Our Town November 2009 - Smyrna/Vinings

F A M I L Y L I F E S T Y L E N E W S M A G A Z I N E

NOVEMBER 2009

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PAGE 3 For Advertising Information Call 678-337-7844 • www.ourtownmonthly.com Our Town

www.AtlantaEyeCare.com

Atlanta Eye CareYour Neighborhood Doctors of Optometry

Our doctors are trained to diagnose and treat all eye diseases and injuries.

LASIK • EYE EXAMS • CONTACT LENSES

Quality Eye Care… You Will See!

25% of children have some vision problem that effects learning. 80% of everything a child learns before the age of 12

is learned through the eyes.

We accept most forms of insurance.

3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU.CUMBERLAND POINTE EYE CARE

770-644-0012 • www.CumberlandPointeEyeCare.com3155 Cobb Pkwy. • Marietta

ALPHARETTA EYE CLINIC 770-475-1777 • 2725 Old Milton Pkwy., Ste. B • AlpharettaWINDWARD EYE CARE 678-393-2025 • 5315 F Windward Pkwy. • Alpharetta

Atlanta Eye Care

3246 atlanta road • smyrna • 1/2 mile north of paces Ferry rd. • 770-431-9743 • www.ghsmyrna.com3246 atlanta road • smyrna • 1/2 mile north of paces Ferry rd. • 770-431-9743 • www.ghsmyrna.com

share Great harvest dinner rolls, pies and goodies with your family, friends, teachers

and clients during the holiday season. our gift baskets can be spiced up with an array of

hearty soups, dipping oils, jellies and gift cards from our expanded selection!

...BaKed FresHevery day!

great Harvest Bread companyThe original Whole Grain store

let great Harvest doyour Holiday Baking!

Holiday open House

Thursday, November 125:30 pm-8:00 pm

Food tasting, wine sampling,

raFFles, live music,

Holiday giFt giving ideas

Holiday discounts

and more!

Graphics and DesignTerry Tanner

Tanner Graphics, Inc.

PhotographerElizabeth SmithEBS Photography

Contributing WritersPam Walker

Dr. Michael WalkerAlethea TinkleBrooke Merrill

Leisa Bailey, PhD.Shelia Frey

Jason GoggansShasta ClarkTony MeleMark Orler

Robin CrawfordMichelle DeHaven, DVM

Publishers/Editors Linda Demery & Lori McLinden

The West Cobb Area’s Family Lifestyle News Magazine

OurTownMarietta Kennesaw Acworth PowderSprings

Our Town is published and direct mailed monthly to prestigious

homes in the Smyrna/Vinings Area. Opinions expressed by the

editorial staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opin-

ions of the publisher. Our Town reserves the right to edit and or

reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town is not respon-

sible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for

the validity of claims made by advertisers.

Entire contents copyright 2009 by Our Town. Reproduction in

whole or in part is forbidden in any media without prior written

permission from the publisher.

Our Town Magazine101 Church Street Suite 175Marietta, GA 30060

678-337-7844Fax: 678-337-7825

[email protected]


Calendar of EventsAbout the CoverTravel – Salzburg GermanyBusiness Spotlight – the honeybeeNovember CrosswordNot So Pretty in PinkBeauty TipsAtlanta Custom Interiors Grand Re-Opening!Home & DesignEmbracing Gratitude for Thanksgiving & Year LongShopping with SheliaFitnessBusiness Spotlight – Bright MindsMommy MomentsGolf TipsWhat’s Cookin’?Happy NovemberBusiness Spotlight – DogmaDoes the Dog Really Need a Flu Shot?Pets of the Month

in this issue6/78101112141516

1719

20212223262728293031

At Pinnacle, our physicians maximize results and minimize recoverytime. How? By using leading edge technologies and the most innovative techniques. We take this advanced approach in everyarea of orthopaedic care, including Pinnacle specialties such assports medicine, joint replacement, fracture care, spine, foot andankle, hand, general orthopaedics and pain management.

Visit www.pinnacle-ortho.com for a complete list of services, physicians andlocations near you.

Once you Get to Know Pinnacle, youwon’t want to go anywhere else.770-944-3303

Smyrna women doctors committedto promoting the health and wellness of Smyrna's women.Drs. Larisa Pearlman & Kalpana Raghavan

We welcome new and established patients and their families to our Smyrna officeconveniently located in the Highlands Grove office park near the intersection of

Highlands Parkway and South Cobb Drive at 3610 Highlands Parkway, Smyrna.

Obs t e t r i c s • Gyn e co l o gy • I n fe r t i l i t y

7 70 . 444 . 9 9 8 1

www.freshnfitcuisine.com


“A White-Glove Approach to Residential Cleaning””

770.882.4969www.focusserv.com

FOCUSS E R V I C E S

“We focus on meeting your housekeeping needs -every time - GUARANTEED!!!”

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• English Speaking Crews

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FALL FESTIVAL: Harmony Leland Elementary School PTA will host their annual FallFestival on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 11am-3pm. Our theme for 2008-09 schoolyear is “Families, School, Community - We Are All On The Same Team... ExpectingSuccess”, everyone in the community is invited and encouraged to attend. The followingactivities are planned (but can be subject to change): bounce houses, games, hayride, cakewalk, face painting, nail painting, and various other activities. Hot Dogs, chips, anddrinks will be sold as well as other treats. The school is located at 5891 Dodgen Rd., Ma-bleton, GA. For more information, please call 770-819-2483 or email [email protected]

NORTHWEST AREA MOMS IN MOTION: Challenge yourself, get fit, havefun while giving back to your community. Train to run or walk the Zooma Women’shalf marathon on November 8th. Members will meet on Thursday evenings at 6pmbeginning August 6th at the Silver Comet Trail parking lot on South Cobb Drive andthe East-West Connector. For more information, visit www.MomsinMotion.com oremail [email protected].

UPWARD BASKETBALL AND CHEERLEADING: First Baptist Church ofSmyrna offers an exciting basketball and cheerleading league for children and youth whereEvery Child is a Winner. Registration is open for the 2009-2010 Upward Basketball le-ague. Evaluations are Saturday, November 14 and November 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.at the Griffin Middle School gym on King Springs Road off South Cobb Drive. Practicesstart in December, league play on Saturday, January 9th, 2010. Early registration is $95.To register, go to www.smyrnafirst.org. For more information visit the church office at1275 Church Street, Smyrna, GA or call (770) 435-3231.

HANDS ON CHRISTMAS: Save the Date!! November 14th from 10-2pm.Smyrna First United Methodist Church will be hosting it's annual craft festival and giftmart. Plan to spend the day with your children making "adorable and affordable" craftsto give as gifts or treasure as keepsakes! Place bids in the silent auction, stay for lunch inthe Candy Cane Cafe and kick off your Christmas shopping in the Gift Mart. You don'twant to miss this amazing event! For more info email: [email protected]

FLIPPIN’ FOR KIDS: The Smyrna Optimist Club will be hosting their annual pan-cake breakfast on Saturday, November 28th from 7 to 11am at the Smyrna First UnitedMethodist Church on Concord Road. All you can eat pancakes, sausage, milk, juice andcoffee for a donation of $5 per person. Take out is available, or eat in and visit with yourfellow Smyrnans.

COMING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Make plans to join us on Mon., Nov.30 on the Village Green for the big holiday community heart warming "Coming Homefor the Holidays" and help Santa light our Village Christmas Tree at 7 p.m. Holiday fes-tivities at the Smyrna Community Center and all around. Bring the entire family for allof it and ring in the season downtown. Admission is FREE and the event is from 6 –9pm. For more information, visit www.ci.smyrna.ga.us

MABLEHOUSE CHRISTMAS ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: December 4ththrough December 13th from 10am to 6pm. Mable House Art Center is located at 5239Floyd Rd. in Mableton. Admission is free. Select from hundreds of unique handmadeitems displayed in a beautiful holiday setting. For more information visit www.mable-house.org or call 770.819.3285.

"Your neighborhood paperback book exchange!"Current Titles & Old Favorites at 1/2 the Cover Price

770-435-76363599 Atlanta Road • Smyrna

(Paces Center - just 3 doors down from Bella's Pizzeria)

"Your neighborhood paperback book exchange!"Current Titles & Old Favorites at 1/2 the Cover Price

770-435-76363599 Atlanta Road • Smyrna

(Paces Center - just 3 doors down from Bella's Pizzeria)

Gobble up a good book!!!

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

Are pleased to announce the opening of their new firm at

5130 Maner Rd, Smyrna, Ga

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

IMMIGRATION • PERSONAL INJURY • TRUSTS AND WILLS

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calendar of events


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from$495* For more information or to reserve your spot…

www.CruiseChics.com • 404-388-3358- Michele Harkins • Smyrna, GA*Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Prices are not guaran-

teed until booked. If you cancel after booking, cancellation fees may apply.

®

Accountable Auto DetailMobile Car Wash and Detailing Service- We Come to You!

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$60.00 off a bumper to bumpercomplete detail when you mentionthis ad from Our Town Magazine.

We provide tender loving service to your vehicle:autos, trucks, boats and recreational.

Our mobile service is fully self contained – complete with water and electricity

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MAJOR CREDITCARDS

ACCEPTED

Don’t Miss Your Own Party!Let me do the work before, during and after.

Dinner Parties • Wedding Events

Birthdays • Graduation • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

Seders • Anniversaries • Kids’ Parties

770-952-0696At Your Home, Office or in the Park

Linda Bigger

SANTA HOUSE: December 5th through December 20th. Santa will be at the Smyrna Wel-come Center (Aunt Fanny's Cabin) weekends during December. Hurry, you don't want to missSanta's last two appearances before he heads back to the North Pole. Santa's Final Appearances:Mon., December 21, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tues., December 22, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

SMYRNA/VININGS HOLIDAY HOME TOUR: Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrnawill hold its 8th annual Holiday Home Tour, Sunday, December 6th, noon to 6:00 p.m. Eachhome will be decorated for the holiday season, highlighting the talents of local designers and de-corators. Proceeds from the annual Holiday Home Tours go to benefit the programs and projectsof The Foundation of Emory-Adventist Hospital. Admission is $20 per person. The ticket pro-vides admission to the tour of homes, as well as a tearoom and auction at The Community Bankof the South. You may purchase tickets by calling 770-319-2025. Tickets are also available atKaren’s Gifts and Love Street located in Smyrna.

Please visit www.OurTownMonthly.com for additional events, clubs and civic organizations.

If you have an event for the Our Town Calendar, please e-mail us

at [email protected]. Listings are free, but space is limited! Deadline for

calendar submissions is the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue.

the honeybee2968 Atlanta Road, Smyrna, 770-432-5120

Holiday Open House, November 6th and 7th.Stop by and see what’s buzzin’ for the holidays.

Great gift ideas, unique treasures, jewelry, denim,women’s apparel and more!

Great Harvest Bread Companyand the Shops of Creatwood

invite to a Holiday Open House on Thursday,November 12th from 5:30pm -8:00pm. Featuringwine samplings by the Atlanta Wine Guys, FoodTasting, Raffles, Holiday gifting ideas, live music,

and holiday discounts . 3246 Atlanta Rd,Smyrna 770.431.9743 www.ghsmyrna.com

Love Street Gifts & Love Street Heart & Sole

November 6th, 7th, and 8thLove Street HomeNovember 21st and 22nd

Stop in for refreshments and door prizes while shopping for the perfect gift.

Shoppe of ViningsNovember 14th 11-3

The REAL Santa is coming to the Shoppe ofVinings! Find everything you need to make your

Holidays and your shopping experience memorable! CC James Photography will be taking

pictures at this annual event. 770.818.0708


LOSE WEIGHT

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And let the games begin! Our Town caught up withthe U 6 Wolves Team and the U6 Rowdies from theSmyrna Soccer Club on a beautiful Friday night inOctober. Our cover “players” are Brennan Cozad ofthe Rowdies and Graham Drisscoll and Jordan Sig-mon of the Wolves. The Smyrna Soccer Club playssoccer in the Fall and Spring and the program beginswith ages U4 thru U19. Each season lasts about tenweeks. Smyrna Soccer is a member of the GeorgiaState Soccer Association. For more info on SmyrnaSoccer visit www.smyrnasoccer.org

U6 WOLVES(Names not in pictured order)

Liam Boehme, Ethan Carroll, Graham Driscoll,Luke Geraci, Nico Griffin, George JacksonIII,

Elizabeth McAbee, Saket Mudaliar, Jordan Sigmon,Slaton Smith, Jonas Tholen. Coaching staff:

Stefan Boehme and Michael Tholen

about the cover


Christina MoranPure Women’s Fitness

ISSA Certified Personal TrainerRegistered Nurse, BSN • B.A. in Psychology

SPECIALIZING IN IN-HOME PERSONAL TRAINING FOR WOMEN OF ALL AGES!You get to train in the privacy of your own home, a personalized plan

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Services Include: Fitness Assessment, Cardio Training, Strength Training, Flexibility, Yoga,

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[email protected] upon request

Fall festivals are everywhere at this time of year. They celebrate the beautiful leaf colors,pumpkins and all the wonderful things that the end of the summer season brings.Most all are filled with music and entertainment along with boiled peanuts and can-died apples.

Europe also celebrates this season with festivities. Famed Oktoberfest originated inGermany and actually begins in the middle of September with the tapping of the firstbarrel of beer from the current harvest. However, it is in August that the first coolweather comes to the Alps of Germany, Switzerland and Austria with long days of sun

and cool evenings. Also in early August, the SalzburgFestival, the most won-

derful music festival ofthem all is celebrated inAustria.

Salzburg is perhaps themost celebrated city inEurope for music. In1997 it was listed as aUNESCO WorldHeritage Site for itswonderful collectionof baroque build-ings and historiccenter (Alstadt). Itwas the birthplaceof Mozart and alsothe home of theVon Trapp familyabout which thefamed movie “The Sound ofMusic” was written.

You might say that music is the life blood of this wonderful Alpine city. Therefore itis no surprise that most of the festivals that take place in Salzburg have to do withmusic. The festivals begin in January with the Christmas Festival, to Mozart Week inFebruary (celebrating the birth of the famous composer), to the Whitsun Festival inMay celebrating Baroque Music, to the Goldegger Festival of Blues and Folk Musicin June, to the Jazz Festival in July. Then the grand daddy of them all-the famedSalzburg Festpiele or Salzburg Festival begins in August.

I was lucky enough to be there this year and have a glimpse of how wonderful thisfestival is. I first took a trip on the big Sound of Music Bus to see the sights that orig-inated the movie. Austrians in general don’t think much of this movie, as it is mostlyfictional, however with busloads of tourists circulating throughout the city and singingits well known songs, the locals are happy to celebrate their heritage and their musicwith or without the Von Trapp family. It is fun to see the serious festival attendeesand the crowds of general tourists, choruses and orchestras; all who want to take theSound of Music tour. And all singing the “Do-Re-Mi” song or one of the hits fromthe famous show.

Music is everywhere! It drifts through the streets and echoes off the nearby moun-tains. The city of Salzburg comes alive in August with endless concerts, and exhibi-tions. Literally thousands of visitors flock to the city to enjoy the annual festivities.Held for five weeks every year, the festival features concerts, drama, chamber orches-tras, performances by both local and international choruses and boasts of world famedmusical guests from all parts of the world.

Salzburg is a wonderful city full of history and fun pastimes. But what a great placeto visit during the great Salzburg Music Festival!. So much to enjoy in such a beautifulplace in the middle of the great Alps of Europe!

Pam Walker is a Virtuoso travel consultant and can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow her travels by visiting Pam’s blog athttp://www.pamwalkers.blogspot.com or www.walkeradventuresltd.com

travelMUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS

THE SALZBURG MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Real Santa is coming to Town…at Shoppe of Vinings

Nov. 14th 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. • Join us for our Special DayFIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS

AND YOUR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE MEMORABLE

3244 Cobb Parkway • Atlanta, GA 30339in the Riverview Shopping Center • 770-818-0708

BRING YOUR CAMERAS !!photography supplied by CC James Photography

Photographer will also be at our event!!


Smyrna, GA • 770.432.5120

Ask about our Honeycomb Credit program and find out how you can receive store rewards by donating slightly used clothing (see store for details).

Holiday Open House

November 6th & 7th

Stop in and see

what's buzzin' this

holiday season!

business spotlightthe honeybee...

a local shop, a labor of love.Hear that? There’s something buzzing in the air. It’s Lisa Rieves and Betsy Digiorgio in theirbrand new shop, sweetly named the honeybee! The ladies who love to shop local are expandingtheir talents in the Smyrna/Vinings community. The honeybee is located in the historic yellowhouse on the corner of Atlanta and Concord Roads and you’re sure to be delighted from themoment you walk through the door.

Lisa and Betsy are always on the hunt for the most unique fashions including JPK handbags,XCVI everyday cotton wear, Dansko Clogs, Tom’s Shoes, fabulous ballet flats and much,much more! And now you can find them all at the honeybee. Discover funky handcraftedbelt buckles, beautifully designed jewelry and be sure to try on the coolest boots in town.You’ll also be pleased to find “pocket friendly” prices with denim starting under $70.

But the treasures don’t stop there. The honeybee ladies are “shop local” gals who know every-one can benefit from the talents of those in their own backyard. This is why the honeybeewill feature local artists and gifts such as Paddy Wax candles, Starr Luna t-shirts and RondaSmith Jewelry just to name a few. You’ll likely even hear the tunes of Georgia’s own ZacBrown Band or Sugarland playing in the background. Feel free to bring the kids along too,they are sure to find treasures of their own like Snap Caps and Blamtastic Lip balm, made bya family right in Georgia. For a quick and easy gift for that special someone, grab one of theirgorgeous custom made live planters or baskets. And guys, don’t fret, not only will they makeyour shopping easy, but they also have cool retro college tees for you! There is truly no end tothe goodies you’ll find among the unique, affordable merchandise selected to surprise andimpress.

But there’s more to the honeybee than just an adorable shop on the corner. When you enterthe store you know a lot of love went into this happy hive. In fact, Lisa and Betsy will be thefirst to tell you their hopes for the honeybee go well beyond delivering quality, unique mer-chandise. The honeybee has a purpose!

This local shop also provides a place toteach the importance of giving, protect-ing our community and supporting abigger picture. It starts with the honey-bee’s very own t-shirt, which reads, “theBEE is more honored than other ani-mals, not because she labors, but be-cause she labors for others.” Threedollars from every t-shirt purchasedgoes to helpthehoneybees.com, an or-ganization established to bring aware-ness to the growing threat of honeybeeextinction. You’ll also see this deliv-ered in their one of a kind Honey-comb Credit Program* that allowsyou to donate slightly used clothing and receive storecredit. The honeybee is partnering with local shelters and will deliver your donations to thosein need. They would also like to recognize those that make our community a better place byoffering 10% off to all teachers, police officers, fire fighters and armed service members.

There’s no question the honeybee is a labor of love for Lisa and Betsy. How do they find thetime? I guess you would have to say they are definitely busy, busy bee’s . . .

The honeybee is located on the corner of the Atlanta and Concord Roads (next door to CVS).

Hours of Buzzing:Monday thru Saturday 10am-6pm

Sunday 12-5pmHoneycomb Credit Program. *See store for details.

the honeybee owners, Betsy DiGiorgio and Lisa Rieves

across down

crossword


Holiday Entertainment for a Lifetime!

We have been designing and installing granite, quartz andmarble countertops for over 7 years in the metro Atlantaarea. We have over 90 unique granite patterns & colors instock at our Acworth Showroom & Factory. You can pick outyour actual stone tablet(s), your sink, and your faucet..

all with just.. ONE STOP. Please visit our websitewww.crowecounter.comPlease contact B i l l D ickman

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NOT SO PRETTY IN PINKWell, here we are again. The season for giving is upon us. It is time to reach out our hands withpure benevolence and share with others. And what better gift to give than the gift of Pink Eye?Think about it. It’s free! It’s very easy to share! And it will have the recipient all watery-eyed!The tears will flow as this gift is passed from person to person to person.

On second thought, let’s take a step back and reconsider. Pink Eye is actually a broad term for aninflammation of the conjunctiva (the tissue layer that covers the front of the eyeball and the insideof the lids). There can be multiple causes, and most of them are not contagious. Your eye, oreyes, could be pink due to allergies, contact lens irritation, dryness, sun overexposure, chemicalssuch as smoke or fumes, and on and on. Treatments vary, depending on your eye doctor’s diag-

nosis. The two types that we most associate with the term pink eye, however, are very conta-gious…viral and bacterial. These two types can spread faster than Santa’s sleigh sightings onNorad radar.

Kids often get infectious pink eye by touching an infected person or even some object that personhas touched, such as a used towel or pillowcase. Coughing or sneezing can spread it like wildfire.It can be very difficult to keep the pink eye from transferring over to the other eye. The symptomscan include scratchy, watery, light sensitive, red and/or sticky eyes. Newborns are highly suscep-tible, due to contact in the birth canal. That’s why they get a nice dose of antibiotic ointmentsapplied soon after entering the world.

So what are the take-home messages for pink eye? If you get these symptoms, see your eye careprofessional. He or she can often diagnose what the cause is and treat it appropriately. If it’s bac-terial, antibiotic drops will be used. If it is viral, no real cure typically exists, and often supportivetherapy is used, such as artificial tears or decongestants. Most viral cases tend to clear up on theirown within a few days or one to two weeks. Until they improve, stay home from school or work.If you have to go, avoid touching your eyes, disinfect often and don’t shake a lot of hands. Believeme, most co-workers will run from you before you even try. Do not share towels or pillowcases.If you have shared eye drops or cosmetics during this time, replace them. If you forget everythingelse, remember this…WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN. It’s the single most important and ef-fective way to prevent the spread of pink eye.

So at your next holiday office party, consider bringing the gift that shares itself freely. If I drawyour name, however, I’ll be running out the door. Being the one office employee stuck with AuntMabel’s fruitcake doesn’t sound so bad anymore.

Dr Michael Walker is a partner withWindward Eye Care (678-393-2025) andAlpharetta Eye Clinic (770-475-1777) inAlpharetta, and Cumberland Pointe EyeCare (770-644-0012) in Smyrna/Vinings.


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YOu PICk tHe FAbrIC... Well DO tHe reSt

Gertrude Kelly of Smyrna is very glad she attended the Atlanta Custom Interiors Open HouseOct. 9. She was the winner of the grand prize: a window makeover with custom drapes with herchoice of fabric and custom hardware. Nearly 100 other customers, interior designers, vendors,dignitaries and local businesspeople visited the beautiful new showroom/workroom that day.

Other prizes and gifts were donated by Teri Moore of United Supply Company, Judson Stoneof Duralee Fabrics, Brad Edelman of RM Coco Fabric, Ryan McCullough of Greenhouse Fabrics,Max Nance of Michaels Textiles and Donna Hyderof The Georgian Plantation Shutter Company.

Visitors were entertained and inspired as they touredthe workrooms and watched talented ACI craftspeo-ple Kathy Donahue, Kim Evans and Don Hall teachworkshops and give demonstrations about windowtreatments and furniture upholstery for home or of-fice décor.

Architect Ken Klebanoff, Marsha Peterson of TradeSecrets Interiors and Julie Sullivan of

FISCO Investment Management were among manywho enjoyed refreshments and gifts from Commu-nity Bank of the South, RC Tax & Accounting,Moe’s of Smyrna, Great Harvest Bread Company ofSmyrna, King Springs Chinese and Bloom CityFlorist.

Smyrna Councilman Michael McNabb and Jim Duelmer, chairman of the Smyrna Area Councilof the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, joined Atlanta Custom Interiors owner JoAnne Nelsonfor a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Entrepreneur Nelson has been a little surprised and very pleased to see growth in her businessduring a difficult economic time as ”nesting” consumers continue to improve their home inte-riors. Built on the site of a longtime upholstery workshop, the beautiful new showroom/work-room offers design services for window treatments and upholstered furniture which are fabricatedon site.

“ACI offers convenience, quality, style and value to both homeowners and designers,” says Nel-son. “We recently launched a new Web site(www.AtlCustomInteriors.com) which makes iteasy for customers to see thousands of choices infabric and trim for upholstery and draperies, va-lences, Roman shades, Cornice boards, head-boards, throw pillows, seat and window cushions,table covers and beddings, as well as decorativehardware and blinds/shutters.”

A friendly, helpful, hands-on business, ACI offersdesigner quality, personal service and workroomprices to a wide range of residential and commer-cial clients. Each month, the Web site www.atlcus-tominteriors.com features a special – for Octoberit is a display sample sale.

“We understand that the beauty of new upholsteryand fabric is how it fits your home and your style.We meet with clients at no cost to plan and create

their vision and make it right here in our store,” Nelson explains. “Check our Web site and comeby our showroom to let us spark your imagination!” The show room is located at 1302 ConcordRoad Smyrna, GA. You can call ACI at 770-436-2299.

Atlanta Custom Interiors Welcomed Visitors and the

Community to Open House at New Showroom/Workroom

Vendors, local businesses pitched in with prizes and refreshments

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony


Brooke Merrill Home

Creative Concepts for Comfortable Living

Accommodating all your interior needs:

770.432.7425 or email [email protected]

www.brookemerrillhome.com

• Residential and Commercial Design/Decoration

• Fabric selections

• Window treatment design

• Space layout

• Furniture selection

• Paint color selection

• Renovation/New Construction consulting

• Lighting

• Hardware and fixtures

• Appliance selection

or email [email protected]

www.brookemerrillhome.com

Brooke Merrill is an Interior Designer and the owner of

Brooke Merrill Home in Smyrna. 770-432-7425

by Brooke Merrill

It is almost unbelievable that it has been a decade since we were ringing in the new millennium.Dancing to Prince’s “1999”, we were filled with the promise of a prosperous century full of adventureand advancement. Little did we know that terror would scare us out of our complacency and yearslater an economic crisis would force us to take stock and re-think our priorities.

In my home, we have found comfort in the little things like taking the time to make a pot of rich,home-brewed coffee instead of heading to Starbuck’s. Instead of going out to dinner and a movie,we finally made time to go through the boxes of home goods my grandmother left behind (shepassed in the 90’s). I can’t describe the feelings we had when we found my grandparents’ gold-leafed high balls and coordinating bar set from the 1960’s. I can only imagine how much fun theyhad using those high balls while mixing up the latest cocktail during a holiday gathering.

With our growing concerns about unemployment and losses in our portfolios, we find ourselveswondering how we can keep traditions alive during the holiday season without putting a huge dentin the pocket book. We were raised by parents and grandparents who lived through some of thetoughest economic times in our country’s history, and we need to remember that there is always away to make a beautiful home for our families, even if our budgets are not what they were a fewyears ago. In that spirit, I decided to do some research for decorating ideas that would take us backto our roots and bring a little Yule tide to the season.

Colors:In the past, I have covered the trendy colors in holiday décor (such as deep purple, lime green, andnavy blue) in my articles. This year, a sense of nostalgia has come over me, and I am in the moodfor a good old fashioned red and green holiday. The reason red and green are traditionally used forthe holidays is because those were the colors of the only living things our ancestors could find outof doors to use for decorating in winter. Pine and holly berries stay green year round and add afestive touch to the gloom of a sleeping winter landscape.

I also want to stress the importance of gold and/or silver as an accent for your holiday décor. Goldand silver give an illusion of luxury to a table setting or a mantle garland, and the sheens reflect thelight with a soft, warm glow. It is so easy and inexpensive to find décor with gold or silver accentsto add to your decorating, and using gold or silver also allows you to incorporate your cherishedholiday keepsakes passed on from a favorite aunt or grandparent.

Table Settings:If you have time, start going to garage and estate sales to find some accent pieces for your china.For a more natural or cottage holiday, milk glass it the perfect complement to a table. If your décoris formal and traditional, you may be able to find old candelabras or vintage china with gold filigreeto spice up the table. For decorating a table for Thanksgiving, collect some large maple leaves thathave already turned color, punch a hole at the base and string it with velvet ribbon. You can use theribbon to tie around cloth napkins on the table. Do the same for Christmas and Hanukah tablesettings, but use a pinch of pine or holly instead of the maple leaf.

Most importantly, food will decorate the table better than anything else, especially desserts. I loveto see a plate full of date loaf, chocolate fudge, and pecan sandies. What could be more inviting forguests than a table overflowing with beautiful holiday dishes and fruit pies?

Mantles:If you are striving for a more contemporary look this holiday season, use silver or gold stars in abun-dance on your mantle and table. By mixing large and small stars with your holiday candles, youcan add drama to the atmosphere while keeping it simple and inexpensive. On the other hand, ifyou want to create a traditional ambiance, use garland laced with wire ribbon and sugared fruitpicks. This look gained notoriety during the Victorian era, and has remained a staple for a traditionalholiday setting.

Another trick for contemporary and traditional homes is to find artwork at estate sales that havewintry landscapes. You can create a wall of wonder over a mantle or just about anywhere in thehouse by replacing your existing artwork with snow-filled scenes for the holidays. If that is not fea-sible, just add a little ribbon infused garland to the corner of a wall mirror or piece of artwork.

If you are still struggling with how to pull it all together, I strongly recommend the Better Homesand Gardens website for holiday decorating ideas. This is not my favorite magazine for interior de-sign ideas, but I give them kudos for helping us cook and decorate for the holidays. Their homemadedecorating tips are always unique and fun to try, and the pictures of holiday decorating show youhow a “finished” holiday room should look.

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family

focus

It’s the time of year when the holiday season approaches. Coming this month isThanksgiving - - - - which is a special holiday! Susan Kirby, a mother of two stated itwell: “Thanksgiving has always been a favorite: It’s a time of gratitude and a holiday wehaven’t messed up!” This is a holiday to spend time with family and friends and focuson the things in our lives for which we feel thankful. This time is special and encour-ages thoughts about what is truly important in life. However, once the turkey is carvedand life gears up for the next event, it is important to focus on ways to keep the warmfeelings of gratitude alive in the heart year round.

Gratitude is conscious awareness of all the joys and blessings in daily life. Developinga sense of gratitude allows you to see the good aspects of life, which encourages

more contentment. This, in turn, helps you to get along with people moreeasily. Being aware of being thankful can be enormously helpful when

life is stressful. Many spiritual and religious beliefs emphasize thevalue of cultivating gratitude as a way to connect with God

and one’s own spirituality. Religions and philosophieshave long embraced gratitude as an indispensable

manifestation of virtue, and an integral compo-nent of health, wholeness, and wellbeing.

In general, psychologists have tradi-tionally been more interested in

studying human vice thanvirtue. Only recently has

the importance ofgratitude been ex-amined. Psycholog-

ical research has found significant benefits to people who cultivate gratitude on aregular basis. In general these individuals tend to feel happier and have fewer physicalcomplaints. Research has also shown that those practicing living with gratitude aremore optimistic, make better progress toward important personal goals, and reporthigher levels of alertness, determination, and energy. Gratitude is statistically linkedto happiness and hope. Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, lifesatisfaction, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. Grateful individualsplace less importance on material goods; they are less likely to judge their own andothers success in terms of possessions accumulated; they are less envious of others; andare more likely to share their possessions with others.

Keeping a gratitude journal is extremely beneficial in encouraging an attitude of grat-itude. While spending a few moments each day in quiet reflection on the things inlife that you are thankful for can facilitate better feelings about life, the action of puttingthe words down on paper seems to make the gratitude more meaningful. The act ofrecalling and documenting each day the blessings in that day is a powerful exercise.

Some mistakenly believe living with gratitude is being Pollyannaish or naive. However,grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life; they just tend not tomaintain too much focus on them. Difficulties are addressed and then set aside sothat the primary focus returns to the positive. By making deliberate and consciousdecisions to look for the positive, one can see the little things in every day to be thankfulfor that are often overlooked – - the taste of a good cup of coffee, a smile of a child,the playfulness of a puppy, a small kindness of a stranger, a compliment, or a beautifulsunset.

In parenting, teaching gratitude to children takes extra effort but can go a long way inteaching children the importance of being thankful and of expressing thanks in a sin-cere and meaningful way. Research has shown that children who practice grateful think-ing have more positive attitudes toward school and their families.

During this Thanksgiving season, renew the significance of deliberately and consciouslyliving with gratitude throughout the year - - the benefits are spectacular!

Dr. Bailey is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in Marietta. Youcan learn more about her by visiting: www.marietta-psychologist.com and can bereached @[email protected].

Embracing Gratitude for

Thanksgiving and Year Long

by Leisa A. Bailey, Ph.D.

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Cracking the CodeThe holidays are fast approaching and hopefully you will be getting a mail-box full of invitations to parties, galas and open houses. Along withthose invitations may come some confusing instructions on how todress for said functions. Is the event formal, black-tie, cocktail,creative, festive, snappy, the list goes on…. Deciphering theseterms can be a bit challenging. Hopefully, we can crack thedress code this season so you can arrive dressed correctly withnothing to worry about except what to bring the host as atoken of your appreciation.

White Tie/Ultra Formal - The most formal of eveningwear worn to events after six o’clock. Women wear longball gowns. Men wear a dress coat (tails), white vest, andwhite tie.

Black Tie - This is a formal occasion as well. Women wearlong dresses or an elegant cocktail dress. Men wear tuxe-dos.

Formal - Also formal, but maybe a little looser, possibly blackshirt and no tie with the tuxedo for men. Women wear longdresses, or a cocktail dress.

Black Tie optional/Black Tie Invited - Same as Black tie however, a darksuit with a white dress shirt (a dress shirt does not have a button down collar)and tie would be appropriate for men. Women wear cocktail dresses or long dresses.

Creative Black Tie - Similar to Black Tie optional, but men can get a little creative with shirt,tie or cummerbund. Women can wear long or short cocktail dresses.

Semi- formal - After 6 PM, a dark suit and tie for the men and cocktail dress for women.Daytime semi- formal would be a suit for the men and a dress or dressy suit for

women.

Cocktail Attire - Dark suits for men and short but elegant dresses forwomen.

Dressy Casual/ Creative Casual/Smart Casual - Sport coat or nicesweater with trousers for men and bold, sparkly jewelry, beautifulblouse or cashmere sweater paired with a skirt or trousers forwomen. Think sparkle and special. No jeans or shorts. And please,anything but a “Holiday” sweater appliquéd with snowmen, Santaor Rudolph!

Casual/ Informal - Pretty much anything in good taste goes.

Don’t get stressed and overwhelmed about what to wear. Makeholiday and special occasion dressing fun and enjoyable. By follow-

ing a few simple guidelines you can lookgreat and feel confident at any social func-

tion you may be invited to attend. Remem-ber the saying,“the only person that is

overdressed is the person wrapped up in himself.”

Shelia Frey is an Image and Fashion Consultant, dedi-cated to encouraging and equipping women to become their

personal best. Contact her at 770-893-8944 or at theimageacad-emy.com.


fitness

Articles like this come out every year… “Lose Weight Over the Hol-idays” or “10 Can’t Miss Tips to Avoid Weight Gain This Thanks-giving”. I really wish I could put a new fancy spin on this played outarticle. I wish I could say that over the last 12 months I have comeup with a BRAND new way to drop weight over the holidays…butI haven’t. In fact, no one has. That’s because the same advice thatwas given 10 years ago still applies today. Losing weight is no magicor voodoo. What worked yesterday, works today. The difference is,you actually have to follow the advice and therein lies the disconnect.We read these articles every year but once Thanksgiving Day comesaround we throw caution to the wind and attack our dinner plateslike a rabid dog.

So here are some can’t miss tips to controlling weigh gain this Thanks-giving. This year, let’s actually do them!

1. Workout the day before, the day of, and the day after Thanks-giving - We have all heard that weight gain/loss is all aboutcalories in and calories out. While that is not entirely true, itdoes have some merit. If you burn an extra 300-400 caloriesthe day before, the day of, and the day after Thanksgiving itwill go a long way in offsetting the enormous caloric intakethat that day brings. On Thanksgiving Day be sure to work-out first thing in the morning. There is NO WAY you willdo it after you eat!

2. Skip Seconds - A 1,000 calorie Thanksgiving meal can easilyturn into a 2,000 or even 3,000 calorie meal when you returnfor seconds. One plateful should be plenty. Especially if youfollow the tips below.

3. Eat a well balanced, high fiber, healthy meal about 2 hoursbefore you sit down for the big dinner - This will ensure thatyou are not starving when it’s dinner time. If you are raven-ous when it’s time to eat…good luck being smart and makinggood choices!

4. Drink a large glass of water right before Thanksgiving dinner- This, combined with eating the healthy meal two hoursprior to dinner, will keep you satiated and a lot less inclinedto gorge. Remember, Thanksgiving is not about going with-out and skipping your favorite foods. It’s about being smartand sensible and not over doing it. This will really help!

5. Be sensible with leftovers - One of the best things aboutThanksgiving is the leftovers. I am all for that but, there arerules if you truly want to avoid Holiday weight gain. First,save the leftovers for the next couple of days; not later Thanks-giving night. Like I said above, that will double your caloricintake for the day. Second, try not to indulge in the fattiestleftovers. Skip the macaroni and cheese (I know, it was hardfor me to even write that, but it’s the right thing to do), skipthe gravy, skip the dessert. Instead, have a turkey sandwichand maybe some sweet potato casserole. These are lower caloriefoods that contain good lean protein and complex carbs.

If you truly follow these tips you will be surprised how good you feeland how little the scale moves. Thanksgiving is not a day to depriveyourself. You should absolutely eat the foods you love. Just do it sen-sibly. If you prepare and pre-plan you should have no problem keepingthe calories in check!

Another “5 Tips To Keep The Weight Off During The Holidays Article”? Really?by Jason Goggans


Michael A Rossitch DDS, MS • Aaron B Schwartz DDS, MPH(Formerly the office of Dr Ted Aspes.)

500 Concord Rd. • Smyrna, GA 30082 • 770-436-0802

LEARNING AND CHILDCARE CENTER

200 Veterans Memorial Highway • Mableton770-948-5535 • www.brightmindsbrightfutures.com

~ Bright Minds.....The Path to Bright Futures ~

Providing exceptional care and learning for children 6 weeks to 12 years old. Before and after school care (including transportation).

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The Bright Minds Learning and Childcare Center, in Mableton opened in May of this yearand has been serving parents and children with excellence ever since. We caught up with Ex-ecutive Director, Beverly Edwards, a few weeks ago to get an insider’s look on why BrightMinds Learning and Childcare Center has created such an impression with the community.

OTM: What made you decide to get into the child care business?

BMLC: I have always had a great love for children and their growth and development. Iwanted to provide a center that was more than a babysitting service. Instead, I wanted toprovide a center where children were learning and where parents could actually see the growthand development of their child as a result of being in our center.

In addition, I have a family member that has been in the childcare business for over 40 years.While growing up, all of the children in our family have spent some time at our family mem-ber’s center. She placed a very high priority on teaching children. I saw the opportunity totake what I learned from her and enhance it based on the concept that I had for my center.

OTM: What is your background?

BMLC: I have in excess of 20 years experience in corporate America working for fortune100 companies in the areas of Finance and Accounting. I have a bachelor’s degree in Eco-nomics/Accounting and an MBA in Business. In 2002, I decided that I wanted to plan thenext phase of my life and started making plans to open my childcare business. I have alwayshad a passion to positively impact the lives of young people and starting while they are veryyoung helps to build a strong foundation.

OTM: What sets Bright Minds apart from other daycare centers?

BMLC: Bright Minds strives to have a partnership with our parents. We want to partner

with our par-ents to providethe best careand learningexperiences forour children.We want tocombine my20 plus yearsof corpo-r a t e / c u s -t o m e rservice ex-p e r i e n c ewith myas s i s t antdirector’s27 yearsof childcare ex-perience.By combin-ing our strengths, we look forward toproviding the best in child care and customer service.

As previously mentioned, our focus is on learning with our ultimate goal being to provide exceptional care and learning that will lead to success as our children began their more formaleducation. Our motto is “Bright Minds…..The Path to Bright Futures”.

Continued on page 30

OTM: What ages are the children enrolled in the center?

BRIGHT MINDS LEARNING AND CHILDCARE CENTER

Story time in a Bright Mind’s classroom


Tis the season to send out the “Look how cute my kids are!” Christmas card.

Every year I start planning weeks in advance. I shop for coordinating red and green outfits, cutmy boys’ hair, and get my camera ready to snap the most gosh-darned cutest picture of my kids.Then, I mail it to 100 of my closest friends and relatives hoping that, when they open it, they“ooo” and “aaahh.”

But here’s what you don’t see on the card. It takes me at least 50 pictures before I find the rightone where both my kids are smiling at the camera. In between those failed attempts, I’m bribingmy 4-year-old and 18-month-old sons with cookies to “just sit still and smile at Mommy.”

My youngest, a.k.a. “the spir-ited one,” is nothing but ablur in the pictures be-cause he’s running away

from me, laughing thewhole way. My oldest, a.k.a.

“the conscientious one,” yells,“Mom, chase my brother. He’s escap-ing!”

Every mom who’s tried to createone of these photo Christmascards knows what I’m talking

about. Now ladies, I ask you,how did this tradition of “I

have to send a picture of my kidsthat makes them look like perfectlydressed, well-behaved cherubs” start?

Our mothers were perfectly happy to send gold-foiled cards with a picture of baby Jesus lyingin swaddling clothes in a manger, bought - the year before - at a blue light special at Kmart noless. But that’s not good enough for our generation. Perhaps digital cameras are to blamewhereby, if we don’t like that first shot, we can always take another, and another, and another,and another...

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love to get the photo cards of my friends’ kids. I hang them on myfridge and put them in picture albums after Christmas. But this year, I decided I’m trying some-thing different.

I’m sending a fun card. No special coordinating outfits. No fresh haircuts. No 50 pictures.No chasing after children. No stress.

So a few days ago, I told my sons they could be Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in this year’sChristmas card. I instructed my youngest to stand against the white wall in our garage (Snowybackground. Get it?) holding tree branches on his head. (That’s right. Antlers.) I asked myoldest to wear a red nose, which was a cute idea borrowed from a creative friend.

It worked for one picture, until they saw my husband’s tractor.They climbed on it and began throwing off the red nose. Overand over I chased them with the nose and bribed them to wear itagain. This was a reindeer game I could do without.

Fifty pictures, two pretend rides on the tractor, and one stressed-out mom later, here’s what I got. Let the “ooo-ing” and “aahh-ing” begin.

If you create your own family memories with Christmascards, please send or email us an image by November 10th.

We will be featuring West Cobb holiday family photos in ourDecember issue. Our Town Magazine, 101 Church St., Ste

175, Marietta, Ga 30060 [email protected]

Mommy Moments - A Blooper Christmas by Shasta Clark


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by Tony Mele / PGA InstructorFAIRWAY BUNKERS

We have enough to worry about with greenside bunkers therefore fairway bunkers are mucheasier to address. Here are a few “must do’s” when getting out of the fairway bunkers.

(1) Take a little wider stance than normal to keep your balance secured. Lean slightly intoyour lead leg, dig your feet into the sand, but not too deep. This will help restrict you fromturning your body, minimizing your movement and leg action, and secure your footing. Keepingyour head and body as still as possible is imperative in hitting a solid shot.

(2) Position the ball in the center of your stance with your hands slightly ahead of the ball.Concentrate on hitting through the front of the ball.

(3) Grip down on the club a quarter to one-half inch. This will give you total control of theclub. Be sure you measure your distance from the ball with your club, keeping your postureconsistent throughout the swing.

(4) Make a smooth-tempo, three-quarter length back swing as you would from the fairway.DO NOT SWING FAST OR HARD at the ball. Your goal is to make solid contact.

(5) Swing forward, trying to pick the ball off the sand. Keep your head in the shot. If you leavethe shot too early, you may hit it thin and catch the lip of the bunker leaving you still in thebunker.

(6) Pick your club selection only after you have examined your lie. Examine how high the frontlip of the bunker is, and how much distance the ball has to travel. Take at least one more club tohit fairway bunker shots, and be sure to pick a target and KEEP IT IN THE SHORT GRASS!

Enjoy the game! - Tony Mele

G LF TIPS

Tony Mele is a PGA golf instructor at Dogwood Country Club, 4207 Flint Hill Rd.in Austell 770.941.2202 He can be contacted at [email protected].

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Dine In • Take OutCatering • Delivery

4199 Paces Ferry Rd. • ViningsNext to Canoe Restaurant

Sun-Sat 11:00am - 10:00pm

770-432-3838 • Fax 770-432-3836

Lunch $5.50 - $7.95 • Dinner $8.95 - $24.95FAMILY DINNER COMBO - $12 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: APPETIZER, SOUP, ENTREE & RICE

GRAND OPENINGGIFT CERTIFICATE

This certificate good for $5.00 at Chopsticks in ViningsOne certificate per table. Present certificate when placing order.

Expires 11/30/09. Not to be combined with any other offers.

what’s cookin’?To start the game off:

ARTICHOKE-BACON DIP1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained well8 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled1 small onion, chopped¾ cup mayonnaise1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauceRitz crackers

Chop artichoke hearts and combinewith remaining ingredients and chill.Serve with Ritz crackers. Yield: 8 servings.

At half time, everyone can enjoy:

TENDERLOIN1 (7-pound) tenderloin, trimmed of fat1 Tablespoon soy sauce1 Tablespoon brown sugar½ cup Italian dressing ¼ cup lemon juice

Place tenderloin in a 9x13-inch baking pan or bottom

of broiler pan. (Line pan with alu-minum foil for quicker clean up.)Combine remainder of ingredi-ents and pour over tenderloin.Marinade in refrigerator, for sev-eral hours, turning once. Whenready to cook, turn oven to broil.Place pan with tenderloin andmarinade in oven on bottom shelf.Broil 20 minutes on each side.Cover and bake at 350 degrees for10 to 15 minutes. To serve, cutinto 12 thick filets. Yield: 12 serv-ings.

CORN SOUFFLÉ1 Green bell pepper, chopped½ cup chopped onion½ cup margarine1 (16-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained1 (17-ounce) can cream-style corn1 (6-ounce) package corn bread mix3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Sauté the green pepper and onion in the margarine ina skillet until the onion is tender. Remove from heat.

Stir in the whole kernel corn and cream-style corn.Add the corn bread mix and eggs and mix well. Spooninto a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle withthe cheese.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand for 5minutes before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

And to complete the meal in 4th quarter:

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES2 cups packed brown sugar1 cup butter, softened2 eggs4 cups baking mix2 cups milk chocolate chips

Beat the brown sugar and butter in a bowl untilblended. Add the eggs, stirring until blended. Mix inthe baking mix and chocolate chips. Drop by tea-spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350degrees for 10 minutes or until light brown.

All recipes mentioned above can be found in the Jun-ior League of Cobb Marietta’s national award winningcookbook, Southern …On Occasion and GEORGIAon my menu. You may purchase this on line atwww.jlcm.org.

Chill is in the air and football season is in full swing. This is the perfect time to bring friends and rivals over for food, fun and football. Hope this easy but delicious menu will save you time in the kitchen so you can also enjoy the game. GO TEAM!!


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When I was a child I never understood why we were required to endure the month ofNovember. It seemed like some kind of cruel parental challenge to put an entire monthbetween two of the greatest holidays in a child’s psyche, Halloween and Christmas. Ifchildren had been in charge of the holiday calendar you would have New Year’s Day,Summer and then October 31st followed a week later by December 25th. After that youwould have one week to thoroughly destroy all your presents then you would split theremaining two weeks with your birthday andthe year would be complete. Unfortunately,since it takes the earth 365 days, or there-abouts, to make its journey around the sun itis impossible to cram the year into just a fewweeks, so endure November we must. As an adult I fully understand the need for allfour seasons, the need for a Gregorian Calen-dar and the need for a full allotment of dayswith which to orbit our star, but it is still achore to get excited about a month where thebest thing that can be said about it is that thereis a nice meal in the middle of it. November isthe monthly equivalent of a time-share in Dol-lywood..“Oh look honey, we get to spend 30 days inDollywood!”“What’s that?”“Well, it’s a place that is not as exciting as Hol-lywood but is not as depressing as Detroit.”“That does not sound like much fun?”“It’s not, but there’s a buffet…”

Maybe the next best thing about November is that it’s the first time your house getsvisited by the pre-Christmas Elves?I can’t tell you how many times I have sat down to that wonderful Thanksgiving mealand eaten my weight in gravy only to be rolled over to the couch where a remote controlmysteriously finds its way into my hands and the magical pre-Christmas Elves have comeinto my house and cleaned all the dishes. These pre-Christmas Elves must be Elves-in-

training because they typically don’t sing happy work-ing songs and they also make fun of my wife byimitating her voice saying things like, “Yeah, you wouldthink he’d get off his butt and help” and “Look at him,just sitting there all sleepy and slobbery not willing tolift a finger!” Oh, and my personal favorite “and withtime off for good behavior I’d be out in less than 15.” Eventually though Santa makes them shut up and I amallowed to return to my nap.Like I said, November is a month full of, well…justdays. Maybe the best we can do in November is pullour chinstraps tight and run toward that line blockingour way to all the good holidays coming up? Or, maybewe can take the time God has granted us to relax withour families beside the year’s first fires drinking hotchocolate and singing songs about those mysteriouspre-Christmas Elves, who apparently have excellentlegal representation?Mark Orler is a full-time husband, father, and part-timeobservationist. Mark can be reached [email protected].

HAPPY……….November??? by Mark Orler


$15 DAY CARE MONDAYS ANDWEDNESDAYS THROUGH NOVEMBER!New... Pick Up and Drop Off Service

...Door to Door$5 OFF YOUR FIRST VISIT

WHEN YOU MENTION THIS AD. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer valid through November 30,2009.

The question was; “Where can we find really good dog care at a fair and af-fordable price?” Smyrna dog park enthusiasts debated this issue foryears. Many of us were traveling all the way into the city forhigh quality pet care, a place where our dogs could run,bark and play. We also wanted a clean place to batheour dogs after a romp in the park and a place tobuy high quality pet food. We all agreed thatthe ideal place would be one with everythingunder one roof!”…so we created Dogma.

“Dogma is all about ‘our’ love of dogs,”says Robin. “The local Smyrna commu-nity has had a hand in every aspect ofthis business and continues to be ourlife blood. As an example; local residentJanet Crabb created the artistic designfor the space. Cat Smallwood creates thecustom recycled dog collars. We evenhave local painters and photographersdisplaying their canine creations. It’s acommunity thing and we’re all very proudof it. “

Dogma Dog Care is Smyrna’s only “dog care cen-ter”. Modeled after a first class resort, Dogma offersthe best of everything for your pet. This beautiful new fa-cility is just off South Cobb Drive (Near Jim and Nick’s), 1 mileoutside I-285 in Smyrna (convenient to and from the airport). DOGMA issituated on 2 acres, surrounded by trees and lush green grass. It is the mostspacious indoor/outdoor pet facility in Cobb County.

Manager and local Smyrna resident Saundra Nixon promises that when youcome to Dogma you’ll be greeted by friendly staff waiting to show you andyour pet around the property. “We’re proud to take potential clients to all partsof our facility. We have nothing to hide. Dogma dens are as fresh and clean asis our lobby. We want to create a place that pet owner’s love as much as theirpets” says Ms Nixon. That’s why we made the place so inviting; coaches, mag-azines, music, coffee, Wi-Fi. We want our neighbors and friends to sit downand stay awhile”. Additionally, we have webcams in our play areas so that areclients can see their pets at play.”

DOGMA is a “Destination” in itself with everything a well loved dog, cat orbird could want. They boast large, clean in door and out door play areas forboth big and small dogs, custom suites, cozy dens, and cage-free boarding. Amaster groomer is available by appointment, and there are three self-servicedog washes. In addition they have some of Atlanta’s best and brightest dogtrainers available like Kate Jackson of Jabula, and Joyce Hagen, The Dog Tutor.Our trainers conduct group or private lessons in everything from puppy so-cialization to canine good citizen (and everything in between) say’s Pat Fun-derburk, Dogma’s Kennel Director. Dogma even offers cool sports year roundlike Rally, Fly Ball and Agility. And if that weren’t enough, there is even a retailpet store, with natural and organic foods and treats (like Evo, Innova, Taste ofthe Wild and more)!

Dogma is thrilled to announce a partnership with another local vendor, “Your25th Hour” to provide pick-up and drop off service for your pets. Owners,Debby Keathley and Debbie Tillman, are licensed, bonded and insured. Debbysays “It is our pleasure to be available to Dogma customers. We will pick upyour pet, take them directly to Dogma or even your local veterinarian and

bring them safely home at the end of the day. We are delighted to be a part ofthe Dogma community team.”

Robin says, “It is our goal to give back to the community thatcontinues to love and support us“. We provide community

seminars on pet related issues, and we love providing ourfacility to the dog breed meet-up groups. We recently

sponsored the Atlanta Boxer Rescue’s annual “Box-erstock” event and we all had a blast! We also sup-

port a number of rescue organizations like AhimsaHouse and Atlanta Dog Squad. Even with all thatwe do, safety is still our first concern. Dogmaensures that their pet handlers are vigorouslytrained then tested in order to receive their PetCare Technicians certification and CPR/FirstAid certifications.

Visit their website: www.dogmadogcare.comand learn more about the seminars, parties, and

other monthly events…or just come by for a tour.Temperament testing is done daily for new clients.

Be sure to ask about monthly specials like $15 daycare on Mondays and Wednesdays through November!

For details call: 770-436-4346.

DOGMA DOG CARE…FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS!by Robin Crawford

Now Open in Smyrna

busin

ess sp

otligh

t

Heidi Pollyea and Pixie at the 2009Boxerstock held at Dogma

• Full-Service Animal Hospital

• In-House Bloodwork• Late Evening & Week-end Appointments

• On-Line Services• Boarding for Dogsunder 20lbs. and Cats

• Dog Obedience Classes

1860-D Spring RoadSmyrna - in the Spring Village Shopping Center770.433.1414 • www.cumberlandanimalclinic.com

Monday and Friday 8 - 6

Tuesday thru Thursday 8 - 8

Saturday 9 - 1 • Sunday CLOSED


BMLC: We provide services to children ages six weeks to twelve years of age. All of our programs are learningoriented. While our focus is on learning, we make sure that we provide time for fun and play. We offer a dynamicAfter School Program, where we provide drop off and/or pick up from local schools, provide assistance withhomework, and offer many stimulating child appropriate activities. A parent of one of our After Schoolers statedthat their child prefers to come to our center rather than go to school. While we encourage our children toembrace school, we were happy to know that they are enjoying our program.

OTM: Do you offer a curriculum program?BMLC: We use the High Reach Learning Curriculum. The High Reach Learning Curriculum is a researchsupported curriculum that allows children to explore a well-rounded balance of learning experiences and manyopportunities to develop important skills needed to be successful in school. High Reach Learning’s team of earlychildhood experts, spend a tremendous amount of time studying research articles and trends, offering the mostup-to-date teaching practices for our children. We use High Reach Learning with our Infants through our Pre-K students.

OTM: Describe your new webcam and what it offers to parents.BMLC: We have always had cameras in our classrooms; however, we have recently implemented a webcam thatallows our parents to view their child’s classroom at any time via the internet. This feature is naturally a big hitwith our parents. It also works great for family members such as grandparents who live in a different state oreven in another country.

OTM: Can you share any other information that you think would be helpful inletting our readers know more about Bright Minds.BMLC: Bright Minds offers Spanish language for our children ages one year to four years of age. This monthwe will be offering dance, gymnastics and tumbling as extra curricular activities.

We strive to be a positive partner in the South Cobb community. We are a proud sponsor of the South Cobb Youth Basketball Association.

We have many fun activities during the week and display the pictures for our families to see. We encourage our parents’ participation at events at the center and encourage

them to volunteer during field trips and in their child’s classroom.If you would like to know more about Bright Minds Learning and Childcare Center,

visit www.brightmindsbrightfutures.com or call to arrange for a tour of their facilities. 770.948.5535Bright Minds Learning and Childcare Centers is located

at 200 Veterans Memorial Highway in Mableton.

Bright Minds continued from page 22

It’s fall in Atlanta. Many of us are rolling up our sleeves at the doctor’s office or the neighborhoodPublix, squeezing our eyes tightly shut and hoping we got the gentle nurse.

Yes, it’s flu season, and with the all the worry about seasonal flu and swine flu, more and more ofus are lining up to be vaccinated.

Then suddenly we hear about “canine influenza.” Do dogs really get the flu?

Well, yes and no. Back in January 2004, a severe outbreak of respiratory disease occurred in agroup of racing greyhounds in Florida. Many dogs became very ill and a good many of themdied.

Researchers were able to isolate the virus that caused the outbreak and named it H3N8 (for thosewho like to keep their H’s and N’s straight), or canine influenza. The culprit was found to be amutated form of an equine influenza virus that has been around for 40 years or more.

The next year it spread to 14 different racetracks in six states. Now, outbreaks have been confirmedin 30 different states. No cases have been reported in humans.

Because dogs have no natural immunity to this virus, about80 percent of dogs exposed will become infected. Most

of them will develop a mild form of the disease.These guys will have a moist cough that can

last 10-30 days. Many will have thicknasal discharge. As many as 20 per-

cent of infected dogs may developthe more severe form. These ani-mals may run fevers of 104-106

degrees andd e v e l o ppneumo-nia. Stud-

ies have shown that 5-8

percent of these dogs may die.

There is no medication to kill the influenza virus. Mildly sick dogs are treated symptomatically,and may need fluid therapy and nutritional support. More severe cases may require hospitalization,IV fluids and antibiotics to combat the pneumonia.

For animal hospitals and day-cares where there have been outbreaks, it is a major problem. A clinicjust south of town, in Fayette County, had 50 dogs become infected over a two-week period. Akennel is Delaware had all of their boarders become ill, and had to close their doors for eight weeksto curb the outbreak.

Still, there is no reason for panic. So far, outbreaks have occurred only sporadically in certain areasof the country, with only a handful of occurrences in Georgia.

So, do you get your furry guy vaccinated? I think that depends.

Just like with human patients, different dogs are at different risks. Old dogs with chronic healthproblems (especially heart and lung disease) are more likely to get the more severe form of flu ifthey catch it. Show dogs that travel from state to state, going to large shows, are more likely to getexposed to the virus. I believe if the virus shows up around here, it will appear first where dogscongregate – dog parks, day-cares, boarding kennels, the shelter.

If you are boarding this holiday, find out if your kennel is requiring vaccination and plan early.This vaccination requires a series of two vaccines given 2-4 weeks apart. Significant protectiononly begins 7-10 days after the second injection.

Do I think every dog in Smyrna needs this vaccine? The answer is no.

But look at your dog’s overall health and chance of exposure. If your vet has not recommendedvaccinating against kennel cough, it’s unlikely they would be concerned about this new virus. Forhigher-risk pooches, it may make sense.

As always, if you have questions, talk to your vet. Our local veterinary community will be keepingclose tabs on the canine flu, to see if outbreaks move closer to home.

Does the Dog Really Need a Flu Shot?by DR. MICHELLE DEHAVEN, DVM • CUMBERLAND ANIMAL CLINIC


If you would like your pet to

be Our Town’s Pet of the

Month, please send a photo

with a short bio to:Our Town

Magazine, 101 Church Street

Suite 175, Marietta, GA

30060 or email it to

[email protected]

Michael D. Friedlander, D.V.M.Cat Care of Vinings Services

Early Morning Drop-Off and Late Pick-Up ServicesAnnual Examinations, Vaccinations, Behavioral Consultations

Surgery, Dentistry, Ultrasound and Digital X-rayCondominium and “Special Needs” Boarding

Supervised by Our Highly Trained Medical StaffLocated in the Vinings Court Shopping Center-Upper Level

4691 S. ATLANTA RD. • SUITE 200 • SMYRNA404.792.0700 • www.catcareofvinings.com

HOURS: WEEKDAYS 7AM - 7PM, SATURDAY 8AM - 12PM

• Socialization for your dog

• No lonely days in a crate at home

• Individual cages for eating andsleeping

• Supervised play during the day

• Avoid messes in your home.

• Relieve your stress and your dogs.

Bark up the right tree - choose Furry Friends Academy for all of your daycare and boarding needs!

3773 South Cobb Drive • Smyrna770-436-1818

Hours: Mon- Friday 7:00 am -7:30 pm • Sat- Sun 10am-6pm770-436-1818

Bark up the right tree - choose Furry Friends Academy for all of your daycare and boarding needs!

november crossword solution

pets of

the m

onth

Bily is an American Bulldog. He loves going for rides in the

convertible, walks on the trail, and playing in the water.

He also love to “people watch” from the window.

Buz Beckham of Smyrna is a 9 year old Jack Russell Terrier.

He loves to play with his soccer ball, riding in the car and

meeting new friends at the dog park. This is Buz in his Halloween costume. Go Dawgs!)

Our Town November 2009 - Smyrna/Vinings

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