creatvie loafing has picked five blogs to represent the best of the atlanta blogosphere in a piece penned by local blogger and frequent metblog commenter andisheh nouaree.

two are political blogs; one peach pundit from the right of the aisle, and one, peachtree screed from the left of the aisle. since i am one of the apathetic masses who really am sick and tired of hearing others opinions on politics, i really have nothing to say about either of these blogs, but they seem to be quite popular so check them out.

a third, inside the oversexed mind of gloria brame is a sex-advice blog and again, not something i am reading on a daily basis, but check it out if you are interested.

i do appreciate i saw it on ponce, a quirky collection chronicling ponce de leon ave, and a blog i have written about before.

and of course my buddy rich at cable and tweed was picked for his incredible music blog which deserves all the praise that can be heaped on it.

so thoughts?

did andy miss anyone? i would suggest the girls at confessions of a music addict deserve some serious consideration.

oh and also andy’s piece contained this little gem of a paragraph –

At its worst, self-expressive blogging is a digital speculum that allows neurotic, self-obsessed people to cram their heads even farther up their own asses. I must have been born just after the Reveal Everything Online gene started appearing in every newborn American baby, because for the life of me, I cannot comprehend what drives so many local bloggers to “share” intimate and mundane information about their dysfunctional family relationships, their dysfunctional romantic relationships, the meals they’ve just eaten, and in one instance, a lost-but-not-forgotten foreskin. At times, it can feel like the only traditional news-media platform the Atlanta blogosphere is ready to replace is “The Maury Povich Show.”

which for the uninitiated is yet another missile fired in atlanta’s most active blogfight.

Yesterday I got an email from a friend of mine who thought that, what with the combination of dogs and coffee, I would like this new coffee shop, ParkGrounds. (Oh. Typing it out now, with the capital G, I just got it. Seriously.) That website is pretty bare right now — yesterday there was a nice little write-up about how they came to be and how they got a special exception for street parking — but at least you’ll know when to go by. It’s in Reynoldstown.

The hook here is that it’s a coffee shop with a fenced-in dog park in the back. Inside, the coffee shop’s got that nice concrete-floor-and-exposed-ceiling look with modest tables and a handmade full-wall bookshelf that I… covet. Best thing about the place is probably the bar, though, which is some kind of heavy stone. Outside, the dog park is a startlingly large yard of wood chips, chain-link fencing and cafe tables.

I stopped by yesterday, because I am compelled to go into independent coffee shops of all stripes, and got a mocha with an extra shot, which has sort of become my metric drink. It was real good — more dry than sweet, just a little bit foamy, and not sludge at the bottom. My wife seemed to dig the cupcake she got. (Cupcakes are all the rage now, it seems, from West Egg to Starbucks.) I had a chocolate chip and walnut cookie that was freaking great, all crispy and melty (it was hot yesterday). So, based on one short trip, I’d recommend this place.

And is it just me or is Reynoldstown becoming more and more like Cabbagetown?

I’m not a rocket scientist, but maybe this unnamed man shouldn’t have gone to the wedding:

Gerberding said health officials “usually rely on a covenant of trust to assume that a person with tuberculosis just isn’t going to go into a situation where they would transmit disease to someone else.”

“The patient really was told that he shouldn’t fly,” she added.

“The patient himself was not highly infectious” but there still was a small risk he could transmit the disease to someone else, Gerberding told CNN.

Here’s another gem:

It is the first time in 40 years the federal government has issued a quarantine order for an individual. Gerberding acknowledged that “we kind of had to make up a plan as we went along.”

How unlike the federal government and this administration in particular NOT to have a cogent plan for an emergency situation.

Read the whole CNN article. If this idiot’s name was released they’d lynch him and burn the hospital too.

Visa revocation and house arrest, anyone? Too much? Too little?

Vent a comment.

UPDATE: CL’s Andisheh Nouraee has more. It’s crazy.

UPDATE II: Local blogger and CDCer Duane Moody has another take on the issue, taking umbrage with the media sensationalism angle. The more interesting aspect – one that I tried to be humorous about and Andisheh digs deeper upon – is the Homeland Security portion.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Hometown music mag Paste ranked their Top 40 picks for music venues around the country, and Atlanta (and Athens) made several notches:

SOUTHEAST
40 Watt Club (Athens, GA)
Bluebird Café (Nashville, TN)
The Basement (Nashville, TN)
The Earl (Atlanta, GA)
Eddie’s Attic (Decatur, GA)
Jammin’ Java (Vienna, VA)
The Melting Point (Athens, GA)
The Orange Peel (Asheville, NC)
Southgate House (Newport, KY)
The Tabernacle (Atlanta, GA)
Tipitina’s (New Orleans, LA)
Workplay (Birmingham, AL)

Much like Voldemort, head lice or jock itch, Laura Mallory just won’t go away without a fight.

She’s still “Oh-fer” but vows to continue her pointless, silly fight:

“I’ve done the best I can with all of this,” Mallory said after the hearing.

I would contend that discretion – or in this case surrender – is easily the better part of valor (or lack thereof).

Please, Mrs. Mallory, stop this nonsense. The people of Atlanta and their children have already voted against you with their wallets and their shame. Don’t cause any more harm than you already have.

At this point I think it’s a foregone conclusion that YOU madam are far worse than any children’s book could be.

Sincerely,
Every sane person who has to hear your noise

UPDATE: Severe mathlessness removed from post title. I suxx0r at teh internets.

Fernbank is doing a free summer series of nature walks. They are held on Thursday evenings from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, on the following dates:

May 31
June 7
June 14
July 19
July 26

Children are recommended to be four years or older. Parents must accompany the child. You can find more information here.

If you just want to check out the walk on your own time, Fernbank Forest is open to the public for self- guided walks seven days a week.

If you’ve never checked out Fernbank, you are missing out on an Atlanta treasure. They have really cool exhibits, and the whole place is like a little oasis in the middle of the city.

During the summer, Forest hours are:
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Center (and the Forest) are closed on July 4.

Blood Orange Mojito

What is it? It is what it sounds like, a mojito (rum, sugar, lime, mint, etc.) plus blood orange juice (or maybe grapefuit juice, I don’t know, I’m going off the title here).

Where is it? Pacific Kitchen, that place you’ve seen the signs for in Inman Park, around Elizabeth and Highland, and said to yourself, “Yeah, okay, I’ve seen the sign, but where the hell is it?” Answer: It’s a block north of Highland and east of Elizabeth, right by the park. Nice spot, in what feels like an expanded and modernized house (with super-high ceilings) and a quiet patio that gets its greenery from the Inman Park running trails near Freedom Parkway.

How was it? Very good. Smooth, a little more tart than lime alone, with lots of fresh mint. If I was really smart, though, I’d have bought a regular mojito for comparison, ’cause it didn’t seem so different.

How much? $10

(Note: I’m stealing this idea from a friend of mine, to give me an excuse to, uh, drink more. Trouble is, I’m not that well versed in cocktails or, more accurately, what they should cost, so I’ll be doing more reporting and less grading here until I’ve logged more cocktails. Drinks often won’t be posted the same week they’re drunk.)

This Memorial Day instead of just sunbathing or playing with friends and neglecting the purpose, do somthing and clear your karma: it’s easier than you think.

Those frequent flier miles you’re never going to use? Donate them to a soldier or a solidiers family via Hero Miles.

This weekend, the participating airlines will match your donation mile-for-mile, from 6 AM, Friday, May 25th through 11:59 pm, Monday, May 28th.

if you read my posts here or at my personal blog you know that i am a huge fan of the local roots rock band the beggar’s guild (my posts on metroblogging here and on my blog here).

not only is the music great but the guys in the band are just phenomenal people as well. they are the type of people that deserve success.

so i’m asking you to help me help them make that happen.

atlanta radio station dave fm has started a contest where one of four local bands is going to be picked to go to the bonaroo music festival, one of the biggest stages for new bands.

the contest works like this, the top two vote getting bands will play a shoot-out at the virginia-highlands summerfest with the winner getting a slot at bonaroo.

so please check ’em out, and if you decide like i do, that they deserve the shot, you can vote for ’em here.

I really like jazz music but, it’s one of those things I don’t normally follow. So, I was watching television the other night and there is this commercial for Lexus where all these different musicians, one on one, are sitting in the back of the car listening to it’s excellent audio system.

Well, one of the people “in the back seat” is Diana Krall who is describing the music she’s listening to. I didn’t know her and looked her up. I think her music is excellent (thank you iTunes) and she’s coming to Atlanta for a concert at Chastain Park in July. Guess I’ll be there. Funny how dominoes fall, huh?

Also, the 30th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival has its headliners this coming weekend at Piedmont Park. Should be a good show.