Atlanta Homes, Buckhead Homes and Real Estate » Atlanta Activities

Macy’s Pink Pig at Lenox Mall 2011

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:14:10 +0000

Priscilla the Pink Pig will be carrying laughing children (and some parents) at the Buckhead Macy’s from October 29, 2011 to January 7, 2012. It’s a children’s ride at train ride at the Mall. You’ll probably want to go fairly soon, because the lines can get really long from Thanksgiving to Christmas. After completing the ride, the kids receive a sticker that says “I rode the Pink Pig” (which is a tradition in of itself). Click here to find out more about the Pink Pig ride.

The Macy’s Priscilla the Pink Pig ride has been and Atlanta Christmas tradition for over 50 years. It’s currently at Buckhead’s Lenox Mall Macy’s, but has moved around various location with its start at the downtown Rich’s store (which was bought by Federated Department Stores in 1975).

It started out as a miniature suspended monorail sized for children, it seemed like it was flying from the ceiling of the toy department. After a variety of locations throughout Atlanta, the ride made it’s way to Lenox Square Mall in 2004. The new version of the Pink Pig is a conventional storyline train ride pulling a set of pink miniature passenger cars at ground level, instead of the original suspended monorail.

Lenox Square Mall is also where they have the Lighting of the Great Christmas Tree.

Christmas in Atlanta 2011

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:47:43 +0000

Christmas in Atlanta 2011 is rapidly approaching, seems as if it comes more quickly every year – I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or if it’s due to Costco putting Christmas stuff out in September. Whether it’s watching a tree get lighted, sitting with Santa, riding some mechanical pigs or going ice skating – Atlanta provides a lot of activities during the Christmas season.

Throughout the next few months, as I do with many holidays, I’ll be updating you on Christmas in Atlanta 2011 events.

The following are some Christmas activities in Atlanta:

Atlantic Station Christmas Tree Lighting

Macy’s Christmas Tree Lighting at Lenox Square in Buckhead

Ride the Pink Pig at Macy’s in Buckhead

Macy’s Christmas Tree Lighting at Lenox Square

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:28:31 +0000

Christmas in Atlanta 2011 is rapidly approaching, which is scarier than Halloween. The Lighting of Macy’s Christmas Tree will be on Thanksgiving evening on November 24th. It takes place at Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead.

This Atlanta tradition has its roots at the old, downtown Rich’s department store, going back to 1948. It’s gone through many reincarnations since then – Federated’s buyout of Rich’s and a brief stop at Underground Atlanta before heading to Buckhead. Christmas in downtown Atlanta moved north, along with much of the economic activity, to Christmas in Buckhead.

Expect big crowds as this is a well-attended event. Keep in mind that there is a MARTA station at Lenox, so you can avoid parking problems.

You can learn more about the Macy’s Tree Lighting at the Lenox Square Mall website.

The Atlantic Station Christmas Tree Lighting

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:36:09 +0000

Hard to believe, but Christmas in Atlanta 2011 is rapidly approaching. Throughout the next few months, as I do with many holidays, I’ll be updating you on Christmas events in Atlanta. The Lighting of Atlantic Station will be in its Central Park, between 12 and 9 pm, on November 19th.

Atlantic Station is having an all-day celebration with live music, arts, crafts, treats, fireworks and family activities. You can learn more at www.atlanticstation.com.

Paces Apartments Bought by Houston Real Estate Company

admin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:21:18 +0000

As stated in the Buckhead View, the Paces apartment site was sold for $39.3 million. It’s a huge tract of land (30 + acres), on East Andrews, stretching from West Paces to Roswell roads. It was sold by Sun Trust Bank and the John W. Grant Co. Trustees to a Houston developer. The Cherokee Town Club is the former Grant estate.

I’ve heard this property has been on the block for a while. It’s in a prime Buckhead location right next door to Peachtree Presbyterian Church. I’m very curious as to what will be developed there. I wonder how many floors will be built, I supposed it all comes down to zoning. I don’t think they can build high-rises in that area, but I bet the zoning allows for five to ten floors. My guess is, at almost $40 million, they’ll go with the maximum density. It will also be interesting to see the mix of residential versus commercial space.

The nearest neighborhood to this development is Buckhead Forest. I suppose there are pros and cons to living near this new development. Con is increased traffic, pros would be walking distance to restaurants and entertainment. If your interesting in seeing Buckhead Forest homes for sale or Buckhead Forest real estate, please feel free to call me.

Rosemary Beach – as great as it’s ever been!

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:05:23 +0000

My family is currently vacationing in Rosemary beach. I booked the vacation about eight months ago , so I naturally had a little trepidation in light of the BP oil disaster – vacations are not supposed to be so stressful. But after a lot of assurances from friends on the Panhandle, we kept our reservations. It was the right decision. The water is crystal clear and beaches are white. I wouldn’t know there was problem except for what I’ve read in the newspaper; apparently the oil has stayed to the West.

I’ll keep you posted on some of the activities and our favorite restaurants.

Atlanta History Center

Administrator — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:59:25 +0000

Located in Buckhead, on West Paces Ferry Road, is the Atlanta History Center. We have a family membership and really like everything the museum has to offer.

It has extensive exhibits on Civil War history and Atlanta history. The major permanent exhibit, “Metropolitan Frontiers: Atlanta, 1835-2000,” traces Atlanta’s history from the days of the Cherokee Indians and rural pioneer settlements to the present day. Atlanta has had previous names that include Terminus, Marthasville and finally a feminine form of Atlantic, Atlanta. Displays include videos and many photographs, documents, and artifacts. There is an entire 1890s shotgun house, a fire engine that was used in Atlanta’s great fire of 1917, and some other antique cars.

Don’t forget to take the tours of tours of the Swan house and Tullie Smith farm house. It represents a good cross-section of life as either middle class or wealthy in Atlanta. There are very nice gardens throughout the campus. The Swan house is fully furnished with period furniture and carpets. The front staircase is a “floating staircase” made from concrete and has no visible supports.

A real treat for the ladies, and daughters, is lunch at the Coach House restaurant at the property. It’s a nice, girly luncheon, with special Southern hospitality. The atmosphere is decidely for “Atlanta ladies,” and it’s a popular spot for showers.

Rosemary Beach Florida

Administrator — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:48:51 +0000

I’m currently on vacation in Rosemary Beach Florida. It’s the third, annual time our family has vacationed here, so I guess you could say it’s become our spot. It’s a 5 1/2 to 6 hour drive from Atlanta. The Florida panhandle has some beautiful white sand beaches and the relatively short drive makes it a great Atlanta family destination.

Once you get into Florida, you can approach Rosemary from the east or the west. I suggest the eastern approach, through Panama City Beach. Once you’ve driven by twenty airbrush shops, fifty bars and an infinite number of mullet “hairstyles,” you’ll appreciate Rosemary’s serenity all the more. Rosemary beach is located on scenic Route 30-A, which is an 18-mile road that hugs the coastline (Gulf of Mexico) in Northwest Florida, between Panama City Beach and Destin.

In Atlanta, you’ll hear a lot of folks talk about vacationing on 30-A or in SoWal (South Walton County). While there are a number of beach communities on this strip, the most prominent ones are Rosemary Beach, Seagrove Beach, Seaside, Watercolor and Santa Rosa Beach.

While we love the entire 30-A strip, for it’s beauty and relative lack of commercialism, we like Rosemary Beach the best. It’s an idyllic community, where people ride Schwinn bikes, children play in the town square and folks engage in conversation with their neighbors; even if they are just neighbors for a week. The community is designed in a unique Dutch West Indies architecture and the layout of the town encourage pedestrian traffic, where nothing, including the beach, is more than a five-minute walk away. There are no high-rise buildings, everything is done in earth tones, with much consideration to the native environment.

There are always activities for the family. Every Thursday night (8:15) from May-August, family movies are played on a big screen on the “green” by the beach – what a background! It also seems like every Sunday evening there is a bluegrass band that plays outside the town auditorium. It’s wonderful time to walk around the town square, watching kids play and listening to live music.

We think the best values are “the flats”, which are basically the condominiums. While they are the farthest point from the beach, it’s still a short walk. The condos are the all the same floor plan: 2 bedroom and 2 bath, so it fits our family perfectly. We are friends with the owners of the condo we stay at, and are quite happy with the quality of the bed, the furniture and decorations. I suggest looking at photos on the internet, as furnishings can vary widely. Our condo is on the bottom floor, which hasn’t been a problem in the past, but I’m currently wondering whether a gymnastics or a sumo wrestling tournament is being held in the condo above us. It might be time to look at a top level condominium for our next trip. There are also some great homes for rent, and we’ve thought about sharing one with another family of friends.

Nothing beats the sugary sand at Rosemary. This is only a few miles from Greyton beach, which was named the top beach in the country a couple of years ago, and for a good reason. The water is crystal clear, unlike other areas of Florida. The crystal clear water and beautiful sand beaches reminds me of our other favorite vacation destination, Harbour Island, Bahamas.

If you tire of the beach, there are four pools to choose from, including an indoor pool. I’ve never had a problem finding a chair to sit in, which is not the same as other resort pools where they pack guests in like vienna sausages.

Here are some thoughts on restaurants in the area:

Last night we ate at a new restaurant in Rosemary Beach called Restaurant Paradis. They are currently running a great special, 1/2 price entrees if you eat between 5 and 6 pm. Which meant Chuck’s $37 filet mignon was only $18.50. While the special brought us into the restaurant, I would eat there in the future at full price. The food was great and it’s probably the best decorated restaurant on 30-A. It has a really cool and hip atmosphere. I ordered the grouper and my husband ordered the filet, both of us really enjoyed our meals.

Wild Olives – Rosemary Beach – This seems to be the most popular restaurant in Rosemary Beach. It started out as a deli and has evolved into a lot more sophisticated restaurant. I’ve never had a bad meal here. Their pastries are “to die for” as his donuts, muffins and cookies are the best I’ve ever had anywhere. The service here can be a little slow, even relative to other in-season restaurants.

Captain Anderson’s – Panama City Beach – While I poke fun at Panama City, it’s because you “kid” the ones you love. The truth is Panama City is a great place to take the children for go-carting, miniature golf or water parks. They also have some great restaurants that have stood the test of time. Captain Anderson’s has been synonymous with fresh, gulf coast fish for over 30 years. I must say I wasn’t that impressed with Captain Anderson’s this year. Chuck’s grilled fish did have a disclaimer, that it was made the “Greek way”, which means lots of oil. But my dish, the stuffed grouper, was way too oily and I found myself only able to eat about half of my meal. It just didn’t taste right. Both of our dishes were mediocre.

Goatfeathers – Santa Rosa Beach – We both had great meals here. My stuffed grouper was awesome, nowhere near as oily as Captain Anderson’s. Chuck enjoyed his fried Mahi Mahi, as it was lightly battered and flash fried. All the food was very fresh. While the line was long, 40 minute wait, it was worth it. Goatfeathers has been in business since 1988 and it’s because they do unpretentious, fresh seafood very well. I’d recommend this place for casual seafood and we’ll be eating here on our next trip. We were actually going to eat at Stinky’s that night, it’s just a little further west on 30-A, but their parking lot was so packed, and such a cluster, that it looked like the fall of Saigon. We decided not to enter that mess and head to Goatfeathers, where a 40 minute wait seemed relatively reasonable. I’ve eaten at Stinky’s before, liked it, but think it’s overrated. I liked Goatfeathers better.

Seagrove Marketcafe – Seagrove Beach – I love a place with short menu, but everything is great. Sometimes the restaurant that recognizes its limitations is the best place to eat. I’m always wary of a place with a 10 page menu; do they just pull everything out of the freezer? The Market Cafe makes a great, fresh grouper sandwich. That’s what I get each time I eat there and I’m always happy. I hear they also make a wonderful, hand-patted, fresh-meat burger. I think it’s a travesty when restaurants win “Best Burger” awards and they use frozen hamburger patties. I can think of a couple of burger joints in Atlanta, always at the top of the “Best Of” lists, that use frozen patties from the local restaurant supply wholesaler; great marketing can do wonders.

Atlanta Farmers Market Landscape and Garden Supplies

Administrator — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:56:52 +0000

It’s also called the Georgia State Farmers Market, the Atlanta Farmers Market or just the Farmers Market. While it’s not exactly in Buckhead, the 20 minute drive is close enough. You’ll see it has some of the best prices and selection of gardening and landscaping plants in the metro Atlanta area. The Atlanta Farmers market is located right by Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at 16 Forest Pkwy, Forest Park, GA 30297. Just take I-75 south from Buckhead. It’s the second exit south of I-285 and the exit is labeled “Forest Park / Farmer’s Market”. You’ll see the ratty, maroon sign high up in the air. When you get off the exit, make a left on Frontage Rd and an quick right into the garden area of the Farmers Market.

The official website to the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market is really bad. It offers virtually no help to a typical person wanting information about this hidden gem. My goal is to provide information on the landscaping / garden / nursery area. There is a much larger portion dedicated to locally grown food and fresh produce, but it won’t be a focus on this webpage. I also recommend the farmers market for it’s great selection of Christmas trees, garland, etc.. during the Christmas season.

The state Farmers Market is almost always open, so the hours depend on the individual stands. During the Spring and Summer any given stand is usually open around 9-5, but you might want to call down there if you are going at an odd hour or traveling a long distance.

If you would like to mention any of your experiences at the Georgia State Farmers Market or have a stand there, please feel free to make a comment below, or email me. I hoping gardeners can share their experiences as a benefit to the metro Atlanta gardening community, since the official website provides very little information.

If you’re looking for a combination of selection and value for flowers, sod, bushes, plants, trees and other gardening materials, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place than the state farmers market.

The two main reasons I shop at the Farmers Market are selection and price. That doesn’t mean there won’t be occasions you’ll find something at the same price, or cheaper, in Buckhead, but by and large, the Market has a better selection and value than the Buckhead garden and landscape stores.

The employees’ and owners’ landscape and garden knowledge is generally far better than the big box stores, which is almost non-existent, and about the same or less than the Buckhead speciality garden shops such as Hastings or Habersham Gardens. I frequent the speciality gardens shops, the big box stores and the Atlanta Farmers market – all three serve a purpose. When I get valuable information from a speciality garden shop I’ll buy the product there, since I think it’s unfair to utilize their knowledge and then runoff to a cheaper store. A lot of times, you’re just talking about a couple of dollars. I use the Farmers Market when it’s time to install my border mass plantings. If you’re buying a lot of flats, the folks at the Farmers Market will usually give you a discount.

The prices and inventory I have below were from a trip I made on May 12, 2008. Here is a list of the nurseries, florists, landscape and plant markets:

Cooks Pinestraw (404)363-6350 – They were not open the day of my trip.

Debbies Flowers (Shed 31)- Specializing in tropical plants. She had a great selection and the employee was very helpful. The gallon Hibiscus was $12 and a 10″ hanging fern was $12. For comparison I noticed a gallon Hibiscus at Home Depot was $15 and a 10″ hanging fern at Pikes was $18.00

Bob’s Market & Gardens (Shed 32)- Great general selection of flowers. Specifically very good for petunias, marigolds and begonias. They keep a very large selection, that gives you far more options if you plan on a mass planting of one or two colors for your beds. If you’re buying multiple flats, they’ll negotiate. Most of their bedding flowers were selling for $13 a flat, with 32 plants per flat, which is about $0.41 a plant. I don’t remember the prices at Pikes, I think it was in the same range per plant, but the Famers Market selection will blow the selection of the Buckhead garden supply stores away. Home Depot only had a few petunia colors and barely enough flats for a mailbox planting.

Cut Flowers (Shed 33)- This stand specializes in cut flowers – kept in a walk-in refrigerator. Two-dozen roses were $10.

Silvers-Elbert Nursery (Shed 34)- 404-402-6452 They specialize in Hostas, ferns, daylilies and other ground covers. A great selection of hostas. The owner is knowledgeable and always very helpful. He told me the hours he keeps are generally Tues-Sat 9-5 and Sun-Mon 10-5. There is no point in quoting the hosta prices, since there are so many varieties, but they were selling one gallon Leyland Cypresses for $20.

Fayes (Shed 35)- Lots of shrubs, flowers, and ground covers. A good selection and some knowledgeable folks work here. They were advertising gallon Encore Azaleas for $16, which is not much better than Buckhead, but her selection was very good. Also had a good selection of knock-out roses.

Rivers Plants & Shrubs (Shed 36) 404-361-6952- Diverse selection of plants. Flower, ground covers and some substantial bushes and trees. If you’re interested in fairly large trees and bushes, then this is probably the best stand at the State Farmers Market. The employee wasn’t that helpful, maybe I just caught her on a bad day. They were selling “Steppables”, which is a unique groundcover, for $5. This is not a great price as Pikes was selling them for $5 with a better selection. They were selling 18″ pot, Japanese Maples for $200, which is a great price compared to Pikes at $299.

Super-Sod / Patten Seed (Shed 39)- Lawn Sod, grass seed, fertilizer, trees, shrubs, mulch and pine straw. They will deliver. Very helpful staff that specializes in all kinds of grass like emerald zoysia, bermuda, centipede and fescue. The employees can discuss the type of grass that will best suit your yard and landscaping needs.

The Farmers Market is an easy trip and it’s a great place to explore. You’ll get a lot of great ideas and it’s the best spot for volume plantings. As I mentioned before, in addition to the landscaping, there are all kinds of food and produce items.

Lake Lanier recreation is down 13%

Chuck — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:15:24 +0000

The number of annual visitors to Lake Lanier is down 13% from 2005, when the lake was at full pool. The number of boaters is expected to be down even more than 13%. Obviously this has a negative economic impact to businesses located around Lake Lanier. From marinas to restaurants, everybody is feeling the squeeze far beyond the current economic conditions. So aside from being the water supply for metro Atlanta, there are recreation and economic benefits to the lake.

I think we have done an extremely poor job in the media, countering Florida’s economic arguments. We’ve all heard about the fisherman and shrimpers in Florida, but there is no sympathy for the marinas, boat mechanics and restaurants on Lanier. Fortunately, there is a new group called the 1071 Coalition. I believe one of their primary goals is to produce an economic study of Lake Lanier. Hopefully, the study will counter all of Florida’s propaganda. I expect the economic impact could be larger to Lanier than in Florida.

On a brighter note, all the rain we have been receiving has caused the lake levels to rise rapidly. The lake is up more than three feet from this point last year.