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What's
Ongoing in
the Towne Lake Area
The
hurricanes did create some havoc with the Wal-Mart Supercenter
construction, but the outer building is now complete. Work is being completed
steadily on the interior,
meaning
the Towne Lake area won't have to wait much longer for the smiley-faced
price slasher.
A
collective cheer in the Towne Lake area will be heard when the widening
of Eagle Drive commences this month. The project, originally slated
to begin in July, had been delayed due to financial issues with the DOT.
The road project is scheduled to be completed by early 2006.
Trick or Treating
Although the City of
Woodstock and Cherokee County do not take any position on the time or
date of Trick-or-Treating, Towne Lake area residents have traditionally
Trick-or-Treated on October 31 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For information about
individual neighborhood parties, contact your community's social committee
chairperson.
Towne
Lake Diner - Serene Bean
by
Kara Kiefer
Serene by definition means quiet and tranquil,
and serenity was what Serene Bean's owner, Lara Randall, was looking for.
She had been laid off from her public relations job and knew she didn't
want another job where she had to commute. She wanted to work in Woodstock,
where she lived. She loves the charm, quaintness and small town feel of
downtown Woodstock. Lara had been contemplating opening a catering business,
and when Alida Lois vacated her showroom, the Serene Bean was born.
The Bean, as Lara affectionately refers to
it, is a café, but it is so much more than that. She and chef Rachel
Minick worked to prepare a simple yet quality menu of sandwiches, soups
and salads. The specialty of the house is the chicken salad, but one of
the best parts of the menus is custom creating your sandwich. It's called
"Build Your Own," and patrons can do just that from selecting their meat,
bread, sauces, veggies and cheese. It truly is "your way." The Bean also
offers homemade soups and salads to round out the menu. And of course,
there's the coffee, smoothies, lattes and desserts.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the
coffee. Lara gets her beans from Coffee A.M.com, which is an online coffee
retailer but happens to be based in Woodstock, which allows The Bean to
support the local economy. The Bean offers 12 varieties of brewed coffee
as well as specialty coffees, which are made with Lavazza espresso. Smoothies
and frappes round out the beverage menu.
The Bean offers gourmet take out catering
options for private or company functions. The catering is designed to
appeal to those who want quality selections, which are a step above grocery
store platters.
The atmosphere at The Bean completes the
experience. Lara's husband, Bill, is an architect and helped create the
warm, comfortable setting. There are plenty of places to sit, by yourself
or with a group, and for those who need to work, the Bean offers free
wireless Internet access. On Saturday nights, the Bean features a wide
variety of local musicians - a perfect way to end a dinner out or an early
movie.
The Serene Bean is the perfect respite to
our harried lifestyles. Serenity is only moments away!
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