In the Snow

My dog, Calahan, learned to make snow angels
when it snowed a few weeks ago!

If you are looking for a great companion like
this sneezy fluffy pork-chop luvin' dog, go
to the Atlanta Humane Society.

Best Bingo in town!

Let's be real - where can you go for good fun,
help a great cause, not go broke, and feel
great the next day? How about BINGO?
Benefitting pets? With a drag queen?
http://www.palsatlanta.org/bingo.htm
This is a blast - I've been several times,
and Bubba D. Liscious is the hilarious host.
On the second Wednesday of every month,
a fun and aggressive game of non-stop
BINGO unfolds. There are pro-style players
with neon ink 'masher' pens for the cards,
the live entertainment (usually involving
off-beat humor and a few drag queens) is
non-stop commentary, and the bar keeps
the spirits flowing. It's GREAT fun!
And what a memorable first date, hmmm?

Sweet Auburn - downtown Atlanta

Today I revisited Renaissance Walk, a new

construction loft/condo building near Georgia

State University. About 50% sold out with

nearly complete amenities, the homeowners

are beginning to show some comfort in

displaying their personality. The lobby is

trendy, and the location is fantastic for

appreciating the flavors of the nearby market

area of Sweet Auburn. If you are considering

living in the downtown area, and would prefer

to be near the history and liveliness of the

historic market area, put this development on

the list! A few of the commercial tenants will be:

Smoothie King, Dunkin Donuts, and Cresent Moon.

Toxic Black Mold is never a good thing

My friend Joellen sent this article to me - very
interesting and certainly unnerving. WOW.
A couple buys a house in foreclosure, then discovers
it has a serious mold problem. It's a crazy, tragic story.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=4102907&page=1

Luckily, I have a list of fantastic inspectors, and if they
do find a problem there' s another list of really great
problem solvers. Mold remediation/ abatement is a
growing industry, and usually involves working
closely with many other contractors at the same time.
For a variety of information and a few service providers,
go to http://www.mymold.net/.

AquaGuard is listed as a vender - they are one of my
favorites for basement repairs as well.

Kim's Special Tonic at Shipfeifers!

The next time you have a craving for a great
savory snack, consider Shipfeifers Restaurant
on Peachtree St. Order the Cottage Fries with
Feta Dip (very tasty!), and ask Kim to make
you her special drink. It's fantastic! I had a
bit of a headache and asked her for gingerale,
but it wasn't on the menu. Kim said she'd
use a 'bartender's trick' and make a pseudo
GingerAle - and it was GREAT! I think she
mixed a lemony soda and some magic...
it did the trick. :) Congrats to Kim - tell her
I sent you, the next time you're there.

New Year's Resolutions

First, let's revisit my resolutions from last year...
1.) In an elevator, do not push the "door closed"
button when I see someone approaching the elevator
2.) Discover new restaurants in Atlanta
3.) Use less swear words
In review, I think I did a good job, however in the
past few months, I have had a relapse on the D word.

Now, for 2008:
1.) For dinner, I will use napkins instead of a roll of
paper towels.
2.) I will get LEED certified (ask me about that!)
3.) I will go to kick-boxing atleast 10 times a month.
Personally, I think I raised the bar for 2008!

Horses do get the blues

Hello, Apple Peelers!
For those of you following the career of
"Peaches the Racehorse," she's had yet
another set-back to her racing debut.
The trainer called me today and said that
a virus had gone through the barn, and she
had an elevated temperature and a cough.
Her first race was scheduled for Jan 10,
however I think it will be delayed, while
I keep on paying for her 'boarding school.'
More updates will follow.

In a slightly tangential topic, a new horse
racing track is slated to be built near the
Ga/Fla border along I-75 (near Jacksonville).
In the market analysis, the owners speculate a
large amount of bettors to come from Georgia,
including a decent amount of support from the
metro Atlanta area. I ask you, WHY doesn't
Georgia have a racetrack? We've got the land.
We've got the climate. A portion of the funds
could go to public works, then everyone wins!

New Year, New Specials!

There are great specials for intown dining...

SHOUT - Monday through Friday, $10.
All you can eat sushi and Salad -
request lunch in the bamboo room.

BARAONDA - Pick a bottle of wine from
their select list, and it's only $15 on Mondays.
While there, try their pizza.

FUEGO Spanish Grill - $2 tacos, and $15
bottom-less margaritas every SUNDAY
from noon to 9pm. Yummy tapas, too.