Atlanta Galleria Now

Galleria Chat: May 31, 2012

The Galleria Chat appears on this blog each Thursday. The Chat provides a hearty helping of stories and announcements to keep you in the know about the area surrounding the Atlanta Galleria Office Park. So without further ado …

Small Businesses of the Year. The Cobb Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Small Businesses of the Year Awards on June 4 as part of its First Monday Breakfast.

The ceremony will unveil the Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year, an overall Small Business of the Year winner and the Small Business Hall of Fame inductees. A panel of independent judges selects the Businesses of the Year.

The awards begin at 7:30 a.m. Admission is $60 for the general public and $40 for Chamber members.

Chenoweth in Concert. In a rare concert appearance, Emmy Award- and Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth comes to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on June 22.

Chenoweth will debut songs from her latest album, titled “Some Lessons Learned,” and will also perform some of her other Broadway show tunes. The show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets start at $37 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Those purchased through Ticketmaster will include additional fees.

GR8 Technology Conference. Technology enthusiasts should look forward to Microsoft’s GR8 Atlanta SharePoint Conference at 8 a.m. on June 26 at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

The conference will provide presentations and session tracks designed to address the technology and business issues confronting company executives, project managers, IT staff and developers.

Registration is $149. Pre-register now for a chance to win an Xbox 360.

Summer Music. Summer’s here and that means it’s time to get outside and enjoy some local music. The city of Smyrna’s Summer Concert Series kicks off on Saturday, June 9, at the Village Green with a performance by The Mustangs. The group specializes in Top 40 and classic-rock hits from the past 40 years.

The show is slated to run 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and is free to the public. Other concerts in the series are scheduled for July 14 and August 4.

Meanwhile, Galleria workers living in the Marietta area can look forward to the Glover Park Concert Series, which continues on Friday, June 29, from 8 to 10:30 p.m. with a performance by China Grove, a Doobie Brothers Tribute Band.

Eldaly Breban Wins Galleria Photo Contest

The Atlanta Galleria Office Park is proud to announce that Eldaly Breban won our just-completed online photo contest. Her winning entry, titled “Reflections of Fall,” perfectly captures the eye-popping colors that make our property such a beautiful setting every autumn.

Eldaly was kind enough to answer some of our questions, so that we can all get to know the woman behind the iPad-winning lens. Congratulations, Eldaly!

Can you talk about your connection to Atlanta Galleria? 

I live in Cobb County and drive by the Atlanta Galleria almost daily. I think it is a gorgeous campus with the right combination of buildings and beautiful landscape.

I have a good friend who works for [tenant] LCG Associates who I have visited at the Galleria in the past. Also, my company just changed dental benefits, and I had to choose a new dentist. Out of hundreds listed 15 miles from my house, I chose Dr. James C McSwiney just because his office is at the Galleria. The location had everything to do with it.

What about the particular scene that you photographed inspired you?

We had a gorgeous autumn season in Atlanta this year, and the Atlanta Galleria was sporting some beautiful landscapes during that season. What I loved about "Reflections of Fall" are the vibrant fall colors in the background that also reflect against the building. Very beautiful. 

Is photography a hobby for you? If so, how did you get interested in it and what do you most like to photograph?  

Yes, definitely! I am not a professional by any means, but I definitely enjoy taking pictures. I travel a lot for work and visit some beautiful places. I decided to invest in a good camera a couple of years ago, and started photographing things that inspire me when I visit these places. 

My photographs can be either very traditional or very eclectic. I love taking pictures of doors and window frames, especially those that you find in Europe. People think that's a bit odd but I find them interesting!

What is your job and can you tell us a bit about your life outside of work (family, hobbies, etc.)?

I work for Delta Air Lines in sales. I’m based in Atlanta. I have a wonderful family and all of them live in Atlanta. We are very close.

They were the ones who pushed for me to enter the contest and who campaigned for me. A special shout-out to Abner and Courtney Breban, my brother and sister-in-law, who made it a personal challenge to help me win the iPad.

I also have a one-year-old Shih Tzu called Dixie Joy who is like a child to me! Also, I LOVE to cook and bake and often think that I should go to culinary school and become a chef or the Next Food Network Star! 

What will you use your new iPad for?  

The main reason my family and friends wanted me to win this iPad is because I am also going to school to finish my MBA, and they know that having an iPad will give me some flexibility to work online from pretty much everywhere. My school has an iPad app, which will come in very handy. I also can't wait to load the cookie app by Martha Stewart!

10 Ways to Win That iPad You've Had Your Eye On

It’s time to pull out that smart phone or digital camera and start snapping photos!

Atlanta Galleria Office Park is giving you the chance to win a free iPad by just uploading a photo of the Galleria to our Facebook page. The photo with the most votes at midnight on Dec. 11 wins.

Here are 10 ideas for taking the winning shot. We hope these ideas get those creative juices flowing

1. Having a holiday party in the office? Snap a picture of your colleagues spreading some holiday cheer and win an iPad for the office.
2. Take advantage of Food Truck Tuesdays! Take a photo of your favorite food truck or your colleagues waiting in line for their favorite foodtruck fare!
3. More into architecture than snapping pictures of your crazy colleagues? Take a quick work break midmorning and late afternoon; those are great times to stroll around the Galleria and snap a funky shot of a building.
4. Fall is still a beautiful time in the Galleria Gardens. Who doesn’t like a pretty nature shot?
5. Bored while pumping iron in the Galleria Athletic club? Snap a photo during your workout.
6. Is there anyone (or anything) at your office you are thankful for this Thanksgiving? Take a picture!
7. Everyone has at least one colleague who loves to decorate his or her cube for the holidays. Snap a picture…just make sure to ask permission first.
8. Is your office participating in a food drive for the holidays? Take a picture of all the donations.
9. A lot of offices in the Galleria have creative layouts and trendy décor. We would love to see your cool office space.
10. There’s always something happening in our building lobbies. Document the action with a creative shot and you are on your way to winning big.

 Good luck! Happy clicking! 

 

Digital Marketing Expert to Talk SEO at Cobb Chamber

To maximize your business’ online presence and marketing reach, you need to be well versed in search engine optimization (SEO) tactics and social media. However, trying to navigate these often-confusing technological waters can make you feel a little seasick.

Fear not, though: the Cobb Chamber of Commerce is ready to come to your aid. At 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15, Jason Swenk, co-founder and CEO of Solar Velocity, a local digital marketing firm, will speak at the chamber’s offices on how businesses can improve their SEO.

The implementation of SEO includes using keywords on your website to improve its visibility to search engines and thereby increase visitors to the site. Another common tactic is trying to increase the number of other websites that link to your site, which would increase your site’s visibility to Google and other search engines.

Swenk’s two-hour talk, titled “Search Engine Optimization and Your Business: Simplifying the Social Media World,” will review common SEO mistakes, recommend best practices and examine the relationship between SEO and social media. Swenk has helped clients such as Aflac, Legal Zoom and Hitachi improve their SEO performance.

General admission tickets are $40 apiece. For chamber members, tickets are $20 each. Representatives of the Chairman’s Club and the Executive Club will receive free admission.

Groups of three or more receive a discount of $10 off each attendee’s admission price. Call Tya Dawson at (770) 859-2341 to take advantage of this discount.

The registration deadline is Monday, Nov. 14. No refunds will be available after the deadline.

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce is located at 240 Interstate North Parkway.