Sorry. I’ll try to be properly prepared next time.

Georgia’s own Queen of Funk Sharon Jones (with Daptone Records house-band The Dap-Kings) are continuing their 2006 tour here in Atlanta at The Earl on February 3rd. (So after the groundhog does or doesn’t see it’s shadow, shake a tailfeather on down, would ya?)

Need more convincing? Preview the soulful sounds first.

The show starts at 9:30 p.m., tickets are $10 in advance ($12 at the door), and will also feature DJ Brian Poust and progressive funk band Cadillac Jones, definitely no strangers to the Earl.

Be there or be square, because like Sharon says, “You’ve got to feeel it! In your bones, your heart, in everything and everywhere!” I’ll see you there.

Several movies have used American city names for their titles. New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles…and of course, Chicago. Now Atlanta — or should I say ATL? — can join the club.
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One of my guilty pleasures when I used to work OTP many moons ago was popping into The Fresh Market on Chamblee-Dunwoody for a hearty bowl of lobster chowder once a week after work. Now that I live and work Downtown, I definitely miss that.

Oh yeah, and the grocery store was nice and affordable with a large variety of food. But shouldn’t it be anyway?

On a jaunt to a shoe store in SoBu, what did I happen to notice near the TGI Friday’s? That’s right, Virginia — an under construction Fresh Market (2900 Peachtree Road). With all the condo and other residential properties near the Market, area residents will be able to sample from TMF’s selection of bountiful produce, freshly baked pies and cakes and other specialty items. (Psst…they’re hiring too, ATL job seekers.)

Look for the Fresh Market to open sometime next month. You’ll find me there once a week to get some lobster chowder. Mmmm….

It does exist! After months of speculation, we have a trailer and a release date (March 10) for Idlewild, the new musical motion picture from Atlanta’s own Two Dope Boys (In a Cadillac). Along for the ride are Ben Vereen, Cicely Tyson, Faizon Love, Ving Rhames, Patti LaBelle and Hustle & Flow‘s Terrence Howard.

Will it work? Too early to tell, though the trailer looks promising. And really, anything that guarantees some new OutKast tracks is a-okay by me.

To whom it may concern…

Who’s idea was it to take a full loaded train from North Springs and dump them at Lindbergh at 10am? It was genius, let me tell you… Almost as good as the muppet who decided to dump a second full train onto the platform at Lindbergh about 5 minutes later, so now we have 2 train loads of people waiting in the freezing cold for 1 train… And when that train comes, guess what… It’s full too!

Mathematical geniuses run MARTA, they can compress 3 into 1 quite easily it seems…

Just relaying the news – Baby Noor has been released from the hospital after doctors have seen no buildup of fluids in her brain. She’s staying with an Atlanta family for the next two months and will be monitored constantly to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as it can.

There’s this interesting note at the bottom of the story:

On Sunday, members of Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church plan to pre­sent a $25,000 check to Childspring a donation that is earmarked for Noor.

Children’s is a wonderful organization and, though they obviously get some wonderful press for doing this entire procedure, they deserve a great deal of commendation. And probably some donations. Especially if you want to encourage this sort of behavior (you know, saving people’s lives).

This Thursday, APWBWGTTD is celebrating its one-year anniversary at Trader Vic’s. Here’s the Evite.

So a co-worker of mine just forwarded me a link that I feel compelled to share here.

Not For Tourists is a publisher of guidebooks and they’re looking for writers, specifically for Atlanta non-fiction authors to help them write their new series of guidebooks and content for their website.

So if you’re a Metroblog reader, commenter or blogger this might be up your alley. Or you might see this as my Judas-like betrayal of the Metroblog ethos. Whatever. For all I know, half of you here could be moonlighting as contributors over there.

I’m just putting it out there for the folks who might want an even wider audience for their particular brand of lunacy. Me? I’m happy enough with the genuflect throng of admirers in my own head.

We’ve been alerted by Metblog reader Lady Crumpet that the band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are coming back to Atlanta on March 10th for a show at the Variety Playhouse. Presale tickets (yay – no Ticketmaster soul-sucking fees!) are available on their website.

CYHSY were rated as #18 in Pitchfork‘s Top 50 Albums of 2005, and (in my own personal opinion) one of the best bands I’ve listened to this year.

Their last appearance in town sold out (quickly), so I won’t be missing them again.