Mental Post-Its

Thoughts, Notes, and General Mental Mayhem

Category Archives: Fun


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August/September Atlanta Events

158770574My friend, Kristen, inspired this post. We were discussing the Dahlonega Wine Trail event that I attended this past weekend. She asked how I found out about it, and I told her I was on A LOT of local event lists. Then she suggested I put together my own list based on the emails I get and send them to her. Basically, she wants me to whittle them down to the really good stuff.  đŸ˜‰

While that may sound like a lot of extra work, and let’s be honest it is, I also think it might be kind of fun. Atlanta is a GREAT city with a lot to offer. Why not take advantage of that? People should really explore the city they live in, so maybe by compiling this list I can help get my friends and co-workers out of their house and into some ATL adventures. I get asked about restaurants a lot because I used to work in the hospitality industry, but not as frequently about events. However, I do a lot of really fun stuff in the area, so I’m happy to share what I know.

Fingers crossed, I’ll do this monthly. For now, let’s start with the end of August and September, the month of my blessed birth. And because new emails hit my Inbox everyday, I’ll likely add to each list throughout the month. So be sure to check back if you don’t see anything the first time!

Just keep in mind, these are based on my tastes and preferences, so you won’t see too much in the way of sporting events or concerts. But if those are your favorite things to do, find a list and jump on it!

August:

September:

For awesome, ongoing options around town, check out my Staycation Suggestions.

And if there’s something awesome out and about that I missed, please add a comment!


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Plywood Presents 2013

Plywood logoThis week I attended Plywood Presents for the third year. It’s a really fun and unique Atlanta conference, in a city where conferences seem to happen around the clock. Plywood centers around social innovation, with the motto, “We will be known by the problems we solve.” Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Plywood Swag

Plywood Swag

While the speakers are great, seeing friends from other local orgs is fun, and some days you just need a break from the norm, my favorite thing is always simply learning about people and companies doing really great things. To me, it’s most inspiring just to share air with people who are changing the world. It’s as if there’s a new horizon, and we’re all standing at the edge of it together.

I can always count on this community to challenge me to be better. And in an every day way, it helps me see new places to put my money where my mouth is—companies and people I can support with my voice and dollars that share my values.

Here are the amazing places and people I learned about this week:

Do yourself a favor, and check out these companies. They are doing some great work, and they need our support. And don’t forget to join us next year at Plywood Presents!


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What to Watch on TV Right Now

tvI seem to have had a lot of these discussions lately with friends, so I thought I’d throw my thoughts out to you as well. Here are a few lists of shows that I’ve enjoyed in the past, present, and even hope to in the future. These are in no particular order, but my favorites are marked with an asterisk.

Premiering/premiered this summer:

  • The Goodwin Games
  • Motive
  • Under the Dome
  • The Bridge
  • Graceland
  • Crossing Lines
  • Ray Donovan (Haven’t seen yet, but excited to.)

Here’s a guide to a bunch of summer premiers if you’re looking for new content.

Ongoing:

  • Doctor Who*
  • Bones*
  • Castle*
  • The Mindy Project*
  • New Girl (Though I must say, I’m moving to the fence with this one.)
  • Warehouse 13
  • Scandal*
  • Covert Affairs
  • White Collar*
  • Grimm*
  • Nikita
  • Revenge
  • Revolution
  • Downton Abbey
  • Parenthood
  • Once Upon A Time (Also moving to the fence here.)
  • Modern Family*
  • Psych*
  • Prisoners of War
  • Community
  • Longmire (Haven’t seen yet, but excited to.)
  • Continuum (Haven’t seen yet, but excited to.)
  • How To Live With Your Parents For The Rest of Your Life
  • Justified*
  • The Walking Dead
  • Sherlock*
  • The Newsroom
  • The Good Wife
  • Homeland*
  • Person of Interest
  • Falling Skies
  • Hawaii Five-O*
  • Leverage
  • Elementary

Rewatch:

  • Lost*
  • Alias*
  • Veronica Mars* (Excited for the movie!)
  • Fringe
  • Lie to Me
  • The West Wing*
  • Arrested Development*
  • Chuck*
  • 30 Rock
  • 24*
  • Prison Break*
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • Firefly*
  • Freaks and Geeks
  • Life
  • Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip*
  • Eli Stone*
  • Pushing Daisies
  • FlashForward
  • Alphas

Besides anything in the reality category, which I don’t watch, what did I miss?

PS—Most of these I don’t watch at any one time, but rotate them in intervals through services like Netflix, Hulu and Aereo. The last one just came to ATL, and is spreading big time throughout the coming year across the country. I’m looking forward to giving it a go!


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Staycation Suggestions

I-85 oldOne thing I love being is a tourist in my own city.  I see no reason to stay in my own neighborhood when there is so much to explore, especially in a big area like Atlanta.

And today at lunch, my friend mentioned that she and her family were doing a staycation this summer instead of a big, expensive trip. Great idea, especially if you have a large family. I threw some ideas out to her, and decided maybe some of these were also unfamiliar to others as well so I thought I’d commit them here.

Though some of these ideas are specific to Atlanta, many of these work for other places as well. But your best tools are to always be creative and curious. đŸ˜‰

  • Get on email lists like Atlanta’s CVB. People always wonder how I know about so many events and places around town, but there’s really no secret: I’m on a lot of lists. AtlantaOnTheCheap is a great way to stay informed on offers and events (CitiesOnTheCheap for national deals). And Goldstar is another one I really like for interesting, discounted tickets.
  • 25 Free Things to Do and See in Atlanta
  • Here’s a great local must list put together by the city: http://www.atlanta.net/50fun/index.asp.
  • The best places to go see movies during the summer are the Starlight Six Drive-In and the Fox. Seriously fun and different. And might I add, cheaper than most movie theaters.
  • Speaking of theater, locate and patron your community spaces. I love The Strand in Marietta.
  • I love the ScoutMob website and app for awesome deals on restaurants and stores. Plus, there’s no money required upfront. This helps you discover new places near you or in your city. Along those lines, Roaming Hunger will help you find food trucks. And I love Yelp for reading customer reviews.
  • Eat and buy local. Stay clear of chain restaurants and stores. You’ll have a more unique experience and support your neighbors. And for those expensive restaurants you’ve been wanting to try but can’t afford, try stopping by for wine tastings, Happy Hour, dessert only and events that might be cheaper than a full meal.
  • Stone Mountain Park is a good option for outdoor lovers, and kids love the evening laser show. And so is the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Piedmont Park and Atlanta Botanical Garden. There are also some nearby hiking/walking trails. Or if you prefer to be outside and sit still, try a Braves game (Atlanta or Gwinnett). If you’re a music lover, a number of free outdoor concerts are also held at various sites around town.
  • Head to the farmers market instead of the grocery store. My personal fav is the Marietta Square Farmers Market.
  • I’m also a fan of museums and exhibits. Some of the places I love to visit and revisit are The High and Fernbank. I must confess, I still need to get to the Jimmy Carter Center and Margaret Mitchell House. I’m putting them on my summer “to do” list.
  • Take a drive. We have so many neat neighborhoods in Atlanta, and when I have time, I really enjoy just driving around and taking a look at them for myself. Who knows what you may discover along the way!
  • Day or overnight trips are an awesome way to both stay and go. Around Atlanta, we have some cool destinations like Rome, Athens, Dahlonega, Helen, Blue Ridge, Calloway Gardens, Serenbe or even Chattanooga.
  • NEW: Affordable Summer Activities in Atlanta by About Atlanta (July 3, 2013)

So, here are just a few suggestions from me to you. But I feel like I’m forgetting some important items. What did I miss?


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Said And Not Said—About Me

This past week, I heard someone describe me. It was kind of funny. And it got me thinking about things that would and wouldn’t be said about me.

10 Things That Would NEVER Be Said to Describe Me:

  1. She has no opinions of her own.
  2. She’s so low-maintenance.
  3. She’s a rule-follower.
  4. She loves talking on the phone.
  5. She’s just so normal.
  6. She’s very frugal.
  7. I wish she was more independent.
  8. She’s very committed to her exercise routine.
  9. She always packs very light.
  10. Her sense of direction is amazing.

10 Things That WOULD Be Said to Describe Me:

  1. She’s the one who sends all the emails. (This is the one I heard to describe me last week by a co-worker.)
  2. Recommending a good restaurant is one of her spiritual gifts.
  3. Her hair is usually some shade of red.
  4. She eats things like tofu, but won’t eat things like pudding.
  5. She’ll die before she gets through her entire Netflix queue.
  6. Man, she really likes that Old Testament.
  7. That girl loves grocery shopping.
  8. She probably needs a second closet for all those shoes.
  9. When she’s tired, she snorts when she laughs.
  10. She thinks everything through before it comes out of her mouth.

What would, or wouldn’t, someone say about you?