North Fulton’s best newspaper writers

January 18, 2012 in Suburban Life with 2 Comments

I try hard to promote other local bloggers that create valuable content. You can find a few on the right in my blogroll. Somehow I’ve managed to forget some exceptional local writers who work in more traditional journalistic roles. If you’re not reading these guys and gals, you should be!

Joan Durbin

Joan writes for the Neighbor Newspapers. It’s her restaurant reviews, written in a column called “Dining Destinations”, that stand out to me. She’s easily the best food writer in north Fulton. Writing about food may seem like, um, a piece of cake. In fact it can be pretty difficult to put into words the taste, smell and texture of a dish. Joan does this in a way that places you in the seat right next to her.

She wrote one of the first legitimate reviews of Bite in Alpharetta right after they opened – and it was a good one. I also appreciate her frankness in a review of Scratch Fresh. She was delicately critical of a popular locals joint.

Ray Appen

I don’t agree with Ray Appen on every issue, but you’ve got to respect him for his longevity in Alpharetta. He’s published Alpharetta’s weekly newspaper, the Revue & News, for 29 years. Needless to say, a lot has changed in Alpharetta in that span of time. His little paper has covered it all. I appreciate his opinion and perspective.

My favorite recent column from Ray was his father’s day story from last year. It’s an amazingly vivid and almost surreal account of a traffic accident he observed with his son.

Randy Wyles

He’s got an amazing background as both a private investigator as well as journalism. Wyles has mastered all media from television to radio and print. I’ve enjoyed his recent online work at examiner.com and the Johns Creek Patch. His article on teen-aged daughters and their boyfriends is hysterical.

a.e. mayer

Ok, this is a but of a stretch, but maybe not. She used to be a journalist, is that good enough? Mayer makes this list because she’s just too darn cool. I have one initial in my writing name – she’s got two… in all lowercase. Double cool.

Mayer writers a very witty blog that doesn’t get enough attention. She’s also written a book called Temp: An Accidental Fairytale. I’ve been told it’s a fantasy story about cubicle dwellers in a fairytale setting. I’ve promised to read and review the book. I haven’t forgotten about you a.e!

Length of campaigns, dollars influence local elections

January 16, 2012 in Politics with 2 Comments

Last week the final campaign contribution reports were quietly submitted to the state ethics commission. It’s boring stuff I assure you. Being an armchair political wonk, I found myself combing through reports from Alpharetta and Milton. I didn’t notice any 11th hour contributions that stood out. A few other things did jump out at me.

Spending

I’ve forgotten most of my college statistics class. But it seems pretty clear that dollars spent on local campaigns correlate to votes. It’s expensive to get your message to the electorate. Candidates dropped thousands on newspaper ads, mailings and robocalls.

Milton newcomer Lance Large spent a staggering amount of money (24 large) for a simple council seat… and won. David Belle Isle dropped the most cash in Alpharetta.

Length of Campaign

It’s also worth noting that both Belle Isle and Large ran lengthy campaigns. Both were among the first candidates in north Fulton to announce. Could this be a trend in the future?

Consultants

I’ve listed consultants when I see evidence of a campaign sending money their way. Nearly every establishment candidate had at least one professional working on their behalf. One interesting note is Fred Hicks at HEG. Four years ago he worked for Alan Tart and Julie Zahner Bailey. This time around he worked to defeat them. It’s all business I suppose. Then again, Hicks is building a pretty good track record in Milton.

Alpharetta/Milton Campaign Spending

Candidate Spending Consultant
David Belle Isle $35,647.60 Red Salt
Doug DeRito $22,770.58 Fred Hicks/HEG, Eamon Keegan
Jim Paine $22,712.27 Landmark Communications
     
Jim Gilvin $8,195.78 none
Cheryl Oakes $9,314.24 RP Communications, Eamon Keegan
     
Donald Mitchell $9,895.87 Eamon Keegan
Ron Carter $7,764.00 none
     
Michael Cross $17,553.78 Red Salt
Hans Appen    
     
Matt Kunz $11,960.10 HEG/FredHicks
Julie Zahner Bailey $11,208.92 none
     
Lance Large $24,698.21 HEG/Fred Hicks, Razors Consulting
Alan Tart $7,773.69 none

A few things to note on this data… I’ve done my best tabulating the numbers, but mistakes are possible. What I call “spending” is total campaign expenditures minus loan repayments. I had incomplete or partial reports from Michael Cross and Hans Appen due to filings that were not made electronically.

Alpharetta Restaurant News – January 2012

January 13, 2012 in Foodie Friday with 6 Comments

Every Friday Roots in Alpharetta features an article on food and dining in a series called Foodie Friday.

I search a lot of sources to keep up with restaurant changes in our area. But by far my best source of information is you! My readers are always sending me emails and tweets about new joints or places that have gone tango uniform. Thanks a bunch guys!

Unfortunately you guys sent me a lot of closures. Let’s get them out of the way first…

Champps Americana – Closed
Champps has wanted out of Alpharetta for some time. They employed a broker to find a new restaurant for this space. They even went so far as to offer rent concessions if someone would take over their lease. It isn’t clear at this time if they found someone or just closed. Let’s keep a close eye on this space in the weeks to come.

Tre Vietnamese – Closed
Tre never got great reviews and their prices were a little high. They closed their doors right at the new year. I wonder if the threat of a new competitor (Saigon Cafe) played a factor in their decision?

Legends Deli – Closed
This strip mall on McGinnis Ferry is a tough one. It doesn’t have good visibility from the road and obtaining a liquor license is difficult due to school/church proximity.

Rosa’s Pizza – Closed
This is a competitive market for New York-style pizza and Rosa’s couldn’t cut it. A poor location on Jones Bridge didn’t help. It’s interesting to note that this was the original Bassano’s location. We’ll talk about them in a bit.

Movie Theater – Northpoint Mall

The operators of Northpoint mall have requested a conditional use permit from the city to allow a movie theater in a vacant anchor store. One must assume this is the Parisian space. The mall did not identify which chain is interested in this location but I’m told we will know in a few weeks.

I wonder if it will be a dinner/movie combination along the lines of Studio Movie Grill (perhaps AMC Fork and Screen)? SMG’s been stealing movie goers from the two existing Northpoint theaters. It’s a total guess on my part, but we’ll know soon enough.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill – Avenue Forsyth

My friend Aldo Nahed at the Forsyth Herald broke this story last week. Carrabbas submitted plans to Forsyth County to build on the empty parcel between Chic-Fil-A and Red Robin. It’s a prime spot although traffic sometimes jams up here. And while chain Italian restaurants don’t get me very excited, I expect this location to do well.

Ipanema Grill – Old Milton

I don’t have a lot of information on Ipanema at this point. They are looking at a strip mall on Old Milton in the space where Chip’s Southern Cooking used to be before they closed… a second time.

Cafe Efendi – Main Street

They re-opened Wednesday! Go check out their new digs in Durty Kelly’s former location on North Main Street. I went for lunch yesterday and really enjoyed my doner wrap. I wouldn’t expect any opening jitters from this established player.

Brindavan – Windward

Yet another name/ownership change for this small Indian restaurant in the double-decker strip mall on east Windward. My co-workers and I still call this place Andy’s, the original name of the joint. It became Dosa Houze followed by a series of increasingly more difficult names to pronounce. I ate here Tuesday and found the food and price to be almost the same as Sai Murali, the previous restaurant.

M Chocolat – Old Milton

Turns out this is the name of the chocolate store I’d been calling Dulce Chocolat. They’re now open on Old Milton Parkway just west of Park Bridge Road. I tried a few truffles and was impressed. They’re made in-house and the prices are more than reasonable relative the competition. Being so new I’d give them some time to expand offerings before passing judgment.

Jilly’s Cupcakery – Roswell

Yesterday Jilly’s opened their second location in a strip mall on the corner of Mansell and Highway 9. I normally don’t cover events in Roswell but I thought this was noteworthy. I’m happy to see these ladies doing well as they run a fine shop.

Coming Soon

Saigon Cafe - Their opening seems imminent yet the chain isn’t publicizing a date. I talked with them over email this week and still couldn’t get a date out of them.
El Molcajete - Mexican restaurant set to open in Zola Bistro’s old space on Highway 9 in Milton.
Alfresco - Corner of Old Milton and Main Street in Alpharetta.
Bread Time - Still no word on when this German bakery will open on South Main Street in Alpharetta.
China Inn - A relo from Chamblee. They’re still building out their location on 141 in Johns Creek near the hospital.
Bassano -I was able to confirm with the new owner that they are NOT affiliated with the former Bassanos on Jones Bridge in Johns Creek. Look for the new Bassanos on State Bridge were Tasca Latin Bistro used to be.
Construct a Burger - They are looking at space near GA-400 at exit 13. Still no word on exactly where that might be. If I had to guess I’d say the Hangry’s space or Bad Bob’s old location.
Meat & Potatoes - The potential name of a restaurant to be located in the old Rio Bravo/Star Diner space in Johns Creek.

Photo credit: Ildar Sagdejev (creative commons)

Wild turkeys invade Windward

January 11, 2012 in Suburban Life with 5 Comments

So here I was, driving along the Windward side street of Edison Drive at 5:00 pm yesterday. Something caught my eye. At first I thought it was a group of geese. Then I saw their necks moving all around while they walked. Not geese, these were wild turkeys!

A group of four turkeys were pecking around in the well-manicured flowerbeds of the Metropolitan Club, probably destroying some pansies. I whipped the car around and snapped this blurry picture with my cell phone. They were not afraid of me or my car. They took one look in my direction and carried on with their pecking, almost as if they belonged here. Perhaps they’ve got an account at Private Bank?

Fulton Science Academy – Transparency and Accountability

January 10, 2012 in Faith in the Burbs, Schools, Suburban Life with 8 Comments

This is the second of two articles about the charter renewal of the Fulton Science Academy.

Last week I talked about how both the Fulton County School Board and the Fulton Science Academy acted poorly when negotiating the school’s charter renewal. Today I’ll discuss why the FCSB was justified to insist on a shorter charter term. But first let’s reveal the elephant in the room…

The Gülen Movement

This is a loosely organized group of followers of a Islamic theologian from Turkey. Here in the states they are heavily involved in education including the formation of dozens of charter schools. Many believe that the Fulton Science Academy is under Gulen influence.

If you search the internet you’ll find a lot of websites and blogs critical of the Gulen movement. Most of them have a heavy conspiracy theory tinge to their writings.

It doesn’t bother me that people of the Islamic faith from Turkey want to open schools here. However…

Gulen opponents earned a boost of credibility when a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist penned a story in the NY Times about the movement. Gulen-run schools have been accused of operating without financial transparency, offering contracts to Turkish-owned businesses without competitive bids and a lot more. Read the NY Times story for yourself.

Fulton Science Academy doesn’t seem to be nearly as shady as the schools outlined in this article. For example, I don’t see a Turkish connection with the contractor they selected to build their new campus. However there are a few conflicts that concern the Fulton County School Board.

Grace Institute

FSA spends taxpayer money on services offered by the Grace Institute. It isn’t clear to me how Grace consults the school except that they are an Educational Management Organization. According to tax returns the school continued to spend more and more money on Grace’s services each year. The FCSB insisted that the relationship with Grace end early in 2011. At this point it isn’t clear if all ties have been severed.

Transparency and Accountability

The relationship between FSA and Grace isn’t clear nor are how funds are spent. The linkage is unusual and makes many wonder who is the ultimate governing body of the school. And to make the waters more murky, some FSA board members also served on Grace’s board.

And speaking of boards… The FSA’s board should be made more diverse to include parents, school board officials, or possibly distinguished members of the community.

There are other potential issues but these strike me as the most severe. It isn’t appropriate to offer blanket waivers and maximum contract extensions to a school with such unresolved issues. The Fulton County School Board acted reasonably and responsibly when they insisted on a shorter charter. I believe the Fulton Science Academy is a terrific school. They have the opportunity to be a truly exceptional school if they will do the right thing and operate with more transparency.

The debt and building

And one final note on this issue… I believe the city of Alpharetta’s Development Authority dropped the ball. Here was a group that had the opportunity to question FSA’s dealings yet failed to do so. They failed to notice the conflicts of interest and they didn’t consider the rocky relationship between the school and the school board. The city approved the issuance of revenue bonds and construction on the new campus began. If the charter impasse continues, the school will shut down and default on the debt. And while the city and school board are not on the hook for the debt, a default might create an ugly new problem… another stalled development project in Alpharetta.

Soup Du Jour

January 6, 2012 in Foodie Friday with 8 Comments

Every Friday Roots in Alpharetta features an article on food and dining in a series called Foodie Friday.

This past Tuesday was like most days at work. I walked out of the office at about 11:30 while contemplating which Alpharetta restaurant to patronize. Then it hit me – an unexpected blast of freezing air. It’s not something I’m accustomed to during my lunch break. It made me crave a hot bowl of soup and also inspired this week’s Foodie Friday article.

No soup for you!

Most restaurants have a soup on the menu or maybe a soup du jour. Here are a few that stand out in my mind or have otherwise gained a reputation. If you have a favorite soup at an Alpharetta-area restaurant I’d love to hear about it.

Chili at Never Enough Thyme

I’m not a huge fan of this hoity toity sandwich shop. I seem to be the wrong gender each time I walk into their shop for lunch. But when I do eat here I almost always order the chili. It is the best, most authentic bowl of Texas-style chili you’ll find in Alpharetta. No beans about it! The meat is sirloin cut into cubes. The gravy is rich with deep beef flavor. This chili will stick to your ribs on a cold day. It’s by far the most manly thing on the menu at NET.

Carrot Jalapeno Soup at Boga Taqueria

Yeah, I just reviewed these guys, but I didn’t talk about the soup. Boga’s got a few soups on the menu but you really should try their carrot jalapeno soup. Don’t let the jalapeno in the name fool you as this isn’t a spicy soup. It’s creamy much like a butternut squash soup. I wouldn’t be surprised if this isn’t the base of the soup. The carrot flavor doesn’t jump out a lot to me, perhaps it’s more for color. But the jalapeno is subtle and delicate. It’s just enough spice to contrast the creaminess.

Matzo Ball Soup at The Corner Deli

I’m writing about matzo. Oy vey!

Let’s be honest – I wouldn’t know a good matzo ball if the traditional Jewish dumpling smacked me across the face. So take what I say with a grain of salt (and make it Kosher).

There’s something I enjoy about the simplicity of Corner Deli’s matzo ball soup. Sure, it’s just chicken in broth, some carrots and a dense matzo ball. They say chicken soup is good for the soul and I’m not going to disagree.

Coconut Soup at Satay House

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Satay House so I hope they haven’t changed things around. But their coconut soup is far and away the best in town. It’s rich and intense with a solid core of coconut flavor. Satay makes it with a few pieces of chicken, some mushrooms and no lemongrass.

Honorable Mentions

I’ve not tried every soup in town. Here’s a few more that receive consistently positive reviews…

Beer Cheese Soup at Norman’s Landing - It’s not available everyday. I know some loyal fans who’ll call ahead to see if it’s on the specials board.
Tomato Basil Soup at Wildflour - A popular soup and salad choice. I regret that I’ve not tried it but I never want just half a sandwich here!
Never Enough Thyme on Urbanspoon

Photo credit: Americasroof (creative commons)

Fulton Science Academy – A game of chicken

January 4, 2012 in Faith in the Burbs, Politics, Schools, Suburban Life with 3 Comments

This is the first of two articles about the charter renewal of the Fulton Science Academy.

It’s been difficult for me to get my hands around the issue of the Fulton Science Academy’s charter renewal. Most issues like this involving children or faith are pretty easy to grasp. Start with something like land use then combine some NIMBY sentiments and a pinch of xenophobia. But FSA’s situation is entirely different with a lot of influencing factors coming into play. Those on both sides of the issue are not afraid of employing emotional appeals or hyperbole to make a point. And in issues like this the truth usually is found somewhere in the middle. So after spending many hours of my Christmas break reading up on this fiasco, I’ve come to the conclusion that FSA’s charter renewal is really just…

A game of chicken

Yep, both sides were plowing ahead at full speed, waiting to see who would swerve first. Unfortunately those along for the ride include several hundred children, their families, taxpayers and a few bond holders. And all of these groups stand to lose big because of it.

“Increasingly volatile and combative relationship”

That’s how the credit rating agency Fitch described things between the FSA and the Fulton County School Board. They made this comment as they were downgrading FSA’s credit rating on their $19 million building bond. The relationship was volatile because each side had a big club to bring to the fight. FSA’s club was their recent Blue Ribbon Award from the Department of Education. Surely the school board would not deny a request from a school with such a high distinction. Armed with this, they asked for a ten year renewal on their charter, the maximum allowed. Additionally they requested a full waiver of Title 20 rules.

FCSB’s big club was a Georgia Supreme Court decision in 2011 that found that the state could not approve charter schools. That authority, according to the court, rests only with county school boards. It makes FSA’s appeal process more difficult. This is the FCSB’s chance to flex its muscle under the new ruling. As such, the Title 20 blanket waiver was off the table and they would only consider a three year charter renewal.

Neither side moved much after months of discussion. The FSA reduced their proposal to eight years but the FCSB made it clear that they would only consider three. Nevertheless, only the eight year proposal was brought before the school board. And at the end of this game of chicken, the FCSB didn’t swerve. Crash! They unanimously voted down FSA’s eight year request.

Both sides have acted poorly. Supporters of the FSA have been out in force claiming that the FCSB wants to shut down an award-winning school. It’s hyperbole pure and simple. It’s clear to me that the FSA wanted to force the school board into making such a vote even though another offer was on the table. Nobody desires to shut down this school.

On the flip side, the FCSB has not acted in good faith since the vote. FSA has relented (finally), agreeing to the three year term. However, the FCSB now will not consider it, saying the matter is closed. I don’t understand why they cannot move to amend or reconsider a matter that was before them. Most deliberative bodies easily have this option available under their rules. It would be best for all parties involved to approve the three year charter renewal and move on.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about why the FCSB is justified in wanting a shorter charter term for the Fulton Science Academy. And as always, there’s an elephant in the room that needs to be discussed. Stay tuned.

Alternative media in Alpharetta

January 3, 2012 in Suburban Life with 3 Comments

Today marks the second anniversary of Roots in Alpharetta. It’s been a fun two years and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the conversations and friendships that have resulted from writing. While most blog readers probably don’t care much for anniversaries like this, I’d beg your indulgence a bit today. It’s this occasion coupled with the new year that makes me a bit reflective.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from writing in 2011 it is this – there is a role for alternative local media in Alpharetta. You’d think citizens would be covered for most newsworthy events that might happen. Atlanta is home to several TV stations and the AJC. We’ve got weekly newspapers such at the Revue & News, the Alpharetta Neighbor and Forsyth News. And don’t forget hyper-local online media such as The Patch that run lean and nimble news gathering operations.

Yet even with dozens of news rooms covering our area, some stories simply don’t get reported on. What stories are these local media outlets missing? Sometimes it is community buzz. Perhaps it’s a new restaurant that opened featuring a talented young chef. It might be about crime or violence that disrupt the peace in an otherwise safe suburb. Maybe it’s a question not being asked of candidates running for public office. Or it could be the back-story, the narrative behind the news that uncovers details or motives not clearly visible from the surface.

Why are journalists missing these stories? I don’t think it is deliberate although that could be a possibility. Some editors and publishers are not willing print the entire story for one reason or another. It could be that they are not using technology to listen to community chatter. Or it might be because of gaps in news cycles.

Roots in Alpharetta is certainly not exclusive when it comes to local alternative media. Other local blogs (many are in my blog roll) do outstanding work in their own respective ways. Bob Strader did a tremendous job on his blog last year reporting on school redistricting in north Fulton and Forsyth. He took a deep-dive into the issue, reporting on how redistricting effected families at the neighborhood and even street level. No other news source came close to his level of detail.

Whatever the story might be or the reason behind not reporting it, hyper-local bloggers have a role to play. It isn’t my desire to be a journalist. However, I’m more than willing to report on a story that isn’t being told for one reason or another. Sometimes it takes a local blogger to scoop a story before a news room will run with it. That’s a role I’ll gladly fill if that’s what it takes to get stories told in our community.

Thanks for reading Roots in Alpharetta in 2011 and happy New Year!

Photo Credit: RogueSun Media (creative commons)

Number of the Month – Home Invasion Arrests

January 1, 2012 in Crime in the Burbs, Number of the Month with 0 Comments

Around the first of the month I publish the number of the month, a random bit of local trivia.

Eight

The number of arrests made in connection to a home invasion in Roswell targeting an Indian family. Police in Cobb County believe the same suspects were behind a similar home invasion in Mableton.

Both crimes were similar to Alpharetta’s home invasions in September and November. It is my sincere hope that authorities can link the cases and bring these criminals to justice. It would be nice to start the new year knowing that this crime wave is behind us.

Continued kudos to Mike Petchenik at WSB-TV for offering the most timely news on home invasions in north Fulton. I suggest you follow Mike on Twitter at @PetchenikWSB.

Bite – Alpharetta

December 30, 2011 in Foodie Friday with 0 Comments

Every Friday Roots in Alpharetta features an article on food and dining in a series called Foodie Friday.

To round out 2011 I’m going to run a short replay series in my Friday food column. Today I’m re-printing my review of Bite, Alpharetta’s best new restaurant of 2011.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… the best pork you’re likely to find in north Fulton won’t come from a barbecue joint. You’ll find it in unlikely places like Bite.

Their red chile pork tacos are getting a lot of attention, as they should. They start by rubbing pork shoulders with chiles before smoking them. Next the pork takes a bath in a mole sauce braise. The pork is then pulled and cradled in a corn tortilla. These morsels of swine are smokey, tender and bursting with flavor. The texture contrasts with a crisp pickled jalapeno slaw and a creamy goat cheese.

Bite quietly opened several months ago behind the Webb Bridge post office in the old Field Good location. It is an intimate space with just a handful of tables and some seating overlooking an exposed kitchen. I suggest sitting here to observe the chefs in action. You’re close enough to smell the lemon and garlic as they hit the saute pan.

The decor is modern yet sophisticated and classy. I appreciate Bite’s artwork, photography on wrapped canvas. The restaurant will certainly appeal to affluent women from east Alpharetta and Johns Creek, drawing those who might frequent restaurants like Never Enough Thyme or Wildflour. Their distance from the offices on Windward and Old Milton should keep most of the cubicle dweller riffraff away (with the exception of yours truly, who was willing to brave Windward’s bevy of four way stops to get here).

These guys at Bite are serious about layering flavors and textures in entrees like tacos, sandwiches and salads. The menu makes prodigious use of cheese, many varieties are smoked in-house. Check out the pimento cheese, made daily. Or how about the cotija cheese on their “street corn” side dish as an alternative to boring Parmesan. I’m by no means a cheese snob, yet I enjoyed this cheesy grilled corn.

Bite’s steak sandwich both impressed and disappointed. The combination of caramelized onions, white cheddar and a sweet fig sauce on ciabatta bread was fantastic. The use of filet medallions was impressive on a sandwich, yet the steak wasn’t very tender. Unable to shred them as I was biting, I was left with entire medallions in my mouth. I was forced to discretely consume a pretty big hunk of cow that I’d hoped would have lasted for several bites.

However, none of the sides have disappointed. Bite’s potato salad hits your taste buds with a pungent tarragon kick. You can’t go wrong with the pickled jalapeno slaw or the aforementioned street corn.

Bite is a winner and will likely add themselves to many a favorite restaurant list. Try them before they completely overwhelm this small space. I’m surprised they don’t have lines out the door.

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