Davio's Cooks for Charity, Headshots + Handshakes and Doggies + Daiquiris

Fashion, Food & Furry friend lovers - We have three fun, stylish and very delicious events for you to attend!

Atlanta influencer and Doggies on the Catwalk runway model, Chris Watkins, along with his friends at Davio's and the AC Hotel Buckhead, have created "Headshots + Handshakes," "Davio's Cooks for Charity" and "Doggies + Daiquiris," just for you and to benefit the Doggies Foundation.

 Headshots + Handshakes: Thursday, May 10,  6:30-9p at the AC Lounge.

This is a networking event and headshot party benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk. Come network and mingle with Atlanta professionals at AC Hotel Atlanta Buckhead for professional headshots for your LinkedIn, website, or business profile. Enjoy drink specials throughout the evening. Headshots are $50 made payable onsite as a tax-deductible donation benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk.

Next up: Davio's Cooks for Charity May 15th, 5-10p

We didn't know our boy Chris could throw down in the kitchen...

Chris teamed up with the awesome team at Davio's Atlanta to host Davio's Cooks for Charity event on May 15th. He helped put the smackdown on the evening's charity dish, Penne Pasta w/ Applewood-Smoked Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes, Walnuts, and Cream where 100% of the sales benefit Doggies on the Catwalk.

Chris will be hosting the night and wants to see you there! Make a reservation on OpenTable at the link provided or contact the restaurant at 404.844.4810. https://www.opentable.com/davios-reservations-atlanta

Last but certainly not least:

Doggies + Daiquiris: Monday, May 21, 2018, 6-8p at the AC Patio.

This is a fundraising event benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk. Come learn about Doggies on the Catwalk and there benefactor Canine Assistants and meet the adorable service animals while enjoying doggie-themed daiquiris on the dog-friendly patio. Onsite donations benefit Doggies on the Catwalk.

So mark your calendars for these three fabulous events and support Chris Watkins and Doggies on the Catwalk! Bring a friend or two!

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Phipps Plaza strengthens luxury offerings with Jeffrey expansion

Southeastern lifestyle destination continues its evolution with fashion and dining additions

Phipps Plaza, Buckhead’s most acclaimed luxury shopping, dining and lifestyle destination, is pleased to announce the expansion of luxe brand Jeffrey. Enhancements to the high profile boutique build on the center’s much-anticipated mixed-use redevelopment and complement recent openings of new, chef-driven dining experiences. Long recognized as Atlanta’s premier shopping destination, Phipps Plaza has continued to successfully blend vibrant, high-end retail brands with an iconic mix of curated dining and entertainment offerings.

“We are beyond thrilled to be expanding Jeffrey at Phipps Plaza – offering our customers even more of the best collections from all over the world,” said Jeffrey Kalinsky, founder and president of Jeffrey. “The expansion will help us focus on offering a more comprehensive collection for men.”

Offering carefully edited fashion pieces and highlighting only the best of the best, Atlanta-born Jeffrey will begin the expansion of its prominent storefront this spring. Shoppers will soon be immersed in a familiar warm, fun, friendly and service-driven environment in an expanded 11,922 square foot location, set to be completed this fall.

“Jeffrey remains as one of the Southeast’s most highly coveted fashion labels, and we are proud they have selected Phipps Plaza to call home,” said Carol Cox, area director of marketing and business development for Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square. “We are committed to the transformative evolution of the property through continued first-to-market introductions, as well as discerning luxury brand expansions to offer our guests more of what they love at Phipps Plaza.”

To offer its shoppers a dynamic dining environment, Phipps Plaza has welcomed two first-to-market restaurants – Savannah-based Daniel Reed’s Public Kitchen & Bar and James Beard Award winning-chef Michael Schwartz’s first outpost of Genuine Pizza. In the coming seasons, Atlanta culinary favorite Ecco and Grand Lux Cafe will offer guests an even more robust selection of high-caliber dining options.

Phipps Plaza recently announced its premier mixed-use redevelopment, headlined by the arrival of a new Nobu Hotel and Nobu Atlanta Restaurant. Additional elements of this dynamic  new development call for a unique, curated dining experience; a 90,000 square-foot Life Time® Athletic healthy living and entertainment destination; and a 12-story Class A office building, complete with a three-story lower level parking garage.

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Event Recap: Luxury Garage Sale Grand Opening Atlanta

Luxury Garage Sale

Atlanta Pop Up

(l-r) Vickie Kirbo kirbyourstyle.com, LGS CEO Trish Lukasik, E. Vincent Martinez, Ashley Stamoulis suthingirl.com

E. Vincent Martinez & Jovita Moore

Luxury Garage Sale Atlanta

closes May 15, 2018

On Wednesday, April 25th, over 100 fashion forward Atlantans descended upon Luxury Garage Sale's pop-up boutique in bustling Inman Park for the official grand opening celebration.  An intimate affair,  guests shopped coveted luxury brands for 90% off of retail prices such as: Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Celine, Prada, LV, and much more, while enjoying savory corn hush puppies and tuna tartare bites from The Brasserie and Neighborhood Café at PARISH, bubbly, Wild Heaven craft beer, and the signature cocktail of the night, made with Cathead Vodka, Luxury Living. Additionally, hitting record pop-up sales, 10% of the night’s proceeds benefitted Doggies on the Catwalk, the acclaimed 501c 3 founded by E. Vincent Martinez. 

Open until Tuesday, May 15, Luxury Garage Sale’s Atlanta pop-up, is located at The Shops at Highland Steel (240 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, Ga). For more information on Luxury Garage Sale, visit luxurygaragesale.com. 

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Luxury Garage Sale Grand Opening Soiree - Atlanta Pop Up

Popping up for one month this April 15 through May 15, 2018, coveted Chicago-based upscale consignment brand, Luxury Garage Sale, is inviting fashion-loving Atlantans the opportunity to shop a curated collection of high-end designer consignment including top-selling brands like Hermès, Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton along with boutique overstock at up to 90% off retail prices.  The pop-up shop will be located in the heart of bustling Inman Park - providing shoppers a true boutique ‘luxe for less’ experience featuring stand-out designer clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories for women, one-on-one styling, full service consignment services, and more.  Their team of style experts also makes personal house-calls to help consignors vet their pieces and appraise them for those looking to consign new or lightly used luxury items.  

Join us as we celebrate the official grand opening of the Luxury Garage Sale Atlanta pop-up shop in Inman Park this Wednesday, April 25th from 7 to 9 p.m. Sip champagne, bites from The Brasserie and Neighborhood Café at PARISH, a selection of Wild Heaven craft beer and more.   

Benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk, for this evening only, 10% of proceeds will go towards the acclaimed 501c 3 founded by E. Vincent Martinez. Special guests and Doggies on the Catwalk models Vickie Kirbo of Kirb Your Style  & Ashley Stamoulis of SUTHINGIRL will also be in attendance and ready to host you!    

RSVP to rsvp@carenwestpr.com and we will make sure you’re on the list!

Luxury Garage Sale’s Atlanta pop-up, is located at The Shops at Highland Steel (240 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, Ga.) right by Pure Barre and across the street from Char.  

Get ready to shop ’til you drop! 

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Giant sculptures return to Atlanta Botanical Garden on May 5

THE GIANT TOPIARY EXHIBITION Imaginary Worlds returns May 5 to the Atlanta Botanical Garden with an all-new menagerie of living plant sculptures. The show runs through Oct. 28 and can be seen at both the Midtown and Gainesville locations.

Photos: Atlanta Botanical Garden

Imaginary Worlds first lumbered into the Garden in 2013/14, returning now by popular demand and mostly with creations that have never been seen before. The sculptures, which will be seen inside and out, are mostly custom-made and come from  the nonprofit International Mosaiculture of Montreal.

The  sculptures — steel forms covered in soil-and-sphagnum moss and planted with thousands of meticulously groomed plants — will be staged in 14 installations. In Midtown, look for a giant phoenix towering over the Alston Overlook, as a mermaid lounging beside Howell Fountain, a massive dragon and sleeping princess near the Great Lawn, a peacock inside the Fuqua Orchid Center, and three camels making their way through the Skyline Garden. The Gainesville landscape, meanwhile, will see such characters as a friendly ogre, panda bears and frolicking frogs.

The process began taking root about six months ago when conceptual drawings were done in Montreal, metal frames were fabricated and plant palettes were chosen. The empty frames were shipped to Atlanta in January, where the Garden’s horticulturists began covering them with a mesh fabric and stuffing them with soil. More than 200,000 plants, mostly annuals, were inserted one by one. The sculptures were built in sections and planted inside a greenhouse outside the city, then trucked to the Garden when the weather warmed for assembly. 

The exhibit is free with Garden admission ($21.95; $15.95 ages 3-12; under 3 and Garden members free in Midtown). From May through October, the Garden is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; and 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Thursday featuring illuminated sculptures and Cocktails in the Garden. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.876.5859.

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MOTOAMERICA’S SUZUKI CHAMPIONSHIP DESCENDS ON ROAD ATLANTA THIS WEEKEND

The MotoAmerica Suzuki Championship descends upon Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia this weekend, Friday April 13 through Sunday, April 15, 2018.  This can't-miss event includes three full days of motorcycle road racing, freestyle BMX, skateboarding, stunts, and live music… plus Tony Hawk and Friends getting rad on a 40-foot skate/BMX ramp on Saturday and Sunday.  If all that's not enough, the event features The Wall of Death motorcycle stunt riders, an interactive kids zone with Stryder bikes, a pump track, Mini Moto exhibitions and bounce houses, and renowned DJ Jayceeoh spinning a special set on Saturday.  While the demos, skating, BMX and motorcycle stunts and races last all weekend, Hawk will be skating on Saturday only on his personal, state-of-the-art vert ramp brought in just for the event. 

Five classes will compete in the Suzuki Championship at Road Atlanta: Superbike (Saturday and Sunday), Supersport (Saturday and Sunday), Junior Cup (Saturday and Sunday), Twins Cup (Saturday) and Stock 1000 (Sunday). Practice and qualifying will be held on Friday and Saturday. Additionally, WERA will race its 1000 Superbike class on Sunday.

Action enthusiasts looking for the full experience, can treat themselves to VIP Full Throttle ticket packages that includes entrance to the incredible M2 Lounge — luxury suites and stages that deliver the ultimate viewing experience for all the action. Besides complimentary food and drink, VIP goers will experience meet-and-greets with riders and Maxim magazine hostesses, escorted pit lane access, and a chance to walk the track and see first-hand the twists and curves that make MotoAmerica one of the world's most exciting new sports. 

MotoAmerica’s Full Throttle ticket package will cost $119 prior to April 11 and $149 after April 11, and that package is nearly sold out. Premier VIP Parking is available for $50 prior to April 11 and $75 after April 11.  There is also a VIP Full Throttle ticket package that includes entrance to the M2 Lounge – luxury suites that deliver the ultimate viewing experience for all the action. The VIP Full Throttle ticket package is available for $299 for the two-day experience.

For more information, the full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit http://motoamerica.com. 

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POUR DECISIONS: North Georgia's Wineries

by Therra Gwyn Jaramillo

ABOVE: Tiger Mountain focuses on fine, dry, white European wines and has a list of awards as long as the mountain views from the property’s 75-year-old Red Barn Café. Photo by Wendy Palmer.

Awards keep growing for North Georgia’s picturesque wineries. Why not raise a glass or two in their honor?

IF YOUR BUCKET LIST includes filling yours with wine, North Georgia is a fine place to start. The state has some 50 wineries (impressive considering the challenges of grape-growing in the Deep South), with most in or near the mountains, tucked into bucolic niches and spread across rolling landscapes.

Photo: Stonewall Creek Vineyards

While other wine regions are undoubtedly more famous, don’t discount Peach State grapes as a secondhand rosé. North Georgia wine country delivers killer views and a rural charm that will relax you even before the sipping starts. The area also produces wines that win regional, national and international awards.

Admit it, wine is sexy. Oenophiles discuss the body profile, the legs and the finish in a provocative way, and it all means something. Body is how the wine feels in your mouth. The legs are judged by how much liquid clings to the glass. Thicker, slower legs mean a higher level of alcohol or sugar. The finish, or aftertaste, shows quality.

Whether you’re wine-confused or a wine connoisseur, Georgia’s vineyards welcome you. We quaffed at three grape-producing gems in Rabun County, where they craft thousands of bottles of red, white and dessert wines annually.

If you need a place to stay in Rabun (these wineries don’t offer lodging), try Lake Rabun Hotel, built in 1922 and the last of its kind. Think Old Europe meets rustic-but-genteel American South. Each room ($114 and up) is different, and named rather than numbered. (Details: lakerabunhotel.com or 706.782.4946.)

When plotting your own wine getaway, don’t discount vineyards near Dahlonega and at Château Élan in Braselton. All that wine isn’t going to drink itself.

12 Spies Vineyards

Founder/winemaker Mike Brown dismisses the idea that the everyday person is not a wine expert. “Do you know what you like? Then you’re an expert at what you like,” says the former financial services executive.

Photo: Wendy Palmer

The whimsical tasting room (which Brown built, along with the winery) lends itself to easy conversation and new friends made over a glass or three (perhaps why 12 Spies received a TripAdvisor certificate of excellence). The vino veranda has country views defined by layers of green and a wood-burning oven for pizza parties. Tastings are $1 per pour. The Cabernet Franc alone is worth the trip. 12 Spies also makes an aptly named, for Southerners, Bless Your Heart muscadine (less sweet than others).

Brown says the winery’s name is from the Old Testament and came to him as he sat in church. The wines have playful names, too, like Holy Moses Red and Lordy Mercy, a Seyval blanc and Petit Manseng blend.

Brown doesn’t enter contests. Yet. But his business has grown from some 500 cases in 2012 to a probable 3,000 this year. For him, it’s about the wine and especially enjoying the people who enjoy the wine.

Details: 550 Black Branch Road, Rabun Gap. 706.490.0890. 12spiesvineyards.com.

Stonewall Creek Vineyards

Stonewall Creek’s valley view is striking, and its wines won multiple awards at the 2016 Georgia Trustees Wine Challenge.

Uncork and unwind in the homey tasting room or on the expansive covered patio, which overlooks 3,000 precisely planted vines and the rise of Glassy Mountain.

Co-founder/winemaker Carl Fackler, a retired orthopedic surgeon, now uses his tactile skills on the vines. Everything is done by hand, from planting and harvesting the grapes to labeling every bottle in the 900 cases produced each year.

Photo: Wendy Palmer

Leftover wine goes into fine wine jellies, served with cheese and crackers in the tasting room. You’ll often find Fackler and wife Carla there, conversing with visitors. Max the dog will wag you inside.

Red wine lovers will love Stonewall Creek. Its Cabernet Franc is an award winner; the mild, tasty 2015 Malbec is aged 12 months in French and Bulgarian oak. The Malbec is named Three Eagles, for the couple’s sons, all Eagle Scouts. Tastings here are $10 for six samples or $6 for three samples.

Details: 323 Standing Deer Lane, Tiger. 706.212.0584. stonewallcreek.com.

Tiger Mountain Vineyards

In 1995, a fifth-generation family farm became Tiger Mountain Vineyards, the first in the area and the first vinifera (white Mediterranean grape) vineyard in Georgia. At 100 acres, it’s still one of the largest.

Photo: Wendy Palmer

John Ezzard, who made his living as a urologist, was born on the farm in 1936, and founded the winery with wife Martha, a onetime columnist and author (The Second Bud, Deserting the City for a Farm Winery). He died in November, but you might meet Miss Martha, who at 77, still is a force of nature.

Tiger Mountain focuses on fine, dry, white European wines and has a list of awards as long as the mountain views from the property’s 75-year-old Red Barn Café. That list includes prestigious international honors.

Your many choices here include whites (a one-of-a-kind, late-harvest Petit Manseng) and reds (go for the Malbec). The challenge is deciding which of the eight wines to taste for the $10 it costs.

Each May, Atlanta’s Seed & Feed Marching Abominables visit to perform and “wake the vines” for growing season. This year, that happens May 12.

Details: 2592 Old 441 South, Tiger. 706.782.4777. tigerwine.com.

***

 ELSEWHERE IN GEORGIA

Cavender Creek Vineyards

Five acres of vines produce Norton, Petit Manseng and cabernet sauvignon grapes. Two of Cavender’s 2016 reds are award winners. Tastings are $12 for four samples, with the option of adding a shot of “wine shine” (apple or peach) for $3. Also tempting: the sangria and wine slushies. Stay on-site in the 1820s log cabin ($225 nightly), and relax on the porch with Tinkerbell and Tucker, two Great Pyrenees who look after the place. Donkeys and free-range chickens will keep you company, too. 3610 Cavender Creek Road, Dahlonega. 706.867.7700 or cavendercreekvineyards.com.

Château Élan Winery and Resort

The granddaddy of Georgia wineries was founded in 1984 and recently changed ownership. There’s much to do on its 3,500 acres: You can go gourmet at mealtime, stay a few days, swim, play golf, get married, take cooking classes, disappear into the spa and, of course, drink wine. Should you tire of wine (???), grab a pint at the Irish pub. Tastings are $25 for seven samples; $63 buys eight samples, a guided tour, and a sampling of chef-selected cheeses and seasonal goodies. 100 Rue Charlemagne Drive, Braselton. 678.425.0900 or chateauelan.com.

Photo: Kaya Vineyard and Winery

Kaya Vineyard and Winery

Numbers tell the tale here. You’re at an elevation of 1,600 feet and can take in views from a 2,000-sq. ft. front porch. Fill your glass with the reserve chardonnay, a 2017 award winner, or any of 19 other estate-grown varietals. Tastings start at $14 for five samples. On-site cottages open to guests this summer. Kaya holds its annual “Jeeps in the Vines” party on April 25 (live music, dozens of Jeeps and, of course, wine). 5400 Town Creek Road, Dahlonega. 706.219.3514 or kayavineyards.com.

Montaluce Winery & Restaurant

Italian-style la dolce vita (the sweet life) is served daily. Montaluce’s wine and food are 2017 North Georgia Top Chef and Wine Tasting winners. Tastings are $18-$23 for five samples (white only, red only or mixed). Montaluce also makes mead. Weekend wine hikes are $45. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily, with a Sunday brunch that includes chef-made cinnamon rolls. 501 Hightower Church Road, Dahlonega. 706.867.4060 or montaluce.com.

Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery

The first Georgia winery to win best in class and double gold medals at both the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles International competitions offers Napa Valley-style opulence. Tastings are $20 for six samples. Lunch and dinner (reservations required) are served in the Vineyard Café. Ask about the gourmet winemaker’s dinner. Check out the library and 19th-century wine artifacts. 180 Wolf Mountain Trail, Dahlonega. 706.867.9862 or wolfmountainvineyards.com.

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