Packing for Perfection: Your Ultimate Picnic Essentials Guide
As the warm breeze beckons and the sun smiles brightly, it’s the perfect time to indulge in one of life’s simple pleasures: a picnic. Whether heading to a nearby park, a lakeside spot, or a scenic hilltop, packing essentials can elevate your picnic from ordinary to extraordinary. The Picnic Basket: Choose a sturdy, spacious basket or a comfortable backpack to carry all your goodies. It should have compartments for organization and be easy to transport. Blanket or Picnic Mat: A soft, waterproof blanket is essential for creating a cozy seating area. Opt for one large enough to accommodate your group comfortably. Food and Drinks: Pack various finger foods that are easy to eat outdoors, such as sandwiches, salads in jars, cheese and crackers, fresh fruits, and nuts. Don’t forget refreshing beverages like lemonade, iced tea, or even a bottle of wine (if permitted). Utensils and Plates: Bring reusable or biodegradable plates, cups, utensils, and napkins to minimize waste. Consider packing a small cutting board and a knife for preparing fresh ingredients on-site. Comfort Items: Sunscreen, insect repellent, and a portable first aid kit can ensure everyone stays comfortable and safe throughout the picnic. Entertainment: Pack a frisbee, a ball, a book, or a deck of cards for some leisurely activities to enjoy after the meal. Trash Bags: Always carry extra bags for collecting trash and recyclables, keeping your picnic spot pristine. Optional Extras: Depending on the location and your preferences, you might want to include a portable speaker for music, a portable grill for cooking, or even a picnic umbrella for shade. Remember, the perfect picnic is not just about the food; it’s about creating lasting memories with loved ones in the great outdoors. So, pack thoughtfully, embrace spontaneity, and savor every moment of your picnic adventure. Happy picnicking!
Fireworks & Picnics—Awesome Alpharetta is Exploding with Opportunities for Fourth of July Fun!
Dear Residents, With America’s Independence Day and National Picnic Month both on the calendar, opportunities abound for members of the Collingwood Apartment Homes community to enjoy food, fun, and fireworks in Awesome Alpharetta, Georgia, this July! As always, there’s plenty going on at Collingwood, too. We are excited to announce that on July 13th, we will be hosting our resident Pirate Theme Pool Party from 3PM – 6PM to kick off the summer. Join us for a fun-filled day with games, food, refreshments, and a chance to win prizes! To Celebrate National Picnic Month, be sure and Register to Win (RTR) a BEAUTIFUL PICNIC BASKET filled with all the essentials for a perfect day outdoors! Enter your email in the box below and hit send! That’s all it takes. [wpforms id=”1958″] Lastly, enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card! Simply have your child write us a letter about what they’re most excited about for the upcoming school year. Submit your letters by July 29th, and we’ll select the best one to win the prize. Now—read on to learn more about what’s happening in Alpharetta in July! Celebrate The Fourth Of July At Wills Park Plan to celebrate our great nation with your family and friends under the stars watching a brilliant and patriotic display of fireworks in Wills Park Thursday, July 4, 2024. The show in the sky will start at 9:15 p.m.; if there is a weather delay, the latest things will begin is 10:40 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring blankets, picnics, and games for a memorable evening together. Make a note: Once the parking lots in Wills Park have filled to capacity, two roads will close until the end of the fireworks show: Old Milton Parkway from Wills Road to State Route 9 Wills Road from Old Milton Parkway to State Route 9 Keep The Fun Going Through The Weekend From the Alpharetta Farmers Market to a fermented wine tasting, with all kinds of live music in between, there’s so much to do over the holiday weekend, including Avalon Nights Live and the Home by Dark concert series in Union Hill Park. Check out Awesome Alpharetta for details on everything. National Picnic Month Sometimes summer sunshine just screams out for a picnic, which is probably why the American Bakers Association picked July as National Picnic Month way back in 1952. The Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ did a little research and found that the word picnic comes from the French word piquenique, which eventually came to refer to mid-18th-century al fresco French dining. In today’s world, a picnic can be something as simple as sandwiches and soft drinks on the sun deck by the sparkling Collingwood Apartment Homes pool, or as over the top as an Insta-worthy luxury picnic delivered by companies specializing in creating memorable experiences. Locally, La Fête Picnic Co. offers curated packages for unforgettable gatherings. Picnicking In Alpharetta There are plenty of places for you to plan your own picnic in Alpharetta, including the Big Creek Greenway and The Plaza at Avalon, both conveniently located to Collingwood Apartment Homes. Once again it’s Awesome Alpharetta for the win, with their Top 10 list of suitable sites. Grilling & Chilling Of course the Idea Specialists™ are going to have some suggestions for you when it comes to picnic-appropriate food and drink! First, though, check out this awesome Picnic Time combo BBQ Kit Cooler from Target they found. In addition to its large capacity for ice and drinks, it features an eight-piece stainless steel grill set that includes everything from tongs and a spatula to a cutting board and corkscrew. And because of its shoulder strap, it’s imminently portable—thus perfect for a picnic at the community poolside barbecue area. Sweet! Before you head out to wherever you’re going to spread your picnic blanket, whip up a to-go pitcher of this luscious Summertime Rosé Tequila Sangria. And depending on what you’re in the mood for, maybe one—or four, or a lot more—of these Pioneer Woman picnic foods. Cowboy caviar, loaded potato salad, chef’s salad on a stick, and blueberry bars all will go with whatever you decide to grill—ribs, chicken, burgers, YUM. Summer’s Bounty The Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ will for sure be heading back to the Alpharetta Farmers Market for some more homegrown tomatoes now that they’ve seen this Garden & Gun article for delicious recipes for everything from tomato pudding to cracker salad. They’ll be taking that salad, and some green tomato chowchow, on their picnic, for sure. And Speaking Of Garden & Gun If you’re not already familiar with this quintessentially Southern magazine, check out their Instagram feed to get a feel for what it’s all about. And maybe have a little fun with their “You Might Be a Southerner If…..” quiz. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our latest blog and would love to hear your feedback. Your suggestions and comments help us serve you better. On behalf of myself and our team, we wish you a very happy 4th of July. Please don’t hesitate to call if we can be of service.
June Brings the Joy of Father’s Day & Awareness of Alzheimer’s to the Collingwood Apartment Homes Community
June brings the joys of Father’s Day and the summer solstice to the Collingwood Apartment Homes community in Alpharetta, Georgia, along with the opportunity to join with others across the country in a show of support of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month with purple ribbons and purple clothes. In fact, a google search about initiatives of the Alzheimer’s Association reveals that one of them—The Longest Day®—encourages people to “outshine the darkness” of Alzheimer’s disease with a fundraiser of their own choice in connection with the summer solstice, the day of the year with the most light. This year that will be Thursday, June 20. Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. It is not considered a normal part of aging, but, rather, a progressive disease. There is no known cure. The Georgia Chapter of the association provides resources and support to all those impacted by the disease. Sharing Stories Sometimes personal stories can help us understand a medical condition that hasn’t affected us directly. The Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ were deeply moved by the 2014 movie Still Alice. Starring Julianne Moore, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a linguistics professor with a rare hereditary form of early-onset Alzheimer’s, it’s something you can watch in the privacy and comfort of your luxury apartment home. Another great option for Father’s Day—Sunday, June 16, 2024—is to provide him with the experience of a lifetime. Virgin Experience Gifts has something for every type of dad—foodie, gearhead, adventurer, golfer—you name it! Live, Local & Loud Something else fun to do to celebrate Dad, or the start of summer, would be to take advantage of some of the great live music at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre at Encore Park. From the Dave Matthews Band on June 12 to Alanis Morisette with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Morgan Wade on June 22—with Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Musical Festival in between on June 21—there’s something for everyone! The U.S. Open Finally, it just wouldn’t be a good June blog without a mention of the U.S. Open Golf Championship, being played at No. 2 Pinehurst outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, June 13-16, 2024. It’s always a memorable experience, whether you attend or watch it with a group of friends. Father’s Day Fun Sometimes socks just won’t cut it when it comes delighting Dad on his day. The Idea Specialists™ know that they can’t go wrong with the father figures in their lives by giving the gift of a good bourbon, and this year the Master of Malt blog has done a great list of the Top 10 everyone needs to try in 2024. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Whisky is probably a safe bet, but they’re really intrigued by the Charcoal & Cornmeal & Rickhouses & a Decade. (Wouldn’t you be? LOL)
Alpharetta’s Collingwood Apartment Homes is Marking Many May Occasions—Especially National Pet Month!
Graduations, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day—there are so many important occasions in May that you might forget to celebrate something just for fun—National Pet Month! It’s a favorite of ours here at Collingwood Apartment Homes in Alpharetta, Georgia, because we are a seriously pet-friendly high-end apartment home community, complete with a large fenced pet park. Love Is A 4-Legged Word Our Idea Specialists™, who consider cat hair to be a fashion accessory and never met a dog they didn’t like, spent a little time on the old Google looking for some fun ways to treat themselves and their fur babies. While on the search, they learned that National Pet Week is also a thing, always observed during the first full week of May. It’s sponsored by the Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to foster responsible pet ownership, recognize the human-animal bond, and increase public awareness of veterinary medicine. Could the theme for 2024 be any better? It’s “Love is 4-legged word.” Hugs and pets all around!! And cookies, dog cookies, too! At Unexpected Pooch in Halcyon, where you also can get high-quality food and supplies for both canines and felines. Gifts For Grads & Moms The Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ found the perfect combo of pet love and a present for your favorite moms and grads in a custom watercolor painting on canvas. Just upload a photo of your four-legged friend and Texture of Dreams will do the rest! While the traditional gift of cash to graduates might seem boring, it doesn’t have to be if you put it in a pop-up bouncing gift box filled with confetti. Fun!! The Idea Specialists™, some moms themselves, think these packages from Spoonful of Comfort will help the strong feminine presence in your life have a “soup-er” Mother’s Day! (They also understand that you might just be tempted to treat yourself to of their yummy goodies to enjoy in your comfy clothes in the privacy of your own luxury apartment.) Food & Flowers You can’t go wrong with taking Mom out for lunch or brunch on her special day, especially if you’ve given her some flowers first. Awesome Alpharetta has links to different events, shops, and restaurants that are offering Mother’s Day-related specials, including Fogón and Lions, which will feature a buffet with bottomless mimosas and a decadent Spanish-Latin-inspired menu. With dessert, of course! Make Memorial Day Memorable The Idea Specialists™ know it might seem a little early in the month to be planning your friends and family Memorial Day cookout at the grill area by the gorgeous Collingwood Apartment Homes resort-style saltwater pool, but advance planning is never a bad thing! This year, they’re for sure including grilled peach caprese salad on the menu, with the freshest of peaches and tomatoes from the Downtown Alpharetta Famers Market. There are lots of recipes out there for this spring and summer classic, but our group is particularly fond of this one at How Sweet Eats (and not just because food personality and cookbook author Jessica Merchant says glitter is her middle name, LOL). We’re also fond of a nice sangria by the pool, and Southern Living has a great piece on which wines to use for it. If you don’t already have a favorite way to make yours, check out this white sangria on Dinners, Dishes & Desserts. Honoring Their Memory Watching the National Memorial Day Concert, featuring the National Symphony Orchestra with guest performers, is an annual tradition for the Idea Specialists™. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also participate in the concert, offering their leadership perspective on the value and honor of military service and acknowledging the challenges that veterans and their families face. Always broadcast and streamed by PBS the Sunday night before Memorial Day, the concert honors our country’s veterans, servicemen and women, and military families, and all those who died in America’s wars. Its goal is to unite the country in remembrance and appreciation of those who gave their lives for our nation and serves those who are grieving through the mission put forward by Abraham Lincoln in his second inaugural address, “Let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.”
Spring Fun at Collingwood Apartments in Alpharetta, GA: Embrace Nature and Entertainment!
Spring is peeking around the corner, and at Collingwood Apartments in Alpharetta, GA, we’re gearing up for an exciting season of outdoor adventures, shopping extravaganzas, and family-friendly entertainment right at your doorstep. As the weather warms up and flowers begin to bloom, it’s the perfect time to explore the vibrant community around us. Here’s a glimpse of what awaits you: Collingwood Resident Meet & Greet – March 22, 2024 Join us for an afternoon of camaraderie and fun at the Collingwood Tennis Courts! Treat yourself to refreshments, enjoy a delightful violin concert, and let the kids partake in an engaging scientific experiment. It’s a perfect opportunity to connect with your neighbors and bask in the community spirit. Enjoy a Spring Picnic! Speaking of community spirit! The Collingwood Community picnic tables are about to get a makeover. Keep an eye out, and get ready to enjoy! Bingo Competition Ready to win some prizes and have fun too? Be sure to pick up your playing card at the leasing office in March as we launch our Bingo competition! Watch for our Facebook video each week, where we call two numbers. Like our page and the Facebook post, and start filling out your card. Prizes include $25 Visa gift cards and more. And, don’t forget…. March 10 – Spring Forward for Daylight Savings Time March 19 – First Official Day of Spring Pest Control: FYI: Our Pest Control contractor is here every Friday for regular service per resident request and building rotation. March Events Around Alpharetta: • Total Fitness at Wills Park Recreation Center – March 1, 2024 • Kickstart your wellness journey with a free Total Fitness class. Embrace the benefits of exercise while soaking in the beauty of Wills Park. • Alpha 5k Series: The Dog n Jog Run and Walk – March 3, 2024 • Prepare to lace up your sneakers and participate in the inaugural Dog n Jog Run and Walk. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the entire family to stay active and enjoy the scenic routes of Alpharetta. • Luck of Avalon – March 15, 2024 • Dive into the festive spirit at Luck of Avalon! Indulge in live music, sip on green beer, and be mesmerized by captivating performances. With Irish dances and melodic tunes, it’s an event not to be missed. Explore Alpharetta’s Parks and Trails: Nature enthusiasts rejoice! Alpharetta boasts an array of picturesque parks and trail systems, many conveniently located near Collingwood Apartments. Whether you’re in the mood for a stroll or an invigorating hike, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Take advantage of the serene surroundings and embrace the beauty of springtime. Check out our parks at Alpharetta Parks and Recreation. Retail Therapy and Entertainment Galore: When it comes to shopping and entertainment, Alpharetta has you covered. Discover an eclectic mix of boutiques, eateries, and entertainment venues just moments away from Collingwood Apartments. Whether you’re in the mood for a shopping spree or a night out on the town, you’ll find endless opportunities to indulge your senses and create lasting memories. Check out Awesome Alpharetta for a full slate of things to do! At Collingwood Apartments, spring is a time of renewal, adventure, and community. Embrace the season’s offerings and embark on unforgettable experiences right here in Alpharetta. From outdoor escapades to cultural delights, there’s never a dull moment in our vibrant neighborhood. Join us as we celebrate the joys of spring and create cherished memories together! Aida Sigler, Community Manager & The Collingwood Team
It’s Almost Valentine’s Day — And Collingwood Apartment Homes is Feelin’ the Love!
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and the Idea Specialists™ at Collingwood Apartment Homes—a serene and sophisticated apartment home community in Alpharetta, Georgia—are feelin’ the love! That’s why they’re here with some ideas about how you can celebrate your Valentine/Galentine/Palentine this year. Somewhere Special Sometimes you just want to celebrate somewhere special. This year, the Idea Specialists™ are making reservations at Halcyon’s Ocean & Acre, where of course they’ll start with some oysters and bubbly! In addition to the classic menu—which celebrates both local farm communities and coastal cultures with signature smoked meats, seasonal produce, and shareable seafood dishes—the Valentine’s Day chef specials will include including an Alabama jumbo lump crab and avocado salad, pan-roasted halibut, braised short rib, and a white chocolate ricotta cheesecake. Yummy! Bonbon Hugs & Cocktail Kisses Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without some chocolate, now would it? The Idea Specialists™ are in all kinds of love with those divine truffles from Kilwin’s at Halcyon! Which will be even better if you savor them at home in comfort with a special Valentine’s Day cocktail like Love Potion No. 9, a triple berry pomegranate martini with strawberry vodka and Chambord—and a little dry ice for magically romantic presentation. Another fun one to try might be the Clover Club, a pink drink that pre-dates Prohibition that was created as the signature sip of a group of high-powered businessmen who met at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The sweet and tart concoction combines grenadine, gin, and lemon, and the classic egg white foam gives each sip creamy body and frothy texture. And if you want to show that someone special in your life a little extra love, you could whisper sweet nothings in their ear while feeding them sweet somethings that you made yourself. Check out Delish for recipes for everything from cannoli bites to red velvet ice cream. Romantic Dining The Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ have got a romantic dinner at home covered, too. One of the wonderful things about living at luxurious Collingwood Apartment Homes is gourmet kitchens with enough counter space to make cooking a truly enjoyable experience. It’s Delish again with the win for recipe ideas for tempting and tasty romantic meals. The Idea Specialists™ are real fans of their creamy steak fettucine paired with a winter rainbow panzanella salad of colorful, roasted squash and beets tossed in a tang-sweet dressing with fresh herbs, grapefruit, blue cheese, and toasted sourdough. Pretty and satisfying! A Delicious Date Night Looking for other ideas of ways to mark the occasion, especially if you have a conflict on February 14th? Then Date Night at Avalon every Monday through Thursday (excluding Valentine’s Day) might be just the thing for you and your sweetie! With multiple participating restaurants and complimentary valet parking, you can count on a festive experience that’s both easy and delicious!
CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY ALL SUMMER LONG AT COLLINGWOOD APARTMENT HOMES—AND OUT & ABOUT IN ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA!
Celebrate summer poolside at Collingwood Apartment Homes—and out and about in Alpharetta, Georgia, where there’s always something fun to do! Lounge In Luxury Our upscale apartment community’s resort-style saltwater pool is one of the coolest things about living here (no pun intended, LOL!). Lounge in luxury while snacking on some fresh fruit you picked up at the Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market and sipping on “the” cocktail of summer 2023, a Hugo Spritz. The refreshing drink is named after a boutique hotel in Florence, Italy, where it’s often used to welcome travelers when they arrive after a long day of hiking. With elderflower liqueur, usually St. Germain, as its signature, it’s an alternative to the more-common Aperol Spritz, which has its roots in nearby Padua. (You can pick up what you need for the recipe at Total Wine & More in Alpharetta’s North Point Market Center.) RECIPE FOR THE HUGO SPRITZ Ingredients Elderflower Liqueur (St. Germain) Sparkling Wine (Prosecco or Cava) Sparkling Water (or Club Soda) Mint (Leaves) Lime (Slices Directions To make one Hugo Spritz, start with a wine glass half full of ice. Pour in 1/2 ounce of elderflower liqueur. Top with 4 ounces of the sparkling wine, then finish with 1 ounce of sparkling water. Gently stir to combine. Taste a sip; add more sparkling water or wine to as desired. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and lime slices. Avalon Nights Live One way to enjoy yourself in town is to take advantage live music in the Plaza every Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Avalon Nights Live! Bring your tailgate chairs and blankets—and your family and friends so you can dance the night away! An event bar operates out of the back of Avalon’s Concierge; no coolers are permitted. Home By Dark And once again the beloved Home by Dark at Brooke Street Park Concert Series has returned to delight Collingwood Apartment Homes music lovers old and young. Plan to bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy a night of stories, songs, and inspiration you’ll never forget. Take Me Out To the Ballgame If you want to venture just a little farther afield, plan a drive down into the city to catch hometown homerun heroes the Atlanta Braves at play at Truist Park. Peanuts, Cracker Jack, draft beer, and a hotdog and some popcorn will make your outing complete!
Pet Friendly Collingwood Apartment Homes in Alpharetta, Georgia LOVES our Yappy Hours!
As far as we’re concerned, every day is pet day at Collingwood Apartment Homes in Alpharetta, Georgia, so of course we were excited to celebrate our four-legged buds during a recent Yappy Hour at our clubhouse! The cutest pups ever joined in the fun, enjoying all sorts of treats. According to the Humane Society of the United States, pets live in two-thirds of American homes, and 72 percent of the people who rent their homes have pets. We know how important it is for a luxury apartment community to be pet-friendly, and that’s why our Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ made sure we incorporated a large fenced Pet Park into our landscaping plans from the very beginning. Because, barks and recreation, right? And, we celebrate our fuzzy friends all the time online in social media posts and in a gallery at our website. Nothing brings a smile to our faces like seeing sweet kitties and good doggies!
Looking for a new Apartment Home in Alpharetta, Georgia?
The official start of summer, Memorial Day – 2023, is just around the corner, and a perfect time of year to look for your new apartment home. Collingwood Apartments, located near everything Alpharetta, offers one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, complete with garages and extra storage–ideal for your busy lifestyle. Near North Fulton’s prestigious business corridor, with the convenience of shopping, dining, nightlife, and celebrated schools, our pet friendly resort-style community is situated on thirty-two beautifully maintained acres, featuring naturally wooded areas, a lake, walking trails, and professionally landscaped common areas. Professionally managed by Arlington Properties, Inc., our leasing team looks forward to assisting you in finding your perfect apartment home. Call 770-667-3211 to arrange a personal tour today!
Love is in the Air at Collingwood Apartment Homes — Because it’s Almost Valentine’s Day!
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so love is definitely in the air at Collingwood Apartment Homes, an upscale rental community located close to “everything Alpharetta” and conveniently situated near Johns Creek, Georgia. Whether you’re planning on celebrating solo, stepping out with your sweetheart, or picking out just the right gift for your pet, the Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ here to help with links and tips, dates and times. Puppy Love Collingwood Apartment Homes is extremely pet-friendly, allowing residents to have up to two fur-babies per apartment and featuring a Pet Park, the ide ideal place for you and your furry family members to frolic and socialize. So of course the Idea Specialists™ were delighted with this fun find at 1800-Flowers for your Fido—a squeaky plush toy bottle of “champawgne” and accompanying flute. For your feline bestie, they found a “purrrfect” catnip-laced pounce toy at nearby Hollywood Feed on McGinnis Ferry Road. The Languages Of Love One thing to keep in mind when planning on how to mark this February 14th romantic holiday is what “language” the person you care about speaks when it comes to the way want to be shown love. Pastor and counselor Gary Chapman first created this concept and wrote about it in The 5 Love Languages, which goes into details. The languages are: No. 1: Words of affirmation No. 2: Acts of service No. 3: Gifts No. 4: Quality time No: 5: Physical touch The Collingwood Apartment Homes Idea Specialists™ found a great about love languages here: IDEAS.TED.COM Best Picks For Him & Her Maybe you’re already fluent in your partner’s language and know that they like the combo of presents with your presence. USA Today has compiled a 2023 Gift Guide with best picks for him and her and options running the gamut from wildly fun bath bombs to personalized boxer shorts. Looking for something a little more practical? Roost knows what works in gourmet apartment kitchens, and shares the skinny in 9 Space-Saving Kitchen Gadgets For Every Apartment. Why not go ahead and get yourself a Valentine’s Day gift, too? The Idea Specialists™ swear by the Instant Pot Duo Mini 7-in-1. An Evening Out If you want to enjoy an evening out, Alpharetta offers options! Publix Aprons® Cooking School at Alpharetta Commons is giving you two chances to participate in their Valentine’s Day Wine and Dine experience; Monday and Tuesday February 13 and February 14, 2023, both from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The demonstration class menu will include chorizo-stuffed calamari tubes, pan-roasted Porterhouse, chocolate ancho pot de crème, and, of course, wines to sample. For upscale restaurant ambiance, look no farther than Secreto Southern Kitchen & Bar on Winward Parkway, with its special three-course Valentine’s Day holiday menu, $75 per person. Starters include lamb lollipops and Oyster Rockerfeller; there’s pan-seared black cod with crawfish risotto as a main option; and it could prove quite difficult to choose when it comes to dessert, with red velvet brownie, warm buttermilk-glazed carrot cake, and tuxedo chocolate mousse cake all listed. And, you can get together with your girlfriends for champagne flight specials and $5 sweetheart shots at Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern at Halcyon’s Galentine’s Party Saturday, February 11, 2023; the DJ will start at 8 p.m. Then, Hobnob will feature a Valentine’s Trivia competition Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., complete with bonus prizes for couples. 💕💕 Love For Your Library 💕💕 Did you know that February 14 is also Library Lovers’ Day? It makes sense—it’s quite easy to fall in love with a book! And modern libraries of course offer everything from research assistance to online entertainment options like Kanopy and Freegal, as well as laptops and hotspots you can check out. The Alpharetta Library is part of the impressive Fulton County Library System, which means you can get a book from another branch at the convenient Park Plaza location.
