Atlanta socialite Sacha Taylor and Four Seasons pastry chef Christopher Jennings prepare for Celebrity Chocolate Night at the hotel.

You might say it all began innocently enough Tuesday when The New York Times ran a front page trend story featuring various notable Atlantans and how they’re modifying their spending habits in these tough times. The story, “Conspicuous Consumption, a Casualty of Recession,” written by Shaila Dewan, included quotes from Atlanta socialite Sacha Taylor, local lawyer Monica Dioda Hagedorn and Atlanta money manager Jack Sawyer Jr. on how they’re responding to the economic downturn.

Said Hagedorn in the NYT: “It’s disrespectful to the people who don’t have much to flaunt your wealth. I have plenty of dresses to last me 10 years.”

Some of the locals quoted in the story were so pleased by the piece they even sent out a link to the story in a flurry of e-mails Tuesday.

But then, nasty New York media Website Gawker.com got a hold of the story, and the snarky site let loose on the well-to-do Atlantans.

In a blog entry intended to mock those quoted in the piece, Gawker posted a link to the NYT story with the headline: “Vacuous Spenders Suddenly Find Their Souls” with the following untoward intro: “Six months into the economic meltdown, all big spenders know conspicuous consumption is out. Now they’re trying to convince The New York Times they’ve truly changed. Inside. Where their souls maybe used to be.”

Ouch.

Worse still, were the pointed posted comments from Gawker’s jackal-like readers. We won’t be reproducing the disparaging drubbings in Buzz. Our mama raised us better than that, after all. . .

Caddy to come down?

One of downtown Atlanta’s most prominent icons could soon disappear from Peachtree Street.
The Hard Rock Cafe wants to remove the black 1959 Cadillac convertible that has hung atop the restaurant since November 1992. The plan is to replace it with a 30-foot, illuminated, neon guitar.
Hopefully, the process of replacing the caddy will go much better than the last time the cafe moved the car.
In May 1996, Hard Rock management removed the black Cadillac and replaced it with a psychedelic pink and blue Cadillac. One hour later, the new Cadillac crashed onto Peachtree Street. No tickets were given, and no one was hurt that day. The old black Cadillac was back up over the restaurant a month later.
The Atlanta City Council’s Utilities committee discussed the idea Tuesday. Any changes need city approval because the Cadillac is in the public right-of-way.
Hard Rock officials note that many of their restaurants have moved to placing guitars on their facades.

Ready, set, dribble

Want tickets to this year’s ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, valued at $800? You may want to work on your dribbling today and set your alarm early for Thursday morning.
On Thursday starting at 6 a.m., Stats sports bar downtown is teaming up with 790 The Zone to present “Dribble Till You Drop,” a competition open to the public. Basically, bring your basketball and get set to start dribbling in front of The Zone’s live broadcast at Stats.

The player who can who keep their ball bouncing the longest with no breaks will score the tickets. For details: 790thezone.com.

Elton & Billy: The Set List

Piano men Elton John and Billy Joel are headed to Philips Arena for a sold-out show this Saturday night. Here’s an advance peek at just some of the tunes on the set list, courtesy of the part-time Atlantan’s website. Solo: “Your Song,” “Honesty.” Elton and Billy with their bands: “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” “My Life.” Elton and band: “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” “Burn Down the Mission,” “Madman Across the Water.” Billy and band: “Zanzibar,” “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.”
Elton and Billy and bands: “The Bitch Is Back,” “You May Be Right” and a finale featuring two classics from The Beatles White Album “Birthday/Back in the USSR.”

Piano men Sir Elton John and Billy Joel bring their tour to Philips Arena Saturday night.

Overscene

At the West Paces Ferry Flying Biscuit Cafe, singer and actor Jesse McCartney. At the Flying Biscuit Terminus location in Buckhead, “The Closer” actor Barry Corbin, “Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail” actresses Keisha Knight Pulliam and Ion Overman and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.

Celebrity Birthdays

News correspondent Sam Donaldson is 75. Singer Bobby McFerrin is 59. Singer Nina Hagen is 54. Singer Cheryl Lynn is 52. Actor Jeffrey Nordling (”24″) is 47. Actor Wallace Langham (”C.S.I.”) is 44. Actor Terrence Howard (”Crash,” “Hustle and Flow”) is 40. “Jackass” creator/actor Johnny Knoxville is 38. Singers Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte are 30.

Contributing: Eric Stirgus and news services.

Got a tip for Buzz? Call Buzz Central at 404.526-7218 or toss us an e-mail at buzz@ajc.com.

Brand new for Buzz readers: Sign up to follow Buzz on Twitter. Go to Twitter.com and search “PeachBuzz.” We’ll keep you updated on what’s happening at Buzz Central throughout the day and night!