To your health
Wednesday, Aug. 5 – We’ve made it to August! But while many metro Atlanta kids headed back to school this week, my warm-weather-loving friends keep reminding me that it’s still summer.
I’ve never really loved hot weather, but my heat tolerance completely tanked once I hit 40. Hot and humid weather can be even more dangerous for older adults. In this week’s feature, I share tips for older folks (and even some of us younger ones) for managing this last stretch of brutal Atlanta summer weather.
🎂 Speaking of older folks, Hayden wrote a great story last week about a local nonprofit throwing a surprise 100th birthday party for one of its most devoted volunteers. Centenarian Margaret Lines credits her longevity to eating healthy and staying active.
🩹 Conversations about navigating perimenopause and menopause have entered the mainstream. But the number of people opting into
menopausal hormone therapy has skyrocketed, causing a nationwide estrogen patch shortage. Drop me an email at laura@roughdraftatlanta.com if you’ve been impacted.
💒 As someone who had the traditional 250-plus-person wedding the first time around and a budget courthouse one the second time, I can get behind this article about Gen Z (smartly) opting out of millennial wedding culture.
🕯️ During the early days of pandemic shelter-in-place, my two primary activities were running with my dog on local trails and hitting up Brick + Mortar to refill my candles and have long (masked-up) chats with my good friend, owner David Kowalski. He just announced the opening of a second location in Cabbagetown with all the same candles, vintage, and art books as the Westside, plus drinks and snacks.
🏓 Aug. 8 is National Pickleball Day, and there are plenty of courts for playing a game or two around the city.
Be well!
✨ Laura
❤️ Therapy that helps you feel seen, supported, and understood – while building practical skills to navigate life with confidence at Intown Psychology.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
How Older Adults Can Stay Safe and Hydrated During Atlanta’s Hot and Humid Summers
🥵 Extreme heat can be dangerous for people of all ages, but adults ages 65 and up are particularly vulnerable. Heat sensitivity in older adults is the result of a combination of factors, including impaired thirst mechanisms, decreased ability to regulate body temperature, common prescription medications, and certain medical conditions that cause heat intolerance.
💧 Read my story with expert tips on getting adequate hydration, developing a plan for exercise and heat management, and knowing the warning signs of heat-related illnesses.
A confident school year starts now
SPONSORED BY INTOWN PSYCHOLOGY
📚 With just a few weeks left before school starts, now is the ideal time to help children and teens prepare for a successful transition back to the classroom.
Parents can help by:
• gradually re-establishing school routines and sleep schedules
• encouraging face-to-face time with friends before school begins
• helping kids practice problem-solving and independence
• focusing on strengths and celebrating small successes
➞ If your child is struggling with anxiety, friendships, confidence, emotional regulation, or the transition back to school, Intown Psychology is here to help.
Learn more:
• 5 Strategies to Build Self-Esteem and Resilience in Kids
• Helping Kids Navigate Friendship and Social Challenges
4-year-old “Toy Story” Fan Awaiting Heart Transplant Has Wish Come True
🍿 Four-year-old Jace Connor, who was diagnosed soon after birth with a rare heart condition and currently on a transplant list, was able to see “Toy Story 5” with the help of a new medication, along with the love and dedication of the cardiology team at Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
💙 Read Cathy’s heartwarming story about Jace’s trip to the movies.
Jones Road Now Open in Buckhead Village
🛍️ As a 90s teen, I grew up on Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Named after the iconic makeup artist, the brand was known for its high-quality products and natural-looking aesthetic. So when Brown launched her new indie beauty brand, Jones Road, in 2020, I was all in.
Last week, Jones Road opened its first store in Georgia, a 1,800-square-foot space in Buckhead Village. Shop for all the brand’s essentials, plus exclusive-to-Atlanta merchandise and limited edition makeup kits.
💄 Here are my top picks:
Miracle Balm: an all-in-one blush, bronzer, and skin tint that works for cheeks, lips, eyes, and face
The Face Pencil: a creamy, buildable concealer perfect for spot-correction and covering up under eye circles
The Best Blush: a silky, powder blush that comes in five versatile shades
The Short List
🎀 Bama Rush is back, baby! I attended a small liberal arts school in the 90s with delayed winter rush and no actual houses. So, yes, I’m 100 percent into the elaborate themes, over-the-top dances, and outrageously priced outfits.
🍑 While I’m bad about keeping track on Goodreads, I still read like there’s a personal pan pizza on the line. I just finished “Kin” by Atlanta’s own Tayari Jones. The intimate novel follows two motherless best friends from their small-town beginnings as their lives take dramatically different paths — one to upper-middle-class respectability in Atlanta, and the other to a harsh working-class life in Memphis.
🎤 Remember “Brat summer“? 2024 seems so long ago. But the pop girlies are still coming through with great music this summer, including self-proclaimed British “brat” Charli xcx. I’ve had her latest, “Music, Fashion, Film,” on repeat for the last week.
⚽ Yesterday, “Ted Lasso” dropped the first episode of Season 4 a day early. This season focuses on everyone’s favorite aw-shucks guy (at least on screen) coaching a women’s football team, because “everyone loves women’s sports.”
❤️ Therapy that helps you feel seen, supported, and understood – while building practical skills to navigate life with confidence at Intown Psychology. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Book It
🍂 Join Atlanta wellness expert Jess Pfeffer for RESET: The Retreat on Oct. 9–11. Held at Kaluna Farm in Talking Rock, GA, the three-day retreat includes meditation and yoga sessions, nature walks, and other guided reflections.
🧘🏼♀️ Sign up here to reserve your spot.
The Rundown
👟 Lace up for the Run for East Lake 5K and Fun Run on Saturday. Sign up here for the race, sponsored by the East Lake Foundation.
🐐 Get ready to share your mat with adorable Australian dwarf goats on Saturday. Register here for the 11 a.m. class at Phoenix and Dragon Bookstore.
🏈 Channel your inner child at Adult Field Day ATL this Sunday at Central Park. Register here for activities like flag football, water games, dodgeball, and more, plus drinks and food from local vendors.
🏳️🌈 Sign up for the next Pilates for Queer Bodies class at The Studio Pilates on Sunday at 2 p.m. These classes are created for and by the Atlanta LGBTQ+ community.
🌳 Flow at Yoga in the Park with the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy on Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. Sign up here for the outdoor class, which meets at the Powers Island Unit.
Local experts Jess Pfeffer and Ruby Velle will lead SETTLE + Sound: The Shift, a wellness pop-up for women in their 40s and 50s at The Interlock on Aug. 13.
Registration is open for the Adams Realtors Run for the Park 5K on Aug. 22. Funds support the Grant Park Conservancy.
