Today we made our rescheduled trek into Atlanta - no detours for vomiting this week. We started out at the Midtown location of Trader Joe's - what a fabulous store! J and I were content to wander the aisles and peruse the delicacies; A was interested only in the food samples. We tried not to go wild, and limited our purchases to artisan bread, bagels and three types of cheese.
We headed west into Decatur to go to the Dekalb Farmers Market, which is not like a traditional farmers' market nor is like a traditional grocery store. It is an amazing cross-section of food and people from all over the world. I did the majority of my grocery shopping there when I was a poor graduate student and ate quite well for an economical price. It was not uncommon to see a Buckhead matron in a fur coat, punk rockers and large immigrant families (all touching the grocery cart) shopping peacefully side-by-side. We inhaled the rich smells in the seafood section, drooled over even more cheese and stood in awe at the variety of fresh produce. We bought a few more unusual items and added them to our treasure trove in the cooler.
Downtown Decatur was our next destination, where we had lunch at Ted's Montana Grill. J and I enjoyed delicious burgers and A seemed to eat his body weight in chicken tenders and fries. I also indulged in a Bloody Mary, which hit the spot.
Our last stop was the campus of Emory University, my alma mater. I couldn't remember anything about how to get around campus, so we finally parked and then hoofed it. Campus was just as beautiful as I remembered, and I was amazed at the amount of construction taking place. I also marveled at the size and opulence of the Goizueta Business School - not the tiny little building in which I attended classes! A enjoyed running around the various quads throughout campus and I bought him an Emory t-shirt.
J and I were rather sad to leave and drive back out to Hooterville. Decatur is much more our speed: diverse people, shopping, housing, yada yada yada. We felt at home there, which we do not feel living out here in the country. And while we know that living in Decatur is not feasible due to housing costs, job location, etc., it was still a stark reminder that we are living in the wrong place.
1 comment:
I was going through some old Christmas cards today and found one of your famous newsletters where you referred to Fuquay-Varina as Hooterville. Gosh, I remember the 3rd of July celebrations at the high school football field and the 4th of July Baby Parade and having Mexican food afterwards.
Fred and I go into The Big City quite frequently to take in the entertainment or cultural activities. It's a bit of a hike but are glad we live where we do where it's not so busy. Although our town has 110,000 people (yes, it's still a town) it still feels very much like a small town. Affordability was our #1 criterium and we're glad to not be house poor living here - as are many who live in The Big City.
Keep making those weekend treks into ATL for the fun things you guys want to do.
Send pix of A in his Emory shirt!
Can you do me a favour and send me the measurements of the length of his foot?
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