The Bluebird Patch

Explore Georgia: Tybee Island Tips No One Tells You About

2019-03-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how can you maximize your visit to Tybee Island? We have gathered the best insider tips so you can plan a dream trip to one of the most unique places you'll ever visit.

BEST PLACE TO LAY DOWN YOUR TOWEL

Park near the Tybee Beach Beach and Pavilion (Tybrisa St, Tybee Island, GA 31328) use the bridge in front of the Tybee Island Marine Center turn right and walk towards the rock formation close to the sand dunes. This portion of the beach has a smoother sand, lots of shallow areas that are perfect for little kids to bathe safely, is less crowded, and because it's close to the sand dunes you will see a large variety of seaside birds.

BEST PLACE TO AVOID THE SUN

Grab a chair and go under the beach pier. The temperature drops at least 10 degrees and the sound of the ocean hitting the pillars will put you in a deep relaxation.

MUST SEE ATTRACTIONS

As you reach US-80 towards Tybee Island you'll inevitably come across a detour that leads to Fort Pulaski National Monument. If you are visiting Tybee Island for the first time DO NOT miss this gem. This historic monument preserves Fort Pulaski, where in 1862 during the American Civil War, the Union Army successfully tested rifled cannon in combat, the success of which rendered brick fortifications obsolete. Fort Pulaski also plays an important role on the Underground Railroad for slaves searching for freedom.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH HIKING TRAILS NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT

Cockspur Island Lighthouse trail, behind Fort Pulaski Fort. The National Park Service is dedicated to the preservation of this historic marker. Due to ongoing preservation efforts, the lighthouse and lighthouse island are closed to the public. However, an overlook trail offers visitors the best chance to get a closer look at the lighthouse today.

The Lighthouse Trail is an out and back trail measuring 1.7 mile and takes about 45 minutes to walk.

Begin at the Visitor Center and walk along the north side of the fort. Follow the signs for the trail and cross the historic dike. From the trail head there are lovely views of the marsh along the north channel.

Follow the trail as it winds along the east side of the island. There are benches along the way to use. Make sure to keep your eyes open for cabbage palms, red cedars, and even the small spiney back spider.

Towards the end of the trail you will cross as small bridge. From here there is a great view of the lighthouse on one side and the damaged walls of Fort Pulaski on the other. The trail will end with a close view of the Cockspur Island Lighthouse.

Built in 1856, the light marked the entrance of the south channel of the river, and was an eyewitness to the battle for the fort in 1862. Other areas of interest seen from here include Tybee Island, Lazaretto Creek, and Hilton Head Island. Return to the Visitor Center via the way you came.

FUN AFFORDABLE DOLPHIN EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEVER REGRET

Captain Mike's Dolphin Adventure offer a very informative yet funny and unique coastal view of the island plus a dolphin guarantee. The tour departs daily from Lazaretto Creek Marina, heading toward the Atlantic ocean, passing by shrimp boats and boat docks that portray the charm of an old fishing village. The boat passes by the Cockspur lighthouse (built in 1856), offering a view of historic Fort Pulaski. Approaching the North Beach of Tybee, the tour provides a scenic view of the Tybee Lighthouse. The tour will last approximately one to one and half hours (depending on where the dolphins are playing).Tour rates are $15.00 for adults, $8.00 for children (3 to 12), and $1 for infants (2 and under).

ADULT SLUSHIES TO DIE FOR

Wet Willie's, near the Tybee Pier, is a fun, funky place providing the World's Greatest Daiquiris with premium liquors and great food, including breakfast & a kid's menu. They have 20 daiquiri machines offering a range of different flavors, a kaleidoscope of colors, and an opportunity for customers to experiment swirling their favorite flavors together for their own signature daiquiri. Non-alcohol and sugar-fee daiquiris also available. Try the "Willie Dazed and Confused" a daiquiri made with strawberry lemonade, grenadine and vodka.

BEST CHEAP BEACH BITES WHEN YOU ARE ON A BUDGET

Jimmy's Beach Bites (8 Tybrisa St, Tybee Island, GA 31328) is a itty bitty hole in the wall walk up stand that is just a few steps away from the Tybee Island Pavilion. They offer soft serve ice cream and a variety of quick bites such as pull pork sandwiches, redneck nachos, $4 Nathan's chili dogs and Fanta pineapple!

Another local favorite is Lighthouse Pizza. Not only they offer pizzas, calzones, wings and salads but has a huge selection of local and craft beer. Parking is available on Tybrisa st. and in the South Beach Parking lot.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Do not under any circumstance miss a sunset on Tybee Island. Check your weather app to see what time the sun sets. You will be able to capture incredible golden hour pictures and the most beautiful pink sunsets that will make you the envy on Instagram.

The Best Thing You Can Do When Anxiety and Automatic Negative Thoughts Steal Your Sleep

2019-03-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

Chronic sleep deprivation can raise your levels of anxiety, depression and negative thinking.

Researchers found that people who reported frequent sleep disturbances have difficulty disengaging attention on unhealthy negative thoughts and emotions especially at night.

Automatic negative thoughts can be switch off without medication or the need of meditation with basic strategies. Now the strategies I'm discussing today are aimed specifically when you are already in bed, tired, but unable to shut off your brain and fall asleep.

You know that moment, when all the lights are off and your body is screaming "gurl" you better nap or every organ, muscle and tissue inside of you is going to lose it.

“The less sleep you have,
the longer it takes them to get over a negative emotion.
While some people naturally tend to fixate on things
more than others, poor sleep makes fixation worse.”

You feel the tension on your shoulders, you are burnout and exhausted, your muscles feel weak and your brain is in overdrive. You want to sleep but you keep playing worst case scenarios on your head making you feel overwhelmed and completely out of control.

“Chronic and prolonged brain burnout can

reshape underlying brain structure.”

You want to unplug your brain, shut it down and disconnect from the pain. Automatic negative thoughts are ruining your night and you are willing to do anything to stop them and be able to sleep. So what do you do?

The best thing you can do is recognize the distortion in your thoughts and invalidate them.

There's POWER when you recognize
your own distortions.

The subconscious state of your brain is very strong and almost authoritarian but in spite of its overall strength, it has an achilles heel, which can lead to downfall.

"When the subconscious part of your brain is challenged with brutal reality it has nowhere to go and eventually surrenders."

Dr. Daniel Gregory Amen, a double board certified psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist and director of the Amen Clinics acknowledges this phenomenon and suggest that when your brain gets infested with "ANTs", also known as automatic negative thoughts you need to stop everything that you are doing and challenge your subconscious through a series of questions.

Question #1 Is it true? This is when you power up and gather the strength to fight your ANTs. Are you ready?

Question #2 Can I absolutely know it is true? This is the HARDEST question. Your brain will play tricks on you and try to convince you at ALL cost to give up because it's trying to protect itself, which is at the end, is its’ primary function.

The brain will try to "autocorrect" you but you speak more than one language and what you are saying to yourself is NOT a mistake and is in fact REAL, so you need to take a few extra steps to disable your "automatic autocorrect" and make sure next time it happens, your brain will not see it as a “mistake” and not try to force you to change it.

Question #3 How do I react when I have that thought? I found a worksheet online that can help you find the right words to describe how you are feeling. You can download it for free here. Question number 3 leans toward assessing your physical and psychological symptoms.

This question is basically a damage assessment. Just imagine that you work for an insurance company or FEMA and you need to declare a national disaster and disclose all the damages so you can start rebuilding your life back to normal. What damages did you encountered and how did you feel when you lost control of your ANTs during "the infestation".

Question #4 Who would I be without that thought? or What would I feel if I didn't have that thought. Oh the temptation of freedom. Freedom to live in peace and without pain. Freedom to finally allow yourself to move forward in life and do all those things that your ANTs were blocking you from doing it. Question number 4 is the motivation you need to get control of your ANTs infestation.

Be honest, brutally honest with yourself. You can work these questions on your head or you can write your answers down so when you go back and read it, you can challenge your cognitive distortions and once you are able to get to the point, you are one step away of eradicating your ANTs.

How to Build a Resume That Stands Out Visually To Help Your Teen Land Their First Job

2019-02-05T08:43:00.001-08:00

Creating a captivating resume that sparkles bright enough to catch an employer's attention is an art on its own terms.

With the ramp up pressure kids experience at school and the need to sign up to too many extracurricular activities, it’s no surprise how the number of teens employed have been declining over the past decades.

There are many benefits (and risks) of adolescent employment. The decision to allow your teen to have an after school job should be a well thought-out family decision based on how well they can manage responsibilities, time management and money.

But if your teen is ready to take the plunge the first thing they need to figure out is how to build a resume that stands out even if they don’t have any work experience.

But where to start? How do can you create a snapshot of your ambitions, show your strengths and interests and captive an employers attention?

This is the part Canvas comes in and rescues the day. If you are unfamiliar Canvas, this is a graphic-design tool website that uses a drag-and-drop format and allows you to design presentations, social media graphics, resumes and more with thousands of beautiful layouts. It is very user-friendly and used by non-designers as well as professionals.

How will Canva help me get a job?

By allowing you to create a striking eye-catching visual resume layout that will blow your socks off.

What is a visual resume you might ask? It’s an alternative way to highlight your experiences and accomplishments by mapping your career in a timeline or infographic.

A Tale Of Two Resumes

To understand how effective visual resumes are let’s compare 3 resumes from the same high school student.

Resume #1:

Minimal work experience, the focus is to get as personal as possible (hence the picture) and show a glimpse of the student general achievements. For someone with zero work experience this resume works well because the spotlight is put on their skills, personal likes, and achievements. Your first resume should always list all your extracurricular activities at school and in your community, every single leadership positions held, awards received and personal goals for the future.

Now with this type of visual resume (the information has been changed for privacy purposes) the student received interview calls left and right and it only took him one week to to sign his contract and start working.

Resume #2

The photo was removed and the format was changed back to a traditional resume since the person needed more space to update work experience and references. At this moment the person is not employed because he was hired just for a particular season. He must have applied to more than 20 openings. How many callbacks for interview he received now that the photo was removed and the resume was changed to a traditional format? Zero! So something is definitely wrong with this one, so back to the drawing board.

Resume #3

Ditched the traditional template and went back to a visual resume format. Is this they key to getting callbacks and interview requests? Absolutely! For every application that was sent a callback was received. Mind blowing how a simple tweak can make such a huge impact.

Resume #4

This one is from a female high school student. She has a lot of extracurriculars and achievements so a different template was chosen since there was too much information that needed to be squeezed in one page.

Notice how visually striking this template is. Her educational timeline is clear, her skills are listed, as well as her professional development.

With this resume she landed a job almost immediately that she still has up to this day. She started like any other worker at the bottom, and in one year at the age of 17 she became the store key holder and the youngest person to work for the company.

Now this particular company was not open to hire teens but decided to give her the opportunity for one reason only. They couldn’t stop talking about her resume. Not everyone was keen of it, but the majority thought it was unique in a good way. Almost a year later they confessed the reason she got hired was because they were intrigued to know the person behind the one-page document. They have never seen a more a resume like hers and believed that is she is able to create something with this level of originality, she can be one heck of a worker and a great asset to the company.

After a year, the company softened their hiring requirements and allowed her to recommend other teens. Now those teens are opening doors to other high school students so the whole thing is like a gift that keeps on giving. And it all started by avoiding a traditional resume format.

The best way to understand Canva is to try it. Just go to canva.com open an account, choose a template that can fit your needs and skills you want to showcase and start editing!

The Best Cannabis Pet Supplements On Amazon That Helped Our Dog Walk Again

2019-01-17T18:30:00.001-08:00

I have a Cocker Spaniel at home that is 12 years old. He suffers from severe hip dysplasia an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. The dysplasia is so severe that at one point he lost all mobility. He was basically a paralyzed dog. It was heartbreaking hearing him cry because he couldn't move or walk to his food bowl. We had to put him in diapers and put dog pads because he couldn't go outside. He was in so much pain that at one point he didn't want anyone to touch him. I immediately went online searching for a solution and started educating myself about pet products with hemp or cannabis oil.

I came across Zatural Hemp Oil on Amazon. This is an excellent oil to add to your dogs diet because it contains high levels of omegas 3 & 6, high amounts of vitamin E, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat, and is a good source of polyunsaturated fats. I read the reviews and was sold so I added one bottle to my cart and kept searching for more products until I discovered POINTPET Advanced Hip and Joint Supplement for dogs with organic hemp seeds and oil and let me tell you what a find.

This product is a holy grail, it literally saved my dog from a life of pain and misery. This supplement is produced in an FDA facility and contains 600mgs Glucosamine HCL, 200mgs Chondroitin Sulfate and 150mgs MSM with ADDED vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and Yucca Schidigera Powder. This Hemp Hip and Joint supplement do not contains any CBD but industrial grade organic hemp seed oil instead and contains no THC (the psychoactive element). This product based on my personal experience with my dog is rock solid. It improved his mobility in ways I couldn't imagine. He went from not walking at all, to be able to stand up and walk to the backyard.

Now, I was still concerned for the pain so I ordered "Vet's Best Aspirin Free Aches + Pains Dog Supplement." This product made a remarkable difference on my Spaniel in just a few days. Just go to Amazon and read the reviews and let others tell you their own personal experience. This dog aspirin is a natural anti-inflammatory supplement for pain. Vet's Best carries the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal of approval so I felt safe ordering it after reading so many positive reviews.

The combination of all these products made a huge difference in the quality of life of my dog. I decided to write about it because I know there's always someone out there that has a dog in pain, and with mobility problems that is desperate for a good homeopathic solution. Now please understand that you should always consult with a veterinarian before attempting any new treatment. I'm only sharing my experience because these products worked amazingly well.

Let me know down below your experience with similar products. I'm always on the lookout for solid homeopathic remedies. Amazon links below (affiliate).

This is not a sponsored post.

Five Tips to Plan and Maximize To The Fullest Your College Campus Visit

2019-01-14T19:10:00.002-08:00

Experiencing a college campus tour for the first time is always an exciting riveting experience.

A campus tour is the best way to equip your future student with the right tools when the time comes to make all the important decisions about college. The more they are exposed to all the formalities they learn during their visit (admission requirements, financial aid, academic programs, housing), the easier is for them to narrow down their choices and come one step closer to find an institution that is the right fit for their financial and educational needs.

Let's be real, you just cannot get the campus feel online or through a catalog, you need to be physically there and experience yourself all the things it has to offer.

If you are planning a college campus visit in the near future here are 5 tips from my personal experience to maximize your experience.

1. Preparing for your visit: Do your research before you go. Bring a notebook and a camera to record your impressions. Before you head out, make sure you have taken your time to research everything about the college or university you are touring. Have ready a list of questions to ask your guide or student ambassador. Personally, I prefer small racially diverse classrooms, classes taught by a professor, rather than an assistant, a campus culture with a high sense of community service, study abroad, solid financial aid packages and merit aid, internships and co-op programs opportunities. So these are the type of questions I'm always looking for clarification or questions that can’t be answered by canned responses. Those are the type of questions that reveals the institution biggest strengths but also their biggest weakness.

Now, if you are planning on joining ROTC programs they usually have open houses or orientation dates that run independently from the school so you will need to contact them directly if you want to give them a visit while you are on campus. Some schools like North Carolina State University offer a “Shadow Day” every year. Students are able to shadow a ROTC cadet for the entire day. My daughter had the experience to participate as high school sophomore and still talks about to this day.

2. Regular tours, open house (preview days) and overnight visits. So you already made up your mind that you want to book a college tour, now the question is, what type of tour are you going for? A regular one, an open house preview, or an overnight visit? I think the decision boils down to if your student is a high school senior or not. Your typical basic tours are great for sophomore or juniors because they help them stay motivated for what's coming ahead. These type of tours are offered every week in most colleges and last around one hour. They consist of a brief history of the college, admission requirements, a walking tour of the campus and escort to the campus bookstore. You won't get to really tour specific departments or meet admission officers.

Now, open houses or preview days are in my opinion the best option for any college you are strongly considering as one of your top 3. There are two types of preview days. One that is specific to a particular department, and one that is usually an all day event. Preview days are different from a regular tour in the sense that you get to talk to admission officers, have a formal presentation, tour dorms, and explore other campus facilities. You can also tour a specific department, talk to professors and if you are lucky and the preview falls on a game day you get to enjoy gameday food and activities, watch the marching band perform and buy game tickets at a fraction of the cost. The two best times to plan overnight visits are before applications are due and after you're accepted.

Overnight visits are reserved for Seniors and are the closest thing high school students have to a college test drive. Seniors arrive around 3 pm and leave the next day usually around 12:30 pm. They are able to participate in classes and campus events, eat at the dining hall and spend the night in the school dorms.

3. Things you should look out during the tour: First impressions can make or break your decision.

Keep an eye on all the things you will never be able to detect through brochures, catalogs or virtual tours. You will be surprised how much deteriorated facilities and lack of maintenance or cleanliness on campus and unfriendly students can turn off prospective families and students. During your tour be on the lookout for bulletin boards, newspapers and research newsletters throughout campus. They can provide a unique inside look at the campus life and culture. After the tour spend some time at the library, dining hall, fitness center, or any other campus facilities and ask your kid if they can see themselves living there for the next 4-5 years.

4. Go beyond the campus tour. The most overlook aspect during a campus visit is not identifying what are the strong points of the town/city where the college is located.

A college town with a strong vibrant economy is everything because it can offer amazing internship partnerships, and research opportunities to your student. During your visit don't limit yourself to explore the campus, explore the city as well. See how much the town is influenced by the college and vice versa.

5. Download the campus app to ride the shuttle buses.

Campus transit is fare-free and available for all parents, alumni, and visitors in the majority of colleges. Universities are always encouraging visitors to ride their shuttle buses as a form of sustainable transportation since it reduces the university's carbon footprint. So don't be afraid to use them during your campus visit. You will be surprised how many places and buildings you never got to see during your walking tour.

Annie On Tour, A Musical That Brings Families Together Through Laughter

2017-03-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Leapin' lizards, you are going to like it here!

Broadway in Atlanta 2016-17 season is proving to be one extremely successful. With Broadway-caliber, live performances for fabulous prices, rollicking musicals, family-friendly productions and classic plays, you can always count on them for great live theatre.

We had a blast last night during the media night of Annie The Musical. This heartwarming musical brought smiles, laughter and happy tears to the audience. ‬Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The plot of the play begins in the depths of the 1930's with Annie, a fiery spunky young red-headed orphan girl who must live in a miserable orphanage run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Her seemingly hopeless situation changes dramatically when she is selected to spend a short time at the residence of the wealthy munitions industrialist, Oliver Warbucks.

Annie The Musical, was uplifting, crowd-pleasing, seriously funny, fabulously charming. We gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 for family friendliness.

If you missed Anniem don't despair. Matilda The Musical is playing at The Fox Theatre Tuesday, April 18 to Sunday April 23. For tickets: http://bit.ly/2lQim8R

Family Night Out at The Atlanta Fair: Useful Tips and Tidbits For Your Next Visit

2017-03-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

Every year we always take the kids to visit the Atlanta Fair so it's fair to say we have some useful tips and tidbits for your next visit.

Tip #1: Always, check the weather and follow Atlanta Fair on Twitter. In the case of bad weather, the fair can close abruptly. Also, if you are unfamiliar with the weather in Atlanta it can be 70 degrees by 4 pm and 40 degrees by 9 pm so dress comfortable, but take in consideration it will get breezy and cold at night depending on the day.

Tip #2: Fairs starts to get super crowded as soon as the sun starts setting down. If you have small children (or impatient teens that dislike having to wait) the best time to visit is at 1 pm.

Tip #3: Fair food is everywhere. You can't escape it. The smell of the food roasting on the grill and the sweet aroma of the funnel cakes permeate the air. Bring a good amount of cash. Cash is king at the fair! Also, don't leave the fair without trying the fried Oreos. They are divine. You just can't eat one and EVERYONE will ask you for one. Learn to say no and make them buy their own. It's okay to be greedy every now and then, especially when it comes to fried fair food!

Tip #4: The big Ferris Wheel is hands down the best ride to take panoramic pictures of the fair and the Atlanta skyline. Couples also love taking pictures kissing in the gondolas because the view is simply breathtaking and spectacular.

Tip #5: The best deal when it comes to tickets is to get the unlimited ride wristbands. I recommend the unlimited ride wristbands mostly for the kids. If you are a parent that's just chaperoning, then just pay the regular admission entrance fee, and if you see a ride you might want to try out, then just pay for that one. Understand that the unlimited rides wristbands have a specific timeframe where they are valid. For example, Monday - Friday the wristbands are valid from 5 pm to 10 pm (not sold after 9 pm) and Saturday & Sunday 1 pm to 6 pm (not sold after 5 pm).

The Atlanta Fair is open until April 2, 2017. For tickets and more information please visit: atlantafair.com

SWEEP World Premiere to play Aurora Theatre stage, February 10–March 5

2017-02-09T08:31:00.001-08:00

Candice McLellan (left) plays Siri and Jasmine Ellis plays Luna in the world premiere comedy Sweep at Aurora Theatre. (Photo by Chris Bartelski.)

Post-modern comedy to showcase the exploits of two “multiverse” hit women in imaginative tale

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Atlanta audiences are invited to step into a splintered world of strange imaginings as Aurora Theatre presents the world premiere of the femme fantasy story SWEEP, February 10 –March 5, 2017! The magical quest, written by rising Latina playwright Georgina Escobar, follows two sisters’ attempt at resetting history’s imperfections by hunting both biblical and modern-day targets through a set of alternate realities called the “multiverse.” Imaginative and adventure-filled, this zany, time-traveling escapade is a can’t-miss production for the New Year!

“One of the most riveting facets of SWEEP is the exploration of the idea that history can be re-written to create different outcomes today,” said Abigail Vega, Director. “This fantastical thinking paired with an action-packed plot will entertain and captivate audiences, all while inviting them to experience an entirely new perspective on reality.”

“Multiverse” hit women, Luna and Siri, are armed with deadly broomsticks, sweeping the world’s mistakes into oblivion one human flaw at a time. But when they fail to clean up Adam and Eve’s apple situation, the two superhero sweepers find themselves unleashed on a cosmic journey through time. With Dragon Con sensibilities, this world premiere production is rife with the humor and adventure of a great graphic novel that will leave audiences stunned and surprised.

SWEEP will star some of the region’s leading actors, including Candice McLellan (Siri, Peter, and Grettlegrott), Jasmine Ellis (Luna), Cody Russell (Adam, John the Baptist, and Ralph) and India Tyree (Eve, Hessa and Theresa). Throughout the 90-minute performance, the talented cast will portray multiple characters, adding, even more, entertainment to the fantastical plot.

Recommended for theatergoers with vivid imaginations, SWEEP will play February 10 –March 5, 2017. Regular show tickets range from $20-$30 and can be purchased online at bit.ly/SWEEPTickets or by calling the Box Office at 678-226-6222.

Regular show times are as follows:

Thursday –Friday: 8 p.m.
Saturday: 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday: 2:30 p.m.

For more information on SWEEP or other Aurora Theatre programming, visit auroratheatre.com.

###

Under the artistic leadership of Co-Founders and Artistic Directors Anthony Rodriguez and Ann-Carol Pence, now in its 21st Season, Aurora Theatre produces professional live entertainment to suit everyone’s taste. Aurora Theatre is home to over 650 events each year. Two series of theatrical productions, the Peach State Federal Credit Union Signature Series and the GGC Harvel Lab Series, are comprised of the biggest Broadway plays and musicals alongside exciting contemporary theatre. Additionally, Aurora produces concerts, stand-up comedy, children’s programs, metro Atlanta’s top haunted attraction Lawrenceville Ghost Tours, as well as Atlanta’s only professional Spanish language theatre, Teatro Aurora. Aurora Theatre is a world class theatrical facility with two performance venues. Nestled on the square in historic downtown Lawrenceville, Aurora has FREE attached covered parking and is surrounded by restaurants and shops. Aurora Theatre has garnered numerous accolades highlighted by recent achievements that include a 2016 Governor’s Award for the Arts & Humanities, winner of seven 2016 Suzi Bass Awards, Creative Loafing’s “2010 Best Theatre Company,” Georgia Trend Magazine’s “2011 Best Places to Work in Georgia,” Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “2012 Best Places to Work”, Atlanta Magazine’s “Best of Atlanta 2013”,Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 President and CEO Award for Excellence in Arts, and Gwinnett Chamber’s 2015 IMPACT Regional Business Award for Hospitality .

Fun Alert: Atlanta Fair to open its gates February 24 – April 2

2017-02-07T18:39:00.001-08:00

Fair-goers are invited to experience new rides, delicious treats, entertainment and more!

Come one, come all! Preparing for its annual return, the Atlanta Fair will open its gates Friday, February 24 – Sunday, April 2 or fun-seekers of all ages! Area residents in search of thrilling adventure, lively entertainment and fresh funnel cakes are encouraged to join the festivities, perfect for families and friends! As a special kick-off bonus, guests may purchase advance fair entrance fees only 50 cents until noon Friday, February 24!

Atlanta’s favorite fair is back and fair gurus from near and far are invited to enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience! All season long, guests can expect to be dazzled by vibrant displays and lights and partake in a variety of interactive games.

Those in search of soaring thrillers will be able to climb aboard one of the many attractions, including the Towering Ferris Wheel, Flying Dutchman, 45-foot Ring of Fire and for the first time ever, the Inversion, a twisty sky-high tower that will have adrenaline junkies spinning and twirling into the crisp spring air! Foodies can also indulge in the endless supply of all-time classics, like fluffy cotton candy, candy apples, elephant ears and more!

Standard fair entrance fees are $1 for children shorter than 42”. For guests taller than 42”, fair entrance fees are $3 (Monday – Thursday); $5 (Friday, Saturdayafternoon and Sunday) and $8 (Saturday evening). Midway ride tickets can be purchased for $1.25 each and unlimited ride armbands are available for $25 each. To purchase tickets, visit atlantafair.com.

WHAT: The 2017 Atlanta Fair
WHERE: Turner Field – Grey Lot
HOW: Guests may purchase tickets online or at the gate. For online admission, visit atlantafair.com. Discount offer valid until noon Friday, February 24.

Parental Escort Policy in Effect
Children under the age of 16-years-old must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on Friday and Saturday evenings. One adult may escort up to four youth. All guests must be able to present a valid Georgia or government issued photo ID.

WellStar to host Day of Dance 2017 on February 11 at Town Center at Cobb

2017-02-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

Community invited to celebrate American Heart Month with interactive activities for all ages

In honor of American Heart Month, Town Center at Cobb will host the WellStar Day of Dance 2017 on Saturday, February 11 from 1-4 p.m.

During this FREE day of heart healthy activities, guests are invited to kick health into high gear with dancing, wellness demonstrations, and other family-friendly festivities. Heart health screenings and interactive “Ask the Expert” information booths will also be available for shoppers to learn more about taking action and living a balanced lifestyle.

WHAT:

WellStar Day of Dance 2017
Community invited to kick health into high gear for American Heart Month

WHEN:
Saturday, February 11
1-4 p.m.

WHERE:
Town Center at Cobb
Center Court
400 Barrett Pkwy
Kennesaw, GA 30144

INFO:
WellStar Day of Dance 2017 is FREE and open to the public. For more information, contact 770-956-STAR (7827) or visit wellstar.org.

For more information on Town Center at Cobb, visit simon.com/towncenteratcobb.

Visit Town Center at Cobb on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Summer Camps at the Atlanta History Center

2017-02-07T07:49:00.001-08:00

HAVE A HISTORIC SUMMER!

Sign up for a writing or history camp

We know it seems a long way until summer, but you know better than most that now is the time for parents to be planning the perfect summer camp experiences for their children. The Atlanta History Center, have been busily planning fun, engaging, smart Summer History Camps and Summer Writing Camps, both kicking off the week of June 5.

Summer History Camp

History comes to life as Atlanta History Center summer campers ages 6–11 explore the past through games, historic simulations, performances, crafts, and hands-on activities throughout our exhibitions, historic houses, and gardens. The entire 33-acre campus is our playground! With fun new themes each week, campers enjoy a variety of immersive camp experiences all summer long. Space is limited, so register early!

Summer Writing Camp

Margaret Mitchell House writing camps provide an opportunity for youth ages 9–14 to discover the power and excitement of writing while honing their skills in a fun, interactive environment. With 10–15 participants per camp, each young author receives individual attention while learning how to create meaningful prose through a variety of techniques like stream-of-consciousness writing, games, journaling, free verse poetry, and other forms. Camps sell out quickly, so register early.

All of the summer camps are now online as well. For more information, fees or to register please visit: http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/programs/category/kids-programs.

Atlanta Braves and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta team up at SunTrust Park for Hope and Will’s Sandlot

2017-02-06T19:43:00.000-08:00

ATLANTA (February 2, 2017)—The Atlanta Braves today announced a multi-year relationship with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to bring exciting baseball-themed activities to SunTrust Park for the Braves’ youngest fans.

SunTrust Park will feature “Hope and Will’s Sandlot,” a large, kid-friendly area hosted by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta that will have the first-ever zip line and climbing tower inside a professional sporting venue. Visitors will be able to use the new Braves app to reserve a timeslot to access both of these attractions.

There also will be a batting cage and a variety of other interactive games in addition to kid-friendly food and merchandise. The Braves and Children’s will be bringing back a longtime tradition, and crowd-pleasing favorite for Braves families - kids running the bases after Sunday games.

“Braves games have always been a fantastic family outing and SunTrust Park will feature an even larger space for baseball-themed, kids’ activities thanks to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta,” said Derek Schiller, Braves president, business. “We are proud to continue our relationship with Children’s and are honored to help support their wonderful mission.”

“We are excited to continue our relationship with the Braves and to be a part of a new experience for families in Atlanta,” said Donna Hyland, President and CEO, Children’s. “Children's and the Braves want to make a difference in the lives of families, making sure kids get to do what they do best–be kids. Serving others is a team effort and privilege. Children's and the Braves strive to bring about positive change and good health for generations of kids to come.”

The Braves will continue to host the annual Georgia/Georgia Tech game at SunTrust Park, this year taking place on May 9 at 7 p.m. The game also raises money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Last week it was announced that on Saturday, April 8, 2017, University of Georgia baseball will play Missouri in the first event open to the general public in SunTrust Park to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Tickets to the game will be $15 and group packages are available through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000, Ticketmaster.com or through Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at www.choa.org/firstgame.

The Braves will open the 2017 season on the road with games at New York, Pittsburgh and Miami, before their inaugural homestand at SunTrust Park beginning on Friday, April 14, 2017.

About SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta

SunTrust Park, the new 41,000-seat home of the Atlanta Braves, is being developed by the organization in partnership with the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority and will be completed by Opening Day

2017. Located in Atlanta at the intersection of I-75 and I-285 in the bustling Cumberland area, SunTrust Park will flow directly into The Battery Atlanta, a 1.5 million square foot mixed-use development, featuring boutique shopping, chef-driven restaurants, an Omni Hotel, The Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre, 550 residences and One Ballpark Center, Comcast’s regional office headquarters. Powered by Comcast’s all-fiber network and delivering multi- terabit capabilities, SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta will have the highest-capacity network serving any stadium and mixed-use development in the nation. The Battery Atlanta is being privately developed by the Braves along with retail partner Fuqua Development, office developer Pope & Land Enterprises and Pollack Shores Real Estate. Visitors can get a sneak peek of SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta at www.braves.com/suntrustpark or www.batteryatl.com.

About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been 100 percent dedicated to kids for more than 100 years. A not-for-profit organization, Children’s is dedicated to making kids better today and healthier tomorrow. Our specialized care helps children get better faster and live healthier lives. Managing more than 870,000 patient visits annually at three hospitals and 27 neighborhood locations, Children’s is the largest healthcare provider for children in Georgia and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country. Children’s offers access to more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs and is ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report. With generous philanthropic and volunteer support since 1915, Children’s has impacted the lives of children in Georgia, the United States and throughout the world. Visit www.choa.org for more information.

5 Essential Ride-or-Die Apps For The Ultimate College Tour Road Trip

2017-01-18T18:38:00.002-08:00

This post was inspired from our last college tour to University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Go Vols!

Spring season is upon us and if you have a college-bound high school student like me, you know what that means. It's time to book the first campus tour of the year.

Your bags are packed, your campus tour has been scheduled months in advance, you mapped out your route, and all the pit stops along the way. The only thing missing is to download all the must-have-apps to make sure your road trip doesn't end up in disaster. There are five categories of apps I like to keep on my on my phone, especially when I go on road trips.

The first one and the most critical are "Navigation Apps".

My ride-or-die navigation app has always been Waze. Waze is the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app. The way it works is by allowing drivers in your area to share real-time traffic and road info, such as heavy traffic alerts, road blockages and closures, police traps or major accidents, saving everyone time and gas money on their daily commute.

Standout feature: The real gem feature of Waze is the ability to share your ride with others as a safety precaution. You can also create a Planned Drive by entering the time and date you need to arrive and Waze will recommend the best time to leave. Also, Waze adjusts your directions in real time based on traffic.

The second category is "Discovery Apps". These are apps that help you discover what's around you, from hotels, local attractions, shopping, food & drink, movie theaters, parks and anything in between, these apps are your best chance to optimize your trip and help you choose the best (and trendiest) places to visit.

If you have the habit to read online reviews before you step one foot in a restaurant then Yelp will immediately become your best friend. Yelp is a great app for getting local knowledge on where to eat, drink, and shop. Whether you are looking for a pizzeria that is open now or a coffee shop nearby, Yelp will turn into your own personal local guide to finding the perfect place to eat, shop, drink, relax, and play.

Standout feature: Bookmark Collections! With the latest update, you can now compile all the places you want to grab a cup of Joe? Simply bookmark all the coffee shops you want to check out on your Yelp mobile app and add them to your “Knoxville Coffee Shops” collection. Now you have a travel guide right in your back pocket!

TripAdvisor is your best option if you are visiting a place for the first time. You can plan and book your perfect trip. With over 225 million reviews and opinions by travelers, TripAdvisor makes it easy to find the lowest airfare, best hotels, great restaurants, and fun things to do, wherever you go. And booking options for hotels, restaurants, and flights are just a tap away.

Standout feature: Besides they ability to be able to download maps, reviews, and your saves for over 300 cities worldwide onto your phone for free; and avoid using expensive data roaming plans while you travel, my favorite standout feature is the "Things To Do" feature.
If you are visiting a city for the first time this feature will help you discover what's trending and all the cool things to see and do. From major tourist attractions to historical landmarks and off the beaten path local treasures, TripAdvisor will give so many options that will make you rethink your checkout date.

Google Street View is a new app I just recently downloaded that has quickly become one of my favorites. This app allows you to both explore and capture 360-degree views of your favorite places. Previously, Street View was a part of Google Maps, but this new release brings it out on its own.

Standout feature: In one gallery, you can explore Street View collections and content from Google Maps alongside photo spheres contributed from people around the globe.

If you are visiting a college for the first time and it happens to be a game day finding a place to park can be truly a nightmare. Trust me, it happened to us. We were in UT Knoxville for the Rocky Top Tailgate, and absolutely every single parking space in the university and surrounding areas was either reserved, or turned into a "no parking zone". We almost missed our tour if it wasn't for ParkMe.

With ParkMe you can find the cheapest, closest parking to your destination.

Standout Feature: Find a guaranteed parking spot in advance with your credit card.

Emergency Services apps

This are the type of apps you have on your phone but hope you will never have the need to use them. I don't have AAA roadside assistance and because I always travel with my family, I always need to know that if something happens to the car I have some form of soliciting emergency roadside assistance.

Honk For Help is an app that finds nearby tow trucks to help you with tire changes, jump starts, lock outs, gas delivery and towing services. They are nationwide & have fast ETAs. Pricing for services starts at $49, and there aren’t any membership fees. Quotes are guaranteed you won’t ever have to pay more than you agree to. Honk connects you with a driver, who follows up with a phone call and an estimated time of arrival.

Notice how I didn't mention apps like Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook to document your trip, or the most used apps to keep you entertained on the road like Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Hulu or Netflix. I have all of them on my phone (plus a few games), but when it comes to road trips, if I don't have Waze, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google Street View and ParkMe I feel like a blind bat navigating. So it's safe to say these apps are not just essential, but truly lifesaving!

What are your favorite must have road trip apps? Please tell us below if there's one we should try out next!

Bluebird Patch Teens Spooktacular Guide To Halloween - Atlanta Edition

2016-10-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Haunted houses, escape games with live zombies, haunted forests and more!

Autumn has always been my favorite season and with Halloween just around the corner, it adds lots of excitement into it. As we transition into the holiday season, we realize how much fun it can be to do things working up to these events. Halloween isn’t all about the free candy, it is about the experience you get from it as well. I think what I like the most about Halloween is the opportunity to have a fun night out with friends, have a good scare and laugh so hard until it hurts. I love going to Pumpkin Patches and I'm a total chicken when it comes to haunted houses, but this is the year, I decided to embrace my fears and go for it. So I made a list of the best and spookiest haunted houses, escape games, and cabins you can try this Halloween. I already have my eye on one that I can't wait to do this weekend!

Name of attraction: Netherworld Haunted House

What to expect: Netherworld is a walk-through haunted house filled in complete darkness. The famous haunted house includes special effects, creepy monsters, and terrifying actors. If you love to be scared, this is the place to go!

Place: 6624 Dawson Blvd, Norcross, GA

Date: Open September 23-November 4, 2016.

Time: Sunday-Thursday: 7:30-10:30 pm Friday and Saturday: 7:00-Midnight

Cost: September 23 and 24th and all Sundays – Thursdays except Halloween:

$23 MONSTERS/$28 MONSTERS & MELTDOWN

• All other Fridays & Saturday and Halloween:

$25 MONSTERS/$35 MONSTERS & MELTDOWN

• Speed Pass: $55 Any Night – Front of the line access to both MONSTERS & MELTDOWN

Name of attraction: Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Georgia

What to expect: Six Flags Fright Fest is a thrill seeking night of fun filled with haunted rollercoaster rides, haunted houses and much more!

Place: 275 Riverside Parkway Southwest, Austell, GA 30168

Date: Open September 24- October 31, 2016

Time: Friday: 6:00 pm-Midnight, Saturday: 12:00 pm-midnight, Sunday: 12:00 pm-10:00pm

Cost: Fright Fest Daily Ticket: $45.99 each. Fright Fest+Fright Attractions Combo: $65.99 each.

Name of attraction: Escape The Woods - The Cabin

What to expect: Escape The Woods - The Cabin is a scary, horror cabin escape room located in the middle of the woods. Here you just figure out clues to escape from HIM before time runs out and HE returns to make his first kill!

Place: 628 Sleepy Hollow Road

Powder Springs GA 30127

Date: Open year round

Time: Check booking site for available times.Note: Due to the nature of Escape Woods you must book your tickets ahead of time.

Cost: $28 per person $280 for private experience

Name of attraction: Fear The Woods Frontline Haunted Combat

What to expect: Fear The Woods is a haunted Pumpkin Patch located in Yule Forest. The farmer’s crazy Uncle Eddie is preparing the fields to scare trespassers away. Escape by taking the haunted trail or take a spin on the haunted house! The patch can be enjoyed by most ages and is an amazing experience.

Place: 3565 North Hwy 155, Stockbridge, Ga

Date: Weekends starting September 30- October 31

Time: Friday and Saturday: 7 pm - Midnight

Cost: Adults: $30.00 Combo- Includes Haunted House, Terror Transport and Pandemic Frontline Haunted Combat
or $17 for each individual thing
» Children 10/under: $25.00 Combo or $15 for each individual

Name of attraction: Buford Corn Maze Haunted Forest

What to expect: The Buford Corn Maze and haunted forest is the perfect destination for families. With special haunted mazes, Halloween festivals and parades, hayrides, scream parks, and so much more the possibilities are endless!

Place: 4470 Bennett Road Buford, GA

Date: Open Weekends starting September 23 - November 6.

Time: Friday & Saturday: Dark - midnight Sunday: Dark - 10pm

Cost:$15 Corn Maze
$15 Haunted Forest
$25 Combo Ticket

Name of attraction: Paranoia Escape The Room Quest - Escape Room with a Live Zombie

What to expect: You’re zombie apocalypse survivors and you were assembled as a special force team in order to get inside a highly secured government research center so you can try to find the cure so you can save the rest of the world. Escape the room before time runs out!

Place: Downtown Atlanta Location 72 Broad Street SW Atlanta, GA, 30303 Located at Kesslers building

Date: Open Year Round

Time: Monday-Thursday, Sunday 1:30 -9:00

Friday and Saturday 10:30am – 11:00pm

Cost: $28 per person

Name of attraction: Zombie Farms

What to expect: ZF rises from the dead again in 2016 with ALL NEW SCENES! ZF is a haunted walking trail through the woods with other activities like story telling and marshmallow roasting. This October event is a unique alternative to all the kiddie corn mazes.

Place: 568 Smithonia Rd Winterville, Ga 30683

Date: Oct 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29

Time: Dark- 10:30pm

Cost: Tickets are $ 20 per person.
Groups of 10 or more are $18 per person if purchased in a single transaction.

Name of attraction: Paranoia Haunted House

What to expect: Paranoia haunted house is a themed haunted house that changes every year. This year's theme is the Torture-The Cellar which is sure to give you a good scare.

Place: 2075 MARIETTA HWY, CANTON, GA 30114

Date: September 30 -October 27

Time: OPEN 8:00 PM TO 10:00 PM ON GREEN DATES
OPEN 8:00 PM TO 11:00 PM ON GOLD DATES
OPEN 8:00 PM TO MIDNIGHT ON RED DATES

Cost: General $20 Combo Ticket $25 Paranoia Pass $40

Name of attraction: 13 Stories Haunted House

What to expect: 13 Stories Haunted House. 54,000 square feet of pure terror. Scene quality and detail that Hollywood would be proud of. The legend returns to Newnan, GA!

Place: 320 Temple Avenue West, Newnan, GA 30263

Date: September 23 - October 30

Time:Yellow: 7:30 pm - 10:00

Red: 7:00pm - midnight

White: 7:30 pm - 1:00 am

Blue: 7:30-11:00pm

Cost: 1. All tickets include the 4 Pack (1 person walking 4 haunted houses) $17 all nights except October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 ($25) Walk through 13 Stories, Ward B, Zombie Alley and Clown Haus haunted houses.
2. Decide if you want to add Sacrifice and/or The Apocalypse Zombie Kill Experience.
Sacrifice is $5, $10 October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, Apocalypse Zombie Kill is $15, $20 October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
3. Decide if you want to upgrade to VIP for $35 and get a free t-shirt.
VIP passes give you front of the line access to the main attraction line with little or no wait. Use on busy nights. No refunds.
All ticketing options are based on these three options. Pick your date and read all options before choosing.

Want us to visit one of your attractions and share our experiences on social media? Fill out our contact form.

Netherworld Helps Spread The Anti-Bullying Message With The ‘DON’T Be A Monster’ Campaign

2016-10-12T17:24:00.001-07:00

Frankenstein and Friends Empower Young Teens to Take a Stand against Bullying

ATLANTA: The nationally-acclaimed seasonal attraction, NETHERWORLD Haunted House, has partnered for the fourth year with the “Don’t Be A Monster” anti-bullying campaign. The campaign begins at Atlanta area schools inviting students to enjoy engaging presentations from monsters and staff members of NETHERWORLD, while they discuss how to take a stand against bullying.

“We get to interact with kids in the Atlanta community, using a monster from NETHERWORLD, to communicate the importance of anti-bullying,” said Billy Messina, co-owner of NETHERWORLD Haunted House. “We continue to be board members closely involved with the growth of this national charity because we truly believe that kindness can overpower all. We look forward to visiting the schools this year so we can spread our positive messages with our kid-friendly monster.”

Founded during the 2012 Halloween season, “Don’t Be A Monster” started in San Antonio as a pilot program partnering the non-profit Organization City Year with the 13^th Floor Haunted House.

Visiting eight local schools and spreading the message to over 5,000 students, the pilot program was a success and encouraged haunted house co-owners, Chris Stafford and Jon Love, to form Imagine Better, Inc., an organization to combat bullying and expand the “Don’t Be A Monster” campaign. NETHERWORLD Haunted House is a founding board member of this organization and continues to help guide and expand the charities growth and success.

Each assembly focuses on the role of an Upstander. “Don’t Be A Monster” works to teach students ways that they can be an Upstander in school. During each presentation, participants discuss what constitutes bullying, what to do if it happens to you or you see it happening to someone else, diversity, acceptance, inclusion, and above all: kindness.

Each presentation will begin with a six minute video highlighting a day in the life of ‘Frank’, who is constantly bullied. Following the video,NETHERWORLD representatives will hold a 30 minute presentation using audience participation to exemplify ways of how to spot bullying and how to act as an Upstander against the actual monster, the bully. One in three students report being bullied in school and the numbers continue to rise.

This year’s presentations include: Grace Snell Middle on October 11 at 8:20am, Duluth Middle on October 12 at 7am, International Community School on October 17 at 6:30am, Summerour Middle School on October 19 at 8am, Paul D. West Middle on October 24 at 6:30am and Toomer Elementary School on October 25 at 10:30am.ABOUT DON’T BE A MONSTER: Don't Be A Monster is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Denver, CO that was founded by haunted house owners, and runs an engaging assembly that is put on by actors in the haunted house. We have an iconic character named Frank that represents people who are "a little different." Our presentations are creative and a lot of fun for students during the fall season. For more information on “Don’t Be A Monster,” visit www.DontBeAMonster.org.ABOUT NETHERWORLD:

NETHERWORLD, Atlanta’s popular self-guided, dark attraction, is one of the most highly-acclaimed Haunted Houses in the world. Known for its over-the top special effects, unique make-up, elaborate costuming, skilled stunt actors and unusual themes and details,NETHERWORLD has established itself as an Atlanta tradition. Since the attraction first opened 20 years ago, NETHERWORLD has been voted by publications such as Hauntworld Magazine, Dead Central, Fangoria and USA Today as the top haunt in the nation as well as been recognized both locally and nationally by media including CNN, The Today Show, The Early Show, The Travel Channeland Wall Street Journal. Every season, this innovative horror experience continues to draw in generations of thrill seekers eager to see what new nightmares have been released! NETHERWORLDis open nightly beginning Friday. Tickets range from $23 to $55. For more information, visit www.fearworld.com or call 404-608-2484.
Keep up with all things spooky by following NETHERWORLD Haunted House on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Wednesday Motivation: Let That Shit Go!

2016-10-05T06:43:00.001-07:00

Bert's Big Adventure Now Accepting Applications for 2017 Families!

2016-10-04T18:38:00.001-07:00

Bert’s Big Adventure, a nonprofit organization that provides a magical, all-expenses-paid, five-day journey to Walt Disney World® for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families, is now accepting applications and nominations for children to join the magic on their 2017 trip!

In order to qualify, children must be between the ages of 5 and 12, be diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness, and have never been to Walt Disney World®.

The family must be struggling with financial hardships and live in the radio listening area of The Bert Show, a nationally syndicated morning radio show based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Bert Show can be heard on All the Hits Q100 - 99.7FM. All applications must be submitted by Friday, October 13, 2016.

http://bertsbigadventure.org/serve/our-kids/nominate-a-child/.

*Photo credit: Cassandra Young Photography

The Bert Show Kicks Off Annual Big Thank You Campaign

2016-10-04T18:18:00.001-07:00

ALL The Hits Q100’s Morning Radio Show Community Gives Thanks to US Troops

ATLANTA — Give a ‘Big Thank You’ to our troops this holiday season with the help of The Bert Show. ALL The Hits Q100’s morning radio show is kicking off their “Big Thank You” campaign this fall, giving thanks to all the men and women that serve our country.

The annual effort aims to provide every active service member deployed outside the United States with a handwritten Thank You letter on Thanksgiving Day. “This is an ambitious goal, but that’s why we need the entire Atlanta community to help,” says Bert Weiss, host of The Bert Show.

“We know how important it is to make sure the sacrifices made by the men and women in our military and their families are recognized which is why we want every single person deployed outside the United States to receive a handwritten thank you letter from home to open at mail call on Thanksgiving.”

Since its inception in 2009, The Bert Show’s “Big Thank You” campaign has collected more than one million handwritten letters from the nation and beyond. School systems, corporations and celebrities across the country have shown their support by writing personalized letters and encouraging students, customers and fans to do the same.

The campaign has received letters from all over the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and Spain, including some letters written in Chinese and braille. The Bert Show has even received calls from First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton, congratulating them on the “Big Thank You” campaign’s overall success in previous years.

All letters must be submitted by Friday, October 28, 2016, in order for soldiers to receive the letters on Thanksgiving Day.

For formatting and submitting guidelines, as well as drop off and mail-in locations, please visit thebertshow.com.

Atlanta Speech School debuts new video as part of a movement to stop the illiteracy epidemic

2016-09-01T09:44:00.003-07:00

Video shows the impact of how adults talk with children

The Atlanta Speech School, one of the nation’s most comprehensive centers for language and literacy, is calling for a change in the ecosystems of schools to encourage brain development and literacy. As part of this call to action, it has launched a compelling new video titled “Every opportunity,” which demonstrates how changes in adult behavior, both inside and outside of the classroom, can enhance a child's approach and her ability to learn.

“Everyone a child meets throughout the day can make a difference – all the difference,” said Comer Yates, Executive Director of the Atlanta Speech School. “Every time a child is ignored, or yelled at or silenced, a teacher takes away what is possible. As the video exemplifies, each of these moments can be missed opportunities to empower a child and develop their vocabulary.”

The video stars a young boy who explains what it feels like when an adult ignores him or loses patience with him. It also offers examples for how teachers, school bus drivers, and school staff can make the most of every interaction with students to help them discover their voice, and the power of that voice for a lifetime. This video is the sequel to the award-winning 2020 Promise Video about the power of language and literacy well before kindergarten begins.

“There are millions of children across the country whose brains and hearts are prepared to be citizens of the world but are met with instruction in preschool and beyond that doesn’t match the latest science,” said Yates. “The way we train our teachers should be about empowerment and that is what the Atlanta Speech School is committed to both inside our school walls, and in classrooms in Atlanta and around the United States.”

To make the video a reality, The Rollins Center for Language & Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School is committed to providing Georgia educators with the tools to successfully achieve “The 2020 Promise” – a state-wide expectation that, by the year 2020, all of Georgia’s children will be on a path to reading proficiently by the end of third grade. The Rollins Center through its Read Right From the Start initiative offers professional development programs to teachers either onsite, or online at no charge through its Cox Campus portal. These courses reach approximately 11,000 teachers, parents, and caregivers. While developed for Georgia teachers, the program is utilized by teachers in all 50 states. Courses for kindergarten through third grade teachers are being added and will be complete before the 2017-18 school year.

The new video can be shared with caregivers, teachers, bus drivers, and coaches to show how important it is to engage children in a positive conversation at every opportunity to help them find their own voices so they can become who they are meant to be.

For video subtitles in French and Spanish, click on the closed captioning (cc) button in the bottom right corner of the video on YouTube and change your language using the gear button for settings next to the cc button.

###

About the Atlanta Speech School:

Positioned at the intersection of brain science and social science, the Atlanta Speech School effects transformative change in the lives of children and adults through research-based practices, innovation, advocacy, and partnerships with other organizations so that each child at the Atlanta Speech School and every child in Georgia can acquire the language and literacy abilities essential for deciding his or her own future. Established in 1938, the Atlanta Speech School is one of the nation's most comprehensive centers for language and literacy. Composed of four schools, five clinics, summer programs and a professional development center, each division shares one common mission: to work within each program and collaborate across all programs to help each person develop his or her full potential through language and literacy. Each day, extraordinarily dedicated and talented individuals make profound differences in the lives of the children and adults they serve helping them discover their voice, and the power of that voice for a lifetime.

The Rollins Center for Language & Literacy provides professional development for teachers of children birth through third grade. Partnering with public and private organizations and with a reach of more than 11,000 teachers, parents and caregivers through the online Cox Campus, the center delivers effective language and literacy strategies used to transform young lives.

A Christmas Story, The Musical playing at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre for one week only: November 29 – December 4

2016-08-23T08:44:00.001-07:00

Tickets on sale September 18

This holiday season, for the first time in Atlanta, one of America’s favorite Christmas movies comes to life on stage in a hilarious, large scale Broadway musical, at the Fox Theatre from November 29 – December 4 as part of the 2016/2017 Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta season.

A Christmas Story, The Musical chronicles young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder® Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle (“You’ll shoot your eye out kid!”).

An infamous leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a maniacal department store Santa, and a triple-dog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the distractions that stand between Ralphie and his Christmas wish. Chock-full of delightful songs and splashy production numbers, A Christmas Story, The Musical, has proudly taken its place as a perennial holiday classic for the whole family.

Tickets go on sale Sunday, September 18.

Tickets start at $33.50 and are available by visiting www.BroadwayInAtlanta.com/Christmas, calling 1-855-285-8499 or visiting the Fox Theatre Box Office (660 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308). Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit www.bigleague.org or www.BroadwayInAtlanta.com.

A Christmas Story, The Musical will play at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre November 29 – December 4.

The performance schedule is as follows:

Tuesday-Thursday: 7:30 p.m.

Friday: 8 p.m.

Saturday: 2 p.m., 8 p.m.

Sunday: 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

A Christmas Story, The Musical premiered on Broadway in 2012 and was a critical and commercial success. The musical was nominated for three TONY Awards® including Best New Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book of a Musical. The Associated Press called A Christmas Story, The Musical “a joyous Christmas miracle,” while The New York Times wrote “I was dazzled. You’d have to have a Grinch-sized heart not to feel a smile spreading across your face.”

A Christmas Story, The Musical features a festive and nostalgic holiday themed score by composer/lyricist team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, with a book by Joseph Robinette, based on the writings of radio humorist Jean Shepherd and the 1983 holiday film favorite.

A Christmas Story, The Musical is produced by Big League Productions. Led by President and Executive Producer Daniel Sher, Big League is celebrating its 26th season of producing, general managing and booking Broadway musicals and special attractions for touring throughout North America and the world. For more information visit www.bigleague.org.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta presents final weeks of ‘XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness’

2016-08-23T07:10:00.001-07:00

Feature exhibit encouraging children to explore and express emotions closes September 5

School is back in session, which means feelings are front and center for the start of a new year! While kids adjust to the hustle and bustle of fresh beginnings, now is the perfect time for families to head to Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s exploratory exhibition XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness before it closes on Monday, September 5!

Offering an introspective look at the power of emotion and its impact, children will explore these feelings through 14 different engaging experiences including a response wall, story puzzle, empathy blocks, a reflection table, art making stations and more! Each of these brightly colored spaces is designed to help children understand, appreciate and express how they feel in an interactive, hands-on environment!

WHAT: Final weeks to experience XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness Feature exhibit encourages children to explore and express emotions

WHEN:Available through Monday, September 5

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10 a.m. –4 p.m.Weekends: 10 a.m. –5 p.m.

WHERE:
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

HOW:
Entrance to the exhibit is included in each regular admission to Children’s Museum of Atlanta. Admission for ages 1-100 is $14.95 (+tax). Children under 1 are FREE.

INFO:
For more information or to purchase tickets to XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness, visit bit.ly/CMAXOXO.

Easy No-sew Recycled Dog T-shirt DIY For Your MVP (Most Valuable Pooch) #MyPetMyStar

2016-08-01T18:20:00.003-07:00

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyPetMyStar #CollectiveBias

As an avid animal lover, and Georgia SPCA volunteer I'm thrilled to be able to partner with Kroger and Purina Dog Chow Natural, for today’s Easy No-sew Recycled Dog T-shirt DIY. Dogs and cats are blurring the lines between “pets” and people. People like me, consider dogs and cats as individuals. My “pets” play a unique role in my family. They are part of our emotional life and their role is much deeper than just companionship. They are family and will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Having four "pets" at home can add up quickly, especially if you are also bringing dogs and cats from the shelter to foster. In order to save some money I have learned a few tricks and today's DIY is one of my favorites.
My long hair Chihuahua has a chronic skin condition that makes him itchy and all the time and is causing him to loose hair on the back because he is always pulling it out. When it gets really bad, the vet gives him a cortisone injection and that seems to do the trick. When he wears shirts for some reason it seems to calm him down so I always try to have a few around the house. Now, doggie shirt are not cheap even if you buy them on clearance. Someone at the shelter once told me to just buy a baby onesie and cut it. You can find baby onesies on clearance everywhere.

They usually come in packets of three. For the price of one regular price shirt you can make easily 3 doggie shirts from your one onesie packet.

The tutorial is super simple.

Materials you will use:

1 onesie (I have a fat Chihuahua so for this tutorial I'm using 0-6 months size)
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil or pen

Step 1: Fit the onesie on your dog inside out. If it comes with a graphic make sure the graphic is on the back of the dog).

Step 2: Trace with the pencil the areas where you want to cut it. I need mine to be really long on the back and short on the belly section.

Step 3: Cut the bottom half as neatly as possible since we are not sewing the hem and make sure you remove the tag.

These no-sew doggie shirts come really handy when you bathe your dogs, especially during winter.

Kroger is my favorite place not just do do my groceries but to get food and supplies for my cats and dogs. My family is a cast of colorful characters, and our dogs are no exception- as the MVP (Most Valuable Pooch) on my cast list, it's important that I really pamper and give them the star treatment everyday.

Purina knows that your dog deserves the very best, so they've introduced a new product to the Dog Chow line, Dog Chow Natural, a natural dog food made affordable so every dog can truly get the star treatment at meal time. Sold at Kroger, nationwide, Dog Chow Natural offers high quality nutrition made with quality protein, real chicken, and entirely free of artificials and preservatives. Both Kroger and Purina make it easy to give your dog the star treatment while saving time.

The pet aisle at Kroger is a convenient, affordable, place to pick up all of your favorite Purina staples for your pets to truly give them the star treatment. Whether it's grabbing a new toy while you stock up on all new Purina Dog Chow Natural dog food, or grabbing the latest Tidy Cats Lightweight Litter while picking up some ingredients for dinner, Kroger has you covered so you don't have to compromise your pet's star treatment.

The Purina Dog Chow Natural range of dry dog food:

Is 100% complete and balanced without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives – for a long and healthy life

Features Natural ingredients. Naturally delicious. The nutritious kibble in every bag is packed with the big taste dogs love.

Is a quality dog food at an affordable price.

Is also available in a puppy formula, Puppy Chow Natural.

The Dog Chow Brand:

Your dog's Satisfaction Guaranteed or your Money Back (*see website for details -- dogchow.com)

Is crafted here in the USA, with high quality ingredients, since 1926. In Purina owned and operated facilities across the country.

Offers a formula selector tool, to determine which formula is right for your dog, on DogChow.com

Dog Chow and Tidy Cats digital coupons are now available to download. Additionally, there will be several other Purina coupons available on the Kroger coupon page.

GRAB YOUR COUPONS! • $2 off Dog Chow Naturals dry dog food• $1 Off Tidy Cats Lightweight Litter• $1 Off Tidy Cats Litter

Follow Purina Dog Chow on Social Media:

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/DogChow/

Twitter- @dogchow

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/purinadogchow/

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/purinadogchow

Get Ready For Back To School With Campbell Savings and Two Great Recipes #CampbellSavings

2016-07-22T05:10:00.003-07:00

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CampbellSavings #CollectiveBias

It's hard to believe that July is almost over and Back-to-school is just a few weeks away, unless you have a kid in Marching Band like me, then you are already back! You see, marching band kids start school two weeks earlier. The practice 8 hours a day rain or shine. With the horrendous heat wave that's plaguing our region, I'm always concerned about my kid passing out due to the oppressing heat. He is required to bring lunch and a one gallon jug to school everyday, so making sure he stays hydrated and eats healthy is a must, but that's just half of the battle. When a marching band kid comes home they are basically crawling through the front door and they are hangry! Yes, hangry, a mix between angry and hungry to the point of starvation. So this savvy mom always have a quick, easy and kid friendly recipe that saves the day.

Now, if you love shopping at Walmart like I do, for a limited time they are offering online coupons that you can print at home to help you save on great Campbell products for back-to-school. Some of the coupons you can print are:

Pace® Picante Sauce: What I love about Pace Salsa is that it provides a variety of options to add to your meal rotation. Pace® Picante Sauce adds a kick of flavor that never disappoints to snacking and meals. It has a genuine South West flavor that everyone loves.

V8® Fusion® + Energy (Aisle 15): V8 + Energy is a good alternative to the unhealthy options your kids are currently grabbing to get through the day (soda, coffee, snacks). V8 + Energy is a great way to help achieve a healthy lifestyle, while still being an easy option to grab and go. It tastes like fruit, it's nutritious, offering a combined serving of fruit and vegetables (only 50 calories per 8oz serving) and most important is a refreshing energy drink powered by natural green tea. I have a recipe for an energy cream based sorbet using V8® Fusion® + Energy that will blown your mind because of how easy it is (no ice cream machine required). In our recipe we use V8® Fusion® + Energy in Raspberry Vanilla and it gives the sorbet a great taste. Because we also use sweet condensed milk in our recipe the best way I can describe the flavor is that it will taste like a raspberry cheesecake. It reminds me of the "mantecado y frambuesa piraguas" or "raspados de nieve" (snow cones) back in Puerto Rico. So good!!

Campbell’s® Chicken Noodle Soups. Soups that taste great and nourish the entire family. You can put your own twist and add your favorite garnishes to make it special for YOUR family. I love adding sliced avocados and a touch of fresh lemon juice!! My kids go above that and topped it with those tortilla strips you use for salads, yum!

The sweet + savory Italian American flavor of Prego® Italian Sauces (Aisle 11). The better tasting Italian Pasta sauce. A familiar and comforting sauce to serve your family, that you know they will like every time. I like to simmer my meatballs in Prego® sauce instead of frying them of putting them in the oven. Continue reading below and check out our kid friendly recipe using the traditional Prego® Italian Sauce that can be prepared days ahead to help you save time!

All Campbell’s products will be on discount via an online coupon, and if you download all of them, you can save up to $5 on Campbell's products.

Recipes

Spicy Garlic Cheese Bombs with Prego® Italian Sauce

Ingredients

Makes 8 large cheese bombs

1 can of refrigerated biscuit dough

Fresh Mozzarella cheese

Dry curated Italian Salami with spices and herbs

2 tsb melted butter

1 clove of garlic, minced

Spicy garlic seasoning

Red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust working surface with flour, butterfly biscuit dough and add a generous amount of Mozzarella cheese and dry curated Italian salami. Wrap the dough around the cheese and salami. Make sure edges are tightly seal and gently proceed to form a ball and place in the baking sheet. Bake until 13-18 minutes until golden brown. Once they bake brush the top with melted butter, spicy garlic seasoning and red pepper flakes.

Creamy Raspberry-Vanilla Energy Sorbet

Ingredients

1 cans of V8® Fusion® + Energy in Raspberry-Vanilla

1 can of sweet condensed milk

1 can of blood orange sparkling blood orange soda

Directions

Combine ingredients in the blender and mix for 5 seconds.

Pour mixture in individual molds and freeze overnight. If you can't find blood orange sparkling juice, you can always use lime-soda instead. Scrape the sorbet with a fork to fluff and serve immediately.

Easy Spanish Paella With Chicken, Duck Sausage and Seafood #RecetasParaMomentos

2016-06-20T10:26:00.001-07:00
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Kroger. All opinions are mine alone. #RecetasParaMomentos #CollectiveBias

Easy Spanish Chicken, Duck Sausage and Seafood Paella

Hay una receta para cada momento especial con Kroger!
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There’s a recipe for every moment we value with Kroger!

A few weeks ago, my local Kroger had a “Taste of Spain” event and for the first time they were selling paella kits. I was so excited to see the “paelleras” displayed as soon as you entered the store, because for the longest time, I've been wanting to make Spain's most famous dish: that sumptuous combination of saffron rice, chicken and shellfish known as paella. I mean, coming from a Puerto Rican household were rice is part of our daily diet, I questioned how complicated could it really be?

The reality is that making Spanish paella sounds easy, but it takes a bit of practice to master. Making paella is similar in concept to risotto, but with the added bonus that the trick is not to stir the rice. Cooking a paella requires high heat for sautéing and then moderate to low heat for simmering. The flavor base of the paella, sofrito is traditionally a mixture of onion, garlic and fresh grated tomato. Make sure it's well cooked to give the paella a rich deep flavor. Paellas need to be cooked with a good amount of oil. The oil helps keep the starchy rice grains separate and carries the flavors of the sofrito through the dish. If you are using an electric cooktop or if your burner is too small your paella could tend to cook more on one side than the other, so if this is the case, you must rotate the pan for even cooking or finished it in the oven.

This recipe is intended to show you the basic steps of a paella. By any chance this is a traditional paella but a latin-inspired paella dish since we are using Latin style rice instead of the traditional Calasparra or Bomba Rice, and Sazon with Azafran instead of saffron.

All the ingredients for this recipe can be found at Kroger. I really like shopping at Kroger because it has great quality food and always at low prices. I can also find recipes and entertaining tips to help me stretch my budget and create dishes that are delicious and save me money.

I love shopping at Kroger because they have quality, affordable brands that make life a little easier and eating more delicious, all under one roof! Kroger lets me focus on budget friendly meals. I adore their app and I use it at least 3-4 times a week. I'm constantly loading online coupons directly to my Shoppers Card and my shopping list. I can also view Weekly Ads and quickly add Weekly Ad items to my shopping list and let's not forget Kroger FREE Friday download that you can redeem in store within 2 weeks.

When it comes to Kroger products one of my favorites is Private Selection™ mainly because they carry gourmet and artisan products and the brand places an emphasis on fresh, authentic ingredients.

Kroger brands stretch from corner to corner of the store, with over 10,000 quality items that families know they can trust. These include Kroger, Big K®, Wholesome@Home™, Fresh Selections by Kroger®, Home Sense®, Comforts for Baby®, Private Selection™ and Simple Truth®. Plus, stay on budget while feeding your family meals they’ll love with our P$$T…™, Check This Out... and Heritage Farm™ brands.

Now my local Kroger is AMAZING! I feel so spoiled because it has a Starbucks shop inside, an amazing flower station, they sell gourmet cheeses, and fresh raw seafood. They also have fresh-baked brick-oven pizza and a sushi bar where you can order your favorite sushi meal. But that's not all, they also added a gorgeous olive & antipasti bar that is divine!

There is a recipe for every moment we value. Paellas is one of those special dishes that bring people together at the table because is a dish that its meant to be shared. When I make Paella I serve it family style. We eat it from the perimeter and work our way toward the center.

PAELLA DE POLLO, ALMEJAS Y MEJILLONES

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SPANISH CHICKEN, DUCK SAUSAGE AND SEAFOOD PAELLA

Author: Liza Cardona

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of Kroger Simple Truth organic stock

1 package of Sazon with Azafran (Saffron)

¼ cup Simple Truth Extra Virgin Olive Oil

5 Kroger skinless chicken thighs

11/2 cup of smoked duck sausage (or any sausage or chorizo of your liking)

2 tbsp sweet paprika (Pimenton)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 large red pepper, julienned

One small onion finely chopped

1 cup green beans

2 fresh tomatoes grated (or use 15oz. can crushed tomatoes)

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups medium grain rice

½ cup Kroger frozen sweet peas

2 lemon cut in wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

Add chicken stock to sauce pan and bring to a slow boil. Add 1 package of Sazon with Azafran (saffron) and salt to taste. Turn off the heat add leave stock to be infused with saffron mix. You can find the rice and the Sazon on aisle 5!

Place paella pan on burner on medium high heat. Add olive oil till you see light smoke. Add chicken till it browns. Add paprika, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and brown the duck sausage. Return chicken to the pan, add sofrito of grated tomatoes, onions and garlic, stir well. Saute for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock to paella pan. Stir all ingredients well. Bring to a boil. Add rice and mix well. Once you add the rice and have mixed well, do not stir paella again. Lower temperature to a low heat and simmer rice for 20-30 minutes depending on your heat source. When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid but it's still wet (about 5 minutes before the rice absorbs all the chicken stock) Cook mussels and clams according to package instructions and add them to the paella.

Once you can not see any more liquid. Turn off heat, cover with a towel for 10 minutes. The rice will continue absorbing the stock and all its delicious flavors.

Remove the cover and garnish with peas, red pepper and chopped cilantro. Squeeze lemon to the paella and place lemon wedges around the cooked paella for presentation.

To test whether the paella is cooked, use a spoon to taste a little rice from the edge of the pan – this rice will be cooked last as it's the furthest away from the heat in the centre. When ready, the rice should be tender yet firm to the bite. If it's not cooked, pour over a little more hot stock or boiling water. The socarrat (soh-kah-raht, from the verb socarrar, which means to toast lightly) is the caramelized crust of rice that sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pan and is considered the tastiest part of the paella. To ensure you don't miss out, increase the heat at the end of cooking, paying close attention to the sound of the rice (it crackles) and the smell (toasty but not burned). After one or two minutes, poke under the foil with a spoon; if you feel just a touch of bumpy resistance on the bottom of the pan, you've got socarrat.

Click here to find your nearest Kroger location.

Atlanta’s Top Latino Chefs Host Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration at JP Atlanta

2016-06-02T12:07:00.001-07:00

Renowned Latino Chefs Julio Delgado, Hector Santiago, Carlos Casals and Pablo Colon partner on heritage dinner to benefit Ser Familia

Atlanta, Ga. (May 31, 2016) – Join downtown Atlanta’s newest dining destination JP Atlanta and Executive Chef Julio Delgado for a Puerto Rican heritage celebration as he joins forces with Atlanta’s top Latino chefs for an unforgettable evening filled with festive music, food and drinks. On Sunday, June 12^th, Chef Delgado will team up with chefs Hector Santiago of El Super Pan, Carlos Casals of Cherokee Country Club and Pablo Colon of Ritz Carlton Atlanta to treat guests to a global dining experience with a Puerto Rican-inspired four course menu and wine pairings. A portion of proceeds will benefit Ser Familia, a local charity that strengthens, revitalizes and equips the local Latino community.

Guests will enjoy an interactive dining experience as each chef will provide insight on their dish and how it was influenced by their strong heritage. The reception will begin with live music and specialty cocktails featuring Don Q rum at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $55 per person and includes specially curated wine pairings. Space is limited. To book your spot at this special dinner, please call (404) 523-4004 or visit www.jp-atlanta.com.

WHO: Chefs Julio Delgado (JP Atlanta), Hector Santiago (El Super Pan), Carlos Casals (Cherokee Country Club) and Pablo Colon (Ritz Carlton Atlanta)

WHAT: Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration Dinner

WHERE: JP Atlanta (230 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, Georgia 30303); Complimentary valet parking

WHEN: Sunday, June 12^th – Reception at 6:30pm; Dinner at 7:00pm