Happy New Year! Here's to 2025!
As we step into a new year, the theme of growth and renewal seems fitting—especially in the realm of health and wellness. We all enter this season with the hope of making positive changes: setting goals to improve our physical fitness, mental clarity, and overall well-being. But as we strive to be our best selves, it’s important to remember that true progress comes not from perfection, but from persistence, balance, and self-compassion.
In our annual Health and Wellness issue, we’re focusing on options for setting meaningful, achievable goals that reflect both your aspirations and your capacity for growth. It’s easy to get caught up in lofty resolutions, but the key to lasting change is rooted in setting realistic expectations and creating a path toward accountability that works for you.
Whether you’re aiming to establish a new fitness routine, adopt healthier eating habits, or simply carve out more time for self-care, success lies in taking small, consistent steps. It’s about finding what works for your life—what aligns with your values, and what you can stick to over time.
Accountability is an essential part of the journey, and it doesn’t always mean doing it alone. It’s about surrounding yourself with a supportive community, seeking professional guidance when necessary, and being honest with yourself about where you’re at. Acknowledge your wins, learn from your setbacks, and always, always keep moving forward.
In this issue, you’ll find a few local businesses that might be the right option for your goals, information that might help you on your health and wellness journey, and practical tips to help you design a health and wellness plan that’s not just a passing goal, but a lifestyle. Because in the end, wellness isn’t a destination—it’s a journey. One step at a time.
As always, thank you for being part of the Chamblee City Lifestyle community. We’re here to support your wellness journey, wherever it may lead. Wishing you health, happiness, and a renewed sense of purpose in the year ahead.
KEVIN PARKER, PUBLISHER
January 2025 Visit our Instagram
PUBLISHER
Kevin Parker | kevin.parker@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Tana Poncsak | tana.poncsak@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Janet Howard | janet.howard@citylifestyle.com
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Polina Williams | polina.williams@citylifestyle.com
Ingrid Preda | ingrid.preda@citylifestyle.com
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
CTO Ajay Krishnan
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT Erika Smiley
AD DESIGNER Zach Miller
LAYOUT DESIGNER Jamie Housh
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Marina Campbell
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Welcome to Chamblee Remedy Spa & Salon Suites! 2: Chamblee High School’s JROTC Male Raider Team attends a Chamblee City Council Meeting. 3: Girl Scout Troop 23093 pays a visit to Chamblee City Hall. 4: Guests attend the Paws and Paints Art Market. 5: Art, fun, and fourlegged friends attend the Paws and Paints Art Market. 6: Artists from the SPS Productions’s Autumn Leaves Sip & Paint show off their finished art. 7: Retro Rewind: A Nostalgic Night of 90s Trivia at Block and Drum.
Want to be seen in the magazine?
CHAMBLEE
POLINA WILLIAMS
POLINA WILLIAMS
POLINA WILLIAMS DEVON MORRIS
business monthly
MBT of Atlanta
Receive $50 off any service B for your Mercedes vehicle when you bring a copy of the magazine or mention this Business Monthly entry when you bring your car into MBT of Atlanta for service. This offer is valid during the month of January only.
Moondog Pub & Grub
Another addition to Chamblee’s growing food and drink scene! Moondog Pub & Grub is officially open for business. Moondog Pub & Grub is pet-friendly and family-friendly, with a great selection of fine food, craft beer, and cocktails. Stop by and check it out! And welcome to Chamblee!
Chamblee welcomes the Lifeline Animal Project
Chamblee City Council members, county officials, and the CEO of LifeLine Animal Project took part in the groundbreaking of the new "state-of-the-art" pet neighborhood at the DeKalb County Animal Services Center in Chamblee. Initial units are expected to be available in March 2025 and the remainder are expected to be completed by June 2025. For more information, visit lifelineanimal.org
Photography by MBT of Atlanta
Photography by Moondog Pub & Grub
Photography by City of Chamblee
Adding Chamblee... color to
One mural at a time
ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET HOWARD
If you're out and about on the Rail Trail, things may look a bit different now. In November artists participated in the Babe Walls Mural Festival, and during four days, the artists shared their talents and made their mark on the community.
If you didn't get to see the artists in action, we have a number of images here showing them as they shared their craft on specific areas along Chamblee's Rail Trail. And the good news, the artwork is there for the community to see and enjoy.
So next time you take a stroll, be sure to admire the artwork that took many artists days to create. This, like the many other events, is just one of the things that makes our community of Chamblee so beautiful and unique...uniquely Chamblee!
Take a look at the many murals along the Rail Trail.
Artists work on specific areas of the Rail Trail.
The many murals are just one of the many things that make Chamblee unique.
Adding the finishing touches
Reaching the hard to reach places
Mocktails
ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET HOWARD
Nuts ‘n Berries adds the ‘Booze-Free Bevie Shop’ to its healthy product offerings
Anyone?
Whether you’re taking part in Dry January, looking for a healthier alternative to alcohol or interested in the sober curious movement, non-alcoholic beverages, sometimes known as mocktails, are making their way into homes, restaurants and bars, and other places where people gather.
According to NCSolutions , more Americans (about 41%) planned to cut back on drinking in 2024. As for Gen Z, 61% planned to drink less and even 49% of millennials also planned to cut back. Their reasons ranged from saving money to improving mental and physical health. And it appears this trend may continue.
Because of this trend, there is a growing popularity of nonalcoholic drinks. As a result, the nonalcoholic beverage industry is experiencing tremendous growth. Mari Geier, owner of Nuts ‘n Berries in nearby Brookhaven, has seen the growth in the trend firsthand, and as THE local health food store, Mari says it’s exciting to see. “In the functional beverage category there are probably 60 to 70 new companies every month,” she says. “It’s the fastest growing sub-category that I’ve ever seen.” In 2024 the health food store opened its Booze-Free Bevie Shop, and this year they have plans to expand it. Mari says anything that you would typically consume from an alcohol standpoint, whether it’s wine or beer or liquor, they are creating and curating a subset of that with nonalcoholic options that also includes functional beverages that have ingredients that lift or elevate, like adaptogens, without impairment. This includes beverages with CBD and other hemp products and are considered booze-free. “I vet every single one of them to make sure that they actually taste like the alcohol versions,” Mari says.
But like everything else in the store, health is top priority, so they don’t carry any of the nonalcoholic versions that use food dyes or GMOs. “We have to be very careful about vetting our vendors to make sure the ingredients fit our standards,” Mari says. The nonalcoholic beverages in the Booze-Free Bevie Shop at Nuts ‘n Berries are no exception. Mari says that Nuts ‘n Berries already has a lot in store for the Booze-Free Bevie Shop coming in 2025. “We’re launching an entire mocktail menu where we'll teach people how to blend their own drinks,” Mari says. And she adds that you can get really creative with your nonalcoholic drink.
Want to be social but sans alcohol? Grab a nonalcoholic alternative.
WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THAT ALTERNATIVE. WE REALLY WANT TO BE THE EXPERTS IN SUPPORTING THOSE LOOKING TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE.
—MARI
GEIER, OWNER OF NUTS ‘N BERRIES
Simple functional drinks can be used as a base. Kombucha, for example, has a taste that can range from bitter and sour to sweet, and some kombucha tastes similar to beer, so you could start with that. Some people are watching calories and looking at sugar content. “I think the mixing of flavors is really where you can get super creative depending on what kind of flavor you like,” Mari adds. “You can customize your drink to whatever situation you’re in.”
If you’re looking for a canned beverage, Nuts ‘n Berries carries a wide variety including Mingle, Recess, Parch, Betty Buzz, and more. And they offer a variety of dealcoholized wines that Mari explains has gone through a reverse osmosis process to remove the alcohol, but you can still get a taste of the flavor. “The whites are pretty solid, but finding a red that actually tastes like a Cabernet can be very difficult,” Mari says. “We found this one company that does an amazing job with a sparkling wine that is just lovely. It’s like a Prosecco.” They plan to hold tastings in the store so shoppers can buy the brands they really enjoy.
Even those of us sipping alcohol free drinks want to look festive at social gatherings, so don’t forget to finish off your nonalcoholic beverage with the perfect glassware and garnish. Mari says incorporating fruit or olives can dress up your alcohol-free concoction or adding a lemon or lime wheel to a margarita or a sprig of mint to a mojito can also do the trick.
You can be festive and celebrate without the alcohol.
And as Nuts ‘n Berries expands the Booze-Free Bevie Shop in 2025, Mari says they plan to add cute, locally made glassware that will be great for gifts.
Mari says one of the values that Nuts ‘n Berries has is the belief that having fun and socializing is part of living a healthy lifestyle. "We feel like we’ve found the solution to help people feel social and part of a group. It’s very encouraging to see more young people coming into the health food store looking to make choices that are smart and support their longterm health,” she said. “We just want to be able to provide a solution for people looking for that alternative. We really want to be the experts in supporting those looking to live a healthier lifestyle.”
For more information about the new Booze-Free Bevie Shop at Nuts ‘n Berries, tastings and other events, visit nutsnberries.com
The Booze Free Bevie Shop gives shoppers a healthy alternative to alcohol.
TOTAL PRACTICE YOGA
It’s all about health, wellness
and community.
ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET HOWARD
As we make our way into the new year, many of us may include a resolution or two, and often that includes fitness. To make the resolution stick, it helps to find something you enjoy. If you’re looking for low impact, you may find that a yoga practice could be just what you’re looking for.
I really felt called to create something for the community... —Georgia Lynn, owner of Total Practice Yoga
Georgia Lynn is the owner of the new Total Practice Yoga, located in the Plaza Del Sol Shopping Center in Chamblee. “It’s an old train station, so it’s been around for a long time,” Georgia says, as she describes the space. “The ceilings are really high with exposed wood beams, brick walls, and hardwood floors, and natural light. It’s amazing.”
Georgia started out as a runner, but after a knee injury, she found herself looking for something that was low impact so she could move her body and work out while her injury healed. That’s when she found yoga. “I fell in love with it,” she says. “I started practicing it every day and I never turned back.”
She explains that it started out about the workout, but as her yoga practice matured, it became more than just a workout. “It became more about the meditative benefits and about connecting with my breath, and what I was feeling in my body,” she says. “Really the mind-body connection is what it’s grown into, so that’s been the journey.” And she says since starting, she’s practiced yoga most every day.
That was about 15 years ago, and since then, Georgia says she has more than 1,000 hours of certification in different forms of yoga. “I’m a forever lifelong learner,” she says. “So I dove in really deep around eight years ago.” That was also about the time
Top: Georgia Lynn, owner of Total Practice Yoga, helps a student with a pose.
Bottom: Yoga is about connection.
Right: Georgia Lynn leads a class at Total Practice Yoga.
she says she started thinking about owning her own studio at some point.
Georgia, who is a former elementary school teacher, taught yoga for different studios in the metro Atlanta area where she learned the business side of things. From there she went on her own to work with corporations that wanted to bring mindfulness to their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. She says it was when she moved to Chamblee, she started looking at different spaces for a studio of her own. “I really felt called to create something for the community where we could come together and breathe and move and do something healthy for our bodies and connect,” she says.
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word, yuj, and means to unify. Georgia says it’s about the connection with yourself between the mind and body and spirit, but it’s also about connecting with each other. “We’re in crazy times,” she says. “There’s a lot of disconnection. There’s a lot of separation. And there’s a lot of stress and fear and worry and doubt and uncertainty, but there’s also a lot of space to come together and to love. And that’s a big reason for the studio.”
Georgia named her studio Total Practice Yoga because she says it’s not just a workout, but the total practice of yoga. “So the mindfulness, the breath, and the meditation, and the community is a huge part of who we are,” she says.
Classes at Total Practice Yoga are all Vinyasa style yoga – stringing postures together moving from one to the other using the breath. Georgia explains that during a class she starts with some centering to transition from day-to-day tasks, taking a few moments
It’s about the connection with yourself between the mind and body and spirit, but it’s also about connecting with each other.
—Georgia
Lynn, owner of Total Practice Yoga
to notice what’s happening inside, and then she moves on to a mindful moving meditation that she says is similar to a dance with your breath. Every class is beginner friendly and limited to eight people so everyone can get the support that they need.
The benefits of yoga are many. Georgia says a yoga practice can help with strength and flexibility, and reduce tension, increase feelings of vitality, increase energy, and it’s been shown to help ease symptoms of chronic conditions. “Because it’s working with the central nervous system, it can help with healing and injuries,” she adds. The Vinyasa style that Georgia teaches at Total Practice Yoga can
get the heart rate going and people can burn anywhere from 150 to 300 calories in a class. “You’re definitely getting a workout along with all the other benefits too,” she says. “It’s a really great low-impact exercise.”
If you’re looking to try a yoga practice, Georgia says you can start by making small intentional movements and breathing a part of your everyday activities. “Finding a moment each day to connect with your body and move your body with intention will help that consistency,” she says. And she says to try more than one class to find one that works for you.
For more information about Total Yoga Practice, visit totalpracticeyoga.com
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ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK |
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CROSSFIT VENGEANCE
MOVE WELL, FEEL WELL, AND BE WELL WITH CROSSFIT VENGEANCE.
CROSSFIT VENGEANCE
As we move into 2025, and everyone is thinking about better health and fitness, Chamblee City Lifestyle spoke with Brandon and Emily Romanos, owners of CrossFit Vengeance, located in Chamblee to learn more about the gym and what CrossFit really means.
Emily: Yes, Brandon took me to a class in Roswell. I’ve always been into fitness as well. I played soccer and tennis growing up. I’ve been very active and always liked working out. I was ready to try something new, so that following summer of 2019, I had a class pass for the gym in Chamblee,
CROSSFIT IS CONSTANTLY VARIED
FUNCTIONAL FITNESS EXECUTED AT A HIGH INTENSITY.
HOW DID YOU TWO BECOME INTERESTED IN CROSSFIT?
Brandon: I’ve always worked out through sports and the like in college. I’m more of a bodybuilder to stay healthy and fit. Then in 2017 I followed Josh Bridges, a former Navy Seal, on social media and was thrilled by all the things he could do fitness-wise, so I started trying out some local CrossFit gyms in Roswell and fell in love with it. And then Emily and I started dating in 2018, and I took her to a CrossFit Gym.
and for the price, I decided to try it and fell in love with it and the competitiveness - the ability to progress on certain movements, and to see your results, and to see how you’re changing.
HOW DID YOU COME TO OWN CROSSFIT VENGEANCE?
Brandon: I started going to the gym in Chamblee, and then in 2021, I started coaching under the previous owner.
Emily: He moved to the head coach role, and then when we took the gym over, we changed the name to CrossFit Vengeance.
DID YOU HAVE TO GET ANY CERTIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO COACH?
Brandon: Yes, Emily and I are both CrossFit Level 1 coaches.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CROSSFIT AND OTHER EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAMS?
Brandon: Two things. CrossFit has been around for a long time. It started in the 2000s, and its peak was in 2018 when there were the most affiliate signups in a year along with the CrossFit Open that had one of the highest participations in the World Wide Open that year. What makes it different than your typical gym routine is by definition. CrossFit is constantly varied functional fitness executed at a high intensity, and so what that means is you’re going to be doing something a little bit different every single day. You’re going to be doing functional movements that are purely for aesthetic development and to gain muscle mass or muscle toning, and that's going to have a functional implication in everyday life. For example, we do a lot of box step ups and that’s going to translate over to walking up steps or going on a hikeclean movements that we do every single day for the most part. You’re picking up something off the ground and bringing it up to shoulder level…so a lot of what we do directly translates to everyday life and then executed at a high intensity.
TELL US ABOUT CROSSFIT VENGEANCE.
Brandon: At CrossFit Vengeance we follow a very strict program from Training Think Tank Gym in Roswell. The programming is strategically designed to have two
Brandon and Emily Romanos, owners of CrossFit Vengeance in Chamblee
CROSSFIT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
to three core movements that we focus on in any given cycles, which is typically six to eight weeks.
We have a 5K program and a variety of different fitness modalities, so when it comes to fitness, you're going to be well-rounded and that's going to lead to a higher quality of life. ...you should be doing aerobic conditioning for longevity, and you should be doing strength training for quality to make sure you have the appropriate muscle mass.
WHAT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO TRY CROSSFIT VENGEANCE?
Brandon: We have what’s called a Sweat Intro. We have a short 15-to-20-minute consultation where we discuss fitness and wellness goals and then they try out a class, so we always want to make sure people get to experience and make sure it’s something they’re going to enjoy. From there we decide what we think would be the best next step. If they’ve never done CrossFit before, they can do On-Ramp. But we always want to make sure people test us out to make sure the program is right for them and go from there.
CrossFit Vengeance offers Group Training, Personal Training, and Nutrition Coaching. A few coaches also have a podcast, The VenGents Podcast, where they talk nutrition and all things CrossFit. For more information, visit the website at crossfitvengeance.com
The group at CrossFit Vengeance.
Strength training at CrossFit Vengeance.
realty report
JANUARY 1ST
High Museum of Art
High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 | 10:00 AM
Visit the legendary artist Georgia O’Keeffe Exhibition that started in late 2024 and will continue into 2025. And check out the other events and exhibits at the High. For museum hours, ticket prices, and other special events and exhibitions, visit the High Museum of Art at high.org
JANUARY 1ST
The Ice Rink at Park Tavern, Powered by Pepsi
Park Tavern, 500 10th Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 | 11:30 AM
A "go to" winter tradition, "The Ice Rink at Park Tavern," is holding special winter break hours from Dec. 23 to Jan. 6. Hours may vary, so check the website for ticket prices and hours. For more information, visit parktavern.com
JANUARY 9TH
Year-In-Review Town Hall Meeting
Chamblee City Hall | 6:00 PM
Jimmy Furst, Chamblee councilmember-at-large, will facilitate a Year-In-Review Town Hall Meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 9 at Chamblee City Hall to discuss the city's accomplishments, progress on current projects, plans for the future, and a question and answer session for city residents. For more information, visit chambleega.com
JANUARY 10TH
FUNdamental Fridays: Drink, Draw, or Be Drawn
Spruill Event Studio, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road | 6:00 PM
"FUNdamental Fridays" Drink, Draw, or Be Drawn, with the emphasis on FUN, will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Jan. 10, in the Community Room at the Spruill Event Studio in Dunwoody. This event is for ages 21 and older. For more information, visit spruillarts.com.
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20% OFF your First Purchase of Booze-Free Bevies when you mention this ad in store.
Raise a Toast for Dry January at Nuts ‘n Berries
Introducing our Booze-Free Bevie Shop – Where Wellness Meets Flavor with None of the Regrets
Join the mindful beverage revolution! At Nuts ‘n Berries, we’re excited to bring you our new Booze-Free Bevie Shop, a haven for those who seek delicious, alcohol-free alternatives. Whether you’re looking to cut back on alcohol, enhance your wellness journey, or simply enjoy a new kind of refreshment, our Booze-Free Bevie Shop has something for everyone. Visit us today and raise a glass to a healthier you!
