Cobb Life January 2016

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Cobb Life | January 20162

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Cobb LifeJanuary/February 2016 Volume 12, Issue 1

EXECUTIVE

PUBLISHEROtis Brumby IIl

GENERAL MANAGERLee B. Garrett

V.P. ADVERTISINGWade Stephens

EDITORIAL STAFF

DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINESMark Wallace Maguire

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINESLaTria Garnigan

CONTRIBUTORSNicole Price, Tammy DeMel, Therra C. Gwyn,

Meredith Pruden, Michael Venezia, Jennifer Hafer, Jennifer Carter,

Michael J. Pallerino, Stacey L. Evans

PHOTOGRAPHER Katherine Frye

PHOTOGRAPHY Stacey L. Evans

LAYOUT AND DESIGNLaTria Garnigan, Mark Wallace Maguire

PROOFREADERNicole Price

ADVERTISING STAFF

ADVERTISING DIRECTORTara Guest

COBB ADVERTISING MANAGERBecky Opitz

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESStephanie deJarnette, Paula Milton,

Jill Abbott, Kim Fowler, Katy Ruth Camp, Ginny Hrushka, Charlene Kay, Dawne Edge

GRAPHICS COORDINATORBeth Poirier

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSJennifer Hall, Carlos Navarrete

CIRCULATION DIRECTORDave Gossett

INFORMATIONCobb Life is published 10 times a year by the

Marietta Daily Journal and distributed to more than 30,000 homes and businesses.

To subscribe, email [email protected] or call 770.795.5001

To advertise, contact Wade Stephens at 770.795.4001

Please send all editorial correspondence to [email protected]

www.cobblifemagazine.com

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS32 Dental 26Fifth Third Mortgage 3Aqua Guard Basements 80Atlanta Communities 67Atlanta Fine Homes - Jim Glover 71Bellamy Funeral Home 16Blackwell’s Jewelers 12Brawner Hall 38Brookwood Christian School 30Brumby Chair Company 55Cobb EMC 41Cobb Hardware 77Cornerstone Prep 40Cumberland Diamond Exchange 35Dave Poe’s BBQ 67Dermatology Consultants 44Diamonds R Forever 50Win an Apple for your Teacher 70Edward Johns Jewelers 33Elon Salon 13Fabric & Fringe Warehouse 25Faith Designs Florist 50Flagpole Warehouse 78Fleming Carpet 31Gaines Park Senior Living 60Geico 74Giovanni’s 38Gracepoint School 71Tom + Chee 26Happy Children Dentistry 72Happy Trails Pet Center 25Harry Norman - Cobb Marietta 65Heather Simon - Harry Norman 72Henry’s Louisiana Grill 30Indy Style Salon 54Johnny Sinclair - Harry Norman 80Julep’s Home Décor 40K. Mike Whittle 45Life Grocery 6

Loud Security 51Manders Dental 78Marietta Hearing 4Marietta Podiatry 59Massage Envy 75Mayes Ward - Dobbins Funeral Home 81Covenant Christian School 16Miracle Method 66Mt. Paran Christian School 39North Cobb Spine & Nerve 17North Georgia Functional Medicine 61Northside Hospital - Cancer Institute 5One of a Kind 49Pali Proto 3D Imaging 54Parc @ Piedmont 10Pediatric Dental School 32Pinnacle Orthopaedics 9Plastic Surgery Center of the South 21Premier Martial Arts Smyrna 55Presbyterian Village 79Provident Village at Creekside 58Reveille Coffeehouse Café 34Roswell Street Baptist Church 24Salon Spa Venessa 49Spring Place Pottery 76Sterling Estates Senior Living 27Superior Plumbing 2Superior Plumbing 74Crowe-Turner - Harry Norman 51Sweetwater Mission 73The Bottoms Group 7The Red Cockerill Gallery 65The Walker School 34Towne Center CID 64WellStar 84Wendy Bunch - ReMax Pure 83West Cobb Funeral Home 11Winnwood Retirement 48

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W H A T ’ S I N S I D E

f e a t u r e s18 GREEK TO GO!

20 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU?What is in store for you?

22 BEST OF COBB You voted.Here are your winners for annual Best Of Cobb

18 HEALTH AND WELLNESS

62 TRAVEL Paddleboarding in Wisconsin?

82 WINE Looking back on a year in wine

62

d e p a r t m e n t s

FROM THE DIRECTOR 8

TALK OF THE TOWN 10

NEWS & NOTEWORTHY 12

KID-FRIENDLY COBB 13

HIGHLIGHTS 72

SCENE 75

REFLECTIONS 82

in every issue

68

20

ON THE COVER: Ronnie Rebecca Staton, 3, enjoys a winter afternoon at Laurel Park. Ronnie is the daughter

of Emmy and Kenneth Staton of Marietta.

Photograph by Katherine Frye

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January 2016 | Cobb Life 7

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Each year, I ask our contributors to provide their personal Best Of Cobb for this issue. While our official Best Of Cobb winners are voted on by you — our readers — and run as the main focus of this issue, this provides us with a space for our staff to name a few of their favorite things, places and people throughout the county. As a reminder, we do not receive any compensation for these picks, however I am open to endorsements — yes, I’m looking at you local Ford dealers and various restaurants. For community service that goes above and beyond, I have to mention Superior Plumb-ing. Founder and president Jay Cunningham and his team do an outstanding job of not only plumbing, but also honoring teachers and — my personal favorite — providing many special needs children an opportunity to go to events they otherwise would not be able to attend. Thanks Jay and keep up the great work! The Marietta Square is deserving of some type of Best Of award. In 1998, I visited The Strand to negotiate a gig for my band to play there. It was a Saturday evening. The square was virtually vacant and relatively quiet. Ultimately, we decided not to perform there as The Strand did not appear to be a prime venue to lure in current and new fans. While we eventually played a few bars and coffee shops on the square, the area in general was not a hotspot. Fast-forward 17 years and the Marietta Square is one of the go-to desti-nations in Cobb for dining, shopping and enter-tainment. Well done city and merchants. The city of Marietta should also be mentioned for their work on the Franklin Road corridor. It is a dynamic and proactive approach to improving the city. Of course, you can read the details about that in the county’s best newspaper, the Marietta Daily Journal. Smith–Gilbert Gardens is still Cobb County’s best secret. The sculptures, paths, water features and wide variety of greenery trees and plants are an ideal setting for anything. If I had the

time, I believe I could spend an entire day there in meditation, reading a book or just napping. While the sandwich trend continues to be popular in metro Atlanta, I still like to go back to one of my favorites. Baldinos on Powers Ferry Road always makes a great submarine sandwich complete with freshly-baked bread and an outstanding pasta salad. Also a shout out to Eye Optical on Cobb Parkway. They helped me find the perfect frame the first time in June and after a bicycle accident in October worked with me on price and time to get a great replacement frame.

Cobb Life Assistant Director LaTria Garnigan gives her list:>>>Best Dinner Spot For Girls Night: Fish Thyme in Acworth is sort of a hidden gem due to its location, but once inside you realize that its quite a hap-pening spot. The always-busy restaurant offers accommodating space for large parties, great service as well as food that is second to none. They specialize in seafood and it’s evident by the taste and presentation of each dish. If you love crab cakes, this is the place to try them.>>>Best New Concept: As if there weren’t enough hours in the day, Gus Tselios and his family have opened another restaurant, Yeero Village in Marietta. This restaurant, full of authentically-cooked Greek food is a new offering from the Tselios family in a fast casual concept. It’s hard to believe the expansive menu can be served up in a jiffy, but they make it a possibility. The food is delicious, fast and even better when you don’t have to leave your car to get it.

Longtime contributor and in-house fashionista Meredith Pruden gives her list: >>>A new thing I’m loving this year (well, when it was warmer) is stand-up paddle boarding at Lake Acworth and the Chattahoochee River. >>>I’ve also really taken a shine to the Monday and Friday yoga classes with Alicia at the Sandy Plains LA Fitness. She rocks in a very zen way. >>>I may, or may not, have a problem with Ray’s Donuts — specifically the maple bacon one. This is why I need the LA Fitness membership and Alicia’s yoga classes. >>>The team at the Unleashed location in the Publix/Home Dept plaza at the corner of Sandy Plains and Shallowford deserve a shout out. They are so knowledgable and always go above and beyond to help. Can’t say enough good things about them. Really. Corporate should give them all holiday bo-nuses.

As we enter a new year, let us know what your Best Of Cobb is. We love hearing from our readers. Best, Mark Wallace Maguire

F R O M T H E D I R E C T O R

Best Of Cobb - staff picks

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TALK OF THE TOWN For his outstanding efforts in the Oxford community and beyond, Ole Miss junior tight end Evan Engram, a Powder Springs native, has been named to the 2015 Southeastern Conference Football Community Service Team. In his three years as a Rebel, Engram has gone above and beyond the call of duty to be a mentor and role model in the community. Engram has a special place in his heart for mentally and physically challenged individuals, and has spent time with adults at the North Mississippi Regional Center and children at the C.M. Scott Center in Oxford. He has also volunteered with the Oxford-Lafayette Special Olympics, including spending time as a mentor for the 2014 and 2015 Unified Egg Bowls. An integrated marketing commu-nications major in the classroom, Engram has participated in Reading with the Rebels, a program in which Ole Miss student-athletes spend time reading with local elementary students and talking to them about the value of education.

He has made several appearances at local schools, stressing to stu-dents the importance of good health and educa-tion. In addition, he has served as a camp coun-selor for a Fellowship of Christian Athletes football camp, has helped fill Thanksgiving and Christ-mas baskets for people in need, helped sponsor a family during Christmas at a shelter in Memphis, including the purchase of a refrigerator (with his fellow Ole Miss tight ends and position coach Maurice Harris) and has visited patients at Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jack-son, Miss., during a team visit to the state capital in March 2014. On the field, Engram is a two-time All-SEC player and Ole Miss’ all-time leader in receiving yards by a tight end (1,298 yards). He is four catches shy of becoming the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end, as well.

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If you love people watching, there was plenty of it Friday evening when the 29th Annual Marietta Pilgrimage: A Christmas Home Tour kicked off with its black tie gala at First Landmark Bank. Partygoers were dressed to the nines in holiday attire at the com-munity favorite. Among crowd were: Lauri and Bill Bruton, Tracy and Mark Cole, Terri and Steve Cole, Jennifer and Charles Gay, Terri and Jim Guthrie, Jeanine and Skip Harper, Susan and Doug Haynie, There-sa and Lon Jenkins, Connie and

Dempsey Kirk, Julianne and Byron Long, Julianne and Boozer McClure, Matilen and Joe Sheram, Johnny Sinclair, Alice Summerour, Suzanne and Cliff Waddington and more. That weekend, tour-goers enjoyed glorious weather with warmer temperatures and blue skies. Six private residences, along with public buildings, were open for more than 3,000 guests. Docents who served as hostesses of the homes are fairly certain the youngest guest was 1-week-old Willow and her mother, Amanda Meadows.

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Atlanta Lyric Theatre Managing Artistic Direc-tor Brandt Blocker announced Brian Frey has been hired as full-time production manager for the 35-year-old musical theater company. “Brian is an accomplished leader in our industry. His knowledge of musical theater and, specifically, technical theater is unsurpassed, and his passion and dedication to The Lyric is unmatched,” said Blocker. “I am very pleased and honored to have Brian join Team Lyric.” Frey’s career in live theatrical entertainment spans over 28 years and thousands of miles around the world from cruise line, theme park and ice show entertainment to regional and touring Broadway productions. He has worked onstage as a singer/actor as well as behind the scenes as a producer, director, production manager, technical director, lighting designer, pyro technician and voice-over artist. His resume includes work with Busch Gar-dens, Disney on Ice, Princess and Celebrity Cruises, U.S. Grant Hotel, Cirque du Soleil, Atlanta’s Theater of the Stars, Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards and more. Frey joins Managing Artistic Director Brandt Blocker, Associate Artistic Director Alan Kilpatrick, Director of Education and Development Mary Nye Bennett, Business Manager Amy McGuire, Box Office Manager J. Koby Parker, Production Assistant Austin Tijerina and Orchestra Manager Jeff Macko as the staff of Atlanta Lyric Theatre.

By Sally Litchfield

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At West Cobb Funeral Home,we have been committed to serving the families of our community for the past 18 years. Recently, we have renovated and added a tranquil pavilion which adjoins ourspacious family reception room.See why more families are choosing our home, our services andour facilities.

On Nov. 16 to 23, families, churches and groups in Marietta packed gifts during Samaritan’s Purse Op-eration Christmas Child’s National Collection Week. Johnson Ferry Baptist Church served as the relay center for the program. JFBC collected over 14,000 shoeboxes from the northwest metro Atlanta area. Little boxes filled with toys and goodies have been given to 124 million children since 1993. In 2015, the project hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach more than 11 million children, with many com-ing from the Marietta area.

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On Nov. 19, teams of two signed up to eat as many chicken wings as they could in a short time to raise funds for Operation Homefront in the Wing Eating Contest, sponsored by The Home Depot. The contest was held at The Wing Cafe and Tap House at 2145 Roswell Road in Marietta. Thrilling dozens of cheering onlookers, The Home Depot associates Brent Cooper and Bryant Haley were crowned champions for a second consecutive year in the Wing Eating Contest sponsored by the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer.Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organiza-tion that provides short-term and critical assistance, long-term stability and recurring support to meet the needs of families of service members, veterans and wounded warriors. “The Wing Eating Contest is a fun and deliciously competitive way to support the men and women who served in our nation’s armed forces and their fami-lies,” said Operation Homefront Program Manager Liz Fichtel. “Operation Homefront cherishes its cor-porate partners and its individual donors who support our organization’s programs to build strong, stable and secure military families. We are grateful for the support of The Home Depot, The Wing Cafe and Tap House, and all of our partners for their generosity.”The 14 teams of competitive eaters were associates of The Home Depot. IT staff members Cooper and Haley ate 54 wings in six minutes. The runners up, finance personnel Nick Molloy and Michael Simms, ate 48 wings. Competitors ate 481 wings combined.

♦♦♦ On Nov. 22, Cumberland Diamond Exchange host-ed its 34th Holiday Celebration at Soho Restaurant. Invited guests were asked to bring non-perishable food items to support the YWCA of Northwest Geor-gia, which is committed to delivering programs and services that increase the awareness and reduce the occurrence of domestic violence and sexual assault in our community.

Community involvement is important to Cumberland Diamond Ex-change and ties in with their philosophy of service. The Jacobson family believes it is their responsibility to create a better community through partnerships with nonprofits. Throughout the years, many charities in the Metropolitan Atlanta area have received help in the form of donations. Some charities that have received donations in the form of time and/or merchandise include Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, The WellStar Foundation, SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, American Heart Association, Cobb Library Association, American Cancer Society: Pink Ribbon Golf Classic, YWCA of Northwest Georgia, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center and more. In 2014, CDE was a finalist for the Sam Olen’s Community Service Award.

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[ l e t t e r s t ot h e e d i t o r ]

Mr. Maguire,

Just wanted to share with you I recently read your column, “This is the best holiday season ever,” in the November issue of Cobb Life. I found it very appropriate for the season and plan to share it with the families I serve in Hospice Care as well as in our private office practice. Thank you for being point on with your writing, as well as offering solid suggestions to others who may be struggling during this beautiful season of love and thanksgiving.

With warmest regards, Patsy Driver

Thank you for the column

Visit our website for exclusivecontent and contests. You can also follow us on Facebook to find out what we’re up to with our behind-the-scenes photos, videos and exclusive photo galleries of the people we meet while out and about.

STAY IN TOUCH!www.cobblifemagazine.com

Cobb Life Magazine

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Gyros to go, please

By LaTria Garnigan // Photography by Katherine Frye

OPA!

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Yeero Village4751 Sandy Plains Road,Marietta(470) 767-8771

Thanks to Gus Tselios’ in-novative mind, that is now a possibility. Tselios opened his family’s first full Greek restau-rant, Yeero Village recently off of Sandy Plains Road. The restaurant is added to the roster of Marietta Diner, Cherokee Cattle Co., Marietta Fish Mar-ket and Pasta Bella.

This concept of fast casual Greek food has never been done before, said Tselios, but everything is still cooked in-house, from scratch with authentic recipes. And if you want to go in and sit down or order to-go,

you can do that as well. Inside you’ll be treated with regular plates and silverware, servers taking care of you and clearing your table. Tselios said it’s the closest thing to full-service.

All of your Greek favorites are on the menu at the restaurant: Greek chicken with lemon potatoes, mous-saka, spinach pie, pastitsio and a variety of desserts like the all-time favorite baklava and Greek doughnuts.

“I’m excited about it,” said Tselios of the new restaurant. “I’m looking forward to people enjoying real authentic Greek food. Being of Greek background, I’ve always wanted to have a Greek restaurant and I think the neighborhood is gonna love it.”

If you’re wondering about food quality — know that everything is top notch and filling, just as you would imagine. There is no skimping on flavor and each dish is carefully crafted. It is good to note that to keep up with the notion of “fast” food, the drive-thru has a pared down menu of only gyros, wraps, salads, a couple of home-cooked meals and desserts. But if ordered inside the restaurant, the entire menu is available.

Ever wanted to get baklava and your favorite chicken gyro for dinner all without leaving your car?

Above left, a Greek salad. Above, Greek chicken with lemon potatoes.

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Funeral Directors, Rev. Dennis E. Bellamy, Sheila Bellamy and Shelly B. Palmer

FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICESServing Powder Springs, Hiram and the surrounding communitiessince 1980 in which we have remained family owned and operated.Our longevity can be attributed to listening to the needs of those we have served and the confidence of the people in the community that we will serve in the future. Our commitment is to provide you and your family as well as your friends and neighbors with sound advice

and personal service at a time when it is most needed.

Please contact us with any questions you may have concerning At-need or Pre-need Funeral Services, Cremations,

Cemetery spaces or Mausoleum needs.

Visit our website at: www.bellamyfuneralhome.com or call 770-943-3547 or 770-943-8050

Celebrating 35 YearsBellamy

Funeral Home, Inc.- and -

Paulding Memorial Gardens

KID-FRIENDLY COBBEvents and act iv it ies for chi ldren 10 and under

I Have a DreamSibley Library1539 South Cobb Drive, Marietta Jan. 11 to 24Help your child learn about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Children will have an opportunity to share their dreams and choose from a selection of books about his life and message. www.cobbcat.org

Michaels Kids Club Sparkling SnowflakesCheck your local storeJan. 9 from 10 a.m. to noonAges: 3 and upCost: $2Children can explore their creativity making crafts in a guided workshop. On Jan. 9, they will make snowflake ornaments. All supplies are included. Register in advance; space is limited.https://classes.michaels.com

Terrific Twos Mountain View Regional Library3320 Sandy Plains Road, MariettaTuesdays from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.Ages: 2 to 3Music, finger plays and stories will keep toddlers engaged and teach them pre-literacy and socialization skills. Adults are expected to participate in all the activities. Upcoming themes: Jan. 5 — Let’s Be Friends; Jan. 12 — Mitten Time; Jan. 19 — A Hat on My Head; Jan. 26 — Naughty or Nice?770.509.4964; www.cobbcat.org

CAREing Paws with WilburWest Cobb Regional Library1750 Dennis Kemp Lane, KennesawJan. 12 from 4 to 5 p.m.Ages: Independent readersEach child is scheduled for a 15-minute time slot to read one-on-one to Wilbur the dog and a supervisor. Registration is required. www.cobbcat.org

Acworth Evening Family Storytime:1, 2, Buckle My ShoeAcworth Library4569 Dallas Street, AcworthJan. 12 from 6 to 6:30 p.m.In addition to stories, family storytime includes songs, rhymes, a movie and a craft. Parents/caregivers are expected to participate in all activities.www.cobbcat.org

Museum Mice TourMarietta Museum of History1 Depot St., MariettaJan.14 at 10:30 a.m.Ages: 3 to 5Cost: $5 per familyThis month museum mascots Murray and Etta will explore making music with the little ones. Reservations requested. 770.794.5710; www.mariettahistory.org/education/mice-tours

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• Herniated discs• Degenerative disc disease• Back pain• Neck pain• Sciatica• Facet syndromes

You’ve got too many dreams left undone.Too many special moments waiting to be experienced. Life is too short to let pain slow you down. Yet for many, severe back pain and sciatica puts a halt to any enjoyment in life. Maybe you can’t play golf like you used to. Or you’re not able to enjoy that cruise like you should. Sciatica and back pain are NOT “just a part of life” and something you have to live with. In fact, many former back pain sufferers are now pain free after using a new drugless, painless treatment. This new therapy is called non-surgical disc decompression, and it is helping to keep people from having to ‘go under the knife’.

Medical Proof This Treatment Works While non-surgical spinal decompression is a rather new treatment, there’s plenty of research to back up its claims. Here’s just entific studies...

The conditions this amazing treatmenthas proven successful for:

“We thus submit that decompression therapy should be considered first, before the patient undergoes a surgical procedure which permanently alters the anatomy and function of the affected lumbar spine segment.”- Journal of Neuroscience Research

“86% of the 219 patients who completed the therapy reported immediate resolution of symptoms”- Orthopedic Technolgy Review

“vertebral axial [spinal] decompression was successful in 71% of the 778 cases”- Journal of Neurological Research

“good to excellent” relief in 86% patients with Herniated discs”- The American Journal of Pain Management

“decompression therapy reported a 76.5% with complete remission and 19.6% with partial remission of pain and disability”- Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neuro-surgery

As you can see, spinal decompression has a high success rate with helping disc herniations and back pain. What this means for you is that in just a matter of weeks, you could be back on the golf course, enjoying your love life, or traveling again. I am running a speical offer where you will find out if you are a candidate for spinal decompression. It’s time for you to find out if spinal decompression will be your back pain and sciatica solution. My name is Dr. Amy Valente, owner of North Cobb Spine & Nerve Institute. I understand what it feels like to live in pain, because I see it every day. I’ve seen hundreds of people with disc herniations, back problems and sciatica, which were once told surgery was the only option, leave the office pain free. What dose this offer include? Everything I normally do in my new patient evaluation.You’ll get... •Acompleteneuromuscularexamination. •Afullsetofspecializedx-rays(ifclinicallynecessary)to determine if a spinal problem is contributing to your painorsymptoms...(NOTE:Thesewouldnormallycostyouatleast$100). •Athoroughanalysisofyourexamandx-rayfindingsso we can start mapping out your plan to being pain free. •You’llgettoseeeverythingfirsthand.I’llanswerallyour questions about spinal decompression. I’ll let you knowifthisamazingtreatmentwillbeyourbackpainsolution, like it has for so many other patients. And the best part about it is....

No Dangerous Drugs, No Invasive Procedures, and No Painful Exercises.Spinal decompression treatments are very gentle. In fact, every once and a awhile I even catch a patient sleeping during sessions. You’llsimplylieonyourbackandthenaspecializedbelt is gently placed around your waist. We’ll set the machine to focus on your problem area - then the advanced computer system will do the rest.

Here’s what our patients have to say:Low back pain with Sciatica

I have suffered with low back pain for over 2 years. Prior to coming to NCS&N I tried physical therapy, another chiropractor & pain medication but nothing worked. The doctors here listen to me & they are very thorough. I already feel 80% better and I’m only half way through my care. The decompression therapy is really working. Unexpected improvements have helped me to be a lot more mobile and I sleep better at night. It really works and the staff here is great!Thank you, Ellen Castellana

For many years I have suffered from pain in my lower back, hip, and knees. Also, I have problems with stiffness and a limp on my right leg. Before coming to North Cobb Spine and Nerve I didn’t know what to do for the pain. I took pain medications and over the counter aids to help. The decompression therapy has me feeling 80% better. I can accomplish so much more around the house. I’ve seen improvements in my sleep, walking, and I have little to no pain anywhere. I feel happier and younger! Life is fun again! The staff here is wonderful, they are caring and concerned. I look forward to every visit, but the time flies and it’s time to leave. Miracles happen here! It is the most attention you can imagine and you feel results right away. Those results continue to get better as well.Thank you, Dianne Anderson

The normal price for this type of evaluation, including x-rays, is $250 so you’re saving a considerable amount by taking me up on this offer. Call today and for a $20 fee we can get you scheduled for your consultation, exam and x-rays as soon as there’s an opening.

Sincerely, Dr. Amy Valente

P.S. What Will Your Pain Feel LikeOne Month From Today?

One of the biggest myths about pain is that it goes away all by itself, without any treatment. A May 1998 study in the British Medical Journal proved this myth false, showing that 75% of back pain sufferers who do nothing about it will have either pain or disability 12 months later. If you’ve been having pain for awhile, it’s probably not going to get better on its own. Life’s too short to live in pain like this. Call today and soon I’ll be giving you the green light to have fun again.

Call Today!678-574-5678

($250 VALUE)Expires January 31, 2016

North Cobb Spine & Nerve Institute

3451 Cobb Pkwy Ste. 4Acworth, GA 30101

FEDERAL AND MEDICARE RESTRICTIONS APPLY

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[ h e a l t h ]

learning to

R U Nin middle age with app’s help

By Beth J. Harpaz

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I’m a 50-something baby boomer who’s never been to a gym or taken an exercise class. A few months ago, I decided to learn to run. I wanted to recapture that feeling of freedom and joy I remem-bered from childhood, when I could effortlessly dash across a park or run home without stopping to catch my breath.

But there seemed to be so many obstacles to tak-ing up running in middle age: gear, time, weather, fear of injury, discomfort. Would I ever be able to do it for more than a few minutes without gasping?

Here’s how I learned to run.

THE APPI’m a boomer, but millennials are my gurus. If

I’ve got a problem, they’ve got an app. A 20-some-thing cousin told me about the Couch to 5K app. She said it made running painless by increasing your time and distance very gradually.

I downloaded the app to my phone for $2.99. It was easy to use. I clicked “Week 1 Day 1” and followed instructions: a five-minute warm up walk; then, for 20 minutes, alternating one minute of jogging with 90 seconds of walking; ending with a five-minute, cool-down walk. The app doesn’t give you any breaks based on age. But the intervals grad-ually increased over nine weeks until I was running 30 minutes straight. I checked out other running apps — there are many — but they seemed unnec-essarily complicated.

Part of my learning curve was remembering to use my app’s lock key to prevent accidental swipes that paused, fast-forwarded or rewound the pro-gram as I ran. Another issue: Whenever the app bumped me up a notch — say from five to 10 min-utes running, the increases at first seemed impossi-ble. But each time, I upped my game.

At the end of the nine-week program, I was doing over three miles. I added more time and distance using the free run setting so the app’s log could keep tracking my data.

I’m still searching for the perfect music for my runs, switching between Spotify, Pandora and less well-known sites like Songza and Slacker Radio. I like listening to new songs, but some lyrics are too explicit for my middle-age sensibilities. Even so, I refuse to make oldies playlists, though “Get Off of My Cloud” is the right tempo for my slow pace.

It’s the last five minutes of my 45-minute run. I’m panting. Sweating. Tuning out the occasional twinge

of pain from a knee, calf or foot. Just focusing on the rhythm of my sneakers on the road.

GEAR AND WEATHERI didn’t want to buy new gear. But I needed weather-appropriate clothing

and good sneakers — not the crummy, ancient ones I usually wear.I dug out an unused pair of cross-trainers I’d bought at a New Balance

tent sale long ago for $40. But after three months, my heel ached. I went to the running-gear retailer JackRabbit, where I’d also purchased a sports bra, and submitted to the store’s evaluation process: You run on a treadmill; they videotape you and recommend the right shoes. I splurged on a $150 pair with extra heel padding — three times more than I have ever paid for sneak-ers. The heel pain was nearly gone within two runs.

I also raided my teenage son’s closet. I wore tank tops and his basketball shorts until the weather changed; now I wear his jerseys, long pants, cap and windbreaker. The cold bothers me less than I’d imagined.

FINDING TIMEBetween commuting, work and other commitments, 12-hour days are my

norm. Finding time to run is hard.Once a week, I run a 5K loop in my local park around 6 a.m. It’s dark

when I start, but the park is well-lit, with enough joggers, bikers and even parents pushing strollers to feel safe. And the sky is awesome — planets and moon, then sunrise.

Once a week, I run at night on busy local streets. I’ve discovered a whole after-dark world out there: runners, dog-walkers, teenagers, cleaning crews, take-out delivery men, spooning couples, smokers and homeless people.

When I run at the park on weekends in the daytime, the sunshine feels luxurious.

MIND, BODY AND RACINGBoomers accounted for 18 percent of New York marathon finishers this

year. But only 10 percent of the 18.7 million people who completed all types of races in 2014 — from 5Ks to marathons — were 55 or older, according to Running USA, an organization that promotes the sport.

No wonder I’m older than most runners I see. When I do see gray-haired warriors, they pass me just as often as the millennials. But I’m less worried about speed than injury. A friend who started running with me at the end of the summer stopped after a few weeks due to aches and pains. I watch videos and read all the advice and debates on warming up, stretches, treating soreness, preventing injury and running form.

All of it’s worth the trouble. I sleep better and feel more serene running. Call it runner’s high, dopamine, endorphins — troubles fly from my head with every step. Sometimes I can’t stop smiling.

I even ran my first race on Thanksgiving — a 5-mile Turkey Trot. My 55-minute time was nothing to brag about, but I placed in the middle of my age group. I was just pleased nothing hurt and that I still had plenty of energy when I was done.

It brought me back to that feeling I remembered from childhood: running with freedom and joy.

CL JAN 2016(18) 19 12/21/2015 11:44:29 AM

Grab a neighbor and shake a hand! If you’re reading this, you made it to 2016!

That’s reason enough to celebrate. But oftentimes — actually more times than not — the beginning of a new year brings on a bit of anxiety.

We rack our brains trying to figure out “How am I going to be better this year?” or “What new enlightenment will this new year bring?” We tend to get so focused on how to become better that we forget to appreciate the precious moments of now.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing amiss with setting new goals for your-selves. I continually strive to do so. I just don’t want us to get so bogged down with the “how” and “when” and forget about the “why.” Let’s try and focus on why we want to be better. Why will this new change we seek make our lives more efficient or more enhanced?

So how can we do that? How can we have it all and still strive for more?

Keyword: moderation. Instead of making a list of the top 10 things we

want to change about ourselves or our situation, let’s whittle that number down to about five, or possi-bly even three. A more moderate number seems less stressful and more attainable — especially considering the hectic lives we all have.

So if you’re still with me, here are some ways that we can rock out goal-achieving in 2016!

Set a modest number: Writing down too many thoughts can create a lengthy list. And

that length can cause unnecessary stress. If you start out small, you’ll find an ease in being able to achieve those goals.

Ask yourself if it’s essential to your well-being: Sure, that new Tesla is

nice and luxurious and a European vacation sounds divine right about now — but are they necessary to making your life better in the immediate future?

Could you settle for a Honda and a nice weekend get-away at a spa? Not to say you can’t set high standards for yourself, but you also have to be realistic. But who knows, in a year or so that European vacay might hap-pen, and you’ll be driving around in a luxury vehicle!

Give yourself time, don’t rush the process:

True change doesn’t happen overnight. This goes along with creating a short-er list. With less to stress over, you’ll allow yourself time to put a plan of action in place to achieve your goals, which will result in a sense of relief about accomplishing everything on your list.

ENJOY the process: You’ve made a list. You’ve started

checking off small steps. Relish in how good it feels when you begin taking steps toward completing your goals. Remember, it takes 21 days to form a habit. So if your goal is to read more for leisure, then challenge yourself to

read each day and think of how great you’ll feel after a month.

Learn to be your own cheerleader: While you’re achieving these goals one by one, do

not forget to salute yourself for staying the course and making this commitment. Buy yourself a “Congratu-lations” balloon. Get yourself a bouquet of flowers. Realize that all small steps lead up to a big reward/gain and that every little bit counts.

Document your wins: Write down those small victories. This can go a long way in helping you stay on track with some self-accountability. It

can also motivate you and remind you of where you began.

LaTria Garnigan is the assistant director of magazines and can be reached at

[email protected].

New Year, new you?

By LaTria Garnigan

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CL JAN 2016(20) 20 12/22/2015 12:26:09 PM

If you were to join my family for dinner on a regular weeknight (go for it, but call first!), you’d see our typical dessert routine in action.

It works like this: my husband grabs my favorite tiny bamboo cutting board and a paring knife while I grab a variety of fruit. Then we sit with our four daughters, chatting about our days — sometimes enjoying an impromptu dance show from one or more of the girls — as we pass wedges of pears or whatever around the table. It’s sacred family time.

But...sometimes a girl needs a serious dessert. And by serious, I mean chocolate.

Yes, I’ll sometimes satisfy this need by nibbling on a square of dark chocolate with my decaf espresso. That’s fine. But for truly special occasions I whip up little edible chocolate bowls. They take just minutes to

make using chocolate chips, and you can fill them with berries, your favorite fruit, or anything else you want. These little bowls are fun enough to make for kids’ sleepovers, yet elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.

I love buying the darkest chocolate chips I can find (usually 60 percent) because I love the almost-bitter flavor of darker chocolate. Plus, it is healthier.

Once you master the simple technique of making these chocolate baskets, you can easily customize them, adding cinnamon, cayenne, rosemary, chunky sea salt, flecks of orange zest, whatever your imagination desires. I usually fill my bowls with berries or in-season fruit (try lightly sautéed pears), but feel free to treat them like super tasty tart crusts and build even more decadent desserts in them.

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Some days fruit is enough.Other days chocolate is needed

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DARK CHOCOLATE BERRY BASKETSStart to finish: 30 minutesServings: 8

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips• 1 teaspoon coconut oil• 2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted almonds• Kosher salt• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar• (white, if you have it)• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar• Ground black pepper• 2 cups halved or quartered fresh strawberries• (or other berries or orange segments,• membranes and seeds removed)• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

In a large glass or other microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave on 50 percent power, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about three minutes.

Spread a few spoons of the melted chocolate into a silicone cupcake liner, using the back of the spoon to spread the chocolate up the side of the liner so it is evenly and thickly coated. Sprinkle the wet chocolate with a teaspoon of almonds and a tiny pinch of kosher salt. Repeat with seven more liners. Chill the chocolate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the vinegar, brown sugar and a pinch of pepper. Add the strawberries and toss to coat. Let sit to allow flavors to meld for at least 15 minutes, or up to a few hours. Immediately before serving, stir the mint into the strawberries, remove the chocolate baskets from the molds and spoon in the berries.

CL JAN 2016(21) 21 12/21/2015 12:44:21 PM

Welcome to another of our annual

Best Of Cobb.We began asking for

votes in October and got hundreds of entries.

You voted and here are

your winners!On this page we capture the celebratory

nature of this issue with photos of the Staton children. Ronnie Rebecca, 3, Brooks, 5, and

Bo, 5 months, children of Emmy and Kenneth Staton of Marietta. Here they enjoy

a winter afternoon at Laurel Park.

Articles by LaTria Garnigan, Stacey L. Evans, Joan Durbin, Meredith Pruden,

Jennifer Hafer, Jennifer Carter and Michael J. Pallerino

Photography by Katherine Frye, Jennifer Carter

and Mark Wallace Maguire

CL JAN 2016(22) 22 12/22/2015 12:27:05 PM


Best Burger Stockyard Burgers & Bones26 Mill St., Marietta (678) 503-2760http://www.stockyardburger.com

As the name might imply, if you can grill it, smoke it or braise it, it’s probably on the menu at hip Marietta Square restaurant Stock-yard Burgers & Bones. Although the team here, led by partners Alexis and Scott Kinsey (also the chef) and general manager Ezechiel “Zeke” Jean-Louis, serves up everything from salads and hummus to pork chops and baby back ribs, it’s the joint’s fresh black Angus beef burgers that have won them Best Of bragging rights for 2016 — only a little more than a year since they first opened. Stockyard is not your average restaurant, according to Jean-Louis, and he’s right. The ambiance is inviting, the service vivacious and the food clearly is made with a lot of love and passion. Everything about the experience is warm, friendly and downright tasty. Our fa-vorite, the Dirty South Burger, is topped with a gluttonous heap of smoked gouda mac and cheese, bacon and apple butter BBQ sauce and served between toasted brioche buns with a side of hand cut fries and your choice of dipping sauce. We also hear the Bohemian is the best veggie burger around. Wash it all down with a selection from the rotating craft beer menu, and you won’t be disappointed.

The burgers are the hot item on the menu, however, many diners also like to pair them with the sweet potato tots.

CL JAN 2016(23) 23 12/22/2015 12:28:17 PM


For 25 years, Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q has been feeding the metro area and we’ve all been better for it. Brothers Danny and Larry Williamson brought their barbecue concept to the area from Alabama.

The open-pit restaurant features a rich menu with meats cooked on the open fire daily with hickory and hardwood. Staples include baby back ribs, pulled pork and chicken.

Everything in the restaurant is homemade and the brothers stay true to the Southern style of barbecue. Williamson said the customers’ pick is definitely the chopped barbecue pork day in and day out.

“That’s always been No. 1,” said Williamson. He said Boston butts are cooked for eight hours, chopped up and topped with the restaurant’s signa-ture barbecue sauce.

Best BBQWilliamson Bros. Bar-B-QNew London Square1425 Roswell Rd(770) 971-3201www.williamsonbros.com

CL JAN 2016(24) 24 12/22/2015 12:28:52 PM


2440 CANTON ROAD • MARIETTA, GA 30066770.794.8106

www.fabricsandfringe.com

Who needs a bugle when you’ve got Reveille Coffeehouse and Café? Answer the wake-up call, and head to this East Cobb staple for a modern twist on traditional sunrise favorites.

Husband and wife team Nicole and Jay McCann take a lot of care with the food that comes out of their kitchen, and the heartfelt atten-tion shines through in each of the thoughtfully-constructed menu items and daily specials.

“Everything we use is fresh, and we give a lot of time and effort into putting our food together,” Nicole said. “We have cookbooks galore at the house and play around with things.”

The originator of another popular Atlanta breakfast hotspot, J. Chris-topher’s, Jay knows a little something about what has locals flocking to a.m. eateries and keeps them coming back for more. But, when the couple opened the first Reveille location in Acworth three years ago, they wanted to do things a little differently.

“J. Christopher’s has been around for 18 years,” Nicole said. “We couldn’t change menu items without upsetting guests, and we wanted to change things up. We do a lot more specials here.”

With rotating daily quiches made with fresh, on-hand produce and seasonal ingredients and other daily specials, there’s always something new at Reveille.

Best Breakfast Reveille Coffeehouse and CaféLocations across Cobbwww.reveillecafe.com

CL JAN 2016(25) 25 12/21/2015 11:56:58 AM


Corner of Cobb Pkwy & Barrett Pkwy1200 Ernest Barrett Pkwy, Kennesaw

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It’s not particularly difficult to find an Italian restaurant in the metro area, but it can be a bit trickier to find one with authentic fare, friendly service and a family style atmosphere that will keep you coming back for more. Enter Provino’s Italian Restaurant in Canton, where every visit feels a bit like a trip to Grandma’s house — if Grandma was an Italian Julia Child. Opened in 1999, the locally-owned chain’s Riverstone Parkway lo-cation is intimate, casual and comfortable, serving up consistently delecta-ble cuisine to everyone from smartly dressed business types to families on their way home from the lake.

Managing partner Dan Clifford has been with the company since 1978, just a year after the first location launched in Stone Mountain.What’s his secret to success?

“When you’re in one location this long, you get to know everybody and we’re fortunate to have a lot of repeat business,” he said. “I try to greet our regulars by name. We turn customers into friends here.”

With its Best Of Cobb win, it certainly appears the Provino’s team has succeeded in its mission to transform hungry patrons into satisfied pals. Salud!

Best Italian Food Provino’s Italian Restaurant440 Ernest W Barrett Pkwy., NW #1, KennesawPhone:(678) 594-5055http://www.provinos.com

Provino’s Managing Partner Dan Clifford displays customer favorite Lasagna Napoletana, garlic rolls and a house vege-table salad.

CL JAN 2016(26) 26 12/22/2015 12:29:49 PM

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Best Local FloristK. Mike Whittle Designs156 Church St., Marietta(770) 499-1700www.kmikewhittledesigns.com

Not many people can say they’ve always known what they wanted to do in life. Except for Mike Whittle. Whittle is the owner of K. Mike Whittle Designs in downtown Marietta and has been in the floral busi-ness since he was 13 years old. “It’s all I’ve ever done,” said Whittle. “It’s my God-given talent.” His passion for design, friendly personality and expansive shop have to be what made Cobb voters choose him as Best Florist. You can’t help but feel like family when you talk with him. And his knowl-edge goes far beyond the rudimentary dozen red ros-es. Whittle’s expansive skills of design can transform any home.

He opened the shop six years ago with “absolutely zero” and has watched it continually blossom. In addition to providing flowers for the home, Whit-tle participates in trade events and travels all over sharpening his décor skills. With all of that, he does not forget to give back. He’s been a staple providing arrangements for the Center for Family Resources’ “Oscar’s,” Miles for Major and the March of Dimes. And the shop has been recognized as one of the top five businesses by the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s great because of my team,” said Whittle of the recognition. “We’re all very devoted to not just each other, but to our customers.” Floral design enthusiasts will delight in know-ing he will begin to offer classes this month in his new 1,200 square foot DIY Design Center, at 1890 W. Oak Pkwy., Suite C, in Marietta. It will mainly serve as a teaching center, but can also be rented for events. The Posey Parties, as he calls them, will offer patrons the opportunity to bring in wine while trying their hands at floral arrangements. The classes will start with the very basic and go up to advanced.

CL JAN 2016(28) 28 12/22/2015 12:30:33 PM

CL JAN 2016(28) 29 12/22/2015 12:30:56 PM


[email protected]

Brookwood Christian SchoolThe Dyslexia School

4728 Wood St. | Acworth, GA 30101At the corner or North Main St and

Wood St, north of the Hwy 92 overpass

Best Golf CourseMarietta Country Club 1400 Marietta Country Club Drive, Kennesaw(770) 426-1808www.mariettacountryclub.org

If you love the game of golf, there is no better place to test your acumen in Cobb County that at the Marietta Country Club. That’s the first thing that Stephen Keppler, the PGA Director of Golf at the Marietta Country Club in Kennesaw, will tell you. When it comes to golf and everything else, the MCC has it all — amaz-ing golf shop, private lessons or group clinics, men’s, ladies’ and senior men’s associations, junior programs, tournaments and a premiere practice range and putting green area. The beauty and awe that is the Marietta Country Club starts and ends with the concept behind it. When noted course designer Robert Cupp drew up plans for the greens in 1990, his directive was clear — make each and every hole interesting, not boring. That’s why the course continues to be the ideal place for high handicappers and tour professionals alike. And besides, where else can you find epically scenic greens set amid historic Civil War bunkers and trenches, each of which are amazingly added into the design?

CL JAN 2016(30) 30 12/22/2015 12:31:31 PM


Best New ThingKennesaw State University Owls Football

It wasn’t just any Saturday at Kennesaw State on Sept. 4, 2015 when the university prepared to set up shop for the inaugural kickoff at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. There was football in the air. College football. KSU football. When the Kennesaw State Owls squared off against Ed-ward Waters College, a game in which the home team won 58-7, it helped usher in a new era ripe with opportunity for the university and surrounding community. As members of the Big South Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level, the Owls finished its first season with a 6-5 record under coach Brian Bohannon. As for impact, according to Cobb Travel & Tourism/Cobb Sports Alliance, $4.1 million was generated into the Cobb County community for the Owls’ six home games. But it was much more than that. “I think it had a profound effect on the camaraderie, school spirit, and obviously just the awareness of what’s going on at Kennesaw State University,” said Vaughn Williams, KSU’s director of athletics. “I think we were able to use football to tell the story of the university. We weren’t able to do that before, because there was no medium in which to draw the community and university together on six different Saturdays. Football brings new life and is the new must-do in our community. You had the business commu-nity, you had the alumni, student-athletes, students and community at-large partaking in these events, so I would say it was a big, big boost.”

CL JAN 2016(31) 31 12/21/2015 12:05:05 PM


Best Place To Take Out of Town GuestsHenry’s Louisiana Grill4835 N. Main St., Acworth(770) 966-1515www.chefhenrys.com

“When you come here, you’re gonna feel like you’ve stepped into someone’s party house,” said Henry Chandler, owner and executive chef of Henry’s Louisiana Grill. Truer words have never been spoken. Which is exactly why Cobb voters chose the restaurant as the Best Place To Take Out Of Town Guests.

Once you step inside Henry’s, decorated throughout with shades of green, gold and purple, you’re immediately greeted with a warm welcome and sometimes even by Chandler himself — who will present you with two strands of Mardi Gras beads around your neck. If he’s not there to greet you, there is a self-serve bucket of beads to choose them.

Open since Aug. 15, 2000, Henry’s was born out of Chandler’s background of growing up in

Saint Maurice, La., and from his lifelong love of cooking. The downtown Acworth restaurant features a menu full of Cajun staples like gumbo, shrimp creole, Etouffee and the delicious Atcha-falaya catfish, which includes fried or blackened catfish over spicy cheese grits with Henry’s crawfish cream sauce; it can also be served over jambalaya.

The atmosphere is ripe for a place to hang with friends and family, and Chandler said they strive to make everyone who walks through the doors feel as if they are part of the family.

To add to the atmosphere, Henry’s has live music once a month featuring artists in genres like gospel, jazz and country, an upstairs space that can be rented, a Louisiana brunch each Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Chandler does not hesitate to credit his team for making things run smoothly — general man-ager Justin Williams, personal assistant Jennifer Kalinowski, sous chef Jeremy Hartman and kitchen manager Arthur Livas. His family — wife Claudia, son Liam and daughter Danielle — are also a part of the Henry’s team.

While he’s enjoying his success, Chandler is still planning for the future. He is looking to expand at Emerson’s LakePoint in 2018.

CL JAN 2016(32) 32 12/21/2015 12:06:12 PM


One of Chef Henry’s signature dishes is the Atch-afalaya comprised of fried and black-ened catfish over spicy cheese grits and jambalaya with Henry’s craw-fish cream sauce.

CL JAN 2016(33) 33 12/22/2015 12:32:11 PM


Best Salon élon Salon695 Piedmont Road, Marietta(770) 427-8698http://elonsalon.com

The mantra at East Cobb’s élon Salon is that the experience is all about the client. Warm, inviting and relaxing, it’s easy to see why so many wom-en have trusted their hair to the staff here for more than 20 years. Owners Don and Flonnie Westbrook believe not only in the best possible client ex-perience but also that continuing stylist education is pivotal to the success of the salon and the happiness of each and every client. Guest educators regularly come to the salon for training and élon’s stylists have traveled across the world to ensure they’re always up on the latest trends, colors and techniques.

élon is an award-winning salon that has received numerous accolades and appeared in a number of industry trade publications, as well as con-sumer magazines. In fact, Celebrity Hairstyle magazine named them one of the top 10 salons in the country two years running. élon also is a member of the international Intercoiffure organization, and the Westbrooks have been awarded the Adolf Biecker Achievement Award by Intercoiffure America (ICA) — the highest honor the ICA can bestow. Here’s one more for their list — Best Salon in Cobb.

CL JAN 2016(34) 34 12/21/2015 12:13:31 PM


Best LandmarkThe Big Chicken12 Cobb Pkwy., Marietta

“Go down Parkway until you see The Big Chicken, and then turn …” Come on, how many times have you heard or used those directions? Be honest. You can’t miss it. And, quite honestly, why would you want to? With its moving beak and eyes (yes, they really move), The Big Chicken — Kentucky Fried Chicken customer or not — is one of the premiere landmarks that defines Marietta. Your history lesson starts now. If you didn’t have The Big Chicken, you would have to tell folks to go to the intersection of Cobb Parkway (U.S. Highway Route 41) and Roswell Road (Georgia State Route 120 Loop), and then turn. The person to thank for making directions a little easier in Marietta is Stanley R. “Tubby” Davis, who in 1963 built the ever-present, seven-story steel-sided structure to help advertise his restaurant, Johnny Reb’s Chick-Chuck-‘N’-Shake. A few years later, Davis sold Johnny Reb’s to his brother, who turned it into a KFC franchise. It stood loud and proud until 1993, when after years of deterio-ration and damage from a major storm was in danger of being torn down. That’s when the community stepped in. With pleas reaching a fever pitch, KFC agreed to rebuild the entire structure and restore it to its former glory. So, if you have friends and family who have never seen Marietta’s favor-ite beacon, you can purchase gifts inside its souvenir shop or visit the Marietta Museum of History.

CL JAN 2016(35) 35 12/22/2015 12:32:35 PM


Best Entertainment VenueThe Earl Smith Strand Theatre117 North Park SquareMarietta(770) 293-0080http://earlsmithstrand.org/

The Strand Theatre, which has echoed with the sounds of many singers, bands and movies through the years, is spent 2015 celebrating its 80th year as downtown Marietta’s “go-to” place for entertainment. The Strand first opened in 1935 — a rare vote of confi-dence in the local economy during the depths of the Great Depression. The first movie screened in the Art Deco theater was “Top Hat” with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on Sept. 24, 1935. For decades following that, it was the place to see a movie in Marietta and Cobb County. It retained that distinction well into the late 1960s, when it began to suffer serious competition from newer theaters and then from multiplexes. In the mid-1970s it was purchased by Herbert Goldstein of Marietta. Despite expensive renovations, it could not compete with newer theaters. The building was put to a va-riety of other uses in the next three decades, from rock-con-

cert venue, to offices, to a teen-only nightclub, to a church. None proved profitable, and the building sat mostly derelict during those years, its stucco covered with a coat of garish yellow paint. All that changed in 2002, when the road toward res-toration began when a group of local residents, initially steered by banker Joe Daniell and eventually chaired by former Cobb Commission Chairman Earl Smith (after whom the theater was later name), formed The Friends of The Strand, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the goal of raising funds for its restoration. The process was helped along by contributions from the Cobb Commission, chaired at the time by Sam Olens, and the Marietta Board of Lights & Waterworks. The Goldstein family retains ownership of the theater, which is under a 50-year lease to the Friends group. Another key step in the process came when Smith per-suaded Earl Reece to come out of retirement as director of the Cobb County Center for the Performing Arts at Pebble-brook High to become executive director at the Strand. The results have been outstanding “Seeing the Strand reborn was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have ever done,” said Reece, who is now semi-retired, with protege Cassi Costoulas filling his shoes as GM. These days the facility post-dozens of events throughout the year bringing in arts and entertainment in all shapes and sizes.

CL JAN 2016(36) 36 12/21/2015 12:15:48 PM

It never fails that when my friends and I are planning our occasional dinner meetup, which we affectionately call a “soiree,” one place is consistently offered up as a dining destination.

That place is La Parrilla. And it is no question as to why Cobb Life

voters also chose it as the go to place for Mexican cuisine.

The casual and lively atmosphere, coupled with great service, delicious food and tasty drinks makes it a top destination to celebrate birthdays, work promotions or anything new and exciting happening in life.

Not to mention, if it is your birthday you’re treated with a sombrero, a plate of perfectly crispy sopapillas drizzled with chocolate sauce and a rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

While there recently, I ordered the tacos de camaron. They are shrimp tacos that you can get grilled or breaded, topped with Mexican coleslaw, chipotle mayonnaise and pickled jalapeños (which I wasn’t brave enough to endure). Mexican rice and charro beans are included as sides. Friends ordered (and RAVED about) the Texas grilled quesadilla, which has skirt steak, marinated chicken and shrimp along with bell peppers and onions. And from their praises and the smell, I know what I’ll be ordering next time. Follow that up with a perfectly mixed prickly pear margarita and you have ingredients for a top notch outing.

No matter where you live, there is bound to be a La Parrilla within a reasonable distance. So the next time you get a pining for a taco or a nice beverage, pull on in and thank me later.

Best Mexican La ParrillaSeveral locations across Cobbwww.laparrilla.com

Best Place to Spend the Day with KidsKennesaw Mountainhttp://www.nps.gov/kemo/index.htm

Thousands of acres of woodland. Multiple trails. Great activities. A ton of history. And arguably the best view in Cobb County. Yes, of course, we’re talking about Kennesaw Mountain. The mountain itself and the surrounding parkland is a prime place to spend the day outdoors having a picnic, hiking or exploring.

CL JAN 2016(37) 37 12/22/2015 12:35:43 PM


Our menu offers enticing and scrumptious appetizers, salads, a variety of seafood, meat and chicken entrees, vegetarian dishes, a wide selection of pasta dishes and specialty desserts from family

recipes. We are open for Lunch and Dinner.

Consider us when catering your next event!

678.384.11692495 East West Connector • Suite 80

Austell, GA 30106www.GiovannisGenuineItalian.com

www.facebook.com/Giovannis-Restaurant

Best Volunteer Mary Ansley Southerlandwww.wdlittle.com

Her family lineage can be traced back to the Marietta land lottery and includes a 20th-century mayor and one of the city’s orig-inal settlers. Suffice it to say Mary Ansley Southerland, Marietta resident and co-owner-operator of WD Little Mortgage, has deep local roots. It should then come as no real surprise that she chooses to spend her free time staying active in area philanthropy. “I believe when you support your community, your community supports you,” Southerland said. “It’s an honor to be able to make a difference where I can.” Southerland sits on the boards of The Rotary Club of Marietta, The Marietta Schools Foundation (she has two children in the school system who will be fifth generation graduates of Marietta High), the WellStar Foundation Hospice Advisory Board (which sprung from caring for her mother-in-law under hospice care) and is the chairman of the board of trustees at The Marietta Educational Garden Center and first vice presi-dent of the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs — a love passed down from her great grandmother, who was a charter member of Flower Garden Club in 1928. Through it all, she’s a charismatic go-getter who still managed to fit in time to talk with us!

Opposite page: Serving as Chairman of the Board of Trust-ees for the Marietta Education Garden Center is just one of the many volunteer positions that “Best Volunteer” Mary Ansley Southerland holds.

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Cornerstone Prep is an innovative K-12 University-Model® school where parents and teachers partner together to provide students with an academically challenging, college-preparatory, biblically based education. Our unique model combines the best of traditional private and public, all in a nurturing, family friendly environment. Cornerstone is fully accredited by AdvancED and NAUMS and offers a full range of

sports, clubs, and activities for students.

Visit one of our monthly Information Meetings to discover more about our cost effective and unique educational model. Dates and times for

required Information Meetings can be found on our website: www.cornerstoneprep.org

Beginning January 2016, Our Address Is Changing, Too!Classes Now Held at Our New, State of the Art $7.8 Million Campus

3588 Hickory Grove Road NW, Acworth, GA 30101770.529.7077

THE WORLD IS CHANGING, SO IS

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3894 Due West Road #245 • Marietta 30064770-422-7500 • www.julepshomedecor.com

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Best Place To Spend The Day OutdoorsSmith-Gilbert Gardens2382 Pine Mountain Road, Kennesaw (770) 919-0248www.smithgilbertgardens.com

With over 3,000 species of plants and 31 sculptures on its 16 acres, Smith-Gilbert Gardens is a landscape of lush and colorful beauty for outdoor lovers. The grounds boast a variety of flora for green thumbs as well as those who just like to be surrounded by pretty things. On site is a bonsai exhibit, the Palladino Camellia Garden, a rose garden, a mystical-looking conifer area, as well as a tea house and waterfall, all connected by woodland paths. Christine Davis, education/event manager, said her favorite spot in the gardens is near the waterfall. “You feel so far away from an urban city there,” she said. “My fa-vorite thing about the gardens is that every time I walk around there is something new that I see. You see all the life cycle phases—this one is blooming while another one is withering; everything takes on different shapes and colors throughout the year.” What makes Smith-Gilbert unique is that, though thoughtfully constructed over several decades, many of its areas have a wild feel, as if it has been growing naturally. The serene setting is the perfect backdrop for a romantic picnic; patrons are allowed to set out a blanket and enjoy lunch anywhere in the grassy grounds or in the picnic area. The self-guided activities for children also make it a great place for the entire family to spend the day. Families can check out a backpack from the visitor center that contains binoculars, a magnifying glass and other items to help explore the gardens. There is a picture scavenger hunt available for anyone to enjoy. Children also receive an activity book, and there is a dedicated area for them to explore growing vegetables and fruits and play. History buffs appreciate the historic Hiram Butler Home (circa 1880), and art lovers are drawn to the intriguing sculptures. Craft and garden enthusiasts can take part in workshops, ranging from beekeeping to wreath making. Guided tours are available with ad-vance reservations for groups of five or more. Guided themed field trips can also be booked in advance. “The gardens are a place you can make your own,” said Davis.Admission: Adults, $7; Seniors (age 60+) or Active Military, $6; Children, ages 6-12, $5; ages 5 and younger, free. Memberships and annual passes are also available. Open year round, typically 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; closed on Sunday and Monday.

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hhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhh

Best Fine DiningAspens Signature Steakswww.segwickrestaurantgroup.com East - Sandy Plains Center2942 Shallowford Road, Marietta(678) 236-1400 The Avenue West Cobb3625 Dallas Hwy., #645, Marietta(770) 419-1744

There have been other restaurants over the years that have deservedly won the Best Fine Dining category, but none as often as this year’s voter favorite, Aspens Signature Steaks. Aspens East Executive Chef John Sweeney has a theory on why the restaurant continues to rise to the top of the list. “I think we’ve won this award several times because we continuously look at our-selves objectively and that breeds a constant state of self‐improvement,” he said. “We so appreciate Cobb County’s vote of confidence in our concept and our daily execution,” said Leslie Avers, marketing lead

for The Sedgwick Restaurant Group. The consistent success can be traced back to Aspens creators Michelle and Chris Sedgwick, who began their careers as restaurateurs almost 25 years ago and have since built a thriving culinary empire that includes Bis-tro VG, Vinny’s on Windward and Pure, as well as the two Aspens. “Since both are professional chefs, they set a high standard for the quality food, atmosphere and service we provide,” said the restaurants’ managing partner, William Page. “We buy top quality ingredients and make every dish from scratch. We have also been blessed in hiring outstanding managers, chefs and front and back of the house employees.” The core of the menu has stayed the same, but the executive chefs, Swee-ney and Jordan Daniels, have opportunities to express their style in many dishes and create their own daily specials. “We also try to change things seasonally with the availability of different ingredients and changing markets on beef and proteins,” Avers said.While it is well known for its excellent steaks, there is much more to the Aspens menu. Customer favorites include seafood dishes such as jumbo lump crab cakes, crispy salt and pepper fried calamari, seared tuna, tuna tartare and North Georgia mountain trout. Of course, the hearty salt-crusted prime rib is also a perennial hit. Both Aspens locations have the décor of a Colorado ski lodge with a stone fireplace, exposed wooden beams, leather chairs and booths. The one at Avenue of West Cobb is a much larger restaurant and Aspens East is a bit more intimate. In Avers’ view, fine dining translates not just to a high quality of food, wine and beverages, but also a unique atmosphere and highly professional service. “We think Aspens satisfies all those elements, even though we provide a relaxed and comfortable setting where everyone is welcome and there’s no set dress code.”

CL JAN 2016(42) 42 12/21/2015 12:27:37 PM

hhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhh

Aspens Signature Steaks head chef John Sweeney displays a custom cut Cowboy Ribeye cooked with rich coffee rub, painted with smoked beef fat and served with a plate of crisp asparagus and homemade Worcestershire sauce.

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Believe it or not, the num-bers only tell part of the story of what makes Kennesaw’s Big Shanty Festival — the party to end all parties that has taken over the downtown area each spring for the past 40 years.

The festival, co-sponsored by the city of Kennesaw and the Kennesaw Business Association, helps connect every fiber of the community in ways that organizers say cannot be measured by just numbers alone.

And, well, okay, if you want numbers, it just happens to be one of the largest arts and crafts shows in north Georgia.

How’s this for stats: more than 200 arts and crafts booths (with a 90 percent retention rate, by the way); more than 70,000 annual visitors (and those numbers just keep grow-ing); more than $6 million generated back into the local economy (from numbers by the Cobb Bureau of Tourism) and more than $70,000 given back to the local community via schools and scholarships (by festival organizers).

“You cannot describe what the festival is unless you have been here and experienced it,” said Rev. Marlon Longacre, associate pastor of Piedmont Church and festival chairman for the past 13 years.

“The festival’s vision has been transformed from genera-tion to generation. You cannot put a price on what its vision means to the community. It’s all about hometown love. It’s the greatest and largest hometown party there is in the state.”

Best FestivalBig Shanty Festival

Whether it is food, above, or activities and just strolling, opposite page, residents enjoy the Big Shanty Festival.

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Best DessertMarietta Diner306 Cobb Pkwy., Marietta(770) 423-9390www.mariettadiner.com

If you’ve ever asked someone “Have you eaten at Marietta Diner?” and saw them grab their stomach, lean back and give forth a grin — just know it’s all justified.

The restaurant, helmed by Gus Tselios and his mother Maria Tselios, has been feeding the masses and racking up awards and recognitions for years due to its heartwarming food. But we’re here to bestow upon them the Best Dessert spotlight, voted on by Cobb residents. Many a conversation has been made by my peers that included, “Oh, I’ve never had room for dessert,” or “I just ordered it to go” when it comes to the sweet treats. What seems like a mile-long display case full of any kind of delicacies imaginable when you walk in features an array of dessert that makes it hard to choose.

Desserts include milkshakes, sundaes, cakes, pies and more. And just like their portion sizes of food, they don’t hold back on the desserts. A slice of cake took me about two days to eat and every bite was enjoyable. If you’re a chocolate lov-er, the Death by Chocolate cake is the real deal. So the next time you go, don’t skimp on the dessert.

It’s a piece of cake. Helmed by Gus Tselios and his mother Maria Tselios, Marietta Diner has an array of desserts for any taste.

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From left, Fabric & Fringe owner Marty Williamson and employees Alma Aleman and Marla Garrett arrange fabric and trim combinations for a customer.

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Best Home DecorFabric & Fringe Warehouse2440 Canton Road, Marietta(770) 794-8106www.fabricsandfringe.com

A manufacturer recently phoned Marty Williamson. Old school? You bet. But, Williamson, owner of Fabric & Fringe Warehouse, wouldn’t want it any other way. At a time when most competitors have gone to easier cut yardage programs, Williamson still proudly stocks full rolls of hand-picked fabrics in his comfortable showroom. It keeps retail costs down roughly 25 percent below the competition and helps ensure customers almost always leave with exactly what they want. Plus, Williamson and his friendly, knowledgeable team still manage to keep a constant flow of fresh merchandise that appeals to all decorating styles, which is probably why Fabric & Fringe scooped up the Best Home Decor award for the second consecutive year. Fabric & Fringe buys from every major mill in the country and also has the largest selection of window hardware around and other select items one might need for decor and sewing projects like pillows (they stock Made in the USA forms, too), drapes and more. Stop by and see for yourself why everyone from college kids and do-it-yourselfers to design pros and even movie studios keep coming back for more.

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Cobb Life | January 201650Voted Best Jeweler in Cobb County!

4200 Wade Green Road, Suite 212 • Kennesaw, GA 30144 • 770.422.0845

diamondsrforever.net

Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot to enjoy scrumptious, hand-crafted sushi or dinner and a show at one of the hot, hot, hot hibachi tables, Asahi Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar is sure to serve up just what your stomach is growling for. For 13 years, Asahi has wowed patrons with its fresh, tasty fare and impeccable service right in the heart of East Cobb. Start with a bowl of edamame and an order of Japanese style dumplings served deep fried, pan fried or steamed before selecting

your favorite hibachi entrée prepared and served piping hot right before your very eyes. Although you can select salmon, chicken, shrimp, scallops, lobster, New York strip steak or just plain veggies, we love the filet mignon for its tender bite and savory goodness. And, it’s a great value — all hibachi entrées come with soup, salad, vegetables, steamed rice, dessert and two pieces of grilled shrimp — but they still do early bird specials seven days a week from 4:30 to 6 p.m. (except holidays), which is astounding! Kanpai!

Best Asian Food Asahi Japanese Steak House& Sushi Bar2690 Shallowford Road, Marietta(678) 560-0015http://asahirestaurant.us

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Best PizzaG’Angelo’s Pizza & Pasta3205 Canton Road, Marietta(770) 424-1800www.gangelospizza.com

Mushrooms. Black olives. Green peppers. Onions. Pineapple. Typically when ordering a pizza, I stay close to those ingredients. At G’Angelo’s Pizza & Pasta, you can order that and more. Like the G’Angelo’s House Special — pepperoni, beef, sausage, ham, onions, green peppers and mushrooms — or the BBQ pizza with barbecue pork and barbecue sauce.

These are several of the reasons why voters chose G’Angelo’s for Best Pizza in Cobb County. Other offerings include calzones, subs, fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti with marinara, baked wings, salads and more.

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“one of the best

rock bands, period.” Billboard magazine

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Best Local Artist/BandThird Day

From their basement recordings in the early 1990s in Marietta to a now two-de-cades solid worldwide fan base known as “Gomers” and more than 8 million albums sold, Third Day is still going strong with a 12th studio album, “Back to Me,” released in March and a number 1 song, “Soul On Fire” in 2015 according to the National Audience Chart. With 30 No. 1 singles, more than 8.5 million albums

sold, 24 GMA Dove Awards, four GRAMMYs, an American Music Award and a place in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Third Day has made its home-town proud. But the band’s wild success is not the only reason Third Day and its Cobb-native members find a special place in our hearts. While they may be, Billboard magazine says, “one of the best rock bands, period,” they’ve never forgotten where they came from, the supreme importance of family, their commu-nity and their faith. Between seasons of touring, recording and work-ing on solo projects, the members of Third Day, Mac Powell, Mark Lee and David Carr, are easy to spot at the same restaurants, stores and schools we all fre-quent. And the only entourage they bring around here are their wives and kids.

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Best Local Celebrity Zach Seabaughhttp://www.zachseabaugh.com

From the church pews of Marietta First United Methodist to the high school auditorium and finally the hit NBC show The VOICE, 17-year-old artist Zach Seabaugh seems to have caught a shooting star and at-tracted millions of fans in the process. With his urbane vocals, boyish charm and down-to-Earth demeanor, it’s easy to see why fans instantly love him and his classic country sound. But at first, it all seemed surreal to Seabaugh, who grew up watching the show with his family, performing in school plays and at a local coffee shop. “I had just turned 16, and The VOICE had an open call in Atlanta,” he said. “I just felt it was time to give it a try. The talent pool was so incredible. It was validation for me that I had a gift and my hard work preparing through the years was all worth it.” Worth it indeed. Since giving up high school sports to focus on music and theater, he’s won three literary state championships and now made it to the top nine on the world’s hottest singing competition. We can’t wait to see what he does next!

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CL JAN 2016(55) 55 12/21/2015 5:02:33 PM


Best Jeweler Diamonds R Forever4200 Wade Green Road, Ste. 212, Kennesaw(770) 422-0845http://www.diamondsrforever.net

If you’ve only ever shopped for bling at the big box chains, you may find it unusual that a hometown jewelry store could retain a loyal following for nearly 30 years, but that’s just what’s happened at Diamonds R Forever. Since 1987, this north Cobb retailer has been delighting devoted customers not only with their jewelry selection but with their thoughtful service and inviting vibe. Owner Karin Benado, who purchased the store in late 2011, has built on the long-standing reputation of the store, ensuring Diamonds R Forever was a shoe-in for Best Of accolades this year. The sales associates at Diamonds R Forever, including exuberant long-time rep Vicki Holliday, are not on a commission structure and have no sales goals, which fosters a team approach that focuses on building customer relationships based on trust, respect and honesty.

Look through the selection of sparkling diamonds (perfect for bridal and wedding), radiant precious and semi-precious gems and fashion forward pieces (some with a rock star edge), and you’ll notice that no two pieces are exactly the same but each is high quality and carefully selected by the team. Diamonds R Forever will always try to work with your budget and can usually accom-modate last minute requests.

Karin Benado, owner of Diamonds R Forever, displays a new and popular store item Wolf Designs stackable jewelry tray. With a wide variety of jewelry and designs, Diamonds R Forever in Kennesaw won the vote for “Best Jeweler” in Cobb County.

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e d i t o r i r a l c a l e n d a r

We’ve gotan exciting year coming up!

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CL JAN 2016(58) 58 12/22/2015 3:12:22 PM


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Teresa Keller used to joke that she was pantry-challenged. She often relied on a flashlight to search the deep, dark cupboard that held her canned goods and other food items.

When she and her husband, Dave, decided to build a home in Sunbury, Ohio, a proper pantry was a priority.

“I brought it up to the builder,” said Teresa Keller, who moved into the new house in October. “I told them I’ve got to have this.”

The Kellers’ new “super pantry” is a walk-in, with plenty of quality shelving to store drinks, trash bags and other household goods bought in bulk. One shelf is dedicated to snacks for the grandchildren. A small door connects it to the garage, so groceries can be unloaded easily.

“At a certain price point, it’s what people are expecting — more storage,” said Ed Snodgrass, vice president of P&D Builders in Delaware, Ohio, which built the Kellers’ house.

Many new homeowners are asking for larger pantries, said Kermit Baker, chief economist for the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C. In a recent survey by the group, 43 percent of residential architects reported that customers placed

[ h o m e ]

Super pantries

By Melissa Kossler Dutton

This photo provided by courtesy of California Closets shows the Chef Pantry.

CL JAN 2016(59) 59 12/21/2015 12:54:39 PM


an increased emphasis on pantry space.

Besides storing food, some of the newer, bigger pantries offer storage for china and serving piec-es that are used just a few times a year. Some include spaces for toasting bread, brewing coffee and chilling wine. Others have spots for laptops, or sinks for prepping food and washing pets.

Open floor plans, building costs and big-box stores, where people buy cases of water and months’ worth of paper towels, are driving the trend, industry experts said.

“The ‘super’ pantry is a back-lash to the open floor plan,” said Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo, an inte-rior designer who works in New York City and Litchfield County, Conn. “People have been living in the open concept house long enough now to know that if the kitchen is messy, the whole place feels messy.”

Pantries allow them to stow kitchen items out of sight.

Homeowners no longer feel the need to leave their high-end mixers and coffee makers on the count-er, added Bob Vila, the longtime home-improvement TV show host who now dispenses advice at www.bobvila.com .

“There was a generation for whom all of these things were

brand new luxuries and they want-ed to show them off,” he said.

Now the emphasis is on declut-tering.

Builder Michael Menghini gets more and more requests for elec-trical outlets in pantries. “People want to leave their appliances out, they just don’t want to leave them on their counters,” said Menghini, president of Covenant Custom Homes in Overland Park, Kan.

Storing appliances, large pots and serving pieces in a walk-in pantry also saves money, Vila said. It’s cheaper to install open shelv-ing in a pantry than to build more kitchen cabinets, which require counter tops and hardware.

“I have been a booster of the concept of pantries for as long as I can remember,” he said. “It mini-mizes the amount of money spent on kitchen cabinets.”

In older homes, finding space for pantries can be difficult. Many layouts will not accommodate them.

One idea is to create space by installing kitchen cabinets that stretch all the way to the ceiling, Vila said. Even if they are hard to reach, they can hold things you don’t use regularly. Another op-tion: Add cupboards in the garage for appliances and non-food items.

Left, courtesy of transFORM, is a pantry big enough to walk in and store value-size packages from big-box stores. Above, courtesy of California Closets, is aretro pantry featuring shelving, cabinetry and counter space for food prep.

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paddleboardingin

WISCONSIN?

>>Words By Nicole Price>>Photography by Jon Jarosh //Door County Visitor Bureau

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Nicole Price stand-uppaddle boarding in Wisconsin.

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With water lapping at my feet and stretching as far as the eye could see, I dug my toes into the sand and took a moment to just be…far away from my ever-growing to-do list, my terrible alter ego — last name Rage, first name Road — and my sweet husband’s insistence on hanging toilet paper under instead of over (the horror!).

The unexpected tranquility of a middle America beachfront — Door County, Wis., to be exact — was exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

Agreeing to write a travel feature about this offbeat locale situated along 300 miles of Lake Michigan coastline was a no-brainer. Though metro Atlanta’s proximity to some of the country’s prime travel destinations is unrivaled, I’m always up for something a little different and between adventure rafting, stand-up paddle boarding, zip lining and a few squeaky cheese curds, that’s exactly what I got.

Cave Point County Park.

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January 2016 | Cobb Life 65www.RedCockerillGallery.com

The Red Cockerill Gallery2845 Cemetery St. • Austell, GA 30106 • 770-944-3160

Portraits

Landscapes

Art Classes forAdults and Children

Custom Framing

PotteryPaint “Snowy Toes”

January 9th

Paint “When the whole world was upside down, you were there”

February 13th

What better way to begin my trip than on a high-speed raft (www.doorcountyadventurerafting.com) zipping along Wisconsin’s coastline to the tune of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train?” Cruising the shores of Peninsula State Park and weaving through the Strawberry Islands, our knowledgeable guide showed us everything from active lighthouses and the remnants of sunken ships – the irony was not missed – to the striking Eagle Cave, a haunting, millions-of-years old limestone structure that looks like it belongs in a “Game of Thrones” episode (seriously, this place should be on the producers’ list of places to film). With the water as a backdrop, history and wildlife collide to create an enjoyable experience for both nature lovers and city dwell-ers.

The next day, I visited Whitefish Dunes State Park (http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/whitefish/), home to a picturesque beach and Old Baldy, the highest sand dune in Wisconsin at 93 feet above lake level. The park has 14.5 miles of walking trails, self-guided or led by a naturalist detailing the park’s unique flora and fauna.

After hiking, I made my way to Door County Adventure Center (www.dcadventurecenter.com) on Rowley’s Bay for more thrills, this time with a lot less between me and the water. As the saying goes, “When in Wisconsin, do as the Wisconsinites do and go stand-up paddle boarding,” or something like that. So after a zip lining warm up, I did just that. I resembled a foal’s first-time vertical aspirations, though not nearly as cute, but once I found balance, it was on. Stand-up paddle boarding is multitasking at its best. You exercise while you explore, then, if you’re like me, convince yourself you deserve dessert for all your hard work.

WHAT TO DO

Whitefish Dunes State Park.

Eagle Cave at Peninsula State Park.

CL JAN 2016(65) 65 12/21/2015 1:04:36 PM

WHERE TO EATI happen to think Olive Garden’s salad and bread-

sticks are to die for, but there is something to be said for the authenticity, not to mention familiarity, that runneth over at local joints, and Door County is full of them.

One morning, I walked a short distance from my beautifully appointed cottage (more on that later) to Good Eggs (www.goodeggsdoorcounty.com), whose simple menu — a mash up of breakfast basics stuffed into a tortilla for a filling “omelet wrap” — makes or-dering easy. Repurposed surf boards serve as tables and cement this “breakfast cabana’s” laidback vibe while providing the perfect perch to enjoy the view of Eagle Harbor. It was necessary fuel for the day’s hike to Old Baldy.

Later, I downed a couple (okay, four) slices at Wild Tomato Wood-Fired Pizza and Grille (www.wildto-matopizza.com) in Fish Creek for replenishment. I’m pretty humdrum when it comes to pizza; slap a slice of pepperoni on my plate and I’m happy. But oh, how a little aioli, smoked pork or garlic cream cheese can elevate this non-American staple.

I ordered a slice of the D-Lux supreme pizza as

backup, but also tried The Fun Guy (get it?), topped with five types of sautéed mushrooms, spinach, cara-melized onions and the aforementioned garlic cream cheese; the Smoked Pork BBQ, laden with delicious chunks of smoked pork, green peppers, pineapple and cilantro on a barbecue sauce base; and the Donation Creation, which changes monthly but during my visit featured aioli, something I’d never dreamed of driz-zling on pizza. My taste buds thanked me for walking on the wild side.

My trip down foodie lane wouldn’t have been com-plete without a little sweet treat or three. Normally, I wouldn’t pair the words good and granola, not even for the sake of alliteration, for which I have an unending (annoying, if you ask my editor) love.

But when you add Door County Montmorency cherries in a stroke of genius, as does Scaturo’s Baking Company and Café (www.scaturos.com), you indeed get a cherry granola cookie that is beyond good. I nibbled on these late at night, early in the morning, between meals, on the plane…you get the picture. They would’ve been a great “I brought you something back!” gift for my friends and family if I hadn’t eaten them all.

Above left, omelet wraps being made at Good Eggs. Top right, Wild Tomato Wood-fired Pizza. Above, Scaturo’s famous Door Coun-ty cherry granola cookies.

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Door County has a variety of lodging options, from motels and full-service resorts with waterfront suites to the classic bed and breakfast. I chose historic Eagle Harbor Inn (www.eagleharborinn.com), a collection of cottages with whirlpool suites anchored by a charming bed and breakfast at the property’s center. Operating almost a century, the site has undergone many transformations, resulting in the current cottage/bed and breakfast hybrid that delivers the best of both worlds. The gratifying solitude of my one-bedroom whirlpool suite with kitchen and fireplace was heaven-sent after long days of recreational activity.

WHERE TO STAY

WHEN TO GOI think you’ll get the most recreational bang for your buck during

the summer when Lake Michigan isn’t frozen, unless you’re into winter sports, which is another story for another day this Georgia girl (probably) won’t be writing. Find out more at www.doorcounty.com.

Above, the inside of a cottage at the Eagle Harbor Inn. Left, Cave Point County Park.

on the

WINE

ROAD

Looking back on a year in WINE

By Michael Venezia /// Photography by Katherine Frye

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“There is nothing like wine for conjuring up feelings of contentment and goodwill. It is less of a drink than an

experience, an evocation, a spirit. It produces sensations that defy description” - Thomas Conklin

Wine has been a part of my life for a long time, and as I sit down to begin the process of writing my final Cobb Life Mag-azine post for 2015, my thoughts focus on the wines which made me stop and think about the true nature of wine. Bottles that were once full are now empty but somehow a strong memory remains so vivid that the perception of smell and taste exists locked in sensory recall. I have chosen to share with you three special wine moments which were enjoyed and shared with friends and loved ones. Two of the wines stood four square after 30 or 40 years while the other was a wine of the moment. While not all wines will age gracefully, and I hasten to say most wines are meant to be consumed sooner rather than later, all these made serious impressions. Sharing these wine experiences is somewhat cathartic as it allows one to attempt to describe in words the time spent with the wines in question, and describe for you some characteris-tics which form the wines personality. Tasted in September with a group of fellow wine tradesmen, the Clos du Bois, Marlstone, 1985 was a magnificent example of a perfectly matured Alexander Valley Red Meritage blend. The term Meritage is used to identify wines that are produced from a combination of the classic Bordeaux varietals. It rep-resents the finest wine made by the winery.

Sourced from hillside and vineyards, the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec was soft as velvet on the palate with ripe plum fruit flavors and subtle herbal notes. This limited production, made by John Hawley, a pioneer in the region during the 70s and 80s, was elegant and refines. Served at a dinner at Stem Wine far in East Cobb County on March 25, the Iron Horse Vineyards Rued Clone Chardon-nay, 2012 accurately expressed the cool, foggy climate of the Russian River famed sub appellation called the Green Valley. The vineyards geological composition includes the rare Gold Ridge soils and the “Rued” clone of Chardonnay is particu-larly suited to their growing environment. The wine was very crisp with firm acidity while layered with mouthwatering citrus and fruit flavors such as peach and nectarine. It was perfectly paired with braised rabbit leg, Parisian gn-occhi, spring mushrooms and a parmesan brodo. I was thrilled to enjoy the meal with Joy Sterling, CEO of Iron Horse Vineyards and her surprise guest, Ted Turner. During the dinner our conversation ranged across many diverse topics. From bison herds on Turner’s ranch in Montana, sailing the yacht Courageous to victory in the 1977 America’s Cup, or the founding of CNN, the time together will always be linked to the wines produced on the beautiful Iron Horse Estate. As a principle of Ted’s Montana Grill, we spoke about the importance of wine in today’s dynamic restaurant industry and it became very clear to me that Chef Doug Turbish’s cuisine, the flavors of the Iron Horse Chardonnay, and my dinner companions all contributed to this memorable wine experience.

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Years ago, when bottles were allowed to be carried onto an aircraft, I traveled back from France with a vintage Sauternes given to me by a kindly Bordeaux vigneron who I knew for a short period of time in the fall of 1980. Sauternes is a lusciously sweet wine produced in a unique climate south of the city of Bordeaux. It is often a blend of the white grapes called semillon, sauvi-gnon blanc and muscadelle. These grapes are allowed to enjoy extended hang time and are attacked by a friendly airborne fungus called Botyrtis Cinerea. Called the “noble rot” by the French, these very sweet grapes lose a considerable amount of liquid, have a higher concentration of sugar and acid, and have extraordinary aging potential. These wines can develop over decades and the Chateau Latrezotte 1976 did not disappoint. It was shared with friends Jim and Jacquelyn Foley at their East Cobb home early in the spring. In addition to being gracious hosts, the Foleys are talented Cook’s Warehouse trained chefs. Enjoyed with a selection of desserts, the wines’ exotic aromas of crème brulee, enhanced vanilla and orange peel with glazed marzipan were magical. The wines 24 karat gold color was similar to the sun depicted in several Van Gogh paintings. It was simply the essence of the grapes expressed in this golden liquid. Often the case with older wines, the cork was fragile and I was compelled to let it slowly slip into the bottle. Thankfully it didn’t affect the wines taste. The cork is now captured in the empty glass bottle, suspended in time forever. After closely examining the label, the faded script barely visible in the lower left corner, the winemaker was identified as Alain Querre. Much to my surprise, Monsieur Querre was the man who gifted me the wine 35 years ago. He was with us in spirit at Foleys enjoying dessert. While sipping the wine, I could see him, hear his voice and taste his creation so many years down the wine road. Keep in mind that every wine enjoyed can be a way to connect with people, places and things, which transcend the borders of space and time. I am anxious to begin the 2016 quest and I wish you all a pleasant wine journey.

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ighlights

A closer look at events happening in Cobb during January

NEW YEAR. NEW ARTISTS. NEW WORK.>>Marietta’s dk Gallery kicks off 2016 by showcasing visual artists Joe Adams, Nancy Bass, Gena Brodie Robbins, James Garret, Erika Guillory Page, Jenny Schultz and Aaron Whitehouse. When and where: Jan. 8-30; dk Gallery, 25 West Park Square, Marietta. Tickets: free event. More info: 770.427.5377 or dkgallery.us

SHEN YUN>>Chinese dance and 5,000-year-old culture on dazzling display complete with orchestra, costumes and animated backdrops. Traditional tales and modern heroes populate this vividly theatrical stage production. The New York–based troupe Shen Yun travel six months out of every year and count actress Cate Blanchett among their fans. There is no literal translation of the group’s name due to subtleties of the language yet it roughly translates to “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” The tour takes them around the world but not to China, where Communist rule restricts artistic freedom. When and where: Jan. 15–17; Fri., Sat. 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 2 p.m.; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $65-$205 plus fees at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or online. Also available at venue box office Mon.-Sat. More info: 770. 916.2800 orwww.cobbenergycentre.com

LIVE VIDEO GAME MUSIC –KSU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA>>KSU School of music presents its annual Proctor Scholarship Concert, featuring the music from popular, current, and classic video game soundtracks performed by the KSU Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. This special program explores the musical landscape of video games from well-loved classics to the new and amazingly complex and visually stunning titles including Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Call of Duty, Halo, Tetris, Bioshock, Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft and more. When and where: Jan. 15; 8 p.m.; Bailey Performing Center, Kennesaw State University. Tickets: $23-$45 at ticketalternative.com. More info: 470.578.6252 or www.kennesaw.edu

THE GEORGIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION>>As part of its educational and youth outreach, the GSO presents an exploration of the orchestra featuring Mussorgsky’s classic. This educational concert will introduce young listeners to the symphony and children, teachers and parents will learn all about the orchestra and experience artwork coming to life. Grades 3-5 are encouraged to attend. When and where: Jan. 22, 23; 9:30 and 11 a.m.; Marietta Performing Center, 1171 Whitlock Ave. More info: mpac.marietta-city.org

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AN EVENING OF GERMAN ART SONG>>Performed by KSU facility. The entire concert will be streamed live online at musicKSU.com. When and where: Jan. 26; 8 p.m.; Bailey Performing Center, Kennesaw State University. Tickets: free event. More info: 470.578.6252 or www.kennesaw.edu

JOHNNY MATHIS>>Chances are audiences will want to celebrate Johnny Mathis’ 60 years in show business. Mathis is known as one of America’s best modern vocalists, someone even Barbra Streisand insists is in a category all his own. Mathis has recorded more than 80 albums, six Christmas albums and has sold millions of records worldwide. During his storied career he has had three songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, achieved 50 hits on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart and ranks as the all-time No. 6 album artist in the history of Billboard’s pop album charts. When and where: Jan. 29; 8 p.m.; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $56.50-$126.50 plus fees at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or online. Also available at venue box office Mon.-Sat. More info: 770.916.2800 or www.cobbenergycentre.com

ATLANTA BALLET MOULIN ROUGE>>The Moulin Rouge: one of the most famous cabarets in the world, the Bohemian center of Paris and the spiritual birthplace of the Can-Can dance. The Atlanta Ballet brings all that sizzle to the stage in this story of young love and stardom. When and where: Feb. 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 at 8 p.m.; Feb. 6 and 7 at 2 p.m.; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $25-$127 plus fees at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or online. Also available online at atlantaballet.com. More info: 770. 916.2800 or www.cobbenergycentre.com

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Robert McAlpin Goodman “summoned up the courage” to start a community newspaper in December of 1866 “when Marietta was a heap of ashes and a charred mass of ruins; when houses were desolate, kindred scattered, the people impoverished, and fields a waste, lined with the mounds and entrenchments of a bitter and fruitless struggle; when our political sky was without one ray of hope, but black with impending evil, and when the conqueror’s tread still resounded through our streets.”

Thus, the Marietta Journal was born.

CL JAN 2016(73) 73 12/22/2015 12:39:11 PM

KSU 10th ANNUAL COLLAGE CONCERT>>Annual fundraising event for the KSU School of Music, featuring over 200 student and faculty performers. The special production features a rapid-fire program of diverse works presented as a flowing vignette with soloists, chamber groups and ensembles. When and where: Feb. 6; two performances; 5 and 8 p.m.; Bailey Performing Center, Kennesaw State University. Tickets: $23-$43. More info: 470.578.6252 or www.kennesaw.edu

THE FULL MONTY>>Presented by The Atlanta Lyric Theatre and based on the hit film of the same name. The story is that while spying on their wives on a girl’s night out, a group of unemployed steelworkers from Buffalo see how much their ladies enjoy watching male dancers take it all off. Jealous and out of work, the men come up with a bold way to make some quick cash and get attention. The musical fun concludes with a highly anticipated final scene by the lovable husbands. When and where: Feb. 12-28; Thurs., Fri., Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m.; Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, Marietta. Tickets: $38- $58. More info: 404.377.9948 or atlantalyrictheatre.com

ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – AN EVENING OF RUSSIAN MASTERS>>ASO performs with Cristian Macelaru leading as conductor and Karen Gomyo playing violin in an evening of works from Russian composers. The concert begins with Stravinsky’s “Petrushka”, the tale of a puppet who, after being murdered by his rival, returns to haunt his master. Violinist Gomyo performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto; one of the most beautiful and beloved works in the repertoire. The program concludes with Sergei Lyapounov’s kaleidoscopic transcription for full orchestra of “Balakirev’s Islamey.” When and where: Feb. 19: 8 p.m.; Bailey Performing Center, Kennesaw State University. Tickets: $23-$43. More info: 470.578.6252 or www.kennesaw.edu

VINCE GILL & LYLE LOVETT>>The perennially popular Vince Gill and Lyle Lovett are reuniting for a 13-city tour after a first outing that sold out in every city. Reviewers and audiences rave about the combo in concert together. Each show will be a series of intimate solo and duo performances by the Grammy winners, during which the artists will serve as their own accompanists. When and where: Feb. 20; 7:30 p.m.; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $42-$146 plus fees at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or online. Also available at venue box office Mon.-Sat. More info: 770. 916.2800 or www.cobbenergycentre.com

ARTSBRIDGE – DOKTOR KABOOM!>>Original and educational interactive science-based comedy show for audiences of all ages. This newest show explores electricity. What is it? Where does it come from? With Tesla Coils, Van de Graaf Generators, and a ping pong shooting robot. When and where: Feb. 25; 10:15 a.m. and noon; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $9. More info: 770. 916.2800 or www.cobbenergycentre.com

KSU UNIVERSITY CHORALE & WOMEN’S CHOIR>>The KSU Women’s Choir returned to campus in 2008 under the direction of Dr. Alison Mann. The chorus is made of women from across the university featuring many music majors and non-major and performs a wide variety of literature from all time periods and styles. Concert will be streamed live online at musicKSU.com. When and where: Feb. 25; 8 p.m.; Bailey Performing Center, Kennesaw State University. Tickets: free event. More info: 470.578.6252 or www.kennesaw.edu


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MARIETTA PILGRIMAGE GALA. The Marietta Pilgrimage held its home tour gala, a black-tie event, at First Landmark Bank in December. The evening featured dining, music and dancing. 1. Chris and Cathy Brown, Nicholas and Pamela Cole with Phillip Goldstein. 2. Dr. Tom and Gina Davis. 3. Juanita Carmichael and Councilman Anthony Coleman. 4. Johnny Sinclair and Alice Summerour. 5. Ronnie and Renée White, with Joy and Stan Kryder. Stan is president and CEO of First Landmark Bank. 6. Melinda Heidt, Marlene DuBose, Laurie Crowe Middelton and Laing Heit. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY STACEY L. EVANS //

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HOLIDAY IN THE PARK. Six Flags Over Georgia, in Austell, had its Holidays In the Park.1. Six Flags Holiday in the Park. 2. From left, Mallorie and Maggie Walker, both 9, daughters of Stan Walker. 3. A close-up of a Christmas tree at Six Flags. 4. Winnie Bitok and her daughter Alyssa Bitok, 6. 5. Pam McCraney, Joyce Smith and Terry Smith. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHERINE FRYE //


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YEERO VILLAGE GRAND OPENING. Yeero Village recently opened in Marietta. Owned by Gus Tselios, of Marietta Diner, it is a fast casual authentic Greek restaurant. 1. Yeero Village family and staff celebrate the restaurant’s opening in Marietta. 2. From left, Catherine Papageorgiou and Maria Tselios. 3. Priest Panayiotis Papageorgiou performs a blessing for the opening. 4. A plate of gyros including pork, lamb, beef meat and chicken. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHERINE FRYE //

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Baking is one of those things where you either got it or you don’t, and I don’t. But I knew someone who had it, my next-door neighbor, Barbara. She had a knack for making the world’s best chocolate chip cookies. I remember going next door to her house when I was a kid.

She would al-ways have a batch of those morsels of yumminess sealed in a large white Tupperware tub. The same tub I would scope out after the kids had gone to sleep whenever I would babysit.

I’m pretty sure she used the recipe

on the back of the package of chocolate chips, but no matter how many times my mom tried baking those cookies, they never measured up to Barbara’s. Her cookies reigned supreme.

That’s not to say that my mom wasn’t a good baker, she made a mean sour cream coffee cake and could definitely hold her own. But let’s be honest, with a name like Sara Lee, she was destined for kitchen greatness. But me, I didn’t get the baking gene. Like other things in our family, baking skipped a generation. My mother’s mother couldn’t bake and neither can I. Grandma made a great potato salad and no one could touch her chicken soup but that was her entire repertoire.

The Great

Brownie DebacleBy Tammy DeMel

REFLECTIONS

For me, baking has always been a bit of a challenge. I like the idea of being able to bake, to make pretty, delicious desserts that everyone oohs and ahs over. My problem, if I’m being honest, is that my personality gets in the way. I tend to be a “git er done” kind of girl and I think to be a good baker you need take your time and to have patience to make sure that you are following each step carefully. For example, if the recipe calls for room temperature butter, don’t use the butter right out of the freezer and melt it in the microwave because trust me, it’s not the same.

Also, you need to make sure that you pay close attention to the instructions. Don’t ask me why but when I saw the pic-ture of two round pans on the back of the box of red velvet cake mix, I thought I needed to buy two boxes. Once I started mixing, I realized there was a lot of batter. But I kept power-ing through and filled each cake pan to the tippity top. When the cakes started to rise in my very white oven, in my very white kitchen, it was like something out of a crime scene.

But it was the great brownie debacle that caused my family to beg me to stop baking. I was trying to find healthy recipes and found one for black bean brownies. According to all of the reviews, the brownies were not only high in fiber and low in fat, they were also very moist. And, according to the online reviewers, “no one will ever know that these brownies are made with black beans.”

I’m not sure how I missed the word “seasoned” on the can of black beans but I did. If I had been thinking, I would have stopped immediately and gone to the grocery store for a new can — or as my husband later suggested get rid of the beans altogether and just use butter. Instead, I decided that rinsing the beans would remove the garlic and onion flavoring. Of course, I didn’t realize that the seasoning had already been infused into each and every little black bean. Needless to say, the finished product wasn’t quite a Martha Stewart creation. Personally, I didn’t think they were all that bad and they were definitely moist but my husband and son didn’t agree espe-cially when I came clean about my “secret” ingredient.

Since then, I’ve pretty much left the baking to the pro-fessionals. But every once in a while, I’ll fire up the oven and toss in a batch of those bake and break chocolate chip cookies. They’re not Barbara’s but when I remember to set the timer and don’t overcook them, they’re not too bad.

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