Beware: Pollen Counts on the Rise

At least 17.7 million adults suffer from seasonal allergies in the United States. Even though the weather is blooming beautifully, it can be miserable for those with allergies. Keep an eye on the pollen count when you leave the house in the morning if you are affected by them. For more, head to WSB Radio’s website.

April is a great time to be in Georgia, unless you suffer from allergies.

The weather is great, but with the nice weather come pollen counts in the thousands.

Dr. Kevin Schaffer with the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic tells WSB "The primary contributing factors are all trees right now."

Thursday's pollen count of more than 6,000 was the highest in almost two years, and one of the five highest ever recorded in Atlanta. Friday's pollen count fell to 4,482.

Schaffer says the curb at his office was so yellow it looked like someone painted the word "sick" on the side of the curb.

What's his advice for people who are miserable?

Dr. Schaffer says there are some simple things you can do. "If you're really miserable, limit your time outdoors."

If you do have to be outside, he says when you come in take a shower and put on different clothes. Also, keep your windows and doors shut. Also, think about your pets. They can bring pollen in on their fur and their paws.

Dr. Schaffer says "People can get some very good medications on their own right now." Nasal sprays that used to be prescription only are now available over the counter.

If none of this works, he says you should see a doctor.

Why does this pollen season seem worse than others? Dr. Schaffer says it's anybodies guess, but he says he believes "We've had great weather conditions to set us up for a really hefty pollen season."

What Dr. Schaffer says is "shocking" to him is that after our pollen counts hit 5,000 and then came back down after recent rains, they shot back up over 6,000, which he says we "rarely" see.

The bad news is the misery won't end anytime soon. Dr. Schaffer says "The month of April is going to be pretty rough." He says typically we have about a full month where pollen counts hover around a thousand.

Once the tree pollens settle down, we're not done yet. He says the grasses will peak in May.

Experience the Streets of Atlanta Without Traffic

Have you ever wanted to know what the streets of Atlanta would look like without cars? This weekend you can. This Sunday take a stroll or a bike ride down the 3.5 miles cordoned off from traffic, covering Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, Lee Street, White Street and Peeples Street. For more information head to Atlanta In Town.
Atlanta Streets Alive is back for a third year and will kick off on April 19 with a return to the West End. The 3.5 mile route – encompassing Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, Lee Street, White Street and Peeples Street – will be closed to cars and vehicles giving pedestrians, cyclists, skateboarders and rollerbladers free rein to explore the historic district.

“There will be a slightly modified route this year highlighting Lee Street,” said Rebecca Serna Woiderski, executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, which organizes Atlanta Streets Alive each year. “There’s going to be a pop-up bike lane near the West End MARTA station and we’re also working with the senior center in the neighborhood to encourage more participation.”

Woiderski said last year’s West End event brought out 16,000 and many more were expected for 2015.

“The community was very excited and has so much pride in the neighborhood and Atlanta University Center,” Woiderski stated. “They want to show off what they call home and all the hidden gems West End has to offer.”
The West End route is also conveniently along the Atlanta BeltLine trail and visitors are encouraged to use and explore it to take part in Atlanta Streets Alive.

Along with the open streets, there will be food, entertainment, informational booths and activities for all ages along the route. Visitors will also have a chance to visit local businesses and historic sites, like the Wren’s Nest, and parks on the route, including Gordon White Park, Howell Park and Adair Park.

Woiderski is also looking ahead to the fall when two more events are planned: The popular Highland Avenue route (which brought out a record 106,000 last year) on Sept. 27 and Peachtree Street on Nov. 1. “We decided to move the Peachtree route to November because we got rained on the last two times we held it in May,” Woiderski commented.

Since Atlanta Streets Alive began in 2010, Woiderski said it’s been satisfying to see how its become such a popular and anticipated annual event. “We’ve tapped into this vein in the city and showing people they have options beyond their cars,” she said. “It also demonstrates how much demand there is for safe, bikable, livable streets.”

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition was a big supporter of the recently-passed infrastructure bond referendum, which promises money for more bike lanes. Woiderski is also excited about the Bike Share program coming later this year, which will see more than 500 rentable bikes positioned around the city.

Woiderski said plans are in the works to take Atlanta Streets Alive to new neighborhoods in 2016, including the northwest side of the city and Lakewood. “Our goal is to eventually do Atlanta Streets Alive monthly when there is good weather,” she said.

Festival Season is In Bloom

The weather forecast looks pretty promising this weekend. Why not take the opportunity to check out some of these festivals taking place in the area over the next few days? Delicious dishes, parades and fun activities await you! Head to AJC.com for more.

Atlanta Dogwood Festival. April 10-12. Free. Backyard Barbecue & Brews: $25-$35. Piedmont Park, 1320 Monroe Drive N.E., Atlanta. dogwood.org.

Sheep to Shawl. 10:30 a.m. April 11. $11-$16.50; ages 3 and younger free. Atlanta History Center, 130 W. Paces Ferry Road N.W. 404-814-4000, www.atlantahistorycenter.com.

Hapeville Spring Festival. 11 a.m. April 11; parade 10:15 a.m. Tom E. Morris Sports Complex, 3415 Claire Drive, Hapeville. www.hapeville.org.

Hogs And Hops Festival 2015. 1 p.m. April 11; VIP entry noon. $55; $45 in advance. VIP $85; $75 in advance. The Masquerade, 695 North Ave., Atlanta.www.hogsandhopsatlanta.com.

Festival on Ponce. Artist market, music, food, children’s area. April 11-12. Free. Olmstead Linear Park, 1451 Ponce De Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. festivalonponce.com.

Atlanta Blooms. 300,000 bulbs explode with glorious hues of pink, yellow, purple and red. That’s 44,000 more bulbs than last year. Peak times vary and are expected to last through April. atlantabg.org.

Caboose Days. 10 a.m. April 11-12. Included with museum admission ($5-$8). Southeastern Railway Museum, 3595 Peachtree Road, Duluth. 770-476-2013,www.srmduluth.org.

Acworth Art Fest. April 11-12. Acworth Arts Festival, Acworth.acworthartfest.splashfestivals.com.

Repticon Atlanta Reptile & Exotic Animal Show. April 11-12. $5-$12. Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville.www.repticon.com/atlanta.

Day of Holocaust Remembrance (Yom HaShoah) at the Besser Holocaust Memorial. 3:30 p.m. April 12. Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta. www.atlantajcc.org.

5 of Georgia's Top Restaurants

Looking for a new eatery that fits your tastes? USA Today compiled a list of the 10 best restaurants in the state of Georgia. They already have our mouths watering just thinking about them. Here are 5 of them to get your taste buds tingling. 

1. Greenwoods: Opened in 1986, this Roswell restaurant is a temple of traditional southern food, taking pride in using local produce and serving an entirely homemade menu. Mains include meatloaf, chicken pot pie, pork chop and fried chicken, but no visit to the south would be complete without ordering a veggie plate and Greenwoods is the place to do it. You'll have to choose between seasonal selections and collard greens, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes and cheese grits. Save room for one of Greenwood's legendary from-scratch pies – we suggest the apple.

2. JCT Kitchen: This is the place to go for sophisticated southern cuisine. You'll find the usual suspects (fried chicken and shrimp n' grits) punched up with artisan ingredients and skillful preparation. The menu also has its share of surprises such as the lamb banh mi or a fried oyster po' boy. If they run out of fried chicken, and it does happen, try the fresh North Georgia trout with brussels sprouts, bacon, apple and onion soubise, with parsley and lemon – it's a fan favorite.

3. Tomo: Atlanta's not-so-secret sushi treasure is Tomo Naito, who honed his skills at Nobu in Las Vegas. Named one of the Best New Sushi Restaurants in American by Bon Appetit, Tomo's pristine provender is the best in the city. Chef Naito serves up wickedly delicious offerings including a Japanese snapper nuta with scallion and sweet mustard-spiced miso or lobster cake with yuzu aioli. Don't overlook his impressive collection of Japanese whiskey and Shochu drinks.

4. Heirloom BBQ: The South knows barbecue and debates rage over where to find the best, but most agree that Heirloom's quality meats and vegetables are tops in the city. Chefs Jiyeon Lee, a former music star in her native South Korea, and Cody Taylor weave together the best of southern heritage cuisine with a Korean twist. Together they create perfectly smoked, tender meat paired with a range of sauces (we like the Hotlanta and Korean spicy) and fresh vegetable sides.

5. Taqueria del Sol: This Atlanta-only taco franchise has a bit of a food truck vibe. The setup is simple: Get in line, order, take a seat and wait briefly. Cold beer, good margaritas and righteous tacos that highlight southern, Mexican and >southwestern cuisines make this a no-brainer for cheap, fast, and easy chow. Daily specials are always worth trying and other best bets include the Memphis taco (chopped smoked pork with a spicy jalapeño coleslaw and tequila BBQ sauce) or the fried fish taco with poblano tartar sauce and pickled jalapeños.’

To read the rest of the list go to USA Today. 

Design Your Perfect Room

Your bedroom should be the oasis in your apartment, so you want that space to feel as large as possible, whether it is actually large or not. You can use the decor and furniture pieces in your bedroom to manipulate the size of the space. So how do you make a room feel larger than it is? Try these tricks from Apartment Therapy:





1. Bed drawers and multi-tier nightstands
It's not within every budget to buy a bed that has built-in storage, but in this small and closet-less space, it appears to have been a vital element to ensure this small space actually functioned the way they needed it. Another fun storage feature? Not just one nightstand, but three, on each side! Floating nightstands have long been a smart choice for small spaces, but here, the addition of even more wall-mounted (or in this case, headboard-mounted) ledges means more room for both needed and decorative objects.


2. A large, horizontal wall-mounted mirror
We all know that wall-mounted reflective surfaces like mirrors work magic in small spaces, and in here it's no different. They chose to add the mirror to the wall opposite the door, which is a smart move since it'll reflect an image of the other room, making it feel a little more open than it actually is.


3. A sliding door
For privacy, you can't beat a door. For saving space and adding privacy, you can't beat a sliding door, which they made here themselves using mostly items found at Home Depot.
DIY Home Decor: How To Make a Sliding Door for Under $40


4. Light-colored black-out drapes that blend
For those who need a lot of darkness to sleep peacefully, black-out drapes (lined with dark, light-blocking fabric) are a must. But keep the side of the drapes that face the bedroom a light color, preferably a similar color to the wall. This will help them blend in and expand the look of the space visually.


5. A minimal style
It just makes sense — small spaces need less stuff, and keeping the decorative elements to a minimum will help keep a small space from feeling cluttered. But, that doesn't mean you have to keep everything out. As this small bedroom proves, you can find a good balance between art, decorative elements and more and still have a room that feels spacious for its size.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

We all love a good night of Netflix and Pizza. However, instead of calling your favorite pizza place, you should try this easy recipe. This BBQ Chicken Pizza will quickly become your favorite. You can learn more at The Kitchn.