Photo Recap: Doggies on the BeltLine

Doggies on the Beltline was a huge success. The well-attended doggie parade and costume contest is a product of Doggies on the Catwalk (DOTC). The organization’s founder, Fashionado’s E. Vincent Martinez wanted to create a family-friendly event for the community and dressing adorable pups in Halloween costumes for a Sunday afternoon party was the perfect way to do so. Well over 100 dogs and twice as many humans marched down the Atlanta Beltline and ended with a big doggie party at Piedmont Park.

A huge thanks goes out to DOTC Foundation sponsors: Atlanta Pet Life Magazine, Harry Norman Intown Office and Piedmont Bark.

Be on the lookout for BIG news coming in 2021!

FASHIONADO

Cosmic Monologues with Artist Gwen Cates

International artist, Gwen Cates, spends her time between Virginia and California. She began painting in the 1960s and has had art exhibits in Britain and the United States. She describes herself as a contemporary colorist, creating experimental and playful abstract paintings in acrylic, often with collage elements. The images have been inspired and grew out of earlier plein air landscapes and figurative work.

Gwen calls the current series of paintings “Cosmic Monologues.” Going deeper into her subconscious and the world of dreams, Gwen reveals fantasies from her imagination. She creates archetypal images and incorporates winged figures, horses and other animals in her compositions. Swatches of fabric, lace, gold leaf and lichen from oak trees are some of the elements that are included in the paintings.

Gwen Cates invites you to her new solo exhibit on November 9th . Her artwork can be viewed on her website: www.gwencates.com / http://www.gwencates.com/biob.htm

What was it like moving from Santa Ynez Valley in California to your new home, the Whiskey Ridge Farm near Charlottesville?

It is important in life to remake yourself every decade or so. When I look at the entirely of my body of artistic work you can see my phases of evolution and personal development. I am a native Virginian and lived and worked here most of my life. I grew up on a farm in Cumberland County and loved painting landscapes and animals. When I went to Art College at Richmond Professional Institute (now called Virginia Commonwealth University) in Richmond, I began painting nudes. This was an exciting phase, and when I met my husband Bill Cates, I remember thinking that he was rather like Adonis. Over the years I became well established as a painter in Virginia, and also in Britain, where I had successful shows of a more metaphysical and mythical nature. When we made the move to California, I needed to use a new color palette. The landscape of Santa Ynez is chaparral, so I had to use warm browns and new earth tones. I was also close to the Pacific Ocean, and so I found new blue tints and hues. I was warmly welcomed into the Southern California art world, becoming active in the Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara art scenes, and I continue to exhibit there. I enjoy the freedom and expanse that the West Coast offers, which is different from the more settled and traditional landscapes of Virginia. I like being free to paint what inspires me regardless of the location. Since I have children on both coasts, I still travel between Virginia and California. This also means that I have a variety of places to exhibit my work, and I get to dance between form and freedom.

After 17 years in California, my husband Bill Cates decided to retire from winemaking, and return to Virginia full time. In the summer of 2015, we bought a lovely farm on a river near Charlottesville, VA. We built a studio in a pole barn near our house and stable. Unfortunately, my husband was in poor health and passed away in 2018. I then went through a difficult period of adjustment and could not focus on my paintings, which lasted for about a year. It was when I started looking at the images of Black Holes that my creative impulse began to return to me. Painting these images has healed me from loss, and in my art studio I have discovered a new way of seeing the world. It is very colorful!

For over 17 years you have been exhibiting your works of art. Has there ever been a painting that you’ve sold in which you wish would have perhaps kept for yourself?

My artwork is in houses and institutions all across the United States, and also Britain. I am thrilled that friends and family across the globe love my work, and collect my paintings. It gives me a sense that I am part of an ever-evolving community of people who trust in the creative universe. There are some paintings that really speak to me that are hard to let go of, because so much of me is in them. One painting in particular, Golden Kite, acrylic with gold leaf and collage elements, is very dear to me, but I did sell it. To me the painting represents our ability to soar above the issues of the world and reach for higher ideals. Fortunately, my cousin, Emmett Richardson, bought the painting and I am happy that he has it. It gives me great joy to visit the homes of people who own and display my work and see the paintings on display.

Your new series of paintings “Cosmic Monologues” is truly amazing, what was the inspiration behind the black holes that you are depicting in your art?

Astronomers have created the Event Horizon Telescope, which is able to reach far into the Cosmos and show images of the colorful auras that surround and encircle Black Holes. Looking at the photographs, I realized that could be an adventure that would help to bring me out of the darkness that I had experienced since my husband of 57 years passed away. I resonated with the Black Holes, because I was experiencing grief, emptiness and was in a metaphorical black hole. I do have basic trust in the nature of life. I knew that eventually the creative force that has always been my friend would return to me. Once I felt ready for a new experience and adventure, I explored astonishing new shapes that came to me out of the potent blackness of my dreams and visions.

Even though I had to endure many days of grief after my husband passed away, I also had the unique opportunity of resting in the unknowable silence, the dark mystery, until the creative urge returned to me. And then it came! After seeing the Black Hole images, I started to enjoy exploring archetypal images with acrylic collage, gold leaf and natural materials. Then as I continued to follow the scientific images of Black Holes in the news, I also became drawn to other exciting phenomena, such as exoplanets. Many of these potent and colorful images will be included in the exhibit.

At 79, I am free to be myself. I understand that self-inquiry is ongoing, and that the creative journey never ends. The Cosmic Monologue and Black Hole series of paintings is my journey from absence to consciousness, from death to life. It is a dialogue with the mysteries of the universe, which always astonishes. I am excited about this new body of work and the upcoming exhibit with Salon @ the Granada. I invite you to come and re-make yourself also in this changing world. Ask yourself this question: what is my current cosmic monologue?

How do you come up with the color pallets when you decide to start a new series? In your new series we find deep oranges, reds and yellows, how did these colors inspire you?

Before I paint, I generally turn music on in my studio and enter a meditative state. Artists learn to dream consciously, and so I enter into a dialogue with my muses. After that, I take out a canvas and my brushes. Sometimes I am inspired by a landscape, while at other times I am painting a dream or vision from my internal world. Colors inspire me. I love playing with brilliant oranges, reds and yellows against deep blues and the almost black hue of Payne’s Gray. Long ago, while studying fine art, I was admonished by my professors for using pallets that were “too hot”.  I am a bit of a rebel, so the feedback did not deter me. At the time I identified with the French impressionistic painters who used such strong colors that they were referred to as the Fauves, the wild beasts. There is also a living wildness within my psyche. I enjoy using a hot pallet and feel that this has been to my advantage when artistically envisioning the Event Horizons and Eccretion Discs of Black Holes featured in my current work. After all, the first time human beings saw a photo of a black hole was this year! I have heard from several art critics, that the vibrant colors used in my current work add to the richness and depth of “Cosmic Dialogues.” This new color pallet also invites the observer into their own creative exploration and creative inner dialogue.

You have an event in L.A. coming soon, are you excited about showcasing your work back in the West Coast Talk to us a little about what your fans can expect.

Cosmic Monologues is an ongoing exploration of archetypal images that are revealed to me as I paint. I am not done yet! At this point in my art career and my life, my goal is to express deep-seated archetypal images drawn from earlier landscapes and figurative paintings.  My goal is to transform these concepts through rich and vibrant color and strong compositions to create powerful and imaginative paintings.  My goal is to astonish myself and to share this sense of wonder with others.

Opening on November 9th  and lasting for one-month, I will present a solo exhibit. Cosmic Monologues takes us on a journey between absence and consciousness. In the spring of this year, when astronomers captured an image of a Black Hole for the first time, I was astounded by the images from the Event Horizon Telescope. After all, Black Holes had previously been unobservable. I was so inspired that I rushed to my art studio, set up a large canvas on my easel, and began to paint the series that will be exhibited at Salon @ The Granada.

Black Holes remain a mystery, yet they invite us to glimpse the unexpected luminosities of reality. Virtual particles move in and out of existence all the time, just as we do. You see, empty space is never truly vacant, nor can our lives ever truly be blank, or meaningless. We can all choose to remake ourselves in each moment.

Bonus Question:

As I am the Fashionado, can you give us a little snippet of what you might wear at the event in Los Angeles?

As far as fashion is concerned, I am an artist and I like to wear clothes that I get paint on without getting upset. When inspiration comes, I am always ready to whip out a paintbrush. On the day of the opening, I do have a blue dress that matches Blue Star Implosion. If it gets a little paint on it, then it will be even more unique. I could even add it to an exhibit later. After all, it is my first art show in two years, and I’m ready to come out with a Big Bang! However, my second choice, in order to relate to the cosmic awareness of a dramatic and shining universe, would be a short V neck wraparound black dress with silver threads running through it. Both dresses are from a small fashion boutique, Altar’d State, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The staff was attentive and supportive in helping me find a style and size that suits me and my upcoming art exhibit at Salon @ the Granada in Los Angeles. The only way to discover what I will have on will be to attend the exhibit!

FASHIONADO

THE 144th ANNUAL WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW EXPANDS TO THREE DAYS IN 2020

“king” Best In Show 2019

The Westminster Kennel Club will expand its iconic dog show to include an additional third day of breed judging at Pier 94 in New York City. The Westminster Week celebration of dogs will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 8, with the Masters Agility Championship followed by the 144th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Feb. 9-11, 2020.

Westminster will continue its annual benched dog show tradition, which offers the public an opportunity to meet and greet nearly 3,000 dogs of 205 breeds and varieties. In 2020, this will include an extra dog show day on Sunday, Feb. 9, at Pier 94. Spectators will now have a weekend opportunity to interact with hundreds of dogs and watch top show dogs vie for a chance to compete in the Groups, which will be held during the evening at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Feb. 10 and Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020.

For 2020, Westminster welcomes a newly eligible breed, the Azawakh, to the competition. Originally from the West African nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, this guardian and hunter has a long history as a companion to nomads of the region. The Westminster Best of Breed winning Azawakh will make history as the first in its breed to compete in the Hound Group at Madison Square Garden. To learn more about this African sighthound, please visit the Media Center or the Azawakh breed page on Westminsterkennelclub.org.

"We are thrilled to offer dog lovers another day to meet top canine competitors from around the world," Westminster Director of Communications Gail Miller Bisher said. “Westminster looks forward to continuing its tradition of celebrating purpose-bred dogs, and their owners, breeders, and exhibitors, by sharing their heartwarming stories and highlighting their achievements in dog sports.”

There are a variety of ticket options on sale now at westminsterkennelclub.org. Also, find a quick reference guide to Westminster event tickets here.

UPDATES: The Westminster Kennel Club welcomes 204 breeds and varieties among 2,630 entries from 49 states and 19 other countries to its expanded three-day dog show featuring the top three breeds per day—Dachshunds, Poodles, and Golden Retrievers—at Pier 94 in New York City from Sunday to Tuesday, Feb. 9-11, 2020. America’s longest continuously held dog show culminates with Best in Show awarded Tuesday evening during the live three-hour broadcast on FS1 from Madison Square Garden. 

Westminster Week kicks off with the Masters Agility Championship on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 with 330 entries followed by the iconic, all-breed, benched dog show including the Junior Showmanship competition with 108 entries. The Masters Obedience Championship with 22 entries will be held on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020.

Dachshunds dominate on Sunday with 55 entries (all varieties) during the Hound breeds judging. Historically bred to hunt badgers because of their tenacious hunting spirit and good nose, today’s dogs excel at assisting police with tracking duties and competing with their owners in Earthdog events.  

Poodles are paramount on Monday with 43 entries (all varieties) during the Non-Sporting and Toy breeds judging. Originally purpose-bred as a retrieving water dog, the Poodle still retains that job today as well as being a wonderful companion and superstar in the Obedience and Agility rings. 

Golden Retrievers grab the top spot on Tuesday with 48 entries during the Sporting breeds judging. Preservation breeders of this traditional bird hunter and field worker are maintaining the breed’s unique characteristics which make them valuable in today’s society as heroes in search-and-rescue work, amazing comfort dogs in the aftermath of tragedy, and brilliant guide dogs for the blind. 

Joining the Westminster roster of breeds for the first time is the Azawakh with 6 entries. This slender sighthound and ancient companion of desert-roaming nomads will debut on Sunday during the Hound breeds judging. 

The 144th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Sunday-Tuesday, Feb. 9-11, 2020 / Pier 94 / Madison Square Garden 

There are 2,630 dogs representing 204 breeds and varieties from 49 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico with the most dogs from California (238), followed by New York (208), Pennsylvania (175), New Jersey (156), Florida (153), Texas (124), and Massachusetts (114). They include Junior Showmanship qualifiers (108) and 101 entries from 19 other countries, topped by Canada (63), Japan (11), and South Korea (5). The farthest entries are from Australia (2) and Thailand (2).

Dog Show Breed Entries by Group 

Sporting (442): Brittanys (19), Lagotti Romagnoli (10), Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes (5), Pointers (17), Pointers (German Shorthaired) (28), Pointers (German Wirehaired) (9), Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay) (13), Retrievers (Curly-Coated) (6), Retrievers (Flat-Coated) (23), Retrievers (Golden) (48), Retrievers (Labrador) (44), Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling) (15), Setters (English) (16), Setters (Gordon) (8), Setters (Irish) (14), Setters (Irish Red and White) (11), Spaniels (American Water) (2), Spaniels (Boykin) (5), Spaniels (Clumber) (9), Spaniels (Cocker) A.S.C.O.B. (8), Spaniels (Cocker) Black (9), Spaniels (Cocker) Parti-Color (7), Spaniels (English Cocker) (11), Spaniels (English Springer) (29), Spaniels (Field) (9), Spaniels (Irish Water) (4), Spaniels (Sussex) (7), Spaniels (Welsh Springer) (7), Spinoni Italiani (13), Vizslas (17), Weimaraners (10), Wirehaired Pointing Griffons (5), Wirehaired Vizslas (4).

Hound (361): Afghan Hounds (17), American English Coonhounds (2), American Foxhounds (4), Azawakhs (6), Basenjis (13), Basset Hounds (8), Beagles, (13”) (9), Beagles, (15”) (18), Black and Tan Coonhounds (5), Bloodhounds (7), Bluetick Coonhounds (5), Borzois (16), Cirnechi dell'Etna (10), Dachshunds (Longhaired) (16), Dachshunds (Smooth) (23), Dachshunds (Wirehaired) (16), English Foxhounds (1), Grand Basset Griffon Vendeens (3), Greyhounds (9), Harriers (2), Ibizan Hounds (12), Irish Wolfhounds (13), Norwegian Elkhounds (8), Otterhounds (5), Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens (14), Pharaoh Hounds (12), Plotts (7), Portuguese Podengo Pequenos (15), Redbone Coonhounds (7), Rhodesian Ridgebacks (28), Salukis (12), Scottish Deerhounds (6), Sloughis (1), Treeing Walker Coonhounds (8), Whippets (23).

Working (399): Akitas (6), Alaskan Malamutes (10), Anatolian Shepherd Dogs (6), Bernese Mountain Dogs (30), Black Russian Terriers (15), Boerboels (5), Boxers (15), Bullmastiffs (16), Cane Corsos (19), Doberman Pinschers (17), Dogues de Bordeaux (8), German Pinschers (4), Giant Schnauzers (15), Great Danes (26), Great Pyrenees (11), Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs (10), Komondorok (1), Kuvaszok (4), Leonbergers (17), Mastiffs (14), Neapolitan Mastiffs (10), Newfoundlands (19), Portuguese Water Dogs (16), Rottweilers (22), St. Bernards (8), Samoyeds (26), Siberian Huskies (22), Standard Schnauzers (15), Tibetan Mastiffs (12).

Terrier (314): Airedale Terriers (14), American Hairless Terriers (6), American Staffordshire Terriers (10), Australian Terriers (10), Bedlington Terriers (11), Border Terriers (15), Bull Terriers (Colored) (3), Bull Terriers (White) (2), Cairn Terriers (15), Cesky Terriers (3), Dandie Dinmont Terriers (3), Fox Terriers (Smooth) (15), Fox Terriers (Wire) (12), Glen of Imaal Terriers (4), Irish Terriers (6), Kerry Blue Terriers (18), Lakeland Terriers (7), Manchester Terriers (Standard) (11), Miniature Bull Terriers (11), Miniature Schnauzers (16), Norfolk Terriers (9), Norwich Terriers (14), Parson Russell Terriers (6), Rat Terriers (8), Russell Terriers (14), Scottish Terriers (14), Sealyham Terriers (9), Skye Terriers (3), Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers (10), Staffordshire Bull Terriers (12), Welsh Terriers (5), West Highland White Terriers (18).

Toy (359): Affenpinschers (10), Brussels Griffons (14), Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (34), Chihuahuas (Long Coat) (19), Chihuahuas (Smooth Coat) (16), Chinese Cresteds (28), English Toy Spaniels (Blenheim & Prince Charles) (3), English Toy Spaniels (King Charles & Ruby) (3), Havanese (19), Italian Greyhounds (12), Japanese Chin (9), Maltese (12), Manchester Terriers (Toy) (9), Miniature Pinschers (11), Papillons (22), Pekingese (11), Pomeranians (27), Poodles (Toy) (11), Pugs (32), Shih Tzu (17), Silky Terriers (9), Toy Fox Terriers (7), Yorkshire Terriers (24). 

Non-Sporting (261): American Eskimo Dogs (9), Bichons Frises (26), Boston Terriers (24), Bulldogs (8), Chinese Shar-Pei (10), Chow Chows (11), Cotons de Tulear (6), Dalmatians (16), Finnish Spitz (8), French Bulldogs (32), Keeshonden (10), Lhasa Apsos (10), Lowchen (5), Norwegian Lundehunds (3), Poodles (Miniature) (11), Poodles (Standard) (21), Schipperkes (6), Shiba Inu (9), Tibetan Spaniels (10), Tibetan Terriers (16), Xoloitzcuintli (10).

Herding (364): Australian Cattle Dogs (10), Australian Shepherds (28), Bearded Collies (18), Beaucerons (10), Belgian Malinois (12), Belgian Sheepdogs (4), Belgian Tervuren (13), Bergamasco Sheepdogs (7), Berger Picards (13), Border Collies (24), Bouviers des Flandres (5), Briards (6), Canaan Dogs (4), Cardigan Welsh Corgis (19), Collies (Rough) (18), Collies (Smooth) (11), Entlebucher Mountain Dogs (2), Finnish Lapphunds (10), German Shepherd Dogs (13), Icelandic Sheepdogs (7), Miniature American Shepherds (28), Norwegian Buhunds (7), Old English Sheepdogs (8), Pembroke Welsh Corgis (25), Polish Lowland Sheepdogs (11), Pulik (6), Pumik (9), Pyrenean Shepherds (7), Shetland Sheepdogs (17), Spanish Water Dogs (9), Swedish Vallhunds (3).

Dog Show Entries by Location

States (49): Alaska (8), Alabama (23), Arkansas (11), Arizona (18), California (238), Colorado (48), Connecticut (99), Delaware (18), Florida (153), Georgia (68), Hawaii (10), Idaho (14), Illinois (58), Indiana (37), Iowa (15), Kansas (10), Kentucky (31), Louisiana (22), Maine (6), Maryland (75), Massachusetts (114), Michigan (77), Minnesota (38), Mississippi (6), Missouri (31), Montana (6), Nebraska (4), Nevada (15), New Hampshire (17), New Jersey (156), New Mexico (3), New York (208), North Carolina (79), Ohio (103), Oklahoma (21), Oregon (17), Pennsylvania (175), Rhode Island (18), South Carolina (44), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (45), Texas (124), Utah (6), Vermont (12), Virginia (103), Washington (81), West Virginia (6), Wisconsin (46), Wyoming (1). Other: Washington D.C. (8), Puerto Rico (1).

Other Countries (19): Argentina (2), Australia (2), Belgium (1), Bermuda (1), Brazil (2), Canada (63), Chile (2), Columbia (1), Costa Rica (1), Croatia (1), Germany (1), Guatemala (1), Japan (11), Lithuania (2), Mexico (2), Russia (1), South Korea (5), Sweden (1), and Thailand (1).

7th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster

Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 at Pier 94

There are 330 dogs entered representing 71 breeds and 35 states with the most coming from New York (49), New Jersey (47), Pennsylvania (24), Ohio (23), and Virginia (23). The top five entries are Border Collies (44), Shetland Sheepdogs (32), Golden Retrievers (25), All-American Dogs (23), and Papillons (21).

Agility Entries by Breed

Breeds (71): All-American Dogs (23), American Eskimo Dogs (2), American Hairless Terriers (1), American Staffordshire Terriers (1), Australian Cattle Dogs (1), Australian Shepherds (19), Beaucerons (1), Bedlington Terriers (1), Belgian Malinois (1), Belgian Tervuren (2), Berger Picards (1), Bichons Frises (5), Border Collies (44), Borzoi (1), Boston Terriers (5), Boxers (5), Boykin Spaniels (1), Brittanys (1), Bull Terriers (1), Cardigan Welsh Corgis (2), Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (5), Chesapeake Bay Retrievers (1), Chinese Cresteds (4), Cocker Spaniels (8), Cotons de Tulear (1), Dachshunds (2), Dalmatians (4), Danish Swedish Farmdogs (2), Doberman Pinschers (2), English Cocker Spaniels (2), English Springer Spaniels (5), Fox Terriers (1), German Shepherd Dogs (2), German Shorthaired Pointers (1), Golden Retrievers (25), Havanese (2), Icelandic Sheepdogs (1), Irish Red & White Setters (1), Irish Setters (1) Keeshonden (1), Kerry Blue Terriers (1), Labrador Retrievers (10), Maltese (1), Manchester Terriers (3), Miniature American Shepherds (10), Miniature Pinschers (2), Miniature Schnauzers (5), Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers (4), Papillons (21), Parson Russell Terriers (2), Pembroke Welsh Corgis (5), Pomeranians (3), Poodles (14), Portuguese Water Dogs (1), Pugs (1), Rat Terriers (2), Rhodesian Ridgebacks (1), Rottweilers (2), Rough Collies (2), Salukis (1), Scottish Terriers (3), Shetland Sheepdogs (32), Shiba Inu (2), Siberian Huskies (3), Soft-Coated Wheaton Terriers (1), Toy Fox Terriers (1), Vizslas (3), Weimaraners (1), Welsh Terriers (1), West Highland White Terriers (2), Wire Fox Terriers (1), and Yorkshire Terriers (1). 

Agility Entries by Location

States (35): Alabama (1) Arizona (1), California (13), Colorado (1), Connecticut (21), Delaware (2), Florida (9), Georgia (3), Illinois (10), Indiana (5), Kentucky (2), Maine (1), Massachusetts (27), Maryland (7), Michigan (6), Minnesota (2), Missouri (2), North Carolina (8), Nebraska (1), New Hampshire (11), New Jersey (47), New Mexico (3), Nevada (1), New York (49), Ohio (23), Pennsylvania (24), Rhode Island (2), South Carolina (2),Tennessee (4), Texas (6), Virginia (23), Vermont (3), Washington (3), Wisconsin (2), West Virginia (4), and Canada (1). 

***As of January 3, 2020 we have reached 330 entries. The Agility entry numbers are subject to change until the secondary cancellation date of January 20, 2020.***

5th Annual Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster Entries

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020 at Pier 94

There are 22 dogs entered from 13 states led by New Jersey (6) and Illinois (3). The top breeds are Border Collies (8) and Labrador Retrievers (3).

Obedience Entries by Breed

Breeds (10): Belgian Tervuren (2), Border Collies (8), German Shepherd Dogs (1), Miniature American Shepherds (1), Papillons (1), Poodles (2), Retrievers (Golden) (2), Retrievers (Labrador) (3), Shetland Sheepdogs (1) and Spaniels (English Springer) (1).

Obedience Entries by Location

States (13): Connecticut (2), Florida (1), Georgia (2), Illinois (3), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (6), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1), and West Virginia (1).

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3 Ways to Stay Healthy as You Age

Growing older is inevitable, but this doesn’t mean your health has to decline at the same time. If you are healthy and active now, you have a better chance of staying this way as you age. While there may be unexpected bumps along the road to getting older, but there plenty of things that you can do to make sure that you have as smooth a ride as possible.

1.    Stay Active

This goes without saying, but as you get older, you will more than likely feel tired more often and this can cause you to become stagnant and avoid exercise, which can be detrimental to your health.

You must combat this growing tiredness if you want to be as healthy as you can be as you age, but you should also know your limits. Take walks in the park, golf with friends, and if you enjoy the gym, make sure to keep going to your heart’s content.

There are plenty of ways you can exercise and stay active that can fit around your lifestyle, even as it changes as you age.

2.    Get Regular Check-Ups

Keeping a healthy relationship with your doctor is beneficial as you get older. As you might expect, most people encounter more health problems as they age than at any other period of their life.

If you keep your doctor in the know about your body, they will be able to catch things before they develop and provide you with the best possible treatment available. Several times a year is enough to keep them up to date with how you’re feeling and any changes you might be experiencing.

3.    Maintain Your Hormone Balance

As you age, your body may start to produce less testosterone or estrogen. With hormone balances out of sync, your body can start to ache, fatigue, and make you feel generally low. These symptoms can put a great stress on your daily life and bring down your quality of life as well; however, if you seek hormone replacement therapy you can keep these symptoms under control, bring your body back to its optimum hormone level and live a better and healthier life overall.

Some symptoms of aging are inevitable and must be endured as a part of life, but hormone imbalances are not one of them!

One of the best ways to stay healthy as you age is to embrace it. No one stays young forever, and it can negatively impact your mental health if you think that way; after all, a few grey hairs or a head full of them never hurt anybody.

As long as you continue to look after your body by eating well and being active and listening to it when it needs treatment, you should age as gracefully as ever. There is no harm or shame in accepting that you are aging and that your body’s needs are changing as you grow older. After all, it is just another stage of life to enjoy.

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Party for Piedmont Park September 5, 2019

Every morning around 7:30am, eight men wearing “Piedmont Park Conservancy” imprinted on their chest set out on golf carts, trucks and mowers to tackle the 200 plus acres of beautiful Piedmont Park. Standing from any Piedmont Park gate looking in, anywhere your eyes can see is likely to be impacted by the Piedmont Park Conservancy. Whether you love to visit the Dog Parks, play in the playgrounds, shop at the Green Market, attend camp, splash in the Legacy Fountain, or jog around the running track, you can see the efforts of this hardworking team.

The Conservancy is now celebrating their 30th anniversary at the fall fundraiser, Party for Piedmont Park! While Party for Piedmont Park is one of the most important events benefitting the Piedmont Park Conservancy, it is also a joyful celebration of the life of Piedmont Park. Great food, drinks, music, and auction items all contribute to a wonderful evening of support.

Pop the champagne and turn on the music, because the Conservancy and over 500 friends are going to have a night to remember. Guests will arrive at Greystone, a gorgeous venue hall with original granite walls overlooking the pool and Lake Clara Meer. Then, attendees will be treated to an open bar, restaurant tastings from Atlanta’s premier spots, and an opportunity to snap a picture at the photo booth. Dance through the decades with DJ BIGG H and Ricardo Spicer of Amp’d Entertainment. Finally, check out a live drawing by The Sketch Effect and an experience-based auction spreading across the venue.

Many Atlantans don’t realize that Piedmont Park is much too large for just city support. The Piedmont Park Conservancy must raise over $3.5 million each year and rely on over 10,000 hours from volunteers to preserve and enhance beautiful Piedmont Park. Support your park by attending the Party for Piedmont Park on September 5, 2019! CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS!

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Comfortable Luxury at Agency Socialthèque Phipps Plaza

The comfortable luxury of Agency Socialthèque located at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta is the go-to place after a fabulous day of shopping, happy hour or just a mid-week date night.

Agency Socialthèque is the new byword for stylish hospitality and a reflection of its edgy neighborhood: iconic and one-of-a-kind, catering to the city-dwelling professional class by providing a beautiful space in which to be creative together.

Socialthèque, a made-up word, evokes everything we know about stylish environments where networking and play come together. More than great food and drinks, Agency is the place to freelance, enjoy live entertainment, or host a bespoke private event. Whether it be happy hour cocktails among friends or a vibrant hundred guest launch party, the dedicated team will cater to your every need. It also means experimental and revolutionary as they transform specialty ingredients into something truly unique, coupled with the city's hottest DJ's and musicians.

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WILDWOOD REVIVAL UNVEILS FULL PERFORMER LINEUP

Wildwood Revival, a thoughtfully curated and intimate gathering and festival, is set to return this September 27th through 29th on historic Cloverleaf Farm just outside of Athens, Georgia.  Celebrating its sixth anniversary, the event embodies the magic of a Deep South setting, out into the wildwood while celebrating Athens’ storied music scene.  From Country, Blues and early Jazz to Gospel, Soul, Metal and Rock n’ Roll, Hip Hop and beyond, this isn’t your every day festival.  Exploring music, food and friendship, this coveted festival is a little bit country, a little bit rock n’ roll, and everything in between.  

With tickets on sale now, the full lineup of performers for 2019 has been released. Festival goers can enjoy engaging sets from an array of artists including: Lucinda Williams, Shovels & Rope, Mandolin Orange, Son Volt, Langhorne Slim and The Lost at Last Band, Rayland Baxter, Rebirth Brass Band, The Texas Gentlemen, Charley Crockett, Lilly Hiatt, T. Hardy Morris, Super Doppler, Cedric Burnside, Illiterate Light, Revel in Dimes, and Georgia Mountain String Band. Performers take the stage in the Pecan Grove as well as inside the farm’s open-air barn. Beyond the stage lights, there are late-night picking sessions around the campfire where the best stories are often sung. 

WILDWOOD REVIVAL UNVEILS FULL PERFORMER LINEUP

WILDWOOD REVIVAL UNVEILS FULL PERFORMER LINEUP

WILDWOOD REVIVAL UNVEILS FULL PERFORMER LINEUP

WILDWOOD REVIVAL UNVEILS FULL PERFORMER LINEUP

WILDWOOD REVIVAL UNVEILS FULL PERFORMER LINEUP

The festival also features a dynamic artisan market with vintage clothing, antiques, printmakers, woodworkers, 1800’s-era tintype photography, leather makers, handmade crafts and more.  Celebrating what’s old is new again, Wildwood Revival  embraces its history as a cultural revival; making it a true antithesis to what people have come to think of festivals. Around the grounds, festival goers can experience great food, cold craft beers from Creature Comforts Brewing Co., and meals made with local produce.  In addition, this is a plastic-free experience with no single use cups or bottled waters, with YETI offering festival goers stylish drink ware options. All the water is filtered, cold and free. Camping is encouraged for the full experience, but if guests prefer a king bed and AC to a shady patch of grass, there are plenty of lodging options in nearby Athens.

All tickets to Wildwood Revival include three full days of music.  VIP tickets include access to a 7,000- square foot Antebellum Mansion that includes gourmet catered meals, complimentary alcohol, private restrooms and an outdoor courtyard. The farm opens Friday at 12 p.m. and music starts at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $92. To purchase tickets, visit https://wildwoodrevival.com/tickets.  

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