Nestled in North Buckhead, Pine Hills has become one of Atlanta’s premier communities. In Pine Hills, you get both the allure of living in the big city without losing the suburban feel.

Pine Hills is filled with funs things for you and your family. We have a great home for sale at 1103 Valley Overlook Drive that could be just the right home for you and your family. As a resident of Pine Hills, here are some of the things that you can enjoy:

1.      Take a walk to Shady Valley Park. This public park is open to everyone and boasts a playground for the kids, as well as a tennis & basketball court for everyone to enjoy. Nestled safely off of Shady Valley Drive, this is the frequent destination of many inside and outside of the community.

2.      Explore one of North Buckhead's best kept secrets. The Roxboro Valley Association Pool and Tennis Club which is located in the Pine Hills neighborhood off East Roxboro Road. Membership is limited to 250 people to ensure that you never run into overcrowding.

3.      Exercise your spending power and visit Lenox Mall. Lenox Mall is located right in this community’s “back yard.” We all know about the great shopping at stores like Bloomingdales, Macy’s and Neiman Marcus and a host of many others, but did you know about AtlanTIX? AtlanTIX is a discount ticket booth where you can get half-price savings on tickets to hundreds of greater Atlanta Theater, dance and music performances throughout the year plus over a dozen cultural attractions.

AtlanTIX hours of operation:
  • Tues thru Sat - 11:00am to 6:00pm
  • Sunday - Noon to 4:00pm

Click here to see what is on sale today: http://www.atlantaperforms.com/Discount-Tickets/AtlanTIX-Half-Price.html

4.      Stop for a bite to eat at Far East Café. Located at 2770 Lenox Rd, this Chinese restaurant is a local favorite; make sure to try one of their most popular items, the fried rice.

5.      Spend the day taking a driving tour of homes. You will notice the solid craftsmanship of the area and marvel at the meticulous attention to detail. Here is one home that you will not want to miss: 1103 Valley Overlook Drive.  Though it is in the gated community of Valley Overlook, it will be Open This Sunday, April 19^th for all to see. If you want to learn more about this home visit: http://www.allensnowrealty.com/Atlanta/Georgia/Homes/21/Pine_Hills/Agent/Listing_2000082.html

Pine Hills is not only a great place to visit, it’s a great place to live!

Allen Snow
404-931-1176

When you are shopping for green real estate, you're bound to encounter many alluring terms and eco-friendly concessions. Every nod to the environment is nice but if you really want to switch over to the green side, LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council is the only way to go.

One LEED certified development making its debut is Inman Green, a small, sustainable community tucked away at the edge of Inman Park. And Inman Green doesn't stop at basic certification. This gem of a development is going for the LEED for Homes Gold certification, the only multi-family development in Georgia to do so.

Just like in the Olympics, you don't earn the gold without being extraordinary. Inman Green is efficient, sustainable and energy- saving top to bottom, inside and out. Gold LEED homes are estimated save a stunning 48% more energy than their non-gold neighbors. Which means a gold star for you and a nice envious shade of green for everyone else.

                                                                                        

Email info@inmangreen.com, or walk or bike on over and see why they make great neighbors.

About Pelle Development Group - Pelle Development Group is an innovative and niche-oriented real estate company focusing on urban, multi-family development and investment. With over fifteen years combined experience in developing and construction, this husband and wife team has experienced great success.

Ok, so now you're eating organic foods. Or at least, you're trying to. But how 'bout all that stuff you're putting on your skin? Ever take a gander at what they're putting in that goop? You may not want to.

Amy Leavell Bransford is out to change that. A licenced aesthetician and owner of New Moon Skin Care, Amy uses only organic and paraben free products, meaning that your facial won't just make your skin feel good, but it also do your skin good.

The real question is, how will she handle Five Questions With...

Q. Favorite neighborhood?

It’s a toss-up between Inman Park and Old Fourth Ward these days. We moved into Inman Park in Fall of 2008 and I have been enjoying the daily half mile commute to my salon at Studioplex on Auburn Ave. I love the close-knit community over here and especially the camaraderie between the small business owners. It feels like everyone is working together to achieve the same goal, rather than compete for each other’s clientele.

Q. Last meal in Atlanta. Where are you going and what are you eating?

Is this like my Last Supper? Atlanta has no shortage of great meals to offer. And being that I am currently 7.5 months pregnant, eating is a favorite pastime. That said, I absolutely love just about anything that Dynamic Dish prepares. I try to go there with a friend so we can justify ordering one of each menu item. Even with only a few daily items to choose from, it’s difficult. Everything that I have ever had there is amazing.

If you're driving down Edgewood Avenue and you see this building, stop. Park. Go inside. You will be very, very happy that you did.

Q. I understand that you're a former publicist. If you could wave a Magic wand and give instant, mass publicity to a hidden Atlanta gem, what (or who) would it be?

Wow…great question. Atlanta has many great people, places and things that need our support. I would love to lend my help to many of our fledgling small businesses but I am going to have to go with The Beltline on this. The Beltline stands to be one of the greatest things that Atlanta stands to offer its residents, not to mention what a great way to re-use 22 miles of historic railway. Being that Atlanta’s former city name was Terminus, a name/word associated with railroads, wouldn’t it be fantastic for our city to embrace this great way to connect our inner city communities? Come on, ATL, let’s take advantage of this amazing opportunity!!

Know nothing about The Beltline? You'll love it. Click here to learn more.

Q. President-elect Obama is about to enter the pressure cooker, and we've seen how the job has really advanced the aging process of past Presidents. From a skincare perspective, how would you advise Obama on maintaining his boyish good looks?

I guess it’s fair to say that has now officially entered the pressure cooker since he has now been in the office some 45 days or so. Does he look like George Clinton’s mug shot yet? Hopefully he’s got plans to put a great aesthetician on his cabinet staff…especially if he’s still a smoker. Smoking cigarettes is one of the worst things that you can do for your skin.

Dr. Funkenstein earned that face without the help of a beleaguered economy or global instability.

Q. One day to show off Atlanta to the cast of The Golden Girls. Where are you taking them?

I think any Atlanta visit demands a trip to the Cyclorama (with Col. Bruce Hampton serving as historical interpreter) so we’d have to start there, then I would kick things up a bit with drinks at the Euclid Ave Yacht Club or the Vortex in L5P. We’d then walk over and check out the Elvis Shrine at the Star Bar. You KNOW these ladies just love to let their hair down…didn’t you get the feeling that behind all that Aqua Net that they were just WILD? We’d have to go from there to some male review…Swingin’ Richards or maybe a cabaret club. I’d want to wrap the night up with some dancing at Johnny’s Hideaway…it’s probably the most cliche part of the evening but I think they’d love it. I hope that hanging out with them might make me feel youthful again.

No, this is not from an ironic, hipster t-shirt at Urban Outfitters. This is really their logo.

Bonus Question: Why is New Moon Skin Care awesome?



New Moon is the only skin care facility in town that offers facials using products that are made with certified organic ingredients and are completely free from chemical preservative systems (parabens) and harmful surfactants and other additives. You’ll get great results from your facial and you will want to go home and immediately toss all the junk that you’ve been using from the drugstore. Except I won’t let you toss it into a landfill. You can bring all your old products to me so that it can be recycled and I will give you 10% off of anything new that you buy.

Get up, get down, and get over to Dynamic Dish. Now! Click here.

Get golden and order the complete sixth season of the Golden Girls. Click here.

Get with it and check out this cutie-pie in Amy's beloved Old Fourth Ward. Click here.

To read more from Jon’s blog, check out: www.AIsForAtlanta.Blogspot.com

I'm asked this question almost daily, and I'm always happy to report that an EarthCraft House is not, in fact, an adobe hut.

First, the technical definition- straight from the organization itself:

EarthCraft House is a green building program that serves as a blueprint for healthy comfortable homes that reduce utility bills and protect the environment. The aim of the program is to help home builders be leaders in smart growth management and environmental stewardship.

Building an EarthCraft House is about constructing a healthy, more valuable home while minimizing environmental impacts. EarthCraft House follows a systems approach to home building that stresses an understanding of how the different components of a home work together. This approach results in a home that performs better, is more economical for the homeowner and costs little more to build than a comparable home built with standard construction practices.

Now, the less-than-technical definition:

EarthCraft House provides a standard by which builders can certify that a home has been built in a more sustainable way. In addition, this standard enables homeowners to save some serious cash on their utility bills.

Our friends over at the Atlanta Journal Constitution just published a great piece on EarthCraft Homes' ten year anniversary- click here to read it.

 

Want to read more about EarthCraft Homes, straight from the source? Click here.

 

Want to go green in Inman Park? EarthCraft, EnergyStar and LEED Certified (more on LEED and EnergyStar in future posts, I promise)? Not only well built and incredibly efficient, but also super-cool. It's called Inman Green (more on it in future posts, I promise), and it's definitely a must-see. Click here for more information, and click here to find out how you can schedule a looksy.

 

 

To read more from Jon’s blog, check out www.aisforatlanta.blogspot.com.

 

Are you looking for a well-priced home in a highly desired intown neighborhood? Then take a look in Pine Hills, Atlanta. Your dream home is available, nestled within a great swim and tennis community with amenities galore!

 

1103 Valley Overlook Drive

$699,900 || FMLS 3786721

 

 

 

This home is a 5-bedroom, 4.5-bath John Willis-built masterpiece! Highlights include an immaculate gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances, beautiful mahogany hardwoods, a finished basement, a spacious master suite level, 2-car garage and a large 4^th floor with live/work space. At approximately 4,000 square feet, there is ample space for living, working, entertaining and just plain relaxing!

 

View More Photos and Details >>

 

 

Neighborhood Amenities

 

Convenient Location: Direct Access to GA-400 and Interstates 75 & 85. Just minutes from anywhere in intown Atlanta and convenient to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.  Show Yahoo Map >>

 

 

 

Shady Valley Park : This peaceful neighborhood park is located right next door and features a basketball court, playground and tennis courts.

 

Lenox Square Mall: Just 3miles away, Lenox Square is known as the Southeast's premier shopping destination. It is anchored by Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Macy's and the Apple Store and features nearly 250 specialty stores.

Roxboro Valley Association Pool and Tennis Club: Roxboro Valley offers its members a 25-meter, 6-lane, heated pool, baby pool, picnic pavilion, playground, concessions, changing and shower facilities and lighted tennis courts.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

 

Allen Snow

 

Email Allen

Phone: (404) 888-0833

Cell: (404) 931-1176

Fax: (404) 888-0863

 

 

In early 2001, I was working on an event for Publisher's Weekly. The theme of the conference was "Opportunities and Challenges", and the program was created to address the fear within the book publishing industry over new technologies and shifting preferences in media consumption. At the time- and one could argue still- the publishing industry wasn't sure how to deal with the fact that their customers were reading more on their screens than they were on paper, or that their content was being "Napster-ized" (remember Napster?).

In an odd, one-time "cameo" role, I was the voice-over on the conference's information line. It must have taken me a dozen or so takes just to get the right inflection on the words "Opportunities and Challenges".

Little did I know how relevant those words would be, eight short years later.

Let's start with the challenges. Regardless of what business you're in, we're reminded on a daily basis of all the challenges that we're currently facing. It's the 800 pound gorilla in the room, except that seeing the 800 pound gorilla isn't so shocking any more. He's been hanging out in the room for a minute now, eating our fruit roll-ups and ordering pay-per-view movies without asking.

With all challenges, however, (warning, we're in the middle of cliche-land) come opportunities. And while many of these opportunities can seem distant and impossible to achieve for a myriad of reasons, sometimes all it takes is a little perspective and imagination to better understand the bigger picture.

So what's the point, and why am I droning on (cue voice over) on "Opportunities and Challenges"? Take a few minutes and watch the video below. It was produced by Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod, and Jeff Bronman and it will the best four minutes of your day.

btw, the video embed is: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5o9nmUB2qls&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5o9nmUB2qls&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Bashing public education is as American a pastime as apple pie and The Jerry Lewis Telethon. It's a constant target- whether on the campaign trail, in an investigative report, or just as a topic of conversation between neighbors. Everyone has an opinion on how the problem can be fixed, or who's to be blamed for the problem to begin with. Real solutions, however, always seem to be allusive. It's as if we're all waiting for Morgan Freeman to channel his inner Joe Clark and break out the bullhorn.

Enter Beverly Hall, the Superintendent of Atlanta's Public Schools.

Last week, Hall was named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year at at the American Association of School Administrators' National Conference on Education in San Francisco.

Hall's a widely respected administrator that encountered a catastrophically bad system when she started on the job ten years ago. She required low-performing schools to implement rigorous literacy and math programs, increased training for teachers and replaced ineffective principals.

Atlanta's school system is one of 11 urban school districts to improve scores in each subject and grade level between 2002 and 2007 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. And while everyone involved in that improvement deserve kudos- students, teachers, parents, administrators, volunteers- let's give Dr. Hall her proper due for her stellar work.

Sure, there's plenty to be cynical about... but it's a fantastic accomplishment that the entire city should be proud of.

Curious about the public schools in your part of town? Check out this great tool on the AJC's website- it gives you the full lowdown on every school in the Atlanta metro area.

I'm almost there, this close to becoming an EcoBroker certified real estate agent. My certification gives me not only great knowledge and expertise, but plenty of great resources to blog about.

Let's get the party started with Home Energy Audits. It's basically the first step towards making your home more energy efficient. Not just green friendly, but wallet friendly as well. By performing an energy audit (you can do one yourself, but to get the most mileage out of the assessment you're best off having a professional Home Energy Rater do one for you), you can get a handle on what it's gonna' take to improve your home's health.

To find out more about Home Energy Audits, check out EnergyStar's site, here. It's smart, right to the point and so, so relevant considering how much money we all spend on utilities every month.

When you're done drinking the green Kool Aid, do something about it. EnergyStar makes it easy to find a certified Home Energy Rater- just click here. The Home Energy Rater will not only tell you what's going on in your house, but they'll also make concrete recommendations so that you can get the most bang for your home improvement buck.

And once you've saved a bundle on energy bills, go spend it at on a delicious local, organic meal at Dynamic Dish, in their LEED Platinum Certified space.