🕯️ Death Masks + Short Rib Wonton Nachos

_{Welcome to the 58 new readers who joined 7,687 other East Cobb residents this week.}

What's up, neighbors!

The Halloween countdown is on, and East Cobb is all in. Cobwebs on the porches, pumpkins on the steps, and the mornings finally (finally!) feel like fall.

This weekend is stacked. If you want something different from the usual haunted house, grab a flashlight for the Victorian Funeral Flashlight Tour at the William Root House Friday or Saturday night. Mourning jewelry made from human hair. 1800s embalming tools. All in the dark.

Creepy in the best way.

Got little ones? There are trunk-or-treats, candy crawls and hay rides and a petting zoo at Cobb's Fall Festival of Fun on Saturday. Then save next Wednesday evening for the free Sewell Mill Spook-Tacular on Lower Roswell Road. It's a school-night Halloween party, and you're home by 7.

And if you haven't voted yet, here's a nice East Cobb perk. More than 95,000 Cobb voters have already cast early ballots, and the East Cobb Government Service Center on Lower Roswell is the only East Cobb site open this Sunday, noon to 5.

Also inside: Korean short rib nachos and tempura shrimp tacos on Johnson Ferry, a Lower Roswell boutique doing important work during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a tabby named Kai who naps on his foster mom's chest. Let's get into it.

- Andrew

William Root House Museum
80 N Marietta Pkwy NW, Marietta, GA
Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2026
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
$10 in advance, $15 at the door
Get Tickets

Most haunted houses run on the same playbook. Somebody in a mask jumps out, your kid screams, everybody laughs, done.

This is different. For two nights, the William Root House goes full Victorian mourning, and the stuff on display is real. 19th-century embalming tools. Mourning jewelry made from human hair. Plus a few other curious artifacts from a time when grief was a big, public, elaborate production. Walking through those rooms in the dark with nothing but a flashlight gives you a pretty good feel for how strange that world was.

You tour it yourself, at your own pace. Creepy? Yes. Cheap jump scares? Nope.

Space is limited, so grab $10 advance tickets for Friday or Saturday night. It’s $15 at the door, so buying ahead saves you five bucks a head. The museum asks that you arrive no later than 8:30 PM (it closes at 9), and you can swing by the Mr. Tombstone’s Coffee Emporium pop-up for a drink before or after.

Got a teenager who thinks they've outgrown Halloween? Bring them. Jewelry made out of human hair has a way of getting a reaction out of even the most bored 15-year-old.

Heads up on parking, because it's tight. Free spots at the museum are limited, the city lot next door has 2-hour public parking, and nearby pay lots run about $5.

See the full tour details from the Root House Museum

Korean BBQ short rib on nachos, tempura shrimp in a taco, and a jalapeño margarita on Johnson Ferry.

You know the dinner standoff. Half the table wants tacos, the other half wants something different, and nobody wants to drive far. Taqueria Tsunami on Johnson Ferry fixes that by mashing Latin and Asian flavors together, and honestly? It works.

Start with the Asian Nachos. Instead of tortilla chips, they’re built on crispy fried wontons with queso, pico and roasted poblano and corn, and you can pile Kogi BBQ short rib on top. Grab the Korean Fried Cauliflower for the table too.

For the main event, build a Tsunami Trio: two tacos and a side. The Asada Zing (bulgogi steak with shiitakes) and the Shrimp Tempura with hoisin-lime aioli are the two people keep coming back for. Check out the full taco and bowl menu before you go.

It also makes a good post-trick-or-treat dinner. Quick, casual, kid-friendly, and there’s a real cocktail list for the grown-ups who just spent two hours walking the neighborhood in the dark. The Jalapeño Cilantro margarita comes with a chile-lime salt rim and plenty of heat.

You earned it.

Latin-Asian Fusion | $$
Hours:
Sun-Thur 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Fri-Sat 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

See Taqueria Tsunami's hours and locations

🚗 Get directions to Taqueria Tsunami on Google Maps

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and if you're like most of us, you know someone going through it right now. A friend. A neighbor. A mom from the carpool line.

Here’s the part nobody warns you about. After the diagnosis and the appointments, there’s the hair loss, the surgery, and the very practical question of what to wear and how to feel like yourself again. That’s where The Wig Dr. comes in. Tucked inside the Parkaire Medical Center on Lower Roswell Road, it helps East Cobb women through exactly that. PPart wig shop, part mastectomy boutique, with private fittings and board-certified mastectomy fitters.

Owner Dr. Erica Gamble grew up in Cleveland and spent more than 20 years in leadership and higher education. She holds a doctorate in organizational behavior and leadership, plus a Doctor of Health Sciences with a concentration in trichology, which is the study of hair and scalp. This year she won a $20,000 American Express Shop Small grant to expand her mobile unit, which brings fittings to women who can't easily get to the shop.

On the wig side, you'll find human hair and synthetic wigs, toppers, hats with hair attached, and even children's and ultra-petite sizes. Synthetic wigs mostly run $100 to $1,100. On the mastectomy side, there are bras, prosthetics, swimwear and compression garments, and you can browse mastectomy bras starting around $50.

Shopping for someone else? A gift card takes the guesswork out of sizes and styles. If it's for you, book ahead. Appointments are recommended for bra and prosthetic fittings, and private hair loss consultations ($120, in-store or virtual) are by appointment.

Hours:
Mon, Wed-Fri 10 AM-5 PM
Tue & Sat 10 AM-4 PM

Explore The Wig Dr.'s wigs, fittings and mastectomy care

🚗 Get directions to The Wig Dr. on Google Maps

6 Beds
6.5 Baths
8,000 sq ft
0.6 acre lot

A) $2,299,000

B) $2,425,000

C) $2,475,000

D) $2,550,000

Cobb voters cast 59,810 ballots at 13 early voting sites in the first four days, Oct. 13 to 16. By early Wednesday, the county had passed 95,000 early votes, about 16% of registered voters. Closer to home, the Tim D. Lee Senior Center logged 7,334 votes and the East Cobb Government Service Center on Lower Roswell Road logged 6,447 in those first four days.

Haven't voted yet? Early voting runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 30, plus this Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 25, five Cobb sites are open from noon to 5 p.m., and the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Rd) is the only one in East Cobb. Tim D. Lee is closed Sunday. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Source: East Cobb News

Dodgen families, this one's for you. The Cobb school board approved a $13.5 million contract with Bowen and Watson Inc. to renovate Dodgen Middle School. The list covers HVAC, a new roof, flooring and doors, site repairs and a new security vestibule (the locked entry area where visitors check in before they get into the building). It's paid for with Ed-SPLOST VI, the penny sales tax Cobb voters approved for school projects.

Don't expect it overnight. The project is expected to wrap up by July 2028. The board also approved $983,000 for new main-entrance canopies at three schools, including East Side Elementary, with that work due by July 2027.

Source: East Cobb News

Wheeler High posted a 28.0 composite ACT score in 2026, the highest in the Cobb County School District. That's the fourth straight year Wheeler has led or shared the top spot. And East Cobb swept the top of the board: Walton came in second at 26.3, Lassiter third at 25.5 and Pope fourth at 24.7.

For context, the district averaged 23.0, compared with a state average of 20.9 and a national average of 19.2, per the district. Wheeler also had two students post perfect scores. Not bad, Wildcats.

Source: East Cobb News

A familiar name is back at the county. District 1 Commissioner Keli Gambrill appointed former East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott to interim seats on the Cobb Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. He replaces Fred Beloin, and the appointments run through the end of 2026.

Ott lives in East Cobb and served three terms as District 2 commissioner from 2009 to 2020. He describes this as a limited, temporary return to public service. If you follow zoning fights around here (and in East Cobb, who doesn't?), these two boards weigh in on a lot of the rezoning and variance requests that end up shaping your neighborhood.

Source: East Cobb News

Got a golfer at home who gets antsy when the weather turns? Back Nine Golf is opening a new location in the Merchants Festival shopping center at 1401 Johnson Ferry Road. It's owner Andy Crowe's second Back Nine, after Midtown. The grand opening is Nov. 14, with three private bays running Full Swing simulators 24/7. Yes, you could hit balls at 2 a.m. if you really wanted to.

You don't need a membership to book a bay. If you do want one, founding memberships start at $196 a month (normally $245), and they're capped at 25 spots per tier.

Source: East Cobb News

Kai is a handsome brown tabby with a white-tipped tail and a serious soft spot for snuggles. Most cats tolerate being picked up. Kai actually likes it. His favorite nap spot? Right on his foster mom's chest.

He got his start at Cobb County Animal Services, where Good Mews rescued him along with his mom and siblings. These days he spends his time carrying toys around the house, climbing the cat tree and wrestling with his sister Finley, who's hoping to come home with him.

If you've been going back and forth on two cats, here's the case for it. Kai and Finley keep each other busy, which usually means less mischief aimed at you, and they still save plenty of cuddle time for their people.

Kai is in a foster home, so there's no walk-in visit. Email Good Mews at [email protected] to set up a meet-and-greet.

📍 Good Mews Animal Foundation, 3805 Robinson Rd, Marietta 30068
💲 Kai and Finley are a bonded pair, so they go home together for a single adoption fee.

Meet Kai and his sister Finley on Petfinder

💃 Booo-gie Woogie Dance Party with Rhythm Dance Center - Mountain View Regional Library | 3320 Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta, GA 30066 | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Preschoolers ages 3 to 5 come in costume for monster dance moves and spooky movement games with the Rhythm Dance Center crew. An easy way to burn off energy before naptime.

🧛 Teen Fright Night Lock-In - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell St, Marietta, GA 30060 | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Free, registration required | More: cobbcounty.gov
Teens 12 to 17 get the library after hours for a spooky night with friends. Spots are limited, so sign up ahead.

🎬 The Movie Series: Sing - Plaza Green at The Battery Atlanta | 800 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Free | More: batteryatl.com
Bring a blanket and catch Sing on the big outdoor screen. You can pre-order a family meal so nobody has to cook.

🔦 41st Annual Halloween Hikes - Chattahoochee Nature Center | 9135 Willeo Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 | Fri & Sat 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Sun 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | $25 advance, $30 day-of, timed entry | More: chattnaturecenter.org
A trick-or-treat trail through the woods with themed houses, costumed characters, glow games, face painting and s'mores. Kids 12 and up can try the spookier Haunted Quest with an adult, and Sunday's earlier window suits little ones. Arrive 30 minutes before your ticket time.

🚂 Stay & Play Saturday: LEGOs & Locomotives - Southern Museum | 2829 Cherokee St NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Free with museum admission ($10 adults, $5 ages 3-17, 2 and under free) | More: kennesaw-ga.gov
PeachLUG, Georgia's official LEGO group, runs a free-build station right next to the trains, and museum staff host a LEGO craft table.

🚒 DPS Trunk or Treat & Fall Festival - Emergency Vehicle Operations Course, next to Safety Village | 1285 Al Bishop Dr, Marietta, GA 30008 | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Candy from decorated cars, plus kids can climb aboard big trucks and meet the K9, SWAT and Dive Team crews. Face painting, a photo booth and food trucks round it out.

🍬 Candy Crawl - Downtown Kennesaw | Main St, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Free (bounce houses and some activities extra) | More: kennesaw-ga.gov
Trick-or-treat your way along the downtown shops, with carnival games, bounce houses, pumpkin photo spots and the Scarecrows on Main display.

🎃 Halloween JamBOOree - Logan Farm Park | 4405 Cherokee St, Acworth, GA 30101 | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Free admission, game and food tickets sold on site | More: acworth-ga.gov
Games, rides, music and a costume parade, with trophies by age group for cutest, spookiest, most creative and best family costume. Costume contest sign-ups start at 4:30 PM.

🎡 Cobb PARKS Fall Festival of Fun - Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center | 2245 Callaway Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30008 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Free festival and parking, haunted house $5 per person | More: cobbcounty.gov
Cobb's big free Halloween bash brings hay rides, a petting zoo, magic shows, live music and costume photo ops. The $5 haunted house is there for anyone brave enough.

🐦 Bird Walk with Birds Georgia - Chattahoochee Nature Center | 9135 Willeo Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Included with admission ($20 adults, $16 seniors and students, $14 ages 3-12), registration required | More: chattnaturecenter.org
A relaxed, beginner-friendly guided walk to spot migrating birds along the river trails. It's capped at 20, so register early and bring binoculars if you have them.

🍂 The Great Fall Festival - The Battery Atlanta | 800 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30339 | Festival 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM, movie 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | Free (event-day parking rates apply) | More: batteryatl.com
Truck-or-treat with specialty vehicles, 30+ local vendors and family activities, then stay for a free outdoor screening of Minions and Monsters. Costumes and treat bags encouraged.

👻 Cobb PARKS Haunted House - Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center | 2245 Callaway Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30008 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | $5 per person, paid on site | More: cobbcounty.gov
If Saturday's line was too long, the county's haunted house opens again Sunday night, and again Oct. 28 to 31. Five bucks for a solid scare, best for older kids.

🍷 Luncheon at Mac's Chophouse ft. Bricoleur Vineyards - Mac's Chophouse | 19 N Park Square, Marietta, GA 30060 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | $75, reservations via OpenTable (770-238-1202) | More: macschophouse.com
Executive Chef Michael Fuller pairs four courses with four Sonoma wines from Bricoleur Vineyards. A very good excuse for a long Friday lunch on the Square.

🎤 Comedy on the Square - The Alley Stage | 11 Anderson St, Marietta, GA 30064 | Fri & Sat 8:00 PM (doors 7:30 PM) | Ticketed, two-drink minimum (770-919-0001) | More: alleystage.org
The weekly Friday and Saturday stand-up show on the Square. It's an 18+ room with comics working an intimate stage.

🎙️ Karaoke Girl's Nite at Park Bench - Park Bench, The Battery | 900 Battery Ave, Ste 1060, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 8:00 PM - 11:30 PM | No cover, 21+ | More: batteryatl.com
A night of big female-vocal anthems, so grab the girls and the mic. Seating is first come, first served.

🌲 Forest Bathing - Smith-Gilbert Gardens | 2382 Pine Mountain Rd, Kennesaw, GA 30152 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM | $15 (member discount), ages 18+, register ahead | More: smithgilbertgardens.com
A guided, slow-down session among the fall color that's about your senses, not your step count. A good reset before a busy weekend.

🧘 Hops & Flow Beer Yoga - Atlanta Hard Cider & Distillery | 1010 Roswell St NE, Marietta, GA 30060 | 10:30 AM (doors 10:15 AM) | $18, includes class and first drink | More: eventbrite.com
An all-levels hour of yoga in the taproom, and your ticket covers a cider or beer afterward. Bring your own mat.

📼 Artisan Resource Center: Grand Reopening - The Creators Den, Artisan Resource Center | 585 Cobb Pkwy S, Ste G-1, Marietta, GA 30060 | Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 2:30 PM | $24 | More: outofboxtheatre.com
Out of Box Theatre turns the old Nunn Better Cabinet building into a one-hour immersive Halloween party set in 1989, with music, mystery and a few scares. Recommended for ages 14 and up. Seating is very limited.

🎹 Saturday Nite Dueling Pianos at Park Bench - Park Bench, The Battery | 900 Battery Ave, Ste 1060, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 8:30 PM - 11:30 PM | No cover, 21+ | More: batteryatl.com
Two pianos, shouted requests and a room that sings along all night. General seating often fills up, so reserve a table.

🪩 Silent Disco at Punch Bowl Social - Punch Bowl Social, The Battery | 875 Battery Ave SE, Ste 720, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 9:00 PM - 11:30 PM | $10, 21+ | More: batteryatl.com
Three headphone channels, three DJs, and you can switch whenever the track gets old. Headsets are limited, so buy ahead.

🍸 Halloween Cocktail Class at ASW - ASW Distillery at The Battery | 900 Battery Ave SE, Ste 1035, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM | From $50 | More: batteryatl.com
You get your own bar station and a lead mixologist, and you'll shake up three spooky cocktails with ASW's whiskey, vodka and gin.

🛍️ Sip & Stroll at Boo Y'all - Historic Canton Street (check in at Rock 'N' Taco or North End Kitchen & Bar) | Canton St, Roswell, GA 30075 | 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM | $55 for one, $100 for two | More: roswellwomansclub.org
Your passport gets you sips and bites at Canton Street shops while you vote on the Boo Y'all scarecrows. It's a Roswell Woman's Club fundraiser.

🤠 Pop & Country Hits at Park Bench - Park Bench, The Battery | 900 Battery Ave, Ste 1060, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM | No cover, 21+ | More: batteryatl.com
Live sing-along pop and country covers to close out the weekend. No cover, just bring your voice.

Halloween fun doesn't have to mean fighting traffic to a haunted house two towns over and standing in line for an hour. Next Wednesday, Cobb County is throwing a free, low-key Halloween party right here on Lower Roswell Road. Games, candy, spooky crafts. It's three days before the big night, it's on a school night, and you're home by bedtime.

What it is: The Sewell Mill Spook-Tacular is a free, all-ages Halloween event hosted by Cobb County at the Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center. Think festive games, candy, spooky crafts and seasonal activities. It only runs two hours, which honestly is about all the stamina a 5-year-old has on a Wednesday night anyway.

Plan it (get there by 5:15): Grab an early dinner and head over close to the 5 PM start. Weeknight crowds can fill the lot fast, and nobody wants to be circling a library parking lot with a car full of costumed kids. If your crew is already in costume mode, call it a dress rehearsal. Better to find out the dragon tail trips them now than on Saturday night.

At the event (5:00-7:00 PM): Rotate the kids between the games, the craft tables and the candy. Pro move: save the crafts for last. Sitting down with glue sticks winds them down a lot better than the candy table does. It wraps by 7, so you're home in time for baths and bedtime.

Logistics: Admission is free. The county’s event page has a Register button, so sign up ahead to be safe, and get there early to give yourself time to park.

Heads up: It's a school night and the event only runs two hours. Check the county page before you head out for any weather or schedule changes.

🚗 Get directions to Sewell Mill Cultural Center

Most people land on a life insurance coverage amount once and never revisit it. But your savings, debts, income and family situation have probably shifted since you first bought the policy.

A number that made sense five years ago might leave real gaps today, especially if you've taken on a mortgage, added a dependent or changed jobs.

The rough check is simple: add up what you owe (mortgage, car loans, other debt), factor in what your household would need to replace your income for several years, and see if your current coverage still holds up. For some households, it may not.

Get a free coverage check from a Peachy agent or call (404) 600-1660 (closed Saturdays and Sundays)