'It's a service thing'
Jennifer Brett, Alton Brown - Staff
Thursday, July 27, 2006
AS TOLD TO JENNIFER BRETT
I shop like a woman. I'm a professional.
Most of my clothing comes from either Nordstrom at Perimeter or Mark Shale at Lenox. For me it's a service thing. I will pay more for good service. I will blow a big wad of cash twice a year.
You gotta buy a suit every once in a while. I find a good suit can make up for poor grooming or hygiene.
Electronics --- that's a big thing for me. I wish someone would run a TV/stereo store like Nordstrom. I find when my knowledge base is higher than those running the store, I get irate. No one knows anything anymore. Even places that are supposed to be full of experts turn out not to be.
I do so much of my shopping online now.
I'm a glasses freak and spend a lot of time browsing the Eye Gallery in Buckhead. They do great work.
I spend a lot of money at the BMW motorcycle dealership on U.S. 41 (Brown owns two motorcycles).
For most of my groceries I go to whatever honest-to-goodness farmers market is close by. I love the Marietta Farmers Market (held Saturday mornings in downtown Marietta). I try to buy something from every single vendor, although I really don't need that much soap. I hope that market continues to flourish. It's so great to have access to really fresh eggs. The prices are really cheap. I do go to Harry's. I don't do national chains.
Now that we have walking access to a town, everything has changed for us. Ninety percent of my meals are at Willie Rae's. I love Cool Beans (both located on the Marietta Square). I love being able to go to a place that hasn't been corporatized. I'm very much a creature of habit. I like having a regular dive.
We like Rice in Roswell. When we're downtown, we like to eat at Bacchanalia once or twice a year. Our standard date night restaurant, when that happens, is still Canoe. It's a great location. When we eat out for business, we eat at Blue Ridge Grill. Location and service almost always trumps food.
Salsa on Howell Mill is the place we eat most often as a family. Great Latin food at a great price.
I love Scott's Antique Market. It's destination shopping. I like to haggle. There's a meat-and-three in there that I like a lot. And I love the little doughnut machine.
--- Alton Brown is the host of "Good Eats" on the Food Network. His new series, "Feasting on Asphalt," a culinary tour of the country on his motorcycle, will air Saturdays beginning July 29. He is the author of several books including "I'm Just Here for the Food," winner of the 2003 James Beard Award. www.altonbrown.com.
BROWN'S PICKS
> Eye Gallery: Six metro Atlanta locations; Brown shops at the one at 3330 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, 404-231-3772, www.theeyegallery.com.
> Scott's Antique Market: Held the second weekend of every month at the Atlanta Expo Centers, 3650 Jonesboro Road, www.scottantiquemarket.com.
> Marietta Farmers Market: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 6 through Sept. 30, at Church and Hansell streets near the Marietta Square. www.mariettasquarefarmersmarket.com.