Archive for category Vinings
Cochise Club in Vinings
Posted by thunsicker in Living, Vinings on September 21, 2011
One of the best parts of living in Vinings is the inexpensive neighborhood club we have – The Cochise Club.
The Cochise Club is a neighborhood swim/tennis club with a fabulous playground and grounds for members. We also opened a new Club House this year that members can rent for parties and events.
The pool at Cochise Club.
The new club house at The Cochise Club in Vinings, with the children's pool in the foreground.
The playground at the Cochise Club in Vinings.
Most families with children belong and the swim team is very social and allows the children who all seem to go to different schools get to know each other and become friends. There is a very active ALTA tennis team as well which I’m not involved in but I know they are good and very social as well.
The pictures here are from the Labor Day Fish Fry (it wasn’t rained out but the attendance was sparse due to the weather). The weather didn’t stop my son from having fun and several of his friends that made rivers and lakes in the mud during the rain. Oh well, they had fun!
The Cochise Club in Vinings’ dues have changed recently so don’t take this for gospel but its under $3,000 to join and the quarterly dues are only $125. There has always been a wait list, so depending on the time you apply it may be a year or two to get in.You can find the definition for who is eligible on this website and it is truly for homeowners in Vinings Village…if you have less than a 1/2 acre and are not in 30339, don’t even bother to check the availability as you won’t be able to join.
* Since the Club flooded in 2009, the website pictures for the Club are outdated, as is much of the contact information.
Pool games at the Cochise Club...Chase's loot from the coin dive.
Getting ready for the Labor Day Fish Fry at the Cochise Club in Vinings.
The Cochise Club t-shirt shows the swim team sponsors in Vinings and part of what the kids get for participating in the swim team. They also get trophies, ribbons, towels, etc.
Muddy boys playing in the rain at The Cochise Club in Vinings.
At The Cochise Club for for Chase's end of the year party, we had a really fun inflatable water slide.
We had some field games for the kids during the the end of the year party too.
Pizza Places in Vinings
Posted by thunsicker in Living, Restaurants, Vinings on September 14, 2011
There are many local pizza places to choose from and one thing I’ve learned is that everyone has their own preferences. Some like thick crusts, some thin, some like a lot of sauce, some prefer less.
It seems like everywhere we go with children’s functions they are serving pizza or chicken nuggets, so usually I’m leaning toward ANY other type of restaurant….but with a child their preferences rule in many cases, so I try to lean towards a pizza place with a more extensive menu where I can get something else and let my son choose where he wants to go.
Without a doubt Chase always chooses “my soccer coach’s place” – St. Angelo’s on the West Side of Vinings off of Log Cabin Drive at 4686 S. Atlanta Road. His other favorite pizza place is “pizza and a train” – New York Pizza Exchange on the train tracks in Vinings, at 2810 West Paces Ferry Road.
There are many other places including Mellow Mushroom (in Vinings Village) and Mulberry Street Pizza (across 41 from Kroger). I run by there for lunch quite a bit since it seems to be on my route going everywhere and has easy parking. They can get you a slice quickly while you sit and watch the news on their TV’s.
St. Angelo’s is owned by Vinings residents Cecilia and Sean Rowe and they are very involved in all things Vinings, so Chase knows them and likes to go there and feels like he knows the owner. They give him dough to play with and he can watch them make the pizza.
With my son making some of our dinner decisions, I love going to St. Angelo's in Vinings so he can eat pizza and I can have a salad.
St. Angelo’s has a very fun family night on Thursday where kids eat for $0.99 and that includes their fountain drink, carrot/celery and ranch dressing, a slice and gelato – can’t beat it. Then I can have a salad, cheese bread and even an adult beverage if I’m in the mood.
The breadsticks at St. Angelo's are also really good!
We’ve been going to “pizza and a train” (New York Pizza Exchange) since Chase was a baby (he’s still mad at his mom for helping to stop the whistle blowing as the train is passing thru Vinings). He still rushes to the window or insists we sit right next to the tracks.
I’ve heard that many people love the pizza at West Vinings Village; I think its called Blue Moon Pizza, but that’s not as much on my daily path.
I was addicted to Pero’s Pizza for years as my office use to be next door in the shopping center where Houston’s is and we still go to Pero’s quite a bit for other types of Italian food. The thing is they don’t have a children’s menu, so I’m thinking they don’t encourage kids? They’re always nice to us so I can’t imagine that’s it, but in this day and age I thought everyone had a children’s menu!
When Chase wants his “special mac and cheese” which is basically Alfredo sauce instead of cheddar and he wants to make Italian bread dipping sauce, which he is very good at making “our” special recipe, we go to Maggiano’s at Cumberland Mall and have regular Italian sans pizza.
I’d love to hear what your favorite pizza places are in Vinings as well!
Dog Walkers in Vinings – Loving the Cooler Temperatures!
Posted by thunsicker in Living, Vinings on September 12, 2011
Obie, our Portuguese Water Dog
I’m loving the cooler temperatures! With it brings out tons of walkers all over Vinings and Obie (my Portugese Water Dog) and I are among the crowd.
Vinings is only four square miles but it’s all sidewalks and you can pick your areas if you want flat or cardio challenges like the hill on Randall Farm, upper Cochise and N. Elizabeth!
I’ve walked them all and find the same people no matter what area of Vinings. I think we all explore the different streets and since I’ve been doing this for at least 10 years, there probably isn’t a single house that I haven’t looked at. Someone will say “I live on the xth house on Laramie” and I know which one it is.
I’m always surprised when I meet someone that I didn’t know lived in Vinings and they tell me which house is theirs and I remember five years ago when they did their last addition.
The other “destination” that many of us frequent with dogs is the Fire Station. If you didn’t know they have a bowl of water and biscuits for the dogs. My little boy likes to go there and watch them wash the fire engines.
I was disappointed as many were when we lost the Starbucks where we could go and get our coffee and sit outside with our dogs in the morning and read the paper. Well I guess now I’d read my iPad instead anyway!
Walkers, and a few four-legged friends on the streets of Vinings.
Local Three – I crave the organic burger on the Big Green Egg
Posted by thunsicker in Buckhead, Restaurants, Vinings on September 6, 2011
Two of my most favorite restaurants that I frequent often are Buckhead’s Local Three and Muss & Turners in Smynings.
I may not be a true food critic, but if you live in 30327 or 30339 and have not been to these restaurants you’re really missing something. I crave the organic burger cooked on the Big Green Egg smoker and just about every special they come up with.
I still haven’t been to one of the Sunday brunches at Local Three but its on my list of must do’s. They are usually booked a couple of weeks out, but you know everything will be “special”… they smoke their own bacon! Anyway, I highly recommend it and enjoyed this review so I thought you would too.
A Review of Local Three from Christina & The Kitchen
The owners of Atlanta's Local Three.
Local Three was opened by three locals … Ryan Turner, Todd Mussman and Chris Hall. Todd and Ryan are from Food Studio (and that pretty much explains why I LOVE this place, right there … FS was one of my all time faves!), and Chris was the chef at the Sundial Restaurant.
Todd and Ryan are the fathers of the famed Muss & Turners in Smyrna. I believe the three met at a charity event, and talked beer, wine and pig, and, while Chris was thinking about opening his own place, LOCAL THREE was born. It’s said that Todd & Chris = “Back o’ the House” and Ryan = “Front o’ the House”, but I’ll tell ya, they all three feel like the whole thing is their sole responsibility. For instance, Chris has welcomed me at my table a couple of times, and came out to greet patrons I’ve sent in, too. Good Folks, these guys.
They’ve got a great thing going, driven by an awesome philosophy, which is, plain as day, out there for everyone to see: People Matter Most. Local is Priority. Seasonal Makes Sense. Authenticity Rules. Quality Governs. Delicious Trumps. Pretense Stinks. Comfort Feels Good. Appreciation Tasted Better. Prudence Sustains It All.
Get it? WOW — that right there makes me want to hang out with them (and eat, of course)!
So … I decided that I’d let the rest of Atlanta have a taste of what I got and realize what a gem they have right there, on the northside of town, and wrote a review on YELP! And wouldn’t you know … Chef Chris wrote me a nice little note back!
Here’s my review of Local Three:
They had me at their Daily Operating Philosophy.
Chef Chris Hall and Todd and Ryan (of Muss & Turner’s) have this one NAILED! They’ve opened Local Three in the old Joel location – but don’t let that steer you away … Fortunate to have a fab kitchen, I don’t think they changed much there, but the decor was just so “last year”, as was the food. Local Three looks and feels not one bit like Joel, and I couldn’t have been more impressed.
I had the opportunity to visit Local Three last week and was completely blown away. I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and have a discerning palate for all types of food – boiled peanuts and popcorn included. Their bar “snacks” are fun, not fussy. (yes, I said “boiled peanuts” – YUM).
The bar was warm, inviting, yet a little elegant. PERFECT for a drop in drink, a drink before dinner and even dinner! The selection of beer was outrageous (I was warned) as was the bourbon and whiskey list. We chose a nice bottle of wine (I’m not too knowledgeable on the brown stuff), although, the cocktail list was also quite impressive. The service, even though they were pretty tight, was awesome – I felt like we were the only two in the place – we never had to ask for a thing.
Our lobster gnocchi, grilled flatiron, pan seared (Georgia) trout, salads – EVERYthing – was perfect.
Atlanta needs more places like this. The place is “just right” (which I think is what the boys want it to be). It’s a bit of a local place, a bit of a night out for dinner place, and even more so, a place you want to come back to soon.
Go. Now. Be prepared to “sit deep and stay long” – they live by their philosophy and they want to get to know you … I can attest to this.
Piece of Cake Open in Vinings
Posted by thunsicker in Living, Vinings on September 1, 2011
Piece of Cake open in Vinings at the corner of Paces Mill and Cobb Parkway.
Piece of Cake opened in Vinings yesterday!
Samples of all their cakes and some Farmers Market types of items. Stop by and see the manager, Cary Thorpe! This is definitely a wonderful addition to the Sweet Treats in Vinings options!
I have always loved Piece of Cake in Buckhead and have frequented there throughout the years when the occasion arises. I still think Piece of Cake has the freshest cakes as they bake them right there and the smell is to die for! I am so excited about them coming to Vinings!
They are located in the Kroger shopping center at the corner of Paces Mill and Cobb Parkway.
Piece of Cake Vinings
3220 Cobb Parkway #101 Atlanta, GA 30339
770-643-7770
M – F: 9AM – 5:30PM; Sat: 10AM – 2PM
Map and directions
A temporary sign hangs at the new location of Piece of Cake in Vinings.
Piece of Cake in Vinings is offering salads made by a company in Marietta. What a great idea!
Sweet Treats in Vinings
Posted by thunsicker in Living, Restaurants, Vinings on August 31, 2011
I want to keep people updated on all things Vinings….including places I have tried to avoid…. There are three sweet treat places in Vinings that we have intentionally passed by for caloric and financial reasons. Its at least $8 for my son and I to stop by at any of these places it seems.
ColdStone Creamery
Yoforia
CamiCakes Cupcakes
Cami Cakes is the newest sweet treat shop in Vinings, and they have wonderful combinations of flavors in their cupcakes.
The newest entrant is the CamiCakes Cupcakes at 4338 Paces Ferry Road. (There was a cupcake place there before but I went once and the cupcakes were too small for the price.)
CamiCakes are large cupcakes and approximately $2.65 each…. and I’ve become addicted.
I have told many friends how deadly the salted caramel chocolates at Costco are and now I’ve discovered this CamiCakes Salted Caramel Cupcake. They have many great combinations, the Pineapple Coconut is another one that I’m thinking about right now.
I have always loved Piece of Cake in Buckhead and have frequented there throughout the years when the occasion arises. I still think Piece of Cake has the freshest cakes as they bake them right there and the smell is to die for! But due to convenience CamiCakes may be stealing me away.
As of September 1, there’s a Piece of Cake store in Vinings!
Yoforia in Vinings is a healthy alternative to some of the other sweet treat places nearby.
I know Yoforia is the healthiest alternative, but I really don’t crave anything there and the three children I’ve polled don’t like it either. They usually prefer the Coldstone Creamery ice cream or Cami Cakes as well. But if you’re trying to eat healthy and still want a treat – Yoforia is probably the answer.
Most everyone loves a big bowl of ice cream on a hot day, especially the kids!
Now onto the ice cream, Coldstone Creamery has been here for awhile and most people know about it, but if you’re shopping in the Vinings Village or need a place to take the kids on a hot summer day, nothing is better than a refreshing scoop of your favorite flavors.
All of these sweet treat places are walkable in Vinings Village and I know many make the drive to Menchie’s (in Paces Ferry Plaza by Houston’s) for their yogurt as well.
Yankee By Birth, Southerner By Choice
Posted by thunsicker in Vinings on August 26, 2011
Ok, ok, I don’t want my Pittsburgh friends to get mad at me. This topic made me think while I was at the beach recently in New Jersey with a sorority sister from college. I had such a great time and so enjoyed seeing her, my brother, sister-in-law and their children that it makes you think about where you live and wish that you could see them more often.
Twenty years ago via a job opportunity I moved to Atlanta, sight unseen. I remember my first real estate agent. I think I drove her crazy looking all over the city. We settled on a rental on Moores Mill in Buckhead back in 1992. It was a great house – (no longer there, torn down a few years ago) with a pool and large back yard. I’ve always had a dog, so a yard was important to me.
The house on Moores Mill was less expensive than my townhome in Washington D.C., where I had moved from. …a townhome was about all I could afford there. The housing values were definitely different in Atlanta and still are!
I would say the first two years were quite an adjustment and then I spent so much time traveling for work that I didn’t really get involved in things locally as much. At first the thing I noticed in Atlanta was that people didn’t talk about national news here. Maybe it was the circles I was traveling in at the time, but it was a big change for me coming from working across the street from the White House.
As my year-long rental came to close, my agent helped me find new construction on Log Cabin (in the neighborhood Chapel Hill of Vinings), and that was the first place that really started to feel like home. We had neighborly Friday drop-bys, neighborhood holiday parties, and actually a group of us went on a ski trip together. I’m still in contact with many of the group from Chapel Hill of Vinings.
The railroad tracks that run through Vinings, a unique four-square mile area in metro Atlanta, that I call home.
As a matter of fact, it was the movement of this group of people from our “starter homes” to the bigger lots across the railroad tracks into Vinings that got me wanting to make the move as well.
So in 1998, I bought the lot/house that I now call home in Vinings. I’ve been building and remodeling since it seems, with the last major work being done in 2005 – landscaping and an addition of a pool. I think I’m “done” now, but being in the real estate business has taught me that you are never “done” with your home. The updates keep changing and of course there is always maintenance that I keep up with monthly through the help of a great handyman.
Vinings Village, an exceptional shopping resource in Vinings.
Now almost twenty years later from that first move to the South, our Vinings home is truly our home. This is the only home my little boy has really known and the sidewalks, Vinings Village, the walking ability and the amount of long-time owners here makes the four square miles known as Vinings very unique.
I think many of the young families moving to Vinings now grew up here and have always considered it home and have finally reached the point where they can afford to step up to the bigger house as I did 13 years ago. And I have a funny feeling that – God willing – we’ll be here another 13 years in the same house…
Click here to see homes for sale in Vinings.
Prudential Georgia – Buckhead Office
“Flipping Out” – Cottage Industry Construction should be the next star!
Posted by thunsicker in Atlanta Home Builders, Buckhead, Interior Design, Preparing Your Home For Sale, Vinings on August 24, 2011
Maybe you’ve watched the television show Flipping Out on Bravo, maybe not. I get a kick out of it because sometimes when I’m dealing with (or a client is dealing with) builders and designers we probably feel how the star, Jeff Lewis, often feels in this program.
A custom home built by Greg DeLoach of Cottage Industry Construction in Atlanta.
I have a real life Vinings/Buckhead answer to the remodeling/building nightmares: Cottage Industry Construction, owned by husband/wife team Lauren and Greg DeLoach. They have been friends and clients of mine for years.
Greg is a builder with a building degree from Georgia Tech and Lauren is a designer with a degree in Interior Design from the University of Georgia. Lauren regularly works with Greg’s clients drawing plans, space planning and making selections. Greg is amazing at keeping the project on time and on budget.
Everyone will have to sell their house someday and I often get calls when people are remodeling or building wondering what a prospective buyer’s preference would be, or asking me how important something is.
Greg and Lauren have a sense of what needs to be done at what price point with houses. She can select lighting fixtures for a $300,000 house or a $3M house and make them both look timeless and current.
On the TV program, Jeff Lewis does both design and building as well and he has a staff that he’s constantly firing or having issues with because it really is a tough job to marry the two.
Trying to keep on schedule (and on budget) is always a challenge and by working with a couple that is literally married I think the builder gets the answers he needs a lot quicker from the designer!
Greg, Lauren and I had a standing joke that I could sell all of their houses in “1” day. I think it took 3 days one time. Anyway, their talents of building, design and experience are worthy of making note. I want the DeLoach’s to start their own TV program, and of course I want to be the agent to sell all of their gorgeous houses!
Cottage Industry Construction has two projects going on in Buckhead currently, joining with great names in architecture locally. I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of them in the future.
I’m including some pictures and their contact information if you know of someone interested.
So stay tuned!
Cottage Industry Construction
Greg DeLoach
404-227-0621
gregkdeloach@yahoo.com
A picture of a kitchen before and after, benefitting from the work of Cottage Industry Construction.
The most elegant ping pong table I have ever seen. Beautiful!
A kitchen designed and remodeled by Lauren and Greg DeLoach of Cottage Industry Construction in Atlanta.
A sophisticated and warm kitchen. Love the chairs at the bar!
A lovely, inviting entry way designed by Lauren DeLoach of Cottage Industry Construction.
Review of Vinings Fish Company
Posted by thunsicker in Restaurants, Vinings on August 23, 2011
I should preface my commentary of Vinings Fish Company by saying that I am not a “foodie” or a cook, so I don’t necessarily have the knowledge to comment on anything….but I do like to eat!
Based on my experience, I love the atmosphere at Vinings Fish Company and they were super nice to my little boy.
Inside at the Vinings Fish Company
Main Dishes
I had the crab cakes as that’s somewhat of my test to determine if a restaurant is good or not as I try them everywhere. The crab cakes were excellent and served with mashed potatoes and green beans and plated very pretty. I wish they had some sort of sauce with them, as that is usually a determining factor if I’ll crave them or not.
They do have the children’s menu with fish fingers, fried shrimp, and the normal kid food like mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwich, etc.
I look at this restaurant as kind of fish “purist”, nothing fancy for the sauces, but great seafood. I’d go again.
Comments from My Dinner Companions
“I had the sautéed snapper and added crab. Fabulous.”
“On the shrimp and grits – I liked the red sauce, but I was surprised by it because I’m used to the brown roux in Charleston. Maybe people in different areas prepare it differently. It looked a little like a Creole dish, but without the heat! The grits were really yummy!”
Dessert
The children’s menu comes with a mini-sundae which my son loved of course. The fried banana sundae – very delicious, but too much, needed to split it with someone. (Who can eat a whole banana and ice cream after a meal!?)
The key lime was good but milder than I normally like with a bit more tang.
The Scene
The wine menu is extensive and covers most anything you’d like as well.
The bar is chic and was hopping by the time we left which was close to 8pm and I did recognize quite a few people there so it is a great spot to see Vinings and Buckhead people. Those I knew were Buckhead people, so they are headed our direction on their Friday out as well.
Join Us for Dinner Tonight: Vinings Fish Company
Posted by thunsicker in Restaurants, Vinings on August 19, 2011
Well, I’ve decided I have to personally try each restaurant in Vinings with friends and children and get locals’ comments.
Join us tonight at Vinings Fish Company!
Tonight we’re trying Vinings Fish Company. I’ve wanted to try it for awhile and have stopped by for a glass of wine with friends, and saw that they have a childrens menu, so tonight we’re going.
I also found out that if you live within walking distance – (which many of us do) you can eat on the patio with your dog! They’ll actually bring your dog a bowl of water. More on dogs and Vinings soon…
You’re welcome to join us at 6pm for a fun experience. I’ll post our comments and pics when we’re done. Click here to see what we thought of Vinings Fish Company.
Here are some of the reviews I found online and we’ll post our own after this evening. Feel free to join us!
Review of Vinings Fish Company on Yelp.
Review of Vinings Fish Company on OpenTable.
Review of Vinings Fish Company on UrbanSpoon.
Tina’s review of Vinings Fish Company.
Here’s the address:
Vinings Fish Company
4300 Paces Ferry Road Southeast
Vinings, Georgia 30339
(678) 888-9036
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