Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing Within 706 Area Code Begins April 3

If it affects you, you probably got something in your phone bill but, area code 706 – (that’s OTP stuff) is all full! Starting April 3rd, if you live in Georgia’s 706 area code, you’ll have to dial the full 10 digits when making a call inside 706. Previously, you could just dial the 7 digit number. I think that was in all or most of 706. Plus, the new 762 area code will be added, it seems, for new numbers starting May 16.

Full story here.

If you have family / friends in the 706 area code who may be elderly or, for some reason, may have difficulty in understanding this change, you may want to take a moment to help them understand and perhaps reprogram their speed dials or something.

Years ago, in OTP Land, we could just dial the last 5 digits to get connected. Then, it went to 7. NOW it’s going to 10! Where will it all end?? (grin).

When I stop to think about it, it’s no wonder BellSouth has to add area codes. I have a unique number for: office, home, fax, cell; a Skype In number, a Gizmo In number. I really need more numbers, I think.

I wonder if we’ll have 11, 12 or 13 digit numbers in the future? Could be.

Inman Perk Coffee has festivities planned during their grand opening week which runs from Saturday, March 18 to Saturday, March 25. Events featured will include a drink-naming contest, dessert tasting and free chair massages.

In addition, Inman Perk will be featuring Atlanta artist Marco Frey’s free art opening and meet the artist reception on Saturday, March 25, 2006, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Frey’s colorful acrylics are influenced by Eula Ginsburg and Modernists such as Jean Dubuffet, Edvard Munch, Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, and others. Musical guests the wayne fishell experiment will perform, featuring Frey’s boyfriend as the band’s namesake.

More information can be found on the Inman Perk website.

I don’t really listen to morning talk radio, but those who do will be interested in knowing that Fred Toucher will have his last day with 99X on Friday.

Since you guys have been so good to me over the last 7 years I will tell you first. My last show at 99X will be on Friday at the “Kegs and Eggs” party at Fado.

I’ll admit that normally I go to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day and drink with the rest of the 300,000+ people who aren’t Irish but, this year, it’s Atlanta. So, don’t let me down ATL!

Of course, the best thing about St. Patrick’s Day is Guinness! Brilliant! But, there are a few other little things like a PARADE! I love parades! The St. Patrick’s Parade will travel down Peachtree St. and end up at Underground Atlanta.

Then, there’s the St. Patrick’s Festival, March 16-18, which includes, vendor$, food and free entertainment at Underground Atlanta.

Speaking of food, don’t miss the Georgia Food Festival, Saturday, March 18th in Woodruff Park. I like food with Guinness! Brilliant!

Here’s a few places you most likely will find me staggering around, assuming these places still exist. Some of my favorite pubs in Atlanta are no longer with us.

Limerick Junction Irish Pub
Fado’ Atlanta
Prince of Wales

Also of “sober” interest:

The History of St. Patrick’s Day

Information on Irish food, drinks and much more

What’s up in Ireland? Check out our Metblogs site in Dublin.

Have fun!

P.S. all previous “St. Pat’s” in this post, have been corrected to “St. Patrick’s” due to Maigh’s comments. I did this because I like her, she’s gorgeous and I respect her but, most of all, I’m afraid of her. :)

Two weekends ago the view from my office changed. The Mirant building which added Arby’s Corporate offices to its directory a few months ago was given another corporate branding

I wonder if they are serving Beef ‘n’ Cheddars in the building’s cafeteria yet.

…instead of listening to the weatherman or the weather.com predictions. It is not as hot as they said it was going to be.

On another note, the AJC.com OpinionTalk blog is asking if Atlanta’s best days are ahead of us. I’m an optimist, so I’m going to say yes. Especially because the Braves are going to win the World Series this year.

They tell me that Perk, the coffeehouse (and lone open eatery) in the new Glenwood Park development is owned and run by the same people who run Joe’s East Atlanta Coffee Shop. I’m surprised. Joe’s is a great outfit, a treat to visit, and Perk is not so much.
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There is an interesting article In the NYTimes on the impact of gentrification in Atlanta.

In-town living. Live-work-play. Mixed income. The buzzwords of soft-core urbanism are everywhere these days in this eternally optimistic city, used in real estate advertisements and mayoral boasts to lure money from the suburbs and to keep young people from leaving.

McMansions make an appearance – as does the changing racial demographics of our fair city (sneak peak: The black majority in the city proper is shrinking; the black percentage in the 10 county metro area is rising). Also, I found this fact particularly interesting: “In 1990, the per capita income in the city of Atlanta was below that of the metropolitan area as a whole, but in 2004 it was 28 percent higher, the largest such shift in the country, according to a University of Virginia urban planning study.” Anyway, read the whole thing.

Have you seen it in your neighborhood yet? You know, IT! That amazing yellow cloud called pollen that starts to hang in the air this time of year in Georgia.

Well, I haven’t really seen IT yet but, I know I will soon. I can sure feel it. Time to start my 6 months of Claritin.

Okay, this is spurred by a conversation I was just having in my office.

What are the best places in town to be a regular?

My initial answers:
1. Taco Mac – VaHi. For stated reasons.
2. Kool Korners Grocery (best Cuban sandwiches in town) – When you walk in to get your regular Cuban sandwich fix and they all know you – well, you are just about the coolest person in there.
3. Octane – When they know you want a regular hot chocolate no whip right when you walk in, without you having to say anything – awesome.

And I have the feeling that Vortex is probably on there somewhere, but I’m not a regular at Vortex, so I wouldn’t really know.

What do you think?