Hey Neighbor,
One of my favorite questions right now isn't 'what do you do?' It's 'what are your plans this weekend?' It changes the whole conversation.
Because now there’s a more tangible answer than just “Good” when you ask, “How are you doing?”
It opens the door to real conversation—what people like to give their time and attention to. I think it’s pretty cool to learn what people do in their free time, what neighbors do with their families, and where they go out on dates.
That’s why we created Dinner Club: so we can meet around the table and have these conversations in person.
So, let’s get into it…
Dinner Club
Six neighbors (strangers at first). One table. Downtown Lawrenceville.
Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 PM.
You won't know the other five. That's the entire point.
We're excellent neighbors and need improvement on being friends around here. We wave from the driveway. We say "we should get together sometime" — and sometime never comes, because nobody wants to be the one who plans it.
I planned it. You just show up hungry.
Six seats exist. Not sixty. Six. A handful are already booked — and when the last one goes, the next table isn't until September.
20% off with code BESTSUMMER for the first 15 people. That number is dropping too.
Can't make the 6th? Get on the list now — don't be the neighbor who hears about the September table after it's full.
A quick pick me up?
COFFEE SHOPS
Giulia Italian Bakery
Sequel Coffee Co. — Your New Favorite Work-From-Coffee-Shop
Sequel Coffee is the neighborhood gem Peachtree Corners didn't know it needed. Think bold, smooth coffee, a cozy fireplace, great outdoor seating, and even a drive-thru window. The staff is genuinely kind (they once wrote a note with a customer's order!) and the Little Debbie Latte has developed a bit of a local cult following. Perfect for remote workers, catch-ups with a friend, or a quiet Saturday morning.
📍 3847 Medlock Bridge Rd Suite 120, Peachtree Corners
🕐 Mon–Fri 6AM–5PM | Sat 8AM–4PM
Giulia Italian Bakery — Hidden in Plain Sight at The Forum
If you've walked through The Forum shopping center and somehow missed Giulia, it's time to go back. This Italian bakery and coffee shop serves real espresso in glass cups (not paper!), handcrafted croissants, fresh sandwiches, salads, and gelato in flavors you won't find anywhere else. The pistachio croissant alone is worth the trip. Gorgeous, cozy, and surprisingly affordable.
📍 5165 Peachtree Pkwy Suite 235, Peachtree Corners
🕐 Daily 8AM–5PM
This Week in Gwinnett
❤️ Date Night
Sweet Baby James: The James Taylor Tribute — Friday, July 31, 7:30 PM
Lawrenceville Arts Center, 128 E Pike St · from $39
Nashville's Bill Griese does the James Taylor catalog straight — no wig, no impression, just the songs and a guitar in a room built for exactly this. Grab dinner on the square first and make a real night of it.
Departure Live: A Journey Tribute — Friday, July 31, 9:00 PM
37 Main, Buford · $12 general admission, or $125 date-night package for two
Every song you'd want, played loud, twenty minutes from your house. The date-night package gets you a reserved table so you're not holding drinks in a crowd all night.
Easy Pace — Great for Seniors, and Great if You're Going Alone
These two are the ones I'd send a first-timer to. Free, outdoors, no ticket, and nobody notices or cares whether you showed up with anyone.
Norcross Summer Concert Series: The Ray Howard Band — Friday, July 31, 7:30–9:30 PM
Thrasher Park, 93 Park Dr, Norcross · Free
Memphis and Delta soul under the trees in downtown Norcross. Lawn chairs, picnics welcome, food vendors on site. Also a CAN-Do food drive site — bring a couple cans and you've got a reason to talk to the person next to you.
Sugar Hill Farmers Market — Tuesday, July 28, 4:00–7:00 PM
The Landing, 4985 West Broad St · Free
Tonight. Produce, honey, fresh bread, and vendors who will absolutely talk to you if you ask one question about what they grow. Easiest hello of the week.
For the Whole Family
Rock The Block: Live & Loud Fridays — Friday, July 31, 6:00–9:00 PM
Duluth Town Green · Free
The most dependable free Friday in the county. Blanket, camp chairs, dinner from Parsons Alley, kids running loose on the lawn. Zero dollars, zero planning.
Suwanee Farmers Market — Saturday, August 1, 8:00 AM–12:00 PM
Town Center on Main, 421 Main Street · Free
Peaches, pastries, and a cold brew before the heat shows up. Give each kid three dollars and let them pick something — cheapest morning out you'll have all week.
21 & Over
Bettin' On The Mule — Thursday, July 30, 8:30 PM
37 Main, Buford · FREE admission
Southern rock, outlaw country, no cover. A full show for the price of whatever you order at the bar. Best low-risk "text three people at 6pm" plan on this list.
The Krickets + Bo Spring Band — Friday, July 31, 8:00 PM
Red Clay Music Foundry, 3116 Main St, Duluth · $25–$35
A Gulf Coast Americana trio in Eddie Owen's listening room — the kind of venue where people actually shut up and listen. Harmonies that'll wreck you a little.
⚡ 4 More Quick Hits
Heads up: school starts Wednesday, August 5 — that's next week. Which makes this the last free weekend before lunchboxes, carpool lines, and 6:30 AM alarms. Spend it accordingly.
Forum Fit: Pilates on The Plaza — Wed, July 29, 6–7 PM · The Plaza at The Forum, Peachtree Corners · Free outdoor class from Club Pilates, plus a Perspire Sauna pop-up. Learn more
Parsons Thursday Nights Out — Thu, July 30, 6–9 PM · Parsons Alley, Downtown Duluth · Free weekly alley hangout, rotating theme, food steps away. Details here
Lilburn Farmers Market — Fri, July 31, 4–7 PM · 1400 Killian Hill Rd · Friday-evening market, local growers, The Meliora School at the Booth for a Cause. Discover more
These Crowded Streets: Dave Matthews Tribute — Sat, Aug 1, 9 PM (doors 7) · 37 Main, Buford · $10 in, $39 date-night for two. Last Saturday of summer break — go be 22 again. Learn more
Before you go!
School starts next Wednesday. The calendar tightens up. And "we should get together" gets even easier to say and even harder to do.
One table. Six people. Thursday, August 6.
Be the one who plans it.
Your Neighbor and GwinnettBest Creator,
Gus Ruballo
With gratitude and community pride,
