By Linda Harris When I’m a tourist discovering a new location, I look for those places that draw the locals. Where does the community gather? Are there any particular shops or restaurants that have a local following? In Decatur, we make it easy to find the locals and their hang-outs. We simply ask
Awesome experiences await downtown and all around By Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau What better way to spend a winter weekend than wining, dining and shopping? With over 175 dining options and more than 250 stores, you will quickly see why epicurean
By Varessa Butts The City of Sugar Hill is full of hidden gems. From quirky bakeries to the unique, state-of-the-art amphitheater, the city is full of interesting places to explore. Sugar Hill is quickly becoming the place to go for entertainment and relaxation. There is, however, another very impor
By Elizabeth Vance Visiting resale and vintage shops on vacation has become a trend. So much so, that the “thrift store road trip” is the new girlfriend getaway! Wherever I travel I’m always going to be on the lookout for an awesome place to thrift. Think about it: You’re probably going to d
By Ruth Owens Parsons CLU, ChFC, CPCU A wedding is one of the most joyous times in the lives of families. It represents the beginning of the lives of a new family unit. It involves the coming together of friends and relatives, and shared hospitality amongst family and guests. A wedding can be a larg
By Christina Milazzo Every culture has its own unique traditions related to the rite of passage of a wedding, but the basics are almost always the same. This time-honored tradition is a celebration of not only the couple, but also the combining of two families. Although in current times, most of tho
By Farmer Cass Fraunfelder It is the big harvest time of the year. Over the last five weeks, we have been rolling sweet potatoes out of the soil. They have been growing for the last 90 to 105 days. Sweet potato plants like hot weather and not a lot of watering, so we are in […]
By Greg Reeves Security boxes have always provided a sense of security for those seeking a space to safeguard valuable possessions. However, these boxes can sometimes do their job a little too well and leave family members scrambling to crack its code upon the death of its owner. Usually the head of
By Jessie McClellan A historic cemetery sits just on the edge of the campus of The University of Georgia with an entrance across from Sanford Stadium. Tucked away, many drive past daily without ever having stepped foot in this park-like resting place. The Oconee Hill Cemetery was added to the Nation
By Bill Kraeling At ETL Construction, we love to tackle historic restoration jobs. The reason they are among the most enjoyable is because of how we approach these jobs, along with the complexity and opportunity to preserve a little bit of history for future generations. One of our first steps when
By Sarah Napier Come experience Statesboro’s historic and charming downtown at the Ogeechee International History Film Festival. On March 24-25, 2017, the Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro, Georgia, will welcome filmmakers from around the world to showcase their historical documentaries an
By David Zunker To properly align with this month’s theme – food – I had thought of writing about some of the more unique dishes featured at Dahlonega’s popular downtown restaurants. Like Spirits Tavern’s “Trash Pile,” a ridiculously delicious take on the traditional cheeseburger. All
By Ashley Crain The question has been asked, you’ve said yes and now the real fun begins: planning your wedding day! From an elegant reception with hundreds of guests to the most intimate wedding ceremonies, The Classic Center makes each wedding and reception the celebration of your dreams. The we
By Jerry Brown One visit to North Georgia’s Alpine Helen, White County, and the surrounding areas of Sautee and Nacoochee will have you working up an appetite. Never fear – satisfying dining options abound when it comes to authentic bites full of Appalachian and International flavors. Your first
By Tony Cruz In the last issue, I wrote about the breathtaking array of colors and effects that gemstones can possess. This time, a word of advice: buyer beware. Gemstones can be mimicked by simulants and “fakes.” Just because a stone is red does not mean it is a ruby. It could be a piece [&hell
By Lauren James In a world where just about everything seems to be harmful to your health, it can be easy to tune out every warning given by governmental agencies and doctors. Trust us, we understand. But there is one place that you probably feel the most safe in regards to your health, which is [&h
By David Reed Looking for a great way to enhance your home spirits collection or add some unique creativity to your next party or gathering? Barrel-aging your own cocktails is a simple and easy way to make sophisticated cocktails without doing much work. All you need is to purchase a 1, 2, 3 or 5- [
By Andrée Kosak The wedding cake is one of the oldest wedding-reception traditions, dating back as far as ancient Rome. At that time the wedding cake was more like a sugarless barley or wheat cake, which was crumbled over the bride and groom’s heads as a symbol of good fortune and a successful ma
By F. Neal Pylant, D.M.D., PC Xerostomia is a condition affecting many patients these days. Defined as “a dry mouth caused by reduced or absent flow of saliva,” this condition is widespread and multi-factorial in causes. Xerostomia is associated with difficulty in chewing, difficulty in speech,
By James Moore, MD, FACS We all want to look our best. However, not all of want to “go under the knife.” Issues related to incisions, healing, downtime, and overall risks frequently discourage patients from surgical options. Fear no more! With recent advances in fillers and injectables, signific
By Emory Jones Everybody reasonably alive when it happened remembers where they were and what they were doing when President John F. Kennedy was shot. But, for me and others my age, an equally traumatic event was the day Roy Rogers died. (Okay, I may have exaggerated a bit by comparing TV’s King o
By Cassy Young, 2016 recipient of the International “Dream Room Award” Although a supporting player for years, accent furniture has recently taken spotlight status as the star in home décor. Certainly, these pieces still serve the purpose of providing interest in an already functional room, but
By David Zunker Dahlonega is a Destination Wedding destination. If that sounds redundant, it’s really not. A Destination Wedding, for those in the know, is defined as a wedding at least 100 miles from where the bride currently lives. The ideal destination typically includes all you need to plan a
By Linda Harris We challenged the community to write a six-word story about Decatur. It was a spin-off on Ernest Hemingway, when someone challenged him to write a story in six words. He did it, and our community did, too. We received so many great stories that we used them on fans, our Visitors Cent
By Jerry Brown For matters of the heart, Alpine Helen/White County and the surrounding villages of Sautee and Nacoochee think outside the jacuzzi. Located one hour north of Atlanta, this Bavarian village in the Northeast Georgia Mountains, whose Main Street runs alongside the Chattahoochee River and
By Varessa Butts Tucked away just minutes from the North Georgia Mountains and approximately 30 miles Northeast of Atlanta is a place where life is just a little sweeter. Sugar Hill was once known as “the hill where the sugar spilled,” a name acquired after a wagon load of sugar broke down in th
By Megan Dial Nothing says “southern”, “classic”, and “refined” quite like blue and white porcelain. Whether incorporating this timeless pattern through traditional china or a pair of lamps, the blue and white combination commands attention in any room. Today’s decorating trends encour
By Robert Prior We live in a litigious society. Each year, 15 million civil cases are filed in the United States. That should take your breath away. You can be sued for anything, at anytime, even if you did nothing wrong. For professionals like doctors, lawyers, architects, and business owners, laws
By Jane Hixson For many brides and grooms, determining what to serve at the reception can be very stressful. Will everyone like what we serve for dinner? Will everyone get enough to eat? Will there be enough variety? And yes, what should we do about the bar? Cost is often a very important factor in
By Mille Whitehead Healthy cattle for the farmer creates safe and nutritious beef for the consumer. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! Cattle nutrition is affected by a mixture of biological and ecological factors that actually make the subject quite complex. It is our responsibility, as farmers, to provi
