Guess what I’ve already filed?? 

Yep, you guessed it…  My 2011 taxes.  Look who’s on the ball!  (It’s me, it’s me!)

For the past few years, I’ve taken my tax info down the street to HR Block, simply out of convenience, to have one of their employees quickly chew me up and spit me out.  “See ya’ next year!” they’d say with a smile as I wrote a large check for their data entry, and moseyed out confused as to why my fairly simple tax return was so expensive.  Not this year, readers.

THIS year, I changed it up.  I’m using a firm to prep my taxes who was highly recommended to me by blog regular + close friend, Loren S.  They don’t advertise – they rely on word of mouth.  (And, we like that!)  They’ve done such an excellent job with my taxes this year, and really handled me with care.  So, I want to help ‘em out a little.

siegel & siegel, p.c.

Siegel & Siegel, P.C. is a small, family-owned firm that was started in the 1950′s by Abe Siegel.  All three of Abe’s sons became CPAs and all worked there (and still do).  Josh Halpern, my new CPA (um, do I sound fancy pants or WHAT?!), is the newest addition to the group.  He started working there in 2007, and has been a CPA since 2009.  Josh is a Georgia Bulldog (which I didn’t hold against him), and an all-around really awesome guy.

Siegel & Siegel provides accounting and tax services for individuals and small businesses.  This includes compilations (another way of saying financial statements), as well as tax services.  Many of their business clients are service-oriented (doctor, lawyer, dentist, real estate), but they can also work on any small “closely-held” businesses.  Josh had no problem at all helping a little guy (girl) like me with my super-simple tax return, either.

Clients like Siegel & Siegel because of the personal attention they receive from the firm.  They don’t have young staff for partners to hand over their clients to ”to be worked-up” and then passed back for a quick check-over and a signature.  They do the work themselves, and they each know their clients issues/ business versus having to find the staff person who worked on that client (larger firms are like this) to inquire about what is going on.  They do not bill solely based on time, so they are happy to take calls and respond to e-mails.  (Even I know that this is very old school – and I appreciate it.)  Siegel & Siegel considers itself to be a “vintage firm.”  The kind where you receive the personal attention you deserve.

Siegel & Siegel’s office is located in Sandy Springs near Roswell Road and Hammond, close to Breadwinner Cafe.  Give Josh a call.  He’s a great guy (I absolutely vouch for him), and he will very thoughtfully walk you through your taxes.  I sincerely appreciated the care with which he explained everything to me, and the speed at which he prepared my return.  If you’re looking for some tax help this year, I highly recommend Siegel & Siegel. 

P.S. Tell Josh that the Q+DD sent you!  We don’t get a kickback or anything (I can’t even imagine what it would be if we did…), but it would be nice to know that we were able to help out a really great, small business that we believe in! 

xx, L

Siegel & Siegel, P.C. – Josh Halpern
140 Hammond Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
404.252.6667 ext. 106
joshua@siegelcpa.com
www.siegelcpa.com

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So, there I was.  In a dilemma.

(lindsay. obviously.)

I’d just returned from this super-incredible vacation and I had all of these fantastic-amazing photos of it that I took on my trusty iPhone 2.  Naturally, I’d run almost all of them through the Instagram App that I love so dearly because every photo looks better with a vintage filter.  Am I right?  AM I RIGHT?  I’m right. 

instagram? we're pals.

Anyway, I thought I might order some prints of my doctored-up photographic achievements.  I logged onto Snapfish, uploaded my photos, and BAMMM – they look terrible.  I could order them if I wanted, but Instagram had resized them to the cute square shape I adore, and they would be blurry if I printed them out myself. DRATS!  I shook my fists in the air.

No way, I didn’t want to order 200+ blurry photos!  But, I liked my Instagram-ed photos better than my actual ones.  Dilemma…

I did some light googling along the lines of “how the heck am I going to get my Instagram prints now??” and I eventually found my answer: Printstagram.

Good news!  Lucky day!  By way of Printstagram, I had ENDLESS (okay, five) options of what I could do with my Instagram-ed photos.

I could order a large, high-quality poster made with my Instagram photos.  It’s 20″ x 40″ in size, and can accommodate anywhere between 50-400 photos.  Printstagram sizes them to fit the full poster size and arranges them in a clean grid.  All for only $25. 

STICKERS were another option.  Heck yes!  You get 252 stickers per order, so you’ll be able to use them liberally without breaking a sweat…or the bank.  A slick $10 will seal the deal.

The Tinybook.  Is there any cuter way to show off your pictures than THIS?  The photo quality is great, and tinybooks even magnet to your fridge.  Order 3 tinybooks with 24 photos in each for $10.

Tinybook too small?  No problemo.  Prinstagram offers the Minibook, as well.  The photos are printed back to back on card stock with a glossy photo-finish.  Photos are printed at just about the same size as they appear on your iPhone.  Order 2 minibooks with 50 photos in each for $12.

Or, you can opt for what I purchased: Miniprints.  Instagram miniprints are printed on card stock with a matte finish and just the right amount of weight to them.  It’s a simple and classy way to showcase your artistry.  Give them away to your friends, stick them in a scrapbook or on your walls, or carry a few in your wallet.  Order a set of 48 prints for $12.

my miniprints

Mine just arrived today!  So excited.  (Take note, future Printstagrammers: They ship from Taiwan, so expect for them to take their sweet time getting to you.) 

Check out Printstagram HERE.
Watch Printstagram’s product video HERE.
See what else Printstagram is doing with the Instagram platform HERE.

I’m a Printstagram FAN. 

xx, L

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Something exciting was going down outside my office last night when I was walking out to my car to head home.  CLEARLY, I did not get the memo…

The holidays are here!  For the entire month of December, you can find the perfect gifts and enjoy all the holiday experiences that Midtown has to offer! 

The kick-off reception was last night (and it looked like fun!), but there’s more! 

12/2 + 12/3: Local Gifts + Treats Pop Up Shop at MidCity Lofts (West Peachtree at 6th St. between Tech Square + Renaissance Hotel).  Vendors include: Olive, Pieces of Me, Lisa Jill Jewelry, Kristi Hyde, and JuneBug.  To compliment your shopping experience, enjoy treats from Sinless Cocktails + Rockin’ Cupcakes!

All Month Long: Midtown’s holiday festivities continue! 
- Ice skate in Piedmont Park at Park Tavern
- Visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s “Garden Lights - Holiday Nights” installation
- Visit the ”Picasso to Warhol” exhibition at the High Museum of Art
- See “A Christmas Carol” at the Alliance Theatre
- Get tickets for “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at the Fox Theatre
- Revisit the story of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Center for Puppetry Arts
- Hear “Handel’s Messiah” at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

More info below…

December may be 31 days long, but you’ve got A LOT to do.  It’s going to fly by! 

Happy Holidays from the Q+DD!

xx, L

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ATTENTION all Auburn fans: A friend of our dear friend, M. Reynolds, started an awesome company that you need to know about – Toomers Rolls!

But first, I need to give everyone else a little Auburn 411…

The intersection of Magnolia Avenue + College Street in Auburn, which marks the transition from downtown Auburn to the university campus, is known as Toomer’s Corner.  Hanging over the corner are two massive old-growth oak trees, and whenever there is cause for celebration in the Auburn community, the trees are festooned with toilet paper.  (Oooh, I like the word “festooned.”)  The TP rolling of oak trees started in the early 1990s after the power lines were moved under ground.  Traditionally only used as a way to celebrate football victories, in recent years it has become a way to celebrate anything good that happens concerning Auburn.  (www.wikipedia.com)

toomer's corner

Here’s the Q+DD on Toomers Rolls:

LK + I are Texas fans, but since Texas is in a different conference we feel like we can jump on the Toomers Rolls bandwagon! 

who's got school spirit??

We just love scarves (esp. scarves worn in summer), we totally support small businesses, we think toilet paper is v. necessary, and we’re on-board with anything M. Reynolds is about!  (P.S. She’s the adorbs model on the far left of the photo above.)

Get your Toomers Rolls here, War Eagles: GO AUBURN!  Follow Toomers Rolls on Facebook!

And, good luck this season! 

xx, L

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TOMORROW, October 15th from 9:00 – 12:00 in addition to the regular Saturday morning fabulousness, Peachtree Road Farmers Market will be holding the 2nd annual Market Mash-Up aiming to “bring together farmers and culinary community for a cause.”

Here’s the Q+DD:  Local farmers and purveyors of locally made foods will team up to whip up custom dishes that incorporate their specialties and will be judged by CELEBRITY JUDGES*!  There are 10 competing teams including: Spotted Trotter, Red Queen Tarts and Indian Ridge, Hope’s Gardens, Riverview Farms, H&F Bread, Greenleaf Farms, & Il Bel Cuore!  

Love your logo!

The early bird gets the worm: only 250 tasting tickets are available for sale starting at 9:00AM for a mere $5 a piece!  The tasting will run from 10:00 – 11:00 or until they run out. 

*This year’s celebrity Judges include:

Kim Severson, Atlanta bureau chief of The New York Times and Author of Spoon Fed

Christiane Lauterbach, Dining Critic, Atlanta Magazine & Knife & Fork

Jennifer Zyman, Editor, The Blissful Glutton and Eater Atlanta

Emily Smith, CNN Eatocracy Contributor

The best part: The proceeds from the Market Mash-Up will help fund the Peachtree Road Farmers Market’s 2012 city permit fees and city required police officer.PRFM hopes to raise the $5,750 needed to cover these expenses so we can avoid raising vendor fees.

Guys, PRFM is not only a super cool and awesome way to get fresh, fabulous fare – but I think it’s really important to recognize the importance of supporting our local farmers.   

PRFM strives to support local farmers and provide a welcoming community for them, and believes it is “essential to the health and well being of this community to know the both the farmer and the food they grow.”  Lauren Carey, Peachtree Road Farmers Market Manager adds,“Accessibility to fresh local produce is a gift; it means so much more to shake the hand of the farmer that grew the vegetables on your dinner plate.”  How true!

I’ll be there – I hope to see you guys too!

xx, L

Special thanks to my dear friend Adrienne, Peachtree Road Farmers Market volunteer and all-around awesome person, for bringing this fantastic event to my attention!

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