Warming up for Spring Break 2016
Posted by thunsicker in Uncategorized on February 19, 2016
I can’t be the only one who is ready for Spring! It always seems like winter drags on until I get to go on Spring Break! I’ve also been talking to friends and Chase’s friend’s parents to see where they’re spending their vacations and have gotten some great tips.
One of the great things about living in the Vinings and Buckhead areas is access to Atlanta’s international airport. Having a major airline based here means that whether you a looking for warmth and sunshine, fresh powder on the ski slopes, or a family friendly cruise, you can probably find a direct flight to wherever you want to go. And as anyone with children knows, minimizing your travel legs means minimizing headaches and maximizing precious vacation time for families.
Fun in the Sun
Sting Ray City, Grand Cayman
- Grand Cayman is known for its luxury hotels and condos on 7 Mile Beach, its coral reef diving and snorkeling and for swimming with the rays at Sting Ray City.
- Belize – your family can charter a sail boat for a snorkeling and diving trip inside the barrier reef, hopping between Caribbean islands and then head inland for a rain forest canopy tour.
- Costa Rica : Costa Rica is really growing in popularity for families; I was amazed how many American families I ran into last time I was there on Spring break 2 years ago. From rain forest eco/adventures, volcano viewing trips, to surfing in the Pacific Ocean, there are lots of fun things to do there.
- Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands : if you want to feel like you’re really getting away but haven’t gotten everyone in the family a passport yet (or the kid’s passport renewal snuck up on you!) these American territories have lots of options less than a 3 hour flight from Atlanta.
- Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas is one of those places that seems to pop up every time I talk to friends about vacation plans. I haven’t been yet but a lot of friends love it for the water slides and adventures.
photo credit: itravel2000.com
- Beaver Creek in Avon, Colorado is a popular resort not far from Vail that friends of mine love. I took Chase there for his first ski trip, as the ski schools are excellent and its a quaint resort with everything near by. Denver and Vail airports serve the area. You can get bunny slope lessons for the little guys and black diamond slopes for the daredevils!
- Steamboat is another central Colorado ski resort that is a popular spring destination with friends.
- Park City, Utah is a short drive from Salt Lake City (with lots of direct flights from Atlanta on Delta) is a really pretty town in the Wasatch Mountains, with plenty to do even if you are more a fireplace-and-cocoa person than a ski slope person. My favorite resort there is Deer Valley with top class service and very convenient to town.
- Lake Tahoe is accessible from both Reno NV and Sacramento CA. With dozens of resorts surrounding the lake, it’s known as much for its spectacular scenery as for its great ski options.
Ski Lake Tahoe
- Royal Caribbean was recommended to me by a friend for their great kids programs. If you love the ease of cruising, they have great options. My friends that have recommended it love cruising, but I wasn’t thrilled with being on vacation with 5000 other people and being herded everywhere. My son loved it and basically its a floating hotel. We traveled on Oasis of the Seas which was new then and one of its bigger boats. I may have had a different experience if we had gone on a smaller ship.
- Disney Cruise is another very family friendly cruise option (the secret being that they are also very parent friendly too!) Many of my friends like it and have taken extended family. If I were going to do a cruise again I’d probably try them to compare. At the time they seemed more limited in their destinations with most of the boats going to their “private” island versus the more popular ports we went to in Cozumel, Jamaica and Haiti.
Eater Atlanta’s Classic Atlanta Restaurants List
Posted by thunsicker in Uncategorized on February 16, 2016
Eater Atlanta is a great place to keep up with the latest and hottest food trends in the Atlanta area, but they have gone back to basics with this list of 20 Classic Restaurants Every Atlantan Must Try. These are restaurants that have been open for at least 20 years, places where a couple may have celebrated both their first anniversary and their children’s graduation. The list concentrates in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta, but I noticed several are here in the Vinings, Buckhead, and Marietta area:
- Canoe, with its serene location on the bank of the Chattahoochee River here in Vinings makes you feel like you’ve escaped to the country side. their menu has evolved over the years but always stayed true to its upscale southern roots.
- Ray’s on the River is just a few miles upriver from Canoe. They have just celebrated their 30th birthday and keep generations of Atlantans coming back for their classic surf and turf menu.
- Horseradish Grill has been keeping upscale southern cuisine fresh for over 20 years. It’s the perfect spot for a meal before strolling across the street for a show at Chastain Park’s Amphitheater
- Marietta Diner is a short drive north up I-75 and has been offering classic American diner food for just over 20 years. Open 24 hours so you can get your burger or dessert craving satisfied any time.
- Petite Auberge tucked away in the Toco Hills Shopping Center has been serving fine French cuisine to Atlanta’s diners since 1974. Food trends may come and go but this classic has maintained a loyal clientele that speaks to its timeless appeal.
- Bone’s in Buckhead is inarguably Atlanta’s quintessential steak house, and has been a go-to spot for special occasion celebrations for decades.
- Buckhead Diner keeps the decor retro and their classic diner/southern menu updated at their Piedmont Road location.
Atlanta is a vibrant, quickly evolving city with a world-class food scene, but there is a reason these classic spots have lasted for so many years. Next time you’re looking for a tried and true but still delicious meal, I encourage you to check out the whole list at Eater.
Atlanta Birthday Parties for Kids
Posted by thunsicker in Atlanta Kids, Uncategorized on February 3, 2016
I’ve written about planning Chase’s birthday parties a few times over the years; it’s fun to stay on top of what’s available in Atlanta because not only do kids grow up fast, their interests and hobbies change as they get older. I’ve always tried to plan a theme or venue that really reflects who Chase is as a person so I’m always asking friends for recommendations or researching to see what’s new.
Last year, I wrote about Main Event on Cobb Parkway, a great indoor facility with games, laser tag, a rock climbing wall, and even a sports bar for adults. Main Event is still a favorite with Chase’s friends and I think it’s a good option to keep in mind for winter birthdays.
photo credit: 365atlantafamily.com
Another place that seems to be popular no matter the age of your child is LEGOland Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza. They have DUPLO for toddlers on up to rides for older children and all the LEGOs you could possible want to build with! They even have a LEGO box kids can jump into!
Zip lines, ropes courses, sky bridges for the gravity defying adventurer, Treetop Quest has 3 locations in Dunwoody, Buford, and a new location in Roswell. One of the cool things about this place is that the activities are self guided so once you are trained on the safety equipment, you can go through the course or zipline as many times as you want.
photo credit: classic-paintball.com
Paintball is really popular with the older kids (and adults) and can be a really fun group activity. Most paintball facilities will reserve a field for groups of 10 or more on weekdays.
- Dosser Works Paintball in Atlanta (near Turner Field) has a zombie themed course- perfect for kids who are in the “gory” Halloween costume stage. You can bring your own party food to their picnic area but they also offer concessions like hotdogs and snacks.
- Classic Paintball in Lithia Springs has 5 fields and an urban course to choose from. They also have picnic areas and pavilions for your birthday party treats.
- Georgia Paintball has two fields in Acworth and Dallas Georgia. They have a castle, a western town (called Dodge City) and wooded courses and they offer packages and specials for groups at both locations.
photo credit: boxycolonial.com
For the nature lover, Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell has birthday party plans that include hiking, animal interaction, and a nighttime planetarium theme. They tailor parties for different age groups and every party package includes a cookie cake. They host a lot of great programs and events including a butterfly festival and a summer camp so they’re a great local resource for nature-loving families.
Members at the Center for Puppetry Arts can book a birthday party with tickets to a show and a party room. You can add a build-you-own puppet workshop to the party package and each guest will have a puppet to take home with them.
I don’t have as much experience with planning parties for girls but my friends with daughters tell me that their girls are really into their American Girl dolls so the American Girl Boutique & Bistro at North Pointe Mall in Alpharetta might be the perfect spot to celebrate. They even have a doll hair salon!
photo credit: huffingtonpost.com
Or if your little lady (or gentleman) enjoys a lovely cup of tea and a tower of delicious scones and cakes in elegant surroundings, several of Atlanta’s top hotels offer afternoon high teas:
- The St. Regis Atlanta offers an elegant Afternoon Tea at Astor Court Friday – Sunday.
- The Ritz Carlton Buckhead’s Lobby Lounge has two seatings each afternoon Wednesday – Sunday with live piano entertainment.
- Four Season’s Park 75 Afternoon Tea is available with seven day advance reservations for parties of ten or more.
For the budding artist, the Vinings School of Art right here in Vinings offers several different art class packages for birthday parties. Your child can choose the project they create and instructors will guide the guests through
I also ran across a great list of birthday party ideas for children in Atlanta including Fernbank, the Georgia Aquarium, Young Chef’s Academy and more. Just click on the highlighted words to get taken to their sites.
SOLD: 5617 Vinings Place Trail
Posted by thunsicker in Atlanta Real Estate, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Uncategorized on February 2, 2016
With its great indoor/outdoor spaces, this home is an entertainer’s dream. Located in a great swim and tennis community with a large landscaped yard, you’ll be ready for summer BBQs and cool fall evenings around the fire pit.
5617 Vinings Place Trail, Mableton
The living areas are bright and spacious with a great flow for entertaining. The breakfast and great rooms have windows on three sides and flow into the huge living room.
A warm kitchen with hardwood floors also opens onto the sunny breakfast area and the vaulted great room with its stacked stone fireplace and views of the back yard.
The large main-floor master suite has coffered ceiling details and one of the home’s three fireplaces which is double sided and opens into the master bath. Fresh, neutral paint and carpet make it ready for you to personalize.
Three upstairs bedrooms are generously sized, including a mini-master and a huge bonus room which could also function as a second floor lounge, media, or hobby room.
The basement “man-cave” even has a batting cage!
The decks and back yard face the back of the neighborhood with a tranquil green space – no neighbors overlooking.
Can’t you just see yourself making s’mores around the backyard fire pit? And the covered seating area under the deck is a great spot for your grill.
This home is packed with great features and is completely move-in ready. Check out the full listing here with even more photos and details. And as always, please contact me with any questions about this great home or to set up a time to view it.
Overview: 4.051 sq. ft., 4 bedrooms/4.5 bathrooms, 2 car garage, pool
Schools: Harmony-Leland/ Lindley/ Pebblebrook
Listing price: $389,000
Berkshire Hathaway Chairman’s Circle 2015 Gold Agent
Posted by thunsicker in Berkshire Hathaway Home Services on February 1, 2016
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Georgia Properties is pleased to announce that Tina Hunsicker has been named as one of the Berkshire Hathaway Chairman’s Circle Gold Agents as a result of nearly $13 million in real estate sales for 2015!
Five (More) Reasons to Love Vinings
Posted by thunsicker in Uncategorized on January 21, 2016
photo credit: LuAnn DeMeo
Atlanta Magazine has just published an article listing five reasons to love Vinings. From it’s charming “downtown” district with boutique shopping and dining to it’s established, family-friendly neighborhoods, access to both the city of Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, the list highlights a just few of the reasons we love living here. We all know there are more than 5 things to love about Vinings! And with the sidewalks connecting all of us, it truly is a Village!
What do you love about life in Vinings?
Time to register for Atlanta-area Summer Camps!
Posted by thunsicker in Atlanta Summer Camps on January 8, 2016
- The Westminster School offers summer programs for every interest for ages 3-18. Registration begins January 11.
- The Lovett School has a variety of camps for grades K-8 this summer starting in June with Camp Lovett and 2 July Jamboree sessions with traditional camp activities. Registration is currently open.
- Pace Academy has Paceketeer Camp for ages 3.5-5 and Pace Camp for grades K-5. They offer both half and full day sessions. Registration opens January 15.
- Georgia Tech’s CEISMC Summer Camps for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) concepts. Registration opens in mid-February.
- Club Scientific, another science camp in Atlanta (They have LEGO robotics!!!). Early Registration has already started.
- Alliance Theatre Drama Camps offers summer theatre camps for ages 3 and up. Registrations begins January 11.
- Kids Tennis hasn’t listed their programs for 2016 yet, but offers tennis and golf camps. Check their Facebook page for updates.
- St. Martin’s Episcopal Day School has a fun Jr. Mad Scientist camp as well as athletic and arts camps for ages 4- 8th grade. Registration begins February 1 and they have multiple camp dates throughout the summer.
- Atlanta MJCCA offers over 100 summer camp programs and will be in 4 locations in 2016-Dunwoody, Emory, East Cobb, and North Fulton. Their returning camper registration begins January 10, first time campers, January 17.
- Dwyers Adventure Camps is now accepting registration for children aged 5-12. They are offering a special for sign-ups before January 15 too!
- NYO Sports offers a wide variety of sports camps as well as year-round sports programs; they are currently accepting registration.
- Bitsy Grant Tennis and Golf Camp a tennis and golf camp located conveniently in Buckhead; registration begins in February.
- Dan Perez Baseball Camp is a baseball camp for boys and girls 5-12 years old; accepting registration now.
- Chastain Park Art Camp has a variety of art camps. Registrations is through Atlanta iParks or call the Art Center for details.
- YMCA Buckhead, registration now open for children 5-18
- Forefront Arts Theatre Camps offers 55 Summer Drama Camps in 14 locations around Atlanta; Camps available for children 3k -20. They are currently accepting applications.
- Dunwoody Nature Center begins registration for members February 1; open registration begins February 15. They will be holding a Summer Camp Open House January 24.
- Marist offers sports camps but the Boys Fun Camp, which is all boys and they get to play old-school games all day, comes highly recommended. Word is there is going to be a Girls Fun Camp this summer as well. Their site says they are still finalizing their schedule for 2016 so check back soon.
- Emory University hosts a variety of sports camps throughout the summer as well as a LEGO-based Bricks for Kidz camp with a STEM focus. They also have a program for the “Talented and Gifted” that your child will need to qualify for but its super pricey. Chase qualified so I looked into it and its more than a sleep away camp.
- High Meadow Summer Camp in Roswell is a traditional outdoor day camp; open registration for campers 3-14.
- Children’s Museum Atlanta Imagine It! Camps offer adventure, science, drama, and creativity camps.
- Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell host Camp Kingfisher, a nature camp for children 4-rising 9th graders. Their registration begins January 25.
- Club SciKidz is a science and technology camp for boys and girls ages 4-15. They have locations throughout the metro Atlanta area. Currently registering for camps beginning June 6.
- CampMODA: a Design Thinking Camp is being presented by the Museum of Design Atlanta at 4 locations: MODA’s Midtown campus, The Lovett School, GA Tech’s College of Architecture, and First Presbyterian Preschool on Peachtree. programs are available for children ages 5-14 are are now registering for summer sessions.
- GA Tech Lacrosse Camps focuses on older children looking to polish their lacrosse skills but has both day and overnight camps for boys and girls ages 8-18.
For those of you with Boy and Girl Scouts:
- Camp Rainey Mountain in northeast Georgia is filling up fast so get registered soon! They offer over 70 merit badges, activities like hiking, whitewater, climbing, and an ATV program, and high adventure programs.
- Scoutland on Lake Lanier offers camping for Cub Scouts and Webelos. Their locations allows them to focus on aquatic activities.
Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta has 4 summer camps:
- Camp Meriwether in Luthersville, GA is best known for it’s equestrian programs. Check out their Open House January 24.
- Camp Misty Mountain in Amurchee, GA in north Georgia is a traditional north Georgia mountain camp with hiking, equestrian programs, canoeing. They will be holding and Open House, Troop, Family and community Fun Day May 22.
- Camp Pine Acres is located on Lake Allatoona and is known for its water sports programs. Their Open House will be held February 21.
- Camp Pine Valley south of Atlanta doesn’t offer overnight camps.
- Camp Timber Ridge in Mableton, GA has STEM leadership programs, outdoor cooking, and more. They will be having an Open House January 31.
I’ll also link to a post I did a couple of years ago that has a great list I got from Camp Meri Mac.
Hope this list helps you with your summer planning!
Atlanta’s International Markets
Posted by thunsicker in Uncategorized on December 2, 2015
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We love getting a little extra time with friends and family as we get ready to head into the holiday season. As many of you know I had lived in Washington DC prior to moving to Atlanta and the volume of international food restaurants and shops was very large. When I first moved here in 1992 Atlanta’s population was only 3 million people and now its over 6 million, so along with the doubling of our population, so has our culture and the international food places we have to choose from. I have a client that moved here from the Northeast this summer and ended up renting out in Alpharetta. She was commenting to me that we aren’t very “European” here, and I think that might be her perception from the burbs, but here in the City we have just about anything you could ask for.
It seems like even people who normally eat from the take out menu more than they cook are in the kitchen this time of year. The holidays are a great time to not only enjoy your family’s traditional dishes, but to add and experiment with new foods and traditions. Atlanta is such a global city that you can “travel” almost anywhere in the world now, just by visiting the international markets we have all over the city.
photo credit: emorycampuslife.org
The “original” world market in Atlanta, Your Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur, has grown and moved around over the years but it stays packed because of the huge variety of spices, produce, wine and beer, as well as the full-service seafood and butcher counters. Chances are, if you’ve heard of it, you can find it there. For me, it’s a bit of a trek from Vinings but it’s a fun place to go if you need something special (or just want to do a little food tourism without getting on a plane.) Kids love looking at the bins of live crabs.
photo credit: city-data
Buford Highway Farmers Market
Buford Highway, called Atlanta’s International Corridor is known for it’s variety of restaurants from Korean BBQ to taquerias and everything in between. There are even a couple of food blogs dedicated to exploring Buford Highway, like EatBufordHighway.com and a MeetUp group Buford Highway Foodies and Southern Foodways Alliance has done an oral history project on it. It’s another great place to get an authentic taco or bowl of pho without having to get a plane ticket, but it’s also got plenty for the home cook to explore in the supermarkets like H-Mart, a Korean market where you can pick up pre-marinated meat to grill along with an entire row dedicated to soy sauces, and the Buford Highway Farmers Market, known for having food from almost every continent.
photo credit: atlantamagazine.com
Closer to home is the new Little Italia marketplace in Westside, so after you have lunch at Pizza Antico, you can shop for your Italian dinner at Bottega Luisa. Someone described it as being stocked like “an exaggerated version of an Italian grandmother’s pantry” with every Italian product you need to make the perfect at-home date night.
Similar to the Chelsea Market Hall in Manhattan and the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco, the Central Food Hall at Ponce City Market in the redeveloped Sears and Roebuck building is a mix of marketplace, dining, coffee shops, grab and go stalls and snacks in an historic Atlanta landmark. With wide variety of offerings from a South African biltong bar to the King of Pops and everything in between, you can do a little globe-trotting under one historic roof.
photo credit : Sarah Dorio
In Smyrna, Nam Dae Mun Farmers Market has a variety of exotic produce but don’t forget to check out the freezer section where you can get any kind of potsticker dumpling you can imagine! I also had to take pictures there when we were shopping recently as they had “Burnt Goat Heads” and some other items that I’m not sure what culture eats and I wasn’t game to try! We found the green, spiky Durian, both fresh and frozen, it is banned on Singapore’s rail network as we found out while visiting there this spring, as well as many airports and hotels in south-east Asia. Durians polarize people. Fans say if you can get past the stink, the flesh has an ambrosial taste. they’re known for their good value. We had a Chef from Oaxaca Mexico stay with us this spring and we were able to find most ingredients she needed to prepare a feast for 25 here at my house. All this and more can be found at Nam Dae Mun which is right off Spring Road in Smyrna and they are close to Vinings and Buckhead so you can avoid a long trek across the city anytime you need a whole fish or an unusual Asian chili sauce. Take the kids when you go, its a great education and maybe they’ll want to try something new!
November Real Estate Update for Vinings and Buckhead
Posted by thunsicker in Atlanta Real Estate, Data and Statistics, State of Real Estate Market on November 11, 2015
October real estate transaction volume is down in Vinings and Bulkhead, but not as severely as it was in September and August which was dramatically down month over month and year over year.
Vinings numbers are somewhat misleading as the transaction volume has been so low that percentages don’t seem relevant. The most notable thing to me was that the average sales price was under $800k, which says the main things selling are pretty close to lot prices, not so much resales.
In Buckhead, sales were down 14% year over year and 8% month over month. Buckhead is a much bigger market, so its most likely a seasonal dip in sales and a lack of inventory in the year over year sales.
Atlanta Holiday Ice Skating
Posted by thunsicker in Living on November 10, 2015
photo credit: getkanga.com
I know many of you didn’t grow up ice skating or roller skating for the most part, but those from the North may be seeking a bit of their past that is rare to find down here in the south. We now have several places you can go this winter to get your ice skating fix. When I grew up, the ice skating rink was the hang out to meet your friends, and when it got really cold we could skate on friend’s ponds. I had friends that would get to know lots of people from different schools from hanging out at the roller rink and down here you can hardly find one! Well, here they are, hope you can enjoy a fun weekend day with your children, or perhaps a birthday party. We do have them, just not as many.
photo credit: stregisatlanta.com
The St. Regis Atlanta Astor Holiday Ice Skating Rink:
November 21, 2015 through January 3, 2016.
- 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm Monday through Friday
- 9:00 am – 9:00 pm Saturday and Sunday
- *Special Hours* December 19 through December 24: 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- *Special Hours* December 25: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- $30 per hour for adults & $18 per hour for children under 16 plus tax and 20% service charge
- Last skate reservation is 8 p.m.
Reservations are recommended. Call The St. Regis Atlanta Holiday Desk at 404.563.7797 for reservations and more information.
Centennial Olympic Park Ice Skating Rink:
November 21, 2015- January 10, 2016
- Monday – Thursday 4:30pm – 10:00pm
- Friday 4:30pm – 11:00pm
- Saturday 10:00am – 11:00pm
- Sunday 10:00am – 10:00pm
Admission is $12.00 per person for a 90- minute session (including skate rental)
Rink @Park Tavern at Piedmont Park
- Monday- Friday 4:30pm-Midnight (21+ 8pm-Midnight)
- Saturday & Sunday 11:30am-Midnight (21+ 8pm-Midnight)
All-day skate for $15 – $20 for all ages until 8pm. At 8:30pm the SW Rink is a 18+ venue until Midnight.
November 21, 2015- February 14, 2016
- Monday-Thursday: 4:00PM-10:00PM
- Friday-Saturday: 3:00PM-11:00PM
- Sunday: 3:00PM-11:00PM
- Holidays: 3:00PM-11:00PM
General Admission is $13.00 with discounts for military, seniors, and students. Call Concierge at (404) 410-4010 for more information.
photo credit: sweet jack.com
I’ve also just learned that an ice rink is coming to Marietta Square this holiday season! It’s scheduled to open November 30. No specifics on hours or admission have been announced yet, but I’ll post more info on Facebook when I get details.
For year-round ice skating and roller skating, check out these rinks:
Marietta Ice Center has hockey league teams but there is also public skating available. Here’s the calendar or you can call or email for more information
- Email: Info@MariettaIceCenter.com
- Phone: 770-509-5067
Center Ice Arena in Sandy Springs offers hockey, curling, special events, and public skating. Here’s the calendar and their contact information
- Email: centericearenaga@gmail.com
- Phone: 404-549-8425
Sparkles Family Fun Centers has several roller skating locations around Atlanta, including Smyrna and Kennesaw. They have public skating but are also set up for parties with concessions and packages.
- Sparkles Smyrna Phone: 770-432-6222
- Sparkles Kennesaw Phone: 770-428-3941
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