Cobb Life Dec 2016 by Otis Brumby III

CL DECEMBER 2016 (1) 1

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[NEWS & NOTEWORTHY]

Purvis honored by C-MREA The Cobb-Marietta Retired Educators Association recently dedicated the 2016-17 C-MREA Directory to Nelle B. Purvis. As a C-MREA past president (1994-95), a perpetual chairman of the Sunshine and Calling committee and the force behind the thousands of decorated lunch sacks for the MUST Summer Lunch program, C-MREA has been the recipient of Purvis’ ever-continual and shining inspiration. She actively supports and participates in The Davis Direction Foundation, volunteers with MUST Ministries and Signature Rehab Center and is a past president of Delta Kappa Gama. Purvis has guided and given hope to thousands of children in some of the most challenging schools in the community.

C-MREA President Connie Kone, left, announces that the C-MREA 2016-17 Directory will be dedicated to Nelle B. Purvis. “Thank you, Nelle, for your untiring and positive spirit, and for the many people you have encouraged and continue to support. C-MREA is proud to dedicate this year’s Directory in honor of all you do,” the organization stated.

HBO NOW gift cards available

Cobb Life | December 2016

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HBO is making holiday shopping easier than ever this year, offering TV fanatics the chance to give a gift everyone can enjoy — the HBO NOW gift card. HBO NOW gift cards are available now in denominations of $25 and $50 at Walmart, Best Buy and GameStop stores throughout the U.S., just in time for TV fans to add an HBO NOW subscription to their holiday wish lists. HBO NOW provides audiences with instant access to all of HBO — addictive series, unforgettable movies, thought-provoking documentaries, thrilling sports programs and entertaining comedy and music specials — across a variety of their favorite devices, including Android phones and tablets, Amazon FireTV, Fire Tablet, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and Samsung Smart TVs. Subscribers can catch the latest must-see box office hits like Deadpool, The Revenant, Ride Along 2 and Sisters, plus HBO’s amazing line up of current series including Game of Thrones, Westworld, Silicon Valley, VEEP® and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, plus the recent seasons of Ballers, Vice Principals and Girls. HBO NOW also features every episode of every season of HBO classics like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, True Blood, The Wire, Six Feet Under and Deadwood.

11/15/2016 4:27:05 PM

[NEWS & NOTEWORTHY]

Google launches fast delivery service to Marietta, throughout state Google is expanding the Google Express service to a large portion of the Northwest and Southeast: Alabama, Kentucky, Utah, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, and Washington. Now, more than 70 million more people will have access to two-day delivery shopping at stores like Costco, Whole Foods Market, PetSmart, Kohl’s and more — right from their mobile phones or laptops. Since launching Google Express, Google has worked alongside retailers to help people get the items they use every day. Google Express makes it easy for shoppers to get the things they need in one convenient place, from multiple stores, giving them time back for the activities they love. Now, 98 percent of shoppers in Georgia will have two options to enjoy delivery from their favorite local retailers through Google Express: • Membership for $95/year • Pay-as-you-go for as low as $4.99 per order Nearly all Georgians have access to the service, including shoppers in Atlanta, Marietta, Savannah, Lawrenceville, Augusta, Alpharetta, Columbus, Decatur and Macon. To learn more about how to get started with Google Express, google.com/ express.

Cumberland Mall appoints new GM General Growth Properties announced that Christopher McCoy has joined Cumberland Mall as senior general manager. McCoy comes with a wealth of experience within the industry and GGP. He joined the company in 2004 serving on the management teams in Baltimore, Maryland, at White Marsh Mall, Mondawmin and Village of Cross Keys. He most recently served as the general manager of Peachtree Mall in Columbus. “In such a dynamic environment, his leadership serving our country as well as on the field, provided him unique skills that will play an integral role leading one of the top centers in our portfolio,” said Stephanie Brager, senior vice president of Asset Management for GGP. “As this market in Cobb County continues to grow, it is important that we have someone who will be involved in the community and ensure the residents are provided the best shopping and dining.” experience.” General Growth Properties Inc. is an S&P 500 company focused on owning, managing, leasing and redeveloping retail properties throughout the U.S. GGP is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol GGP.

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[NEWS & NOTEWORTHY]

Braves partner with Terrapin Beer Company

This rendering shows Athens-based Terrapin Beer Company brewpub and microbrewery planned at SunTrust Park. / Courtesy of Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves recently announced a partnership with Athens-based brewery Terrapin Beer Company, making the locally brewed beer the headliner at a brewpub and microbrewery at the team’s new ballpark in Cobb. The brewpub, dubbed The Terrapin Taproom, will be located outside the right field gate entrance at SunTrust Park and will offer many of Terrapin’s signature beers, including Hopsecutioner, HI-5, RecreationAle and Rye Pale Ale, according to a news release from the Braves. The brewpub, to be operated by Delaware North, will also feature food from Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q. The brewpub was originally referred to as The Tomahawk Taproom when it was first announced. Next door to the brewpub will be the ATL Brew Lab, a microbrewery where Terrapin will create new and unique beers. Both the Terrapin Taproom and the ATL Brew Lab will be accessible from both inside and outside the ballpark and will be open year-round, according to the news release. Terrapin was recently acquired by Tenth and Blake, the craft and imports division of MillerCoors, which the Braves had already named the official beer sponsor of SunTrust Park. The acquisition of Terrapin paved the way for the beer company to be the flagship craft brewery for the ballpark, the release states.

Amazon shifts role on fire TV device

Amazon’s own video store will no longer have the starring role on the company’s Fire TV streaming devices. Software updates coming this year will give movies and TV shows from Netflix, HBO and other competitors equal prominence on the devices’ home screen. The approach is similar to one Apple took when it refreshed its Apple TV device last year. Amazon’s Fire TV has offered solid performance at reasonable prices, but its home screen has been cluttered with Amazon products — whether to rent or buy, or offered at no extra charge through Amazon’s $99-a-year Prime program. That’s made it tough to find video from competing providers without turning to a voice-search feature that, until recently, excluded Netflix. For the most part, finding video typically required opening a service’s app first. Now, competing services will be offered space on the home screen. Netflix, for instance, could choose to highlight its original series “Stranger Things” alongside personalized recommendations. Netflix could also include a short video trailer that plays on the home screen. And while Amazon has long had a watch list for viewers to keep track of what they want to watch, choosing a title has directed the viewer back to Amazon’s store. Now, Amazon will offer viewers a choice of providers. If a video is available for free through Netflix, for instance, that will be the most prominent option, even if Amazon’s own store is selling the same title. The development comes as leading video services make major investments in original shows, making it difficult for any single service to fulfill all of a viewer’s needs. Cobb Life | December 2016

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Eliminate Sciatica and Back Pain Without The Scars and Expense of Back Surgery If you’re over the age of 35 and suffer from the following...

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• A complete neuromuscular examination. • A full set of specialized x-rays (when clinically necessary).

...there may be hope. Now, a local doctor has what may be the most important treatment in helping these conditions. Finally, there’s a treatment to conquer back and leg pain without dangerous medications or painful surgery. Nothing’s worse than feeling great mentally, but physically feeling held back from life because you hurt and the pain just won’t go away! Spinal decompression treatments are very gentle. In fact, every once in awhile I even catch a patient sleeping during sessions. Most patients feel better with just a few treatments, and best of all there will be...

No Dangerous Drugs, No Invasive Procedures, And No Painful Exercises. My name is Dr. Amy Valente, DNM owner of North Cobb Spine & Nerve Institute. I understand what it feels like to live in pain, because I see it every day. I’ve seen hundreds of people with back pain, numbness, and sciatica leave the office pain free. This is why I’m running a very special offer where you can find out if you are a candidate for spinal decompression.

• A thorough analysis of your exam and x-ray findings so we can start mapping out your plan to being pain free. • You’ll get to see everything first hand and find out if this amazing treatment will be your pain solution, like it has been for so many other patients. The normal price for this type of evaluation including x-rays is $250, so you’re saving a considerable amount by taking me up on this offer. Call today and for ONLY $20 we can get you scheduled for a consultation as soon as there is an opening. When you call, tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Back Pain and Sciatica Evaluation so we can record the date and give you proper credit for this special offer. But remember this special offer is only good until December 31, 2016.

Sincerely Dr. Amy Valente, DNM

P.S. Before you go under the knife and opt for back surgery, you should seriously consider this less invasive approach. Don’t wait and let your problems get worse, disabling you for life. Take me up on my offer and call today 678-574-5678.

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Caution! Decompression is DIFFERENT than old time traction or hanging upside down or inversion machines which can make your muscles squeeze the discs even harder!

See What Some of Our Patients are Saying: I was in so much pain that I was in tears everyday. I thought I couldn’t be healed because I had suffered with the pain for so long and tried so many different treatments. My family was feeling the stress because I was so unhappy. Now I feel like I am one-inch away from being healed! My pain level was a 16 on scale from 1-10. Now, I am down to a 1-2 and actually feel normal! I can take care of the things I need to do around the house, do my job properly and I feel like I can actually get out and ride my bike this summer. I am looking forward to exercising again. The staff at NCSN really cares and I know they are generally concerned about me getting better. I had my doubts since I tried for over a year to get better, but this worked! - Thank you, Jacquelyn W.

The attack of sciatica brought me to NCSN. Spinal Decompression Therapies have helped me in several different ways. My life is back, I don’t walk with a limp, I sleep better at night and my pain is gone. While coming to NCSN I have learned that spinal maintenance prevents back attacks, drinking water and eating healthy food make you feel well and it is a lifetime must. My symptoms of leg cramps, and hip aches have gone away. Getting well has affected my family too. They would hurt and stress seeing me so miserable and in so much pain. I feel alive, my house is cleaner, and my thinking is clearer. I would describe the atmosphere and care as family like. The staff is very knowledgeable and each and every employee is so caring and concerned. What has amazed me the most about my care is the genuine concern, numerous therapy options, the Christian atmosphere and the treatment of all the doctors. I am telling the world I love them all. - Thank you, Pamela E.

CALL TODAY FOR THIS SPECIAL OFFER! 678-574-5678 EXPIRES 12-31-16 • Federal and Medicare Restrictions Apply

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[WORTH WATCHING] If you’re looking for new and exciting shows to watch this summer, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few that might be worth your time. — Compiled by LaTria Garnigan

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Chop

Edina and Patsy are back in their fabulous and hilarious big-screen debut with “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie!” Still oozing glitz and glamour while clubbing their way around London, the beloved boozers find themselves in a media firestorm when they’re blamed for accidentally killing Kate Moss at a fashion event. Perfectly accessorized with dozens of celebrity cameos, including Jon Hamm, Kate Moss, Joan Collins and many more, this uproarious, madcap romp is bloody good fun, sweetie darling! The Blu-ray and DVD are now available.

it up

“Masterchef Celebrity Showdown” Jan. 2, 8 – 10 p.m. ET/PT on FOX | Get ready for the ultimate snack-down when Michelin Star Chef Gordon Ramsay and renowned pastry chef Christina Tosi invite celebrities into the Masterchef kitchen to show off their culinary skills in exciting head-to-head contests for charity. The two-hour special puts each celebrity competitor to the test in the kitchen, and also features the first-ever battle royale between Ramsay and Tosi. The Masterchef matchups are: Trai Byers and Grace Gealey Byers vs. Nene and Gregg Leakes; Cheryl Hines vs. Kal Penn; Ronde Barber and Tiki Barber vs. Joel Madden and Benji Madden; Anthony Anderson and Chef Gordon Ramsay vs. Jordana Brewster and Chef Christina Tosi. Twitter: @MASTERCHEFonFOX; Instagram: @masterchefonfox; Hashtag: #Masterchef.

! COMPETITIVE! N U F

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es “Fenc

“Fences” is directed by Denzel Washington from a screenplay by August Wilson, adapted from Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play. The film stars Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sydney. The film is produced by Denzel Washington, Todd Black and Scott Rudin. In theaters — December 25, 2016. Facebook: www. Facebook.com/FencesMovie; Twitter: @FencesMovie; Instagram: @FencesMovie; Hashtag: #FencesMovie

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TBS has picked up a new series from comedy superstar and multiple Emmy nominee Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”). The untitled series is being created and executive-produced by Jordan Peele (“Key & Peele”) and John Carcieri (“Vice Principals”). After being released on good behavior from a 15-year prison stint, Tracy is shocked to see just how much the world has changed in his absence. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of this single-camera comedy series, which looks to capture the rawness of Tracy’s stand-up persona while also commenting on race relations, the Gen X/Millennial gap and the American penal system.

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uty”

ea teral B a l l o C “

When a successful New York ad executive suffers a personal tragedy and retreats from life, his friends devise a drastic plan to reach him before he loses everything. Pushing him to the very edge, they force him to confront the truth in surprising and profoundly human ways. From Oscar-winning director David Frankel, this thought-provoking drama explores how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of beauty, and how the constants of love, time and death interlock in a life fully lived. “Collateral Beauty” features an all-star cast, including Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Jacob Latimore, with Oscar winners Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren. In theaters — December 16, 2016.

On sta

Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, “Sing” stars Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal — some might even say delusional — optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition. In theaters — December 21, 2016. Website: www.singmovie.com

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[WORTH WATCHING]

rina”

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e! owtim h S s ’ It “Showtime at the Apollo” Dec. 5, 8

p.m. ET/PT on FOX Emmy award-winning personality Steve Harvey will host “Showtime at the Apollo,” a two-hour event and re-imagining of the classic talent showcase series, in which Harvey will celebrate his return to the famed theater, where he launched his own career, and where he’ll be joined by some of the biggest stars in comedy and music. Amateur Night at the Apollo launched the careers of many iconic artists, including James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five and countless others.

Doct

or W

“The Return of Doctor Mysterio” Dec. 25 on BBC America, check your local listings for time | Doctor Who teams up with a comic book superhero in New York for a heroic special written by Steven Moffat. The hit BBCA series will return on Christmas Day as the Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, teams up with an investigative journalist, played by Charity Wakefield (“Wolf Hall,” “The Player”) and a superhero to save New York from a deadly alien threat.

Disney Junior has ordered a new animated series, “Vampirina,” executive-produced by “Doc McStuffins” creator Chris Nee. The series has begun production and is slated to premiere in 2017. “Vampirina” tells the story of a young vampire girl who faces the joys and trials of being the new kid in town when her family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania.

eng “Pass

ers”

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt are two passengers onboard a spaceship transporting them to a new life on another planet. The trip takes a deadly turn when their hibernation pods mysteriously wake them 90 years before they reach their destination. As Jim and Aurora try to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction ... only to be threatened by the imminent collapse of the ship and the discovery of the truth behind why they woke up. In theaters — December 21, 2016.

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[KID FRIENDLY COBB] Winter Holiday Drop-in Craft Powder Springs Library 4181 Atlanta Street, Bldg. 1, Powder Springs December 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. Children are invited to make a craft for whatever they celebrate this holiday month. www.cobbcat.org

Holiday in the Park Six Flags Over Georgia 275 Riverside Parkway, SW, Austell Through January 1, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The theme park will be lit up with more than one million LED lights of holiday decor. In addition to the twinkling lights will be festive shows, tasty treats and an appearance by jolly Ol’ St. Nick. The North Pole Express will transport visitors to Santa’s workshop, and S’mores will be served around a campfire at S’mores Village. www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia; 770.739.3400

Party With the Force, You Will! Acworth Library 4569 Dallas Street, Acworth December 14 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Prepare for the release of the new film, Rogue One, with Star Wars-themed crafts, games, stories, and a photo booth to capture your best Rebel (or Empire) poses. Costumes are strongly encouraged. www.cobbcat.org

Santa’s workshop Marietta Square Snap a photo while your wide-eyed little one gets to meet Santa. Check website for hours. www.mariettaga.gov/city/residents/parks/specialevents/santa

Jane Austen’s Birthday Party South Cobb Regional Library 805 Clay Road, Mableton December 16 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your young ones may not have read Austen’s classics yet, but they can still enjoy parlor games, dancing, fine tea and sparkling cider in honor of the classic author—and perhaps pique their interest to become future fans. www.cobbcat.org

Santa’s Studio Art Station Big Shanty 2050 Kennesaw Due West Rd., Kennesaw December 16 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Ages: 2 to 13 Cost: $5 Children will create a holiday-themed craft. Must pre-register.

Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta December 17-18 Cost: $20.00 - US $80.00 plus applicable fees Beloved Disney characters are in full force, taking the stage for a magical evening. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy join Snow White, Tinker Bell, the genie of Aladdin and more. Watch the Fairy Godmother transform Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown, see the Toy Story gang defy the dimensions of Andy’s toy box with the help of the green army men, and Rapunzel and Flynn Rider as they rise into the sky amidst floating lanterns. www.cobbenergycentre.com; 800.745.3000

A Christmas Tradition Earl Smith Strand Theatre 117 North Park Square, Marietta December 9-18 Cost: $25 The song and dance revue will feature Christmas and holiday classics as well as funky favorites. Bring the family to dance, clap, and enjoy the spirit of the holidays. 770.293.0080, www.EarlSmithStrand.org

Cobb Life | December 2016

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[KID FRIENDLY COBB] Holiday carriage rides

The Avenue - West Cobb 3625 Dallas Highway, Marietta Now until December 7, 14 and 21 from 3 to 7 p.m. Enjoy holiday music and take a photo with Santa after the complimentary horse drawn carriage ride. www.avenuewestcobb.com

Atlanta Ballet Nutcracker

Fox Theatre December 9 to 24 The Atlanta Ballet puts on a dazzling show that will mesmerize every age. www.atlantaballet.com

Christmas Memories - Symphony On The Square Jennie T. Anderson Theatre Cobb County Civic Center Complex 548 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta December 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. Cost: $15 Symphony On The Square will play Christmas favorites “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,”“Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,”“Let it Snow,”“Christmas Around the World,” and more.

www.symphonyonthesquare.org; 770.874.8525

Peter Pan

December 9 and 10 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta Cost: $40.25 - $61.50 plus fees Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents the timeless tale with pixie dust and swashbuckling adventure on the enchanted island of Neverland. atlantalyrictheatre.com

Tacky Sweater Party at Six flags

275 Riverside Parkway, SW, Austell 30168 December 10 and 11 from 4 to 10 p.m Cost: See website for details Don your tackiest Christmas sweater and head over to Six Flags for a unique party. All guests who arrive at the park wearing a tacky Christmas sweater will be given a Buy One Get One Free coupon for a General Admission ticket to the theme park’s Holiday in the Park celebration. (Check the website for qualifying sweaters.) Holiday in the Park has more than one million LED lights and holiday decorations throughout the park. www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia/special-events

Sleighbells on the Square 5K, 1K

and Tot Trot

December 10 at 8:30 a.m.; Tot Trot at 9:45 a.m. Cost: $35; $15 for Tot Trot Tie your jingle bells on your family’s running shoes and have fun while supporting a good cause at the 16th annual Sleighbells on the Square. Santa, Disney characters and face-painting will delight the little ones. The festive family event Square is presented by the Cobb County Bar Association to support the Children’s Emergency Fund, which provides support for Cobb families in need in areas that are often not addressed by traditional charities, such as assisting with utility bills, medicine, and more. Register at www. Active.com.

Breakfast with Santa

Ben Robertson Community Center 2753 Watts Dr., Kennesaw December 10, seatings at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Cost: $6 in advance; $8 at the door (per person); children 2 and under are free Little ones will savor sharing a breakfast with Old St. Nick. The “all-you-care-to-eat” breakfast is hosted by The Kennesaw-Acworth Optimist Club will have pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. www.kennesawparksandrec.com; 770.422.9714

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Cobb Life | December 2016

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Photography by Erin Gray Cantrell & Kathryn Ingall By Meredith Pruden CL DECEMBER 2016 (20) 20

Is your roast in a rut?

Feel like your holiday dinner is stuck on a loop?

Everyone loves a good holiday roast but, if you’ve been making great grandma’s recipe as long as you can remember and sense some parallels between your holiday table and the movie “Mickey’s 12 Days of Christmas,” it may be time for a change. We asked three Cobb chefs for their take on the standard holiday roast, and they’ve delivered some truly inspired culinary variations on this definitive Christmas dinner dish:

11/18/2016 10:14:42 AM

Dig in? You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to ask us twice. This is the Christmas Trio Treat created by Catfix HOX. Check them out on page 24.

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Wasabi Crusted Prime Rib Roast INGREDIENTS: 4-5 pound boneless prime rib 1/4 cup kosher salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons wasabi powder 2 tablespoons softened butter 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence RECIPE

Café 33 Café 33 owner and executive chef Shane Clements loves to challenge himself to step outside the box and please the varied palates of his customer base — both in the dining room and in the restaurant’s thriving catering business. This Wasabi Crusted Prime Rib recipe, gifted to him by a friend and tweaked to put his own unique spin on it, is anything but traditional, yet simply divine. At Café 33, where they recently received their liquor license and began beverage service, the team makes everything from scratch to order and is looking ahead to the New Year when they’ll begin dinner service Thursday through Sunday. Look for this tasty prime rib as their breakfast and lunch service expands in 2017. You’ll love this exciting (and slightly spicy) twist on the classic holiday roast!

Pull prime rib from fridge and let come to room temperature (4 hours). Rub down entire rib with softened butter. Combine all dry ingredients into bowl. Thoroughly mix all together, and evenly coat entire prime rib until all is used. Turn oven to 500 degrees. Place rib on a roasting rack to collect the drippings for an au jus. Once oven has preheated to 500 degrees, place rib into oven for 5 minutes per pound (for this rib 25 minutes). Once 25 minutes has passed, turn off the oven and let cook for 2 hours for a medium-rare rib. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT open the oven until the two hours is up! If you’d like to use a meat thermometer to check temperature, 145 degrees is rare, 160 degrees is medium and 170 degrees is well done. Left, Shane Clements with a beautiful and unique roast. Opposite page: Might we recommend a drink?

Cobb Life | December 2016

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For the perfect accompaniment, why not serve Cafe 33’s signature Autumn Bourbon Sour! Combine 2 ounces of 4 Roses bourbon, 1 ounce of ginger rosemary syrup (add ginger to traditional simple syrup) and a half ounce of lemon juice in a shaker over ice. Shake for 15 seconds, and strain into an Old Fashioned glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon slice, rosemary sprig and pickled ginger sliver.

Café 33

2520 E. Piedmont Road, Suite 2016, Marietta (770) 977-6915 www.cafethirtythree.com

Open Christmas Eve!

Elevation is more than just a name. Private dining at Elevation takes all of your senses to new heights. With our stunning views, exquisite, artfully-prepared menu, and signature beverages, private dining with Elevation is so much more than a meal...it’s an experience!

Special Christmas Eve Menu $47 per person • $10 kid’s menu Call for Reservations

1723 McCollum Parkway B#600 Kennesaw, GA 30144 • (770) 485-7469

www.elevationatlanta.com CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH US! December 2016 | Cobb Life

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Catfish HOX Farm-to-table restaurant Catfish HOX has been open only two months but already is taking East Cobb by storm with its “fresh Southern chow.” Based on owner and chef Phil Creasor’s Christmas Trio Treat recipes, this should come as no surprise. Whoever said a holiday roast has to be prime rib, standing rib roast or beef tenderloin clearly didn’t have Creasor’s imagination. A retired marine who has worked in restaurants since he was 14 years old, Creasor loves serving and views his new restaurant as the culmination of his life’s passion. He whipped up a smoky fork-tender beef brisket, crispyskinned whole chicken and cold smoked catfish filet as his homage to the quintessential holiday roast. Break out the smoker, preheat the oven and prepare to break away from the traditional holiday roast!

Whole slab of brisket Whole chicken Catfish filets Kosher salt Cracked black pepper Garlic powder Spicy mustard Sweet paprika Chile powder Onion powder Cayenne pepper Fresh garlic Thyme Sage Extra virgin olive oil

garlic powder, and rub spicy mustard all over the brisket. Mix a rub of sweet paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. To smoke the brisket, you can use any type of wood and smoker, but Creasor uses oak wood and a Big Green Egg. Start the smoker at 400 degrees for 30 minutes before lowering the smoker to slow & low around 200-225 degrees depending on the size of the brisket. Smoke for 13 hours, and enjoy.

RECIPES:

Christmas Trio Treat

BRISKET Season whole slab of brisket with kosher salt, cracked black pepper and

Rub the whole chicken with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix minced fresh garlic, thyme and sage, and rub the whole chicken with this mixture to obtain an herb crust.

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN (can substitute quail)

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Roast in oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Toward the end of the roasting time, heat fryer or skillet oil to 375 degrees. After roasting, place chicken in oil for 7 to 10 minutes. Check temperature by sticking steel metal fork between thigh for 10 seconds. Test temperature by placing fork on forearm (carefully). If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot, your bird is ready. If still cold, fry to 165 degrees internal temperature.

Catfish HOX

2595 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 101, Marietta (770) 726-9925 www.catfishhox.com

CATFISH Place your 5 ounce catfish filet(s) on foil and coat with olive oil, sliced garlic, salt and pepper. Cool smoke at 200 degrees for an hour. For a mouthwatering side dish, whip up Creasorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roasted Butter Squash recipe. Chop the squash in half and rub the inside with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, nutmeg and light brown sugar. Roast for 30 minutes at 450 degrees then lower to 350 degrees for 30 minutes. For extra sweetness, hit it with some honey.

Left, fresh pressed cranberries used to make the glaze for the smoked brisket. Above, chef Phil Creasor of Catfish HOX.

December 2016 | Cobb Life

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The Freakin Incan At Northeast Cobb’s The Freakin Incan, you’ll get deliciously acquainted with one of the world’s most highly acclaimed cuisines. Peru has become something of a gastronomic powerhouse in recent years thanks to its uniquely abundant natural resources and highly diverse culture. The restaurant’s Peruvian-American chef-owner, Mikiel Arnold, moved to Cobb when he was a boy but he’s been gracing locals with mouthwatering Peruvian fare off Highway 92 for the last two years. A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Arnold spent three months in Lima interning with internationally-renowned chef Gastón Acurio and put an Andean spin on his roast recipe. “This is a traditional Peruvian dish around the holidays,” he said. “Christmas is usually celebrated at midnight with families gathering around a big dinner.” This recipe is so good, no one will blame you for scheduling your Christmas feast at midnight in keeping with the Peruvian tradition!

Peruvian Pork Shoulder INGREDIENTS 1 picnic shoulder 2 ounces ahi panca paste 2 ounces honey 2 tablespoons sesame seed oil Juice from 6 oranges 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper

The Freakin Incan

4905 Alabama Road, NE, Suite 340, Roswell (770) 592-4420 www.thefreakinincan.com

RECIPE Mix all ingredients together, and marinade the shoulder overnight. Bake at 375 degrees for 3 to 4 hours until pork reaches 145 degrees internal temperature.

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Left, Freakin Incan chef Mikiel Arnold, right, with sous chef Fanny Ruiz de Cabada. Above, the savory shoulder.

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The Maple Avenue Miracle

Magical Marietta light show rings in holiday tradition By Michael J. Pallerino Photography by Katherine Frye & Erin Gray

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They are magical. For anyone who has experienced the spheres of light angelically floating in the trees in and around the Historic Marietta Square during the past few holidays, magical is the first word that comes to mind.

Sarah Bullington with an orb that she used for last year’s display.

In early November, as thoughts of sugar plumbs start to dance in everyone’s heads, spheres of lighted Christmas balls are artistically and strategically placed on Maple Avenue and the surrounding area off Kennesaw Avenue near the Square. The local tradition is complements of Susan Reid, a Marietta resident who first saw the idea while attending graduate school at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. The spheres of light concept originated in Greensboro’s Sunset Hills neighborhood, an area filled with huge trees that served as the ideal home for a holiday treatment of lights.

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Cobb Life | December 2016

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The orbs add a festive and magical atmosphere to the Marietta area.

Reid, whose friends lived in the neighborhood, remembered thinking how festive and beautiful the decorations were. So, after moving to Marietta in 1998, she visited the idea of starting her own lighted tree tradition. It wasn’t until her family purchased their second home on Maple Avenue that she had the perfect set up to string up the lights. After convincing her husband to launch the lines (the promise of a potato gun made from PVC pipe did the trick), the tradition was set into motion. “The first year was just us,” Reid said. “We were experimenting and had no idea how hard it would be or if people would respond.” Initially, it took the Reid family a long time to figure out what to use as a propellant, which goes on the end of the line and is used as a weight. They ended up using a plastic vitamin jar with sand in it. There are essentially two steps to the process (if you’re interested, check out the YouTube video by searching for “How to Make Lighted Balls”). The first is crafting the circular spheres out of chicken wire and covering them with lights. The second is getting them up in the trees. “Neighbors use all sorts of techniques,” Reid said. “Some use throwing, others stand on the roof and toss, while others build or buy a potato gun to send a line up through the trees and over a branch.” In the end, you essentially create a big circle of fishing line. The sphere gets attached and is hoisted into the tree with a very long extension cord that supplies the power.

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Above, a group of neighbors work on the orbs last November in preparation for the festivities. Left, a group of orbs Bullington has already created for this year.

“It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen,” said Sarah Bullington, one of the first neighbors to join in on the tradition. “We have almost everyone on Maple Avenue, from Kennesaw to Winn, with at least one orb in their trees. It has really spread to surrounding houses. I love to see the real high ones that you can see from three streets away.” Every year, the throng of participants grows, with more than 70 families lining the streets to toss their lines. “I think it’s a holiday staple because people look forward to it all year,” Bullington said. “It’s so different from anything else around. We will be adding more lights this year. We try to add more and more every year. Marietta Power just loves Maple Avenue.” If you’re looking to add a tradition to your holiday to-do list, Reid encourages you to consider lighted balls. “We did not know that people would get so excited about it,” she said. “Now, Sarah hosts a a pot luck dinner to train and show our neighbors how to make and install the spheres.”

Cobb Life | December 2016

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Sweet Cheese & Almond Dumplings: a signature Hanukkah dish

BY SARA MOULTON // PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW MEAD (AP)

Cobb Life | December 2016

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any of the signature dishes of Hanukkah involve either cheese or frying in oil — or both! Since I like to have it all, I created these fried sweet cheese and almond dumplings featuring both ingredients. Happily, they are easy to make and require no special equipment other than a deep fat thermometer. Basically, these are blintzes in wonton wrappers. The filling consists of ricotta, cream cheese, an egg, sugar and spritzes of lemon and vanilla, all combined with almond paste. If anyone in your home is allergic to nuts, just leave out the almond paste. As noted, the filling is encased in wonton wrappers, which can be found alongside the grocer’s Asian produce, or in the dairy or frozen foods sections. They’re a great and versatile item, but they tend to dry out quickly. Be sure to always keep them covered in plastic wrap, unwrapping only a few at a time as you stuff them. This recipe won’t require a whole package of wrappers. If you carefully wrap and freeze the unused ones, they’ll be good to go in a future recipe. Shaping the wrappers into triangles is the only time-consuming part of this recipe. You want to be sure to seal the edges of each triangle tightly so the filling doesn’t spill out into the hot oil. The glue is provided by the white of a single egg. If one of your triangles should happen to split as it fries, just lift it out gently, park it on the side until you’ve finished frying the sealed wontons, then give it another shot in the oil. Split triangles seem to reseal themselves as they rest. As always with deep-frying, be sure that your pan is deep and filled with no more than 2 inches of oil, and that the temperature is maintained at 325 F. Also, don’t crowd the pan with too many wontons it’ll make the temperature dip and you’ll end up with soggy triangles. The raspberry sauce is a speedy little delight made from defrosted frozen raspberries that are crushed, then flavored with a bit of sugar. You’re welcome to swap in blueberries, strawberries, finely chopped peaches, or any of your favorite fruits. If you have the time and inclination to refine this part of the recipe, you can puree the berries, then put them through a sieve to remove the seeds before adding the sugar. Whatever you do, don’t skip the sauce; it provides a tart balance to the sweet wontons.

FRIED SWEET CHEESE AND ALMOND DUMPLINGS Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours Makes about 36 wontons • 1 cup thawed frozen raspberries • 2 tablespoons plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, divided • 1 1/2 ounces almond paste • 4 ounces cream cheese • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese • 1 large egg, separated • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • Hefty pinch table salt • Cornstarch • 36 square (3-inch) wonton wrappers • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the raspberries, then stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of the sugar, or to taste. Set aside. In a medium bowl, use a fork to mash the almond paste. Add half the cream cheese; mash until fairly smooth. Add the remaining cream cheese, the ricotta, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, the egg yolk, lemon zest, vanilla and salt; mix well. (There will still be small lumps of almond paste left in the mixture). In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the egg white. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment and sprinkle with cornstarch. On a cutting board or work surface, arrange several wonton wrappers. Mound 2 level teaspoons of the filling in the middle of each wrapper, then use a pastry brush dipped in the egg white to moisten the edges of the wrappers. Fold one of the corners of each wrapper over the filling until it meets the opposing corner and forms a filled triangle. Press the edges together to form a tight seal, then gently transfer the filled wrappers to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients. In large, deep saucepan over medium-high, heat 2 inches of oil to 325 F. When the oil is hot, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower 4 to 5 dumplings into the oil. Fry, carefully turning them several times, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Use the slotted spoon to transfer them to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. When they are all cooked, you can return them briefly to the hot oil in batches, for about 15 seconds, to reheat before serving. Serve hot with the raspberry dipping sauce. Nutrition information per dumpling: 80 calories; 40 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 4.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 70 mg sodium; 7 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 2 g protein. December 2016 | Cobb Life

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Cobb Life | December 2016

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December 2016 | Cobb Life

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CHEERS to

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celebrating NYE close to home By Katy Ruth Camp

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 32 Dental 23 Acorn 49 APPLE FOR YOUR TEACHER 51 Aqua Guard Basements 88 Arbor Terrace 62 Artisan Custom Closets 45 Atlanta Braves 53 Atlanta Communities 78 Atlanta Fine Homes - Jim Glover 18 Atlanta Lyric Theatre 81 Blackwell’s Jewelers 67 Brawner Hall 89 Broadway America 80 Brookwood Christian School 61 Brumby Chair 88 Charter Bank of Smyrna 76 Cobb EMC 86 Cobb Hardware 84 Copeland’s 27 Cumberland Diamond Exchange 33 & 57 Dance Stop 78 Dermatology Consultants 73 Diamonds R Forever 41 East Cobb Orthopaedics 19 Elevation Chophouse 23 Elon Salon 17 Estes Heating & Air 77 Faith Designs Florist 10 Fleming Carpet 31 Gabriel’s 32 Gaines Park Senior Living 11 Gionvanni’s 56 Happy Trails Pet Center 83 Harry Norman - Cobb Marietta 25 Henry’s Louisiana Grill 25 Indy Style Salon 85 Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 68 Julep’s Home Décor 40

Knoke Gallery 11 LGE Community Credit Union 24 Life Grocery 6 Macland Baptist 89 Manders Dental 30 MARIETTA HEARING 4 Marietta Plastic Surgery Center 3 Marietta Podiatry 87 Mayes Ward - Dobbins Funeral Home 91 Midway Christian Covenant 12 Miracle Method 10 Mt. Bethel Christian Academy 69 North Cobb Spine & Nerve 13 Northside Hospital 5 Parachute 63 Pinnacle Orthopaedics 9 Plastic Surgery Center of the South 72 Presbyterian Village 79 Roswell Street Baptist Church 42 Salon Spa Venessa 36 Shen Yun 2017 43 Spring Place Pottery 76 Sterling Estates Senior Living 37 Stonehaven School 30 Superior Plumbing 2 & 18 Tennis Dynamics 14 The Bottoms Group 7 The Magnolia Room 60 The Walker School 16 Theatre in the Square 82 WellStar 92 West Cobb Funeral Home 15 White Rabbit 60 Wild Birds Unlimited of Vining’s 16 Winnwood Retirement 66 Words of Faith Church 36 XX Knives 40 Young Creative Artist 62

Cobb Life

December 2016 Volume 12, Issue 10

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

Otis Brumby IIl

GENERAL MANAGER Lee B. Garrett

V.P. ADVERTISING Wade Stephens

EDITORIAL STAFF DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINES Mark Wallace Maguire

ASST. DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINES LaTria Garnigan

CONTRIBUTORS

Therra C. Gwyn, Stacey L. Evans, Michael Venezia, Michael J. Pallerino, Meredith Pruden, Katy Ruth Camp, Nicole Price

PHOTOGRAPHY

Erin Gray Cantrell, Kathryn Ingall, Kelly J. Huff

LAYOUT AND DESIGN

LaTria Garnigan, Mark Wallace Maguire

PROOFREADER Nicole Price

ADVERTISING STAFF ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tara Guest

COBB ADVERTISING MANAGER Becky Opitz

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Stephanie deJarnette, Paula Milton, Jill Abbott, Katelyn Ledford, Charlene Kay, Ginny Hrushka, Kim Fowler

GRAPHICS COORDINATOR Beth Poirier

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Jennifer Hall, Carlos Navarrete

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Dave Gossett

INFORMATION Cobb Life is published 10 times a year by the Marietta Daily Journal and distributed to more than 30,000 homes and businesses. To subscribe, email circulation@ cobblifemagazine.com or call 770.795.5001 To advertise, contact Wade Stephens at 770.795.4001 Please send all editorial correspondence to mmaguire@cobblifemagazine.com www.cobblifemagazine.com Follow us on facebook, twitter and Instagram

Cobb Life | December 2016

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NEW YEAR’S EVE ALTERNATIVES

There are many different alternatives to taking a drive down Interstate 75. We’ve highlighted a few local activities anyone in your family can enjoy for New Year’s Eve.

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Marietta Ball Drop

Dec. 31 • 2 to 7 p.m., family-friendly events • 9 to midnight, Douglas Cameron Orchestra For the second year, the Marietta Square will be the home of its own version of New York’s “ball drop” from Glover Park. In addition to the ball drop, the activities at “Winter Wonderland” will welcome people of all ages with ice skating and kid-friendly concerts and activities. Some of the activities will include an 18-hole glow-in-the-dark putt-putt course on South Park Square, an Escape Room game, food trucks on Church Street, carnival games, a LEGO-building contest and an “Ice Warrior” contest and demonstration at 4 p.m. on the stage of Glover Park where two world champion ice carvers will battle it out for the best carving. At 6 p.m., Chick-fil-A will bring in a “herd of cows” with eight cows in costume who will do a 45-minute dance routine leading up to a “cow drop” of stuffed cows.

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NYE Director Chuck Burge said this year will be “bigger and better” than last year, with more activities for kids and a countdown led by the Douglas Cameron Orchestra from the corner of North Park Square, next to the Earl Smith Strand Theatre. The Marietta “M” logo box will be the home of the midnight countdown again but the Branding Project, which is in charge of planning the event, is keeping it a secret as to what will “drop” from the box this year. Last year’s inaugural celebration hosted 25,000 people throughout the day but Burge is expecting 40,000 this year due to the number of activities planned and the fact that NYE will be on a Saturday night. Many of the restaurants on the Square will be offering dinner specials so visit www.mariettasquare.com to click on your favorite restaurant and find out what they will be offering on New Year’s Eve. Be sure to make reservations, as tables will fill up fast.

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Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m. An Allman Brothers Band New Year’s Eve Tickets: 117 N. Park Square, Marietta (770) 293-0080 | www.earlsmithstrand.org Speaking of the Marietta Square, the Earl Smith Strand Theatre at the corner of North Park Square and Cherokee Street will have a special concert with the Allman Brothers Tribute Band on New Year’s Eve. Ring in 2017 with some of your favorite ABB tunes with 500 of your friends. VIP tickets are also available for a rooftop view of the Marietta Ball Drop after the show.

Cobb Life | December 2016

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3. Six Flags Over Georgia

Now through Jan. 4 Tickets: start at $45.99 275 Riverside Pkwy., SW, Austell (770) 739-3400 | www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia Six Flags Over Georgia is continuing its new holiday tradition as it extends its season 26 days with its annual holiday festival — Holiday in the Park. More than one million LED lights and dozens of Christmas trees create a holiday-themed season through January 4. Guests can take a ride on some of the park’s most popular rollercoasters, such as Goliath, or explore kid-friendly rides. Holiday in the Park will be topped off with its most iconic image at the historic 1910 Riverview Carousel, which will create a glowing light and walk-through experience.

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Lights galore The Promenade has transformed into A Main Street Christmas decorated with more than 100,000 lights. Along with an ensemble of ornamented garlands, snow machines and a 20-foot Christmas tree in front of the main gate fountain, Retro Christmas USA will host a 130-foot tall Christmas tree in front of Dare Devil Dive as more than 10,000 red, white and blue lights pay tribute to our military Service members and veterans. Holiday City will also host lights and a Christmas tree display at Gotham City and BATMAN: The Ride. North Pole As you walk in, you will see Santa flying high above you being pulled by his reindeer and witness white lights surrounding the trees and rooftops. Santa’s Soup Kitchen is where Mrs. Claus will be cooking and nearby is the Santa Photo Experience, where kids can get their photos taken with Santa Claus. Be sure to look for other special holiday displays scattered across the park.

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Celebrate with friends and family at home

Don’t feel like battling the NYE crowds and traffic? Bring it home! Festive appetizers and cocktails are perfectly fine for this late-night holiday if cooking a full dinner isn’t in your plans. One great option is to buy a smoked ham already cooked. Dave Poe’s BBQ, at 660 Whitlock Ave. in Marietta, has one ready to go during the holiday season. The hams, sized at six to eight pounds each, are smoked in the restaurant’s professional smoker for four hours and come already sliced.

A Healthy Goodbye to 2016

Want to say goodbye to 2016 and hello to 2017 in a healthy way? Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield National Park along with other state and national parks in the area are open on New Year’s Eve. Take a hike up the historic mountain with friends before heading off to a night of festivities or take the kids for a hike to celebrate the end of the year. Many ice skating rinks are still open, as well as yoga studios and trails, such as those along the Chattahoochee, so find what fits you best and check for opening and closing times. *Note that Kennesaw Mountain and many other parks and businesses are closed on New Year’s Day.

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[IN MY CORNER]

the magic of thinking By LaTria Garnigan

Bra

ves

gam

t Tu

rne

r Fie

d in July few months ago I put pen to paper — or fingers to . keyboard rather — and issued a mini challenge to myself of some things I wanted to accomplish this year. Nothing big, just some experiences I wanted to have. These technically weren’t resolutions given that I didn’t make the list until April. Thinking nothing of it, and actually forgetting about the words I wrote in the spring, I went on about life.

Just recently, that column came to the forefront of my mind as the time clock on 2016 is slowly coming to an end and I realized I had inadvertently accomplished all but one of the items on the list. The list included: seeing a live theater production seeing the Braves play at Turner Field one last time working more on my photography w attending an outdoor concert Three out of four is an accomplishment in my book. Never made it to that outside concert, but unknowingly achieving the other tasks has given me a reason to keep on dreaming. Next year I’m going big. I’ll make my list bolder — going to challenge myself just to see what happens. This year’s list had simple activities that can be accomplished at the drop of a dime. And the fact that I was able to do them without a concerted effort says something about the influence our Photo I took of a longhorn at Dogsubconscious mind has on our wood Canyon Park in Branson, Mo. life experiences. There’s just something about the power of words. When you put something in the atmosphere and then let it go, it always comes back to you. This isn’t the first time such a thing has happened, but I’m always amazed when it does. And it got me to thinking. I’ve heard of the Law of Attraction, but never deliberately read up on it. I’ve listened to several podcasts where it was discussed and saw some quick mentions about it on Twitter, so I was intrigued. I looked into the practice and

was astounded to know that for the last decade or so I had been somewhat incorporating this principle into my life. If you’re not familiar, the law of attraction is when you focus on positive thoughts and inadvertently bring positive experiences into your life. One of my firmest beliefs has always been that positivity breeds positivity. Do we sometimes struggle? Duh. Life isn’t always fair and things don’t go the way we hoped, yet all is not lost. And when we do win in life? It’s okay to celebrate those victories. I have never liked to dwell on the negative or even the things that make us feel blue. I recall whatever the issue is in my mind and find a way to work through it and then focus on what bright light I can glean from the situation. So I’m going to take all of this knowledge and move forward with making a list of goals that are not unattainable per say, but will be a challenge to accomplish. I believe in writing down a goal and making it plain. Armed with this newfound intuition, I’m going to see what shining a bright light on them will do. Wish me luck!

‘Moses’ at Sight & Sound Theatres in Branson, Mo. / Photo courtesy of Sight & Sound Theatres.

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[ HOME ]

decor

HOLIDAY

ADD SOME PIZAZZ TO YOUR HOME WITH THESE TIPS FROM LOCAL INTERIOR DESIGN PROS. YOU’LL BE READY TO ENTERTAIN IN NO TIME WITH ADVICE FROM KAY’S DECOR & INTERIORS AND JULEP’S HOME DECOR. BY MEREDITH PRUDEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN GRAY CANTRELL

Cobb Life | December 2016

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t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas across Cobb County but, as we hang the stockings, roast the chestnuts and trim the trees in our own homes, it may be time for a holiday decor update. Perhaps the easiest way to enhance your Yuletide living space is to coordinate the annual Christmas tree with your existing interior design. Whether your home is traditional, transitional or

utterly modern, there’s a themed holiday tree that’s just perfect for your individual style. We asked three local interior designers for their take on themed Christmas trees, and they’ve delivered looks that will have you basking in the glow of festive holiday string lights, humming along to Bing Crosby and sipping hot chocolate (or a hot toddy) faster than you can say, “Old Saint Nick.” December 2016 | Cobb Life

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Keela Richard putting the finishing touches on her silver-themed tree.

GLITZ & GLAM Interior decorator Keela Richard of Kay’s Decor & Interiors created a modern holiday design inspired by an oversized mirror recently added to her dining room. “I initially had the room designed with silvers, glass and the large mirror,” she said. “So, I played off that with sparkly bulbs, shiny ribbons, and crystal chandeliers and ornaments. I used white, silver and sea foam green to keep it modern and clean.” Richard’s dining room is a perfect example of how easy it can be (with some professional assistance) to transform a more traditional room into something crisp and contemporary rather

than being locked into inherited pieces. ”This was actually a traditional room with furniture my parents gave me, but I bought the mirror and replaced the chairs. These purchases inspired the glitz and glam design.” Richard, her husband Julian and sons, Jordan (16) and Justin (10), live near the Kennesaw line in Marietta. She is a full-service interior decorator who enjoys blending traditional pieces with more modern, stylish ones to create unique and personalized styles. Known for designing the holiday trees of local restaurants like Caper’s on Main and Fish Thyme in Acworth, she especially loves embracing the spirit of the season to bring a bit of Christmas joy to her clients. Friend and client Rita Ambrose said, “She has an effervescent personality and wows us every year with her different holiday trees.”

Cobb Life | December 2016

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Essential Elements

Silver modern lodge inspired deer heads, mercury glass and glass vases and accessories, sequin and other sparkly silver and white ball ornaments, shiny silver and white ribbons, mirrored and reflective surfaces, winter white greenery. Warm it up with greenery sprays and cozy textiles like faux fur.

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WINTER WONDERLAND

tional trend.

If the great outdoors is calling and a winter wonderland aesthetic seems appealing, you’ll love this tree that looks almost as though you’ve happened upon it in a snow-covered wood. You’ll also be pleased to know that naturally-inspired decor is all the rage this holiday season, so your most difficult job may just be to choose from the plentiful Christmas decor options available out there.

Interior designers Robert Hollida and Sumaya Maghariaf of Julep’s lovingly crafted this winter wonderland themed tree to brighten up darker spaces, create depth in a room and supply some much needed contrast to the darker hardwood floors that were en vogue not all that long ago. The contrast of natural elements with hot metallics makes this look a great fit for almost any home.

From lighter textiles like linen, to light colors and wood stains, the organic craze certainly has found its way from farm-to-table food into home decor. This wintery Christmas tree by the interior design team at Marietta’s Julep’s Home Decor, off Kennesaw Due West Road, exemplifies this transi-

“This is a green tree (underneath),” Julep’s owner Maghariaf said. “by the time we’re done with it, we can make it look any way and also make arrangements to coordinate with a tree. We know our clients and what they use, so when we go to market each January, we’re already coordinating for you.”

Cobb Life | December 2016

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Essential Elements

Glittery pine cones, wooden snowflakes, fluffy birds and owls, gold and bronze ball ornaments, birch bark ball ornaments, gold ribbon, glittery gold magnolia leaves, winter white sprayed greenery and sprays of faux cotton branches.

Win an

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Superior Plumbing and the Marietta Daily Journal are teaming up to give away an iPad a week, to local K-12 teachers.

Contest runs the entire 2016-2017 school year Visit www.mdjonline.com

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Parents and students can nominate a teacher through our online nomination form. The Marietta Daily Journal Staff will select a winner from the nominations we receive each week and will present that winner with an iPad. A photo of the teacher and the students will appear in the newspaper each week.

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Robert Hollida puts the finishing touches onto Julep’s bird house themed Christmas tree.

RUSTIC LODGE Have a little birdhouse in your soul? This rustic lodge tree, designed with birdhouses in a more traditional red and green color palette, will set your spirit ablaze. “People are going more casual and rustic,” Julep’s Maghariaf said. “I see this in a lake house or on an outdoor porch, but it would also work with some (everyday) interiors.” Part of the Julep’s holiday design process is taking old things and making them work rather than throwing them away. “We look at your interior and stick with the color palette of the room,” Maghariaf said. “But, we want it to pop more so the tree stands out while still looking cohesive.” In that vein, Hollida and Maghariaf wouldn’t necessarily recommend this bountiful birdhouse tree in a formal living room because it would look out of place. They liken it to picking out the jewelry and shoes to go with your outfit. “You can get away (with mismatching) your wardrobe because you wear it for a day, but the tree stays up for a month or more,” Maghariaf said.

If you’re married to the traditional colors of Christmas and have heirloom ornaments you just can’t live without, this look is something you can live with for years to come. Plus, if you opt for a faux tree, the Juleps team can have the whole thing shrink wrapped. “What makes a tree precious is when it looks fresh,” Maghariaf said. “When we shrink wrap and fluff, our clients don’t have to pay labor costs year after year.”

Essential Elements

Birdhouses, birdhouses, birdhouses (in varying colors and materials), rustic jingle bells, holly bush sprays, classic metal lanterns, glittery poinsettia flowers, cotton balls, natural textile ribbons (like linen or jute) with some added sparkle and classically-inspired ornaments. The interior designers featured can help you select Christmas tree ornaments and accessories, or design and install the entire tree for you. Why not spend your time with family and friends enjoying the season, and let the pros at Kay’s Decor & Interiors or Julep’s Home Decor handle the heavy lifting for you?

By the way...

Have heirloom ornaments you just can’t part with or feel guilty about leaving in the box? They don’t have to go on the tree, according to Maghariaf. She suggests finding alternative homes for them to spread some holiday cheer throughout your living space. Kitchens, bathrooms and basements are great places to start and often could use that pop of color anyway.

vvv Kay’s Decor & Interiors www.kaysdecor.com (678) 520-8589 keelavore@hotmail.com

Julep’s Home Decor

3894 Due West Road, #245, Marietta www.julepshomedecor.com (770) 422-7500

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e on th

E N I W D ROA

By Michael Venezia Photography by Patti Venezia and Kathryn Ingall

“From plane to sea, it was plain to see this past fall’s cruise was a fantasy come true”…

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“Cruising” comes from the Dutch work “kruisen,” which means to cross. While pirates were searching for treasure ships to plunder, they would sail in a zig zag pattern moving through the shipping lanes. Obviously this form of sailing was not done on schedule, so many years later yacht owners borrowed the word and applied it to any carefree pleasure voyage. Our recent seven-day New England to Canada Discovery Cruise aboard the MS Rotterdam was filled with many wine adventures both onboard and at ports of call. We set sail from the port of Boston after spending exciting time on the evening of Oct. 7 at the Black Rose Pub watching the Boston Red Sox go down in defeat to the Cleveland Indians and the Clemson Tigers overwhelm Boston College on the football field. We were surrounded by professional baseball and college football on multiscreen TVs while enjoying Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay with Guinness battered fish and chips: Pub food and a glass of wine in this high energy Boston public house. Early Saturday afternoon we joined several hundred guests bound for a maritime adventure. Once aboard we discovered that our Neptune Suite stateroom was stocked with a French Sparkling Wine called Luc de Valmur. Made in Burgundy and tank-fermented, this refreshing Brut was a fitting way to begin our land and sea odyssey with Holland America’s house bubbly. Saturday evening dinner was enjoyed in the Pinnacle Grill, the fine dining room aboard the MS Rotterdam. I was introduced to a glass of Sokol Blosser Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2014 from the Willamette Valley in Oregon by our sommelier. The bright ruby red wine gleamed in the glass and its balance of red fruit flavors, earthy overtones, and subtle French oak veneer was a fitting compliment to the grilled loin pork chop served with caramelized onions and apple compote.

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A list of wines, including some from Canada.

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Our first port of call was rainy Bar Harbor, Maine. The ship’s tenders were lowered and many brave and hearty souls crossed the choppy bay to the dock. Although my wife, Patti ,and I were prepared for inclement weather, many passengers were compelled to purchase foul weather gear and rain slicks sold in souvenir shops along the quai. We enjoyed a lunch of New England clam chowder and lobster rolls at the West Street Café with glasses of Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, one of America’s most popular wine brands, found in many of America’s restaurants. The richness of the lobster and the creaminess of the chowder balanced very nicely with this outstanding barrel fermented wine. Sourced from estate grown fruit along the California coast from Santa Barbara, Monterey and Sonoma, this wine over delivers, and is widely distributed. During the evening the seas of the North Atlantic became angry and the wind grew fierce. Our navigation deck cabin was very comfortable but we pitied those whose staterooms were on the lower decks. Wind gusts accelerated to more than 40 miles per hour and when we arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia the howling and whistling wind pelted against our waterproof doors of our stateroom patio. Although the overnight motion of the ocean caused many guests to remain in their cabins, Patti and I braved the elements and headed out on an offshore bus excursion to the famed lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove. By the time we arrived, the remnants of Hurricane Matthew turned up the wind volume and the rain lashed the windows making visibility difficult. What I could see was a dramatic landscape, and a tempest tossed sea with this timeless fishing village in steel gray relief. By the time we returned to the ship our captain announced that to protect passengers and crew, we would remain in port until Matthew headed east out into the Atlantic. Although the remnants of the hurricane were many nautical miles away, the wind made the waters very rough with weather conditions forcing our captain to keep the ship in the port of Halifax until the storm subsided. At 3:57 am on Oct. 11 we finally set sail for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. At 48 degrees north latitude, this famed island whose agriculture is dominated by potatoes, is now successfully sustaining vineyards. Blue skies, explosive fall colors and a very British personality welcomed us to this lovely island in the Canadian Maritimes. Circumstances never repeat themselves and we enjoyed playing the hand that life had dealt us. After a motor coach tour of the island hosted by a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer, we had a local seafood lunch at a restaurant called Lobster on the Wharf. I enjoyed a glass of PEIChardonnay infused with a delicate splash of local strawberry juice. Produced by a Portuguese wine growing family who immigrated to the Island in 1995, the wine was aromatically appealing with a balanced hint of a “strawberry kiss.” Succulent--steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels and deep fried Malpeque Oysters were served with their famous potatoe salad and creamy coleslaw. Looking over the dock to the MS Rotterdam we enjoyed gifts from the sea and vine, appreciating the blue skies and calm sea. Back aboard the Rotterdam a much deserved restorative nap was taken as the ship left port destined for Quebec City. The overnight sail reached port at 7 a.m. to a brilliant sunrise. Our morning tour of this historical city which in the 18th century saw England and France fighting for colonial dominance before our American founding fathers declared independence. Patti’s French language speaking skills impressed our tour guide and we enjoyed exploring this Unesco World Heritage Site. We felt very much at home in this magnificent city overlooking the St. Lawrence River. The old walled city captures more than three hundred years of history and our lunch was enjoyed at the Bistro Sous le Fort, a French inspired restaurant in the heart of Vieux Quebec. Our server Laurie, easily conversing with us in both French and English suggested we try a dry rose produced from grapes grown in the province of Quebec. We were pleased with a classic French onion, gruyere and mushroom quiche. The lovingly prepared flakey pastry crusts were filled with the expertly prepared mixture. So delicious. We each enjoyed two glasses of the Vignoble de L’Orpailleur. Produced from the cold climate North American grape called Seyval Noir, this well-structured rose had both floral and fruity notes which was both elegant and

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refreshing. Sturdy and silky, it had the alluring combination of red berries and fresh roses. At 12% alcohol it was easy to drink and deliciously food friendly. Our last port of call was Montreal. In many ways this Franco-centric city is very reminiscent of Paris. The architecture, the winding streets, alleys and the vieux port mixes together this melange of the old and new world. Again Patti’s French skills charmed concierges and taxi drivers, in addition to restaurant and bar servers. Our site in the Hotel Place d’Armes looked out over the central business district within a few meters walk of the place Notre Dame and its impressive Catholic cathedral. The trees adorned in their bright fall colors, the carved pumpkin jacko-lanterns and early sunsets, created a mystical energy in this bilingual sophisticated city. Suite 701, the Hotel’s restaurant and bar, provided us with several wine options to enjoy at lunch. A glass of steely Chablis from Chateau de Maligny 2015 vintage was called Vigne de la Reine or the vines of the queen. It was a regal selection. On Sunday, Oct. 16 exploring Montreal was embellished by a driver guide name John McLaren. A Scotsman by birth, he now conducts private tours of Montreal and we benefited from his great knowledge and international business experience. Retired from the cruise industry, he specializes in his professional guide focus to culture, history, language and politics. A late afternoon visit to the Jean-Talon market was an over-thetop sensory experience. Our final night’s dinner was at the highly acclaimed restaurant Maggie Oakes in the Hotel William Gray along Place Jacques-Cartier. The stunning space is offset by the dramatic glass doored refrigerators where sumptuous cuts of AAA Alberta beef sit dry ageing until ready to grill. With a wine list and temperature controlled lockers to seduce you visually, the attractive staff is skilled at both food and beverage presentation. Our starters of locally-sourced oysters with a delicate sauce mignonette and deliciously shredded horseradish, was followed by a beet root salad duo with arugula, roasted walnuts and burnt goat cheese. The seafood course was a roasted Atlantic Cod with celery root mash, carrots and black trumpet mushroom powder. Our 40-day dry aged rib steak served with a wild mushroom medley and grille market vegetables was perfectly cooked and the wine service was outstanding. Our wine selections were suggested by our server, Stephanie, who presented at the table prior to dinner service a tasting of her favorites. A rare Bourgogne Aligote 2015 from Bouchard Aine complimented the saline ocean characteristics of the oysters while a Michel Chapoutier Marius Rose from the Languedoc complimented nicely the beet salad and roasted cod. To accompany the medium-rare, dry aged beef a Chateau Les Bouysses Chalors 2013, worked nicely to counterbalance this rich and decadent cut of beef. Also known as the black wine of Cahor, it is produced from the Malbec grape in this ancient part of Southwestern France. Deep in color, almost opaque with a concentrated black plum and roasted coffee aroma, rich on the palate, the tannins raised the rich texture of the well marbled beef to an exotic level. Primal and elegant, all at the same time. The evening ended with a taste of cidre de glace, an apple ice wine style, produced from the Quebec region. Neige Premiere is the first Ice Cider on the market. Produced in Quebec and an artisanal beverage, each bottle is the result of hand picking and cidering 80 apples for each bottle. The cidre is a golden yellow color with crisp cider acidity and a ripe sweet apple flavor with a cinnamon kiss. Exciting to taste these wines which are rarely found in the United States so close to the border. It’s quicker to fly to Montreal than California. Another wine adventure may be planned to Montreal in the spring to visit this great Canadian city and to enjoy its many gifts. It will be celebrating its 375th anniversary so the city will be in the spotlight.

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Art

and the deal Up close with broker Paul Robinson and his i l l u s t r i o u s collection of art By Katy Ruth Camp Photography by Kelly J. Huff

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[WHAT’S INSIDE]

features 24 MAJESTIC MAPLE AVE The story behind the otherworldly orbs on this Cobb street 34 HANUKKAH HURRAY A sweet recipe for the celebration 38 NEW YEAR’S OPTIONS 5 things to do in Cobb on the eve of ‘17 58 ART OF THE DEAL Meet this Marietta art dealer 74 WISE MOVE This female CEO runs one of Cobb’s top businesses

departments

20 SPICE Tired of the same holiday roast? We’ve got 3 dynamic new recipes 46 HOME Themed Christmas tree ideas from Cobb decorators 54 WINE Wine on the high seas 64 TRAVEL A different take on the Grand Canyon 70 HEALTH Watch your health with a watch

Cover photograph by Erin Gray Cantrell

in every issue FROM THE DIRECTOR

NEWS & NOTEWORTHY

KID-FRIENDLY COBB

WORTH WATCHING

IN MY CORNER

HIGHLIGHTS

KEEPING UP WITH KATY RUTH 78 6

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SCENE

PARTING SHOT

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Opening page: Paul Robinson with one of his pieces in front of his business. Opposite page: Robinson and his son, Matthew, are a two-generation business that distributes fine art around the world from their Marietta company.

fter 47 years in the business, Paul Robinson knows a thing or two about art. Robinson is the owner of Paul Robinson, Inc., a fine art wholesale and brokering company based in Marietta. The company takes up 24,000 square feet of office space off Franklin Road and averages around 3,000 pieces of art inside its show room at any given moment. Those paintings retail anywhere from $300 to $17,000 and include renowned artists from all over the world. Today’s company, however, is far different from its humble beginnings. In 1969, Robinson was a college student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham majoring in chemistry when he became friends with someone who would change his life forever. “I was employed with Southern Research Institute and I was laid off, hallelujah!” Robinson said, with a laugh. “I had a friend who was in importing a lot of things — meerschaum pipes from Turkey, shotguns from Spain and oil paintings. So I started with the paintings with him and did that for a short period of time and saw there was continuity and potential for a great business. We had different ideas about the business and went our separate ways so I took over the paintings side of the business and moved to Atlanta.” From 1970 to 1979, Robinson would pop into cities across the country and hit the pavement. “I was calling on the interior design trade, which consisted of art galleries, interior designers and high-end furniture stores,” he said. “I just carried the paintings rolled up. I could put 600 paintings in the trunk of my car and show you paintings as long as you wanted to look at them. It was a cold call. It was so cold, I’d drive to the city and get a map and phone book and look under the I’s and the F’s.” It worked. By the mid-1970s, Robinson had clients in 16 states and a decade later, he was in a large office building off of Miami Circle in Buckhead. In 1989, he moved the business into a 10,000 square-foot space off of Commerce Park Drive in Marietta and doubled it to 20,000 sf in the early 90s. Still growing and wanting to own his own building, Robinson moved the company into its current location in 2005. Today, the company has nine employees inside of the office

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Merry Christmas!

The Magnolia Room gifts • decor • antiques • art

770.499.6015

magnoliaroomantiques.com

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BrookwoodChristian.com Kim.Wigington@BrookwoodChristian.com December 2016 | Cobb Life

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and four sales representatives out in the field. One of those representatives is Matt Robinson, Paul’s son. After graduating from the University of Alabama in 2011, Matt came to work for his father’s business, although he had been working summer jobs with the company or helping out most of his life. The younger of the Robinsons is currently the Southeastern sales rep, mainly dealing in the areas from Naples, Fla. to Boca Raton, Fla. After this fall, however, he will move into an operations manager role. He has brought a younger, more contemporary taste to the company which has helped it grow to fit today’s tastes. Both agreed that for most of the company’s existence, 95 percent of the artwork they were dealing with was traditional. Over the past five years, however, that has shifted greatly to include much more contemporary and abstract art. Matt Robinson said most of their decisions are based off of their customers’ wants and needs. If they notice a particular style or color scheme selling well, the Robinsons will go back to the artists they work with to help them create art that will sell well and quickly. Although the company deals almost exclusively with designers and gallery owners, the Paul Robinson, Inc. showroom is open to the public by appointment and anyone can purchase art from them at a discounted price. That is made possible mostly because Paul Robinson said nearly 95 percent of the business they do is outside of Georgia, as there isn’t much of a market for high end art dealers in Atlanta, for reasons mostly unknown. “When I came on board, I thought I would make Atlanta hum with everything we have, so we’ve scratched our heads at a little bit ourselves,” Matt Robinson said. “Atlanta seems to be a transplant city where people source the artwork from where they’re from. But we’re trying to change that.”

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[ TRAVEL ]

canyon GRAND

A 3-day adventure in the West

honestly didn’t care where we went, I just wanted to go. Whether it be Destin, Pah-ree (Oui! Oui!) or a bed-and-breakfast in small-town Georgia, generally anywhere besides home would’ve been sufficient to commemorate our fifth wedding anniversary, a significant event considering the handful of failed marriages we’d witnessed since agreeing to put up with each other’s crazy for life. Our intense deliberation went like this: My husband Reginald: What do you think about Arizona? Me: Sounds good.

A few weeks later, we stroll into the chic lobby of the W Scottsdale (www.wscottsdale.com), a decidedly more glamorous option than the upscale tranquility of the Westin, the chain’s sister hotel and my preferred lodging choice. Upon check-in, a hotel employee proudly shares that they hosted Playboy’s Super Bowl XLIX party. While that little nugget of information isn’t the first notable I’d think to share with a hotel guest, it fits the “Wild and Crazy Kids Celebrating Marriage Wooooo!” narrative we’re sorta kinda going for.

Words and photography by Nicole Price

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The W Hotel pool deck in Scottsdale, Arizona.

DAY ONE We begin our first full day in Scottsdale with the most important meal of the day at Butterfield’s Pancake House and Restaurant (www.butterfieldsrestaurant.com), a casual breakfast and lunch spot. Hubby opts for the Sante Fe Scramble, a protein-rich plate topped with blessed chorizo, red jalapeno pepper, onion and cheddar, while my sweet tooth won’t allow me to pass up a Banana Crème Crepe, to which I add a side of bacon so I can claim a somewhat balanced meal. We don’t do much else besides sight-see via rental car, indulge in Whataburger (I need them to open an Atlanta outpost, stat), and chill out by the pool, as we have to rest up for what is hands down the highlight of our trip: an all-day Grand Canyon tour booked with Arizona Tour and Travel (www.openroadtoursusa. com). December 2016 | Cobb Life

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DAY TWO Though the 6:30 a.m. pick-up time is a bit brutal, we cheerfully join passengers from Oregon, Connecticut and as far away as Australia, stopping first in Red Rock Country, also known as Sedona. My colleagues warned me of the city’s mystical reputation, jokingly insisting I try peyote, a cactus known for its hallucinogenic effects, but I decline, knowing a psychoactive will likely lead to me teetering on the edge of the Grand Canyon and result in the saddest wedding anniversary ever. After an hour in Sedona, we head to the Cameron Trading Post, a motel featuring a restaurant, small museum and gift shop housing Native American jewelry, arts and crafts. We enjoy a brief lunch, then it’s on to the main event. Though my husband visited the Grand Canyon as a child, I’ve never been and am, of course, astounded by the view. It truly resembles a painting, the colors changing as we visit various vantage points throughout the day, and reminds me of the country’s vast

beauty. About 6:30 p.m. we board the bus, drained and ready to head back to Scottsdale. I lie on Reginald’s shoulder and we hold hands. “Thanks for scheduling the tour. This was nice and a great deal,” Reginald says quietly. So as not to ruin the moment, I fight to keep a self-satisfied grin off my face. He’d initially insisted he’d drive us there and back, all in one day. That’s three hours up, three hours down, not to mention the time spent at the Grand Canyon. Frankly, it was a terrible idea I knew would exhaust him and me because I’d be worried about him, and I try to avoid vicious cycles whenever possible. I searched the LivingSocial (www.livingsocial.com) site for discounted deals in Arizona and booked this one lickety-split. For $200 total, we enjoyed three destinations instead of one, with the benefit of a chauffeur.

A look inside Cameron Trading Post.

“You’re welcome,” I reply.

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DAY THREE I’m convinced Segway and/or food tours are two of the best ways to explore a city. While every destination won’t have the culinary flair of New Orleans or San Francisco’s scarily steep terrain, Segway and food tours offer a more in-depth perspective. Unfortunately, I inadvertently chose the hottest day of the week — 96 degrees! — to schedule a tour with Taste It Tours (www.tasteittours.com) in downtown Phoenix. I find no solace in that fact that it’s not even as hot as it can get, as my brain can’t comprehend a discernible difference between 96 and 120 degrees. At a certain point, hot is hot. But we dress lightly, brave the heat and again join folks from around the country to dine Phoenix-style. Our guide promises to keep us in the shade as much as possible between stops, for which I’m grateful. I figure we’ll come across Southwestern cuisine at some point but, surprisingly, we do not. Instead, Italian, barbecue, Thai and more are on the menu. We sample bruschetta, tortellini and Bolognese at The Strand Urban Italian (www.thestranditalian.com), bordered by Milan, Italy’s Piazza del Duomo (city square) in wallpaper form on our right and a sleek bar to the left. We wolf down pulled pork sliders at Tom’s Tavern & 1929 Grill (www.tomstavernaz.com), a watering hole for the local political elite, and share pizza at Valley Bar (www.valleybarphx.com), a chilly covert basement music venue where we linger until we can

avoid the heat no more. In between stops, our guide gives us short history lessons and facts about the city, combining two of my favorite things. We depart from our last stop, Phoenix Public Market Café, with the cookie of our choice and iced tea (sadly, there’s no such thing as sweet tea outside of the South), and head back to the hotel to prepare for next morning’s early departure. “Wait!” I shriek. “I have to take a picture next to a cactus before we leave!” Reginald looks at me crazily but, being the wonderful life partner he is, helps me search for a suitable cactus, all while driving. He spots one, does what I’m sure is an illegal U-turn and parks the car on the side of a busy stretch of highway, turning the hazard lights on. He jumps out, hurriedly beckoning me. “Come on before we get caught!” he explains. We jog a considerable distance to the cactus and he snaps several pictures of me in my state of Georgia tank top that I try to wear whenever traveling to inform people of where I’m from, though I’m not sure it’s doing a good job after a front desk representative asked me if I was from California (I don’t know if that’s the illustrator’s fault or the representative’s). But I also wear it to remind me that of all the places I’ve gone and will go to, there’s no place like home.

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Left, Nicole happily taking a photo next to a cactus spotted on the side of the road while driving. Far left, the W Hotel pool by night. Below, the inside of The Strand Urban Italian.

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[HEALTH & WELLNESS]

Apple doubles down

on running with Nike-edition smartwatch By Anick Jesdanun / AP

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Photo/Mark Lennihan

pple isn’t the first to add GPS functionality to a smartwatch, but it’s the first to make something that feels like a running watch. And the company is doubling down on that with a Nike edition out Friday, while Nike is bringing features from its phone app directly to all models of Apple Watch. I’ve found devices without GPS typically awful at measuring how fast and how far I’m running. And those with GPS typically do little more than measure how fast and how far I’m running. The basics are great for casual runners, but anyone who becomes a serious runner needs much more. I’ve logged more than 400 miles over the past six weeks with the GPS edition of Apple Watch, known as Series 2. I’ve also run 34 miles with the Nike Plus version over the past few days; it’s essentially a Series 2 watch with a custom wristband and watch face. With both, Apple addressed many of the shortcomings in the original watch, GPS being just one of them. I’m not ready to ditch my Garmin running watch yet, but the Apple Watch comes close to meeting all my needs.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GPS The original watch does a fine job of latching onto your phone’s GPS if you’re running with the phone, but with built-in

GPS, you can leave the phone behind. Accuracy is on par with other good GPS watches, which is to say, measurements are sometimes off, especially when tall buildings block GPS signals. The watch automatically calibrates to my running style, so it’s better than non-GPS devices even when there’s no GPS. Though GPS drains the battery more quickly, the watch still had about an hour of non-GPS use left after a marathon run of about four hours, 40 minutes. For normal use, Apple says you should get up to 90 minutes a day of GPS workouts; I’ve often gone longer without the watch dying before bedtime. It helps that I’ve disabled the heart-rate sensor during workouts. While Series 2 is meant for stand-alone running, many people carry phones anyway. With it, I get slightly better accuracy and battery life.

IMPROVEMENTS FOR ALL Series 2 watches start at $369, though its $30 more for a larger screen — the optimal size for larger wrists. Non-GPS models, now called Series 1, are $100 less. All models get software updates that address two gripes with the original: — Apple’s Workout app now records your route, something other GPS fitness devices and apps have long done. The Apple app didn’t use to, even with access to the phone’s GPS. — You can double tap the screen to record splits, or manual snapshots of how long it takes to run a stretch. Before, that was limited to mile or kilometer intervals, which didn’t help when you were running laps or loops that weren’t precisely that length.

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NIKE EXTRAS Nike’s app offers a lot to like, including big yellow numerals for easy reading during runs and voice updates every mile and halfway toward your goal. Nike keeps things simple for beginners by displaying just distance and time; turn on advanced mode for current pace and heart rate. My gripes: no manual splits, and average pace appears only when pausing or through the voice updates. Nike excels in trying to motivate you even when you’re not running. It will keep asking “Are we running today?” by reminding you the weather is nice or that a friend (with a watch or just the phone app) is just ahead of you for the month’s total. A scheduling feature shows you weather forecasts in half-hour increments. After making a selection, you get a notification when it’s time to run. Though the app is available for all models, the Nike watch also has a colorful wristband sporting holes to help sweat dry. It offers custom watch faces with one-touch access to the app, plus a reminder of your next scheduled run. Most people will be fine with just the free app, but running enthusiasts can get the Nike version for the same price.

Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

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Cyclists get similar speed and distance information, though the watch doesn’t measure how fast you’re pedaling, something hard-core cyclists might want. You can swim with Series 2, even with chlorinated or salt water, something most water-resistant gadgets don’t allow. The watch measures distance indoors by counting laps, though you need a pool large enough for at least five strokes per lap.

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Recording splits during runs is great, but I also want to know my average pace and time since the last split, rather than the beginning of the run. I find it useful when I want to go faster in the middle of a run before a gentle cooldown. And while Apple Watch syncs workout data with the phone’s Activity app, many long-time runners already have their favorite online repository, whether that’s Nike, Strava or Garmin. The ability to move data around is limited. While Nike offers an Apple Watch app, it’ll take time for others to catch up. Strava’s still requires running with a phone, while Garmin doesn’t have one at all. For these reasons, I’m sticking with my Garmin Forerunner 220. And while it’s a minor annoyance, both Apple’s and Nike’s app do a three-second countdown before workouts. I just want to run when I hit “start.” (At least with Nike’s, you can disable the countdown deep in the phone settings.)

DO YOU NEED APPLE WATCH? Because this review is focused on runners’ needs, I haven’t gotten into all the other features, such as maps, weather and shopping. Running watches and general-purpose fitness trackers such as Fitbit don’t offer as much. The ability to reply to messages by voice came in handy when coordinating with friends waiting at the finish line, for instance. But if you don’t need the “smarts,” a decent GPS fitness device is more than $100 cheaper.

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[HEALTH & WELLNESS]

Nutritious Nibbles

Good Health debuts new Eat Your Vegetables chips G

ood Health, creator of crunchy, crave-worthy snacks that make it easy to make better choices, has launched its new Eat Your Vegetables ® chip lineup. Eat Your Vegetables chips are crafted with a blend of 8 Great Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, broccoli, tomato, beets and shiitake mushrooms, and feature five mouthwatering flavors, including Sea Salt, Jalapeño Ranch, Korean BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion and Sea Salt & Lime. The new products hit grocery store shelves throughout October 2016. Originally launched in 2012 under the Snikiddy brand halo, Eat Your Vegetables joins the Good Health family of better-for-you snacks. “With the partnership between Snikiddy and Good Health memorialized earlier this year, we decided that Eat Your Vegetables was a better fit within the Good Health brand endorsement,” said Mary Schulman, vice president of strategy at Good Health and original founder of Snikiddy. “This will allow Snikiddy to return to its original roots – serving the snacking needs of the youngest members of the family.” Crafted with high-quality ingredients perfectly blended into a deliciously light and crispy chip, Eat Your Vegetables chips are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and a good source of vitamins E and B6 so everyone can snack happy. Certified Gluten Free, each crunchy and delightful chip is free of nuts, cholesterol, MSG, hydrogenated oils, trans fat and artificial colors. Many flavors are also Verified Non-GMO through the Non-GMO Project. “We’re committed to offering solutions across the entire snacking aisle with all of our common-sense options,” said Jim Ehlen, vice president of marketing at Good Health. “Eat Your Vegetables gives consumers a better alternative with 8 Great Vegetables in each serving and we’re eager to share the nutritious goodness with consumers everywhere.” Eat Your Vegetables joins Good Health’s robust portfolio of veggie, potato and sweet potato kettle style chips, Veggie Stix ® and straws, popcorn, pretzels and apple chips. Good Health’s new Eat Your Vegetables snack varieties retail for $3.49. All Good Health products are available nationwide in natural and grocery stores including Safeway and Kroger, as well as national retailers such as Target, Walmart and CVS Pharmacy. For more information about Good Health or to view its full lineup of scrumptious snacks, please visit www.goodhealthsnacks.com. — From wire reports December 2016 | Cobb Life

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WISE EYES Meet Wise Foods Executive Jolie Weber

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By Katy Ruth Camp Photography courtesy of Wise Foods, Inc.

11/16/2016 11:15:25 AM

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ise Foods, Inc.’s corporate office has been based in Cobb County for nearly 30 years, although many Cobb residents might not know that the giant snack food corporation is in their own backyard. Wise Foods CEO Jolie Weber hopes to change that in her relatively new role, along with the role women play in the workplace. “We’ve been the little-known snack secret,” she said, adding that the company was in the Galleria and Chastain Road areas before moving to its location at 290 Interstate Circle in 2013. The foods firm, founded in Pennsylvania in 1921, is best known for its line of potato chips, but also manufactures popcorn, pretzels, pork rinds, tortilla chips, dips and salsa. According to Bloomberg, its brand names include Bravos, Dipsy Doodles, Ridgies, Wavy Potato Chips, Cheez Waffies and Wise, and its products are sold mainly in the Eastern U.S. Wise has been owned by Latin America’s second-largest bottler, Arca Continental, S.A.B. de C.V., since 2012. Upon graduation from the University of Georgia nearly 20 years ago, Weber secured what she thought would be a three-month internship working with the Coca-Cola Company in Asuncion, Paraguay. The job turned into a full-time position, as she eventually served as the National Marketing Director and Business Development Manager at Suntory Water Group (Crystal Springs water) and Core Brand Manager for Coca-Cola Paraguay. It became a blessing to her both personally and professionally, as it allowed her to meet her husband, Michael, an entrepreneur doing business there, as well as catapulted her into her first job with Wise in 2004 as Brand Manager. “They were looking to break into the Hispanic market and I had that experience, so it was a great transition,” Weber said. “Marketing was always my passion and I always thought I

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Cobb Life | December 2016

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Jolie Weber Age: 43 Title: CEO of Wise Foods, Inc. Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia in International Marketing and an Executive M.B.A. from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School; graduate of North Cobb High School Experience: Joined Wise in 2004 as Brand Manager, moved up to Director of Marketing in 2005, Vice President of Marketing 2008, CFO 2011, CEO 2015 Family: husband, Michael; 5-year-old daughter, Sofia Favorite quotes: Failure is not fatal

would be in marketing, but the more years you’re in business and in an organization, you’re looking to grow professionally, so when the CFO position came along, it was a tremendous way to broaden my horizons. That opportunity gave me a more diverse experience and I think it’s good to learn about the various aspects of business and not focus on just one discipline.” She became CFO in 2011 and was named CEO in June 2015. Outside of snack foods and growing the Wise Foods company, Weber is also passionate about helping women gain equality and confidence in today’s workplace. From 2012 to 2014, she served as treasurer of the Atlanta Chapter of the Network of Executive Women and gives speeches to groups of women on how to break those barriers. “I think that there are setbacks and challenges still,” she said. “We still have inequality when it comes to pay and I’ve experienced that in my career. I’ve had to dig deep within myself to find ways around that and be effective in negotiating my salary independent of my gender. Unfortunately, gender inequality is still alive and well and I don’t think we’re making a whole lot of progress but I’m optimistic and I’ll continue to push for equal compensation and packages overall in my own company.” Weber advises women to “stick to your guns. You have to continue to drive for the value of the position and not settle. Sometimes it’s hard because we want to be grateful and thankful, but we also have a responsibility to other female executives and managers who want to move up as well. We have to set the standard and drive for the value.”

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December 2016 | Cobb Life

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[KEEPING UP WITH KATY RUTH] It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, hopefully. The holidays really are wonderful, but they also can be trying what with all of the last-minute gift-buying, quality (sometimes too much) time with family members and trying to find the perfect outfit/ugly sweater/cocktail dress for a million and one holiday parties and galas. But, rejoice! The holidays are about love and camaraderie and reflecting on what is important in life. So keep those things in mind as you wait in line at Target for 30 minutes behind a screaming toddler who periodically throws his toy at your face. I’m sure this holiday season will be like most in the recent past: my brother and I will argue over the remote, my calendar will look like the alphabet had a conniption and my Dad will buy my dogs Christmas pajamas for a good laugh. One tradition in our family during our Christmas celebrations at my Dad’s home in Kennesaw is to play BINGO for scratch-off lottery cards. It isn’t caroling in the neighborhood or decorating the Christmas tree, but Katy Ruth it’s a tradition and it’s our tradition. One year, my aunt Camp thought she won $10,000 on a scratch-off and began excitedly espousing all of the things she and my uncle were going to do with the money. Those dreams quickly vanished when my brother took another look at it and had to tell her it was worth $80. Still a good win for a scratch-off, but it wasn’t going to do much for paying off their camper. There are many other holiday traditions in Cobb County. The Marietta Pilgrimage Tour of Homes is always fun, assuming there is good weather. I am the House Docent for the Holland-Higginbotham House this year or, as homeowner Laura Higginbotham called it, her “Most Special

Docent.” This year’s homes are all in the beautiful Kennesaw Avenue District and volunteering for the Pilgrimage always puts me in the Christmas spirit, with all of the beautiful decorations and hot coffee and friends and family walking home to home. And it can’t be holiday season without a party at Kim Gresh’s Marietta home! I think I went to four holiday parties at Kim and George’s house last year – so many that I lost five pounds walking up and down that steep driveway of theirs, then gained it back in the food I ate. And if you’ve ever been to one of her parties, then you know about the Santa in the bathtub – that is always a favorite picture spot for me and my friends! Me and Wendy Bunch hilariously almost fell into Santa’s tub full of plastic bubbles last year, trying to get a good picture with him. I’m pretty sure Kim keeps Carriage House Catering and owner Jeff Brister in business just from her holiday parties alone! But she does them for the various charity organizations she so graciously volunteers for and donates to, so the community is better for them – and for her. The Queen of Christmas is at it again this year with her own tradition. No one outdoes Marie Barnes when it comes to Christmas decorations, and I mean no one! The home she shares with her husband and former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes on Whitlock Avenue in Marietta is filled with 26 Christmas trees this year, a large front yard decorated with what appears to be all of Garden Ridge’s holiday section and so many Nutcrackers that Marie said she’s lost count. “I’ve got Nutcrackers on the television stands, in the pantry, under the bed – they’re everywhere!” she said. She also has Nativity scenes and countless other decorations spread throughout their home. I’m pretty sure Marie has a small army come in each year to make sure everything is up before the first of December. What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? No matter what they are, just remember to smile, breathe and appreciate everything around you. And that mother with the screaming toddler could probably use a hug, too. Happy Holidays!

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EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2017 is almost upon us. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got great pieces slated for next year. Here is a glance at what is on the docket. And, remember, if you have any story ideas, just email us at mmaguire@ cobblifemagazine.com January BEST OF ISSUE Februay BRIDAL MAGAZINE

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[FROM THE DIRECTOR]

BY MARK WALLACE MAGUIRE

ou hear it or say it every time this time of year: “I can’t believe how this year has flown by!” “I can’t believe it is already December.” “Where does the time go?” And my favorite: “The days are long, the years are short.”

Yep, all of us are wrapping up another year in the books. What a year it has been for our nation and our world. And, more importantly, for all of us in our own lives because there is where real change, real experience and real connection happens. I purposefully and pointedly take stock of the last 12 months this time every year. Sometimes my focus on reflecting drives my wife a bit batty, but it is something my dad taught me growing up and a practice that I believe is vital to everyday life. It is critical to find time to look back and see the goals you reached, the ones you didn’t and how you might improve in the year to come. It is also a time to look outside of ourselves to see how the people in our lives have changed. Let’s not forget, no one is the same person now they were a year ago. I didn’t make any major resolutions this year so I can’t tell you what I did and didn’t do. (If that is what you are interested in, read LaTria Garnigan’s column on page 44). But, if you will indulge me, let me share with you a few reflections on 2016: A SENSE OF PLACE: I’ve been going to the dental practice of Dr. Robert Hoff for almost 17 years. The man, who I once in a column dubbed, ‘Cobb’s Best Dentist,’ has operated out of a nondescript medical building on South Cobb Drive in Smyrna for over 30 years. His suite was the most unique of any medical office I have ever stepped in. The walls were adorned with his photography including shots of yesteryear Atlanta to picturesque Europe and Africa locales. Relics from the ocean hung from the ceiling. And a huge, gorgeous sunset beach wallpaper covered one of the walls. Talk about a cool way to get your teeth cleaned, right? His office – along with his amazing staff, Fran and Debbie - had a personal touch that reflected the personality of the gentle and witfilled dentist. This year, a government entity bought the building and the residents were forced to move. Dr. Hoff moved the office north to an office suite in Kennesaw. I went to see him for a checkup in November. It is a nice building with a neat and orderly waiting room. But something was missing. I felt like I was in a dream or unhinged. Sometimes it is the little things. The little things that make us realize that even something as simple as a dentist’s office can be a point of reference, a touchstone you might say to our reality, in this strange world.

BOOKENDS: In 2015, I founded an independent press, Speckled Leaf Press, and published a book of my selected magazine and newspaper columns, “Letters from Red Clay Country.” It was well-received, in particular, thanks to some outstanding community engagement from readers in Cobb. I am especially indebted to folks like Dr. Jason Jones at Lithia Springs Pharmacy who hosted an extraordinary book signing for me. In addition to a powerful promotion, I might have broken ground on a certain item: A drive-thru book signing. Yes, a gent in a truck sitting in the pharmacy drive-thru requested a signed book. I gladly obliged. Major pharmacy chains are ubiquitous and generally have the emotional connection of an ATM. But Dr. Jones and his staff have a true affinity for their community and promote things local, including regionally-made jams, crafts and books from local authors. I also want to thank Marietta’s Nelle Purvis. Nelle was kind enough to ask me to have a reading at the Anne Hathaway Garden Club Christmas luncheon last December at the Marietta Country Club. The club members were all very gracious and warm in their reception and support. My adventures into publishing continued this year. In October, my first novel, “Alexandria Rising” debuted. An action-adventure novel with a healthy dose of suspense, historical fiction and romantic tension, it has already gained strong reviews and reception from the average reader to fellow authors and literary reviews. “Alexandria Rising” was a project that was over three years in the making and was interrupted numerous times along the way by a bicycle accident that crippled my typing efforts for a few months, family emergencies and the challenge we all deal with: Surviving everyday life. If you are interested in buying it – both books are available at amazon. com – I will warn you, it is rated R. As I reminded and re-reminded my family, this book is fiction. I’ve got to thank all those friends and family who encouraged me with this book, in particularly, on the local front, longtime friend and occasional Cobb Life contributor Allen Bell. FAMILY: I was blessed this year to have the opportunity to create some poignant family memories. As I wrote in last month’s Cobb Life, my son, Patrick, and I had great adventures in American history by visiting Washington D.C. and Kings Mountain, N.C. My wife and I also experienced a peaceful getaway to Pine Mountain, Ga. in mid-summer. Then there was the trip my family made with my grandmother, Louise, to the north Georgia mountains. Grandmother is now 93. A native of Blue Ridge, she wanted to visit the mountains this summer along with two of her many great-grandchildren and we happily loaded up and rented a cabin between Blue Ridge and Blairsville. My favorite part of our sojourn was going to Lake Vogel. When my sons first dipped their toes into the cool mountain water, I reminded them that they were now at least the fifth generation of our family to do so. I don’t know if my youngest son understood what I was saying, but my oldest was very proud that day. I think his sense of pride was only eclipsed by my own joy as I watched the boys swim in that lake under the visage of those gentle slopes as their great-grandmother sat on a bench and smiled. MAGAZINE MUSINGS: Of course, I can’t look back on another year without writing about what we’ve done here at Cobb Life. We’ve had another year of covering the dynamic world of Cobb County and its unique residents. Your feedback, story ideas and kind emails are critical to us staying connected to the community. I’ve been fortunate to have a grand staff to help along the way, including the aforementioned LaTria Garnigan, Erin Gray Cantrell, Kathryn Ingall, Meredith Pruden, Jennifer Carter, Nicole Price and Michael J. Pallerino just to name a few. Also thanks to my colleagues Wade Stephens and Beth Poirer and their respective staffs for helping make sure each issue is full of our great advertisers and is produced on time. So how about you? What are your favorite memories of the year? What should you reflect on? Better think about it. As the saying goes, the year will be over before you know it.

Cobb Life | December 2016

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[HIGHLIGHTS] A CLOSER LOOK AT EVENTS HAPPENING IN COBB DURING DECEMBER DECEMBER 3 & 4

THE MARIETTA PILGRIMAGE CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR

Thirty years strong, this tour showcases holiday homes and public buildings, this year in the Kennesaw Avenue District. The Marietta Visitors Bureau and Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society organize the tour, which has been featured in Southern Living and named a Top 100 Event in North America. Shuttles ferry attendees on a comprehensive tour. When and where: Dec. 3 & 4; Shuttle service starts Saturday at 8:45 a.m. and Sunday at 9:45 a.m.; Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau, No.4 Depot St. Tickets: $20 - $35 for tours. More info: 770.429.1115 and mariettapilgrimage.com. DECEMBER 9 & 10

ATLANTA LYRIC THEATRE’S: PETER PAN

This high-flying stage show remains popular with children and families and much like Peter himself, shows no sign of growing old. When and where: Dec. 9 & 10; Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $25 - $61.50 More info: 800.745.3000 or 404. 377. 9948 and atlantalyrictheatre. com.

DECEMBER 8 & 9

SYMPHONY ON THE SQUARE

Symphony on the Square is a community orchestra made up of dozens of musicians from the Marietta area. Come and enjoy this concert of Christmas music in a show for the whole family. It sells out every year, so an extra show has been added DECEMBER 11 for 2016. You’ll hear favorites like: SOULFUL SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Holiday tunes blended with sweet soul, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Pacourtesy of Will Downing, Najee and Ken rade of the Wooden Soldiers, Let it Ford. When and where: Dec. 11: 6 p.m.; Snow, Christmas Around the World, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tick- and others. When and where: Dec. ets: $35 - $89 plus fees plus fees at Ticket- 8 & 9; 8 p.m.; Jennie T. Anderson master outlets, by phone, online or at Cobb Theatre - Cobb Civic Center, 548 S. Energy Centre box office. Parking: $6 self Marietta Pkwy., SE, Marietta. Tickets: park, $8 pre-pay option, $10 valet (cash or $15. More info: www.symphonyoncredit card). More info: 800.745.3000 or thesquare.org or events@symphon770.916.2852 or cobbenergycentre.com. yonthesquare.org.

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DECEMBER 2 - 4

GEORGIA BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER

Dueling soldiers, a glowing Christmas tree, fairies, dancing snowflakes, oh-so-cute Clara and the Land of Sweets shine in this holiday favorite, presented by the Georgia Ballet. When and where: Dec 2 - 4; Jennie T. Anderson Theatre at Cobb County Civic Center, Marietta Tickets: $15 (preview) - $45 More info: 770.528.0881 or georgiaballet.org DECEMBER 10

POLAR EXPRESS ADVENTURE

Take a holiday trip when the Southern Museum transforms into a winter adventure wonderland. Travelers will be met by the conductor of the Polar Express and taken through a festive landscape to the North Pole to see Santa. Hot chocolate and light refreshments served. When and where: Dec 10; 2:30 - 7 p.m.; Southern Museum, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw. More info: 770.427.2117 ext. 3058 or events@southernmuseum. org. DECEMBER 2

DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS: CHRISTMAS 2016

A merry musical way to start the month of December. Jazz saxophonist and multiple-award winner Koz and fellow musicians and friends Jonathan Butler, Kenny Lattimore, and Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson) will bring the holiday spirit to Cobb. There’s a reason the El Paso Times christened this show “Santa Koz.” When and where: Dec. 2: 8 p.m.; Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets: $36 - $76 plus fees at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone, online or at Cobb Energy Centre box office. Parking: $6 self park, $8 pre-pay option, $10 valet (cash or credit card). More info: 800.745.3000 or 770.916.2852 or cobbenergycentre.com. DECEMBER 9 - 21

A CHRISTMAS TRADITION

Holiday song and dance show that serves up fun to funky entertainment and celebrates the holidays on the Square. When and where: Dec 9 – 21; Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta. Tickets: $25 reserved seating. Discounts for seniors, students and military. More info: 770.293.0080 or earlsmithstrand.org. DECEMBER 15 - 20

1940s RADIO HOUR

The original Theatre In The Square crew had great success with this show and it became a beloved tradition in Marietta and beyond for over a decade. The new guard at the new Theatre In The Square brings their own take and verve to the classic show portraying a live broadcast of The Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade from the Hotel Astor’s Algonquin Room on Dec. 21, 1942. When and where: Dec. 15-20; 8 p.m., 3 p.m. on Sunday; Marietta’s New Theatre In The Square, 11 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. Tickets: $30 - $45 More info: 770.426.4800 Do you have an event? Just email Therra C. Gwyn at WhatsHappeningGa@gmail.com

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[SCENE]

4 FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA. Frameworks Gallery in Marietta held a reception for, “From the Mountains to the Sea” a collection of new and original paintings by Atlanta artists. The event took place in mid-October. 1. Julie Mann and Jan Eubanks. 2. Anita Elder and Millie Gosch. 3. Karen Cunningham and Linda Petkus. 4. John and Barbara Sharkey. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHRYN INGALL //

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5. From left, Millie Gosch, Amanda Lovett, Katherine Moore and Debra Nadelhoffer. 6. From left, Anne Brodie Hill, Bob Hill and Tom Nadelhoffer. 7. From left, Sharon Anderson, Sunny Walker and Gail Johnson. 8. Debra Nadelhoffer and Lynn Thompson. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHRYN INGALL //

December 2016 | Cobb Life

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Cobb Life | December 2016

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[SCENE]

MARIETTA SQUARE ART WALK. The October Marietta Square Art Walk had good weather and attracted crowds to view local art on display. 1. Emily Harris. 2. Denise Hemerlein. 3. Sheila Rose. 4. Lee Vann. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN GRAY CANTRELL //

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5. Stormi Melder. 6. Molly Yates. 7. Amy Cobb. 8. Gabrielle Callahan. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN GRAY CANTRELL //

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4. Emily Nguyen and Carley Morris. 5. Yung Staebell and Artero Gutierrez. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN GRAY CANTRELL //

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6. From left, Leana Wallender, Chelsea Burroughs and Sarah Scott. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN GRAY CANTRELL //

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December 2016 | Cobb Life

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[PARTING SHOT]

>>>Photographed by Kelly J. Huff>>> A symbol of the season. This photograph was taken during a recent meteor shower in the pasture of photographer Kelly J. Huff close to 2 a.m. Huff built the cross himself using oak beams taken from his wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home in Cherokee County. Huff is photo editor at the Marietta Daily Journal and his wife, Cindy, is a nurse at WellStar. This photograph was a 40-second exposure to capture not only the full color of the cross, but the stars adorning the sky. 90

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