There will be a silent auction featuring the work of regional and national artists, as well as plenty of food, drink, and music.

Artists include: Kael Alford, Anita Arliss, Gabe Bouck, Susan Barmon, Rose Barron, Emily Capps, Dustin Chambers, Kate Crosby, Camilo Cruz, Paul D’Amato, Jill Ediger, Richard Ediger, Evereman, Adam Farrington, Kaylinn Gilstrap, Chris Hamer, Karen Head, Vicki Hunt, Michael Legrand, Nathan Lewis, Tom Meiss, Monika Merva, Dustin Miller, Mary Anne Mitchell, Phil Mosier, Michael David Murphy, Dorothy O’Connor, Colin Potts, Brook Reynolds, Tema Stauffer, Robin Tucker, Michael West, Matt Wernsman and Jenny Williamson.

All proceeds will benefit the Jenkins/Penn Haitian Relief Organization and their continuing efforts to help the people of Haiti.

The gallery is located at 1388 McLendon Ave. (678) 982-9764 or www.compositiongallery.com.

Join Trees Atlanta for fun and educational tree walks through some of Atlanta’s most interesting neighborhoods and urban forests. Walks are led by a certified arborist and typically cover up to 1-mile. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring drinking water. Free to attend, but donations are always appreciated. The schedule for the walks:

Friday, May 7 – Tree Walk in Virginia-Highland Neighborhood Arboretum in celebration of 2nd Annual National Public Gardens Day,  1-3 p.m.

Saturday, May 8 – Tree Walk in Sylvan Hills Neighborhood Arboretum in celebration of Mother’s Day,  3-5 p.m.

Sunday, May 9 – Tree Walk in Agnes Scott College Arboretum in celebration of Mother’s Day,  1-3 p.m.

On Saturday, May 22, the second annual City in the Arboretum Conference: Bringing the Arboretum Home is slated for 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center. The event will be an educational day of professional lectures, arboretum tours and tree giveaways with presentations by noted horticulturists and landscape architects including Elizabeth Dean, Erica Glasener, Steve Sanchez, and the Trees Atlanta staff. Sessions include selecting/planting according collections and themes, creating arboretum programming and events, updates about new and exciting developments in the tree world and more. Breakfast and lunch will be served and continuing education credits are available. $30 for Trees Atlanta members, $40 for non-members. Sponsored by The UPS Foundation.

Friday, June 25, is the Trees Atlanta’s 25th Anniversary Celebration from  7 to 10 p.m. at the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center. This informal evening will feature a silent and live auction offering a St. Croix beach house stay, Highlands mountain home vacation, and a one week stay in a fabulous Costa Rican seaside villa. Guests will enjoy a delicious cocktail buffet and chef attended stations by Three Sisters Catering and an open bar with specialty drink provided by Sweet Tea Vodka. $75 per person.

For more details about these events and more, visit www.treesatlanta.org.

Throughout SCAD Style, students and the public will have the opportunity to participate in lectures, workshops, exhibitions and book signings from some of the most well-known artists, designers and industry professionals.

Highlights of the Atlanta event include a lecture by Cameron Silver (pictured), owner of Decades boutiques in Los Angeles and London and premier authority on vintage fashion; a lecture and exhibition by supermodel and Givenchy muse Simone “Bettina” Bodin; a lecture by Christiane Lemieux, founder and creative director of textile company DwellStudio, a $20 million-a-year bedding and furniture empire; a lecture by Kelly Cutrone, founder of the public relations, branding and marketing firm People’s Revolution and star of the reality TV series “Kell on Earth”; a lecture by Julia Reed, senior writer at Vogue; and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” home style guru Thom Filicia.

For a complete schedule of events at SCAD Atlanta, visit www.scadstyle.com.

By Danna Thompson

B Chic Shoetique Opens

The New York based Bourgeoisie opens B Chic Shoetique in Buckhead, offering more cost-conscious options without sacrificing style. Owner, Rashidah Ali is a shoe consultant and stylist with a celebrity clientele list that includes Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and Wendy Williams. B Chic will feature shoes from an array of designers including L.A.M.B. and Report Signature among others.

A lavish, private event was held at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead on April 14 to commemorate the opening. Hosted by Maybeline super model Jessica White paired with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and an official red-carpet-style entrance with Rashida and her entourage the event was done in grand style. Also, in attendance was Tharon Johnson, Senior Advisor from the City of Atlanta Mayor’s office to welcome the new business to Atlanta. Rashidah says she is looking forward to calling Atlanta home. For more about the shop, visit www.bchicshoes.com.

Divine Consign Show is All New Boutique Labels

Actually, it isn’t even consignment at all this April. The ever-so-popular shopping event had to forgo consigning, which means shoppers will have selections from favorites like Kate & Libby, Three Mommas and many more brand new boutique labels and trunk shows! Even better, you won’t be shopping out of season since most of the merchandise is spring and summer wear priced at $35 and under. Fall items on-hand will be deeply discounted.

Newly offered by Divine Consign Children’s Show is a grandparent’s shopping shift during preview night, pre-registration is required. ?The children’s clothes are for ages newborn to 12 years, and they accept cash, check and Visa/MC. Strollers are permitted,?but umbrella strollers are preferred. Divine Consign says they are expecting up to 2,000 people to attend. The venue will be at Buckhead Place, 3232-B Peachtree Road.

Preview Night: Wednesday, April 28, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Public Sale: Thursday, April 29,  9:30 am – 8:00 pm

Public Sale: Friday, April 30,  9:30 am – 1:00 pm

One AtlantaBoutiques.com Facebook Fan will be selected to win entry to the preview night April 28! This night has the most selections and sizes available-all you have to do is become a fan and you’re entered to win!
Evolve Boutique Earth Day Sale

Earth Day is celebrated during the month of April, but Evolve Boutique in Decatur keeps the spirit of eco-friendly going all year. Owner, Joyce Justicz, has a focus on earth friendly products and repurposed merchandise. Joyce describes repurposed as old materials reused (or upcycled) to create something beautiful. She says, “Working in this industry has been such a pleasure because it is all with a greater purpose.” A company called GreenSewn, which uses recycled old vintage saris, designs the rainbow of scarves adorning the wall. Another eco-chic designer (local to Decatur) is Verdier, using new and old vintage jewelry pieces to create a fresh, trendy line of necklaces and earrings. In addition to the eco-friendly lines, some of Evolve’s best sellers are Velvet, Ella Moss and Citizens.

In her spare time, Joyce enjoys spending time with her husband and four children. The self-proclaimed “math nerd” (her words not mine) conquers lots of puzzles and currently is undertaking a home renovation project. She is a proud Emory alum and often hosts social clubs from the university at her boutique.

With the culmination Earth Day and the boutique’s three-year anniversary this month, Evolve will have the entire store on sale April 22-25. This will be their largest sale ever with the entire shop discounted. To add to the fun, Evolve will be selling organic cotton tee’s flaunting their logo. Expect to be greeted at the door by the boutique mascot, Sammy. He’s a lovable rescue dog with lots of personality! www.evolve-boutique.com.

Upcoming Events

Fab Friday at Heilotrope: 20% off everything in the Decatur store on April 23 from 6-11 p.m., enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres.

ecoEmporium: The eco-friendly shop re-opens in its new location At the Collective in Inman Park on April 24.

Etc. East: 20% off handbags during the month of April at the Vinings shop.

Sage Earth Day Sale: 22% off regular priced purchase on April 22, may be used  at any Sage location. Print discount at AtlantaBoutique.com or shop at www.sageclothing.com and use the keyword “Earth” at checkout.

Danna Thompson is the founder of AtlantaBoutiques.com, which provides shoppers, fashionistas, and trendsetters with up-to-date information on Atlanta Boutiques. We cover shop events, promotions and profile area boutiques. Contact Thompson at danna@atlantaboutiques.com.

By Manning Harris

Rasta Thomas is one of the world’s great dancers; he’s won every gold medal you can win in the ballet world but has now branched out into modern, edgy, thrilling styles of dance and in 2007 formed his own company: the Bad Boys of Dance—and they’ll be performing for one night only—Thursday, April 22, at Georgia  Tech’s Ferst Center for the Arts—their Atlanta premiere.

Rasta first wowed the ATL in 2005 dancing the lead in the Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out,” choreographed by Twyla Tharp. Since then he has been a guest artist with most of the major ballet companies of the world, including New York’s American Ballet Theatre. He has fan clubs in Japan. He’s a maverick in the world of dance: Most dancers with his technical bravura and charisma are attached to a major ballet company that (in theory at least) cossets and guides their development.

“One of the benefits of being a freelance dancer,” Rasta has said, “is that you get to seize the moment. My philosophy from day one was ‘I’m going to dance—and dance.’ I never really wanted to sit in the back waiting, and quote, working up the ranks.”

As a result, he has been able to take such varied assignments as being a principal dancer in the late Patrick Swayze’s film “One Last Dance” and performing a stunning number on the 1999 Academy Awards, choreographed by Debbie Allen. Oh, yes, Rasta is still in his 20′s; he started early, a true prodigy, and has impeccable classical training (such as the Kirov). Yet he can dance anything. The AJC’s theatre critic Wendell Brock called his “Movin’ Out” performance “a mixture of James Dean and Baryshnikov.” That brings us to the Bad Boys.

I was fortunate enough to attend the world debut of Bad Boys of Dance at the venerable, prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts in 2007. They were the talk of the Festival. Philip Szporer’s program notes were delightful and informative: “A ‘bad boy’ is someone who hasn’t much use for authority. The ‘bad boy’ will kick at convention. ‘Bad boys’ shock with graphic and provocative productions. ‘Bad boys’ snub their noses at propriety. On the other hand, in Caribbean patois, a ‘bad boy’–or bad bwai– refers to a bold man, and it’s a compliment.”

Surrounding Rasta Thomas in the current show is a razzle-dazzle cast of stunning dancers in an unpredictable fusion of ballet, contemporary, and jazz. There is now an addition to the company: one beautiful woman, a superb world-class dancer named Adrienne Canterna. Rasta and she are real-life husband and wife. They are a breathtaking duo, personally and professionally.

Okay, Atlanta—we’ve got “One Night Only,” as the song from “Chicago” says, to catch all this fire and brilliance. See you at the Ferst Center on Thursday, April 22!

For more information visit, www.ferstcenter.gatech.edu. To contact Manning Harris: fmanningh@gmail.com.

The show traces Simone’s life beginning in her early years and extending through her revolutionary period when she performed classic songs as “Young, Gifted and Black,” “Mississippi (God)damn,” and “Four Women.”  Poets will recite her lyrics, dancers will interpret her meanings, and artists will provide live painting and sculpting during the performances.

Tickets for the show are available at this link or visit www.funkytweeter.com for more details about the evening.

UPDATE: Due to the grounding of flights in Europe because of the Iceland volcano, Swing Out Sister has cancelled all its US concerts next week, including the Atlanta show on April 22. Refunds at point of purchase. We’ll let you know if the band reschedules.

By Collin Kelley, Editor

Swing Out Sister had a breakout hit with their 1987 single “Breakout,” but the duo of Andy Connell and Corinne Drewery are far from being an 80s nostalgia act.

SOS’s last album, the sublime “Beautiful Mess,” was Top 5 in the Billboard Jazz Chart last year, and a series of sold out concerts brought rapturous reviews from critics and fans alike.

The UK-based band is back in America for a few more dates, including a stop at Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points on Thursday, April 22 (visit www.varietyplayhouse.com for info and tickets).

Drewery, whose distinctive voice has propelled SOS’s nine albums released over the last 20-plus years, said the new dates will be “semi-acoustic” featuring a double bass and percussion.

“We want to have a more intimate show this time out,” Drewery said in a recent telephone interview, “so we’re stripping the songs down and will interpret them in different ways. We don’t want to repeat ourselves, but I think we’ve got a good mix of songs.”

Fans can still expect to hear favorites – including “Breakout,” “Twilight World” and “Surrender” – as well as a sampling of songs you might have missed as the band’s career flourished in the 90s in Europe and Japan, where they reached superstar status.

SOS’s last stop in Atlanta was in the 90s and Drewery said she has fond memories of the city and is eager to spend a few days re-exploring. “Atlanta has such a different feeling than any other city I’ve visited,” she said. “It’s a big place, but so green and magical.”

Drewery said touring the states always feels like “coming home,” because she and Connell drew so much inspiration from American jazz, hip-hop and R&B, elements of which have found their way onto SOS’s albums.

Drewery scanned through her iPod to give an idea of what she’s currently listening to and it was an eclectic mix: Earth Wind and Fire, Beach Boys, “Madame Butterfly” and Atlanta-based R&B favorite Ciara.

Drewery and Connell have been back in the studio, as evidenced by video on their busy Facebook page, where thousands of fans share their devotion and loyalty. Some fans are even flying in from other states just to catch the Atlanta show.

Drewery, who writes the lyrics while Connell writes the music, said touring helps keep SOS loose and explore new sounds and ideas for future music. Being back in America is sure to give them inspiration as well.

“We appreciate the American fans for sticking with us and showing so much support,” Drewery said. “We are excited to be back.”

To find out more and hear clips, visit www.swingoutsister.com and make sure to follow the band on Twitter at www.twitter.com/swingoutsister. And check out the videos below.

I remember my first trip to Noni’s well. A cool little Italian joint near the downtown part of Edgewood. The interior is a combination of hipster bar and your Italian Grandma’s dining room. Noni’s is as eclectic as it is eccentric.

My friends and I settled into our cozy booths and feasted on an array warm pasta and delicate sauces. We played plate roulette, tasting each other’s dishes and made mental notes of what to order the next time we came, because we knew our first trip wouldn’t be our last. Our dinner experience was enhanced by the in house dj and a rowdy group of partiers at the nearby bar. We loved it so much we stayed well past end of the meal. This place is cool. Menthol cool. But I’m not here to talk about our dinner. I’m here to discuss the joy of Noni’s for lunch.

To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Noni’s in daylight. Matt the owner happened to be there today and greeted us warmly. After a quick chit chat about what concerts were coming up in Atlanta (this guy knows his music), we got down to the business of lunch. Starters? Go with the Mushroom Leek Bruschetta. It’s thick crusty bread topped an abundance of savory mushrooms and leeks, all piled high in a delicious sauce. Other starters to try: Noni’s Fries, garlicky cut potatoes with a topping of fresh parmesean. The Salumi Tasting, a full size lazy susan adorned with various salty meats and a peppery arugula salad.

Entree? Normally I would recommend the pasta. It has never let me down. You can’t go wrong with any of the combinations. For lunch, definitely try the sandwiches. My favorite is the Hot Dom, prosciutto with their homemade mozzarella, roasted red peppers on a grilled ciabatta. Another favorite is The Tuscan, grilled eggplant, zucchini, portobello, roasted pepper with provolone on a grilled pumpernickel. We were in and out in less than an hour. A definite advantage if you are in a lunch rush. But by all means if you have the time, hang out an linger for a while. This restaurant is meant to be savoured. Like a famous t-shirt says: “Italians do it better”.

Noni’s Bar & Deli, 357 Edgewood Ave. (404) 343-1808 or www.nonisdeli.com.