Home + Design

Brimming with Joy

Create your signature hat at Star's Article by Sue G. Collins “Without hats there is no civilization”  - Christian Dior Ashley Davis would agree. Ashley is the owner of Star’s Hat and Jewelry Bar in Alpharetta, where hats take center stage, next to jewelry and the curation of personal style. “We offer a variety of hats at a variety of price points. Many hat bars only offer a few styles in a variety of colors, but we have numerous styles and colors and can find a hat for anyone who...

Health + Wellness

Movement Matters

Minimizing pain and restoring function for patients is Dr. Naylor's game Article by Sue G. Collins Dr. Brandon Naylor believes in the body and its wondrous capabilities. As a hip and knee replacement specialist and orthopedic surgeon, he utilizes the minimally invasive and muscle-sparing Direct Anterior hip approach, proven to minimize postoperative pain while improving function when compared to traditional approaches. We caught up with him at his practice at Total Joint Specialists in...

Travel

Door County's Wonderland

A wintery dream straight out of a Hallmark movie Article and Photography by Valerie Shepherd If you’re craving a holiday escape that feels like stepping inside a snow globe, Door County, Wisconsin delivers. I know because this Georgia girl went there searching for a little winter wonderland and found it the very second I landed. With its twinkling lights, snow-dusted pines and small-town charm, this peninsula has everything you need to get into winter mode. The quiet of winter is the perfect...

Education

History Restored

Alpharetta's first settlement will be a park Article by Alpharetta City Lifestyle staff The Farm House Heritage Park will receive a $1.9 million facelift from Hasbun Construction. Located at the northeast corner of Ga. 400 and Old Milton Parkway, the park will mark a site that many consider the first settlement in Alpharetta.  The settlement at the Farm House site predates Alpharetta’s 1858 charter and once included a grist mill, sawmill, cotton gin, post office and general store. A dam was...

Arts + Culture

Pattern Power

Custom lamps transform a room, one shade at a time. Article by Alpharetta City Lifestyle staff "To me, creating a home is less about decorating and more about surrounding yourself with pieces that spark joy and encourage relaxation and creativity," says Kristina Holdorf, owner and designer at Urban Fresh Home. "I’ve always loved exploring how texture, color and light work together, and that curiosity has become the heart of my lampshade designs." As a keen photographer, gardener and former...

Wellness

Nurturing is Natural

Mother-Daughter doulas bring the warmth Article by Sean O'Keefe For centuries, doulas have stood beside women as trusted guides through pregnancy, birth and the sacred transition into motherhood. Rooted in ancient traditions of care and community, their presence has always offered reassurance, wisdom and unwavering support, honoring birth not only as a medical event, but as a deeply human experience. Being a doula is a profound journey of support, empathy and empowerment. Doulas provide...

Travel

Soaking, For the Sake of Wellness

Forest bathing and actual bathing: the ultimate act of self care Article and Photography by Sue G. Collins Ninety minutes in a bath sounded like a lot to me before my treetop soak in a private cabana at Lakeview at Fontana near Bryson City, NC. After a short but steep hike up a forested trail from the unmanned reception lounge (“Unplug. Unwind. Unhosted.” is Lakeview’s tagline), I found my cabana, a tiny mountain cabin open to the elements on one side. While I ran the bath (plenty of hot...

Beauty

The New Neck Lift

Minimal downtime and max results, by Alpharetta-based surgeon Article by Dr. Miles Graivier The Graivier Center, a fully accredited medspa and plastic surgery center in Alpharetta, is seeing an overwhelming number of requests for their new Contouré Neck Lift. The procedure, popularized for its discreet appearance, minimal downtime and high efficacy, uses a technique designed by the practice owners, Drs. Miles Graivier and David Hill themselves. When asked if it’s the results, technique or...

Travel

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

An immersive Caribbean retreat where indulgence, mindfulness and natural beauty exist in perfect harmony. Article by Sean O'Keefe | Photography by Sandals Resorts Sandals, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, unfolds like a meditation; lush volcanic peaks, warm trade winds and turquoise waters meet sunlit shores, shaped by African, Caribbean and European heritage. Anchored by Saint Vincent and scattered with thirty-two Grenadine islands and cays, the archipelago moves to a natural rhythm...

Beauty

Technology and Warmth in Medicine

Cleaver Dermatology & Aesthetics Article by Alpharetta City Lifestyle staff | Photography by Catrina Maxwell A productive visit to your dermatologist's office will bring information, results and hope for a chronic skin concern or reassurance with a yearly skin exam.  Dr. Nathan Cleaver, fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, Dr. Weston Waxweiler and Dr. Stephanie Gardner at Cleaver Dermatology & Aesthetics are all about the most advanced skin cancer detection tools in North Georgia, including...