🎷 Toast & Jam finale + Steel Magnolias

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What's up, neighbors!

If you've been meaning to check out the Toast and Jam Jazz Brunch at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, Sunday is your last chance. This is the final show of the entire 2025-26 season. It's sold out basically every month, and there's no rain date, no makeup show, no "we'll catch the next one." Full brunch, live jazz from John Sandfort, and Joe Alterman doing his talk show thing. We grabbed tickets last week and we're looking forward to a slow Sunday morning that someone else planned for us.

Saturday night, History That Doesn't Suck is at the Byers Theatre in Sandy Springs. It's based on the podcast, and the live version is 100 minutes of American history told like actual stories. We didn't know this was coming until it showed up on the calendar and now it might be the best date night of the weekend.

Steel Magnolias is running at Stage Door Theatre in Dunwoody all weekend. Friday evening, Saturday matinee and evening, Sunday matinee. If you've driven past the Stage Door a hundred times and never gone in, this is a good reason to finally do it. It's a 200-seat house and the show runs through April 19.

Both farmers markets are up and running Saturday morning. Brook Run in Dunwoody, City Springs in Sandy Springs. The Sandy Springs market just opened for the season last week, so vendors are still showing up fresh.

Full weekend planner is below, plus a restaurant, a local business, and a dog named Panda who needs a home.

- Andrew

_{This issue is sponsored by Peachy Insurance}

Spring is when the backyard gets expensive. Trampolines go up, pools come out of storage, and the fire pit finally gets its first real use of the year. All good things. But your homeowner's insurance has opinions about every single one of them.

Here's what most people don't realize: trampolines and pools are the two biggest liability flags on a homeowner's policy. Some carriers won't cover them at all. Others require fencing or safety nets before they'll pay a claim. If you added either one in the last year and didn't mention it to your agent, you might have a gap you don't know about.

The other number worth checking is your liability limit. Most policies start at $100K. That sounds like a lot until a kid breaks an arm on your play set and the medical bills land on your kitchen table. An umbrella policy adds $1M in extra liability coverage on top of your home and auto for roughly $15 to $25 a month. Five minutes to understand. Worth every one of them.

Peachy is Atlanta-based, licensed, and will give you a straight answer without the runaround.

Get a free coverage review before backyard season gets going: peachyinsurance.com | (404) 600-1660 (Closed Saturdays and Sundays)

Studio Theatre - Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center
1 Galambos Wy, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
11 PM & 1:30 PM
Sunday, April 12
Tickets $70–80

Joe Alterman's Toast & Jam Jazz Brunch has been selling out all year at the Studio Theatre, and this Sunday is the FINAL show of the entire 2025-26 run. If you have been meaning to go and kept putting it off, you are out of time.

Here is what actually happens. You sit down to a full brunch put together by Executive Chef Karl Elliott. Live jazz from Atlanta tenor saxophonist John Sandfort fills the room. Then Alterman does his thing, a loose talk-show style conversation that goes wherever it goes. No script. No agenda. Just good music, good food, and the kind of easy Sunday morning that is hard to manufacture on your own.

Its two hours. Its right here in Sandy Springs. Brunch is included in your ticket. And when it sells out, it sells out. There is no second show, no rain date, no next month to catch it.

$70-80 for a full brunch plus live jazz plus a room full of neighbors doing the same thing you are. That’s a good morning. Grab your spot before someone else does.

Every Thursday, Message in a Bottle runs their Girl Dinner special and it is one of the better deals going in Dunwoody right now. Caesar salad, crinkle cut fries with truffle aioli, and your choice of a Funwoody Water, Espresso Martini, or a glass of Prosecco, all for $24. For a seafood restaurant with a raw bar and a screened porch in Dunwoody Village, that price makes it easy to just go, especially on a weeknight when you don't want to overthink it.

The rest of the menu holds up any night of the week. The lobster dip and King and Queen sushi rolls are what people keep ordering again. The redfish entree and cioppino pasta show up unprompted in review after review. Fresh catch prepared three ways, crab cakes, mussels. They also do $1.50 shrimp and oyster happy hour every single day from 4 to 6 PM at the bar, aka go on a Tuesday and eat really well for almost nothing.

The vibe is beach bar without being cheesy about it. Nautical decor, a sushi bar, outdoor patio seating, a screened porch, and a private dining room if you have a group. The service shows up in almost every review, warm and attentive without hovering. They let you sample wines before you commit, which is a small thing a lot of nicer restaurants still don't bother doing.

Make a reservation on weekends, tables go fast.

Price: $$
Hours:
Tue-Thu 4-10 PM
Fri-Sat 4-11 PM
Sun 11 AM-9 PM
Closed Mondays

If you've been telling yourself you'll get back in shape but every gym you walk into makes you feel like you wandered into someone else's territory, this place fixes that problem fast.

Fitness Together trains people in private suites. No open floor, no waiting for equipment, no audience. It's just you and your trainer in a closed room, working a program built around your body, your injuries, and your goals.

Owner Russ Yeager opened the Dunwoody studio in 2006 after winning a national physique transformation contest and leaving his corporate career. Twenty years later, the studio has a perfect 5.0 on Google with over 200 reviews, and clients who have been coming for six, seven, nine years straight.

The sweet spot here is adults over 40 who want to get stronger without getting hurt. Reviewers mention real outcomes: improved bone density, avoiding surgery, training for the Appalachian Trail at 65. The trainers know every client by name and every limitation by heart. First evaluation is free.

Price: $$$ ($99-$199/session)
Hours:
Mon-Fri 5:30am-9:00pm
Sat 7:30am-3:00pm
Closed Sundays

DeKalb County School District unveiled its second round of proposed school changes on March 20, and the stakes are significant for Dunwoody families. Round 2 proposes closing 22 elementary school buildings and converting four others into early learning centers or a high school annex.

Four middle schools would be repurposed for specialized programs, with those middle schools relocated. Schools like DeKalb School of the Arts, Elizabeth Andrews High School, and DeKalb Early College Academy would all be relocated. The district has roughly 90,000 students but 110,000 available seats, creating the need for consolidation.

Community feedback sessions wrapped up at the end of March (including one at Dunwoody High School on March 26), and residents have been weighing in through an online survey. The good news: no final decisions have been made, and a third and final round of scenarios is expected in April. The board won't vote on a finalized plan until fall 2026.

If you have kids in DeKalb schools or just live in the district, now's the time to submit feedback before options narrow.

More: Decaturish | DeKalb County

The Sandy Springs City Council voted today, April 7, to award a $4 million contract to Eastern Builders Inc. to construct Old Riverside Park on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. This 23-acre park has been in the works since 2012 (purchased by the city in 2014), and it's finally moving from concept to construction.

The roughly wooded site sits adjacent to neighborhoods and the river, making it a natural gathering spot once it's built.

Residents provided input over several years, and a concept design was presented to council in late 2022. The project remained on the back burner until 2023, when $4 million in parks impact fees were allocated. Soft-surface trails were removed from this phase to control costs, but the main amenities will be in place.

This is a long-overdue win for Sandy Springs residents who've waited over a decade to see this park come to life.

More: Appen Media

Due to weather damage, the Town Green grass at Peachtree Corners Town Center has been closed as of April 1 and will remain inaccessible for the next 3-4 weeks (approximately through mid-April). The grass will reopen temporarily for all scheduled city events, but the main lawn won't be available for general use during this resodding period.

The closure is weather-related and necessary for the turf to recover.

The Town Green pavilion and children's play areas will remain open, so you can still use the space for events and activities. If you were planning a picnic or outdoor gathering on the main lawn, plan around the closure.

Check the City of Peachtree Corners' website or social media for updates on the reopening date.

More: City of Peachtree Corners

She had a rough start, but she's come through it better than anyone would expect. Panda spent time in a court case and bears the scars to prove it, but that part of her story is behind her now. She completed heartworm treatment and came out clean. Now she's ready for the good chapter.

Don't let the age fool you. This girl still wants to romp and play with dogs half her age, as long as they're big enough to keep up. She's got real energy and real enthusiasm about literally everything. She loves people without reservation, and at the end of a good day, she wants exactly what most of us want: a comfortable sofa and someone to nap next to.

Here's what matters for placement: Panda doesn't do well with small breed dogs. She needs a home with either no other dogs, or bigger dogs who can match her energy and hold their own in play. The good news is that's an easy thing to figure out before adopting. Her compatibility with kids is still unknown, so a meet and greet is smart if you have young ones at home. Once you know how she does with your household, you're golden.

Rescue Me GA Inc is foster-based, which means Panda is currently in a home where they already know how she behaves. They can tell you exactly what will work. You'll need to fill out an application to start, then arrange a visit by appointment. The rescue also takes in surrenders and saves dogs from rural shelters outside Atlanta — if Panda isn't quite right, they've got others worth meeting.

Rescue Me GA Inc
Dunwoody, GA
(762) 499-5654
rmgdogs.org
Visits by appointment only

🧘 Tai Chi on the City Green — City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 10:00–11:00 AM | Free | More: citysprings.com
A gentle, drop-in Tai Chi session on the open City Green led by certified instructor Florin Szondi — runs every Friday morning and is a perfect low-key start to a day you're already planning to hit the farmers market.

🎭 Steel Magnolias — Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 7:30 PM | Ticketed | More: stagedoortheatrega.org
Robert Harling's beloved Southern classic runs April 4–19 — great for teens and adults who love strong ensemble storytelling, and easy parking at the Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center.

🌿 Second Saturday Volunteers — Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | Free | More: dunwoodynature.org
A monthly community morning where volunteers help with habitat restoration and trail stewardship on the Nature Center's 22 acres — a hands-on, genuinely satisfying way to spend a Saturday before the rest of the day kicks in.

🥕 DHA Farmers Market — Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | Free | More: dunwoodyga.org
Dunwoody's year-round Saturday tradition — 30+ vendors with fresh produce, baked goods, local meats, coffee, and live music, with the playground right there when the kids need to burn energy.

🌾 Sandy Springs Farmers Market — City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 8:30 AM–12:00 PM | Free | More: citysprings.com
Only the second week of the 2026 season — 70+ producer-only vendors at their freshest, live music on the City Green, and none of the mid-summer fatigue.

🎭 Steel Magnolias (Matinee) — Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 2:30 PM | Ticketed | More: stagedoortheatrega.org
The 2:30 PM Saturday matinee is the family-friendly slot — you're home for dinner, and the show lands well in the afternoon. Child tickets available for ages 12 and under.

🍄 Mushroom Walk with Sam Landes — Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | 9:30–11:00 AM | Free | More: dunwoodynature.org
The treasurer of the Mushroom Club of Georgia leads a hunt for fungi across the Nature Center's forest and wetland trails — great for curious kids and adults who want to learn what's growing underfoot this spring.

🌾 Sandy Springs Farmers Market — City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 8:30 AM–12:00 PM | Free | More: citysprings.com
A Sunday market run before the day gets away from you — grab breakfast from a vendor, let the kids pick something from the stalls, and be home well before noon.

🎭 Steel Magnolias (Matinee) — Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 2:30 PM | Ticketed | More: stagedoortheatrega.org
The Sunday 2:30 PM show is the final performance of opening weekend — pair it with the Sandy Springs Farmers Market in the morning for a full, low-effort Sunday.

🎵 SyncSpotlight 2026 North Atlanta — Studio Theatre, Sandy Springs PAC, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 5:00 PM | Tickets from $47.97 | More: eventbrite.com
A music-industry conference connecting independent artists and songwriters with sync licensing agents who place music in film, TV, and ads — rare to have something like this in the northern suburbs, and tickets are going fast.

🖼️ "Night Swim" at Spruill Gallery — 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | Tue–Sat during gallery hours | Free | More: spruillarts.org
Two Atlanta artists — Hannah Ehrlich (textiles) and Thomas Flynn II (painting) — in a rare dual show on view through April 24. A genuinely good Friday afternoon stop before dinner.

🏛️ History That Doesn't Suck! with Prof. Greg Jackson — Byers Theatre, Sandy Springs PAC, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 8:00 PM | Tickets from $32 | More: sandyspringspac.com
Adapted from the top-ranked history podcast — 100 minutes of live storytelling, music, and multimedia tracing the American Revolution through the Civil War. Best show of the weekend for adults, full stop.

🎨 Paint Like Bob Ross — Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | 10:00 AM–1:30 PM | $75 (all supplies included) | More: dunwoodynature.org
Certified Bob Ross Instructor Jeremy Rogers walks you through a complete landscape oil painting in a single 3.5-hour session — no experience needed, and you leave with a finished painting on a spring Saturday morning.

🎭 Steel Magnolias (Evening Show) — Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 7:30 PM | Ticketed | More: stagedoortheatrega.org
The Saturday 7:30 PM show is the classic date night pick — dinner nearby in Dunwoody Village, then an excellent production in an intimate 200-seat house.

🖼️ "Night Swim" at Spruill Gallery — 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | Free | More: spruillarts.org
Gallery is only open Saturday mornings — get there before noon to see Hannah Ehrlich and Thomas Flynn II's exhibition before it closes April 24. Worth the stop.

🎮 Dungeons & Drafts: TTRPG with ATLRPG — Battle & Brew, 5920 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs | 1:00 PM–5:00 PM | Free | More: battleandbrew.com
Every Saturday, ATLRPG runs tabletop RPG sessions right at Battle & BrewFree dice for first-timers; food and drink discounts for GMs.

🎷 Joe Alterman's Toast & Jam Jazz Brunch (feat. John Sandfort) — Studio Theatre, Sandy Springs PAC, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 12:30 PM | Tickets $70–80 | More: sandyspringspac.com
The final installment of the 2025–26 series — full brunch by Executive Chef Karl Elliott, live jazz from Atlanta-based tenor saxophonist John Sandfort, and the unscripted talk show-style conversations that made this series a consistent sell-out.

This is the hike that makes people forget they're 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta. A 4-5 mile moderate trail hugging the Chattahoochee River with bluff overlooks, a genuine bamboo forest, and Class 1 rapids visible from the trail. Two trailhead options, $5 daily vehicle pass required (online only, no cash), and genuinely stunning for both serious hikers and families comfortable with rocky terrain.

Morning strategy (7–9 AM): Arrive early to beat the parking crunch; both lots fill by 10 AM on weekends. The shade is thick and unbroken, so mornings stay cool. Wildlife is active: herons, deer, and occasionally beavers along the river sections. Dogs welcome on 6-foot leash.

Afternoon plan (2–5 PM): Hit Poppi's Point overlook for river views and afternoon light good for photos. The bamboo forest spur (out-and-back) is surreal any time of day; plan 30 minutes to wander through the 40-foot stalks. Water access at EP-1 for kids to splash (monitor closely; swift currents).

Hidden features: Civil War–era stone ruins near Cabin Creek, prehistoric Native American rock shelters upstream from Whitewater Creek entrance, natural rock platforms overlooking Devil's Race Course Shoals. River tubers and kayakers visible May–September.

Parking tips: Indian Trail entrance is tight (30 spaces, single-lane gravel road); Whitewater Creek is slightly larger (46 spaces). No restrooms on-site; plan ahead.

Storm season in north Georgia runs April through June. Not the kind of rain that waters your lawn. The kind that drops golf ball-sized hail on your roof and moves on before you check your phone.

If a storm hit your neighborhood in the last year and you never had the roof inspected, there's a good chance you're sitting on damage you haven't dealt with. And if your policy hasn't been reviewed recently, there's a good chance your coverage won't match what a repair actually costs today.

Three things worth checking before the next storm rolls through:

1. Your wind and hail deductible is probably not what you think it is. Most homeowners see their standard deductible and assume that's what applies to storm damage. It's often not. Many Georgia policies have a separate wind and hail deductible calculated as a percentage of your dwelling coverage. On a $500,000 home, a 1% wind/hail deductible means you cover the first $5,000 out of pocket before your policy pays anything. Pull your declarations page and look for it.

2. Delayed claims get questioned. Georgia policies typically require you to report a loss within a reasonable time. "I didn't think it was that bad" is not a strong position when you file six months later. If you had storm activity in your area this past year, get a licensed roofer on your roof before summer. A good one can tell you in 30 minutes whether you have a legitimate claim.

3. Your outdoor stuff is more exposed than you think. Screened porches, detached garages, sheds, fences, patio furniture. Some of it is covered under your policy. Some of it is capped. Some of it isn't covered at all. If you've added a deck, pergola, or outdoor kitchen in the last few years and never updated your coverage, you could be carrying $20,000 to $40,000 in unprotected improvements.

Not sure where your policy stands heading into storm season? Peachy can pull your declarations page and walk you through what's covered, what's not, and whether your dwelling limit still makes sense for what it would actually cost to rebuild in East Cobb today.

Call 404-600-1660 (Closed Saturdays and Sundays)

Wellstar Health System (Sandy Springs & Dunwoody locations) — Hundreds of current openings across clinical and non-clinical roles including nursing, admin, patient access, and front office. Filter by location on their careers site so you only see what's close to home. 👉 Browse Careers

City of Dunwoody & City of Sandy Springs — Both cities are actively hiring across police, public works, parks and rec, IT, and admin. Dunwoody PD starts at $51K with a $6,000 signing bonus; Sandy Springs is offering up to $10,000 for out-of-state hires. 👉 Dunwoody Careers | Sandy Springs Careers

DeKalb County School District — Georgia's third-largest school system hires for way more than teaching: paraprofessionals, front office, bus drivers, nutrition services, IT, and custodial roles. Many positions don't require a teaching certificate. 👉 Search Openings

Gwinnett County Public Schools — The state's largest district with 142 schools and support roles in clerical, transportation, nutrition, and substituting. GCPS is the only Georgia district with its own locally funded retirement system, which means higher take-home pay. 👉 View Openings

CAC Empowerment Center (Sandy Springs) — Not a job board, but a free career resource open to all Sandy Springs and Dunwoody residents at 1130 Hightower Trail. They offer coaching, resume help, skills training, and direct connections to local employers through a Goodwill partnership. 👉 Learn More

City of Peachtree Corners — Smaller city with fewer openings, but roles that come up tend to be solid with good benefits. Worth bookmarking and checking back every few weeks. 👉 Employment Opportunities