Apartment-in-a-box

For the urban loft owner with no time to shop
for basic furnishings, your problem is solved!
TreeHugger.com has an environmentally friendly
solution to your needs! A bed, office table, closet,
filing system, and more will arrive in one small
box, ready to go. How's that for smart and easy?

WINNER BY A NOSE!

My filly, Peachtree Street, won her race today!

It was a dream come true for me, since she's

the first horse I ever bred! For her to come

from a rural town in Georgia and then win

a race in Maryland... wow. And she did it with

class and style, and all thanks to her 'staff' and

educators that never gave up on her.

Happy Van-Halentine's Day!

Nuttin' says lovin' like Van Halen, right?

Ricky and I are giving each other tickets to go see
David Lee Roth on 2/25/08. Should I wear all
black, or snake skin?

For information on other concerts and events
just north of Atlanta, check out the Arena at
the Gwinnett Center.

Landmark Buckhead Library to be razed?

Scogin and Elam (architects) designed a very bold
and unusual library in Buckhead, which is currently
being bid on by a mixed-use developer. Any opinions?
It's the age-old question of "Do we save the art, or
sell to the highest dollar?" Thank you, Amber, for
championing this cause and spreading the
awareness!!

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/02/10/library_0211.html

Majestic Southern 'Lady' For Sale

Oh my beloved,

For naught stand I In this reverie;

But that for a moment Wouldst thou see in me

The miracle I see in you.

For as the glorious sunrise-

In lengthening fingers-

Embraces the dew sodden earth,

So shall my heart,

Moistened with the tears

Of heartache and hope,

Embrace this vision of one

So lovely as you.

-poem by Richard L Cederberg

I love this poem, and it very nicely describes

how I feel when I see fantastic 100+ year

old homes that are in disrepair. In this age

of subdivisions, laminate flooring, and vinyl

siding, so few people pause and embrace

the grand old ladies of generations past.

Here are few in my hometown of Louisville, GA

(30434) that I think have amazing potential,

given mega restoration. Both have huge lots,

big old trees, and are a block from the historic

courthouse, post office, hardware store, etc.

When I win the lottery, I'll start a historic

preservation company for projects like these.

Warrenton, Georgia

From Atlanta, take I-20 East towards Augusta.

Bear Right off Exit 154, and follow the signs to

Warrenton. Yesterday I was there for a brief

visit and took a few photos for you. There is

a special place in my heart for this town since

I have driven through it several times each year,

driving from Louisville to Atlanta and back -

often with a horse trailer on my bumper! My

mom got ticket there late one night when she

didn't make a complete stop at "THE" intersection,

so I would caution you to keep that in mind.

Here's what I really like about Warrenton:

1.) Small, quiet southern town with great 'bones'

2.) Close to the interstate and commerce

3.) Forward thinking: A biodiesel company

is opening a new facility in 2008 (American

Green Holdings, based in Missouri)

4.) Mayor Tony D. Mimbs reminds citizens to

support the Central Savannah River Regional

Development Center as it makes efforts to

promote Historic Preservation

5.) Lovely downtown area with mom-n-pop

restaurants (no fastfood chains in Warrenton!)

If you are ever behind the wheel and just want

to 'go somewhere,' drive to Warrenton on your

way to Louisville. It's a wonderful cultural stop!

If you're an investor, I would suggest thinking

about buying land near the I-20 exit since there

isn't much along the interstate between Lake

Oconee and Thompson. (hint hint)

Alon's Bakery has best food - and best service!

Alon's on North Highland is my absolutely most favorite place in the world to go for friendly service (Hi, Troy!!) and fantastic food. It's friday, so I went for a non-meat (crab cakes!). YUM.

The great thing about Alon's is that it has a fantastic variety, everything is decently affordable, and you can usually make a friend or two by discussing the merits of the fruit tart and the eclairs. YUM.

Troy is the nicest helper there - he recommended the brisket. Alon's is having a Valentine's Day dinner... roses, champagne, a delicious meal, dessert, and handmade chocolates... hint. hint. ;)

What will $1mill buy in Morningside?

At lunch today, I visited some homes in and around Morningside, and found 3 decent ones out of 14.

Here are my criteria for $1 mill must-haves:

1.) Logical Floorplan with good flow, natural light

2.) A Spoil - you - rotten kitchen with a

big pantry and great ventilation system

3.) More than one sink in the kitchen (or one in

the mandatory Butler's Pantry)

4.) No laminate countertops - anywhere

5.) A mud room with tile floors (actually,

the new trend is to have a dog grooming

room with a tiled floor than also drains)

6.) Coffee Bar and mini fridge in the sitting area

7.) Coffee Bar and mini fridge by master suite,

and/or wine cellar, and/or theatre room

8.) Easy parking with an extra wide garage

9.) Decent cabinets and fixtures - no plastic ceiling fans,

and real wood cabinets with high quality hinges

10.) Doors must not be hollow, and not bump into

other doors, windows, walls, etc. I'm a fan of the

under-used pocket doors in that situation.

11.) Smart technology (tankless water heaters,

wiring for whole-house speakers, good appliances.

12.) Lavish 'Never Wanna Leave' Master Suite

with ridiculously huge closets and a porch/balcony

I attached photos of today's cream of the crop.

These are the top three houses that 'make sense.'