publisher's letter

There is no question the holiday’s are upon us, and is it just me or do the decorations seem to appear sooner every year? Regardless, there is lots to do, and we, of course, are here to help.

First of all, what in the world are you going to do with all those guests scheduled to visit with expectations of lots of good food and loads of fun (and not necessarily in that order!). Check out our suggestions for ten exciting things to do in and around Gwinnett County during the holidays.

Then, when it is time to hit the stores and take care of that ever growing gift list, be sure to check out Snellville’s new shopping extravaganza, The Avenue Webb Gin. We’ve got the scoop on great gift ideas from several of the Avenue’s retailers.

Now to the food (which is what we all really live for after all). I’m so excited about our holiday recipes. One of my all-time favorite chefs, Ina Garten, better know as the Barefoot Contessa and Food Network host, provides us with three incredible recipes that will keep your guests coming back for seconds and thirds.

We are back with our Citizen of the Year this issue, and I could not be more delighted to bestow this honor upon a man I highly respect and admire. Wayne Shackelford has been called Mr. Gwinnett for many reasons, not to mention his steadfast loyalty to Gwinnett County. Mr. Shackelford has done so much good for our community, and he has done it with integrity and a great deal of humility. I know you will enjoy reading about this influential man and his tireless commitment to his community, his family and his faith.

accent gwinnett magazine has some very exciting news we wish to share with all of you. With very careful consideration we have formed our Advisory Board, and I am proud to say each and every member is an inspiration to me and someone I consider a trusted friend. I look forward to our January/February 2007 issue when we will introduce each board member and their many contributions to Gwinnett County.

Finally, I want to touch on our “Gwinnett’s Best Doctors” issue and the response it has generated. We knew going into it there would be many brilliant physicians that would get left off of the list, and that is inevitable with surveys. But we look at it as an educational tool to highlight the exceptional level of health care in Gwinnett County and the huge variety of specialties that are available to us right in our own backyards.

I truly hope each and every one of you have a wonderful holiday season and look for great things to come from accent gwinnett magazine in 2007!