Bottoms up. October is one of the most beautiful times of year in Georgia. Mornings are crisp but not cold. Afternoons are pleasantly warm, not obnoxiously hot. There is also so much to do and you don't have to go far to do it. You can go apple picking and wine tasting and still be home for dinner.

Meet Our October Contributors Kendra Pierson is the creator of HeadbandForToday.com, a lifestyle blog with a heavy emphasis on parenting and travel. She doesn't make headbands, but rather wears the multiple headbands as a small business owner, board member, and community volunteer, as well as a wife and mother to two young children.

Vinings Down Hill 5K Race The 20th Annual Vinings Down Hill 5K, dubbed the fastest 5K in Atlanta, raced into the history books on this August. Hosted by the Vinings Rotary Club, hundreds of Atlantans braved the heat to run the 5K and party together in Vinings Jubilee afterward.

Smyrna Rotary Club Celebrates Smyrna Birthday Celebration The Smyrna Rotary Club helped to celebrate the birth of Smyrna with family and friends during the official Smyrna Birthday Celebration on August 6, 2016. High-energy music, festival foods, birthday festivities, and a kids entertainment area added to the excitement of the annual event. Photography by Smyrna Rotary Club

Ms. Heel Boutique VIP Grand Opening Event There is a new place in Smyrna to find fabulous footwear: Ms. Heel Boutique. This boutique specializes in high heels and other glamorous finds and recently threw a posh grand opening party to celebrate their launch. Ms. Heel is located in the new shopping center, Shops at Belmont. MsHeel.com

October 2016 Around Town Cumberland Mall continues to add to its retail base with the opening of four new retailers this fall. In addition to the plethora of high-quality stores and restaurants already at the mall, the new retailers will include Footaction, including Flight 23 and Nike Kicks Lounge, Moe’s Southwest Grill®, Build-A-Bear Workshop and Thai Café. Cumberland Mall has become the sought after…

Food and Wine Pairings for Fall With cooler temperatures comes the desire to curl up with a blanket and a glass of wine. Nothing chases away the chill of autumn better than a rich Merlot! However, one main challenge that many face is pairing the right wine with their meal. White, red, sweet, or dry; what's to be served when both seafood and steak are on…

Two Craft Beers for Your Fall Bucket List With Georgia graciously raising the alcohol limit of beer from a hindering six percent alcohol by volume to 14 percent in 2004, the gate to the South’s beer heaven has been opened. Now there are more than 40 breweries statewide, some of the most revered beer bars in nation, and retailers dramatically expanding their shelf space to supply the booming…

101 Steak Beefs Up Vining’s Dining Scene Longing for an upscale restaurant without driving to Buckhead? Look no further than 101 Steak, the newest fine dining addition to Vinings. The restaurant opened its doors this past July in the former Social Vinings space and presents itself as a traditional steakhouse, but offers so much more.

Cheers! Ever wonder what's in those delicious cocktails you order at restaurants throughout Vinings and Smyrna? We did too! So we asked some of our favorite local establishments to share the secret recipes to one of their top drinks. You can try to make each one at home or just head out and let the professionals have at it.

Living the Dream Most wineries start as a family business. Phifer Pavitt is not one of those. Some wineries are owned by a company with a lot of money and a business plan. Again, not Phifer Pavitt. Instead Phifer Pavitt was hatched when Ringgold, Georgia-born Suzanne Phifer Pavitt was drinking wine with her husband, Shane Pavitt, in Italy and played a game of…

A Vineyard in Our Own Backyard For a special weekend, Château Élan will host the 20th annual Vineyard Fest Food and Wine Festival Sunday, November 6. The Vineyard Fest features over 100 domestic, regional, national and international wines to taste, wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, live music and much more. Tickets and overnight packages are limited so book early. In addition to the winery, Château Élan boasts…

A Toast to Regional Wineries Wine enthusiasts should head to the hills...the foothills of the North Georgia mountains in Dahlonega that is. While there, enjoy award-winning locally-produced wines along with breathtaking views. The 'secret' of these beautiful Georgia wineries is starting to get out. Dahlonega is now known as the heart of Georgia Wine Country and the Wine Tasting Room Capital of Georgia.

VETTING VINO On our first dinner date, my wife, Liz, asked me to order a bottle of wine. Narrowly avoiding the onset of panic, I surreptitiously chose an unfamiliar bottle based upon its affordable price-point. “A finer choice could not be made!” exclaimed François, our flamboyant French waiter, who evidently sensed my desire to impress without the benefit of private equity funding.…