Around Towne
by Skara Kyler

Well it happened! The TowneLaker has gone global. Let me explain. I received a call this week from a woman in Iowa. She told me she was on a cruise ship headed to Cancun and she found a copy of The TowneLaker near the pool. She said she picked it up and read it cover to cover. She called for two reasons: one was she enjoyed the magazine, which I was happy about, but she also called to compliment our community.

Based on the content in the magazine, she said that she could tell we live in a great community - close knit and caring. The way I see it, that's not just a compliment for the magazine, but a compliment for our community as a whole. Because it's you, the community, who provide us with the content of our magazine! She saw on a cruise ship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico what those of us who live here already know - the Towne Lake area is a great place to live.

We also know you that our community has a sense of humor. In honor of April Fool's Day, we have two April Fool's jokes in this issue. In place of our normal trivia question contest, we are holding an April Fool's Day contest, and here are the details. The first person to correctly identify the two April Fool's jokes in this issue, one being a bogus story, will win a prize. If you think you've got the two jokes figured out, email us at editor@townelaker.com or call our contest hotline at (770) 517-8210 ext. 560. Good luck!

What's New?

The Goddard School, located at 3115 Parkbrooke Circle, is scheduled to open soon. The school serves children ages six weeks to six years and will be open Monday - Friday from 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. For more information, please call (770) 516-0880.

Papa's Pantry will once again be relocating, this time to Commerce Parkway off Bells Ferry Road (near the Towne Lake Arts Center.) According to Papa's Pantry founder, Lynne Saunders, the Pantry continues to grow and more space was needed. With the added space, Lynne said Papa's Pantry will be able to assist more families. The move is scheduled to be completed by the end of April. Papa's Pantry can be reached at (770) 926-7128.

The Bark Park has temporarily closed its animal daycare and will reopen in May. However, they still are holding agility and obedience classes provided by Alchemy Dog Training at the Bark Park location, 6625 Commerce Parkway, off of Bells Ferry Road. In fact, on Friday, April 8, there will be a beginner's agility class at 7 p.m. For more information, please contact Ann Jones at (770) 655-7557.

Maggie's Closet will be moving to downtown Woodstock this month. They will occupy the space next to Serene Bean in the Parkside Plaza, adjacent to Woodstock City Park. For more information, please call Lynn Walker at (770) 591-7774.

What's Ongoing?

The City of Woodstock recently awarded a contract for environmental and traffic studies of the proposed new I-575 interchange. The proposed interchange is a split diamond interchange at Rope Mill Road, combining

Skara is the newest member of The TowneLaker staff. She lives in the Towne Lake area, but only comes out at night. She is married with 2.5 children. Feel free to send your comments or questions to editor@townelaker.com.

access roads between Rope Mill Road and Towne Lake Parkway. The city is going ahead with their proposed interchange over the objections of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners. The Board favors the original full diamond proposal due to its cost; $14 million verses $44 million for the split diamond. The City feels the original plan will be denied, yet the County argues the plan officially hasn't been denied, which is why it still feels it's worth pursuing. The studies are expected to be completed by December.

Towne Lake Diner
Main Street Cafe

When you think of venturing outside of Towne Lake for lunch or dinner, do you ever consider heading to Canton? Too far? It may surprise you to learn that downtown Canton is a mere 12 miles from Towne Lake, and traffic is generally light, getting you there in less than 15 minutes. Why am I encouraging you to go to Canton? Because in the heart of historic downtown Canton lies the Main Street Café, a cozy and quiet restaurant with the look, feel and taste of New Orleans.

The building that houses Main Street Café has a rich history. It's been a general store, a bank, a dance academy, and for more than 50 years, it housed the main offices of the Georgia Power Company. But what it is today, far surpasses any of its history - a true taste of New Orleans. In fact, owner Keith De'Grouchy is a New Orleans native and purchased the Main Street Café in 2004. He imports his seafood, coffee and bread directly from the Big Easy, and it makes all the difference in the cuisine. They specialize in Cajun and Creole with favorites such as Crawfish Etoufeé, Shrimp Creole, Po-boys, and Red Beans and Rice. For my visit, I chose the Crawfish Etoufeé, which was superb. This dish was layered with flavor and the crawfish were big, fresh and plentiful. If you're not into Cajun or Creole, there's plenty of other choices such as seafood, steak, salads and baby back ribs.

The minute you step inside Main Street Café, you're transported from Canton to New Orleans. Keith redecorated the interior with some of his favorite New Orleans artifacts and music. Every Friday, he hosts a live saxaphonist, and he says his restaurant "is all about fun." He, of course, has Mardi Gras celebrations, but also has monthly wine pairing dinners, crawfish boils and a complete banquet facility upstairs for special events such as rehearsal dinners and group meetings. The Main Street Café is the ideal destination for those attending the theater (Canton Theatre, that is) as it's directly across the street from the venue, but it's also perfect for a leisurely or romantic dinner, lunch with co-workers or an evening out with friends. One thing is certain every time you visit, the food will be outstanding, and the staff aims to please. "The best compliment I can receive is have return customers, especially those from Louisiana, looking for that taste they miss. Our service is excellent, and our menu items are priced right; we always try to have fun here," said Keith.