You spend your mornings packing lunches for your kids before they leave for camp. You know you will be hitting the pool with them before dinner, and you aren't sure you feel quite ready to put on that bathing suit. You open your fridge for lunch, but you can't stomach the idea of another sandwich. Now is the time to call a friend, and head out for lunch. Brookhaven is definitely growing in the restaurant arena, and the options you have at your fingertips are endless. A taqueria, Italian, Mexican, Pizza, it all sounds good but when you just want a healthy meal quickly there is a hidden gem …

You are in charge of your kids bath times, you make sure their outfits are washed and their fingernails are clean. You take your husband's suits to the dry cleaner, you keep his shower stocked with his favorite shampoo. Now it is time to pamper yourself, and if you just don't have the time or energy to visit the spa, then let the spa come to you! While there is very little effort involved in enjoying your day at the spa, why not make it even easier for yourself? SpaPlayDates, a local company, is a great way to bridge two gaps - having time for you and your girlfriends, and letting your kids …

You find yourself humming the theme song to Dora the Explorer as you cook dinner, and you can name the characters from The Backyardigans by voice alone. Your husband wants to take you to a movie, but you would rather spend your time enjoying the weather before the intense heat of summer settles in to stay. You fondly remember drive-ins, and how exciting life was when you could watch a movie outdoors, only to be replaced with the cinemas of today. Now here's your chance to relive your drive-in days in a much more modern way! Driving down Peachtree is never an easy feat once you hit Lenox Mall…

Everytime you pass McDonald's your kids want a happy meal. You haven't spent any  time in a sit down restaurant in weeks, and when you do, you find yourself visiting the same two or three restaurants over and over again. You want a change, but you don't want to venture far. Time to try something new, or rather, something old that you may not have tried before! There are few areas of Brookhaven which aren't booming these days, and new stores and restaurants seem to be popping up on every corner. But the shopping center that once housed the 'other' Kroger remains empty, except for a few stores…

You spend hours upon hours watching shows and movies your kids find entertaining - Finding Nemo, Cars, Toy Story 3, and Never Say Never for example.  Your husband prefers action films, and you don't think you can stomach one more bloodbath on screen. Consider taking a couple of hours to sneak away and watch a romantic film with your girlfriends! Who doesn't love to escape into a storyline that you can relate to on some level? While The King's Speech deserved every accolade it won, it definitely doesn't fit this bill. Fortunately for women everywhere, the movie Something Borrowed is coming out…

Saturdays are usually family days, filled with parties and sports and even homework. After a long week of keeping the house clean, cooking meals, planning activities and keeping yourself sane, take a break in the afternoon to do something for you that doesn't involve laundry or the gym. Cheese and crackers, hot dogs and baseball, popcorn and movies, burgers and wine...wait, burgers and wine? While they may not inherently go together author Jeff Bramwell has written a book, VinoBurger, which focuses on wine education and burger recipes inspired by the world's great regional cuisines, and he is…

Your daughter is the apple of her daddy's eye. She wears tutus and dresses up in your fancy clothes. But there should be no age limit on feeling like a princess, and this is your time to sparkle. Who doesn't know about the upcoming Royal Wedding? Everywhere we turn we hear about it, in magazines and newspapers, on television. Women are planning early morning viewing parties to see Kate's dress as she steps out into the public for the very first time, and others fondly reminisce about Princess Di's wedding almost 20 years ago. And now, at the Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead, you can celebrate like …

Your kids are keeping your calendar full, going from birthday party to lemonade stand to little league. Your husband has a standing night out with the guys to play poker. Your friends keep asking you to go out and have a drink, and now is finally your time to say yes. Brookhaven has so many options of places to relax, catch up and have a drink. And Wednesday, April 20, is the Wednesday Night Global Wine Stroll in our very own neighborhood, where you can try three of them all at once. You will stroll between participating restaurants and try wine offerings from different regions around the …

Sunshine. Sand. Beach Trips. Bathing suits. Wait, bathing suits? Ah, to be young again when you knew you looked good in a bathing suit. These days it takes hard work and effort, and as a busy mom you don't always have a lot of time for either. So why not let the laundry take a back seat for a few days, let your husband take over for dinner, have your kids plan some play dates, and get yourself back into bathing suit shape again! Fast Fit Atlanta has opened in Brookhaven and is ready to help make you the best you can be. And, for a limited time, they are offering unlimited boot camps for 3 …

It's officially Spring, but there is still a nip in the air! With the rain that has been passing through, and the cooler temperatures that seem to be lingering, you have likely been stuck indoors with your kids, hoping for the sun to peek through. Instead of waiting for the sun to come to you, find some sunshine in a new activity. What could be more fun than learning how to swing? 57th Fighter Group is known as a good place for dinner but really is so much more than just food. You can sit on the patio and watch the planes take off and land, or learn some history while listening to veterans …

Soccer season and little league is underway, and swim season will be here before you know it. You spend so much time making sure your kids get their time outside, when do you get a break for just you? Take some time and enjoy the nice weather, walking around one of our neighborhood's outdoor shopping areas before the Atlanta sun gets to be too much for even the little ones to bear. Everything old is new again, or at least it can be if you visit Chamblee's Antique Row. If you have never been, you are missing out on a charming selection of shops that line the main street of Old Towne Chamblee. …

1. Build and Grow Fortune Teller at Lowe's Deal: Build a fortune teller that will be fun for the whole family! Ask a question, shake it up and see what answer you get! Free for the first 50 registrants; recommended for Grades 1 through 5. Good Through: Saturday, March 26, 10 a.m. 2. Special Needs Night at Hippo Hopp Deal: The last Tuesday of each month is reserved for kids who have special needs and their families to enjoy. Admission is discounted to $4 per child, with $1 going to a children's charity - this month the charity is National Walk For Epilepsy. Good Through: Ongoing, this month's …

With so many great businesses in our area there is never a lack of things going on for the whole family to enjoy, so check out our picks for the next week and plan your calendar accordingly! Family Best Bets: PAJAMA STORYTIME When/Where: Tuesday, March 29, 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Brookhaven Library; Ages 3 to 5 Why Go: Dress in your favorite pajamas, bring your snuggliest stuffed animal and come listen to bedtime stories, sing sleepy-time songs and end the evening with milk and cookies! Pricing: Free PRESCHOOL STORYTIME When/Where: Tuesday, March 29, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; ages 3-5; 11:30 a.m. …

Mpaza Kapembwa, 18 Cross Keys High School, Senior This athlete and star scholar is a standout at Cross Keys High School! Moving to a new school is daunting when you are in high school, moving to a new country seems unfathomable. But Mpaza Kapembwa, 18, did just that when he moved to Atlanta from Zambia in the 9th grade, having to adjust to not only new friends but an entirely new culture at the same time. The adjustment may not have been the easy part, but he not only did that he has also exceled both on the field and off, being an integral part of the soccer and football teams, as well as a …

1. Hastings Nature & Garden Center Deal: Your Personal Gardener at Hastings! Two Consultations and Discounts for 12 months - for $95! Includes two comprehensive planning consultations at your home, 25% discount on all landscaping work, 10% discount card for all garden center purchases, advance notice of sales, events and new plants. Enroll on-line or call 404.869.7447. Good Through: Ongoing 2. HippoHopp Deal: On your next visit to HippoHopp fill out a comment card telling them about your hopping experience and/or suggestions and be entered to win a monthly drawing for 4 free admission tickets…

With so many great businesses in our area there is never a lack of things going on for the whole family to enjoy, so check out our picks for the next week and plan your calendar accordingly! This week it's all about the love of books for kids, and adults, of any age. Family Best Bets: TODDLER TIME AT BARNES AND NOBLE When/Where: March 16, 11 a.m.; Barnes and Noble; All Ages Why Go: Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with story-time at B&N! Don't forget to wear green or you might get pinched. Listen to some stories and then let your kids take part in a craft activity. Pricing: Free NATIONAL STORY-…

It's dinner time, and you can't begin to fathom making another casserole, or maybe your crockpot has been working on overtime, and the kids keep asking for hot dogs. You try to make the healthiest of meals, but the taste-buds of your family have different ideas. Maybe it is time to expand your culinary horizons, and have a break from your motherly duties while doing so! Back To Basics, Back To Julia. Bahama Beach Party Hands on. Let's Get Sauced! These are just a handful of classes that are being offered at The Cook's Warehouse in Brookhaven. They range from the very basic, teaching you the …

1. Friends of Brookhaven Library Book Sale Deal: Feed your love of books (and encourage your childrens love of reading at the same time!) and check out this book sale at the Brookhaven Library. Good Through: Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2. Book Club at Pottery Barn Kids Lenox Deal: Take part in this free weekly Book Club at Pottery Barn Kids.  If you attend 5 times you get a free gift, just have your book club passport stamped every visit. Good for kids of all ages! Good Through: Every Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  3. March Spirit Night for Ashford Park …

With so many great businesses in our area there is never a lack of things going on for the whole family to enjoy, so check out our picks for the next week and plan your calendar accordingly! Family Best Bets: LOWES BUILD AND GROW CLINIC When/Where: Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m.; Lowes; Grades 1-5 Why Go: It's tournament time, and your child will love challenging their friends to a game of shoot around basketball that they make themselves! The first 50 registrants at the store will receive a kit, apron and goggles! Pricing: Free NOCHE GRAND OPENING When/Where: Tuesday, March 16; Noche at Town …

Grant Pasley, 6 Ashford Park Elementary, First Grade Grant has overcome tremendous odds to beat health issues and maintain his love of life Last Spring, Grant Pasley was like any other kindergartner - an age when life is full of fun and games and not much else. He is a true example of how in the blink of an eye, everything can change. Grant had been complaining of leg pain for a couple of months, typical aches and pains of a growing boy, except this turned out to be anything but growing pains. His parents, Jenny and Ryan, were shocked to learn the heartbreaking news that he had an Osteolytic …