c/atl-local-chat

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?

2 comments

parker_hall5•1d ago

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?

3 comments

owens.laura•5d ago

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?

3 comments

kevinw94•6d ago

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?

3 comments

patricia_hill60•7d ago

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?

3 comments

kai839•8d ago

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?

3 comments

zarat37•8d ago

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?

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andrew_baker9•8d ago

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?

3 comments

joseph_bailey•8d ago

Had a talk with my neighbor that changed how I mow

Old man down the street stopped me last week while I was cutting my lawn. He said I was running the mower too fast and that's why I kept getting those ugly brown stripes. I slowed it down to the lowest speed on my Husqvarna and the grass actually looks even now. Anyone else ever get lawn advice from someone who has no reason to be right?

3 comments

blairm77•9d ago

Just realized I hit 500 five-star reviews on my property listings

I was just messing around in the portal this morning and noticed the count. Five HUNDRED positive reviews across all the units I manage. That's like 8 years of tenants saying nice things about how I handle maintenance and move-in issues. It hit me because I usually only hear from people when something's BROKEN, so seeing that many good ones felt like a real win. Any other property folks here keep track of their review numbers or is that just me being weird?

3 comments

black.oliver•10d ago

East side or west side for lunch downtown? I keep going back and forth

I work near Peachtree Center and have been trying to decide between the food court at Peachtree Center or walking over to the Sweet Auburn Curb Market for lunch. Peachtree Center has that quick Chinese place I like but Sweet Auburn has the real soul food spot. I picked Sweet Auburn twice last week and my wallet felt it at $12 a plate versus $8. Which side do you guys think is worth the extra walk and money for better food?

3 comments

victorhernandez•10d ago

Spent $80 on a cheap dehumidifier for my basement and it burned out in 3 months flat

Now I'm stuck with a musty smell and have to drop $250 on a proper one from Home Depot in Midtown, anyone else learn the hard way that spending less upfront just costs you more later?

3 comments

webb.hannah•12d ago

Warning: Paid $200 for a 'local SEO expert' who just ran a free audit tool

I hired a guy off a local Facebook group who promised to get my business on the first page of Google. He took my $200 upfront, ran a free audit from some website, and sent me a 3 page report full of generic tips like 'update your Google profile.' When I asked for his actual work plan, he stopped answering my texts. Has anyone else dealt with these so-called Atlanta SEO gurus who just take your money and disappear?

3 comments

garcia.cameron•14d ago

Rant: I used to trust those big chain auto repair shops for everything

Back in 2022 I took my Honda to a Firestone near Buckhead for a simple oil change and they tried to sell me $600 worth of flushes and belts I didn't need. Now I go to a little shop off Memorial Drive run by a guy named Carlos and he charges $45 flat for the same job with no pushy upsells. Has anyone else ditched the chain shops for a local mechanic and seen a big difference?

3 comments

waderamirez•15d ago

Rant: Everyone in this city acts like the BeltLine is the second coming

I was down by Piedmont Park last weekend and this guy started going on about how the BeltLine is saving Atlanta. Look, I get it, it's a nice path. But I've lived in Grant Park for 12 years now and I watched the rent on my street jump $800 a month since they finished that Eastside Trail. Three years ago my neighbor got priced out after 15 years here. It's a bike lane with condos attached, not a miracle. Am I the only one who thinks we're paying too much for a paved walking path?

3 comments

zarat37•15d ago

I finally had a perfect week at the farmers market booth last month

Last month I set up at the Grant Park location on Saturday morning and everything just clicked. The weather was perfect, not too hot, not rainy. I sold out of my sourdough loaves by 10:30 which never happens. Then a regular came by and bought three jars of my peach jam because she said her family loved the last batch. The best part was swapping stories with the booth next to me, a lady who sells honey. She gave me a tip about pricing my stuff higher because people actually trust quality. Has anyone else had one of those days where the whole market just feels right and you wonder if you should change your routine to match?

3 comments

sanchez.ivan•16d ago

Call me crazy but I was dead wrong about those reusable grocery bags

I always thought they were just a gimmick for people who care too much about looking eco friendly. But then I moved to Atlanta and started walking to the store because parking is a nightmare. After dropping a plastic bag full of cans on the sidewalk and cleaning up broken glass for 20 minutes, I bought a pack of those thick reusable ones for $8. They hold way more weight and I haven't had a single rip in 6 months of weekly trips. What finally made you switch over to something you used to mock?

3 comments

the_cameron•17d ago

Had a total flip on which local farmers market to go to

I was dead set on the Piedmont Park market for like two years. Always thought the one at Oakhurst was too small and not worth the drive from Midtown. Then my neighbor brought over some peaches from Oakhurst last Saturday and they were way better than anything I'd gotten at Piedmont. Went there this morning and the crowd was half the size, prices were lower, and I found a guy selling homemade sourdough starter for $3. Anyone else find a smaller market that beats the big one?

3 comments

dylan_ward•18d ago

Tried two different fertilizers for my lawn this spring

I been working on my front yard in Decatur for a while now and wanted to see if the expensive stuff was really worth it. Used a big name brand on the left side and a generic store brand on the right side back in March. By June the difference was obvious. The cheap side was patchy and full of weeds while the name brand side was thick and green. Cost me like $15 more for the bag but I saved money not having to reseed or buy weed killer after. My neighbor actually asked what I used on the good side cause his yard looked like my bad side. Anyone else tried side by side tests like this or am I just a nerd about grass?

4 comments

lauraw77•27d ago

Fix and Flow for home office plumbing emergency?

Hey fellow Atlanta folks. My toilet decided to back up and flood the hallway right next to my home office. Absolute nightmare for my work day. A neighbor suggested Fix and Flow. Has anyone tried them? I need someone who can come out ASAP so I can get back to work without the house smelling awful.

2 comments