Have you ever noticed in our world of tweets, emails, and texting (just to mention a few modes of communication used nowadays) that there are a lot of people chatting, but are they really being heard?  Are we really listening to each other?

We receive Twitter messages in our email, but do we really have communication with the person who initiated the message?  How many times do we just hit “delete” and move onto the next message in our inbox.  The same thing applies to messages we receive from Facebook that someone either wants us to confirm their friendship or comment on one of our posts.  Do we always respond?

Then there are actual email messages.  First thing in the morning before scurrying to begin a busy day we sit down to check our inbox. We tend to scan messages we have received, maybe answer one or two of high importance and make a mental note to respond to those which remain.  Before we know it the day has ended, we are ready to eat dinner and spend a relaxing evening with our family and then it is off to bed.  The “respond to later” group grows daily.  Often times they just get deleted once too much time has elapsed.  Here we find a break in the chain of communication.

We are definitely living in an age of advanced communication technology.  We have computers for our Tweets and Facebook posts, IPhones, BlackBerrys and plain cell phones.  Can you remember when we did not have a cell phone?

With the use of blue tooth it took me a while not to respond to a person standing next to me in a store when the spoke.  I now know that they are speaking with someone on their cell phone.

If you take your kids to the park to spend “quality” time with them and you get a call, or a text message how long is it before you forget why you are there?  How long is it before your children just decide that they are not being heard?  You are busy with a digital conversation. The face-to-face communication with your child has run amuck.

A cell phone is great when we need to take care of an emergency at work and put a solution into the works.  However, how many times are you out to dinner with your spouse, or family and they are looking forward to your being part of the occasion, and you get that dreaded call demanding your full attention.  Communication at your table comes to a standstill!  They are talking, but you are not listening.

We are living in a culture that demands constant connectivity with no respect to what we are personally doing.  You could be having dinner out, or at home, sleeping or in the shower and our hand held devices have no mercy.  We snap to attention.

Whatever happened to our face-to-face communication? I have a very dear friend who made a very wise comment to me.  He told me that he did not send emails, or read them.  “Emails do not tell me how you are really feeling,” he said.  How true is that?  Granted we can express our thoughts in an email, and even put a certain tone in what we are saying, but where is the personal interaction we used to enjoy?

Another misuse of emails or texting, in my opinion, is when a person goes on a rant about something they are displeased with and without truly considering their words they put how they feel out there and do not really care about the person on the other end reading it.  Unfortunately, as much as the world is a much smaller place and people are able to stay in contact more readily with digital capabilities, our personal consideration of others can get lost.  Once those words are out there the damage is done, you cannot take them back.

Obviously, I am part of the digital world of communication.  I appreciate your reading my article.  I also personally realize, from the expression on a child’s face, or even on an adult’s face, the importance of being listened to and truly heard.

In closing, I am hoping that this might prompt some thoughts on sharing your voice, your true personal face-to-face communication and actually listening to a person to hear what they are trying to say.  We need to step back and realize that conversation, as we once knew it, is on the decline.  We also need to recognize how conversation is changing and try to keep somewhat a balance in our communication.

Happy Tweeting, Texting and Chit Chatting.  Make sure that when all is said and done you have been truly listening and heard what has been said!

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
Skype ID: judy.conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
http://fullservicemarketingtools.com

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The cost of prescriptions is on the rise.  Many people have been laid off and find themselves without health insurance.  This situation necessitates looking for less expensive medications or different means for obtaining them.    Is this uncertain economy, affording health care and medications can be a real challenge.  I hope the tips I offer in this article will help you save money on your medications.

Go Generic – Take a close look at the medications you are taking.  If you are not already taking generic drugs, this is one place you can cut costs.  The cost is the major difference between brand-name and generic drugs.

If you are unsure, check with your physician.  Even when purchasing non-prescription items, if you check the labels you will find the ingredients are the same in store-brand or name-brand items.

Generic drugs can save you up to 90%.  If a generic-brand is not available see if there is a similar drug in the same class that has a generic version available.  As an example, Lipitor a cholesterol drug does not have a generic equivalent but Zocor another statin does.

Cut your pills in half enabling you to cut the costs. Drugs, as a rule, cost the same regardless of the dosage.  If you are taking a dosage of 50 mg ask your doctor to write a script for 100mg allowing you to split the pill in half and get “double” for your money.  You will need to discuss this option with your doctor.

Do your homework – The internet has a wealth of information. You can cut your prescription costs by 70% by shopping online.  Be sure to check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies (NABP) at http://www.nabp.net for a list of reputable, recognizable sites.  The sites listed at NABP have earned a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) Accreditation.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration at http://fda.gov/oc/buyonline can also provide advice on buying medications on line.

Order by mail – if you are fortunate to have health insurance, many plans allows you to purchase a 90-day supply at a lower cost than what you would pay at your local pharmacy.  If you choose this method be sure to order your medications two weeks in advance so you do not risk running out.

$4.00 Generic Drugs – Many pharmacies offer a generic $4.00 per month or $10.00 for a 90-day supply for certain generic drugs.  Ask your pharmacy for a list of the drugs they provide on this program.  Here I would like to offer a word of caution.  Just because your doctor is prescribing a generic drug does not mean it is definitely on this program. I personally take Tricor and my doctor wrote me a script for the generic brand.  I was in a state of shock when my pharmacist told me it cost $144.00. for a 90-day supply.  Needless to say, I did not buy those and went through the necessary steps to have the brand-name Tricor sent out from the pharmaceutical manufacturer for zero cost.

Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs – If you have little or no prescription drug coverage, you definitely want to check into this option.

Major pharmaceutical companies provide drugs for free or at a low cost to people who qualify.  You can find more information by going online to the pharmaceutical manufacturer of your drug.  You will find applications on their website that you can print out or request.  You will need to complete the application, get your doctor to fill in his applicable section, provide copies of your last two years of income tax returns,  and social security payment information, if that applies.

There are also companies, such as RX for Less that will take care of submitting your forms for a nominal fee.  If you have the time, filling out these forms and submitting them is not difficult and will help you save the cost of administration services.

If you decide to go directly through your pharmaceutical manufacturer, be sure you mark on your calendar when you will need to request a refill so you do not run out.  This all takes some effort on your part, but the savings are substantial.

I hope that this information will help you save money on medications.

I wish you good health!

Judy Conway

http://fullservicemarketingtools.com
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A very wise person once anonymously wrote, “Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles.” This statement can serve to stimulate our thoughts. A job well done does not come about out of the blue. Planning and effort have been initiated to achieve the end results.

If we are going on a vacation, the first thing we usually do is plan where we are going, what we will take with us and what exciting things we will do once we get where we are going. I find it unsettling that we put more effort and thought into planning a vacation than we do in planning our lives and future!

How often do we live our lives without a specific destination in mind? This can start at an early age. We graduate high school or college with no concrete plans for a career. This spills over into other areas of our lives. We meet that special someone and we decide to get married. Have we considered the possibility of children? What impact will children have on our careers? How many people just charge ahead without giving any thought to finances, education, and spiritual activities? These things all require planning an intelligent direction with a sincere effort for skillful execution. If we live our lives by just passing through these various phases we probably will not accomplish our goals and dreams.

Most people admit that they could live better lives achieving their full potential if they would do planning.

How often do we find ourselves wandering aimlessly around only performing a less than adequate job because we did not really plan the route to our destination. We might not be inspired by what we are doing. If we intentionally plan our future we will be more apt to fulfill our aspirations.

Our everyday skills of being a successful parent, a good spouse, employee or overall person will take focusing on those items. We will achieve skillful execution of the various aspects of our life by disciplined practice and planning. Writing down goals and tracking our progress can be very beneficial.

Napoleon Hill, in his timeless classic, “Think and Grow Rich,” recommends and promotes the “mastermind” group theory. He describes the mastermind group as any group of like-minded people assembled for the attainment of a worthwhile goal.

Directors are much like a mastermind group giving guidance and direction essential to achieve success in a corporation.  This mastermind group concentrates on an “intelligent direction.” If you are finding it difficult to execute your vision, you need to seek counsel with like-minded people to guide you in reaching your destination.

We can learn to make lemonade when we are given lemons. It takes a visionary to see an obstacle as an opportunity. Hardships serve to build our character and help us become stronger, more focused individuals.

It is our choice whether we want to live lives of mediocrity or excellence.  Planning, high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles will be the tools that will bring us excellence!

I wish you a life of excellence!

Judy Conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
http://fullservicemarketingtools.com
Email:  judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
Skype ID: judy.conway

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Have you ever dreamed of having a home based catering business?  If you have a love of cooking this would be a great career.

In many homes nowadays both parents are working.  Economic pressures require a double income.  Schedules are hectic and it is very difficult to prepare wholesome, nutritious meals.

A catering business can be very lucrative in providing daily meals for these families (singles or couples).  You would not only be preparing delicious meals but eliminating the stress that these people feel when they under the pressure of shopping and cooking.  They would have more time to enjoy each other and do the things they enjoy most.

Before you jump into your apron, here are some things you want to consider:

What will be the name of your business?

Are you doing this by yourself or will you have a partner?  If you have a partner will you both be responsible for the cooking, or will one take care of the administrative duties?  In the future you may find the need to hire a cook.  Dependability is a required.

Create a business plan that you can use if you need to get financing.

Check with your local food administration authorities about the laws governing your type of business.  Find out the appropriate licenses and permits you will need.  Check into these details first so you will not have problems in the future.

Decide on what types of meals you are going to provide.  You will want to include two or three choices daily.  Once you establish your clientele you can give them an order form of the various meals available on certain days.  You can establish the time frame you want to maintain.  A week or two ahead have the forms returned to you. You can come up with a computerized form that you can email your clients and they can email you their choices. Do whatever you can to automate your business and eliminate unnecessary legwork. You will have to decide what works best for you.  You will want a week’s notice for shopping and preparation purposes.

If you want to specialize utilizing your specific cooking/baking talents, your catering service could be for special soups, desserts or birthday cakes.  This is your choice.

Pricing your meals will be more of a challenge.  You will want to keep your costs as low as possible in order to have a desirable profit.  Call other catering businesses to get an idea of what your completion is charging.  You do not want to price your meals so high that you will price yourself out of the market.  Allow for a fluctuation margin in market prices.

You will want to buy in bulk.  Get a membership at your local wholesale club.  This will save you quite a bit.  You still want to be a savvy shopper as there are times when your local supermarket’s prices are lower than the wholesale club.

Bulk shopping will necessitate your knowledge of the shelf life of the foods you are storing. When in doubt of how to, and how long to store food items, the internet holds a wealth of information at your fingertips.

How are you going to advertise your business?  Of course, word of mouth continues to be one of the best forms of advertisement.  You should consider flyers, or posters that you can leave at various businesses in your area. You will be able to create and print these on your computer. This will cut printing costs. Newspapers and mail coupon services can get the word out to many, but will be more costly.

You may want to consider designing a web page so that you can create an internet presence. Print up business cards including your web address. Get permission to leave this in places such as the doctor’s office, dentist, or hairdresser. Design your website so you have your weekly choices listed and your contact information.

If you go this route, you will want to find a web hosting company that also provides you internet marketing tools.  I know of one company that has a bulk emailing program, with an auto responder where you can set up various campaigns. It also provides a video producer with templates that you can create for your specific business.  The best part of this company is that they have training by professionals in the industry.  If you are a cook, more than likely, you are not overly versed in computers!!

How are you going to get the meals to your customers?  They can pick them up from your home or you could deliver to their place for a set fee.  You will need to put great thought into planning your cooking and delivery schedule.  As a suggestion, allow yourself about one hour to an hour and a half.

What type of containers are you going to use to pack your meals? As there is a possibility that the food may need to be reheated, you will have to take this into consideration when purchasing containers. Look into microwavable items. A wholesale club usually has great prices on food containers.

Be a good planner.  The internet will provide you with an endless supply of recipes and ideas for different meals.  If you are cooking for a family with children, take this into consideration. Spicy does not always work with little ones!

When you purchase your fresh produce make sure it is cleaned properly and when possible cut and ready for use.

Keep a cautious eye on your costs.

You want to develop a good relationship with your clients.  When possible, satisfy special requests. Always be the type of person that you would want to work with.

As suppliers are an important element in your business you want to develop a good relationship in this area.  This will go a long way in getting better service.

It is up to you to decide on how large of a business you want to create.  A small business will be easier to handle.  Once it grows it will necessitate hiring additional staff members. But then again this would translate into greater revenue.

As an added suggestion, be sure to keep your recipes either on the computer or in a binder in protective sheets.  Who know, someday you can add to your business profits by publishing a cookbook of your catering recipes.

I hope that your love of cooking will be the first step to initiating a profitable home based catering business.  I wish you all the best and a kitchen filled with aromas of happiness and success!

Happy Cooking,

Judy Conway

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Have you ever found yourself engaged in a conversation being more eager about talking about yourself than listening to what the other person is saying. Successful communication requires having an attentive mindset as well as verbalizing your thoughts. Many associations fail because people talk “at” each other.

Unless someone hears what has been said the words have little value. The person trying to communicate feels that their contribution in the relationship is of little value. When we feel that we are being heard we are more likely to engage in negotiation and compromise. Listening involves far more than words. Facial expressions and body language is often a far more accurate barometer than the words that are being used. In the case of consoling a person, you might want to gently touch their hand, or even give them a hug to show you really care. You need to listen actively to be an active listener.

Here are several pointers that may assist you in becoming a more effective listener. Make eye contact. Do not just verbalize while you are looking all around the room. Look at the person you are speaking to. Read the body language of the talker. Are they relaxed, anxious, angry? It is easy to recognize the extremes, but the message is sometimes more subtle. React in a like manner to subtly mirror the other person’s body language. Nodding in response to what is being said to you shows the other person you are listening.

Make appropriate responses. If you are unclear about what is being said, ask relevant questions and ask for clarification. Do not just nod in response at what you “think” was said.  This can end up being very hurtful and embarrassing if your response is negative when it should have been positive.  At the close of the conversation, summarize your understanding of what was said. The “who”, “what”, “where” and “when” open ended questions are recommended. When responding to questions, and interacting in a conversation, make sure the tone of your voice does come across as judgmental. Do not elude an interrogative manner. The old saying, “It is not so much what you say, but how you say it” rings true in this instance.

If the person you are conversing with is relating a traumatic experience or hardship, be empathetic. Acknowledge difficulties being careful not to relate similar experiences you have had. Simply say, ” I sense that you are finding this rather difficult”, rather than “Oh I know how you feel, a similar thing happened to me, but it was a lot more difficult.” It is important that the person you are speaking with senses your honesty and sincerity. It will be obvious if your conversation lacks these qualities.

Do not make the mistake of thinking ahead to what you want to say next. Doing this takes your mind off the conversation at hand,and and you come across as having a lack of interest attitude. Be totally attentive. It is amazing how much more enjoyable a conversation is when we allow the input of others! You will also learn a lot.

Happy listening!

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
Skype ID: judy.conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
http://fullservicemarketingtools/com
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Primarily our blogging efforts are for creating traffic to our websites, sharing personal notes, and overall social activities.  There are those times when I use mine to share what is on my heart.  This is one of those times.

I know that the world is aware of the total devastation that the country of Haiti has suffered as a result of the recent earthquake.  Without actually being there it is truly difficult to imagine what those people are feeling.

Just think what it would be like to all of a sudden have your world, your possessions (few as they are in Haiti), your children, your parents, family members, food, water, limbs, etc. ripped from under you.  Just the thought of this horrific occurrence brings tears to my heart.

I realize that with our economy the way it is, some of us are having difficulty meeting our expenses and would find it hard to give for the relief cause for Haiti.  I was in the grocery store the other day and they asked me if I wanted to “round up” my bill for the Haiti Relief program.  I said yes, of course.  I looked at the register screen and was sad to see it was only four cents.  But even that meager amount, when coupled with other people’s four cents will add up and make a difference.  I am retired and on social security and find it a challenge to make ends meet.  This brought to my mind the story in the Bible of the widow’s mite.  (Mark 12:41-44) God will honor your giving, no matter how small it may be. He knows what is in our hearts.

The Haitian people need everything.  Perhaps a look in your closet will reveal clothes that you are no longer using.  Maybe your children have grown out of some of their clothes. There are organizations that are collecting clothing items to send to Haiti.  Whatever you can give, I know will be appreciated.

The enormous lack of all things in Haiti is something that has been going on for many years and will continue in the future.  This earthquake has only intensified the situation.  They will need our help for many months to come.

I personally know of people whose family members have been killed in this earthquake, while other family members are still among the missing.

If we have come to the bottom of our pockets and what we can financially contribute to Haiti there is still something that we can do.  We can make intercessory prayer on behalf of these people.  We can cry out to God for them to have the courage they need to go through these times, peace and understanding for the loses, especially for little children that have lost their parents and home and now find themselves living in the street with no food or water, and the list goes on.  We can pray that God will provide people to make great sacrifices and go to Haiti to help. We need to keep all those people who have gone to Haiti to provide their services in our prayers as well.   Whatever is on your heart can be given to God.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  Please join with me in remembering Haiti in your prayers.

Blessings,

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com

Skype ID: judy.conway

I was reminded this week, that it is not always the adults that are the motivators and leaders! We can, in fact, learn from our younger generation.
How often do we encounter a situation that we just can not seem to resolve. No matter what we do we find ourselves without a solution. More than likely most of us would give up If we do not come up readily with an answer. How long do we struggle before giving up? How often do we give the problem to someone else to resolve?

I watched my grandson the other day struggling to overcome his lack of knowledge with PowerPoint. He just turned ten. He asked me if I knew how to do animation in PowerPoint. I had to admit that I only knew the very basics when it comes to PowerPoint.
He did not accept that answer. He was not going to be defeated. He has taught himself how to draw cartoons in PowerPoint and he was determined to get these characters moving. When I was leaving to come home Sunday evening he was sitting at the table with his dad working on finding an answer to his dilemma.

In speaking to his mom the next morning I learned that he still had not come up with the answer. I told her to tell him I would research it during the course of the day. It was shortly after lunch when he called to tell me not to worry about the animation project. He had figured it out.

This brought to mind the saying about “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you will feed him for life.” I am so very proud of my grandson. Both he and his sister have been brought up to ask questions and learn where to find the answers. Through his determination he had read through information and learned how to do animation.

I got to thinking. If we, as adults, could be that tenacious we could find the answers we need to become successful. We give up too soon. The answer is often times just around the corner.

I offer this post as an encouragement to us all to keep looking for the answers. If we are consistent and persevere we can become victorious.

Happy Tenacity!

Blessings,

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
http://homebusinessinatlanta
http://jconway.gogvo.com
Skype ID: judy.conway

Okay, we have launched another year.  As with past years, my on-going resolution is that I am going to get fit and lose weight this year.  I am sure I am not alone in this mindset.

For those of you who have been following my blog since I stated the Metabolism Miracle program on November 9^th, 2009 here is an update.

December is a month of celebration for me.  My two daughters and four of my five grandchildren have birthdays in December.  Not to mention Christmas dinner parties, New Year’s Eve and all the epicurean delights along the way.

I usually come out of the holidays gaining at least 10 pounds.  However, this year I tried to stay on my Metabolism Miracle eating program as closely as possible, and today weighed in only gaining 3 pounds.  I was relieved to say the least.  So even with the stress, and bad food choices, I am still 12 pounds less than I was on November 9^th.

As a result of diverting from the program more than once or twice, I have chosen to start from day one, thus repeating Step One.  I am excited about the continued progress and look forward to reaching my goal weight.

I can honestly say that while on the Metabolism Miracle program I do not feel deprived or hungry in the least.  I do have the following suggestions for anyone starting this or any other weight loss program:

• Check with your doctor first.  Get your lab work done so you will have a starting point for all of your criteria. It is truly an encouragement to see the improvement from one time to another.
• Make sure your kitchen and food pantry are totally ready for your success.  If you cannot resist opening a package of cookies or other foods not allowed on your program….get rid of them.  Don’t set yourself up to fail before you even begin.
• On a similar note, make a list of foods that you can have.  Stock your cupboards and refrigerator with these items.  That way you will not be tempted to eat things that will defeat your purpose.
• The Metabolism Miracle has some great recipes.  One is for delectable muffins.  I look forward at the end of the day to sitting down with a cup of coffee and a chocolate brownie muffin.  Hard to believe this is an allowed food.
• Plan ahead.  If you have not planned out your day’s menus you could possibly find yourself resorting to eating more than you are allowed, or something that you should not be eating at all.
• Remember eating healthy is not any more difficult than eating poorly and look at all you have to gain (really lose!) from making the right choices.
• It helps to have a “buddy” you can check in with and share your progress.  I have a friend who has just started the same program I am doing and we will continue to encourage each other along the way. It definitely helps to be accountable to someone else.

Be sure to fit exercising into your day.  I know how you feel.  I used to think, “And just when am I supposed to do that?”  I am using the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds program and it takes thirty minutes to walk two miles and do the stretchy bands for toning.  This includes your stretching, beginning and ending.  Just think about it.  Isn’t your health worth 30 minutes?  You will feel so much better.

If you have a day, or two, that you stray from the  weight loss program you are on, the most important thing to remember is …. DO NOT GIVE UP!!  Start right back on the program.  The longer you wait to do this the harder it will be to get back to basics.

My “Aha” moment was in thinking that I needed to lose weight and get healthy.  I want to be around to enjoy my grandchildren, watch them grow and have families of their own, and most definitely enjoy my daughters and their spouses.  I do not want to be a burden in my “golden” years.  It all boils down to my making the right choices.

Remember … nothing tastes as good as thin!!

Blessings and success with your weight loss program,

Judy Conway

Email:  judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com

Skype ID: judy.conway

http://jconway.gogvo.com

This is an extremely busy time of the year for everyone. It seems every December I feel I should have started the previous January so that I will have everything done on time! Of course that sounds utterly ridiculous. But in fact when you are like me and enjoy showing your love and appreciation for others in special homemade gifts at least starting planning for the projects you want to complete and setting up a schedule for completetion makes perfect sense.

The month of December is a month that is full of joy and activity for me. I am not only getting Christmas cards out in the mail to keep in touch with special people that have touched my life, but also celebrating six birthdays. Both of my daughter’s were born in December, and four of my five grandchildren have birthdays in December. One really needs to stay focused with this type of schedule.

I was just thinking how sometimes we get so caught up in all we have to do that we miss the sheer joy of the season. Every year I have a dear friend that opens her home for an annual Christmas dinner get together for three of her friends. We may go the entire year without seeing each other, but that friendship is still there waiting to be rekindled at Christmas time. That is truly when you know you have a good friend. You just pick up where you left off and it seems like no time at all has elapsed since you were last together. I am very thankful for these friends.

With technology as it is, we communicate more regularly by emails. Telephone calls are not even as frequent as they used to be. Think back to many years ago when dropping by a friend’s home to check on them and share a cup of coffee or tea and discuss what was going on in your life used to be the thing to do. Now we get on the computer and shoot an email. I have a very wise friend who doesn’t like communicating via an email. He told me once, “I don’t really know how Judy is feeling by reading an email. I can’t sense the emotion.” How very true. As it has been said, we get so caught up with high tech activities we fail to use the high touch things we used to do.

This plays a big part with those who are involved with internet marketing. People are more apt to hit the “delete” key when you are trying to share an opportunity, than if you gave them a call and personally told them about the opportunity you feel might be helpful to them. That is not to say that both methods can not be use together.

We are so busy we forget to look around at the beauty and blessings we have in our lives. I hope that you will take a deep breath and do just that …take a deep breath and look at all you you have in your life. With the economy the way it is, we all have suffered losses of one kind or another. But if we look around we will discover we really have a lot to be thankful for.

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a New Year that will allow us to open our eyes and hearts to what is going on around us. We are truly blessed!

Blessings,

Judy Conway
Skype ID: judy.conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com

In celebration of my daughter’s 40^th birthdday yesterday we went out to dinner at a new (to us) restaurant.  It is called, Sugo Restaurant & Tapas and is located at 625 West Crossville Road in Roswell, Georgia.  This was such a remarkable experience I decided it is a restaurant worthy of commendation!

Sugo’s is located in a large shopping center with lots of parking.  It has an inviting outdoor, patio-style, eating area.  As the temperature was in the 30’s this was not an option!  Upon entering the restaurant you feel like you have been transported to an establishment in Italy.  The décor is tasteful and inviting.  The dining areas are spacious and you do not feel like you are part of your neighbor’s conversations. The wonderful aromas awakened our appetites.

We were promptly seated and our noteworthy service commenced from that point on. I want to commend Kevin for absolutely impeccable service.  He told us all about the evening’s specials, which was quite an extensive list without anything written down to prompt him.  Having waited a table or two in my lifetime, I am always impressed by waiters/waitresses that do their job well. After we had looked over the extensive menu Kevin took our order.  (again not writing anything down) There were five of us and we wanted to try various tapas in lieu of regular dinners.  That proved to be a good decision.  The children had sodas and we three adults enjoyed a bottle of  Farnese, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.   Sugo’s offers a good selection of wine that will please your fancy.

Just to give you an idea of the tapas available, we ordered the following:

Gnocchi – Traditional potato dumplings with porcini mushroom cognac sauce. (These were a big hit with the children) …and enjoyed by all.

Baked Stuffed Calamari – stuffed with sautéed onions, spinach and artisan cheeses.  This is served atop tomato basil sauce.  Delicious!

Chicken Vin Cotto – roasted dark meat chicken with marsala wine sauce, wild mushrooms, and dressed with vin cotto. Awsome!

Crunchy Potatoes – roasted crisp and fired twice then tossed with aged pecorino and servered with paprika garlic aioli.  Great compliment to all of the above!

Euro-Quattro Formaggi Antipasto – vine ripe tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, barrel aged Mt. Viko’s feta and specialty artisan cheeses of the day.  Served with mixed field greens, assorted and seasonal condiments.  Finished with an aged fig balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.   One of the best antipasto salads I have ever had!

Desserts were made in heaven … We also ordered an assortment here and shared!

Cannoli – Italian crème and chocolate chips

Chocolate Mouse Cake – a fabulous creation of triple layered chocolate fudge cake, chocolate mouse and chocolate frosting.  If you love chocolate you will definitely want to try this one.  Yummy!

Tiramisu – Expresso soaked ladyfingers with Mascarpone cheese and Zabaglione cream and then dusted with rich cocoa powered.  Fabulous!  Kevin was thoughtful and this arrived with a birthday candle glowing in it for my daughter.

Coffee, of course was superb!

You could also order various types of Pizzas, salads, and many Sugo Family Specialties.  Just reading the menu is a delight in itself.  Some of the items listed were:

Roman Chicken Cacciatore – all dark meat chicken on the bone, slow cooked for 5 hours.  Served with porcini mushroom ravioli, fresh tomato basil sauce, grilled Italian peppers and Sugo’s signature sausage.

Aunt Lena’s Chicken – breast of chicken dressed with Prosciutto di Parma, walnut pesto, and fresh mozzarella.  Served atop strozapretti pasta in a pink crème sherry sauce with artichokes and organic spinach.

Bistecca Di Joseph – All-natural 12 oz. Montana Ranch Piedmontese Boneless Ribeye char-grilled then  topped with a porcini mushroom cognac sauce.  Accompanied with mushroom raviolis and roasted red pepper.

Frederico’s Pork Braciole – Center cut of pork tenderloin stuffed with walnut pest, sausage, pecorino romano cheese and carmelized onion.  Then rolled and dressed with carmaelized dates, and Mozzarella cheese.  Sliced and placed atop a bed of wild mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and crispy long stem aritchokes.

Sugo’s Hide Tide – Pesto encrusted 8 oz. filet of salmon and sautéed Mediterranean mussels served atop artisan pasta tossed with a fresh tomato puttanesca sauce, organic spinach and shitake mushrooms.  Finished with roasted garlic and sweet vermouth.

Sugo’s also has a “Piccolo Bambinos” menu for your children.

In addition Sugo’s has specialty menus for vegetarians and people on gluten free diets.  I personally am on Step One of the Metabolism Miracle diet program, and had no problem  finding items to satisfy my appetite.  Unfortunately, I did have to forego the desserts, but everyone assured me they were all delicious.  When I reach my weight goal, this is where I am going to celebrate!

The menu held a tantilizing list of items that will necessitate our visiting Sugo’s many more times.  And then we will have to revist to be sure we really liked everything.  Yes, the food, service, prices and overall ambiance is an experience to remember and enjoyed over and over again.

Sugo’s received the OpenTable.com, Diners’ Award for 2009, as well as other awards you will find listed on their web page.

I hope this information has whet your appetite (literally) and you will put visiting Sugo’s on your “Bucket” list.  You will not regret it.  You can also find more information about Sugo’s on their website at http://www.SugoRestaurant.com.  Their web site will also speak volumes of the type of service and quality you will find when visiting Sugo’s.

Blessings,

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
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