Cobb Life April 2014

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Cobb Life

April 2014 Volume 10, Issue 3 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

Otis Brumby III GENERAL MANAGER

Lee B. Garrett V.P. ADVERTISING Wade Stephens

E D I T O R I A L S TA F F DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINES

Mark Wallace Maguire LAYOUT AND DESIGN

Stacey L. Evans, Mark Wallace Maguire CONTRIBUTORS

Joan Durbin, Stacey L. Evans, Lindsay Field, Michael Pallerino, Jennifer Hafer, Joe Kirby PHOTOGRAPHER

Sam Bennett PHOTOGRAPHY

Kelly J. Huff, Todd Hull PHOTO ASSISTANT

Marti Sacks PROOFREADER

Whitney Betts A D V E R T I S I N G S TA F F

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Abbey Warren Advantage Dental Aqua Guard Basements Atlanta Communities Atlanta Fine Homes - Jim Glover Atlanta Lyric Theatre Big Canoe Tour of Homes Blackwell's Jewelers Broadway In Atlanta - Lion King Brumby Chair Company Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Cobb EMC Cobb Hardware Compassionate Care Ministries Cumberland Diamond Exchange Debbie Redford - All Around Atlanta Realty Dermatology Consultants Diamonds R Forever DK Gallery E. Smith Heating & Air Fleming Carpet Fresh n Fit Gaines Park Senior Living Golden Rugs Gone With The Wind Museum Harry Norman Henry's Louisiana Grill Hodge - Army Navy Joanna Conyngham Johnson Ferry Baptist Julep's Home DĂŠcor Kennestone Dental Design Life Grocery Manders Dental Marietta Antique Mall

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Cobb Life April 2014

67 35 70 54 46 68 22 18 47 70 3 41 72 73 31 67 14 45 37 40 43 22 58 40 61 35 23 58 10 12 54 24 6 10 53

Marietta Cobb Museum of Art 65 Marietta Facial Plastic Surgery 32 Marietta Hearing Center 4 Marietta Podiatry 45 Marlowe's Tavern 55 Mayes Ward - Dobbins Funeral Home 75 Medford - Peden Funeral Home 19 Miracle Method 24 Mt. Bethel Christian School 15 Mt. Paran Christian School 33 North Cobb Spine & Nerve 25 Northside Hospital 5 Northside Hospital Spine Center 50 Northside Physicians Group 60 Outrageous Interiors 59 Parc @ Piedmont 71 Pearl's Spa 46 Pinnacle Orthopaedics 9 Plastic Surgery Center of the South 73 Presbyterian Village 69 Roswell Street Baptist Church 61 Skin Cancer Specialists 51 Snelling Staffing 14 Sterling Senior Living 11 Sue Hilton 37 Superior Plumbing 2 Taste of Marietta 66 The Bottoms Group 7 The Framery 71 The Local Exchange 68 Vespucci's 23 Wellstar 76 West Cobb Funeral Home 13 White Rabbit 32 Winnwood Retirement 64

COBB ADVERTISING MANAGER

Becky Opitz ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Stephanie deJarnette, Dawne Edge, Paula Milton,Tara Guest, Charlene Kay, Katelyn Ledford, Audra Pagano, Liz Ridley GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Beth Poirier, Jennifer Hall PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Leigh Hall C I R C U L AT I O N CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Dave Gossett I N F O R M AT I O N

Cobb Life magazine is published nine times a year by the Marietta Daily Journal and distributed to more than 30,500 homes and businesses.

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

To subscribe, visit our website at www.cobblifemagazine.com or email dgossett@cobblifemagazine.com ADVERTISING

To advertise, contact Wade Stephens at 770.795.4001 SUBMISSIONS

Please send all editorial correspondence to mmaguire@cobblifemagazine.com

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W H AT ’ S I N S I D E features 18 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? dk Gallery’s Donna Krueger keeps the art world strong in Marietta

42 HOME AND GARDEN Rosemary gets a twist 44 HOME AND GARDEN Vibrant colors and hues define spring decor

26 A COBB AMBASSADOR Remembering Jay Whorton 34 FINE TUNED FOCUS New wave of cameras seek to enhance quality 36 HOME AND GARDEN Floral decor gets an updated look 38 HOME AND GARDEN Cobb landscape artists create unique water features

46 HOME AND GARDEN Be careful when pruning bulbs 52 TASTY TRADITION Smyrna resident dishes out favorite Passover dish 56 THE PULPIT IN THE PAINT Meet Cobb’s Andrew Lang who serves as a chaplain for the Atlanta Hawks

departments

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22 SPICE Marietta cafe offers a taste of Italian-American cuisine 30 STYLE Acworth entrepreneur opens mobile boutique ON THE COVER: From left, Ozzy, Birdie and Savannah Dixon with dog, Happy. The siblings are the children Danjiro and Meredith Dixon of Marietta.

48 HEALTH AND WELLNESS Learn about Kettlebells and a unique workout program 48 TRAVEL Discover Rosemary Beach

in every issue FROM THE DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS TALK OF THE TOWN FEEDBACK NEWS & NOTEWORTHY HIGHLIGHTS SCENE J’EAT YET?

08 10 12 13 14 66 68 74

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FROM THE DIRECTOR

HAPPY DAY The Doctor’s prescription was cheer Note: This column initially ran in the March 5 edition of the Marietta Daily Journal as part of a series of articles on the occasion of the passing of Jay Whorton. You can read more about Whorton on page 26.

Dr. Jay. That’s what most people called him.

Dr. Jay. There was also, ‘The Doctor,’ ‘JayBird’ and, to his longtime friends, simply ‘Jay.’ And I called him Mr. Whorton a few times before he admonished me for my formality.

And then it was simply, ‘Dr. Jay,’ ‘The Doctor’ or ‘Dr. Reverend Whorton’ if we were in a mischievous mood, which was often when we went on one our weekly lunches. I knew Dr. Jay for over 15 years, but it was really only in the last ten that we got to know each other.

What started out as a general business acquaintance evolved into friendship. A friendship built on mutual respect, sharing truths with each other, empathy and on most days, having a similar sense of humor about this crazy life we all lead.

How does that happen? How does an 80-something-year-old outgoing, advertising guru become friends with someone half his age who has a tendency to be reserved with occasional forays into dourness? Because Dr. Jay was genuine. He was real. He was honest. He was interested in who you were. And he had that rare gift of being able to draw out a laugh in just about anyone. He always greeted you with an earnest smile, his booming

voice and a handshake. For the ladies, he usually greeted them with “Happy Day” and for men, the words, “Hello Brother.”

And everyone was his brother.

His sister.

His friend.

His son.

His daughter.

The man, in many ways, had a tremendously large family. A family who he loved and who loved him back.

Dr. Jay was not ashamed to tell people he grew up, “poor and on the mountain.”

He took pride in the fact he was a letterman at Jacksonville State University. He loved to tell how he married the most beautiful girl on campus — his longtime wife, Laura. He wanted you to know he worked for 40-plus years at the MDJ with his close friend and boss Mr. Brumby.

And he loved to tell you stories upon stories. I have shelved dozens of his stories that include everything from his experiences at all-night wakes with the west Georgia gypsies to almost getting shot when, at the bequest of Mr. Brumby, he visited the penthouse of Howard Hughes.

There are many quotes and stories in these pages that reflect the type of person that Dr. Jay was.

I have one in particular that defined him to me and what made him so special.

We were eating at the Marietta Diner a few years ago when a lady with a walker and an oxygen tank came lumbering by our table. Obviously struggling and in a bit of pain, Dr. Jay greeted her with a hearty, “You are looking good, lady!” She stopped and talked to us for a minute, relating her latest medical maladies. Dr. Jay listened, nodded and left her with a few words of encouragement. She smiled and thanked him. And it struck me. That is the good life. That is the way to live.

That is the Christ-like life. Saying hello

to one and all. Treating everyone with respect and love. Encouraging those around you. Making everyone feel loved, cared for and special. Wishing all a good morning, a happy day.

And, as many who knew Dr. Jay, the lady at the diner that day was not the only person he made a point of talking to. He made many people in the community have happy days. From the underdog to the top dog, he shook everyone’s hand and made everyone feel unique.

He had a “special lady” — an adult with special needs — who worked cleaning tables at the Captain D’s. He always made sure he saw her and always left her with a hefty tip. (And, no you are not wrong, you don’t generally tip at Captain D’s.)

He knew the two managers at a local Krystal’s by name. Two African-American gentleman he would always tell them he and his associate — this is when he would point to me — he was going to buy out, because “Krystal’s has the best chili in town.” No, he never did buy a Krystal’s, but he left those two men always laughing and in good spirits.

And he harbored a deep affinity and focus on helping those in need.

The stories could go on and on.

Happy Day. I’ll miss my friend. I know I am not alone. We can talk about legacy. We can talk about impact. What does it mean?

What is the purpose? What is our time on this earth good for? I don’t know all the answers. But, in the end, if I can make one person smile everyday like Dr. Jay did, then that is a great way to be remembered. Maybe, when you boil it all down to what really matters, it is all the only way.

Thanks, Dr. Jay. Happy Day. Mark Wallace Maguire

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meet some of our contributors Jennifer Hafer is an award-winning writer and editor whose articles have appeared in several local and national publications. A former journalist, she has won numerous awards for deadline reporting, feature writing and advertising copy. She now works in public relations, garnering local and national publicity for her organization, including coverage by "USA Today," "Diverse Issues in Higher Education" and "The Chronicle of Higher Education." She and her husband live in Hickory Flat with their two daughters.

Food has been on Joan Durbin’s mind for as long as she can remember.

In high school, faced with taking either French or Spanish for a language credit, she opted for French because she thought it would come in handy later for reading menus.

Growing up in a Midwestern family in which garlic, herbs and spices other than salt, pepper and the occasional onion rarely made an appearance in the womenfolk’s cooking, Joan was flabbergasted and delighted to discover a whole spectrum of new flavors once she went away to college. She more than made up for lost time by embracing exotic ingredients and foodstuffs that gave her grandmother and mother the vapors.

In her 20s, Joan adopted the kitchen as her favorite room in the house and spent ensuing decades attempting and often succeeding in creating edible meals. In the early years, she was the only one of her friends who preferred to throw a dinner party than a kegger.

Moving from Ohio to South Florida to metro Atlanta, and traveling up and down the East Coast, Joan has picked up a passing familiarity with a wide variety of cuisines, regional specialties and cooking procedures. She lives quietly in East Cobb with a passel of dogs and cats and one sometimes exasperating but well-meaning man who retired and took up cooking as a hobby.

Lindsay Field, who moved to Cobb from Southwest Georgia a little over three years ago, has more than 10 years of experience in writing for both newspapers and magazines. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including the Marietta Daily Journal and its special editions, as well as other local magazines featuring the lovely men, women and organizations that make Cobb such a wonderful community to live in.

In her free time, she enjoys sewing, navigating her way around a tiny kitchen, and finding creative ways to keep a 3-year-old little boy entertained, without breaking the bank.

Joe Kirby is an award-winning Editorial Page editor and columnist for the Marietta Daily Journal.

He also is the author of four books on local history, including “The Lockheed Plant” and “Marietta: Then & Now.” Kirby lives in West Cobb and has a B.A. from James Madison University in History. He also is a 1973 graduate of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va. (“Remember the Titans!”)

He has served on the boards of the Marietta Museum of History, the Cobb Library Foundation, the Kennesaw Mountain Historical Association, and the Marietta Kiwanis Club.

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Michael J. Pallerino is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in a number of local and national publications. Over the past 25 years, he has won numerous awards, including the Jesse H. Neal Editorial Achievement Award, recognized as the Pulitzer Prize for businessto-business magazines.

While in the sports product industry, his monthly columns generated national attention from “USA Today,” “The Wall Street Journal,” “ESPN Magazine,” “Sports Business Journal” and “BusinessWeek,” among others.

“Born and raised in Atlanta, Sam Bennett started photography in high school and continued at the University of South Carolina, where he majored in Visual Communications. His work has previously appeared in several publications including the Marietta Daily Journal, Dawg Post, Score Atlanta, and Johns Creek Herald. He also owns Cutting Edge Images, Inc. that specializes in portraits, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings and Event photography. He has served as a coach and umpire, acquired a black belt in Taekwondo, and possesses a deep passion when rooting on his USC Gamecocks.”

Atlanta native and long-time contributor Meredith Pruden is a ravenous technophile, social media fanatic, word nerd, finicky foodie, landlocked surfer and scuba diver, and an avid traveler raising a cheeky, soccer playing teenage son. When she's not busy acquiescing to her wanderlust, chauffeuring her son to games or appeasing her gluttonous appetite (for food and for life), Meredith enjoys getting paid for being herself—a rebel raconteur. She has been an integral member of the editorial launch teams for several magazine startups and has been published hundreds of times as a feature journalist with specific expertise in lifestyle and popular culture. Her styling and writing work has appeared in “Cover Magazine,” “Rolling Stone” and on “Sweetjack.com,” among others. She has been a part of numerous award-winning publishing and marketing teams and, in 2011, was named one of “Atlanta's Top Creatives” by “CommonCreativ Magazine.”

Stacey L. Evans was born with a fervent curiosity streak, which triggered her interest in journalism and eventually drove her from a small South Georgia town to the ‘big city’ of Atlanta. With a journalism degree in tow, she jetted off for an escapade in London—which she believes gives her the right to use words such as ‘bloody,’ and ‘knackered’ with authority—and then wandered around the retail and restaurant world until finding a home at “Neighbor Newspapers” and “Cobb Life.” Now she spends her days writing, designing, brainstorming and assisting with photo shoots. She also serves as editor of Cobb Life’s “Brides” edition. An avid nature lover, she spends countless hours trekking or cycling through the wilderness, stretching out on river rocks to read, marveling at whatever creature crosses her path, contemplating the clouds and staring up at the stars. She has an equal affinity for the arts. She regularly gives Tony award-worthy performances in her Marietta home to two unfortunate cats. They abhor her singing and are frightened by her Bollywood dance moves, but love her immense devotion and affection. She has a weakness for chocolate and all things cute and cuddly.

April 2014 Cobb Life

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TA L K O F T H E TO W N

parties In March, the red carpet was rolled out as guests gathered at the 18th Annual Red Carpet Gala benefiting The Center for Family Resources.

Guests donned beautiful ball gowns and black-ties at the Cobb Galleria Centre. The compiled by evening Sally Litchfield began with a and staff reception followed by dinner, viewing of the 86th Academy Awards, live entertainment and dancing.

At a silent and live auction, guests opened their hearts and pocketbooks

to show support for CFR, a nonprofit organization that has worked to stabilize families so that they can become self-sufficient since 1960.

One of the most moving parts of the evening was when Terri Bunten Guthrie of First Landmark Bank eloquently shared her family’s story with the audience. Bunten Guthrie serves on the board of directors of CFR. Experiencing the glitz and glamour of the evening were co-chairs Shan and Eddie Cooper and Mary Anne and Ben Mathis, along with Bob and Jeri Barr, Carolyn and Doug Chaffins, Meredith and David Cole, Julie and James Eubanks, Cappy and Jay Gratwick, Billie and Phil Gingrey, Holly and Marty Heller, Christi and Chuck Hodges, Teresa and Terry DeWitt, Mary and George Karras, Carly and Judson Langley, Kevin Moore, Kim and Scott Rees, Alice Summerour, Holly Tuchman, and Joanne and Bob Walsh.

celebrations When Leah Page and Scott Andrews met in ninth grade at Kennesaw Mountain High School, they became fast friends but never expected to become husband and wife 10 years later.

After both graduated from Auburn University, they soon made plans to marry in 2014.

In late February, Page and Andrews were honored at a cocktail buffet wedding shower hosted by Marie and Vic Corrigan, Stefanie and George Kramer, and Karen and Keith West at the Wests’ Marietta home. Carriage House of Marietta catered the affair.

Cathy and Mark Adams, Beth and Chris Andersen, Marian and Mike Andrews, Kim and Bender Betbeze,Susan and Bill Campbell, Sue and Brian Frislee, Julie and Danny Kleinman, Katie and Blake Masingill, Nancy Stowell, Liz and Dave Street, and Shari and Duanne Szalwinski joined the celebration.

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news & noteworthy [home and garden] Garden Club hosts annual plant and bake sale The Anne Hathaway Garden Club will hold its annual plant and bake sale April 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event takes place at the Marietta Educational Garden Center, 505 Kennesaw Avenue in Marietta.

Dozens of varieties of locally-grown plants are sold including American Beautyberries, Annabelle Hydrangeas, Lenten Roses, Hostas and Azaleas. Vegetable plants sold include Tomato and Bell Peppers.

There will also be homemade baked goods for sale.

Funds from the sale benefit the club which uses the money to be involved in local and statewide beautification projects including the Marietta Welcome Center, Park Street School, Must Ministries, and local nursing homes.

The event has been dubbed a ‘Best Of Cobb’ by Cobb Life.

Information: 770.422.9871

[letters]

Dear Cobb Life: Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of the 20 under 40 feature.

I just enrolled a student whose parent saw the article.

Sincerely, Lola Ajayi

[corrections and amplifications] In the Brides issue, we said that the Olde Towne Athletic Club has a tented ballroom. It should have read a Grand Ballroom.

In the March issue, we incorrectly named Caitlyn Cooper’s sister’s last name as Carr. It should have read Kathleen Cooper.

In the March issue, we misidentified Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens’ job title.

Cobb Life regrets the errors.

At West Cobb Funeral Home, we have been committed to serving the families of our community for the past 18 years. Recently, we have renovated and added a tranquil pavilion which adjoins our spacious family reception room.

See why more families are choosing our home, our services and our facilities.

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It’s still chilly in much of the country, but stores are clearing out coats and sweaters to make way for spring’s bright colors and lighter clothing. And if you’re looking to update your wardrobe this season, you’ll need to know about a few key trends: crop tops, high waists and wider legs in pants.

But don’t panic just yet about the idea of wearing a top that may not reach your navel. There are several ways to pull off the potentially midriff-baring trend — whether or not you have great abs, and even if you prefer to dress on the conservative side.

“Crop tops are not the easiest thing to wear,” said Hayley Phelan, fashion features editor at Lucky magazine, acknowledging that skin-baring styles are not always “appropriate” for work or other situations. “But there are so many ways to wear crop tops that we saw on the runway and that we love at Lucky.”

For example, you can layer a crop top over a blouse, Phelan said. Or wear a boxy crop top over high-waisted pants or a highwaisted skirt, and don’t worry about revealing much skin.

“I would say a crop top is a must-have for spring,” Phelan said. “But make it one that you feel comfortable in. With a boxier shape, you can wear it on multiple occasions.”

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[pets] American Pet spending at all-time high Dogs and cats have become part of the American family’s inner circle over the past 20 years, sleeping in their own beds or yours, eating food bought specially to help their digestive tracts, drinking purified water and cuddling up in chairs on heated pads made to fend off arthritis.

In addition to veterinarians, some pets have their own groomers, trainers, sitters and occasional walkers.

All this suggests a bright future for an industry that has grown alongside the popularity of pets, expanding at a steady 4 percent to 6 percent a year since the American Pet Products Association started

record-keeping in 1996.

Americans spent an all-time high $55.7 billion on their pets last year, and spending will creep close to $60 billion this year, association president and CEO Bob Vetere told buyers and exhibitors at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday.

The biggest chunk of 2013 spending, $21.6 billion, went for food — a lot of it more expensive, healthier grub. In 1996, total pet spending was just $21 billion. Adjusted for inflation, that’s $31.3 billion.

The humanization of our pets started about 20 years ago, Vetere said in a telephone interview.

PHOTO AND ARTICLE COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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During our tenth year of publication, we are catching up with former people who have been featured in Cobb Life. Join us as we go on this journey of

art WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

entrepreneur We first profiled Donna Krueger and her successful dk Gallery in June 2010 as she was establishing a cornestone for Marietta’s emerging art scene. How have the last four years treated her?

BY MICHAEL J. PALLERINO PHOTOS BY SAM BENNETT

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Go. Engage.

Collect.

Ask Donna Krueger

Come on in, the art is beyond fine. dk Gallery owner Donna Krueger has made her gallery a mainstay on the burgeoning Marietta Square.

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what you can do to support the arts, and she’ll tell you that Cobb County is at the center of an amazing arts community. And when she looks at what’s coming up this year, she promises there’s no time like the present to get on board.

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As the owner of dk Gallery, strategically nestled in a late 1800s storefront on the Historic Marietta Square, Krueger continues to be the purveyor of all things art. The Gallery includes a fresh and compelling collection of contemporary landscapes, abstracts and figures from the top Southern, national and international artists of diverse mediums.

“Art has the power to change a community,” Krueger says. “Its power to bring joy and a valuable life experience is grand.”

This year, dk Gallery, which celebrated its five-year anniversary this past November, promises something new every month, including its First Friday series openings, where patrons can expect to view works from new artists. Also on tap are several Art Talks, which offer patrons keen insights into an artist’s work. Recently, Joe Thomas, professor of Art History at Kennesaw State University, hosted a full house and panel discussion on the topic, Nude and Figure in Art History.

Two events Krueger is excited about in particular are a poster signing by dk Gallery artist Susan Easton Burns, the artist for this 140th Kentucky Derby on April 12. And on June 14th, the gallery will host their first “Like Father, Like Son,” show with the young and talented sons of renowned artists Thomas Arvid and Steve Penley.

“There is always something new,” Krueger says. “We work hard to provide something for everyone. With new exhibits every month and new artists there are always surprises. Patrons are also always surprised by how affordable the art can be. Our artists offer their work in a range of sizes and mediums so every budget can begin collecting contemporary art.”

More than anything, Krueger is amazed at the way her patrons have supported the gallery and everything that it offers.

“Our patrons become very involved with us, so much so that we have hosted many life moments for our patrons from weddings, to memorial services, birthday milestones, and more. Nobody thought a contemporary art gallery would survive in Marietta, particularly the Square, but it has become an art community. Combine that with the other visual and performing arts in Marietta and against this awesome historical backdrop, the experience becomes alive and engaging and very enriching.”

Want to take a look?

25 West Park Square Marietta 770.427.5377 www.dkgallery.us

April 2014 Cobb Life

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Photography by Sam Bennett

GARDEN

FRESH

STATE

by Joan Durbin It isn’t a requirement to be from New Jersey to appreciate the Hoboken Cafe. Anyone who likes simple, homemade Italian American food is going to be very pleased with this small, cheerful eatery on Marietta’s Whitlock Avenue.

But if you do happen to hail from the Garden State, you will be ecstatic. From the authentic Jersey sausage with peppers and onions and the hearty marinara on the succulent chicken parmesan, down to the crunch of the specially-made bread, this place is going to taste just like home.

The menu is limited to a few hot and cold sandwiches, a couple of salads and the soup and entrée of the day. There is nothing complicated going on in the kitchen. Co-owners Roger Diaz and John Pizza (yes, that is his real name) start with the best available ingredients, including fresh mozzarella made in house every day, and marry the components according to traditional Jersey recipes.

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Hoboken CafĂŠ on Whitlock 688 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta 678.909.3375 www.hobokencafega.com

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A bell pepper stuffed with ground beef, rice, basil, parsley, and onion, topped with fresh mozzarella and homemade marinara sauce.

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The end result is straightforward, easily understood and enjoyable food on a par with, or better than, many of the much more pretentious Italian joints around the metro.

By the way, a word about that cheese. Once you’ve tasted uber-fresh mozzarella (“mutz” if you’re from any Italian neighborhood in the northeast) made just a few hours before it shows up on your sandwich or salad, you’ll never again be satisfied with anything less.

“True fresh-made mozzarella is hard to find for several reasons,” Pizza said. “Mainly because it only retains its juicy-tender texture for several hours after being prepared and then served within the same day of preparation.

“After refrigeration, it remains good for four or five days, but becomes more solid as the milk chills and becomes more firm. Typically then it becomes the same as you would buy pre-packaged in a grocery store.”

A Hoboken native and third generation restaurateur whose family came from Naples, Italy, Pizza has always known about good food. Many of the sandwiches on Hoboken Café’s menu are the same that his family has eaten for a century.

But for much of his life he put his culinary heritage on hold to provide limo and bodyguard services to luminaries like Frank Sinatra and Old Blue

Hoboken Cafe co-owners Johnny Pizza and Roger Diaz, both of Marietta.

Eyes’ son, Frank, Jr. In the course of those decades, he met most of the who’s who in music and comedy in Las Vegas and Los Angeles and became good friends with several of them.

A few years ago, Pizza made the decision

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The Chicken Parmesan sandwich features fried chicken breasts, homemade marinara sauce and homemade mozzarella cheese on a freshly baked Italian roll.

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to put show business behind him when his mother, who lives in Marietta, suffered a stroke. He moved here to help care for her with brothers Bradford, a Marietta chiropractor, and Bhrett, a local attorney.

For a glimpse into Pizza’s years in the entertainment fast lane, check out the framed photos lining the hallway walls of the café. There he is with the Sinatras and other heavy hitters such as Jay Leno, Lou Rawls, Tony Bennett, Robert DeNiro and Jack Nicholson, as well as archetypal old school comics Henny Youngman, Milton Berle and Red Buttons.

And Pizza has not lost the conviviality that served him so well with the stars. Ask him anything about his food, his life or Hoboken, and he’ll regale you with information and stories that will both educate you and brighten your day.

But he never forgets that it’s his food that’s really in the spotlight, a focus that’s well-deserved. The meatballs, a Wednesday special, are among the finest I’ve encountered in this area. The bread, crusty outside with a softer interior, is baked locally according to Pizza’s exacting New Jersey standards.

And the cheesecake? Sublime. It’s New York style, but made in Chicago. Pizza said it was Sinatra Sr.’s favorite, and it’s easy to understand why. Luxuriantly creamy and rich, with a tender crust, this is what cheesecake is meant to be, but so seldom is.

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In remembrance

Community Cornerstone Extraordinary Salesman.

Relentlessly Optimistic.

These are just a few of the phrases used to describe

Jay Whorton.

By Joe Kirby / MDJ Editorial Page Editor obb Life and Marietta Daily Journal Associate Publisher the affection became mutual. He loved everybody, so everybody loved Jay. He loved his job, just loved his job! His optimism Jay Whorton who relied on a “never-met-a-stranger” was contagious.” personality and a relentlessly upbeat outlook on life to Gov. Roy Barnes, who worshipped along with Whorton at carve a one-of-a-kind reputation as an ad salesman and commuFirst Methodist Church of Marietta, recalled Whorton not just nity cornerstone died in early March. for his friendliness but for being down-to-earth.

Whorton, 85, had been battling a long illness.

“He could converse with princes and paupers and treated them “We lost a dear friend and member of the family,” said Cobb all the same — with respect, humor and friendliness.”

Life and MDJ publisher Otis Brumby III. “I’m a better person, our company is a better company and Cobb County is a better

community because of Jay Whorton. He was always, always upbeat. His unique spirit and personality was infectious. I’m going oseph Perry (Jay) Whorton was born in Dutton, Ala., and to miss my good friend.” grew up on a farm outside Pisgah on Sand Mountain, Ala., durAdded company General Manager Lee B. Garrett, “Jay was ing the Great Depression. like a second father to me and my sisters and brother. He was His brother Lionel, 10 years older than Jay, was killed in Belone of the most optimistic people I have ever known. His smile gium in November 1944 on the eve of the Battle of the Bulge. and enthusiasm were unforgettable and he always ended a conThen at 6 p.m. that Christmas Day, Jay’s father dropped dead of versation, ‘Happy Day.’” a heart attack.

Whorton was known for his ever-present smile, whether ridJay’s mother, Mary Ida Whorton, soon sold the farm and they ing the new roller coaster at the North Georgia State Fair in his moved to Mobile, Ala., where another brother, Lauron (14 years early 80s, singing hymns at Marietta First Methodist Church, older than Jay), worked in the shipyards, which were booming bantering with buddies at his beloved Marietta Rotary Club or thanks to the war. But Lauron died of typhoid fever not long digging into a big plate of barbecue at just about anywhere. after they arrived, and so Jay and his mother moved back to Pis“He was the most positive, optimistic person I’ve ever met,” said U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). “He sold the benefits (of gah. The family eked by on the income from Lionel’s Army insurance policy and the kindness of friends. his product) like nobody I’ve ever seen, and boy, he loved his Upon graduating from high school, Whorton earned scholarlovely wife Laura.” ships to play basketball, baseball and tennis at Jacksonville State University, and later was named as one of the school’s

“100 Greatest Athletes.” He also earned a degree in Physical Education and his Phi Beta Kappa key.

“Jay’s spirit and enthusiasm was contagious,” recalled MariHis skill with bat and glove earned him a Minor League conetta Mayor Steve Tumlin. “Jay brought joy and positive results tract with the New York Yankees, but soon gave that up in favor to everything he did, whether marketing, civic work, church or of life with new bride, Laura Arrington Whorton, and a new cafriendship. His quick, direct wit kept one both on their toes and reer in newspapering. After jobs in Scottsboro and Fort Payne, on their heels.”

Ala., and 12 years as ad manager of the Times Free Press in Added former Congressman Buddy Darden of Marietta, “Jay Carroll County, he was hired by publisher Otis A. Brumby Jr. to loved people. It was contagious. Once Jay reached out to you,

C

J

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run the advertising department for the Marietta Daily Journal and Neighbor Newspapers.

The Whortons and young sons, Mike, Tim and Rick, needed a house to live in. So Brumby steered them to a 27-year-old real estate agent who’d just opened a Northside Realty office on Roswell Street, future Sen. Isakson.

“I remember meeting Jay and Laura in the office that day,” Isakson recalled on Tuesday. “I have never met, before or since, a more affable, positive individual in all my life. He was a consummate, born salesman. Never met a stranger.”

Whorton soon met now-retired Rev. Sam Storey of First Methodist as well.

“I’ve known him since he came here,” he said. “He was just an outstanding salesman. He could sell overcoats to people on the beach in Miami in midsummer, or he could sell swimsuits to people in Anchorage, Alaska, in mid-winter.”

Top left: Always a supporter of the North Georgia State Fair, Jay Whorton was taking wild rides even into his 80s as he boarded a roller coaster with JRM President Tod Miller. Bottom left: Whorton and his beloved wife, Laura. Left: Whorton, with former speaker of the House and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

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he ’60s and 1970s were heady days for newspapers in Atlanta, especially the MDJ, with publisher Brumby establishing the daily as the flagship of the chain of weekly Neighbor newspapers he bought and/or opened around the perimeter. Brumby’s vision and leadership, Whorton’s wheeling and dealing and associate editor Bill Kinney’s snooping and scooping made for an unbeatable team — three outsized personalities with outstanding skill sets who manned the helm for most of the next four decades.

“Jay was often the face of the MDJ and it was always a happy, jolly face who seemed to put his best foot forward and helped to make the Journal what it is today,” recalled retired Atlanta newspaper editor and syndicated columnist Bill Shipp of Marietta. “I thought he was certainly a go-getter and he kept the MDJ looking nice and fat, ad-wise, even during lean times for many, many newspapers. And he always had a nice word for just about everybody.”

As Darden recalled, “As much as anybody, he spread good will for the paper. He was a goodwill ambassador for the paper. Even if people felt like they had gotten a bad turn in the newspaper, Jay could always smooth it over.”

When a reporter mentioned to Isakson that he had never heard anyone say a negative word about Whorton, the senator replied, “And I bet you can’t remember him saying anything negative about anyone else, either. He looked for the best in people.”

Lawrence Welk had nothing on Whorton when it came to bubbly effervescence. Whorton liked to refer to himself as “Doctor Jay,” although it came out as “Doc-tah Jay!” His typical greeting was “Hello, Brother,” although a more accurate transcription would be a booming, “Hellooow, Brotha!!!”

“As memorable personalities go, Jay was in a class by himself,” said insurance executive Gary Bottoms, president of The Bottoms Group and a fellow Rotarian. “There was never a dull moment when he was around. At our daughter’s wedding reception, the combination of Jay’s exuberance, along with table decorations and candles, somehow resulted in a small fire. It’s a miracle the fire sprinkler system didn’t engage over the reception.”

So what was behind Whorton’s success as a salesman?

“Jay knew that the secret to selling is to sell the benefits — the benefits that will help you sell your product,” Isakson said. “He was the best salesman I’ve ever known. He’d come in and say,

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‘I’ve got something that’s going to help you.’”

According to state Sen. Lindsey Tippins, Whorton’s best weapons were his people skills and his honesty.

“It’s all about people. He was a good ad salesman because he connected with them. All about relationships,” he said. “But he’d give you a straight answer and that’s what I always liked about him.”

Marietta Daily Journal VP of Advertising Wade Stephens had a front-row view of Whorton’s style through the years.

“Only Jay could call his customers and tell them over the phone or at Rotary on Wednesdays as to what they were going to buy,” he said. “And of course, right before they could ask how much the ad was going to cost, he had moved on to another customer.”

Stephens recalled a typical phone conversation with a customer might go like this: “Brother (or Girl), how are you? ‘The Doctor’ is in today! Good news, good news! Hey I got you down for a full page in the Progress Edition again this year and need the copy by the 15th. Thank you brother! Happy day! Bye!” But to the very end, Whorton insisted on the personal touch.

Stephens said while visiting Whorton in the hospital prior to his death, he told his old boss he was about to leave on a business trip, to which Whorton replied that he was “tired” and “ready” and would not be there when Stephens returned. But then after offering Whorton some reassuring words, Stephens mentioned he had just taken care of a client by providing her complimentary tickets to an upcoming event, telling her the tickets would be left at the “Will Call” window at the venue.

“And Jay said, ‘You did what!!! Son, have I not taught you anything!!! Anybody can put tickets down at Will Call, anybody! And (the recipient) won’t remember who gave them to them! You’re gonna deliver those tickets personally — and don’t leave them with the receptionist, cause anybody can do that! You’re gonna give them to her personally and get you a hug on the neck! That’s how ‘The Doctor’ does it, and that’s how you’re gonna do it!”

Few could outwork Whorton — or have more fun in the process.

Once while in Las Vegas with Brumby for a press association meeting in the 1970s, they were killing time in the hotel pool, which just happened to be the same casino hotel in which billionaire Howard Hughes had been holed up for years on the top floor.

“My Dad said to Jay, ‘I’ll bet you $100 you can’t get up there to Hughes’ floor,’” Brumby III told the MDJ. “I’ll bet I can!” said Whorton, who proceeded to ride the elevator to the top floor. But upon exiting, he was in for a surprise — a pair of guards armed with submachine guns, both pointed right at him.

Whorton hastily explained he wasn’t interested in Hughes — but peeling off a $50 bill, told the guards they could split it if they’d just let him wave from the balcony back down to Brumby in the pool. Suffice it to say that Jay made the “sale” — and then collected the $100 from Brumby.

Whorton liked practical jokes, even if he was on the wrong end of them. He was an avid gardener, and one summer when he was out of town for a while his good friends (retired Georgia Supreme Court Justice) Conley Ingram and Pike Nurseries founder Pete Pike conspired to pull one on him. Whorton had been bragging that he was going to have a good crop of tomatoes that year.

“Pete got me some of the biggest and most luscious looking red tomatoes you ever saw. The problem was they were plastic,” Ingram told the MDJ. “They were very realistic. You couldn’t tell they were fake unless you felt them.

“So I went over there, unbeknownst to anybody, and tied some of the fake tomatoes on his tomato plants.

“Well, Jay called me when he got back home, and said, ‘I

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Left: One of Whorton’s proudest moments came when his granddaughter Laurie Whorton wed Clint Walters in 2012. Bottom left: Whorton and late MDJ Publisher Otis Brumby were close friends as well as business associates.

thought I was gonna have some good tomatoes to give you. I’ve never seen a crop like this. But I went out there, to my dismay they were all made out of plastic. Are you the one in charge of ‘Tomato-Gate’?”

Whorton spent 14 years on the board of the North Georgia State Fair and led it to record profits during his tenure as president (2011-12).

When the Fair erected its first-ever roller coaster that year, he was one of the first to ride it. But you get the aspect of the Fair that gave him the most fulfillment was the annual night when the Fair opens for the county’s special-needs population, and seeing the joy on all the faces.

“That was his favorite party of the year,” said longtime Fair manager Tod Miller.

Whorton also helped the nonprofit faith-based Calvary Children’s Home in Powder Springs get a booth each year at the Fair, and ensured the Fair supported the home via donations.

“Jay had been part of our children’s home for many, many years,” recalled director Snyder Turner. “Jay introduced us to many people who helped us and he helped us personally through his work on the Fair Board. (His death) is not only a loss to us, but to our community as a friend.”

Wednesday afternoon would invariably find Whorton at the weekly meeting of the Marietta Rotary Club, where he typically sat with Ingram, late builder Hap McNeel, Marietta Police Chief Dan Flynn, car dealer Irv Smith and plumbing company owner Mitzi Smith Moore.

“He is my hero,” said Irv Smith. “He is a man at the top of the ‘man chain,’ as far as I’m concerned. … The best there is.”

Moore remembered him as “fiercely loyal and caring. He was always on my side. I thought it was just me, but he’s that way with a lot of people. Yet he always challenged you to progress and improve, to get what you can in life. He would prop you up when you least expected it, but he could also cut you down a notch to keep you grounded.”

She recalled when her company (Sundial Plumbing) recently was named Small Business of the Year by the Cobb Chamber, “he was just in orbit, just almost silly, saying ‘We won! We won!’ He couldn’t have been more excited if it had been his own company.

“It was always ‘we.’ When Otis (Brumby Jr.) was not doing well (health-wise), he’d say, ‘We’re not doing so good.’”

Whorton was known for arriving at Rotary 45 minutes early and “working the room” — and then for hitting the exit door just

before the speaker began.

“He’d say, ‘I gotta go make another dollar so I can pay my tuition,’ that is, his dues,” said another club member, the Rev. Mark Barbour, associate pastor at First Baptist of Marietta.

Moore recalled Jay “hounded me to start coming early and I finally did, and my life is richer because of that. I have friends I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I was rewarded with much deeper friendships than I would have had. I would tell him I didn’t have time to come early, and he’d say, ‘We all have the same amount of time. We just have to make time.’

“If you had told me when I started Rotary that it would break my heart when I lose friends from there, I wouldn’t have believed you. And boy, was I wrong,” she said. “And I never expected that kind of friendship to be with Jay Whorton. That’s really cool.”

Whorton was as good at working the aisles at church as he was at working the tables at Rotary, said his pastor and fellow Rotarian the Rev. Sam Matthews.

“He was a force in the aisles of this church,” he said. “There was nothing like watching him work the aisles. Seemed to know everybody, young or old. He had gift of making them feel like they were the most important person he was going to see all day.”

“He would have been good preacher. I didn’t see a lot of ego.

He had pride, but I never saw it get in his way.”

One of Whorton’s closest friends during his Carrollton days was the late John Tanner, whose daughter, Sally Tanner Macaulay, he later hired in the MDJ Ad Department and who now is director of the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art. Whorton and Tanner loved to fish together. And while returning from a fishing trip one day, Tanner, 55, was hit by lightning and killed. So when Sally got married not long after, it was Whorton who walked her down the aisle.

“He loved to tell the story of how he walked me down the aisle and would turn me every few steps so everyone could see me. He told me later he heard somebody say, ‘Jay, get her on down the aisle, we don’t have all day.’ And he would really laugh. He was so fun. I miss him already!”

Macaulay said she’d gotten a poignant call from Jay’s son, Tim Whorton, on Tuesday.

“He said Jay had told him he had a visit (shortly before) from my Dad, telling him to come on. He said the fish are always biting up here and you get at least an 8-pound bass every time you cast!

It’s really comforting to know that he is with my Dad now, even though it will take me a long time to get over losing him.”

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FASHION FORWARD

By Meredith Pruden They say necessity is the mother of invention. For one ingenious Cobb County mother of two, that couldn’t be more true. Meet Mary Ann DiMarzio—creator of the chic new mobile boutique Mimi & Emma’s.

For empty nester DiMarzio, life has been mostly business as usual since her daughters went to college and pledged sororities, but her time has been punctuated by a series of fashion scavenger hunts.

“When you have daughters in a sorority, they call you up and say they need a dress but can’t find one,” DiMarzio said.

Photography by Sam Bennett

“So you go through this whole process of shopping, exchanging pictures and shipping packages. I told the girls I was just going to get a truck, fill it with clothes and park it in front of the [sorority house] door.”

What began as the light-hearted quip of a busy working sorority mom quickly took on a life of its own after DiMarzio began researching what it would take to make her witticism a reality.

“I talked to the girls at the sorority, and everyone loved the idea,” she said.

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Left: From left, Kennesaw State University student Jessica Stafford shows fellow students Lindsey Cottongim, Sydney Sullivan, Vicki Selleck, and Haley Pickert a shirt at Mimi & Emma’s Mobile Boutique. Top: Owner Mary Ann DiMarzio of Acworth. Middle: Inside the boutique. Bottom: Vicki Selleck browses the jewelry selection.

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From left, Jessica Stafford and Sydney Sullivan listen to advice of the Mimi & Emma’s Owner MaryAnn DiMarzio. The clothing boutique also has a selection of jewelry and accessories.

But overhauling a used RV for a new lease on life as a rolling retail store was not without its challenges, so DiMarzio assembled a no-nonsense all-star team to help her with the unusual project. Space planner Caren Danneman, interior designers Kandrac Kole, an advisory board brimming with her daughters’ friends and even her husband and daughters rose to the challenge.

Six months later, Mimi & Emma’s was born.

“We had our soft launch right here [in the neighborhood clubhouse parking lot],” she said. “It was freezing cold, but the only time we weren’t busy was the first 20 minutes. It was a huge success.”

At the heart of Mimi & Emma’s, named for DiMarzio’s mother and grandmother, is the desire to provide “awesome fashion” to 18-24-year-old college girls, but that doesn’t mean the concierge shopping experience isn’t for fashionistas of all ages.

“The focus was originally on sororities because there’s such a need around their events, They might have an event where they need all white or black or camo dresses,” DiMarzio said. “But, when we had our launch event, other college age girls, young professionals who had just graduated and even their moms all attended, so it’s really transcended different age groups.”

Today, Mimi & Emma’s stocks constantly rotating seasonal merchandise, and DiMarzio is always ready to roll out on her next big adventure.

“We’re currently locking down spring schedules with the sororities, but anyone can book an event with friends too,” she said.

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“It’s great for birthdays when everyone is going out or any number of other events.”

Find Mimi & Emma’s on Facebook, where you can shop, book group events or even discuss DiMarzio’s philanthropy efforts, including mentorship and helping sororities develop fundraising activities over a one year cycle.

What’s better than a bit of fashion fun? Bringing it right to your doorstep and inviting some friends along for the ride! Keep motorin’ ladies — and look good doing it!

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Top: From left, Jessica Stafford and Sydney Sullivan admire a shirt.

Right: Sydney checks out a shirt in the mirror of the boutique dressing room.

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PHOTO AND ARTICLE COURTESY OF ASSOCIATED PRESS

Models pose with NX minis, Samsung Electronics' smart interchangeable-lens cameras.The NX mini, weighing 158g and slim design measuring 22.5mm, equipped with 20.5MP BSI CMOS Sensor, is priced at US$399 and will be on the global and domestic markets from April.

KICKING UP THE QUALITY SMALL CAMERAS STILL AIMING TO ACHIEVE DSLR QUALITY IN NEW LINES

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Expect sharper, clearer selfies this year.

Samsung Electronics Co. has beefed up the camera in its Galaxy S5 smartphone due for April release and added smarter camera software, following Sony and Nokia in their upgrades of handset cameras. The tweaks mean smartphone photos, ubiquitous nowadays because of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, will be closer in quality to images captured by digital single-lens reflex cameras, also known as DSLR. How to give a super-thin smartphone the power of a DSLR camera that can capture moving images with clarity is a key challenge for the likes of Samsung, Sony, Nokia and LG as they try to differentiate their offerings in a crowded handset market. Their efforts to make smartphone cameras more powerful have taken a toll on the compact, point-and-shoot camera market, but catching up to the high-end cameras used by professional photographers had appeared a far-fetched ambition.

The gap is getting narrower thanks mainly to improvements in camera software and other technologies, but may never close completely.

The global wireless show that wraps up in Barcelona on Thursday showed smartphone makers using software trickery to offset their camera weaknesses: inferior image sensors and lack of optical zoom lens. The companies are also making photo manipulation on the phone easier to learn than manually controlling DSLR cameras.

Instead of touting their smartphones as thinner, lighter or bigger screened, Samsung, Sony and LG were boasting how their latest mobile gadgets can record ultrahigh definition videos known as 4K, take bigpixel pictures without a second of delay and capture clearer images even at a low-light settings and when a subject is moving.

One trend in smartphone camera this year will be phase detection autofocus, previously available only in cameras with interchangeable lens, said Chris Chute, a director at research company IDC. Samsung showcased the feature in the Galaxy S5, the latest version of the South Korean company's flagship smartphone. It reduces the time it takes to focus on a subject to 0.3 second so even when the subject is moving, the image can be captured with a sharp edge, said Seshu Madhavapeddy, Samsung's senior vice president for U.S. product and technology.

"Now that phones are starting to have this, consumers will only be more likely to use phones for not just everyday pictures, but more and more for special event photography," Chute said.

With the 16 megapixel rear camera in the Galaxy S5, it is possible to preview the result of applying high dynamic range imaging to pictures. HDR imaging usually helps create better pictures in extreme lighting conditions but with digital cameras, it is processed after snapping a photo.

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HOME GARDEN

article and photography courtesty of the associated press

U

pdated floral returns to decor

After years of simple solids and geometric prints, the lowly flower is making a comeback in decor. Floral patterns have been blooming all over fashion runways in recent months, and they are slowly finding their way back into the world of home decorating, too.

It wasn't long ago that any mention of floral upholstery or wallpaper brought back memories of 1980s cabbage roses, flowery Shabby Chic borders stenciled high on bedroom walls, and suburban homes designed to feel like precious cottages swathed in pink and green.

But today's new patterns aren't your grandmother's florals. And they can be a refreshing antidote to the minimalist patterns that have dominated home decorating in recent

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years.

"It's what we're all craving," says New York-based designer Jon Call, founder of Mr. Call Designs. "It's romance, it's a softness ... and it feels fresh again, because no one has defined it for our generation."

While brands like Laura Ashley delineated the floral look of a generation ago, the new florals have no rules. Which makes them more fun — and more challenging — to use successfully.

Here, Call and two other interior designers — Betsy Burnham of Los Angeles' Burnham Design, and Brian Patrick Flynn, executive producer of HGTV.com's Spring House series — offer advice on working with this fresh crop of floral patterns.

WHAT SIZE? "Scale is the most important factor in modernizing the look and feel of florals," says Flynn. He suggests avoiding flowers that are depicted at their actual size. Instead, pick patterns where the flowers are bigger — between 50 percent and 200 percent larger than life-size.

Call agrees: He's a fan of using vintage prints in "the largest scale you can find," so that the print's eye-popping size contrasts with its traditional style.

But Call and Burnham also think floral prints can look modern if they're printed on a very small scale, especially if they're used on smaller items like throw pillows.

WHICH PATTERN? Find a floral print that really appeals to you personally, Burnham suggests. "Nothing corny, nothing ordinary," she says. You want "something really special."

You might try "chinoiseries that include figures and florals," Burnham says, "or flora and fauna... That's a way to do it if you're kind of scared of just flowers."

Another option is choosing a pattern that's more "botanical" than flower-filled.

"Homeowners with aversions to supergirly florals featuring rosebuds or elaborate petals may find botanicals a better fit," says Flynn. "While floral prints include shapes and silhouettes of actual flowers, botanicals rely more on stems and leaves."

Call points out that designers like Vivienne Westwood have created digitized, pixilated floral prints that mix traditional and modern style. But, he says, even the most classic chintz fabrics can look great in a modernhome if they're handmade and high quality.

Flynn encourages clients to mix floral patterns with other prints.

"The floral cottage style of a decade ago was all florals and ribbons," Flynn says.

"Anytime I'm dealing with ahome occupied by couples arguing over masculine and feminine styles, I'm likely to mix botanicals or florals with classic masculine prints such as gingham, check or plaid."

That juxtaposition of "classic girly prints with iconic patterns used for men's spaces" creates a modern, gender-neutral room.

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April 2014 Cobb Life

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HOME GARDEN

Water features become more accessible, affordable for Cobb residents

BY JENNIFER HAFER

P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y S A M B E N N E T T

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HOME GARDEN

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nce considered a luxury item for elite homeowners, backyard water gardens and ponds are no longer just for the wealthy.

“The average person can put a pond in now, instead of it being an elite thing,” said Duncan MacNeil, owner of Marietta-based Precision Enterprises Landscapes. “You can do a smaller pond with stone features for around $4,000, or the sky is the limit, depending on your budget.”

Water features have become quite popular among backyard gardeners in recent years, a trend MacNeil attributes to suburban sprawl.

“People want the white noise of the foundation, instead of the expressways and the neighbors around them,” he said. “They’re also aesthetically pleasing.”

One of MacNeil’s larger projects involved a 70-ton crane lifting trees over a house in east Cobb’s Sibley Forest neighborhood, building a six-foot retaining wall, a pond, irrigation, lighting and landscaping. He also installed LED lights under the waterfall.

O

Charles Crisp, president of Splendor Koi and Pond in Marietta.

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HOME GARDEN

“I like doing water features because the finished project is so much fun to look at,” he said. “In the areas we work, it’s common place to have a water feature in your backyard.”

There is a distinct difference between a water garden and a pond, however, according to Charles Crisp, president of Splendor Koi and Pond in Marietta. A water garden is a shallow pond and is more about plants. A pond is much deeper with fewer plants, and what’s a pond without fish.

“We have the largest selection of Japanese koi in the southeastern United States,” Crisp said. “My ponds start at $15,000, for a pond with proper filtration.”

Koi are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp and are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens. There are several different varieties of koi, which are distinguished by coloration, including white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream, patterning and scalation.

“A lot of people think only rich people have ponds, but there’s no demographic or income level associated with ponds,” he said. “There is no typical pond customer, just as there is no typical pond.”

Ponds can be as small as a “campfire pond,” Crisp said, or as large as the 30,000-gallon koi pond he did five years ago. Last year, he constructed a 20,000gallon pond at Lake Lanier. Crisp compares the serenity of sitting by a backyard water feature with a weekend escape to the mountains.

“It’s about tranquility and people wanting to enjoy their landscaping,” he said. “Having a cup of coffee or a cocktail by a pond takes stress off people.”

information Splendor Koi & Pond 1552 Rosewood Circle Marietta, GA 30067 Charles G. Crisp President 770.359.9927 cell 770.321.3474 office 770.321.3472 fax

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article and photo courtesy of the associated press

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icture a little rosemary tree at your kitchen window, standing there upright and green as if in defiance to the wintry scene beyond the panes.

This little tree offers more than decoration and winter cheer. Pass your hand lightly over the leaves, close your eyes, and the scent will carry you to a sunbaked Mediterranean hillside, the plant's native habitat. Snip off a few leaves for cooking, and your tongue will similarly transport you to milder climes.

Grown as a little tree rather than as a sprawling shrub (its natural inclination), a rosemary plant takes up little sill space and is easy to prune. Here's how to make that tree.

P

START WITH A TRUNK Begin with a small rosemary plant, grown from seed or cuttings, or bought.

Seed is slowest and most difficult, cuttings root easily, and the bought plant will still offer you the satisfaction of training the tree. Even naturally creeping varieties can be coaxed into becoming little trees, but if you have a choice, choose a naturally upright variety such as Majorca Pink or Salem.

Single out one stem to become the future trunk of your plant, completely removing all stems except for this trunk-to-be at the base of the plant. The most vigorous, upright stem is the obvious candidate. In the case of a creeping variety, just select any healthy stem and stake it upright. Poke a dowel or thin piece of bamboo into the soil near the base of the plant and tie a piece of soft yarn tightly around the stake, then loosely around the stem.

As growth begins, the trunk-to-be will elongate, new stems will sprout out along it, and other stems might sprout near the base of the plant as trunk wannabes. The latter are most common with creeping varieties, which have bushier inclinations.

Your goal in the weeks ahead is to promote elongation and thickening of the trunk-to-be. To that end, keep cutting away any new stems sprouting from the base of the plant. Pinch back to just a few leaves any stems sprouting along the trunk-to-be. Doing so keeps them subordinate but lets them help thicken the trunk.

AND NOW THE HEAD Once the trunk reaches full height, your goals change: You now want to stop growth and create a bushy head. But how high is "full height"? It's all for show, and what looks good depends on how big a head you are going to give the plant and how big a pot the plant will eventually call home. Generally, a head 2 to 3

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times the height and just slightly more than the width of the pot looks good. Stop growth at the desired height by pinching off the growing tip of the trunk, a simple operation that awakens growth of buds down along the trunk.

Create the bushy head by repeatedly pinching — and thus inducing more branching — the tips of all shoots that sprout from the top few inches of trunk. Now define that head more clearly by completely removing all stems and leaves further down the trunk.

All these prunings need not be wasted, of course. They could be

used as flavoring or as cuttings to make yet more plants.

ONGOING CARE Maintain your little tree by repeatedly nipping back the ends of stems, which keeps your plant compact, neat and elegant, and provides plenty of rosemary leaves for flavoring.

A final tip: Although rosemary thrives in the dry air of the Mediterranean region and of our homes, the soil must be kept moist. Rosemary's narrow leaves never droop, so your only indication that the plant needs water might otherwise be a dead plant!

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HOME GARDEN

The yin and yang of spring decor The yin and yang of spring make it such an interesting season. After the brutal bite of winter, even a gloomy spring day can lift our spirits with warmer breezes and an emerging palette of delicate hues — those first tinges of new greens, a fuzzy gray bud, a brushstroke of crocus blue. Then, as the season really plants its feet, fresh bright color starts popping up all over.

As "The Secret Garden" author Frances Hodgson Burnett said of spring, "It is the sun shining on the rain, and the rain falling on the sunshine."

We welcome both the quiet emergence of the season, and those saucy flaunts of azalea, rhododendron and forsythia that follow.

That's the nature of spring 2014 decor, as well.

THE YIN Think ballet- and watercolor-inspired pastels; soft fabrics and sheer window treatments; and curvy furniture, often in traditional shapes but updated with modern fabrics and pattern.

Benjamin Moore's color of the year, "Breath of Fresh Air," is a whispery blue-gray with a pensive yet positive quality. "We've detected a lighter touch — hints, tints of color," says Ellen O'Neill, Benjamin Moore's creative director. "They're colors that can make a room happy."

Accent hues include pale peach and lavender. Quiet colors, yes, but not insipid ones. They're versatile, working as well with dressed-up rooms as with slouchier, more relaxed spaces.

New York City-based designer Elaine Griffin sees "a new feminization in design — daintier details, urban materials

ARTICLE AND PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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FOOT & ANKLE interpreted in elegant, classical shapes. It's an overall softening of decor."

She also likes a color that had its heyday a couple of decades ago but is poised for a design stage revival: "Beige is back!

And it looks fresh again anchoring a room of subtler hues — gray, ivory, taupe, pink, aqua, a softened olive," she says.

Watercolor songbirds and irises are on artwork at West Elm, the latter painted on birch wood for an interesting effect. (www.westelm.com ) Lauren Conrad's Tea Berry bedding collection for Kohl's is done in a dreamy mix of peach, mint and cream. (www.kohls.com )

SPECIALISTS

• Podiatric & Diabetic Clinic

THE YANG At the other end of the spectrum, clean, clear bright colors add exuberant pops.

"Americans seem ready to infuse their surroundings with optimistic, bold, mood-changing color," says Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, in High Point, N.C. At last fall's High Point Furniture Market, where designs for spring are introduced, the emphasis was on one hue in particular, she says: "Intense blues seemed to dominate."

Think dramatic yet familiar shades like cobalt, lapis and sapphire.

Wisteria offers a Louis XVI-style chair upholstered in royal blue linen and a blue-glazed ceramic stool that could find a comfy spot indoors or out. Pottery Barn's Cambria collection of Portuguese stoneware comes in a deep ocean blue, and there is coordinating indigo napery in polka dots or tile prints. (www.wisteria.com ;www.potterybarn.com ) Radiant Orchid and Exclusive Plum, two more colors of the year, are showing up on accessories and furniture like All Modern's Sunpan velvet bench with Lucite legs, and slipper chairs, side tables and trays at Homegoods. Pennsylvania-based custom cabinetmaker Plain & Fancy is even offering versions of the hue, suggesting it for accent pieces like kitchen islands, media centers and armoires. (www.AllModern.com ; www.homegoods.com ;www.plainfancycabinets.com ) Crisp apple red adds punch to neutrals — check out Target's Threshold Windham collection of floor cabinets for practical storage in a fun, fresh color. The Candace upholstered armchair in a zippy, red-on-white oversize floral print would energize a room. (www.target.com ) Griffin likes lemon yellow as an accent color. Fashion designers like Marissa Webb and Derek Lam, and retailers like H&M and Joe Fresh embraced that hue this season, and decor is following suit. A throw pillow quilted to resemble subway tiles; octagonal and square dinnerware; and a galvanized trunk that could work as both storage and table are all at CB2 in taxicab yellow. (www.cb2.com )

• Physical Therapy Department Dr. Glyn E. Lewis Dr. Donald R. Powell Dr. Matthew G. Butler Physical Therapist

• Corrective Surgery for Bunions and other Foot Deformities • Sports Injuries

Marietta Podiatry Group

165 Vann Street | Marietta, GA 770-422-9856 www.mariettapodiatrygroup.com

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HOME

Jim Glover Group, Inc. If you are selling your home, I am dedicated to using every possible marketing tool needed to get your home sold. My goal is to provide my clients with a superior level of service and resources to make informed decisions with your real estate purchases.

As a Cobb native, my network and knowledge of the metro Atlanta area proves beneficial in purchase and sales transactions. As a member of The Luxury Home Marketing Institute, I am constantly networking with area agents and affiliates.

• Fifteen Years Experience • Coauthor, Marietta 1833-2000 • Sixth-generation Mariettan • Cofounder, Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour

Office: 404.974.4420 | www.atlantafinehomes.com 3290 Northside Parkway NW | Suite 200 | 404.835.9600 © MMX Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Street in Saintes-Maries, Van Gogh, used with permission. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

GARDEN

article and photography courtesy of the associated press

BULB BITS Don’t prune too early, and other tips Veteran bulb growers have learned to put patience ahead of pruning in helping their perennials bloom season after season. They're in no rush to remove the unsightly leaves and stems of these botanical storehouses, which need time after flowering to renew their growth cycle.

"We consider the foliage of the bulbs the 'recharging batteries'," said Becky Heath, president and chief executive officer of Brent and Becky's Bulbs at Gloucester, Va. "If they aren't recharged, the flowers won't bloom again."

Bulbs will green up despite premature pruning, but return with fewer and smaller blossoms. How long must you wait before trimming the foliage to get successive seasons of color?

"After spring-flowering bulbs finish blooming, allow for approximately six to eight weeks before removing the foliage to ground level," said Hans Langeveld, co-owner of Longfield-Gardens.com, a retail website for bulbs, perennials and edibles in Lakewood, N.J. "Another rule of thumb is to wait until the foliage turns brown and dries out."

That garden grooming tip applies to all spring-flowering bulbs including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, alliums and specialty varieties, Langeveld said. But there are ways to make the decay less unsightly.

"An idea is to combine bulbs with other perennials in the borders like hosta so that hosta foliage covers the dying bulb foliage," he said.

Summer-blooming bulbs that flower until cold weather arrives need differing levels of maintenance. "This (first killing frost) would be the time to cut to ground level and dig the bulbs that are not winter-resistant, like dahlias, gladiolus and begonias," Langeveld said.

MORE TIPS — Braiding. "The only foliage that lends itself to be braided are daffodils," Langeveld said. "It is not a necessity, but it will help keep your borders neat and tidy."

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— Seed pods. "Make sure to remove the seed pods that sometimes form after blooming," he said. "These eat up a lot of energy from the bulbs."

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Kettle Corps owner and former NFL player Jason Hall holds a kettlebell, the primary workout tool in his fitness program.

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STABILITY MOBILITY STRENGTH Marietta Kettle Corps offers unique workout

hen former football player Jason Hall broke his ankle playing flag football with a team in Woodstock four years ago, he was done. Injuries from the sport he loved had ended a vaunted college career at the University of Tennessee followed by stints with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and an NFL Europa team in Germany. But in the wake of experiencing six major joint surgeries, this final blow pushed him into a bout of depression. When he realized he had gained 60 pounds, he decided it was time to fight back. As an athlete, he wanted a strenuous workout, but needed it to be low impact because of his injuries.

His sports career had exposed him to a variety of training and rehabbing modalities, including yoga, pilates and kettlebells, all of which he wanted to incorporate into his new regimen.

Hall devoted three years to perfecting his new program, practicing countless hours each day. More than just a workout, he was motivated to develop an exercise philosophy, a style of training that would help prevent injury and be restorative. Kettlebells, which he deems “the all-around best fitness tool available” became the main component. He took his 78 lb kettlebell, nicknamed ‘black beauty,’ every where he went.

After getting back in shape and gaining empowerment through his new endeavor, Hall began training his brother John and two friends.

He wanted to ensure the program could transform others as it did him. When he was satisfied with the results, he started a class in Norcross and then opened Kettle Corps in Marietta last summer.

“Every session here we look at from an injury preventative standpoint and rehabilitative standpoint — we work on existing injuries and try to prevent future injuries, along with a hardcore workout. It’s like physical therapy and a workout combined in a one-hour session,” he said.

To the casual observer, a kettlebell workout looks tough. Practitioners swing the workout tool (imagine a bowling ball with a handle) in a variety of movements — between their legs, above their heads, up and down with one hand.

No doubt the workout is intense, but it’s not as intimidating as it looks, especially when you have a charismatic teacher like Hall. He’s patient in ensuring you have the proper technique and generous with

BY STACEY L. EVANS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM BENNETT

W

encouragement; his passion, dedication and desire to share his knowledge is evident. First-timers will likely be sore the next day, but after a few sessions will have less discomfort as strength and flexibility — and confidence — are gained.

Though kettlebells conjure images of strongman competitions, the Kettle Corps workout is just as much about flexibility and mobility as it is strength. Perhaps even more so.

“This is a movement-based program, so it’s about better movement throughout the body, including joints,” said Hall. “We don’t care so much about how much weight someone can throw around or sheer power, but we work on stability — balance and coordination.

And mobility, which is mostly flexibility and joint flexibility, as well as strength.”

Since his program incorporates what Hall calls the ‘three fundamental fitness skills,’ — stability, mobility, strength — it’s a practice that works for any body type, fitness level or age.

“We all need balance, we all need coordination, we all need flexibility, we all need strength, we all need bone density,” he said. “We just scale the workouts. I’ve trained everyone from an 83-year-old grandmother to a four-year-old.”

The program is also ideal for people who suffer from back pain, said Hall.

“Over 80% of Americans have back problems [at some point]. If you’re not exercising it specifically, chances are it’s too weak, which is why we have poor posture,” Hall said. Kettlebell workouts are designed to strengthen the lower back and core, which in turn promotes better posture and eases pain.

The workout may be challenging initially, but the benefits are well worth it.

“I never try to mislead anyone into thinking this is going to be easy,” said Hall. “This is a hardcore workout, but that’s for the benefit of the member because people come here to get better. If they wanted to stay the same they would never have walked through the door. It’s intense, but we have a lot of fun.

This is about community. It is a community-based program for people who believe in training in this style and understand the benefits of that.”

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What is kettlebell?

Developed in Russia in the 1700s, kettlebells are weights used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardio, strength and flexibility training. The handle of the kettlebell is light, with the weight of the ball ranging from 5 to 78 lbs. (at Kettle Corps).

“Kettlebell is a gym in and of itself,” said Hall.

Why it’s good: Since its weight is displaced, kettlebells require you to stand up tall and corrects your posture because the weight is always pulling away from you, said Hall.

Kettle Corps LLC 2145 Roswell Road, Suite 40 Marietta, GA 30062 678.324.8261 www.kettlecorps.com

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>>>What to expect at a Kettle Corps class: Kettle Corps is

>>>Should you try kettlebells at home? Kettlebells are sold at fitness retailers

a combination of kettlebell workouts, yoga, pilates and primal movements (animalistic crawls on the ground).

Every class is different, and each week focuses on one of the fundamental fitness skills: Stability (balance and coordination), mobility (trunk rotations, stretching, flexibility) or strength — “We do not perform what's known as a 1-rep max (to determine the maximum weight someone can perform an exercise for one repetition),” said Hall. “I don't consider that to be a realistic way “The Kettle to train strength because it's rare anyone Corps program performs any funcis like physical tional movement for therapy and only one repetition.

Instead we work a workout within the top 20% of combined.” a person's strength range. That way we can build a person's strength levels within a safer range and still help them receive all the benefits of proper strength training — better muscle and bone density. But each workout contains elements of all three.

The only equipment used is kettlebells, foam rollers and yoga mats.

Shoes off: Hall says barefoot training allows you to reap more benefits and prevent injury. “You want a solid connection with the ground,” he said. “It’s tough to do some of these movements if you’re on an air pocket or piece of foam that you will find in the athletic shoe. It makes it very unstable.”

and can certainly be used at home, but Hall stresses the importance of proper training.

“Attempting to use kettlebells without proper master instruction runs the risk of injury,” said Hall. “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. It’s important people understand that. Practice only makes permanent. “ Once you’ve learned the technique however, the likelihood of injury is practically nil.

JASON HALL also played for the NFL Europa team Cologne Centurions in Germany, and was named Defensive MVP of the entire league in 2007.

>>>Benefits: Consistently following the routine will promote weight loss, coordination, strength and flexibility, which also makes you less vulnerable to injuries.

Bonus: There is a lot of core work, and the swinging action works out the hips, lower abdominals and obliques, which results in trimming the waistline. >>>Who it’s for: “It’s a good practice for anybody, whether you’re a weekend warrior or you’re training for your job,” said Hall. It’s doable for all ages and fitness levels. >>>Intensity level: Kettlebells work a lot more of your posterior body than almost any other workout.

“This is a hardcore workout, but that’s for the benefit of the member because people come here to get better. If they wanted to stay the same they would never have walked through the door. It’s intense, but we have a lot of fun. “

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taste of

TRADITION One of the most widely observed Jewish holidays in the world, Passover begins April 14 and lasts for eight days.

A commemoration of the ancient Hebrews’ liberation from the Egyptians and their birth as a nation, Passover is celebrated in Jewish homes with a traditional dinner called a Seder.

For Melissa Tulman, it means a meal for family and friends, as few as eight and as many as 14, in the Smyrna home she shares with her optometrist husband, Dan. Sometimes the family travels to Alpharetta for Seder, where her sister-in-law, Lynda Bennett, usually makes the bulk of the meal.

Smyrna resident Melissa Tulman takes a Passover Kugel out of the oven. During the Passover Seder, it's customary for men to wear a Yamaka, and for everyone at the table to read the Haggadah, which describes the story of Passover and the Jewish people's departure from Pharoah's rule and their years of slavery in Egypt.

By Joan Durbin | Photography by Sam Bennett

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RECIPE

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Passover kugel Courtesy Linda Bennett and Melissa Tulman Ingredients 12 matzos 9 eggs 1 tsp. salt 1 1/2 Cups of sugar 1 1/2 cups of golden raisins 1 stick of butter or margarine, melted 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3 tsps. cinnamon 1 1/2 cups of nuts (walnuts or pecans) 6 large cored apples OR 3 cored apples and a can of sliced peaches, drained

Directions >>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. >>Break up and soak matzos in hot water in medium sized bowl. Squeeze out excess water, place in a separate large bowl and set aside. >>In a separate bowl, add salt, sugar, oil and 1 tsp. of cinnamon to eggs; mix well. >>Add egg mixture to matzos. Stir in nuts, apples (and peaches if desired), raisins and 1 tsp. of cinnamon. >>Spray 13"x9" pan with cooking spray and pour in entire mixture. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of cinnamon. >>Bake for 50 minutes to one hour.

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Smyrna resident Melissa Tulman whisks the eggs, cinnamon, sugar, and salt.

Tulman said she normally prepares charoset, a mixture of finely chopped apples, nuts and kosher wine. This year, however, she is baking the kugel, using Bennett’s recipe. The pudding-like casserole is normally made with noodles, but to make it kosher for Passover, her recipe substitutes matzo, an unleavened cracker.

The prohibition against leavened food on seder tables recalls the haste in which the Hebrews had to gather up their possessions and leave Egypt. Time was so short that their bread could not rise.

Because the Tulman and Bennett families prefer a sweet kugel to a savory version, their recipe calls for apples, golden raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Crisp apples such as Fuji or Granny Smith work very well, Tulman said.

For a flavor twist, for the first time she is also going to experiment with adding some sliced peaches canned in their own juices.

“This is really easy to put together,” she affirmed. “I’m not a baker and I have no trouble with this at all.”

The pan full of blended ingredients is drizzled with melted butter bakes for up to an hour in a moderate oven. Tulman suggests covering the pan for the first 40 minutes or so, then removing the cover to allow the top of the kugel to become a toasty golden brown.

Cooled for at least 15 minutes, then cut into squares, this kugel has a soft, tender texture and a fruity sweetness that is certain to make it a star of anyone’s Seder table.

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POST UP preacher Marietta’s Andrew Lang finds purpose in second chapter of his career segueing from a presence in the paint to a peace-giver in the locker room B Y M I C H A E L PA L L E R I N O PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM BENNETT

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Andrew Lang knows all about the grind.

He knows what it’s like to live out of a suitcase, to play in front a different fan base nearly every night and to face the continuous pressure of always having to do your best, despite the circumstances. He knows firsthand what the “here-today-traded-tomorrow-thanks-for-your-effort” life of an NBA player can do to your psyche.

When he sits down with the young players today, Lang can shoot straight about how the grind can push you to the limit.

How even when you’re one of the league’s most respected and feared big men (he once was listed as fourth all-time in the NBA record books with one block every 9.12 minutes), you can find yourself in a different city, on a different team having to prove yourself all over again.

Seven different teams in 12 years will do that to you. But there is more to his story – way more. As the third pick in the second round (28th overall) by the Phoenix Suns in the 1988 NBA draft, the shot-blocking phenom from the University of Arkansas carved his legacy as a tenacious, hard-nosed defender.

Playing against some of the game’s toughest and best centers

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like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O’Neal, Lang always stood his ground.

And even though the pace and style of the game has changed greatly since he retired in 2000, the toll it can take on a player both mentally and physically remains. As a warrior knows this.

When he left the game, he followed his calling and became an ordained minister, eventually landing a job as team chaplain in 2011 for the Atlanta Hawks where he had played from 1993– 1996.

Before every home game, Lang leads a chapel service, where players from both teams are invited to pray or hear a short message. When he’s not working with the Hawks, the Marietta resident travels to various special events, youth conferences and programs to help spread his message.

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Friend or foe doesn’t matter to Lang. He holds services for players from the Hawks and other teams.

Here he prays with Sacramento Kings forward Quincy Acy. “As a former player, I can sense things from time to time,” Lang says. “I’ve been in the dog days of camp and lived that life. But it is not my job to judge or critique. It’s my job to encourage.

Today’s athlete is in a much more fastpaced environment and faces a whole different set of challenges than I faced.

You have to approach each one with a fresh and unique understanding. Just because you played doesn’t mean you know everything that they are going through, but it does give you some familiarity. I try to make my time in the league count now as a chaplain. I try not to be overbearing, but certainly let them know that God is there for them.”

Lang obtained his ministerial license while attending chapel services during his playing days. As a frequent speaker before games, he acquired a keen insight into what players need and look for when they step outside the glare of the NBA spotlight. The non-denominational service that Lang designed is open to players of all faiths.

The key is to be there for everyone.

“It doesn’t matter what faith you are; it matters that you are there for them,” Lang says. “It’s not in me to close the door on anyone. At the end of the day, I want to know that I did what I could do to help. The players respect you because you respect them. Many of them never saw me play. Since my time as a players is gone now, I simply remind these very talented young men, that all men are like the grass and their glory like the flowers of the field. The grass fades and the flowers fall but the word of the Lord is forever. There are no hidden agendas.”

In addition to the services he provides, Lang also recommends different books to different players. Along with various biographies and life stories, he strongly recommends the Bible. Everything he

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does is about offering guidance and showing the players they have a person to talk to if ever the need arises.

In the golden age of power basketball, those who squared up against Andrew Lang speak highly about his warrior days in the paint. They say he never backed down when the ball bounded off the rim. They say he gave 110 percent every time the whistle blew. For Lang, nothing has changed – it’s just different today.

In the age of social media, where the salaries, demands for time and pressures on young athletes are perhaps greater than they have ever been, Lang is there when and if he is needed.

“It’s not my job to count numbers, but yes, we’d love to have as many young men as possible attend our services.

What I find is that there are certain things everybody understands – they understand respect; they understand humility; and they understand strength. When you take the time to say hello and to offer a handshake, they know you don’t want anything from them. Over time, if this can become a consistent part of their lives, a friendship will develop, and trust will become a normal part of the relationship. The state of the Hawks throughout the league is solid. But we always want to be accountable to God and treat people right. We want players to know that they are welcome.

They do a great job on the court and strive for the best, representing the Hawks means so much to each of these young men, so we give thanks and never take our blessings for granted.”

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ANDREW LANG FILE POSITION: Center COLLEGIATE TEAM: University of Arkansas NBA TEAMS: 1988–1992 Phoenix Suns 1992–1993 Philadelphia 76ers 1993–1996 Atlanta Hawks 1996–Minnesota Timberwolves 1996–1999 Milwaukee Bucks 1999–Chicago Bulls 1999–2000 New York Knicks CAREER STATS: Points – 6.0 ppg Rebounds – 4.8 rpg Blocks – 1.5 bpg CAREER HIGHLIGHT: 55th all-time leading shot blocker in NBA history Favorite Player Growing Up: Moses Malone FAVORITE TEAMMATE: Steve Smith (Atlanta Hawks) and Mark West (Phoenix Suns) BEST OPPONENT(S): Alonzo Mourning (Miami Heat) BIGGEST RIVALRY: Portland Trailblazers and Indiana Pacers BIGGEST NBA MOMENT: First time playing against Kareem AbdulJabbar FAVORITE NBA CITY: Atlanta BIGGEST NBA MOMENT: Sent from Phoenix Suns to Philadelphia 76ers along with Jeff Hornacek and Tim Perry for All-Star forward Charles Barkley in 1992 PROUDEST BASKETBALL ACHIEVEMENT: Learning to defend the post from my start in Phoenix.

And here in Atlanta Lenny Wilkens trusted Coach Dick Helm who worked with me to no end in the off season, spiking my average up to 15 points a game during that period, because that’s what the team needed, and developing the skills to score like that as a second or third option (sometimes first depending on the match up) was a lot of fun.

FAMILY: Wife Bronwyn, sons Trey and Chad THING FAMILY LIKES MOST ABOUT COBB: Hiking the river trails and paths throughout the Chattahoochee.

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esc a pe to Rosemar y Beach W

With swooping trees, vast green spaces and stunning coastal-inspired homes, Rosemary Beach is in a word, idyllic. Located between Panama City and Destin, Florida, this unique vacation destination revives the classic allAmerican small town.

There are rental cottages, condos, a hotel and one inn, but many houses are residences or vacation homes. That strengthens the sense of community in the charming little town. Neighbors greet each other with genuine smiles.

Couples laugh as they zoom by on bicycles. Children play games in wide-open parks. Homeowners watering their plants ask about your day as you pass.

Restaurant owners talk excitedly about their endeavors.

It’s a friendly neighborhood that just happens to have a beautiful beach at its

by Stacey L. Evans | photos courtesy of Rosemary Beach and Stacey L. Evans

doorstep, top-notch dining and quaint shops. As a vacationer, you feel welcomed into the Rosemary Beach community right from the start. On day one you’re likely thinking ‘this place is great, we should go ahead and book it again for next year,’ but by day three you’re heading over to Rosemary Beach Realty to peruse the homes on the market because, well, wouldn’t this be a great life?

The community was actually planned with that goal in mind, to represent “New Urbanism.” The concept is a blend of intimate neighborhoods and public spaces that’s pedestrian (and bicycle) friendly. It’s sort of anti-what the typical beach town has become — congested with cars, fast-food and tacky souvenir shops. At Rosemary Beach, everything you need is just a scenic,

serene stroll away. Enchanting footpaths, boardwalks and secret passages provide a beautiful pathway for leisurely walks to admire the grand homes and gardens. Walking from your cottage to any of the four pools, the gym (which has yoga, pilates and water aerobics classes), the spa, tennis courts, quaint shops, dining, and of course, the beach, is no more than a five minute journey, and there are very few cars on the roads.

Rosemary Beach is named for the herb that grows wild in the area. It’s a fitting name, as preserving the environment was an important part of planning the community. The greenery and flora outside of walls and fences are native to the area, while interior gardens within closed courtyards feature plants that require protected sanctuaries.

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Rosemary Beach is…

Unforgettable sunsets Soft sand caressing your feet Sparkling gulf waters Butterfly dances Crisp Miami-style pools Genuine greetings with a warm smile The kick of a Moscow Mule at Havana Bar Bike rides on boardwalks surrounded by lush gardens and overhanging trees The charm of a town bell that rings the number of the hour Reading rooms with sailboat chandeliers Award-winning architecture Moonlit strolls underneath a cascade of stars

The beach itself also has a quaint charm. The gulf’s azure waters are typcially tranquil, complementing the soft white sand. The beach is bordered by protected dunes, which add to the beauty of the 2,500 feet of beachfront.

What to do Start off with an invigorating and soul-soothing yoga class. Grab a smoothie at Amavida Coffee or if you’ve worked up an appetite, head over to Cowgirl Kitchen for a hearty breakfast before hitting the beach.

In an adventurous mood? Sea Oats rents kayaks, Hobie Cats and paddleboards, or rent a bike from Bamboo Bicycle Company for a trek down the scenic 30A that leads to Deer Lake State Park.

There’s no reason why any one would want to venture out, but if you’re up for it, Eden Gardens State Park is a short drive away and features the 1897 historic Greek Revival home showcasing a collection of Louis XVI furniture that is the second largest in the United States. The home is on breathtaking grounds overflowing with lush live oaks and magnolia trees, camellias and azaleas, overlooking

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the Tucker Bayou.

Bookworm or a rainy day? You will fall in love with Hidden Lantern, the quaint bookstore with cozy couches underneath a sailboat chandelier, a knowledgeable staff and an art gallery attached.

From antiques and interior design shops to beach concessions and souvenirs, the town square offers a diversity of shopping opportunities.

Where to eat For a place so small, Rosemary Beach is abundant in excellent dining. This isn’t your average lazy beach town fare. I was impressed at not only the quality of food, but the creativity of menus and atmosphere inside each restaurant. You really can’t go wrong with any of the dining options. Some standouts: For more casual fare, Cowgirl Kitchen has a fun atmosphere and unique breakfast items. Try one of their specialties, migas, which is an egg scramble with tortilla chips, onions, tomatoes and jalapenos, topped with queso and fresh chives and served over grits and bacon with two flour

Above, Eden Gardens State Park. Top right, Rosemary Beach has many quaint shops and restaurants. Bottom right, luxury oceanfront homes. tortillas. For a special occasion or date night, pop over to the elegant Paradis for an exceptional meal paired with recommended wine. End the night with a round of drinks at Havana’s bar, or if you want something more low-key, Wild Olives often has live music on weekends.

Rosemary Beach Cottage Rental Company 866.348.8952 (toll-free) rentals@rosemarybeach.com www.rosemarybeach.com For Rosemary Beach Realty 850.278.2000 Note: Vacation packages and last-minute specials can be searched online at www.rosemarybeach.com, under the heading “vacation rentals.”

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By Therra C. Gwyn

ig h lights

JOHN EDWARD>> One of America’s more well-known psychics, Edward is also an author, lecturer and host of Crossing Over with John Edwards. When and where: April 1 at 7 p.m., Cobb Energy Centre. Tickets: $39 - $79, plus fees at Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 800.745.3000. Tickets also available at Cobb Energy Centre box office.

More information: 770. 916.2808 Online: www.cobbenergycentre.com JESSE COOK>> Popular Canadian guitarist and Public Television concert personality, Cook is known for his upbeat world music and “Nuevo Flamenco” style.

Do you have an event for highlights?

Just email us at Whats HappeningGA @gmail.com 66

Cobb Life April 2014

A closer look at events and activities throughout Cobb County in April

When and where: April 2 at 8 p.m., Cobb Energy Centre.

Tickets: $39 - $69, plus fees. Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or at 800.745.3000. Tickets also available at Cobb Energy Centre box office.

More information: 770. 916.2808 Online: www.cobbenergycentre.com ANNIE>> The Lyric Theatre presents redheaded Annie, her dog Sandy, Daddy Warbucks and all the characters, adventures and songs from one of the most beloved musicals of the last 40 years.

When and where: April 4 - 20, Thursdays through Sundays, Cobb Civic Center’s Jennie T. Anderson Theatre,

Marietta. Tickets: $32 and up. Available online. Reserved seating.

More information: 404.377.9948 Online: www.atlantalyrictheatre.com ACWORTH ART FEST>> Third annual festival with Acworth’s historic Main Street as the backdrop. One hundred artists displaying and selling paintings, pottery, metal work, glass, jewelry, yard art and more. A “Kidz Zone” features fun activities for the younger set. When and where: April 5 - 6 at 4415 Senator Russell Avenue. Tickets: FREE. More information: 770.452.1727.

Online: www. acworthartfest.splash festivals.com

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THE ATLANTA BALLET – HAMLET>> A modern take on Shakespeare’s tragic, poignant masterpiece. This theatrical and contemporary dance is set to music by Philip Glass and performed live with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. Choreography

by Stephen Mills. When and where: April 11 at 8 p.m., April 12, 2 and 8 p.m., April 13, 2 p.m. at Cobb Energy Centre, Atlanta. Tickets: Season tickets available through the Atlanta Ballet, individual tickets available atTicketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 800.745.3000. Tickets also available at Cobb Energy Centre box office.

More information: 770. 916.2808 Online: www.cobbenergycentre.com BIG SHANTY FESTIVAL>> Kennesaw’s Big Shanty Festival combines the rich heritage of the area’s Civil War era with modern fun-filled activities and a parade.

Hundreds of booths with arts, crafts, food vendors, merchants and two stages for live entertainment. Usually attracts some 70,000 festival goers over a weekend.

Parade kicks off the fest at 9:30 a.m. Sat urday. When and where: April 12 from 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. April 13 noon - 5 p.m.

Downtown Kennesaw.

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Tickets: FREE. More information: 770.423.1330 Online: http://www.kennesaw.com/big-shanty-festival/

Square, Marietta. Tickets: $20.

More information: 770. 293.0080 Online: www.earlsmithstrand.org.

DEPARTURE – THE JOURNEY TRIBUTE BAND>> Local favorites Departure play more than 100 gigs a year, bringing the big sounds of supergroup Journey to all the rock and roll fans who won’t stop believin’. When and where: April 19, 8 p.m., Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta.

Tickets: General admission $15 in advance, $18 night of show.

More information: 770.293.0080 Online: www.earlsmithstrand.org.

THE LENNON SISTERS>> America’s sweethearts, Lawrence Welk show staples and legendary sister singing group.

Fifty years performing and going strong.

When and Where: April 27, 3:00 p.m. at the Cobb Civic Center’s Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, Marietta. Tickets: $40 plus fees at Ticketmaster.com. Reserved seating.

More information: 770. 528.8450 Online: www.lennonsisters.com

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER: ATLANTA>> This storytelling forum began five years ago in Madison, Wisconsin, as a one night performance and has grown and spread across the country. It is what it says it is. Mothers in metro Atlanta will take the microphone and take the audience with them as they celebrate, validate and explore the complexities of mothering through sharing stories, humor and original readings.

When and where: April 26 at 7 p.m. Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park

Engagements Warren ~ Mateer Mr. Richard Moore and Mrs. Mitzi Smith Moore of Marietta, Georgia, announce the engagement of their daughter, Abbey Elizabeth Warren, to Scott William Mateer son of Mrs. Genevieve Mateer and the late Mr. William Mateer of Marietta, Georgia.

Miss Abbey Warren is the granddaughter of Mr. Jack Smith and Mrs. Cynthia Dumford Smith and the late Mrs. Dixie Bradbury Smith. Mr. Scott Mateer is the grandson of Mrs. Genevieve Shiver and the late Mr. Allen Shiver.

Miss Abbey Warren, a graduate of the University of Georgia, is a law student at the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law. Mr. Scott Mateer also graduated from the University of Georgia and is employed as a Senior Risk Analyst with Holder Construction Company.

Mr. Scott Mateer and Miss Abbey Warren had a special engagement in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. A January 2015 wedding in Marietta is planned.

PASSOVER SEDER>> Reform Jewish Congregation Ner Tamid of West Cobb’s Annual Passover Seder is April 19, 5:30 p.m. at The Acworth Beach House at Cauble Park, 4425 Beach Street, Acworth. It includes a delicious meal, children’s activities and an opportunity to learn about Passover.

Non- members: $15 adults, $10 children. Bring your own Matza and Grape Juice (no alcoholic beverages allowed) and RSVP by March 31st to ritual@mynertamid.org.

More information: 678.264.8575.

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SCENE

KBA event

The Kennesaw Business Association Expo recently took place at the KSU Center. 1. Raime Mitchell and Sue Durham, both of LOUD Security. 2. Bill Haggerty of Haggerty & Co., and Mark Barre, president of the the Kennesaw Business Association.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF STANTON

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Do you have a SCENE event?

EMAIL US AT COBBLIFEMAGAZINE@ COBBLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

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3. Campbell Haigh of High Caliber Realty and Melanie Ingle of Gigi's Cupcakes. 4. Padraic McMeel, associate athletic director at Kennesaw State University and Bobby Lindsey, director of ticket sales at KSU. 5. Karen and Daniel Wright of Acrux Staffing in Kennesaw.

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After Hours Event

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce held its March Business After Hours event at Dobbins Air Reserve Base to honor the military. 1. From left, David Connell of Marietta, Jim Bankers of Kennesaw, Don Giles of Marietta, Brent Brown of Marietta and Hamilton Holmes of Atlanta. 2. Don Massaro of Kennesaw, Debbie Ponder of Marietta and Scott Wright of Marietta. 3. Ray Peppers of Dallas and Alex Castano of Marietta. 4. Col. Brett Clark of Marietta.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM BENNETT

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After Hours Event

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7 5. From left, Jim Abele, Jonathan and Janet Waldron of Marietta and Jean Vargo. 6. From left, Kathleen Angelucci of Marietta, Chuck Martin of Marietta and Lori Miller Burns of Woodstock. 7. From left, Nicole Faulk of Marietta, Dan Styf of Marietta and Shan Cooper of Marietta.

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KSU Winter Social

Kennesaw State University’s Winter Social was conducted by the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 1. From left, Ann Barnes, Hugh Daniell and Charlotte Mull, all of Marietta. 2. Jim and Merle Henry of Acworth.

3. Janie Ingram and Frank Townsend of Smyrna.

4. Monique and Gil Demato and Dani Diya, all of Kennesaw.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD HULL

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KSU Winter Social

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SCENE 5. Jackie McCown of Marietta and Mike Hendry of Roswell. 6. Joe and Joan Coppolino of Marietta. 7. Camille and Melvin Cummings of Kennesaw. 8. Powder Springs residents Frank Ivie and Crystal Pitts.

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YET?

For heaven’s sake y’all I’m going to get a little Jesus’y on you this month, but with the passing of our associate publisher, the beloved Dr. Jay, and for my family personally a very dear friend and my son’s great-grandmother, I think it’s OK. Besides, who is actually going to fuss at me for writing about Jesus, especially if Dr. Jay is included? This is a question I know that anyone who ever met the man understands.

I often think about Heaven - what it’ll be like, who all I will see when I get there and even when I’ll be called up there for my eternal visit. With that being said, I’m not one to argue with the good Lord about any of these factors, but sometimes I think He takes the “good ones” home a little too early for my liking. Since the start of this year – which aside from their deaths has been pretty dang wonderful – I’ve lost three people who were probably in those years where a homecoming in evident, but for me, I think we would have all enjoyed their presence a little bit longer.

Since many of our readers know or have at least heard of Jay Whorton, AKA Dr. Jay, I will start with him. In my nearly three years at the Marietta Daily Journal, I can honestly say that this man’s daily strolls through the newsroom made my day better. And for anyone who’s ever been in a newsroom – it’s needed! Each morning we’d share our daily “hellos” and on a regular basis I’d tease him about his sweet Miss Laura letting him out of the house with a stain on his tie or Lindsay Field shirt. Although in reality, I think stains are signs of an enjoyed meal and Dr. Jay certainly loved a good meal! He also loved to feed the MDJ staff. And in thinking back of my time at the newspaper, those lunches when we’d gather in the break room listening to his stories and Mark Wallace Maguire’s, all would be right with the world again. His big ol’ smile, often ridiculous stories and spirit will certainly be missed.

Another wonderful person was called home just a few weeks before Dr. Jay’s passing. Sarah Annie Floyd was an icon in Thomasville, Ga., and that of the University of Georgia football program as well. I don’t care who you are or where you’re from, there’s no way on God’s green Earth that loves those Dawgs as much as she did – just ask Loran Smith or Coach Mike Bobo. Miss Sarah Annie was also someone who

I’d known almost my entire life – from my father’s early coaching career. I remember her sitting in the same seat at the Thomasville High School football games for as long as they were there, and the football program just celebrated 100 years – she was 95, so you do the math. I also remember her gracious smile when she’d see you after being gone for a long time, her enthusiastic hugs, stories of football heroes and her adoration for all her “boys,” AKA the football and coaches of UGA and Thomasville High’s past.

Another early passing was that of my son’s great-grandmother – our sweet Agatha Ellis. We only go to see her from time to time because she lived in the Florida panhandle, but the last five years that I’ve gotten to know her were a blessing.

She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with every bit of her soul, and she especially loved our visits.

It always broke my heart each time we’d say goodbye because she’d get a little teary-eyed. Grandma Ellis was also as traditional as a woman can get. She believed in a set table, scrumptious meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that family was the answer to all your problems. And while my son is only three and a half, he knew and loved his Grandma Ellis very much, so this will be a tough one on him, too. She died the Saturday before Dr. Jay, just shy of her 90th birthday.

So, it is bittersweet that we had to say goodbye to each of these wonderful, loving, sincere and often hysterically funny people in early 2014, but because they all had amazing personalities, hearts of gold and bellies that were always willing to be filled, I sure do hope that they all run into each other in Heaven. I imagine Dr. Jay running into Miss Sarah Annie in a buffet line and talking smack about football with her, all before he invites her to enjoy lunch together. The pair would eventually run into Grandma Ellis and then try coaxing a secret family recipe out of her. And maybe in the long run, they all end up having more meals together, sitting around an even larger dining room table with all of our loved ones. For me, that’s the true definition of a “Homecoming Meal,” which for any Baptists and Methodists out there, you know about Homecoming Sundays and look forward to them annually. At least this is how I like to imagine Heaven – and anything is possible with God ya’ll.

And rather than trying to squeeze in a recipe, I think it’s better if we just all think of a wonderful meal to whip up or a restaurant to go eat at that might remind us of the Dr. Jay’s, Miss Sarah Annie’s and Grandma Ellis’s we’ve all been fortunate enough to know and love.

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