Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Take Your Child on a Stroll Down Dr. Seuss’ Mulberry Street

Simon Kidgits Club, Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P. and Random House Children’s Books together are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Theodor Seuss Geisel’s first-ever published children’s book, “And To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street.” As part of the celebration, nearly 100 Simon malls across the country are hosting a special event for families to explore all the fun of Dr. Seuss.

Both Mall of Georgia and Gwinnett Place invite area kids and parents to celebrate “75 Years of Imagination” at special Dr. Seuss event. Families can wander Dr. Seuss’s whimsical world of imaginary wonder by participating in the event’s fun-filled activities:

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Georgia Aquarium Debuts Live Frog Exhibit

Georgia Aquarium newest exhibition, Frogs – A Chorus of Colors, is open now to the public. This fascinating Atlanta attraction introduces visitors to the amazing and colorful world of anurans – the frogs. Regarded as the most advanced traveling frog exhibition in the U.S., visitors will come eyeball to eyeball in a hands-on, minds-on adventure with living frogs from around the world.

Frogs – A Chorus of Colors features 15 species of live frogs in more than 3,000-square-feet of unique habitats designed to introduce guests to these complex amphibians, their biology and evolution, the pivotal role they play in our ecosystem and the peril they face in a changing environment. The dynamic habitats are complete with rock ledges, live plants and waterfalls; showcasing living frogs from the unique long-nosed horned frog to the vividly-colorful poisonous dart frog. Within the exhibition, visitors will enjoy interactive and hands-on components that activate recorded frog calls, videos of frogs in action, spin a zoetrope, and test frog knowledge on subjects from basic to bizarre. Throughout the exhibition visitors are immersed in the sights and sounds of frogs.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Georgia’s First Indoor Trampoline Park Opens in Suwanee!

City residents no longer need to travel far and wide for the ultimate 3-D play experience, as Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park, creator of the world’s first all-trampoline walled playing court is officially open in Suwanee. Offering a wide variety of physical activities atop its giant trampolines, Sky Zone Atlanta’s 32,000-square-feet of wall-to-wall trampolines truly offers the next dimension in sport, fun and fitness.

Just as much fun for adults as for kids, Sky Zone is suitable for just about any age, shape or size. The Open Jump experience is for individuals and groups who want to zip across the court, take a gigantic leap vertically, or bounce off the walls. 3-D Dodgeball takes the traditional game and adds a new twist. There is also SkyRobics fitness classes, which combine a low impact yet highly effective, 3-dimensional cardio and strength training program with one other essential element – pure fun.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Tackling New Year’s Resolutions on a Budget

1. Get Fit: Gym membership specials are designed to bait the guilt-ridden. Don’t get sucked into paying 12-months worth of dues. Instead, consider these frugal fitness tips from Fitness Magazine to get in shape on the cheap.

2. Eat Healthier: Eating healthy doesn’t always mean spending more on food. Sites like CouponSherpa.com devote entire sections to natural and organic foods, and smaller “whole foods” chains like Sunflower Market usually have good deals.

3. Get Organized: Much of the stress we endure on a daily basis stems from a lack of organization. Simply straightening your house, cleaning out your car and reorganizing your file cabinets can help you feel better prepared for other daily tasks.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Celebrate New Year’s with the 8th Annual Lawrenceville Rings

Ring in 2012 with Lawrenceville and 97.1 The River at the famous, 8th Annual “Lawrenceville Rings” New Year’s Eve bash located in the heart of downtown Lawrenceville on December 31.

The festivities will feature an exciting “Early Eve for Kids” from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Presented in and around the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse grounds, kids can enjoy activities designed especially for them, including magic and puppet shows, balloon artists, face-painting, children’s mask-making, exciting inflatables, a trackless train, and a variety of festive snack food. The evening’s first fireworks display will start at 6 p.m.

During the entire day and extended event hours, visitors can enjoy great restaurants and unique shops which will remain open until the late hours for dining and browsing. Get great gifts from local merchants and sample delicious eats and treats offered in Lawrenceville’s beautiful downtown district!

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Holiday Gingerbread Houses Become Eco-Friendly Creations

When 11-year-old Aubrey Gehle found out she won first place overall in the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center’s 2nd Annual Sustainable Gingerbread House Competition, she compared the overwhelming feeling to Christmas morning.

“This is my Christmas right here!” Gehle said.  “I am just so surprised because I’ve never won such a big award before.”

As part of its December Green Holiday Program, the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center hosted the Sustainable Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibit. Architects of all ages crafted environmentally friendly houses out of edible materials that highlighted sustainability and green building design. Bird seed, dog biscuits and peanut butter were a few materials used to create at least three sustainable building elements, such as solar panels, rain barrels, green roofs or windmills.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

The Procrastinator’s Guide to Holiday Shopping

With just a few days remaining until the holidays, shoppers with gifts left on their list feel the pressure to spend. But even if you’ve waited until the eleventh hour to pick up those last few presents, you don’t have to buy the first thing you see or pay an absurd amount of money.

Check out these shopping tips to stay within budget even when the clock is ticking.

1. Re-gift
It’s a dirty secret, but lots of people just put a new bow on an old gift. In fact, AzBusiness.com says 23 percent of U.S. residents re-gift. The most popular repeats are wine, candles and, of course, the perennial fruitcake. For some useful re-gifting do’s and don’ts, check out this recent article from ABC News.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Give a Gift to the Environment – Recycle Your Holiday Items

As the holidays approach, remember to give a gift to the environment. In addition to your regular recyclables, many holiday items can be collected curbside. Examples include but are not limited to: wrapping paper (no plastic or foil varieties) and wrapping paper cores, gift bags, greeting cards, aluminum baking tins, beverage containers (some plastics, aluminum, and glass), and catalogs, plus most boxes and cardboard containers. Be sure to break down the cardboard before putting it out to be recycled.

Drop off your Christmas tree for recycling
And once the holidays are over, don’t forget to recycle your Christmas tree! From December 26 until January 15, residents can drop off their live, undecorated trees at various locations in Gwinnett County. The trees will be chipped during Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful’s Bring One for the Chipper event on January 21 from 9 a.m. to noon at Bethesda Park, 225 Bethesda Church Road in Lawrenceville, near the soccer fields. The mulch from the trees will be used for County parks, facilities, etc. Please note that unless you have a yard waste contract with your hauler, trees will not be collected curbside.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

AARF Holiday Auction Raises Funds for Homeless Pets

Raising funds for non-profit organizations has been tough in this economy. Donations are smaller and less frequent, and many foundations have less money available for grants.

One local animal welfare organization is partnering with Atlanta businesses to raise funds to save homeless pets. The AARF 2011 Holiday Auction features items from restaurants, museums, doggy day care centers and more! In addition, the auction includes two round-trip tickets on AirTran Airways and a weekend getaway at a historic bed and breakfast in Savannah.

All of the items have been donated, so 100 percent of the winning bids will be used to support AARF’s work to save homeless pets in Atlanta. AARF is hoping to raise at least $2,500 with the holiday auction. Holiday donations in addition to the auction would also be very appreciated.

 
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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Atlanta Boat Show Sets Sail for January 12-15

Escape the winter blues and splash into the hot fun of summertime at the 2012 Progressive Insurance® Atlanta Boast Show, cruising into the Georgia World Congress Center Jan. 12-15. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the 2012 show is pulling out all of the stops to welcome Georgians to the water, offering an array of exciting attractions, including the new Indoor Wake Park (the country’s largest!), daily boating, fishing and sailing courses for both beginners and experienced captains, free fishing for kids, and much more. Serious shoppers can enjoy a “golden” opportunity to board and compare hundreds of boat options side by side, take advantage of extra incentives and exclusive show discounts from the region’s top dealers, and shop specials on the newest innovations in marine accessories and electronics.

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