Carol's Corner

Volunteer Work Leads to Decade of Serving

Peachtree Corners resident Lee Williams serves others by helping collect and distribute furniture to people in need.

Peachtree Corners resident Lee Williams never expected to be in the furniture business; and he isn’t ...exactly. As a co-director and board member for the ministry Movers & Shakers, Williams plays an integral part in serving our community by helping provide furniture for families in need. About 10 years ago, a group of members at a local church identified a need and a solution in the area of furniture. There were always people offering to donate furniture that they no longer needed and there were always people in need of this furniture and asking the church for help. If these two groups could be brought together it would be a win, win for everyone. From those needs and someone’s willingness to help, the organization called Movers & Shakers…

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Carol's Corner

The Empty Nest

We celebrate with our children their milestones and accomplishments, knowing that each step along the path takes them toward the inevitable time that they will fly the coop.

As a mother, encouraging my children to move toward goals such as high school graduation meant that they would inevitably move away from our home. I knew that what I needed to help me through the transition was an exit strategy. A strategy for my life after their exit.  The summer before my youngest child’s senior year in high school I asked myself, “What’s your name and what do you really do?” I knew my name (that was a relief) but wasn’t sure about the rest of the answer. To figure that out I then asked, “What do you enjoy doing?”   I came up with a number of things that I enjoy but the most basic thought that kept coming to mind was that I like to make people laugh. This revelation made me feel both shy and self aware all at the same …

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Nancy Minor

5:38 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012

Love it and would love your cook books. I love to laugh and I love to read cook books. Friends will tell you that I love to read them and then I dream of dishes I will make. The phone rings and that is the end but I sure did enjoy reading that cook book. It is almost an obsession, so yours sounds like great fun to read. I love to laugh and read cook books but the being bossed around, not so good …   more ›

Carol's Corner

Peachtree Corners Restaurant Humming Along at its New Location

Formerly Los Arcos, the popular Mexican eatery has a new name, and a new address, but the good food and service remain the same.

Here in Peachtree Corners folks have been dining at Los Arcos since it opened in 1995. Whenever you went in, the restaurant was busy and it was hard not to run into someone you knew. But then all of a sudden, it was gone. But it hasn’t gone very far away at all.  Just down Spalding Drive at the corner of Spalding and Medlock Bridge you’ll find the former Los Arcos with a new name and a smaller, more intimate space. The new restaurant, Kikos Tacos and More, is still owned and run by Kiko Alanis and his wife Olga. They welcome this fresh start in a new space and hope that their familiar customer base will follow them. Olga Alanis said,”We love being the neighborhood restaurant. We like being a family restaurant and we love our customers. Now…

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Carol's Corner

CiCi’s Pizza: Reopened and Better Than Ever

Co-owners John Kling and Martin Drucker got together to reopen and recharge our Peachtree Corners CiCi’s Pizza,

As I walked through the door, I heard the friendly greeting that so many quick serve restaurants give. In this case it was, “Welcome to CiCi’s.” And I was welcomed by co-owner John Kling, to learn more about CiCi’s in Peachtree Corners and to eat some freshly baked pizza.  Six years ago, while managing our local CiCi’s, Kling met a then Cici’s customer, Martin Drucker. The two of them liked the CiCi’s model and when the Roswell CiCi’s closed four years ago they decided to buy, refurbish and get it back on its feet. That’s exactly what they did recently with our very own CiCi’s (located in the shopping center with Dick's Sporting Goods). The “facelift" that our Peachtree Corners CiCi’s received is easy to notice. With new colors, tiles and …

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Carol's Corner

Retiree Turned Novelist: Writing Becomes His Passion

Some folks use retirement as a time to relax, but long time resident Bill Walker seems busier now that he’s retired.

Raised in Knoxville, TN, Bill Walker spent eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve and then enjoyed a long career with United States Gypsum Co. in various marketing and sales management positions. But now that he’s retired Walker seems busier than ever.  Walker has many hobbies that he enjoys: fly fishing, photography, playing guitar and writing music. Lately, he’s added a new passion to his list and this time it’s one that we can enjoy with him. That is his venture into writing.  Bill Walker, pen name Alex Walker, is the proud author of a new action/adventure book called Toltec, published by Deeds Publishing. This book is the first in a trilogy. The second is already written and being held by the publisher to come out at a later date. Walker…

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Cooking With Carol

Bring Some Thai Dishes Into Your Life

With hot weather here it’s time to take our food outdoors to enjoy. Try these fresh Thai pasta dishes for a cool outdoor supper.

When the weather turns warm, I love to eat outside as often as possible. By preparing a main dish salad you can accomplish both of these goals. Any cooking that needs to be done can be done well ahead of time. Prepare the salad, refrigerate it and then it’s ready when you are. Cooking on the grill is another good way to move things outdoors.  Local caterer Gail Clarke enjoys making main dish salads and pasta dishes and finds they are a fit for many occasions. From tennis match luncheons to bridal showers they are versatile, easy to plan around and always a hit. She says that the sauce is most important to making a dish that will be remembered...in a good way. Below are two of Clarke’s favorite Thai pasta dishes, one a salad and the other a…

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Carol's Corner

The Inner Beast of Obsession

Some people are obsessive compulsive, but not me.

I have finally discovered, to my relief, that I am not obsessive compulsive. What I am is only obsessive and I’ve figured out why. It’s too much trouble to be both. It takes too much energy to be compulsive so I have to focus all my attention on being obsessive. I am currently spending some time in a beautiful condo in South Florida. Not only is the surrounding area lovely but so are the furnishings in our rented residence. My goal is to have them remain lovely throughout our visit.  The thing that I find most concerning is the dark wood dining table which has over it a pretty, but somewhat flimsy tablecloth, meant for looks but not protection. Since I enjoy cooking and eating in, I feel a need to protect the table from an inevitable …

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Judy Putnam

8:12 am on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one afflicted with shopping obsession issues.   more ›

Carol's Corner

Ted’s Serves Up a Taste of the West

Enjoy bison and other western delights at Ted’s Montana Grill in Peachtree Corners.

Step into Ted’s at the Forum and you’ll be stepping into the atmosphere of the West. With study and planning, the designers of the Ted’s restaurants have taken pains to present a Western theme both in the interior design as well as on the menu. From the tin ceilings and mahogany floors to the rich paneling and the Western prints (replicas of paintings owned by Ted Turner) you feel like you’re dining in a restaurant that you might find in Montana. The menu carries on the Western theme with bison, salmon and trout among the most popular items. Proprietor Jeff Hormel, explained to me that bison is 90 percent lean. “Leaner than chicken.” The bison is free range, hormone free and very tasty. All of the burgers are available in bison or beef. If…

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Carol's Corner

Norcross High Players Present the Wizard of Oz

The school's orchestra theater group performs the timeless classic for kids of all ages and the orchestra will provide the music for the show.

Starting Wednesday, on April 25-29, the cowardly lion, tin man, scarecrow and of course Dorothy and assorted witches, munchkins and monkeys, will all be gathered to entertain us with the delightful family musical The Wizard of Oz. The Norcross Players will be doing the RCS version of the play which is much like the film.  We are all familiar with this classic children’s story brought to our attention most famously by the 1939 film version of the musical The Wizard of Oz. Both the 1939 movie and the stage play first produced in 1902 are based on the children’s novel written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1900. Imagine how pleased he would be that 112 years later his work is still going strong.  Gina Parrish, theatre director at Norcross …

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Norcross High Art Students Win Competitions

The Blue Devils' Art Department has been busy this spring preparing for the Student Art Show and working hard on a community service project.

Not too long ago, Lisa Sharpe, Gwinnett County Recreation Program Supervisor, contacted the Norcross High School Art Department to ask them to help with a new county project. “We were preparing some corn hole games for special events throughout the county and also for a Corn Hole for Fun event coming up on April 28th," said Sharpe. "When we asked Martha Cook, the department head, if some students could paint the games they were all too willing to help out."  The five corn hole games were painted by the Norcross High School La Voz Art Club and the National Art Honor Society. "We are extremely proud of the work our students have done on this community service project," said Cook. "They put in a lot of hours and worked very hard.” Students …

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