simply buckhead january/february 2012

Our expert panel, led by Clark Howard, presents:

Threedom ReignsLocal Three brings speakeasy vibe to the neighborhood

Training DayLocal clubs get you to the finish line faster

Live WeLLFor Less

51 ways to do more

and spend less in Buckhead

Issue 08 • free

January/February 2012

Your Guide to LivinG WeLL in AtLAntA

“We found a bank that appreciates our new approach to the burger business.”

When my business partner, Barry Mills, and I began our quest to reinvent the burger, we knew we had a recipe for success when Richard Blais joined us as our creative director. The next step was to find a bank that believed in us. Georgia Commerce Bank CEO Mark Tipton and I knew each other from college, and we had served on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta together, so I gave him a call. The bank’s staff helped us open our first location, then our second and now our new location in Buckhead. They have been easy to work with and extremely helpful in launching our business. What’s next on the menu? A growth strategy that our bank will help us serve up. Dedication and innovation in banking — that’s an appetizing concept.

— Ron Stewart, co-founder of Flip

RichaRd Blais Flip Creative Director

Ron stewaRt

Flip Co-Founder

Marvin CosgrayManaging Director, Private Banking

LeeHester RhodesSenior Vice President, Branch Manager

2970 Peachtree Rd., NW, Suite 100 • Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit our Newest Location in Buckhead!

Buckhead • Cumberland • Marietta

gacommercebank.com

(404) 240-5000

Commercial Loans • Construction Loans • Lines of Credit • Remote

Deposit Capture • Courier Services for Deposit Pickup • Commercial

Checking and Money Market • Cash Management • Full Line of

Personal Products and Services • Internet Banking • Safe Deposit Boxes

3 January/February 2012 | Simply Buckhead

Who Needs a Faster,Smarter Brain?

...Who Doesn’t?“I was initially very anxious about making another investment, after trying so many other tutors, etc. because nothing else had worked. However, from the beginning, we were able to see the positive results of the program. Clayton no longer needs me to read his Social Studies or Language Arts reading homework assignments to him. This used to be an almost nightly occurrence before he began the LearningRx program. He has been able to complete school testing within the same timeframe as his classmates. The continuous improvements really helped us feel confident that this program was ad-dressing and meeting all of his needs. We are now looking forward to our other son beginning the program!” -Lisa Victory; Atlanta, GAdressing and meeting all of his needs. We are now looking forward to our other son beginning the program!” -Lisa Victory; Atlanta, GA

“Tabitha took the SAT for the first time about a month ago. We just got her scores back. On the Reading and Math portions, she earned a 650 on each section, for a total of 1300 on the "old SAT" portion. On the writing portion she earned a 620. (Tabitha got that question about reality TV that has made the news - a bad question for a kid who doesn't watch TV). Anyway, she earned a grand total of 1920 for the first time! We were thrilled! She only made an 1100 on the PSAT, so this improvement is huge!There was a large amount of reading comprehension on the SAT, and Tabitha says she wouldn't have even been able to complete those sections before brain training at LearningRx Atlanta-Buckhead!” -Glynn Banks; Atlanta, GAwouldn't have even been able to complete those sections before brain training at LearningRx Atlanta-Buckhead!” -Glynn Banks; Atlanta, GA

LearningRx Atlanta-Buckhead5252 Roswell Road, Suite 100 | Atlanta, Georgia 30342

404-25-BRAIN(27246) | www.learningrx.com/atlanta-buckhead

Great faculty can fuel overall success. MBA students need access to professors

who stand out in the classroom and business world alike. At Emory University’s

Goizueta Business School, our students gain insight from faculty such as

Jagdish Sheth. Author of some 200 books and papers on subjects ranging from

customer behavior to Chinese-Indian business relations, Sheth has a stellar interna-

tional reputation of 40 years standing. His knowledge makes him a true business

force—one able to shape the marketplace and the people who will soon enter it.

“I take great joy in watching an insight I give cause a lightbulbto go off in a student.”

—Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing,

Goizueta Business School

QR code generated on http://qrcode.littleidiot.be

Scan to learn more about Goizueta’s Evening MBA

Goizueta Business School Evening MBAwww.goizueta.emory.edu/eveningmba

January/February 2012 | Simply Buckhead 5

34

/// COVER STORY

/// FEATURES

42Live weLL for LeSS 51 tips for getting top-shelf things without paying top dollar

15 CoLd MountainIn the wintertime, Highlands, N.C., is a hot escape

20 LaBor of LoveA young family creates their dream home in Buckhead

/// DEPARTMENTS

9 LETTERS

11 SIMPLY NOW

19 SIMPLY STYLISH

“No matter where I live now, I’ll still feel like a Buckhead girl.”

-Anné Carole Butler,

prolific costume designer

for The New American

Shakespeare Tavern

11Alive’s Valerie Hoff DeCarlo shares how to save on sporting equipment in our cover feature. Sara Hanna Photography - www.SaraHanna.com

30 threedoM reignSLocal Three finds its groove in the graveyard of elegant cuisine

BuCkhead BoheMianMeet Anné Carole Butler, designer to fashion plates and Shakespeare fools

29 SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

33 SIMPLY DELICIOUS

51 SIMPLY HAPPENING

S I M P L Y B UC K H E A D ® | j A n U A r Y / f E B r U A r Y 2 0 1 2

Contents


P.O. Box 11633, Atlanta, GA 30355www.simplybuckhead.com

For advertising rates call: 404-538-9895

We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission.

Copyright © 2012 by Simply Buckhead®. All rights reserved. Printed by Walton Press, Inc. Distributed by Distributech, Network Communications, Inc., and Distribution Services Group.

Simply Buckhead® is a member of the Buckhead Business Association.

Publisher

Joanne Hayes

Editor-In-Chief

Allison Weiss Entrekin

Creative Director

Alan Platten

Account Executive

Selena C. Bridges

Marketing Intern

Nicole Cha

Contributing Editor

Giannina Smith Bedford

Contributing Writers

Katie Kelly Bell

Jessie Bove

Wendell Brock

H.M. Cauley

Felicia Feaster

Jennifer Bradley Franklin

Rachelle Hicks

Elsa Simcik

Margaret Watters

Contributing Photographers

Renee Brock

Sara Hanna

Sandy Platten

Graphic Designer

Leslie Haugen

Copy Editor

Ellen Glass

Legal Counsel

Scott I. Zucker

january/feBruary 2012 | ISSUE 08

your guide to Living weLL in atLanta

/// BEHIND THE COVER

During Simply Buckhead’s cover shoot with Clark Howard at the Dun-woody Costco, the Buckhead-based consumer advisor attracted quite a bit of attention. In between shots, fans asked him for hugs, autographs and shopping advice. “The battery multipacks here are the best deal in town,” he told one woman who had already put a simple pack of AAs in her cart (she promptly switched them for the ones Howard suggest-ed). “This GPS system is an amazing deal,” he told someone else, then snatched up five for his family as if to illustrate his point. Enthusiastic, down-to-earth and always on the hunt for a good bargain, Howard was a hit with the Costco crowd—and our magazine’s staffers.

-Allison Weiss Entrekin

Cover photo shot on location at the Dunwoody Costco by Sara Hanna Photography – www.SaraHanna.com

Clark Howard chats with fans outside the Dunwoody Costco.

We buy, sell and trade qualitysports and fitness equipment.

PROUD SPONSOR OF NYO SPORTS,BUCKHEAD BASEBALL &ATLANTA YOUTH LACROSSEPlay It Again Sports - Buckhead4279 Roswell Rd (Next to Publix)Atlanta 30342 404-257-0229www.PlayItAgainSportsBuckhead.com

Your neighborhood sporting goods store.

MICHAEL C. CARLOS MUSEUMOf EMORy UnIvERSIty

carlos.emory.edu

Delicious loDGe sPeciAliTY sANDWicHes FARM FResH sAlADs AND WRAPs • KiDs MeNu

HoMeMADe siDes • couNTeR culTuRe coFFees

3417 Roswell Road | Atlanta, GA 30305 | [email protected]

Monday- Friday: 8:00am - 7:00pm | saturday: closed | sunday: 8:00am - 2:00pm

eat in / Take out Free Wi-Fi

TheLodgeSimplyBuckheadAd.Final.indd 1 10/7/11 3:30 PM


/// Proud sponsor of:

/// CONTRIBUTOR

A former staff art and film critic for Creative Loafing and former senior editor at The Atlantan, Felicia Feaster’s writing has ap-peared in Elle, New York Press, Paper, Atlanta, Sculpture, Art in America, ARTnews, Playboy and Art Papers. She has curated exhibitions for the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center and TEW Galleries in Atlanta. She has received multiple Green Eyeshade Awards for criticism and feature reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists. This month, Feaster’s Simply Buckhead interview with Judith Winfrey charts this Renaissance woman’s remarkable skill set as an organic farmer and director of hospitality and fruition at Linton and Gina Hopkins’ renowned restaurant empire (which includes Holeman & Finch and Restaurant Eugene in Buckhead). And in her travel story, Feaster visits some old favorites and charts new discoveries in charm-infused Highlands, N.C., where she has spent summers since she was a little girl. The posh mountain community is often jokingly referred to as “Buckhead of the mountains” for the high concentration of Atlantans with second homes there.

Felicia Feaster Contributing Writer

Facebook facebook.com

“Like” or “Friend” us at Simply Buckhead Magazine

Twitter twitter.com

Follow us @SimplyBuckhead

Read Simply Buckhead online at

www.SimplyBuckhead.com with click-through capability

fIND US ONLINE


P R E S E N T E D B Y

ENTER SHARE OUR STRENGTH’S®

GREAT AMERICAN BAKING CONTEST ATLANTAWEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Professional, amateur, culinary student and young pastry chefs are invited to compete at Share Our Strength’s 5th Annual Great American Baking Contest.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three fi nishers in all four categories.

The judging will be an exciting night open to the public with a Wine and Dessert reception at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta.

All net proceeds benefi t Share Our Strength, a national organization working to make sure no child in America grows up hungry.

For more information and contest rules please visit strength.org/bakingcontest

THANK YOU TO OUR LOCAL SPONSORS

JENN HOBBYQ100 HOST & EMCEE

at Strength.org/BakingContest

®

GABC_2012_10.5x14_SB.indd 1 12/11/11 9:16 AM


Seeking a bargain is like going on a modern-day treasure hunt. Obstacles abound and the

competition tries to beat you there, but for those who find the proverbial treasure chest, the rewards make it all worthwhile.

Even in a high-end neighborhood like Buckhead, you can live the life you want for a whole lot less—and Simply Buckhead has assembled a panel of experts to give you a head start. HLN’s Clark How-ard, Star 94’s Jessica Dauler, Atlanta on the Cheap’s Jennifer Maciejewski and 11Alive’s Valerie Hoff DeCarlo have spent years research-ing Buckhead’s best bargains, and they’re sharing their top finds with our readers. From food to fashion to family entertainment (who knew your library card nets you and the kiddos a free day at the zoo?), there’s a nugget for everyone in our “Live Well for Less” cover feature.

As you live well while paying less, go ahead and live well while weighing less too. We’ve compiled a list of some top organizations in the area that can train you for a half marathon, marathon or triathlon. (Check out “In for the long haul” by Jennifer Bradley Franklin.) Of course, if you just want a group of runners to keep you on track—pardon the pun—Giannina Smith Bedford has a guide to the best free running groups in our neighborhood; see “Running in numbers.” And after you burn off all those calories, put a few back on with a visit to Local Three, the Northside Parkway restaurant that Wendell Brock highlights in his fabulous feature, “Threedom Reigns.”

I hope this issue of Simply Buckhead is a treasure map that lets you start 2012 in the most rewarding way possible. Eat well, exercise well, shop well and play well—and do it all for less.

/// EDITOR’S LETTER

LettersThe magazine is so much fun! We sat at our little round breakfast table two times so far with a legal pad, a Uniball gel tip and some fluorescent green Post-it notes marking pages and making notes on fabu-lous things to do in Atlanta. We tend to sit there and drink coffee and ask each other the same question: “What do you want to do tonight?” “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” “Well, is that chicken thawed out? We could cook that.” “Well, yeah, we should probably do that.” Then we eat some chicken on the couch and watch “Investigation Discovery” episodes until the Halcion kicks in. This is, unfortunately, not the quality of life we are hoping for.

But now, we flip through the magazine and find out there is a wonderful restau-rant opening right next door and they are having a free vodka tasting! Now THAT is what I call a Tuesday night. Life is way too short to cook chicken every night.

-Leigh Ann Wilder,The Weathington Firm

Just wanted to say I got the new print-ing of Simply Buckhead; the entire mag is great. Our article is so awesome and right on the money! Thank you. Love it.

-Jamie Bodner, Pinnacle Fitness

It was a pleasure meeting you at the Chastain Arts Festival last weekend. I/we—our family—certainly enjoyed read-ing the two Simply Buckhead editions you made available. Our 14-year-old daughter enjoyed going through your magazines and she confirmed, for what it’s worth, that your layout and pictures are unique and different from other magazines that cater to a similar audience.

-Kerstin Herrmann, KHO International Trade Consulting, LLC

The new issue is gorgeous! Thank you so much for providing us with this oppor-tunity. I can’t wait to hand out copies to friends and clients.

-Yedidah Glass, Frolic Canine Services

I have read your magazine and think it is very good and very professional, a really

/// LETTER BOX ///

Tell us what you think! Send your comments, compliments and criticisms to [email protected]. All letters will be considered for publication and may be edited for length and clarity.

good read. You should be really proud of yourself. I will read the next issue when it is out as I can access it online.

-Jo Wills (from the United Kingdom)

I looked at your Simply Buckhead website and reviewed your archived editions—very impressive! Your layouts are fantastic.

-Chase Moseley, Waypoint Consulting

I wanted to thank you for the article! The piece was well-worded and beautifully pictured. I can’t thank you enough.

-Lindsay Spencer, Celiac Eats

S I M P L Y B UC K H E A D ® | j A n U A r Y / f E B r U A r Y 2 0 1 2

Allison Weiss Entrekin [email protected]

I like the cake on the cover of your November/December issue. Very nice.

-@RockPolishPR

Thanks, Simply Buckhead, for having us be a part of your Sim-ply Sensational Holiday Gift Ideas! We might be biased, but our favorite idea was on page 31!

-@MelBoteri

Thanks for the cool article on Tula.

-@Pendletonart

Wow, congrats! Hooray for Simply Buckhead articles! Love the picture too!

-@KatMalone

The story and magazine look phenomenal! Congrats!

-@ecolcord

The issue looks glorious! WOW!-@DinnerPartyP

Thanks for the link! Beautiful link and current issue, we love your publication!

-@SheratonAtlanta

Follow us @SimplyBuckhead

FROM OuR

tWEEt hEartS!


Beautiful, Sustainable & Affordable Remodeling

[770] 670-6022 www.MosaicGroupAtlanta.com

Gre

en

• Ki

tche

ns •

Ba

ths

• In

terio

rs •

Ad

diti

ons

• B

ase

me

nts

• Po

rche

s •

De

cks

Rick Goldstein, Co-Owner, Licensed Architect, Green Certified Professional

• Award-winning indoor and outdoor remodeling for projects of all sizes

• Serving Buckhead, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven

• Showroom – Fully-outfitted Indoor Living and Outdoor Living Showroom

• Outstanding customer experience

• Fully licensed and insured

Atlanta’s full-service design and remodeling firm, for over 20 years


Simply Now

The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts offers contemporary exhibits within a vintage barn in Highlands, N.C.

E V E N T S | T R A V E L | L O C A L S A L U T E

“Often referred to as the ‘Buckhead of the

mountains,’ Highlands, N.C., defies clichés.”- Felicia Feaster, “Cold Mountain” Page 15

Travel


WINNER! 2010 TONY AWARD

®

BEST MUSICAL

ON SALE NOW!January 31 - February 5 • The Fox Theatre

800-982-2787 • BroadwayInAtlanta.comFox Theatre Box Office

Jan 31 - Feb 5 • The Fox TheatreBroadwayInAtlanta.com • 800.982.2787

GROUPS 10+ Call 404.881.2000


SIMPLY Now eveNtS

Running in numbers/// FREE EVENT ///

West stride morning runsGet your run over with early at West Stride’s weekly group run. The Wednes-day “A.M. Striders” meet at West Stride neighbor Caribou Coffee and head out at 6 a.m., following a course that ranges from 3 to 6 miles (although there is al-ways the option to add more mileage if desired). All abilities and paces are wel-come to pound the pavement together. The best part is heading with the group for a hot cup of joe from Caribou Coffee at the culmination of the trot. February 11, West Stride will also host a Stride Sup-port Group run that is free and open to all runners. It will include distances of up to 22 miles and kick off at 7:30 a.m.

PhidiPPides Wednesday fun runsAfter a long day of work, blow off some steam with Phidippides-Sandy Springs’

Wednesday evening fun runs. Kicking off at 6:15 p.m., the group gathers at the store, then travels through picturesque neighborhoods in Sandy Springs before ending back at Phidippides. Drawing a crowd of about 20 to 30 on pretty days, the 3- to 7-mile run welcomes all abili-ties. Phidippides organizers try to clas-sify clusters together by pace to make sure everyone has a running buddy. Fol-lowing the custom-fit run, the store often provides refreshments and many runners stick around to socialize. The Phidippides shop in Ansley Mall also hosts a fun run on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.

Big Peach Brookhaven runsLace up your sneakers and head to his-toric Brookhaven for one of Big Peach Running Co.’s evening runs. Choose from Tuesday at 6 p.m., Wednesday at

6:30 p.m. or Thursday at 6 p.m. or be a champ and do all three! The Tuesday and Thursday runs have been a long-standing tradition at the shop since it opened seven years ago. Calling themselves the “Brookhaven Peaches,” more than 30 runners usually gather for routes through the Capital City Country Club neighbor-hood that range from an easy 2 miles all the way up to 13. Wednesday night runs are led by Team in Training but are open to everyone and use the same routes as the Tuesday and Thursday runs, although the distance can vary depending on what race the group is preparing for. Open to all running levels, the runs come with course maps to ensure you get your ideal workout without getting lost and take advantage of the shade-covered side-walks for natural sun protection. — giannina smith Bedford

West strideWednesdays at 6 a.m.517 Northside Parkway N.W. #11 Atlanta 30327404.467.1010www.weststride.com

PhidiPPides-sandy sPringsWednesdays at 6.15 p.m.220 Sandy Springs Circle Sandy Springs 30328404.255.6149www.phidippides.com

Big Peach running co. tuesdays /thursdays at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at 6.30 p.m. 3881 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30319 404.816.8488www.bigpeachrunningco.com

How much do you really know about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? Take the op-portunity to learn something new, just in time for his birthday on January 15. The 2012 season at Defoor Arts Centre kicks off with a massive piece of artwork cel-ebrating his life and work. How big is big? Twenty-thousand square feet, to be exact. The mural by renowned local artist Louis Delsarte will be on display January 13 through February 29, with an opening reception January 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. Stop by the opening for a chat with the artist, snacks and a glass of wine. Delsarte’s colorful, lively murals adorn

/// FEATURED EVENT ///

Louis Delsarte’s mural will be on display January 13 through February 29 at the Defoor Centre.

Painting MLK The Defoor Centre showcases local artist’s mural

martin Luther king Jr. muraL at the defoor centreJan. 13-feb. 291710 Defoor Avenue Atlanta 30318404.591.3900www.defoorcentre.com

the walls of the Church Avenue Brook-lyn subway station in New York, Morris Brown College and the streets of Har-lem. Each panel depicts a major moment in King’s public life—from his childhood to Rosa Parks to his marches with the Southern Christian Leadership Confer-ence. The mural, originally commissioned for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site Visitor Center downtown, is

nothing short of awe-inspiring. “Families should see this together because you can draw a line to what is going on today with the Occupy movements, the uprisings in the Middle East and the global movement for civil liberties,” says Defoor Arts Centre spokesperson Jill Kettles. “There are doz-ens of lessons to be learned from the life of Dr. King. His life remains an inspiration.”— margaret Watters

You don’t have to join a training club to reap the benefits of running with others.

Several free group runs in and around Buckhead can whip you into New Year’s

shape in no time without putting a dent in your bank account. They also offer

the priceless motivation that only comes from sweating in numbers.


SIMPLY Now eveNtS

Buckhead has a new kid on the block—the Brandon Neighborhood Association, encompassing more than 300 homes in the area surround-ing Brandon Elementary School. Though it just formed, the associa-tion has already organized a safety patrol and welcomed 115 members. “I worried at first it would be like throwing a party and having no one come, but the level of interest in serv-ing and joining has been high,” says Association President Eric Ranney. He saw the need for an association when he had an issue with construc-tion behind his backyard and couldn’t locate the appropriate people with

whom to file a complaint. He met with neighbor Becky Brown this past summer to discuss forming an associ-ation, and things moved quickly from there. The new organization is al-ready a voting member of the Buck-head Council of Neighborhoods and Ranney says he’s looking forward to learning from other leaders in the city. Interested neighborhood mem-bers should check for information on the association’s website, www.bran-donatl.com. “We’re off to a fast start and that’s due to people embracing the concept,” he says. “We’re setting our goals high but I have every confi-dence we’ll meet them.”

Zero to 115 New Brandon Neighborhood Association off to a strong start

When Delta offered Al McDaniel a severance package, he took a negative and turned it into a positive—for both himself and the community. “I decided there was never a better time to use my culinary degree,” he says. Now the director of food service at Peachtree Road United Meth-odist Church and director of The Lodge Café at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, McDaniel works every day to give back to the community by employing recovering addicts and people get-ting back on their feet after a hard time. Sober himself for almost 19 years, he says his new job has rewards that his old one never did. “Really, life’s all about service to your fellow man,” he says. “If you chase the money, you miss the boat.”

Most of McDaniel’s employees come recom-mended by friends or through organizations like the Bobby Dodd Institute. He helps them find housing within walking distance from work and support through recovery programs. He also recently started a scholarship fund that uses proceeds from the Peachtree Road Hal-loween Carnival to help his employees get their GEDs or enroll in college. McDaniel says that while working with recovering addicts has its challenges, when you hold people to a high stan-dard, they almost always step up to the plate. “It’s important to treat everyone with the dignity they deserve, regardless of who they are or what they’re going through,” he says.

While the number of electric vehicles whizzing around Buckhead is still small in comparison to conventional gasoline-powered cars, many area businesses are preparing for lifestyle changes in the community. This fall, the Post Alexan-der apartment complex in Buckhead in-stalled the neighborhood’s first electric-car charging stations in a multifamily unit. The WattStations, manufactured by GE Energy Industrial Solutions, charge vehicles in as little as four to six hours. And according to Clean Cit-

ies Atlanta, those vehicles then reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent as compared to gasoline-powered cars. Post Alexander representative Steve Sadler says the release of the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf says something about the mass appeal of electric vehi-cles. “It would appear that residents of urban areas with relatively short com-mutes (40 miles or less a day) would be ideal candidates for these cars,” Sadler says. “With that in mind, we felt our urban mid-rise communities like Post Alexander would be prime candidates for charging stations.” Sadler says that although current residents haven’t used the stations yet, they were a necessity to stay competitive for future residents. Within Buckhead, other electric-car charging options can be found in the Capital City Plaza, Tower Place 100 and 200, the Prominence Building, Lenox Park Bellsouth, the Pinnacle Building, Two Live Oak and Lindbergh City office buildings. The Georgia Power headquarters on Ralph McGill Boulevard and the Jim Ellis dealerships on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard also offer public charging stations.

All Charged UpElectric car charging stations around Buckhead help support a sustainable intown lifestyle

The newly installed electric vehicle charging stations at Post Alexander in Buckhead.

From Concourse to CoffeehouseThe Lodge Café Director Al McDaniel gives back

LoCAL SALUteBy Margaret Watters


SIMPLY Now tRAveL

Old Edwards Inn and Spa

offers a warming winter retreat.

old edwards inn

By Felicia Feaster

Often referred to as the “Buckhead of the mountains” for the preponderance of Atlantans who own homes in this quaint burg, Highlands, N.C., defies clichés. It’s certainly not a faux-Ba-varian tourist trap filled with saltwater taffy shops and chainsaw art. Instead, this town (located just two hours from Atlanta) offers easy access to spectacu-lar waterfalls, a variety of hiking trails and the astounding natural beauty of this Appalachian plateau within the Nantahala Forest. All of this tranquil-ity coexists with enough memorable restaurants, auction houses and high-end boutiques selling Kate Spade and Marc Jacobs to keep even the most jaded city dweller occupied.

Though it is known as a blessed re-spite from tropical Georgia and Florida heat in the summertime, Highlands has a special magic during its winter season. The crowds thin and the town’s bounty of indoor-centric entertainment, from playhouses and bookshops to art gal-leries and local coffee shops like Buck’s

(828.526.0020) is on full display.The centerpiece of Highlands’ blend

of sophistication and small-town charm is the award-winning Old Edwards Inn and Spa (www.olded-wardsinn.com). This discreet but luxu-rious complex features the spa that Condé Nast Traveler named No. 1 in North America, a well-curated garden shop called Oakleaf and Madison’s Restaurant, whose innovative, Ger-man-born chef Johannes Klapdohr offers vanguard dishes like sous-vide pork and hanger steak with smoked hollandaise. Guests can enjoy a host of winter activities, including cooking classes, romance weekends or just the welcoming warmth of the inn’s many libraries and lounges. Old Edwards’ rooms boast Frette linens, Molton Brown products and the critical cold-weather amenities of heated tile floors, a library of DVDs to watch in your room and a cozy fireplace around ev-ery corner. But despite the winter chill, advance reservations are absolutely es-sential on the weekends, when the inn still fills up.

Cold MountainIn the wintertime, Highlands, N.C., is a hot escape

Stunning golf courses dot Highlands’ landscape.

the Bascom center for the visual artsHoused in a gorgeously weath-ered vintage barn trucked down from Pennsylvania (above), this arts center (www.thebascom.org) with free admission offers classes along with an impressive roster of rotating contemporary exhibits with names like Frank Stella and Jim Dine in the mix.

mountain fresh fine foodsIn recent years this fancy grocery store (www.mountainfreshgrocery.com) has carved out a profitable little niche as a no-frills restaurant featuring prepared and made-to-order food. It’s especially good for breakfast, with options like Nora Mill grits, housemade sausage and Belgian waffles.

on the verandahThis atmospheric restaurant on Lake Sequoyah (828.526.2338) offers memorable regionally sourced items like local trout, making this worth the five-minute drive from downtown.

the toy storeWhether your travel companions include children or you just need to assuage the guilt of leaving them behind, this combination child’s paradise and well-edited bookshop (828.526.9415) is a must-stop.

HigHlands Musts


SIMPLY Now eveNtS

Kids channel their inner thespians during weekly workshops at Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Buckhead. crockerPhoto

Buckhead’s got talent! “High School Musical” workshop stars local kids

/// FAMILY-FRIENDLY ///

We’re all in this together! Start-ing February 27, Forefront Arts (a performance arts training company) will host a weekly af-terschool program teaching kids ages 6 to 14 songs and scenes from “High School Musical.” With a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio, the workshop will feature basic music theory, one-on-one voice coaching and dance lessons for each musical number. Games and exercises promote positive char-acter traits like respect, kindness, leadership and generosity. The 12-week Monday-evening program is $180 and classes are held at the Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church Family Life Center. — margaret Watters

forefront arts at the second Ponce de Leon BaPtist church starting february 272715 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305404.591.4379www.forefrontarts.com


TM

Major funding provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the

Fulton County Arts Council.

February 4 - May 6, 2012

Dazzling Smiles770-993-9217

Michaela McKenzie, DDS

Free Custom Bleach Trays ($350 value) or

Free Cosmetic Veneer consultation

with comprehensive exam, periodontal charting, regular cleaning and full mouth x-rays for

only $290.00

Have that Dazzling smile you’vealways dreamed of!

Located in the heart of buckhead

DazzlingSmiles_4th.indd 1 9/1/10 7:15:45 AM

SIMPLY STYLISH.

DESIGN.SHOP. EAT. IT'S ALL HERE.

www.specialtytile.com

www.nottinghamantiques.com

www.angorarug.com

www.dearingantiques.com

www.williamwordantiques.com

www.thegablesantiques.com


Simply Stylish

The Roberts' home is adorned with vintage accessories like this antique French opaline glassware found on treasure hunts outside the city. Photo by Sara Hanna Photography - www.SaraHanna.com

— Heather Hogan Roberts, Page 20

“The home needed what

I call ‘lipstick and rouge.’”

Home

H O M E | F A S H I O N | W E L L N E S S


Heather Hogan Roberts and Read Roberts have a lot of experience fixing up homes.

After renovating their first abode in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., (and selling it in just a week), the couple bought a fixer-upper on the North Fork of Long Island in 2007. They did most of the work themselves and sold the home in two months. In 2009, the couple decided it was time to move closer to family; they chose Read’s hometown of Atlanta as their destination.

Beginning the Atlanta house hunt online, Heather came across a 1941 Frazier and Bodin-designed Buck-head home on Old Ivy Lane that drew her in. “It was just kind of sitting here empty, waiting for the right people,” Heather says. “It needed what I call ‘lipstick and rouge.’ The bones were there, it just had a ton of wallpaper and dark colors.” She soon was on a plane and meeting with Read’s high school pal, Sotheby’s real estate agent Ally May, to walk the floors of what would become her future residence. Although the structure needed some aesthetic work, Heather knew it was her family’s ideal home.

Recording her exploration of the home through amateur video, Heather reported back to Read in New York, enticing him to make an offer. Not long after, Read was working on the mortgage papers and legal processes, though he wouldn’t see the house in person until the morning of the clos-ing. “This was our third house, so I trust her,” he says. “You have to trust your partner and I knew that she wouldn’t have been so excited if it wasn’t worth it. Sure enough, it is a re-ally great place.”

A home with historyFacing the street at an angle, this white brick-and-clapboard home originally sat on 36 acres before the land was sub-

divided in the 1960s and neighboring homes were built. Today, the one-acre parcel offers views of Buckhead’s sky-scrapers from its backyard.

As soon as you step through the red front door and enter the open foyer, you can sense something unique about the Roberts’ home. Maybe it’s the stories of Libby Whittemore, the famous At-lanta cabaret singer who grew up here, or perhaps it’s the flowing design that makes it ideal for entertaining, but af-ter nearly three years of work put in by

SIMPLY StYLISh hoMe

Labor of loveA young family creates their dream home in Buckhead

By Giannina Smith Bedford

Above: Heather and Read Roberts fixed up two homes in New York, where they lived for 12 years, before moving to Atlanta and applying their creative touch to this 1940s residence.

Left: A pug statue in honor of the Roberts' dog Chelsea welcomes visitors through the red door and into the checkerboard foyer of the Buckhead home.

Heather and Read, the structure exudes a mysterious yet welcoming ambiance. The décor is eclectic, mixing formal antiques with a modern twist. This eye-catching look is no surprise, con-sidering Heather runs HHR Interiors, a small interior design business, and H&H Home, an online home acces-sories business focused on refurbished vintage pieces. “Read and I are sort of weekend warriors at Home Depot. We’ve done it enough now where we know the drill,” she says. Read, owner of web programming company Remsen Media, also happens to be quite handy with a set of tools and is unafraid to tackle renovation projects, such as a re-cently added fire pit with pea gravel and Adirondack chairs in the backyard.

This do-it-yourself duo has also ripped out wallpaper, applied many coats of paint and filled the rooms

with one-of-a-kind treasures found on scouting trips to small Georgia towns. Although the fixing up has stripped some of the past away, the entryway’s checkerboard floors are an original the Roberts decided to keep. “The first thing I noticed when I walked in were these floors, and a lot of people are like ‘rip it out and do marble,’ but I just love it,” Heather says. “It doesn’t ever look clean, but they are the original checkerboard floors and I just couldn’t bear to rip them out. You just have to embrace the craziness.”

The Roberts didn’t embrace the cra-ziness of every room, however. When it came to the dining room, the red damask wallpaper and velvet drapes from the previous owners came down, replaced with walls done in a combi-nation of Benjamin Moore’s Icing on the Cake and Chocolate Sundae. s

Photos by Sara Hanna Photography – www.SaraHanna.com


"The house was just kind of sitting here empty, waiting for the right people..."

Above: The eclectic living room features a mantle with antique Foo Dogs recovered from an estate in Athens, Ga..

Left: vintage egg prints decorate the walls of the open kitchen, where Heather and Read spend a lot of time cooking and entertaining friends.

Right: An IKEA table and chairs found at an estate sale create the ideal gathering spot for breakfast or crafts with the kids.


A wall adorned in turtle shells and other curiosities also features a paint-ing custom-made for the couple by Atlanta artist Andrew Rodbell—one of Read’s best friends and the best man at his wedding. A glittering chandelier brought from the Roberts’ home in Brooklyn Heights hangs above the din-ing table, reminding them of their first home and providing a dazzling center point to the room’s assorted vignettes.

Walk into the adjoining breakfast room and the whimsical theme con-tinues. The small room is hand painted in a dramatic palm tree motif inspired by the Lyford Cay Club in the Ba-hamas, which Heather saw in House & Garden. “The room was so boring before. It was yellow and had a chalk-board wall,” Heather says. To liven it up, Heather commissioned artist Kris-ten Fountain Davis to paint the mural and the muted pink ceiling.

Davis also painted the light pink Asian pagoda embellishment on the wall of the upstairs nursery, which is home to the Roberts’ newest addition, an infant girl named Quinn who makes their family a party of five. (Their oth-er children are 4-year-old daughter Crosby and 1-year-old son Graham.) “I love that whole chinoiserie thing and I’d seen some tear sheets of things with pagodas and said, ‘Just run with it,’” Heather says. “I was a little worried to do pink because it is so literal for a girl, but when can you ever get away with that, so I said let’s just do it.”

Worth holding on to Although the Roberts feel there is still work to be done before their home is completely up to par, their labors have already produced a dream home for the enjoyment of their growing family. Whether they’re looking out the large

windows in the living room with its original mantel and antique barware or watching television in the family room that pays homage to the New England coast through sea creatures and star-fish touches, they can easily relax and entertain in their abode. Factor in the screened-in porch, complete with a crackling fireplace, wicker furnishings and burnt-orange touches, and the re-treat becomes even more inviting.

Although Heather and Read have a track record of fixing up and selling their homes, this personalized haven may just be a keeper. n

treasure HuntingHeather Roberts' favorite treasure hunting spots:

❤ On Peachtree Industrial, there is a shop called My Favorite Place (770.452.8397) that is great for flea market finds and little gems.

❤ Chamblee is another great area for a local hunt if you just want to go find some unique, cool items. There is a store called the Antique Factory (www.antiquefactory.net) and the owner’s name is Peter—very cool store with great finds. (Peter, that purple Murano chandelier still has my name on it!)

❤ Scott Antique Markets (www.scottantiquemarket.com) —enough said!.

❤ We love to take the kids up to Dahlonega for a day trip … antiques, vineyards and pretty scenery. Frogtown Cellars (www.frogtownwine.com) is such a cute vineyard; reminds us of when we lived out on the North Fork of Long Island.

❤ I love, love Suite Spot (www.suitespot.net) on Chattahoochee Avenue for linens. They do custom monogramming for me and have beautiful things.

SIMPLY StYLISh hoMe

Above: The nursery's Asian-inspired touches include oriental lamps.

Right: A drop-leaf dining table ensures the Roberts can entertain

many guest for a seated dinner.

Below: The fire-heated sun room makes a picturesque

location for a cocktail party.


American sterling flatwareReplace missing pieces

Add place settings

Over 1,200 new & used patterns

•Large selection of sterling

holloware & gifts•

Bridal Registry

®

Atlanta’s premier source for fine sterling silver

404.261.4009 / 800.270.4009 3164 Peachtree Rd, NE

Atlanta, GA 30305 [email protected]

www.beverlybremer.comWe buy sterling silver.

Careful appraisal for maximum value.


Adapted and directed by Jon LudwigBased on the award-winning book

by Calvin Alexander Ramsey with illustrations by Floyd Cooper

Feb 7 - 26Ruth and her family face a very tough time navigating segregated America; thankfully,

they discover the “Green Book,” a guide to welcoming places and people.

Produced by special arrangement with Lerner Publishing Group

Ages9+

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f Ler

ner

Publ

ishi

ng G

roup

Written and Directed by Jon LudwigWritten and Directed by Jon LudwigWritten and Directed by Jon Ludwig

Part of theS c i e n c e

T e c h n o l o g y

E n g i n e e r i n g

Mathematics

Initiative

Written and Directed by Jon LudwigWritten and Directed by Jon Ludwig

Jan 26 - Mar 11, 2012Previews: Jan 24 & 25

Blast off on this rock-and-roll journey through the galaxy

with your hosts, Ot and Eema!Discover out-of-this-world facts about planets, stars,

meteors and more!

Blast off on this rock-and-roll journey through the galaxy

with your hosts, Ot and Eema!Discover out-of-this-world facts about planets, stars,

meteors and more!

Part of theS c i e n c e c i e n c e c i e n c e

T e c h n o l o g y

E n g i n e e r i n g

Mn g i n e e r i n g

Mn g i n e e r i n g

athematics

Initiative

®

Advance purchase is highly recommended.Advance purchase is highly recommended.

1404 Spring Street NW,Atlanta, GA 30309

Limited FREE Parking • MARTA Accessible

Season supported in part by: Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia Council for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs

404.873.3391 • www.puppet.org

1404 Spring Street NW,1404 Spring Street NW,1404 Spring Street NW,1404 Spring Street NW,1404 Spring Street NW,Atlanta, GA 30309Atlanta, GA 30309Atlanta, GA 30309Atlanta, GA 30309Atlanta, GA 30309

Limited FREE Parking • MARTA AccessibleLimited FREE Parking • MARTA AccessibleLimited FREE Parking • MARTA AccessibleLimited FREE Parking • MARTA AccessibleLimited FREE Parking • MARTA Accessible

404.873.3391 • www.puppet.org

She's back! After being swept away from her parents, Little Noodle must journey across the grocery store to

find her way home. Join Little Noodle in this interactive adventure about making healthy choices and loving

yourself exactly as you are.

© C

ente

r for

Pup

petr

y A

rts

Written and Directed by Jon Ludwig

Ages4+

Ages4+

Part of theMar 8 - Apr 1Previews: Mar 6 & 7

© C

ente

r for

Pup

petr

y A

rts

FoundationSponsored by:

Sponsoredin part by:


SIMPLY StYLISh faShIon

For traditional workouts: If you love the workout skirt, you can still sport it in the winter. That’s because the Tough Girl Skirt is attached to pants. “Girls are playing tennis in that, running in that and then going straight to the carpool,” says Jim Whitlow, owner of Deka, a fitnesswear boutique. Another good transitional piece for winter is the Sugoi Firewall jacket , he says.

For guys, instead of wearing an old fraternity shirt, Whitlow suggests The Original Retro Brand T-shirt. “Old-school T’s are in and they can be worn with jeans but are perfectly appropriate at the gym,” Whitlow says.

1. Skirt Sports Tough Girl Skirt, $98 2. Women’s Sugoi Firewall Jacket, $180 3. Men’s The Original Retro Brand T-shirt, $38

All available at Deka 3400 Around Lenox Road N.E., Suite 102B Atlanta 30326404.869.9600www.dekaatlanta.com

For yoga: The folks at Lululemon Athletica like winter clothes that create warmth and breathability at the same time. Stephanie Bonk, store manager at the Shops Around Lenox location, says that’s because this time of year is when hot yoga really ramps up. The Power Y Tank , for instance, is “that perfect blend of wicking, lightweight fabric, still allowing for some coverage where needed,” she says. “It gives our woman a great range of motion. The straps in the back come together to allow her to move and practice with ease.” They also offer an ideal, breathable shirt for guys who don’t want to go without during hot yoga. It’s the Metal Vent Tech and “it’s body mapped for the highest sweat areas for

a man, whether they are practicing yoga or going on a run,” Bonk says. “The fabric can hold up against [the sweat] and over time it’s not going to build up that gross sweaty athletic gear smell.”

4. Women’s Power Y Tank, $52 5. Men’s Metal Vent Tech, $64

Both available at Lululemon Athletica3400 Around Lenox Road N.E., Suite 102AAtlanta 30326404.816.7678www.lululemon.com

For your feet: If you’ve ever seen people wearing “shoes with toes,” like the Vibram Five Fingers

, you may have thought they were super-serious athletes. But minimalist shoes are for the masses, explains Janice Abernethy, owner of Abbadabba’s, a footwear store with five locations (including one in Buckhead). “Your body is less impacted if you run with barefoot form,” she says. Doing other workouts with minimalist shoes is beneficial too. “When you’re lifting weights at the gym, your feet should be balanced,” Abernethy says. “If your heel is elevated, your body is out of alignment.” As the shoes become more mainstream, they also grow more fashionable, like the Newton MV2 for women . The company says this style—which doesn’t have the toe slots but is totally flat—is engineered to be the lightest, most efficient shoe ever produced.

6. Men’s Vibram Five Fingers Komodo LS, $109.95 7. Women’s Newton MV2, $124.95

Both available at Abbadabba’s4389 Roswell RoadAtlanta 30342404.262.3356www.coolshoes.com

Exercise your fashionable side

Local stores show us their favorite items for this fitness season

By Elsa K. Simcik

Getting motivated to exercise can be tough, especially when it’s cold outside. But if your workout clothes are stylish and functional, that might be just what you need to get your rear off the couch.

We talked with local shops to find out what's hot; here are their picks:

BiA BrAziL CAPriS These one-size-fits-all pants that work for women sizes 2 to 8 are “so flattering to the rear end,” Jim Whitlow of Deka says. “It’s like the magic pant.” Available at Deka for $65

THe MAT: “It’s textured in a way that has a grip like a tennis racket, so it helps you hold your pose and not slip,” Stephanie Bonk of Lululemon Athletica says (adding that she is obsessed with it). Available at Lululemon Athletica for $68

Winter Workout MuSt-haveS For those who need a little more encouragement to get moving, here are some fun fitness items to add to your arsenal:

NAMASTe YogA ToTe This super lightweight bag “dries really quickly and holds a good amount of stuff,” Bonk says. Available at Lululemon Athletica for $38

iNjiNji SoCkS Add these to your minimalist shoes for extra warmth and comfort when it’s cold outside. Available at Abbadabba’s for $12

2

1

7

5

3

4

6

Credits: Skirt Sports Tough Girl Skirt courtesy of Skirt Sports. Women’s Sugoi Firewall Jacket courtesy of Sugoi.Men’s The Original Retro Brand T-shirt courtesy of The Original Retro Brand. Women’s Power Y Tank and Men’s Metal Vent Tech Yoga Shirt courtesy of Lululemon Athletica.Women’s Newton MV2 shoes courtesy of Newton Running. Men’s Vibram Five Fingers Komodo LS shoes courtesy of Vibram Five Fingers.


By Jennifer Bradley Franklin

Two years ago, Piedmont Heights resident Teesha Mc-Crae couldn’t swim. In 2011,

she completed her first Ironman—in-cluding an arduous 2.4-mile swim in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Panama City. During the event, she also biked 180 km and ran a marathon, crossing the finish line in 15 hours, 30 minutes. The 30-year-old lawyer now heads up many Buckhead-based train-ing events for runners of all levels for Get Fit Atlanta, one of several endur-ance training clubs in the area.

It’s no secret that training is key to any endurance event—from half-mar-athons and marathons to triathlons—and many believe training with others makes the process much more enjoyable and smooth. Good thing Atlanta offers a plethora of options (see sidebar).

For those who are interested primar-ily in running, the Buckhead-based At-lanta Track Club has more than 16,000 members in the metro Atlanta area, ranging from young children to athletes in their 80s. “Overall, the club environ-ment works well because it gives people with a similar interest an outlet to share their passion,” says Communications Director Tracy Lott. The club offers training programs for everything from a 5K to a marathon and runs all over town, making it easy to find a group in just about any neighborhood.

Thinking about getting fit, but with-out the lofty goal of a huge endurance event? “There’s a place for everyone,” says Get Fit Atlanta Director and Founder Dana Greene. “We make it a point to train so that no one gets left behind and encourage people along the way.” Of course, if you do want to “tri” your hand at a triathlon, the club has weekly swim, bike and run train-ing events, led by more than 40 coach-es who are athletes themselves.

You can hear the passion in Greene’s voice when she recalls the many success stories—including McCrae’s recent Ironman completion—of people who are living life to the fullest through fit-ness and getting healthy the good old-fashioned way, with diet and exercise. “An endurance athlete is someone who endures the hard work of being fit for years,” she says. Train on, Atlanta. n

In for the long haulAtlanta’s endurance clubs make training fun

Get Fit Atlanta members zoom down the Silver Comet Trail.Dana greene

SIMPLY StYLISh WeLLneSS

sHoP so you don’t dRoP

Atlanta Track ClubA relative bargain at just $35 for annual dues, this gargantuan club offers running groups that meet at Big Peach Running Co. in Decatur and Brookhaven and at West Stride in Buckhead. www.atlantatrackclub.org

Atlanta Triathlon ClubThis club is unique because the structure of their dues allows members to pick and choose the area where they need the most coaching. Annual dues start at $170 for running only and go up to $470 for a full year of training in all triathlon disciplines. Groups meet at a variety of locations around town, including the Barnes &

Noble shopping center in the heart of Buckhead and Big Peach Running Co. in Decatur. www.atlantatriclub.com

Fleet Feet DecaturThis downtown Decatur-based organization offers group training for all levels, from walking to running. Sixteen-week half-marathon training programs start at $100 (not including race fees). www.fleetfeetdecatur.com

get Fit AtlantaAnnual dues start at $189 for new members and a running group (led by Teesha McCrae) meets at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Buckhead. www.getfit-atlanta.com

ALL3SPorTS8601 Dunwoody Place Atlanta 30350770.587.9994www.all3sports.com

Big PeACH ruNNiNg Co.3881 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30319404.816.8488

114 East Trinity Place Decatur 30030404.377.7370www.bigpeachrunningco.com

FLeeT FeeT DeCATur431 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur 30030404.371.0208www.fleetfeetdecatur.com

PHiDiPPiDeS 1544 Piedmont Avenue N.E. Atlanta 30324404.875.4268www.phidippides.com

roAD ruNNer3756 Roswell Road N.E. Atlanta 30342404.855.2424www.roadrunnersports.com

WeST STriDe3517 Northside Parkway N.W. Atlanta 30327404.467.1010www.weststride.com

If you can find the motivation to start training, there are plenty of clubs to choose from so you’ll keep at it.

It takes a village

Even the most stringent training is made more comfortable (and safe!) with the right equipment. Here are some local shops that can help make sure you’re properly outfitted:


Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta Presents

www.childrensmuseumatlanta.org/supp ort/amuseum

Invites you to

a Magnificent evening of Play! SATURDAY, FebRUARY 25, 2012

AT 7:00pm

honoringGInny And ChArles Brewer

Featuring yAChT roCk revue

Presented by

Circus9.125x5.5.indd 1 11/28/11 11:27 AM

Whether you are a kid or just

a kid at heart, everyone loves

to climb at Atlanta Rocks!

INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING!

AtLANtA ROCKs! INtOwN 1019 COLLIeR RD Nw, ste A, AtLANtA, GA 30318 404-351-3009 / www.AtLANtAROCKs.COM

teAM BuILDING

MeMBeRshIps

DAILy RAtes

sChOOLs

GROups

pARtIes

CLAsses

CAMpsWant to try rock climbing, but don’t know how to

get started? Check out Atlanta Rocks! Intown. With

climate-controlled, year-round recreation and classes

daily, climbers of all skill levels are welcome to join

the fun. Located downtown, we have something for

everyone, and no experience is necessary.

®

Voted

Atlanta’s

Best!

Winner!


SimplyArts&Entertainment

Anné Carole Butler, Buckhead resident and costume designer at The New American Shakespeare Tavern, selects a hat from the tavern’s wardrobe room. Renee Brock

“We’re pretty sure she’s the only costumer

in the world to have costumed all 39

Shakespeare plays.”— The New American Shakespeare Tavern Marketing Manager

Jeanette Meierhofer, talking about costume designer Anné Carole Butler.

On Stage

O N S T A G E | L I T E R A R Y | A R T V I E W


Buckhead BohemianMeet Anné Carole Butler, designer to fashion plates and Shakespeare fools

By Wendell Brock

If you want to brighten a friend’s day, you might order that person flowers or surreptitiously leave a

cupcake or cookie on his or her desk. Unless your friend is Anné Carole Butler. Then you need a straitjacket.

It’s not that the Buckhead resident of 40 years is a nut job. It’s just that people are forever dropping off hand-me-down clothing, jewelry or shoes at her workplace: The New American Shakespeare Tavern, where she is in charge of creating the period attire for some 14 Atlanta Shakespeare Compa-ny shows a year. Her favorite freebie to date was a mysterious straitjacket that appeared at her door one day—un-signed, unsolicited and unattributed.

A self-described “bohemian” who claims she does not belong to the 21st century, Butler doesn’t own a car and likes to dress in Renaissance garb for no special reason. When she’s not stitching leather “armor” for medieval scenes, she’s sewing exact replicas of Chanel suits for private clients under her couture label, Les Deux Chats.

Butler began hawking Barbie clothes to her friends when she was 5 or 6. She caught the theater bug at her Scottsdale, Ariz., high school and planned to go to Hollywood to become the next Edith Head after graduation. Instead, she ended up in Atlanta, where she earned a degree in costume design from Massey Business College (now the Art Insti-tute of Atlanta). She first encountered the Tavern in 1991, when she saw some of the players performing shorts at the Georgia Renaissance Festival. She later offered to volunteer and remembers Tavern Artistic Director Jeff Watkins calling soon after to ask if she could make a flag for “Henry IV,” which she did, for free. “That was the first thing I did as a volunteer, and I have been paid ever since,” she says proudly.

Today, she works full-time at the Tavern, where she has built “about 95 percent” of the theater’s 2,000 to 3,000

Anné Carole Butler has created thousands of

costumes for The New American Shakespeare

Tavern since 1991. Renee Brock

SIMPLY A&E on StAgE

She has designed every play attributed to the Bard—histories,

comedies, tragedies—some of them many times over.

The New AMeRiCAN ShAkeSpeARe TAveRN499 Peachtree Street N.E. Atlanta 30308404.874.5299www.shakespearetavern.com

Coming up: “January Repertory: ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ ” Jan. 5-29. “Romeo and Juliet,” Feb. 2-26.Tickets: $12-$36.

where to see her work

costumes. “We’re pretty sure she’s the only costumer in the world to have costumed all 39 Shakespeare plays,” says Tavern Marketing Manager Jea-nette Meierhofer.

Butler buys the upholstery and drap-ery fabric for her elaborate Elizabethan and Roman-era garments at Forsyth Fabrics or Gail K on Cheshire Bridge Road, often stitching into the wee hours of the night at her Roswell Road apartment. “I work best at like 2 o’clock in the morning,” says the designer, who wears a denim shirt with a Tavern logo to an interview at the Barnes & Noble Starbucks in Buckhead.

In the decades she has lived in Buckhead, Butler has fallen in love with the area’s nooks and crannies, like The Duck Pond in Peachtree Heights East, Henri’s Bakery & Café and

Grand China. She remembers when Lenox Square was just a strip mall and Atlanta’s theater scene was minuscule. She loves to recall the times when the neighborhood has come together to celebrate its common links. “Like when the Braves won the World Se-ries and the whole area erupted with cheering; everyone poured out of the bars and the apartments and we all danced in the streets,” Butler says. “No matter where I live now, I’ll still feel like a Buckhead girl.”

In fact, the only way she’ll leave might be in that straitjacket. n


Forget unrealistic remakes; this band of local Jane Austen enthusiasts focuses on Jane the way she was

Above: Local members of the Jane Austen Society of North America join members of the Georgia Regency Society for tea at All Saints Episcopal Church.

Left: Meredith Leptrot, Phillis Irby and Linda DeMars discuss Austen at a recent gathering.Sandy platten

SIMPLY A&E LItErArY

By H.M. Cauley

There aren’t many long-dead authors with as much stamina as Jane Austen. The Regency-

era writer, noted for her insightful ob-servations of society, still enjoys a loyal following of readers taken with Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion and Emma, to name a few. In Atlanta, the local chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America takes up the author’s mantle, hosting readings, outings and social events that keep her memory alive. The small but loyal band has been active since 1996, meeting on the third Sunday of the month at the Barnes & Noble in Buckhead since 2001. In be-tween, they gather for teas, holiday par-ties and trips that bring them together.

“We’re the only Austen group I know of that meets every month, even though we only have a few doz-en members on our list,” says Sandy Springs resident Nancy Mayer, a law librarian who just recently relin-quished the reins of the Atlanta chap-ter. “We’ve written our own sequels to some of the novels, had guests join us for discussions and heard special re-ports on carriages, dances, dresses and books Austen read.”

Mayer’s affection for the Regency period (1812 to 1830) brought her into the Austen fold, but others are drawn by their love of the literature. Despite having majored in English, member

Mary Morder discovered Austen later in life and joined the group to share her enthusiasm.

“Austen is very funny, with a dry sense of humor,” she says. “I love the complexity of the relationships and that the people are real. There are so many layers, you can read her work every year and get something different from it. I usually pick one or two and read them again every year.”

Discussions often veer beyond Aus-ten and into the modern era, including other novels the members are reading and their reactions to the latest play or film based on their heroine’s work—which is usually a resounding “Eeww!”

“We look at some of them and say, ‘That’s not in the book!’ or ‘That’s not how they wore their hair!’” Mayer says. “And I’m not into continuations or books and movies with ‘Jane Austen’ in the title. They don’t capture her charac-ters, or keep them in character, either.”

While it’s safe to say the new line of Austen-inspired zombie books may not appeal to the chapter’s diehard members, the group does recognize the value of drawing new readers to the original stories.

“If that sort of thing brings more people to the real books, then I’m all for it,” says Morder. “But I still don’t get it.” n

Austen Lost inThe Jane Austen Society of North

America – Atlanta region

Austen enthusiasts of all ages are

welcome to the group’s January 15

and February 19 meetings at Barnes

& Noble, 2900 Peachtree Road. The discussion theme at both will be “Money,

Sex and Power in Jane Austen’s

Fiction.”

Additional information is online at

www.jasnaatlanta.org.


Alan Avery looks back at 30 years in business

By H.M. Cauley

Art gallery owner Alan Avery defines his role succinctly: “I’m the bad boy of art; I’m

honest and blunt, and I tell it like it is.”That confident candor has made

Avery a 30-year survivor of Atlanta’s yo-yo gallery scene, where the last few years have been akin to an artistic “Survivor” episode. Avery, now 50, first opened on Trinity Street downtown, but moved to Buckhead when the city won the 1996 Olympics bid. He has held on to his self-named space at 315 E. Paces Ferry Road while others like Fay Gold and Sandler Hudson headed to edgier spots like Castleberry Hill and downtown. For Avery, staying in Buckhead hasn’t been easy.

“We’ve been through the influx of the bars, having an NFL quarterback stab someone outside my gallery dur-

ing the Super Bowl and watching the number of smaller, upper-end galleries decline,” he says. “But we’re still hop-ing the hole [where Buckhead Atlanta is under construction] gets filled in.”

Even while he was operating down-town, Avery knew Buckhead was the place to be. “We were one of the very first warehouse galleries, but we found the people who collect and buy art live in Buckhead,” he says. “We were con-stantly traveling to Buckhead to sell and show art. Castleberry and West-side are cool and chic, and people will go to openings in those edgier areas, but frankly, people who collect are not driving there. We’ve stayed in Buck-head because people feel safe here.”

Avery has also built a loyal follow-ing by dispelling the notion that art is a snobby hobby. He’s worked hard to make his gallery a comfortable place to visit by hosting events that

welcome art lovers of all incomes and backgrounds and conducting seminars to encourage those who don’t think of themselves as buyers to reconsider. “There’s definitely a perception among people in Atlanta that collecting art is for millionaires, but most of my col-lectors are middle and upper-middle class,” he says. “I can show them mas-ter prints for $2,000 or $3,000 that in the next 10 years will be worth more than what they paid for them.”

Avery’s forte is bringing modern masters to Buckhead. Amid the origi-nal Picasso and the Rembrandt prints are some of the leading cutting-edge artists of the day, such as Robert Kip-niss with his realistic landscapes and Helen Frankenthaler, an 83-year-old who produced large-scale abstracts until her death in late 2011.

“People just don’t realize this type of work is available in Atlanta,” says Avery. “They think they have to go to New York for the caliber of work we have—and if they did, they probably paid more.” n

SIMPLY A&E Art vIEw

AlAN AveRy ART CoMpANy315 E. Paces Ferry Road Atlanta 30305404.237.0370www.alanaveryartcompany.com

“Bad boy” gallery owner bucks the trend to stay in Buckhead

To mark the 30th anniversary of Alan Avery Art Company, the owner is tapping his connections in the contemporary art world and produc-ing a tribute to three iconic American women artists: Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson and Kara Walker. “The Glass Ceiling Shattered” traces how their work paved the way for women in the arts. The exhibit con-tinues through February 10.

Happy 30th

Alan Avery in his namesake Buckhead gallery. Neil Dent


Simply Delicious

An appetizer of braised beef short ribs on a bed of kim chee from Local Three. Sara Hanna Photography – www.SaraHanna.com

Local Three’s “foie gras in your flip-flops” approach

has found a niche.—Wendell Brock, “Threedom Reigns” Page 34

Restaurant Review

R E V I E W | W I N E | F O O D I E J O U R N A L | T A S T E M A K E R | R E S T A U R A N T S


Threedom reignsLocal Three finds its groove in the graveyard of elegant cuisine By Wendell Brock

One year later, Local Three’s “foie gras in your flip-flops” approach has found a niche in the tradition-ally buttoned-up Buckhead market. Chef Chris Hall, backed by Muss & Turner’s Todd Mussman and Ryan Turner, has created a place that’s both a hip destination restaurant and a hid-den gem; his freewheeling cooking and terrifically laid-back staff bring warmth to a zone that was once frosty with ’tude. The dust has settled, but the excitement lingers. Like his compa-triots at Empire State South, Miller Union and Woodfire Grill, Hall has a fierce following and aspires to be a regional and national star. But his fo-cus isn’t nearly as Southern-flavored as that of his peers. His daily menu reads like a wild card of his personal tastes: biscuit-topped chicken potpie, pozole, duck fat fried pickles, cassoulet, fried pies, lobster rolls. Random. Quirky. Makes no sense at all. Yet therein lies its considerable charm.

First, though: When we say Local Three is a “hidden” treasure, we are not kidding. To get to this inner sanctum of cool, you have to navigate a maze of buildings, a parking deck, an elevator; then click-clack down a corridor of shiny marble and push through a set of rough-hewn plank doors. Behold: a 21st-century speakeasy. The room has been painted over in warm, chocolate-brown tones, the main wall lined with a perfect trifecta of piggy portraiture, the windows behind the bar decked with bottles. (Is this an impromptu stained-glass shrine for devoted drinkers, or an

orderly homage to the Southern yard-art tradition of the bottle tree?) Bour-bon, vaunted Southern drink turned newly chic, is a fetish here—more than 40 pours. I found a warming search-light for the evening in the Marmot, a heady bittersweet blend of Elijah Craig 12-year-old single barrel, maple syrup, bitters, orange and cherry.

Eating it upDespite the piggy motifs rooted throughout the menu and décor, Lo-cal Three is not exclusively a snoot-to-tail temple. Hall seems just as smitten with Tybee Island shrimp, North Car-olina flounder and Maine peekytoe crab as he is with pork belly, candied bacon and lardo. He favors straight-forward flavors—burnished, caramel-ized meats set off with acidic twists and turns. On the busy Friday night we were there, we had good luck with the starters of braised short ribs (on a bed of kim chee) and a winter salad of spinach, goat cheese, bacon and fen-nel (in a puddle of pungent mustard vinaigrette). Alas, the entrées could have used a bit more finesse. I talked my date into the “crispy duck leg ‘cas-soulet,’” only to have her tell me the beans were not quite cooked through. She was right. Hamachi glazed with soy and ginger—so highly touted by our sweet server, Jonathan—was a tad over-cooked. Only the salad of baby greens, avocado, carrots and adorable, thin-sliced watermelon radishes gave it zing. A deconstructed carrot cake was good but not stellar; the empaña-

Top: The Notorious P.I.G. (charcuterie sampler with accompaniments); Middle: Springer Mountain Farm chicken pot pie; Bottom: Peanut butter and “gelee”

All photos by Sara Hanna Photography – www.SaraHanna.com

SIMPLY DELICIOUS REVIEW

W hen new tenants arrived at the posh Northside Drive digs formerly occupied by the swanky Joël Brasserie, Atlanta got all hyped up. Here was a plum piece of real

estate where an elegant French chef had failed to find a successful formula. Could a couple of gourmet-deli owners from Smyrna— aided by a chef with a gargantuan appetite for pig parts, duck fat and moonshine—do what Joël Antunes could not?


Clockwise from left: Todd Mussman, Ryan Turner and Chef Chris Hall are the local three behind Local Three; the bar features bottle-lined windows; swine-themed décor reflects Chef Hall’s passion for pigs.

da-style fried pear pie a little dry, even with the ginger sorbet. Oh, well.

Stopping by for a solo lunch on a bright, chilly afternoon, I had a com-pletely different experience—a memo-rable, three-course feast for $40. (Would have been half that if I had skipped the glass of Mas de Guiot Cabernet-Syrah and dessert.) Hall’s signature crispy Brussels sprouts (fried in duck fat, natch) reminded me of fried oysters from long-ago dives. They were nutty, “grispy” (crispy with a little grease) and quite delicious. Poultry potpie came in a little cast-iron Staub casserole, a luxuri-ous affair of tender bird, purple-skinned potatoes and cream, with a cathead bis-

cuit on top. I lapped it all up, dreamed of a nap, was not about to stop. “Would it be ridiculous to try two of the $4 dessert samplings?” I asked my server, Jason. “It would be ridiculous to try seven of them,” he replied. “But not two.”

So in the name of research, I had Pastry Chef Gary Scarborough’s PB&J riff—a cookie crust topped with a layer of peanut butter chiffon, driz-zled with raspberry coulis and sprin-kled with shards of peanut brittle. In-side the nutty cream was a surprise ball of milk “gelée.” (Mind blown.) Even better was the pineapple upside-down cake, with its buttery, caramelized un-derside and melting scoop of coconut

sorbet. (Mind shattered.) Suddenly, the proverbial light came

on. I understood the hype that greeted this restaurant. I “got” the funky allure of a staff who shows up in baseball caps, nappy sweaters and scruffy beards. Well done, Local Three. In a neighborhood where the precious haute cuisine of Joël Antunes never found firm footing, you’re the country cousin who showed up at the family reunion with the fresh-est flavors and lustiest good eats. In a community that’s often a three-piece suit of staid, you’re the bandana in the back pocket. We hope you’ll stay here, feed us and fatten us up for many meals to come. n

LocAL THree3290 Northside Parkway N.W. Atlanta 30327404.968.2700www.localthree.com

Prices: Appetizers, $2.93-$12.93; Entrées, $12.03-$26.93

Bottom line: Quirky, delicious, fun and filling.

“The dust has settled, but the excitement lingers... Chef Chris Hall has a fierce following and aspires to be a regional and national star.”


Buckhead’s Wine ArchiveRitz-Carlton Buckhead Sommelier Linda Torres Alarcon. Jonathan orozco

By Katie Kelly Bell

One of the finest, most carefully curated wine cellars in Buck-head is accessible to anyone. It

sits right on Peachtree just across from Lenox Mall, inside the Ritz-Carlton. The hotel’s new sommelier, Linda Tor-res Alarcon, recalls her reaction when she saw it for the first time about a year ago: “The room is really nothing fancy, but I was just blown away by the range; with well over 5,000 bottles, it’s a gold mine of wine.”

Alarcon, who fine-tuned her wine knowledge as sommelier at the now-closed Trois, is still finding treasures. “You would think that by now I’d have explored every nook and cranny, but I’m still working my way through it,” she says. “There’s just so much to see.”

Alarcon, who is currently study-ing for the third level of certification

with the Master Court of Sommeliers, inherited the cellar as the one remain-ing vestige of The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, the first restaurant in the Southeast to receive the presti-gious Mobil Five Star Award. Despite the Dining Room’s closure in 2009, the cellar, whose collection was built over a 25-year period, lives on with several consecutive years of vintages from famed producers like Château de Beaucastel and Château Lafite Roth-schild. “The amount of Bordeaux and Burgundy from the same producer is impressive,” Alarcon says. “It’s a col-lection that took years and infinite patience to build.” She pauses. “This is far and away the finest, most thorough cellar I’ve ever worked with.” The wines can be purchased throughout the hotel, in the café, lobby lounge and bar.

The collection currently includes a Colheita Port from 1900 (the oldest

wine in the cellar), several ports from 1940 and vintage Dom Perignon from 1966 and 1970. There’s also a 1982 Pé-trus, a treasure for any Bordeaux lover.

When she’s not ogling the older vintages, Alarcon puts time into the fresher wines. “There are plenty of vin-tage wines in the cellar, but I’m having fun with younger Italian reds, finding things that can be enjoyed immedi-ately,” she says. She’s been wowing customers of late with concrete tank-fermented Sangiovese. “When you get something super fresh and young it’s like it’s alive; older wines tell a story of time and place, but a fresh new vintage immediately transports you to where it’s from.”

Alarcon notes that 65-70 percent of the wines in the cellar are on the list, but many are not, especially older vin-tages of a single label. “It’s always best to ask for me,” she advises. n

Museum-quality bottles abound at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

SIMPLY DELICIOUS WInE fEatURE

What’s the strangest thing you’ve found in the cellar?Several non-alcoholic wines and some Portuguese whites, with lots of x’s in their names, that I have never heard of.

What’s fun?A Cocchi Barolo Chinato (vermouth) from Piedmont, Italy. This vermouth is like a vitamin wine crafted with 21 special ingredients including wormwood, quinine bark, rhubarb and spices.

Which vintages are at their peak now?All of these wines have aged under perfect cellar conditions:

WHiTeS:l Lucien Le Moine, Puligny-Montrachet, “Les Folatieres,” Premier Cru, Burgundy, France, 2003 l Château Laville Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France, 2000 redS:l Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny, Burgundy, France, 1996 l Mongeard-Mugneret, Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2000l Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, 1986 l Château de Beaucastel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France, 1995-2001 (every vintage) l Bartolo Mascarello, Barolo, “CannubiSan Lorenzo,” Piedmont, Italy, 1995, 1998, 2000

wine Talk


SIMPLY DELICIOUS

foodie journAl | Culinary news & notes

By Jennifer Bradley Franklin

FaRM To Mug

Decatur resident Zechariah White is passionate about coffee, even beyond the ob-

vious points of aroma and flavor. He applauds the “fair trade” movement (which focuses on purchasing agricul-tural products at a fair price, preventing the exploitation of farmers) but believes it’s important to take it one step further with the “direct trade” model to which he ascribes. He and his (also Biblically named) brother, Joshua, are the master-minds behind Decatur-based Bike Guy Coffee. The brothers work with a micro-roaster liaison (like a broker) to obtain raw beans from Gera Jimma Woreda, a coffee-growing region in Ethiopia, connecting with individual farms and making sure that the farmers are paid a fair wage for their yield. With a coffee pedigree that includes stints at Jittery Joe’s in Athens and Batdorf & Bronson in Decatur, White has risen through the ranks of great coffee roasting houses in Georgia. Certainly, he feels the flavor of the brew is important, but he’s equally concerned with sustainability. White intends not only to make his coffee and packaging (a sterilized, reusable Mason

jar) green, but the method of deliv-ery as well. So in May 2011 he began delivering newly roasted beans via his 2008 Raleigh Grand Sport bike. “We don’t just talk about being sustainable,” White says. “We really live that lifestyle, even to the point of not driving cars in our personal lives.”

Right now, Bike Guy Coffee can deliver just about anywhere inside the Perimeter, including Buckhead, Deca-tur, Virginia Highland and Little Five Points, at a cost of $6 or $11 per one-fourth or one-half pound, respectively, including delivery. The locally roasted beans are also available at The Cook’s Warehouse Decatur. Because the beans’ origin could be different from week to week, each jar comes with a tag explain-ing the tasting notes (“hints of lemon” or “chocolate overtones,” etc.) and the location of the farm on which the beans were grown.

Pizza, pizza! Scott McGehee’s experience working at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse (a Berkeley, Calif.-based icon of the locally driven food movement) taught him to revere locally grown, organic ingredients above all else. So even though his new restaurant Tre’za in Town Brookhaven is “fast-casual,” there’s an obvious focus on quality ingredients, including double-zero flour, prosciutto, San Marzano tomatoes and Parmesan imported from Italy. It all comes together to create the thin, slightly charred, airy pizzas he serves. Salads are built to order (for the less imaginative, there are “signature” salads available right off the menu) and seasonal gelato flavors are made in-house for a sweet end to the meal.

Tre’zA804 Town Boulevard Atlanta 30319404.816.0310www.treza.com

Burgers, at a bargainWhen we heard about Morningside’s Burger Tap, our first thought was, “What’s special about this, in a city with so many burger joints?” It turns out, this 52-seat fast-casual restaurant is carving out its place by offering a “well-edited” menu of just four burgers; each four-ounce patty is a house blend of short rib, chuck and brisket, with toppings selected by Executive Chef Sean Park. Rather than featuring the “build-your-own” approach adopted by most other establishments, Park appreciates that they’ve come up with what they believe to be ideal combinations (a classic cheeseburger, a Mexican burger with Jack cheese, a fried jalapeño and chipotle BBQ sauce burger and an Asian burger with slaw and barbecue glaze), simplifying the ordering process so guests can get to the real point of the visit: eating. Each wallet-friendly burger is $3.50 (the higher-end truffle burger is pricier at $6.50) and sides range from $2 to $5. Twenty-five beers on draft round out the experience and give the place half its name. We’re told the owners are already scouting a second Georgia location.

Burger TAP1409 N. Highland Avenue N.e., Suite dAtlanta 30306888.919.TAPSwww.burgertap.com

Savi indeed Brookhaven residents may have noticed a change in the Dresden Road landscape, as Savi Urban Market has taken over the old “Mom & Pop” store, albeit with very few changes to the building’s exterior. It’s the second location for Savi (the first is in Inman Park), a mix of gourmet grocery and quick stop for essentials like deodorant and toothpaste. The carefully curated store features both high-end and affordable wine and beer, seasonal produce from local farms, house-baked cookies (the chocolate sea salt ones are delicious!), heat-and-serve main dishes and sides, a coffee bar and a made-to-order sandwich counter. Plans are already in motion to add a second story so patrons have a place to enjoy the soon-to-come beer growlers and “Enomatic” wine dispenser. Judging by the steady stream of locals walking through the doors, the neighborhood has embraced its new addition wholeheartedly. Because, let’s face it: You never know when you’re going to need to make a run for homemade pimento cheese, high gravity craft beer, artisan vanilla extract, coconut water and toilet paper all at one time.

SAvi urBAN MArkeT1388 dresden drive N.e.Atlanta 30319404.869.1818www.saviurbanmarket.com

Burger Tap photo courtesy Burger Tap, Tre’za photos courtesy Tre’za

Bike guy coffee To sign up, email [email protected] or call 770.468.6151.

s

s


farm to Table (literally)

What does your perspective as a farmer bring to your job at the very high-end Restaurant Eugene?There is truly a constant stream of farmers coming through the delivery door here and that makes me feel re-ally good about where I work. I see the commitment to changing our food cul-ture and sustaining local farmers here.

As the daughter of a caterer, tell us one amazing hors d’oeuvre you can whip up in a snap.Lately I’ve been getting these amazing organic peanuts and making boiled peanut hummus with a little tahini.

Most fundamental food memory?My mom was a great cook. Probably one of my earliest memories of food was her making biscuits for a cater-ing job and my dad grabbing a hot one and putting sorghum on it and schooling me on how good biscuits were with sorghum.

What are you eating right now that is sending you over the moon?We grow these little sweet white tur-

nips called White Doll and those roasted in butter and salt and pepper I could eat all day.

What makes food such a rewarding and satisfying career for you?Food is the thing that all human be-ings have in common. If we didn’t have agriculture we wouldn’t have any other culture. It was when people decided to stay put and start growing and stopped foraging so much that human beings were able to have the time to develop music and art and the written word. I really think of food as the foundation for almost everything I enjoy about being a human being.

Your most glamorous moment work-ing for Linton and Gina Hopkins?I would say one of the thrills was when we traveled to New York with the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival and hosted a Southern dinner for New York people with lots of different chefs from Atlanta and around the South-east. That was fun and it made me re-ally doubly proud of our city and what we do. n

Judith Winfrey lends agricultural expertise to Restaurant Eugene

SIMPLY DELICIOUS taStEMakER

By Felicia Feaster

W hen the great rains of 2009 flooded the Douglasville farm Judith Winfrey ran

with her boyfriend Joe Reynolds, some might have called the whole thing off. But not Winfrey. Like the produce she and Reynolds still tend, Winfrey has blossomed with rain. After that disaster, Winfrey went to town—spe-cifically, Buckhead—to find a supple-mentary job, and she has since become a cult figure on the local foodie scene as the director of hospitality and frui-tion for Linton and Gina Hopkins’ Buckhead food empire: Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch Public House, H&F Bread Co. and H&F Bottle Shop. Among her many roles within the Hopkins’ empire, Winfrey sources new farmers for the restaurant and even arranges “field trips” to area farms for the staff. Called out as one of the country’s local food heroes by Cooking Light magazine, this grand-child of a sharecropper and daughter of a caterer was clearly predestined for a career in cuisine.


n BrickTop’s3280 Peachtree Road N.E.Atlanta 30305404.841.2212www.bricktops.com

BrickTop’s in Buckhead is an ideal spot for everything from weekend brunches to large dinner gatherings, making it a chameleon of a location. A unique house specialty served any time of day is the deviled eggs and sugar bacon—order this as a side with your brunch of chicken and waffles. For dinner, try a colorful crab cake salad—jumbo lump crab cake, mango, avocado, pine nuts and a spicy whole grain mustard sauce. We also like the beef tenderloin flatbread, which comes layered with mashed potatoes, blue cheese and caramelized onions. Among the spe-cialty cocktails served up is the French 75 – à la Bar Hemingway, it features Paris champagne, gin, sugar and fresh lemon juice – Ooh la la!

n café Agora262 E. Paces Ferry Road N.E.Atlanta 30305404.949.0900www.cafeagora.com

This casual eatery sandwiched within a strip of shops along East Paces Ferry is a true Mediterranean delight. The Greek-, Turkish- and Mediterranean-inspired plates are simply divine, rang-ing from traditional gyros and kebabs to specialty pies like spanakopita—a baked phyllo dough pie stuffed with tomatoes, sautéed onions and exotic herbs. There’s also the heavenly feta pie—herby baked flatbread topped with feta, tomato and Greek spices. For lighter options, Café Agora’s signature salad and appetizers like hummus, tabouli and baba ghanoush are sure to hit the spot. And it’s seriously nutty (pun intended) how amazing the wal-nut kadayif is.

n davio’s Northern italian Steakhouse3500 Peachtree Road N.E.Atlanta 30326404.844.4810www.davios.com

Treat your feet—and your palate—with dinner at Davio’s after a long day of

shopping at Phipps Plaza. The extrava-gant dinner menu overflows with an array of plates, from savory antipasti like the Jonah lump crab cake with a side of whole grain mustard sauce to classic hearty entrées like roasted maple leaf duck breast served with grape raspberry compote, creamer potatoes and red wine jus. There’s even a gluten-free lunch and dinner menu. For larger parties, Davio’s offers a wallet-friendly Sunday Family Dinner, where the meals are served family-style and the cost is $20 per adult; $10 for children 12 and under.

n Mo Mo ya3861 Roswell RoadAtlanta 30342404.261.3777www.goldenbuddhaga.com

There’s something quite exhilarating about watching a master hibachi chef light little huts of onion hoops on fire, then ignite a trail of hot oil so the flames nearly lick your face. For those who haven’t experienced the grand pizzazz of hibachi dining, Mo Mo Ya—one of Buckhead’s most established Japanese restaurants (open since ’75!)—is a great first. Most customers visit this place for the hibachi, which offers choices ranging from vegetarian to a lavish combination of New York steak and lobster. Sushi is also on the menu, featuring classics like salmon, crab and tuna, along with adventurous delicacies like flying fish egg and live scallop. For your aesthetic pleasure, both the hibachi room and sushi bar face a Zen-like garden cared for daily with meticulous detail.

n ocean Prime3102 Piedmont Road N.E.Atlanta 30305404.846.0505www.oceanprimeatlanta.com

Championing the modern American supper club concept, Ocean Prime is one of Buckhead’s finest restaurants, serving up the most tempting of land and sea plates. Two of Ocean Prime’s signature dishes are the tender Chilean sea bass in champagne truffle sauce and the dry-aged 16-ounce Kansas City strip steak. And what’s fine dining without wine? Lucky for guests, the res-

feATured resTAurAnTs

A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead

By Rachelle Hicks

SIMPLY DELICIOUS

n Stix & Steaks4279 Roswell RoadAtlanta 30342404.255.4868www.chopstixatlanta.net

What has crimson walls, zebra-print up-holstery and a piano bar? Stix & Steaks, of course! If you had a hard time answering this question, it’s probably because this little jewel is hidden away within the East Cobb Crossing Shopping Center on Roswell Road. But don’t let its location deter you from Asian dishes so good, you’ll strain to keep your composure. Owners Phillip Chan and Alvin Yin offer their takes on Hong Kong cuisine, featuring exotic dishes like veal with pasta sautéed in Cantonese-style garlic soy sauce; another specialty is the Chopstix chicken stir-fried with onions, scallions and honey-glazed walnuts. The seafood plates are by far the best—a house specialty, the lobster tail, is made in classic Cantonese style, sautéed with zesty ginger and scallion sauce. Also keep in mind that the chef is more than happy to prepare dishes by special request that aren’t on the menu. Best of all, all meals are MSG-free! Live music of varying genres plays nightly, and most customers will even ven-ture to dance between courses on Friday and Saturday nights.

Spotlight

taurant boasts a top-notch selection of award-winning wines to pair with your favorite dish. If you order the sea bass, try the crisp Waugh Cellars Chardon-nay, a rare find from the Russian River Valley; a great pairing for the steak is a glass of the Quivira Zinfandel, a fully ripe glass with flavors of bramble fruit, plum and black pepper.

n raja indian restaurant2955 Peachtree Road N.E.Atlanta 30305404.237.2661www.grandraja.com

The owner and founder of this Eastern gem, Ramen Saha, has been treating Buckhead to his expertise in North Indi-an cuisine since 1979. Dishes range from diverse vegetarian options to a large selection of tandoori plates. (Tandoori is a type of cuisine that gets its name from the tandoor oven, which seals in a characteristically intense flavor during a 24-hour marinating process.) Try the Tandoori Mixed Platter to get the full experience. And check this out—there are 11 (yes, 11!) different types of buttery bread you can order as sides, including a few variations of naan, paratha and kulcha. For desert, a must-try is Raja’s


Kulfi, which is like a very dense, velvety ice cream and comes in mango or pistachio flavors.

n rosebud1397 N. Highland AvenueAtlanta 30306404.347.9747www.rosebudatlanta.com

Thanks to a personality-packed staff and good-spirited Owner and Chef Ron Eyester, Rosebud has certainly become a sought-after destination along the Highland Avenue strip. Though Eyester and his crew provide Rosebud with a great sense of community, the locally sourced fare that they serve for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch is what keeps the crowd coming back for more. The Southern-inspired American cuisine boasts fall-off-your-chair dishes like coffee-braised lamb shank with root vegetable purée, dried apricot relish and natural jus; also try the savory Carolina gold risotto tossed with cran-berry bourbon sausage, shallots, turnips and spiced pecans (wow!). Popular appetizers include Point Judith calamari with lemon pepper aioli and the house-made pimento cheese. Rosebud offers specialty cocktails like Buffalo Check—a bold concoction of Jameson, fresh grapefruit, St. Germain and bitters.

n Siam Thai123 Sycamore StreetDecatur 30030404.371.4333www.siamthaidecatur.com

If you’re on the lookout for a charm-ing, intimate restaurant to take your significant other to on Valentine’s Day, this Decatur Square gem just might be the ticket. The perfect appetizer to prepare your palate at this inexpensive, yet elegant spot is the fresh basil roll—sweet tofu, noodles, crispy veggies and basil wrapped in a tender rice pastry. A great way to “ignite” the passion of the evening is with the barbecue chicken satay. This exciting dish comes with a spiced creamy peanut dip and a side of fire for crisping the meat. End the night with Siam’s indulgent green tea ice cream or silky sweet Thai iced tea.

n The Square Pub115 Sycamore StreetDecatur 30030404.844.4010www.squarepubdecatur.com

This impressive three-floor pub in De-catur Square was created by restaurant guys Bob Rhein and Jason Wiles, who wanted to develop a place where they could hang out, eat fun food (kitchen’s

open until 2 a.m.) and drink awesome beers. Gourmet pub grub is what’s on the menu, featuring Southwestern favorites and every kind of meat you can imagine—including a killer plate of duck. And there’s one interesting dish you should definitely try—it’s called the Frito Plate. It’s a bed of those little crisps of salty deliciousness topped with seasoned ground beef, red or green chili, Cheddar Jack cheese, let-tuce, tomato and onion. As if the meal couldn’t get any more sinful, you can always ask for fried Oreos for dessert, complete with an indulgent strawberry dipping sauce and whipped cream.

n Tin Lizzy’s cantina3639 Piedmont RoadAtlanta 30305404.846.6000www.tinlizzyscantina.com

Whether you’re looking for a venue to enjoy some live local music or a place to hang out after a long day at the office, Tin Lizzy’s Cantina is a prime Buckhead spot for unwinding and letting the good times roll. The appetizer plates—like fried pickles, homemade guac or two different kinds of salsa and queso—are great for sharing, and the gourmet tacos are cheap and good. Feel free to really liven up the night with the “fall off the

house” margarita—just remember when imbibing all this goodness that you may be too “overwhelmed” to drive.

n Treehouse restaurant and Pub7 Kings CircleAtlanta 30305404.266.2732www.treehouseatlanta.com

Hidden within a quaint Buckhead neighborhood and adorned with funky birdhouses and knickknacks, Treehouse Restaurant and Pub provides guests with an atmosphere reminiscent of whimsical childhood days. It caters to an eclectic crowd, from families who’ve been regulars for decades to young seedlings looking for a relaxing hub. The heated outside deck is decorated with psychedelic glass art and is ideal for unwinding with a cup of hot coffee. If you choose to dine with your dog (yes, the patio is pet-friendly!), the laid-back staff won’t mind a bit. During these winter days, Treehouse’s intimate interior warms with a blazing hearth as guests dine on entrées like sautéed mountain trout with peach brown but-ter, or the New York strip steak with blue cheese butter and onion rings. The menu also includes a diverse selec-tion of pizzas, soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches.

YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA

P.O. Box 11633, Atlanta, GA 30355www.simplybuckhead.com • 404-538-9895

Our expert panel, led by Clark Howard, presents:

Threedom ReignsLocal Three brings speakeasy vibe to the neighborhood

Training DayLocal clubs get you to the finish line faster

LIVE WELLFOR LESS

51 ways to do more

and spend less in Buckhead

ISSUE 08 • FREE

January/February 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA


Live WeLLFor Less

SIMPLY BUCKHEAD COVER STORY

51 tips for getting top-shelf things

without paying top dollar

By Elsa K. Simcik Portrait photography by Sara Hanna Photography – www.SaraHanna.com


Valerie Hoff DeCarlo A reporter and anchor for 11Alive

for 12 years, Buckhead resident

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo (who goes by

Valerie Hoff on TV) offers viewers

money-saving tips in her “Ways to

Save” segment (www.11alive.com/

waystosave). “When the recession

started to get bad in 2008,

coincidentally I was at a point in my

life where I was really being very

thrifty,” she recalls. “I kept pitching

stories at work on saving people

money, whether it be finding things

on sale or couponing, and it just

really took off.”

Clark HowardBuckhead’s own Clark Howard

(www.clarkhoward.com) is now a

nationally recognized consumer

champion who can be seen on

HLN and heard on more than

200 radio stations every day,

telling people how to save money

and avoid getting ripped off.

He told us that while people

assume glitzy Buckhead is more

expensive than other parts of

Atlanta, “The reality is Buckhead

also offers so many deals if you’ll

really hunt.”

Jessica Dauler Better known as “Jessica Shops,”

Jessica Dauler talks about

Atlanta shopping deals every

Friday on Star 94. She also posts

her favorite tips for how to save

on clothes, beauty products

and home décor on her website,

www.jessicashops.com. “I’ve

always been a bargain shopper,”

Dauler, who lives in Sandy

Springs, tells us. “I have always

wanted a deal.”

Jennifer Maciejewski While writing for local magazines,

Jennifer Maciejewski often heard

about great deals and promotions

from her public relations contacts.

She realized that people needed a

way to find out about these offers

quickly. “We didn’t really have a

site that had a local focus on free

and cheap things to do,” she says.

“I figured I’d fill that void.” Thus

her blog www.atlantaonthecheap.

com was born. It has since spawned

sister sites through the “Cities on

the Cheap” network in over 40 cities

nationwide plus some in Canada,

Europe and the Caribbean.

It’s 2012 and there’s one trend that’s here to stay:

It’s chic to be cheap. In Buckhead, cutting back just

means finding the best deals on your favorite things,

not giving them up. We talked with local budget-living

experts (above)—folks who are always the first to know

about specials, savings and promotions—to find out how

we can work out, eat well, have fun and shop, all

while avoiding two very untrendy words: full price.

Meet our Budget-living expertS



Clark Howard: I work out at the YMCA on Moores

Mill Road (www.ymcapass.com). It

is the best deal in Buckhead. The

entire family membership for a year

is under $1,000 and my kids swim

there—indoors in winter, outdoors

in summer. I lift weights there three

times a week; there are all the

aerobics classes. It’s a real bargain.

Piedmont Hospital (www.

piedmonthospital.org) has its

own fitness center that’s a real

deal ($53 per month after a $150

initiation fee for an individual).

It’s really there to try to attract

doctors to the hospital, but they

sell off memberships to the public.

It’s a great fitness facility and it’s

not really that crowded.

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo: The new Urban Active (www.

urbanactive.com) in Buckhead

is around $80 a month for a

whole family. Then there’s a

whole other tier of gyms that are

called Workout Anytime (www.

woabuckhead.com). Those places

are $15 a month [for an individual]

so they’re even less. The church

gyms like Peachtree Presbyterian

(www.peachtreepres.org/

thegym) are another good

option because those are pretty

inexpensive, around $40 a month.

There’s also a store at Around

Lenox Shopping Center called

Lululemon (www.lululemon.com)

that has free yoga every Sunday.

You can’t beat that.

Jessica Dauler: How amazing is it that we

have Chastain Park (www.

chastainpark.org) right in

Buckhead? It’s a three-and-a-half-

mile walk around the entire park.

They’ve added more walking areas

around the equestrian center so

you can get in more distance.

exercise Well everyone wants to look their best,

but how can people in Buckhead stay in shape for less?

Even hospitals and churches offer fantastic gym memberships – for less.


Jennifer Maciejewski: You really have to make an effort to pay full price

for a meal anywhere. The best thing to do is find

your favorite spots and start following them on

Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Google+ to find

all kinds of deals. They are trying to target their

fan base, the people who already like them. For

instance, a restaurant might say, “Mention you saw

this on Facebook and you’ll get 20 percent off your

dinner.” My favorite place to go in Virginia Highland

is The Original El Taco (www.eltaco-atlanta.com).

You can get out for less than $10. The Fifth Group

Restaurants [which owns The Original El Taco] is

pretty good about offering little extra deals when

you check in on Facebook or on Foursquare.

Jessica Dauler: There are a few major restaurant groups in

Buckhead. You have Here to Serve (www.h2sr.

com), which has Aja, Prime, Twist and Noche, for

example. They always have specials. Cantina has

$2 Taco Tuesday. Coast, which is their seafood

restaurant, does half-price seafood every Sunday.

Aja, their Asian one, has half-price wine on

Wednesday and $5 dim sum on Sunday. You can just

scroll through their specials on their website and you

seriously can find a deal for every day of the week.

The other major restaurant group is Buckhead Life

(www.buckheadrestaurants.com), which includes

Nava, Kyma, Corner Café and Buckhead Diner. Once

a year they do their added-value promotion where if

you buy one of their Ultimate Dining Cards, they will

add 20 percent to it. So for every $100 they’re giving

you $20 for free. [This promotion runs through

January 30, 2012.]

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo: There’s a website (www.gobyo.com) that tells you

places that you can bring your own wine, which

is great because they mark up wine like crazy in

restaurants. Some might charge a corkage fee, some

don’t, but it’s always helpful when you can find a

place where you can bring your own wine.

eat Well

Where are your favorite places to eat well in or near Buckhead without spending too much?

“You really have to make an effort to pay full price

for a meal anywhere.”– Jennifer Maciejewski

Jennifer Maciejewski munches on inexpensive

Mexican fare at The Original El Taco in Virginia Highland.



Clark Howard: We pretty much only buy used clothes. People have a

misperception that the best place to buy used clothes

is in a blue-collar area. The best place always to buy

used clothes is in a really wealthy area. Sweet Repeats

(www.sweetrepeatsatlanta.com) is outstanding for kids’

clothes. Our kids look like they’re dressed in clothes that

cost a million bucks that we spent no money on. Labels

(www.labelsresaleboutique.com) is fantastic if you’re

into designer stuff. My wife recently bought some stuff

for herself at Labels that was brand-new. Somebody

must have gotten some stuff as a gift and didn’t want it

and it ended up there extra-cheap.

Jessica Dauler: There’s a store in Buckhead called Brina Beads (www.

brinabeads.com). You can make your own jewelry.

You’re paying as low as a fourth of the price of what

you would pay if you bought your finished item at a

boutique.

I’ve found the most amazing deals on things at

Bloomingdale’s at Lenox (www.bloomingdales.

com/lenoxsquare). They have this great contemporary

section and they always have sale racks. Whenever

Bloomingdale’s sends out their extra 20 percent off

discounts, which they do all the time if you have their

credit card or are on their email list, you can go in there

and usually the prices you see marked are almost always

lower when you check out.

Saks (in Phipps Plaza; www.saksfifthavenue.

com/atlanta) also has a contemporary department

downstairs. They take their inventory and set up about

10 or 15 racks of clothing. You probably would miss

it if you didn’t know to go downstairs. I also like this

boutique in Phipps Plaza called K-La (www.shopkla.

com). Most of the items in the store are under $100.

Jennifer Maciejewski: Alexis’ Suitcase (www.alexissuitcase.com) in Sandy

Springs has an annual sale [to be held April 14 this year]

where they knock things down to some ridiculously

low level. They have a party during the sale where

they’ll have massages and cupcakes; it’s just a fun

shopping experience.

Fab’rik (www.shopfabrikboutique.com) has so many

cute things and you can find good deals. For that type

of [trendy] stuff, they’re reasonable.

Buckhead isn’t just Atlanta’s shopping capital; it’s also the city’s sales capital

— if you know where to look.

shop WellWhat are your go-to stores in or around Buckhead for finding great clothes on a budget?


Jessica Dauler: Pieces (www.piecesinc.com) on

Roswell Road has home goods as well as

accessories like lamps and art. It’s really

cool because it’s a way to add unique

things to your home. It’s so great and not

that expensive for what it is.

One of my favorites is Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams (www.mgbwhome.

com) because they have such high-quality

pieces that will last forever and they’re not

that expensive. That’s a mailing list that’s

worth signing up for because they’ll do

seasonal sales on certain items. One month

it might be lamps; one month it might be

tables or rugs.

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo: HomeGoods (www.homegoods.com) has

some nice prices on all kinds of household

stuff, from rugs to furniture to kitchen

stuff. On Cheshire Bridge Road, there’s a

store called Antiques & Beyond (www.

antiquesandbeyond.com) that is just one

of the most fabulous antiques stores. For

some reason the prices are just a lot lower

than other antiques stores. You can ask for

a discount and sometimes they’ll give it to

you. Now & Again (www.nowandagain.

net) is another antiques store. If you’re on

their email list they send you information

about specials and sales.

And The Dump (www.thedump.com)

is awesome. You could go there and

decorate your entire house. The prices are

low for the quality in my opinion. They’re

only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday

to try to keep the overhead low so they

can keep their prices low.

decorate Well How can Buckhead residents

find nice, affordable pieces for their homes?

“It’s so great and not that expensive for

what it is.” -Jessica Dauler on Pieces, a

Buckhead home goods store

Jessica Dauler at Pieces in Buckhead.



Clark Howard: The Brookhaven Costco (www.costco.

com) hasn’t caught on yet, so the best

deals for Costco shoppers are there. At

Costco you look for anything that ends

in $.97 because that’s a clearance item.

There are just tons of clearance items at

the Brookhaven Costco.

Jessica Dauler: I recently discovered the beauty of the

Publix website (www.publix.com). You

can go to their website, look through

their weekly sales and you can actually

check off which items you want, have it

emailed to you and it comes in the form

of a grocery list. It tells you what aisle

the discounted item is located in at your

particular store and how much it is.

Jennifer Maciejewski: The Thrifty Mama (www.

thethriftymama.com) is a website

that does a good job teaching people

how to use coupons and has a natural,

organic vibe. Southern Savers (www.

southernsavers.com) focuses more on

mainstream stores like Publix and Kroger.

It will save you a ton of time because

it tells you which low-priced items

also have coupons.

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo: Trader Joe’s (www.traderjoes.com) also

has some really good deals. Sometimes

their prices are lower on produce than

Kroger or Publix. Whole Foods (www.

wholefoodsmarket.com) has one-day

sales that are usually fabulous deals. If you

subscribe to their email list or follow them

on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll find out

when the one-day sale is happening.

buy Well

Where and how can people grocery shop without breaking the bank?

“At Costco you look for anything that ends in $.97 because that’s

a clearance item.” – Clark Howard

Clark Howard at the Dunwoody Costco.


Valerie Hoff DeCarlo likes www.atlantadealsites.com, which takes all the daily deals (including Groupon, Half Off Depot and Living Social) and posts the ones for Atlanta.

Jessica Dauler minimizes her inbox clutter by using www.yipit.com. It also collects deals

and allows you to narrow them down by ZIP code and category.

Jennifer Maciejewski is a fan of www.fieldtripswithsue.com where Atlanta mom Sue Rodman writes about outings, events and discounts for families in the area.

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo and Jennifer Maciejewski recommend www.atlantawithkid.com, a blog about free and cheap activities for families.

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo says www.iheartpublix.com can help you learn strategies for maximizing your coupons when shopping at Publix.

Valerie Hoff DeCarlo: When you go to movies you can buy tickets at Costco

(www.costco.com, click “entertainment”). It can save you a

couple of bucks per ticket versus buying them at the theater.

Kids’ birthday parties can get so expensive, but

the Sandy Springs fire station locations (www.

sandyspringsga.org/ssfr) will often let people have

birthday parties there for free.

For kids’ sporting equipment, Play It Again Sports

(www.playitagainsports.com) has wonderful deals.

You don’t really need to buy new sports equipment.

A used bat will hit a home run just as well as a new one.

And gloves are better if they’re a little broken in.

Jennifer Maciejewski: Little Shop of Stories in Decatur (www.littleshopofstories.

com) has some of the best events for kids, like free story times

three times a week. One of those is on Thursday evenings;

kids can come in their pajamas and have milk and cookies.

Jessica Dauler: The High Museum (www.high.org) has a lot of different

kids’ programs like “Toddler Thursdays,” which is an

interactive, hands-on craft project. [Program is free with

admission and children 5 and under are always free.]

I don’t know if everyone knows that you can go to the zoo (www.zooatlanta.org) for free if you have a library card

from any library in the state. You go to your local library,

check out the zoo DVD, and when you return it you receive

a receipt for a family pass to the zoo for two adults and

two children. Each family can do this once per year.

Clark Howard: Metro Atlanta is short on parks but Buckhead is so well

populated with parks. We love to go to Chastain. I love

Atlanta Memorial Park (www.atlantaga.gov). There’s

that wonderful private lake just east of Peachtree, the Duck Pond (www.peachtreeheightseast.org). My son loves seeing

the ducks. You can take bread and feed them. There’s so

much you can do in Buckhead that doesn’t cost anything.

play Well Valerie Hoff DeCarlo goofs off at Play It

Again Sports.

What can families do for fun without having to dip

into the kids’ 529 plans?

“A used bat will hit a home run just as well as a new one. And gloves are better if they’re a little broken in.” – Valerie Hoff DeCarlo

Our experts also weighed in on their favorite online spots for finding deals (besides their own, of course!):

sItes WortH saving


P A I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T


Since opening its doors in October 2010, Pupcakes has been a favorite spot for small dogs to mingle. Offer-ing daycare, boarding and grooming, the facility’s cage-free philosophy allows pooches to enjoy an open en-vironment with continual access to an outside garden and patio to take in some sun and fresh air.

“When you enter Pupcakes, you can see the whole facility at once since all of the playrooms have half walls. This way, we can see every-thing going on all the time, and the dogs can see us, even if we are in a separated section,” says owner Ar-lene Sinanian.

While Pupcakes daycare and boarding is designed for small dogs weighing less than 36 pounds, the grooming service, which is the shop’s most popular service, is available for dogs of all sizes. Four-legged friends can stop by for ser-vices like the Ultimate Spa Experi-ence, which, like all of its popular grooming services, begins and ends with doggie playtime. This, Sina-nian says, helps limits dogs anxi-ety while getting groomed. Other

pampering services include nail painting and teeth brushing.

Sinanian, who is the proud pet parent of a Maltese named Aiden, started Pupcakes after decades of participating in small dog obedience, agility and pet therapy. Through her work, she discovered the special needs and requirements of little ca-nines and finally decided to embrace her passion on a higher level.

“What I like most about being in the pet industry is being around an-imals and animal lovers who have a passion for our little guys,” she says.

Serving clients from Buckhead to Sandy Springs and beyond, Pupcakes’ most important compo-nent of business is its strong team and excellent customer service, Sinanian says.

“I want little dogs and their owners to feel as if they walked into a family member’s home when they enter my facility. After all, they trust us with their most prized possession! Also, there are so many small dogs in the area. They need a place to feel comfortable,” she says.

For more information, visit www.pupcakesplaycare.com.

P E T P A G E

DR. RIVA WOLKOW 216 E. BELLE ISLE ROAD

ATLANTA, GA 30342

Sandy Springs’ Best Kept Secret Full Service Hospital Friendly Expert Staff

Dog & Cat Vaccinations Medicine & Surgery

Radiology & Ultrasound Boarding & Grooming

NEW CLIENTS! Off first visit services

Playground for Petite PoochesBuckhead’s Pupcakes Playcare is sanctuary for small dogs


Simply Happening

Cathedral Antiques Show and Tour of HomesJan. 22-Feb. 42744 Peachtree Road N.W.Atlanta 30305404.365.1107www.cathedralantiques.org

Each year antiques aficionados descend on the Cathedral of St. Philip in Buckhead for the much-anticipated Antiques Show. Celebrating its 41st year in 2012, the multi-day event showcases 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-cen-tury pieces from local, regional and national exhibitors. Play the role of a treasure hunter as you examine porcelain, furniture, jewelry, art and more; you can also sit in on one of the daily lec-tures to learn about antiques and design. The event includes two home tours, giving attendees a peek into some of the city’s most beautiful abodes. The Inspiration House on the grounds of the Ca-thedral also showcases the works of 20 up-and-coming designers. A community outreach project of the Episcopal Church Women of the Cathedral of St. Philip, the

show has raised more than $3 million for local charities since its inception in 1969. This year, the show selected non-profit All About Developmental Disabilities (AADD) as its beneficiary. Stop by one of the events below:

First Place Passion Sunday, Jan. 22The first event to kick off the cel-ebrated show is a stroll through the neighborhoods of Peachtree Hills and Garden Hills, where five new homeowners will showcase their “first places” and the passion they put into their décor. Tickets are $20.

Tour of Homes Sunday, Jan. 29This self-guided tour of five homes, including the Inspiration House, gives visitors the chance to explore the works of some of the world’s most renowned designers, architects and crafts-men. Tickets are $30.

Preview Party Wednesday, Feb. 1Before the doors open to the

public, more than 600 event guests and sponsors have the chance to get a first look at the treasured antiques while celebrat-ing the show’s 41st year with wine and music. Tickets are $125 (in-cludes admission to the show all three days, Inspiration House and complimentary afternoon tea).

Cathedral Antiques Show Thursday, Feb. 2- Saturday, Feb. 4Explore two floors filled with a variety of precious antiques at the Cathedral of St. Philip. Tick-ets are $15 (includes admission to the show all three days, Inspi-ration House and complimentary afternoon tea).

Drinks & Antiques— A Night for the Young & Savvy Friday, Feb. 3This new Antiques Show event encourages young collectors to explore and maybe even take home a starter piece for their blossoming antiques collections. The evening will include a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $40.

The Cathedral Antiques Show showcases treasures from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Sister Moore

S I M P L Y B U Z Z | S I M P L Y C H A R I T A B L E | S I M P L Y S C E N E

Spotlight


n Turtle ToursJan. 14 and Feb. 11Heritage Sandy Springs Mu-seum6075 Sandy Springs CircleSandy Springs 30328404.851.9111www.heritagesandysprings.org

Enrich the lives of little ones with Turtle Tours at Heritage Sandy Springs Museum. Based on the Smithsonian Institution’s Early Enrichment program, the tours introduce children ages 2 to 5 to history through stories, hands-on exhibits and crafts. Sandy the chipmunk and Spring the turtle—the museum’s mas-cots—help make the 30-minute tours fun and educational experiences. The January tour theme is “Sandy and Spring ‘Go Green’” and February’s is “Sandy Feeds His Feathery Friends.” Programs run from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and the museum advises parents and children to arrive early to ensure they get a spot. The program is free, but donations are encouraged.

n Anne Irwin Fine Art ReceptionsJan. 20 and Feb. 24Anne Irwin Fine Art690 Miami Circle #150Atlanta 30324404.467.1200www.anneirwinfineart.com

After moving into new digs on Miami Circle, Anne Irwin Fine Art Gallery hosts two upcom-ing receptions for Southeastern artists. On Jan. 20, the gallery will welcome the expressionist work of Atlanta doctor and art-ist Gary Bodner. Following the kickoff party, the exhibit will continue at the gallery for three weeks. On Feb. 24, Anne Irwin will host another reception, this one for Tennessee native David Arms, to welcome his three-

week showcase of original oil paintings. Both receptions take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and include wine, beer and cheese.

n Anjelah Johnson at the Buckhead TheatreJan. 21The Buckhead Theatre3110 Roswell RoadAtlanta 30305404.843.2825www.thebuckheadtheatre.com

San Jose, Calif., native Anjelah Johnson became an Internet sensation with her viral video “Nail Salon” before appearing on “MADtv” as a series regular. Although she is busy acting and doing animated voices in movies like Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, the former NFL cheerleader-turned-funny lady is bringing her stand-up show to the Buck-head Theatre on Jan. 21 with two back-to-back shows (7 and 9:30 p.m.). Tickets are $32.50.

n The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America Torch GalaJan. 28InterContinental Buckhead3315 Peachtree Road N.E.Atlanta 30326404.982.0616www.ccfa.org

The Crohn’s & Colitis Founda-tion of America will host its annual gala at the InterCon-tinental Buckhead. Kicking off at 7 p.m. with dinner and dancing, the event will also include a silent auction and raffle. As part of the evening, the Foundation will honor Buckhead residents Ann and Jay Davis and their son, Rich-ard, as 2012 Torch Gala Citizens of the Year for their efforts as devoted fundraisers, volunteers and advocates for the CCFA. For the past 21 years the Torch Gala has been the largest fun-draiser for the Georgia Chapter of the CCFA, raising more than $5.1 million dollars to date. Individual reservations begin at $300 and table sponsorships are also available.

n The Celebrity Chef TourFeb. 3 and 4Park 75 at the Four Seasons Hotel 75 14th Street N.W.Atlanta 30309404.881.9898www.celebritycheftour.com

The Celebrity Chef Tour is mak-ing a stop in Atlanta, setting up shop at the Four Seasons Ho-tel’s Park 75 for a cocktail party on Feb. 3 and a gourmet seven-course dinner on Feb. 4. The cocktail party is hosted in con-junction with Atlanta’s Bartend-ers Guild and will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. and include specialty cocktails with local spirits and appetizers prepared by Park 75. The dinner, hosted by Park 75 Executive Chef Rob-ert Gerstenecker, benefits the James Beard Foundation and highlights the talent of James Beard Foundation Award winners and celebrity chefs. Participating chefs will include Hugh Acheson of Empire State South in Atlanta and Five and Ten in Athens, Ga., and Josh Feathers of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, along with others from Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama. Beginning with a 6:30 p.m. reception, the din-ner in the Grand Ballroom will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with wine pairings for each course and will allow time for guests to ask questions and learn more about each chef. Tickets for Friday’s cocktail party are $50 per person; Saturday’s dinner is $140 per person.

n Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Simple Abundance Cooking ClassesFeb. 6 and 20 The Cook’s Warehouse-Brookhaven4062 Peachtree RoadAtlanta 30319404.892.FEED, ext. 1444www.ACFB.org

Learn to cook while giving back with the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Simple Abundance Cooking Class series. Taking place at The Cook’s Warehouse

in Brookhaven for two dates in February, the program hosts chef and award-winning cook-book author Virginia Willis on Feb. 6 and Chef Anthony Gray of Southern Art and Bourbon Bar on Feb. 20. Willis will cook up a French-inspired meal of lemon thyme Cornish hens with gnocchi Parisienne in honor of Valentine’s Day. Gray will demonstrate the preparation of roasted prime rib, sweet potato horseradish casserole and more. Each event is $55 and takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. The dem-onstrations and tastings also in-clude wine samples sponsored by Sherlock’s Wine Merchant and door prizes by Bella Cucina Artful Foods and Cabot Cheese. One hundred percent of the class tuition benefits Atlanta’s Table, a Food Bank project that collects food from the local hospitality industry and delivers it to more than 40 nonprofit partner agencies to provide meals for those in need.

n Taste of LoveFeb. 11The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead3434 Peachtree RoadAtlanta 30326404.527.7155www.epilepsyga.org

Put on your black tie and prepare for an elegant evening at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia. The 2012 Taste of Love gala, themed “Imagination Knows No Limits,” will feature gourmet dining, wine pairings and live entertainment as well as silent and live auctions to keep the nearly 600 well-dressed attendees entertained from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Many of the auctioned items will be va-cation getaways, luxury goods, sports packages and fine dining experiences. Individual tickets are $250 and tables for 10 and 12 are also available for purchase.

n Buckhead Restaurant Week Feb. 25-March 4Buckhead Restaurant Weekwww.brwatlanta.com

Indulge in the gastronomy of some of your favorite Buck-head eateries at the third annual Buckhead Restaurant Week. Taking place the last week of February and first week of March, this popular event will once again offer $25 and $35 three-course prix fixe menus of tasty gourmet cuisine. Each dining experience includes appetizer, entrée and dessert options showcasing each restaurant’s unique of-ferings, as well as some dishes prepared especially for the weeklong culinary celebration.

n Organic Gardening Workshop Feb. 25Blue Heron Nature Preserve4055 Roswell RoadAtlanta 30342404.345.1008www.bhnp.org

Get an early start to spring by getting your hands dirty at Blue Heron Nature Preserve’s organic gardening workshop. Taught by instructor Kevin McCauley, the class takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Ro-swell Road nature area and is open to adults and teens. The workshop will focus on organic vegetable gardening and how to follow its principles; at-tendees will return home with sowed vegetable seeds in pots. The cost is $20 for Blue Heron members and $25 for non-members and includes all gardening supplies, including seeds, although attendees are also welcome to bring some seeds of their own choosing.

simply buzz | Events, exhibits, galas and more


SIMPLY HaPPenIng


SIMPLY HaPPenIng cHarItabLe

Food, fun and fundraising all came together at the Garden Hills Gala, held at the International School. Attendees enjoyed cuisine provided by Buckhead restaurants, live music, auctions and raffles.

The event raised more than $45,000 for the Garden Hills Neighborhood Foundation, a nonprofit that helps fund needed structural and safety im-provements in the neighborhood park and pool area.

Garden Hills Gala

Lynn Froeba and Jim Floyd

Diana McKee and Catie Hart

Browning Jeffries

Gary Smith and Josh Hargraves

Cristiana Vicars, Catie Hart and Leslie Wilson

Phil McIntosh, Julie McIntosh

and Gary Froeba

DeLille Anthony and Mark Anthony

Kelly Kipers and Jim Kipers

Tami Brook and Ken Brook

Photos by Sara Hanna Photography – www.SaraHanna.com


Pretty as a pictureChelsea, the Roberts’ family dog (see page 20), poses for our cameras.

Photo by Sara Hanna

SIMPLY HaPPenIng SIMPLY Scene

g i f t c a r d so r d e r o n l i n e o r c a l l

C h â t e a u É l a n W i n e r y & R e s o r t

1 0 0 T o u r D e F r a n c eB r a s e l t o n , G A 3 0 5 1 7

1 - 8 0 0 - 2 3 3 - W I N Ew w w . c h a t e a u e l a n . c o m

simply buckhead january/february 2012

Documents

learningrx program

lisa victory atlanta

burger business

new location

business partner

newest location

reading comprehension

doesnt watch tv