Barrington Hall presents a series of lectures in their coach house meeting space on the first and third Wednesdays of each month (and sometimes the fifth Wednesday) .

This popular lecture series covers a variety of local and historic topics of interest to people living in Roswell and the surrounding areas. The doors open at 6:30 PM and our lectures begin their presentations at 7 PM. Lectures last approximately an hour and are followed by a question and answer period. Seating is limited and most lectures fill up quickly.

Please call 770.640.3855 to make a reservation or to ask questions.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Restoration of Barrington Hall
Presented by Sarah Winner, current board member and restorer of Barrington Hall.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012
“First Love, Last Dance”
Nancy Rossman, a descendant of Roswell King, will speak about her new book
First Love, Last Dance, a memoir about love, hope and second chances.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012
General Sherman and the Georgia Belles
Presented by Cathy Kaemmerlen, author of General Sherman and the Georgia Belles.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012
A Brief History of the City of Atlanta
Don Rooney, Head Curator at the Atlanta History Center,
will present an overview of the history of Atlanta.

Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Occupation of Roswell…Federal and Confederate
A special Thursday night lecture, Roswell’s historian, Michael Hitt
will talk about the Federal and Confederate Occupations of Roswell in 1864.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Inman Family of Atlanta
Tammy Harden Galloway, author of The Inmans: an Atlanta Family, will speak about her book and the Inmans, one of Atlanta’s founding families.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012
General Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Campaign of 1862
Barrington Hall begins its Civil War Generals series with Civil War historian Robert Tanner who will present his lecture on General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson and Gen. Jackson’s role in the Shenandoah Campaign.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012
General John Bell Hood
Barrington Hall’s Civil War Generals lecture series will continue with Steve Davis, Civil War historian. Mr. Davis will speak about the career of General John Bell Hood (CSA).

Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Margaret Mitchell and Dr. Benjamin Mays
Bill Browning, lecturer on Margaret Mitchell, will speak about Margaret Mitchell’s professional relationship with Dr. Benjamin Mays of Morehouse College.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Thomas King of Roswell
Dr. Keith Bohannon, Associate Professor at West Georgia University will
give his presentation on the life of Thomas King, son of Roswell founder Barrington King.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Margaret Mitchell’s French Connection
Bill Browning, lecturer on Margaret Mitchell, will speak about Margaret Mitchell’s little known connection to Vimoutiers, France and how she helped rebuild the town after it was destroyed by “friendly” fire during World War II.

Visit us for the latest Roswell news and information.

Time for a quick update on the Smyrna Vinings mortgage rates market.

The Week in Review:

Good news for the labor market. Friday’s Jobs Report showed more jobs created than expected and the unemployment rate dropped to 8.30%… the lowest since early 2009. Since good news typically causes rates to rise, home loan rates moved higher Friday erasing the small decline from earlier in the week. Mortgage interest rates ended the week unchanged.

What to Expect:

It’s a slow week for economic reports so watch out for the rate markets to continue the modest increase we saw at the end of the week. The Treasury will be selling securities this week and the results of those sales could play a role in market movements.… and if you’re not sick of hearing about it, Greece continues negotiations this week. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this week that “time is running out” for Greece to accept bailout conditions. Resolution to the debt issue (or the lack thereof) will continue to make a difference in the rate markets and could cause big changes at anytime.

Breg-ometer:

Next 15 Days: Lock loans – It would not be surprising to see rates move higher from these levels
Next 30 + Days: Neutral

Courtesy of:
Bob Bregitzer
Southeast Mortgage

Click here to start your Smyrna Vinings home search.

Upward Sports softball for girls and t-ball for boys offers an evangelistic sports ministry specifically designed for K-4 through 8th grade. Upward Sports promotes salvation, character and self-esteem in every child.

Teams practice one night a week for one hour. Games are played on Saturday for one hour and concessions are offered all day.

Early registration cost is $100.00. After March 4th, the cost is $110.00. The registration deadline is March 12. Please register online or you may download the registration form and take it with payment to the church office between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

For more information, please call the church office at 770-435-3231.

League Schedule

Everyone MUST attend one evaluation for uniform sizing or sign-up. Evaluations will be held at the FBC Smyrna Athletic Field, 1275 Church Street, Smyrna, GA 30080.

Evaluation #1: Thursday, March 1, 6pm – 8pm (all ages)

Evaluation #2: Saturday, March 3, 9am – 1pm (all ages)

• Practices Begin – Week of Monday, March 12, 2012.
• First Game – Saturday, March 24, 2012.
• Last Game – Saturday, May 12, 2012.
• Awards Celebration – TBD.

Visit SmyrnaVinings.com for all the latest Smyrna news and events.

Wanting to show your pride in where you live instead of where you vacation? We’ve solved that problem for you with the Smyrna Vinings car decals. Let people know your proud of where you live and continue to spread the word of Smyrna Vinings popularity.

The decals have proven to be very popular and have been re-stocked. You can pick up your complimentary Smyrna Vinings car decal at the following retailers:

The Wine Cellars

1295 W. Spring Street Suite 100 Smyrna, GA 30080

Bella’s Pizzeria

3599 Atlanta Road Smyrna, GA 30080

Twisted Taco

4624 Camp Highland Rd SE # 700, Smyrna, GA 30082

You can also pick your Smyrna Vinings decal at the Smyrna Community Center, located at 200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna GA 30080. The decals are located in the front entryway.

Or you might be able to twist my arm and I’ll mail one to you. Feel free to contact us for all the latest Smyrna Vinings news and events.

Tennis Lessons

Cobb County Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce that beginning February 21st beginner and advanced beginner tennis classes will be offered at Rhyne Park on King Springs Rd. in Smyrna.   Registration is now in progress.

Each session of classes will meet once a week on Tuesdays for one hour for six consecutive weeks.  Classes for kids and adults will be offered.  The Tots (age 3 – 4), Child (age 5 – 7) and Youth (age 8 – 11) classes will use the Quickstart method using a smaller court and foam or low compression ball.  The Adults (age 16+) will use a regulation court and ball.

Rhyne Park tennis courts are satellite courts of Fair Oaks Tennis Center.  All classes will be taught by members of the Fair Oaks teaching staff.  All instructors hold certifications from either the PTR or USPTA.

The cost is $72 for the session of six one hour lessons.  The tot’s class meets for one-half hour each week, the cost of the tots class is $36 per session.

The schedule of classes is:

Age                             Day                 Time

Tots (3 – 4)*                Tuesday           4:30 – 5:00pm

Child (5 – 7)*              Tuesday           5:00 – 6:00pm

Youth (8 – 11)*          Tuesday           6:00 – 7:00pm

Adult Beginner           Tuesday           7:00 – 8:00pm

Adult Adv Beg           Tuesday           8:00 – 9:00pm

* Two classes, a beginner and an advanced beginner class, are offered at each time period.

Registration can be done online at http://prca.cobbcountyga.gov/ez-reg.htm with a user-id and pin number or by calling Fair Oaks Tennis Center at 770 528-8480.

Cobb County Elementary School Tennis League

Cobb County is sponsoring a low cost tennis league for elementary age kids.  2^nd and 3^rd graders will play on a 36’ court with a low compression ball.  4^th and 5^th graders will play on a 60’ court with low compression balls.  The Cobb county Elementary School tennis league is a recreational tennis league where kids can compete with classmates representing their schools.  Rhyne Park will be a host site for schools in the Smyrna area.  All match play will be at Rhyne Park.  Teams will consist of 4 – 6 players and a captain (team mom/dad).  The cost is $10 per kid for the league season.  Team coaching is not required but is available for an additional fee.  All coaches are certified teaching professionals contracted by Cobb County Parks and Recreation.

Registration is open until Feb 18^th.  Match play will begin Friday March 25^th and continue thru May 6^th.  No matches are scheduled during the spring break week.

More detailed information can be found at http://prca.cobbcountyga.gov/ElementarySchoolLeague.htm

A download of the Elementary School league brochure can be found at http://prca.cobbcountyga.gov/documents/ESL-entryform.pdf

For more information or answers to any questions regarding the tennis classes or the elementary school league respond to this e-mail or call Fair Oaks Tennis Center 770 528-8480.

Resolve to Face the Facts!

Since 2007, 8.9 million homes have been lost to foreclosure and millions more are headed in that direction.

As a real estate professional who has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, my mission is to ensure that you or anyone you care about does not add to that statistic.

The unfortunate fact is that so many homeowners who have played by the rules and never imagined that they could be facing foreclosure are now in a very tough situation.

More than one in four homeowners owes more on their mortgage than their home is worth. On top of that staggering statistic is the fact that millions of homeowners are unemployed, or underemployed and falling further behind every month.

Sound familiar? Rest assured you are not alone.

If you feel that you are headed toward foreclosure, or if you are avoiding facing that fact, the sooner you reach out for help, the better your options.

As a CDPE agent, I help distressed homeowners to work through every aspect of the denial and discouragement that accompanies a mortgage which is no longer manageable, and in the process, to move toward financial solvency.

If you or someone you care about is a Smyrna Vinings homeowner and is ready to tip the scales back toward financial solvency, contact me today and let’s get started.

Aaron Hofmann, CPA, CDPE

Keller Williams Realty Cityside

770-653-9601

aaron@SmyrnaVinings.com

Don't miss out on this gorgeous craftsman style home situated within walking distance to the Smyrna Market Village, Smyrna Library and Smyrna Community Center, not to mention several parks.

The home features a picturesque stone covered front porch. You'll love the open floor plan, site finished hardwoods throughout main and on the stairs. The Family Room features a stone fireplace. The Kitchen is every chef's dream with a huge island, stainless appliances, granite countertops and stained cabinetry.

The home also has a large Master Bedroom with lots of closet space. Unfinished basement great for storage and the huge garage is epoxy-coated.

After a long day at work, kick your feet up and relax on your large deck.

The home was built by Brock Built in 2007 in North Whitfield Reserve and was originally listed for $459,000 just  a few years ago. Better than new construction in this area and at a better price.

Contact us today to schedule your exclusive priority showing.

To learn more about this Smyrna home for sale, click on the Virtual Tour above, check out the property flyer or contact us directly.

This 3BR/2.5 BA home is located at 1026 Whitfield Court, Smyrna, GA 30080 and is great deal at $275,000 and is a must-see. FMLS# 4319433.

Exclusively marketed by:

Aaron Hofmann

Keller Williams Realty Cityside

770-653-9601

770-874-6200

aaron@SmyrnaVinings.com

SmyrnaVinings.com

District Two Commissioner Bob Ott will host a town hall meeting on Thursday, February 9th at 7 p.m. in the Smyrna Community Room at the Smyrna Community Center. The community center is located at 200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna GA 30080.

Town halls are designed to inform residents about progress being made in Cobb County and provide an easy forum for two-way communication with elected officials.

For more information, call 770-528-3316 or visit cobbcounty.org/ott.

Visit us for all the latest Smyrna Vinings news and events

Smyrna Vinings Interest Rate Update

The Week in Review:

Mortgage interest rates came down last week as the Fed announced they would keep short-term rates low through late 2014. European officials were unable to hammer out a resolution to Greece’s debt crisis which also helped rates move lower. On the week, home loan rates ended down about .125%.

What to Expect:

This week is employment week and since this is one of the most important factors in our economic recovery, the Jobs Report due out Friday could be a market mover.

Don’t be fooled by the Fed’s recent announcement about interest rates. While the Fed plays a role in how long-term rates move, mortgage interest rates are determined by free-trading mortgage-backed security and treasury markets. Between now and late 2014, rates will be here, there and everywhere.

Currently, the underlying mortgage-backed security markets are only a hair away from all-time historic levels. We still maintain our locking position.

Breg-ometer:

Next 30 Days: Take advantage of this market, it can change quickly
Next 60+ Days: Rates can come down, but feel that any improvement will be small.

Courtesy of:
Bob Bregitzer
Southeast Mortgage

Click here to start your Smyrna Vinings home search.

As Mardi Gras quickly approaches, South City Kitchen Vinings celebrates the flavors of the Crescent City with two special events, first Linger and Learn on February 1st.

And then South City Kitchen Vinings brings back its successful “A Taste of New Orleans” special limited-time-only menu February 2-11. This menu (which will be available in addition to most of the regular menu) features small plates that can be combined to make one meal or ordered individually for the table to taste and share.

• CREOLE BBQ SHRIMP shell-on Gulf shrimp, lemon, garlic, French bread 11
• OYSTER STEW Herbsaint, fried oysters, smoked bacon, basil butter 7
• GULF CRABCAKE fried pickled okra, sauce Ravigote 14.50
• GRILLED OYSTERS spinach, pimento cheese, city ham 9
• ALLIGATOR & ANDOUILLE BEIGNETS green chili aioli 7
• BOUDIN BLANC choucroute, Creole mustard 6
• CHOPPED SALAD butter crunch lettuce, satsumas, mirlitons, pickled red onion, cane syrup vinaigrette 8
• DEBRIS PO’BOY H&F roll, beef brisket, cheddar, okra pickles, hot mustard aioli 9
• CRISPY LOUISIANA CATFISH blue crab maque choux, caper remoulade 18
• TROUT MEUNIÈRE Gulf shrimp, caper berries, Vidalia onions, bliss potatoes 22
• GRITS & GRILLADES pan-roasted veal, stone-ground grits, mushrooms, trinity, tomato gravy 19
• MARKET GULF FISH riz jaune, crawfish etouffee M/P
• JAMBALAYA shrimp, crawfish, mussels, catfish, popcorn rice, andouille, spicy tomato broth 19
• QUAIL & CRAWFISH GUMBO tasso, okra, jasmine rice 20
• ‘PAIN PERDU’ bread pudding raisins, whiskied cream 7
• CHOCOLATE DRUNKEN VOODOO ZOMBIE CAKE 7
• POPCORN RICE PUDDING dried apricots, dates, fresh cream 6

Reservations for “A Taste of New Orleans” are available at 770.435.0700 or www.southcitykitchen.com/vinings. South City Kitchen Vinings is located at 1675 Cumberland Parkway, SE, Atlanta, GA 30080 in One Ivy Walk.