Dining guide

Lakeview Dining Big Creek Tavern – lunch, dinner seven days a week; breakfast at 11:30 a.m. on Sundays. Open year around. Featuring the “Best” Angus Beef, a step up from old-fashioned American food. Billiards, video games, beer, wine, liquor. Mon. Thurs, 11:30 a.m. - midnight, Fri. and Sat. from 11:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. and Sun. from 11:30 a.m. 10 p.m. 8050 Big Creek Rd., Buford. B-3, 678482-1662. Bullfrogs Restaurant – Located at Legacy Lodge & Conference Center at Lake Lanier Islands Resort. Open for lunch and dinner daily. This Southern Gastro Pub features re-imagined traditional Southern fare and variety of drink options from full-service bar. Guests may arrive by boat or car. Buford. B-3, 770-945-8787. Fish Tales Lakeside Grille – Casual lakeside dining featuring grouper fingers, signature salads and much more. Full service indoor and outdoor bar with live music. Hideaway Bay Marina. C3, 770-967-3775. Pelican Pete’s – Picturesque dining on the water at Port Royale in open-air thatched-roof building. Selection of sandwiches, burgers, fish and more. B-2, 770-887-5715 ext 5. Pig Tales - Casual lakeside dining featuring BBQ, burgers, wings and more. Great customer service, full service bar with draft beer, wine & mixed drinks, live music on weekends. Aqualand Marina, Flowery Branch. C-3,678-828-7676, www.PigTalesLakeLanier. com. Sidney’s Restaurant (formerly Windows) – Located at Legacy Lodge & Conference Center at Lake Lanier Islands Resort and overlooks Lake Lanier. Appetizers, entrees, and deserts using the finest ingredients from local and family owned farms from around the South Guests may arrive by boat or car. Buford. B-3, 770-945-8787, www.lanierislands.com. Skogies – Made from scratch seafood, BBQ and American fare with a great view served in a laid back pet friendly environment. We serve the best breakfast on Lake Lanier! Menu items include eggs benedict served five ways, Omelettes, shrimp & grits, cathead biscuits & gravy, breakfast sandwiches & more. Call from your boat & they will pick you up. Gainesville Marina. C-1 678 450-1310; www.skogies.net. The Twisted Oar - Holiday Marina. Offering fresh seafood to savory chicken and steak; casual dining. Full bar service, tropical and frozen drinks. Live entertainment, trivia, indoor/outdoor flat screen TVs. www.facebook.com/ twistedoar, C-3, 678 714-7572 American Antebellum – Southern contemporary cuisine including fried catfish with pimento dumplings, grilled wild salmon, thyme roasted pork chop, ribeye with buttermilk mashed potatoes and more. Weekend brunch features biscuits and gravy, ham steak and eggs, buttermilk pancakes, shrimp and grits, and more. 5510 Church Street, Flowery Branch, C-3, 770-965-8100. www.antebellumrestaurant.com. Branch House Tavern - The ultimate sports restaurant in Hall County offers a selection of hamburgers, wings, hearty salads, southwestern grill fare, and a huge selection of appetizers and desserts. Big screen sports action on 50 HD TVs, and live entertainment. Also featuring a full bar and dancing all night long. Take out available. 5466 McEver Rd., Flowery Branch, C-3, 678828-8345 Coastal Breeze Seafood Grill – Offering seafood, steaks, ribs, oysters on the half shell, salads, burgers and more. Lunch and dinner, full bar. Sun.-Thur 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-midnight. 5390 Lanier Island Parkway. C3, www.coastalbreezega.com, 770-945-9181. Collegiate – Old-fashioned hamburgers, hot dogs and milk shakes served in 1940s setting. 220 Main Street SW, Gainesville. C-2, 678-9892280. Foster House – Restaurant and special events facility. Breakfast Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-10 a.m.; Lunch Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-2, Sun. lunch buffet 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Dinner - Country buffet and music, Fri. 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. 305 West Main St., Cumming. A-3, 770-887-9905. Two Dog Café – Classic small town diner with an emphasis on fresh food and fast service for lunch and dinner. 317 Spring St. Gainesville. C2, 770-287-8384. Wild Wing Café – Offers casual dining, live music, special Monday Trivia Night and 2 Fer Tuesday nights (buy a dozen, get a dozen wings free). 311 Jesse Jewell Pkwy., Gainesville. C-2, 770-536-9177. Yahoola Creek Grill – Features Southern-inspired, made-from-scratch cooking from our outdoor deck, cozy dining room and loft. Full beer and wine list. Open for lunch and dinner, Wed.Sat. Open for brunch and supper on Sunday. Closed Mon./Tues. 1810 S. Chestatee St., Dahlonega. 706-482-2200; www.yahoolacreekgrill.com. Continental/Fine Dining Aqua Terra Bistro – European fusion cuisine served daily. Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Mon.Fri.; noon-2:30 p.m., Sat.; Dinner 5-10 p.m., Mon.-Sun. 55 East Main St., Buford. No reservations. B-3, 770-271-3000. Blue Bicycle – Chef owned and operated bistro. Open Tue.-Sat.; Lunch 11 a.m-4 p.m.; Dinner 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Reservations are suggested. Located on 30 Industrial Park Rd, Dawsonville, B1, 706-265-2153. Luna’s – Continental cuisine, romantic atmosphere. 200 Main St., Gainesville. C-2, 770-5310848. Poor Richard’s – Specializing in Prime Rib, steaks, ribs and fresh seafood. Casual dining, dinner only. Full-service bar. 1702 Park Hill Dr., Gainesville. C-1, 770-532-0499. Scott’s Downtown – Upscale casual ambience with specialty sandwiches for lunch and gourmet entrees for dinner. 131 Bradford St. NW, Gainesville. C-2. 770-536-1111. Sperata - Continental fine dining in its 11th year. Private dining available. Lunch Mon.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Dinner 4:30 p.m. Mon.Sat., Sun. 2:30-9 p.m. Buford. B-4. 678 7657911, www.speratarestaurant.com.

Barbecue/Country/Home Cooking Johnny’s BBQ – Real Pit BBQ pork, chicken & ribs. Brunswick stew. Minutes from Clark’s Bridge rowing venue. 1710 Cleveland Hwy., Gainesville. Casual. D-1, 770-536-2100. Smokey Q BBQ - Pulled Pork and Chicken Sandwiches, Philly Cheesesteaks, Pork and Chicken Tacos and more! Sun., Tues.-Thurs., 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Closed Mon. Bald Ridge Marina, 1850 Bald Ridge Marina Road, Cumming. A-3, 770 910-4961. Deli Whole Being Cafe @ Common Grounds –Light breakfast, lunch and dinner and desserts followed by fresh roasted coffee. 5510 Main St., Flowery Branch. C-3, 770-967-4080. Italian 5 Brothers Pizza & Pasta - Family owned with mom and her five sons! Delivery available. Offering award-winning alfredo sauce, seven layer lasagna, homemade meatballs, pizza, calzones, and more. Also available: our famous rice balls -and homemade tiramisu and cannoli. Open 7 days a week with beer & wine. Sun-Thur 11am to 9pm; Fri and Sat 11am to 10pm. Downtown

By Pamela A. Keene

Registration is open for the 2020 Holiday Boat Parade on Lake Lanier. It will take place December 12. The event will raise funds for the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Home and the Hall County Sheriff’s Dive Team.

“This year we’re really focusing on making sure people can view the parade from many places along the shoreline,” said Richard Pickering, organizer of the annual event. “All boats will gather near Port Royale then parade down the lake past the big marinas and several parks to the dam before ending up back at Margaritaville.”

Suggested donation amounts to enter the parade are $75 for boats under 30

2019 parade participant.

FILE PHOTO

feet, $125 for boats 30 to 35 feet, and $200 for boats larger than 35 feet.

“We’re hoping to have even more participants this year,” Pickering said. “Last year almost 60 boats joined us.”

To register or for more information, go to the group’s Facebook page at 2020 Holiday Boat Parade on Lake Lanier.

historic Buford. 39 East Main St. Buford. B3 678-765-8151; www.5brotherspizzapasta.com Dominick’s Italian Restaurant – Features cuisine from the north of Italy, with veal, chicken and seafood dishes. Favorites include chicken saltimbocca and garlic bread appetizer. Halfprice bottles of wine on Mon. nights, half-price appetizers from 5-7 p.m. on Tues. and endless pasta on Weds. Dominick’s is open Mon.-Sun. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch; Dinner : Sun.-Thur. 59 p.m., Fri./Sat. 5-10 p.m. Located at the corner of Buford Hwy. and Hamilton Mill Rd in the Buford Village Shopping Center., Buford. B-3, 770614-0019. Vinny’s New York Pizza & Grill – New Yorkstyle pizzeria known for generous portions and reasonable pricing. Specialties include Philly Chicken and Cheese sub, New York Pizza, Chicken Caesar Salad, Sausage & Pepper plate, baked pasta and Lasagna. Desserts include Cannoli, Tiramisu, Italian Funnel Cakes or cheesecake. Wine and beer available. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat., noon-10 p.m.; Sun, 5-10 p.m. Located at 4977 Lanier Island Pkwy, Buford. C-4, 678-482-9966. Mexican La Cazuela – An Atlanta area landmark with two locations around Lanier. Features fajitas, selection of combination platters and more. 4965 Lanier Islands Pkwy., Buford, B-4 770-614-6871. Oriental Kenzo Sushi – Sushi & Japanese Steak, Teriyaki & Fried Rice. Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Sat. 12-3 p.m. Dinner Sun.-Thur. 4:30-10 p.m.; Fri. 4:30-10:30 p.m.; Sat. 3-10:30 p.m. 4977 Lanier Islands Pkwy, #108, Buford. B-4, 678-288-9050. Little Tokyo – Japanese dining - hibachi grill, sushi. Dine in, take out. Open Tues.-Fri., 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-10 p.m.; Closed Mon. 2096 Buford Dam Rd., Buford. B4, 770-945-3350.

By Bev Knight

One of the hardest things you will ever do is settle your parents’ estate. Losing a loved one is difficult enough, but juggling the legalities, sibling issues, tax ramifications and your own emotions can intensify the stress. This article is not meant as a substitute for the professionals who deal in estates; but, rather, it will give you some idea of what to expect and allow you to plan ahead to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

Authority to sign: The first step is to talk to an attorney who can file a petition in probate court on your behalf. If the deceased had a will, your goal is to get Letters of Testamentary. If not, you will need Letters of Administration. You cannot legally sign a contract on behalf of the estate until a judge issues one of these instruments. And technically, the estate owns the property; so, the signature should be “The estate of deceased’s name, your name, Executor.”

Check on the dock permit: Sometimes the elderly forget to renew their dock permits. The Corps of Engineers has been somewhat forgiving in these situations, but the homebuyers may not be. If you can’t find the latest dock permit in the person’s papers, you’ll need to get a copy from the Corps. Normally, the best way to do that is to drop by their office Tuesday through Thursday, but they are not open to the public right now due to the pandemic. Call 770-945-9531 as soon as possible to get that ball rolling. All lake agents will ask for the dock permit as part of an offer, and the Corps is swamped right now. Don’t wait on this.

Choose a spokesperson: One of the hardest elements of selling an estate is trying to reach an agreement between all the siblings. Early in the process, the siblings should choose a spokesperson for the group. It’s almost always the executor if one has been named in the will. It helps if you decide collectively, before the property is even listed, who will be the tie-breaker if the siblings disagree. Discourage the attitude that, “We must get (fill in the blank) for the property.” The market doesn’t care what you need to get for the property. Today’s buyers are very well-informed thanks to the internet, and they know lake values. You will get what the market will bear, and all parties should start with that expectation.

Choose an experienced agent in selling lake property, estates: There is a lot to navigate in selling estates on the lake. Almost everyone has a friend in real estate, but there are many pitfalls in selling these unique, specialized properties. Your friend will understand why you went with an expert.

Clean out the house: Very few of us keep our house in a ready-to-sell state. This is especially true if the homeowner was elderly. If their furniture is fairly current, you can keep that in the house. But all of the tchotchkes, family pictures, lace curtains, ’80s furniture, silk plants, and other general clutter need to be removed from the home. Most stagers recommend removing all curtains which tend to be dated and block the light. The goal is to make the home look as large as possible. The more floor or counter tops that show, the bigger the home appears. Most important, remove anything that blocks the lake view. That beautiful view adds a lot of value to the home, so showcase it.

To repair, or not to repair: This is one of the most important issues to decide when selling an estate home. Normally, you would fill out a Seller’s Disclosure for a listed property, and it becomes an exhibit for any offer that comes in.

However, in the case of an estate, many people do not fill out the disclosure because they don’t know all the details of previous repairs. There is an option on real estate listings to sell a home as-is without a disclosure. If you choose this option, be aware that this is likely to lower your sales price, and almost all buyers will still have the home inspected during their due diligence period. Even though you listed a home as-is, they may still ask for certain types of repairs. You don’t have to do those repairs, but they may choose to walk away from the deal as a result. Once flaws in the home have been identified in an inspection, they must be disclosed to potential buyers.

If you only do one thing: PAINT! A nice, neutral paint can change the whole look of an older home. Buyers can see their furniture in the room, and it smells fresher. You can even paint over old wallpaper if it is in good shape. Other helpful improvements include getting carpets cleaned, freshening up landscaping, pressure-washing exteriors and cleaning windows. Also, make sure all light fixtures have bulbs. Older homes tend to be dark, so you want to invite in all the light you can.

This is an emotional, trying process. Be sure to check with the experts before you start, but you’ll get through it. Hopefully, these tips will help.

Many thanks to Kevin Salisbury, Real Estate Attorney in Cumming, who contributed to this article.

Bev Knight is lead agent for The Good Life Group, Lake Lanier Specialists with Keller Williams Lanier Partners. Email Bev: bev@HousesOnLanier.net, or visit Knight www.HousesOnLanier.net.

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