What Italy thinks of America
Wednesday, July 8 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. I’m back from my yoga/hiking trip to the Dolomites, bookended by stops in Venice – a city that could give Atlanta a run for its money when it comes to heat index.
There’s not a lot going on in Dunwoody, so here are some fun facts about my trip before we get to the news:
⛔ Italians do not give a rip about America’s Fourth of July, possibly extending their indifference to the country in general. I asked one waiter what Italians thought about Americans, and he said, “We don’t.” Since tips aren’t a “thing” in Italy, there were no options for retaliation.
🚌 If you take a full-size charter bus to one of the Dolomites’ many hiking destinations, like the Alpe di Siusi, sit in the way back, because you don’t want to see how close you came to dying while traversing those hairpin turns.
🍺 Venice has a lot of German restaurants, which makes sense if you look at a history book (oh, maybe on the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for example) and avoid asking a silly question that only reinforces Italians’ perception of Americans.
⛰️ There is no shame in bailing midway while on a really challenging 9.2-mile hike, even when you see toddlers and a one-armed man heading up the trail on your way down.
⁉️ If you see someone who you think might be Jeopardy host Ken Jennings at St. Vigilio di Marebbe Church, remember that he’s not too jazzed about hanging around while you contemplate whether he’s AJC chief political reporter Greg Bluestein, or indeed the man who won 74 consecutive games in 2004.
🤌🏽 I’m done for now,
Cathy
⚽ When the matches end, the dining begins. After cheering on your favorite teams across Atlanta, savor the city’s best tables during Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 27-Aug. 1. More than 50 restaurants serve exclusive prix-fixe menus. Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Dunwoody parade sets records
🏅The Dunwoody Homeowner Association’s 4th of July Parade celebrated its 50th anniversary over the weekend, which coincided with the nation’s 250th birthday.
As one of the largest July 4th parades in Georgia, thousands turned out on a warm Saturday morning in Dunwoody to cheer a record-setting number of participants. This year, those marching included bands, dinosaurs, dozens of floats, and political candidates.
DHA community liaison Scott Wilkinson said a “seasoned bunch” of volunteers kept floats moving steadily at the parade.
🏆 Read more about the winners in Hayden’s report.
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Drive-thru health care?
🩺 Dr. Luke and Stacy Lathrop, owners of Roswell-based SmartMED Drive-Thru, say the former PNC Bank site at Ashford Lane in Dunwoody is the ideal spot to expand their family business.
With backgrounds in hospital care and corporate sales, the healthcare innovators and entrepreneurs held a June 30 open house at 125 Perimeter Center West.
With the Fourth of July holiday approaching last week, however, only our intrepid reporter, Hayden Sumlin, attended the meeting. There are advantages to that, BTW – like getting inside information about earwax removal, which would have been my first question.
👂🏽 Read more about the plan here.
Leadership Perimeter Class of 2027
🙌 Leadership Perimeter announced the members of its class of 2027, which includes its regular flagship group and a new initiative for youth.
“These two outstanding groups of rising change-makers and community champions are ready to embark on a transformative journey,” according to an announcement made by Leadership Perimeter Executive Director Stacy Garmon.
“This year’s Flagship class represents the fourth year of our tri-city program and the very best of our region,” the announcement said. “They are diverse in background, profession, and perspective, but united in a common goal: to build stronger communities through civic understanding, collaboration, and courageous leadership.”
🎓 Check out the 2027 class here.
⚽ When the matches end, the dining begins. After cheering on your favorite teams across Atlanta, savor the city’s best tables during Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 27-Aug. 1. More than 50 restaurants serve exclusive prix-fixe menus. Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
PICTURE THIS: WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT
📷 My friend Jill caught this great scene at the Dunwoody July 4 parade when a Korean War veteran’s car stalled out on the route, and spectators jumped in to help push it off to the side.
