Tag: Atlanta (Georgia)

From Vegas to Atlanta, Soon Houston

A detailed recap of the trip will be posted at time when I have more rest…

Our vacation is now over. A red-eye flight out of Vegas had us arriving in Atlanta at 8-ish AM. We are now back in an apartment full of boxes, which by weeks end, will be packed up in a truck ready to be driven to Houston.

Is it smart to relocate to a new city in 5 days after driving 1,700 miles out west, plus a late-night flight back here?…

Well, almost 7 years ago, 10 days after we married, we packed up our New Orleans apartment, moved to Vegas with no job and no place to stay. So, we will be arriving in Houston with more plans in place than that first move.

And we got some help with the unloading the truck once we are there! Behold the power that is friends-who-have-friends-in-Houston, beer and food!

New Orleans-Style Snowballs, On Ponce

After this Atlanta Exxon Mobile gas station refused to help a stabbing victim, no one should support the business. But that being said, do stop by for the snowballs by Orleagian Snowballs. The business started by former New Orleans residents is run independently of the Exxon Mobile.

Today, I spotted the bright green cart in the gas station’s lot (on Ponce and Moreland) and hoped to visit it soon. Having seen the cart on Piedmont and Monroe, I was pleased to find them closer to home. ‘Soon’ turned into this afternoon and I was getting a sugar fix with the missus. Joining us was a friend that never had one before (New Orleans style that is).

Owner Kenneth Woodfin describes the snowball (on Atlanta Cuisine Restaurant Talk) this way, “An Orleagian Snowball is an addictive frozen dessert that consists of tightly packed snow drenched with choices or combinations of up to 30 handmade flavored syrups. In addition, its lactose and fat free.”

While not officially open, someone (possibly Kenneth) was there prepping the new stand. This is apparently the second one the displaced New Orleaneans have opened. Despite him planning on opening tomorrow, he was happy to give us what we came for, 2 small Dreamcicles and one 1 small cherry. Seriously nice guy!

So, go already.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For more Oreagian related links see:

Orleagian Snowballs Cart – Atlanta Photos – IgoUgo
The Columbus Dispatch – Local/State

The History that Never Happened: Kymaerica & Dueling Postal Services

In the lower courtyard where Star Provisions/Bacchanalia are, there hangs a bronze historical plaque. It tells of how the city got its start.

“Adalanta Desert

When the Tehachapi incised the Adalanta Desert with two great sphaltways, a settlement at their junction was inevitable. Martha Pelaski’s small trading post that became the great city was built here…”

At first I couldn’t find this plaque. I went to Star Provisions and the nice Brazilian counter guy offered to show me where it was. After leading me to the plaque in the lower courtyard he asked me to explain it to him. He was pleased to be working in a place of historical merit and wanted to know more.

I had to tell him that it was a complete fiction, part of a country-wide project that imagines the North American continent not as it is but as a place full of alternative history. Plaques like this are scattered around the country. Cabinet Magazine’s interview with Eames Demetrios details the people that made up his world.

“There are over 5,000 zones or quasi-nations in Kymaerica. Each one has its own story. For example, there is the Tehachapi, which is the great road building culture in Kymaerica, and they built most of what we now think of as the interstate highways. There are the people who were the original Samurai who were blown off course and settled what we now call Santa Barbara (which they named Hizurokoro). There are the People of the Wind who make buildings totally out of air and who believe that what we call hills are actually depressions in the sky, and what we call valleys are actually hills in the sky. In the area that is present day linear San Diego there is something called the Sandafuegan Fire Cult which puts out valuable possessions and then sets fire to them.”

So, it was in Atlanta/Adalanta that a bit of that historical fiction took place.

Discover Kymaerica
Kymaerica Plaques – a photoset on Flickr

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For another bit of alterna-history, there this bit of cryptic graffiti in a Georgia Tech elevator.


The “muted trumpet” is symbolic of a long-standing war between rival postal factions. Taxis was symbolized by a trumpet, the Tyrstero a muted trumpet showing its rival silenced. All of this stems from Thomas Pynchon’s short novel The Crying of Lot 49. While the Tyrstero faction was imagined by Pynchon, Franz von Taxis actually founded the first Italian postal service in the 16th century. Pynchon’s broad and arcane conspiracy appeals to me so it was nice to see a little bit of it in the real world at Georgia Tech.

For additional info: Thurn und Taxis on Wikipedia

ATL Happenings: Mom-n-Pop, Mod Homes & Derby

First, a thanks to Creative Loafing’s Bad Habits blog for mentioning me in their Atlanta Blogs Today: PBJ-AJC-WTF post. The spike in visitor traffic was a nice ego boost. And for those who are reading because of CL, don’t make it your last visit here.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Spring is back, making Atlanta particularly enjoyable. Its nice to return to the city in its lovely state, and this coming weekend is providing me with three things of interest.

First: the ATL:MODERN HOME TOUR – April 27-29th – 2007: “The 2007 ATL:Modern Home Tour will focus on showcasing exemplary examples for living modern through lifestyle, architecture, interior design, and landscaping. Homes range from the classic postmodern to the state-of-the-art contemporary.”

Yes, I would like to see great architecture that I will never be able to afford. Thanks for letting me past the gate.

Second: my mom and pop are visiting. As snowbirds, they are driving from Florida back to their home in the north. I always look forward to their visits as they actually treat me as a competent adult. They still have the usual parental concerns, but I’m aware that I’m lucky have parents that managed to let go in ways certain parents can’t.

Third: Atlanta Roller Girls Rollerderby!



I’ve missed 3 season games, and this weekend has the local girls playing the Pikes Peak Derby Dames of Colorado Spring, CO. This coincides with my mom and dad arriving. While my mom has a deep dislike of rollerderby and wrestling due to her mom’s love of the sports (yes I know some will raise an eyebrow at using the word “sports”… deal). Apparently , Grandma Gates got pretty vocal while watching her favorite forms of televised violence in the family living room. But I hoping dad will join me for the game. He’s a people person and enjoys a bit of cultural anthropology.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DeKalb News, Atlanta News: Rollergirls’ Bea Ligerent Hits Hard…

Atlanta Rollergirl Mini-documentary by Scott Crocker

Fried Food Fest: The Vortex's 15th Anniversary

For a place celebrating 15 years of debauchery and decadence, the Saturday night celebration was a little low key. Me and the missus walked to the Peachtree location of the Atlanta bar/local institution to part take in some of the free food offered up. Trays of fried things, including pickles, were up for grabs. And the cake from Publix was pretty damn good. Along with some additional grub that we bought, I picked up an anniversary t-shirt.

After food, we hit the bar’s Laughing Skull Lounge and heard the irreverent lounge stylings of King Sized. The lounge cover of a disco song that I forgot was the highlight of the show. But the cruise ship themed keyboard stand had me feeling like I was back at dry dock, in a good way. Again the camera was forgotten.

The Laughing Skull Lounge is home to the Dames Aflame which offers Boozer Doodle, the most interesting figure drawing class I’ve heard about.

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }


DSCF0075.JPG, originally uploaded by The Vortex Bar & Grill.

How can you go wrong with nude drawing classes at a bar? Hope the kids at local art schools are taking advantage of this education.

Red-Blooded American Museum


National Museum of Patriotism – a photoset on Flickr

Last week I visited the National Museum of Patriotism in Atlanta. It was a museum I often passed but had never visited. This will be a brief post about the museum which is deserving of a longer entry.

First thoughts: patriotism = enlisting in the military/supporting the military. All the armed services were represented, with high tech displays. Formed Tuskegee Airman Charles W. Dryden (USAF – Retired) explained in documentary why a black man would risk life and limb in a time of segregation. The collection of trench art from the museums founder.

A museum dedicated to the heartfelt belief that the US is the greatest country in the world, and should be celebrated as such. Fairly uncritical, but I can’t argue with the basic starting point. There is no greater country then ours.

More on that later.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

U have to be up in 4 hours. Hating insomnia right now.

Museums, Rollergirls, Cruiseships and Internet Overload

In brief:

Visited the National Museum of Patriotism in Atlanta on Wednesday. Pictures were taken (not posted yet) and some audio recorded in hopes of a podcast on the Georgia Podcast Network. Thanks to Rusty and Amber for the audio recorder, I’ll try get my ass in gear and get a podcast ready before my ship sails.

I will be missing the next two months worth of Atlanta Rollergirls rollerderby because of work on cruiseships. So, please go people, these girls do the derby out of love and it shows. Not happy about missing the derby bouts, but very happy about the paychecks. Soon I will be spending 13 days installing high-tech lighting systems on board a cruiseship. This time it will be at sea and not at drydock like the last one. So the conditions will improve, but I will lose most communication with my sweetie. No cell phone reception, expensive internet, and $7.98 per minute from guest rooms. Notes in bottles, maybe?

I will hate to be unable to not hear her voice on a daily basis, but being away from the internet may be a needed interruption. I’m constantly surfing my usual sites, not out of any real need, but almost compulsive action. I was net-free on the first ship, and found nothing really important/interesting when I resumed surfing again.

And now to finish writing and continue my search for the end of the internet…

Weekend Art Roundup – Eyedrum & Museum of Design Atlanta

Eyedrum

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Museum of Design

I’ll be posting pictures fully-titled and tagged to Flickr when their site is back up from scheduled maintainence. Until then, these pix will have to due. Until then, any pressing questions on artists or artwork, leave a note.

Cartoons Attack, Meet the Terrorists!

While Adult Swim’s attack on Boston was thwarted, you can meet some of the terrorist masterminds at the Museum of Design Atlanta’s Cartoon Network exhibition. The show opens tomorrow (Thursday) from 5pm-9pm. Unfortunately Adult Swim is not a part of the show, so no stuff from Aqua Teen Hunger Force or Frisky Dingo.

I have installed shows at MODA and despite Cartoon Network deciding that I didn’t need to do the thing I do to earn money (I’ll eat Ramen this month)… I’m not bitter. So, I will look at the art and drink their free booze (I hope it’s free). For those who are looking to go, the museum is here… Google Maps.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And thanks to Andy for his posts on Atlanta Makes War On Boston!!!! and Atlanta Makes War On Boston, Part 2. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known about this latest attack on the homeland.