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.
Atlanta area summer camps
Posted by thunsicker in Atlanta Summer Camps, Living on August 30, 2011
Fun at the Westminster Summer Day Camp in Atlanta.
Well now summer camps are over and next year may be a year of new camps for many. I thought I’d capture any input that people have from their Atlanta-area summer camp experience in 2011 so in January when we start booking again, we all may know some new things available.
I thought I’d write this post to share ideas on what camps I know of and to get input from others on camps they use and the ages they are appropriate for.
Since Chase was 4 1/2 I’ve sent him to summer camps. They are different lengths based on the child’s age and most seem to have before and after care if you don’t have time in your schedule to pick them up at odd times during the day.
This past summer I had scheduled him for 7 weeks of camps and ended up cutting it back by 1 week. As a working mom I think summer camps provide an organized play date for your children with a combination of relaxing/swimming time as well.
I do think that next summer I will cut it back to 5 weeks of camp to give him more flexibility to go to the beach etc. That doesn’t mean I won’t try to sign him up for a surf camp somewhere as well!
Most schools will have programs and it really depends on your child’s interest as to which ones you choose. My son has gone to the following:
Age 4:
Camp Wildcats (ages 4-7) at Westminster and Westminster Summer Day Camp (ages 4-13).
Pace Camp at Pace Academy
Haverty Hollow in Garden Hills has a camp for younger children (ages 3-5 for Preschool Camp and ages 5-10 for Frog Hollow Camp) at Garden Hills Recreation Center.
Age 6:
A “real” camp experience, including a good old fashioned mud game, can be had at Josh Powell Summer Day Camp
A whole new world has opened up. Chase can now go to Josh Powell Summer Day Camp which they take a bus out to the country everyday. This camp is very rustic and a true “camp”, there is running water but its cold.
Update 1/14/15: Sadly, just learned that Josh Powell Summer Day Camp has closed.
He’s also able to go to Westminster Summer Camp, Pace Camp and Lovett Summer Camps.
Haverty Hollow will allow 6 year olds to come to Frog Hollow at their main location on E. Beechwood off of Northside Parkway.
There are tennis and swim camps offered at the Cochise Club as well. I know all of the programs expand as they get older. I have several friends that prefer the academic approach to camps and are sending their children to “camp” as the Schenck School. It’s a great summer program to help give your children an academic boost for the next school year.
Chase isn’t old enough for sleep away camps yet, but I’ve heard a lot of girls go to Greystone as they get older and I saw a friend post that her daughter went to another sleep away camp this summer as well.
If you’re reading this, please post any camps you like and what age and sex they are appropriate for as I’m sure I’ll be looking for them in the next year or so as well.
Tips for Planning Summer Camp Schedule
- I know I start booking for most of these in January and February – I’m sure many think I’m crazy, but you’ll be wait listed if you don’t!
- If you wait until March to register for camp, most have filled up.
- Westminster is available to book late January as is Pace.
- Josh Powell is usually early February as is Haverty Hollow.
- Returning campers usually get booking priority.
- It requires careful coordination as most don’t run on the same two-week schedule.
- Most will allow refunds of fees up until May 1st, then you’re stuck with what you’ve booked back in January.
- I try to leave at least three weeks free for beach time and at least one “do nothing” week at home, especially the week before school starts so they are well rested up from the summer fun!
What camps have you used? Let’s try to put together a more comprehensive list as a tool for next year!
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
Real estate trends in Buckhead’s 30327 zip codes
Posted by thunsicker in Data and Statistics, State of Real Estate Market on August 17, 2011
For the 30327 Buckhead market the trend is very different than the Vinings real estate market in 30339. What we’re seeing is consistent sales that are the same as last year, not down like Vinings.
The interesting thing about the Atlanta zip code 30327 in Buckhead (and I know this to be true from my clients who are looking to purchase) is that the inventory is really low.
We don’t see many new homes for sale in Buckhead entering the market and the inventory is getting eaten up so prices have stabilized more. I fully expect to see prices begin to increase slightly in 30327 as demand continues to increase and inventory does not.
Is now a good time to move up to a larger, better home? It may just be.
If a client is trading up this is still the time to do it, but for those downsizing or having to participate in this market for relocation purposes it still remains tough.
Statistically we are back to 1998 pricing. So if you think your house was worth “x” in 2005 that’s not the value anymore. Think back to what it was worth in 1998 and that’s what you’ll most likely get in today’s market.
I also run a Case-Shiller index for my clients to help exhibit what that value most likely is for their home.
Give me a call or text to 404.931.3944 or email tinahunsicker@hotmail.com if you’d like me to provide this free analysis for you.
Real Estate Indicator Tool: Case-Shiller Index for individual properties
Posted by thunsicker in Data and Statistics, State of Real Estate Market, Vinings on August 15, 2011
This Vinings home was listed at $575,000, which is a price we determined using the Case-Schiller Index report I can run on an individual property in metro Atlanta.
I have a listing in Vinings now that has an interesting real life example of value, and how the Case-Shiller Index has valued it over the years since they purchased it.
My clients purchased this home in August of 2004 for $677,500 and the home in August of 2011 is currently on the market for $575,000.
It is hard for people trading down, but this client is trading up and realistic about the market.
It can be difficult for most clients to understand this concept of the devaluation of our properties, but this is a saavy client in the financial industry and they completely understand the nature of our real estate market in metro Atlanta. These clients are looking to trade up, so they know they’ll reap the benefits of the depressed pricing on the purchase side.
The tax assessment on this home is still $623,550 and I’m sure many other benchmarks would show a higher value, but we’re ready to sell and priced right.
A Case-Shiller study is a great analysis to do on any purchase to help determine the current fair market value. As a professional REALTOR, I have many data-oriented tools like these at my disposal. Combined with my experience in the market, I use them to help my clients determine the right price to pay (or to list) for a home in this fluctuating real estate market.
An individual Case Schiller Index report for a Tina Hunsicker’s real estate client in Vinings (Atlanta).
Check it out: Finely Frugal Blog
Posted by thunsicker in Interior Design on August 12, 2011
Scalamandré Fabric and Fred Reed Antique French Botanicals Meet Ballard’s Backroom Outlet Tables and Steinmart Lamps!
The Splurge: Hand painted frames with high quality mats and gold leaf inserts from Fred Reed Picture Framing in Atlanta. Look at the detail of the hand painted border and the indented corner at outer edge of the frame.
The Save: Gold painted resin sunburst mirror and laurel wreath plate holders from Hill Street Warehouse in Atlanta.
The Pièce de Résistance: Antique French botanical prints we found on our 10 year anniversary trip to Paris. Here is the element of meaningfulness that a space needs.
Check out the new blog: Finely Frugal. You’ll love Michelle’s sense of style and her abilities!
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