Decatur, GA April 2024

Invest to Impact

This month, I am intrigued to explore a topic that resonates differently with all of us: investing. While the concept of investing may initially conjure images of stock markets and financial portfolios, this issue explores how investing extends far beyond monetary assets, enriching our lives in various ways.

What does it mean to invest in oneself, in relationships, in experiences, and the community? How can we allocate our time, energy, and resources to yield meaningful returns in every facet of our lives?

Just as a prudent investor diversifies their portfolio to mitigate risk, we must diversify our lifestyle investments. From nurturing our physical and mental well-being to supporting our local economy and cultivating relationships with loved ones, each decision we make contributes to our holistic wealth.

We have the power to invest in causes that resonate with our values and contribute to positive change in the world. Whether it's supporting sustainable initiatives, championing social justice causes, or actively participating in our communities, our collective investments can spark transformative impact far beyond ourselves.

It's important to remember that investing is not solely about securing financial stability; it is about enriching our lives with purpose and passion. It's about making intentional choices today that pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.

So, as you peruse the articles and features in this issue, I encourage you to reflect on your own investments—both financial and non-financial. Consider how you can allocate your resources in a way that aligns with your values, passions, and long-term goals. After all, the greatest return on investment is not measured in dollars and cents, but in the richness of our experiences and the depth of our connections.

Thank you for joining us on this journey of exploration and discovery. Here's to investing in a life well-lived.

April 2024

Caroline Ficken | caroline.ficken@citylifestyle.com

Natalie Fox | natalie.fox@citylifestyle.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Natalie Fox, Sable Massingill, Cortney Wilbanks, Ashley Topham, Gloria Bunn

Corporate Team

city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

business monthly

Say “Nope!” to Scary Vet Bills!

Simmons Vet Pet Plans offer a means to budget your pet’s preventative healthcare in an affordable, predictable, and simple manner. With a modest down payment and 11 automated monthly installments, you’ll gain access to premium preventative healthcare and waived exam fees and discounts throughout the year. Interested? Check the deets on our website at  www.simmons.vet. We can’t wait to meet y’all!

April at The Wylde Center

In partnership with Legacy Park as part of their Legacy Community Day, Wylde Center's Spring Plant Sale Festival will take place April 13 and feature thousands of plants. The event offers a wide variety of plants including summer vegetables, annuals, herbs, native perennials and more! Wylde Center will also host a volunteer event focused on environmental education for Earth Day. Learn more at wyldecenter.org

Olive Branch Launches Bespoke Face Bar

Olive Branch is thrilled to introduce the community to our bespoke Face Bar, where our experts will blend a personalized face oil serum or face mask tailored to your skin type. We’re throwing a launch party for this amazing experience Friday, April 5th.  We’ll be serving up complimentary food, beverages, music and more. The event is free but if you’d like VIP TICKETS, you can grab them online at shoptheolive.com. See you there!

TIMOTHY COX & CO. ARE DECATUR’S INSIDERS

WORK WITH A TEAM YOU’LL LOVE - WHO WILL LOVE Y’ALL RIGHT BACK.

Timothy Cox has been a Realtor for over twenty years. He entered this industry because he knew there was a better way to guide clients through the home-buying process: by building a team that meets people where they are in life and ensures everyone’s unique circumstances play into their plan of action. Selling your house to buy another, which makes up the majority of transactions in Decatur, doesn’t have to be as tricky as clients believe. Instead, it takes a series of small actions, and the best way to navigate this process gracefully is by working with an empathetic guide. Enter Timothy Cox & Co. Realtors.

By working with this real estate team, you connect and collaborate with neighbors who live alongside you. You will run into them at school functions, volunteer events, and local businesses. Their slogan, “Love Y’all,” isn’t an empty promise. It is a fact of their heart-centered, empathetic approach to tackling one of life’s most massive transitions. Community is about a sense of belonging, and real estate is a relationship business. It’s not about the home; it’s about each client’s specific goals and what they want out of their community. You want a Realtor who will offer you choices with a wide range of direct, creative solutions. It’s easy to enter this process feeling overwhelmed, and you will find soothing guidance and practical solutions at every turn. Before making such an immense investment, emotions can be high. Timothy Cox & Co.’s team speaks to these consternations by differentiating what’s possible, versus what is probable. Which concerns are real, and which are simply anticipatory anxiety? Because this team’s passion is service-oriented, they will actively listen to your worries before offering multiple solutions. Then, expert advice rooted in empathy comes into play. The most common question they encounter with a potential client is: should I stay or go? Should I sell, or should I build an addition?

“Buying a home in a neighborhood that you love is a chance to invest in yourself and your happiness.”

You will receive outlined options with accompanying resources and an honest look at the cost of waiting. Timothy Cox & Co. sincerely wants what is best for you, and they will work hard to ensure you get it. They go above and beyond to communicate with clarity, so there are no surprises, and you have a great sense of what’s next every step along the way. They are proactive with solutions to keep your experience as stress-free as possible. Ultimately, they are Decatur’s insiders: when you work with them, the resources they provide are invaluable. Specifically, they have a constantly updated spreadsheet called “The Curated List.” In it, there are over 300 providers that they consider the best in their respective fields. From pediatricians to landscapers and even acting coaches, you can access this meticulously curated list as the ultimate connector. Whether you’re new to the city or relocating a couple of miles away, you will have access to a vetted network of coveted professionals.

Real estate is the number one way to build wealth long-term, and the tax incentives don’t hurt, either! It is one of the few markets never to experience a double-digit decline. What does it look like to invest in Decatur real estate wisely? Keep your first home and rent it out instead of selling it. In this market, the demand for single-family home rentals in Decatur is skyrocketing, and home appreciation is almost immediate. Decatur is culturally rich and diverse, with excellent walkability, schools, and neighbors. Everyone seems to be working for the greater good in this hands-on community. The beautiful parks and pools are other enticing factors! Use your first home as an investment tool, allocate the equity to buy your dream home, and keep building your portfolio. In the words of Tim, “Investing in a city that prides itself in great schools, good government, and safety is always a good investment.”

DECATUR LIBRARY

A Place for Growth -

The Community Staple

Offering Programs for All Residents

Located right on Sycamore Street in downtown Decatur, the Decatur Library is a treasure for our community and is not your everyday, average library. With vast event programming spanning from author talks to book clubs, we are so fortunate that our library offers extensive literary programming for both adults and children and has something for everyone in our community.

The library hosts an adult’s crochet club, where local community members meet to crochet, chat, and learn new patterns while forging friendships, youth and adult book clubs, and weekly story times for babies-toddlers on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.

The story times are a special space where caregivers and littles alike commune, sing, read, and play together.

Additionally, the library hosts other programs including Jewelry with Gin, Resistance Bands Exercise, Debt Clinic, Golden Classic Film Series, an Open Technology Lab, and Chess Club. While the library staff and its contractors lead storytimes, book discussions, and various other programs, they work with outside experts in the community to lead additional programming, like exercise groups, gaming, and more. With a holistic approach to community offerings, the library

invites community members to apply as volunteer workshop presenters and share their knowledge with their neighbors through the library’s Skillshare program.

A true space for the community, on a Thursday evening in February, in collaboration with the Georgia Center for the Book, I along with other local book lovers gathered for an impactful author talk with Sadeqa Johnson, the author of New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club Pick “The House of Eve”. The event was moderated by Decatur resident and author Nicki Salcedo, who credited growing up with access to the Decatur Library as a very important part of her journey as a writer. Just like others in the crowd, which included the library’s Executive Director, Jill Joplin, I left with a

CONTINUED >

“THE BE ST PART? THESEINSPIRING

ARE FRE E AND OPEN TOTHE PUBLIC

revived interest in historical fiction and a copy of Johnson’s best-selling book, which was available for sale on-site via Decatur’s Charis Books & More. This kind of cross-support is so necessary for a community such as ours to continue to thrive and grow.

The Georgia Center for the Book (GCB) operation (which books the author discusses) within the Decatur Library is one of its most popular and illustrious programs. The library executive team told us that the Center for the Book pro gram has made DCPL the largest literary pro gram pre senter in the southeastern United States, with over 100 author pro grams cur rent ly being pre sented annu ally. The Georgia Center for the Book’s mission is to support libraries, promote literacy and the literary arts, and preserve the literary heritage of Georgia. The Georgia Center for the Book is one of only four Center for the Book affiliates located in a public library in the US.

The author events are truly top-notch programming and depend on author tour schedules, yet still occur every month. The best part? These inspiring events are free and open to the public.

In April, there are currently two author talks scheduled. One on April 16th with author Ryan Britt, writer of “The Spice Must Flow,” and another the following day on April 17, featuring Brian Panowich, the author of “Nothing But The Bones.”

For the summer months of June and July, the library ushers in an even wider array of programs and events for everyone from the younger patrons to senior citizens during its Summer Reading program. This year, the theme for the program is “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” The Decatur librarians have been working on this year’s programming for months, and the full programming slate will be announced in May.

The beautiful and historic building that houses all of these wonderful community programs is currently undergoing renovations to the bathroom, as part of the DeKalb County SPLOST 1(special local option sales tax) fund with the new modernized bathrooms re-opening this Spring.

The mission of the library is to enlighten and enrich the people of DeKalb County by provid ing respon sive, dynamic ser vices that meet the chang ing infor mational, educational, and recre ational needs of a diverse population.

This month the DeKalb Library Foundation is raising money from community members to continue to support its vital library programming. If you would like to continue to see these amazing programs offered in our community or to get involved, learn more, or donate to the Decatur library, you can do so online at www.dekalblibraryfoundation.org

EVENTS C.”

Risk and Reward

A Conversation with Financial Planner James Herndon.

To gain a better understanding of how risk ties into investing, we sat down with James Herndon III of Edward Jones Decatur.

TO KICK US OFF, TELL ME HOW YOU LANDED IN FINANCIAL PLANNING.

I spent the first four years of my career as a high school educator. When I left the classroom, I transitioned to Emory University to lead the debate team. I grew tired of the travel associated with debate, which led me to financial planning.

IS INVESTING FOR EVERYONE?

Yes, however, every individual has a different comfort level with risk - from treasury bills and CDs to aggressive ETFs and SMAs. I work hard to accommodate that by educating clients on how risk plays into financial decisions.

HOW DO YOU USE EDUCATION TO EVALUATE RISK?

There is no such thing as a risk-free higher rate of return. Most people have no idea how to balance their fear of losing with their fear of missing out. If someone tells me what financial goal they want to accomplish, we evaluate where they are now to build a comfortable path on how to get there.

If you’d like to book an appointment with James, email him at: james.herndon@edwardjones.com

INVESTING I N THEEARTH

“This sanctuary places us in nature, reminding us that we are nature just as the hawk hovering above the unsuspecting mockingbird or the honey bee drinking from the damp ground.” -Sally Wylde

Step through the trellis-covered entry to Oakhurst Garden and be enveloped in the calls of songbirds, the rustle of hens in the chicken coop, and the beauty of nature in its intended state. This space would not exist were it not for a vision to take something small and invest in the story of the Decatur community.

In 1996, Sally Wylde and her neighbor Louise Jackson were in a predicament. Children from the nearby elementary school were cutting through Mrs. Jackson’s yard and trampling her beloved garden. The women chose to partner with their neighborhood and invite the children to participate in caring for and restoring Mrs. Jackson’s garden. These women invested in the next generation and provided them with a new connection to nature. The group took such pride in their work, and the desire to learn about

The Story of Wylde Center: Creating Secret Wild Spaces for Children

gardening spread throughout the community. By 1997, Sally Wylde and her husband purchased an underdeveloped lot in Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood. Oakhurst Community Garden Project was born, and Wylde Center was founded.

Since then, the community’s dedication to Wylde Center has expanded the nonprofit’s operation to five greenspaces: Oakhurst Garden, Sugar Creek Garden, Hawk Hollow, Edgewood Community Learning Garden, and Mulberry Fields Garden. These greenspaces are open year-round for the community. Wylde Center provides one of the largest environmental and science education youth programs in metro-Atlanta including the Decatur Farm to School program, Atlanta Farm to School, Healthy Living by Healthy Growing at the Decatur Housing Authority, and science program and field trips linked to Common Core standards. https://www.wyldecenter.org/mission/

These spaces create opportunities for a multigenerational connection to the environment while promoting social change. The chance for children to get outside and play in the soil inspires their motivation to care for nature in their community. Wylde Center educates on sustainable living and encourages environmental stewardship. Spending intentional time in nature can shift both mood and perspective. The challenges of life can often feel much smaller when we pay attention to the beauty that is always inviting us to care for it.

If you are interested in volunteering, please visit https://www.wyldecenter.org/volunteer/ or https://www.handsonatlanta.org/

If you are interested in donating to Wylde Center, please visit https://www.wyldecenter.org/.

“The community connects with us, falls in love, and feels invested. They care what happens here.”

REALTY REPORT

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INNOVATION

EDUCATION and

GEORGIA UPPER

CERVICAL: WELLNESS AND RECOVERY THROUGH AN ORTHOSPINOLOGY LENS.

Located in the heart of downtown Decatur, Georgia Upper Cervical is more than your typical chiropractic office: it’s a place of innovation and wellness. Patients seeking relief from issues such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, sports injuries, cervical spine injuries, and more are treated to fix their pain long-term. Owner Dr. Ryan Klopfer manages his practice by educating his patients on understanding their pain as well as utilizing technology to address the root cause of their issues.

His approach follows an individualized 90-day care plan for patients, encompassing around six to twelve office visits. At the initial appointment, patients undergo 3-D imaging which assesses their spine’s state allowing Dr. Ryan to understand how to proceed with the misalignment of their spine. Accuracy is key to any adjustments that a patient receives, which is ensured by having patients switch into bowling ball shoes before their assessment, ruling out any inconsistencies from their shoe height. Other measures in the form of pre-checks allow for a concrete measurement of a patient’s correction. These checks include a palpable scan of the neck and a hip caliper machine that uses lasers to check the pelvis alignment.

The adjustment itself is achieved through instrument assistance and with the help of computer software along with the pre-checks, Dr. Ryan can carry out an accurate adjustment to correct a patient’s misalignment. Before resting, patients are checked with the hip caliber machine again to ensure the misalignment has been addressed. Once adjusted, patients are taken to a special room to decompress by sitting in a massage chair with a weighted blanket and noise-canceling headphones. This “zero-gravity” period of relaxation allows patients to relax their bodies and focus on their healing experience. Through the practice’s focus on utilizing cutting-edge technology as well as Dr. Ryan’s commitment to educating his patients on healing their bodies from the inside out, Georgia Upper Cervical is a perfect place to invest in your wellness and recovery within the Decatur area.

This “zero-gravity” feeling allows patients to relax their bodies and focus on their healing experience.

eat kind

EMBRACING A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR BODY

Wellness isn’t about restricting — it’s really about giving. Giving to yourself and to your body in a way that allows them both to thrive. The cool part? The things that give to your body naturally give to your mind, your hormones, your earth, your relationships, and so on — it’s all beautifully interconnected in that way.

Work in partnership with your body. Listen to it, support it, give to it, forgive it — and I promise it’ll give back. Repeat after me: I love myself as the most important and committed partner I will ever have

Eat your greens, cook at home, choose local produce and quality meats, don’t be scared of healthy fats — but also support local farmers, move in a way that makes your body and mind feel good, prioritize times of mindfulness and stillness, fuel your body in a way that is sustainable for both you and the planet, practice gratitude and empathy, give yourself grace when you lose routine, don’t try to make changes overnight, ditch the guilt, and always always be kind to yourself.

simple

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 6 oz. filets of wild caught salmon

• 1 Tbsp. avocado oil

• 1 Tbsp. coconut aminos

• Zest and juice from one lemon

• 1 Tbsp. stone ground mustard

• 1 4 oz. container coconut yogurt, unsweetened

• 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced

• 2 Tbsp. capers, drained and minced

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Marinate the salmon in the lemon juice, coconut aminos, and stone ground mustard for up to two hours.

2. Drizzle salmon with avocado oil, sprinkle with salt and ground pepper, and broil on high for five to seven minutes, until cooked to desired temperature.

3. Mix coconut cream, lemon zest, dill, capers, and ground pepper together.

4. Top salmon with coconut cream, serve with roasted or sautéed veggies, brown or cauliflower rice, or fresh greens. Enjoy!

spicy thai coconut curry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise, then sliced into crescents

• 1 red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into slices

• 2 cups carrots, sliced

• 2 cups mushrooms, quartered

• 1 large boneless, skinless, pasture raised chicken breast, cut into cubes (omit to make vegan)

• 2 cans coconut cream

• 1 container curry paste or 3 tablespoons dried curry powder

• 2-4 cups bone broth, chicken stock, or vegetable stock

• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

• 1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced

• 4 limes, 2 juiced and 2 quartered

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2-4 Tbsp. avocado, olive, or coconut oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season the chicken with ¼ of the curry powder/paste, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Sear on medium heat in 1 tablespoon desired oil. Once browned on each side, remove from pan, and set aside.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil and sauté the onion on medium heat until softened and translucent, roughly 2-3 minutes

3. Add the garlic, ginger, broccoli, zucchini, red pepper, carrots, and mushrooms. Sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

4. Add the chicken back in, along with the coconut cream, remaining curry powder/ paste, and broth.

5. Bring to boil, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

6. Remove from heat and finish with lime juice.

Serve with quinoa, cauliflower rice, or add extra broth to create a healing soup. Garnish with sliced avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.

“MILLION BAZILLION” MAKES MONEY FUN

Toby Emert devised "Million Bazillion: The Musical" based on the American Public Media children’s podcast, co-hosted by Bridget Bodnar. We had the opportunity to speak with them both about the process and its mission.

WHY DID YOU CREATE THIS SHOW FOR KIDS?

I wanted to build a Theatre for Young Audiences show with audience participation about real-life issues.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT FINANCES?

When kids know how money works, they make better decisions later in life. It can be a fraught topic that parents don’t always know how to address with their children, and the podcast and musical provide prompts to start conversations.

HOW HAVE AUDIENCES REACTED?

Kids loved shouting out answers and being a part of the show! Agnes Scott College has a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to study its impact, and we hope to address financial education inequity in the process.

HOW DOES THE MAGIC OF MUSIC WORK WITH THIS PRACTICAL TOPIC?

This musical follows the formula of learn, say what you learned, then sing what you learned. All of its original songs hook into wordplay and repetition alongside a fabulous four-piece band.

Agnes Scott College’s new department, Creative Arts, is reimagining where the arts live in our society. Follow along for upcoming theatre, music, and dance productions.

Million Bazillion, the podcast, is releasing season five in April. They will be covering a range of new topics like unions, college savings accounts, and how cars are made.

This podcast-based musical makes financial education accessible for kids.

APRIL 2024

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAYS IN APRIL

Oakhurst Jazz Nights

The Solarium | 7:00 PM

Jazz lovers, head to Oakhurst on Thursday evenings in April! Picnic at sunset outside the Solarium, and enjoy a free outdoor concert on the lawn of the Solarium, 7-9 pm. Concerts are free and open to the public. Remember to bring a blanket and no high-back chairs, please!

APRIL 6TH

STEM Literacy Event at Brave and Kind Bookshop

Brave + Kind Bookshop | 11:00 AM

The Great American Eclipse is happening April 8, 2024. Bring youth to Brave and Kind Bookshop for a book reading and activity centered around this upcoming space phenomenon. Whitney Gaskins'  The Great American Eclipse will be read and kids will engage in an activity that furthers their understanding of the eclipse and astronomical events. Register youth today at braveandkindbooks.com

APRIL 22ND

Lunchtime Garden Tour

Woodlands Garden | 12:00 PM

Join Executive Director, Kate McAlpin, on a lunchtime garden tour to explore what's emerging in the garden this spring. Details along with other Earth Day-themed events throughout April can be found at www.woodlandsgarden.org

APRIL 24TH

Navigating Menopause

Clarity Fitness | 6:30 PM

Learn about pelvic and gut changes in menopause and strategies to tackle those issues. Beth Kemper (pelvic PT) and Karen Riggs (registered dietitian) will share their insights and experience, as well as providing plenty of time to answer your questions! Learn more and register at clarityfitness.com/events

APRIL 26TH-28TH

Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour

Historic Druid Hills | 1:00 PM

As the longest-running home tour in Atlanta, the Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour has showcased many stunning homes and landscapes over the years. Brought to you by the Druid Hills Civic Association and organized by an army of volunteers, it is the one Atlanta home tour you don't want to miss. Purchase tickets at druidhillstour.org

APRIL 27TH

The Wylde Center's Annual Beer Garden and Silent Auction Fundraiser

The Wylde Center

The event features local breweries and eateries, live music, and a silent auction filled with a variety of items. Admission includes a commemorative beer glass and open access to all that the event has to offer. Learn more at wyldecenter.org

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