Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 18 > Entry
Of chili dogs, fried pies: Oh, the memories
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
p>Not surprisingly, PBA 30’s 80th anniversary salute to the city’s favorite drive-in, “What’ll Ya Have: A History of the Varsity,” has become one of the most-watched programs during this month’s pledge drive. A final encore of the documentary airs at 8 tonight. Lots of bold-faced fans lend their memories of the North Avenue chili dog emporium, founded in 1928 by Atlanta businessman Frank Gordy. Wearing a paper Varsity hat and nibbling from a familiar red and white box, former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland recalls cruising the hot dog stand as a Lithonia High School student in 1960. Former Coke CEO Doug Ivester, a fried peach pie fan, calls the Varsity “the cathedral of hot dogs.” U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson says his parents’ first date occurred there. Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce President Sam Williams reflects: “The girls would drive by and you would wave at them. ‘Bird-dogging at the V’ is what we called it in those days.”
Our fave factoid: The Athens and Atlanta locations employ vastly different mustard applications, demonstrated in the film. Examining the methods in super slo-mo, Buzz discerned that Athens mustard slingers apply the condiment meticulously, akin to a yellow stripe on an interstate. Atlantans favor an arc, like an abstract painter artfully flinging paint onto a canvas. Or as author Roy Blount Jr. more articulately voices it in “What’ll Ya Have”: “They’re doing God’s work.”
A FAMILY FOR HOPE
Snellville is the town where everybody is somebody. Even four-legged residents. Hope, the kitty whose likeness will grace some Georgia license plates starting in December, has found a home in the Gwinnett County city. “She’s already sleeping in the bed,” said Josie Wind. She spotted Hope’s photo with an AJC story about the competition to pick the feline to be featured on the license plate. Then Wind and her sons, Nathan, 14, and John, 8, drove to the Georgia SPCA shelter in Suwanee where Hope had lived for three months.
After learning they’d been chosen to adopt Hope, they ended up taking Mavis, an orange and white cat, home as well.
Proceeds from Hope’s plates will benefit spay/neuter programs. They’ll be available in December for a one-time $25 fee in addition to regular tag fees. Drivers can request them at tag offices.
Wind can’t wait to buy one. “I’ll be the first in line,” she said.
MICHELLE NUNN: INFLUENTIAL PERSON
The Nonprofit Times last month named Michelle Nunn, CEO of Atlanta’s Points of Light Institute, to its annual list of 50 most influential U.S. people in the nonprofit sector. It is the second time Nunn has made the list. In 2007, Nunn oversaw the merger of the Hands on Network, which she led in Atlanta, with the Points of Light Foundation in Washington. The resulting Points of Light Institute is the nation’s largest volunteer coordinating organization, directing 785,000 volunteers in thousands of community service projects last year. It has affiliates across the country and in other countries.
Nunn is on the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. She has received a variety of awards and recently was named by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the “100 most influential Georgians.”
DINING WITH DENZEL
A group of local Boys & Girls Club of America staffers were headed home from Washington on Wednesday, having broken bread with actor Denzel Washington. The Academy Award-winning actor headlined at a breakfast meeting to launch the organization’s “Be Great” campaign.
“He’s a passionate advocate for our cause,” said Artis Stevens, senior director of marketing strategy and operations. “He’s a club alum, so he knows the impact of caring people being involved in his life.”
Washington was active in his native Mount Vernon, N.Y. The Boys & Girls Club of America is headquartered in Atlanta. The group from here traveling to Washington included president Roxanne Spillett, senior legal counsel Kristine Morain and staffers Evan McElroy, Jan Still-Lindeman and Angela Richmond.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Jimmie Rodgers is 75. Actor Robert Blake is 75. Actor Fred Willard is 69. Singer-actor Frankie Avalon is 68. Guitarist Kerry Livgren (Kansas) is 59. Actor James Gandolfini (“The Sopranos”) is 47. Singer Joanne Catherall of Human League is 46. Actress Holly Robinson Peete (“Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper”) is 44. Singer Ricky Bell (Bell Biv Devoe, New Edition) is 41. Actress Jada Pinkett Smith is 37. Actor James Marsden (“The Notebook,” “Ally McBeal”) is 35. Rapper Xzibit is 34. Actors Taylor and Brandon Porter (“Party of Five”) are 15.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I just wanna say, it’s not bad to wear a promise ring because not every guy and a girl wants to be a slut, OK?”
— “American Idol” champ Jordin Sparks, defending the Jonas Brothers at the MTV Video Music Awards after host Russell Brand joked about the siblings, all of whom wear purity rings to symbolize a vow not to have premarital sex
Contributing: Sandra Eckstein, Richard Eldredge, Chris Quinn and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
Comments