Chamblee, GA May 2024

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Celebrating the ladies in Chamblee!

I’m happy to be a part of Chamblee City Lifestyle Magazine and to have the opportunity to celebrate all the ladies in Chamblee!

It’s women who typically take care of the home and the family, and I’ve heard it said women are the heart of the family. I would venture to say that women could be considered the heart of the city as well. As women, we have a way of taking care of things – not only in a nurturing sense, but in a getting things done sense as well. Women are leaders who set the tone.

Since starting Chamblee City Lifestyle Magazine in September 2023, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to and getting to know several of the ladies in and around Chamblee, and these ladies have inspired me in so many ways! Many of those ladies are featured in the stories in this issue of the magazine. Whether they are running their own business, volunteering their time, or taking care of their family, these ladies are making their mark in the community and setting the tone for generations of residents to come.

So here’s to the ladies of Chamblee! Thank you for being an inspiration and thank you for your dedication to your community.

EDITOR @CHAMBLEECITYLIFESTYLE

CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/CHAMBLEE

May 2024

PUBLISHER

Kevin Parker | kevin.parker@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Tana Poncsak | tana.poncsak@citylifestyle.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Polina Williams | polina.williams@citylifestyle.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Janet Howard | j@janethowardstudio.com

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein

AD DESIGNER Mary Albers

LAYOUT DESIGNER Jamie Housh

Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.

Celebrating the Ladies in Chamblee

Massage and Muscle Wellness

city scene

1: Bare Naked Ladies take the stage at the nearby Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival. 2: The Social Studio in Chamblee holds a pre-opening event. 3: The Blue and Gold Foundation and CHS PTSA holds a Casino Night and Silent Auction. 4: Chamblee Mayor Brian Mock speaks at Dresden Elementary School for Career Day. 5: Residents attend and give feedback at the recent Comprehensive Plan Update Public Meeting.

6: The Epiphany Dermatology crew gathers for a ribbon cutting ceremony. 7: It’s a beautiful day for an event at Block & Drum in Chamblee.

TANA PONCSAK

BRIAN MOCK

CITY OF CHAMBLEE

KEVIN PARKER

KEVIN PARKER

KEVIN PARKER

KEVIN PARKER

The Frosty Caboose

The temperature is rising and it's time to visit The Frosty Caboose - an all around crowd favorite in Chamblee. And the perfect place for a sweet treat and train spotting! The richest and creamiest treat around. Visit frostycaboose.com for current flavors, caboose hours, and more.

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Janet Howard Photography

Our very own Janet Howard is the author of a new book called The Photographer's Business Guide along with its companion workbook. The book highlights what it takes to build a successful photography business and become a thriving entrepreneur. Learn everything from how to find your niche to avoiding common pitfalls. If you're looking to start a thriving business in photography, this book is for you. Sold on Amazon. Visit janethowardstudio.com .

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Bruxie

Bruxie is now open in Chamblee! See what the fuss is about. Come in and taste the hand-crafted waffle sandwiches, the famous chicken tenders, and don't forget the artisan crafted shakes. Bruxie is a fast casual restaurant known for its personalized service, innovative menu options, and its inviting vibes. If you haven't stopped by, visit and experience Bruxie for yourself. For more information, visit bruxie.com/location/chamblee/

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Photography by Tana Poncsak

Photography by Janet Howard

Photography by Kevin Parker

Just like your physician gets bloodwork at routine check-ups, your dentist can now test your saliva to learn more about your oral health Integrating saliva testing into your dental routine enhances prevention as well as our understanding of your oral and overall health

Elevate your dental experience with proactive, personalized, and innovative care at Wellspring Dental

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Move Well Be Well

Our goal is to provide our community with a top of the line gym experience focused on moving well and being well through thoughtful programming, professional coaching and enthusiastic community engagement. Call or email us today to book your free consultation.

ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK

Celebrating the Ladies in Chamblee

LADIES SHARE WHAT THEY LIKE ABOUT CHAMBLEE

Shannon Wiggins, Public Relations and Communications Director, City of Chamblee

I like working in Chamblee with its diversity of people, food, art, and culture. Chamblee truly lives up to its motto, “Community Feel, Global Appeal.”

Photographer: Kynder Bonilla

Jenny Ochotnicky, Owner and Primary Designer of JPO Interiors

Chamblee is a genuine sense of community.  Whether it’s neighbors or clients, Chamblee residents support each other and want to see you succeed.

Photographer: Janet Howard

Melissa Martin, Owner of AR Workshop Chamblee

Chamblee has an evolving neighborhood vibe and supportive people. Downtown Chamblee gets better and better, and we are thrilled to be in the heart of it all!

Photographer: Janet Howard

Pam Kachmar, Owner of The Frosty Caboose

Chamblee is a community tha’s very welcoming and supportive. My regular customers are awesome!

Photographer: Janet Howard

Susie Prince, Owner and Lead Designer, Susie Mae Design

Chamblee is a friendly community. It feels like a small town nestled in a big city with the conveniences of Atlanta close and the small-town pleasures of running into someone you know everywhere you go.

Photographer: Christina Wedge

Marianne Simpson, Bakery Owner, Lenox Cupcakes

I like learning about the history of Chamblee from people who were born here or lived here long ago, and discussing the evolution of the city.

Adriana Herrera, AH Real Estate Solutions, Inc.Founder and CEO, Coldwell Banker Realty - real estate agent and Realtor

Being a part of the growing community of families. I love helping local clients who want to beautify their home right here in our neighborhood, or new clients who want to move to this part of town!

Kiera Palmer, Owner of The Social Studio

I chose Chamblee for The Social Studio because it’s one of the most exciting, energetic, booming areas of Metro Atlanta. We are thrilled to join this community and can’t wait to see it continue to grow!

Janet Howard, Owner, Janet Howard Studio

Chamblee is the people! This is such a thriving community with a great vibe. The people I’ve met have been wonderful.

Polina Williams, Owner of SPS Productions

Living in Chamblee is being immersed in experiences. Restaurants, activities, and shops, we’ve got it all.

Photographer: Yara K. Photography

Photo provided by: Polina Williams

Photo provided by: Adriana Herrera

Photographer: Ray Antoni

Photographer: Janet Howard

Dr. Rachel Stockwell

MASSAGE AND MUSCLE WELLNESS

MASSAGE THERAPIST USES KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO ALLEVIATE PAIN AND PROMOTE MUSCLE WELLNESS

If you’re experiencing pain and visit Jessica Miller at Muscle Wellness Massage and Body Works, you’re in for more than just a relaxing massage. Jessica is a licensed and skilled massage therapist, and what makes her massages different than many others is that she asks the right questions and targets the right areas to help her clients to not only feel better, but to thrive.

ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET HOWARD

Jessica holds consultations with all her clients.

Jessica approaches massages from a medical background and works with clients to understand where the root of their pain comes from. With that information, she targets the muscles so her clients can experience a pain free recovery.

Jessica’s medical background started with an interest in the nursing field. From there, she became a medical assistant for eight years, but the idea of massage therapy kept coming up time and again. Once in the massage therapy program, she got through the program with flying colors. “… Learning the muscles was a little bit easier for me,” she says, talking about going to school for massage therapy. “It was more

of a review, but the information on muscles was much more in depth than I ever got in any of my other medical programs.”

And Jessica puts all she knows about muscles to good use with her focus on muscle wellness. She starts each client with a full consultation to learn more about the client, their activities, their habits, and the issue at hand. Once she gathers the information, she’s better able to assess the root cause. For example, a client may come to her with back pain, but after the consultation and because Jessica understands how the muscles work together, she can determine the root cause of the pain and any other possible issues.

By asking clients a number of questions, Jessica can pinpoint a root cause to pain for a long-term solution.

“...Exercise keeps the muscles in good working order.”

Jessica Miller LMT, CNMT

While massaging the area of pain may bring about temporary relief, Jessica explains that massaging the area of pain won't always fix the problem. It's with a better understanding of the client's activities and habits that Jessica can pinpoint the root cause and use massage therapy so the combination of muscles work better together and function as a unit. “In 2020 when people started working from home, creating their own desk by sitting on the couch or bed, a lot of people complained about back pain,” she says. “I started to realize that with upper back pain came tightness in the front of the chest, so the pecs and bicep muscles were pulling the

shoulders forward and creating the tension in the back. Once I loosen up the front and the bicep and the pecs, the back starts to let go and releases that tension.”

Jessica says it generally takes four to eight sessions to work through an issue, and there’s accountability on the client in the way of exercises performed at home for maintenance. She said people can also exercise to keep their muscles in good working order. “Any type of exercise is good, especially for people who sit for long periods of time,” she says. “Blood flow is very important…People who are active tend to have better blood flow to the brain and throughout the whole body,

so my goal is to keep the client moving and stretching.” Jessica explains that it’s the oxygen from the flow of blood that helps support muscle health.

Jessica serves a wide range of clients with services such as Therapeutic Massage, Sports Massage, and more.  She's also added Abdominal Therapy Massage for Prenatal and Post-natal since receiving her certification. The goal with a prenatal massage is to alleviate round ligament pain and to help the baby reach the optimal position for delivery.

Visit and follow Muscle Wellness Massage and Body Works on Instagram @muscle_wellness_massage.

Movement and exercise helps keep blood flowing and gets much needed oxygen to the muscles.

Jessica Miller is a skilled massage therapist.

INSPIRED BY

ARTICLE BY TANA PONCSAK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA WEDGE

As a young girl, Susie Prince loved art, so it’s no surprise that Susie is now owner and lead designer of Susie Mae Design in Chamblee.

Local designer finds inspiration in nature and travel

Susie Prince is the owner and lead designer at Susie Mae Design in Chamblee.

“I want my projects to look like my clients and have my stamp on it.” Susie Prince

Susie grew up in an old farmhouse built in 1880, where she says her parents always had a DIY project going on. “It had all of these beautiful historic details,” she says about the old farmhouse. “But it had become derelict and in disrepair. They lovingly and slowly restored it throughout my childhood.”

Growing up in that environment, she got the design bug at an early age. And after majoring in Fine Arts while attending college and then learning the ropes while working with others, Susie branched off on her own.

Susie says she’s not a trend follower. “I want my projects to look like my clients and have my stamp on it,” she says. “I do a lot of pattern mixing and use a lot of color. And I never want a project I lead to need to be redone in five years. I want people to be happy with the choices they make.” She also says she tries

to create designs that are exciting, different, interesting, colorful, and bold, and not like the designs everyone else is doing. Susie’s goal is to help her clients find their own unique style, so the home is an extension of their personality and stands the test of time. Each design project is unique, and she says she likes to keep her designs within the architectural style of the home.

Susie finds inspiration in nature and travel. When she travels, she says she usually takes a hike wherever she goes, and she takes her cues from the colors she sees in the nature around her, like the unique colors of a pigeon. “The colors of a bird – you can’t get any better than those combinations,” she says, talking about the pigeons. “They look almost like an oil slick with all of these tan colors. It’s just an incredibly beautiful combination of colors and textures.”

Susie likes to keep her designs within the architectural style of the home.

Top: Inspiration is in the details of Susie's designs.

Bottom: Bold colors make this bedroom pop.

Right: Susie takes cues for color in nature.

Susie recalled a recent trip to Greece. “Everything in Greece is covered in this beautiful plaster, and it’s so soft with a texture that’s unlike anything that I’ve seen around here,” she says. Since that trip to Greece, Susie says she’s used plaster in different ways in some of her recent projects. Whether it’s the velvety plaster of Greece to the bright, colorful tiles of Spain. Susie is inspired by it all.

Running her design business in Chamblee, Susie says it’s been great. In dealing with the city, she says there’s a friendly human she can always speak with. “I really love the city of Chamblee. We have all the big city stuff right here, but it's also cute and has a small town feel,” she says. But perhaps one of the best things for Susie is the number of design resources located the city. “I use a rug vendor on Broad Street,” she says. “I use an upholstery person on Broad Street and the countertop supplier is in downtown Chamblee.”

Projects that stand out for Susie include the ones that helped clients who had recently lost loved ones. Susie says mindfully incorporating subtle, small things can honor and keep the memory of the client’s loved one close. She also has a heart for furry family members and is always willing to design and incorporate special places for pets. Over last few years, Susie says she has had the pleasure of working with a number of great clients, and she added she’s particularly thankful to those early clients who trusted her and allowed her to work with them. “I could never thank them enough for trusting in me and letting me get that foothold.”

“I really love the city of Chamblee. We have all the big city stuff right here, but it’s cute and has a small town feel.” Susie Prince, owner and lead designer, Susie Mae Design

Susie says she loves having her own design business and would one day like to design a line of small space, multifunctional furniture. But for now, she’s happy with things just the way they are. “Each day is unique and different,” Susie says. “There’s always a new challenge. There’s always something interesting to do. I get to interact with a lot of different types of people, and I love to meet new people. I love that I get to do what I do.”

For more information about Susie Mae Design, visit susiemaedesign.com

ARTICLE BY JON’A SOLOMON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET HOWARD

The Elaine Clark Center holds a run to raise money for the Frank Clark Scholarship Fund

Approximately 70 people participated in the Elaine Clark Center Hustle for Hope event that included families, walkers, and advanced runners. The event raised funds for the Frank Clark Memorial Scholarship Fund for students with special needs. The fund was established in 2001 to ensure income didn’t bar any student with special needs from receiving essential services. Individuals can donate to the scholarship fund at  elaineclarkcenter.org/answerthecall .

Right: The 5K race included advance runners and is a Peachtree qualifying race.

realty report

ARTICLE

HANDMADE

BREAKING BREAD

BY ANGELA BROOCKERD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES

Making homemade bread is coming back, and while the convenience of buying a pre-made loaf is readily available, there is nothing like the taste of a warm, homemade loaf right out of the oven. These easy-to-follow recipes are exploding with flavor and are simple to make.

LEMON ALMOND LOAF

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• ¾ cup milk

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

LEMON GLAZE ICING:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest and lightly mix. Stir in flour mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes and then carefully remove from the pan. Next, make the lemon glaze by combining all of the icing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze all over the loaf and sprinkle with almond slices. Enjoy!

FOCACCIA

This recipe is quick and easy to make with just a few simple steps. It tastes great on its own, but dipping it in olive oil infused with fresh herbs adds an extra level of flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ¾ cups warm water

• 2 ½ teaspoons sugar

• 1 package active dry yeast

• 4 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• Optional:

• Fresh rosemary

• Coarse sea salt

• Fresh pressed garlic

INSTRUCTIONS:

Use a stand mixer with a fitted dough hook, and stir together the water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir again. Set mixture aside for 5 minutes. Mixture should be foamy. Next, add the flour and salt and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed and mix for an additional 4-5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Set aside for about 1 to 1 ½ hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of oil. Uncover the dough and rub hands with olive oil. Slide your hands under the dough and fold it onto itself. Continue to work your way around the edge of the bowl, folding the dough onto itself until there is a ball that you can lift from the bowl. Place the dough in the prepared pan and press the dough to the edges. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise for about 45 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil and use your fingers to make indentions on the surface of the dough. Sprinkle it with salt and rosemary and any desired toppings. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

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MAY 4TH

Third Spot Events

TBD

Third Spot Thursday events return to Chamblee from April to September. Stay tuned for dates, times and locations, including the May Third Spot Event. For up to date information, visit chambleega.com

MAY 5TH

SPS Productions First Anniversary Art From the Ground Up

Distillery of Modern Art | 1:00 PM

SPS Productions presents Art from the Ground Up from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 5 at the Distillery of Modern Art. The event features 20+ artists and painters. Craft cocktails and food are available. The event is free. The purchase of select pieces go to benefit Peachtree Farm. For more info and tickets, visit eventbrite.com/o/sps-productions-62238439593

MAY 5TH

Cinco De Mayo Festival

Plaza Fiesta | 12:00 PM

The city of Chamblee presents Cinco Dy Mayo Festival from noon to 7 p.m. on May 5 at the Plaza Fiesta, located at 4166 Buford Highway, NE. The event includes food vendors, attractions for kids, contests, live music, and more. For more information, visit chambleega.com

MAY 11TH

Good Neighbor Day Open House and Airshow

DeKalb Peachtree Airport | 12:00 PM

Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of D-Day! DeKalb Peachtree Airport proudly presents Good Neighbor Day Open House and Air Show from noon to 5 p.m., May 11 at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. The event is free and features C-47 That's All Brother, The Liberty Jump Team, US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, and Greg Koontz. For more information, go to dekalbcountyga.gov/airport/good-neighbor-day-air-show

MAY 17TH

Atlanta International Night Market

Chamblee City Hall | 5:00 PM

Join us for Atlanta International Night Market from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, May 17 and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at Chamblee City Hall. Experience the best of international festivals with vendors, street performers, and more. For more information, visit atlnightmarket.org/events-copy-2/

MAY 25TH

Atlanta Jazz Festival

Piedmont Park | 1:00 PM

The Atlanta Jazz Festival will be held May 25 - May 27 in Piedmont Park in Atlanta. The festival begins at 1 p.m. on May 25 and includes more than 100 local and national jazz performers. For more information and festival lineup, visit atljazzfest.com

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