What’s Up Dunwoody

Podcast 334 - The Low-Key Walk That Became Dunwoody's Newest Community - Jess Zeewy & Delia O'Malley

Jess Zeewy and Delia O'Malley were just doing their normal walk around Brook Run Park, until they decided to invite some friends along. 27 Dunwoody women showed up.

We talked about their zero expectations philosophy, why admitting adult friendship is hard, and how the group spans every age. That first week, a 21 year old fresh out of college showed. As well as a 67 year old brand new to Dunwoody who didn't know a soul yet. Jess brings her background as a personal trainer and nutritionist, and Delia's own wellness journey over the years shapes how judgment free it all feels. Lucky Goat Coffee Co. became their official post walk spot after owner Josh reached out within hours of launch, wanting real community and offering to help. Their GroupMe has grown to about 108 women strong.

Lucky Goat's celebrating its one year anniversary this week, with a Kendra Scott event coming in August, and a Pure Barre class in the works for September. If you want to join in, they walk Sunday mornings at 10am and Wednesday evenings at 6pm, both at Brook Run Park. No pressure, no sign up required, just show up.

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Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-334

Podcast 333 - How IHG Became One of Dunwoody's Biggest Community Partners - Colin Macdonald

Dunwoody just had its 50th annual 4th of July Parade, and by every account it was the biggest and best one yet. IHG Hotels & Resorts was this year's platinum sponsor, and I sat down with Colin Macdonald, who runs IHG's franchise operations across the U.S. and Canada, to find out why a company headquartered in Dunwoody keeps showing up for this city. Turns out the parade was just one small piece of it.

We also got into IHG Army Hotels, the part of the business that runs hotels right on military bases, the renovation that turned Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia into a real destination under GM Sharon Kilmartin, and IHG's work fighting human trafficking alongside groups like Wellspring Living and Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp. IHG has been headquartered behind Ravinia for more than thirty years now, with about 1,300 employees and five hotels right here in Dunwoody.

If you haven't tried Parkwoods, the restaurant and bar on Ravinia's ground floor, or the Backyard at Parkwoods out back, put it on your list, especially once the holiday lights go up in December. And a big thank you to the IHG team, they didn't just show up on parade day, they helped us spread the word beforehand too.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-333

Podcast 332 - A New Season, a New Stadium, and Players Who Make Dunwoody Proud - Coach Matt Schmitz

Coach Schmitz is back on the podcast, and Dunwoody football is in an exciting spot. It had been almost a year since our last conversation, and the program is heading into year two with real momentum, a returning coaching staff, and nearly a hundred kids on the roster.

We covered a lot. Coach talked about why keeping Dunwoody kids home matters more to him than recruiting new ones, and how the Junior Wildcats feed right into the high school program under the same booster club. We got into the Chamblee rivalry and the Golden Spike, the football team carrying that giant American flag in the July 4th parade, and why so many families are choosing Dunwoody these days.

We also dug into the new home field. Seacrest Stadium will finally give the Wildcats their own place to play on campus, instead of sharing a field with Chamblee. It is made possible by a major gift from Dunwoody alum Ryan Seacrest, matched by the community through the Bring It Home campaign, and it brings Coach Mike Nash's old dream of Dunwoody kids walking to their own game within reach. Between a returning staff, a deep roster, and a new home field on the way, there is a lot to look forward to this fall. Give it a listen and get ready for some Wildcat football.

Podcast 331 - Dunwoody's Insider Summer Guide, From the 50th Parade to the World Cup - Mark Galvin

After watching the U.S. beat Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — one of the most historic wins in U.S. soccer history — the energy around Dunwoody this summer is electric. Mark Galvin of Discover Dunwoody came on the podcast already pumped about the World Cup, and it's easy to see why: local restaurants are setting up watch parties all over town and the whole community is fired up.

High Street is expanding fast, Perimeter Mall is getting its biggest overhaul in years, and a brand new tearoom at Park Place just opened that Mark says rivals anything in Atlanta. Dunwoody is quietly leveling up, and this conversation is the fastest way to catch up.

If you're looking for something fun to do with your kids, I got early access to Thrillz in Doraville, an indoor adventure park near Assembly Atlanta with trampolines, zip lines, and 35-foot slides. We also grabbed tickets to Big League Wiffle Ball at Assembly, backed by Gary Vee, Kevin Costner, Tony Robbins, TI, and Julio Jones. It might be the most fun $7 you'll spend this summer.

All of that plus the 50th Dunwoody 4th of July Parade, where Discover Dunwoody is bringing the trolley and handing out red, white, and blue soccer balls. Fifty years. Follow Discover Dunwoody on Instagram to stay on top of everything happening this summer.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-331

Podcast 330 - Dunwoody Tavern is Bringing Back their Dunwoody Beer Fest as Tunes and Taps - Huw Thomas & Miguel Romero

Huw Thomas has been running pubs in Dunwoody longer than most of us have lived here, and Miguel Romero of Taqueria Los Hermanos has become one of the most beloved anchors at the Shops of Dunwoody. Together, they're bringing back a Dunwoody tradition that drew thousands of people a year over more than a decade. And it's happening May 30.

Huw's story is one of my favorites. He moved here just before the 1996 Olympics, looked around at a neighborhood with nowhere to grab a beer and a burger, and decided to fix that. That became Dunwoody Tavern. Thirty years later, Dunwoody Restaurant Group has five active locations across metro Atlanta, and Huw has had buildings named after his company at Camp Twin Lakes because of a 30-year fundraising partnership with the charity.

Tunes & Taps is the new version of the Dunwoody Beer Fest, and it's going down May 30 from 4 to 10pm at the Shops of Dunwoody. Your $20 gets you in the door, live music from Mike Veal Band and the Basement Band, great food, and a raffle for $3,000 in DRG gift cards. Every dollar from ticket sales goes directly to Camp Twin Lakes, and 20% of Dunwoody Tavern's sales that day go to the charity too. Grab your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tunes-taps-tickets-1988120706552

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-330

Podcast 329 - Dine Around Dunwoody Brings Food and Music to New Spots Across the City - Tim Brown

Food Truck Thursdays is getting a refresh, and DHA President Tim Brown joined me to break it all down. After 15 years as a Dunwoody staple, the Dunwoody Homeowners Association decided it was time to shake things up, and what they came up with is worth getting excited about.

Dine Around Dunwoody is the new series: five events from May through October, each one at a different location around the city. Think family-friendly food trucks, live music or DJs, and yes, the Chick-fil-A cow. Instead of everyone coming to Brook Run every time, the DHA is bringing the party to Spruill Center's hidden courtyard, the amphitheater at High Street, and spots a lot of Dunwoody residents have honestly never visited. And Moondog Growlers is back as the adult beverage partner, which Tim says was the most-requested community return of the year.

This episode is also a great window into how much the DHA has evolved lately. New logo, new website, a growing social media presence, and a slogan that says it all: "Neighbors Connecting Neighbors." Tim gives a lot of credit to the team around him, and it shows. The kickoff is May 21 at Brook Run Park from 5:30 to 9 PM.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-329

Podcast 328 - How Discover Dunwoody Is Selling the City to the World - Mark Galvin

Mark Galvin from Discover Dunwoody sat down with me this week, and we got into some fun conversation. With World Cup coming to Atlanta and Dunwoody sitting on its strongest lineup of restaurants, events, and hotels in years, Mark makes the case that his organization has never had a bigger opportunity in front of them.

A lot of Dunwoody locals have a general sense of what Discover Dunwoody does, but the reality is bigger than most people realize. Mark's team has been running TV commercials in Mexico, Argentina, and Spain through Gray Digital Media and Telemundo stations, advertising Dunwoody to international soccer fans in their native Spanish. The strategy is straightforward: Dunwoody does not need to compete with downtown Atlanta. It just needs to be found. Their tagline captures it perfectly. "Above Atlanta and Beyond Expectations."

We also talked about the real restaurant numbers (50+ new openings in four years, and yes, Mark gently corrected a stat I have been misquoting on this show), Stäge Kitchen and Bar now open at Campus 244, the brand new Le Faucheur Tearoom at Park Place, The Daily Pilates at Ashford Lane, the Dunwoody Arts Festival on Mother's Day weekend, World Cup soccer balls at the 4th of July Parade, and Create Dunwoody's DoorWoody art installations going up in the Village. Mark knows this city as well as anyone.

Full episode at whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-328.

Podcast 327 - How to Get Involved in Dunwoody’s Nonprofits - Catherine Lautenbacher & Beth Lehman

Catherine Lautenbacher and Beth Lehman are back on the podcast with something new to Dunwoody. A volunteer fair. On Friday, May 1st, the First Annual Perimeter Community Volunteer Fair is happening at Dunwoody United Methodist Church from 10am to 1pm, and if you've been meaning to get more involved in your community, this is your entry point.

Here's something that might surprise you. Catherine did a quick count and Dunwoody alone has at least 34 nonprofits, and every single one of them is looking for help. The problem has never been a shortage of opportunities. It's been knowing where to find them. Beth organized this fair as her Leadership Perimeter class project specifically for people who want to give back but haven't figured out where they fit yet.

The fair brings 12 to 15 local organizations under one roof, from well-known names like the Community Assistance Center to Sandy Springs Youth Sports. You can walk in not knowing what you want to do and walk out with a real commitment. Head to igottavolunteer.com to see who's coming, and show up to see how you can help.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-327

Podcast 326 - Why World-Class Chefs Keep Showing Up to Cook in Dunwoody - Billy Kramer

The Burger Benefit is back for one final year, with chefs like George Motz, Vinnie Cimino, Kevin Rathbun, and Freddy Money cooking one-day-only burgers at NFA Dunwoody on May 3rd. Every ticket dollar goes directly to the Giving Kitchen, and tickets just went on sale today.

We also got deep into the Dunwoody restaurant scene. Forty-one restaurants opened here last year, and Billy made a strong case for why Dunwoody is a unicorn compared to every other market he looked at for expansion. We talked about what the Giving Kitchen actually does for food service workers in crisis, and why Billy is now permanently donating a quarter from every NFA burger sold.

If you have never been to the Burger Benefit, this is the one to go to. It is the last one ever, the lineup is the best it has ever been, and the cause could not be more worthy. Grab your tickets at https://givingkitchen.org/events/the-final-burger-benefit-presented-by-georgia-natural-gas/ before they are gone.

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Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-326

Podcast 325 – How to Spot and Stop the Scams Hitting Dunwoody Right Now – Dale Cardwell

People in our community are losing thousands to fake job offers, government grant schemes, and AI voices impersonating family members. Most don't see it coming until it's too late.

Dale Cardwell has spent his whole life protecting people across the Top End of Atlanta. He's lived in this community for 25 years, and after three decades as an investigative journalist exposing fraud and corruption, he built TrustDale and launched his podcast, Trust Issues, specifically to help people avoid getting scammed. He's genuinely invested in making sure his neighbors don't get taken advantage of.

But Dale's story goes deeper. He broke some of Atlanta's biggest investigations — the Derwin Brown assassination, Linda Schrenko's embezzlement scheme, the corruption that forced Jacquelyn Barrett out as Fulton County Sheriff. For 25 years in Dunwoody, he's been the guy who digs into what's really going on.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-325