View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2008 > June > 09
Monday, June 9, 2008
Welcome to Margaritaville
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Twenty dollars to park. Another $20 to access the area behind where we parked to put the awning to cover the card table and chairs, in essence taking up another parking space.
Wings on the card table and a few coolers with side dishes and refreshments. It takes about thirty minutes to get used to the heat. By 4:30 we’re kicked back and watching the show. Grass skirts, coconuts bikini tops, straw hats with Corona taped to the top next to the naked Ken and Barbie dolls—and those are the guys. Tiki-Bar outhouses and bouncing inflatable sharks and beach balls can only mean one thing: Welcome to Margaritaville.
It’s the annual celebration composed of 20,000 people— mostly 30-, 40-and 50- somethings decked out in tropical shirts, skirts, water wings, floaties, and just about anything that they would normally not be caught dead in. It’s Halloween in July for a whole bunch of Republicans.
The annual Jimmy Buffett at Lakewood is not so much about seeing Buffett as much as it is using the date to see all the one-day-pseudo-crazies outdoing each other in the parking lot. If you have not been, you should go. Take a camera, cooler, awning (as the heat is unbearable,) flip-flops, your favorite beverage, and shirt to convey your image. Also, bring a designated driver. That’s a given.
When you get there, get off the Lakewood Freeway, Hwy 166 and onto Metropolitan Avenue. Go past two crime scenes, turn right and follow the signs. Now here is the decision you need to make. You can go into the Lakewood fairground area and be up close to the gate entrance. Behind the amphitheater is a large parking area where the RV’s and the more orthodox parrotheads gather. By far it’s a must for the tour. They get there early so they’ll be there when you get there.
There’s also parking near the front area, a short walk to the gate but you’ll pay for it when it’s time to leave. You can also park in one of the parking lots before you get to the fairground property. To each it’s own. I park in the front, facing the road, for a quick getaway. Wherever you decide to park, do get there early enough to do some cruising around. Take a camera.
Find and use the bathroom early. Many improvised outhouse are scattered throughout the parking area and portable outhouses are on the fairground property—yes there’s a line.
On the front side, the guys who run the Chevron are nice guys, evident by the two long lines down aisle 3 and 4 outside the men’s and women’s room. The names don’t matter. It’s coed. It’s air conditioned and it’s worth the wait to see the people-zoo as you stand in line. They do sell a lot of beer to those standing by although they run out of toilet paper early.
After that, you’re at the show. Have fun and if you’re in the lawn, watch out for the poor souls who hit too soon, too much, passed out and spent $70 for a tailgate party that ended much too soon. Still, it’s fun except for the chafing, courtesy of the coconut bikini top. It still hurts.
And before you know it, it’s Monday.
The Smart-For-Two car is starting to get the attention it wanted. The car is 106 inches in length and gets 33 mpg in the city and 41on the highway. It seats two people or 16 circus clowns comfortably. Parking isn’t a problem. Just fold it up and put it in the handy canvas bag (not included.) I think it’s great that we’re looking at alternatives such as this car. I think the hardest part will be keeping them from being I-285 traffic appetizers.
NKOTB are back. New Kids On The Block will be here in October. You can get a seat in the first ten rows and a Meet-And-Greet pass for only $350. According to Phyllis Brusco of Alliance Artists who manage classic rock bands including Styx, NKOTB tickets went for $17 back in their prime. I know, I took my daughter—twice. She hasn’t mentioned them yet, probably because she has two new kids on her—uh, block and another one in the oven so that means almost on…uh, the block….well anyway she’s busy that night.
