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TODAY'S
ISSUE
World
of experience trying out every restaurant in Gwinnett
By Jim Nelems
The Marketing Workshop, Inc.
Special to GwinnettForum.com
NORCROSS, Sept. 1, 2006 -- Several years ago I decided to try and
eat in every restaurant in Gwinnett County. Now this was before
the great influx of Gwinnettians, when it would have been possible
back then to actually do that in the course of a year or two.
Nelems |
Today, I think one would run out of days before the task was completed.
And that is even if you only ate in one unit of any given chain.
(Paul Eppinga, manager of the Gwinnett License and Revenue office,
says that there are 1,106 restaurants in the county. That doesn't
count another 813 in the cities of the county, Dr. Lloyd Hofer of
the Health Department tells us, for a total of 1,919 restaurants
in Gwinnett.)
I've had many good restaurant experiences. But some of the most
memorable are the bad experiences, of which a few remain etched
in my memory.
One of these was a now defunct fish restaurant at The Forum, which
had a large disclaimer on the menu that says if you have allergies
and get sick from a meal there, you still have to pay for the meal.
I guess while you are on the stretcher being taken away in the
ambulance you have to throw out your wallet. I had never seen that
printed on a menu before. This is the same restaurant where when
I asked whether their fish had sulfites added (because my wife is
allergic to sulfites), the manager appeared not to know what I was
talking about. Actually he was being sarcastic and when I asked
to see the manager who might know something about sulfites, he informed
me HE was the manager. Not only that, the food was not good, anyway.
In another restaurant, the server said their fish did have sulfites,
because he thought that was what we wanted. Our rule of thumb is
if the server does not know, then it is not a good idea to order
seafood.
We found out later that sulfites are in powdered drink mixes. Who
would have known? We didn't order the seafood but then my wife got
ill due to the sulfite in the drink mix. After which the server
said, you know, I forgot to tell you that my daughter got ill over
the same thing. The sulfites are in the marguerita drink mix.
In a casual restaurant where the hamburger was cold, which we quietly
pointed out to the server, she came back to say that the manager
"Apologies for the cold hamburger." I guess he was ashamed
to have to come out himself. When I said, "So?" she was
unable to offer a response. I suggested they heat up the burger.
An out of state restaurant where the chicken livers were overcooked:
"Yes, I know," the manager says, "No one likes that
way, but that's the way corporate sends them to us."
There is a former Japanese restaurant in Gwinnett which converted
to Southern home cooking. I have to tell you that Japanese don't
know anything about "Southern cooking!!" It was cheap,
however.
Then there was the banquet we were attending where the center pieces
caught fire!
Soon we'll pen something different….our selection of the BEST
restaurants in Gwinnett County.
ELLIOTT
BRACK
Dear candidate Taylor: Here is an issue to
get you elected
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
SEPT. 1, 2006 -- The governor's race so far this year? It's been
a ho-hum affair. Way it's looking now, Dr. Sonny Perdue might sleep-walk
to re-election. Certainly since the primary, his Democratic rival
Mark Taylor hasn't done much to shake up the confidence of the governor.
Brack |
Yes, we realize that the election season is just beginning, with
neither side blowing much steam toward us voters yet. The Perdue
faction has run more television ads (that we've seen), but that
may be since they are so flush with money that they may use the
rest of the political time blithly spending campaign funds. (Reminds
us of the Barnes race four years ago, when they, too, were flush
with money.)
Now since Dr. Perdue is a sitting governor, you would anticipate
that he would rather not raise issues, but would sit comfortably
by the sidelines, and cause no ripples. We can understand that for
an incumbent.
Taylor
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But what about Mark Taylor? If he's going to come close to winning
the race for governor, he needs to be seen as a resourceful force,
on top of the issues, and be constantly telling voters how he can
do better than the sitting governor.
In the process, he needs to raise issues that touch the voters,
and stand for something that the voters can identify with. So far
the Republican governor has indicated that what he is mainly for
is more of the same thing, and not much of it at that.
Taylor, on the other hand, must be seen as vigorous, intelligent,
ready to be governor and eager to serve, appearing to be something
different that the people can depend on. And yes, he must brilliantly
set forth the issues so that the people can understand them, and
catch his spirit, so that they can flock with gusto to the polls
in great numbers to whoosh him into office.
There is one issue we maintain that Georgians can easily identify
with, which in itself, might propel Taylor into office if he champions
this.
No, it's not lowering your taxes, or keeping prayers in school,
or banishing the illegals. It's pretty basic: starting school after
Labor Day.
People all across Georgia are upset and downright disgusted with
the educational institutions that keep pushing the school calendar
back and back, and thereby robbing us of most of August. Many Georgia
schools now begin their school year in July…..yes July! The
way they keep backing up the calendar, soon the students might have
a week or two off after the school year, and by late June be catching
the yellow buses again! One Georgia county is already starting its
new year on July 13, 2006! June is less than two weeks from that.
We look upon the school calendar issue as something that parents
can get their hands around. They remember going back to school themselves
in September…after Labor Day. They know that their summer vacations
are being cut short today by having to get their kids back for band
or football practice in early August. Meanwhile, the hospitality
industry along our Georgia coast, or mountains, or even at the Aquarium
and other visitor spots in Atlanta, are seeing their August crowds
disappear. It's hurting the state economically.
We feel voters could understand a pledge by Mark Taylor to put
sanity back into the school calendar. There's no real reason to
have a school calendar beginning in the midst of summer. Educators
will cite reasons they prefer it, but once you get down to it, most
everything they say can be refuted, or done in a more innovative
fashion than starting school before Labor Day. Most other state
still do that, and remember, students in most other states perform
better than do Georgia students.
So there's an issue, Candidate Taylor. Side with those wanting
to have saner school calendars, and you could be with the majority
of Georgians….next November!
ABOUT
OUR SPONSORS
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to you at no cost to readers. Georgia's newest and Gwinnett County's
only medical college, Georgia Campus-Philadelphia College of
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an evening master's degree program in biomedical sciences to its
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the course load of medical school with added emphasis on the relationship
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are enrolled in the osteopathic physician and bio-med programs.
GA-PCOM, which opened in August 2005 at 625 Old Peachtree Road,
Suwanee, seeks to recruit and educate medical students from Georgia
and the surrounding states and encourage them to remain in the region
thereby helping improve access to healthcare in medically underserved
areas. Call 678-225-7532 for additional information. Online at:
http://www.pcom.edu/General_Information/georgia/georgia.html
For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm
McLEMORE'S WORLD
Telephone
psych-out
The latest great cartoon from Bill McLemore:
FEEDBACK
9/1:
Likens new CIDS to putting lipstick on a pig
Editor, the Forum:
At various times before their bankruptcy, Delta Air Lines announced
new customer service initiatives and then applied new paint to their
planes. I never got the connection between customer service and
new paint.
In the same vein, fixing broken gutters and new landscaping is nice
but until we get serious about crime in these Çommunity Improvement
Districts, as well as the rest of the county, we will continue the
long slow slide to become the "next DeKalb." The recent
$50 million drug bust in Buford is only the tip of the iceberg.
Knowing that only a small percentage of the flow of illegal drugs
are intercepted, Gwinnett's drug dealers are living proof that Success
Lives Here.
While I applaud the efforts of our law enforcement professionals,
Gwinnett's crime problem is a total community problem. We tolerate
neighborhood vandalism which grows to neighborhood breaking and
enterings, which grows to aggravated assaults, which grows to murder,
drugs, gangs and organized mayhem.
So putting lipstick on this pig might make the planes prettier or
dress up Jimmy Carter Boulevard, but until we get serious about
the real issue and get the entire community involved in crime prevention,
we will continue our slide to mediocrity.
-- Patrick Malone, Snellville
(Dear Pat: Did you see that part of what the
Gwinnett Village CID is doing is initiating a study for a security
patrol? Gwinnett Place CID is working with retailers on crime,
and the US 78 CID pays for added police patrols. All three CIDs
are alert to this problem. The work they do on security you may
never see, but these CIDs think important. -eeb)
UPCOMING
Flicks
on the Bricks set Sept. 9 in Duluth
The City of Duluth presents Flicks on the Bricks featuring Nanny
McPhee, Saturday, September 9 at the Duluth Festival Center and
Amphitheater. Admission is FREE and the movie will begin at dusk.
Oscar winner Emma Thompson wrote and stars in this adaptation of
the "Nurse Mathilda" books. Nanny McPhee comes to the
house of Mr. Brown and his seven ill-behaved children. They have
dispensed with 17 nannies before her and see Nanny McPhee as no
different. However, she seems to have mystical powers that start
to control them and lead to startling consequences in this magical
comedy.
Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy a movie under the stars
and a great night with your friends and family. For more information
visit www.duluthga.net or call 770-497- 5312.
Ballet offers photographic
images on display at Buford gallery
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre will launch its most ambitious season yet
by giving the public a visual treat on gallery walls as well as
on the stage.
From September 26 to October 3, approximately 30 photographs of
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre dancers taken by Atlanta photographer Richard
Calmes will be on view at Carisma Gallery, 15 E. Main Street in
Historic Buford. The exhibition is titled "Takeoffs and Landings"
in a tribute to the dancers' athletic expertise. The gallery is
open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday
and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A VIP reception will be given on Saturday, September 30 at 7 p.m.
at the gallery to launch the Ballet's season. Mr. Calmes and the
artistic staff and dancers of GBT will be in attendance. The public
is invited.
Whole Foods Market
opens new Duluth store Sept. 20
Whole Foods Market has set Wednesday, September 20, as the grand
opening date for its new store in Duluth. The new store officially
opens at 9 a.m. with a traditional Whole Foods Market "Bread
Breaking Ceremony," a foodie twist on the traditional ribbon
cutting event.
Scott Allshouse, regional president for Whole Foods Market, says:
"We're pulling out all the stops for our new Duluth store.
Our guests expect us to provide them with more than just a regular
trip to the grocery store, and we're bringing them an exciting and
innovative shopping experience that will touch all five senses."
The new store is located at 5945 State Bridge Road, just east of
Medlock Bridge Road, and will generate 175 new jobs. The 63,000-square-feet
of retail space make it the largest Whole Foods Market in Georgia.
NOTABLE
County
SPLOST money helps Lilburn buy parkland
Gwinnett County has partnered with the City of Lilburn to purchase
20 acres of
land in Lilburn to be preserved as greenspace. An additional 10.32
acres that adjoin the property is being donated by the J.C. Hovis
Group.
Lilburn Mayor Jack Bolton says: "We are delighted with this
cooperative land purchase by the City and the County. Our respective
citizens and businesses will benefit for years to come as a result
of the potential enhanced recreation and scenic opportunities we
can achieve through this acquisition."
County Commissioners recently approved the purchase of the wooded
tract of land located off Rockbridge Road in Lilburn. The cost for
the property totaled $590,000, with the City of Lilburn paying $50,000
and Gwinnett County paying the remainder . Funds from the 2005 Special
Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program were used to purchase
the property.
Plans for the property may allow for a greenway trail to connect
area parks, including Harmony Grove Park, Lions Club Park (owned
by City of Lilburn and operated by Gwinnett County) and the City
of Lilburn's Camp Creek Greenway.
RECOMMENDED
L'Thai
Organic Restaurant, Lilburn
"A healthy, inexpensive place to eat out is L'Thai organic
restaurant, in the "County Line" shopping center just
south of the U.S. Highway 29 and Jimmy Carter/Stone Mountain Industrial
intersection.
"The service is exceptional. The ambiance and décor
are nice and the place very clean and well kept. The owners do not
hesitate to run the air conditioning.
"Many dishes offer organic meats, if you specify organic when
ordering. The majority of the produce is organic as well. The fish
and shellfish used are wild caught. The food is by far the best
I have tasted of Thai cuisine in the greater Atlanta area. Everything
is fresh and full of flavor. There is a wide selection of wine and
beer."
-- Roger Hagen, Lilburn
- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
GEORGIA
TIDBIT
Anglican
church had major impact on early Georgia life
The impact
of the Anglican Church, or Church of England, in Georgia reaches
beyond religion, for it was largely due to the political influence
of the church's key members that the English established the colony
of Georgia in 1733. Before the American Revolution (1775-83), Anglicans
constituted the largest and most influential group of Christians
in Georgia. At the time Georgia was founded, anyone holding a political
position in England was required to be Anglican.
Oglethorpe |
James Edward Oglethorpe, the founder of the Georgia colony, was
a member of the British Parliament in the 1720s. With the new colony,
Oglethorpe sought a more humanitarian way for England to deal with
its "worthy poor," who at the time were often incarcerated
for indebtedness. Other members of Parliament hoped to convert Native
Americans in the region to Christianity.
Among those working with Oglethorpe was the influential Anglican
priest Thomas Bray, founder of the Society for the Propagation of
the Gospel to Foreign Parts. Bray had for 30 years worked with other
church members to send missionaries to English colonies.
The charter establishing Georgia as a colony was formalized in
1732, with a Board of Trustees appointed to guide the new enterprise.
One-fourth of the 21 Trustees were clergy. Although there was some
discussion of the establishment of the Church of England as the
official church of Georgia, groups of various religious persuasions
were permitted to worship in the new colony. (Catholicism was banned
in Georgia, however, until 1777.) The Trustees did appoint Anglican
clergymen to serve the new colonists, however, and saw to it that
300 acres were provided for the support of an Anglican church in
Savannah, including a parsonage and cemetery.
The first priest selected by the Trustees was a volunteer, Henry
Herbert, who sailed with the original colonists, reaching Georgia
in 1733. Herbert founded Christ Church of Savannah, the first Anglican
parish, or self-supporting congregation, in Georgia; but he died
during his return voyage to England before the year ended. The Trustees
appointed a series of nine Anglican priests in the first 12 years
of the colony. Although the Trustees interviewed and appointed the
priests, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel paid the
priests' salaries.
The Trustees also established charity schools to ensure that children
understood the Anglican catechism. One of the prime results of these
charity schools was the ready acceptance of English as the official
language of Georgia.
THOUGHT
OF THE DAY
The real work for a
new idea begins after the shower
"Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It's
the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something
about it that makes a difference."
-- Nolan Bushnell, founder of the Chuck E. Cheese pizza chain,
via Cindy Evans, Duluth.
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