c/atl-local-chat

That $40 indoor herb garden kit I was skeptical about actually grew real basil in 3 weeks

My wife bought one of those Aerogarden knockoffs from Amazon back in January and I rolled my eyes so hard. I'm not a plant guy at all and figured it'd be a waste of counter space. But she set it up in the kitchen, put in those little pods, and within 3 weeks we had actual basil and parsley growing. Now I'm eating fresh herbs on my eggs every morning and it's kind of wild how easy it was. Has anyone else tried one of these and actually had it work out?

Last Tuesday was my worst freelancing day in 2 years

I had three client calls cancel back to back, then my laptop died mid-project and I lost 4 hours of edits. The kicker was a $200 invoice I sent out in April getting rejected because they said I used the wrong formatting. Anyone else ever have a day where everything just breaks at once?

Wasted $200 on that 'premium' parking spot near downtown

Signed up for a monthly reserved spot at that deck on Peachtree back in January, thought it'd save me time but half the days it was taken by someone else anyway. Anyone else get burned by those overpriced parking apps that don't actually guarantee you a space?

Went to Sweet Auburn Market today and almost got run over by a golf cart

I was just grabbing some peaches near the fish stalls when some dude on a golf cart came flying around the corner, honking at people like he was on I-85. There's barely room to walk with all the stalls and crowds, and these carts just weave through like they own the place. Am I the only one who thinks they need to ban those things from the main aisle?

That week in July where my AC died and my car broke down on the same day

The guy at Piedmont Park who tried to sell me a 'pre-owned' yoga mat mid-session

So I'm at Piedmont Park last Saturday morning, just getting into my downward dog in the grass near the big oak trees, minding my own business. This dude walks up, probably in his 40s, carrying like five rolled up yoga mats over his shoulder. He stops right in front of my mat and goes, 'Hey, that one looks old. I got a fresh one for you, only 15 bucks, barely used.' I told him no thanks, mine is fine, but he didn't leave. He plops down next to me and starts explaining how he bought them in bulk from a closing studio in Decatur and now he's 'rehoming' them. I had to pack up my stuff and move like 50 feet away just to finish my routine. Has anyone else had random people try to sell you stuff while you're clearly in the middle of something at the park?

That overpriced lawn service I hired nearly killed my yard

I paid a company called GreenScape Pros $400 to treat my lawn for fungus last spring. They sprayed the wrong chemical and burned half the grass to straw. Took me three months of reseeding and watering to get it back to normal. If you need lawn work in Atlanta, skip the big names and find a local guy who actually knows what he's doing. Anyone else get burned by a landscaping outfit around here?

Just saw that ATL traffic data for 2024 and I'm shook

I was checking the GDOT stats online last night and apparently the average commute time in Atlanta is now 32 minutes one way. That's up like 4 minutes from 2019. I thought my drive from Marietta to Midtown was bad at 45 minutes but I guess that's normal now. The worst part is they said 285 westbound between I-75 and I-85 averages 18 miles per hour during peak. How is anyone still driving there without losing their mind? Anyone else seen better routes around that mess or just stuck dealing with it?

That off-brand lawn fertilizer I grabbed at the Ace Hardware in Decatur actually worked better than the Scott's stuff I usually buy

I was pretty sure the cheap bag I picked up for 12 bucks was gonna be a total waste, but my St. Augustine grass greened up in like 4 days after I spread it last weekend. Now I'm wondering if I've been overpaying for the big name brand this whole time. Anyone else had a random no-name product surprise them like that?

Tried that new taco spot on Piedmont last night

The salsa bar had 8 different options but they were all basically the same tomato base with different labels. I learned to just pick one and stick with it instead of making a sample platter. Anyone else find a menu item there that's actually worth the hype?

Picked the BGE over a traeger last spring

I was dead set on a pellet smoker for months. Then a buddy let me borrow his Green Egg for a weekend. Cooked a 14 pound brisket at 250 for 12 hours straight. Got that bark I could never get with gas. No regrets.

Tried the fancy $8 steak at the new Buckhead butcher shop vs the $5 one at the old corner market near my office

I grabbed ribeyes from both places last Saturday for a cookout. The cheap market steak came out tender and juicy after a simple salt and pepper rub, but the expensive one was tough and chewy no matter what I did. Has anyone else found that the small local joints in Atlanta outshine the trendy spots every time?

Had a guy at the gas station tell me his dog could forecast Atlanta traffic jams

He said if the dog starts pacing in circles before 7am, I should take side streets instead, and wouldn't you know it, three days in a row the dog was right - has anyone else gotten weird but useful local tips from random strangers?

Went to that new taco spot on Howell Mill and the salsa game was weak

I finally checked out that new Mexican place that opened up off Howell Mill last Saturday. Place was packed at 1pm which is usually a good sign. I ordered the al pastor tacos and the meat was actually pretty solid, nice char on it. But man, the salsa bar was a letdown. They only had two options, a basic red salsa that tasted like canned tomatoes and a green one that was mostly just tomatillo water with no heat. For a place charging $4.50 a taco I expect more than that. Anyone else been there and found a salsa that actually has some kick to it? I'm hoping I just went on an off day.

Overheard a barista explaining the secret to their espresso shots

I was waiting for my coffee at this little spot in Decatur and the barista was telling a trainee that they always weigh the beans before grinding, not just scoop. She said even a gram off changes the whole flavor. I tried it at home with my cheap machine the last two weeks and my morning cup is way better. Has anyone else tried weighing instead of scooping?

I finally tried the cheap gas station car wash vs the touchless one in Buckhead

Last Saturday I had like 45 minutes before picking up my sister from the airport so I figured why not wash the car real quick. The $8 gas station one with the spinning brushes left these tiny swirl marks all over my hood, I was so annoyed. Then yesterday I took it to the touchless laser wash on Peachtree for $15 and it came out way cleaner with zero scratches. I mean maybe it's just me but I think the extra $7 is worth not having to buff out marks later. Has anyone else noticed the cheap washes messing up their paint job around here?

The old route 85 shortcut I forgot about

Was stuck in traffic on 285 last Tuesday for 45 minutes just to go 3 miles. Remembered this back road my dad used to take near the old Hapeville plant that cuts through to the airport. Tried it and saved myself a solid 20 minutes even with the afternoon rush. Anybody else got a secret Atlanta shortcut they swear by?

Overheard a golf course superintendent say 'bentgrass is dying in July' and it started a whole debate

He said bentgrass needs 90 days of cool weather for a good putting surface, but another guy swore by Bermuda hybrids that handle Atlanta heat better. Which grass type holds up best for local courses around here?

My truck AC died in the middle of a heat wave last week

I was driving back from a job in Decatur and the air just stopped blowing cold. It was 96 degrees out and I had another stop to make. Pulled over and checked the freon, but the compressor clutch wasn't even engaging. Had to roll down the windows and sweat it out for 20 minutes on 285. Took it to a shop on Memorial Drive and they said the compressor seized up. $850 to replace it. Anyone else had a car AC give out at the worst possible time?

Just compared MARTA vs driving to the airport for a 6am flight...

Took MARTA to Hartsfield-Jackson for a 6am flight last week and it cost me $2.50. Driving would've been $28 for parking plus gas. The train was on time and I walked right to security. Has anyone else made the switch and saved some cash?

Tried using a dehumidifier in my basement crawlspace last spring

I was getting that musty smell every time it rained hard. Picked up a 50-pint unit from Home Depot for about $200. That thing pulled out 2 gallons of water a day for the first week straight. Learned that you have to keep the drain line clear or it shuts off automatically and the smell comes right back. Anyone else deal with humidity issues in older Atlanta homes?

Hot take: Are the new bike lanes on Peachtree making traffic worse or actually helping?

I was stuck on Peachtree last Thursday trying to get through Midtown and I counted 12 cyclists in the new protected lanes while cars were bumper to bumper for 3 blocks. One guy on a bike even waved at me while I was sitting there for 10 minutes. It made me wonder if those lanes are just shifting the problem instead of fixing it. I looked up the city's traffic study from last quarter and it said car travel times increased 15% since the lanes went in, but bike commuter numbers went up 40%. So which side wins here? Local business owners near 10th Street say they lost customers because people can't park, but the cycling folks argue it's safer for everyone. Has anyone else noticed a difference driving through there lately?

A retired framer watched me nail off a roof and gave me some serious feedback

Had a older guy walk over from the job next door last Tuesday while I was running a crew on a ranch house out near Stone Mountain. He just stood there for a minute and finally said 'you're wasting a lot of motion with that hammer swing, aim for the sweet spot closer to the head lap'. I brushed it off at first because I've been doing this like 12 years and nobody ever told me different. But after he walked away I tried what he said on a few shingles and I was hitting way more consistent with half the misses. Changed my whole stance that afternoon and the guys on my crew even noticed I was moving faster. I've been thinking about how much extra time I spent overcorrecting my aim, like probably an extra 20 minutes per roof for no reason. Anyone else had an old timer give them a tip that seemed small but actually saved them hours of work?

Found out my local coffee shop throws away 30 pounds of beans every week that are past their roast date

I was chatting with the barista at Joe's Brew on Peachtree and he said they toss anything older than 14 days. Some people say fresh is everything, but others argue those beans are still good for another week. Where do you draw the line on freshness?

Noticed my grass got way greener after I changed my watering time

I used to water my lawn at like 5pm every day because it was convenient after work. A guy at the hardware store told me to switch to 6am instead, said the water soaks in better before the sun hits. After about two weeks I could really see the difference, the grass was darker and I was using less water too. Has anyone else seen that big of a change just by moving when you water?